Prem trendsetters

GM football fans. Route One here, where we mix football stories like a club DJ - hits only.

All feedback at [email protected].

Head Start

Premier League’s trendsetter

Owning a Premier League club is as business-savvy as trying to sell ice cream in winter… 

Why? Well, wages and transfer fees are high, making up 90% of total Premier League revenue… and most clubs lose money day-to-day. 

Total losses for top-flight clubs amounted to £1 billion in 2023… but there has been one shining (financial) light…

… Brentford. The only side to record a profit without including sold players.

And it’s because Brentford are - well - ahead of the curve.

How?

Brentford introduced a unique approach to finding undervalued talent.

Most clubs focused on goals and assists. Whereas Brentford’s owner Matthew Benham hired a group of math nerds to unearth the stats that matter… like “goalscoring opportunities”.

Seems like old news now… but in 2012 it was unheard of.

Some clubs have caught up with The Bee’s analytical approach - though it’s easier said than done.

But Brentford are on to their next adventure… like the cool kid at school, they’re finding the latest trends and the rest will follow.  

They’re introducing AI-generated match stats that appear in real-time (watch here) which they’re testing at their stadium for the remainder of the season. 

Rather than waiting 90 mins to see a stat, it will - poof - like magic on your screen.

If there wasn’t already enough pressure on the players, now we get to know just how badly they’re performing… in real time!

Plus…

Tickets for all three men’s European club finals are now open for application. The Champions League final will be at Wembley on 1 June at 20:00 BST (More) 

Manchester United’s football director John Murtough has stepped down after 10 years of service (More)

Luis Díaz could leave Liverpool for PSG or Barcelona this summer as The Reds decide on whether to extend his contract or sell him (More)

Trent Alexander-Arnold, Allison, and Diogo Jota all return to Liverpool’s training (More)

Champions League Stats Preview

Atlético Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund (Today, 20:00 BST - TNT Sports)

→ Atlético Madrid have won two of the last three meetings against Dortmund in a major European competition, and have only lost two of their last 33 home games across all competitions.

→ Dortmund are unbeaten in their last nine away matches in all competitions.

→ In 15 two-legged knockout ties between Spanish and German clubs in the Champions League, Spanish sides have had the upper hand having progressed 13 (87%) times. 

PSG vs Barcelona (Today, 20:00 BST - TNT Sports)

→ These sides have met 12 times previously in the Champions League, with the head-to-head record balance at four wins each and four draws. 

→ Barcelona inflicted PSG’s heaviest defeat in the Champions League after their 6-1 victory in 2017.

→ But Kylian Mbappé is the only player in the competition’s history to score a hat-trick against Barcelona in the knockout stages. The Frenchman also has four goals against Barcelona in the Champions League, bettered only by Thomas Müller (8) and Andriy Shevchenko (5). 

Last night’s scores…

→ Real Madrid 3 - 3 Manchester City (Highlight)

• Silva’s cheeky freekick (Watch)

• Foden’s beautiful strike (Watch)

• Valverde’s rocket volley (Watch)

→Arsenal 2 - 2 Bayern Munich (Highlights)

• Saka’s ‘controversial’ penalty call (Watch)

• Bayern’s ‘controversial’ penalty call (Watch)

On This Day…

… in 1965

Norbert Stiles - better known as Nobby Stiles - played every minute of England’s victorious 1966 FIFA World Cup campaign. 

A small but aggressive defensive midfielder, Nobby is one of only three Englishmen - alongside Bobby Charlton and Ian Callaghan - to have won both the World Cup and European Cup. 

In other words, Nobby was very good.

But there was one thing that Nobby lacked… good sight (and two front teeth). 

A year before winning the World Cup, Nobby debuted for England in a 2-2 draw against Scotland.

After the game, the players went to the Café Royal Hotel in London for the traditional after-match banquet.

Self-described half-blind Nobby forgot to wear his glasses. Once he sat down for dinner, he wondered where his teammates were.

As he squinted around the room for familiar faces, a fellow diner leaned over and asked him a question… “So, how do you know the bride or the groom?”.

(Bonus) On This Day… Today marks 25 years since former Fulham owner Mohamed Al-Fayed welcomed a special guest for the Division Two match against Wigan - Michael Jackson. Despite being his only visit to the club, 12 years later Fulham marked that visit with a statue of their ‘greatest supporter’.

Off The Pitch

King Charles reacts to his face on new bank notes (More)

German art museum fires worker for hanging his own painting in the gallery (More)

The ‘Panama Papers’ trial starts as 27 people have been charged in a worldwide money laundering case (More)

Mattel launches a new version of Scrabble which is ‘less competitive’ (More)

Microsoft is opening a new office in London dedicated to AI and plans to make significant long-term investments in the UK (More)

Florida woman finds nearly 8-foot alligator inside her home (More)

Centuries-old investment firm Abrdn has accused the media of ‘bullying’ after changing its name (More)

Extra Time

Clive Tyldesley’s preparation ahead of last night’s games is mesmerising.

The reason why Andre Onana uses Vaseline on his gloves. 

Ben Arfa’s solo goal against Chelsea was nothing short of amazing.

Messi is still providing moments of joy at 36 years of age.

Former Liverpool and Spurs midfielder Danny Murphy opens up about why he hated Rafa Benitez.

Ashley Cole breaks down how to defend as a fullback.

No fighting in the Italian stand, just hand gestures. 

Yesterday’s Poll

Q: Which game will you be watching tonight?

🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 🤩 Arsenal vs Bayern Munich (47%)

🟨🟨🟨🟨🟨⬜️ 🥵 Real Madrid vs Manchester City (41%)

🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ 📺 Both... the remote will be working over-time (12%)

Your two cents:

• 😂 M.G: “I'll tape the Real Madrid v City match but I'll only watch it if City gets beat...”

• 😬 J.G.C: “Arsenal plays defensive football and are boring to watch.”

• 👏 B.M: “As an Arsenal supporter, now just an armchair supporter… there is no choice but to watch THE ARSENAL.”

Game Face On

Question: Which player received a letter from Danny Mills after being nutmegged by the man in question?

Hint: He was the first foreign player to win the Premier League Golden Boot award.

Scroll below for the answer.

On Today

FOOTBALL

UCL: PSG vs Barcelona (20:00 BST, TNT Sports 1)

UCL: Athletico Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund (20:00 BST, TNT Sports 2)

Championship: Multiple Matches (20:00 BST, Sky Sports)

CONCACAF Cup: Monterrey vs Inter Miami CF (03:30 BST, Youtube)

TENNIS

ATP: Monte Carlo Masters (10:00 BST, Sky Sports)

GOLF

PGA: US Masters (14:00 and 19:00. BST, Sky Sports)

*EST -5. PST -8. CET +1. CST +8. JST +9.

Answer: Thierry Henry

“We don’t want our players to be like monks. We want them to be better football players because a monk doesn’t play football at this level.”

-Sir Bobby Robson