“The Europa League winners played host to a recently promoted side in La Liga this weekend. As expected, the clash of identities was clear. Sevilla’s swashbuckling style under Jose Luis Mendilibar has been a breath of fresh air: direct, uncomplicated and intense. But as they fell to a third-consecutive defeat to open the new campaign, flinging 50 crosses into the penalty area along the way, they were made to look like the flailing underdogs by the side that could well be coming for their top-seven spot. …”
The Athletic (Video)

“It may always look like the same sport to the naked eye, but football is constantly evolving. No, we don’t mean the shape of the ball, or the goal for that matter. Tactical trends come and go as coaches and managers seek the marginal gains that can transform a poor team into a good one, or a great team into the best. One of the most significant shifts this century has related to goalkeepers. Once, they were arguably seen as little more than the person who attempts to keep the ball out of the net and then hoofs it up the other end, as far away from danger as possible. …”
The Analyst

“Hooliganism in football is nothing new. But whilst tighter rules, regulations and banning orders are preventing it from appearing in the stadiums alongside the games, it continues away from the matchday audience. More organised, more violent and much more secretive, this is the story of how hooliganism is very much still a part of European football, and many of the best hooligans and ultras are now on the front lines defending their nations. Written by James Montague, illustrated by Alice Devine.”
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