Skip to main content

Yann Bisseck's Release Clause: The Perfect Replacement For Harry Maguire At Manchester United.

The theatre of dreams, Old Trafford, has long been a stage for defensive titans. From the stoic brilliance of Rio Ferdinand to the rugged determination of Nemanja Vidic, Manchester United's success has often been built upon an unyielding backline. In recent years, however, the defensive foundations have appeared to crack, with Harry Maguire's tenure becoming a focal point of intense scrutiny and, at times, considerable frustration for the Old Trafford faithful. As the summer transfer window swings open, the whispers from the red half of Manchester suggest a significant defensive overhaul is on the cards. With Jonny Evans having retired and Victor Lindelof departing, the need for fresh blood in central defence is paramount. Yann Aurel Bisseck, Inter Milan's tall German defender, is one of the names gaining popularity. More than just a name, Bisseck arrives with a reported release clause between €60 million and €70 million (£51.5m–£60m), a figure that, while substantial, coul...
Post a Comment

Here are 5 things to look out for in Wednesday's Champions League action 💫.

The Champions League began with a bang on Tuesday. Check out our five takeaways from Tuesday's action here.

Here are the top five things to watch out for as the action continues on Wednesday.

⚔️ Match of the day

Matchday one is definitely spoiling us, with the UEFA supercomputer throwing up a mouthwatering replay of Manchester City's 2023 final against Inter.

Both are once again national champions heading into this game, with retribution on the Nerazzurri's mind after that heartbreaking tight loss in Istanbul.

City have won all four league games this season, while Simone Inzaghi's side has already dropped points twice, most recently against Monza.

Furthermore, Pep Guardiola's side has gone unbeaten in their past 23 games in the competition and would set an all-time European Cup/Champions League record (eclipsing Manchester United from September 2007 to May 2009) if they avoid defeat in their first three league games this season.

🔎 Team to watch.

Girona is not just one of two teams making their tournament debuts (going back to the European Cup era), but they are also competing in continental competition for the first time in their history.

Their great LaLiga season last year has earned them an exciting first taste of Champions League action, and what better way to begin than with a romantic journey to Paris to face PSG.

Málaga was the last Spanish team to debut in the competition 12 years ago, and they, together with Villarreal and Sevilla, ensured that each of the previous three LaLiga teams to debut reached the knockout stage in their first year.

However, the trek to the Parc des Princes will not be easy. Only one of the last 28 first-time Champions League visitors to Paris has won, and that was Manchester United's remarkable comeback in March 2019.

🔥 Player to watch.

Celtic broke their transfer record last month, signing Augsburg's dynamic midfielder Arne Engels.

Within a week, the 21-year-old has earned his first Belgium cap - hardly an easy feat considering the strength of their choices in that area, but it demonstrates how highly he is regarded.

Engels shook off any qualms about his price tag with an outstanding performance and first goal last Saturday, but he was brought in for these big European nights.

Can he rise to the occasion and demonstrate his promise when the Bhoys host Slovan Bratislava?

Potential upset.

The oddsmakers have Shakhtar Donetsk as significant underdogs for their trip to Bologna on Wednesday, but should this be the case?

They have been regulars in this competition for the past two decades (only six sides have appeared more since 2000), whilst the Felsinei are only competing in it for the second time, having previously done so in the European Cup in 1964, when they were eliminated in the preliminary stage.

This marks the greatest gap between appearances for any club in tournament history.

Danylo Sikan is a dangerous player, as evidenced by his four goals in six group stage games last season, and Shakhtar has done admirably to retain much-coveted important player Heorhiy Sudakov, who led his team in chances created and completed passes last year.

Bologna, on the other hand, has lost several key players who helped them reach the top four last season, including coach Thiago Motta, Joshua Zirkzee, and Riccardo Calafiori, while captain Lewis Ferguson is still injured, and they have yet to win a game this season, putting them in position for a surprise slip-up on their big night.

📊 A fascinating statistic

Borussia Dortmund have faced Club Brugge four times in the Champions League and have yet to allow a goal. No team has ever preserved a clean sheet in five consecutive games against the same opponent in the competition.
Labels:
Location: Europe

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

🇩🇪 Adeyemi and Juventus agree on conditions as the deal develops.

According to rumors, Karim Adeyemi has reached an agreement in principle with Juventus and is currently awaiting further talks with Borussia Dortmund. The Bianconeri have begun to move forward in the transfer market after selling Dean Huijsen to Bournemouth and Matias Soule to Roma, and are preparing to make a serious bid for Atalanta star Teun Koopmeiners. The team is also looking for Nice defender Jean-Clair Todibo. Juventus is in the early stages of their new project under Thiago Motta, and there are still a few concerns to overcome before the 2024-25 season, such as the future of star winger Federico Chiesa, who could move to the Premier League. Adeyemi has agreed to an agreement with Juventus . Page 14 of today's Tuttosport reports that Juventus is currently working on final contract details after reaching an agreement in principle with Adeyemi, who has approved a five-year contract worth roughly €3.5 million net per season with add-ons. Once the Bianconeri have finalised the ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Bompastor expressed excitement for Chelsea's next game against Manchester City, stating that it will be a wonderful match.

Chelsea's head coach, Sonia Bompastor, says her team is excited to play Barclays Women's Super League title rivals Manchester City this weekend. On Saturday evening, the Blues will host The Citizens at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea manager Bompastor stressed the importance of the game during the pre-match news conference, adding that her team is excited to put themselves to the test against Manchester City. "It's obviously an important game against a very good team," Bompastor explained. "There will be two fantastic teams with a nice dynamic and good outcomes, so we are looking forward to it and are really excited. "My role as a manager is to ensure that the players have the appropriate game plan for tomorrow. We practiced this morning, and I believe everything is crystal clear in each player's head. We feel prepared, even if we anticipate a difficult game. Manchester City is doing well and has excellent players, but it will be a wonderful game for eve...
Post a Comment
Read more

Thierry Henry was denied a joyful homecoming as France was defeated by gold medal winners Spain.

Exactly 36 years after Vinnie Jones, Dave Beasant, Lawrie Sanchez, and others ripped up the rulebook to propel Bobby Gould's Wimbledon to a storied FA Cup victory, Thierry Henry's France fell agonisingly short of capturing an emotional Olympic gold medal in front of a sold-out Parc des Princes in Paris. Henry, who gave his young French team the nickname the 'Crazy Ones' due to their fun-loving nature, won nearly everything as a player, and despite the stars appearing to align for a historic gold medal on home turf, the Arsenal legend was overshadowed by Santi Denia's slick Spaniards in a dramatic 5-3 extra-time defeat. Sergio Camello of Rayo Vallecano was their unexpected late nemesis, dunking French goalkeeper Guillaume Restes with 100 minutes on the clock to startle a stunned capacity crowd. And he delivered a virtual carbon copy of that finish with the game's final kick, charging in on goal as the French flung bodies forward to slot past Restes and cruelly ...
Post a Comment
Read more