"These will be my last two matches as Osasuna coach at El Sadar, and I would love to leave the club in a European competition", Vicente Moreno said. During the Osasuna vs Atlético Madrid pre-match press conference, the head coach of Osasuna announced he will step down at the end...
Michél Kniat and Arminia Bielefeld have shocked Germany, sitting top of the 3. Liga table. They are also in the DFB Pokal final, and a win in this final would send them straight into next season's UEFA Europa League league phase. Not only have they won promotion to the second...
The Swiss Super League will begin its final stretch of the season this weekend, as the league splits into two groups: the championship and relegation groups, which will start with the top and bottom six teams, respectively. With only five games to go, it's Basel who lead the pack with a...
Real Madrid faced a considerable challenge in overturning the three-goal deficit against one of Europe’s most disciplined defensive sides. To stage a remontada against Arsenal, Madrid needed creativity and courage to disrupt Arsenal’s defensive structure. Yet, this was far from reality. Arsenal, content to concede possession, managed the game with...
After a stoppage-time equaliser in last week's first leg in Banja Luka, Thursday's return fixture at the Allianz Stadion in Vienna, Austria, saw Rapid Wien stage a 2-1 comeback victory at home to advance to the last 16 of the UEFA Conference League. Sandi Ogrinec gave Mladen Žižović's FK Borac...
With so many different formations available, there will always be an argument surrounding which one is the best. The truth is, there isn’t one best football formation that will guarantee success. Many other variables come into play, such as the player's skill level, morale, and the opponents they’re facing. Having...
Despite currently enjoying an eight-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga, putting them on the path to a record-extending 34th German championship, Bayern Munich were unable to break their Bayer Leverkusen hoodoo on the domestic scene from last season in their direct battles. With both league fixtures for the...
Benfica have always been known as a selling club, producing great young talents that are then sold for hefty fees, but can this be the year they also make a significant push in the Champions League? Currently, they are second in Liga Portugal with 53 points, three points behind Sporting CP. However, they...
With football tactics constantly evolving and defensive systems becoming increasingly structured and organised, any football fan needs to understand the basics of football defending. Defending is applying pressure, both as a player and as a whole team, on the opponent to prevent him from progressing forward to your own goal. A team...
What Is A 4-4-2 Mid-Block? The 4-4-2 mid-block is an out-of-possession strategy that features a flat back four, a midfield four, and two central forwards. The set-up has three clear defensive lines occupying the middle third of the pitch. The primary aim is to condense central areas and prevent teams...
Leeds United put themselves one step closer to an illustrious Premier League return by coming out on top of Monday’s EFL Championship first versus second clash with Sheffield United away at Bramall Lane. Now, at the time of writing, Leeds sit five points clear at the top of the league...
It is safe to say that Manchester United have been a slow burner under Ruben Amorim so far. The team shows some signs of adapting to his wing-back tactics but struggles for overall form. As a result, they have picked up just four wins from their 21 Premier League matches...
Liverpool have overcome another hurdle on their way towards the 2024/25 Premier League title, defeating Manchester City away from home by two goals to nil this past weekend. Arne Slot’s Reds took an early lead through Mohamed Salah from a set-piece in the 14th minute before Dominik Szoboszlai doubled the...
The play-off round of the new Champions League format has conjured up some mouth-watering ties. None more so than Real Madrid vs Manchester City. The last two winners of the competition will have been disappointed that they did not automatically qualify for the Round of 16. This fixture was an...
When advancing possession in football, the team mustn't pass the ball without a clear purpose. The popularity of 'tiki-taka' in recent years has given many people the impression that having high possession and passing statistics automatically denotes a top team when this is often not the case. Possession is pointless...
When it comes to defending in football, much of the content that has been written about it online usually mentions the same principles or similar versions of the same principles. These principles are generally centred around the defensive shape of a team needing to be compact near the ball to...
An important page in the 2024/25 La Liga story has been written, with points shared at the end of the latest Madrid Derby in Los Blancos’ Estadio Santiago Bernabeu. This was the Spanish top-flight’s second Madrid Derby of the season and the second to end with the score tied at...
Warren Bondo recently joined AC Milan from Monza, signing a contract until June 30, 2029. The French midfielder replaces Ismaël Bennacer, who left the Rossoneri in the last hours of the winter’s transfer window, moving to Olympique Marseille. Bondo started his career in 2020 with Nancy. He then received an...
Everton’s 1-0 defeat at Bournemouth might not have been the greatest surprise, given the campaigns both teams were having at the time. However, it would surely have given many visiting fans a sinking feeling that this might finally be the season their time in the Premier League ended after a...
Ipswich Town last played in the Premier League during the 2001/2002 season, finishing 18th and being relegated to the second tier. Now, under manager Kieran McKenna, they’re back in the Premier League for the 2024/2025 season, fighting to maintain their place in England’s top flight. Similar to when Nottingham Forest...
