After a couple of seasons sitting on the bench (quite literally), Benchwarmer is back in the game. The boots are clean, the notepad is open, and I’m ready for another year of football chaos, drama and wild predictions.

This season I’m putting my predictions out in public so that I can revisit them next summer to see if I’m the latest tactico… or just your average hopelessly biased football fan.

Premier League

Champions: Arsenal
Top 4: Arsenal, Liverpool, Man City, Chelsea
Relegated Teams: Burnley, Leeds, Brentford
Golden Boot Winner: Erling Haaland
Player of the Season: Bukayo Saka
Surprise Team of the Year: Sunderland

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Champions League

Winner: Barcelona
Top Scorer: Victor Gyokeres
Player of the Tournament: Lamine Yamal
Flop of the Tournament: Florian Writz

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Wildcards

First Manager to be sacked: Keith Andrews
Biggest Transfer Flop: Bryan Mbuemo
Breakout Youngster: Estêvão Willian

This is just the start. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be breathe some life back into the Benchwarmer blog with must watch games, match predictions, player archives… and maybe a sneak peak at a Challenge game I’ve been dreaming up.

Let’s make this 25/26 season one to remember!

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