Analysis

It’s remarkable how drastically Sevilla has changed in only a year. Last season, Sevilla were seen as outside title contenders to win LaLiga. Now, the six-time UEFA/Europa League winners are currently fighting to stave off relegation. Julen Lopetegui, who won them their last Europa League title and qualified 3 consecutive seasons for the Champions League, was sacked midseason and replaced by Jorge Sampaoli. Sampaoli has not made much of a difference since taking over and the team is still in the realms of the relegation battle, which is making Sevilla fans even more on edge. If that wasn't bad enough, their cross-city rivals (Real Betis) are battling to get into the Champions League and won the Copa del Rey last season. It's hard times for Sevilla, but how did a side competing for the lea...

To many, Rayo Vallecano is just one of the “other teams” in Madrid. The club isn’t as glamourous as their neighbors Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid, but it’s arguably more interesting. You might not believe us now but keep reading and see for yourself what makes this working-class football club so special. Rayo Vallecano’s rise back to LaLiga Rayo Vallecano were promoted from the Segunda Division in 2021 through the division’s promotion playoff. Rayo were the lowest-seeded team in that playoff after finishing sixth in the league that year. Rayo defeated Leganés and Girona in successive two-legged ties to gain promotion. They accomplished this without one of their most important players. Starting goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski was busy representing North Macedonia at the 2020 Euros, ...

Many of the most acclaimed managers in world football have made their names in Serie A. From Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid to current Tottenham manager Antonio Conte (formerly of Chelsea), there are plenty of former Serie A managers who have found success abroad. There are even those who excelled in Serie A, left for successful stints elsewhere, and are back in Calcio as elite managers, Maurizio Sarri and the incomparable José Mourinho come to mind here. But who are the current best managers in Serie A? Where do the likes of Sarri and Mourinho stack up among the top managers in the league in 2023? Before I continue, though, I would like to give an honorable mention to Simone Inzaghi. He has done great things for Inter Milan and was an absolute star while in charge of Lazio. But h...

Serie A continues to grow and get more credit for being an incredibly entertaining and unpredictable league, shedding the stereotype that it is highly defensive in the process. But while players like Rafael Leão and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia are getting major mainstream plaudits, there are so many wonderful players in Serie A who remain underrated. That includes players at top clubs like Napoli, the current league leaders. Here are five of the most underrated players in the Italian top flight. They are not the only undervalued players, but they stand out for being top-quality footballers who receive precious little recognition from the average fan of European football. Monza CB Armando Izzo Monza center back Armando Izzo has long been one of the most productive defenders in the Italian...

Bayern München are in the market for a new No. 9. Everyone knows it. After selling Robert Lewandowski in the summer transfer window to Barcelona so that the Polish superstar could embark upon a new challenge in an effort to obtain more respect for his legacy, Bayern decided to stand pat at striker. Their plan was to use Sadio Mané in the middle just like Liverpool did in the previous season, making him someone the likes of Leroy Sané, Serge Gnabry, and Kingsley Coman could play off of on the wings. Jamal Musiala and Thomas Müller would support him more centrally. Though there were some promising moments at the beginning, Mané didn't play his best football up top for Bayern. After Bayern moved him back to his best position on the left, he returned to his usual form. Eric Maxim C...

Sevilla have been one of the premier clubs in Europe over the past decade, and yet they are looking at a relegation battle this season in LaLiga. So, how did a team which finished 4th last season end up in such a predicament? A brief history of Sevilla Sevilla are historically not super successful, at least not compared to other clubs who have won major European competitions. Their only LaLiga title was in 1946, yet they have six Europa League titles in the modern era.  The Nervionenses spent the majority of their history until the 2000’s flirting with relegation at best and financial catastrophe at worst. A revolving door of club presidents and a disastrous affair with Diego Maradona in the 1990s did nothing to help the situation. Things had to change.  The 2000/01 season saw Sevi...