Jeremy Osborne Real Madrid’s remarkable unbeaten streak last season saw much of the credit handed to Zinedine Zidane for his ability to make the right tactical decisions at the right times. However, one man who played a decisive role in that run without receiving as many plaudits as his manager was indeed Sergio Ramos. The combative Spaniard has taken full … Read more
After witnessing Diego Simeone thrive in La Liga despite the club’s penny-pinching habits in the transfer market for several years, it was inevitable that there would be a slump at some point and it is finally occurring this season. Even so, that is not meant to be any sort of criticism aimed at a club which is run by responsible … Read more
We have now become accustomed to Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher as pundits more so than the former footballers they actually are. While Neville made a name in the broadcasting side of the game following his retirement in 2011, few of us expected Carragher to closely challenge him in the Sky Sports studios a few … Read more
The current squad management at the Camp Nou has been short of the high standards many have come to expect. Even so, the Barcelona faithful can be given hope by the fact that several other big clubs around the continent have not been handling their business in an idle manner either. What has to be … Read more
Massimo Allegri’s disciplined approach to setting up his side has created an identity – in the eyes of some – that Juventus are a ‘defensive team’ which can be classified in a similar category to Atletico Madrid under Diego Simeone and the old Chelsea outfit put together by Jose Mourinho. The numbers certainly point towards Juventus being a team … Read more
The refreshing sight of a new team at the summit of the league table often opens the door for a debate about a new pecking order for years to come. Feyenoord are no tiny club but the past decade and a half has certainly not been kind to them and as the title drought continued, … Read more
Following the day Cesc Fabregas was unveiled as Chelsea’s new signing three years ago, almost all of his Arsenal ties have been tossed into the trash can. From the perspective of most fans of the Gunners, he has betrayed the club which nurtured him from a frail teenager into a midfield maestro and therefore any … Read more
The question of how the English quintet will fare in the Champions League next season is a tricky one since we are yet to witness how the summer transfer window will unfold. What happens in the transfer market will have a telling impact on the success of teams from the Premier League in Europe. But based … Read more
AS Monaco have been a flickering force in the French top flight and European football over the past two decades. At their highest, they were making an appearance in the 2004 Champions League final and when matters got excruciatingly low, the club suffered relegation from Ligue 1 in 2011. Monaco were previously labelled the Manchester … Read more
Even though Arsenal’s return to form has calmed some nerves, not all issues appear to have been addressed at the Emirates stadium. For a player the magnitude of Laurent Koscielny to enter the final year of his contract without much concern publicly shown by the club should be worrying for Arsenal fans. The likes of Mesut … Read more