Page 156 – The Pulse of Football

Jun

2023

MLS Player Power Rankings – Matchday 17

To complement the FotMob team of the week, we have picked five players who stood out, for various reasons, on Matchday 17 of Major League Soccer.

Whether that be by playing a major role in securing a result for their team, or hitting the headlines as their stock continues to rise, these are five players among numerous standout performers who were especially notable in the previous round of games.

We begin with one of the form teams in the league and their most conspicuous player of the latest matchday.

By James Nalton, MLS expert

Julián Carranza (Philadelphia Union)

The month of May saw Philadelphia Union exit the Concacaf Champions League at the semi-final stage to Los Angeles FC and go out of the US Open Cup as soon as it had entered after losing on penalties to Minnesota United.

In MLS, though, Jim Curtin’s side has turned a corner, showing why despite being one of the lower-spending teams in the league, the Union is one of the best-assembled outfits and remains a contender for the Supporters’ Shield and MLS Cup.

Carranza is the epitome of this. Picked up from a troubled Inter Miami side initially on loan in 2022, the 23-year-old Argentine soon signed permanently and has seven goals and two assists as the Union has gone on a run of nine games unbeaten in MLS.

He attempted nine shots in his team’s most recent game against CF Montreal, scoring twice. The second took a few deflections on its way in, and he should probably have had a hat-trick given the chances that came his way, but it was his shot that also led to the game’s other goal for Mikael Uhre.

The Union has seven wins and two draws in that nine-game unbeaten run and in Carranza, Uhre, and Daniel Gazdag, boast one of the most feared attacking lineups in the league and with nine goals in MLS in 2023, Carranza leads the way.

Daniel (San Jose Earthquakes)

Brazilian goalkeeper Daniel pulled off two outstanding saves to make sure the Earthquakes avoided defeat to a Colorado Rapids side languishing at the bottom of the Western Conference.

A first-half save from a close-range Cole Bassett header that had a post-shot xG of 0.70 was a highlight, showing excellent concentration, positioning, and reaction speed to tip it wide.

At the start of the second half, Daniel was down well to save a long-range effort from Bryan Acosta that looked like it might have been deflected on its way through, making it more difficult.

He went on to save a penalty later in the half, diving to his left to stop Connor Ronan’s effort from 12 yards. It added to his highlight reel but more importantly, meant his team weren’t embarrassed by a Colorado side that went down to ten men in the second half.

When San Jose needed him, didn’t Daniel deliver, with his second standout performance in as many games.

Christian Ramirez (Columbus Crew)

Four Columbus Crew players were among the best of the Matchday per FotMob ratings. Lucas Zelarayán registered an assist as part of six chances created, while Cucho Hernández and Max Arfsten both notched a goal and an assist each in a 4-2 win against Charlotte.

The standout of the four was Ramirez who netted two goals as well as an assist for Arfsten (even though the American still had plenty to do to get his name on the scoresheet).

It remained a team effort, though, and the pick of the goals was Zelarayan’s scooped pass over the Charlotte defence to Hernandez who showed skill and bravery to finish.

Wilfried Nancy moved to Columbus from Montreal at the end of last season and has since shown why the Ohio team made the move for the French head coach.

The Crew has the highest average possession in MLS and has scored the most goals. If it can tighten up at the back, the team could become a Supporters’ Shield and MLS Cup contender.

Iván Angulo (Orlando)

Facundo Torres took the headlines after scoring twice in Orlando City’s 3-0 win at New York Red Bulls, but Colombian attacking midfielder Angulo was arguably Orlando’s best player on the night.

The 24-year-old opened the scoring when it was still 11 v 11 (Andres Reyes was sent off early in the second half for New York) having the confidence to finish one-on-one against Red Bulls goalkeeper Carlos Coronel and the awareness to realise the teammates to his left may have been offside had he passed.

He also added an assist to his night’s work, sprinting half the length of the field past Frankie Amaya in what was an impressive show of speed. This time he squared for Torres who slotted past Coronel for his second.

Djordje Petrović (New England Revolution)

The Serbian stopper’s stock continues to rise thanks to two high-profile saves against New York City in the Bronx.

Gabriel Pereira’s long-range effort from outside the area may have been taken from a low xG position on the field, but the post-shot xG was 0.53 and required a wonderful save at full stretch from the 23-year-old.

It was the type of shot many goalkeepers will just watch and hope drifts wide or over, or dive late and not get anywhere near, but Petrović was well positioned and then athletic enough to get his fingertips to it to tip it over.

Petrović saved again from Pereira in the second half from closer range. It was similar to a stop he made in the first half from Santi Rodriguez who turned out to be offside, but neither player knew that until after the play had ended.

Petrović is being monitored by several European clubs. Both Manchester United and Liverpool have been linked via the transfer rumour mill, but they aren’t the only sides keeping an eye on the Serbian.

Matt Turner’s impressive performances in New England earned him a move to Arsenal, but in Petrović Bruce Arena’s side has found a replacement who is arguably better than the man he replaced. They might have to find another replacement soon.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every match from the 2023 MLS season live with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage including shot maps, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Jun

2023

LaLiga Review: Valladolid suffer final day heartbreak and Benzema signs off with a goal

The final round of the season in Spain’s top flight saw drama at the bottom, podium places decided, and European qualification secured. Here’s our expert with the main talking points.

By Ben Hayward, LaLiga expert

Agony and ecstasy in Valladolid

When the final whistle sounded at the José Zorilla on Sunday night, Getafe’s players celebrated as Valladolid’s sunk to their knees. The goalless draw meant survival for the visitors, but relegation for the home side. In an evening of tension on the final day of LaLiga, they were the losers in a dramatic six-way relegation battle.

With Elche and Espanyol already down, six teams went into the final round of matches with the same goal: to finish 17th or higher. Valladolid started the day in 18th place on 39 points, but survival was in their hands. And they were at home.

All six clubs went into their last match depending on themselves. Cádiz, Getafe and Valencia started the day with 41 points, with Almería and Celta Vigo on 40 and Valladolid on 39. Cádiz were away to Elche, with Valencia up against Real Betis in Seville and Almería in action at Espanyol. Meanwhile, Celta were at home to champions Barcelona and Valladolid hosted Getafe in the only direct meeting between teams still involved in the fight for survival.

Many had picked Celta to go down. The Galicians had lost seven of their last nine LaLiga games and looked vulnerable, but their record at home to Barcelona has been strong in recent years and this was a good time to be facing the champions. Apart from Marc-André ter Stegen seeking a new clean sheet record, Xavi’s side had little to play for. Franck Kessié looked to have put Barça in front early on, but was marginally offside. Balaídos breathed a sigh of relief. Then, young Gabri Veiga made himself a hero with two goals either side of the break which were enough to seal a 2-1 win for Celta despite an Ansu Fati header late in the game. The midfielder’s second had been a mishit cross, but who cares? Certainly nobody at Balaídos.

In the end, Celta were the only team of the six to win. Cádiz drew 1-1 at Elche and Valencia tied Betis by the same scoreline in Sevilla, despite falling behind inside a minute at the Benito Villamarín. That was enough for both to move clear of the drop zone. And as the minutes ticked away, attention turned to events in Barcelona and Valladolid.

Almería led early against Espanyol but trailed twice to the Catalans. At 2-1 and 3-2 down, they were heading for relegation because even though their goal difference was better than Valladolid’s, their inferior head-to-head record in the matches between the two teams this season saw them drop below the Blanquivioletas.

But Adri Embarba brought Almería back into it with two equalising goals and his second, from the penalty spot after 87 minutes at Espanyol, sealed a 3-3 draw which was enough to earn his team a place in LaLiga next season at the expense of Valladolid. Unable to find a way past a stubborn Getafe, Paulo Pezzolano’s side head to Segunda. In any of the past three seasons, 40 points would have been enough to stay up, but not this time.

“Together, we will be back,” the club said in a statement after the game, vowing to “work tirelessly” to return to the top flight. Valladolid were also relegated two seasons ago and bounced back straight away. A repeat of that would be handy next season.

Benzema signs off with a goal as Real Madrid pip Atlético

Karim Benzema started for Real Madrid earlier on Sunday in his final appearance for the club after it was announced that the French forward will be leaving this summer. And the 35-year-old signed off with a goal, his 354th for Los Blancos, which earned his side a 1-1 draw at home to Athletic Club and was enough for Carlo Ancelotti’s side to finish second as Atlético were denied a win by Villarreal in added time at the Estadio de la Cerámica.

“I have coached one of the best in the world,” the Italian said of the Frenchman. “Not just as a striker, but as a complete footballer. He’s a great person, friendly, humble, serious… We can’t be happy, but we have to respect it. He has earned the right to decide. He has done legendary things, unforgettable things.”

Benzema’s penalty came after 72 minutes, with Athletic having seen a spot-kick of their own denied as Mikel Vesga’s shot was saved by Thibaut Courtois early in the game. The French forward’s goal cancelled out Oihan Sancet’s goal for the Basques after 49 minutes and the 35-year-old went off to an ovation from the Bernabéu moments later. His final contribution as a Madrid player also saw Real finish above Atlético.

Diego Simeone’s side trailed early on to a Nicolás Jackson goal at Villarreal, but turned the game around thanks to a brace from Ángel Correa. The Rojiblancos later had Axel Witsel sent off with 20 minutes left for a foul on Giovani Lo Celso when the Argentine was through on goal and ended up conceding in the 92nd minute as 20-year-old striker Jorge Pascual netted his first goal for the club.

Osasuna qualify for Europe

Two goals from Ante Budimir early in the second half set Osasuna on their way to a 2-1 win over Girona and saw the Pamplona-based side secure a seventh-placed finish in LaLiga, two points ahead of northern rivals Athletic Club.

Osasuna, Copa del Rey finalists earlier this season and already qualified for next season’s Supercopa, will take their place in the Europa Conference League next season as European football returns to El Sadar.

Europa League winners Sevilla will join Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atlético and Real Sociedad in next season’s Champions League. Meanwhile, Villarreal (fifth) and Real Betis (sixth) have qualified for the Europa League. It should be fun.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every match from the 2022/23 LaLiga season live with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage including shot maps, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Jun

2023

Last Weekend: Barça Femení reclaim their European crown, 3-way title race drama in Belgium, and more

The football world was kind to offer lots of great picks for our first-anniversary edition of the Last Weekend column after a weekend filled with major finals, title deciders and season-concluders. As always, we have whittled everything down to the six biggest matches and results, so here they are.

By Neel Shelat

🏆 UEFA Women’s Champions League Final: Barcelona 3-2 Wolfsburg

Without question, Barcelona Femení have been the best team in Europe in recent years, so their failure to defend their UWCL crown against Lyon last year must have stung quite a bit. They did not slow down at all this season though, and found themselves in their third consecutive Champions League final.

Their opponents this time, in Eindhoven, were two-time champions Wolfsburg, who were looking to make up for their loss in the Bundesliga title race by winning Europe’s most prestigious club competition for the first time in a decade.

Die Wölfinnen got off to the perfect start, as Ewa Pajor opened the scoring less than three minutes in with a thunderous strike from outside the box. After defending for most of the subsequent half an hour and just about keeping Barcelona at bay, the Germans got a second goal after Pajor found the head of Alexandra Popp with a cross, which was only going to hit the back of the net thereafter.

So, Wolfsburg went into half-time with a two-goal lead despite attempting no more than three shots, one of which was from around the centre circle. Barcelona, meanwhile, failed to get anything to show for their 15 attempts, but they would not be denied for long.

A quickfire double from Patricia Guijarro brought them back level within five minutes of the second period, and from there on, only one outcome seemed inevitable. After some questionable defending, Fridolina Rolfö was the one who got the would-be winner for Barcelona in the 70th minute.

The Spanish champions comfortably held on thereafter, securing a deserved victory to lift the UWCL trophy for the second time in three years.

🇧🇪 Belgium: Genk 2-2 Royal Antwerp

For the first time since 1999, we had a three-way title decider on the final day in Belgium.

Royal Antwerp were in pole position because they finished the regular season on an even points tally (it’s a long story), so the equation was simple for them: win, and get your first league title since 1957. Their opponents Genk also had a chance to win the title by beating them, but they also needed Union Saint-Gilloise to drop points in the other game.

Antwerp also had the chance to wrap up the title in their last game against USG, but they conceded a late equaliser and only managed a draw to set up this decider. They seemed to have recovered from that disappointment, though, as they looked the better side and created the better chances in the first half.

But it was Genk who struck first on the stroke of half-time with their very first attempt of the game, which was scored by Toru Arokodare. So their fans were the happiest during the half-time break, but they received some bad news before the second half even kicked off. Union had scored seconds after the break in their game, jumping up to first in the table as things stood. Worse yet for Genk, Gyrano Kerk equalised in the 58th minute. The title remained in Union’s hands as things were, but there would be a lot of late drama.

Bryan Heynen put Genk back in front in the 75th minute, but they still needed a favour from Club Brugge. The outgoing champions had looked second-best all game, but they managed to grab an equaliser in the 89th minute to turn the helicopter carrying the trophy away from Brussels and send it towards Genk.

Indeed, the champions were decided in the Cegeka Arena, but it was not the hosts. In the fourth minute of stoppage time, local boy Toby Alderweireld picked out the top corner from outside the box to pull Antwerp back level, winning them the title because Union slipped up.

So, the great celebrations at the Bousilstadion kicked off as Antwerp won their first title in 66 years and sealed their first-ever league-cup double – something that seemed impossible just a few years ago when they were in the second division. Genk were left bitterly disappointed having watched the title slip away from their hands, while USG suffered such heartbreak for the second year in a row.

🏆 CONCACAF Champions League Final: LAFC 0-1 León (1-3 agg.)

A raucous BMO Stadium welcomed the two contestants of the CONCACAF Champions League final for its second leg on what was set to be a historic day, as one of them would lift their first-ever continental title.

Club León held the advantage from the first leg, but might have been a little disappointed with how it ended. They were two goals to the good at half-time and thought they’d scored a third at the end in stoppage-time, but it was ruled out by VAR. Just a couple of minutes later, LAFC went up the other end and pulled one back to not only halve the deficit but also get a crucial away goal.

For that reason, it was crucial for León to score again here, and they did. Lucas Di Yorio capped off a nice team move in the 20th minute to give the visitors the lead on the night, thereby forcing LAFC to score at least twice to stay alive in the tie.

The MLS champions went on to create a fair few chances with a couple of pretty good ones at that, but they simply failed to put the ball in the back of the net. So, they tasted defeat for the second time in a CONCACAF Champions League final, while León became the fourteenth different Mexican club to lift the trophy (in its various guises)

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England: Manchester City 2-1 Manchester United

The scheduling of the FA Cup final drew much ire as it kicked off at the exact same time as the UWCL final, but anyone having a dilemma about which game to watch had all their confusion cleared up within 12 seconds.

Manchester City scored the fastest-ever goal in an FA Cup final to take the lead almost straight from kick-off, as İlkay Gündoğan’s volley hit the back of the net before Manchester United could even get so much as a solid touch on the ball. The Premier League champions were the clear favourites for this fixture, and having taken the lead so quickly, they were surely going to coast home.

Indeed, they controlled the match, but there was an unexpected twist just after the half-hour mark as Manchester United were awarded a penalty for a very contentious handball call against Jack Grealish. Bruno Fernandes stepped up to convert it, pulling his side level with their first shot on target.

The two sides emerged from the half-time break with the scores level, but they would not stay that way for long. A few minutes into the second period, a more scuffed Gündoğan volley right after a corner saw City retake the lead, which they did not let slip this time. As ever, they dominated the match right till the end and saw out a relatively comfortable win.

With their first FA Cup title in four years, Manchester City have won another domestic double. More importantly, though, this brings them within one step of winning a continental treble as they play in next week’s Champions League final.

🇪🇸 Spain: Real Valladolid 0-0 Getafe

We have been treated to an incredible relegation battle in LaLiga this season, where six teams risked finishing 18th on the final day! In fact, barring Mallorca, everyone in the middle of the table either had the chance to qualify for Europe or were in relegation danger on the final day.

The team occupying the final relegation spot going into the round were Real Valladolid, so they needed to get a result to spice things up. Their opponents, Getafe, were also among the relegation battlers, so this was as much of a six-pointer as any match has ever been.

Getafe’s biggest decision in their bid to stay up was to reappoint José Bordalás in April, hoping that his defensive magic would bail them out. It certainly worked, with Getafe winning three of his six games in charge heading into this one and never watching his team concede more than one goal in a game.

The Azulones knew that a clean sheet here would be enough to stay up, and that is what they played for. They set out in their staunch 4-4-2 block, mostly sat in their own half and thoroughly frustrated Valladolid. Despite keeping just 20% of the ball, the visitors only conceded 15 chances worth 0.9 xG altogether, so there were no high-quality opportunities in there.

So Getafe stayed up without much of a fuss in the end, but there was a lot more drama from the hosts’ point of view. A draw gave them a chance but not a guarantee, so they had to hope for some help elsewhere. They thought they had it when already-relegated Espanyol took the lead for the first time in their match against Almería, but Rubi’s side made it 3-3 from the spot in the 87th minute to stay up and send Valladolid down.

🇦🇺 Australia: Melbourne City 1-6 Central Coast Mariners

The A-League season drew to a close this weekend with the Grand Final, which was held in Sydney despite not featuring a team from the city after a widely-opposed decision made by the APL board. The two contestants were Premier Plate winners Melbourne City, who were playing on the biggest occasion for the fourth consecutive year, and Central Coast Mariners, the team with the lowest budget in the competition.

The Mariners had experienced the thrill of such an occasion in the past, but that was a decade ago. A lot had happened since then, as their success completely fell apart and they consistently finished at or close to the bottom of the table for the next few seasons. Their desperation probably peaked when they gave Usain Bolt a trial when he harboured hopes of playing football professionally and even offered him a contract, much to the ire of A-League fans.

They changed thereafter, though, adopting a much more youth-focused approach and investing in local talent. In the last few years, Mariners have always had the youngest squad in the league, and the kids have delivered for them. They have qualified for the finals in each of the last three seasons, even skipping the first round this time by virtue of finishing second in the regular season.

After getting past Adelaide United in the two-legged semi-final, the Mariners set up a David vs Goliath final against City Football Group-owned Melbourne City. The Premiers had steamrolled the league and naturally were the favourites to lift the trophy, but they were in for a big shock.

Mohun Bagan-bound Jason Cummings scored the opener in his last game for the Mariners in the 20th minute as their direct approach yielded rewards. The Edinburgh-born Socceroo set up the second for Samuel Silvera, but City pulled one back before the half-time break to firmly stay in the game.

The game-changer was Gosford-born substitute Jacob Farell, who won two penalties within ten minutes of coming on. Cummings converted both to not only score a hat-trick but break the seasonal goal-scoring record for CCM, after which Béni N’Kololo and Moresche beefed up the scoreline late on.

Central Coast Mariners’ success is a great story in what has been a difficult season for soccer in Australia due to the Grand Finals decision and its aftermath. As 2013 champion and now-manager Nick Montgomery told his players, they have not only galvanised a club, but a community, a region.

Cover Image from IMAGO

Jun

2023

FIVE games to follow this weekend: The FA Cup, League and Continental honours are all up for grabs

In this weekend preview we summarise the best five games to follow on your match feed. And make a couple of suggestions for matches that you may otherwise miss.

By Bill Biss

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Manchester City vs. Manchester United

In the 152 year history of the FA Cup, the world’s oldest national football competition, there has never previously been a Manchester Derby in the Final. But now in this, the 142nd edition, and the 100th Final to be played at Wembley, we’re all set for a clash between the blue and red halves of Manchester on Saturday.

Pep Guardiola’s recently crowned Premier League champions are, of course, hunting down a treble with this match falling one week before their date with Inter in the final of the Champions League. For their part, United are gunning for a domestic cup double after they beat Newcastle to lift the Carabao Cup back in February. Something that, if achieved, must go down as a highly satisfactory return for coach Erik Ten Hag in his first season with the club.

The sides have previously met eight times in the FA Cup, with the head-to-head record reading 5-3 in United’s favour, but probably move relevant to where we are now is a comparison of their 2022/23 Premier League campaign, which you can see here:

🌎 CONCACAF Champions League Final: LAFC vs. Club León (1-2 agg)

In the first of a number of big continental finals tipped in this column, we’re listing Sunday’s second leg between MLS side Los Angeles FC and León, from Liga MX, in the CONCACAF Champions League.

León looked to be in complete control of their own destiny as the two met in Mexico for the first leg on Wednesday night but a late goal from LAFC’s in-form striker Denis Bouanga has changed the complexion of the tie.

Bouanga now has seven goals in seven games during this cup run to go with 10 in 12 back in MLS since the turn of the year. And it’s that kind of form that breeds confidence across a team, especially one that ended 2022 as the MLS Cup holders.

History does favour the side from Mexico but León are not amongst the country’s 13 previous winners of the tournament (those 13 have won 37 titles between them). So could LAFC follow Seattle Sounders’ example from winning last year by turning this game around and becoming the fourth MLS side to lift the trophy?

🌍 CAF Champions League Final: Al Ahly vs. Wydad

Sunday also sees Africa’s biggest club game take place, with the first leg of the CAF Champions League being played in Cairo. And this particular match-up is one with a bit of recent history, with the game between Egyptian giants Al Ahly, and defending champions Wydad Casablanca being a repeat of last year’s final.

In fact, the format of this season’s competition reverted to a two-legged final precisely because of complaints from Al Ahly when that one-off 2022 final was played at the home of Wydad. The stadium had originally been selected as a neutral venue but the authorities refused to change plans despite it being the base of the one of the eventual finalists!

Perhaps unsurprisingly, with the weight of local support behind them, Wydad ran out 2-0 winners in that game and stopped Al Ahly claiming what would have been a hat-trick of titles. The Egyptians are famously Africa’s most decorated club, with 10 wins in this competition, and they’re currently top of the pile back in their domestic league. Wydad, meanwhile, sit second in Morocco with just a few rounds to play.

🏆 UEFA Women’s Champions League Final: Barcelona vs. Wolfsburg

Back in Europe, at PSV Eindhoven’s Philips Stadium to be precise, Saturday gives us the final in the Women’s Champions League.

Barcelona are there again, for the third year running, as they look to become the dominant force across the board in women’s football. They lost just once in Liga F this season, bringing home a fourth straight title with a record of 85 points, 118 goals scored, and just 10 conceded. But in Europe, at least, they don’t have it all their own way – they won the 2021 final against Chelsea but were then beaten by Lyon in 2022.

Wolfsburg have a longer record of dominating the Frauen-Bundesliga, either winning it, or finishing as runners-up in each of the last 12 seasons. Unfortunately for them, this was one of the years in which they missed out – Bayern beat them to the title by just two points. They also have a proud history in the Champions League – winning it in 2013 and 2014 – but then losing out in each of their next three final appearances – 2016, 2018, and 2020. A streak they’ll be looking to break.

🇦🇺 Melbourne City vs. Central Coast Mariners

Down under, the 18th season of the A-League comes to a close with Saturday’s Grand Final. Fittingly, despite the play-off format that brings us to this point, it’s the regular season’s top two finishers who meet in the final: Premier Plate winners Melbourne City and Central Coast Mariners.

The Mariners beat Adelaide United on the last day of the season to take second spot and earn a bye to the semi-finals of the play-offs where they then met, and beat, Adelaide again. Melbourne, on the other hand, reached their third consecutive Grand Final thanks to a convincing 5-1 aggregate win over Sydney FC.

City have been crowned Premiers by virtue of finishing top in the regular season in each of the last three years but they have only won one Grand Final so far – the 2020 edition, also against Sydney.

The two previous meetings between the finalists this season have been close affairs – City beating the Mariners 1-0 in December before they shared a 1-1 draw in April.

Plus two hidden gems from a little deeper in your match feed…

🇧🇪 Genk vs. Royal Antwerp

Sunday is going to be a dramatic day in Belgium where three of the four sides in the Championship play-off group still have a chance of taking the title on the final day of the season!

As mentioned last week – two of those three have been waiting a very long time for this (potentially title winning) day – Antwerp since 1957, Union St. Gilloise since 1935. But it’s the game between Antwerp and the third challengers, Genk, that will have the biggest impact on proceedings.

Genk and Union finished neck-and-neck at the end of the regular season but with all points halved and rounded-up ahead of the play-offs, it meant that Antwerp only needed to make up two points in the last six games. After wins over Union, Genk, and Club Brugge, they looked odds on to romp home but defeat in the return against Brugge and then last week’s draw with Union has left us with this tense three-way battle on the final day.

Should Union beat Brugge in the other game, they will need Antwerp to drop points. At present the two are only split by virtue of Antwerp finishing the regular season on an even number of points, meaning that when their tally was halved, they was no rounding up involved – unlike Union and Genk. But we’ll leave it there before explaining the format causes any more confusion.

🇧🇬 CSKA Sofia vs. CSKA 1948

And finally this week, we’re recommending yet another final day, title-deciding game. This time in Bulgaria.

Imagine this scenario, if you will. CSKA Sofia, who are on the rise again after bankruptcy and controversy, have the chance to end Ludogorets’ 11 year reign as Champions. They lead them by a single point with one game to play. But that game comes against CSKA 1948, a club formed amidst the acrimony and fall-out from the collapse of the original CSKA, and one that still contests the name, albeit legally, can no longer also contest the history and previous titles now owned once more by CSKA Sofia.

And then take in the fact that Ludogorets’ final game comes against Levski Sofia, historically CSKA’s fiercest rivals.

All that should make for a hectic final day, and one where, no doubt, various conspiracies and controversies will take hold.

If you want to follow any of the games mentioned above, click on the relevant link and tap the bell icon to receive all the key match updates.

Or join us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to discuss all the important football going on this weekend!

Cover Image from IMAGO

Jun

2023

José Mourinho, Roma and the Europa League final

We’re one final down in UEFA’s trio of cup competitions and it did not go well for Serie A representatives AS Roma.

By Matteo Bonetti

Roma’s heartbreaking end

José Mourinho’s European run with Roma ended after more than 147 minutes of gruelling play and a penalty shootout in the final against Sevilla. It was a game that from a Roma point of view was marred by refereeing decisions, but the team was also unfortunate with some of their finishing. For example, there was Andrea Belotti’s volley that was saved by the fingernail of Bono in what was a world class moment for the Moroccan keeper. Centre-back Chris Smalling’s looping header that caught the top of the crossbar was also millimetres away from finding the back of the net.

Despite Roma’s defensive approach to the game, often sitting back with 11 men behind the ball, they created the chances to trouble Sevilla but ultimately had their weaknesses exposed. Just take a look at the players that the Andalusian side were able to bring on – experienced, talented wingers like Suso and Érik Lamela, who both completely changed the course of the game when they replaced the quiet pairing of Óliver Torres and Bryan Gil. Mourinho’s only real attacking change was putting in a shockingly out of form Andrea Belotti, who has appeared in 30 Serie A games this season without scoring a single goal.

Aside from the squandered chances, Roma didn’t get any help from the officials either. Mourinho approached the referees post match to tell them he thought their performance was a disgrace. There were a few episodes in particular that turned the tide of the game in Sevilla’s favour. The most glaring was Youssef En-Nesyri’s apparent handball that wasn’t given. The ball made contact with the Moroccan’s arm that was slightly outstretched from his body. I’ve seen penalties given in nearly identical situations, so Roma have a reason to feel frustrated about that potentially game changing decision. Even more ominously, it seems like Mourinho isn’t committing long term to the club. The Portuguese manager has complained about lack of depth in the past, as the injuries Roma have accrued throughout the season have exposed a rather thin squad who have had to rely on some of the inexperienced youngsters to fill the holes in the lineup.

The main issue has to do with the striker situation. Roma’s two main attackers, Tammy Abraham and Andrea Belotti, have combined for 13 goals in 98 matches in all competitions this season. Normally a decent striker has a return of a goal every other game, not every other nine. You could make the argument that Mourinho’s defensive setup isn’t ideal for any striker to get loads of chances, but a closer look at the FotMob stats puts more of the blame on the players themselves. Both Tammy and Belotti have a much higher expected goals rate in Serie A than what they’ve actually scored. This suggests a wastefulness and lack of clinical ability when they are put in a position to trouble the goalkeeper.

Roma’s defence is also inconsistent. While Chris Smalling was arguably the player of the match for Roma, winning countless headers against the dangerous aerial threat Youssef En-Nesyri, his partners at the back weren’t as assured. Gianluca Mancini might’ve provided the assist for Dybala’s goal and showed plenty of grit, but he also scored an own goal and then missed a penalty in the shootout. The third centre-back is possibly the most worrying. Roger Ibañez is too error prone to be trusted in big matches at this point. The man behind them, Rui Patrício, has also been at the very bottom of every advanced goalkeeping statistic in Serie A this season.

So how do we sum up Roma’s season? For me, bringing in José Mourinho and giving him signings like Paulo Dybala means that a top four finish and Champions League football are the fair expectations. Winning the first ever Conference League was a good start to the Mourinho era, but the second season needed to be followed up with a stronger domestic showing. Without any silverware or Champions League football next season, this second campaign will ultimately be summed up as a disappointment. Roma would be in seventh place currently had it not been for Juventus most recent points deduction.

A word on Sevilla…

Sevilla’s World Cup winner Gonzalo Montiel knows a thing or two about scoring important penalties – after all, it was his penalty that won Argentina the World Cup last year. He also got the chance to win Sevilla’s seventh Europa League.

His first try was saved by Rui Patrício, but VAR spotted encroachment by the Roma keeper and this time Montiel made no mistake. Sevilla’s story is nothing short of incredible. When journeyman manager José Luis Mendilibar took over the club this year they were just two points away from relegation. He was their third manager of the season and came with little fanfare.

The 62-year-old Mendilibar is someone who was used to saving teams from relegation, not fighting for trophies or European competitions. It’s what makes this story so surreal – the club’s fortunes turned around instantly as the new manager brought them a sense of calm and optimism behind the scenes. Sevilla’s impressive run in the Europa League saw them knock out both Manchester United and Juventus on their way to facing Roma in the final.

(images from IMAGO)

You can follow every match from the 2022/23 Serie A season live with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage including shot maps, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

May

2023

Bundesliga Review: All the final day drama

After 34 Matchdays Germany’s Bundesliga went to the wire, a championship-winning goal in the 89th minute from Jamal Musiala saw Bayern pip Dortmund to hold aloft the Meisterschale.

By Chris Williams, our Bundesliga expert

Stage fright

The scene was set in Dortmund; fans queued outside the Westfalenstadion five hours before kick-off to drink and party, their first title in 11 years had never felt so close. Yet the day was about to turn from momentous to nightmarish on a scale not seen for two decades.

All the Schwarzgelben had to do was beat Mainz, a team that had lost four straight matches whilst conceding 13 goals. Dortmund had won the last three, dispatching Wolfsburg, Gladbach and Augsburg with absolute ease the final day fixture played into their hands, surely they had to…

Before the half-hour mark passed the title favourites were two down, and Sébastien Haller had fluffed his lines from the penalty spot, the greatest of days was now a horror show and Dortmund looked out of ideas, frozen in time.

“After conceding goals, you noticed how heavy the ball and your legs are,” Edin Terzić remarked after the full-time whistle, and it could be seen by all just how heavy expectation weighed on his side as desperation crept in.

Raphaël Guerreiro and Niklas Süle brought the score back to 2-2 but it wasn’t enough, tears had replaced pre-match parties; coach, players and fans all sobbed in unison.

The unthinkable had happened; from a position of strength Dortmund lost the title to Bayern on goal difference, all they had to do was win yet the dream slipped away in the most cruel fashion.

What may be more worrying for the Signal Iduna Park club is that this gut-wrenching title loss on the last day could take a long time to recover from. Those players staying at the club might need more than an eight week break to shake off the bitter disappointment.

Getting so close but ending with nothing will take mental resilience of epic proportions to forget so soon and then be ready to do it all again.

Jude Bellingham was named Bundesliga player of the season after the last-day drama settled, but now the 19-year-old will move on, to Real Madrid if the rumours are correct.

There was a Bellingham-shaped hole in Dortmund’s matchday eleven against Mainz and they couldn’t get over the line, now they must do it for the next 34 matches, and beyond.

It’s what Champions do…

It has become inevitable, Bayern München will win the league, even in their worst season of recent times and one full of off-the-pitch drama, after 34 matches the Bavarians did just enough to ensure the Meisterschale only left their possession for 90 minutes.

With Dortmund starting the day top, the Bundesliga trophy was positioned by the DFL at the Westfalenstadion, and a replica was sent to Köln in case Bayern had the final laugh.

That they did, but it didn’t come easy. Dejan Ljubicic’s penalty on 81 minutes looked to have dethroned the mighty Bavarians, they had to win to stand any hope of keeping their title crown.

Four minutes later Thomas Tuchel rolled the dice, sending on Jamal Musiala and four minutes after that the 20-year-old struck from outside the box to send the fans amassed in the away block wild.

The situation was the same for both clubs, win to win a title, Bayern showed what champions must do and Dortmund couldn’t.

Presented with the replica after their victory, the real Meisterschale was boxed up and sent an hour down the road. Reunited with the club where it has resided now for 11 years.

While the players celebrated the club immediately announced the news that both CEO Oliver Kahn and sporting director Hasan Salihamidžić had been sacked. Off-the-pitch issues almost cost Bayern the title and they moved swiftly to ensure it wouldn’t happen again.

Relegation (and promotion) drama

Schalke’s 4-2 loss to RB Leipzig meant they follow Hertha Berlin into 2.Bundesliga, and with VfB Stuttgart drawing at Hoffenheim it is the Swabians who now have the prospect of 180 minutes of hell. The Relegation Playoff awaits against Hamburg, who had their own day of pain on Sunday.

Hamburger SV, HSV or, as they are more commonly known – Hamburg, had an afternoon that could only be topped by Dortmund for speechlessness.

Sitting in the second automatic promotion slot in 2.Bundesliga it looked like the one-time European Cup winners would be back in the top flight after a five-year absence. Prior to their relegation in 2018 they had played 54 years in Germany’s top division but try as they might they couldn’t get back in.

That looked to be sealed with a 1-0 win at Sandhausen, at full time their fans invaded the Sandhausen pitch, congratulated by the PA system on their return to the Bundesliga.

However; Heidenheim who sat third were still playing, and had 11 minutes of added time. Unbelievably they struck twice, 90+3 and 90+9 saw them overturn a 2-1 scoreline and leapfrog both Hamburg and Darmstadt to be crowned champions.

The HSV fans on the pitch in Sandhausen who were celebrating were left dumbstruck, they had finished third, and with it a playoff against Stuttgart awaits.

European fever

Union Berlin, who were at one point being quietly talked about as possible champions, secured Champions League football with victory against Weder Bremen.

Robin Knoche and Sheraldo Becker were two of Union’s standout players across the season. Knoche notched up a number of tremendous performances; the centre-back turned supplier in May ensuring both ends of the pitch has his mark.

While Becker ended the season with 11 goals and seven assists, and will relish the challenge that awaits next season at Europe’s top table.

The capital club’s win meant that Freiburg had to settle for fifth place and a slot in the Europa League, Bayer Leverkusen ended up sixth and the Europa League semi-finalists will play at least Europa Conference football next season.

Eintracht Frankfurt miss out on Europe via the traditional table but are guaranteed a place next season by virtue of the DFB Pokal Final.

Should Leipzig beat them in Berlin then The Eagles will play in the Europa Conference qualifiers, as the Red Bull outfit finished third they will automatically enter the Champions League, this will shunt Freiburg and Leverkusen into the Europa League.

Frankfurt will obviously aim for victory and the traditional route of directly into the Europa League group stage as Pokal winners – complex or what!

And that is it, the 60th season of the Bundesliga ends with a familiar champion but in the most dramatic of styles. Have Bayern learnt their boardroom lessons and opted for change at the best time? Will Dortmund recover from absolute heartache and can Union Berlin shock Europe’s elite?

We’ll see in 12 weeks…

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every match from the 2022/23 Bundesliga season live with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage including shot maps, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

May

2023

LaLiga Review: Barcelona bid farewell to Camp Nou, Madrid beat Sevilla, and Espanyol are relegated

The penultimate round of the season in LaLiga saw the top three in fine form, some other outstanding matters wrapped up, and set us up for what’s going to be a dramatic final day at the bottom of the table.

By Ben Hayward, LaLiga expert

Barça sign off with a win at Camp Nou

Barcelona bade farewell to the old Camp Nou on Sunday night and also to two of their most emblematic players from recent times as Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba said goodbye to the fans in the club’s final home game of the season.

And amid a special atmosphere at the famous stadium, Barça got off to the perfect start as Robert Lewandowski flicked the ball through to Gavi and he squared for Ansu Fati to open the scoring inside a minute against Mallorca.

The visitors then had Amath Ndiaye sent off after 14 minutes for a dangerous challenge on Alejandro Balde, who went off injured, and Ansu made it 2-0 to the champions midway through the half when he slid a low finish under Dominik Greif after Lewandowski had flicked the ball through to him at the back post from a Frenkie de Jong pass.

Barça were dominant and twice hit the bar in the second half before Gavi hit a fierce drive into the corner with 20 minutes left to round off a big win for the Blaugrana.

Alba then went off in tears with 10 minutes left and Busquets followed a few minutes later. Both players received standing ovations from the Camp Nou faithful as they left the pitch and the pair were presented with special plaques by president Joan Laporta after the match. They were then thrown into the air by their team-mates.

“The hardest thing is to choose the moment to say goodbye,” Xavi said. “They have been intelligent. We are losing the best pivot and the best left-back in Barça’s history. They are an example to the new generations.”

Xavi confirmed that neither Busquets nor Alba will play for Barça in their final LaLiga game away to Celta Vigo next weekend, but one man who will definitely feature at Balaídos is goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen.

On Sunday, the German kept his 26th clean sheet in LaLiga this season to equal the record set by Deportivo La Coruña’s Francisco Liaño in 1993-94. One more will see Ter Stegen break the record outright and he said: “I’m very happy with the 26 clean sheets. Now I want to break the record.”

Barça will now move to the Olympic Stadium at Montjuic until 2025 as works start this summer to modernise Camp Nou and Xavi said: “It’s bittersweet because everything will be new and we won’t be back in through the ramp or the players’ tunnel, but the stadium will be better and now we have to adapt to Montjuic.”

Rodrygo at the double as Real Madrid stay second

There was no Karim Benzema or Vinícius Júnior for Real Madrid as both forwards missed the trip to Sevilla on Saturday with minor injuries, but Rodrygo stepped up with both goals to give Los Blancos a 2-1 win at the Sánchez Pizjuán.

Rafa Mir fired Sevilla into the lead inside three minutes after pouncing on a rebound in the Madrid area, but Rodrygo equalised with a fine free-kick just short of the half-hour mark, although the Brazilian was aided as the poor placement of the defensive wall allowed a big gap for him to find the corner with goalkeeper Bono wrongfooted.

Rodrygo later scored the winner after 69 minutes when he ran onto a long pass from Toni Kroos, turned Gonzalo Montiel inside out and beat Bono with a cool finish. The Brazilian attacker, on a hat-trick, was annoyed at being substituted with 81 minutes played. He now has 19 goals in 2022-23, which is 10 more than his previous best in a season for Real.

“He wanted to stay on the pitch to try to score a hat-trick,” coach Carlo Ancelotti said afterwards. “I told him we have different objectives: ‘you want to score and I don’t want to concede.’”

With little to play for other than second spot in LaLiga, Ancelotti also admitted it had been difficult to get his players fired up. “It’s hard to find the motivation for these matches,” the Italian said. “But this week, something has happened. The atmosphere has changed and that’s a good sign.”

Madrid are a point ahead of city rivals Atlético with one round remaining, but both teams have already qualified for next season’s Supercopa.

Atleti beat Real Sociedad as Basques seal Champions League place

Atlético Madrid are still in with a chance of finishing second in LaLiga after a 2-1 win at home to Real Sociedad on Sunday, but it was a happy evening for the Basques too as they sealed a place in next season’s Champions League.

Antoine Griezmann cut inside and hit a sweet strike into the corner to give Atlético the lead late in the first half and Nahuel Molina looked to have wrapped up a comfortable win for the Rojiblancos as he made it 2-0 after 73 minutes, but Alexander Sørloth pulled one back close to the end and Real Sociedad pushed for a leveller in the final stages.

It didn’t come but it didn’t matter as Villarreal’s loss against Rayo Vallecano meant the Basques had finished fourth, which sees the San Sebastián club return to the Champions League for the first time since 2013.

“What these players are achieving has an incalculable value,” Real Sociedad coach Imanol Alguacil said. “It’s absolutely crazy and we have to enjoy it.”

Atlético, meanwhile, are guaranteed to finish in the top three but could pip Real Madrid to second if they win at Villarreal next weekend and Los Blancos fail to beat Athletic Club at the Santiago Bernabéu.

That hardly seemed possible after a disappointing first half of the season saw the Rojiblancos outside the top four. “I’m very happy and we hope to finish the season in the best way,” coach Diego Simeone said.

Espanyol relegated as six-way struggle to beat drop goes to final day

Espanyol looked to have given themselves a chance of beating the drop as they led 2-1 in added time away to Valencia, but Samuel Lino struck in the 93rd minute to relegate the Barcelona-based club with one round remaining and Mestalla went wild as the home side sealed a point which could keep their team up.

For the second game in a row, Espanyol were furious with the officials. In their 3-3 draw at home to Atlético in midweek, they had been unhappy that an Antoine Griezmann effort was allowed to stand, despite there being no conclusive proof that the ball had crossed the line. And here, they complained of a foul in the build-up to Lino’s late leveller.

Nevertheless, they will play in Spain’s Segunda División next season along with bottom club Elche, with the final relegation spot to be decided next Sunday as six teams all battle to avoid the drop.

Valencia are one of those. They have 41 points, along with Cádiz and Getafe above them. Almería and Celta Vigo have 40, with Real Valladolid on 39. All of those teams have their destiny in their own hands going into the final round of matches.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every match from the 2022/23 LaLiga season live with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage including shot maps, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

May

2023

Premier League Review: The Final Day

That is that then. The 2022/23 Premier League campaign is over. There were only a few things to settle heading into the final day but it was still drama-filled. For the last time this season, a look at some of the most significant talking points.

By Sam McGuire, Premier League expert

Emery is taking Villa on a European adventure

When Unai Emery replaced Steven Gerrard as Aston Villa manager in November, few would’ve envisaged the Spaniard sparking such a remarkable turnaround in form. Villa were in the bottom five at the time but have been one of the form sides since the former Arsenal manager made Villa Park his home. The 2-1 win over Brighton meant they pipped Spurs to a Europa Conference League place by a single point.

Douglas Luiz capped off his most productive season to date with his sixth of the season while Ollie Watkins eclipsed the 14 goals he scored during his debut campaign with the club with his 15th goal turning out to be the winner.

It was a deserved win with the hosts finishing the game with an Expected Goals haul of 2.85 to the visitor’s tally of 1.35.

No new manager bounce at Elland Road

Leeds had to beat Spurs to have any chance of remaining in the Premier League so eyebrows were raised when Sam Allardyce named a fairly defensive starting XI. The former England boss named six defenders in his team, though Robin Koch was deployed in midfield once again, and went with just one real goal threat in Rodrigo.

They found themselves 1-0 down within two minutes. Leeds did respond well to this and finished the first half with a higher xG (0.82 to 0.61). However, the game got away from the home side after the break with Spurs adding a second just two minutes into the second half.

Jack Harrison halved the deficit for two minutes before Harry Kane added his second of the day and his 30th of the season. Lucas Moura added Tottenham’s fourth in added time with his final goal for the club.

Allardyce’s men did have almost twice as many shots as Spurs but created just a single big chance. His arrival in the dugout didn’t give Leeds the boost they needed to stay up and he added just one point across four matches.

The Foxes pounce too late

Leicester were another team battling relegation. Dean Smith’s men needed to win against West Ham while also needing Everton to drop points at home to Bournemouth. The Foxes held up their end of the bargain, claiming a 2-1 win over the Hammers courtesy of goals from Harvey Barnes and Wout Faes.

In what was likely his final game for the club, Youri Tielemans put on a show for the home fans. The Belgium international created two chances and claimed an assist while also winning 100% of his ground duels and tackles.

Results went against Leicester though and the 2015/16 Premier League champions are going to be playing Championship football next season.

The Toffees get out of a sticky situation

Everton knew that a win would keep them in the English top flight. A draw might be enough if results elsewhere go in their favour but their fate was in their own hands.

Sean Dyche was without Dominic Calvert-Lewin and started the game without a recognised striker on the pitch. It wasn’t the prettiest of matches and chances were few and far between for both the home side and Bournemouth, though the hosts did dominate the ball with 62% possession.

In the end, Abdoulaye Doucoure’s long-range effort just before the hour mark proved to be the difference maker with Everton holding out for a 1-0 win. The Toffees finished two points outside of the relegation zone.

The Champions are defeated

Manchester City’s game against Brentford was a bit of a dead rubber. City were already champions and their attention was no doubt on next week’s FA Cup final – it would explain the starting XI put out by Pep Guardiola. The Bees had secured a top-half finish and the highest they could climb would be to 8th and for that to happen they needed Spurs to lose.

Ethan Pinnock found the back of the net in the 85th minute. With Brentford holding on for the win it meant Thomas Frank’s side did the double over the champions.

It also meant that the champions finished on fewer than 90 points for only the second time in the past seven seasons. City claimed the title in 2020/21 with 86 points.

Ending the season with goals

How about this for a stat – 11% of Southampton’s goals for the 2022/23 campaign were scored on the final day.

The Saints scored four against Liverpool and despite having a 4-2 lead with just 25 minutes remaining, they failed to pick up maximum points. The Reds rallied to score two late goals and salvaged a point to extend their unbeaten run to 11.

It had a real end-of-the-season vibe to the game at St Mary’s with both teams changing their starting XIs. Jurgen Klopp’s side were the dominant team though, amassing an xG of 4.05, taking 30 shots and having six big chances.

(Images from IMAGO)

You can follow every match from the 2022/23 Premier League season live with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage including shot maps, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

May

2023

FIVE games to follow this weekend: Decision day in Ligue 1, the Bundesliga, and elsewhere

In this weekend preview we summarise the best five games to follow on your match feed. And make a couple of suggestions for matches that you may otherwise miss.

By Bill Biss

🇩🇪 Borussia Dortmund vs. Mainz

Could Saturday be the day that Bayern Munich’s 10-year stranglehold on the Bundesliga finally comes to an end? It’s all set up to be a dramatic final day of the season in Germany’s top flight with the biggest prize still up for grabs.

After a couple of months in which the title race has ebbed and flowed as both Klassiker rivals have faltered, or found form, last weekend’s results have left Borussia Dortmund in charge of their own destiny. Before Bayern were beaten soundly, at home, by RB Leipzig, it looked like being just another year, albeit one in which the margin by which the FC Hollywood juggernaut won the league was closer than normal. But following that result, combined with the ease with which Dortmund dispatched Augsburg last Sunday, it’s the black and yellow’s who are favourites to lift the Meisterschale.

With all of Saturday’s games kicking off simultaneously, all Dortmund need to do in their game vs. Mainz is match whatever is happening in Cologne, between FC Köln and Bayern. Beat Mainz and the club’s ninth title is secured, draw and they must hope Bayern drop points. With Bayern’s superior goal difference, goals scored, and head-to-head record this season, any slip-ups from Dortmund will most likely gift their rivals what would be their 11th straight title.

If that’s not enough for you, there’s also drama at the other end of the table, plus European places still up for grabs. For a full extended Bundesliga preview click here.

🇫🇷 Strasbourg vs. Paris Saint-Germain

We’ve reached the penultimate weekend in Ligue 1, but here too, we’ll probably see the title decided on Saturday.

PSG look like they’ve stumbled their way to defending the championship that they’ve won in four of the last five years despite losing more games than they did in each of those title-winning seasons. And with further disharmony caused by doubts concerning the methods of coach Christophe Galtier, and the fall-out from an early exit in both the Champions League and the Coupe de France.

That will, likely, all be forgotten for a while if the superstar Parisians can pick up at least a point from their road trip to 15th placed Strasbourg. Although the club from Alsace aren’t mathematically safe from relegation, a defeat here would be a massive shock. And one that would keep RC Lens dreaming of a late steal in the title race.

Lens currently sit six points down on PSG but with wins in all but one of their last ten games (the outlier being a trip to Paris), they are the form side in the division. And they perhaps face the easier run-in, with Saturday’s clash against the already relegated AC Ajaccio, followed by a trip to Auxerre.

🇵🇹 Benfica vs. Santa Clara

We talked up Benfica’s chance of winning the Liga Portugal at the home of their Lisbon rivals Sporting in last week’s edition of this column. But the league leaders failed to do so – only rescuing a point with a 94th minute equaliser in a 2-2 draw! And thus, we need to highlight their last remaining game, which takes place on Saturday.

Benfica have a two point advantage over FC Porto going into the final round of games but frankly, the Eagles couldn’t ask for a friendlier opposition. While Porto face Vitória, who need points to secure a place in next season’s Europa Conference League, Benfica have bottom side (and already relegated) Santa Clara.

If you’re not familiar with the name, Santa Clara are based in the Azores, an archipelago out in the mid-Atlantic. In fact, they were at one time officially affiliated with Benfica and take a lot of their inspiration from the mainland club – just look at the similarities between their crests!

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Everton vs. AFC Bournemouth

After last weekend, when the Premier League title was won by Manchester City, and mid-week games where Manchester United secured the last Champions League spot, we’re left with a final weekend of fixtures where all the drama will take place at the bottom of the table.

The equation is fairly simple: Two from three sides will join Southampton in dropping to the Championship. And the fate of both Leicester City and Leeds United, the two sides currently occupying 18th and 19th, rests mainly on the outcome of Sunday’s game between Everton and AFC Bournemouth. Hence our selection here.

The Toffees currently have a two point advantage on the two sides below them and they know a win would keep their proud top flight record alive. Only Arsenal have been in the division for a longer period of time without relegation.

Bournemouth have lost their last three games and with their survival already assured that recent form might just continue. But even if they do them a favour, both Leicester and Leeds face a final day where they could win and still go down (all games take place on Sunday). In a scenario where Everton lose, Leicester beat West Ham and Leeds triumph at Tottenham, it’s Leicester who are best placed to survive, in terms of goal difference. Leeds need both Everton to lose and Leicester to drop points in order to leapfrog them both.

Whatever the outcome, expect tears before bedtime.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Coventry City vs. Luton Town

Waiting in the wings to replace one of those sides in the promised land of the Premier League will be the winners of Saturday’s Championship Play-Off Final at Wembley. This match-up, oft-described as the richest game in football, features two of English football’s less fashionable clubs but teams with storied histories and recent hardships.

Both have suffered financially in recent decades, something that has resulted in points deductions, relegations, and even homelessness in the case of Coventry City. For their part, Luton were playing in the fifth tier of English football as recently as 2014 and they’ve not graced the top flight since 1996. The Sky Blues fell as far as the fourth tier in 2017 having been a Premier League mainstay throughout the 1990s and up to 2001.

But now, in spite of everything both sets of supporters have faced, one of them are just 90 minutes from a glorious return. To get even this far tells you all you need to know about these sides – Coventry beat Michael Carrick’s Middlesbrough side by a single second leg goal having trailed them by five points in the regular season. And Luton turned around a first leg deficit to beat Sunderland 3-2 on aggregate.

Plus two hidden gems from a little deeper in your match feed…

This week is a little different as there are two more potential title stories that need telling.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 WSL title decider: Reading vs. Chelsea

The top flight of women’s football in England, the Women’s Super League, also comes to a close this weekend. And similarly to other matches we’ve highlighted above the line: The trophy is still up for grabs.

Going in to Saturday’s final games; two-time defending Champions Chelsea currently have the upper hand while relative upstarts, Manchester United, will be waiting in the wings for any potential slip-ups.

It’s been United who’ve lead the way for a large proportion of the season but with Chelsea racking up the games in hand due to long campaigns in other domestic competitions and the Champions League, the Blues have always known they could come back in to it. They now have a two-point cushion on United and the benefit of experience going into their game against bottom side Reading. A win would seal the deal. And a draw will likely be enough due to their superior goal difference.

For United though, there’s still a chance that a first ever major trophy will be theirs. Reading are fighting against relegation and need to win to stand any chance of staying up. But first and foremost, the Reds also require three points from their trip to North West rivals Liverpool.

🇧🇪 Top two clash: Royal Antwerp vs. Union St. Gilloise

Lastly for this week, we think you should keep an eye on Sunday’s big game in Belgium. Here, we’re in to the penultimate round of the Championship play-off group and we’ve still got three potential title winners.

Two of them; Royal Antwerp and Union St. Gilloise, are level on points, meaning Sunday’s game between them will be pivotal. And for both, there’s so much riding on this.

Antwerp might have won the country’s main Cup competition as recently as last month but they’ve not lifted a national league championship since way back in the 1956/57 season. And they’ve not even finished as runners-up since the 1970s.

For Union, the wait has been even longer! Historically one of Belgium’s most successful clubs, they only made it back to the top flight in 2021 after spending 48 years in the doldrums, and following major investment from new owners. Now the club is back on its feet and looking to win the league for the first time since 1935!

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Cover Image from IMAGO

May

2023

Bundesliga Preview: The stage is set for final day drama

It’s all you ever want on the final day – who will win the league and which two from four will be automatically relegated? Thankfully the Bundesliga has them both to play for, Matchday 34 is primed to give us winners and losers of epic proportions.

By Chris Williams, our Bundesliga expert

And then there were two

Union Berlin and Freiburg’s exceptional seasons eventually suffered a small drop off; however, one of them will feature in next season’s UEFA Champions League for the first time. RB Leipzig’s fifth straight victory was enough to secure third place on Matchday 33, but as the final 90 minutes approach it’s all about two clubs, Borussia Dortmund and Bayern München.

Thomas Tuchel is safe in the dugout if you listen to the numerous reports coming out of Bavaria, but there must be some part of him that feels like he’s living a nightmare. When appointed just nine weeks ago Bayern were being touted as potential treble winners, now they must hope Dortmund slip up against Mainz for a shot at winning ‘just’ the league title.

To end the season trophyless would break an 11-year run of winning either the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal or Champions League. For a club that has routinely won two out of the three pots on offer taking home nothing would come as a massive shock.

Since beating Dortmund on 1 April (a result that many saw as Bayern flexing their title credentials) the Rekordmeister have picked up 13 points from the 21 on offer, a return that has seen them drop from one point in front to two behind Dortmund.

Their season can almost be encapsulated by three statistics; shots on target per match 7.7 – a league high, but two other league highs give insight into their inability to convert – big chances created 100, big chances missed 82. Carpe diem has not been Bayern’s phrase of late.

90 minutes from glory

Meanwhile, 600km northwest of Munich life couldn’t be more different. The mood around the city of Dortmund is pure excitement. The local council are planning for the ‘party to end all parties’ should the fixture against Mainz go as planned – for the first time in over a decade the Bundesliga title is in Borussia Dortmund’s own hands.

Having known the fate of Bayern before they kicked off against Augsburg last weekend it may have been enough to unsettle a team that has come close before but ultimately ended with nothing.

This season however, it’s been a little different. Sweeping aside Augsburg 3-0 was just a continuation of their recent form.

Edin Terzić’s side have hit the net 14 times in their last three matches. Draws against Stuttgart and Bochum during the run-in should have been enough to count them out of the title race, but they have shown vast mental toughness to bounce back and reclaim the position of power at the top of the table.

Perhaps the biggest compliment to the way in which Dortmund’s 40-year-old boss likes to play football can be seen by the way in which goals are spread out across the entire team.

In the past Dortmund have had one main goal getter. Prior to this season it was of course Erling Haaland, before that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and before him Robert Lewandowski.

But goals this season have been easy to come by, and from all areas. Donyell Malen, Julian Brandt and -spectacularly – Sébastien Haller sit on nine goals apiece with Jude Bellingham just behind on eight.

In total the Schwarzgelben have eight different players contributing a total of 61 goals, their football has been tremendous to watch. Now 90 minutes stands between Terzić and the exorcism of Jürgen Klopp’s ghost which has haunted the Westfalenstadion since his departure almost eight years ago.

Time to say goodbye

Hertha Berlin’s relegation to 2.Bundesliga was made official after their draw at home to VfL Bochum on Matchday 33, but the final automatic drop spot and the relegation playoff place for the 16th ranked team in the league remains wide open.

Schalke 04 occupy 17th as the final day approaches, it probably doesn’t need that much of an explanation how a situation whereby Dortmund win the league and Schalke get relegated would go down in both cities, Gelsenkirchen obviously for Schalke!

VfB Stuttgart and Bochum are the other clubs for whom the axe weighs heavily. Augsburg are all but safe from immediate relegation, unless they leak 16 goals to Borussia Mönchengladbach, but all three sides can still finish the season with 180 minutes of hell via the playoff.

For those unaware, 16th place in the Bundesliga plays third in the 2.Bundesliga over two legs, the winner either gains or retains top-flight status.

Honourable mention…

An honourable mention must go to Bayer Leverkusen. Xabi Alonso’s side just missed out on a Europa League Final appearance by virtue of some world class Mourinhoball. The Portuguese coach parked the bus in the BayArena and his AS Roma side face Sevilla in the final to see who the Spaniards will beat en-route to their seventh title.

Leverkusen must better Wolfsburg’s result at home to Hertha to be sure of a place in the Europa Conference League next season, win away to Bochum and it’s guaranteed.

And that is it, after 33 matches, 2970 minutes of football and nine months it all comes down to the final fixture for the 11 clubs with something to play for. One will be crowned title winners and one will face automatic relegation. The roller coaster is on its final loop – enjoy.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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