UEFA Champions League
Madrid sweating on playmaker’s fitness, Liverpool without the usual suspects
The Champions League returns to action on Tuesday as Real Madrid welcome Liverpool to the Alfredo di Stéfano Stadium in a mouth-watering quarter-final tie. Jurgen Klopp’s men will be looking to inflict revenge on Madrid for a heartbreaking 3-1 defeat in the competition final back in 2018/19. However, the Reds have lost three consecutive Champions League meetings with Los Blancos after winning the previous two ‘to nil.’ Real Madrid Preview Madrid swept Atalanta aside 4-1 on aggregate (1-0 A, 3-1 H) in the round of 16 to set up their first Champions League quarter-final appearances in three years. Los Merengues suffered a dismal 5-0 aggregate defeat in their only previous Champions League two-legged tie against Liverpool. Having won their last three Champions League fixtures, the reigning La...
Robert Lewandowski ruled out of PSG clash through injury
Robert Lewandowski has been ruled out of Bayern Munich’s clashes with Paris Saint-Germain due to a knee injury sustained during the international break, reports Christian Falk on Twitter. The Poland international has had a breathtaking season in front of goal, netting 35 goals in 25 Bundesliga outings, as well as a further five in the Champions League. Due to this form, he has emerged as one of the leading candidates for the Ballon d’Or. Lewandowski has been brilliant this season News recently emerged that Lewandowski suffered an injury during Poland’s World Cup qualifier with Andorra, in which the forward bagged a brace. This injury was confirmed to keep him out of the upcoming clash with England. And now the extent of the problem has been revealed, with Christian Falk reporting via Twitt...
Football’s greatest comebacks, featuring Liverpool, Barcelona and Camp Nou in 1999
When players are being taught the basics of the game as youngsters, one of the key messages is to play until the final whistle. That point certainly rings true at professional level, with fans taking a dim view of teams who throw in the towel too early. One of the most thrilling aspects of football is when a team recovers from an impossible position to win a game. With that in mind, we take a look at ten of the best-ever comebacks. Manchester United vs Bayern Munich – Champions League – 1999 Recovering from one goal down is common in football, but the manner of United’s comeback in the 1999 Champions League Final was extraordinary. Bayern took an early lead through Mario Basler and looked on course to lift the prestigious trophy as the game headed into stoppage time. However, goals by Tedd...
Champions League flashback: Liverpool and Man City’s chance for revenge + 2020 Final repeat
The fixtures for the Champions League quarter-finals have been drawn, with several enticing fixtures. Manchester City were the first side out of the pot, coming up against Borussia Dortmund, while Porto got drawn against Chelsea. The final two fixtures see repeats of recent finals, with Bayern Munich facing Paris Saint-Germain, and Real Madrid playing Liverpool. In anticipation of the next round of European games, here is a look back at some of the best clashes between these sides. Manchester City vs Borussia Dortmund Balotelli’s equaliser was not enough to prevent an early exit for Man City Rather surprisingly, this is only the second time that these two sides have been drawn up against each other. The first came in the group stages of the 2012/13 season. It was a very different Borussia ...
How Atlético Madrid’s tactical missteps cost them huge against Chelsea
With a 1-0 deficit to overturn, Atlético Madrid visited Stamford Bridge to face Thomas Tuchel’s still-undefeated Chelsea in the second leg of their Champions League round of 16 clash. Coming back from a goal down was not Atlético’s game – they had never won a Champions League tie after losing the first leg. By contrast, Tuchel’s Chelsea were unbeaten in 12 games, winning eight of those. The German tactician would become the first Chelsea manager to avoid defeat in his first 13 games in charge if he kept this run going, so this was quite an important match from the record-keepers’ point of view too. The Blues cruised to a 2-0 victory despite a couple of initial scares, as goals from Hakim Ziyech and Emerson helped them advance to the quarter-finals. In this analysis, though, we wi...
Ziyech and Emerson strike as Chelsea knock out Atletico Madrid
Chelsea have reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League following a comfortable 2-0 victory over Atletico Madrid at Stamford Bridge. It was a quiet beginning to the game, with neither side posing much threat on goal. The first talking point of the match came in the 26th minute. Cesar Azpilicueta miscalculated his back pass, almost allowing Yannick Carrasco through on goal. The Chelsea defender subsequently put his arm across the Belgian, who went down under the challenge. Controversially, no penalty or red card was awarded. Not long after, Thomas Tuchel’s men took the lead with a goal created and finished by three summer arrivals. Kai Haverts fed the ball into Timo Werner out on the left, who rolled across to Hakim Ziyech, who slotted underneath Jan Oblak with his weaker right foot...
Can Manchester City win the Champions League this season?
Following Manchester City’s progression into the quarter-finals of the Champions League, we take a look at their chances of going the distance in the competition and ending the season with the much sought after trophy in their cabinet. Pep Guardiola’s side reached the last eight of the competition with a routine 4-0 aggregate win over Borussia Mönchengladbach, and are still on course for a first-ever quadruple. They remain in both the FA Cup and Carabao Cup and are runaway leaders in the Premier League. They have scored 17 goals in eight Champions League games, remarkably conceding just one in the process. They have dominated every opponent faced having won every fixture barring a 0-0 draw away at Porto in the group stages. Now in his fifth season with the Cityzens, the Champions League tr...
‘Boss-like presence’: Antonio Rudiger praises ‘world class’ Chelsea star ahead of Atletico clash
Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger has heaped praise on Thiago Silva ahead of the second leg of the Champions League last 16 tie against Atletico Madrid. Silva joined the Blues on a free transfer after the expiry of his contract with Paris Saint-Germain last summer, and he has since made 21 appearances in all competitions. He is out on the sidelines with a recurrence of a muscle injury but has made a solid impression among his teammates in a short while. Speaking ahead of tomorrow’s game, Rudiger was asked about Silva’s influence, and he described the 36-year-old as a ‘world-class defender’. The 28-year-old added that age is only a number for the Brazil international and said that he has a boss-like presence around the club. He told football.london: “For me, a world-class defender – showed i...
Giroud and Hudson-Odoi start, Predicted Chelsea line-up (3-4-3) vs Atletico Madrid
Chelsea host Atletico Madrid in the second leg of the Champions League last 16 on Wednesday night. The Blues have been in fine form since Thomas Tuchel took charge as the manager in January and are unbeaten in 12 matches. They go into tomorrow’s clash with the away-goal advantage after the 1-0 win in Romania. Olivier Giroud scored the winner with a superb overhead kick. The goal was initially deemed offside, but after a long VAR review, it was adjudged that Atletico defender Mario Hermoso played the ball into Giroud’s path. Formation: 3-4-3 Predicted Line-up: Edouard Mendy kept his 14th clean sheet of the league campaign last weekend as the Blues drew 0-0 at Leeds United. He had to work hard for the shut-out after he produced two excellent saves. He is expected to continue in goal. Tuchel ...
Manchester City cruise to the Champions League quarter-finals after Borussia Monchengladbach tie
Manchester City have qualified for the quarter-finals of the Champions League, comfortably seeing off Borussia Monchengladbach 4-0 on aggregate. The Bundesliga side came into the game needing an astonishing comeback, having lost the first leg 2-0. It was almost the perfect start for Pep Guardiola’s side, who went close in the seventh minute through Phil Foden. Joao Cancelo floated a ball over the top for the youngster, but his poked effort was saved by Yann Sommer. Five minutes later, Man City found the breakthrough in spectacular fashion. Riyad Mahrez laid off for Kevin De Bruyne, who unleashed an unstoppable left footed strike in off the crossbar. Not long afterwards, it was 2-0. Foden weaved a through ball to Ilkay Gundogan, who slotted home for his 15th goal of the season. For the rema...
Key Bayern Munich duo doubtful for clash with Lazio
Bayern Munich will be looking to complete their mission in the Champions League when they lock horns with Lazio on Wednesday night. The Bavarians utterly outperformed the Italian side in Rome, claiming a comfortable 4-1 triumph to put themselves in firm control of the tie ahead of the return leg. Given both team’s continuous presence in major European competitions, it may come as some surprise that this is their first UEFA encounter in Munich. Bayern Munich Preview Coming into proceedings as overwhelming favourites to advance to the quarter-finals, Bayern will be looking to maintain a 100% win record in home Champions League matches under Hansi Flick. Since Flick replaced Niko Kovac in the dugout, the Bavarians have netted a staggering average of 3.46 goals per Champions League fixture, sc...
Guardiola to make seven changes, Predicted Man City line-up (4-3-3) vs Borussia Monchengladbach
Manchester City are scheduled to host Borussia Monchengladbach in the second leg of the Champions League last 16 on Tuesday night. The Cityzens registered a comfortable 2-0 win over the German outfit in the first leg last month with Bernardo Silva and Gabriel Jesus finding the back of the net. The second leg was initially due to be played at the Etihad Stadium but has been relocated to the Puskas Arena in Budapest due to coronavirus restrictions. Pep Guardiola’s side should be favourites to register another victory tomorrow, particularly with Monchengladbach in a poor run of league form. In the last eight games in all competitions, they have suffered seven defeats and picked up just one draw (0-0 against Wolfsburg in mid-February). Formation: 4-3-3 Predicted Line-up: Ederson is the Cityzen...
