EPL, Other Leagues Kickoff in Europe

 



The much-awaited English Premier League season kicks off tonight as Champions Liverpool take on Bournemouth in the season opener at Anfield.

It was a busy summer with the inaugural expanded FIFA Club World Cup- won by Chelsea- but the EPL, La Liga, Serie A and the German Bundesliga provide something refreshingly different with matches on weekends and sometimes week days. The exception being few days of international break for World Cup or other qualifying matches depending on the confederation.

Liverpool won the title by a whopping 10 point gap over Arsenal who came second and are ready to retain the title while Arsenal, having been back to back second placed team would want a change this time. Both sides have splashed the cash and strengthened their squads to the combined transfer fee of about 600 million pounds. Names like Hugo Ekitike, Jeremie Frimpong, Victor Gyokeres, Andre Zubimendi  would fill commentaries this season as they joined these prestigious sides this summer.  More players are still being expected before the transfer window slams shut on 1 September.


Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester united and others have not done badly at all in the transfer market.Players such as Cunha, Benjamin Sesko, Mbeuma moved to United while City did early business due to their participation at the Club World Cup and brought in Ait Nouri, Tijjani from AC Milan among others. Chelsea too have been on buying and selling spree. They bought Estevao from Brazil, Liam Delap among others.


Other EP sides like Sunderland, returning after several seasons out, have brought in former Arsenal captain Granit Xhaka and made other purchases to avoid the drop in their first attempt. And finally, it is the season of banter by club supporters and it's starting tonight!

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