Bayern's style feels aspirational within the context of post-pandemics and ghost games, that this is the level that a team can reach within the new normal. Read more »
Soccer Analysis
Hansi Flick & Bayern Define Dominance In The Ghost Game Era
All Eyes On The Bundesliga: Protest And Tribute Fill Silent Stadiums
Maybe the emptiness within the stadiums has given the space for player tributes and protests to gain extra resonance. Will this moment continue to build momentum as other European leagues return in the upcoming weeks? Read more »
Better With Age, Aritz Aduriz Says Goodbye Before Our Dream Final
Maybe Aritz Aduriz was never going to be what he became without a decade of struggle and study. And maybe his career unfolded exactly as it should have. Read more »
The Bundesliga Returns In Sportsmanship & Silence
The Bundesliga may have been the perfect league to restart without supporters. Its frenetic, pressing energy translating through our televisions displays the players' commitment despite a lack of noise. Read more »
What Jurgen Klopp Wants Isn't What Society Needs
Jürgen Klopp's got a great career and a lot of money. Anybody trying to cut the line- to have their concerns addressed before those truly in need- is worthy of scorn. Read more »
The Sporting World Turns To The Bundesliga's Restart
It is appropriate that the Bundesliga would be the first major league to return due to its forward-thinking, innovative reputation. How German soccer unfolds over the next several weeks could influence the sports schedule for the rest of this summer at the very least. Read more »
Ligue 1 And The Eredivisie Leave Smaller Clubs Behind
The immediate financial implications are obvious, yet spiteful, behind-the-scenes memories may last even longer. Read more »
Soccer & Storytelling Series: Sergio Ramos Redefines His Own Narrative
If there was any athlete who needed to tell their own story considering the gap between how they're perceived and how good they actually are, it was Sergio Ramos. Read more »
It's Time To Start Figuring Out Next Season
There is no good reason why leagues can't hit the ground running whenever they get the all-clear. The sooner the planning starts, the more enjoyable the soccer will be upon its return. Read more »
Sunderland Doc Find Community In Pre-Pandemic, Lower League Soccer
Though much of Sunderland's financial situation was self-inflicted, thus one could raise a question of why certain clubs should be saved if they were so unsustainable in the first place. This also raises discussions about the meaning of lower league football in a country's footballing ecosystem. Read more »
The Anxiety Between Citizen, Player, Local Club & Global EPL
Has the global nature of the league, with its billion dollar television rights and record-breaking branding campaigns, changed something fundamental in the relationship between players and club? Read more »
Patriotism, Collaboration & Solidarity In La Liga
One consequence of this lockdown, and life without sport, could be a re-examination of our relationship with athletes. Javier Tebas played up the unity by saying "there are no first-class and second-class citizens" despite examples that the pandemic could further economic inequality. Read more »
Resolving A Suspended Season: Balancing Hope, Sporting Integrity & TV
Soccer wasn't always just about the result, was it? The background, interconnected cycle between matches, television, and revenue has also been made explicit as leagues scramble for solutions. Read more »
Serie A In The Time Of Coronavirus
The silence and emptiness could reset, or remind us of the relationship between players, teams, and its supporters. The players provide the goals and the three points; the supporters add the context and meaning that turns players into stories that live on for years. Read more »
Atleti Beating Liverpool Defies Expectation, Explanation
Liverpool were doing what they needed to do to come out on top. Dominating possession, driving Atleti into their own box, pulling even before halftime, working Jan Oblak, finally breaking through early in extra time. It was all very intelligible. Read more »
Vincius Junior Drives Real Madrid & El Clasico Into A New Decade
The latest Clasico highlighted how Real Madrid are investing heavily into developing young players, while Barcelona are the ones buying established, superstar names that may or may not fit into the larger team. Read more »
Building A Modern Club From Scratch, Part 2: Inter Miami
There is no better symbol for the state of MLS than David Beckham, branding power, and Liga MX's influence. The superstars will arrive one day. But in the meantime, Inter Miami have quietly built a foundation tested and honed for success in the Americas. Read more »
Building A Modern Club From Scratch, Part 1: Nashville SC
Nashville SC has a chance to embody their high-pressing philosophy in its purest form, showing the soccer world what it could look like when starting from the very foundation. Read more »
Atleti's Capacity To Beat Liverpool Remains Largely Theoretical
In what was either a doubling or a tripling back on what they actually are versus what most people believe them to be, Atleti were impenetrable and opportunistic on Tuesday against Liverpool. Read more »
Will Diego Simeone Ever Leave Atletico Madrid?
Those demanding Diego Simeone leave Atleti must be careful. It's not just the role that must be replaced, but also the meaning. Read more »