In a highly contested affair, Italy and Spain played out a 1-1 draw after extra time, and needed penalty kicks to settle the match. After missing just one of their spot kicks, Italy sent themselves through to the final of the tournament, extending their impressive unbeaten run to 33 matches in all competitions. Here is our tactical analysis of the match!
After the conclusion of Groups D, E, and F, the Futbol Masterminds get together to discuss all the events from the week that was at the Euros including those two massive 2-2 draws in the Group of Death! Follow @futbolmasterminds on Instagram to see more of the show and subscribe via Itunes and Spotify!
The moment we've been waiting for...that's taken a year to arrive...is now finally here this Friday as the UEFA European Championships of 2020 kick off. The Futbol Masterminds break down their predictions and thoughts on all six groups, and discuss who is most likely to win the tournament. Follow @futbolmasterminds on Instagram to see more of the show and subscribe via Itunes and Spotify!
Ahead of the European Championships set to kick off this Friday, we take a look at five underrated players to watch at the tournament.
Former Barcelona man Xavi Hernandez is widely considered one of the best midfielders of all time. In his hay-day with both Spain and Barcelona, Xavi formed one of the best midfield triads the game has ever seen, alongside Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets. He won twenty-five major trophies with Barcelona and three for Spain, before moving to Qatar ahead of the 2015-16 season. He then went on to finish his career in style, winning the Qatari league in his final season at the club in 2018-19. The very next season he was named manager of the squad and soon afterward completely revolutionized Al Saad into a near unstoppable unit in the QPL. The Spanish midfielder has quietly gone about his business at Al Sadd, playing in Guardiola-esque ways and doing del-Bosque-esque things, winning six trophies in two seasons so far. Barcelona are keeping a close eye on the now 41-year-old, and in time we may see one of the game greatest ever midfielders become one of the game's greatest ever managers. Here is a tactical analysis of Xavi Hernandez's Al Sadd.
For a while, tiki taka, highlighted by the intricate triangles created in Spain's Xavi-Iniesta years, prevailed as the dominating tactic of the beautiful game. However, with Spain's struggles in recent tournaments and the much talked about "possession without purpose" that has haunted many teams in recent modern day matches, I pronounce the death of tiki taka.
Cristiano Ronaldo has never had a better start to an international tournament. The Portuguese legend left everything out on the pitch in Russia Friday night, securing his team a 3-3 draw with his 51st career hat-trick. However, Ronaldo was not the only one to set the stage alight on Friday. Here are three key performers … Continue reading Cristiano Ronaldo Steals The Show In Spain and Portugal’s 3-3 Draw
In 2016-17, Arsene Wenger's Arsenal suffered their worst season in terms of position in the table since 1994-95 when they finished in 12th place. When Santiago Cazorla was in the side, the Gunners were flourishing, playing some of their best football again. But as was the case for nearly the entire season, they were without their … Continue reading 4 Ways Arsenal Can Replace Santi Cazorla
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