We’re coming to the business end of the football season and with the hunt for silverware hotting up all around the World, what better time to sit down with our Global Football Ambassador Sergio Agüero, and discuss the key topics in the beautiful game?
Read this Stake exclusive interview before placing bets on the EPL, FA Cup, Champions League, La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A, World Cup and everything else soccer right here on Stake Sportsbook.
Manchester City Insights
How boring was the recent Manchester derby? They used to be ferocious…
It’s true that it was a more subdued match than we’re used to. But it happened this way and there’s not much more to it. The derby is still one of the all-time classics, regardless of a single match.
Is this the worst Manchester United team you’ve ever seen?
I’d never say anything of the sort. Rivals ought to be respected, and United has always kept us on our toes. Maybe they haven’t been as consistent over the last few seasons, but they have a new manager and with time he could be able to convey his vision for the squad.
How big will Erling Haaland’s injury have an effect on Man City’s FA Cup and top four hopes?
Hopefully not a sizable impact. The loss of a striker like Erling will be felt for sure. But I trust City will be able to compensate for his absence.
Does winning silverware like the FA Cup make it a successful season for Man City?
I’ve always said that this is a club that needs to have a try at a major title every season. If they make it happen, that’d be big. Besides, it’s a trophy everyone tries to go for. Here’s hoping it goes to City.
Some reports in Spain are claiming Man City have submitted a €275 million bid for Lamine Yamal, can you see him ever leaving Barcelona?
I usually don’t form an opinion around rumours, so I’d like to avoid making a statement about this. What I can say is that Yamal is one of the best there is nowadays, and there should be plenty clubs after him. The way I see it, he’s happy at Barcelona.
How sad is Kevin De Bruyne’s departure from Man City?
When a player of that caliber leaves, it’s bound to be an emotional affair. Particularly a player of that historical importance. Seeing all the displays of affection that the fans showed him during the last few games, I’m glad Kevin is receiving this well-deserved recognition. For everything he did to consolidate the team into what it’s become, for what’s he’s done inside and outside the field. He’s a legend, no doubt.
People have made comparisons to your departure after Pep Guardiola revealed the club decided not to extend De Bruyne’s contract, like him, would you have wanted to play one or two more years in Manchester?
That’s ancient history by now. The team made a decision and I respected it. None of this changes the impact Kevin, nor I, had on City. We were part of a foundational decade for the team, propelling City among the greatest clubs in the world. Personally, it’s a thing I’ll always be proud of.
Where does Kevin De Bruyne rank as an all-time Premier League player? Top 5? Who else is up there with him? Thierry Henry, Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney…
Those are players from different eras of the rich history of the Premier League, with their own cast of players. I’m sure Kevin is one of the top players to have left a footprint in this league, both for the titles he’s managed to get but also his consistency over ten seasons.
Where do you see De Bruyne going next? He’s been linked to Inter Miami, would it be nice to see him and Lionel Messi team up? Would they be the most creative duo in the world?
I’ve read something in that vein but nothing official yet. I’d assume many people out there want him playing on their teams. We’ll see what happens soon enough. If it’s Inter, I think he’d pair up very nicely with Leo.
Maybe De Bruyne could become your neighbour in Miami?
Who knows? Would be nice to have him across the fence though.
Florian Wirtz has been heavily linked the last few months as a potential De Bruyne replacement. How much have you seen of Wirtz and does he have a similar style to the Belgian?
As I’ve said, so far it’s rumours and I’d rather not read too much into those. My take is that Florian is a very interesting player – he’s good at getting the team in order, while staying nimble to assist and score. He’s proven his worth at Leverkusen. I wouldn’t say he plays like Kevin does, but he does cover his position in the field
Are you glad Man City were able to keep Nico O’Reilly from joining Chelsea in January? They reportedly offered £40m – £50m for the youngster.
Through the later part of the season, the quality of Nico became apparent, even while he was playing as a left back, not his usual position. He’s left a mark and I hope he keeps it up, so he can consolidate his role on the team.
Now we have around five games left in the Premier League season, based on current points and the remaining fixtures, who do you predict to finish top five in the Premier League? They will receive Champions League qualification.
Those spots are tightly contested, so it’s still to be seen. Forest had a solid lead that eroded over the past few rounds, opening up the game. The more consistent teams will likely make it. City has proven they’ve got what it takes. Newcastle knew to seize on important matches and gained a good position. Villa was knocked out of the current competition so that means that they can concentrate on the Premier League. Chelsea is in it too. It’ll be a nail-biter, that’s for sure.
How strong do you think Liverpool are? Have other teams underperformed, which has let them run away with the title?
I think it’s a little bit of both. But that’s not to say Liverpool didn’t do a brilliant job this season. They’ve won the most and lost the least – only two defeats to their name. That’s a major feat in the face of teams that ebbed on their performance, preventing them from fighting for the title more closely.
Julian Alvarez has been linked with a move to Liverpool, would he suit playing for the club?
Julian is having a killer season at Atleti, the second big European club that sees him play great football. I’m not surprised that clubs are out to court him. That being said, he seems to be doing well at Atleti, and while it’s barely been a year, the fans love him already. Nothing is impossible in this game, but I see him staying at Atleti a bit longer.
Trent Alexander-Arnold is already being called a snake and a traitor by Liverpool fans online, and boards were held up outside the stadium, how unfair do you think that is?
I think the decisions that players make ought to be respected. Alexander-Arnold has given so much to the team, he’s allowed them to achieve many great things. I get the passion fans feel for their team but I think going as far as calling him a “snake” seems a bit too rich for me.
Arsenal have recently become heavily linked to Viktor Gyokeres, who scored a hat-trick against Man City in the Champions League this season, will he boost the team’s chances of winning trophies?
Haven’t seen him play much. From what I’ve heard, he’s been a consistent scorer and he has made his mark in the Portuguese league. Those are traits that are always welcome. If Arsenal is on the market for a centre-forward, he should be in consideration.
What were your thoughts on Arsenal’s win against Real Madrid? Was it Arsenal that were very good, or Madrid that were bad?
I think Arsenal played a good game and left Madrid with no recourse. They made the most of every chance they got and got a good lead out of it. If you have a team like Madrid’s staring back at you from the other half of the field, that’s where you want to be. On the other side of the leg, they had a very solid game at the Bernabeu and won again – in spite of Real’s history with last minute upsets. Arsenal took the bracket and won a well-deserved spot on semifinals.
Arteta once said that you were “unique and one of the best”. What was he like to work with?
I had a very close relationship with Arteta when he was Pep’s assistant. He knows how to build relationships with players, he’s talented and very skilled at getting his ideas through clearly. It’s no surprise he’s doing so well. He’s building Arsenal to be a fantastic team.
Did you see him being this successful in his first full managerial role?
Just as I’ve said, it’s to be expected. He’s been at this business for several seasons and he’s done better each time.
Would Mikel Arteta be open to replacing Pep Guardiola at Manchester City?
Pep has extended his contract and Arteta has been doing a brilliant job at Arsenal. The point is moot right now, but if what you’re looking for a is forward-thinking answer and whether Arteta could be a good manager for City – I’d say he’s qualified for the task.
What is Mikel Arteta missing when it comes to winning major silverware like Pep?
More of what he’s doing right now. He’s been at striking distance and surely he’ll get there eventually.
Does the way they beat Real Madrid make Arsenal immediate favorites for the Champions League?
Surely one of the top candidates. It’s anyone’s game in any semifinal. PSG has been steady in their performance. Arsenal have developed their own brand of football with a lot of personality though, so the French side should be wary.
FA Cup
Does winning the FA Cup this season mean less to Manchester City than the other teams in the competition?
It’s a major title for English clubs, everyone would rather win it. I don’t see why it’d be undervalued.
Do you agree with the FA Cup semi-finals being played at Wembley or does it make the final less special?
It’s always nice to play at Wembley, it’s a special place. It makes the semifinals even more important. Fans will have a wonderful game to look forward to, and the contenders will have so much more at stake.
Do you think the FA Cup would be made more special if a Champions League place was on offer?
The FA Cup has its own appeal, and something everyone is looking to take the trophy home. A ticket for the Champions League would make the stakes higher, sure, but the glory of holding the cup aloft is no small reward.
La Liga
If Robert Lewandowski leaves Barcelona, could the club replace him with Isak? Is he a Barcelona-esque striker?
We’ve covered this in the past – Isak is a fantastic striker. He could be part of any of the big EU teams. It’d be up to Barcelona to see if he’s a player that would complement their style.
Would a front three of Raphinha, Isak and Yamal be the best in the world?
A lot of speculation would be involved in an answer. There’ve been a lot of offensive tridents in history with great names among them, but we’ll only know how far they can go when we can see them play together.
Who is favourite for the Ballon d’Or this season, Raphinha?
We probably have to see how the rest of the season plays out, and, particularly, who takes the Champions League trophy. That’d be a major point of contention. There’s many candidates out there. We’ll see.
Are you surprised how poor Vinicius Jr has been this season? Especially after he said he’ll have to perform 10x better to win the Ballon d’Or…
Players are human, we all have slumps now and then. That doesn’t mean you can write anyone off, especially when they’ve been playing at elite level for so long. There’s also team performance to consider, and Real has been irregular. At the very end of the season, we’ll be able to look back and see the bigger picture.
The constant jibe Barcelona fans say online is that even Ferran Torres has more non-penalty goals than Vinicius Jr this season, despite him being a bench player. Does that highlight how poor Vinicius has been?
A little ribbing is part of football folklore, even if it sometimes goes too far. I don’t think this is useful to analyse Vini’s performance.
Will Barcelona win La Liga?
Hopefully. They’ve kept up a superb consistency, a massive goal tally, and throughout 2025 they’ve only suffered a defeat against Dortmund in the Champions League. If they take La Liga, I’d be happy. Among every Spanish team, they’ve played the best.
Did Barcelona’s performance in the second leg against Dortmund worry you?
I think the whole series paints a better picture. The 4-0 in the first leg was a great result and that probably had an impact on the following match. After the first two goals from Dortmund, Barca closed its lines and prevented putting the qualifier at stake. Dortmund also plays very well at home, that would always be a tough nut to crack. But overall, Barca was the top team.
Do you think that the defeats against Roma in 2018 and Liverpool in 2019 have made the fans nervous in the Champions League, despite having a big lead from the first leg?
Different seasons, different teams. Hard to compare. I don’t think this is the case.
Now that they are through to the semi-finals, do you see Barcelona as favourites to win the Champions League?
The four teams that made it to semifinals, made it convincingly. They’ll all have to fight tooth-and-nail. I do believe Barca’s performance is top-level and they’ll be the team to beat.
Do you expect to see Carlo Ancelotti leave Real Madrid this summer?
Can’t really tell for sure. It’s not the first time that kind of rumour made the rounds, and Ancelotti stayed at the helm every time. I think what’s evident is that he’s a very skilled manager and his track record backs that up.
Is Xabi Alonso the best replacement for Ancelotti?
I feel like that’s going to happen eventually. Not sure when. But for a player with his past in Madrid and the good work he put out at the Bundesliga, I think it’s fate.
Raphinha said Brazil needed to beat Argentina on and off the pitch, that didn’t really happen, did it?
It’s water under the bridge. Argentina spoke their piece ON the pitch, and conclusively at that.
Based on Brazil’s performances during the qualifiers, do you expect them to struggle at the World Cup?
Brazil will always be a candidate. It doesn’t matter if their performance was on-and-off. Their team is composed by elite players, and they’ll always have a shot.
Does it depend on Neymar coming back to full fitness?
I don’t think it’s all about that. We all know the things Ney can do, and his role as a leader as well. There’s other factors at play. Their manager quit, and there’s no successor at sight. That being said, Brazil will always be Brazil.
If Messi wins another World Cup, is his legacy forever untouchable?
Nothing can stay Messi’s legacy. It cannot be undermined, and it certainly cannot be any larger. It’s as big as big can be.
If Inter Milan win Serie A and Champions League, do you think that Argentinian, Lautaro Martinez is in with a chance of the Ballon D’Or?
No shortage of candidates for the award. Lautaro will be one of them for sure: he’s had a great season, and he’s scored some very, very meaningful goals. The two goals he scored against Bayern, for example. That makes it over 150 goals for Inter, proving that he’s been consistent across the years. Really, he’s nothing short of the bulwark of the Nerazzurri. Winning the Champions League, one of the key factors for consideration at the Ballon D’Or, will certainly give him a more convincing argument.
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