Mikel Arteta and Xabi Alonso prepare for an intriguing tactical battle in the first Premier League meeting between old friendsControl v chaos. On the one hand, the forces of order, regimented, playing in precise patterns and, on the other, something darker, more visceral, a method that acknowledges the imperfection of the human soul, the unknowability of football in all its randomness; better, that second way says, to attempt to ride the fury than to believe it might be harnessed.When it began, a decade ago, that’s how the Pep Guardiola v Jürgen Klopp rivalry appeared. Apollo v Dionysius. Two fundamentally opposed ways of seeing the world. But in time, the two crept towards each other. Klopp moved away from the heavy metal of his Borussia Dortmund years to something more conservative. Guardiola experimented in multiple directions, slowly abandoning the possession-oriented idealism of his past to something less radical but also less predictable. Continue reading...
Nico Kovac conceded Borussia Dortmund rode their luck after they were forced to come from behind to beat Hoffenheim on Saturday. The post Kovac grateful for ‘lucky win’ after Dortmund turnaround stuns Hoffenheim appeared first on SoccerNews.
Arsenal loanee inspires late goal in 3-2 win at HoffenheimAthletic Bilbao thump Atlético Madrid 3-0 in La LigaLautaro Martinez scored in the 91st minute as Inter rallied from two goals down to secure a stunning 3-2 home Serie A victory over Napoli, continuing their 100% start to their title defence.Napoli looked to be on course for victory when Matteo Politano and Rasmus Hojlund put them 2-0 up after 53 minutes, but Martinez’s first goal halved the deficit and Marcus Thuram equalised eight minutes from the end. Both sides had excellent chances to win it after that but it was Inter who took theirs when Martinez stabbed home the ball at the back post from a corner. Continue reading...
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