PSG - Serial Underachievers in Europe?

PSG had the Ligue 1 title all sewn up before they even took on Manchester City in the Champions League Quarter Final with a record margin. Currently sitting 30 points clear of Olympique Lyon in 2nd place, the side from the province of Rhone-Alpes are closer to the relegation zone than they are to the league leaders, a testament to the monopoly the Parisians have over the league. Despite all this domestic success, they are still perennial underachievers on the European stage.

Since their domestic success started in 2012-2013 with their first league title in 19 years, it is safe to say that PSG have been labelled as the 'nearly-men.' They have all the right tools, but just can't utilise them on the big stage. For the fourth time in a row, they have failed to progress pass the Quarter Final stage. How can side with world-class players such as Angel di Maria, Edinson Cavani, Thiago Silva, Marco Verratti and the notorious Zlatan Ibrahimovic constantly fail?

Admittedly last year, they faced Barcelona in the quarter final stage, a team that were right on the top of their game and eventual treble winners. They were beaten by a much more cohesive and well drilled side 5-1 on aggregate with the damage being done with a 3-1 loss in the first leg at the Parc des Princes. 

Yet just this year, they had a great chance of defeating Manchester City and progressing to their first semi final in this short spell. Despite the deciding goal from Kevin de Bruyne being a cracker, PSG coughed up too many chances in the away leg including an unconverted penalty opportunity caused by a stray pass from Serge Aurier. Equally, an error was capitalised on by Fernandinho in the opening leg, who threaded a ball through to de Bruyne and the Belgian opened the scoring in the tie. The second goal could also have been prevented but it levelled up the first leg and gave Manchester City two away goals.

In Marco Verratti they possess one of the world's brightest midfield prospect. Only aged 23, he has already made 105 league appearances as well as a further 29 in Europe. Even as one of the younger players in the French champion's side, so much of the play goes through him. Not only is he a quality passer of the ball that has been compared to the great Andrea Pirlo, but he also as a decent defensive side to his game, averaging 2 defensive actions per game this season. It will be interesting to see in the near future if more failings in the Champions League whether Verratti will jump ship to Barcelona, Real Madrid or Bayern Munich.

Player performance wise, Angel di Maria has recaptured the form he displayed while at Real Madrid, while Ibrahimovic, at the tender age of 34 is still banging in goals for fun, 34 in the league this season. Edinson Cavani is an able strike partner for the Swede contributing 28 goals and 4 assists to the cause. It has however been rumoured in the past that the pair do not get on. Just last season, both were pictured becoming increasingly frustrated with each other, reaching the point where Ibrahimovic refused to pass the Uruguayan the ball on a simple two-on-one with the keeper and instead squandered the chance. It has been argued that Zlatan Ibrahimovic is holding the side back and this reasoning sounds very plausible

Too little domestic competition?
Everyone quickly jump to suggest that the lack of competition in the league will play a factor with the performances in Europe and I totally agree. It is human nature for players to ease of the gas when they are 3 or 4 goals up. In four of the last six league games this season, PSG have scored four goals. Against the bottom side, Troyes, they netted 9 times. scoring three goals in the opening 20 minutes. It's not surprising that if a side continually relaxes after 60-70 minutes, then it will become a vicious circle where they will struggle to concentrate mentally for the full match.

Poor manager?
There has been speculation of a change at the helm with the recent Champions League exit. Laurent Blanc has not had the toughest of jobs with PSG, particularly with having a budget bigger than any of the Ligue 1 competition. However, dealing with the amount of egos that he has to, he has to be credited. Blanc has been rumoured with the Manchester United job, however Jose Mourinho appears to be the most likely recipient if Louis Van Gaal does decide to retire. He has played the same tactic in Europe where they have been less effective. The 4-3-3 with either Ibrahimovic or Cavani up top and Angel di Maria on the flank, has been useful in the group stages, but they need to play a bit more conservative against the sides with more quality. It is likely that they wouldn't have the most possession so it would be more sensible to sacrifice an attacker to put another in midfield.

Are they likely to win the competition in the next 3 seasons?
I think they will eventually break their duck of not being able to qualify for the semi finals of the Champions League in the near future. Generally over the last years they have been unlucky with the groups that they have been placed in - Real Madrid in this year's group and Barcelona last year. As well as this they generally have been unlucky in the knock out rounds, receiving Manchester City in the quarter finals this season when they could have got Benfica or Wolfsburg. If PSG build up some momentum with good results in the group stage, coupled with fortunate draws in the next two rounds, it is very possible that they would have the confidence to defeat the big sides when the competition gets serious. I do believe with the quality of the players in the side, PSG will be crowned European Champions in the not too distant future.

Having been given the vote of confidence by the board this season, Laurent Blanc will remain in charge of PSG for the summer at the bare minimum. However the pressure must be building as they look to break their streak of bad fortune and enter into Europe's elite. 

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.

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.

PSG Remain Unbeaten in the League

Goals from Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Layvin Kurzawa, Edinson Cavani and Lucas Moura gave PSG a comfortable victory over Saint Etienne and ensure the Ligue 1 holders remain unbeaten in the league.

Having returned from a Europa League tie against Dnipro in Ukraine, it was no surprise that St Etienne surrendered most of the possession to their hosts and tiredness was evident as the match progressed.

The first chance did fall to PSG, as Angel Di Maria a terrific out-swinging corner found the head of Thiago Motta but he could not direct the header on target. Two chances followed for Zlatan Ibrahimovic, but he failed to control the first and fired the second straight at the keeper.

Saint Etienne had the first attack on the 15 minute mark, when Valentin Eysseric's shot grazed the post. PSG took the lead 7 minutes later through Layvin Kurzawa. With Saint Etienne playing a high line, Kurzawa found himself in space on the left. He beat the defender before firing the shot into the back of the net via the hand of Stephane Ruffier for his first goal since joining the club from AS Monaco in the summer. With PSG completely dominant in the first half hour, it was only a matter of time before the second goal came.

After a terrific interception from Thiago Silva launched a counter attack, Angel Di Maria picked up the ball and struck a shot from outside the box that Ruffier had to parry to safety. Despite this, the visitors had grown into the game and were beginning to get foothold, but similarly, PSG look like they can add to their goal if and when they want.

Ruffier saved Saint Etienne's blushes with another terrific save in the second quarter of the game. After a loose pass was picked up by Cavani, Ibrahimovic was played through and he very unselfishly squared the ball to partner Cavani but his attempted shot was blocked by the goal keeper. A super save that kept the deficit at just one goal. Shortly before the interval the big Swede had another chance to double his side's lead, but his header looped over the bar off a Di Maria cross.

Straight from the kick off in the second period, PSG showed their attacking strength. Di Maria's shot trickled just wide and shortly after, Ibrahimovic squared a ball across the box for Cavani to tap in. The same pair linked up minutes later but Cavani scuffed his shot wide. He really should have done better. Saint Etienne were getting punished for their high defensive line and open play and with the continental hangover looming, a humbling was on the cards if they don't tighten up.

The third goal was scored through Saint Etienne's worst nightmare, Zlatan Ibrahimovic. A sharp turn from Di Maria allowed the Argentine space and his pass found Edinson Cavani. With Ibra in the box, he repaid the pass earlier in the second half offered by the Swede and squared it to give the the 34 year old his 9th goal in his last five games against away side. Not known for their passing relationship, Cavani and Ibrahimovic surprised many tonight.

Saint Etienne managed to get a goal back in comical fashion. Kevin Monnet-Paquet's cross was poorly hacked away by Marquinhos and in an attempt to either control or clear the ball, Marco Verratti deflected it into the back of his own net. Even though it proved nothing more than a consolation, PSG will be annoyed to have conceded their clean sheet.

That goal for Saint Etienne seemed to give the side a bit of a lift, as several chances fell to the away side with Robert Beric having the pick of them. However a fourth PSG goal was scored as full time approached. Verratti dinked the ball into the box and Lucas Moura's header was clumsily dealt with by Ruffier and the ball managed to cross the line. The veteran Saint Etienne keeper had a good night, with this being the only blemish on his performance.

The PSG midfield won the game tonight. They retained possession expertly while fighting for the ball when they lost it. The Saint Etienne midfield was often outnumbered when Ibrahimovic dropped back or when Di Maria cut inside. A victory was nothing short of what Laurent Blanc expected of his side and as they look almost invincible in the league, much will be expected of them in Europe. 

Transfer Round Up #4

It's another issue of my Transfer Round-up where I take a look at a chosen 5 transfers to have been completed in this Transfer Window ... Feel free to comment your opinions on any of the transfers I have covered.

Nani – Manchester United to Fenerbahce – £4.2m

In a piece I covered for The Big Interest, I branded Nani as one of the most inconsistent players I have ever witnessed, however I do think Manchester United got the bad end of the stick with this deal. For the Turks, it is a tremendous signing. He has the ability to beat any defender on his day and the Portuguese international created more chances than any other Sporting player in the Champions League last season. He is inside the top 20 all-time Premier League assists with 49 and is also prone to scoring the odd screamer. Despite the all the inconsistencies, Fenerbahce will be glad to have purchased the player.

Robin Van Persie – Manchester United to Fenerbahce - £3.85m

Following in the footsteps of Nani, Robin Van Persie has also joined Fenerbahce. 10^th on the all-time Premier League scorers, he has more goals in the canister for the Turkish side. In the 27 appearances he made last season RVP scored 10 goals and completed 85% of his passes. Since his move from Arsenal, the Dutchman’s statistics have been in a steady decline. In 2012/2013 he scored 0.68 goals per game and created 1.87 chances per game. Compare that to this season, he scored 0.37 goals per game and created 0.97 chances. While he may be in decline, he definitely knows where the goal is and will excel in Turkey.

Toby Alderweireld – Atletico Madrid to Tottenham - £11.2m

The deal to take Toby Alderweireld to Tottenham has largely gone under the radar this summer. Joining the Spanish side in 2013, he made 22 appearances, including in the Champions League Final where he came on as a substitute for Filipe Luis. Falling out of favour with Simeone, he was loaned to Southampton where he made 27 appearances last season. Failing to exercise their right to buy clause, Atletico cancelled the option in order to sell to the highest bidder. For Southampton last season, the 26 year old won 37/70 headers and didn’t make a single defensive error, which probably explains the Saints’ tremendous defensive effort. The Belgian is a good signing for Spurs, and will hope to rectify a leaky defence which conceded more goals than any other top 10 team last season.

Morgan Schneiderlin – Southampton to Manchester United - £24.5m

Manchester United fans where calling for Louis Van Gaal to sign another centre defensive midfielder to aid Michael Carrick and he has answered that call with aplomb. Like Alderweireld, the Frenchman made no defensive errors last season. In addition he had an 89% pass accuracy and averaged 3.04 successful tackles better than Carrick, Blind, Fellaini and Herrera. With United criticised for being too slow in their build-up play, 67.7% of his passes last season were forward. At 25 years of age, Schneiderlin has another 6/7 years at the top and he has the makings of an excellent signing. Last season United averaged 57% possession a match and Louis Van Gaal’s idea of playing passing football will continue with the signing of Morgan Schneiderlin.

Yohan Cabaye – PSG to Crystal Palace - £9.73m

After a despondent season and a half at PSG, Yohan Cabaye has made the trip back to England under the stewardship of former manager, Alan Pardew. Making 57 appearance largely from the bench at PSG, Cabaye will be glad to get back to England in order to have first team football. Even though he recorded an 89% pass accuracy, Cabaye only created 9 chances compared to the 33 chances he created in his time at Newcastle during the 2013/2014 season. Even though Cabaye left the Tyneside club in January, only Moussa Sissoko and Vernon Anita created more chances for Newcastle in that season. Although he hasn’t had the greatest of pre seasons, I expect Cabaye to play a massive role under Pardew at Crystal Palace and he will return to the heights of his days at Newcastle United.

The signings of both Nani and Robin Van Persie represent big positives for both clubs. Manchester United will be able to free up some more money for new players while the big signings will help Fenerbahce try and regain their Turkish league title. Both Morgan Schneiderlin and Yohan Cabaye will play massive parts in the coming season for their respective clubs while Toby Alderweireld will be looking to replicate his fine defensive performance that he put in last season.

All statistics taken from Squawka or Transfermarkt.

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.

The Transformation of PSG

A stunning, disciplined performance from 10 man PSG ensured a confident victory over Chelsea in the Champions League last 16. The game was not without its controversial moments, including the red card to Zlatan Ibrahimovic and a penalty shout for Diego Costa in the first half. However, the thing I found most commendable was the transformation that has taken place since the New Year.

Before Christmas, rumours of a fractured dressing room in the French capital appeared, with strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Edinson Cavani in the thick of it. A disagreement between the pair saw, queries over the future of Cavani at the club and the future of Laurent Blanc as manager. I remember seeing one clip in particular where Ibra was in a 2 on 1 with Cavani against a defender with a simple pass to the side would have allowed Cavani to have an unchallenged shot at goal, instead, he didn't pass and the move broke down. The look of disgust on the Uruguayan's face was unforgettable.

It is worth noting that the Parisians did not lose a game until the Champions League away match against Barcelona in December and the next loss followed suit against Guingamp 4 days later. However numerous draws halted their climb up the Ligue 1 table. During the month of September they recorded just 2 wins and 4 draws, not good by the high standards set at the club. December was another bad month, as they only picked up 8 points out of a possible 18 in all competitions. Worse was yet to come.

The January game against Bastia is probably the lowest point of the season to date. PSG raced into a 2-0 lead inside 20 minutes through goals from Lucas Moura and Adrien Rabiot and were entirely commanding in the opening exchanges. There is only one explanation as to why they conceded 4 unanswered goals. Complacency. PSG had by far the superior starting 11 on paper, but gifting them 2 goals gave them the momentum and then it was very hard for the Parisians to get back to the top. 

The Christmas period was particularly difficult as fresh rumours of discontent rumbled in the air. Again Cavani was in the middle of it. Both him and fellow countryman Ezequiel Lavezzi were suspended internally for 2 games after they failed to report back to the training camp in Morocco after a week off. The dressing room was divided with some players jealous at the privileges others got. Players that were out of form seemed undroppable leaving those on the bench irritated and confused. Laurent Blanc had his hands full of many problems in the French capital. 

What happened last night against Chelsea and can Blanc carry this on into the closing stages of the season?

To start with, no one can deny that Chelsea were diabolical, and this would have made it a whole lot easier for Blanc's men even if they were down to 10 men for 90 minutes of the match. Blanc hit the nail on the head with the tactics and was able to take advantage of PSG's unknown superiority at set pieces. It was nothing less than what they deserved.

Looking at the controversial incidents during the match, the challenge from Ibra looked like a leg breaker but it was a 50/50 challenge with both players having a keen intent on going for the ball. It's easy to criticise the referee, but it's occasions like this where they would benefit greatly from the introduction of a television match official or 'TMO'. It is also simple to condemn the despicable Chelsea players from surrounding the ref, but it's commonplace in today's game - not that it makes it acceptable.

Diego Costa was a constant liability during the game and it amazes me as to how he was never sent off, but he had a 'stonewall' penalty appeal refuted as some would say. It was terrific skill from the ex Brazilian but it was quite clear he never had any intention of getting a shot away. There was contact but it needs to be emphasised that not all contact is considered a foul. If it was, then I would go to write about chess or something daft like that. Costa has got a tremendous amount of ability, but his temperament can cost his team.

Looking at PSG themselves, they knew all their roles. Marco Verratti was at his niggly best, Javier Pastore ran himself into the ground and Sirigu produced several fine saves to keep the Parisians in the tie. It was written in the script for David Luiz to score against his former club last night, following suit with Klass-Jan Huntelaar the night before and Danny Welbeck on Monday. As much as we all like to abuse him for his distinct lack of defensive qualities and just being an all round shambolic defender, Luiz does try his best. That statement may seem like a bit of a cop-out, but he showed a tremendous amount of passion, unlike a few others on the pitch and looking back on it, did so through out the World Cup.

PSG put in a professional performance last night, similar to Chelsea's against Barcelona in 2012. The task for Laurent Blanc will be to keep his players singing from the same hymn book and they definitely topple Lyon at the top of Ligue 1. As for the Champions League, it is probably a bit further in the distance yet. Managing a dressing room packed with egos is difficult, but I take confidence from the victory of Stamford Bridge that Blanc is the right man to lead them to glory.

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.

Champions League Last 16 Draw

Earlier today, the knockout 1st round draws for the Champions League and Europa League and, as always, it has thrown up some exciting ties.

City v Barcelona

Last year produced Manchester United and Real Madrid as the marquee tie of the last 16. This year, however, it's the other Manchester club and Real's arch rivals Barcelona that are in the spotlight. We all know of City's majestic home form this year netting seven past Norwich and six past Spurs, although not to the same degree of difficulty as Barcelona. Their away form has not been so hot. Losing to Cardiff, Aston Villa and Sunderland, the 'Noisy Neighbours' will be hoping to score goals galore at the Etihad in order to pile the pressure all on the Blaugrana at the Camp Nou. City have every reason to be confident.

Olympiakos v Man United

The other side of Manchester find themselves away to Greek side Olympiakos in the first leg. Olympiakos finished second in their group behind French Champions, Paris Saint Germain, and narrowly pipping Benfica to the post on goal difference. On the other hand, Manchester United came through their group with only conceding 3 goals, the joint lowest this year with Chelsea and Athletico Madrid. They polished off their campaign with a 5 star performance against a lacklustre Leverkusen side and also finished unbeaten. The table clearly shows that their below par league performances this season are not impacting their Champions League form...yet.

Galatasaray v Chelsea

The Galatasaray Chelsea game sees Didier Drogba face his old team mates from West London. On paper, I would think that Chelsea would do well against them, but on grass, this plucky Galatasaray side could prove a stumbling block for the boys in blue. The Turks lost 3 games in the group stage - more than any other team in the last sixteen - and finished on seven points behind Real Madrid. On the optimistic side of things, they did send Italian giants Juventus packing into the Europa League. Chelsea lost two matches in their group, but I expect them to scrape past this Galatasaray side.

Arsenal v Bayern

Piers Morgan could not of wished for a worse tie. Arsenal will be looking for revenge after Bayern dumped them out of the last sixteen the previous campaign on away goals. Just two goals separated Arsenal from finishing top of their group behind Borussia Dortmund, even though they pinched a win away at Dortmund. Bayern narrowly beat City to top spot recording only one loss on the last game-week against the Manchester club. However their commanding victory in the opening game against City, shows that the reigning European Champions are the best club team in the world. With both top of each table, this promises to be a fast paced match with attacking football played all round the park.

Other notable ties sees an erratic AC Milan side take on dark horses Athletico Madrid, while PSG clash with Leverkusen, Schalke meet Real and Zenit take on last year's runner up, Borussia Dortmund.

My prediction -

Man City to beat Barcelona

Man United to beat Olympiakos

Chelsea to beat Galatasaray

Bayern to beat Arsenal

Athletico Madrid to beat AC Milan

PSG to beat Leverkusen

Real Madrid to beat Schalke

Borussia Dortmund to beat Zenit.