Chelsea found redemption for the misery of Moscow and ended their long quest to win the Champions League by beating Bayern Munich on penalties in the Allianz Arena.

Di Matteo delivered a surprise in his starting line-up, with youngster Ryan Bertrand handed a role on the left flank in front of Cole in an attempt to stifle the threat of former Chelsea winger Arjen Robben.

On a night of gripping tension in Germany, the final went to a shoot-out after Didier Drogba’s late equaliser sent the game into extra-time then penalties, following Thomas Muller’s headed goal.

Petr Cech rescued Chelsea when he saved Arjen Robben’s penalty early in the extra period – then the great talisman Drogba took centre stage again as the drama of spot-kicks was played out at the end where Bayern’s fans watched in anguish.

Juan Mata missed Chelsea’s first penalty but David Luiz, Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole were all successful. Philipp Lahm, Mario Gomez and goalkeeper Manuel Neuer were all on target for Bayern.

The momentum shifted decisively when Cech denied Ivica Olic and Bastian Schweinsteiger hit the post to leave Chelsea on the brink and present Drogba with his moment of destiny.

He was calmness personified as he rolled the ball past Neuer to spark scenes of elation among Chelsea’s players, staff and supporters. The tournament that had given them their greatest agony had now delivered their greatest glory.

This was a victory in the mould of Chelsea’s semi-final win against Barcelona, built on resilience, discipline, defensive organisation and nerve at the crucial times and done without the suspended Terry, Branislav Ivanovic, Ramires and Raul Meireles.

Chelsea’s blanket of defensive defiance served them well in the Nou Camp – and acted as a dress rehearsal for a first half spent almost entirely in their territory.

And while Chelsea were organised and resolute, they were also grateful that Bayern striker Gomez’s touch in front of goal deserted him at decisive moments.

Suspended captain John Terry joined the celebrations and lifted the trophy alongside Lampard but it was Drogba who was the hero, running the length of the pitch swirling his shirt above his head in triumph, with owner Roman Abramovich looking on as Chelsea finally claimed the prize he has craved for season upon season.

For Chelsea, there is just one remaining question – will Roberto di Matteo be offered the Chelsea job on a full-time basis? In less than 6 months, the Italian has transformed the London club’s season, giving the Russian owner the Champions League after so many painful failures.

It’s also hard to see how Drogba, now 34 but still able to produce the brilliance that defines big occasions, can be allowed to walk away as his contract reaches its conclusion.

Abramovich will leave the big decisions for another day, but this was a night he and his club have desired since he walked into Stamford Bridge – and ironically achieved with an interim manager he had to appoint after sacking his personal choice, Andre Villas-Boas.

This thrilling night is a historical moment for the London club. Chelsea have now won the biggest prize in European Club football, for the first time in their history. The Champions League will now head to Stamford Bridge.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

The 2011/2012 Champions League Final, to be played between Chelsea and Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena in Munich on Saturday, 19th May 2012, is going to be a classic.

Both finalists were unfancied going into their respective semi-finals and they overcame unlikely odds to beat Real Madrid and Barcelona. While Bayern came through their two-legged showdown against Madrid with credit and praise for their ability to counter Madrid’s attacking verve and strength, Chelsea’s progress against Barcelona was very much a back to the walls job, and it’s this fantastic performance that has pundits pin the one-off final as more of an equal clash than it would seem on paper.

Indeed, the word out of Bayern is that they’re worried about Chelsea’s remarkable ability to win out of nothing, and while Drogba is playing for Chelsea, anything is possible.

Here’s our in-depth look at the 2012 Champions League final:

THE FINALISTS

THE ROAD TO THE FINAL

THE STADIUM

Home to FC Bayern München and TSV 1860 München, the Fußball Arena München will host the 2012 UEFA Champions League final following a decision made by the UEFA Executive Committee in January 2009. The showpiece will take place on Saturday 19 May 2012.

• The Fußball Arena München took less than three years to build from start to finish, and was completed on 30 April 2005. It was conceived following a referendum in October 2001 when 65.8% of Munich’s citizens voted to construct a new arena rather than regenerate the Olympiastadion, venue for the 1972 summer Olympic Games and previous home of Bayern and 1860 München.

• A year to the day after that vote, work commenced on the stadium, including the construction of the unique exterior. The Fußball Arena München’s transparent outer wall is comprised of foil panels which are lit from the inside and can change colour depending on who is playing; red for Bayern, blue for 1860 München and white for Germany.

• The arena opened its doors to competitive football on 5 August 2005 when a full house of 66,000 watched Bayern defeat VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach 3-0. In January 2006, city authorities approved a 3,901 increase in capacity which means the stadium can now house 69,901 supporters. Some of these reside in standing terraces which are created for domestic games by converting 10,400 seats in each of the north and south stands.

• Located on Werner-Heisenberg-Allee – named after famous German atomic physicist and 1932 Nobel Prize for Physics winner Werner Heisenberg – the Fußball Arena München played host to the opening game of the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Germany’s 4-2 victory against Costa Rica. A further five matches in the tournament were played at the arena, including France’s 1-0 semi-final win against Portugal.

• While some 106 VIP boxes, 400 media seats and 11,000 parking spaces cater for those attending the game, the players make do with two warm-up rooms, a nursery and four changing rooms – one each for Bayern, 1860 München and their respective opponents.

• The Olympiastadion hosted three European Champion Clubs’ Cup finals. Trevor Francis’s strike earned Nottingham Forest FC victory against Malmö FF in 1979 and there was also only one goal in it 24 years later when Olympique de Marseille beat AC Milan to claim the inaugural UEFA Champions League title. In 1997 two Karl-Heinz Riedle efforts set BV Borussia Dortmund on course for a 3-1 win against Juventus.

(source: uefa.com)

Munich finals have habit for upsets

The Fußball Arena München will stage its first European Champion Clubs’ Cup final when the UEFA Champions League concludes there on 19 May.

However, the Olympiastadion – which will host the UEFA Women’s Champions League decider on 17 May – staged the men’s showpiece three times, not to mention the 1974 FIFA World Cup and 1988 UEFA European Championship deciders. UEFA.com looks back at the three previous times the biggest fixture in European club football visited Munich.

28 May 1997 Bor. Dortmund 3-1 Juventus

The last European Cup final at the Olympiastadion was a triumph for Germany, but not FC Bayern München. Holders Juve started favourites but just as they had taken the title off AFC Ajax the year before, so Dortmund did to the Turin side what Hamburger SV had in the 1983 final. Karl-Heinz Riedle broke the deadlock just before the half-hour and five minutes later headed Dortmund two up. Substitute Alessandro Del Piero reduced arrears with a 64th-minute back-heel but Dortmund then brought on Lars Ricken. With his first touch he brilliantly chipped Angelo Peruzzi from long range to clinch his club’s first European title.

26 May 1993 Oly. de Marseille 1-0 AC Milan

Four years earlier, the first UEFA Champions League final had been at the Olympiastadion – again there was defeat for the Italian favourites. The all-star Milan team including Marco van Basten, Frank Rijkaard and a host of Italian internationals had already lifted the European Cup in 1989 and 1990. They would do so again in 1994, but on this occasion Marseille got the better of them courtesy of Basile Boli’s goal just before half-time. For the country which had invented the European Cup, it was a first triumph.

30 May 1979 Nott. Forest 1-0 Malmö FF

Two of European football’s less glamorous names had their day in the spotlight in the first Munich final. Injury-hit Malmö, the only ever Swedish finalists, presented a tough test for a Forest side aiming to keep the trophy in England following Liverpool FC’s triumphs in 1977 and 1978. Forest manager Brian Clough was able to give a competition debut to Trevor Francis, the first British player to be signed for £1m, and although he was fielded out on the right wing it was he who headed in John Robertson’s cross just before half-time to clinch the title.

(source: uefa.com)

THE TROPHY

In March 1967, UEFA’s Executive Committee decided, at a meeting in Vienna, to allow Real Madrid CF to keep the original trophy, a silver cup offered by L’Equipe, after the Spanish team’s sixth victory. The Executive Committee then made 10,000 Swiss francs – currently about 6,500 euros – available for a new trophy to be made.

It wasn’t a simple replica of the original cup as UEFA’s General Secretary at that time, Hans Bangerter, decided to create a new design and called in a local specialist in Berne, Jürg Stadelmann. The trophy handed to Liverpool in Istanbul was the fourth version of that design.

“My father Hans and I went along to Herr Bangerter’s office and covered the whole floor with the drawings,” recalled Stadelmann. “He made comments like, ‘The Bulgarians would like the bottom of that. The Spaniards would like that, but the Italians would prefer that and the Germans would go for this bit.’ We put the design together like a jigsaw puzzle. It was a design constituted of many parts yet I like it and I think everyone in football likes it as well.

“I remember that it had to be finished before 28 March,” Stadelmann added, “because I was getting married and taking my wife on a ten-day boat trip to Los Angeles. The trophy took 340 hours to make. I did the finer work, then it was finished off by the engraver, Fred Bänninger. On time, I am glad to say.”

The trophy is 62 centimetres tall and weighs 7.5kg. It may not be an artistic masterpiece, but everybody in football is keen to get their hands on it.

Nowadays, UEFA regulations allow the Cup to become the property of any club which wins the competition five times or three times in a row. That means that, after fifty years, only Real Madrid CF, AFC Ajax, FC Bayern München, AC Milan and Liverpool FC have earned the right to keep an original in their trophy rooms.

Fittingly, as the European Champion Clubs’ Cup reached the 50th anniversary of the first final in Paris in 2006, the second half-century of the competition kicked-off with a brand-new piece of silverware – produced by the same Bertoni workshop in Milan but, unlike its predecessors, with the names of all 50 winning clubs engraved on it.

A total of 45 different pairs of hands have lifted the Champion Clubs’ Cup since the Real Madrid CF skipper, Miguel Muñoz, first laid his hands on Europe’s most coveted prize in 1956. The roll of honour is an awesome list of some of the continent’s all-time greats, many of whom have gone on to make their mark in coaching after hanging up their boots. What’s more, fans who are superstitious about numbers might note that Bobby Charlton was captain No.9 to lift the trophy; Gianni Rivera was No. 10; and Johan Cruyff – just for a change – was No.14! Curiously, the FC Bayern München honorary president, Franz Beckenbauer, is the only captain to have received the cup three times and no one has lifted it in two consecutive seasons since Franco Baresi and his AC Milan team-mates were crowned kings of Europe in 1989 and 1990

(source: uefa.com)

THE BALL

The official match ball for the 2012 UEFA Champions League final – the adidas Finale Munich – has been officially presented at the venue for this season’s showpiece match, the Fußball Arena München.

As the 12th adidas supplied match ball for a UEFA Champions League final, the adidas Finale Munich will be the first “final ball” to be used throughout the UEFA Champions League knockout stages and not just for the final itself.

The ball’s graphics are inspired by the shape of the Fußball Arena München and they enhance its iconic starball logo design, while the blue and acqua tones are strongly influenced by the reflection of modern local architectural materials, which also build the UEFA Champions League Final Munich 2012 brand identity.

The adidas Finale Munich makes its debut tonight when the UEFA Champions League resumes with two of the eight round of 16 ties – the first leg matches between Olympique Lyonnais and APOEL FC, and Bayer 04 Leverkusen and FC Barcelona.

The UEFA Champions League final takes place in the Bavarian city on Saturday 19 May.

(source: uefa.com)

THE AMBASSADOR

Having lifted the European Champion Clubs’ Cup for FC Bayern München, scored in Germany’s victorious FIFA World Cup final in Munich and been brought up just 50km away there are few people better placed than Paul Breitner to act as ambassador for the 2012 UEFA Champions League final at the Fußball Arena Munchen on 19 May.

The former Real Madrid CF midfielder saw it all in a glittering 13-year player career, but the return of club football’s biggest game to Munich for a fourth time, and first at the new stadium, is a source of great pride for the 60-year-old. “The Champions League final next year in May is the highlight of the whole season, for the city of Munich and for Bayern,” he told UEFA.com. “”The people of Munich, including me, think we have the most beautiful city in the world”.”

As well as being a tourist attraction, Munich is also a footballing hotbed and the Fußball Arena Munchen, which opened in 2005 and houses almost 70,000 spectators for Bundesliga matches, is home to both TSV 1860 München and Bayern, Germany’s most successful club. And it was with the three-time European champions that Breitner first made his name in some 41 years ago.

“In 1970, it was a time of evolutionary change at Bayern Munich. Uli Hoeness, the current club president, and I arrived at the right time to grow into the team, to learn from Franz Beckenbauer and Gerd Müller. We went through a development phase which led us, after our fourth season, to play in our first European Cup final, winning against Atlético Madrid in a replay after drawing the first match.”

That victory came in May 1974, two years after Breitner had helped West Germany win the UEFA European Championship, and two months before he lifted the World Cup. He would go on to become one of his country’s most successful footballers, winning five Bundesliga titles with Bayern and two Spanish championships with Madrid. In 1982 he became only the third player after Brazilians Vavá and Pelé to score in two World Cup finals (an elite club since joined by Zinédine Zidane).

(source: uefa.com)

THE OFFICIAL PROGRAMME

The Fußball Arena München will host the 2012 UEFA Champions League final and the 116-page official matchday programme is the perfect souvenir.

Packed with insight into the season’s most high-profile fixture, the programme features exclusive interviews with the two coaches as well as profiling the players who will perform on the ultimate stage on Saturday 19 May.

The matchday magazine also follows the two teams on the road to the Bavarian capital, and goes behind the scenes at each finalist club. The programme celebrates the great and good who have held the UEFA Champions League Trophy in triumph, including the heroes of the past Munich finals Trevor Francis, Basile Boli and Lars Ricken, while guiding readers through the culture – footballing and otherwise – of the host city and speaks to final ambassador Paul Breitner, among many features.

You may purchase the programme for £8.25 at the Official Online Store of the UEFA Champions League.

(source: uefa.com)

FACTS & FIGURES – THE FINAL

The following statistics were taken from the UEFA Champions League Statistics Handbook.
 

Finals: 19
Wins: 14
Draws: 5
Goals: 49
Average: 2.58
Extra-time: 5
Penalty shoot-outs: 5
Different results: 9
Most common outcome: 2-1 (4 times)
Both sides scoring: 10
One side scoring: 8
No goals: 1
Total time in minutes: 1860
Minutes per goal: 38
Red cards: 2

RESULTS SUMMARY

BIGGEST WINS

BIGGEST LEAD AT HALF-TIME

HIGHEST MATCH AGGREGATE

FINALS DECIDED BY A PENALTY SHOOT-OUT

MOST GOALS BY A PLAYER

TWO:

SCORING IN TWO DIFFERENT FINALS

RAÚL González (Real Madrid CF) in 2000 [1 goal], 2002 [1 goal]
Samuel ETO’O (FC Barcelona) in 2006 [1 goal], 2009 [1 goal]
Lionel MESSI (FC Barcelona) in 2009 [1 goal], 2011 [1 goal]

CLUBS FROM THE SAME NATION PLAYING IN THE FINAL

SAME CLUBS MEETING IN CHAMPION CLUBS’ CUP/UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINALS

Note: Real Madrid CF and Stade de Reims both played each other in the 1956 and 1959 Champion Clubs’ Cup final whilst AC Milan and SL Benfica met in 1963 and 1990

SUMMARY OF NATIONS PLAYING IN THE FINAL

THE VENUES (15)

Note: The old Wembley Stadium in London hosted five Champion Clubs’ Cup finals: 1963, 1968, 1971, 1978 and 1992 whilst the Heysel Stadion in Brussels staged the same number of games in 1958, 1966, 1974 (final and replay) and 1985.

Vienna’s Ernst-Happel-Stadion was the venue for 4 finals in 1964, 1987, 1990 and 1995

PLAYERS WHO HAVE MISSED FINALS DUE TO SUSPENSION

Alessandro COSTACURTA & Franco BARESI (AC Milan) v FC Barcelona 1994
Michael REIZIGER (AFC Ajax) v Juventus 1996
Roy KEANE & Paul SCHOLES (Manchester United FC) v FC Bayern München 1999
Amedeo CARBONI (Valencia CF) v Real Madrid CF 2000
ZE ROBERTO (Bayer Leverkusen) v Real Madrid CF 2002
Pavel NEDVED (Juventus) v AC Milan 2003
Eric ABIDAL & DANIEL ALVES (FC Barcelona) v Manchester United FC 2009
Darren FLETCHER (Manchester United FC) v FC Barcelona 2009
Franck RIBÉRY (FC Bayern München) v FC Internazionale Milano 2010
THIAGO MOTTA (FC Internazionale Milano) v FC Bayern München 2010
José PINTO (FC Barcelona) v Manchester United FC 2011

RED CARDS IN THE FINAL

RECORD OF THE TITLE HOLDER THE FOLLOWING SEASON

THE CLUBS WHO HAVE PLAYED IN THE UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL

SIX FINALS:
AC Milan (1993, 1994, 1995, 2003, 2005, 2007)

FOUR FINALS:
FC Barcelona (1994, 2006, 2009, 2011), Juventus (1996, 1997, 1998, 2003), Manchester United FC (1999, 2008, 2009, 2011)

THREE FINALS:
Real Madrid CF (1998, 2000, 2002), FC Bayern München (1999, 2001, 2010)

TWO FINALS:
AFC Ajax (1995, 1996), Valencia CF (2000, 2001), Liverpool FC (2005, 2007)

ONE FINAL:
Olympique de Marseille (1993), BV Borussia Dortmund (1997), Bayer 04 Leverkusen (2002), FC Porto (2004), AS Monaco FC (2004), Arsenal FC (2006), Chelsea FC (2008), FC Internazionale Milano (2010)

WINNERS OF THE UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE TITLE

THREE TITLES:
AC Milan (1994, 2003, 2007), Real Madrid CF (1998, 2000, 2002), FC Barcelona (2006, 2009, 2011)

TWO TITLES:
Manchester United FC (1999, 2008)

ONE TITLE:
Olympique de Marseille (1993), AFC Ajax (1995), Juventus (1996), BV Borussia Dortmund (1997), FC Bayern München (2001), FC Porto (2004), Liverpool FC (2005), FC Internazionale Milano (2010)

RUNNERS-UP IN THE UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL

THREE FINALS:
Juventus (1997, 1998, 2003), AC Milan (1993, 1995, 2005)

TWO FINALS:
FC Bayern München (1999, 2010), Valencia CF (2000, 2001), Manchester United FC (2009, 2011)

ONE FINAL:
FC Barcelona (1994), AFC Ajax (1996), Bayer 04 Leverkusen (2002), AS Monaco FC (2004), Arsenal FC (2006), Liverpool FC (2007), Chelsea FC (2008), Manchester United FC (2009)

MOST SUCCESSFUL NATIONS IN THE UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL

SIX TITLES:
SPAIN (1998, 2000, 2002, 2006, 2009, 2011)

FIVE TITLES:
ITALY (1994, 1996, 2003, 2007, 2010)

THREE TITLES:
ENGLAND (1999, 2005, 2008)

TWO TITLES:
GERMANY (1997, 2001)

ONE TITLE:
FRANCE (1993), NETHERLANDS (1995), PORTUGAL (2004)
 
 

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Yesterday, this year’s roller-coaster Barclay’s Premier League season came to a dramatic end following an astonishing afternoon of football.

Below is a round-up of how the points were shared and the significance for the teams involved.

Title Challenge

Roberto Mancini’s side seemed to be destined for second place for much of the afternoon as Queens Park Rangers produced a display of resilience to thwart their opponents.

The situation was desperate as the match at the Etihad Stadium moved into injury time.

QPR, down to 10 men for the final 35 minutes of the match after Joey Barton’s red card, were winning 2-1 and set to become the first side this season to beat City on their own patch.

More significantly, Manchester United were winning 1-0 at Sunderland thanks to Wayne Rooney’s header – which meant City had to secure victory to win their first title in 44 years.

With 75 seconds of the five minutes of injury time elapsed Edin Dzeko fired in to level the match and set the tone for an astonishing finale.

And with less than two minutes remaining, Sergio Aguero fired past Paddy Kenny from close range to spark massive celebrations in the stadium.

Dramatic twist

For much of the afternoon, United looked set fair for their 13th Premier League crown.

Rooney’s goal, his 27th Barclays Premier League strike of the season, put them in pole position until Pablo

Zabaleta gave City the lead on 39 minutes.

But after the interval, Djibril Cisse pounced on a loose ball after Joleon Lescott’s misjudged header and shot low past Joe Hart.

QPR’s task was made harder, however, when Joey Barton was sent off for an elbow on Carlos Tevez.

Mark Hughes’ side adopted a defensive formation – but they stunned the home fans on 66 minutes when Jamie

Mackie headed in Armand Traore’s cross.

But with the seconds ticking away, there was still time for the remarkable turnaround, which gave City the three points and ensured they finished ahead of their neighbours – the first time in the history of the Premier League that goal difference has separated the top two teams.

The Race for Europe

Arsenal secured their place in the UEFA Champions League next season as they won a five-goal thriller at West Bromwich Albion to finish third in the Barclays Premier League.

The Gunners finished a point above Tottenham Hotspur, who won 2-0 at home to Fulham, with Newcastle United, who lost 3-1 at Everton, back in fifth place.

Arsenal are now assured of their place in next season’s competition, while Tottenham must wait to see what happens in the Champions League final in Munich next weekend.

If Chelsea beat Bayern Munich, then they would take Spurs’ place in the Champions League and Spurs would drop into the UEFA Europa League.

Arsenal went ahead early at West Brom when Yossi Benayoun drilled in, but the Baggies scored twice in quick succession through Shane Long and Graham Dorrans to go 2-1 ahead.

Andre Santos rifled in a leveller to give Arsenal renewed hope, and defender Laurent Koscielny bundled in a second-half winner after a mistake from WBA keeper Marton Fulop.

Tottenham secured fourth with a routine victory at White Hart Lane over Fulham, with Emmanuel Adebayor scoring with only two minutes on the clock and Jermain Defoe wrapping it up just after the hour mark.

Newcastle’s sensational season ended with defeat as Alan Pardew’s men had to settle for a place in the Europa League next term.

Steven Pienaar and Nikica Jelavic put the Toffees 2-0 up at half-time, and John Heitinga secured the points by heading in a right-wing cross after the break.

The Magpies pulled one back when Tony Hibbert headed into his own net, but it was not enough to get them back into the match.

Relegation Battle

Queens Park Rangers will play in the Barclays Premier League next season despite an epic 3-2 defeat at Manchester City on Sunday.

Bolton Wanderers needed a win to overtake QPR and could only draw 2-2 at Stoke City. The Trotters go down after 11 years in the top flight.

As it stood at half-time, Bolton were safe having taken a 2-1 lead through a strike by Mark Davies and a freak goal by skipper Kevin Davies, while QPR were trailing 1-0 at Manchester City.

But in one of the most dramatic 45 minutes in Barclays Premier League history, Djibril Cisse scored an equaliser for QPR and though Joey Barton was sent off, Jamie Mackie headed Mark Hughes’ side in front to put the Londoners on course for safety.

By the time Edin Dzeko and Sergio Aguero scored injury-time goals for Man City to beat QPR 3-2 and snatch the title, Jonathan Walters had already equalised for Stoke from the penalty spot to condemn Bolton to the drop.

Rest of the League

Chelsea 2-1 Blackburn

Two-first half goals ensured Chelsea finished the season with a home victory over relegated Blackburn at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues, who play Bayern Munich in the Champions League final next week, took the lead with a John Terry header in the 20th minute before Raul Meireles added a second 14 minutes later.

Blackburn striker Yakubu reduced the deficit in the 60th minute with a header.

Norwich City 2-0 Aston Villa

Norwich completed a straightforward victory over Aston Villa to cap off an impressive return to the Barclays Premier League as they finished 12th in the table.

The Canaries took the lead through Grant Holt, who scored his 15th League goal of the season, from a free-kick before Carlos Cuellar’s mistake allowed Simeon Jackson to double the lead.

Villa goalkeeper Shay Given produced a string of fine saves to deny the hosts from stretching their lead further.

Swansea City 1-0 Liverpool

Danny Graham scored the 100th goal of his career as Swansea finished their debut Barclays Premier League season on a high following a win over Liverpool as they secured 11th place in the table.

The striker struck four minutes from full-time after turning in Angel Rangel’s right-wing cross.

Liverpool improved after the interval and Andy Carroll saw an overhead kick saved by Swans keeper Michel Vorm.

Wigan Athletic 3-2 Wolverhampton Wanderers

Wigan secured their seventh victory in nine matches following an entertaining encounter against relegated Wolves.

Matt Jarvis put the visitors in front in the ninth minute but the hosts hit back with two goals in three minutes through Franco di Santo and Emmerson Boyce.

Boyce collected his second 11 minutes from full-time before Wolves striker Steven Fletcher’s 86th-minute goal set up a tense finish.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Coming into this season, many expected the UEFA Champions League final to be an all-Spanish affair between Barcelona and Real Madrid. That hasn’t come to pass, as Bayern Munich and Chelsea had other plans.

However, La Liga is still assured of having a European champion this season, as domestic foes Athletic Club and Atletico Madrid will tangle in Wednesday’s Europa League final in Bucharest.

Spanish sides have had a lot of success in the UEFA Cup/Europa League in the last decade, as this year will mark the fifth time in nine seasons that a Spanish side has won Europe’s secondary club competition. Most recently, Atletico Madrid took home the title in 2010, downing Fulham 2-1 in extra time behind a Diego Forlan double.

Get your free football bets at www.freebets.org.uk.

Savior Simeone Spearheads Atletico Revival

This year’s Atletico Madrid side is much, much different than the one that made that successful run two years ago, with many changes coming just in the last year. Atletico sold some top names last summer, as Forlan, Sergio Aguero, and David de Gea all departed for prominent European clubs, and they invested a lot of money on new faces. The most notable of those new faces is Colombian goal machine Radamel Falcao, who will be looking for back-to-back Europa League crowns with two different sides. Last season, he scored a competition-record 17 goals – 18 including the playoff round – including the winner in the final against Braga, as Porto lifted the trophy.

Falcao has put together another fantastic campaign, notching 10 goals in the Europa League and 33 in all competitions, but some of the other new names have had significant roles as well. Forward Adrian, the Golden Boot winner at last summer‘s U21 Euros, has proven to be quite the bargain after moving from relegated side Deportivo La Coruna on a free. He’s matched Falcao‘s 10 Europa League goals, and he has 18 in all competitions. Brazilian playmaker Diego, on loan from VfL Wolfsburg, leads the competition in assists with six, reminding all why he was rated so highly a few years ago.

The most important signing, however, has been in the technical area. Former Atletico star Diego Simeone – yes, the Diego Simeone – replaced Gregorio Manzano as manager in December, and the change has paid big dividends.

In the league, Atletico head into the final weekend on a five-match unbeaten run and still in contention for a Champions League place, as they are only two points behind fourth-placed Malaga. And in Europe, Atletico have impressively won all eight of their matches in the knockout round. After dispatching Lazio, Besiktas, and Hannover 96 all home and away to reach the semis, they did the same to compatriots Valencia, following up a 4-2 home win with a 1-0 win at the Mestalla, recording their first away win of any kind against Valencia since 2003. That’s an achievement made all the more impressive by the fact that Atletico have all of three away wins in the league this season.

Their impressive run has booked the sixth European final in the club’s history, adding to one European Cup final, the victorious UEFA Cup final, and three Cup Winner’s Cup finals. But as impressive as they‘ve been in reaching the final, they’ve perhaps been somewhat overshadowed by Athletic‘s achievements.

Bielsa Brings Belief to Bilbao

Athletic’s only previous European final was in 1977, when they lost on away goals to Juventus in the UEFA Cup final, and they haven’t seen a ton of success since their domestic league and cup double under Javier Clemente in 1983-84. Cue former Argentina and Chile manager Marcelo Bielsa, who took the helm last summer. For much of the season, Athletic were in the thick of the race for a Champions League place, and after not winning a trophy since the Spanish Super Cup in 1984, Athletic now have a chance to win two in quick succession, as they will end their season against Barcelona in the Copa del Rey final.

And what a season it’s been for the youthful side. Not only have they achieved as much as they have, they’ve done it with many an impressive attacking performance. The performances that catapulted them into the consciousness of many football fans came in the round of 16 against Manchester United, who were stunningly dispatched 3-2 at Old Trafford and 2-1 at San Mames. As impressive as those scorelines are, they could and perhaps should have been even bigger, as Athletic thoroughly dominated United over the two legs.

This side may not be filled with experience, but its fearlessness and confidence is to be admired. They weren’t intimidated against United, and they weren’t fazed by having to overturn first-leg losses in the round of 32 against Lokomotiv Moscow and in the semis against Sporting Lisbon. Those deficits were successfully negotiated, and they also came back from 2-1 down to win 4-2 at Schalke in the first leg of their quarterfinal tie.

It’s easy to be fearless and confident when you have the quality that Athletic have in their ranks. How long the side stays intact remains to be seen, as this run has only intensified the interest that top European clubs have in Athletic’s numerous bright talents. Seven of their primary starters are 24 or younger, and several of those young stars have been linked with elite clubs. Iker Muniain and Javi Martinez were already well on the radar before this season, but Oscar de Marcos, Ander Herrera, and Markel Susaeta have also seen their stock soar thanks in part to their excellent performances in Athletic’s Europa League run.

The emergence of their mass of young talent has helped make Athletic more of a complete team, and it’s also freed up one of their ‘old’ players to be even more dangerous than he already was. Fernando Llorente has been considered one of the top strikers in Spain for a while and has been linked with some big-money moves himself, but this is his best season yet. He’s scored 29 goals in all competitions, including seven in the Europa League. His most recent goal might be the most important one of his career, as it was the decisive goal in Athletic’s dramatic 4-3 aggregate win against Sporting. This could be a big, big few months for Llorente, as he could have a prominent role for Spain at the Euros and will almost certainly be a prominent name in this summer’s transfer rumors.

Final Prediction

With an abundance of attacking talent on both sides, we would seem to be in for a few goals on Wednesday, and the numbers are certainly in favor of such. Including the qualifying rounds, Atletico Madrid have scored 40 goals in the competition, while Athletic have scored 28. Of course, cup finals are often not nearly as entertaining as they should be, due to caginess or sloppy play, but it would only be right if these two play out an open, goal-filled game.

If they do, it will only further the positive attention the Europa League has garnered this season. The competition is often enough dismissed, but thanks in part to these two sides, this year’s edition has been well worth watching, even with Manchester rivals United and City, who came into the competition at the round of 32, both being dumped out in the round of 16. Tuesdays and Wednesdays will always be king, but there have been many thrilling Thursdays this season.

How will the competition be capped off? Will Falcao win back-to-back Europa League titles, or will Athletic end a memorable run with the club’s first European trophy? Atletico are slight favorites, but with what they’ve shown to this point, who can bet against Bielsa and the boys from Bilbao?

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Manchester United will go into this game against Swansea City eager to put the derby heartache behind them. Although he has publicly conceded that City are now “in the driving seat”, Sir Alex Ferguson is way too experienced not to know that even if City emerge from the weekend with the three points, it will still be crucial for his side to get the victory ensuring the heat remains on for the last day of the campaign.

Expect to see an entirely different United to the one that attempted to stifle City in the derby. Even if Ferguson doesn’t alternate his personnel drastically we are sure to see an attacking United more akin to the one that looked irresistible at times against Everton. Wayne Rooney missed a partner against City and with Danny Welbeck injured, Javier Hernandez is set to start. Antonio Valencia is also likely to return to the side as Sir Alex looks to go on the offensive, with the Ecuadorian expected to provide attacking edge from the right flank.

Swansea head to the Theatre of Dreams as one of few sides in the league with little to play for at this stage. Although with the majority or Brendan Rodgers’ squad having come up from the Championship last term, the trip to Old Trafford will be a much anticipated one for the players.

The Swans too, are unbeaten in their last three outings, but Angel Rangel was sorely missed as they leaked four goals against bottom side Wolves. The Spaniard pulled a hamstring at home but is now back in training ahead of the trip to Manchester. Should he play, Rodgers can go into the game with his preferred back four and no other major injury concerns.

Ferguson surely could not have wished for a more suitable opponent given his side’s current situation.

Swansea have been excellent all season but United should emerge as comfortable winners in front of their own fans. Also with goal difference on everyone’s mind, don’t anticipate the champions to take their foot off the pedal if they get themselves in front.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

The Manchester derby on Monday was widely dubbed the biggest game of the season but this clash now carries a similar level of importance.

Not only is it vital for City to cement their recently gained advantage by claiming three points from the toughest of their two remaining fixtures, the game is huge for the Magpies too. Alan Pardew’s side are edging closer to a Champions League spot after an emphatic win over fellow hopefuls Chelsea.

Any points at all against the new leaders would see top-level European football almost come within their grasp, while also impacting massively on the title race.

Newcastle United Preview

Newcastle have defied the odds to be sitting in fourth spot in May and full credit must go to Pardew for his achievements, chief among which, is arguably the £10 million January capture of Papiss Cisse. The Senegalese marksmanhas now bagged an unprecedented 13 goals for the north east club since his arrival, including two stunning strikes against Chelsea last time out.

Despite playing on Wednesday Newcastle are likely to keep largely the same team, although full-back Danny Simpson could return if he can shake off an ankle injury. Pardew clearly knows his best system and best 11 and will surely stick to it against the leaders. Newcastle have an exceptional home record this season and have won their last four in a row at the Sports Direct Arena.

Manchester City Preview

Roberto Mancini will have a difficult task in focusing the minds of his players for the trip to Newcastle after putting so much into the derby game. On Sunday, City have the advantage of playing first and therefore the opportunity to go three points clear before Manchester United kick off later in the afternoon. Mancini has this week claimed that the trip to Newcastle will be tougher than the derby game.

While the boss attempts to mentally prepare his side for the game, neutrals will surely look on with bewilderment as Carlos Tevez looks set to start another match. The Argentine has been instrumental in the recent change in fortunes for the blue half of Manchester, despite Mancini claiming earlier in the season that he would never feature again.

Newcastle v Man City Prediction

There is so much at stake for both clubs going into the game. City will start as narrow favourites but will no doubt feel an element of nerves in the Tyneside atmosphere. Don’t be surprised if Newcastle and Cisse upset the applecart and claim a precious point.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Aston Villa take on Tottenham on Sunday afternoon with two clubs separated by 28 points and fighting on opposite ends of the table, yet not too long ago they were both considered ‘equal’ footballing powers.

Where Villa fans are now contemplating an unlikely relegation, Tottenham fans will be hoping that Man City and Bayern Munich will help them qualify for the Champions League again.

Aston Villa Preview

At the most crucial time of the season things just seem to be going from bad to worse for Aston Villa. Sitting just three points above the drop zone Alex McLeish’s men are in relegation form and the news this week that three first-team players have been disciplined after a nightclub brawl has done little to calm the nerves of the club’s fans.

Primarily it is Villa’s lack of goals that is, not just a worry for McLeish, but a critical threat to their survival chances. The extent of the problem is a meagre six goals since the end of February since top marksman Darren Bent was sidelined through injury. Villa need to start hitting the target and huge responsibility now lies with Gabriel Agbonlahor, Emile Heskey and Charles N’Zogbia to deliver where they have so far failed to produce.

What Villa do have though is a decent backline with Richard Dunne and goalkeeper Shay Given both excelling in recent weeks. Expect to see a cautious approach from McLeish as he looks to build on this strength. Although Villa desperately need the win, they will set up looking for the draw.

Tottenham Hotspur Preview

Spurs fans will no doubt have shared a collective feeling of relief after the 4-1 win over Bolton on Wednesday. Perhaps now that speculation about Harry Redknapp leaving has ended, the squad can pull together and demonstrate the kind of form that saw them involved in the title race up until the end of February.

Redknapp will be keen to take the three points from Villa Park as his side look to open up a gap over Newcastle and clinch fourth place. The Spurs manager is likely to field a similar side to the one which put Bolton to the sword. Key defenders Michael Dawson and Benoit Assou-Ekotto are still missing through injury while Scott Parker is rated 50/50 after an achilles problem kept him out of the last two games.

Aston Villa v Tottenham Prediction

Spurs have kept only three clean sheets in their last 11 league outings with defensive injury problems and the speculation over the manager both likely factors. Villa though can’t buy a goal never mind a win, so expect the London side to continue their return to form and edge this one 1-0.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Ahead of this weekend’s FA Cup final between Chelsea and Liverpool, Castrol EDGE performance data compares some of the teams’ key players.

On Saturday, two of the Premier League’s top goalkeepers will be going head to head, with very little between them this season in terms of performance.

Liverpool’s Spanish glovesman, Pepe Reina, slightly edges things, posting a 69% saves to shots rate and registering 12 clean sheets so far, compared to Petr Cech’s 68% save rate and his haul of 10 clean sheets. However, interestingly, in the overall rankings in the top division for saves to shots rates, Reina only ranks in 10^th place while Cech is 13^th.

Petr Cech & José Reina – Premier League 2011/12

Two of England’s midfield stalwarts will also go toe to toe in the centre of the pitch on Saturday, with both Chelsea’ Frank Lampard and Liverpool’s Steven Gerrard also hoping to impress new England manager Roy Hodgson on this high-profile occasion.

Blues’ star Lampard has played significantly more games this season than Gerrard. However, even in terms of minutes per goal as well as shooting accuracy and conversion rates, the former West Ham man comes out on top, netting an impressive 11 goals this season, more than any other central midfielder in the Premier League.

Creatively, the Blues’ dynamo has also been the more impressive of the two, with five assists to his name this season compared to Gerrard’s two.

Whichever of these two players has the better of things in midfield on Saturday could be key to the destination of the FA Cup trophy.

Frank Lampard & Steven Gerrard – Premier League 2011/12

Fernando Torres seems to have finally rediscovered his shooting boots for Chelsea, netting the vital goal against Barcelona in the Champions League semi-final second-leg game at the Nou Camp and then following that up with a hat-trick against QPR in the league.

Despite the Spaniard’s poor start to the season, he still compares favourably to Liverpool’s struggling striker, Andy Carroll. The former Newcastle star’s rate of a goal every 471 minutes is significantly inferior to Torres’ figure of a goal every 299 minutes.

Torres has also provided far more assists than his fellow big-money buy at Liverpool, setting up four goals compared to Carroll’s haul of just one. However, the Liverpool does come out on top against Torres in terms of his rate of chances created.

Fernando Torres & Andy Carroll – Premier League 2011/12

While Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish has found himself under a lot of pressure this season due to a worryingly large number of disappointing results, Chelsea boss Roberto Di Matteo has made the most of his chance in the hot seat at Stamford Bridge. The Italian has been particularly successful in cup competitions since taking over in a caretaker role, winning seven of his eight cup games, drawing the other.

Roberto Di Matteo – Cup Competitions – 2011/12

 Also see: 2012 FA Cup Final: Chelsea v Liverpool Talking Points

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Four of the Premier League’s most talented strikers go head to head when Chelsea plays Newcastle on Wednesday night.  The game will be pivotal to both side’s chances of achieving a top four finish.

Chelsea’s league woes have largely been due to the failure of Didier Drogba and Fernando Torres to provide them with regular goals this season. Despite Drogba’s impressive shooting accuracy (64.3%), they have only scored six league goals between them since the start of 2012. However, Torres’ hat-trick against Stoke on Sunday will surely have restored the Spaniard’s confidence.

Newcastle’s recent surge has been due primarily to the January signing of Papiss Cissé from SC Freiburg. Cissé has scored eleven goals in eleven games at an impressive goal to shot ratio of 34.4%.  This means he averages a goal every 77 minutes – the second best in the league. This has enabled Newcastle to contend for Champions League football next season despite the fact that Cissé’s compatriot, Demba Ba, has struggled for goals in 2012.

Chelsea and Newcastle strikers in 2012

Minutes per Goal in 2011/12 League Season

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Manchester City 1-0 Manchester United
Kompany 45 +1

Manchester City: Hart, Zabaleta, Lescott, Kompany, Clichy, Barry, Toure Yaya, Silva, Tevez, Nasri, Aguero.
Subs: Pantilimon, Richards, Milner, Dzeko, Kolarov, De Jong, Balotelli.

Manchester United: De Gea, Jones, Ferdinand, Smalling, Evra, Nani, Carrick, Scholes, Park, Giggs, Rooney.
Subs: Amos, Berbatov, Hernandez, Young, Welbeck, Rafael Da Silva, Valencia.

Referee: Andre Marriner (W Midlands)

After all the hype leading up to yesterday evening’s kick-off, the Manchester Derby proved to be a huge disappointment. The majority of the 650 million viewers were expecting a goal filled match, with quality from the greatest players in the Premier League. Instead we sat and witnessed, a lacklustre defensive performance from United as City walked away with an easy three points.

Manchester City took control of the Premier League title race with two games remaining after the derby victory saw them leapfrog rivals Manchester United at the top of the table.

Vincent Kompany’s header in first-half stoppage time gave City the win that means they have wiped out the eight-point advantage held by United three weeks ago, and move to the summit on goal difference.

In a game of few chances, City were the more positive side and deserved the three points on offer in what had been labelled the biggest game in the Premier League’s 20-year history.

United, in contrast, were passive, poor and lacking inspiration despite the high stakes, failing to get a shot on target as City keeper Joe Hart enjoyed a virtually untroubled night.

Ferguson and Mancini went toe-to-toe in the 78th minute in a furious row in the technical area after Nigel De Jong had been booked for a foul on Danny Welbeck.

Fourth official Mike Jones had to stand between the pair and members of United and City’s coaching staff got involved as the feuding managers continued their verbal tirade.

The pair were eventually separated, with Mancini making a mocking gesture towards Ferguson with his hands to further enrage the United boss, who watched his side surrender the initiative in the title race.

For me, Ferguson’s team selection and tactics were the main reason behind the loss. The decision to play a 5-man midfield appeared extremely negative. He was clearly playing for the single point, which would have kept United in top spot. This formation left Rooney extremely isolated up-front.

For certain spells in the game Rooney was even forced to come back and assist the midfield, leaving no attacking players in Manchester City’s half.

Park Ji-Sung’s start for the first time since January was another controversial decision. He was given the tough task of marking Yaya Toure. However, his contribution had been minimal. It was no surprise when he was the first player substituted by Ferguson before the hour, as he chose to give United more offensive options by introducing Welbeck. Smalling, like Park, was also making his first start since January after Jonny Evans was ruled out through injury, momentarily lost Kompany on their run from the edge of the box and was still marginally out of position when the Belgian rose to power home from six yards.

Ferguson’s experienced line-up rarely threatened Joe Hart’s goal and City always looked likeliest to score.

It was an agonising final few minutes for the home fans. However, United’s display was so poor that they were unable to even rouse themselves for their trademark late rally, City surviving in complete comfort to take control of the title race.

With United dropping eight points out of their last 12, the momentum and advantage is now with City. Mancini knows victory in their last two games, away at Newcastle United and at home to Queen’s Park Rangers, would give them their first title since 1967-68.

City’s recent resurgence has also proved decisive for their goal difference as they now hold an eight-goal advantage over United and, as referee Andre Marriner sounded the final whistle, their fans celebrated a victory they clearly felt would prove decisive.

Now United have a colossal task on their hand, the league is mathematically still winnable, but would take a huge number of goals in their final two games against Sunderland, then Swansea. However, If Manchester City slip up in their last two fixtures, Ferguson’s side will re-gain the top spot, providing they finish the league campaign with two wins.

It’s clear to see that Mancini’s has much greater quality than United. Ferguson’s ‘experienced’ side is clearly ageing, recent results have shown this. In summer I’m hopeful that Ferguson will invest in new, quality players. Maybe then we can put a highly unsuccessful season behind us and set out in August with all guns blazing.

Below are the Mirror Football ratings for each player from yesterday’s match:

Manchester City:

Joe Hart
Nervy punch inside the first five minutes but assured handling thereafter. City’s dominance of possession mean he was never called upon to make a save at all. 6

Pablo Zabaleta
Pushed forward at every opportunity, overlapping with Nasri and causing Evra problems down United’s left side. Defensively sound too, justifying selection ahead of Richards. 7

Vincent Kompany
Superb header from Silva’s corner to give City the lead in first-half added time, out-jumping Smalling to score. Booked for a foul on Rooney midway through the first-half. 8

Joleon Lescott
Read the game superbly and made a succession of vital blocks and headed clearances when called upon, continuing the impressive form he has shown all season. 7

Gael Clichy
Like Zabaleta, he was able to push on from his left-back berth and gave Jones a torrid time, at times effectively playing as a wing-back he was so far forward. 7

Gareth Barry
Another no-nonsense display from one of City’s most effective but underrated players. Allowed Toure to get into advanced positions while he protected the back-four. 7

Yaya Toure 
A colossus in midfield. Made his physical presence felt with a superb ball-winning tackle to dispossess Jones in the first-half and was the driving force for City through the middle. 8

David Silva
Caused anxiety in the United defence on the ball with his darting runs and clever movement, and provided the delivery from a corner for Kompany’s goal just before half-time. 7

Samir Nasri
A constant threat whenever on the ball, he gave City the cutting edge in attack and was their most effective attacking player, drawing opponents to him to open up space. 8

Carlos Tevez
Played a key role in Kompany’s goal, tussling with De Gea on the goal-line and ensuring the United keeper did not see the City skipper’s goal-bound header until too late. 7

Aguero 
Lashed at the ball on the volley in the 25th minute, sending it high and wide of the goal. For once he wasn’t City’s match-winner, but his constant movement meant United could never settle. 6

Subs 
De Jong for Tevez (67mins): Fullfiled his remit of helping to shut the game down. 5

Richards for Silva (82mins): Brought on to see out the game.

Manchester United

David De Gea
Did not see Kompany’s header until it was too late, Tevez putting him off in the build-up to the corner and ensuring United’s keeper got nowhere near the ball. 5

Phil Jones
Made a couple of crucial early blocks but looked all at sea thereafter, constantly pulled out of position and lacking the defensive discipline to fulfil his remit at right-back. Booked. 4

Chris Smalling
First appearance in four weeks and how it showed. Hopeless marking for City’s first goal, his hesitancy allowing Kompany to get to the ball ahead of him and power it in. 4

Rio Ferdinand
Looked the most assured of his fellow defenders but that’s not saying much given their poor displays. Had to draw on all his experience with the shortcomings of those around him. 6

Patrice Evra
Has had a poor season and it didn’t get any better last night, as he was given the runaround by Nasri and, at times, Zabaleta. Didn’t get enough protection from Giggs. 5

Michael Carrick
Has been a consistent performer for United this season but like his fellow midfielders he was simply overran. Looked lightweight up against Toure and Barry. 5

Paul Scholes
Struggled to make any kind of impact on the game, which seemed to pass him by in midfield, with younger, stronger and more agile players getting the better of him. 5

Ryan Giggs:
With him, Scholes and Carrick, United’s central midfield trio had a combined age of 105, which showed. A peripheral figure, his selection, too, was a decision which backfired. 5

Nani 
Ballooned a long-range shot way over the bar after 10 minutes and that was pretty much it. Offered little in the way of an attacking threat and failed to trouble City’s defence. 5

Ji-Sung Park
Recalled to the side for the first time in six weeks for his energy and tenacity, his role to disrupt City in midfield. But the ploy backfired and he was subbed before the hour. 4

Wayne Rooney
Looked out of sorts all night. Sloppy in possession, frequently misplaced passes and looked ill at ease leading the line alone until Welbeck’s introduction just before the hour. 5

Subs

Welbeck for Park (57mins): Failed to make the impact required of him. 5

Valencia for Scholes (78min): Came on too late to make an impact.

Young for Nani (82mins): Another whose introduction came too late.

Man of the Match

Yaya Toure: A colossal display, drove City to victory.

Please comment with your opinions!

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From Soccerlens.com - Football News