Early season analysis: Can top teams recover from a bad start?
There are several big clubs across the ‘big five’ European leagues that are enduring a difficult start to the season, but how much trouble are they in? We’ve looked back at the previous 10 seasons to understand what counts as a bad start.
Who were the 2022 summer transfer window winners and losers?
With the 2022 summer transfer window now closed, we’ve taken stock of the wheeling and dealing to determine which clubs handled it best. The Premier League’s financial dominance was plain for all to see, with England’s 20 top-flight clubs spending over €2.2bn.
Transfer analysis: Which club has ruined the most footballers?
We’ve looked back at 10 years’ worth of moves to reveal which club’s signings have lost the most value. Our transfer analysis covers players bought and sold by the same club since 2013, with fees converted from euros to pound sterling. We exclude sales where the fee was unknown.
Cristiano Ronaldo transfer odds: Atletico rumours grow
We’re tracking the Cristiano Ronaldo transfer odds to gauge the likelihood off a move for the Manchester United forward this summer. The 37-year-old has asked to leave Old Trafford if an acceptable offer arrives following a disappointing first season back at the club.
Benchwarmers: Which players spend most time on the sidelines?
We have looked back at the last three seasons and totted up the number of minutes spent on the bench by outfield players across Europe’s top five leagues, MLS and Belgium’s First Division A. Our infographic reveals the most prominent substitutes in each division.
Football’s top goalscoring bromances
With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, we have taken our annual look at which pairs of footballers form the best goalscoring partnerships on the pitch. We have measured this across a range of competitions by calculating the combined goalscoring rate of every pairing per 90 minutes spent together on the pitch since the start of last season.
Which clubs will suffer most during the Africa Cup of Nations?
The 2021 Africa Cup of Nations kicks off on January 9 in Cameroon, with the final almost a month later on February 6. With African players fulfilling key roles at many top European clubs, whose domestic seasons will continue during the tournament, some absences will be keenly felt.
What does it take to manage a top football club?
We’ve assessed the top football managers to see what it takes to be successful at one of Europe’s major clubs. Our great infographic looks at age, experience, past playing ability and local knowledge of major leagues and their current employers.
Lionel Messi transfer odds: PSG favourites to swoop
We’re tracking the latest Lionel Messi transfer news, rumours and odds for clues on where Lionel Messi could move to this summer. Barcelona sent shock waves across the football world when announcing the 34-year-old Argentina superstar was heading for the exit door.
Fixture difficulty: Which clubs have the toughest – and easiest – start to the new season?
The ‘big five’ European leagues have released their schedules for the 2021-22 season so we have analysed the fixture difficulty for them all. While every team has to play everyone else at some point, timing can be everything. A tough start can easily undermine a positive pre-season, while a gentle run of opening fixtures can provide the momentum necessary for a successful campaign.
Ballon d’Or odds: Messi could be in seventh heaven
Lionel Messi will look to extend his record of six Ballon d’Or titles when the annual football award returns. The 2020 award ceremony was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic but with football’s return to action, the 2021 edition will see the voting commence.
Harry Kane transfer news: Manchester clubs favourites to swoop
With Euro 2020 now over, attention will switch to the new domestic season and we’re tracking the latest Harry Kane transfer news to see which teams could make a move. The England captain enjoyed another impressive tournament as his four goals helped the team go agonisingly close to winning the Euros, with Kane threatening to repeat his Golden Boot success at the 2018 World Cup.
Rebuilding a footballing dynasty – and what happened next?
With several of Europe’s leading clubs in a transitional period this summer, we’ve taken a look at which past seasons have seen the biggest exoduses of title-winning players and how it affected each team’s performances in the following years.
European Super League: Breakaway tournament collapses
The football world was briefly in turmoil following a European Super League announcement which threatened to shake up the very foundations of the sport, but those plans have collapsed. It was proposed that the new competition would be a rival to the Champions League, with organisers claiming it would generate increased and guaranteed income for the clubs involved.