2021 UEFA SUPER CUP

The winner of the UEFA Champions League Chelsea FC will be trading tackles with the UEFA Europa League title holder Villarreal CF in Belfast tonight. This game usually serves as the curtain raiser of the new continental season in Europe.

Chelsea are the favorite due to the fire power in the hands of manager Thomas Tuchel which many are already saying might be too much for Villarreal to withstand. Although, the Blues have lost their last 3 UEFA Super Cup finals - lost to Atletico Madrid in 2013, Bayern Munich in 2014 and also Liverpool in 2019 - the last time Chelsea won this trophy was in 1998.

The Spanish side led by Unai Emery are the underdogs, however against all hurdles Villarreal beat Arsenal and Manchester United on their way to winning the Europa League trophy last season.

Emery has faced Chelsea in 5 games both in Valencia and Arsenal and has just 1 win. He has also lost all the finals he led Sevilla to play against Champions League winners in the past.

Villarreal have not nothing lose in this game, but if they win it will add to their pedigree as giant killer of European football.

Let's keep our fingers cross to see maybe Chelsea will eventually break this jinx of UEFA Super Cup finals this year.

Fabiyi Ridwan

Sports Writer and Analyst 

UEFA Europa League Finale

This season Europa League has been full of intriguing and dramatic turns with many shocking results recorded throughout the season.

Football fans across the globe have been treated to goal fiesta - 611 goals have been scored so far - which started from the group stage in October 2020 then to the knock-out phase and will climax in Gdansk on the 26th of May 2021 when Villarreal takes on Manchester United.

No doubt that Manchester United are the favourite going into this game. One player who has contributed immensely to their ride to the final with his goals, assists and creative play is Bruno Fernandes. He has been unplayable atimes this season and if he brings his A-game to the party on Wednesday, you can't bet against United lifting this trophy. 

For Villarreal, Gerard Moreno has played a prominent role for the Unai Emery led side all through the season, and it needs to be stated that Emery is the most successful manager in the history of this competition with 3 titles and runner-up medal to his credits.

Villarreal finished 6th in the Spanish La Liga table this season, so winning this trophy is a huge deal to the team since it will earn them automatic qualification to the Champions League for next season.

We will continue to keep tab as the hours draw near to the final of the second most prestigious club competition in Europe this midweek in Gdansk, Poland. Which side will prevail after the 90minutes of football? I don't have the answer, maybe you do.

Fabiyi Ridwan

Sports Writer and Analyst 

Best of Europa League

The 2020/21 UEFA Europa League gradually and winding down to the grand-finale that will happen in Gdansk. The colloquial saying that "boys have been separated from men" is a good phrase one can loosely use in this case.

The four teams (Arsenal, AS Roma, Manchester United and Villarreal CF) remaining are among the biggest clubs in Europe and winning this trophy is a task none of them will take lighthearted as its the best route for three of them to be in the Champions League next season. 

Statistics 

Games played - 199

Goals scored - 600

Teams with most goals scored

Arsenal - 32 goals

AS Roma - 26 goals

Villarreal - 25 goals

Most attempts at goal

Arsenal - 175 (67 on target)

This season semi-final pitted two English teams against one Italian club and a Spanish side respectively.

Villarreal vs Arsenal

(1st-leg, April 29th & 2nd-leg, May 6th)

The coach of Villarreal, Unai Emery is a familiar name among the Gunners fan-base being a former manager, and due to his experience and records in this competition it will be difficult task to knock him and his boys out.

This is the Yellow Submarine fourth semi-final appearances in this competition, their previous appearances were in 2004,  2011 and 2016.

In the previous four meetings between both sides, Arsenal had 2 wins and the other two ended in stalemates.

So Mikel Arteta Gunners are being tip to qualify especially because winning this trophy is the most realistic way of them qualifying for the next season Champions League.

AS Roma vs Manchester United

(1st-leg, April 29th & 2nd-leg, May 6th)

Roma have been fantastic in this competition and a testament to that is the number of goals they had, including the individual brilliance of former Real Madrid forward Borja Mayoral.

The Red Devils are the favorite to win and qualify after this tie although the Ole Gunnar Solskjaer led side semi-final heartaches have to be broken or else struggle continues.

The Red Devils have a better head-to-head record over the Gialorossi. Hopefully, that translates into them overcoming this hurdle by qualifying for the final.

Predictions

The final might be between the two English teams, however the pendulum can swing the other way as football has shown on numerous occasions in the past.

Fabiyi Ridwan

Sports Writer and Analyst

The Falling Giants Competition

The UEFA Europa League is the tournament of teams that plays second fiddle to the champions of European top football - this claim might be disputed by fans of these clubs.

It serves has a consolation to these teams due to their inability to qualify for Champions League which they desire in order to rob shoulders with elite of clubs football across Europe.

Teams in this competition always compete as wounded lions, especially the lowly rated teams who always prove stubborn and show no respect to teams of high quality who missed their way in the Champions League and dropped down to this level.

Many goals have been scored so far in this season edition, and the quarterfinalists battles continues with many more goals and interesting results expected.

Arsenal vs Slavia Prague

1st-leg (8th April) & 2nd-leg (15th April)

The Gunners struggled to qualify for this stage due to their topsy-turvy form which has been evident all-through the season.

Both teams have met just twice before with the Gunners winning 7-nil during the 2007/08 Champions League season - their biggest win in Europe. However, the Czech champion are no push-over after overcoming two British teams Leicester city and Glasgow Rangers in the previous rounds, so Mikel Arteta and his lads should watch out.

Granada vs Manchester United

1st-leg (6th April) & 2nd-leg (15th April)

The Red Devils are the favourite but they sometimes find it difficult to beat Spanish opposition, although they beat Real Sociedad in round 32 with ease while they lost to Sevilla in last season semi-final.

However Granada is a tough team, two of their players are among the top 6 yellow-carded players in this competition, so they will give United a run for their money.

Ajax Amsterdam vs AS Roma

1st-leg (8th April) & 2nd-leg (15th April)

Here are two of the biggest names in European football who have found themselves in this competition.

The match is a 50 -50 tie that will produce many goals because both side scored with ease. Ajax scored 7 goals in the last round while Borja Mayoral of Roma is among the topscorers with 7goals - a goal short of the leading scorer - in this season so far.

Dinamo Zagreb vs Villarreal

1st-leg (8th April) & 2nd-leg (15th April)

This is a game that has so much excitement written all over it. The giant killers from Croatia who most pundits gave little or no chance against Tottenham in the last round with their manager in jail will be out to repeat their exploits in this round.

It is expected as well that Emery's tactics and records in Europa League can be bank on to steer Villarreal through to the next round, but it won't be easy against these resolute Croats.

To qualify for semi-final are; Arsenal, Man United, AS Roma and Villarreal. Although this predictions might change since possession doesn't win games, only goals does.

Fabiyi Ridwan

Sports Writer and Analyst