⚡ Berita Bola

Man Utd beat Roma - the other great Champions League comebacks

Manchester United come from two goals down to beat Roma 3-2 - but what are the other best fightbacks in Champions League history?

Liverpool's unwanted record highlights creativity issue

Liverpool set an unwanted record against Arsenal as they failed to register a shot on target for the first time in 442 Premier League home games, dating back to when records began in 2003.

Stumbling block: Wirtz's and Liverpool’s costly struggles against tight defences | Andrew Beasley

Credit to Arsenal for restricting opportunities at Anfield but Iraola will need his side to learn to unpick low backlines Liverpool did not have a shot on target in their 1-0 defeat by Arsenal on Sunday, according to Opta, the first time they have drawn this type of blank in a Premier League game at Anfield since records began in 2003-04. They did not find the target in a goalless draw at the Emirates Stadium this year either, though in both games they struck the woodwork. The margins tend to be fine when recording statistical outliers. If Alexis Mac Allister’s floated ball from distance into David Raya’s waiting arms had actually counted as a shot, would Andoni Iraola’s side have delivered a markedly better attacking performance? Far more concerning for the Spaniard will be that his team had 52 touches in the Arsenal penalty area (which is good) to create only one Opta‑defined big chance (which is bad). The Premier League average this season is five times more efficient; 10.3 box touches per big chance. Continue reading...

Barcola: People are starting to understand me better - but I'm not Mo Salah

Big money signings can take time to get going at their new club. There are plenty at Liverpool who can testify to that.

Why keeping Isak fit and firing is key to Iraola's Liverpool revival

Liverpool's patience with Alexander Isak is starting to be rewarded, with the record-breaking £125m purchase finally resembling the most expensive striker in Premier League history.

Liverpool 'optimistic' over Wirtz injury recovery

Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola has said he is "optimistic" Florian Wirtz will be fit to feature in Wednesday's Carabao Cup clash with Chelsea.

Ngumoha a 'future superstar' making more dribbles than Doku

Why are Liverpool struggling for Premier League goals?

Liverpool have scored 15 goals in four cup games this season, but have managed only nine goals in seven Premier League matches.

Premiership preview: Form strikers in focus and will Rangers respond?

An analysis of the key Scottish Premiership questions before Saturday and Sunday's fixtures.

Europa League: Celtic lose to Celta after leading, Mateta returns in Palace draw

Sunderland drop points in 1-1 draw but stay unbeaten VAR rules out Juventus winner in draw with Rennes Celtic suffered more Europa League pain as Spanish side Celta Vigo came from behind to win 2-1 at Parkhead. After defeats by Ferencvaros and Benfica in their first two league phase fixtures, Martin O’Neill’s side struggled to impose themselves on the visitors who were neat and tidy without really testing Hoops keeper Sam Johnstone. Germany midfielder Mika Baur fired the home side in front just over a minute into the second half to thrill the Celtic fans but Spain defender Javi Rodríguez scored twice in three minutes – a header then an unstoppable drive – to stun the home side who could not find a way back. Continue reading...

Bournemouth enjoy night to remember as 10-man Milan fail to weather storm

This was a momentous night in Bournemouth’s history, although the truth is they would have been given a far sterner examination by Coventry or Hull. Whatever this rotten impersonation of a Milan side was, it bore no relation to those that forged such a celebrated history. The visitors resembled holograms even before their goalkeeper Mike Maignan, with an extraordinary rush of blood resulting in a penalty and red card, rendered their task impossible. They never showed the slightest hint of putting up a fight. Bournemouth simply swamped the seven-time European champions and, amid a swirling south coast storm that rarely let up, could depart singing in the rain. Amine Adli’s sumptuous late free-kick, curled left-footed from 22 yards, meant they could finish the evening with the flourish they deserved. Their joy was clear at full time and met disapproval from some of Milan’s staff, who appeared to take umbrage in a short-lived fracas near the tunnel afterwards. Continue reading...

Champions League review: PSG take a hit, Man City’s empty seats and teenage hope for Liverpool

The reigning champions must deal with the absence of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia for some time, while fans at Anfield were thrilled by Rio Ngumoha Paris Saint-Germain beat Barcelona 4-2 on Tuesday , but the reigning champions lost the best player in last season’s tournament, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. This autumn has seen much lobbying for the Ballon d’Or, with the Georgian a popular choice, despite his absence from the World Cup. He is expected to be out for six months, although Rodri’s comeback from serious injury – he was rested by Barcelona on Tuesday until coming off the bench in the 60th minute – shows it can take far longer than that for players to rediscover their highest level. Continue reading...

Electric Ngumoha jolts Liverpool back to life in comeback win

Still just 18, Rio Ngumoha produced the finest game of his Liverpool career thus far.

‘A complete threat’: Rio Ngumoha’s electric display excites Van Dijk and Liverpool

Teenager produced man-of-the-match performance against Villarreal and has learned from Salah, says Reds captain The shot sailed wide of Peter Gulacsi’s top corner and into the Kop, affording Villarreal much-needed respite at 4-2, but for Andoni Iraola it was a standout moment in a scintillating Champions League display from Rio Ngumoha. To a coach who called for versatility from all of his wingers this summer, here was a significant step forward among many from the 18-year-old at Anfield. There were questions over how Ngumoha would adapt to playing on the right even before Liverpool increased the likelihood by signing Bradley Barcola for £123m from Paris Saint-Germain. On his fifth start under Iraola on Tuesday, which his side won 4-3 , Liverpool witnessed an answer: quickly, incisively and confidently. The teenager’s willingness to cut inside from the right and shoot from distance with his left foot captured Iraola’s imagination as much as the devastating run that created Alexis Mac Allister’s second goal of the game. Continue reading...

Why do Liverpool's big-money transfers keep failing to deliver?

Liverpool have spent big over the past two summer transfer windows with little to show for it. Why has their recruitment gone so wrong?

The Florian Wirtz mystery: why has he not found Leverkusen form at Liverpool?

Two of our writers pick over the German’s contribution to Liverpool and what the £116m forward could yet produce Some criticism has been OTT and a fee rising to £116m heightens demands but, yes, compared with his performances in Germany and for Germany Wirtz has underwhelmed at Liverpool. The past week has encapsulated his Liverpool career so far. In the Champions League rout of Lask he was everywhere, exploiting gaps between and behind the Austrian club’s defence and knitting together a dominant display against limited opposition. In the previous game against Manchester City , however, when Andoni Iraola needed big players to step up in the absence of Alexander Isak, Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai, Wirtz was ineffective, wasteful and withdrawn when his team were chasing the game at 0-1. It also did not help his cause that Rayan Cherki, a cheaper alternative whom Liverpool considered and passed on, completed City’s victory with a sublime goal. AH Continue reading...

Today’s Papers: Serie A sides’ Champions League shambles as Real stun Roma

La Gazzetta dello Sport ‘Scempions’: The pink paper plays on scempio, meaning shambles, as it...

💰The Saudi Arabia of Europe? How Türkiye's transfers changed the game

Turkish clubs compete for prestige through the transfer market and this summer took things to yet another level as Mo Salah, Rafael Leão and other big names arrived.