5 bold predictions for the 2021-22 season
Another exciting season of football is here. The 2020-21 season had its share of surprises, moments of joy and heartbreak. We had a great summer in the world of football with Euro 2020 and the 2021 Copa America providing exhilarating action and entertainment.
There were quite a few surprises in Europe's top five leagues in the 2020-21 season. While Bayern Munich and Manchester City won the league titles as expected, there were some major upsets in Serie A, La Liga and Ligue 1.
Atletico Madrid won the La Liga title after a gap of seven years. Inter Milan copped the Scudetto after an 11-year drought. Lille pipped the star-studded Paris Saint-Germain side to the Ligue 1 title.
But so much has happened in this summer's transfer window which could change the dynamics of Europe's top five leagues once again. Here, we make five bold predictions for the 2021-22 season.
#5 Robert Lewandowski to beat Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to European Golden Shoe
The European Golden Shoe is awarded to the individual who scores the most number of goals in the top division of European national leagues.
Robert Lewandowski is currently the most prolific goalscorer on the planet and won the European Golden Shoe after scoring 41 goals in the 2020-21 season. He also beat Gerd Muller's record of most goals scored in a 38-game Bundesliga season.
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have more or less dominated the award in the recent past. The former has won the European Golden Shoe six times while the latter has won it four times. Both Messi and Ronaldo finished the 2020-21 season as the leading goalscorers in their respective leagues.
Messi also won the Golden Boot at the 2021 Copa America while Ronaldo won the Euro 2020 Golden Boot. Both legends of the game are still in prime goalscoring form. But we fully expect Lewandowski to retain the European Golden Shoe.
In the 2020-21 season, Lewandowski scored at a rate of almost 1.5 goals per game. No other player in Europe's top five leagues averaged more than a goal per game.
#4 Manchester City won't win the Premier League
Manchester City cruised their way to the Premier League title in the 2020-21 season. Second-placed Manchester United finished 12 points behind City. Even though Pep Guardiola's side have added Grealish to the mix, it's important to note how much their title-rivals have strengthened.
Manchester United have added Raphael Varane to their backline and Jadon Sancho to their attack. Both are world-class players who will make Manchester United a better team than they were in the 2020-21 season.
Chelsea have added Romelu Lukaku to their attack. Despite winning the Champions League title, the Stamford Bridge outfit struggled to score goals throughout the 2020-21 season. The Belgian international's return to the Premier League will sort that out for Thomas Tuchel's side.
Liverpool couldn't mount a title challenge in the 2020-21 season as they were plagued by injuries. Three of their first-choice centre-backs were sidelined for the majority of the season. Jordan Henderson also missed out on nearly four months of action.
But now Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez, Joel Matip and Jordan Henderson have returned to the fray. The Merseysiders have also added Ibrahima Konate to their backline. This time, all four Premier League giants seem capable of challenging on all fronts.