ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE
Champions: Manchester City
Record title holders: Manchester United (20)
Last season's top-scorer: Erling Haaland, Manchester City (27 goals)
Favourites: Manchester City will inevitably head into the season as favourites again having won six of the last seven English league titles and four in a row. But with the spectre of 115 Premier League charges to be heard this season, their dominance of the league could be coming to an end from 2025-26 onwards. They have players and a coach in Pep Guardiola who know how to win this league and are always formidable in the closing months.
Other contenders: Arsenal will likely be their biggest challengers again with Mikel Arteta building something special at The Emirates, while how Liverpool adjust to life under new coach Arne Slot remains to be seen and there may be a period of adjustment for The Reds.
Dark horses: Newcastle United were up and down last season but without the distraction of European football this campaign could well emerge as an outside contender for the title.
Surprise strugglers: Brighton & Hove Albion have had a wonderful few years but were not great last season, and have lost highly-rated coach Roberto de Zerbi, who perhaps sees the writing on the wall. This could be a season of toil.
SPANISH LALIGA
Champions: Real Madrid
Record title holders: Real Madrid (36)
Last season's top-scorer: Artem Dovbyk, Girona (24 goals)
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WORLD BEATER
MANCHESTER CITY AND SPAIN MIDFIELDER RODRI HAS BEEN COLLECTING TROPHIES IN HUGE NUMBERS IN RECENT SEASONS AND IS A KEY MAN FOR CLUB AND COUNTRY
WHO ARE CLUB BRUGGE?
Shandre Campbell has recently joined Club Brugge in Belgium, but he is not the first South African to play there. Who are the team known as the Blue-Black?
LOST ART
WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THE GREAT FREE-KICK TAKERS IN FOOTBALL?
BACK TO THE START
HAASHIM DOMINGO HAS A FRESH START AT CAPE TOWN CITY, WHERE HE COULD TAKE THE LEAGUE BY STORM, ACCORDING TO HIS NEW BOSS
FROM BADGERS TO BRISTOL
SOUTH AFRICA'S LOSS IS THE UK'S GAIN WITH DYNAMIC ROMANEY PINNOCK HAVING TAKEN CHARGE AS THE HEAD OF BRISTOL CITY WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
READY TO PLUNDER
SELAELO RASEBOTJA HAS ARRIVED AT ORLANDO PIRATES WITH BIG EXPECTATIONS FOR THE FUTURE
CITY OF GOLD
THE GAUTENG PROVINCE, MORE SPECIFICALLY JOHANNESBURG HAVE PRODUCED THE RICHEST RESERVOIR OF TOP FOOTBALLING TALENT FOR SOUTH AFRICA
LONG-TERM TARGET
KAIZER CHIEFS ENDED THEIR LONG PURSUIT OF DEFENDER RUSHWIN DORTLEY WHEN HE WAS SIGNED IN THE LAST TRANSFER WINDOW
REMEMBERING SENZO
THIS MONTH MARKS 10 YEARS SINCE ORLANDO PIRATES AND BAFANA BAFANA GOALKEEPER SENZO MEYIWA WAS TRAGICALLY KILLED
MIRACLE MAN
QUIET AND UNASSUMING, XABI ALONSO HAS EMERGED AS ONE OF THE TOP COACHES IN WORLD FOOTBALL
