Two of Europe’s most renowned managers go face to face in one of the games of the season tonight. After a 1-0 defeat in the first leg of the quarter-final of the Champions League, Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City men have it all to do against Mauricio Pochettino’s Tottenham. 

Regardless of the outcome, one thing can be certain – this is a battle between two of the finest managers the Premier League has seen in recent years. Although working at largely different ends of the footballing spectrum, there are similarities between Guardiola and Pochettino that make them interesting to compare.

The two managers share a similar philosophy and style, both have managed in Spain and both prioritise youth. Equally, they have equally experienced the highs and lows in Europe since their arrival in England.

Forget what Guardiola did prior to his arrival in Manchester, however hard that may be. The question we’re analysing here, is who has been better in Europe at their current respective clubs, Guardiola or Pochettino?

Let’s take a closer look at this battle below.

Pep Guardiola

Guardiola’s record is there for all to see. Despite enduring a rather turbulent first season in Manchester, Guardiola has truly stamped his authority on a City team now feared by most. They have a real chance to win the quadruple this season, a feat that would surely make this City team one of the greatest the Premier League has ever seen.

Where Guardiola has enjoyed league and cup success, European glory has thus far painfully avoided the decorated manager. In his first season in charge, Guardiola failed to win a single trophy – the only time this has ever happened in his career. City finished second in a relatively comfortable Champions League group, with former club Barcelona the only real threat.

However, they were knocked out on away goals by Monaco. At the time, this was deemed a devastating blow. Monaco went on to lose in the semi-final, but they won Ligue 1 after gaining a staggering 95 points. Perhaps this one wasn’t as bad a defeat as first thought.

On to the 2017-18 season. This was one in which City were all but unstoppable. In reaching 100 Premier League points, they broke the record for the highest ever points tally. However, much to Guardiola’s dismay, the Champions League continued to elude them. After a dominant group stage, the confidence was sky high.

This time, a favourable draw in Basel allowed them to progress to the quarter-finals. However, it was there that they were dismantled by English rivals, Liverpool. A 5-1 aggregate scoreline shocked the world.

Once again – Guardiola had failed.

This season, as we all know, City are once again have reached the Champions League quarter-final stage. Again it’s English opposition in Tottenham.

The first leg certainly didn’t go as planned for Guardiola, who finds his team 1-0 down. Of course, they will back themselves at The Etihad – but failure to do so would really be disastrous.

TT Grade: C+

Mauricio Pochettino

Pochettino is yet to win a trophy in his career. A damning statement. But of course, the teams he has managed simply have not had the same recourses available to him as the likes of Guardiola.

Indeed, the transformation Tottenham have undergone under the Pochettino’s reign is nothing short of remarkable. His Champions League story follows a similar pattern to that of Guardiola, however.

The 2016-17 season represented the start of Tottenham’s transition into their new stadium. Fans feared the worst as Champions League games were to be played at Wembley. Their worries were most certainly validated by a series of poor performances that led to an early exit from the competition. The opposition were arguably overlooked, with Monaco again catching another English team by surprise. Tottenham finished 2nd in the league however, with promise of more to come.

Spurs could not have been given a more difficult Champions League group in the 2017-18 season. With Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund dwarfing Tottenham in recent European prowess, another early exit seemed inevitable. Tottenham more than defied that odds, however. They remained unbeaten throughout the group, dismantling Madrid and Dortmund at Wembley.

Pochettino’s army had improved beyond all recognition. In reaching the last 16, Tottenham were given a tough lesson but experience is vital. Despite dominating both legs against Juventus, quick-fire mistakes allowed Juventus to progress. It was certainly a bitter pill to swallow for Tottenham fans.

Now, we again get to the current season, and Tottenham could not have made a worse start. 1 point after three games with Barcelona to play away – surely Tottenham were doomed. Tottenham somehow defied the odds, claiming two wins and a draw in the remaining games. They subsequently defeated Dortmund 4-0 in a truly mature performance.

The first leg against City reminded everyone once again what Tottenham are capable of. Clean sheets in 270 minutes of football against Dortmund and City is quite some achievement.

Regardless of what happens in the return leg, they can be proud of what they have achieved in this campaign.

TT Verdict: B

TT Verdict:

This is certainly a close one, but Pochettino nicks it due to the expectation placed on Guardiola’s City. Should City crash out at the quarter-final stage again, it will be a real dent in their season.

Reaching the semi-final is very much expected of them. For Tottenham, on the other hand, it would be a remarkable achievement.

City and Tottenham fans – what are your thoughts? Does Guardiola need to progress to prove himself as the best? Does Pochettino deserve more recognition for Tottenham’s European success? 

قرر شوقي غريب، المدير الفني لمنتخب مصر الأولمبي، فتح المران الأول للمنتخب لكافة وسائل الإعلام.

ويُقام المران الأول لمنتخب مصر الأولمبي في الثانية والنصف عصر الثلاثاء المقبل، في معسكره المفتوح بالملاعب الفرعية لاستاد القاهرة.

اقرأ ايضًا.. شوقي غريب: اتفقت مع حسام البدري على ضم خماسي الأولمبي لمعسكر المنتخب الأول

ومن المقرر، أن يخضع اللاعبون المُختارون للانضمام لمعسكر المنتخب الأولمبي، للمسحة الطبية الأولى للكشف عن فيروس كورونا، ثم يعقبها المران الأول.

وسيكون بداية معسكر المنتخب الأولمبي قبل الدخول في معسكر مغلق اعتبارا من 8 نوفمبر الجاري، استعدادا لمباراتي كوريا الجنوبية يوم 12 نوفمبر وأمام البرازيل يوم 17 من نفس الشهر ضمن برنامج الإعداد لأولمبياد طوكيو الذي ينطلق في يوليو 2021.

ومن المقرر، أن يشارك في المعسكر 35 لاعبًا من الذين وقع عليهم الاختيار من قبل بعد استبعاد اللاعبين المختارين للمنتخب الأول على أن يتم حسم القائمة النهائية قبل الدخول في المعسكر المغلق بأحد فنادق القاهرة.

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Tottenham Hotspur fans have trolled right-back Kyle Walker after Spurs beat Manchester City 1-0 in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Tuesday.

Mauricio Pochettino’s men were roared on by a raucous home crowd and downed the Premier League champions thanks to Son Heung-Min’s excellent second-half strike.

The two teams will meet again in Europe next week at the Etihad Stadium before playing each other in domestic action.

City, of course, will need to win by a two-goal margin if they are to progress to the semi-finals in regulation time.

And Spurs fans have taken to Twitter to remind Walker, their former right-back, of his reaction to the Champions League draw when it was made.

Indeed, he tweeted “this will be fun” after the two sides were paired together, having spent a total of eight years in north London.

And a number of fans were quick to dig out the old tweet on Tuesday evening after the final whistle blew at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Clearly, the supporters were revelling in Walker’s misery after a poor night for the full-back and his City teammates.

Take a look at the best of the reaction below!

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Rafa Benitez’s long drawn out contract negotiations with Newcastle United’s board seem like they are finally about to reach a positive conclusion.

In the Spaniard’s latest press-conference, he confirmed that talks were progressing positively and that a statement would be made when there is more information available.

This suggests Mike Ashley has finally realised the importance of keeping Benitez and could well be giving him the tools to make Newcastle competitive rather than merely aiming to survive every season.

The 59-year-old has previously hinted that he wants a sizeable budget to work with after years of scraping the barrel with loan signings and low-cost deals.

Benitez’s comments would suggest he has at least been given assurances that he will be given greater license to spend in the transfer market this summer.

If the ex-Real Madrid manager were to sign a contract, the Newcastle fan base and squad would undoubtedly be overjoyed.

One Newcastle fan said “Brilliant news” while another added “Please let this be true.”

However, not every single fan is convinced by the latest reports…

See the best of reaction from Newcastle supporters below:

He might not have been the impact signing many Liverpool fans expected, but Naby Keita is finally starting to show why the club shelled out so much money for him.

The £48 million signing from RB Leipzig has taken some time to adapt to life in the Premier League and has found it difficult at times to find his form that made the midfielder such a prized asset in Germany, but heading into the business end of the season, Keita is finally starting to find his rhythm again.

The Guinean international has scored his first goals for the club against Southampton and Huddersfield, the latter of which came within the first 15 seconds of kick-off, and as well as Keita managing to score goals for Liverpool the central midfielder is beginning to show signs that next season will be the time he really takes up the mantle of Steven Gerrard’s replacement.

Keita has taken control of the Liverpool midfielder since his run of form started against the Saints, and since then has gone on to be one of the Reds’ best players in the team and is one of the driving forces behind Jurgen Klopp’s mean taking Manchester City all the way to the end for the Premier League title.

The midfielder failed to live up to the hype at the start of the season after a year of Liverpool fans waiting for his arrival and taking the prestigious number eight shirt from Gerrard, but Keita has found his feet in English football at the right time, and there is no doubt that next season the former RB Leipzig man will flourish for the Merseyside club if he carries on this form he has found.

Liverpool fans, will Keita step up next season? Let us know!

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West Ham United fans have lavished praise on Yossi Benayoun after the former Hammers midfielder announced his retirement from football.

Benayoun spent two years at Upton Park after arriving in 2005, playing for the club in the FA Cup final defeat to Liverpool.

A move to the Reds followed in 2007 after he helped the Irons, along with Carlos Tevez, avoid relegation to the Championship prior to a 2010 switch to Chelsea.

A loan move to Arsenal followed prior to a return to West Ham in 2012, though he sustained an injury during that spell and made just six appearances for the club.

In total, the Israel international played 78 times for the Hammers, scoring eight goals and laying on a total of five assists.

And he is still fondly remembered by Irons supporters, who are taking to Twitter to praise the 38-year-old. Take a look at the best of the reaction down below…

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Jack Grealish has come a long way in three years. He’s gone from an ill-disciplined individual to someone who now shoulders the bulk of the responsibility at Aston Villa.

But during the 2015/16 season it may have looked as though the midfielder would never realise his potential.

Grealish burst onto the scene a year prior and was one of the stand out men in Villa’s FA Cup semi-final with Liverpool, claiming an assist. It looked as though he was ready to take the Premier League by storm, but instead, his following campaign was marred with disappointment.

To sum things up, the now 23-year-old would lose every single one of the 16 matches he featured in, as Villa were relegated on a measly 18 points. But what was it that made him so frustrating?

On the chalkboard

As expected, Grealish started the season brightly under the stewardship of Tim Sherwood. The pair clearly had a good understanding but considering he wasn’t a regular every week, he struggled to nail down a consistent position.

In the earlier months of the campaign, he was utilised out on the left and also behind the striker. His involvement from wide areas was promising but it was centrally, a position he arguably didn’t get enough game time in during that season, where he stood out the most.

It’s no surprise, therefore, that he’s now become a central midfielder. Grealish still had the ability to burst beyond his man back then and his dribbling ability became synonymous of his play.

But his season never took off. When Sherwood left the club in October, it seemed as though Grealish’s first team chances went with him.

Under Remi Garde he was never able to establish himself and a falling out with the Frenchman in November 2015 won’t have helped his case. After going clubbing following a defeat against Everton, he was banned and made to train with the U21 team.

From that moment it was a struggle for the youngster and his final months of the season fizzled out, rather like Villa’s campaign. Eric Black’s appointment as caretaker in March 2016 saw him fail to make a single start.

Entrusted largely as an attacking midfielder from the bench, his lack of game time coincided with the club’s horrendous 13 match winless run.

However, with Villa now on the verge of achieving promotion back to the Premier League, Grealish is a different animal and has never looked more ready to make a return to the top-flight.

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Spurs fans on Twitter have been backing Heung Min Son to win Champions League Player of the Week after he was nominated for the award.

Son put in a brilliant showing against Manchester City, scoring the only goal in Tottenham’s 1-0 win.

The South Korean has been fantastic for Mauricio Pochettino’s side this season, netting 18 goals for the London club.

Son will have a busy few weeks as he once again is relied on to be the main provider of goals for Spurs after Harry Kane limped off with an injury against City.

If the 26-year-old can keep his performances at the level they were at on Tuesday night, Spurs shouldn’t miss Kane too much as Son stepped up to the mark in the absence of their top scorer.

The attacker is nominated alongside Roberto Firmino, Gerard Pique and Frenkie De Jong for the award but in the minds of Tottenham fans there should only be one winner.

Here’s what Spurs fans have been saying on Twitter…

Once this season comes to an end, Rangers and Steven Gerrard have a fantastic chance to bolster their squad when the transfer window reopens.

It’s very much necessary too. Rangers have been second best to Celtic yet again this campaign, something fans are desperate to see change sooner rather than later. Surely it has to, right?

Under Steven Gerrard, the potential is there for Rangers to reassert themselves back at the top of the Scottish Premiership but significant improvements do need to be made in the meantime.

Rangers have already started their summer spending, having recruited Motherwell forward Jake Hastie signing a four-year deal in Glasgow (as per the Scottish Sun), who arrives at Ibrox with plenty of potential. Hastie, (who is valued at £180k on Transfermarkt) has enjoyed a terrific start to life in the Scottish Premiership, hence why Rangers opted to snap him up quickly.

The 21-year-old is a forward that can play across the front-line, where he has provided six goals in 12 Premiership appearances so far.

Rangers definitely aren’t short of forward options but the capture of Jake Hastie is a very sensible one, considering the almighty potential he has. Indeed, if the Gers manage to extend the loan of Ryan Kent or acquire him on a permanent deal could mean the Gers utilise both Kent and Hastie out on the wings, giving a completely new and dynamic feel to their attacking play.

Even if they don’t, their attack is already looking stronger.

With a reliable forward waiting in the box, Rangers’ forward play could really be impressive, as they have a number of options they could also turn to in rotation as well. Outside of Alfredo Morelos, the club have lacked a reliable (well, kind of) goalscorer to help him out, so this kind of move is one to address a major problem at Ibrox.

If the signing of Jake Hastie is a sign of things to come, Steven Gerrard and Rangers could have a very productive summer indeed.

Rangers fans, happy with this reported deal? Join the discussion by commenting below… 

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Leeds fans on Twitter are hoping that Sheffield Wednesday will give them an easy game on Saturday in order to swing the promotion race in Leeds’ favour.

The Whites are embroiled in a promotion race with Wednesday’s bitter rivals Sheffield United and some Leeds fans are hoping that the Owls do their best to deny the Blades a place in the Premier League by rolling over for Leeds.

Certain fans on Twitter have been wishing that Wednesday field a weakened side to give Leeds a greater chance of being promoted.

But one person who doesn’t believe Leeds will be getting any help is Tyler Roberts. The midfielder doesn’t think that Wednesday will come into this game without a win in mind, saying: “They’ve got their own targets to get into the playoffs and will be coming to win. It’s going to be a good game, and we’re going into it with a lot of positivity.”

The Owls still have an outside shot at a top six finish but Leeds fans are hoping that their rivalry with Sheffield United overrides that and they let Marcelo Bielsa’s side run riot on Saturday.

Here’s what Leeds fans had to say on Twitter…