Why Christmas brings no cheer to players and clubs in the Premier League

Even Jesus Christ can’t seem to get Premier League players and managers a break

The snow’s falling down, kids are enjoying their holidays, offices take an extended break and homes swell with festive cheer and celebration as Europe looks forward to Christmas and the impending New Year. Footballers too get a break, to put their feet up a bit and get some rest and relaxation while also getting time to spend with family and friends. After all, when the rest of the world’s celebrating, why shouldn’t they?

However, Diego Costa, Filipe Luis, Alexis Sanchez, Angel di Maria and the rest of the players in England’s top flight – are not sharing the same sentiments as they find themselves embroiled in the yearly rigmarole that is the ‘bonus’ fixture pile-up that the Premier League is associated with usually at this point in the season.

Unlike during their time in Spain in the last few years, the above quartet is not going to be enjoying a winter break this time around. A cluster of games are the presents that the league throws up to its teams, and their players and managers, who must curse their luck when they look at what their pals in the other leagues are up to.

It’s been a long-running debate on whether the Football Association (FA) should cease with this annual fixture congestion in keeping with what Spain, Germany, Italy and the rest of Europe’s top leagues do in order to aid English teams in the long run.

So far though, it hasn’t cut any slack with the powers to be as profit, viewership and cash, continue to ensure that players will be in their team strips four times in a span of 10 days between December 26 and January 5.

The rest of Europe

In contrast, the winter break is on after this weekend’s round of matches in the other leagues. The La Liga will resume on January 3rd, the Serie A on January 5th and the Ligue 1 on January 7th. That’s 14 days off for those teams at the minimum. The Bundesliga is even better, and reopens only on January 30th, resulting in a month of rest and recuperation for the likes of Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund.

Of course, Germany has only 18 teams and as a result has 40 matches lesser in its calendar, due to which they can afford a whole month off. But the other three big leagues have the same number of teams as the Premier League and get 14 days off. Ironically, despite that, the La Liga, Bundesliga, Ligue 1 and Premier League all conclude on the weekend of May 23/24; Serie A closes a week later.

So, the situation in England is great for television, great for some sections of fans who do enjoy the added football during the holidays, but how about the players and what effect does it have in the longer run, say for teams in the UEFA Champions League?

English teams in the Champions League knockout rounds

One trend that has been observed on an almost annual basis is that teams from the other leagues seem to almost fare better in the Champions League than those from England. Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund seem to be able to find another gear as the competition moves into March and April.

Last year Manchester City, the eventual champions, were eliminated in the first knockout round by Barcelona, Arsenal likewise by Bayern Munich. Chelsea got to the semi-finals before being beaten by Atletico Madrid.

Last year’s Chelsea are in fact a classic case; they were going well in the Premier League and looking likely for a title run until their resources got stretched with a deep run in Europe. Manchester City benefited from having a deeper squad as well as bowing out early, allowing them to fully concentrate on the league.

This explains how they became champions last year despite being top of the table for a mere 14 days. And Liverpool had no distractions from the get go, a challenge they could not cope with this year, not being able to get past the group stage even.

The top three teams in England over the past five seasons (based on how they finished that season)

Looking at how the top English teams (in reference to order of finish that season) have gone in Europe in the last five years, it doesn’t make for good reading.

Of the eventual champions, Manchester United went the furthest in 2010-11 finishing runners-up to Barcelona. No runner-up has gone beyond the quarter-finals and likewise for the third-best team. The top Spanish and German teams are however, constantly making the quarters and the semis in Europe’s premier club competition.

Last year, it was an all-Spanish affair in the final and the year before that, an all-German one. Each of the top three Spanish teams last year made the quarter-finals while two German teams did. Chelsea were England’s only representative.

You might say that those stats merely state the obvious, which is that the Premier League isn’t ‘the best in the world’ as those ‘pundits’ would have you believe and that the players in Spain and Germany are so much better than the ones in England. While that isn’t entirely a faulty line of debate, all players, including the very best ones, need their rest and time to recuperate and when viewed in that context a 14-day period of no competitive action is gold dust.

Chelsea may be amongst the best in Europe this term, but the lack of time off could hurt them when they take on Europe’s big boys.

World Cup exertions

Like those layers of cake that you get around Christmas when you step into feasts, certain footballers this year had to deal with the exertions of playing at the quadrennial showpiece before returning to their clubs.

It wasn’t for no reason that players such as Eden Hazard, Robin van Persie and Pablo Zabaleta took some time to get going this season. Also, players associated with the Brazil team, the World Cup hosts, seem to suffering from a serious dip in form after their underwhelming campaign that ended in a humiliating exit at the hands of eventual winners Germany.

Fernandinho is a prime example of a player whose form has dipped this year over last season, while Oscar and Willian looked to be carrying a hangover for some time as well.
What would really irk the players is that even during such years, there is no exception made by the FA.

Is there any respite?

The fact that the Premier League is an extremely profitable money-spinning offering now probably means that the end to this hectic schedule is nowhere in sight in the near future. When Premier Leagues can charge upto £600 for children to become mascots, you know that its money over anything else.

Also, the fact that as a product it is being lapped up by audiences outside of England who are in fact the main drivers of television revenue probably means that the Christmas festivities for the players will continue to remain on the pitch.

Louis van Gaal is the latest manager to criticize the Christmas scheduling

As Louis van Gaal said recently critiquing this, "I am not happy - but I cannot change it - because I don't think it is good for the players that they play within two days of a (previous) match - two matches in two days.”

"In December it shall be like that. We also have family. I have a wife and kids, and grandchildren, and I cannot see them this Christmas. But I want to work in the Premier League, so I have to adapt, and I shall adapt. But I don't think it is good. It is not good for the players, nor for the family."

Perhaps it’s about time ‘the best league in the world’ lent a caring ear to its primary stakeholders in order to further the interests of its clubs in the long run and not just its coffers.

First impressions of the La Liga champions: Atletico Madrid look battle-ready

Atletico Madrid line up in the 1st leg of the Super Copa against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu

It’s always of great interest to follow the story of an underdog, what with their tales of courage and bravado in going up against stronger foes and being able to hold their own. The story of the underdog in sport occupies a special place, for it lends an added element of drama to their success.

Now Atletico Madrid are no longer underdogs, but they did start off as such a couple of years ago, before slowly but surely climbing the ladder and scaling the peak of the Spanish La Liga last year in a most memorable season. So there’s always that one question in the back of your head – can they do it again?

That’s a question that can never really be answered on the first day of the season, barring a feeble affirmative that merely tends to acknowledge the fact that, yes, they are contenders. But with all the goings on in the post-season primarily revolving around the departures of some of their star names, Atletico’s 2014-15 campaign holds much allure to see how they go.

Atletico keep Real’s stars grounded

They finished their campaign last season in action against city rivals Real Madrid in the final of the UEFA Champions League, where they were usurped by their more famous opponents as they made their way to capturing the holy ‘La Decima’. Atleti began this season against the same opponents two nights ago, this time in the 1st leg of the Spanish Super Copa at the Santiago Bernabeu, and this one too finished with the exact same score line after 90 minutes as was the case that night in Lisbon – 1-1.

In finishing with a draw and an important away goal to boot, Diego Simeone’s side showed much of the same characteristics that defined their campaign the whole of last season – grit, guts and gumption. They contained Real for much of the game and despite conceding a late goal that threatened to undo all of the good work put in, managed to hit back quickly before time expired to set up a very interesting second leg at the Vicente Calderon tomorrow night.

The New Boys

Los Colchoneros did not have the marauding presence of Diego Costa up front to lead the attack, nor did they have the evergreen David Villa, who confounded critics and naysayers last season who claimed that the former Barcelona hitman was past his prime. Who they did field was their €22 million summer signing, Croatian international Mario Mandzukic.

Mario Mandzukic did his best at harrying Sergio Ramos and Pepe through the game

Mandzukic is not even close to being the UWM (Ultimate Windup Merchant) that Diego Costa is, but he ticks the boxes in all other departments as a physical front man perfectly suited to Simeone’s needs. He’s aggressive and helps with the high press, putting pressure on the centre-backs and constantly being a thorn in their flesh. He did that to great effect on Tuesday night, managing to unsettle Pepe and Sergio Ramos in the heart of Real’s defence.

As seen from his spells at Bayern Munich and Wolfsburg before, Mandzukic never ceases to run, plus with his expertise in heading the ball and at set pieces, he seems a perfect fit in the system. And if anything, Mandzukic is a proven performer who has been consistently delivering the goods the last few seasons for both club and country; Costa had one magnificent season, but can he deliver those on a regular basis? We will find out in a few seasons.

We did get to see the other striker too in the closing stages of the game – Mexican Raul Jimenez, another tall striker. Jimenez looks to be a good replacement for Adrian, having scored well for Club America in the Mexican league the last two years, and has been picked up while on an upward curve. He did look to play more as a second striker though, bringing the others into play and exchanging places with them.

Antoine Griezmann had a good second half outing

Atletico’s most expensive summer signing, Antoine Griezmann, was also introduced on 57 minutes. The €30 million man, who had five impressive seasons at Real Sociedad, looked very impressive playing in a role akin tothe one David Silva plays for Manchester City. With his deft touch and eye for a pass, Atletico enjoyed a good spell of pressure post his introduction, and looked more dangerous going forward. It will be very interesting to see what Atletico can serve up when they have Arda Turan back, provided he’s still around at the end of the transfer window.

The core remains strong

New players are like new seasonings that you’ve picked up at the supermarket because your old ones are exhausted. So while it is natural that attention seemingly goes to the new recruits, much of what Atletico will achieve this term depends on their core, one that they have kept reasonably intact, with Costa and Filipe Luis the only departures so far.

Atletico’s strong core continues to be the foundation of the team

For two seasons running now, Atletico have had the best defensive record, fuelled primarily by how well organized they are and possibly having the best back four amongst all teams. Luis has left, but the strong resolute trio of Diego Godin, Joao Miranda and Juanfran are very much intact and provided another excellent defensive display against European champions Real, managing to keep their offensive weapons quiet. And that defence has been the bedrock of Atletico’s means to success upon which they have built on these past few years; so as long as that end is as fit and firing as ever, they should continue to do well.

The other combative members of the core – midfielders Koke, Raul Garcia and Gabi – were all in attendance too and in their customary workmanlike approach augmented the efforts of their defence really well. Garcia is just a phenomenal bloke for he is such a favourite of Simeone, someone who works his socks off for the team when not in possession and can play as the supporting striker when they need some impetus up front.

It was his goal that drew parity as he did what he does best, be in the right place to put away a Koke corner after the Real defence failed to clear it leaving him with just a clueless and hapless Iker Casillas to beat. He’s been in good form, having scored in the friendlies against Wolfsburg and Cadiz as well, and the goal at the Bernabeu was his fourth in three games in the space of 10 days.

Koke dispossesses Gareth Bale

Koke continues to impress. His delivery from set pieces is very, very underrated and is a vital ingredient of how the team is set up as they look to take advantage of set pieces to get into scoring positions. The 22-year-old was the subject of widespread speculation even before last season could finish, with many claiming that he would be off along with the likes of Costa to a ‘bigger club’. But as he announced over the summer, Atletico is where his heart is, and he would like nothing more than to help this team get better and win more trophies.

An Atletico product through and through, Gabi leading by example is like the master conductor who brings it all together on the pitch, and he led his team as always with a verve and gusto that far outstripped that of his counterpart, Iker Casillas. Importantly Atletico’s midfield managed to keep tabs on Real’s engine room of Luka Modric, Xabi Alonso and Toni Kroos.

A season of much promise for many reasons

The second leg of the Spanish Super Copa is tomorrow night at the Calderon. A year ago, Atletico lost the Cup to Barcelona despite not being beaten in either leg, thanks to away goals. They wouldn’t mind winning the same way this year.

As far as performances and integrating new units into the system go, Atletico seem prepared, you wouldn’t have expected any less from a side marshalled by a hard taskmaster like Simeone. There’s obviously no way that they are at 100%, but they’ve got the elements that served them well in the past up and running and chugging along nicely. They’ve done well in pre-season and came into the Super Copa clash unbeaten, always a healthy sign.

It may be surprising, and is possibly a fact that has been understated and looked over, but Atletico have spent €99 million on players this summer (yes, that is indeed true)! They have not come even close to that figure in previous seasons with last season’s figure being roughly 30% of that at €29 million!

It goes to show that Atletico are interested in maintaining their position at the top of the Spanish game and are not in it to be a short fuse. They have bought well in terms of players who would fit their style of play with no doubt an eye on how well endowed they are in certain hormonal capacities (refer Simeone’s famous statement at the end of last season).

Atletico still look to have a lot of fight left in them

They’ve been rebuking critics for some time now; last year it was argued that Champions League football would be a distraction and would hence strain a thin side thereby affecting league performances. But they won the league and made the finals of the Champions League, coming within a minute of doing the double.
It was argued even before last season came to a close that Atletico would suffer this term with the potential exits of their top men. While the losses have been sizeable, they haven’t been paralyzing. And from what we saw in the first game, the side bears a settled look about it.

More than anything else, this season promises to be a season of excitement. For we will get to see if  Atletico can get back to that high level after a winning season, maintaining that level of intensity and effort. And also as an interesting sub-plot, we will get to see how Simeone goes as a manager and how his journey unfurls from here on in as one of the top managers in the game.

Until now, Atletico were the hunters, and Simeone found it very easy to train his pack and get them motivated for the challenge. Now, they are the hunted, and how they respond to this challenge should make for compelling viewing.

There’s a line on the front of their jerseys that says “Land of Fire”; that of course is the tagline for their chief shirt sponsors, the country of Azerbaijan, but it is something that also so aptly defines what this club has come to represent under Simeone’s stewardship. There is still much fire and bite left in this dog and that’s why its bark should still be heard come the end of season.

Footballing Cycles - The Sine Wave that brings about change

It is FCB again that took the trophy home!

Though not the familiar one in Barcelona but the Bavarian giants Bayern Munich, who on Saturday were crowned UEFA Champions League winners of 2013.

Bayern Munich’s victory marks a return to the centre-stage for German football and the Bundesliga after being in the wilderness for some time. Ever since Porto won the competition against all odds in 2004, the Champions League has come to be dominated by English teams and Barcelona.

En route to their conquest of Europe, Bayern pounded the dominant power in Europe, Barcelona into submission. Though nobody expected the scale of the defeat, it was construed to be the match where the baton changed hands, from the dominant force of the last half a decade to the force of the future. A situation akin to when the Germanic tribes reached the gates of Rome and brought about the end of the Roman empire.

Is this the end of Barcelona’s dominance in Europe?

Are they no longer top dogs in the continent?

Could this prove to be the death-knell for tiki taka?

All of the above were pertinent questions after Barcelona’s campaign came to a grinding halt against the Bayern machine. It is not often that you see the Catalans humbled in such a manner – Bayern didn’t just crush Barcelona, they crushed a footballing philosophy as they hit 7 unanswered goals past Lionel Messi and co.

What the future holds for Barcelona or for Bayern Munich is a debate that will go on for long into the summer, however, that is a subject for another day. Before that, a quick peek at footballing cycles.

FOOTBALLING CYCLES

The game of football, like most other sports operates in cycles – both at club and at national levels. These cycles exist because football and the various teams involved continuously strive to evolve in search of a winning formula. It is not so much a straight line time graph, but merely a carousel of footballing philosophies, playing style and coaching.

Sport rarely operates in an inertial environment such as the one in our PlayStation's and Xbox's.

Footballers are human beings , they’re performances over time become subject to the wear and tear of competition and the many bruises and niggles that they carry. The other key word in all of it is ‘familiarity’ – eventually they figure you out. That goes for a player, a system , a strategy. Those that continually work to keep adding to their game are the ones that end up being successful in extending their cycle. And in today’s day and age, where technological aids and analysts are available to every team, it makes it that much harder.

THE EUROPEAN FOOTBALL SCENE

The UEFA Champions League is a true testament to this. Shifting the scene to 5 years ago, in the summer of 2008, Barcelona under Pep Guardiola had their very own ‘changing of the guard’ match. The Blaugrana defeated Manchester United 2-0 in the final that year in Rome. United were defending champions and were looking to become the first club in the Champions League era to retain the title. That victory set Barca on their way to European dominance for the next 5 years, while also setting back the progress of English teams.

Hence, the 5-year period between 2008-2012 belonged to Barcelona – they won 2 titles while making the semi-finals every year. The previous spell of domination (2004-2007) belonged to the English clubs – Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal who together made it a habit of blocking out the semi-final spots every year capped off by a title each for Liverpool and United, and finals appearances for Arsenal and Chelsea.

Real Madrid, both pre and post Galacticos had their run in the competition before the English clubs between 2000 and 2003. We can take only the period from 1998 onward into consideration, for previously only the winners of each league made it into the competition, which meant only 1 team from each country. Madrid beat Manchester United and Bayern Munich on the way to claiming the trophy in 2000, the winners and runners-up respectively from the previous tournament.

DOCUMENTING THEIR SUCCESS

Each of these teams adopted their own set of tactics to foster success in Europe’s premier competition.

Outgoing Bayern boss Jupp Heynckes guided Real Madrid to their 7^th European Cup in 1997. Following that, Vicente Del Bosque and his Los Blancos side won it in 2000. It was just before the dawn of the Galacticos era, a team led by a young Raul, Fernando Morientes and Steve McMannaman. Zinedine Zidane, Luis Figo, Ronaldo, David Beckham and Claude Makelele joined forces with Roberto Carlos and Raul and the Galacticos era was born. That star-studded squad went on to claim another prize in 2002 with that memorable Zidane volley in Glasgow.

A simple strategy of buying the best players around that ensured instant success. Trouble was, those stars were picked up in their late 20’s and after a period of time with age their impact waned. And since Real did not have a system that they played to or stuck to religiously, there was a problem when they departed and Real could never recreate the success from earlier in the decade.

The English teams came in with good defences to fend off the attacking threats of the Spaniards. They brought in a certain level of physical effort with their powerful defenders and midfielders, who were very good in the air in defence as well as attack. The English teams’ play was very direct employing wingers to good effect to deliver crosses into the ball along with judicious use of the long ball out of defence. Technical brilliance was not the greatest, but they made up for it in effort and work rate. Hard-working units with just the right amount of attacking talent served them very well in the ensuing years.

Before Guardiola arrived at the Camp Nou, Frank Rijkaard managed to win one Champions League final against Arsenal in 2006. His was an all-attacking group, equally direct, centred around the talents of Samuel Eto’o, Ronaldinho and Deco. They got that one win, but they had a traditional Barca failing in the form of their defence and their dominance didn’t last long. They may have had superior attackers, but since their attacking styles were familiar, they proved easy to contain.

Then came the tiki-taka, the hogging of possession for long periods and accurate passing of the ball from Guardiola’s stable. Whether it was intended that way, nobody will know, but the tiki-taka hit the English teams in an area where they were vulnerable. They were superb clearing headers and defending long balls and did well to cut out the through passes. Part of the reason was their tight defensive organization. What Barca’s system did was stymie their English foes, deny them the ball to get their forward players frustrated and patiently pass the ball around, waiting until a member broke the line after which they could play in that killer final pass. Slow in their lateral movement, the system wore them down as they spent large portions of the game tracking the ball. The high pressing game, 8 passes or less in which they tried to regain possession was also classy. Creating space for their players to run was central to Barca’s success plan.

And now, Bayern have brought their own heavy duty arsenal over the past 2 seasons – a combination of high intensity pressing to peg back the opponents and fast, direct attacks. Whether this means a new era of Bayern dominance, we’ll have to wait and watch; Inter and Milan have had successful winning campaigns in the past without kicking on to extend it further. Also, there will be a change in management - Guardiola will come in for Heynckes – a completely different approach may be taken by the Spaniard; in which case the lack of continuity could hurt them. Inter won the trouble under Mourinho, before having a disappointing season the next term after the Portuguese left.

What is certain is that we have witnessed the end of one footballing cycle and the beginning of the next!

The 3 previous Intra-national UEFA Champions League finals

Tomorrow’s UEFA Champions League final showdown between Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich will be the 4^th instance of an intra-national final, where 2 teams from the same country have met in the championship clash. Each of the 4 instances has belonged to a different country with Spain, Italy and England represented on the previous 3 occasions. Germany will make its bow tomorrow. 

            Real Madrid 3-0 Valencia, 1999-2000 Final @ the Stade de France, Saint-Denis

The very first instance was when Real Madrid met Valencia in the 2000 final. This edition saw the introduction of the second group phase, where the top 2 teams from the 8 groups would again be divided into 4 groups and another run of round-robin matches.

This was the pre-Galacticos era at Real under Vicente Del Bosque and they had a fine team made up of a lot of Spanish talent led by the likes of Raul, Fernando Morientes, Michel Salgado and Iker Casillas. Current Real Madrid assistant manager Aitor Karanka was also part of this team. Real Madrid topped their group suffering just one loss and in the second group phase finished runners-up behind Bayern Munich. They finished strongly though as they got past 2 very strong teams en route to the final - Manchester United, who were the defending champions, in the Quarterfinals and then Bayern Munich in the semi-finals.

Valencia weren't doing so badly themselves with arguably their ‘Golden Generation’ of Gaizka Mendieta, Miguel Angulo, Claudio Lopez and Santiago Canizares. Just like Real, they would win the first group phase, ahead of Bayern Munich and finish runners-up in the second, behind Manchester United. They trounced Lazio and Barcelona in the quarters and semis respectively scoring 5 goals against both over the 2 legs.

The final had a tight beginning before Madrid began to exert themselves on the game and took the lead through Morientes. Steve McManaman had a marvelous game for Los Blancos and he scored the 2^nd with a spectacular volley. Raul then rounded it off with a 3^rd goal on 75 minutes when Real caught Valencia napping on the counter. It was Real’s 8^th European Cup.

Steve McManaman was voted the Man of the Match. Incidentally, he became the first Englishman to win the tournament with a foreign club. Raul finished joint top scorer with 10 goals. Valencia finished runners-up again the next year when they lost on penalties to Bayern Munich after it ended 1-1 in regulation and extra time.

AC Milan 0-0 Juventus, 2002-03 Final @ Old Trafford, Manchester

Juventus came into the final fresh from being crowned Serie A champions; Milan on the other hand had finished 4^th, 16 points behind the Turin club. In the season head-to-head, Juve had won the home game while drawing away at the San Siro. They had also beaten Milan in the Coppa Italia semi-finals.

The 2-group phases structure was still on; Juventus topped their first group while finishing runners-up to Manchester United in the second. They ended Spanish hopes in the competition as they beat Barcelona in the quarters and Real Madrid in the semis. Influential midfielder Pavel Nedved though would miss the final after picking up a booking in the 2^nd leg against Real.

Milan came in winning both the groups including a strong second group phase pitted with Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund. After beating Ajax, they had to contend with neighbours Inter in a Milan derby semi-final. It ended level 1-1 on aggregate with Milan progressing on the away goals rule.

The final was a game of few chances and one of the dullest of the last decade and a half. Both teams had excellent defences which ensured that chances were at a premium. Andriy Shevchenko had a goal disallowed in the first half though replays showed that Rui Costa had not been in an offside position. 

Current Juve manager Antonio Conte came on as a sub and saw a header clatter the crossbar in what was Juve’s best chance of the game. Andrea Pirlo too struck the post for Milan.

With no result even after extra time, the match went to penalties and It was a tense, tense affair. Juventus only made 1 of their first 4 penalties as Dida saved the efforts of David Trezeguet, Marcelo Zalayeta and Paolo Montero. Gigi Buffon was doing his best to keep Juve in the game as he saved from Clarence Seedorf and Kakhaber Kaladze. Alessandro Del Piero converted the 5^th spot kick for Juve, but so did Shevchenko to clinch the trophy for the Rossoneri. It was Milan’s 6^th European Cup.

Paolo Maldini was named the Man of the Match for the final. Filippo Inzaghi was the 2^nd highest goal scorer with 10 goals behind Ruud Van Nistelrooy who bagged 12 for Manchester United. Shevchenko became the first Ukrainian footballer to take home a European Cup winners medal. 

Manchester United 1-1 Chelsea, 2007-08 final @ Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow

England’s top 2 teams met in the Moscow final of 2008. Manchester United had just won their 17^th league title finishing 2 points ahead of their final opponents Chelsea. Each team had won their home game in the league, while Chelsea had the latest win after beating United 1-0 in the FA Cup final days earlier.

Man United went unbeaten the whole tournament. They drew just 1 game in winning their group comfortably. They then beat Lyon in the Round of 16, which had now replaced the previous format and Roma in the quarters. Frank Rijkaard’s Barcelona stood between United and their 3^rd European Cup final. The teams had identical records going into the semi-final, each having won eight and drawn two of their ten games, scoring 18 goals and conceding just 5. Cristiano Ronaldo missed an early penalty in the 1^st leg at the Camp Nou and that leg ended 0-0. United edged into the finals with a tight 1-0 home win thanks to Paul Scholes’ long range stunner.

Chelsea had seen a change of manager after Jose Mourinho parted ways in between the season. Interim manager Avram Grant did a good job though as he kept the Blues in the title hunt in the league and guided them to the FA Cup and Champions League finals. Chelsea lost just the one game in the tournament, against Fenerbahce in the quarterfinals. After getting past Olympiacos and Fenerbahce, Chelsea took on Rafa Benitez and his defending champions Liverpool. This was the fourth year in succession that these teams had met in the Champions League. After drawing the first leg 1-1 away, the Blues won a tense 2^nd leg 3-2 after extra time to make the team’s first visit to the Champions League final.

After taking time to feel each other out, the final picked up pace with Ronaldo’s opener on 26 minutes. United had 2 good chances to extend the lead, but Petr Cech came to Chelsea’s rescue with some magnificent saves. Frank Lampard equalized for Chelsea in the closing minutes of the first half after Michael Essien’s initial shot had deflected off Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic.

The goal swung the momentum in Chelsea’s favour and the Blues dominated for much of the second half. Drogba went close to giving them the lead when his effort hit the post. Ryan Giggs had a chance to get the winner for United, but John Terry made a last ditch tackle to prevent it. It was end –to-end in extra time as both teams went looking for the winner. Late in extra time, Drogba was sent off for a slap on United’s Vidic.

In the shootout, Ronaldo missed his penalty which gave Chelsea the advantage. Blues captain John Terry stepped up to take the 5^th penalty, but he would miss as he lost his footing which saw his mis-hit shot hit the outside of the right post and go wide. In sudden death, Edwin Van der Sar saved Nicolas Anelka’s shot to win it for United.

Van Der Sar took the Man of the Match award. Cristiano Ronaldo finished top scorer with 8 goals.

Borussia Dortmund  vs Bayern Munich, 2012-13 final @ Wembley, London

One-sided final like the 2000 edition or nail biters like the other two? We will find out on Saturday. The 2 league meetings between the sides both ended 1-1 and Bayern beat Dortmund 1-0 in the quarterfinals of the DFB Pokal Cup.

Dortmund will be without star play-maker Mario Götze due to injury which means he has already played his last game for Dortmund; he will be joining Bayern Munich in the summer.

English football's failings on Europe's biggest stage

Germany and Spain each have 2 representatives in the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League, Europe's premier club competition. For the first time in 3 years, England has none. But, a more damaging fact is that no English team even made the Quarterfinals of this year's competition.

The last time an English side did not make the Quarterfinals was way back in the 1995-96 season. However, at the time, the format was such that only the winners of each of Europe's domestic leagues featured in the tournament. Blackburn Rovers, by virtue of winning the league the previous season, were England's representatives; but a disappointing campaign saw them finish bottom of their group behind the likes of Spartak Moscow, Rosenborg and Legia Warsaw. Also, there was no Round of 16 back then as there were only 16 teams spread across 4 groups.

If we were to look for the last instance of this event under the current format, we would have to keep looking for a while; because there has simply been no precedent. Never have the Quarterfinals of the Champions League been played with zero English participation. While naysayers will say that it does not really reflect much, and that England has been the most consistent in producing semi-finalists in the last decade and that the English league is more competitive in nature, there is no denying the fact that the best of England are no longer a match for the best of Germany, Spain, Italy and a few other countries.

Manchester City and Chelsea exited at the group stage, while Manchester United and Arsenal had tough first round encounters against Real Madrid and Bayern Munich respectively. You could argue that City were in the Group of Death, but that is no justification for finishing last behind even Ajax. For a team of City's quality and resources, they were expected to make a fist of it. As good as Dortmund and Real were, City were poor and failed to mount a serious challenge against any of their opponents. Chelsea too fell at the first hurdle, in the process suffering the ignominy of being the first defending champions to go out in the group phase. After starting brightly, they were outplayed by Juventus and Shakhtar Donetsk in key games which eventually spelt the death knell for their European ambitions and then manager Roberto Di Matteo's job for the season.

The sending off of Nani in the 2nd leg encounter at Old Trafford has been mooted as a turning point which swung the tie in favor of Madrid against Man United. Truth is though, that United failed to grab a multitude of opportunities even before the incident to pocket the tie. In the 1st leg in Madrid, there were opportunities for Robin Van Persie and Ryan Giggs to have accumulated more away goals for United, but they fluffed their chances. The 2nd leg saw United once again control the game and frustrate Madrid, but they failed to put away their chances. Nobody needs reminding that football is a game of 90 minutes; 60 minutes of good work does not entitle any team success, and lest we forget even 10 minutes after the Red card United looked comfortable with a 1-0 lead and 18 minutes to go to full time. Why didn't Sir Alex Ferguson use his experience to bring on a defender for a forward and try and preserve the lead? Why did he he get carried away berating the official and jeeing up the fans instead of perhaps focusing on substitutions? Why did he wait until they were 2-1 down to make his substitutions? Sending-offs swing a game, yes, but they are a part of the game and at this level you have to be prepared for that eventuality. Instead of planning out how best to see off the game, United's manager, staff and players seemed more keen on sulking and complaining about the decision and that i believe is what cost them the game and not the Nani's dismissal in itself.

As for Arsenal, they just came up against a supremely talented and confident team in Bayern Munich. The tie was pretty much settled in the 1st leg where the Germans decimated Arsenal to register a 3-1 win aided by some dodgy team selection and tactics from Arsene Wenger. The Germans are one of the favorites to take home the trophy this year and i firmly believe that Bayern Munich will either be Champions or be beaten by the eventual winners.

The English Premier League, from top to bottom, is definitely more competitive than its European cousins. This is due to a lot of reasons, but primarily down to the more even collective bargaining agreement that sees TV revenue shared equitably. The Bundesliga is seeing a revival of sorts again with all the teams playing an attractive brand of football and with clubs being owned by the fans as opposed to conglomerates, ticket prices are very affordable and the stadia and facilities have gotten a major uplift. Borussia Dortmund, once on the verge of bankruptcy and extinction, have made the journey to becoming champions of the Bundesliga twice over with a squad that that cost not more than £20 million. But, the irrefutable fact remains that there has been a gradual decline in the English game showcased by the failings of England's top clubs at the highest level. True, Chelsea did win it last year, but they needed a healthy serving of good fortune along the way.

One primary reason that can be attributed to the relative downfall of English sides is the severe lack of quality in the midfield area. In recent seasons, there has been an over-reliance on the forward line to get the job done. En route to the title last year, Chelsea put up a workmanlike midfield which effectively snuffed out the opposition, including Barcelona, but it was Didier Drogba and his goals that almost single-handedly carried them to the title. The season before that United made it to the final, thanks mainly to a somewhat favorable draw and rightly got decimated in the final against Barca. United's triumph in the 2006/07 season was also driven by their midfield consisting of Paul Scholes and Owen Hargreaves who were fantastic in that campaign. Their ability to control the midfield allowed the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez to do their bit up front. Darren Fletcher's absence from the final the very next season against Barcelona proved more damaging than expected. Xavi and Iniesta turned Anderson inside out and cantered to a 2-0 victory. Liverpool's championship side that secured that magical victory in Istanbul was driven on by talismanic Steven Gerrard and Xabi Alonso in the middle. This year, United are on the way to a 20th league title, but with an over-reliance on their forwards, Van Persie in particular. Time after time, they have gotten out of jail with the help of their forwards. The reason they have been behind in games so often is again the lack of midfield.

Yaya Toure is arguably one of the best central midfielders in the league (discounting David Silva as he likes to roam and sometimes plays in a wide position). He was one of the prime pillars on which City's success last season was built. He has been a little out of form, you can blame fatigue or just lack of touch for that. And early on, his struggles corroborated a lot with City's struggles and hence they failed to get momentum going. Michael Carrick's return to form for United has been a joy to watch this season. But, he too suffers from a lack of quality sidekicks. Chelsea for all their attacking flair leave huge gaps in the central midfield and  rely on workhorses John Obi Mikel and Ramires for solidity. They lack a definitive shape and when Eden Hazard, Juan Mata and Oscar all go forward, they are left exposed at the back. Tottenham too have relied on the brilliance of Gareth Bale, but have some good options in the form of Scott Parker, Gylfi Sigurdsson and Moussa Dembele. Jack Wilshere is the true outstanding talent currently playing in the English league and when he plays, Arsenal look a totally different side. Mikel Arteta also comes into his own in the company of the young Englishman. But, for Arsenal, more than losing Van Persie, the loss of Alex Song was a big blow. He lent them that steel in midfield and he was very good with his distribution, a combo that has been tough to replace.

Now compare that with the 4 teams that have made it to the semi's. Barcelona, lest we mention have the trio of Xavi, Sergio Busquets and Andres Iniesta who boss the midfield. Bayern Munich have got Bastian Schweinsteiger, Javi Martinez and Toni Kroos who boss the midfield. Borussia Dortmund play Ilkay Gundogan, Sven Bender and Mario Gotze who do the same for the Black and Yellow. And Real Madrid have got the tireless Sami Khedira working with master passer Xabi Alonso and Mesut Ozil who pretty much impose their authority in that area of the pitch. Juventus, who were outclassed by Munich, don't fare too badly either with Andrea Pirlo, Claudio Marchisio, Paul Pogba and Arturo Vidal. The fact that they were usurped by Bayern just goes to show how well the Germans are playing and how effective their midfield unit is in nullifying that of their opponents. PSG who narrowly lost to Barcelona have 2 fine youngsters in Marco Verratti and Blaise Matuidi (not bought for huge sums of money by the way) who'd be able to gain the measure of even the best English sides. Doesn't make for healthy reading, does it?

Paul Pogba mentioned in a recent interview that the main reason for his departure from Old Trafford was Ferguson's stubborn refusal to play the youngster choosing to plump for veterans such as Ryan Giggs and Scholes instead. This when it was so blatantly clear that United needed legs and energy alongside the passing ability of Carrick. So, until this problem is solved, the well documented struggles of English sides against the best of Europe is going to continue. The Italian league is on a bit of a rebuilding phase as even the traditional big boys such as Milan and Juve struggle financially. So, the Premier League may not fall behind them, but the drop in quality overall has been obvious. A continued decadence and England could fall behind Italy and surrender that 4th Champions League spot to another nation as Italy found out when usurped by Germany.

Real Madrid ease to a comfortable home win over Galatasaray

It was a perfect day at the office for Jose Mourinho and his boys as they emerged from their Quarterfinal 1st leg versus Galatasaray with a near perfect result. 3 goals giving them a sizable advantage going into the 2nd leg in Istanbul and no away goals conceded.


Fabio Coentrao and Raphael Varane, who were both doubtful before the game, were passed fit and took the field for Madrid. Michael Essien came in for Alvaro Arbeloa at right back in the only change to the starting XI from the side that played Manchester United in both games. Cristiano Ronaldo scored the customary Champions League goal for the 4th consecutive game in a row. It was a beautiful finish from the Portuguese who chipped it over the onrushing Fernando Muslera after receiving a neat through ball from Mesut Ozil.

Galatasaray though showed plenty of adventure and were not content on sitting back. Felipe Melo in the middle of the park had a very good game for the visitors. He was involved in most of the good work and the Turkish side showed good attacking intent as they tested Diego Lopez in the Madrid goal with some long rangers. However, playing such an open game they fell prey to Real's scythe like attack on the counter. Angel Di Maria had another good Champions League outing and Fatih Terim's side were finding it difficult to contain the runs of Ronaldo and Di Maria. Karim Benzema then added the second for the home side, when he chested down a Michael Essien before effecting a cool finish at the near post.

Despite going 2 goals down, Gala still strove forward looking to attack and had a decent spell of possession before half-time, but couldn't break down the Madrid defence where both Sergio Ramos and Varane had another excellent game. But, in the second half, it was all Madrid as Galatasaray faded with their players looking fatigued and their lack of experience at this stage. Real did not really have to get out of third gear and were in cruise control and soon got the third of the night when substitute Gonzalo Higuain, who had come on for Benzema, headed in Xabi Alonso's free-kick.

A job well done for Mourinho that sees Madrid with one foot already in the semi-finals as Galatasaray will need nothing short of a miracle to overturn this one. And they will have to do it without their ace marksman Burak Yilmaz, who picked up a yellow for simulation, when replays actually showed that a penalty should have been awarded for Ramos's stamp on the Turkish forward. Ramos did pick up a yellow eventually, with some claiming it was intentional, just like 2 years ago in order to clean his slate before the semis. But, the gulf in class between the 2 sides was evident on the night and it might be one that Fatih Terim and Galatasaray may not be able to bridge even in front of their home fans in Istanbul.

A Real Gala Affair

Joyous midweek if you are a football fan with passions (and tension) running high. The starry European nights are here, the very reason why Sir Alex Ferguson claims he is reluctant to hang up his boots just yet. For 3 of the Quarter-finalists tonight - Malaga, Galatasaray and Borussia Dortmund - it marks a special occasion indeed. They are in the business end of the UEFA Champions League and that doesn't happen very often.

Real Madrid are in pursuit of the 'Decima', a 10th European crown. Madrid are the royalty of Europe already, but a 10th title would just push them into an exalted status altogether. For Jose Mourinho, it's the dream of a 3rd crown with as many teams, something that nobody has ever achieved before. With Barcelona running away with the league title, all of Madrid's energies are focused on claiming the big European prize. They were very close last year, going out agonizingly on penalties to Bayern Munich in front of their home fans. And Mourinho and his men would look to make that final step this year.

Cristiano Ronaldo is doing what Cristiano Ronaldo does - scoring goals, making plays, defying gravity to hang in the air, you name it. He is joint top scorer in this year's competition with 8 goals. He shares that mantle with a guy who he will line up against tonight, more on him later. An emotional encounter with his former club Manchester United in the previous round was a dicey one, but Real pulled through and he scored 2 goals to help them on their way. They have stuttered in the league, but then again it's understandable considering where their priorities lie.

What bodes well for them is the return to form of current captain Sergio Ramos and the emergence of teenager Raphael Varane that has strengthened the defence. The duo were Madrid's standout players in the tie against United and especially in the 2nd leg were the 2 best players on the pitch along with keeper Sergio Lopez. They still struggle when they are given the ball and forced to dictate the play and United exploited this weakness very well.

What they do have in plenty is goals and electric pace up top with Ronaldo, Angel di Maria and Gonzalo Higuain forming a lethal trio that can tear into any side. They were before yesterday, the best attacking side along with Bayern having scored 19 goals in 8 games. Once again the first leg is at home, and Real will be keen to put this tie to bed right here, right now before embarking on their trip to 'Hell'.

Turkish football is always associated with emotionally charged passionate crowds, colorful and vibrant atmosphere and players and managers who tend to play with their hearts on their sleeves. Fatih Terim, 'the Emperor' as he is called, has steered Galatasaray into the final 8. And whatever folks may say, they have earned their right to be here. You must be doing something right when you have the competition's joint leading goal scorer in your ranks. Burak Yilmaz has been on a tear in the Champions League and has matched Ronaldo when it comes to scoring. What is of real significance is that Gala have netted only 11 goals so far and Yilmaz has bagged 8 of them. Real though have failed to keep a single clean sheet so far and that will be encouraging news for the Turks as they will look to take back a precious away goal.

Didier Drogba is one man who striker who knows how to take his team to glory as he exemplified last year. He has joined the Turkish giants along with Dutch midfielder Wesley Sneijder to add some bite and Champions League winning experience to the squad. It has been 12 years since Galatasaray made it this far, way back in 2000-01 and it was Real who stopped them, emerging 5-3 winners on aggregate after each side won its home leg. They are charged with a mammoth task once more and while not impossible, it is isn't the easiest. Plus, with Madrid having had a big 2 games against United, you'd reckon they would have dusted off any rust and have that big game win under their belts. While for Gala, they did well to rally to beat Schalke, but this is a stern test for them.

TEAM NEWS

Fabio Coentrao and Raphael Varane both missed the game at the weekend and are rated doubtful for tonight's encounter. Varane, if he doesn't make it, will be a big miss as he was one of their key guys against United repelling many an attack. Iker Casillas is fit again, but it is very unlikely that Mourinho will start the Spanish captain preferring to go with Diego Lopez instead.

Engin Baytar and Aydin Yilmaz have not traveled to Spain and that means Johan Elmander (remember him from Bolton Wanderers) could feature. Otherwise, the Emperor has a full complement of players to choose from.

Galatasaray have improved markedly since the competition began and have gotten better with every game. With Yilmaz firing in front of goal and new additions Drogba and Sneijder, they carry a sizable threat. The first leg though will be important as a heavy defeat could leave them with too much to do in Istanbul. Real at their best this season have been unplayable especially when Ronaldo and Di Maria get on the ball. Plus there's a certain 'the Special One' in their corner, who knows all about winning the Champions League. It could very well turn out like their last encounter with home wins for each side with Madrid scoring more.

Fatih Terim before the game said: "When the draw was made, we drew a team whose goal it is to win the trophy. Madrid have some of the most important players and maybe the best coach in the world. We know very well who we are facing but in the Champions League we have already proved our strength and belief. We will have a great game regardless of the result." So we can expect goals and a good dose of entertainment, it sure does promise to be a Real Gala affair.

UEFA Champions League: What we learnt from this week's action

 The first set of Round of 16 clashes in the UEFA Champions League was completed this week. Four teams have progressed into the next round – Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Juventus, and PSG. The match at Old Trafford which saw Real overcome Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United was by far the talking point of many a discussion this week, but the other teams in working their way into the quarterfinals will receive their fair share of the spotlight in the coming rounds. Amongst the many plots and subplots that panned out, here are a few takeaways that emerged from the clashes this week.

Manchester United – Real Madrid

Sir Alex got his tactics spot on for the game and his side had much the better of Madrid until the sending off. Ferguson having got burnt with a more attacking approach the last two times he’s encountered the Spanish giants, played his cards to perfection. The move was a reflection of his increased tactical nous in Europe, something which he has been often criticized for. The fact that United have only won 2 Champions League titles for all of their domestic dominance continues to be a cause for much heartburn for Fergie during his 26 year reign at United. 

The game also brought to light the increased maturity in some of United’s younger players such as Rafael and Danny Welbeck. Rafael was only a few years back dismissed as a headless chicken and someone who was considered a liability for Sir Alex. This is no longer true as the Brazilian has come of age and is now looking solid both domestically as well as in Europe.

Danny Welbeck, for me, was THE outstanding player for United across the two legs. His electric pace coupled with physical strength and running bodes well for the Manchester club and he offers something different in the four pronged forward line of United’s. Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane needed to be at their very best to contain the young forward. He does need to improve his finishing though, but this tie has shown that the true blue Manchester lad can mix it with the best in Europe.

Cristiano Ronaldo is currently the best player on the planet - make no mistake. He is single-handedly carried this Madrid team this season and the kind of consistency that he has brought into his game is incredible. He also possesses such an all-round game that he can pose a threat to opposing defenses in more than one way. Good in the air and off the ground, threat at set pieces and with electric pace and dribbling skills, Ronaldo, in my opinion, has just moved ahead of Lionel Messi in the pecking order.

Real coach Jose Mourinho possesses two things in wholesome quantities – European experience and championship winning good fortune. Both were at the fore this week, as he once again took advantage of a fortuitous decision and made the right substitutions that gave his side the advantage. 

Another quality of Mourinho that has helped in his drive to success is his objective ability to see his teams play bad even in defeat.  And Real will need to improve markedly if they are to go on and win the ‘Decima’. Twice United managed to slow them down by taking the pace out of the game and conceding possession daring Los Blancos to take the initiative. 

Jose Mourinho said after the game that ‘the best team lost’. Taken alongside pre-match comments showering praise on the Manchester club, it looks evident that Mourinho is keen on taking up the manager’s role at OT sometime in the near future.

Ryan Giggs’ display on Tuesday night went some way to showing why he has been offered a 1-year contract extension at the tender age of 39. The Welshman has put in terrific performances in the league as well and his 1,000th international bow was earned and not handed to him by Sir Alex.

And, as for Wayne Rooney, while being benched for arguably the biggest game of the season is a setback, it is by no means a sign that it is the beginning of the end for the English striker. However, what it offers is a peek into the change in status that he now carries at Old Trafford. 

Borussia Dortmund – Shakhtar Donetsk

Dortmund are one of the finest attacking teams in Europe. Under Juergen Klopp, they play an attractive brand of football that most opponents find difficult to cope with. But, one of the primary reasons for their below par League defence this season has been their unusually leaky defence. They have already conceded more goals this season than the previous two and it could be a weakness that gets exploited by stronger teams in the latter stages of the competition. But, they still look a good bet to make the semis of the competition.

In Mario Gotze, Marko Reus, Jakub ‘Kuba’ Blaszcyszkowski and Robert Lewandowski, they have one of the most potent attacking quartets around. And how effectively they click will go a long way in determining how Dortmund’s season shapes up in the latter stages.

Mat Hummels has to now start being considered amongst the best defenders in Europe. The German international is a brilliant reader of the game and is also a ball-playing defender who can initiate the offense from the back. Also, a rugged tackler of the football, he has kept his game up even as colleague Neven Subotic has struggled with injury and Brazilian Felipe Santana has been inconsistent.

PSG – Valencia

PSG’s progression really cannot be talked up much. Valencia are a struggling side with nowhere close to the finances that the Parisian club have access to. PSG’s performance was more efficient than destructive as they crafted their victory out. 

What they can boast of is some mercurial talent on their rolls in the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic along with Javier Pastore, Ezequiel Lavezzi and Lucas Moura and with the reassuring presence of Carlo Ancelotti at the helm, a man who has overseen successful European campaigns; they will be a tough team to beat.

Juventus – Celtic

The Italian champions effectively ended the tie with their clinical performance away in the first leg. They put up another efficient showing at home to achieve a 5-0 thrashing of a Celtic team that looked out of its depth in this stage of the contest. Juve have to be looked at as genuine contenders and as with all Italian teams, they started slowly, but have been building momentum as they've progressed.

Their defence and midfield match up with the best in the business and they also have veteran experience to call upon. Midfield maestro Andrea Pirlo is having another stellar season pulling the strings at the heart of the Juve midfield. With the industry of Arturo Vidal and Paul Pogba, the Italians have a solid look about them and they are capable of grinding out results if necessary. They do lack a top draw striker though.

For Celtic, it has been a magnificent season regardless of their Round of 16 humbling. Theirs has been one of the stories of the year but the gulf in class between them and the big boys was apparent. Personnel, tactics and experience were the areas they were found wanting and with sound investment in those areas under the astute leadership of Neil Lennon there is no reason to believe we won’t be seeing more of them in coming seasons.