There was still a lot to talk about this past weekend, even though we’re in the home stretch of the 2023–24 European season. Bayer Leverkusen extended their unbeaten run to 50 games this season, while Arsenal wrapped up a somewhat dull 1-0 win at Manchester United to guarantee that the Premier League title race goes down to the final games next week. No matter how they end the year, this campaign will be remembered for a long time.
Whereas, there’s a lot to talk about regarding Mbappe’s strangely subdued Paris Saint-Germain farewell, Chelsea’s three-game winning run, Max Allegri’s future with Juventus, and Dortmund’s terrible Champions League preseason.
A resounding victory for the “grown-up” Arsenal at Old Trafford
It’s perfectly acceptable to play it safe when necessary; Arsenal and Mikel Arteta did just that at Old Trafford on Sunday. Even with Manchester United’s current weakness and lack of strength, Arteta is well aware that the club has the potential to collapse under the weight of its weaknesses. With Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford out, their already-raucous fan base lost some of its lustre, but Alejandro Garnacho was still among them, and there was plenty of simmering pride to go around.
Arsenal showed their strength this season by settling down for a 1-0 victory over Manchester United after taking an early lead. Photo by AMA/Getty Images of Robbie Jay Barratt
Arteta decided there was no need to press the accelerator, and Arsenal concentrated on maintaining control of the game after Casemiro’s carelessness and Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s sloppy defense gave Leandro Trossard the opening goal after 20 minutes. The home team’s 1-0 loss was disappointing considering Thomas Partey’s impact in the middle of the field and the fact that they were unable to score beyond the few wide-area attempts made by Garnacho and Amad Diallo (who are both 40 years old). Arsenal aimed to maintain their lead and, by extension, put pressure on Manchester City, who will face Spurs on Tuesday, while United failed to capitalize despite having most of the possession. They managed just two shots on goal and one with an xG greater than 0.09.
With Partey, Declan Rice, and Kai Havertz in the back four, Arsenal can still manage games and play attractive football. (The second player is our starting center forward, but he’s also a relentless presser and full of nasty). Because of the injuries, United can only do so much. You have to wonder if the club really thinks this is going to determine his fate, or if he should even be back for the FA Cup final, given his performance thus far.
It could be one of three things given that United haven’t been seriously linked to a possible replacement. Maybe they’re so cunning and stealthy when they approach possible replacements that no one has heard a word—which, as Bayern shows, isn’t easy to pull off. On the other hand, they may be offering Ten Hag a new deal in exchange for his continued services. Either that, or they’re incredibly naive to think they need the final two league games and the FA Cup final to make a decision; for better or worse, Ten Hag has shown you more than enough in two complete seasons.
Manchester United’s season is summed up by Casemiro’s tumble, says Shaka Hislop, who then reacts to the blunder that led to Arsenal’s winning goal.
As in any conceivable way, Mbappe bids farewell to PSG and the Parc des Princes.
Kylian Mbappé confirmed on Friday what everyone already knew: he will be departing at the conclusion of the 2023–24 season. After seven years and likely cementing his position as PSG’s all-time great, he played his last game at the Parc des Princes on Sunday.
Such a disappointing conclusion. After scoring the first goal, Mbappe witnessed his PSG team lose 3-1 to Toulouse while some of his fellow fans booed him (likely because he was leaving). Not helping matters was Luis Enrique, whose starting eleven featured Mbappe and ten players who spent the majority of the season on the bench. It’s common practice to make substitutions after a midweek game when there’s no longer any motivation to play, but considering that this was supposed to be Mbappe’s farewell, benching all of the starters except for him seemed insensitive and even vindictive.
In addition, PSG (the club) did not organise a farewell party for Mbappe, who scored 256 goals in 306 games for the club. The only thing we got was the trophy presentation, which included the standard fireworks display and light show as well as classical music performed by an orchestra dressed in PSG shirts. Nothing particularly Mbappe-related, but it was lovely and very Left Bank.
According to reports, the club was planning to do something, but they ran out of time because his announcement was made only on Friday. That’s tough to swallow because they were aware that his contract was up on June 30, that he had already been informed in February that he would not be extending it, and that this home game would be his last. Club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi was omitted from the lengthy list of individuals thanked by Mbappe on Friday night, leading some to believe that his actions were motivated by jealousy.
Without a doubt, PSG will continue playing even without Mbappe. You’d think they could have planned a less clumsy split after being together for seven years.
Gab and Juls talk about PSG’s loss to Toulouse in Kylian Mbappe’s last game at the Parc des Princes, and how Gab and Juls are left perplexed by PSG’s “weird” farewell for Mbappe.
With their 50th game undefeated streak, Bayer Leverkusen is still in the hunt for the treble.
Bayer Leverkusen tied Roma 2-2 at home in Thursday’s Europa League semifinal, breaking Benfica’s record of consecutive undefeated games set after the war. The postwar record is relevant for what reasons? Just because domestic dominance is easier and there weren’t any UEFA tournaments before WWII.
Some may raise objections by mentioning the particulars of that Roma draw. Leverkusen trailed 2-1 in the match going into extra time, but they led 3-2 on aggregate thanks to their 2-0 victory at the Stadio Olimpico. That meant Roma were trying to win the game by sending more players forward, which helped set up Josip Stanisic’s equalizer in the seventh minute of stoppage time. That, though, is football. The breaks come at times.
I thought they might falter on Sunday away to Bochum after setting the record. Although Bochum aren’t great, they are hell-bent on avoiding relegation and are playing with all their might. As an interesting aside, they were the last team to defeat Leverkusen almost a year ago. Plus, you would have thought that Xabi Alonso and company would take a break and recharge for the finals of the German Cup and the Europa League—the other two legs of their potential treble—at some point.
No way. Even though Felix Passlack’s dismissal after 15 minutes helped, Leverkusen still cruised to a 5-0 victory, extending their unbeaten streak to 50 games.
Looking forward, Leverkusen appear to be truly voracious, and the ideal season appears to be within their grasp. They have a home match against Augsburg, who aren’t in it for the playoffs, a Europa League final against Atalanta, who pose the greatest threat, and a German Cup final against second-division Kaiserslautern.
No matter what happens next, this squad, this season, and this manager will be talked about for ages.
Is Brahim Diaz an improvement over his supporting role for Real Madrid?As Real Madrid’s backup star Brahim Diaz shines in a 4-0 win over Granada, Luis Garcia shares his thoughts on Diaz’s future.
TEN — Thibaut Courtois and Éder Militão start as Real Madrid’s B-team thrash Granada 4-0. Granada learned they were relegated just before kickoff, which is never good for morale. Nevertheless, the 4-0 thrashing did hurt, especially considering Madrid made nine changes compared to the Bayern-beating side. Brahim Díaz showed once again that he is a special player. Among them were Thibaut Courtois and Eder Militao. This was the second start for the latter player and the eighth appearance (and third start) for the former since returning from injury. Given that both players were starters prior to their injuries, and will continue to be so next season, it is reasonable to wonder if Carlo Ancelotti will start them in the Champions League Final instead of Nacho and Andriy Lunin. Of course, you want to reward Nacho and Lunin for their merit in getting there, but you also have to remember that the other two are clearly better players and that your job is to win. Ancelotti is aware that he is paid to perform, despite his seeming sensitivity. Both of them should be able to start at Wembley if they maintain their fitness and don’t exhibit any rust. Beyond what we’ve witnessed so far, they still have three games to prove their readiness.
NINE— “The Prince” is leading Atalanta to their own “treble”: Charles De Ketelaere became a joke last season after playing 40 games for Milan without scoring. He has 13 goals so far this season across all competitions, and he’s been instrumental in Atalanta’s push for a treble of their own: a spot in the Champions League in Serie A (thanks to a 2-1 win over Roma on Sunday), a spot in the Coppa Italia final (on Wednesday against Juventus), and a spot in the Europa League final against Bayer Leverkusen. While it may not be the Big Treble that Manchester City won last season, it is comparable when you consider the resources and grade it on a curve.
After Manchester City’s 4-0 thrashing of Fulham, in which defender Joško Gvardiol scored twice, Steve Nicol reacts by saying that Man City have “a queue of players” ready to hurt opposing teams.
EIGHT — Guardiola surprises everyone with a “new-look” Manchester City lineup, and the team continues to dominate Fulham to keep their title hopes alive. The formation is based on heat maps and average positions, and it features three central defenders, three central midfielders, Phil Foden behind Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland, and Josko Gvardiol on the left wing. (Upon the right wing, there was no one, with the exception of Bernardo Silva’s infrequent appearances). It was interesting to observe Guardiola’s adaptability (or, when things go wrong, what the critics term “tinkering” and “overthinking.”) Gvardiol, for his part, enjoyed playing the Jack Grealish role, setting up teammates for goals with crosses. He had gone about thirteen months without scoring before scoring five goals in his most recent seven club appearances.
Seventh, in the second half, Christian Pulisic and Rafael Leão rouse San Siro and the protesting fans. Similar to their previous encounter with Genoa, the Milan Ultras were “on strike” this time around, not displaying any banners (aside from one that read “The Sound of Silence”), flags, tifo, or singing. (Their problem? It’s complicated, but it comes from discontent with the way the club is run and with communication in general. It’s an attempt to highlight the Ultras’ dedication to the club.) This may have contributed to the relatively quiet first half against Cagliari. However, after the break, the Rossoneri roared to life, romping to a 5-1 victory that made many fans cheer again (the Ultras, that is). Also, it served as a timely reminder that Milan boasts two of Europe’s top wide players in the prime of their careers in Pulisic and Rafael Leao. Pulisic scored twice, and Leao scored the game-winning goal. Returning to the peak won’t take much time.
Expectations rise and fall throughout the season, but Tottenham keeps themselves in the hunt for the top four by relegating Burnley. Even though Spurs would have considered finishing in fifth place last summer, that was before we knew how terrible Chelsea and Manchester United would be. On the contrary, it feels like a failure following four consecutive losses heading into Saturday. For that reason, their 2-1 victory over Burnley was crucial. Aston Villa are four points clear of Liverpool, but they face a tough home game against them. The team’s response after a lackluster first half gave fans hope that they still have what it takes to win. That is, until Tuesday night’s visit from Manchester City…
Chelsea must decide Mauricio Pochettino’s future with the club as soon as possible, according to Ale Moreno, who claims the club must “stop the nonsense” about the matter.
FIVE—Todd Boehly claims the “plan is coming together,” but Chelsea has won three in a row after a comeback against Forest. No one anticipates being outplayed by Nottingham Forest, spending the majority of the season in midtable, or suffering more than a dozen injuries. And surely Mauricio Pochettino did not intend for Raheem Sterling to score a goal out of thin air, considering he had only started one league game for Sterling since mid-February. Without a doubt, Chelsea have failed miserably in keeping pace with the projected growth curve set by the club. However, several of the younger players, such as Nicolas Jackson and Malo Gusto, are beginning to show real improvement, with the exception of Cole Palmer (who has been fantastic throughout the season). Even with two games remaining, they are still in with a chance of playing in Europe, which is a huge improvement from their recent situation.
Four, as Bologna secure a Champions League spot with a win over Napoli, it’s not all about money. The sport can be so divisive at times that you might think there should be a trophy for more financially constrained teams that beat more affluent ones. With the fifteenth-highest salary bill in Serie A, Bologna moved up to third place with a 2-0 road victory over Napoli and a Champions League spot for next year. Like Girona in Spain, but not owned by the same people as Manchester City, they play in the Italian Serie A. Nope. The success can be attributed to the club, coach Thiago Motta (who has impressed with his attacking and entertaining style of play and is now being courted by six major clubs), goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski, winger Riccardo Orsolini, a talented group of young players like Riccardo Calafiori, Lewis Ferguson, Joshua Zirkzee, and others, and most importantly, to sporting director Giovanni Sartori. In certain situations, using your brain and being creative can be more valuable than just having money.
Marcotti: The Serie A season revolves around Bologna’s run to the UCL, as Gab Maroctti and Julien Laurens discuss the club’s disappointing top-four finish.
Thirdly, after losing the Champions League to Real Madrid, Bayern started playing their younger players and benchwarmers since they had nothing to lose. Zaragoza came out on top. Though Matthys Tel had an unusual start and rookie Lovro Zvonarek scored, Bryan Zaragoza was the standout player. Although he has only played a small amount of minutes for Bayern since joining from Granada in January, the 5-foot-5 winger proved his worth. While it’s true that height is unchangeable, there are some skills, like Tuchel’s, that cannot be taught, and some coaches simply refuse to play players of his size (at least when the game is on the line). It will be intriguing to observe if he is a long-term fixture for Bayern as more than just a showman or substitute for Bayern’s starting lineups.
TWO—Juventus once again falls short, but at least they’ll be playing in the Champions League next year. In all honesty, they weren’t that terrible against Salernitana, as the score (1-1 thanks to a late goal by Adrien Rabiot against the worst club in the league) implies. They played a respectable second half and were very determined to win (to the point that they nearly lost the game on the counterattack), but this is a team and its supporters that take great pride in their accomplishments and evaluate everything based on the final score. Not to mention those are unsightly. Juve has gone winless in six consecutive games; they were a mediocre team with 46 points at the season’s midway point and 21 in 17 games thereafter. This is so despite the fact that they skipped the European competition and Dusan Vlahovic’s return to form after a sluggish and clumsy first half of the season. The only silver lining is that they have mathematically secured a Champions League spot for next year. It is still up in the air whether Max Allegri will take charge as manager.
ONE—Dutch champions Dortmund thrash Mainz despite having nothing to play for as a club: PSG was eliminated from the Champions League by Dortmund last season, so the ten players who came in to replace them had plenty to play for as individuals. Rather, we were dealt a 3-0 loss at the hands of a team fighting for survival in the league. All three goals came in the first half of the match. It seems to reason that Felix Nmecha, Salih Ozcan, and Donyell Malen would all like to cast doubt on Edin Terzic’s mind in the lead-up to Wembley. Clearly insufficient, or perhaps it serves as a sobering reminder of the significance of motivation even when faced with pros at this level.
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By- Sahiba Suri