It's a Double Date!

Fascinating matches around Europe this week as we learned the finalists of both the Champions League and the Europa League. In the first competition, Atletico Madrid were victorious over Chelsea by a 3-1 margin despite a 0-0 home fixture! It was a tense second leg with Fernando Torres putting the home side up in the 36th minute. Adrian Lopez equalized for the Spaniards just before the half time interval, while teammates Diego Costa and Arda Turan slotted home in the 60th and 72nd minutes respectively to decisively eliminate the English side from contention in the Final. In the other semi-final, Real Madrid had a 1-0 lead after the first leg at home and were traveling to Germany to face Bayern Munich in what had the opportunity to be a massive battle. Instead, the performance was anticlimactic as Bayern crumbled in the first half. Sergio Ramos struck twice within five minutes - in the 16th and 20th minutes - to put the Germans on the ropes. Cristiano Ronaldo then struck a third in the 34th minute to make it a 4-0 aggregate scoreline. It was clear that Bayern didn't have much to add to the conversation going into the second half, pressing forward somewhat better though never convincingly. Ronaldo's second strike, in the 90th minute, sealed the defending champions' fate: Bayern were out in humiliating fashion and an all-Spanish Final was set for the Champions League. Interestingly, both sides that lost had majorities of possession; Bayern more so with almost 65% of the ball. Just goes to show that it is more important to know what to do with the ball than to sit around holding it!

As for the Europa League, one of the semi-finals lived up to the billing while the other ended with a whimper. Juventus-Benfica was a harsh slog with a 1-2 scoreline from the first leg. The fact that the Italians had almost five times as many opportunities on goal than the Portuguese did not help Juve. Neither did the lion's share of possession, 63% going to the second leg hosts. In fact, by the end nerves were showing and tempers flared with three red cards coming in the last 23 minutes - two of those coming in the 89th minute. There were no goals in Italy, despite Juve's best efforts. Hopefully that is not a foretaste of what is to come in the Final! Turning to the Spanish semi-final now, Sevilla were outplayed in Valencia up until literally the final minute of the match. Sofiane Feghouli scored in the 14th minute for Valencia followed by an own goal by Sevilla's keeper Beto in the 26th minute. Matters were not helped by Jeremy Mathieu's 69th minute strike that gave the hosts an aggregate lead of 3-2. Against the run of play, though, Stephane Mbia headed home in the 4th minute of stoppage time of the second half to make it 3-3 on aggregate, Sevilla going through on away goals.

Just to recap then, the Champions League Final in Lisbon, Portugal will pit Real Madrid against Atletico Madrid while the Europa League will see its conclusion in Turin, Italy with Benfica and Sevilla facing off for glory. Expect a blog post in the near future to examine the respective team's chances. I would love to see Atletico and Benfica winning the respective competitions, but more later! Hope you enjoyed the matches!

Europa League Semi-Finals 4/24/2014

Exciting matches today as Benfica took on Juventus while in Spanish domestic opponents Sevilla and Valencia faced-off for the right to play in the Final on the 14th of May. In the first pairing, the action was intense, though tentative. Ezequiel Garay gave the Portuguese the lead in the 3rd minute after heading home. Slowly but surely, the Italians responded, commanding the match with little to show for it until Carlos Tevez found the net in the 73rd minute of the second half. The home fans never wavered, and they were rewarded for their faith as Benfica went on to strike a 2-1 advantage into the second leg as the 31 year old Lima scored. Between the two sides, I think that Juve will win at home in the return fixture. If Arturo Vidal can return to form following an absence due to knee injury, that will make the Italians' job that much easier. Prolonged losses on the Benfica bench may also negatively impact the Portuguese side's chances at winning through: Eduardo Salvio and Nicolas Gaitan alone would bring firepower and flair to the side that is desperately needed. Continuing to miss Silvio in defense and Ljubomir Fejsa in the midfield is also unfortunate, though the Eagles showed that they could perform with the players they have available. Either way, it is going to be a great game.

Turning now to the Sevilla-Valencia fixture, I would just like to point out that the visitors arguably dominated the match, particularly the first thirty minutes and the last fifteen. Nevertheless, Sevilla showed their salt. Through the amazing Ivan Rakitic, Stephane Mbia and Carlos Bacca were able to slot home in the 33rd and 36th minutes respectively, putting the game to bed despite Valencia's best efforts. Looking forward to the next fixture, the loss of Coke will be a hit to Sevilla, in addition to the continued injuries of Sebastian Cristoforo and Denis Cheryshev. On the other bench, Valencia will be hoping that Diego Alves recovers in time for the second leg if they are going to have any hope of progressing to the next round. Vicente Guaita has performed well enough, but with Victor Ruiz, Ricardo Costa, and possibly Philippe Senderos out, Valencia will need an experienced set of hands at the back. Enjoy the games next week!

Champions League and Europa League Update! 4/11/2014

One step closer to the Final now, with both the Champions League and the Europa League entering their Semi-Final stages. In the former, Atletico Madrid will face Chelsea while Real Madrid take on holders Bayern Munich for the right to compete in the showpiece event in Lisbon. In the face-off between England's remaining representative Chelsea and Atletico Madrid, the sheer depth of the Madrid bench may out-perform the London side. If the Blues can get the likes of Samuel Eto'o, Andre Schurrle, and Marco Van Ginkel back into the side, they will arguably look much the better team. Atletico meanwhile will be set on getting Diego Costa and Arda Turan back into their side ahead of their first leg encounter in Madrid. Much will depend on Atletico's home performance as Chelsea have consistently under-performed away from home. As far as the defenses are concerned, Chelsea's Peter Cech obviously has the most experience at this level of competition between the two - though I would conjecture that Thibaut Courtois may have the better put together defensive front. If Diego Costa isn't at 100% fitness, I would predict Chelsea getting through by the skin of their teeth. Turning now to the Real Madrid-Bayern Munich match-up, it is curious that the Germans have no back-ups for Manuel Neuer since Tom Starke and Lukas Raeder are both out through injury. All the same, the Germans would be my pick to go through if Cristiano Ronaldo is less than 100% fit and the likes of Sami Khedira, Alvaro Arbeloa, and Marcelo are out. Bayern will doubtless continue to miss the talents of Thiago Alcantara and Xherdan Shaqiri though I think Mario Mandzukic, Arjen Robben, and Thomas Muller alone could get the Germans past the Spaniards. Gareth Bale will remain a menacing option for Real; and Karim Benzema, Angel Di Maria, or Isco may have a burst of form. Having said that, the defensive stalwarts for Bayern such as Philipp Lahm, Rafinha, Jerome Boateng, and Dante should keep the heat off of Neuer. I'm actually not sure which way the opener in Madrid will go. Bayern have traveled well in the tournament thus far, though Real have been in terrifying home form so they may well earn themselves a hard-fought lead. That'll just mean the second leg will leave everything to play for!

As for the Europa League, we have a mix of Iberian and Southern European contestants this year with Benfica paired with Juventus and Sevilla poised to take on domestic opponents Valencia. I'll start with the all-Spanish bout with Sevilla the team that I am not-so-secretly rooting for. For one thing, they have the depth of bench to let them compete at this level despite injuries to (arguably nonessential) midfielders Denis Cheryshev and Sebastian Cristoforo. Otherwise, Javier Varas has been as fit as a fiddle with Beto a more than adequate stand-in if circumstances require. As for scoring talent, Kevin Gameiro is an obvious target man for the Valencia defense though Carlos Bacca and Vitolo have proved deadly. Unless Sevilla cement at least a two goal lead (for best results, without allowing any away goals) when they greet Valencia in the series opener, I think Valencia's Paco Alcacer and Fede Cartabia may be enough to push them through. Now for bad news on Valencia: Diego Alves, their top keeper, will likely be out due to injury for at least the first game in Sevilla. Vicente Guaita has been a decent stand-in, I do not expect he will have as easy a time as he did against Basel in the second leg. Rather, Sevilla should be disciplined and I wouldn't be surprised to see a scoreline similar to the one we saw in Basel: 3-0 for Sevilla? Let's see if it happens! Between Juve and Benfica, I have mixed emotions. These are two teams that I have greatly enjoyed watching. Defensively, the two sides have opposite problems. Whereas the Portuguese may be missing their goalkeeper Artur for the first leg, the Italians are without three - yes three! - significant defending talents: Andrea Barzagli, Federico Peluso, and Angelo Ogbonna. Having said that, Bonucci, Caceres, and Chiellini are in as is Gianluigi Buffon. Rubin Amorim is also doubtful for Benfica, though Rodrigo and Lima are the great attacking prongs of the Portuguese side. Oscar Cardozo is always a danger man, while Eduardo Salvio, Lazar Markovic, and Nicolas Gaitan may hit a run of form to propel their team into the Final. As well as being fabulous defenders, Luisao and Ezequiel Garay may surprise by adding to their respective goal tallies as well. Over on the Italian side, the incentive to perform is certainly evident as Juve would be playing at home in Turin if they get through the Portuguese. Pablo Osvaldo will probably be shut down by Benfica, though with names such as Sebastian Giovinco, Carlos Tevez, Fernando Llorente, Arturo Vidal, Andrea Pirlo, and even Paul Pogba on the roster, the Old Ladies can never be written off. With both sides having a phenomenal record thus far in the Europa League, it is honestly a crap-shoot. I might favor Juve to make some magic, but don't expect Benfica to take anything lying down. Jan Oblak has performed admirably in the Eagles' goal, and if he is called to represent the club again, I would expect a performance similar to Benfica's matches against Tottenham Hotspur. Enjoy the games!

Europa League Quarter Finals Draw 3/21/2014.

Almost as exciting as the Champions League draw, the next round of the Europa League will see giants go head to head alongside minnows hoping to slay some giants. First up is AZ Alkmaar's game with SL Benfica. If the Portuguese side can get keeper Artur back into the line-up and survive without Silvio in defense, they have the scoring talent to put one over their Dutch opponents. As for AZ, the loss through suspension of Jeffrey Gouweleeuw will be a blow to their prospects. Nevertheless, Johann Gudmundsson and Nick Viergever should make life difficult for Benfica in the first leg in the Netherlands. Possibly the tie of the round, Lyon's game with Juventus promises action, suspense, and Andrea Pirlo. The midfield magic-maker was critical in putting the Italian giants past Fiorentina in the Round of 16. If the French side cannot shut him down, they may as well pack up and go home. As for the team news, almost half of Juve's eligible defensive line is out: Andrea Barzagli, Federico Peluso, and Angelo Ogbonna make up that number. Claudio Marchisio is also out in midfield meaning the likes of Pablo Osvaldo and Arturo Vidal will be relied upon heavily. If Andrea Pirlo continues his amazing form, Juve may just make it to the Final in Turin. As for Lyon, they have their share of injuries - defenders Gueida Fofana and Samuel Umtiti in addition to midfielder Clement Grenier - though the depth of their bench does stand as a factor in their favor. If Bafetimbi Gomis and Alexandre Lacazette are not closed down by the Italians, the French very well may win through. It will be though for the Italians in France in the first leg but I think they have the quality to progress so long as Gianluigi Buffon stays sharp and his teammates at the other hand make some fire. While Valencia are an obvious choice to make it through at the expense of Basel of Switzerland, I think the injuries and suspensions list only swing the balance even more in the favor of the Spaniards. The dubious status of Ivan Ivanov, Kay Voser, Fabian Schar, Behrang Safari, Serey Die, Marcelo Diaz, Taulant Xhaka, and Endogan Adili put the Swiss giants in a precarious position. Much depends on 32 year old Marco Streller while Valentin Stocker and Gaston Sauro have to show more consistency if they expect their side to get past Valencia. Everything isn't chocolate and roses for the Spaniards though, with Ricardo Costa and Philippe Senderos injured and Seydou Keita suspended. All the same, the talents of Paco Alcacer, Fede Cartabia, and company should overpower their Swiss opposition unless Yann Sommer - Basel's goalie - performs some magic worthy of sainthood. Last but not least, Porto - Sevilla will be an amazing Iberian encounter with the Portuguese side clear favorites to win after knocking out Napoli in the previous round. The Spanish side will regret the losses of Daniel Carrico, Stephane Mbia, Sebastian Cristoforo, Denis Cheryshev, and (through suspension) Vicente Iborra. Unless Kevin Gameiro or Diego Perotti step up and shoulder some of the load, I'm dubious that Javier Varas will be able to keep the Sevilla goal free of balls. On the other bench, Porto will hope goalkeeper Helton recovers from his ankle injury swiftly or else expect a feast of goals that could go either way. Fabiano is a decent sort but I doubt he can fill the gloves of Helton. Compounding factors include the suspension of Alex Sandro but otherwise, I think the Portuguese are too much for their Spanish neighbors. Putting a good performance in will be critical for Sevilla who travel to northern Portugal for the first leg. Make sure to catch a game or two!

Europa League Round of 16 - 3/13/2014

Scintillating performances throughout Europe today, let's begin with Porto - Napoli. Playing at home, the Portuguese were probably hoping for a lead to take into the second leg with a clean-sheet the best result defensively. Well, they got it! With slightly more possession and opportunities in front of goal, Porto played a tense first half with Napoli absorbing pressure though unable to successfully counter. Finally, in the 57th minute of the second half, Jackson Martinez slotted home for the Northern Portuguese side off of a corner kick to give his side a lead they retained (without adding to it) for the rest of the match. All the same, I would expect Napoli to show more tooth in the return fixture in front of their home fans. If Gonzalo Higuain is actually included in the squad for the game in Italy, I would think the side from Naples will claim victory. Gokhan Inler and Lorenzo Insigne will have to be on their games as well though, if Napoli are to progress much further in the competition. Porto on the other hand will hope that Helton in goal can maintain his record begun this game while coach Luis Castro will hope defender Eliaquim Mangala or veteran striker Ricardo Quaresma will be able to find the back of the net at least once each.

Next up? Basel versus Salzburg! If you thought the 1-0 result between Porto and Napoli was close, the showdown between the last Swiss and Austrian representatives was a nail-biter! A flurry of yellow cards midway through the fist half put the game off of its pace though the visitors did have the lions share of the opportunities. Nevertheless, the defensive stalwarts at Basel ensured their goal net did not bulge. At the same time, either Marco Streller or Valentin Stocker will have to score if the Swiss side want any chance at making it through to the next round. The second leg in Austria will be a tough one and I suspect Jonatan Soriano will be the decisive factor. The injury to Alan is obviously less than ideal for Salzburg, but with Peter Gulacsi in goal, Martin Hinteregger providing much needed energy in the defense, and Sadio Mane in the midfield, things are looking relatively good for the Austrians.

Turning now to my favorite dark horses, Bulgarian side Ludogorets, they appear to have been dealt a hand they cannot win in Valencia. A great deal rested on Ludogorets' home performance, though Valencia's away record is a formidable one. Frankly, the Spaniards just overwhelmed the Bulgarians. Antonio Barragan's 5th minute goal bloodied the hosts, though the sending off of Seydou Keita in the 24th minute did not prove the God-send Lodogorets needed: Roman Bezjak's penalty attempt was saved in the 26th minute while Fede Cartabia made it 0-2 in the 33rd minute. Going in for the half, the Bulgarians had every right to be disappointed in themselves. Sadly, that disappointment was not channeled in a constructive manner: Philippe Senderos made it 0-3 for Valencia in the 59th minute while Juninho Quixada was sent off in the 80th minute for Ludogorets to cap a terrible night for the hosts. Next week, the Bulgarians must support Bezjak better if they have any chance of fighting for pride in Spain - making it to the next round is probably out of their reach. With Juninho out, the likes of Virgil Misidjan and Hristo Zlatinski will have to step up alongside keeper Vladislav Stoyanov and his defense. Otherwise, I see no reason why Valencia shouldn't go ahead and book their ticket for the next round.

Up in England, Tottenham Hotspur really needed a good result against SL Benfica if they had any hope of turning what has been an underwhelming season around. They were unsuccessful in their attempt. Despite 10% less possession, the Portuguese had double the goal-scoring opportunities and almost three times as many efforts that actually tested Hugo Lloris in Spurs' goal. By the numbers, it was only a matter of time before one of those shots found their way in. Turns out, it was Rodrigo who gave Benfica a 0-1 lead at White Hart Lane in the 30th minute. Many of the home fans were probably happy to go in at the half just one down, however the second half quickly saw the English sides situation worsen: Benfica's captain and veteran defender Luisao struck home in the 58th minute to make it 0-2. Christian Eriksen did claw one back for Spurs, but 6 minutes before the end of the game Luisao struck again to bring him level with fellow-veteran Lima at the top of the club's scoring list for the year. Trouble is on the horizon for Tottenham if their performance doesn't improve on the road!

Welcoming Russian minnows Anji Makhachkala to the Netherlands was a positive start to the two-legged tie for Dutch side AZ Alkmaar, though they made it as difficult as possible for themselves. Despite 63% of possession, AZ could only score through Aron Johannsson's penalty in the 29th minute. Counter-intuitively, Anji were actually the side with more opportunities, roughly double the amount that the Netherlands' final representative in the Europa League tallied. Frankly, if there had been as many goals as there were cards handed out, it would have been a much better game in my opinion. Having said that, I hope Anji play with a similar style at home; they just might win it! If goalie Esteban isn't on form in Russia, I would hope the members of Anji's relatively unknown squad are able to connect and create something beautiful. A place in the next round may be asking a little much, but if the Russians can keep Johann Gudmundsson and Nick Viergever off of their games, anything is possible - they just need some goals.

French side Lyon's game with the Czech Republic's Viktoria Plzen was an understandably more one-sided affair: the gulf in class was just too great. Although Plzen did deliver a slap to the face with their 2nd minute goal through Tomas Horava, it was in all likelihood a fluke with Lyon going on to dominate possession with 62% of the ball and scoring a total of four times for a 4-1 final scoreline. Gueida Fofana equalized for the French in the 12th minute, a situation remained until 8 minutes after the half-time break. Then, it was Alexandre Lacazette who struck in the 53rd minute before Arnold Mvuemba tacked on a third in the 61st. Just to cement their commanding position, Fofana gave Lyon their fourth goal in the 70th minute to leave Plzen tangled in the ropes going into the second leg. A Czech comeback would probably require the return of Matus Kozacik though the aged back-line is not doing them any favors. It would be great to see some more goals from Milan Petrzela, Stanislav Tecl, Daniel Kolar, or even Tomas Horava, but I doubt any such goals would be anything more than a consolation prize.

Down in Spain, Sevilla versus Real Betis was a domestic encounter on the international stage that saw the hosts fall flat on their face. With 70% of possession, Sevilla lost their heads after Leo Baptistao's 15th minute goal gave the visitors the lead. The number of yellow cards that were accrued by Betis may cause them to be more cautious in the second leg, but a second goal from Salva Sevilla (yes, that is his name; Sevilla may well be kicked out courtesy of Sevilla) in the 77th minute ironed out who was on top. Honestly though, there is no reason why Sevilla (the club, not the player) should just bow out with a whimper. Kevin Gameiro, Vitolo, and Diego Perotti should produce something in the return fixture as Sevilla play regularly in league competition at home to Real Betis. Based solely on today's performance though, I would say Beto should perhaps be rested for the next match and replaced by Javier Varas in goal while I guess I don't see why Daniel Carrico wasn't started.

Finally, another domestic rivalry played out on the world stage: Juventus against Fiorentina! It was a story of two halves with hosts Juve dominating the first after Arturo Vidal gave them the lead in the 3rd minute of the match. Then the Chilean went on to miss what could well have been at least two more goals, providing the visitors with the half-time break to draw up a strategy to take the game to the Bianconeri. Surprisingly, it was Mario Gomez who struck for Fiorentina, in the 79th minute, to make it a 1-1 game as the final whistle blew 13 minutes later. Let's see if the German can make some more goals like that in Brazil! Nothing against the Fiorentina side, but Juventus should just have too much in the bag to get kicked out just like that. Expect an explosive return leg, perhaps an Andrea Pirlo assist, goals from either Pablo Osvaldo, Arturo Vidal or Fernando Llorente (if he plays). Without Giorgio Chiellini the back line does look somewhat less formidable, but with Gianluigi Buffon in goal and a number of talented defenders to call on, Juve are still in this. Have a great weekend!

Europa League Latest! 2/27/2014.

First off I hope everyone is having a great week thus far - happy Thursday and a pleasant weekend to you! Now, for why you all are reading: a round-up of the results from today's Europa League games. Fiorentina were able to see off Esbjerg on aggregate despite a well-fought performance by the Danish side away from home. The fact that Esbjerg left it until the 1st minute of stoppage time of the 2nd half indicates that their Italian hosts were much the better team. All the same, they did hold off wave after wave of assaults from Fiorentina. The Italians had about double the possession and the opportunities as their Danish guests. After a tense 1st half, Josip Ilicic was the man to put Fiorentina ahead in the 47th minute from a set-piece. It should be said that the first leg's 1-3 scoreline in favor of Fiorentina allowed them to play a controlled match to say the least.

Onwards to another Italian representative, Juventus! After a 2-0 home victory, the Europa League Final hosts could well have considered themselves on their way to the next round. Their opponents, Trabzonspor of Turkey, didn't seem to have much in the tank as they hosted Juve and witnessed another 2-0 result, again in the favor of the Italians. Arturo Vidal opened the scoring in the 18th minute while Pablo Osvaldo tacked on a 2nd in the 33rd minute to sink the hopes of many a Trabzonspor fan. The victory means that it will be two Italians facing each other in the next round: Fiorentina hoping to perform well against their domestic rivals.

As for Maccabi Tel-Aviv versus Basel, a 0-0 first leg meant the Swiss side had an advantage going into the return leg at home. The hosts frankly dominated the match, taking a majority of possession but more importantly using it to great effect: Valentin Stocker opened the scoring account in the 17th minute and Basel never looked back. Marco Streller plucked two more peaches in the 2nd half - the 60th and 71st minutes respectively - to make it Basel's night. While Maccabi Tel-Aviv did show some life at the end of the game, they never really looked like the kind of team that deserved to make it into the next round.

Who will Basel be facing though? That'd be Salzburg, of Austria, who absolutely went to town on the Netherlands' Ajax. Following a first leg that saw Ajax lose 0-3 at home, I must admit that opinions were low that they would be able to mount a comeback. And - well - those thoughts were validated with Salzburg winning 3-1 at home. Sure, the Dutch side did have more of the possession, but attempts were very clearly in Salzburg's favor. It all started falling apart in the 56th minute when Mike van der Hoorn put the ball into his own net. True, the Austrians looked the better side throughout the 1st half, but the floodgates finally broke with Sadio Mane making it 2-0 in the 66th minute and Jonatan Soriano striking Salzburg's 3rd in the 77th. While Davy Klaassen did bring the visitors one back in the 82nd minute, it was smooth sailing for the hosts. The lack of any clinical goal-scorers should probably noted as Ajaxs' most pressing problem. That and their defensive frailty that is.

Over to Iberia now where Benfica convincingly dealt with their opposition - PAOK - by a 3-0 scoreline for a 4-0 aggregate. In all honesty though, two things should be noted about the Greeks: first of all, goalkeeper Panagiotis Glykos was the only reason that the scoreline was not more embarrassing. Having said that, much of the blame for why PAOK ended up losing as badly as they did was because Kostas Katsouranis was sent off in the 69th minute. A minute later, Nicolas Gaitan was celebrating Benfica's first goal of the night and Lima and Lazar Markovic added one each in the 78th and 79th minutes respectively. Would the Greeks have been able to pull something out of the hat if their captain had remained on the field? I doubt it. But it happened and Benfica will be facing Tottenham Hotspur in the next round!

Winning 3-2 on aggregate, Spurs honestly edged Ukraine's Dnipro. It could very well have gone the other way. Roman Zozulya actually put the Ukrainians ahead in London for all of about eight minutes of the 2nd half after scoring in the 48th minute. While Christian Eriksen equalized for Spurs in the 56th, the Ukrainians finally broke in the 65th minute: Zozulya had been sent off 2 minutes earlier and Emmanuel Adebayor found a brilliant run of form to make it 3-1 on the day. Unlucky for Dnipro but well deserved for Adebayor and his Spurs teammates.

The other Round of 16 tie will be a face-off between Sevilla and Real Betis after the two Spanish clubs beat back stiff competition from Maribor and Rubin Kazan respectively. In the former, the Slovenians could well have tallied several more strikes if they had their heads on right - Sevilla were not the most well-put-together side today. All the same, Maribor were hammered Jose Antonio Reyes and Kevin Gameiro on either side of the half before the Slovenians finally got through, courtesy of Dare Vrsic in the 2nd minute of stoppage time of the 2nd half. As for Betis' showdown with Kazan, the Spaniards didn't have any easy time against the Russians. Betis' advantage in terms of possession eventually allowed them to tally a couple of their attempts - arriving through Nono and Ruben Castro in the 45th and 64th minutes.

In France, yet another game was decided by a booking with Chornomorets Odesa of Ukraine holding their own until Evgeniy Zubeiko was sent-off with a second yellow in the 76th minute. Jumping on a glorious opportunity, Lyon finally broke the deadlock that had lasted almost 180 minutes with Alexandre Lacazette striking with 10 minutes left to play. Lyon will then face Plzen who saw off Shakhtar Donetsk by an aggregate score of 2-3. While Luiz Adriano helped the Ukrainians keep it close, the Czech Republic will have a representative in the Round of 16 thanks to Daniel Kolar and Milan Petrzela.

In my opinion the tie of the Round of 32 was the one that saw Eintracht Frankfurt and Porto punch out a 5-5 aggregate scoreline with the Portuguese side claiming victory thanks to away goals. It was certainly the way football was meant to be played. As sorry as I am to see Frankfurt drop out, they performed at an excellent caliber. Porto will be facing Napoli in the Round of 16 after the Italians defeated England's Swansea by a scoreline of 3-1 after going 0-0 in England. Insigne, Inler, and Higuain were the ones who made it happen for the Italians - promising an exciting tie when the Mediterranean countries face-off.

After beating Dynamo Kyiv 2-0 in Ukraine, Valencia held onto a 0-0 draw in Spain to set-up a date with Bulgaria's giant-slayers Ludogorets who took down Lazio by an aggregate score of 4-3. Scoring early and often, I am really enjoying seeing how far the Bulgarians can go; I wouldn't mind seeing them take Valencia down too! Roman Bezjak is definitely the engine of the machine: 5 goals to his name in this year's competition and he has the support of other unknowns such as Virgil Misidjan and Juninho Quixada. If Vladislav Stoyanov and his defenders can keep things a little tidier in the back, we just might see a miracle.

Last but certainly not least, Anji Makhachkala vs AZ Alkmaar! While certainly putting two of the remaining minnows into the same Round of 16 birth should prove competitive, I would be surprised to see either of these teams make it through the Quarter Final stage. Nevertheless, Russia's sole representative in the Europa League is Anji who got by Genk (of Belgium) through a combination of luck - an own goal to open the scoring in the 64th minute - and skill, courtesy of Olexandr Aliyev. As for AZ, they remain the last team from the Netherlands at this stage of the competition. The fact that they were tested so strenuously by Slovan Liberec of the Czech Republic would lead me to tip the Russians as the side who reach the Quarter Finals. Make sure to check back here next week for more of the action!

Champions League November 6th 2013

More thrilling action today as Porto will be hoping for more success than their Portuguese counterparts Benfica had yesterday. They face off against Zenit St. Petersburg who have proven staunch opponents in the past several meetings between the two sides. I would tip the Russians to seize victory based on their record thus far in the competition as they stand a point above the Portuguese side. Atletico Madrid's match against Austria Wein should be a far more straightforward affair with at least 1 goal separating the two sides. The injuries on both sides might make for a tentative match-up though the hopeful return of Leo Baptistao should prove positive for the Spaniards as he has found goal once in 5 games for the Madrid side. The likes of Diego Costa, Arda Turan, and Gabi should be enough to swing the game in Atletico's favor. Barcelona-Milan will likely be a critical affair with 3 points for the Spaniards arguably sufficient to get them through to the next round. 3 for Milan would put them at the top of the group. I would suggest a draw or a Milan victory given the injury problems Barca have gone through with Isaac Cuenca, Ibrahim Afellay, and Jordi Alba side-lined and Adriano and Gerard Pique operating at less than 100% efficiency. Nevertheless, the likes of Messi and Neymar alone should give Milan a run for their money. A strong defense will be critical for the Italians. Dortmund v.s. Arsenal is a crucial showdown in Group F with the two and Napoli tied at 6 points each. If Marseille have any hope of putting in a good showing this year internationally, they will have to really impress in Italy as they travel to fight Napoli. Their odds are not good, shall we say. Returning to the bout in Germany, Arsenal will be hard pressed after losing in England to the Germans. Injuries on both sides will force both coaches to reconsider their tactics with the likes of Theo Walcott, Lukas Podolski, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, and Jack Wilshere missing for Arsenal alone. Sebastian Kehl, Lukasz Piszczek, Ilkay Gundogan, Mats Hummels, and Marcel Schmelzer are all at various fitness levels for Dortmund. My prediction is that Dortmund will either claim victory or settle for a draw. The arguable minnows of Group E, Basel's match against Steaua Bucuresti should see at least a goal as the return of Valentin Stocker bodes well for the Swiss side. The fact that 3 points would put Basel into contention for a qualification spot should motivate them to success at home. As for the other Group E match-up, Chelsea will be expecting victory at home despite the loss of Fernando Torres and Ryan Bertrand. Their German opponents Schalke will be missing Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Jefferson Farfan; although whispers of Adam Szalai, Roman Neustadter, and Kyriakos Papadopolous putting in a shift will excite Gelsenkirchen fans. At the end of the day, Chelsea should win the match by a goal. Celtic's road game against Ajax is relatively difficult to call with both sides missing players such as creative talent Bojan Krkic and defensive stalwarts Adam Matthews and Steven Mouyokolo. I think the home field advantage might tip the affair in the Dutch side's favor as the Scots are notoriously poor performers abroad. Enjoy the games!

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!

Last step to the Final(s)

The Final matches of the Champions and Europa Leagues have been decided and we can expect some absolutely golden performances! While it is going to be an all-German affair in the Champions League, Bayern and Dortmund should give us a positively exhilarating match - so long as they stick to the attacking football that has led them this far. While I wouldn't put it past the north-westerners to go for broke, I think the Bavarians will be too much for Dortmund. Having said that, it should be a close match but expect Lewandowski to be pinned down by the Bayern defense: they realize after both domestic and international appearances that he is the attacking linchpin of the Dortmund side.

Then there is the Europa League Final which pits Benfica of Portugal against Chelsea of England. Saying that Chelsea are the favorites in this tie is an understatement as the big-money club have the bigger players, the better pedigree, and the hunger to win at least one piece of silverware this year since they have lost their domestic opportunities. Nevertheless, the Portuguese shouldn't just roll over for the London side. The atmosphere will be a lively one in Amsterdam and the two sides should put on a decent display. While Benfica technically have the better record of the two sides thus far, Chelsea's goal-scoring prowess is slightly better than Benfica's. Despite the fact that Chelsea have had a few more chances than Benfica have doesn't really  play into it as the Portuguese have actually done more with less. Having said that, Benfica will have to close down the opportunities count for the Blues while making a few of their own! Oscar Cardozo will have to be on terrific form - both as goal-scorer and shot-creator - if Benfica hope to have any chance of taking the title. Defensively, the Portuguese side will also have to shutdown the likes of Fernando Torres, Victor Moses, and David Luiz if they are to have any chance of winning the tie. Lima and Rodrigo for Benfica will also have to pitch in as far as chance-creation goes while Juan Mata and Eden Hazard (both of Chelsea) will hope for exceptional games. If Frank Lampard is on form on the night, Chelsea will at least get a goal. One way or the other though, the Blues will be my reluctant pick to win. Hope you 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.

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!

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!