Looking forward to this weekend

Well, doubtlessly one of the biggest games this weekend takes place in Spain as Atletico Madrid greet cross-town rivals Real Madrid in what is sure to be an intense game, particularly if Cristiano Ronaldo is ruled out for the match! Prior to this match-up, Athletic will be taking on Barcelona in what will hopefully be an interesting game but I cannot really predict how it will turn out. Either Barca will turn on to get the Champions League beating out of their minds or they will continue in their downward spiral. Over in France, Lyon will be meeting St. Etienne as Evian welcome PSG. In theory both of these games should be pretty straight-forward but you never know, Evian's home advantage may inspire them to a draw! As for Portugal, the majority of the action involves the two sides chasing league leaders Benfica - Porto and Sporting Lisbon. While the northern team greet Setubal, in what should be 3 points for the hosts; Sporting may be challenged by Nacional despite being at home. As for the Italian league, just about all of the big names are in action as Roma welcome Siena to the capital for what I would think would be a win for the home side. While the grudge match between Torino and Juventus should be action-packed, I tip the visitors to win as their class is simply too much. Milan v.s. Catania should end in the host's favor Fiorentina, Lazio, and Inter Milan should beat their respective competition: Sampdoria, Parma, and Palermo. Last but not least, Napoli should manage their match against Pescara. On to Germany now! While Dusseldorf face on fire Dortmund, Schalke will have to contend with Hamburg in Gelsenkirchen. Finally, England will see Manchester City play for pride against West Ham as Tottenham face Wigan and Newcastle and Liverpool fight it out in Newcastle. The other prize fight will be between league victors Manchester United and their hosts Arsenal. Then, of course, there is Chelsea v.s. Swansea which should not be too hard for the Blues.

Latest from the Europa League!

Well we have two very close games on our hands as Fenerbahce were able to make it 1-0 against Benfica in Turkey while Basel were edged 1-2 by visiting Chelsea. Though it is true that the margins of these scorelines can be easily overturned, Chelsea's 1st leg against Basel was remarkably close. The opportunities were about level though the Blues had a slight advantage. Despite Victor Moses' 12th minute goal, the English side were absolutely wasteful of their chances. While Yann Sommer, Basel's keeper, played a good game, the real reason the margin was not greater was Chelsea's complacency. Having said that, Fabian Schar slotted home in the 87th minute from the penalty spot to equalize in a bit of luck for the Swiss side. At least, that is what it seemed like until the 4th minute of stoppage time of the 2nd half when David Luiz pulled a rabbit out of his hat: he struck a wonderful free-kick that found its way to goal. As for the game in Turkey, Benfica really should have gone for goal as much as they fouled: committing 17 of the latter, they only had 2 real chances. That, however, is a side story to the match. More significant was the fact that Fenerbahce struck the posts not once or twice but thrice - including a penalty opportunity that the Turks really should have put away. Nevertheless, the home side maintained their motivation and found goal in the 72nd minute through Egemen Korkmaz who actually converted off the woodwork! The header from Korkmaz really did illustrate which side deserved the win on the night as Benfica's defense finally fatally faltered after a poor clearance. As far as the second leg goes, Benfica at home will be a different animal than the one we saw away - that is, as long as they keep their heads and play the game that has brought them success thus far. While Cristian and Dirk Kuyt will make sure that Benfica will need to be impenetrable defensively, the Portuguese side should have the talent to at least give Fenerbahce a run for their money. As for the Basel - Chelsea game, Chelsea's strength at home will probably just be too much for the Swiss visitors in the 2nd leg. Enjoy the weekend!

Champions League Semi-Final Part II

Well color me impressed! While I knew that the home crowd support and attacking prowess of hosts Dortmund would be a challenge for Real Madrid, I certainly did not expect them to blow the Spaniards out in a similar fashion as Barcelona were destroyed in their 1st leg encounter with Bayern Munich. Robert Lewandowski's 8th minute strike for the Germans was obviously the best way the game could have started for Dortmund but as Cristiano Ronaldo equalized in the 43rd minute, one could be forgiven for thinking Real Madrid would start making back ground in the 2nd half. They would clearly be wrong though as Dortmund's 1st half possession dominance continued into the 2nd half, culminating in three more goals for Lewandowski before the game had run its course. How was this possible? Defensively, Madrid just had some lapses as they could not hold onto the rampant German opposition. The 2nd leg encounter will have to be something special on the part of the Spaniards as they will have to stop the scoring as well as make a handful of their own! Though Dortmund technically remain undefeated in their away encounters - another draw on their record would do just fine in this situation - Madrid's home performances allow for some hope on the part of Ronaldo, Ozil and company. Madrid will have to put in a double shift, but I would not put it past them. At the same time, how exhilarating would a Bayern - Dortmund Champions League Final be? Hope you enjoy the games! Do not forget to catch the Fenerbahce v.s. Benfica Europa League match today as well as Basel against Chelsea! I will report on those tomorrow.

Champions League Semi-Final Part I

Many things in life are fleeting. Happiness, success, life itself. Up until today, I would have thought success over Barcelona was one of those fleeting situations in life. I was wrong. While it is true that the referee of the show-down between Bayern Munich and Barcelona was garbage, Barca's defensive deficiencies were painstakingly obvious, and Bayern's home field advantage was tremendously helpful, a 4-0 result was beyond my expectations. Yes, I might have predicted Bayern to win at home, but the manner in which they put Barcelona out of the game was almost laughable. Despite the fact that the Catalan side had over 60% of possession, they only had 4 real chances. While it is true that the Spaniards suffered almost 20 fouls through-out the match (compared to 10 for the Germans) the Bavarians only collected 3 yellows to Barcelona's 4. The blame lies with the visitors though as it was obvious where Barcelona failed most defending corners of which they gave Bayern 11! Despite a rather spiteful dying minutes, Thomas Muller's 25th minute shot opening the scoring got the game off to an exciting pace. When Mario Gomez scored 4 minutes into the 2nd half, Barca's keeper Victor Valdes earned a healthy plate of criticism. It is true, he wasn't helped by his defenders (particularly Jordi Alba who looked out-classed for most of the game in comparison to Muller) but some of the goals he allowed were approaching comical. In the 73rd minute, Arjen Robben's strike was utterly farcical. Utilizing a hybrid basketball-American football move, Robben's marker Jordi Alba was left in the dust by a fellow Bavarian attacked granting the Dutch player a golden opportunity which he took with great relish. Last but certainly not least, Thomas Muller's goal in the 82nd minute was the last cry of a dying side as Barcelona's defense fell completely apart allowing the striker to punch in his second on the night. While Bayern deserve a lot of credit for the way that they conducted the match - specifically the 1st half - there were a number of calls that favored them shall we say. If Barca let this result get to their head, expect a replay of this match in the 2nd leg. While I don't think they will overturn the result, they will at least present more of a threat at home giving the aggregate score a somewhat decent image. That will only be possible, though, if their defensive players actually show up and Valdes actually makes some saves.

As for tomorrow's match between Dortmund and Real Madrid, I cannot see the German side dominate as their compatriots did today. While being at home will certainly help them and the addition to the side of Robert Lewandowski, Sebastian Kehl, and Sven Bender only bodes well for the Germans, not even their recent home record gives them enough of an edge against the giants of Madrid. Having said that, if Michael Essien, Fabio Coentrao, Alvaro Arbeloa, Luka Modric, Angel Di Maria, and Marcelo are all gone, Madrid may just be stretched too far. I think Madrid may have enough to edge the Germans but I could also see the match ending in a draw. If Dortmund are particularly on form on the night though, Madrid may not be able to keep up. Away goals, however, will spell doom for the German side in the end. Hope you are enjoying the matches!

Exhilarating domestic action!

Well, if you thought the European championships are the only interesting thing still happening in soccer, you'd be completely wrong! Yesterday we had the likes of Barcelona edging Levante 1-0, Real Madrid managing Real Betis 3-1, and Valencia obliterating Malaga by a 5-1 scoreline. Elsewhere, Fulham had a fierce match against visiting Arsenal which ended with the Gunners eking through by a 0-1 score. Over in Germany, Leverkusen absolutely destroyed Hoffenheim with 5 goals to the good as Bayern humiliated their hosts Hannover by a 1-6 scoring deficit. As Dortmund beat Mainz 2-0, Schalke were upset by their hosts Eintracht Frankfurt 1-0. Last but not least, Porto defeated Moreirense 0-3 away from home to stay within a point of 1st place Benfica. As for the action of today, Espanyol were able to score 2 against Getafe in Spain while the real thrillers came in England. After all, with the line-ups of Tottenham v.s. Manchester City and Liverpool v.s. Chelsea - today was always going to be exciting. While the greater result has turned out to be Spur's 3-1 victory over visiting City; Liverpool have an exciting game on their hands as they stand at a 1-2 deficit to the Blues. Over in Germany, Stuttgart were able to get a goal over visiting Freiburg in a 2-1 victory as Fiorentina scored 4 to Torino's 3 to earn three points in Italy. Over in Naples, Napoli got the three points from Cagliari in a 3-2 thriller as Sochaux and Bordeaux finished 2-2. As fun as these games have been though, make sure to keep an eye on these games too: Benfica v.s. Sporting - the Lisbon grudge-match - PSG v.s. Nice, Juventus against Milan which poses two of the arguably most quality Italian sides against one another today, and Sevilla take on Atletico. Hope you keep enjoying the games!

Champions and Europa League draws for the Semi-Finals!

Well we have received the results of the Champions League and Europa League draws and they look about as enticing as you would imagine. Starting with the Champions League, Bayern will take on Barcelona as Dortmund meet Real Madrid. For the first game, injury and defensive concerns will be on the front of the docket as Barca will rely heavily on Messi - whether as a creative force or a goal-scorer. If he still isn't 100%, Bayern probably won't be as easy to break down as PSG were in the last round. As for the defensive side of things, Barcelona will have to do more than hold the ball to keep pressure off of their defense. Bayern will be the closest thing to a juggernaut that the Spaniards have met thus far. If Manuel Neuer and the defensive stalwarts of Dante, Philipp Lahm, and company do their job; Barcelona will have a tough time of it. As for goal-scorers, the number of teams that have the diversity of options that Bayern have is extremely limited. So what does all that mean? Well, rather than saying that it is anyone's game (which it really is) I think I will give my vote to Bayern. Barca will be enthralling and dominant, as always, but Bayern will be able to match them. It may go to penalties but if Bayern win at home (which they should) and deny Barca's goal-scorers, I doubt the Catalan side will be able to pull another victory out of the hat.

As for Dortmund's meeting with Real Madrid, while Madrid are obviously the kings of goal-scoring with Cristiano Ronaldo simply on fire; Dortmund remain the only team left at this level of the competition that are undefeated in 10 matches. As for the goal flows themselves, Real Madrid have tended to be more successful from out of the goal-box whereas Dortmund have had more luck cutting inside the area. At the same time, Madrid make the most opportunities though with a slightly better conversion rate. Clearly, both defenses will have to work over-time but I just cannot see Dortmund running away with a victory. If they manage it at home, at best I can see them drawing. For this reason, I'll pick Madrid to make it through.

As for the Europa League ties, Fenerbahce face Benfica as Basel greet Chelsea in their first leg. Despite playing half the number of games, Benfica have scored a relatively similar number of goals to their Turkish hosts in the first leg which promises to be a fantastic fixture. In Portugal, I cannot imagine that Benfica will lose so Fenerbahce will have to go to work from the beginning. With the Portuguese side converting approximately a third of their chances, I will tip Benfica to win in the first match-up.

Meanwhile, Chelsea are the clear favorites against Basel though the fate of fellow-London side Tottenham should serve as a word of caution against the Blues. Defensively, Basel will have to be perfect if they want any chance to claim a draw let alone victory. To turn to counter-factual arguments, even if Basel play the best defense possible, I can't imagine them doing any better than making it to penalties in the 2nd leg. Of course, at that point luck and contextual factors may well favor them but otherwise I see Chelsea going through so long as they don't take the foot off the gas. Enjoy the games!

What has happened in the Champions League and what will be taking place in the Europa League

I'd like to start with the Champions League where Dortmund were able to edge Malaga in a white-knuckle thriller that had us all guessing until the final whistle. Despite the fact that the Spanish side were able to get themselves into a strong position for much of the 1st half following Joaquin's 25th minute goal and a strong showing through-out the pitch; the half ended 1-1 following Robert Lewandowski's equalizer in the 45th minute. While many may have thought that Dortmund would then go to work as the 2nd half began, the reality was that Malaga continued to dominate the game for all intents and purposes though failing to convert. Finally, Eliseu slotted home for Malaga in the 82nd minute - providing them with a lead that would have been golden against just about any other team. Not Dortmund though. Not only did Marco Reus level the score at 2-2 in the 1st minute of extra time but Felipe Santana struck a beauty in the 3rd minute that wrapped things up for the Germans as the full-time whistle blew only moments later.

Over in Turkey Real Madrid were able to make things work by the skin of their teeth against a Galatasaray side that for a few minutes looked like they might be able to overturn a crushing deficit. Though Cristiano Ronaldo got things off to a great start in the 7th minute, the game settled into a lull with the Spaniards defending with sporadic forays up the field. It was in the 2nd half when things really turned on for the Turkish side as Emmanuel Eboue brought Galatasary level on the night in the 57th minute. Then, in the 70th and 72nd minutes respectively Wesley Sneijder and Didier Drogba gave the Spaniards both barrels with a goal apiece. Unfortunately, Madrid managed the game until Ronaldo scored his second in the 2nd minute of extra time in the 2nd half. Though it was 3-2 on the night the aggregate score was a 5-3 affair!

Yesterday, Barcelona and PSG faced off in what was really an enthralling fixture as the visiting French side grabbed the lead early in the 2nd half through Javier Pastore. While this prompted Lionel Messi's introduction to the game, it should be noted that the Catalans peppered the PSG goal for much of the game without success. Then, in the 71st minute, magic happened. While the finishing shot came from the foot of Pedro Rodriquez, the play began as Messi surgically incised himself into the PSG defense. Laying off to David Villa, the striker passed to Pedro who punished the PSG players with a left-footed effort into the back of the net. Thanks to the 2-2 result in the previous leg, Barca went on to advance by the away goals rule.

As for the last of the Champions League games of the Quarter-Final round, Juventus greeted Bayern Munich in Turin to a match that was remarkably similar to the 1st leg. While both goals came in the 2nd half, Bayern held a significant amount of possession in addition to a modest advantage in chances. Of crucial importance was the fact that they converted their opportunities as Juve actually had a comparable chance tally. Of course, when Mario Mandzukic dove for his header in the 64th minute, the tie may well have been decided. Though Juventus goalie Gianluigi Buffon made a great first save, the ensuing goal sums up the story of his game: he played to the best of his ability but defensive deficiencies in front of him left him vulnerable to Bayern's lethal strikers.

Turning now to the Europa League, Rubin Kazan will host Chelsea in a 2nd leg that comes off of a 3-1 victory for the English side. While the Russians should do better at home, I cannot see them undoing the London side's lead. Their only chance will be if goal-tender Sergei Ryzhikov plays an unbelievable game and the likes of Jose Rondon, Vladimir Dyadyun, and Gokdeniz Karadeniz score at least one each. Otherwise, I anticipate a victory for Chelsea.

Up in England, Newcastle v.s. Benfica will be the game I will be watching as the English side hope to make right a 3-1 deficit. While the home field advantage will certainly assist the Magpies, the important thing will be whether they can score a lot of goals. Papiss Cisse and Shola Ameobi will be the go-to figures for those requirements. My prediction would be that defensive failings on the side of the home team will make it too easy for Benfica to score - putting the game out of the grasp of Newcastle.

As for the Swiss encounter between Basel and Tottenham, if the home side can get even a goal against the English opposition then the odds will increase exponentially in their favor. A great deal of stress will be placed on the Basel defense as a break-out performance by Tann Sommer will translate to attacking efforts from talent such as Marco Streller, Valentin Stocker, and Fabian Schar. Of course, there is also the view that the team from Switzerland gave their best in England and will go down to Spurs having played all of their tricks. This will obviously rely on Hugo Lloris (or Brad Friedel) standing tall in goal - a completely viable option. Then, it will be the responsibility of characters such as Gareth Bale, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Emmanuel Adebayor, and Jermain Defoe to score and keep doing so until the game ends.

Last but not least, Lazio v.s. Fenerbahce will demonstrate whether or not Lazio are just terrible travelers or legitimately poor. In Turkey, down to 10 men, it was understandable that the Italians get hit at some point or another. Having said that, Lazio know where the goal is and in front of a home crowd they should have the nerve to at least challenge the Turkish side. The pedigree of the Lazio side up to this point should not be discounted as they had not lost in Europe until the 10 man debacle. Additionally, they do remain undefeated at home. Fenerbahce's form also shouldn't be discounted, though, as the Turks have proved themselves formidable adversaries away from home. I'd give my vote to Fenerbahce but that is with the understanding that the Turkish side will give it their all and not take their feet off of the gas. Otherwise, giving Lazio the room to develop will spell disaster for the visitors. Hope you enjoy the games!

And as for the Europa League

We've had the first leg of Europa League Quarterfinal action then and some thrilling games to boot! While Chelsea triumphed over visiting Rubin Kazan, it was a reasonably close affair up until the half. While Fernando Torres did strike twice, the first was a relatively lucky opportunity in the 16th though the 2nd was absolutely golden: a brilliant header low and hard out of the reach of the keeper. Between these two goals though, Victor Moses converted a beautiful volley from a rebound in the 32nd before Bebras Natcho made it 2-1 from the penalty spot in the 41st minute. Then, there was classic Torres in the 70th, ending the game 3-1. My predictions for the 2nd leg would be that Rubin's notorious counter-attacking abilities will not be put to use as they at best draw in front of a home crowd. Realistically, Chelsea will just be too good for them this time around.

Meanwhile, another London side - Tottenham - welcomed Basel in a brilliant match filled with goals and comebacks as the English side actually went 0-2 down after a quickfire assault from the likes of Valentin Stocker and Fabian Frei. The former goal was a bit lucky as an initial shot from Marco Streller bounced off the woodwork and into the waiting grasp of Stocker who put it away with ease. The second meanwhile, from Fabian Frei, was another bit of luck as the ball somehow found its way to the big man who headed home at the back door. Tottenham were good to not let this hurt them though! Striking before the half was important and the goal came from Emmanuel Adebayor who reacted quickly to strike home Scott Parker's first effort. Last but certainly not least, Gylfi Sigurdsson made it 2-2 as he zipped in from the right side of the field and struck a sweet shot that was even sweeter as it deflected off of defending Fabian Schar who helped it past Basel's keeper Yann Sommer. As far as the 2nd leg is concerned, if Spurs play like they did early in the game they will have no chance in Basel. Having said that, if their performance on the continent is more like their second half then things may just go their way!

Next up is Fenerbahce v.s. Lazio which saw the home side strike late against a depleted Italian side which had an extremely sparse amount of chances. Pierre Webo broke the ice from the penalty spot in the 78th minute. Then, Dirk Kuyt slotted home against Federico Marchetti who was unlucky to get rid of a deadly free kick. It should be noted that before these 78th and 91st minute goals, Ogenyi Onazi was sent off in the 48th minute after receiving a 2nd yellow. Down to 10 men then, Lazio really were going to break at any moment as Fenerbahce dominated the chances tally. If Fenerbahce field the same high-performance team, Lazio will be put to bed quite easily no matter the fact that the Italians have the home field advantage. Lazio will need something special to beat the Turkish side.

Finally, there is Benfica v.s. Newcastle which was honestly a fantastic match. Papiss Cisse had a brilliant strike off a Moussa Sissoko ball in the 12th minute to start the affair in a positive light. The hosting Portuguese took a bit to get together but finally converted in the 25th minute. This was through Rodrigo who latched onto a sublime opening after Oscar Cardozo's attempt was defended by Tim Krul. Next, in the 65th minute, Lima sped into an opening after a defensive mistake which finished by rounding the keeper and putting the ball away. Last but not least, Oscar Cardozo struck clean from the penalty spot after Newcastle's Steven Taylor committed a handball in the area to make it 3-1 as the final whistle blew. If Benfica dominate the opportunities in England as much as they did at home, they will have a chance despite the fact that Newcastle are pretty fierce at home. Enjoy the games!

The Latest from the Champions League

Well, we've already had half of the first legs with the second half coming later today. With PSG tying Barcelona in literally the dying seconds of their fixture in Paris, I was correct in suggesting Barca would tie abroad though I honestly did not expect such a close encounter. For the early portions of the game, PSG actually looked dominant. While many were not surprised by both Messi and Ibrahimovic converting, the goals from Xavi Hernandez and Blaise Matuidi were both special. Before coming off at the half due to what should be a minor injury, Messi ran onto a beautiful chip from Daniel Alves and struck it home low in the 39th. 40 minutes later, Zlatan Ibrahimovic put away an easy shot after Thiago Silva's header bounced back into play. While some might question whether or not he was off-sides, it appeared as though Ibrahimovic was on as the play developed and simply positioned himself correctly as the ball deflected off the crossbar. Following PSG's keeper taking Alexis Sanchez's legs out from under him, Xavi Hernandez converted his penalty opportunity in the 89th minute - seemingly winning the game for Barca. However, Blaise Matuidi took a strike that some would have considered to have no chance. Though Barecelona's keeper Valdes followed the initial trajectory well, the shot took a deflection off of Marc Bartra leaving the Catalans wrong-footed and level as they await the return leg in Spain. Though PSG are rightly on a high after this result, I would predict that Barcelona come out in Spain strong once more with Messi leading the charge.

As for the fixture between Bayern and Juventus, the 1st minute goal from David Alaba really set the tone for the remainder of the match as Bayern finally showed their home form in a 2-0 victory. While possession may have been considered even, the Bavarians simply dominated the opportunities count. Thomas Muller's 63rd minute goal was really icing on the cake as the team mentality was on full display with Mario Mandzukic giving Muller one of the easiest shots in the tournament this year. While Juve will undoubtedly fare better at home in Turin, the chances of them overturning this deficit if Bayern bring the same form is remarkably low. If Toni Kroos is absent for the 2nd leg, Bayern will miss him but do have replacements as Arjen Robben convincingly reminded us with no goals but great plays.

As for today's action, Malaga's encounter with Borussia Dortmund returns the spotlight to the celebrated Spanish giant-slayers. Though both sides are missing valuable players, everyone involved is building up what should be a promising game. The deciding factor will arguably be whether or not Malaga's defense can hold Dortmund vicious assault. Away goals are a critical aspect of the tournament at this stage and Malaga cannot afford to run their match-up with Dortmund as closely as they did against Porto. Starting at home may be a plus for the Spaniards but the Germans have proven themselves worthy opponents both at home and away. Final verdict? Dortmund may just be the straw that breaks the camel's back here. Even if Jakub Blaszczykowski is out, the German side have the likes of Robert Lewandowski, Marco Reus, and Mario Gotze who have performed well this year. Malaga's reliance on midfield goalscoring may be undone as Isco, Eliseu, Joaquin, and Duda may be worn thin.

Last but not least, Real Madrid will greet Turkish side Galatasaray at home in Spain for what many are predicting will be a one-sided affair. While it is true that Madrid have tended to have double the opportunities than their opponents, the scoring between the two sides has been quite close - 18 for the Spaniards and 11 for the Turks. If Raphael Varane, Fabio Coentrao, and Iker Casillas all miss out on the squad, Madrid's defense looks significantly weaker. At the same time, two midfield blows in missing Aydin Yilmaz and Engin Baytar shouldn't be that big of a deal for Galatasaray as the talents of Hamit Altintop, Wesley Sneijder, Johan Elmander, Didier Drogba, Burak Yilmaz, and Umut Bulut are all accounted for. While the Bernabeu will give Madrid the edge here, I would not say that Galatasaray are going to just roll over. They definitely have everything to play for in the 2nd leg if they can hold on here.
 Enjoy the games!