Opinion

The 2025-26 European season is almost in the books. Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain will face off in Saturday's Champions League final after both secured league titles in England and France, respectively, while there was joy for Bayern Munich in Germany and Inter in Italy as both won domestic doubles. Rounding out the 'Big Five' leagues, Barcelona successfully defended their crown in La Liga as Real Madrid tailed off in chaotic circumstances.

The 2025-26 Premier League season is over, with top-flight players around England making their plans for the summer, whether they involve holidays or, for the lucky few, a chance to put on a show at the World Cup. Even those internationals will get the chance to switch off at some stage, but for their managers, the work never stops, with plans likely already being drawn up for the transfer window and next season.

Mauricio Pochettino has named his 26-man roster for the World Cup, with some surprise additions and omissions. GOAL's writers weigh in on the squad.

And there you have it - the 2025-26 Premier League season is over. Arsenal are the champions while West Ham have been relegated alongside Wolves and Burnley as Tottenham secured survival on the final day. While the football hasn't always been the most scintillating, it's been a campaign full of twists and turns at both ends of the table, making it difficult to predict any result given the increased parity among the teams in the English top-flight.

And there we have it: another Premier League season is in the books. It was a campaign that delivered at both ends of the table, with both the title race and the desperate fight for survival going right down to the wire in a nerve-shredding conclusion for fans of Arsenal, Manchester City, Tottenham and West Ham. Ultimately, it was the Gunners who tasted glory for the first time in 22 long years, while the Hammers suffered the heartbreak of relegation on the final day.

As the 2025-26 Premier League season draws to a close, it's time to look back on what has been a campaign full of twists and turns. Arsenal eventually saw off the challenge of Manchester City to secure the title, but European places and the final berth in the relegation zone are still to be decided into the final day.

As the 2025-26 Premier League season draws to a close, it's time to look back on what has been a campaign full of twists and turns. Arsenal eventually saw off the challenge of Manchester City to secure the title, but European places and the final berth in the relegation zone are still to be decided into the final day.

When Mohamed Salah clashed with Jurgen Klopp after being taken off in a frustrating and costly draw with West Ham on April 27, 2024, the Egyptian decided against continuing the argument afterwards. As Salah told reporters as he passed through the mixed zone at the London Stadium, "If I speak, there will be fire", so the winger wisely kept his mouth shut, and his powder dry.

This time last year, Gary Neville argued that Mikel Arteta's most notable achievement at Arsenal was not his 2020 FA Cup win - but still being in a job despite going five subsequent seasons without winning a major honour. "We thought those days were gone where you could have this type of patience being afforded to you," the former Manchester United defender said on Sky Sports.

Real Madrid are in trouble. And when Real Madrid are in trouble, Florentino Perez always asks those around him, "Is there anything to be said for bringing back Jose Mourinho?" Why? Because hiring Mourinho worked once before. Kind of. Back in 2010, Madrid had been put in an unbearable position by Barcelona. They weren't just being beaten by their most hated rivals, they were being embarrassed by them. So, Perez turned to Mourinho, the self-anointed 'Special One' who had just upset Pep Guardiola's pass-masters - in every sense - on his way to winning a European Cup with Inter.

For Liverpool's bitterly frustrated fans, watching Chelsea end a six-game losing streak by claiming a thoroughly deserved point at Anfield on Saturday was bad enough. However, Monday's news that the Blues are now exploring a deal to appoint Xabi Alonso as their next permanent boss has come as an even bigger blow to a set of supporters struggling to see any light at the end of the tunnel right now.

Alexis Mac Allister and Enzo Fernandez have a lot in common. They're two tenacious but technically gifted midfielders who played pivotal roles in Argentina winning the 2022 World Cup. They also presently play for big Premier League teams, but both have been repeatedly linked with Real Madrid. Up until last summer, such speculation made an awful lot of sense.

The clock is ticking down to a potentially tenure-defining decision for Thomas Tuchel, who will be putting the final touches to his England squad for the 2026 World Cup. However, there is still time for those on the fringes to make a late push into the manager's thinking as the season enters his final weeks. Some, though, stand a much better chance than others.

In the 44th minute of Bayern Munich's Bundesliga clash with St. Pauli on November 29, Luis Diaz ended up prone in the penalty area. However, while the winger had lost his balance, he'd not lost control of the ball - and somehow managed to flick it up off the floor and into the path of Joshua Kimmich to score. It was an extraordinary piece of skill - but Bayern boss Vincent Kompany wasn't in the least bit surprised by it.

Manchester United have not beaten all their 'Big Six' opponents in one season for three years, but interim head coach Michael Carrick can complete the set with victory over Liverpool on Sunday. If his team can pull that particular feat off and clinch third place in the Premier League, then no one will be able to say that he does not deserve to be in charge next season.

Arsenal are about to experience a whole new level of pressure. After wrestling their teetering Premier League title chase back on course with a much-needed victory over Newcastle, the Gunners are now preparing to enter Atletico Madrid's Metropolitano cauldron in the Champions League semi-finals. However, while the prospect of a domestic and European double is tantalising, head coach Mikel Arteta must see the bigger picture.

Within the last two months, Phil Foden has made more starts at Wembley than the Etihad Stadium. They have all, however, reached a familiar and sad ending, with the Manchester City and England midfielder being substituted after a hugely disappointing individual performance.