All posts by n8rngtd.top

Bayern Munich earned another memorable victory over Barcelona, this time beating the Spanish club 2-0 on Tuesday.

Barcelona took Bayern Munich's star this summer, but the German club continue to torment the Blaugrana with or without Robert Lewandowski.

Talk of a new era, spurred on by the Lewandowski signing, will be put on hold, even if the Catalans were much better this time around than they have been in recent meetings. They were actually in control for much of the first half, but were far too wasteful in front of the net.

From the famous 8-2 to a pair of 3-0 results last season, Bayern Munich have humbled Barcelona in recent years, and Xavi's team were quieted once again at the Allianz Arena.

Lucas Hernandez seized the momentum with a header early in the second half, while an absolutely dazzling finish from Leroy Sane sealed Barcelona's fate.

• Getty Images
  

  The Winners

  Dayot Upamecano:

  A wall. An absolute wall.

  What a performance from the French defender, who was handed the start over Matthijs de Ligt. He paid back Julian Nagelsmann in a big way.

  Upamecano was virtually faultless, going toe-to-toe with his former team-mate Lewandowski all day. He snuffed out several clear-cut chances, essentially saving the game several times before Bayern Munich's attack turned on.

  He was often criticised in his first season with Bayern Munich, but he's a key man now.

  Leroy Sane:

  What can you say about that goal?

  It's moments of magic like Sane's that get fans out of their seats, and boy did they rise at the Allianz. Sane can do things that few in the world can match.

  There's something special about seeing him in full stride, although Barcelona won't feel as happy to have witnessed it. As he ran straight through Barcelona's new-look defence, all they could do was chase what must have felt like a shadow.

  And as Sane tapped his shot past Marc-Andre Ter Stegen and into the back of the net, the game was effectively over.

  The Bayern Munich way:

  The players and coaches change, but the results sure don't. Bayern are Bayern, no matter who wears the shirt.

  Lewandowski was on the other side, but it didn't matter. Bayern Munich had others pick up the slack.

  As Gary Lineker once famously said, "Twenty-two men chase a ball for 90 minutes and at the end, the Germans always win."

  No one better exemplifies that than Bayern Munich – when you come to their home, you know what you're in for. It may not have been as dominant in as years past, but it was equally effective.

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  The Losers

  Robert Lewandowski:

  This wasn't the homecoming he dreamed about.

  Lewandowski was all smiles before the match, greeting his former team-mates in the tunnel. He embraced Manuel Neuer, Thomas Muller and Joshua Kimmich, players who stood alongside him as he became arguably the best in the world.

  But, playing in his former home, Lewandowski didn't look like the best in the world. Instead, he looked oddly human.

  Lewandowski was uncharacteristically wasteful, even if he was as dominant as usual when it came to chance creation.

  Chances were missed and moments were wasted, as Lewandowski and Barcelona were never able to seize control of the game, even if they should have.

  Marcos Alonso:

  For 45 minutes, Alonso demonstrated exactly why Barcelona signed him from Chelsea. He looked like the stopgap everyone expected to be, an exceptional left-back to bridge the gap from Jordi Alba to the next generation.

  One moment of negligence doesn't lose him that status, but it did contribute to Barcelona losing the game.

  It was a mental lapse that those that follow Chelsea would be familiar with. With the game still scoreless after a strong Barcelona first half, Alonso completely turned off for a set piece.

  Lucas Hernandez dashed in, and Alonso was left defending no one. Completely free with his header, it was an easy finish for the French World Cup winner.

  Ousmane Dembele:

  Dembele has played himself into a different stratosphere this year, becoming one of the most dangerous wingers in the world. Becuse of that, the expectations are now higher.

  World-class wingers aren't allowed to be as wasteful as Dembele was because, wow, was he wasteful. Dembele gave the ball away time and time again as Barcelona's attack lacked the needed edge in the final third.

  Raphinha, Ansu Fati, Ferran Torres… Barcelona can survive a day when they aren't at their best. But, at this point, they can't win these big games unless Dembele is an absolute killer, and he simply wasn't on Tuesday night.

• Getty Images
  

  Barcelona Ratings: Defence

  Marc-Andre Ter Stegen (5/10):

  Absolutely undone by Sane, but so was the entire Barcelona defence.

  Marcos Alonso (5/10):

  Solid, except for one moment, but it was the one moment that counted.

  Andreas Christensen (7/10):

  Didn't do much wrong and won every duel he was a part of.

  Ronald Araujo (6/10):

  Nothing spectacular.

  Jules Kounde (6/10):

  Played at right-back. Not much offensively, but was okay in defence.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images
  

  Midfield

  Pedri (7/10):

  What a player he is. Deserved at least one or two goal contributions. Arguably Barcelona's best man – though he should have finished better.

  Sergio Busquets (6/10):

  Started over Kessie, was good on the ball, but did have a few scary moments as Bayern Munich overran the midfield.

  Gavi (7/10):

  All intensity as a new contract nears. Fantastic on the ball, but was sacrificed after the goals.

After crashing out of the Champions League, Los Blancos will be surveying their options for a new manager with plenty of candidates available…

Real Madrid's three-year reign as Champions League holders is over after a shock loss to Ajax and that result has cast increasing doubt over the future of coach Santiago Solari. 

The Spanish giants are no stranger to a swift managerial switch and there are plenty of candidates currently available should Solari get sacked – be it now or at the end of the season.

Here are just some of the coaches Real Madrid could be considering…

• Getty Images
  

  1Jurgen Klopp

  Widely considered as one of the best coaches in the world, Jurgen Klopp is exactly the kind of Galactico appointment that would help Real Madrid re-energise the dressing room.

  A man motivator as well as a tactical genius, he has turned Liverpool into genuine title contenders for the Premier League following the Reds' impressive journey to the Champions League final last season.

  Klopp would be an expensive option for Madrid due to the fact his contract at Anfield runs until 2022. However, Klopp is fully aware that there is likely to be speculation over his future this summer even if he can bring silverware back to Merseyside.

  "In the summer, there will be people who say it's the best time for me to go if we win something because we will never win anything again, there will be other people who say I have to go if we don't win anything," he told in December.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  2Clarence Seedorf

  Among the candidates to replace Lopetegui, Seedorf was ultimately overlooked but clearly still has his eyes set on coaching them one day.

  “The fact that I have been among the options is already a great honour for me," Seedorf told Goal in March.

  "I feel like a place that is my home, where I wasn't treated good, but more than good. Always. 

  “Returning one day would be an honour for me…"

  Seedorf was appointed Cameroon's manager in August last year but has won just one of his first five games in charge. 

  He began his coaching career with AC Milan in 2014 and despite impressing was replaced by Filippo Inzaghi after just four months. 

• Getty Images
  

  3Mikel Arteta

  Mikel Arteta very nearly became Arsenal manager last summer and a move back to his home country may be in the works before long. Arteta has spent the last few years learning from Pep Guardiola at Manchester City and if he has picked anything up from him he could become an incredible manager one day.

  As a student of Guardiola, Arteta would likely promote an attacking possession-based style which would please Madrid's very demanding fans.

  One sticking point, though, could be Arteta's history as a player with Barcelona.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty
  

  4Claudio Ranieri

  From being sacked by Fulham to Real Madrid manager?

  It would be an extraordinary turn of fortunes for Ranieri, who was never really given a chance to implement his style at Craven Cottage, but crazier things have happened – Leicester City winning the Premier League for example.

  Having previously coached in Spain with Atletico and Valencia, the Italian knows the region well.

  Considering he was able to turn the Foxes into Premier League winners, it would be interesting to see what he could do with Real as they currently are. 

  Ranieri may be a long shot, but having coached over 1000 games, his experience can't be questioned. 

Dead-ball specialists are an important part of the modern game, with Goal having uncovered the cream of that particular crop over the past decade

• Getty Images
  

  =10. Philippe Coutinho

  Seven free-kick goals spread over spells at Inter, Liverpool and Barcelona.

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  =10. Christian Fuchs

  Seven free-kick goals spread over spells at Bochum, Mainz, Schalke and Leicester.

• Getty Images
  

  =10. Wayne Rooney

  Seven free-kick goals spread over spells at Manchester United and Everton.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images
  

  =10. Aleksandar Kolarov

  Seven free-kick goals spread over spells at Lazio, Manchester City and Roma.

Plenty have been calling for Tottenham Hotspur to appoint Marcelo Bielsa as Jose Mourinho’s successor this week…

What’s the word?

The ‘Special One’ was sacked after 17 months at the helm, with former midfielder Ryan Mason taking the reins until the end of the season, when Daniel Levy will look to appoint a permanent replacement.

Several names have been linked with the vacant role, ranging from mooted number one target Julian Naglesmann to Brendan Rodgers and even Athletic Bilbao’s Marcelino, but it is Bielsa’s name which is on the lips of many.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, Dean Windass claimed the Leeds United boss “would be the one on the lips of Daniel Levy” and he’s not the only one thinking this.

Former Spurs midfielder Jamie O’Hara stoked the fire even more when he told talkSPORT: “I think he’d be absolutely brilliant and the fans would love him. If you can try and prise him away form there it’d be unbelievable.”

Meanwhile, according to Tony Cascarino in his column for The Times, Bielsa “could regenerate Tottenham”.

Could ruin Kane

The 65-year-old is a very intriguing option to consider, but there must be a few question marks over whether or not he’s actually the right fit for Levy and Tottenham.

He has exceeded expectations at Elland Road and has delivered a strong maiden season back in the Premier League, especially as he’s largely been deploying what is the bulk of his Championship title-winning squad.

They sit tied on points with Arsenal in 10th place and have won away to Manchester City and Leicester, who occupy two of the top three spots.

Mauricio Pochettino is a huge admirer of his, having played under him at Newell’s Old Boys. “For me, he’s a person I will always admire,” revealed the former Spurs manager. “He’s a genius. A person with charisma and a personality very different from us normal coaches, and that’s what makes him special.”

However, the bulk of this success has come down to the 65-year-old’s philosophy – a relentless press, the mantra of putting the side before self, and working on the method before the result.

This means a lot of work is put into training, such as his ‘murderball’ sessions which Leeds’ top scorer Patrick Bamford recently described as “about ten times harder than a [Premier League] game.”

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-spurs-manager-transfer-news-and-rumours” title=”Read this week’s latest Spurs manager news, transfer rumours and more!”]

It’s also claimed that Bielsa’s teams suffer from burnout in the final thirds of the season due to built-up fatigue because his high-intensity system places such serious physical demands on the players.

Ultimately, this may well spell serious trouble for Harry Kane, who suffered another ankle injury this week.

In 2019, BT Sport presenter Gary Lineker expressed his fears over the England skipper in an interview with Goal. He said: “It is always a worry when you get a recurring injury and there is clearly a little weakness in there,” adding: “The more you do it, the more you worry the weakness will become a problem.”

Given Bielsa’s ruthless training sessions, let alone his intense pressing from the front in matches, you’d have to have major concerns over the 27-year-old talisman if the Argentine replaces Mourinho.

Spurs rely heavily on the goalscoring and creative exploits of Kane; he has accounted for 60.7% of their 54 league goals this term through either scoring or setting them up.

There’s one other factor which should put Bielsa down the pecking order, as his Leeds side has often suffered from profligacy. Despite winning the Championship last term, the Whites ranked amongst the five worst teams for goal conversion at just 12.5%.

That hasn’t really risen in the Premier League, with Leeds only converting 8.1% of their 614 shots at goal, as per Transfermarkt. In some games they find the net three, four, even five times, but in others they draw a serious blank despite creating so many chances – Kane could well suffer as a result of that, too.

If Levy listens to the aforementioned calls, then he would risk ruining his superstar striker. As good as Bielsa is, he just isn’t the right man to replace Mourinho in N17.

AND in other news, Levy would be appointing Mourinho 2.0 in “stubborn” 62 y/o flop…

Having previously signed Naby Keita from RB Leipzig, Liverpool could potentially be looking to sign another of the German club’s midfielders in the form of Marcel Sabitzer.

The Austrian has long been linked with a move to Anfield among other clubs in the Premier League, and has now conceded that he could “imagine” a switch to the English top flight at some point in the future.

He could be the perfect addition to Jurgen Klopp’s squad on Merseyside.

Since arriving at the Red Bull Arena from Rapid Vienna, Sabitzer has established himself as one of the most consistent midfield operators in the German top flight and indeed Europe.

He has made 137 Bundesliga appearances, scoring 30 goals and providing 26 assists, with seven of those strikes coming during the 2020/21 season alone. As a matter of fact, Sabitzer has not scored fewer than five goals in a single campaign since his breakthrough season with Admira Wacker in 2010/11 – remarkable consistency for a midfielder.

The Austrian has also made a further 21 appearances in the Champions League, again proving to be an extremely accomplished player on the European stage. Rated at £37.8m by Transfermarkt, whichever club elects to move for Sabitzer would certainly be getting a midfielder of supreme quality.

That is where Liverpool could come in. Heading into 2021/22, the Reds could potentially need a midfield player.

Georginio Wijnaldum looks set to depart upon the expiry of his contract in June, whilst the ever-reliable James Milner may not be able to contribute as much at the age of 35.

Sabitzer has also had a huge impact against English clubs in the past, having won three out of six meetings against Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, racking up two goals and an assist in the process.

Having previously signed fellow midfielder Keita from RB Leipzig, the Reds should certainly try to profit from that relationship once again and make a move for Sabitzer as soon as this summer, especially with the Austrian soon to be in the final year of his contract.

AND in more news, Fabrizio Romano has revealed the huge mistake that FSG and Michael Edwards could be making this summer…

Goal takes a look at a selection of big-name stars performing at the World Cup who could be making a move this summer

• Getty Images
  

  Antoine Griezmann – Atletico Madrid

  Antoine Griezmann has been a wanted man for at least the past 18 months. Manchester United have been long-standing suitors, with the Old Trafford club favourites to finally land the Atletico Madrid forward this summer.

  A switch to the Premier League looked likely last year though failed to materialise, while Barcelona and Real Madrid have now both entered the race for his signature.

  The Frenchman insists his transfer plans will be revealed in the near future, but a move, if there is to be one, will happen following the World Cup in Russia.

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  Toby Alderweireld – Tottenham

  Contract talks between Toby Alderweireld and Tottenham are still ongoing, with the two parties so far unable to agree on the situation at hand.

  The Belgian has been integral to Mauricio Pochettino at Spurs but was limited to just 12 Premier League starts last season because of an injury which subsequently saw him lose his place in the side to Davinson Sanchez. 

  Now, as Alderweireld enters the final year of his deal at Tottenham, Manchester United looks a very possible destination for the defender. Spurs do have an option to extend the 29-year-old's contract, though in doing so they activate a £25 million ($33.5m/€28.5m) releasue clause in his contract.

• Getty
  

  Michy Batshuayi – Chelsea

  Michy Batshuayi ended the 2017-18 on loan at Borussia Dortmund, scoring seven goals in 10 Bundesliga outings before an injury cut his campaign short. 

  Now the Belgium forward has a question to answer;  does he stay at Stamford Bridge and attempt to start over, or will he leave the west London club permanently?

  A number of Ligue 1 clubs have attempted to sign Batshuayi in the last year, but whether a return to Dortmund under new boss Lucien Favre is possible is yet to confirmed.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images
  

  Thibaut Courtois – Chelsea

  Having spent three years in Madrid while on loan at Atletico, and with his children still living in the Spanish capital, a return to spain with Real is naturally on the mind of Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Coutois. 

  The Belgium shot-stopper has made no secret of his desire to return to the city in which he started a family, and with Real Madrid actively hunting a long-term No.1 to replace Keylor Navas between the sticks, the 26-year-old fits the bill. 

  Courtois is into his final year of his five-year deal at the club, though talks are ongoing. 

A number of Glasgow Rangers fans have been reacting to an announcement from the club confirming they have met with fans and key influencers ahead of the Old Firm clash this weekend.

The Gers face their local rivals this coming weekend in the Old Firm derby. The match itself does not have much riding on it – the Ibrox outfit have already been confirmed as champions while Celtic are set to finish in a very distant second place. However, after thousands of Gers fans took to the streets to celebrate the title triumph, breaking lockdown regulations in the process and attracting the ire of First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, there are worries that such scenes could be repeated.

The Gers appear to be doing all they can to avoid such a situation. On Tuesday, they confirmed that they had met with key supporters groups and influencers to urge them to stay at home around the clash at Parkhead.

The statement was shared on the club’s official Twitter account, and these fans took to the social media platform to share their thoughts.

Let’s see what the Rangers fans had to say about the statement below

“Getting sick of hearing this, we weren’t going down regardless”

Credit: @KyleMc_

“I don’t genuinely think there was a real desire for our support to attend on Sunday but we are right to do everything we can to show we are united on this front.”

Credit: @TheLoudenTavern

“Fortunately it looks like most fans are in agreement: no-one was planning on heading there anyway. That said, I’ll be so very annoyed and frustrated if we see any #RangersFC fans at Parkhead this Sunday.”

Credit: @AliHunter1

“Pretty sad that the club need to tweet such things to prove to the SNP they are doing their bit publicly.”

Credit: @rangersbadge

“Sturgeon is milking this eh, almost as if it’s a nice distraction from her party’s lies and deception that happen on a daily basis…”

Credit: @King1Scott

“I would like to say to our fans and supporters worldwide that We Are The people and it I key that we celebrate the team and it’s accomplishments from the safety of our own homes. The players, management and staff all know the fans are with them in spirit, and rightly so.”

Credit: @MacGerrard_

In other news, many Rangers fans slam this Union Bears statement.

Sunderland fans are gutted after it was revealed on-loan forward Jordan Jones is a major doubt for the EFL Trophy final due to injury.

The Black Cats will travel to Wembley on Sunday to play Tranmere in the EFL Trophy final. They have defeated Carlisle United, Aston Villa U21, Oldham Athletic, Port Vale, Milton Keynes Dons and Lincoln City to get this far, and they will be hoping to pick up some silverware as they attempt to earn promotion to the Championship.

However, they may be without 26-year-old Jones for the clash. Since joining on a temporary basis from Rangers until the end of the season, he has scored twice and provided three assists in nine league matches (Transfermarkt) and has impressed. He will face a fitness ahead of the match.

The news was shared on Twitter by journalist James Hunter, and it attracted plenty of attention from the Sunderland supporters. They took to the social media platform to share their thoughts.

Let’s see what the fans had to say about the Jones news below

“Jones will be a big miss but good news for Grant Leadbitter will be in the squad.”

Credit: @bamgboyeolu

“Typical. Just as it was all going so well…”

Credit: @joey_burton_

“Heartbroken ain’t the word”

Credit: @ChazUrwin

“Jones would be a miss. I’d bet on Hume on the bench”

Credit: @richy_choc

“Be a big blow if he does miss out. That said, we need him for the run in so I wouldn’t take any risks.”

Credit: @StewHellens

“I knew things were going a little too well n something like this was due”

Credit: @LiamKirby16

In other news, Sunderland fans slammed this man against Portsmouth.

Lucas Moura has found himself on the fringes of Tottenham Hotspur’s first-team squad at times this season, perhaps due to the competition for places on the wing in Jose Mourinho’s side.

The former PSG man has also struggled for form; having averaged a disappointing 6.34 rating across his 17 appearances in the top-flight, although 12 of those appearances have come from the bench, with Mourinho often preferring Steven Bergwijn on the right-hand side.

However, the Brazilian showed in his performance against West Brom that he can still be an influential player with the North London club, as he earned a solid 6.9 rating from SofaScore for his display against the Baggies, contributing his first assist of the Premier League season by playing in Heung-Min Son for Spurs’ second goal of the afternoon.

The 28-year-old was deployed as an attacking-midfielder by Mourinho and he looked far more dangerous in his new position, as it allowed him to pick up the ball in central areas and run at the Baggies defence, which led to Son’s goal in the second half.

Moura would also play two key passes during the game against Sam Allardyce’s side, which is a serious improvement on his season average of just 0.2 key passes per game in the Premier League.

The Brazilian took the fight to the Baggies constantly, trying to inject that extra little bit of speed from central areas, with West Brom having to foul him four times – more than any other Spurs player.

And despite the rough treatment, Lucas just got up and dusted himself off, winning seven of his 13 duels, which again was the most of any player in a white shirt.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-spurs-news-and-rumours” title=”Read the latest Spurs news, transfer rumours, injury latest and more!”]

While Moura has done well in the Europa League so far this season (he scored three and made one in the group stages), his performances in the Premier League have been far too inconsistent, and according to WhoScored, his 7.17 rating against the Baggies was his second-best in the top-flight this season, with only his goal-scoring performance against Newcastle earlier on in the season rated higher.

Spurs have been far too reliant on Harry Kane and Son to create chances in their side at times this season, so deploying Moura as an attacking midfielder, where he can get more involved, could prove to be a game-changer for Mourinho, with the Portuguese manager under pressure after a poor run of recent form.

Other than Kane and Son, no Spurs player has averaged more than one key pass per game in the Premier League this season, which emphasises that Moura was influential against West Brom last weekend, and this new position could be the key to unlocking the 28-year-old, who has never really consistently contributed goals and assists in this Tottenham side.

It will be interesting to see if Moura, who earns £80k per week at Tottenham, continues to feature in this new position in Spurs’ upcoming fixtures. If Mourinho sticks with this little tactical tweak for the Brazilian, it could prove to be a real game-changer as the north London side find another dangerous outlet outside of the familiar double act of Son and Kane.

And, in other news… “It’s pointless” – Exclusive: Pundit drops verdict on Dele Alli’s Spurs future

Tottenham Hotspur are back in Premier League action this lunchtime as they look to bounce back from midweek heartache with a trip to rock-bottom Sheffield United.

And Jose Mourinho heads to Bramall Lane with an encouraging and timely injury boost…

What’s the latest?

Speaking ahead of the encounter in his pre-match press conference, the 57-year-old revealed that he has Steven Bergwijn available for selection, having missed their last two outings in all competitions.

When asked if the Dutch winger was good to go against the Blades, he told reporters, via football.london:

“Yeah, he was ill. He was ill the week before, the week of Marine, and then he trained with the team only one day, which was the day before we played Fulham.”

Selection nightmare

Whilst this serves as hugely positive news, it does, however, hand Mourinho a fresh selection headache for that right-wing spot in his starting XI.

Against Marine, he turned to Lucas Moura, who had a pretty good game by all accounts, which was topped off by a sublime free-kick goal, but in the Fulham draw this week, Mourinho elected for a surprise pick in Moussa Sissoko on the flank.

That decision didn’t work out, as we’ve explained here, so it’ll give the Spurs boss a huge question – Moura? Erik Lamela? Gareth Bale? or Bergwijn?

Indeed, he could turn back to the Brazilian as he did not feature at all against the Cottagers, though Lamela’s return in midweek also poses an interesting option as he looked bright in a short 15-minute cameo.

Whilst Bale can’t be too far away from finally making an impact in the top-flight having started just one Premier League match since his sensational return to north London.

Meanwhile, Bergwijn is by no means guaranteed an instant return despite seemingly being the first-choice in the role.

Yes, he has started seven of his 11 appearances in the competition, but Mourinho revealed earlier in the month that he had “physical problems,” so he may not be risked from the off.

The 23-year-old has failed to score this term but has provided four assists, and as we outlined in this article, the wide man does so much more than what his statistics show.

After the win over arch-rivals Arsenal, Mourinho dubbed Bergwijn “incredible” despite failing to contribute to either of their two goals, which tells you all you need to know about the manager’s faith in him and whether or not he’s doing what’s asked of him.

It speaks volumes that Sissoko was played in the role just a few days ago even though both Lamela and Moura were available for selection, which is why Bergwijn’s return is a big boost for Mourinho and Spurs alike.

As you can see, the ‘Special One’ has plenty to mull over ahead of kick-off this afternoon.

We think the £25m Dutch winger will end up getting the nod, but don’t be surprised to see either Moura or the Argentinian start given Bergwijn’s fitness concerns.

AND in other news, £30m “disgrace” must be axed from starting XI vs Sheffield United…