In the past and the present, football players have enjoyed a special place in a football fan’s life. People from all over the world take time out of their busy lives to watch them play or get a glimpse of them in training.

Reasons could vary from personal to strictly football. For the vast variety of football fans, Soccerlens has hand-picked personally signed items from Icons. You can use them to satisfy your personal hunger or add to your collection of memorabilia.

Signed Robin van Persie Arsenal Shirt

Robin van Persie is as lethal a striker as you could want for your team. And he is surely proving his mettle at Arsenal as he lights up the Emirates with his extravagant displays.

This shirt is personally signed by the Holland striker in an exclusive signing session organised by Icons in November 2011. It is the official Nike shirt with the Arsenal logo on the front. It comes in presentation packaging and an image of van Persie signing the shirts.

This is a perfect Christmas 2011 gift for any Gunners fan, specially since Persie is leading Arsenal’s resurrection, order the signed Robin van Persie shirt online.

Signed Lio Messi 2010-11 Champions League Final Shirt

Lionel Messi is a nightmare for the toughest defenses around the world. He is definitely a class above the rest and he has proven it time and time again. Those who think differently are just in denial.

Commemorating Barcelona’s victory over Manchester United in the UEFA Champions League final in Wembley in May 2011, this unique printed shirt was personally signed by Messi in August 2011. The Barcelona 2010/11 shirts are specifically printed with the details of the Wembley final and are not available for retail anywhere else.

For your loved ones who are Barcelona or Lio Messi fans, this framed and signed shirt will prove a great present this Christmas. It will also make them feel better as their fierce rivals Real Madrid are three points ahead with a game in hand. Order the signed Messi 2010-11 CL final shirt online.

Paul Scholes signed Man Utd Shirt

The legendary Manchester United midfielder, Paul Scholes has won nine English Premier League titles, three FA Cup and two Champions League medals in the course of a hard-fought 16-year career with his only club.

This United shirt was signed by Scholes at a private signing session in Manchester on October 5, 2010. The shirt comes with a numbered hologram and an identical hologram is fixed to the certificate of authenticity, which features an image of the England international signing a shirt.

If your loved one is a Man United fan then I can assure you that he is still hurting from the 6-1 thrashing by local rivals Manchester City – on top of that, the penalty against Newcastle United and a shock loss to Crystal Palace only made it worse. As a heart-warming Christmas gift, remind him of the elegant passes of good ol’ Scholes by ordering a signed Paul Scholes Man Utd shirt online.

Signed Pele Photo: Embrace with Bobby Moore

Brazil defeated England 1-0 in the quarterfinal of the 1970 FIFA World Cup. Jairzinho scored the only goal of the game but it was the duel between Bobby Moore and Pele. The two embraced after the game and Pele went on to say that Bobby Moore was the best defender he played against.

Pele and Moore were exchanging shirt after the game when this photo was taken. It was signed in London on September 19, 2006 by Pele in an exclusive signing session.

The most enduring image of sportsmanship at the highest level. If you don’t know much about football but your significant other loves it, this is like the most basic of football presents. He might not love it but he won’t throw it away either. Guaranteed! Order signed and framed Pele photo with Bobby Moore online. This is a limited edition product

Maradona And Messi Signed Number 10 Shirt

Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi are two of the most iconic footballers of their times. Both originated from Argentina and both wear the coveted number 10 jersey. Icons decided to put both of their signatures down on one Argentina number 10 shirt.

This is probably the most iconic shirt. It’s an authentic 1986 Argentina shirt originally signed by Maradona in 2010. In the spring of 2011, Messi added his signature to the shirt. The two greatest Argentinean players ever are now on one shirt!

This is an unforgettable piece of signed merchandise and any football fan that gets his hands on one of these will cherish it for years to come as Messi and Maradona are two names that won’t be forgotten easily. With the holiday season just around the corner, order the Maradona and Messi signed number 10 shirt online ASAP.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Saturday’s El Clasico between Barcelona and Real Madrid lived up to all expectations; there was passion, spell-bounding skill and goals – the only thing missing was the heavily anticipated Madrid victory. Pep Guardiola’s European champions are not ready to hand over the Primera Division crown to their bitter rivals just yet, as an Alexis Sanchez strike, a Marcelo own goal and a Cesc Fabregas header gave the Catalans a deserved 3-1 victory.

With Jose Mourinho’s men top of the Spanish top flight by three points having played a game less and winning their last 15 fixtures in all competitions in menacing fashion, the stage was set for a change in power in the country and the continent. When Victor Valdes inexplicably gave possession away within the first minute and Karim Benzema converted from close range to give Los Blancos a 1-0 lead after 22 seconds, Madrid were ready to overtake their age-old rivals. However, this Barcelona team, as so many times in the last three years, collected themselves and showed world football just why they are the best club team on the planet.

After a mesmerising run and through-ball by Lionel Messi, Alexis Sanchez displayed a clinical finish under pressure to level things up. Madrid were rocked and needed half time. The second half saw the Blaugrana emerge from the tunnel as the team we have all come to love, applaud and fear, and complete dominance in the second half resulted in a comfortable victory.

Barca’s second goal did have a touch of fortune as Xavi’s shot deflected off Marcelo and the post to give the visitors the lead. Despite this, Barcelona were simply too good for their star-studded opponents in the second period, and their familiar brand of possession football had the Madristas chasing the ball like a bunch of schoolboys. The killer blow came as a sweeping counter attack resulted in Dani Alves delivering an inch-perfect cross for Fabregas to head home, and condemn the home team to defeat.

Messi was mercurial and at the heart of everything in the Camp Nou side’s attack, linking up with his midfield confidants Xavi and Andres Iniesta to blistering effect, and looking almost unstoppable every time he received the ball to feet. Pep Guardiola made a brave decision to select Sanchez for his first Clasico ahead of established European champion David Villa, but his decision proved to be a masterclass, as the Chile international forward hounded and plagued the home defence throughout. At the back Carles Puyol displayed as good a defensive performance as has been seen in recent times, as he, at times single-handedly, snuffed out everything Madrid had to throw at Barca.

With Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo up for this year’s Ballon d’Or, the 90 minutes in the Spanish capital should put any doubters over who the winner should be to bed. The Portuguese attacker missed two glaring opportunities and proved largely ineffectual throughout, whilst the Argentine gave a masterclass in a highly-pressurised environment to once more prove his mantle as the best footballer on this planet.

With Iniesta and Messi still attacking in the dying moments of the clash, Madrid were lucky to escape with only a two-goal deficit, as Barca could and probably should have scored more than their three goals. The teams were worlds apart in the second half; and despite all the hype surrounding the likes of Angel di Maria, Mesut Ozil and Ronaldo, the trio were completely and utterly toothless. Barca’s almost telepathic understanding between their midfield players, ability to completely dominate possession and pass their opponents to submission shows that the European champions should not be questioned; they are still at their unrelenting best.

If Madrid win their game in hand they will still lead La Liga by three points, but Mourinho and his men will be demoralised by the nature of their thorough defeat. Madrid can still win the Spanish top flight this season, but one thing has been proven in their defeat on Saturday; Barcelona are still Europe’s top team and will take some beating this term.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Don’t miss Real Madrid v Barcelona, live on ESPN Deportes on Saturday, December 10 at 4PM ET.

According to Castrol EDGE Performance analysis, this weekend’s “Clásico” at the Bernabéu will feature the best players in Europe in various disciplines.

Of the 10 players with the best minutes per goal ratio in Europe’s top five leagues this season, four will be on the pitch on Saturday, and three, Higuaín, Ronaldo and Karim Benzema, will be wearing the white of Real Madrid:

Best Minutes to Goals Ratio in Europe’s Top Five Leagues 2011-12

Given his (relative) lack of game time, Higuaín’s 12 league goals already this season is a very impressive achievement. However this is explained by the fact that he has scored with every other shot in La Liga in 2011/12:

Best Goals to Shots Ratio in Europe’s Top Five Leagues 2011-12

If Real Madrid’s players are the kings of finishing this season, there can be no doubting that Barcelona remain the pass masters of Europe: five of the six players who have made most passes per 90 minutes in Europe’s top five leagues this season are based at the Camp Nou, while the other, Xabi Alonso, will also be playing on Saturday:

Most passes per 90 minutes in Europe’s top five leagues in 2011-12

However in terms of creativity, Real Madrid boast an ace up their sleeve in the form of Ángel di María: the Argentine winger has set up more goals than any other player in Europe’s top five leagues this season:

Most assists in Europe’s top five leagues in 2011/12

For those looking for individual genius, Lionel Messi will be the man to watch: he has made more successful dribbles than any player in La Liga this season, and is second only to Gökhan Töre in terms of successful dribbles per 90 minutes in Europe’s top five leagues:

Most successful dribbles per 90 minutes in Europe’s top five leagues 2011/12

Don’t miss Real Madrid v Barcelona, live on ESPN Deportes on Saturday, December 10 at 4PM ET.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Don’t miss Real Madrid v Barcelona, live on ESPN Deportes on Saturday, December 10 at 4PM ET.

The first El Clasico of the 2011-12 season sees Barcelona’s Spanish dominance over the last three seasons set to be thoroughly challenged by Real Madrid. The quality, passion and electric atmosphere of a contest between Spain’s top two teams will be present as always when the duo meet, but this fixture has the potential to swing the balance of power in the country and the continent.

Barcelona have been untouchable, mesmerizing and victorious at home and abroad over the last three years, but are showing signs of inconsistency and have not been at their menacing best this term, whilst Madrid are top of the standings and ready to wrestle the crown back from their bitter rivals. A mouth-watering match in the offing, football doesn’t get much better anywhere in the world than this.

The hosts are looking as dangerous and on-form as a Madrid team have over the last ten years, and sit top of La Liga with 12 wins from 14 games; Los Blancos are three points ahead of Barca and have played a game less. A 3-0 win over Ajax at the Amsterdam Arena on Wednesday night made it a club record 15 victories in a row for the Santiago Bernabeu giants, and Jose Mourinho’s men go into the game more prepared, motivated and ready than in any Clasico fixture in the recent memory. The Portuguese coach’s winning mentality and inability to accept second best has rubbed off on his team, as ‘The Special One’ looks to replicate his dominant track record with Porto, Chelsea and Inter in the Spanish capital.

Mourinho’s countryman Cristiano Ronaldo will continue his personal battle with Lionel Messi on Saturday, as the debate to whom the best footballer on the planet is rages on. Both players are in the offing for the 2011 Ballon d’Or, and the ex-Manchester United attacker will look to stake his claim by leading the hosts to victory. Midfield lynchpin Xabi Alonso will return from suspension in a massive boost for the home team, whilst Mourinho has a tough decision to make in deciding whether to go for the combative Lassana Diarra alongside the Spain international, or the more creative and attacking minded Mesut Ozil. If Madrid win they will increase their lead at the top of the Primera Division to six points with a game in hand, and receive a massive boost going into the new year.

With three consecutive La Liga titles and two Champions League triumphs in three years, Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona team will go down in history as one of the greats. However, Guardiola’s genius is set to best tested, as the game on Saturday is arguably the biggest challenge the former midfielder has faced in his coaching career to date. With a world-class opponent and a hostile reception guaranteed, Barcelona will need to be at their best to leave the Spanish capital with three points. With Madrid’s current ruthless streak, the Blaugrana will know that they can ill-afford to let their age-old rivals get too far ahead in the race for the title, as even though it is early in the season they may not be caught.

Despite drawing more games than they would like this season, Barcelona have the same personnel and winning mentality that has made them deserved champions over recent campaigns. Madrid will need to breach the tightest rearguard in the Spanish top flight; Barca have only conceded seven goals in 15 La Liga games this season, and will be boosted by the inclusion of pivotal centre back Gerard Pique. The usual midfield suspects such as Andres Iniesta, Sergio Busquets and the third Ballon d’Or contender Xavi, will look to dominate possession and starve their amped-up opponents of the ball, whilst feeding their sprightly forward line. Guardiola has a decision to make in terms of whether to play 2010-11 mainstay David Villa or exciting summer signing Alexis Sanchez, whilst all eyes, as usual will be on Lionel Messi.

Madrid go into the game as slight favourites, but small margins will settle what should be a scintillating game of football. Barcelona will be asked to prove their mantle of champions in the most daunting environment, whilst Real Madrid have to state their case that they are ready to eclipse a team of a generation in the form of their most bitter rivals.

Don’t miss Real Madrid v Barcelona, live on ESPN Deportes on Saturday, December 10 at 4PM ET.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Nine teams are through from the group stage but 16 other sides can still dream of joining them this week. Here’s a look at the the key deciding matches of today and tomorrow.

Seven places remain to be filled in the 16 December round of 16 draw.

Group winners FC Bayern München, FC Internazionale Milano, Real Madrid CF, Arsenal FC and holders FC Barcelona plus fellow qualifiers SL Benfica, Bayer 04 Leverkusen, APOEL FC and AC Milan are already confirmed in the knockout phase but 16 other sides are still competing to join them. Eight clubs will transfer to the UEFA Europa League round of 32 for finishing third in their sections.

For our US-based readers – you can win signed UEFA Champions League gear and other prizes just by watching this week’s Champions League games, courtesy of Heineken.

Tuesday 6 December

Group E

Chelsea FC v Valencia CF
KRC Genk v Bayer 04 Leverkusen

• Leverkusen are through even if they lose and Chelsea and Valencia draw to join them on nine points; in that scenario the German club would come top. A win against already eliminated Genk would secure first place.
• Whoever prevails at Stamford Bridge progresses with the losing side finishing third. A score draw will be enough for Valencia while a goalless result will take Chelsea through unless Leverkusen lose.

Group F

Olympiacos CF v Arsenal FC
Borussia Dortmund v Olympique de Marseille

• Arsenal have clinched qualification as group winners but any of the other three teams could still end up second, third or fourth.
• Marseille are second so a victory in Germany would be sufficient, or a draw if Olympiacos fail to win.
• Olympiacos must win and hope Marseille do not. If Olympiacos draw they will still advance if Dortmund triumph 2-0 or by a margin of three or four goals. Any other two-goal or a one-goal margin of Dortmund victory would take Marseille through.
• Dortmund need to beat Marseille by four goals or more and hope Olympiacos lose, or by five goals or more should Olympiacos draw.

Group G

APOEL FC v FC Shakhtar Donetsk
FC Porto v FC Zenit St Petersburg

• APOEL are confirmed as the first Cypriot outfit to get past the group stage and will finish top if they overcome eliminated Shakhtar, or if they draw and Zenit fail to win.
• Porto have to win to pip Zenit to the other qualifying berth.

Group H

FC Barcelona v FC BATE Borisov
FC Viktoria Plzeň v AC Milan

• Barcelona will come first and Milan second.
• Third-placed Plzeň are two points ahead of BATE and the Czech club will only be denied a UEFA Europa League berth should they lose to Milan and Borisov win in Barcelona.

Wednesday 7 December

Group A

Manchester City FC v FC Bayern München
Villarreal CF v SSC Napoli

• Bayern have clinched the group and Villarreal will finish fourth.
• Napoli, in second, are a point above City. To overtake the Italian team, City must win against Bayern and hope Villarreal avoid defeat.

Group B

FC Internazionale Milano v PFC CSKA Moskva
LOSC Lille Métropole v Trabzonspor AŞ

• Inter Milan have topped the group yet a single point separates the other three sides, with Trabzonspor a point clear of Lille and CSKA.
• Lille or Trabzonspor will end up second should they win their encounter in France.
• If that match is drawn, CSKA can pip Trabzonspor to the runners-up spot with victory in Milan. If CSKA do not triumph in those circumstances, Trabzonspor would go through on seven points, the joint-lowest tally since it became three for a win.
• CSKA will come fourth if they lose; however, a draw will give them third place unless the other game also finishes level.

Group C

FC Basel 1893 v Manchester United FC
SL Benfica v FC Oţelul Galaţi

• Benfica, level with United and a point ahead of Basel but boasting a superior head-to-head against both clubs, are through. They will seal pole position with a success against Oţelul, who will be fourth regardless of their result.
• The encounter in Switzerland will decide the other qualifying place with Basel requiring a victory to overtake United, who last missed the knockout phase in 2005/06. If Benfica do not win, Basel or United will claim top spot with a victory.

Group D

AFC Ajax v Real Madrid CF
GNK Dinamo Zagreb v Olympique Lyonnais

• Madrid have won the section to make it past the group stage for a record 15th year running. Three points in Amsterdam will make them only the fifth team to register a perfect record in a UEFA Champions League group, and the first since Barcelona in 2002/03. None of the previous four have gone on to lift the trophy.
• With Dinamo finishing fourth, second and third positions are between Ajax and Lyon. Ajax are three points ahead and have a goal difference advantage of seven having drawn both games against Lyon 0-0. Therefore Lyon must win, hope Ajax lose, and overhaul their goal difference.

For our US-based readers – you can win signed Champions League gear and other prizes just by watching this week’s Champions League games, courtesy of Heineken.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Football fans are geniunely interested in buying the weirdest things if they are carrying their favorite club’s logo. Even if they have never used anything like it before but they must have it!

Two years ago, we did a little research and collected the weirdest football merchandise from around the globe and a particular jester hat in Barcelona colors got a lot of attention. This time around, we’ve added the weird merchandise to the Soccerlens Store.

Here are some of the weird football merchandise from the Store:

Rubber Ducks

So, your bath time gets very boring. How about we introduce you to a colorful rubber ducky with your clubs’ crest?

Click here to browse our rubber ducky range. Only available for Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and Real Madrid.

Golf

If you play golf, it sure as hell gets boring. Those long walks to the ball can be made more interesting if you buy a football club-specific golf ball or tees or something that will get you to think about an actual sport.

Click here to browse our golf range.

Real Madrid Jester Hats

Last time around, I found a Barcelona jester hat but this time around, we bring for you a Real Madrid jester hat!

Frankly, it looked much better in Barca’s colors.

Click here to buy the Real Madrid jester hat.

Nodding Dogs

Even if you didn’t know what it was called but you know what a nodding dog is because if you’ve been alive and around in the last ten years, you have seen it somewhere.

Unfortunately, nodding dogs are only available for Tottenham fans and Real Madrid fans.

Click here to: buy Tottenahm nodding dog | buy Real Madrid nodding dog.

Piggy Banks

If there’s any room left in your house which is not covered by an item bearing your club’s logo, get one of these and put it there. These are piggy banks…

Click here to browse our piggy bank range. Only available for Arsenal, AC Milan, Birmingham City, Celtic, Chelsea, Everton, Juventus, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Newcastle United, Rangers, Real Madrid & Tottenham.

Messi Towel

This is just unacceptable. Or maybe only for girls who really like Lionel Messi.

I’m a Barca and Messi fan myself but rubbing a photo of Messi up and down on my body is just too far across the line for me. There’s definitely nothing wrong with towels carrying club crests but this is one of the weirdest football merchandise in my opinion.

What’s next? Cristiano Ronaldo toilet paper?

Click here to buy Messi Towel, if you must.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

There’s only one more month left in 2011, and it looks like the year will go out with a real bang from a football standpoint.

December features several must-see matches, with a few that will have title implications on top of deciding bragging rights between fierce rivals.

Watch the best of Premier League action this Christmas with Sky HD. Already have Sky? Upgrade to Sky Sports online and save £5. Get Sky HD or upgrade to Sky Sports now.

La Liga: Real Madrid v Barcelona

Few matches on the calendar from here to May will match the anticipation and importance of the two Clasicos.

The importance of the first showdown, which kicks off at 9:00 pm BST on the 10th, may have been amped up even further with Barcelona’s weekend defeat at Getafe, which, combined with Real’s 4-1 win over city rivals Atletico Madrid, sees Real Madrid with a six-point lead at the top through 13 rounds.

Due to their participation in the Club World Cup, Barcelona have two league matches before their visit to the Bernabeu, while Real have one, with their game in hand being on the 17th, a home tie against Espanyol. Provided results go as expected in those matches, a win over Barca could position Real to have a nine-point lead when La Liga play resumes in January.

And though there will be more than 20 rounds left in the season, it’s very difficult to see Barca being able to overcome such a deficit.

On the other hand, if Barca are able to continue their recent dominance of Real, they will at worst be three points back if the other results go as expected, and that’s a far less daunting deficit.

At this point, however, you’d have to favor Real to triumph if there’s a winner in next month’s clash. Not only are the Galacticos in blistering form at the moment, Barcelona have struggled away from home this season, with two wins in six away league matches to date.

Saturday, 10th December 8:30pm on Sky Sports 4 and Sky Sports HD4.

English Premier League: Chelsea v Manchester City

All eyes will be on Stamford Bridge for a massive Monday night match-up, and a lot will be at stake when these two sides face off on 12/12, with the action getting underway at 8:00 pm BST.

Chelsea are currently 10 points behind Manchester City in the English Premier League table, but a win could kick-start a push to get back in the thick of the title mix. A draw, while it would not help their own cause, could help Manchester United, who are currently five back, and in-form Tottenham, who are seven back with a game in hand.

Meanwhile, a win for City would beef up their title credentials, even if the three points doesn’t see them put more distance between themselves and their closest challengers.

Monday, 12th December 7:00pm on Sky Sports 1, Sky Sports HD1 and Sky 3D.

English Premier League: Manchester City v Arsenal

This match will be one to watch no matter what happens in the above match, but if Chelsea down the league leaders at home, City’s visit from Arsenal the following Sunday will be made all the more important.

Arsenal missed a chance to make up some ground on City and United this past weekend, as they surprisingly drew at home against Fulham. However, the Gunners had won five Premier League matches in a row prior to that stumble, including a 5-3 win at Chelsea in October, so their chances of getting a result at City can’t dismissed.

If City lose at Chelsea, or even draw, more dropped points against Arsenal could see things tighten quite a bit at the top. However, if City win at Chelsea, following it up with a home win over the Gunners could cement their status as title favorites, especially since they will have United, Spurs, Chelsea, and Liverpool all at home in the second half of the season.

Sunday, 18th December 4:00pm on Sky Sports 1, Sky Sports HD1 and Sky 3D.

English Premier League: Tottenham v Chelsea

In a rare Thursday night tie, the Premier League’s pre-Christmas slate will wrap up on the 22nd when London rivals Tottenham and Chelsea square off at White Hart Lane.

This is a vital match for both sides, as they are both trying to stay in the title conversation heading into the new year. Many still may not be taking Spurs too seriously, but continuing their current hot streak to and through this match could start convincing some of the skeptics that they are more contender than pretender.

For Chelsea, wins over City and Spurs could not only help them as far as the title race is concerned, but it will also take some pressure off of manager Andre Villas-Boas, who’s been under some heat in the first few months of his tenure at the club. At the same time, defeats in both of those matches will only turn up the pressure on AVB and leave Chelsea needing to make a big run in the second half of the season to come close to reaching Roman Abramovich’s minimum expectations.

Thursday, 22nd December 7:30pm on Sky Sports 1 and Sky Sports HD1.

Scottish Premier League: Celtic v Rangers

As is the case every season, Rangers and Celtic are battling it out for the Scottish Premier League title, and the latest Old Firm derby could see momentum move definitively towards either side heading into the new year.

Only a little over a week ago, Rangers, the three-time defending champions, had a 12-point lead over Celtic. But with Rangers drawing at home against St. Johnstone and losing at Kilmarnock and Celtic scoring wins three wins in that span, at Inverness Caley Thistle and at home against Dunfermline and St. Mirren, the lead has been cut to four in a flash.

Both sides have four matches, two home and two away, before they meet on the 28th, and if the deficit remains the same going into the derby, Celtic could close the gap to one with a win, which could be quite a blow to Rangers’ confidence after having a sizable lead only a short time ago. But if Rangers can win at Hampden, it’d help restore some of the lead that they gave up, and it’d also be huge for their confidence going forward.

Wednesday, 28th December 7:00pm on Sky Sports 1 and Sky Sports HD1.

Watch Live Football On Sky HD

Don’t miss out on any live Premier League games over the holidays – with Sky Go, you can watch live football wherever you are over the holiday season, on your iPad, iPhone or laptop. Get Sky Go.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

All of Messi’s 202 goals scored for Barcelona (2005-2011), in a simple, no-frills video. After the constant adulation, it is still ridiculous how good is really is.

Of course, when you’re playing with the likes of Ronaldinho, Eto’o, Henry and Iniesta, it gets a bit easier. But we tend to forget how the young Messi was still phenomenally good, as his early goals for Barcelona show:

For more great football video compilations, check out this YouTube channel.

Spotter’s Credit: Ahmed Umair.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Group H sees Barcelona and AC Milan visit Viktoria Plzen and BATE Borisov respectively on Matchday 4 of the UEFA Champions League. Both these fixtures will decide whether the giants confirm their spots in the Round of 16 or will the smaller clubs still have a chance.

Plzen host Barca and this is their sixth visit to Czech Republic. In their previous five visits, they have an ordinary record of W2-D1-L2. But the Catalan giants are in fine form recently and they have not lost an official game in 22 matches now. Their last defeat came in April when they lost 2-1 away to Real Sociedad.

Pep Guardiola’s side have won their last three away games in Europe: Donetsk Shakhtar 0-1, Real Madrid 0-2 and BATE 0-5. Barcelona have also scored the most goals this year so far in the Champions League (9), only rivaled by their El Clasico rivals Real Madrid (8).

We must not ignore a very critical stat that Plzen are unbeaten at home this season. The debutant club has played four games and have won all of the home fixtures of the preliminary rounds and drew 1-1 with BATE.

Messi answered all his critics after he took rest from goal-scoring as he scored a hat-trick on the weekend against Mallorca in Nou Camp. In CL, Lionel Messi has had the most shots on target with eight but it’s David Villa who has scored in all three group games.

The last time Barca were held to a clean sheet in Champions League was way back in November 2009 against Rubin Kazan. Since, they have scored at least once in each of the 24 games.

Injury News:

Pedro is already out with an ankle injury but the latest concern for the Catalans is Xavi, who is having problems with his calf muscle. Ibrahim Afellay is the only long-term injury concern left for Guardiola; Afellay is out with knee ligament damage.

Center-backs Carles Puyol and Gerard Pique have already returned to first team action on the weekend against Mallorca.

The Czech team, however, is having trouble between the posts. Goalkeeper Marek Cech injured his knee playing in the 2-0 defeat in Nou Camp. His fellow shot-stopper, Roman Pavlik, returned to action after suffering knee ligament damage in July.

Prediction:

Viktoria Plzen 1-3 Barcelona

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

So, everyone says that Barcelona are unbeatable, or are least the untouchables. Which is twaddle.

Sure, they have lots of excellent players. (MessiXaviAlvesIniestaPiquePuyolBusquetsVillaSanchezPedroetc… say that five times fast) and they have the best player in the world, backed by a manager as ahead of the time as anyone as it stands and a style of play that suits them down to the ground, one that looks for all the world unbeatable. Luckily, it’s not. Theoretically. The reason being this simple but complicated idea – Barcelona play on the same football pitch as everyone else.

First Thing To Know: Why Barcelona Have Become Fashionable

By the way, if you have never read Jonathon Wilson’s ‘Inverting The Pyramid’ then do so – not only is it entertaining but what it shows us is that there are always certain clubs tactically that are ahead of the curve – the likes of Hungary (Creative Strikers) Inter Milan (Catenaccio in trophy winning form) for example played in such ways that, due to the lack of coverage of these sides they were generally hard to counter for years, until other clubs cottoned onto how they played, vital parts of the team were undone or the tactic that had that club going strong was undone instead (Notably, Celtic’s defeat of Milan in the European Cup Final of 1967 was to prove the end of the catenaccio as a major tactical force.)

Barcelona are one of those teams ahead of the curve, and despite the vast television coverage encapsulating most teams (especially Barcelona, considering their television deals in La Liga) teams have unable to be able to adapt, or even successfully ape the formation (A potential success story looking to be Manchester City). Yet. While it’s worth pointing out that Barcelona have some excellent players (lots of them in fact) they have been brought to a new level by the tactics imposed by Guardiola – before Barcelona’s recent run of devastating form they were very much a beatable team, stagnating in the twilight of the Rijkaard era. They had a classy squad then (Ronaldihno, Eto and Messi anyone?) and they have a classy squad now, as do many around Europe, but their tactics set them apart. Therefore with the right tactics they can be beaten. But then I bet every manager thinks that…

The Wing backs

From Zonalmarking.com - the next great tactical move.

Of course what this also allows is for the front three – usually loosely stretched across the pitch – to come inside and attack the box. In fact really it’s a requirement – without the front three dragging the opposing back four inside the likes of Alves would just be charging into space already covered by the opposition.

Of course, because the strikers come inward, and the wing backs pull their opposing wingers back to the defensive line, the opposition suddenly have six defenders, two of whom aren’t actually defenders. I know that wingers nowadays do have to work hard and track back, but the situation the opposition is forced into as a result of this aggressive wing back play is ridiculous. They cannot afford to lose hold of the likes of Alves, but to keep a winger on him surrenders most of the attacking edge that wingers provide. It’s a no win situation.

Unless…

You were to play five at the back instead of four.

Five at the back you see, changes everything. Against most other forms of play it has been proven to be outdated – because the three men in the centre defence are too many for a modern game in which most teams use one striker. But this isn’t an ordinary modern formation. With the wing backs pushing on and the wide strikers moving inside, a five man defence gives you a man for man defence. And it does something else too – something potentially devastating to the Barcelona game plan – it could leave, if the Barcelona wing backs aren’t careful, a winger completely free.

Overloaded: Against a five man defence Alves is outnumbered on the flank where Ronaldo can find space and stretch Barcelona's back line

And suddenly, Barcelona are in trouble. If Alves is his usual bombastic self, Barcelona risk being hammered on the counter attack by the winger hanging wide (In this case Ronaldo) and attacking a suddenly very vulnerable three man defence and lets be clear here – it is better to have three attackers against three defenders then five attackers against five defenders, simply because in Madrid’s lineup say, Ronaldo, Benzema, and De Maria would find a lot more space to run at the opposition defence, decide what moves to execute and play them out. If Alves were to hang back on Ronaldo, then Barcelona lost an attacking threat and give Madrid an extra man to play with at the back, not to mention the overload when Madrid gain possession on both sides of the pitch. For all it’s negative connotations, playing five defenders against Barcelona is certainly a better idea then a four man defence with two extra unwilling volunteers.

But What About The Pressing?

Yes, Barcelona press, hard. To be fair, the fact that they press so heavily is almost more Barcelona getting with the times then the team doing something intensely revolutionary – pressing has been a part of the modern game for years. But under Rijkaard Barcelona were poor off the ball, and even their being intensely sensational on the ball (With an endlessly creative Ronaldihno on the wings) could only work so much. Coming back to now then, Barcelona have caught up and zoomed past the times – they play a very, very aggressive passing game which seeks to win the ball in the opposition final third. So you can find your defenders being overwhelmed by furious Barcelona assault even when the Catalan’s don’t have the ball.

Unless…

Well for a start the free wingers (or wing backs, depending on who the Barcelona wing back wants to mark) are a useful direct outlet

Outlets - Barcelona can press heavily, but because their wingbacks are outmatched out wide there are still several ways out of the trap, weakening Barcelona's hold on the game further.

from Barcelona’s pressing, allowing said team to immediately spring away on the counter attack. But the overall general idea would be to use Barcelona’s pressing against them. If the opposition were to play keep ball, attempting to make Barcelona chase then Barcelona are going to be burning a lot of stamina simply winning the ball back – something that can count against them in the late game.

Simply, it would be hard, but with out balls and composure (not be mention at times sheer defensive will) an opposition team can probably make Barcelona tire quicker. This in fact ties in nicely to solving the tika-taka style Barcelona also play – where Barcelona press ferociously, a team pressing slower but maintaining a solid defensive shape and making their tackles can take a stamina advantage into the late game – opening more space to threaten Barcelona’s back line.

So everything we’ve talked about so far has been based around neutering Barcelona’s general tactics and exposing their flaws – ignoring the general quality of their players which, I’ll be honest, there isn’t too much you can do about other then also be a good team. That’s going to be the same with many David and Goliath matches – tactics cannot account for all the sheer quality out there in the top teams because man for man, they have  the edge. But still, it being a ‘beating Barcelona’ guide it wouldn’t be nearly complete enough without tackling the big elephant in the room, or rather, the diminutive one.

Lionel Messi

Say what you like about Barcelona’s quality – Messi binds it all, and has done ever since Pep Guardiola arrived in the management job he occupies now. He is the fulcrum – he is a class above whatever parameters any football expert defines as ‘world class’, and in my opinion he is the greatest footballer to ever play the game, already.

So then, how to stop him. Because unlike any other side Messi changes everything. One on one, he can beat anyone in the world, so leaving the side as 3v3 in the centre isn’t going to cut it. Enter the need for those fullbacks you have to tuck in on the defensive – potentially allowing the wing backs that space on the flanks we were trying to nullify earlier, but on the bright side we still have two wingers free, ready to spring the counter.

Pulling the sting: Pushing Messi back down the field leaves Villa and Pedro with a much harder task to break the back line.

Another reason we need the fullbacks to remain grounded, rather then say, moving to track Alves, is because one of the defenders is going to be following Messi. In this case, Pepe, the dark side of football. He will use his physicality and tough tackling against Messi’s dribbling skill, but the ultimate hope of such a move is simply that Messi sees much less of the ball, or sees it in less harmful positions. What this does then, is leave two defenders against two attackers in the centre of the defence, so Barcelona’s opposition would have to tuck in the fullbacks in order to maintain stability at the back.

To paraphrase from Inverting The Pyramid ‘if you want to stop someone eating at a resteraunt, you stop the food coming out of the kitchen’. Messi can do just about anything with the ball, but the more you can starve Messi of the ball, the more he will go looking for it, and the less a threat he becomes. Thus having someone like Pepe tracking him, someone with the stamina and physicality would lessen his threat. And if Messi does get the better of him, he still has to get through the relatively solid back line. As solid as it can be against Messi anyway.

So, to conclude…

What you come out with is a fairly negative sounding 5-4-1, because that’s exactly what it is. Hell, really it’s more of a 5-5, which, I’m sure people can argue with plenty of justification, is a negative stance to take.

To which I would answer that any formation taken against Barcelona is going to be negative in it’s outlook. Like it or not, right now they are the best side in the world by a fair mile. They have top class players playing in top class tactical confines (using the word ‘confines’ loosely here) and regardless of what you do they are always going to be very hard to beat. Thus, teams have to be able to defend against them. Madrid, the most expensively assembled side in the world, have proven the folly of trying to out school Barcelona at what they do – but the right tactics are out there. Just as they were for catenaccio, just as they were for Hungary and Ajax and Roma and many others beside – other teams will catch on, and catch up. And for all the negativity of the 5-4-1 demonstrated here, it has the capacity to hurt Barcelona, where a four man defence robs it’s own team of it’s sting.

So, I present you a 5-4-1. It might not have the beating of Barcelona, but certainly it can expose other teams using the same tactics, and it can certainly give the charging wingback a second thought or two.

The End Result: Could a 5-4-1 beat Barcelona?

Also See: Football Manager Tactics for Barcelona.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News