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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Juventus Maintain Winning Run at Samp Expense

Two of Italy's inform sides met in Genoa, but it was Juventus who came out on top to cut their gap to two points just behind Napoli at the top of Serie A

Juventus controlled the play early on with high pressing and got their reward when Paul Pogba used his chest to control before guiding into the back of the net. The Old Lady continued to threaten with Patrice Evra and Stephan Lichtsteiner getting further forward from the wing back positions and in turn, pinning Sampdoria's full backs in their defensive third.

Paulo Dybala was lively and often created space in the Samp defence. Allegri had given the little Argentine a free role and he was looking threatening from the home side's point of view. Dybala whipped a brilliant free kick in from far out on the right which was crying out for a flick by a Juventus player, instead, it missed everyone and forced a stretching save from goalkeeper Emiliano Viviano.

Towards the end of the first half, Sampdoria had a good spell of possession. A free kick on the edge of the box was unable to beat the wall but Samps were beginning to string a few passes together and looked dangerous. Pressure off the ball made Juventus hurry and often concede possession. Nevertheless, it remained 1-0 to the away side at the break.

It took just over a minute into the second half for Juventus to score and it was Sami Khedira who poked the ball past the onrushing Sampdoria keeper. Paulo Dybala threaded a beautiful ball through to the German World Cup winner who supplied the finish. Juventus now looked comfortable and Sampdoria had a mountain to climb.

Juventus looked like adding to their score while Sampdoria struggled to pose any kind of a threat to the Juve defence at all. The home side had a glorious chance to get themselves back in the game when Antonio Cassano stood a love ball up to the back post, but Samp top scorer Eder couldn't hit the target. It really should have ruffled the back of the net.

Dybala had a strike bound for the bottom corner of the net expertly saved by the Sampdoria goal keeper which would have sealed the game. The home side gave the ball away cheaply in the midfield to Paul Pogba and they will be punished in the future.

Antonio Cassano halved the deficit in the 64th minute when he found the back of the net. This gave the home side momentum and confidence to grab the equaliser. Sampdoria continued to press, but Juve got possession of the ball and begun to take all of the momentum and pace out of the game.

Sampdoria were getting opportunities in the last 5 minutes of the game. Ervin Zukanovic just headed over from a free kick while Buffon plucked a dangerous cross out of the air shortly after. The comeback died when Niklas Moisander lunged in on Simone Zaza and was sent for an early shower in somewhat controversial circumstances. It looked a definite yellow, but the brandished straight red card left me perplexed as to what the logic of the referee was.

Juventus notched their ninth straight win in Serie A and now move to within two points of league leaders, Napoli. For Vincenzo Montella's Samps, they remain in 13th, eight points off relegation.

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.

Juve Cruise Past Palermo

Goals from Mario Mandzukic, Stefano Sturaro and Simone Zaza gave Juventus a comfortable victory in Sicily.

Palermo pressed high early on and looked to take the the game to their visitors. The high pressing caused some worry for Juve but they dealt with it well. The home side did have a chance inside the tenth minute when Vazquez broke on the counter, and found Oscar Hiljemark on the right edge of the box. The Swede fired over and didn't pose any threat to Gianluigi Buffon.

Stefan Sorrentino looked nervy in nets for Palermo, particularly in the opening 15 minutes of the match. He flapped at a few crosses that seemed relatively easy and this was something that Juve could exploit with the height of Mario Mandzukic in the box for the Turin side. Also, Juventus were getting joy through their wing backs, Juan Cuadrado and Patrice Evra who were being given space out wide, albeit for an offside flag or poor touch.

Leonardo Bonucci had a terrific chance after a Paul Pogba out swinging corner. The veteran defender was left unmarked but a poor connection with the ball and it sailed wide. Juve had another free header, this time from Palermo old boy, Paulo Dybala. The Argentine was unable to convert a golden opportunity.

At half time both sides had plenty to reflect on. Juventus had to take their opportunities that were given to them, while Palermo needed to pay more attention to Juve's win backs who were being keft one on one with their full backs. The home side also needed to capitalise on the break and be a bit more lethal.

The dead lock was broken 7 minutes after the restart when Paulo Dybala swung a tantalising ball into the box. Mario Mandzukic rose highest to nod past Sorrentino in nets. The goal had lifted the champions as they pressed Palermo and the Sicilians struggled to get any possession. 

The game continued in relatively the same vain. The first goal took the stuffing out of Palermo and they struggled to recover. Buffon was hardly troubled all night and despite being very well protected, I do think a slightly better team than Palermo could have tested and asked a few more questions of the defence.

The second goal killed the game with less than a minute to go. Paul Pogba rolled the ball into the feet of Stefano Sturaro who finished the shot into the bottom right corner of the net. Simone Zaza scored a third after a break from the half line. He played a one-two with Alvaro Morata before leaving the keeper no chance with his shot.

Juventus continue their resurgence as they move up to fifth position and just six points off the top of the table with two-thirds of the season to play. It has to be noted that the top three sides play tomorrow night, but the win for Juventus was needed, if not as emphatic as the scoreline suggests.

Nerazzurri and Old Lady Share the Spoils in Milan

A goalless draw was the outcome in the Giuseppe Meazza in an enthralling encounter that contained some high octane footballing action.

Juventus were the side trailing Internazionale by 9 points and it was the visitors that started with the more possession. The prize in this game was massive so there was no surprise to see the referee dishing out bookings inside the first ten minutes. Claudio Marchisio, Felipe Melo and Sami Khedira getting jotted down by the ref.

The chances were thin to report on in the first 20 minutes. Juan Cuadrado did have a shot from the right that disturbed the side netting while Stefan Jovetic's free kick didn’t have Gianluigi Buffon worried. Nevertheless it was a pulsating opening quarter with plenty of passion being displayed by both sides.

Internazionale had a hand ball appeal turned down after 25 minutes after excellent work from Marcelo Brozovic down the left but replays showed that the ref made the correct decision. Jovetic had an excellent chance to break the deadlock shortly after when Jeison Murillo slid the Montenegrin through but he was foiled by an excellent save from the 159 times capped Italian stopper.

Inter were most definitely on top as the half hour mark approached. Buffon once again saved Juve's blushes when he tipped a curling shot from Brozovic onto the bar after a short corner. Juventus were struggling and having to commit cynical fouls to slow the game down and to try and get a foothold in it.

Inter seemed to have surrendered their momentum when Felipe Melo looked to have brought Khedira down with a challenge from behind but the referee deemed the challenge to be fair and waved play on. Replays lead me to believe that the Brazilian was lucky not to pick up a second yellow.

Both defences were on form. Andrea Barzagli was on fire and frequently thwarted Inter in their steps. Likewise an excellent challenge from Murillo prevented Simone Zaza from getting a shot on target. The referee blew an electric first half to a close.

Right from the off, Juve pressurised Inter and Cuadrado nearly squeezed a shot through Samir Handanovic's legs. The Old Lady dominated the midfield in the first 10 minutes of the second half, much to the contrary at the tail end of the first half. A snap shot from Stefan Jovetic was sweetly struck from about 10 yards outside the area, but Buffon was equal to the shot despite the vigorous dip just in front of him.

With an hour gone, it was Roberto Mancini who decided to try and force things with the introduction of Fredy Guarin. The pace of the game was frantic from the off of the game, with both sides causing each other problems and neither looking as if they would succumb to tiredness. It looked as if it was going to take a mistake or a piece of magic to separate the sides.

Undoubtedly the chance of the game was squandered by Sami Khedira just before the 70th minute mark. Excellent control, composure and awareness from Alvaro Morata inside the box allowed the Spanish international time to find the former Madrid man. Unchallenged a goal looked inevitable but his shot hit the post and bounced clear of danger.

As the final 5 minutes approached, it looked as if both sides were going away with a point each. Ivan Perisic did have a late free kick that sailed over the bar, not troubling Buffon, while a late surge by Cuadrado to the by-line looked promising, until he failed to find Paulo Dybala or Paul Pogba free on the edge of the 6 yard box. It was excellent play by Cuadrado to beat his opponent on the right flank.

Neither side could be separated and a point each was definitely the correct result. Juventus needed the victory more than the Nerazzurri as they continue to falter in attempt to get their Serie A campaign up and running.

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.

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.

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.

The Post Mortem at the Santiago Bernabeu

As you are probably be aware, there will be no match report for Real Madrid's loss in the Champions League to Juventus largely due to my upset body clock. Instead, I will share my thoughts on what lies in wait for El Galacticos of Spanish football.

To start with, Juventus played a very smart game, even though they lacked confidence in the first half to go and attack (or so I believe!). I did get to witness the second half. It started with constant Madrid pressure and it looked only certain that they were going to add to their total. I thought Pirlo was particularly disappointing on the ball and was at fault for conceding possession often. He will definitely be punished by an inform Barca side if it continues into the final. Former Madrid academy player Alvaro Morata equalized much to the disdain of the Madristas. The goal seemed act as a pill to sap all of the energy and confidence from Real Madrid. Defenders Chiellini and Bonucci were immense and repelled any ball into the box from the Madrid wide-men. The result would have been a shock, but it was no less than what the Old Lady deserved.

Currently in the Spanish capital, a post-mortem will be under way. Pitch forks will be sharpened by Florentino Perez and the Madrid fans for Ancelotti and the players. I think Gareth Bale could be on his way out of the club in the summer with potential suitors coming from England and other fields. I think only Manchester United and Bayern Munich would be able to cough up for Bale due to financial fair play affecting Manchester City. Looking at Carlo Ancelotti, I will be amazed if he still has a job at the start of next season. As I stated in previous articles, not many managers get away with 1 trophyless season in the Spanish capital, so if he was to be given an extra term in the post, he will need to deliver the world to Perez. As it stands, rumours are gathering momentum that the Italian has signed a pre contract deal to take him to Manchester City in the summer.

I remember at the start of the 2015 when I wrote a piece about the dressing room in their greatest rivals, Barcelona, and how that it was fractured with too many egos and not enough control from manager Luis Enrique. In hindsight, I looked pretty stupid considering Barca are now challenging for the coveted treble. Ancelotti is facing a similar situation. Agent, Jonathan Barnett commented that Bale's team mates do not pass to him and that is why he is suffering. This was a very ill-advised statement made before a crucial, season defining match against the Italian giants and I am really not surprised that this has caused disharmonious feelings among the camp. Ancelotti hit back stating that Mr Barnett had not been at any training sessions so he does not having right to say anything. I don't think Ancelotti had any option but to refute the claims. The only thing I have to say about this is that there must be some unrest if the agent were to bring up accusations such as these.

It has been reported in the Spanish publication Marca that boss Carlo Ancelotti has been wanting to drop Bale for the past 2 months but has been unable to due to pressure from Perez. Marca are known to have links inside the 10 times Champions of Europe so if - and it's a big if - these rumours are true, it says a hell of a lot about the politics inside the great football club. How undermining would that be for the world's most expensive player? I also hasten to add that it is also rumoured by the same publication that he hasn't learnt the language, something which will reflect badly on him if it is true. I haven't even began to touch on the incidents preceeding El Clasico over a month ago. I don't think he is liked in the camp. It is evident that the supporters aren't big fans. I'll always remember when Bale was outside the box on the right facing a Juve player. He tried to knock the ball past the defender but a heavy touch saw the ball roll out for a goal kick and ignite a ripple of a sarcastic applause from individuals behind the goal.

I thought that the former AC Milan manager could survive a season with winning nothing as I said in my article on possible destinations for Jurgen Klopp, but now I'm not too sure. I don't see Klopp breaking his 'sabbatical' to leap into that calderon of uncertainty. Anyhow, there needs to be an evaluation of some of the players. On Wednesday, Kroos and Isco offered nothing defensively, something which a Illaramendi or a Khedira would. The league campaign does not challenge these deficiencies, with exception to matches against Atletico and Barcelona. Xabi Alonso has also been a big loss, as Toni Kroos hasn't pushed on as performances at Bayern Munich dictated.

As an attacking force, Real Madrid are right up there. The BBC attack of Bale, Benzema and Cristiano will frighten any defence in the world. This year they have scored total of 70 goals this season, while contributing to 33 goals. Even though Ronaldo has a large majority in this facet, It is quite an incredible tally for the side, more goals than any English side with exception to Manchester City. On the other hand, they can be defensively naive at times. Examples include the 4-0 hammering they took at the hands of their City rivals as well as the defeat at the Nou Camp. This is something that needs to be addressed on the training pitch or else in the summer transfer window.

There will be changes at the Bernanbeu in the summer. Jobs will be lost, but it makes interesting reading as to who will replace Ancelotti. Also, who would even want a job where the fans can turn on you in an instant? I get the impression that the job helps fund a decent retirement package for when managers conclude their career.

Carlos Tevez hands Juventus the Initiative

A desperate performance from Real Madrid ensured that they left Turin having to overturn a 1 goal deficit, while Juventus can be quietly confident about their chances in the Bernabeu.

The game started at a frantic pace with a goalkeeping error from Iker Casillas nearly gifting Arturo Vidal a free shot. Juventus made a positive start with Vidal and Carlos Tevez finding pockets of space between the defence and attack. Alvaro Morata was able to outmuscle Pepe and to get a lobbed attempt on goal from about 25 yards only for the Spanish international to tamely fend it away.

Juve were awarded for their attacking exploits when a pass found Tevez in space on the edge of the box. His shot was palmed away by Casillas only to into the path of his former team mate, Alvaro Morata, and he had the easiest finish of his career. Madrid were still in the changing rooms.

The first 20 minutes belonged to Juventus. They received the majority of possession and dominated the midfield encounter. Their pressure was exceptional and they man marked Cristiano Ronaldo with aplomb. Frustration was building from Ronaldo and co. Tevez and Vidal brought to light Sergio Ramos' incapabilities when he was played out of position.

Juve's vulnerabilities on the flanks were fatally exposed when James Rodriguez was able to beat Patrice Evra and a ball found Ronaldo who ghosted into the edge of the 6 yard area to nod home from point blank range. While the opening 20 minutes belonged to Juve, the confidence began to grow in the final stages of the first half for Real Madrid.

Some brilliant, free flowing football from Real Madrid showed us why they are European Champions. Great build up play from Marcelo and Carvajal allowed Isco to fire the ball along the box and a header from James cannoned off the cross bar to Marcelo who sent it over the ball. This would be the last action of what was an interesting half.

The first ten minutes of the second half was sloppy, but it sparked into life when a scintillating run from Carlos Tevez ended in a penalty when Carvajal bundled the Argentine to the floor. He stepped up to restore Juve's lead and send the Juventus Stadium into raptures. The pendulum had swung back in favour of the Turin side.

As the game grew older, Real were beginning to get more and more edgy. Andrea Barzagli was introduced to help solidify things at the back while, Ancelotti brought on the quarter final winner, Javier Hernandez for some inspiration.

The Mexican looked lively and thrived upon a tired Juve defence but was unable to capitalise. The Old Lady were content to absorb the pressure in the closing stages and try and take a lead to the infamous Santiago Bernabeu. The passion displayed on the pitch from the home side was epitomised through tackles from Vidal and Andrea Pirlo who through their bodies at everything.

Real Madrid had too many passengers tonight and Juventus take a deserved lead to the Bernabeu. They will have every confidence that they can continue their excellent form this year into the return leg while Real will have to think long and hard at how to break a decent Italian defence.

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.

The Time to Shine for the Old Lady

For all their domestic dominance in Serie A, Juventus have been less than impressive in Europe over recent years. Now however, they have received a favourable draw, and could find themselves in their first semi-final since the 2002/2003 season.

Leading the Serie A by fourteen points with ten games to go, I'm sure Massimiliano Allegri is pretty confident that the Scudetto is staying in Turin and has the luxury of concentrating their efforts elsewhere. Having won the last 3 Serie A titles under fan favourite Antonio Conte, the value of domestic silverware is waning and Allegri will be hoping to restore Juventus back to the European Stage.

There is no reason why the Old Lady can reach a semi-final with a quarter final tie against Monaco. Fresh from a riveting win over Arsenal, The principality club will offer stiff opposition, not to be underestimated, as the Gunners found out in the previous round. From the first leg it was evident that the pace they have in Anthony Martial and Yannick Ferreira-Carrasco are devastating when playing on the counter attack and the unpredictability that Berbatov brings will ask Juve questions that need to be answered.

The away leg first will suit the Ligue 1 side better meaning that they know what they have to do when in the home leg. For Juventus they will have to combat the pace on the flanks, through Stephan Lichsteiner and Patrice Evra. Defensively, The Turin side are solid, particularly in the league, only conceding 14 goals in 28 games domestically. Not only this season, but over the past years, Juve have had an excellent defence, compared to those of the top European sides.

Similar to Juventus, Monaco also have an exceptional defence. Coach Leonardo Jardim has transformed the defence, particularly with Aymen Abdennour at the heart. The Tunisian was a star performer in the Arsenal tie and constantly put his body on the line for his club. The defence was well organised as Alexis, Welbeck, Oxlade-Chamberlain or Walcott never faced any one on ones. If Juventus' midfield can isolate Tevez or Morata with a defender, they will have the beating of them. With Juve likely to have most of the ball, they should hope to play the ball to the feet of Tevez and look for Morata to feed off him.

At home, I expect Juventus to record a positive result. In the league they have a near flawless record, blemished by the odd draw. Since October 2010, they have only lost twice, once on penalties in the Super Cup against Napoli in late December and the second in the Coppa Italia tie versus Fiorentina at the beginning of March. This is a phenomenal record, regardless of the quality of teams in the league. Monaco will find it very hard to leave Turin with a draw, never mind a precious victory.

In the away leg, if they get a good result at home, then Juventus can return back to their stereotypically defensive side that epitomised Italian football for many years. It's a risky strategy, but with the defensive prowess of the Old Lady, I wouldn't be surprised if they were able to pull this off. Monaco seemed comfortable sacrificing possession to Arsenal - they had 43% at the Emirates and 30% at home - so expect Pogba, Pirlo, Vidal and co. to dictate the tempo of the play. A victory for Juve would pose a difficult situation for Monaco as they may have to negate their defensive duties in search of a goal. This would suit Juve, particularly through the speed of Tevez, Morata and Lichtsteiner. 

Up front, they also have a bite. Carlos Tevez has proven a useful signing, scoring 16 goals. Alvaro Morata has edged out Fernando Llorente over the last few weeks, as he offers more mobility. Llorente is often used as a go to man whenever they are in great need of a goal. His height and physicality allows the wide men to swing balls into the air, and he often delivers.

The Madrid derby will undoubtedly overshadow this, but I look forward to this just as much. Juventus adopt a 4-3-3 formation instead of the standard 3-5-2/5-3-2 that we were used to seeing during the Conte era. A 4-3-3 will match up against Monaco, who play a similar formation. Lichsteiner loves to get forward on the right, and this could be somewhere which Monaco may be able to exploit.

While Paul Pogba was an icon during previous season, his exploits this year have only added to his value. The young Frenchman is their linchpin and he will be at the centre of any European success in the next few years. Similarly, they have Kingsley Coman, a young attacker, highly rated in the Juve ranks. We know Tevez can unlock any defence as we know, and the defence is solid. It’s written in the stars for Juventus FC.

I would tip Juventus to progress to the semi-finals, as Monaco are a relatively young team, and this could be one step too far for the French side. As for the semis, I’m not convinced they are able to compete at the top level against the European elite. This is a massive opportunity for Juventus and Turin will be bouncing when Les Monegasques visit on the 14^th April.

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 #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.