Last year the winter break lasted six long agonizing weeks. This year it will be seven. The break has been controversial for some time as even the Kaiser has called for the abandonment of this “luxury”. It is too long a layoff for the players and fans. Meanwhile, this year the Ligapokal was not played […]

Find out why the Bundesliga is better than the Premier League according to blogger Double Pivot, as well as several other interesting articles I'm reading right now. Enjoy. 7 Reasons Why The Bundesliga Is Better Than The EPL (Bundesliga Talk) Champions League Group Previews: Group A and Group B (Champions League Talk) How The US […]

As you may know former longtime Germany and Bayern no. 1 Oliver Kahn had his testimonial exactly a week ago in Munich. The match, between Bayern and Germany, ended 1-1, but the score was less important than the man honored that night. His accomplishments are legion and well-known, including, perhaps most impressively, being the only […]

This is a bit late but I did want to acknowledge that UEFA.com has re-launched with a new take on their familiar look. The layout is a bit cleaner though the page now contains more elements. The color scheme is basic white and black though the newly launched photo gallery adds plenty of color. I'd […]

st1:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } 1. Parity Okay, let’s not kid ourselves. Not any team can win the Bundesliga. But since the inception of the EPL in 1991, four teams have won the title: United, Blackburn, Chelsea and Arsenal, but United has won 11 of those titles. In that same span, five teams have won the title in […]

It's time for FIFA to rethink international football. In 1992, UEFA changed the European Cup to the Champions League and transformed European club football into a more entertaining product that generates vast sums of money. It also didn't hurt that the tournament now attracts a cumulative television audience of 4 billion viewers in 227 countries. […]

Schalke, currently sitting at the top of the Bundesliga, have surged ahead to the peak of another, less prestigious table – the goalkeeper injury table. First choice keeper Manuel Neuer has yet to make an appearance this season, having broken his fifth metatarsal during a pre-season friendly against SpVgg Erkenschwick (currently playing in the equivalent […]

Several pundits have offered opinions on which group will be the toughest and which Serie A club(s) have the most difficult task of proceeding further so I might as well throw my hat in the ring with the rest. Roma and Juventus are going to face the toughest battle in groups A and H respectively. Roma will be […]

The unexpected bookend to yesterday's surprising transfer of Marcell Jansen to Hamburg is Bayern's acquisition of right back Massimo Oddo on a season-long loan from AC Milan. The 32-year old brings both international class and a warm body to shore up the team's dangerously thin defense. According to Bayern's general manager, Uli Hoeneß, the team […]

After leading 1-0 from the first leg, Schalke had to have had some confidence going into Madrid for the second leg. A strong performance from Atletico saw them thump the German team 4-0 to advance to the group stage for the first time since 1996-97. I had picked Atletico as my 'dark-horse' team in the […]

Be sure to visit the whole network of our sites. Some of the interesting topics include: Kartik Krishnaiyer over at Major League Soccer Talk takes on a controversial topic that very few journalists are brave enough to write about and that's the cozy relationship between the Mexican Federation and Major League Soccer. Krishnaiyer also discusses […]

1st Schalke What You Know: If baseball's Chicago Cubs had a baby with the Red Sox prior to 2004, Schalke would be the offspring. What You Don’t: All things both good and bad must end. What to Expect: Yes, Campeones! I say that, bucking all trends, and knowing full well that Schalke could be leading […]

The new Bundesliga season is just days away, so Bundesliga Talk writers Mark Moll and Double Pivot decided to interview one of the preeminent writers and authors on the topic of German soccer, Raphael Honigstein. Many readers may know Honigstein best from his appearances on the Football Weekly Podcast by The Guardian. Here's the transcript […]

The draw for the third and final qualifying round of the Champions League has been made today with Arsenal scheduled to play FC Twente, the Dutch team managed by former England and Middlesbrough manager Steve McClaren. The first leg will be played in Holland on August 12th or 13th, while the second leg at the […]

The draw for the third and final qualifying round of the Champions League has been made today with Liverpool drawn against Standard Liege. The first leg will be played in Belgium on August 12th or 13th, while the second leg at Anfield is scheduled for August 26 or 27th. Standard is one of the most […]