The Weekly Take, Issue 129: Has the Magic Run Out?

When the draw for this season's UEFA Champions League was released, one of the fixtures which caught the attention of many was the match between reigning champions Bayern Munich and perennial title contenders Atlético Madrid. However, despite the expectations heading into the first matchday of the tournament, not many could have predicted just how one-sided this match would be.

In a dominant display that illustrated why they are the defending champions and clearly the team to beat this season, Bayern utterly torched Atlético, beating the Madrid club 4-0. Kingsley Coman scored two goals, while Leon Goretzka and Corentin Tolisso also made their way onto the scoresheet.

This was an unexpected result because not only are Atlético typically in the mix for the title; they have also been the gold standard for overachievement with limited resources for the past decade. Despite their relative lack of financial might and glamour when compared to many of Europe's other leading clubs, Atlético have been very competitive over the past 10 years and were just minutes away from what would've been a legendary first Champions League title over city rivals Real Madrid in 2014.

During the past off-season, Atlético even managed to land the services of former Barcelona legend Luis Suárez. After a glittering six-year run in Catalonia, the arrival of new head coach Ronald Koeman saw the Uruguayan forced out of Camp Nou, leaving Atlético free to take advantage and make one of the biggest signings in club history.

However, the way that events transpired proved to be worrying for Atlético. Although they have outperformed expectations for many years now, at some point they will no longer be able to keep it up. Sadly for fans of Los Rojiblancos, their heavy loss in Bavaria may have shown that this could be the year when it all comes crashing down.

Atlético were not even remotely a threat throughout the match. While it is true that their German opponents were clearly the superior team, one would nevertheless have expected a far better performance out of Diego Simeone's team. It is clear that this iteration of Atlético Madrid is nowhere near the level of their 2013-17 team.

For years, Atlético have been able to handle departures of players such as Diego Forlán, Sergio Agüero, Fernando Torres, Thibaut Courtois, and Antoine Griezmann without letting these departures have a severely negative impact on the team's performance. However, this may very well be coming to an end soon. Atlético have already begun to show signs of decline, especially over the past two seasons.

Although Atlético finished second in La Liga in the 2018-19 season, they did so with just 76 points. This tally represented their lowest in six years. They also failed to qualify for both the Copa del Rey and Champions League quarterfinals; this had not happened to them since 2007. Last season, their league points total of 70 was their lowest since 2012. They were also eliminated from the Copa del Rey in the round of 32 and the Champions League in the quarterfinals.

This is a team of which much more than what they have produced thus far was expected at the beginning of the season. They have by far the world's best goalkeeper in Jan Oblak. Apart from Suárez, their squad also boasts the likes of Kieran Trippier, Ángel Correa, João Félix, Saúl Ñíguez, and Yannick Carrasco, among others. Add in iconic head coach Simeone in the dugout, and you have a team which should on paper be one of the top seven or eight in Europe.

It might very well appear that the law of averages has finally caught up to Atlético. Their entire club - front office, scouting, coaching staff, players, everyone, really - has been a role model for every other football club in the world in virtually every way. However, given their limited resources when compared to their rivals at the top table, they might no longer be able to defy the odds as they have done so valiantly for so long.

Make no mistake about it - the Atlético Madrid team of 2011 until the present day will be remembered with the greatest fondness even decades from now. If the club is appropriately grateful, someday a statue of Simeone should proudly guard the front gate of the Wanda Metropolitano.

That being said, we might be witnessing the beginning of the end - and maybe a subsequent rebuild.

The Weekly Take, Issue 128: One Injury Might Change Everything

The latest edition of the Merseyside derby had everything. Heading into the match, this clash already carried more weight than did any other iteration of an Everton-Liverpool match in a long time. Everton's decisions to hire legendary head coach Carlo Ancelotti and sign 2014 World Cup Golden Boot winner James Rodríguez have clearly paid dividends. The Toffees have now established themselves as a genuine force in the league and could potentially have their best league campaign since 2004-05, when they finished fourth.

This time around, the highly eventful encounter between the city rivals ended in a 2-2 draw. Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored Everton's equalizer to keep the club in first place in the Premier League, while what initially seemed to be a winning goal for Liverpool courtesy of Jordan Henderson was waived off by way of VAR. Just to add to the drama, Everton striker Richarlison also received a late red card.

And yet, in spite of all these events, probably the most notable incident of the match took place early in the first half. A dangerous tackle by Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford left Liverpool's ace defender Virgil van Dijk severely injured. It would later be found out that van Dijk had suffered a torn ACL and would almost certainly miss the rest of the season.

It cannot be overstated just how devastating a blow this is to Liverpool's season. In 2018-19, van Dijk was clearly the best player on the team and the driving force behind the Reds' victorious Champions League campaign. If not for a miracle shot by Vincent Kompany, Liverpool would have claimed a Premier League and Champions League double that season. Van Dijk, who was almost certainly robbed of a Ballon d'Or despite the finest season by a defender since Fabio Cannavaro's effort in 2006, backed up his breakout season with equally brilliant play at the back during the following season. Liverpool romped to an easy league title victory - their first in 30 years.

Van Dijk has clearly established himself as the best player on this Liverpool team and the best defender in world football. He has been that since around the midway point of the 2018-19 season. As of right now, the gap between the Dutchman and most of his closest competition is massive. Realistically, only Bayern Munich defender Joshua Kimmich and van Dijk's teammate Trent Alexander-Arnold are even in the discussion.

Van Dijk also brings the intangible advantages to Liverpool. Although Henderson may be Liverpool's captain, van Dijk is their unquestioned leader on the field. His leadership, intelligence, and in-game savvy combined with his outstanding play have allowed him to strike fear into any strikers who dares to challenge him.

This injury is a crushing blow to Liverpool's season. Van Dijk is a force who is truly irreplaceable. His injury hands the status of Premier League title favourites to Manchester City. It also knocks them out of the group of leading Champions League contenders alongside Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, and Real Madrid; I'd have put them in that tier before the injury.

The bad news doesn't stop there for Liverpool fans. There have to be questions raised about how van Dijk will perform upon his return. A torn ACL is arguably the most devastating injury in sports. Long-time Liverpool fans will recall the fact that former Reds superstar Michael Owen was never the same after suffering the same injury. Other players such as Robert Pires, Radamel Falcao, and Jakub Blaszczykowski saw their careers derailed by ACL tears. If van Dijk returns as a shell of himself, Liverpool might not be a Champions League contender for quite some time.

Apart from a 3-0 Champions League semifinal first-leg deficit against Barcelona in 2019, this van Dijk injury is probably the most severe adversity which Liverpool have faced ever since the arrival of Jürgen Klopp as head coach. While the Merseysiders were able to overturn the three-goal deficit against Barça, overcoming the loss of perhaps a top-five player in the world for almost entire season might prove to be a step too far.

This season will be a true test for Liverpool. That said, this Liverpool team have shown that they can never be counted out. If they can summon the spirit of that one magical April night at Anfield over a whole season, don't be surprised to see them once again exceed all expectations.

The Weekly Take, Issue 127: The Young Lions' Deafening Roar

The latest UEFA Nations League matchday saw England and Belgium facing off in a rematch of the 2018 World Cup third-place playoff. However, this time the result went the other way with England picking up a 2-1 victory. Romelu Lukaku's 16th-minute penalty opened the scoring for Belgium before Marcus Rashford equalized with a spot-kick of his own in the 39th minute. Mason Mount would later score the winning goal for the Three Lions.

This was a confident, assured performance by England. They clearly displayed the mentality of a team which truly belong at the top table of international football. For a team this young, their maturity and poise was evident; not once did they even seem slightly rattled, even after falling one goal behind. What made the victory even more impressive was that their best player, Tottenham star Harry Kane, was restricted to a substitute role due to injury concerns.

The rise and evolution of this England team has been as swift as it has been remarkable.

Two years ago, Gareth Southgate's team had not been expected to make a deep World Cup run but ended up reaching England's first World Cup semifinal since 1990. England took an extremely young and inexperienced team to the tournament; at the beginning of the tournament, only one of their 23 squad members had at that point accumulated 40 caps or more. However, ever since defying the odds in Russia, England have only gone from strength to strength.

In the time since their World Cup run, right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold has clearly established himself as the world's best at his position and the clear second-best player on this team behind Kane. The once widely-criticized Raheem Sterling, who despite being absent from the Belgium match, has silenced his doubters by showing remarkable improvement since 2018. Of course, Kane has continued to perform at his usual excellent level.

You then have to look at the supporting cast, some of whom were not even part of the World Cup squad. England's stars are capably backed up by players such as Rashford, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Jadon Sancho, Jordan Henderson, Kieran Trippier, and Mason Greenwood. It is also possible that Rashford, Sancho, and Greenwood might eventually rise to the level at which they would be considered truly elite players.

What makes this even more exciting for England is the young age of this team in general; it is likely that they are nowhere near their peak. If they are already arguably a top-three international team in the world now, just imagine how great they could possibly become. No one can deny the obvious any longer - this has to be England's most talented team since their 1966 World Cup-winning roster featuring legends such as Bobby Charlton, Bobby Moore, Alan Ball, and Gordon Banks.

England have all the elements for a possible 2022 World Cup victory in place. Two superstar-level players in Kane and Alexander-Arnold. A well-balanced and young supporting cast. Southgate, a coach who is definitely able to get the best out of this roster. And arguably most importantly of all, something England teams of the past have historically lacked: boatloads of mental strength and fortitude.

However, the biggest obstacle they face might very well be found off the field rather than on it: the notoriously merciless British media. At even the slightest sign of a possible dip in form, they are likely to be eviscerated by the press; often unjustly, too. Even for the toughest and most resilient teams, the media onslaught can end up wearing them down and hindering their performance.

Nevertheless, at the moment, I would place England as the second-most likely team to win the next World Cup, only behind reigning champions and arch-rivals France. They will be even better then when compared to now because more of their players would have reached or be approaching their peak in 2022.

What's more, there is one other factor to consider: will France wilt under the pressure of defending a World Cup title as many teams before them have done? If they do, the door would be wide open for England to claim their second world title and first in 56 years.

Is it coming home? It very well might be.

The Weekly Take, Issue 126: This Season's Potential Dark Horse Contender

Before I begin, let's rewind the clock to the final of last season's Europa League which saw Sevilla face off against Inter Milan. On paper, the only question before the match was not which team would emerge victorious, but by how many goals Inter would win. After all, this was an Inter team which many had considered to be too good for Europe's secondary club tournament; it was loaded with talent and featured the likes of Alexis Sánchez, Lautaro Martínez, Christian Eriksen, Milan Škriniar, Stefan de Vrij, Christian Eriksen, and player of the tournament Romelu Lukaku.

However, Sevilla defied the odds and emerged victorious by a 3-2 scoreline. Interestingly enough, a Lukaku own goal proved to be the difference between the two teams. The victory should have put more teams on notice than it did; by taking down a powerhouse like the Nerazzurri in a cup final, Sevilla proved that they could probably do some serious damage in the 2020-21 season in the Champions League as well as domestically.

This past La Liga matchday, Sevilla showed that they were able to continue from where they left off last season by holding Barcelona to a 1-1 draw. Sevilla striker Luuk de Jong's opener was cancelled out by Philippe Coutinho's goal; nevertheless, Sevilla showed plenty of heart and grit throughout, stifling Barça's attacking threats on multiple occasions and making life difficult for their Catalan opponents from whistle to whistle.

Sevilla have clearly improved in several ways since their Europa League triumph in August. During the past off-season, Sevilla made some shrewd signings which are likely to bear fruit over the coming season. The Andalusian club signed Óscar Rodríguez from Real Madrid for €13.5 million. Rodríguez had shown some flashes of potential after two solid years on loan at Leganes; however, he and everyone else knew that upon his return to the Bernabéu, he would be unlikely to get much playing time. Sevilla seized their opportunity and made the signing; while not yet a regular starter, do not be surprised if he soon becomes one.

Sevilla also brought back Ivan Rakitić for his second stint at the club after six years at Barça. The Croatian had previously spent three-and-a-half years from 2011 to 2014 at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán. The signing of Rakitić might very well prove to become one of the best signings made by any club this season. It cost Sevilla just €1.5 million to secure his services. Rakitić is already playing as though he never left. He has slotted into the team seamlessly and has clearly been able to elevate this team as the primary creative force in midfield.

Head coach Julen Lopetegui also deserves a lot of credit for the job he has done since taking the reins at Sevilla. After difficult stints in charge of the Spanish national team and subsequently Real Madrid, Lopetegui has completely restored his reputation as a coach and then some. He has shown more tactical nous than most initially assumed he has while also demonstrating the ability to adapt to changing situations mid-match - an area in which far too many coaches of top clubs are lacking. When Lopetegui eventually leaves Sevilla, expect him to be in demand by many of Europe's leading clubs.

However, as shown by both their Europa League victory last season as well as their recent match against Barça, perhaps the greatest attribute of this Sevilla team is their resolve, determination, and fearlessness no matter the odds. It almost seems as though Sevilla thrive on being the underdogs; time and again they have proven that they can never be counted out despite seemingly being overmatched. This attitude has translated to results on the field and with Real, Barça, and Atlético Madrid not being at their very best, there might never be a better opportunity for Sevilla to gatecrash the party and perhaps even clinch their first La Liga title since 1946.

Sevilla were also handed a favourable Champions League draw; they will face Chelsea, Krasnodar, and Rennes. Sevilla should sail into the round of 16 with absolutely no problems at all. From that point forth, it may seem difficult for them to make a deep run, but underestimate Sevilla at your peril - we could be witnessing the beginning of a season which could take many observers by surprise.

The Weekly Take, Issue 125: Just What Is Their Future Direction?

To say that Juventus have had a turbulent off-season would be quite the understatement. Somehow, even in an off-season which was severely truncated by the Covid-19 pandemic, Juve went through more drama than most other clubs would have during an ordinary one.

Not long after the club's elimination from the Champions League at the hands of Lyon, the Turin club fired head coach Maurizio Sarri despite the fact that he had just left Juve to yet another Serie A title after fending off tough challenges from the likes of Lazio, Atalanta, and Inter Milan. Sarri would be replaced by Andrea Pirlo, the legendary midfielder who spent four years at Juventus.

The transfer window also did not go as planned for Juve. They had initially intended to sign Luis Suárez from Barcelona after it emerged that the Uruguayan was deemed surplus to requirements in Catalonia. However, before Suárez could have made the switch, he had to obtain Italian citizenship by passing an Italian exam due to rules governing the signing of players without European Union citizenship. When it turned out that the exam had been rigged, the move fell through; Suárez would end up signing for Atlético Madrid. As Juve felt that they nevertheless needed a striker, they made a last-ditch panic signing and brought in Álvaro Morata on a season-long loan deal from Atlético.

The difficulties and disruptions experienced by Juve during the past several months appear to have translated into their play. They were held to a 2-2 draw against Roma and, as has been the case on many an occasion, were saved from a loss by Cristiano Ronaldo whose two goals matched the brace scored by Roma midfielder Jordan Veretout.

It was evident throughout the match that Juve were nowhere near the level at which they are capable of playing. They seemed disjointed and discombobulated; they showed hardly any evidence of team chemistry. As has been mentioned, much of this is due to the difficult off-season which they had endured.

It should also be noted that the signings which Juve did make were likely not of sufficient benefit to the team. Their signing of Arthur from Barça was almost certainly a massive overpay at €72 million. Although this signing was part of a trade which sent Miralem Pjanić to Camp Nou, Barça sent €60 million to Juve to acquire the services of the Bosnian midfielder - a much more reasonable figure.

The Morata loan signing is also something of a head-scratcher. He has proven that at this level, he just cannot get it done. His career-highs in league goals and total goals in a season are just 15 and 20 respectively; he managed these figures for Real Madrid in the 2016-17 season. Furthermore, he has already proven that he is not suited to the style of play in Serie A; during his previous two-year stint at Juve between 2014 and 2016, he scored just 15 league goals in 63 matches. Although Morata was a signing made out of desperation more than anything else, Juve might have been better served by attempting to sign a striker like Alassane Pléa, Lucas Alario, or Gerard Moreno.

As is often the case when a new coach takes over, it could also take time for Pirlo to fully adjust to his new team and figure out the optimal tactics to be used. Since this is Pirlo's first time in such a position, his lack of experience could be exploited by opposing coaches over the course of the season; this could ultimately prove to be Juve's downfall when all is said and done.

In general, the main problem facing Juve at the moment is that they seem to have no clear direction for both their immediate future as well as the next few season. Ronaldo can't keep saving them again and again; he will be 36 in February. It's a cliché, but it's true - Father Time is undefeated. The "cliff" will come for him at some point; it could even be later this season.

It is certainly possible that they will successfully defend their Serie A title and perhaps even claim the Coppa Italia to seal the domestic double. However, based on the evidence thus far, while it's still far too early to make a complete judgment, a first Champions League title for Juve since 1996 which would also be Ronaldo's sixth appears to be an unlikely prospect at the moment.

The Weekly Take, Issue 124: The Gift that Keeps On Giving

Borussia Dortmund opened the Bundesliga season with an impressive 3-0 victory over Borussia Mönchengladbach. Although Erling Håland scored two of Dortmund's goals, the outstanding performance of the match belonged to Giovanni Reyna. Reyna scored one goal, earned a penalty which was converted by Håland, and tormented the Gladbach defense from start to finish.

Dortmund have done it yet again. The brilliance of the Ruhr club's scouting department and youth development program has made itself evident once more. Their track record over the last decade or so has been truly remarkable.

This is a club which has allowed the following players to rise to prominence: Robert Lewandowski, Marco Reus, Mats Hummels, Shinji Kagawa, Jakub Blaszczykowski, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Christian Pulisic, Jadon Sancho, and now Håland; Reyna and Jude Bellingham appear to be next in line. The club was also the place where Jürgen Klopp emerged as one of the world's best coaches.

This leads to the question: just what have Dortmund been doing that has put them so far ahead of the curve in this area?

Just as is true of any other football club, it all starts from the top. Reinhard Rauball has done an absolutely incredible job. His emphasis on and investment in young rising stars has become a core part of Dortmund's identity. It is largely thanks to his efforts that many players who cut their teeth at Dortmund have become so coveted by the world's leading clubs.

Dortmund have also always been extremely savvy in the transfer market. Although they might not possess the financial might of rivals Bayern Munich, let alone the wealthiest clubs in the world like Manchester City or Paris Saint-Germain, Die Schwarzgelbe are almost always able to maximize their limited transfer budget by picking up emerging players from unlikely sources who might often be overlooked by other top clubs.

To provide examples of this fact, Lewandowski was signed from Lech Poznan. Aubameyang was brought in from Saint-Étienne. Håland came to Dortmund from Red Bull Salzburg. Kagawa was signed from Cerezo Osaka.

For a club to have that kind of success from signings made from clubs like those over a sustained period is almost unheard of. Yet somehow, Dortmund have managed to pull it off again and again.

Dortmund's youth academy might very well be the world's best right now. When people think of clubs with some of the best youth academies in the world, those which often come to mind include Ajax, Barcelona, Liverpool, and Manchester United. However, Dortmund's is not only often overlooked - it might very well be the best of the lot.

This factory of talent has produced players such as Pulisic, Sancho, Reus, Marcel Schmelzer, Nuri Sahin, Antonio Rüdiger, and Mario Götze, just to name a few. The success rate of Dortmund's youth academy is truly remarkable. A tremendous amount of credit must be given to youth coordinator Lars Ricken as well as the rest of the academy staff - it is they who in large part have made it a relentless generator of footballing talent.

Another factor which is not often considered but undoubtedly plays a role in Dortmund's success is the culture of the team. The most obvious example of this, however, cannot be seen right now due to Covid-19 restrictions.

Yes, you've guessed it - the iconic "Yellow Wall" t the Westfalenstadion - perhaps the most intimidating home stand in word football. When playing in front of a raucous, almost rabid crowd like that, how could a young player not get a psychological boost?

The fact that the club has always encouraged and promoted the development of young stars as well as players often overlooked has also shaped the club's culture for the better. This is a team which thrives on its culture, and its results over the last 10 years clearly speak for themselves.

Hopefully I am not letting my biases cloud my opinion when I say this, but I honestly believe that Borussia Dortmund are in the top five and perhaps even the top three as far as the best-run football clubs in the world are concerned. Dortmund are truly a club which should serve as a role model for a great many others, and there seems to be no reason why this should end any time soon.

The Weekly Take, Issue 123: Another Tough Season Ahead

Tottenham Hotspur have not begun their Premier League season the way they'd hoped they would.

The North London club lost 1-0 in their season-opening match against a revamped Everton team. Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored the only goal of the match to defeat a Spurs team which was devoid of any real threat throughout proceedings.

After a turbulent 2019-20 season which saw a mid-season coaching change as well as the departure of Christian Eriksen to Inter Milan, many wondered just how Tottenham would fare with an off-season which would be expected to provide the club with a little more stability. However, things did not go as planned off the field.

For one thing, the stability mentioned never materialized. As noted after the Everton match by head coach José Mourinho, the club's pre-season preparations were disrupted by several Covid-19 cases within the team as well as multiple player departures for international matches. This instability and lack of preparation was clearly on display as Tottenham slumped to a tame loss.

Furthermore, Tottenham failed to land any signings of note during the off-season. The biggest name to arrive at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was Pierre-Emile Højbjerg, who was signed from Southampton. Not only did Tottenham fail to adequately replace Eriksen; they did not strengthen their squad at all and even lost Jan Vertonghen to Benfica.

The failure to find a quality replacement for Eriksen in particular has to sting for Tottenham for one key reason: they are coached by Mourinho.

When looking at Mourinho's most successful teams over the course of his coaching career, one feature stands out: they tend to be built around an elite midfielder who is equally comfortable at either the number 8 or number 10 position. Players such as Deco, Frank Lampard, Wesley Sneijder, Mesut Özil, and Luka Modrić come to mind. Eriksen is just such a player and could easily have served as the fulcrum of this Mourinho team just as the names mentioned did.

Making this season even tougher for Tottenham is the fact that the chase for the last two Champions League spots will be very tight. Liverpool and Manchester City should easily finish first and second in the league in some order. However, behind them is a mass of teams which could all easily finish between third and ninth depending on circumstances such as injuries, suspensions, fixture congestion, or even perhaps (but hopefully not) the effects of another season hiatus caused by yet another severe Covid-19 outbreak.

Chelsea and Manchester United will be favoured to once again occupy the final two Champions League berths. Tottenham will also have to fend of challenges from North London rivals Arsenal as well as Leicester, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and the much-improved Everton team which just beat them if they are to return to the biggest stage in European club football next season.

After their surprising run to the Champions League final in 2019, many expected Tottenham to take the next step and become regular contenders for titles both domestically and in Europe. One reason this has not been the case lies in the fact that some of their players have not developed to the degree which had at one point been expected of them.

The likes of Dele Alli, Davinson Sánchez, Eric Dier, and Harry Winks had been expected to make improvements beyond what they have achieved to this date. This is rather disappointing because at that point, Tottenham looked like a team with a bright future and perhaps even a title or more on the horizon. However, this now appears to be a far-off dream.

The biggest worry of all for Tottenham has yet to be realized, but it very well could at the end of this season if things continue as they have: Harry Kane might just leave the club.

Having just started his ninth Premier League campaign as a Tottenham player, the 2018 World Cup Golden Boot winner must surely have become frustrated with constantly being on the outside looking in as far as silverware is concerned. With his club now in decline, another poor season might end up causing him to run out of patience with the club.

It's not really possible to pin down Tottenham's struggles over the past year to any one factor. Players? Coaching? Front office? All have played a role. Right now, the only thing that seems to be certain is that Tottenham are likely to face another difficult season.