Latest articles by Kiyan Sobhani
10 European trophy-winning teams who were terrible domestically
UCL Chelsea might welcome a midweek break from poor league form - just as these teams all did...
Is Real Madrid's youth policy crumbling? Where Los Blancos messed up with Martin Odegaard
Martin Odegaard's Arsenal move highlights a worrying trend with Real Madrid's youngsters
Ranked! Every team left in the Champions League by how likely they are to win it
UEFA Champions League The quarter-finals are here! And serving up some humdingers, too. Kiyan Sobhani sorts out the saps and serious contenders
Ranked! Every Champions League last-16 team by their chances of winning it
UEFA Champions League It's back! So allow Kiyan Sobhani to size up the competition and provide our guide to a thrilling first knockout round...
15 bold predictions for 2017/18: Spurs miss top four, Barça finish third and more
Premier League Kiyan Sobhani turns Mystic Meg to make some gutsy forecasts ahead of the new campaign
12 bold predictions for 2017: Simeone leaves Atletico, Poch to Barcelona
Atlético Madrid Kiyan Sobhani turns Mystic Meg to speculate about what might happen in the world of football next year
7 times Cristiano Ronaldo saved the day for his team
Real Madrid Kiyan Sobhani takes you through Cristiano's greatest match-winning moments (spoiler: they're all goals – but what else did you expect?)...
9 bold predictions we're making for World Cup 2018
FIFA World Cup Prediction time! We can always just delete this post-tournament, right?
How Jurgen Klopp became Pep Guardiola's kryptonite
Jürgen Klopp Liverpool's stunning 3-0 first-leg win over Manchester City means the German has bested Pep seven times in their 13 meetings – and now twice this season. Kiyan Sobhani evaluates why the Bearded One has such a hold on the world's most revered boss...
Real Madrid's academy products: Where are they now?
Real Madrid Borja Mayoral is the latest Blancos academy star to be touted as the next Raul. Kiyan Sobhani takes a look at what happened to some of the other youngsters who were tipped for big things at the Santiago Bernabeu this century...
Rated! La Liga’s big transfer winners and losers of the summer
La Liga The off-season has been dominated by Euro 2016 and Paul Pogba’s return to Manchester United, but – for a change – things have been fairly quiet in La Liga. Scratch beneath the surface, though, and there’s some clever business
4 promising upgrades on Casemiro who Real Madrid could sign
Real Madrid Even Zinedine Zidane knows the need for some midfield steel – but his current Brazilian probably isn't the long-term solution. Kiyan Sobhani picks out a handful of stars who could be targeted instead...
How Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool can break down Real Madrid and prevent a Champions League hat-trick
Zinedine Zidane's side boast a formidable array of talent, but flaws in Real's system show the route Liverpool can take to a famous victory, writes Kiyan Sobhani
Why Real Madrid fans might have to endure Florentino Perez's mismanagement for years
Real Madrid The Bernabeu is restless place and recently began protesting Perez's presidency, but, as Kiyan Sobhani explains, it looks unlikely that anything will change at the top in a hurry...
Analysed: Karim Benzema is more important than everybody thought
Stats Zone Seven years after his arrival, the Frenchman has arguably become the most important player at the Bernabeu. Kiyan Sobhani explains why Los Blancos need to address their over-reliance on him this summer...
How Barcelona lost Neymar – but retained their greatness
Barcelona Barça suffered a humbling summer – yet now sit five points clear in La Liga and beat Juventus to top spot in their Champions League group. Kiyan Sobhani explains how they’ve done it
5 things that La Liga's first two matchdays have taught us
La Liga There's been intrigue aplenty over in Spain since the start of the 2016/17 campaign a fortnight ago. Kiyan Sobhani picks out some of the key talking points
FIFA's transfer ban provides the perfect opportunity for Real Madrid to grow up
Real Madrid Kiyan Sobhani explains why a lack of transfer market activity at the Santiago Bernabeu wouldn't exactly be a negative thing
Can you conquer Europe without a defensive midfielder? Real Madrid will try...
Real Madrid All of the sides to have triumphed in Europe's primary club competition this century have fielded at least one defensive-minded player in the engine room. Kiyan Sobhani examines whether los Blancos could be about to usher in a new era...
Rafa Benitez's Real Madrid dilemma: how do you get the best out of Toni Kroos?
Toni Kroos A year on from the German's domineering display against Brazil at the World Cup, Kiyan Sobhani evaluates how Rafa Benitez can release the shackles imposed by Carlo Ancelotti at the Santiago Bernabeu last season...
4 big things Zinedine Zidane needs to fix at Real Madrid this summer
Real Madrid Nowhere in La Liga, knocked out in the last 16 of the Champions League – it’s been a dreadful season for Los Blancos. But there may be light ahead…
7 La Liga players who could be on the move this January
La Liga This January, some of La Liga's hottest talent is up for grabs. With Manchester City, Tottenham and Manchester United among the suitors, we look through the likely deals on offer
How Danilo helps to complete Real Madrid's new watertight defence
Danilo Kiyan Sobhani analyses the impact of Los Blancos’ athletic arrival from Porto in the summer – and why Dani Carvajal’s fighting a losing battle...
Rated! Zinedine Zidane at Real Madrid so far, in the key areas
Zinedine Zidane His audition is over and the Frenchman can proudly present a Champions League trophy to Madrid's president as he awaits his future. But how good a job has Zizou done over the past five months? Kiyan Sobhani investigates...
