The 2019-20 UEFA Champions League technical report was released online Monday, and the 108-page report contains a wealth of information including emerging trends, tactical innovations and a review of the competition that was ultimately won by a sensational Bayern Munich squad.
Champions League Group B was an easy one to predict with LaLiga champion Real Madrid and Serie A runner-up Inter Milan joined by the difficult-to-spell sides of Shakhtar Donetsk and Borussia Mönchengladbach, but we’re two match days in and both Real and Inter have yet to win.
João Félix bagged a brace for Atletico Madrid as they survived a scare to complete a 3-2 Champions League Group A victory over Red Bull Salzburg and kick-start their European campaign at the Wanda Metropolitano stadium on Tuesday.
Marcos Llorente had put Atletico ahead in the first half, but goals from Dominik Szoboszlai and Mergim Berisha swung the fixture in the favour of the visitors early in the second half.
It’s not getting any better than this for 19-year-old goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin and Shakhtar Donetsk — or is it?
Last Wednesday, Shakhtar travelled to the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano and pulled off an incredible 3-2 upset of 13-time European champion Real Madrid despite missing 10 players through a combination of injury and pandemic. That match marked a Champions League debut for Trubin, who recorded three saves.
MOSCOW — Bayern Munich's Joshua Kimmich volleyed in a 79th-minute winner on Tuesday as they battled past hosts Lokomotiv Moscow 2-1 in their Champions League Group A match to extend their winning run in the competition to 13 consecutive games.
Leon Goretzka headed them in front in the 13th minute but they squandered a string of chances to double their lead and also hit the post before Anton Miranchuk punished their wastefulness following a quick break from Ze Luis.
Everyone knows that goalkeepers are a different breed, and no one exemplifies this better than Watford keeper Ben Foster.
Foster lives on a 30-acre farm in the West Midlands of England, he trained as a chef before signing his first professional contract and he also hopes to live out his dream of becoming a cyclist when he retires.
Son Heung-min's prolific start to the season continued with his 76th minute header giving Tottenham Hotspur a 1-0 win at Burnley in the Premier League on Monday and moving Jose Mourinho's side up to fifth.
The South Korean was left unmarked at the back post to nod home his eighth league goal of the season after Harry Kane had flicked on an Erik Lamela corner to give Mourinho's side a third win in six games.
KANE SON
AC Milan and AS Roma drew 3-3 at the San Siro on Monday in a ridiculous match that included a brace for Zlatan Ibrahimović and a late Marash Kumbulla equalizer that only arrived after the 39-year-old Swede failed to clear a corner.
109 seconds into the match, Ibrahimović turned Rafael Leão’s beautiful cross beyond Antonio Mirante for an early lead.
Rafael Leão to Zlatan Ibrahimovic!
Ibra is now joint-top scorer in Serie A pic.twitter.com/FwzDaB7VmJ
There seems to be a growing consensus on social media that it’s job done after arriving at a European super club or that it’s only onwards and upwards for a player’s career from there. It’s hard not to get excited about CONCACAF footballers at some of the world’s biggest clubs, but it’s also worth remembering that the challenge really only begins once you get through the door.
Look at Alexander Hleb’s career after arriving at Barcelona or Christian Poulsen at Juventus for examples of dream moves turned into living nightmares.
Real Sociedad blitzed Huesca 4-1 at home on Sunday with two goals from Mikel Oyarzabal for a fourth straight win in all competitions to storm back to the top of LaLiga in style.
Spain forward Oyarzabal put the Basque side ahead with a penalty in the first half and restored their lead early in the second after Huesca forward Rafa Mir had headed in an equalizer.
Sociedad's Cristian Portu and Alexander Isak then put the game beyond the promoted side's reach with further strikes, both laid on by passes from David Silva.