#Robert lewandowski prompt | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

the-offside-rule · 1 year

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Robert Lewandowski (FCBarcelona) - A City We Barely Know

Requested: yes

Prompt: "Lewa is away with his friends and they all end up with girls so he finds himself at the bar with a girl he doesn't know (Y/n) and that's how they meet and I'll leave the rest up to you"

Warnings: none

Robert sat in the hotel lobby annoyed. Him and his friends were meant to take a walk around the city but somehow all of them managed to find girls to go out with or maybe even do more with, hence, he was alone in a city that he barely even knew, sipping on a cheap drink.

Y/n on the other hand had just got stood up. She was in desperate need of a drink, one that would make her forget everything that happened in the past few hours. She too was in a city she barely knew. She just came for vacation and some guy gave her his phone number so they could arrange a date but surprise, surprise, she got stood up.

She walked towards the bar, her heels clicking off the marble floor of the hotel lobby before sitting on a barstool and slapping her purse down beside her. "Can I get an old fashioned, a gin and tonic, martini and a gimlet please?" She asked the bartender. He nodded and went away to make the drinks. She held her head in her hands just contemplating her life when she heard a chuckle from beside her. "That's a lot of alcohol no?" She looked over to where the voice was coming from. She saw a man, probably a little older than her with a glass in his hand, swirling some ice and cold liquor together. "You can't say much. You've got a drink too." She replied. The guy smirked. "Yeah, I guess that's true. I'm not here to get wasted intentionally though. I'm waiting for people that probably aren't going to come out of their rooms until tomorrow morning."

"Oh? And why is that?" Y/n asked, turning to face him. "They've all managed to pick up girls. I, on the other hand, have not." Y/n didn't understand how though. "Not yet." Y/n grinned. The guy turned to face her properly. She looked beautiful. Her hair, her face, everything was simply beautiful. "I like that you have faith in me." He smiled. "Well, when you've got a face like yours it's hard not to pick up some girls." She outstretched her hand to introduce herself. "I'm Y/n." Robert set his glass down and shook her hand with a wide smile on his face. "Robert." He replied. "You aren't from here, are you?" Y/n smiled. Robert put his glass down and looked at her. "No, but I'm guessing from your accent you aren't either."

"No, not at all. I'm from y/c." Robert smiled. "Ah, not so bad. Seems like a nice place I must say." Y/n chuckled. "Your drinks." the bartender said. Y/n turned and realised she had to pay. She put her hand into her purse to pull out some money but she was stopped by Robert. "Add it to my tab. She's my company for this evening." The bartender nodded and slid the drinks over to Y/n. "What did you do that for? I was more than happy to pay for my own drinks." She said. Robert shrugged his shoulders and drank the last of his own glass. "As I said before, you're my company this evening."

"Oh how will I repay you?" she asked sarcastically sipping on her martini. "Perhaps be my company tommorrow evening too." Y/n arched a brow. "Are you flirting?" She asked. She hadn't been flirted with much but she knew when a guy was trying. "Maybe." Y/n giggled and put her empty glass down. "You seem a little old to be flirting." She smiled. Robert looked at her. "What do you mean, a little old?"

"I mean handsome of course. It's not often I get stuck with something so good looking." She winked and that was all it took for Robert to get hooked on her. She was driving him crazy and they'd only known each other for a few minutes. "Well, maybe we should learn a little more about each other then?" Robert suggested. Y/n liked where this was going. A heart to heart with a guy she found attractive? What's there not to like? The time ticked on and there was no sign of Robert's friends and Robert was getting tired, as was Y/n. However, the pair were enjoying their conversation but for the sake of the bartenders sanity, they decided to go seperate ways and head to bed.

"Well, thank you for talking with me. I really needed that." Y/n said collecting her things to head up to her room. "Where's your hotel again?" Robert thought for a moment. What the hell was his hotel called? "I'm not sure but I'll know it when I see it." He assured her. "Are you sure you wouldn't like to sleep on the sofa in my room or something? I don't mind at all." Robert shook his head. "No, no. I'm fine don't worry. I'll just go back to my hotel. I can get a taxi anyway." Y/n was still unsure about it. He could get scammed but he didn't drink enough to be drubk so he'd be in an okay mindset. "Right well, I'll see you around then, right?" she asked. Robert nodded his head. "I'll meet you here tomorrow evening, same time?" Robert asked as she walked slowly backwards towards the lift. "I'd be down for that." There was a moment of hesitation between the two. Was there anything else left to say? What was going to happen? "So-" Robert paused. "Goodnight."

Y/n smiled softly. "Sweet dreams." She said in response. "If you're in them they'll be sweet." He joked. "Smoothe, very smoothe." Her nodded his head in agreement. "I am, I try my best." She laughed and watched as Robert walked towards the big hotel doors to go. "You won't miss tomorrow will you?" she asked one last time. Robert began walking backwards too. "Wouldn't miss it for anything!" he called back. She smiled to herself and watched as he walked out into the open air of the city they both didn't know.

#fcbarcelona #laliga #football #football blurbs #football imagines #robert lewandowski #robert lewandowski imagine #robert lewandowski x reader #lewandowski blurb

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whorekneecentral · 1 year

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requests are officially closed!!!

the final prompt count is as below!

Charles Leclerc- 8

Trent Alexander Arnold- 1

Pierre Gasly- 6

Sergio Aguero - 1

Jude Bellingham - 1

Jenson Button - 1

Daniel Ricciardo - 10

Sergio ‘Checo’ Perez - 4

Fernando Alonso - 3

Max Verstappen - 8

Sebastian Vettel - 3

Mick Schumacher - 2

Erling Haaland - 5

Segio Ramos - 3

Mason Mount - 2

Lewis Hamilton - 4

Marcus Rashford- 1

Neymar Jr - 6

Jack Grealish- 3

Esteban Ocon - 2

Toto Wolff - 2

George Russell - 1

Felipe Drugovich - 2

Ruben Dias - 2

Yassine Bounou - 2

Yuki Tsunoda - 4

Richarlison - 1

Lucas Paquetá - 1

Achraf Hakimi - 3

Christian Pulisic - 1

Carlos Sainz Jr - 1

Virgil Van Dijk - 3

Robert Lewandowski - 1

Mark Webber - 1

Andy Robertson - 1

Jordan Henderson - 1

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footballerimaginess · 2 years

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Could you upload the summer prompts list with the players names next to them? xx

1. Beach day Pablo Gavi 2. Swimming in the sea Ben Chilwell 3. Holiday destination Christian Pulisic 4. Fruit picking Martin Odegaard 5. Boat days Ben Chilwell 6. Festival Christian Pulisic 7. Late night walks John Stones 8. Sumer outfits Ruben Dias 9. Barbecues John Stones 10. Summer rain Oliver Skipp 11. Watching the sunset Eric Dier (no request so i picked my own) 12. Family day out Frenkie De Jong 13. Postcards Timo Werner 14. Selfies (no request found) 15. Picnic Charles Leclerc 16. Pool party Ruben Dias 17. Sport event Christian Pulisic 18. Fairground Ben Chilwell 19. Sleeping under the stars John Stones 20. Camping John Stones 21. Ice Cream Robert Lewandowski 22. Road trip Mason Mount 23. Picking up stones Martin Odegaard 24. Skinny dipping Mason Mount 25. Shopping Antoine 26. Souvenir shopping Matt Doherty 27. Staycation Mason Mount 28. Staying in a lodge Erling Halaand 29. Plane rides Mason Mount 30. Exploring the world Chris Evans

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calacuspr · 2 months

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Calacus Monthly Hit & Miss – Sebastien Haller & Enhanced games february 2024

Every month we look at the best and worst communicators in the sports world from the last few weeks.

HIT - SEBASTIEN HALLER

The late, great Daily Mail sport columnist Ian Wooldridge once wrote: “There are days when sport reaches the sublime heights of unscripted theatre and draws from men and women performers resources of nerve and skill beyond human comprehension.”

The magic of sporting contest is that it can be so unpredictable that it is often said that no one would believe it if you made a movie about what you’ve just witnessed.

This month’s African Cup of Nations (AFCON) certainly fits that description, with striker Sebastien Haller front and centre in the drama.

Ivory Coast, the hosts, looked set to exit the competition after a disastrous group stage, when they lost twice, including a heaviest ever home – and Nations Cup finals – defeat when losing 4-0 to Equatorial Guinea.

Manager Jean-Louis Gasset was promptly sacked, but the team got a reprieve when Zambia failed to get the result they needed to finish above the hosts as a best third-placed side.

Haller had not featured in those first few matches due to an ankle injury, but his comeback is far more dramatic than a typical footballer’s injury.

A former France youth international, Haller made his name at Eintracht Frankfurt before joining Premier League side West Ham for a then club-record fee of £45million in July 2019.

He failed to replicate his Bundesliga form, scoring only 10 goals in a year and a half before moving to Ajax.

Haller twice helped the Dutch giants win the Eredivisie and became only the second player, after one Cristiano Ronaldo, to score in all six of his club’s group-stage Champions League games, and the fourth, with Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski, to reach double figures in the competition’s group phase.

This prompted Borussia Dortmund to sign him to replace Erling Haaland, where his impressive form was stopped in its track by a tragic turn of events.

In July 2022, just two weeks after signing, the forward complained of abdominal discomfort and during a consultation with a urologist, a testicular tumour was discovered.

Haller promptly underwent surgery to remove it and within the week, he had started receiving chemotherapy.

In a Canal+ documentary called ‘Fight’, Haller’s wife Priscilla described the news Haller had a tumour as a “nightmare.”

“When (he) told me on the phone, I didn’t believe it — it’s a joke,” she said. “Until he got upset because he takes the blow and on top of that has to convince me. I understood what it was to be really afraid. I was scared and had the fear of my life.”

Haller was determined to play football again as quickly as possible and had a personal trainer devising tailored exercise programmes for him in hospital.

When Haller attended the Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris with Priscilla, the extent of his illness was clear for all to see, his hair loss as a result of chemotherapy a stark reminder of how gravely unwellhe had been.

Haller was voted the 13th best player in the world for his achievements with Ajax, and also went up on stage to present an award.

He was encouraged by his idol, former Ivory Coast captain and fellow striker Didier Drogba, to provide an update on his condition and said: “Everything is fine. I’m here because everything is going as well as it can. It’s important to be involved at such events to show that you’re strong.”

That turned out not to be the case.

A month after the Paris ceremony, he needed a second, more dangerous procedure, to remove the residual findings from the tumour, which took over four hours.

When Haller was eventually given the all-clear, he flew with his team-mates to Dortmund’s winter training camp in Marbella, telling reporters that “(retiring) was never on my mind.”

On January 10 2023 Haller was greeted with applause from his team-mates, club staff, opposition players and supporters as he finally stepped onto the pitch for the first time in a Dortmund shirt for a friendly against Fortuna Dusseldorf.

“It’s been a dream to play with my team-mates, certainly more fun than doing runs through forests,” he said afterwards.

Two weeks later, he made his official debut for Dortmund, and first competitive appearance since recovering from cancer, coming off the bench in a 4-3 victory over Augsburg.

The words “F*CK CANCER” were inscribed on his boots.

It was fitting that on World Cancer Day, in early February 2023, Haller scored his first goal for Borussia Dortmund, heading into the net against Freiburg in front of 80,000 supporters at Signal Iduna Park and subsequently swamped by a horde of yellow-clad team-mates.

He pointed to that message on his boots as part of his celebration and he said afterwards: “To score today was a great message to everyone who is fighting today or will fight later.

“It gives some hope, some courage. The days after will always be better. You only want to score another goal, to have that feeling again. It’s the best feeling.

“You’re flying. You’re on a cloud. The whole stadium is on fire. Your team-mates, the staff, everyone is as one. It’s a big boost. There’s still a long way to go, but we will walk down that path.

"Of course, you realise it is something really serious that is happening, that a lot of things can change. It's important to tell it straight about cancer.

“But the urologist helped me not to be scared. He said I could heal well. I took all his words for granted.”

With Ivory Coast struggling and scoring just twice in the AFCON group stages, Haller’s recovery from his ankle injury took on added significance.

"After the big defeat against Equatorial Guinea, we had no choice," Haller said.

"We've come back from a long way. There were words, moments, which were not easy for the players, staff and everybody [but] which were necessary."

Haller’s teammate Seko Fofana said that Haller's struggles with health and fitness inspired squad unity, especially after their coach was sacked in the group stage.

"He was a benefit to others in the team, always giving something else to this group," Fofana mused. “[Consequently] we're now a unit, a collective, and we can be very happy about it.”

Losing against defending champions Senegal, Haller was thrown on late in normal time to help save the game, and his perfect through ball to Nicolas Pepe saw the former Arsenal winger fouled in the penalty area.

Franck Kessie equalised from the spot to take the game into extra time with Haller scoring in the penalty shootout, with the Ivorians knocking out the holders 5-4.

Still not fit enough to start games, Haller was brought on against Mali in the quarter-final with the team down to 10 men, hitting the bar before Oumar Diakite scored in the 122nd minute to see the hosts through 2-1.

In the semi-final against DR Congo, Haller scored the only goal with a volley into the ground, which bounced over goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi and into the net.

That gave Haller the chance to put his health problems behind him, and looking forward to the final, he said: “The last 18 months have been quite challenging for myself and the family. I just take everything step by step and I just try to enjoy the moment. I don't want to have any regrets.

“It’s a great moment to be here in front of you, talking about the final of AFCON in my own country. It will take a few months, or a few years, to really realise what happened (to me).”

Hollywood scriptwriters would have ensured Haller scored the winning goal in front of his home fans, a scenario which looked unlikely when William Troost-Ekong had put Nigeria ahead seven minutes before half-time.

Kessie equalised with just over an hour gone before Haller seized his moment, flicking the ball into the net from Simon Adingra's cross in front of 60,000 fans at Abidjan's Alassane Ouattara Stadium.

An emotional Haller broke down in tears after the final whistle, the reality of his achievement hitting home.

"We dreamed of this moment so many times," Haller said. "We hoped to get to this point and once again the match wasn't an easy one. The joyous scenes we see now, what's happening in the country, they deserve it too. I really hope it does a lot of people good."

Haller was congratulated by Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara after picking up his winners' medal, perhaps in recognition of the impact his return had on Ivory Coast's Éléphants.

Understandably, Haller was front and centre of the team's trophy parade through the centre of Abidjan the following day, the victory a show of unity coming only 13 years since the end of Ivory Coast’s second civil war.

But victory was about more than just lifting the AFCON trophy for the first time since 2015.

Thousands of Ivory Coast fans came to celebrate on the streets of Abidjan, adorning the team’s orange and white colours, a national holiday called to celebrate the championship success.

Haller’s dignified and determined fight against cancer, his impact on the team and the entire nation underlined how sporting prowess can have a positive impact on society.

It’s a reminder not only of the importance of sport, but how its impact transcends the field, bringing joy, hope and inspiration to millions.

MISS – ENHANCED GAMES

With the recent backing of PayPal billionaire Peter Thiel and other tech businessmen, it looks like the controversial Enhanced Games has the financial backing to take place in 2024.

The Enhanced Games is a proposed international athletic competition, not unlike the Olympic Games, but with one major difference: they explicitly do not test for Performance Enhancing Drugs (PEDs). This is not to say that athletes are forced to dope, but rather than doping is perfectly permissible in the eyes of the organisers.

Their stated goal is to see how far humans can go, using a combination of chemical and technological doping; the former including anabolic steroids and hormone therapy, the latter technology like ’super trainers’ and swimsuits based on sharkskin.

The main philosophy of the Enhanced Games is that PED use should be seen as a ‘demonstration of science’ rather than as cheating.

Is this philosophy legitimate? It is true that no athlete succeeds on their own, and that every Olympic champion has a team of nutritionists, coaches and trainers, equipment designers, physiotherapists, friends, and family behind them. Why not add a pharmacist to the list?

The point could be made that high-altitude training could count as an unfair advantage, given that it is only available to athletes from countries that can either afford to fly them there, or who happen by chance to host training facilities in the mountains. It certainly gives athletes a clear and measurable edge over those that don’t have the option.

From a different perspective, a world-class swimmer like Michael Phelps has longer-than-average arms and a torso that is proportionally longer compared to his legs, as well as size 14 feet and a body that produces half the lactic acid of an average swimmer, but he is celebrated as a natural superhuman.

Meanwhile, women such as champion runner Caster Semenya, whose bodies produce higher than average testosterone levels, are punished and forced to take supplements to bring their hormone levels back down to average.

Clearly, there are grey areas when it comes to genetic and competitive advantages, so it could be argued that any and all enhancements should be allowed. That way, an athlete’s performance on the international stage would represent the combined scientific and sporting abilities of their nation to achieve victory as well as any genetic gifts they have.

Given the allegations of the Russian state-sponsored doping program that saw the state formally expelled from the Olympic Movement, forcing the nation’s athletes to compete as independents, this could be more endemic than we currently think.

The Enhanced Games also claim to have a vastly improved pay structure compared to the Olympic Games, including a stipend for all athletes that compete, as well as substantial prizes for the most successful – including up to and above $1m for gold medallists.

Olympic Games silver medallist James Magnussen has indicated he’d be more than happy to come out of retirement and take steroids if it meant a large payday.

He said: “They [Enhanced Games] have said they have a billion-dollar person backing them.

“If they put up a million dollars for the freestyle world record, I’ll come on board as the first athlete. I’ll juice to the gills and break it in six months.”

Three-time swimming gold medal winner Leisel Jones has argued that the Enhanced Games might actually benefit the Olympic Games.

“It might actually keep the clean sport, clean,” she said. “If this clears out people who genuinely want to [take PEDs] and are doing illegal things in sport, if that clears them out of clean sport, that would be wonderful.”

However, she has said that while she might be interested in commentating, she wouldn’t be interested in coming out of retirement to take part herself.

“I don’t want to participate in it myself, I’m not in a position to do that. The risks are too big for me I think for the side effects and whatnot.

“But I am happy to see other people do this. I would watch it for sure. I just want to know how fast they can go.”

There is some truth in the argument that traditional athletics has been afflicted by illicit drug use. Beyond Russia, a 2017 study carried out by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) suggested that as many of half of tested athletes had used PEDs in the last year.

Two parallel Games, one ‘natural’ and one ‘Enhanced’ could, properly enacted, result in fairer competition for all.

However, the Enhanced Games has understandably been strongly criticised by anti-doping agencies all over the world.

Travis Tygart, CEO of the US Anti-Doping Agency, described the Enhanced Games as ”farcical… likely illegal in many states” and “a dangerous clown show, not real sport”

In a release, WADA further condemned the new Games, calling it “a dangerous and irresponsible concept.”

“WADA warns athletes and support personnel, who wish to participate in clean sport, that if they were to take part in the 'Enhanced Games', they would risk committing anti-doping rule violations under the World Anti-Doping Code,

"Athletes serve as role models and we believe this proposed event would send the wrong signal to young people around the world.”

Australian Olympic Committee chief Matt Carroll added that: “The Australian Olympic Committee believes the concept of a drug-enhanced games is dangerous.

“We know next to nothing about this organisation but sport needs to be clean and it needs to be safe for all athletes,

“The Olympic Movement is devoted to clean sport and athletic excellence, celebrating the best in humanity, excellence, friendship and respect.”

A spokesperson from UK Anti-Doping has described the Games as ”‘unsafe, dangerous to athletes’ health and wellbeing [and flying] in the face of fair play.

"We believe competing is about respect, hard work and determination, not a dangerous game of endorsing drug use to enhance performance. We are committed to working with athletes to champion their rights, their health and their wellbeing.”

Even cyclist Joseph Papp, who was suspended in 2006 for PED use, has come out against the Enhanced Games.

“A doping free-for-all just invites the most ambitious person to be the most reckless person, and to take the most drugs possible without literally killing themselves.”

Athlete safety should be paramount in any sporting competition, and it is unclear how PEDs that are illegal in many countries would be regulated to ensure fair access for all competitors.

The condemnation that the Enhanced Games has received is also not limited to the world of sports: their messaging appears to be mimicking that of other, serious, political movements.

One of the Enhanced Games website slogans is: ‘My body, my choice,’ clearly attempting to echo the pro-choice slogans of pro-abortion activists.

Aron D’Souza, President of the Enhanced Games, said: “Fifty years ago, being a gay man was like being enhanced today. It’s stigmatised, it’s illegal in some sense and it’s done in a dark alley.”

In referencing a picture on the Enhanced Games website of an athlete holding up a flag bearing the event’s stylised “E+” logo, he added: “What changed for the LGBT community was pride — there was a flag to rally around and if you look at our website, it is intentional. What’s our first picture? A flag. Maybe this was our Stonewall moment.”

That is a bold claim even for a gay man like D’Souza to make, given the long and deeply oppressive experiences that LGBT+ communities have undergone throughout history.

There’s clearly a shock value aspect to the Enhanced Games’s communications strategy.

A further slogan of the Enhanced Games is ‘Science is real,’ echoing pro-vaccination arguments during the Covid Pandemic. These attempts to co-opt major worldwide political issues for the gain of the Enhanced Games organisers and investors is unlikely to improve the organisation’s credibility.

Whether or not they can attract sufficient athletes remains to be seen. At the time of writing, very few have publicly supported the new competition.

D’Souza claimed that 500 ‘sleeper’ athletes had privately agreed to take part, but so far none have spoken publicly, raising doubts about whether the Enhanced Games can go ahead.

With the very real safety concerns, the question remains: who will actually benefit from the Enhanced Games? It may certainly garner some initial attention, but what sponsors would want to be associated with such a controversial competition which would potentially undermine their own ethics and ethos?

D'Souza claims that he has no need for further investment, and that this is simply a project to see what humanity is capable of. But the financial incentives offered to attract athletes will need funding if the Enhanced Games are to ensure.

There is so much that the Enhanced Games have got wrong from a communications perspective.

Instead of demonstrating an understanding of the concerns and addressing them in a sensitive way, the approach has been one of aggressive belligerence.

Whether more athletes will sign up for the Enhanced Games in the fullness of time remains to be seen.

The risks to athlete safety alone will ensure continued widespread condemnation from the sports world and beyond.

#AFCON #Ivory Coast #West Ham #Ajax #Borussia Dortmund #Sebastien Haller #Franck Kessie #African Cup of Nations #Didier Drogba #cancer #Eintracht Frankfurt

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laocommunity · 11 months

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Liverpool Set to Sign Two Top European Stars for Record Transfer Fees in Summer 2023

Liverpool Set to Sign Two Top European Stars for Record Transfer Fees in Summer 2023 # Liverpool Set to Sign Two Top European Stars for Record Transfer Fees in Summer 2023 # Introduction Liverpool Football Club is one of the most successful clubs in the history of English football. Their recent successes have been attributed to their ability to sign some of the best players in the world. And it looks like they have no intention of slowing down anytime soon. In Summer 2023, they are set to sign two top European stars for record transfer fees. The news has been making headlines in the football world, and fans of Liverpool are excited about the upcoming signings. Liverpool Set to Sign Two Top European Stars It is reported that Liverpool Football Club has already identified the two players they want to sign in the summer of 2023. Although their names have not been officially announced yet, sources believe Liverpool is after two of Europe's top talents. Who Are the Two European Stars? The two European stars that Liverpool are reportedly interested in have not been officially announced. However, rumors suggest that one of them is a striker who has been referred to as the 'next Robert Lewandowski'. The other player is a midfielder who has been referred to as the 'next Luka Modric'. Record Transfer Fees The transfer fees Liverpool is set to pay for the two European stars are reported to be record-breaking. The current transfer record is held by Paris Saint Germain when they acquired Neymar from Barcelona for €222m in 2017. Liverpool's reported record-breaking transfer fees show that they are ready to compete with the top clubs in the world. Liverpool's Strategy Liverpool's strategy has always been to buy young, talented players and develop them into world-class players. Their recent successes, including winning the Premier League and Champions League, are proof that their strategy is working. The potential signings of these two European stars show that Liverpool is looking to solidify their position as one of the best clubs in Europe. How Will These Signings Impact Liverpool? If Liverpool does manage to sign these two European stars, it will significantly strengthen their team. Their current squad is already full of world-class players, but adding these two would take them to a new level. With the likes of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, and Virgil van Dijk already in their ranks, the potential signings would make Liverpool a formidable force in Europe. What Does This Mean for Other Clubs? Liverpool's potential signings will undoubtedly send shockwaves across Europe as other clubs will be wary of the strengthened team they will have to face. It may even prompt other clubs to spend big in order to compete with Liverpool. What Are the Challenges? One of the significant challenges that Liverpool may face is the competition from other clubs who may also be interested in these two European stars. Additionally, paying such a high transfer fee could put pressure on the club to perform, and expectations would be high. Conclusion Liverpool Football Club is always looking to push the boundaries, and Liverpool Set to Sign Two Top European Stars for Record Transfer Fees in Summer 2023 is proof of that. If they do manage to sign both players, it will significantly strengthen their team and make them a force to be reckoned with in Europe. However, they will also face significant challenges in achieving these signings, but Liverpool has always been a club that rises to the challenge. #Hashtags #Liverpool #EuropeanStars #TransferFees #ChampionsLeague #PremierLeague #Squad #Football #RobertLewandowski #LukaModric #Competition #Expectations #Strategy #SPORT Read the full article

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lewavi-amor-en-el-barca · 1 year

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¡Hola a todos, fans del LewaVi! 💙❤️

Aprovecho la emoción de que el Barça salió Campeón de La Liga, para taerles una noticia importante.

Así es. ¡La espera terminó! ¡La LEWAVI WEEK 2023 está siendo oficialmente anunciada!

Por primera vez, tendremos una semana entera dedicada al ship entre Pablo Gavi y Robert Lewandowski, con prompts diarios para que los motiven, inspiren o los ayuden a crear hermosas historias, artes, ediciones y todo lo que pueda aportar a esta hermosa ship. ¡El único límite es su imaginación!

El nombre oficial del evento es "Amor a l'Agost", y se realizará desde el 14 hasta el 20 de agosto, mes de cumpleaños de nuestros muchachos.

A continuación les dejo los prompts:

#lewavi #lewangavi #lewandowskixgavi #pablo gavi #pablo martín páez gavira #robert lewandowski #lewaviweek2023 #amoralagost

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stateofsport211 · 1 year

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England Set France Classic Clash for A Semifinal Spot

Olivier Giroud celebrated as he scored the first French goal against Poland yesterday (📸 Reuters via The Hindustan Times)

The second day of the Round of 16 filled the top side of the bottom half of the draw, which saw the battle between France & Poland and England & Senegal. While the room for upsets is always open, the trajectory of both matches contrasted with each other in practice.

France v. Poland

Robert Lewandowski waved shortly after the final whistle blew after he scored a goal from the penalty kick (📸 Football Today)

The match was initially fast-paced, where it started with several notable French chances from Antoine Griezmann at 3' and Aurelien Tchouameni at 12'. The most notable Polish chance came from Robert Lewandowski at 20' and Matty Cash at 34', but to no avail. Wojciech Szczesny was also remarkable with the save at 35' and how Piotr Zielinski's right-foot shot to the center at 37' got rebounded and saved by Hugo Lloris. However, right before half-time was called, Olivier Giroud scored a goal at 43' after executing the passes perfectly from Dayot Upamecano to Kylian Mbappe and right to Giroud to be shot, only for Jakub Kiwior trying to play offside but to no avail. The first half then ended with France leading 1-0.

Olivier Giroud's bicycle kick, which happened with the collision between Raphael Varane, Wojciech Szczesny, and Matty Cash (📸 France 24).

In the second half, Poland tried to match the French pace, coming from the point they left off in the first half and defended well, but France went even more aggressively with several more chances, one of which came from Kylian Mbappe and Giroud's notable bicycle kick. Mbappe went on to score two different goals: one at 74', where Ousmane Dembele perfectly passed the ball to Mbappe to catch the Polish defense department off-guard; and the second right at 90' in an upgraded execution of a previous goal from Lionel Messi. That goal was an addition to his goals tally, scoring 16 goals in 14 matches for France.

Robert Lewandowski's penalty kick in two takes (🎥 Kan 11 IL, self-edited for shorter duration and illustration purposes)

Although M. Cash attempted a bicycle kick, also to no avail, there was another drama several minutes later, when a VAR official spotted a French handball right at the end of the match. When the contact was confirmed, a penalty was awarded to the Polish side, where Robert Lewandowski executed it in two takes: Lloris successfully saved the first take, albeit it was deemed offside at the end, which prompted a second take. This is where Lewandowski successfully scored a goal for Poland, minimizing the difference to 1-3, and the final whistle blew.

England v. Senegal

From left to right: Phil Foden, Harry Kane, and Bukayo Saka celebrated the latter's goal in the second half (📸 Getty Images via The Telegraph)

The stand-off between England and Senegal was rather slower in construction, but once England went on fire, they never looked back. As much as Senegal tried to raise their level, England eventually dominated the whole flow throughout the 90 minutes of play. Senegal had their chances, but they could not maximize them, hence England took advantage in their counter-attack since.

Although Senegal started with a chance successfully defended by Harry Maguire, signifying a slower start, one of their notable chances in the first half remained Ismaila Sarr's shot that went far and wide right after being assisted by Boulaye Dia, in the position John Stones defended. England successfully converted their defensive position into an offensive where Jordan Henderson attacked right at the penalty box in 39'. Phil Foden's flick out from the left, followed by Jude Bellingham's delivery to the penalty spot where J. Henderson stood by to execute, catching Edouard Mendy off-guard. Right before the whistle blew in half-time, England successfully scored another goal, this time from Harry Kane (who finally added his name to the scoreboard this year), where Bellingham and Foden once again played their parts to break it forward before Kane executed the final shot. As a result, England led 2-0.

8 minutes after the second half started, England became more aggressive, where Bukayo Saka was able to score at 57' after Foden's ball crossed Saka, breaching Senegal's defenses, where the pitch was left off-guard, overwhelming Mendy to some extent. There were several other notable chances towards the end of the second half, where Senegal appeared to raise their level, but they all went too wide, even further above the goal net. Even though Rashford had a last-minute unconverted chance, England maintained their position until the end of the match, securing their quarterfinal place at 3-0, and a clash against France in that round.

England v. France: What's Ahead?

Ryan Bertrand (England) and Djibril Sidibe (France) during the international friendly match in 2017 (📸 Daily Mirror)

The French position as the 2018 World Champion would pose a great test for England, especially when they are in peak form. However, their build-up toward this round was something else: England, having started solidly with a 6-2 win against Iran, drew the United States with a rather slower tempo flow, before going on fire again facing Wales. On the other hand, the French aggression knew no boundaries, with a little hiccup when they got defeated by Tunisia (0-1) in the last match of the group stage, having already qualified.

While their last meeting was in the friendly match of 2017, where France eventually won 3-2 in a close match, England only won once out of the seven meetings in this millennium, followed by two draws and four defeats. To prevail, England must be able to absorb the French side's quicker pace, or it would be costly. Judging by the last few matches, France would likely have a rapid start, where England's defense department will be tested before the conversion to offensive play becomes the next aspect of attention. Regardless of the outcome, this match can be seen as a classic nail-biter for all the suspense it will bring.

#fifa world cup 2022 #fifa world cup #world cup qatar 2022 #football news #football updates #knock out stage #round of 16 #world cup #qatar 2022 #qatar world cup

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b4sorex1a · 1 month

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corruption kink and gavi is 🤌🤌

do u think u could do some headcannons ab virgin!gavi??? idc who u write him with, but it's especially hot w older men😻😻

tw: nsfw, minors dni.

— Virgin! Pablo Gavi x Robert Lewandowski prompt

• Pablo Gavira doesn’t really know what sex means. He knows that two people who love each other get together in bed to consummate their love, of course. But he doesn’t know what sex is.

He also knows that it is a topic with which his friends are obsessed, he listens all the time in the dressing room the stories about the different girls who pass through Ferran’s bed. He thinks that something as simple as locking yourself in a room with another person should not deserve so much merit and scandal. Gavi doesn’t really know that to have sex you have to do certain actions.

For that same reason is that he does not realize the inappropriate touches that Robert gives him during training. He is not able to identify as something bad the times when Robert squeezes his thighs a little too hard, or when he’s groped ‘accidentally’ because Gavi was ‘blocking his way’, weird way of asking someone to move out of the way Pablo thought.

• Robert knows Gavi doesn’t have a clue about sex. He’s taking advantage of that, he likes to watch Pablo get all flustered not knowing what is the reason why his cheeks get pink.

• One day, when no one is looking at them, Lewandowski corners Gavi on a wall. Pablo has his pretty face leaning against the cold concrete wall, he is confused, why is he doing that? He feels hot tingling boiling in his stomach. Robert is lowering his barça shorts while giving him kisses on the back of his neck. Gavi feels dizzy and confused, he doesn’t recognize this new feeling that grows inside him.

“Do you trust me?”—Lewandowski tells him in low volume, squeezing parts of fleshy muscles.

Yes. It’s what Gavi transmits by nodding his head. He listens to how Robert lowers his own lower clothes as well. Pablo’s breathing is completely altered, he feels a new pressure in his intimate area, something he can’t find how to describe in Spanish. And suddenly his shorts and underwear are under his knees; he feels like the tip of Robert’s cock aligns in an area he doesn’t even want to think about.

• Lewandowski would grab one of Gavi’s legs to lift him up and fuck him right there. It would hurt, it always hurts for dumb virgin boys like Gavi that let men fuck them like that.

• When Pablo starts to feel really good, lewd sounds start escaping his lips, he’s kind of scared, he doesn’t know what is happening or why Robert’s big dick feels good inside of him. The weird unknown pressure on his lower stomach is tightening and…

“Stop! I’m, I need to, I’m- I need to go to the bathroom” Gavi lies, it’s not like he’s aware of what he’s going to go through.

“Let it out, cum for me” —is the cold answer Pablo gets.

And he does, even when he doesn’t know what that means. He screams when it happens, Gavi clenched his jaw so hard, it’s a feeling that consumed him completely. It made his brain melt.

Apparently Robert really liked that happening, because he seemed to be going through the same electrical pleasure just seconds later. Gavi felt a hot liquid fall between his legs when Lewan pulled out.

“D-Did we just have sex?” Pablo looked at Robert with his big honey-colored eyes —“Am I going to get pregnant?”

Lewandowski just laughed at him softly.

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football-and-fanfics · 4 years

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One Word prompts list posting #1

This was requested from the One Word prompts list.

'Fever' for Robert Lewandowski

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It didn't take you long that morning to realize something was off with Robert. You woke up to him shivering next to you, yet he was completely buried under the duvet and an unusual heat radiated off him.

"You okay, babe?" You reached for him under the blankets. Your fingers found the burning skin of his shoulder and you had basically answered your own question. "I'm sick," came Robert's barely audible reply. "Yeah," you agreed, "I don't even need a thermometer to know you're running a fever." "I'm staying in bed today," he grumbled. "Like I'm allowing you to do anything else," you chuckled darkly.

You got out of bed, and made Robert a cup of tea and fetched a cold washcloth. When you returned to the bedroom, Robert had somewhat emerged from under the blankets. As he looked at you, the fever sparkled in his eyes. You sat down on the edge of the bed, gently dapping his face and neck with the cold, wet cloth. He groaned softly, closing his eyes for a moment. "You're too good," he mumbled. "No, you're burning up that much," you answered, smiling at him.

Robert was quickly getting drowsy again, and you knew he needed the sleep to get better. "Sleep," you kissed his forehead, his skin burning under your lips, "and let me know if you need anything." "Will do." He was already back to sleep before the words had fully left his mouth. Tags: @glam-khal

#Football Fanfiction #football fanfic #football imagine #football blurb #one word prompts #Robert Lewandowski #robert lewandowski fanfic #robert lewandowski imagine #robert lewandowski blurb #mywritings

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footballpromptmeme · 6 years

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The following prompt has been added to the collection:

Character(s): Joshua Kimmich, Thomas Müller, Manuel Neuer, Mats Hummels, Robert Lewandowski, Erik Durm

Wanted rating(s): Not Rated

Description: College! AU Joshua's new Erik's hungover Robert's ready to give up Mats gave up Thomas likes dogs Manuel does too

Submit your own prompts using the collection’s sign-up form

#Prompt #Joshua Kimmich #Thomas Muller #Manuel Neuer #Mats Hummels #Robert Lewandowski #Erik Durn

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footballerimaginess · 3 years

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Paris

Birthday Prompt List 10. Taking You On Holiday Robert Lewandowski Word Count: 298 TAGLIST: @footballffbarbiex @evie-pr @bichotaa @kingkepaff @kkim120 @glam-khal @eatsleepbreathefutbol @footballxixstars @sanchos-dream @meteora-fc Robert was taking you on a small trip, he was taking you to Paris. You hadn’t been in a while and you couldn’t wait to get there. “So you taking me up the Eiffel Tower?” you asked Robert as you walked past. “Hmm if you wish too.” you smirked as you headed up on the tower. “Wait we are not walking it are we?” you sighed. “Well, gotta get our exercise somehow babe. Unless you want to get the lift” you laughed as you nodded. “Yes that would be much better” you teased. “Come on, we can stop off anyway. You are just going to want loads of pictures I can tell” you nodded as Robert knew you well. “Yes babe, I want loads. I will have to remember this moment forever” you gushed as you eventually walked up to the Eiffel Tower. You looked out at the views. “Oh wow, that view is beautiful. It is crazy that we live in such a beautiful world” you smiled as you were watching out at the views as you were looking out at it. Robert was taking some photos of you, trying to be secretive with it. You didn’t want to notice him. “Right, let’s get something to eat I am hungry after that walk” Robert suggested as he grabbed your hand. “Sure, do we need to walk down again?” you sighed as you trudged back down the stairs. “Yes we do, hold my hand” you took his hand as you walked back down the multiple steps. “Shall we go to a cute little cafe? I like the look of that one round here babe” you smiled as you “Sounds good, I need food after all that walking” you laughed as you both walked into the cute little cafe.

#birthday prompts #robert lewandowski imagine #football imagines #football imagine #football one shots #football one shot #futbol imagines #futbol imagine

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lfcmaverickfans · 3 years

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Klopp has already made his feelings clear about Lewandowski

Robert Lewandowski has reportedly told Bayern Munich he is looking for a new challenge, prompting Liverpool fans to call for a reunion with Jurgen Klopp. from LiverpoolFC News https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/media-watch/441109-klopp-has-already-made-his-feelings-clear-about-lewandowski

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freenewstoday · 3 years

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New Post has been published on https://freenews.today/2021/03/08/real-madrid-keep-la-liga-race-wide-open-lessons-from-man-united-vs-man-city-how-bayern-beat-dortmund/

Real Madrid keep La Liga race wide open, lessons from Man United vs. Man City, how Bayern beat Dortmund

Another wild weekend in soccer passed with drama across Europe’s top leagues. In La Liga, Real Madrid‘s derby draw with Atletico helped keep La Liga’s title race open, though it benefits rivals Barcelona (who won again this weekend), who are just three points off the summit. The Premier League had a remarkable sixth straight defeat for Liverpool, a stunning derby win for Man United over Man City (though don’t read too much into it), and the renaissance of Gareth Bale, who marked a third straight league start for Spurs with two goals in a big win over Crystal Palace.

– Stream ESPN FC Daily on ESPN+ (U.S. only) – ESPN+ viewer’s guide: Bundesliga, Serie A, MLS, FA Cup and more

In the Bundesliga, Bayern Munich and Robert Lewandowski swatted past Borussia Dortmund and Erling Haaland in “Der Klassiker,” plus Juventus and Milan muscled to victories in Serie A and Kylian Mbappe‘s latest winning turn for PSG only prompted more questions over the French star’s future.

It’s Monday, and Gab Marcotti reacts to the biggest moments in the world of football from the past week.

Benzema keeps La Liga title race wide open

If Atletico Madrid somehow do not win La Liga this season, it might be down to this game and that moment, when Karim Benzema and Casemiro reminded the world that Real Madrid — even the limp, emasculated version we’ve seen too many times this season — is going to fight and claw with their fingernails to not relinquish the title. Even if Sunday’s 1-1 draw means — and it might do — sending it over to Catalunya, where Barcelona keep winning, at least in La Liga.

Diego Simeone had set things up according to the tenets of “Cholismo 2.0.” With Kieran Trippier (back after his betting ban) and Yannick Carrasco powering the flanks, Real Madrid were successfully kept on the back foot and Atleti were doing what they’d promised to do: keep players around Luis Suarez and not leave him isolated. And, indeed, it was the Uruguayan who opened the scoring, with the sort of improbable outside of the boot diagonal finish that befuddled the outstanding Thibaut Courtois after a lung-bursting run from Marcos Llorente.

2 Related

Everything about that Suarez goal summed up what a veteran striker can bring: from the movement between the defenders, to the way he checked his run not to end up offside, to the confidently executed finish that few would have chosen from that position.

The momentum was squarely in Atleti’s favour during the first half. Zidane’s “winger bingo” had turned up Marco Asensio and Rodrygo, but neither was effective as they had to spend so much time tracking back. The veteran midfield of Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and Casemiro was being stretched by Thomas Lemar and Koke. Just after the break, Atleti could have added to their total, but Courtois came up big at least twice. (Thought: if Real’s recent glory years were about the “BBC” of Gareth Bale, Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo, this season it’s about the “BCC” of Benzema, Casemiro and Courtois.)

And then, around the hour mark, Simeone made the changes that have likely been haunting him for the past 24 hours. On came Saul for Lemar and Joao Felix for Carrasco. You got the logic behind the moves: fresh legs in the middle of the park, wide spaces for the Portuguese forward to run into. Except it weakened the midfield — Lemar had been outstanding — and harmed the thrust of the left flank. Meanwhile, Zidane had sent on another midfielder (Fede Valverde for Asensio), allowing Real Madrid to establish a permanent supremacy at the heart of the game.

– Report: Benzema goal earns 1-1 draw – Real Madrid ratings: Casemiro, Benzema stand tall in derby

As a result, Atletico were pushed back, certainly more than Simeone would have wanted and Real grew into the game. And the Bezema-Casemiro partnership — after forcing another great save from Jan Oblak — snatched the late draw.

It was a classic game of two halves, but also one that showed the depth of Real Madrid’s mental and technical resources, as well as the fact that, yes, Zidane can read a game tactically, much better than some of his detractors might suggest.

Benzema’s late goal earned Real Madrid a point vs. Atletico, a result that kept the title race hanging in the balance. Helios de la Rubia/Real Madrid via Getty Images

The draw also means that the big talking point — Felipe‘s handball that was flagged by VAR, but overruled by the referee — somehow becomes less important. I think that’s a good thing. Contrary to what we hear, directives on handball are just that: directives on how you should interpret handling in the box. The key word here is “interpret.” Yes, his arm was away from his body and yes, it struck him below the shoulder. But there remains room for discretion, and most reasonable people would interpret that handball as not sanctionable, particularly given the fact that he was on his way down from jumping and it was very much part of a natural motion.

The fact that it would have fallen to a Real Madrid player had it not struck his arm — as some have argued — is irrelevant. So too is the fact that other officials have given penalties similar to it in the past (including at least one high-profile one against Real Madrid when they played Valencia). That doesn’t make it correct. A maniacal, literal interpretation where directives become laws is not in the spirit of the game and not what IFAB intended.

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Janusz Michallik praises Karim Benzema after his late equaliser against Atletico Madrid kept Real’s title hopes alive.

And so La Liga’s title race remains open not just for Barcelona, who are three points back, but also to Real Madrid, five points behind. And given the amount of head-to-head clashes left — including El Clasico round 2 in early April — it will stay open even if Atletico win their game in hand against Athletic Bilbao in midweek. So sit back and enjoy the ride.

What Man United’s win vs. Man City means, and what it doesn’t mean

Manchester United fully deserved Sunday’s 2-0 win in the Manchester derby, which halted City’s streak at 21 consecutive victories in all competitions. United took an early lead, defended very well throughout, were excellent in transition, and if Anthony Martial‘s aim had been any better, they might even have scored more.

The fact that they did it without their three highest-paid players — goalkeeper David De Gea, midfielder Paul Pogba and forward Edinson Cavani — doesn’t mean they can comfortably do without them, or without strengthening the side in the summer. (Just in case you were getting any ideas, Joel and Avram Glazer …) Rather, it simply underscores how when United can play to their strengths and do the things they do well, they can beat arguably the best team in Europe, and relatively comfortably, too.

What was so striking about the win was how different they looked relative to Wednesday night against Crystal Palace when, after a decent opening half-hour, they fell away physically and competitively and were held to a 0-0 draw. That version of United looked spent and fatigued; the United we saw Sunday looked as if they were willing to run through a brick wall.

– Man United’s win shows how far they’ve come, have to go – Man United ratings: Shaw, Martial superb – Man City ratings: Jesus 5/10 as winning streak ends

I have no idea if Ole Gunnar Solskjaer used Wednesday night as some sort of motivational tool, and I wouldn’t expect United to maintain this work rate every game. But knowing you can play like this — physically and athletically — is a tremendous confidence boost. Because being able to run and work is one-third of the formula. The other two elements are technical ability — here, especially in some areas, there’s plenty of room for improvement — and tactical nous (which is Solskjaer’s department). You’re not going to improve the former until the summer at the earliest, and the latter has been steady, rather than spectacular.

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Julien Laurens reveals what Manchester United’s tactics were against City following a post-match interview with Harry Maguire.

You assume Solskjaer won’t get carried away, nor should he. Seven of the XI he started with are the same guys who floundered at Selhurst Park. Scoring after two minutes (like they did Sunday) is a manna from heaven for a club like this one: it remains to be seen how they do when it doesn’t happen, or when the opposition sits deep. But it doesn’t change the fact that, barring some improbable late collapse, they’ll finish in the top three for two straight seasons under Solskjaer, which is better than any of his predecessors since Sir Alex Ferguson managed.

As for City, you imagine Pep Guardiola will treat it like a blip and he’ll be right. Too many of his key men had poor games — namely Raheem Sterling, Kevin De Bruyne and Joao Cancelo — and they paid a dear price for individual errors. They’re still the best team around, alongside Bayern Munich, and still have a very legitimate shot at a Quadruple.

But as I pointed out last week, Man City will likely finish the domestic season as one of the lowest-scoring sides Guardiola has ever managed. They’re recording the lowest Expected Goals (xG), the lowest total shots and the lowest xG/shot since he’s been at the Etihad. And it’s not just due to the lack of a productive center-forward, either. The derby may have been an extreme example, but of the 23 shots on goal they had, only two (Phil Foden and Raheem Sterling) looked like legitimate chances. Most of the rest were shots from distance, with little credible build-up.

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Frank Leboeuf says Bayern Munich are UCL favourites over Man City because of how both teams responded to being 2-0 down.

Guardiola himself pointed out that they played far better against United than they did against West Ham (when they won 2-1), so you know he wasn’t getting lulled into a sense of security by the win streak. The question will be whether it’s something that can be fixed between now and the end of the season. And, if it is sorted, how much better City will be.

Bayern vs. Dortmund reflected their respective seasons (and Bayern won)

Talk about cramming six-plus months into 90 minutes. Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund showed all the darkness and light of their 2020-21 campaigns into Saturday’s Der Klassiker showdown. Erling Haaland bagged two goals in the first 10 minutes, monstering Jerome Boateng in the process and reminding you just what all the hype is about (and how justified it is). Bayern’s back four took early knocks (and not just them, because they defend from the front, so Boateng & Co. can share responsibility with the likes of Leroy Sane).

– Report: Lewandowski leads Bayern to big win vs. Dortmund – Rae: Lewandowski reminds Haaland of Bundesliga’s pecking order

But as so often happens, Bayern worked their way back and it was 2-2 at half-time. First, it was down to individual quality — Sane leaving Nico Schulz on the spot to set up Robert Lewandowski — and then, it was a penalty that annoyed Dortmund, but that probably was legit (and that — who else? — Lewandowski converted).

When the second half began, we told ourselves that somehow, Edin Terzic would find the words and savvy to push his young guns to reverse the momentum. For a while, they did, and it looked as if we’d be heading to a 2-2 draw. But then, Bayern took over and it felt like a matter of time until the natural order of the Bundesliga was restored. Sure enough, when Leon Goretzka — who, in a non-Lewandowski universe, would have been Bayern’s Man of the Match — rifled home from the edge of the box. That left just enough time for Lewandowski to add a fourth in garbage time, taking his seasonal total to 37 and his Bundesliga total to 31. He’s nine behind the league record set by Gerd Muller, with 10 games to go, and he’s on pace to break it.

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Jurgen Klinsmann praises the mentality of Bayern Munich after they stormed back from two goals down to beat Dortmund.

In many ways, then, this game reflected what we already knew. Bayern are vulnerable defensively, especially early in games, and that includes Manuel Neuer. But they have a scarily good midfield that, when the front four are clicking, can become almost unplayable. And they have individuals who can routinely win one-on-one battles at any time, from Sane to Alphonso Davies to Kingsley Coman.

Oh, and then there’s Lewandowski …

As for Dortmund, the absences of Raphael Guerreiro and Jadon Sancho weighed heavy (as did those of Manuel Akanji and Axel Witsel), and they have serious defensive issues of their own. The way they dropped deeper and deeper in the second half only invited more pressure, and whether you choose to blame interim boss Terzic or the lack of veteran leadership in the middle of the park — even after Emre Can moved into midfield — the outcome is the same: this team feels flimsy.

The top four is four points away, and they simply need to get into the Champions League next season if they want to avoid a fire sale of young talent before it fully blooms (and before they can get full whack for it). It would be pretty ironic if Marco Rose leaves a Champions League side for one that will be playing on Thursday nights.

Klopp’s approach vs. Fulham could have backfired spectacularly as Liverpool woes continue

Having already set a new, unwanted record of five consecutive home defeats this season, Liverpool bettered it (or, more aptly, “worsened” it) on Sunday, falling 1-0 at Anfield to Fulham to make it six in a row. Make no mistake about it, though: this one was different.

Jurgen Klopp opted to “freshen up” the side (his words) by making seven changes. Officially, two (center-forward Roberto Firmino and defender Ozan Kabak) were enforced (though they seemed more like precautions) but the likes of defender Trent Alexander-Arnold, midfielders Fabinho, Thiago Alcantara and Curtis Jones, and forward Sadio Mane were all left out by choice.

– Liverpool ratings: Salah 5/10 as Reds slump continues – Six points of note about Liverpool’s six-game losing streak

You assume Klopp’s thinking was twofold. On the one hand, give the reserves a chance to show you what they can do and exploit the fact that they’re better rested. On the other hand, offer a much-needed day off to a number of your key players, perhaps with a view to the Champions League last-16 second-leg with RB Leipzig (Liverpool lead 2-0 on aggregate) this week.

The problem with this approach is that if you get it right, you reap the benefits. People like Nat Phillips, Xherdan Shaqiri and Neco Williams emerge feeling more confident and self-assured. Diogo Jota confirms he’s fully recovered after his long injury. The rested players have more juice not just against Leipzig, but down the stretch, too.

But if you lose, as happened Sunday, you get the opposite effect. You’re reminded — the players are, too — again, of the gap in quality between your first- and second-string (or third-string, in some cases). And you, willingly or not, send two negative messages. One, to Fulham, that you reckon your B-team is good enough to stuff them (and look silly when that doesn’t happen) and another to your players: that you have so little confidence in your team’s ability to defend a 2-0 lead at home against Leipzig that you feel the need to make sure they get a full week’s rest.

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Frank Leboeuf lays into Liverpool’s performance vs. Fulham after they lost yet again at home.

It was a gamble, and it blew up in his face, possibly because he’s in uncharted territory here. He’s never been in a situation this “extreme” (his words) and there’s no playbook to get out of it. The reality now, though, is that they’re down to eighth in the Premier League table — ninth if Aston Villa win their games in hand. The top four is just four points away as of Monday morning, but the problem is the four teams ahead of them all have games in hand too. The margin of error is getting increasingly slimmer here.

It would be extraordinary if Liverpool’s best chance of being in the Champions League next season — a year after winning the league so emphatically — were to go out and win it this year, but we’re not that far off from this scenario.

Messi to Alba gets it done and suddenly, Barca are in La Liga’s title race

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Alejandro Moreno credits Barcelona for securing three important points despite a lacklustre performance.

For years, the Jordi Alba to Lionel Messi assist was football’s answer to the John Stockton-to-Karl Malone connection (yeah, I’m showing my age). Messi reversed that against Osasuna Saturday, conjuring up the kind of highlight-reel pass in traffic that you’ll likely see on YouTube for years to come. Alba buried it to give them the lead before 18-year-old midfielder, Ilaix Moriba, made it 2-0 in the second half with a stunning strike.

– Barca ratings: Moriba’s first goal, Alba and Messi 8/10 – New Barca president Laporta: Messi congratulated me

It wasn’t entirely comfortable for Barcelona. Marc-Andre ter Stegen needed his Superman cape on a couple of occasions, Antoine Griezmann still looks “perdu” and Ronald Koeman had to switch to a back four to protect to help protect the heart of a defence that still looks vulnerable.

But it’s forward progress, building upon the win over Sevilla in the Copa del Rey and, after Sunday, leaving them three points behind Atletico Madrid. Given where Barca were not that long ago, you won’t just take it — you’ll say “moltes gracies” and actually mean it.

Pirlo and Juve get a big confidence boost, making changes and winning without Ronaldo

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Gab Marcotti and Julien Laurens preview Juventus’ huge game vs. Porto in the Champions League.

Other than the three points — that obviously are not unimportant — Juventus’ 3-1 win against Lazio gave us two big takeaways. The first is that Andrea Pirlo — regardless of what’s happening around him — is unperturbed and unafraid to make changes. Like putting Danilo in midfield, or Federico Bernardeschi at left-back or Alex Sandro in central defence. It’s the sort of fluidity that Pep Guardiola cherishes, and that makes you look like a genius when it works (and it usually does for Pep).

Did it work for Pirlo? Yes and no. For the first 20 minutes or so, Juve were really poor, and their comeback had more to do with individuals than whatever scheme he cooked up. But it does matter that he feels free to make these changes. It shows that he feels the backing of the club, and it proves he has the guts to continue his experiments.

The other big call was resting Cristiano Ronaldo with the do-or-die Champions League last-16, second-leg clash with Porto — Juventus are 2-1 down from the first leg — in midweek and, effectively, winning the game without him. (They were 3-1 up when he came on with 20 minutes to go.)

Ronaldo had made 12 consecutive starts, playing weekends and midweeks, over the previous six weeks. And he’d been substituted only once: with 15 minutes to go in the Coppa Italia semifinal against Inter. Giving him a breather before Juve’s biggest game of the season to date should not have be cause for controversy. And the fact that, without him, they were able to come from behind to beat a side that was a legitimate top-four contender before kickoff, helps snuff out that “Cristiano-dependency” narrative that Juve need like a hole in the head right now.

Confidence matters when you’re rebuilding, and Juve got a big boost in both departments.

Arsenal still taking baby steps, but at least they’re going in right direction

This weekend marked two points dropped for Arsenal against Burnley. It only finished 1-1 thanks to a colossally boneheaded play from Granit Xhaka — who passed it blindly in his own box, his pass deflecting into the net off Chris Wood — and an evident penalty that VAR somehow contrived to miss (the first one on Erik Pieters, I mean — they correctly overturned the second) and yeah, it’s about performance, not just results. And Saturday’s was, on the main, positive.

This is a good thing, because results say Arsenal are 10th and if that doesn’t change between now and the end of the season, you’d have to go back 26 years. That’s why, incidentally, Arteta continues to give the impression of a guy who has put all his eggs in the Europa League basket (hence why we saw Calum Chambers at right-back). After all, winning it is his best chance to get into the Champions League.

Milan show they’ve got more depth than people thought

Milan’s trip to Verona — coming as it did after a laboured draw against Udinese that left them six points behind Inter — was fraught with peril even before you considered the injury list. They were missing Simon Kjaer and Theo Hernandez at the back, Hakan Calhanoglu and Ismael Bennacer in midfield (and Sandro Tonali was banged up on the bench) and Ante Rebic out wide — plus, of course, Zlatan Ibrahimovic up front.

The doom and gloom merchants were out in force; instead, Milan played fast and they played free, and they overwhelmed Verona on their way to a 2-0 win. They played the way they played earlier this season, without Ibrahimovic, when they were churning out results. Credit to Stefano Pioli and credit the players: evidently this team is deeper than some thought it was.

And, evidently, maybe some veterans on expiring contracts — Ibrahimovic, of course, but also Calhanoglu — aren’t quite as indispensable to this club’s future as the media often make them out to be.

Nagelsmann the alchemist keeps RB Leipzig ticking over

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Jan Aage Fjortoft questions if Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Muller are enough to stop RB Leipzig pushing ahead of Bayern Munich.

Leipzig have eight wins in their past night games — the only time they didn’t was against Liverpool in the Champions League, when they paid a hefty price for individual errors — which means they remain two points back from Bayern Munich at the top of the Bundesliga.

It took them a while to break down Freiburg, who gifted them the opener, but once they got on the front foot, they didn’t look back. We know about Julian Nagelsmann and his big squad and penchant for rotation — goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi, Angelino and Dayton Upamecano are the only players who haven’t been on the bench at least once this season in the league — and on this occasion, it was Kevin Kampl, who hadn’t featured in the Bundesliga in nearly a month, who stole the show.

Having so many weapons and being able to deploy them at any time is a huge bonus in a season like this one.

Is Gareth Bale really back?

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Frank Leboeuf believes Jose Mourinho should get the credit for getting Gareth Bale back in form for Tottenham.

Tottenham loanee Gareth Bale has now made three consecutive league starts for his team, something that had not happened since 2019. What’s more, after spending most of the season either on the bench or playing on Thursday nights in the Europa League, he’s been a significant contributor in each of the past three games, capping it off with two goals in the 4-1 win over Crystal Palace on Sunday night.

– Mourinho, Spurs reap benefits of being bolder in attack

Cue supporters (including myself) fantasising about what a front three of Bale, Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son and what they might achieve. (We’ll even call them “BKS” in honour of everyone’s favorite K-Pop boy band — think it will catch on?)

I have no idea if this is sustainable. You get the sense that Bale’s body (and maybe his mind) needs to be carefully, patiently and finely tuned, like some expensive medieval violin, if is to produce performances like the stellar ones we’ve seen recently. But I do know it’s a whole heck of a lot of fun while it lasts.

Karma is harsh for Marco Rose, Borussia Monchengladbach

A sterling performance from Moussa Diaby and a goal from Patrik Schick gave Bayer Leverkusen a 1-0 win over Borussia Monchengladbach in a battle of Champions League pretenders. It’s a result that pretty much knocks Gladbach out of the race, and it marks their fifth straight defeat since the club announced that Marco Rose had “opted” to leave them in the summer, despite having a year left on his contract.

There’s no good way to navigate these situations. Managers will move on to what they think are bigger jobs and more attractive employment and, unlike with a player, it would be suicidal for a club to try and keep a manager to his contract. But there’s a good way to leave and there’s a bad way, and quite clearly, we saw the latter in this case.

Whether it’s Rose’s fault or the club’s or both is hard to tell, but this is a whole load of bad karma, and it will stick around until he leaves town.

Mbappe the star again for PSG as we wait for news on his future

Kylian Mbappe scored twice and Pablo Sarabia added a third as Paris Saint-Germain rolled to a 3-0 win over Brest in the French Cup. There’s not much you’re going to learn in these circumstances, but it confirms the fact that Mbappe is in sparkling form, with seven goals in his past five outings.

He’s going to enter the final year of his contract in June, and while there has been plenty of talk regarding an extension, it’s still up in the air. The difficult part is that committing serious funds while dealing with the fallout from the pandemic (and uncertainty over Neymar‘s future) is a huge ask, but that applies to potential suitors as well.

Pre-pandemic, a 22-year-old Mbappe locked into a long-term contract (he would have had it by now) would have fetched at least $150m, maybe a lot more, on the open market. Today? Nobody knows …

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