Latest news with #TeamOfTheSeason
The Independent
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Making a Premier League team of the season that actually works
It's 'Team of the Season' season! But while the rest of the internet argues over who starts in central midfield, we're going to fix the format. Adam Clery first breaks down what tactical system was the division's most important these past 9 months, and then builds a team that could actually play in it. You're welcome!
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Official: Two Barcelona players included in UEFA Champions League 2024/25 Team of the Season
Official: Two Barcelona players included in UEFA Champions League 2024/25 Team of the Season As the season comes to an end, it is perhaps fair to deduce that Barcelona's Champions League campaign has been quite tragic, to say the least. The Catalans were one of the best performers in the competition up until their semi-final clash against Inter Milan. Advertisement Barcelona didn't particularly play badly against Inter either, but lost out marginally due to various factors, including some shoddy refereeing. Nonetheless, despite Barcelona's exit in the semifinal stage, the efforts of their players have not gone unnoticed this season. Two Barça players in UCL TOTS That is why two Barcelona players have been selected in the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 Team of the Season – a lineup that often favours the winning team. The two players in question are Raphinha and Lamine Yamal, forwards who have given their all this season and, unsurprisingly, qualify among the major candidates for the Ballon d'Or title this year. Yamal and Raphinha play as wide attackers in the official TOTS, which features former Barcelona superstar Ousmane Dembele as the leading frontman alongside two of his PSG teammates in Desire Doue and Achraf Hakimi. Advertisement It is a slightly bizarre lineup that has only three proper defenders and five attackers, one of which is Hakimi. Nevertheless, some key exclusions from the TOTS include Barcelona's midfield star Pedri and Borussia Dortmund's Serhou Guirassy, who ended the season as the joint-top scorer in the UCL alongside Raphinha. Interestingly, Guirassy has been linked with a move to Barcelona earlier, though it appears the former Koln striker is not leaving Dortmund anytime soon.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Official: Two Barcelona stars included in Champions League Team of the Season
Official: Two Barcelona stars included in Champions League Team of the Season The official Team of the Season for the 2024/25 Champions League campaign has on Sunday been unveiled online. And it features a pair of La Liga representatives, both from Hansi Flick's Barcelona squad. Advertisement Barca of course battled their way to within a whisker of a Champions League final berth last month, only to be sent packing from the competition courtesy of a heartbreaking extra-time defeat at the hands of Inter Milan. Along the way, though, the Blaugrana lit up the European football landscape, drawing widespread admirers courtesy of a relentless, all-out attacking setup. Central to as much were the club's two first-choice wingers, in the form of Raphinha and Lamine Yamal. The former, in fact, finished as the competition's top-scorer, whilst partner in crime Lamine grabbed headlines courtesy of two historic performances in the semi-finals. Advertisement And such endeavours, as alluded to above, have proven enough to earn for both a place in the Champions League Team of the Season. As showcased below, Raphinha and Lamine have joined the likes of Nuno Mendes, Declan Rice and Ousmane Dembélé in a star-studded XI released by UEFA on Sunday evening: Conor Laird – GSFN
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Our Champions League Team of the Season for 2024/25
Our Champions League Team of the Season for the 2024/25 campaign, as winners Paris Saint-Germain dominate the XI. Champions League Team of the Season for 2024/25 Goalkeeper: Gianluigi Donnarumma – Paris Saint-Germain The best goalkeeper in the Champions League this season and a man who should not be overlooked in Paris Saint-Germain's success. Donnarumm produced a string of outstanding performances, keeping clean sheets in crucial wins at Liverpool and Arsenal in the knockout rounds. The towering Italian seems to come alive in England, impressing in the consecutive eliminations of three Premier League sides. Right-back: Achraf Hakimi – Paris Saint-Germain Four goals and five assists is a phenomenal return from full-back and there is arguably no better than Achraf Hakimi in the role. His electric speed and elite end product were crucial to PSG, including the opener against former club Inter in the final. Centre-back: Marquinhos – Paris Saint-Germain Marquinhos has been through all the ups and downs of the modern PSG project and finally lifted the Champions League this season. The Brazilian was the leader of Luis Enrique's side, offering a mature presence at the heart of the defence. No player made more than his 98 clearances in the 2024/25 season. Centre-back: Willian Pacho – Paris Saint-Germain One of the newcomers of the Champions League season. Signed last summer as a highly-rated prospect from Eintracht Frankfurt, Willian Pacho has performed superbly in his first campaign in this competition. The 23-year-old played more minutes than any other player and ranked among the season's top performers for clearances (2nd), aerial duels won (5th) and interceptions (9th). Left-back: Nuno Mendes – Paris Saint-Germain It's a clean sweep for Paris Saint-Germain with Nuno Mendes completing an all-Parisian back five. The left-back led the tournament for dribblers tackled (28) and scored four goals. He netted in both legs of the quarter-final win over Aston Villa. Midfield: Pedri – Barcelona Pedri breaks up the PSG dominance and ousts winners Joao Neves and Fabian Ruiz for a place in the side. The silky Spaniard was a driving force in Barcelona's run to the semi-finals, cementing his status as perhaps the world's best midfielder right now. Evasive with the ball and industrious without it, Pedri is the complete package. Midfield: Vitinha – Paris Saint-Germain The metronome of the Paris Saint-Germain midfield. Luis Enrique opted for a conductor over a destroyer when assembling his trophy-winning team and Vitinha was the perfect orchestrator of PSG's play. The Portugal international ran proceedings during PSG's run through the knockout rounds. Right-wing: Lamine Yamal – Barcelona Simply sublime. The 17-year-old elevated himself into the Ballon d'Or conversation during Barcelona's run to the semi-finals. The goals and assists were important, but it was Yamal's unpredictability and fearlessness that stood out. Unplayable at times, there's a mature head on those young shoulders. Advertisement Left-wing: Raphinha – Barcelona Raphinha came close to leaving Barcelona last summer but has bounced back immeasurably to become one of world football's finest this season. He led the Champions League for goals (13) and assists (8), in a season of spectacular performances. His 21 goal involvements equalled Cristiano Ronaldo's record for a single campaign, set in 2013/14. Forward: Lautaro Martinez – Inter Milan Finalists Inter Milan earn just one inclusion, in the form of captain Lautaro Martinez. The Argentine was integral to Inter's run to the final, scoring in each knockout round before the Nerazzurri were outclassed in the final. Martinez's nine Champions League goals equalled the record for an Inter player in a single season and came from an XG of just 4.8. Overperformance. Forward: Ousmane Dembele – Barcelona Luis Enrique has championed Ousmane Dembele as the Ballon d'Or winner following the Frenchman's role in PSG's maiden success. Eight goals and six assists drove PSG to the trophy, with Dembele decisive in 1-0 wins at Liverpool and Arsenal in the knockout rounds. While a goal eluded him in the final, he recorded two assists to cement his reputation as one of Europe's most complete attackers. Read – PSG finally reach Champions League holy grail and have potential for dominance See more – Champions League end-of-season awards for 2024/25 Follow The Football Faithful on Social Media: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube | TikTok
BBC News
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Black Cats praised by BBC podcast team
Sunderland have been chosen as the Team of the Season by the pundits on the 72+ EFL guiding the Black Cats to promotion via a dramatic play-off final win over Sheffield United at Wembley on Saturday, head coach Regis Le Bris was singled out for praise, though he missed out on the Manager of the Season accolade to Charlton's Nathan Jobi McAnuff said: "If you're talking about who has overachieved this season you have to have Regis Le Bris up there because nobody would have had Sunderland getting promoted this season given the model of the club, such a young squad and a manager that was untested in this country. Sensational."The panel were in agreement on Sunderland being the team of the season, however, with McAnuff saying: "A young team, looked as though they had run their race, went on a really bad patch of form but regrouped, got themselves together and had a couple of iconic EFL moments down the stretch - Dan Ballard's last minute winner and Tommy Watson's finish in the final."Lyle Taylor added: "Let's go with Sunderland. They are back at the top table after eight years away and did it in a really interesting and alternative way."Click here to listen to the BBC's 72+ EFL podcast via BBC Sounds.
