Postecoglou nearing departure after poor Spurs hand Chelsea a ‘catalyst’ with £5m Sancho decision enticing

By Damerex -
Image
Ange Postecoglou appears to be in a dire situation, as the Europa League rescue seems improbable following Spurs’ absence against Chelsea, who ought to cover the costs for sending Jadon Sancho back to Manchester United...  Chelsea's lackluster display against Arsenal raised doubts about their desire to win, as Enzo Maresca's team seemingly let their London competitors secure a comfortable victory.  This poor performance resulted in Chelsea having the same points total as Manchester United since their pursuit of the Premier League title began to fade in mid-December.  During this period, Spurs have fared even worse since only Championship-bound Southampton, Leicester City, and Ipswich Town have garnered fewer points in 2025 than Postecoglou’s team in the Premier League.  Tottenham’s injury issues are a relevant factor, but even their makeshift squad has significantly underachieved and failed to show up in far too many matches this season.  Their injury concerns h...
Post a Comment

Pep Guardiola assesses Man City's prospects of triumphing over Real Madrid in their Champions League clash

By Damerex -

• Man City heads to Spain for the second leg of their playoff match on Wednesday. 

• Real Madrid triumphed in the initial match in Manchester with a score of 3-2, thanks to two late goals. 

• Pep Guardiola was not particularly hopeful regarding City's prospects. 

Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola stated that his team has only a "1%" chance of progressing to the Champions League round of 16 before the second leg of their play-off against Real Madrid on Wednesday evening. 

Everything might have turned out quite differently. The current Premier League champions held a 2-1 advantage against Madrid with fewer than ten minutes left in the first leg at the Etihad Stadium last Tuesday, prior to two late goals that dramatically shifted the dynamic of the entire matchup. 

Facing a 3-2 aggregate deficit before this week's crucial game in the Spanish capital, City must either beat Madrid by two goals in regular time or win by one goal and then succeed in the following penalty shootout. Guardiola was not excessively hopeful. 

"The margin for victory in [the] Bernabeu in that situation is well-known; if you inquire before the match, the likelihood of advancing, I don’t know, is about 1%, it’s very low," the City manager lamented, before stating: "Yet as [long] as there's a chance, we will make an effort, that's guaranteed." 

City surged to a 4-0 win against Newcastle United on Saturday, suggesting a late resurgence in form, but Guardiola emphasized how subpar his team has been against their high standards. "This season, the truth is, we have been far, far away," the Catalan coach confessed. 

"Our performance and results this season have been extremely, extremely poor, and despite today's one good game, it won’t alter the perception, the truth, about the team as it currently stands, and we are still not doing well on a daily basis." 

Madrid have not been particularly remarkable either. The Spanish powerhouses drew 1-1 with Osasuna over the weekend and have suffered seven defeats in all competitions this season—over three times their total losses for the whole 2023/24 season. 

The availability of Erling Haaland will significantly influence the city's likelihood of success in Spain, as he netted two goals for the English champions in their loss to Madrid last week. The iconic forward hobbled off in the match against Newcastle due to a concerning knee injury, but Guardiola swiftly addressed worries about a lengthy sidelining. 



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular post on wanderlustsport

Trophyless XI of players pursuing FA Cup success includes English duo Eze and Watkins

By Damerex -
Image
Fulham, Brighton, Bournemouth, and Crystal Palace are seeking their first trophies as they compete for FA Cup triumph in 2025. But what concerning the players without pots? We have you supported with a lineup assured to secure sixth place in the Premier League.  GK: Bart Verbruggen [Brighton] Netherlands' top player Verbruggen kicks off our trophyless XI, as his Brighton team gets ready to face the Premier League's third-best squad, Nottingham Forest, in the FA Cup quarter-finals this Saturday.  Brighton aim to get back at the team that scored seven against them and Verbruggen on February 1. Verbruggen allowed all but two of the attempts that Forest directed on goal, resulting in the Seagulls facing their worst league defeat since the 9-0 loss to Middlesbrough on the opening day of the 1958/59 season in the second division.  Verbruggen is among the top young goalkeepers in Europe yet couldn't secure any titles during his three years at Anderlecht, which is regrettable giv...
Read more

Arsenal supporters charged with ‘arrogant self-importance’ and far worse allegations

By Damerex -
Image
Are Arsenal supporters the most unbearable? That is the hypothesis. Liverpool sporting a ‘hollow crown’ has not been well-received.  Now regarding Real Madrid…  My forecast was that the sole way this Arsenal team could defeat Real Madrid across two matches was to secure victory in the first and remain solid in the second.  This is due to our inability to dismantle a team that parks the bus, which will happen at the Bernabeu if we drop the first leg. Especially not a second game at their location. I honestly can’t envision us pulling off a smash and grab like Thierry did previously.  I believe a draw in the first leg has a similar impact, as they'd be clever at home and wait for an opportunity to score.  Nevertheless, following tonight, the 'keeping it tight' aspect is in shambles with the London Colney treatment room bustling once more (does each squad member have their own table?). I was counting on Saliba and Gabriel to understand their French and Brazilian of...
Read more

Man City predicted to be ‘dissolved’ following FFP ‘private prosecutions’ with Haaland suggested for a move to Forest

By Damerex -
Image
Man City could confront being 'liquidated' due to 'private prosecutions', while a potentially 'humorous' alternative 'resolution' might trigger Erling Haland to Nottingham Forest.  The true ‘greatest’ influence of Man City FFP…  Acknowledging all the warnings, I believe that everyone is missing the main issue if City is deemed guilty. You have listed five penalties, but the greatest effect will likely come from the private prosecutions, which I think have been retained by Man Utd, Liverpool, and Arsenal. United clearly have the greatest need for funds, thus the absence of prize money, sponsorship, and commercial opportunities is an issue they will be eager to tackle concerning titles and trophies. Liverpool and Arsenal will also be bold in pursuing compensation, and we then look at the European teams that have faced disadvantages.  I have made this argument previously, but this could be crucial for City as a club. The club cannot sustain this without the...
Read more

Postecoglou nearing departure after poor Spurs hand Chelsea a ‘catalyst’ with £5m Sancho decision enticing

By Damerex -
Image
Ange Postecoglou appears to be in a dire situation, as the Europa League rescue seems improbable following Spurs’ absence against Chelsea, who ought to cover the costs for sending Jadon Sancho back to Manchester United...  Chelsea's lackluster display against Arsenal raised doubts about their desire to win, as Enzo Maresca's team seemingly let their London competitors secure a comfortable victory.  This poor performance resulted in Chelsea having the same points total as Manchester United since their pursuit of the Premier League title began to fade in mid-December.  During this period, Spurs have fared even worse since only Championship-bound Southampton, Leicester City, and Ipswich Town have garnered fewer points in 2025 than Postecoglou’s team in the Premier League.  Tottenham’s injury issues are a relevant factor, but even their makeshift squad has significantly underachieved and failed to show up in far too many matches this season.  Their injury concerns h...
Read more

Identify the sole two players in the Premier League with star quality

By Damerex -
Image
Did you believe that Bukayo Saka or the current Ballon d’Or winner possesses 'star quality'? As though it makes a difference regardless...  ‘Is the Premier League experiencing a shortage of superstars?’ is an opening line from Sam Wallace in the Daily Telegraph that stems entirely from the absurd situation of the international break concluding with an FA Cup weekend lacking any of England's most popular clubs.  You realize you are drifting into middle age when you begin to ponder where all the true superstars have disappeared to; wasn’t it more enjoyable when you could leave your door unlocked, men were men, women were something unspecified, and the Premier League overflowed with star talent? The issue? It never truly was.  In the latest Forbes ranking of the top-earning athletes in 2024, which generally aligns with the most renowned players globally, the Premier League features three individuals: Erling Haaland, Mo Salah, and Kevin De Bruyne.  In 2020, the Premier L...
Read more

Man Utd confronts a ‘significant challenge’ as Amorim prepares for a record offer for Fernandes

By Damerex -
Image
According to reports, Man Utd is preparing for a historic transfer offer from Real Madrid for Bruno Fernandes during the summer transfer window.  The Red Devils are enduring a difficult season, with Ruben Amorim’s team sitting in 13th place on the Premier League table after 29 games.  Man Utd appointed Amorim to replace Erik ten Hag in November, yet results and performances have declined under the Portuguese manager.  Amorim is facing challenges in getting his Man Utd team to adjust to his style of play, philosophy, and tactics – yet one player who has risen to the occasion is Fernandes.  Fernandes has made a remarkable impact with 16 goals and 14 assists in 44 matches across all competitions this season, despite the team's difficulties.  This has caught the eye of La Liga powerhouses Real Madrid, with the Daily Star reporting that Man Utd is ‘prepared for a record transfer offer’ from Los Blancos during the summer transfer window.  Real Madrid are poised t...
Read more

Bukayo Saka makes a perfect comeback, but Arsenal's 24/25 season comes to a premature conclusion after another injury setback

By Damerex -
Image
Bukayo Saka shone brightly with a goal in his comeback during the 2-1 victory against Fulham, yet Arsenal may soon see their season come to an abrupt halt following yet another significant setback...  In reality, Arsenal's chances of winning the Premier League title concluded prior to the international break.  The slim chance of something amusing occurring during what is poised to be a rather tedious conclusion hinged on Mikel Arteta’s team defeating Fulham on Tuesday night and Liverpool prolonging their ongoing two-match winless streak against Everton on Wednesday evening.  Arsenal delivered on their promise, though they didn't do so entirely convincingly…  Even with Saka's positive return to the bench following his hamstring injury, Arsenal's ongoing issues persisted, and one could easily believe – particularly during the first half – that the Fulham match felt like a meaningless fixture as a minor hurdle on the way to summer break.  As they have throughout mu...
Read more