☕️💝 ⚽️ Good morning everyone. Happy Saint Valentine Day to all who partake. Our Valentine is you, our faithful readers. Fun fact: Di Maria’s birthday is today- that’s right, the player that celebrates his goals by making a heart with his hands. So to celebrate, here’s a compilation of some of his best work, because at SSB, we believe he’s extremely underrated.

Giveaway: Wake up and smell the coffee. Just in time for the Holidays, our next giveaway will be a $30 gift card for our favorite coffee brand- Kickoff Coffee. As always, each friend that you refer to subscribe to the newsletter is an entry to our raffle. Best of luck!

Today’s Recap

England Premier League

Serie A

Champions League Round of 16

From the Archives
Pitch Immunity?

🏃💨 In case anyone ever wondered, can a player get arrested during a match? Well, let’s just asked Ecuadorian veteran striker, Enner Valencia. Yes, Enner Valencia, the man who scored the first two goals in FIFA World Cup 2022 opener against Qatar.

• Enner Valencia is currently Ecuador’s top scorer with 40 goals in 81 appearances

• During a 2016 WC qualified, Ecuador hosted Chile, with then 26-year-old Valencia, who joined Everton from West Ham on a season-long loan, expected to be in the starting lineup

• But back in 2016, Valencia had a warrant issued for his arrest in Ecuador for an alleged failure to pay child support

👮🚼️ Police Officers showed up at the stadium ahead of the WC qualifier. After all since he played in the Premier League, Valencia probably does not spend much time in his home country. Officers knew Valencia would be there, and unsuccessfully attempted to arrest Valencia before kickoff.

• Earlier upon Ecuador team’s arrival for their match against Chile, Valencia’s teammates had helped smuggle him off the team bus in order to evade officers looking to speak to him

• After his Ecuadorian teammates intervened to help get Valencia into the Estadio Olympic, Valencia played in the 3-0 victory and managed to set-up the first goal for Manchester United’s Antonio Valencia

🩼🚑️ In the 82nd minute, Valencia coincidentally picked up an injury and was carted off the pitch leaving the match.

• He had to be carted off the field and was given oxygen, with a mask covering his face, as several police officers ran after the striker and the medics tending to him

• The injury was not to his leg, but one that left Valencia allegedly unconscious, thus preventing authorities from asking any further questions

• Nonetheless, Police apparently did catch up to him eventually though, and Valencia came to some kind of agreement with his baby mama

• Genius on and off the pitch

Read the full article here

Player Spotlight
Andriy Lunin

🫡🛑 9 saves to keep clean sheet, in his first-ever Champions League knockout stage match, by the 25-year-old Real Madrid shotstopper. The Ukrainian signed with the Spanish giants in summer 2018 but was sent out on loan to Liga rivals Leganes shortly after, with Madrid clear first-choice being Thibaut Courtois.

• Real Madrid have been dealing with goal keeper speculation all season following an injury that has sidelined Courtois for the entire season

• Madrid loaned Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizablaga in October, but Madrid do not appear to make it a permanent deal

👑👋 Queue the Lunin, with about 18 months left on his deal, and just before Christmas, he was linked with a move to Celtic, however with recent incredible performances where Real Madrid needed it the most, it appears like Lunin will remain with Madrid next season.

• Lunin was the starting keeper in their critical match against 2nd place Girona, where he contributed to Madrid’s victory by holding a clean sheet. Lunin also started in another critical match against Atletico Madrid just prior, where they only conceded one goal in their 1-1 draw

• Kepa has not recorded any minutes since last starting for their match against Almeria in January 21, 2024, resulting in a 3-2 victory

• Not to mention Lunin has been playing behind a make-shift defense line that has been missing key defensive players, Alaba, Militao, and Rudiger

Recent reports that Real Madrid want Lunin to back up Courtois next season. Courtois best come back from that injury ready to defend his starting position, because Lunin has been standing on business.

Matches to catch

UEFA Champions League Round of 16

AFC Champions League Round of 16

UEFA Europa League Round of 32

UEFA Europa Conference League Round of 32

Quick Bites 🍕

Manchester City unstoppable again?

The gap is closing

Who’s pulling off the upset?

Green light given for Manchester United Purchase

Football, by the fans for the fans

In search of a pub? Ever find yourself in a new city and are desperately searching for a local soccer pub? Who would have thought that the premier league took time out of their day to create a bar finder. There really is nothing better than catching an early premier league game on the weekends with fellow fans of the game, and finding that bar that will actually have the game sound on just got that much easier.

USA Bar Finder. Bar finder, aka Intern Jose’s nickname in college. Easy to use search platform on the premier leagues website. It has most major cities included, and they’re even accepting updates to their list if you email them at [email protected]

Find your local soccer pub here.