Lew's Fun Factoids of the Week

5 Premier League table setters Arsenal currently hold a 5 point advantage over Manchester City.  But with two fewer games played for City, it’s pivotal that Arsenal win this head-to-head contest tonight…..if they want to continue controlling their own destiny.

2 With 32 goals scored so far this season, Erling Haaland needs just 2 more scoring strikes to tie Alan Shearer and Andy Cole’s joint single season Premier League goalscoring record of 34 goals.

1 Barcelona is just 1 clean sheet away from tying Chelsea for the most clean sheets in a domestic season (24) since the turn of the century.

3 Barcelona’s Marc-Andre Ter Stegen is just 3 clean sheets away from tying the all-time LaLiga clean sheets record, currently held at 26.

9 Barcelona ha only conceded 9 goals through 30 matchdays.  That’s the lowest amount of goals conceded ever by a club within the Top 5 leagues of Europe through the first 30 games of a season.

14 If Barcelona win today at Rayo Vallecano, then the Blaugrana would see their lead atop LaLIga stretched to 14 points ahead of rivals Real Madrid.

53 Tottenham Hotspur captain and one club legend Harry Kane has found himself at a crossroads within his career as the Hotspur seem as far away as ever from winning any sort of silverware.  But with Kane just 53 goals away from tying Alan Shearer’s Premier League goalscoring record (260 goals), will the England captain stay in North London and secure the record in a few years time or will he move abroad to hoist a trophy or two before his playing days are up?

1 Speaking of Harry Kane, he passed British legend Wayne Rooney earlier this year for most goals scored for the England National Team.  Now, Kane is just 1 goal away from tying Rooney for second on the Premier League’s all-time goalscoring list (208 goals for Rooney, 207 for Kane)

6 If the Reds can beat the Hammers today at the London Stadium, then Liverpool will have won three games on the trot and move into 6th place in the standings, and still keep a sliver of hope for Champions League football next year.

UEFA Champions League Semifinals Preview, Part 1

FC Internazionale Milano

Road To Semifinals

For many, Inter began this competition as outsiders in Group C, and destined for the Europa League Play-offs.  However, the games aren’t played on paper, they’re played on the pitch.  As such, we quickly realized two things.  First, that Xavi’s economic ‘lever’ induced squad wasn’t yet up to the task of taking on Europa’s elite.  And secondly, Inter had the look of a proper team, with grit and flashes of guile in its play, reminiscent of their Serie A Title winning season in 2020-21.  The Snakes have leaders on every level that are either in or still near ones prime.  The three-headed monster at the back in Stefan De Vrij, Milan Skriniar, and Alessandro Bastoni combined with midfielding dynamos Nicolo Barella and Marcelo Brozovic set the edgy tone for this Inter side which enjoys physically dominating their opponents, something that proved effective in the two matches against Barcelona.  A win and a draw against the Blaugrana was effectively the difference in Inter securing second place in Group C, and advancing to the knockout phase of the Champions League.

Once the draw was made for the Round of 16, and later the Quarterfinal and Semifinal bracket, it became clear that Inter had a realistic chance of making a run to the UCL Final in Istanbul.  The Snakes dispatched FC Porto in a feisty 1-0 aggregate result over two legs that saw the Portuguese outfit reduced to 10 men in each match.  Then in the quarterfinals, Inter faced one of Porto’s domestic rivals, SL Benfica.  Prior to the turn of April, the Eagles hadn’t lost a match all season in either Liga Portugal or the Champions League.  They even finished first in Group H ahead of Paris SG.  But as luck would have it, Benfica finally hit a wall, as they lost to Porto just days before facing Inter in the 1st leg of the quarterfinals.  As such, the Snakes would take advantage of the Eagles’ wounded psyche in route to a 2-0 win in Lisbon.  That was followed up with yesterday's enthralling 3-3 draw at the San Siro, more than enough to push Inter Milano into the semifinals of the Champions League for the first time since the club’s famed Treble winning campaign in 2009-10.

Players To Watch

In addition to the aforementioned tone-setters, strikers Romelu Lukaku and Lautaro Martinez will play a pivotal role in the semis.  The much maligned Lukaku has delivered time and again since donning the blue and black stripes.  In his first stint with Inter, Lukaku was the catalyst in the Snakes’ push to win Serie A for the first time in over a decade.  As such, he won Serie A Most Valuable Player and Serie A Footballer of the Year.  This time around, whilst not as prolific or as physically fit, Lukaku has still found a way to produce when Inter has needed him most.  The big Belgian scored the lone goal in the Porto tie, as well as netting in the first leg of the quarters against Benfica.  Also, in the Coppa Italia, Lukaku has been crucial, as he scored against rivals Juventus in the first leg of the semifinals.

As for Martinez, he’s in the midst of what seems like a fantasy of a season.  He’s scored 14 league goals, which is good for second in Serie A this term.  In addition, he’s already collected a winner’s medal for Argentina’s World Cup triumph in Qatar, and now he’s just three matches away from winning the Champions League.  What an incredible feat that’d be for him if Inter were to win the UCL.  I don’t now of many players that have accomplished a World Cup/Champions League Double before.

UEFA Champions League Prediction of the Week

Real Madrid CF vs Chelsea FC
UCL Quarterfinal, Leg 1
Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid, Spain
12 April 2023 | 3pm | Paramount+

Good afternoon LSB supporters.  I hope you all had a happy Easter Sunday.  This week’s biggest fixture will be taking place from the King’s capitol, Madrid’s white house, the Santiago Bernabeu!  Los Blancos, once again Europe’s defending Champions, will be taking to the pitch against a familiar foe in Chelsea.  Over the past two season’s, the winner of this knockout tie has gone on to hoist Ol’ Big Ears.  In 2021, it was Chelsea beating Real 3-1 over two legs.  Meanwhile, last season we saw Madrid advancing past The Blues on a 6-3 scoreline.

This season, Chelsea have looked lifeless, but not bodiless, as is indicative of the club’s squad size and bloated wage bill.  Yes, thanks largely to new owner Todd Boehly and his propensity to sign seemingly every available prospect under the sun, regardless of market price, Chelsea has now spent more than £300 million in transfer fees this season.  Oh, and we can’t forget that Boehly has also sacked two managers this campaign, something that even Roman Abromovich never did in his yearly quest for excellence over the prior 20 seasons as Chelsea owner.

Now, two thirds through the Premier League campaign, The Blues have found themselves free falling to the bottom half of the table.  There’s virtually nothing left to play for domestically.  Chelsea will neither finish in a European position nor will The Blues be relegated.  In addition, they’ve bowed out of both the Carabao Cup and FA Cup.  Thus, a possible Champions League triumph, no matter the odds, great or small, is all that remains for the west London based club.  On paper, there’s loads of talent, plenty of players that contributed to the 2021 UCL title is still in this squad.  The question is, will 2021’s UCL Final’s match winner Kai Havertz start scoring with regularity?  Can Mykhailo Mudryk, Joao Felix, Raheem Sterling, Cristian Pulisic, Noni Madueke, and the list goes on, begin producing in front of goal?  If so, then Chelsea can most definitely pull of the upset and knockout a rollercoaster-esque Real Madrid.

As aforementioned, Los Merengeus’ performances this season have been all over the shop, particularly domestically.  Real currently sit 13 points adrift arch rivals Barcelona.  In addition, the All Whites lost at home 1-0 in the first leg of the Copa del Rey Semifinal to Barca, but then Madrid destroyed La Blaugrana 4-0 in the second leg at the Camp Nou.  In addition, we saw Real throttle Liverpool 5-2 at Anfield in the Champions League Round of 16 first leg.  Needless to say, who knows that version of Madrid will turn up tonight.  But, when Los Blancos do play its “A” game, Madrid is white hot.

LSB Prediction

A European night at the White House is a spectacle to been seen.  The players and supporters alike carry a supreme confidence with them on nights like these, and understandably so.  Los Blancos has won an unimaginable 14 UCL titles, 7 more than second placed AC Milan.  Also, the current squad boasts two Ballon d’Or winners in Karim Benzema and Luka Modric, as well as former FIFA Goalkeeper of the Year in Thibaut Courtois.  Mixed in amongst these seasoned world class stars is youngsters Vini Jr, Rodrygo Goes, Aurilien Tchouameni, Eduardo Camavinga, Federico Valverde, and the list goes on.  Then, to add icing on the cake, Madrid is led by Carlo Ancellotti, perhaps the most decorated manager in the history of the club football.  Ancellotti has won four UCL titles, and is the only manager to win a domestic league title in each of Europe’s top five leagues (Premier League, LaLiga, Bundesliga, Serie A, and Ligue 1).

Therefore, I’d be foolish not to side with Real in this fixture.  Benzema will brace and Chelsea will be held scoreless once again this season.  Real Madrid 2 - 0 Chelsea

Premier League Prediction of the Week

Liverpool FC vs Manchester City FC
Anfield, Liverpool, England
1 April 2023 | 7:30AM EST | USA

After nearly a two week break, the Premier League is back….and with a BANG!  First thing Saturday morning, fans from the Western Hemisphere will wake up to the spine tingling chorus of You’ll Never Walk Alone being sung from the Anfield faithful as the Reds take on rivals City!

It’s been a season of injury, inconsistency, and infuriation for Jurgen Klopp and his Liverpool squad.  As such, Liverpool, last year’s Runners-up of the Premier League and Champions League, have floundered though 26 matchdays, and currently sit sixth in the table and seven points adrift fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur.  With just 12 matchdays remaining in the season, including a three game stint featuring Man City, Arsenal, and Chelsea to begin this final stretch, it’s imperative that the Reds get a result from this Saturday’s match if they expect to make a serious run at the Top 4.

Meanwhile for City, Pep Guardiola is simply looking for his squad to produce another solid performance, collect the three points available, and put renewed pressure on Premier League title challengers Arsenal.  With a win, the Cityzens would close the gap atop the table to just two points, albeit with Arsenal possessing a game in hand.  However, this fixture is coming directly off the back of the international window, which means Pep’s players could be tired and out of sink with one another.

LSB Prediction

Getting a result is of the utmost importance for both clubs, even if it’s for very different reasons.  As such, this match will be intense from the opening whistle.  City are loaded with talent, but the strain of the international break coupled with the Reds feeding off the Anfield crowd will lead to Liverpool producing a much needed result, and actually securing all three points. Liverpool 2 - 1 Manchester City

Lew's Fun Factoids of the Week

12 Courtesy of La Blaugrana’s 2-1 victory over Los Merengeues last Sunday, Barcelona now sit 12 points ahead of rivals Real Madrid atop the La Liga table.

100 Sunday’s Clasico win for Barcelona gave the Catalan club 100 victories against Real Madrid in official matches within this storied rivalry.

1 Through 253 official El Clasico matches, just 1 game separates these two footballing giants in the win column. Real Madrid have won 101 matches to Barcelona’s 100, with a further 52 draws mixed in. #competition #rivalry

5 Erling Haaland netted 5 times in the match against RB Leipzig last week.  The handful of goals scored tied the record for most goals scored in a UCL match.  The only other two players to achieve this feat was none other than the GOAT himself, Leo Messi (Barcelona), followed by Luiz Adriano (Shakhtar Donetsk).

39 Thanks to that fistful of scores against RBL, Erling Haaland pushed his goal scoring tally for the season to 39.  As a result, the Norwegian eclipsed Tommy Johnson’s 94 year Manchester City single season record (38 goals scored).

3 For the first time since 2006, 3 Serie A clubs will feature in the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League (Napoli, Inter Milan, and AC Milan).

0 Despite often being regarded as the world’s best manager, shockingly, Pep Guardiola has 0 Champions League titles since leaving Barcelona.  The Spaniard brought Barca back to prominence in the late 2000’s and early 2010’s, leading La Blaugrana to 2 UCL triumphs.

However, in the nine seasons thereafter, including a three year stint in Bavaria for Bayern Munich, then followed by six full seasons and counting at Manchester City in England, Guardiola has failed to win the Champions League each and every time.  It’s quite remarkable when you consider the personnel that he’s managed along the way, and to never win the UCL, and actually only make one UCL Final appearance at that? It’s very surprising to say the least, and if we looked at it logically, you may say Pep is overrated.  But, perhaps fortunes will be more fruitful this season, now of course that Guardiola signed the aforementioned Erling Haaland.

7 With just 12 Premier League matches left to play for Liverpool this season, the Reds are currently sitting 7 points adrift of the Top 4 (UCL Spots).  Included in the remaining fixtures is an immediate run of matches against Man City (away), Chelsea (away), and Arsenal (home).  It’ll be an eight day gauntlet that’ll likely decide Liverpool’s European fate for the 2023-24 campaign.

La Liga Match of the Week: El Clasico

FC Barcelona vs Real Madrid CF
Camp Nou, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
19 March 2023 | 4:00pm | ESPN+

The much anticipated week for footballing fans is here.  That’s right, it’s the return of none other than…….Ted Lasso!  Haha, but with all seriousness, whilst many of us are excited for the long awaited premier of season 3 of Ted Lasso, the Emmy and Golden Globes award winning show, it’s El Clasico that takes center stage this upcoming weekend!  Whenever Barca and Real take to the same pitch, fireworks are sure to fly and the sub plots always adds to the spectacle.  This match is without exception.

Perhaps the biggest sub plot since the second legged Copa Del Rey tie from 13 June 1943 is the match fixing corruption scandal that’s currently facing FC Barcelona. Highlighted by an article from GOAL, back in 1943 Madridista General Franco allegedly instilled military pressures upon FC Barcelona’s squad prior to the match.  As a result, Real Madrid not only turned around a 3-0 deficit from the first leg, but absolutely embarrassed their arch rivals with an 11-1 second leg victory.  Given the political climate and immense power and influence that General Franco possessed over Spain at that time, nothing was ever officially reported.  However, the article from GOAL mentions the interesting fact that Real supporters rarely speak of this match, despite it being the largest margin of victory for either side in the rivalry.  That silence speaks volumes, I’d say.

Fast forward to today, and FC Barcelona find themselves in a scandal of epic proportion, and one that will neither be glossed over nor largely forgotten about, unlike that of 1943.  Rather, these implications of impropriety involving Barca and the former head of La Liga officiating is likely just the tip of the iceberg.  In addition, Real Madrid has announced that they’ll be appearing in proceedings of the case once the judge opens it up to the “injured parties”, meaning that Real will have access to all documents obtained in the case.  And since these alleged egregious acts were against the King’s club as opposed to Franco’s which was in favor of Real, the allegations will like bear fruit of consequences to that of Barcelona, one way or another.  For expample, despite the case being outside the statutes of limitations, La Liga President Javier Tebas is now considering a points deduction against Barca, which would, of course, result in Real Madrid moving into first place and likely winning the league title for a record extending 36th time.  Thus, we once again have a politically charged El Clasico commencing this Sunday.

As for the product on the pitch, Barcelona has been playing with fire this season despite possessing a nine point lead over Real in the league table, as indicative of the nine 1-0 wins so far this campaign.  But there’s something to be said for grinding out wins instead of succumbing to late game pressures and ultimately dropping points like Los Merengeues.  At the fore of Barca’s success has been recently named fourth captain, goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen.  The German international has been simply sublime this season and is on pace to break the La Liga record for most clean sheets in a single season.  The record sits at 26 clean sheets and Ter Stegen has 19 through 25 matchdays.  Also, Barca has only allowed eight goals in those 25 fixtures, a record for this stage of the competition.

On the flip side, Madrid’s offensive production has been highly inconsistent this season.  Vinicius Jr was shut down by Ronald Araujo the last two times these clubs faced off, resulting in Barcelona victories.  Thus, this’ll be a major matchup to watch, because as Viny Jr goes, so does Real’s offense.  When he’s able to run in-behind the defense, that creates the space needed for current Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema to get the ball and score goals.  In addition, it makes life easier for either Rodrygo Goes or Federico Valverde on the right flank, because the entire defense begins to shift towards the left, towards VJR.  But when Vinicius’ play is mitigated, then the front three’s movement stagnates and it’s production dries up.

LSB Prediction

Since this match will be at the Nou Camp, we won’t be seeing fake bills with the Barca logo on it and writing that says “mafia” being thrown onto the pitch, unlike last Saturday’s fixture at the San Mames.  Rather, I expect a passionate Cules crowd, with many waving Catalan flags in support of FC Barcelona and the autonomous state of Catalonia as a whole.  In addition, it’s likely that Barca will be sporting its Seneyra kit, seen almost as much of an act of defiance towards Madrid as it is simply in support of Catalonia itself.  Man, I wish I could be in attendance for this one.  The play on the pitch will be intense.  In the end, Ter Stegen will come up with multiple key saves, and Lewandowski will score twice en route to another Barcelona victory.
FC Barcelona 2 - 1 Real Madrid CF

Lew's Fun Factoids of the Week

1931 The last time Manchester United lost a match 7-0 was to Watford in 1931, WOW!

1 This is the first time that Manchester United suffered a 7-0 defeat in the Premier League era, and the first 7-0 loss to British rivals Liverpool.

2 Darwin Nunez, Cody Gakpo, and Mo Salah all scored 2 goals for Liverpool en route to the Reds historic victory over Manchester United this past Sunday.

129 Mo Salah has no scored 129 Premier League goals.  As a result, he passed Robbie Fowler for most goals by a Liverpool player in Premier League history.

3 Even the Liverpool has struggled mightily this season, the club is now just 3 points adrift Tottenham Hotspur and being inside the Top 4 of the Premier League table.

118 Despite the overall inconsistencies by Barcelona under Xavi, one thing is for sure, Xavi’s Blaugrana has been historically consistent in La Liga since he’s taken the reigns.  With the win over Valencia this past Sunday, Xavi passed Pep Guardiola for the most points accrued (118) by a Barca manger within his first 50 La Liga matches.

9 Barcelona have a 9 point ada\vantage over rivals Real Madrid in La Liga this season after Barca won against Valencia and Real drew against Betis.

8 Never before has Barca lost La Liga when possessing a minimum of an 8 points lead atop the table.

37 The 1985-86 season, 37 years ago, was the last time Valencia was the last time that Valencia was relegated from the Spanish topflight.  Fast forward to today, and the Bats are in a relegation battle through 24 La Liga matchdays.

18 On a similar note in England, Everton has never been relegated from the English topflight.  However, through 26 matchdays, the Toffees currently find themselves in 18th place (relegation spot) in the Premier League table.

9 Borussia Dortmund is in the midst of a 9 match winning streak in the Bundesliga.  The last time that happened for the Yellow and Blacks was when legendary manager Jurgen Klopp was at the helm and Dortmund ended up winning the German Domestic Double.

Premier League Prediction of the Week

Liverpool vs Manchester United
Anfield, Liverpool, England
Sunday, March 5th, 2023 | 11:30am | USA

What a whirlwind week it’s been in England.  From Chelsea’s and Liverpool’s continued struggles to the 100,000 Magpies’ supporters descending upon the English captions city of London to see Newcastle get completely outplayed by a resurrected Red Devils squad led by Dutchman Erik ten Hag.  It’s been an inthralling watch!

This week we have England’s biggest rivalry (at least in terms of silverware), Liverpool versus Manchester United, to look forward to in the Premier League at Anfield thus Sunday!  Despite Liverpool’s struggles this season, the Reds still has an outside shot at securing European football for next season.  Europa League or Europa Conference League qualification should be certain come season’s end, however can Liverpool crawl all the way back inside the Top 4 to earn a place in next year’s Champions League?  That’s the big question, and one that will become a tad clearer come roughly 1:30pm EST on Sunday.  The reds have hit a recent run of for within the domestic league as they’ve secured seven of a possible nine points from their last three matches.  A positive result, even a draw in this particular fixture, would be helpful in continuing to climb up the table.

The Reds defensive woes have been much maligned throughout the 2022-23 campaign.  Most of the criticism has come in the direction of one player, right back Trent Alexander-Arnold.  Pundits and fans alike have been clamoring for him to lose his place in the team and suggesting that he’s the biggest reason why the defense continues to look like Swiss cheese.  However, was the defense gapping with wholes when he was a main fixture at right back during Liverpool’s Champions League winning season or the other two years when the Reds reached the UCL Final?  Or how about the season when Liverpool won the Premier League for the first time in over 30 years?  Was Trent a massive liability then?  The real answer is no.  TAA has never been a dominant defensive player and yet for all those years it hasn’t mattered.  Alexander-Arnold is a decent defender, an average defender.  However, for all of those seasons, Virgil Van Dyke played like his salary indicates, a world class center-half.  And wether it’d be Joel Matip or Ibrahima Konate, those two players had played to their potential and respective salaries earned.  In addition, goalkeeper Allison Becker played as if he was the world’s best ‘keeper, because he was and the results showed, but that’s not the case anymore.  Currently none of Trent’s backline teammates (excluding Andy Robertson) are playing to their potential or what their wages would indicate.

Now as it pertains to TAA, many would say the same thing, except Alexander-Arnold, whilst obtaining the title of a right back, doesn’t get paid for being a lockdown defender.  No, rather he gets paid handsomely for his offensive prowess, like it or not.  What makes Trent so dynamic and the reason why Klopp has stuck with him through thick and thin is because TAA is a massive component to the success of the Reds offensive system.  Trent has excellent vision and incredible passing skills.  Without a doubt, he's the best crosser of the ball in the entire Premier League and perhaps in the world.  For a player that’s still jus 24 yrs of age, he’s already set the record for most assists by a defender in a PL season (2019-20) with 13 assists.  In addition, he currently sits third all-time in career assists by a defender, only behind the retired Leighton Baines and current Liverpool teammate Andy Robertson, who's 3.5 years TAA’s senior.  Also, it’s worth noting that the homegrown talent became the youngest Englishman to ever start two consecutive Champions League finals at the tender age of 20.

So, as it pertains to this Sunday against Manchester United, the question facing the Liverpool defense shouldn’t be focused on TAA, but rather his colleagues on the backline and between the sicks.  Will those players, Van Dyke, Konate, Matip, Allison, Joe Gomez, raise their levels of performance back to that of yesteryear?  If they do, then the Reds will handle the resurgent Marcus Rashford and the rest of the Red Devils.

Speaking of Marcus Rashford and Manchester United, they’re coming into this massive fixture on the backs of winning the club’s first trophy since 2017!  It was an impressive performance against Newcastle in the Carabao Cup Final, a 2-0 scoreline that included another goal by Rashford this season.  Rashford is currently third on the Premier League goalscoring chart for this year’s campaign, only behind Erling Haaland and Harry Kane.  In addition, since the return of the domestic season — post winter world cup, no player has scored more in all comps in England than Rashford.  Coincidentally, he primarily plays right wing, which means he’ll be going up against none other than the aforementioned Trent Alexander-Arnold at right back and either Matip, Konte or Gomez at right center-half.  This will likely be a pivotal matchup to watch as the fixture unfolds.

LSB Prediction

For starters, the crowd at Anfield will be moving.  Goosebumps are sure to emerge on one’s skin as England’s two most storied clubs walk out from the Anfield tunnel to a 50,000 person choir signing You’ll Never Walk Alone.  The scene will be set, all eyes descending upon Liverpool awaiting to see the spectacle unfold on the field.  When the opening whistle blows, the Reds will be come out energized, playing with grit and determination.  They’ll dictate the play int he opening stanza and will go ahead as just reward.  However, much like the Real Madrid, Manchester United will keep its cool thanks to serial winners in Casimero and Raphael Varane.  In the end, United will push for an equalizer and get it through Marcus Rashford. Liverpool 1 - 1 Manchester United

Prediction of the Week: Carabao Cup Final 2023

Manchester United vs Newcastle United
Wembley Stadium, London, England
Sunday, Feb 26th | 11:30am | ESPN+

This weekend we have ourselves the first domestic cup final of the season in England’s League Cup Final or rather due to sponsorship reasons, the Carabao Cup Final.  Thanks to England having two domestic cup competitions, unlike most European nations who have just one, the League Cup Final takes place every January or February, which is a nice treat for fans to enjoy in the middle of the European club calendar.  In this edition of the Carabao Cup Final, there are storylines galore.

For Manchester United, they enter this match in fine-fettled form.  The Red Devils have surged up the Premier League table and now sit third just behind rivals Arsenal and Manchester City.  Erik ten Haag has provided a stroke of genius since arriving in Manchester, and especially since parting ways with Cristiano Ronaldo in the fall of 2022.  Instead of the Portuguese international, ten Haag has put is faith in Man U’s academy graduate Marcus Rashford to lead the forward line, and the Dutchman has been rewarded with Rashford scoring game in and game out.  Rashford, an England international, has scored 16 goals over the past 17 matches in all competitions, including a brace this past weekend against Leicester City.

As for Newcastle, the Magpies will be taking the pitch Sunday in a cup final for the first time this century!  The last time Newcastle featured in a final was in the 1998-99 season.  That year, the Magpies played in the FA Cup Final, and interestingly enough, they faced off against Manchester United as well.  The Red Devils won that match 2-0 en route to securing the Treble.  Thus, for the Magpie supporters, this is the most anticipated fixture in decades.  But, how will Newcastle fair on the pitch?

For much of this season, the Magpies has been a revelation.  They’ve been perched atop the Premier League’s Top 4 all season, well until this weekend anyway.  Newcastle lost just its second match of the league campaign this past Saturday to Liverpool.  Coincidentally, both losses have come against the Reds, home and away.  However, the Magpies have now gone winless in six of the past seven games, and as such are now sliding down the table, currently outside the Champions League places in fifth.

Coinciding with the lack of form has been the loss of Bruno Guimaraes through injury.  Guimaraes had been the key cog in Newcastle’s midfield.  When healthy this season, the Brazilian has routinely dictated play through providing the midfield with defensive stoutness and a high level of confidence and passing nous.  In turn, the Magpies often times won the battle in the center of the park en route to winning or drawing said match.

In addition to the midfield’s woes and despite the arrival of pacey forward Anthony Gordon from Everton during the winter transfer window, Newcastle has lost its luster in the final third of the field.  The likes of Callum Wilson, Allan Saint-Maximin, Miguel Almiron, and Alexander Isak have gone cold in front of goal, and all at the same time.  That’s a recipe for dropping points and losing games.  However, will that change come Sunday?

LSB Prediction

This final should be a real ‘cracker!  Despite the recent struggles, I expect Newcastle to give it their absolute best in their first cup final in nearly 25 years.  The Newcastle crowd will be extremely boisterous, providing an extra oomph of energy to the Magpie squad.  Meanwhile, Erik ten Haag has his eyes set on winning his first piece of silverware at Manchester United, a United squad that’s still competing on all fronts as I write this article by the way.  With that said, it’ll be interesting to watch Man U’s energy levels throughout this game considering the Red Devils will have just competed in a hotly contested Europa League match against Barcelona on Thursday.

After 90 minutes though, the Red Devils will do just enough to edge the Magpies, thanks to Marcus Rashford and the rejuvenated Jadon Sancho!  Manchester United 2 - 1 Newcastle United

Premier League Prediction of the Week

Arsenal vs Manchester City
Emirates Stadium, London, England
Wednesday, February 14th | 2:30PM EST | Peacock

The matchup many of us have been waiting for since the World Cup ended and the Premier League restarted this past December is finally upon us, Arsenal vs Manchester City!  It’s first versus second! It’s the up-and-comers versus the incumbent. It’s the Gunners versus the Cityzens!  Yes, we were able to get a glimpse of what this fixture could be a couple of weeks ago when the two clubs faced off in the FA Cup, which saw City beat Arsenal 1-0 at the Etihad.  However, Mikel Arteta picked a rotated squad for that match, trying to ensure that his squad remained fresh for the upcoming Premier League games.  Thus, today’s fixture will provide Arsenal’s strongest Xl, and we know Pep Guardiola will have his entire first team on the pitch as well.  So, this game should produce some fireworks for the fans!

With that said, interestingly enough, Arteta’s squad has dropped five out of a possible six points over the last two PL games since the FA Cup loss to Man City.  Could this be a sign that Arsenal has completely lost its mojo, its swagger, and a full-fledged collapse is forthcoming?  Or is this simply a mid-winter swoon of sorts that will show itself out of London now that City has come to town and the league title race has heated up once more?  We shall find out today!

As for Manchester City, they’ve produced some hot and cold performances of their own over recent weeks, however City has cut the deficit to six points behind the Gunners.  Thus, a head-to-head win today over the North London side will mean the Cityzens are just three points back and possess the goal difference tiebreaker.

LSB Prediction

Things could turn bleak for Arsenal pretty quickly with a loss in this game.  A draw would actually serve quiet nicely for them, as the distance between themselves and City would remain at six points.  With that said, Arsenal is at its best when the press high up the pitch and their midfield dynamos of Thomas Partey and Granite Xhaka are bossing the center circle.  Thus, I force the Gunners trying to play on the front foot, looking for goals and the win.  This in turn will make them susceptible for counter strikes at the back, and with Erling Haaland running in behind, City will have its fair share of chances.  Since this match is being played at the Emirates, Arsenal will be backed by 60,000 Gooners.  This will be enough to help push Mikel’s men on to victory in a hard fought match.  Arsenal 2 - 1 Manchester City

UEFA Champions League Bonus Prediction
Borussia Dortmund 3 - 1 Chelsea (Wed, Feb 15th | 3PM | Paramount+)

UEFA Europa League Bonus Prediction
FC Barcelona 3 - 2 Manchester United (Thu, Feb 16th | 12:30PM | Paramount+)

Premier League Prediction of the Week: Roses Rivaly

Welcome back to LSB! Thanks to fixture congestion earlier in the season, we’re in for an unusual treat of back-to-back Premier League fixtures featuring rivals Manchester United and Leeds United! The midweek clash will be held at Old Trafford followed up by Elland Road playing host at the weekend.

These two heated rivals are trending in very different directions. Manchester United has been soaring up the Premier League table, and with a win on Wednesday, the Red Devils will be tied with city rivals Manchester city on points for second place.

Meanwhile, in West Yorkshire there hasn’t been much that’s gone right for the Peacocks. Leeds are currently in free fall, sitting 17th in the PL standings and only separated by Everton and the relegation embattled bottom three by goal difference. In addition, the club is in the midst of a six game winless run in the league and just fired its manager Jesse Marsch after roughly 12 months on the job.

Thus, one would think these matches should be straight forward then. However, as we saw last week, regardless of talent level, one must show up match in and match out or upsets can occur. Remember, Arsenal, Man City, and Newcastle all dropped points last weekend. Add to the unpredictability of the Prem League with the emotions of a derby clash, such as the Roses Rivalry, and all of a sudden the matches are a 50/50 toss up.

Manchester United vs Leeds United
Old Trafford, Manchester, England
Wednesday | 3:00 PM EST | Peacock

LSB Prediction

Due to being on the road, the Peacocks won’t have the added emotion and energy from the home supports to feed off of like Everton had last week in their win over Arsenal. Thus, i fully except Man United to roll over Leads even without Casimero in the middle of the park. Reminder, the Red Devils enforcer is serving a red card suspension.

Manchester United 2 - 0 Leeds United

Leeds United vs Manchester United
Elland Road, Leeds, England
Sunday | 9:00 AM EST | USA

LSB Prediction

Fast forward to the weekend and Leeds will be sitting on a seven match unbeaten run in the Premier League and having to play rivals United once more, a very daunting task for the relegation-destined Peacocks. However, this go-round Leeds will have the backing of it’s supporters. That’ll breathe new life into the team and the American trio of Weston McKinnie, Tyler Adams, and Brendon Aaronson will prove problematic at times for the Red Devils. In the end though, Marcus Rashford’s quality will be too much for the Peacocks as Man U scrape by for the road win.

Leeds United 1 - 2 Manchester United

Premier League Prediction of the Week

Everton vs Arsenal
Goodison Park, Liverpool, England
Saturday | 7:30 AM EST | USA

After a week’s plus hiatus, the Premier League is back! I could have easily chosen Tottenham Hotspur vs Manchester City as the featured fixture, however I, like many others, find intrigue in watching a dumpster fire unfold (e.g. Everton). Thus, I’ve selected Everton vs Arsenal for this week’s Premier League Prediction of the Week. Arsenal is in first place, so it’s always exciting to see the Premier League’s elite take the pitch. However, the Gunners take somewhat of a backseat to the hosts this Saturday.

Most viewers are eager to see what horror show will unfold at Goodison this week? Everton, a historical blue blood of English football, has fallen into disrepute. The Toffees currently sit second bottom in the Premier League table, and are primed to be relegated for the first time in the PL era. Reminder, Everton is a founding member of the English Football League, which began in 1888. In addition, the club has won its fair share of silverware throughout the years, including nine English Top Flight Titles, five FA Cups, nine FA Community Shields, and even one European Cup Winner’s Cup (UEFA Europa League). And yet here the Toffees are about to be sacked into the second division. How’d this all happen? Well, simply put, the club has been mismanaged for many years, both financially and in sporting terms. As a result, you have a prideful fanbase that just a couple of week’s ago produced legitimate and severe enough threats towards the club’s ownership and front office, that the local police recommended the Everton hierarchy not be present at Goodison for said fixture. Countless chants and signage could be heard and read through the Merseyside area proclaiming change of leadership, ownership of Everton.

After the latest loss for the Blues, the front office decided to shake things up in hopes of getting a positive reaction on the field by firing its manger Frank Lampard, and selling its best young asset in Anthony Gordon to Newcastle United. In addition, England’s World Cup #1, Jordan Pickford, is likely headed out of Merseyside if Everton actually get relegated at season’s end. So, what will we see come Saturday?

LSB Prediction

Well, there’ll be a new face seen on the sidelines for the Toffees, Sean Dyche. Unfortunately for the Evertonians, the product on the pitch will be much of the same, dismal, disheartening, and disenchanting. The rage of anger will only grow from the Goodison faithful, chants growing louder as the match presses on. In the end, the Liverpool riot police better be prepared, because after 90 minutes, the scoreline will be ugly and the Evertonians will be wanting to storm the field.

Everton 0 - 3 Arsenal

Emirates FA Cup Prediction of the Week

Manchester City vs Arsenal
Etihad Stadium, Manchester, England
Friday | 3:00 PM EST | ESPN+

The Emirates FA Cup takes center stage in England this weekend. There’s 16 matches set to be played in the Fourth Round, highlighted by Friday’s fixture between Man City and Arsenal! Finally us fans get to see the Premier League’s best square off this campaign….even if it’s not actually in the Premier League. Due to fixture congestion back in the fall, the Cityzens and Gunners had to postpone their October 19th date, thus setting the stage for this stellar first meeting in the one and done format of the FA Cup.

Unlike the trend of top English clubs tossing up rotated squads for domestic cup competitions, I fully expect both managers, Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta, to select their strongest sides for this match. This game means more than just winning and advancing to the quarterfinals, it’s a statement game. With City five points back of Arsenal and having played one more match, the Cityzens will be aiming to show the Gunners that this season isn’t over just yet, remind Arsenal that Man city are still the defending PL Champions, and simply put, that Manchester City are still serial winners.

Meanwhile for the Gunners, a win over City, at the Eitihad no less, would be another example of how this Arsenal side is legitimate and in it for the long haul, despite the club’s youth and perceived inexperience. Remember, Arsenal’s best starting eleven, the group that played against Man United last Sunday, has an average age of 24 years old, In addition, the Gunners front three of Bukayo Saka, Eddie Nketiah, and Gabriel Martinelli, have an average age of just 22 years old. Despite their tender ages, these players are performing with guile, ruthlessness in front of goal, and eagerness to win the ball back whilst still in the attacking half of the field. In turn, it appears that Arsenal FC has finally reloaded it’s armory from the Thierry Henry days.

LSB Prediction

With out a shadow of a doubt, this match will live up to the billing. On the banks of the Ashton Canal, the Etihad Stadium will be pulsating as the epicenter of football on Friday. The fans will be electric, the managers will be on edge and in need of restraining from the sidelines, and above all, the football produced by the Premier League’s elite will be of the highest quality. Erling Haaland will be as hungry as he’s ever been, and in turn will score a first half goal, putting the home side in front. However, as we’ve seen time and again this season, Arsenal will provide the more consistent, energetic, and dynamic play over the 90 minutes. As a result, they’ll equalize in the second half. Then, in the dying embers of the match, the Gunners will secure a second to win the match courtesy of its attacking triumvirate in Saka, Nketiah, and Martinelli. All told, this will be a statement win for the North Londoners whilst leaving the Cityzens searching for answers.

Manchester City 1 - 2 Arsenal

Premier League Prediction of the Week

Arsenal vs Manchester United
Emirates Stadium, London, England
11:30AM EST | NBC

We’re in for another treat this upcoming Sunday as Arsenal faces-off against Premier League rival Manchester United!  This feels like the dawning of a new era within this rivalry.  Gone are the days of Thierry Henry scoring under the bright lights of London whilst Wayne Rooney rumbled his way towards goal in front of the Stretford End.  Or, seeing legendary managers in Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger toeing the sidelines at Old Trafford and the Emirates respectively. Nope, instead in the here and now, we have the likes of Martin Odegaard playing in passes to Bukayo Saka, Eddie Nketiah, and Gabriel Martinelli in North London.  Meanwhile up in Manchester, Marcus Rashford is terrorizing defenses with his blistering pace and clinical finishing.  And all the while, these teams are led by talented, forwarding thinking managers in Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta and Man U’s Erik ten Hag. 

Therefore, it’s no wonder that we enter the second half of the Premier League season with these two prestigious clubs atop the table.  United are riding a ten match unbeaten streak whilst Arsenal has been performing like a well-oiled machine, winning 15 out of 18 games.  As a result, Arsenal has finally earned the backing of the bookies to win the league title, whilst Man U has the third best odds to hoist the PL trophy.

LSB Prediction

Sunday will be a feisty affair straight from the kickoff, and when a match gets physical, I like my chances with a midfield that features Thomas Partey and Granit Xhaxa in it.  These are two stalwarts in the middle of the park, who are eager to win the ball back by out muscling their opponents.  They’ll make life difficult for Bruno Fernandes, thus the Portuguese attacking mid will struggle to keep hold of the ball, and in effect, limit the Red Devils quick counter striking approach.  In the end, Rashford will capitalize on a rare chance, but the Gunners will have the bulk of possession and more chances created.  In turn, this will lead to Martin Odegaard and his Arsenal attack producing enough to win the match at home.

Arsenal 2 - 1 Manchester United

Premier League Prediction of the Week: Derby Edition

Tottenham Hotspur vs Arsenal
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, England
11:30AM EST | Peacock

After a week and a half of The FA and Carabao Cup action, the Premier League is back with a bang this weekend, highlighted by Sunday morning’s North London Derby!  Yup, it’s none other than Tottenham vs Arsenal!  In a rivalry that dates back to 1909, the home venues for these two London based clubs are separated by less than five miles.  Thus, these passionate fanbases despise one another, simply adding to the spectacle that’s set to unfold inside the New White Hart Lane that is Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Heading into this season, some might have expected Tottenham to make a dark horse run at the Premier League Title.  After all, the Hotspur is managed by Italian mastermind Antonio Conte, and led on the field of play by current England Captain and all-time leading goalscorer Harry Kane.  In addition, Tottenham features a starting eleven including the likes of Hugo Lloris, Son Heung-min, and Richarlison, amongst many other talented internationals.  However, it’s not Kane and company that’s leading a surprise sprint to the title, rather it’s their rivals Arsenal that have taken that baton.

The Gunners are sitting atop the table with a solid five point lead on second placed Manchester City, and a stunning 11 point advantage over fifth placed Tottenham.  Through 17 matchdays, Arsenal have dropped just seven out of a possible 51 points, simply remarkable.  So remarkable that the Gunners are actually outpacing the famed ‘Invincibles’ from the 2003-04 season in points accrued.  How has this magical run been made so you might ask? Whelp, Mikel Arteta has quietly and steadily built himself a rather youthful, but talented and well-balanced squad over the past couple of seasons.  The standouts this campaign have been 24 year old Team Captain Martin Odegaard, 21 year old Bukayo Saka, 25 year old Gabriel Jesus, 24 year old Aaron Ramsdale, and my personal favorite 23 year old Eddie Nketiah.

LSB Prediction

Whilst watching from one’s sofa, the intensity within Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will be palpable.  Whether it’s fierce tackles from Granit Xhaka or breathtaking moments of attacking brilliance by Kane, Nketiah, Son, and Saka, this North London Derby will be played end to end! Simply put, Premier League football at its finest!

Tottenham Hotspur 3 - 3 Arsenal

Premier League Prediction of the Week

Chelsea vs Manchester City
Stamford Bridge, London, England
3PM EST | Peacock

Thanks to some “scandalous” calls against Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal squad this past Tuesday night, the Gunners could only muster a draw versus Newcastle United.  Arsenal’s dropping two points was a welcomed sight to the Manchester City faithful, as the result means the Cityzens have the ability to gain a bit of ground on the Gunners with a win against Chelsea this upcoming Thursday.

The defending champions, Man City, are once again led by their Norwegian striker Erling Haaland.  The 22 year old goalscoring force du jour is on pace to smash the Premier League (PL) record for goals in a single season.  Currently held jointly by Andy Cole (1993-94) and Alan Shearer (1994-95), the record number sits at 34.  With that said, Haaland is already on 21 goals in just 16 total match days, that’s better than a goal a game average— simply incredible.

Meanwhile, ‘Big Six’ club, Chelsea has had a tumultuous season so far.  First, manager Thomas Tuchel was given a short leash by new owner Todd Boehly, and was subsequently sacked just months into the season.  Second, who once was hot managerial property, Graham Potter’s luster appears to be tarnishing by the day as he hasn’t been able to improve Chelsea’s form since taking over for Tuchel.  Third, The Blues spent nearly £250 million in the summer transfer window to bolster a squad that should be competing for a Premier League title, however, the key additions, such as Wesley Fofana, Kalidou Koulibaly, Raheem Sterling, and Marc Cucurella have all been far from their best.  As a result, The Blues, currently sitting tenth in the PL table, are a whopping 10 points back of Manchester United for fourth. Moreover, the league title run is already over, considering Chelsea is now 19 points adrift London rivals and table setters, Arsenal.

LSB Prediction

With that said, one would expect City to run away with this match and secure all three points, however this could be the perfect time for Chelsea to show its grit on the prime time stage at Samford Bridge.  I expect goals from both sides in this one.  Haaland will strike for City and Havertz will remind everyone of his quality, as he nets for Chelsea.  Thus, it’s going to be a 1-1 draw after 90 minutes.  A building block result for Chelsea, but a missed opportunity for Pep Guardiola and his Cityzens as they fail to close the gap with the Gunners.

Chelsea 1 - 1 Manchester City

UCL IS BACK WITH A BANG!

FC Barcelona Vs PSV Eindhoven
UEFA Champions League: Group Stage, Matchday 1
Camp Nou, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
Tuesday, September 18th, 2018 1:00PM EST TNT

Matchday 1 of the 2018-19 UCL Group Stage is starting off in style with a doubleheader of fixtures! First up, it’s Barcelona against PSV from the “Group of Death”! Coming into the match, La Blaugrana are riding the wave of a five game winning streak to start this campaign (Spanish Super Cup win, four La Liga wins). Meanwhile, despite the Dutch Champions succumbing to defeat against rivals Feyenoord in the Johan Cruijff Shield to begin the season, PSV are currently streaking themselves. Lampen has won seven games on the trot as they enter the Camp Nou, including two UCL Play-off Round wins versus BATE Borisov. Thus, both teams are in good form, and will be amped to start the UCL proper on the right foot. For Barca, only a win will be a sufficient result, as they possess a far superior side to that of the Dutch. However, for PSV, simply earning a draw at the world renowned Camp Nou will feel like a win and jump start their Group Stage campaign.

Players To Watch

Lionel Messi (FCB, FW / AM): Whilst still dazzling with his dribbling and passing display this past Saturday versus Real Sociedad, Messi failed to scored. Thus, expect to see him much more active in and around the 18 yard box in route to reaching the scorers sheet by games’ end.

Luuk de Jong (PSV, ST): The Holland striker and club captain has been a linchpin in PSV’s success over the past several years. Domestically de Jong has produced 69 goals in league play for Lampen in 130 matches played. That’s better than a goal every other game, which is good. However, if PSV want to earn a draw, then de Jong must score at least once, probably twice. Can he do it?

LSB Prediction

The 99,000 capacity Camp Nou will be filled and rocking come match time, as it always is for a UCL fixture, making it one of the most difficult places to play in for visiting opposition. Take this 12th man and couple it with a star studded Barca squad, and PSV has itself a virtually impossible task of earning at least a point. The Dutch will give it there all. Heck, they may even score via de Jong. But in the end, the Messi and company will flex their muscles and dispatch PSV in rather comfortable fashion. 3-1 FC Barcelona

Liverpool FC Vs Paris Saint-Germain FC
UEFA Champions League: Group Stage, Matchday 1
Anfield, Liverpool, England, United Kingdom
Tuesday, September 18th, 2018 3:00PM EST TNT

The second match of today’s doubleheader pits surging Liverpool against French dynamos PSG. Year after year, we raise the question in mid-September, will PSG finally break through and at least reach the UCL Semifinals? And, every year our answer is, no. Despite changing managers multiple times and continuing to spend record breaking sums of cash on players such as Neymar Jr and Kylian Mbappe, the results continue to underwhelm. And, actually last year Les Parisiens regressed as they bowed out of the UCL in the Round of 16, not even making back to the Quarterfinals. So, with this being Neymar Jr and Mbappe’s second year in Paris, and with the additions of goalkeeping great Gigi Buffon and new manager Thomas Tuchel, will PSG finally break through and at least reach the UCL Semis? Whelp, we have several months to go before we get the answer to that question, however, we’ll find out today what kind of grit and determination this squad has as they enter a hostile environment in Anfield. Anfield is a place where Jurgen Klopp has brought back the mystique and fortress feeling element to the grounds. It’s a place where his Reds beat a record setting EPL side in Manchester City not once but twice last year, with the latter en route to a UCL Final appearance. Thus, PSG will be up against it in terms of the surroundings on and off the pitch. Can the respond like title contenders? Or, will Les Parisiens fold like always?

Players To Watch

Mo Salah (LFC, FW): Last season’s EPL Player of the Year, Salah brings a heavy dose of pace, creativity, and finishing ability to a Reds side that attacks from all angles. Look for the Egyptian to continually give PSG’s backline fits on way to netting a brace.

Neymar Jr (PSG, FW): The last time we saw Neymar Jr in the UCL, he was trying to be flashy inside of decisive and clinical against the eventual UCL Champions Real Madrid. This time around, has he learned to stop showboating, and instead staying focused on the task at hand, which means producing the right pass instead of being greedy and taking an erratic shot, staying level headed rather than complaining about a phantom foul, settling the ball with care and not with flair, and so on. If he’s evolved, matured if you will, then truly the sky’s the limit with this PSG squad.

LSB Prediction

This match will produce a heavy dose of electricity both on the pitch and in the stands starting with the walk out onto the pitch. The Kopp will be singingly in unison “You’ll Never Walk Alone”, a moment that gives on lookers chills. As for the action between the white lines, I can’t see anything other than a Liverpool victory. Neymar Jr will act like a child once more, as Salah runs rampant on the field and Klopp runs joyously down the sidelines! 4-1 Liverpool FC

UCL IS BACK, STAGE IS SET!

The Champions League Group Stage is swiftly coming upon us!  Last week saw the final six places revealed as AEK Athens, Young Boys, Ajax Amsterdam, Red Star Belgrade, Benfica, and PSV Eindhoven punched their tickets.  Thus, with the field set, the UCL Draw commenced last Thursday from Monaco.  As such, this week on LSB I’ll dissect each of the eight groups, and reveal who I believe will advance to the knockouts come the new year.  Let’s get started!

Group A

Group A is highlighted by defending Europa League winners and site hosts for this season’s UCL Final in Atletico Madrid.  Without a doubt, expect Los Rojiblancos to stroll through this group that also pits Borussia Dortmund, Club Brugge, and Monaco.  A battle for second between BVB and the Rouges et Blancs will produce the most intrigue, with Club Brugge thankful for participating. 

1. Atletico Madrid    2. Borussia Dortmund        3. AS Monaco FC     4. Club Brugge

Group B

This year’s “Group of Death”, Group B features Barcelona, Inter Milan, PSV Eindhoven, and Tottenham Hotspur!  For sure, one big boy (Barca, Inter, Tottenham) will be left out from the Round of 16, and if a rising Netherlands squad in PSV can continue to impress, then perhaps two of the big dogs will be eliminated at this stage.  Barcelona is of course the cream of the crop as they still have Messi and company, but I could see any of the other three finishing 2nd, 3rd or 4th.  Inter’s back in the big dance after a six year hiatus, so count on the Nerazzuri to produce some memorable and passionate performances, particularly at home.  The San Siro will be electric.  As such, I’ll give the edge to Inter in fishing second and heading to the knockouts.

1. Barcelona         2. Inter Milan        3. Tottenham Hotspur        4. PSV Eindhoven    

Group C

Another tough group, Group B Light if you will, C includes Red Star Belgrade, Liverpool, Napoli, and PSG.  For me, any of Liverpool, Napoli, or PSG can win realistically win the group, let alone finish in the top two.  Thus, this will make for some entertaining matches throughout all six games.  On paper, PSG looks like the strongest side, yet questions continue to abound regarding team chemistry, heart, and determination as the Parisiens never seem to be able to get past the traditional powerhouses.  Meanwhile, Jurgen Klopp appears to have concocted the right potion of players at Anfield as the Reds ran their way to the UCL Final last season and currently sit atop the Premier League standings this year.  Then there’s Napoli.  They’d shown grit and class in its first couple of Serie A matches this season, but then got spanked by Sampdoria 3-0, so perhaps there’s a bit of Dr Jeckle and Mr Hyde with Carlo Ancelotti’s men.

1. Liverpool               2. PSG                  3. Napoli                   4. Red Star Belgrade

Group D

The most wide-open group in this year’s UCL is undoubtedly Group D.  Whilst lacking even a single Top 5 League power, (Schalke is from Germany, but would hardly be considered a power), this group has the best potential for matchday six playing group positioning decider.  All four teams, whether it’s Porto, Schalke, Galatasaray, or Lokomotiv Moscow, have a shot of finishing within the top two.  Since I have an affinity for Istanbul squads and its “Welcome To Hell” mantra, I’m picking Galatasaray to finish second, with Porto winning the group.  Schalke will disappoint, and Lokomotiv Moscow will be scratching its head wondering what happened, just like a year ago.  

1. Porto         2. Galatasaray     3. Schalke        4. Lokomotive Moscow

Group E

A rather intriguing group as AEK, Ajax, and Benfica will all battle for second place.  Bayern Munich is the lone heavyweight, however a trip for the Bavarians to the Amsterdam ArenA will be a must watch.  Arjen Robben will want to put on a show in front of this native fans, but you can expect de Godenzonen to put up a tough test.  Meanwhile, Benfica will look to bounce back from an embarrassing UCL campaign last year.  A season that saw the Aguias finish fourth in its group.  Lastly, no one wants to make the trek all the way over to Greece (Unless you’re on holiday), and then deal with such a rabid fan base.  However, in the end, AEK will likely finish last. 

1. Bayern Munich    2. Ajax Amsterdam    3. Benfica               4. AEK Athens

Group F

Group F features one of Europe’s most potent attacks in Manchester City, as well as another 2017-18 Round of 16 participant in Shakhtar Donetsk, rounded out by Lyon, and Hoffenheim.  The Cityzens are so talented that they’ve already clinched first within this group.  Thus, it’s a battle for second place where I could see any of the remaining contestants clinching.  Despite, Donetsk reaching the knockouts last year, replacing Fred and Bernard will be a tall task.  In addition, Hoffenheim didn’t play in Europe (UCL/Europa) until last year, thus a winning pedigree hasn’t been established yet.  Therefore, I’m going with Lyon, who’s performed admirably over the years in Europe, plus they return playmaking maestro Nabil Fekir.

1. Manchester City    2. Lyon            3. Shakhtar Donetsk        4. TSG Hoffenheim

Group G

This group consists of two true contenders in Real Madrid and AS Roma.  CSKA Moscow and Viktoria Plzen will finish decidedly third and fourth.  Real, the current three-peat UCL champions, haven’t missed a beat since the departure of club legends Zinadine Zidane and Cristiano Ronaldo.  Meanwhile, whilst Roma looks set to take a step back within an ever strengthening Serie A, the Wolves are still on higher level than the men from Moscow or Plzen. 

1. Real Madrid     2. AS Roma        3. CSKA Moscow        4. Viktoria Plzen

Group H

The eighth and final group of the UCL includes a couple of historic giants in Juventus and Manchester United, while also featuring Valencia and Young Boys.  Juventus is the clear favorite for me to win the group, however I’m sure some in England would beg to differ.  With that said, I actually foresee an upset within Group H, as Man U will finish third behind the Spanish Bats.  Man U faired rather poorly last campaign against teams from Spain and Switzerland, and I expect that trend to continue this go around.

1. Juventus         2. Valencia         3. Manchester United        4. Young Boys

*Matchday 1 begins Tuesday, September 18th

CR7 SET TO DAZZLE IN ALLIANZ DEBUT

Juventus FC Vs SS Lazio
Serie A: Matchday 1
Allianz Stadium, Torino, Italy
Saturday, August 25th, 2018        12:00PM EST        ESPN2 | ESPNDP | ESPN+

Without a doubt, Juve against Lazio is this week’s must watch match!  Not only will we being seeing two of Italy’s top clubs square off, but perhaps more importantly, we’ll be witnessing Cristiano Ronaldo take to the Allianz Stadium pitch once again.  This is where just several months ago, Cristiano stunned us all with what’ll go down as one of the all-time great moments in sport.  It was the then-Madradista’s second goal of the night, a ridiculous bicycle kick that left legendary goalkeeper Gigi Buffon standing still, simply watching in amazement as the ball went past him and into the back of his net.  Gigi wasn’t the only one dazzled though.  There were roughly 42,000 others in sheer disbelief, the entire Juve crowd (Ronaldo’s opposing fans).  And instead of the Bianconeri faithful simply slumping down in their seats, dejected as the UCL tie had likely been decided then and there, the Torino based crowd produced a moment of class themselves.  They all gave Ronaldo a standing ovation for his performance.  It was a magical sight, one that left you with goose bumps.  It was so moving that Cristiano himself thanked the crowd as he put his hand to his heart and waved to them.  We can all speculate when Cristiano decided his time was up in Madrid, but for me, it was in that moment that he knew this (Torino, Italy) was where he needed to be come next season.  And so it is, with this Saturday being his Juventus homecoming.

Lazio meanwhile will be up against it.  Talk about a murder’s row of fixtures to begin the Serie A season.  First Le Aquile had to play Napoli, which they lost last weekend 2-1.  Now they must face Juventus for their season opener.  On paper, Lazio have the squad to compete with Juve, as the Biancocelesti feature goal scoring extraordinaire Ciro Immobile.  He netted 29 times in 33 appearances for Lazio last year, while also scoring against Napoli in this season’s opener.  In addition, Le Aquile won the summer transfer window by simply holding onto Sergji Milinkovic-Savic.  The young ballyhooed box-to-box midfielder will play a part in Lazio trying to earn a point from this match.  

LSB Prediction: With Ciro and SMS, Lazio will give it a go against Juve.  But let’s make no bones about it, Saturday will be all about CR7.  There’ll be 42,000 fans inside the stadium, all of whom will be wearing a Ronaldo/Juve kit (500,000 were sold in first 24 hrs since offically Juventus).  And Cristiano, the showman that he is, will provide not one, not two, but three thank yous to the crowd as he'll trebles en route to a Juve win.  4-1 Juventus FC

A DERBY DUEL FOR UEFA'S SUPER CUP

After a month long siesta, the Lewnau Sports Bureau is back!  The World Cup winners France have been crowned, and the pre-season tours have come to an end.  Thus, it’s time to rev our footballing engines up once more for the 2018-19 club campaign.  What better way for LSB to start the season off, than with the UEFA Super Cup!  So without further ado, let’s delve into this tie.

Real Madrid CF V Club Atletico de Madrid
UEFA Super Cup | Madrid Derby
A Le Coq Arena, Tallinn, Estonia
Wednesday, August 15th, 2018    3:00PM EST        TNT

A new season of European football is set to kickoff this Wednesday, as last year’s Champions League (Real Madrid) and Europa League (Atletico Madrid) winners square off in Estonia.  Only three months may have past since these clubs were crowned champions of Europe, but a lot has happened since.  Most notably was the departures of Cristiano Ronaldo and Zinadine Zidane from Real.  Yup, that’s right, the two ultimate Galacticos have moved on.  Zidane, the only manger to win three successive Champions Leagues in his first three senior managerial seasons, is currently on sabbatical since resigning shortly after beating Liverpool in the UCL Final.  Meanwhile, Cristiano has taken his Ballons d’Or and Golden Boots to Turin, Itlay, where he’ll lead the Bianconeri line.  Thus, Los Merengeus will have a definite new look to them pitch side.  And this match against city rivals Atleti, will be the first time we get to se the new look squad in an official match.  The big question is, who’ll step up to fill Ronaldo’s gulf-sized void?

As for Atleti, they we’re big winners this off-season as their star forward, 2018 World Cup winner, Antoine Griezmann elected to stay with the club instead of moving east to Barcelona.  The possible transfer was highly publicized, with the Frenchman going so far as to create a hour long show, dubbed “The Decision”, to tell everyone that he’s remaining a Rojiblanco.  Needless to say Atleti fans are ecstatic, but I’d take cover the next time he visits the Camp Nou if I was him.  Pig’s face on pitch anyone?

As for the match come Wednesday, I have little idea of what to expect from Real.  The first match of the Post-Ronaldo-Era will likely see Bale and Benzema given more opportunities to score with Isco and Asensio playing provider.  I doubt Modric will start considering he hasn't featured at all during Real’s pre-season tour after earning a rest thanks to his Golden Ball performances during the World Cup.  Meanwhile, Atleti should be at full strength for this match, and boast a squad that hasn’t lost any full time starters.

LSB Prediction:  First and foremost, it’s a Madrid Derby.  And in derby games, often times the unexpected happens.  However, based upon the fact that Real is in a state of flux, and Atletico boasts zero major changes to its squad, I foresee Diego Simeone’s side winning this one.  Griezmann will play provider to Diego Costco for the first, with Diego Godin heading home the second.  2-0 Club Atletico de Madrid