BORUSSIA DORTMUND: From the brink of bankruptcy to Bundesliga Champions and more...

Real Madrid will take the field at the Santiago Bernabeu tonight on the verge of making their third consecutive exit at the semi-final stage of the UEFA Champions League. The reason for their current predicament is a team from North-West Germany adorned in Black and Yellow. They trail 1-4 from the 1^st leg to their semi-final opponents Borussia Dortmund and while it would be foolhardy to discount any hopes of a comeback, the task in front of them is an arduous one.

For Dortmund, this stage represents a culmination of the club’s efforts to get back on track following a tumultuous few years in the past decade. BVB 09 as a club almost ceased to exist, but they have managed to climb out of the depths of battling for relegation into once again pulling their weight at the top of the Bundesliga.

‘Borussia’ for Beer

On 19 December, 1909, a group of 17 young men, mostly steelworkers and miners, founded the club of Ballspielverein Borussia 09 e.V. Dortmund; the name ‘Borussia’ is Latin for Prussia, but the youth actually went for that name in honour of their favourite beer served in the pub where they used to frequently gather. That’s how one ‘Borussia’ of the alcoholic kind lent its name to another one of the sporting kind.

Dortmund’s financial troubles in the early 2000’s are well documented. However, that wasn’t the first instance of the club being bailed out of trouble. Way back in 1929, the club had its first taste of bankruptcy when an attempt to sign professionally paid footballers fell flat on its face and left the team deep in debt.  A local supporter of the club eventually managed to cover the team’s losses out of his own pocket and that ensured the continued existence of the football club.

Enjoying modest success before the war, Borussia really came into their own during the formative years following the end of World War II. They managed to win 3 National titles before the Bundesliga as a concept came into existence. The inaugural season of the Bundesliga saw them finish fourth. In 1966, the club became the first German team to win European honours (yes, even before Bayern Munich) when they beat Liverpool to lift the European Cup Winners’ Cup.

THE ROLLER-COASTER RIDE

For much of the next 2 decades, Dortmund enjoyed limited to moderate success, encountering a few relegation battles, some failed and some successful, along the way. Their return to prominence began with their 1989 DFB Cup final victory over Werder Bremen, which happened to be their first trophy in 23 long years.

What followed was perhaps one of the most successful periods in the club’s history; in a span of little over 10 years, Dortmund won the Intercontinental Cup (1997), the UEFA Champions League (1997) and 3 Bundesliga titles (1995, 1996 and 2002). This phase in their history has come to be known as the ‘Golden Age’ of Borussia Dortmund.

But, Borussia’s history has often resembled a sine curve, high one moment followed by massive lows. The fall from grace began with Dortmund becoming the first, and so far only, publicly traded club to be listed on the German stock market.  After securing their 3^rd Bundesliga title on the final day of the 2001-02 season things began to go south.

The next few years saw a steady decline in Dortmund’s fortunes plagued by poor financial management that led to the club becoming steeped in debt. It forced the sale of their Westfalenstadion ground to try and pay off some of that debt. €2 million was loaned from Bayern Munich in order to pay off the players’ wages for a couple of months in 2003. Part of the reason for their stadium being called the ‘Signal Iduna Park’ is the sponsorship agreement the signed with a local insurance company in an attempt to arrest rising debt.

2005-2008 caused more angst to Dortmund fans. Top players such as Tomas Rosicky, David Odonkor and Christoph Metzelder all exited and in the 2006-07 season saw them teeter perilously close to relegation.

The current phase that has seen the club claim back-to-back Bundesliga titles and currently challenge for honours in the Champions League is the most positive one after the ‘Golden Age’. Both phases have been overseen by managers whose appointments at the time were viewed as risky, but turned out to be excellent choices going forward.

THE GENERAL

A man who can be credited with overseeing most of the success in the ‘Golden Age’ is legendary German coach Ottmar Hitzfeld. Hitzfeld is one of only 3 managers, Ernst Happel and Jose Mourinho being the other two, to have won the Champions League with 2 different clubs.

In 1991, the Borussia board decided to entrust Hitzfeld, at that time still relatively inexperienced, with the responsibility of bringing Dortmund back into the big league. In his very first year in charge, he took the team to second spot in the league managing to secure a UEFA Cup place in the process. The following season Dortmund reached the finals of that very tournament, but they would finish 2^nd best to Juventus losing both games of a two-legged final. In 1995, Dortmund claimed their first Bundesliga title (4^th national title overall). They went on to do a repeat the next season successfully defending the title. The greatest night though in Borussia Dortmund’s history was to come the following season.

The 1996-97 saw Dortmund finish third in the league, but Hitzfeld’s team managed to reach the Champions League final where an old foe in Juventus lay in wait. This time Borussia prevailed 3–1 in the final at Munich’s Olympic Stadium. This was no ordinary team as it featured the likes of Zinedine Zidane, Didier Deschamps, Alessandro Del Piero and Christian Vieri amongst others. That made the victory all the more special and Hitzfeld was rewarded for the first time with the "World Coach of the Year" award.

That would be Hitzfeld’s final contribution as manager of Borussia Dortmund as he would go on to take a job upstairs as Sports Manager with the club.

CAPTAIN ‘KLOPPO’

Jürgen Klopp was summoned at the end of the 2007-08 season to take charge. This was to be Klopp’s first stint outside of Mainz as he spent 19 years at the club – 12 as player and when he retired went on to serve as manager of Mainz for another 7 years. A squad of players costing somewhere in the range of €15-€20 million Euros in its entirety was put together. 

A 6^th place finish in the very first season, followed by 5^th a year later, showed positive signs for the Rhine valley club. But, what caught everybody’s attention is their defeat of Bayern Munich in the DFL Super Cup in his first year. That was an upset and a sign of things to come as Dortmund would go on to win successive league titles in 2010-11 and 2011-12 completing a first double with their cup win to boot last season.

‘Kloppo’ since his arrival has got the team playing with a renewed charisma and passion and he has had young players who have been able to carry off his high work rate, slick passing brand of high octane football. Many of that motley crew assembled for around €20 million are now superstars in their own right.

COPING WITH EXITS

A large part of the current squad has been together since Klopp took over with a few additions to replace outgoing stars along the way. What has been remarkable is the team’s failure to cope with the departure of some of its star names.

Nuri Sahin was lured away by the temptation of Real Madrid; since then he has had 2 ineffectual seasons, one with Real and the second half a season on loan with Liverpool. He is now back at Dortmund having re-joined in January.

Meanwhile, his club did not too fare too badly as they went on win the title yet again. Ilkay Gundogan was brought in from FC Nuremberg to fill the vacancy and the German midfielder’s influence since signing for Dortmund has been spectacular. He was imperious in the first leg against Madrid and along with Sven Bender completely too control of the midfield leaving Sami Khedira and Xabi Alonso to feed off scraps.

The next season, Shinji Kagawa left for English shores as Manchester United came calling. Marko Reus, one of the hottest young players around, was signed from Borussia Monchengladbach as a replacement and he has had a stellar season. After a slow start, Dortmund have managed to get back to 2^nd position and stand 1 step away from a possible final appearance in this year’s UEFA Champions League.

A STRONG CORE

Part of the reason why they have managed to cope so well is the retention of a strong core of players. Mario Götze, Robert Lewandowski, Mats Hummels, Neven Subotic, Lukasz Piszczek, Jakub Blaszczykowski have provided a strong base for Klopp to be able to deal with the loss of 1 or 2 players. Dortmund’s ‘Golden Age’ was driven by the trio of Mathias Sammer, Andreas Möller and Lars Ricken.

After almost a decade since that trio last played, another impressive quartet of players has engineered the club’s more recent successes. Lewandowski, Götze, Reus and Blaszczykowski are easily one of the best attacking quartets around capable of punching a hole in any opposition defence.

KLOPP & HIS BAND OF MERRY MEN

Just like Robin Hood and his band, Jürgen Klopp and his band of players have caught the footballing world by storm. Much like the famous brew that the club derives its name from, watching Borussia Dortmund in action guarantees fun and excitement and brings a smile to your lips, just like a good mug of beer.

Reflecting Klopp's strong commitment to playing fast, free-flowing football, Dortmund work hard and press teams high up the pitch. Although their pressing style resembles that of Barcelona, they attack with greater speed and intensity than the Catalan side whose priority is to retain possession of the ball and build up attacks in a more measured way. Klopp believes that open, exciting, attacking football is what Dortmund's loyal fans expect and deserve. How refreshing to hear such a positive attitude towards football and fans.

And the clubs fans have showed their support through thick and thin. Even when in the depths of despair during their financial struggles, Dortmund still managed to rake in average attendances in excess of 70,000. And with the new ‘Yellow Stand’ as it is called, where fans are allowed to stand with a mug of beer in hand and singing and dancing away in their numerous bands, the Signal Iduna Park swells to over 80,000.

ROAD TO WEMBLEY

Borussia Dortmund have relinquished their Bundesliga title to an all-conquering Bayern Munich side. Their late show against Malaga that took them into the semi-finals and the supremely confident performance in last week’s 1^st leg versus Real exemplifies the spirit within this squad and the kind of passion and confidence that Jürgen Klopp has instilled at the club. Though the 2^nd leg remains, the Germans are expected to progress barring a miraculous Real turnaround. 

After that, a potentially lip-smacking clash with rivals Bayern Munich awaits. With Mario Götze already signing for Bayern and Lewandowski set to follow his mate out of the club, it represents a last chance for a final hurrah for this group of players.

2 games away from repeating the heroics of the Class of ’97, Klopp and his players have come a long way in putting Borussia Dortmund back on the European footballing map. Going all the way and winning the final in Wembley will just about be the exclamation mark on their efforts!

The race to be London's finest

The Barclays Premier League Champions for 2012-13 have already been crowned, Manchester United crossed that off the list of things to look forward to. The relegation battle too has already taken two casualties in QPR and Reading and Roberto Martinez's Wigan Athletic are in a trench war to avoid being the third. We are into the last 4 games (5 for some teams) of the season and it is the battle for the UEFA Champions League spots that is really hotting up.

Three teams from the capital - Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur from North London and the West Londoners Chelsea - are in the running to take 3rd and 4th spots in the league table. As it stands, it's Arsenal who are 3rd on 63 points followed by Chelsea with 62 and Tottenham with 61 points; that's as close as it gets. Although, one has to remember that the Blues and Tottenham have a game in hand which incidentally sees them play each other.

For Arsenal and Tottenham, all of their efforts and energy are solely directed at claiming that crucial Champions League spot. Chelsea are still involved in the Europa League; they beat FC Basel 2-1 away in Switzerland in the 1st leg of their semi-final tie on Thursday night. So while Arsene Wenger and Andre Villas-Boas (AVB) have one and only one competition to contend with, their opposite number Rafa Benitez has to juggle with rotating his squad of players in the best way possible as we near the end.

THE RUN-IN
Chelsea and Tottenham play each other at Stamford Bridge on the 8th of May. That game is a potential 6-pointer and could be very crucial in determining where both teams end up in the final scheme of things. For Chelsea, it comes 3 days after a trip to Old Trafford to face champions United, though there is always the likelihood of Ferguson giving his youngsters a chance with the title wrapped up. Outside of that huge fixture, Tottenham do appear to have a more tricky schedule as they play Wigan, Southampton, Stoke and Sunderland - 4 teams battling to avoid the drop. The end of the season is not the time to be playing such teams as with their backs against the wall they can cause an upset here or there.

Arsenal seem to have a clearer route to the last game with just Wigan, of the relegation teams featuring in the mix. Chelsea face a trip to Villa in their penultimate game before finishing off at home against Everton, who depending on how things go could still be in with an outside shot of making the Top 4 come the final day.

FORM GUIDE
Since the turn of the 30 game mark, all 3 teams have been unbeaten. Chelsea and Tottenham have identical records with 2 wins and a draw each in their 3 games while Arsenal have registered 3 wins and a draw having played a game more. And traditionally, the Gunners are known to finish their season strongly while Spurs will be keen to outdo their North London rivals. There are no concerns with regards to player availability for either team, especially for Tottenham after both Gareth Bale and Jermaine Defoe made impressive comebacks against Manchester City last weekend.

THE RAFA FACTOR
One person who could have a major say in Chelsea's fate is their manager (ok..interim) Rafa Benitez. The Spaniard already knows that he is not going to be in-charge next year. Having vented out his frustrations previously, Benitez will be keen to ensure that his 'interim' tenure here has some silver lining to it. And that silver lining that he's looking for could well be the Europa League trophy. Yes, the Europa League trophy and not Champions League qualification, because quite simply he's not going to be here next season and he could afford to not care less about whether Chelsea make Europe's premier competition or not. Even more so if you look at the flak that he's had to take (often undeserved) from the Chelsea fans.

So, he will look to guide the Blues to the Europa League glory, which makes for a nice addition on his CV. He's already a manager whose exploits in continental cup competitions are quite admirable and this could easily help him land a good job elsewhere when he does leave West London. In that eventuality, Chelsea's league campaign could well stutter with Rafa opting to play his best side in Europe.

WILL MERSEYSIDE HAVE A SAY?

Any slip-up on the part of these teams could leave Everton in with a chance of stealing one of those places. The Toffees are currently 5 points behind Tottenham having played an extra game and as such face a mammoth task if they are to somehow catapult themselves into the London dogfight. They do play Chelsea on the final day at Stamford Bridge and if the race goes all the way down to the wire, that game could very well prove decisive. Even if not furthering their own chances, they could well throw a spanner in the works for Roman Abramovich's Chelsea.

WHO WILL BE LONDON'S FINEST?

For Spurs, it represents an opportunity to overcome the disappointment of last season where their 4th place finish was rendered void by Chelsea clinching the Champions League. That saw them getting bumped down to the Europa League. Also, them making the grade would go some way in their efforts to keep hold of Gareth Bale.

Arsenal traditionally finish strong and another 3rd place finish, even 4th for that matter, will be a huge improvement from where they stood earlier. Champions League football is always a big draw when it comes to attracting the best players, and Arsenal need major additions to their squad next year.

Champions League winners, to being eliminated in the group stage to Europa League champions potentially, it has been a chaotic season for Chelsea. A revamp of the team has been undertaken with a new brand of attacking football with a lot of flair on display this season. Transition times are always rocky, but Chelsea have managed to stay in the fight. The youngsters who've joined in have had a good first season and will be primed to have a second crack at Europe next year. They will need to finish strongly to ensure that opportunity and avoid missing out on Champions League football. 

The Bayern Juggernaut rolls on

Jupp Heynckes, the 67 year old manager of Bayern Munich had this to say after his team's decimation of Barcelona on Tuesday night: ""We've been playing extraordinary football all season. It was not a really big surprise to me that we scored four goals. We have played to a high level all season."

THE BEATING
The beating that Barcelona received at the hands of Heynckes' team was a first; it was the first time any team had suffered a 4-0 defeat in the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League. For a lot of Barca fans as well as other football aficionados not entirely attuned to the exploits of Bayern Munich this season, the result was a shocker. But, as Heynckes so gleefully pointed out, they have been playing "extraordinary football" all season and this result was if anything, a strong reinforcement of that very fact.

“They were physically very strong,’’ said Xavi. “In fact they were superior. We didn't create chances. It’s a dreadful result. No excuses.’’ added Xavi afterwards. “They have been the better team and we congratulate them.” This is an uncharacteristic line towed by Barca and Xavi, where upon previous exits to Chelsea and Inter Milan, the Spanish midfielder had taken the moral high ground saying the opposition did not play football the right way and that they attempted to play a 'dirty' game.

Tuesday's beating though was different. There was a sense amongst almost all Barca players that they had just been taken to the cleaners by a far superior footballing unit. Lionel Messi too agreed: “Bayern were the better team, in everything,’’ said Barcelona’s No 10, who had clearly not recovered from a recent hamstring problem. “They’re stronger, scored twice from set-pieces, every second ball was for them.’’

Gerard Pique, never one to shy away from giving his thoughts was candid, “They thrashed us, the referee didn't have an influence. It is almost impossible for us, but we have to show some face in the return-leg. They were quicker, stronger and better.”

THE BAYERN BEAST

Bayern were Runners-Up to Chelsea in last year's edition of the Champions League. In all fairness, it was a game that they dominated, but somehow contrived to lose in front of their home supporters. That disappointment has only added to their desire to conquer all and sundry that appear before them this term. In making the semi-finals this year, Barcelona had achieved a rare distinction of making 6 consecutive semi-final appearances. It is in a way a fair reflection of the dominance that the team from Catalonia has exerted on this competition.

The German club have not been far behind; Heynckes has led Bayern to two of the last three finals, and a third in four years, looks an inevitability after Tuesday's demolition job. The sourness from their inability to cross the final hurdle on a couple of occasions still lingers and Heynckes pointed it out after the game - "Falling short of success in the past two years has only made them hungrier to win this year. The tactical awareness of this team is top notch as well, just like their willingness to run and fight for one another. Today's (Tuesday's) game was a perfect example of that."

This is a team that has been built carefully by Heynckes, who will be stepping down at the end of the year. After being outgunned to the Bundesliga title the last two years by Borussia Dortmund, Bayern addressed key areas of the squad in the summer. In central defence, Jerome Boateng and Holger Badstuber, were being exposed against more physical teams and pacy forwards. Dante, the tall bushy-haired Brazilian defender, was bought from Borussia Monchengladbach for about €4 million to help solve matters. The second piece of the puzzle was securing the services of Javi Martinez from Athletic Bilbao for a record transfer fee of €40 million. Mario Mandzukic after his stellar season last year for Wolfsburg, was poached for €13 million and the Swiss international Xherdan Shaqiri was purchased from FC Basel for €9 million to beef up the attack.

The addition of these players has helped address some of the shortcomings from previous seasons. Bayern have conceded only 14 goals in 30 Bundesliga games, an average of 0.46 goals per game, the best out of any leading side in the respective leagues - Barcelona have conceded 33 from 32 games (1.03), PSG 20 from 33 (0.60), Juventus 20 from 33 (0.60), Manchester United 35 from 34 (1.03), Ajax 31 from 31 (1.00).

They are also pressing the ball a lot better thereby allowing teams very little time on the ball. Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Lionel Messi constantly found themselves shackled and harassed by a player in a red shirt and the various channels that Barca constantly use were expertly cut out. ”You have got to analyse how an opponent plays, where they run, how they attack. Then find something you can hold against that. And I did that, I had a PowerPoint presentation, you could see all the runs they do. Defensively we were very strong, we worked very hard. Barcelona couldn't really do anything, they had one and a half chances.“, added Heynckes complimenting his team on their superlative effort.

The Bavarian giants have lost just 3 games all season, 1 in the league and 2 in the Champions League. Bayer Leverkusen are the only ones who have managed to upstage the Red Army of Munich domestically, while BATE Borisov and Arsenal registered unexpected convincing wins over them in Europe. Those results were merely an aberration in a season where the word 'thumping' has followed quite a few of Bayern's footballing encounters. Tuesday night was the 14th instance where Bayern had scored 4 or more goals in a match in all competitions. Over the weekend, they destroyed Hannover 6-1, even after the title had been well wrapped up and with several first-team regulars not playing! (Just to add, Hannover are 11th in the German league and not a bottom club). In 8 of those games, they've hit 5 or more - Stuttgart (6-1), Fortuna Dusseldorf (5-0), Hannover (5-0, 6-1), Werder Bremen (6-1), Hamburg (9-2), Wolfsburg (6-1), Lille (6-1) have all been at the receiving end of those maulings.

One striking feature of their play this season has been the spread of goals as well as the areas of attack. Of all their forward forays, 35% have come through the left flank, 39% through the right flank and 26% through the middle. In the Bundesliga, Mario Mandzukic is their top scorer with 15 goals while Thomas Muller has chipped in with 12 and the remainder of their 89 goals in total have come from others. Last year most of the goals were shared by Mario Gomez, who had 26 himself, and Ribery/Robben.

In the assist category, Franck Ribery, Muller and Philip Lahm are the joint top assisters in the Bundesliga with 10 each. Muller who bagged a double against Barca is their leading man in the Champions League with 7 and Bayern before Tuesday boasted one of the best attacks in this year's edition with 22 goals, second only to Real Madrid with 23.

The big picture hence shows a team that holds no dependence on any one player and hence Barca had an uphill task from the very first minute as they were going up against a superior team with strength and depth in all areas of the pitch and a team that has meticulously stuck to a system all year.


THE YOUNG BREED

Bayern's superb squad has been assembled with an excellent blend of marquee signings and young players who have come through from the Youth team. In fact, one of the features of Heynckes' current tenure has been his blooding of youngsters such as David Alaba, Thomas Muller and Toni Kroos who have made the transition from the youth team to being seasoned internationals amongst the best in the world.

The core of Bayern's team is made up of their own, players promoted through their academy. Both captain and vice-captain, Philip Lahm and Bastian Schweinsteiger, are Bayern through and through, having joined the club as teenagers. Defenders David Alaba, who has been a revelation the last 2 seasons, along with Holger Badstuber also made the progression up from junior ranks.So have midfielders Thomas Muller and Toni Kroos. This composition has helped in the excellent team chemistry that these players share much like Barcelona do with their core having played with each other so often. And all these players are first-teamers occupying key positions for the Bundesliga giants.

With the likes of dangerous wingers such Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery also in the squad, this is a team that is as dangerous as they come and one that makes for a heady concoction of talent.

THE BRAINS

The contribution of Jupp Heynckes to the Bayern project should not be undermined. The former Monchengladbach striker, is a master tactician when it comes to coaching and is one of the most decorated German coaches of all time. As evidenced from the transcripts above, his preparation for games is meticulous and is as animated as they come on the touchlines. Nicknamed 'Osram', for the way that his face tends to redden when under pressure or when agitated during a game, Heynckes in 34 years of management has authored many a success story in Germany as well as Spain.

In his first stint with Bayern Munich (1987-1991), he won two back-to-back Bundesliga titles. He moved on to Athletic Bilbao in 1992 and in his second season there led the Basques to a UEFA Cup (erstwhile Europa League) spot by finishing 5th in the league. He returned to Spain with Tenerife in 1995 and led them to a UEFA Cup spot in the very first season. Following his success with Tenerife, Spanish giants Real Madrid came calling in June 1997 and that would be where he would celebrate his greatest triumph till date.

In the 1997-98 season,  he delivered the Champions League trophy to the 'Los Blancos'. That win in Amsterdam, where they beat Juventus by a solitary goal, broke a 32 year barren run without Europe's premier trophy for Real. However, as has come to be with fickle owners, the German's contract was terminated at the end of the season due to Madrid finishing 4th in La Liga, 11 points behind champions Barcelona.

After not so successful short stints at a host of clubs, 'Osram' returned to the Allianz for a third stint (had a brief spell as caretaker manager after Juergen Klinsmann's sacking in April 2009) with the Bavarian club, which has so far been a successful run. A 22nd Bundesliga title has been wrapped up, reclaimed from Dortmund, in record time even; the title has never been won this early ever.

Heynckes' teams are well known for their discipline and commitment to team ethic. They are very well drilled and are very efficient in picking teams apart with ruthless elan. To an extent, the wily German coach has been  a little disappointed at the way Guardiola was appointed to succeed him even before the end of the season and he has expressed his willingness to leave with his head held high having delivered a historic treble to the club.

THE BAVARIAN SUPREMACY
Bayern before the game announced the addition of Dortmund's talented attacking midfielder Mario Goetze to  their ranks from next season, and there are rumors rife that his teammate and prolific striker Robert Lewandowski is poised to join him. Bayern's ambitions stretch far beyond any amount of success that comes their way this term; they are building for domination of the European club scene in years to come.

That spells bad news for Bayern's opponents, as not only are they going up against a very, very talented team with the wherewithal to bully opponents into submission, as Barcelona found out, but also a group of players smarting from the heartbreaks of recent seasons, and an incumbent manager determined to leave with a bar set at  a near stratospheric level for his successor to match.

Brilliant Bayern crush Barcelona at the Allianz Arena

A quite brilliant team performance from Bayern Munich saw them deliver a seemingly knock-out blow to Barcelona as they beat them 4-0 in the 1st leg of their UEFA Champions League semi-final at the Allianz Arena.

It is not often that Barcelona get mauled by that margin in a game, but it was a special night in Munich, one that belonged to Bayern from start to finish. A double from Thomas Mueller, who was outstanding on the night, and a goal a piece for Mario Gomez and Arjen Robben left Barca needing nothing short of a miracle in the return leg in 8 days time to overturn this deficit.

Gomez came in for suspended striker Mario Mandzukic while Jerome Boateng replaced Daniel Van Buyten in defence in the only 2 changes made by Jupp Heynckes from the team that beat Juventus. Barcelona were missing the services of Carles Puyol and Javier Mascherano through injury, and that meant a start for youngster Marc Bartra alongside Gerard Pique. Lionel Messi was passed fit to play, but through his performance in the game gave the impression that he wasn't exactly a 100%.

Bayern got off the blocks quickly; after scoring a 2nd minute goal against Juve, they once again fashioned a scoring opportunity after just 4 minutes when Robben after some good work with captain Philip Lahm found himself in the box and stabbed a shot at goal that was saved by Victor Valdes. After the initial flurry, Bayern were quite content to give the ball to Barcelona, but ensured that they didn't get much beyond the half-way line as they pressed and harried the Catalan side when on the ball.

And, after retrieving it, they used it to devastating effect by playing balls into the space left behind by Barca's full-backs - Alves and Jordi Alba as Robben and Franck Ribery were let loose on the visitors. Bayern looked threatening every time they went forward and were unlucky to be denied a penalty early on when Pique looked to have stuck his arm out to keep out a Lahm effort.


Bayern broke through in the 23rd minute from a corner, 1 of 8 corners that they earned in the first half. After Barca failed to effectively clear Ribery's delivery, the ball fell to Robben who put in an uncharacteristic right-footed cross that was met by the head of Dante to guide it to Mueller who scored with a diving header of his own.

Every time the ball was lifted into the box, Bayern looked capable of scoring with Barcelona looking susceptible to a long known weakness. Bayern created a few more good openings but couldn't muster a second goal and proceeded to half-time with a 1-0 lead.

Barcelona did not have a single shot on target in the first half with Bayern keeper Manuel Neuer hardly called into action. Bayern's defence and midfield did such an excellent job of shackling Barcelona, not allowing them any time on the ball, that they ensured the visitors created next to nothing with limited forward passing.

In the second half, Bayern came out firing, looking to pick up from where they left off and Gomez soon doubled their advantage. From another corner, Robben's delivery was headed across goal by Mueller, and Gomez lashed in a left-footed finish from close range as Barca were undone once again by a ball into the box. Gomez did look marginally offside though.

Two goals to the good, Bayern afforded to sit back a bit deeper and hand Barcelona some more possession. It was an exercise in futility for Tito Vilanova's side who could not get anything going against an organized and well-drilled Munich side. Messi ghosted through much of the game and even when he got the ball at his feet, he was met with swift tackles and challenges from the Bayern players. Javi Martinez and Bastian Schweinsteiger had a colossal game in the heart of that Bayern midfield.

By now Barcelona were growing frustrated and it increasingly looked like Bayern would score a third rather than the 'Blaugrana' snatching a goal back as Mueller, Ribery and Robben were swamping all over Barca. Robben scored on 73 minutes after one of his trademark mazy runs and went on to finish from a tight angle on the right to make it 3-0; he was helped by a rather generous screen by Mueller on Jordi Alba before the Dutchman composed a cool finish past Valdes.

The Allianz Arena was delirious by now and Barcelona weren't able to find any answers to the threat that Bayern posed downt he flanks with David Alaba and Lahm also joining in towards the latter stages. That produced a fourth on 82 minutes, when Alaba and Robben combined to devastating effect with the Austrian lashing in a devilish low cross that was turned in by Mueller for his second and to enlarge the scoreline to 4-0.

Frustration boiled over for some of the Barcelona players towards the end and Jordi Alba was lucky to get just a yellow as he threw the ball onto Robben's face in an unsportsmanlike gesture. He will miss the second leg at the Camp Nou.

Just like the game, Bayern Munich were headline makers through the day. They began the morning with the news that they have acquired the talented Mario Gotze from rivals Borussia Dortmund, and they ended the night with a performance that lit up the Allianz Arena as they put Barcelona to the sword in a 4-0 thrashing.

Jupp Heynckes before the game told reporters that they had a plan. He mentioned that it wasn't the same as the one against Juventus, but they did have a plan. Bayern executed their plan to perfection and looked like a team set to dominate the European scene for a few years to come. Heynckes and his men after tonight are well on the Road to Wembley.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH

Thomas Mueller/Arjen Robben - Mueller normally reserves his best for the big games and showed his class tonight with a superb performance. Bayern's leading scorer in the tournament bagged a brace and ran the Barca defence ragged with his well-timed runs and link play as the 2nd striker at times.

Arjen Robben has just gotten better as the tournament has progressed and never stopped running like an Energizer bunny. His forays down the right flank kept Alba pegged back and he was a constant thorn in Barcelona's flesh. Was involved in all the goals on the night and displayed great commitment to team ethic by even getting back to defend and sharing the ball well.

PFA Young Player of the Year: Deserving Candidates who didn't get the nod

The English Football Association on Friday released the list of players nominated for the PFA Player of the Year Award as well as the PFA Young Player of the Year prize. The Player of the Year shortlist had the expected names - Gareth Bale, Robin Van Persie, Luis Suarez - Michu, though was one that did not feature on that list inspite of his considerable contributions to Swansea's stellar season.

But, it was the shortlist for the Young Player of the Year award that left a lot of question marks over the selection. A lot of fine young performers from other teams who have put in a lot of good work have been overlooked. The list of players nominated are - Gareth Bale, Jack Wilshere, Eden Hazard, Danny Welbeck, Christian Benteke and Romelu Lukaku.

Benteke for Aston Villa and Lukaku for West Brom were sure shot knock ins to be chosen. The two Belgian strikers have had exemplary seasons for their clubs; without Benteke's goals, Villa would be further down in the race to stave off relegation and Lukaku has become first choice striker at the Hawthornes after Peter Odemwingie's falling out and the frequent injuries to Shane Long.

£7m was the transfer fee that Villa coughed up to bring Benteke to Villa Park from Belgian side Genk. The 22 year old has been a revelation scoring 15 goals and lending 4 assists to Villa's cause as Paul Lambert's side continue to battle to try and avoid the drop. And the dependence on his goals has been huge with Benteke accounting for a staggering 41% of their overall goal tally of 36.

Lukaku, on loan from Chelsea, has had a similar impact for Steve Clarke and West Bromwich Albion. He has made 29 appearances for the club, 14 of them as a sub (in the early part of the season), with a return of 13 goals and 2 assists. I'd like to bring in the 3rd Belgian on the list too, Eden Hazard, who has had a fantastic debut season for the Blues. 8 goals and 9 assists are the statistical part of it, but his pace and dribbling coupled with top quality strikes show why Chelsea spent a whole lot of money in getting his signature.

The remaining three on the list - Wilshere, Bale, Welbeck - are not entirely convincing choices. Yes, Bale fits the age category, but he has been already nominated in the Player of the Year shortlist and is even odds-on favorite to win it; that nomination could well have been given to another player. Wilshere has had a sizable impact; every time he plays, Arsenal look a totally different side. But, he has made only 20 appearances and his season has been ravaged by injuries. Welbeck is the most surprising choice; it's true that he is one of the most improved players in the Manchester United team, however, one would stop short of saying that he has had a year worthy of a nomination. In 29 appearances ( 12 starts), he has scored just 1 goal and provided 4 assists. It doesn't matter that he has been played out wide; because when you are a striker, you cannot have a return of 1 goal and be nominated for a prestigious award. And it has not been for lack of scoring opportunities. By far, his was the most startling inclusion.

We've had a look at the three players who probably did not merit a place and the obvious argument that would be thrown in is "If not them, then who else?". Here's a list of young players, some not from the big glamorous teams, but certainly deserving of recognition for their efforts this season.

MATIJA NASTASIC, Manchester City

The 20 year old Serbian has been one of the bright spots in the City squad this term. After Roberto Mancini seemingly fell out of love with Joleon Lescott, the young Serbian centre-back immediately became a part of the manager's first team plans, and, he hasn't disappointed. With 19 appearances in total, all of them starts, Nastasic averages almost 2 tackles/game, 2 interceptions, 6 clearances. He also boasts a stupendous pass completion rate of 86% with 45 passes on average in a game; in other words, a ball-playing defender. In those 19 league games he has won 60.1% of duels, 66.7% of aerial duels, and won 93% of 30 tackles made in total; traits of a very good defender. When the Serbian has turned out for City, the defending champions have conceded a meagre 0.65 goals per game. He has by some distance been the best defender in the City back-line.

DAVID DE GEA, Manchester United

Yes, De Gea is a youngster being only 22 years old. And if one had to vouch for a youngster from United to be part of the list, it would be the Spanish stopper. He has made 25 appearances in all, helping his side with 75 saves, which if you do the simple math translates to 3 saves on average a game. He has also kept 10 clean sheets, 40% of his games. He is the third-best keeper in the Premier League by their own index behind Petr Cech and Joe Hart. Rafael at right-back has also had a good season, but De Gea for United has been crucial with his contributions on numerous occasions helping United not drop points.

NATHANIEL CLYNE, Southampton

Clyne was a target for many top clubs in the summer transfer window. Southampton ultimately pouched him and his performances have shown why he was so highly sought after. Clyne is one of the most used players for the Saints with 30 appearances to his credit, all of them starts. The young English right-back has scored 1 goal and chipped in with 3 assists and is a prime focal point for a lot of the Saints attacks with his marauding runs down the right flank. His pace and crossing ability have caused a lot of problems for opposition defences and his defending has improved as the season has gone on.

MORGAN SCHNEIDERLIN, Southampton

Another Saints player who deserves a nomination; 23 year old French midfielder Schneiderlin. Morgan plays in the deep-lying role for the Saints, between defence and midfield, like Patrick Viera used to do for Arsenal. Schneiderlin has played every single game for Southampton and boasts a stat line that's as impressive as they come; 5 goals, a pass completion rate of 84%, 3 Man of the Match awards, 4.3 tackles on average a game and 3.8 interceptions per game. He is the lynch-pin in the Southampton team and has formed a formidable partnership with Gaston Ramirez and Adam Lallana in midfield.

BEN DAVIES, Swansea City

When Neil Taylor, Swansea's regular left-back, fell victim to a horror broken leg against West Ham United on 25 August, 2012, Michael Laurdrup turned to 19 year old academy graduate Ben Davies. Since then, Davies has come in and made that place his own and even with Taylor set to return to action looks set to keep his place in the starting XI. 32 appearances in all, 29 starts and 3 as a sub, the Welsh teenager has been rock-solid at the back and became the youngest goal scorer in Swansea's history when he scored his solitary goal of the season so far against Stoke City at home. He also has 2 assists to his name and has helped his team keep 7 clean sheets. Davies has put in 60 successful tackles and  made 54 interceptions to go with 9 blocked shots. 

Liverpool fan Nolan wants to have Fergie over for dinner

Liverpool and Manchester United are fierce rivals.

If you are a fan of Liverpool, chances are that you hate Man United.

Likewise, if you're a United supporter.

West Ham skipper Kevin Nolan though is a rarity; a Kop fan all his life, being born and bred in Liverpool, he  expressed his interest in inviting United manager Sir Alex Ferguson over for dinner. Speaking to the media ahead of the clash with Ferguson's United at Upton Park on Wednesday night, Nolan talked about how he had nothing but admiration for the job that Ferguson has done since taking charge of the Red Devils.

Nolan, who was speaking at the West Ham Sports Community event, said he would relish the chance to quiz Fergie over dinner as he seeks to gain insights on the astonishing levels of success achieved by the Scot. Nolan, 30, is contemplating a career in management and is preparing to take his coaching badges in the near future.


Said Nolan, “Fergie would definitely be one of my dream dinner guests. Manchester United have ruled the Premier League and it’s just something I’d like to pick his brains about. All my heroes were probably United players. I’d like to have a really good chat about how he did it, how he built the club, what’s the motivation, all that stuff."

He went on to add, “It was a massive statement when he said ‘when I leave this club I want to have more titles than Liverpool. I think everyone in the world of football respects what he’s done and no one can take away what he has done."

Nolan also went into how Sam Allardyce, his current manager gets along well with Fergie, “I’m hoping he doesn’t go away too soon because I love listening to him and I love him when he has his rants and winds people up. It’s great, I do chuckle. I know he’s close to Sam Allardyce too and the gaffer gets along with him and he takes a lot on board from him, so I really respect him.”

Of course, the Liverpool fan in him was not lost when he stated that he wished Ferguson had chosen Merseyside instead of Old Trafford: “I don’t know the ins and outs of United but what he’s built, obviously the training ground, the stadium, everything which has been done, it’s all because of him. I just wish he went to Liverpool all those years ago but it wasn’t to be and what he’s done for United is phenomenal.”

Winner, winner...Chicken Dinner!