By Enzo Del Llano | This article was first published on Football Chronicle in December, 2019. It was the end of the 1994-5 season, and in Barcelona, there were heated discussions about the team’s direction. Johan Cruyff was still the manager, but it seemed as though the glory days of the
Tag: La Liga
Looking back at the career & life of one Africa’s most divisive players – Emmanuel Adebayor
For many, Emmanuel Adebayor represents the epitome of a modern-day mercenary in the world of football. And maybe that is understandable, considering the Togolese 36-year old has represented 11 different clubs since the beginning of the 2000s, three of them alone within the borders of London. Always with an exceptionally
Neymar and the power of choice – Deconstructing the PSG star’s psyche (and career) in an interview with Money Heist’s Denver
In an October 2019 interview with Money Heist actor Jaime Lorente, who played Denver, Neymar Jr. ended their conversation with the following words: “Choosing is difficult, but in life you have to choose, otherwise you’ll never be happy.” Moments before, he ruminated on his career and how he had evolved as
Wales. Golf. Sleep. Madrid. In that order?
The importance of Real Madrid’s defenders in their title success
Ronaldo – The story of a starry-eyed boy from Madeira
In 2004, a devastating Tsunami destroyed millions of homes and killed innumerable people all-over South-East Asia. World Television footage of the tsunami focused on the image of a seven-year-old survivor named Martunis wearing 'Rui Costa' 'Number 10' Portuguese football jersey. He had been stranded for 19 days after watching his
An overview of Karim Benzema’s most impactful season with Madrid
Real Madrid have done it. After two years of settling for second best in La Liga, Los Blancos have finally restored their position as Champions of Spain, following a scintillating title race with their perennial rivals Barcelona. After the loss of talisman Cristiano Ronaldo, arguably the best player in the
The making of Ronaldo – Leaving School, Impressing in Portugal and the 1994 World Cup
Arthur at Barça: A Moment’s Beginning Ends in a Moment
Sitting in the backseat of a car with an interviewer after signing for FC Barcelona, a starry-eyed Arthur Melo carries a beaming smile. Amid a long list of pre-prepared questions, came one that endeared the new boy to almost every cule around the world. The interviewer asks Arthur his biggest wish. He
Life after Leo
Embracing the ‘new normal’ will take time
The lockdown, due to the pandemic, has brought about the true sentiment behind the well-known axiom, 'you don't know what you have until it's gone'. While people are subconsciously aware of life and its sudden and frail nature, the virus has seemingly brought these feelings of trepidation to reality. People from
The race for Champions League Qualification spots in La Liga
La Liga is well poised to resume action behind closed doors from the eleventh of June; with matches scheduled almost every day, the thirst of the fans for Spanish football will be quenched soon. Straying away from the usual template of the big three teams automatically qualifying for Champions League
Barcelona’s problems are going to get worse
The under-appreciated versatility of full-backs
FIFA’s stance on racism and politics
Arturo Vidal – Powerhouse of the Catalan midfield
FC Barcelona have been known for having a plethora of quality midfielders over the years. Having produced elite players like Andres Iniesta, Xavi Hernandez, Sergio Busquets etc, quality and strength in the centre has never been an issue for the azulgranas. But since the departure of Xavi and Iniesta in
Where does Philippe Coutinho go from here?
Who will replace Leroy Sane?
Aritz Aduriz – The lion retires without the swansong he deserved
Joga Bonito – The Brazilian foundations of ‘The Beautiful game’
The cost of winning – Athletes as role models
With the world of professional sports teetering on the edge due to the coronavirus crisis, Netflix's 10-part documentary series-The Last Dance, chronicling sporting icon Michael Jordan's emergence in the NBA until his final days in the empire that he built with the Chicago Bulls, has been a welcome consolation during
“If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again” – How Adama Traoré finally made it
From a mining village in Chile to conquering South America and beyond – The Alexis Sánchez story
The psychological challenges of recovering from long term injuries
Sport is a canvas for mankind’s imagination. A most beautiful painting where we see mental thought and creativity combine with wonderful, mind-bending feats of physical prowess. Different sports provide different things for fans to enjoy. Yet football stirs up intense passions, often far more powerful and emotive than any other
Potential tactical tweaks Klopp can implement to beat Atlético Madrid
The key battles that could determine the outcome of the Clásico
The second El Clasico of the current La Liga season is upon us as Barcelona travel to the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday evening. Today we'll be doing something slightly different from our usual tactical previews as we discuss the key battles that will define the outcome of this much-anticipated clash.
Martin Ødegaard- Proving his doubters wrong one through ball at a time
"It's not possible to predict anything in football, you just have to work hard and develop and in the end you see.” - Martin Ødegaard Catapulted into global stardom as a 16-year-old prodigy signed by Real Madrid in 2015, Martin Ødegaard seems to have been around forever. The Norwegian attacking-midfielder, who
Battle at the Bernabéu – Real Madrid vs Manchester City tactical preview
Lionel Messi – The Unconventional Leader
Getafe – A fascinating tale of a club punching above their weight
Atlético Madrid vs Liverpool – Tactical Preview
The game’s new boardroom masters – How directors of football are pulling the strings off the pitch
Barcelona youngsters to watch out for in the future
Despite being criticised in recent times, FC Barcelona’s youth academy, La Masia is responsible for producing some of football’s greatest talents including the likes of Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, Busquets, Pique and Thiago Alcantara. The list just goes on and on. Even though the talents produced in recent years are not
Fede Valverde – The Engine
There are many things that Madrid fans should be grateful to Santiago Solari for accomplishing during his time at the Bernabeu. His youth-oriented management resulted in him giving hot Castilla prospects such as Fran Garcia, Sergio Reguilón, Franchu Feuillaser, Javi Sánchez and many more including whom we consider as one
Quique Setién- Passion, Instruction, Rejuvenation
The Neymar saga will drag on but does it make any sense for Barcelona?
Life after Luis – Potential replacements for Suárez at the Camp Nou
Major Soccer Stars Not Satisfied with their FIFA 20 Ratings
Evaluating Jadon Sancho’s Potential Destinations
Rodrygo Goes – Building an era
The most scrutinized footballer in the World – Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior
Earlier this week, Saudi Arabia hosted two of the most passionate footballing nations in Argentina and Brazil. Both sides were a shadow of what they’re meant to represent in International football and it has been the case for decades now so we shouldn’t be surprised. On the night, Argentina were able
How do football stadiums make money?
Carles Puyol – Més Que un Capitan
Sergio Ramos- The unparalleled legacy of the Dark Knight.
Manuel Neuer was standing tall, with his feet firmly planted to the ground. Los Blancos were facing the Bavarians in their quest for 10th European glory in the semi-finals and both teams were inseparable after 210 minutes of football. Following the penalty misses of Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka, Sergio Ramos
Do teams still fear playing at the Bernabeu?
Ansu Fati – Making an impression
The Left-Overs – Experienced Free agents in the lookout for clubs
The curse of the high wage
(Photo by ODD ANDERSEN/AFP/Getty Images) | Written by Abheek Dasgupta In the last decade, there has been massive inflation in the football market. A hundred million pounds, which was very recently considered exorbitant for any footballer, is now merely an erstwhile barrier that is broken every summer, even for wunderkinds who
Analysing Barcelona’s tactical set up this season
The big three of La Liga: who’s most likely to win the title?
Junior Firpo – The missing piece in the Blaugrana puzzle
The understated value of the modern winger
Written by Tiki Taka Style Unpredictable forces, wizards of the dribble, electricity personified. Wingers have traditionally been seen as a lovable commodity and the primary source of entertainment for football romantics. A museum piece. Capable of lifting thousands of fans from their seats and making the whole crowd roar with a
Serious concerns over Injury Marco Asensio picked up against Arsenal
Frank Rijkaard – Barcelona’s Unsung Hero
The partnership we couldn’t get enough of – Roberto Carlos y Zinedine Zidane
Florentino Perez – The man behind Real Madrid’s ascent to the pinnacle of club football
What’s happening to Barcelona’s renowned academy La Masia?
The Phenomenon called El Niño – Looking back at Fernando Torres’ memorable journey from Madrid to Tosu
By Bhargav Joglekar A couple of weeks ago, Fernando Torres announced that he would be retiring from football at a press conference he called in Tokyo. He had informed his fans about the press conference a couple of days in advance via an Instagram post. Immediately, speculation started circling about what
Remembering Rafa Benitez’s Valencia side that took spain by storm
Iago Aspas – The story of Celta’s Messiah
Antoine Griezmann: Another successful season in the Spanish sun
The Coutinho conundrum – Why the move hasn’t worked out
Written by Mohammed Al Sabah | Edited by Srinivas Sadhanand Much has been said about Philippe Coutinho's status at Barcelona since his high-profile departure from Merseyside, with the question that demands answering is why Coutinho is not performing as expected this season. A simple query such as this can only be dissected
Ander Herrera – United’s captain without the armband
When people look at Manchester United, they expect world class players to dominate proceedings, be it in England or at the summit of European football. People associate the club with legends like David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, Eric Cantona, Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo and so on. And now with
Girona vs Barcelona – Match Preview, Team news, Predicted lineups & Predictions
Girona vs Barcelona Competition - La Liga, Matchday 21 Venue - Estadio Montilivi Timings: Sunday, 27th January 2019, 16:15 pm BST/WAT (UK and Nigeria), 10:15 am EST, 7:15 am PT (USA), 20:45 pm IST (India) Barcelona travel to Estadio Montilivi today for the Catalan Derby against Girona. The Blaugrana have been successful in maintaining their
Barcelona Vs Eibar – Team News, Preview, Predicted Lineups
Barcelona vs Eibar Competition: La Liga, Matchday 19 Venue: Camp Nou Timings: Sunday, 13th January 2019, 06:30 BST/WAT (UK and Nigeria), 12:30 am EST, 21:30 PT (USA), 23:00 IST (India) Barcelona are set to host Eibar at the Camp Nou on Matchday 19, as they look forward to increasing their lead at the top
The tragic but inspiring tale of Santi Cazorla – Romance in football isn’t dead yet
Santiago Cazorla González or “Santi” completed his comeback into the world of football by scoring a brace for his club, Villarreal, against Club World Cup Champions Real Madrid. It bookended a happy few months for Santi at his boyhood club after a horrific two years plagued by surgeries, injuries, and
Drained by the new stadium deal can Madrid compete with the world’s richest in the post Ronaldo era?
In defence of Marco Asensio
17th August 2017 The ball went up and down in a flash, rendering Marc Andre Ter Stegen helpless. It was an unstoppable strike that was exquisitely struck. The perfect way to kill Barcelona's hopes in Supercopa de España. The man behind that venomous strike was none other than Marco Asensio Willemsen. After
Monchi, the man behind Sevilla’s success and Roma’s ongoing youth revolution
Kepa Arrizabalaga – From Bilbao To The Bridge
Valencia vs Barcelona: Team News, Preview, Predicted Lineups
Competition: La Liga, Matchday 8, Venue: Mestalla Timings: Sunday, 7th October 2018, 20:45 PM BST/WAT (UK & Nigeria), 14:45 AM EST, 11:45 AM PT (USA), 00:15 AM IST (India) Gameweek 8 in the La Liga brings to us a very special game before we're struck down by the international break. This intriguing match
Alavés vs Real Madrid : Match Preview, Team News, Predicted Line ups
Competition: La Liga, Matchday 8 Venue: Estadio de Mendizorroza Referee: Santiago Jaime Latre Timings: Saturday, 6th October, 2018, 5:30PM CET (Madrid), 5:30PM BST/WAT (UK & Nigeria), 12:30PM EST, 9.30AM PT (USA), 10 pm IST (India) Real Madrid enter the weekend clash against Deportivo Alavés after a disappointing game in midweek, losing to CSKA Moscow
On Gareth Bale and His Love Story With Finals
Lautaro Martínez: Inter’s New Raging Bull
Lautaro Martinez feature Image designed by AS Argentina - Diario AS Inter Milan’s ties with Argentine strikers are nothing short of inseverable. From Diego Milito’s masterful brace to sweep aside Bayern Munich in the 2009-10 Champions League final to current skipper Mauro Icardi notching up the highest goal tally (29) in a
Valencia Prepare For Monumental Juventus Challenge
Champions League - Group H - Valencia vs Juventus 8:00 pm BST (00:30 am IST) Wednesday 19th September Venue: Mestalla Valencia manager Marcelino cut a frustrated figure during the post-match conference conducted following a disappointing 0-0 draw at home against Real Betis. Valencia are currently placed 17th on the table with only 3 points in
Hunt For The European Cup: Atletico Diaries
Since losing the 2016 Champions League final to eternal rivals Real Madrid, Diego Simeone and Atletico have been putting the pieces together for their next assault on the competition. They return to the competition after winning the Europa League and with a squad strong enough to once again compete with
Barcelona Smash 8 Past Huesca as Messi and Suarez Grab Braces
Written by Guest Contributor Udhav Arora Ernesto Valverde seemed to have finally taken the right approach against newly promoted side Huesca who took the lead early on, within 3 minutes of the game. A previously seen attitude of determination was visible in the team that had lost some grip last season
Athletic Bilbao: The Pride Of The Basque Country
A first exclusive by Shubhodip Bhattacharya Spain is widely known for it’s Catholicism and Roman heritage. The roots of aristocracy, artistry and revolution are reflected in the country’s football as well. The footballing culture in Spain is one of pride, politics, nationalism and identity. This arises from cultural diversity and political
Diego Simeone: Atlético Madrid’s Campeon
The Road Forks here~ Barcelona’s Catalan Conundrum
On the 1st of October 2017, thousands took to the streets of Barcelona, capital of Spain’s most prosperous and wealthiest region, Catalonia. This time, however, it wasn’t a procession to watch the game against Las Palmas, which was played behind closed doors. This was a procession that would mark what