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!
Showing posts with label Europa League. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Europa League. Show all posts
Thursday, April 24, 2014
Thursday, November 7, 2013
Europa League Update: November 7th 2013
After the latest fixtures, the Europa League tables are starting to shape up quite nicely. In Group A the likes of Valencia and Swansea look relatively secure in their qualification hopes with 9 and 8 points respectively in comparison to St. Gallen's 3 and Kuban Krasnodar's 2. Group B is being absolutely dominated by a side few will have heard of: Bulgarian side Ludrogorets Razgrad with an astonishing 10 points from 4 games played! Second place is held somewhat firmly by PSV Eindhoven who would be very surprised not to qualify from this group. The Dutch side have 7 points. Chornomorets Odesa and Dinamo Zagreb round out the group with 4 and 1 points each. On to Group C where Salzburg have fought hard for their place at the top with a perfect 12 points to their name - three above closest competitors Esbjerg who have 9 points. Elfsborg and Standard de Liege have had abysmal campaigns this year with a total of 2 points between the two of them. As for Group D, Rubin Kazan have gone quite clear at the top with 10 points - 5 over 2nd place Wigan Athletic. The English side have been severely tested by the likes of Zulte Waregem and Maribor who have 4 and 3 respectively so I would expect some hard fought games coming up in the not too distant future as the fate of the group is decided. Group E has had the opposite story: Fiorentina have been perfect with 12 points, 2nd place Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk on 9, and Pandurii Targu Jiu and Pacos de Ferreira with 1 each. The only group with a German side at the top, Group F has Eintracht Frankfurt fighting to stay above water with 9 points while the hounds are right on their heels: Maccabi Tel-Aviv have 7, APOEL have earned 4 points, and - rather surprisingly - Bordeaux are at the bottom of the table with just 3 points! The +6 goal difference that the Germans have accrued means that it will take something special for them to not at the very least qualify from this group. Over in Group G Genk of Belgium and Dynamo Kyiv of Russia look like the best bets to get through with 8 and 7. Having said that, if Thun and Rapid Wien take their games up a notch, we might see a spectacular ending to this group. The only other group where a German side have any chance of making it through is Group H where Sevilla currently lead with 8 and Slovan Liberec (of the Czech Republic) have 6. Freiburg sit 3rd with 3 points - within striking distance as they face the Czechs in the Czech Republic and Sevilla in Germany. No one said it was an ideal situation! We'll have to wait and see. Portugal's Estoril Praia sit bottom with 2 points. Onwards to Group I! While not much of a surprise, Real Betis and Olympique Lyon have been unconvincing in getting to their 1st and 2nd positions. While admittedly undefeated each, they have consistently performed in some of the most boring games in the tournament. Portuguese side Vitoria scored 4 in a thorough demolition of bottom of the table Croatian side Rijeka, Lyon and Betis have scored a goal a game - drawing and just barely defeating the bottom of the table side. While I would love to see nothing more than Vitoria make it through - they do have a decent goal difference - at the expense of Lyon, chances are that won't happen. But wouldn't it be great? Groups J, K, and L are each relatively straightforward affairs with the usual suspects performing at or above expectations. In Group J, Trabzonspor of Turkey have remained undefeated alongside 2nd place Lazio as 3rd place Apollon Limassol will be hoping for a miracle with a 4 point gap between themselves and the teams on either side of them: Legia Warszawa have 0 in 4th position. Group K has lived up to predictions with Tottenham Hotspur claiming an 8 goal difference and a perfect 12. Anji Makhachkala have been making a name for themselves as they pick up the scraps - although they still have to face Spurs in England (after losing 0-2 at home in Russia). Be that as it may, they should get at least a point from hosting Moldovan side FC Sheriff. Bottom of the table Tromso with 1 point are left to fight for pride and wonder about what might have been. Last but certainly not least, Group L! Dutch side AZ Alkmaar and PAOK of Greece have moved well in establishing themselves in the group with 8 points each and a +2 goal difference. On the other hand, Maccabi Haifa and Shakhtar Karagandy will most likely be in a hurry to forget this international season since neither of them have shown any sign of improving on their lackluster performances thus far. Make sure to try to catch some of the games!
Thursday, May 2, 2013
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!
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!
Thursday, April 11, 2013
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!
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!
Thursday, April 4, 2013
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!
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!
Friday, March 15, 2013
Champions and Europa League match-ups for the next round!
Well, last round was as exciting and ever but if looks are anything we can expect much of the same in the just-announced next stages. I'll start with the Europa League where Chelsea face Rubin Kazan, Tottenham host FC Basel, Fenerbahce greet Lazio, and Benfica welcome Newcastle. As far as Chelsea v.s. Kazan is concerned, the Russian side actually have a better goal tally in addition to remaining unbeaten thus far in the competition! Alongside this, Rubin have created more opportunities though as far as goals per game is concerned the sides are pretty level. As for Spurs v.s. Basel, the English side have a slight advantage as far as goals scored are concerned but honestly by statistics the two sides are hard to separate. Turning to the game between Fenerbahce and Lazio now, the Italians have proven themselves deadly in front of goal though the Turkish side have managed a better record leading into the game. Last but not least, Benfica have a perfect record compared to Newcastle's mixed one while goal-scoring between the two sides hasn't been a problem though it isn't explosive.
With all of this in mind, Rubin will be hoping that the talented Jose Rondon can keep them in the game against Chelsea because otherwise they will probably be overwhelmed by the English giants. As for the other London clubs' chances, Tottenham will hope for continued performance by Jermain Defoe, Gareth Bale and their other big names. Otherwise, they risk elimination at the hands of Swiss side Basel who have the likes of Marco Streller and Fabian Schar at their disposal and Mohamed Salah providing set-ups. Having said that, the odds are probably with Spurs. As for Fenerbahce, the only chance they will have is if they close down the prolific Libor Kozak and the only slightly less-sharp Sergio Flocarri who have been simply on fire for Lazio. At the same time, the Turks will hope Cristian can start converting more of his chances because thus far Dirk Kuyt, Alex, and Caner Erkin haven't really been pulling their weight. Due to all of these factors, the nod probably goes to Lazio to win unless Fenerbahce pull themselves together both defensively and offensively. And then there is Benfica v.s. Newcastle. Honestly I am looking forward to this pairing the most despite the fact that Benfica only has one real striker that has been performing: Oscar Cardozo. While there is always the chance that Nicolas Gaitan, Luisao, and Ola John will start firing, there haven't been too many encouraging signs. On the other hand, Newcastle have Papiss Cisse and Shola Ameobi to turn to. In addition to these two, Moussa Sissoko is a good bet to convert as are Gabirel Obertan and Hatem Ben Arfa. In the end, then, I suppose I will give Newcastle a slender advantage though it depends on how Benfica perform at home in Portugal. If they do not concede and manage to get a goal or two they will be on the right path however this isn't an easy ask.
Over to the Champions League now as Malaga have Dortmund to contend with while Real Madrid face Galatasaray. PSG will test their strength against Barcelona at the same time as Bayern have a showdown with Juventus. In the match-up between giant-slayers Malaga and the surprise package Dortmund, a prediction of German victory might be called for except for the fact that the Spaniards have surprised again and again. At the same time, the magic might be considered to have run its course - particularly if Dortmund pull off what Porto and others couldn't: victory in the 1st leg in Spain. While Dortmund have a slightly better record and goal tally, such statistics aren't much when talking about real life. The home support has really carried Malaga in the past and I wouldn't be too surprised if it did so again. Having said that, the number of attempts Dortmund have racked up in the past points to the likelihood of heartbreak for the Spanish side. With Robert Lewandowski, Marco Reus, and Mario Gotze topping the list of scorers for the Germans, I'll predict Dortmund making it through. Onwards now to Real Madrid v.s. Galatasaray which will see the team with the least goals scored (of the sides remaining) and the joint top goal scorer Burak Yilmaz face-off against the team with the joint top most goals scored and goal scorer Cristiano Ronaldo. While both sides have produced a number of opportunities, the fact that Galatasaray only have Burak Yilmaz performing with any kind of consistency seems problematic for the Turkish side. Nevertheless, Aydin Yilmaz, Umut Bulut, and Hamit Altimtop have stepped it up of late so there may be a change in the winds. Even if their strike force performs though, Galatasaray will have to be strong defensively - against a side which includes the formidable opposition of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Jose Callejon, Marcello, Kaka, Luka Modric, and Mesut Ozil amongst others. I think this may be too much of an ask for Galatasaray but who doesn't like to see an upset? PSG v.s. Barca meanwhile serves as an illustration of some of the bigger money sides in the game these days. With the big names of Lionel Messi and Ezequiel Lavezzi showcasing for Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain respectively, we are sure to have a wonderful occasion on our hands so long as everyone is on form. One issue that I could see manifesting itself is the fact that as far as secondary strikers with the ability (more importantly previously displayed) to carry the respective teams are concerned, Barca seem to lack options while PSG have Jeremy Menez, Javier Pastore, Alex, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and Thiago Silva. This is illustrated by the fact that PSG have actually scored more goals at this point than Barcelona as well as keeping a cleaner record. Seeing as how this is coming out of a relatively equal number of chances, which Barcelona actually have an advantage in, I would posit that PSG will make it through unless Barcelona do two things. First of all, they have to shore up their defenses. Secondly, they must make sure that their strikers and mid-fielders are on form. A great deal of possession is great, but it has to result in the ball in the back of the net. Finally, Bayern v.s. Juventus will be a similarly exciting game as they have each made possibilities though Bayern have a very slight edge both on average and absolutely. Each side has a player with 4 goals to their name - Fabio Quagliarella for Juve and Thomas Muller for Bayern - and both have a number of secondary strikers capable of leading the teams (Toni Kroos, Claudio Pizarro, Arturo Vidal, Sebastian Giovinco, the list goes on and on). In the end though, I must give Juve the edge in this battle as they have Andrea Pirlo, Alessandro Matri, Claudio Marchisio, and Mauricio Isla who are all capable play-setters. That isn't to say it will be easy, rather, I think Juventus just have the fortitude to beat out the result. Make sure to catch the games!
With all of this in mind, Rubin will be hoping that the talented Jose Rondon can keep them in the game against Chelsea because otherwise they will probably be overwhelmed by the English giants. As for the other London clubs' chances, Tottenham will hope for continued performance by Jermain Defoe, Gareth Bale and their other big names. Otherwise, they risk elimination at the hands of Swiss side Basel who have the likes of Marco Streller and Fabian Schar at their disposal and Mohamed Salah providing set-ups. Having said that, the odds are probably with Spurs. As for Fenerbahce, the only chance they will have is if they close down the prolific Libor Kozak and the only slightly less-sharp Sergio Flocarri who have been simply on fire for Lazio. At the same time, the Turks will hope Cristian can start converting more of his chances because thus far Dirk Kuyt, Alex, and Caner Erkin haven't really been pulling their weight. Due to all of these factors, the nod probably goes to Lazio to win unless Fenerbahce pull themselves together both defensively and offensively. And then there is Benfica v.s. Newcastle. Honestly I am looking forward to this pairing the most despite the fact that Benfica only has one real striker that has been performing: Oscar Cardozo. While there is always the chance that Nicolas Gaitan, Luisao, and Ola John will start firing, there haven't been too many encouraging signs. On the other hand, Newcastle have Papiss Cisse and Shola Ameobi to turn to. In addition to these two, Moussa Sissoko is a good bet to convert as are Gabirel Obertan and Hatem Ben Arfa. In the end, then, I suppose I will give Newcastle a slender advantage though it depends on how Benfica perform at home in Portugal. If they do not concede and manage to get a goal or two they will be on the right path however this isn't an easy ask.
Over to the Champions League now as Malaga have Dortmund to contend with while Real Madrid face Galatasaray. PSG will test their strength against Barcelona at the same time as Bayern have a showdown with Juventus. In the match-up between giant-slayers Malaga and the surprise package Dortmund, a prediction of German victory might be called for except for the fact that the Spaniards have surprised again and again. At the same time, the magic might be considered to have run its course - particularly if Dortmund pull off what Porto and others couldn't: victory in the 1st leg in Spain. While Dortmund have a slightly better record and goal tally, such statistics aren't much when talking about real life. The home support has really carried Malaga in the past and I wouldn't be too surprised if it did so again. Having said that, the number of attempts Dortmund have racked up in the past points to the likelihood of heartbreak for the Spanish side. With Robert Lewandowski, Marco Reus, and Mario Gotze topping the list of scorers for the Germans, I'll predict Dortmund making it through. Onwards now to Real Madrid v.s. Galatasaray which will see the team with the least goals scored (of the sides remaining) and the joint top goal scorer Burak Yilmaz face-off against the team with the joint top most goals scored and goal scorer Cristiano Ronaldo. While both sides have produced a number of opportunities, the fact that Galatasaray only have Burak Yilmaz performing with any kind of consistency seems problematic for the Turkish side. Nevertheless, Aydin Yilmaz, Umut Bulut, and Hamit Altimtop have stepped it up of late so there may be a change in the winds. Even if their strike force performs though, Galatasaray will have to be strong defensively - against a side which includes the formidable opposition of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Jose Callejon, Marcello, Kaka, Luka Modric, and Mesut Ozil amongst others. I think this may be too much of an ask for Galatasaray but who doesn't like to see an upset? PSG v.s. Barca meanwhile serves as an illustration of some of the bigger money sides in the game these days. With the big names of Lionel Messi and Ezequiel Lavezzi showcasing for Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain respectively, we are sure to have a wonderful occasion on our hands so long as everyone is on form. One issue that I could see manifesting itself is the fact that as far as secondary strikers with the ability (more importantly previously displayed) to carry the respective teams are concerned, Barca seem to lack options while PSG have Jeremy Menez, Javier Pastore, Alex, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and Thiago Silva. This is illustrated by the fact that PSG have actually scored more goals at this point than Barcelona as well as keeping a cleaner record. Seeing as how this is coming out of a relatively equal number of chances, which Barcelona actually have an advantage in, I would posit that PSG will make it through unless Barcelona do two things. First of all, they have to shore up their defenses. Secondly, they must make sure that their strikers and mid-fielders are on form. A great deal of possession is great, but it has to result in the ball in the back of the net. Finally, Bayern v.s. Juventus will be a similarly exciting game as they have each made possibilities though Bayern have a very slight edge both on average and absolutely. Each side has a player with 4 goals to their name - Fabio Quagliarella for Juve and Thomas Muller for Bayern - and both have a number of secondary strikers capable of leading the teams (Toni Kroos, Claudio Pizarro, Arturo Vidal, Sebastian Giovinco, the list goes on and on). In the end though, I must give Juve the edge in this battle as they have Andrea Pirlo, Alessandro Matri, Claudio Marchisio, and Mauricio Isla who are all capable play-setters. That isn't to say it will be easy, rather, I think Juventus just have the fortitude to beat out the result. Make sure to catch the games!
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