All posts by n8rngtd.top

Eighteen teams remain in the running to lift the trophy in December ahead of the revamped postseason

It's that time of year. As the fall marches towards the winter, you can smell the chaos in the air. Ladies and gentlemen: Welcome to the MLS Playoffs.

Watch the playoffs with MLS Season PassStart your subscription

Unfortunately, the script writers couldn't quite fit Lionel Messi into the festivities. Inter Miami dug themselves too deep of a hole before his arrival, one not even the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner could quite shovel them out of. It would have been a wild sight, though: seeing Messi try and help claw Miami through the MLS postseason.

No Messi, no problem, though. As always, the postseason field is wide open, with any number of teams feeling like they can go on a big run. It starts on Wednesday with a pair of Wild Card matches featuring each conference's bottom two seeds. From there, the first round will be played in a best-of-three format, with each team hosting one of the first two games and the third being hosted by the higher seed, if necessary. After that, it'll be single-elimination right up until the MLS Cup final on December 9.

So how did we get here and who is likeliest to come out on top? GOAL takes a look at every team as we prepare for the start of the postseason:

• @Getty
  

  Eastern Conference No.1: FC Cincinnati

  The league's best team in the regular season and the Supporters' Shield winners. It's hard to ever pick a favorite in MLS, but if you had to, it would be Cincy.

  They're led by the runaway MVP favorite, Luciano Acosta, who contributed an absolutely wild 17 goals and 13 assists this season. He's not alone, though, as he'll have U.S. men's national team star Brandon Vazquez alongside him in what may just be his last go-around before heading to Europe.

  Defensively, Matt Miazga may just be the Defender of the Year, while Colombian Santi Arias gives them ridiculously good wing-back play.

  Overall, they lead MLS in so many metrics, have playoff experience and will play every game at home the whole way. They're the team to beat.

  First round: vs. Charlotte FC/New York Red Bulls

Advertisement

• Roman Burki
  

  Western Conference No.1: St. Louis City SC

  How in the world did they pull this off? MLS' newest team has shattered every expectation imaginable, going from expansion side to MLS Cup contenders almost instantly. They had the best record in the West during the regular season, led by Roman Burki, who will win MLS Goalkeeper of the Year.

  The big question is if this is all sustainable. The club outperformed even the most hopeful of projections and, admittedly, came back down to earth in the final weeks of the season. That's not to say that the St. Louis we saw for the first few months wasn't for real, but they are limping into the postseason somewhat.

  If this club pulls it off, it'll be one of the most absurd and unbelievable MLS Cup runs in history. For this league, that's saying something!

  First round: vs. Sporting KC/San Jose Earthquakes

• Getty
  

  Eastern Conference No.2: Orlando City

  Like St. Louis, we have to ask: how the hell did they get this far? The team with the lowest payroll in the league, Orlando City continues to silence the doubters. Head coach Oscar Pareja is an MLS miracle-worker, and he's done special, special things with this team so far this season.

  Duncan Maguire is following the likes of Daryl Dike and Cyle Larin as the club's great rookie striker, scoring 13 goals and providing three assists in his first season after college. Facundo Torres, meanwhile, is a bonafide star that will be in Europe sometime soon.

  Overall, Orlando is a well-rounded, well-coached team, and this may just be Pareja's best chance at finally turning regular season success into a deep postseason run.

  First round: vs. Nashville SC

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images
  

  Western Conference No.2: Seattle Sounders

  On the flipside of a few teams we mentioned, the Sounders are a team that are postseason regulars. Somehow, some way, they're always here.

  And this is a team that many thought wouldn't be. Key stars are aging out, with club legend Nico Lodeiro already having announced that he's leaving. Rising stars, meanwhile, are too young, with the club having spent this season blooding in some potential key players for the future.The Sounders should be in a rebuilding phase but, instead, they're going for another MLS Cup.

  With their playoff experience, it'll take complete performances to really bury this Seattle team, one that'll know exactly what they're signing up for as the postseason begins.

  First round: vs. FC Dallas

The Nigerian shares a deep bond with Naples and its people – but relations with his club are strained after two stupid social media posts

Ahead of Tuesday's mouth-watering Champions League meeting with Real Madrid at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, Napoli coach Rudi Garcia praised his side's illustrious opponents for replacing Karim Benzema with Jude Bellingham.

However, while the Englishman is a multi-skilled generational talent that has done an outstanding job to date of making up for the shock loss of one of the game's great goalscorers, he is not a No.9, as even Garcia acknowledged. So, it would be foolish – and indeed unfair – to expect him to maintain his current strike-rate of seven goals in eight games.

Of course, Joselu has made a reasonable start to his Santiago Bernabeu career, as Garcia also pointed out, but the 33-year-old is neither an elite-level striker nor a long-term solution. But let's face it, if Madrid want to get back to winning Champions Leagues, they need a world-class centre-forward, just like the one they will be going up against in Naples.

And what's so fascinating about this crunch Group C clash is that Victor Osimhen might even be attainable during the January transfer window, thanks in no small part to one of the most shocking social media gaffes in Italian football history.

• Getty
  

  Diplomatic incident

  Napoli posted two videos to TikTok after last month's 0-0 draw with Bologna. In one, Osimhen was mocked for missing a penalty. In the other, he was compared to a coconut. Both were eventually taken down – but by that stage it was too late. The damage had already been done.

  The posts had literally created a diplomatic incident, with Nigeria's sports minister, Senator John Owah Enoh, revealing that contact had been made with not only the player himself, but also the country's ambassador to Italy to ensure that "our athletes are afforded the respect they deserve and that they are not exposed to injustice, discrimination and unfair teasing".

  Napoli insisted that it had never been their intention to "offend" Osimhen, whom they described "as a treasure of this club", and pointed out that they had rebuffed every offer received for the forward during the summer transfer window to further underline how highly they value him.

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  'Nobody wanted to be hurtful'

  It was a very modern apology, though. Napoli were only 'sorry if anyone was offended' and the problem was that Osimhen was outraged by the posts. While he was deleting every single Napoli-related image from his Instagram account, his agent, Roberto Calenda, was threatening legal action.

  Garcia tried to calm the situation, arguing "Nobody wanted to be hurtful, not the TikTok with the video of Victor, nor Victor by taking down his photographs on social media. Nobody intended to hurt anyone, these are instinctive reactions and are understandable."

  However, Osimhen remains miffed. He appeared to blank his team-mates before Napoli's next outing, against Udinese, and also refused to celebrate after scoring in the 4-0 win at the Maradona. His subsequent strike against Lecce on Saturday was also met with a muted reaction, which only heightened the tension among Napoli fans.

• Getty Images
  

  'I will not allow anyone to come between us'

  Osimhen finally broke his silence the following day to express his enduring love for Naples and its peoples. "I will not allow anyone to come between us," he declared on Instagram. "The passion of the people of Naples fuels my fire to always play with my heart and soul, and the love for the badge is unwavering as I wear it with pride."

  Tellingly, though, Osimhen made no mention of the club itself, which has led to further speculation over his future.

  There's certainly no denying that this controversy could not have come at a worse time for Napoli, who are presently trying to tie Osimhen down to a new contract. An extension looked set to be signed during the summer, but the two parties have still not come to an agreement over the size of the buy-out clause, which is obviously of great interest to the many clubs interested in Osimhen's services.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• (C)GettyImages
  

  Destined to leave eventually

  Al-Hilal, remember, offered a fee in the region of €200 million (£174m/$212m) for the 24-year-old during the off-season, only to be told by Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis, "Your offer can buy a single foot of Osimhen. For next year, I think you'll be able to offer €500m and we'll maybe consider your offer, but I'll repeat myself: maybe."

  The thing is, though, as it stands, Napoli won't be able to demand such a fee for Osimhen next year, given his contract expires in 2025. Therefore, it is absolutely imperative that they get Osimhen to not only put pen to paper on a new deal, but also get him to agree to a buy-out clause that ensures that Napoli will not be short-changed when the time comes to cash in on their most valuable asset.

  Because make no mistake about it: Osimhen will eventually move on. He's never hidden his desire to play for a top Premier League club (he grew up idolising Didier Drogba, for what it's worth), while it's also been claimed that Madrid are the only team he'd consider joining.

Numerous fans of Manchester City have been reacting to a post on Twitter which relayed Sam Wallace’s claim that the Cityzens, as well as the other five Premier League breakaway clubs, are “committed” to the European Super League.

On a day which has the potential to go down as one of the most important in the history of modern football, with Manchester City, Liverpool, Manchester United, Tottenham, Chelsea and Arsenal announcing that they intend to join the newly-formed European Super League, there remains a great deal of uncertainty about the future of the sport.

As a result, The Telegraph journalist Wallace has been attempting to keep fans up to date on the latest developments regarding the new competition, and he claimed late on Sunday evening that he was “sad” to report that sources have confirmed the clubs are “committed” to the breakaway.

After City Xtra relayed Wallace’s claim on Twitter, numerous fans of Manchester City flocked to have their say on the matter, with many venting their fury at their club’s involvement in the “horrific” new plans.

What exactly did these Manchester City fans have to say in reaction to Sam Wallace’s claim?

“Disgusting.”

@Ethan73918517

“This can’t be real”

@EnzoKrieger7

“Please no.”

@FPL_Ben_

“Absolutely disgusting.”

@Jason_RN99

“Absolutely horrific.”

@mik8000

“Disgraceful.”

@Calvin9820

In other news: ‘Scenes’, ‘Wow’, ‘Special’ – Lots of MCFC fans ecstatic as ‘ridiculous’ transfer news emerges – find out more here!

Diogo Jota’s wife, Rute Cardoso, claims Liverpool’s controversial clash with Tottenham was “rigged” by the “clown” officials taking charge.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Portuguese forward sent off
• Jones also dismissed
• Diaz saw goal wrongly disallowed

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Reds suffered a dramatic 2-1 defeat in north London that threw up all kinds of talking points. Luis Diaz saw a goal wrongly ruled out for offside, leading to PGMOL issuing an apology for a “significant human error” and Jurgen Klopp’s side calling for an investigation into how these mistakes keep on happening.

Advertisement

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Liverpool also had Jota and Curtis Jones sent off, with questions being asked of both red card decisions. Jones was dismissed for a supposedly reckless challenge, which saw his boot slide over the top of the ball, while Jota made little contact with Destiny Udogie when collecting two yellows in the space of 22 seconds.

  Instagram

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Cardoso has now hit out at referee Simon Hooper, his team of officials and those in the VAR booth. In one post on Instagram, which includes the statement from PGMOL, she has added the text “rigged game” with a line through it. She has also stuck a giant clown emoji onto an image of her husband collecting the first of his bookings for clipping the heels of Udogie.

  Instagram

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

  Liverpool face the threat of a fine from the Football Association for collecting more than five yellow cards in one Premier League fixture, while Alexis Mac Allister is at risk of sanction after airing his own complaints on social media – with the World Cup-winning Argentine suggesting that Spurs benefited from having “12 players”.

Lionel Messi has turned Inter Miami into a winning machine, with his impact in Florida felt even when he is unavailable for selection.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Argentine made immediate impact
• Florida outfit unbeaten in last 12
• Superstar missed latest win in MLS

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  That was the case for Inter Miami’s latest MLS outing against Sporting Kansas City, with the Argentine icon away on 2026 World Cup qualifying duty with his country. Tata Martino’s side prevailed 3-2 in Messi’s absence, keeping them in the hunt for what appeared to be an unlikely play-off spot when an all-time great was welcomed onto their books.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  WHAT THEY SAID

  Leonardo Campana was on target against Kansas City and told reporters afterwards of how Messi has helped to deliver a remarkable reversal in fortune for a side that was struggling for any kind of spark prior to his arrival. The Ecuador international striker said: “I said it yesterday, I think [Messi] gives a lot of players confidence, now we believe it, we know what we’re capable of. That was the main thing in getting the three points today.”

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Martino added on Inter Miami proving that they can compete when Messi does not form part of their matchday plans: “For a group of players who work so much with a team-mate who’s the best player in the world, when he’s not playing, it’s also comforting to them to know they can win.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty
  

  WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

  Inter Miami are yet to suffer defeat since Messi’s move to the United States was completed, with 11 victories – including some in penalty shootouts – picked up from 12 fixtures across Leagues Cup, U.S. Open Cup and MLS competition.

A number of Liverpool fans have been reacting positively to the news that Roberto Firmino is back in training after injury.

The Reds will be approaching almost three weeks without a game by the time they visit Arsenal on Saturday night as they make a welcome return to action.

It may not have been the season that Jurgen Klopp and his players envisaged back in the summer, but there is still plenty to fight for, with a top four finish and Champions League glory not out of the question.

Liverpool’s struggles in 2020/21 have been mainly down to injuries, with an endless list of players absent at different times and centre-back trio Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip all out until the summer.

The Reds’ woes have been easing slightly in recent weeks, however, and they have now been given a further boost.

Firmino was back in training on Monday after missing the last three matches with a knee problem, putting him in contention to start against Arsenal.

Liverpool fans react to Firmino update

While the Brazilian may not have been in the best of form this season, these supporters took to Twitter to express their happiness at Liverpool’s number nine returning to the fold.

“Yessssss Bobbinho, glad you’re back from injury, let’s beat Arsenal and get our revenge on Madrid once and for all”

Credit: @Runisheen02

“Man I got time for Bobby. Squad is getting back to its normal level with so many fit players. Timing is perfect for the next few matches as well”

Credit: @BamzTindo

“Need a no look goal the weekend please Bobby”

Credit: @MrChadZA1

“Arsenal ain’t ready for this sauce”

Credit: @Zweli_Energy

“There is something that the kop want you to know…”

Credit: @danrumfa1

“Our number 9. Nuff said”

Credit: @janrye72

In other news, Liverpool are reportedly keen on signing a fellow ‘big six’ Premier League player – find out who it is here.

Every summer, GOAL will publish its exclusive list of the 25 players who have proven themselves truly elite by consistently producing top performances

World-class… It's an invisible but important tag, one that separates the good from the great. But it's such a subjective term. Every football fan has their own definition, their own set of criterion, leading to endless but thoroughly enjoyable debates in stadiums, dressing rooms, cafes, bars, pubs and clubs all across the world.

So, we at GOAL have decided to get in on the fun by compiling a list of the 25 players that we believe represent the game's elite, the best of the best, the guys that have been producing stellar performances over a sustained period of time.

In order to avoid focusing solely on attackers – which, let's face it, nearly always happens when it comes to individual awards and accolades – we've decided that there must be at least three players from each position group (goalkeeper, defence, midfield and attack), but a maximum of nine from each.

We'll also be updating membership on an annual basis to take the preceding year's performances into account, meaning players will come and go from this most exclusive of footballing clubs.

But who makes this year's list? Who are the 25 members of the inaugural World-Class Club? Find out below, and be sure to express your approval – or outrage – in the comments…

• GOAL
  

  Alisson Becker (Liverpool)

  The archetypal modern goalkeeper? Alisson wasn't the first sweeper-keeper, but he's undeniably one of the greatest exponents of the role we've ever seen. He makes mistakes sometimes, but errors are inevitable when you're willing to take so many risks to help your team build from the back. His ability to pick out the likes of Mohamed Salah with long balls forward is also quickly becoming the stuff of legend.

  However, the main reason why Alisson is such a great goalkeeper is that he time and time again produces big saves at big moments for both Brazil and Liverpool. Indeed, during a difficult 2022-23 season for the latter, Alisson repeatedly came to the Reds' rescue.

Advertisement

• Getty/GOAL
  

  Karim Benzema (Al-Ittihad)

  Nobody was more surprised by Benzema's decision to move to Saudi Arabia than Real Madrid: Carlo Ancelotti and Florentino Perez were desperate to get another year out of the Frenchman, who, despite an injury-interrupted 2022-23 campaign, remains one of the best goalscorers in the game.

  Replacing one of the most complete No.9s in history certainly won't be easy. We're talking about the current Ballon d'Or holder here, which is precisely why he's included on our list. Whether he'll retain his membership next year, though, is a different story altogether…

• GOAL
  

  Casemiro (Manchester United)

  Some presumed Casemiro was finished when Real Madrid allowed him to join Manchester United last year, but nothing could have been further from the truth. The Brazilian made a monumental impact at Old Trafford, with several pundits hailing him as the most influential arrival since Eric Cantona. With Casemiro in the middle of the park, hoovering up possession, using the ball cleverly and even scoring crucial goals, United managed to win the Carabao Cup and, far more importantly, secure a return to the Champions League.

  Casemiro's status as one of the great modern midfielders was already secure because of what he achieved in Madrid, but he's actually managed to add to his legacy since moving to Manchester.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• GOAL
  

  Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid)

  For a long, long time, the big Belgian didn't get the credit he deserved, despite sensational spells at both Atletico Madrid and Chelsea. However, all that changed after Courtois' record-breaking, match-winning display for Real Madrid in their 2022 Champions League final win over Liverpool.

  Courtois may not be as comfortable with the ball at his feet as some of the other goalkeepers on our list, but his status as one of the very best shot-stoppers in the world can no longer be questioned. He has the medals, numbers and highlight reel to prove it!

GOAL brings you all this season's leading marksmen from Saudi Arabia's top division – who will come out on top?

Many eyes will be on the Saudi Pro League this season following Cristiano Ronaldo's move to Al-Nassr in the January transfer window, which will have bought attention unlike ever before to the competition – and most would expect him to win the Saudi Pro League Golden Boot.

However, this is also an opportunity for other players to shine in the limelight.

The likes of Anderson Talisca, Carlos, Abderrazak Hamdallah, and others have been setting the league on fire with their excellent performances and will have additional motivation with Ronaldo's arrival.

GOAL is on hand to monitor the exploits of Ronaldo and his fellow prolific marksmen in the race for the top-scorer title.

• Ittihad Twitter
  

  1Abderrazak Hamdallah | Al-Ittihad | 21 goals

  The veteran striker continues to be one of the most elite goalscorers in the Saudi Pro League, which helped him get a spot in Morocco's World Cup squad.

Advertisement

• spl twitter
  

  2Anderson Talisca | Al-Nassr | 20 goals

  Before Cristiano Ronaldo joined, Talisca was Al-Nassr's ace. His goals have helped his team top the table and him the goalscoring charts for now. While he may no longer be their main man, his performances continue to be top-notch.

• Hilal Twitter
  

  3Odion Ighalo | Al Hilal | 19 goals

  Ighalo has been a top-notch goalscorer in whichever league he has played in, and remains so in his fourth season in the Saudi Pro League.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty
  

  4Firas Al-Buraikan | Al-Fateh | 17 goals

  The young Saudi Arabian forward has impressed for both club and country this campaign, and is well on his way to beat his tally from last season.

Xavi's side had to settle for a 0-0 draw against 15th-placed Getafe, meaning they have not scored in any of their last three games in all competitions

Robert Lewandowski was anonymous as Barcelona were held scoreless by relegation-threatened Getafe, as they continued their stumble towards the Liga title with a second successive 0-0 draw.

The Blaugrana rattled the post twice in quick succession midway through the first half, with Raphinha and Alejandro Balde both denied by the woodwork.

Chances were at a premium for the rest of the contest, though. Gavi fired wide, Raphinha had a shot tipped around the post, and while Getafe occasionally threatened, the hosts never carved out a clear goalscoring opportunity.

🏆 TOP STORY: Chelsea absolutely dominated by Brighton

📣 HAVE YOUR SAY: Are PSG on the way to a club record Ligue 1 title streak?

🚨 MUST READ: The ONLY man capable of stopping Haaland is Pep

Meanwhile, Lewandowski, Barcelona's big summer signing, was kept quiet as he struggled to assert himself on the kind of contest he was bought to help the club win.

GOAL rates Barcelona's players from Coliseum Alfonso Perez…

• Getty Images
  

  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Marc-Andre ter Stegen (6/10):

  Didn't really have a save to make.

  Sergi Roberto (3/10):

  Removed with a leg injury inside 20 minutes.

  Ronald Araujo (7/10):

  Probably Barca's best player on the day. Absolutely imperious.

  Jules Kounde (5/10):

  Bit nervy at centre-back, far better at right-back. His long-term position can perhaps be called into question.

  Jordi Alba (5/10):

  Looked exhausted after an hour. Can't really be entrusted to start these days.

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  Midfield

  Franck Kessie (6/10):

  Glimpses of quality, but didn't offer the creative spark his side needed on the day.

  Sergio Busquets (5/10):

  Kept the ball moving, but his lack of pace can be immensely frustrating when Barca have to play fast.

  Gavi (6/10):

  Won a lot of tackles, kicked a lot of people, and sprinkled in some moments of individual quality. Now leads La Liga with 62 fouls committed.

• Getty Images
  

  Attack

  Raphinha (6/10):

  The Blaugrana's most consistent attacking threat, although he can be a bit predictable sometimes. Saw a curled shot tipped around the post late.

  Robert Lewandowski (4/10):

  Lifeless, maybe injured.

  Alejandro Balde (5/10):

  Handed an unlikely start at left-wing, looked far more comfortable when moved to left-back.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images
  

  Subs & Manager

  Eric Garcia (4/10):

  Introduced for the injured Roberto. Started at right-back then moved to a more central role. Didn't have much to do next to Araujo.

  Ansu Fati (4/10):

  Appeared to have nailed down a spot in the side, but saw Balde start on the left ahead of him. Went on a nice run or two, but is lacking confidence in the final third.

  Ferran Torres (4/10):

  Doesn't really offer much to this side.

  Pablo Torre (N/A):

  A last-minute introduction.

  Xavi (3/10):

  Fiddled with his line up a bit, reverting back to a 4-3-3 and putting Balde at left-wing. Didn't quite work in the first half — although the Blaugrana did hit the post twice. They struggled to create in the second, and had no answers for Getafe's organised unit. They will still win the league, but this was yet another poor showing.

Liverpool have been linked with yet another centre-back ahead of the summer transfer window – the latest name on the table being Ezequiel Garay.

The Argentine defender has been out of contract since the end of the 2019/20 season, with former employers Valencia electing not to extend his deal at the Mestalla.

Now, reports from Spain suggest that the Reds are interested in his services in a move that would be somewhat perplexing.

Since his release by Valencia, Garay has not played any football at all.

His last appearance was in a 1-0 win against Celta Vigo in February 2020, a game in which he suffered a cruciate ligament injury, effectively ending his time at the Spanish outfit.

Should he arrive at Anfield, then he would, of course, be going through the same recovery process as the likes of Virgil van Dijk and it would thus take some time for him to regain his match fitness considering his break away from the game.

[snack-amp-story url=“https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/latest-liverpool-transfer-rumours-and-news” title=” Latest Liverpool transfer rumours and news!”]

Not only that, however, but at the age of 34, the 32-cap Argentina international would need a period of adaptation to the Premier League having never ventured into English football before.

This would make his potential signing somewhat mystifying considering that The Reds need a defender to make an instant impact in their squad.

Of course, Garay would bring plenty of experience and pedigree having represented the likes of Real Madrid, Benfica, Zenit St Petersburg and of course Valencia.

He would also save The Reds a considerable amount of money being available on a free transfer.

However, despite Michael Edwards having developed a reputation for finding bargains, Garay is certainly one that he should veer away from.

AND in more news, take a look at which Bundesliga starlet could replace Divock Origi at Anfield…