TheLutterworthFox

2033/34 Season - Champions League Quarter Final The draw came out and my word did it look tough, to be honest any game was going to be tough when you're into the Last 8 but I think we got the toughest draw of the low. Man City, away leg first, I prefer that, it's always better playing at home second. FIRST LEG (A) What a performance!!! Man City hit us with everything they had, shot after shot, chance after chance but we held firm, Foden did end up scoring a lovely free kick in the 23rd minute but as Man City pushed we broke away and just before half time got an equaliser, an own goal, a corner came in, it was headered towards goal, it was going wide but for some the keeper palmed it in his own net! We then held out to get an absolutely superb 1-1 draw at the Etihad! Advantage us for the second leg?! SECONE LEG (H) There really are no words for what happened. We were utterly incredible and even though we went behind early due to Giovanni Reyna we always looked in control. Man City tried to play out of defence but our high press meant they just couldn't do it. Time and time again they lost the ball trying to play out and our first goal came from Zakar nabbing the ball off Stansfield. At half time it was 1-1 but we smelt blood and after a motivating team talk we went for it in the second half and were utterly incredible. Paulo scored midway through the second 45 and then with 10 minutes to go we scored a glorious third goal, some amazing passing, City chasing shadows and it was eventually finished by Paulo. As City pushed forward we caught them again in the last minute to secure a memorable 4-1 win and with that we are into the Champions League Semi final!!!! It doesn't get any easier though, we will face PSG who have won the previous two Champions Leagues, we faced them in the League phase and lost 3-0!

2033/34 Season - Champions League Update The reception at the Panathinaikos arena was incredible, a heroes welcome home but once that game kicks off I want to beat them more than ever! We faced old club Panathinaikos in the Playoff round of the Champions League, we should win, we need to win!! EINTRACHT FRANKFURT V PANATHINAIKOS (PLAYOFF ROUND) FIRST LEG (A) It was a tough first leg, tougher than I expected. Afena-Gyan started like a house on fire, scoring twice in the opening 14 minutes to put them 2-0 up, we scored just before half time, then in the second half, the turning point, Aydin was sent off for Panathinaikos and we took control, they defended amazingly well but with 7 minutes left we eventually broke through, we went for a winner but couldn't find a way through, a 2-2 draw going into the home leg. SECOND LEG (H) Where once again it was a tough game, we dominated but they played well, Frisk scored twice for us in the opening 23 minutes and after that we sat back and tried to keep the ball. Nico David grabbed a late goal for them but it wasn't enough, we were through to the last 16!! Looking at the draw we did get away with it, there were some huge teams in the draw, I'd say we got the second best draw we could've got. Atletico Madrid stand in our way for a place in the Champions League Quarters! EINTRACHT FRANKFURT V ATLETICO MADRID (LAST 16) FIRST LEG (H) With the first leg at our place we needed to start quick and get a good lead going into the away leg, I expected it to be tough, what I didn't expect was what happened next. An opening half of the highest quality, Atletico couldn't cope with us, Zakar put us 1-0 up in 15 mins and by half time it was 4-0, Frisk, Paulo and Bossman grabbing the goals. Then in true FM fashion the second half was virtually a non-event, only one highlight and that was an Atletico penalty. We ended up winning 4-1, stunning! SECOND LEG (A) The game was pretty much sealed, all we had to do was see this one out and see it out we did. In fact we scored with 25 seconds, Bossman grabbing the goal and after that it was a walk in the park. Atletico did grab one back right on half time but it was just a consolation. WE'RE INTO THE QUARTER FINALS! We now have to wait for the draw which is 10 days away.

2033/34 Season - September to January This is going to be quite a long update, I went a bit mad and played all the way up until the end of January, so I need to update you on transfers, domestic comps and the Champions League!!! Let's start with transfers and there were a couple of outs. Bobzien (GK) had asked to go and with his contract up next season I had to cash in, £10m is a good deal and with that he rejoins us on loan for the rest of the season. Stylianou (CB) was signed last Summer but has fallen out of favour, a small profit on him, Martins (ST) was rubbish so I let him go. So around £17m of sales and with the board increasing my transfer kitty prior to these deals to £32m I had a bit to spend. 2 players joined and here they are.... Darko Churlinov - Winger - £7.25m from Wolves Signed to help with the homegrown quota in the Champions League, we also don't have much depth out wide so brought in as a good backup. Sam Bossman - Striker - £28.5m from Liverpool When I saw this lad pop up as transfer listed I had to bring him in, he is absolute beast of a Striker, quick, strong, tall, everything you want in a forward. Now to the results and firstly the one big downer so far this season and that's the DFB Pokal where we were knocked out in the 2nd round by Leipzig. A really poor result. Now to the league and that is going much better. A fantastic start, we've had the odd defeat and way too many 0-0 draws but apart from that, especially with so many games due to the Champions League, we have done really well. We sit in 3rd place, only 2 points off Bayern at the top!! Another top 4 finish is looking good and that means Champions League football next season. Talking of the Champions League!!! We have reached the end of the League Phase and it's gone really well. We did have decent looking fixtures with 5 winnable games and 3 where we would struggle, well that's exactly how it turned out. We won the 5 games I expected to triumph in, we lost to Arsenal and PSG, then we face Man United in the final game knowing, to seal a top 8 spot, we have to beat them, we played well and took the lead midway through the second half, unfortunately though Man United scored late on, the game ended 1-1, a solid point against a big team but it wasn't enough and it meant we ended 13th place and with that a playoff spot to qualify for the Last 16. Overall though a pleasing campaign, we were really close to breaking into that Top 8! Playoff draw time and we had initially drew Rennes but my laptop decided it was going to reboot itself closing the game and therefore the draw was null and void, maybe it was fate, maybe my laptop knew I could draw me old team, the draw was re-done and guess what?! Yep that's right we drew Panathinaikos!!!! I'm going home!

2033/34 Season - Transfer Update & Opening Games A new season begins, we have Champions League to look forward to but unfortunately the budgets aren't great meaning sales have to be made before players can join. Luckily a couple of hefty bids came in meaning more money to spend! Ez Abde and Cassia both leave for a combined £77.5m. Abde I wasn't too fussed about leaving, I had pinpointed him as a key man when I joined but when he played he really wasn't good enough. Cassia got his head turned by Man United when I turned down a £45m bid for him, he kicked off so let him go, he ends up moving to Norwich! We also lose Arregi (AM), Francisco (AM), Emilio (LW) and Schneller (GK), all of them were backups just taking up wages I could spend elsewhere. With regard to transfers in it's been a busy window as expected. Once the money came in for Abde and Cassia I went out and brought in the players I wanted and here they are..... Glenn McInnis - Central Defender - Free from Chelsea Signed on a pre contract deal, McInnis is a highly rated defender, a steal to get him on a free but he will spend this season out on loan. Robson Brown - Central Defender - £13.25m from Spurs Another really good defender joins but this lad will go straight into the first XI. Pedro Correa - Right Back/Right Wing - £4.1m from Penarol A proper attacking right back, exactly what I need with the tactic I used, top top quality. Damian Peter - Goalkeeper - £19.25m from West Ham I needed a decent keeper and I had to splash the cash to get him. Only 24 but already looks amazingly good. Luis Colman - Striker/Left Wing - £11.5m from River Plate I lacked attacking options so spent a good chunk of cash on this lad. Naturally a Striker but his finishing worries me for that position, for me he would be better suited on the Left Wing. Viktor Sorensen - Attacking Midfield - Free from Leipzig He popped up on the Bundesliga released players list and the second I saw how good he was I had to bring him in. Another brilliant option in attacking midfield. Hwang Sung-Jae - Left Back - £8m from Augsburg Another good option at Left Back and he can also play on the Left Wing. Those physicals are amazing! Some fantastic signings, £58m spent, just over £80m recouped, a good Summers business! We've also played a few games in August and so far it's gone really well. 3 games in the League, 7 points and we currently sit in 3rd place. Finally, we've had our Champions League fixtures and on the face of it we have a chance. We do face reigning champions PSG and also Arsenal and Manchester United but other than that I see no reason why we can't win the other 5 games.

They've won the Greek Super League both seasons but not faired too well in the Champions League. 1st season they got to the playoff round, beat Dortmund but lost to Man City in the Last 16. 2nd season they didn't even make the playoffs, ending 26th in the Group Phase

2032/33 Season - End of Season Review The season is over and it has been an amazing first campaign in charge. When I left you last we were sitting in 4th in the Bundesliga and also were into the Quarters of the DFB Pokal, so let's see how it's gone! Firstly, the DFB Pokal. and in the Quarters we faced Stuttgart at home. A winnable game and win it we did! A fantastic, dominant 3-0 win, very nice! We then faced Mainz in the semi final, they had beaten us away earlier in the season so I could smell revenge, it started so well as we took the lead on 2 minutes but 20 minutes later and we were 2-1 down, we immediately responded to level the game and after that we took took, we deserved to win, we had so many chances but with 10 minutes to go Mainz scored with a rare second half attack, heads dropped and we couldn't find a way back Absolutely gutting to go out. Now to the Bundesliga, we ended January in 4th and that's exactly where we stayed throughout the rest of the season, I won't lie, we were incredible. Some of those wins were amazing, 3-0 over Bayern (they went down to 10 men after 20 minutes), 2-1 over Dortmund, 3-1 away to Leverkusen, I could not have asked for much more. As the season drew to a close though we started to fall away, 4th place was wrapped up with 3 games to go and with us having no chance of ending any higher they players seemed to start their holidays early and we lost the final 2 games. An annoying end to what has been an incredible season! We were predicted to end 10th, I would've taken 7th, we ended up coming 4th and with that a spot in the Champions League next season! Let's take a look at who the key men were. Daniel Maldini ends as the clubs player of the season, he has been really good, an amazing signing from my old club and the best performing player of the season, he ends with most assists and highest average rating. 13 goals, 16 assists from 32 starts with 7 POTMs and an average rating of 7.48! An absolute legend of this save! Young player of the season goes to Winger Rasmus Frisk, he didn't start in the side but once Faedo left he got his chance and he took it, 14 goals and 7 assists from 23 starts. This lad is amazing and will only get better. Top scorer goes to Youssef Zakar, he renewed his relationship with Maldini from his time at Panathinaikos and although he didn't play every game he was lethal in front of goal. 21 goals in 23 starts. He's only 25 as well so loads of time to improve. Here is the Best XI for the season.... And here is the whole squad. So now we look forward to next season and we have the Champions League to look forward to, with £85m gained in Bundesliga prize money and Champions League money incoming I was fully expecting some really tasty budgets for the next season, what I got though was far from it! £12.35m in transfer budget and no increase in wages!! We did end the season £30m in the red but with the huge amount of prize money we got I expected 4x that amount! It's really disappointing and means if I want to improve this squad I've got to sell to buy and I've also got to be savvy with my signings. The squad does need improving, we need a new GK and a new LB, we also need a new Attacking Midfielder, we then have to replace anyone who leaves. It's going to be an interesting Summer ahead!

2032/33 Season - December and January Another transfer window is over and for once I feel like I've had my own way, players have left and I've been in control of who goes, I've also brought a few players in, with a view to the future, who I feel are going to be really good. Firstly the out's The only first team losses from that list are Winger Sottil, who was terrible and defenders Rothe and Alderete, both weren't in my plans and would have left at the end of the season on free, the rest were in the B team just taking up wages. There were bids for some of my key players but all were rejected and there were no complaints. I've also brought 3 players in just to add some depth in areas I felt we were struggling. Ismet Keles - Right Winger/Striker Signed for £1.1m from Blackburn, a top quality player for a low fee. I needed a new Winger to add some depth, at only 24 as well he is one for the future. Christian Hughes - Striker A £1.4m signing from Middlesbrough, 9 for finishing is concerning but at only 23 he has plenty of time to grow, he was brought in due to Zakar going to the African Nations and Martins wanting a loan move, so he is more of a backup than anything. Riley Todorski - Defensive Midfield I had to bring this lad with me from Panathinaikos, I tried in the Summer but couldn't afford the deal, he comes in for £12m, a big fee for an 18 year old but I genuinely feel he is going to be incredible in the future. Some really good deals done and the squad is now taking shape in my own vision. Now to the results and it has gone so so well! So much better than I expected it to, the players have taken to the tactic really well and results have been amazing. 9 games played, 8 in the League and 19 points gained including an amazing 4-1 win over Leipzig, we have been scoring for fun, maybe a little leaky in defence but who cares! We also progressed to the 4th round of the DFB Pokal was a last gaps win over Werder Bremen. I really couldn't have asked for much more over the past few months and it now means we are well in with a shot of European football next season. We are 4th!!! A nice cushion to 5th as well! Could we get Champions League football next season?! Finally, a quick word on the tactic I'm using. It's basically the same 4231 tactic I used at Panathinaikos but the DM RPM has been moved further forward. Piedipalumbo at right back is also a WB(A), just to add more attacking impetus, like I said before we do suffer a little defensively which moving forward I may need to look at but so far it's been amazing!

2032/33 Season - August to November The opening few months are over and I'll be honest, I couldn't have asked for much more. The lads have taken to the tactic and the style of play, the newbies have settled in well and we are exceeding expectations. Some really good results, we started rather inconsistently but if you look at our defeats 3 of the 4 have away to the big 3 teams in the League. We've had some fantastic wins including a 5-0 against Darmstadt, a cracking 2-0 win over Leverkusen and a 4-1 away win over Werder Bremen, overall I have to be delighted with that start! We were predicted to end 10th, we currently sit 5th, a European push is well on the cards!! We've also done amazingly in the DFB Pokal. For the Bundesliga clubs it's always the same in the first round, an away tie against a minnow, we were drawn Halle 96 and battered them 11-0! In the second round we had a really tough away tie against Leverkusen but put in one our best performances of the season, we outplayed them, had 2 goals disallowed and hit the woodwork twice, the game ended 1-1 and it went to penalties where we scored all 5 to win the game 5-3! An amazing result. So a brilliant start to the season, let's hope we can continue on our good form and keep pushing for a European spot.

2032/33 Season - Deadline Day Deals! In the past few weeks there's one thing I wanted to happen and that was to sell star man Faedo, the Winger wanted to go but I couldn't get anywhere near his worth, eventually on deadline day the right bid came in. He eventually moved to Rennes for £49m. What this did was free up a load of money so I could improve this squad even more, I also sold a couple of lads who just weren't good enough to free some wages up. Because of the Faedo money it meant, I could bring some new players in on deadline day Junior Tshibuabua - Central Defender - Season loan from Bournemouth I am very short of proper CBs so this lads comes in to add some depth Danny Reuter - Right Back/Central Defender - £15.25m from Genk Danny will be straight in the first team to play centre back but can also fill in at Right Back if required, a top quality player for a decent fee Paulo - Attacking Midfield - £8.25m from Sao Paulo A lad I'd looked a few times whilst at Panathinaikos but his physicals worried me, his improvement overall is good to see so now is the time to bring him in and get him in the side 3 more good signings!

2032/33 Season - Transfer Update The first few weeks at Eintracht Frankfurt have been fraught with activity, a few players have left but a lot have players have joined. I needed to bolster the ranks and I've done exactly that. Uros Curcic - Defensive Midfield - £5.25m from Partizan A really good, young signing to add more options in midfield, I'm sticking with my 4231 with 2 DMs from Panathinaikos and this lad fits exactly what I want Jukka Myllys - Defensive Midfielder - £425k from Ilves I hadn't planned on signing another DM but when I saw this guy I had to bring him in. He was available on free in December but wouldn't discuss a pre-contract, then in fantastic FM fashion I made a big, a small bid, it got accepted and then he miraculously decided to speak to me! An amazing signing. Daniel Maldini - Attacking Midfield - £12.25m from Panathinaikos I'm sure most of you expected me to raid my old club, well there was only one man I wanted and that was the Champions League goalscorer and superstar Maldini. So pleased to bring him with me. Alexis Stylianou - Central Defender - £1.6m from Spurs A top quality defender joins for a low fee. I was desperately in need of new defender and this lad is going straight into the first team Birol Dogan - Left Back - £9.25m Galatasaray I lost my main Left Back during the Summer so this lad comes in to replace him, he can also play CB which is a massive help Marcin Bukka - Goalkeeper - £2.1m from Genoa A new GK was top of my shopping list but unfortunately everyone I wanted was either nabbed by another club or I was priced out. Bukka comes in for a low fee as a short-term solution until I find someone better And that so far is all my business. Some good signings, the squad now looks better, we still have 3 weeks of the transfer window to go so things can change, I wanted to update on transfers as the season is about to start! Wish me luck!

Job Number Two! It's taken 12 months to eventually find a job that appeals to me, I won't lie though, there were very few jobs available that I could take but when this job came up I felt it was a good challenge. After a long stint in a smaller nation with a big team I really wanted a smaller team in a bigger nation and that's exactly what I've got. I am off to Germany with Eintracht Frankfurt. They lost in the final of the 1960 European Cup, now it's time to take them that one step further. It's going to be a tough task though, another good while before we are challenging. Last season the club ended 13th in the Bundesliga, one of their lowest finishes in the save so far. This season they are predicted to end 11th. I won't talk much more about the club as I'm sure I'll discuss things as we move through the seasons, but one thing I want to look at is the playing squad and there's only one man to start with. Remember Youssef Zakar? Yep that's right he was with me at Panathinaikos, he only spent 2 seasons with me but was incredible until his head was turned by Frankfurt, now we are back together and I have high hopes he can bring us glory! The highest rated player in our squad is Attacking Midfielder Lorenzo Faedo, he looks absolute quality but unfortunately he wants to leave for a bigger club. I should get a bloody big fee for him though which will help me build the squad. Ez Abde is another Winger who looks top quality, he was a player I looked at signing at Panathinaikos a few years ago but was priced out of a deal. The final player I want to speak about is defender Lorenzo Piedipalumbo, a top quality player who can play as central defender or full back. Really good! Here is the full squad. We have good depth in most areas bar at centre back, we may also need a central midfielder. I plan to stick with my 4231 with 2 DMs and I feel the squad is set up to play that. The good news is I have a bit of money to spend, £26m in transfer money and £1.4m per week in wages, around £150k per week of that is spare. If we Faedo goes that will give me a lot more to spend. Now who can I steal from Panathinaikos?!

Thanks guys, really appreciate the support. What a night it was last night!! Find a new job though that floats my boat is proving to be very tough!

2030/31 Season - End of Season and Club Review I still cannot believe what happened last night, it was possibly one of the greatest nights of FM I've ever had. It wasn't like we even had an easy run to the Champions League final, Chelsea, Man United, Bayern were all beaten in amazing style, then came Inter Milan in the final and, well, the rest is history!!! I've had an amazing time here, 9 season of domestic domination but in Europe's it's been a grind.....UNTIL THIS SEASON!!!! WE WON THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE!!!! And now the journey in Greece is over and it will soon be time to start looking for a new "Nearly Man" within the list of clubs I have. The search will begin but it all depends on what jobs are available within the same save. But before we go on a job hunt I want to look back at not only this season but all 9 seasons. Firstly let's see how this season went domestically, I had updated you about the Champions League but not on how the league and Greek Cup had gone, well as expected we smashed it! The League was won with 6 games to spare, we did lose a couple near the end but only because I refused to risk any first team player in the build up to the Champions League final!! A record points total for my 9 seasons in charge and the biggest margin of victory!! We also ended up winning the Greek Cup, beating Olympiakos in the final. We hammered them, that sealed the 5th straight League and Cup double and also sealed my place at the top of the Greek Hall of Fame! Amazing!! Next I want to talk about the key men to this amazing season and to do that I want to go through the 11 lads who won us the Champions League Goalkeeper - Alvaro Fernandez The man who kept us in the Champions League final, he made some amazing saves and was integral to our victory. Signed at the last minute due to a season ending injury to Unai Simon, Alvaro came in and was amazing, 31 clean sheets in 52 games with only 26 goals conceded. Sensational! Right Back - Andrew Kun Wah Lee When I saw him pop up in the 2022 NxGN wonderkid last as the Number 1 ranked player I had to bring him in, after a season on loan I bit the bullet and signed him for £18.25m, he is leaving in the Summer as his contract is up and he got his head turned but he was a huge part to my success. Playing as a Full Back (A) he was a huge attacking force, chipping in with numerous assists and the odd goal. It'll be interesting to see how his career continues as he moves to Tottenham! Left Back - Carlos Monge Signed in the Summer to replace Moke who went for £40m, he was amazing all season although he had a torrid time in the Champions League final against Denzel Dumfries!!! Central Defender - Tom Stansfield Signed back in 2028 he became a huge part of the backline and was always reliable, at 25 he has a lot of football ahead of him and I'd love to see him get an England call up at some point. This season he was a mainstay in the team, even when I rotated, he made 34 appearances, chipping in with 1 goal and averaging over 7 in nearly every game. Central Defender - Panagiotis Anastasopolous Try saying this name when you're drunk!! Pana as I'll call him for now came in during the Summer of 2029 really just to fill the homegrown quota out but immediately became a reliable player, he mainly played at Left back but also played Central defender really well. He got the call in the final as Soyuncu was unfit and did an amazing job, so many good blocks and balls won in the air. It will be nice now to see him get a Greece call up. Ball Winning Midfielder - Ladislav Krejci Signed back in 2027 to play as my BWM, what an amazing player who never let the side down, the vice-captain and an example to all the youngsters at the club. Segundo Volante - Eyup Aydin Signed in the Summer to play as my SV (S), what a player! What a signing! He was a huge part in my success this season, playing 34 times, getting 12 assists and chipping in with 5 goals. Attacking Midfield - Daniel Maldini The legend of this save so far, not only because he scored the winning goal in the Champions League final but more for his amazing performances throughout the save, his goalscoring, his assists, he consistent performances. Signed in 2024, in 6 season he made over 200 league appearances scoring 72 goals and won the clubs players of the year 5 times, including this season. Our longest serving player and club captain and even when all was changing around him he kept going, performing to the highest standard. Advanced Playmaker (AM) - Valentin Pinto Signed in 2028, a major player in the past few seasons, he scored some huge goals and was an integral part of the squad. Another player who deserves an international call up at some point. Shadow Striker - Houssem Aouar Signed in the Summer to bolster our attacking options, he didn't play masses but due to injuries towards the end he played more and more and was sensational. Striker - Flexi Afena-Gyan A cult hero of the save, a goalscoring machine since signing in 2028, he scored 82 goals in 117 games but it was the amount of chances he missed that will be remembered, including in the Champions League final. A huge player though who will be fondly remembered! And here is the whole squad It will be interesting to see how the AI messes this squad up over the next few seasons. A stunning XI, the boys that will live long in the memory of the Panathinaikos fans. Finally, before I go I want to look back on the journey so far, 9 amazing season here and we have dominated in the League and the Greek Cup 8 straight league title, 5 straight Greek Cup win (6 in total), our Champions League seasons have been up and down, we came so close to a final 2 seasons ago but this season went that couple of steps further! We also leave the club set up for more domestic dominance and hopefully set to continue challenging in Europe Some major upgrades in facilities, we also have now moved into a new 29,000 stadium with an extra 5,000 seats in the pipeline. The finances are amazing now with over £100m in the bank, we have also increased our revenue streams over those 9 seasons which has helped as the wages have rocketed!!! And there we go, what a journey so far, but this is just the start, now we go on a job hunt for another club, bring it on!!!!

2030/31 Season - Champions League Final v Inter Milan Here we go! The biggest night for Panathinaikos since losing the European Cup final to Ajax in 1971!!! All that stands in our way is Italian giants Inter Milan. LET'S DO THIS!! 2 mins - First chance for us, a Maldini free kick comes in, it's met by Anastasopoulos but his header goes over 6 mins - Inter's first chance, it's worked well down the right, Dumfries plays it to Olmo, his cross is met by Parisi but it's well saved by Fernandez 20 mins - Another chance for Inter, albeit a half chance, Dumfries gets in down the right again, he shoots from a tight angle and Fernandz tips it wide 20 mins - The resulting corner is swung in by Olmo, it's met by Ahmedhodzic but his header goes over 25 mins - Inter really should score, we are struggling to string 2 passes together atm, we lose it in midfield, Danilo find Lautaro who is clear but he fires wide 29 mins - Another Inter chance, a free kick is swung in, Skriniar heads it but it goes just over 33 mins - Eventually we string a few passes together, Pinto in the middle of the good play, he slides Maldini in, who from a tight angle fires it at goal but Meter in the Inter goal tips it wide And that's half time. We haven't been anywhere near at our best but we are still in the match. Time for one of the biggest team talks in my time here 48 mins - Dumfries on the right hand side is causing is so many problems, he dispossess Monge, strides into the box, cuts it back but Olmos shot is well blocked by Anastasopoulos 49 mins - Lautaro again, he has to score, he's clear on goal but Fernandez stays big and gets his body in the way of the shot. Time to get hold of the ball a bit more, play it a bit quicker and a bit wider, we are really struggling to get a foothold in the game 69 mins - Inter so close again. We lose the ball in midfield, Olmo gets it, hits it from 25 yards and his shot hits the top of the bar. How this is still 0-0 is beyond me Time for some substitutions. Kovacic, who is retiring after this game is coming on for Aydin, Monge is also coming off at LB after an awful time against Dumfries, Anastasopoulos moves to Left Back and Soyuncu comes on 73 mins - Fernandez is keeping us in this game. Olmo runs through but his shot is tipped wide. WAKE UP LADS!!! 81 mins - An absolutely massive chance!!! Inter suddenly look shattered and start to lose the ball. Maldini picks it up, plays a gorgeous ball through the defence but Afena-Gyan, known for missing sitters, blazes over from 10 yards out! 82 mins - MALDINI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He picks it up, 40 yards, strides forward and hits it from 20 yards out, Meret should save it but the power beats him and somehow, from absolutely nowhere we're 1-0 up!!!! be62891f65d81158dee360ad8805ced9.mp4 91 mins - What Afena-Gyan is doing is beyond me. I ask them to time waste, he collects it and starts to run for the corner, he then turns back, plays it to Pinto who smashes it over. 4 minutes of injury time left! IT'S OVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PANATHINAIKOS HAVE WON THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE!!! I'm not crying, you're crying!!!! One of the best nights of FM I've ever had, Chelsea, Man U, Bayern and then Inter beaten!!! Panathinaikos are no longer "Nearly Men". And that means I can move on from Greece and go to pastures new, but where will I go? What a season!!! I will post a mini "end of club" review tomorrow, I need a beer after that!

2030/31 Season - Champions League Semi Final v Bayern Munich Here we go!!! Could we get to the Champions League final? Well the German giants Bayern stand in our way, a tough game but after knocking out Chelsea and Man United I fear no one!! 1ST LEG (A) It was a very tense game bar 11 minutes in the first half. Bayern did us from 2 set pieces to score twice, sandwiched in the middle was Soyuncu header from a corner. The second half was pointless, there wasn't one highlight, time just ticked away and nothing happened. A 2-1 loss but we are still well in the tie, especially as to how the previous rounds have gone in the home leg. 2ND LEG (H) We had to go for it but the game was really tense, hardly any first half highlights and the game was pretty drab. Then midway through the 2nd half, Maldini ran clear and smashed it into the net to put us into the lead on the night and level the tie at 2-2. The game then petered out with very few highlights, the whistle blew and it went to extra time. This is where it all kicked off. From no highlights to a highlight every minute. We had so many chances, sitters, blocks, woodwork but then with 2 minutes of the first half to go we got a freekick on the edge of the box, Kovacic, retiring at the end of the season, stepped up and he rifled it into the top corner!! We were 3-2 up, the second half of extra time was chaotic, Sesko for Bayern missed so many chances, Chukwueze had one wonderfully cleared off the line by Stansfield, but as Bayern piled forward we hit them on the break, Aydin layed Pinto in, he was the calmest man in Greece as he slid the ball past the Bayern keeper to make it 3-0 on the night and 4-2 on aggregate. The whistle blew and we had done it!! CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL HERE WE COME!!!! Where we will face Inter Milan!!! BRING IT ON!!!

2030/31 Season - Champions League Quarter Final v Manchester United Here we go, another massive game, first leg is at home, let's make it count! 1ST LEG (H) What a game! We started so well scoring early courtesy of Aouar but then had a major setback as Left Back Monge was shown a second yellow card, we somehow held on to half time, I asked the boys to keep it tight but somehow, only 2 minutes into the second half a Maldini freekick was headered home by Soyuncu to make it 2-0. Man Utd then went down to 10 men as well and after that we dominated, we played some amazing football and made it 3-0 win 12 minutes to go, Maldini finding space and smashing home. An absolutely sensational win!!!! 2ND LEG (A) I always expected a Man United onslaught but this was one of the tensest games I've ever been involved in. As the half time whistle blew it all looked fine and dandy, we had scored right before the half time whistle, Stansfield, up for a free kick smashing home to put us 1-0 up on the night and 4-0 on aggregate. We looked to easing through but Marcus Rashford did not think that! Within 10 mins of the second half he had got one back and suddenly we looked nervy, our strong defence has lost the plot and we were giving the ball away time after time. 9 minutes later Rashorfd had his second, another defensive mistake letting him in. Then came some luck, Sancho scored but the goal was disallowed for offside. We looked to have stemmed the tide until with 5 mins to go Rashford grabbed his hat-trick to make it 4-3 on aggregate. The lads looked shot but I told the lads to time waste and stuck everyone behind the ball, 4 minutes of injury time felt like an hour but we somehow, after nearly bottling it, made it through 4-3 on aggregate!!! Into the Champions League semi finals, we were here 2 years ago, we threw it away, this year though things feel different. Bayern Munich are our next opponents, can we provide another miracle??!!

2030/31 Season - Champions League Quarter and Semi Final Draws I don't know why it happens but there was no official draw for the next round, it just pops up as a news item. So no excitement at all! We have been handed a really tough draw in the Quarters as we face Manchester United In the last round they beat Man City 5-1 on aggregate after beating them 5-0 in the home leg. We have a really tough task but we beat Chelsea so we can beat these! If we get through to the Semi Final we will face either Bayern or PSG. BRING IT ON!

2030/31 Season - Champions League Last 16 Well the draw came out and we were handed a really tough match. To be honest though bar FC Koln and tycoon-owned Antwerp every game looked hard. Chelsea over 2 legs, bring it on!!!!!! 1ST LEG (A) It was another one of those game where we got absolutely battered but somehow held our own. We were lucky that their finishing was poor and Fernandez in goal was amazing for us. Havertz grabbed a goal right before half time but even closer to the break Pinto scored with a close range shot. After that we sat back and hung on. The bad news though is Stansfield got a 2nd yellow and will miss the home leg, he is probably our best defender. 2NG LEG (H) When playing FM there are certain points where you sit and watch a game and cannot fathom what is going on, this was that game. I decided, rather spontaneously to switch from my narrow 4231 to a wide 4231, there was no rhyme or reason, I just wanted to try and fool Chelsea, I hadn't switched formation for about 20 games. What happened next will live long in the memory. After 17 minutes we found ourselves 2-0 up, Chelsea looked shellshocked and we were all over them. Half time came and we had been amazing. Then came the 2nd half, 49 seconds in we got a free kick on the left edge of the box, Maldini swung it in and Tsoulias nodded home to make it 3-0. Chelsea kicked off, played it backwards to Mount, he aimlessly smashed it forward, it was picked up by Kun Wah Lee, we played it around defence for about 10 passes then bag, Afena-Gyan was in, he ran a bit wide, cut back and played it to Maldini who smashed it home to make it 4-0!!!! I could not believe what I was watching but it got even better. 67 mins, we got another corner, it came in and Soyuncu headered home! 5-0!!!!! The whistle blew to end one of the greatest nights in Panathinaikos history. And now you're gonna believe us!!!! We're into the Quarters but have to wait another 9 days until the draw!

2030/31 Season - Champions League Group Stage Games 5-8 Matchday 5 - Benfica (H) This was a must win game, with Barca coming up next we needed the points on the board. We went into the game with everyone fit and firing and we were just incredible. Benfica didn't get a sniff and we dominated the match. Barnes scored early and by half-time it was 2-0 courtesy of an Afena-Gyan penalty. We coasted through the second half, giving certain players some rest, we scored twice more, Maldini with a free-kick and then Afena-Gyan with his second. A fantastic win. Matchday 6 - Barcelona (H) One of the worst games you're most likely to see, in the first half there was not one highlight, it was a scrap, so many yellow cards but unfortunately no goals. A game we will forget very quickly but against one of Europe's elite it it a solid point. With 2 games to go we sit in 11th place but it's really tight, we're 2 points off 3rd but also 2 points off 16th. 2 away games to go but games we should have a chance in, we probably need to win both to qualify in the top 8 Matchday 7 - PSV (A) Games change by moments and in this game it was a red card midway through the first half. One of my key men in the Dutch side Xavi Simons got his marching order for a two-footed tackle which sent PSV down to 10 men, prior to that they were the better side but as soon as they lost Simons we took charge, scoring just before halftime courtesy of an Aydin rocket. It took us until the 75th minute to double our lead, Andre Silva, playing because Afena-Gyan is away on African Nations duty grabbing the goal, PSV did get one back but as they pushed forward we hit them on the break and in the 94th minute 2027 intake star Matsoukas scored to seal a 3-1 win A huge win and this means with 1 game left we are in the top 8 spots, we were here last season and know how easy it is to drop out, the league table is so tight behind us. 11 teams could overtake us if we lose, 8 teams is we draw. We have to beat Celtic away! Matchday 8 - Celtic (A) A must win game and my god it was cagey. Hardly any highlights in the first half but in the second we dominated the play but couldn't score, it took until the 78th minute for it to all go off. I made a double substitution bringing Kovacic and Barnes on and it changed the game. Barnes scored within 5 minutes of coming on but his goal was disallowed for offside, 2 minutes later we eventually scored, the dubs combining for a wonderful goal, Barnes finishing off a gorgeous Kovacic pass. Celtic then kicked off, strode forward and got dispossessed, we hit them on the break and Aouar scored with a cheeky back hell!!! A 2-0 win and with that qualification for the Last 16 without the need of a playoff!!!! Absolutely amazing, what a run so far! We now await the playoff round before we know our Last 16 opponents

2030/31 Season - Champions League Group Phase Games 1-4 We have a shocking run of fixtures but let's hope we can somehow come out with a playoff place (top 24th). Matchday 1 - Dortmund (A) How on earth we came out of this match with anything is beyond me, we got absolutely battered from the off, backs to the wall defending not helped by Krejci getting his marching orders in the 23rd minute after a second yellow card. We defended for our lives, got lucky with some poor finishing but still went behind courtesy of a penalty with 15 minutes to go. After that we had to try and push and in the last minute we scored the most unlikely of equalisers, Andre Silva coming off the bench to score from close range. A 1-1 draw, a huge point and a morale boosting result. Matchday 2 - Juventus (A) Another tough away game and another backs to the wall performance, again we defended for our lives, again they struggled to break us down and once again they scored late on. We looked to be heading towards defeat until 2 minutes to go when Daniel Maldini broke clear of the defence and smashed it past Trubin in the Juve goal. Another amazing draw!! We now go into 4 straight home games and really need to win them all if we want top 8. Matchday 3 - Inter (H) It doesn't happy very often where I switch formation to counteract the opposition, I usually just go with my guy. In the instance of Inter Milan though I noticed they were playing a 352 so I bit the bullet and decided to switch to my 4231 tactic with wide men instead of 3 attacking midfielders. Well it worked a treat!!! By half time we were 2-0 up, Barnes on the left was a constant threat and they looked shell shocked, we added a third midway through the second half before Inter pulled one back. We then saw the game out to seal a huge win Matchday 4 - FC Koln (H) We expected to win this game and win we did. The 3 lads behind Afena-Gyan were incredible, he himself was bloody awful. Luckily we didn't need him. We took an early 2-0 lead and when Koln went down to 10 men we knew we had the game won, we grabbed a third goal just after the red card and coasted to a 3-0. A great start, some really tough matches and we've come out with 8 points from our opening 4 games. In that Top 8 but there are big games to come, the next two are at home, against Benfica and Barcelona, we then end with PSV and Celtic away. COME ON!!

2030/31 Season - Champions League Fixtures and Transfer Update A new season begins and this season we have to do better in the Champions League, I have put a lot of time into the squad this season, lot's of players have gone, experience and quality have replaced them in the hope it gives us the ability to challenge the bit boys in Europe. Firstly, the Champions League fixtures and boy it looks tough.. Some really tough games and an odd fixture list as we start with 2 away games then play at home 4 games in a row. One of the toughest set of fixtures we've had with a couple of hard home matches and 4 really tough away games. Let's hope we have enough in us, top 8 maybe out of reach this time around but a playoff spot is a necessity. Now to the transfers and it's been a very busy Summer! Firstly, the out's.... Let me explain the out's, well the main ones anyway. Iliev, Mancini, Kosongo were all out of contract in 12 months time and had already said they weren't signing a new deal. Mancini was the one I didn't want to lose as I had already let Iliev go but the deal was too good to say no to. We also let LB Moke go, £40m was huge, we signed him for £22m 12 months ago, Zabarnyi also goes, a lad who moaned all last season, GK Majecki went, I f*cked him off last season as he is a pain in the arse, we also let Soucek leave, along with Buitrago and Lapitis who were in the first team So loads of outs, a cull of the squad and a load of money in. Now to the in's, 8 in total and I am really happy with my business. Casper Jensen - Attacking Midfield - £6.25m from Udinese When I saw those mentals I had to bring him in. Birger Sauerland - Central Defender - Loan from Dortmund I couldn't find a replacement for Zirbanyi so decided to make a short term loan signing as a solution Carlos Monge - Left Back - £15m from Wolfsburg My replacement for Moke, just as good for less than half the money Andre Silva - Striker - £3m from Valencia Champions League experience and adds another option up front, something I didn't have last season. Mateo Kovacic - Defensive Midfield - £1.7m from AC Milan More Champions League experience, I had very little options at DM due to losing Soucek and Kasongo, a great replacement Houssem Aouar - Attacking Midfield - £9m from Lyon My replacement for Iliev, more Champions League experience and a quality player Alvaro Fernandez - Goalkeeper - £12.25m from Marseille I had no plans to sign a new Keeper, then in pre-season training Unai Simon broke his leg and was ruled out for 8-9 months, with Majecki also going this left with just kids in goal, a necessary signing Eyup Aydin - Defensive Midfield - £17.5m from Darmstadt A quality DM, much needed! The squad now looks set, it's still big with a lot of youngsters and homegrown players in it. Haddad (Striker) who I signed from PSG a season ago had an amazing loan spell at Valladolid last season, scoring 18 La Liga goals has been brought into the first team squad Updates from this season onwards will be a little different, the Champions League is the most important thing as that's the challenge, so from now on I will be concentrating on that in my updates with the domestic trophies only mentioned if something important happens, other than that I will update those competitions at the end of the season

World Cup 2030 Here we go, my first attempt a winning the World Cup with one of the international nearly men. I have an amazing Dutch team and am really confident at how we will do. Group wise we have one of the tougher draws but still should easily qualify Group Game 1 v Paraguay A game in which we absolutely dominated, Koopmeiners missed a penalty but redeemed himself scoring from spot only a short while later. Emegha came off the bench to grab a second and after that we saw the game out. An xG of nearly 5!! Group Game 2 v Ivory Coast As expected we dominated the game, Simons scored early before Gakpo doubled our lead, Ivory Coast scored immediately after before Gakpo grabbed his second just before half, second half goals from Bergwijn, Kluivert and Botman sealed a crushing 6-1 win. The only blot on the game was a red card for Bergwijn late on for a second yellow. And that sealed qualification for the knockouts in top spot. Where, in the Last 32 we faced Algeria. We also knew our route through the tournament now, Serbia or Mali in the Last 16 with a potential tie with England in the Quarters! Last 32 v Algeria It was the Ryan Gravenberch show, the attacking midfielder showed his class scoring a hat-trick in a 4-1 win, Gakpo scoring 2 late on to seal a 5-1 win. A great result putting us into the Last 16 where we will face Serbia who beat Mali 5-0 Last 16 v Serbia I decided to bring Emegha in to play upfront, Kluivert was left out due to him being shattered and Gakpo moved to the left, well it worked a treat. Emegha scored twice in the first half to put us well in command, van de Beek scored midway through the second half and we coasted to victory, a 3-0 win......England up next!! Quarter Final v England A tough tight game settled by a moment of magic. We played well but Harry Kane scored a second half goal from outside the box. We were very unlucky though, we had a penalty overturned by VAR even though Xavi Simons looked inside the box and a goal disallowed for offisde. A crap way to end but we did well. On another day we would've won that game

2029/30 Season - End of Season - League & Greek Cup Final After the defeat to Real Madrid we got back to domestic action and ended the season in decent form. It was a struggle, morale had dipped after the defeat at the Bernabau, I tried to keep the players heads up but it was hard work. The Championship Group consists of 10 games and overall it was OK, we did lose a couple, 4 defeats over the season is the most in the last 4 campaigns. As expected though we eased to the League title, sealing it with 3 games to go. 10 games, 22 points, not bad but we didn't end great. Our lowest points tally since the 2024/25 season. Still we end 9 points clear of the chasing pack. That makes 7 straight League titles as well, Olympiakos managed that feat twice in the past, just another title and we break their record for consecutive title wins. Now to the Greek Cup, I mentioned in the previous update we had beaten AEK 3-0 in the first leg of the semi final, well we scraped through losing the second leg 2-0, it was tough though as it took place in the middle of an international break with 12 first team players out! Anyway we got through 3-2 on aggregate and set up a final with PAOK. The game itself wasn't great, we dominated the match but struggled to find a way past a stubborn PAOK defence, that was until midway through the second half, a Paride Mancini 20 yard freekick giving us the lead. We then sat back and held on for a scrappy but deserved 1-0 win. Another League and Cup double, our 4th in a row. So domestically a successful season, the Champions League ended too early for me but we were handed a tough draw, we held our own overall but just feel short. Onto the key men and I have to start with Attacking Midfielder Daniel Maldini, he was just amazing, 36 starts, 10 as a sub16 goals and 23 assists. A key man who just does the job when needed. He also ends as the clubs player of the season. Next is Greek Cup winning goalscorer Paride Mancini, playing in the middle of the attacking midfield three he had a stunning second season at the club, 33 starts, 8 goals and 13 assists, not as good as Maldini but still pretty decent! Last but not least is the other lad in that amazing attacking midfield three Nikola Iliev, another absolutely crazy season for Nikola who ends with the most goals at the club, he did end the season playing upfront as I fell out with Afena-Gyan after his shocking miss in the Champions League and when he went up top he was even. 32 starts, 28 goals and 12 assists. Amazing! Here is the Best XI for the season. And here is the whole squad. So another decent season but we went backwards in the Champions League, that competition is really all that matters in this challenge. We somehow have to get this squad improving and in a better position to compete with Europes elite, we did it last season but this time around we struggled. I am really stuck as to what to do. Financially I have crippled the club this season trying to achieve my goal. We end up £60m lower in the bank balance, we spent over £40m more in players in than out and the wage budget rocketed by another £9m over the season. Gate receipts and Prize money went down, a perfect storm really. Because of all this the budgets are tiny compared to what I've had in the past few seasons. Another decent jump in wage budget but we are pretty much spending that already, the transfer budget is not good enough to be mounting a Champions League challenge. Then I have the usual Summer issue of players wanting to move, there are already rumours circulating around the likes of Iliev, Pinto, Zabarnyi and Maldini wanting to move clubs. This Summer feels like one of those Summers where we will transition the squad. I need to sell before I can buy but I need to be wary that whoever I sell from that Best XI needs to be replaced and that costs money, so I need to make sure I get enough money out of those key men and unfortunately they just aren't worth as much as I hoped! It's going to be an interesting Summer, I feel quite pessimistic at the moment, hopefully as we head into a new season I get myself dusted down and go again!

Money is going to be tight next year as I broke the bank last Summer, I am going to need to sell before I can buy and that comes with one big issue, players better than what I have cost way way too much for our budgets!

2029/30 Season - Champions League Last 16 v Real Madrid Here we go, one hell of a tough task, they knocked us out in the semis last season, time for revenge? I once again did live updates on the FM Library Discord (if you want an invite link drop me a DM) so here is what happened. 1ST LEG (H) 6 mins - WHAT A START!!!! Maldini has a freekick way way out, he fools everyone and lays it wide to Afena-Gyan, he then passes it back to Maldini who has strided into the box and he smashes it home! 1-0 to Panathinaikos!! 18 mins - Oh wow what a goal from Ansu Fati, Real cannot play out of defence, they resort to lumping it forward, it's won in the air by Swedberg, it drops in the box, the keeper comes but is never gonna get there and from a ridiculous angle Fati smashes it home. 1-1 And that's half time, very few highlights bar the 2 goals 63 mins - Too much mucking about in midfield, Krejci is dispossessed by Valverde who plays in Rodrygo but his shot is tipped wide by Simon 86 mins - Again we lose it playing out from the back. Stansfield dallies on the ball and Ansu Fati wins it off him, he is through but runs wide, Stansfield dives in and fouls him right on the edge of the box, VAR is looking at it but I think it was just outsid Yep just outside the box 87 mins - Sane takes the freekick, he swings it in and it's met by Swedberg but Unai Simon makes an incredible save and it's cleared away, Still 1-1 And that's full time, a 1-1 draw. Not enough in my opinion, with it being the home leg we really needed to win 2ND LEG (A) 20 seconds - Their press is mental, we kick off, try and play it around and they're instantly on us, we lose it in midfield, Fati collects is but his shot it straight at Simon 6 mins - Wow. We try and press them from a goal kick, the keeper instead of playing it short leathers it up field, straight over our defence, Fati controls it and smashes it home. 1-0 to Real Madrid (2-1 on aggregate) 7 mins - STRAIGHT FROM THE KICK OFF!!!! We kick off and play it around midfield and defence, then one pass through the lines by Solet find Pinto, he plays it wide to Kun Wah Lee who crosses it and it's met by Afena-Gyan to score!!!! 1-1!! (2-2 on aggregate) 30 mins - A Real Madrid corner goes to the back post, Militao jumps and falls over, the ref blows and gives a penalty, VAR is looking at it And it's given! Really soft Fati steps up and sends Simon the wrong way. 2-1 to Real (3-2 on aggregate) And that's half time, we're still in it! 48 mins - Real so close to a third, a Valverde corner is met by Camavinga but his header goes just over 64 mins - Now we go close, a Maldini freekick is met at the back post by Soucek but his header goes over 75 mins - We are trying but just cannot find a way through, we lose the ball again in midfield, it goes to Rosas down the right, his cross is met by Swedberg but it deflects wide The corner comes in by Sane, it's cleared back to him, he strides into the box, his shot is awful but it takes a huge deflection off Tsoulias and luckily goes straight into the keepers hands! 82 mins - OH AFENA-GYAN! We win the ball from a Real freekick, we hit them on the break, Apostalou runs down the right, squares it to Afena-Gyan who with the whole goal gaping his his shot 5 yards wide And that's fulltime, a gallant effort but not enough. Gutting!