There is no 'Right Way' to play Football

Despite being the pre-tournament favourites to be the first side to retain the Champions League, the attacking threat of Messi, Suarez and Neymar was nullified and two Antoine Griezmann goals were enough to send Atlético Madrid through. The main talking points about the match were undoubtedly the two hand ball incidents involving Andrés Iniesta and Gabi, which referee Nicola Rizzoli adjudged the latter to have been outside the box.

The 'proper way' to play football was a phrase coined around the time when Chelsea won the Champions League, by keeping a very rigid, defensive shape and hitting teams on the counter attack. Like Jose Mourinho and Roberto di Matteo who masterminded the victory, Atlético  play to their strengths and under the stewardship of Diego Simeone, they have done that brilliantly. Los Colchoneros don't play attractive football and haven't done since the Argentine took over, but what they do display is a great team work ethic and a siege mentality against sides that are perceived as superior in quality that is so refreshing to see. I love watching Simeone on the side lines as he displays the same passion as just an ordinary supporter on the touchline, he knows what that club is about.

Simeone had not defeated Barcelona in seven attempts since their victory last night, yet it is not surprising that he has masterminded an upset on the biggest of stages. Upon the final whistle, I noted, as did the pundits on BT Sport, that he marched straight down the tunnel, not partaking in any of the celebrations that the players were having with the Vicente Calderón faithful. He knows the hard work is only beginning if we wants to instill himself in Atléti history by going one step further than in 2013.

Antoine Griezmann got both of the goals last night, and with the recent news emerging that France will not be considering Karim Benzema for the Euros squad, there is a big chance that the former Real Sociedad winger could be finding himself leading the line. The first goal that 25 year old scored last night came out after a great run into the box matched by a cross with pin-point precision from Saul and was glanced into the back of the net, leaving Marc-Andre Ter Stegen no chance in nets. Barcelona were given a warning earlier in the game with Griezmann, remaining unmarked, heading a tame effort into the the safe clutches of Ter Stegen.

The second goal arrived courtesy of an Andrés Iniesta hand ball. Apart from the moment of shock with Iniesta committing a cynical and professional foul I thought Rizzoli should have brandished a red card to the Barcelona captain. The argument was made that Mascherano was able to get back on the line, therefore not making it a goal scoring chance, however I doubt that the Argentine would have been able to prevent a shot if Iniesta had missed the ball and Griezmann got a clear, first time shot off. Up steps the Basque player with a nervous look on his baby face to strike past the German keeper. It was a nervous penalty with Ter Stegen getting a paw to the ball, and some claiming that the keeper should have done better.

Atlético Madrid would run through brick walls for each other as well as their manager. This was evidenced once the second goal went in when the home side played very conservatively not giving Barcelona a sniff. Simeone was at his raving best with arms flailing everywhere in an attempt to gee-up the crowd to roar their heroes home. Godin followed suit, and led from the front with terrific defending as well as the odd cynical moment where he tried to wind his opponents up. The one moment that typified this side for me was when the captain made a surging run forward with the ball, only to lose out to Sergi Roberto and haul him to the ground to stop Barcelona from building an attack. Cynical yes, but it was effective as it allowed Atléti to regain their shape.

Simeone and his Atlético side have proved once again that there is no right way to play football like they did in the quarter final stage of 2013. No team will take this side lightly and they will fancy themselves against any of the other teams in this tournament.

Champions League Quarter Final Predictions

Rather surprisingly only Chelsea let me down in my predictions for the last 16 round. This time however, we have a few more ties which are a lot less clear cut. Wolfsburg reach the quarter finals of the competition for the first time in their history, as do Manchester City, and they face Real Madrid and PSG respectively. Bayern Munich face Benfica and Barcelona lock horns with Atletico Madrid in an all Spanish affair.

Wolfsburg v Real Madrid

Viewed as one of the easier ties that Madrid could have got, they will cast their minds back to last years semi final in which they were expected to defeat Juventus with relative ease. Under Deiter Hecking, the German club has come on leaps and bounds and deservedly have made it through to this round. Wolfsburg have invested the money received by the sale of Kevin de Bruyne very wisely, bringing in players such as Julian Draxler. Madrid will undoubtedly be favourites, but the pressure on Zinedine Zidane and his team will be immense, particularly as they sit 12 points adrift of Barcelona at the top of La Liga. I tip Real Madrid to win the tie in front of their own fans in the second leg, with Wolfsburg running the home side close and achieving a score draw in the first leg.

Bayern Munich v Benfica

Bayern survived an almighty scare against Juventus in the previous leg, with a late Thomas Muller strike saving Pep Guardiola's blushes and forcing extra time. Like Madrid, they will perceive this to be one of the better ties to get and I do expect them to progress. Both sides are fabled for their vociferous atmospheres and the return leg to the Estadio da Luz will send shivers down the spine as Benfica return to the quarter finals for the first time since 2012. Both sides sit top of their respective leagues with Benfica two points ahead of fierce rivals Sporting CP while Bayern lead Europa League quarter finalists, Borussia Dortmund by 4 points. Benfica are a strong outfit and they defeated Atletico Madrid 2-1 at the Vicente Calderon back in September. Although they cant be taken lightly, I do expect Bayern to have the tie sewn up in the Allianz Arena, however if the Portuguese side come away from the first leg with something, then anything is possible.

City v PSG

England's sole representatives in the quarter finals this year welcome French champions Paris Saint-Germain to the Etihad Stadium. Defeating Chelsea in the first knockout round, the Parisians are in the fortunate position of being able to rest their first eleven in the run up to the Champions League matches having secured the Ligue 1 title in record time with a 9-0 thumping over Troyes last week. However this could prove a negative, as it will prevent the side from getting any match practice with the league matches effectively being a dead rubber and could hinder them when pace increases in Europe. This match is finely balanced and gives Zlatan Ibrahimovic the chance to end his career in Paris in style having decided not to extend his contract. Manchester City have had a mixed season this year. With the league out of their hands and progress in the FA Cup halted in the 5th round, the Champions League represents the last opportunity for Manuel Pellegrini to get success as the City manager. I can see this tie going the distance with both sides struggling to break each other down. City to win on penalties.

Barcelona v Atletico

Last but certainly not least, Atletico meet tournament favourites, Barcelona in a repeat of the 2014 semi final. On that occasion, Atletico triumphed, but have not defeated the Catalan giants since in the 7 games since then, losing 6 and drawing 1. The Madrid side scraped through against PSV Eindhoven in the last round, courtesy of Juanfran netting the deciding penalty after enduring 310 minutes of goalless football. It is obvious that Atletico will look to frustrate and absorb Barca pressure and then hit the holders on the counter attack. This worked with aplomb in the last European meeting between the sides but they have struggled to stop the dreaded MSN trio from scoring in the matches since. I fancy Barcelona to win overall, but Atletico will definitely pose a different challenge to Arsenal in the previous round.

There are once again some very intriguing ties thrown up by the chiefs at UEFA, feel free to leave your tips on who you think will triumph and if there will be any shocks this season.

What will 2016 have in store for football?

We've got all of the 'New Year, new me' pleasantries, where we announce our plans to hit the gym more often or be a better person. Now that those are all out of the way, what will 2016 have in store for us football fanatics?

The headline act will be the European Championships in France commencing on the 10th June. It won't be the same as any other competition mostly down to the extra teams added. For me, this will be the second international tournament that I will have covered, having done the World Cup over a year and a half ago. Unfortunately I'll have to settle to watching it from the comfort of my living room, due to other commitments but it promises to be an intriguing competition. The world champions, Germany will undoubtedly be favourites, however they did suffer several set backs losing to both Poland and the Republic of Ireland in qualifying. France will back themselves on home turf, and rightly so, while Spain will also be up there and will look to bounce back after a poor World Cup. Although not at a match, I will be in Marseille for the end of the tournament so will be rooting for the French if Northern Ireland are shocked and dumped out in the early rounds. My opinions on the group stage are available here...

Probably not so special to 2016, but the Champions League is not failing to live up to expectations. Barcelona are bidding to be the first side to retain the trophy and are looking very strong. I am crying out for a Barcelona v Bayern final. Pep Guardiola will be after revenge for last years semi final, while the Bavarians are looking imperious in the league. If the sides do meet, neither leg will be as one sided as the match at the Camp Nou last season. For the English sides, Man City look the most likely to progress and could be flying the flag for the Premier League at the conclusion of the last 16 ties, while Juventus have their work cut out if they are to replicate their exploits of last season. A few dark horses have emerged and could possibly trouble the bigger sides in the later rounds. I tip Wolfsburg, Atletico Madrid and possibly Benfica to do just that. Check out my prediction for the last 16 here.

Looking at the Premier League, we are treated to another enthralling season. This year, we have seen Leicester City capitalise on the inconsistencies of the top 6. It will be interesting to see if The Foxes can keep up their title charge and finish in the top 4. While the Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez grab all of the headlines, all the team have been doing their bit. Defensively they have been very solid with Wes Morgan a rock, and Kasper Schmeichel producing wonderful performances. While Leicester look good, the rest of the 'big sides' have work to do if they are to come out victorious in May. Arsenal have the inform Mesut Ozil, but lack consistency, a 4-0 drubbing at the hands of Southampton evidence of this. Liverpool are in the process of rebuilding under Jurgen Klopp while City are struggling to grab the bull by the horns. United don't look like they will mount a title challenge yet and Chelsea are recovering after sacking Jose Mourinho. The quality of football leaves somewhat to be desired but it sure is exciting.

Serie A is also shaping up nicely. Internazionale lead proceedings with 39 points while Fiorentina and Napoli follow in second and third respectively a point behind. Fourth sees holders Juventus on 36 points while Roma are a further 3 adrift. Sassuolo are performing beyond all expectations in sixth place despite the sales of Simone Zaza and Jasmin Kurtic in the summer transfer window. Juventus took only nine points from their first eight games but have recovered and are currently in the middle of an eight match win streak since their defeat against Sassuolo. The champions are back and will probably remain favourites to lift the Scudetto at the end of the season. I've watched quite a few Inter matches this season and have been very impressed with the style of football Mancini's men are playing. I wrote a piece on both Milan sides earlier in the season, but since then AC Milan have drifted down the table. They don't score many goals, but they're defensively solid, conceding only 11 goals in the league to date. Napoli are playing a very attractive brand of football but lack consistency and this was evident in their 2-1 victory over Torino.

I would have normally published an article on the Ballon D'Or at the start of December, however this got postponed due to various educational reasons. The finalists this year are again, quite predictable. Lionel Messi will undoubtedly be the favourite to win his fifth Ballon D'Or award. The Argentine forward contributed 43 league goals to his side's victorious La Liga season another 10 as he secured Barcelona's Champions League title. Barca team mate, Neymar joins Messi on the short list, but is most likely there to make up the numbers. Nevertheless the 23 year old Brazilian has had super 2015. Despite in Messi's shadow, Neymar scored 39 goals in 51 games and has frightened many defences with his dribbling and pace. Cristiano Ronaldo topped the La Liga goal scoring charts with 48 and did tie with Messi for Champions League goals, however the Argentine received the award for top marksman due to his superior number of assists. Ronaldo also surpassed the great Alfredo di Stefano and Raul to become Real Madrid's top goal scorer.

2016 is just a week old and we've already had the first managerial casualty. Zinedine Zidane took the poisoned chalice upon himself after Real Madrid President, Florentino Perez, fired Rafa Benitez after a 2-2 draw away to Valencia. A Madridista through and through, Benitez left with dignity, releasing a very emotional statement thanking everyone for the opportunity to manage at his boyhood club. The former Liverpool and Chelsea manager will not have any trouble finding work in the short term due to his decorated CV at different clubs over Europe. At the start of his tenure at Santiago Bernabeu, I thought that he would do a decent job and would bring solidity to a Real Madrid defence that often let them down last season. Instead, he sold Asier Illaramendi and refused to bench some of the Galacticos in order not to upset higher powers at the club, which led to his downfall. Zidane takes the reigns, but don't be surprised if they change hands before the year is out.

Football never fails to throw up a few surprises and I certainly expect many to happen before the close of 2016. Let me know your thoughts on 2016 or any memories that you wont forget from 2015.

Champions League Round of 16

Three teams from England and Spain make it through to the knockout rounds of the Champions League while Germany and Italy supply two sides each, while France, Belgium, Russia, Netherlands, Ukraine and Portugal contribute 1 each. 

PSG v Chelsea

History repeats itself with Chelsea once again facing PSG in the last 16 of the Champions League. The tables have definitely turned for the London side as they currently lie in bottom half of the Premier League table as opposed to the top of the table this time last year. Despite having acquired Angel di Maria this season and Edinson Cavani on fine form, I can honestly see Chelsea winning this tie. Because of their poor form in the league, there is a good chance that Chelsea will put all their eggs in the Champions League basket. It will be close and Chelsea will have to penetrate a defence that has only conceded once in Europe, but I predict the underdog to upstage the favourites.

Benfica v Zenit

Definitely not a tie that will grab many of the headlines, but Benfica come off the back of a second place finish behind Atletico Madrid. They have improved dramatically in Europe considering finishing rock bottom of their group last season scoring only 2 goals and winning only 1 game. Looking at Zenit, they topped the group fending off the likes of Lyon, who finished rock bottom and Gary Neville's Valencia who drop into the Europa League positions. It was definitely a shock for them to finish on top, and I would tip the Portuguese side to progress, however this represents a real opportunity for Zenit to put Russia back on the football map.

Gent v Wolfsburg

Like Zenit, KAA Gent surprised many people to seal a place in the last 16 for the first time in their history, finishing behind the Russian side in their group. Likewise, Wolfsburg are competing in their first knockout round in the Champions League and have never played a Belgian side in the Champions League before. Bas Dost is Wolfsburg's top goal scorer and the Belgian underdogs will have to be on form if they are to stop him also Max Kruse will be key for the German Cup holders creating 33 chances so far in this season. The German side will be clear favourites to progress and I tip the side to make the quarter finals.

Roma v Real Madrid

Real Madrid find themselves a point off the top of La Liga leaders, Barcelona and head coach Rafa Benitez is becoming under increasing pressure. In Europe they have been somewhat of a free scoring outfit, with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring 11 times in the group stage alone. They also had a solid defence throughout the group stage, conceding three goals, all of which were in the away leg against Shakhtar Donetsk. Roma have never kicked on under Rudi Garcia since pushing Juventus for the title 2 years ago. Miralem Pjanic is their creative player while there still is life in the old legs of Francesco Totti. I predict Madrid to qualify easily.

Arsenal v Barcelona

This is possibly the most intriguing tie. Arsenal have had terrible luck with draws in the last 16 over the last number of seasons and it doesn't get much harder than a tie against in form Barcelona. Having had a terrible start in Europe, some may say that the Gunners were lucky to progress, but they have players stepping up to the plate. I have been critical of Mesut Ozil over the years I have been blogging but he is finally showing what he is capable of. The game against Barcelona is a massive test and it will be key that the German does not squander possession. Barcelona need no introductions and possess the best attacking force in Europe. I do think that the Catalans have enough to see off the challenge of Arsenal but it will not be easy.

Juventus v Bayern Munich

Beaten finalists Juventus are recovering in the league having won all of their last 5 matches. Juventus are a good side and you would struggle to find a side that can hold a lead better than the Italian giants. Pep Guardiola's Bayern Munich has strengthened since the last edition and they look good. Vidal has been ever-present in the midfield while signing Douglas Costa from Shahktar Donetsk has proved and inspired decision. Paulo Dybala is an exciting prospect for the Old Lady and I have watched him turn out for both Palermo and Juventus in the last 2 seasons. He is quick and has the potential to cause problems. I tip Bayern's strength in depth to overcome Juventus. 

PSV v Atletico Madrid

PSV beat a disappointing Manchester United side to the second placed spot. They will look back on a very good victory against the Manchester side in game week 1 and another well fought draw at Old Trafford. Former Newcastle United reject, Luuk de Jong is their top scorer this season with 13 goals. During the group stage, PSV scored 8 goals and conceded 7. Looking at their opponents, Atletico Madrid topped their group with relative ease, recording 4 wins and a draw. In the league, the Spanish side sits in 5th position, 4 points off Real Madrid in second and further point off the league leaders, Barcelona. I don't see PSV troubling the 2013-2014 runners up, with Atletico finishing the tie at Vicente Calderon.

Dynamo Kyiv v Man City
Dynamo Kyiv surprised many to pip Porto to the last spot that qualifies for the knockout rounds. The Ukrainians have some useful players including winger Andriy Yarmolenko who was ever present in the group stage. Kyiv are currently battling it out for the league title with arch rivals Shakhtar Donetsk, who failed to qualify from the group stage. Manchester City have had many unfortunate draws since 2010/2011, facing Barcelona last year and the year before in both times where they qualify from the group stage. City should be strong enough to beat the Ukrainian side, particularly with the second leg in front of the Etihad faithful.

Barca Run Riot at the Bernabeu

The most eagerly anticipated match in the Spanish calendar ended in a pretty one sided affair. Goals from Neymar, Andres Iniesta and a brace from Luis Suarez humbled Real Madrid and piled on the pressure for Rafa Benitez. 

From the off Barca dominated. Neymar had the opening chance after a lay off by Luis Suarez from a Jordi Alba cross but his shot ballooned over. It wasn't long until the deadlock was broken by Luis Suarez with a lovely outside of the foot effort. Sergi Roberto's surging run forward caused problems for Madrid and committed Varane before sliding through to Suarez.

A sweeping ball from Iniesta found another great run from Roberto and with a bit more composure it would have been 2-0. Barca were causing problems which would be of concern for Benitez. Roberto blazed a shot over the bar on 25 minutes. Another great opportunity and the young Spaniard was at the centre of everything. 

Real Madrid pressed from the front and it nearly paid off as Ivan Rakitic was dispossessed but they couldn't make use of the chance. In the opening half an hour Barcelona had the better of the opportunities and looked the more settled. Particularly early on, Madrid gave up some easy chances but they tightened up as the half went only to be undone in the closing stages of the half.

Karim Benzema had a great chance after a sliced clearance but he failed to connect with the ball and it allowed Barca to counter. Neymar doubled the Catalan side's lead after being slid through by Iniesta and putting it through Navas' legs. Once again Madrid were carved open and it was going to take a great second half performance to get back in the match.

Barcelona were often reluctant to hit the long ball out from the back and looked to play out. When it worked, it looked beautiful but there was always a chance that it could back fire and result in a Madrid goal. It rarely failed however and Barcelona looked class above their counterparts.

Barcelona had a terrific chance to put their hosts to bed with a golden clear cut chance with Neymar skipping away from a challenge and racing to the byline before cutting the ball back to the edge of the box. Suarez got a toe to the ball but Marcelo was on hand to block the ball. Again Varane blocked a Rakitic shot but Madrid were living dangerously. Half time was greeted by jeers by the Bernabeu faithful and they showed their opinion of what they had seen from their side.  

Straight from the kick off, Marcelo skipped down the left flank but his shot hit the side netting. Minutes later, James Rodriguez released a shot from outside the area that was heading into the bottom corner but for an incredible save from Claudio Bravo. It was a positive reaction, but the elusive early goal evaded their grasp.

The game was finished the match through captain Andres Iniesta. It was a beautiful passage of play and a rocket of a finish by Iniesta. Luka Modric was motionless as the Spanish international cruised passed to release the shot. Minutes later they were queuing up for the fourth but Suarez hit the side netting. Madrid have been totally out played and deserve to be 3-0 down.

The little magician came on as the third goal went in and he had his first sighter on 66 minutes, a lovely lifted ball found Suarez but Varane scuffed the ball away to Neymar whose back heel found Messi but Varane blocked the shot once again. Ronaldo had an incredible chance to grab a goal back after a swift counter attack. He tried to lift the ball over Bravo but the Chilean read the move and saved comfortably.

Barca were on form and Suarez scored the fourth and his second after springing the offside trap and lifting over Navas. The Catalans were cruising, but they looked capable of scoring more goals. You could tell that Madrid were trying to get out of the match and that they just wanted the final whistle.

It went from bad to worse for Madrid when Isco was shown a straight red for a horrific challenge on Neymar. It was the correct decision and made the final 5 minutes very tough for the home side. Ronaldo had the final say for Madrid when he bulleted a header but it was equally met by Bravo. The Chilean keeper has played well on the few occasions that he was called upon.

At full time, Barcelona deserved their 4-0 victory and it probably could have been 2 or 3 more. The white handkerchiefs were waved around the Bernabeu and the Madristas expressed their dissatisfaction of their sides performance. Benitez will have questions to answer and they may be questions that he won't want to hear.

Més Que Un Club

'Més que un club,' or 'More than a club' is the phrase that is associated with FC Barcelona. For many people, the title holders represent something more than just football, independence. On minute 17 and 14 seconds at every game, Catalan song 'Independencia' is chanted referencing the year in which Catalan independence was abolished, with the flag and language also being outlawed by King Philip V at the end of the War of Spanish Succession.

On Sunday 27th September, citizens of the Spanish state Catalonia casted their votes in an Independence referendum. The 'Junts pel Si' (Together for yes) campaign won by a landslide, 62 seats in addition to the 10 seats won by the CUP, but what does the future bode for Catalonia's two main clubs?

First of all, independence is still a while away yet. Spain's constitution does not permit regions to break away so it still be a long and arduous process until an ultimatum is reached. It will take longer than over night to have an independent state created and the decision needs to be approved by the Spanish public. However, the Together for Yes coalition has announced that they will start preparations to enable a road map for independence in 18 months.

We all know of the fierce rivalry between the 'Royals' - Real Madrid - and the 'Catalonian Nationalists' - Barcelona. The dubious transfer of the late Alfredo di Stefano heightened tensions, particularly as Barca claimed to have been pressurized by Spanish dictator General Franco's regime. The Spanish dictatorship was never popular in Catalonia and the club quickly became associated with anti-Franco and pro-Catalan movements, hence the argument for independence. The rivalry is deeply entwined in Spanish history so surely to discontinue it would be a disaster?

Liga BBVA chief Javier Tebas warned that if the country splits, then this could be a serious consequence. Neighbouring countries, France and Portugal have been suggested as possible destinations for the Catalan clubs, while the idea of a 'European Super League' has also been banded about. Realistically, a European league would be a disaster. It would take the major teams out of each league creating a somewhat 'superior' league. It would render the Champions League meaningless and would severely impact the clubs that don't make it into the league. A European Super League will not and should not ever occur.

Tebas seems assertive in his remarks regarding Barca's future. Looking at the situation with a pragmatic eye, could the league really do without Barcelona? The world famous El Clasico derby pulls in around 400 million viewers and TV broadcasters pay obscene amounts of money to host the match on their channel. The LFP would be losing out on serious money if El Clasico was to be split apart, hence why they were furiously campaigning on behalf of the 'No' campaign. While by the letter of the law, Barcelona should not be allowed to compete, there will be a loop hole somewhere exploited if independence becomes a reality.

I haven't mentioned the other club in Catalonia, even though the independence issue still applies to them. RCD Espanyol are not as vociferous about their independence as their neighbours, but it will also severely affect them. They don't generate as much money as their successful rivals for obvious reasons, so the LFP may not be as lenient.  Wrong, I know, but looking at it with a cynical approach, FC Barcelona are more of a pulling power for foreign viewers than RCD Espanyol. Obviously it would be wrong and corrupt to make allowances for one side and not for the other, so this it is likely that they will follow in the footsteps of Barcelona.

The final suggestion is to create a Catalan league, independent from Spain. This would be the worst nightmare for both Barcelona and Espanyol. Consisting solely of Catalan clubs, the league would be at risk of not being recognised by UEFA, therefore not being allowed to compete in European competitions. The Campionat Catalunya was a domestic league for the Catalan sides in the early 1900s. An educated guess would be that a new competition would take a similar format, despite it being seriously one-sided. Out of the 39 seasons, Barcelona won the competition 23 times and finished 2nd or third another 14 times. With the league offering little of a challenge, Barcelona and Espanyol would find it hard to attract high profile players in order to remain competitive in Europe and risk falling to a 'happy-medium' standard with the rest of the teams.

Although FC Barcelona has declared itself to be on neutral ground, independence has been supported by several sport stars including Pep Guardiola, while Gerard Pique and several other past and present Barcelona players have played in unofficial Catalonia international matches. On a national scale, it would be interesting to see how a Catalan national team fares. I suspect a similar approach would be taken if independence was gained as it is in Northern Ireland, where players can opt to play for the 6 county side or else the Republic of Ireland, as James McClean, Marc Wilson, as well as others have done. It would give the players a choice to play for Catalonia or else the Spanish side.

The Spanish national side would also be affected. Talking to reporters in April of this year, Eric Cantona commented, "Spain did not win the [2010] World Cup, Catalonia did." In the final, Barcelona provided six players, while David Villa and substitute Cesc Fabregas moved to the club in that summer. As stated previously, Catalonia does have its own national team however it is not recognised by FIFA or UEFA. Players that would be eligible to feature include Gerard Pique, Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets and Cesc Fabregas, a contingent of players that would be vital for Spain. Other hot prospects include Barcelona's Sergi Samper and Sergi Roberto as well as Everton's Gerard Deulofeu. Spain would be severely weakened if these players played for a UEFA and FIFA recognised Catalonian national team.

An independent state of Catalonia is still far away in the distance. If it does happen, then there will be some serious decisions to be made by the governing bodies of La Liga and the Spanish Federation. Feel free to comment your opinions on the matter or even suggest what would happen to Barcelona and Espanyol.

Transfer Round Up #6

I'm back with more opinions on the transfers in this window. Today I look at Brendan Rodgers' new attacker as well as looking in Italy for the latest deals.

Christian Benteke – Aston Villa to Liverpool - £32m

The purchase of Christian Benteke by Brendan Rodgers may signal the end of the failed experiment with Mario Balotelli. At £32m Benteke didn’t come cheap, but he will offer a lot more than Balotelli. It may also suggest a change in tactics with this signing, particularly as the Belgian international won more headed duels than any other player last season with 187, despite missing 9 league games. On the other hand, he did have the worse pass accuracy of any other Villa player last season with 67%. Benteke will be a hit on Merseyside one way or another and will be sure to be more consistent than last season’s attackers.

Arda Turan – Atletico Madrid to FC Barcelona - £23m

Under more of a ‘registration ban’ than a transfer ban, Luis Enrique has once again dipped into the transfer market in order to strengthen his already top quality Catalan side. Turan is a great signing and his consistency is probably his biggest asset. He is equally adept in defence and attack, completing 2.01 successful tackles per match as well as creating 1.31 chances per match. While he is not known for his goal scoring abilities, his expert dribbling ability can unbalance any defence given any space behind the defence. It’s a great signing but he is unfortunate to spend the first half of the season on the sidelines.

Geoffrey Kondogbia – AS Monaco to Inter Milan - £21

Not a lot was mentioned about this transfer in the media, partially because it doesn’t involve any British team. It is a very good acquisition from Roberto Mancini and I am really surprised any English side did not try and get him. The energetic box to box player will bring various skills to Milan. With Mancini often opting for a slow possession based game, Kondogbia will regularly be used to initiate attacks from the back. His combative style is further emphasised with the amount of interceptions he averaged last season, 2.48 per game. He is an excellent young player that a few Premier League sides really could have benefitted from having in their team.

Paulo Dybala – Palermo to Juventus - £22m

The partnership Paulo Dybala formed Franco Vazquez last season was unbelievable. The little Argentine netted 13 goals in 35 appearances last season on his way to becoming one of Palermo's hottest properties. Creating 61 chances only Vazquez created more for the Scillians this season with 68. Dybala will replace Carlos Tevez who moved to Boca Juniors earlier in the transfer window and he can certainly replace his goals. Like Tevez, Dybala will drop into the holes allowing his strike partners Alvaro Morata or Mario Mandzukic to move into the space created. Billed as another Sergio Aguero, this has the makings of another cracking signing from Max Allegri.

Jordy Clasie – Feyenoord to Southampton - £8m

In order to replace the departed Morgan Schneiderlin, Ronald Koeman has looked to his native lands and found Jordy Clasie. Football Manager enthusiasts will know all about the young Dutch international whose playing style has seen him labelled the ‘Dutch Xavi’. At only 24 years of age, he made 111 league appearances for Feyenoord and is already a fan favourite in the Netherlands. He won more tackles than any other Feyenoord player last season and also played more passes than his teammates, even while maintaining an 83% completion rate. He isn’t Morgan Schneiderlin, but I’m still looking forward to seeing how the player fares in the Premier League and he definitely is the player to replace the Frenchman.

Southampton may not receive an instant impact from Jordy Clasie but he is one to take over from Schneiderlin in the long term. Christian Benteke is a very good signing for Liverpool and he showed what he can do against Bournemouth on Monday night. Kondogbia is terrific signing and it amazes me why Arsenal did not try and purchase him. As for Dybala, he is a perfect replacement for Carlos Tevez at Juventus.

Pedro Saves Barca’s Blushes

FC Barcelona secure their 5th title in quite extraordinary fashion. The match had everything, free kicks, goals galore, abysmal defending and transfer-listed Pedro coming off the bench to score the winner.

The European Super Cup did not start slowly as an exquisite dead ball strike from Ever Banega put the Europa League winners in the lead on 2 minutes. Marc-Andre Ter Stegen was positioned almost on the post which made Banega's job easier. Taking nothing away from the strike his positioning was dubious to say the least.

While goals from dead ball situations are rare to say the least, we were treated to another brace from Lionel Messi to give Barcelona the lead. Similar to Ter Stegen, the Sevilla keeper was almost on the post. For his second, the keeper could not have done anything about. It has been certainly a dead ball masterclass offered up by both sides, too bad we will probably not see another free kick for about another month.

Barcelona dominated the half, blighted by a few counter attacks from Sevilla. Gerard Pique and Jeremy Mathieu were able to pick Ivan Rakitic, Messi and Iniesta out allowing them to turn and run at the defence. Sevilla's midfield needs to do more defensively or else they will ship more goals.

Kevin Gamiero had an excellent chance to level the game on 40 minutes but his scuffed shot couldn't find the back of the net and Iborra couldn't capitalise. On the stroke of half time Suarez beat the offside trap but his shot only found the keeper and rebounded clear. He regathered the ball and centred it for Rafinha to score. Sevilla’s high defensive line was exposed.

After half time, Sevilla hadn't learnt their lesson and Suarez capitalised on a sloppy pass from Benoit Tremoulinas. Sevilla were the makers of their own destruction. However, Jose Antonio Reyes was able to score Sevilla's second and was helped by non-existent marking from the Champions League holders and offered a glimmer of hope to Unai Emery’s side.

Coasting at 4-2, Barca took their foot off the gas. Mathieu found himself on the wrong side of Vitolo and dragged him down inside the box. Kevin Gameiro cooly slotted the penalty home with 19 minutes to go. Barcelona could have been out of sight but Sevilla capitalised on Barcelona's loss of concentration.

The third gave Sevilla confidence and as they pushed more men forward their risk was rewarded after more shoddy defending allowed substitute Immobile to turn Marc Bartra who found Yevhen Konoplyanka for the tap in. I find it hard to believe for a side who was 4-1 up and cruising comfortably for 50 minutes to capitulate and concede 3, but I suppose that is football.

Extra time saw the introduction of Pedro Rodriguez and I suppose it was written in the stars that he would score the winner in what looks like is his last ever appearance for the Catalan side. His 115th minute goal was the exact same time he scored in the 2009 final to beat Shahktar Donetsk. Despite the muted celebrations, his goal won Barcelona their 5thEuropean Super Cup equalling AC Milan’s record with 5.  

A truly magnificent game for the neutrals proved an excellent way to ring in the new season as this season’s curtain raiser. Barcelona have the Spanish Super Cup first leg at the San Mames Stadium while Sevilla have 9 days to patch their defensive woes before they begin the season at Malaga.

Dominant Barcelona Overpower the Old Lady

Luis Enrique's side completes the fabled treble and become the first side to do this twice. Ivan Rakitic and Luis Suarez netted with Morata equalising between before Neymar secured the victory in injury time. Max Allegri's side put up a brave fight but it was not enough to topple the quality of Barcelona.

It took Barcelona 4 minutes to find their rhythm in this year's final. Lovely intricate play between Neymar and Andres Iniesta allowed Ivan Rakitic to side foot into an empty net. It was definitely not the start Allegri had in mind and a reshuffle beckoned. As predicted, Barcelona had the possession in the opening stages and an early yellow card for Vidal left the Chilean on a tight rope for the rest of the game.

Juventus were being pulled apart by the heart of the Catalonian midfield. The loss of Giorgio Chiellini to injury showed in the early encounters as Juve lacked any leaders the back. With Vidal's early booking, Barca were keen to exploit this with the side utilising their full array of gamesmanship techniques. Allegri showed his faith with Alvaro Morata, and his counter attacking prowess was being used and was getting success out Javier Mascherano. On the counter, Juve were able to break and cause a moment of doubt in the Barca defence. Mascherano looked edgy, but Juve's attacks only culminated in shots easily dealt with.

As half time approached, it was vital that The Old Lady didn't concede another. In the midfield, they weren't able to hold the ball due to the extreme pressure put onto them by a dominant Barca triangle. They may play to the edge of the rules, but some of their passages of play were quite exquistite in the opening half. For the second period, Juve had to regain some of the possession in the middle of the park and, when on the counter, their passes had to find their team mate in order to keep the momentum.

Within the first 5 minutes Luis Enrique's men showed their potency on the counter with a five on three resulting in a fine save from Juve stalwart Gianluigi Buffon. Juve pounced after an intelligent back heel found Stephan Lichsteiner and the Swiss international squared to find Carlos Tevez. Tevez beat the defender before a shot was parried by Ter Stegen and Morata tapped into an empty net. Probably against the run of play, but it was the bit of luck that was needed by the Italian side.

The game descended into an end to end affair with both sides having attempts and one that was wonderful to the neutral. Barcelona restored their lead when Lionel Messi's shot and Buffon's save found the path of Luis Suarez and he finished to send the Catalonian crowd into raptures. Minutes later, Neymar had a goal ruled out by the assistant behind Buffon's goal for hand ball. With Barcelona on top and Juve rattled, a third goal would have effectively killed the game.

As 90 minutes approached, Juventus began throwing the kitchen sink at Barca. Fernando Llorente entered the fray and provided a target for the wide men. As they threw everything forward, Messi, Neymar and Pedro were able to catch the side on the break, and secure their 4th title in 9 years and coveted treble. Juventus fought valiantly but were unable to capitalise for the 5 minutes the game was tied up at 1 each.

For Juventus, they sorely missed Chiellini who guided them through their semi final. For the first goal, while the midfield were at fault, I would have had more confidence if he was on the pitch. For Barcelona, they fully deserved the win. Up front, Messi, Neymar and Suarez wreaked havoc in the Juve defence while the midfield predictably dictated the play. While they still were the victors, defensively Mascherano was exposed by Morata's pace. The defensive performance will not be picked apart by Enrique and his performance analysis team will not worry due to celebrations that will be taking place in Catalunya over the next few days.

Key Performances

While Barca's front trident will receive all the plaudits, Andres Iniesta showed his class as he has done so much in a Barcelona shirt over his career. The linchpin in the centre of midfield was able to invade the space left by their wayward counterparts before finding Ivan Rakitic who finished past the scrambling Gianluigi Buffon. The whole Barcelona midfield deserve praise, but Andres Iniesta looked a class apart throughout this match and the knock-out stage. I was critical of his inclusion in the Team of the Year at the beginning of January, but he will warrant a spot in the ceremony to take place at the beginning of 2016.

I was impressed with the efforts of Gianluigi Buffon. He ultimately kept the Italian side in the contest and a firm paw denied Dani Alves from the edge of the box. Another save prevented Luis Suarez from capitalising on a Barca counter attack. While there were times when the World Cup winner looked nervy in nets, he largely did his job and kept the game on a knife edge. Some will say he was at fault for the Suarez goal, but the Uruguayan's positioning made it impossible for Buffon to parry it away from danger. A solid all round game from the Italian veteran.

Lionel Messi also needs a mention. While he did not get on the scoresheet, his general all round play was exceptional and he was a nuisance for the Juventus defence. Other notable mentions include Neymar and Alvaro Morata who both posed different problems for their respective defences.

Another Champions League campaign has drawn to a close with Barcelona leaving as warranted victors. Luis Enrique emulates one Pep Guardiola by completing the treble in his first season. The events between Enrique and Messi seem to a distant memory, and it's looking more like as the season went on, both sides were rectified and this definitely reflected in some of the performances this year. It's not long to the first qualifying round of next year's competition at the end of the month. With the final in Milan, we can only expect another riveting journey. 

Champions League Final 2015

Certainly for the first time in my life, we have two teams in the Champions League Final vying for a treble. Barcelona are clear favourites, but Allegri's Juventus will be aiming to spoil the party in Catalonia come the 6th June. It promises to be a truly extraordinary and fascinating encounter.

Route to the Final
Finishing second in their group, Juventus conceded just four goals, one less than Barcelona, but only hit the back of the net seven times. Their opposition, Barcelona, netted 15 times, with only 4 teams scoring more. Barcelona defeated Manchester City in the last 16, while Juventus easily disposed of 2013 finalists, Borussia Dortmund with an aggregate score of 5-1.  In the quarter finals, Barcelona faced a tricky PSG side, coming off the back of an aggregate win over Chelsea in the previous round. Away in the first leg, Neymar netted and Suarez struck twice before a Jeremy Mathieu own goal gave PSG a glimmer of hope. A Neymar brace sealed Barca their semi final place. Juventus took a narrow 1-0 lead against Monaco back to Turin courtesy of an Arturo Vidal penalty and a scoreless draw was enough to send them through.

A big test awaited Juvenuts against the reigning European champions, Real Madrid. Juve took a slim 2-1 lead to the Bernabeu through goals from Carlos Tevez and Alvaro Morata, despite a disappointing performance from the Spanish side. In Madrid, Juve defended gallantly and Madrid old boy, Alvaro Morata netted and sent the Italians to Berlin. Barcelona v Bayern Munich was undoubtedly the glamour tie. Much was expected of Barcelona due to their excellent form and they duly delivered. An astounding 3-0 victory in the Nou Camp left Guardiola's side a mountain to climb. Munich collapsed and conceded 3 goals in the last 15 minutes to effectively seal the deal in this tie. Despite this, they gave it their best crack in Bavaria with fine attacking play, but their defence was their downfall and through to the final Barca went.

A forgone conclusion?
Nobody can argue that the Spanish side will be favourites for the match. They have been quite scintillating to watch at times this season, but Juventus should not be stroked off. They were severely written off in the semi final and triumphed, so it's not a foregone conclusion that they will lose. It is definitely matches like this where, Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci will make their money. In the away leg of the semi final, they repelled every cross that was sent into the Juve box with relative ease. Against Barcelona however, they face a team who is always reluctant to cross into the box. With the lack of pace at the back, a deep line will need to be held, especially with a Barca front three that have netted 120 goals between them. The Old Lady can take confidence from their excellent record this season, conceding just 24 goals in the league alone.

The Juventus midfield will need to help the defence and plug the space in the middle of the pitch, to prevent the unpredictable movement of Messi and co dragging the centre-halves out of position. Looking specifically at the middle of the park, Juventus are well equipped in an attacking sense with Paul Pogba, Andrea Pirlo and Arturo Vidal. Defensively, they will be tested. The Chilean showed us what he could do against Real Madrid in the semi final, and he will need to replicate this if Juventus are to stand any kind of chance at leaving Berlin with their third trophy of the season. During the semi final, particularly in the second leg, Pirlo didn't look his orthodox composed self and conceded possession too often. On the other hand, from set pieces there is no one like him and he can open up even the most secure defences.

In an attacking sense, they are not be as well equipped as Barcelona. Saying that, they have useful operators in Carlos Tevez and Alvaro Morata, who read each other extremely well. Vidal from midfield is also useful in his box to box role while Stephan Lichsteiner and Patrice Evra are widemen capable of delivering a quality cross. On the bench, they have Fernando Llorente to enter the fray and he offers a plan 'B'. Differing to Morata and Tevez, The Basque man is an excellent target man and provide a good platform for crosses. Expect Allegri to turn to him if Juve aren't singing to the correct hymn sheet.

Avoiding an upset.
Barcelona have been exceptional throughout this season and are deservedly fighting for a treble on Saturday. Luis Enrique experienced some difficult situations at the start of the new year but he has got his side back on track, scoring plenty of goals and winning matches in style. To beat Juventus they cannot allow themselves to become complacent. The coaching staff probably would have viewed Juventus as the easier option but a job still needs to be done.

The attacking strength of the Catalan side is something that teams from around the globe marvel at. They need no introductions and the success is largely brought down to this trio. With Juve having an ageing defence, quick passes and flicks will easily beat the defender and leave the Italian club side on the back foot. The roaming attack also has the potential to pull the defenders out of position leaving the midfield or wingers to run onto to through balls.

There will be no prizes for guessing that Barcelona will have the majority of possession, leaving the Juve midfield starved of the ball for portions of the game. A bright start and early goal will help unnerve their opposition who haven't competed in a Champions League final since 2003. For Barcelona, the majority of their team have experienced success in a European competition before, while only Morata, Pirlo, Tevez and Evra have tasted victory in the top club competition before. This is defintitely something which could swing in the Catalonians favour.

On Saturday we will be in for a real gem of a football match. Two teams are vying for the coveted treble and two managers are hoping to add optimum success to their first season in charge. It will not be a walk in the park for Enrique's side and Allegri is likely to have a few tricks up his sleeve. For me, the nail biter of a game will edge towards Barcelona. If the Old Lady are still in with a shout with 70-80 minutes played, anything can happen. I just hope it's a moment of sheer magic rather than a costly mistake that will win the game.

A Valiant Effort Falls Short for Bayern

A gutsy second half performance from Bayern Munich was not enough to overturn the 3-0 lead that Barcelona had amassed in the Nou Camp. A Neymar brace sent the Catalonian side through but goals from Medhi Benatia, Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Muller sealed the 3-2 victory for the German side.

Similar to the first leg, Bayern adopted a risky 3 man defence at the start of the game when in possession and when the ball was conceded the holding midfielders would drop in to fill the gaps. This was the same formation that got cut open in the opening stages of the first leg but we can excuse Guardiola considering the predicament he was in.

Unlike last Wednesday, Guardiola's gamble paid off inside 10 minutes. A floated corner from Xabi Alonso was met by the head of Benatia and he guided the ball home unmarked. It was very shoddy defending from Barcelona and they put themselves under needless pressure. This lifted the Bavarians and hit the visitors. Bayern were bossing and were comfortably on top in the opening exchanges.

Their dominance only lasted 8 minutes. Completely against the run of play, Barca drained every ounce of optimism out of the very passionate and exuberant Munich vocal support with the equaliser. For the second time this match, Barca exploited Bayern's high line. A through ball from Messi found Suarez who squared it to Neymar and allowed him to roll the ball into an empty net. Shortly after, Messi was adjudged to be offside from a defence splitting pass. Bayern needed to have this 3 man transition nailed and can't give away cheap possession or else they were going to be on the end of a hammering.

Chances were coming at both ends through Lewandowski, Messi and Muller but Barca improved their lead on 28 minutes when goal scorer Benatia mistimed the ball leaving Suarez to race through and once again find his partner in crime who netted for his and Barca's second on the night. Never mind a hill, Guardiola's side had Mount Everest to climb and with the Catalans in imperious form, it was an impossible task.

Barca certainly rode their luck. A superb run from Thiago allowed Lewandowski to ghost into space. When the ball landed at the Pole's feet, 2 foot either side of the keeper and it was a certain goal. Instead, Ter Stegen parried before clawing it off the line. It was a good save, but Lewandowski really should have scored. The forward line for Munich got into excellent positions but were very wasteful tonight.  

Throughout the game, Bayern were decent in attack, fashioning numerous chances but were let down by the finish and suicidal defending at times. The second half began tentatively, as if both sides knew that the tie was over as a contest. With the league wrapped up for Bayern and no cup final to savour, they had simply pride to play for, while Barcelona have a tricky fixture against Atletico Madrid at the weekend. This probably explains the differing approaches made by managers as the game progressed. Both sides had chances, but the tempo barely exceeded a walking pace.

Bayern were rewarded for their superb pressing game inside the Barca half when they dispossessed the opposition in the final third. A shot from Lewandowski hit the net via the post and left Marc Andre Ter Stegen rooted. It was his 6th goal in the competition this year but he could easily have had 6 over the tie. Bayern enjoyed the majority of possession and Barca seemed content to soak up possession through the introuduction of Jeremy Mathieu and attempt to hit the home side on the counter. Would this defensive decision cost Barcelona? 

With 20 minutes to go, a curling shot from Thomas Muller found its was into the back of the net. I felt that Muller had been disappointing tonight as he squandered a fair few glorious chances in the first half. They took the lead on the night, probably the least that Guardiola expected from the second half. Bayern were getting chances but as 80 minutes beckoned, it seemed a little to late for the German Champions.

Munich kept pressing but they were unable to break Barca's defence for the fourth time tonight. The last action of the game was courtesy of Neymar. The Brazilian was on the hunt for his hat trick down the left flank, but instead of rolling it past Manuel Neuer, he played an over hit ball which Messi couldn't turn home. Neymar put in a decent shift, although him and Messi went missing under the dominance from Bayern in the final half.

It was a valiant second half effort from the Bavarians to win the game, but the damage was already inflicted in the first leg. I still maintain that if Lewandowski netted that open goal in the first leg, the game could have been a completely different story. Barca march on and have a treble to compete for. We could see them in Berlin competing to for the final jewel in the crown on what has been a topsy turvy season for the Spanish side.

Magical Messi makes the Difference

Barcelona take a comfortable 3-0 lead to Allianz Arena against an injury stricken Bayern Munich. Two moments of magic from Lionel Messi ensured a decent day at the office for Barcelona and Luis Enrique.

With Bayern starting with a bold 3 man defence, Barcelona made a spritely start to an intriguing game. An uncharacteristic long ball from the back was met by the head of Lionel Messi who flicked on and sent Suarez hurtling towards the Bayern goal. Manuel Neuer showed why he is the best keeper on the planet and managed to block the ball.

In the opening stages, Barca were the brightest and were finding weaknesses in the Munich 3 man defence. Suarez hustled and harried Rafinha and this was signs of things to come. After seeing what was taking place before his eyes, Guardiola reshuffled and returned to a more conventional 4 man defence system.

Despite the pressure from the home side, Bayern squandered a glorious attempt to get a vital away goal against the run of play. Thomas Muller was able to occupy 2 defenders before squaring the ball to find Lewandowski. A scuffed shot was met by sighs of relief from the crowd. The Polish international really should have done better.

Barcelona were getting chances it was a matter of time before they capitalised on one. Alves was once again thwarted by a save from Neuer, who prevented Bayern from being hammered I hasten to add. Nicolas Rizzioli brought to an end what was a highly technical and entertaining half of football.

The second half started and both sides shared possession and chances. For Bayern they needed to get support up to Lewandowski, he was fighting a battle against Pique and Mascherano that he wasn't winning. His frustration was becoming more and more visible as the half went on.

Barcelona had chances through Messi and Neymar but they couldn't find a way past the Catalan defence. As the game went by, Pep was looking to contain his former club and take a goalless draw back to the Allianz. The game was not the spectacle that graced our eyes in the first half, and it would take a goal to spark impotence into the sides.

While Barcelona were still protesting over a possible penalty and Bayern appealing for a second yellow for Neymar, the deadlock was broken and the game sprung into life. Superb work from Dani Alves down the right found Messi on the edge of the box and a shot beat Neuer at his near post. Centre backs, Boateng and Benatia had nullified Messi all night and the moment that they give him space, they concede. Bayern were rattled and this prompted Guardiola to enter Mario Gotze into the fray.

With Bayern still dumbstruck, Messi added a second with a cheeky dink over the man mountain himself, Manuel Neuer after embarrassing Boateng on the edge of the six yard box. The game had certainly passed the Bavarians by, so it was imperative they didn't wave goodbye to the tie.

But Munich weren't able to hold the Catalan side out for the 4 additional minutes. Neymar capitalised on an advantage played by Rizzioli where he raced through and slotted past Neuer. 3-0. Surely Barcelona can’t concede 4 at the Allianz?

At 2-0, Guardiola would be confident of overturning a 2 goal deficit. That last minute goal will have been a punch to the ribs and it will be tough for them to recover. How costly will Lewandowski's miss in the first half be?

For 70 minutes, Bayern held their own. Missing key individuals, they weren't outclassed, but it wasn't the same efficient performance that we were blessed in the previous round. It was the man who Guardiola deemed 'unstoppable' in his pre match presser and this certainly proved him right. Messi showed us why he is one of the best players to ever grace the planet.

Champions League Semi Finals 2015

With the most prestigious prize in club football up for grabs in just over a months time, there can be no room for error if any of the four teams want a chance at playing on the grand stage in Berlin. Surprise package Juventus face the holders Real Madrid, while the glamour tie sees Pep Guardiola return to the Nou Camp for the first time since his departure.

Juventus face a very difficult tie and one that not many people will fancy them to progress. Expect a similar game to the one when Real faced Atleti, where the visitors set up to try and not concede, while showing minimal impotence on the ball. Ultimately a lapse in concentration handed the game to Real, however Juve have a similar options in defence. Giorgio Chiellini has been a stalwart for the Turin side and Italy for years as has Bonucci, while Angelo Ogbonna is an able replacement when called upon. If the Italian champions want to progress, then they will have to take any chances that fall their way.

The flanks will be where Real find the majority of their success. Patrice Evra is aging and while he can bring good experience to the side, he is prone to switch off in crucial stages, (see Manchester United's quarter final second leg match at Bayern Munich last year for evidence). Similarly Stephan Lichtsteiner loves to bomb forward, but can sometimes be caught out of position because of this. Credit where credit is due, he generally repels any attack when it comes his way. I doubt that Allegri will grant him permission to be offensive against the current champions. This game could be another case of patience for Madrid and one of discipline for The Old Lady.

 

The second tie sees Pep Guardiola return to the stadium in which he made his name as a manager. Barcelona are probably the most in form side in Europe, having won their last four matches and not lost since late February. They possess one of the most frightening attacking trios in Europe, yet Bayern have one of the best managers in the modern era. In the last meeting between the sides, Bayern ran riot with a 7-0 annihilation over two legs in the 2012/2013 semi finals. On paper, this has everything to be a great contest with top class content on show, however I think it will interesting to see how two teams which heavily rely on possession match up against each other.

It is evident that both will get chances, so it will be a case of who will be able to be the most clinical. The midfield battle will be vital and will be the deciding factor in who wins the tie. Andres Iniesta was superb in the second leg of the last round, while former Barca man, Thiago Alcantara is finding form after a long lay off. Busquets and Rakitic will both play vital roles for Barcelona in attempting to break up the Bayern attacks. Likewise, Xabi Alonso will do the same for the Germans. It's undoubtedly the tie of the round and whoever wins this, may be favourites to go on and lift the trophy.

We may not have an exciting round of games in our hands, but they are intriguing nonetheless. For me I think that Juventus can pull off a shock victory, while Pep's hunt for European glory will continue as Barcelona will go through to face the Old Lady in the Berlin.

Barcelona v Paris Saint Germain in 300 words

It was definitely a case of ‘job well done’ for Barcelona as they stroll into the semis through a first half brace from Neymar.

Barcelona dominated the opening stages of the match courtesy of quick passing and disciplined pressing when PSG had the ball in their own half. They were duly rewarded for their efforts with the first goal on the night when captain, Andres Iniesta embarked on a mazy run beating three straggling defenders before releasing Neymar who scored with a high degree of finesse.

Iniesta was pulling all the strings in Catalonia, as if the ball was a magnet at his feet, while the influential Ibrahimovic for PSG was barely mentioned. The second goal came just after the half hour mark, and it was only a matter of time before the third arrived.

In the second half, it was probably to be expected that it would be a non-event, and that is exactly what the first 15 minutes were. A good chance fell to the Parisians through Verratti, but his shot skewed wide.

Javier Pastore never got into the game and the Argentinian was a main factor in why the Parisians were never able to maintain a solid spell of possession. He misplaced 15 passes and a poorly timed pass that would have played Cavani through, typified his and his team’s performance.

For Barcelona, the second half could be described as a ‘professional job’ but they took their foot off the gas and lost all accuracy when Iniesta was replaced at half time. Messi had a chance to overtake Ronaldo in the goal-scoring charts on the stroke of full time but his shot sailed just wide.

Barcelona smothered PSG in midfield and walk into the semi-finals for the 8^th time in the last ten years.

Man of the Match

My man of the match has to be Andres Iniesta. For 45 minutes he patrolled the midfield, orchestrating, and created the opening goal of the night. Notable mentions also have to go to Javier Mascherano and Sergio Busquets.

Champions League Quarter Final Draw 2015

For the second time in three years the Champions League Quarter Final round will be an English free zone. Eight teams make up the four ties with the marquee match being the rematch of last years final, an all Madrid derby. Here, I'll offer you my predictions as to how I think this round will pan out.

Paris Saint-Germain v Barcelona

Both teams met against each other in the group stages with each side picking up a victory. PSG have two team of the year centre backs, but Messi and co will be looking to exploit this considering David Luiz is likely to play. The first leg in Paris will suit PSG, as a positive result would mean they have everything to go and defend for in the Nou Camp. For Barcelona they will definitely target Luiz and try to pull him out of position and this shouldn't be too hard considering the wealth of talent at the disposal of the Catalan giants. Both sides play similar 4-3-3 formations with Marco Veratti playing similar role to Sergio Busquests in the middle of the park. I do think the first leg will be a tentative, cagey affair with the game in the group stages fresh in Barca minds and PSG not wanting to concede an away goal. I think PSG will come win at home, leaving a enthralling encounter to be had at the Nou Camp but I do believe Enrique's Barca will come through the tie as their class and panache will be evident in the second leg.

Atletico Madrid v Real Madrid
Atleti want to banish those memories of Lisbon 2014 when Real ran riot in extra time to score three unanswered goals and clinch La Decima. For Real, they want to avenge the 4-0 drubbing their opponents dished out last month in February. Atleti know how to beat their City rivals, having only lost to them once in the last seven matches. The Rojiblancos scraped through a tie against German side, Bayer Leverkusen on penalties and will certainly need to play a lot better if they are going to out muscle their city counterparts. As for Los Merengues, a comfortable away win against Schalke was enough to secure a victory in the tie even though they lost in the home leg. Madristas expressed their frustration at the final whistle of the game with the waving of white tissues in the air. Carlo Ancelotti will now be feeling the pressure. It's predictable how Simeone will line up his side, defensive and solid - not looking to concede and looking to punish on the counter. Ronaldo and co. will have the majority of possession but it will be what they do with the ball that determines the outcome of the tie. I will not be surprised if this goes the full distance but do think Atleti will edge out Real and hammer the final nail into the coffin of Carlo Ancelotti.

Porto v Bayern Munich
On paper this match looks incredibly one sided, but having rarely witnessed Porto play, it's difficult to say whether this is true or not. A draw for Porto in the first leg, preferably goalless, would deny Bayern the away goal which could be a deciding factor in the tie. . By the time the tie comes around, Bayern will be able to rest a few key players in domestic fixtures in order to prepare for the game. On the other hand, Porto have everything to play for in the Portuguese league and they trail Benfica who are on top of the pile by four points. The Portuguese side have a few useful operators in their ranks, including Casemiro, the loanee from Madrid, Bruno Martins Indi and Jackson Martinez. Casemiro is a sturdy defensive midfielder with a useful shot on him, but his discipline can let him down sometimes. Up front, Martinez is an experienced striker who knows where the goal is. I am confident in predicting a comfortable Bayern win and passage into their fourth semi final in since 2010.

Juventus v Monaco
Probably noted as a tie that not many will take an interest in, I think Juventus versus Monaco has to be taken seriously. It's a tie that both sides have the potential to win. Juventus have completed domestic domination in Italy, but have not been able to translate their supremacy in Serie A to Europe.  At the start of the season, Monaco were faltering and losing games, now however, Leonardo Jardim has turned them into a defensively solid unit - they have just lost three of their last 23 games in all competitions in regulation time, conceding just nine goals over that spell. Impressive. Juventus are also defensively solid, having kept nineteen clean sheets already this season and haven't conceded since a 2-1 home loss against Fiorentina on 5th March. Monaco have pace in Fererra-Carrasco and Anthony Martial up front, mixed with the guile and charisma of Dimi Berbatov. It will be interesting to see how this progresses against, Chiellini and Bonucci. Paul Pogba has been majestic this season and is certainly the jewel in the Old Lady's crown, but Monaco have a similar type of player in Geoffrey Kondogbia. I'm looking forward to this tactical tie, and think the match winners in Tevez and Pogba will keep the Italian flag flying in this years edition.

For the likes of Monaco and Porto, not many people expected them to get to the quarters and be in with a shout. I don't think we will see any exceedingly one sided ties in this round, and there is the possibility of an upset. Even if Monaco do not progress, they will have reached expectations in the tournament and with a young squad, it won't be the last we hear of them. First leg ties will be played the week commencing the 13th April with the return legs on 22nd April.

Manchester City v Barcelona

Barcelona are in Manchester tonight to take on the English Champions and this can only mean one thing, the  Champions League. I thought I would write this to give an insight into what Manchester City have to do to progress in the competition.

1. Vincent Kompany

For all the many millions that the Sheikhs are pumping into the Manchester club, £6m buy Vincent Kompany is the defensive heartbeat at all the success for City. He hasn't been at his formidable best this season, and was out injured around the Christmas period. I wouldn't say that his contribution is underrated as he does get a lot of credit for his actions, but his value is priceless to City and I'm sure Pellegrini is aware of this. Kompany brings a calm head to the defence, particularly when Mangala can be erratic at times. He will need to be at his best to neutralise a potent Catalonian attack.

2. Don't play 2 strikers.

City normally play a 4-4-2 that works pretty well for them. They've won the Premier League with the formation, but I don't see them beating Barcelona with it. We all know that Barcelona like the possession stats, so with only 2 in the centre of midfield, they may get overrun by Barca's 3. Here's hoping that Aguero tracks back, as the defence will need help. While Barca have been content with passing the ball in tiki taka over the years, Luis Enrique has seemed to acquire a more direct approach - not to the extent of hoof ball, but you know what I mean. Because of this, I can sort of see why Pellegrini has selected 2 strikers, although I don't agree with him.

3. Sergio Aguero 

Of course, the man, myth and legend will have a deciding factor on the game. I am unequivocally positive that City will get chances, and this will be the man who you would bet on 9 times out of 10 to finish them. Aguero is likely to play a shadow striker role, but will also need to give a hand in defence. Aguero will be involved in the action one way or another and may prove beneficial to his strike partner, Edin Dzeko, who poses a different threat to the other little Argentine. Both Dzeko and Aguero will cause problems for the defence but will they take them?

4. Wide players.

Pablo Zabeleta and Gael Clichy will be vital tonight in defence. Up against Neymar and Messi, discipline will be key as both and produce magic from nothing. Suarez needs to be thrown into the mix as I could put a mortgage on all three roaming positions. With Neymar often going down when a gentle breeze brushes him, City will need to be careful when it comes to challenging for the ball. Not only will they be facing this terrific trio, Jordi Alba and Dani Alves' overlapping runs are also likely to cause problems. The wingers will need to retreat when Barcelona are on the ball.

5. Sergio Busquets.

The fella is one of Barcelona's unsung heroes. Much against the popular opinion, he can tackle, and is an expert in breaking the play up by winning free kicks as we all know. Not only are is defensive capabilities to be commended, I believe he will pick up where Xavi and Iniesta left off only in a deeper position. He can dictate the tempo of the game and thread an inch perfect pass so will need to be closed down. He will probably drop to deep for Fernando to mark, so Aguero, Nasri, Silva or Dzeko will need to prevent him from weaving his magic. Alongside him is Ivan Ratikic. The Croatian is the legs, and will be able to help out in both attack and defence. Both are dangerous and it would be stupid to disregard one, but Busquets is the one, along with the attack, and end City's dreams.

Precisely 2 minutes to kick off, according to my computer screen, and I cannot wait for the 90 minutes to unfold.

Transfer Target #13 - Martin Odegaard

Martin Odegaard is the next sensation to be produced from Scandinavia. Having made his international debut for Norway aged 15 years and 253 days in a friendly match against the United Arab Emirates on the 19th August last year, it's easy to see why he is grabbing all the headlines.

We don't have a shortage of quality attacking midfielders on our planet so the young Norwegian has a lot to live up to and he will hope to follow in the footsteps of a certain Ole Gunnar Solsjkaer to the top of the World's elite. He is already hitting the headlines over Norway and will soon be wanting to take on the world.

With Strømsgodset IF not having many televised games over here in Northern Ireland, it's difficult to judge what his style of play is. From reading several articles and watching a few clips of him on YouTube, he appears to be a confident player who has the odd trick up his sleeve and loves to be running at the defence with the ball at his feet. YouTube often gives a subjective view, so I'm not taking anything for granted. All I'm trying to determine is what all the fuss is about.

He probably isn't quite in the mould of a Cristiano Ronaldo in terms of his goal scoring capabilities, but with Ballon D'Or winner endorsing the young protégé, I'm sure he will pick up a few tips if he joins the Los Blancos at the Santiago Bernabeu. At his age, I see similarities between him and the Inter playmaker, Mateo Kovacic in terms of their vision and ability to pick out a pass.

Looking at his stats for his club,  he has scored 5 goals and assisted 6 times in 25 games in the Tippeligaen. Yes they are not the best statistics for a playmaker, but at the age of 16, I consider him to be doing well to get into the first team, never mind assisting and scoring goals. Although it is in the Norwegian league, I again point you to his age. Most 16 year olds in Northern Ireland are preparing to sit their GCSE's nevermind turning out in the first team of a professional league.

With the Odegaard tipped to emulate Lionel Messi, he hasn't gone without notice. Throughout last year, he travelled to the training set-ups at countless top European clubs over a possible transfer, Liverpool, Bayern and Barca to name a few. To date, over 30 clubs have formally registered their interest in acquiring his services showing what a prized possession he is for Strømsgodset. However as I alluded to earlier, Real Madrid are favourites to land the teenage sensation.

While Real Madrid is possibly the most prestigious club in the world at the minute, I'm not convinced that this is the right move for him. Clubs with youth academies to the standard of Ajax and Southampton have been encouraged by fans to take the player on and to aid his development, and this is not to say that Madrid don't have as good set up as the other two.

On the other hand, he would be able to play in the Segunda Division with Castilla at Madrid, and playing against other professional teams could benefit him.

I would be particularly keen for him to move to Ajax and then be loaned back until the end of the season, due to the state of the art youth facilities on offer at the Dutch capital, as for a move to England, it could be a worse decision than a move to European giant. He needs the right facilities to progress, and this can be the decision that makes or breaks his career.

There has been immense pressure put on the shoulders of the youngster by the media and with the potential move to Real Madrid looming in the horizon, he has to keep his feet firmly on the ground, if he is to progress into a top player. As for now, we can only hope and pray that he does not turn into another football manager legend who has failed to live up to expectations.