Joshua Oha, Author at Matchplug Blog

Sevilla vs Manchester United: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

The Europa League returns this Thursday as the competition record holders Sevilla welcome Manchester United to Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán for the second leg of their quarter-final tie.

The hosts snatched a credible 2-2 draw in the first leg, despite going two goals behind in the first half. So they will hope to build on that second-half performance at home, where they have enjoyed much success lately.

The Andalusian club have lost just one of their last eleven games at Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán (W8, D2), scoring 2+ goals in their last seven games at this venue.

Having recorded a pair of home clean sheets and wins against PSV Eindhoven (3-0) and Fenerbahçe (2-0) in this tournament, they will be full of confidence going into this game.

An unbeaten record against United (W2, D2) and an unbeaten start to life under new manager José Luis Mendilibar (W2, D2) will also boost their morale as they attempt to secure progression to their first UEL semi-finals since 2019/20.

Manchester United bounced back from that disappointing 2-2 draw with Sevilla last Thursday to record a huge 2-0 win over struggling Nottingham Forest.

The result gave them complete control of their top four destiny in the PL as they ended the weekend sitting in third position.

They also recorded their seventh clean sheet in their last ten wins in that game, so they should be buoyed by that ahead of this tie.

Another source of confidence will be that they remain undefeated in this competition since an opening matchday home loss to Real Sociedad (W8, D2). Their run includes three trips to Spain (W2, D1).

Therefore, they have every right to be confident of returning home as semi-finalists, especially not having lost any of their last seven UEFA contests on Spanish soil (W5, D2).

Meanwhile, all but two of Sevilla’s last 15 competitive wins were accompanied by a clean sheet. So we might see a low-scoring affair at Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán, with an under 2.5 goals game the most likely.

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Bayern Munich vs Manchester City: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

Manchester City will look to seal their place in the Bayern Munich when they welcome Manchester City to Allianz Arena this Tuesday for the second leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final tie.

Bayern was beaten 3-0 in the first leg at the Etihad, with goals from Rodri, Bernardo Silva and Erling Haaland condemning the Bavarians to their first defeat in the Champions League this season.

While the game was overshadowed by the altercation between Sadio Mane and Leroy Sane at full time that saw the ex-Liverpool man draw blood from the German winger, Thomas Tuchel will hope that he can channel the inner anger in his players to winning against City at the Allianz Arena.

The ex-Chelsea coach has maintained his side “won’t give up” ahead of this crucial game. However, a 1-1 draw against Hoffenheim at the weekend was far from the ideal preparation for this game. But Bayern’s record at home in the UCL will give them full confidence as they look to become just the fifth side to progress from a UCL knockout tie after losing the first leg by a 3+ goal margin.

But the fact that Bayern have scored more than once in just one of their last six games does not inspire much confidence, while Tuchel has lost each of his last three personal meetings with City boss Pep Guardiola without his side scoring a single goal.

The City manager will look to extend that personal record against Tuchel and to record his 100th Champions League win. Only Carlo Ancelotti and Sir Alex Ferguson reached that landmark before the Spaniard, so it will be a great honour to achieve that feat at the Allianz Arena, where he had a successful stint after leaving Barcelona.

His side comes into this tie on the back of a ten-match winning run in all competitions, last tasting defeat back in early February (W12, D2 since). So they will travel to Munich with good spirits and confidence that they will win her,e, given that they have suffered just one defeat from their 20 meetings with German opposition in the UCL (W16, D3).

But it likely won’t be a walk in the park for the Cityzns, as they have won just one of their last six European road trips (D4, L1). Meanwhile, the fact that Bayern Munich hasn’t lost consecutive UCL matches over 90 minutes since 2014 makes the tie even more tricky.

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Southampton will DEMAND £50million for James Ward-Prowse ahead of the expected summer

Southampton have reportedly set the asking price for their in-demand captain James Ward-Prowse, who they are ready to sell this summer.

The Saints, who are increasingly likely to get relegated to the Championship this season, are already preparing themselves for life without their influential captain and would like to get the most out of him.

They currently sit bottom of the table, having picked up just 23 points from 31 games and are four points from safety, having won just one of their last eight league games.

According to reports by 90min, the Saints will have to sell some key players – including Kyle Walker-Peters, Mohammed Salisu, Armel Bella-Kotchap and Romeo Lavia – if they go down.

England international and set-piece specialist Ward-Prowse is also prepared to part ways with the club he has represented since the age of eight.

As per the report, Southampton will demand around £50m for Ward-Prowse, who is the subject of interest from several Premier League sides.

Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe and the club’s sporting director Dan Ashworth are huge fans of the Southampton man. The top-four-chasing Magpies are being informed of the player’s developing situation on the south coast, though their summer business hinges on their final position in the standings.

Manchester United also believe that Ward-Prowse could add some creativity in their midfield, while Tottenham, Liverpool and Aston Villa are also admirers of the 28-year-old.

Ward-Prowse is one goal from a direct free-kick away from tying David Beckham’s Premier League record of 18.

The 28-year-old has scored seven goals and provided two assists in 31 league games for Southampton this season.

Marseille join Arsenal in the chase for Wilfried Zaha

French Ligue 1 side Marseille have become the latest club to express an interest in Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha.

The Ivorian winger is wanted by several clubs who wish to take advantage of his contract situation at Selhurst Park to pounce when he becomes a free agent this summer.

But Zaha is only keen on a club that will allow him to compete at the highest level, including the Champions League.

Marseille could offer 30-year-old Champions League football next season after a 3-1 win over Troyes on Sunday lifted them into second place in Ligue 1.

The result put them eight points behind leaders Paris Saint-Germain and gave them the edge on Lens and Monaco, with the top three entering Europe’s elite competition.

Given his desire to test himself in the Champions League, Marseille could be an attractive option.

Premier League leaders Arsenal remain interested in Zaha, as rising stars Reiss Nelson and Folarin Balogun could depart this summer.

Top six hopefuls Aston Villa are pushing for Nelson, along with Brighton, while there’s also interest from both Fulham and West Ham.

Zaha recently rebuffed a lucrative offer from Saudi Arabian club Al-Ittihad and intended to try and stay at the highest levels in Europe. However, the Ivorian does not want to move to the Middle East at this stage of his career despite the Saudi league leaders offering a staggering £9million-a-season after-tax deal.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s new club Al-Nassr have also shown interest in Zaha, who is currently ruled out for three to four weeks due to an injury.

Inter Milan vs Benfica: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

Inter Milan will look to seal their progression into the semi-final round of the UEFA Champions League when they welcome Portuguese side Benfica to San Siro on Wednesday.

The hosts put one foot into the tournament’s next round when they secured a 2-0 win in the first leg in Lisbon.

However, a shock 1-0 home defeat to Monza at the weekend brought them back down to earth and proved Inter are penetrable at the San Siro. So they must be on their guard to warn off Benfica’s advances and secure a first UCL semi-final spot since 2010.

Considering they have won 17 of the 18 UEFA competition ties in which they have triumphed away from home in the first leg, they look well placed to book a last-four date. So Simone Inzaghi is poised to become the first home-grown Italian coach to lead Inter to the semi-finals of Europe’s premier competition since Eugenio Bersellini in 1980/81.

Like their hosts, Benfica makes the trip to Italy on the back of a shock 1-0 defeat of their own, going down against Chaves in Primeira Liga action. The result extended their losing run across all competitions to three matches, with just one goal scored in that period.

If their recent form doesn’t offer much hope for Benfica, then the fact they have already won on Italian soil this season perhaps does, as they beat Juventus 2-1 in group-stage action. However, overall, they have a poor record against Italian teams, with that win against Juventus being one of just four on Italian soil (D1, L11).

They do appear well placed to improve upon that record here, though, as they come into this tie on the back of a nine-match unbeaten run in UCL away games (W6, D3).

Meanwhile, none of Inter’s last six UCL home games have seen both teams score. So we can expect another low-scoring game of under 2.5 goals.

Napoli vs AC Milan: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

Napoli and AC Milan will continue their recent rivalry this Tuesday when they meet at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona for the second leg of their UEFA Champions League tie.

The hosts are looking to be third-time lucky against AC Milian, having lost their last two head-to-head meetings with the San Siro side. That run includes a 1-0 loss in the first leg of this tie, with an early goal from Brahima Diaz the difference that night.

Luciano Spaletti’s side has followed that loss with a disappointing goalless draw with Hellas Verona at the weekend, meaning that they have failed to score in their last two games. The return of star hitman Victor Osimhen will be a big relief for the hosts, who have enjoyed a solid return of goals when the Nigerian is in the team.

Also, returning to their home will boost their confidence as the hosts boast a proud home record in this competition. They have avoided defeat in their last 12 UCL games at Diego Armando Maradona Stadium (W9, D3). Notably, all four matches in this year’s edition of the competition delivered victories.

Meanwhile, AC Milan could now become the first team to beat Napoli three times in one season since Lazio back in 1994/95, having enjoyed back-to-back success in their last two meetings.

However, the visitors could not take their form against Napoli to the league at the weekend as they were held to a 1-1 draw with Bologna. Even though they remain in fourth position, that result complicated their quest for the Serie A top four.

But Stefano Piolli’s side has been different gravy in the UCL this season, especially at the back. The Rossoneri have shut out their opponents in their last five UCL matches – their best consecutive run of clean sheets since 2004/05 when they went to the competition’s final.

So, we can predict another low-scoring game unless Napoli succeeds in turning on the screw.

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Granit Xhaka plays down criticism from Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta after West Ham draw

Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka has shrugged off criticism from his club boss Mikel Arteta following the Gunners’ recent stumbles in their Premier League title bid.

The North London side has seen their lead at the top of the table cut to four points after back-to-back 2-2 draws against Liverpool and West Ham.

Both games saw the Gunners give away a two-goal lead, leading to Arteta asking questions about the “mindset” of his players.

After the game, the Spaniard said: “When the game is there for the killing, you have to do it. When you don’t have that ruthless mindset in the Premier League, at some stage, the momentum will turn around.”

However, midfielder Xhaka insists mental strength is not an issue at the club: “This is not about our mentality, and I am certain everyone will see a reaction against Southampton on Friday. Everything is still in our own hands if we win our remaining games, so nothing has changed on that front. We go into our next matches with the same objective. We’re not looking at what Manchester City are doing.

“Sunday’s game was similar to the match at Liverpool last week where we started very well, scored two goals but couldn’t get the win. We need to analyse why this happened twice in a row. But if anyone thinks that we’d get to this point of this season by smashing all our opponents without dropping points, I think they’re not in the right position. We are disappointed, and when things are not going well, it’s easy to show the finger to someone else. But now is the time for everyone to be together. We have taken on a challenge which no one was thinking about before this season started, and now we have seven games to go, so let’s carry on.”

Meanwhile, Arsenal had the opportunity to go 3-1 up in the game but failed to take their chance when Bukayo Saka missed from the penalty spot.

But Xhaka is backing the Englishman to take a spot-kick again if needed. “The reason we didn’t win the last two games is because we gave away too many easy goals, and nobody is blaming Bukayo for the penalty miss,” he added.

“The guy is so strong mentally, so we’re not worried about him. It’s not as though we’re saying, ‘If he scores, the game is finished’ because there were another ten players on the pitch. He needs our support more, but he will bounce back and show a reaction in our next game. If we get another penalty against Southampton, I will push him to take it.”

Conor Gallagher to decide Chelsea’s future after talks with new manager

Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher will decide on his future at Stamford Bridge when he meets the new permanent Chelsea manager.

According to reports, Gallagher wants to know what the next Chelsea manager and the club, in general, have in mind for him before committing to a new deal or seeking a move away from Stamford Bridge.

The England international, who will enter the final two years of his contract this summer, has been a regular for Chelsea this season. However, he has struggled to hold down a permanent starting spot, making just twelve out of 28 Premier League outings as a starter.

Interim manager Frank Lampard fancies the 23-year-old. But the ex-Chelsea man will not be at the club beyond the summer, so Gallagher cannot be guaranteed what will happen to him beyond June.

The signing of Enzo Fernandez in January and Chelsea still hunting for a new midfielder has left Gallagher questioning his future at the club. However, several Premier League clubs have established their interest in signing the Blues academy graduate Gallagher if he becomes available.

Liverpool are in front of the race, while Tottenham, Newcastle, Leicester City, and Crystal Palace, with whom Gallager enjoyed a successful loan spell, are all watching Gallagher as he approaches what could be a crossroads in his career.

Chelsea are unwilling to let any players enter the final two years of their contracts, so Gallagher may have to decide in the coming weeks.

Chelsea vs Real Madrid: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

Real Madrid will look to seal their place in the semi-final round of the UEFA Champions League when they travel to London on Tuesday to face a struggling Chelsea side.

The Blues are presently out of sorts in all competitions, having yet to win a game since a 2-0 win over Borussia Dortmund in early March. A disappointing 2-1 loss to Brighton last weekend was the latest in poor results.

The loss extended their winless run to six games in all competitions (D2, L4), further complicating their chances of finishing in the top six this season. Confidence is undoubtedly low in Frank Lampard’s team’s camp, and they will face another moment of truth when Madrid comes into town.

Having scored just once in their last five games, it remains to be seen how they can overturn this two-goal deficit against a Real Madrid side that takes things more personally when they meet English teams in this competition.

Carlo Ancelotti’s men will travel to Stamford Bridge as the favourites to win, given that they have netted in each of their last seven UCL fixtures on foreign soil (W4, D1, L2).

They have won three of their last four games against English teams (L1), while the record of four clean sheets from their last five games also makes them a formidable opponent on their day.

However, they will not travel to London with any hint of complacent, given that Chelsea won their previous round against Dortmund despite a first-leg deficit.

But Madrid have won the last four European ties in which they won the first leg 2-0 at home. So they will be expected to easily go through with a goal or two.

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Bayern Munich will ‘try everything’ to sell Sadio Mane this summer

Bayern Munich reportedly wants to sell Sadio Mane this summer after he punched teammate Leroy Sane during a furious confrontation last week.

The Bavarians signed the Senegal international just last summer from Liverpool but are already ready to sell him a year after due to his discipline record.

The ex-Liverpool star punched his teammate Leroy Sane after Bayern’s 3-0 loss to Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League last week, with the altercation leading to the German winger suffering a cut on his lower lip.

Bayern suspended Mane for one game and handed him an undisclosed fine for indiscipline. However, according to new reports by Bayern expert Florian Plettenberg via Sky Germany, the fine is the highest fine in their history.

“Our information is that it is an amount that goes far beyond €300,000 (£260,000), so it’s a very, very sensitive fine for Mane,’ the journalist said.

Bayern earns close to £17million a year at Bayern, so that sum is almost equivalent to a week’s wage. While that is just a little scratch for Mane, whose charity works in Senegal is huge, the talk of Bayern terminating his contract at Allianz Arena could unsettle him.

After leaving Liverpool for a new challenge, returning to the transfer crossroads less than 12 months after committing to a new adventure is not something anyone would love.

According to Plettenberg, Bayern are ready to sell him already, just a few months after he arrived as their marquee summer signing.

“From what I’m hearing, Bayern will try everything to offload Sadio Mane in the summer,” he said.

“From a sporting point of view, Thomas Tuchel has no plans with Mane as he doesn’t fit his system. This is my information. The player is seen very critically internally.”

Joshua Oha

Sevilla vs Manchester United: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

Bayern Munich vs Manchester City: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

Southampton will DEMAND £50million for James Ward-Prowse ahead of the expected summer

Marseille join Arsenal in the chase for Wilfried Zaha

Inter Milan vs Benfica: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

Napoli vs AC Milan: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

Granit Xhaka plays down criticism from Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta after West Ham draw

Conor Gallagher to decide Chelsea’s future after talks with new manager

Chelsea vs Real Madrid: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

Bayern Munich will ‘try everything’ to sell Sadio Mane this summer

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