Opinion

Over the decades since the first edition was released, EA Sports has crafted the FIFA series into the most realistic soccer video game available. The accuracy with which players are recreated in game highlights the age-old EA Sports motto: “If it’s in the game; it’s in the game.” 

Spotify Wrapped dropped this month, showing listeners what songs and artists they looked up and listened to the most (my number one artist was Don Toliver if you’re curious). If Google had a similar wrapped project, I guarantee you that “crazy soccer flares” would’ve been in my top 100 searches for all of the past five years.

There’s something about a wall of fire that is exceptionally intimidating to look at. Any time — prior to 2020 that is — I see fans of South American or European clubs ignite their flares and sing rapturous chants I get envious.

Multiple Premier League clubs welcomed back fans into the stands over the weekend, a move that helped some home teams earn impressive results.

Tottenham had a predictable 1-1 draw against Crystal Palace on Sunday that was so akin to previous Spurs games that The18 made a match report that can be filled out like a Mad Libs book. 

It's no secret that penalties kicks are being awarded more often in the Premier League this year — Bruno Fernandes has already converted 13 of them during his brief time in Manchester, while Raheem Sterling recently became the first Premier Leaguer to win 20 penalties. A variety of factors are likely at play: the incompetence of VAR, players attackin

It was a feckless decision from CBS to refuse to show any Champions League group-stage matches on TV. Forcing anyone who wants to watch a match from start to finish to pay for CBS All Access is far shadier than Turner Sports’ cash-grab B/R Live service that bombed harder than Quibi. 

Basketball has five- and seven-game series. American football is always a single game. Baseball does everything from one-game playoffs to seven-game series. Then there’s soccer, which can’t really make up its mind: Is one leg or two legs a better format for knockout playoffs? If the current Liga MX and MLS playoff formats are anything to go by, it’s not an easy choice.