Finesse - Football magazine - February 2023 edition

A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

Welcome to Finesse, your monthly supply of all the latest action and opinion in the football world. Founded by three avid supporters of Spurs, Chelsea and Man City respectively, we hope to reflect our passion for the game within each page we present to you.

From grass roots all the way to the very top of the football pyramid, there is something magical that unites the football community and all who appreciate the beautiful game, beyond just talent, ambition and dedication. Finesse delves into the weird and wonderful, from Championship to Champions League, there’s always something for us to analyse.

We bring you the best of domestic and global action, as well as insights into fascinating interviews and stories, which encapsulate what it is that we love about the game.

Don’t be shy to get in contact with your thoughts, or to write for March’s edition, Ezzie Brass and the team at Finesse

MATCH IN FOCUS

1-3 Arsenal Man City

Pep proved too much for Arteta, but can Arsenal evade the champions anyway?

RAAHAN MEHTA AND EZZIE BRASS

Despite Arsenal being eight points clear at the top of the league four weeks ago, they found themselves level with Manchester City and without a win in the previous four competitive matches.

The immense weight resting on the fixture was reflected in the atmosphere in the Emirates, crackling long before kick- off. Arsenal started brightly but City took the lead, courtesy of a sublime De Bruyne chip, capitalising fully on a gift from Takehuro Tomiyasu. Ederson’s searching clearance fell to the right back who, with Grealish snapping at his heels, tried to play it back to Ramsdale. With the keeper caught in no man’s land, and Saliba no where to be seen, De Bruyne latched onto the loose ball before guiding it first time into the near post. Clinical.

Arsenal however showed no signs of losing hope. As the half drew to a close Xhaka disposessed Gundogan on the half way line and found Nketiah who was met by the outrushing Ederson. Nketiah managed to make fluffed contact which Ake cleared off the line. However, Anthony Taylor deemed the follow through contact from Ederson sufficient to award a penalty. The dubious call meant Saka levelled the score from the spot, leaving both teams deservedly level at half time.

In the second half, Man City reminded us why they have enjoyed so much success in the last decade. Completely rutheless, they drowned out the lively gunners to regain top spot. Under the kosh and antagonistic gaze of the 60,000 or so home fans, it was a riveting display. Two

well worked goals from Grealish and Haaland sealed the win for the blues after a much-improved second half performance. After a potential penalty was dismissed for offside, another Arsenal mistake allowed Bernardo Silva to play in Haaland, who found Gundogan. His deft touch set up Grealish’ side footed drive past Ramsdale, which found the back of the net with the help of a slight deflection. As Arsenal looked to rectify the damage, City smelt blood as the game opened up tenfold. Just 10 minutes later Haaland was in on the act. The high press was executed perfectly, with a succession of passes from Rodri to Gundogan, and then in behind to De Bruyne. Without looking up, he knew exactly where the prolific Norwegian was standing, poised perfectly to take a touch and guide the ball home. As City hit delirium, Pep showed his apprentice that the big boys are back.

Arsenal’s levels throughout this season haven’t been matched by anyone in the league, yet this rut they find themselves in may prove to be costly and they’ll pay the ultimate price if they can’t get back to levels we saw from them before the World Cup. Since their defeat to City, they have seemed to recover with a narrow victory against Villa and 1-0 against Leicester. Some would argue this is a sign of asserting dominance, with a two point lead and game in hand, whilst some see the two tight scorelines as unconvincing.

Since City’s recent slip-up, Arsenal are back in pole position and no doubt their destiny remains in their own hands.

ONES TO WATCH

One transfer you may have missed through all the chaos of the January window was the signing of Pablo Sarabia to Wolves, because at just £4.5 million this signing represents true pound-for-pound value and is a reminder that there are still bargains to be had in this constantly inflated transfer market. He joins as a Spain international, with a modest nine goals from just 15 starts for his country, and a player with experience at Paris Saint Germain, Sevilla and Sporting Lisbon.

PABLO SARABIA

At only 30 years old, he can still offer lots of his qualities to a Wolves side in dire need for attacking refreshments, with only 12 goals scored in 20 Premier League games at the time of his signing, less than half of what Erling Haaland was able to manage on his own. This is a player who has played for some of Europe’s biggest teams and played in some of the biggest competitions, with six seasons worth of Champions League football, his experience will be priceless.

He will add flare and dynamism to a lacklustre Wolves attack, and perhaps more importantly, bring a vast amount of experience and knowhow to a team who are crying out for a truly elite forward. £4.5 million represents a true snip in the current market economy for a player who was able to manage 21 goal involvements in Portugal’s topflight last season, where in the same period, Antony who registered 12 goal involvements, was bought by Manchester United for £90 million.

The hierarchy at Wolves will be ecstatic with this piece of business and will hope he is able to help drag the club out of a relegation dogfight this season.

PREDICTIONS

Premier League predictions - week 21

CONTRIBUTOR ALI

Arsenal v Bournemouth

I expect arsenal to roll over Bournemouth here, expect rotation, but it won’t weaken the side top of the table.

Villa vs Palace

A strong Aston Villa side with a red-hot Ollie Watkins face a pretty out-of-form Palace team who must feel stuck in mid-table currently, expect another comfortable home win here.

Brighton v West Ham

West Ham have just come off the back of a brilliant 4-0 Home win but face the league’s surprise team Brighton away from home. Midweek action for the Seagulls may hamper their chances of a win here, but a fiercely contested match should be expected.

Wolves v Tottenham

Wolves have had a strong record against Spurs since their promotion into the Premier League. Wolves come into this fixture after some mixed results, unlike Spurs who are marching into their best form of the season. I sense an extremely narrow home win here as Lopetegui continues his impressive run as Wolves boss.

Southampton v Leicester

This fixture is one that will always be remembered for Leicester’s infamous 9-0 victory and Leicester will still be confident of a win against the league’s bottom spot.

Man City v Newcastle

A dejected Newcastle going to the home of the Champions, I’d expect a straightforward City win here, but don’t be too surprised if Newcastle are able to throw a curveball into the title race here.

Chlesea v Leeds

Chelsea will struggle again, but you can’t look past Leeds poor form at the moment, and you’d hope with the Stamford Bridge crowd giving one last push for Graham Potter they’ll be able to get over the line. Just.

Nottingham Forrest v Everton

A huge game for survival. Nottingham Forest have picked up some brilliant form recently, Steve Cooper would be the last to say that they are out of the relegation battle just yet. Sean Dyche comes into this game after a disappointing result, and I expect his frustrations to grow with another narrow defeat.

Liverpool v Man Utd

The weekend’s marquee fixture sees the flying Manchester United play their historic rivals Liverpool, and both teams’ fortunes could not be more different right now. I would expect a narrow away win here.

Brentford v Fulham

A very big game for both Brentford and Fulham’s hopes of a spot in Europe for next season. Fulham have shown exceptional defensive solidity since the World Cup and with the in-form Manor Solomon, an away win shouldn’t come as much of a surprise.

PREDICTIONS

Premier League predictions - week 21

CONTRIBUTOR RAAHAN

The most historic fixture in Premier League history headlines this weekend. Contrary to previous seasons, the Red Devils look more likely to bag the win.

Arsenal v Bournemouth

Only outcome is a comfortable Arsenal win.

Villa vs Palace

Villa have looked sharp under Emery and I expect that to continue.

Brighton v West Ham

Both teams not in the worst of form so I think they’ll match each other evenly.

Wolves v Tottenham

Off the back of the win over Chelsea, I am backing Spurs to continue with their good form.

Southampton v Leicester

Southampton are rock bottom and Leicester’s attacking talent should get them the win.

Man City v Newcastle

Should be a City win with both Foden and KDB back in the squad.

Chlesea v Leeds

A Chelsea attack in bad form may have better fortunes against an open Leeds defence but I think a draw is probable.

Nottingham Forrest v Everton

Has a 0-0 draw written all over it.

Liverpool v Man Utd

Should be a great game, but Rashford and United’s recent form should get them the win.

Brentford v Fulham

West London derby, but I think both teams will match each other.

Premier League predictions - week 21 SATURDAY

CONTRIBUTOR EZZIE

I can’t see too many clean sheets being kept this week - Chelsea, Leeds, Liverpool and Bournmouth all have very shaky defenses at the moment!

Arsenal v Bournemouth

Arsenal are far from their strongest at the moment, but should have enough to comprehensively beat a struggling Bournemouth.

Villa vs Palace

Patrick Viera has cultivated a side full of young and promising talent, they just lack consistency of late. I back them to put in an away shift this wweekend.

Brighton v West Ham

This one is far from straightforward, with West Ham coming off the back of a brilliant 4-0 win and looking like they are on the up...

Wolves v Tottenham

This will be a real test of Spurs’ character at such a pivotal point in the season, just before their UCL secondbleg, however I can’t see them slipping up.

Southampton v Leicester

Neither side looks convincing by any means, but Southampton are just that bit worse at the moment!

Man City v Newcastle

City cannot afford another blip like they did against Forrest. Pep will drill that into them prematch and they will deliver for him.

Chlesea v Leeds

Chelsea are toothless, Leeds can’t string results together. I predict a game jam-packed full of goals and action.

Nottingham Forrest v Everton

Can’t see much happening in an affair that Everton cannot afford to lose, Dyche sides do not concede many...

Liverpool v Man Utd

Impossible to predict, just when Liverpool seem to be losing all hope it’s not unlikely they get back on track with a point at home.

Brentford v Fulham

Thomas Frank’s side will no doubt contest well at home, but Fulham’s recent momentum will get them over the line in this encounter.

TEAM OF THE MONTH

GOALKEEPER

Bernd Leno (Fulham)

Three clean sheets is highly impressive and earns the German a spot in our first team on the month.

DEFENDERS

Tim Ream (Fulham)

Likewise, makes the team due to his defensive solidity and edges in over defsensive parter Issa Diop.

Emerson Royal (Spurs)

DIdn’t give Grealish a sniff in the 1-0 win, vastly imrpving as the season goes on, approaches every game with agression.

Luke Shaw (Man Utd)

Looks solid as ever and provides an outlet going forward, knows how to whip in a wicked ball for either Rashford or Weghorst to attack.

MIDFIELDERS

Jack Grealish (Man City)

concsistnely rutheless bar his one blip against Spurs.

Ruben Neves (Wolves)

Is instrumental to their (little) attacking threat and helped himself to a goal against Liverpool in the 3-0 battering.

Declan Rice (West Ham)

A huge imporvement on January, wonderful strike against Forrest, and helped earn two hard draws against Chelsea and Newcastle.

Bruno Fernandes (Man Utdl)

Almost always finds Rashford. Rashford always scores.

FORWARDS

Rashford (Man Utd)

Absolutely on fire, on his A game.

Watkins (Villa)

Two well-taken goals against Arsenal and Everton. Shame his teammates can’t perform as well.

Manor Solomon (Fulham) - The Israeli has adapted to the prem incredibly well with super-sub appearances His goals-per-game ratio has been off the chart.

Leno

Emerson Royal Shaw

Rashford

Ream

Neves Rice Bruno Fernandes

Grealish Solomon Watkins

MOMENT OF THE MONTH

The moment of the month has to go to Harry Kane, who broke Tottenham’s all time goal scoring record with his early winner against one of his favourite opponents Manchester City, scoring his 267th goal to surpass the late Jimmy Greaves’ record. In doing so the England captain was also able to score his 200th Premier League Goal, becoming only the third player in Premier League history to do so after Alan Shearer and Wayne Rooney.

This was a momentous moment for both Spurs’ history and significant for English football as a whole as fans question whether Kane will go all the way to overtake Shearer’s 260 goal Premier League record. This moment must have come to great relief to Kane who is finally able to see his hard work and struggles as a kid finally start to pay off. Rejected by Arsenal in his youth, the young boy Harry decided to be resolute and work harder to prove those at the Arsenal academy wrong and hoping one day they would regret their decision.

Funnily enough this decision did end up biting them in the backs as Kane became the all-time leading goal scorer in North London Derbies with 14 goals against the team that didn’t give him a chance as a young boy. The story of Kane’s success is one that can be looked upon admirably by anyone dealing with rejection, or a sense of failure. The message is clear – hardwork and resilience will always be the most important factors in achieving any success you desire in life.

Why Chelsea can still qualify for the Champions League

The date is 7 January, Chelsea have just been thrashed 4-0 away to Man City in the FA Cup, and things are looking bleak for Graham Potter’s men. Fast forward to February 17th and results wise, nothing much has changed. But is there still optimism for this young Chelsea team? I would certainly argue so. Two wins in your last 14 games sounds abysmal for any team, yet alone a team who have just spent over £600 million in the last six months, but if we read in between the lines there are underlying circumstances as to why we shouldn’t take this statistic at face value. And whilst excuses are my biggest pet peeve in football, it would be silly to not analyse some of the reasons as to why Chelsea have struggled so much this season, but more importantly why they can expect the second half to improve drastically.

Firstly, the lack of availability to key players should be noted, and Potter’s inability to field his best starting line-up on a consistent basis has

not helped his case. Big injuries to important players N’Golo Kante, Ben Chilwell, Reece James and Raheem Sterling have meant that Potter has been forced to adapt his system to fit in their replacements, who are nowhere near the same level of quality. However, the January recruitments have certainly helped ease the burden on squad thinness, but it is not only the fact that they are extra numbers, the new signings have injected quality and energy into a team that was crying out for reinforcements. Benoit Badiashille, Joao Felix and Enzo Fernandez have all come straight into the team playing as if they’ve been there for years, with their talents clear to see from the start. Alongside the new signings, it coincides with a period of many players returning from injuries, and all of a sudden Potter has gone from having limited options to an abundance of them. For this reason, he can be optimistic that he will finally see some consistency.

The second factor I think Graham Potter will benefit massively from in this second half of the season is time. Available midweeks have become a rarity for Chelsea in the past few years, a team who regularly compete in all competitions until the very latter stages and to give some context to this stat, 2023 will be the first calendar year Chelsea don’t play a game at Wembley since 2014. Being knocked out in the first round of both cups, their first time since 1981, will have angered many fans, but with the extremely unique circumstances of playing Manchester City away for both games, you can afford some sympathy to Potter and his players, especially considering how unlucky they were in the FA Cup tie just before the World Cup. But it’s this same World Cup that will have allowed Potter and his coaching staff to get to work at Cobham and work with individuals for a prolonged period of time, otherwise only seen in pre-seasons. The more time on the training pitch, the better, as this large squad of players gets to know and work with each other.

This ‘gelling’ period will be crucial to the future of Chelsea and will determine how many of these new signings can truly thrive in England in new conditions. As the chemistry builds on the training pitch, new connections will be formed during games, and the hope is that this leads to a more cohesive unit of players who understand each other’s strengths and weaknesses. However, this period will not be instantaneous, some of these new signings will have come from completely different environments, and with a squad so large it wouldn’t be strange if this period took longer than usual. Nevertheless, I would urge people to look at the examples of Arsenal, Brighton and Liverpool and not be too quick to come down on Potter or his squad for any faults that may arise. This rebuild will take time.

Lastly, whilst Top 4 may be one stretch too far for Chelsea this season, it is not the only way of qualifying for the Champions League, and

although this may seem far-fetched, there is no reason why Chelsea couldn’t go on to win it this year. Assuming they can make it to the quarter finals, it’s only five games to that illustrious trophy. It may sound ridiculous to some, but there have been worse Chelsea teams who have pulled off the unimaginable. Furthermore, this Chelsea team have a vast amount of experience in cup competitions, making it to five of the last six FA Cup Finals, two of the last four League Cup finals, and winning four European trophies in the last four years. It is obvious it’s a squad built around dominating cup competitions, and the World Cup winner Enzo Fernandez will surely bring in extra experience after starring in Argentina’s World Cup triumph in Qatar. Nonetheless, this is a Chelsea squad who are used to winning trophies, with many National Team Captains amongst the ranks, and a decent bulk of the team who achieved UCL success only 19 months ago in Porto.

Moreover, you could argue that it has never been a more open race for that European Crown, with no obvious favourite in the picture, it is anybody’s game. Just like that, winning the Champions League, may, funnily enough, be Chelsea’s best chance of qualifying for the competition next year, just like they did in 2012 when they defied all the odds to beat Bayern Munich in their own backyard. The responsibility will fall on Graham Potter, a manager who has never previously managed in this competition, to motivate this young and exciting squad, it won’t be easy by any stretch, but this sort of achievement is one that will leave you in the club’s folklore forever, just as fans will never forget Thomas Tuchel for his achievements.

If Chelsea can pull this off, Graham Potter will bear the riches and respect, that he seems to lack from groups of the fanbase during these ununited times.

AKPOM BRACE HELPS SEE OFF HOOPS

CHARLIE MACK

Rangers travelled the mammoth journey up north backed by just under 500 travelling fans off the back of a 3-0 thumping at home against Sunderland. They came up against an inform and well drilled Middlesborough side with leading league goal scorer Chuba Akpom leading the line. After beating their automatic promotion rivals Sheffield United, Michael Carrick’s side looked to make it five wins in five.

Rangers started the game well looking much better than they have in the last few games with boro often misplacing passes and with an early corner for QPR and a boro injury, thinks looked bright. With an Akpom goal disallowed in the 17th minute due to a clear offside call, the home side had their first chance. A pretty quiet first half with Middlesbrough loosing possession too much for their liking but just before half time Rangers, Sam Field having a great chance deflected wide for a corner but could have put Neil Critchley’s struggling side 1-0 up at the break.

Goalless at the break meant the game was still up for grabs but boro came out the blocks much faster than the away side with Seny Dieng making a brilliant save to stop one of many Boro’s counter attacks from going in. Although the home side’s bright start in the early second half, the R’s determined defending kept the game goalless but it was not a matter of if the home side will score but when and it came with a header by inform Akpom in the 64th minute getting on the end of a good cross by Daniel Barlaser. Just over 10 minutes later

and no response from the visitors, the ref gave a controversial penalty to the home side after a foul by Tim Iroegbunam. This was saved by Dieng originally but the rebound was converted by Akpom for his second of the game. Rangers looked down and out once again.

Rangers made their first change of the game in the 69th minute when former Middlesbrough player Albert Adomah replaced struggling Andre Dozzell where he got a clap from all four sides of the Riverside. A nice touch. QPR had a glimmer of hope when Ilias Chair struck a 35 yard free kick catching out boro keeper Zack Steffan to make it 2-1 with added time left to play. The home side were not affected by this as 2 minutes later went down the other end making it 3-1 with a well worked Riley McGree goal killing the game off.

The game ended 3-1 with the home side just five points off second and Rangers just sitting eight points off the bottom of the league winless in 11 and three losses on the bounce. With the team struggling for goals and injuries and the manger struggling for results it was inevitable that Critchley’s time was up at Qpr with an 8.6% win rate in 11 games for the hoops was sacked just over 24 hours after the loss leaving Rangers fans happy with the sacking but not the performances. Boro have West Brom at home on the 25th where they can make it six in six and QPR have a challenging game hosting Blackburn at the same time.

CARABAO CUP

NEWCASTLE UTD ROUTE TO THE FINAL

MANCHESTER UTD ROUTE TO THE FINAL

HOW IT PANNED OUT

CRUISE TO CUP VICTORY

Newcastle Utd Man Utd 0-2

EZZIE BRASS

After much anticipation, the final was upon us; it was game day. All the pre-match talk had revolved around Loris Karius, who filled in for the suspended Nick Pope. The magpies needed no reminding of the notorious cup final performance the German displayed a few years earlier, and with Martin Dúbravka also unable to play in the fixture, they hoped he would emerge a new and reinvigorated shot-stopper. With the Geordies singing in full voice prior to kick off, the stage was set for a magnificent encounter. Both sides fielded a fair contingent of Brazilian players, as the midfield pairs of Fred and Casemiro, and Guimarães and Joelinton respectively, looked to dictate the play for their side.

Newcastle started brightly and positively, but it was the other United that drew first blood on 33 minutes, as Casemiro guided Shaw’s free kick into the far corner past Karius, who was rooted to the spot. The delivery was right on the money, as the veteran was able to channel it deftly past the keeper. Newcastle probed for the equaliser, having arguably been the better side thus far, but they were shocked just five minutes later.

Before they had a real chance to respond, the lead was doubled by the talisman. The ball broke to Wout Weghorst, who fed Rashford one on one with Sven Botman. Taking the Dutch centre-back on and surprising Karius with the early shot, it agonisingly bobbled over the despairing keeper into the net, as a groan resounded within Wembley. Drowned out shortly by the fans on the opposite side however, who relished the fact their team had taken cruise control of the tie. With the scoreline slightly flattering to Ten Hag’s side, Eddie Howe wore a deflated expression as he knew the fast start had been wasted.

The Toons looked to claw one back before half time, whilst ensuring the game wouldn’t drift out of sight. Dan Burn’s headed effort drifted just wide on the stroke of the whistle. As Alan Shearer watched on from the crowd, depleted, it looked like it would be a tale of ‘same old’ from the team with such a barren collection of recent silverware.

Howe’s more direct approach to the second half was prevalent from the first whistle. With both teams having decent chances, it became a classic end-to-end encounter. The introduction of the Swede Alexander Isak sparked new life into the attack, but to no material avail. With a red overload in midfield, Casemiro was free to roam and slot in front of the back for to provide extra security. On a number of occasions, he was able to expertly shepherd the ball out of play.

Saint-Maximim tested Aaron Wan-Bissaka on a number of occasions but failed to provide any end product after impressive runs. The right back, who came on for the carded and struggling Dalot, must be credited for effectively dealing with the threat, and Ten Hag the mastermind behind the clever change. As the brief nerve-racking period started to subside, Howe threw his last role of the dice by bringing on Joe Willock and Jacob Murphy.

All the positive endeavour was thwarted by a combination of tenacity from Lisandro Martínez and Raphaël Varane, and defensive know-how to limit any site of goal. As each second ticked by, the attempts on goal became progressively rash. Murphy’s blistering effort looked to have beaten David de Gea but swerved tantalisingly wide.

Despite knowing it was all but over, the Toons’ support never once faded, instead remained resolute and strong, as their team put in an admirable shift, but were made to regret the earlier lapse in concentration. At Full Time, Howe disappointed, Ten Hag elated, the sky is the limit for the side he has transformed. Amidst his emotional post-match interview with Sky Sports, Bruno Fernandes assured fans that business is far from finished this campaign.

FA CUP

FIFTH ROUND.

4TH ROUND OVERVIEW

EZZIE BRASS

A series of scintillating ties between teams from all over the domestic football pyramid saw some unlikely teams progress to the next stage, as the 4th round certainly didn’t fail to disappoint. Among the showstoppers, Wrexham vs Sheffiled United was the pick of the bunch, as Ryan Reynolds and his team seemed to be writing their own script.

No one could have predicted they would do anything to trouble the Championship title contenders, let alone take them to a replay, drawing 3-3. And had it not been for John Egan’s equalising header in the dying moments of stoppage time, the next chapter of the fairytale would have been written.

In the end a valiant effort in the replay at Brammall lane saw the national league side fall just short, as a vintage Paul Mullin display saw it go right to the end once again. Having sent the Welsh fans into pandemonium when he smashed his first penalty straight down the middle, his second was agonisingly saved which gave the home side the momentum to go on and snatch the win 3-1. Nonetheless a brilliant encounter, one which really showcased the magic of the cup.

Elsewhere, Man City saw off Arsenal 1-0 in a much

less dramatic affair, as Nathan Aké thwarted Bukayo Saka expertly, and calmy side-footed Jack Grealish’ cutback into the far corner, to grab the only goal of the night with his standout moment of quality. The Gunners failed to create enough opportunities, and with a somewhat reserved side fielded by Mikel Arteta, it was clear that his priorities rested firmly on the league.

In the other all-prem tie Brighton hosted Liverpool, where Japanese prodigy Kaoru Mitoma was the star of the show. Liverpool had taken an early lead through Harvey Elliot before Lewis Dunk’s deft touch to guide Tariq Lamptey’s controlled strike away from Alisson saw the home side draw level before half time. As both sides piled on the pressure it looked as though the tie would go to a replay, before Mitoma’s bit of magic separated the two sides, deep into stoppage time. One touch to feint his shot before smashing home on the volley from close range with remarkable accuracy summed up the young man’s recent brilliant set of performances, as Brighton ran out 2-1 winners.

The 5th round sees 9 of 16 teams in the Premier League, with a real chance for the likes of Blackburn Rovers and Stoke City among others to cause some upsets.

Team to watch out for - Grimsby Town FC

Competing as underdogs in their 4th round tie, the League 2 side defied all expectations. After a resolutely-fought performance away at Luton town, they managed to earn themselves a replay, after a 2-2 draw, in front of the best part of 10,000 fans back at home. Spurred on by the Mariners faithful, the performance did justice the brilliant work of the fans. The Championship side succumbed to the pressure and tension,

as the roof was taken off at Blundell Park, with three well-worked goals. They’ve now shown they can compete with the big boys, and there’s no reason why they can’t challenge an under-pressure Southampton tonight. Granted, the disparity in quality between the two sides may make the challenge just that bit out of reach, but one thing they do have over the Premier League’s bottom side is momentum (in the cup anyway!)

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

ROUND OF 16

TUESDAY 7 MARCH

Benfica 20:00 Club Bruges (Agg 2-0)

Chelsea 20:00 Borussia Dortmund (Agg 0-1)

WEDNESDAY 8 MARCH

Bayern Munich 20:00 Paris Saint Germain (Agg 1-0)

Tottenham Hotspur 20:00 AC Milan (Agg 0-1)

TUESDAY 14 MARCH

FC Porto 20:00 Inter Milan (Agg 0-1)

Manchester City 20:00 RB Leipzig

(Agg 1-1)

WEDNESDAY 15 MARCH

Napoli 20:00 Eintracht Frankfurt (Agg 2-0)

Real Madrid 20:00 Liverpool (Agg 5-2)

Liverpool Real Madrid

LOS BLANCOS RUN RAMPANT AS LIVERPOOL ARE HIT FOR FIVE

Klopp Laments as his side’s perfect start quickly unravelled into a horror show. Real Madrid completely took apart Liverpool in scintillating style in what has been regarded as one of the most impressive away performances in Europe for quite some time. A game which had absolutely everything looked at first to be a narrative of farcical goalkeeping errors before Real’s big boys showed up and took centre stage. Under the cosh and under two goals early on, the eminent Spanish giants emerged from the dead to level the tie and then go on to sink the reds.

Jürgen Klopp will be absolutely kicking himself. Squandering a 2-0 lead is bad enough. Squandering the whole tie is another story. When Darwin Núñez’ exquisite flick sent the Kop end into pandemonium in the 4th minute, Madrid really looked there for the taking. The first 15 minutes was a story of end-to-end, nonstop attacking, in which the reds came out on top. Cody Gakpo and Mohammed Salah were full of energy, spurred on by the deafening Anfield faithful they looked to build upon a fast start. And they did exactly that when Thibaut Courtouis put it on a plate for Salah ten minutes later, after a catastrophic muddling up of feet.

But Real Madrid are never down and out. Even when overcoming a two goal deficit under one of the most intense and hostile atmospheres in the world, they remarkably kept their cool. Courtesy of a fine driven finish from Vinícius Júnior, in which he picked his spot magnificently to bend it round Alison, the first step to redemption was underway. The full reprieve, however, came in quite mind-blowing circumstances 15 minutes later. If Courtouis’ mistake was poor, Alisson’s was inexplicable. Reciprocating the gift that his opposite number 1 had given to Liverpool, his cardinal error really was the turning point of the contest as the score line was restored to equal. Under pressure from Vinícius, he fluffed his lines, allowing the ball to ricochet straight off the Brazilian and into the net. Courtouis’ lapse of concentration went on to be spared, but Alisson lived to regret his error.

The first half was paradoxically sublime and absurd, as both sides showcased substantial quality, and equally an extreme lack of it. Goalkeeping howlers summed up how exposed both sets of defences were, as each of their touches was greeted by a derisive jeer from the respective opposition fans. Madrid almost snatched the lead at the end of the first half, Vinícius’ low cross agonisingly close to finding Rodrigo, saved by the heroics of Andy Robertson.

Despite Madrid having the momentum, the captivating encounter looked like it could have gone either way. The Red’s wind was soon taking out of their sails however, when Éder Militão made full use of Luka Modrić’ floated free kick with his bullet header early in the second half. Another mess at the back, this time it proved decisive as it sparked a landslide of goals in quick succession. Incessant pressing and aggression from the away side yielded mistakes, which Eduardo Camavinga and Federico Valverde expertly seized upon. As the Reds looked to make amends, huge gaps appeared in the centre of the park. Rodrygo latched onto Carvajal’s throughball, before playing a few one two’s with Vinícius and Benzema. The Frenchman’s shot was deflected off of Joe Gomez, who had a torrid time against the front three, to make it 4-2, as Alisson was left hopelessly rooted to the spot.

From then on Real exhibited a masterclass in conserving their lead, comprehensively keeping the Reds at bay and even adding another to add to mount Klopp’s woes. Like clockwork, Camavinga slotted in in front of the back four, Rodrygo dropped to add security, and Modrić and Valverde provided an outlet to play in Benzema and maintain a threat. Everything good that the away side did was orchestrated by the outstanding powerhouse Valverde, with his relentless running and surges of energy. Madrid were showing everyone how it’s done with delicate, intricate passing to take the game away from Liverpool.

Klopp looked to Firmino to remedy the situation, and commanded a very high line in a seemingly all or nothing approach to the last phase of the game. But all that changed was more gaps appearing, as committing too many forward took its toll. Modrić pounced on a loose ball as space opened up, drove tenaciously past the young Stefan Bajčetić, before sliding in Vinícius, who in turn laid it on a plate for Benzema. But with four players surrounding him, he still had it all to do. Taking three out with a feint, he grabbed his brace with a gorgeous, composed finish into the left corner. It really was the icing on the cherry on the cake for Ancelotti, who’s expression was still puzzling and indifferent as ever. No doubt though he will be absolutely buzzing with his team even if he doesn’t show it.

It really was a game for the archives, as the Reds have it all to do in Spain. A mountain to climb, but not one which is unprecedented as we all know too well. Technically we can’t write them off, but even Klopp knows this ones as good as done. This Madrid side really are the best in the business.

FOOTBALL AROUND THE WORLD

WHY IT’S ANYONE’S GAME IN GERMANY

MAX AHLBORN DISCUSSES WHY THIS YEAR IS SO UNIQUE

In the past decade, the Bundesliga has faced perhaps deserved criticism for its lack of competition in the title race. And while teams like Dortmund or Leipzig would perhaps tease the idea of challenging for the Meisterschale, it always seemed a forgone conclusion that Bayern Munich would lift the title come May. This season, however, five teams have good reason to label themselves challengers and it seems very, very possible that the Bavarians will be knocked off their perch this season.

Just barely leading the pack on goal difference are reigning champions Bayern, but their form in 2023 has definitely left something to be desired with the Bavarian side dropping nine points in seven games since the turn of the year with even marquee signing João Cancelo unable to prevent Bayern’s seemingly annual demise to Mönchengladbach away from home.

The problem mainly lies in attack with the board unable to fully replace Robert Lewandowski’s goals. Sadio

Mane is struggling to stay fit and while former Stoke flop Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting has done an admirable job, Robert Lewandowski he is not. Undoubtedly the team’s brightest spark this season has been teenager Jamal Musiala with the Chelsea academy product and German International bagging 11 goals and seven assists so far this season. Julian Nagelsmann will be hoping that Musiala can help fire his men to an 11th straight title come May.

Just behind them are undoubtedly the most inform team in the Bundesliga right now in Borussia Dortmund. The slim lead Bayern hold is courtesy of only goal difference, as BVB are ready to pounce at any stage. They entered the Winter break in a borderline crisis, lying 6th in the league and none points off Bayern. However, a sharp upturn in fortunes since the turn of the year, highlighted by nine straight wins in all competitions and seven straight in the league, has propelled them into second, level on points with leaders Bayern. This hot run of form has been spearheaded by

the big leaps of two key players in the side: Julian Brandt and Karim Adeyemi. In the absence of captain Marco Reus, Julian Brandt has finally stepped up and showed some consistency in the number 10 role winning the Bundesliga player of the month for January and scoring in 4 straight games. Adeyemi is also finally starting to look as advertised, scoring 3 and getting an assist in February to further legitimise Dortmund’s title charge. Among other consistent performers are Jude Bellingham and Gregor Kobel. The young English midfielder is quickly solidifying himself as one of the world’s best midfielders with elite clubs like Real Madrid and mid-table clubs like Liverpool desperate to add him to their squads in summer. The ever- present Swiss goalkeeper Gregor Kobel also adds another element in front of Dortmund’s much improved back line. Coach Edin Terzić will hope that his Dortmund side can end Bayern’s 10 year stretch of dominance and lift the Meisterschale in front of the Westfalenstadion faithful.

The surprise story of this season Union Berlin sit behind the usual two challengers in 3rd. In the 3rd tier of German football less than 20 years ago and having to rely on their fans to rebuild their stadium in 2009 when it was falling apart, they now find themselves in a Bundesliga title race. The working-class club from East-Berlin pride themselves on their rich history and tradition and have set alight not just the Bundesliga but also the Europa League, beating Dutch champions Ajax to advance to the last 16. Building their team on a strong defence which has become statistically the 2nd best in the league and summer acquisition Jordan and his strike partner Sheraldo Becker providing 11 goals between them so far, Urs Fischer’s men have captured the heart of many throughout Germany as they look to prove that you can indeed challenge with those at the top with limited resources. Despite losing to Bayern comprehensively on the weekend, the disparity between the two sides is at a mere three points, which can easily be overcome. How long they maintain this title challenge remains to be seen.

Of the teams that follow, it is RB Leipzig and SC Freiburg who have the greatest chance of challenging for the title.

Leipzig are less then well-liked in Germany with their poor home support and vast amount of riches which have led them to sign players such as Nkunku from PSG, Angeliño from Manchester City and Dominik Szoboszlai from sister club RB Salzburg, drawing disapproving looks from fans all across the league. However they are undoubtedly a force to be reckoned with, and will look to capitalise on the chance to win a league title before Nkunku’s transfer to Chelsea this summer. SC Freiburg by contrast are, similiarly to Union Berlin, a club filled to the brim with tradition and history. With long time head-coach Christian Streich at the helm, the club has seemed to be on an upward spiral ever since regaining promotion from the second tier in 2016 with players such as Vincenzo Grifo and home-town boy Matthias Ginter catalysing another strong season in the Black Forest.

Will all this competition finally prove enough for Bayern to succumb to not winning the league for the first time in over a decade? Perhaps. But the men from Bavaria have proven time and time again to be winners and overcome adversity even when the chips are down. Only time will tell if this season will be different.

FOOTBALL AROUND THE WORLD

PIERRE-ALEXANDER ON HOW STADE DE REIMS HAVE RISEN AFTER 35 YEARS

You might have recently heard of managerial phenomenon Will Still, head coach Reims FC in France, a team who have gone under the radar for so long since being a renowned and highly successful European club. You may have even seen his fascinating team talk, in which he remarkably switches from French to English with each sentence during his passionate address. Still’s rise to the top is inspiring and seen as a saviour by the Reims faithful. I spoke to Pierre-Alexandre, French teacher from the Boys’ School and ardent Reims supporter himself, who discusses his love-hate relationship with the club, predictions for the season (for both Reims and Watford who he has taken a liking to), and an insight into his interesting experiences playing football both in France and now for Old Habs:

What was your experience with football growing up?

‘I started to like football when I was about eight or nine, during the 2006 World Cup I really started to watch it, with the stars like Zidane and Henry, but for some reason goalkeeping has always been my thing, so I considered Fabien Barthez up there with the best as well. The moment I

saw him play was the one I found my passion. He’s pretty much the reason I got into it.’

How come goalkeeping?

‘I realised from a young age that I had really good reflexes and sharp reactions but watching my roll models helped to put these to good use! As I say, Barthez certainly played a big role, but of course there were others like Iker Casillas and Buffon and Hugo Lloris slightly later as well. I’ve been told the way I play is quite similar to Lloris - the typical French way!

I play like I lot of French keepers in that we don’t love too much contact! We tend to play very high away from our goalline, but it’s something from personal experience that is hard to perfect and that I sometimes struggle with as well as injuries! These were the main guys who I looked to, but also Manuel Neuer in the way he stays so far off of his line’ It is clear that the modern goalkeeper has evolved drastically in the past 20 or so years, as Pierre describes

how Neuer plays so differently to the conventional keeper from before the 90s, who wouldn’t dare to leave his goal line. Back then you could be terrible with your feet, but you could get away with it. But now, if you can’t pass well or your touch isn’t perfect you will get found out. ‘The modern goalkeeper requires much more than just shot stopping, you have to have more skills to your game.’

Who did you play for in France?

‘I’ve never played for a huge team, more just local and regional teams, similar to amateur football. I played for huge teams like Isles-sur-Suippe! And Witryles-Reims !- so really teams that no one knows about, however the last team that I played for a year at ‘Reims SainteAnne’ was actually the youth team that Robert Pires played for, which was a really great experience at effectively U19 regional level, similar to national league in England. we even managed to get promoted. I do think if I had been more committed then going semi pro or even pro wouldn’t have been out of the question!’

‘I never really wanted to do so full- time, but if I had the opportunity in the future even for a couple of months I would snatch it up, however what I really want is to enjoy my football, as it’s when I can relax and calm my mind, and if I lose that factor from doing what I love, I don’t really see the point in giving 100% of my effort. What really annoys me is how a decision which seems logical to me will be shouted at by my back line who don’t understand just how hard it is to be a keeper. Football really can just be a sociable game to play with friends.’

How does football in France compare to England?

‘Well it’s slightly different in France as you only have two professional leagues, whereas in England you have four, but the role football plays in the culture is very similar, when you think about Henry and Zidane, these players managed to

hype up a whole country. The love for football is basically the same from my experience, but of course it’s two different cultures and worlds, in different ways they are very passionate. In terms of how they play, again both countries have very physical leagues (maybe even more physical in England!) The first game I played in goal for OH I was expecting the ref to blow for a foul after I was clattered by their striker! I thought it was clear but more challenges are seen as 50/50 here!’

Play or watch?

‘Of course I love to play, but since I moved here I’ve been to quite a lot of Watford ganes, at St Mary’s, the Etihad, Old Trafford, and even Turf Moor! It was really nice to see how different clubs and atmospheres differ around the country, and I feel like I appreciate it more, maybe because it’s so different from where I am from in Reims, whereas in Marseille and Nantes you have crazy fans, but it Reims they are all boring! Even though it’s quite a well known team we only fill half of the stadium! Following an English team really shows you just what football can be at its best (and at its worst!) it’s nice to have experienced both leagues’.

How have Stade de Reims fared recently?

‘Well, at the beginning of the season they played terribly under the former coach Óscar García, but since then they look much better under Will Still! They are unbeaten in 13 and 10th in the league. Historically we

were a very famous club, especially back in the 1950s’. It’s clear that Reims enjoyed their most succesful years a long while ago when they attracted world-renowned international stars of the time .‘Just Fontaine and Raymond Kopa helped the club achieve lots of success, being the first French team to play in a European cup final, also winning 3 league titles and even the double that decade’. But In the 1960s disaster struck, with the club being relegated to league deux. After a yo-yo 8 year period, in which they bounced back twice, they found themselves back in the second tier after failing to consolidate their place in League 1. After another few spells in the top flight, they were relegated yet again, however this time ‘they didn’t manage to go back up until 2012’. It took them 57 years to regain a spot in a European competition, and In this 33 year dry period, it seems as though the club lost some of its old magic. ‘I don’t really enjoy the atmosphere because most of the time the stadium is half full, you don’t really have the same passion as with other teams’. Though there have certainly been some enjoyable times in the past few decades, ‘I remember when Reims played

in the national level (3rd tier), they were not a great team by any means and even struggled in national but it has been amazing to see them rise again through the divisions.’

Will Watford get promoted this year?

‘They will reach the play-offs for sure, but I’m not too sure about promotion. The problem, like last year, is inconsistency. Sometimes they play like a solid premier league team, sometimes it seems as though they have forgotten the basics!’

JANKTO BECOMES MOST RECENT FOOTBALLER TO

COME OUT

Getafe midfielder Jakub Jankto, who is on loan at Sparta Prague, has become the third active footballer to come out as gay, following Adelaide United defender Josh Cavallo and Blackpool striker Jake Daniels

Jankto, who plays for Sparta Prague on loan from Getafe, revealed his sexuality in a post on Twitter, saying: “I no longer want to hide myself.”

In a video on Twitter, Jankto said: “Hi, I’m Jakub Jankto. Like everybody else, I have my strengths, I have my weaknesses. I have a family, I have my friends. I have a job, which I have been doing as best as I can for years, with seriousness, professionalism, and passion.

“Like everybody else, I also want to live my life in freedom, without fears, without prejudice, without violence, but with love. I’m homosexual and I no longer want to hide myself.”

Jankto follows in the footsteps of Australian Josh Cavallo, who came out publicly in 2021, and Jake Daniels of Blackpool, who is the only current British male player to reveal he is gay.

Messages of support quickly followed Jankto’s post, with The Premier League replying to Jankto’s tweet, saying: “We’re with you, Jakub. Football is for everyone.”

The Professional Footballers’ Association added: “Well said, Jakub. We’re all with you!”, while players’ organisation FIFPRO said: “Live your life, Jakub. Proud.”

Jankto is the first player to play in Europe’s top 5 leagues to come out as gay. It can be seen as a landmark moment, with this hopefully encouraging more players and people to be open about their sexuality, whilst reducing homophobic language and attitudes within our society.