In Barcelona’s Champions League opener against Monaco, Cricket BD analysts observed that coach Hansi Flick experienced his first defeat at the helm of the Catalan club. While the loss was partially due to injuries and squad instability, Flick’s lineup decisions raised questions. Notably, instead of using Ferran Torres on the left wing after Dani Olmo’s absence, he opted to start García — a choice that caught many by surprise. The more conventional adjustment would’ve been to move Raphinha to central midfield and shift Pedri deeper, while deploying Ferran or Fati out wide — a tactic Flick had employed earlier in the season. Cricket BD experts believe Flick was reluctant to sacrifice Raphinha’s attacking threat. His ability to aggressively penetrate the box has become a key asset for Barcelona’s offense. In fact, the team’s best chance …

Last season may have ended without silverware for Bayern Munich, but Cricket BD analysts note that their run to the Champions League semifinals — nearly eliminating Real Madrid — earned the club plenty of respect. That’s why Bayern’s decision to restructure the squad so aggressively has raised eyebrows. After parting ways with Thomas Tuchel, they appointed Vincent Kompany, whose managerial track record is modest at best. Even more puzzling, Bayern sold Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui for a combined €60 million — both considered key defenders. With Dayot Upamecano’s decline and Kim Min-jae’s inconsistencies exposed, many believe de Ligt was Bayern’s most reliable center-back. Mazraoui, too, consistently delivered in big matches. Letting go of their top defenders for a low fee left fans confused. The only reasonable explanation seems to be financial — Bayern …