waroffutbol

  Football managers are rarely seen facing off against their old boss in the summit, except for very few of them. Football can deliver strange fates, either for players or for gaffers. It might be more common to see the players facing off against their former boss. Yet, it is rare to find managers head-to-head against their old mentor. In the current campaign, such can be ruled out as Chelsea and Real Betis square off in Wroclaw for the last stage of the UEFA Conference League final. The Blues’ boss, Enzo Maresca, publicly claimed that Betis’s Manuel Pellegrini had been considered his professional father. They have been so close and even still remain in contact ahead of their team’s meeting. Maresca was once playing for Pellegrini’s Malaga in the 2011/12 campaign before working as one of his staff in West Ham. The former Leicester boss stayed in London Stadium from 2018 to 2019 before starting off his managerial career as a head coach at AC Parma in 2021. The duel between ...

  Real Madrid has a history of making big comeback wins in European competitions, although they are not as memorable as Barcelona’s. Real Madrid’s continental campaign this season is currently in danger. Their unexpected 3-0 defeat at Emirates Stadium against Arsenal in the first leg of the UCL quarterfinals really stunned their fans around the world. They are surely all hoping that Vinicius Jr and Co. will make an incredible comeback despite having a three-goal deficit. Los Blancos too has a long history of comeback wins. Despite the fact that they were not as well-known as their archrivals, especially in the Champions League/European Cup, the reigning champion still has much potential to turn the table in the second leg. Santiago Bernabéu does often bring magic necessary, and such is what Real Madrid is expecting next week. Throughout history, Los Merengues have made several great comebacks since their first one in the European Cup in 1960. At that time, Alfredo Di Stefano ...

  Bayern vs Inter Milan is one of the most anticipated matches in UCL quarterfinals, with some thrilling encounters in history. Bayern Munich and Inter Milan are set to square off on April 9 for the first leg in the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League quarterfinal. Die Roten will play host first in Allianz Arena, which happens to be the venue for the final. Vincent Kompany’s side are undoubtedly hoping they could go through and find redemption in the 2012 final edition, in which they humiliatingly lost to Chelsea on penalties. Lifting the Big Ear trophy at home turf seems ideal, and a win over Nerrazurri would be the first step to such a target. Unfortunately, none is easy when it comes to the opponent in the further knockout stage. Inter Milan pose their own threat which could jeopardise Harry Kane and Co’s chance for UCL glory. Throughout history, both sides have met nine times, with five wins and one drawfor the Bundesliga giant. However, their three defeats were more devastati...

  Only several Austrian players with spells in European top five apart from Bundesliga can be considered the best. Austria might not be the top nation in European football today. Their golden era has long gone. The team which was known as the Wunderteam in 1920s and 1930s has turned into mediocre before being able to qualify to UEFA Euro championship in the past three editions. In the FIFA World Cup, Austria’s last appearance in the final round was in France 1998, whereas their best campaign was in Switzerland 1954, as they reached the semifinals. Nevertheless, they never lack talent. The Austrian top flight, also known as the Austrian Bundesliga, has produced distinguished players from time to time. Mostly, they would switch sides to their neighbour, the German Bundesliga, to improve their career. Naturally, such is the popular destination due to the geographical proximity and the same culture and language. Yet, there have been others who have been more adventurous too. They...

  Certain football teams have been known for their domination at the top level in certain decades in history. The 2020s has reached the middle of the decade. Surprisingly, it also marks the beginning of an end for certain dominating teams at the top level. The most obvious one is the declining form of Manchester City. The Premier League reigning champions seem to begin their dark days with the series of defeats this season. Pep Guardiola’s men have suffered eight defeats so far when the competition is still halfway. They were beaten six times in the Premier League plus twice in UCL. Such is unthinkable considering their almost total domination in the English top flight. The 2010s practically almost belonged to the Citizens, as they won the EPL four times, followed by another four in the early 2020s. They simply bettered any other teams from 2012 to 2024. Not to mention their treble success in 2023, plus the FIFA Club World Cup in the same year. Now, they are on the verge of ...