Champions League News and Analysis

Ranking the 10 best strikers in the world in 2024

3Oct

By Kevin ParviziNo Comments

Champions League, Features

Ranking the 10 best strikers in the world in 2024

Who are the best strikers in world football right now? With two months of action in the books in the 2024/25 league seasons, let's take an updated look at the best No. 9's on the planet, ranking them from tenth to first. Where did Robert Lewandowski and Harry Kane land? How does Ollie Watkins stack up with the elites? 10. Andrej Kramaric, Hoffenheim For years, Andrej Kramaric has been one of the best strikers in the Bundesliga, setting records as a goal-scorer for Hoffenheim without showing any desire to leave the German side. Kramaric makes this list over bigger names like Alvaro Morata and Dusan Vlahovic, because he honestly outplayed both of those guys significantly last season and has already been better to start the 2023/24 season. The problem with world football these days is...

Team News: Celtic will be without one of their best players vs. Dortmund

1Oct

By Kevin ParviziNo Comments

Champions League, Features

Team News: Celtic will be without one of their best players vs. Dortmund

After demolishing Slovan Bratislava 5-1 in their opening 2024/25 Champions League fixture of the new format, Celtic will face last year's finalist Borussia Dortmund in a much tougher Matchday 2 battle. Of course, Dortmund aren't exactly invincible despite their pedigree, as they were destroyed 5-1 by Stuttgart themselves a couple of weeks ago and recently had some difficulties defensively in a 4-2 win over "Little Ruhrderby" rivals Bochum. Celtic will have one key disadvantage going into Tuesday night's game at the Signal Iduna Park, however, as one of their most important players won't be able to play. Manager Brendan Rodgers ruled out starting center back Cameron Carter-Vickers with a toe injury, as the 26-year-old was unable to play this past weekend in what ended up being an e...

Luis Enrique’s ego is basically gifting Arsenal a free Champions League win vs. PSG

30Sep

By Kevin ParviziNo Comments

Champions League, Features

Luis Enrique’s ego is basically gifting Arsenal a free Champions League win vs. PSG

Arsenal will face PSG on Tuesday night at the Emirates for their second match of the 2024/25 Champions League season, and while a game on paper against the 2023/24 UCL semifinalists figures to be a tough one, it would honestly be a profound disappointment for the Gunners to lose. PSG are first in Ligue 1 but tied on points with Monaco, reeling after losing Kylian Mbappe. They do have some bright spots, such as new signing Joao Neves and young winger Bradley Barcola, but they don't look like Champions League contenders without Mbappe. Meanwhile, Arsenal are fighting tooth and nail to finally win the Premier League, and, in doing so, are Champions League hopefuls in their own rights. A strong showing at home against PSG on Matchday 2 would go a long way in validating their legitimacy a...

2024/25 Champions League Predictions for Matchday 2

30Sep

By Kevin ParviziNo Comments

Champions League, Features

2024/25 Champions League Predictions for Matchday 2

Arsenal vs. PSG PSG don't feel like a legitimate Champions League threat in an era without Kylian Mbappe, who seemed to be the only reason why the Parisians were threats to reach the semifinals after Neymar was fully washed on the beach like a sullen hermit crab without a shell. Joao Neves gives PSG reason for optimism, but when your standout attacking player is Ousmane Dembele heading into the year 2025, you don't really stand much of a chance against a Premier League title contender. Arsenal have their own problems after a surprisingly complacent summer transfer window from an attacking perspective, but, then again, you don't need much more than Bukayo Saka and the Champions League version of Gabriel Jesus to dismantle PSG's defense. Prediction: Arsenal 2-1 PSG Aston Villa vs....

Pep Guardiola publicly called out Kevin De Bruyne after Inter performance

19Sep

By Kevin ParviziNo Comments

Champions League, Features, Premier League

Pep Guardiola publicly called out Kevin De Bruyne after Inter performance

Manchester City playmaker Kevin De Bruyne is one of the best players in the world and has continued to show his excellence as a playmaker by averaging a mind-boggling four key passes in the Premier League to this early point in the season. De Bruyne, however, had a game to forget against Inter Milan in Wednesday night's rematch of the 2023 Final, even before coming off at the mid-way point with a potential injury. Although De Bruyne created two more chances to add to his stats, he failed to make a positive impact on the ball, losing possession frequently while chasing shadows defensively against a dynamic Inter Milan team. Pep Guardiola noticed this and wasn't afraid to criticize De Bruyne for his display as the starting left attacking midfielder, "When you are alone and lose easy...

Kylian Mbappe is already one of the top 10 Champions League goal scorers of all time

19Sep

By Kevin ParviziNo Comments

Champions League, Features, LaLiga

Kylian Mbappe is already one of the top 10 Champions League goal scorers of all time

Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappe scored his first Champions League goal for the Royal Whites in their Champions League season opener against Stuttgart, stroking home an easy chance created by Aurelien Tchouameni and Rodrygo Goes to give Real a 1-0 lead over Die Schwaben in a game they'd win 3-1. Mbappe was already scoring goals in the Champions League at a rapid pace for PSG despite never winning a final. With that goal against Stuttgart, Mbappe now has a whopping 49 goals in club football's biggest competition. Those 49 goals actually tie Alfredo Di Stefano for the 10th-most all-time goals in the competition once called the European Cup in Di Stefano's era, so Mbappe has already cracked the top 10 at the age of 25. He will only need two more goals to surpass fellow Frenchman T...

Barcelona scouting two Monaco standouts for a future transfer

18Sep

By Kevin ParviziNo Comments

Champions League, Features, LaLiga

Barcelona scouting two Monaco standouts for a future transfer

Barcelona will face Monaco on Thursday night in their opening clash of the 2024/25 Champions League season, and under treble-winning coach Hansi Flick, the Blaugrana will like their chances of going further in this year's competition. They have already seen a huge boost in results to start the season under Flick, who has turned the Barcelona attack into a vaunted machine, integrating young prospects and more experienced starters alike. Monaco have not lost any of their four Ligue 1 matchups so far this season and are thus a good first test for Barcelona in the Champions League. They also happen to have a couple of players Barcelona could be interested in purchasing. According to a report from Diario Sport, Barcelona sporting director Deco will be watching right back Vanderson and ...

Real Madrid star Rodrygo Goes surpasses Barcelona legend Ronaldinho in Champions League assists

17Sep

By Kevin ParviziNo Comments

Champions League, Features, LaLiga

Real Madrid star Rodrygo Goes surpasses Barcelona legend Ronaldinho in Champions League assists

Real Madrid superstar Rodrygo Goes has become something of a forgotten man to the average mainstream fan, if they even gave the forward his proper due in the first place. The 2021/22 Champions League hero was left off the "BMV" nickname by the Spanish press, who made him a footnote to Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham, and Vinicius Junior. Meanwhile, the 23-year-old was snubbed from the 30-man list of 2023/24 Ballon d'Or finalists, leading even Barcelona legend Rivaldo to call out the disgrace of this snub, which left many current and former stars baffled. Well, Rodrygo is letting his play on the pitch do the talking, as he's started the 2024/25 LaLiga season off as a man on a mission, and the same holds true for his start to the Champions League campaign. He recorded the opening ...

Real Madrid have one doubt for their starting lineup against Stuttgart

16Sep

By Kevin ParviziNo Comments

Champions League, Features, LaLiga

Real Madrid have one doubt for their starting lineup against Stuttgart

Real Madrid will face Stuttgart in their first match of the 2024/25 Champions League campaign as the defending champions, having beaten another historic Bundesliga side in Dortmund in the Final. Stuttgart are underdogs through and through and don't have superstar striker Serhou Guirassy, who joined Dortmund this sumner, but as their 3-1 win over Gladbach shows, they still have the firepower to threaten anyone. After all, they finished higher than Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga last season. Real Madrid are coming off another big 2-0 win in LaLiga, this one over Real Sociedad, with Luka Modric putting in a vintage display and Arda Guler shining in his debut as a regular center midfielder. According to a report from COPE, with Aurelien Tchouameni set to move from midfield to center ...

Jude Bellingham names his two favorite Real Madrid moments in the Champions League

12Sep

By Kevin ParviziNo Comments

Champions League, Features, LaLiga

Jude Bellingham names his two favorite Real Madrid moments in the Champions League

In just one season at Real Madrid, Jude Bellingham has already made lasting memories in the famous Royal White kit, including bangers in El Clasico and a Champions League triumph. Bellingham nearly led LaLiga in goals scored as a midfielder, providing the same all-around excellence at the Santiago Bernabeu that he did for Borussia Dortmund while becoming a more involved attacking presence. Jude has been wearing the No. 5 in an homage to Zinedine Zidane, the former Real Madrid midfielder and three-peat winning manager. Likewise, Zizou has shown Bellingham plenty of respect, too. Speaking in the Out of the Floodlights documentary, Jude Bellingham was asked by his younger brother Jobe about his favorite Real Madrid Champions League moments. He gave two, one from before his time as a ...