Champions League Final Preview 2016

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Champions League Semi Final Predictions

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

Atletico Madrid v Bayern Munich

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

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

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

Manchester City v Real Madrid

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

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

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

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

Champions League Quarter Final Predictions

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

Wolfsburg v Real Madrid

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

Bayern Munich v Benfica

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

City v PSG

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

Barcelona v Atletico

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

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

What will 2016 have in store for football?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Champions League Round of 16

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

PSG v Chelsea

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

Benfica v Zenit

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

Gent v Wolfsburg

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

Roma v Real Madrid

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

Arsenal v Barcelona

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

Juventus v Bayern Munich

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

PSV v Atletico Madrid

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

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

Barca Run Riot at the Bernabeu

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Vietto Saves The Day in Madrid Derby

A late Luciano Vietto goal cancelled out Karim Benzema's early strike as both sides leave the Vicente Calderon with one point.

Real Madrid started the game on top and it took less than 10 minutes for Karim Benzema to nod the visitors in front. Atletico lined up as they are to be expected, with everyone behind the ball and looked to counter, but this changed when going behind. The home side had a great chance through Angel Correa but he dragged his shot past Keylor Navas' right post.

The referee awarded the home side a chance to level the score line, but only after pressure from Atleti's front line on the Madrid defence.  Fernando Torres intercepted Sergio Ramos's pass but the former Liverpool man faltered and squandered the chance. Tiago picked up the loose ball only for Sergio Ramos, again, to scythe the veteran midfielder down. Antoine Griezmann stepped up but Navas dived to his left and saved the penalty from the young Frenchman.

Cristiano Ronaldo's first attempt came just after the half hour mark, but he ballooned the shot over the bar. Real lost fullback Dani Carvajal shortly before the half time whistle. The Spanish international was a key attacking outlet in the first half and always endeavoured to whip the ball into the box. It looked precautionary, but will no doubt the loss will worry Vicente Del Bosque ahead of Spain's Euro Qualifier on Friday.

Half-time beckoned and the score remained 1-0 to Real Madrid. Atletico Madrid were not creating much and anything they did create seemed to come from a Real mistake. For the second half, Simeone introduced the pace of Yannick Ferreira-Carrasco in the place of Oliver Torres in an attempt to find an equaliser. 

Contrary to the first half, Atleti looked to take the game to their city rivals while Real were content to sit back and hit them on the counter attack. The home side had a few snap shots but they were blocked in tandem by the defensive pairing of Ramos and Varane. 

Atleti's only attacking outlet was down the flanks, where the wingers and full backs crossed the ball into the box. Largely the deliveries were disappointing and Madrid's back four dealt with them comfortably. Gareth Bale was introduced by Rafa Benitez, but never really had an impact on the game.

Despite Atleti's chances coming like treacle, they did manage an equaliser with seven minutes remaining. Ferreira-Carrasco broke down the left wing, beating Alvaro Arbeloa before zipping a low cross into the box. Griezmann's flick was blocked, but newbie, Luciano Vietto was on hand to net his first goal for the club. The goal seemed to spark the home side into life as they pressed their visitors higher up the pitch.

Jackson Martinez had an excellent opportunity to win the game for Atletico, with a shot from several yards outside the box. Although struck well, Navas was on hand to save once again. Both sides wanted the victory so the latter of the game descended into an end to end spectacle with neither side able to clinch all three points.

Real Madrid will be disappointed that they could not hold onto the one goal lead that would have sent them of the table, while Atletico Madrid will definitely see this as one point gained rather than two points dropped.

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 Most Wanted Man in Europe

The news that Jurgen Klopp was resigning at the end of the season has shocked everyone and has left Dortmund fans significantly disappointed after he was backed by higher powers after a horrific start to the season.
 

The 47 year old has confirmed that he will take a year out, before pursuing on another adventure, most likely in England, due to the man himself admitting that he won't need to learn the language. It was a massive judgement call by the German manager, and he will now have the decision as to where he will venture in the next year. He has been linked to many English and European jobs in the past and these rumours will only intensify after his recent decision. Here are some sides that could be in with a chance of securing him as their future boss.
 

Napoli

When appointed in 2013, Rafa Benitez was expected to continue the improvements the Neopolitan club made under Walter Mazzari the four years previous. After the sale of Ezequiel Lavezzi in 2012 and Edinson Cavani in 2013, Benitez was expected to invest wisely and improve Napoli's fortunes in the Serie A. He brought talents such as Gonzalo Higuain and Jose Callejon from Real Madrid and Dries Mertens from PSV for a combined total of €60m so far during his tenure as well as numerous other acquisitions. Benitez brought Coppa Italia glory last season as well as the Super Cup in August. Many have predicted that Benitez will be relieved of his duties in the summer if he does not show any improvement on last years 3rd place finish. Currently. they have been unable to topple Juventus at the top, who are running away with the league. Recent developments may have convinced the Neopolitan board to take a punt and attempt to bring Klopp to Naples.

Real Madrid
Although having delivered the long awaited La Decima to the Bernabeu, Carlo Ancelotti is walking a tight rope onboard the fickle Real Madrid coach. It was reported that winning the Champions League was his saving grace last season, having been disappointing in the league with finishing behind Barcelona and Atletico Madrid. Madristas don't take kindly to a season without silverware, and while they may look at his past exploits and ignore this season, a second season will not be accepted in the Spanish capital. Currently sitting 2 points behind Barcelona in the table and through to the semi finals of the Champions League, Ancelotti is in a healthy position, but so much can happen between now and the end of the season. I'm not sure whether Klopp would want to take on the challenge of managing Real Madrid, after all, winning trophies by playing attractive football is the only way to safe guard your job. Even at that, it's no guarantee that it will be a long term post.

Arsenal

Gooners have been calling for a Wenger replacement for the past few years. Minus the barren years, Wenger has been a terrific servant to Arsenal Football Club and I am almost certain that Klopp will be high on their list of possible successors. Arsenal will definitely need to show the same faith in Klopp that the Dortmund board did during the tough spell at the beginning of the season. If things get tough, and it will, another question would be whether the fans will keep backing the German? It was no secret that the Gunners have pursued Klopp in the past, and it really would not surprise me if the board has made an informal approach for the former Mainz and Dortmund man for the end of next season.

Manchester City
Having one the league for the second time in four years last season, many expected Pellegrini and City to kick on and try achieve some European glory. This was not the case, instead, they were dumped out in the first leg by Barcelona after, in hindsight, it looked as if Pellegrini had got his tactics wrong. City lie in fourth position, disappointing by the high standards set by the board and fans. It seems as if Pellegrini has served his time in Manchester and his time could reach an abrupt end once the season concludes. While Klopp is currently available, rumour has it that Pep Guardiola is the name mentioned at the Etihad. Still at Bayern, Pep will not leave for another season at the very least. Will City take a punt with Klopp or will they wait for Guardiola? I would probably say the latter is the most likely.

Liverpool
Last, but certainly by no means least is Liverpool. While I don't think Liverpool should part with Brendan Rodgers for any reason, it is a must to be included. Klopp would fit perfectly with Liverpool, considering the youth prospects he nurtured in Dortmund. With Liverpool having a decent number of young talent progressing through their ranks and poor results in the league may convince the American owners to part with Brendan Rodgers. Klopp isn't the only one wanted by Kopites, Rafa 'the Gaffa' Benitez is also remembered in Merseyside for his tremendous work with the side in the 2000s. Currently at Napoli, he would also be welcomed back at Anfield.

I can't assume that Klopp will have any difficulties in finding his new job, with guiding Dortmund to 2 league titles and leading them to the 2013 Champions League Final. However whether he will be as successful at his new club as he was in Germany is a completely different matter. He has confirmed that he will have a 'sabbatical' before hopefully returning to management in the summer of 2016.

Chicharito fires Real Madrid into the Semi Finals

Real Madrid pursue a second consecutive Champions League title, while Arda Turan's dubious red card halts Atleti's progress

Manchester United loanee Javier Hernandez, will have put his face in the shop window tonight with his very late winner that he scored the goal to send Los Blancos into the last four.

Despite several changes, Real Madrid were able to dominate the opening 20 minutes, but were unable to breach the typically disciplined Simeone side. Atleti did have their share of pressure, with Koke and Griezmann finding holes in behind the defence.

With the half time whistle blowing when the game remained scoreless, it was a game that wasn't very exciting, but fascinating nonetheless. Gamez had a shot saved by Casillas, while Ronaldo scuffed one wide before firing straight at Oblak when he really should have done better. Atleti conceded fouls to break up the game and frustrate Madrid and it was certainly working for the visitors.  

The second half started at a frenetic pace with Hernandez pulling a glorious chance across the face of the goal. The visitors were swinging balls into the box, but Real's defence dealt with them. Ramos found himself unmarked inside the box after a Ronaldo cross, but was unable to steer the ball to either side of Oblak. Likewise, a Koke header was straight at Casillas.

The tie swung in the favour of the Royals when a high foot from Arda Turan earned him a second yellow card. Real were able to make the extra man count, when Ronaldo squared the ball to Chicharito to give Real their first victory over Atleti this season.

Real Madrid's title defence continues as they march into the semi finals at the dispense of their city neighbours.

Man of the Match

I thought both Godin and Miranda had exceptional games, but my man of the match has to go to the match winner, Javier Hernandez. He ran every lost cause and was rightly rewarded with the winning goal.

Champions League Quarter Final Draw 2015

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

Paris Saint-Germain v Barcelona

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

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

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

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

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

Transfer Target #13 - Martin Odegaard

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My 2014 in around 400 words.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mesut Özil: A Fair Weather Player?

After a poor start to the season, I ponder the question, is Arsenal's Mesut Özil anything more than a fair weather player?

If we rewind back to the Summer Transfer Deadline Day of 2013 at 11pm, I'm sure most Gooners were ecstatic at the purchase of Mesut Ozil from Real Madrid. Ozil was considered a vital cog in a Madrid side steeped with world class talent. 13 months on, the adopted German has been hit and miss for the North London side and this can be narrowed down to 2 reasons.

To begin with, we can scrutinise Wenger's tactics as to whether he is playing the former Bremen man in his optimum position. Recently, he has been shunted out to the left in order to accommodate Aaron Ramsey, where he has largely been ineffective. I draw immediate comparisons with Shinji Kagawa at Manchester United, who has returned to Jurgen Klopp at Dortmund. 

It is quite evident that Ozil doesn't look comfortable on the wing, particularly as he often seems disinterested when deployed there. A prime example was in the Champions League home tie against Bayern Munich last season. Wojciech Szcezsny was sent off, and in order to bring on a new keeper, Santi Cazorla was sacrificed. In hindsight, it looked like Ozil would have been the correct choice to replace as his inability to track back made Keiran Gibbs and Nacho Monreal's day a nightmare. However, what also should be noted, is that he played on the left in his early days with Werder Bremen.

On the other hand, he is getting paid £100k so Arsenal will expect him to play in the position Wenger wants him to. If Wenger feels that there are better players at present that play in his position then he will definitely pick them. It is up to Ozil to perform in training and when he gets the chance on the pitch, and so far he has not done that. During the Bayern game last season, Mesut Ozil's attitude was abysmal. He looked lethargic and that he only wanted to be back in the changing rooms. Ironic for someone who says his Germab heritage gives him his 'hardworking trait'. Surely this repugnant attitude is unsatisfactory for a club with the stature of Arsenal?

I've cherry-picked all the bad examples of when Özil has been nothing more than a liability for his team so it would be highly subjective if I were to gloss over the games in which he delivered performances that we expect of a player of his calibre. On Saturday past, Özil presented us with a first rate performance in Arsenal's 3-0 demolition of Aston Villa. A 92% pass completion rate meant that he dominated proceedings at the Emirates Stadium. This also included 2 key passes, one of which resulted in a goal. Not only did he assist Danny Welbeck with his goal but he also buried his own chance to cap a commanding afternoon from the German.

Prior to his multi-million pound move to North London, Mesut Özil was a sensation in Madrid. While Cristiano Ronaldo often stole the headlines, it is hard for anyone to disprove the theory that he was a vital cog in Jose Mourinho's team. The World Cup winner excelled in the Spanish Capital regularly playing behind Gonzalo Higuain or Karim Benzema and was arguably one of their top performers when they sold him for £42.5m. He assisted a massive 67 times in 137 appearances, that's not a bad return.

Whether you believe Mesut Özil is a big game player or not, he was simply sublime in Germany's young and vibrant World Cup team of 2010. During the competition he helped the Germans to a 3rd place finish with 1 goal and countless assists. In addition to this he was also nominated for the Golden Ball Award. Özil aided the Germans in their World Cup triumph in July by putting in stellar performances which included a decisive goal against Algeria in the round of sixteen.

It is quite evident that some Gooners find Özil a tad frustrating at times, and who can blame them? But we all know what the German international can do, and it's only a matter of time until he dazzles on the top club stage.

2014 Champions League Final Preview

The most prestigious club competition in the world will reach it's climax tonight as Simeone's Atletico prepare to take on their fierce rivals, Real Madrid. Having spent shedloads of money over the last decade, Real will be hoping to reach La Decima while Atletico have only ever reached the final once before, losing to Bayern Munich 4-0 in 1974.

Tonights final marks the first time that 2 teams from the same city have reached the final and we can certainly expect a mass exodus from the Spanish capital across to Lisbon. The Portuguese city will be Spanish for one night only as many of the unfortunate fans who were unable to get tickets will have to settle for a screen in the raucous atmosphere of one of the many Lisbon pubs.

Nobody expected Atletico Madrid to reach the final, so a victory would certainly announce themselves on the European scene. Fresh from clinching the La Liga title in the Nou Camp, confidence will be flowing through the veins of Atleti, as they hope to complete a memorable double. Few will have predicted at the start of the season, that Atleti would win the league and reach the Champions League Final, and possibly even win it. It shows that Diego Simeone has acquired a close-knit bunch with exceptional talent within the squad. 

Having suffered a hamstring injury against Barcelona at the weekend, Atleti hotshot, Diego Costa is trying every possible way to get on Simeone's team sheet for the final. His absence would be a mighty blow to the team and to neutral, who want to see all the best players fit and able to play. Whether, he is risking his World Cup and future career on this match is another question. The native Brazilian has been at the centre of Atletico Madrid's success this season having scored 27 goals in the league, more than 1/4 of Atleti's goals in the league this season.

There were doubts as to whether Real's explosive duo, Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale would start on the final, but earlier in the week, Carlo Ancelotti confirmed that both would feature in the star-studded affair on Saturday. Like Costa, the final would lose some of its gloss if Bale and Ronaldo were to miss out. After signing for a world record fee from Tottenham, Bale has caught the eye of Ancelotti who has been impressed with his debut season in Spain. His compatriot and Ballon D'Or winner, Cristiano Ronaldo has been unstoppable this season, scoring 47 goals and also breaking a record for the most goals in a tournament after his brace against Bayern in the previous round.

Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid both express similar philosophies when it comes to tactics. As seen against Bayern in the previous round, Real tore the reigning champions to shreds through the pace of Bale and Ronaldo, as well as the defensive discipline at the back with Sergio Ramos and Pepe. Bayern were unable to cope with Real's attacking trio and Guardiola opted to save his dignity by bringing on Javi Martinez at half-time to prevent any further damage being done. 

Similarly, Diego Simeone is a master tactician, out-witting the 'Special One' in the previous round. Atleti have a very solid defence, courtesy of their reliable centre-halves in Diego Godin and Miranda. During the knockout rounds, the team have only conceded 3 goals, meaning that Real will have to work hard in order to break down this defence. It is obvious that Atleti will pose a different kind of threat towards Real to the one that was delivered by Bayern in the last round. Atleti may surrender some of the possession to their rivals in the hope of getting a break and scoring on the counter attack.

Any tie where the finalists are local rivals, leads to wondrous occasion. We will most likely see a tentative start from both sides as no one will want to lose to their rivals. In terms of where my allegiance lies, I am torn. I would much like Real to achieve the long over due La Decima, while it would nice to see Atleti win their first ever trophy.