During the last few years, we have seen many players swap back and forth between the Premier League and Major League Soccer. It is a truly endless journey of two leagues that could not be more different than one another, and there is a good reason why it happens: growth.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic frequently plays at being a conquerer, emperor and god while discussing his career. He’s discussed how his favorite movie is Gladiator, because he feels that, like Maximus Decimus Meridius, he will have his vengeance, in this life or the next.
“That’s how I felt, or wanted to feel,” said Ibrahimovic in his book, I Am Zlatan. “I wanted to stand up to the whole world and show everybody who’d doubted me who I really was, and I couldn’t imagine anyone who’d be able to stop me.”
The UEFA Team of the Year shortlist has been released. Most of the usual suspects are there (Manuel Neuer is a rather glaring omission). Lionel Messi is there. Neymar is there. Cristiano Ronaldo, Luis Suarez and Gareth Bale are there.
And, um, so is Joe Allen.
Yes that Joe Allen.
Give me hope Joe Allen pic.twitter.com/8HumWPwaNg
Eden Hazard keeps getting linked with bigger clubs, but the Chelsea attacker is happy where he's at right now.
In an interview with the Guardian, Hazard made his intentions clear: “If I ever leave, it’ll be after winning a championship.”
Let's start by saying that by no way or means do we endorse any sort of substance abuse. And yet, it is hard to argue with the argument Jurgen Klopp put forward when he was asked a question regarding Wayne Rooney reportedly being drunk at a wedding.
We haven't seen this much magic since J.K. Rowling wrapped up her 7-book series.
In a stunning last-minute victory, Tottenham scored two goals in four minutes to steal three points from West Ham in today's London Derby.
To be fair, it was two different Harrys who left West Ham standing around, stunned, looking like a bunch of muggles at the end of the match.
In the early minutes of the second half, it was 20-year-old Harry Winks who created some magic as he put away his first Premier League goal in his Premier League debut:
Steven Gerrard, 36, made it clear at the beginning of 2016 that it would likely be his last year as a player. That statement is now on the verge of coming true.
His contract with the Galaxy is up, and he’s announced that his MLS career is over. Gerrard, the former captain of Liverpool, has always been a larger than life figure. He could always be counted on to deliver at clutch moments, but he’s also been hindered by a sporting egotism that often left supporters feeling let down.
Dating back to December of 2004, it’s been a miserly stretch of 13 games for Arsene Wenger against his old nemesis, Jose Mourinho. It’s not just the inability to defeat the former Chelsea manager that must irk Wenger, but the style with which Mourinho has gone about stymying his Arsenal sides.
Apparently Pep Guardiola has forbidden his players from having sexy time after midnight, for fear that they won't get enough sleep.
This information comes from Samir Nasri, who spent a little time with Guardiola at Manchester City before being shipped off on loan to Sevilla.
This quote from Nasri, via the BBC, is beautiful: