KICK OFF
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MADRID ARE GOOD AGAIN - BUT COULD THEY BE BETTER?
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What was so surprising about Real Madrid’s 3-0 win over Man City was the shock factor. This version of Madrid aren’t very good. They don’t score enough goals. They concede too many. This has been a rubbish season in the Spanish capital. To be this middling and then beat a Pep Guardiola-led Man City is absolutely baffling (even if the Cityzens are struggling themselves). The thing is? They really should be much better. They are, quite clearly, a midfielder short. Over here it is customary to play amateur sporting director on an as-needed basis. And if GOAL were in charge of Madrid’s transfer committee, they
would go big to sign someone who could yet be the best midfielder in the world. It’s Rodri time, Madrid…
Hindle: “World-class midfielders don't grow on trees. It just so happens, though, that Rodri's contract is running down at Manchester City, and Madrid are seemingly intrigued. Reports are once again beginning to swirl, claiming that the Spanish giants are interested in signing the 2024 Ballon d'Or winner. There is certainly a Rodri-shaped hole in Madrid's midfield, and whether it be this summer or next, they need to invest in the world's premier midfield all-rounder.”
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MUSAH, FROM LOCKED-IN STARTER TO WORLD CUP HOPEFUL
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There are no two ways around it: Yunus Musah’s Atalanta move has been a disaster. Things were going well enough for the American at Milan last year, but he decided to leave the Rossoneri late in the transfer window. And he barely played for the first four months of the season. Now, though, he’s back in the picture and starting to show why he might be quite good at this sport. It comes at the right time, too. Musah seemed to be a lock in the starting XI at the World Cup just over a year ago. Now, his inclusion is up in the air. He talked to GOAL’s Ryan Tolmich about his return to form, and learning from a poor few months…
Musah, to Tolmich: “I don't know how it would have been if the World Cup wasn't at the end of this year. There's this big objective at the end. Every day, I'm trying to improve myself and push myself to really go out there and play and do well and put myself in a position to be called in. Now that it's even closer, it's like, yeah, I've been doing this all season, I just have to carry on pushing myself to the edge every day. Having it at the end of this season is a motivation to do better and to do more."
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CHAOS IN THE USL
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The USL - America’s second-tier soccer league - agreed on its first Collective Bargaining Agreement in its history in 2021. Well done, guys. Nothing to see here. Should be easy to sort another one four years later, right? Wrong. Basically, the players want more money and some guaranteed benefits. The league has no problem with that in theory, but the specifics are far harder to hash out. The problem? The USL’s ownership structure is complicated enough to give even the most avid sports finance nerd a headache. Right now, there’s no CBA, and no agreement near. GOAL talked to owners, players and the league itself to get the scoop on testy negotiations…
An anonymous USL player, to Hindle: “The offer they’re proposing is ridiculous. Pretty much saying we’re worth f*ck all. I was told that they said something like 'Why would we raise the minimum if the players aren’t worth it? You want us to overpay them?’,”
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SO, WHAT DO YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE NWSL?
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This will be the biggest NWSL season ever. For one, it will come with the most teams in the league. But it’s also a system with more cash than ever, spending more money on one individual than ever, and drawing more eyes than ever. Say what you will about big names bolting for Europe, the NWSL, team for team, is still probably the best league in the world. But what happens this year? KC Current were scary last year and retooled in style. Yet Gotham stand well-placed to repeat, and the Washington Spirit will threaten if everyone (Trinity Rodman) stays fit. GOAL’s Celia Balf broke down the season to come…
Balf, on KC Current: “Kansas City begins the season as the team to beat. After assembling one of the deepest and most explosive squads in the league - a midfield that ranges from Ally Sentnor and Lo’eau LaBonta to newly signed Croix Bethune and Debinha - the Current appear well positioned to make another run at the title and are a strong early pick to win the 2026 Championship. Kansas City combine attacking firepower with one of the league’s most cohesive systems, and they’ll once again be led by Temwa Chawinga, who was one of the NWSL’s most dominant players last season, if not the most dominant.”
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CHRIS RICHARDS IS ALWAYS THINKING ABOUT HOME
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Everyone seems to want Chris Richards to think about the future. The Crystal Palace center back is elite at his position, and a nailed-down starter for the USMNT in a few months at the World Cup. If the U.S. are to do anything, it will be based on his solidity at the back. But while everyone is thinking about the future, Richards spends a lot of time considering the past. The kid from Alabama has come a long way. And when he ponders the past, his future becomes a lot clearer, too. Tolmich sat down with one of the best players - and most compelling personalities - in American soccer…
Richards, to Tolmich: “I understand that this is a year that can change my life. I try not to put too much pressure on myself, but I also understand that I've grown into this.”
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DENVER SUMMIT HAVE NAILED IT
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Being an expansion franchise is no easy task. These days, with the amount of money in the NWSL, and the growth of the women’s game in the U.S., there is no such thing as a slow start. You’re either in it to win it immediately or pretty much written off. In other words, it’s absolutely vital that you start with a bang. There are no guarantees, of course, but Denver Summit, one of two new teams set to enter the league this year, have smashed it thus far. The jerseys are cool, the signings are big, the vibes are good. And with 50,000 fans set to be at their opener, there will certainly be plenty of eyes on whatever happens
here.
Celia Balf talked to everyone involved about club building and the expectations that come with it…
Jordan Angeli, to Balf: “There are so many reasons that this is a great expansion team. Historically, we have, for years and years and years, really good competitive elite soccer players. It just makes sense to have that next step - to provide this community with the opportunity to watch women’s soccer every weekend.”
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VIDEO REVIEW |
Can we interest you in a fist fight with 23 red cards handed out after full time? Yes? Well here you go…
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AROUND THE GROUNDS |
A few other things you need to know to impress your pals at the bar, ruin your social feed, or generally be a snob about this sport:
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THE WORLD CUP IS ALMOST HERE! |
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Want to know where to learn pretty much everything you could possibly need to know about the World Cup? Turns out we’ve provided it with the snappily named World Cup HQ. Enjoy.
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CHECKING THE MONITOR |
Triumph for Julian Alvarez, despair for Antonin Kinsky, who was subbed after just 15 minutes in Spurs’s 5-2 loss to Atletico Madrid.
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POSTMATCH HIGHLIGHTS
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Is bottling real? Let’s find out.
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MATCHES NOT TO MISS |
March 14: Premier League, Chelsea vs Newcastle, 1:30 p.m. — Peacock
March 14: Premier League, Arsenal vs. Everton, 1:30 p.m. — USA Network
March 15: Premier League, Liverpool vs. Tottenham, 12:30 p.m. — Peacock
March 15: Serie A, Milan vs. Lazio, 3:45 p.m. — Paramount+
- March 17: Champions League, Real Madrid vs. Man City, 4 p.m. - Paramount+
That’s all for this edition of The Rondo. Irritate me directly with questions/comments/insights/incorrect opinions @tom_Hindle_
Cheers for reading!
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