Atalanta and Gian Piero Gasperini are one of the feel-good success stories in Europe that every so often gives you a kind reminder that all is perhaps not lost in the murky world of football. In 2020, Atalanta were one of the best teams in Europe and certainly one of the most in-form teams in…

“That’s a really tough one. I think trying to speak and communicate as much as you can with family, whether that’s on FaceTime on the phone, or texting,” he added. These were the words of Ademola Lookman, talking to Sarah Shephard of The Athletic recently. He was asked how he felt dealing loneliness that comes…

The night of December 21st, 2020, Moises Caicedo walked off of the field for the last time as an Independiente del Valle player. They had just suffered a 1-0 loss to CD Macara in the Second Phase of the Ecuadorian Serie A. Just a few days later, he was plucked from his native land to…

Stefan Bajčetić received a standing ovation from the Anfield terraces as he was substituted against Everton on February 13. The teenager was named as man of the match in his first ever Merseyside derby. He emanated maturity way beyond his years: a pillar of calmness, technique and dynamism that dictated proceedings from the middle of…

Racing Genk is enjoying another fantastic season in the Jupiler Pro League. After 24 matches, the Limburg-based side leads the league by seven points over last season’s runners-up Union St. Gilloise. Chasing their fifth title in club history, Genk has a number of players having fantastic seasons.     That includes Belgian Mike Trésor Ndayishimiye, or…

Jeffrey Schlupp is a fascinating case study in the art of perception. It’s always felt like the Ghana international has been on the fringes of every team he’s been at; a bit part player capable of remarkable moments of attacking intelligence, but a disposable option at that. Yet here he is at 30 years old…

You know that scene in Space Jam where the Monstars stole the NBA players’ ability, and suddenly the most talented players in the world couldn’t make a dunk or a pass. Over the last year, fiction became reality as this happened to Marcus Rashford. After successive world-class seasons, it looked like the academy graduate was…

Name: Carlos Alcaraz  Age: 20 Position: CAM/CM/LM Height: 6’0/1.83M Preferred foot: Right   Just over a year on since Southampton’s official ownership change, they currently languish at bottom of the Premier League table after back-to-back 15th-place finishes in the previous seasons. With Rasmus Ankersen, former Brentford co-director of football entrusted with the Chief Executive position,…

Malik Tillman, 20, has been in sensational form and has become a fan favourite with his majestic displays in a Rangers shirt. In his first proper season playing senior football, the US international has nine goals and five assists for the Light Blues. Some of the Rangers faithful perhaps lost faith in Tillman before the…

When you mention Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting to casuals or non-Bundesliga watchers, the rhetoric would still be his failed stint at Stoke City or how he has the best agent because of how he subsequently got moves to PSG or Bayern. However, the rise of Choupo-Moting as one of the key cogs in the Bayern machine…