Soccerlens.com

The link between rest and Champions League success (or why United failed in Europe)

Players should be guaranteed three full days’ rest between matches, the world players’ union FIFPro said on Tuesday, adding that the idea could bolster the much-criticised Europa League. FIFPro fully backed a study conducted by Dutch coach Raymond Verheijen which said that two days were insufficient and significantly affected a team’s chances of winning. After…

2012 Europa League Final Preview: Which revived Spanish side will triumph in Bucharest?

Coming into this season, many expected the UEFA Champions League final to be an all-Spanish affair between Barcelona and Real Madrid. That hasn’t come to pass, as Bayern Munich and Chelsea had other plans. However, La Liga is still assured of having a European champion this season, as domestic foes Athletic Club and Atletico Madrid…

Stoke City stats in Europe – making direct football work

According to Castrol EDGE Performance analysis 34% of Stoke City’s attempts on goal in the Europa League this season have been headers. The English team have been put down for only posing a threat from set pieces and long balls, a view backed up by 14 of Stoke’s 41 shots in this season’s Europa League…

Stoke’s European adventure on brink of knockout rounds

Stoke City continue to impress in their debut European season, as a 2-1 win over Maccabi Tel Aviv in Israel on Thursday night sees Tony Pulis’ side on the brink of qualification from Group E of the Europa League.

Europa League Preview: Tottenham, Fulham, Stoke and Birmingham in a confusing European adventure

The draw for the group stages of this season’s Europa League has thrown up a number of difficult and interesting challenges for England’s representatives, with qualification through to the knock-out stages far from assured. This term it will be up to Tottenham, Fulham, Stoke and Birmingham to do the nation proud, and test their wits…

Hearts’ Thrashing Shows Financial Fair Play Is Misdirected

When Tottenham stepped off the pitch at Tynecastle, having subjected a Hearts team who finished in 3rd place in the SPL last season – and briefly looked to challenge the Old Firm duopoly – the laments for the state of Scottish football were loud and numerous. It’s not hard to see how this position came…

Unstoppable Porto Set Up All-Portuguese Europa League Final

Three games. Fifteen goals. Even after a sloppy start in which they allowed Villareal to go in 1-0 up at half-time, FC Porto insisted on being brilliant. Having scored five in each leg against Spartak Moscow, Andre Villas Boas’ all-conquering cohort decided to repeat the trick in just one half against Villareal to set up…

Europa League: Benefit Or A Burden For Liverpool?

With Birmingham City already securing one of the Europa League places and another going to either Bolton Wanderers or Stoke City, finishing 5th place in the Premier League is the only remaining method to bag yourself a place in Europe this season. After Liverpool’s 3-0 win over Manchester City on Monday night, it would seem…

Europa League: Portuguese Navigators Must Beware the Yellow Submarine

These are unchartered waters for Portuguese football. With the national economy in tatters (and crippling international loans looking ever more likely), its football clubs are putting on a remarkable show in the Europa league, in which three Portuguese clubs are all in a strong position to advance to the Semi-Finals. ‘Can We Pay in Goals?’,…

Europa League Predictions: Why Portugal will dominate Europe’s second tier competition

The final eight for the Europa League has been assembled, and surprisingly no club from England or Italy will feature in the quarter-finals. Meanwhile, for the first time in their history, Portugal will be represented by three sides in the final eight of the same UEFA competition, with Porto, Benfica and Braga all in with…