The summer transfer window of 2017 saw plenty of money being tossed around between clubs, especially in the Premier League. But with big transfer prices come big expectations. We take a look at some of the main transfers of the Summer window and see if they managed to produce the goods for their teams this season, based on how a high school teacher might grade them.
The vast majority of leagues around the world right now are on the home stretch for the end of the season. Relegation battles are heating up, the Champions League and Europa League are at the pointy end of things and some leagues (Premier League and La Liga, we’re looking at you) are pretty much wrapped up at the top of the table.
Despite some owners and managers settling for mid-table mediocrity or a respectable top-half finish, others will not. Here are some managers that you can bet your bottom dollar will be coming to an unemployment line near you.
Usually when a new manager is introduced to a club, he or she likes to shake things up a little bit. In these five situations, though, the new manager shook things up more than anyone was expecting.
Here’s an argument against the Video Assistant Referee: having assistant referees that are 100% infallible. During Uruguay’s friendly against the Czech Republic today (it’s technically the China Cup), Edinson Cavani scored an absolute banger that, when watching live, looked miles offside.
We never give assistant referees enough credit when they greatly contribute to positive, attacking football, but the linesman absolutely nailed one of the most difficult calls in the game here, and now we have a memorable goal that stands to show for it.
Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Marco Verratti has issued an apology for his sending off against Real Madrid in the Champions League, but the Italian international isn’t entirely repentant for his actions — he’s convinced German referee Felix Brych wouldn’t have shown a second yellow card to someone like Lionel Messi in the same situation.
With PSG trailing Real 4-1 on aggregate in the 66th minute, Verratti won possession back for his side outside the opponent’s box. However, with three Real players quickly surrounding him, Verratti lost the ball while screaming for a foul.
Stephen Hawking, perhaps the most famous scientist since Albert Einstein, passed away Wednesday morning at the age of 76, a sad day for anyone who appreciates science (or the technologies science has given us, which is to say all technology). But on Wednesday afternoon, a tone-deaf Neymar Stephen Hawking tribute has us wondering if the Brazilian soccer star was mocking the British scientist.
Footballers aren't like regular humans. They live different lives, and operate in completely different planes of existence. To wit: in my capacity as a professional soccer jokester, I have never had to take to social media to deny wiping a booger on the shirt of a professional colleague. Not even at the company Christmas party.
Dani Alves, however . . .
One year ago, Barcelona came into the second leg of the Champions League round of 16 down 4-0 on aggregate to PSG. They left with a 6-5 aggregate scoreline after one of the silliest soccer games this professional soccer writer has ever seen. Sergi Roberto's goal broke PSG hearts and shuffled Barca into the quarterfinals to be beaten by eventual runners-up Juventus.
The real heroes here, though, are the referees. I seriously forgot how terrible both penalties Barcelona "won" were. Neither of those are fouls in a just universe.