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Sergio Aguero: The history of the FA Cup meant it was always a special competition to play in
Stake’s global representative, Sergio Aguero, reveals his memories of playing in the FA Cup, why it was a special competition for him to win, how Pep Guardiola will keep his players motivated against Peterborough in their fifth round tie, and what this side could achieve this season.
The FA Cup has an amazing history and I am proud to have won the competition
The FA Cup was always one of my favourite competitions to play in because of its history and because of the many famous players and teams to have won it.
When I was living in Spain and here in Argentina, everyone knew about the competition and its history.
We came so close to winning the FA Cup in 2013 but were beaten by Wigan in the final. It was hard for us because we had a very good team, Carlos Tevez, Yaya Toure, David Silva, Vincent Kompany and Pablo Zabaleta all started that game.
But we were all very new to the club and it was only the start of our journey. I think we did okay in the end!
We were back at Wembley for my second FA Cup final in 2019 and that day went much better for us when we beat Watford.
We were so happy to win it and to be a part of FA Cup history was a very proud moment for me.
The tradition of the FA Cup is one of my favourite things about the competition, it was fun to meet Prince William to get my medal after the game and the celebrations with the fans afterwards was so special.
Everyone says that the FA Cup is magical and it is true, it was always really fun to play in and you felt proud to represent your team in the competition.
The day we played in the FA Cup was
always special because there was so much excitement in the team and the fans were always extra happy to see us play well.
Playing teams in lower divisions in the FA Cup is harder than you think, so Pep will have the City players focused ahead of the Peterborough match
Not many people know how hard it is to play in the FA Cup. In England, you play a lot of matches and a lot of competitions, but as a player, it’s really exciting because you have the chance to try and win lots of different competitions, and winning finals is something that you are always proud of as a footballer, which means every game is important.
To get to the final you have to play against lots of different teams and some new ones that you might not have ever played against before. Playing against new teams and new players and at new stadiums is always hard because you don’t know 100% what you’re going to be playing against. We watch the teams in the Premier League and Champions League a lot and we all have friends and international teammates that play for them, but when you draw a team in the FA Cup that you don’t regularly get to play against or know too much about, it’s always a difficult experience.
When we played against a new team or a side in a different division, we were always expected to win, but it’s not as easy as that. Every manager always made sure the preparation for an FA Cup game was exactly the same. The training was the same, we worked hard on our jobs for the match and we went into the game knowing what we had to do, it made no difference if it was the final or first round.
This is exactly what Pep Guardiola will be doing with the team this week. Pep is a winner and he hates to lose, you don’t win the number of trophies he has without this attitude. He will be making sure the Manchester City players are ready for the game against Peterborough in the same way as if it was any other match.
There’s added pressure on Manchester City to win in the FA Cup and Peterborough will look to familiar tactics to beat them
When you are the team in a higher league and you have to travel to a team in a league below you it is difficult because the crowd are always so excited that their team might cause an upset and get to beat a Premier League team! When you get to the ground you are quickly aware that everyone really wants you to lose – the fans let you know when you arrive. It’s not just the
home crowd that are extra excited to see you lose, but it is everyone watching at home also, we know this and try not to think about it and focus on our job for the day.
We played against Wigan, again, in 2018 in the Cup at their stadium and it was one of the hardest matches. They defended so well and frustrated us, we had all of the possession and so many chances, but they scored late and knocked us out, that’s how it is in knockout football. If Peterborough think that they can win then they should watch that game and do the same as Wigan did.
Peterborough will be tough for Manchester City because the team has just travelled to Portugal in the Champions League, had a tough game against Tottenham, then they’ll play away in the Premier League threes days before the match and then they have to play Manchester United after the FA Cup game, but the team has so many good players in every position and everyone is used to this way of playing now.
Manchester City are hungry to win every competition
At Manchester City, we wanted to win everything, every match and every trophy, and that will always be the case at the club now. I think Manchester City are in a great place to win the Premier League again, they also have a good chance in the FA Cup and in the Champions League too, but this might be competitive, but I think it is possible that they win all three. Winning a treble like this would be a huge achievement and they have a team and manager that can do it this season.
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$50,000 Investment Prize & Global Exposure Await the Next Big iGaming Startup
Xanada Investments announced the launch of the Xanada Pitch Contest 2025, a global competition aimed at supporting iGaming startups seeking investment and growth opportunities in partnership with NEXT.io and Lilith PR Agency.
The contest offers a $50,000 equity investment to the winning startup, along with strategic mentorship, industry connections, and marketing support.
The competition will follow a two-stage selection process. From February 10 to April 1, 2025, startups can submit their applications online. Following the initial evaluation, the top five finalists will be announced on April 10, 2025, and will proceed to a live pitch event at the NEXT Summit in Valletta on May 8, 2025.
A Panel of Experts Will Choose the Winner
The final five startups will pitch their ideas live on stage at NEXT Valletta to a distinguished panel of judges, including:
- Vladimir Malakchi – CEO & Managing Partner, Xanada Investments
- Pierre Lindh – Co-founder & Managing Director, NEXT.io – The World’s iGaming Community
- Dmitry Belianin – CEO & Founder at Belianin, Co-founder & Managing Partner at Blask
- A Secret Judge – To be revealed soon
“A Unique Chance to Scale and Succeed”
“The Xanada Pitch Contest is raising the bar for startup competitions. This is a rare opportunity for iGaming startups – whether they are launching, growing, or looking to scale – to showcase their vision in front of key investors and decision-makers. We are committed to bringing together the brightest minds in the industry to support the next wave of innovation,” said Vladimir Malakchi, CEO & Managing Partner of Xanada Investments.
Who Should Apply?
The contest is open to Pre-Seed, Seed, and Series A startups operating in the iGaming sector. Startups at various growth stages – whether developing new solutions or scaling existing ones – are encouraged to apply.
Application and Key Dates
- Applications Open: February 10 – April 1, 2025
- Top 5 Finalists Announced: April 10, 2025
- Live Pitch Event: May 8, 2025, at NEXT Summit, Valletta
For further information and to apply, visit https://xanada.investments/contest or reach out to Xanada Investments at [email protected]
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Pole Position Performance: GR8 Tech Transforms Client Challenges into Opportunities with CRM
GR8 Tech has launched a five-episode video series that demonstrates how its top-tier CRM can address key client challenges, such as improving communication, automating workflows, and delivering personalized experiences. Through real-life examples from GR8 Tech’s clients, viewers can discover how to unlock CRM’s full potential.
Watch Pole Position Performance: GR8 Tech CRM
Kateryna Pozdnysheva, GR8 Tech’s Chief Client Officer and Head of CRM Business Unit, leads the series. Along with her assistant Addi, Kateryna dives deep into the mechanics of CRM: how to design a CRM journey that targets both casino players and sports enthusiasts, ensuring that each player receives a personalized experience; how to engage with players effectively, test what resonates with them, and adjust strategies in real-time to improve performance. Viewers learn the importance of segmentation tools, which allow CRM to categorize players based on their habits, risk profiles, and preferences, all while navigating diverse markets. The series also emphasizes how to connect with players on a deeper level by crafting campaigns that deliver the right incentives at the perfect moment and via the most effective communication channels.
One of the highlights of GR8 Tech’s CRM solution is its ability to optimize player engagement to drive retention. Through advanced gamification tools like rewarding achievements, the CRM makes player interactions exciting and impactful. The series shows how these dynamic elements enhance the player experience, leading to a 25% increase in first-time deposits, 80% retention on average, and 75% engagement of MAU with gamified features. It highlights how GR8 Tech’s CRM serves as a powerful strategy for delivering personalized, effective, and results-driven client experiences.
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Gainr.ai announces a strategic agreement with Goal Analytics for sports data models
Gainr.ai, a leader in AI-powered alternative trading solutions, is pleased to announce a strategic partnership with Goal Analytics – a top European data analytics company to enhance the performance of the Gainr Trading portfolio through advanced predictive data insights. This collaboration will provide Gainr Trading with high-quality, data-driven intelligence to optimise trading strategies, improve risk management, and refine AI-driven market-making models.
As a specialist in sports data analytics, Goal Analytics will supply Gainr Trading with in-depth statistical models and proprietary data sources, offering a crucial edge in predictive accuracy for trading syndicates. This partnership marks a significant step in Gainr.ai’s commitment to integrating best-in-class analytical expertise into its trading ecosystem, ensuring partners have access to cutting-edge insights to inform their strategies.
Gainr Trading is a scalable alternative trading fund, administered and audited by Suntera, leveraging Gainr.ai’s proprietary technology to execute verified prediction market strategies. The addition of high-quality data analytics strengthens its ability to optimise odds, enhance risk assessment, and refine AI-driven decision-making in real time.
Commenting on the announcement, Theodoros Koumis, CEO and Founder of Gainr.ai, stated: “Access to superior data is at the heart of every high-performance trading strategy. Our partnership with Goal Analytics allows us to integrate deeper statistical intelligence into Gainr Trading, ensuring our partners and investors benefit from the most accurate and actionable insights available. This collaboration underscores our commitment to advancing AI-driven trading solutions with academic-grade models and industry-leading automation.”
“We are very happy to team up with Gainr Trading and share our expertise in football data analytics and algorithm development. Gainr Trading’s expertise and experience in trading and execution makes this a highly compelling partnership forming a very strong syndicate for football. We are excited to support Gainr at all levels with our football data-driven expertise, creating a wide range new opportunities in the industry.” Malte Schmielewski CEO Goal Analytics.
With this expansion into Europe, Gainr.ai continues to enhance its alternative trading intelligence framework, ensuring its ecosystem remains at the forefront of AI-powered trading innovation. As demand for agile, data-driven trading strategies grows, Gainr Trading is well-positioned to provide superior analytics and automation for sports betting syndicates and alternative investment firms.
The post Gainr.ai and Goal Analytics Agree Trading Data Partnership appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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