Nine Men Benfica Holds Off Juventus; Valencia Almost Pulled It Off!

It was a thrilling Thursday night for European football! After the two great Champions League games, the Europa League semifinals were full of goals in one game and tension in the other. 

Benfica Holds Off The Old Lady

Let's start with the tension from the Juventus stadium as the Old Lady needed to win to clinch a spot in the final. However, Benfica had other plans and fought until the end to hold a well-deserved 0-0 draw. 

Down to 10 men at the 60th minute, the Portuguese side showed strength and discipline to stop the ever-flowing wave of Juventus attacks. Benfica even had to play the last 10 minutes with only nine players after an overhead kick by Pogba ended up in Garay's face and Benfica did not even any subs left.

Juventus had trouble creating opportunities to score despite a world-class Paul Pogba. The French man was all over the pitch and was with no doubt the best Italian player last night. But Pogba's tricks and efforts were not enough, especially since Juventus' strikers were not in good form. Tevez tried a lot, but never found the target. As for Llorente (substituted by Osvaldo at the 75th), he wandered around the box for most of the game, never being able to pull free from Luisao's marking. 

Juventus should have regrets after this game as they had all the cards in hand. They won't have the opportunity to play the final in their own stadium on May 14. Benfica will play their second consecutive final.

M'Bia Saves Sevilla From Disgrace

Arriving in Valencia with a two-goal lead, Sevilla had made a big step toward the final. They probably believed they were already in Turin when the referee blew the kick-off. Maybe they had also forgotten that Valencia had recovered from a three-goal deficit against Basel in the quarterfinals! 

Valencia had no options, they had to score. And they did. They had a 2-0 lead at halftime, already making it 2-2 on aggregate. 

The third goal from Matthieu at the 69th minute were the Graal to the final and Valence held it until the 94th minute!

The minute chose by Stephane M'Bia to put on the savior suit and head the winning goal into the net! M'Bia, goal scorer in the first leg, will probably have a statue of himself in Sevilla tomorrow. 

The final will then showcase two footballs that are fairly similar. One team from Portugal, another one from Spain. Two Spanish teams in the Champions League final. In other words, proof that the Iberian football is a la mode! 

Who will win the UEFA Europa League title?  

Mourinho Criticizes His Own Style!

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho seems to have a--really--short memory. The technician complained about West Ham United's defending approach after his team failed to score a goal in the 0-0 draw at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday, Jan. 29. 

Mourinho even said that West ham played 19th century football. 

"This is not the best league in the world, this football from the 19th century. The only other thing I could bring was a Black and Decker hammer to destroy the wall," said Mourinho in press conference after the game.

Poor Jose! His team had to play against 11 defenders, 11 players in the last 20 meters of the field. A real wall dressed in front of West Ham's goalkeeper. It is surely unfair...Hold on a minute! Isn't that how Mourinho's Inter Milan played against Barcelona when they won the Champions League in 2010?

Against the best team in the world, against a team far better than his, Mourinho did the exact same thing. He asked all his players to stay in font of their goal and to only played in counter attacks. He even forced Samuel Eto'o to play second right-back to help out! In other words, only Barcelona was playing and Inter was waiting. That wasn't a problem at the time for Jose Mourinho, but it seems to have become one after this game.

"It's very difficult to play a football match when only one team wants to play," he said. "A football match is about two teams playing and another team not playing." 

Really? In both games against Barcelona, Inter only had 30 percent of possession. Is that "playing" the game? They did not even try in the second leg. They just kept kicking the ball away and let Barcelona come back in front of their box.

But Mourinho is a genius. He said that a game starts at the press conference before the match and finishes at the press conference after the match. Except this time he did not win. West ham United manager Sam Allardyce did.

"He can't take it, can He?" Allardyce said. "He can't take it because we've outwitted him. He just can't cope." 

Allardyce added that he loved "to see Chelsea players moaning at the referee, trying to intimidate him, Jose jumping up and down saying we play rubbish football. It's brilliant when you get a result against him. Hard luck, Jose!"

Finally, Mourinho admitted that if he had been in West Ham's position, he might have done the same thing. We are proud of you, Jose!

 

 

Cabaye Sign To PSG; Major Blow For Newcastle?

It's official! French midfielder Yohan Cabaye signed for the 2013 Ligue1 champions Paris St. Germain. The club was interested in Newcastle's player for a while and after one £17 million offer that Newcastle turned down, PSG got what they were looking for with a second offer around £20 million pound.

English press are still late tonight, saying that Cabaye is simply "on brink" of joining PSG. However, French newspaper L'Equipe made it official, saying "Cabaye in Paris, it's done!"

Cabaye joins PSG and reconnects with his former coach with France, Laurent Blanc. One question remains: Whose player is going to lose his spot to allow Cabaye to play?

PSG midfield is becoming one of the bests in Europe with Matuidi, Veratti and Motta. If you doubt it, just watch PSG play in the Champions League. So what is going to happen when you add a star player like Cabaye in the mix? It's a chinese puzzle that Laurent Blanc will have to fix!

This transfer could be a major blow for Newcastle when you know the impact Cabaye has on the field for the Magpies. The French player has been outstanding so far this season, helping his team staying in eighth place, only seven points behind Liverpool, fourth.

Will the Magpies survive Cabaye's departure? Will the other French players feel lonely without their leader? Newcastle coach Alan Pardew did admit that it would be really hard to keep Cabaye at the club. He was right!

The coach loses there one of his star players, one of his "captains" and leaders. Pardew knew that he did not have a saying in Cabaye's transfer and had to simply accept the outcome, good or bad.

But Magpies fans should not worry! The club is already looking for a replacement. Indeed, the club is on the verge of signing, on loan, Borussia Munchengladbach rising star Luuk de Jong. The 23-year is traveling to Newcastle for a medical exam and a possible loan deal today.

Another target is France and Lyon midfielder Clement Grenier. The 23-year old is one of the best players in Ligue1 and could be consider as the future Cabaye. Same profile, same style, Grenier would be a perfect fit to replace Cabaye.

Let's hope Newcastle finds a new player before the end of the transfer window. And who knows? Maybe a new Frenchie will join the Premier League!

Will Monaco Survive Without Falcao?

Falcao injured himself on this challenge. He suffers
from a torn ACL and could miss the World Cup.

It was a bitter-sweet night for Monaco on Tuesday, Jan. 21,  as they easily defeated Chasselay, a fourth division team, 3-0, in the French Cup and suffered the loss of their striker, Radamel Falcao for many months! 

The Colombian striker suffers from an ACL injury and could miss the 2014 World Cup! If it is a huge loss for Colombia, it could also be a terrible thing for Monaco. Indeed, the club had a lot of expectations from their expensive striker, but unfortunately Falcao has not been at his top so far this season. He just came back from a thigh injury a week ago, after being kept off the field for more than three weeks. And now, an torn ACL! 

Monaco might have trouble to qualify for the Champions League next season without their striker, especially against the unstoppable PSG and the impressive Lille, Lyon and Marseille this season.

Many players could leave if the club fails to qualify for the major European competition.

However, Monaco showed that they could play without Falcao, thanks to French striker Emmanuel Riviere who really stepped up and scored crucial goals for the club. And Monaco is--a little bit--lucky that Falcao injured himself during the transfer window! With its huge budget, Monaco is already targeting replacements for the Colombian. 

Among targets are Brazilian Hulk and Juventus striker Mirko Vucinic. The Brazilian was already on Monaco's radar last summer, but decided to stay at Zenith. Will he change his mind now? As for Vucinic, he does not play as often as he was last year with Juventus since the arrival of Carlos Tevez and Fernando Llorente. Maybe he will be attracted by some playing time on the French Riviera! 

Let's hope Monaco finds a way to fix the problem and let's hope that Falcao will be fit before the start of the World Cup! No one wants to see Colombia without their main offensive threat! 

   

Is Mata The Right Fit For Man Utd?

This is the question everybody is asking amid the possible transfer of the Spanish player from Chelsea FC to Manchester United for $40 million Euros. Juan Mata, 25, has been looking for a way out of the London club where he struggled to get a starting spot since the beginning of the season. So if this deal works out, let's hope everyone will be happy! But I doubt it...

Is Manchester making the right choice by signing Juan Mata? Mata is a technically gifted player, winner of the World Cup and the Euro with Spain. He is a player many teams would like to have. However, many experts are saying that Mata won't fit in the system and the philosophy of Man Utd. Former Manchester player Gary Neville has expressed his doubts regarding Mata's ability to help Manchester getting better.

"Does he fit in with what I would call the typical Manchester United philosophy? I would say no!" 

However, Neville also said that Mata was a fantastic player who knows the Premier League and could bring some creativity to the Red Devils' game. That is something they greatly need! Manchester is struggling so far, stuck in eighth place, far away from the top four. The injuries of Rooney and Van Persie have hurt the club and the substitutes are having a hard time grabbing wins.

But will Mata play when Rooney and Van Persie will be back? How is Moyes going to manage so many players playing in similar positions? With Rooney, Young, Januszaj, Giggs, Nani, Welbeck and Valencia, Mata will have a tough time to earn--and keep--a spot! Mata played 17 games, scoring once and giving three assists with Chelsea this season.

So, will Moyes change his system to include the Spanish player? Maybe he should when you look at how bad his team is this season! One thing is sure, the young Spanish player is hungry; Hungry for playing time! He wants to touch the ball and to score goals! He also wants to play the World Cup in Brazil and this would only happen if he is effective on the field! No pressure... 

There could be one, and only one, big winner after this deal: Chelsea!  

    

The Falcao Enigma

What is Falcao playing at? The Colombian striker has been injured for almost three weeks, but other than the injury it is the lack of information about it that raises suspicion. Rumors of a transfer in January are already growing...

The 27 year-old player has not been on the field since Monaco manager Claudio Ranieri pulled it out of the Nantes-Monaco game at the 63rd minute. A substitution for no apparent reason as Falcao did not seem to be injured and was even surprised--not to say astonished--to have to leave the field. 

After the game, Ranieri told journalists that Falcao was suffering from a little injury and he did not want to take a risk and aggravate the injury. Well, it apparently did not work! How can a supposedly minor injury turned out to keep Falcao away from the field for four weeks? Especially when there has not been any official injury report from the club itself. Nobody knows what kind of injury Falcao suffers from, assuming he has one. 

Could it be that Falcao is simply showing his displeasure toward his coach? Does he not want to play and is planing a move away from Monaco in January? A transfer that would cost over 60 million Euros for any interested clubs as Monaco fixed the asking price. Falcao's contract expires in 2018 and he joined Monaco for 60 million Euros this summer.  

As the transfer rumor rises, Falcao told the press that he was happy at Monaco.

"I am very happy here at Monaco. I don't have a problem with the coach but with my thigh. I feel better and I will play soon."

Chelsea are interested in signing the Colombian in January, but the main club remains Real Madrid with a real conspiracy behind the transfer. Indeed, when Falcao played at Athletico Madrid, he was forbidden to sign for Real Madrid in his contract, forcing him to leave for another club. Many observers believe that he simply signed for Monaco to be able to go back to Madrid as soon as possible, this time wearing a Real madrid jersey!

Could this be? Could Falcao had used Monaco as a way out to open a window to Real madrid? Falcao's teammate at Monaco, Eric Abidal, ensures that the striker is injured and has the desire to remain at the French club.

"He told me personally that he wanted to stay here. I can assure you that he is injured and he is taking care of it."  

Everything seems fishy around the injury. An injury that, according to Falcao, appeared during a game with his country. However, the Colombian medical staff never heard of it, according to Colombia manager Mauricio Correa. After that, Falcao said that it was reminiscence of an old injury from his time at Madrid...A little bit confused and overwhelmed, Falcao? Maybe... 

I believe that Falcao simply misses the Champions League and top level football it can offer. As Monaco should qualify for next year's edition, Radamel Falcao's thirst of excitement should be fulfilled...As long as he is patient enough to wait at Monaco. The striker played 14 games in Ligue 1, scoring nine goals. 

UCL review: Goals, Records, And Snow Storm!

Eight of the 16 UEFA Champions League Group stage final games were played yesterday, Tuesday, December 10. Five teams involved were already qualified for the next round. The rest had to battle out their way in the last 16. 

The most interesting game was the duel between Galatasaray and Juventus as the Turkish side needed a win to qualify while the Italian simply needed to bring one point home from their trip to Istanbul. If fans and intensity were present at the Turk Telecom Arena, they were, unfortunately, not the only one as snow and hail join the party right from the start. After 30 minutes of an intense and entertaining game game under a dreadful snow storm, officials decided to stop the game and clear the snow off the field. But it was a lost cause and the game was finally postponed to a yet to determined date. Both teams will play this decisive game already knowing the result of the other game as Real Madrid defeated Copenhagen on the road, 2-0. 

Two goals for Madrid and two records! Real Madrid becomes the club which scored most goals in the history of the Champions League group stage (20) and Cristiano Ronaldo the best goal scorer in group stage history as well with nine goals.

Both Manchesters won today with a 1-0 win for United at home over Chaktior and an impressive 3-2 win for City over Bayern Munich in Germany! Both teams were already qualified. Let's hope for English fans that Arsenal and Chelsea will do the same tomorrow.  

Finally, Benfica defeated PSG, 2-1, but it was not enough to clutch the last ticket as Olympiakos dominated Anderlecht, 3-1, on the road. The Greeks join Paris in the round of 16. 

Results are as follows:

Group A

Manchester United 1-0 Donetsk / Real Sociedad 0-1 Bayer Leverkusen

1- Manchester; 2- Leverkusen; 3- Donetsk; 4- Real Sociedad

Group B

Copenhagen 0-2 Real Madrid / Galatasaray 0-0 Juventus (Postponed)

1-Real Madrid; 2- Juventus (-1); 3-Galatasaray(-1); 4- Copenhagen

Group C

Benfica 2-1 PSG / Olympiakos 3-1 Anderlecht

1- PSG; 2- Olympiakos; 3- Benfica; 4- Anderlecht

Group D

Bayern Munich 2-3 Manchester City / Victoria Plzen 2-1 CSKA Moscow 

1- Bayern; 2- City; 3- Plzen; 4- Moscow

Everton Stops Gunners In Thrilling Draw

Arsenal FC missed the opportunity to get a seven-point lead at the top of the BArclays Premier League after a 1-1 draw with Everton FC, today at the Emirates Stadium.

Everton offered a very good opposition to the Gunners, surfing on the wave after their great win at Old Trafford against Manchester United early this week. The Toffees played like they were at home, even having more possession than Arsenal! A great achievement for Robert Martinez' team.

The game was incredibly even and the final result is logical as both teams played great football and offered a good show to the fans. Especially in the final 10 minutes of the game!

As both teams were tied, 0-0, Arsenal was pushing higher to score, but was struggling to control the ball and the tempo of the game. We rarely saw the Gunners having so much difficulty to put their style in place. Everton pressured the Gunners and forced them to play long balls most of the time. However, in one of the few good build-ups, Rosicky had time to play a good ball over the defense for Walcott. The international English headed back the ball toward the penalty spot. Olivier Giroud missed his volley, but Mesut Ozil, who had a great game today, was there to score. Arsenal took the lead with even minutes left in the game!

But the beauty of English football makes it that a game is never over until the final whistle is blown and Everton knows that.

After Arsenal's goal, the Gunners left the ball to the Toffees, like they were waiting for them to score and tie the game. And that's exactly what Everton did!

The young and promising Spanish player Gerard Deulofeu made a decisive apparition on the field, after being subbed in with 15 minutes left in the game. Deulofeu quickly showed his skills and created opportunities for Everton and, at the 84th minute, he tied the game with a powerful shot from inside the box. Despite the power of the shot, Scezcny could probably have saved it as the ball just past over his head. 

The intensity of the game kept increasing as the end got nearer. Arsenal could even have clutched the win with an unbelievable volley from 25 yards out by Giroud which hit the woodwork! Tim Howard was beaten and Everton was lucky on that one.

Overall, the draw is logical as both teams had opportunities to score. Both sides deserved a point and it would have been almost unfair to see one of them lose today. Arsenal (35) is still on top of the league with five points ahead of Liverpool and Chelsea (30). Everton (28) is in the top five, only one point behind Manchester City (29). 

World Cup Draw: Group F, The Group Of Death

The FIFA 2014 World Cup Draw was held today in Brazil with managers of all 32 teams waiting to see their fate. 

If some teams seem lucky after the draw, such as France or Argentina, others will face a much tougher opposition. Here is an overview of the groups and their consequences.

Group A:

1. Brazil
2. Croatia
3. Mexico
4. Cameroon

Not such an easy group for the host with promising teams like Croatia and Mexico. Cameroon can also pull through as African teams are always tough to beat. 

Players to follow: Neymar (Brazil), Modric (Croatia), Javier Hernandez (Mexico) and Eto'o (Cameroon).  

Group B:

1. Spain
2. Netherlands
3. Chile
4. Australia

An incredible opening game in this group as both finalists of the previous edition will face each other. Spain will want to grab a fourth international title in a row, a first in football history. Netherlands will want to take their revenge from the defeat in the 2010 World Cup Final. Chile could find a way with interesting players such as Sanchez (Barcelona) and Vidal (Juventus). As for Australia, it's hard to see them win a single game -or even a single point- in this group.

Players to follow: Xavi(33) and Iniesta (29) (Spain), as the magic duo might be playing their last world cup, especially Xavi. Robben (Netherlands), Vidal (Chile), Tim Cahill (Australia).

Group C:

1. Colombia
2. Greece
3. Ivory Coast
4. Japan

Probably the most open group as all four teams look to be even. Ivory Coast might be the favorite, lead by players such as Drogba, Kalou and Gervinho. Greece, who qualified in the playoffs against Romania, is a strong team defensively, only conceding four goals in 12 games in the qualifying stage. The South American side of the group, Colombia, will be a threat offensively with Radamel Falcao, flanked by young, but promising players like Muriel (22, or Quintero (20). Finally, Japan will count on their main player, Deisuke Honda,  to get out of the group stage. 

Players to follow: Drogba (Ivory Coast), Mitroglou (Greece), Quintero (Colombia) and Honda (Japan).

Group D:

1. Uruguay
2. Costa Rica
3. England
4. Italy

An interesting group with three major teams (Uruguay, England and Italy) and a promising Costa Rican side. England won't have an easy task ahead and the rest of the competition will be shaped by the first game against Italy. Uruguay is always a difficult team to beat and this generation of players is probably the best ever for the South Americans with stars like Suarez, Cavani, Ramirez and the experienced Forlan. Italy will want to play as well as they did during the Euro 2012 and will count on their maestro Andrea Pirlo and their defensive master Buffon, who will play their last world cup. Costa Rica is a fairly unknown side, but might be able to create a few surprises.

Players to follow: Suarez (Uruguay), Rooney (England), Pirlo (Italy) and Campbell (Costa Rica)

Group E:

1. Switzerland
2. Ecuador
3. France
4. Honduras

Lucky France you might say! This group seems to be the easiest one France could have ended up with. Fairly inexperienced teams, for the exception of Switzerland which always plays great football during international competitions. However, France should not believe they are already through as history showed that easy group stages not necessarily mean qualifications. Editions of 2002 and 2010 are proofs for Les Bleus. 

Players to watch: Seferovic (Switzerland), Ribery (France), Costly (Honduras) and Valencia (Ecuador).

Group F:

1. Argentina
2. Bosnia
3. Iran
4. Nigeria

Surely Argentina should finish top of the group with Messi carrying the team or even resting for the rest of the competition. Bosnia plays his first world cup ever and will like to show the world that they did not qualify because of pure chance. Iran will play his fourth world cup in Brazil with an aging group of players (average of 28 year-old). We all know Nigeria has what it takes to pull through this one with players like Obi Mikel, Moses or Enyeama. 

Players to follow: Messi (Argentina), Pjanic (Bosnia), Enyeama (Nigeria) and Nekounam (Iran).

Group G:

1. Germany
2. Portugal
3. Ghana
4. USA 

The group of death! Hard to tell which team will finish in first place, even if Germany seems to be favorite, followed by Portugal. However, USA and Ghana are always surprising sides and could give some trouble to the two favorites. Germany and Portugal will be a massive opening game and the winner of this one will take a major option in the clutching of the first place. Germany's golden generation will want to shine in Brazil, while Cristiano Ronaldo will be, once again, the main attraction of Portugal and will want to finally win the world cup! Also, keep an eye on the Boatengs' duel (Germany-Ghana).

Players to follow: Gotze (Germany), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal), Boateng (Ghana) and Donovan (USA).

Group H:

1. Belgium
2. Algeria
3. Russia
4. South Korea

Once again, an open group with all four teams that could manage to qualify. Favorites are Belgium with a wonderful group of players such as Hazard, Fellaini, Kompany, Benteke or Courtois. Algeria is the only team from North Africa and will want to make a good impression. Russia is always a strong side with a local league growing stronger on the European landscape with teams like Zenith and CSKA Moscow. South Korea has been struggling since their great campaign at home in 2002. They will like to get back in the top and this group is the opportunity to do so. 

Players to follow: Hazard (Belgium), Belfodil (Algeria), Akinfeev (Russia) and Lee Chung-Yong (South Korea).

The opening ceremony of the 2014 World Cup will take place in June, 12, in Sao Paulo, followed by the first game between the host, Brazil, and Croatia. 

Give your predictions!     

Should Yellow Cards Become "Temporary" Red Cards?

This is the wish of UEFA President Michel Platini who said that it was a proposal to explore.

"I would like to make it like rugby, punishing the offender with 10 or 15 minutes out of the game," Platini said Spanish newspaper AS. "It is an idea. Now, it needs to mature and see if it really is good for the game."

A temporary ban like the one already used in rugby could change the game forever.  One yellow card slightly affects a defender's behavior, but really does not change the whole game. However, 10 minutes out of the field has an impact on the entire team, making it more vulnerable and changing the tactical aspect of the game, even for a short time. 

It'll force defenders to be more careful, giving forwards more space to express themselves. This would bring more skills to the game, more liberty, more fun even. It would become a real game where you could see which player is technically better, faster, quicker over the actual power and strength, not allowing a player to stop his opponent by grabbing his shirt every time he is beaten and getting away with it with a useless yellow card. This is one of Platini's concerns and reasons why he believes this rule should be put in place. 

In the current rules, if the same player gets multiple yellow cards in multiple games, he is suspended for the next game and that only benefits the upcoming opponent. With a temporary ban, the player, as well as his team, would be sanctioned during the actual game.

"That way, the benefit goes to the team he is playing against instead of a sanction by cards which is carried out against a third team, the next on the calendar," Platini said.

Obviously, a few players adept of challenges, tackles, or shirt-pulling would disagree with that rule, probably arguing that being given a yellow card is already enough that it is unnecessary to add a 10 minute ban! 

Surely, the Barclays Premier League would be a totally different league if the rule was applied when there is an average of three yellow cards per games! Players such as Wayne Rooney (Five yellow cards this season), Matthieu Flamini (5), or Branislav Ivanovic (4) would surely change the way they play or think twice before arguing with the referee.  

We should not forget that the yellow card serves to show that the player infringed the rules of the game and was disrespectful of the game. It is a way to make sure the game flows without disruptive interruptions that go against the spirit of the game. 

Many people already disagree with the idea, saying that, with the huge number of yellow cards shown every game, it would be a nightmare to keep track of what's going on. 

I believe the rule will see the light one day and it'll change the game; change it in a good way.

What is your opinion?

    

Is Barcelona Messi Dependent?

Two games played without Messi; two loses for Barcelona this past week (1-2 vs Ajax and 0-1 vs Atletico Bilbao). I am starting to see a pattern there. The same pattern I saw last season when Barcelona struggled to pass past PSG in the Champions League, to finally end up demolished by Bayern Munich (0-7 overall). It seems that Barcelona forgets how to play when the Argentine star is not on the field!

A year ago, I felt like this Barcelona team was unbeatable, even without Messi; even with the "B" team on the field. The style of play was always the same, no matter who was on the field and opponents never really found a way to stop them (for the exception of a few games when the other teams were playing with 11 defenders in their last 25 yards and games against great teams like Real madrid or Bayern Munich). Barcelona dominated La Liga from start to finish with an incredible Messi.  

This season, however, Barcelona, despite being on top of La Liga, does not show this great football that we expect to see. Is this because of the arrival of the new manager, Tata Martino, whose philosophy is not exactly the same as Barcelona's? Or is it because the other teams studied hard to stop Barca? In my opinion, it is much more simple than that.

When Messi is on the field, all Barcelona players seem to be better, like transcended. It feels like they know they can't lose the game as long as the four-time Golden Ball recipient is on their side! And who can blame them? We all know Messi can win a game all by himself! He showed it many times! And in the past season, when the Argentinian was absent or was simply having a bad day, other players stepped up and carried the team. Something we hardly see nowadays. 

Indeed, players such as Xavi Hernandez or Iniesta don't have the same impact on the game they had in previous years. The Spanish magic duo is not as brilliant as it was last season. Statistics prove it: in 15 games played in La Liga, Iniesta only scored one goal and provided only one assist. Far from his standards. As for Xavi, the midfielder played 12 games, scoring twice and giving one assist. If his scoring abilities are still there, Xavi's passing skills seem to wear off. Maybe his old age (33), does not give him the energy to get close to the box to deliver clever passes like he used to. Even a few months ago, after Barcelona's downfall against Bayern Munich in the Champions League (0-7), people were wondering if the duo was not coming to an end.

But don't get me wrong, Barcelona is still one of the best teams in the world! Mostly because other players are in great form. For example, Cesc Fabregas seemed to have taken Iniesta's role as finisher and last passer for Barcelona. The former Arsenal player found the net five times in La Liga this season. He is also the league's assist leader with eight. Alexis Sanchez is also brilliant so far this season, scoring eight goals (as many as Messi). Those players are probably the reason why barcelona is still at the top of the league.

One player however is still struggling to have an impact on the game. Brazilian star Neymar only scored four goals in 13 games. As a comparison, Real Madrid's most expensive player, Gareth Bale, already scored seven goals, playing only nine games. However, Neymar did great to help his teammates score, providing eight assists. However, Bale also provided many assists, six, in fewer games. This comparison between the two new faces of La Liga shows that one of them plays a major role when the "real" star is injured (Bale).

So, fire away if you think I am wrong, but I think Barcelona should pray to see Messi come back quickly on the pitch, because the way I see it, they won't stand a chance without him this season...    

Cardiff City-Arsenal FC: An Easy Task For The Gunners?

Game Day 15th of the Barclays Premier League features a tide between Cardiff City, 16th, and Arsenal FC, leader of the league, on Saturday, November 30.

What could look like an easy game for the Gunners could turn out to be much harder as the Welsh side is getting better and better each game. Indeed, Cardiff earned a well-deserved draw, 2-2, against last year's champions Manchester United, only conceding the second goal in injury time.

Arsenal, who easily defeated Marseille this week in Champions League, will come in Wales confident and ready to bring the three points back to London. In their luggages, the Gunners should arrive in Cardiff with Aaron Ramsey. The 22 year-old Welsh returns to Cardiff for the first time in two years.

Ramsey played 16 times for Cardiff before joining Arsenal in 2008. He played again for Cardiff while on loan from Arsenal in 2011. He will undoubtedly be one of the keys of the game for the Gunners as he is in great form since the beginning of the season.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger knows that his midfielder can make the difference. Wenger has praised Ramsey's performances this season.

"Aaron has first a fantastic engine. I believe his defensive awareness has improved, his defensive qualities have improved and his defensive score is very strong now," the technician said.

Statistically, Ramsey is the player who made the most tackles in the Premier League this season (57). And in addition to his defensive skills, Ramsey scores goals and that is something new for him. Ramsey has scored six goals in 12 appearances so far and looks to keep his scoring going.

Cardiff City will have a tough game against Arsenal, but the Welsh club has weapons to deliver and grab a win. Among players which could help Cardiff tomorrow are Peter Odemwingie. The Cardiff striker has scored two times in the last three games against Arsenal and would love to put his name on the scoreboard once more.

On the other end of the field, Cardiff goalkeeper is also in form. David Marshall is the league's top shot stopper, having made 54 saves in 11 matches. A statistic that has a lot to do with another one, more crucial for Cardiff. The team has allowed more shots on target than any other teams (75).    

Finally, Arsenal is undefeated in the last 11 games in all competitions against Cardiff, winning six and drawing fives. The Gunners could also count on Jack Wilshere, who scored twice against Marseille, to push his teammates for the win.

Tomorrow's game will surely be interesting, first to see if Cardiff can offer themselves a second season in the top league, and if Arsenal has what it takes to reach the title for the first time since 2004!  

Spurs Win And Save AVB's Head

© BBC

Tottenham Hot Spurs earned a 2-0 win over Tromso on the road for Game Day 5 of the UEFA Europa League, tonight, Thursday, November 28. This win should give Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas some time as he was under pressure of being sacked after losing two games in a row with a major blow-out against Manchester City (0-6).

AVB's players did the job tonight in Norway against a fairly poor team but on a snowy field and under a freezing temperature.

However, Tottenham had trouble to score and wasted many opportunities. Just another clue that the team is not in form and struggles to find the net. Indeed, Tottenham took the lead after an own goal by Norvegian defender Causevic at the 63rd minute. Only ten minutes later, the very good and promising Spurs striker Moussa Dembele found the net and lifted some pressure of his boss' shoulder.

Many Spurs fans asked for AVB's head, but might have to wait a little bit longer to see their wish come true. Many fans believe that the coach won't make it all the way to Christmas and I do share their opinion.

It seems that the Spurs had lost their touch since the departure of Gareth Bale, showing that they might have been over dependent on the Welsh's talent. Despite a great group of young players (Dembele, Lamela) combined with experienced players (Vertonghen, Soldado, Friedel), AVB has trouble finding a way to make his team more consistent.

Surely, AVB's last chance will be the Spurs' next game. And it won't be an easy game as Tottenham will visit the Red Devils of Manchester United, which have been impressing this week in Champions League (5-0, over Leverkusen).

Can the Spurs pull out a great game and save, once again, their manager's head? I fairly doubt it...

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UCL: Juventus' Last Chance; Paris One Win Away

Juventus manager Antonio Conte is confident his players
will do the job against Copenhagen tonight

Today's UEFA Champions League games are going to be, once again, very entertaining with many teams under pressure to stay alive and some others to seal the deal and the qualification for next round.

Among the teams looking to survive and avoid elimination, Juventus is the main one. The Bianconerro, who are leading the SerieA, have the biggest difficulties in the Champions. They haven't won a single game so far, tying three times and losing once to Real Madrid in four games. Antonio Conte's team holds fourth place of Group B, but could take the second place with a win tonight over Copenhagen if Real Madrid defeats Galatasaray in the other match.

"We are going to play a very important and difficult game, but the only thing that matters is to win it," said Juventus manager Antonio Conte during the pre-game press conference. "if we want to keep playing in the Champions League this season, we MUST win."

The Italian side could count on Llorente and Tevez who both are in form offensively. Both players are getting better and better every game, their complicity on the field growing each game. Juventus also has one of the best defense, if not the best, in the Calcio and this could make a big difference against a fairly poor Copenhagen side.

As for the teams which could grab qualifications for next stage tonight, Paris St Germain is one point away from reaching next round in Group C. Zlatan Ibrahimovic's teammates know that the task won't be easy against a solid Olympiakos team, but they are ready for the challenge and it is hard to see how the Greeks are going to stop the scoring machine that is PSG (13 goals in four games so far).

In Group A, Manchester United visits Bayer Leverkusen and needs a win to qualify. In the same time, Chaktior Donetsk hosts Real Sociedad, already out. David Moyes' men know what they have to do and are up for the job.

Finally in Group D, both Bayern Munich and Manchester City are qualified before this game, so there is no real challenge there except for the first place of the group. Bayern with 12 points needs one more win to ensure their first place.

All games kick-off at 8:45 p.m. GMT.

Dortmund Survives And Still Dreams Of Qualification

Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
celebrates after scoring the third goal for Dortmund.
The Germans defeated Napoli 3-1.

It was the game of the day! Dortmund, Champions League's finalist last season, hosted Napoli in a crucial game. Dortmund needed a win to stay alive and not be one of the few teams to be knocked out after being a finalist the previous year.

And the Germans surely did the job winning 3-1 against a great Neapolitan side. Dortmund quickly took the lead when Reus converted a penalty kick after Fernandez held onto Lewandowski's jersey in the box (10'). Napoli tried to react and obliged Weidenfeller to stop many shots on target. Weidenfeller who had to work with a remodeled defense since three of the key players (Hummels, Schmeltzer, and Subotic) are injured. On the other side, Napoli goalkeeper Pepe Reina made multiple saves to help his team stay in the game.

Both teams showed great football in a very entertaining and intense game. The first half was a succession of opportunities on both ends of the field with the play rarely stopping. After the break, Napoli pushed harder to come back and Dortmund brilliantly used the ball on counter attack. It's during one of those phases that Dortmund found the net for the second time. After winning the ball back, Reus received the ball on the left side. His speed let the defense behind and created space for Blaszcikowski to join the attack. Reus found him after fixing the last defender and the Polish finished the job by a nice inside of the right foot shot to beat Reina (60'). The yellow wall went wild in the Signal Iduna Park!

Napoli had to react quickly and only 10 minutes after the second goal, Higuain found Insigne, who had just came off the bench, in the box. Insigne's shot was perfect to beat the German keeper and give hope to all Neapolitan fans (71').

The last quarter of the game was as intense as the rest of it, as Napoli was pressuring high on the field, trying to find a breach through an impressive German defense. Finally, Dortmund got the ball back and, once again, exploded quickly forward using the speed of Reus, Lewandowski and Aubameyang, who replaced Blaszcikowski a few minutes before. Aubameyang, after winning the ball from Armero, found Lewandowski at the entrance of the box and overlapped him. The striker found him back and Aubameyang scored on a beautiful chip over Reina who came to block him (90').

This final goal was the deliverance for the fans and the players as the German sealed the deal! The stadium cheered louder as ever before when the final whistle blew.

Borussia Dortmund did the job this Tuesday and hopefully for them, this win could bring more confidence for the future. As for Napoli, the club loses his third game in a row after two defeats in Serie A.

For the final game, Dortmund will play Marseille, last of the group with zero point, on the road to ensure the qualification, while Napoli will face Arsenal, easy winner of Marseille tonight. However, Arsenal will only need a tie to qualify, so Napoli will have the hard task at the Emirates.      

Dortmund-Napoli: The Most Important Game Of The Season

Tomorrow's UEFA Champions League game day could be one of the most important games of this year for many teams. But the biggest games will be happening within Group F as Arsenal F.C could qualify with a win over fourth place Marseille at home and Dortmund faces elimination if defeated by Napoli on their home field!

With only two wins in four games, Borrusia Dortmund needs a win to stay alive in the competition, while Napoli, which is three points ahead of the Germans (9), can grab a seat for the knock-out stage with a win. A tie in the Dortmund-Napoli game would ensure Arsemal's qualification as long as the Gunners clutch victory over Olympique de Marseille.

Dortmund has lost three games in a row, once in the UCL against Arsenal (0-1), and twice in Bundesliga ( Wolfsburg, 1-2, and Bayern Munich, 0-3). Evidently, the Germans are not in form prior to what could be the most important game of the season for them. After losing to Bayern this weekend, they almost gave away all chances to win the German league, so they would want to stay in the Champions League.

However, Dortmund would have to play without many of their key players. Defensively, three starters are injured. Neven Subotic, Mats Hummels and Marcel Schmeltzer are absents. In addition, playmaker and defensive midfield leader Ilkay Gundogan will also miss the game.

Therefore, the task would not be easy for the Yellows. Dortmund also hopes that striker Robert Lewandowski breaks a five-match goal draught with club and country.

Napoli, on the other side, lost its previous two games in the Serie A and will have to do without playmaker Marek Hamsik who injured himself this weekend against Parma. He surely will be greatly missed. Striker Gonzalo Higuain will also have to find the net to help his teammates as the Argentine has been unable to score in the last few weeks.

This game is surely the game to watch as both teams will give everything they need, one to survive (Dortmund) and one to qualify. Notice that all three teams could be tie with nine points if Marseille beats Arsenal and Napoli loses to Dortmund. That would give us a great sixth and final match in December!

Barcelone dit au revoir au titre?

Battue 3-2 a Osasuna, le Barca laisse échapper trois points précieux dans la course au titre. 

C'est avec une equipe bis que les blaugranas se sont déplacés a Osasuna, 7eme au classement. Et ce fut dur. Les barcelonais sont tombés sur une equipe extrêmement bien regroupée derriere et qui exploitait les contres a la perfection. Menes 2-0 a la pause, les hommes de Pep Guardiola vont reagir des l'entame de la seconde periode avec un but d'Alexis Sanchez. 

Mais Barcelone n'était pas dans un grand jour. L'absence des meneurs de jeu Xavi, Iniesta, Busquet ou meme Fabregas sur le banc, remplacés par les jeunes pouces de la Macia (centre de formation du barca) s'est faite sentir. Des passes manquées, des ballons perdus, et un Messi bien seul pour parvenir a remonter le score. 

Osasuna marquera meme le but du 3-1 sur un contre parfaitement orchestré. Le Barca réduira encore l'écart, et inscrira meme le but de l'égalisation, refusé pour un hors-jeu tres limite. 3-2 score final pour un barca qui aura tout tenté, sans réussite. 

En attendant le match du Real demain, le Barca voit le titre s'échapper encore plus. Une victoire madrilene demain mettrait Leo et ses coéquipiers a 10 longueurs du Real Madrid.