waroffutbol

  More than 40 players were snatched by Barcelona from their city rival, Espanyol, for their first team, but only a few eventually thrived. Barcelona and RC Espanyol have been rivals for years, but it does not stop both sides from swapping players. Blaugrana did release more of their stars to their fellow Catalan side, but not exactly the opposite. Former Danish international Martin Braithwaite was the last one to play regularly for Espanyol in the 2022/23 season. This season, however, Hans Flick’s side does the opposite by signing Espanyol’s brightest talent last season, Joan Garcia. He was La Liga’s best shot stopper last season despite only helping his team finish at the lower table. In fact, Garcia is seemingly prepared to take up the number one spot from the club’s captain, Marc Ter Stegen. The German goalie has fallen out of favour under Hans Flick since his attitude ahead of the second leg of the UCL semifinal against Inter Milan last season. Should Garcia be able to p...

  A number of legendary names have become final specialists at the top level throughout history, with very few players able to match such a record, even today. The 2025  FIFA CWC might have been over, but the final in East Rutherford left a remarkable note beyond just Chelsea’s stunning win over the UCL champions, PSG. The emergence of Cole Palmer as a new star for England might have been anticipated, yet his constant contribution in finals seems too obvious to deny. The former Manchester City man has become the new final specialist among football’s elite. His record of contributing in finals—either through goals or assists—continues to grow, and Palmer could potentially reach new heights to cement his status as the greatest final specialist in history. The Blues star’s contribution rate in finals is already at 75%, even higher than Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and, most recently, Kylian Mbappe. Cole Palmer already made his mark during his time at the Etihad, scoring...

  Only a few English players have actually played for Barcelona throughout the history compared to those signing for their archrival, Real Madrid. The headline on Barcelona’s search for a new winger following Nico Williams’ sudden snub has been all over the news lately. Blaugrana has reportedly been eyeing the new target. Liverpool’s Luiz Diaz seems to be their top priority, but The Reds would not let him go for a low price. Such poses an issue for the Catalan giant. England international Marcus Rashford becomes their next target. He provides a better option and chance to sign, as he himself is interested in moving to Catalan; his current club, Manchester United, is willing to sell him or loan him out; plus, Rashford’s versatility in all positions upfront could be a long-term solution for Robert Lewandowski’s replacement. The Polish forward has only one year left in his contract. He is already in his mid-30s too, which might not be an ideal choice to lead the line anymore along...

  South American managers who won the FIFA Club World Cup or its predecessor, the Intercontinental Cup, are still fewer compared to European gaffers. The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup is in progress to the second game. The South American sides, which have been deemed underdogs, finally managed to show their quality to the world after Botafogo’s stunning victory over the Champions League winner, PSG. It is literally the first win from the CONMEBOL sides against the UEFA sides since 2012, when Tite’s Corinthians beat Chelsea 1-0 in Yokohama, Japan. However, despite the Brazilian side’s unexpected victory last night, it still cannot be claimed to be fully achieved by the South American. Botafogo is currently under the tutelage of the foreign manager. The Portuguese Renato Pavia has been in charge of the club since February this year. On the contrary, Flamengo’s 3-1 victory over Chelsea can be considered as one. The 1981 Intercontinental Cup champion is led by a true South American ma...