Opinion

So that’s that then. The man who led Leicester City to their greatest achievement in 133 years of existence, who, against 5,000-1 odds, reminded us that football is important because it provides moments of proof as to the ability to ascend over the bleak status quo — that we are surrounded by possibilities rather than dictated by a torrent of cruel fate, has been stabbed in the back by his club a day after declaring that “the dream is alive”.

You'd have to go back to 2008-09 to find the last Bundesliga title that wasn't won by either Bayern Munich or Borussia Dortmund. However, there is one that is lurking, currently in second place in their debut Bundesliga season, waiting for the spotlight.

The team is the most despised in German football — RB Leipzig, a side that has literally come out of nowhere in seven years and is now challenging the traditional might of the Bundesliga.

The 2015 MLS Cup champions took an unexpected turn in 2016, going from league champions to missing out on the playoffs entirely. The Timbers finished with a record of 12-14-8, just missing the playoffs in seventh-place in the Western Conference.

The Timbers will be looking to make it back into the postseason in 2017, and here are three areas that they will have to improve on to make that happen.

Improved Play Away from Home  

Arsene Wenger has confirmed that he will not walk out on Arsenal this season, but his future at the club remains in the balance with his contract set to expire in the summer. The BBC has reported that the 67-year-old and the club will come to a mutual agreement in the summer, but Wenger has made it clear that regardless of what happens, he will still be coaching next year.

Barcelona and Alaves will face off in the 2017 Copa del Rey Final on May 27th at the Vicente Calderon Stadium in Madrid. Although the venue has already been selected, it’s incredible to think that a country that has been dominating European football in recent years can’t even set a location beforehand to play their domestic cup final. 

This time around, the decision was made much quicker as Atletico Madrid had already offered to host the final months in advance, but the selection process in years past would sometimes take almost a month to determine a venue. 

I’m Minnesotan so you must forgive me; when the Vikings started 5-0, I thought we were going to win the Super Bowl. We didn’t make the playoffs. When the Timberwolves drafted Kris Dunn and hired Tom Thibodeau, I thought we would win the Finals. We have one of the worst records in the Western Conference. However, I truly believe the Wild will win the Stanley Cup this year and that Minnesota United, in their inaugural MLS season, will probably win the Cup.

For the first time in his career, it appears Thomas Muller is off of his game. The Bayern attacker has only been able to contribute one goal in 16 Bundesliga appearances for the team. Muller has contributed at least 13 goals in each of his past four Bundesliga seasons (with 20 last year), and has been praised as an vital piece for Bayern.

The only time Müller found the back of the net this season was against Wolfsburg on December 10. He also got an assist in that game.

I know, I know. It's way too early to say anyone has a better chance to win the 2017 MLS Cup. The season is only in its preseason stages. But predicting is fun, so why not?

Every new season for MLS is a possibility for previously bad teams to rise to top and snag the coveted MLS Cup.

Could it be the defending champion Seattle Sounders? Maybe we could possibly see a brand-new team surprise the world of MLS and nab the title.

Here are the top five teams we think could win the 2017 MLS Cup.

The 2015-16 Premier League season was dominated by two stories: the remarkable rise of Leicester City and the shambolic title defense of Chelsea. This season, the roles have been reversed. As a barometer of the contrasting performances, one needs to look no further than the play of wingers Eden Hazard and Riyad Mahrez.