fc barcelona

FC Barcelona 3-1 Juventus: The Treble goes to Spain

Posted on

One of Barcelona or Juventus would be taking home the treble back to their respective countries. For Juventus, they were looking to raise the trophy after being the bridesmaid too many times and having been plenty patient since they last tasted European glory in 1996. For Barca, they were attempting to cap off what had become a historic seasons in terms of their offense output and return to the top of the mountain. The combination of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez served as the catalyst for Barcelona’s being named the favorite coming into the match, but after taking down Real Madrid and Cristiano Ronaldo, Juventus were expected to give their best.

F.C. Barcelona looked the better side for much of the first half, taken the lead rather easily through excellent passing in the final third, from Dani Alves to Neymar to Iniesta and finally to Ivan Rakitic for the cool finish just a few yards out. Juventus had an answer though, revving up the physicality and while conceding 62% of the possession to the Blaugrana for the match, they managed to carve out a few quality chances of their own in the first half. A hard shot was knocked away by Gianluigi Buffon, who played hero more than once in this contest. It was the second half when things really got interesting. Fifteen minutes into the second frame, Juventus turned the match on its head with a Carlos Tevez shot getting away from Marc-Andre ter Stegen and right into the path of Alvaro Morata. Morata, the man who crushed Real Madrid’s dreams, gave the Italian side the confidence they needed to take control of the match.

it was another fifteen minutes before Barca found an answer. Having survived a free kick and a corner kick, FC Barcelona broke on the counter and the magical Messi found himself bearing down on net. He took a patent left-footed shot that was parlayed to Buffon’s right, but into the path of Luis Suarez, who cut off Rakitic to knock the ball home and capture his moment. Barcelona’s answered took the match into a frenzy, with the fouls getting harder, calls becoming more difficult (Paul Pogba was taken down in the box twice) and counter-attacking became the premium. Both sides had a few more opportunities (six on goal for Juventus and eight for Barcelona), but the Old Lady couldn’t keep up.

There came a moment late in the match, when Xavi, who had replaced Inietsa, collided in a 50-50 tackle with Andrea Pirlo. The moment had no significance to the match, as neither was able to take control of the ball, but it was a coming together of two of the all-time greats that will not be seen again. Xavi and Pirlo, both World Cup winners and two of the greatest midfielders to ever lace up a pair of boots, are moving on from their respective teams, and this final was a testament to what they have always meant to their teams. Xavi has consistently found a way since 1998 to always help the coaching staff right the ship when turmoil entered the Camp Nou. Just this season, he was credited with serving as a sort of liaison between Luis Enrique and Lionel Messi. His calming presence in the midfield continued to be a focal point for one of the best squads in sports for almost two decades. Pirlo, meanwhile, along with Buffon, won World Cup gold in Berlin back in 2006. Pirlo will go down as one of the very best over the ball in a free-kick situation, and his beautiful curling balls will be missed.

The match ended with one more firework as Neymar scored on a Pedro feed on the counter five minutes into stoppage time. The clock continued to run, but the celebrations of Barcelona were too overwhelming and the match ceased and the benches began to converge. Like Bayern Munich in 2013 and Real Madrid last season, the best team in Europe took home the Champions League title and captured their second treble.

This entry was posted in Best of the Rest and tagged , , , , , , , , , , .

El Clasico: Attack of the Luis Suarez

Posted on

El Clasico is a narrative waiting to be written. FC Barcelona versus Real Madrid. Lionel Messi versus Cristiano Ronaldo. A crowd of 98,760 came to see the spectacle in person; a spectacle that could very well decide the La Liga title race. Since only eight of the 169 La Liga games played between the two sides have ended 0-0, goals were expected.

Coming into the grand affair, the two clubs were in much different form. Real Madrid had in recent weeks relinquished the La Liga points lead to Barcelona, while limping into the round of eight in Champions League by sneaking past FC Schalke 04 on aggregate. Meanwhile, the Catalans came in winning 17 of 19 matches in 2015. Yet, like any Clasico, one result in a match of such magnitude can completely change a team’s fortune.

While the first 18 minutes of action were largely uneventful other than Ronaldo hitting the post, the other 72-plus were action-packed. At the 19 minute mark, FC Barcelona found an unlikely hero as Frenchman Jeremy Mathieu headed home his first goal against Real Madrid and just his second of the season. Two minutes later, the first of eleven yellow cards was handed out, with notorious Camp Nou antagonist Pepe getting things started. Around the 30 minute mark, Neymar failed to convert to make it 2-0, and the Galaticos made the home side pay. Cristiano Ronaldo has largely received the praise for Madrid’s triumphs this season and Gareth Bale has turned into a scapegoat of sorts of late, but the forgotten man (and the other Frenchman on the pitch) Karim Benzema served as the catalyst for Madrid’s comeback. With Real Madrid on the counterattack, Benzema found Ronaldo with a precision-pass with the back-heel that the reigning Ballon d’Or winner easily slotted past Claudio Bravo to tie up the score at 1-1. From then on, the rest of the half found the Catalans backpedaling. Gareth Bale had a goal disallowed for offside and Real Madrid was unlucky to be without a lead at the half. Nevertheless, the second half was where the narrative was truly written. Having had little effect on the first match-up between the Spanish giants in October, due possibly to being the first match back from suspension, Luis Suarez was looking to become the first Uruguayan to score in El Clasico since Ramon Alberto Villaverde in 1960; and score he did. No sooner than ten minutes into the second half, the controversial striker latched onto a long ball from Jordi Alba, set himself up with one touch to control, and calmly finished side netting on a goal that Iker Casillas should have done better on. With renewed fervor, Barcelona took back control of the constant and controlled play throughout a volatile second half to win the match 2-1 and go four points clear of their rival with ten games remaining.

Here are some of the highlights by Football Reviews. The Mathieu goal can be found at 2:20, Ronaldo’s at 4:08 and Suarez’s game-winner at 6:45.

All in all, it was another Clasico not short on drama, big moments and behavior that outraged both sets of fans. Last year saw Real Madrid capture their tenth Champions League title and FC Barcelona slapped with a year-long transfer ban, but this season, Barcelona are in the drivers seats in La Liga and have momentum in the Champions League. These teams could meet again in European competition, and surely a third match-up between the two with so much on the line would create another stunning narrative for El Clasico.

This entry was posted in Best of the Rest and tagged , , , , , , , .

Hungary: The Forgotten Powerhouse

Posted on

After the 7-1 tragedy in Brazil, millions of people the world over wondered if the collapse signals the end of Brazil’s reign of being a world power. Dominance is of course a tempered expectation, as a 2010 loss to the Netherlands in the quarterfinal was seen as a huge disappointment, just not to the same degree. Yet, through all the misery of the defeat to Germany at home, Brazil will rise again, just as they have done since the dawn of Pele and Brazil’s first of five World Cup wins in 1958. Brazil is a country that will consistently produce a top-tier national team while providing little support for one to think contrary to that. They will continue to be joined by Germany, Argentina, Italy and the Netherlands, along with teams that temper their expectations toward at least the second round of every major tournament. This grouping has for decades included the likes of England, Belgium, France, Spain, Uruguay, Portugal and potentially even the likes of Chile, Greece, Sweden, Japan, Mexico and the United States. Some of these latter names have obviously found more recent success such as the U.S. or Japan. While African nations were not allowed two teams into the World Cup until 1982, there is still an expectation since then for teams such Cameroon, Ghana, Nigeria, Algeria and the Ivory Coast to at least qualify for the World Cup and contend for the African Cup of Nations. Egypt has made an impact in African football competitions, but they have not yet translated their success to the World Cup, having only qualified in 1934 and 1990.

Nevertheless, one thing that each of the preceding countries share is that none have ever identified themselves as Communist countries (with East Germany being the exception). If former Communist countries were added to any of these categories, then surely Russia, Romania, Bulgaria and even Croatia and Serbia should be applauded for their success after their national teams were either formed or reformed after the Revolutions of 1989. While Russia has allocated the former records of the successful Soviet Union national team that failed to qualify only twice for the World Cup in 1974 and 1978, there is still one country with a rich footballing history that seems to have been forgotten. Throughout the 20th and early part of the 21st centuries, every country has seen their ups and downs while adjusting success to expectations, but no country had seen such highs only to withstand decades of futility quite Hungary, the national team of the Magical Magyars of the 1950s.

Back in 1954, before the world had heard of Pele or Franz Beckenbauer, West Germany were underdogs in the World Cup Final in Switzerland to the much stronger Hungarians. West Germany was returning to international competition after being kept out of the 1950 World Cup following World War II, and even making the final was a major accomplishment for the depressed country. Hungary, meanwhile, had won Olympic Gold at the 1952 Summer Games and was considered as not only the best team in the world, but potentially the greatest collection of talent that the world had seen to that point. The roster was full of players from Budapest Honved, the team of the Hungarian Army, and played a style that emphasized versatility and defending as a unit immediately after turning the ball over, two revolutionary ideas. They had flexed their superior talent in 1953 when they dominated a 3rd ranked England squad 6-3 at Wembley Stadium. While the nicknamed Magical Magyars of Hungary would lose the 1954 World Cup Final 3-2 to West Germany, the loss was not the end of Hungarian football, as superstars like Ferenc Puskas, Sandor Kocsis and Zoltan Czibor were just entering their primes.

Hungary had dominated the decade like no team had before, and while they failed to secure a World Cup trophy, they continued their dominance a year later when they defeated a strong Scotland side 4-2 at Hampden Park in Glasgow. Yet, their most significant victory came in 1956 when they defeated the Soviet Union 1-0 in Moscow. The Soviet Union had never lost at home, but a goal from Czibor was enough to give Hungary the victory. This victory would not be Hungary’s last big result as they continued to have success in the 1960s, but it was the last major result with the Magical Magyars leading the charge. October 23rd 1956 saw the start of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956, also called the Hungarian Uprising, which lasted until November 10th of the same year. The Hungarian Revolution was a series of revolts that grew more violent with progression by the citizens of Hungary in opposition to the Hungarian government’s policies that had been levied directly by the Soviet Union. The Soviets took full control of Hungary, and many of the players on the Magical Magyars chose to play abroad instead of returning to Budapest.

While Nandor Hidegkuti, Gyula Grosics and Jozsef Bozsik returned to Hungary, Puskas, Kocsis and Czibor all moved to Spain to continue their playing careers for high-profile clubs. Laszlo Kubala of FC Barcelona, a Hungarian refugee who played just three games for Hungary in 1948 but went on to play for eight years for Spain in 19 appearances, persuaded Kocsis and Czibor to join him in Catalonia. Meanwhile, Puskas headed to Real Madrid where he would become a legend, scoring 156 goals in 180 appearances from 1958 to 1966. Puskas and Alfredo Di Stefano led a Real Madrid squad that ruled the early 1960s, and Puskas often rivaled his fellow forward for the title of “best goalscorer in Europe” from game to game.

While Hungary was still able to capture gold at both the 1964 and 1968 Olympics, they never again showed the unrelenting dominance that they had throughout the 1950s on their way to staying unbeaten for 31 consecutive matches. With the 1972 Olympics came the official end of the golden era of Hungarian football, as the Hungarians settled for silver against Poland, followed by a fourth place finish at Euro 1972. The struggles really began in the 1980s as Hungary needed to be content with just qualifying for the World Cup. In the 1990s, Hungary was not even that lucky, watching their FIFA ranking fall to an all-time low at 87. To make matters worse, the collapse of the Communist government in Hungary severely damaged the financial prospects of major clubs, led by Ferencvaros. The 2000s saw the same ineptitude in results, and the team that was once the best in the world was as much of a shadow of its former self as it could be. The nucleus of today’s squad includes 27-year-old winger Balazs Dzsudzsak of Dynamo Moscow and 26-year-old forward Adam Szalai of 1899 Hoffenheim, formerly of FC Schalke 04. While players like these may be starters on bigger European teams, they couldn’t possibly be expected to start the revival to lead Hungary back to their glory days. For today’s Hungary, it’s all about moderated expectations.

This entry was posted in Best of the Rest and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

Stability in Catalonia

Posted on

Making the Champions League knockout stages with two group games remaining and sitting atop the La Liga table still unbeaten doesn’t sound like a team in flux. Though the names on the team-sheet are the same, Tata Martino’s Barcelona is quite different than the one that were dominated by Bayern Munich last spring. This result will continue to be mentioned by critics of the tiki-taka, but even the harshest critics have recognized Barca’s more direct approach this year. This more direct approach has highlighted the playmaking abilities of Neymar and Cesc Fabregas in particular, who have seventeen assists between them. At the beginning of the season, the notion that Neymar and Fabregas would have a combined eight goals would have been troubling, but the seven goals brought on by the renaissance of Alexis Sanchez and eleven different Barcelona players finding the score-sheet has got the job done. Lionel Messi answered the detractors who howled that he was playing without his usual magic because he hadn’t scored in four games by netting a brace against AC Milan. Yet, even with the scoring “drought” of four games, Messi has still scored fourteen goals in fifteen appearances. When 57 million euros were splashed on Neymar in the offseason, there were questions about the player’s attitude and whether or not he would mesh well in Europe, and more specifically, in the Catalonian system. Neymar has, as Barcelona has for much of the season, hushed the naysayers by being the Blaugrana’s most dangerous attacking player.

Next on the pundits checklist of doubts was the suspect defense, with which they still have the case. Martino’s answer to solve the defensive issues has been stability, with Gerard Pique and Javier Mascherano starting fourteen and thirteen games respectively, of Barcelona’s eighteen games played. However, the question of how the promising young Marc Bartra fits is beginning to be answered by the health of Carles Puyol. The transfer rumors were ablaze throughout the summer about the center defender that Barcelona couldn’t live without, yet Martino has now opted to go with two centre-back duos, with Gerard Pique/Javier Mascherano and Marc Bartra/Carles Puyol now platooning throughout the different competitions. Though the former pair may be preferred over the latter in big games, a lack of form would make replacing them a synch. Though Barcelona does have a clasico win already under their belts this season, the defense will still not be free of scrutiny until they face the tougher competition in the Champions League and exorcise the demons last season. On the ends, Adriano is playing at such a level that Jordi Alba does not need to rushed back from injury, while Dani Alves has picked up his defensive intensity, making it hard for Martin Montoya to get more than two appearances. In net, Victor Valdes has played every minute this season, and even if the defense has made mistakes, Valdes has usually been there to clean things up. Valdes has arguably been the Blaugrana’s most consistent player, and though the issue of replacing him is ever on the mind, the solace that he will be in net for the remainder of the year represents an unwavering assurance at present time behind the defense.

Though Thiago was lost to Bayern Munich, the worst case scenario over the summer would have been to lose Fabregas to Manchester United. The response to a worry about playing time has been a rotation system between the big three of Iniesta, Fabregas and Xavi that has seen Iniesta and Fabregas both appear as a substitute five times, while Xavi has served as a sub twice. Getting Iniesta’s contract situation figured out sooner than later will ease some of the fear about the near future. The regular rotation of these three has then led to worries about the young Sergi Roberto considering the Thiago route of looking for time elsewhere, as he has only made three appearances off the bench all season. Jonathan Dos Santos snagged the other three sub appearances in the center of the midfield, but Dos Santos is out for the next six months recovering from a knee injury. The fundamental difference between Thiago leaving and Sergi Roberto leaving would be that this is only Roberto’s first year in the first team and the player has made it known that he is willing to be patient for at least a year or two. In the same vein, Alex Song has been riddled in transfer rumors as well. Yet, since the rumors really started heating up, he has played in three of the last four games, with one start. With Sergio Busquets in front of him, Song will always have an uphill battle, but Martino has done a good job of providing the Cameroonian will plenty of opportunity to make his case for regular minutes.

It seems to be a catch-22 with Barcelona in that on one hand they have so many talented players, not every player gets their fair share of field time, yet on the other hand they were critiqued for squad depth over the summer, being called “thin” at both the back and up top. Those questioning depth were few and far between, and now the other side of the argument is really starting to rumble. The only serious transfer rumor of late surrounds Eder Alvarez Balanta, a left-footed centre-back currently plying his trade at River Plate in Argentina. The 20-year-old could be the future of the Barcelona backline, but if Barcelona don’t make him a priority, he may be snatched up by his one of his other many European suitors. Nevertheless, the acquisition of another first team player may just cause more turmoil about playing time, something that Barcelona management is always trying to avoid. In addition, the arrival of another option at the back may stunt the growth of another promising young player in Frank Bagnack, who flashed some of his potential on Barcelona’s preseason schedule.

The other position that management seems to be exploring for the January transfer window is the centre-forward position, though Martino has come out and said that he is very happy with the how the squad is now. For those who call for transfers into the major clubs, remember first that bringing in another player can always slow the progression of a younger player waiting in the wings. For example, take Manchester City striker John Guidetti, who having spent the last 18 months recovering from injury, is now effectively frozen out of the club at the ripe old age of 21 because he is so low in the pecking order.  A home-grown talent like Guidetti will need to go elsewhere to find regular football because Manchester City will continue to purchase proven forwards who do not need time to develop. Barcelona is already looking to have a similar issue, with names like Gerard Deulofeu out on loan at Everton and Rafinha Alcantara at Celta de Vigo. The club has been renowned for their emphasis on youth, and it could be argued that Barcelona will not need to bring in additional attacking players for a few more years. Between Antonio Sanabria, Jean Marie Dongou, David Babunski and Sandro Ramirez, as well as Deulofeu, Adama Traore, Joan Roman and Dani Nieto on the wings, surely at least two of these names have the potential to be Camp Nou legends in their own right before too long.

With the Copa del Rey starting in early December and Barcelona already qualifying for the knockout stages of the Champions League, expect to see Sergi Roberto and Montoya, along with some Barcelona B starlets like Javier Espinosa, Denis Suarez, Sergi Samper and Alex Grimaldo, to get their looks under the bright lights. Cup matches are the perfect time to give young talent an extended look, as long as the final objective of raising the trophy is always kept in sight. The amount of trophies that Barcelona has won the last few years should be an indication that the vision of victory has never been too far off. If the biggest issue so far in the 2013-2014 season is the lack of faith in youth, again, then Barcelona seem to be operating on all cylinders, even with Messi out for the next five to seven weeks. However, Bayern Munich is still the favorite to repeat in the Champions League, while Atletico Madrid only sits a point back in the La Liga table. Martino has been adamant that his rotations and philosophies will pay off in the spring when each tournament reaches its apex, but the Blaugrana will have stout competition from all sides. Though things could certainly unravel for the Catalan giants, it seems that Tata Martino and company are meticulously quieting all doubts and methodically preparing his squad for the maelstrom ahead.

This entry was posted in Best of the Rest and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

2013/2014 UEFA Champions League Preview

Posted on Updated on

Group A

Manchester United

Manchester United has a surprisingly difficult group. They have more quality than their three group opponents, but each of their opponents are very solid squads who play with tons of confidence. If Nemanja Vidic can stay healthy and shore up that backline, and Marouane Fellaini can do the same for the midfield, the Red Devils will be in very good shape. Robin Van Persie will score goals and David de Gea has improved tons in the last two years, but Wayne Rooney could be the difference between struggling a few games in the group stage and gliding easily to the knockout rounds.

Shakhtar Donetsk

Darijo Srna will again be captaining a strong side looking to advance to the knockout stages. The new group of Brazilians in Fernando and Bernard seem to have acclimated with their already established countrymen in Diego Costa and Wellington Nem. If they can keep the center of the park tidy without Fernandinho, they are capable of shocking a tournament favorite or two.

Bayer Leverkusen

Leverkusen are steamrolling opponents in the Bundesliga through five games, and they are a squad who could see a number of players find their stock rise before the World Cup. German Sidney Sam is a young and upcoming do-everything attacking midfielder and Son Heung-Min was a savvy pickup in the transfer window. Behind them in the middle are Lars Bender and veteran Simon Rolfes, two guys ready to show that not only is Leverkusen a team on par with the German big two, but also that the two midfielders deserve a hard look before the World Cup.

Real Sociedad

Spectacular goals from Antoine Griezmann and Haris Seferovic highlighted their tie against Lyon, and these two young forwards are capable of more of the same. Carlos Vela may not have the best relationship with the Mexican national team, but he has been a revelation for the Basque club up top. Amid transfer speculation throughout the early part of the summer, towering defender Inigo Martinez is staying at Real Sociedad for Champions League action. Xabi Prieto could make a name for himself, as the 30-year-old midfielder has been at the club his entire career, and is now looking to pick up the pieces in the center of the pitch after the departure of Asier Illarramendi to Real Madrid.

Group B

Real Madrid

With Malaga in financial trouble, Real Madrid capitalized and snagged the young playmaker Isco. He looks to be a game-changer even in the crowded midfield at the Bernabeu and the Champions League would be a great stage to show Vicente del Bosque that he deserves a plane ticket to Brazil with Spain. Newly acquired Gareth Bale will obviously be a huge storyline coming in, but Cristiano Ronaldo and his recently signed contract is still the lifeblood of the Galacticos. Yet, if Real Madrid are to raise the trophy at the end, Karim Benzema and Alvaro Morata are under intense pressure to deliver.

Juventus

Juventus are a trendy pick as an outside favorite to finish on top in May, and their treasure trove of talent is a good reason why. Incorporating Fernando Llorente appears to be the only bit of work by the club left to do, because Carlos Tevez is already fitting like a glove and playing as one of the best in Europe at the moment. The midfield of Arturo Vidal, Andrea Pirlo, Claudio Marchisio, and Paul Pogba is one of the top three in the competition, along with Bayern Munich and Barcelona. Add right back Stephan Lichsteiner to that mix of offensive wealth and a defense that has been sublime in Serie A, and it appears clear why Juventus are tournament favorites.

Galatasaray

This is a squad with plenty of Champions League experience with Didier Drogba, Felipe Melo and Wesley Sneijder, but all eyes should be on the young guns. In a group with Ronaldo, Bale, Tevez, and many more, 22-year-old centre-back Semih Kaya could really make a name for himself. 18-year-old winger Bruma, who signed a 5-year deal with the Turkish giants near the end of the transfer window, was a huge coup. He considered one of, if not the brightest young talent in Portuguese football.

Copenhagen

Danish international and Copenhagen right back Lars Jacobsen may not have much CL experience, but his leadership throughout the opening rounds of qualifying was vital. They are surely huge underdogs in this group, but if Thomas Delaney can work some magic in the middle of the park and Brazilian Cesar Santin can find the back of the net early, Copenhagen has the experience to cause an upset.

Group C

S.L. Benfica

S.L. Benfica were able to hold on to forward Oscar Cardozo in the summer window, and they will need him in a squad hoping they have the depth to compete in Europe. Ezequiel Garay is one of the best centre-backs in Europe not playing in one of the four major leagues, and he is supported by the duo of Andre Gomes and Nemanja Matic sitting in front of the defense. With Nicolas Gaitan out on the wing, this is a squad with the quality to play with the best, but it is still unseen whether or not they have the depth to follow up their Europa League runner-up season with success in the Champions League.

Paris Saint-Germain

Armed with the best defender in all of football with Thiago Silva and two of the best marksmen in the world in Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Edinson Cavani, PSG will be a tough out no matter who the opponent is. Brazilian Lucas Moura is growing up before our very eyes into one of the better players at his position, and other youngsters Marquinhos and Lucas Digne could see increased roles as they realize their potential. Blaise Matuidi may not be the most glamorous choice in the side, but his leadership in the middle is indispensable for Laurent Blanc’s men.

Olympiacos

Costa Rica’s Joel Campbell set CONCACAF qualifying ablaze with both his goalscoring abilities and skills of falling to the ground, skills that garnered Matt Besler a yellow card suspension. On loan from Arsenal, Campbell could very well earn a return to the Emirates next season with some terrific performances. Slovak winger Vladimir Weiss has bounced around a number of clubs since joining Manchester City’s first team in 2009, but he is still relatively young at 23-years-old. Greek international Ioannis Maniatis is vital to the Olympiacos game-plan, as the midfielder will be necessary to keep the midfield tidy in matches where Olympiacos will most likely not see much of the ball in possession.

Anderlecht

The Belgian champions have the experience to compete, just not the talent. Matias Suarez and Sacha Kljestan are scoring goals, but they may not have the same amount of time in front of net against opponents of higher quality. 19-year-old Dennis Praet seems to be Belgium’s next member of their proclaimed Golden Generation and the Champions League could be his coming out party. In terms of Anderlecht’s chances at a victory, Senegalese centre-back Cheikhou Kouyate may be the most important player they have.

Group D

Bayern Munich

After beating German rival Borussia Dortmund last May for the trophy, they celebrated by bringing in Pep Guardiola as manager and stealing Mario Gotze from Dortmund and Thiago Alcantara from Barcelona. There’s no wonder they are favorites for this year’s title as well. Yet, with all their fancy new toys, usual suspects Philipp Lahm and Bastian Schweinsteiger are still the heart and soul of this team. Complacency and managing everyone’s touches will be the hardest obstacles for the German giants, as the reigning UEFA Best Player in Europe Franck Ribery and left-footed Arjen Robben can win a game on their own if they’re in the mood.

CSKA Moscow

People may be surprised how many names they recognize from this year’s edition of CSKA Moscow. Keisuke Honda is still around, along with Russians Alan Dzagoev and Igor Akinfeev in net. The Swedish Rasmus Elm was the big capture last season, and his chemistry with 20-year-old forward Ahmed Musa will be key. Musa may not be able to drink legally in the United States yet, but he already has 31 appearances for Nigeria and could secure a high profile move in January if he puts on a show.

Manchester City

Manchester City may have drawn Bayern Munich, but that doesn’t mean they can’t win the group. Fernandinho, Jesus Navas and Alvaro Negredo have made a smooth transition into the side and will be huge for the Citizens this season. If Vincent Kompany can stay healthy and Edin Dzeko can find the back of the net, Manchester City will be tough to beat. Every year that City continues to grace the group stage is another year of experience for a squad learning how to perfectly balance a run at the Premiere League title with Champions League action. No matter where they play, Yaya Toure will be terrorizing opponents from every corner of the pitch.

Viktoria Plzen

Unless you’re fan of the Gambrinus Liga in the Czech Republic, you may not know much about Viktoria Plzen. They won a match in the group stage two years ago, and if they are to do it again, they will need big contributions from striking duo and Slovak internationals Marek Bakos and Michal Duris, as well as Czech and former Tottenham Hotspur David Limbersky. They may not have much of a chance to advance, but topping Bayern Munich or Manchester City would surely do wonders for the club’s morale and a win for the history books.

Group E

Chelsea

Led by two-time UEFA Champions League winning manager Jose Mourinho, Chelsea are a force to be reckoned with. If Eden Hazard and Oscar don’t dazzle you with their footwork, Frank Lampard and Branislav Ivanovic can still kill you on set pieces. This team has so much attacking power that Romelu Lukaku was forced to leave on loan. Samuel Eto’o returning to the spotlight and youngsters like Kevin De Bruyne and Marco van Ginkel all have something to prove, and if anyone can get the best out his squad, it’s Mourinho. Having won the trophy two years ago with a philosophy of defending and counterattacking but crashing out of the group stages last season, the question now will be whether or not Chelsea can reclaim the title with the new attacking ingenuity.

FC Schalke

Chelsea and Basel may be excited after FC Schalke struggled in the opening fixtures of the Bundesliga and their playoff with PAOK, but grabbing Kevin Prince-Boateng from AC Milan may have been the move to right the ship. The German club have quality and internationals all over the pitch. Any team with Jefferson Farfan, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Jermaine Jones will at least have a fighting spirit, but there are still questions, such as Hungarian Adam Szalai needing to show he’s a Champions League-caliber striker. Nevertheless, Julian Draxler, even at the ripe old age of 19, is auditioning for a plane ticket to Brazil with World Cup giant Germany.

FC Basel

After putting themselves on the map in the last few seasons with decent Champions League appearances, teams will sleep on FC Basel at their own peril. Swiss international Fabian Frei may be the marquee name in the side, but don’t forget about attacking duo Valentin Stocker and Mohamed Salah. At left midfield, Stocker is an experienced 24-year-old, and up top Salah is looking to prove that his 2012 CAF Most Promising African Talent of the Year award wasn’t a fluke.

Steaua Bucuresti

Losing Vlad Chiriches on the backline was huge for a team that won’t be a favorite in any game, but maybe history will serve them well. Steaua Bucuresti captured a European Cup in 1986, and if they are to win even a single game this time around, the three players to keep an eye on are captain and defensive midfielder Alexandru Bourceanu, vice-captain and winger Cristian Tanase, and Sampdoria loanee Federico Piovaccari manning the forward line.

Group F

Arsenal

While the pundits were calling for Arsene Wenger’s head, the Frenchman snagged Mesut Ozil from Real Madrid in the closing minutes of the transfer window and changed Arsenal’s attacking fortunes. The midfield is where the London side thrive, with a healthy Jack Wilshere and the team’s hottest player, Aaron Ramsey patrolling the middle. Theo Walcott and lone striker Olivier Giroud will need to score some goals if Arsenal are to progress from the tournament’s hardest group.

Marseille

The Ayew brothers, Andre and Jordan, along with Mathieu Valbuena and Dimitri Payet, are the creative masterminds in the squad and could help see Marseille return to CL glory. Andre-Pierre Gignac has always been very hot and cold for club and country, but a few timely goals could erase some of the doubts. Cameroon’s Nicolas N’Koulou is the name to watch, as he’ll have plenty to do in this group along the backline.

Borussia Dortmund

They currently sit atop the Bundesliga table, and for good reason. The departure of Mario Gotze and a potentially unhappy Robert Lewandowski might have meant gloom and doom for last year’s runners-up, but that has not been the case. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is the new creative force behind Lewandowski, while Armenian Henrikh Mkhitaryan has already bagged three goals in just four appearances. If Dortmund can get to the knockout round, don’t sleep on Jurgen Klopp’s men.

Napoli

Napoli make this a very difficult group, pure and simple. Losing Edinson Cavani could have meant a dip in form for the Italian side, but manager Rafael Benitez used the Cavani funds to strengthen the Starting XI without affecting chemistry. A big reason that new faces Gonzalo Higuain, Dries Mertens, and Pepe Reina haven’t affected chemistry is that Marek Hamsik, long-rumored to be snatched up by a larger club, is currently the squad’s best player. Lorenzo Insigne is the up-and-comer to watch out wide.

Group G

FC Porto

Much can be said about a side that seems to lose their top talent year in and year out, but always seem to challenge for both domestic and CL glory. Even with losing Joao Moutinho and James Rodriguez to Monaco, they managed to hold on to Colombian striker Jackson Martinez and centre-back Eliaquim Mangala. New additions Hector Herrera, Diego Reyes and Juan Quintero are three more lively Porto players that could soon result in another big influx of cash for the Portuguese club.

Atletico Madrid

David Villa and Diego Costa are as dangerous as any strike force in the world. Arda Turan provides support to the strikers, and manager Diego Simeone has the entire team defending with passion. They have started the La Liga season unblemished, and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois is a big reason why. The Belgian international is already one of the world’s premiere shot-stoppers, and the next year could very well take him into the top-tier in both club and international notoriety.

Zenit St. Petersburg

Zenit St. Petersburg may not be expected to go very far in the tournament, but any team with Hulk, Alex Witsel, and Andrey Arshavin at their disposal can always steal one or two. The trip to Petrovsky Stadium is one that few teams enjoy, and even fewer midfielders flourish against 35-year-old Konstantin Zyryanov and his crunching tackles. This team could cause some headaches for Porto and Atletico is they don’t bring their “A” game.

Austria Wien

A playoff winner via an upset of Dinamo Zagreb, Austria Wien will surely enjoy the opportunity to play some of the world’s best on the biggest stage. Like any group stage long-shot, the Austrian champions have a goalkeeper with a perchance for a magic performance with Heinz Lindner. Striker Marko Stankovic and midfielder Alexander Grunwald could make a name for themselves with a big showing for their side.

Group H

FC Barcelona

If Carles Puyol comes back from his knee injuries to full fitness and Barcelona’s defense can’t be described as leaky, they are surely favorites to win it all. The combination of Lionel Messi, Neymar, Cesc Fabregas, Iniesta, and Xavi is enough to give any opposing defense nightmares. They have great history with each of their group opponents, but anything short of a return to at least the semi-finals should be considered a failure.

AC Milan

Forward Mario Balotelli will capture most of the headlines, both good and bad, for AC Milan. Meanwhile, his mate up top, Stephan El Shaarawy, could see a starting spot for Italy in Brazil locked up with an inspiring Champions League campaign. They may not have started Serie A on a high note, but this is a squad who saw a bit of offseason change, including adding former club superstar Kaka from Real Madrid. Add 18-year-old Frenchman M’Baye Niang on the wing and the Milan attack is full of players with something to prove.

Ajax

Kolbeinn Sigthorsson, Viktor Fischer and Bojan Krkic up top are the three potential game-changers for a gutted Ajax team that lost Christian Eriksen to Tottenham and Toby Alderweireld to Atletico Madrid, probably their two players, at the end of the transfer window. Siem de Jong is the captain and the midfield general, but his squad has an uphill battle in a group that includes manager Frank de Boer’s former side in Spain and the side in Italy that de Boer beat while playing for Ajax two decades ago.

Celtic FC

With their backs against the wall in their playoff with Shakhter Karagandy of Kazakhstan, Neil Lennon’s men showed the composure and resolve that helped them down Barcelona in last year’s group stage. The usual suspects return for the Scottish champions, with the spine of Georgios Samaras up top, hard-nosed Scott Brown in the middle, and Fraser Forster between the pipes. Kris Commons has a knack for the sensational goal, and Celtic will again need just that, the sensational, to advance. Curious to see if any of the quartet of youthful acquisitions in Derk Boerrigter, Teemu Pukki, Nir Biton, or Virgil van Dijk will get comfortable and make a significant impact at Celtic Park.

This entry was posted in Best of the Rest and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

Spanish Super Cup: FC Barcelona draws Atletico Madrid

Posted on

Though it may not be the La Liga title, the UEFA Champions League trophy, or even the Copa del Rey, the Spanish Super Cup is the first championship available (with respect to the Joan Gamper Trophy) for FC Barcelona and Atletico Madrid. The first leg was a 1-1 draw in Madrid at the Vicente Calderon, and the second leg should be even more intense.

The first goal in the contest came in the 12th minute when David Villa volleyed a cross into the bottom right corner, giving the former Barcelona forward and Diego Simeone’s men the dream start they wanted. Los Rojiblancos, led by Diego Costa at the top and Diego Godin at the back, brought a level of intensity that Barca didn’t seem prepared for. Every time Messi or Xavi touched the ball in Madrid’s half, they seemed to have two or three men swarming around them. Thibaut Courtois used his entire 6’6’’ frame to thwart any attempts Barca had in the first half. Iniesta was threatening offensively, but had trouble finding the seams with such little space to work.

Coming back out for the second forty-five, Lionel Messi was subbed out for just the third time at halftime in his Barcelona career. After a left thigh strain hampered some of his preseason, he will have tests on Thursday to evaluate his thigh discomfort. In his place came Cesc Fabregas, playing in the “False 9” role, and Barca’s attack looked lively from his arrival. When Neymar came on for Pedro with thirty minutes left in the game, the attack picked up even more as Atletico began to get heavy legs. This led to Dani Alves finding space on the right flank where he had room to locate Neymar on the far post with a simple yet effective header to tie the score. Barcelona’s new leader Gerardo Martino will be happy with the last twenty minutes, as all eleven players began to pressure the ball farther up the pitch and with greater intensity.

Barcelona is in the driver’s seat for the second leg at the Camp Nou, but there are a few things they will need to look out for. Koke’s delivery on set pieces looked dangerous and Joao Miranda appeared to have the upper hand in aerial battles against Barcelona’s backline. Nevertheless, the boys from Camp Nou are in good shape with a draw on the road, and should look to take care of business in six days’ time.

Speaking of that backline, it seems the record should be set mildly straight. Javier Mascherano is undersized for a center-back, and similar to Sergio Busquets and Alex Song, Mascherano is a natural defensive midfielder converted to the backline. Barcelona fans have been calling for a replacement all summer and Sandro Rosell has been rebuffed at every juncture. Thiago Silva, Marquinhos, David Luiz, and Daniel Agger were all reported failures, and now it appears that nothing will be done in the summer transfer window. Martino has faith in a combination of Gerard Pique, Mascherano, Marc Bartra, and Carlos Puyol, who is due back from injury in September.

After the 7-0 drudging brought upon by Bayern Munich in the Champions League last season, Barcelona fans the world over were pushing the panic button. The charges against the Blaugrana are that they are susceptible to the counterattack, set pieces, and “Messi-dependent.” After watching Bayern Munich (who picked up Barcelona’s Thiago Alcantara and Mario Gotze) and Real Madrid strengthen their squads even further, it seems that Barcelona’s time at the top is nearing its end. Yet, when it comes to deciding who is the “best,” the truth of the matter is that the season is long and the Champions League victor may not always be as apparent as everyone would believe. If, and it is a big if, Carlos Puyol comes back healthy and Marc Bartra succeeds when given the opportunity, the naysayers may not have much to complain about when it comes to the Catalans. Step one for Martino to hush the critics is taking home the Spanish Super Cup next Wednesday against Atletico.

This entry was posted in Best of the Rest and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

The Confederations Cup: 5 Things We Learned

Posted on

*Note: this is a Tahiti-less post. If you would like to read more on Tahiti, Tom Verde’s your man.

1. We may have already seen the 2014 World Cup favorites emerge

And what do you know? It’s the two teams that met in the final. Bolstered by the home fans, Brazil put together an excellent tournament. They were good value for every win, especially the 3-0 drubbing of Spain in the final. Luiz Felipe Scolari has the Selecao running on all cylinders. Thiago Silva and David Luiz look like the best center back pairing Brazil has sported in quite a while. Fred is on form at striker. Paulinho sets a physical tone in midfield, allowing Oscar to make spirited runs forward. And Neymar lived up to the hype (more on that later). Some say the pressure of playing at home could derail this team; it didn’t seem that way as the entire crowd of 73,000 in Rio de Janeiro joined the Brazilian squad in an acappella version of the National Anthem. If you didn’t get chills watching that, then you’re clearly one of the protesters just outside the stadium.

Now, on to Spain. Yes, La Furia Roja can be furious at the performance in the final. It’s been a long time since we’ve seen Spain so short of answers all over the pitch. But any shouting about that the scales having tipped is vastly premature. This is still Spain. The shock that the football world is feeling after seeing them fall should only reinforce how impressive their run has been. This team didn’t develop overnight. It will not be deposed in that amount of time either. Look for Vicente del Bosque to draw up some new tactics and continue the search for the elusive striker that fits in with the side. This Spanish team will come back stronger and better for this defeat. They should still intimidate just as strongly when next summer comes around.

2. Make a little more room at the top for Neymar

Some people aren’t ready to put Neymar in the same conversation as Messi, Ronaldo, or Andrés Iniesta. I am not one of these people. For me, the Confederations Cup showed that Neymar is absolutely ready to be on that same pedestal. I was familiar with his dynamic footwork, but what set him apart this time was how well he worked with the rest of the team. His passes were on point. He knew when to make runs, when to hold back, when to shoot, and when to give it up. Flopping aside, his play was spectacular.

The Golden Ball was unnecessary confirmation of this. Neymar was the best player on the best team to be sure. At only 21 years old, he’ll now be taking his talents to Camp Nou to join in FC Barcelona’s gluttony of riches. If he plays anything like he did in this tournament, he should fit right in with Barça, and the club will be better for it.

3. It would be a real shame if Uruguay missed out on Brazil 2014

Sure, La Celeste had a miserable opening match against Spain, but they pulled it together after that. The rest of the tournament saw them put together a string of entertaining matches. They fought for a gritty 2-1 win in the pivotal group game against Nigeria. They gave Brazil all it could handle in the semifinal before falling 2-1 on a late goal. And against Italy in the 3rd place match, Uruguay played to an exciting 2-2 draw that Italy won on penalty kicks. What more could you expect from a team with a wealth of strikers but little skill elsewhere on the pitch?

With the way Uruguay competed in South Africa 2010 and again here in the Confederations Cup, we can see that they belong in the top competitions. If only La Celeste played through qualifiers with that same mindset. Currently Uruguay sit 5th in the CONMEBOL standings, just outside of the automatic bids. At 5th, they would be forced into a playoff with the 5th round winner from Asia (slated as either Jordan or Uzbekistan). Though neither of those potential opponents appear challenging, you never know what can happen over two legs.

Bottom line, Uruguay want to be in the top four. La Celeste is not comfortable in 5th, either, as Venezuela is even in points but just one behind on goal differential. To make things more challenging, three of Uruguay’s final four matches are against teams above them in the standings. Even with that, something tells me Uruguay can find enough goals between Luis Suarez, Edinson Cavani, and Diego Forlán to eke out a berth.

4. Japan may be the most exciting winless team in recent tournament memory

I direct your attention primarily to the Italy group stage match. In a Cup full of compelling matches, Japan-Italy was the tournament’s best. I again refer you to the worthy prose of Tom Verde for a full recap of the match. In short, Japan fell 4-3 while looking constantly creative and dangerous in the final third. If you ask me, the Blue Samurai were the better team and deserved the win.

Much of this is because of the talent Japan possesses in midfield. It reminds you a bit of Spain, in that Japan uses a five midfielder set with possession-based play. Again like Spain, Japan is capable of moving the ball extremely well. No player is ever stationary off the ball. The game plan frustrated Italy for much of the first half as Manchester United’s Shinji Kagawa, CSKA Moscow’s Keisuke Honda and the ageless Yasuhito Endo constantly opened up the Italian defense and created numerous chances. Add in top scorer Shinji Okazaki, and you have a rather formidable attacking side.

Unfortunately for Japan, there is still a slight lack of quality on the finishing touches. The team still struggles a bit to turn that possession into goals. Nevertheless, this particular Japan side seems capable of raising its game and goal-scoring ability. With qualification for the 2014 World Cup already assured, perhaps Manager Alberto Zaccheroni can turn his attention onto adding the finishing touches on his already talented squad.

5. The Confederations Cup has developed into a reliably excellent tournament

FIFA doesn’t do everything right, but this is one they got spot on. From taking over organizational responsibilities of the Cup from Saudi Arabia in 1997, FIFA has tweaked certain aspects of the competition to make it more enjoyable and more pertinent on an international stage.

For starters, making it every four years as a precursor to the World Cup was a fantastic idea. Keep in mind, up until 2005 it took place every two years. This allows the top teams in the world to compete against one another sporting rosters that will closely line up with World Cup squads. And given that teams earn a spot in the Confederations Cup by winning its respective region, it now seems that the world’s best are taking those regional competitions more seriously. There was a time when Brazil and Argentina would start the B team in Copa America; not anymore.

And of course, allowing the World Cup host nation to also host the Confederations Cup further enhances the tournament (again, 2005 was the first time this happened). Some countries may complain that it gives them less time to get certain stadiums ready. But watching the Brazilian fans this time around, I couldn’t imagine the Cup played anywhere else. No, it’s not the World Cup, and it’s not designed to be. But it’s certainly got me full of anticipation for a competition a full year away. Who’s with me?

This entry was posted in Best of the Rest and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .