The Weekly Take, Issue 365: A Statement Performance - But Not the One Most Were Expecting

Regardless of the result of the 2024-25 UEFA Nations League final, one thing would be certain: whichever team would come out on top would become the first-ever team to win multiple editions of the tournament. The final was an Iberian derby pitting 2019 champions Portugal against reigning European champions Spain who were also targeting back-to-back Nations League titles.

Right from the start, Spain had the majority of the possession and thus goalscoring chances—and they took advantage of this by scoring first. Real Sociedad midfielder Martín Zubimendi opened the scoring for La Furia Roja in the 21st minute. However, this lead didn’t last long as just five minutes later, Paris Saint-Germain left-back Nuno Mendes scored Portugal’s equalizer after having been set up by Pedro Neto. Spain continued to push and regained the lead shortly before half-time with Mikel Oyarzabal getting on the scoresheet.

Then, in the 61st minute, in what almost felt like a scripted moment, Cristiano Ronaldo turned back the clock to score his record-extending 138th career international goal. Neither side could find the net after that; as such, the match went to extra time which also failed to yield a winner.

Thus, for the second Nations League final in a row, the title would be decided via penalty shootout. After Portugal’s first four and Spain’s first three penalty takers connected with their attempts, Spain’s veteran striker Álvaro Morata stepped forward for his team’s fourth penalty. However, Morata would be denied by Porto goalkeeper Diogo Costa, giving Rúben Neves the chance to clinch the title for Portugal. Neves converted his penalty to clinch Portugal’s second Nations League championship.

This match marked the last chance for certain players to make a final push for Ballon d’Or votes for this season - in particular Lamine Yamal. Having already put together an outstanding individual season with just the Champions League title eluding him, the Barcelona winger had a second chance to impress voters with another dominant showing in the final.

Instead, Yamal was outplayed by a player who put in a statement performance of his own. Mendes did so much more than just score Portugal’s first goal - he kept Yamal quiet throughout the vast majority of the match and thus neutralized Spain’s primary attacking threat and clear best player. Mendes wasn’t done at the end of extra time, either; he went on to net a penalty for Portugal during the shootout.

Even Mendes’ yellow card can be regarded as a point in his favor because he got it after a scuffle with Spain’s Álex Baena. This is because through the incident, Mendes showed his teammates that he would not be intimidated by the opposition - and that likely gave them a morale boost.

Before the final, Mendes was already regarded as the world’s best left-back at just 22. However, after having dominated the match in the way he did - most notably, the way he outplayed Yamal - Mendes surely has to be considered at least a fringe Ballon d’Or candidate.

Against Spain, Mendes showed off the whole package - not just defensively but offensively as well. There’s a case to be made that no other full-back today blends athleticism and skill in quite the way Mendes does. This combination was on full display in the Nations League final as he took Spain apart on both ends of the field.

Like many elite defenders, Mendes’ contributions have been somewhat underrated throughout this season. However, it must be remembered that he was the one who put the clamps on players like Mohamed Salah and Bukayo Saka on PSG’s path to their first-ever Champions League title. Couple that elite defensive ability with top-tier link-up play, off-ball runs, and playmaking and it should be obvious that Mendes deserves to be at least considered for world football’s highest individual honour.

Of course, this will be a tall order; in addition to the fact that Mendes is a defender, he will have to contend with his own PSG teammates to even get a vote. Additionally, Mendes did miss a decent chunk of the season via injury - a factor which could scupper any chance he might have had to receive any votes at all. This is truly unfortunate because, as has just been proven, Nuno Mendes is a bona fide superstar who deserves to be regarded on a level at least close to the current Ballon d’Or favourites.

The Weekly Take, Issue 364: Hell Has Frozen Over

Paris Saint-Germain have just won the UEFA Champions League.

Read that sentence again. This is neither AI nor a simulation. Yes, PSG really did win it all.

For years I have been firmly on the “PSG will never win the Champions League” bandwagon—and understandably so. Year after year after year, the Parisian club would somehow find new ways to bungle their Champions League campaign despite often having a stacked squad—and this was reflected in the fact that at one point, PSG were eliminated from the tournament in the round of 16 five times in seven seasons—and though they made it to the final in one of the other two, that was the Covid-impacted 2019-20 season and must therefore be regarded as an outlier since its conditions were a one-off.

Even earlier this season, PSG struggled to even make it through the league phase, eventually avoiding complete elimination but only finishing in 15th place. This meant that PSG would have to go through a play-in for a spot in the last 16. After beating French compatriots Brest in the play-in, PSG advanced to the round of 16 where they would face would-be English champions Liverpool. PSG were widely tipped to be soundly beaten by the Merseysiders - but that’s when the switch suddenly flipped.

PSG would go on to knock Liverpool and subsequently Arsenal out of the tournament before winning the Champions League for the first time in club history with a spectacular 5-0 demolition of Inter Milan at the Allianz Arena - the most one-sided Champions League final of all time. The PSG that showed up to the final could not have looked more different to the one which barely scraped through the league phase as they exorcised their Champions League demons in the most remarkable fashion imaginable.

The outcome of the final was never in doubt from the opening whistle; in fact, it could even have been said of Inter that they were rather fortunate to have lost by just five goals as the margin of victory could easily have been larger.

While there are multiple reasons as to why PSG were able to turn things around in the way they did, one of the most significant has to be the mid-season acquisition of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia from Napoli. PSG’s signing of the Georgian for €70 million is already looking like an absolute bargain. “Kvara”, who was clearly Napoli’s best player at the time of his departure and even having played just half a season, was one of the key factors behind Napoli’s Serie A victory this season, picked up right where he left off when he arrived in the French capital.

Kvaratskhelia ended up being “the missing piece” that PSG had needed all along; the club’s Champions League form did an almost complete reversal following his arrival at the Parc des Princes. Arguably more than any other player, Kvaratskhelia embodies the new-look PSG - able to make game-changing spectacular plays out of nowhere, yet always willing to put in a real shift and do the dirty work such as making important tackles or tracking back. There aren’t too many wingers about whom this can be said; it’s one of the many reasons why Kvaratskhelia has now emerged as a bona fide Ballon d’Or contender.

In fact, if I had a Ballon d’Or vote, I would actually have Kvaratskhelia as my first-place vote ahead of two other wingers - I’d have Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal in second and Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah in third. The impact that Kvratskhelia has had this season on not one, but two different clubs can’t be understated. Had he not left Napoli, he would’ve been Serie A’s Player of the Year by a large margin and had he never arrived at PSG, they would certainly not have won the Champions League.

Paris Saint-Germain have widely been praised for their transformation from a team overly dependent on a handful of superstars to a true team where everyone has become a contributor. Arguably no player has exemplified this idea this season than Khvicha Kvaratshkelia - so in that sense, it’s fitting that his acquisition was the turning point of PSG’s season. While what the team as a whole has accomplished is certainly not to be downplayed, there’s no question that signing Kvaratshkelia gave their victorious Champions League campaign the kickstart it needed.

The Weekly Take, Issue 363: Three Legends Sign Off

The end of the Premier League and La Liga seasons also meant the end of the stints of three of the all-time greats—two players and a manager—at their respective clubs. Luka Modrić and Kevin De Bruyne wrapped up their tenures of 13 and 10 years at Real Madrid and Manchester City respectively while in Real’s dugout, Carlo Ancelotti concluded his second spell at the helm of Los Merengues; his return to the Santiago Bernabéu took his total time spent in the role to six years.

All three were able to finish on a high note: Real Madrid beat Real Sociedad while Manchester City beat Fulham; both wins were by 2-0 scorelines. In Real’s match, a Kylian Mbappé brace was enough to secure Real’s victory; as for City, İlkay Gündoğan’s spectacular bicycle kick put them a goal ahead before half-time; after the break, Erling Haaland’s penalty made all three points safe.

However, given the events of the day as well as the fact that both teams had already clinched Champions League qualification for next season, the actual results of both matches seemed almost inconsequential - and understandably so. Modrić, Ancelotti, and De Bruyne leave as unquestioned legends of their clubs with impacts that will forever resonate at the Bernabéu and the Etihad Stadium.

Just a few months after Modrić signed for Real back in 2012, no one would ever have believed that more than a decade later, the Croatian would be leaving the club to a standing ovation from the entire Bernabéu and a guard of honour not only from his teammates, but even Real’s opponents on the day. His time in the Spanish capital certainly didn’t start as he’d hoped - such were his early struggles that Modrić was commonly cited as the worst signing of the 2012-13 seasons.

As the years passed, though, things would change. Modrić would cement himself as an indispensable part of the Real team which would win three consecutive Champions League titles from the 2015-16 to 2017-18 seasons and become not only one of the best midfielders in the world, but of all time. Modrić’s crowning achievement was, of course, winning the Ballon d’Or in 2018. He leaves Real having represented the club in almost 600 matches and having won four La Liga titles and a joint-record six Champions Leagues.

Having coached Real to the Champions League title in 2013-14 before being somewhat surprisingly fired after a trophyless season a year later, Ancelotti returned in the 2021 off-season with unfinished business - and it didn’t take him long at all to right that wrong. In his first season back at the Bernabéu and third overall, Ancelotti helmed yet another Champions League title run to go with a La Liga title - the fourth Champions League of his career including the two he won with AC Milan in the 2000s.

Two years later, Ancelotti would once again take Real to a league and Champions League Double. With five Champions League titles under his belt, Ancelotti leaves to take over as the Brazil national team’s new head coach as clearly the greatest of all time - at this point there isn’t really a reasonable case to be made for anyone else anymore.

Over in England, De Bruyne’s final match for City came as a substitute to a rousing reception, entering to a standing ovation of his own. A decade ago, De Bruyne arrived at the Etihad as one of the most promising young midfielders in the world, fresh off winning the Bundesliga’s Player of the Year award with VfL Wolfsburg in the 2014-15 season. De Bruyne soon emerged as one of the best midfielders on the planet; he was an integral part of six Premier League titles as well as City’s Champions League title run in the 2022-23 season - part of only the second Treble to be won by an English club.

Twice selected as the Premier League Player of the Season, De Bruyne played over 400 matches at City over his remarkable career. A statue of the Belgian which will stand outside the Etihad has now been confirmed to be in the works; it’s a well-deserved honour for a player who leaves as perhaps the greatest player in Manchester City’s history.

Although it remains to be seen just how Real Madrid and Manchester City will bounce back from their club icons’ departures, whoever replaces them will certainly have some of the biggest shoes to fill.

The Weekly Take, Issue 362: Limping Towards the Finish Line

The race for the Premier League’s three remaining UEFA Champions League spots will go down to the final matchday. In contention for these three berths in next season’s tournament are Newcastle United, Chelsea, Aston Villa, Manchester City, and Nottingham Forest.

Prior to the most recent matchday, there’d been an extra qualification spot up for grabs; however, Arsenal claimed it with a 1-0 home win over Newcastle. Declan Rice scored the only goal of the match early in the second half to ensure that the Gunners would qualify for the Champions League for the third season in a row.

Despite the loss, the fate of Newcastle’s Champions League qualification remains in their own hands with just one league match remaining. All the Magpies have to do to clinch Champions League qualification and potentially a top-three league finish for the first time since 2003 is beat Everton at home. Should they do so, Newcastle would not be able to finish any lower than fifth regardless of what the other teams in contention would be able to do.

That being said, based on their recent form, there’s no guarantee that Newcastle will be able to close the deal. Having won just two of their last five league matches, the reigning Carabao Cup champions have fallen into a spotty run of form at the absolute worst time possible.

What really doesn’t help matters - and perhaps the main reason why Newcastle lost to Arsenal - is the groin injury suffered by star striker Alexander Isak. The Swede has beyond any doubt established himself as a truly elite striker and is far and away Newcastle’s best player; however, following this injury, he’s now a doubt to return for the match against Everton. Without Isak leading the line, Newcastle lacked that extra bit of punch up front; it was that “X-factor” that Newcastle were missing which likely prevented them from getting the better of Arsenal’s defense.

It should be noted that in Newcastle’s reverse fixture against Everton earlier this season, Newcastle only managed a goalless draw - and this was without Isak. Should Isak be absent for the season finale, Newcastle’s path to next season’s Champions League becomes that much more difficult.

Another factor which is more than likely playing a role in Newcastle’s late-season decline in form is fatigue. While fatigue certainly impacts every team at this stage of the season, Newcastle are one of the teams which will feel its effects more than most. This is because for all that he has achieved over almost four full seasons at St James’ Park, head coach Eddie Howe still has one glaring issue which he has not corrected. By and large, Howe has less willing to rotate his starting 11 than have many of his opposite numbers - and while this has provided stability, it has also increased the physical toll on Newcastle’s key players.

What makes this point stand out even more is the fact that Newcastle weren’t involved in any continental tournaments this season. As such, with Newcastle guaranteed a spot in at least the UEFA Conference League in 2025-26, Howe will have to get used to rotating his squad more often - not doing so will be to the obvious detriment of the team.

All things considered, regardless of how the final matchday goes, Newcastle’s season has to be deemed a resounding success simply because of their historic Carabao Cup triumph - the club’s first title of any sort since 1969. However, in order for Newcastle to sustain this success instead of dropping off right away as they did last season following a Champions League qualification the season before, they’ll likely have to make important off-season acquisitions.

Among the most notable names linked with a move to Tyneside include English defenders Marc Guéhi and Fikayo Tomori as well as Portuguese striker Gonçalo Ramos who is rumored to be targeted by Newcastle should Isak leave in the off-season. While none of these players would likely push Newcastle into title contention next season, they’d nonetheless give a further push to Newcastle’s bid for back-to-back Champions League qualifications for the first time in 23 years.

In a nutshell, although Newcastle United don’t seem to be finishing the season in quite the way they’d hoped, there are significantly more positives than negatives that they can build on - potentially for another Champions League campaign?

The Weekly Take, Issue 361: The BayArena - Forever the House That Xabi Built

Heading into Bayer Leverkusen’s Bundesliga match against a resurgent Borussia Dortmund, Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso confirmed that an unforgettable stint of almost three seasons at the BayArena would be ending at the imminent conclusion of the current campaign.

Once the match started, it was obvious that the Leverkusen players were significantly jolted by the announcement - and understandably so. Die Werkself, who had just surrendered their Bundesliga title to Bayern Munich, were nowhere near their usual standard as they succumbed to a 4-2 loss against Die Schwarzgelbe.

Leverkusen actually opened the scoring in the 30th minute via Jeremie Frimpong; however, just three minutes later Julian Brandt scored against his former club to make it 1-1. Dortmund would then go into the half-time break a goal ahead after Pascal Groß set up Julian Ryerson who put Dortmund ahead.

Dortmund would then go on to score twice within a four-minute second-half span with Karim Adeyemi and Serhou Guirassy getting on the scoresheet. It was Guirassy’s 19th league goal of the season, tying him with Leverkusen striker Patrik Schick in second place on the league’s goalscoring rankings. In stoppage time, Leverkusen substitute Jonas Hofmann emulated Brandt by scoring against his former club; however, at this point it was completely irrelevant to the outcome.

It’s more than understandable that Leverkusen were clearly rattled by Alonso’s announcement that he’d soon be leaving the club. Alonso has taken Leverkusen from a relegation dogfight to far and away their most successful era in club history and the clear second-best team in Germany behind Bayern Munich.

When Alonso took over from the recently-fired Gerardo Seoane in October 2022, Leverkusen were second-last in the league and seemed likely to be in contention for relegation at the end of the 2022-23 season. Alonso’s hiring raised eyebrows for many as he had never been a first-team head coach up to that point - let alone one of a club in one of the major European leagues. However, as the weeks and months passed and the wins piled up, Alonso silenced the skeptics again and again. When the season wrapped up, Alonso had taken Leverkusen all the way to sixth place and a spot in the following season’s Europa League.

That, however, would pale in comparison to what the man from the Basque Country was about to pull off. The next season, Alonso took Leverkusen to the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal titles. Not only that - it was the first time that Leverkusen had won the league title in the club’s history, and they even did so without losing any matches along the way. Despite not being able to cap things off with a Europa League victory, there’s no question that what Alonso did in 2023-24 is among the greatest managerial feats of all time - making the fact that he was snubbed for the Johan Cruyff Trophy, awarded to the world’s best football coach, in favor of Real Madrid’s Carlo Ancelotti particularly egregious.

This past season, Alonso proved that the season before was no fluke. Though Leverkusen weren’t able to defend either of their titles, they nevertheless clearly distanced themselves from every other Bundesliga club not named Bayern Munich. Alonso will now leave Leverkusen having turned it from an afterthought to a bona fide powerhouse of European football in less than three years - a feat made all the more impressive given their lack of financial resources and general prestige prior to his arrival.

Regarding player development, Florian Wirtz has turned into a true superstar with Alonso at the helm while the likes of Victor Boniface, Álex Grimaldo Patrik Schick, Lukas Hradecky, and Jonathan Tah, among others, have all had career-best seasons with Alonso in the dugout.

As Alonso prepares to leave Leverkusen for Real - the club for which he played for five years - to replace Ancelotti, he will certainly have enormous shoes to fill upon his arrival at the Santiago Bernabéu. The same can certainly be said about whoever goes on to replace Alonso at Leverkusen.

Although Xabi Alonso’s stint in charge of Bayer Leverkusen will be a relatively short one, there’s no question that it will be one which will never be forgotten. Someday, there ought to be a statue of Alonso put up just outside the BayArena.

The Weekly Take, Issue 360: An Obvious Opportunity Missed

A decade and a half after their iconic Champions League semifinal, Barcelona and Inter Milan faced off at the same stage of the tournament. The fixture 15 years ago saw Inter come out on top by a 2-1 aggregate scoreline, largely because José Mourinho, who was coaching Inter at the time, comprehensively out-strategized his opposite number Pep Guardiola over both legs in what has since gone down as perhaps Mourinho’s greatest tactical performance ever.

Back in the present day, the result of the first leg has set up a scenario in which the return leg could end up delivering a level of hype and drama to match the 2010 semifinal. The first leg at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys finished in a 3-3 draw.

Despite entering the match as the clear underdog, Inter defied the odds to score the first two goals of the match within 21 minutes; in fact, the first of the two arrived before even one minute of gameplay had elapsed. Marcus Thuram and Denzel Dumfries put Inter in a commanding position early on with both scoring highlight-reel goals; Thuram with a backheel and Dumfries with a scissor kick.

However, Inter eased up too soon and ended up heading into the half-time break on level terms after Barça scored twice before the interval. Three minutes after Dumfries’ goal, Lamine Yamal surged into the penalty area before scoring a spectacular goal of his own, curling it into the net off the Inter far post. Later in the first half, Raphinha set up Ferran Torres who duly took advantage of the opportunity and made it 2-2.

After the break, Dumfries scored his second to put Inter back ahead around midway through the second half; however, this didn’t last as just two minutes later, Raphinha’s shot struck the crossbar before coming off Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer en route to the back of the net.

Despite dominating the match and having the vast majority of the goalscoring chances, Barça weren’t able to come out on top. Should they end up being knocked out of the tournament following the second leg at the San Siro, the Catalan club will undoubtedly rue the many missed opportunities they had throughout the first leg.

One major point of concern which Barça must certainly take note of heading into the second leg is their defense against set pieces. Both of Dumfries’ goals came by way of corner kicks. All season long, Barça haven’t exactly been the best at defending against aerial attacks - and this came back to bite them. Though it has to be said that Dumfries’ first goal was a genuinely excellent finish, the point nonetheless remains that on that goal as well as his second, Barça’s defending was evidently substandard - and Dumfries made the Blaugrana pay for it on both occasions.

In some ways, Barça fell right into Inter’s trap. Simone Inzaghi and his Nerazzurri team knew just how Barça intended to approach this match and set up accordingly. It could be argued that despite what the number of shots attempted and possession statistics might imply, Barça were actually the reactive team while Inter were proactive even if on the surface it might not have appeared as such. This might just end up being a case of history repeating itself - an Inter team without the raw talent that the Barça team they’re facing comes out on top due to having a better gameplan.

Finally, Barça have to get more out of their players not named Lamine Yamal and Raphinha. The wingers are far and away the club’s best players - evidenced by the fact that they could realistically finish first and second in the Ballon d’Or rankings. However, apart from them as well as Torres, Barça’s players simply didn’t rise to the occasion in the first leg. It should go without saying that Barça can’t constantly fall back on their aces to bail them out every time - especially at this late stage of the tournament when every contribution from every player counts.

Having said all of this, there’s still no question that Barcelona remain the obvious favourites not only to advance to the final, but also win it all. Nevertheless, cracks in the armour have become apparent following this match against Inter. Barça were arguably let off the hook in the first leg - another performance like this could see them eliminated from the tournament.

The Weekly Take, Issue 359: The Post-Marmoush Drop-Off Never Came

With the 2024-25 Bundesliga season drawing to a close, Eintracht Frankfurt all but clinched a spot in next season’s Champions League after a dominant 4-0 victory against RB Leipzig. Barring a shocking collapse over the final three matchdays, the victory made it almost certain that Frankfurt will finish the season in the top four for the first time in over three decades.

Frankfurt scored the opening goal in the 21st minute via Ansgar Knauff who was set up by Hugo Ekitike. The rest of the first half was a relatively even affair; no further goals were scored. What ended up tipping the balance of the match was actually an early second-half red card issued to Leipzig defender El Chadaille Bitshiabu after a last-man foul on Knauff.

It was after Leipzig were left a player short that Frankfurt took over. Die Adler would score three goals while having the numerical advantage; Knauff scored his and his team’s second just three minutes after Bitshiabu’s red card before Frankfurt added two more in a four-minute span with Ekitike and Robin Koch getting on the scoresheet.

What’s been really notable about Frankfurt’s season to date is the fact that despite losing Omar Marmoush - who had been far and away their best player - in the mid-season transfer window, they haven’t fallen off at all. When Manchester City signed the Egyptian striker for €75 million in January, there were concerns that Marmoush’s departure would end up derailing Frankfurt’s campaign and understandably so; Marmoush’s contributions were the biggest reasons why Frankfurt were in third place in the league at the time of his departure, putting them on track for their best league finish since the 1992-93 season when they also finished third.

Following a short slump during the adjustment period following Marmoush’s departure in which Frankfurt won just one of seven matches, Frankfurt have bounced back strongly with four wins in six and next season will almost certainly feature on the biggest stage of European club football for the first time in four years.

Perhaps more than anything else, the main reason why Frankfurt have been able to hold their position even after Marmoush left for the Etihad Stadium is the emergence of Hugo Ekitike. Ever since City’s signing of Marmoush, Ekitike has taken his play to a new level and at just 22 has already established himself as the new centerpiece of what has become a formidable and often underrated team. Now out of Marmoush’s shadow, Ekitike has been putting the Bundesliga on notice with some seriously impressive performances; the Frenchman once again delivered against Leipzig. It’s astonishing to think that Ekitike has to date never been capped by his country; however, at the rate he’s going, his debut for Les Bleus will surely be a matter of “when”, not “if” - and likely very soon as well.

It’s worth mentioning that three of Frankfurt’s four goals came by way of a set piece. Set-piece play has been one of Frankfurt’s primary strengths this season - and this was once again made obvious in this match as Leipzig simply had no answer for their opponents when playing from the dead ball. It’s been an advantage they’ve often relied on this season to much effect.

One other aspect of this Frankfurt team which has sometimes been overlooked is its balance and depth. In addition to Ekitike, Frankfurt’s usual starting 11 contains players such as Rasmus Kristensen, Koch, Tuta, Kevin Trapp, and Arthur Theate - all of whom are undoubtedly at the level needed for a team like Frankfurt to make a serious push for the top four. Most of Frankfurt’s core players are also relatively young; as such, for as long as they can hang on to them before they get picked up by a bigger club, Frankfurt will likely be challenging for Champions League berths.

Based on everything they’ve shown this season, there’s no reason why Eintracht Frankfurt wouldn’t be able to pick up where they left off at the beginning of next season and match their accomplishments from this one. In fact, a deep run in next season’s Champions League isn’t out of the question by any means. There’s absolutely no doubt that the future at Deutsche Bank Park is very bright indeed.

The Weekly Take, Issue 358: More Questions Than Answers

Having just advanced to the semifinals of the Europa League after beating Glasgow Rangers 2-0 on aggregate, Athletic Bilbao had the opportunity not only to strengthen their own chase for the top five in La Liga and a place in next season’s Champions League, but also potentially deal the final blow to Real Madrid’s chances of successfully defending their league title.

There was perhaps no better time for the Basque club to face off against Los Merengues because Real had just been destroyed by Arsenal in the Champions League quarterfinals. Not only that - Real had been further unsettled by recent speculation that legendary head coach Carlo Ancelotti would be leaving the Santiago Bernabéu in the off-season after six years over two separate stints. The Italian is widely expected to take over in the Brazil national team’s dugout.

Given all of this, one might think that if ever there were a time that Athletic were to pick up a huge upset win over Real, this would’ve been it. This, however, was not the case as the skill gap between the two teams was made clear. Real beat Athletic 1-0 and kept their league title hopes alive; the one-goal margin of victory was rather deceiving as Real dominated the match and probably should have won by more.

It took Real until stoppage time to score the only goal of the match - and it was a goal which will surely be replayed on highlight reels for a long time to come. Federico Valverde, who started this match at right-back rather than his usual central midfield, hammered a spectacular volley into the far corner of the net in the third minute of the additional time. The Uruguayan has built a reputation as a player with a knack for scoring flashy goals, and he once again lived up to it with arguably his best one yet.

As for Athletic, however, this was a loss they really didn’t need. It has been over a decade since the last time Athletic qualified for the Champions League; although they still remain likely to break that streak this season, it’s still not a guarantee with both Villarreal and Real Betis, the two clubs directly behind them in the league, having played one game less.

Against Real, Athletic looked disjointed, incoherent, and completely unprepared for the match. Athletic hardly ever put a string of meaningful passes together; almost every time it looked as though they might have been getting somewhere, they’d almost immediately lose the ball. This in turn led to Athletic not being able to play the way they intended to; their ideal playstyle usually involves dictating the tempo of the match in the opponent’s half. However, this of course could not have been the case if they weren’t able to even get the ball into the opponent’s half to begin with as was the case against Real where they had only slightly more than a quarter of the possession.

On the plus side, Athletic’s defense did put in a solid shift to limit the damage and keep the scoreline to 1-0. Goalkeeper Unai Simón was perhaps Athletic’s best player in this match, making multiple key saves and ensuring that his team would have a fighting chance. Midfielder Beñat Prados and full-back Andoni Gorosabel, meanwhile, made several important tackles which could potentially have warded off further goals by Real. Athletic have conceded fewer league goals this season than any other team in La Liga with 26; this match was further evidence as to why this is the case.

One other pressing concern, however, has to regard the potential departure of winger Nico Williams, Athletic’s best player. Williams sat out this match injured, making it something of a glimpse into what to expect from them should he leave the San Mamés in the off-season as has been speculated by some. Needless to say, it did not look promising at all and the question has to be asked: do Athletic have a backup plan if Williams does leave?

All of this having been said, it still has to be reiterated that Athletic Bilbao remain likely to make it to next season’s Champions League. However, unless they make crucial changes in the off-season, it’s quite possible that they might not remain there for too long.

The Weekly Take, Issue 357: The Champions League Title Starts to Slip Away

With Bayern Munich likely to reclaim the Bundesliga title which they stunningly surrendered to Bayer Leverkusen last season, the Bavarian powerhouse’s attention was now firmly on their Champions League quarterfinal against Inter Milan. A win would put Bayern in the semifinals for the second season in a row.

However, Bayern will have their work cut out for them when they head to the San Siro next week after losing the first leg 2-1 at home. Inter opened the scoring in the 38th minute via a spectacular trivela goal by Lautaro Martínez that caught Bayern goalkeeper Jonas Urbig completely off-guard. Although Bayern went into the break a goal behind, they were the team largely in control of the flow of the game; it did seem as though at some point, Bayern would find an equalizer.

After continuing to push throughout the second half, Bayern did indeed make it 1-1 deep into the second half. Just over five minutes before the end of regulation time, Thomas Müller finished off Konrad Laimer’s pass with a half-volley. It was fitting that Müller found the net for Bayern after having recently announced that he’d be leaving the Allianz Arena at the end of the season after a legendary 17-year career at Bayern.

However, at least as far as the first leg would be concerned, Bayern and Müller would be denied their fairytale ending. Only about three minutes after Müller’s goal, Davide di Frattesi scored Inter Milan’s winning goal, ensuring that the Nerazzurri would have the advantage heading into the second leg.

There are several key points to pick out as the main reasons behind Bayern’s loss - but among them, the most important has to be the fact that head coach Vincent Kompany completely bungled his tactics. Many have been skeptical of the Belgian ever since he was hired in the most recent off-season; this was understandable given the fact that his most notable achievement to date was reaching the final of the Belgian Cup in 2022 with Anderlecht - not even close to the level that he’d be expected to be at in the Bayern dugout.

There were three obvious errors that Kompany made in his tactical setup. The most notable was his decision to choose Raphaël Guerreiro over Müller as the starting attacking midfielder. There was no reason whatsoever to do so because this specific match-up favored Müller’s playstyle rather than Guerreiro’s - something Kompany obviously missed entirely. Not surprisingly, Guerreiro was among Bayern’s worst players against Inter because, as predicted, Inter’s tactical setup largely neutralized Guerreiro. By the time Guerreiro was replaced by Serge Gnabry in the 74th minute, it was too late - Bayern had already blown several opportunities which they might have taken with someone else on the pitch; they would be made to pay for those later.

While his big-game struggles have been known for a while now, Harry Kane once again failed to deliver under the brightest lights and highest pressure with a dismal showing, squandering multiple major goalscoring chances. Despite being unquestionably the greatest striker to ever come out of England, Kane has time and again wilted under the spotlight; this match against Inter was no exception. Although Kane will likely put an end to his infamous trophyless career record this season unless Bayern somehow fumble the Bundesliga title, this match once again showed why, for all that he has accomplished throughout his career and despite his standing as an all-time great, he still falls short of that highest echelon - the “inner circle” of those all-time greats.

Finally, even if Bayern were to overturn the deficit and beat Inter to advance to the semifinals, the biggest issue that faces them is probably this: they don’t have that one guy who can single-handedly take over the match and put the team on his back. As of right now, the clear title favorites are Barcelona who have Lamine Yamal filling that most important of roles. It’s very difficult to win the Champions League without a bona fide superstar on that tier - and Bayern don’t have one.

Although it’s too soon to completely dismiss Bayern Munich’s chances of winning the Champions League, things certainly don’t look good at the moment. They’re working not only against their recent track record, but also historical precedent. Unless something changes soon, Bayern likely won’t be bringing the Champions League trophy back to Bavaria for the sixth time.

The Weekly Take, Issue 356: Wait, Haven't We Seen This Before?

Chelsea moved a step closer to clinching a spot in next season’s Champions League by beating Tottenham 1-0 in a London derby which went according to the script - after all, the vast majority of people expected this to be won by the Blues, given Tottenham’s dismal season that’s seen them end up all the way down in 14th place in the Premier League.

The only goal of this match at Stamford Bridge came just after half-time. Cole Palmer sent in a perfect cross which Enzo Fernández finished off with a close-range header. Both teams would subsequently have a goal waved off via VAR; Moisés Caicedo wasn’t quite able to put Chelsea two goals ahead after his goal fell afoul of a VAR check. Later on, Pape Matar Sarr’s would-be equalizer experienced the same fate.

When things wrapped up, there was clearly one player who, as he has done on so many occasions this season, stood head and shoulders above the rest - and who else could it have been but Chelsea ace Cole Palmer? The Manchester-born midfielder has been almost single-handedly carrying Chelsea over the course of this season and last; without him, Chelsea wouldn’t have even come close to qualifying for the Europa Conference League. This time around, they’re very much in contention for a Champions  League berth by finishing in the top four.

Out of everyone who’s part of the six clubs who could realistically finish in any of the lower two Champions League qualification spots, Palmer is the best player who doesn’t play for Manchester City by a considerable distance. He has transformed Chelsea ever since breaking out as a bona fide superstar last season, turning them from a mere punchline to a team which actually appears to have a semblance of legitimacy about it. In 2022-23, the season before Palmer was brought to Stamford Bridge, Chelsea finished just 12th in the league - their worst league finish since the 1993-94 campaign when they ended up all the way down in 14th. Their turnaround since then has almost been completely due to Palmer.

As of right now, there’s a case to be made that Palmer is already one of the top 10 players in the world at just 22 years old. Likely still several years away from his absolute peak, Palmer is primed to become a perennial Ballon d’Or contender once he gets there.

This, however, does bring up a question - and it’s one which will be very familiar to many Chelsea fans: just how will the club build around Palmer? Years ago when Chelsea had Eden Hazard on the roster, year after year Chelsea spent money on the wrong guys to surround him with - legendary defensive midfielder N'Golo Kanté being one of the rare exceptions. Having understandably run out of patience by then, it was little surprise that Hazard eventually left Chelsea for Real Madrid in the 2019 off-season after a seven-year stint at Chelsea. While there’s no guarantee that this will be what will eventually happen to Palmer, the signs so far aren’t exactly promising.

With the possible exception of the loan acquisition of Jadon Sancho from Manchester United, none of the players which Chelsea have brought in this season have moved the needle in any way. This is especially galling when one considers the fact that Chelsea have spent over £200 million on player transfers this season. To make matters worse, they even parted with Ian Maatsen, Romelu Lukaku, and Conor Gallagher - all players who would’ve certainly contributed to their top-four push.

Ever since Todd Boehly bought Chelsea in May 2022, it’s been more of the same when compared to the Roman Abramovich years - if not even worse. Again and again, Boehly has spent recklessly on players who don’t fit the direction in which Chelsea ought to be heading; as of right now, Chelsea are completely failing at building a team around Palmer. If this keeps up, it could be very possible that Palmer leaves at some point within the next five years.

Players at Cole Palmer’s level are the rarest commodity in football and the centerpiece around which a truly elite team can be built. However, it appears that history is starting to repeat itself at Chelsea - and based on the last few years, it’s more likely than not that they will double down on their current approach.

The Weekly Take, Issue 355: The Hottest Streak Gets Even Hotter

The latest iteration of the Seville derby saw two clubs in completely different runs of form facing off. Real Betis entered the match on a streak of five consecutive wins in La Liga; seemingly out of nowhere, they’d flipped the switch in mid-February and have since been in molten-hot form, taking win after win—including one against Real Madrid. With this recent surge, Betis had forced their way into contention for a top-four spot and a berth in next season’s Champions League.

Sevilla, on the other hand, could barely have been further away as far as pre-match form was concerned. Over their prior eight matches, Sevilla had won just two, collecting just eight points out of a possible 24 along the way. However, in many cases the results of derby matches have nothing to do with the teams’ form heading into the match—the one thing Sevilla had going for them, however scant it may have been.

Sevilla scored the opening goal against the run of play in the 17th minute. Swiss winger Rubén Vargas put Sevilla a goal ahead after having been set up by Dodi Lukébakio. This, however, didn’t last as just eight minutes later, Betis scored the equalizer via Johnny Cardoso’s volley.

Betis would go on to take the lead during first-half stoppage time when Cucho Hernández put the ball past Sevilla goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland after having been set-up for a one-on-one chance by veteran midfielder Isco. Neither side would add to the scoresheet in the second half, ensuring Betis would claim their sixth league win in a row and their first derby victory since a 5-3 victory back in 2018.

Over the past month and a half, Betis have been through a stunning turnaround. After four consecutive seasons of finishing between fifth and seventh in La Liga, the 2024-25 campaign had been shaping up to represent a significant step backwards for Betis; they were in 11th place prior to this six-match win streak. At this point, however, Betis are now in sixth place and have a puncher’s chance of overhauling Athletic Bilbao who are currently fourth.

So how did this happen? Well, for one thing, Betis’ hot streak highlights the importance of the mid-season transfer window. It’s no coincidence that their recent surge began in mid-February after the end of the transfer window. Despite bringing just two players to Estadio Benito Villamarín, both have been highly impactful acquisitions. Over the past month and a half, Hernández - signed from Major League Soccer club Columbus Crew for €13 million - and Antony who was brought in on loan from Manchester United have been arguably the club’s two best players. Both have added another layer to Betis’ play which the club simply didn’t have earlier on in the season; the results since then are clear evidence of this.

Prior to this season, the aforementioned four straight seasons in the top seven coincided with the hiring of Manuel Pellegrini in the off-season heading into the 2020-21 season. The Chilean has since proven that he is one of the most underrated coaches in world football today; this has been most obvious this season as Pellegrini has played a major role in taking Betis from being mired in mid-table and facing a throwaway season to the chase for a Champions League spot - and in their current form, they might just pull it off.

The late-career revival of Isco has to be mentioned as well. After a difficult last season at Real, Isco signed for Sevilla in August 2022 but was cut a little over four months later. After remaining unsigned for the rest of the season, Betis signed him in the 2023 off-season. Since arriving at Betis, Isco looks more like the player who played a major role in Real’s four Champions League title runs over his nine years at the Santiago Bernabéu - something not many might have expected when Betis first signed him.

At this point, Real Betis would be written off at one’s peril; in their current form, they might just qualify for the Champions League for the first time in the club’s history. This would have seemed all but impossible just two months ago. While it’s certainly not a lock by any means, right now the only thing that can be realistically said of Betis is “why not them”?

The Weekly Take, Issue 354: International Football's Most Storied Rivalry Adds a New Chapter

The quarterfinals of the UEFA Nations League saw arch-rivals Germany and Italy paired against each other - and over the two legs, the fixture more than lived up to the reputation created by many iconic Germany/Italy matches over the years.

The first leg at San Siro saw Italy take an early lead through a goal scored by Sandro Tonali. However, things turned around after the break. Tim Kleindienst, who had replaced Mainz striker Jonathan Burkardt at half-time, found the net just a few minutes later and thus put Die Mannschaft back on level terms. In the 76th minute, Germany took the lead after Leon Goretzka scored with a header off a cross from Bayern Munich teammate Joshua Kimmich. It was also Kimmich’s second assist of the match after having set up the prior goal scored by Borussia Mönchengladbach striker Kleindienst. The first leg would end 2-1 to Germany.

After the first half of the second leg at Signal Iduna Park, it looked as though Italy were dead in the water. Germany took a 3-0 match lead, and thus a 5-1 aggregate lead into the half-time break, following goals scored by Kimmich, Jamal Musiala, and Kleindienst. At that point it seemed like a wrap; however, the Azzurri mounted a furious comeback in the second half. Fiorentina striker Moise Kean scored in the 49th and 69th minutes to give Italy a glimmer of hope. In stoppage time, Giacomo Raspadori scored a penalty to put Italy a step closer - but they ultimately ran out of time; Germany would advance to the semi-finals.

At this point, it’s safe to say that Germany vs Italy is the greatest rivalry in the history of international football. This was an instant classic without any question; however, as pulsating as this Nations League fixture - especially the second leg - was, it still doesn’t even match up to the most iconic matches between the two.

This is a rivalry which has seen matches like the 1970 World Cup semifinal, the 1982 World Cup final, the 2006 World Cup semifinal, and the Euro 2012 semifinal. While Germany/Italy might not have the sheer incendiary nature of Brazil/Argentina, the historic weight of Germany/Netherlands, or even the sociopolitically-charged element that Argentina/England has, when it comes to strictly the on-field product, no other rivalry has churned out banger after banger like this one has.

In addition to all those epic matches, another element that further elevates this rivalry is the fact that over the years, there have been clear narratives running through it. For example, until 2022, Germany had never beaten Italy in a tournament match without needing at least extra time. This changed in spectacular style when Germany beat Italy 5-2 in their second of two group matches in the 2022-23 Nations League.

On the flipside, some of Italy’s wins over Germany have bolstered their own narratives as well. Cases in point: their 1982 World Cup and Euro 2012 victories spearheaded by a pair of controversial strikers: Paolo Rossi and Mario Balotelli respectively. Despite the off-field drama that had surrounded each of them even long before their respective tournaments, both silenced the doubters with match-winning performances and etched their names into the history of this iconic rivalry.

One final reason why Germany/Italy is the greatest of all international football rivalries is the fact that it involves two of the most decorated and historically successful international football teams ever. Although it may be true that Italy haven’t even made it to the last two World Cups while Germany largely struggled throughout that same period, that’s been a minor blip - both Germany and Italy have almost always been elite or close to it at the same time and for the vast majority of the respective team histories. After all, eight World Cups and five European Championships between the two speak for themselves.

No other international football rivalry brings every element of what makes a rivalry truly epic to the table the way the one between Germany and Italy does. After something of a lull following their Euro 2016 match as both teams entered difficult periods, Europe’s two most successful international teams ever are both once again back on the rise—and without any question, this iconic rivalry will have so much more to offer over the years to come.

The Weekly Take, Issue 353: The Clear Team to Beat Right Now

The most recent La Liga matchday was highlighted by a match which saw Atlético Madrid host Barcelona in a clash which would have major implications on this season’s title race. A win for Barça would put them in first place in the league - and even that after having played a game less than Real Madrid who would then be second.

As for Atlético, this match represented an opportunity to gain important ground on Barça. By beating their Catalan opponents, Atlético would move two points clear of them and just one point behind cross-town arch-rivals Real. In addition, this was also an opportunity for Atlético to bounce back after Real had just knocked them out of the Champions League’s round of 16 in a penalty shootout.

Atlético took the lead shortly before half-time. Julián Alvarez atoned for his crucial missed penalty in Atlético’s prior Champions League fixture by opening the scoring off a pass from Giuliano Simeone. By doing so, Alvarez punished Barça for blowing several key chances earlier in the half.

In the 70th minute, Alexander Sørloth made it 2-0 in Atlético’s favor and seemingly clinched the win over the Blaugrana. Having come off the bench, the Norwegian striker beat the offside trap to score Atlético’s second. At this point, it looked as though Atlético had it in the bag.

Remarkably, Barça flipped the script with two goals over the next eight minutes. Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres pulled Barça level, making this somewhat of an inverse to the first leg of the two teams’ recent Copa Del Rey semifinal when Barça surrendered a late two-goal lead to end up with a 4-4 draw.

Barça went on to complete the comeback in stoppage time. Lamine Yamal’s shot from outside the penalty area took a heavy deflection off Atlético defender Reinildo on its way into the back of the net. Torres would subsequently add his second and Barça’s fourth deep into the additional minutes to move a step closer to reclaiming the league title they surrendered to Real last season.

After a slump in November and December, Barça are once again firing on all cylinders. The victory over Atlético was their seventh in a row in the league; over that span, Barça have flooded opposing nets with 23 goals over those seven matches while conceding just five. They are unquestionably the hottest team on the planet right now and the clear favorites to not only win La Liga, but the Champions League as well following Liverpool’s shocking elimination in the round of 16. Barça’s molten-hot attack has been powering them almost all season long. Among teams in major European leagues, only Bayern Munich are averaging more goals per match - and that in a relatively easier league as well.

Additionally, a large part of Barça’s success this season has to do with their depth. Barça are probably the deepest team on the planet and on multiple occasions throughout the season, they’ve had one or more players come off the bench to make major impacts. This was once again the case against Atlético with two of their four goals scored by Torres who entered the game to replace Dani Olmo about halfway through the second half. It’s this depth which has put Barça in a position in which winning the Treble for an unprecedented third time in club history isn’t even out of the question.

Of course, for the team to remain at this level, star power is a must - and against Atlético, Barça’s ace winger Lamine Yamal turned in another outstanding performance. There’s a realistic chance that at just 17, Yamal has a legitimate chance to become the youngest player to ever win the Ballon d’Or. The La Masia alumnus is not only already Barça’s best player; there’s a case to be made that he’s among the top five players on the planet right now. Not only is Yamal already “that guy”; it’s mind-boggling to think of the level at which he could be in five or 10 years’ time.

Though the final stretch of the season is yet to unfold, Barcelona have clearly put themselves in a very strong position. There’s every chance that when their 2024-25 campaign is in the books, there will be multiple new additions to Barça’s trophy cabinet.

The Weekly Take, Issue 352: The Overhaul That Was Needed Years Ago

The abolition of the prior rule prohibiting teams from the same country from being drawn against each other in the early knockout rounds of the Champions League opened the door for the round of 16 fixture between Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen to take place—the standout of the eight clashes which put a spot in the quarterfinals on the line.

The first of two legs was a one-sided affair which almost certainly sealed Bayern’s spot in the quarter-finals. When Harry Kane opened the scoring for Bayern in the ninth minute, it immediately became obvious that Leverkusen were in for a difficult night at the Allianz Arena. However, despite dominating every facet of the match, Bayern were somewhat surprisingly unable to further increase their lead before the half-time break.

This changed soon after the interval following Leverkusen goalkeeper Matěj Kovář’s fumble of a cross sent in by Bayern winger Kingsley Coman. Jamal Musiala was in just the right spot to take advantage - which he duly did to put Bayern 2-0 ahead. Eight minutes later, it got even tougher for Leverkusen when defender Nordi Mukiele was tossed after picking up a second yellow card.

Bayern put the finishing touch on the victory when Kane earned and converted a penalty in the 75th minute. The Bavarian club’s 3-0 win has now left Leverkusen with an almost-impossible task heading into the second leg at the BayArena; on only four occasions in Champions League history has a team overturned a three-goal deficit from the first leg to advance to the next round.

While there are many points to consider regarding this match, one of the most notable has to be about the circumstances which even made this match possible in the first place. Although UEFA have taken much criticism for a number of their decisions in recent years - often deservedly so at that - their tweaking of the Champions League format has proven to be a masterstroke.

By changing the format of the opening round to a Swiss bracket, the number of matches with “nothing on the line” has been greatly reduced, creating a considerably more competitive environment. It’s no longer a guarantee that powerhouse teams who are seen as potential title contenders can just roll up and stroll into the round of 16. They now have to earn it the hard way - something teams such as Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, and most dramatically of all, Manchester City will readily attest to.

That being said, I would suggest two ways by which the Swiss bracket can be further improved. First off, as things are now, the top eight teams automatically qualify for the round of 16 while the teams finishing from ninth to 24th enter the play-ins for the remaining eight berths. This ought to be changed so that the top 12 automatically advance to the last 16 while the play-ins should involve the teams from 13th to 20th place.

Additionally, making the bracket a “true Swiss bracket” would dial up the excitement even more. In this way, each team would not know their next opponent until a re-draw after each matchday. All teams would be paired according to win-loss records up to that point. By accounting for what is known as “resistance”, the competitiveness of the opening round would be taken up another notch.

As for the decision to allow teams of the same country to play against each other as soon as the knockout rounds begin, UEFA got this one spot-on. There was absolutely no reason whatsoever for the initial rule to have been in place—it appears to have essentially been instituted arbitrarily. Over the years, this rule has prevented some truly epic matchups from happening for basically no reason at all.

Although the one-sidedness of Bayern’s victory over Leverkusen might not necessarily serve as the best advocate for the efficacy of rescinding the rule, there’s no question that it’s been a net positive for the tournament. With the removal of this restriction, the knockout rounds now serve as a truer test of who most deserves to make it to the final.

Despite the initial mass dismay which was the general reaction to the Champions League’s format changes, it’s now become evident that they ought to have been implemented years ago. Sometimes, a mass overhaul is indeed necessary - as has been shown this season.

The Weekly Take, Issue 351: A Mid-Season Transfer Window to Forget Led to This

In what was likely the most important Serie A match to date this season, Napoli hosted Inter Milan in a clash which would see its winner climb into first place in the league. Neither team entered the match in good form - Napoli were winless over their preceding four matches while Inter had collected just seven points over their last five. Thus, this match was not only one which would allow the team comin out on top to deal a major blow against their main title rival; it would also get their season back on track after a recent slump.

As things turned out, however, neither team was able to rise to the moment as Napoli and Inter played to a 1-1 draw. Federico Dimarco opened the scoring for Inter with a free kick in the 22nd minute shortly after Inter had their claim for a penalty rejected following a collision in the penalty area between Napoli midfielder Scott McTominay and Denzel Dumfries. It was almost as though Dimarco took out his frustrations about the penalty being denied on the ball, burying it in the far corner to put the Nerazzurri a goal ahead.

However, that would be about as good as it would get for Inter. For the vast majority of the match and especially after Inter scored the opening goal, Napoli clearly dominated proceedings and launched shot after shot at the Inter net. It was thus rather surprising that the score remained 1-0 in Inter's favour at half-time.

Napoli continued to pour on the pressure throughout the second half and eventually, their persistence did pay off. With just three minutes of regulation time remaining, substitute Philip Billing couldn't finish off Stanislav Lobotka's pass; his shot was saved by Inter goalkeeper Josep Martínez. However, the ball came back to Billing; on the second attempt, the Danish midfielder slotted it in to ensure that Napoli would not finish the match empty-handed.

Despite the late equalizer, Napoli will certainly be looking at this result as a blown opportunity. Their recent downturn in form is no coincidence - it's come as a direct result of the departure of superstar winger Khvicha Kvaratshkelia to Paris Saint-Germain in the mid-season transfer window. At the time of his departure for the Parc des Princes, "Kvara" was clearly Napoli's best player. Napoli's failure to adequately replace him dealt a significant blow to their hopes of reclaiming the league title that they last won two seasons ago.

In addition, there have to be questions brought up over Victor Osimhen. After a hot start, Osimhen's replacement at centre-forward Romelu Lukaku has seen his form tail off dramatically in recent months. Osimhen, on the other hand, while playing on loan in the far weaker Süper Lig with Galatasaray on loan from Napoli this season, has sent his parent club a clear message as to what they're missing after having left the club in controversial circumstances. However, given everything that happened which led to the Nigerian being set on loan to Galatasaray, it's not partiularly likely that Osimhen will end up returning to Campania - something Napoli could deeply regret should they fail to win the league this season.

Going back to the Kvaratshkelia transfer to PSG, Napoli should have done more with the windfall they received from his departure. PSG signed the Georgian for a transfer fee of €70 million - a total which they could easily have put towards signing multiple new players. This would've represented an opportunity for Napoli to get the jump on Inter by bringing in one or more key players to Stadio Diego Armando Maradona; however, it was an opportunity that Napoli completely missed - and that might just cost them the league title.

Of course, a sense of perspective must still be kept. For all of this, Napoli are still just one point behind Inter in the race for the Scudetto. They're still coached by one of the best today in Antonio Conte; in addition, the signings from their highly fruitful off-season transfer window have picked up many key points for Napoli so far.

However, after having lost their Serie A lead to Inter during their ongoing winless streak, Napoli are no longer in the driver's seat as far as the Scudetto chase is concerned - and it's a direct result of everything that happened in the January transfer window.