Tag Archives: Champions League

Aston Villa 3 PSG 2 (4-5 agg) – Comeback win not quite enough for Emery’s side in Champions League classic

“Aston Villa are out of the Champions League after a 3-2 win against Paris Saint-Germain saw them lose 5-4 on aggregate to the Ligue 1 winners. The home side’s energetic start mirrored the heady atmosphere inside Villa Park, but PSG absorbed it and used Villa’s understandable need to attack against them, scoring twice from typically rapid counter-attacks. The first came from Achraf Hakimi after Emi Martinez had spilled a cutback, the second from his fellow full-back Nuno Mendes. …”
NY Times/The Athletic

Arsenal 3 Real Madrid 0 – Breaking down Declan Rice’s two incredible free kicks

“Declan Rice stunned Real Madrid with two brilliant free-kick goals to help Arsenal build a commanding 3-0 win in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie. Rice stepped up in the 58th minute to whip a fine bending strike past Thibaut Courtois. Then, 12 minutes later, he fired another into the top corner to put Mikel Arteta’s men in full control before the return game at the Bernabeu next Wednesday. …”
NY Times/The Athletic
NY Times/The Athletic: Analysing the technique behind Declan Rice’s extraordinary free-kick double against Real Madrid

Bo Henriksen on taking Mainz to the brink of the Champions League: ‘Without fear, anything is possible’

“The first time The Athletic spoke to Bo Henriksen, it was late April 2024 and the Mainz team he had taken charge of two months earlier were staring relegation from Germany’s top flight in the face. Even so, he was full of radiant positivity and the kind of energy that can transform the day of anyone who steps into its bright beam. It has certainly worked for Mainz. Eleven months on, they are within touching distance of Champions League qualification and have the second-best defensive record in the Bundesliga, behind only title-bound Bayern Munich. They are winless in three matches having lost away against Borussia Dortmund a week ago and drawn with visitors Holstein Kiel on Saturday, but with six games left they are still fourth, ahead of — among others — RB Leipzig, Dortmund, Stuttgart and Borussia Monchengladbach. …”
NY Times/The Athletic (Video)
W – Bo Henriksen
YouTube: How Mainz SURPRISED The Entire Bundesliga!! | Bo Henriksen Mainz Tactics

Champions League projections: Liverpool favourites for trophy but do Barcelona have an easier pathway?

“Fifteen of the 16 clubs left in the Champions League (not you, PSV) have something to play for as they head into the last-16 second legs this week. But how much hope should each side have, and how do form, momentum and which side of the bracket a team is in impact their chances? Using The Athletic’s projections — powered by Opta — we broke the 16 teams down into four categories: Confident, Hopeful, Precarious and Probably Doomed. Read on to see where your team lies. …”
NY Times/The Athletic

What it’s like for a goalkeeper to play behind a ‘radical’ high line

“Wojciech Szczesny returns to the Estadio da Luz on Wednesday — the place where, only five weeks ago, his short Barcelona career must have flashed before his eyes. His first Champions League start of the season, in a league phase meeting with Benfica in January, was at risk of being defined by an atrocious attempt at sweeping up a pass played in-behind Barcelona’s high defensive line. Instead of clearing the ball, he collided with team-mate Alejandro Balde, giving away an easy opportunity to Benfica’s Vangelis Pavlidis, who put the hosts 2-1 up after 22 minutes. Pavlidis would make it 3-1 with a penalty eight minutes later. …”
NY Times/The Athletic

What is a ‘smash and grab’ win in soccer – and which ones did our writers most enjoy?

“The ‘smash and grab’ win. It is one of soccer’s most exhilarating — and agonising — results, a point underlined by Liverpool’s improbable 1-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League last night. But what precisely is a ‘smash and grab’ and which ones rank as their most memorable? Here, The Athletic‘s Adam Hurrey offers his definition, and our writers choose their favourites — please add your own in the comments below. …”
NY Times/The Athletic (Video)

Champions League Briefing: A stunning goal-line clearance, and are strikerless Arsenal better suited to the UCL?

“Jurrien Timber scored Arsenal’s first goal in three games in the 18th minute of their Champions League last-16 first-leg game away to PSV. Then Arsenal scored another, and another, and another, and another, and another, and another. That’s seven if you lost count — the first time they have hit that number under Mikel Arteta. It’s a welcome break from the Premier League for the north Londoners after their recent slip-ups — and Liverpool’s incessant brilliance — have seemingly taken the league title out of their reach. Elsewhere, Tyrone Mings helped out Aston Villa with one of the most remarkable clearances ever, Rodrygo continued to prove Jude Bellingham’s ‘most gifted’ shout correct, and Kylian Mbappe’s little brother got his first full taste of Champions League football. …”
NY Times/The Athletic (Video)

Liverpool drawing PSG highlights major flaw in the revamped Champions League

“If Liverpool’s loosely-defined ‘luck’ in the Premier League is a real thing then consider the not-so-compelling narrative in the Champions League. Domestically, Arne Slot’s side have certainly benefited from Manchester City’s collapse since losing the Ballon d’Or winner, Rodri, while Arsenal have struggled amid a crippling injury crisis. The absence of key players for opposing clubs in fixtures against Liverpool — City’s Erling Haaland and Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak, for example — have also been cited as proof that this was the season the stars aligned at Anfield. …”
NY Times/The Athletic

Champions League round of 16: Eight under-the-radar players to watch

“The Champions League gets serious this week as the round of 16 begins. To get to this point, 160 games have been completed — now there are just 29 left to play. But those 29 are the most consequential matches of the competition, the moments when each team’s key players must step up and perform. But who should we be keeping an eye on? The superstars, sure, but you can’t land the European Cup with stellar names alone. Who are the key figures who have been excellent in the 2024-25 season without generating as many headlines as they should have? (And yes, let’s acknowledge that if you play in probably the most prestigious club football competition in the world, you are hardly obscure.) …”
NY Times/The Athletic

Championship top trio enjoy parachute payments but risk crash landings – Jonathan Wilson

Leeds striker Joel Piroe celebrates with a young fan after scoring against Hull. Daniel Farke’s side currently top the Championship ahead of Sheffield United.
“Tibetan Buddhist monks will spend months working in cold conditions, icing their fingers, enduring significant discomfort, to create gorgeously detailed sculptures out of yak’s butter. And then they will destroy the sculptures, leaving them out in the sun to melt. For anybody connected with a Championship club, the sentiment will be familiar. At some level, most clubs exist to feed those higher up the pyramid. So why would a fan emotionally invest in a young star, even a local one, knowing he is unlikely to hang around for more than two or three years? And if a team are promoted, at least half the side will probably have to be upgraded to offer even a chance of survival. When the gulf between divisions is so vast, everything is fleeting, team-building an act of permanent evolution. …”
Guardian – Jonathan Wilson

Champions League last-16 draw analysed: Liverpool-PSG tops bill alongside Madrid derby and Bayern-Leverkusen

“The Champions League’s new format may have given every team only two possible opponents in the round-of-16 draw but that has done little to dampen the excitement now that we know the eight ties. Liverpool’s prize for topping the league-phase table is a humdinger of a showdown with French giants Paris Saint-Germain. Other high-profile ties include a Madrid derby, with Real and Atletico meeting over two legs, and a heavyweight clash between Germany’s leading lights Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen. …”
NY Times/The Athletic

UEFA’s talks with Relevent Sports explained: Games in the U.S? What would a deal be worth? Why them?

“One of the most successful and lucrative commercial rights partnerships in football is ending. On Tuesday, it was announced that UEFA had entered into exclusive talks with Relevent Sports, the company owned by Stephen Ross, an American real-estate developer and principal owner of the NFL franchise Miami Dolphins and the Hard Rock Stadium in that Florida city. This means UEFA’s three-decades-long relationship with TEAM Marketing, the agency that played a pivotal role in the rebranding and growth of the Champions League, turning it into the global sporting behemoth it is today, is expected to end in 2027. …”
NY Times/The Athletic

How did Newcastle’s Lloyd Kelly end up in the Champions League with Juventus?

“Lloyd Kelly’s first start of 2025? Against Bromley of League Two, English football’s fourth tier, in the FA Cup’s third round on January 12 as one of nine Newcastle United changes to their previous line-up as coach Eddie Howe fielded a largely second-string side. Kelly’s second start of 2025? Against Dutch title holders PSV on February 11 in a Champions League play-off to decide who goes forward to the round of 16 next month as the 26-year-old defender made his home debut for Juventus, 36-time champions of Italy and two-time winners of the European Cup/Champions League (among their nine appearances in the final). …”
NY Times/The Athletic

Champions League: Bayern drown out the noise, and was this the worst penalty award ever?

“Football very rarely goes to plan. AC Milan’s new strike force were supposed to quickly start scoring a lot of goals. Feyenoord selling their best player was supposed to mean their season was over. Bayern Munich were supposed to crumble away from home again. Oh, and VAR was supposed to eradicate horrendous refereeing decisions. As you can see from last night’s Champions League play-off knockout clashes, the sport rarely fails to disappoint when it comes to predictability. Here Tim Spiers analyses the key talking points from Wednesday evening’s matches. …”
NY Times/The Athletic (Video)

Champions League: Man City have Madrid mountain to climb, are PSG better minus Mbappe?

“Erling Haaland scored against Real Madrid for the first time in his career. And then scored another. But Manchester City still lost at home to the Champions League holders. It will have felt all too familiar for Pep Guardiola and his team as they threw away a 2-1 lead with four minutes of normal time to play at the Etihad, being stung first by one of their former players, Brahim Diaz, and then the tireless Jude Bellingham, who steered the ball home from close range in added time. Oh, and earlier in the game Kylian Mbappe had scored with his shin. …”
NY Times/The Athletic (Video)

Diego Simeone vs Xabi Alonso: A meeting of coaching minds – and one that could happen again soon

“Diego Simeone’s super-charged Atletico Madrid were just too much for Xabi Alonso’s eventually overwhelmed Bayer Leverkusen. The 2-1 result in Tuesday’s Champions League match was definitely not decided by a tactical masterclass from Simeone. Alonso had arguably picked the better XI and also made the more sensible substitutions to deal with how the game kept changing. But once more, Atletico showed heart and decisiveness — all the characteristics that Simeone’s super-intense management transmits to his best sides. Alonso was left to rue the result in a duel between two of Europe’s most high-profile coaches — and how his usually so well-organised and resilient team let slip a game that seemed they had full control of at one point. …”
NY Times/The Athletic

Champions League Briefing: Playoffs take shape; Bellingham’s backheel; Wembanyama sees City’s collapse

A mural of Arsenal co-chair Josh Kroenke on the approach to the Emirates Stadium
“There was plenty of drama and some stunning goals as the penultimate matchday of the Champions League’s league phase drew to a close on Wednesday. Real Madrid and Arsenal barely broke a sweat, putting themselves in strong positions to qualify for the knockout stages. Manchester City, however, are in danger of suffering elimination after collapsing and letting a two-goal lead go to lose 4-2 to Paris Saint-Germain at the Parc des Princes inspired by the brilliance of Ousmane Dembele. With so much still to play for, here are the main talking points with just one matchday remaining of the league phase. …”
NY Times/The Athletic (Video)

What Omar Marmoush brings to Manchester City: Lethal on the break, runs behind and a passing option

“Before Omar Marmoush was racking up goals and assists in the Bundesliga, he was figuring out how to use the washer-dryer and prepare his own meals. As an 18-year-old, the transition from Cairo, the vast capital of his homeland Egypt (population: 10million), to the small German city of Wolfsburg (pop: 125,000) wasn’t the smoothest. After impressing with Cairo club Wadi Degla’s youth sides and featuring in their first team in 2016-17, Marmoush set off to Germany the following summer having accepted an offer from Wolfsburg. Initially, he spent two seasons in the reserves. This was a period which shaped him and improved his mental resilience. He took time to adapt off the pitch, too. …”
NY Times/The Athletic

Champions League projections 2024-25: Each team’s probability of qualifying for knockouts

“The Champions League has a new format for 2024-25. Forget group tables, we now have a 36-team league stage before we get to the knockout stages in February. But who has the best chance of qualifying for the knockout stages, either directly or via the playoff round? Throughout the season, we will publish projections — powered by Opta data — to show how teams are expected to perform. These will update after each gameweek. When the league stage is over, there will be probabilities for reaching the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final. The competition’s expanded format might take a little time to get used to, but these projections can show you how it might all unfold. …”
NY Times/The Athletic

Girona 0 Liverpool 1: Was it a penalty – and what now for Darwin Nunez?

“Liverpool are within touching distance of the Champions League last 16. A sixth straight win in the competition this season, secured through Mohamed Salah’s penalty, controversially awarded after a VAR check for a foul on Luis Diaz, tightened Arne Slot’s grip on first place in the league phase. This was far from Liverpool’s best display but Slot is unlikely to be concerned. Here, we analyse the major talking points. …”
NY Times/The Athletic

Borussia Dortmund 2 Barcelona 3: Roaming Raphinha, Reyna’s first start, Guirassy’s strange night

“Barcelona beat Borussia Dortmund 3-2 in a chaotic game at the Westfalenstadion on Wednesday night. Raphinha put Hansi Flick’s side ahead in the 52nd minute with a nerveless finish, before Serhou Guirassy equalised from the penalty spot in the 60th minute after a push from Pau Cubarsi. There was then a frantic end to the game as substitute Ferran Torres put Barca 2-1 up in the 75th minute, Guirassy broke Barca’s offside trap to draw the sides level and then Torres struck again in the 85th minute to earn a hard-fought win for the Catalans. …”
NY Times/The Athletic

Steven Gerrard’s Olympiacos goal, 20 years on: ‘What a hit, son! What a hit!’

“Even now, 20 years on, it is a moment which takes the breath away. Steven Gerrard had no right to score the goal that he himself described as the most important of the 186 he plundered for Liverpool. He was around 20 yards out, faced with a ball bouncing across his body, and with two Olympiacos defenders desperately closing him down. But with a perfect swing of his right leg, Gerrard hit the sweetest of half-volleys to secure Liverpool’s passage into the Champions League last 16. … Yesterday was the 20th anniversary of Gerrard’s goal and to mark the occasion, The Athletic spoke to those who were there to unpick its brilliance and significance. …”
NY Times/The Athletic (Video)

Brest’s Cinderella story continues against Barcelona despite domestic slide

“While they were humbled by an attack-minded Monaco on Friday evening at the Stade Louis II, as Brest prepare to take on Barcelona in the first ‘big test’ of their maiden Champions League campaign (Bayer Leverkusen notwithstanding), it’s worth reflecting on the Bretons’ progress to date and a look at how Tuesday’s match may shape up given some unfortunate injury news for Éric Roy’s side. Despite playing gamely against a Monaco side who have been mightily impressive this season, Brest lost 3-2 but, more importantly, lost Pierre Lees-Melou. The veteran midfielder had only recently returned from an injury and his positive influence on the team was palpable in the draw against Leverkusen. …”
Guardian

How Liverpool’s Caoimhin Kelleher’s technique makes him a penalty expert

“Liverpool forward Darwin Nunez wasted no time when chest-bumping his way into Caoimhin Kelleher to congratulate his goalkeeper. Kelleher had just denied Kylian Mbappe from the penalty spot in the Champions League on Wednesday night. Right-back Conor Bradley did the same in appreciation for the Republic of Ireland international. Kelleher had just helped preserve Liverpool’s clean sheet by palming away the Real Madrid forward’s spot-kick in a game Arne Slot’s team went on to win 2-0. Andy Robertson, who gave the penalty away against Madrid and in the previous game against Southampton, said he owes Kelleher dinner. …”
NY Times/The Athletic

How Arne Slot is proving to be the master of the half-time tactical tweak

“It’s not like Arne Slot needed to fix Liverpool’s attack at half-time against Real Madrid. But despite his side creating multiple chances in the first half, he was able to tweak a few things in search of an improvement. And since the start of the season, Liverpool have been noticeably raising their level after the break — with the 2-0 victory against Madrid just the latest addition to the list of impressive second halves. This was on show in Slot’s first Premier League game, a 2-0 victory away to Ipswich Town, when during the break he told his players to focus on winning duels and playing balls in behind because of the opponent’s man-to-man approach. That tweak guided Liverpool to victory, and another half-time tweak against Madrid brought Slot’s team closer to reaching the Champions League’s round of 16. …”
NY Times/The Athletic
NY Times/The Athletic: Liverpool 2 Real Madrid 0: Are Slot’s team the best in Europe? And what now for Mbappe? (Video)
NY Times/The Athletic: Kylian Mbappe’s night to forget: That tackle, a missed penalty and attitude questions
NY Times/The Athletic: Liverpool’s Conor Bradley and a tackle for the ages

Champions League projections: All the talking points after matchday five

“Five games into the new-look Champions League and the 36-team table is finally starting to take shape. Sort of. Strong favourites to progress have emerged, with Arne Slot’s Liverpool sat top of the pile after an impressive 2-0 victory over Real Madrid made it five wins from five. Inter are yet to concede a goal, while Barcelona and Arsenal— with convincing results this week — have increased their chances of qualifying for the knockout stages, via the play-offs or otherwise, to at least 90 per cent. …”
NY Times/The Athletic

How Viktor Gyokeres became Europe’s hottest striker

“The numbers alone are frightening. Viktor Gyokeres has made 25 appearances for club and country so far in 2024-25. He has scored 33 goals. He was top scorer in the Portuguese top flight for Sporting CP last season with 29 goals (eight more than anyone else). He has already scored 16 in the league this season (again, eight more than anyone else) and only failed to score in six of those 25 games in all competitions. He scored nine for Sweden in the recent Nations League group stages. He has scored 67 goals in 69 matches for Sporting since joining from Coventry City for a bargain £17million ($21.4m). …”
NY Times/The Athletic

Champions League Briefing: Why were Arsenal and Villa penalties given? Can Barcelona contend for crown?

“Fairytales continued in the Champions League group stage on Wednesday night. Brest and Monaco continued their push at the top of the table, joining Sporting Lisbon — who beat Manchester City on Tuesday night — as one of the unlikely candidates to go straight through to the round of 16 that are currently on course to do so. Barcelona also continued their fine form, while Paris Saint-Germain find themselves in a difficult position after four matchdays. There were also two controversial penalties in the games involving English sides on Wednesday night. …”
NY Times/The Athletic

Jhon Duran reminds Aston Villa he can be an ‘awesome’ starting option

“Jhon Duran. Villa Park. Champions League nights. It is a combination that has provided nothing but unbridled joy to Aston Villa so far. That dramatic winner from the bench against Bayern Munich set the tonebut Duran took the opportunity to show his quality from the first whistle against Bologna after being named in the starting XI for only the second time in all competitions this season. …”
NY Times/The Athletic

Barcelona 4 Bayern Munich 1: Raphinha hat-trick gives Hansi Flick a triumphant night against his former club

“It was Robert Lewandowski against Harry Kane. It was Hansi Flick taking on his former side. It was Barcelona against Bayern Munich, two of the continent’s most decorated clubs going head-to-head in a gripping, frantic clash in the Champions League. Barcelona were ahead inside the opening minute, Raphinha taking advantage of Bayern’s muddled defensive line to round Manuel Neuer and score. Then it was the turn of the big-name strikers to make their mark. Harry Kane headed past Inaki Pena but was judged, semi-automatically, to be offside. …”
NY Times/The Athletic

RB Leipzig 0 Liverpool 1: Rampaging Nunez, Liverpool go three from three and Leipzig stutter

“Darwin Nunez’s poacher’s finish fired Liverpool to victory at RB Leipzigand maintained their flawless start to life in this season’s Champions League. Arne Slot’s side made it three wins from three in the competition with a 1-0 win in Germany, with former Leipzig players Ibrahima Konate and Dominik Szoboszlai tasting victory against their old team thanks to Nunez’s first-half goal. …”
NY Times/The Athletic

Celtic’s humiliation exposes the miserable state of Scottish football

“The sniggering from Dortmund to Durness has been unmistakable. The intensely tribal nature of Scottish football combined with Celtic’s dominance of the same scene means results such as the 7-1 trouncing by Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday are widely celebrated. Petty, parochial but perfectly understandable. The trouble is, yet another harrowing night for Celtic provided the latest snapshot of Scottish football’s miserable state. There is no point in revelling in Celtic’s scenario because the pickle they continually find themselves in against serious opposition tells all about the standard in Scotland. …”
Guardian

Champions League draw: Predictions, best games and breakthrough star in league phase

“The draw for the revamped Champions League league phase is — after what seemed like a never-ending ceremony — complete. As expected, the new format ensured a smattering of mouthwatering games, as well as a few less mouthwatering ones, ahead of the start of the competition proper next month. You can read an explainer on the new format here. But this is what our experts made of the draw itself… ”
NY Times/The Athletic

Dortmund’s famous win vs Paris Saint-Germain was built on both luck and judgement

“There’s a tendency to frame football matches in black and white: the winners got it right, the losers weren’t up to the task. But the reality is usually somewhere in between — an individual mistake here, or a shot that hits the post and stays out there, moments that can change the game state and momentum. More often than not, the 90 minutes and more played on the pitch are a shade of grey, and Borussia Dortmund’s 1-0 away win against Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday to take them into next month’s Champions League final, 2-0 on aggregate, was the perfect example of that. …”
The Athletic

Real Madrid 2 Bayern Munich 1: Real off to Wembley after yet another extraordinary turnaround – The Briefing

“The right to face Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League final at Wembley on June 1 was the mighty prize on offer on Wednesday evening as Real Madrid took on Bayern Munich. 2-2 from the first leg, this encounter between two of Europe’s most relentlessly successful clubs was finely poised — and it showed in a cagey first half where the two goalkeepers dealt expertly with the few decent chances that were created. The closest either team came to scoring was a Vinicius Junior shot after 13 minutes that was touched onto the Bayern post by Manuel Neuer. …”
The Athletic

Liverpool’s failure to keep clean sheets is proving deeply damaging

“Liverpool’s defending was indefensible against Atalanta. Conceding three times left hopes of winning the Europa League dangling by the thinnest of threads and also brought to the forefront bigger problems that could derail their Premier League title challenge too. European comebacks are a Liverpool speciality, including incredible nights under Jurgen Klopp. Yet, if his side have a chance of turning around the 3-0 deficit, they will probably need to keep a clean sheet. After the 3-0 defeat to Barcelona in the 2019 Champions League semi-final first leg, Liverpool famously won the second leg 4-0 to go through. Despite being ridiculed after the game, the Spanish side’s tweet below was valid. …”
The Athletic
Guardian – ‘This must feel bad and it does’: Jürgen Klopp rues Liverpool’s mental fatigue

Liverpool’s threat from corners has increased and could help turn their season around

“As Kostas Tsimikas placed the ball on the edge of the corner arc, the Anfield crowd held their breath. With 88 minutes on the clock and the scores level against Ajax in their second Champions League group match, having lost the opener badly, Liverpool needed a winner from their 10th corner of the night. The delivery was excellent, as it was all game, and Joel Matip rose highest to head the ball home. Cue bedlam. To coin a Football Cliches classic, it had been coming. Jurgen Klopp’s side were a constant threat from corners and had already forced a number of saves from Remko Pasveer. …”
The Athletic

PSG 2 Barcelona 3: The tactical to-and-fro, a glimpse of Barca’s future and Mbappe quelled

“It turns out the thrills and spills of this week’s Champions League quarter-final first legs were not reserved for the Bernabeu or Emirates stadium. Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona played out another mesmerising tie at Parc des Princes with the visitors, inspired by Raphinha’s first goals in the competition, recovering their poise magnificently after a brutal opening to the second half to claim a lead to take back to Catalonia. …”
The Athletic

Should Bayern Munich have had a penalty for Arsenal’s Gabriel picking up the ball?

“As the final whistle blew on an action-packed 2-2 draw at the Emirates Stadium last night, many of us reached for our smartphones to check social media. … The decision not to award a penalty left Rio Ferdinand, a pundit for TNT Sports, the British broadcaster of the Champions League, in ‘disbelief’. However, Arsenal legend Ian Wright later argued on X that he agreed with Nyberg’s decision, sparking a debate. …”
The Athletic

The Premier League, where scoring first doesn’t matter anymore

“It takes commitment to support Norwich City. There’s the flitting between the Premier League and the Championship. There’s your arch-rivals becoming very good at football. There’s competing in a financial world that feels increasingly distant from Carrow Road. And speaking of distance — the travel distances from East Anglia make every away day an odyssey. …”
The Athletic

Cheick Tiote’s magic to ‘Crystanbul’ – our writers’ favourite comebacks

“As surprise results go, Bournemouth beating Luton Town at home would not usually register, but Andoni Iraola’s side became just the fifth side in Premier League history to come back from being 3-0 down at half-time to win, securing a 4-3 victory. The match was not broadcast live in the UK, but the result will live long in the memory of those who witnessed it at the Vitality Stadium. With that in mind, we asked our writers to pick their favourite comebacks they have seen live. It features EFL play-offs, Champions League and World Cup games and plenty from the Premier League. You can comment below, adding your favourites and debating where Bournemouth’s comeback ranks among the best ever… …”
The Athletic (Video)

Champions League quarter-final draw: Predictions, tactics and players to watch

“The Champions League quarter-final draw is complete — and there is no shortage of intrigue. From the winners of the last two seasons (Manchester City and Real Madrid) being paired against each other to Harry Kane returning to north London to face Arsenal, or one-half of the draw opening up for one of the less-fancied teams in the last eight (something unlikely to ever happen again given the format changes from next season), the sub-plots are fascinating. The Athletic assembled an expert panel to cast their eyes over the four ties to explain where they will be decided, who they are tipping to go through and which team they are expecting to lift the trophy at Wembley on June 1. …”
The Athletic (Video)

Inside Liverpool’s commercial strategy: Blue-chip deals, U.S. focus and closing Man City gap

“The battle off the field in the Premier League is as keenly contested as the one on it. Liverpool’s recently published accounts for the 2022-23 season showed that commercial income had risen by £25million to £272m ($345.5m at the current exchange rate) – moving above broadcast and other media revenue to become the club’s biggest source of cash. That figure has almost doubled in the space of five years but they are still playing catch-up on two of their domestic rivals. Manchester City lead the way with annual commercial revenue of £341million, followed by Manchester United on £303m. …”
The Athletic

Matteo Guendouzi: ‘When I was losing a game, I was always screaming – this is my mentality’

“Matteo Guendouzi is only 24 but, playing for his fifth club in a fourth country, he already feels like he’s grown up. The Frenchman, who came to prominence at Arsenal under Unai Emery, says the mistakes he made during his time in north London had turned him into a better man and footballer. Guendouzi has been a key player for Maurizio Sarri’s Lazio this season while on loan from Marseille and is now looking ahead to his side’s Champions Leaguelast-16 second leg away at Bayern Munich. Lazio travel to the German champions holding a 1-0 advantage. …”
The Athletic

Introducing the 8.5, the hybrid role that is shaping the Premier League title race

“This season’s battle for the Premier League title is now unquestionably a three-horse race. In May, Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City will become the first side in English football history to win four titles in a row. Or Jurgen Klopp will win his second Premier League title before departing Liverpool. Or Mikel Arteta will lead Arsenal to their first league title in two decades. Whichever outcome transpires, the victorious side will have depended on a player who has fulfilled an unusual role this season. …”
The Athletic – Michael Cox

The chaotic 24 seconds that showed Arsenal how fine the Champions League margins can be

“Welcome back to the Champions League knockouts, Arsenal. Given the club’s lack of recent experience at this level, this was always likely to be an educative evening for Mikel Arteta’s team. Unfortunately, this learning moment made for a particularly painful lesson. Of Arteta’s starting XI, 10 were playing in the knockout stages of the Champions League for the first time. Only Kai Havertz had featured in a tie of this magnitude before. Porto, by way of contrast, had a 40-year-old Pepe anchoring a significantly more experienced side. …”
The Athletic

Napoli and Barcelona both look out of place in the Champions League

“Occasionally, you hear people speaking wistfully about the days when the Champions League was precisely that: a tournament solely for domestic champions. That was how the tournament was conducted until around the turn of the century when it was opened up to include runners-up and, subsequently, third and fourth-placed sides from the major leagues. There were positives to this format: the high barrier to entry created a sense that you were watching a truly select group of teams. …”
The Athletic – Michael Cox

How Real Sociedad’s high press gave Paris Saint-Germain a ‘nightmare’

“For Paris Saint-Germain, the Champions League round of 16 has brought heartbreak in five of the last seven years. They theoretically have one foot in the quarter-finals after a round-of-16 first-leg win over Real Sociedad. Despite winning 2-0 at the Parc de Princes, their struggles against the high press are a concern for the return leg and possible future knockout matches. …”
The Athletic

Bayern Munich are… boring. How did Europe’s most thrilling club become so safe?

“… Bayern weren’t bad. No, it was worse than that — they were boring. Watch the Champions League for any length of time and the favourites settle into predictable roles, like a high-school rom-com: Barcelona are the pretty ones, Manchester City the nerds, Paris Saint-Germain the rich kids due a comeuppance, Real Madrid the awkward main characters everyone knows will get a third-act makeover and live happily ever after. …”
The Athletic

How often do Premier League champions score last-minute winners? Less than you might think

“Trent Alexander-Arnold smashing home a late winner against Fulham in front of the Kop. Declan Rice clambering above a defender to nod in against Luton Town. Or Rice, for that matter, striking late against Manchester United back in September. We see these goals and we think of Steve Bruce’s header against Sheffield Wednesday in 1993 or Federico Macheda’s curler against Aston Villa in 2009. We’re conditioned to think that late goals are a regular feature of title-winning champions. But is that really the case, or do we simply remember a few standout examples and exaggerate how frequently champions rely on late winners? Let’s look at the numbers… ”
The Athletic (Video)

Barcelona’s Champions League loss means more damage for Xavi – not just for the result

“Barcelona’s Champions League defeat by Antwerp did not stop them from progressing to the knockout round as group winners, but it can certainly affect Xavi’s position as manager. On Wednesday night in Belgium, Barca went 1-0 down after just 76 seconds to a goal scored by 18-year-old Arthur Vermeeren, the quickest strike the Spanish side have conceded in 12 years in the Champions League. …”
The Athletic (Video)

Champions League grades: Arsenal earn high marks, Celtic woes drag on

“A+ Five Arsenal goals by half-time, and six different scorers by full-time, this was Mikel Arteta’s team at their attacking best, and they took heavy vengeance on the French team they previously lost to. Kai Havertz, after his goal at Brentford at the weekend, began the scoring on a night when Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka in full flight tore their opponents apart. Top of the Premier League and safely qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League in their first appearance for five seasons, things are shaping up very well for the Gunners. …”
Guardian

Manchester City keep conceding from counter-attacks – should Guardiola be worried?

“Pep Guardiola was presented with an observation following his side’s 3-2 home victory against RB Leipzig on Tuesday. The five goals his Manchester City side have conceded in the Champions League this season have all been essentially the same. Whether it has been against Leipzig, Young Boys or Red Star Belgrade, City have been undone by a ball in behind the defence leaving the opposition in a one-against-one with their goalkeeper. …”
The Athletic

Is that extra Champions League spot still heading the Premier League’s way?

“There is the adage, made famous by former Liverpool manager Bill Shankly, that second place was nowhere. Au contraire, Bill. It is not just second that has become somewhere, but third and fourth, too. And, from the end of this season, we might even start to consider finishing fifth in the 20-team Premier League a cause for celebration. A revamped Champions League has room for more clubs for 2024-25 and beyond, and that means the door could swing open for English football’s fifth-best team to earn their share of a financial windfall. …”
The Athletic

Borussia Dortmund fans protest Champions League reforms with banners and fake money during Newcastle game

“Borussia Dortmund supporters threw fake money onto the pitch and displayed a banner appearing to criticise UEFAduring Tuesday’s Champions League group stage fixture against Newcastle United, protesting the upcoming competition reforms. After Niclas Fullkrug gave Dortmund the lead in the first half at Signal Iduna Park, the game was interrupted as supporters in the ‘Yellow Wall’ stand threw fake money, gold bars and tennis balls onto the pitch. The restart was briefly delayed as players assisted with efforts to clear the section of the pitch behind Gregor Kobel’s goal. …”
The Athletic

Andriy Shevchenko: My Game In My Words

“There have been few more complete strikers in the modern game than Andriy Shevchenko. A powerful all-rounder who could score from distance or slalom through opposition defences, he was, at his peak, the world’s best striker, winning the Ballon d’Or in 2004 to sit alongside winners’ medals from Serie A and the Champions League. …”
The Athletic (Video)
W – Andriy Shevchenko

Kylian Mbappe’s drilled, near-post finish is bamboozling opponents

“… Henry’s reference to playing style is that he was, and Mbappe is, a right-footer who played off the left, though they share an interpretation of the role as more inside-forward than winger. Across his senior career, Henry registered more than twice as many league goals as assists, while Mbappe’s ratio is three to one. Henry’s trademark became the far-post finish, often curled into the bottom-right corner. Mbappe scores those — in fact, he can score every type of goal — but is increasingly getting goals in a way Henry did not. He is still cutting in from the left but reversing the shot, using the laces or instep to drill a near-post finish, catching the goalkeeper and defender(s) unaware. …”
The Athletic (Video)

Explained: Celtic fans and their support for Palestinians

“There are just a few minutes to go until the start and the queue to get in is a tide of frustratingly slow-moving expectancy. People want to be inside, but not just for the main event. Something else is happening tonight. Look closer at the mass of dark jackets and scarves of green and white and you can see other colours sporadically being brandished. More green and white, yes, but mixed with red and black too… the Palestinian flag. …”
The Athletic (Video)
Aljazeera: Celtic fans defy club to fly Palestine flags in Champions League match

Barcelona’s latest Champions League suffering shows they have a long way to go

“Ronald Araujo dropped to the ground, visibly relieved, at the referee’s final whistle. In the game’s last few minutes, he had been limping on through cramp in Barcelona’s back line, determined not to leave his side with nine players on the pitch. Barca suffered, but they survived. More than that, they managed to turn a bad game in the Champions League into three vital points. …”
The Athletic

History is made every matchday, every season. But not everyone has a trophy-laden past

“On September 30 2023, Luton Town won their first ever Premier League game. In beating Everton, they made club history. A fortnight ago, Brighton & Hove Albion played their first European tie. They were also creating a landmark, although the result didn’t turn out as they might have hoped. History is made every day of every week. Everyone has a family archive, every football club has a back story. …”
Game of the People