120 years later, Is AC Milan’s journey back to the top a wild goose chase or a possibility?

Robinho and Zlatan Ibrahimovic of AC Milan celebrate scoring the second goal during the UEFA Champions League round of 16 first leg match between AC Milan and Arsenal FC at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on February 15, 2012 in Milan, Italy.

(Feb. 14, 2012 - Source: Claudio Villa/Getty Images Europe)

Good old days

They were the best team in Europe! Undisputed champions of the world! A solid whale making waves in the sea! The club won unforgettable 18 Series A championships, 7 Champions Leagues, and it’s impossible to forget the renowned players who played for the club including Ronaldinho, Kaka, Gattuso, and Maldini.

During the glorious days of the club, most players in the first eleven would qualify into the dream team of the world. Yet, the Italian giants find themselves at rock bottom with hardly any recognition in the world. Is AC Milan still recognised in the top 20 clubs in the world? Absolutely Not! The story of AC Milan can only be described as, “Riches to Rags.” The inevitable question then comes: “What really happened to AC Milan?”

AC Milan is a European club that plays in the Italian Serie A and was definitely one the most successful clubs in the world for many years particularly in the 80s, 90s and early 2000s. The club was a powerhouse before Juventus started dominating the Serie A as it has been in the past few years. The club was founded in 1899 by a group of English expatriates. At the commencement of the year 1980 going forward, AC Milan was the best club in Serie A, if not the best club in Europe. It had renowned world-class players such as Marco Van Basten, and Frank Rykuk to mention but a few and the club won 3 Championships in this period leaving a mark that cannot be erased.

The start of the millennium was just as fruitful, as they managed to win two more UEFA Champions League titles in 2003 and 2007. Their team had big guns such as Andre Shevchenko, Clarence Seedorf, Paulo Maldini, and Kaka. It was undoubtedly a team of legends! Unfortunately, that team was the last one to make such a tremendous impact to date.

How did they get here?

AC Milan has not been in the UEFA Champions League competition in the last 5 years. They have been number 6 on log standings in the Serie A for the last 2 years and 10th in 2016, which is totally embarrassing for a club of such caliber. The transition of letting veteran players go from the club and roping in new players was badly managed, as well as the club's management. The club has had 8 managers and 3 owners in the last 5 years, which is unheard for a club of such heritage, paramount value and popularity.

Franck Kessie of AC Milan gestures during the Serie A match between AC Milan and Chievo Verona at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on October 7, 2018 in Milan, Italy.

(Oct. 6, 2018 - Source: Marco Luzzani/Getty Images Europe)

Whilst the club was still at its peak in 2011, Silvio Berlusconi completely transformed the whole system and changed the philosophy that made the club great. He no longer depended on former players with relevant club-play experience and stopped buying expensive players. Worse off, he prioritized selling his top players at that time and some of them being Thiago Silva and Zlatan Ibrahimovic who were sold to PSG in 2012 and one shocking moment being letting Andreas Pirlo go to Juventus for free. One of the main strategies of the executive team was to depend on young players who were coming from the academy, just the way Barcelona does with La Masa Academy. Only that in this case, it was a real bummer.

The club was making these terrible decisions, simultaneously making improper decisions when purchasing new players, for instance purchasing Robinho for €20 million, and Andrea Betalachi for $23 million. In the aftermath of poor seasons, the club yanked old stars for free such as Fernando Torres to boost the squad, but unfortunately, there was no light at the end of the tunnel. Slowly but surely the club’s level of competence slid through anonymity and the club was sold to a Chinese businessman hoping the club will rise to the occasion and regain lost glory.

Silvio Berlusconi bought AC Milan when the club was down on its very knees in the late 80s and he built it until it had become a force to reckon with in European football. Following the arrival of Berlusconi, the club grew immensely right and it reached tremendous heights. Regardless of success on the pitch, Berlusconi was also involved in politics and became Italy’s prime minister but was however mired in corruption allegations. He was eventually found guilty of tax evasion and barred from the public office. Having initially struggled financially he eventually found a key buyer from China for AC Milan as a way of offloading pressure from his life that was already in jeopardy.

“Whilst the club was still at its peak in 2011, Silvio Berlusconi completely transformed the whole system and changed the philosophy that made the club great. He no longer depended on former players with relevant club-play experience and stopped buying expensive players”

— Farai Maringa, FirstTouch Africa

The businessman from China

A wealthy businessman named Li Yonghong paid a nine-figure deposit to begin negotiations in purchasing AC Milan. New York Times reported that the Chinese man was not as wealthy as he proclaimed to be and his business was not as lucrative as elucidated. Regardless of the red flags and multiple issues raised with regard to Li Yonghong’s credibility, the sale went through successfully in March 2017. Silvio Berlusconi decided to let go of the club in the aftermath of poor pitch and financial performances.

With the intense drive to take the club on an upswing just after acquiring the club, Li Yonghong decided to go on a spending spree when he purchased Bonucci and Andre Silva. The new signings did not make a significant change to the club’s results despite the named fellows making impact currently. Henceforth, the club remained in shambles. The Chinese investors upon realising little or no return for their massive investment over the years in the club, they backed out and closed their billfolds.

Paolo Maldini, Kaka and other players of AC Milan celebrate after winning the FIFA Club World Cup final against Boca Juniors and AC Milan at the International Stadium Yokohama on December 16, 2007 in Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan.

(Dec. 16, 2007 - Source: Junko Kimura/Getty Images Sport)

Li Yonghong received a loan from Elliot Management equating to $354 million. All these issues were inadvertently affecting the players and coaches as the club that season went on to lose to Juventus, Napoli, Roma, and Inter Milan. After the horrendous losses, it was inevitable that coach Vincenzo Montella was unceremoniously sacked and the club hired a Milan luminary named Gennaro Gattuso.

AC Milan’s management continued to disappoint the club and its supporters when UEFA turned down AC Milan’s voluntary agreement to be in accordance with Financial Fair Play(FFP) Rules. The main news channel read that, “there are still uncertainties to the refinancing of the loans attached to the club to be paid back in October 2018 and the financial guarantees provided by the main shareholder.” Adding fuel to the fire, allegations were raised that Li Yonhong and some of his businesses were bankrupt, leaving an uncertain future for the club’s financial status.

The club was sold again and it’s now owned by Elliot Fund, American owners. The new owner engaged old guys like Maldini and they had a successful transfer of players when they bought Pacqueta for their midfield, and the phenomenal Piatek who is a goal-scoring machine, and evidence was getting 10 goals in 13 games. This gave absolute hope to the whole club and fans for a glorious future who were feeling absolutely discouraged for a number of years.

Celebrating 120 years and the rebuilding continues

Perhaps AC Milan has a lot to learn from Inter Milan with regards to rebuilding a club that was once famous? Perhaps AC Milan, who are now 120 years-old as of December 2019, can become one of the greatest football clubs once again to ever play in Europe?

All these questions can only be answered when the proper financials and proper managers are put in place for AC Milan. Jürgen Klopp transformed Liverpool from the miry clay and drove it onto a rock to stay, and he is the “type” of passionate coach needed to transform AC Milan club. A lot of effort, sheer commitment and determination are indispensable to make AC Milan great again. Truth be told, the team is currently far away from its peak, but there is great hope for an emphatic return to the UEFA Champions League in 10 years to come.

Will this be Leicester’s strongest season in the Premier League since their 2016 Championship?

Leicester reacts to Leicester City's Premier League Title Success on May 03, 2016 in Leicester, England.

(May 2, 2016 - Source: Matthew Lewis/Getty Images Europe)

Be afraid, be very afraid!

With Arsenal on the ropes and down on the floor, a familiar foe was standing right over their carcasses; Jamie Vardy. Two goals for the English international in a 3-0 victory for the Foxes meant that the Gunners had officially become his favorite customer. With a tally of 8 goals against them in the Premier League, against no else has he scored more. Rodgers' boys had not only inflicted a third loss in three matches for Emery's charges; but pulled off a Thanos and the magical stones on them. With 3 snaps of the fingers, more of rippling of the net in this context, Arsenal's hopes of finishing in the top four had vanished into thin air, almost at the speed of Leicester light or sound of their red agonies. The Foxes themselves had almost nothing to lose but plenty of pride to gain. A top 7 finish was almost out of reach given how well Wolves and Everton had performed in the preceding month leading to the fixture. Rather, on that 28th of April 2019, a bloody message had been imprinted on plain tables with the claws of a Fox, "they were coming for all of them when the season restarts." This time not as Foxes wearing sheep clothing, as they did in the 2015/16 when they won the Premier League title with odds of 5,000-1. But as the real deal, untamed and unleashed!

Statistically 3rd best in the Premier League?

Back to the main question, could 2019/20 really be Leicester's strongest season since winning the title in 2016? Well, the short answer is an emphatic yes! Just for kicks, since the appointment of former Liverpool manager in February of 2019, only champions Manchester City and European champions Liverpool have won more Premier League points than the King Power residents. Not a bad company to keep. If we are to extrapolate this historical data, we learn that it's pretty realistic for them to finish 3rd behind the aforementioned two. Not to worry, we are not putting all our eggs in that one basket, there is more wind in their sails, but first; let's look at how they've started.

“Upfront, we all know what they’ve got; some good old English speed and killer instincts in Jamie Vardy. The befitting introduction to this piece. The 32-year-old scored 14 goals in 17 Premier League appearances since the arrival of Rodgers on March 3. Only Aubameyang and Mane came close to that record with 12 goals each. ”

— Dennis Takaendesa, FirstTouch Africa

Jamie Vardy and James Maddison of Leicester City applauds fans after the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Leicester City at Anfield on October 05, 2019 in Liverpool, United Kingdom.

(Oct. 4, 2019 - Source: FELIPE TRUEBA/Getty Images Europe)

Foxes don't false start

At the time of writing this piece, Leicester were in 4th place, just two points off second-placed Manchester City. It had only been 8/38 games into the season but the table quite accurately told how the 20 teams had fared. The Foxes in particular could have been higher up the pecking order given their performances had been miles, better than the results. That rampant display against Arsenal at the close of the 2018/19 season was indeed no clouds without rain. In their first 8 matches of the new campaign, they lost only two.

A narrow 0-1 lost at Manchester United and 1-2 away at Liverpool. In the latter, the Reds actually needed a 90+5 Milner penalty to get all 3 points and register a successive 17th Premier League win. They were unlucky not to get a win at Chelsea after coming from behind to take the game to the Blues and eventually secured a point. At home against Tottenham, the Foxes soundly beat the 2019 Champions League finalists by a 2-1 scoreline. Also included in the 8 games is an emphatic 5-0 win over Newcastle. Clearly, they look more than ready for the challenge. Super competitive against the big guns and ruthless when matched up with the so called lesser opposition.

Wilfried Ndidi of Leicester in action during the pre-season friendly match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Leicester City at Molineux on July 29, 2017 in Wolverhampton, England.

(July 28, 2017 - Source: Michael Regan/Getty Images Europe)

A well balanced and vicious squad

The mix is just right. It's no fluke that they've performed the way they did. After Manchester City and Liverpool, Leicester arguably boast of the most balanced squad. Forget the price tags, star names and focus on the word "balanced." Let's actually look at how they line-up. Even after losing Harry Maguire to Manchester United in a world record deal for a defender, Johhny Evans and Caglar Soyuncü look like a good combination of experience and youth. No wonder they've conceded only 7 goals, a 2nd best record in the division after Liverpool and tied with Sheffield United.

The modern game is all about full-backs flying up and down the flanks, and the Foxes have two of the best in the division. Ben Chilwell who is mostly preferred by Gareth Southgate in the current England setup and the dynamic Ricardo Perreira who recorded the 4th highest tackles in the league last season. Wait, did we forget Schmeichel? The skipper goalkeeper needs no introduction and his sure displays in goal has him continue staking a claim among the best there is. From the middle of the park and going forward, they're even better. All of the 22-year-old Nigerian international, Wilfried Ndidi who has consistently and statistically been among the top two tacklers in the league since the 2017/18 season, the £40 million signing in Youri Tielemans and Newcastle top goal scorer from last season in Ayoze Perez; provide depth and options. Time will not allow us to exhaust the insurmountable talents of Harvey Barnes, Hamza Choudhury, Demarai Gray, Marc Albrighton or the man from Sampdoria, Dennis Praet and maybe everyone's favorite, the puppet master who pulls all the strings, James Maddison. But the point is more than clear, their midfield is loaded!

Upfront, we all know what they've got; some good old English speed and killer instincts in Jamie Vardy. The befitting introduction to this piece. The 32-year-old scored 14 goals in 17 Premier League appearances since the arrival of Rodgers on March 3. Only Aubameyang and Mane came close to that record with 12 goals each. Even as a backup, the former Manchester City and Nigerian forward in Kelechi Iheanacho could be lethal enough if afforded the opportunity. It get's even more interesting when we learn about the ingenuity of the man who organizes them.

Brendan Rodgers, Manager of Leicester City celebrates victory with Wes Morgan of Leicester City after the Premier League match between Leicester City and AFC Bournemouth at The King Power Stadium on March 30, 2019 in Leicester, United Kingdom.

(March 29, 2019 - Source: Michael Regan/Getty Images Europe)

They've got Rodgers, Brendan Rodgers!

Let's get one thing clear, joining Leicester is not a step up for the Irishman but a step up for the club. Brendan Rodgers' CV is up there for everyone to see and his talents are no strange to the Premier League. Jurgen Klopp is not the first man to bring Liverpool within touching distance of the league title since 1989-90, Rodgers did it in the 2013/14 campaign. Only needing two wins to clinch the coveted prize, the Reds blew up a 3-0 lead to draw 3-3 at Crystal Palace that effectively handed the Premier League title to Manchester City. How good a job the now 46 year-old had done in that race cannot be overemphasized. He bloodied the likes of Raheem Sterling and set-up Luis Suarez for worldwide success.

Rodgers' next job at Celtic was more silverish and fruitful, winning the Scottish treble twice between 2016-18 In all, he left Scotland with 7 titles in 3 years to his name. In feeding their ambition, calling upon the tactician is almost as good an appointment as it gets. Even more, Rodgers himself returns with a slight knack to prove a point in the Premier League after Liverpool gave him the sack. It's the intersection of ambition. Little wonder they've already upped their game; the manager knows the league, knows how to win and has great experience working with young English players which Leicester have in abundance.

If you want be a little bit cynical, you could argue that amongst the so called big 6 teams, perhaps only four have better managers as per their CVs. United's Solskjaer and Chelsea's Lampard have been barely tested but we won't hinge on that, knowing it doesn't always work like that.

Right place at the right time, as traditionally top sides falter

Leicester as a club tested the highest glory, liked the smell and have always been back for more ever since. They've sacked managers such as the Premier League winning manager himself, Claudio Ranieri, Craig Shakespeare and Claude Puel for doing only enough to stay in the top flight. Their boldness has perhaps seen fortune knocking on their door. For the first time in quite a number of years, the traditional big 6 sides look shaken.

Jamie Vardy of Leicester City (l) celebrates after scoring the first goal during the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Leicester City at St. James Park on September 29, 2018 in Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom.

(Sept. 28, 2018 - Source: Stu Forster/Getty Images Europe)

Obviously not Liverpool and highly doubtful of City even after starting the campaign very strangely losing to Wolves and Norwich. Manchester United are languishing in the bottom half of the table and their young and unbalanced squad look like they would have punched way above their weight if they finish within the top 6. It looks like 3rd place will be Arsenal's to lose as we may need rocket science to understand what's really going on at Tottenham, and the young Chelsea side look no better than the Foxes. Wolves who finished above Leicester last campaign look burdened by Europa League commitments and West Ham seem decent with record signing Sebastian Haller up top and the talents of Yarmolenko, Lanzini somewhere in the mix; but even Premier League winner in Manuel Pellegrini is still pondering on how to fix his defence. What about other last season's big performers in Everton and Watford? At this point, they both look like they are fighting just for their lives. The former were in 18th place after 8 games and the latter rock-bottom in 20th, courtesy of non-existent strike force and managerial crisis respectively, howbeit amongst many other things.

Foxing their way through

With all of an extremely talented and balanced squad, tactically astute manager, an ambitious board and the vulnerable state of state of the top 6, the stage looks set for the 2015/16 Premier League champions to fox their way through. Well, except if other sides exponentially improve their performances. At this rate, the Foxes are unlikely going to wait for that to happen but rather continually go for the jagular!

EPL: Who is to blame for Manchester United’s current state?

Sir Alex Ferguson speaks to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Manager of Manchester United on the pitch prior to the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final second leg match between FC Barcelona and Manchester United at Camp Nou on April 16, 2019 in Barcelona, Spain.

(April 15, 2019 - Source: Michael Regan/Getty Images Europe)

Manchester United have managed to collect nine points this season from seven fixtures, their worst start in 30 years. United have struggled in recent years and the 2019/20 season has started off with no signs of an improving situation at Old Trafford. The Red Devils have failed to win away from home since February 2019 and have been beaten by Cardiff and Crystal Palace at Old Trafford, with a recent loss to West Ham intensifying skepticism of any quick revival. Recent string of poor results have cemented the fact that the club is in a poor state of affairs and even club legend, Ole Gunnar Solskjær who’s at the helm, seems to also be struggling to get the club in order.

Finding a manager to fill the shoes of Sir Alex Ferguson

Manchester United was once the exact opposite of what it is now, cup titles and English Premier League dominance were the norm. The Red Devils are a shadow of their former selves with big spending on players and no clear direction. No manager has been able to replicate the astronomic success of Alex Ferguson who retired having won 13 Premier League titles, five FA Cups, and two UEFA Champions League titles. Alex Ferguson’s record with Manchester United surpasses any other manager in the history of the English Premier League. Since his retirement, four managers have attempted to take the mantle and six years on, the struggle to find a manager to take the Reds to their former glory is ongoing. The different managers after Fergie, have fallen way short in of his legacy.

“Ole Gunner Solskjaer has managed to get rid of players like Smalling who were perceived surplus to requirements but the move to get rid of Lukaku without a replacement, left a big gap in the attacking third that Rashford alone cannot fill and Daniel James although a highly talented player, he too is not on the level of the likes of Sergio Aguero and De Bruyne, a calibre of players that United need, to yet again compete with the best there is. ”

— Margaret Mandeya, FirstTouch Africa

Louis van Gaal manager of Manchester United celebrates with winning goalscorer Anthony Martial of Manchester United after victory in The Emirates FA Cup semi final match between Everton and Manchester United at Wembley Stadium on April 23, 2016 in London, England.

(April 22, 2016 - Source: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images Europe)

Moyes, Van Gaal and Mourinho; Who messed up less?

Manchester United with David Moyes at the helm were a disaster. They finished seventh in the league after having won it the previous year. The former Everton manager, had huge shoes to fill at Old Trafford coming in straight after Sir Alex Ferguson’s departure. The general feeling was that he was just not the right fit for the team and unsurprisingly he swiftly exited Old Trafford. Louis Van Gaal’s services were quickly enlisted to replace Moyes after an impressive World Cup with the Netherlands in 2014. The Dutch initiated a rebuilding stage by bringing in new players to the squad. The biggest fee he paid for a single player was £44 million on Anthony Martial and more players who did not live up to the hype when they were signed included Memphis Depay, Angel Di Maria and Marcos Rojo. LVG’s biggest achievement was winning the FA Cup with the club but finished outside the top four in fifth. His unpopularity with players for his managerial style and tactics made it impossible for him to stay longer at United.

Then in came Jose Mourinho. The Portuguese’s stint in Manchester was a period of hope for. He brought vision and star power and players to the club, including United most expensive player of all time, Paul Pogba. The “Special One” spent two years at Manchester United and led the club best post-Ferguson, when they finished in the top two for the first time in four seasons in the 2017/18 season. During the summer transfer window, he spent £140.9 million on Eric Bailly, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Romelu Lukaku, Paul Pogba as well as a free transfer of the majestic Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

During his time at Old Trafford, Mourinho won quite a number of trophies. The Community Shield, Europa League and the FA Cup. However, in the 2018/2019 season, they trailed 24 points behind champions City and struggled defensively. The tension between Paul Pogba and Mourinho soured and it had become clear that Mourinho was on his way out of Old Trafford.

Ed Woodard’s misplaced priorities

Ed Woodard is the executive vice president of the club and the key decision maker at Manchester United, the man who hires and fires managers. He has been blamed for making decisions that have set the club back years. When Mourinho wanted to find a centre back to replace Chris Smalling he needed the backing of Ed Woodard. If he had followed the instincts of Mourinho, someone whom he had hired and trusted to lead the team it could have been a different story for Manchester United under Mourinho in his second season with the club. Ed Woodard has spared no expense in rebuilding the team, investing large sums despite the unsuccessful campaigns and losing out on big payments by missing out on the UEFA Champions League. Salaries of Manchester United players like Paul Pogba and Alexis Sanchez who left to join Inter Milan on loan were the highest in the league. The downside of the exorbitant salaries is that some players like Sanchez who didn’t perform to the level that was expected, become more costly than they are actually worth. As the club continues to invest heavily into signing new players, a remedy that the club needs to finally bounce back, Ed Woodard has been in the process of attempting to overhaul the recruitment process and structure at the club. A top priority at the moment for the role of Sporting Director is Edwin van der Sar, who is the current CEO of Ajax. The Dutch club has been impressive in the past seasons and its leadership, the strategy is what Ed would like to see at Manchester United.

Jose Mourinho manager of Manchester United appeals as assistant coach Michael Carrick looks on during the Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Manchester United at Stamford Bridge on October 20, 2018 in London, United Kingdom.

(Oct. 19, 2018 - Source: Catherine Ivill/Getty Images Europe)

Hits and misses with signings

Man United have bought 29 players since Sir Alex Ferguson left. Some have been big assets to the club and the majority have failed to live up to their potential. One case is that of Alexis Sanchez who was signed by Mourinho, for a position that Anthony Martial had been excelling at. It was generally a bad idea that ended up costing the team a season without an effective left-wing player which Mourinho later realised and brought the Frenchman back into the picture.

If we look at players like Memphis Depay, he was not a good fit at Manchester United but has now become a star player in the French Ligue 1 with Lyon. Di Maria was also no good fit at the Red Devils and therefore lasted one year. Now at PSG, it is a different story. It is also understandable to blame van Gaal for failing to extract the potential from some of these players.

 The first player signed when Mourinho came in was Eric Bailly, a defender who has been inconsistent from the onset. He is a player that is prone to injuries and on the field, is prone to risky last ditch tackles that gift opponents, penalties. Zlatan Ibrahimovic is about the most exciting player United has had in the last four seasons and he was a free transfer to the team. What Ibrahimovic brought to Man United with his sharp and fast thinking on the ball as well as efficiency in front of the goal. Fred, who had a massive £60 million price tag, on the other hand has failed to impress at Old Trafford. The Brazilian has made only 29 appearances in 15 months.

Ole Gunner Solskjaer has managed to get rid of players like Smalling who were perceived surplus to requirements but the move to get rid of Lukaku without a replacement, left a big gap in the attacking third that Rashford alone cannot fill and Daniel James although a highly talented player, he too is not on the level of the likes of Sergio Aguero and De Bruyne, a calibre of players that United need, to yet again compete with the best there is. Troubles with Paul Pogba who wanted to move to Real Madrid this summer have caused some uncertainty for Man United with the Frenchman ultimately saying wants out of Old Trafford. Pogba is a big part of Man United and the most valuable player on the pitch. The question of him staying or going seems to be a question of his star power and value he brings to the club but his desire to leave might lead to more headaches for Man United going forward.

Manchester United manager David Moyes talks with Steve Round and Phil Neville during the Rio Ferdinand Testimonial Match between Manchester United and Sevilla at Old Trafford on August 9, 2013 in Manchester, England.

(Aug. 8, 2013 - Source: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images Europe)

The verdict

Who really is to blame for the current state that Manchester find themselves in? The last six years have been a period characterized by an unclear strategy for the club, and players that have not flourished despite the impressive talents they brought to the club. The bulk of the blame must go to Ed Woodard for failing to support Jose Mourinho who had made steady progress to reviving the club’s title hopes. Mourinho despite his bad choices also made many good ones that brought the club some glory for winning a few titles. Some of the blame will also go on the different managers that bought in players that were too expensive for what they actually brought to the table.

It is commendable that OGS has also invested in young players that can help to actually rebuild the team with their talent and potential for a subsequent amount of time. Solskjaer has made some of the best acquisitions this season, signing Aaron Wan-Bissaka from Crystal Place, Harry Maguire and Daniel James. It is yet to be seen if the £80 million investment on the English centre-back was worth it or it is just another one of the wasted investments as we have seen so many times in the past. It’s still to be seen whether Ole could turn around the fortunes of Manchester in a way that is similar to what Jurgen Klopp did at Liverpool a few seasons ago and has now recently steered them to a UEFA Champions League title and are also currently favorites alongside Manchester City to win the league.

 Let us know what position you think Man United will finish this season?

How can PSG win the UCL and be taken seriously across Europe?

Deja vu for Paris

“Hopefully, the Parisian fans will be able to properly shout, ‘’Ici Ce Paris’’ again. Perhaps with some silver in their mouth, not silver spoons.

”

— Dennis Takaendesa, FirstTouch Africa

With almost no time of the 90 left, Diogo Dalot raced into the Parisians’ box, realised he didn’t have enough space nor opportunity to get a decent effort at goal and just resigned to do the most sensible thing. Hit it anyway in the direction of the opponent’s box, as far away from their goal as possible. As the shot made its way out of the pitch, over Buffon’s goal, it just happened to have brushed through Presnel Kimpembe’s unsuspecting arm. There was nothing obvious in it and if they had been appeals for a penalty, they would have been half-hearted. But as luck would have it for the hosts, the referee pointed to the spot with the aid of his VAR. Much to the delight of the travelling Manchester United faithful and a free-showing of yet another horror movie franchise for PSG.

Tuchel’s men had started the night, 2 precious away goals ahead of the Manchester club who needed at least 3 to have any hope of progressing into the quarter-finals of the 2018/19 UEFA Champions League competition. Even worse, United only had a bulk of second string players and youngsters to do the impossible job. It was like the walls of Jericho stuff, where only trumpets and hail Mary’s would be their greatest hope of achieving the intended result. And they got just that, the Paris miracle as it would later be named.

With ice in his veins, Marcus Rashford had stepped up and buried the ball beyond the reach of the vastly experienced Gigi Buffon who is almost twice his age. It became the third of two other fortuitous goals, which eventually saw the Red Devils through to the next round. For PSG, it was just a replay of that infamous night in Barcelona where they surrendered a 4-0 first leg lead to eventually lose 6-5 on aggregate and of course many other cases of being forced to watch their dreams evaporate before their eyes, as far as the champions league is concerned.

The lit flares gave up their glow, rhythmic drums held back their sound and the shirtless Paris fans were left looking for cover. The stadium had suddenly gotten cold. Neymar’s reaction in the stands said it all and yes, they had failed. Yet again from a winning position. It didn’t feel like Paris anymore, their famous mantra, Ici Ce Paris felt could have felt so misplaced.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic (C) of PSG speaks to team mates Thiago Silva and Marquinhos during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 second leg match between Paris Saint-Germain FC and Bayer Leverkusen at Parc des Princes on March 12, 2014 in Paris, France.

(March 11, 2014 - Source: Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images Europe)

THEN

That was one night which pretty much sums up their fortunes in the past decade or so. Always dominant domestically with 6 titles in the past 6 seasons but always falling short when they come up against Europe’s finest. It’s their fortunes that have earned the French Ligue 1 the infamous nickname, “the farmers’ league.” Which basically means non-competitive. But why? How can a team be so good and so bad at the same time? What do they need to do to be taken more seriously across Europe?

Well, there’s no short answer, but let’s get it!

Less than the sum of their parts

Their starting eleven on the Paris miracle day pretty much sums up how fierce they have been over the years. With world cup winner Buffon in goal, Brazilian captain and one of the world’s best centre backs in Thiago Silva marshalling their defensive unit, the unplayable Marco Verrati pulling strings in the midfield and boy wonder Kylian Mbappe leading the line; it’s a solid unit who can take on anyone on their day. That is without even mentioning the likes of Di Maria, Julian Draxler or Neymar and Cavani who were out of the contest. Putting that team against, with all due respect, the young and upcoming Tahith Chong, a past-it Ashley Young, Lukaku, Chris Smalling and the rest; it was a pure mismatch. United had no right whatsoever to win that game, especially after being run over at the Old Trafford just two weeks earlier with an even better side.

That has just been Paris St Germain’s reality for some time now, always looking less than the sum of their parts dating back to the days of the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Javier Pastore. What are the reasons for PSG’s systematic failure in Europe you ask?

Neymar of Paris Saint-Germain looks dejected after conceding the first goal during the Group C match of the UEFA Champions League between Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain at Anfield on September 18, 2018 in Liverpool, United Kingdom.

(Sept. 17, 2018 - Source: Michael Regan/Getty Images Europe)

The “Neymar” problem

Since the ownership of the loaded of Arab investors and leadership Nasser Al-Khelaifi, they must have thought to themselves; we want to win the champions league and become Europe’s best and the world’s most revered, how do we do it? Oh we have money, let’s just buy it. But that’s quite not how the strongest sides are built as history has taught us. Yes, you need a bit of stimulus and funds to get things going, but that’s just one part of building an aggressive, relentless and harmonic unit. Neymar’s switch to Paris from Barcelona for a world record fee of around €200m is a classic example and perhaps the tipping point that has loudly taught them and the rest of the world that you just can’t buy it.

Players like Neymar can get you windfalls of revenues in T-shirts, tickets and TV money, but without the proper infrastructure and fabric that makes a team tick, it will all be in vain. It cannot directly translate to resounding on the pitch successes. They tried it with English legend David Beckham, the outspoken Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and even Ronaldinho and many more but with little to show for it every single time. It’s not only the players; hiring coaches and sacking them with a mercenary-like approach has proven unsustainable. You remember Laurent Blanc, Unai Emery and Carlo Ancelotti?

All this and more robs a team of what makes it a team. Ongoing culture, identity and harmony. As they have learned, those stars and managers can win you games but without time, patience and a culture that condemns individual egos; they could never compete with the world’s best, let alone win the champions league. It all breeds apathy, apathy and even more apathy for the highest level of success.

Where do they go from here? Honestly, they seem to be on their way there. Experience is indeed the best teacher not this heartfelt written sermon of mine.

NOW

The next few lines perfectly illustrate what I think they should do and have started to do in order to really have a name amongst Europe’s best. You have to give it to them, they might have learnt their lessons.

Thomas Tuchel Manager of Paris Saint-German actions during training ahead of the International Champions Cup 2018 match between Arsenal v Paris Saint Germain on July 27, 2018 in Singapore.

(July 26, 2018 - Source: Thananuwat Srirasant/Getty Images AsiaPac)

Tuchel, a step in the right direction

Drawing from their history with managers who have failed to deliver at the UEFA Champions League level, it wouldn’t have been wayward to suspect the former Borussia Dortmund manager Thomas Tuchel would get the sack after the Manchester United fiasco. He actually got a new contract until June 2021!. Some reward for a club with history of little patience with managers. Amongst many other things, this was no doubt a step in the positive direction for PSG. Or at least a bit more refreshing to notice they are trying out new strategies. The 42-year-old German is still pretty much in the early stages of his career having really arrived on the big scene after the DFB Pokal success with Borussia Dortmund in 2017, his only major silverware upon joining the Parisians

You would guess that such a manager is very much still hungry for further successes and his tactical astuteness and talents to connect with players almost as peers but being firm at the same time, becomes a bonus to anyone looking to build a culture and lasting team identity. He is in many ways similar to the 2018/19 Champions League winner, Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp but different in his own way. Unafraid to say his mind, can blend with the players and with a passion for the game that can be contagious. He seems right for them to say the least and tying him down to a longer contract might be a great move provided he gets even more time. Tuchel might not right away achieve the required level of success but will definitely help built a proper team. He is one for the future.

Moussa Diaby and team mate Timothy Weah of Paris Saint Germain celebrates his goal during the International Champions Cup match between Paris Saint Germain and Clu b de Atletico Madrid at the National Stadium on July 30, 2018 in Singapore.

(July 29, 2018 - Source: Thananuwat Srirasant/Getty Images AsiaPac)

A seemingly new transfer strategy?

PSG have been a bit different in the most recent transfer windows. If that has been the club’s overall new strategy or the Tuchel effect, we are yet to come to a conclusion. One thing is clear, they have not been the first to pounce on the highly rated stars since Neymar and Mbappe. They are seemingly more cognizant of strengthening their weaker areas with just the right personnel, regardless of their name or social following. The acquisition of Idrissa Gana Gueye from Everton in the summer is one such transfer. The Senegalese international has consistently been the Premier League’s best tackler in the past three seasons, has former experience in the Ligue 1 and will definitely add some more steel and personality to their midfield. A solid signing for anyone on any day. Gueye coupled with Leon Paredes’ switch from Zenit Petersburg in January, Pablo Sarabia, Abdou Diallo and Ander Herrera all punctuate that different strategy of going more for substance than just stardom, glitz and glammer.

Even more, Neymar is very much trying to force his way out of Paris and the club seems resigned to that fact. They are just concerned about recouping the money they spent and even the fans as well couldn’t be happier. In their opening 2019/20 Ligue 1 season encounter, a section of the Parisian fans held placards written “Neymar Out.” The wantaway Brazilian has been of good service but came up short in leading the side to some champions league glory. He has been divisive in the past few weeks and the fans have taken notice. Real Madrid’s reported attempt to land the 27-year-old by offering a lump cash sum, Gareth Bale and Modric was unsuccessful by reason of the French’s club disinterest in Bale. They are said to have preferred the teenager Vinicius Junior whom Los Blancos have not been prepared to let go. See, they are not just after big names anymore. They seem to have more purpose and direction.

There is something even more interesting in their apparent new transfer policy. 

Xavi Simmons and the new generation

(L-R) Paris Saint-Germain President Nasser Al Khelaifi poses alongside new signing Kylian Mbappe at the Parc des Princes on September 6, 2017 in Paris, France. Kylian Mbappe signed a five year contract for 180 Million Euro.

(Sept. 5, 2017 - Source: Aurelien Meunier/Getty Images Europe)

They are building for the future. Just a few weeks ago, PSG snapped up Barcelona’s highly rated youth player, the 16-year-old Dutch, Xavi Simmons. A solid prospect who is yet to make a full professional debut for any club but already in the public eye. They also acquired other youth players that include Mitchel Bakker from Ajax. Even at that start of Tuchel’s PSG managerial career, we noticed the young blood from their academy that include Moussa Diaby, Timothy Weah and Christopher Nkunku getting some first team football. Something which has been quite rare in recent times. Their reluctance to sell USMNT’s international, Timothy Weah but rather sending him on loan also reinforces this strategy.

It’s still unclear whether overachievers such as world cup winner, Kylian Mbappe would stay long term to realise the fruits of their visionary labors and approach to go under the radar, build from within but also periodically strengthen problem areas with substance as opposed to just stars. Especially given the fact that Mbappe has previously spoken about “new challenges.” However, if they be really on the path they seem to be on, they could very much be in a position to do without Mbappe if it comes to that, just as proper teams do. They evolve and quickly adapt.

PROBABLE FUTURE

Most of all this sound good and all but the real evidence of change, new found attitudes and prospects can only be extracted on the field of play. We will be keeping tabs with them as the new Ligue 1 season and champions league campaigns kick-off.

Hopefully, the Parisian fans will be able to properly shout, ‘’Ici Ce Paris’’ again. Perhaps with some silver in their mouth, not silver spoons.

Are Lyon Women the best women’s football team ever assembled, and is it good for the game?

Introduction

Olympique Lyonnais is a French club that has been existence since 1970. They play in the highest division in France, Ligue 1. Lyon are known for being able to attract and groom the best talent in the world. Even more prominently, they are remembered for accolades that includes winning the league ten times, the Coupe de France seven times, and the Champions League four times. In this article, we want to not just analyse their greatness, but critically ask ourselves if the team’s greatness is beneficial to the game as a whole. Does it help to always have an almost unbeatable opponent?

Sarah Bouhaddi of Olympique Lyonnais lifts the trophy in victory after the UEFA Women's Champions League Final between Lyon and Paris Saint Germain at Cardiff City Stadium on June 1, 2017 in Cardiff, Wales. Olympique Lyonnais win 7-6 on penalties after the match finished 0-0.

(May 31, 2017 - Source: Stu Forster/Getty Images Europe)

Champions League

With a record crowd of ​ 22,911 people behind Chelsea, Lyon showed that sometimes all that matters is what happens on the pitch​. ​The French Ligue 1 side humbled Chelse​a ​to a 2-1 defeat, making it to the final of the 2019 UEFA Women’s Champions League which will be held on the 18th of May in Budapest. The team will not just be tasting a European final for the first time but will be lining up for the title for the 4th time in a row. This shall be Lyon’s eighth final appearance since 2010 and have won the title on 5 of such occasions. Surely greatness maybe accompanied by some form of luck. Lyon got one of their desperately needed goals as an​ ​own goal​ from ​Chelsea. Unlike most games where the French champions just almost breeze through the 90 minutes, they were really pushed in against the North London club, with some of the players kneeling on the ground after the game. This goes on to show that the team could be getting the right competition to either topple down their reign or push them to the fullest potential. The road to this stage has however been fairly easy compared to what most teams go through seeing that they have never lost a single game. They had 2 draws and an impressive 9-0 score agains​t ​Ajax Women in October last year​. ​When a team hits such a clean record, is it then not fair to ask if they are not the best team ever assembled? We will also take a deep look into the components that make up this explosion.

 Current Roster

Recently, The Guardian released a list of top 100 players in the world and 5 of the players in the Top 10 were from Lyon. In other words, 50% of the ladies that are most celebrated in the world, play for the French Champions. Below are brief bios of Ada Hegerberg, Lucy Bronze and Eugénie Le Sommer that came 3rd, 4th and 5th respectively. The first two players also made it to ​FIFA’s Top 10 women​.

Olympique Lyonnais' French forward Eugenie Le Sommer (L) and Norwegian forward Ada Hegerberg (R) celebrate during the Women Champions League semi-final first leg football match Olympique Lyonnais (OL) against Paris-Saint-Germain (PSG) at the Parc de l'Olympique Lyonnais in Decines-Charpieu, central eastern France, on April 24, 2016. / AFP / ROMAIN LAFABREGUE

(April 24, 2016 - Source: AFP)

Ada Hegerberg

She is known as the first woman to have won the prestigious B​allon d'Or in 2018. This was not the first as she has been showered with awards all her career. At 16 years of age, she played for Kolbotn in Norway and became the youngest player to score a hat trick. In that league, she emerged as the Youngest Player of the Year. Ada was also the first woman to be awarded the Norwegian Gold Ball Award and voted ​UEFA’s Best Woman Playe​r in Europe. The 23-year-old Norwegian was instrumental in Lyon’s win against Wolfsburg to snatch their most recent Champions League crown and in their 2017/18 French title triumph. The Ballon d’Or award was in recognition for outstanding scoring record, 53 goals in 33 appearances for her club. Good news is that Lyon does not have to worry about losing her to any other club as she has signed a contract to stay with the club until 2021. 

 Lucy Bronze

After qualifying for the Champions League finals, Lucy Bronze expressed disappointment that her team ​simply won the game​. According to her, they are a team that should not just win, but excel at what they do. To anyone else, this should have been something to celebrate. That perhaps speaks to the players’ insatiable ambition for doing the very best on the field of play. This even explains why the England Women’s team head coach, Phil Neville,​ hails Lucy as the best player in the world​. The former Manchester United player commends Lucy for her ability to get the ball and pass with great athletic skill. To him, she has reached world class status. The English international has also won the ​ PFA Women's Players' Player of the Year twice in 2014 and 2017.

 Eugénie Le Sommer

The 29-year-old who is also part of the French national team scored 10 goals in 13 games in the ongoing UEFA ​Women’s Champions League. The player who is known for her fantastic forward passes is currently the highest goal scorer at Lyon, approaching the 250 goal mark. She has also been complemented greatly for her incredible teamwork both off and on the field. ​ One thing that she is passionate about is never ceasing to dream. In an ​interview with Foot Mercato​, Le Sommer expressed that for her “the B​allon d'Or is not an ultimate goal”. She does acknowledge its significance to anyone who knows what soccer is about, but what she strives for, is to be efficient and at be her best. She was quoted saying, “​After all, it's not an ultimate goal for me. The most important thing is to be efficient. If I am good and I am at my level, I can hope to be in the list and why not win one day. But I'm not focused on it.”

 How Good Are They Really?

There is a tendency to exaggerate success when it is not put into context. We might think that Lyon is great until we see what other teams are doing. Starting off with Chelsea whom they kicked out of the UCL semi-finals. Chelsea has never won the Champions League but still boasts of the 2015 famous doubl​e, where they won both the FA Women’s Super League and the FA Women’s Cup. That was a while ago and really, the comparison between Lyon and Chelsea at this point, tips the scale towards to French Champions’ prowess and recent accomplishments. They will be facing Barcelona in the final, who will be stepping on the UCL finals turf for the first time. They have, however, done well in domestic cups like the Primera Division where they have won the top flight league title, four times and also won the Copa de Lareina, six times. One club that has also made strides in the game has been Vfl Wolfsburg from Germany.  At the time of the writing of this article, VfL Ladies were one win away from a third successive Bundesliga title after cruising to a 7-0 win against SC Sand on Sunday. They have won the Champions League twice and even beat Lyon in 2012/2013 season. It’s fair to conclude that Lyon have also had their few humbling experiences but none of the other prominent clubs has been able to achieve what they currently have under their belt. Lyon’s dominance can also be credited to their diamond formation​ (4-3-1-2) which enables them to engage all the players. They usually employ a more defensive technique that enable them to hit opponents on the counter, when they least expect it. Really, is such dominance worth celebrating?

“In a world where women football is still on the rise, but not yet where it should be, it is quite beneficial to have such legendary teams. They serve as inspiration for other teams not just in Europe, but in other parts of the world where women football might not even be taken seriously.”

— Simiso Shabangu, FirstTouch Africa

Lucy Bronze of Olympique Lyonnais scores the opening goal during the UEFA Women's Champions League, Semi Final Second Leg match between Olympique Lyonnais and Manchester City at Groupama Stadium on April 29, 2018 in Lyon, France.

(April 28, 2018 - Source: Emilio Andreoli/Getty Images Europe

 Is it Beneficial for the game?

Some may say it helps to have a team that is the best at what they do. Their actions and tactics become a benchmark for other teams and give them something that they can work towards. Other teams in the league can say, “We want to play like Lyon in future: because they have seen what greatness looks and feels like.” In a world where women football is still on the rise, but not yet where it should be, it is quite beneficial to have such legendary teams. They serve as inspiration for other teams not just in Europe, but in other parts of the world where women football might not even be taken seriously. Even though Lyon has a men’s section, the women section seems to be the more successful one, which is not usually the case with many teams that have both wings. Secondly, Lyon has become home to players who want to grow their career because they know that they can meet like-minded people who are willing to grow with them. A great team that becomes a magnet for great players and provides a grooming space for national teams and the international community is definitely a must keep. Teams like Lyon have done well for Europe and has even attracted great players from other parts of the world.

 On the other hand, though, does it really help to compete in a place where your opponent is almost unbeatable? Sports become enjoyable when the field is level and anybody can come up as a victor on any day. Lyon might be an inspiration at times but it can also be the reason why some teams are demotivated especially when they do not have the financial capacity to attract great talent the way that they do. Teams should never feel like they have lost a game even before they get to the field. Fortunately, Lyon is not unbeatable as there are other teams like Frankfurt, ​Vfl Wolfsburg​ and Arsenal that know how to feed the humble pies, once in a while.

 Conclusion

The term G.O.A.T. is not one that you just toss around like a coin, as it usually reflects unquestionable hard work and commitment. Based on the accolades and calibre of players that Lyon has been able to attract, it seems fair to give them this title. A G.O.A.T team. They are not unbeatable but have been able to do more than many other clubs. Such excellence is what everybody should be aiming for but when it is only saturated in one team, it might then work in others’ advantage in the grand scheme of things.

If Juventus lose the Champions League, is their season a failure?

If Juventus lose CL, is their season a failure?

Winning trophies is the hallmark of success for any football club around the world, and the dream for any budding or ageing professional player. Even to fans, it’s the foundation of “my club is better than yours,” conversations. Now, the question at hand is not about just winning silverware, the club understudy has so many of them, winning almost every other season. In fact, Juve are currently 18 points clear of the Italian Serie A league standings, on-course to win their 8th consecutive title since the 2011/12 season. But there is something about getting the same result/outcome, over and over again. It begs for the need to distinguish stability from stagnation, a fine line between success and comfort with mediocrity. Especially when all other factors remain constant. Let’s explore what this means for the Italian Serie A champions and hopefully get enough perspective to form an informed opinion about the club.

Champions League, where art thou?

Andrea Pirlo of Juventus looks dejected with team mates after the UEFA Champions League Final between Juventus and FC Barcelona at Olympiastadion on June 6, 2015 in Berlin, Germany.

(June 6, 2015 - Source: Matthias Hangst/Getty Images Europe)

The Old Lady of Turin last won Europe’s most coveted club trophy back in 1996. In other terms, Real Madrid’s Marco Asensio came into this world, grew up and won two UEFA Champions League titles in the same period. They have since appeared a total of 17 times, reached the final 4 times but with no success. Who haven’t they had as part of the troopers and coaching staff to help bring the coveted trophy home? The mighty Gianluigi Buffon exchanged the black and white for the Parisians’ colors in the summer of 2018 with the hope of finally securing this elusive trophy that has seemed to resist the wind and pursuits of the Old Lady. Just like a high school crush who does not only dislike the pursuing guy but hate his guts. All of Carlos Tevez, Arturo Vidal and even the legendary Andreas Pirlo wore the Juve colors and left them without getting their hands on the UCL trophy. Carlo Ancelotti, Fabio Capello, the 2018 world cup winner in Didier Deschamps, Giancarlo Corradini, Claudio Ranieri, Ciro Ferrara, Alberto Zaccheroni, Luigi Delneri and Antonio Conte are all of the managers who tried and failed to break the champions league duck since 1996.

The discussion to consider Juventus’ position with regards to champions league triumph becomes even more important in light of their potential or assumed status in global footballing affairs. Even a historic invincible 2011/12 season, where they won the Scudetto without losing a single game, the second club after Arsenal to achieve such a feat in the 21st century, is not enough to excuse them for their “apathy” of European silver.

“The mighty Gianluigi Buffon exchanged the black and white for the Parisians’ colors in the summer of 2018 with the hope of finally securing this elusive trophy that has seemed to resist the wind and pursuits of the Old Lady. Just like a high school crush who does not only dislike the pursuing guy but hate his guts. ”

— Dennis Takaendesa, FirstTouch Africa

To be considered as a now great club, not just a museum like artefact with flowery history, you need some success at the continental stage, not just on national level. Even the highly funded Paris St Germain with the two most expensive footballers in their squad in Neymar and Mbappe are less revered, simply because they haven’t won the champions league since their inception. It is one of the foremost reasons why the French Ligue 1 is called the “farmers league” by banter fans. Of course you can understand such mockery given that PSG have won the domestic title five times in the past seven seasons, but consistently failed to reach even the semi-finals of the continental cup. At this rate of domestic dominance and failure on the continental level by the Old Lady, the Italian Serie A might as well be a present day farmers league. Should you travel around the world, the Juve black and white is one of the least worn shirts amongst those considered to be top clubs. Manchester United, Real Madrid and Barcelona all have larger fan bases than the Italian club, because memories of success at the highest level, the UEFA Champions League are still fresh in people’s memories. Even after receiving a boost of more than 6 million new Instagram followers upon the arrival or Ronaldo, Juve are still shy of the followership of the above mentioned clubs irrespective of their impressive trophy records.

The reason why this season could be the mark of failure

Cristiano Ronaldo of Juventus scores a penalty (3-0) during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 Second Leg match between Juventus and Club de Atletico Madrid at Allianz Stadium on March 12, 2019 in Turin, .

(March 11, 2019 - Source: Getty Images Europe)

As established earlier on, the Turin club haven’t won the champions league for almost 23 years now; why is it even more important that they win it now? The answer is one name, Cristiano Ronaldo. The 34-year-old Portuguese is undeniably one of the greatest players of all time. Him and Barcelona’s Lionel Messi are the kind of players you may get once in a century.

With Juve 2-0 down after the first leg of the 2018/19 UEFA Champions League round of 16 clash against Atletico Madrid, courtesy of the Los Rojiblancos’ “cojones” according to their gaffer, Diego Simeone and in part as a result of some less successful tactics by Massimiliano Allegri – he came alive. They needed to score three goals without conceding against a club that concedes once in a dozen years. Of course it’s an exaggerated analogy. He believed he could do it, everyone counted on him to do it and he did it. The Portuguese captain jumped highest to initially convert Bernadeschi’s lofted cross into the box, pulled the same trick again to head past Jan Oblak to put the home team level on aggregate. Upon receiving the responsibility of taking a late penalty, we all knew it was over for Atleti as he stood over it. As certain as the rising sun on the equator. In the end, and like many other times, Mr. Champions League had pulled off the stuff of a legend to orchestrate a famous comeback and saved Allegri and the whole of Juventus of some blushes. Delivering on the job he was signed off in the summer, even as he is aware:

“If we continue like this, we have not won yet but we have reasons to be proud and we are on the right way. That’s why Juve signed me and I tried to do my best job.”

— Cristiano Ronaldo, Juventus Forward

Now, this is all good and fairy-tale sounding but puts more pressure on Juve. If they do not win the champions league silverware with the highest scoring player in the history of the competition on 124 goals in 108 matches and who has won it four times in the past five seasons, it will be difficult to put your money on them for anything else. Ronaldo might still be available at Turin in the next campaign, but he is not getting any younger or quicker, the five time Balon d’Or winner will be 35 next year. In securing the services of the forward for a fee reported to be 117 million euros, Juventus had to rely on transfer business conducted with four other Serie A clubs that generated almost 50% of the fee. To be specific, after considering all the deals, one report alluded that Benevento paid 2.5%, 2% by Perugia, 17% by Sampdoria and finally 26% from Genoa. In other words, numerous negotiations, planning and time was needed to get the signature for the kind of fee, that not only boosted Juve but drastically improves the followership and revenue of the whole league. For a club that has become famous for signing players on a free transfer, it’s going to take some time before they can afford a footballer that expensive. They have an important player on their hands and one should use him to make hay while the sun still shines. A kind of player that may come as a one-time gift in a hundred years.

Champions League in light of history

A Juventus fan enjoy the atmosphere prior to the UEFA Champions League Final between Juventus and Real Madrid at National Stadium of Wales on June 3, 2017 in Cardiff, Wales.

(June 2, 2017 - Source: David Ramos/Getty Images Europe)

Looking at other teams that have similarly gone for a long drought without winning the champions league, it’s not the kind of company that the Old Lady would like to keep. Borussia Dortmund who last won the trophy, a year after Juve in the 1996/97 season are also in search of one and their status as top top club is slowly fading, especially given the dominance of their country rivals, who have won the trophy 5 times in their history. Contextually, Juventus have won the champions league twice since its rebranding, in the 1984/85 season and of course the aforementioned 1995/96. They have been runners up on four occasions since then, the latest being in the 2016/17 when they lost 4-1 to Ronaldo’s Real Madrid in the Cardiff final and the 2014/15 final where they fell 3-1 to another Spanish La Liga giant, Barcelona. Could it be a curse? Perhaps not, droughts happen to even the very best. Liverpool for example, last won their major trophy in 2006, that was 13 years ago when they beat West Ham on penalties to claim the English FA Cup. The Reds have gone through a long barren period as a club but their 5 champions league trophies still give them the stamp of a massive global football club.  In the same vein, Juve are still revered but do need to end the drought as soon as yesterday. As far as history of the champions league is concerned, their fellow Italian counterparts in AC Milan and Inter Milan still have the bragging rights, with both of the Milan clubs having won the UCL trophy, seven and three times respectively in comparison to Juventus’ two. Manchester United, Real Madrid, Liverpool, Barcelona, AC Milan, Inter Milan, Chelsea and Bayern Munich have all won the trophy in the past 20 years whereas four time champions in Ajax Amsterdam, are the only side in the top 10 winners of the competition to hold a longer drought than the Killer Lady, having last won in the 1994/95 season. These two will go at each other in this year’s quarter-final and at least one of them is going to have to wait a while longer. The rest of similarly two time winners as Juventus include SL Benfica, FC Porto and Nottingham Forest FC, with all due respect, the company that an ambitious club like Juve wouldn’t want to keep.

The fate of Massimiliano Allegri

Head coach Massimiliano Allegri of Juventus looks on during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 Second Leg match between Juventus and Club de Atletico Madrid at Allianz Stadium on March 12, 2019 in Turin, Italy.

(March 11, 2019 - Source: Getty Images Europe)

In all fairness, the 51-year-old gaffer has been a relative success at the Bianconeri. The former AC Milan coach joined Juventus in 2014 and has since won four Serie A and Coppa Italia titles as well as two other Supercoppa Italiana cups. He is responsible for leading the club to their two UEFA Champions League finals in the 2014/15 and 2016/17 seasons. The Italian was praised by football legend, Andreas Pirlo for bringing a sense of “calm” to the team which gave players an extra sense of confidence especially after the high pressure and seemingly defensive tactics of former mentor, Antonio Conte. The latter recently vacated the Chelsea job for allegedly the same reasons. Allegri quickly gained reputation as a discipline mastermind who takes a more fluid approach to tactics by employing an array of formations such as the 3-5-2; 4-3-3; 4-4-2 and 4-2-3-1 in match or between matches. More famously, Allegri gained immense praise from the media in his second season at the club after successfully rebuilding a squad that had voids left by key players such as Carlos Tevez, Arturo Vidal and Andreas Pirlo. After occupying 12th position after ten games, Allegri’s Juve went on a 25-match unbeaten run and successfully defended the Scudetto in the 2015/16 campaign. Unfortunately, all of Massimiliano’s successes pale in comparison to the Juve faithful’s need for a champions league trophy. It’s fair to consider that a Serie A win may no longer be as exciting and could be a mark of stagnation rather than stability or success. Another trophyless UCL campaign might not be good news for Allegri whom fans were even quick to criticise after it looked like they would kiss another UCL trophy goodbye when they lost 2-0 to Atletico in this year’s round of 16 first leg. Failure to return the UCL trophy to Turin could make him another scapegoat of Juve’s drought.

“Unfortunately, all of Massimiliano’s successes pale in comparison to the Juve faithful’s need for a champions league trophy. It’s fair to consider that a Serie A win may no longer be as exciting and could be a mark of stagnation rather than stability or success. ”

— Dennis Takaendesa, FirstTouch Africa

The cracks of the matter once more

Juventus are essentially champions in waiting as far as the Italian Serie A is concerned, 18 points ahead of second placed Napoli with 8 games left in the season. This will be their eighth consecutive Scudetto but have been deluded from a Champions League silverware since the 1995/96 campaign. That is close to 23 years in waiting. Another domestic cup win is almost a sign of stability but continuously failing to hit the mark on the continental stage looks more like stagnation in comparison to other European guns. They however recruited a special arsenal in the summer, Cristiano Ronaldo, a 34-year-old who’s still go it but pretty much racing against time when it comes to age. The current campaign is by far their best chance of finally clinching the UCL given the inclusion of the Portuguese but will they? Falling short once more could it be a real sign of failure?

Allegri’s Juventus will face this year’s surprise package, Ajax in the quarter-finals and if they progress, they would meet either Manchester City or Tottenham (who are all chasing their first UCL trophy) in the semi-final before battling one of Porto, Liverpool, Manchester United or Barcelona in the Madrid 2019 final.

FT Hidden Gems Series: Despite AC Milan's troubles, will Franck Kessie succeed in Italy?

Ivorian talent Franck Kessie moved to AC Milan in the summer of 2017 with a lot of hype around him in the Italian league. The midfield enforcer looked to emulate the influence created by legends who played in his role at the club which include Seedorf, Pirlo, Gattuso, among others. In this piece, we look at where Kessie came from, what he brings to AC Milan and how the club has let him down in terms of his career progression.

Franck Kessie of the Ivory Coast in action during the International Friendly match between the Netherlands and Ivory Coast held at De Kuip or Stadion Feijenoord on June 4, 2017 in Rotterdam, Netherlands.

(June 3, 2017 - Source: Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images Europe)

Brief Background

Franck Kessie initially joined AC Milan from Atalanta on a two-year loan deal. This was in the summer of 2017 when the club went all in with their transfers that summer in a bid to fight for UEFA Champions League qualification. Kessie came in as a raw talent but with a lot of promise to become a regular first team player in one of the biggest teams. He had scored goals from midfield like Yaya Toure did during his stint at Manchester City. The 21-year-old was also trusted with some penalty kick duties in a star studded team with players like Suso, Andre Silva, Bonucci, Rodriguez and Calhanoglu at AC Milan. He helped his team during the season especially in the UEFA Europa League before they got knocked out of the tournament by Arsenal. Nonetheless, Gattuso reserved some praise for his young successor who fought hard in the middle of the park against players of the calibre of Mesut Ozil. In the end, AC Milan, failed to lift a trophy in the 2017/18 season on top of their failure to qualify for the 2018/19 UEFA Champions League tournament. They finished 6th in the Serie A which left many disappointed.

Kessie’s Abilities

If you did not know what he brings to the table already, it is great to know that he is comfortable with protecting the defence. Kessie is a no-nonsense type of midfielder who draws comparison only to a few players in his position today. The closest one, I could think of is World Cup Winner, N’golo Kante who annoys his opponents by tracking them down and shrugging them off the ball. It is no surprise that WhoScored identified one of his weaknesses as being the protagonist that commits too many fouls. Professional fouls if you ask me because he gets away with them and saves the team from counter attacks. He also averages 3.3 interceptions and 3.2 tackles per game. This type of player is rare to find in the current market. Teams like Liverpool and Manchester City lack that type of a traditional defensive midfielder that Kessie is and it’s only a matter of time before they come calling for the young African’s service.

Franck Kessie (R) of AC Milan competes for the ball with goalkeeper Keylor Navas (2ndL) and his teammate Marcelo (L) during the Santiago Bernabeu Trophy between Real Madrid CF and AC Milan at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on August 11, 2018 in Madrid, Spain.

(Aug. 10, 2018 - Source: Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images Europe)

Besides, limiting a player of Kessie’s calibre to focus solely on defensive duties would be a waste of his talent, and AC Milan have since noticed that. He offers so much more on the field of play with his fantastic ball control, dribbling ability and power to bomb up and down the pitch. Kessie can easily suit as the modern ‘box-to-box’ player who supports the team when in attack and also being the first to fly into a tackle when out of possession. His distance covered per 90 minutes averages at around 12.1km which is the third highest behind Vecino and Marco Benassi in Italian soccer. Kessie has the legs to roam the pitch and influence matches for AC Milan. He just needs quality players around him to keep developing his game.

Also, he comes to the rescue with his odd goals here and there. Franck Kessie has already scored 6 goals for AC Milan and has the potential to add more if he gets through on goal. Barcelona fans might not like hearing that Kessie has that striker’s instinct that their former player, Paulinho, has – probably because they are probably bitter that the Brazilian left them for China after the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia. The youngster is not scared to make forward runs and create options for his teammates in the penalty box which is an asset for his team who need the goals if they are to compete with the best teams in Italy.

Finally, his all-round play and defensive contribution gives license to other players like Higuaín and Suso to play freely and express themselves in the last third of the pitch. Kessie’s work rate basically relieves them of defensive duties which is every playmaker’s dream. This brings out the best in those players and it would not be a surprise to see Higuain topping the scoring charts once more this season in the Italian Serie A despite the arrival of the Portuguese goal machine, Cristiano Ronaldo.

How AC Milan failed Kessie

Franck Kessie #79 of A.C. Milan battles for the ball with Luke Shaw #23 of Manchester United in the second half during the International Champions Cup 2018 at StubHub Center on July 25, 2018 in Carson, California.

(July 24, 2018 - Source: John McCoy/Getty Images North America)

The club’s failure to qualify for the UEFA Champions League denied the young talent an opportunity of a lifetime to showcase his skillset against the very best teams in Europe. Kylian Mbappe, for example, played at this grandest stage at just 19 and went on to have an amazing World Cup in Russia thanks to the level of competition in the tournament which raised his game. Kessie cannot continue to work his socks off for a club that lacks the ambition to compete against the best in the world.

Apart from that, they sold Bonucci back to Juventus in the following season. This move shocked many fans who know what the Italian brings to the team. He is a defensive rock at the back and losing him could worsen their defensive record this season. This means that Kessie will be asked to do a little bit more to protect the defenders now that a legend has left the club and AC Milan failed to find a proper replacement.

Final Question

Do you think Franck Kessie should remain in Milan when their rivals are moving forward and continuing to make the right investments which beef up their squads? He is only 21, maybe he can learn a lot more from this experience.

Give us your verdict. We want to hear what you think about this young man’s future.

Gervinho and Yaya Toure: Aging like wine

Some of the most decorated names in African football history are backup in the headlines, reminding the world that form is temporary but class is permanent.

Gervinho

“Clearly I wanted to keep him on for the whole game and I received a lot of insults from the stands, but I am taking some risks with him. He had 20 minutes against SPAL, plus some problems during the week, and I can’t afford to lose him. Gervinho has unique technical and physical characteristics, so I can’t let him get injured.”

— D'Aversa, Parma Manager

The 31-year-old Ivorian made a shocking return to the Serie A this summer under the newly promoted Parma from the Chinese Super League side, Hebei China Fortune. The Chinese adventure was one momentarily erased the AFCON winner from the global stage after as it was marked with injuries and lapses of form. He is however really back now. The former Arsenal forward who also struggled in North London is showing signs of his long term love affair with the Italian soil. Gervinho soared at AS Roma playing alongside Mohamed Salah and Edin Dzeko and he announced himself again over the weekend, scoring for Parma in their 2-1 loss to the Serie A champions, Juventus. Even though he is yet to regain full fitness, there was evidence that his quick dancing feet and killer instinct is a thing for eternity, something no injury or football league could take away.In fact, in the Juventus match, only Douglas Costa completed more dribbles than Gervinho, not even Ronaldo could match the Ivorian. Parma manager was full of praise for the forward and did acknowledge the Ivorian’s ability singling him out as one for the key ingredients to his success formula.

Alex Sandro of Juventus competes for the ball with Gervinho of Parma Calcio during the serie A match between Parma Calcio and Juventus at Stadio Ennio Tardini on September 1, 2018 in Parma, Italy.

(Aug. 31, 2018 - Source: Marco Luzzani/Getty Images Europe)

Yaya Toure

“I am as hungry for success now as I was when I first arrived here many years ago and I cannot wait to help the club win the trophies the great fans of Olympiakos deserve. It is now time to let my football do the talking once again.”

— Yaya Toure, Olympiakos

After Yaya’s agent had teased the whole of London, announcing that the free agent had completed a medical in London, the four time African Player of the Year returned to Olympiakos in Greece. The 35-year old was mobbed by the Greeks with lit-flares subjecting the Ivorian to a hero’s welcome.The sight in Greece was really something of the nature of a prodigal son being welcomed home and pretty much “Prince Charming” awaited to rescue the “Princess” from the giant castle guarded by the fiery dragon. After falling out of the domestic title race last time out, Olympiakos will be hoping that Yaya will pull off a Yaya and deliver the goods.

You can surely bet on the three time EPL Champion with Manchester City, AFCON winner and UEFA Champions League winner with Barcelona to live up to the hero status even when age seems to be catching up with him. Even in his own words, he sounds sharp and ready to roll.

Vincent Kompany of Manchester City embraces Yaya Toure of Manchester City as he is presented with a shirt in a frame during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Brighton and Hove Albion at Etihad Stadium on May 9, 2018 in Manchester, England.

(May 8, 2018 - Source: Gareth Copley/Getty Images Europe) 

Atletico Madrid fire warning shots with Super Cup triumph over Real Madrid

Who is the ‘realest’ in Madrid now? Perhaps Diego Simeone’s men can claim this accolade proudly created by me I suppose. The Europa League champions began the 2018/19 campaign on a high after getting one over the UEFA Champions League holders who also happen to be local rivals with a 4-2 win after extra time in Estonia.

It was the first competitive match for the 13 time European champions in the Cristiano Ronaldo-less and post-Zidane era after the former joined Juventus in the summer whilst the latter seemed to have journeyed to the Middle East or maybe Manchester as we speak. It took less than a minute for Diego Costa to put Atleti ahead with a sublime finish from a tight angle. It was really a half chance but the Spaniard did what he does best, conjuring a goal seemingly out of nothing. Benzema then equalised for Los Blancos in the 27th minute before Captain Ramos deservedly scored from the penalty spot to put the men in white ahead, after a good spell when they seemed to have controlled the match. It had to be that man again, Costa. The 29-year-old finished from close range, 11 minutes from time after an eye-catching movement spearheaded by Juanfran from the right which also caught the eyes of some Real Madrid defenders.

Diego Godin of Atletico Madrid lifts the trophy as Atletico Madrid celebrate victory in the UEFA Super Cup between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid at Lillekula Stadium on August 15, 2018 in Tallinn, Estonia

(Aug. 14, 2018 - Source: Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images Europe)

Things really went from bad to worse for the Bernabeu residents in extra-time. Two great goals from Saul Niguez and Koke put the match beyond Real and perhaps started exposing some ailments of the new Lopetegui era. I saw some high school defending moments by two of the best centre backs in the world, a spineless but Modricfull midfield and many other things that would piss Real fans. It really was surreal and I hope it was just a one day thing for the European Champions. Ronaldo fans are well in their right enjoying an “I told you so moment right now.”

In summary, Real Madrid were not at their best but Atletico were scary good as well. New signing, Thomas Lemar enjoyed a free role on the pitch for Los Rojiblancos and this performance could really be building up to the FirstTouch ‘prophecy.’

Make no mistake, this was definitely a statement to the rest of Europe. Atletico is ready for anyone.

FT English Premier League Preview: Can Salah replicate his form from last season?

I imagine this question has been on everybody’s mind since Liverpool’s Champions League Final against Real Madrid. People are wondering if the Egyptian wizard Mo Salah can replicate his performances from last season. There is no simple answer to this question, but I will try to break down my thought process and let you in on how I think the forward can be a threat in the coming 2018/19 EPL season.

2017/18 was a fairytale season for new summer signing Mo Salah who arrived at Liverpool from AS Roma for a fee believed to be around £35m. Many thought it was an expensive purchase for a player who was most likely going to be a substitute when Klopp’s workhorse, Adam Lallana, returns from injury. Little did we know that the African star sought to challenge the records not just for the club but the historical competition dubbed ‘the most competitive in the world’. Mo Salah grew week by week into a fierce striker capable of scoring against any opposition placed in front of him. If you were not following football last season, you definitely need to know that he scored a record-breaking 32 league goals as well as providing 10 assists in the process. Perfection personified!

Now, the talk has been going on about whether he can grow from this season and replicate this performance especially after seeing his World Cup dreams dashed early in Russia. The Liverpool forward had suffered an injury in the UEFA Champions League final against 13-time champions Real Madrid. This meant that he arrived at the tournament in Russia not fully fit and was unable to make it past the group stage. Many believe that this dented his confidence and could affect his performances in the upcoming season commencing on the 10th of August. Some even drop in the issue of fatigue and say that he has not had enough time to rest which means that he is most likely going to burn out. All these arguments are fair and point to the direction that our bets should not be on the 24-year old Egyptian to star again under Klopp.

But what about the other side of it? What does history say about people like him who dramatically exceed expectations in their first seasons at big clubs? Players, who build year-on-year? Let me help you. Think of Tottenham’s Harry Kane. The forward shocked people when he scored 21 goals in the 2014/15 season. Some even called it a fluke and were convinced that the striker would never come close to those numbers again. Well, they were right. Not in the sense that he failed to reach 21 goals again, but that he has consistently scored more than 21 since that season. He went on to score 25, 29 and just recently reached the 30 goal-mark in a heated race for the golden boot with Salah. This is evidence of a player playing in the same league who managed to produce the goods after an unbelievable season.

Apart from that, Salah’s performance against Manchester City in the International Champions Cup on the 26th of July, 2018 shows that he has not let his foot off the gas. The player was brought onto the pitch in the second half with their team trailing by one goal to nil. It took him only 3 touches in just 53 seconds to find the back of the net and draw Liverpool on level pegging against Pep Guardiola’s side. The Egyptian headed past the helpless Joe Hart despite there being calls for him being offside. His presence inspired the Merseyside club into a victory as Sadio Mane finished off the comeback with a calmly taken penalty on the 94th minute.

What else did they talk about? Oh, yes. Fatigue. They say he is not going to be fit throughout the season. I think these comments are premature as well. Liverpool now have the strength in depth that they have lacked in recent seasons. They recently acquired the services of a certain Swiss talent called Xherdan Shaqiri. The man is short but can give you problems on the flanks and cutting in on his favored left peg. He is most likely going to be taking over in the matches that are not a top priority to the club which especially the cup games. If not him, then Lallana as well will be ready to prove to everyone that he is still a capable team player. All these options mean that Salah can afford to rest and be recalled in the big games to terrorise the defence like he is capable of.

Finally, he must be hungry for success. After witnessing his team bow out to a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Real Madrid, Mo Salah must be bitter about that loss, and his lack of contribution due to his injury. His dream, like every other player, is to win the biggest competition in Europe and shine on the biggest stage. After having tasted the fruits of hard work by reaching the final, he must be ready to push again, create chances, and score more goals for Liverpool to realise his dream. Antoine Griezmann is an example of a player who cried countless times after being eliminated by Real Madrid in the competition. But that pushed him to work harder and await his opportunity, and now he is a World Cup champion. Salah is ready for success. I believe he will replicate his performance. What’s your take?

Champions League Quarter-Final Overview: Liverpool vs Manchester City

Key Points

• Arguably the best game of the Premier League season will now be a two-legged affair in Champions League Quater-Final.

• Klopp vs Pep. Historically, Klopp’s teams have always caused Pep’s teams problems and this tie will be no different. Both teams come into this game in wonderful form and full of confidence.

• Mohammed Salah and Kevin De Bruyne have been standout players this season for both of their clubs, but Firmino and Silva will most certainly also play key roles
  over both legs.

The African connection of Mane and Salah brushed aside their opposite numbers in Porto’s colors. Algeria’s Brahimi and Cameroon’s Aboubakar were not too happy after Mane scored a hat-trick with Mohamed Salah also getting on the scoresheet in their 5-0 aggregate win for a place in the Quarter-Finals.

Liverpool is the only club remaining in the last eight with a flourishing African partnership. The Reds have had to largely bank on EPL leading scorer’s goals, Mohamed Salah, who has done nothing but smash records. They currently sit third in the English Premier League standings and will be keenly looking out for Salah and his side-kick Mane to show up and finish the team’ chances. Liverpool knows a lot about their Quarter-Final opposition, Manchester City, being the only team to have inflicted a defeat on them in the EPL title race with Mane and Salah both scoring in that encounter.

They did it once, can they do it again and give Liverpool fans some long forgotten silverware? I honestly love my African brothers, but I do not see Pep Guardiola losing this one.

Champions League Quarter-Final Overview: Barcelona vs Roma

Key Points

• Messi is indispensable as he proved again over the weekend. Although he clearly is not 100% fit, Roma could have difficulties in the first leg in the Camp Nou.

• Dzeko has been the standout performer for Roma, also proving himself vital over the weekend helping his team to a 1-1 draw against Bologna. He will need to play well if Roma have any chance to advance in this tie.

• With Dembele slowly growing in confidence, and Busquets returning from injury, Barcelona will feel confident ahead of this first leg at home.

The Italians are one of the introverts of this tie. To be fair, they have not been really convincing but got the job done. The She-Wolf scarcely got past Shakhtar Donetsk on away goals rule after a disciplined 1-0 victory in the second leg. What matters now at this stage of the competition is experience and boy do they have plenty. Boasting of a line-up with the likes of Edin Dzeko, Stephan El Shaarawy, Kolarov, De Rossi, Radja Nainggolan only to mention but a few - Roma can frustrate anyone on a good day. Let us not forget how their 3-0 thrashing of Chelsea in the group stages, topping a group also occupied by Atletico Madrid.

But will they really prevent Messi from giving us another plat du jour? Goalkeeper Alisson Becker should better keep his legs closed at all times.

Man City Women win in 8 goal thriller

The long-awaited second leg to the clash between Manchester City Women and Linkoping finally came and did not disappoint in the number of goals that were scored between the two teams. 8 goals were scored on the night with Manchester City scoring 5 but also conceding three. Jane Ross scored a goal before Georgia Stanway’s brace. Jen Beattie scored the 4th which gave the away side a comfortable 4-0 advantage before the break. They saw a different Linkoping team right after the break as Marija Basunic was on target twice a few minutes after kickoff. Izzy Christiansen eventually scored the 5th and eased the pressure off the English team. This meant that Tove Almqvist's late third barely had any impact on the flow of the game. The English side is through to the semifinals of the Champions League with a 7-3 aggregate score. Who says Women’s football is not a thrill?

Pique talks about his rocky relationship with Pep

Gerard Pique enjoyed a successful period under the management of Pep Guardiola during his early years at Barcelona. The Spanish defender won a treble in his first season with Pep and saw the birth of a new era which was dominated by the Catalans both domestically and in Europe. The defender, however, fell out of favor from Guardiola because he lost his obsession of football. The 31-year old could not understand why their coach wanted the players to be obsessed with football 24/7 even after being with the players for so many years and knowing that they already understand his concepts. The defender was eventually benched in the El Clasico (Barcelona vs Real Madrid) match that followed and he was angry. He started thinking if it was the end of his playing career and these thoughts crushed him.

The player returned to scene in a big match against Chelsea in the semi-final of the UEFA Champions League only to be replaced on the 20th minute after suffering an injury. Barcelona was eliminated and Guardiola announced his departure shortly after that. What he cannot process to this day is how things would have turned out if he had stayed at Barcelona. Pique was given a wakeup call by that experience and has not looked back. He has proved to be reliable whenever he is called upon since then and does not look like he will be replaced anytime soon. Do you think Pique’s attitude was justified? Tell us why in the comments below?

CAF Champions League Draw: The battle lines have been drawn

With the second round matches scheduled for as early as 6-8 May 2018, the match-ups for the final 16 teams have been decided in a draw conducted in Cairo, Egypt.

The stand out fixture has to be between the 2017 and 2016 Champions. Wydad Casablanca(Morocco) and Mamelodi Sundowns(South Africa) are in Group C together with AS Port of Togo and Horoya of Guinea. Masandawana will be keen to settle a score with Wydad after the former was knocked out last year on penalties with the latter eventually claiming the prize. With several debutants like Mbabane Swallows (Swaziland), AS Port of Togo and seasoned competitors such as the eight-time champions, Al Ahly (Egypt) in the mix for the title hunt - the final stages of the tournament promises to be full of thrills and spills. In fact, reacting to the draw, Sundowns gaffer Pitso Mosimane highlighted how ready they are to take on any challenge but admitted that fresh boys like AS Port of Togo are closed books which will need to be studied.

““Horoya plays good football with great passing technique. They are a good team, tactical and have some good individual players. The team we don’t know much is AS Port (Togo), and we will have to conduct a research on them” ”

— - Pitso Mosimane

Here is the complete list of the groups....

2018 Champions League groups:

Group A: Al Ahly (Egypt), Township Rollers (Botswana), KCCA (Uganda), Esperance de Tunis (Tunisia)

Group B: TP Mazembe (DR Congo), Mouloudia Alger (Algeria), Difaa El Jadidi (Morocco), Entente Setif (Algeria)

Group C: AS Port of Togo (Togo), Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa), Wydad Casablanca (Morocco), Horoya (Guinea)

Group D: Zesco United (Zambia), Primeiro de Agosto (Angola), Etoile du Sahel (Tunisia), Mbabane Swallows (Swaziland)

Xavi shares some of his footballing genius

Xavi Hernandez has shared his secrets in football after being called a ‘Master of Football’ by fellow legend Diego Maradona. The 38 year old Al Sadd midfielder plans to retire at the end of this season after a stellar career predominantly played at Barcelona and the Spanish national team where he won all trophies that can be won by a player i.e. FIFA World Cup, Club World Cup, Euros, UEFA Champions Leagues, Domestic Leagues and Cups. He has lifted them all. His secret is using his strengths. He claims to be just a student of the Cruyff’s school and that he has found a way to compensate for his weakness in lacking speed. He was taught to use his brain and look 360 degrees every time he is on the ball so that he is aware of the options around him. He gave an example of Mbappe saying that the young forward can put the ball forward, run, and pass the player because he has the legs for it but Xavi’s strength was to find the next option and make a quick pass before the opponents close down the spaces. His brain was his mantra and his basic football made him one of the greats admired by many. Do you think that football is really that easy and that keeping it simple can make someone a ‘Master of Football’? Could it be that the Spaniard does not want to tell us his secrets on how to be a great player? Drop your comments below.

Domestic League: Egypt’s Al Ahly has become on the most successful clubs in the world

Last year’s CAF champions league finalists have wrapped a fantastic season in style by winning the Egyptian league title with six weeks to spare. The red devils have now 40 league titles since the club’s inception in 1907 and have their eyes set on bagging the Egyptian cup and reclaiming the champions league title from Morocco’s Wydad Casablanca. They may not be as wealthy as some global clubs, but this landmark win resembles a well-managed club which knows how to appease their fans. The leading club in England, the Red Devils of Manchester United, have won the EPL title 13 times which is only a third of the North African Red devils, perhaps the real red devils. Well, you just have to give credit where credit is due.

Andre Gomes opens up about his frustrations

The 24-year-old Portugal international joined Barcelona from Valencia in the summer of 2016 for a fee rumored to be around €35m plus add-ons that can rise to €20m. He explained how desperate he was to integrate into the Barca style of play and succeed but he acknowledges that anxiety has held him back from progress. The midfielder joined around the time when Portugal were celebrating their success at the Euros in which he had played an integral role and huge expectations were placed on the young enforcer to replicate those performances and play even better at the Camp Nou. Since then, the player has suffered psychologically after receiving tantrum from the fans who call him a flop when all he needed was time to adapt to the demands of a massive club. He now shuts himself and avoids interacting with anyone. He has lost confidence in his play. This is a cry to the fans to sometimes think about the well-being of these players and show them some love when they need him the most. Sergio Busquets has come out to back him and explain that the team is doing all they can to make life easier for Gomes. His only plea is to the fanbase to reduce the level of negativity to a player who is in a delicate situation.