Whether due to injuries or disciplinary issues, it is reported that the board of the Old Lady are already considering terminating the Frenchman’s contract to get his hefty wage bill off the books.
Pogba made over 120 appearances in his first spell at Juventus, scoring upwards of 25 goals in what by many was seen as the best stint of his career.
However, the second time around Allegri has not taken so kindly to Pogba. After returning for his first appearance of the season in the 4-2 triumph over Turin rivals Torino after a long injury layoff, it is reported that Allegri kept him out of the squad vs Freiburg in the Europa League for attitude problems.
This was after the France international supposedly reported to midweek training late which frustrated not only his manager but also his fellow teammates.
In Pogba’s absence, the Old Lady have risen to a respectable seventh place. Had they not been docked 15 points earlier in the season, they would sit in a much more respectable third place. They have therefore not missed the box-to-box presence of Pogba.
Instead, Allegri has decided to blood a number of youngsters into the team including Fabio Miretti, Nicolo Fagioli and Enzo Barrenechea in the centre of the park alongside more experienced heads in Adrian Rabiot and Manuel Locatelli.
All five of these players are having successful seasons in their own manner, especially Rabiot who has already hit ten goals for the season in a box-to-box midfield role.
When Pogba signed for the Old Lady it was believed he would once again establish himself as a key part of the squad but he has actually become a target for fans due to his off-field antics and the rise of three homegrown talents in midfield.
It is hard to deny that Juventus could still need Pogba for the remainder of the season though as they aim to get into the Champions League spots and win a competitive Europa League.
With Allegri now favouring a midfield three this could allow the more attack-minded Pogba to thrive. The best football the 30-year-old has ever played came with the national team where N’Golo Kante could cover for his defensive frailties.
With two midfield partners, Pobga could get into the attacking third more and his sometimes poor positioning would not be exposed as much with Locatelli there for cover.
The Frenchman is an expert at progressing the ball up the field whether with passes or dribbling. This could give Juventus another aspect in their game as at the moment the majority of the progression comes from wing-backs Filip Kostic and Juan Cuadrado.
In the next couple of weeks, Juventus will have to play without Pogba again after
These frequent injury woes have led to Pogba’s market value decreasing from £55 million to £35 million from 2022 to 2023 which is a staggering loss.
With Pogba now in his thirties, it should be his priority to get on the pitch and prove his critics are wrong about him not living up to his undoubted potential.
If he does continue his injury woes and poor disciplinary record then Allegri may decide his once-trusted midfielder is no longer needed at the Allianz Stadium.
Italian football is currently going through a tough financial period, therefore Pogba’s reported weekly wage of £150,000 may just be too much for the Old Lady to handle. A move to the MLS is already being mooted around.
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]]>Langstaff’s pair of goals now means that he is on a spectacular 39 for the season, just one off the National League record.
Notts County started very quickly on Saturday afternoon when a cut back from Aaron Nemane from the by-line found John Bostock who’s on target mishit cannoned off Will Smith’s head, all in the first minute.
All that early pressure by the hosts paid dividends in the eighth minute as Nemane slipped through Ruben Rodrigues down the right whose cross-cum-shot found left-wing back Adam Chicksen at the back post who fired into an empty net.
Soon after taking the lead, Notts County doubled it through a Ben Richards-Everton own goal after a corner was taken quickly with Langstaff finding space in the area and firing a shot that deflected off the defender and looped over the helpless goalkeeper.
The rest of the first period played out rather quietly except when the hosts could get Nemane on the ball down the right flank where the loanee could seemingly create chances out of nothing. After a cagey opening in the second 45, Langstaff got his customary goal in the 73rd minute with Matt Palmer starting the move with a brilliant drive before he slipped in substitute Sam Austin down the right, who crossed to Langstaff in the centre who emphatically headed home.
Three minutes later Langstaff had his 39th goal of the season after an impressive team move, culminating in Palmer crossing the ball across the six-yard box for Langstaff to tap home, sending the home crowd into delirium.
Although Langstaff added another two goals to his tally this season he will no doubt be disappointed to have not matched the 40-goal National League record. The striker had more than enough opportunities in a dominant second half to bring home the match ball.
With his double today, Langstaff has now scored in both games against the Irons as he notched a single strike in the reverse fixture at Glanford Park. He scored the third goal in an overwhelming 4-1 victory for the Magpies.
To say Notts County dominated the proceedings would be an understatement. The visitors did not even have a shot at goal and struggled to put at least three passes together throughout. The only thing the club had going for them today was a strong away fan following.
The 40-goal record is currently held by former Dover Athletic striker Ricky Miller who hit the milestone in the 2016/17 season. With six games to go however it doesn’t look like it will be his record for much longer.
Although in his debut season for the Magpies, it just felt as if it was a matter of time before Langstaff made it onto the scoresheet on Saturday afternoon.
In his first proper season of National League football after a successful period with National League North side Gateshead, he has more than proven that he is at home at this level.
It is easy to see why he has had such success at this level. He has old-school striking instincts and always manages to find space in the box such as his goals against Scunthorpe. This trait cannot go underestimated.
If the Magpies fail to earn promotion to League Two, then it will be a matter of time before he is snapped up by a team in the EFL who are looking to add more goals to their side.
With Jamie Vardy proving that there are chances for players to get to the top through the National League, the 26-year-old striker must harbour hopes of making it to those heights one day.
The Englishmen was originally believed to be injured for this tie after leaving England C Team duties early, but he managed to play the whole 90 minutes vs Scunthorpe.
Langstaff was called up the England C squad this month due to his on-pitch success for his club side. The England C squad aims to give recognition to English internationals playing in the lower divisions at a semi-pro level.
Langstaff’s focus however will be on getting promotion for the Magpies this season as they grapple with Hollywood-backed side Wrexham.
With a huge 94 points this season, it will be tough to digest for manager Luke Williams if his side does not gain automatic promotion as that tally of points usually guarantees first place.
With a further six ‘finals’ to go for the Magpies they will need all the help from the passionate home crowd. Today that no doubt helped the team as a 22/23 National League record attendance of 16,086 spurred them on.
If Langstaff continues his rise, then it will only be a matter of time before he starts climbing up the footballing ladder along with this impressive Notts County side.
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]]>Currently just three points off high flying Wrexham in first place, victory here and a slip up by the Welsh side could give that boost to manager Luke Williams that is so desperately needed. It might just also swing the title charge in his side’s favour.
Notts County are currently unbeaten in four games and will be looking to take advantage of their excellent home form at Meadow Lane.
A disappointing 1-1 draw to Barnet last weekend away from home slightly dampened the mood for the Magpies faithful but expect them to be back in full voice this time around.
However Scunthorpe are coming off an impressive result of their own with a 4-1 thrashing of Wealdstone last Saturday.The Irons have not tasted victory away from home since the 25th of January though so any result here would come as a shock to National League fans.
In the reverse fixture played at Glanford Park, Notts County ran out 4-1 winners with four different goal scorers getting on the scoresheet including the ever impressive Macauley Longstaff.
Longstaff currently sits top of the scoring charts with a magnificent tally of 37 goals in league action alone. He is even ahead of the goalscorning sensation Paul Mullin, who plays for Wrexham and has hit an inferior 31 goals so far this season.
It would be unfair to Notts County to say Longstaff has got them to where they are this season but his goals have no doubt been a shining light for the Magpies in this spectacular year.
Longstaff will be expected to add to that tally against Scunthrope’s leaky defence and inspire the Magpies to another victory on home territory.
Notts County are one of the highest scorers in league play this season and expect them to add to this tally against a Scunthrope defence who have conceded a woeful 71 goals so far this term.
Add to the fact that Notts County have scored 97 goals in league play so far this season, the stats portray a game in which Notts County take the initiative and make their star quality count.
Scunthorpe have quality of their own however with Joe Nuttal, who has dragged his side out of tough situations on multiple occasions this season. It will be a difficult task for him on Saturday afternoon but never write anyone off in the National League.
Manager of the Iron’s, Jimmy Dean, will be aiming to come away from the game with a strong performance but at this stage of the season with only eight games to play and sat in 22nd place, points must be the priority.
On home soil and with the fans spurring them on, Notts County will aim to put the ball down on the floor, control possession and create as many clear cut opportunities as possible.
Meanwhile, it is probable that Scunthorpe will be happy to sit back, let their hosts have possession and counter attack on the break whenever possible.
With only one automatic spot to League One up for grabs, all league games for Notts County are like playing in a final. They will be eager to take all three points in this one.
With both sides desperate for points for differing reasons expect the passion on the pitch and on the sidelines to make for a special atmosphere on Saturday afternoon.
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]]>After taking the lead early on through Santiago Gimenez, Ajax hit back in the first half through another Mexican in Edson Alvarez and then Dusan Tadic.
Feyenoord fought back in the second half though with Sebastian Szymanski levelling the tie with Geertruida then getting the winner in the 84th minute.
This victory will come as no surprise to fans of the Dutch game though as Feyenoord have been rising steadily across the last couple of seasons through revered coach Arne Slot.
Slot inspired his side to third place last season as well as an impressive run to the inaugural final of the UEFA Conference League where they were unlucky not to beat a stern Roma side led by Jose Mourinho.
They had numerous chances in the final to get a result but just could not find the back of the net in what was a superb display.
The spine to that impressive team was dismantled in the summer with the likes of Luis Sinisterra, Marcos Senesi, Bryan Linssen, Tyrell Malacia, Frederick Aursnes and Cyries Dessers all moving onto pastures new.
Feyenoord decided to invest the money they recuperated for these outgoings in a range of unearthed talent with the likes of Danilo, David Hancko, Quinten Timber, Javairo Dilrosun and Oussama Idrissi all joining. Smart business indeed.
This makes it all the more impressive that Slot has taken his side to new heights this season. The tactician puts an emphasis on keeping the pitch as wide as possible in attacking situations while making sure every player is ready to work for the team out of possession.
Slot also likes his midfield players to push as high as possible when attacking and suffocate the opponents backline. This has led to Szymanski and influential captain Orkun Kokcu’s goal outputs drastically increasing.
Although they play a pleasing brand of football, Slot demands his players work for each other and don’t give up in tough situations which is why they have been so difficult to beat this term.
Slot is also a man manager expert as he has brought in out of form players in Idrissi, Dilrosun and Jahanbakhsh and has given them confidence which has led to brilliant on field results.
This emphasis on quick transitions was evident to see in Feyenoord’s recent dismantling of Shakhtar Donetsk in the Europa League. The midfield and front line wreaked havoc as they put seven past the Ukrainian side.
Now in the quarter finals, Slot has his chance to take revenge on last season’s Conference League winners Roma. This could be a cagey affair but Slot will aim to get a positive result at home where the hostile environment at De Kuip could give his side that extra push.
Domestically Feyenoord sit top of the pile, six points clear of Ajax. With a relatively easy run in, slot may just bring that elusive Eredivisie title back to the club since a Dirk Kuyt inspired side won it in 2016/17.
The success Slot has achieved both domestically and continentally has led to rumours that he is being courted by a number of top European clubs. Don’t be surprised to see Slot in the dugout of a Champions League side next season if he successfully brings the title to Feyenoord.
Although it will be difficult to achieve, Slot and Feyenoord are still on for a treble this season with league, cup and the Europa league all up for grabs. If he manages to bring home even one or two of these trophies, Slot will live long in the memories of the Feyenoord faithful. Only time will tell.
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]]>Since manager Carlos Carvalhall took over one key tactical change has been to drop Renato Tapia and instead play the 20-year-old Veiga alongside Fran Beltran in midfield in a 4-4-2 formation.
This setup plays to the midfielder’s strengths, handed licence to roam forward due to the more defensively-minded Beltran but Veiga also has the pace and stamina to quickly get back and help his team out defensively.
Although his goal output reads more like an attacking midfielder, it is clear when you watch Celta Vigo play, Veiga is more of a box-to-box player who enjoys the defensive side of the game as much as the attacking side.
Veiga has the typical technical traits of young Spanish players with his dribbling ability becoming an increasingly important aspect of Celta Vigo’s ball progression. Veiga is also neat and tidy with the ball at his feet which has led to the youngster building up an impressive partnership with captain Iago Aspas.
This feature of his game has drawn comparisons to Barcelona great Andres Iniesta who himself was an expert at progressing the ball with his passing and dribbling ability, just like Veiga is doing now.
What has surprised most fans this season about Veiga is his clinical edge in front of goal. So far in league play this season he has hit eight goals and a further three assists, establishing himself as one of his side’s most important players.
This clinical edge was there to see in his side’s recent 3-0 victory over relegation strugglers Real Valladolid. His first goal was a brilliant bottom-corner finish after a late run into the box while his second was another well-hit strike into the corner from a rebound.
Veiga’s wonderful form in February led the Spanish under-21 international to be handed the February La Liga player of the month award, gaining rightful recognition for his form.
A senior Spanish call-up for the midfielder cannot be far away but he will have his work cut out to get any national team minutes with young Barcelona duo Gavi and Pedri seemingly nailed-on starters for La Roja in midfield.
First on Veiga’s mind though should be to put a larger gap between Celta Vigo and the bottom three. They currently sit in 12th place but are only three points off 18th-placed Almeria. With a talented squad, it should be no problem for The Los Celestes to avoid a relegation scrap.
Veiga is a product of the Celta Vigo youth academy and was officially promoted from Celta Vigo B to the men’s team ahead of this season. At the age of 20 he may be seen as a late bloomer but instantly impressed on his promotion to the first team.
With Celta Vigo’s board clearly seeing something special in their midfield protege, they tied him down to a long-term contract up until 2026 which will make it financially harder for clubs circling to entice him out of Spain.
As with any young player nowadays, it is reported Premier League trio Manchester United, Newcastle United and Arsenal are all fighting for Veiga’s signature come the summer with a reported release clause of £35.5 million being mooted around.
However, Celta Vigo will do everything in their power to keep the midfield maestro at the Estadio de Balaidos for at least one more season.
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With the finalists of last year’s Champions League both struggling for consistency, this tie may prove to be a changing point in both sides’ seasons. Liverpool are currently sat eighth in the Premier League table while Real Madrid are behind runaway leaders Barcelona in La Liga.
After coming out victorious in the Club World Cup, Real Madrid will be high on confidence. With Karim Benzema rested during Saturday’s victory over Osasuna, Carlo Anchelotti will hope the knockout specialist is fit and firing for Tuesday’s clash.
Liverppol have a boost of their own with Virgil Van Dijk back in the starting XI and are currently in a good run of form with back to back 2-0 victories. With Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo starting to hit their stride, Real Madrid will have to be on their top defensive game.
Youngster Stefan Bajectic will have his work cut out in the midfield battle where the ageless Real Madrid duo Toni Kroos and Luka Modic await. However Ancelotti is not scared to mix it up with recent experiments seeing Dani Ceballos and Eduardo Camavinga starting over their older counterparts.
If last year’s final clash was anything to go by then Liverpool will be the instigators while Real Madrid will rely on the excellent Vinicius JR to carry the ball forward on the break. However the Anfield faithful will be ready to push their team over the line.
With both sides flying high domestically and playing attacking brands of football, this fixture could be one of the most exciting. The first leg takes place on Tuesday the 21st of February in Germany.
Napoli will try to take advantage of the excellent attacking duo, Victor Oshimen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to spur the team forward. Frankfurt have their own dynamic duo in Randal Kolo Muani and Jesper Lindstrom who have been pivotal to Oliver Glasner’s side since the start of the season.
Both teams have recently come off 2-0 victories and will want to continue that defensive form. Frankfurt plays a 5-2-3 while Napoli’s 4-3-3 has worked perfectly for the players at Spaletti’s disposal. The tactical battle is more than likely to be won in the final third where both teams excel.
With Luciano Spaletti wanting to bring back both the Scudetto and the Champions League to Naples he will be taking no chances in his team selection. After bringing back the Europa League last term any result here would further enhance the reputation of Glanser and his impressive Frankfurt machine.
One of the most open round of 16 ties will take place at the San Siro as Inter Milan host Champions League regulars Porto on Wednesday.
Both of these sides prioritise a solid defence over a free flowing attack with Inter lining up in a 5-3-2 and Porto lining up in a 4-4-2 which has worked well under head coaches Sergio Conceicao and Simone Inzaghi.
One player to watch will be Romelu Lukaku who has had a stop start season due to various injury problems. He did however get on the scoresheet vs Udinese on Saturday evening and will hope to further bolster his scoring record.
Inter will have their work cut out to get past this stern Porto team who are defensively strong but are also capable of playing nice football on the floor. With Mehdi Taremi leading the line, Porto will always have a chance no matter who they come up against. This one is tight to call.
After a thrilling 6-3 encounter in last season’s group stage, Man.City face their German rivals once again. With Leipzig’s array of attacking talent with the likes of Andre Silva, Timo Werner and Christopher Nkunku just to name a few they will always have a chance against the bigger teams.
With Man.City and Pep Guardiola struggling for consistency this season this could be the best time to face the English outfit. Meanwhile Leipzig have been scoring freely since the winter restart with a 6-1 hammering of Schalke standing out.
Under Marco Rose, Leipzig continued to play a pressing style of football with a focus on the centre of the pitch hence the use of the rarely seen 4-2-2 formation. Although unorthodox this formation clearly plays to their strengths of midfield dominance.
Man.City could line up in an array of formations but one thing for certain is that Erling Haaland will start up top. The marksman has scored five in Europe so far this term and will be eager to add to that tally in his old stomping ground, Germany.
With a star studded squad Man.City will always be the favourites to not just win this tie but the whole competition. However as we saw last year with Leipzig rattling City with their pressing and coming out with a 2-1 victory, they can cause an upset this Wednesday evening.
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]]>The club games most illustrious tournament has some mouth-watering ties with Paris Saint Germain vs Bayern Munich being the pick of the bunch. Expect the usual drama and controversy in the knockouts that have now become customary in the competition.
Last season’s Ligue 1 and Bundesliga champions will face each other at the Parc des Princes on the 14th of February in the biggest clash in the competition so far.
PSG boss Christoph Galtier will have his work cut out with key men Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi, Nordi Mukiele and Presnel Kimpembe all injury doubts.
With a lacklustre squad depth, Galtier may have to rely on the individual brilliance of Neymar to carve out any sort of result in this game.
This season PSG has prided themselves on a solid backline that is difficult to infiltrate and this should be the case again this time out.
Bayern Munich will not be happy with their domestic form going into this match as they are struggling to turn draws into wins. However, a recent 4-2 dismantling of Wolfsburg will give them confidence in facing PSG.
Coach Julian Nagelsman plays high-energy football with a reliance on the wingers to produce width in attacking situations. Creativity comes from the excellent Jamal Musiala, with the inform Erick Maxim Choupo-Moting in great goalscoring form.
With both sides having more difficult domestic seasons than anticipated, the Champions League could offer a much-needed distraction. This game could certainly be one for the ages.
AC Milan have not been used to knockout Champions League football in a while and with the team in horrendous form fans of the Rossoneri will demand a strong showing. Meanwhile, Tottenham have had a mixed season under Antonio Conte but still sit fifth in the Premier League.
Antonio Conte will expect to come away from the Italian city with nothing but a win and with star man Harry Kane having a memorable season, this could well be a simple task for the Londoners.
AC Milan boss Stefano Pioli is under immense pressure to get a result and please the board but with an odd team selection in their recent defeat to Inter Milan, Pioli will have to get his tactics spot on.
Mercurial talent Rafael Leao has seemingly fallen out with his coach, leading to being benched in the Milan derby. With the wingbacks seemingly a problem position for Conte, Leao will be eager to start and show his boss why he deserves to be the first name on the team sheet.
With AC Milan winless in seven and conceding goals easily any result here could lead to a confidence booster for the Italian side. Meanwhile, Conte and Spurs will be happy to go back to London with a draw and finish the job at home.
With Chelsea and Dortmund having never faced each other competitively this game may prove to be surprisingly entertaining.
This game is another clash of teams who have been underperforming on the domestic stage, with Chelsea currently sitting ninth and Dortmund a more impressive third.
With stars such as Benoit Badiashille and Pierre Emerick Aubameyang not even in Chelsea’s Champions League squad, Graham Potter simply must win this tie. Add in the £300 million of talent that arrived in January, and on paper this game looks like a victory for the Blues.
Chelsea have not got going this season though with Potter struggling to implement his free-flowing style of football at Stamford Bridge. With a home and away thrashing of AC Milan in the group stage maybe Potter can get his squad performing on the European stage.
With this game taking place at Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund can rely on their passionate fans to give them that extra level when facing Chelsea. With the excellent Jude Bellingham in midfield, Dortmund are more than capable of springing a surprise and getting a result heading back to England.
With Graham Potter constantly getting questioned this Wednesday 15th February could be an opportunity to silence the critics and spearhead a good run of domestic form.
Before the Champions League commenced, for one of these teams to reach the quarter-finals would have been seen as a major success. That is exactly what has happened.
Even with the loss of the talented Enzo Fernandez, Benfica come into this game being the overwhelming favourites. With a balanced style of play, Benfica have only lost one game all season and sit top of Liga Nos.
Spearheaded by World Cup sensation Goncalo Ramos, Benfica could well make this tie look easy.
Benfica’s opponents, Club Brugge, have hired a new coach in Scott Parker which has led to a new team identity with many of the players who got them into the knockouts now sitting on the sidelines. Currently, 21 points off the top spot in the League, Parker has his work cut out to keep the fans on his side.
After beating Bayer Leverkusen, Porto and Atletico Madrid, Benfica should be wary of their Belgian opponents but nonetheless are heavy favourites to get a result in Belgium.
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]]>With the dominance of the Premier League big hitters, other European clubs have had to settle for loan deals or cheaper fees for their targets.
With fellow Serbian Sasu Lukic leaving Torino for Premier League side Fulham, Torino pounced to get their hands on the ex Manchester City central midfielder.
Initially joining on a loan deal, Ilic will officially join in the summer for approximately £14 million. A big outlay for a club like Torino who traditionally rely on loan deals and free agents.
Ilic will provide Torino head coach Ivan Juric with a typical box to box option in the centre of the park. The Serbian is capable of progressing the ball extremely well as well as breaking up play to start attacks.
A player already accustomed to Ivan Juric and his style of play, Torino will hope to push further up the table and into the European spots for the first time in a decade with Ilic playing a pivotal role in midfield.
After joining Atalanta in 2019 the playmaker became a key cog in Gian Piero Gasparini’s entertaining Serie A side. However due to a supposed fallout with the manager Malinovski has decided to join Marseille.
With coach Igor Tudor playing a similar system to Atalanta’s, Malinovski should feel right at home playing in an attacking midfield role behind Alexis Sanchez. The technical maestro will also deliver danger from set pieces, which is always a valuable asset.
The Ukrainian will aim to propel the French club into the title race as PSG continue to stall. Once again this deal is initially on a loan but expect the number ten to join in the long run if he performs well.
Once of Augsburg, the German left back has recently become a bench player in the Eredivisie. He therefore was eager to move back home, with the opportunity to join Bundesliga title hunters Frankfurt too big to turn down.
The left back will offer an attacking outlet down the left hand side and will be a valuable alternative to the more defensive minded Christopher Lenz.
With the title race hotting up in the Bundesliga, Max could prove to be a decisive signing for the Frankfurt based club who will also have hopes of making the Champions League quarter finals.
With Bournemouth’s failed attempt to sign Nicolo Zaniolo, the southern based side have instead decided to sign the energetic midfielder Traore from Sassuolo. The club have signed the player on a loan deal with an obligation to buy for up to £20 million if certain conditions are met.
The Ivory Coast international has been an important player for the green and blacks since 2019 and will inject high energy play into Bournemouth’s lacklustre midfield.
Traore will also add versatility to the squad as he is also comfortable as a number ten or playing on the left side of midfield. With a relegation scrap to come in the future, Gary O’Neil will hope Traore will bring quality to the Cherries.
With Crystal Palace spending little money in the summer they have decided to spend £10 million on rising star Ahamada from Bundeliga strugglers VFB Stuttgart.
The 20 year old midfielder is a supreme technician who has become an increasingly important player in Germany. With two goals and another two assists in league play this season, fans of the Die Schwaben will be disappointed to see another promising player leave.
With the other deadline day signing of Albert Sambi Lokonga from Arsenal, Patrick Vieria will be overjoyed with his midfield options coming into the second half of the season. Ahamada has all the tools to be an important part of Crystal Palace’s future.
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Why then have Italian teams struggled in Europe and what does the future hold for Italian teams on the continental stage?
Firstly we must look at the success in the 90s where Italian football finances were at their peak and this led to the league attracting some of the Worlds best talent with players such as Zinedine Zidane and Kaka plying their trade in Serie A. This attracted large worldwide audiences which only added to the riches of Italian football. The peak for the Italian game came in 2002-03 when AC Milan beat rivals Juventus in an all Italian Champions League final, cementing Italian football as the dominant force. We then learnt that these heights would be hard to reach again.
With the rise of the Premier League and its major television rights it would soon become clear that nobody except Real Madrid and Barcelona were going to be able to compete with the riches of the English game. With Juventus, Internationale, Roma and Lazio all having financial issues going into the 2022/23 season due to a variety of factors it was clear that success on the European stage would only act as a bonus for these debt ridden clubs.
With Premier League clubs seemingly allowed to spend however much they wish on incoming transfers the same cannot be said in Italy where clubs like Roma simply relied on free transfers and loan deals to compliment their squad. This leads to Serie A clubs becoming less competitive as they can’t spend these obscene amounts of money.
Another factor clear to see in this demise is that of actual footballing quality. It seems Italian teams have a lack of ideas when it comes to European competitions and struggle to overcome the quality and intensity from other teams. This may be due to the lax nature of Serie A where older players are given the go ahead over young players leading to a slower intensity. That is why national team boss Roberto Mancini is pleading with bosses to give young players the go ahead in League fixtures.
For example in the 2021/22 Champions League Juventus were simply undone by a resolute Unai Emery Villereal side and had no answers to the Spanish clubs defensive organisation. Scudetto winners of that season AC Milan were embarrassed in their group and finished bottom on four points with the club clearly lacking experience in this competition. Inter Milan were deservedly knocked out by Liverppol but did give a good account of themselves while Atalanta dropped into the Europa League. Therefore a poor showing by Serie A clubs.
Since 2010 though Italian teams have not been dealt a great hand in this competition. Max Allegri’s legendary Scudetto topping Juventus side made it to two Champions League finals from 2014-2017 but were unlucky to come up against the MSN inspired Barcelona and arguably the best Champions League side of all in Real Madrid. Juventus were also unlucky in 2020/21 when they were knocked out on away goals in extra time by Porto. Had Cristiano Ronaldo not ducked from a free kick they would have probably gone through, deservedly. However that season no Italian team even made it to the quarterfinals which a decade ago would have seemed unthinkable.
However in this season’s Champions League fans of the Italian game should have more hope than before. Although Juventus will not be in the knockouts, both Milan clubs and Napoli are into the latter rounds and will be hoping to give a good account of themselves. With Napoli in seemingly unbeatable form the hopes of Italian neutrals will be on them to bring back the coveted trophy for the first time since 2010 and who would bet against them after their thrashings of Liverpool and Ajax.
(Fourth photo)
The future of Italian teams in Europe depends on whether the likes of Simone Inzaghi, Luciano Spalletii and Simone Pioli can get their tactics right against top quality opposition. In years gone past this has not occurred but don’t bet against this plucky trio of teams who want to prove their worth to Europe.
Whether it’s due to poor finances, a lack of tactical ideas or simply being unlucky Italian teams have underperformed on the continent for the last decade. With the English game becoming more dominant by the day it will be fascinating to see whether Italian clubs will maintain this pattern or disrupt it and go on to reach the heights of the 1990s.
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]]>Rafael Leao:
It may come as a surprise to some people that Rafael Leao has been included in this list as he sure made his mark in 2022, winning the Serie A MVP award as AC Milan swept to the Scudetto. However, the winger seems to have much more in his locker than he has already shown.
A quick, skillful and direct player, Leao has arguably become Milan’s most important player due to his ability to get past anyone at will. Hitting double figures in 2021/22 for both goals and assists in all competitions Leao is undoubtedly on his way to being World Class.
The 23-year-old made some superb cameos at the World Cup and bagged two goals on the biggest stage of all. A strong end to 2022 has carried over to 2023 where he scored in AC Milans first fixure of 2023 in a 2-1 victory over Salernitana.
In 2023 then Leao will be aiming to get AC Milan back on the pedestal of Italian football with his mesmerising runs and composed finishes. Come the summer we may see the Portuguese man earn a big move to a European super club with the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City being heavily linked.
Alejandro Garnacho:
At 18 years of age, it is a testament to his ability that Garnacho has performed so well at senior level so far for the Red Devils. The Argentinian has already made a big impact for his side with winners in both the Europa League and the Premier League just before the break for the World Cup.
However, the winger has been publicly criticised by both his club manager, Erik Ten Hag and teammate, Bruno Fernandes for his poor attitude. Therefore in 2023 Garnacho will be aiming to put these allegations to bed and become an important player for his side.
With Jadon Sancho and Anthony Martial in periods of poor form and Cristiano Ronaldo now plying his trade in Saudi Arabia, there are plenty of opportunities for Garancho to leave his mark. With his ability to dribble past defenders, he could offer United something they are currently lacking. Garnacho will also be hoping to make his debut for his national side in the near future after already training with Lionel Messi and co in 2022.
Christopher Wooh:
Arguably the most unknown in this list, Wooh currently plays for free-scoring Rennes in Ligue 1 after making his name at Lens in 2021/22. Wooh can play anywhere in the backline but is most comfortable in central defence where his pace, game reading and on-the-ball ability are utilised best.
With only a handful of starts so far for this season for Bruno Genesio’s side, Wooh will be aiming to work his way into the starting lineup where he can present his quality for all to see. With Rennes new boys Arthur Theatre and Joe Rodon struggling at the heart of defence, fans are calling for Wooh to be included in the starting XI and Genesio seems to have taken on their advice with a start vs Nice in 2023, culminating in a 2-1 victory.
With Rennes as free-scoring as ever it is important that they sort out their defensive frailties if they want to reach the promised land of the Champions League come the end of the season. This will also be Wooh’s aim who will want to establish himself in the team and stop the defence from leaking too many soft goals to the opposition.
Yunus Musah:
After leaving Arsenal’s academy, Musah has gone on to achieve big things for La Liga side Valencia. The midfielder started his career as a winger but his position change has worked wonders for his development at the top level.
After impressing for the USMNT at the 2022 World Cup Musah will be aiming for even more achievements in the coming year. A maestro in midfield, Musah is a clever player who is highly capable of keeping possession and advancing the ball through the lines with incisive passing or mazy dribbles.
With 29 league appearances for a poor Valencia side last season, Musah was one of only a handful of bright stars in an otherwise disappointing campaign, where his side finished ninth. He has deputised excellently for the departed duo of fan favourites Dani Parejo and Francis Coquelin and gives Valencia fans hope for a better placing this time around.
Under new coach Genaro Gattuso, Valencia look somewhat like the impressive side of old with Musah playing a pivotal role in central midfield. The first name on the team sheet has taken well to the Italian’s tactics of quick attacking patterns and a solid defensive base. Valencia will have to work hard to keep their hands on their prized asset with big clubs always around the corner.
Randal Kolo Muani:
A surprise package at the World Cup (he was only included due to injuries), Muani was excellent in all his cameos and made a huge difference in the final, coming on in the first half as France fought back to claim a draw come extra time. With a goal to his name vs Morocco in the semi-final, he certainly announced himself to the World Stage.
With an outstanding tally of eight goals and eleven assists for Eintracht Frankfurt before the turn of the year, Kolo Muani looks like one of the best bargains in recent history when moving from Nantes to Germany for free. Muani is a versatile forward who has great link-up play and precise penalty box finishing as well as a mix of pace and grit which makes him a manager’s favouriote.
2023 will therefore play host to lots of opportunities for the Frenchman who has Champions League knockout football to look forward to as Frankfurt take on Serie A leaders Napoli. Now entrusted by Didier Deschamps Kolo Muani will be hungry to get back to regular football after the World Cup disappointment.
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