UCL: GW 5 REVIEW

Leipzig, Liverpool held to draws at home and the Barca trident on the score sheet.

We take a sneak peek into the happenings across Europe as we look at the performances this week from Europe's elite competition.

Barcelona was on song when Borussia Dortmund visited the Nou Camp. Messi was at his magnificent best as he assisted two goals and scored on his 700th appearance. Jadon Sancho came on to give the away side some hope when he pulled one back and had a shot deflected onto the crossbar. Lucien Favre approached the game to hold the Catalonians and hit on the counter, but  Niko Schulz failed to take his chance early on.  Messi took over and was at his mesmerising best.
Lautaro Martinez and Lukaku are forming the best strike partnership. The latter troubled opposition defenders with his brute strength and link-up play and he got his first UCL goal for Inter. Lautaro's brace showed his great positional play.  Antonio Conte was his animated self on the touchline.

Frank Lampard was unlucky to leave Spain with all 3 points as there was another VAR drama involved. Kepa made a great stop to Dani Parejo's penalty but just watched on as Daniel Wass' attempted cross hit the upright to turn in. Ajax was away in France and got the deserved win as Lille kept on fluffing their lines. Erik Ten Haag got away with a 2-0 victory. 
Mourinho got his first CL victory with Spurs as the comeback was spurred by Harry Kane and Dele Alli to make it 4-2 against Olympiakos. Robert Lewandowski also got four against Red Star Belgrade. The Czech Republican could not survive the onslaught from the Bavarians.

Paulo Dybala got the only goal of the encounter when Juventus squared off against Atletico Madrid. He hit a freekick across the face of goal as it curled in at Oblak's far post. Manchester City salvaged a point when Gundogan got the equalizer for Pep's side at home against Shakthtar. Atalanta did well to grab their first win of the campaign as they saw off Dinamo Zagreb at home.
Haaland put the game to bed as RB Salzburg got the better of Genk. Genk managed to pull one back, but could not match the strength of the Red Bull outfit.

Real Madrid and PSG set up a mouth-watering encounter at the Bernabeu. Karim Benzema got the two goals for the Los Blancos, but two late goals from the French side put them level as they grabbed a point to still lead the group. Mbappe and Sarabia got the goals for the PSG as Hazard walked off injured.
Dries Mertens got Van Dijk on the turf as he raised through the Red's defence to get Napoli's goal before the break. Carlo Ancelotti kept it tight till the Lovren got the better of Mertens in the box to score from a corner.

A good week of UCL football but other teams need to wait until the last game week to see it through.
Player of the week. Robert Lewandowski.

UCL: GW 5 PREVIEW

The UCL has returned with Jose Mourinho; Who else joins Bayern, Paris SG, and Juventus in the last 16?


The international break does not appear any sooner than in March, and that leaves a list of grueling fixtures for clubs as the UCL group stages edges closer to the end.We do a deep dive into some of the matches across Europe this week as we look at possible qualifications and what teams need to do to book qualification to the last 16. 

PSG and Real Madrid will go at each other again tomorrow night at the Bernabeu. It was a horror show for the Spanish giants in the first game week. Angel Di Maria was at his magnificent best in that encounter. Thomas Tuchel has the firepower in his arsenal to go away from home and cause Zidane trouble. Zidane should be able to match the technical nous of Tuchel to keep the scoreline respectful as qualification for either team looks a sure bet.
Juventus will welcome the visit of Atletico Madrid in Turin. A stalemate in the previous encounter leaves everything on the line as Diego Simeone will be looking to seal qualification after his loss to Bayer Leverkusen. Atletico is known for its work-rate and rugged footballing approach and seems to have lost that. A victory will be a psychological boost to Diego Simeone's side. Juventus, on the one hand, having qualified must see the rest of the games through for the competition's formality. 

Mourinho made a return to the dugout as he took over from Pochettino. A turbulent victory over the weekend but he returns to Champions League action with Spurs as they play host to Olympiacos. It will be a boost for him if he can make it two wins from two games to kickstart his managerial career at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium. Pep Guardiola will need just a point to make it to the knockout phase but needs to skip the Shakhtar Donetsk hurdle.
Dinamo Zagreb can reach the last 16 after a long time out of the UCL if they can collect all 3 points from Atalanta provided City get the victory over their opponents.
 
Ernesto Valverde has not convinced fans with some of his matchday performances with the most recent one against Slavia Praha a worrying highlight. Borussia Dortmund did well to hold Barcelona in GW 1. A loss to Borussia Dortmund and Europa league looms for Barcelona if Inter gets the better of Slavia Praha. Antonio Conte needs points to make it out of the group stages and would fancy this matchup against Slavia Praha as the footballing of the Czech Republican side has been awful. They managed to get a draw against Barcelona and Inter though.
RB Leipzig sit on top of Group G with Lyon tailing them. Lyon will await Zenit in France and must be up to the task to keep pressure on Leipzig. A victory for Zenit opens up qualification chances as well. Julian Nagelsmann will be up against Benfica who languish at the bottom.  

Jurgen Klopp and Carlo Ancelotti will be meeting for the fourth time in the last 2 UCL campaigns. Many Liverpudlians will remember the famous save from Allison in the dying minutes and Salah's turn off Koulibaly to score the only goal of the game at Anfield last season. Ancelotti visits again, but his run of poor results domestically makes this entirely difficult counting the kind of team the Reds are on their home turf.
The holders must beat Napoli to make it out of the group, and that will surmount to no pressure in the last game week. Erling Braut Haaland is red hot as he keeps banging the goals. A win for them keeps CL hopes alive if Napoli lose as Genk stand no chance at all now.
Chelsea will make the flight to Valencia in Spain. Lampard lost this game by a goal to nil the last time out. He got the win against Ajax away from home and can do same against Albert Celades' men. Valencia must get this win to make chances of qualification easy but at the expense of Lampard's Chelsea. Lille is out of the competition and will play host to Ajax. It is 7 points for Ajax, Chelsea and Valencia and just two places for qualification. Who makes it out? 

UCL: GW 4 REVIEW

Bayern Munich & Paris SG seal qualification, City need to wait and Rodrygo's brilliance highlighted.

The races are gradually inching closer to the final stages with calculations not appearing good for some teams. Bayern Munich and Paris SG have safely made it out of the groups unscathed and will be waiting for their opponents in the round of 16 despite having two games left to play. 

Real Madrid found their groove with Rodrygo having to make the perfect life at the Bernabeu as he got a hattrick in a six-goal thriller. Galatasaray will be disappointed with their start to the campaign. The team is yet to score a goal and have conceded eight goals in the four matches played. Sergio Ramos and Benzema's brace put the icing on the cake for the Los Blancos. 

Mauro Icardi got the only goal of the game as PSG beat Club Brugge to make it into the round of 16. Bayern Munich had a disappointing first half, goals from Lewandowski and Ivan Perisic sealed it for the Bavarians. Tottenham Hotspur enjoyed their trip away in Serbia as they put four past Red Star Belgrade. Olympiacos sit at the bottom with just a point; it is all but over for them. 

Manchester City must wait until the next game week to assure qualification. A defeat will leave it until the last game week. Mario Pasalic cancelled out Sterling's goal earlier in the second half. Kyle Walker will be proud to have debuted in post and not concede for the final ten minutes after Bravo was sent off. 

Dinamo Zagreb shot themselves in the foot when they blew away a two-goal cushioning late in injury time. Shakhtar Donetsk levelled the score with a penalty late on as the game ended with a red card each for both teams. 

Bayer Leverkusen picked up their first win of the campaign as they held on to a 2-1 lead at the Bay Arena. Alvaro Morata got the consolation goal with stoppage time left to play after Thomas Partey's miscued header to clear from a corner. Kevin Volland got the second goal for the Germans. Juventus left it late on a tricky night away in Russia. Miranchuk followed in on his header which hit the upright to cancel Ramsey's goal - Ronaldo would have loved to claim that. Ramsey just made sure the ball fully crawled in though. Sorry, Ronaldo. 

Napoli's draw at home in Naples to RB Salzburg sees Liverpool now top group E. Liverpool saw off Genk in a not so ruthless fashion but did the needed to get all 3 points. Erling Haaland occupies the top spot on the CL goals chart with seven goals. Napoli has not lost a game yet, a win in the next game week gives them the upper hand, and that depends on their trip to Anfield.

Barcelona was at the Camp Nou when Slavia Praha held Ernesto Valverde's men to a goalless draw. Inter Milan gave away a two-goal advantage at the Signal Iduna. Hakimi Achraf added to his CL goal tally when he fuelled the come-back with a brace. Hakimi's goals sandwiched Julian Brandt's goal for the equaliser.

Chelsea and Ajax served fans with a blockbuster. Ajax left the home fans biting their nails when they went up 4-1. Jorginho slotted home two penalties and Reece James got his first senior goal to ensure it ended at 4-4. Two straight red cards to the centre backs of Ajax was harsh. Lille have very few to munch on after Valencia beat them 4-1. Leipzig saw off Zenit away at the Gazprom Arena. Lyon did enough to get within reach of Leipzig as they beat Benfica 3-1.

 


Player of the week: Rodrygo. 
Any other? Leave your comments and we can talk about the goal of the week as well. 

UCL Preview: GW 4

UCL Returns; Reverse fixtures begin and proviso quod for points to be bagged for qualification assurance.

Fixtures will reciprocate in the next game week ahead of clashes in the UCL. 

IC: gettyimages.

We are halfway through in the group stages. Chances of qualification are aplenty and with three games to go teams will pick as many points as possible to easily make it out of the groups.

Lucien Favre must make the most of the clash against Internazionale. A dagger in the final minutes from Candreva was hard to take. There is indeed another opportunity for Dortmund to make it right when Antonio Conte makes the trip to the Signal Iduna. Both teams have a win, draw and a loss and winning this game gives one the nod over the other. Barcelona, on the one hand, has taken the front foot and leads the group with 7 points. They face Slavia Prague who languish at the bottom of the group with just a point. They must protect their legacy and do their best.
The Reds will wait for the arrival of Genk at Anfield. Klopp gallantly dispatched Mazzu's men in the reverse fixture away from home. Anfield has been a fortress and Genk must be 200% motivated to be able to nick a point from the current holders come Tuesday night. RB Salzburg with Erling Haaland is prolific and was left gnashing in the previous encounter after his brace could not help salvage a point. Napoli did well to get the away victory but must finish the job when they meet again.

The Marvel-DC crossover got the victory far away in Amsterdam. Erik Ten Haag was utterly bewildered when Pulisic teed up Batshuayi to score the only goal. Odds were against Chelsea as they went away from home. Ajax must now dig deep to get points to keep the consistency. Ziyech was on song at the weekend and must replicate the same form when they make this trip to the bridge. Timo Werner played 45 mins of the encounter when these two met earlier. He scored three goals and assisted another three over the weekend and must win to be at the summit of the table. Nagelsmann has Zenit in his way and will trust his boys to deliver.

PSG had a blithe disregard for the footballing culture in Belgium as they dispatched Club Brugge with ease. Club Brugge must hope to ramraid the French champions to assure qualification proviso Real Madrid lose points when they face Galatasaray.
Crvena Zvezda will welcome the visit of Tottenham. It was a horror show in the last game week for Vladan Milojević as Spurs hit five past his team. Pochettino for all the troubles he is facing this season managed to get it right and must continue in the same vein on the road. It was not onesided when Bayern went away to Greece. They fought hard to get the victory. It would have been farcical a fortnight ago to say Bayern would make this clash without Niko Kovac but now it sure isn't.

Pep Guardiola showed some nerves of steel last weekend and can keep it going when they travel to Italy to face Atalanta who sit at the bottom. Juventus will also be going away in the coming game week with the clash against Lokomotiv in the waiting.
Bayer Leverkusen will play host to Atletico Madrid in Germany. Atletico were narrow victors in the last clash and were not so convincing but got the victory via Alvaro Morata. Peter Bosz finds his team at the bottom of the group with no points and has Diego Simeone to contend with. 

UCL GW 3: REVIEW

Goals aplenty; Only three teams have 9 points and Lampard talks about the standard Chelsea has set. 

It was a goal-fest when the UCL came around in midweek. Strikers got in on it as they scored in 2s and 3s. Manchester City, Bayern Munich and Paris kept it perfect as GW 3 ended. They have won the three opening games of the group stages bagging all 9 points.

Chelsea made it 5 wins in their last 5 matches played away from home in all competitions when they took all 3 points from Ajax. Lampard's substitutions paid off when Michy Batshuayi got on the end of a Pulisic cross. The boys can only get better as Lampard spoke about the standards set by his team. They can only get better if the cyanotype is sustained. Manchester City was a goal down early in the game but came back to put 5 past Atalanta as Sterling got a hattrick.

Tottenham Hotspur put the Bayern thrashing behind them when Red Star Belgrade came around. Kane and Son scored a brace each as Lamela rounded the 5-star performance with a goal. Genk could not hold off Klopp's Liverpool at home in Belgium. Klopp went with a more dynamic midfield as Ox Chamberlain got a brace. Keita impressed and will be making a claim to start this weekend. The two fans who missed the game after going to the wrong city must be furious to not see their team's 4-1 victory.

Juventus got a win in Turin after Miranchuk scored a goal in the first half for the visitors but Dybala got two quick goals to seal the victory for Sarri's men late in the second half. Alvaro Morata's only goal got the victory for Atletico Madrid when Leverkusen visited. Galatasaray fell to a defeat at the hands of Real Madrid. Zidane finally got the win. It would have been devastating if this win was not registered.

Inter Milan slumped Dortmund to a defeat at the San Siro. Lautaro Martinez put the host in front midway through the opening 45 minutes. Dortmund did well to keep their cool but Inter put the cherry on the cake as a fine counter put Candreva in on goal. He smashed it into the top corner with little time left for Dortmund to pull a comeback. Barcelona was not so convincing but got the business done as Messi and Suarez made sure of the win.

I cannot have just one UCL POTW so my picks are Sterling, Mbappe and Di Maria. 


Goal of the Week: No doubt Marcel Sabitzer's technique and match-winner for RB Leipzig against Zenit. 


If you disagree, I am welcome to opinions.
Leave a comment.
 

UCL: GAMEWEEK 3 PREVIEW

Groups shaping up, Is it looking brighter at the end of the tunnel for the big guns? UCL: GW 3 Preview.

The International break has gradually been thrown out the window as club football has calmly walked in. We delve into the nice arts of European football as the UEFA Champions league comes yet to our screens in midweek. 

Atletico Madrid waits for the arrival of Bayern Leverkusen at the Estadio Metropolitano but Joao Felix has to sit this one out. Diego Simeone has the arsenal to see off the German outfit but the brilliance of Kai Havertz, Kevin Volland, and Alario should make this an enthralling encounter.

We must all be aware of Cristiano Ronaldo's good games against Galatasaray at Real Madrid but the scenes look more different now. Hazard will be fit to enter the fray, Benzema showing no signs of slowing down and Modric will be missing this game. Galatasaray will yearn for this as Real Madrid have not been consistent with their performances this season. A good game for the home side and all three points can be bagged. Babel will look to take his chances when the time comes. Paris SG are on the verge of sealing qualification so early in Group A when they win against Club Brugge. A feat achieved by none in the Champions League after just three games.

Lokomotiv Moskva will make a tough trip to the home of the Italian giants Juventus come Tuesday night. Ronaldo could be adding more goals to his 701 tally. Spurs must get the Bayern thrashing out of the way by making it right when Crvena Zvezda visits. Bayern's trip to Greece should be tough but not one they cannot dispense. Pep Guardiola feels his side can only lift the CL trophy if they are sharp in front of goal and that must be seen when they face Atlanta. 

Liverpool after the begrudgingly frustrating draw at Old Trafford and the scare in the last game week must be able to see off Genk to make chances of qualification possible. Erling Haaland got his fourth goal of the CL against Liverpool and will be hoping to add more when Napoli makes the flight to Salzburg in Austria. Napoli's draw in the last game week puts them on top of the group but another drop gets them off that spot.  

A good one at the San Siro when Inter and Dortmund face off. Lukaku and Martinez look the piece and Sensi is having an excellent season barring Dortmund without Alcacer still has more weaponry in their arsenal to be able to take on any side. A thrilling clash in the waiting. A likely 3 points should be on the cards for Lille but Valencia is in the way.

Then there is the contest of the boys with Erik Ten Haag and Frank Lampard on either side. Ajax has refined its approach to UCL games following their manager's care and their last win against Valencia away from home is proof of their strength. We will not keep Lampard's boys on the light-weighted side though. The young boys have been good at Chelsea and have the experience of Willian and Pedro if required. A long injury list for Chelsea but can they withstand the pressure from Ajax?

GW2: UCL REVIEW

Barca victorious despite Inter fight, a goal-fest at Spurs and Anfield, Zidane's woes continue and these Ajax boys😊. 

Barcelona took to the Camp Nou field in the hope to get their first UCL win this season only to be shocked by an early Lautauro Martinez goal. Inter managed to end the first half with the 1-0 lead just to be befuddled by a Luiz Suarez brace in the second half. Antonio Conte would have best hoped for the draw after Barca pulled parity but Messi had the better of two Inter players as he slotted a pass to Suarez to get his second.

Spurs were out of sorts when they came up against Bayern Munich at home. Despite conceding an early goal, Niko Kovac's side went on to score seven past the home team. Serge Gnabry got his sauce ready as he got four on the night. Pochettino needs to get to the drawing board as quickly as possible. 

Liverpool could not manage the game as they let a 3-1 first-half lead slip. RB Salzburg were level just 15 minutes into the second half. The defending of the holders was poor but Salah got on the end of a Firmino header to edge the visitors. Erling Haaland came off the bench to get a goal though. He is scoring for fun and the entire team has scored 40 goals in nine league games.

Ronaldo scored against Bayern Leverkusen as Juventus came away with a 3-0 conquest. Higuaín and Bernardeschi got on the scoresheet also. Sterling and Foden came off the bench to ensure Pep's win over Dinamo Zagreb. Real Madrid played out a frustrating 2-2 draw at home when CFR Brugge visited.

It was not a pleasant day for certain home teams as PSG, Dortmund, Atletico Madrid, Lokomotiv Moscow, and Lyon got wins away. Lampard's Chelsea struggled away but was able to get past a resilient Lille side. Tammy Abraham scored from Tomori's ball into the box and Willian sealed the victory from a Hudson Odoi cross. 

Ajax has marveled football fans across the globe with their exciting football with its brand coming from the Cryuff style. The turns and trickery amaze opponents and Erik ten Hag's impressive work cannot be underrated. A 3-0 victory away to Valencia just proves how this team has grown this culture of football. 

Player of the Week: Serge Gnabry of FC Bayern Munich. 

Hwang Hee-chan's turn and shot to dribble past Van Dijk gets my vote for goal of the week. 

What is your pick? 

UCL: GW 2 PREVIEW

Inter visits the Nou Camp, Spurs hosts the Bavarians and more; The Road to Istanbul - European Royalty. 

                                                                         Ref: UEFA via AA.

The two-day European soccer festival is back again in mid-week. A fortnight ago, game week one got underway and that left fans with awkward surprises. It may be a hectic week for players but one laced with admittedly pure excitement for fans.

Antonio Conte may not have expected to enjoy an easy ride in his early days at Inter Milan but he is bossing matters in Italy. He makes a tough trip to the home of the Catalan giants, FC Barcelona. Both teams played out a frustrating draw in the first game week. Pressure mounts as either would want to leap into the first position. Conte's machine seems to be well oiled now. 
The tactics of Ernesto Valverde have been called to question and fans are fuming with how football has been played at times. Happily, Messi and Dembele are back in training for the Blaugranas. 

Bayern Munich will make a trek to London as Spurs host the Bavarians at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. It has not been rosy for Pochettino this season, with mixed results and players not being in sync with the general team approach. A hard-fought victory over the weekend and options for right-back limited. The draw at Olympiacos leaves the host with just a point after one game. 
Coutinho, on one hand, has been the lynchpin for Niko Kovac's side. He seems to have found his feet and the added threat he gives this Bayern side is one Pochettino should be looking to curb. A victory in the last game round keeps them so comfortable at the top of the table.

Early kickoffs for Real Madrid and Atalanta as they play Club Brugge and Shakhtar Donetsk respectively. Atalanta must redeem themselves after the 4-0 mauling in Zagreb. PSG after their heavy victory over Madrid will be looking to continue that fine form when they make the trip to Turkey to face Galatasaray. Bayern Leverkusen will travel to Turin to face Juventus. Mauricio Sarri must pick all the maximum points at home while Atletico Madrid does a dicey trip to Russia. Pep Guardiola will be expecting all 3 points when his side comes up against the Croatian outfit, Dinamo Zagreb.

Valencia and RB Leipzig will await the visits of Ajax and Lyon respectively. Early kickoffs on Wednesday for Dortmund and Napoli away also. Chelsea's trip to Lille will be difficult as Lille's manager, Christophe Galtier will be making up for the loss suffered in GW 1.
A disappointing start for the holders, Liverpool in the previous game week but chances are still wide and aplenty as Klopp faces RB Salzburg with red hot Haaland after getting a hattrick in his first UCL appearance. 

Another good week of football. We can only but enjoy it.
 
 



 

THE UCL REVIEW

Holders disappointed, Hazard ghosted, an exciting stalemate at the Wanda and the new boy Haaland stole the show in gameweek 1.
 

Things may not have gone according to plan for the current champions, Liverpool but Dries Merten's penalty and Virgil Van Dijk's error cushioned Ancelotti's side to victory in Naples. The much-applauded front three were not on song and misfired. A reverse fixture at Anfield lies in wait. 

The Portuguese stars could not get on the score sheet in Spain when Atletico Madrid and Juventus faced off. A curler from Cuadrado and a guided header from Matuidi put the visitors in front but goals from Savic and Hector Herrara late on got them level pegging. Cristiano watched his solo effort whisk past the upright as it ended in a draw. 

The French champions, PSG, the floating bulwark tore Real Madrid to shreds in a thrilling encounter in Paris. A Di Maria brace and a late counter saw Meunier finish off a move he started. Zidane's defense could not find answers to a seemingly second string PSG attack. Iddrisa Gana Gueye was magnificent in that midfield and Hazard was ghosted. 

Not the start Chelsea would have hoped for as they lost at home to Valencia as Barkley missed a penalty. Bayern were at their ruthless best as they saw off Red Star Belgrade in Munich. Mixed fortunes for Spurs away in Greece. A disappointing start for Antonio Conte and new boy Erling Haaland stole the show in an eight-goal thriller as he fired home a hattrick for RB Salzburg.   

Dinamo Zagreb was mercilessly and Pep's Manchester City smile back to England after their victory over Shakhtar Donetsk. 

picture referrence: oklahoma n.com

Player of The Week.

It must be the hattrick hero Haaland. Just 19 years old in his first CL game. 

Goal of The Week.

You decide.  I will be waiting for the comments.

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

European soccer takes another spin this year as current champions, Liverpool FC look to defend their title. 

The European club competition returns to our screens more promptly as clubs go again to see who becomes the team of Europe. 32 teams will be joining the shuttle when they move across Europe as two will be booking tickets to Turkey come May 30, 2020. Similarly, there will be kickoffs at 4:55 pm and 7 pm this year. 

Liverpool dispatched fellow countrymen Spurs in the final at the Wanda Metropolitano to lift the trophy and make it their sixth UCL title after a failed attempt against Real Madrid a year prior. Liverpool's title defense will begin with Napoli and Europa League champions, Chelsea will take on Valencia at 7 pm. 

The favorites, Barcelona locks horns with Borussia Dortmund with Messi a doubt despite beginning early training on Monday. Wonder boys, Ajax will welcome Lille but will be without Frenkie De Jong and Matthijs De Ligt. 

Pep's Manchester City takes a trip to Ukraine to face Shakhtar Donetsk too. Cristiano Ronaldo's Juventus face Atletico Madrid at Wanda Metropolitano while Joao Felix gets to make his UCL debut against his compatriot.   

We are ready to enjoy another year of exciting Champions league football - art and culture of European soccer on display.