My overall feeling from the press conference is that the brothers care a lot about the club. They mentioned how they were fans of the club throughout this season and got to watch games while they were still in Mexico. Miguel also mentioned that it is “a dream come true” for the brothers. I think the club is in excellent hands moving forward. Moving stadiums sounds all but certain, they said they will start looking for other venues. I have to think the earliest they would move would be the start of the 2025 season. The brothers also mentioned that their main target for players is Young Canadian players but Mexican players as well as players across the world are all options.

Some notable quotes from the press conference

When asked about the early plan for developing the club and making a championship team, Ricardo mentioned investing in Canadian talent. He also mentioned being competitive in every tournament.

Eduardo on the club’s continuous stadium conversations: “We’re very thankful for York University, it’s a great first-class university and a great venue, but we need our own stadium”. He also says they are going to start looking at options immediately.

Eduardo on the club’s main target player-wise: “Young Canadians, but Mexico is an option for us”

Ricardo is very confident in the team he is inheriting: “I think the team has great players. I think it’s the best roster in the league” Eduardo also backed him up on the statement.

One of the major things that kept getting brought up was how this team is built with the community. They say that the community will be at the heart of every decision they make. They also mentioned that while today is about them being unveiled as the owners, York United is not just for them, it’s for the community.

I look forward to what is to come for the club, it was mentioned that we can expect roster news starting around next week. I am excited for this new era for York United, and fans should be too.

The post York United F.C Unveil New Owners appeared first on Back Sports Page.

England’s triumph and heartbreak all wrapped up into one

The biggest story even before the start of the most recent international break was England. All eyes were on them in the UEFA Women’s Nations League.

This year, the Nations League doubled as a qualifying competition. England were nominated as the nation to qualify on behalf of Britain. In order to do so, England needed to top Group A1 to stand a chance. As if the pressure wasn’t enough, England also needed to top the group to qualify for the Nations League finals.

The Lionesses appeared to be winning Group A1 with a dominant 6-0 win over Scotland on Tuesday evening. However, it was the goal difference that would come to crush hearts. As England were playing Scotland, concurrently, the Netherlands were playing Belgium. They had a 3-0 lead during stoppage time. At that point, England had seemingly topped the group. There were only a few seconds left to seal their fate. However, the Netherlands were not done yet, England fell short after the the Orange Army defeated Belgium 4-0 during the final moments of stoppage time.

This meant that England had not done enough to reach the final four. To add a dagger to the wound, it also meant that Team GB would not be playing at the Olympics in Paris next summer.

This marks the first time that Team GB will not have a women’s football team at an Olympics they have entered. It is history in the making, but not the good kind.

Those still on the road to glory in Europe

Having topped their League A groups, the Netherlands, France, Germany and Spain are in the final four of the Nations League finals set to be held in February.

France reached the Nations League finals after they beat Austria and with the help of a last-minute win over Portugal to close their campaign.

Despite having a disappointing World Cup campaign, all Germany had to do was to match Denmark’s result on Tuesday when they travelled to Wales in order to advance to the finals. The Germans were unable to score against the Welsh with the game ending 0-0. However, Germany remained in Olympic contention after the Danes’ game ended as a shocking 1-0 home defeat by Iceland.

Despite losing to Italy, World Champions Spain qualified for the finals. Sweden were the only team in their group that could finish higher than Spain, but they unfortunately lost to Switzerland on the same evening Spain lost to Italy. The Spain v Sweden game was a thrilling one that ended 5-3. Both teams needed to win that game in order to advance to the finals.

USWNT already affected by Emma Hayes

Emma Hayes hasn’t officially begun coaching the USWNT as she is set to join after concluding the 2023/24 season with Chelsea FC. She was not on the sidelines of the pitch during the recent international break, however, her influence is already starting to show itself within the team though tons of work needs to be done.

For the team’s December fixtures, Hayes and interim manager Twila Kilgore picked the squad collaboratively as confirmed by Kilgore. Hayes’ physically closest interaction with the team so far was when she flew from London to Florida. The Chelsea coach had gone to meet USWNT players and staff ahead of their 3-0 win on Saturday.

The USWNT’s tactical approach in both friendlies against China led many to perceive that Hayes has already begun calling some of the shots from afar. In contrast to their disappointing run in the 2023 World Cup, the USWNT displayed fluidity and had a visible attacking structure. However, despite a 3-0 and 2-1 win over China, the stars and stripes struggles in both matches, especially after going down 1-0 during the second match for a good 62 minutes.

Christine Sinclair’s Canada dominate Australia

Canada and Australia met twice during the recent international break for friendlies. Following a successful display at the 2023 World Cup, Australia were expected to have the upper hand over Canada who have been struggling since their Olympic success.

Things couldn’t be any more different though.

The first blow for Australia was a Sam Kerr injury, ruling her out of both games. The second came in a 5-0 loss in the first game between the pair. Tony Gustavsson had made the odd selection of the starting lineup not consisting of any first-team players against Canada’s first team. One could argue that those inexperienced players would have learned in a better way while playing alongside experienced players.

The first change happened in the 46th minute when Australia were already down 2-0. Three more goals later, five substitutions with experience were brought onto the pitch to help the Matildas.

Mary Fowler produced Australia’s first shot of the game – the first of two in total by the final whistle – in the 74th minute. In contrast, Canada had 19 shots in total, with 8 on target. One could say they were probably unlucky not to have a few more goals.

The second fixture between the pair ended 1-0 in favour of the Canadians. This time around, regular starters were selected in the Matilda’s starting XI. It was another disappointing display from Australia, but fortunately, the Matildas kept Canada from scoring more than 1 goal.

What was the end of a disappointing international break was a celebratory one for Canada.

Christine Sinclair bid farewell to international football on Tuesday with one final match that brought an end to an illustrious career.

Sinclair is the world’s all-time leading scorer in international football. Her international career includes a record of 190 goals in 331 games, an Olympic gold medal in 2021 and six World Cup call-ups.

For her contributions to the women’s game, a win was the perfect send-off for the football legend.

The post Big Stories From The International Break appeared first on Back Sports Page.

In 2010, the WSL was established that is currently ran by the Football Association. The league replaced the FA Women’s Premier League National Division as the highest level of women’s football in England.

It is in the WSL that the Blues have made a name for themselves, and ultimately, the WSL.

The start of something special

In 2013, Chelsea narrowly escaped relegation after a difficult season. In a fourteen-game season, they lost 10 games, drew 1 and won only 3. It was Emma Hayes’ first full season at Chelsea, and she had the full backing of the club which was fully embracing women’s football.

In 2014 however, saw a resurgence: a new Chelsea. In the months before the 2014 season, there was a big change in the recruitment policy. Emma Hayes got the chance to grow her team with experienced English players with winning in their DNA.

The changes were reflected in their on-pitch performances that season. After nearly getting relegated in the 2013 season, Chelsea found themselves in a three-way battle for the title on the final day of the 2014 season.

After losing their goalkeeper to injury with no back-up, Clare Fallow, who was bought a few weeks prior as a precaution, was brought on. From that day, it was her only WSL appearance to date. Unfortunately, the Blues couldn’t manage a draw, which is all they needed to clinch the title that year.

In 2014, the WSL title was Liverpool’s to take. Chelsea and Liverpool finished equal on points, but Liverpool’s goal difference was the deciding number.

Nevertheless, Emma Hayes and her team had everything to be proud of. In the span of one year, going from a relegation zone to lifting the WSL trophy was an impressive turnaround.

It was the start of something special.

The first of many

In 2015, halfway through the WSL season, Chelsea won the FA Cup for their first ever trophy. It was a huge motivation to finish the WSL season strong and add a second trophy to their collection.

Once again, the title race went down to the final matchday. A 4-0 win against Sunderland – exactly 23 years after the reformed women’s team had played their first game back in 1992 – was a victory that led to Chelsea’s first-ever WSL title.

10 wins, 2 draws and 2 losses later, Chelsea hoisted the WSL trophy, the first of many.

Redefining football

Chelsea finished runners-up in the 2016 season and were unable to defend their FA Cup title as well. It was still a good season for the Blues, but if anything, it was just a small bump on the road for them.

Ever since the start of the 2017/18 season, Chelsea have been the team to beat. Emma Hayes has since built a team that is somewhat invincible.

Here are their mind blowing accolades ever since the start of the 2017/18 season;

• 5 WSL titles
• 92 wins, 20 draws and 7 losses in 119 games
• 334 Goals Scored
• 74 Goals Conceded
• Unbeaten in two seasons (2017/18 and 2019/20)

It was an era where club legends Eni Aluko, Karen Carney, Carly Telford, Ji So-yun, Drew Spence, Pernille Harder and Magda Eriksson got to shine for the club and leave behind their legacies as they departed the club.

It was also an era where new and current legends were born – Sam Kerr, Millie Bright, Fran Kirby and Erin Cubhert.

As of the 2023/24 season, Emma Hayes’ mighty Blues have started out strong. With players like Guro Reiten and Lauren James aiming to join the list of legends, the club has won 3 out 4 matches so far this season, and sit second.

Chelsea look as threatening as ever, as they aim for a seventh WSL title, sixth FA Cup title – they are the previous winners of both – as well as a first UEFA Women’s Champions League title.

Chelsea have singlehandedly changed the women’s game, and have shone a bright light on it. Emma Hayes and her squad have redefined the game.

The post Chelsea: The Club That Is Defining The WSL appeared first on Back Sports Page.

FIFA announced that the 2030 World Cup is set to take place in Spain, Portugal and Morocco. Three of the opening matches are also set to take place in Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay. This will make it the first time that a World Cup will be hosted in three different countries.  

Though on paper it sounds like a wonderful idea to span the World Cup to more than one country, there has been backlash regarding the decision by FIFA, especially because the three opening matches are held in South America.    

Scheduling of Matches 

In the past, the World Cup has always been held in either one or two countries near each other. The 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea is an example, where it succeeded because of the short distance. The same goes for the recent Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.  

The scheduling for the matches will be a mess. It will cause a disadvantage for the players that are set to play in South America. The average time difference between South America and Western Europe is about 5-6 hours. This will make the start time of opening matches different than they should. How FIFA will try to schedule this remains a mystery, though they’ve seven years to come up with a plan. 

Disadvantage to the Players 

The teams who are scheduled to play in South America will have one of the biggest disadvantages in the tournament. An average flight from Argentina to Spain is about 12 hours. Therefore, all six teams will have to travel to Europe and not only adjust to the time difference, but will have to mentally prepare to play on another continent with different weather conditions.    

On top of that, they’ll have a shorter time to prepare for their following group match. Which would be a disadvantage compared to the other teams with the one day used to travel. This could cause major issues for the federations forced to play in South America. 

Money Collecting From FIFA  

Fans are already attacking FIFA for, yet again, devising a World Cup that centers around money. The 2022 World Cup was one of the most criticized ones yet. After several accusations of the decision to award Qatar the World Cup due to bribery, this caused former FIFA President Sepp Blatter to resign from his post. He admitted before the World Cup that issuing Qatar the chance to host was a “mistake”.   

FIFA’s plan to host the 2030 World Cup on three different continents is just another way to earn more money while not thinking about the interests of the players and fans. The whole purpose of the opening ceremony and matches played in South America is to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the World Cup on the continent that started it all, but has FIFA thought out this plan thoroughly?  

With FIFA already under fire for allegedly harming its players, the organization is expected to rethink their plans for the 2030 World Cup if the backlash keeps arising.   

The post Why the 2030 World Cup is a Bad Idea appeared first on Back Sports Page.

Footballing nations on the rise

5. United States

For women, football (or “soccer” as it’s called in the states) has been the number one sport while dominating the world for its female side. The USWNT had become a dynasty and a leader in growing the sport not only for females in the world, but domestically as well.  

Over the past few seasons, the USMNT has been developing their players and sending them to Europe at an early age, with over 90% of its starters playing in Europe. Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Timothy Weah, Matt Turner, Yunas Musah, Antonee Robinson and Sergino Dest have all been an example of this. This group of young players have not only shown that they are at another level than their CONCACAF partners, but are ready to face tougher competition at the international level.  

Not to mention that the United States are set to host the 2024 Copa America and the 2026 World Cup, along with Mexico and Canada. All this is a prime example of the growth of soccer in the nation, which is a huge reason the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi decided to play for Inter Miami in the MLS, which has helped the popularity of the MLS grow immensely.   

4. Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia shocked the world after defeating Argentina in the opening match of the group stage during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The nation was in full celebration, with the King of Saudi Arabia even declaring a holiday in light of the celebrations. Despite not advancing into the next round, this is just the start of the growth of football in the nation.  

Shortly following the conclusion of the World Cup, five-time Champions League winner Cristiano Ronaldo announced his move to Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr. This merely broke the internet, some criticizing him for the move while some praising his efforts to grow the sport in Saudi Arabia.   

Nevertheless, he paved the way for several other top stars to also make moves to the Saudi Pro League, including Sadio Mane, Jordon Henderson, Gabri Veiga, Aymeric Laporte, Aleksander Mitrovic, Bono, along with several others. This also prompted Brazilian star Neymar to join Al Hilal and Real Madrid legend Karim Benzema to join Al-Ittihad. In just six months, the Saudi Pro League has turned into a must-watch league, which can also create a huge upbringing of the sport in the middle east.   

3. Canada

The country of Canada is notorious for its ice hockey and basketball, with soccer dropping to the third-most popular sport in the country. Since hosting the Women’s World Cup in 2015, the sport has been on the rise ever since. The women’s side recently won the Gold Medal during the 2020 Olympics after two bronze medal finishes in both 2012 and 2016. Despite disappointing runs at the World Cup, they have always been a growing nation.  

For the men’s side, they began to become competitive in 2019 since the emergence of Alphonso Davies. Davies became a Canadian citizen in 2017 after he emigrated from Liberia as a child. He grew up in the Vancouver Whitecaps organization until making the big move to Bayern Munich. He is one of the first-named stars representing Canada as he has become one of the best left backs in the world.  

 Jonathan David is also another Canadian star who plays in Lille, that has changed the Canadian national team drastically. They qualified for their first World Cup since 1986 and despite a group stage elimination, they showed that they are a dangerous squad that will only get better. As they are set to co-host the World Cup in 2026, football will continue to grow in the country with both the women’s and men’s sides becoming a bigger threat to other nations at the international level. 

2. Australia

Australia has just finished hosting the Women’s World Cup, along with New Zealand, and it was an enormous success. The tournament gained close to 900 million dollars in revenue, the most ever for a Women’s World Cup. It was also the first time that the tournament hosted 32 countries, matching the men’s total for the first time ever.  

 The Australians showed up, both at the stadium and at home, to watch the Matildas play. During their semifinal’s loss to England, the match drew a total of 11.15 million viewers, the most televised event in Australia’s history. With the population of the nation 25.69 million, this means that about 43% of the country tuned in to watch the game.  

 On the men’s side, Australia defeated both Tunisia and Denmark to make it to the Round of 16 for the first time since 2006. Tim Cahill has often been noted as the “godfather” for the sport in Australia. Since retiring in 2019, Sam Kerr took over as the face of the sport in Australia as she continues to fight for the growth of the sport in the country.  

1. Morocco

The growth of football in the small Arabic country has been impressive, and it grew without anyone knowing. The 2022 World Cup brought out the best of the country, with a record-breaking run for the nation. Opening their campaign with a 0-0 draw against Croatia, they went on to beat both Belgium and Canada to take first place in Group F. 

With wins against both Spain and Portugal, they became the first African nation to make the semifinals while finishing the highest for an African country at a World Cup. Since the World Cup, they sit 14th in FIFA’s recent rankings and have solidified themselves as one of the top nations in international football. In their current roster, 13 players play for the top five European leagues, while the rest play in other European competitions and Saudi Arabia.  

For its women, they qualified for their first World Cup while also making history by making it to the knockout round on their debut. This followed wins against Colombia and South Korea to pull off history. Morocco will certainly be a nation to watch out for in the future as the young team will only grow and improve heading into both the 2026 World Cup and 2027 Women’s World Cup.  

You can check out more soccer articles here 

The post Five Footballing Nations on the Rise appeared first on Back Sports Page.

The NCAA first allowed athletes to benefit from their name, image and likeness with an interim policy in 2021. The MLB made a handful of changes starting in the 2023 season, including adding a pitch clock and increasing the size of bases from 15 to 18 inches. The NBA saw a few changes of its own through its newest Collective Bargaining Agreement. The seven-year CBA added two new “apron” levels above its luxury tax line and a third two-way spot for teams across the league, according to an April article from ESPN.

“The new CBA introduces two ‘apron’ levels above the luxury tax line, where teams have to deal with not only harsher luxury tax penalties but also restrictions on what they can do with their rosters,” the article read. “For 2023-24, the salary cap is projected to be $134 million, and the luxury tax line is set to be $162 million.

“The first apron is set at $7 million above the luxury tax level in each season of the CBA (so $169 million for 2023-24) and the second apron is set at $17.5 million above the tax threshold (or $179.5 million). In future seasons, all of those numbers will rise at the same rate.”

The NBA announced its inaugural in-season tournament during the 2023 offseason. NBA teams were split up into six groups of five, each of whom will play through four designated “group play” games before eight teams move on to the elimination rounds. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said the idea of the tournament was “to create new games of consequences during the regular season,” according to an April article from The Athletic.

“Taking a page from European soccer where they play for multiple cups throughout the season,” Silver said, via The Athletic. “We think taking nothing away from the Larry O’Brien trophy, and the ultimate goal of winning a championship, that you can create another competition within the season that becomes meaningful. And there’s a recognition that new traditions are not built overnight.

“Just as the Play-In (Tournament) has had significant value, I think this Cup tournament will as well.”

What can the NBA learn from the in-season tournament runs of the past?

Commissioner’s Cup

An in-season tournament is nothing new to the sports world.

The WNBA Commissioner’s Cup, the WNBA’s in-season tournament, was initially set to begin in 2020. Its inaugural year was moved to 2021 after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Teams compete for a $500,000 prize pool and “an additional pool of money for charitable and civic organizations,” according to WNBA.com.

The Seattle Storm won the league’s first Commissioner’s Cup championship behind 17 points from now-New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart and 16 from guard Jewell Loyd. The Liberty defeated the Las Vegas Aces during this year’s Cup Championship, taking an 82-63 victory over Las Vegas as five Liberty players scored in double-figures. Forward Jonquel Jones, who New York acquired in a three-team trade with the Connecticut Sun and Dallas Wings, won the Cup’s MVP after notching a 16-point, 15-rebound double-double in the victory at Michelob ULTRA Arena.

“Overseas, they’ve been doing this a long time,” Hammon said of in-season cup competitions for men’s and women’s leagues, via ESPN women’s college and pro basketball writer M.A. Voepel. “Most people have bonuses written into their contracts overseas for those games.

“I love that the players get an extra chunk of money, and especially in our league, that’s a big deal. In the men’s league … what incentivizes these guys to go out and play? They make a lot of money; that’s already there. So how are you going to make it that much more interesting? I’ll be curious to see how it plays out.”

MLS: U.S. Open Cup

The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is a single-game elimination tournament that consists of professional and amateur teams. The competition is the second-oldest continually-operating cup competition in the world behind the Irish Cup, according to The Cup’s website.

Orlando City SC took the U.S. Open crown in 2022, netting the squad a $300,000 prize and a berth in the 2023 CONCACAF Champions League. Orlando claimed a 3-0 victory over Sacramento Republic FC, a USL Championship squad first founded in 2012. Orlando City midfielder Facundo Torres scored a high-arcing chip shot off of a pass from forward Benji Michel in the 75th minute and a penalty a few minutes later. Michel hit a shot of his own in the 96th minute.

“We came in with a four-game winning streak [in MLS] … this cup gives us some motivation to continue fighting in the league,” Torres said, via ESPN Soccer Journalist Cesar Hernandez.

The Open Cup may still need extra time for growth before reaching its full potential, as highlighted USSF chief commercial officer David Wright in May.

“We understand that the Open Cup is not where we all want it to be, and we’re committed to getting there,” Wright said, via ESPN U.S. soccer correspondent Jeff Carlisle. “It also takes resources and something that we’re spending a lot of time thinking about.

“I think it is a natural opportunity to take a step back now, particularly that we’ve got renewed interest from media partners, which I think is a critical component to this. But you’re right to call out. There’s other areas of the property that we’ve got to continue to hone in and refine as we think to the future.”

The NBA’s In-Season Tournament

As sports and leagues across the nation evolve, so must the NBA.

Just as it has for the WNBA, the NBA’s in-season tournament could add extra meaning to the regular season. It will give players and coaching staff alike more time to evaluate their strengths and weaknesses as the NBA’s regular season goes on. Teams will also have the opportunity to win from a prize pool that will be allocated to the NBA players on the teams that participate in the Knockout Rounds, according to NBA.com.

It will take time for the league to fully perfect the tournament after its first run during the 2023-24 season. No change can be perfect on its first run, but if the NBA looks to the WNBA and MLS, it can find ways to expand upon the foundation provided by its American counterparts.

The post The NBA In-Season Tournament: Learning from in-season tournament’s past appeared first on Back Sports Page.

First Half Battle

The first 45 was a York dominated half after holding on to 65% possession in the half with some great scoring opportunities. Although Ottawa only had 35% possession in the half, they made the most of their opportunities. Ottawa found themselves with multiple scoring chances around the 20th minute, but Niko Giantsopoulos came up big for York. Giantsopoulos would continue to come up with multiple big saves in the half. keeping the score 0-0 heading into a very important second half.

Second Half thriller

Starting the second half York and Ottawa both had their chances, but York seemed to have the advantage. They had some good scoring chances, but just couldn’t get the ball in the back of the net. Going into the 80th minute, York had a stronger push. Ottawa has been known lately for conceding in the final minutes of the game, most recently last week against Valor. With the clock running down in the 88th minute, Kevin Dos Santos came off the bench and found himself through the defenders and buried what may be the most important goal of the season. The celebration showed what that goal meant to the team. Kevin said after the game “I don’t know what to say really, it’s just so nice to celebrate with the team after that goal, after that huge performance from the whole team”.

After the goal there was a bit of a push back, with seven minutes of injury time there was still plenty of time for Ottawa to fight back and grab a point. Unfortunately for Ottawa, there wasn’t any strong pressure in the York end until the last two minutes of the game, which would be too late as after Ottawa’s corner, the referee blew the whistle and York United F.C is now in control of their future heading into Friday against Vancouver FC.

Notable moments From Post Game Interview:

Atlético Ottawa head coach Carlos Gonzalez on the upcoming match on Saturday and how he plans on resetting the team’s attitude when playoffs are still a possibility- “I will have to think with my staff this next 24 hours and set our minds again for this game that we maybe get our chance again on Sunday”

Kevin Dos Santos on how important Niko Giantsopoulos was for York during the game- “It’s amazing because he keeps us in the game, if Niko doesn’t make those saves we have to fight again. Niko is so important, have to mention him”

Photo Credits- David Chant

I hope you enjoyed this article, if you’d like to check out more of my articles click here

The post Playoff Push- York United FC vs Atlético Ottawa appeared first on Back Sports Page.

Firstly, Congratulations to Cavalry F.C on winning the league, and best of luck on their quest to win the North Star Cup.

The last 2 spots are currently occupied by HFX Wanderers FC and Atlético Ottawa, with York United FC on the outside looking in. The Wanderers look pretty safe, but that isn’t the case for York United and Atlético Ottawa. They’re only separated by 1 point as a lot is on the line leading up to their match against each other on October 1st.

Photo Credit: Matt Zambonin/Freestyle Photography

How did we find ourselves in this matchup?

Luckily for York United fans, Atlético Ottawa lost their match on Sunday against Valour FC, thanks to a late game-winner from Walter Ponce. Earlier in the day, York faced off against top of the league side Cavalry F.C. A great match with a lot to play for. Cavalry needed the win to potentially win the league that day and York was looking to make the jump into a playoff spot.

Coming up next week in the CPL

This weekend is going to be crucial for all teams in the playoff hunt. As mentioned, York and Ottawa are facing off against each other in a do-or-die game for York. Halifax are also in the mix of teams who are looking to clinch a playoff spot. York United head coach Martin Nash after York’s defeat said “We’re one point back as it stands right now. And we’ve managed to beat Ottawa twice this year already. So, hopefully, it’s one of those teams that we match up well against. They are a good side so we’ll attack the week the way we need to.”. York also looks to complete their U-21 2000 minutes with only 213 minutes left to hit that goal.

Hope you enjoyed this article if you’d like to check out more of my articles click here

The post CPL Playoff Race appeared first on Back Sports Page.

Our Back Sports Page soccer team picked out their predictions on who will be coming out of the group. 

Group A-Welcoming Back Manchester United 

• Bayern Munich 

• Copenhagen 

• Galatasaray 

• Manchester United 

Group A is an interesting one, now that Bayern Munich beat United in a thrilling 4-3 victory. The German Giants are the favorites to win the group, but second is up for grabs. Galatasaray have always been a sneaking team when it comes to the UCL, but after drawing to Copenhagen, it opens the door to anyone for second place in the group.  

Here is how our team thinks will finish first and second in Group A: 

Paulina 

First: Bayern Munich 

Second: Galatasaray 

Carlo 

First: Bayern Munich 

Second: Manchester United 

Alex 

First: Bayern Munich 

Second: Manchester United 

Nicole 

First: Bayern Munich 

Second: Galatasaray 

Group B- Arsenal’s Return to the Big Stage 

• Arsenal 

• Lens 

• PSV 

• Sevilla 

Arsenal is back and ready to dominate Europe after their 4-0 win over PSV to open the group stage. This group seems pretty simple: Arsenal are the favorites to win it. Their only competition will be Sevilla, who have dominated the Europa League for the last two decades. However, with a draw to Lens, just like in Group A, second place is up for grabs.  

Here is how our team thinks will finish first and second in Group B: 

Paulina 

First: Arsenal 

Second: PSV 

Carlo 

First: Arsenal 

Second: Sevilla 

Alex 

First: Arsenal 

Second: Sevilla 

Nicole 

First: Arsenal 

Second: Sevilla 

Group C: The 14-time Champions Have Some Work to do 

• Braga 

• Napoli 

• Real Madrid 

• Union Berlin 

Real Madrid are looking for their 15th Champions League title after falling to Manchester City in the semifinals last season. However, they have a harder group than originally anticipated, with Napoli and Union Berlin their biggest threat. With Jude Bellingham saving Real Madrid again and Napoli topping the group at the moment in goal difference, it will a battle between the three teams are who will come out of the group stage alive.  

Here is how our team thinks will finish first and second in Group C: 

Paulina 

First: Real Madrid 

Second: Union Berlin 

Carlo 

First: Napoli 

Second: Real Madrid 

Alex 

First: Real Madrid 

Second: Napoli 

Nicole 

First: Real Madrid 

Second: Napoli 

Group D: Can Inter Return to the Finals? 

• Benfica 

• Inter Milan 

• Real Sociedad 

• Salzburg 

Surprising enough, Salzburg top Group D after defeating Benfica 2-0 in their first match. Inter, however, failed to take the win over Real Sociedad and sit second. It will be a tough challenge to see Inter repeat their success in the Champions League from last season, especially with Sociedad and Salzburg a stronger team than last campaign.  

Here is how our team thinks will finish first and second in Group D: 

Paulina 

First: Benfica 

Second: Real Sociedad 

Carlo 

First: Inter 

Second: Benfica 

Alex 

First: Benfica 

Second: Salzburg 

Nicole 

First: Inter 

Second: Benfica 

Group E: Is it Redemption Time for Atletico Madrid? 

• Atletico Madrid 

• Celtic 

• Feyenoord 

• Lazio 

It is not starting off well for Atletico after drawing to Lazio to open the group. After coming in last place their group last season, Los Colchoneros will look to redeem themselves from an awful campaign. It is still possible to finish out of the group first, as long as they can get victories against Celtic and Feyenoord.  

Here is how our team thinks will finish first and second in Group E: 

Paulina 

First: Lazio 

Second: Atletico Madrid 

Carlo 

First: Celtic 

Second: Lazio 

Alex 

First: Atletico Madrid 

Second: Celtic 

Nicole 

First: Atletico Madrid 

Second: Celtic 

Group F: Battle of the Four Countries 

• AC Milan 

• Borussia Dortmund 

• Newcastle United 

• Paris Saint German 

Group F is by far the most entertaining group stage at this season’s Champions League with any of the four teams with the potential to make it out of the group. Apart from Newscastle, every team in the group is at least in the top six in their respective league standings, making it an entertaining battle until the end. As it stands, PSG top the group, with Newcastle, Milan and Dortmund to follow.  

Here is how our team thinks will finish first and second in Group F: 

Paulina 

First: AC Milan 

Second: Borussia Dortmund 

Carlo 

First: AC Milan 

Second: Borussia Dortmund 

Alex 

First: PSG 

Second: AC Milan 

Nicole 

First: AC Milan 

Second: Newcastle 

Group G: Manchester City’s Quest for the Two-Peat 

• Crvena Zvezda 

• Manchester City 

• RB Leipzig 

• Young Boys 

Manchester City are expected to breeze through the group stage, with Leipzig as their only competition. Even the battle for second should not be a surprise, especially with Leipzig currently in third place in the Bundesliga thus far. A big shock to come out of the group is if Leipzig manage to get redemption and beat City for first place in the group.  

Here is how our team thinks will finish first and second in Group G: 

Paulina 

First: Manchester City 

Second: RB Leipzig 

Carlo 

First: Manchester City 

Second: RB Leipzig 

Alex 

First: Manchester City 

Second: RB Leipzig 

Nicole 

First: Manchester City 

Second: RB Leipzig 

Group H: Is Barcelona Back?  

• Antwerp 

• FC Barcelona 

• FC Porto 

• Shakhtar Donetsk 

Barcelona will try for a third time for some success in the Champions League after being downgraded to the Europa League the last two seasons. They have an easy enough group to do it, with Porto as their only competition. However, Shakhtar Donetsk could be dark horse in the group, despite taking the loss to Porto.  

Here is how our team thinks will finish first and second in Group H: 

Paulina 

First: Porto 

Second: Shakhtar Donetsk 

Carlo 

First: FC Barcelona 

Second: Porto 

Alex 

First: FC Barcelona 

Second: Antwerp 

Nicole 

First: Barcelona 

Second: Porto

The post UEFA Champions League Group Stage Predictions appeared first on Back Sports Page.

Goalkeeper

JJ Watt-Retired NFL Player, DE 

JJ Watt was one of the best defensive ends in the NFL during his playing career. At 6’5, he was strong, athletic and quick to stop players. He would be a perfect role for a goalkeeper due to his height and athleticism, like Real Madrid’s Thibaut Courtois.  

Watt’s also a soccer fan himself, being a long-time Chelsea fan while also married to former NWSL player Kealia Watt. The couple are also a minority investor in Premier League side Burnley F.C.  

Left Back 

Sauce Gardner-New York Jets, CB 

Reigning NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Sauce Gardner broke out last season during his freshman season with the Jets. His vision and speed had landed him as one of the top defensive players to watch out for this season.

In soccer, Gardner would be a perfect fit for a left back position, like Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies. He is also another soccer fan, as he was seen with PSG stars Kylian Mbappe and Achraf Hakimi earlier in the year.

Center Back 

Patrick Surtain II-Denver Broncos, CB 

Surtain will be entering his junior year in the NFL after being drafted in 2021. He was a first-time pro bowler last season, while also making the first-team All-Pro. The cornerback has been the center of the Denver Broncos defense’s success, with the team averaging just 21.1 points per game.

He can be a perfect fit to play center back, with his ability to create tackles and force pass deflections. At 6’2, he can be compared to Barcelona’s Ronald Araujo.

Micah Parsons- Dallas Cowboys, LB 

Micah Parsons has been unbelievable for the Cowboys since 2021, changing the whole dynamic of the defensive line since his presence. He is a two-time Pro Bowler, two-time first team All-pro, and NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2021.  

The linebacker is tough, as he ended the season with 14.5 sacks. Both him and Arsenal’s William Saliba are about the same size, which is why Parsons would be a perfect fit for a center back position in soccer. In March, Parsons tweeted about the environment in a soccer stadium and how it is the best in the world. 

Right Back 

Jalen Ramsey-Miami Dolphins, CB 

Ramsey will begin his first season with the Dolphins after spending four seasons with the Rams. He’s becoming a veteran in the NFL as he enters his eighth season as a cornerback. Ramsey is a six-time Pro Bowler and a three-time First-team All-Pro.

The right back position would be a perfect Ramsey, with similar ability to Joao Cancelo and Giovanni Di Lorenzo. Back in 2018, Ramsey was compared to a “flopping” soccer player after a theatrical dive after a minor tackle from OT Taylor Lewman.

Left Midfielder 

Justin Jefferson-Minnesota Vikings, WR 

Jefferson is the reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year while breaking the NFL record for most receiving yards per game in his career with 96.5. His speed, movement, and agility make it hard for defenders to stop, which is why he has been the number one picked player for this year’s fantasy teams.

Jefferson’s vision on the football could be compared to Munich’s Leroy Sane’s style of play, which is why the left midfield would suit Jefferson well, while also transitioning to a left winger in a 4-3-3 situation. He also has experience playing on the pitch as he was seen playing pick up at a local park by teammate Dalvin Cook in 2021.

Center Midfielder 

Patrick Mahomes-Kansas City Chiefs, QB 

The two-time MVP and Super Bowl winner is one of the most athletic players out there. Not only could he play football, but he was also a baseball player in college. He is also no rookie to playing in the center of the field and distributing the ball, like a center midfielder. His world-class status in the NFL is like Luka Modric’s world-class status in soccer.

Mahomes is also a big soccer fan. He and his wife Brittney Mahomes are part-owners of NWSL side Kansas City Current. Brittney also played DII soccer in college. He supported the USMNT during their run at the World Cup in Qatar and expressed his support to the team in their journey of growing soccer in America.

Joe Burrow-Cincinnati Bengals, QB 

Joe Burrow is another great athlete that can fit into any sport. Since joining the league in 2021, he transformed the Bengals organization into a winning team. Burrow took them to a Super Bowl in 2022 and to the AFC Championship in 2023. He made an incredible comeback after tearing his ACL at the end of his rookie season, bringing them to the Super Bowl for the first time since 1989.

With his height and athleticism, his ability to search for plays is similar to that of Jude Bellingham and Paul Pogba. Burrow, along with other teammates, supported FC Cincinnati during the U.S Open Cup semifinals against Lionel Messi and Inter Miami last month.

Right Midfielder

Nick Chubb- Cleveland Browns, RB 

Nick Chubb is on the shorter side compared to other NFL players at 5’11. However, he has still been able to be one of the best running backs in the game.  He totaled 1,525 rushing yards with 12 rushing touchdowns last season.

Since he can run up the football field, there wouldn’t be issues with him doing it on a soccer pitch. Just like Toni Kroos and Illkay Gundogan.

Forward 

Odell Beckham Jr-Baltimore Ravens, WR 

Beckham is one of the most famous NFL players who has the most experience playing soccer. Growing up, he also played soccer and was offered a chance to play for the junior national team, but decided to decline it so he could focus on football in the states.

His dynamic athleticism has been unbelievable since starting with the Giants, including his insane one-handed catch during his rookie season. If he were to play soccer, he could easily be a Cristiano Ronaldo or a Robert Lewandowski type of player.

Lamar Jackson- Baltimore Ravens, QB 

Jackson is not the best for passing yards, but his ability to run through defenses makes him one of the most dangerous quarterbacks in the NFL. He won NFL MVP in 2019 while breaking a handful of NFL records, including most single-season rushing yards and attempted yards by a quarterback.

He can be a perfect replica of an Erling Haaland: fast, strong with incredible finishing. His influence on the sport has also landed him in FIFA 21 as a Volta player.

The post Starting XI of Non-Soccer Players: NFL Edition appeared first on Back Sports Page.