Innehållsförteckning för August 2023 från World Soccer

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2 Number of times Italy have now won the U19 European Championship after beating Portugal in the 2023 edition’s final in Malta. 10 Days that Jose Mourinho will be suspended for at the start of the new Serie A season due to comments he made about a referee in May. 88 The squad number that has been banned from use by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), due to its connotations with anti-Semitism and Nazism. 2 Clubs now owned by Todd Boehly’s BlueCo consortium after the Chelsea owner bought a majority stake in Ligue1 club Strasbourg. 17 Months that Zimbabwe’s Football Association was banned by FIFA for third-party interference until the suspension was lifted in July, meaning the country was included in the draw for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. 56…

Perhaps the hardest aspect of management is to take apart a team that has been successful and build a new one. These days, when the managerial life span is scarcely longer than that of the mayfly, it is rarely even considered but, after a fifth-place finish last season, Jurgen Klopp, who has always felt a throwback to the old dynastic managers, is faced with overseeing major transition. Ahead of his eighth full season as Liverpool manager, the German faces the awful task of looking at faithful retainers and telling them their time is up, while tweaking the principles that have made the Reds so successful under him. Many of the great managers have struggled to create a second great side. Bill Shankly managed it belatedly, but only after a defeat…

“If you don’t know what to do, give the ball to Suarez”Legendary coach Helenio Herrera, who managed Luis Suarez for Barcelona, Internazionale and Spain “Was an absolute honour to have been part of your teams, Craig. Undoubtedly the biggest influence on my career…an outstanding man and human being”Former Scotland captain Colin Hendry pays tribute to Craig Brown ■ OBITUARIES Luis SUAREZ (1935-2023) Luis Suarez, in1960 the first and only Spaniard to win the Ballon d’Or, was a pioneer in both the tactics and language of football through his exemplary genius for turning defence into attack. The death of Suarez at 88 was mourned both in his native Spain, where he garnered his fame, and then in his adopted Italy where he earned his fortune and admiration. With Barcelona he won,…

With 12 consecutive league title victories, Ludogorets are without doubt the dominant force of Bulgarian football. Only the Sofia clubs, CSKA (31) and Levski (26), have been crowned Bulgarian champions on more occasions, but the capital city sides have barely been able to lay a glove on the Eagles since their ascent to the top flight in 2011. According to the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS), they are the “longest active champions” in Europe ahead of Bayern Munich (11) and Red Bull Salzburg (ten). The 12 titles have been won under seven different head coaches. Georgi Dermendzhiev was the most successful of them, winning three titles and taking the team to the Champions League group stage twice. Ivaylo Petev, the current coach, picked up his third title…

AL ITTIHAD Coach: Nuno Espirito Santo Deservedly won their first title since 2009 under Nuno. After some instances of choking, the Tigers were hard to beat with plenty of firepower. Have added to a strong squad with the likes of Kante and Benzema, and also have some of the most passionate fans in the country. AL NASSR Coach: Luis Castro Top when Cristiano Ronaldo arrived but second at the end, Al Nassr relied too much on individual stars last season. The hiring of Luis Castro has been seen as a little underwhelming, but if Ronaldo and Talisca can start firing together – in addition to Fofana and Brozovic boosting the midfield – then they have what it takes to go one better. AL HILAL Coach: JorgeJesus The Real Madrid of…

There is a fitting symmetry between where Barcelona will play their home games this season and the arduous path their latest star midfield signing has traversed. While the Camp Nou undergoes its drastic renovation, Xavi’s La Liga champions will play their home matches at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys for the 2023-24 campaign. Originally constructed as part of Barcelona’s (unsuccessful) bid to stage the1936 Olympics, the 55,000-capacity arena eventually staged the Summer Games in1992 and is situated on Montjuic, the hill that overlooks the city’s harbour. Ilkay Gundogan, who signed for Barca after his Manchester City contract expired in June, has already climbed mountains to reach his dream destination. Born in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Gundogan grew up supporting Schalke and represented the club as a child, but the first setback of…

Pep Guardiola has conquered so many frontiers in football that his place in the pantheon of all-time great coaches is far beyond dispute. This season, though, he will try to boldly go where no manager has gone before and capture the English league title for a fourth consecutive year. Nobody has achieved this, not even Sir Alex Ferguson, Bob Paisley or the great Herbert Chapman of a century ago. In the long history of the game in England, a hat-trick of three successive championships has happened just five times previously: Huddersfield Town1924-26, Arsenal 1933-35 (both inspired by Chapman), Liverpool 1982-84 (Paisley, then Joe Fagan), and Manchester United twice in 1999-2001 and 2007-09 under Ferguson. Manchester City became the sixth club to win three titles in a row last year –…

ARSENAL Manager: Mikel Arteta Key Arrivals: Rice (West Ham), Havertz (Chelsea), Timber (Ajax) Key Departures: Xhaka (Leverkusen), Mari (Monza), Maitland-Niles (released) Prediction: High-class signings in Declan Rice, Jurrien Timber and Kai Havertz should make the Gunners strong title contenders again and also a force in their long-awaited return to the Champions League. However, the big spending will inevitably lead to higher expectations and more pressure. ASTON VILLA Manager: Unai Emery Key Arrivals: Tielemans (Leicester), Torres (Villarreal) Key Departures: Young (Everton), Nakamba (Luton) Prediction: The exciting rejuvenation forged by Emery last season will raise expectations that may be hard to fulfil, although the additions of Pau Torres and Youri Tielemans have strengthened their squad considerably. The Villans’ aim will be back-to-back European qualification and to have a deep run in the UEFA…

▶ GRANADA The Andalusians made an instant return to La Liga as champions thanks to the attacking brilliance of Segunda Division’s top goalscorer, 28-year-old Albania forward Myrto Uzuni, and the league’s top assist maker, former Real Madrid and Napoli wingerJose Callejon. ▶ LAS PALMAS Las Palmas needed a draw with Alaves on the final game of the 2022-23 season to guarantee promotion and did so to finish second due to their superior goal difference. It ends a five-year spell in Segunda and makes up for their play-off disappointment of the previous year. ▶ ALAVES Alaves secured the final spot in La Liga after a dramatic play-off final win over Levante, culminating in a 129th-minute penalty from Asier Villalibre. In the process, Luis Garcia became just the third manager to seal…

MARIUS BULTER (Hoffenheim) The 30-year-old goalscoring left-winger was arguably the only positive as Schalke dropped out of the Bundesliga last season. Just five years ago he was playing in the Regionalliga. RAPHAEL GUERREIRO (Bayern Munich) Overflowing with finesse and attacking intent, the Portuguese international left-back or number eight was absolutely outstanding for Dortmund in the second half of last season. A free transfer steal for Bayern from their big rivals. LEE JAE-SUNG (Mainz) The phenomenally talented South Korean attacking midfielder can blow hot and cold but, when the 30-year-old does turn on the creative style, he is a work of art. Got into double figures for goals and assists combined last season. DONYELL MALEN (Borussia Dortmund) Over the course of his two seasons with the Schwarz-Gelben, the Dutch winger, formerly…

For the last decade, beating Paris Saint-Germain to the title has required exceptional circumstances. Monaco’s 2016-17 triumph was aided by the emergence of generational talent Kylian Mbappe while COVID-enforced stadium closures characterised Lille’s 2020-21 victory, robbing Paris’ Parc des Princes of its impregnable aura. This season, however, there’s a sense that PSG are at their most vulnerable for a decade and a clutch of competitive challengers sense an opportunity as the champions struggle with an existential crisis. With Lionel Messi gone, Kylian Mbappe formally announcing that he won’t sign another contract when his current one expires next summer, and Neymar, now 31, waning and understandably spooked by ultras protesting outside his house, QSI’s strongest-ever PSG team (on paper) is slowly breaking up. Few of the ageing squad are sure to…

BREST Manager: Eric Roy Key Arrivals: Camara (Saint-Etienne), Satriano (Inter), Martin (Lille) Key Departures: Honorat (M’gladbach) Prediction: Extremely lucky to survive last season thanks to Ligue1’s unusually weak bottom third, the new campaign could be one step too far for an understrength team who finally lost talismanic forward Franck Honorat. Workmanlike and badly lacking creativity, avoiding the bottom three will be tough. CLERMONT Manager: Pascal Gastien Key Arrivals: Keita (Lyon), Caufriez (Spartak Moscow), Boutobba (Niort) Key Departures: Khaoui (Khor Fakkan) Prediction: Some shrewd scouting and a tough-to-beat yet bold set-up equalled a scarcely believable 59-point haul last term. More of the same style, while holding onto their better players, should see Ligue1’s smallest club survive again, although another top-half finish seems unlikely. LE HAVRE Manager: Luka Elsner Key Arrivals: Salmier…

▶ FROSINONE Frosinone’s third season in Serie A represents a huge achievement both for the Lazio-based club and its owner Maurizio Stirpe, who is hoping to establish a third force in the Lazio region behind Roma and Lazio in the capital city. By focusing on the club’s regional identity, building his own stadium in Frosinone as well as two club sports centres, he may well achieve his aims. ▶ GENOA Genoa’s swift return to Serie A, after one season in Serie B, marks the return of one of Italy’s most historically important clubs. The Genoa Cricket and Football Club, founded in1893 by English merchants based in the port of Genoa, has traditionally been seen as an important foundation stone in the edifice of modern Italian football. Bentornato, Genoa. ▶ CAGLIARI…

If Benfica are to justify their status as favourites for the 2023-24 Primeira Liga, they will have to do what no team has done in the last six years in Portugal – retain their championship title. When the Eagles won the league for a fourth successive time in 2016-17, it appeared the country’s most popular club had definitively wrested dominance of the local football landscape from arch-rivals Porto, shattering decades of hegemony by the Dragons. But since then the title has alternated between Lisbon and Porto; none of Porto, Benfica or Sporting have been able to follow up a championship triumph with another. A common theme of stability among the “Big Three” points to another competitive season at the top. At the time of writing, the traditional title contenders had…

How do you improve on a near-perfect season? That’s the question for Celtic after the 2022-23 campaign in which they completed an eighth domestic treble and collected 99 Premiership points. Rather than being allowed to savour his achievements, manager Ange Postecoglou was headhunted by Tottenham Hotspur, and Celtic brought Brendan Rodgers back to his first love in the east end of Glasgow. His second appointment at the club was greeted with a radically more muted turnout than the first, when13,000 fans came to the former Liverpool manager’s unveiling in 2016. The 50-year-old Northern Irishman will have to win over the fans that were hurt by his departure for Leicester City in February 2019. The fact Rodgers had two trebles of his own, including the unbeaten “Invincibles” of 2016-17, fuelled the…

In the last championship of the Ukrainian Premier League, held in the conditions of full-scale aggression of Russia, the question was not so much about football but about human survival. In the new season, economic priorities will take over for Ukrainian clubs, although FIFA has not helped in this regard with the governing body allowing players and coaches to suspend their contracts shortly after the invasion in 2022. Many foreign players took up this option, leaving their clubs on free transfers, leading to a huge loss of transfer income and a depletion of clubs’ incomes. Shakhtar Donetsk, who traditionally relied on foreign players, particularly from Brazil, suffered the most in this regard: after FIFA’s decision, they lost14 major foreign players and their entire coaching staff, headed by Italian coach Roberto…

1 Ole Gunnar SOLSKJAER The Premier league’s highest-scoring Norwegian with 91 goals for Manchester United. 2 John arne RIISE Explosive left-back with a rocket shot and over 300 Premier league appearances to his name. 3 Morten Gamst PEDERSEN Former Blackburn rovers winger with a spectacular left foot and 34 goals, along with 39 assists. 4 John CAREW Destructive striker for Aston Villa after a nomadic career across Europe. Also had a brief loan spell at Stoke City. 5 Claus LUNDEKVAM Long-serving Southampton centre-back. Only Riise played more Premier League games. 6 Henning BERG Title-winning defender with both Blackburn Rovers and Manchester United. 6 OF THE BEST Premier League Norwegians…

GOALKEEPER Matt TURNER (United States) Mexico’s Guillermo Ochoa won the tournament’s official Golden Glove award, but the Arsenal keeper was also impressive throughout the competition, particularly standing out in the penalty shootout win against Canada, becoming the first American goalkeeper to make multiple saves in a penalty shootout since Kasey Keller in 2002. He has now surely secured his place as US first choice. DEFENDERS Edgar BARCENAS (Panama) Normally a winger, Barcenas filled in at right wing-back for Los Canaleros and was especially useful in the knockout rounds. He scored in the quarter-finals against Qatar, adding to a group-stage goal against Costa Rica when stationed further forward, and also dispatched his spot-kick in the penalty-shootout win over the US. He made full use of his attacking qualities down the flank.…

Preview CONACACAF’s elite club competition, the Champions League, has long been the preserve of clubs from central and North America. The days when famous old Caribbean names such as Suriname’s Transvaal or Haiti’s Racing Club could win the competition were long gone, and despite boasting 31 of CONCACAF’s 41 members, just a solitary team from the region was allowed to take part. But that has now changed. CONCACAF has overhauled its club format into a series of competitions that provide a logical pathway to the newly re-branded 2024 “Champions Cup”, which, in a format expanded from 16 to 27 clubs, will feature three Caribbean sides taken from a two-tier qualifying process. CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani added: “This will elevate clubs and leagues from CONCACAF and provide even more compelling regional…

Review It all came close to heartbreak. In the 98th minute of the European Under-21 Championship final in Batumi, Georgia, VAR told the referee Espen Eskas to check the duel between the Spanish striker Abel Ruiz and England centre-back Levi Colwill. After much deliberation, he pointed to the penalty spot – and England were in danger of losing their 1-0 lead. It could scarcely have been more nerve-wracking – for everyone except the man that mattered most. “I knew I would save it. It was pretty easy really,” James Trafford, England’s goalkeeper, said after the game. Trafford saved Ruiz’s spot-kick, and then parried Aimar Oroz’s follow-up, to ensure that England became European champions in the Under-21 category for the first time since1984. Trafford went to the tournament, co-hosted by Georgia…

• Monza v Milan, August 8 The Silvio Berlusconi Trophy game will carry extra poignancy this year with it taking place so soon after the passing of both clubs’ former owner. The clash will be an annual event, with this year’s inaugural contest taking place at Monza’s home stadium. • Burnley v Manchester City, August 11 All eyes will be on the Turf Moor dugout as Burnley boss Vincent Kompany takes on his old club in his first game as a Premier League manager. • Bayern Munich v RB Leipzig, August 12 In last year’s German Super Cup, these two sides served up an absolute treat, with Bayern winning 5-3. A repeat would be the perfect appetiser for the new Bundesliga campaign. • Manchester City v Sevilla, August 16 This…

AUGUST 18 Werder Bremen v Bayern Munich AUGUST 19 Augsburg v Borussia M’gladbach Bayer Leverkusen v RB Leipzig Borussia Dortmund v Cologne Eintracht Frankfurt v Darmstadt Hoffenheim v Freiburg Stuttgart v Bochum Union Berlin v Mainz Wolfsburg v Heidenheim AUGUST 26 Bayern Munich v Augsburg Bochum v Borussia Dortmund Borussia M’gladbach v Bayer Leverkusen Cologne v Wolfsburg Darmstadt v Union Berlin Freiburg v Werder Bremen Heidenheim v Hoffenheim Mainz v Eintracht Frankfurt RB Leipzig v Stuttgart SEPTEMBER 2 Augsburg v Bochum Bayer Leverkusen v Darmstadt Borussia Dortmund v Heidenheim Borussia M’gladbach v Bayern Munich Eintracht Frankfurt v Cologne Hoffenheim v Wolfsburg Stuttgart v Freiburg Union Berlin v RB Leipzig Werder Bremen v Mainz SEPTEMBER 16 Bayern Munich v Bayer Leverkusen Bochum v Eintracht Frankfurt Darmstadt v Borussia M’gladbach Freiburg v…

EURO 2024 QUALIFIERS Group A Jun 17 – Oslo Norway 1 (Haaland 61 pen) Scotland 2 (Dykes 87, McLean 89) Norway: Nyland – Ryerson, Strandberg, Ostigard, Melling; Odegaard, Berg (Strand Larsen 84), Aursnes (Thorstvedt 84); Sorloth (Elyounoussi 79), Haaland (Daehli 84), Solbakken (Berge 63). Scotland: Gunn – Porteous (McLean 79), Hendry, Tierney (Cooper 65); Hickey, McTominay, McGregor (Gilmour 78), Robertson; Christie (Armstrong 78), Dykes, McGinn (Hyam 90+1). Jun 17 – Larnaca Cyprus1 (Pittas 39 pen) Georgia 2 (Mikautadze 31, Davitashvili 84) Cyprus: Mall – Karo (Antoniades 63), Gogic, Laifis; Antoniou, Kastanos, Kousoulos, Charalampous (Satsias 78); Anderson Correia; Pittas (Christofi 78), Tzionis (Loizou 60). Georgia: Mamardashvili – Kakabadze, Kashia, Lochoshvili (Dvali 87); Gocholeishvili (Lobzhanidze 74), Chakvetadze (Davitashvili 74), Kvekveskiri (Gagnidze 74), Kiteishvili, Azarov; Mikautadze (Zivzivadze 88), Kvaratskhelia. Jun 20 – Oslo…

Usually, the start of a new season is cause for optimism and enthusiasm. This one is the same, of course, but there is also a sense of trepidation at the growing power in the Middle East, and a question: is football on the verge of another seismic change? The Saudi Arabian league’s ambitious expansion has dominated the summer, affecting almost every major club in Europe, whether directly or indirectly. In the space of a few short months, it has gone from being dismissed as a “retirement league” to one that is able to attract players in their 20s with plenty left in the tank to offer at the highest level. It has certainly shaken the confidence of those who considered Europe’s position at the top of football to be invulnerable.…

Saudi Arabia should be odds-on favourites to stage the World Cup finals in 2034 with many of the mysteriously-financed offshore betting outfits whose weird labels litter Premier League stadia. But those who think that the Saudi assault on football’s establishment – never mind golf and boxing – has only just exploded out of the desert sun have not been paying attention. No use panicking now at the prospect of Saudi petro-dollars buying European clubs or of FAs funding themselves in hock to its state sponsors. No use bleating at the advance of sportswashing on a grand scale; Saudi Arabia has been hammered over human rights abuses and mass executions for so long it has become part of the wallpaper. All too late. Nor will the Saudis crash and burn like…

1 MIAMI MIX-UP “All he does is win” tweeted Major League Soccer’s official account in announcing the transfer of Sergio Busquets to Inter Miami, with a graphic detailing the Barcelona legend’s career honours. The problem? Instead of adding a picture of Busquets to the tweet, it was an image of his former Spain team-mate Alvaro Arbeloa. “Admin needs new glasses,” read a follow-up tweet, owning up to the error. 2 OWN IT AFC Croydon received a boost after being taken over by a consortium headed up by Ivory Coast forward Wilfried Zaha and rapper Stormzy. The non-league outfit play in the ninth tier, and were founded in 2012 after Croydon Athletic folded. “The consortium will own, operate and develop their childhood hometown football club,” said a statement announcing the takeover. “They hope…

Spanish giants Real Madrid had two good reasons to celebrate when recently securing a €20 million deal for the left-footed Turkish boy wonder Arda Guler. First and foremost, Los Blancos have landed an amazing talent in the 18-year-old ex-Fenerbahce starlet, a Messi-like virtuoso with the ability to run rings around opponents. All quick feet, subterfuge and elusiveness, he can wriggle free in the tightest of spots, he is effective both through the middle and out wide, plays with an incredible clarity of thought and, as the ribbon on the package, takes a brilliant free-kick. But as well as securing the services of one of the most spectacular young players on the planet, Real also secured a win by beating their eternal rivals Barcelona to Guler’s signature. Barca’s new sporting director…

In the midst of a delicate rebuild following a couple of under-achieving seasons and the departure of several players of stature, Borussia Monchengladbach are convinced that their newly-acquired teenage forward Grant-Leon Ranos will play a key role in the renaissance they crave at Borussia Park. The 19-year-old Armenian international, picked up on a free transfer from Bayern Munich this summer, has yet to set foot on a Bundesliga pitch, but already has made a name for himself with his stellar performances for Bayern’s reserve team and at senior international level. Last season in the Regionalliga, the fourth tier of the German pyramid, his tally of 20 goals and 13 assists provided compelling proof of his huge potential and he proved equally devastating when scoring a brace in each of his…

■ UNITED STATES The first city of US soccer St Louis has claimed the title of America’s soccer capital for decades, boasting more than a century-long history of playing the game, but it had been almost 50 years since they last had a franchise of their own. St Louis City, the latest expansion side in Major League Soccer, are wasting no time, however, in trying to make up for the paucity of a professional team and have made a dream start to their first season. They made an explosive start by winning their opening five games this year, a record for an expansion franchise, and by the halfway stage of the season they were top of the Western Conference and well on their way to a spot in the play-offs.…

DECLAN RICE (Arsenal) Managed his British record £105m departure from West Ham United with good grace and minimum fuss. Can his admirable character and developing talent now anchor a first title for Arsenal in 20 years? SANDRO TONALI (Newcastle United) Widely seen as the best young midfielder of his generation in Italy, and already a title winner with Milan. May take a little time to adjust to the pace of the Premier League but will undoubtedly strengthen the Magpies’ midfield. DOMINIK SZOBOSZLAI (Liverpool) The 22-year-old Hungary midfielder’s all-action style and fierce shooting should be a big hit at Liverpool as they evolve in the midfield area. His extrovert rapport with supporters will also help the transition from German side RB Leipzig. CHRISTOPHER NKUNKU (Chelsea) Another recruit from RB Leipzig, Nkunku…

When the new season starts in Spain, a number of very familiar faces will be missing. Clasico legends Karim Benzema (Al Ittihad) and Sergio Busquets (Inter Miami) have left the continent; Real Betis legend Joaquin, the league’s joint all-time record appearance-maker – and record joke-maker – has retired, and even much-maligned referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz has packed it in after15 years and 288 matches. Spanish football won’t be the same without them but, such is the merry-go-round nature of the sport, there are already a number of new faces ready to take their places in the spotlight. Chief among them is Jude Bellingham, the latest member of the Real Madrid “midfield massive”. He joins veteran pair Toni Kroos and Luka Modric, who have both signed one-year contract extensions, France duo…

ALAVES Manager: Luis Garcia Key Arrivals: Maras (Almeria), Guevara (Real Sociedad) Key Departures: Laguardia (retired) Prediction: Alaves’ biggest downfall in the 2021-22 season, when they were relegated from La Liga, was their lack of goals. Their highest goalscorer in the second tier last term was Luis Rioja with ten, so it might well be another case of them not scoring enough to remain in Spain’s top tier. ALMERIA Manager: Vicente Moreno Key Arrivals: Suarez (Marseille), Gonzalez (Real Betis) Key Departures: Maras (Alaves) Prediction: Almeria survived on the final day of 2022-23, with coach Rubi leaving at the end of his contract. Incoming Moreno’s last spell in Spain was a successful one at Espanyol, before he was lured to Saudi Arabia. He should make them more competitive. ATHLETIC CLUB Manager: Ernesto Valverde…

▶ HEIDENHEIM About to rub shoulders with the German elite for the first time in the Swabian club’s history, the second division champions have one operational watchword: stability. Their coach Franck Schmidt has been at the helm for16 long years, steering a club of limited financial means from the fifth tier to the top of the mountain. Much will depend on striker Tim Kleindienst, who topped the scoring charts with 25 goals last term. ▶ DARMSTADT After six years of struggle in the second tier, the Lilies are finally back in the top flight. Expertly led by coach Torsten Lieberknecht, they were the second-tier pacesetters for most of last season – unbeaten for 21 games between July and March – and would have secured the title if they had not…

KEVIN DANSO (Lens) The Austrian was arguably Ligue 1’s standout player last season, and adapting to Champions League football could be a career defining challenge for the well-rounded centre-back. Previously had a loan spell at Southampton. MARTIN TERRIER (Rennes) The versatile forward was highly sought after last summer following a prolific 2021-22 campaign when he scored 21 league goals, and will want to prove he remains just as effective after a serious knee injury in January. TIAGO DJALO (Lille) Djalo once promised to be Ligue 1’s next breakout star centre-back, but struggled with greater responsibility and is partly to blame for the individual errors that have cost his team. Big year ahead for the ex-Portugal youth international. AROUNA SANGANTE (Le Havre) Exciting 21-year-old centre-back who emerged from Le Havre’s famous…

Two questions dominate preparations for the forthcoming Serie A season: firstly, in the wake of their Herculean efforts to win last season’s title, will Napoli under new coach Rudi Garcia be able to reproduce anything like the high-intensity, dynamic football that won them the third title of their history with Luciano Spalletti? Secondly, in the wake of the “Prisma” Plusvalenza (Capital Gains) scandal, are Juventus destined to decline under the weight of possible UEFA sanctions that could ban them from all European competition? The very real possibility that Juventus, who finished seventh in last season’s league, might be barred from the UEFA Europa Conference League may have far reaching implications for the club. Already out of the Champions League because of a ten-point Italian Football Federation (FIGC) sanction imposed at…

ATALANTA Manager: Gian Piero Gasperini Key Arrivals: Kolasinac (Marseille), Adopo (Torino), Bakker (Leverkusen) Key Departures: Sportiello (Milan), Lammers (Rangers), Cittadini (Monza) Prediction: After astonishing seasons, which saw them reach a Champions League quarter-final, Atalanta may have returned to their “proper level”. They were still good enough to finish fifth and qualify for the Europa League last season. With Gasperini still in charge, expect another good campaign. BOLOGNA Manager: Thiago Motta Key Arrivals: Moro (Dynamo Moscow), Beukema (AZ), Posch (Hoffenheim), El Azzouzi (Union SG) Key Departures: Kasius (AZ) Prediction: Bologna had an excellent season last time around, finishing comfortably mid-table. Not surprisingly, Motta was given the job full-time. The big question is whether the Canadian owners will settle for a mid-table finish again or be more ambitious. CAGLIARI Manager: Claudio Ranieri…

Change is afoot in Belgian football. Backed by real estate magnate Paul Gheysens, Antwerp enjoyed the most dramatic of coronations last season and will seek to take that momentum into the new season and cement their place among the elite clubs. With 20 clean sheets, the unexpected title win owed plenty to goalkeeperJean Butez and veteran defender Toby Alderweireld, with striker Vincent Janssen also among the key personnel, but Antwerp will need reinforcements to compete at both the domestic and European level. On the surface, 2022-23 was a good season for Belgian clubs in Europe: Club Brugge became the third Belgian club (after Anderlecht and Gent) to advance to the knockout stages of the Champions League, Union Saint-Gilloise reached the last eight of the Europa League in impressive fashion, and,…

The new Swiss Super League season begins with Young Boys favourites to continue their recent dominance, another new manager at Basel, a new enlarged format and, for the first time in 17 seasons, without the chaos of Sion. The league has been enlarged from ten to12 clubs and adopted what has locally been dubbed “the Scottish model”. In the regular season, the teams will play each other three times and will then be split into two groups – the “Championship Group” for the top six and “Relegation Group” for the bottom six; in both cases teams play once more against every other team within their group. This ensures 38 rounds of matches and means teams will face direct rivals in their last few games. Two key points are that teams…

World Soccer’s September issue is your ultimate guide to the 2023-24 UEFA Champions League campaign. You’ll get in-depth profiles on every team, expert discussion around the major talking points, and the essential lowdown on the standout players, coaches and breakout youngsters to watch this term. We’ll also have a comprehensive review of the 2023 Women’s World Cup, analysis of the summer transfer window, and a special preview of the 2023-24 Asian Champions League. Plus, don’t miss coverage of World Cup 2026 qualifying – as preliminaries get underway in South America – and news from India and Argentina’s domestic leagues. Print £5.99 Digital £4.99 You may have missed… SAVE 10% when you spend £25 or more VOUCHERCODE: WSCSHOP23 Also from the publishers of World Soccer Presents Print £7.99 Digital £6.99 Merchandise…

For three of South America’s ten nations the Copa Libertadores ended at the group stage – with barely a surprise. Sporting Cristal came close to a place in the last16 and Alianza Lima were more competitive than for many years. Even so, for the tenth consecutive campaign no side from Peru made it through to the knockout phase, and there is no Venezuelan presence for the seventh successive year. And for the fourth time in five, no team from Chile has made the cut. Both Chile and Colombia have underachieved in recent times, and the final slot in the knockout phase fell between the former’s Colo-Colo and the latter’s Deportivo Pereira. In front of a big crowd in Santiago, tournament debutants Pereira held on for the draw they needed, and…

Preview When CONCACAF decided to expand their main club tournament, the Champions League (now re-christened Champions Cup), they did it to fend off the competition of the upstart Leagues Cup, organised by the Mexican and United States FA’s in an attempt to leverage the passion and wealth potential of the Mexican-American community in the US. For a long time, CONCACAF has lived off the enthusiasm of the community, organising club and national competitions in American territory, with Mexican teams being the main cash cow. With their main source of revenue now under threat, they decided to expand the Champions League from16 to 27 teams, including an expansion of Mexican and US clubs from four teams apiece to15 in total. However, as there are more countries in the region, the new…

The football tournament at the Indian Ocean Games provides a low-profile but rare opportunity for the region’s national teams to enjoy some success. The Maldives were the original hosts for the 2023 edition before withdrawing inJanuary 2021 and were replaced by Madagascar, who this summer dropped a number of sports due to lack of facilities including women’s football and beach soccer. Men’s football was retained and will be staged across three venues in the capital Antananarivo: Kianja Barea Mahamasina, Vontovorona Stadium and Elgeco Plus By-pass. Reunion are holders and have won five of the ten tournaments staged since the first event on their home island in1979. For Reunion and another French overseas territory, Mayotte, the Games present a rare opportunity to play at representative level. Reunion is only an associate…

AUGUST 11 Burnley v Manchester City AUGUST 12 Arsenal v Nottingham Forest Bournemouth v West Ham United Brighton v Luton Town Everton v Fulham Sheffield United v Crystal Palace Newcastle United v Aston Villa AUGUST 13 Brentford v Tottenham Hotspur Chelsea v Liverpool AUGUST 14 Manchester United v Wolves AUGUST 19 Aston Villa v Everton Crystal Palace v Arsenal Fulham v Brentford Liverpool v Bournemouth Luton Town p-p Burnley Manchester City v Newcastle United Nottingham Forest v Sheffield United Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester United West Ham United v Chelsea Wolves v Brighton AUGUST 26 Arsenal v Fulham Bournemouth v Tottenham Hotspur Brentford v Crystal Palace Brighton v West Ham United Burnley v Aston Villa Chelsea v Luton Town Everton v Wolves Manchester United v Nottingham Forest Newcastle United v Liverpool…

AUGUST 13 Brest v Lens Clermont v Monaco Marseille v Reims Montpellier v Le Havre Nantes v Toulouse Nice v Lille Paris Saint-Germain v Lorient Rennes v Metz Strasbourg v Lyon AUGUST 20 Le Havre v Brest Lens v Rennes Lille v Nantes Lorient v Nice Lyon v Montpellier Metz v Marseille Monaco v Strasbourg Reims v Clermont Toulouse v Paris Saint-Germain AUGUST 27 Clermont v Metz Lorient v Lille Marseille v Brest Montpellier v Reims Nantes v Monaco Nice v Lyon Paris Saint-Germain v Lens Rennes v Le Havre Strasbourg v Toulouse SEPTEMBER 3 Brest v Rennes Le Havre v Lorient Lille v Montpellier Lyon v Paris Saint-Germain Metz v Reims Monaco v Lens Nantes v Marseille Nice v Strasbourg Toulouse v Clermont SEPTEMBER 17 Clermont v Nantes Lens…

“Given the existing discrepancies on the interpretation of the relevant contractual terms applicable to the Super League Project, Juventus confirms that it has initiated the procedure to exit”Juventus confirm, following discussions, its withdrawal from plans for the European Super League ■ ENGLAND Arsenal break transfer records Arsenal signalled their intentions of competing again for the Premier League title by completing a record £105 million move for England star Declan Rice from West Ham United. The up-front fee of £100m matches that paid by Manchester City for Jack Grealish in 2021, with the extra £5m in add-ons making the midfielder the most expensive English footballer of all time, just falling short of the British record transfer fee of £106.8m that Chelsea paid for Enzo Fernandez in January. With deals also completed…

LIONESSES By Abdullah Abdullah (Pitch Publishing, £12.99) England’s emphatic victory at the 2022 Women’s Euros has been called a watershed moment both for the team and for women’s football. But can this talented side prove their mettle on the biggest stage of all and win the 2023 World Cup? Lionesses tackles this burning question by examining the key tactical concepts and analysing the core identity instilled in the side by manager Sarina Wiegman. The book looks at their displays at the 2022 Euros and assesses their chances at the 2023 World Cup and beyond. CROSSING THE PARK By Peter KennyJones (Pitch Publishing, £18.99) Crossing the Park: The Men Who Dared to Play for Both Liverpool and Everton casts a spotlight on the players who have turned out for both Merseyside…

“After discussions with the manager today he has informed me he is changing captain. He outlined his reasons to me and whilst I’m personally extremely disappointed, I will continue to give my all”England defender Harry Maguire on losing the Manchester United captaincy “You kissed the badge that is worth more than our lives to us and now like a vile cheap mercenary you’re selling yourself to the highest bidder”Inter supporters’ group lash out at Romelu Lukaku after the Belgian was linked with a move to Juventus PEOPLE ON THE MOVE EUROPE Following their relegation to Serie B, Sampdoria appointed ANDREA PIRLO as their new head coach. In the top flight, MARCO BARONI left Lecce to take chare of Verona, and newly-promoted Frosinone hired EUSEBIO DI FRANCESCO to replace Fabio Grosso.…

A lengthy stint in the third tier of the English game with Bolton Wanderers proved no impediment to England Under-21 goalkeeper James Trafford, who featured front and centre in the Young Lions’ triumph at this summer’s European Championship. The Manchester City loanee, on secondment at Bolton for18 months, looked anything but low grade in his performances this summer at the European finals, keeping a clean sheet in every game and crucially saving both a stoppage-time spot-kick and the subsequent rebound in England’s 1-0 victory over Spain in the final; cometh the hour, cometh the penalty-blocking saviour. Trafford is certainly a confident lad. “I told everyone I was going to save a penalty,” he revealed after the final. “I knew I would save it. It was pretty easy really. I told…

It was the last day of May when Al Ittihad lifted the Saudi Arabian league trophy in front of over 50,000 ecstatic fans in Jeddah, but much has changed in the weeks since and not just the expansion of the top tier from16 to18 teams. The January arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo at Al Nassr, who finished second, garnered plenty of international headlines. In the build-up to the new season, which kicks off in August, the global spotlight has been shining brighter than ever with other big names following in the footsteps of the Portuguese superstar. Just days after Nuno Espirito Santo led Ittihad to a first title since 2009, Karim Benzema put pen to paper and was heading to Jeddah. It was a significant move in that the second star…

■ GUERNSEY The Island Games Jersey won the Island Games football tournament to the chagrin of their neighbours and hosts Guernsey and go into their 2023-24 league season with a major title under their belt. For other sides at the Games, the wait for another meaningful fixture will be significantly longer. As “Don’t Look Back in Anger” by Oasis echoed around the Corbet Field sports ground in St Sampson, Greenland’s players slumped back into their dug-out after losing their winner-takes-all final Group C game against Bermuda. Trailing by two goals, the Arctic side had equalised through a brace from teenage sensation Nemo Thomsen only to be caught pressing for a winner. In a thrilling game, the Caribbean side caught Morten Rutkjaer’s side out on the left flank and Blaiz Hall…

Bellingham’s early youth career was spent as a striker, emulating his dad’s scoring feats. But Birmingham’s coaches believed he could offer more from a deeper position. In one conversation with a12-year-old Bellingham, Dodds asked the pre-teen what role he envisaged for himself. “I want to be a No.10,” Bellingham replied. “I think you should be a No.22,” Dodds countered, flummoxing the youngster. The coach’s idea was that Bellingham should not only transition into a midfield role, but one that would incorporate aspects of the remits of a defensive midfielder (traditionally a No.4 in England), a box-to-box runner (No.8) and a creator in the attacking third (No.10) hence a No.22. “He idolised the likes of Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney,” Dodds says. “One of my favourite players was Paul Gascoigne. Gazza…

▶ BURNLEY The club that thrived for several years in the Premier League under the pragmatic management of Sean Dyche is now back playing a very different, progressive style of football under Vincent Kompany. Can the Clarets thrive, or will it just be a battle to survive? ▶ SHEFFIELD UNITED When the Blades were last promoted to the Premier League in 2019, they finished ninth in their first season using innovative tactics which allowed freedom for their centre-backs to sweep forward. Current boss Paul Heckingbottom, in place since 2021, revived that style to win promotion, and they should be fascinating to watch. ▶ LUTON TOWN What a story, the first club in English football history to return to the top flight after plummeting down to non-league status. So much has…

FRAN GARCIA (Real Madrid) After three seasons of development at Rayo Vallecano the Real Madrid youth product, who turns 24 in August, returns to his old club with the task of attempting to fix Los Blancos’ issues at left-back. HAMARI TRAORE (Real Sociedad) One of the few weak links in Real Sociedad’s side last season was at right-back, an issue they’ve looked to resolve by signing 31-year-old Traore from Rennes. With almost 50 caps for Mali, he’ll add experience to La Real’s back line. AIMAR OROZ (Osasuna) In his first season as a first-team regular, the 21-year-old attacking midfielder scored three goals and created six in Osasuna’s impressive seventh-placed finish. He’ll be targetting double figures this time around. ALEJANDRO BALDE (Barcelona) With Jordi Alba having departed, the left-back berth at…

Here’s a chilling thought for any team hoping to dislodge Bayern Munich from their long-held number one perch: even when severely under-par last season, accumulating mistakes both on and off the pitch, the Bavarians still had enough to be champions again, albeit only on goal-difference from Borussia Dortmund. Suitably chastened and not a little embarrassed to have let their standards drop, Bayern are most unlikely to make the same mistakes again: the complacency which crept in; the ego trips of certain players; the boardroom panic – notably the decision to sack coach Julian Nagelsmann in late March and replace him with Thomas Tuchel – and the poor transfer market dealings. Everything points to Bayern bouncing back with renewed authority and purpose. Tuchel, as meticulous and driven as always, will have…

AUGSBURG Manager: Enrico Maassen Key Arrivals: Breithaupt (Karlsruhe), Berisha (Fenerbahce), Michel (Union Berlin), Tietz (Darmstadt), Okugawa (Bielefeld), Ehrlich (Dynamo Dresden), Dahmen (Mainz), Pfeiffer (Darmstadt) Key Departures: Pepi (PSV) Prediction: One of the worst teams in the Bundesliga in the second half of last season, winning only four out of 17 fixtures. Apart from Germany international striker Mergim Berisha, they may not have sufficient quality to break out of that downward spiral. BAYER LEVERKUSEN Manager: Xabi Alonso Key Arrivals: Arthur (America Mineiro), Grimaldo (Benfica), Xhaka (Arsenal), Hofmann (M’gladbach), Key Departures: Bellarabi (released), Bakker (Atalanta), Paulinho (Atletico Mineiro), Sinkgraven (Las Palmas) Prediction: Alonso performed a minor miracle on taking over from Gerardo Seoane in October, steering Leverkusen from17th place to a lofty sixth and, thanks to an impressive summer recruitment drive, a top-four…

▶ LE HAVRE The Normandy outfit’s surprise second-tier title triumph was based on a well-organised structure and the emergence of several graduates from the club’s legendary academy. Having failed with Amiens in Ligue1, coach Luka Elsner’s success was just as shocking and his ability to adapt again to the top flight is uncertain. Goals will also be an issue, with nobody scoring more than six last term, but quality in other areas offers a strong starting point. ▶ METZ Surprisingly promoted after various rivals choked, significant investment will likely be needed to mould a competitive Ligue1 squad. Although Romanian coach Laszlo Boloni blooded some promising youth products, Georges Mikautadze’s goals were pivotal in the success of a side made up of players who have struggled in the top flight before.…

DAVIDE FRATTESI (Internazionale) One ofWorld Soccer’s players to watch in last year’s season preview, the six-cap Italy international made his big move this summer, joining Inter on loan from Sassuolo. Both Simone Inzaghi and Roberto Mancini expect. ALESSANDRO BUONGIORNO (Torino) The 23-year-old central defender for IvanJuric’s competitive Torino is one of the players selected by Mancini to be part of Italy’s future. Won his first cap this summer in Italy’s 3-2 win over the Netherlands. MAXIME LOPEZ (Sassuolo) A former Marseille and France U21 midfielder, 25-year-old Lopez is yet another incredible talent to emerge from the celebrated Sassuolo school. His quality football has put him on many clubs’ shopping list. RUBEN LOFTUS-CHEEK (Milan) Joins his fellow Chelsea academy graduate Fikayo Tomori after almost 20 years with the London club. A…

Since first Marc Overmars and then Erik ten Hag left last year, Ajax have been tumbling down with the speed of an avalanche. Last season, for the first time since 2018 (excluding 2020 when competitions were halted due to COVID), they didn’t win any silverware and even failed to qualify for the Champions League preliminaries. As is so often the case when top clubs fail, “Judgement Day” was inevitable. Coach Alfred Schreuder was the first to receive his marching orders, then his successor, interim coachJohn Heitinga, was told he wasn’t the right man for the permanent job. Technical director Gerry Hamstra also called it a day and eventually the position of chief executive Edwin van der Sar became untenable. The ex-Ajax, Manchester United and Netherlands goalkeeper was later rushed to…

There’s a crucial question in the air about the Czech Republic’s new top-flight season: after Sparta Prague ended their nine-year wait for the league title, is this the start of a new era for the country’s most successful club, or was it just a flash in the pan, with Slavia Prague and Viktoria Plzen set to reassert their authority as the teams to beat again? In November, Sparta will celebrate their 130th birthday and would like nothing better than to mark their anniversary season by adding to their collection of trophies. Last season’s title was their 13th in the Czech First League, in addition to the 21 that they won before the dissolution of Czechoslovakia, making them the most decorated club in the country by far. Yet it took the…

No figure in the Turkish game is under more pressure on the eve of the new season than Fenerbahce president Ali Koc, who desperately needs silverware to silence his many critics at the Sukru Saracoglu Stadium. Since Koc replaced the long-serving Aziz Yildirim in the executive hot-seat five years ago, the Yellow Canaries, Turkish league winners on no fewer than 28 occasions, have had to live on a diet of championship crumbs and, with no titles in nine long years, the patience of supporters is wearing decidedly thin. The Fenerbahce faithful had assumed that Koc, a scion of the richest family in the country, would swiftly kick-start a magnificent new era for the team in yellow and navy stripes. Instead, underachievement has proved the norm. Championship glory is what the…

MEXICO 1 (Gimenez 88) PANAMA 0 Mexico reclaimed their Gold Cup crown with an encouraging display at this year’s edition of CONCACAF’s biennial tournament, after which they will be hoping to put a difficult and disappointing few years behind them. Along with the United States and Canada, Mexico are one of the co-hosts of the next World Cup in 2026, and this victory will come as something of a relief as they look to reassert themselves as a force in the region in preparation for making their mark at that tournament. This latest victory, defeating Panama 1-0 in the final, saw El Tri maintain their status as the most successful team in Gold Cup history, making it nine wins in total and winning the title back from the United States who…

Review Patience in football so often has its limits. A process rarely lasts its due course. Yet for Bogota-based club Millonarios, reward for their stoical resolve amid a success-starved project has finally been bestowed. With a dramatic penalty-shootout victory over arch-rivals Atletico Nacional in the Apertura league final, Millonarios clinched a16th Colombian league title. At long last, manager Alberto Gamero’s three-and-a-half-year wait was over. As midfielder Larry Vasquez lashed home the decisive kick, Millonarios’ long-suffering fans spilled onto the pitch, players leapt around in joy and fireworks whistled in the Colombian capital’s night sky. But one man remained alone. Hunched on the bench, head tucked into his soggy hands, Gamero wailed uncontrollably amid the euphoria unfolding around him. More than anyone, this was his victory. Appointed in December 2019, the…

Australia pushed Argentina all the way when they met in the second round of the World Cup last December, losing 2-1 to the eventual champions. Yet it could have been Oman taking on Messi and Co in their own backyard on Arab soil – not that much would have had to have gone differently. Had the Reds scored one more goal against China in November 2021 then they would have finished two points above the Socceroos in the final round of qualification instead of a point behind. They would have been expected to defeat the United Arab Emirates in Asia’s play-off and would then have fancied their chances against Peru in very familiar conditions. After all, they went to Japan in the final round of qualification and won1-0 in a…

Women’s World Cup The final stages of the 2023 finals swing into action on Saturday, August 5, followed by two weeks of tense knockout action. The semi-finals take place on the 15th and16th, with the final following on Sunday, August 20 in Sydney. The big kick-offs The weekend of August12 is the key date for your diary, as the Premier League, La Liga and Ligue1 all get underway for the 2023-24 season, as do the Dutch Eredivisie, Turkish Super Lig and Portuguese Primeira Liga campaigns. A week later, Germany’s Bundesliga and Italy’s Serie A also begin. Champions League The final line-up of this season’s Champions League group stage will be decided at the end of August. The third round of qualifying begins on August 8, with the second legs following…

AUGUST 11 Almeria v Rayo Vallecano Sevilla v Valencia AUGUST 12 Athletic Bilbao v Real Madrid Celta Vigo v Osasuna Las Palmas v Mallorca AUGUST 13 Getafe v Barcelona Real Sociedad v Girona Villarreal v Real Betis AUGUST 14 Atletico Madrid v Granada Cadiz v Alaves AUGUST 18 Mallorca v Villarreal Valencia v Las Palmas AUGUST 19 Almeria v Real Madrid Osasuna v Athletic Bilbao Real Sociedad v Celta Vigo AUGUST 20 Barcelona v Cadiz Girona v Getafe Real Betis v Atletico Madrid AUGUST 21 Alaves v Sevilla Granada v Rayo Vallecano AUGUST 27 Athletic Bilbao v Real Betis Cadiz v Almeria Celta Vigo v Real Madrid Getafe v Alaves Granada v Mallorca Las Palmas v Real Sociedad Rayo Vallecano v Atletico Madrid Sevilla v Girona Valencia v Osasuna Villarreal…

AUGUST 20 Bologna v Milan Empoli v Verona Frosinone v Napoli Genoa v Fiorentina Internazionale v Monza Lecce v Lazio Roma v Salernitana Sassuolo v Atalanta Torino v Cagliari Udinese vJuventus AUGUST 27 Cagliari v Internazionale Fiorentina v Lecce Frosinone v Atalanta Juventus v Bologna Lazio v Genoa Milan v Torino Monza v Empoli Napoli v Sassuolo Salernitana v Udinese Verona v Roma SEPTEMBER 3 Atalanta v Monza Bologna v Cagliari Empoli vJuventus Internazionale v Fiorentina Lecce v Salernitana Napoli v Lazio Roma v Milan Sassuolo v Verona Torino v Genoa Udinese v Frosinone SEPTEMBER 17 Cagliari v Udinese Fiorentina v Atalanta Frosinone v Sassuolo Genoa v Napoli Internazionale v Milan Juventus v Lazio Monza v Lecce Roma v Empoli Salernitana v Torino Verona v Bologna SEPTEMBER 24 Atalanta v…

Real Madrid 4 Atletico Madrid1 2014 Champions League final, Lisbon The legendary Real Madrid and Croatia midfielder reflects on his two biggest matches for both club and country “In my career, I have been lucky enough to play in many games I consider special. The first one is winning the Champions League title with Real in 2014, the legendary La Decima. It was Real’s first title in the Champions League after waiting for12 years. For me it was special, both because it was my first Champions League final and because in my second season at the club I had gained the status of a starter, a leader. I was very excited, but without any fear. I couldn’t wait for the game to start. The magical moment was a corner-kick in…