Real Madrid Lead La Liga Again in 558 Days

After the first three rounds of the season, Real Madrid stand as the only team in La Liga with a perfect record, collecting nine points to sit alone at the top of the table. According to football analysis sources cited by Marca, this is the first time in 558 days that Los Blancos have led the league outright. The last time Real Madrid topped La Liga was after Round 25 of that season. At the end of Round 24, they had 60 points to Barcelona’s 56, holding a four-point lead….

Yanbian Defender Could Be Key for China

The Asian qualifying stage for the 2018 Russia World Cup’s final 12 teams kicked off last week, with Asia’s top national sides making their opening appearances. For Chinese fans, the 12-team tournament offers not only familiar faces from the national squad but also a host of well-known Asian foreign players currently active in the Chinese Super League (CSL). China has been drawn in Group A alongside South Korea and Uzbekistan, which means several CSL teammates are now opponents on the international stage. In South Korea’s starting back four against China,…

Chelsea’s Title Wins Follow a Clear Pattern

Chelsea have made a perfect start to the new Premier League season, securing three straight wins to collect nine points and sit alongside Manchester City and Manchester United at the top of the table. According to Bleacher Report, this opening streak is more than just a strong start — it has historically been a sign of Chelsea going on to win the league. In every Premier League season where Chelsea have lifted the trophy, they began with three consecutive victories. Last season, the Blues slumped to 10th place, but under…

James Still on Bench, Plays Just 12 Minutes

In the opening round of La Liga, Real Madrid cruised to a 3-0 away win over Real Sociedad. Yet despite several absences among the regular starters in midfield and attack, one player’s mood was far from celebratory—James Rodríguez once again found himself stuck on the bench, only entering the game in the 78th minute. During the UEFA Super Cup earlier this season, Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema, Luka Modrić, and Toni Kroos were all left out of the starting lineup. Even then, James was only given the third substitution…

Magath’s 11 Matches with 5 Tactical Setups

With the final whistle from referee Fan Qi, Shandong Luneng sealed a 2-1 away victory over Guangzhou R\&F, earning their first road win of the Chinese Super League season. Foreign striker Graziano Pellè celebrated by embracing teammate Wu Xinghan, who had come on as a substitute but missed two golden scoring chances. Fortunately for Luneng, his fellow 1993 Olympic squad teammate Liu Binbin scored the decisive goal. Since Felix Magath took charge, aside from target man Yang Xu, who did not feature in this match, and the departed Diego Tardelli,…