Champions League Leading Up to Thanksgiving! (11/25/2013)

After all of the exciting international action, we return to the club level with the latest round of the Champions League taking place tomorrow, Tuesday the 26th. The match-ups are thrilling as always and have the potential of deciding who we'll see in the knock-out rounds. Russia's Zenit St. Petersburg greet Atletico Madrid of Spain in a match-up between Group G's top two. Having said that, the 7 point gap between Madrid who are up top and Zenit who presently hold 2nd contributes to the must-win nature of the match: Portugal's Porto will be hosting Austria Wein in a game that should go the way of the Portuguese. If that is the case and the Spaniards claim victory in Russia, the table would have Madrid untouchable with 15 points and Porto in 2nd with 7. Austria Wein are playing for pride at this point with just a point to their name as a loss for Zenit would drop them to 3rd with just 5 points and a game to play.
Over in Group E, Switzerland's Basel host England's giants Chelsea. Despite the imperfect nature of Chelsea's qualification campaign up to this point, they sit top of the group with 3 points over 2nd place Schalke. Basel, in 3rd, have 5 while 4th position Steaua Bucuresti have 2. The home field advantage should help the Swiss side, though I cannot see them overpowering the Blues. Over in Romania, Steaua will hope for a better performance against Germany's Schalke at home though the latter side are arguably the favorites.
Group H's bottom of the table Celtic will hope to put on a show in Glasgow when they face Italy's AC Milan. Though typically better at home, I can't help but feel the Scots will fall to the power of the Italians. Nevertheless, the hope of qualification may spur Celtic to victory - 3 points and a Barcelona victory against Ajax would position Celtic in 2nd a point above Milan. I doubt it'll happen but I'll be cheering for them! Group leaders Barcelona sit tidy with 10 points and should play well in Holland when they face-off against 3rd position Ajax who have 4.
Rounding up the action tomorrow, Group F has co-leaders Arsenal taking on bottom-of-the-table Marseille at home in England. With 0 points up to this point, I think the French side would be incredibly lucky to get through the 90 minutes with a draw. The other side with 9 points, Napoli, travel to Germany as they face 3rd place Dortmund who have 6. Victory for the Germans would move them up to at least 2nd thanks to a superior goal difference than their Italian counterparts. With that in mind, the performance over the weekend by the Gelsenkirchen side was not confidence-inspiring: losing 3-0 at home to Bayern Munich! I would not say that Napoli are quite at Bayern's level, and their recent performances have been less than ideal. Based on the team-sheets, the continued losses of Mats Hummels, Marcel Schmelzer, and Neven Subotic will hurt the Germans - particularly defensively. At the same time, Marek Hamsik's injury on the Napoli side decreases their goal-scoring options. In the end, the Italians arguably have a greater depth in terms of goal-scoring, but the match will be decided by the defenses. Enjoy the games and look for more tomorrow!

Champions League 11/5/2013

Some delightful matches taking place today as Plzen host Bayern Munich; Juventus v.s. Real Madrid; Kobenhavn take on Galatasaray; Paris St. Germain against Anderlecht; Shakhtar Donetsk face-off against Bayer Leverkusen; Olympiacos greet Benfica; Real Sociedad invite Manchester United to Spain; and Manchester City welcome CSKA Moskva to Northern England. I predict that Bayern will seize victory in the Czech Republic while Juve may meet their match in Real Madrid - it'll be a close game but the Spaniards might just have too much fire-power. Kobenhavn - Galatasaray will likely be a tight affair though the Turkish side should claim victory despite the home field advantage of the Danish hosts. PSG v.s. Anderlecht should be a straightforward match with the French side outgunning and outmaneuvering their guests. Shakhtar Donetsk's game with Bayer Leverkusen will be close, I could see the two sides ending level though there should be at least one goal. As Olympiacos face Portuguese side Benfica, they will likely miss the presence of Michael Olaitan up top though their defensive stalwarts remain in place to squeak out a tense draw with the visiting Portuguese club. The fact that Olympiacos is the make-or-break point on Benfica's title hopes was not lost on their players - the two sides are level on 4 points with PSG well clear in the group. The game-changer will arguably be Kostas Mitroglou: if he can add to his goal tally, the Greeks may very well pull clear. On the other hand, if the Portuguese can shut him down and get their strikers in order, it may be a feeding frenzy. Manchester United should secure an additional three points in their game at Real Sociedad despite the long list of injuries for the Red Devils. Last but certainly not least, Manchester City's game against CSKA Moskva should be another instance in which a Manchester side delivers the three points. The number of injuries on both sides suggest that the team with the greater depth will move forward. At the same time, I would love to see Rasmus Elm turn-on for the Russian side. Enjoy the games!

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!

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!

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!