Highlights

Mario Balotelli Is Still Really Good At Soccer

We were hoping for a successful Mario Balotelli tenure at Nice. Soccer is much more fun when Balotelli is good and scoring goals and not training with the reserves in Liverpool.

So, consider this us running a (very premature) victory lap, because Balotelli is killing it in France. He has played two games. He has scored four goals. Here is his most recent brace:

How Kevin De Bruyne Became One Of The Top 5 Players In The World

Potential is defined as the latent qualities or abilities that may be developed and lead to future success or usefulness. 

Kevin De Bruyne is the cover boy of Potential Illustrated, the long-running theoretical magazine that is littered with pages of soccer players that just didn’t make it. 

There are millions of both aimless and worthwhile reasons for why some players just never figure it out. Talent, oddly enough, usually goes hand in hand with prospective failure. 

Serge Gnabry’s Ultra-Violence Won Him The Bundesliga Goal Of The Week

Borussia Mönchengladbach defeated Werder Bremen 4-1 over the weekend, but the lasting memory from the match will be a heinously violent volley from Werder’s Serge Gnabry. 

The former Arsenal winger transformed from footballer to Falcon 9 launch vehicle on Saturday, forsaking touch and control for a more straightforward approach. His controlled rocket displayed a kind of precision and power that aerospace manufacturer SpaceX has yet to achieve in its rocket engines.

Fabian Johnson's Late Equalizer Rescues Draw For Borussia Monchengladbach

Most USMNT fans know Fabian Johnson is a baller left back, but some might be surprised to find that's not normally where he plays for his club, Borussia Monchengladbach. In Germany, Johnson is primarily deployed as a winger, and this 84th-minute equalizer against RB Leipzig shows why.

Johnson would probably feature on the wing for Jurgen Klinsmann's squad too if good left backs weren't so difficult to come by.

Aubameyang Launches Bayern Munich Warning As Borussia Dortmund Score 17 Goals In 3 Games

Borussia Dortmund made it a sensational 17 goals in their last three matches following their 5-1 victory over Wolfsburg on Tuesday. This match, combined with their 6-0 weekend victory over Darmstadt and 6-0 Champions League triumph against Legia Warsaw, makes them the hottest team in Europe.

Dortmund climbed to the top of the Bundesliga table, albeit momentarily as they’ve played one more match than Bayern Munich, and Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang couldn’t hide his excitement.

Landon Donovan Scored His First Goal Since Returning To The Galaxy

When the LA Galaxy announced Landon Donovan's return from retirement, many wondered if Donovan could even still play. Had he been out of soccer for too long to be able to make an impact on the field? Could he actually help the Galaxy or is this just a publicity stunt to sell more shirts?

Those questions are all valid. And Landon has an answer.

This Last-Second Save To Preserve Three Points Is Better Than Any Goal From The Weekend

34-year-old journeyman keeper Brad Jones has thrust himself into the limelight this week. First, he kept a clean sheet in Feyenoord’s improbable Europa League victory over Manchester United. Then, in today’s Dutch Eredivisie match against PSV, Jones pulled off this amazing last-second save to preserve Feyenoord’s 1-0 advantage.

With literally the last action of the match, PSV looked certain to score from a towering header from five yards out. It was a thudding attempt that looked destined to fly in under the bar, only for Jones to claw it out.

Villarreal's Alexandre Pato Gamble Could Be The Summer's Best Transfer

Is he finally, well and truly back? Alexandre Pato’s performance in Villarreal’s 2016-17 Europa League debut was nothing short of inspirational. Of course, let’s not get too carried away. Honestly, Pato wasn’t even the best player on the pitch. Jonathan dos Santos took home the Man of the Match award with the kind of performance Villarreal fans have come to expect from him.  

Chicharito And Marco Fabian Score In Same Match, Highlight Mexico’s Strength Abroad

Mexico internationals and Chivas youth products Marco Fabian and Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez squared off in the Bundesliga on Saturday, with the attacking midfielder and striker playing vital roles in Eintracht Frankfurt’s 2-1 victory over Bayer Leverkusen.

Alexander Meier opened the scoring for the home side, Frankfurt, in the 53rd minute. His goal was provided by Fabian, the Frankfurt No. 10 supplying the cross for the opener. 

Manchester United Crisis Deepens After Third Straight Defeat

Week five of the English Premier League is now behind us, and the ‘club in crisis’ tag can already be firmly affixed to Manchester United. After starting the season with three successive victories, things have quickly come undone over a brief period of eight days for Jose Mourinho and his charges.

Pages