The Weekly Take, Issue 255: Yet Another of Countless Milestones to Come

During this past matchday, the eyes of the football universe were glued to one match and one match only: the top-of-the-table Premier League clash between Manchester City and Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium. The winner of this match would gain a tremendous advantage in the race for the league title - arguably one which would be insurmountable.

In spite of all the hype that surrounded the match prior to opening kick-off, the match turned out to be extremely one-sided. Manchester City destroyed the Gunners in a 4-1 victory and in doing so, all but finished off what will surely go down as one of the all-time worst league title chokes on Arsenal's part; the North Londoners had a commanding eight-point lead over the Citizens earlier this season and seemed to be cruising to a first Premier League title in 19 years.

This match added yet another page to the already overflowing ledger of the transcendent generational phenomenon better known as Erling Haaland. The stoppage-time goal which the Norwegian striker scored took his Premier League goal tally to 33 this season - a record for a 38-game league season in the modern era. As if that weren't enough, City still have seven league matches yet to be played; just to top it all off, Haaland also had two assists in the victory against Arsenal.

To put this figure into perspective, Haaland's closest "challenger" (the quotation marks are there because the use of that word is rather generous) for the Premier League Golden Boot as well as the European Golden Shoe is Harry Kane of Tottenham Hotspur. Kane has racked up 24 goals after 33 Tottenham matches - an outstanding total by any measure. The true sign of Haaland's sheer greatness is that he has made Kane's season - one in which most people would otherwise be hailing as perhaps the best of his legendary career - a mere afterthought.

This is not even the most mind-boggling part of Haaland's utter domination of the Premier League as well as the Champions League in which he has already scored 12 goals prior to the tournament's semifinals. At just 22 years old, Haaland is likely five to seven years away from his absolute peak. Considering the fact that he is already dominating like this while still being on the rise, the idea of what Haaland will be like at his apex borders on the incomprehensible.

Haaland is by far the chief reason why City's chances of a Treble not only exist, but are even relatively substantial. Prior to this season, City had been in genuine contention for a Treble twice before: the 2018-19 and 2020-21 seasons. In 2018-19, City won the Premier League and FA Cup Double but lost to Tottenham in the Champions League quarterfinals by way of the away goals rule. Two years later, they would again win the domestic league; however, this time they would be beaten by Chelsea in both the FA Cup semifinals and Champions League final.

One key point about City's 2020-21 campaign in particular cannot be overlooked: the club's leading goalscorer was central midfielder İlkay Gündoğan, who finished the season with 13 league goals and 17 in all competitions. For a club at City's level - a genuine Champions League contender, a figure like that is simply too low. Had City even had one 30-goal or even 25-goal player in 2020-21, they could certainly have (arguably, would have) finished the season with all three major trophies in their possession.

It would, of course, be reductive to claim that all of City's success this season comes down to Haaland. There are so many factors that have played a role. That being said, the match against Arsenal confirmed what many people had already suspected but for whatever reason, had not openly said up to that point. It was clear that the biggest difference between the two teams and the primary reason why City will almost certainly win the league was none other than Erling Braut Haaland.

In the coming years, Haaland will almost assuredly score hundreds of goals, shatter record after record, and fill his trophy case to the brim. I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that we could be witnessing the rise of the player who might someday be regarded as perhaps the greatest centre-forward of all time.

The Weekly Take, Issue 254: Stuck in No Man's Land

A top-of-the-table La Liga match between Barcelona and Atlético Madrid ended up with Barça moving a step closer to what will almost certainly be another league title. The Catalan club's 1-0 victory ensured that their lead at the top of La Liga would remain at 11 points after the 30th matchday. Ferran Torres scored the only goal of the match shortly before halftime.

As for Atlético, they were handed yet another reality check in a season full of them. Atlético's loss left them 16 points adrift of Barça; it also caused them to lose further ground on cross-town rivals Real Madrid in the chase for second place in the league.

To say that Atlético have endured a season full of struggles would clearly be an understatement. Atlético were knocked out of the Champions League group stage for the first time since the 2017-18 season. They not only failed to advance to the round of 16; due to the fact that Atlético finished in last place in their group, it meant that they did not even qualify for a spot in the Europa League's round of 24. This also meant that Atlético would not be taking part in continental play after the halfway point of the season for the first time since the 2006-07 season - the last time they were not even involved in European football during a season.

Assuming Atlético end up falling even further adrift of the top of the league by the end of the season (as is almost certain to happen), they will finish this season's La Liga campaign further behind the eventual league champion than they have in any season since 2012-13 when they were 24 points behind Barça at season's end. To top it all off, they were knocked out by Real in the Copa del Rey quarterfinals.

A major reason for Atlético's situation right now has been their relative inaction in both transfer windows. This is somewhat surprising when one considers that Atlético have always been one of the most proactive clubs in the transfer market. In fact, they have built a reputation of replacing every star player who leaves with another one just like that. However, this certainly has not been the case this season. The most notable signing that Atlético have made this season is Dutch striker Memphis Depay, who was brought in during the January transfer window. However, he hasn't had the level of impact needed to take Atlético to the next level. Despite having played fairly well at Atlético thus far, Memphis has primarily come off the bench since his debut in red and white.

On a related note, the biggest problem that plagues Atlético right now is their lack of a consistent goal threat up front. Their leading goalscorer in the league right now is Antoine Griezmann with 11. Atlético have just 47 goals in 30 league matches - a figure not nearly enough if they are to seriously challenge for the league title. Even more worrying is the fact that of these 47 goals, 38 of them have been scored by players aged 28 or older. This is an aging team that is in dire need of a shake-up during the coming off-season.

I have previously mentioned how it could very well be the case that Atlético's time as one of European football's elite clubs might soon be ending as well as how the next off-season will be pivotal for the future of the club. However, the biggest domino of all could soon fall. There have been intensifying rumours surrounding the future of legendary head coach Diego Simeone and the possibility that he might step down. If he does not see a viable avenue for the club's return to the top table, this once-unthinkable scenario might just happen.

Without the financial might of rivals Barça and Real, Atlético Madrid's decade-plus as a bona fide football powerhouse has been nothing short of remarkable. However, for the first time in a long time, Atlético's future appears somewhat uncertain. This has been something of a "lost season" at the Wanda Metropolitano - but will it turn into more than just a single season? At this point, the path forward remains unclear - and that is never a good sign.

The Weekly Take, Issue 253: Closer to the Drought's End

AC Milan's 1-0 victory over Napoli in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal fixture sent a clear message to every other club in Europe: "we are back and we are legit".

Taking advantage of the absence of Napoli's superstar centre-forward Victor Osimhen, the Rossoneri scored the only goal of the match five minutes before half-time. Ismaël Bennacer scored his first career Champions League goal after receiving a pass from Brahim Díaz. In the second half, Milan received further help when André-Frank Zambo Anguissa received his marching orders after receiving his second yellow card. The victory put Milan on the cusp of their first Champions League semifinal since the 2006-07 seasons - the last time they won it all. Repeating the feat 16 years later would unquestionably be more impressive than any of the seven titles they have won to date.

Milan proved that their recent 4-0 Serie A victory over runaway league leaders Napoli was no fluke. From a tactical standpoint, Milan's counter-attacking tactics completely overwhelmed Gli Azzurri; Milan repeatedly restricted to shot attempts unlikely to result in a goal while creating several probable goal-scoring opportunities themselves. In fact, just a few minutes after Bennacer's goal, Milan could easily have made it 2-0, but centre-back Simon Kjær's header struck the crossbar.

The vibes around the red half of the San Siro are overwhelmingly different from those earlier in the season. Six months ago, Milan were coming off back-to-back Champions League losses to Chelsea. Across those two matches, Milan scored zero goals, conceded five, and collected nine yellow cards and one red - and all of this against the team generally considered to be the laughingstock of European football this season. Having been drawn against Chelsea, Red Bull Salzburg, and Dinamo Zagreb in Group E, Milan were widely expected to cruise into the round of 16; however, at this point their Champions League future was hanging in the balance. Things weren't going much better domestically, either. A slow start to the season saw the reigning Serie A champions lie fifth in the league after nine matches.

In due time, however, things began to change. Milan would soon reel off a sequence of 11 Serie A matches in which they would lose just one, climbing to second place in the league in the process. Dominant Champions League victories over Dinamo and Salzburg were followed by an impressive, resolute round of 16 victory over Tottenham Hotspur after the World Cup break.

Heading into both of their recent matches against Napoli, Milan had been favoured against neither of them. The first 4-0 victory at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona sent shockwaves throughout the football world, as Napoli had been the definition of "dominance" in their domestic play this season. Having once again risen to the occasion against the same opponents, this time on European football's biggest stage, Milan have proven that they do indeed have a puncher's chance to go all the way.

This could be the best chance at a Champions League title that Milan could have for quite some time. The other three teams which will almost certainly be the other semifinalists are Real Madrid, Manchester City, and Milan's cross-town arch-rivals Inter Milan. In the case of Milan's likely semifinal opponents Inter, derby matches are always a toss-up - especially when the pressure is at its highest. Should they survive that, they would go on to face Real or City in the final. This is the weakest Real team in several years. Domestically, they trail league leaders Barcelona by 13 points. City, meanwhile, have a history of underperforming in high-leverage Champions League matches. Although Milan would enter the final as the underdog regardless of their opponent, one would think that they would fancy their chances either way.

It wasn't all that long ago when the scenario in which AC Milan find themselves today seemed unthinkable. In the 2020 off-season, Milan had failed to qualify for the Champions League for seven consecutive seasons and had fallen as low as 10th in the league in 2014-15. Their rise back up the ranks has been as swift as their fall was all those years ago. Now, Milan stand just four matches away from the completion of the most remarkable renaissance that European football has seen in many years.

The Weekly Take, Issue 252: The Beginning of a Title Challenge Unraveling?

When the story of the 2022-23 Premier League season is fully told, this most recent matchday might very well end up serving as the turning point of the entire narrative.

In an away match against Liverpool, Arsenal surrendered a two-goal lead and ended up playing to a 2-2 draw. Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus put the Gunners two goals ahead before even half an hour had elapsed. Mohamed Salah halved the deficit just before the break; he would go on to miss a penalty in the second half. Fortunately for the Reds, Roberto Firmino scored an equalizing goal in the 87th minute to deal a blow to the league leaders' quest to win the Premier League for the first time in 19 years.

Had Arsenal taken all three points in this match, they would have extended their lead over Manchester City at the summit of the Premier League to eight points. It must be kept in mind that City's goal difference is superior to Arsenal's. Additional, the two clubs will play against each other on April 26. Had Arsenal beaten Liverpool, the North Londoners would have ensured that City cannot be fully in control of their pursuit of a fifth domestic league title in six seasons. However, after having split the points with the Merseysiders, Arsenal will likely head into their upcoming clash against City with "all the marbles" on the line.

For much of the season so far, Arsenal have had a commanding lead in the Premier League title race with a monumental collapse being the only way it seemed they could lose the league title. Remarkably, that collapse could now be unfolding before our eyes. With City in the midst of a red-hot run of form, they are likely the favourites to win the match against Arsenal later this month. A City victory, as mentioned, would likely put them top of the league with just six matches remaining. Should City beat Arsenal and then win out, they will win the league.

It could be the case that the pressure of ending a league title drought of almost two decades is catching up to Arsenal. In fact, prior to this season they had been bona fide league title contenders just once since 2008; this was in the 2015-16 season when they finished second behind Leicester City. This means that not even one current Arsenal player was yet at the club the last time they had a genuine chance to win the Premier League. Arsenal have not even qualified for the Champions League once since that season. Similarly, although Mikel Arteta has coached Arsenal to an FA Cup victory, that pales in comparison to the intensity of a league title race. With this fact in mind, it would therefore not be all that surprising for the Spaniard to begin to falter as the season reaches its final stretch.

Ironically, one area which has been hailed as one of Arsenal's greatest successes this season might end up being the very thing which prevents them from winning the league: their transfer window acquisitions. Although Arsenal made mutiple key signings in both the previous off-season and mid-season transfer window, they do not have and did not sign a player who can single-handedly put the rest of the team of his back and will Arsenal to victory. City have two players at that level in Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland. While it is possible to win the Premier League without such a player, the lack of said player also makes it much more likely that a title bid might fizzle out when it matters most.

Arsenal's final run-in is much more difficult than City's. Following their match against City, Arsenal will host Chelsea in a London derby; despite Chelsea's struggles this season, derby matches are always a toss-up. This derby is followed by an away match against third-placed Newcastle United - dropping points there would not be completely unexpected.

Arsenal have not had a title opportunity like this for many years; it isn't inconceivable that it could be just as long before another comes back. Yes, it's true that this match against Liverpool is just one match out of 38 and just two points dropped. But when all is said and done, we could just end up looking at this match as emblematic of what seemed like a certain Premier League title being thrown away.

The Weekly Take, Issue 251: One Goal Ahead Even Before Kickoff

As a Borussia Dortmund fan since 2010, this was the post I really did not want to make. Yet, it is the only thing that comes to mind after the latest edition of Der Klassiker - one in which the stakes between Dortmund and arch-rivals Bayern Munich were higher than they had been in years. First place in the league was on the line. For Dortmund, it was an opportunity to take an enormous step towards breaking Bayern's decade-long stranglehold on the Bundesliga title and win it for the first time since 2012.

However, things did not play out that way. In Thomas Tuchel's debut in the Bayern dugout almost six years after leaving the same role at Dortmund, Bayern emerged victorious by a 4-2 scoreline. The match was actually much more one-sided than the scoreline implied. A shocking own goal by Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel got Bayern off the mark; within the subsequent 10 minutes, Thomas Müller scored twice to all but clinch victory for Die Roten. Kingsley Coman added a fourth after the break before two late Dortmund goals scored by Emre Can and Donyell Malen merely served to reduce the final margin of victory.

Bayern's victory saw them retake first place in the Bundesliga. If recent history is to serve as any precedent, the Bavarian club will not relinquish this lead and go on to win the league for a record-extending 11th consecutive season. This comes in spite of the fact that this season has clearly been a "down year" for Bayern. Both domestically and in Europe, Bayern have not even been close to the level at which they are capable of performing. They were notably less than convincing even while beating Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 in the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 fixture. Additionally, Bayern's recent loss to Bayer Leverkusen saw them relinquish first place in the league to a resurgent Dortmund who had been on a tear since returning from their mid-season tour of Southeast Asia.

That being said, there is quite simply a different energy when Bayern take to the field - especially in the Bundesliga. Such is the mental hold that Bayern have over every other team in Germany that even before the match starts, it's as though they already lead by a goal. They have dominated the Bundesliga for so long that at this point, even teams who are on paper capable of challenging them end up faltering when the pressure is at its highest.

One of the clearest examples of the effects of Bayern's "aura" was demonstrated in the 2018-19 season. An early-season slump that saw Bayern pick up just eight points over an eight-match span in the league put Bayern in fifth place after 12 matchdays, forcing them to play catch-up. While this was happening, Dortmund were putting together an impressive winning streak and soon built up a sizeable lead at the top of the league.

However, as the season progressed and Bayern started to come back to form, Dortmund began to falter. As soon as they began to hear Bayern's footsteps behind them, Dortmund started to drop point after point. This culminated in a crushing 5-0 loss in Der Klassiker on matchday 28, which ended up making all the difference - Bayern would go on to win the league by two points.

Some might say that at this point, the Bundesliga is too far gone - indeed, Bayern's utter dominance is one reason why the pejorative term "farmer's league" has often been hurled at Germany's top flight despite being one of Europe's four major domestic football leagues. While I wouldn't go so far as to say "it can never be done", it has become painfully obvious that it will take something truly special beyond measure if any team is to deny Bayern a Bundesliga title in the near future.

It has sometimes been said that sports outcomes are often determined mentally as much as physically. In the case of Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga, however, it appears to be even more than that. Though their lead at the top of the league is now just two points with eight matchdays remaining, it feels like so much more than that - and past results give credence to that feeling.