Football – Forza Futbol

ANCELOTTI HAS LIVERPOOL DREAM

April 15, 2025April 5, 2025 by Mankowski

Everton managers have long been under scrutiny for their alleged ties to Liverpool, with past accusations based on little more than symbolic gestures. Ronald Koeman, for example, faced criticism due to a set of red Christmas tree decorations, seemingly enough to ignite speculation about his loyalties. But Carlo Ancelotti’s connection to Liverpool goes beyond mere speculation—his past is laden with more tangible evidence of admiration for the Reds.

Interestingly, Ancelotti’s tactical legacy with AC Milan also has ties to Liverpool, albeit in a less direct manner. The 2006/07 Milan side, led by the Italian coach, famously used a 4-3-2-1 formation that was dubbed the “Christmas tree” by pundits. That formation helped Milan clinch a Champions League victory over Rafa Benitez’s Liverpool, just two years after the Reds had triumphed in their own Istanbul miracle.

NEWCASTLE’S AMBITIOUS MOVE FOR LIVERPOOL STAR

April 2, 2025March 31, 2025 by Mankowski

Newcastle United’s meteoric rise reached another milestone with their 2-1 victory over Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley, securing their first major trophy in 70 years. Eddie Howe’s side has undergone a dramatic transformation since their takeover by investors linked to the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund, turning from relegation candidates into one of the Premier League’s most exciting teams. With Champions League qualification now a realistic prospect for the second time in three seasons, Newcastle are setting their sights even higher as they look to reinforce their squad this summer.

Their next challenge will be keeping hold of their star players while continuing to strengthen. Alexander Isak and Bruno Guimarães have both been linked with moves away, while Anthony Gordon has reportedly attracted interest from Liverpool. However, rather than simply focusing on retaining their best players, Newcastle appear to be planning an ambitious raid on Liverpool themselves, with Harvey Elliott emerging as a major target.

CHELSEA OR CITY COULD EARN £100M IN CLUB WORLD CUP

March 27, 2025March 21, 2025 by Mankowski

Chelsea and Manchester City stand to make nearly £100 million in prize money if they win this summer’s expanded Club World Cup in the United States. FIFA has confirmed that the tournament’s total prize pool will be $1 billion (£774.6m), making it one of the most lucrative club competitions in history.

The new 32-team format will see clubs from all six continental confederations compete, with European powerhouses such as Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, and Paris Saint-Germain also taking part. Chelsea and City qualified as Champions League winners in 2021 and 2023, respectively, and are England’s two representatives.

The tournament, running from June 14 to July 13, will distribute £406.7 million in participation fees, with European clubs set to receive between £9.9 million and £29.6 million each based on “sporting and commercial criteria” agreed upon by the European Club Association (ECA).

SALIBA HAPPY AT ARSENAL

March 12, 2025February 21, 2025 by Mankowski

William Saliba has expressed his happiness at Arsenal and his desire to win major trophies with the club. With just two years remaining on his contract at the end of this season, the 23-year-old defender has been linked with a potential move to Real Madrid but remains calm about his contract situation.

“I’m really happy here,” Saliba said. “I’ve been here for two and a half years. There is nothing [to worry about]. I’m happy here, and I want to continue here. I want to win big things with Arsenal. If you leave this club without winning anything, the fans will forget about you. I want to win big things here.”

RASHFORD MAKES ASTON VILLA DEBUT

February 12, 2025February 8, 2025 by Mankowski

Marcus Rashford made his Aston Villa debut in their **2-1 FA Cup victory over Tottenham Hotspur**, coming off the bench in the second half. The Manchester United loanee, who made a deadline-day switch to Villa Park, received a warm reception from the home crowd as he played his first minutes under Unai Emery.

The 26-year-old forward moved to Villa in search of regular game time after falling down the pecking order at United under new manager Ruben Amorim. Despite being one of United’s key players in recent years, Rashford struggled for form this season, leading to speculation about his long-term future. His move to Villa, initially on a loan deal with an option to buy, gives him a fresh start as the club fights for a Champions League place in the Premier League. Against Spurs, Rashford was named on the bench, watching on as Jacob Ramsey gave Villa the perfect start, scoring inside the first minute. The home side controlled much of the game, doubling their lead in the second half through Morgan Rogers, just as Rashford was getting ready to come on.

CHELSEA SIGN 16-YEAR-OLD WONDERKID DASTAN SATPAEV

February 12, 2025February 2, 2025 by Mankowski

Chelsea have completed the signing of 16-year-old forward Dastan Satpaev, with the promising Kazakhstani talent set to join the club once he turns 18. The teenager, currently playing for Kazakhstan Premier League champions FC Kairat Almaty, will make his way to Stamford Bridge on a five-year deal, which includes an option for an additional year once he reaches the age of 18 in August 2026.

The move comes after Satpaev impressed during a successful trial at Chelsea in November. As part of the deal, Chelsea will pay a transfer fee of £3.3 million, including add-ons, which makes this the largest transfer fee ever paid for a player from the Kazakh Premier League. The deal highlights Chelsea’s continued focus on securing young, talented players, a strategy that has been central to the club’s recruitment efforts since the Todd Boehly-Clearlake Capital consortium took over in 2022.

CARRAGHER SUGGESTS GIBBS-WHITE UPGRADE

February 12, 2025January 4, 2025 by Mankowski

Jamie Carragher has once again questioned Dominik Szoboszlai’s impact at Liverpool, this time suggesting Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White could be an upgrade on the Hungarian midfielder. Despite Szoboszlai playing a key role in Arne Slot’s side this season, Carragher has been vocal about his belief that the 24-year-old needs to contribute more goals.

Last week, the former Reds defender floated West Ham’s Lucas Paquetá as a potential replacement. Now, he has added Gibbs-White to the conversation, insisting the Nottingham Forest playmaker has the qualities to thrive at a top club. Speaking on The Overlap US: It’s Called Soccer podcast, Carragher expressed his admiration for the England international, believing he could compete with or even surpass Szoboszlai in Liverpool’s system.

UNITED REVEAL COST OF MANAGERIAL CHANGE

November 29, 2024November 24, 2024 by Mankowski

Manchester United has disclosed the financial impact of their recent managerial change, with the total cost of Erik ten Hag’s departure and the appointment of Ruben Amorim amounting to £21.4 million. The move to part ways with Ten Hag, following a disappointing Premier League loss in October, came just months after he had signed a new contract. This financial hit could potentially influence the club’s transfer plans for the upcoming January window.

According to United’s latest financial report, the cost of paying off Ten Hag and his coaching staff totaled £10.4 million. Interim manager Ruud van Nistelrooy, who oversaw four matches during the search for a permanent replacement, was also among those to leave with the arrival of Amorim. The Portuguese coach, who was released from his contract at Sporting CP for a €10 million (£8.4m) clause, brings with him additional costs for his backroom staff, pushing the total managerial change cost to £21.4 million.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FORMAT FAILS TO DELIVER MEANINGFUL EARLY DRAMA

October 3, 2024 by Mankowski

It’s still early in the revamped Champions League, but two rounds into the ‘Swiss model,’ it’s clear that the new format is struggling to match the intensity of the old four-team group stage. UEFA had touted this 36-team ‘league phase’ as a means to introduce more “big matches… earlier in the competition” and to eliminate meaningless games before the knockouts. While there are certainly more marquee matchups on paper, the early signs suggest the matches feel less consequential than under the previous format.

The idea of bringing big clubs face-to-face earlier in the competition sounded promising, and so far, it has delivered on that front. We’ve already seen Liverpool face AC Milan, Manchester City clash with Inter Milan, and Arsenal take on Paris Saint-Germain. Yet, the sense of jeopardy — the feeling that every game truly counts — seems to have been lost.

ODEGAARD STILL ‘FAR’ FROM RETURNING

October 3, 2024October 1, 2024 by Mankowski

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard remains “far” from making his return from an ankle injury that has sidelined him since early September. The midfielder picked up the injury while on international duty with Norway, limping off during a match against Austria. Subsequent tests revealed ligament damage, casting doubt on his immediate availability for both club and country.

Arsenal were initially cautious in confirming the extent of the injury, with hopes tentatively set on a mid-October return. However, those expectations have been dashed as Norway boss Stale Solbakken revealed that Odegaard would not be part of the squad for the upcoming Nations League games against Slovenia and Austria.