Author: Joe Soriano

Joe Soriano is the editor of The Trivela Effect and a FanSided Hall of Famer who has covered world football since 2010. He’s led top digital communities like The Real Champs (Real Madrid) and has run sites covering Tottenham, Liverpool, Juventus, and Schalke. He also helped manage NFL Spin Zone and Daily DDT, covering the NFL and pro wrestling.

Real Madrid fans get the only Kylian Mbappe injury news they needed to hear
26Feb By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Injury News

Real Madrid fans get the only Kylian Mbappe injury news they needed to hear

Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappe is dealing with a tricky knee injury that has caused the club to shut him down as a precaution, but COPE reports the relieving news that the center forward will be able to play in the Champions League Round of 16 next month. In total, COPE report that Mbappe is going to miss the next 10-14 days. As everyone fully expected, Mbappe will miss, in addition to the previous second leg battle against Benfica in the Champions League, the upcoming La Liga fixture on Monday against Getafe. That's all for the better, as Real's local rivals, coached by the notorious Jose Bordalas, are not exactly a friendly opponent for an injured superstar attacker, given their foul nature of defending. The 10-14 day timeline means that Mbappe is also scheduled to miss the...
Read More
West Ham blame Graham Potter for missing out on obvious signing
26Feb By Joe SorianoNo Comments
News

West Ham blame Graham Potter for missing out on obvious signing

West Ham were able to bring in Pablo and Taty Castellanos for a combined 50 million euros this winter transfer window, but the club is still upset that Graham Potter didn't let them sign a striker sooner, specifically Leeds United star Dominic Calvert-Lewin. The most senior spokesperson to West Ham United's owners told Hammers.News, "We regret not signing Calvert-Lewin, especially on a free transfer. Mr Potter didn’t want a forward and would not let us sign one. Nuno came in and identified he wanted two and it has helped massively." The Hammers are still very much in the relegation battle right now, but they have shown signs of life with new strikers. Callum Wilson did join in the summer and has scored five goals, but Castellanos is the real star after a good tenure in Serie A with L...
Read More
Real Madrid will miss 3 important players for next Champions League game
26Feb By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Injury News

Real Madrid will miss 3 important players for next Champions League game

Real Madrid managed to survive an upset bid from Benfica with two narrow victories in the playoff round, but their next Champions League Round of 16 tie will be even tougher with Eder Militao, Jude Bellingham, and Dani Ceballos all still out injured, per COPE. Much of the conversation heading into the second leg against Benfica centered around Kylian Mbappe, though the superstar forward isn't the most at risk player of missing the Round of 16. Real Madrid are shutting the Frenchman down due to a recurring knee issue, meanwhile, their bigger concerns heading into either a Round of 16 tilt with Sporting CP or new European Clasico rivals Manchester City will be the defense. Militao and Huijsen are the two main starters for Real at center back, and there is a clear drop off after them...
Read More
Real Madrid’s real star vs. Benfica wasn’t Vinicius Jr. (or Fede Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni)
26Feb By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Analysis

Real Madrid’s real star vs. Benfica wasn’t Vinicius Jr. (or Fede Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni)

Aurelien Tchouameni won the Man of the Match. Vinicius Junior scored the goal that sealed the game. Federico Valverde had two assists. But Real Madrid's real hero against Benfica was Thibaut Courtois. Even though he didn't get a clean sheet in the second leg as in the first leg, Courtois was arguably even better in the decisive second matchup against Benfica in the opening round of the 2025/26 Champions League knockout stages. Courtois was impeccable, making stupendous save after save to prevent Real Madrid from getting caught out on the break. He could do nothing about the opener that Benfica scored and steadied Los Merengues from there on. It is so easy for the goalkeeper to get overlooked on a team like Real Madrid where you have stars like Vinicius Jr. balling out and even mid...
Read More
Vinicius Junior broke one of Neymar’s underrated records
26Feb By Joe SorianoNo Comments
News

Vinicius Junior broke one of Neymar’s underrated records

Real Madrid superstar left winger Vinicius Junior is already becoming a legend in world football, and his latest Champions League goal against Benfica set the record for most knockout goals ever scored by a Brazilian player in the Champions League, via Madrid Xtra. The record for most Champions League knockout goals by a Brazilian footballer was previously held by Neymar, who dominated the competition in the 2010s and early 2020s with Barcelona and PSG, completing Remontadas, winning the treble with Barcelona, and even taking PSG to their first Champions League Final. Vinicius Junior, though, is already surpassing him, and he's only 25. The Real Madrid star's goal against Benfica to win 2-1 in the 80th minute and seal advancement to the Round of 16 was his 14th career knockout stage ...
Read More
Real Madrid to get huge injury return to ease Kylian Mbappe blow
25Feb By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Injury News

Real Madrid to get huge injury return to ease Kylian Mbappe blow

Real Madrid superstar center forward Kylian Mbappe is going to be out for at least a couple of more games after aggravating a knee injury that has been bothering him for months, but at least Los Blancos are set to get Rodrygo Goes back. According to a report from Spanish outlet COPE, Rodrygo will play for Real Madrid against Getafe next Monday night when Los Blancos return to La Liga action to take on their hard-nosed local rivals. Rodrygo is often the forgotten star of the Real Madrid attack, but he has looked happier and better overall this season, especially since Alvaro Arbeloa took over from Xabi Alonso. But the Brazilian star has been out injured recently with tendonitis, missing a handful of matches, including this past Wednesday's Vinicius Junior and Fede Valverde fueled 2...
Read More
Manchester United fans finally get a Matthijs de Ligt injury update
25Feb By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Injury News

Manchester United fans finally get a Matthijs de Ligt injury update

When healthy, Manchester United center back Matthijs de Ligt is one of the best in the world in his position, but, unfortunately, he has been out since December with back issues, missing a total of 15 games with his latest ailment. The good news is that Man United fans finally have a real injury update on De Ligt, and, better yet, it looks like it won't be all that long until the Dutch star returns to the heart of the Red Devils defense. According to a report from Tyrone Marshall of the Manchester Evening News, De Ligt is not rushing back from his back injury and is taking his time with his recovery. He is, however, expected to return in March, and that is his current target date for return. Manchester United are in Champions League contention all of a sudden under Michael Carrick...
Read More
Real Madrid get revenge on Jose Mourinho by slapping him with an embarrassing new record
25Feb By Joe SorianoNo Comments
News

Real Madrid get revenge on Jose Mourinho by slapping him with an embarrassing new record

Jose Mourinho and Real Madrid will always have love for each other after how he pulled the club back up to the elite level in the early 2010s, but after defending Gianluca Prestianni's racist incident with Vinicius Junior, many Madridistas have soured a bit on the Special One. After a hard-fought 1-0 first leg victory over Benfica on the road, Real Madrid got the job done again, knocking Mourinho out of the Champions League with a 2-1 victory that was also sealed in the end by a great Vinicius Junior finish. According to Madrid Zone, Mourinho's latest knockout defeat means that the legendary Portuguese manager has now lost 10 straight Champions League knockout ties, with his last win coming more than a decade ago in 2014 when he managed Chelsea in his second stint at Stamford Bridge....
Read More
Alvaro Arbeloa confirms Kylian Mbappe injury news Real Madrid fans feared
25Feb By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Injury News

Alvaro Arbeloa confirms Kylian Mbappe injury news Real Madrid fans feared

Real Madrid superstar forward Kylian Mbappe was not able to play in the second leg against Benfica due to a knee injury that is now bothering him even more, and manager Alvaro Arbeloa confirmed that this is not a one-game absence for the Frenchman. Speaking at the press conference after Real Madrid survived with another win over their Portuguese antagonists, Arbeloa said that Mbappe will not be returning soon from his left knee ailment. He said, via Madrid Zone, "Kylian Mbappé will NOT be back very soon. His recovery will take a while, not just a few days." Arbeloa's information jibes with what Real Madrid fans were hearing - and fearing. Mbappe has been playing through pain for a couple of months now, but instead of easing up, the pain is only getting worse, jeopardizing Mbappe's...
Read More
Juventus confirm their Luciano Spalletti decision after brutal Champions League exit
25Feb By Joe SorianoNo Comments
News

Juventus confirm their Luciano Spalletti decision after brutal Champions League exit

Juventus are still way off the Serie A title pace and were just eliminated in cruel fashion by Galatasaray in the Champions League, but the Bianconeri are not about to make the legendary Luciano Spalletti the next great manager sacrificed at the altar of the Old Lady. Speaking to the media after the game, legendary Juventus center back and current Director of Football Giorgio Chiellini told reporters at Sky Sport Italia, via Fabrizio Romano, that Juve's opinon have not changed due to the Champions League exit and that they are continuing their efforts to extend the former Napoli Scudetto winner as their manager: “New deal for Luciano Spalletti has never been in doubt. It’s among our priorities. We will meet soon to discuss deal details." Although Juve nearly made a roaring second ...
Read More