Europa League Winners To Get Champions League Place / More Transfer News

Good morning.

I have precious little to look at across the many football websites this morning. One of the top stories on BBC Sport is of Titus Bramble suggesting he may or may not leave Sunderland. Reading that news fails to titillate me. Could there be a worse transfer story? “Ben May hints he may not renew his contract with Dover Athletic.” Okay, so there could be worse.

Tony Pulis has written Stoke City supporters a letter in their local newspaper, speaking of his pride when he looks at where Stoke were when Pulis took charge for his first spell, which was 21 in the old Division One, in 2003. He has done a great job in taking them so far, but his tactics and approach to the game are frankly, unsustainable in the long-term. Maybe not so in the lower divisions, but in the Premier League, it will only get you so far and for that, getting rid of Tony Pulis is the right thing to do.

Just when you think Stoke are on to something however, things take a turn for the worse. I applauded Peter Coates’ ambition to take a new direction. I’d even heard a rather audacious rumour that he’d try and lure Rafael Benitez to the Britannia Stadium! It was always “unlikely” to happen, but still, I appreciated the effort put in to name-planting Benitez at Stoke.

When I was on the cusp of thinking that they might coaxe Sir Alex Ferguson away from his retirement plan, they pulled one unlikeable character out of the frying pan at Stoke and launched the despicable Mark Hughes right in there. It hasn’t been confirmed yet, but bookies have slashed odds on the likelihood of Hughes taking over at Stoke and in general, they don’t do that for no reason. If Hughes does take over, it’s a huge disappointment for Stoke fans who were looking forward to something more exciting and instead, got another heap of boring in Hughes.

Maybe the biggest news that is to be announced later today, is the decision from UEFA on whether a team that wins the Europa League can be rewarded with a Champions League place in the following campaign. To be honest, I’m surprised it isn’t already in affect. I’ve always felt that the winners of the Europa League should be granted a spot in the Champions League. Said team have won a European competition and thus deserve to go compete in the “bigger” tournament. I don’t understand why it wouldn’t be allowed and I fully expect UEFA to announce that they’ll allow it later. Good decision, if so.

In transfer news, everything is getting slightly tedious already. It’s been 48 hours since Stevan Jovetic’s agents were in London to meet with officials and in that time, Fiorentina have claimed there to be no official contact from Arsenal and that they aren’t interested in buying him. It’s now going round Twitter that Jovetic favours a move to Juventus, just a couple of days after Arsenal was his preferred destination.

Pending an agreed fee, passed medical, signed contract and a photograph with the club shirt, Jovetic will definitely be a player somewhere other than Fiorentina next season.

Finally, it’s the Champions League Final this weekend in London. I really, really wish that me and my brother would be going down to London to watch the match in a bar with Borussia Dortmund supporters, as we have a good following from them on Twitter and have always had nice e-mails from their support whenever we’ve covered them on here. Unfortunately, my brother isn’t old enough to drink and I’ll be watching the game at home, but it would have been lovely to meet up with a few of the Dortmund fans we’ve spoken to on here.

Due to my affinity with Dortmund because of playing FIFA 2004 and seeing them play my team, Arsenal, at the Emirates Stadium two years ago, I’ll be rooting for them completely as they player Bayern Munich. Hopefully we can get to Germany to watch Dortmund next season!

A word on the final itself - I’d prefer Kevin Grosskreutz to the out-going Mario Gotze, who is moving to Bayern Munich at the end of the season, for the Champions League Final. I know that’s a bold thing to say, as Gotze is a very special talent, but Grosskreutz bleeds yellow and if I were to need an extra edge of mental strength on Saturday, then I’d pick Grosskreutz every day.

That’s all from me today!

Follow @J4goalpostsblog

Posted on May 24, 2013 by Craig in Champions League, England, Europa League, Premiership, Stoke City Leave a comment

Bayern Munich Batter Barcelona… Again

Good morning.

Over the past five years or so, it hasn’t been very often that I’ve looked at the top left-hand corner of my TV screen to read that Barcelona are losing 7-0 on aggregate. Such a scoreline at the peak of Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona team was unthinkable and being merely drawn against them in the Champions League knock-out stages meant instant elimination. Barcelona wore a cloak of invincibility and the aura that surrounded a match at the Nou Camp choked many teams.

Barcelona don’t carry that same aura anymore and they lost their cloak two seasons ago; this isn’t just something that has happened because of a new manager, it’s been a gradual process that started in Pep Guardiola’s final season. A marked lowering of the standards at Barcelona in Guardiola’s final year convinced him to leave, as the former Barcelona player strongly believed that his methods were starting to lose their effect on the players. It was noted in the media that players such as Gerard Pique and Dani Alves were becoming rather casual with how they conducted themselves, as opposed to how they were earlier in Guardiola’s reign.

Poor signings such as Dmytro Chygryinskiy, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Alexis Sanchez have done little to aid Barcelona’s squad depth and there are plenty more beyond those three names, they’re just the more high-profile transfers to have flopped. Cesc Fabregas is also quickly heading into the category of “flop” at Barcelona. Midfielders-turned-defenders, square pegs in round and holes and poor business in the transfer market has severely cost Barcelona. They’ve signed players they can’t fit in the team, players who simply aren’t good enough for their level and the regular players in the team are shattered due to over-playing.

Despite having been battered all over the pitch in Munich and again last night on their own back garden, it definitely isn’t “the end” for this Barcelona team. Clever investment into squad depth and one or two players signed for the first team and they will back to where they were. Squad depth and the ability to rotate effectively without putting midfielders at centre-back and midfielders as centre-forwards and Barcelona will improve.

That however, is only half of the problem. T’other half is “clever investment.” Is Neymar what Barcelona NEED? No, they have desperate need for him, no matter how good he may be. Barcelona may turn their nose up at the prospect of investing heavily in their defence, but they need it more than anywhere else on the pitch. Jan Vertonghen would be a fantastic signing, as would Mats Hummels and although the two would cost an extreme pile of money, the improvement would be felt almost instantly. Squad variation is also another aspect of clever investment and by that, I mean “plan B” players. I don’t wish to sound typically English, but Barcelona need somebody who can mix it up a bit! They were getting nowhere trying to break Bayern Munich down last night.

Barcelona have a beautiful way of playing, but it’s all that they know. Investment in sensible signings (Vertonghen, NOT Neymar!) and different ideas to their one way and Barcelona will be back, but they need to adjust their thinking before that happens.

Bayern Munich are the best example for smart investment and different approaches. They have diverse, quality players who can adapt to most situations. Bastian Schweinsteiger and Javi Martinez are as happy playing tippy-tappy football as they are throwing a long ball to the wings for Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery. Mario Mandzukic can hold up play, move effectively, join in with “tippy-tappy” and scores a variety of different goals.

I can’t be bothered to write a match report; one because I don’t like doing them anyway and secondly because it would be a waste of time. This tie was over before it started.

London will be swarming with Germans as Wembley plays host to the first ever all-German Champions League Final. The two best teams in Europe at this moment in time playing football on the biggest stage of all. And I can’t bloody wait!!

See you tomorrow!

Follow @J4goalpostsblog

Posted on May 2, 2013 by Craig in Champions League Leave a comment

Real Madrid 2-0 Borussia Dortmund

Good morning!

As I type this, it’s half-time of the Real Madrid v Borussia Dortmund match and Roy Keane is talking about something I can’t hear because I mute the TV and listen to some music or make a brew at half-time of any football match.

So far Real Madrid have created the best chances – three excellent chances at that – and are desperately unfortunate not to have put at least one of them away. Mesut Ozil missed the best opportunity of the first half, dragging a left-footed shot wide of the near post on the right-hand side of the penalty area when he’d been put clear of the Dortmund defence when they were split by a pass from midfield. In addition to the Ozil chance, Cristiano Ronaldo volleyed straight at Roman Weidenfeller from close range and Gonzalo Higuain had a shot saved by Weidenfeller as early as the second minute.

After twenty minutes of immense pressure from Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund begun to force a lid on the pressure, managing to keep possession for small periods in midfield and even created a few openings of their own. With Real Madrid needing three goals, they were always going to leave themselves short defensively on ocassion and the openings which Dortmund created often looked promising as they were granted space in the final third, but the killer ball was always lacking, whether it was over-hit or the wrong option was taken.

Elsewhere, Sergio Ramos was doing his best to fill the irritating shoes of Pepe by constantly fouling Robert Lewandowski with the odd, sly elbow to the face. Jose Mourinho had remarked that Lewandowski had scored four in the first leg and not one of his players had tried to foul him. By that, I think he means that his players showed far too much respect. Ramos certainly let Lewandowski know he was there last night.

Both sides entered the break at 0-0, a score which Jurgen Klopp must have been relieved to hold after a torturous opening to the match. Could Real Madrid score three in the next fourty-five minutes? Against a Borussia Dortmund side which continued to grow stronger defensively as the first half wore on, it seemed very unlikely, no matter how talented Real Madrid are.

This match report is now in the 56th minute and Robert Lewandowski has missed two extremely good chances. One ball bobbled to him on the edge of the area and unmarked, Lewandowski inexplicably nailed the ball out of the Bernabeu, when he had ample opportunity to take a touch, wrap the ball in gift paper and kick it very hard in the net. A few minutes later, Lewandowski put a huge dent on the underside of the crossbar when – I think it was Reus – gave the ball to Lewandowski who had overlapped the German international on the right wing.

Sergio Ramos just clobbered Lewandowski with another arm to the face and then pulled the Pole back when he went for a header in the penalty area. One, that’s a penalty and I’m now typing in the 65th minute and Sergio Ramos, remarkably, hasn’t been booked for any of the five thousand offences he’s committed. Seriously, you know King Joffrey from Game of Thrones? Yep, he’s far more likeable than Ramos.

… Ah, sorry, I’ve picked this back up at full-time and my oh my; what a finish to the match!! I’m going to skip about half an hour, in which Borussia Dortmund missed a couple of glorious chances (I’m looking at you, Lewandowski) and go straight to Karim Benzema, who put the ball past a seemingly invincible Weidenfeller to get the Dortmund nerves wobbling. Five minutes later, with the Real Madrid pressure gauge ramped up to maximum, Sergio Ramos turned in a pass from Benzema at a corner to make for a horribly nervous last seven minutes (inlcuding extra-time) for even the neutral.

It was unbelievable, I was sat on my settee in the complete neutrality of my Arsenal football shirt and I was desperate for Borussia Dortmund to hold out for the overall win in the two-legged tie. I’m delighted personally for Dortmund and it’s great to think that about seven years ago, the men in charge at Dortmund said, “Right, we’re doing things this way now and we’ll do it right.” A short time later, they’ve won the Bundesliga title twice in a row, winning a double in the second of those triumphs and are now in the Champions League Final. It’s a great achievement and I can’t praise them enough.

That’s all from me on this one. I’m still ill, but the adrenaline of Real Madrid v Borussia Dortmund – well, the last ten minutes – carried me through this one.

See you tomorrow! Have a good day!

Posted on May 1, 2013 by Craig in Champions League Leave a comment

Lewandowski Becomes First Player To Score Four Against Real Madrid

Good morning!

Ever since the launch of this website, I’ve been learning new things. Sadly, something I’ve failed to educate myself on, is the ability to collect my thoughts and write a match report of an evening match, before going to bed and getting up for work in the morning. I manage it, but I don’t have a “system” of how to do it. I’ll get there eventually, I guess.

As I write, we’re in the 48th minute of Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid and it’s been a good match so far. The Dortmund fan reaction to news of Mario Goetze joining Bayern (Lewandowski just scored! 2-1 to Dortmund! It might have been offside but they haven’t replayed the goal yet. I’ll let you know what happened in the next paragraph) was muted; no burning effigies or vile songs about a player that has been at the club since he was 8 years old. Maybe the fan reaction when Goetze returns to Dortmund in the red of Bayern Munich will be a little different, I don’t know, but if there were any ill feelings last night, then they were well concealed (it wasn’t offside, by the way) and everything was very respectful (LEWANDOWSKI JUST SCORED AGAIN!! Hat-trick for Lewandowski and 3-1 to Dortmund. Magnificent).

Robert Lewandowski has put me in a bit of a predicament here. I’m on my third paragraph and Lewandowski has scored a hat-trick with over half an hour left to play. What on earth do I say now?! I thought this second half would fizzle out in a heap of nerves as both teams looked to take a 1-1 scoreline into the next leg (Ilkay Gundogan just glided past three Real Madrid players, sent a shot destined for the top corner and Diego Alves tipped it over).

Oh!! Penalty to Dortmund! Lewandowski to take… GOAL!! That’s his fourth of the night and my attention span on this blog post is waning. This really is one of the most special individual performances I’ve ever seen. Lewandowski is now the first player in the history of European football to score four goals against the imperious Real Madrid. I mean, just think of everything that Real Madrid represent and the enormity of the club. A team scoring four goals against Real Madrid is often unthinkable, but Lewandowski, in the fourth paragraph of this article, has scored four goals and even as I write that, the Polish international produces a stunning save from Diego Alves as he looks to add a fifth. It’s mind boggling, really.

German football has been strengthening for years, we know that, but again the special work carried out by Jurgen Klopp and his crew has to be highlighted. Dortmund were a pale shadow of the team that was fighting for the Bundesliga title last season in their Champions League campaign. Failure to overcome teams such as Marseille, Olympiakos and a poor Arsenal side in the home fixture, was a real concern for Klopp. Revision of their tactics however and a slight shuffle, changed how Dortmund work and it’s paid dividends. One season later, Dortmund are beating Real Madrid 4-1 in the Champions League semi-finals. Even though they had won the Bundesliga title, Dortmund sought improvement beyond what they had already achieved and we’re seeing the benefits.

We’re now in the 91st minute as I write this (yes, it’s taken me a long time to get here, but Lewandowski distracted me) and time is very nearly up. The excellent Gundogan, who exhibited great ability with both feet, has been replaced by Julian Schieber to see the game out.

*Whistle* It’s all over now. Borussia Dortmund have hammered Real Madrid 4-1 and I’m struggling to type this sentence, let alone the final paragraph. If you didn’t watch the match, I feel sorry for you and if you came here hoping for a detailed report on the match, then you are in the wrong place (sorry about that, like). I have problems typing this article for a different reason; I’m happy and in such a state I can barely type.

At times, football can make you smile, and last night was one of them moments where football makes you grin foolishly.

See you tomorrow!

Follow @J4goalpostsblog

Posted on April 25, 2013 by Craig in Champions League Leave a comment

Bayern Munich 4-0 Barcelona / Mario Götze To Join Bayern

Bayern Munich finally punished Barcelona for their one dimensional state of play, squashing the team dubbed, “the greatest the world has ever seen” by four goals to diddly squat.

Barcelona have one dimension to their play and although that dimension is exquisite to watch, opposition are growing increasingly knowledgeable in how to deal with Barcelona. If Barcelona can’t make things happen, then what do they do to change things? Bring on like for like players in Cesc Fabregas, David Villa and Thiago Alacantara? They’re all great, but not “different” in a big way.

PSG were unbeaten in their matches against Barcelona, AC Milan should have stayed stronger to knock them out and Real Madrid dished out a beating to their Catalan rivals not so long ago.

A thrashing has been coming for a while and Bayern Munich duly handed it to them last night.

Barcelona dominated possession with about 65% and pressed well for the first 70 minutes, but were then physically overpowered by Bayern, who scored two in the last twenty minutes to put the tie beyond Barcelona’s reach.

Maths will tell you that Barcelona dominated and were unlucky. Bayern barely had the ball and that lack of control was surprising, though the absence of Toni Kroos did not help. On the one hand, despite Bayern’s lack of control, they looked like scoring every single time they broke forward. On the other hand, Barcelona rarely looked like breaking Bayern down. Possession counts for nothing if you cannot inject a change of pace or a different idea.

Lionel Messi, is Barcelona’s different idea. Ignoring what he said after the match, it’s clear he isn’t fit and having seen Barcelona thumped, the question is, “Did Messi play to the detriment of the team?” The answer is yes. No team can carry a passenger on the pitch and Messi was exactly that. Vilanova would have been better advised to start David Villa over a player operating at 70%.

Barcelona have a beautiful philosophy, but it promotes narrow-mindedness. They don’t need to overhaul their ideals, but they do need to innovate and accept a plan “B” when “A” doesn’t work.

Bayern Munich are a totally different animal to Barcelona. They’re strong, fast, highly skilful, overwhelming and deadly. I likened them to a volcano when they met Arsenal in the second round; overpowering and destroying anything that stood in their path without the hint if a second question needing to be asked.

They’ve put the tie beyond Barcelona now and will further humiliate Barcelona, even at the Nou Camp.

To couple that victory, Borussia Dortmund announced that a fee had been agreed between for the sale of super talent, Mario Götze, after Bayern Munich had triggered the €37 million release clause in Götze’s contract.

Götze and his agent, Volker Struth, approached Borussia Dortmund with the request that his release clause should be activated if an offer was received.

In his pre-match press conference yesterday, Jurgen Klopp said that he had allowed himself “a day of happiness” after beating Malaga to qualify for the semi-finals of the Champions League. The day after, he was informed of the Götze sale and at 10PM on Monday evening, he was informed that the deal would be made public in the morning, just a day before playing Real Madrid in the Champions League.

It’s a really harsh moment for Dortmund, who have to prepare for a huge game with the weight of this news on their shoulders.

Although the timing of the news has to be questioned, the dealt itself cannot be. All parties acted to the confines of the contract and everything was carried out professionally. Of course Dortmund aren’t happy, but nor were Borussia Monchengladbach when Dortmund activated the release clause for Marco Reus.

In turn, Dortmund will probably raid a club beneath them and thus the food chain continues to function.

Pep Guardiola made Götze (as is apparent now) his primary target and Götze is his favourite player (according to Klopp). It’s a huge signing for Bayern Munich.

S’all from me today. See you tomorrow!

Posted on April 24, 2013 by Craig in Bundesliga, Champions League, Europe, Germany Leave a comment

Champions League Semi-Final Preview

At long last, the Champions League semi-finals are set, and that pairings couldn’t be much more intriguing. Simply put, it’s the Germans and the Spaniards remaining, and one would be hard-pressed to argue against the claim that the four best teams have made it through thus far. On the one side, it’s Bayern Munich going up against Barcelona, and on the other we’ll see Borussia Dortmund paired against Real Madrid.

So, what does it all mean now that the semi-final match-ups are finally set? Well, for one thing it means that if you’re in driving range of Germany and Spain you might want to tune up your car, check your Aviva insurance, grab some friends and start driving to a stadium! But for most of us, the semi-final pairings simply mean it’s time to delve into analysis. So here’s a quick look at each match-up.

Bayern Munich vs. Barcelona

In a tie that football fans all over the world are positively salivating over, Bayern Munich and Barcelona are set to meet for the first time since 2009. Both looking to be in absolutely top form lately, Bayern Munich recently solidified a dominant first place finish in the Bundesliga, whereas Barcelona maintains the current reputation of being the strongest side in Europe.

In 2009, when these two teams met in the Champions League quarter-finals, Barcelona asserted itself immediately and in dominant fashion. Lionel Messi scored 2 of 4 first half goals in the first leg, and Barcelona cruised from that point. Munich is much improved since that ’09 debacle, however, and looks poised to present a serious challenge. The first leg will take place on April 23 in Germany, and fans should expect a fast paced, high energy match.

Borussia Dortmund vs. Real Madrid

Another pairing with Champions League history, Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid met in the 1998 semi-finals, with Madrid taking the tie to advance to the final. That was the last time Borussia Dortmund was in the Champions League final, and though Madrid has certainly looked strong in the elimination stages of this year’s Champions League, Dortmund has reason to be optimistic.

That is because, during the group stages, Dortmund not only finished ahead of Madrid in the group, but managed a 2-1 victory at home and a 2-2 tie in Madrid. Of course, the semi-final is a whole new stage, but for those suggesting that Madrid belongs in the final, it’s worth noting that Dortmund has had success against the Spanish side as recently as the group stage of this very Champions League.

Posted on April 17, 2013 by Craig in Champions League Leave a comment

Barca Losing Aura Of Invincibility

Good morning!

Here I am, back on my WordPress app after my laptop broke down with another injury to it’s hard drive. It’s now being sent away for ten days at a time when I have two assignments and a website to launch.

Not. Happy.

In defence of my poor laptop, he’s stood strong for 3 years now, slowly tiring through the constant use it has to suffer. He seemed unbeatable, impervious to the slaughter it suffered on a regular basis.

Eventually, it seems that all that action has caught up with my laptop as it labours towards a death not fitting for the all-conquering King it once was. It’s the inevitability of time which has seemingly defeated my laptop; you use something too much and eventually, things won’t run as smoothly as they used to.

T’other day, Arsene Wenger said that its easier to beat Barcelona now and I completely agree with that. They’re still brilliant, but they don’t carry the same aura of invincibility they once did. Playing Barcelona used to mean, “you’ve had it, sunshine.” Now? It isn’t quite the same. They have a vulnerability at set-pieces, can’t defend too well and are worryingly one-dimensional.

Why is that? Well, that one dimension worked so well, for so long, and key players didn’t suffer massive injuries, that they didn’t need to change.

In my humble opinion, a lack of range to their play has lead to fatigue, narrow-minded (beautiful) football and struggling for fresh ideas.

Barcelona have been playing the same set of players (more often than not) and playing to the same system for so long, so much, that they’ve become fatigued to the point they’re knackered.

Much like my bloody laptop.

That’s all for today. See you tomorrow!

Posted on April 3, 2013 by Craig in Champions League, La Liga, Spain Leave a comment

Suarez To Leave Liverpool? / Can Tottenham Compete For The League?

Good morning!

Yours truly is completely beaten. I played 7-a-side football last night, Gervinho’d two chances and got a rubber burn from ankle to thigh because of the astro-turf. It’s hit me that I may need to get fitter.

Owing to the interlull, there’s not much knocking around in the news this morning. Liverpool chief executive, Ian Ayre, has moved quickly to say that Liverpool are 100% sure that Luis Suarez will stay at the club, despite the Uruguayan saying he would welcome a move to a club who could offer him better prospects of playing in the Champions League. Read more

Posted on March 21, 2013 by Craig in Champions League, England, Liverpool, Premiership, Tottenham Hotspur Leave a comment

Arsenal Offer Ageing Hope

Earlier this year, as you must know by now, me and my younger brother travelled to Bradford on the coldest night we’ve ever known to watch Arsenal compete in the Capital One Cup. Famously, Arsenal lost on penalties to Bradford City of League Two.

Just last month, Arsenal then failed to beat Blackburn Rovers in the FA Cup. There was booing, calls for Arsene Wenger’s head on a plate and I even had one guy tell me that David Moyes is the answer to everything, will solve Arsenal’s problems, cute cancer, end wars and bring world peace.

In the same month, Arsenal got battered 3-1 by Bayern Munich at the Emirates Stadium, which was a depressing night as you can count on Arsenal to really step up and dominate teams on their own pitch. As an Arsenal fan, it felt like an era was slipping.

By now, after years of supporting the Gunners, I’ve come to accept that Arsenal will be the death of me. Feelings of utter humiliation, embarrassment and sorrow is tempered with matches such as last night, where they can play the best and beat them.

Bayern Munich have stormed the Bundesliga this season and have suffered only two defeats this campaign. They barely concede and overwhelm their opposition like a boa constrictor killing a mouse. Jupp Heyncke’s team is so imperiously strong and to beat them on your own turf, let alone Bayern’s back yard, is a great achievement.

Victims of that 3-1 hammering at the Emirates Stadium, much of the damage was already done. Arsenal had been written off at the final whistle of the first leg and that peformance is what cost them in the end.

To have any hope of defying the odds, Arsenal needed to score first and did so, going ahead courtesy of Olivier Giroud from close range in the third minute.

Chances were at a premium and other than Theo Walcott’s snap-cross, which evaded Giroud and Ramsey (I think it was Ramsey) there was nothing to worry Bayern, who couldn’t seem to snap into gear.

Arsenal were defensively resolute, keeping the Bayern attack in front of them, refusing entry around the sides.

The longer the clock wore down, the slimmer Arsenal’s hopes became of qualifying for the Round of 16. In typical Arsenal fashion however, they gave some hope when it seemed it would never arrive. A late corner was thrusted into the penalty area by Santo Cazorla and Javi Martinez nodded home for an own goal.

Time soon ran out for Arsenal and they exited the Champions League, but not without a fight, and not without giving their supporters something to believe in as they approach a critical stage of the season.

Posted on March 13, 2013 by Craig in Arsenal, Bundesliga, Champions League, Germany, Premiership Leave a comment

AC Milan 2-0 Barcelona

Good morning!

There’s quite the over-reaction whenever Barcelona lose. Some of it’s over the top, especially when we talk about Champions League teams. Most teams, with exception to a few, are capable of beating anybody on their day. Schalke, for example, are struggling the Bundesliga, but are unbeaten in their Champions League campaign. Manchester City are Premier League champions, but failed to win a game and… You get my point. Read more

Posted on February 21, 2013 by Craig in Champions League Leave a comment

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