Another year of football is over and it's time to start looking ahead to 2026. The Premier League will reach its conclusion in May, with Arsenal looking to win their first title in over two decades - but can the Gunners see the job through this time? Will an English club be crowned champions of Europe? Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham are all looking to reach the last 16.
FC Barcelona are set to enter into 2026 with the league position that Hansi Flick would have hoped for at the beginning of the season. Top of La Liga, 46 points from 18 games and a four-point cushion over Real Madrid make for good reading. The numbers are loud: 51 goals scored already, but the feeling is even louder. This is a team that plays with incisive attacking power, sometimes, even at the cost of defensive solidity.
Mike Maignan's contract situation at AC Milan is difficult to unpack. There has been positivity recently, but how much that actually means must be seen. Everything at the moment revolves around Maignan, and it is understandable why, as frustrating as it may be. The Frenchman's fine form has come at a time when Milan have no real strength over his contract situation.