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.

A Valiant Effort Falls Short for Bayern

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Magical Messi makes the Difference

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Barcelona v Paris Saint Germain in 300 words

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Man of the Match

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

FA Cup Semi Final Preview

A momentous occasion for four clubs approaches at the weekend. A trip to Wembley for the FA Cup Semi Final. Featuring Liverpool, Reading, Aston Villa and Arsenal, all sides have had vastly different seasons.

On Saturday, The Gunners from North London will make the short trip across to take on Reading. On of the inform teams in the Premier League, they will be clear favourites to progress to the final. Having won nine out of the last ten league games, Arsenal are eyeing a second place finish above current champions, Manchester City with a 5 point gap being established at the weekend. As for Reading, they have been less than inspiring in the Championship but find themselves 11 points outside the relegation zone and with nothing to play for in the league. This will mean that they can put all their eggs in one basket in the hope of another trip to Wembley come the end of May.

En route to the semi final, Reading disposed of giant killers Bradford in the previous round, while beating teams such as Derby County, Cardiff City and Huddersfield on their way to the final. Most of the teams are placed higher in the league than themselves, indicating that they have played their share of quality opposition. Although the Arsenal match will be the first time they take on a Premier League team, they will take confidence from results gained in other matches. Arsenal faced a trip to Old Trafford in the previous round and where able to come out on top in a tactical encounter. Brighton and Hull were also defeated on their journey.

It's a tie that Arsenal will be expected to win and one that I think they will duly deliver. Another boost for Arsenal is that Jack Wilshere is citing this match as his return to football after another injury lay off. I think Arsenal's form and class will overshadow a gutsy Reading performance as they march onto their second consecutive FA Cup final.

Liverpool and Aston Villa occupy the second semi final that will be played on Sunday. After the sacking of Paul Lambert in the middle of February, newly appointed Tim Sherwood brought on a new style of play, effectively utilising Aston Villa's potent attacking options. He has created a sense of optimism that wasn't at the club in the concluding days of the Lambert era. The sheer joy and jubilation was evident at the final whistle of the quarter final match where Villa defeated West Brom at Villa Park. The club has been going through a testing few years and this trip to Wembley will provide a perfect back drop to banish dire memories of a substandard league campaign.

Similarly Liverpool will be expecting to defeat the Villains on Sunday at Wembley. Having enjoyed an indifferent season with highs and lows, a trip on Steven Gerrard's birthday to the final will certainly be a way to end the season on a high as well as a celebration one of the best central midfielders in the Premier League era as his career in the North West draws to an end. Another performance from Jordan Henderson similar to the one that helped defeat Newcastle United on Monday night.

Mario Balotelli blows hot and cold and Rickie Lambert has never had a chance since he moved from Southampton in the summer. Sterling has been embroiled in contract controversy over the past few weeks and will be likely to start. I would like to see Rodgers field the same attacking options as he did against Newcastle as they were able to forge an abundance of chances, and on another day, Liverpool would have been out of sight by half time.

Sherwood has improved Villa's side since he his appointment, and with the attacking brand of football, his side will definitely pose Liverpool some problems. I still think that Liverpool will have enough to overcome the challenge and progress to their first final since their defeat against Chelsea in 2012.

Both ties will be enthralling encounters, and each underdog will look to Bradford and Middlesbrough for inspiration in defeating a superior side. This is the FA Cup and we have already had our fair share of cup shocks. Who says we won't be discussing another on Monday morning?

2014 World Cup Semi Final Preview

We are now just down to the last 4 teams in the tournament and the draw has thrown up 2 very tasty encounters that will be settled by late Wednesday evening into Thursday morning.

Brazil v Germany

The Tuesday night battle between Brazil and Germany will be slightly dampened by the missing Neymar who broke a bone in his back against Colombia, as well as the suspension of captain, Thiago Silva. Nevertheless, it will still be a gripping and exhilarating tie. Even though the Brazilians have home advantage, the Germans will have belief, particularly as the hosts will be missing their talisman. They also have a key asset in Thomas Müller in their possession, who is possibly one of the most underrated players in the world. In addition to this, Miroslav Klose is a useful weapon to have on the bench and will be looking to grab that solitary goal needed to make him the World Cup all time top scorer. It has been widely documented that the lack of a number nine within the ranks of the Selecao has been one of their weaknesses. With the Germans efficient at the back, this could be the match where there attacking weakness is exposed. 

The absence of Neymar is a travesty for the nation of Brazil and this was a match where he had the ability to hurt the Germans. It has been evident throughout the duration of the tournament that Jogi Löw is determined to hold a very high defensive line, even with playing Per Mertesacker at the back. Although with Arsenal, Arsene Wenger deployed a similar tactic against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge which resulted in a calamitous performance from the big German in which they conceded 6 goals. With Germany, Löw has often played with 4 centre halves at the back with Lahm sitting in front, dictating the play. This is an area the Selecao could exploit, particularly with the pace of Hulk, one on one with a defender.

Brazil have got to the Semi Final without mesmerising the world with their spectacular football, and now to get past the Germans, they will have to do it without their golden boy, Neymar as well as influential leader and captain, Thiago Silva.

Argentina v Holland

The second Semi Final match is another cracker. Few people, including myself, gave the Dutch any hope going into the tournament and it wouldn't be unfair to say that they have surprised us all. They have surpassed all expectations, including their own in which they stated they would have been pleased with an exit at the quarter final stage. With Louis Van Gaal at the helm, a shot at glory in the infamous Maracana is not out of the question, but first they must defeat Argentina and Lionel Messi and it won't be an easy task. 

The Argentine media have criticised their country saying that they rely on their own superstar, Lionel Messi too much. This is a fair evaluation of the side as the little wizard has dragged them over the line in the match against Iran as well as providing the assists for Di Maria and Rojo to beat Switzerland and Nigeria respectively. Even though they possess an array of talent in the final third, defensively, they can be loose, as proven in the game against Nigeria. It tough to say who will dictate the majority of the play, if Argentina do, then the Netherlands will be looking to counter in a similar way to which they did against Spain, and we all know how that one turned out. 

Either way, this match will go to the wire and it may be a piece of magic from one of the stars on show to seal the winner for either side. Holland will be hoping to isolate Robben one on one against the defenders, while the Argentines will be hoping that Lionel Messi will be able to come up with the goods once again.

The Final has the possibility of being an all European, or else an all South American affair. A match between the Dutch and the Germans has it's history, and one which should provide plenty of crunching tackles as well as a high calibre of football. The rivalry between the two South American sides in question is enormous. Pundits and football fans have been wishing for a Argentina and Brazil from the start and now, it is looking ever so likely.

Champions League Semi Final

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

Real Madrid v Bayern Munich

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

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

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

Atletico Madrid v Chelsea 

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

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

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

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