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Chelsea FC – Juan Mata & Eden Hazard Mean the Difference Between Success and Failure
For those who thought that Eden Hazard is going to be the next Lionel Messi, his debut season might be considered a disappointment. Chelsea with Hazard hasn’t been able to challenge for the league title, but a strong finish, along with the team’s number one player, Juan Mata, which means a spot in the top 4 and winning the Europa League, will cast a very different light on his first season in the Premier League.
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Transfer Rumors 2013 – Barcelona Will Sign Pepe Reina From Liverpool
Football Club Barcelona have quite a few needs to address during the off-season according to their exit from the Champions League, and goalkeeper might be one of them if Victor Valdes is actually leaving. If that is true, it seems that bringing back Pepe Reina from Liverpool, a player who grew up at the club and has played for the senior side during his teenage years, is the first thing on the to-do list.
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Transfer Rumors 2013 – Manchester United Looking for Nani Swap With Juventus
It’s not only about the players Manchester United are bringing this summer, but also about those they’re going to get rid of. The first name on that list is probably Nani, talented, yet expensive and troublesome, with a salary that might deter quite a few teams. Still, someone must be willing to make a move for him, with Juventus looking like a possible destination, especially if they use one of their players, possibly Claudio Marchisio, as a trade asset.
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Transfer Rumors 2013 – Liverpool Interested in Douglas From Twente
It’s quite clear that Liverpool are going to need more than just one signing to become a formidable English and European force again, probably beginning with their defensive line, as Brazilian centre back Douglas, who has been playing for Twente since his teenage years, looks like the premier candidate to earn a move to Anfield next season, although Stefan de Vrij (Feyenoord) and Federico Fazio (Sevilla) are also being targeted.
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Transfer Rumors 2013 – Chelsea & Manchester United Chasing Robert Lewandowski
It seems the race for Robert Lewandowski is growing by the second, with Manchester United drifting away from their exclusiveness on the striker, suddenly turning into the hottest commodity in Europe. Borussia Dortmund aren’t too inclined to sell, but Chelsea might have the edge in the Premier League race for the Polish striker, not necessarily because of money.
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Arsenal FC – Arsene Wenger Doesn’t Want Theo Walcott as a Striker
Despite being the team’s top scorer, Theo Walcott will continue to play on the flank for Arsenal. Arsene Wenger acknowledges the England forward is a much better finisher than he has been earlier in his career, but sees no reason to move him from his current position.
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FC Barcelona – Tito Vilanova Turns Lionel Messi Into a Super Sub
Maybe this is going to be the new thing for Barcelona heading into next season – starting Lionel Messi on the bench, and then throwing him into the match when he’s most needed, just to show his brilliance and scoring ability in a much narrower window of time. Tito Vilanova has used that “trick” more than once this season, and it seems to have worked every time.
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Manchester United – Alex Ferguson Not Playing to Win
Even if you promise real hard, it’s hard to motivate yourself and your players to give a true effort when there’s nothing on the line. Robin van Persie only has his own goals to play for, while Wayne Rooney hardly got a whiff of a chance. Alex Ferguson sent his team out only to prevent a loss, but could hardly see and get any good football from them all match long, eventually brought to life thanks to his own players getting sent off.
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Chelsea FC – Juan Mata Taking Them to the Champions League
From the moment this long and exhausting season began, Juan Mata was there for Chelsea, more times than anyone else. Through the ups and downs of Oscar, Fernando Torres and Frank Lampard, the Spaniard, who barely has a place on his own national team, came up with the big goals, big assists and big matches to make sure this won’t be the season the team falls to previously unknown depths.
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Liverpool FC – Philippe Coutinho & Daniel Sturridge Can’t Explode Every Week
A Merseyside derby used to be a fiery affair with red cards and injured players scattered across the pitch. Times have changed, especially for Liverpool football club, about to finish beneath their city rivals for a second consecutive season, while all the talent in the world, from Philippe Coutinho, Daniel Sturridge and an energetic Steven Gerrard couldn’t give Jamie Carragher a nice farewell present, sending him off from the derby with a home win at Anfield.