⚽︎Friday, September 15: The Derby della Madonnina
Inter vs. A.C. Milan headlines the weekend.
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Club football storms back in from the international break like the Kool-Aid Man, and so does TFW. There’s a Friday match, four straight for a proper Saturday, and two more on Sunday:
BAYERN MUNICH—BAYER LEVERKUSEN
MANCHESTER UNITED—BRIGHTON
INTER MILAN—A.C. MILAN
BARCELONA—REAL BETIS
ATLANTA UNITED—INTER MIAMI
EVERTON—ARSENAL
REAL MADRID—REAL SOCIEDAD
Plus: a Brazilian starlet disparages nightclubs; those white Nike boots; and Paul Scholes vs. Steven Gerrard, according to Paul Scholes.
BUNDESLIGA: BAYERN MUNICH—BAYER LEVERKUSEN
Friday 2:30pm ET on ESPN+ / 7:30pm GMT on SKY GO Extra
The visitors are top of the Bundesliga behind the stellar form of Victor Boniface up front. The Nigerian has 4 goals and 2 assists in 3 matches having arrived from Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise this summer to try to replace the production of Moussa Diaby after he departed for Aston Villa. Jonas Hofmann and Nathan Tella also came in for that purpose, while Granit Xhaka left Arsenal to anchor the midfield for a manager who knows a thing or two about that: former Liverpool, Real Madrid, and Bayern man Xabi Alonso is at the helm for Leverkusen and is looking to set his team up as Bayern’s chief competition for the German title.
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The big summer arrival for Bayern was Harry Kane, and he has 3 in 3 with an assist—a deft flick to Leroy Sané rushing through on goal—since he came over from Tottenham Hotspur. The England captain is one of the top link men in world football when he drops into midfield, and of course he scores bags of goals, too. He could be the final piece of the jigsaw for a club looking to return to Champions League contention along with the much-sought-after centerback Kim Min-jae, who turned down a move to Manchester United this summer to join from Italian champions Napoli. Joshua Kimmich will battle Xhaka in the midfield, and Jamal Musiala is the spark. He’s one of the world’s top young attacking midfield talents. Oh, and Thomas Müller is still scoring for club and country. The man whom the Bundesliga lists as “the most under-appreciated player in world football” turned 34 this week.
PREMIER LEAGUE: MANCHESTER UNITED—BRIGHTON
Saturday 10:00am ET on Peacock / 3:00pm GMT on N/A
It’s more-than-uncertain times at Old Trafford as the ownership, the manager, and the players are all under pressure. Fan fury at the ruling Glazer family exploded following murmurs in the press that they were backing away from a plan to sell the club to Sheikh Jassim of Qatar, who’s emerged as the more likely winner in a race with billionaire British industrialist Jim Ratcliffe. Manager Erik ten Hag has failed to get this group of players to consistently control games, often sitting in to absorb pressure and try to hit teams on the counterattack through Bruno Fernandes’ slick passing on the turn and Marcus Rashford’s pace.
Now there’s an injury crisis in the backline and ten Hag’s favorite at right wing, Antony, is out of the picture. Another winger, Jadon Sancho, has been put in timeout following his refusal to apologize for his part in an incendiary feud with the manager. Could a new option at right wing, perhaps Alejandro Garnacho, expose how Antony was flicks and tricks and few goals and assists? It’s been a disastrous international break for this outfit, and this could prove a festival of schadenfreude for United’s haters.
MAN U+118 | DRAW+310 | BRIGHTON+230
Some of their fans may well be praying for one of those smash-and-grab counterattack performances, even at home, because Brighton’s in town. The Seagulls are flying up from the south coast in fine form, with three wins from four and 12 goals scored. 18-year-old Evan Ferguson’s hat trick took him to four goals on the season last week, while manager Roberto de Zerbi has done wonders with Solly March (who’s on three goals). Then there’s the seemingly endless line of immaculately scouted Brighton players, all of whom are semi-soon-to-be-sold to Big Clubs who at some point might consider just poaching the scouts.
Pervis Estupiñán is a major threat getting forward from left back, and the Reds from Manchester may well be quaking in their boots at the thought of Kaoru Mitoma’s arrival, possibly in his (temporary) new Porsche. Aaron Wan-Bisaka will be tasked with containing him, but is Casemiro showing the same fitness and sharpness he did last season—enough to manage the threat of Pascal Groß’s late runs into the box?
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NO, I DON’T WANT NO CLUBS
You’ve got to be a baller if Real Madrid is fishing you out of the Brazilian league at age 16, and Endrick is very much that. As a kid, he’s been using his low center of gravity and prodigious strength to hold off grown-man defenders and spin into rampaging runs in behind. But it seems he won’t be running out with his boys on a Friday night in São Paulo:
“I hate nightclubs and I hate partying,” he told TNT Sports this week. “I don’t even like knowing how much I earn, I just want to play football.”
He’s saying all the right things—or at least what Madrid want to hear having shelled out €60 million for his services—though how many nightclubs has he been to? He turned 17 two months ago. He’s young enough that FIFA rules prevent him from registering as a Real Madrid player until next summer, at which point he’ll be ideally placed to hit Ibiza. Try it before you knock it, Endrick! It’s a long way from here to Ronaldinho.
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SERIE A: INTER MILAN—A.C. MILAN
Saturday 12:00pm ET on Paramount+ / 5:00pm GMT on TNT Sports 2 (Discovery+)
You may well know the origin story: A.C. Milan was founded in 1899, but by 1908 some dissidents within the club hierarchy were fed up with a ban on signing foreign players. So they founded an outfit of their own, Internazionale. The two have been at each others’ throats ever since, battling for titles while sharing home turf at the San Siro. That’s where both legs of a Champions League semifinal were played last May, as Inter coasted to a 3-0 aggregate win amid an injury crisis at A.C.
The Rossoneri have kicked that now. Rafael Leão has fitness and form, and he combines down the left to lethal effect with Theo Hernández, who may be the best attacking left back in the business. On the right, Christian Pulisic is searching for his Italian renaissance following a difficult spell at Chelsea and has a couple of goals to show for it already. Ruben Loftus-Cheek made the trek from West London as well, and he’ll provide the physicality and the engine in midfield alongside fellow new signing Tijjani Reijnders. RLC’s childhood buddy, Fikayo Tomori, is still working his way into form this season, and he’ll be looking to match his partner Malick Thiaw. In goal, Mike Maignan is an absolute force.
INTER-167 | DRAW+161 | A.C.+151
On the blue-and-black side, there’s a somewhat unusual Striker Captain situation with Lautaro Martínez. He’s a superb technician and striker of the ball who makes smart darting runs in the box when he’s full of confidence. He’s got five in three matches. Inter signed Marcus Thuram—son of French legend Lilian—this summer to partner him, and the 26-year-old has been a handful for defenses as a lung-busting runner and an aerial threat. Inter tore Fiorentina apart last matchweek with rangy counterattacking, physicality in the box, and clever interplay from advanced midfielder Nicolò Barella—who was shortlisted for the Ballon d’Or last week—and wingback Federico Dimarco. The latter likes his combination play, finding a one-two or a wall pass to take defenders out of the game.
At the base of the side is Alesandro Bastoni, whose elegant range of passing stretches out the opponents’ shape, and just ahead is Hakan Çalhanoğlu, another sharp technician who’s capable of the spectacular. He made the switch from A.C. to Inter a couple of years back and became a villain among the red-and-black faithful, who frequently reminded him of his mistake as they promptly went on to win the title. He’ll be thankful for the friendlier reception he’ll get from this mostly Interisti crowd. Speaking of which, check out when the Inter faithful raise up their phone flashlights in unison to create a light show in the terraces.
LA LIGA: BARCELONA—REAL BETIS
Saturday 3:00pm ET on ESPN+ / 8:00pm GMT on Viaplay
Injuries to Pedri and Ronald Araujo have left the Catalans a bit short, with Oriol Romeu the possible weak link in an otherwise stellar midfield featuring Frenkie de Jong and free summer signing İlkay Gündoğan. There’s the inevitable Robert Lewandowski up front, and he’s flanked by two products of Barça’s famed La Masia academy in 16-year-old Lamine Yamal and 19-year-old Gavi. The latter has prodigious touch on the turn, while the former is a dribbling trickster with a weapon of a left foot when he cuts inside from the right.
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On the other side, the story is Isco. After nine years at Barcelona’s great rivals, Real Madrid, he departed for Sevilla last season. But in December, he and the club agreed to terminate his two-year contract after four months. He nearly signed with Union Berlin the next month, but the deal fell through and he went clubless until July, when he signed with Sevilla’s crosstown rivals Betis. Now he’s found some form, and he’ll have a point to prove against his old enemies in so many Clásicos. The man still has his touch and the technique to beat the keeper:
GOAT SIGHTING: ATLANTA UNITED—INTER MIAMI
Saturday 5:00pm ET / 10:00pm GMT on Apple TV+
It’s not certain how long Lionel Messi will grace the artificial turf of the Mercedes Benz stadium to face off against Atlanta United’s own Argentine #10, Thiago Almada, as they’ll be just four days on from their 3-0 victory over Bolivia with the national team. It might be worth tuning in regardless to watch Sergio Busquets put on a show of deep-midfield playmaking.
ATL+155 | DRAW+300 | MIAMI+165
PREMIER LEAGUE: EVERTON—ARSENAL
Sunday 11:30am ET on Paramount+ / 5:00pm GMT on TNT Sports 2 (Discovery+)
Arsenal have not won at Goodison Park since 2017, losing four and drawing one in the time since. There were some dark years in there for the Gunners, but Mikel Arteta’s record against his old employers is generally poor. Arsenal took an L even as table-toppers in February, when Everton surfed a new manager bounce following Sean Dyche’s arrival. That match was the first signal that Eddie Nketiah could not entirely fill the boots of Gabriel Jesus after his injury at the World Cup, and while the young striker has put in a decent shift this season—culminating with an England call-up this international break—you wonder if Jesus could be sent in to battle the centerbacks and string the play together in sticky situations.
The incessant question around Arsenal, though, is whether Kai Havertz keeps his place alongside Declan Rice and Martin Ødegaard in midfield. The 24-year-old German offers height and snappy pressing off the ball, but he looks short of confidence when the chances fall to him. Fábio Vieira has two assists in the 47 minutes he’s been on the field in that Left 8 role, but he might not have the physicality for this assignment.
EVERTON+540 | DRAW+370 | ARSENAL-182
The Toffees’ 1-0 victory last season was the product of a James Tarkowski header from a corner, and they may need something similar to find victory on Sunday. Everton’s best asset is a powerful midfield trio of Amadou Onana, Abdoulaye Doucouré, and Idrissa Gana Gueye. They’ll get around the pitch and put Arsenal’s quarterbacks—particularly the metronomic Oleksandr Zinchenko, who does have a mistake in him—under pressure.
Tarkowski’s mates in the back line will be under pressure themselves, however, as Jarrad Branthwaite has yet to truly establish himself as a Premier League centerback and they’re still giving Ashley Young and Seamus Coleman games at the fullback positions. Both of them are in big trouble with Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka coming to town, while Everton’s goalscoring hopes lie almost solely with new signings Beto and Arnaut Danjuma. Old Dyche favorite Dwight McNeil seems lost in a blue jersey, wandering into central areas to receive the ball where he doesn’t look comfortable, and they sold creative force (and ex-Arsenal man) Alex Iwobi to Fulham this summer. The blue side of Merseyside has a lot to do if they want to avoid a third straight relegation scrap.
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THOSE WHITE NIKE BOOTS
Maybe it’s just what was hot during TFW’s own (extremely non-professional) playing days, but it’s great to see some white Nike boots out on the green turf again. There’s something about that big swoosh sweeping up from across the toes that says elegance. “Every time he touches the ball, the ball smiles,” José Mourinho once said of Mesut Özil, and I’d say the same for these new Nike Mercurial Superflys. The aforementioned Lamine Yamal is wearing them, but Martin Ødegaard might be the standout here. The Arsenal man is a kind of footballing Roger Federer, harnessing technique, grace, angles and composure to outwit and outmaneuver more physical opponents at the highest level. Now he just needs the titles.
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LA LIGA: REAL MADRID—REAL SOCIEDAD
Sunday 3:00pm ET on ESPN+ / 8:00pm GMT on Viaplay
The hosts have a bigger game ahead of them next week, but every match is must-see TV at the minute thanks to the Birmingham Galáctico, Jude Bellingham. He’s got five goals in four matches for Madrid playing a role where attacking midfield verges on withdrawn forward, including a grown man’s header in a hothouse atmosphere away at Celta Vigo a couple weeks back. He’s just 20 years old, and he’s skipped out on a lot of the drama that would have come with playing for one of England’s biggest clubs by moving to the biggest club there is.
REAL-476 | DRAW+200 | SOCIEDAD+308
On the other side, the Txuri-Urdinak are a talented outfit who scooted into La Liga’s fourth and final Champions League spot last season. Takefusa Kubo provides goal threat when he scampers in behind the back line from the right-wing position. Mikel Oyarzabal and Ander Barrenetxea are also dangerous, while fellow Basque local Martín Zubimendi—you can usually tell a Basque name from the X, Y, or Z—is quietly one of Europe’s top defensive midfield prospects.
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SCHOLES v. GERRARD
One of those endless debates among English fans is which midfielder of that golden generation was a cut above: Steven Gerrard? Paul Scholes? Super Frank Lampard? It’s an endless circle, round and round, because they each represented a big English club—Liverpool, United, and Chelsea—and perhaps because, for all the talent of that English generation, they never won a thing.
The Three Lions had three top players at the 8 position at the same time, and thus came the succession of England managers trying to fit Scholes and Gerrard, or Lampard and Gerrard, into the same team. Scholes was played out of position on the left—which may have played a role in his early retirement from the national team—and so were Lampard and Gerrard at times. Those teams lacked balance and often a holding midfielder, because Owen Hargreaves was the only class player they had of that description and he often struggled with injury.
That cohort’s failure was a major psychological scar for England supporters, so the debate goes on. Scholes weighed in this week with his answer on the matter: “We’re different, we’re very different…He’s an athlete. I think he’s more of a match-winner. But, he was playing in a team where he probably had to be. I was more part of a team. He was more individual I think…I wouldn’t be able to do what he did at Liverpool. Whether he could’ve done it at United, I don’t know. I don’t see why not. But I couldn’t have done what he did at Liverpool, no.”
This sounds about right. Scholes was the master passer and the tactical general, stringing things together and pulling the opposition apart. Gerrard was the all-action Roy of the Rovers you built your whole team around, the force of nature who could win you the match. With the benefit of modern tactics, we could fit both of these guys into a three-man midfield. Alas, they were stuck in the tactical prison of a bog-standard 4-4-2.⚽︎