Monthly Archives: November 2015
- November 30, 2015
Here we are; another season, another bevy of rumors about the potential departures of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo from their respective football clubs. Every year seems to bring chatter that Spain's biggest soccer stars are about to hit the road and head elsewhere for the soccer seasons that remain in their careers. Amid the mounting speculation this season we imagine the future of La Liga without Messi or Ronaldo.
Up in the Air
Last season, the rumors were loudest about Cristiano Ronaldo, who was supposedly upset about Real Madrid's decision to sack Carlo Ancelotti and hire Rafael Benitez instead. Ronaldo ultimately signed a new contract, though, potentially tying himself to the Vikings until 2018. However, sources are currently saying that Real Madrid are likely to sell either Ronaldo - November 30, 2015
Week five of the UEFA Champions League 2015/16 began to bring the next phase of the competition into clear focus, as 10 of the round of 16 slots are now confirmed. Week six of the group stage, which the UEFA has scheduled for December 8th and 9th, will see several on-the-fringe clubs battling for last-minute advancement. For the most part, though, the big title contenders have already secured their round of 16 spots.
The First Qualifiers
When we last checked in with the Champions League, following week four of competition in early November, three teams-Real Madrid, Manchester City, and Zenit St. Petersburg-had already guaranteed themselves advancement into the next round. Zenit St. Petersburg continues to carry the - November 29, 2015
Benfica hold a lot of superlatives in the annals of Portuguese soccer. In addition to being the most successful football club in national history (with 34 titles and counting), Benfica also have the most runner-up finishes (27) and have won the Champions League twice (consecutive victories in 1961 and 1962). Add the fact that the Eagles are currently the two-time reigning champs in the Primeira Liga, and it's a good time to be a fan in the Benfica home shirt 2015/16. But are the Benfica title hopes for 2015/16 on track?
With all of that said, though, Benfica are in danger of snapping their streak of top-two finishes in the league if things continue to go as they have been going so far this season. The Eagles are currently in fourth place on the Primeira Liga table, with six wins and three losses on their record so far.
To be fair, Benfica have played one fewer game than Sporting CP, the current table leaders, or Sporting Braga, the soccer club currently edging them out for - November 29, 2015
It feels like it was just yesterday that each of Europe's football leagues was were playing their first games of the 2015 2016 season. However, we're nearing the end of November, which means that we are just about a month away from the mid-season transfer window. Such football clubs (ahemÂ…Chelsea) need all the help they can get with this winter signing period while at least one other (Barcelona) will be getting back into the market for new players after this past summer's transfer ban. Needless to say, January should make for an exciting month in the soccer world. And so far, Paris Saint Germain forward Ezequiel Lavezzi looks like he will be at the center of it all.
An Imminent Departure?
Lavezzi is 30 years old and has always been dependably solid as a forward and winger at PSG. Since coming - November 28, 2015
Guest Post by Karl Matchett.
Quite as shocking as Leicester City sitting atop the Premier League in late November is the fall of the team who reigned in that position at the end of May: Chelsea's abysmal season so far still sees them as close to the relegation zone (in points, even closer in places) than the top half of the table and with a difficult run of games coming up which will shape the remainder of their season.
With questions over whether Jose Mourinho had lost the dressing room and the support of the board still fresh in all onlookers' minds, the recent run of three wins in four has at least gone some way to stilling the turbulent waters at Stamford Bridge-though the undercurrent of dissatisfaction is still very much present. It will be choppy and difficult to navigate once more this weekend, should Chelsea fail to take points off Tottenham Hotspur, a team who are
- November 28, 2015
Manchester United had a chance on Wednesday to lock down a position in the knockout stages of the 2015 2016 UEFA Champions League. If Manchester United against PSV Eindhoven, on November 25th, had of resulted in a win for the Red Devils they would have pushed their Group B point total to 10, thereby making themselves untouchable to anyone in the group except for Wolfsburg. Instead, Man United stumbled into a dull, scoreless draw with PSV Eindhoven-a team that now has an opportunity to botch the Red Devils' chances of advancement.
Sloppy Squads
Both Manchester United and PSV Eindhoven have had consistency issues this season, and those issues have combined to make Group G one of the more fluid groups in the Champions League competition. - November 27, 2015
With a delicate touch, the diminutive magician waves his wand, picking up from the spectacles produced in Sicily last season.
At 22 years old, a silky left foot and deadly shot to match, there does not need to be an explanation as to why Juventus invested €40 million into acquiring Paulo Dybala from Palermo his raw talent was obvious for all to see.
Dybala's match winning goal against AC Milan is just a glimpse of what we've been accustomed to from his collective time in Serie A scoring 13 goals and providing 10 assists last season and what we can expect from the Argentinean for years to come in black and white.
Although it was understood Massimiliano Allegri wanted to patiently introduce the forward as he did with Alvaro Morata last term to which that move could be called a great success the former Milan coach had no choice but to include him in the starting XI due to Morata's and Mario Mandzukic's absences through injury, thus totaling the most minutes out of the - November 27, 2015
When Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea FC face one another on November 29th, at the Spurs' White Hart Lane, it will be an interesting rivalry match between two of London's football clubs. The two teams both had great seasons last year, with the Blues winning the 2014 2015 Premier League title and Tottenham putting forth striker Harry Kane as the breakout star of the domestic season. Both clubs also suffered very poor starts to the 2015 2016 campaign, with Chelsea dipping as far as 16th on the Premier League Table and Tottenham sitting 17th after the first week of competition.
Getting Out of the Rut
The difference between these two soccer clubs is that, while Tottenham Hotspur seem to have escaped their season-opening - November 26, 2015
Manchester City and Arsenal-the football clubs that were sitting at the top of the Premier League table headed into this weekend-week 13 of 201516 EPL season proved to be thoroughly unlucky. Both teams lost, with Manchester City falling 1-4 against Liverpool and Arsenal stumbling to a 0-1 loss in an away game at West Bromwich Albion. The Sky Blues and the Gunners now occupy the third and fourth place spots on the table, respectively. It's the lowest Manchester City have dipped all season.
Lucky Leicester
For many of the other most notable soccer clubs in the Premier League, though, week 13 proved to be surprisingly full of luck. Topping the list of fortunate teams are Leicester City, who beat Newcastle United 3-0 to scoot into first - November 26, 2015
Guest Post By Greg Lea.
There was not much for Manchester City fans to celebrate at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday evening as they watched their side being comprehensively taken apart by Jurgen Klopp's vigorous visitors from Liverpool. In fact, the only real moment of quality that the hosts could muster was a terrific solo effort from Sergio Aguero making his return from a seven-week lay-off with a hamstring problem that threatened to get City back into the game at the end of the first half.
It was a fantastic goal from the Argentine marksman, who picked up the ball around 35 yards out, dribbled past Lucas Leiva and finished unerringly past Simon Mignolet and into the bottom corner. Although it was ultimately not enough to inspire a comeback Martin Skrtel found the net late on to wrap up a 4-1 Liverpool victory Aguero's piece of magic was a reminder of just how essential he is to Manuel Pellegrini's outfit.
The 27-year-old has been a regular scorer ever since moving