In the space of a week, Manchester City has defeated Liverpool, Dutch champions Feyenoord and now Watford by a combined scoreline of 15-0. In those three matches, Argentinian striker Sergio Aguero has provided five goals and two assists, including a hat trick and an assist in Saturday’s 6-0 hammering of Watford at Vicarage Road.
Five years ago today, Thierry Henry clipped the meanest olimpico the world has ever seen. Kissing the post before nestling THE OLD ONION BAG, this was a corner straight from the training grounds of the gods.
There’s no defending it because it really shouldn’t be possible. The world has certainly lost the majority of its spice following Henry’s professional retirement.
FC Cologne hasn’t won the Bundesliga since 1978. They are currently ranked 122nd in the UEFA club rankings, and they’re the mighty Arsenal’s opponent in the Europa League tonight, something Gooner supporters have been mocked endlessly about by people who started supporting Manchester City or Chelsea in 2010.
30-year-old wunderkind manager Julian Nagelsmann will earn the plaudits for masterminding Hoffenheim’s 2-0 victory over Bayern Munich on Saturday, but another precocious young individual has also made the headlines for his performance in the match: 13-year-old ball boy Umut Tohumcu, who was making his debut in the role.
You’ve sat down for a Champions League match and seen/heard the unmistakable introduction before: the anthem plays (“These are the chaaampions!”) and the video pans over a fictitious stadium with a roof made of stars and a capacity of something like two million.
The hype surrounding Barcelona midfielder Carles Alena has been slowly building for some time now. Alena joined La Masia as a 7-year-old, and it wasn’t long after that comparisons to Andres Iniesta began. Last season, Alena was pivotal in helping Barca B earn promotion to the Second Division A after appearing in 29 matches, scoring three goals and registering seven assists.
Who’s the greatest left back of all time? For most, the argument is between Brazilian legend Roberto Carlos and Italian icon Paolo Maldini. The two approached the position with entirely different styles, greatly complicating the debate. However, the two former players are both in agreement over who’s the best left back on the planet today, and that’s Real Madrid and Brazilian international Marcelo.
Belgium's latest qualifier was against Gibraltar (whose record now reads played seven, lost seven, conceded 33), so many are claiming that right back Thomas Meunier is the beneficiary of coming up against the worst international left back of all time. Still, any match in which a defender records a hat trick of both goals and assists should be roundly applauded.
Japan joined hosts Russia, Brazil and fellow AFC side Iran as the only countries to have booked their places at next summer’s World Cup finals after defeating Australia 2-0 in front of over 60,000 delirious supporters. This will be Japan’s sixth straight World Cup finals appearance.
Takuma Asano gave the Samurai Blue the lead in the 41st minute, and 21-year-old midfielder Yosuke Ideguchi secured the victory with this stunning goal in the 82nd. With only one matchday remaining in AFC qualifying, Australia’s road to Russia just got a lot more complicated.