Atletico Madrid 1-0 Liverpool: Simeone works his defensive magic as Klopp’s side draw a blank in the Champions League February 18, 2020 It took five months, but tonight Liverpool finally met their match. Before the return to the Wanda Metropolitano – the scene of last season’s Champions League final triumph – Jurgen Klopp had talked up his opponents. Atletico Madrid were painted as a tough nut to crack. The Liverpool manager’s prediction turned out to be spot [...]
How RB Leipzig’s business model and recruitment strategy drove the club to the Champions League last-16 and bred hatred February 18, 2020 RB Leipzig’s methods may be controversial, but they are certainly effective. Leipzig are widely considered the most hated club in Germany. Founded in 2009 by Austrian energy drink manufacturer Red Bull as a marketing ploy, the club have been allowed to circumvent the country’s 50+1 ownership rule which stipulates that 50 per cent of the [...]
Jose Mourinho gives Tottenham the edge over Chelsea and Manchester United in race for Champions League places February 18, 2020 Manchester United’s win at Chelsea on Monday has only cranked up the pressure in one of the most keenly contested races for Champions League qualification in recent years. Just seven points separate Chelsea, in fourth, and Burnley, in 11th, because – Liverpool aside – there is very little consistency and everyone is beating everyone else. [...]
Atletico Madrid must face the Liverpool juggernaut amid the club’s worst spell in a decade February 18, 2020 Liverpool are the last team Atletico Madrid would have wanted to meet when the Champions League draw was made. Atletico are already enduring a difficult season and now face the most daunting of challenges as they welcome the reigning European and soon-to-be Premier League champions to the Wanda Metropolitano tonight. It is the same ground [...]
Chelsea 0-2 Manchester United: Blues can’t hide behind VAR excuses after blunt performance in front of goal February 17, 2020 As a Chelsea fan there are two ways you can look at tonight’s 2-0 defeat by Manchester United at Stamford Bridge. Firstly, viewed emotionally, it was a night of pure frustration. A night on which N’Golo Kante and Andreas Christensen were forced off injured. A night on which the opposition’s captain and goalscorer got away [...]
Chelsea v Manchester United: Blues’ poor home form under threat from big-match specialists in top-four showdown February 16, 2020 While this season’s Premier League title race is now non-existent, the battle to finish in the top four is still very much on. Everyone from Chelsea in fourth to Arsenal in 10th will have aspirations of finishing in the final Champions League spot, while Manchester City’s prospective European ban has given even more teams hope. [...]
Arsenal 4-0 Newcastle: Mikel Arteta’s side finally turn the tide of draws in crucial, confidence-boosting home win February 16, 2020 Suddenly it all clicked into place. After a run of four successive Premier League draws and 45 minutes of predictable, frustrating and ineffective side-to-side football, Arsenal found their mojo. In the grand scheme of things it wasn’t much – a 15-minute spell of domination and creativity, and a strong finish against a unadventurous Newcastle side [...]
Manchester City could win legal row with Uefa but club’s Champions League ban is already having an impact February 16, 2020 If Friday’s announcement that Manchester City face exclusion from the Champions League for the next two years was a bombshell, then the accompanying shrapnel is the endless list of questions posed by Uefa’s verdict. What now for the most expensively assembled project in the history of football? Can Pep Guardiola be persuaded to stay at [...]
Manchester City banned from Europe for two years for ‘serious breach’ of FFP February 15, 2020 Manchester City have been banned from Uefa club competitions for the next two seasons after committing “serious breaches” of financial fair play (FFP) regulations. The current Premier League champions will not be able to participate in the Champions League of Europa League in 2020-21 or 2021-22. They have also been fined 30m euros (£25m). The [...]
Wolves continue to exceed expectations by juggling Europa League with Premier League commitments February 13, 2020 Love will be in the air at the Molineux Stadium on Friday night as fans welcome back their beloved, mould-breaking Wolverhampton Wanderers from the Premier League’s inaugural winter break. Amid a season that has been bereft of quality from five of the established Big Six, Wolves and tomorrow’s opponents, Leicester, are two of the sides [...]