Happy Monday and welcome to another week in the summer soccer world! Ilkay Gundogan's anticipated move from Manchester City to Barcelona has been confirmed and could be the first of a number of big European transfer moves this week. There was also Gold Cup action on Sunday as Mexico smashed Honduras 4-0 in group B, while Haiti also secured a dramatic late win over guest team Qatar. This is Jonathan Johnson bringing you the Golazo Starting XI newsletter to set you up ahead of this next week.
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📺 Footy fix
All times U.S./Eastern
Monday, June 26
🇦🇷 Argentina: Belgrano vs. Banfield, 7 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+
🇧🇷 Brasileirão: Vasco Da Gama vs. Cuiaba, 8 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+
🌎 Gold Cup: Costa Rica vs. Panama, 8:30 p.m. ➡️ FS1 and TUDN
Tuesday, June 27
🌎 UEFA Under-21 Euros: Netherlands vs. Georgia, 12 p.m. ➡️ CBS Sports Golazo Network
🌎 UEFA Under-21 Euros: Croatia vs. Romania, 2:45 p.m. ➡️ CBS Sports Golazo Network
🌎 UEFA Under-21 Euros: Spain vs. Ukraine, 2:45 p.m. ➡️ CBS Sports Network
🌎 Gold Cup: Canada vs. Guadeloupe, 7 p.m. ➡️ FS1 and TUDN
⚽ The Forward Line
Barcelona seal the Ilkay Gundogan deal
One of the big moves of this summer transfer window was confirmed on Monday with Ilkay Gundogan leaving Manchester City for Barcelona after captaining Pep Guardiola's side to UEFA Champions League success over Inter in Istanbul earlier this month. The Germany international's contract at Spotify Camp Nou could run as long as three years with the former Borussia Dortmund man turning 33 later this year. City were keen to retain Gundogan at Guardiola's behest while Saudi Arabian clubs and Arsenal had also showed an interest, but the midfielder has opted for an initial two-year deal with an option for a third in Catalonia. Gundogan penned his own goodbye latter ahead of his move to Barca for The Players' Tribune.
- Gundogan: "If I was going to move, there is only one club in the world that made sense. It was Barcelona or nothing. Ever since I was a little kid, I dreamed of wearing that shirt someday. I am confident that I have a few more years left at the highest level, and I just want to help bring Barcelona back to where they deserve to be. It will be a reunion with my old friend Lewa (Robert Lewandowski), and I'm excited to play under another manager who I have admired for a long time. When Xavi and I talked about the project, it just seemed so natural. I see so many similarities between us as characters and in the way we see the game. I know there's going to be a lot of pressure at Barcelona. But I love pressure. I love to get out of my comfort zone. I was not looking for an easy landing. I was looking for a new challenge. That's what this next chapter is all about -- I can't wait to play in the Barcelona shirt."
Listening to Gundogan talk about his decision to join Barca is interesting as he touches upon many of the main question marks over this move, notably his age and experience as well as the need to hit the ground running for a club that cannot afford to not be winning multiple trophies every single season for the foreseeable future. With a contract that has a minimum fee release clause of nearly $436 million, the Catalan giants certainly value his addition to the squad, with talented young pair Pedri and Gavi likely to benefit massively from the arrival of such a proven winner to play alongside them.
Moving on from the German will be tough for City given his tactical flexibility, which perfectly suited Guardiola's needs along with his consistency and his penchant for well-timed and often important goals like his title-winning double against Aston Villa. Mateo Kovacic has already been lined up from Chelsea, but he scores less regularly than Gundogan and does not immediately offer the same leadership credentials that the 32-year-old treble winner leaves with. Despite the obvious romance in flirting with the idea of bringing Lionel Messi back before his Inter Miami move was confirmed, adding a hungry player of massive experience like Gundogan's arguably makes much more sense.
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🔗 Midfield Link Play
Rejuvenated Mexico light up Honduras in Gold Cup
El Tri blitzed Honduras 4-0 in Gold Cup Group B on Sunday to score their highest number of goals in an official competitive game since back in 2019 when they thumped Bermuda 5-1. The match was the team's first since Diego Cocca was let go after a disappointing third-place finish in the CONCACAF Nations League, just four months after replacing Tata Martino following a poor FIFA 2022 World Cup by Mexico's standards and Jaime Lozano is currently only an interim solution.
It was a dominant display from start to finish with a goal inside the opening minute through Luis Romo as part of the CF Monterrey man's brace and two goals in each half was unlike much of what El Tri have been in recent years. Edson Alvarez stating that the team feels "more comfortable with a Mexican manager" was quite telling after Argentine pair of Martino and Cocca's struggles and Lozano now has the best start of a Mexican national team coach of the past 10 years since Miguel Herrera kicked off with a 5-1 demolition of New Zealand back in 2013.
Suddenly, things around Mexico and the Mexican camp is a lot more positive and a world away from the scrappy team which lost out to the USMNT in the Nations League just a few weeks ago. Granted, Honduras will not be this side's biggest test beyond what is a favorable group stage draw, but the creativity and sharpness is encouraging given recent struggles to score goals and the American draw with Jamaica could paint El Tri as one of the favorites to go deep at this Gold Cup.
Now let's get to the rest of the links:
🔗 James Benge on Ilkay Gundogan's decision to join Barca from City.
🔗 Chuck Booth chimes in with a USMNT Gold Cup stock watch post-Jamaica draw.
🔗 Booth's recap of the 1-1 tie with the Reggae Boyz is here.
🔗 I provide you with the latest from PSG on the transfer front.
🔗 Benge also has you covered as far as Chelsea's numerous dealings are concerned.
🔗 You can watch Messi being serenaded for his 36th birthday in his native Rosario.
🔗 Sandra Herrera also brings you the NWSL latest ahead of the USWNT assembly.
🔗 Luka Modric is staying at Real Madrid for at least another season.
🔗 Felipe Car joins Morning Footy to break down the USMNT's Gold Cup draw wit Jamaica.
🔗 Morning Footy looks at Wayne Rooney possibly leading a D.C. United's turnaround.
🔗 Bob Bradley is out at Toronto FC with the team second to last in the East.
🔗 In Soccer We Trust: Recapping the USMNT's 1-1 draw with Jamaica
🔗 Attacking Third: Sophia Smith went bonkers with a hat trick before heading off to the USWNT.
💰 The Back Line
💵 Best bets
All odds courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook and all times U.S./Eastern. SportsLine has you covered with everything you need.
- Brasileirão: Vasco vs. Cuiaba, Monday, 8 p.m.
💰 THE PICK: Draw (+200) -- Already an important one this for the hosts after a disappointing start to the season which sees them second from bottom and already six points behind their visitors. A home win would be welcome for American-owned Vasco, but even a point might be a stretch given that they have won just one of their opening 11 games. - UEFA U-21 Euros: Portugal vs. Belgium, Tuesday, 12 p.m.
💰 THE PICK: Draw (+220) -- This is a must-win for the Portuguese while a draw could be enough for the Belgians depending on what happens elsewhere between Georgia and the Netherlands. Expect this one to be tight with neither team willing to give an inch with qualification potentially on the line -- although both could be sent home if the Dutch better Belgium's result.
