Features

The player who cost Real Madrid the most against Bayern Munich
1May By Kevin ParviziNo Comments
Features, LaLiga

The player who cost Real Madrid the most against Bayern Munich

Real Madrid can feel fortunate to have come away from their Champions League semifinal first leg battle against Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena with a 2-2 draw. For most of the match, Real Madrid were outplayed by a more fervent Bayern side, perhaps out to prove that they are much more than their Bundesliga results have showed this season. Coming into the tie as favorites, Real Madrid looked like they were fighting to stay afloat. Through top players Toni Kroos and Vinicius Junior, Los Blancos found a way despite Jude Bellingham feeling under the weather, and they will like their chances of making it to the final since the second leg is at the Santiago Bernabeu. At the same time, this could have been a better game from the perspective of Carlo Ancelotti and the Real Madrid supp...
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Ronald Araujo isn’t even Barcelona’s best defender
1May By Kevin ParviziNo Comments
Features, LaLiga

Ronald Araujo isn’t even Barcelona’s best defender

Barcelona had the best defense in European football last season, as the likes of Ronald Araujo, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Alejandro Balde, Jules Kounde, and surprise star Andreas Christensen led the Blaugrana to the summit of LaLiga. This season, unfortunately, the Barcelona defense has taken a step back. New additions Joao Cancelo and Inigo Martinez haven't made the team better, while the loss of Sergio Busquets took the back four's greatest shield away. Individual performances have waned, too, with ter Stegen going back to frustrating fans. And recently, star center back Ronald Araujo has been responsible for some negative results, including a head-scratching red card in the Champions League crumbling vs. PSG. Make no mistake, Araujo is one of the most talented players in world foo...
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The player even Barcelona need to stop underrating
30Apr By Kevin ParviziNo Comments
Features, LaLiga

The player even Barcelona need to stop underrating

On the one hand, Barcelona will be disappointed with their 2023/24 season, as they have fallen far behind Real Madrid in the LaLiga title race after pretty handily winning the league last year. Perhaps just as bad, Barcelona were humiliated by PSG in the Champions League knockout stages, making it yet another season in which the Blaugrana failed to deliver on Europe's elite stage. They blew a 3-2 lead and were taken down 4-1 in the second leg. But amidst all the negativity, there are some positives for Barcelona to take away, specifically the emergence of a few more excellent young players. Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsi have understandably soaked up much of the plaudits as teenagers who already look like elite players in LaLiga. Yet it seems like even Barcelona are underrating y...
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Barcelona can’t make the same Pedri mistake with Lamine Yamal
30Apr By Kevin ParviziNo Comments
Features, LaLiga

Barcelona can’t make the same Pedri mistake with Lamine Yamal

Barcelona right winger Lamine Yamal has been one of the biggest breakout stars in world football this season, following in the footsteps of a handful of world-class youngsters in Catalunya who have taken LaLiga by storm over the last several years. Yamal already looks like the future face of Barcelona, with PSG reportedly keen on signing the teenager to a 200 million euro offer, presumably to pair with another former Barca star in Ousmane Dembele as future Real Madrid man Kylian Mbappe's replacement. Instead, Barcelona are standing firm on keeping Yamal, which is music to the ears of Culers. Although many players are for sale at the Camp Nou, the likes of Yamal are too priceless to ever part ways with and should be building blocks of the team for the next decade to come. Pedri sta...
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Aston Villa might actually have the Premier League Player of the Season
29Apr By Kevin ParviziNo Comments
Features, Premier League

Aston Villa might actually have the Premier League Player of the Season

Since Liverpool, Arsenal, and Manchester City are competing for the Premier League title, much of the conversation regarding the Player of the Season race has centered around Mohamed Salah, Bukayo Saka, Rodri, Phil Foden, and now Kai Havertz. But perhaps the Premier League Player of the Season is starring for another club in the top four, Aston Villa. Because when assessing the overall impact one player is having on a team, Ollie Watkins just might be in a league of his own. Watkins has been one of the best strikers in European football this season and has arguably usurped Harry Kane as the most well-rounded No. 9 on the planet in 2023/24. Thanks to Watkins' 19 goals and 12 assists, Aston Villa are obtaining an even firmer grip on the fourth and final Champions League qualificatio...
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Manchester United’s biggest flop of the season is no surprise
29Apr By Kevin ParviziNo Comments
Features, Premier League

Manchester United’s biggest flop of the season is no surprise

Manchester United dropped more valuable points over the weekend in Premier League action, drawing lowly Burnley 1-1 to keep themselves in sixth place and a whopping 13 points behind Aston Villa in the fourth and final Champions League slot. It has been a season full of disappointments at an individual level, to the point where even if Manchester United decide to keep Erik ten Hag around as manager, the Dutchman would be far from their biggest problem. Marcus Rashford has been massively disappointing in 2023/24 after scoring 17 goals last season to tie a career-high, but he isn't the only big name underperforming at Old Trafford this season. Raphael Varane and even former Real Madrid teammate Casemiro haven't been at their best standard, Antony has looked like a huge waste of money...
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The Real Madrid star every other top manager is jealous of
29Apr By Kevin ParviziNo Comments
Features, LaLiga

The Real Madrid star every other top manager is jealous of

Real Madrid are back to their sparkling best in the 2023/24 season, as they are running away with the LaLiga title and are through to the semifinals of the Champions League after dethroning defending champions Manchester City on penalties. So many players have stood out for Real Madrid this season, with English superstar Jude Bellingham soaking up much of the applause in his first season at the Santiago Bernabeu, thanks to a staggering 17 goals from a midfield position. While Bellingham is indeed Real Madrid's best midfielder right now, the margin between him and some of his teammates is actually close than the goals scored total would indicate. Fede Valverde has been one of the best midfielders in LaLiga since the 2019/20 season when Zinedine Zidane started utilizing the Uruguaya...
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Barcelona’s biggest flop of the season is obvious
29Apr By Kevin ParviziNo Comments
Features, LaLiga

Barcelona’s biggest flop of the season is obvious

Barcelona have disappointed in the 2023/24 season, as they are nowhere near Real Madrid in the LaLiga title race after winning the league quite handily in 2022/23. In the Champions League, Barcelona suffered another ignominy, blowing a 3-2 lead on aggregate at the Camp Nou by losing 4-1 to Kylian Mbappe's PSG. There are more questions than answers surrounding Barcelona as the club gears up for an important summer transfer window, as Xavi will remain in charge of the team despite groans from the fanbase. Barcelona made a number of mistakes in the last summer transfer window, but their biggest mistake was undoubtedly thinking that Oriol Romeu would be an adequate replacement for Sergio Busquets. Often disrespected because of his age and lack of pace, Busquets was the underappreci...
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The Real Madrid legend who secretly dominated Bayern Munich in the famous 4-0 victory
29Apr By Kevin ParviziNo Comments
Features, LaLiga

The Real Madrid legend who secretly dominated Bayern Munich in the famous 4-0 victory

As Real Madrid and Bayern Munich prepare to face off in the Champions League semifinals on Tuesday night, April 30, at the Allianz Arena, many fans of both clubs are looking back at the historic rivalry between these two powerhouses, which has often been referred to as the "European Clasico". One of the most famous and shocking matches between these two elite clubs came on Tuesday, April 29 in 2014 when Real Madrid traveled to Bavaria to face Bayern Munich in the second leg of a Champions League semifinal that they were leading 1-0. Real Madrid went out there and put on a counterattacking masterclass, with Carlo Ancelotti thoroughly getting the better of Pep Guardiola as GOAT-tier stars Cristiano Ronaldo and Sergio Ramos picked up braces. Cristiano and Ramos were undoubtedly the s...
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Manchester United want to sign two rising Premier League center backs
28Apr By Kevin ParviziNo Comments
Features, Premier League

Manchester United want to sign two rising Premier League center backs

Manchester United will be the biggest buyers in the center back market this coming summer, because they will move on from veterans Harry Maguire, Raphael Varane, Victor Lindelof, and Jonny Evans in a thorough cleaning of the house. While Varane is still a capable player, the Frenchman's contract is running out, and his skills at the highest level are cleary declining. Varane can barely get on the pitch, and Manchester United know the time is right to move on. Only Lisandro Martinez fits the profile of a top-class, young center back who can start for Manchester United for the next several years. The task, then, for the Red Devils is to find two more center backs who fit that profile, as the central defensive positions are becoming even more coveted in the modern game; it takes thre...
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