The anti-football of Mourinho and Capello can reap rewards, but more is needed for England to be contenders for EURO 2012.

On the face of it, it was not overly surprising. The 7th best team in the world, England, beat the best team in the world, Spain, 1-0 at home in a friendly international. Bearing in mind that Spain also lost friendlies to Italy, Portugal and Argentina since they won the World Cup last summer, it certainly is not a result that will cause too many ripples in world football.

It was the manner of victory that was far more interesting. Some commentators have suggested the victory paid homage to Capello’s ultra-defensive catenaccio ways so successfully employed in the 1990s with Milan, with a solid back four and protection from deep lying and combative midfielders frustrating Spain. Along with much of the Spanish team, Cesc Fabregas labelled England’s gameplan as “negative tactics”, lambasting them for “lacking in talent” and setting up to defend for nearly the entire 90 minutes.

However, the whole scenario has parallels with far more recent events. Given the core of players who make both Spain and Barcelona tick and the similarities in style, to all intents and purposes it is the Barcelona influence (supplemented by the best of Real Madrid) that has made Spain both European and World champions. And the only man who has been able to find the methods to challenge the Barcelona way in the past few seasons has been a long time friend of the English, Jose Mourinho. Two series of fixtures in particular spring to mind.

April 2010 witnessed a Champions League semi-final between Mourinho’s Internazionale and Barcelona. The first leg demonstrated a Mourinho masterclass of defensive pressing and swift counter attack as Inter won 3-1. The 2nd leg, despite Inter losing 1-0, was in truth even more impressive. Down to 10 men for over an hour, Inter soaked up everything Barcelona could throw at them. The statistics were bewildering. Inter managed just 67 passes as opposed to Barca’s 548 and over 80% possession. There were even charges (though denied by Mourinho) that Inter were happy to give the ball to Barcelona so as to not disrupt their own defensive shape.

Fast-forward a year to the latter end of last season. Mourinho’s Real Madrid held Barcelona to a 1-1 draw in La Liga followed swiftly by a 1-0 victory in extra time over their archrivals in the Copa del Rey. In both these matches, Mourinho operated with a ‘trivote’ system, sacrificing an attacking player in favour of a defensive midfielder.

Mourinho used Pepe, a natural central defender, as a midfield enforcer alongside Xabi Alonso and Sami Khedira, all focusing on defensive tasks and keeping Barcelona largely at bay. The use of Phil Jones in a side also containing James Milner, Frank Lampard and the imperious Scott Parker on Saturday bore considerable resemblance to this strategy.

Over these two fixtures, Real Madrid registered a mere 22% possession and 65% pass success as opposed to Barca’s 78% possession and 90% pass success. Yet it reaped dividends for Mourinho – and almost continued to work in the Champions League semi-final between the clubs until Madrid were reduced to 10 men and Messi ran riot.

To anyone who watched England soak up the Spanish possession (71%) and pressure continuously on Saturday evening, this may make familiar reading. This is not to suggest this is the way football should be played all the time. It is definitely not what England should look to repeat too often. And it certainly will not work every time it is tried. But under the right circumstances the methods employed by Capello on Saturday can be very effective.

Ultimately the most important question is whether England can be contenders at EURO 2012. Much has been made of England’s ongoing attempts to emulate the Spanish style, assurance on the ball and technique with the next generation of players. Nevertheless to be contenders in the short term, England must not necessarily look to Spain. The gulf in class is too great at present. In fact we should look to Germany for inspiration.

England should build on the defensive prowess and determination that they have long been renowned for and personified by Scott Parker against Spain. The challenge for England is to add the power, pace and counter-attacking devastation of the type displayed by Germany at the last World Cup to a steely defence. If Bent and Walcott are not the answer, then the likes of Sturridge, Welbeck, Adam Johnson, Ashley Young and Aaron Lennon could well have parts to play in the absence of Wayne Rooney and the increasingly injury plagued Steven Gerrard and Jack Wilshere.

If Capello manages to blend the right personnel before EURO 2012, England might be able to compete with the top nations next summer.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

It seems that in almost every aspect of the game, two clubs dominate the footballing world. They are Spanish super heavyweights Real Madrid and Barcelona. Any team boasting multiple stars is said to echo Real’s Galactico era, while teams – from League Two to the K-League – are said to be a mini-Barcelona. Even the duopoly of Spain’s La Liga is now also increasingly becoming the template in other major European football leagues.

The two clubs are, in a very true and clichéd sense, storied, expecting every year to be contenders for UEFA Champions’ League title. Both teams appear stronger than last year. Only an idiot or a savant would predict against either side’s success and going by online bookmakers, these two will be contesting the Champions League final this year.

2011 Summer Transfers

Real Madrid have spent rather inconspicuously over the summer when compared to their past two sprees. The major buys were Turkey’s Nuri Sahin, of Borussia Dortmund; and Portugal whizz-kid Fabio Coentrao to reinforce the left side. Other purchases have been smaller (eg. Hamit Altintop) and aimed at providing depth at positions 15-25, rather than at supplying instant first-teamers. It seems José Mourinho is content with a power lineup; even Madridista rumour-mongers have been quiet. Impressive names (Canales, Adebayor, Garay, Dudek, Gago) were shunted through the Bernabéu’s exits, but only Adebayor and perhaps Garay had any hope of seeing significant minutes.

Barcelona have further strengthened their attacking prospects by signing Europe’s favourite Chilean, Alexis Sánchez. They also ended to the longest saga of unrequited love since Shakespeare and purchased Cesc Fabregas. These creative midfield and forward types arrive at the expense of youngsters Oriol Romeu, Jeffren, Keirrison and Bojan; while defenders Henrique and Gaby Milito have returned to South America. It’s unlikley that any of these players were to feature prominently – Keirrison and Romeu, especially – but Bojan provided a certain thickness to the squad. The defensive reserves have implied (rather than obvious) quality, meaning Barca’s backline looks oddly thinner on paper than on the field.

Squad structure

Barcelona’s squad has undergone their first summer without significant addition-by-subtraction since Pep Guardiola took over in 2008. In his first offseason in charge, he farewelled Deco and Ronaldinho, before the year after trading Samuel Eto’o and cash for Zlatan Ibrahimovic in hopes of giving Barca’s attack a different look. Ibrahimovic lasted only one year, replaced by David Villa. Their back four – which at times featured Javier Mascherano, looks especially susceptible to infirmity given their relative ages and lack of proven backups. Carles Puyol – half teddy-bear, half grizzly-bear – leads the defence alongside the best young Centre-back in the world, Gerard Piqué. In midfield, the Catalans are well-stocked; the forward corps will upon the incredible Lionel Messi, Villa and Sanchez to score goals.

Real’s defence highlights their effective central defenders, Ricardo Carvalho and Pepe. Carvalho, at 33, remains the commander of Los Merengues‘ defence and allows his counterpart to occasionally rampage further upfield. Carvalho’s ageing must be of concern to Mourinho, even given his recent retirement from international duty; should he be injured, replacements Raul Albiol and Raphael Varane (or Alvaro Arbeloa when Ramos shifts into the middle) will have more athleticism but less positional ability. Mourinho has often opted for 4-2-3-1 and 4-3-3 formations; this enables him to focus play through whirlwind talents Cristiano Ronaldo and Mesut Özil, who can then score or create for the likes of Gonzalo Higuain or Karim Benzema.

Champions’ League Group Stages

Both clubs perhaps breathed a little easier after the Champions’ League group stage draw. Real were dealt a trip to former bogey-team Olympique Lyonnais alongside a signficantly weakened Ajax and Dinamo Zagreb. All three clubs are adept, but imagining them defeating los blancos is an act of admirable and misguided fantasy. The travel involved in such a group is also quite reasonable.

Barcelona are faced with a lengthy away trip to BATE Borisov, as well as a matchup with Czech outfit FC Viktoria Plzen, whose stadium fits only 8,500 fans. A match against AC Milan without Guardiola’s arch-nemesis Zlatan Ibrahimovic looms as their first game; the return leg at Giuseppe Meazza on November 23 is their trickiest tie of the group stage.

How can these two clubs not succeed?

The questions for Real Madrid don’t concern their outfield, but goalkeeper and manager. Jose Mourinho has the chance to win the Champions’ League with a fourth club and appears driven almost to megalomania by the desire to defeat Barcelona. Should his personality become too much of a distraction, he could attract the attention of UEFA or even President Florentino Perez and find his club suddenly in the hands of a different, less able manager – temporarily or permanently.

Spain captain Iker Casillas has been his country’s best goalkeeper for almost the entire millennium. Defensive blunders for club and country have increased in recent seasons, indicating perhaps his powers as a goalkeeper could be on the wane. He’s still of the utmost quality, but one mishap in the second phase could be destructive.

It’s amazing that there are three linked questions for the popularly-acknowledged “Best Team in Europe’s history”; all concern Barcelona’s durability. Considering Abidal’s health and Puyol’s age, is their defence deep enough to stand up to another punishing campaign? Secondly, can they overcome the Curse of the Repeat and claim an unprecedented* second straight win? Thirdly, will Guardiola, who has made noises about the high levels of stress he is under, be the first one to burn out?

Barcelona and Madrid – alongside United and City, if you turn your head to the side and squint really hard – have the best teams in Europe, yet both appear to have their weaknesses in defence. Fortunately – or unfortunately, depending on your perception – both midfields are so strong that even weakened defences are likely to get absolutely the best protection. Both will make the semi-finals; this year’s Champions’ League victor is likely to again come from Spain.

* No team has repeated as winners of the Champions’ League since its inception in 1992-93; several teams won its predecessor, the European Cup, twice – or more – in a row.

Also See: Champions League Preview: Manchester Plots European Domination

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Jose Mourinho has many gifts. For organisation, for having team buy into a philosophy, for quick quips and irritation. It’s perhaps fitting that a master of hyperbole has been pilloried by the more rampant sensationalists in the British media concerning his antics during and after the Spanish Supercup.

As the four Clasicos in seventeen days last season proved, these teams have no love for each other – on or off the pitch. After their loss in the Champions’ League Semi-Final in (April/May), Mourinho made statements which, if he had his time again, would probably re-consider. Barcelona thought about legal action, but opted against it.

After a horrendous tackle by Marcelo on Barcelona new boy Cesc Fabregas, benches cleared. Mourinho is now under scrutiny for an incident involving Barcelona assistant Tito Villanova (bear in mind this analysis does come from the Daily Mail, well known for sensationalism). The Sun – also known for siutational amplification – also suggested Mourinho is approaching Real’s tolerance threshold. Even the more moderate Daily Telegraph and The Independent questioned The Special One’s tenure at the Bernabeu.

Comments branding Barcelona “a small team” didn’t help and, alongside his paranoiac mania following their Champions’ League exit, contribute to an image of a man either on the edge or who plays mind games at a black belt level. His comments more and more mimic those of dictators – strong, usually charismatic leaders with a firm grasp on a tiny part of the world – but from the outside viewed as small-time.

In today’s Guardian, a spokesman for Los Merengues’ manager says his role in the stoush was “defending Real Madrid’s interests”. The Independent – and Paul Hayward – have asked if Jose is still worth his antics. When each match between the two best teams in football descends into a melee, it is a fair question.

Even Real Madrid, a club not known for patience and lenience with their managers, would be rash to fire the man who has transformed them from also-rans into an outfit who will challenge Barcelona. The side has apparently improved markedly over the offseason, fuelled by more spending (Fabio Coentrao and Nuri Sahin) and another year’s acclimation to Mourinho’s tactics. In the match in question, most observers had them slightly edging the match until defeated by a typically classy Messi goal.

Jose may feel pressure to succeed and consequently just be acting out more. This is unlikely given his past posts and the high expectations he must have shouldered there. He may feel the mindset of his squad is so fragile it can’t bear a defeat to Barcelona without attendant, media-diverting controversy. Maybe his ego has become so large that he’s lost some perspective. Any increase in his antics is due to a combination of all three factors.

It would be folly to ignore the lack of discipline and leadership Jose Mourinho has received from the Real Madrid front office. Perhaps more than anything else, this has empowered Mourinho to say and do what he likes. Given his results so far, it would be wrong if he were made to fear for his job. But he should be made to respect discipline – UEFA’s, La Liga’s or from Perez himself.

Since his Chelsea days at least, Mourinho’s modus operandi has been to instill a siege mentality about his players, defending them from media scrutiny and removing any pressure from his boys by deflecting or absorbing it himself. By doing so, he’s produced remarkably successful units at Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan and now Real. At the Bernabeu, however, once former General Manager and blatant Jose-antagonist Jorge Valdano was removed, he’s received only minimal leadership from the front office. He has not been censured for his actions, some of which should have desperately deserved it.

Indeed by removing Valdano, Mourinho’s only internal source of dissent, Real President Florentino Perez has actually served as an enabler. Corporate, family or political leadership – real leadership – comes not from money, but from making tough decisions. In this, Florentino Perez has failed as Real Madrid President. While Jose Mourinho is mandated to bring success to Real Madrid on the pitch, it is Perez’s responsibility to make sure he does so in a manner worthy of his institution.

To draw parallels from politics, were Perez the head of a government and failed to adequately discipline a general he would risk his own career. In a non-entertainment business role – well, just look at what happened at the News of the World. When people whose job it is to get results don’t get guidance from above their practices can slip into the unorthodox, unpleasant and sometimes the illegal.

Jose Mourinho hasn’t done anything illegal during his status at Real. What he has done, though, is get (some) results and inflame an already-heated rivalry by being boorish. If Florentino Perez is happy to make that tradeoff, theirs shall be a match made in heaven. The only alternative is for Perez to man up and act like the leader his position says he should be.

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

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

The debate about who is the world’s greatest player has revolved for nearly five years now around two names: Barcelona’s Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, who now leads the line at Real Madrid after emerging as a tricksy winger at Manchester United. Only two other names are mentioned: Messi’s Barca teammates Xavi and Andres Iniesta. Opinion is divided on the subject, often down party/club lines. But our recent spate of Clasicos may have provided us with an ultimate answer.

While overshadowed by Jose Mourinho’s manic rants, Pepe’s debatable red card and Messi’s magical goals, Cristiano Ronaldo toiled like a workman in his role as Real’s forward fulcrum. He was effective in the second match – scoring the deciding header from Angel Di Maria’s cross – but as the third match devolved into a shouting match and the fourth saw Real’s Champions’ League hopes fade as Javier Mascherano theatrically won a free kick outside his area, Ronaldo’s penchant for forward play was thrown into sharp relief.

Cristiano Ronaldo, deservedly, is the focus of most of Real’s attacking verve as he’s their best player. According to ESPN Soccernet he’s scored a remarkable 42 goals on the season, created a further twelve – scoring or creating 43.2% of all his club’s goals this term. Since he arrived at Carrington in 2003, he and his game have evolved a remarkable amount. He started at United as a wide forward with exceedingly tricky feet and a thunderous shot.

Now, Cristiano Ronaldo has evolved into the all-purpose forward: he’s tall enough and good enough in the air to act as a target man, has the same remarkable footskills as when he arrived, and his neck musculature must be seen (and gawked at) to be believed. He delivers “bullet headers” like almost no-one else. Physically, there may not ever have been a more perfect footballing specimen.

These qualities allowed him to become the centrepiece of a United squad which bullied the Premiership for three years before departing for pastures blanco. Now on the other side of the fence he has dominated La Liga, much like Messi has from Catalonia. But, since his evolution into such a dominating forward force, in the most important games he has yet to take the game consistently by the throat. His recent big match performances have been consistently solid and workmanlike, rather than those blistering games which Messi has so recently delivered.

It is obviously extraordinarily harsh and incorrect to suggest that United’s, and now Real’s failures lie at the feet of the Varnished One. When competing against Barcelona, very few clubs are able to cope and eleven players maketh a team, not one. He hasn’t been positioned as well as Messi – having players nearly, but not quite the same calibre as an Iniesta or Xavi. Tactically also, los Merengues have been set up to counterstrike, as is coach Jose Mourinho’s wont – a position which rankles football’s most expensive player.

But given his dominance both United and Real have been built around him, rather than his slotting in to upgrade a position. This isn’t meant to be criticism – if anything, it’s a compliment as very few athletes are able to walk into such a large club and have their skills demand the club be shaped around them. While both he and Messi are essentially now forwards without strict positional definition, you Messi would fit into any team in the world without that squad having to remodel around him. With Ronaldo, that’s not the case.

One example of this reshuffling – an on-the-fly job, even -which easily springs to mind was during his last match in a Red Devil shirt: the 2009 Champions’ League final which saw Wayne Rooney shunted out to the left so Ronaldo could weave his magic down the centre. Where each had come to United to play one position, Cristiano Ronaldo’s skills grew so much that on the biggest stage, his game forced Sir Alex Ferguson into making a tactical decision (again, an understandable one given Ronaldo’s scoring prowess) where he and Rooney switched roles.

Perhaps he finds chances to impose himself on the biggest matches limited because as he’s grown into such a fantastic player, his role has become less defined. Over their recent Clasico binge Mourinho favoured a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 formation with Ronaldo alternatively being charged with creating, or finishing – but never starting in the same “position”. He is the utility forward, told to “make stuff happen”. While Gonzalo Higuain and now Karim Benzema have been effective playing alongside Ronaldo, it appears as if his presence so dominates the front half that other forwards are either overshadowed or are forced to get out of his way.

In simple terms, it seems as if other players share the game with Messi. With Ronaldo’s combination of physical and mental gifts, it seems it’s his game and he lets you join in. Sometimes. This is ultimately frustrating for such a player – Michael Jordan went through the same process in Chicago – but rewarding. For the moment, Lionel Messi’s ability to blend with all types and impose his will without dominating others makes him an irresistible choice as “World’s Best”. It may be a matter only of circumstance that denies Ronaldo his claim at that title. Or it could be that his game evolved so much he won’t approach that level until used in a definite position which matches his unmatched skill-set.

For more analysis and opinion, shoot across to Balanced Sports.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

The build-up and aftermath of Barcelona’s victory over Real Madrid in their first-leg Champions League semi-final has been marred by Jose Mourinho’s comments regarding Coach Pep Guardiola and referees.

The 0-2 defeat at the Bernabeu now leaves the nine-time winners aspiration of making it a perfect 10 in complete ruin. Los Blancos had Pepe sent off after a challenge on Dani Alves as well as Mourinho himself being banished from the technical area and into the stands following his protest.

What followed in the Portuguese tactician’s post-match press conference was nothing short of startling. In a rare glimpse of weakness, Mourinho showed sorrow and distain, evidently hurt by what had transpired over the course of the game.

It has been no secret that the Madrid Coach has spoken publically about referees during his tenure at various clubs and paid no exception to Wolfgang Stark who dismissed both him and his player. This lead to comments questioning Barcelona’s relationship with officials – which Mourinho believes is more than just general coincidence:

“I didn’t say anything to the referee, I simply laughed and showed my thumbs up.” Mourinho told reporters in his post-match press conference.

“That was it. If I say to him and UEFA what I think my career ends today. I can’t say what I feel. I only leave one question. Why? Why? Ovrebo, Busacca, Frisk, Stark? (referees involved in Barcelona matches in the past) Why to all these people?”

“Each semi-final always brings the same. We’re talking about a fantastic football team. So why? As a match strategy we were not going to lose. I don’t know if it’s the advertising for Unicef. I don’t know if it’s UEFA. Congratulations for a wonderful football team. It must be difficult to get this power. They have managed to get this power.

“No-one else has any chance really. Arsène Wenger. Today myself. I don’t understand why. I hope one day I will find the answer.”

With Mourinho bringing up past refereeing decisions regarding the Blaugrana, we have taken a look back at some high profile incidents involving the Catalonians and the men in black within Europe’s premier competition.

Does Mourinho have a point? Dubious or not? Decide for yourself.

Didier Drogba Dismissal – Barcelona vs Chelsea – February 2005

Mourinho’s first encounter with his old employers came during his first season at Stamford Bridge with Chelsea where both sides met in the last-16. After a stellar performance by The Blues in the opening period of the first-leg where they had taken the lead thanks to a Juliano Belletti own-goal, Didier Drogba was dismissed early on in the second-half after colliding with goalkeeper Victor Valdes.

The uproar that followed was immense. Mourinho was visibly disgruntled on the touchline and was seen mouthing to the fourth official that he witnessed referee Anders Frisk chatting with the then Barca Coach, Frank Rijkaard, at half-time.

Mourinho told Portuguese newspaper Dez Record following the game; “When I saw Rijkaard entering the referee’s dressing room I couldn’t believe it. When Didier Drogba was sent off (after half-time) I wasn’t surprised.”

Referee Frisk ended up retiring from the game with immediate effect after receiving death threats. Chelsea ended up losing the game 2-1 but progressed to the quarter-final after a 4-2 win in the return tie.

Tom Henning Ovrebo’s nightmare performance – Chelsea vs Barcelona – May 2009

Guus Hiddink and his Chelsea side were lambasted for a defensive sided approach during their first-leg tie with Barcelona in the semi-final. Although they offered minuscule effort in attack, they left the Camp Nou with a result and a genuine opportunity for progression to the final in Rome.

They took the lead in the return tie at Stamford Bridge thanks to a wonder strike by Michael Essien and played a valiant game where they had their opponents on the ropes.

However, they had numerous appeals turned away by referee Tom Henning for penalties, various handballs and an obvious obstruction of a goal-scoring opportunity by Yaya Toure. Although Henning sent-off Eric Abidal for what seemed little more than a tangle of legs with Nicolas Anelka, it was obvious to the eyes of the watching world that he had indeed missed a number of vital calls.

Andres Iniesta’s dramatic stoppage time equaliser sent Guardiola’s men into the showcase final via away goals where Manchester United lay in wait, leading to venomous hysteria by those in blue. Striker Didier Drogba vented his feelings towards the television camera claiming Henning as a “f****** disgrace”, and his manager Hiddink speculating that UEFA may not have wanted another all-English final (Manchester United met Chelsea the previous year in the final at Moscow).

Hiddink said that night; ”Conspiracy is a very tough word and, if there is, you have to prove it. Obviously there is a lot written and said prior to this game. I can only mention what I see. I cannot say whether UEFA wouldn’t like another English final.”

Thiago Motta’s sending off – Barcelona vs Internazionale – April 2010

Jose Mourinho’s Nerazzurri had conjured up a magnificent 3-1 first-leg victory at the San Siro and knew that they were on the brink of their first European Cup Final in 38 years.

After half an hour of play in the second-leg, and still goalless, Inter midfielder Thiago Motta was brandished a second yellow card after his fingers brushed against the neck of Sergio Busquets who fell to the turf in a heap, clutching his face. Camera angles showed the Spanish midfielder peering through his fingers as he rolled around to see the outcome of referee Franck De Bleeckere’s decision.

Motta said after the game: “He always does it, I have seen it on TV and he is holding his face and then looking at the referee – it is terrible behaviour.”

Gerard Pique scored the only goal of the game but it wasn’t enough and Inter progressed on aggregate, subsequently winning the final – without the suspended Motta.

Robin van Persie sending off – Barcelona vs Arsenal – March 2011

The Gunners won the first-leg of their last-16 tie 2-1 at The Emirates. After falling a goal behind in the return leg, they equalised thanks to a Sergio Busquets own-goal early on in the second-half.

Already on a booking, striker Robin van Persie looked to latch onto a ball over the top of the Barca defence where he took his shot on despite the referee blowing for offside a second or so prior. Massimo Busacca interpreted that as time wasting by van Persie and brandished him a second yellow card to the bemusement of the Dutchman, who evidently failed to hear the whistle due to the mass volumeof noise  generated by those in the stadium.

Arsenal were subsequently defeated 3-1 and crashed out. Van Persie was less than impressed with the performance of the referee:

“In my opinion it was a total joke the sending off because how can I hear his whistle with 95,000 people jumping up, how can I hear that? I could understand the referee’s decision if there was four, five, six seconds in between and you make a chip or something, but one second from his whistle to my shot is a joke. But he’s been bad all evening, he’s been a joke all evening, whistling against us, I don’t know why he’s here tonight, I think he’s a joke.”

Follow Ross on Twitter: @RossMackiewicz

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

As Schalke gears up for arguably the biggest game in their history against Manchester United in the UEFA Champions League semi-final on Tuesday night, their passage to the last-four brings back memories of that telling year of 2004 where the underdogs reigned supreme.

As Europe’s elite fell like a stack of dominoes during that frantic campaign, it was left to the likes of Deportivo La Coruna, AS Monaco and eventual winners FC Porto to light up Europe and shake the very foundations of the continent itself.

Perhaps it was fate that such unpredictability occurred. UEFA had undergone a huge renovation project on the tournament with a new image and structure – reminiscent of the old European Cup. The first group phase remained but the second was abolished in place of straight knockout football and it played havoc with a series of Europe’s elite falling at what seemed unmissable hurdles. The group stage even racked up a surprise or two with most notably Internazionale failing to qualify as well as succumbing to a 3-0 hammering at the hands of Lokomotiv Moscow and then ultimately put to the sword by the Arsenal Invincibles 1-5 at the San Siro. Monaco and Deportivo La Coruna played out a sensational 8-3 thriller at the Stade Louis II which set the record of most goals scored in a match within the Champions League era. Chelsea were in their inaugural campaign under the ownership of Roman Abramovich and his millions of pounds contributed to Lazio’s downfall at the Stadio Olimpico as The Blues ran riot in a 0-4 romp of the Aquile. Not to mention Celta Vigo, who not only qualified for the last-sixteen, but also left the San Siro with a 1-2 victory over the mighty AC Milan.

It certainly whet the appetite for the knockout phase with the spotlight now hovering over a few unfamiliar names. Monaco’s Ludovic Giuly was becoming renowned for his artistry like flair on the ball with the capabilities to weave his way into pockets of space and haggle opposition defences. Juan Carlos Valeron of Deportivo was showing all his potential as Los Turcos were on the brink of immortality. The humble names of Portuguese football such as Costinha, Paulo Ferreira and Ricardo Carvalho were coming to the fore with their efficiency. Not forgetting a certain Brazilian born Deco who was the heartbeat of the Dragons. Much like Giuly, he also presented the figure of a small stocky midfield man with bullish strength and the ability to open back lines with precise passing and diligent movement.

Without doubt one man, who broke from the realms of potential talent to superstar in the space of three months, was Jose Mourinho. Head Coach at Porto, he masterminded their assault on Europe’s biggest prize. Never in a million years could anybody outside the walls of the Estadio do Dragao envisage what was to occur in the build up to that night in Gelsenkirchen, but Mourinho. He had already led them to domestic and European glory with the capturing of the UEFA Cup the previous season, but to be able to overcome the stranglehold of Europe’s most dominant entities in club football’s biggest tournament looked impossible. However, this was Jose Mourinho and we had yet to get to know him.

It was Costinha’s 90^th minute equaliser against Manchester United in their second-leg of the last-sixteen that introduced Mourinho and his side to the eyes of the watching world. Benni McCarthy’s brace two weeks prior gave the Portuguese a 2-1 win going into the return leg in which Paul Scholes thought he had done enough. Not only did he tie up the leg on aggregate, he had a goal chalked of for offside when in actual fact, he was miles on. Fate perhaps for Mourinho? He certainly thought so as he galloped down the touchline to celebrate with his players as Costinha’s converted rebound from Tim Howard’s save sent them into the last-eight.

Meanwhile Juventus, Scudetto holders were eliminated by Javier Irureta’s Deportivo. A 1-0 victory was impressive enough but they replicated that feat in Turin to send ripples across Europe. The runners-up of the competition the previous campaign were left dumbstruck.

Champions League holders and Italy’s remaining entity came face to face with Juve’s conquerors in the quarter-final and produced one of the most startling ties in European football history. The Rossoneri absolutely coasted their first-leg encounter despite going a goal down to a Walter Pandiani strike as Andriy Shevchenko, Andrea Pirlo and a brace from Kaka looked to have put the tie beyond all doubt. Obviously Milan Coach Carlo Ancelotti must have misplaced his script as the modest Spaniards produced a fruitful display of never say die and reaped the rewards. They not only kept the Italian’s spearhead from slaying their defence, but amazingly obliterated Dida’s onion bag with four goals to put them through 5-4 on aggregate. The usually composed Alessandro Nesta was easily brushed aside by Albert Luque for Depor’s third and their desperation was compounded by substitute Fran who capitalised on a mistake by Gennaro Gattuso and saw his deflected effort ripple Dida’s net. Not even Manuel Rui Costa’s terrific effort in the dying embers could find the net and save Milan’s blushes.

That result overshadowed Monaco’s heroics against the favourites Real Madrid to overturn a two goal deficit and progress to the semi-final. Los Blancos were in scintillating form at the Bernabeu in the opening leg as they clocked up a three goal margin with ten minutes remaining. Fernando Morientes was sent out on loan by Madrid to the French outfit and amazingly scored a vital second for the Ligue 1 side as the game drew to a close in the 4-2 loss. At what was perceived as a mere consolation goal, turned out to be vital. Raul put Real ahead in the return leg and it looked for all the world that Monaco were done. However, those in red and white conjured up three goals, with a brace coming from the excellence of Giuly as he sparkled on the biggest stage. Morientes got himself on the score-sheet again and how his employers rued the decision to let him leave. He came back to haunt them which led to a six year plague at the club as they failed to make it past the last-sixteen.

Deportivo and Porto’s meeting in the semi-final meant at least one perceived underdog would light up the lights of the Veltins Arena on May 26^th, presenting a new name to the Champions League era’s possible roll of honour. Derlei’s spot-kick at the Riazor was enough to ensure Porto’s passage where as Monaco overcame a Chelsea side littered with million pounds worth of talent to book their ticket to Germany.

Porto vs Monaco would be the inaugural meeting of the two in such a finale. At the start of the competition, the predictability of the two clubs meeting in the last-two was so off the mark, it was not even contemplated. Porto ran out 3-0 winners and picked up their second European Cup as Jose Mourinho ushered his way down the tunnel and made his way to England.

It was perhaps the most unpredictable Champions League since its transition from the European Champions Cup. It was a year where the so called ‘unfashionable’ clubs, stole the march on their bigger counterparts. Had Costinha not netted that 90^th minute winner against United, where would Jose Mourinho and his Porto side be now? Had Fernando Morientes not been loaned out by Real Madrid, would Monaco have made it to the final? And would Real have been in their place? Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but there is no denying the year 2004 was a defining year for many within European football.

To top it off, Greece won the European Championship that summer. Who said football was predictable?

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

El Clasico is probably the most watched football derby in the world. Nowhere in the world so much is put on the line.

If you think Chelsea and Manchester City have the most expensive players and the biggest wage budget, you should really take a look at the numbers Real Madrid and Barcelona spend.

Without doubt, these two giants of Spain have squads unmatched in talent and extravagance. Europe fears running into either of the two.

The recent addition of Jose Mourinho to the ranks of Madrid has made this derby even more worthwhile. Prior to his inclusion, Pep Guardiola had made this a one-sided affair.

The 2011 Copa del Rey final was the first Madrid win over their rivals since 7th May, 2008 when Madrid won 4-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu. There have been seven El Clasicos since and the aggregate goals score has been 15-4 in favor of the Catalan giants.

As Madrid finally manage to progress in the UEFA Champions League this season, they have landed in a semifinal against Barcelona. Two more El Clasicos have already been played in a space of four days – Bernabeu leg of La Liga and Copa del Rey final.

Before these two, Madrid last played Barcelona at the Nou Camp which ended in a 5-0 pounding of Mourinho’s men – on 29th November, 2010.

Lets briefly analyze the tactics of the two games:

In the match in Valencia, José Mourinho once again opted for the defensive trivote of Xabi Alonso, Pepe and Sami Khedira from Saturday's match at the Bernabéu. As can be seen in the graphics, Real Madrid had several more shots in the cup final than they did in the 0-5 defeat at the Camp Nou, despite a seemmingly more defensive line-up.

Despite selecting an almost unchanged side from the 5-0 win at home, Barcelona's attacking focus in Wednesday's Cup final defeat was very changed. In the win, most of their attacks came down the wings, whereas at the Mestalla most of their attacking play came through the centre.

In the Cup final Real Madrid made a much higher proportion of their tackles in the defensive third than they did in the 0-5 rout at the Nou Camp, something that reflects Mourinho's intention of allowing Barcelona to come closer before trying to win the ball, refusing to be drawn out of position.

(Green = Successful, Red = Unsuccessful) Despite making fewer crosses than Barcelona in their Cup final meeting, four of Real Madrid's balls into the box found a team-mate, compared to just one for the Blaugrana. This reflects not only the skill of the merengues' wingers, but also the lack of space available in their own area.

In the Cup meeting, Cristiano Ronaldo was playing a much more central role up front, though this does not mean he was shirking his defensive responsibilities. The Portuguese made two touches in his own penalty area, as well as several other interventions near his own halfway line.

Image Source

The images clearly show that Real Madrid have finally managed to get out of the their own half or at least managed to keep Barcelona out of theirs. However, the possession stats are unchanged.

The next two matches between the two will be tough ones. The tactics from both sides will be really thought out and it won’t be surprising if the Champions League matches will be as goal-less as the two already played.

Guardiola will probably be a bit worried over the depth of his squad, or lack thereof. Four very important, high-stress matches inside a month’s timespan will take a lot out of his preferred eleven and Barca do not have enough backup players to come out and perform.

Madrid on the other side, afforded to bench all of their strikers in the Copa del Rey final.

Injury Updates

Barcelona: Eric Abidal has been out after being diagnosed with a liver tumor. Bojan Krkic is suffering from ligament damage and has been sidelined for the rest of the seasons.

Carles Puyol was stretchered off during the 1-1 draw in Madrid as a precaution. He was then on the bench in the Copa del Rey final and there is no definite news on his inclusion in the Champions League draws.

The latest concern for Guardiola is the injury of Adriano during the closing stages of King’s Cup final. He tore a muscle in his right thigh and is ruled out for four weeks.

Real Madrid: Their latest injury set-back is Sami Khedira. Mourinho said it will take a miracle for him to play in the semifinal. Angel di Maria and Emmanuel Adebayor are also doubtful.

Alvaro Arbeloa, however, is suspended.

Also see: Sergio Ramos drops the King’s Cup

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Follow the latest news and updates on El Clasico.

If Spanish football can offer a challenge greater than getting the ball back against Barcelona, it has to be knowing when Jose Mourinho is happy. Besides the occasional unravelling of the megalomaniacal pomp with which the Portuguese appears to douse press rooms and touchlines before his arrival – when, finally, we are allowed a little glimpse of what may or may not be the young man who so moribundly failed as a footballer relishing every second of being the greatest manager in the world - Mourinho’s amiable veneer of tortured esoterism cloaks any understanding of what’s really going on in the man’s head.

It would appear that the charming charade has again enveloped the Spanish press. In the wake of the 1-1 draw between Real Madrid and Barcelona, at the Bernabeu, the tactician treated fans to his usual array of bitter complaints as he carefully tended to the garden of an almost universal belief that the real significance of what went on out on the pitch was that Barcelona had just nabbed the title on Real’s own turf.

Such a belief cannot be further from the truth. Yes, the result is a negative one for Real, who will certainly have wanted revenge for the 5-0 drubbing at the Camp Nou earlier in the year; yet it’s important to remember that this Barcelona is not going to drop too many points this year – in fact, it’s unlikely that they will drop any. In short, the title was over for Madrid before the match even kicked off – as Mourinho admitted himself.

The truth is that behind the charade, Mourinho will be delighted with the manner in which his ten men wrested a draw from the teeth of ignominious defeat. Barcelona, for once, stuttered. Madrid teams in times gone by would all too often have folded, even at home; but Mourinho’s Madrid, in the shadow of their illustrious rivals, are quietly, gradually, building into a fearsome attacking machine in their own right – and one which simply does not give up.

Indeed, for all that has been made of Cristiano Ronaldo’s supposedly infantile attitude compared with the impeccable behaviour of Lionel Messi, it is worthwhile noting that soon after Ronaldo cooly dispatched the equaliser from the penalty spot, Messi took a ball out of play and thwacked it deliberately and viciously into the Madrid cowd before turning and unfolding a look of sheer disbelief as the referee gave him a telling off. Barcelona were rocked by Madrid’s revival.

That is not to say that Barcelona couldn’t have won the game themselves. After Raul Albiol was dismissed, Mourinho shifted Sergio Ramos to the centre of defence so that he could shift Pepe into midfield in order to press Barca’s midfield with the Portugal international’s bite and pace; the flipside was that David Villa had the entire flank to play with; Messi was able to find him in space on several occasions and it frequently took last-ditch methods from Madrid’s defenders and some quick charges from goalkeeper Iker Casillas to keep the Catalans at bay.

But make no mistake, Real Madrid’s reaction was that of winners. Mesut Ozil, whose easily tiring legs Mourinho clearly wanted to spare for the more important Champions’ League ties – came on and injected both urgency and balance into Madrid’s already pacey attack; Ronaldo was surprisingly unselfish on the ball and Emmanuel Adebayor held the ball up well against Barca’s centre-backs. Barcelona were not able to see out the game as comfortably as they are often able to, even against top sides; Real have been stung and, though they can now completely forget about La Liga, they suddenly look like they could well beat Barcelona for the first time this season – and where it counts the most.

One imagines Mourinho happy.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

A quick look at Real’s 1-0 win at White Hart Lane through lists of five: things we learned, the best moments, and the best and worst players on the night.

Five Things We Learned

1. Tottenham are a few substitutes short of a title challenge. Under different circumstances, Tottenham’s performance tonight would have been heralded as a heroic stand against an established member of the European elite. Players of the calibre of Luka Modric, Gareth Bale, Rafael van der Vaart, Aaron Lennon and William Gallas could stroll into most of Europe’s top sides; the problem is that when Bale and van der Vaart were sidelined in January, Spurs were unable to find satisfactory alternatives. Unfortunately, as Manchester United have proven so adeptly this season, champions are able to muddle their way through sticky patches; Tottenham have found winning when out of form just a step too far.

2. Cristiano Ronaldo’s shoot-on-sight policy works. Admittedly, the disconcertingly orange Portuguese has to shoot every single time he gets even a whiff of an opportunity to do so, but it means that eventually he’ll hit one of those venomous shots that seem to dip completely at random…and there will be a goalkeeper ‘colourful’ enough to make a hash of it. Thanks to Heurelho Gomes, Ronaldo was able to stay in touch with Lionel Mess – I mean, help Madrid to secure their advantage over Tottenham.

3. English teams dive just as much as any other side. Not really a ‘new’ discovery, but Tottenham, inspired by Gareth Bale’s Olympic leap early on, flung themselves to the ground almost as heroically as they fought to score a consolation goal to send their fans home happy. They would almost certainly have reached their aim had Bale, Modric, Pavlyuchenko (twice) or Sandro managed to con the referee into pointing to the spot; instead, they simply proved that the idea that English teams are somehow genetically imbued with a sense of ‘fair play’ is a load of romantic ‘it was better in my day’ twaddle.

4. Emmanuel Adebayor has found ‘the love’ once more. The Togolese international, on loan from Manchester City, appears to have settled in rather nicely at the Bernabeu. Following his goals in the first leg, the former Arsenal striker weathered the boos from the home crowd to produce a hard-working display alone up front. He didn’t score, but he looks happy. For now.

5. Heurelho Gomes is still at it. Just when you think he’s become reliable…at least the tie was already done and dusted. Better for him to get his mistake done now than against Arsenal at the weekend…

The Five Best Moments

1. Of all of Tottenham’s hopeful penalty appeals, the one for Raul Albiol’s challenge  on Luka Modric was the only one for which they may hae had legitimate cause for complaint. Big decision from the referee, and one which might have altered the complexion of the match.

2. Ronaldo’s goal. The Madrid star struck the ball sweetly and it swerved horribly in the air,but given how it was at such a comfortable height for Heurelho Gomes and how far out Ronaldo was when he struck the shot, it simply has to go down as a monumental gaffe. The slow-motion flail, a desperate attempt to palm the ball away as it trickled hopelessly over the line, only added to the cringeyness of the moment.

3. Gareth Bale latching onto a long pass from Michael Dawson around seven minutes in and taking a majestic touch round Sergio Ramos. A brilliant piece of skill which signalled Tottenham’s desire to make a fist of things.

4. The crowd following a chant of ‘There’s Only One Paul Gascogine’ with a beautiful rendition of ‘There’s Only One Gary Mabbutt’. The former mulletted centre-back was sat beside Gazza and the crowd saw fit to acknowledge the fact with a roaring tribute. The tie utterly finished, it was a sign of real humour.

5. Ricardo Carvalho’s booking. For Real at any rate. The Portugal international’s yellow card means he will miss the first leg of the tie against Barcelona. He will be missed.

The Five Best Players…

1. Mesut Ozil. The German international ran Madrid’s counter-attacks like clockwork. At times, he makes Cristiano Ronaldo look peripheral, and he deserves to be keeping Kaka out of the starting eleven.

2. Luka Modric. On the other side, we have a player perhaps not quite as recognised for his playmaking abilities but one who is certainly a match for Ozil. Modric ran his heart out, supplying an array of incisive passes and making good runs before Ronaldo’s goal took the sting out of Tottenham’s game.

3. Sami Khedira. One of the most underrated midfielders in the game. His tracking of Bale neutralised the Welshman after his opening salvo blitzed Sergio Ramos; the German was also able to get forward in support of counter-attacks for the whole game.

4. Aaron Lennon. Played in fits and starts, but was a constant menace down the right hand side.

5. Xabi Alonso. The only Madrid player who is really suited to picking the short, tranquil pass when needed. Important in calming the game down, particularly in the first half. This was reflected by the fact that Jose Mourinho replaced him with a striker, Karim Benzema, when it was obvious there was absolutely no way back for Spurs.

…and the Five Worst

1. Sergio Ramos. Gomes’ was an isolated incident, but the Spanish international right-back had no idea how to deal with Bale, often resorting to fouls when Sami Khedira couldn’t support him. Eventually replaced by Granero so as not to risk being sent off and missing the Barcelona clash.

2. Heurelho Gomes. For the fumble. It wasn’t the reason Spurs went out, but it was a sad way for such an exciting Champions’ League run to end for the North London club.

3. Roman Pavlyuchenko. Missed two big chances, one in each half. His link-up play is excellent, but he is clearly not suited to bearing the responsibility for finishing chances. For European fixtures where a 4-5-1 is needed, Spurs need a striker who combines the Russian’s movement and build-up play with Jermain Defoe’s eye for goal.

4. Alvaro Arbeloa. Didn’t struggle as much as Ramos, but he clearly didn’t relish being pitted against Aaron Lennon. A few cynical fouls.

5. Tom Huddlestone. Perhaps a little harsh given how long he spent on the sidelines, but his distribution from central midfield could have been a lot better. He seemed to grown as the game slowed down, as you might expect from a more cultured central midfield player in a game played at this pace; the same happened with van der Vaart.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News