waroffutbol

  The non-top-flight domestic cup champions have been incredibly rare in the European top five, and there have been none since the late 2000s. It's been a while since non-top-tier clubs won the domestic cup. Interestingly, such events have occurred throughout Europe's top five leagues. No one from the lower division has ever won a title in one of them. In England, lower-tier teams used to surprise fans every now and then, whether in the FA Cup or the EFL Cup. Compared to the other top five major leagues, England had more non-top-flight champions. The fans saw them win eight times in the former and five times in the latter. Meanwhile, non-top-tier teams have only won the German Cup, also known as the DFB Pokal, Coupe de France, and Coppa Italia, twice in their history. The Spanish Copa del Rey is the worst, with none of them winning the title even once. Here are the last non-top-flight domestic cup winners in the European major leagues. EFL League Cup The tournament, ...

  Some young managers might have made a big move too soon, which impacts their career.  Being asuccessful young manager clearly leads to the opportunity to join the big league. It is surely tempting to advance their managerial career quicker than expected. This season, Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso, Sporting Lisbon’s Ruben Armorim, and Bologna manager Thiago Motta have become the ones in high demand next summer. They are all under 45 years old and have been the target of big teams like Bayern Munich, Liverpool, and Barcelona.  The Portuguese and Italian bosses seem to have made up their minds for their future next term, whereas the Spaniard has not made any official decisions. Alonso is expected to decide it carefully, as switching sides too soon might jeopardise his managerial career in the future.  He might need to consider Julian Nagelsmann’s case. The 36-year-old manager was in the same situation in 2021. The current Germany national team has yet to imp...

  The early finals in the knockout stages of the Champions League between two favourite teams have occurred from time to time. As the continent’s top-flight competition, the UEFA Champions League has been the stage for the elite sides only. It was even more exclusive than today, especially prior to the 1997/98 season, as the berths were only given to the domestic league winners. Consequently, the clash between the top favourites was rare, although it was still likely. Since the expansion of UCL in 1997, more teams from the major leagues have been able to participate, from the runners-up only to the big four or three. Consequently, big-team games have been more frequent, even in the early stages. However, several matches have been considered early finals since they involved the tournament’s favourites or teams that have been in form that season. The games tipped for UCL’s early finals have taken place throughout the tournament’s history. Such will be discussed in the series of...

  A number of former elite teams from major European leagues have been miserably stuck in the lower tiers. Being among the elite at football’s top level is certainly beneficial. It gives them an advantage to gain more revenues from the continual opportunities in the continental competition, huge sponsors, packed stadiums, global fans, and most importantly, chances for silverware. However, staying among the elites also requires consistency and quality in all departments of the club, from sports to finance. In the past few years, football has seen how giants can lose their elite status. Chelsea, Barcelona, and recently, Ajax Amsterdam, are just a few examples. They are still in the top flight but are currently struggling to bounce back and regain their top badges on the continent. In reality, other former elite sides have been a disgrace. They have been unable to return to the level they once were. Some managed to get promoted to the top tier but spent most of their campaign av...

  Only six football cities in the world may be considered the most notable ones. Football is unquestionably the most popular sport in the world. It can lead to madness or even worse. In some cities, football means more than just a sport. It has become part of their identity, transforming them into football cities. Many fans can claim their own town, but it's more than just the craziness. The ideal football cities are not only identified by the quantity of football clubs in their territory but also by their team’s incredible form at the top level, both domestic and international ones, without the influence of the third non-football party. The huge gap among the city rivals shall not exist. The more teams winning the domestic titles, the better. In addition, the city is expected to have three or more international standard stadiums, which have been utilized for hosting major tournaments. Thus, despite their clubs’ global prominence, the likes of Madrid, Barcelona , Munich or Mila...