World Football: The 25 Biggest Questions of 2011
The turn of the year is just days away, and there are plenty of questions from 2010 that can be answered in 2011.
Defending champions battling poor form, transfer window speculation and Champions League development are just a few of a myriad of intriguing storylines going into the new year.
The past year left us with a great deal of excitement and potential that can be equated and fulfilled in the coming months.
Here are the 25 biggest storylines going into 2011.
Will Mario Balotelli Learn of Jack Wilshere?
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After accepting the Golden Boy trophy, honoring the most talented under-21 footballer in Europe, 20-year-old Mario Balotelli claimed he had never heard of the first runner-up Jack Wilshere.
For being one of the highest paid players in the Premier League, one would think he would know of a fellow budding star, but perhaps a few matches against the Gunners will allow the Italian to brush up on current events.
How Long Can Tottenham Refuse Offers For Gareth Bale?
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The Welsh star has been the center of attention in the Premier League since the start of the year when he exploded onto the scene with his aggressive and impressive runs through the pitch.
Real Madrid was rumored to have serious interest in Gareth Bale, as well as other top quality clubs like Chelsea.
But Tottenham executives have repeatedly issued statements denying any intentions of moving the 21-year-old left-footer.
With his form top throughout the first half of the season, no amount of rejection will stop clubs from entertaining the idea of an offer to Spurs.
How long can they keep at bay?
Will Landon Donovan Return to the Premier League?
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Across the pond from the UK, Landon Donovan's form in the MLS has been superb as he led the league in assists with 14 on the year.
After a successful short loan spell with Everton last season, a few clubs will have their eyes on the American when the January transfer window opens in a few days.
Rest is likely to be at the forefront of the 28 year old's mind, having gone through the 2009 MLS season, the loan spell with the Toffees at the beginning of 2010, the 2010 MLS season and the World Cup in South Africa.
Premier League clubs, however, may still seek Donovan's services as his time with Everton last year hardly went unnoticed.
What Moves Will Bayern Munich Make to Catapult Back Into The Bundesliga Race?
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Though Bayern Munich currently sit fifth in the Bundesliga, they are far behind the leaders Borussia Dortmund, trailing them by 14 points.
Last year's champions are still without their left-footed star Arjen Robben, but many believe it will take a few changes to catapult themselves back into the title race.
Bayern have already secured Bastian Schweinsteiger's services, despite rumors of his departure.
After a slow start to the year, their form started to pick up as the first half of the season came to a close. But it will take a much more concerted and significant increase in consistency if they are to put themselves in contention to defend their crown.
Can Borussia Dortmund Maintain Their Ridiculous Form in the Bundesliga?
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After a fifth place finish last season, Borussia Dortmund have returned in 2010 with a frenetic pace to secure the Bundesliga title.
With a 14-1-2 mark to date, they have both the Budesliga's top scoring unit, as well as the league's best defense, securing a goal difference of +29 (the next closest club is +11).
The two losses were timely, dropping 2-0 to Bayer Leverkusen to begin the season and 1-0 to Eintracht Frankfurt before the winter holiday.
With 17 fixtures remaining, and a 14-point cushion, the Borussians have a comfortable lead atop the table, but at the same time have the biggest target on their backs.
What Happened To AJ Auxerre?
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After a fantastic 20-win season last year that saw the French club into a Champions League qualifying position, the Burgundy-based organization are having a difficult time finding winning form in 2010.
The third place finish last season seems distant, as they currently sit in 14th with just four wins to date and a disappointing 11 draws, hardly the formula for maintaining a top spot in any league.
Auxerre's top scorer last season, Ireneusz Jelen (14 goals), has been out with an injury since September, and the club is struggling to find another striker to carry the load.
Can Liverpool Recover From a Horrendous First Half?
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How many things have actually gone right for Liverpool this season?
The club underwent an ownership change, from a couple of Americans to another group of Yanks, and discrepancies over the organization's debt created a flurry of confusion and discontent.
To make matters worse, the team's form simply is not up to normal standards, as the Reds sat in the relegation zone for a short period of time. They now are in a five-team gridlock for ninth place in the table, but are 15 points behind league leaders Manchester United and eight points out of European qualification.
Manager Roy Hodgson has had plenty to deal with over the course of the first five months of the season, but climbing back into a top five position will be an ultimate test.
Can Fernando Torres Find His Form?
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If Liverpool are to make the climb towards the top of the Premier League table, many believe Fernando Torres will have to serve as a catalyst for such a move.
After averaging 25 goals over the last three years, the Spanish striker is on pace for just over half of that.
When in top form, Torres is a punishing goal threat. At 6'1", he can power his way off smaller defenders and use his pace to blow by the bigger ones, and not many possess the finishing prowess of the 26-year old.
Since his knee injury in mid-April of last season, Torres has had a tough time finding his scoring pace and comfort zone. But he has begun to show glimpses of his greatness, a sighting that all Liverpool fans hope will return in full.
How Will The Rafa Benítez Sacking Affect Inter Milan's 2011 Form?
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It is no news that Inter Milan's form of late is subpar to normalcy around the San Siro. But the recent sacking of Rafa Benítez may shake up the formula for last year's treble-winning club.
Will the change in manager inspire new tactics and better form?
Brazilian Leonardo has already been named as the successor to Benítez as Inter's boss, but it will take some significant changes to have the Nerazzurri climb back into title contention to defend their crown.
What's Next For Rafa Benítez?
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After Rafa Benítez was sacked from Liverpool last summer, he secured Inter Milan's managerial position just a week later.
Not more than seven months later, the Spaniard is in a similar position after being let go by the Nerazzurri after a 6-5-4 first half to the Serie A season, putting them in seventh place and 13 points out of the top spot in the table.
The 50 year old has been managing since the mid-80s, and it undoubtedly seems that he will continue to do so. But after a couple of bad break-ups with big market organizations, one can only imagine which club will inquire his services.
Is Avram Grant Destined for the Relegation Zone?
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Last season, Portsmouth fell to the Power Championship after an abysmal season that saw them finish 11 points under 19th place Hull City.
Avram Grant subsequently was let go, taking his managerial skills to West Ham United.
Familiarly, Grant's Hammers sit 19th in the tables this year and have given up a league-worst 32 goals to date.
Speculation over a couple of Manchester City players making their way to Upton Park could lift the club out of the bottom three, but with just three wins on the season, it will be an uphill battle for the Israeli manager.
Is It Time for Mark Hughes To Go?
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Fulham sit 18th in the table, quite a distance away from the club's mid-table finish last season. After a somewhat promising start to the year, the Cottagers have fallen far behind their normal standards, but is the manager to blame?
Mark Hughes, who was sacked midseason from Manchester City last year, is facing fire once again a year later.
Could this be a Martin O'Neil calling card?
Will Martin O'Neill Land Another Manager Position?
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Speaking of Martin O'Neill, the former Aston Villa manager has been relatively quiet during the first half of the season after resigning from his post at Villa Park just days before the opening match.
Still highly regarded as a manager, the Northern Irishman presents a formidable hire for clubs in need, though none equal the promise that he had with Aston Villa.
Mark Hughes at Fulham and Avram Grant at West Ham may be on the ropes.
Could O'Neill swoop in and serve as a savior to their season?
Will Carlos Tévez Leave Manchester City?
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In what has been a stirring saga that has made headlines the past couple of months, Manchester City has inevitably had to battle issues with their superstars.
Disagreements among players, manager and front office executives has led to much media attention despite City's second place position in the table.
At the forefront of the controversy, star striker and captain Carlos Tévez recently made public his desire to be transferred out of Eastlands.
The 26-year-old Argentine reportedly made amends with manager Roberto Mancini, but maintaining stability and happiness up and down a squad full of star players aching for time on the pitch has to be of paramount concern for City executives.
Whether he stays or goes, the Tévez situation will be monitored heavily in the coming weeks.
Will Manchester City's Big Summer Spending Spree Pay Off?
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In addition to these four big signings in the summer (Alexander Kolarov, David Silva, Yaya Touré and Jerome Boateng), James Milner and Mario Balotelli all were brought in to Eastlands for one purpose: qualify for the Champions League (if not to win the Premier League).
So far, City's owner Sheik Mansour's investment has looked relatively splendid as his club are second behind rivals Manchester United with half the season in the books.
With the second half of the Premiership to be played, many eyes will be scrutinizing City's every win, loss, draw and all that in between as the club challenges the concept of buying a spot in Europe's top tournament.
How Much Turnover Will Manchester City Undergo During January's Transfer Window?
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This summer's transfer window was pleasantly dominated by Manchester City's owner Sheik Mansour, as he reached deep into his oil pockets to secure a boatload of hefty signings including Yaya Touré, James Milner, David Silva and Mario Balotelli.
After the first half of the season concluding with City placed second just two-points behind Manchester United, will the UAE native drop more cash to bring in more superstars to Eastlands?
A couple of things are for certain. Several once-heralded players are on their way out. Emmanuel Adebayor, Shay Given, Jolean Lescott, Roque Santa Cruz, Wayne Bridge and Shaun Wright-Phillips are just a handful of City squad members who frequently saw the pitch last season, but are undoubtedly on the way out in January.
The transfer window is just days away, and City's roster is bound for reconstruction, again.
How Much More Money Will Manchester City Spend?
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Following from the previous slide, Manchester City spent over £100 million during this summer's transfer window in hopes of challenging for the Premier League title along with a top four finish for a Champions League position.
Sitting second in the tables with only a few days before the January window opens, one can only imagine the plans for City's owner Sheik Mansour and his quest for global domination. Well, maybe not quite that much, but if there is a big name on the market, put City's name in the hat to secure his services.
With the bundle of players that look to be dealt away from Eastlands, a big signing or two seems apparent on the horizon.
What Does The January Transfer Window Hold?
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One of the more exciting occurrences during the winter holiday is the January transfer window, where clubs all over Europe get to unload and reload their squads in hopes of securing a positive finish to the season.
Everton brought in American Landon Donovan last January for a successful short-term loan, and an unhappy Robinho was loaned out of City back to Brazil.
With clubs in every league looking for extra pieces to provide a strong push as 2011 rolls around, the January window, which opens on New Year's Day, will be yet another exhilarating spectacle to behold.
Which Budding Starlets Will Make Their Treads For New Clubs?
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Part of the January transfer window means small market teams letting go of their big time stars, and most of the time they are still very young with a high ceiling.
A plethora of targets are on the lists for many clubs, and several will be wearing a different kit come January.
Romelu Lukaka, Javier Pastore, Edin Hazard and Neymar are just a few of the starlets that are prime for a switch in the coming weeks as they prepare for what likely will be highly anticipated transfers.
Will More Aged Stars Head For The MLS?
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First, it was David Beckham crossing the pond to join L.A. Galaxy on a record deal.
After a year-long hiatus, Freddy Ljundberg, who spent 10 years in the Premiership, signed with Seattle Sounders.
This past summer, Thierry Henry and Rafa Márquez inked in deals with New York Red Bulls, adding to the list of former European stars to come to the MLS as their careers winded down.
As the sport continues to experience immense growth in the United States, the MLS is gradually gaining spotlight around the world, though it is decades away from establishing itself as a premier division in world football.
Nevertheless, it is still a hot spot for aging players like Roma's John Arne Riise and Milan's Ronaldinho, who both once expressed an interest in coming to the MLS after their European playing days are over.
Will more begin to follow suit?
How Will The Champions League Play Out?
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The UEFA Champions League Knockout Rounds Draw is just over a week old, but the anticipation has begun brewing.
Four English teams account for the most of any league, as Tottenham, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United all advanced out of the group stages.
A handful of first round fixtures will have the eyes of Europe steadily upon them as Bayern Munich and Inter Milan are set for a rematch of last year's final and Barcelona and Arsenal are scheduled to meet first at the Emirates.
AC Milan likely will have their hands full if a fully healthy Spurs squad arrive at the San Siro.
February cannot come soon enough.
Will Wayne Rooney Return To Form?
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Many have dubbed Wayne Rooney as one of the most dangerous strikers of his generation, evident by his 34-goal effort in all competitions during the 2009-2010 season.
But as many have witnessed, Rooney's form is less than spectacular so far this year, though he has battle injuries. After scoring once every 1.29 matches last year, the England international is only scoring every 3.5 matches this season.
Although Manchester United grasp a modest two-point lead over rivals City, Rooney's return to form is a matter of cautious optimism by nearly all of United's supporters.
How Many Goals Will Dimitar Berbatov Score?
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The Bulgarian has made his mark this season as a top scorer, netting 13 goals in the Premier League, but doing so by scoring in just six games (14 appearances).
His most recent flurry came on a double against Sunderland, after scoring a shocking five goals a month ago against Blackburn.
At this blistering pace, the 29 year old is well on his way to having a career year, but is he destined for England's Golden Boot?
Can Real Madrid Win The Treble?
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Barcelona have secured the title in La Liga for two consecutive years and are determined to make it a third as they currently hold to top spot by two points with a ridiculous +42 goal difference.
Their rivals Real Madrid brought in Inter Milan's treble-winning manager José Mourinho not only to regain the title of La Liga champions, but to push for a trophy over Europe in the Champions League.
If things go as planned, the Spanish giants could be in for a treble of their own.
Which Club Will Secure Kaká in His Return to The Serie A?
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For quite some time, it has been considered a foregone conclusion that the Brazilian Kaká is set for a transfer from Real Madrid back to the Serie A, where he experienced tremendous success with AC Milan.
The ultra-talented midfielder is just 28 years old, but underwent surgery over the summer, keeping the star off the pitch for four months.
With the form and consistency that Real Madrid is having, it seems unlikely that Kaká will return to the pitch in Madrid's colors, rather head back to Italy.
Newly appointed Inter Milan manager Leonardo has publicized that his primary target in January will be the 6'1" playmaker, but is it too good to be true?
