Tag Archives: Champions League

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⚽️ David Beckham plays for PSG against Barcelona 🥅

03 Wednesday Apr 2013

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 ANALYSIS 

In his heyday, the Paris Saint Germain player, David Beckham was known for his trademark free kicks, the ability to loft the ball to an eager forward and of course a steely nerve when it came to the penalty spot.

The first two were in evidence last night as the 38-year-old played against the greatest club team on earth.

It was great to see Beckham play in Europe, and he was not in any out of his depth, which begs the question, could he be part of the England set-up again.

The last time there was such a debate was of course over the decision to terminate the career of Kevin Keegan who went on to show that he was still a force with the then second division side of Newcastle United.

England lost something then when they so abruptly got rid of a player that still could have exerted an influence at an international level.

And on the evidence of last night, it appears that history is repeating itself in the form of David Beckham.

Champions League Quarter Final, Ist Leg, PSG 2 Barcelona 2

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Barcelona 4 AC Milan 0 – Champions of the Champion’s League

13 Wednesday Mar 2013

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TEMPLATE REPORT

Before this game, Barcelona asked their home fans to believe in them.

The faithful who filled the Nou Camp last night were not disappointed, as the world’s greatest team overcame a 2-0 deficit to make Champions League history and remind us all that there such a thing as magic.

From the fifth minute, when Lionel Messi struck a stunning volley the pressure on their Italian giants was unrelenting.

Imagine Spanish national team with Messi as their NO 10 and you have got an idea of how great this Barcelona side were last night.

Messi’s second goal came within a minute of the young Milan striker M’Baye Niang hitting the post.

Had that gone in, then perhaps it would have taken the sting out of the Barca tail. but AC Milan were still in it even in the second half when David Villa put the Spanish giants against three ahead.

It would have only taken a single away goal to rob Barca, and the world, of surely yet another Champion’s League triumph at Wembley.

Fortunately for everyone concerned Milan’s Brazilian striker – what ever happened to Brazilian football then – Robinho was simply overwhelmed by the sheer class of the opposition.

Barcelona answered all the questions asked of them in this game, they became the first team to overcome a deficit to progress into the next round, and in the process they reminded us all that there is such a thing as the beautiful game.

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United should not fear Ronaldo ‘Return’

04 Monday Mar 2013

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TEMPLATE REPORT

 Manchester United must not live in fear of former star Cristiano Ronaldo when he returns to Old Trafford for the deciding Champions League clash with Real Madrid, Sir Alex Ferguson has claimed.

“If we worry about the danger Cristiano can give us we will forget some of the things we can do ourselves.”

“What do you expect when you play against a team with Cristiano in it?” said Ferguson. “You expect problems during the match. We have to try to curtail that as much as we can and as best we can.

“The experience young Rafael had in the first half in Madrid hopefully helps him because he will be given the same task again.”

Ronaldo scored Real’s goal in the 1-1 draw at the Bernabeu – leaving the last 16 tie delicately balanced ahead of Tuesday’s second leg.

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Roberto Di Matteo is fired

21 Wednesday Nov 2012

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TEMPLATE ANALYSIS

Chelsea were simply outclassed last night against a Juventus team that was sharper and far more creative than the Champion League Cup holders.

And their slide from the top of the Premier League was a clear indication that they had come off the boil, and would struggle to get back there even against two Manchester teams that are still not firing on all cylinders.

Even at the beginning of the season there were worrying signs – remember that 4-1 drubbing by Atletico Madrid at Monaco?

So, it should not be a surprise that owner Roman Abramovich was not happy.

However, the speed and ruthlessness of the sacking of the former head coach has taken everyone by surprise.

Di Matteo of course is in good company – even the special one himself suffered the indignity of the axe from an owner who wants to see his team play like Barcelona, and blood players of the calibre of Lionel Messi from its own ranks.

Truth is English clubs look out of their league when they play in Europe and even when they win the trophy there’s always that feeling that they were lucky – that the performance did not merit the outcome.

That a man like Abramovich is losing patience is a good thing for English football – our national side needs to shaken at its core, we need men like Abramovich to remind our underperforming  multi-millionaire Premiership players that a fat pay cheque does not mean that you have made it, only that you are lucky.

CHELSEA’S FALLEN MANAGERS

Claudio Ranieri: Sep 2000 to May 2004

Jose Mourinho: Jun 2004 to Sep 2007

Avram Grant: Sep 2007 to May 2008

Luiz Felipe Scolari: Jul 2008 to Feb 2009

Guus Hiddink: Feb 2009 to May 2009

Carlo Ancelotti: Jun 2009 to May 2011

Andre Villas-Boas: Jun 2011 to Mar 2012 (Click here for Template Report)

Roberto Di Matteo: Mar 2012 to Nov 2012

 Click here and here for Template Commentary about Chelsea Champions League win.

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BREAKING NEWS – Chelsea are European Champions

19 Saturday May 2012

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Penalties –  3 – 4

FT Bayern Munich 1 – 1 Chelsea

       Muller 83                    Drogba 88

Bayern dominated the first half, but did not make it count squandering a hatful of chances, with Arjen Robben and Thomas Muller missing the mark far too often.

The pattern continued in the second.

When Thomas Muller finally made it count eight minutes before time, it looked like it was all over for Roberto di Matteo’s men. However, Drogba appeared out of nowhere two minutes before time to head in an equaliser and it was game on.

Chelsea got back in for the next five mnutes, which included three minutes of extra time, and when Drogba sent a free kick into the crowd the game finished 1-1 after normal time.

Three minutes into extra time though, a Drogba foul on Franck Ribery opened the way for a Arjen Robben penalty which was sensationally saved by Petr Cech.

From now onwards, it appeared that the omens were good for Chelsea and that Bayern would rue all those squandered chances, which included that miss by Robben, as well a great one early in the second half of extra time.

Bayern continued to attack, but they just couldn’t get the ball into the back of the net as the game went into a penalty shoot out with that man Drogba sealing the deal.

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This is Chelsea’s Moment

19 Saturday May 2012

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TEMPLATE COMMENTARY

Nothing about Roberto Di Matteo’s side and how it has managed to get into the Champions League final to meet Bayern Munich has been convincing.

Not the performances, which include a very fortunate defeat of a Barcelona side whose manager was clearly tired of looking at the endless stream of silverware coming his way.

Nor the appearance of his players whose best days are clearly behind them –  that includes the once great Drogba as well those players that have for some reason made it into the England squad for the summer’s European Championships.

So, it would take a brave man to bet against a German side that boasts  amongst others, the latest Dutch superstar, one Arjen Robben in its ranks.

But Chelsea, have got a momentum, similar to the way Liverpool and Manchester United before them had going for them.

Call it the ‘It’ factor, call it what you like – they have team spirit that will mean they will overcome this Bayern Munich side in Munich to become European Club Champions.

The performance will not please their billionaire owner Roman Abramovich, however that will be an argument for another day – for this is Chelsea’s moment.

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⚽️ Why English Clubs fail in Europe 🏟

09 Friday Mar 2012

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The Manchester Clubs were defeated in the first legs of their Europa League fixtures yesterday. In the case of City, losing by one goal to Sporting Lisbon may have had more to do with their own internal issues than with the quality of their opposition who were well organised and held back only by the resolute goalkeeper that is Joe Hart. City looked tired and out of sorts, and still appear to have problems adjusting to Europe, which given the speed of their progress is understandable.

United however, were outplayed outclassed and well out…everything by a team from Spain called Athletic Bilbao.  That United have a one-goal deficit had more to do more with Athletic missing a number of chances than how Alex Ferguson’s men played on the night.

Yes, we have seen the emergence of a new Spanish powerhouse, however, the question has to asked as to what is to become of the English clubs – the Europa League was meant to be Europe’s First Division, well try telling that Athletic who taught the once great European side that was Manchester United how to play with speed, skill and sheer talent.

Arsenal heroics the other night against AC Milan in the Champions League may have been celebrated by the fans, however the truth is they were completely outplayed in the first leg and all Milan had to do was sit back and soak up the pressure for the return fixture at the Emirates.

Robin Van Persie’s miss at the end was not a real reflection of the gap between the two sides.

And Chelsea, who have never really looked like winning the Champions League title ever, have it all to do against Napoli if they are to progress into the quarter-final.

It’s going to take more than getting rid of AVB to come back from a 3-1 defeat here.

Years ago, 2004 if my memory serves me right, a  cab driver gave me the low down on the English game. He believed that English football just did not cut it against the Europeans, something you could clearly see reflected by the continued failure of the national side  and that those foreign players that were lured by the money to play here lost their vitality so that they never the same players ever again.

Trouble is he was right then, and what he said then, is also true today.

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AC Milan v Arsenal, Champions League, Ist Leg

16 Thursday Feb 2012

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Arsenal were outplayed, outclassed and were completely out of their depth last night. AC Milan actually struggled to get to this stage – there again who wouldn’t with Barcelona in your group – you would never have guessed it by the way they took apart Arsene Wenger’s men last night – 4-0 was being kind, this was men against boys, and the appearance of their legend Thierry Henry for one last hurrah only hinted that this was Arsenal that was on  the field at the San Siro and that this was one of the best teams in Europe.

Robinho netted two – the first of which came after a stunning volley from Kevin Prince Boeting, and everytime you looked at the coach’s corner, the usually authoritative Arsene Wenger looked more lost than the rest of us.

If rumours that Henry wants to continue prove to be true, then this Arsenal team will need him for Robin Van Persie is currently carrying this side and that can’t last forever.

Those who thought Arsenal had moved on from that 8-2 drubbing from Manchester United, may want to think again.

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