World Cup Qualification - Round 2 Preview

All of the Home Nations as well as the Republic of Ireland are in action over the incoming days in crucial qualification matches for the 2018 World Cup set to be staged in Russia. Wales and Republic Of Ireland are in action tonight, with the former travelling to Austria and the latter hosting Georgia. Northern Ireland and Scotland host San Marino and Lithuania respectively, while England welcome minnows, Malta to Wembley Arena on Saturday.

Austria v Wales

The Austrians were largely tipped as potential dark horses in Euro 2016, but failed to live up to the hype as they crashed out in the group stages, recording losses against Iceland and Hungary. Both sides have not met since 2013, when Wales recorded a 2-1 home win in a friendly match. The last five matches have been tight, Austria recording 3 victories to Wales' 2. With Wales defeating Georgia 4-0 in the previous match, Chris Coleman's men sit ahead of their opponents on goal difference, compared to Austria's 2-1 win over Georgia.

A difficult challenge lies in wait for the Red Dragons, particularly as Aaron Ramsey is still injured with Jonny Williams, Danny Ward and Simon Church joining the Arsenal midfielder on the injury list. Still feeding off the momentum of a superb Euros, Wales have the confidence to return home with a good result.

Prediction: Draw

Republic of Ireland v Georgia

Keeping with the Group D theme, Ireland face a side whom they defeated twice in the Euro 2016 qualifying campaign. An Aidan McGeady wonder strike stole the points for the Irish when the sides met in Tbilisi while Jonathon Walters netted at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. A 2-2 draw with Serbia in round 1 leaves Ireland behind Wales and Austria while Georgia's 2-1 loss against Austria leaves them pointless. The Georgians have never won a point against the home side, Ireland winning 7 from 7 games, scoring 15 goals in the process.

Despite a lengthy injury list for Martin O'Neill, the team will be given a boost after James McCarthy was declared fit to play. RoI are always a different side to face at home - just ask Germany - and it should be a mandatory 3 points for the home side.

Prediction: Republic of Ireland by 2 goals.

Northern Ireland v San Marino

Ahead of a tough game against Germany on Tuesday, Michael O'Neill will be looking to come through the clash with San Marino unscathed. The visitors have only scored 1 goal in their last 5 games, against Lithuania shipping 22 in the process, including a 10-0 romp against Croatia. NI faced San Marino in the 2010 World Cup qualification, winning with an aggregate scoreline of 7-0. David Healy, Grant McCann, Kyle Lafferty and Steven Davis netted in the home leg, while Gareth McAuley and Chris Brunt added to another McCann goal in the away leg.

Despite the withdrawals of Liam Boyce and Craig Cathcart, Northern Ireland will be expected to win this convincingly. With a crunch match against Germany coming into view, Northern Ireland cannot risk any more injuries.

Prediction: Northern Ireland by 3 goals.

Scotland v Lithuania

A disappointing Euro 2016 qualifying campaign left Scotland the only British side not at the tournament. With an easier group this year, Gordon Strachan will be hoping to finally end his wait  for an outing to a major competition. These sides have met on 4 previous occasions in Euro 2008 and 2012 qualifiers with Scotland winning 3 matches. Their opponents earned a respectable draw against Slovenia in the opening game week, despite a late Bostjan Cesar header denying them all three points. The Lithuanians have never qualified for a major tournament since they split from the Soviet Union.

The withdrawal of Alan Hutton is the only injury concern for Strachan, due to a calf injury picked up in training on Monday. Regardless, Scotland will be expected to add to their 3 points picked up in game week one with a win at home.

Prediction: Scotland by 2.

England v Malta.

After recovering from the embarrassment surrounding the case of Sam Allardyce, England have no greater opportunity to put in a confident performance against group minnows, Malta. Both sides have only met on three other occasions, but haven't met since a friendly in the build up to Euro 2000 and before that faced off in 1971. A 5-1 defeat against Scotland was not the way they wanted to open their campaign and the Maltese side are expected to be propping up the rear of the table come the end of the qualifying phase.

New boss Gareth Southgate has had to deal with the injuries to Glen Johnson and Raheem Sterling with Michael Keane and Andros Townsend being drafted in as replacements. No matter what team England put out they will be expected and should beat Malta with ease.

Prediction: England by 5.

Major Changes for Euro 2020

President of UEFA, Aleksander Ceferin, arrived in London last week to unveil the logo for Euro 2020, the 60th edition of the continental tournament. Not only was the branding announced, but UEFA confirmed the location of 13 host cities spread across Europe from Dublin in the west to Baku, Azerbaijan in the east. While many greeted the news with scepticism, it is not all be doom and gloom for Europe's most prestigious tournament.

For most of the cities, including Dublin, Glasgow and Baku, their respective nations are unlikely to ever have the infrastructure to host the major tournament, so this new format gives them an opportunity to immerse themselves in the competition, a privilege they would not have got if the structure remained untouched.

Unlike most tournaments, where the host qualifies automatically, everyone will have to fight for their spot in the tournament, which will be helped by additional qualification spots through the introduction of the UEFA Nations League. Ex-UEFA President, Michel Platini toyed with the idea of a revamped Euros with his successor, Ceferin putting the plan into action.

One criticism about the new structure, is the selection of locations. No matches are being played in France, presumably as they hosted the tournament in the summer, while Baku, Azerbaijan and St Petersburg, Russia are the furthest that anyone will have to travel. Both will be difficult to travel to, with no direct flights from London Heathrow and prices already totalling close to £300 for a one way ticket. St Petersburg is slightly cheaper with a one way ticket costing £107 out of London Gatwick. It is also good to put the World Cup into perspective, Brazil has an area of 3.288 million square miles,  just 700,000 less than Europe, while Russia is almost twice the size of Europe while USA is roughly similar.

All of the stadiums exceed a 50,000 capacity except Parken in Copenhagen which holds a modest 38,000, with destination of the Final, Wembley, holding the most at 90,000. As the majority of stadiums are already built - the Krestovsky Stadium in St Petersburg is due to be completed by the end of the year and the Puskas Ferenc Arena in Budapest will be opened in 2019 - all will have a purpose once the tournament and costs will be low for each host city.

Travel links between each of the cities in Europe are extensive, and with a bit of patience an appropriate deal at a cost effective price can be found. It is possible that €200 could cover your travel expenses for the group stages, with an Interrail global pass being one of your many ways to travel on a budget. Rome, Munich, Budapest, Copahagen, Brussels and Bucharest are all popular interrailing destinations so rail travel between the cities should not be a problem.

The recently elected UEFA President believes that the tournament will be a success, commenting, "There is great pleasure in being able to see football acting as a bridge between nations, and to carry the competition closer to the fans who are the essential lifeblood of the game." After the hooliganism and terror threats that plagued Euro 2016, the controversial World Cup bids from Russia and Qatar and the deaths and protests that marred Brazil 2014, I'm willing to give the new format a chance.

An Unpopular but Effective Choice for Arsene Wenger

When Tony Pulis slapped a £25m price tag on the head of Jonny Evans, Arsenal fans on social media went into meltdown. Gooners have been crying out for Arsene Wenger to spend money and are expecting a 'household' name to strengthen the defence and add more dynamism to their hit and miss attack. When supporters cry for an expensive 'household' name they generally mean someone from mainland Europe. 

Evans is important to West Brom, featuring in 30 games last season under the guidance of Tony Pulis as the Baggies survived relegation by finishing 14th in the table. In a team that averaged just 45% possession last season, Evans only committed one error that led to an effort on goal according to Squawka. Making over 500 appearances for the Baggies, Ally Robertson penned a piece for Midlands news site Express and Star where he states, "It'll be nigh-on impossible to find a defender that stacks up to Evans."

Furthermore, Evans made the majority of his appearances last season at his undesired position of left back where Robertson believes he excelled. The former Scottish central defender would not begrudge the Northern Irish player of a move to Emirates where he would likely play in is preferred position of centre-back in the Champions League while collecting a fruitful pay-packet each week. 

Robertson isn't the only player singing the praises of Evans. Arsenal Invincible, Lauren told the London Evening Standard, "We need someone with determination and someone who is commanding and Jonny could fit the bill." Evans made almost 200 league appearances in 9 years for Manchester United having graduated from the fabled academy under the stewardship of Sir Alex Ferguson. Not bad for a player who is allegedly mediocre at best.

Looking at the style of play of the 28 year old, he ticks a lot of the boxes that Wenger wants to see in a central defender. At 6ft 2in, he is a presence in both defence and attack. Evans is an intelligent player and excels at man marking the opposition's forwards, just look at his performance against Robert Lewandowski in Northern Ireland's Euro 2016 opener. Not the quickest of defenders, his wily nature means that he doesn't get caught out of position too often.

Against West Ham last season, Andy Carroll netted an 8 minute hat trick which left Arsenal's title challenge in ruins. Despite rescuing a draw, all of Carroll's goals originated from crosses with Gabriel Paulista being at fault for two of the goals. Throughout the Euros, and the rest of Jonny's career, dealing with crosses has been a major strength and have saved a countless number of points for his teams.

Rather surprisingly for a Northern Irish defender, he is adept at taking the ball out of defence almost acting as another creative player. For the national side, Evans has been known to embark on adventurous runs from his position which can leave his side short at the back but can also give the side another passing option. During the Euros he recorded a 77% pass completion rate and averaged 33 passes in each of the matches.

With Per Mertesacker ruled out for the foreseeable future with a knee injury and Shkodran Mustafi unlikely to cost less than €40m, defensive options are limited for Wenger and with the transfer window closing in one week, the Arsenal hierarchy could do no worse than purchase the 28 year old Northern Ireland international. 

John Stones - A Perfect fit for Manchester City?

"Money can't buy you Stones" were the words Evertonians chanted against Chelsea last season and while Roberto Martinez managed to fend off the interest of Jose Mourinho, a £47.5m bid from Manchester City proved too tempting for the new Everton boss, Ronald Koeman to decline.

City acquire the former Barnsley player in an attempt to provide a partner for Vincent Kompany at the sixth time of asking, taking their spending on centre backs to over £122m. City's attempt to find a cultured partner for their captain, has largely been a disaster. Nicolas Otamendi was recruited last summer, and Eliaqium Mangala the season before, but neither have been the solution to the problem.

Otamendi can be chaotic at times, often favouring to go to ground leading to opposition forwards hurdling the challenge and skipping past the Argentine defender. When on form, the former Valencia man is physical, imposing and an aggressive defender but is too inconsistent to leave a glowing impression on the Etihad. Playing alongside Kompany obviously inspires Otamendi, delivering probably his finest performances of last season against Manchester United and Norwich City in October. At 30 years of age and injury prone, Nicolas Otamendi will need to adapt to playing without the Belgian captain in the near future.

The Citizens threw £42m at Porto for their French centre half Eliaquim Mangala in August 2014 and two years later, looks likely to be leaving Manchester having been omitted from City's Champions League roster. The 25 year old, never cemented a first team space at City and the tone was set in his second game where he scored a lamentable own goal against Hull City. Often the scapegoat for City fans, Mangala appears uninspiring and to lack a lot of confidence. With Shkrodan Mustafi appearing to be on the way to Arsenal, Valencia boss, Pako Ayesteran has earmarked the French international as a possible replacement. 

Martin Demichelis was another purchase for £4.2m, but was never a long term signing. Regardless of a rocky start to his City career - conceding a penalty and getting sent off in 2-0 defeat to Barcelona in the Champions League - Pellegrini persisted with his fellow Latin American and he helped City lift the title with terrific form in the closing months of 2013/2014 season. Demichelis' contract was not renewed at the end of the last season and is now at Espanyol.

Pep Guardiola shelled out £47.5m for Everton's John Stones to make the 22 year old the second most expensive defender in history. Guardiola is looking to build his side around players who are very comfortable on the ball having done so at Barcelona and Bayern Munich previously. Favouring to play the ball out of defence instead of launching it up field, John Stones fits the bill perfectly. His ball playing style will thrive under Guardiola, but how will his defending?

While Stones shows all the traits of an accomplished ball playing defender, he is still earning his trade, and regularly makes naive mistakes. In the closing stages against Stoke over the Christmas period, Stoke converted a penalty to defeat Everton 4-3 after a desperate challenge from Stones grounded Marko Arnautovic. Similarly, a week later against Spurs, the young centre half opted to perform several Cruyff-turns in his own six yard box with Son Heung-min breathing down his neck despite the animosity from the Park End faithful. To have the audacity to attempt this extravagant move a week after making a mistake shows the composed and nonchalant traits that will have attracted Guardiola to the defender. 

While Stones could be infuriating to watch at times, he did deliver some exceptional performances displaying the essence of a seasoned international defender. In the Capital One Cup first leg against Manchester City in January of this year, Stones kept the one-time Premier League Golden Boot winner and four-time player of the month, Sergio Aguero on a tight leash as Everton won the game 2-1, however succumbed to a 3-1 defeat in the second leg. Against Chelsea in September last year, amid succession of bids from the club, Stones delivered a cool performance that thwarted Diego Costa on many occasions as Everton recorded a 3-1 victory.

Comfortable on the ball, Pep Guardiola will hone is skills with the ball at his new club. His decision-making deficiencies may not improve, particularly if Guardiola's possession based game is executed appropriately but it is likely that Stones will find that he is under less pressure when in the blue of Manchester City. When City face quality opposition in the Champions League and the higher ranked sides in the Premier League, Stones' defensive capabilities will be carefully scrutinised. Stones will be an asset in the league, but is likely to encounter difficulties in the Champions League at first.

At City he will likely play a rotational role at first with Mangala and Otamendi, however he will quickly cement the spot beside Vincent Kompany when the Belgian returns from injury. He will definitely justify the price-tag, probably not with an immediate impact but as he progresses under the guidance of the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss. 

Pogba to United and Lukaku to Chelsea - has the world gone mad?

Paul Pogba has been linked with a return to Manchester United for the past three transfer windows, however it is only now that the rumours have gathered serious traction and a transfer bid of €100m looks imminent. Likewise Chelsea have been reported to have submitted a bid of around £60m to lure Romelu Lukaku back to Stamford Bridge. Obscene amounts of money for two players who were formerly of their respective bidding clubs.

At 23 years of age the Red Devils are paying for potential, a risky strategy that more often than not fails to bring the expected return. Manchester United have invested in potential before, Anthony Martial for £36m and in Cristiano Ronaldo for £12.24m which at the time was the most expensive teenager in English football history. Martial has shown glimpses of why United paid so much money for him while we already know the journey that Ronaldo went on. For other players it hasn't worked out, Bebe was signed for £7m despite Sir Alex Ferguson admitting that he had never seen the player play.

Not only are United embarking on a very ballsy plan, but is Pogba himself even committed to a return to Old Trafford? Earlier in the summer reports surfaced that the young French midfielder preferred a move to Champions League winners Real Madrid over a return to his old stomping ground. This jeopardised any move that Jose Mourinho wanted to make for the player, even after Zinedine Zidane cooled his interest in the player due to price tag yet the Manchester club seem undeterred.

With Pogba leaving United 4 years ago for less than £1m, the hit on Chelsea's bank balance will not be as great. Lukaku joined Everton permanently in Jose Mourinho's first season back in the English capital for a fee believed to be under £30m, now with a price tag of £60m, the sum of money does not look as bad.

Despite being labelled inconsistent, the Belgian striker has an impressive scoring record at such a young age, 119 club goals at just 23 years of age. Before their 23rd birthday, Thierry Henry had 57, Alan Shearer had 65, Luis Suarez had 77 and Cristiano Ronaldo had 97. It's very easy to see why Antonio Conte would be willing to pay such a high fee. A powerful and athletic player, it was rumoured that Lukaku would replace Diego Costa until the Spanish international's refuted those claims. No matter what team Lukaku plays in, he will score goals. 

Juventus splashed out €90m on Gonzalo Higuain to make him the most expensive South American footballer of all time while the transfer fee was the highest ever paid by an Italian team and also the highest of a player transferring within any domestic league. At 28 years of age, Juventus have got a player who is in his prime and will be likely to get at least 4 years out of the Argentine. Higuain seems a less risky piece of business and than the Pogba debacle, however transfer fees do not take a crippling injury into consideration.

Last season, Higuain fired Napoli to second position in the league, scoring 38 goals in the process. His goal record is incredible, scoring 121 goals in 264 matches for Real Madrid and 91 goals in 146 appearances for Napoli, whom he joined from the former in 2013. This transfer further strengthens the stronghold that the Old Lady has over her competition and the Scudetto title looks likely to be remaining in Turin for the foreseeable future.

I'm not the first person and certainly won't be the last to question whether clubs should be allowed to spend these sums of money. It creates a clear gap between the sides that can afford to splash the cash and those that don't have as much money in the bank, however Leicester proved that money was not everything last year. For me it strains the link between the supporters and the players and as a fan, I can find it hard to relate to any of the players on show.

Despite the Premier League becoming out of touch, transfer fees shouldn't necessarily be capped. Manchester United brought in £27.8m in broadcasting revenue, £65.8m in commercial revenue and also £29.8m in match-day revenue in the third quarter and nine months ended 31 March, equating to £123.4m. With the signing of Ibrahimovic ringing in £76m in shirt sales there is no doubt that United can afford to spend their cash lavishly.

The Paul Pogba deal has dragged on too long and most people are looking the saga to come to a swift end. Even if Pogba remains a Juve player, it is only a matter of time when the €100m mark will be broken.

Euro 2016 Semi Final Preview

After a pathetic 1 correct correction out of 4 in the quarter finals, things can only get better in the semi finals. Gareth Bale's Wales take on Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal while Germany meet tournament hosts, France in the glamour tie of the round.

Whether they like it or not the pre-match discussions will be dominated by Real Madrid team mates Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale. So far in the tournament we have seen a different Portuguese side to what we are use to - a more disciplined, defensive side, but also one that can be frustrated by teams deep defending. With Pepe an injury doubt. veteran Brun Alves is likely to step in to add experience to an inexperienced defence. 18 year old Renato Sanches has covered defensive and offensive areas of the park expertly in the time that he has been on the pitch. Now at Bayern, Sanches scored with a stunning strike to equalise against Poland in the previous round. The young protege will be just as vital as Ronaldo if Portugal are to progress.

Wales have thrilled everyone in the tournament this year with their performances. It's particularly refreshing to hear Gareth Bale liken himself to his team mates and and describe the positive atmosphere that shrouds the Welsh camp. In previous match, they were on the ropes in the first 15 minutes with Belgium attacking and the Welsh defence repelling 4 shots within a few moments that were destined for the back of the net. After falling behind thanks to a Radja Nainggolan screamer, Wales regrouped and equalised through Ashley Williams 20 minutes later. Hal Robson-Kanu adopted the persona of Johan Cruyff for the second goal when a smart goal sent several Belgian defenders the wrong way before shooting past Thibaut Courtois. Chris Coleman's side showed all the character that got them to this stage with great defensive commitment before sneaking a third goal on the break thanks to Sam Vokes.

The absence of Ben Davies and Aaron Ramsey in the Welsh side due to suspension will be a massive blow. James Collins and Andy King come are the replacements to make their first starts so there will be a bit of rustiness. Attacking wise, Collins has the potential to be a threat from set pieces. It's very tight to call and it is likely that this match will go the distance, I tip the Welsh to make history.

France were very impressive in the first half against Iceland, racing into a 4 goal lead. This allowed Didier Deschamps to haul some of the key players that were on bookings off to prevent them from being suspended for the semi final. The flowing football on display was gripping, with Dmitri Payet, Olivier Giroud and Antoine Griezmann all linking up for a combined 4 goals and two assists. Moussa Sissoko replacing the suspended N'Golo Kante. Paul Pogba showed glimpses of what he was capable of in the midfield, but it will be unlikely that he will be afforded the time and space against Germany as he was in the previous round. One concerning issue from a French point of view was the soft goals conceded. Kolbeinn Sigthorsson poked one home at the near post while Birkir Bjarnason grabbed a second with a header. Both were unmarked and Deschamps will surely have to work on this before the match tomorrow night.

The injury to Mario Gomez, the only number nine striker taken to the competition has thrown a massive spanner in the works of Joachim Low's plans. A physical presence in the air, Gomez would have troubled the French defence and could have given Germany an upper hand in the game. Mats Hummels is also ruled out due to suspension, yet Germany are likely to come into this game as favourites. Despite such a prolific goal scoring record at the World Cup, Thomas Muller is yet to get off the mark in the Euros, but an advanced role in the absence of Gomez is likely to make him more of a threat. Mesut Ozil has been a shining light so far in the tournament, summed up with a great goal against Italy. Playing in the number ten position, teams have found him difficult to deal with so far and Germany will be looking to utilise the Arsenal playmaker at every possibility.

It's the best attack in the tournament up against the best defence. Germany will be favourites for the game, particularly with France's inconsistencies throughout the tournament so far. Like most games these days, the midfield will be where it is won. Germany have Toni Kroos and Bastian Schweinsteiger who both like to sit deep and control the play, while France's Paul Pogba will be likely to cover more ground over the pitch. With Germany's terrific record at penalty kicks, this will play in the back of the French minds. My heart says France but my head says Germany.

Euro 2016 Quarter Final Preview

We've only 7 matches remaining in a thrilling Euro 2016 and the pressure has been cranked up a notch in the quarter finals. We had some shocks in the round of 16 that has set up some very interesting matches that are difficult to predict.

Poland v Portugal

Poland were expected to defeat Switzerland in previous round but did so unconvincingly and needed a penalty shoot out to progress. The strike duo of Robert Lewandowski and Arkadiusz Milik is yet to find form and with the competition gradually getting tougher, Poland will need their stars at their peak.  Milik has only one goal to his name in the tournament so far, but has had a handful of chances, he has to start converting them if they are to launch any meaningful assault in the tournament. Jakub Blaszczykowski grabbed the goal against Switzerland and has been a threat down the right wing all tournament, linking up well with Lukasz Piscczek. These pair will be critical against Portugal.

While they had no 'big' nations in their group, Portugal struggled to get results, with Cristiano Ronaldo becoming increasingly outspoken. Portugal are the only team left in the tournament yet to win a game within 90 minutes. The introduction of Renato Sanches in the second half against Croatia gave the side a creative outlet, starting off the move which resulted in the goal for Ricardo Quaresma Neither side has been entirely convincing in this year's tournament despite both being potential dark horses. Poland will be favourites for the tie with a lethal strike force up against a suspect Portuguese defence while the Portuguese have largely rode their luck to get to this stage in the tournament but will continue to look to Cristiano Ronaldo for their inspiration. Poland to advance.

Wales v Belgium

The last British team in the tournament, take on Belgium whom they met in qualifying for the tournament. Belgium, largely regarded as one of the favourites for the tournament from the outset were shocked in their opening match against Italy but have pulled themselves together and a 3-0 win over Republic of Ireland and a 1-0 win over Sweden secured a runners up spot. Against Hungary in the previous round, they were exceptional and romped to a 4-0 win. Eden Hazard showed what ihe is capable of as he scored once and created four chances, one of which was an assist for Michy Batshuayi. Belgium are very good on the counter attack, and punished Hungary who gave them too much space, however the loss of Jan Vertonghen will be a major set back for the Red Devils. 

Wales took four points off the Belgians in qualifying, with the victory coming thanks to a winner from Gareth Bale. Wales showed that they can play football in the final group game against Russia in which they won 3-0. Joe Allen and Aaron Ramsey were very good on the ball the ball with the former sliding the latter through for the opening goal. Crucially, Wales have showed that they don't totally rely on Gareth Bale, with the aforementioned Allen and Ramsey stepping up to the plate. Against Northern Ireland, they weren't convincing, and it took a wicked ball flashed into the box from Bale to deflect off Gareth McAuley past Michael McGovern in goal. Wales will put up a fight, but with Belgium beginning to reach the heights expected of them, I tip them to progress.

Germany v Italy

Dubbed the glamour tie of the round, Germany are yet to concede a goal in the tournament having defeated Northern Ireland and Ukraine 1-0 and 2-0 in the group stage, goalless draw with Poland and a comprehensive 3-0 victory over Slovakia in the round of 16. Only selecting 1 striker in Mario Gomez could prove a tricky issue particularly against the Italians as Joachim Low has experimented with Mario Gotze up front in a false nine position with minimal success. The introduction of Gomez up top against Northern Ireland gave Germany a cutting edge and the scoreline could have been anything, if it wasn't for the exploits of Michael McGovern in the Northern Irish goal.

Antonio Conte has proved the doubters wrong once again by masterminding a 2-0 victory over the holders, Spain. Another masterplan will need to be conceived if Italy are to defeat the World Champions. Leonardo Bonucci, Giorgio Chiellini and Andrea Barzagli have patrolled the backline orchestrated by Juve team mate, Gianluigi Buffon and another top performance will be required if Italy are to win. Italy's siege mentality has produced some memorable games and has neutralised sides who are perceived to play 'attractive football.' The rotations made by Conte in the final group match against Ireland could prove crucial, particularly if the game goes the full distance. The bookies tip Germany however this match has the makings of being settled on penalties, with the Germans coming out on top.

France v Iceland

Despite topping Group A and defeating the Republic of Ireland 2-1 in the round of 16, the hosts have not been convincing, but find themselves in a favourable quarter final tie against Iceland. Two goals from Antoine Griezmann overturned a 1-0 deficit in the second half against Ireland and the dismissal of Shane Duffy allowed them to consolidate their lead. Dimitri Payet's creativity has been a major positive, and will play a big part in the match against Iceland. Laurent Koscielny and Adil Rami looked nervy, particularly in the first half against the Irish and this will be highlighted by the Icelandic side as a possible area to exploit. 

Iceland, like Wales, are exceeding all expectations. Armed with Aron Gunnarsson's long throw, they posed plenty of problems for England who didn't have the answers. Many thought the 1-1 draw against Portugal would be the highlight of the trip, but Lars Largerback and Heimer Hallgrimsson have had other ideas, guiding their side to a quarter final in their first tournament. They are very hard to break down, just ask any of their group stage opponents and are adept on the counter. Against England they showed that they can play some football, but have a major strength at the set piece. France are a better side than England so I expect them to learn from the mistakes that England made and expect them to qualify. Iceland can be proud of their achievements of everything that they have achieved and have written a great story in the year of the underdog.

On the Verge of Something Special

Both Wales and Northern Ireland share something in common, they are plucky underdogs who have defied everything to reach Euro 2016. Now, as we reach the conclusion of the group stage, Wales are through to the knockout rounds in first position, while Northern Ireland are on the verge of qualifying as a third place team.

The winners of Group B have given themselves an excellent chance of going further in the tournament, as they face a third place side in the next round from either Group A, Group D or Group C. Albania finished third in Group A, while Northern Ireland are in pole position to qualify in third, providing they do not get hammered by the Germans later today. In Group D, Turkey have their work cut out, needing to beat the Czech Republic by more than 3 goals in order to finish third and have a competitive goal difference to challenge the rest of the sides. However, that would only leave them on 3 points and they would need other results to go in their favour. Likewise, the Czechs need to win to secure their qualification.

Looking beyond the next knockout round, a match against either the runner up of Group F or the winner of Group E. Belgium are likely to be the runner up of Group E providing they don't slip up against Sweden, Hungary are leading the way in Group E. While Group E is still up for grabs, none of the teams have looked convincing and all look very beatable. Wales don't fear anyone and that is the spirit that Chris Coleman and his predecessor, the late Gary Speed instilled in the side.

Looking at Wales, Chris Coleman has got them playing very smart football. Last night they destroyed a Russian side 3-0 with Gareth Bale, Aaron Ramsey and Neil Taylor on the score sheet. Joe Allen delivered a very assured performance in the middle of the park and executed a brilliant through ball to Ramsey for the opener. Bale was a thorn in the Russian side all night and is a very good attacking outlet for Wales to use. During qualifying, Wales were criticised for being a one-man team, in this tournament other players have stepped up and showed that Wales don't have to rely on Gareth Bale.

Northern Ireland don't have a speedy Real Madrid Galactico to look towards so some would argue that their feat would be even more spectacular. Sitting as the top third placed team before the final round of group matches kicked off, lists of permutations were drafted up of what had to happen for Northern Ireland to qualify. Four years ago I would have laughed at you if you had said Northern Ireland would qualify for Euro 2016 never mind be on the verge of making it to the knockout round.

Standing in front of the big screen at the Titanic Quarter in Belfast, soaking up the atmosphere before Northern Ireland kicked off against Ukraine on Thursday, I remember thinking to myself, 'Imagine if Northern Ireland scored?' Not only did they score 1, they won the match by two goals. Northern Ireland started that match with intent. The players weren't happy with the performance against Poland which culminated in a 1-0 loss and Michael O'Neill made 5 changes, notably, qualifying hero Kyle Lafferty being replaced by QPR's Conor Washington. Washington set the tempo early on, with high pressing, aided by Steven Davis and Stuart Dallas. 

Oliver Norwood, whose set piece deliveries are normally very accurate, but hasn't hit the levels Northern Irish fans have grown accustom to, delivered a perfect ball for Gareth McAuley to head home after the interval. A threat in the opposition's box, McAuley was also imperious when defending, constantly throwing his body in the way of any Ukrainian shot along with Jonny Evans. Niall McGinn followed up a shot from Steven Davis to score the second goal and send the Northern Irish contingent delirious and that goal might be crucial in determining whether they will progress.

Northern Ireland are currently on track to reach the first knockout round of their very first European Championship, but have the small task of current World Champions, Germany in their way. Any kind of result would virtually guarantee a place in the next round. With a +1 goal difference, a 3-0 defeat to Germany would still see them through providing the Czech Republic and Turkey draw tonight. Also, if Turkey beat the Czech Republic but fail to overturn a goal difference of -4, then Northern Ireland will qualify.

Michael O'Neill won't be concerning himself with the list of permutations about finishing third, instead a plan on how to add Germany to the long list of upsets that the nation of 1.7m people has caused. All the talk has been about what Northern Ireland have to do to qualify third, with no mention of what has to happen for them to finish top. If Northern Ireland defeat Germany and Ukraine defeat Poland, the Green and White Army top the group, and match their Celtic counterparts, Wales.

Northern Ireland is at fever pitch with First Minister Arlene Foster asking for employers to let their staff out early in order to watch the match. Across the Irish Sea, Wales will be waking up to plenty of sore heads after a hard night partying, but Chris Coleman will know that there is more history to be written. Both sides are on the verge of something special. 

A Crafty Conte

At the final whistle of Belgium vs Italy last night, Gianluca Vialli commented, "The whole is greater than the sum of its parts" - never could the 59-capped Italian international be more correct. Outgoing national team manager, Antonio Conte dished out a tactical masterclass and he reaped the plaudits of a 2-0 result that not many Italian fans predicted.

Conte opted to play three centre halves, all of which he coached during his stint at Juventus. With willing runners, Matteo Darmian and Andrea Candreva occupying the two wing back roles, they were well versed defensively and attacked when the opportunity arose. Andrea Pirlo, who was the talisman four years ago, was left out of the squad leaving Daniele De Rossi to occupy the withdrawn role while Leonardo Bonucci was also capable of play-making from the back. It was Bonucci who supplied the pin point ball Emanuele Giacherrini to open the scoring half an hour into the match.

In true Italian fashion, they made themselves a very hard nut to crack, often keeping the majority of their players behind the ball. The midfield, consisting of De Rossi, Giacherrini and Marco Parolo, dominated the Belgium's star studded outfit. Parolo and De Rossi in particular were disciplined and kept Kevin de Bruyne and Eden Hazard on a tight leash through out the match. With 56% of the possession, Conte was happy to allow Belgium to have the ball at the back, in favour of keeping their impenetrable shape. Once Belgium did get the ball into dangerous areas, the Italian midfield pressed and were able to win the ball back before calmly playing the ball out of defence. 

Unlike Roy Hodgson, Antonio Conte introduced the pacey Ciro Immobile when Belgium threw caution into the wind and it gave Italy another point of attack. After a loose ball from Belgium Immobile picked the ball up on half way and ran at the defence. After working some space to shoot, the Torino attacker cracked a shot off, only to be matched by a fine save from Thibaut Courtois. In the second minute of added time, Immobile twisted and turned before finding Candreva on the right side of the box. The Lazio player controlled the ball and committed a few Belgian defenders before dinking the ball to Graziano Pelle who fired the ball into the back of the net to give Italy a comfortable victory.

While Italy were a well drilled unit, Belgium were the opposite. They looked disorganised, weak defensively and lacking ideas in the final third. Romelu Lukaku was very poor, with his performance epitomised by his off target shot in the second half after a swift Belgium counter attack. In commentary, Martin Keown summed up the Belgian performance perfectly describing it as 'playing with the handbrake on' and likening it to Manchester United of last season. One shining light was Dries Mertens who replaced Radja Nainggolan on 62 minutes. The Napoli man caused a few problems for the Italian defence with his direct running and on one instance weaved his way to the byline before squaring the ball back into a dangerous area. Not one Belgian player was on the same wave length as Mertens and the Italians cleared easily.

The other game in this group saw Sweden come from behind to draw with the Republic of Ireland. The Irish side will undoubtedly see this as an opportunity missed when Wes Hoolahan curled a half-volley from a Seamus Coleman cross into the back of the net. Sweden equalised thanks to the work of Zlatan Ibrahimovic who fired a ball into the Irish 6 yard box to be deflected into the net by Ciaran Clark. Sweden claim a vital point despite not having a shot on target in the whole game. With the Swedes up next for Italy, Conte will have to adapt his team as it will be expected that they will have more possession than they did against Belgium.

Chelsea fans will have been salivating at the passion showed by Antonio Conte, who takes the reigns in west London at the conclusion of the tournament. Italy now have an excellent chance at proving the doubters wrong and their manager will certainly have the players in the appropriate mindset for challenges ahead.

Exciting start to the Euros marred by Marseille violence

Despite being treated four cracking games in the Euros so far, it has not been the football that has grabbed the headlines, but rather the hooliganism in Marseille that has brought the city to its knees.

Dimitri Payet was the man of the moment as he clinched a 2-1 win for France in the opening game while a goalkeeping howler allowed Fabien Schar to head home within 5 minutes of Switzerland's game against Albania. Wales were the first British team in action with Hal Robson-Kanu scoring a late winner while English hearts were dashed with an injury time equaliser for Russia.

France started their campaign with a win, while it may not have been as comfortable as initially anticipated they were up against a very useful Romanian side. Olivier Giroud opened the scoring just before the 60 minute mark, leaping highest to connect with a Dimitri Payet cross. The West Ham creator is showing that he can compete in the Premier League and in the Euros. Bogdan Stancu pinned the hosts back 7 minutes later when Evra clumsily challenged the Romanian forward.

Let's just take a moment to admire that strike from Payet... A sumptuous curling shot found the top left of the goal and sent the Stade de France into raptures. The goal gave France a 2-1 victory, much to the testament of the Romanians who put up a valiant defensive effort.

In the second game of Group A, a defensive howler from the Albanian goal keeper gifted Fabian Schar an easy header. Haris Seferovic had opportunities to double the lead, while Armando Sadiku failed to find the back of the net with several golden opportunites. Lorik Cana's dismissal for a second bookable offence made Albania's life harder and their Swiss counterparts were able to hold on for the victory.

Hal Robson-Kanu scored a late goal for Wales in their first match at a major tournament since the World Cup in Sweden, 1958. Gareth Bale got Chris Coleman's men off to a flyer with a free kick inside 10 minutes before Ondrej Duda worked some space and fired into the back of the net. Robson-Kanu struck after great work in the middle from Aaron Ramsey and the man without a club rolled the ball past the Slovak keeper. The least said about Ramsey's hair the better. Wales looked very good on the counter, and could have increased their scoreline through Bale and Ramsey, this could prove very beneficial later in the tournament. Wales top Group B and will be very confident going into the crunch match against England later in the week.

England were totally dominant in the first half against the Russians but were unable to break the deadlock in the last match on Saturday. Both Danny Rose and Kyle Walker were very influential down the flanks and played well the whole match. It was a powerfully struck free kick from Eric Dier that broke the deadlock after the break, but England were unable to push on and score the vital second goal. 

Russia began to grow more into the game with long balls fired into Artem Dzyuba. Roy Hodgson looked to his bench for impact through the introduction of Jack Wilshere and controversially taking off Wayne Rooney who had a solid game. In stoppage time, a hopeful ball was launched into the area and Vasili Berezutski headed past Joe Hart in nets to earn a crucial point for the Russians. Hodgson has to take some criticism in that match, particularly as a Jamie Vardy could have posed serious questions to the ageing centre backs.

After the match in Marseille, chaos descended upon the Stade Velodrome. Video footage shows Russian fans appearing to charge at the English support striking fear into those fans. Violence continued out onto the street after the game and have forced UEFA to warn both sides that they will be thrown out of the competition if the violence continues, threats that are unlikely to happen regardless of the change in attitudes. Nice wasn't very nice for Poland and Northern Ireland fans who were attacked also, but these disturbances were quickly neutralised by the French police.

Let's hope the football does the talking for the rest of the tournament and the quality lives up to what we saw in the first two days, but people must be considering whether they should attend the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Home Nations at Euro 2016

For the first time in European Championship history, three of the four teams defined as the Home Nations have made it to the Euros, with the addition of the Republic of Ireland. With many from the British Isles set to be glued to their TV over the next few weeks, how will we all get on?

Northern Ireland

Qualified as group winners, this will be Northern Ireland's first ever appearance at the Euros and first at a major competition since 1986. Their unbeaten result against Slovakia in the last warm up game sees Michael O'Neill's men come into the tournament on form, having not lost a match in 12, with no other side matching this feat. Placed in a group with Poland, Germany and Ukraine, the current holders of the now defunct British Home Championship, could have had an easier group but the quality will not phase the Ulstermen having beaten Russia and Greece as well as matching Portugal over the last few years, write off Northern Ireland at your peril.

Key Player

While Kyle Lafferty provided the main source of goals for Northern Ireland in qualifying, their talisman is without a doubt Southampton's Steven Davis. A Northern Irish stalwart over the years it was fitting that he was to score two of the goals to send his team to the competition. The captain featured in all qualifying games bar the 2-0 defeat to Romania in Bucharest. All of Northern Ireland's attacking threat comes through the County Antrim man and Davis will have to replicate the same form he has showed over the past year if Northern Ireland have any ambitions of getting out of the group.

Predicted Finish

With only 8 teams going out at the group stage, four points could be enough to send Northern Ireland through to the knock-out games. They will fancy themselves against Ukraine and will aim to soak up pressure from the Germans and Polish attacks before hitting them on the break. I fancy Northern Ireland to get out of the group. If they finish second, it gives them a tie against Romania, a perfect opportunity to carry out some revenge however this is unlikely. I predict Northern Ireland to scrape through in third spot and, depending on the draw, to exit at the first knock-out round.

England

The only side in the tournament to qualify with 10 wins, England have been placed in a group with Wales as well as Russia and Slovakia. England will be expected to top the group and in doing so, would open up many possibilities with having to face a third place side in the first knock-out round. As always with the English side there has been debates about the personnel chosen to represent England with Premier League winner, Danny Drinkwater being omitted from the 23-man squad in favour of Jack Wilshere. England massively underperformed at the last World Cup so will be hoping to make amends in Euro 2016.

Key Player

Unlike with the other nations, it was difficult to single out a key player in the English ranks. Record goal scorer, Wayne Rooney, topped the scoring charts in qualifying with 7, and has competition from Harry Kane and Jamie Vardy who netted 25 and 24 Premier League goals this season respectively. As captain it is unlikely that Rooney will be benched so it will be critical where he is played. Rumours have been circulating that Roy Hodgson will opt for a 4-4-2 diamond, incorporating Kane and Vardy up front with Rooney in behind, while dropping Rooney into midfield has also been discussed. Rooney has been criticised in the past for poor performances at major competitions so he will be aiming to prove the doubters wrong.

Predicted Finish
Expectations in the build-up to the tournament have been surprisingly low from English fans and can probably be attributed to the failings in 2014. England are likely to do better than Wales, Northern Ireland or Republic of Ireland, but a lot will hinge on the the decisions made by Roy Hodgson. For Hodgson, he will have to make bold decisions and will likely come under fierce criticism from the English media if they are unsuccessful. I do expect England to top their group and they will be confident of defeating their opponents in the first knockout round providing there are no shocks. While England are a good side, they are not suitable contenders yet and an exit at the quarter finals looks likely.

Wales

Having successfully qualified for their first major tournament since the 1958 World Cup, Wales will be relishing the prospect of taking on their old foes in the shape of England. They had an excellent qualifying campaign in a tricky group which included a very good win over Belgium at home and a draw away. Their only blemish was a 2-0 defeat at Bosnia and Herzegovina in the penultimate game. Despite being the first manager since Jimmy Murphy to guide his country to a major tournament, Coleman holds the unwanted record of being the first Welsh manager to lose in his first five games. Like Northern Ireland, the Welsh faithful will be happy to be at competition however the players will harbour ambitions of leaving their mark on the tournament.

Key Player

Real Madrid Galactico Gareth Bale fired his country to the Euros with 7 goals in qualifying and undoubtedly holds the key to their success in the competition. With 19 international goals at the age of 26, it looks almost certain that Bale will surpass the Welsh record currently held by Ian Rush (28). Not only does Bale have excellent dribbling and lightning pace, he is also renowned as one of the best players in the world and this will also attract the attention of opposition managers, who will attempt to mark him out of the game therefore leaving space for some of his team mates. If Bale is on form, then Wales have every chance of getting out of the group.

Predicted Finish

Coleman does have some cause for concern after a heavy 3-0 defeat at the hands of Sweden in their last warm up match. While they will want to win all of their matches, the English tie will be the one that will attract the most attention. They kick off their campaign against Slovakia on Saturday, before the crunch match against England on June 16th and the final game against Russia on June 20th. If Wales can clinch that second spot, they will face a knock-out round tie against the runners up of Group F, consisting of Portugal, Iceland, Austria and Hungary, all who are very beatable. I predict an exit in the first knock-out round for Wales.

Republic of Ireland

The Republic of Ireland had the toughest qualifying group out of all of the mentioned teams, but one they were able to navigate. The biggest highlight was undoubtedly the 1-0 win over Germany with Shane Long grabbing the only goal. Martin O'Neill and his men finished in the play off spot just ahead of Scotland and were able to defeat Bosnia and Herzegovina 3-1 on aggregate in the play off. They qualified for Euro 2012, but finished bottom of their group with 0 points and only one goal scored so an improvement this year will definitely be on the cards.

Key Player

Veteran Robbie Keane continues to thrill the Irish faithful at the ripe age of 35. Ireland's top scorer with 5 goals in qualifying, Keane leads the side from the front and continues to display all the characteristics which cemented him as an Irish legend. However it was his partner in crime who netted the pivotal goal to defeat Germany in qualifying. Currently at Southampton, Shane Long is coming to the Euros off the back of a decent season on the south coast of England, scoring 13 goals in 32 appearances in all competitions. Possessing good pace, his threat will be apparent on the counter attack and will test the defences of Belgium, Italy and Sweden.

Predicted Finish

A defence that is error prone could hinder the Irish side, however they possess a great work ethic in midfield and up front. The first match against Sweden is vital and a win next Monday will give the side a great confidence boost. Looking at their opposition, a lot has been expected of Belgium yet they have not hit top form over the past few matches, while Italy are currently in transition with coach Antonio Conte admitting that he is worried about preparations for the tournament. A win against Sweden and I tip the Republic of Ireland to qualify, anything else and they'll have their work cut out.

Playing to impress at Euro 2016

With many teams off the pace last season, this transfer window promises to be one of the biggest since the inception of the modern Premier League in 1992, heightened further by the European Championships that kick off in less than a week and the new bumper TV deal.

None of Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City or Arsenal will want to see another season pan out like the one last season. Arsenal were able to grab second spot due to the misfortune of Spurs on the final day, while Manchester City undoubtedly underachieved in the first half of the season and then prioritised the Champions League over their league form in the latter stages of the year. Liverpool and Manchester United are both in transition evidenced by the hot and cold form over the season, while Chelsea couldn't recover after a horrific start. On the other hand, Leicester City have the added attraction of Champions League football as well as being part of a fairy tale story while Spurs possess a great young manager and some very talented and young players.

United, Chelsea and City have all acquired new managers, and all have major restructuring to do. City currently have the oldest squad and with Guardiola favouring the youth, we're likely to see some seismic changes. Chelsea clinched the record for the worst title defence off the grateful hands of United who set it a year previous. Failures in developing an attractive style of football coupled with no Champions League football next season ensured a swift exit for Louis Van Gaal, not even a week after his FA Cup triumph. With Brendan Rodgers' squad still at his disposal as we are so often reminded on social media, Jürgen Klopp faces his first transfer window since moving to Anfield in October. He will no doubt plan to strengthen the side with plenty of weaknesses being exposed in the team throughout last season.

With players' agents as sharp as a knife, they will have earmarked the upcoming tournament as one to clinch their clients lucrative new contracts. Number one example of this was James Rodriguez's £50m move from AS Monaco to Real Madrid after the 2014 World Cup. Not all of the transfers after a major tournament turned out to be as successful as that of James' with Spurs signing Roman Pavyluchencho and Arsenal signing Andrei Arshavin after superb performances at Euro 2008. Both careers in North London did not match the fees spent.

Liverpool have started their business early, with the completion of the deal to bring Loris Karius to the club for £4.7m. Rumours of the arrival of Mario Götze on Merseyside were unsurprisingly swiftly refuted, with the German World Cup winner emphasising his allegiance to Bayern Munich. It will not effect Liverpool however with money needed to be spent on more problematic areas of the pitch. Defensively, there is a lot to be desired on in Anfield, and I suspect that this will be the main area where Klopp will spend most of his transfer budget.

In Manchester, Guardiola has already acquired the services of Borussia Dortmund midfielder Ikay Gundogan for around £20m. With the Turkish-born German not selected for the German national team among injury fears, he will have the whole summer off to prepare for an assault on the Premier League. Rumours are circulating that the new City boss will embark on a summer spending spree totalling a whopping £250m. There is no doubt that Guardiola will already have specific targets in mind, but he will pay particular attention to the international football that kicks off next week.

Ones to Watch
I've compiled a list of players who are on the radar of Premier League teams or could be vital additions:

Leading that list is Haris Seferovic. Currently plying his trade at Eintracht Frankfurt, the striker has been around the block and it is somewhat surprising to note that he is only 24 years of age. At 6ft 1in, he is a physical presence for defenders to handle and is progressing nicely on the international stage with 7 goals in 29 appearances. With players such as Xherdan Shaqiri and Granit Xhaka providing the creativity, Seferovic will be not short of any chances but does have competition up front in the form of teenager Breel Embolo.

Wolfsburg left back, Ricardo Rodriguez has been on the radar of several big clubs over the past number of seasons, Arsenal and Manchester United notably. Rodriguez is equally adept at attacking as he is at defending and has exceptional dead ball capabilities and was voted Swiss Footballer of the Year in 2014. With very good stamina, his adventurous runs will cause problems for his opposite number and deliveries will be sure to create chances for his native Switzerland.

A favourite of the English press, Andriy Yarmolenko has been linked to many sides over the last number of years. At 26 and approaching his peak years, the Ukrainian has the physicality - standing at 187cm and 74kg - but also has the panache, often leaving him to be compared to Franck Ribery or Marco Reus. An excellent dribbler, he assisted the most in 2014-2015 Europa League in which Dynamo Kyiv reached the quarter finals. An impressive performance at the Euros and he can finally make the step to England.

Polish striker Arkadiusz Milik is Ajax's golden striker. The Dutch club completed the signing of the 22 year old at the start of this season having completed a loan spell the previous year. Despite not firing the Amsterdam side to the title, Milik recorded 21 goals in 31 league appearances. Experts in nurturing talent, the former Bayer Leverkusen player has made great progress and also has 10 goals in 24 international appearances. Often in the shadows of compatriot Robert Lewandowski, Milik possess great dribbling skills copied from his idol Cristiano Ronaldo. Lewandowski will be the main danger, but to write off Milik as a threat would be a cardinal sin.

I do have lengthy list of players aiming to make the big time at the Euros so will endeavour to share this before the tournament begins on Friday. Feel free to leave suggestions!

Champions League Final Preview 2016

134 teams have been whittled down to the last two, in a repeat of the Lisbon final in 2014. Having clinched La Decima two years ago, a header from Sergio Ramos in injury time broke the hearts of Atletico Madrid to seal extra time, with Gareth Bale, Marcelo and Cristiano Ronaldo scoring to allow Iker Casillas to lift the infamous trophy.

Both sides are aiming for their first trophy of the season, with neither toppling Barcelona who lifted the La Liga title almost two weeks ago. A shock defeat for Atletico at the hands of bottom side Levante in Week 37 ended their hopes thanks to a 91st minute goal from Giuseppe Rossi. A late Real Madrid surge coupled with a slump in form from Barcelona allowed them to get within an arm stretch, however despite a 2-0 win over Deportivo, Barcelona were able to defeat Granada 3-0 to pip their historic rivals to the post.

Real Madrid had a relatively stress free trip through the group stage, only dropping two points in a scoreless draw at the Parc-des-Princes against PSG. Free scoring going forward, they were water tight at the back, conceding just three goals all of which came in a 13 minute period at the end from Shakhtar Donetsk to leave the final score 4-3. An annihilation of Malmo was undoubtedly the most memorable point of the group stage in the last game thanks to four goals from Ronaldo, a hat trick from Karim Benzema and a goal from Mateo Kovacic.

A 2-1 defeat to Benfica and a nil-nil draw to Astana were the only blemishes on the card of Atletico Madrid in the group stage. The fiery atmosphere of the Turk Telecom Arena in Istanbul was matched with two unanswered Antoine Griezmann goals and the French forward dealt the same blows in the return fixture. Astana were also swept aside with Oliver Torres, Saul Niguez and Jackson Martinez getting on the score sheet.

Real Madrid were in complete control against AS Roma in the Round of 16 running out 4-0 winners on aggregate, while Atletico needed a penalty shoot out to separate themselves from Dutch side, PSV. Los Blancos nearly suffered a surprise shock in the Quarters, with Wolfsburg taking a surprise 2-0 lead into the second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu, however a Cristiano Ronaldo hat trick prevented an upset. Atletico had a significantly tougher challenge in the way in the shape of holders Barcelona. Fernando Torres' away goal was vital in the first leg, with Antoine Griezmann netting a header and scoring an 88th minute penalty to knock the holders out.

Both sides had semi final matches against very tough opposition. Real faced Manchester City while their neighbours faced favourites, Bayern Munich. A stunning goal from Saul Niguez gave Los Rojiblancos a lead after the first leg at the Vicente Calderon while their neighbours stood strong at the hands of Manchester City. Gareth Bale's deflected cross was enough to book his side's place in Milan while Atletico showed discipline and determination that they are fabled for to cling on to a victory on away goals, with Antoine Griezmann once again popping up in the right place at the perfect time.

A vital cog in the Atleti wheel that is rolling to Milan, Antoine Griezmann no doubt remains Diego Simeone's main attacking outlet. The former Real Sociedad player has already netted 7 times for his side in the competition this year as well as a further 22 goals in the league campaign. Griezmann is lethal on the break, with the pivotal goal coming from a swift counter attack at the Allianz Arena. The Real centre halves will certainly have their hands full. The work rate of Koke and Gabi in the midfield are the biggest positive for Simeone particularly as both will do their defensive duties but will also look to create the chances for the forward men. At the back, Atleti have a severely underrated keeper in Jan Oblak, as well as the experienced heads of Diego Godin and Juanfran.

It's hard to pick out which of Real's 'Galactico-esque' signings is the most important, but the chalice must be handed to Cristiano Ronaldo. With 16 goals in the competition, the Portuguese winger is 7 ahead of his nearest competitor. At 31 years of age, Ronaldo shows no signs of slowing down and has broke almost every record at the club in his 7 short years there. When marking him out of the game, Atletico would run the risk of opening up space for his team mates and he is professional enough to allow this to happen. Pepe and Sergio Ramos are crucial for the ten times champions on Saturday evening. Despite a decent defensive record in the competition, there has been times when they have looked shaky, particularly in the match at the Etihad stadium.

Both Diego Simeone and Zinedine Zidane are icons at their respective clubs. With Florentino Perez looking the Frenchman to emulate Pep Guardiola, Zidane was promoted from manager of Castilla to first team manager upon the sacking of Rafa Benitez in January. It has been a good six months for the rookie and Saturday could see the former play-maker cap it off with a victory. Unlike Zidane, Diego Simeone has the experience of managing his side in a major final, albeit a losing one. Simeone wrote the ultimate underdog story two seasons ago when he successfully guided his side to their first Spanish league title since 1996. Simeone has built his side in a model of himself - hardworking, physical, dedicated but also willing to bend the rules when necessary. Simeone stands on the touchline orchestrating every move his players make with passionate instructions, almost like playing a game of FIFA on the Xbox. A very animated coach, it is almost as if Atletico are playing with 12 players.

While only a short 20 minute car journey down the M-30 separates the sides, their style of play are polar opposites. Atletico Madrid are a well drilled side that are very difficult to break down as Barcelona and Bayern Munich found out in the previous rounds. Their rivals often rely on the individual brilliance of the stars within their ranks and are often a lot more fluid in their approach. Real will have the majority of possession without a doubt, but Atletico are experts at winning football matches with less possession. Their triumph in the Vicente Calderon over Bayern Munich only required 31% while 28% was enough to see off Barcelona in the second leg. Zinedine Zidane's men could do no worse than scoring an early goal within the opening quarter of the game, forcing Atleti to become a bit more adventurous. Likewise, if the first goal goes to Griezmann and co, it heaps an enormous amount of pressure onto their opponents.

I fancy Atletico to win their first European Cup. The agonisingly defeat in 2014 will stand them in good stead for the match on Saturday. Since that defeat, Simeone and his side have progressed and the match at the weekend will be an indication as to whether they have learnt from previous lessons.