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Zach Lowy Profile picture
Zach Lowy
@ZachLowy
Chief editor of @BTLVid. Words for @guardian, @FourFourTwo, @PSGTalk, @FotMob, @TheRGMedia, @PortuGoal1, @Independent and @japantimes.
2 subscribers
May 22, 2024 • 5 tweets • 1 min read
As good as Atalanta have been, this has been an absolutely pathetic showing from Bayer Leverkusen. There's no out ball, no way forward, no way to cope with Atalanta's asphyxiating press, and no way to put Juan Musso under the slightest bit of pressure. Completely outclassed. What Gasperini has been able to do is force Leverkusen out wide, ensure that Atalanta have the physicality to deal with the direct balls and induce uncharacteristic giveaways from the opposition. They've been in control from start to finish both with and without the ball.
May 5, 2024 • 6 tweets • 2 min read
Each of the top five leagues in Europe are in action today...all except Ligue 1.

The reason? The events dating back exactly 32 years ago at the Stade Armand-Cesari. Image With Marseille traveling to Corsica for the Coupe de France semifinal, Bastia president Jean-François Fillipi decided to take advantage and construct a temporary stand in order to maximize the club's profits. Image
Nov 21, 2023 • 5 tweets • 2 min read
Arda Turan has opened up on his financial struggles:

"I gave away more than €13 million. All the money and effort, all the work I put in for years, it suddenly disappeared."

I'm very sorry, this incident exhausted me a lot. All my savings were lost in an instant." Image Acting on the advice of Seçil Erzan, the director of an Istanbul bank subsidiary, Turan decided to invest all of his savings.

"She tricked me by saying, 'Whoever invests in this fund will make a profit.' I gave away more than €13m." Image
Jul 31, 2023 • 11 tweets • 3 min read
A lot of Everton fans want to know my thoughts on Youssef Chermiti...I'll start by saying that he's very much a long-term project rather than the finished article.

He's a raw diamond waiting to be polished, much like Dominic Calvert-Lewin when he joined from Sheffield United. Image Chermiti was far from one of Sporting's most valued prospects going into the season, and it took many by surprise when Rúben Amorim stated in January, 'I won't look for a new center forward if he signs a new contract.'

Shortly after, he made his first-team debut vs. Benfica.
Feb 1, 2023 • 20 tweets • 5 min read
It has been a chaotic January transfer window in Portugal with teams reinforcing their squads and losing various key players like Pedro Porro and Enzo Fernández.

Today, I’ll be taking a look at each of the 18 Primeira Liga clubs’ January business: 1. Benfica

Gonçalo Guedes has returned on loan from Wolves and made an instant impact, whilst Casper Tengstedt (22) and Andreas Schjelderup (18) have arrived, but the deadline day sale of Enzo Fernández to Chelsea for €121m could be damaging to their hopes of winning the title.
Dec 19, 2022 • 4 tweets • 2 min read
I'm probably in the minority here but I thought Lionel Messi wearing a bisht was a nice touch.

Bishts are given to Arab warriors after a victory in battle or to royalty...Messi just won the greatest battle of them all and confirmed himself as the king of football. I did think it was bizarre at first but the more I learned about it, the more it makes sense. This isn't sportswashing -- it's simply appreciating a different culture.

Educate yourself and don't let yourself rush to judgment.
Dec 18, 2022 • 6 tweets • 2 min read
We've seen quite a few teammate clashes in World Cup Finals:

2018: Rakitic vs Umtiti, Mandzukic vs Matuidi, Modric vs Varane

2014: Biglia vs Klose

2010: Van der Vaart vs Ramos, Casillas and Alonso, Torres and Reina vs Kuyt, Fabregas vs Van Persie With that being said, I don't think we've ever seen a teammate clash quite like what we're about to see tomorrow.

Arguably the best player of the past generation vs. the arguably the best youngster in football. A fight for the World Cup, Golden Ball, Golden Boot, and BDO.

🍿
Sep 29, 2022 • 4 tweets • 1 min read
In his last 9 matches for Portugal, Cristiano Ronaldo has failed to score in 8 of them.

He simply isn’t a good enough footballer in 2022 to justify a starting spot anymore. Every cycle comes to an end, and it’s time to pass the baton for more deserving young players. When you choose to play on the counter like Portugal did vs Spain, playing with Cristiano Ronaldo is like playing with 10 men.

Not quick enough to get onside or latch onto through balls, not precise enough in possession, and not anywhere near as efficient in the final third.
Sep 28, 2022 • 4 tweets • 2 min read
I would expect Fernando Santos to pick this Portugal squad for the World Cup assuming everyone is fit.

Biggest questions: 1) Does João Mário retain his place in the squad amid Otávio and Renato Sanches’ returns, 2) Who occupies the extra spot in attack left by Rafa’s retirement. João Mário returned to the national team but certainly didn’t justify his place against Spain. His Benfica teammate Gonçalo Ramos received a maiden call-up to replace Rafa Silva, but he didn’t play a single minute.
Sep 27, 2022 • 4 tweets • 1 min read
There is absolutely zero explanation for Cristiano Ronaldo to still be a starter for Portugal in 2022. Not when there's Rafael Leão, Pedro Neto, João Félix and so many other talented players waiting in the wings. Another anonymous performance from him today. At the end of the day, Ronaldo will continue to be a starter no matter how poor of a footballer he is in 2022. That's down to Fernando Santos' cowardice. But the fact is, he has no place in Portugal's strongest XI and is taking away more than he is contributing to their attack.
Sep 20, 2022 • 4 tweets • 3 min read
Excited to announce that I will be speaking to Udinese goalkeeper Marco Silvestri tomorrow in an exclusive @BTLvid interview.

Have any questions for Marco? Get them in now 👇🏻 Image @BTLvid This will be my third @BTLvid interview with an Udinese player -- I spoke to Fernando Forestieri in his final weeks in Italy before joining Malaysian club Johor Darul Ta'zim.
Aug 28, 2022 • 12 tweets • 3 min read
The French authorities are investigating a case of “attempted extortion by an organized gang” with regards to Paul Pogba.

Pogba has told police that he was trapped by childhood friends and two hooded men with assault rifles, who demanded €13m from him. francetvinfo.fr/sports/foot/pa… Apart from childhood friends, one of the alleged gang members is his brother Mathias Pogba.

They have attempted to intimidate him on various occasions, even visiting him at Juventus’ training center.
Aug 21, 2022 • 5 tweets • 2 min read
Manchester United need a lot of new signings over the final days of the transfer window, but I don’t think Odysseas Vlachodimos should be one of them.

He’s a great shot stopper and has had some elite performances when playing in a low block, but he’s a fairly limited goalkeeper. He’s 28 — just three years younger than David De Gea — and has many of the same issues as De Gea. Good reflexes and reaction saves, but he’s average in possession, struggles to come off his line and “sweep,” not great at controlling crosses or aerial claims.
Aug 20, 2022 • 4 tweets • 2 min read
Best goalkeeper in Portugal right now. Has to be a starter in Qatar. For the people saying José Sá, 1) he doesn’t play in Portugal, 2) he’s turning 30 in January. As good as he has been, he’ll be lucky to get onto Portugal’s World Cup squad ahead of Diogo Costa, Rui Patrício and Anthony Lopes.
Aug 19, 2022 • 6 tweets • 2 min read
Rúben Amorim not sounding too pleased with the sale of Matheus Nunes.

"I have always been consistent since I came [to Sporting]. We sold [Bruno] Tabata because Matheus refused an offer.

The inconsistency is not on the coach's side." Image “We are not going to spend the Matheus Nunes money. He was sold to cover basic expenses for the club. It's difficult to sign at this time, clubs don't want to lose their best players and we don't sign players below our level."

Aug 18, 2022 • 5 tweets • 2 min read
May 18, 2020: After hiring Rúben Amorim for a fee rising to €14.4m, Sporting president Frederico Varandas states:

“From what I've seen from Matheus Nunes, by the way he's training today, I have no doubt that, only Matheus Nunes, will pay for Rúben Amorim. You can quote me.” Image Matheus Nunes had joined from Estoril just 1.5 years before in January 2019, with Sporting paying a total of €950,000 for the 20-year-old.

Two weeks after Varandas made his prediction, Nunes made his first-team debut for Sporting.
Feb 8, 2022 • 4 tweets • 1 min read
It’s been three years since Donny van de Beek led Ajax to the cusp of a Champions League Final, it’s been two since Real Madrid tried to sign him on a permanent deal.

It hasn’t worked out in Manchester but there’s a player in VDB and Lampard is the perfect man to unlock it. The biggest question is how Lampard can fit Van de Beek and Alli into the same team. I’m not sure he can, but considering how each of them have been over the past 2 years, having a direct competition between both might not be such a bad thing.
Feb 8, 2022 • 4 tweets • 1 min read
In 1992, Roger Milla kidnapped 120 pygmies from the jungle & imprisoned them in a locked room guarded by an armed man in a Saddam Hussain T-shirt.

The reason? To set up a charity football tournament that he claimed would raise money for Cameroon’s health services and education. The players from the rain forests of Cameroon complained they were only being fed once per 72 hours, a meal of rice and sauce.

A spokesman for the tournament said: “You don’t know the pygmies, they are extremely difficult to control. They play better if they don’t eat too much.”
Feb 7, 2022 • 7 tweets • 2 min read
Porto have replaced Luís Diaz with Wenderson Galeno of Braga.

I spoke to @ExcuseMeJose about Galeno’s arrival and whether he can fill the Colombian’s void in attack. @ExcuseMeJose Galeno left Brazil for Porto in 2016, but he only made four appearances under Sérgio Conceição before joining Portimonense and Rio Ave on loan, eventually joining Braga on a permanent deal in 2019.
Feb 7, 2022 • 4 tweets • 2 min read
Daniel Wass got injured in his first game with Atlético Madrid after clattering into ex teammate Ferran Torres.

Instead of taking him off, Diego Simeone forced him to finish the game.

Now, Wass is out with 6-8 weeks with a right MCL injury. At 32 years of age, Wass’ injury record is pretty much spotless.

Looks like Wass will miss more game-time in his first two months under Simeone than in his 15 years as a professional footballer
Feb 5, 2022 • 7 tweets • 3 min read
Today's Primeira action kicks off with Marítimo-Estoril (0-0 at HT) followed by Paços de Ferreira hosting Portimonense, but the biggest fixture is the Dérbi do Minho: Braga vs. Vitória de Guimarães.

Going to be a fun match-up between 4th and 6th at Estádio Dom Afonso Henriques. Image Both teams have suffered big departures this past window.

Braga have sold Wenderson Galeno to Porto and added Eugenio Pizzuto after the Mexican rescinded his contract at Lille.

I spoke to @ExcuseMeJose about the Galeno sale on the latest Cortalinhas: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cor… Image