All posts by n8rngtd.top

The defender could add a fourth Champions League title to her incredible trophy haul this week – so is she one of the greatest Lionesses of alltime?

It’s just over a week before the 2022-23 Women’s Champions League final when Barcelona stars Lucy Bronze and Ingrid Engen sit down to chat to the media all about the Catalans’ meeting with Wolfsburg in Eindhoven. It’ll be a fourth final for Bronze, with her having won all of her previous three. It’s a stat line that comes up several times during the call.

Engen, sadly, has yet to hoist the UWCL trophy high above her head, having lost the two finals she has participated in. When a member of the press frames their question with that fact at the start, the midfielder cannot help but interrupt. “Yeah, I don’t have the same stats as Lucy,” she interjects, in jest, before the two team-mates and the journalist enjoy a good laugh together.

In Engen’s defence, few players do. Not only will England international Bronze maintain that rare 100 percent record, and see her Norwegian team-mate lift a first title, if she can help Barca win on Saturday – she will also join the special club of players to have won the UWCL with two different teams.

It’s current made up of 18 names, 15 of whom are German. Given four different German clubs won the competition between 2005 and 2014, that’s no surprise. Bronze, though, could become just the fourth player of a different nationality to do it, after Jess Fishlock, Kheira Hamaraoui and current team-mate Ana-Maria Crnogorcevic.

She’d be the first English player to achieve the feat. None of the group that became champions of Europe with Arsenal in 2007 enjoyed that success again elsewhere – nor have any of the various English players who won it with Bronze at Lyon.

Where, then, does Bronze rank among England’s greatest-ever players?

• Getty
  

  Overcoming early setbacks

  Bronze's career started in promising fashion. She won the league with Sunderland as a 17-year-old and the Euros with England's Under-19s that same summer. Soon after, she moved to the United States for college and won two titles with the Tar Heels as part of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's impressive women's soccer programme.

  But not long after those early successes, Bronze would be hit with a series of knee injuries that sidelined her for 12 months. Several years later, she would explain in an interview with that, at the time, she thought it was "punishment" for missing her best friend's funeral because of the U19 Euros.

  "I think that’s why my knee injuries never bothered me," she explained. "People tell me it must have been so hard, but I got on with it because there’s a lot worse things that can happen."

  There were uncertainties about whether Bronze would make it as a top-level player, too. She has spoken about being told that she wasn't good enough when she was younger, while it took so long for her first senior England call-up to come along that she considered representing Portugal, the nation of her father.

  Fortunately for the Lionesses, it wouldn't come to that…

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  Coming to the fore

  Bronze’s rise to becoming one of the best full-backs in the world was a gradual one. Upon her return to England after college, she’d win back-to-back Women’s Super League titles with Liverpool and her form started to be recognised with individual accolades.

  Her marauding runs, tireless work ethic and battling attitude were all key traits that would help her ascend to the top, complemented by good decision-making, cool composure and an ability to be a threat in the final third – either by creating chances or scoring them herself.

  Bronze finally debuted for England in the summer of 2013 and was part of the squad that disappointed at the Euros the same year, albeit without getting on the pitch. Two years later, her role at the Women’s World Cup was massively different. She was a key part of the starting XI as the Lionesses finished third. Indeed, it was her rocket of a goal against Norway that saw her country win their first-ever World Cup knockout game.

  “Potentially the best right-back in the world," then-head coach Mark Sampson said of Bronze after that match. From that point on, she took her game to new levels, getting better and better and better.

  In 2016, she won the league again, this time with Manchester City, and the following year she joined the biggest club in the women's game – Lyon. It was that transfer that seemed to confirm her status as one of the world’s best.

• Getty
  

  Lyon’s English contingent

  Bronze was one of several English players that represented Lyon between 2017 and 2021, but she was the one who became the most important for them.

  Nikita Parris’ goalscoring record from her time in France is impressive and she stepped up well when Ada Hegerberg was out in particular, but she was always competing with a very strong group of forwards during her two seasons. Izzy Christiansen, meanwhile, saw her time with Lyon spoiled by injury; Alex Greenwood started regularly enough in the league but was largely on the bench in Europe; and Jodie Taylor struggled to hit the back of the net during her short spell.

  Bronze, meanwhile, started – and won – all three of the Champions League finals Lyon reached while she was there. Of the 24 games in the competition she was available for, she was in the line up for 23 of them. Only twice was she subbed off.

  The full-back was a constant for the European champions. To nail down such a role in a team like Lyon’s takes more than just talent – you need the right mentality, too. Bronze had that in spades.

  “People don’t always appreciate how hard it is to focus on so many competitions at the same time, regardless of how good you might be and the talent you have,” she told GOAL in an exclusive interview back in 2019, after winning the treble for the first time in France. “It’s still hard to keep your focus and your drive in every single game, but that’s the expectation at Lyon. It’s 'every single game is [to] win', because you’ve got to have that focus to win trophies.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty
  

  A new challenge

  Bronze is now embarking on a new challenge with another of Europe’s biggest teams – Barcelona. Since she was part of the Lyon team that beat them back in 2019, Barca have grown massively to be one of the best teams in Europe, winning their first continental crown two years after. At the same time, Bronze has continued to perform at a very high level, so much so that the Spanish champions recruited her last summer.

  Jonatan Giraldez rotates his team well, but Bronze is seen as his first-choice right-back, with her able to add a lot to this team both in terms of her quality and her experience. Speaking to the press last week, it is the importance of the latter that Engen talked up when discussing what her new team-mate has added to the side.

  “She shows it on the pitch a lot for us,” she explained. “It is like she has come in and felt good from the beginning, even though it's maybe a different style of football. I think she has shown that she suits Barcelona really well and she brings a lot of good physique for us, both defensively and offensively. It's been a really good match, I would say.”

  One would typically assume that the experience Bronze has would be of particular benefit to the youngsters in the Catalans’ squad, but the player herself says that’s not always the case. “It's funny because I don't think it's the younger players that ask as much,” she said. “When you're a young player, you just enjoy every single moment. I think as you get older, you learn to find out more about experiences.

  “One of the players that probably asked me the most about stuff would be Alexia [Putellas] but, equally, their experiences are things that I can learn from as well. I don't think it's necessarily you tell them, 'Well, this is how we should do things'. I think it's just learning from each other and sharing the pressure of going into games.”

How to watch AC Milan against Lecce in Serie A in the US as well as kick-off time and team news.

AC Milan are served a fresh challenge now that Juventus are set for a points boost in Serie A. The Rossoneri, all of a sudden, find themselves out of the top four when they host Lecce at San Siro on Sunday.

💻 Watch AC Milan vs Lecce live on Paramount+ today!

Stefano Pioli's men have sealed a spot in this year's Champions League semi-finals with a 2-1 aggregate win over domestic leaders Napoli, but have work to do in ensuring European football next season as well.

Lowly-placed Lecce are just about a couple of points clear of the bottom three after the 1-1 draw against Sampdoria and will be looking to avoid extending their winless run to 10 matches.

GOAL brings you details on how to watch the game on TV in the US as well as how to stream live online.

• Getty
  

  Kick-off time

  Game:	AC Milan vs Lecce
  Date:	April 23, 2023
  Kick-off:	12pm EDT
  Venue:	San Siro

  The Serie A game between AC Milan and Lecce is scheduled for April 23, 2023, at the San Siro football stadium in Milan, Italy.

  It will kick off at 12pm EDT in the US.

Advertisement

• (C)Getty Images
  

  How to watch AC Milan vs Lecce online – TV channels & live streams

  TV channels & streaming options

  Country	TV channel	Live stream
  U.S.	N/A	Paramount+

  In the United States (US), the game can be watched live on Paramount+.

• Getty
  

  Team news & squads

  AC Milan team news

  Davide Calabria is out suspended and Zlatan Ibrahimovic is injured, while Alessandro Florenzi could be called to cover for Calabria at right-back. Elsewhere, Pierre Kalulu is likely to replace Simon Kjaer at centre-back.

  Olivier Giroud could be offered some rest while one of Ante Rebic or Divock Origi is likely to be handed a start up front.

  AC Milan possible XI: Maignan; Florenzi, Kalulu, Tomori, Hernandez; Tonali, Pobega; Saelemaekers, Diaz, Leao; Rebic

  Position	Players
  Goalkeepers	Maignan, Tatarusanu, Vasquez, Mirante
  Defenders	Tomori, Kalulu, Gabbia, Thiaw, Kjaer, Hernandez, Ballo-Toure, Dest, Florenzi
  Midfielders	Tonali, Bennacer, Bakayoko, Pobega, Vranckx, Krunic, De Ketelaere, Diaz, Adli
  Forwards	Giroud, Rebic, Leao, Origi, Messias, Saelemaekers, Roback

  Lecce team news

  The visitors continue with injuries to Marin Pongracic and Kastriot Dermaku, as manager Marco Baroni is likely to name the same team from the Sampdoria draw.

  The scorer in that match, Assan Ceesay, may be started ahead of Milan loanee Lorenzo Colombo in the attack.

  Lecce possible XI: Falcone; Gendrey, Baschirotto, Umtiti, Gallo; Oudin, Hjulmand, Blin; Strefezza, Ceesay, Di Francesco

  Position	Players
  Goalkeepers	Falcone, Bleve, Brancolini, Samooja
  Defenders	Bachirotto, Umtiti, Ceccaroni, Romagnoli, Tuia, Pezzella, Gallo, Gendrey, Cassandro, Lemmens
  Midfielders	Hjulmand, Samek, Blin, Gonzalez, Maleh, Askildsen, Thorir, Berisha, Banda, Di Francesco, Strefezza, Oudin
  Forwards	Colombo, Ceesay, Persson

  Head-to-head record

  Date	Result	Competition
  January 14, 2023	Lecce 2-2 AC Milan	Serie A
  June 22, 2020	Lecce 1-4 AC Milan	Serie A
  October 21, 2019	AC Milan 2-2 Lecce	Serie A
  March 11, 2012	AC Milan 2-0 Lecce	Serie A
  October 23, 2011	Lecce 3-4 AC Milan	Serie A

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images
  

  Useful links

  • AC Milan team page

  • Live soccer on TV in the U.S.

  • Why Zlatan won't get a medal if Milan win UCL

The Blues' new hierarchy once again find themselves on the hunt for a new manager, and one outstanding candidate is already dominating the headlines

Having prematurely pulled the plug on their so-called long-term Graham Potter project, Chelsea co-owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali find themselves searching for their third manager of the 2022-23 season.

They are planning to interview as many as five potential candidates, including Mauricio Pochettino and Luis Enrique, but one name stands out from the usual rabble of managers linked with each top job: Julian Nagelsmann.

Ironically, the German tactician finds himself out of a job because, among other reasons, Bayern Munich did not want to pass up the opportunity to finally hire former Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel. Football, eh.

🏆 TOP STORY: Messi to leave PSG unless he accepts pay cut

📣 HAVE YOUR SAY: Should Chelsea appoint Nagelsmann?

🚨 MUST READ: Why Chelsea will regret firing Potter

Though it has been denied that Chelsea's dismissal of Potter was at least in part motivated by Nagelsmann's sudden and serendipitous availability, that is hard to believe.

While Boehly and Eghbali are said to have some concern over his tender age of 35, the chance to bring in an elite coach who could provide the longevity they crave may prove too good an opportunity to ignore.

But is he the right fit for the struggling Blues?

• Getty Images
  

  An attacking, front-footed style

  Nagelsmann's reputation burgeoned in Germany before his move to Bayern thanks in no small part to his front-footed, attacking style of play.

  An admirer of Pep Guardiola's methods, he prefers a 4-2-3-1 shape that has brought the best out of a host of forward players in his time as a coach.

  Deploying a possession-based approach and an aggressive counter-press without the ball, the 35-year-old was a serial overachiever as he guided both Hoffenheim and RB Leipzig into the Champions League, reaching the semi-finals with the latter long before they were established regulars in the competition.

  Chelsea play their best football in a 3-4-3 formation that unleashes Reece James as a wing-back, and as luck would have it, Nagelsmann experimented with a back three in the latter days of his Bayern tenure.

  Although he had varying degrees of success, it was in that shape that Die Roten earned a 1-0 win away at Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League last-16 first leg – a performance that was hailed as a tactical masterclass.

Advertisement

• (C)Getty Images
  

  A skilled man-manager – but not always

  While Nagelsmann's youth is apparently a concern for Chelsea's owners, he has astutely used it to his advantage in the dressing rooms he has graced.

  His closeness in age to the players means he has been seen more as an older brother figure rather than a boss or temperamental father, and he works to ensure he is a disarming and relatable presence.

  A number of players, including imminent Chelsea signing Christopher Nkunku, have taken huge strides forward under his stewardship.

  However, at Bayern Munich he is said to have had less success with that approach, failing to win over and sometimes clashing with the club's senior players, who are more or less the same age as him – most notably Manuel Neuer after he ruthlessly sacked his goalkeeping coach and close friend Toni Tapalovic.

  Chelsea have a much younger, less experienced squad, so he would hope to avoid similar issues at Stamford Bridge.

• Getty Images
  

  He's no Mr Nice Guy

  One criticism often levelled at now-former Chelsea manager Potter was that he was simply too nice to command respect and was like a broken record when faced by the media.

  Nagelsmann is the antithesis of that. e has gotten himself into trouble in the past with his barbed press conferences, while also possessing a Mourinho-esque charm.

  GOAL Germany's Jochen Tittmar explains: "In Germany, he always offends with brash statements, whether at press conferences or before and after games on TV. Certainly not every witty statement is a hit, but he is actually very clear in his statements and has always been so.

  "In April 2022, before the match against Borussia Dortmund, he said about the motivation of his team: 'We're not with the volunteer fire department Sud-Giesing (a district of Munich), but with FC Bayern Munich.' The fire department then felt attacked and discredited, so Nagelsmann actually had to apologise and also visited the fire department to rebuild bridges."

  These are actually traits that will appeal to the Chelsea faithful, who never actually warmed to 'nice guy' Potter. The man in the Stamford Bridge dugout seemingly needs to have a nasty edge.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty
  

  'Complex' training routines

  Robert Lewandowski was another player who clashed with Nagelsmann before his eventual departure to Barcelona, and one reason behind that was the coach's training regime.

  "As a coach, Nagelsmann, like Tuchel, is considered a tactics tinkerer who comes up with many complex forms of training," Tittmar adds. "It was said, for example, that Lewandowski's training sessions under Nagelsmann were too complex and he complained about it."

  Once again, Chelsea's more youthful squad is likely to be more malleable and open to change, enabling a tactician who is similarly meticulous to Tuchel to implement his reputedly outside-the-box ideas.

Real Madrid cruised into the quarter-finals of the Champions League, beating Liverpool 1-0 at the Bernabeu to progress 6-2 on aggregate

No miracle. No comeback. In the end, not even a goal for the travelling Liverpool supporters to get excited about.

The Reds had descended on the Spanish capital dreaming of the most unlikely of escape acts, but all they got was another harsh lesson from Real Madrid, their Champions League bete noir.

For the fourth time in six seasons, Liverpool’s European dreams were dashed by the kings of this competition, with Karim Benzema’s late strike securing a 6-2 aggregate win and sending Carlo Ancelotti’s men into the quarter-finals.

A sobering reality check for Reds fans, many of whom made an early exit as the game, and indeed the tie, petered out in the dying stages.

Their side had a few opportunities, mostly in the first half, but in truth never looked likely to make any inroads into that 5-2 first-leg deficit.

The damage, most certainly, was done at Anfield, when a two-goal lead became a three-goal problem in little more than 45 minutes, but for Jurgen Klopp and his players, this was a galling reminder of just how far they have fallen since losing to Real narrowly in last season’s final.

GOAL takes a look at the winners and losers from the Bernabeu…

• WINNER: Vinicius Junior

  What does he have against Liverpool? Is it personal at this point? Certainly, Vinicius Junior enjoys playing against Trent Alexander-Arnold.

  The winger was electric from the outset, running rings around Liverpool’s right-back. He could have perhaps grabbed a goal in the first half after turning Ibrahima Konate inside out, but his shot was tame.

  He inevitably made an impact, though, setting up Benzema for Madrid’s only goal on the night. It wasn’t the prettiest assist, more a simple stab to a wide-open player.

  Still, it was another goal involvement against his favourite European opponent.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  WINNER: Alisson

  He may have blundered in the first leg, gifting a crucial goal to Vinicius Junior, but nobody could fault Liverpool’s goalkeeper here.

  What a performance the Brazilian turned in. His first-half save from Vinicius, an instinctive block with his forearm from point blank range, was superb.

  His next, from Eduardo Camavinga, was even better: a touch onto the crossbar at full stretch.

  There was another after the break, one-on-one against Fede Valverde, and only some slapstick defending and a lucky ricochet denied him a deserved clean sheet.

• Getty
  

  LOSER: Trent Alexander-Arnold

  If ever a corner summed up a night. A tie, even.

  With less than 10 minutes remaining, and the game descending into nothing, Liverpool’s centre-backs and forwards prepared to receive an Alexander-Arnold delivery from the right.

  It didn’t arrive, the ball instead sent miles beyond the far post, allowing Madrid to break. Alexander-Arnold’s shoulders slumped as he launched into yet another recovery run back towards his own goal.

  He’s made a few of those over the course of this tie. He won’t want to see Vinicius Junior again in a hurry, that’s for sure.

  The Brazilian was too slick and too skilful for the Englishman, who did make one good challenge to deny Benzema a goal, but otherwise looked like a broken man, with even his famous passing radar going awry.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty
  

  WINNER: Luka Modric

  It has been clear for quite some time now that Modric is among the best midfielders to ever do it. And Wednesday night’s showing was another impressive cut for his extensive highlight reel.

  The Croatian neither scored nor assisted, but took the sting out of Liverpool’s game early.

  The visitors were predictably adventurous from the first whistle, but Modric’s composed passing and ability to play between the lines ensured Madrid had time to breathe in the early stages.

  He contributed going forward, too, sending a shot just over the crossbar in the first half and setting up Valverde for a narrow miss in the second.

  Unsurprisingly, when Modric left the field, he did so to a standing ovation from the Santiago Bernabeu. The man's a living legend.

Just what must Louie Barry do to get a shot of first-team football at Aston Villa?

The 17-year-old was the talk of the town earlier this year when he scored the club’s only goal in Villa’s FA Cup defeat to Liverpool, when Dean Smith’s side was chock full of academy talents.

But that break-out moment has yet to result in any action for the senior side, with Barry even yet to make the match-day squad in the Premier League this season.

That has led to former Villa man Lee Hendrie to question why Barry has yet to be given a real opportunity in the first-team, insisting that he could have plenty to offer even as a second-half substitute for Smith.

Speaking exclusively to FFC, he said: “I’m really disappointed that he hasn’t featured, not even really on the bench since that Liverpool game with the fabulous goal that he scored. He reminds me of a young Michael Owen in the fact that he’s very slight, small, but he’s very quick, and I’m surprised that he hasn’t been given a bit more of a chance since that game.”

“I just feel that he should now be getting into the first-team squad, being on the bench and getting thrown on for the last 20 minutes, relieving a bit of pressure, just because he’s got that pace that he can burn off.”

On Wednesday, the teenager staked his claim once again, smashing in a superb hat-trick for Villa in their FA Youth Cup clash against Burton Albion, whom they thrashed 9-0.

Barry appears to have all the tools in his locker to be a real sensation for Villa, with club’s academy manager, Mark Harrison, saying: “He is still a very young man but as he’s developed, he’s always been one player that you always recognise as having outstanding attributes. He’s got a fantastic mentality, he’s desperate to do well for this football club.”

Barry’s style of play is something that Villa fans will surely be excited about too, with Harrison adding: “As a player, his real strength is his work rate, he’s constantly pressurising the opposition when they are on the ball, looking to create opportunities for himself to nick the ball high up the pitch.

“He is quick, and looks to play off the shoulders of the defenders, always looking for space behind them to be able to run into. He’s good in 1v1s and scores a lot of goals from balls in behind that he can run onto. He’s very much in the mould of a Jamie Vardy.”

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/latest-aston-villa-transfer-rumours-and-news-copy-copy” title=”Latest Aston Villa transfer rumours and news”]

All he needs is an opportunity, and Wednesday’s hat-trick should send a huge message to Smith about why he deserves it sooner rather than later.

Meanwhile, this fresh report has exposed a worrying Dean Smith mistake…

The return of European football did not disappoint, even if there are some fans, players and coaches who had weeks to forget

It was good to hear that anthem again, wasn't it? The Champions League is back in our lives, and matchday one offered yet another reminder of why midweek European football remains so special.

From Dinamo Zagreb's surprise win over Chelsea to Liverpool's crushing defeat at Napoli, there were eye-catching results everywhere, while some of the continent's superstars came to play.

But who had a week to remember, who will want to instantly forget matchday one?

GOAL breaks down the winners and losers from this week's Champions League action…

• Getty/GOAL
  

  WINNER: The new icons

  No one really needed reminding of how good Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland are, but the two young icons of European football ensured that they were once again centre-stage on Tuesday.

  Mbappe scored two stunning volleys as Paris Saint-Germain saw off Juventus at Parc des Princes, while Haaland also netted a brace to become the quickest player to reach 25 Champions League goals as Manchester City beat Sevilla.

  The battle between the pair to be the first to lift the European Cup, as well as the Ballon d'Or, is one that could well be decided this season, and both made strong statements to suggest this will be their year.

Advertisement

• Getty/GOAL
  

  LOSER: (Some) German managers

  While there were wins for Julian Nagelsmann with Bayern Munich and Edin Terzic with Borussia Dortmund, overall this was a bad week for German coaches in Europe.

  Two were sacked immediately after their teams' defeats, with Thomas Tuchel getting the boot from Chelsea and Domenico Tedesco was relieved of his duties at RB Leipzig.

  Jurgen Klopp, meanwhile, cut a forlorn figure as his Liverpool side were torn apart by Napoli in what was another hugely disappointing result for the Reds to start the season.

  One German manager's disappointment is another's opportunity, though, with ex-Dortmund boss Marco Rose having been announced as Tedesco's replacement at Leipzig.

• Getty Images
  

  WINNER: Shakhtar Donetsk

  There is no doubt about the result of the week in the Champions League – Shakhtar's stunning 4-1 win on the road at RB Leipzig.

  Having lost around half of their players, who chose to leave in the aftermath of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and with six games on the road to play in the group stages (Warsaw is their temporary home for European games), little was expected of Igor Jovicevic's side this season.

  But their performance in Germany has left them in a great position from which to launch a bid for the knockout stages, while Mykhaylo Mudryk's performance that saw him score once and assist twice more will have helped add a few more miliion to his price tag for when he is eventually sold in the next 12 months or so.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty/GOAL
  

  LOSER: The Old Firm

  For the first time in 15 years, there are two Scottish teams in the Champions League group stages, but Celtic and Rangers' European campaigns could hardly have got off to a worse start.

  Celtic, to their credit, gave Real Madrid a scare in the first half on Tuesday, only to succumb to the defending champions after the break and lose 3-0.

  Rangers, meanwhile, were never in the game against Ajax, and were 3-0 down before half-time as last season's Europa League finalists were given a rude awakening at Europe's top table.

The highest-rated players in the English top flight have been revealed for this year's edition of the best-selling video game

• Getty Images
  

  28Fabinho – Liverpool – Rating: 85

  85 | CDM

  68 PAC	77 DRI
  69 SHO	85 DEF
  78 PAS	83 PHY

Advertisement

• 27Rodri – Man City – Rating: 85

  85 | CDM

  67 PAC	78 DRI
  68 SHO	82 DEF
  77 PAS	80 PHY

• Getty Images
  

  26Andrew Robertson – Liverpool – Rating: 85

  85 | LB

  85 PAC	79 DRI
  62 SHO	80 DEF
  77 PAS	75 PHY

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images
  

  25Leroy Sane – Man City – Rating: 86

  86 | LW

  95 PAC	86 DRI
  81 SHO	38 DEF
  79 PAS	70 PHY

Goal picks the top performers from across the Bundesliga, La Liga, Ligue 1, the Premier League and Serie A over the first half of the 2019-20 campaign

While we've only reached the halfway point of most European seasons, we've already seen a number of players well and truly stand out for their respective teams. 

From Liverpool's versatile defenders to Bayern Munich's unstoppable striker, there are a few names that have starred more than others. 

• Getty Images
  

  GK: Keylor Navas (Paris Saint-Germain)

  Keylor Navas has never hidden his disappointment at how he was offloaded by Real Madrid after helping the Blancos win three consecutive Champions League titles and the Costa Rican is now showing at Paris Saint-Germain just why he felt so hard done by.

  No goalkeeper across Europe's 'Big Five' leagues has kept more clean sheets in all competitions than the 33-year-old (12), while of the shot-stoppers to have played at least 10 games this term, Navas has the best save percentage (83.02).

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  RB: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool)

  Despite stiff competition from Bayern Munich's Joshua Kimmich, Trent Alexander-Arnold gets the nod at right-back for the remarkably influential role he's played in Liverpool establishing themselves as the best team in the world.

  The England international's cross-field passes, deadly crosses and pin-point set-piece deliveries have made him one of the Premier League leaders' most potent attacking weapons, as illustrated by the fact that he has already racked up 10 assists in all competitions this season.

• Getty Images
  

  CB: Chris Smalling (Roma)

  A strong contender for the signing of the season so far, Chris Smalling has settled seamlessly into the Roma backline since joining from Manchester United during the summer for a loan fee of just €3 million (£2.7m).

  The English centre-half has formed a formidable partnership with Gianluca Mancini at the heart of the Giallorossi defence, even popping up at the other end of the field with a couple of goals.

  Roma's only issue now is trying to seal a permanent transfer for a player who has completely rebuilt his reputation and is likely to attract interest from several other clubs at the end of the season.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty
  

  CB: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)

  Virgil van Dijk may have narrowly missed out on becoming the first defender to win the Ballon d'Or since 2006 but the classy Dutchman won't mind too much, given Liverpool are on course to end their Premier League drought, having already been crowned Club World Cup champions.

  The centre-half has been well supported this season by Joel Matip, Joe Gomez and Dejan Lovren but Van Dijk is the man who binds the whole Reds defence together, the calm colossus who has won more aerial challenges (126) than any other defender in Europe's 'Big Five' leagues this season.

The final super squad has been released for FIFA 18, with players from Europe's big five leagues included after impressing for their clubs in 2017-18

• EA Sports
  

  1Ciro Immobile – Lazio

  ST, 96

Advertisement

• EA Sports
  

  2Edinson Cavani – PSG

  ST, 96

• EA Sports
  

  3Harry Kane – Spurs

  ST, 95

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• EA Sports
  

  4Luis Suarez – Barcelona

  ST, 97

As West Ham United fell to a 1-0 defeat at Manchester United, coming as a potential bump in the race for a Champions League qualifying spot, many Hammers fans weren’t impressed with the performance of striker Michail Antonio – with one supporter going as far as to label him a ‘donkey’.

The Englishman debatably looked isolated up front and failed to have any meaningful impact on the game going forward as some West Ham fans refused to shy away from the critiquing their usual favourite.

Craig Dawson’s own goal cemented defeat for David Moyes’ men, and despite still having a game in hand on fourth-placed Chelsea, they next host London rivals Arsenal in what could be a difficult encounter.

Antonio’s performance in particular left these supporters unimpressed, with SofaScore revealing that he lost the ball 19 times and was among the lowest rated players in the squad. Just 13 of his 25 passes found a team-mate, while his only shot all night was blocked down.

Making their feelings known on social media, here’s what these Hammers fans had to say.

West Ham fans blast Antonio

“Antonio is the worst footballer I’ve ever seen play. West ham fans who think he’s slightly good don’t know anything about football”

Credit: @Zayd_Beitar

“Antonio thinking he’s Messi dropping deep to pick the ball up and do nothing with.

Confidence of CR7 ability of a donkey”

Credit: @Aaron_Parris

“I hope Maguire lets Antonio out of his pocket to get on the bus home”

Credit: @paulf6466

“Antonio hasn’t had a good game since the Villa away game! His work rate has been non existent, his hold up play been rubbish! He just hasn’t been a threat to anyone lately”

Credit: @joegreene2

“He’s had a terrible game. Agreed.”

Credit: @goose_jz

“Michail Antonio is not a good football player”

Credit: @DavidMoyes__

“Antonio’s hold up is terrible”

Credit: @westhamtransfer

“Antonio has been poor for a while, his performances at the start of the season seem to of made him invincible”

Credit: @ParlourPD

In other news: West Ham are eyeing this 19-goal ‘phenomenon’, find out more here.