Author name: Omar Rodríguez

Faced with Manchester City’s demanding schedule, Pep Guardiola is considering the idea of having a squad of 45 to 50 players to ease the burden on his team. Manchester City has struggled to deliver the expected results in recent months across all competitions. With just one win in their last 10 matches, the team is clearly in crisis. To address this, head coach Pep Guardiola sees the possibility of a larger squad as a viable solution. The Calendar Is the Problem In a press conference, Guardiola highlighted the packed schedule faced by the “Sky Blues” as a major factor contributing to players being more prone to injuries. He pointed to the absence of Rodri, the newly crowned Ballon d’Or winner, as a significant setback for his tactical plans. Guardiola explained that a larger squad would help mitigate the impact of such injuries and the grueling schedule. The team sometimes plays up to three matches in the span of seven days, juggling commitments in the Premier League, Champions League, and domestic cup competitions. You may be interested in: Movements in the overall Champions League table after Matchday 6 City’s Struggles Are Not Due to Poor Performance Guardiola also praised his current players, emphasizing that they’ve achieved incredible things despite their limited numbers. He attributed the team’s current struggles to injuries and fixture congestion rather than poor performance or lack of effort. This weekend, City will face their cross-town rivals in the Manchester Derby, a must-win game given its symbolic importance. Meanwhile, fans are watching closely to see if Guardiola will expand his squad during the winter transfer window. The relentless schedule continues even through the holiday season, with matches set for December 26 and 29, just after Christmas and days before the New Year.

A total of 48 teams, divided into 12 groups of four or five, will compete for UEFA’s 16 spots in the 2026 World Cup. The journey kicks off with the UEFA Nations League quarterfinals in March 2025. The road to the 2026 FIFA World Cup has officially begun for UEFA teams. Europe was the last region yet to start its qualification process for the global tournament, but after the group stage draw in Zurich, the path has been laid out. This will be the largest qualification pool in UEFA history, with 48 teams competing for 16 spots, reflecting the expanded slots for the World Cup in this edition. Group Assignments Group A: The winner of the Nations League quarterfinal between Italy and Germany will join Slovakia, Northern Ireland, and Luxembourg. Group B: Switzerland, Sweden, Slovenia, and Kosovo. Group C: The loser of the Denmark vs. Portugal quarterfinal will play alongside Greece, Scotland, and Belarus. Group D: The winner of Croatia vs. France will lead Ukraine, Iceland, and Azerbaijan. Group E: The winner of the Netherlands vs. Spain match will join Turkey, Georgia, and Bulgaria. Group F: The winner of Denmark vs. Portugal will compete with Hungary, the Republic of Ireland, and Armenia. Group G: The loser of Netherlands vs. Spain will face Poland, Lithuania, Finland, and Malta, starting the five-team groups. Group H: Austria, Romania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus, and San Marino. Group I: The loser of Italy vs. Germany will join Norway, Israel, Estonia, and Moldova. Group J: Belgium, Wales, North Macedonia, Kazakhstan, and Liechtenstein. Group K: England, Serbia, Albania, Latvia, and Andorra. Group L: The loser of Croatia vs. France will play against Czechia, Montenegro, the Faroe Islands, and Gibraltar.   When the Matches Will Be Played The action begins in March 2025 with the Nations League quarterfinals: Italy vs. Germany Denmark vs. Portugal Croatia vs. France Netherlands vs. Spain The playoff matches are scheduled for March 26 and March 31, 2025. The final tournament for playoff qualification will run from July 11 to July 19, 2025. The full list of qualified teams will be finalized by November 2025.

Lazio and Athletic Club top the Europa League standings with 16 points each after the sixth matchday. Anderlecht, Lyon, Frankfurt, Galatasaray, Manchester United, and Rangers complete the spots for direct qualification to the next round. The Top Eight The sixth matchday of the UEFA Europa League has concluded, bringing the playoff round closer, where teams will fight for the repechage spots and the eight coveted positions that grant direct access to the next stage. Lazio and Athletic Club currently lead the 32-team table with 16 points each, with the Italian side taking the top spot due to a superior goal difference. Filling out the top eight, Anderlecht sits in third with 14 points, followed by Lyon and Frankfurt in fourth and fifth with 13 points each. Galatasaray and Manchester United, both with 12 points, have recovered from earlier struggles and now occupy sixth and seventh. These seven teams have already secured their playoff spots. Rangers, also with 12 points, hold the eighth spot by goal difference. A Tight Mid-Table Opening the playoff positions are Tottenham and FCSB, both with 11 points but behind Rangers on goal difference. Other teams with strong chances of breaking into the top eight include Ajax, Real Sociedad, and Bodo/Glimt, each with 10 points. Slightly lower, Roma, Olympiacos, Ferencváros, and Viktoria Plzeň, all with 9 points, are in positions 14 through 17 and could still fight for direct qualification in the final two matchdays. The Lower Half of the Table Teams that need to secure their playoff spots, as their chances of reaching the top positions are slim, include Porto, AZ, Union Saint-Gilloise, and Fenerbahçe, all sitting on 8 points. Those nearly eliminated are Rīgas FS and Nice. While they are still mathematically in contention for the playoffs, having only two points means they would need to win both remaining matches to reach eight points. However, the current 16th-place team, Elfsborg, holds 7 points, meaning Rīgas FS and Nice need all lower-ranked teams to avoid earning points to have any chance. You may be interested in: Movements in the overall Champions League table after Matchday 6 Finally, Dynamo Kyiv has been completely eliminated from the competition, having failed to secure any points across six matchdays.

FIFA has officially announced the host countries for the 2030 and 2034 World Cups. For 2030, Spain, Morocco, and Portugal will be the main hosts, with three matches scheduled in Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay to commemorate the centennial of the first World Cup in 1930 in Uruguay. Additionally, Saudi Arabia will host the 2034 World Cup, a decision that has sparked debate, reminiscent of the controversies during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. A World Cup Across Three Continents The 2030 World Cup will be historic for featuring a shared host across three continents—Africa, America, and Europe. This joint hosting by Spain, Morocco, and Portugal will mark an unprecedented transcontinental tournament. The opening matches will be held in Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay to honor the first tournament. However, organizing the tournament across multiple continents presents logistical challenges, especially for teams debuting in America and then having to travel to Africa or Europe. Another Middle Eastern World Cup The controversy emerged with the choice of Saudi Arabia as the host for the 2034 World Cup. While the country has rapidly grown its local league and attracted international stars like Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Sadio Mané, and N’golo Kante, the decision has been criticized due to concerns about human rights and diversity—issues that conflict with FIFA’s core values. Additionally, the climatic challenges are a factor, as the selection of tournament dates coincides with Ramadan, raising uncertainty over when the tournament could be held. Images: inside.fifa.com

Liverpool remains at the top and Barcelona moved up to second place. Teams like Dortmund, Bayern, Atlético, and Milan are close to the top spots, while Leipzig, Slovan Bratislava, and Young Boys have been eliminated. The sixth round of the UEFA Champions League is over, with clubs that moved up and down the standings, Liverpool being the only team in the top eight to maintain its top spot with a perfect record. Barcelona moved up to second place with 15 points, Arsenal is now third, and the top five is completed by Leverkusen and Aston Villa, all with 13 points. The rest of the top eight spots for direct qualification are completed by Inter in sixth, following their defeat against Leverkusen, and Stade Brestois and LOSC Lille who moved up to seventh and eighth respectively, also with 13 points. A result in the next round could change the high end of the table significantly. Fighting for the top eight Borussia Dortmund leads the playoff spots with 12 points, alongside Bayern Munich, Atlético de Madrid, and AC Milan. Below them, in 13th and 14th places, Atalanta and Juventus are with 11 points. Teams with double-digit points are Benfica, Monaco, Sporting Lisbon, Feyenoord, and Club Bruges, from 15th to 19th place with 10 points each. The lower end of the table Still within the playoff spots but far from competing for direct qualification, Real Madrid and Celtic are 20th and 21st with 9 points each. Manchester City, PSV, and Dinamo Zagreb complete the playoff spots with 8 points each. The first eliminated from the competition Finally, the bottom feeders of the European champions, RB Leipzig, Slovan Bratislava, and Young Boys, were completely eliminated from the competition as none of these teams managed to earn a single point across six rounds. Images: X (@juventusfc), X (@FCBayern), X (@acmilan), and X (@ChampionsLeague)

The body in charge of referees in English soccer (PGMOL), announced the dismissal from the Premier League of the now former referee David Coote, a character who was involved in controversy after videos were leaked of him insulting Jürgen Klopp, former Liverpool manager, and the same team of the eponymous city. Following the investigation the PGMOL explained that: “it was found that his actions were a serious breach of the provisions of his employment contract, with his position deemed untenable”. Likewise, the Football Association for allegedly arguing with a fan to draw the yellow card in a match, Coote denied this. Image: X (@FabrizioRomano)