The draw for the Champions League Round of 16 matchups was held in Nyon, Switzerland on Monday, setting up a string of fun matchups that will be held in late February and early March.

Choosing winners for most of these matchups is a tough proposition, but let’s try to do so! And let us know if you agree with our predictions!

Borussia Monchengladbach vs. Manchester City

Manchester City has been one of the unluckiest teams in the Champions League in recent memory. Despite being the team of the decade of the 2010s in the Premier League, they still haven’t managed to take home the big prize. Unfortunately for them, we think that a brilliantly inventive Borussia Monchengladbach squad will surprise and eliminate City in this year’s round of 16.

Lazio vs. Bayern Munich

The 2020 Champions League winners face a tough test in Lazio and striker Ciro Immobile in the first knockout round of the competition. Nevertheless, we still think that Bayern continues to be the favorite to win the competition once again, and they should advance without much problem.

Atletico Madrid vs. Chelsea

One of the most fascinating Round of 16 matchups pits La Liga favorites Atletico Madrid against Chelsea, a team that has begun to click under Frank Lampard. Atletico looks like a reenergized animal with Joao Felix starring this season, and we believe he’ll be the piece that pushes the Colchoneros past a Chelsea team that will put up a fight.

RB Leipzig vs. Liverpool

Another intriguing matchup in this round features RB Leipzig and Liverpool, a clash of the 2019 CL winners against one of Europe’s upstart teams. Jurgen Klopp’s side hasn’t had the best start to the 2020-21 season thanks in large part to a number of injury problems. Provided they’re relatively healthy, Liverpool should win this one.

Porto vs. Juventus

The biggest mismatch in the Round of 16 might be this matchup between a Porto team that advanced to the knockout round in clumsy fashion, and a Juventus squad which might have the most talented roster on the planet. Cristiano Ronaldo and his Juventus side should advance pretty easily here.

FC Barcelona vs. Paris Saint-Germain

FC Barcelona faces off against ex-Cule Neymar and his PSG squad at the worst possible time with the club in a sporting and financial crisis. Nothing is going right for Barca under Ronald Koeman, and PSG is simply too deadly to not take advantage of their opportunity to take down a giant, especially now that we know that the Brazilian star should be available for the tie.

Sevilla vs. Borussia Dortmund

Reigning Europa League winners Sevilla impressed in the group stage of the competition, but their foes in the Round of 16 are nothing to sneeze at despite a bad run of recent matches. While Borussia Dortmund has the more talented squad, Julen Lopetegui is one of the best coaches in the world and we expect Sevilla to advance here due to their tactical edge.

Atalanta vs. Real Madrid

Real Madrid snuck into the final 16 of the competition after spending most of the knockout round in the bottom two of their group stage. They actually ended up winning their group and will face off against Atalanta, whose high-flying offensive style should present a challenge to Los Blancos. Nonetheless, we expect Real Madrid to get the job done.

The post Picking the Winners of the Champions League Round of 16 Matchups appeared first on SportzBonanza.

FC Barcelona’s woeful 2-1 loss to Cadiz on Saturday was yet another chink in their long chain of disappointments this season.

Notably absent from the score sheet in the loss was star forward Lionel Messi, whose open war with the club came to a head this summer as he publicly requested a transfer away from the only club he has ever known.

Despite Messi’s request, the legendary player was unable to secure a move away from FC Barcelona, after former club president Josep Maria Bartomeu refused to let him leave.

However, this has kept Messi disgruntled and unhappy, making Barcelona’s supposed “rebuilding” stage without much clear direction. In order to keep the peace and maintain a positive atmosphere, the front office has some serious questions to consider.

Should they try and convince him to stay longer at Barça, or should they look to move on and find other options?

If the club is serious about being financially healthy and not overdependent on one player going forward, it may be good to move on from Messi next summer as his contract expires.

Financially, it would probably have made even more sense to let Messi go last summer while the club still could have made money on a transfer fee. But that ship has sailed.

Things haven’t been working with Messi, from Champions League humiliation to bad transfer deals. FC Barcelona has been reduced to a shell of its former self, and therefore it may be time to think of other options.

Instead of continuing to try to tailor the squad to fit Messi’s needs, the club would be better served to let the 33-year-old legend walk. This will enable them to keep an eye on the future, instead of continuing to cater to the aging star.

It’s a hard reality for the club and its fans to accept, but when a marriage isn’t happy and the club isn’t succeeding, there is no point in trying to force a fit.

Next summer would be the perfect time for FC Barcelona to push the reset button and begin its post-Messi era.

The post FC Barcelona’s Best Option Next Summer? Letting Messi Go appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Over the past few seasons, the use of VAR (Video Assistant Referee) has become almost universal in soccer. While some people think more highly of this system than others, the undeniable reality is that it has transformed how the game is played.

VAR corrects some egregious decisions but also leads to baffling results at times. Much has been said about how VAR could be improved, but with little changes so far.

So, how could this system be improved in a few short steps by leagues which want to improve the results of this revolutionary system? Here are some suggestions.

Take Decisions Out of the Hands of On-Field Refs

One of the biggest problems of VAR in many leagues is that while its officials are able to call the attention of the on-field ref to a possible mistake, they leave the call and the revision up to that same on-field ref.

This leads to a problem where referees do not want their interpretations of what has happened on a play to be questioned, and it is far too often for clear errors not to be rectified because of stubbornness on the referee’s part. These calls should be made by unbiased VAR officials who aren’t caught up in the on-field emotions of the game.

Move to a “Challenge” System

Is anyone else tired of seeing play stopped several times per match due to VAR usage? Instead of it coming into play at every possible opportunity, giving teams a limited number of VAR “challenges” could be worth a shot in order to improve the on-field pace of play.

Leaving the decision to review a play up to coaches would lead to only the most important (and probably the most obvious) mistakes being looked at instead of trivial ones that are almost never changed.

Apply Goal Line and Offside Technology

Unfortunately, many leagues are still using VAR when it comes to goal line and offside calls. This leads to referees making incorrect decisions at times, something which could be eliminated by the use of something as simple as a computer program.

Allowing refs to wear a watch that indicates whether or not a ball crossed the goal line or a player was offside before scoring a goal would do a lot to prevent a lot of the VAR controversy that we have seen in recent years on the biggest of stages.

The post 3 Steps Towards Improving VAR in Soccer appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The 2020-21 European international football competitions got underway last week, with the Champions League getting the lion’s share of attention as it usually does.

The second-tier competition, the UEFA Europa League, doesn’t tend to get as much press as its big brother, but features tons of the continent’s top clubs in a huge battle for European glory.

So, what teams are in a position to walk away from this year’s Europa League as Champions? Here are the top three contenders.

Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham, a fixture in the Champions League over the past several seasons, is in a prime position to compete for the UEFA Europa League title this season after a disappointing 19-20.

Jose Mourinho has a roster with some of the best talents in the continent, including a deadly attack consisting of striker Harry Kane, winger Heung-min Son, and attacking midfielder Dele Alli. Add in interesting additions like Gareth Bale and defensive help from players like new addition Sergio Reguilon, and Mourinho’s side is beginning to take on the look of a contender.

Whether all of the new pieces fit together well will determine their ultimate fate, but Spurs’ roster should have them in the competition until the end.

AC Milan

AC Milan has had a rough spell of it recently, but the squad continues to improve and they could take a big step by competing for Europa League glory this season.

The attack certainly isn’t the problem, as the ageless Zlatan Ibrahimovic has combined brilliantly in a team featuring tons of young attacking talent. Gianluigi Donnarumma has stayed loyal to his club despite recent turmoil, providing them with one of the world’s top goalkeepers in net.

The key to this team’s success will be if its defense is able to turn a corner and keep games manageable. If they are able to do so, we might see AC Milan lift a European trophy for the first time since the days of Kaka, Pirlo, and company.

Real Sociedad

It might surprise you to see Spanish side Real Sociedad here, but Imanol Alguacil’s team has a real shot to end up in the finals of the competition this season.

Real Sociedad is in first place in La Liga, and it’s easy to see why. David Silva, recently added to the team from Manchester City, has joined up with an exciting young attack with players such as Spanish international Mikel Oyarzabal and Swedish international Alexander Isak.

La Real is a deep, talented size who will surprise many that have never seen them play before. Could they become a dark horse champion?

The post Analyzing the 2020-21 Europa League Top Contenders appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The UEFA Champions League group stage draw for the 2020-21 edition of soccer’s most prestigious competition took place last week, with the inaugural matches set to be held on October 20th and 21st.

This year’s group stage features plenty of fascinating team matchups which could lead to surprises and early exits for title favorites. There are also plenty of groups that have several strong teams, making them potential “groups of death” in this year’s CL.

So, which groups are the toughest? Let’s take a look at the three which will be the hardest to navigate.

1. Group H

Teams: Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester United, RB Leipzig, İstanbul Başakşehir

Group H can be considered the toughest group in this year’s edition of the Champions League. Paris Saint-Germain heads the group as the reigning Ligue 1 winners who came agonizingly close to winning their first Champions League trophy in August, but fell short 0-1 to Bayern Munich.

Manchester United is always a strong group and will be considered by many to be favorites to finish second and qualify for the knockout stage. However, RB Leipzig might have something to say about that. These German upstarts are coming off of a run that saw them reach the semi-finals of last season’s Champions League and have plenty of talent to finish in the top two. İstanbul Başakşehir is clearly the biggest underdog, but after they won Turkey’s Super Lig last season, they can’t be counted out either.

2. Group B

Teams: Real Madrid, Shakhtar Donetsk, Inter Milan, Borussia Mönchengladbach

Four teams with strong current sides and well-known European histories will square off in Group B, with any of the four teams being real threats to qualify for the knockout rounds.

Real Madrid, the most successful club in Champions League history, will be the presumptive favorites coming off of their 2019-20 La Liga title. Inter Milan came up just short in the Europa League final, losing to Sevilla, and they made their squad better during the summer after adding Achraf Hakimi, Arturo Vidal, and young midfield phenom Nicolo Barella ove rteh summer.

Those two teams will be the favorites to advance, but Shakhtar is a well-coached and solid unit whose home games in Ukraine are notoriously difficult to win. Add Borussia Mönchengladbach and its young and talented team to the mix, and you have the makings of a really tough group to get out of.

3. Group D

Teams: Liverpool, Ajax, Atalanta, FC Midtjylland

With all due respect to FC Midtjylland, this group’s toughness is all about the three other teams which will fight for the two knockout stage places in the group stage.

As we all know, Liverpool is widely considered to be the best team in Europe at the moment. They’ll have a chip on their shoulder and something to prove after being eliminated early by Atletico Madrid last season.

Ajax and Atalanta are two fascinating teams that will cause real problems for their opponents as well. Atalanta was one of the best stories of last year’s Champions League, and they’ve gotten off to a hot start in Serie A play this season with their all-out attacking philosophy. Ajax might not have the star power that they did in previous seasons, but they’re a tough out too. Anything could happen in this group.

The post Analyzing the Toughest UEFA Champions League Groups appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Leo Messi’s fax to FC Barcelona on Tuesday night left the soccer world reeling as the game’s top star made his decision to leave his lifetime club public.

Now, after making it clear that he wants to move on to another club, a handful of teams around the world are now jockeying for the Argentinian superstar’s signature.

So, which teams would be the best fit for Messi in a possible transfer? Let’s take a look at his top options.

1. Manchester City

The top choice for Leo Messi is, in my opinion, the one which has gained the most traction since his Tuesday night announcement. Manchester City, who is coached by Messi’s former boss at Barcelona in Pep Guardiola, is one of the continent’s top teams and a perfect option for the diminutive goalscorer.

Messi would have the chance to try his luck in arguably the best league in the world with Manchester City and would look to win his third Champions League under the Catalan manager.

With players like Kevin de Bruyne, fellow Albiceleste Sergio Aguero, Riyad Mahrez, and Raheem Sterling surrounding him in the City attack, this would immediately become the most potent attacking team on the planet. As we know, Man City’s owners have deep pockets and could make the huge cash splash necessary to bring in Messi.

2. Paris Saint-Germain

PSG came up just short in the Champions League final last Sunday, falling to Bayern Munich. However, the future appears bright for the Ligue 1 powerhouses, and adding Messi could be the final piece of the puzzle.

As we all know, the Messi-Neymar connection worked brilliantly at Barcelona, and this spark could be rekindled if the two ended up together at PSG. Add Kylian Mbappe and Argentina teammate Angel di Maria to the mix, and it would be hard to not deem PSG to be the Champions League favorites in years to come.

Could Messi be convinced to go to France? It doesn’t seem out of the question.

3. Inter Milan

There have been rumors that Messi is interesting in heading to Serie A to join Inter Milan, which wouldn’t be the worst move for Messi as he could look to rekindle his rivalry with Cristiano Ronaldo.

Inter has looked to be on the cusp of big things recently, with the 2010 Champions League winners coming in 2nd place in Serie A and finishing as Europa League runners-up this year.

Inter Milan doesn’t have the star power of PSG or Manchester City, but they do have a highly-respected coach in Antonio Conte and a mix of veteran experience and young talent that could appeal to the superstar.

Would Messi make a move to a smaller club than Barcelona? It’s hard to say, but we can’t rule it out.

The post Evaluating Leo Messi’s Top Club Options This Summer appeared first on SportzBonanza.

After nearly a year of competition, the 2020 Champions League Final’s participants have finally risen their way to the cream of the crop. This year, two of the top European sides in Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich will do battle on Sunday night in Lisbon to determine the top team in Europe this season.

The winners of Ligue 1 and the Bundesliga will square off in a battle that is sure to go down as one of the best CL finals in recent memory, and there is no clear favorite in most people’s eyes.

The attacking duo of Neymar Jr. and Kylian Mbappe has set Europe on fire over the past three seasons, and they will finally have the chance to bring PSG its first Champions League title.

On the other hand, Europe’s top goalscorer in Robert Lewandowski and a solid all-around cast of veterans and young talent alike will look to bring Bayern’s sixth Champions League trophy back to Bavaria, and its first since 2013.

Most sportsbooks and experts have Bayern as a slight favorite to win Sunday night’s final, but is that what we should expect?

In attack, it’s hard to give either team the edge. PSG has frustrated and blown past defenses all season with Neymar and Mbappe healthy, and it would be a mistake to not pay attention to talents like Angel di Maria and Mauro Icardi who have also been huge for the Parisians in their run to the final.

Bayern Munich, though, has Europe’s top goalscorer in Robert Lewandowski, who has found the net 15 times in 9 Champions League matches this year. A deep wealth of other scorers also stands behind him including Serge Gnabry and Philippe Coutinho.

Where things start to look a little more uneven is in the midfield. Bayern holds the edge here, as the world-class combination and depth of players like the brilliant Thiago, the speedy Alphonso Davies, and the always-reliable Leon Goretzka keeps things steady both in attack and on defense.

Defensively, it’s hard to give either team an edge. The back 4 isn’t the strong suit of neither PSG nor Bayern, as they mostly do their best to keep things solid in the back on the rare occasion that other teams slip in.

Another point in Bayern’s favor is the fact that they have arguably the best keeper on Earth in Thomas Muller, who continues to show his brilliance at the age of 34. Even though Keylor Navas should be back in the net after missing the semi-final match for PSG, Bayern has the clear edge at this position.

With all of these things being considered, Bayern Munich is the likely winner of what should be a thrilling game. As for my personal prediction, I’ll take the Germans by a 2-1 final score.

The post 2020 Champions League Final, PSG vs. Bayern Munich: Who Has the Edge? appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Can you believe that major soccer has finally returned after the Bundesliga hosted its first action since the COVID-19 pandemic suspended leagues around the world?

While the Bundesliga is still the only major league to have returned, England’s Premier League, Spain’s La Liga, and Italy’s Serie A are also hoping to get back underway over the next several weeks.

There are plenty of intriguing races in each table to keep an eye on once the season returns, so let’s take a look at the most fascinating races to keep an eye on as the season gets back underway.

Bundesliga: The Final 2 Champions League Spots

The Bundesliga has a familiar picture at the top of the table, with Bayern Munich, the strong favorite, leading Borussia Dortmund by four points for the league title.

However, the 3rd and 4th spots will be fought for by three teams that will challenge for Germany’s two final allotted Champions League positions. Upstart Borussia Monchengladbach and RB Leipzig are currently 4th and 3rd in the table, respectively, but Bayer Leverkusen is only a couple of points behind a Champions League slot. Will they push to join the party?

La Liga: Will Barcelona or Madrid Take Home the Title?

Spanish soccer fans will not be surprised to see FC Barcelona and Real Madrid at the top of the table. Although they were unable to beat Los Blancos this season, drawing at home and losing on the road, the Blaugrana have a slim two-point lead over Real Madrid, which is looking to win its first league title since 2016-17.

This season has been chaotic for both Barcelona, which has dealt with defensive questions and an all-out war between its most important and board, and for Real Madrid, whose flashes of greatness have been contrasted by embarrassing performances against lower-tier sides. Which one can be more consistent and right the ship?

Premier League: Are Spurs and Arsenal Going to Miss Out on Europe?

At this point, there’s no doubt that Liverpool is going to win its first Premier League title in club history and its first domestic league in the 1989-90 season.

However, times aren’t so good for two of England’s historically strong sides, which currently find themselves outside of European slots. Spurs and Arsenal, 8th and 9th in the standings, are set to miss out even on the Europa League if they can’t make up the three point gap that stands between them and Wolves and newly-promoted Sheffield United. Can they avoid the embarrassment of missing out on Europe?

Serie A: Will Lazio Challenge Juventus for the Top?

Few would have ever guessed that, heading into the 2019-20 season, Lazio would be the team to challenge the all-powerful and eight-time reigning Serie A champions Juventus, but they are currently even on points with the Old Lady at the top of the table.

A Matchday 34 clash between the two sides in Turin looms large, with the team’s nearly-spotless domestic records this season making it look all the more likely that this game will be decisive in terms of who takes home the trophy. Could Ciro Immobile’s squad shock the world and deny Juventus of a Serie A title?

The post Fascinating Races to Keep an Eye On as Soccer Restarts appeared first on SportzBonanza.

With the COVID-19 pandemic having postponed and canceled nearly all soccer leagues across the planet, decision makers have a tough task ahead of them. They must choose whether to restart their leagues in the coming months, scrap them and act as if 2019-20 never happened, or end the leagues with the current standings intact.

While some European leagues are looking to continue their competitions, such as Spain’s La Liga, others like France’s Ligue 1 have already announced their plans to not continue with the rest of the season.

In the case of the UEFA Champions League, the best solution to the dilemma would be to simply cancel the rest of the competition and look ahead to next season.

The last UEFA Champions League games that were played took place in early March, with half of the Round of 16 matches having had both legs completed. Four of the eight matchups, however, were unable to complete the second leg of draws.

That means that the Round of 16 would have to be completed, and the entirety of the two legs of quarter-finals and semi-finals matchups would have to be completed before two teams could even be decided for a theoretical final.

In total, five sets of games remain between a potential final, something that seems nearly impossible considering the current context of the sport.

Most European leagues that would be allowed to continue play will not be able to restart their leagues until early June at the earliest, meaning that the Champions League would be on a similar time table. These leagues will have to pack a lot of games into a short amount of time, requiring that at least two be played per week in most potential scenarios.

So, how would the Champions League even be able to fit into this potential scenario? It seems nearly impossible, and teams whose leagues do continue play would be at a huge competitive disadvantage compared to teams like Paris Saint-Germain, who won’t have domestic play to worry about.

While it might seem sacrilegious to end a Champions League campaign in his way, the circumstances resulting from the current global health crisis will make uncomfortable and unprecedented solutions necessary. Instead of putting players’ health at risk, both from a COVID-19 and a fitness perspective, the best solution is to simply write down this competition as a loss and look forward to starting anew in the fall.

The post Canceling the Remainder of the 2019-20 Champions League is the Fairest Solution For All appeared first on SportzBonanza.

There is a lot of uncertainty surrounding the 2020 soccer summer transfer window. With the coronavirus outbreak currently affecting all soccer leagues around the world, no one is sure when the competitions will return or when the transfer window will open up.

With that being said, there will surely be some transfer window for clubs and players to make changes this summer, and we expect that plenty of big names will be on the move.

Let’s take a look at the three biggest transfers that we expect to happen this summer in the world of soccer.

Lautaro Martinez to FC Barcelona

FC Barcelona is looking for a striker heading into the 2020-21 season, with the health and productivity of long-time striker Luis Suarez being a major question.

Rumors have recently linked the Catalan club to the young Inter Milan striker, and we think they’ll empty their pockets to acquire the Argentinian this summer. Martinez has scored 16 goals in 31 games for Inter Milan this season at the ripe age of 22. He would be the perfect addition to Quique Setien’s Barcelona and serve as a goal-scoring machine.

Jadon Sancho to Manchester United

Borussia Dortmund has already begun to assume that their biggest star will leave for a big transfer fee this summer. Sancho, the 20-year-old right-winger who is arguably the game’s best young player, is being sought by many teams.

After a few rough seasons and with the amount of money that they have, this would be the perfect opportunity for Manchester United to add the premier player that they are lacking. He certainly won’t be cheap, but 17 goals and 19 assists at the age of 20 speak to Sancho’s enormous talent. It would be money well-spent.

Kylian Mbappe to Real Madrid

Kylian Mbappe’s time in the French capital might be running out, and Real Madrid looks like a top candidate to sign the young French forward. Mbappe has long been a favorite of French coach Zinedine Zidane and Real Madrid’s president Florentino Perez, and they could launch an all-out attack to sign the 21-year-old this summer.

30 goals, 17 assists, and 33 games tell all you need to know about the stunning French forward. With players like Luka Jovic and Mariano Diaz failing to impress, and Karim Benzeman getting up there in age, Mbappe would be a player that could take Real Madrid back to competing for Champions League titles.

The post Predicting the Biggest Soccer Transfers of Summer 2020 appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The draw for the Champions League Round of 16 matchups was held in Nyon, Switzerland on Monday, setting up a string of fun matchups that will be held in late February and early March.

Choosing winners for most of these matchups is a tough proposition, but let’s try to do so! And let us know if you agree with our predictions!

Borussia Monchengladbach vs. Manchester City

Manchester City has been one of the unluckiest teams in the Champions League in recent memory. Despite being the team of the decade of the 2010s in the Premier League, they still haven’t managed to take home the big prize. Unfortunately for them, we think that a brilliantly inventive Borussia Monchengladbach squad will surprise and eliminate City in this year’s round of 16.

Lazio vs. Bayern Munich

The 2020 Champions League winners face a tough test in Lazio and striker Ciro Immobile in the first knockout round of the competition. Nevertheless, we still think that Bayern continues to be the favorite to win the competition once again, and they should advance without much problem.

Atletico Madrid vs. Chelsea

One of the most fascinating Round of 16 matchups pits La Liga favorites Atletico Madrid against Chelsea, a team that has begun to click under Frank Lampard. Atletico looks like a reenergized animal with Joao Felix starring this season, and we believe he’ll be the piece that pushes the Colchoneros past a Chelsea team that will put up a fight.

RB Leipzig vs. Liverpool

Another intriguing matchup in this round features RB Leipzig and Liverpool, a clash of the 2019 CL winners against one of Europe’s upstart teams. Jurgen Klopp’s side hasn’t had the best start to the 2020-21 season thanks in large part to a number of injury problems. Provided they’re relatively healthy, Liverpool should win this one.

Porto vs. Juventus

The biggest mismatch in the Round of 16 might be this matchup between a Porto team that advanced to the knockout round in clumsy fashion, and a Juventus squad which might have the most talented roster on the planet. Cristiano Ronaldo and his Juventus side should advance pretty easily here.

FC Barcelona vs. Paris Saint-Germain

FC Barcelona faces off against ex-Cule Neymar and his PSG squad at the worst possible time with the club in a sporting and financial crisis. Nothing is going right for Barca under Ronald Koeman, and PSG is simply too deadly to not take advantage of their opportunity to take down a giant, especially now that we know that the Brazilian star should be available for the tie.

Sevilla vs. Borussia Dortmund

Reigning Europa League winners Sevilla impressed in the group stage of the competition, but their foes in the Round of 16 are nothing to sneeze at despite a bad run of recent matches. While Borussia Dortmund has the more talented squad, Julen Lopetegui is one of the best coaches in the world and we expect Sevilla to advance here due to their tactical edge.

Atalanta vs. Real Madrid

Real Madrid snuck into the final 16 of the competition after spending most of the knockout round in the bottom two of their group stage. They actually ended up winning their group and will face off against Atalanta, whose high-flying offensive style should present a challenge to Los Blancos. Nonetheless, we expect Real Madrid to get the job done.

The post Picking the Winners of the Champions League Round of 16 Matchups appeared first on SportzBonanza.

FC Barcelona’s woeful 2-1 loss to Cadiz on Saturday was yet another chink in their long chain of disappointments this season.

Notably absent from the score sheet in the loss was star forward Lionel Messi, whose open war with the club came to a head this summer as he publicly requested a transfer away from the only club he has ever known.

Despite Messi’s request, the legendary player was unable to secure a move away from FC Barcelona, after former club president Josep Maria Bartomeu refused to let him leave.

However, this has kept Messi disgruntled and unhappy, making Barcelona’s supposed “rebuilding” stage without much clear direction. In order to keep the peace and maintain a positive atmosphere, the front office has some serious questions to consider.

Should they try and convince him to stay longer at Barça, or should they look to move on and find other options?

If the club is serious about being financially healthy and not overdependent on one player going forward, it may be good to move on from Messi next summer as his contract expires.

Financially, it would probably have made even more sense to let Messi go last summer while the club still could have made money on a transfer fee. But that ship has sailed.

Things haven’t been working with Messi, from Champions League humiliation to bad transfer deals. FC Barcelona has been reduced to a shell of its former self, and therefore it may be time to think of other options.

Instead of continuing to try to tailor the squad to fit Messi’s needs, the club would be better served to let the 33-year-old legend walk. This will enable them to keep an eye on the future, instead of continuing to cater to the aging star.

It’s a hard reality for the club and its fans to accept, but when a marriage isn’t happy and the club isn’t succeeding, there is no point in trying to force a fit.

Next summer would be the perfect time for FC Barcelona to push the reset button and begin its post-Messi era.

The post FC Barcelona’s Best Option Next Summer? Letting Messi Go appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Over the past few seasons, the use of VAR (Video Assistant Referee) has become almost universal in soccer. While some people think more highly of this system than others, the undeniable reality is that it has transformed how the game is played.

VAR corrects some egregious decisions but also leads to baffling results at times. Much has been said about how VAR could be improved, but with little changes so far.

So, how could this system be improved in a few short steps by leagues which want to improve the results of this revolutionary system? Here are some suggestions.

Take Decisions Out of the Hands of On-Field Refs

One of the biggest problems of VAR in many leagues is that while its officials are able to call the attention of the on-field ref to a possible mistake, they leave the call and the revision up to that same on-field ref.

This leads to a problem where referees do not want their interpretations of what has happened on a play to be questioned, and it is far too often for clear errors not to be rectified because of stubbornness on the referee’s part. These calls should be made by unbiased VAR officials who aren’t caught up in the on-field emotions of the game.

Move to a “Challenge” System

Is anyone else tired of seeing play stopped several times per match due to VAR usage? Instead of it coming into play at every possible opportunity, giving teams a limited number of VAR “challenges” could be worth a shot in order to improve the on-field pace of play.

Leaving the decision to review a play up to coaches would lead to only the most important (and probably the most obvious) mistakes being looked at instead of trivial ones that are almost never changed.

Apply Goal Line and Offside Technology

Unfortunately, many leagues are still using VAR when it comes to goal line and offside calls. This leads to referees making incorrect decisions at times, something which could be eliminated by the use of something as simple as a computer program.

Allowing refs to wear a watch that indicates whether or not a ball crossed the goal line or a player was offside before scoring a goal would do a lot to prevent a lot of the VAR controversy that we have seen in recent years on the biggest of stages.

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The 2020-21 European international football competitions got underway last week, with the Champions League getting the lion’s share of attention as it usually does.

The second-tier competition, the UEFA Europa League, doesn’t tend to get as much press as its big brother, but features tons of the continent’s top clubs in a huge battle for European glory.

So, what teams are in a position to walk away from this year’s Europa League as Champions? Here are the top three contenders.

Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham, a fixture in the Champions League over the past several seasons, is in a prime position to compete for the UEFA Europa League title this season after a disappointing 19-20.

Jose Mourinho has a roster with some of the best talents in the continent, including a deadly attack consisting of striker Harry Kane, winger Heung-min Son, and attacking midfielder Dele Alli. Add in interesting additions like Gareth Bale and defensive help from players like new addition Sergio Reguilon, and Mourinho’s side is beginning to take on the look of a contender.

Whether all of the new pieces fit together well will determine their ultimate fate, but Spurs’ roster should have them in the competition until the end.

AC Milan

AC Milan has had a rough spell of it recently, but the squad continues to improve and they could take a big step by competing for Europa League glory this season.

The attack certainly isn’t the problem, as the ageless Zlatan Ibrahimovic has combined brilliantly in a team featuring tons of young attacking talent. Gianluigi Donnarumma has stayed loyal to his club despite recent turmoil, providing them with one of the world’s top goalkeepers in net.

The key to this team’s success will be if its defense is able to turn a corner and keep games manageable. If they are able to do so, we might see AC Milan lift a European trophy for the first time since the days of Kaka, Pirlo, and company.

Real Sociedad

It might surprise you to see Spanish side Real Sociedad here, but Imanol Alguacil’s team has a real shot to end up in the finals of the competition this season.

Real Sociedad is in first place in La Liga, and it’s easy to see why. David Silva, recently added to the team from Manchester City, has joined up with an exciting young attack with players such as Spanish international Mikel Oyarzabal and Swedish international Alexander Isak.

La Real is a deep, talented size who will surprise many that have never seen them play before. Could they become a dark horse champion?

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The UEFA Champions League group stage draw for the 2020-21 edition of soccer’s most prestigious competition took place last week, with the inaugural matches set to be held on October 20th and 21st.

This year’s group stage features plenty of fascinating team matchups which could lead to surprises and early exits for title favorites. There are also plenty of groups that have several strong teams, making them potential “groups of death” in this year’s CL.

So, which groups are the toughest? Let’s take a look at the three which will be the hardest to navigate.

1. Group H

Teams: Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester United, RB Leipzig, İstanbul Başakşehir

Group H can be considered the toughest group in this year’s edition of the Champions League. Paris Saint-Germain heads the group as the reigning Ligue 1 winners who came agonizingly close to winning their first Champions League trophy in August, but fell short 0-1 to Bayern Munich.

Manchester United is always a strong group and will be considered by many to be favorites to finish second and qualify for the knockout stage. However, RB Leipzig might have something to say about that. These German upstarts are coming off of a run that saw them reach the semi-finals of last season’s Champions League and have plenty of talent to finish in the top two. İstanbul Başakşehir is clearly the biggest underdog, but after they won Turkey’s Super Lig last season, they can’t be counted out either.

2. Group B

Teams: Real Madrid, Shakhtar Donetsk, Inter Milan, Borussia Mönchengladbach

Four teams with strong current sides and well-known European histories will square off in Group B, with any of the four teams being real threats to qualify for the knockout rounds.

Real Madrid, the most successful club in Champions League history, will be the presumptive favorites coming off of their 2019-20 La Liga title. Inter Milan came up just short in the Europa League final, losing to Sevilla, and they made their squad better during the summer after adding Achraf Hakimi, Arturo Vidal, and young midfield phenom Nicolo Barella ove rteh summer.

Those two teams will be the favorites to advance, but Shakhtar is a well-coached and solid unit whose home games in Ukraine are notoriously difficult to win. Add Borussia Mönchengladbach and its young and talented team to the mix, and you have the makings of a really tough group to get out of.

3. Group D

Teams: Liverpool, Ajax, Atalanta, FC Midtjylland

With all due respect to FC Midtjylland, this group’s toughness is all about the three other teams which will fight for the two knockout stage places in the group stage.

As we all know, Liverpool is widely considered to be the best team in Europe at the moment. They’ll have a chip on their shoulder and something to prove after being eliminated early by Atletico Madrid last season.

Ajax and Atalanta are two fascinating teams that will cause real problems for their opponents as well. Atalanta was one of the best stories of last year’s Champions League, and they’ve gotten off to a hot start in Serie A play this season with their all-out attacking philosophy. Ajax might not have the star power that they did in previous seasons, but they’re a tough out too. Anything could happen in this group.

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Leo Messi’s fax to FC Barcelona on Tuesday night left the soccer world reeling as the game’s top star made his decision to leave his lifetime club public.

Now, after making it clear that he wants to move on to another club, a handful of teams around the world are now jockeying for the Argentinian superstar’s signature.

So, which teams would be the best fit for Messi in a possible transfer? Let’s take a look at his top options.

1. Manchester City

The top choice for Leo Messi is, in my opinion, the one which has gained the most traction since his Tuesday night announcement. Manchester City, who is coached by Messi’s former boss at Barcelona in Pep Guardiola, is one of the continent’s top teams and a perfect option for the diminutive goalscorer.

Messi would have the chance to try his luck in arguably the best league in the world with Manchester City and would look to win his third Champions League under the Catalan manager.

With players like Kevin de Bruyne, fellow Albiceleste Sergio Aguero, Riyad Mahrez, and Raheem Sterling surrounding him in the City attack, this would immediately become the most potent attacking team on the planet. As we know, Man City’s owners have deep pockets and could make the huge cash splash necessary to bring in Messi.

2. Paris Saint-Germain

PSG came up just short in the Champions League final last Sunday, falling to Bayern Munich. However, the future appears bright for the Ligue 1 powerhouses, and adding Messi could be the final piece of the puzzle.

As we all know, the Messi-Neymar connection worked brilliantly at Barcelona, and this spark could be rekindled if the two ended up together at PSG. Add Kylian Mbappe and Argentina teammate Angel di Maria to the mix, and it would be hard to not deem PSG to be the Champions League favorites in years to come.

Could Messi be convinced to go to France? It doesn’t seem out of the question.

3. Inter Milan

There have been rumors that Messi is interesting in heading to Serie A to join Inter Milan, which wouldn’t be the worst move for Messi as he could look to rekindle his rivalry with Cristiano Ronaldo.

Inter has looked to be on the cusp of big things recently, with the 2010 Champions League winners coming in 2nd place in Serie A and finishing as Europa League runners-up this year.

Inter Milan doesn’t have the star power of PSG or Manchester City, but they do have a highly-respected coach in Antonio Conte and a mix of veteran experience and young talent that could appeal to the superstar.

Would Messi make a move to a smaller club than Barcelona? It’s hard to say, but we can’t rule it out.

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After nearly a year of competition, the 2020 Champions League Final’s participants have finally risen their way to the cream of the crop. This year, two of the top European sides in Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich will do battle on Sunday night in Lisbon to determine the top team in Europe this season.

The winners of Ligue 1 and the Bundesliga will square off in a battle that is sure to go down as one of the best CL finals in recent memory, and there is no clear favorite in most people’s eyes.

The attacking duo of Neymar Jr. and Kylian Mbappe has set Europe on fire over the past three seasons, and they will finally have the chance to bring PSG its first Champions League title.

On the other hand, Europe’s top goalscorer in Robert Lewandowski and a solid all-around cast of veterans and young talent alike will look to bring Bayern’s sixth Champions League trophy back to Bavaria, and its first since 2013.

Most sportsbooks and experts have Bayern as a slight favorite to win Sunday night’s final, but is that what we should expect?

In attack, it’s hard to give either team the edge. PSG has frustrated and blown past defenses all season with Neymar and Mbappe healthy, and it would be a mistake to not pay attention to talents like Angel di Maria and Mauro Icardi who have also been huge for the Parisians in their run to the final.

Bayern Munich, though, has Europe’s top goalscorer in Robert Lewandowski, who has found the net 15 times in 9 Champions League matches this year. A deep wealth of other scorers also stands behind him including Serge Gnabry and Philippe Coutinho.

Where things start to look a little more uneven is in the midfield. Bayern holds the edge here, as the world-class combination and depth of players like the brilliant Thiago, the speedy Alphonso Davies, and the always-reliable Leon Goretzka keeps things steady both in attack and on defense.

Defensively, it’s hard to give either team an edge. The back 4 isn’t the strong suit of neither PSG nor Bayern, as they mostly do their best to keep things solid in the back on the rare occasion that other teams slip in.

Another point in Bayern’s favor is the fact that they have arguably the best keeper on Earth in Thomas Muller, who continues to show his brilliance at the age of 34. Even though Keylor Navas should be back in the net after missing the semi-final match for PSG, Bayern has the clear edge at this position.

With all of these things being considered, Bayern Munich is the likely winner of what should be a thrilling game. As for my personal prediction, I’ll take the Germans by a 2-1 final score.

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Can you believe that major soccer has finally returned after the Bundesliga hosted its first action since the COVID-19 pandemic suspended leagues around the world?

While the Bundesliga is still the only major league to have returned, England’s Premier League, Spain’s La Liga, and Italy’s Serie A are also hoping to get back underway over the next several weeks.

There are plenty of intriguing races in each table to keep an eye on once the season returns, so let’s take a look at the most fascinating races to keep an eye on as the season gets back underway.

Bundesliga: The Final 2 Champions League Spots

The Bundesliga has a familiar picture at the top of the table, with Bayern Munich, the strong favorite, leading Borussia Dortmund by four points for the league title.

However, the 3rd and 4th spots will be fought for by three teams that will challenge for Germany’s two final allotted Champions League positions. Upstart Borussia Monchengladbach and RB Leipzig are currently 4th and 3rd in the table, respectively, but Bayer Leverkusen is only a couple of points behind a Champions League slot. Will they push to join the party?

La Liga: Will Barcelona or Madrid Take Home the Title?

Spanish soccer fans will not be surprised to see FC Barcelona and Real Madrid at the top of the table. Although they were unable to beat Los Blancos this season, drawing at home and losing on the road, the Blaugrana have a slim two-point lead over Real Madrid, which is looking to win its first league title since 2016-17.

This season has been chaotic for both Barcelona, which has dealt with defensive questions and an all-out war between its most important and board, and for Real Madrid, whose flashes of greatness have been contrasted by embarrassing performances against lower-tier sides. Which one can be more consistent and right the ship?

Premier League: Are Spurs and Arsenal Going to Miss Out on Europe?

At this point, there’s no doubt that Liverpool is going to win its first Premier League title in club history and its first domestic league in the 1989-90 season.

However, times aren’t so good for two of England’s historically strong sides, which currently find themselves outside of European slots. Spurs and Arsenal, 8th and 9th in the standings, are set to miss out even on the Europa League if they can’t make up the three point gap that stands between them and Wolves and newly-promoted Sheffield United. Can they avoid the embarrassment of missing out on Europe?

Serie A: Will Lazio Challenge Juventus for the Top?

Few would have ever guessed that, heading into the 2019-20 season, Lazio would be the team to challenge the all-powerful and eight-time reigning Serie A champions Juventus, but they are currently even on points with the Old Lady at the top of the table.

A Matchday 34 clash between the two sides in Turin looms large, with the team’s nearly-spotless domestic records this season making it look all the more likely that this game will be decisive in terms of who takes home the trophy. Could Ciro Immobile’s squad shock the world and deny Juventus of a Serie A title?

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With the COVID-19 pandemic having postponed and canceled nearly all soccer leagues across the planet, decision makers have a tough task ahead of them. They must choose whether to restart their leagues in the coming months, scrap them and act as if 2019-20 never happened, or end the leagues with the current standings intact.

While some European leagues are looking to continue their competitions, such as Spain’s La Liga, others like France’s Ligue 1 have already announced their plans to not continue with the rest of the season.

In the case of the UEFA Champions League, the best solution to the dilemma would be to simply cancel the rest of the competition and look ahead to next season.

The last UEFA Champions League games that were played took place in early March, with half of the Round of 16 matches having had both legs completed. Four of the eight matchups, however, were unable to complete the second leg of draws.

That means that the Round of 16 would have to be completed, and the entirety of the two legs of quarter-finals and semi-finals matchups would have to be completed before two teams could even be decided for a theoretical final.

In total, five sets of games remain between a potential final, something that seems nearly impossible considering the current context of the sport.

Most European leagues that would be allowed to continue play will not be able to restart their leagues until early June at the earliest, meaning that the Champions League would be on a similar time table. These leagues will have to pack a lot of games into a short amount of time, requiring that at least two be played per week in most potential scenarios.

So, how would the Champions League even be able to fit into this potential scenario? It seems nearly impossible, and teams whose leagues do continue play would be at a huge competitive disadvantage compared to teams like Paris Saint-Germain, who won’t have domestic play to worry about.

While it might seem sacrilegious to end a Champions League campaign in his way, the circumstances resulting from the current global health crisis will make uncomfortable and unprecedented solutions necessary. Instead of putting players’ health at risk, both from a COVID-19 and a fitness perspective, the best solution is to simply write down this competition as a loss and look forward to starting anew in the fall.

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There is a lot of uncertainty surrounding the 2020 soccer summer transfer window. With the coronavirus outbreak currently affecting all soccer leagues around the world, no one is sure when the competitions will return or when the transfer window will open up.

With that being said, there will surely be some transfer window for clubs and players to make changes this summer, and we expect that plenty of big names will be on the move.

Let’s take a look at the three biggest transfers that we expect to happen this summer in the world of soccer.

Lautaro Martinez to FC Barcelona

FC Barcelona is looking for a striker heading into the 2020-21 season, with the health and productivity of long-time striker Luis Suarez being a major question.

Rumors have recently linked the Catalan club to the young Inter Milan striker, and we think they’ll empty their pockets to acquire the Argentinian this summer. Martinez has scored 16 goals in 31 games for Inter Milan this season at the ripe age of 22. He would be the perfect addition to Quique Setien’s Barcelona and serve as a goal-scoring machine.

Jadon Sancho to Manchester United

Borussia Dortmund has already begun to assume that their biggest star will leave for a big transfer fee this summer. Sancho, the 20-year-old right-winger who is arguably the game’s best young player, is being sought by many teams.

After a few rough seasons and with the amount of money that they have, this would be the perfect opportunity for Manchester United to add the premier player that they are lacking. He certainly won’t be cheap, but 17 goals and 19 assists at the age of 20 speak to Sancho’s enormous talent. It would be money well-spent.

Kylian Mbappe to Real Madrid

Kylian Mbappe’s time in the French capital might be running out, and Real Madrid looks like a top candidate to sign the young French forward. Mbappe has long been a favorite of French coach Zinedine Zidane and Real Madrid’s president Florentino Perez, and they could launch an all-out attack to sign the 21-year-old this summer.

30 goals, 17 assists, and 33 games tell all you need to know about the stunning French forward. With players like Luka Jovic and Mariano Diaz failing to impress, and Karim Benzeman getting up there in age, Mbappe would be a player that could take Real Madrid back to competing for Champions League titles.

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