The football season is entering its final stretch, with football fans on the edge of their seats. Manchester City (MC) is gunning for the prestigious title of being the first club to win the English Premier League (EPL) Championships for four consecutive years. However, Arsenal is on their heels, determined to take the Championship title.
Fans turn to the latest EPL odds and predictions to understand better how this all will play out. We look at the exclusive interview with Sergio Leonel ‘Kun’ Agüero del Castillo about his 2012 season. We also learn what he thinks of the current season in his expert opinion.
Sergio Agüero’s Legend
Sergio Agüero is a legendary Manchester City player, as seen from his incredible football career stats. He’s made 275 appearances, won 186 matches, and scored 184 goals, the most by any foreign player in the EPL.
This Argentinian striker played for Man City for 10 years. He was preparing to sign with Barcelona before his untimely retirement. An unfortunate heart condition forced Agüero’s early retirement. Still, the former striker continues to have valuable insights into the Premier League.
Operating as a Global Football Ambassador for Stake, we discuss a recent interview between the sportsbook and the brand ambassador.
Exclusive Interview on the EPL 2012 Season
Stake sat down with Agüero to learn his thoughts on the season that started his legend. As most fans will know, the striker turned about the 2011/12 Championships on the final day by scoring the winning goal with a heart-stopping 93:20 timestamp.
When asking the Argentinian if he dreamt at all about making such a moment possible, he had this to say:
“Not at all, hadn’t imagined anything like that. I simply happened. I wasn’t even playing well during that match, nothing worked out for me. I guess fate wanted my turn to come in the most epic way possible.”
Sergio said the “air felt different” the night before the match. The team’s responsibility to win the first Championship in 44 years was immense. During the match, Man City players felt “chained to the ground” as they couldn’t play like they wanted to or get the desired results.
To become champions, they had to match Manchester United’s score. Sergio said that they “fought to the end,” and his last-minute goal, which won them the Championship, clearly shows this.
If we look at recent Championships and matches, it’s clear that the recent seasons had many “tightly contested final stretches.” As such, it’s no surprise that Agüero believes “It won’t be different this time” for the 2023/24 season.
Players and fans alike are already on the edge of their seats, with the possibility of Man City making history for the second time. That’s why we examine the Sergio Agüero predictions in this article.
Odds for the 2024 Premier League Season
With the final stretch here, fans bet on who they think will win the Championship. Premier League odds show that Man City is the current favorite to win, though the probability is more complicated than winning a single match.
Man City must win against West Ham United to keep their title. If Arsenal wins their match against Everton, a draw or loss for MC will cause them to lose the title. However, while both Man City and Arsenal odds show the teams slated to win their matches, the odds are more in Man City’s favor.
Current odds on Stake show that Manchester City has -909 winning odds against West Ham, and Arsenal has -526 winning odds against Everton (as of May 17th). Manchester City has a two-point advantage over Arsenal, but we know from experience that anything can happen on the final day.
After all, Agüero’s legendary goal was to fill the two-point gap in 2012. As such, there’s no guarantee it won’t happen again this year.
Agüero’s Take on Current EPL Season
After sitting down with Agüero, Stake asked him about his opinion on the current EPL season. Sergio holds the title as Manchester City’s current top goalscorer, but Erling Haaland is quickly moving up the ranks this season. After only two seasons in the team, he’s just entered the top 15 goalscorers of all time.
When asked whether the Argentinian legend believed Haaland would stay at Man City and play consistently enough to take his spot on the rankings, he said this:
“Erling is a natural born scorer. He showed that last season breaking all sorts of Premier League records. He’s top scorer this season so far, if further proof was needed. I’m sure he’ll continue down this path, the consistency he’s shown throughout his career should tell you that much.”
While we are unsure whether Haaland will stay with MC, his current contract expires in 2027. While the star player stated, “You never know what the future brings,” he is currently happy at Man City.
Rumors Surrounding Pep Guardiola
Various rumors surround the club manager, Pep Guardiola. Some reports suggest he’ll leave MC once his contract expires in 2025.
When asked his opinion on topics like which players are possibly transferring to the club or Pep Guardiola leaving his position as club manager, he stated he never thought about it. It wasn’t his place to make these decisions, so he didn’t consider these topics.
He said, though, that he hopes Pep stays at MC for a long time. He said, “It’s clear that Pep provides a lot to the team, and he’s elevated their game. They’ve been growing as an international contender too.”
As such, it would be a shame to lose him. However, as Sergio also stated, “His stay has lasted for many years now, for much longer than other clubs he’s been at. Who’s to say he won’t stay a few years more?”
Many also discuss Pep’s disappointment when Ilkay Gundogan left MC for Barcelona and wonder if Sergio can see him returning to the club. However, while the former striker freely admits Gundogan played a significant role for the club, he doubts that Ilkay will reverse his decision to transfer.
What’s Happening with Barcelona and La Liga Players?
While the English Premier League is on everyone’s mind, that doesn’t mean other events in the football world aren’t noteworthy. The La Liga is also entering its final stretches, as we’re at matchday 36 of 38. With the Championships almost over, Stake asks Kun Agüero about his thoughts on several players.
Xavi
Recent controversies surrounding the Spanish Barcelona coach Xavi make it uncertain whether we’ll see him for the next season. Recent reports indicate that FC Barcelona decided to fire Xavi as its head coach after some of his comments at a pre-match conference.
However, the club hasn’t officially announced it, so we’ll wait to discuss this rumor further. We know that Xavi lives and breathes Barcelona, or as Sergio says, “Xavi’s DNA is 100% Barca.” No matter the club’s decision, Xavi has “set the foundation for a great team with very high-potential young players.”
Lamine Yamal
Barcelona is considering increasing Yamal’s release clause because he is one of the most promising rookies. Even the former star striker says, “As young as he is, and with that level of potential… Yamal must be one of the highest-valued rookies out there.” While we don’t have an exact estimate of what Yamal is worth, we know he’ll keep growing and becoming more important to Barca, in Sergio’s opinion.
Darwin Nunez
Recent rumors are swirling around Nunez after he deleted all his Liverpool Instagram photos. Many believe he’s transferring to Barcelona, though Agüero states he hasn’t heard these rumors. Still, he’s a talented player, whether at Liverpool or Barcelona and, as Sergio said, “any club would want him on their frontlines.”
Martin Zubimendi
Several rumors talk about Premier League clubs like Bayern having their eyes on Martin Zubimendi as a possible transfer. Agüero states it’s always “hard to see what the summer transfer window has in store for us.” However, it doesn’t seem very likely, as Zubimendi has said, that the news about a possible transfer is “just rumors, I’m happy at Real Sociedad, it’s like my home.”
Kylian Mbappe
Kylian Mbappe is set to leave Paris-Saint Germain FC (PSG), with many believing it to be for Real Madrid. Recent news indicates that the La Liga president even confirmed his move to the club. However, if he joins Real Madrid, the question is what position he’ll play.
When asked whether he believes Mbappe has the potential to play as a striker, Agüero said, “I’ve always thought a great player can adapt to different formations and strategies. I’m sure his manager will employ him where he’ll perform best.”
Vinicius Jr
People are watching Vinicius Jr, as the young player already has several wins and iconic moments behind him. He’s played 37 matches and has 23 goals behind his name. Of those matches, 25 were for La Liga, with 15 goals in his La Liga career. Many wonder if he could become a better player than Neymar before he retires.
In response, Agüero said:
“It’s too early to tell. Ney has achieved many great things, and beyond his injuries, he’s still active. Vinicius is a player of another generation, and he’s got many years ahead of him. Time will tell.”
Jude Bellingham
Another player fans are watching is Jude Bellingham. Recently, he’s been quiet in his matches against Bayern Munich and Man City, but that doesn’t mean he’s not a favorite to win the Ballon d’Or. However, it’s difficult to accurately evaluate a player’s worth within only a few matches.
What we do know is that, as Agüero said, “he can wear the colors confidently, with all their weight, and played a key role in many matches. He didn’t shine in the face-off against City, but he was instrumental in one of Madrid’s goals.”
Insights into COPA América
Kun Agüero also has various insights for Stake on the current season of COPA América. So far, odds show that Argentina is the favorite to win, with Brazil behind them. Agüero says, “I do think that the Argentine side is the current best, after winning the Copa America and the World Cup.”
However, as he also admits, it won’t be easy, as many excellent teams are in the tournament. However, the Argentina team has Lionel Messi in it, which Sergio states is “in terms of quantity and quality…a category of his own.” He further goes on to say:
“Until the day he retires, he’ll be the best. There are many good players out there, but I can’t see anyone who’s able to achieve what he can.”
He would choose Messi as the tournament’s top player, though he also states there are many other players to follow.
“Each national team… even the underdogs and dark horses, they’ve got players that can shift the tides around. We’ll have to see how every match plays out, how the teams around them play. We’ll have our player of the tournament by the time the chips are down. But there’s many players to keep an eye out for.”
If you’re wondering which teams to watch, the dark horses so to say, the answer would be Colombia, Ecuador, and Uruguay. Colombia has a “solid foundation,” and Luis Diaz brings “top-flight football to the team.”
Meanwhile, Ecuador’s players have performed excellently in recent matches, making them a possible contender. Last but not least, Uruguay has shown its potential, and with Marcelo Bielsa as the head coach, the team receives a “fresh new boost,” according to Agüero.
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