JUST JOSE THINGS

 

Image Credit- Sky News.

Jose Mourinho has been appointed as the new manager of Benfica after being sacked by Fenerbahce a few days ago. Despite finishing second in the league, Jose was sacked by the Turkish Club because he failed to get them a spot in the Champions League. However, now comes the interesting part: Fenerbahçe lost their place in the Champions League because they were beaten by Benfica in the qualifiers. As a result, the Fenerbahçe management decided to part ways with Jose. However, just a few weeks after the sacking, Jose has joined the club that actually got him sacked. Jose has joined a club that is playing in the European Competition. Truly a Jose Thing.  

THE TOPSY TURVY RIDE

 

Image Credit- Chelsea Football Club

The 2024-25 season was a wonderful season for Chelsea Football Club. After all, we lifted not one but two pieces of silverware after three long years. First it was the UEFA Conference League, and second was the FIFA Club World Cup. By winning the Conference League, we became the first club in Europe that has won all three European titles. Furthermore, the victory in the USA was even more special since it was the inaugural edition of the newly launched FIFA Club World Cup. 

Interestingly, we won that trophy by hammering PSG 3-0. Paris Saint-Germain are presently in their peak era. They are Champions League winners. Moreover, they hammered the top clubs whom they faced in the Champions League as well as the Club World Cup. As a result, a victory against them is even more special.

Due to the success in 2024-25, the hopes were high at Stamford Bridge. People started believing that we can win the Premier League this season; after all, we have a team that can beat the best of oppositions. However, after two months one can say that the journey has been a topsy-turvy ride.

The team lacks consistency and is struggling to perform on the big stage. We are presently reeling in the 8th position in the Premier League and have lost our opening Champions League game against Bayern Munich. Yes, we have managed a win in the Carabao Cup. However, this is not what we expect from Chelsea. Chelsea is a big team, and we expect them to perform like a big team. 

Can we make a comeback from here? Definitely yes. But it won't be easy. After all, we have a mountain to climb. But, we have done that in the past, and one will hope that they will replicate it again.

THE MAN

 

Image Credit- The New York Times.

Date- 24 July, 2000

Luis Figo was unveiled at Real Madrid. One of those footballing transfers that shocked the entire footballing circuit. The impossible had happened. After all, the best player in the world, set to win the Ballon d’Or, has left Barcelona to join Real Madrid. Interestingly, this was the transfer that launched the Galacticos Era and made Perez the most influential club president. This move made him the man.

THE CRISIS IS DEEPENING

Image Credit- WION.

Even though the new season has begun in most European and Asian nations, Indian football has been in disarray for the past several days due to uncertainty surrounding the Indian Super League's (ISL) future. The All India Football Federation (AIFF), the highest governing organization of Indian football, is currently experiencing an existential crisis and may be banned by FIFA. The primary problem is the protracted delay in implementing the AIFF's new constitution. Furthermore, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and FIFA are both displeased with the postponement of the start of the new football season. When these problems will be fixed has not been confirmed yet by the men in power.

Indian football would suffer a severe blow if AIFF were to be suspended once more. All Indian clubs and national teams will be excluded from participating in international competitions. This includes the women's squad, which has already earned a spot in the 2026 Asian Cup, and the senior men's team, who will play Singapore in the Asian Cup qualifications. Additionally, teams like Mohun Bagan Super Giants and FC Goa could not be able to participate in the Asian Champions League Two. Hence one can only hope that the person in authority will fix the things right before its too late.

The crisis is deepening with every passing day. Only God knows when things will turn for good. 

WILL THIS BE BARCELONA'S SEASON?

 

Image Credit- FC Barcelona

The 2024-25 season was one of the finest seasons of FC Barcelona in recent times. Since 2019, the club has struggled both on and off the field. The management struggled in signing players and maintaining finances. On the other hand, the club failed to win silverware. However, things changed with Hansi Flick's arrival. 

FC Barcelona started demolishing their opponents just like they used to do in the good old days. The club won the Spanish Super Cup, Copa Del Rey, and the elusive league title. Unfortunately, they failed to complete the historic treble, as they were knocked out by the Inter Milan side in the Champions League semi-finals. The men from Barcelona gave everything in San Siro but missed it by the barest of margins.

Interestingly the defending champions have started off their campaign in style. The intensity and the style are nothing different from the previous season. They want to defend their titles at all costs. However, Barcelona is not a side that will get happy by just winning the domestic silverwares. They are European royalty who have won the UEFA Champions League on 5 occasions. The least being 2014-15. In the subsequent years they came close but failed to get past the semi-final stage. Will they win the elusive European title this year? The answer lies in the womb of time. However, for the time being everything looks good in Catalonia. 

FC BAYERN IS BACK

 

Image Credit- Bundesliga.

The last few years have not been good for the Bavarians. In the 2022-23 season they won the league by the barest of margins. In the following year, they lost the league after 11 long years as Bayer Leverkusen won their first-ever Bundesliga title. Even though the men in red fought hard and regained the league title next year, their performance was not that impressive as it used to be. 

Bayern meant domination, and that was quite missing. However, this time the German Champions have started it right. Firstly, they won a hard-fought DFL Super Cup game. However, it was the opening day of the Bundesliga season, which has shaken the entirety of Germany and Europe. FC Bayern Munich were facing RB Leipzig on Matchday 1. Leipzig is a tough team, but the way the Bavarians dismantled them was something truly unbelievable. 6-0. You read it right. The defending champions hammered the visitors and started off their 2025-26 campaign in grand style. Their striker Harry Kane got a hat trick as the Bayern Munich looks determined to defend their title. 

However, Munich is not a side that will get happy by just winning the domestic titles. They are a European royalty who have won the UEFA Champions League on 6 occasions. The least being 2019-20. In the subsequent years they came close, but failed to get past the semi-final stage. Will they win the elusive European title this year? The answer lies in the womb of time. However, for the time being everything looks good in Munich.

THE LEGEND OF KEVIN DE BRUYNE

 

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Kevin De Bruyne needs no introduction. He is a certified legend of the game. Be it international or club football, he has proved his worth again and again. Interestingly, when he joined Manchester City in 2015, he was dubbed a flop signing who doesn't deserve the amount of money he received. 

However, in the next decade he literally blew away everyone he faced. Such was his aura that when he returned back after an injury in 2024, these were the lines of Jurgen Klopp: “Kevin De Bruyne is warming up. The whole country is starting to shake.” In those ten years Kev made City a formidable force to reckon with, and the club won every piece of silverware possible. Unfortunately everything comes to an end, and so did Kev's association with the club. 

In 2025, Kevin joined the Italian champions Napoli, which marks a new chapter in his glorious career. He got his first goal in the opening game itself as the Champions started off their campaign with a win. Will Napoli defend their title? The answer lies in the womb of time. However, the addition of mighty Kev will surely boost their chances.