From the Editor
The “New Season” special issue is a regular edition of World Soccer I avidly looked forward to collecting as a reader, and after a 2019-20 season we will never forget – primarily for all the wrong reasons – it is nice to finally get back to some semblance of normality within the football calendar by compiling this 2020-21 edition. After a condensed schedule to complete last season’s campaigns, including the Champions League and Europa League “mini-tournaments” (page 70), within the blink of an eye, the 2020-21 season is upon us. But not everything is quite back to normal yet. The ramifications of the coronavirus pandemic are still lurking – we bring you comprehensive previews of 12 major European leagues (page 33) but some are already experiencing new postponements (Scotland, page 52). The usual money-spinning preseason friendly tours have been cancelled, impacting both club finances and transfers (page 58); the transfer window has been uniquely extended until October – although we round-up the biggest done deals (page 20); and major continental tournaments such as the Copa Libertadores (page 76) and Asian Champions League (page 80) still have lingering doubts over their futures. Nonetheless, there is still plenty to look forward to. Stars and clubs to watch, new signings and coaches, rising talents and big talking points are all covered in our European season preview. Plus, will Timo Werner (page 13) be a hit at Chelsea? Will the return of Arjen Robben (interview on page 62) be a success? Will VAR (page 14) finally improve? How does the UEFA Nations League work again? See our “explainers guide” (page 82). And what on Earth is going on at Barcelona? Their crisis is covered in depth in our La Liga preview (page 54). In offering a comprehensive guide to 2020-21, this issue attempts to provide you with an answer to all of these questions and more. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as we’ve enjoyed putting it together.
It is nice to finally get back to some semblance of normality within the football calendar