Manchester City get the chance to finally – definitively – emerge from the shadow of their cross-town Red rivals as this year’s UEFA Champions League commences. They’ll do so with a team which, while not having ever competed in the the Champions’ League as a unit, possesses a significant amount of top-flight continental experience. United, of course, have made it to three of the past four Champions’ League finals for one win and two losses.

2011 Summer Transfers

For City, gone are second-tier superstars like Roque Santa Cruz, Emanuel Adebayor and Jo, replaced by true World’s best candidates Sergio “Kun” Aguero and Samir Nasri. The combination of this season’s biggest buy with last season’s (Edin Dzeko) has become the Naomi Campbell of Premier League forward tandems – terrifyingly beautiful. Indeed, they have been so good so far that Tevez, the Premiership’s equal top-scorer last season, has been restricted to two appearances. Nasri has also been very impressive in his short stay at Eastlands. There have been questions as to Mancini’s willingness to attack, but City’s results this year exhibit newfound creative zest, so far putting such allegations to rest.

Ferguson’s United, version 7.2, were constructed to compete with Barcelona after their dismantling at the feet of the Catalans in last season’s Champions’ League final. An ageing one-club defence was replenished by acquiring Phil Jones of Blackburn Rovers and promoting Chris Smalling. England winger Ashley Young arrived from Villa and Edwin van der Sar begat twenty year-old Spaniard David De Gea. Red Devil fans salivated at the prospect of Paul Scholes being replaced by Luka Modric, Samir Nasri or Wesley Sneijder; but the Ginger One’s replacement came from within as Tom Cleverley (injured on Saturday) and Anderson stepped up to claim starting berths. 18 goals in four EPL matches essentially without using Fletcher, Valencia and Berbatov is awe-inspiring.

As things stand, the two Manchester sides are among the top five sides in most Champions League odds, with United 3rd favourites and City 5th. For a Champions League debutant, it’s a testament to their player recruitment strategy that they are ranked so high. Only Barcelona (1), Madrid (2) and Chelsea (4) seemingly stand in their way.

City v United

On paper – and League form so far – the two squads are amongst the strongest in the competition. Both teams have Champions’ League experience in spades with United , naturally, possessing more, boosted by the individual totals sported by Rio Ferdinand, Parice Evra and Methuselah Ryan Giggs. The City player with the most UCL experience are Arsenal expats Kolo Toure and Gael Clichy as well as Nigel de Jong.

One’s strength is the other’s weakness – Joe Hart is the best goalkeeper in England; David De Gea has provided more questions than answers in his short tenure as United’s number one. The youngster will eventually become an outstanding goalkeeper but has shown vulnerability to aerial assault and appears to occasionally regress into his shell, a characteristic unhelped by his unfamiliarity with English.

As you cross Manchester in the opposite direction, the reverse is true. With Joleon Lescott and Kolo Toure’s presence at centre-back, City’s defence has rarely looked totally cohesive against top-class opposition. If last seasons’ Blues were accused of risking a possible victory for a certain draw, they have rectified this in their acquisition of willo-the-wisp Nasri, whose exploits in the Champions League last season against Porto (amongst others) were matched by his City debut against Spurs.

Champions League Group Stages

City have earned themselves the harder group. United might be apprehensive about one match only – away at Benfica on Wednesday, perhaps the first Champions’ League test for their much-vaunted Backline of the Future. The rest of their group comprises FC Basel of Switzerland and Romania’s Otelul Galati, whose stadium isn’t up to UEFA standards, so will play their home games at Bucharest’s National Stadium.

The blue half of Manchester will look at all their away ties with unease: trips to Villarreal, Napoli and 2010 Champions’ League finalists Bayern Munich litter their upcoming schedule. With each side boasting enviable forward talent, it would be no surprise if the group stage supplies a surfeit of goals. Not only will this tough group affect the Citizens’ chances of a successful campaign, but could have a profound impact on their Premier League results. Even though the travel involved is relatively minor, City will play away from home in the Premiership after each of their Champions’ League matches, including trips to Old Trafford, Stamford Bridge and Anfield.

How Far Will City Go?

After a exciting, rollercoaster and often amusing start to life in Europe’s elite, the question that will define City’s initial Champions’ League campaign no longer concerns their talent, attitudes, defensive mindset or even Champions’ League experience. The largest question looms over the centre of their defence: will – or can – two of Lescott, Kompany and Kolo Toure form a solid central defensive partnership able to repel the best attacks in Europe?

United’s question is the same as it was six months ago: if De Gea is the anointed one, how will such a young man deal with both expectations and the aerial bombardment he’s certain to receive at the hands of burly centre forwards. No one doubts his shot-stopping ability (except when Shane Long is concerned), but his command of area. A clean sheet in Saturday’s match against Kevin Davies’ Bolton Wanderers will have helped.

It’s likely that both clubs will get through their respective groups, though City’s seeding and draw has done them no favours. It is only right, though, that both teams should progress having spent significantly on their squads over past years. Anything less than a return to the last four would be seen as a failure by Fergie and his crew at Old Trafford. At Eastlands, confidence is high that they can replicate such achievements themselves – and they just might.

Also See: Champions League Preview: Real and Barca the teams to beat

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

An apologetic … for Carlos Tevez? Just days after a scathing open letter? The same guy writing both? I guess stranger things have happened – remember Julian Faubert once played for Real Madrid.

Less than a week ago, I suggested Carlos Tevez finally “end his Manchester hell” and return once and for all to South America, the Copa Libertadores and probably a smaller pay packet. Many of the same sentiments which prompted that letter remain: the “poor little old Carlos” attitude he attempts to drum up – often using his family to do so, the fact his de facto posture when negotiating almost anything with his club is a “they don’t respect me” and the omnipresence of the positive proof of every conspiracy theory ever, Kia Joorabchian.

In the wake of an unsuccessful ₤35 million bid tabled by Brazilian club Corinthians, a few more details should be highlighted. Football is a business dependent on the consumer. Manchester City even moreso. Leaving aside ticket sales for a moment, sponsorship dollars (not real concern for City amid their Emirati sponsorships) depend on results, for which City almost exclusively rely upon him. Shirt and other apparel sales, TV revenue and global exposure are all derived from star players and there are few stars in England with either the marketability or skill of Carlos Tevez. And this doesn’t even consider the fact Manchester City face an uphill battle to match the worldwide popularity of their cross-town rivals from the Red half, Manchester United.

As City expand operations from a second-division club only eleven years ago, to a “safe” mid-table team, to the Champions’ League and finally – perhaps inevitably – to the Premiership title, much of that growth has come on the back of Carlos Tevez. Notwithstanding he was the first superstar to sign on for City, his goalscoring punch and (perhaps more crucially) global reputation as one of the best in the world make him perhaps the most required player in the English Premiership. Were City to replace him with, say, Karim Benzema or Gonzalo Higuain the results may even out – but the club would lose significant promotional monies because both potential replacements don’t have the global profile of the Citizens’ current captain.

So Tevez and Kia Joorabchian should be congratulated for their ability to play the media to their greater advantage; no-one creates the proverbial storm in a teacup like they do. Football is a game where the business side is based built around visibility – on club and personal levels. Why else would Champions’ League revenues be so high? Carlos Tevez is one of the most visible players in Europe. While the methods the pair employ may rub against the grain, they are the most obvious manager/player combination the game has recently seen. This means both are doing their jobs – Tevez on the pitch and Joorabchian off it.

It’s not Kia Joorabchian’s job to make Carlos Tevez liked, it’s to increase or maintain his player’s visibility as a star. In doing so, he improves his own financial situation. By agitating for a move every six months, he has performed admirably – It may even come as somewhat of a relief for the agent that Man City rejected yesterday’s bid. His methods may be distasteful, but they are most certainly effective. While praise for the dynamic duo would be disingenuous, grunted respect would not be.

Presence forms a large portion of celebrity. This point has been regularly proven over the past ten years by shows such as Australia’s Next Top Model, UK Idol and X-Factor. In a sport driven by television and marketing dollars, a top-line footballer’s role includes more than just banging in twenty goals a season. Kia Joorabchian seems to have recognised this earlier than most and therefore “plays the game” at a more advanced level than other powerbrokers. Like it or no – and not many actively like Carlos Tevez any more – football is a business and fans are no longer the lifeblood but just consumers.

As yet another Tevez Saga – the two words go together like “Rob Green” and “Howler” – rattles on, the outraged masses may have misjudged Tevez and Joorabchian. It’s hard to mistake greed, but often much harder to recognise business talent emerging before their time.

Matthew Wood regularly contributes to Soccerlens.  You can read more of his analysis and commentary at Balanced Sports, or follow him on Twitter @balanced_sports.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Dear Carlos Tevez,

For five years now you’ve been a shedload of trouble for the entire English Premier League. With this letter, I’d like to invite you to please stop moaning about the loneliness of Northern England and return to Argentina as you have for so long suggested you’d prefer.

The biannual farce which into which the “Carlos Tevez submits Transfer Request” headline has degenerated – which while admittedly spurring me to write this letter – has become a parody of a a parody, like a Monty Python sketch which starts funny but then feels as if it never ends. While we all understand how trying it is to be parted from friends and family (some of us have even shared your heartbreaking isolation in a country in which we do not speak the language), complaining every six months about a situation into which you walked of your own volition has turned what begun a sympathetic posture into a cynical one.

Please understand I’m not trying to minimise the pain of separation from your daughters at all. It’s just the predictability with which this storm-in-a-teacup occurs means you have exhausted any supply of public sympathy for your plight. (And “earning” 200,000+ a week should preclude us from using the world “plight” anyway). Unless it is for obviously laudable reasons a transfer request is often met with scorn from your current team’s support base. After being trotted out several times now, the recent spate of “I miss my daughters” has morphed from a tragic reality of a footballer’s life into seemingly a ploy where – though undoubtedly true you miss your girls – the aim seems to be directing public ire away from you in a situation almost entirely of your own creation.

It was said of the great basketballer Shaquille O’Neal that, with the exception of his last teams Boston and Cleveland, whenever he moved clubs, he did so amidst acrimonious circumstance. The same could be said of you – at Boca, at Corinthians, West Ham and finally Manchester United you have left more enemies than friends. Which, on the face of it, is really quite sad and perhaps – just perhaps – gives the public eye a big glimpse of your inner happiness. In a game where one often has to look out for themselves first, you and Kia Joorabchian have done so admirably; but if your latest statements are to be believed, it hasn’t contented you.

Many of us have had to move intercontinentally. It is exceedingly difficult, though ultimately rewarding – it allows us to grow, to see that life is much larger than the small corners of existence we previously inhabited. Some of us are rewarded romantically, spiritually or even fiscally for the pain of separation.

You certainly have earned signficant monies as a result of your footballing success – so why not put some of that where your cakehole is? Rather than having said sweet baked good and eating it too, take (one mother of ) a pay cut to play in South America – for none of us are able to figure out how Madrid or Milan – or, heaven forbid, Chelsea – are closer to Argentina than Millionaire’s row in Cheshire. It’s not that we don’t feel for you, but many of us think you’re trying to use this situation to your gain. It seems your position is that you are disadvantaged by playing for City; a move to Real or Inter would be “fair”.

Unfortunately, that is a posture for the misguided.

In careers, we are forced to take the good with the bad. In football, if you want the big bucks and the best competition, you are forced to move. It is a flat fact of existence at the top level of almost any profession. Sacrifices must be made for a career – or for family. And while we applaud you for your devotion to your daughters, we also implore you to put up, or shut up. For the ball is in your court.

Sincerely,

A very bored former admirer.

Matthew Wood regularly contributes to Soccerlens.  You can find more of his analysis and commentary at Balanced Sports, or follow him on Twitter @balanced_sports.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

When we first examined the most important marksmen in the Big Four leagues, we looked at which players in Europe were the most crucial to their teams. This was done according to Scoring Stats, a measure of a player’s combined Goals and Assists, measured as a percentage of their team’s total league goals for the season. Then, Serie A stars Marco Di Vaio and Edinson Cavani topped the European Scoring Stats tables, each contributing to over 63% of their club’s goals.

Clubs in Italy and Germany – as well as the big two Spanish teams, Real Madrid and Barcelona – were much more likely to focus their offense around one player, as of the top twenty players by Percentage contribution to their team’s goals, eight came from Italy and seven from Germany. In early April in Serie A, an average of 38.5% of all a team’s goals came from that one focal player; in the Bundesliga it dropped to 36.77%. The English Premier League was by far least reliant on star men, their average contribution by a team leader (32.4%) propped up by Carlos Tevez’s remarkable 50% contribution to Manchester City’s cause.

Obviously this measure is highly swung in favour of forwards. Although some midfielders – such as Hoffenheim’s Gylfi Sigurdsson – or defenders like Leighton Baines led their club, often that was the result of their free-kick taking duties (Baines recording sixteen total Scoring Stats, eleven of which were assists, either from crosses or set pieces).

English Premier League: A balanced attack triumphs

At the end of the Season, numbers didn’t change much:

Where Avg % is the average contribution to a team’s total goals by the player with the most total goals + assists. Please note the Bundesliga is an eighteen team league (34 games), not a twenty-team league.

While most clubs decreased their reliance on their star men – in general – over the last six weeks of the season, only La Liga increased. This is in part due to the number of injuries suffered – these figures are always likely to be high at the start of a season and lower towards the end as more players get on the scoresheet and others either fall out rotations or receive injuries. England’s total decreased as Carlos Tevez who, with only six weeks remaining in the season, had scored or delivered the assist for half of the Citizens’ goals. His importance to league numbers is exemplified with the English percentage dropping by half a percent – because he missed just a month.

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo: A cut above

Once again, European football was dominated by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. While Ronaldo managed to better his opponent’s total, having fifty Scoring Stats in the league to Messi’s forty-nine, his breakdown was typical of a centre-forward rather than the all-purpose forward into which he has morphed. He registered a 4:1 goals-to-assists ratio, while creative maestro Messi averaged slightly under three assists for every five goals. That he contributed 51.6% of Barca’s stats is remarkable and due to their scoring 95 goals for the BBVA season; Ronaldo’s Madrid scored 105 goals, meaning his percentage is slightly decreased (49.0%).

To remove those two (and replace them with “average” replacements) is telling:

This can only be considered while keeping several factors in mind. Firstly, should Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi be injured, while the best players in the world, they would undoubtedly be replaced by someone above replacement level. (As a matter of interest “replacement level” is approximately twelve goals and four assists. The player with Scoring Stats most closely resembling those numbers is in-demand Espanyol striker Pablo Osvaldo). That is, this probably incorrectly assumes that Messi and Ronaldo are solely responsible for those goals, which may be true in part but definitely not 100% true. Secondly, it emphasises simply how great Cristiano Ronaldo was during the run-in as he chased Hugo Sanchez’s Los Merengues scoring record.

You can, however, see how much Barcelona and Real Madrid inflate Spanish averages. Should they (heaven forbid) undergo financial meltdown, the tenor of the entire Spanish League will be changed forever.

In Part Two, we’ll examine which players are the most crucial to their individual teams.

For full details, visit Balanced Sports’ Scoring Stats page. There, you’ll find totals for each team in Europe as well as for all four English divisions.

For more analysis and opinion shoot across to Balanced Sports. You can also follow Matthew Wood on Twitter @balancedsports

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez has revealed that the club’s multi-billionaire owner Sheikh Mansour has told him he can leave the club if that is to make him happy.

The Argentine international has been very unsteady throughout the season and now well into the transfer period, and with Barcelona, Real Madrid, Inter Milan, and AC Milan reportedly sighting the 27-year-old, Tevez has long been interested in a move away from Eastlands.

It is also understood that Tevez might be making his way back to Argentina, to Boca Juniors in particular, knowing that El Apache misses life back home with thousands of miles cutting him apart of his family.

Tevez has insisted that he is currently in talks with the club owners only, dismissing links with either the manager or particularly the chief executive, Gary Cook, someone he publicly dislikes.

Speaking to The News Of The World, Tevez made it clear that the owners have given him complete freedom to leave the club if that is to be the case, revealing that his future in the City of Manchester Stadium lies only in his hands.

“He [Mansour] signed me, he wants to keep me but, at the same time, he has told me to do whatever I need to do to be happy.

“He has told me, ‘If you want to leave, then you can go’. There is no deadline – it’s down to me.

“They offered me a new contract in December but I didn’t want to extend it.

“At the end of the season they offered me another new deal but at the moment I don’t know whether I will accept it.

“There are options but if I don’t play for Real Madrid, Barcelona, Inter or Milan it won’t be a massive void in my life.

“There are no other issues – Manchester is my second home.”

About 6 months ago, the 27-year-old handed in a transfer request out of blue, and Tevez has linked it directly to unfulfilled promises by the CEO of the club, and insisted that he does not regret his decision.

“I have no regrets whatsoever about my transfer request”he explained. “It was a situation that some people [Cook] on the board created. They promised something for six months and didn’t deliver.

“So, after six months of promises, they don’t do something – why should I believe them now? I don’t. I will never speak to these people [Cook] again. I still feel the same way.

“I have principles and I will never speak with them – never. They have tried to speak with me but I will never talk with them. There is no way, it is not possible.

“I deal direct with Sheikh Mansour, no one else. It makes no difference to my future, as they [Cook] don’t mean anything to me. I won’t have a relationship with them. They live in a different world.

“I stayed in December because of my relationship with the supporters. They respect me. The fans always tell me to stay. I have no problem with them – they are always very respectful.”

Another reason behind the saga linking Tevez with a move outside Manchester is of course his family, his two daughters and wife, stretching across the Atlantic back home in Argentina, as well as finding it tough settling in England.

“Last December, I really thought about quitting football – I was serious. “Unless you have children you will never understand what it’s like to be away from them.

“They are growing up so fast, thousands of miles away, and I’m not there to see it.

“It’s hard to come home after a game to an empty house, when I’m upset or nervous, to be without them.

“When Katia injured her hand in February, I wasn’t around to protect them. Those are the moments when I realise how much my family means to me.

“That’s why I will be done with Europe in three years. It’s a huge effort mentally to do it but, at 31, I will be finished in Europe.

“The pressure isn’t the issue but I miss my family and my home life in Argentina too much to be away from them.”

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

2008/2009 was all-in-all Barcelona’s season. Pep Guardiola led his childhood club to glory like no other manager had done before him.

United on the other hand, weren’t too bad the whole season. They were back again in the UEFA Champions League final to defend the title that they had won last year against Chelsea.

08/09 Champions League for Manchester United

In 2008/09, Manchester United were in a rather easy group with Villarreal, Aalborg and Celtic. Four draws and two wins saw them top the group and move on to the first knockout stage.

They had Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan in the Round of 16. Julio Cesar saved the day at San Siro but United was too much to handle at the Old Trafford. United went through 2-0 on aggregate.

Porto caused some concerns for Alex Ferguson when they managed a 2-2 draw in Old Trafford in the quarterfinals. But a 1-0 away win guaranteed a place in the semifinal.

Arsenal was the semifinal opponents and United supporters were sure that United have the Gunners in their pocket for this one. United lived up to expectations and a 4-1 aggregate win awarded them a place in the final against the mighty Barcelona.

2008/2009 Champions League Semifinal: Manchester United vs Arsenal

08/09 Champions League for Barcelona

Barca, however, had a relatively easier start to the Champions League. Sporting, Shakhtar Donetsk and Basel didn’t cause them much trouble in group stages and a 6-3 aggregate win over Lyon in the Round of 16 meant it was all a walk in the park.

The quarterfinal opponents were Jurgen Klinsmann’s Bayern Munich. 4-0 at Nou Camp meant Guardiola’s men could just defend in the away leg. Aggregate score was 5-1.

The semifinal against Chelsea saw a lot of drama as Champions League was closing in on another all-English final. Actually a replay of last year’s final to be exact.

But Andres Iniesta’s late goal in the second leg meant Barca goes through to the final on away goals with the scores tied 1-1 over two legs.

2008/2009 Champions League Semifinal: Chelsea vs Barcelona

The Final

The final saw the beautiful Barca undone the moment of magic from Paul Scholes a year ago in 90 minutes.

Except the first few minutes of attack from the Red Devils, it was mostly one way traffic – the other way.

After a slow start, Barcelona had taken control of possession and Samuel Eto’o struck on the ten minute mark with a close-range near-post shot going just past Edwin van der Sar.

Then as the legs got tired, Barcelona’s young ace Lionel Messi rose between two of the best defenders, Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic to meet a cross and seal the game 2-0.

Whistle was blown and the Barcelona was crowned the 2009 UEFA Champions League champion.

2009 Champions League Final: Barcelona vs Manchester United

Teams in 08/09

Back in 08/09, Barcelona had a make-shift defense with Dani Alves and Eric Abidal missing. Yaya Toure was moved back to fill out the central defensive duties as Carles Puyol covered for Alves. Youngster Sergio Busquets was given the opportunity to perform at such a huge stage, so early in his career.

Xavi and Iniesta completed the midfield with Lionel Messi and Thierry Henry as wide forwards and Eto’o up ahead.

Manchester United, to start off with, still had Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez. CR started and Tevez was brought on in the 46th minute for Anderson (because unlike in the FIFA game, Anderson can’t take on the prowess of Xavi and Iniesta).

Also van der Sar, Ryan Giggs and Scholes were young-er. Dimitar Berbatov was considered a very expensive goal-scorer. His going rate at that time was something like five or six million a goal.

Teams in 10/11

Since the match hasn’t been played yet, I will not be able to glorify Barcelona even more in a handful of paragraphs. So lets jump to the current squads:

Barcelona squad:
As we have noticed during the El Clasicos that Barcelona lack the depth in their squad. Throwing lots of high-importance fixtures their way seems to be the only way to beat them; as Real Madrid conducted the experiment.

In the final on 28th May, however, we expect that Barcelona will not have that problem.

Samuel Eto’o, Theirry Henry and Yaya Toure might be missing but Gerard Pique will be playing (hopefully) and up front, we have witnessed Pedro to have taken the step up. Also, the addition of David Villa to the ranks will somewhat fill the space Eto’o left behind.

Busquets will be available as well and now he has picked up a couple of years of experience and taken some acting classes.

Manchester United squad:
Squad depth is certainly not the issue with United.

Ronaldo and Tevez might not be here but they have been replaced with Berbatov and Javier Hernandez. Also, Wayne Rooney is coming back to form.

Nani and Antonio Valencia have both done a fine job on the wings. Two players who didn’t take the part in the 2009 final. Nani was on the bench and was left on the bench.

This year Ferguson has a fantastic team. A team full of talent and flair. But the actual question is, will Ferguson’s tactics this time be good enough to overcome Barcelona’s?

United fans will say yes and come up with a hundred theories, Barca/United haters will say yes/no and add a hate-comment to it and Barca fans will say no and come up with a hundred theories.

One thing that should be learned from the 08/09 final is that if you’re going to attack Barca early then you better as hell score. If they get the ball off you, you’ll be running around like a dog all day.

What else has changed?

In 08/09, Guardiola was new and no one had quite figured it out how to play against Barcelona. It has been three years since and we have seen Barcelona get defeated at the hands of a very few.

But one thing is for sure. Teams are building confidence in what little hope they see of beating Barcelona. They have realized that no matter how well rehearsed and efficient Barcelona are, they can be beaten.

Their terrific form over three seasons is also getting on other people’s nerves topped up with the on-field theatrics of Busquets and Pedro – mainly Busquets.

Alex Ferguson is one of the most experienced and seasoned tactician and with rumors circulating of his retirement, he will definitely want to give fans the Champions League glory to top off the 19th title and rub it in Liverpool’s face a bit more.

And Guardiola knows that very well.

Road to London

Barcelona had Copenhagen, Rubin Kazan and Panathinaikos in Group D, where they eased through to the Round of 16. The much debatable match against Arsenal ended in a close 4-3 aggregate to Barca’s favor.

The quarterfinal was a rather easy draw, Shakhtar Donetsk were no match for the Catalan giants as they won the two-legged tie 6-1.

The semifinal was a part of the four El Clasicos to be played in 18 days. With Madrid drawing the first and winning the second, it seemed like Mourinho has finally overthrown Barca.

Barcelona won 2-0 at Santiago Bernabeu and drew 1-1 at home. Theatrics from both side saw people flame the two teams and mainly Barcelona between the two legs. I know that doesn’t sound right, but that is what happened.

The away leg surely made the critics silent as Barcelona players stayed on their feet (or tried to) and Madrid players repeatedly got away without getting a second booking.

On the flip side, Manchester United had a relatively tougher group. In Group C, they were joined by Valencia, Rangers and Bursaspor. But it was like a piece of cake.

In the Round of 16, Marseille fell to United 2-1 on aggregate. United won both legs of the quarterfinal against Chelsea and won the tie 3-1.

The semifinal was won before the first whistle blew. Even though Schalke had overcome defending champions Inter Milan but so did Tottenham.

United made the win official right in the first leg away from home by winning 2-0 at Veltins Arena. The two-legged match ended 6-1.

Semifinal decides the winner?

Let me take you back to 2008 UEFA Champions League final. Manchester United vs Chelsea. I won’t talk about the 2007 final because justice was done that day to AC Milan.

United faced Barcelona in the semifinal and won with just one goal scored by Scholes from long range. Chelsea faced Liverpool in the semifinal and they managed to overcome the Reds 4-3 in extra time. United won.

In 2009, Barcelona faced Chelsea in a crunching 1-1 draw over two legs and away goals rule deciding the winner. United scored three away goals against Arsenal in their semi. Barca won.

In 2010, even though Bayern Munich had won the Round of 16 (against Fiorentina) and the quarterfinal (against United) on away goals but both the time they managed three away goals. In the semifinal, Bayern won 4-0 over two legs against Lyon. Inter Milan on the other hand had to stop Barcelona from scoring two goals at the Nou Camp. Inter won.

Non-football reference: India beat fierce arch rival Pakistan in the 2011 Cricket World Cup semifinal and went on to win the cup. Like you care, right?

The 2011 CL Final

Barcelona have played against Real Madrid in the semifinal and came away as 3-1 winners after being considered slight underdogs in a long, long time. United has had an easy road to the final comparatively. You can argue but you know Schalke starts with a Madrid-reject (so did Inter though).

Prediction: Odds point towards Barcelona taking the trophy again but all I know is that it will be a tightly contested match with Barcelona somehow winning the night.

Lets just say that it will be kind of like Spain vs England.

Disclaimer: Forgive me, I am a Barcelona fan.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Diego Maradona’s 2010 World Cup antics are still pretty fresh. Cruising through the group stages and the Round of 16 without even firing all their guns.

They were thought to be a real contender for the trophy until the Germans ran rampant all over them in the Quarterfinal.

Argentina are now preparing to play in the 2011 Copa America starting from July 1st. They are placed in Group A alongside Bolivia, Colombia and the non-American guest nation Japan.

Their form has been fine since the World Cup where they managed to beat Brazil and Portugal and managed a draw against USA.

Undoubtedly, Argentineans have some of the best football players in the world and also some of the hottest football WAGs in the world. Lets take a look at who the recent Argentina national football team call-ups are dating. The Argentina WAGs:

1. Sergio Romero (AZ) – married to Eliana Guercio


Romero and his wife Eliana Guercio

2. Oscar Ustari (Getafe) – married the daughter of 1986 World Cup winning midfielder Ricardo Giusti
3. Javier Zanetti (Inter) – was engaged to Francesca Lodo, married to Paula Zanetti


Zanetti's former fiancée Francesca Lodo

4. Walter Samuel (Inter) – married to Cecilia
5. Esteban Cambiasso (Inter) – no longer has contact with his ex-wife, Claudia
6. Diego Milito (Inter) – married to Sofia


(L-R) Claudia Cambiasso, Cecilia Samuel, Sofia Milito & Paula Zanetti

7. Fernando Belluschi (Porto) – married to Florencia


Fernando & Florencia Belluschi

8. Fernando Gago (Real Madrid) – dated Luli Fernandez, married tennis player Gisela Dulko in July 2011


Gago's ex-girlfriend - Luli Fernandez

9. Lionel Messi (Barcelona) – was linked to Macarena Lemos & Luciana Salazar, dating Antonella Roccuzzo


Messi with Antonella Roccuzzo

10. Carlos Tevez (Manchester City) – married to Vanesa, linked with Mariana Paesani, Natalia Fassi, Vanessa Carbone & Brenda Asnicar


Tevez is said to have cheated on his wife with Natalia Fassi

11. Sergio Aguero (Atletico Madrid) – married to Maradona’s youngest daughter Giannina Maradona


Aguero, Giannina Maradona and their little one

12. Former coach Diego Maradona – linked to Wanda Nara & Natalia Rosas Muniz, dating Veronica Ojeda


Maradona denied any relations with Wanda Nara

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

]]> http://soccerlens.com/argentina-wags-here/75360/feed/ 0 http://soccerlens.com/beyond-lionel-messi-alternative-best-25-footballers-in-the-world-25-11/68989/ http://soccerlens.com/beyond-lionel-messi-alternative-best-25-footballers-in-the-world-25-11/68989/#comments Wed, 27 Apr 2011 07:55:06 +0000 Augusto Neto http://soccerlens.com/?p=68989

Beyond Lionel Messi: An Alternative List of the Top 25 Football Players in the World (25-11) - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

In my previous article, I argued that the process by which we decide who the world’s best players are has been grossly distorted. A combination of mainstream media hype (backed up with its ‘statistics’ – often little more than a ruse to get people gambling) and a nostalgic longing for the return of the great...

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

]]> Beyond Lionel Messi: An Alternative List of the Top 25 Football Players in the World (25-11) - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

In my previous article, I argued that the process by which we decide who the world’s best players are has been grossly distorted.

A combination of mainstream media hype (backed up with its ‘statistics’ – often little more than a ruse to get people gambling) and a nostalgic longing for the return of the great playmaker – a natural human urge towards hierarchy and order expressed on the pitch by those players who, commentators love to remind us, ‘dictate the tempo of the match’ (Spain) or ‘make the difference’ (England) – has reduced the role of the fan to that of consumer.

Abandoning our reason, we channel our passions into the banal tunnels dug by sensationalist pundits salivating over inane comparisons, half-witted ‘match analysis’ and pure marketing hype.

We’re forgetting that the beauty of football lies in the sheer multiplicity of possibilities abounding on the field; the best player does not always run the fastest, score the most or tackle the hardest. They need not even play for the best teams.

Now, with the increasing tendency towards a more ‘total’ form of football, we can appreciate more than ever the sheer variety of players whom we can admire and applaud. Here’s the first part of a list of the best 25:

1. 25. Thomas Muller



A classic German international, Muller’s poise, pace and shooting mean he is comfortable in virtually any attacking position. A fine World Cup on the back of a remarkable breakthrough season at Bayern Munich got him noticed beyond the Bundesliga; Bayern’s struggles this year have kept him out of the international spotlight, but you’d be hard pressed to find a more efficient forward in world football today.

Video: Thomas Muller Best of 2009/2010 at Bayern Munich

2. 24. Robinho



The prodigious Brazilian’s troubled career appears to be settling, at last, in Italy. The forward’s movement and trickery appears, strangely, to flourish more in Serie A than either the English Premier League – where he was considered a flop at Manchester City – or La Liga.

Video: Robinho Highlights

3. 23. Radamel Falcao



The Colombian international is the focal point of a Porto attack which has swept all before it in the Portuguese Liga and the Europa League this season (he is the top scorer in both). The striker’s devastating scoring exploits are beginning to draw comparison with those of Mario Jardel; a player with good movement, excellent finishing, a good deal of power and sound decision-making, Falcao also boasts a frightening ability to score memorable back-heeled goals. Big offers are expected over the summer.

Video: Radamel Falcao Goals

4. 22. Arjen Robben



It has often been said that only niggling injuries has held Robben back from being recognised as one of the best wingers in history. Having played at Real Madrid and positively shone at times for Chelsea, one might be forgiven for thinking the Holland international has gone off the radar a little at Bayern Munich. Nothing could be further from the truth. The dazzling Dutchman is still one of the deadliest wide men in the game.

Video: Robben Still Has It

5. 21. Carlos Tevez



Perhaps one of the biggest mistakes Sir Alex Ferguson has made in recent years was that of the British public at large: namely, thinking that the combative Argentine is little more than a second option for Wayne Rooney. Cleverer and stronger in front of goal than the Englishman, Tevez has since flourished across at Manchester City, but appears to be hankering for a move back to Argentina. The Premiership will be that little weaker without him.

Video: Carlos Tevez 2009/2010 Manchester City Goals

6. 20. Ramires



After a slow start to his Chelsea career, the Brazil international is turning into an instrumental player for the London club. The fact that he seems to always get used as a foil for someone else in midfield (at former club Benfica, he was used to help an extremely attacking 4-4-2 function by combining the role of right-winger with defensive midfield) overlooks his ability to make timely runs into the box to score crucial goals, as well as good technical ability which has seen him stand out against nominally similar players like Michael Essien.

Video: Ramires vs Blackburn (15 Jan 2011)

7. 19. Luka Modric



The Croatian international sometimes gets left in the wake of Gareth Bale’s trailblazing runs or Rafael van der Vaart’s spectacular goals, but he is a fundamental component of the most exciting Spurs side in years. Bursting with flair and ingenuity on the ball, Modric epitomizes the importance of a player who can construct moves from deep, picking put the runs of more advanced forwards. The kind of player who makes things happen without always being noticed. The kind of player who belongs on this list.

Video: Luka Modric Compilation

8. 18. Fabio Coentrao



One of the most exciting prospects in Europe, Coentrao’s career began on the left wing. Manager Jorge Jesus controversially converted him to left-back early last season and since then, the Portugal international has blossomed. His ferocious pace and relentless desire to bomb forward at any opportunity are perfectly balanced by a never-say-die attitude which masks his (improving) technical shortcomings as a defender. With a sweet left foot and an eye for goal too, Coentrao is arguably the most complete full-back in the world.

Video: Fabio Coentrao: Marauding Left-Back

9. 17. Fernando Torres



Though this may seem like a strange time to be sticking Torres anywhere near a list of the best players in the world, greatness doesn’t vanish overnight. It doesn’t even disappear over the course of one season. Rather, what we are seeing with Torres is the combination of a) a gradual decline, which has perhaps come a couple of years earlier than you might expect for a player of his age; b) poor form, which has lasted, loosely, since the end of last season; and c) difficulty adjusting to new technical systems – this is a player who has had to endure the dismal tenure of Roy Hodgson, the shift to Kenny Dalglish and then a move to Chelsea all in one season. Expect him to recover, if gradually.

Video: Fernando Torres 2009/2010 Compilation

10. 16. Gareth Bale



Though the ‘Balemania’ earlier this season has thankfully subsided, the Welshman’s meteoric rise has to be recognized as one of the most exciting developments in English football this season. The PFA Player of the Year’s pace, power and unstoppable left foot have marked him out as one of Europe’s most sought-after players. Could he cut it abroad? Judging by the manner in which he sliced open Inter Milan, you’d have to imagine ‘yes’.

Video: Gareth Bale 2010/2011

11. 15. Sami Khedira



The German international is arguably the unsung hero at Jose Mourinho’s new-look Real Madrid – while Ronaldo hoards the acclaim with goals and Xavi Alonso gets the purists drooling with passes, Khedira’s all-round ability in midfield goes relatively unnoticed. Strong in the tackle, good on the ball and with a remarkable ability to read the game for a relatively young player, the German international is arguably the most important member of Madrid’s midfield. His versatility is particularly important when Mourinho adopts a more cautious, lopsided midfield diamond which relies heavily on a central midfield player being able to combine his role with that of a wide player (see also Ramires, number 20 on this list).

Video: Sami Khedira in 2010

12. 14. Nani



Perhaps it’s the fact that he’s a Portuguese winger who ‘goes down too easily’. Perhaps it’s because his name sounds reads like ‘Nanny’ to the English eye. Perhaps it’s because he isn’t Ronaldo. Who knows why the mercurial Manchester United wide man is not being universally lauded for a series of fine displays which have carried Manchester United towards the Premier League title.

True, the Portugal international does still have the occasional tendency to gallop around like a headless chicken but, for the most part, the ingenious trickery, pace and goal threat are now combined extremely effectively. More productive as well as more creative than Antonio Valencia, who appears to have shunted him to the left flank, Nani’s sheer unpredictability mark him out as a winger in the classic sense of the word.

Video: Nani 2008/2009

13. 13. Dani Alves



True to the spirit of a list which recognises players who are able to perform in more than one position at once, Alves does more than merely conjure images of Cafu. Having displaced Maicon at right-back for th Brazilian national team, the Barcelona man is now widely regarded as the best right-back in the world. His ability to defend the right flank yet appear to spend an entire game in the opponent’s half is a testament to the sheer pace and stamina of the man, whose phenomenal work ethic provides Barca with a vital outlet out wide.

Video: Dani Alves 2009/2010 Highlights

14. 12. Ezequiel Lavezzi



Arguably one of the most under-rated players in European football. Lavezzi’s combination of pace, power and trickery has finally been harnessed by Napoli coach Walter Mazzarri, who allows the Argentinian a floating role coming in from the left flank. The sheer competition for places, combined with his until now uncertain role has kept him out of the national team’s first eleven, but Lavezzi – whose abundant skill is not always matched by great finishing – is the kind of rough diamond (see Riquelme, Veron, Ortega) who inspires the adulation of fans in his home country. Here’s a snippet of what the man can do:

Ezequiel Lavezzi: 2010/2011 Compilation

15. 11. Xavi



Not much needs to be said about the Barcelona and Spain playmaker. Allying superb vision to a sure touch and the battling spirit so typical of Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona, Xavi is arguably the one player able to distract the attention of pundits away from Lionel Messi to and extent which unfairly detracts from the merits of other members of the side. The mark of a great player.

Video: Best of Xavi Hernandez

And here are the The Top Ten

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

]]> http://soccerlens.com/beyond-lionel-messi-alternative-best-25-footballers-in-the-world-25-11/68989/feed/ 6 http://soccerlens.com/manchester-city-wags/13938/ http://soccerlens.com/manchester-city-wags/13938/#comments Fri, 22 Apr 2011 15:41:41 +0000 Soccerlens http://soccerlens.com/babes/?p=13938

Manchester City WAGs - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

Manchester City are flying high at the moment with a Champions League spot to their name, approaching the end of the season. With the Abu Dhabi Sheikhs spending as much as he likes to, City are going to stay in the top four for a little while. A whole new lot of talent was brought...

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

]]> Manchester City WAGs - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

Manchester City are flying high at the moment with a Champions League spot to their name, approaching the end of the season.

With the Abu Dhabi Sheikhs spending as much as he likes to, City are going to stay in the top four for a little while. A whole new lot of talent was brought in to the club after the takeover.

Names like James Milner, Edin Dzeko and David Silva sparked a new opposition to worry about for the Premier League clubs to worry about.

Players of such caliber always come with their booty by their sides. Be it their girlfriend, wife or an escort, footballers want the best they can get. After all, they have the money to attract just about anyone.

Lets take a look at the present and/or previous wives and girlfriends of the Citizens:

Lauren Pope – dated/dating Shaun Wright-Phillips

The British model and actress, Lauren Pope, is known for her Page 3 appearances and for being on the features of popular lads’ magazines like Playboy, FHM, etc.

She has had the honor to dance with Prince Henry of Wales and also to have dated Spurs striker Peter Crouch before he hooked up with Abigail Clancy.

She has also been on reality shows and runs her own brand of hair extensions.

Lauren started dating the City striker Wright-Phillips in 2009. If it is still going on or if it has ended is unknown to us.



Brenda Asnicar – interested in marrying Carlos Tevez

This is one of the most interesting WAGs you will run into (as in, while reading).

You might think girls like Justin Bieber and Rebecca Black are stupid, check this Argentinean out: As soon as she turned 18, she told the media that she is ready to marry Tevez.

She went as far as calling Tevez a beauty. I hope she meant in footballing terms that he scores awesome goals so he’s a beauty but in literal terms I think his own most hardcore fans will agree that he’s not the best looking footballer out there.

Either a massive publicity stunt or this girl has lost it.



Jane Cunningham – married to Shay Given

Not much is known about this beauty but Gay Shiven Shay Given married Jane in 2001 in Hexham. They have had two children together since, a bot named Shayne in 2004 and a girl named Sienna in 2007.

The couple received a Papal Blessing from Pope of the time, John Paul II, who was a goalkeeper himself in his youth.



Here’s a list of the rest of the Man City WAGs:

• Vincent Kompany – dating Carla
• Gareth Barry – married to Louise
• Patrick Vieira – married to Cheryl
• Kolo Toure – married to Awo
• Carles Tevez – married to Vanesa, however, Mariana Paesani, Natalia Fassi & Vanessa Carbone have been his bits on the side
• Nigel de Jong – married to Winonah
• BONUS: Fan of MCFC – Marsha Thomason

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

]]> http://soccerlens.com/manchester-city-wags/13938/feed/ 0 http://soccerlens.com/scoring-stats-does-the-importance-of-one-player-vary-between-divisions/68723/ http://soccerlens.com/scoring-stats-does-the-importance-of-one-player-vary-between-divisions/68723/#comments Fri, 15 Apr 2011 08:31:53 +0000 mattwood040 http://soccerlens.com/?p=68723

Scoring Stats – Does the importance of the ‘go-to’ footballer vary between divisions? - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

When first examining scoring stats, we found there were big differences between how reliant individual leagues were across Europe on one player.  After some more digging, we found there are significant differences between how important individual players are between Leagues across Europe: in Italy and Germany, in particular, it is important to have a spearhead...

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

]]> Scoring Stats – Does the importance of the ‘go-to’ footballer vary between divisions? - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

When first examining scoring stats, we found there were big differences between how reliant individual leagues were across Europe on one player.  After some more digging, we found there are significant differences between how important individual players are between Leagues across Europe: in Italy and Germany, in particular, it is important to have a spearhead – one pivotal player who’s chiefly involved in creating, or finishing goals. In Spain, and particularly England, there isn’t this same predilection for one player contributing more (by way of Scoring Stats – goals and assists) than any other particular player.

But how does this compare across the tiers of football in one country? It’s because of the Premiership’s mathematical preference for a balanced attack that England was chosen for this analysis – aiming to see if this balance is reflected throughout the lower levels of football. Defined briefly, a Team Leader is the player who has the greatest number of combined goals and assists for his team, which displays the number of goals they have directly contributed to their team’s cause.

To summarise, there is very little difference in the average contribution made by a club’s team leader across the four divisions. However in the lower leagues, the contributions are much less consistent – rather than having most team leaders contributing around the average for their division, there is a much wider spectrum for how much a certain player contributes to their team.

League	Average Games Played	Average Total Goals	Average Goals Scored per game per team	Average Contribution by team leader (%)	Range (Low-High)
Premiership	31.8	44.05	1.39	32.55	23.68 – 50
Championship	39.92	54	1.35	31.98	17.31 – 46.88
League One	40.42	54.79	1.36	33.37	20 – 48.84
League Two	40.83	55.92	1.37	30.97	16.67 – 43.48

Where range shows the lowest and highest contributions by percentage by a Team Leader.

What this shows is that there isn’t really a large difference at all between how much a team scores on average across English Football. What is obvious is the considerably smaller range in which the Premiership operates – when subtracting the outlier Tevez, range drops from 26.32 to 16.32 and the average contribution by a team leader descends to 31.63%. There aren’t the stark outliers in the three lower tiers meaning no further adjustments are possible. This allows us to assume that EPL clubs need to fit into a much tighter band – their top scorer needs to contribute to nearly 24% of their goals, but defences and tactics are such that involvement in over 40% is both unlikely and risky. Having one player generating so much of their scoring also makes a club much easier to stop.

Aside from the Statistical Wonder Tevez, the greatest difference between leagues was generally which way these figures “trended”. In the Premiership, Championship and League Two there was a slight decline in how reliant each club was on their team leader as their league position worsened – ie. a higher-placed club tended to have their team leader contributing to a higher percentage of their goals. In League One, this trend is reversed as lower ranked clubs appear increasingly more reliant on their spearheads. This, as we will see, is primarily due to the efforts of Will Hoskins at Bristol Rovers, Danny Green of Dagenham & Redbridge and Craig Westcarr of Notts County.

What we also found was that in almost every case – except League One – one of the clubs in the Top Seven had the highest contribution by a team leader per League. That is, Carlos Tevez leads the Premiership in goals he’s contributed to for his team, providing a goal or assist to 50% of City’s scores. In the Championship, the leaders are Adel Taarabt of leaders QPR, Danny Graham of Watford (12th) and then Grant Holt of Norwich (2nd) and Reading’s Shane Long (5th). It’s a similar story in League Two as the three highest contributors by percentage play on teams ranked third, seventh and ninth.

English League clubs with greatest contribution to scoring by Team Leader


League	Team	League Pos.	Player	Team GPG	% Contribution
Premiership	Man City	3	Tevez	1.56	50
League One	Bristol Rovers	20	Hoskins	1.05	48.84
Championship	QPR	1	Taarabt	1.6	46.88
League One	Dag & Red	19	Green	1.12	46.67
League Two	Port Vale	9	M. Richards	1.12	43.48
League Two	Gillingham	7	McDonald	1.46	43.33
League One	Leyton Orient	8	Cox	1.58	42.86
Championship	Watford	12	Graham	1.73	42.03
Championship	Reading	5	Long	1.7	41.18
Championship	Norwich City	2	Holt	1.7	41.18

English League clubs with least contribution to scoring by Team Leader

League	Team	League Pos.	Player	Team GPG	% Contribution
League Two	Morecambe	14	Spencer	1.17	16.67
Championship	Ipswich Town	13	Scotland	1.3	17.31
League Two	Aldershot Town	11	Guttridge	1.1	17.78
League One	Colchester Utd	10	Mooney	1.22	20
League Two	Stevenage	6	Wilson	1.37	21.43
League Two	Stockport	24	Tansey	1.05	23.26
Premiership	West Ham	18	Piquionne	1.19	23.68
League Two	Wycombe	2	Ainsworth	1.44	23.73
League Two	Burton Albion	22	Webster	1.18	23.91
Championship	Barnsley	16	Hammill	1.23	24.49

The message best understood from these figures is this – although QPR boast a player with sublime skills in Adel Taarabt and Norwich City operate according to the rebirth of Grant Holt, it’s possible they are too reliant on their star men. The Welsh sides chasing their Premiership dream are perhaps best equipped to function in the top division. The Bluebirds are especially gifted as they boast a number of scoring options including England international Jay Bothroyd, loanee Craig Bellamy, Michael Chopra and last year’s division top-scorer Peter Whittingham. Should QPR or Norwich – tighter defences or not – gain promotion, they could well find themselves in a Blackpool situation: unable to balance attack with defence due to their reliance on one player.

This is perhaps the defining dichotomy of the Championship – a strong Team Leader is needed to progress to the Premiership; but then to spread the wealth offensively when you get there. It’s a very fine line and coaches can be easily forgiven for wanting to persist with the tactics that achieved them promotion. But, to paraphrase the most tried of cliches: nothing ventured, only parachute payments gained.

A complete list of European Scoring Stat leaders, team-by-team, can be found at Balanced Sports Scoring Stats page.

For more analysis and opinion, shoot across to Matthew Wood’s blog, Balanced Sports.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

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