Champions League Semi Final Predictions

It was a rather pleasing three out of four correct results for the Champions League Quarter Finals, with only the Atletico v Barcelona tie letting me down. The competition has been whittled down to just 4 teams, with just another three matches remaining until they get their hands on that illustrious European title.

Atletico Madrid v Bayern Munich

I would fancy Atletico Madrid if they had the away match first, particularly as how it worked so effectively against Barcelona. Pep Guardiola is in the hunt for his first European title in his last year with this Bayern side, and he will undoubtedly make this the priority. Bayern play an efficient style of play similar to Barcelona and can be lethal on the break. Robert Lewandowski has been in red hot form this year and he will need to rely on all of his goal scoring instinct if he is to penetrate a very strong defence.

Looking at Atletico Madrid, they delivered a masterclass in how to counter attack against Barcelona something which Bayern will need to be very aware of. Antoine Griezmann is lethal along with Yannick Ferreira-Carrasco. Captain, Diego Godin will undoubtedly make his presence felt, while Fernando Torres is beginning to recapture is form. A very interesting battle that could tilt the game is the one in the midfield between Koke and Gabi of Atleti and Arturo Vidal and Xabi Alonso of Bayern. If Bayern win or achieve a score draw in the first match, I would expect them to go through, particularly as Atleti would be chasing the game away from home.

With Barcelona having lost the last three league games until the 8-0 demolition of former Champions League semi finalists Deportivo, it threw the race for the division title wide open with Atleti sitting level on points with the Catalan giants. In the league, Atleti have conceded the least amount of goals (16) with Barcelona their closest competitors 13 adrift. Bayern have a comfortable 7-point buffer on Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga. Like their opponents, they have conceded the least amount of goals in the league (14), but are also joint top scorers with 72. With Barcelona out, many will tip Bayern Munich as favourites to lift the trophy.

Manchester City v Real Madrid

Manchester City become the first English side since Chelsea in the 2013/2014 campaign. Undoubtedly they will be underdogs, particularly with their unpredictable league campaign of late. Vincent Kompany will play a big part, whether or not he is on the pitch as he has drastically improved City when fit. With Manuel Pellegrini being replaced by Pep Guardiola in the summer, the Chilean will want to go out with a bang, having already secured the Capital One Cup title in March. Like the other semi final, if City had the away match first I would fancy them as I don't see them keeping a clean sheet away from home. Kevin De Bruyne was an excellent purchase by Pellegrini and has been one of the stand out performers contributing 15 goals and 14 assists in all competitions for City this season.

On their day, Madrid will rip any team to shreds and are very dangerous on the counter attack. Cristiano Ronaldo has notched up 47 goals in just 44 games this season as well as assisting 15 times and just another 3 goals will mean that he has scored 50 goals in a season for the 6th year in a row. It's one thing about planning to stop him but actually doing it is a completely different thing. Gael Clichy will certainly have his hands full. Toni Kroos is an expert at controlling the game from midfield and it will be interesting to see if they can dominate possession against a useful City midfield. Like David Silva, James Rodriguez and Isco Alarcon tend to roam about making it very difficult for the opposition to mark. City have their work cut out to prevent this potent attack from firing Madrid to the final. 

Manchester City's league season is virtually over with the side sitting in fourth and just looking to consolidate Champions League football for next year. Fifth place Manchester United are snapping at their heels and just sit two points behind. This poor position most likely played a part in the downfall of Manuel Pellegrini, but he would be able to salvage a bit of pride with a trip to Milan on the 28th May. As for Madrid, what was looking like a disappointing season has all of a sudden sparked into life. They looked down and out of their domestic league, 12 points behind their Catalan rivals, however the 2-1 victory over Barcelona at the Nou Camp seemed to be the catalyst and 4 matches later, find themselves just one point behind the holders.

We have two ties that are quite close to call, even though it would be easy to pick out the favourites. I do think that Real Madrid will be able overcome Manchester City, helped by the second leg in the Santiago Bernabeu in front of their own fans. Atletico Madrid v Bayern Munich is one that could go anyway. Atletico will take confidence that the Bavarians play a similar style of football to Barcelona, but at the same time it will still be very difficult. If Atletico can keep a clean sheet at home then I do think they will win, however Bayern remain my favourites to progress.

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.

Revamping the Champions League

Quite frankly I was outraged to hear that there were plans to revamp the Champions League. It is rumoured that a proposal has been made to guarantee the 'big teams' spots in the Champions League at the end of the current cycle, from 2018 onwards. The proposals are primarily targeting clubs such as Manchester United, Liverpool, AC Milan and their rivals Internazionale.

These proposals would be effectively creating a 'European Super League,' alienating many teams such as Napoli and Leicester who are at the top of Serie A and the Premier League respectively. As a football fan, the only positive I see in the move is the financial benefits and to be honest, these financial benefits should be completely trumped by all the negatives.

Throw back to the days where the top sides such as Benfica struggled to overcome Glentoran of the currently-named Danske Bank Premier League or when Linfield reached the quarter finals of the 1966-67 European Cup. Some would say this would be the 'true' Champions League as the knockout competition consisted of the champions of each league as well as the holders of the previous year battling it out for the title of European Champions. Those times changed in 1992, with the introduction of European co-efficiency table, effectively ruling out the clubs from nations such as Northern Ireland and Ireland from fielding their sides in the European competition.

This is not the first time a 'Super League' has been proposed. Back in 1998, sports marketing company, Media Partners, initiated talks with some of the top European clubs about breaking away from UEFA and starting up their own league. FIFA quashed these proposals by promising bans on any national associations, clubs or participants in the proposed idea. Similarly, UEFA looked to re-evaluate the European stage, with Cup Winners' Cup being merged together with the UEFA Cup in 1999 and then for a group stage to be introduced into the second tier competition in  the 2004-2005 edition as well as dishing out more money to keep the participants happy.

Looking at the potential changes, the European Clubs' Association boss (ECA), Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has suggested "a tournament consisting of 20 teams from Italy, England, Spain and France," and also stating that a "stagnation means regression." If the proposed changes are made into a reality it will certainly increase the glamour of the competition and be more profitable for the chiefs. I'm still uncertain as to whether I would like to see these changes implemented. As stated previously, it runs the risk of making an unlikely fairy tale story, such as Leicester's this season, really having an impact on the club.

Let's break down a few statistics. For the 2015-2018 cycle of the competition, €12m will go to each participant in the Champions League group stage - every team is guaranteed to get that money regardless of their performance in the group stage. Each win for a club bags themselves a nice €1.5m while a draw nets €500k. There is also €428.9m available in a 'market pool' that will be split between each association 'according to the proportional value of each TV market represented by the clubs taking part.' A substantial amount would be available to the FA to be assigned subsequently to each participating English club. The higher the position in the domestic league previous to the current competition the more money would be on offer. Leicester finished in the Barclays' Premier League the more money they would take in from another part of the market pool, similarly a sum is awarded for each club according to how many European matches they play in the specific season.

There would be a finite amount of opportunities for clubs such as Leicester if a Super League was created. Who doesn't love a good underdog story?

There have already been a number of teams who have slammed the proposals, particularly from the Scottish Premier League. In fairness to UEFA and the ECA, they have done something that many people have tried, but failed... Unite both Rangers and Celtic. The Sun has reported that Ronny Deila has criticised proposals, while the Sunday Mail add that Rangers and Aberdeen will join forces with the Scottish Champions. I'm not surprised the Scottish FA are outrage as the changes could hinder Celtic, winners of the competition in 1966-67. The leagues that would be limited would drift further and further away from the so-called 'top leagues.'

On the other hand, it has been reported that viewing numbers are dwindling in the competition. Ben Rumsby of the Telegraph disclosed this week, that the viewing figures of BT Sport having been nothing short of dismal. The company's free to view channel, BT Showcase, peaked at just 200,000 viewers watching English teams in the top European competition after spending £879 million to acquire the rights of the elite competition. The ratings of BT Sport has plummeted since the Champions League changed hands from ITV and Sky Sports, so it's either a case of the channel or the competition needs re-jigged.

As a football fan, I don't see how these proposals can be made into a reality. I'm not even sure if they would be possible to implement due to the uproar it would cause leaving me to think that this is just an exercise to try and get the reputable sides a bigger slice of the monetary pie.

As always I'd like to hear your thoughts on the proposals and any changes that you would like to implement if given the option.  

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.

Transfer Round Up #5

After a week away, I'm back to bring you 5 more transfers from across Europe. Feel free to leave your opinions on the transfers in the comments or via the various social media outlets.

Bastian Schweinsteiger – Bayern Munich to Manchester United - £14m

Louis Van Gaal strengthens his midfield with the signing of Bastian Schweinsteiger. Having missed 25 Bundesliga games in the last 2 seasons, I don’t see the German World Cup winner nailing down a first team spot, but infact rotating with Michael Carrick. I’ve stated for The Big Interest how this signing will not just benefit the side on the pitch, but alsoon the training ground as he will help all the youngsters as they grow. Schweinsteiger brings the winning mentality something which United have lacked since Fergie left. Making his debut off the bench on Saturday, the first movement the German did was to look up and see what was in front of him, more of which is needed for Manchester United. A very good signing for Manchester United.

Arturo Vidal – Juventus to Bayern Munich - £24m

Bayern Munich won the race for the much coveted Chilean international after several English sides were confirmed to be interested in signing Arturo Vidal. Although a different player to Schweinsteiger, he was almost signed as a replacement and will provide more energy in the midfield than Alonso or Lahm. He won 74 tackles in the Serie A last year, more than any other Juventus player and only Paul Pogba scored more goals from midfield. He was definitely the stand out player in the Juve midfield and it will be interesting to see how he fits in among the other world class midfielders at Bayern’s disposal

Filipe Luis – Chelsea to Atletico Madrid - £11.2m

After one year at Chelsea, Filipe Luis has returned to Atletico Madrid for £11.2m, £3m lower than what Chelsea paid for him. He was never able to dethrone Cesar Azpilicueta of that left back spot and has returned to his home to where he will almost certainly get more first team football. Even though first team football was sporadic, the Brazilian featured in 15 Premier League games and had a better tackles per minute ratio than any other Chelsea player. Two seasons ago, Luis was instrumental in Diego Simeone’s title winning side as well as their march to the Champions League final. A good move for all parties as Chelsea will free up some wages, first team football for the player and Atletico have signed a decent outfit at left back.

Falcao – AS Monaco to Chelsea – Loan

After a despondent season on loan at Old Trafford, Jose Mourinho is taking a chance on Colombian Falcao. Only scoring 4 goals all season, Falcao was undoubtedly a flop for United last year but Mourinho is backing on last season only being an acclimatization year for the Colombian. The move sees him reunite with former Atletico team mate, Diego Costa, a partnership that scored 54 goals in the 2012/2013 season. I don’t think Mourinho will play two up front so it is likely that Falcao will play a rotational role with Costa. At 29 years of age, I’m not convinced Falcao will ever return to the heights of his time at Atletico, but he can get key goals for the club. Already thanking Chelsea for the warm welcome, I have a feeling this year could different for the Colombian.

Jackson Martinez – FC Porto to Atletico Madrid - £24m

Continuing with the Atletico theme, Simeone’s side have signed Jackson Martinez from Porto for £24m. Coined as a ‘selling side’ Porto certainly know how to get the most money out of their players. Scoring all 7 of his goals in the Champions League from inside the box, showing he is a real poacher. In the Portuguese league, he scored 67 goals in 89 appearances, impressive no matter what league it is scored in. Martinez is a powerful player and will flourish off the aggressive tactics of Diego Simeone. After selling Mario Mandzukic to Juventus, Martinez was acquired to add a physical presence to the attacking line. 

The signings of Bastian Schweinsteiger and Arturo Vidal represents the best buys out of the five. Filipe Luis and Falcao will be looking to reunite their careers after poor spells last season while Jackson Martinez will be looking to bring his form for Porto to Atletico Madrid.

Transfer Round Up #1

Managers in the Premier League and abroad have been dipping into the pockets of their owners frantically in order to secure their targets. Let's take a look at select transfers that have been completed so far...

Carlos Bacca - Sevilla to AC Milan - £21m

AC Milan were able to fend off interest from Liverpool in order to land Colombian Carlos Bacca. Recruited by new AC Milan manager, Sinisa Mihajlovic, the Colombian is signing off the back of excellent season, scoring 28 goals in 56 appearances for Sevilla. His tally included a well taken brace against Dnipro in the Europa League Final. Milan are getting a useful outfit and at 28 years of age, they have surely paid for his best years.

Alvaro Negredo - Manchester City to Valencia - £21m

Rather astonishingly, Pellegrini was able to make a £3.5m profit from the sale of Alvaro Negredo despite only making 49 City appearances in his two years contracted in Manchester. Valencia have signed a talented striker. He finished the 2013/2014 season with 23 goals even though his last came in January 2014. Last year he didn't quite to replicate his scoring feats, and only bagged 6 in 33 appearances. City will be glad to have him off the wage bill and Valencia will be happy to have acquired a player of his calibre.

Douglas Costa - Shakhtar Donetsk to Bayern Munich - £21m

Douglas Costa is a player well known to those Football Manager addicts out there. He can play out wide as well as in the centre. Acquiring Xherdan Shaqiri's old jersey, he'll probably slot in where the Swiss international left as a rotation option on the bench. Costa has scored 38 goals in 203 appearances, not to the same standard as Ribery and Robben, but he certainly has room to score more. Like Shaqiri, Costa is probably signed to succeed Robben and Ribery, but whether he will have have patience to break into the first team is another question. I'm not expecting much, but I hope the Brazilian is given plenty of first team football unlike the Stoke target.

Andrea Bertolacci - AS Roma to AC Milan - £14m

Mihajlovic continues his summer shopping with the signature of Andrea Bertolacci. Just matter of days after AS Roma had exercised the right to purchase the rest of the 24 year old's player rights, Milan enter with a £14m bid to prise him away from the Italian capital. In 125 Serie A appearances, the midfielder has scored 18 goals and assisted 17 times. 7 of those assists came last season for Genoa and was more than any Milan player registered. He will improve Milan and I look forward to seeing him at the San Siro.  

Nathaniel Clyne - Southampton to Liverpool - £12.39m

After objecting to renew Glen Johnston's contract, a new right back was of high priority for Brendan Rodgers, so where better place to go than to his favourite place on the south coast, Southampton. In a side that conceded just 33 goals all season, his signing will help to tighten up a leaky defence on Merseyside. Only Chelsea conceded less goals (32). While he is decent in defensive situations, he is also adept on the offensive creating 22 chances and completing 27 take ons. Liverpool have got themselves an upgrade in Clyne and he will be a key component in the Liverpool defence.

I've covered 5 of the major transfers across Europe and I will endeavour to share my opinions on many more during the Summer Transfer Window. Who is your pick of these five transfers that I've mentioned?

All statistics taken from Squawka or Transfermarkt.

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.

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.

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.

Transfer Target #12 - Xherdan Shaqiri

Most people will be familiar with the name Xherdan Shaqiri, especially after his hat trick in the World Cup, but his lack of playing time has led to doubts about whether he will remain a Bayern Munich player after the transfer window.

As with many modern day forwards, Shaqiri is dynamic and versatile, meaning that he is equally adept in several other positions. He is probably best deployed as a winger on either flank as well as a second striker, in the hole, or as a forward. He strikes me as a similar type of player as Theo Walcott, Alexis Sanchez and Gareth Bale. He has extreme pace and can leave even the quickest of defenders for dead. 

The Swiss international started his career at FC Basel and made debut appearance in July 2009. During his first season with the Swiss outfit, he appeared 47 times, scoring 7 and assisting 5 times. In the 2010/2011 season he showed more improvement by assisting 10 goals and scoring 7 in 42 appearances. 

The 2011/2012 season was where clubs were really starting to take an interest in the winger, even more so when he completed a man of the match victory over Manchester United in the Champions League. His pace and skill constantly troubled the United back four and he set up the 2 goals that beat the English side 2-1, and cap a famous victory. He finished his last season in Switzerland, with 9 goals and 12 assists in 41 appearances.

Jupp Heyneckes brought Shaqiri to Bayern Munich at the beginning of their treble winning year. He made 13 assists and scored 8 times in 39 appearances in his opening season, with a majority of them coming from the bench. With Heyneckes retiring at the end of the season, Pep Guardiola was appointed to lead the team onto further glory. Last season, Shaqiri was plagued by injury and was only able to make a fraction of the appearances he did in the one previous. This season was proved more frustrating for the Swiss international with him only being deployed from the bench. Having won everything at Bayern, he could be tempted to move on with Liverpool lined up as a potential suitor.

Liverpool would be a very attractive transfer for Xherdan Shaqiri and both parties would benefit from his move. The Merseyside club would be able to offer him first team football, something which Bayern haven't been able to do in previous seasons. Since the departure of Luis Suarez, Liverpool have been looking for a marquee signing able to replace the boots of the Anfield legend. While he doesn't have the goal scoring capabilities of the Uruguayan, this will come after settling in and forming a partnership with his team mates. His versatility means he would be able to have a free role, making him a nightmare to mark, allowing some of the pressure to be taken off the shoulders of Raheem Sterling, who has been a breath of fresh air for Liverpool this season. 

If Brendan Rodgers would like him to play alongside Daniel Sturridge, then he has the creativity and vision to form an explosive partnership with him. He has a strike-rate of 1 assist/goal every 113 minutes in his 9 games in the Bundesliga this year. In comparison, Liverpool's most prolific is Adam Lallana who registers one every 163 minutes. With the 'Alpine Messi', Liverpool would be able to reignite their counter attacking style of play and relive the memories of last season.

Not only does Shaqiri boast all the attributes of a world class player, he is only 23 years of age. If Liverpool were to sign him and keep hold of him, he could have at least 8 years in the form of his life on Merseyside. However, it's not just Liverpool who are interested in the Bayern player, reports suggest that Juventus and Inter Milan officials have met with the player's agent to discuss a potential move, and with Juventus able to offer Champions League football, they will not go down without a fight.

My 2014 in around 400 words.

2014 has been a truly spectacular year in the world of football, mostly down to the drama of the World Cup. Here’s few of the talking points of this calendar year.

Cristiano Ronaldo started the year by collecting the 2013 Ballon D'Or Award at the ceremony in Zurich on the 13th January. Not only did he win this, but he guided his team to a Champions League win against Atletico in Lisbon in late May.

Sticking with the Spanish trend, it was nice to see underdogs, Atletico Madrid topple the big spenders, Real Madrid and Barcelona and win the league title. During that victory, manager, Diego Simeone created a cohesive unit and a squad that was hard to score against. Having lost their star striker to Chelsea, Atleti haven't scored as many goals, but still lie in 3rd place behind Barca and their City rivals, Real.

In the Premier League, we have seen the resurgence of Liverpool as well as the demise at Old Trafford. Luis Suarez guided Liverpool to a second place finish in the league, netting 31 goals in 37 appearances. Arsenal once again pipped their North London rivals to 4^th spot while City were able to win the title following slip ups from Liverpool and Chelsea.

In Germany, Bayern achieved their 2^nd consecutive title at the end of March with a record of 7 games left before the end of the league. The Italian League was no more dramatic as Juventus won by 18 points. As for the Europa League, Benfica failed at the final hurdle for the second year running, leaving Sevilla to clinch it on penalties.

I can’t forget to mention the World Cup extravaganza that was staged in Brazil during the months of June and July. It displayed some spectacular pieces of skill, particularly, James Rodriguez’ goal against the Uruguayans in the last 16. We also had another blunder from Luis Suarez as he bit Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini in the arm to earn himself another lengthy ban.

It was great to see minnows Costa Rica reach the quarter finals of the competition, but one of the biggest talking points was the annihilation of Brazil by future Champions Germany in their own back yard. We knew Brazil didn’t possess a capable defence, but I was shocked to see it implode in such a manner. Germany were deserved winners of the competition especially after close shaves the previous two times.

That’s 2014 in a nutshell, as always I would love to hear your thoughts on what has been a special footballing year. Here is to an equally great 2015!

Champions League Semi Final

UEFA have treated us to another spectacular Champions League Semi Final line-up. Two very different ties sees a tactical battle between Atletico Madrid and Chelsea, while Real take on Bayern in a match that promises free flowing, end to end football.

Real Madrid v Bayern Munich

Gareth Bale v Arjen Robben. Cristiano Ronaldo v Franck Ribery. Real v Bayern. Surely there cannot be a more mouth-watering tie than this? Could Real Madrid reach the final for the first time since 2002? So many questions need answered, yet we need to wait until 29 April to find the answers for them. Both teams have impressive attacking options, but also may concede goals, as proved by Dortmund in Real's 2-0 defeat away leg and Bayern's 3-0 humiliation at home. 

At the start of the season, I tipped Bayern to be the first team to win the Champions League back to back, but now I'm not too sure. Even though I still think they will win, weaknesses were highlighted during the games against Manchester United, particularly when players like Danny Welbeck were running at the centre backs.  In addition to this, Real have scored 32 goals already in this competition, which included a 6-1 romp of Schalke, while Bayern have scored 8 less than the Madristas. There certainly will be plenty of goals. The wide men are the key opponents to look out for. If Bale, Ronaldo, Ribery or Robben are anonymous throughout the tie, then it could have a pivotal effect on the outcome of the game.

It promises to be an exhilarating tie and ever since it was announced, it had the world gripped with Champions League fever. Even though I am beginning to doubt myself with recent results, I still feel that Bayern Munich will be able to reach the final for the third time in a row.

Atletico Madrid v Chelsea 

Atletico Madrid and Chelsea make up the other semi final. A battle between 2 tacticians of the highest order in Mourinho and Simeone. On paper Atletico would have been the opposition Chelsea fans would have wanted, I'm not convinced that this is what Mourinho would have wanted. Unlike Real and Bayern, Atletico pose their threat through their very efficient counter attack, much like Chelsea. This means that Chelsea will be less able to rely on this tactic than if they had been drawn with Real Madrid or Bayern Munich. On a more positive side for Jose, Chelsea have the second leg at home, enabling them to sit back in the first leg, hoping that they may nick a goal, and finish the job at Stamford Bridge. 

Chelsea do certainly have a chance in this tie, though their lack of a star striker could prove their downfall. This match sees Chelsea come up against one of their transfer targets, Diego Costa. It has been widely tipped that he will be a Chelsea player by the summer and that he will form the new Chelsea attack, as it has been rumoured that all four of Chelsea's strikers are heading out the door in the summer. 

Two very tactically driven teams could create a tentative tie, but will no doubt provide no less excitement than the other tie. This tie is very difficult to call, as either team has the ability to go through, but I have to predict that Mourinho will be able to out fox Simeone and get revenge from that Copa Del Rey defeat last year.

Only Chelsea are flying the flag for the English teams while the possibility of a Spanish final in Lisbon is not out of the question. The first legs are to be played on 22/23 April respectively while the second legs are on 29/30 April.

Champions League Quarter Finals

We are now into the quarter-finals of the Champions League and yet again, the draw has thrown up some exciting spectacles. A difficult day in store for United, a pleased Mourinho and a crunch match at the Bernabeu sums up the draw.

Manchester United v Bayern Munich

Arguably the weakest team left in the competition, Manchester United scraped through a tie against Olympiakos to face a mighty Bayern side, a side that won the treble last year. Bayern will be expected to comfortably dispatch this ageing, under-performing United side. However, this may work to the favour of the Red Devils. The label of underdogs enables them to play without pressure and freedom. With the inadequacies in the defence, United will not be able to sit back and absorb pressure, so risky football may be in store for the encounter. By doing this, anything can happen and they may sneak a result. After all, Man United are at their most dangerous when they are written off. On the contrary, Bayern Munich have been unstoppable this season. Unbeaten in the league, they possess a formidable defence and a potent attacking force. For me, Bayern to progress.

PSG v Chelsea

The other English team in the competition find themselves drawn against Zlatan Ibrahimovic's PSG. It is certainly not the hardest draw, and it gives them a chance of progressing to the next round. Especially playing away first, Mourinho will be hoping to come away with a draw, and then finish the tie off at Stamford Bridge. On his day, Ibrahimovic can be a handful for any defence so Chelsea will need to pay particular attention to him, which may leave spaces for the other attackers. Paris Saint Germain have lost just once this Champions League campaign this year against Benfica, but have recorded high scoring victories against Anderlecht, Leverkusen and Olympiakos. Mourinho has been in many quarter finals throughout his long prestigious career so he will have all the experience to pass to his players, unlike David Moyes. This is a tough one to call, but I believe Chelsea will narrowly defeat the Parisians. 

Barcelona v Atletico Madrid

Barcelona against Atletico Madrid will be a tight affair. Flying high at the top of La Liga, Atletico pose a threat to a side who will definitely be looking to rectify the abrupt exit in last year's competition. Barca wont breeze through this tie, particularly as Diego Simeone has constructed an onerous side and which has surprised many so far. In the last 16, Atleti brushed aside a poor AC Milan side, while Barca had the more difficult task of beating Manchester City. Los Colchoneros own a renowned striker in the form of Diego Costa who has 30 goals this season. While the tie will be competitive, I don't think the experience of Barcelona can be matched by Atletico. On the other hand, if Atletico can get a decent result in the first leg at the Nou Camp, then they stand a very good chance of qualifying in front of their own fans. Unfortunately for the Madrid side, I believe Barcelona have the experience and quality to defeat them.

Real Madrid v Borussia Dortmund

The final tie of the round is Borussia Dortmund versus Real Madrid, a replay of the semi final from last year. The previous result will spur Real onto get a positive result in which they were embarrassed in the first leg. It hasn't been an great season for Dortmund even though they are lying in 2nd position. Having lost 7 games in the league and 2 in the Champions League, Dortmund must be underdogs for the tie. I think that Madrid will overpower them. The combination of Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale down the flanks and Luka Modric through the middle, has the potential to wreak havoc among this injury-stricken Dortmund side. The attacking prowess of Madrid in the previous round against Schalke emphasises the lightning pace of their counter attack, something which Dortmund must be aware of. Much like United, Dortmund scraped through their last 16 tie against Zenit which should have been a more comfortable affair.

All first leg matches will be played on 1/2 April with the second leg ties being played on 8/9 April.

Preventing a Goal Scoring Chance - Red Card or Not?

After a very long lay off, our beloved Champions League is back with a bang. The last 16 has thrown up some highly anticipated matches with a couple of very controversial issues. 

On Tuesday night, Manchester City's Martin Demichelis was sent for an early shower after denying Lionel Messi a goal scoring opportunity. This was replicated last night by Wojciech Sczezesny of Arsenal, when he fouled Arjen Robben.

I was watching the coverage on RTE Sport and the panel were all very critical of the current ruling. The current rules state that the perpetrator must be sent off and either a penalty or a free kick awarded. It was evident that Sczezesny disagreed with the decision, and at first I did too. On the first appearance, it seemed as if Robben had lost control of the ball and, if Sczezesny had not touched him, it would have rolled harmlessly out of play for a goal kick. On the other hand, the decision against Demichelis was justified.

"The red card changed the complexion of the game."

I am highly critical of some of the laws in the the rule book and an advocate for referees to use their initiative instead of going by the letter of the law. Personally, the red card heaps more misery upon the team, particularly if the penalty is scored. As witnessed last night, the red card changed the complexion of the game. For the dying minutes of the first half and the majority of the second half, Arsenal were devoted to protecting their own goal, rather than trying to attack in order to score. Effectively it ruined the game as a contest for the neutral - Arsenal could only manage 12% possession and complete 38 passes in the second half. Not what we want to see in the Champions League. Fortunately for Arsenal, David Alaba hit the post with the penalty and the teams went in level at half time. 

"The referee refused to use his initiative and followed the letter of the law."

Another high profile example was the sending off of Jens Lehmann in the 2006 Champions League Final (sorry Arsenal fans!). The match yesterday was a replica of that Final.  Back in '06, Samuel Eto'o was brought down by the German keeper in a challenge which was a stonewall foul. Whether it was inside or outside the box, that's open to interpretation. While the rule book states that the penalty must be awarded and the red card shown, the ball had rolled on to Ronaldinho who nestled the ball in the back of the net. In this case, the referee refused to use his initiative and followed the letter of the law. The neutral, (and Arsenal fans), would have much rather seen the goal awarded and Lehmann booked. At least that way, the game would still have 22 players on the pitch.

Unlike Bayern, Barcelona were able to convert the penalty through Lionel Messi. With both a man and a goal down, the Manchester side had a colossal mountain to climb. The dismissal of Demichelis ignited a flurry of attacks from Barcelona as they continued to probe the City defence for any signs of weakness. While Arsenal could barely get a touch of the ball, City were able to muster a few shots target.

"A red card is brandished if the penalty is missed, and a the yellow produced if it is scored."

Many FIFA critics would argue that by awarding a penalty, it replicates the goal scoring chance that was taken away from the attacking side, therefore the red card would not be necessary. I agree with this opinion completely, as the red card handicaps the side for the rest of the game. John Giles of RTE Sport agrees with them. In the heat of the debate, Giles proposed a solution to this contentious issue. He suggested that the red card is shown if the penalty is missed and the yellow is shown if the penalty is scored.

It is a logical solution to this ongoing debacle, however their is one glaringly obvious problem with this answer - Would some players, under orders from the manager, purposely miss the penalty in order to see the red card waved? This scenario is particularly true if, the 'victims' were overwhelming the opposing team to the point where a goal is inevitable, regardless of the colour of card produced. I could bet by life savings that we would observe this happening. 

"I don't agree with the introduction of the sin-bin system, but, if drastic action is required, then I view this as the only plausible answer."

Personally, my solution, if one was required, would be to introduce a timeout where the offender would be off the pitch for around 12 minutes. Similar to the sin bin system used in Rugby Union, the attacking team would have the penalty and the player of the pitch, while the defending team, would not have to spend the rest of the game a man down. It benefits both teams, and also the spectators as the spectacle would not be ruined. However, the die-hards would not be pleased about the similarities between rugby and football. As stated in previous posts, I don't agree with the introduction of the sin-bin system, but, if drastic action is required, then I view this as the only plausible answer.

While, this issue seems to be a growing concern, I do not see, or expect, this issue to be challenged in the coming future. Whatever the rules of football, UEFA and FIFA are not able to keep all sides happy. It is undoubtedly a sticky issue that may feel, some sides feel agrieved, particularly if the red card and penalty were unwarranted for a dive.