Page 52 – The Pulse of Football

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)

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

Serie A Review: Inter win the Coppa Italia and Juventus’ rollercoaster season continues

It’s been another typically busy week in Italian football so, as always, we turned to our friend Matteo Bonetti for his insights on the big talking points.

By Matteo Bonetti

Inter win second trophy of the season thanks to world class Lautaro Martínez

Inter beat Fiorentina 2-1 on Wednesday in the final of the Coppa Italia mere months after demolishing rivals Milan to lift the Supercoppa. This run of form in cup competitions only further cements manager Simone Inzaghi’s reputation as an expert in these knockout situations. With his club only weeks away from facing Manchester City in the Champions League final (could this be an alternative treble?), Inzaghi tried out his full strength squad (at least out on pitch) against an offensively minded Fiorentina that has the second best possession stats in Serie A.

The Viola started the match in scintillating fashion with a beautiful low cross in the third minute by Jonathan Ikoné that picked out Nicolás González at the far post for the early goal. After that moment, Inter started weathering the storm put on by Fiore and absorbing their high press. World-class players make the difference in finals and it was Lautaro Martínez who had himself a half for the ages. The two goals he scored were a perfect example of what the Argentine does best. The first came from a surgically precise through-ball by Marcelo Brozović, which found Lautaro making his usual instinctive run in behind the defence. Viola centre-back Nikola Milenković wasn’t in line with the rest of his backline and was at fault for keeping Lautaro onside. From an acute angle, Martínez blasted the ball to the bottom corner at the far post. It was the finish of a striker who has bags of confidence. After all, he has scored 10 goals in his last 11 matches. Not even ten minutes later, Nicolo Barella looped a ball over the Fiorentina defence which Inter’s no.10 struck first time on the volley, right past the flailing arms of keeper Pietro Terracciano. It wasn’t just the goals though, Lautaro’s passing was as incisive as his finishing and movement. All of these traits, as well as his ability to dribble past his man, have shown just how great a striker Lautaro Martinez is when he’s brimming with confidence.

Inter will need a similar performance from Lautaro if they are to have any chance in the Champions League final. The good news is that all of the Nerazzurri skill players are hitting their best form together at the ideal time of the season. The Inter strikers figure they won’t have nearly as many clearcut chances against arguably the best team in Europe, so making the most of the few chances they have and showing off their clinical side will be key. At the moment, it seems like Edin Džeko is still favoured over Romelu Lukaku to start against City. Inzaghi has seemingly settled on this formula of bringing on Lukaku around the 60th minute of games and having him run at tired legs. Even though Lukaku should work better in a game where Inter will hit out on the counter and play mostly in a low block, Džeko’s ability to hold up play and come back to the midfield to help out in possession could be vital. He’s also one of the best headers of a ball in Europe, so Inter might try to make the most of their set piece chances rather than believing they will have a ton of success in possession.

Juve’s rollercoaster season

Juventus received their second point deduction of the season, after their first -15 point penalisation was overturned. They’ve now been given a -10 point penalisation, with only two rounds to go in Serie A.

The deduction once again sees Juventus drop out of the top four, meaning that a Champions League spot is currently out of their reach. The whole situation has been an accurate reflection for the way Juve’s season has gone – disjointed, inconsistent and ultimately disappointing. The whole situation has also annoyed fellow Serie A coaches like José Mourinho, who have admittedly changed their side’s approach to recent games owing to the fact that they thought a top four finish was no longer in their reach.

The Roma coach said: “It’s a joke to know this with two games remaining.

“For us and everyone, even for Juventus. Our approach would have been different if we had known before the games with Monza and Bologna. I am sorry for Allegri and his players, but at the league level, I have to say that it changes things a little.”

Juventus came into the 2022/23 Serie A campaign as one of two favourites to win the Scudetto, alongside Inter. The team started off woefully under Max Allegri given that expectation. They were knocked out of the Champions League group stage and consistently dropped points against relegation threatened teams. To make matters worse, the entire board unexpectedly resigned right in the middle of the World Cup which signalled ominous news on the horizon.

Shortly after, the “plusvalenze” scandal took centrestage and the punishments were handed out. With the ten point deduction now looking set in stone, Juve will have to have a long think about whether or not a rebuild is on the cards. Max Allegri’s style has not brought out the best in star players like striker Dušan Vlahović, who has struggled to find consistency. Not only that, but bowing out of European competitions means that Juventus could lose upwards of €90m not received from being in the most elite tournament in football. This means players on astronomically high wages could be cut. Players like Ángel Di María, Adrien Rabiot, Leandro Paredes and potentially even Vlahović could be sacrificed to try to balance the books.

A complete rebuild could be on the cards, with ageing players sent away in an effort to focus on the talented youth that Juventus already have on the books. What they do with the manager is the most interesting aspect of the off-season. Max Allegri is the highest earning “mister” in Serie A alongside Mourinho, but Juventus have had an involution given what the preseason expectations were. A change to a younger manager with more modern offensive ideas could be interesting. Names that pop up straight away are Roberto De Zerbi, who miraculously brought Brighton to a Europa League spot in the competitive Premier League, and Fiorentina’s Vincenzo Italiano. Both managers have done wonders in transforming their squads into some of the most aesthetically pleasing footballing teams.

(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

LaLiga Review: Important results marred by racism

It was quite a decisive weekend in LaLiga but one where behaviour in the stands proved to be the main talking point and all for the wrong reasons.

By Ben Hayward, LaLiga expert

Valencia’s vital win over Real Madrid marred by racist abuse aimed at Vinícius Júnior

Valencia marked 100 years at Mestalla with a vital victory over Real Madrid on Sunday which all but seals survival for Rubén Baraja’s side with three rounds of LaLiga left to play, but the match was marred by ugly scenes as Vinícius Júnior was subjected to racial abuse outside the stadium before kick-off and again late in the game.

With just over 15 minutes remaining, Vinícius heard a racial slur from behind the goal and pointed at the fan in question. There was a long delay as tensions flared and the Brazilian was later sent off deep in added time for raising his arms at Hugo Duro, despite the fact that he had been grabbed by the neck in a choke hold by another Valencia player for several seconds prior to that. VAR only saw the latter and the Brazilian saw red.

After the match, he was understandably furious. “The prize for the racists is my sending off,” he wrote on Instagram. “This is not football, it’s LaLiga.” And on Twitter, he wrote: “It wasn’t the first time, nor the second or the third. Racism is normal in LaLiga.”

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti refused to talk about the football after the game and defended his player. “We have a problem,” he said. “La Liga has a problem. We need to stop this game. Any game. I would say the same thing if we were winning 3-0. I have never seen a whole stadium being racist and shouting ‘monkey, monkey, monkey.’”

One Valencia-based journalist was angered by Ancelotti’s claim that the whole stadium was making racist slurs, arguing that some were chanting ‘tonto’ (stupid) to Vinícius. But the Italian was not impressed. “Whether it was ‘mono’ or ‘tonto’, the referee stopped the game to open the racism protocol,” he said. “He wouldn’t do that if they just chanted ‘tonto’. Speak to the referee.”

Meanwhile, LaLiga president Javier Tebas has attacked Vinícius on Twitter, saying the Real Madrid forward failed to turn up at meetings he himself had requested to discuss racism, while claiming that neither Spain nor LaLiga is racist. Those tweets resulted in huge criticism for Tebas and Vinícius was also quick to respond. “He’s not my friend to talk to me about racism,” the Brazilian tweeted. “I want action and punishment.”

Valencia have taken action, announcing that the fan who targeted Vinícius has been identified and banned from Mestalla for life.

In the game itself, Valencia won all three points thanks to a first-half goal from youngster Diego López, but the home side had goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili to thank for a number of big saves in the closing stages to deny Fede Valverde, Toni Kroos and Karim Benzema.

Valencia’s win sees them climb to 13th place and they now have 40 points, five more than Real Valladolid in 18th. They are not quite safe yet, but are very close. “These are three valuable points,” Baraja said. “But we have work still to do and effort still required.”

Next up for Valencia is a trip to Mallorca on Thursday, while Real Madrid are away to Rayo Vallecano on Wednesday.

Atlético move above Real Madrid into second place

Atlético Madrid bounced back from the previous weekend’s disappointing defeat away to bottom club Elche by beating Osasuna 3-0 in a one-sided contest at the Metropolitano on Sunday.

After two early efforts were ruled out for offside, Yannick Carrasco fired the Rojiblancos into the lead late in the first half, with Saúl and Ángel Correa on target in the second period to send Diego Simeone’s side into second place above Real Madrid with three matches left to play.

Atlético also confirmed their place in next season’s Champions League, which had looked in doubt earlier in the season, The Rojiblancos now travel to relegation-threatened Espanyol on Wednesday.

Champions beaten at homecoming

On Saturday, Barcelona celebrated their LaLiga title in front of their own fans in a party atmosphere at Camp Nou, but the champions were beaten 2-1 by Real Sociedad in what was the Basques’ first win at the ground in 32 years.

Mikel Merino gave Real Sociedad the lead inside five minutes following a mistake from Jules Koundé and Alexander Sørloth made it 2-0 after a breakaway attack in the second half. Robert Lewandowski pulled one back with a header to grab what was merely a late consolation but also saw the Pole move five clear of Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema in the hunt for the Pichichi prize (top goalscorer).

Sergio Busquets lifted the league trophy in his penultimate appearance at Camp Nou and will say goodbye to the Barcelona fans in next weekend’s game against Mallorca. Before that, Barça travel to 18th-placed Real Valladolid tonight (Tuesday).

Despite the defeat, Xavi was happy as Barça celebrated their title. “A night of celebration and joy,” he said. “I’m grateful to the president, the staff, the players and the fans.”

Meanwhile, Real Sociedad took a big step towards Champions League qualification as they moved five points clear of fifth-placed Villarreal with three games left to play. “This win moves us closer to the Champions League,” coach Imanol Alguacil said. “These players want to make history.” A win over Almería at home on Tuesday would leave them on the brink of a place at Europe’s top table for the first time since 2013-14.

(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: Virtually done and dusted

It turned out to be a fairly decisive weekend in the Premier League. Manchester City were crowned champions without even kicking a ball following a shock defeat for Arsenal while Newcastle United booked their place in the Champions League. Relegation is still yet to be decided though. Here’s a look at how it all went down.

By Sam McGuire, Premier League expert

Champions League football returns to St. James’ Park

Following Liverpool’s 1-1 draw with Aston Villa on Saturday, Newcastle knew a point at home against relegation-threatened Leicester City would be enough to guarantee them a top-four finish.

The Foxes needed at least a point to aid them in their bid to beat the drop but manager Dean Smith made a few questionable decisions ahead of kick-off, dropping James Maddison and Harvey Barnes while deploying a 5-3-2 shape.

Did it pay off? They got their point but they had zero control on the outcome of the game. Newcastle peppered the Leicester goal, racking up an xG of 2.19 and having 23 shots. By comparison, the Foxes had their first and only shot of the game in the 92nd minute.

The 2015/16 Premier League champions now need to beat West Ham on the final day of the season and hope Bournemouth pick up at least a point against Everton in order to survive.

The Toffees get out of a sticky situation

Everton left it late, really late in fact, to claim a point against Wolves.

Yerry Mina put all of his 6ft5 frame to good use to poke home an all-important equaliser in the 99th minute to give the Blues a deserved point. Sean Dyche’s men had created more big chances on the day than their opponents and had a higher xG.

The point at Molineux now means a point at home to Bournemouth next weekend could well be enough to keep them up.

Mina was comfortably the Player-of-the-Match for the Toffees after he dominated the opposition in duels, winning 86% of his ground duels and 75% of his aerial duels. His equaliser was just the cherry on top.

Forest remain planted in the Premier League

It was a game of few opportunities. Arsenal dominated the ball against Nottingham Forest with 82% possession but the hosts found a winner and in the process secured their place in the English top-flight.

Taiwo Awoniyi scored his fifth goal in his last three appearances for Steve Cooper’s side. During this run, Forest have taken seven points from a possible nine as they have moved away from the relegation fight.

The defeat at the City Ground also ended Arsenal’s slim hopes of the title. It has been a disappointing end to the season for the Gunners. Mikel Arteta’s side have won just four of their last 10, taking 15 points from a possible 30 as their title bid came to a premature end.

Brighton’s European adventure

Roberto De Zerbi’s men have been a real Jekyll and Hyde team as of late.

They lost 5-1 to Everton before putting on a show in the 3-0 win against Arsenal at the Emirates. They then lost 4-1 to Newcastle having made a host of surprising changes to their starting XI.

Brighton got back to winning ways again against Southampton though, running out 3-1 winners in what was a fairly one-sided game. The Seagulls racked up an xG of 2.53 to book their place in Europe next season.

Alexis Mac Allister was the star of the show for De Zerbi’s side, creating seven chances, completing 80% of his dribbles and winning 88% of his ground duels.

No new manager bounce for Leeds United

Leeds surrendered a lead for a second successive week under Sam Allardyce.

They find themselves 19th in the Premier League table and need a big win on the final day against Spurs to have any hope of leapfrogging Everton and retaining their place in the league for another season.

Allardyce will no doubt be disappointed with his team. West Ham created more chances and went looking for the win in the second half, with an xG of 1.44 after the break. Jarrod Bowen got a goal and an assist, while also creating four chances on the day as he claimed the highest FotMob rating (8.7).

(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

Last Weekend: Titles galore, RB Leipzig beat Bayern and more

League honours are being handed out all over the place as we approach the end of May, so between repeat champions, streaks ending and first-time winners, we have got a nice mix of stories in this Monday’s column.

By Neel Shelat

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England: Nottingham Forest 1-0 Arsenal

The Premier League title race has been enthralling throughout the season, but it came to a rather anticlimactic end this weekend.

In fairness, we might have started to see this coming at the start of April, when Arsenal dropped points in three consecutive fixtures leading up to their showdown against Manchester City. Only one outcome seemed inevitable after they lost that game, but even thereafter, Arsenal’s title charge seems to have gone out with a whimper.

In the post-match celebrations after Manchester City’s win over Everton, Pep Guardiola was seen indicating “two more” to the fans, referencing the number of wins needed for his side to mathematically seal the title without any external help. Ultimately, though, they ended up needing nothing more. Arsenal lost to Brighton later that day, and were playing first at the home of relegation-battlers Nottingham Forest this weekend.

The hosts’ season thus far had been rather topsy-turvy. After closing out the table for a good chunk of the first half of the season, Forest underwent a post-World Cup resurgence and climbed as high as 13th. But then, a run of 11 matches without a win saw them sink back into the relegation zone heading into the home stretch of the season. Then, a couple of massive wins against Brighton and Southampton and a draw with Chelsea pulled them back out of the danger zone and even gave them the chance to seal their safety here.

Beating the second-best side in the country was never going to be easy, so Forest had to dig deep to get the job done. Their top scorer Taiwo Awoniyi gave them the lead 18 minutes in, and they would go on to keep just 18% of possession overall! Steve Cooper’s side did a great job defensively against a rejigged Arsenal side, restricting them to just seven shots from inside the box.

And so, after a very long 90 minutes plus stoppage time, there was a big release of tension and eruption of celebrations at the City Ground, which will remain a Premier League stadium.

🇩🇪 Germany: Bayern Munich 1-3 RB Leipzig

If you do not believe that we live in the most unique timeline, then this weekend’s Bundesliga action should have changed your mind. Almost everyone following the league was supporting RB Leipzig, who are generally the most-despised club in the country. The reason behind this sudden change of heart was that they were playing league leaders Bayern Munich, who risked ceding the top spot on the penultimate matchday if they failed to win.

After watching them dominate for a decade, though, any sensible Bundesliga fan knows not to harbour high hopes of Bayern Munich faltering. So, when Serge Gnabry opened the scoring in the 25th minute, many would have started resigning to what they saw was the inevitable.

But Leipzig kept themselves in the game, and, after a counterattack in the 65th minute, equalised through Konrad Laimer. That was enough to potentially dethrone Bayern, but the visitors’ primary objective for this match was to seal a Champions League spot with a win, so they scored twice more from the penalty spot.

Bayern therefore suffered their ninth loss of the season in all competitions and fourth since the sacking of Julian Nagelsmann, which is looking an increasingly worse decision as time goes on. The following afternoon, Dortmund went to Augsburg and got the job done with a three-goal win, leaving themselves one step away from the Meisterschale.

Just behind them, the other major consequence of this result is that it only leaves one more Champions League spot open, which means that either Union Berlin or Freiburg will end their season with a tinge of disappointment. Not all dreams can be realised, but let us hope that at least a couple are.

🇷🇴 Romania: Farul Constanța 3-2 FCSB

Speaking of dreams being realised, we certainly had some in Romania this weekend as Farul Constanța were crowned champions for the first time ever.

Their story is truly incredible. Founded in 1920, they have quite a storied history which includes all sorts of stuff except a major title. Therefore, their biggest claim to fame likely was the fact that they forged Gheorghe Hagi, Romania’s greatest footballer. There was a time when it appeared that he would outlive them, as the club went bankrupt in 2016 after a period of gross mismanagement.

The Farul name was only kept alive thanks to a proxy club created by a group of fans, which was eventually bought by big-name owners. Hagi, meanwhile, was doing his own thing in Constanța as he set up a youth academy and eventually a senior club named Viitorul Constanța. The word ‘Viitorul’ translates to ‘future’, so you can imagine what they were all about. Eventually, in 2017, a youthful Viitorul side won the Liga 1 title with Hagi as their owner and manager.

Hagi’s biggest dream, however, was to take over Farul and guide them to glory. He could not work towards it initially due to their management issues, but the bankruptcy and rebirth provided him with a golden opportunity. Eventually, he struck a deal to merge the two clubs under the Farul name in 2021.

Now, in just their second season after the merger, Farul have lifted their first-ever major trophy with Hagi at the helm. They fended off back-to-back champions CFR Cluj for most of the season and survived a late charge from FCSB, who even took a two-goal lead in this weekend’s decisive match that saw them go to the top of the table as things stood. But, a second half turnaround saw Farul find a fairytale ending to their fantastic story.

🇨🇾 Cyprus: Apollon Limassol 3-2 APOEL Nicosia

Sticking to the theme of first-time title winners, we had another such story in Cyprus this weekend. After their local rivals defeated second-placed record champions APOEL, Aris Limassol were crowned champions of Cyprus for the first time in their 93-year existence.

Obviously, this is the highest of highs for a team that has spent most of its years as a bit of yo-yo club between the country’s top two divisions. Indeed, Aris are regarded as the third club of Limassol, where the Apollon-AEL rivalry certainly is the biggest and most intense.

The turning point for Aris came in 2021, when they not only won the second division to return to the top flight but also were taken over by Russian investor Vladimir Fedorov. Under him, the club adopted a modern and data-driven management approach that seems to have been a key factor in their rapid rise to success.

They finished fourth last season to play continental football for the first time ever in the UEFA Europa Conference League qualifiers, where they were eliminated in the first round. They will have a chance to do much better now as they enter the UEFA Champions League qualifiers by virtue of being champions.

The key behind their success has been finding the right form at the right time. After exchanging top spot with a couple of other contenders in the early weeks of the season, Aris never topped the table until after the split. They now have a 16-match unbeaten streak under their belt which has taken them to this title, as they took advantage of the likes of APOEL and AEK Larnaca slipping up.

Given how they are operating behind the scenes, this could well just be the start of a golden era for Aris.

🏆 CAF Champions League: Mamelodi Sundowns 2-2 Wydad Casablanca (2-2 agg)

Fans of the away goals rule will love the result of the CAF Champions League semi-final between the South African champions and Wydad Casablanca, whose title defence continued as a result of it.

After a goalless draw in the first leg when Sundowns ended the match with just nine players on the pitch, they would have backed themselves to get the job done at home. Indeed, they were the favourites going into this tie and are unanimously regarded as the best side on the continent at the moment. Wydad, meanwhile, changed managers and appointed Sven Vandenbroeck just a few days prior to the first leg, so they were not having the best of times.

The Belgian coach did very well to prepare his side to dig deep and defend in South Africa, where the hosts largely dominated the match. They took a deserved lead just after half-time, but then suddenly seemed to lose control of the match and allowed Wydad to start creating chances. The visitors knew they would have to make the most of what they got, and they equalised in the 72nd minute.

The pressure was back on Sundowns due to the away goals rule, and they responded quickly by retaking the lead before the 80th minute. Soon thereafter, though, they conceded an own goal after a free-kick to put themselves at risk again and were ultimately eliminated on away goals.

As a result, Sundowns went out of the CAF Champions League despite being unbeaten in their 10 games in the tournament. On the other hand, Wydad have set up a date against record-finalists Al Ahly (a repeat of last year’s final) by beating the South African champions despite never having won a game in that country.

🇳🇴 Norway: Brann 2-0 Lillestrøm

Our final match features FotMob’s hometown club SK Brann, who are enjoying some great times at the moment. After bouncing right back up to Eliteserien by accumulating over 80 points in the second tier last season, they have enjoyed a great start to the league and put together a memorable cup run.

As the Norwegian football calendar still recovers from the pandemic, the recently-concluded cup was played on a cross-year schedule as opposed to the usual year-round schedule. So, Brann started their run in the second division and ended it as a top-flight club.

Brann’s first cup match of 2023 was the Round of 16 tie against Haugesund, whom they beat 3-1. After putting three past quarter-finalists Sandefjord, Brann set up a semi-final date with fellow Eliteserien newcomers Stabæk. A 2-0 win in that game saw the boys from Brann head to the Ullevaal Stadion for their first cup final in over a decade.

Their opponents this weekend were Lillestrøm, who were looking to win their first major trophy in six years. That was not to be for Geir Bakke’s side, as goals from Ole Blomberg and the prolific Bård Finne meant that Brann won their first cup title since 2004.

They have absolutely no time to rest on their laurels, though, as the change back to a year-round format for the cup sees the first round of the 2023 competition start today. Here we go again!

Cover Image from IMAGO

May

2023

FIVE games to follow this weekend: Potential title deciders and Derbies in Lisbon and Seville

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

🇩🇪 Bayern München vs. RB Leipzig

We’ve reached the penultimate round in the Bundesliga season with the title yet to be decided and Bayern sitting just one point above Borussia Dortmund. But things could all be confirmed over the course of the weekend. Or, failing that, everything will go down to an exciting final round!

Of the four remaining games faced by the two title challengers, Bayern’s clash with third placed RB Leipzig – on Saturday – looks by far the most complicated. Leipzig are eight points down on the leaders but still need a win of their own to confirm their place in next season’s Champions League.

A Bayern victory, combined with any slip-ups for Dortmund in their game at Bayern’s Bavarian neighbours Augsburg – on Sunday – would guarantee that the 10-time title holders would extend their current run of dominance.

A defeat, combined with a Dortmund win, could be catastrophic after a season of complications off the field (Julian Nagelsmann’s sacking) and relative failures on it (the Champions League run). At least in the eyes of the Bayern board, and fanbase. Everybody else concerned with German football might fancy a final weekend where somebody else still has a chance of lifting the Meisterschale.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Manchester City vs. Chelsea

Most of the talk in English football this week has been around Manchester City overwhelming Real Madrid in the Champions League to reach this year’s final. And just the second final in the club’s history. But while Pep Guardiola’s squad bask in that glory, there’s the small matter of the Premier League to be won.

The equation is fairly simple: City have three games left to play in what is a particularly busy final week of the season. The first of which comes at home to Chelsea on Sunday. They currently have a four point advantage over Arsenal, who only play twice, meaning that one victory for City secures what will be their fifth title in the last six seasons.

They may not even need to do that should Nottingham Forest follow what Brighton did to Arsenal last weekend and beat them when the two clash at the City Ground on Saturday.

Chelsea have nothing to play for but pride and the knowledge that last time Manchester City reached the Champions League Final, in 2021, it was them who stopped them winning it. Chelsea fans may want to forget about the five meetings between the sides that have taken place since then – a run that includes defeats in the league, Carabao Cup, and FA Cup this season alone.

🇵🇹 Sporting vs. Benfica

The destination of the Liga Portugal can also be decided on Sunday. And much like Barcelona did at city rivals Espanyol in Spain last weekend, current leaders Benfica can claim the league at their Lisbon neighbours, Sporting.

With two rounds to play, Benfica have a four point cushion on Porto, their other arch-rivals, who play on Saturday night. Presuming the defending champions win that, at mid-table Famalicão, Benfica will then know what they need to do. A win would be definitive. To put themselves back on top after three seasons without league honours at the home of their rivals has got to be the ultimate carrot for Roger Schmidt’s side. And it will cap a fine season after the Eagles also impressed in the Champions League before bowing out to eventual finalists Inter at the quarter-final stage.

🇪🇸 Sevilla vs. Real Betis

LaLiga is, of course, already decided but that’s not to say there isn’t plenty of intrigue in the league over the next few days. And on Sunday, El Gran Derbi takes centre-stage as Sevilla and Real Betis meet in one of Spain’s fiercest derbies.

Since FotMob records began with the start of the app (around 2010), it’s Sevilla who have had the upper hand, winning 58% of the games played in that time. But this season, at least domestically speaking, it’s Betis who’ve fared better. They currently lie sixth in the table and although they haven’t won at the home of their rivals since 2018 doing so now will keep hopes alive that they can still finish in the Champions League places.

For Sevilla, this game comes at the end of a week in which they beat Juventus, after extra-time, in order to take their almost obligatory place in the final of the Europa League. That was a massive effort, particularly from experienced campaigners such as Ivan Rakitic (our MOTM on the night). And one that may take its toll on their remaining league games.

Under the stewardship of José Luis Mendilibar, who joined the club in March, they have at least righted themselves when previously, their LaLiga status appeared under threat. It’s almost ridiculous looking back, especially when the club now has a seventh Europa League final to look forward to.

🇪🇸 Valencia vs. Real Madrid

Earlier on Sunday, we’ll be following another LaLiga fixture very closely. Firstly because well, it pits two Spanish greats against each other. But secondly, it’s also important for both clubs. A presumably crestfallen Real Madrid travel to relegation threatened Valencia looking for a reaction to their Champions League exit at the hands of Manchester City.

With four rounds to play Madrid are second in the table but embroiled in a battle for that spot with Diego Simeone’s Atlético who sit two points below them. Valencia, on the other hand, have a three point gap between them and the relegation zone. And that may be less come kick-off with the majority of sides around them playing before they get underway at the Mestalla.

Plus two hidden gems from deep in your match feed…

🏆 CAF Champions League Semi-Final: Mamelodi Sundowns vs. Wydad (0-0)

Looking further afield, there’s a very evenly poised Champions League semi-final to be played in South Africa on Saturday. Mamelodi Sundowns, who received their domestic league trophy during the week, take on defending African champions Wydad Casablanca looking to push on and claim a historic double.

Mamelodi Sundowns ended last week’s first game with just nine men but perhaps crucially, they held on for a credible 0-0 draw against another of the continents strongest teams. That leaves them with all to play for on their home turf.

Their Premier League title is the first won under the sole management of head coach Rhulani Mokwena. The 36-year-old is thought to be a rising start of the African game. And he can dance too.

🇳🇴 Norwegian Cup Final: Brann vs. Lillestrøm

You may find some of the FotMob staff are a little distracted on Saturday. That’s because the side local to our HQ in Bergen, SK Brann, are playing in the final of Norway’s cup competition for the first time since 2011.

Only promoted back to the top flight ahead of the current season, this cup run is one that started for both sides way back in May 2022. In fact, both will feature in the first round of the 2023 edition of the cup that starts as early as next week!

But quirks of the Norwegian football calendar aside, this is a clash between two of the country’s biggest and best supported teams, both of whom have started well in the Eliteserien with Brann currently third and LSK fifth.

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

May

2023

Serie A Review: Italian sides make the final in all three UEFA club competitions

Five Serie A sides went into the semi-finals of UEFA’s various midweek competitions and now three remain. Here’s a round-up of the action from our Italian football expert.

By Matteo Bonetti

Calcio is back!

Inter were able to dominate Milan over two legs to secure a comfortable 3-0 aggregate advantage and book a ticket to Istanbul where they’ll face Manchester City in the Champions League final.

The feat is an incredible one for manager Simone Inzaghi, who has already won the Italian Super Cup earlier in 2023, and still has the Coppa Italia Final (against Fiorentina) to come.

The Inter squad has also got its best form at the same time. Romelu Lukaku isn’t just scoring and assisting, but looking like the best version of himself. The Belgian attacker has finally reclaimed the sharpness and quickness that made him one of the most feared players in Italy under Antonio Conte in the nerazzurri’s Scudetto winning season, two years ago. What’s helped Lukaku find his best form, along with his strike partner Lautaro Martínez, is manager Simone Inzaghi reverting back to old tactics that earned Inter their success.

At the start of the season, Inzaghi tried to revolutionise the club by playing a higher intensity, more open style of football. After a few months, Inzaghi realised that the team was conceding too many goals while not getting the best out of their attacking players, so he decided to go back to Inter’s DNA with this current crop – counter attacking, direct football. This is exactly the type of style that could give Manchester City problems.

Under Pep Guardiola, City is perhaps the best possession based side in the world, playing with high pressure when they lose the ball and sending loads of bodies forward on every attacking chance. Fighting fire with fire isn’t going to work for Inter, so the only way to have a chance against the might of City is to defend in a low block and limit the space for Erling Haaland to run in behind. Getting everyone behind the ball worked wonders for Inter already this season, as they were the first team to beat Napoli in the league after employing similar tactics back in January. The defensive approach is also the best way to unlock the striking pair of Lukaku and Martínez. The duo works so well together when they have space to attack or run into. City will inevitably play with a high line, which is why I think Lukaku has to start from the first minute.

In both semi-final legs against Milan, Inzaghi opted to start Edin Džeko and bring Lukaku in off the bench. The idea makes sense against a less talented team like Milan. Džeko can hold up the ball with his back to goal and is a facilitator for the rest of the team. However, the recent form of Lukaku and added dynamism should offer the edge against City.

Inter’s midfield will also have their work cut out for them. The good news for Inzaghi is he seems to be spoiled with options now that Hakan Çalhanoğlu has proven to be vital in two different positions. The Turkish midfielder’s form has been so impressive that Marcelo Brozović hasn’t been able to find his way back into the team as a regular starter. Brozović was arguably one of Inter’s three most important players in the last two seasons, but an injury midway through the year thrust Çalhanoğlu into his deep lying playmaker role. Nicolo Barella might have the most important job of all. The Italian midfielder will likely be tasked with applying constant pressure on any one of City’s creative midfielders. Barella’s stamina and defensive aggression will mostly be utilized over his ability to get into the final third and score or assist. Out of Inter’s midfielders, he’s by far their most relentless box to box presence.

While many in the media are giving Inter little chance of being able to upset Manchester City, it’ll be a game that’ll look much closer than some anticipated. City will undoubtedly be the favorites, but Inter’s recent stellar form and ability to defend (they’ve kept clean sheets in five of their last seven games) could give Pep Guardiola’s team a hard time in actually getting decent shooting attempts on goal.

The best case scenario for Inter is that this game plays out like the Nerazzurri’s win against Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona back in 2010, when they went on to win the treble under José Mourinho. Barcelona had nearly all the possession but faced an incredibly defensive Inter team. The parallels between the two games could be eerily similar – Manchester City that are coached by the same manager, against an Inter team that will likely have no choice but to defend and employ a more conservative approach.

Roma and Fiorentina reach finals

José Mourinho’s Roma reached the Europa League final, their second consecutive European final under the Portuguese manager. Only a year after beating Feyenoord in the Conference League final, Mourinho now finds himself matched up with six time Europa League winners, Sevilla in a game that could give the Giallorossi the keys to Champions League football next season.

Roma’s pragmatic, defensive style under Mourinho made things difficult for Bayer Leverkusen in the semifinal. A staple of Roma’s game has been to take beauty from an aesthetic standpoint with their defending, as evidenced by the match statistics – 28% possession for the Italian side, as well as 1 shot to Leverkusen’s 23. It’s hard to play quick one-twos and triangles in the final third when you’re facing a team that is as aggressive and physically imposing as Mourinho’s side.

Meanwhile, Fiorentina’s dramatic late winner against Basel ensures that the Viola are back in a European final and will face Premier League side West Ham in the Conference League. The Viola play an attractive and offensive type of football under Vincenzo Italiano, which has seen them put on a few scoring masterclasses this calendar year. Fiore benefitted from a terrific performance from winger Nico González, who scored a brace in Switzerland to send the tie into extra-time. Basel thought they’d done enough to hold on for penalties but Antonín Barák knew otherwise, scoring the winner in the 129th minute.

(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

LaLiga Review: Barça seal the title and Madrid reclaim second

With the dust settling on Barcelona’s open top bus parade, here’s our regular LaLiga columnist to round up a definitive round of action.

By Ben Hayward, LaLiga expert

Barcelona get it done

Barcelona are champions of Spain for the 27th time. Going into the weekend, Xavi’s side needed just two points to wrap up the title and they won it in style with an emphatic 4-2 victory away to city rivals Espanyol on Sunday.

The first half at the RCDE Stadium was like a training session at times for Barça as they stormed into a 3-0 lead before the break with two goals from Robert Lewandowski and another scored by Alejandro Balde.

Jules Koundé added a fourth early in the second half and although Espanyol pulled a couple back through Javi Puado and Joselu late on, Barça had let their foot off the pedal by then and this was very much their night as they clinched a first LaLiga title since 2019.

Barça’s players and staff celebrated in the centre circle after the final whistle, but were forced to make a quick exit down the tunnel after a number of Espanyol ultras ran on to the pitch to cut short their party.

“We’re not at our home and I told the players to come inside, out of respect,” Xavi said afterwards.

On the title itself, he said: “It means we are doing things well, that the project is valid. It gives us stability and calm. We are competitive and we are a team.” And he added: “It’s not Xavi’s Liga, it’s Barça’s Liga, a Barça that is growing and evolving and starting a new phase.”

With four games left, Xavi’s side could yet finish the campaign with 97 points, just three fewer than the record of 100 registered by José Mourinho’s Real Madrid in 2011-12 and Tito Vilanova’s Barça the following season.

Barça have conceded just 13 goals all season and are set to break the previous best of 18, while they have kept 25 clean sheets in their 34 games, which is only one short of the record.

Players and staff celebrated with thousands of their fans on a bus tour through the city on Monday, which must have rubbed salt in the wounds of Espanyol’s support, with their team in 19th place and four ponts behind 17th-placed Real Valladolid with just four games left to beat the drop.

Understrength Madrid beat Getafe

On Saturday, Real Madrid beat Getafe 1-0 at the Santiago Bernabéu in their first league fixture since winning the Copa del Rey the previous weekend.

Marco Asensio scored the only goal of the game in the second half as a much-rotated Real side edged out José Bordalás’ side ahead of their Champions League semi-final second leg against Manchester City on Wednesday.

But there was a scare late in the game as midfielder Eduardo Camavinga went down with a knee injury, sparking concerns that he could miss the biggest game of Madrid’s season.

“He has twisted his knee a little, but he’s stable,” Carlo Ancelotti said. “It’s bothering him a bit, but the most important thing is the stability and he has that 100%. The internal part of his knee is bothering him, but it’s nothing.”

Asked if he was ‘playing with fire’ by picking the French midfielder, the Italian said: “You’re always playing with fire in this job,” he said. “What can I do? I sent out a competitive team because someone complained that we help other teams to not be relegated. I think we will arrive at the semi-final on Wednesday with a [full] squad available and that’s good.”

Madrid’s win also turned out to be quite important as it sent Los Blancos back up to second place in LaLiga, while Getafe are down in 18th, a point behind Valladolid with four games left.

Atlético’s run comes to an end

And Real Madrid stayed second because Atlético surprisingly lost 1-0 at bottom-of-the-table Elche on Sunday.

Elche are already relegated and had won just three matches in the competition all season, but secured a deserved victory over the Rojiblancos after goalkeeper Ivo Grbić – in for the injured Jan Oblak – punched the ball straight to a grateful Fidel Chaves in the area following a long throw from the left.

That was late in the first half and Diego Simeone’s side were unable to find a way back into the game in an off-colour display.

“We made mistakes,” Simeone said. “They were the better team and we lacked conviction. We’ll keep working. Next weekend we have an important step to [secure] Champions League qualification.”

With four games left, that should not be an issue. Atlético are seven points ahead of fourth-placed Real Sociedad, held 2-2 by Girona at the weekend. And Villarreal are in fifth, 12 points back after a stunning 5-1 win over Athletic Club.

Elsewhere…

Meanwhile, Valencia took a huge step towards survival by beating Celta Vigo 2-1 at Balaidos on Sunday as Alberto Mari’s late header sealed all three points for Rubén Baraja’s side. Valencia are now three points clear of the bottom three and are at home to Real Madrid next weekend in what could be a good time to face Los Blancos.

(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: Every point matters

Every single point matters right now. It is around this time of the season that unlikely cult heroes emerge and their performances are etched into club history. With this in mind, here is a look at the biggest talking points from across the weekend.

By Sam McGuire, Premier League expert

The Curtis Jones Show

Jones is having quite the end to his season. He’s been one of the most important players for Liverpool following the change in their shape and during an eight-game unbeaten run, he’d chipped in with a goal against Spurs and an assist against Leeds.

In the 3-0 win over Leicester City last night, the 22-year-old netted twice, completed 91% of his passes, created two chances, won 100% of his tackles and recovered the ball on five occasions in what was a Player-of-the-Match showing.

The Reds are just a point outside of the Champions League places now. The Foxes are 19th, two points from safety with two games to play.

Brighton bounce back

Everton humbled Roberto De Zerbi’s men ahead of Brighton’s trip to the Emirates. Sean Dyche’s side ran out 5-1 winners in one of the shock results of the season.

The Italian tactician did, however, say that the world would see the ‘real Brighton’ at the Emirates and he kept to his word as the Seagulls romped to a 3-0 win over the title challengers.

Brighton created four big chances to Arsenal’s one and dominated the second half, racking up an Expected Goals haul of 1.4 after the break. The performance forced Mikel Arteta into an apology after the final whistle.

Pressure? What pressure?

A trip to Goodison Park with Everton in a relegation battle would be a tricky fixture for a lot of teams. Not for Manchester City though. Kicking off before Arsenal’s clash with Brighton, the reigning champions knew that a win would see them move four points clear of the title pretenders with a game in hand.

Everton limited City for over half an hour before two goals in two minutes killed the game. Ilkay Gündogan nonchalantly flicked the visitors into the lead before Erling Haaland added his 36th Premier League goal of the season, with the City No.8 assisting the No.9.

Gündogan added his second after the break to make it four goals in his last two outings for the league leaders. Prior to this run, he had scored just four goals all season.

At the double

Chelsea finally picked up a win under Frank Lampard last weekend, beating Bournemouth 3-1. A home game against Nottingham Forest presented them with an opportunity to make it two wins from two and though they did at one stage have the lead, they failed to see this one out.

In fact, the away side carved out more big chances and had a higher Expected Goals haul.

Taiwo Awoniyi scored twice again for the second successive match and he kept the Chelsea defence busy throughout. He was involved in eight aerial duels and eight ground duels in the 81 minutes he was on the pitch.

Raheem Sterling netted twice for Chelsea, his first Premier League goals since he scored against Forest on New Year’s Day.

Stepping up

Manchester United were without Marcus Rashford for the visit of Wolves. They had lost their last two and Erik Ten Hag’s men were under pressure to get back to winning ways in a bid to retain their place in the top four.

Bruno Fernandes stepped up. The United No.8 ran the show, creating five chances, assisting a goal and having seven shots in the 2-0 win. It should’ve been more for the Red Devils, with the hosts creating chances with an Expected Goals value of 3.28.

(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

Last Weekend: Chelsea lift another Women’s FA Cup, Barça win LaLiga on enemy territory, and more

There were yet more titles decided and trophies handed out this weekend, with some relatively long waits for league honours coming to an end in various parts of Europe. That makes up for a significant chunk of our agenda in this edition of our Last Weekend column.

By Neel Shelat

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England: Chelsea 1-0 Manchester United

It was quite a weekend at the home of English football; Wembley Stadium, which hosted two fantastic matches. On Saturday, Notts County secured their return to the football league after a dramatic play-off final against Chesterfield that went all the way to penalties. Then, on Sunday, it was time for the Women’s FA Cup final.

A sell-out crowd of over 77,000 came together to set a world-record attendance figure for a domestic women’s club match. Playing in front of them were four-time winners Chelsea, who were seeking to defend their crown against a Manchester United side seeking to lift their first major honour.

The Red Devils thought they got off to a perfect start when Leah Galton put the ball in the back of the net less than 20 seconds after the first whistle, but it was ruled out for offside. They continued to look more threatening and dominant throughout the match, but they lacked the all-important cutting edge in front of goal.

Chelsea, on the other hand, had just that in the shape of Sam Kerr. The Australian international was on the scoresheet in each of their last two FA Cup final triumphs in the last two years, and she made it three in a row by turning in a ball across the box in the 68th minute.

Manchester United’s quest for a late equaliser was unsuccessful, so they had to resign to defeat in their first major final. They still have a chance to get one over on Chelsea in the WSL title race which is set to go right down to the wire, although they will need some help from elsewhere to do that.

🇪🇸 Spain: Espanyol 2-4 Barcelona

After Real Madrid won the Copa del Rey last weekend, Barcelona got one over on their old rivals by securing the title in LaLiga this weekend. Better yet, they did so at the home of their local rivals Espanyol with a comfortable win.

A Robert Lewandowski brace along with goals from Alejandro Balde and Jules Koundé saw the visitors go four goals to the good in under an hour, so they were in a commanding position. Espanyol’s late strikes through Javier Puado and Joselu were little more than mere consolation, with the home fans watching their side suffer their ninth defeat since the start of March having been dominated for most of the game.

Barcelona knew that a win here would mathematically seal their first La Liga title since 2018/19, so they began celebrating right after the full-time whistle. Unfortunately, their initial joy was interrupted quite rudely by a number of Espanyol fans storming the pitch and forcing the opposition players and coaching staff to escape down the tunnel.

We were fortunate that there were no seriously ugly scenes as a result of these tremendously stupid actions from the fans that stormed the pitch, but some commentators have pointed out that the fact that many first questioned Barcelona’s decision to celebrate rather than the fans’ actions might be symptomatic of a wider issue in Spanish football.

🇳🇱 Netherlands: Feyenoord 3-0 Go Ahead Eagles

We had a much more prolonged celebration in the Netherlands this weekend, where Feyenoord knew that a win over Go Ahead Eagles would hand them their first Eredivisie title since 2017.

Arne Slot’s men got to work quickly, opening the scoring just 15 minutes in and doubling their lead soon thereafter through Oussama Idrissi and Santiago Giménez, who has now scored in each of his last 10 domestic matches. A wonderful strike from Igor Paixão early on in the second half put the result well beyond doubt, so paper replicas of the silver plate began popping up all over the stands.

Indeed, Feyenoord would go on to lift the title and officially end Ajax’s streak at the end of the match. They thoroughly deserve to be the ones doing so too, having put together a run of 12 straight league victories to lift them head and shoulders above what was seemingly set to be a close title race with Ajax and PSV.

The Eindhoven-based outfit should comfortably finish second at the end of the season, but Ajax cannot afford to let up at all. AZ have overtaken them for third place at the moment after their match against already-relegated Groningen was abandoned due to fan trouble, so they still have some work to do to at least qualify for next season’s Europa League.

🇬🇷 Greece: AEK Athens 4-0 NFC Volos

The very dramatic and entertaining Greek Super League title race finally drew to a close this weekend as we watched the final matchday of the championship group, where AEK Athens comfortably secured their first league title in five years.

We knew that Olympiacos’ three-year winning streak was going to end when they were mathematically ruled out of the title race following defeat to Aris at the end of April, but for most of the season, it seemed that Panathinaikos were going to be the ones who replaced them at the top. In fact, they were eight points clear before the World Cup break, which marked the midway point of the regular season. But, it all fell apart for them right at the end.

On the fourth to last matchday, they hosted their title rivals with both sides level on points. After a goalless draw, they remained first by virtue of having a greater points tally at the end of the regular season since the two sides could not be separated based on their head-to-head record, so they were still in control of their own fate. Even a draw with PAOK was not a problem since AEK drew with Olympiacos on the same matchday, but on the penultimate weekend, there came an unpredictable twist.

Just one day before the must-win derby against Olympiacos, Panathinaikos reported a host of COVID cases in their camp including 14 among the players. The fixtures were initially suspended and set to be postponed with most expecting them to be moved to midweek, but they took place just a day later than what was initially planned.

So, last Monday night, Panathinaikos visited an empty Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium with a full-strength squad but with many of their starters reportedly infected with COVID, and they suffered a defeat after a very weak performance that effectively ended their title hopes. Having beaten Aris, AEK only needed a point against 6th-placed Volos on the final day, and they comfortably got more than that.

Matías Almeyda’s side will have the chance to do the double when they face PAOK in the cup final next week, although they will play in an empty stadium in Volos after a failed plan to host the fixture in Cyprus.

🏆 CAF Champions League: Espérance 0-3 Al Ahly

This year’s CAF Champions League final is getting ever closer as the semi-finals kicked off this weekend, fittingly, featuring four of Africa’s best teams. The two best-performing sides were pitted against each other as defending champions Wydad Casablanca took on Mamelodi Sundowns, but their first leg ended goalless despite the South African visitors ending the match with just nine players on the pitch.

They will have all to play for in the second leg, but the same probably cannot be said of Espérance and Al Ahly. The first leg of their tie was held in an empty stadium in Radès as a result of a CAF sanction for the events of the quarter-final, and the home side seemed to miss their supporters.

Ex-Brighton man Percy Tau gave Al Ahly the lead just eight minutes in, and although the home side saw more of the ball thereafter, they failed to make much of it. Meanwhile, the Egyptian champions-elect were able to pose a significant counter-attacking threat, and that is what effectively ended up sealing the tie.

Tau struck again early on in the second half, after which Mahmoud Kahraba got on the scoresheet in the 78th minute to give his side a three-goal lead. Al Ahly will surely be able to hold on to that in the second leg in Cairo, so a 13th CAF Champions League final absolutely is on the cards for them.

🇮🇹 Italy: Spezia 0-2 Milan

Napoli may have sealed the Serie A title early on, but there still is a lot to play for in the league. Right below them, there is an incredibly tight race for Europe which seems to have twists and turns on a weekly basis, and at the other end of the standings, the relegation battle is quite close too.

The Saturday evening clash between Spezia and Milan was set to have ramifications on both of those battles, as the hosts started three points from safety in 18th place while Milan had the chance to close the gap to Lazio down to a point as well as temporarily jumping over local rivals Inter to get into the top four.

Even though the second leg of their Champions League semi-final tie against their neighbours is scheduled for this Tuesday, Stefano Piolo made few changes to his line-up and fielded a very strong XI, underlining how important finishing in the top four is for Milan. The players put in a pretty disappointing performance, though, failing to really impose themselves against a Spezia side that was winless in nine games.

Having done well to keep the scores level as they entered the dying stages of the match, Spezia made the most of set-pieces to stage an upset. Przemysław Wiśniewski turned in a corner to give the hosts the lead in the 75th minute, and then Salvatore Esposito sealed the result by scoring from a direct free-kick in the 85th minute.

This result leaves Milan four points adrift of the Champions League spots, but it had a much more significant impact at the bottom. Spezia, whose only two wins in their last 18 games have come against the two big Milan clubs, jumped out of the relegation zone thanks to a superior head-to-head record against Hellas Verona, who lost to Torino. With just three matches left, Spezia’s battle against the drop is set to go right down to the wire.

Cover Image from IMAGO