beIN SPORTS

by Gabrielle Amado

In the football world, the New Year can mark a new beginning for some and the beginning of the end for others. Who will finish top of the league? Who will be sacked? Who will win it all and who will win absolutely nothing?

Here are seven events that the world of footy could gift us in 2017… and at least one of them is guaranteed to come true.

MAN UNITED WILL FINISH TOP FOUR & ARSENAL WON’T (BYE WENGER)

While the world was busy hopping on the Jose Mourinho hate train, Manchester United were busy winning…and they looked fabulous in the process. Mou’s men ended 2016 on a 12 game unbeaten run across all competitions, with six consecutive victories to round off the year; not too shabby for a team that many accused of being in crisis. 

Progress under The Special One has been slow and steady, but let’s not forget, the tortoise did win the race.  Manchester United will be the latest example of this tale turned reality. Let's even raise the stakes and say 2017 is the year Zlatan Ibrahimovic sits in the EPL’s top scorer throne. 

But while Manchester United are on the rise, Arsenal, in true Arsenal fashion, are on the decline. The Champions League draw, booking them a date with Bayern Munich in the round of 16, like clock work, marked the beginning of the end for Arsenal and a downward spiral ensued; a 2-1 loss to Everton, a 2-1 loss to Manchester City, and a scrape by win over West Brom to cap off the year.

It’s hard to imagine Arsene Wenger keeping his job without a coveted top four finish, meaning 2017 is going to be a make or break year for the French boss and his legacy at the Emirates.

ROMA WILL WIN THE EUROPA LEAGUE 

Yes, that’s right! Roma to win the Europa League. While they have a tough round of 32 clash against Villarreal, probably the toughest opponent at this stage, if Roma can make it past the Spaniards, it may just be smooth sailing to the final. 

Dzeko, Salah, Totti, Perotti, Nainggolan and crew are impossible to overlook. Their form in Serie A has been sensational; scoring 39 goals and conceding only 18, a tally that sees them trail only the Old Lady in the Italian top flight. They dominated their Europa League group, finishing top of group E with three wins and three draws.  

This prediction is a ballsy one, for the likes of Fiorentina, Manchester United, Tottenham, Schalke, Besiktas, to name but a few, are all in running. Roma have historically come so close and failed when it mattered most but 2017 is Spalletti’s year to bring Roma glory. 

MONACO WILL WIN LIGUE 1…

Monaco have without question been one of, if not the most exciting teams to watch in European football this season. Leonardo Jardim’s project is thriving, creating a goal scoring machine that is romping through Ligue 1.

Monaco have scored 56 goals in the French top flight to date, 22 (yes TWENTY-TWO) more goals than league leaders Nice and 20 (yes TWENTY) more than PSG. They have scored more league goals than any other top five league side and should be considered not only a threat to French football but a serious contender in the Champions League too.

The red and whites have not won Ligue 1 since the 1999/2000 season and I think it’s just what the 2017 doctor ordered. While Ligue 1 will be a battle royale, I fancy a Monaco-PSG-Nice top 3 finish…

…MEANING UNAI EMERY WILL BE SACKED

Unai Emery was set to be the next big thing in football management; and deservingly so. He led Valencia to Champions League qualification despite the club’s continuous troubles (evident even today…poor Prandelli) and led Sevilla to three consecutive Europa League titles. But let’s just say it’s been a less than optimal start for the Spaniard at PSG.

PSG are off to one of the worst starts in recent history, having already lost more games this season than all of last season combined. With underwhelming performances from the players he brought in and a dressing room that just doesn’t seem to buy it, the pieces simply have not fallen into place for Emery. 

Unai Emery’s job was to win European silverware, not bump the Ligue 1 champions into third place. And you can bet everything you’ve got that if Monaco lift that title in May, Unai Emery will be calling a ‘lyft’ to pick him up from the Parc des Princes (if he even makes it that long).  

AC MILAN WILL WIN THE SCUDETTO

Okay, just kidding. So maybe the Rossoneri won’t claim Serie A glory in 2017 but this year will, without question, mark their return to European football. 

AC Milan currently sit fifth on the Serie A table with a game in hand, meaning Champions League play is already at their finger tips. A wave of youth, from Donnarumma to Suso to Locatelli, has brought a sense of rejuvenation and hope to Milan's first team and fans alike. Their high intensity win over Juventus in the Italian Super Cup was the perfect ending to 2016 and the perfect transition into the new year. On top of their performances of late, incoming Chinese ownership (that should in theory be solidified in 2017) will give AC Milan a new set of legs in the Summer transfer market. 

Let's face it, whether you are a Rossoneri supporter or not, the return of a legendary club to European football is a win for all; 2017 is the year for AC Milan.

‘THE ZIDANE EFFECT’ WINS LA LIGA

2016 was a rough year for many; Hollywood, the music industry, politics, Antoine Griezmann (poor guy lost two finals). But one man who had the year of his life, a year for the history books, was Real Madrid’s Zinedine Zidane. 

Zidane won the Champions League, the Spanish Supercup, the FIFA Club World Cup and currently leads La Liga by a considerable margin. He led his men to club history as Real Madrid topped a 34 game unbeaten record across all competitions with their own new record of 37 games…and counting. 

The Zidane effect is a real thing. Call it luck, call it skill, call it whatever you’d like but it’s alive and well and is going to trickle right into 2017. Real Madrid will be crowned 2016/17 La Liga champions and may just claim a consecutive Champions League title, something no team has ever accomplished. Remember guys, if 2016 has taught us anything, it’s that nothing is impossible for Zizou. 

RAMOS SCORES IN RAMOS TIME…AGAIN.

This prediction is purely for insurance purposes. When all else fails on this list, the world knows that at least one thing in 2017 is certain; Sergio Ramos will score a header in stoppage time to win Real Madrid SOMETHING at least once this year.