According to Iran’s ISNA news agency, the Iranian Football Federation is planning to open its match against China to the public free of charge. This move is expected to pack Tehran’s iconic Azadi Stadium to the brim, with attendance possibly exceeding 100,000. Historically, the stadium reached its highest attendance of 128,000 during the 1998 World Cup qualification playoffs. Whether or not this free-entry plan materializes, the Chinese national team is bracing for one of the most hostile away fixtures in Asia. The upcoming match, scheduled for Tuesday, March 28, marks the seventh matchday of the final round of the...
Real Madrid Dominates Matches with Aerial Power
Real Madrid has truly mastered the art of scoring with headers this season, turning set pieces and crosses into one of their most lethal weapons. Among the squad, Sergio Ramos stands out as a top aerial threat. In league play alone, Ramos has scored six goals with his head—only Nice’s Mario Balotelli has managed more, with eight. When counting all competitions, both players are tied at the top with eight header goals each. With a lineup stacked with physically imposing players like Ramos (1.83m), Varane (1.90m), Pepe (1.86m), Bale (1.83m), Cristiano Ronaldo (1.85m), and Benzema (1.83m), Real Madrid poses...
Ha Tae-Goon Signs with a China League One Club
Just two days after parting ways with Yanbian Funde, Ha Tae-Goon was widely rumored to be returning to Korea’s K League, with Ulsan Hyundai expected to be his next destination. That speculation wasn’t baseless—sources within Yanbian confirmed Ulsan had shown strong interest in the striker and had already initiated contact with his agent. However, in a surprising turn of events, China League One newcomers Baoding Rongda swooped in and sealed the deal, securing the signature of the former Golden Boot winner in the nick of time. Following the 2016 season, Lijiang Flying Tigers—who were also promoted to China League...
Leipzig’s Bundesliga Momentum Keeps Rolling On
RB Leipzig’s dazzling debut Bundesliga season shows no sign of slowing down. Despite a recent defeat to Borussia Dortmund, the newly promoted side from eastern Germany has only lost three matches this season and remains Bayern Munich’s fiercest title challenger—trailing the league leaders by just four points. While this kind of performance may seem like an anomaly for a newly promoted team, Leipzig has plenty of substance backing its ambitions to contend for the Bundesliga crown. No other promoted team in Bundesliga history has gone unbeaten in their first 11 matches—until Leipzig did it. Their 3-2 win over Bayer...
Goretzka Says Winter Signings Boost Schalke
Schalke 04 midfielder Leon Goretzka believes the recent additions of Holger Badstuber and Guido Burgstaller can play a major role in helping the team rebound in the second half of the Bundesliga season. Schalke’s campaign so far has been a rollercoaster—starting with five consecutive losses, followed by a mid-season recovery, only to stumble again with a 2-1 defeat to Hamburg just before the winter break. As it stands, Schalke sits in 11th place, far below expectations. In December alone, Markus Weinzierl’s side suffered three defeats in four matches. To address the inconsistency, Schalke acted in the January transfer window...