MATCH! 23 March 2021

HOW LONG’S LEFT? As from this Tuesday, there are just 81 days, 1,944 hours or 6,998,400 seconds until the Euros finally kick off – not that we’recounting! Every week, starting this issue, we’ll have a special Euro Countdown feature where we look at the latest squad news, hottest stars and gossip ahead of the tourno. Turn to page 18 now for this week’s article on reigning champs Portugal! TIME TO SHINE! It’s time for the likes of Gareth Southgate, Steve Clarke and Ryan Giggs to start thinking about their 23-man squads, which makes this international break a huge chance for players to impress. Competition is high for a place in every side, soa goal, assist–or worse–a mistake could make all the difference in the summer’s announcements! WORLD UP QU ALIFIERS! Let’snot forget that this week’s…

WORLD CUP GLORY! The 61-year-old has been in charge of his nation since replacing Jurgen Klinsmann in 2006, and his highlight so far is obviously winning the 2014 World Cup! Germany became the first European winners of a WC hosted in South America and smashed the hosts Brazil 7-1 in easily one of the biggest humiliations in the comp’s history! RECORD-BREAKING SPELL! No gaffer in history has coached more games at the European Championship than Low’s 17, and no manager has won more matches at the Euros than his 11 victories! This summer, he’s going to become the first and only boss to lead the same country out for their fourth consecutive Euros! KLOPP SAYS NO? MATCH spies in Germany have been working overtime after hearing Low’s decision! They thought Jurgen Klopp could be in…

MATCH spies in Sweden overheard earlier this month that ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC could be in line for a dramatic return to the national team – after a long spell away! We check out some of the star’s sickest Sweden stats… 116 Zlatan’s played 116 times for Sweden, making him their joint-seventh most capped player! 62 He’s their all-time top scorer with 62 goals – 13 more than the next highest goalscorer! 39 If he does play in this week’s games, he’ll become their oldest-ever player at 39 years old! 5 Five years have passed since the AC Milan forward played his last match for his nation! 3 He was their captain at Euro 2016 and played in all three of their games, but failed to score! 30 He once scored a 30-yard overhead kick v England! If you haven’t seen it, scan the…

DID YOU KNOW? Wolfsburg beat Chelsea 5-1 on aggregate in the 2017-18 CL semi-finals, with Harder busting net against The Blues! CHELSEA The WSL leaders go into this tricky tie in awesome form! They wonten of their first 12 matches of 2021 in all competitions and recently lifted the Women’s EFL Cup trophy after thrashing Bristol City in the final! They’ve also got a not-so-secret weapon in Pernille Harder–the striker joined from Wolfsburg last year, so she’ll have tons of ITK knowledge on their opponents! WOLFSBURG The Blues have been drawn against last year’s Bundesliga champions and the 2019-20 Champo League runners-up! Wolfsburg are currently chasing Bayern Munich in this year’s title race and eased past LSK Kvinne in the CL with a 4-0 aggregate win Watch out for their young baller Lena Oberdorf–we profiled…

HOW TO VOTE! Go to the MATCH Facebook page now and you’ll see two shortlists – one for Player Of The Month and one for Goal Of The Month. Then just vote for your choice. Well easy! CHRISTENSEN The Chelsea centre-back has looked super solid since Thomas Tuchel took charge of the club and has helped keep out the goals! SHAW The Man. United left-back, who scored v Man. City, is another defender in the form of his life right now! IHEANACHO The technique on the Foxes forward’s volley v Burnley had MATCH purring louder than your next-door neighbour’s cat! KANE Forget about Goal Of The Month, the Spurs striker’s one-touch screamer v Palace is a Goal Of The Season contender. Boom! THE RESULTS! We’ll reveal the winners in next week’s issue!…

PICKFORD EVERTON CAPS: 30 This week’s games will give us a better idea as to whether Southgate still trusts Pickford – or whether Nick Pope has a real shot at ousting him! JUST MISSING OUT… Nick Pope ★ Burnley Luke Shaw ★ Man. United Tyrone Mings ★ Aston Villa Jordan Henderson ★ Liverpool Bukayo Saka ★ Arsenal Jack Grealish ★ Aston Villa Jadon Sancho ★ B. Dortmund A.-ARNOLD LIVERPOOL CAPS: 12 Trent has failed to reach the heights of the last two seasons so Trippier, Walker, Wan-Bissaka and James are definitely knocking on the door! MAGUIRE MAN. UNITED CAPS: 30 Playing every week for United means Maguire is nailed on for a starting spot at this summer’s Euros but Coady, Mings and Keane aren’t far off! STONES MAN. CITY CAPS: 39 Stones hasn’t played for England since 2019, but we think he deserves to be a starter for Southgate again after having a…