With the millions they have invested in top players and with the most respected coach of his generation in charge, Manchester City should be doing much better than going out of the Champions League in the last eight.
But after their shock 3-1 defeat by Lyon on Saturday that is exactly what City have done in the last three years.
After being eliminated at the quarterfinal stage of the Champions League for a third straight year, Manchester City and manager Pep Guardiola, perhaps unexpectedly, find themselves at a crossroads.
Despite the criticism that Guardiola has faced for his cautious tactics in the 3-1 loss to Lyon on Saturday and the questions about whether he is over-complicating the task in Europe, there is no suggestion that the City hierarchy has lost confidence in the Spaniard.
The Major League Soccer expansion team for St. Louis hosted a live reveal of its club’s name, logo and colors Thursday morning and I ask that you mentally prepare yourself to be disappointed. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the 29th club of MLS — St. Louis CITY SC.
The sun shines down on another day of soccer practice in suburban America. The heat reflects off the turf, making the late afternoon air a bit sultry but bearable. For a few brief minutes I forget about the global pandemic as I pepper the goalkeepers with low, hard shots.
This will be the second season as the goalkeeper coach for my former high school team, and I have enjoyed every minute of it. During a difficult year, coaching soccer this fall is something I have eagerly looked forward to.
There was barely time for the full inquest into Juventus' exit from the Champions League to even begin before the club delivered their own blunt verdict — sacking their coach Maurizio Sarri.
I’d like to turn you on to a couple things: (1) Red Star FC (not to be confused with Red Star Belgrade) — a 123-year-old club (France’s second-oldest) in Paris that currently plays in the third division and essentially stands in direct opposition to everything PSG. Red Star is unapologetically anti-corporate, rooted in social activism and deeply connected with the working class.
A slightly out-of-touch fan of the USMNT recently asked me who plays for the team these days. After all, U.S. soccer fans that only watch the team during the World Cup haven’t seen them play in six years. Besides knowing about Christian Pulisic, casual fans might be under the impression that Clint Dempsey, Tim Howard, Jermaine Jones and DaMarcus Beasley are all still on the squad. I pray that no one thinks Landon Donovan is still playing.
FIFA 21 is coming. The annual release date has been somewhat effected by EVENTS — the usual late September holiday being pushed back to Oct. 6 — but we already know the cover star (Kylian Mbappé), the trailer has been released and we’ll see the first official gameplay footage on Tuesday. The biggest talking point remaining is the notorious FIFA 21 player ratings.
By all accounts, Bournemouth never should have made it to the Premier League.
In February of 2008, the club entered administration due to $4 million in unpaid debts and was deducted ten points in the league standings. Bournemouth was relegated to League Two at the end of the season, and at the beginning of the following campaign the club was still very much on the brink of insolvency.
The NWSL recently announced an expansion team for Los Angeles, California, and fans are going absolutely bonkers. While players and kits have yet to be decided, the new club has dubbed its interim name as Angel City FC — that’s a pretty badass name, and so far, people are loving it.
The marketing video will give you chills.
The time has come to reshape expectations on & off the soccer field.