European football
Ballon d'Or 2021: Who Will Win the Prestigious Award?
The Ballon d'Or is the most prestigious annual football award presented by France Football. This magazine has been presenting this award to the best footballer of the year regularly since 1958. At the end of the year, journalists, coaches, and national team captains vote to choose the best footballer in Europe. Every professional footballer's ultimate dream is to win this award. The best players from the clubs that won the Champions League and domestic leagues are usually nominated for the award. The eventual winner is then decided by vote. Who will win the Ballon d'Or 2021 is discussed in this article.
The front-runners for the prestigious Ballon d'Or 2021 award
We've compiled a list of the best performers so far this year to see who may win the Ballon d'Or 2021 award. Let's take a look at the top 10 players who are on this list.
10) Neymar (Brazil & Paris Saint-Germain) Achievements in 2021:
Coupe de France &Trophee des Champions
Brazil's star player Neymar had a decent season with PSG. He was unable to participate in the Champions League quarterfinals due to injury and also failed to assist PSG in winning the domestic league title. Even then, Neymar had shown his charisma in several matches of the 2020/21 season for Paris Saint-Germain.
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09) KylianMbappe (Paris Saint-Germain& France)
Achievements in 2021: Coupe de France &Trophee des Champions
Neymar's teammate KylianMbappe has been in great form this year. Mbappe is scoring regular goals for Paris. Although he could not win any big trophy with PSG, on an individual level he was outstanding.
08) Ruben Dias (Manchester City & Portugal)
Achievements in 2021: Premier League & Carabao Cup
Portugal's Ruben Dias was Manchester City's top player last season. He was in charge of Manchester's defense last season. Ruben Diaz will be hoping to make an impression during the Euro 2021 tournament for Portugal.
07) Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich & Germany)
Achievements in 2021: Bundesliga&FifaClub World Cup
Bayern Munich's Polish goal machine Robert Lewandowski was in superb form last season. However, Bayern Munich was unable to win anything other than the FIFA Club World Cup at the start of the year and the Bundesliga.
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06) Luis Suarez (Atletico Madrid & Uruguay)
Achievements in 2021: La Liga
Uruguay striker Luis Suarez left Barcelona last season to join Atletico Madrid. Suarez won La Liga for Atletico Madrid and made an invaluable contribution in winning the Spanish La Liga trophy for Atletico.
05) Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus& Portugal)
Achievements in 2021: Coppa Italia &SupercoppaItaliana
Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo had maintained his goal-scoring ability in the last season for Juventas. However, the season did not particularly go well for his club. Juventus confirmed their next season Champions League spot in the last match of the league.
04) Lionel Messi (Barcelona & Argentina)
Achievements in 2021: Copa del Rey
On an individual level, Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi is playing well enough this year. He has netted 28 goals this year but Barcelona could not win anything other than the Copa del Rey last season.
03) RomeluLukaku (Inter Milan & Belgium)
Achievements in 2021: Serie A
Striker RomeluLukaku played a key role in Inter Milan's Serie A triumph last season. He was in magnificent form throughout the last season. So the Belgian striker is one of the prime contenders to win the next Ballon d'Or trophy.
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02) Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City & Belgium)
Achievements in 2021: Premier League & Carabao Cup
Kevin de Bruyne of Manchester City is currently one of the top midfielders in the world. Kevin may win the Ballon d'Or award for the first time if he performs well for the national team at Euro 2021.
01) N'GoloKante (Chelsea & France)
Achievements in 2021: Champions League
Chelsea and France's standout midfielder N'GoloKante knows how to take possession in the middle. His contribution to Chelsea's Champions League victory was crucial. Kante won the best player of the match award three times in a row in the last season CL from the semi-final to the final. So, Kante is one of the hot favorites to win the Ballon d'Or 2021 award.
Bottom Line
Winning the Ballon d'Or at least once is the dream of every professional footballer. Because the athlete who receives this award is highly regarded and admired by everyone. Many famous footballers of the world have established themselves as one of the best players in history by winning this award multiple times. The Frenchman N'GoloKante is one of the favorites to win the Ballon d'Or 2021 this year because he was instrumental in Chelsea's Champions League victory. However, the equation may change if any star player does well in the Euro 2021 tournament.
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UEFA EURO 2020: The favourites, underdogs and outsiders
The Euro 2020 was suspended because of the pandemic coronavirus. The competition was postponed for a year due to growing concern over covid-19. Finally, UEFA Euro 2020 will begin on June 11 this year. The month-long tournament will end on July 11 at wembley stadium in London with the final match. Although Portugal won Euro 2016, they are not the favourites to win this year's tournament. Other European giants are strong contenders for the prestigious title. Which European teams have the best chance of winning the competition this year? In this article, we discussed the UEFA Euro 2020 favorites, underdogs, and outsiders.
Who are the favourites to win Euro 2020?
France
The 2018 World Cup champion, France are one of the favourites to win Euro 2020 this year. This team has some of the most well-known players in the world today, who can make opponents scared. France can win the European Championship for the third time if they are in good form from the start of the tournament.
Five key playersto watch out for
Antoine Griezmann (Striker), KylianMbappé (Striker), N'GoloKanté (Midfielder), Paul Pogba (Midfielder), RaphaëlVarane (Defender)
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Belgium
Belgium's greatest team in history will compete in the Euro 2020 competition. They have several outstanding players in every department. However, they lack confidence as they yet to win a major championship. Belgium's best achievement in the Euro tournament is finishing second in the 1980 edition.
Five key players to watch out for
RomeluLukaku (Striker), Kevin De Bruyne (Midfielder), Thomas Meunier (Midfielder), Toby Alderweireld (Defender), ThibautCourtois (Goalkeeper)
England
A handful of standout players have joined the England national squad in the last five years. That's why England coach Gareth Southgate feels optimistic about his team. England, who have never played in a final before, are hoping to win the tournament this year.
Five key players to watch out for
Harry Kane (Striker), Raheem Sterling (Midfielder), Phil Foden (Midfielder), Kieran Trippier (Defender), Jadon Sancho (Midfielder)
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Who are the underdogs to win Euro 2020?
Germany
Germany have always been the hot favourite of the tournament. Their form have deteriorated in recent times. However, the Germans may become invincible once the tournament begins. If that happens, no one will be able to stop Germany from becoming the first team to win the tournament record four times.
Five key players to watch out for
Timo Werner (Striker), İlkayGündoğan (Midfielder), Toni Kroos (Midfielder), Manuel Neuer (Goalkeeper), Thomas Müller (Midfielder)
Portugal
The tournament's current champion, Portugal have a chance to win it again. However, they are not favorites this time. Many consider Portugal to be the underdog side in this year's tournament. Cristiano Ronaldo will be hoping to win one more Euro before retiring from international football, and this might motivate the Portuguese.
Five key players to watch out for
Cristiano Ronaldo (Striker), Bernardo Silva (Midfielder), Bruno Fernandes (Midfielder), Rúben Dias (Defender), Pepe (Defender)
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Spain
2010 World Cup champion, Spain are no longer as strong as they were five years ago. The team have a number of new players. Nonetheless, Coach Luis Enrique remains hopeful. If Spain can make it to the knockout stage, they have a chance to do well.
Five key players to watch out for
Álvaro Morata (Striker), Sergio Busquets (Midfielder), Rodri Hernández (Midfielder), Koke (Midfielder), César Azpilicueta (Defender)
Read: Winners and losers at the end of 2020/2021 European Season
Who are the outsiders to win Euro 2020?
Italy
The failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup saddened Italian supporters. The national squad of Italy is still under a lot of pressure and many people regard them as one of the outsiders to win the tournament. It will be a great success for Italy if they can make it to the semi-finals.
Five key players to watch out for
Moise Kean (Striker), Marco Verratti (Midfielder), Leonardo Bonucci (Defender), Giorgio Chiellini (Defender), GianluigiDonnarumma (Goalkeeper)
Netherlands
The Netherlands football team is also in a bad position. They have been trying to build a solid team since last year. The Netherlands have a number of talented young players, so it will not be surprising if they reach the Euro 2020 final.
Five key players to watch out for
Memphis Depay (Striker),Frenkie de Jong (Midfielder), GeorginioWijnaldum (Midfielder), Matthijs de Ligt (Defender), Jasper Cillessen(Goalkeeper)
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Croatia
The 2016 runner-up, team Croatia has lost some of its strength. So, it would be unreasonable to expect too much from them. Croatia have a chance to reach the final of the competition if they play at their best.
Five key players to watch out for
Ante Rebić (Striker), Mateo Kovačić (Midfielder), Luka Modrić (Midfielder), Ivan Perišić (Midfielder), DejanLovren (Defender)
Verdict
We examined the strengths of the tournament's comparatively stronger teams to predict who could really win the UEFA Euro 2020 and who would be the favorites, underdogs, and outsiders. After evaluating the teams' strengths; it's clear that England, France, and Belgium are the front-runners to win the championship. Furthermore, Germany, Portugal, and Spain all stand a good possibility of winning Euro 2020. Momentum is crucial for this type of mega event. Overall, we expect the best team will win the tournament.
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Winners and losers at the end of 2020/2021 European Season
The European football season 2020/2021 has come to an end after overcoming multiple challenges because of Coronavirus. All of Europe's major teams are in financial problems in the midst of the ongoing Covid-19 situation. So, the teams were relatively quiet during the previous summer transfer window, which had a significant impact on their outcomes. Several European clubs have fallen short of the expectations for the 2021 season. Relatively weak clubs have enjoyed a successful season. This article discusses how the major European clubs fared this season. Let's take a look at the winners and losers at the end of the 2020/2021 European Season.
English Premier League
Manchester City were crowned English Premier League champion for the 2020/2021 season. Although Man City had a difficult start to the season, they were able to turn things around in December. Manchester City climbed to the top of the table with 15 consecutive victories and went on to win the Premier League with 86 points.
This is Manchester City's seventh first-division league title. In addition to the Premier League, Manchester City also won the EFL Cup and secured the Champions League final for the first time. Citizens will face Chelsea in the CL final. Pep Guardiola's Manchester City will end the season with a high if they win the best tournament in Europe.
On the other hand, Manchester United came second in the Premier League with 74 points. Ole Gunnar Solskjær's Manchester United reached the Europa League final under, but the Red Devils were defeated by Villarreal in the title match. This season, Manchester United failed to win a single trophy.
Following the sacking of Frank Lampard in January, Thomas Tuchel was appointed as Chelsea's new manager. Chelsea reached the Champions League and FA Cup finals under his management but lost the FA Cup final against Leicester City. They will be able to finish the season well if they win the Champions League. Chelsea have also confirmed their place in the Premier League's top four.
2020 premier league champions Liverpool finished third in this season Premier League with 69 points. Despite being in a dire situation in the middle of the season, the All-Reds were able to secure a Champions League spot as their form improved towards the end of the season.
Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal also had a bad season. Tottenham reached the EFL Cup final, where they were defeated by Manchester City. Arsenal, on the other hand, had advanced to the Europa League semi-finals.
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Spanish La Liga
Atletico Madrid won the 2021 La Liga title with 86 points, after a strong battle throughout the season. Despite their success in the Spanish league, Atletico Madrid were eliminated from the Champions League in the quarterfinals.
On the other hand, Real Madrid finished second in the league this season and reached the semi-finals of the Champions League. However, Real Madrid finished the season trophy-less for the first time since 2010. While, Barcelona won the Copa Del Rey but exited the Champions League in the round of 16 and finished third in the league. Among others, Villarreal won the Europa League and Sevilla secured the top four of the points table.
Italian Serie A
After ten years Italian Serie has won a new team. Inter Milan is the new league champion with 91 points. On the other hand, after being the champion for ten years in a row, Cristiano Ronaldo's Juventas have to be satisfied with fourth place in the league this season. The Turin-based team won the Supercoppa Italiana despite not winning the league.
Second-placed AC Milan (69 points) and third-placed Atlanta (6 points) have been confirmed as Champions League participants for next season. Napoli finished fifth in the league despite their excellent performances throughout the season.
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Others
Bayern Munich have once again won the German Bundesliga. They earned a total of 78 points. Bayern Munich reached the Champions League quarter-finals this season. On the other hand, Leipzig (65), Borussia Dortmund (64) and Wolfsburg (61) have confirmed the top four of the league.
Meanwhile, Lille have won the French Ligue 1 with 83 points, following a season-long contest with Paris Saint-Germain, who came in second with 82 points. Paris Saint-Germain reached the Champions League semi-finals this season.
Among the other major European leagues, Ajax have won the Dutch league, Sporting Lisbon have won the Portuguese league, and Rangers have won the newly formed Scottish Premiership for the first time.
Bottom Line
At the end of the 2020/2021 European season, it is apparent that several of the major teams failed to meet the expectations. Barcelona, Real Madrid, Juventus, and PSG are among these teams. They were unable to form strong squads during the summer transfer window last season due to the coronavirus. Next season, fans will be permitted inside the stadium, and it is predicted that the European giants will make a strong comeback in the 2021/2022 season.
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UEFA president urges Super League owners to reverse decision
In a direct appeal to the owners of the English clubs in the Super League project, UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin urged them Tuesday to change their minds out of respect for soccer fans.
Ceferin both cajoled and criticized the six-club English group — made up of American billionaires, Middle East royalty and a Russian oligarch — less than 48 hours after the Super League was launched in alliance with three clubs from each of Italy and Spain.
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“Gentlemen, you made a huge mistake,” Ceferin said in a speech to European soccer leaders at the UEFA annual meeting. “Some will say it is greed, others (will say) disdain arrogance, flippancy or complete ignorance of England’s football culture. It does not matter.
“What does matter is that there is still time to change your mind. Everyone makes mistakes.”
Ceferin urged them to turn back out of respect for fans in England, aiming another barb at what he earlier called “a few selfish people.”
“Come to your senses,” he said. “Not out of love for football because I imagine some of you don’t have much of that.”
Ceferin also lavished praise on UEFA executive committee colleague Nasser al-Khelaifi, the president of French champion Paris Saint-Germain. PSG has so far resisted offers to be one of the 15 founding Super League members. Bayern Minich and Borussia Dortmund have also stayed out.
“Nasser, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You showed that you are a great man,” Ceferin told the Qatari official before also citing Bayern chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.
The UEFA president also spoke about an email he received from a fan of Tottenham, one of the six rebel clubs from the Premier League.
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“If you read the email you would be close to crying,” Ceferin said of the fan he identified only as Trevor, whom he had given two tickets to the 2019 Champions League final, when Tottenham lost to Liverpool.
Ceferin said fans and governments have supported UEFA in resisting the proposed 20-team Super League, which threatens to directly challenge the Champions League and damage the historic pyramid structure of European soccer.
“We cannot lose this match,” said Ceferin, a Slovenian lawyer.
The clubs have not said when their planned breakaway league, underwritten by American bank JP Morgan Chase, would kick off.
On Monday, Ceferin said he wanted Super League clubs and their players banned from all UEFA competitions “as soon as possible.”
It is unclear if UEFA’s legal statutes and Champions League rules will allow that before Real Madrid, Chelsea and Manchester City play in the semifinals next week. Manchester United and Arsenal also play next week in the Europa League semifinals.
Earlier Tuesday in a speech that seemed to blame the club owners and absolve players, FIFA president Gianni Infantino said he can only “strongly disapprove” of the Super League.
“If some elect to go their own way, then they must live with the consequences of their choice,” Infantino said. “They are responsible for their choice.”
How European football is badly affected by the pandemic covid-19?
Watching football matches in European stadiums is always a joyful experience. But the coronavirus outbreak has resulted in significant changes in people's daily lives for the last year. All football leagues in Europe are being held behind closed doors after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the coronavirus an epidemic in March 2020. According to a study, the combined loss of Europe's major football clubs due to covid-19 is more than 1 billion euros. This shows the extent of the pandemic's impact on European football! This article discusses how European football is badly affected by the pandemic covid-19.
The brunt of covid-19 on European football
On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the novel Coronavirus outbreak a global pandemic. Since then the major football leagues in Europe are being played in empty stadiums.
Initially, any limitations on sporting events were ruled out by the British government. But after large outbreaks at Arsenal and Chelsea, the Premier League ultimately agreed to take a 100-day break.
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The domestic leagues in Spain, France, Italy, and Germany were postponed following government directives and the rest of Europe's top leagues took long breaks as well.
Euro 2020 was suspended for one year, while Europe's most prestigious club football competition champions league 2020 completed in the month of August.
Fans were allowed to return to the stadium at the beginning of the year but the plan halted after the second wave of the covid-19 virus and the spread of new variants caused new lockdowns across Europe.
There was a concern that teams will go bankrupt due to the stop of ticket sales, but thankfully clubs have managed to recover some initial losses. We can expect fans will return to the field soon following the start of mass vaccination programs across Europe.
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The financial effects on European football due to covid-19
The loss of matchday and commercial revenue as a result of the scheduling delays has had a substantial effect on European football.
The finances of 43 European clubs were investigated by KPMG, an accounting firm, and it was discovered that net profits dropped 1.2 billion euros last season.
Barcelona, Juventus, and Arsenal are among the top clubs trying to convince their star-studded players to take salary cuts as a result of the covid-19.
Among Europe's elite clubs, Barcelona are in a real crisis. Their current debt is in excess of $1 billion. While, according to the reports, the Premier League clubs are losing nearly $150 million every month because of the ongoing pandemic situation.
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Because of the epidemic, clubs are unable to spend as much as they used to at transfer windows.In the January transfer window, just $327 million was traded, less than half of what was invested in the previous transfer window.
Besides that, the European Football Association suffered a significant financial loss after the cancellation of Euro 2020. To compensate for the deficit, they want at least half of the stadium's overall capacity to be filled during the forthcoming tournament. Only time will tell if this is even possible especially in the midst of the second wave covid-19 across Europe.
The epidemic has resulted in significant financial losses in sponsor and broadcasting deals.However, it is anticipated that the damage predicted at the beginning of the lockdown did not happen.
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Bottom Line
European football leagues are among the most popular sporting events in the world.Billions of euros are spent on the clubs every season.But European football is badly affected by the covid-19. Football leagues in Europe were suspended due to lockdown between March and May 2020.The spectator is a major source of revenue for the clubs.
However, since the games are played behind closed doors, the clubs have missed out on millions of dollars in ticket revenue. Furthermore, due to the economic downturn affected by the pandemic, players are not being traded significantly during the transfer window.Clubs are now more relying on their own academies to form first-team squads. The recession is expected to last much longer unless the coronavirus outbreak is contained.
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Football Transfers 2021: The hot favorites to replace Sergio Aguero at Man City
Sergio Aguero was transferred from Atletico Madrid to Manchester City for a world record fee of 31.5 million pounds in the summer transfer window of 2011. He scored in injury time against QPR in the final Premier League match of the 2012 season and guided Man City to win their first-ever Premier League title. Kun has since become a Manchester City legend. In an official statement, Man City announced that the Argentine forward will leave the club at the end of the 2020-2021 season. In this article, we have mentioned some names who are the hot favorites to replace Sergio Aguero at Man City.
The probable candidates who can replace Man City’s Aguero as a center forward
It will be difficult for Man City to find a striker with the same agility and versatility as Sergio Aguero. However, the Citizens will seek to include one of Europe's best forwards at the moment to replace their most successful goal-scorer ever. Let's take a look at some of the striker names who could succeed Sergio Aguero at Manchester City.
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6) Philippe Coutinho
Philippe Coutinho was bought by FC Barcelona for a record transfer fee from Liverpool in 2018. But Coutinho has struggled to live up to his full potential at the nou camp. The Brazilian forward is going through a tough time since suffering an injury at the start of the season. According to reports, Coutinho is expected to be released by Barcelona next season. No one doubts Coutinho's football ability. Therefore, Manchester City can easily sign 29 years old Coutinho at a low price.
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5) Joao Felix
Joao Felix caught the attention of the major European teams because of his outstanding performances for Portugal in age-level tournaments. Felix was eventually purchased by Atletico Madrid from Benfica in the summer of 2019. But the Portuguese star has yet to reach his full potential. However, he has enough talent to make any European squad. Joao Felix could be Aguero's long-term replacement at Man City.
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4) Lautaro Martinez
Argentina's Lautaro Martinez has successfully established himself as one of the team's best players after joining Inter Milan in 2018. Having scored nearly 50 goals for Inter so far, Martinez is regarded as one of Europe's best-rising stars. Martinez will be wanted by a lot of teams next season. No doubt, he has been listed as a potential replacement for Sergio Aguero by Manchester City. The talented striker may be seen in Pep Guardiola's Man City squad next season if he's available at a reasonable price.
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3) Paulo Dybala
Paulo Dybala has been a household name in world football since joining Juventus in 2015. Since 2017, Dybala has worn the number 10 jersey for Juventus, one of Italy's best players. He has already won several domestic titles for this club. As a result, the 26-year-old Argentine star is ready to take on a new challenge and the Premier League may be an ideal place for him to showcase his talent. So it would not be a surprise if Man City include Sergio Aguero's compatriot Paulo Dybala as a replacement.
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2) Erling Haaland
Erling Haaland is the most talked-about young footballer in the world right now. The tall Borussia Dortmund striker stunned everyone by reaching record 20 Champions League goals in the fewest matches (14). The 20-year-old Norwegian striker is in great form in this season's German Bundesliga. All of Europe's big clubs will fight to sign him next season. However, Sources have confirmed that a club has to spend at least 180 million euros to sign this talented striker, which is very expensive in the current COVID-19 situation. Though, Manchester City has no problem spending money. In addition, Haaland's father once played for Man City, so the citizens are quite hopeful to bring him to the Etihad stadium.
1) Harry Kane
Tottenham Hotspur and England captain Harry Kane is Manchester City's first choice player to replace Sergio Aguero. Kane will turn 28 in July, but he has yet to win a trophy in his professional career. He has hinted that he may switch club next season in order to win silverware. In the Premier League, Harry Kane has already scored 160 goals. To break Alan Shearer's 260-goal record, he'd have to play for a big English club for at least another five years. In that case, Man City would be the best choice for him.
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Bottom Line
The Argentine forward displayed his true class by scoring two goals and providing one assist in his debut match against Swansea City in 2011. Since then he has scored 256 goals for Manchester City, which is a club record. So far, Sergio Aguero has won four Premier Leagues, one FA Cup, five EFL Cups, and three Community Shields for Man City. Aguero has the most goals (181) by a foreign player in the Premier League, as well as the most hat-tricks (12) in the league history. Manchester City would have a tough time finding a suitable replacement for such a player. However, the above-mentioned players have the talents and are the hot favorites to replace Sergio Aguero at Man City.
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Agreement on new Champions League format delayed until April
A decision on the new Champions League format has been delayed until next month after hitting a late stumbling block over how the commercial and broadcasting rights will be sold to European football's elite competition.
UEFA hoped to use an executive committee meeting on Wednesday to ratify the expansion of the group stage from 32 to 36 teams, jumping from six to 10 rounds of matches from 2024.
There is broad agreement between European clubs and domestic leagues on the new format after years of wrangling. But UEFA has to resolve the broad details with the European Club Association over the creation of a joint venture to sell rights to the Champions League, a person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press on Tuesday.
Clubs will gain a say only in the marketing and television rights sales of the competition, leaving UEFA to still control the sporting and governance aspects, the person said on condition of anonymity to discuss confidential talks.
UEFA wants a minimum guarantee of revenue to protect its financial position, while also taking a 6.5% cut of the cash generated by the joint venture that would replace Switzerland-based agency TEAM Marketing, which has had exclusive rights from UEFA to sell the Champions League since 1992.
The Champions League currently shares almost 2 billion euros ($2.4 billion) each season among 32 clubs, who are split into eight groups of four to start with. The new format will add 100 games as a 36-team single-standings league is created, adding in four more clubs from the current format.
That would guarantee 10 games for each of the 36 teams, against 10 different opponents with balanced schedules based on seedings. The current format consists of six group games against three opponents. The top eight teams would advance to the round of 16. The next best 16 teams would enter a two-leg playoff to complete the bracket. The tournament would also play matches for the first time on Thursdays which has previously been reserved for the Europa League.
While the second-tier competition is envisaged to stay at 32 teams, it is also set to adopt a variation of the "Swiss System" format from chess tournaments. So the number of rounds in the group stage would rise from six to eight.
UEFA confirmed the future of club competitions from 2024 would still be discussed at the executive committee meeting on Wednesday.
"However, any official decision in this respect will only be made at the next UEFA executive committee meeting on 19 April, in order to finalize ongoing discussions," the governing body said in a statement.
European Leagues president Lars-Christer Olsson said last week he received "guarantees that no clubs are taking over the club competitions from UEFA" during a conversation with the governing body's leadership.
"It's UEFA club competitions and they will always have the final say," Olsson said. "That is not handed over to any other body for decision making."