Depending upon the outcome of Copa del Rey Final on May 25^th against Athletic Bilbao, FC Barcelona can finish the 2011/2012 campaign on a (relative) high.

Winning the domestic Cup competition is nothing to sniff at but it pales to the accomplishments achieved in previous seasons. FC Barcelona finished the season with 91 points; in most cases this total haul would’ve clinched the title in every other league across Europe. However, Real Madrid unseated FC Barcelona at the summit of the Spanish league with a whopping 100 points.

So is it time to panic? Abandon total football?

Not really. However, it is time to make a few adjustments and fine-tune the squad once more. The key adjective here being “fine-tune”.

Unless Sandro Rosell wants to emulate AC Milan’s “model” and hang onto to ageing Champions until they’re approaching retirement he’d be well advised to sell and buy some players.

Whereas the club’s decision to announce their transfer budget ahead of the 2011 transfer window paid rich dividends (signing Cesc Fabregas & Alexis Sanchez below their market value), this year they seem to take a different route. How much money is or isn’t available to Tito Vilanova is pretty much a mystery at this point. However, one is inclined to believe that his transfer kitty is significantly smaller than Guardiola’s in his heyday. Nevertheless, a smaller Barcelona transfer kitty probably still dwarfs that of every other major club bar a few chosen ones (Manchester City, Chelsea FC, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich).

For the purpose of this article let’s assume FC Barcelona has a war chest of 50,000,000 Euro (the transfer budged for 2011). In this massively inflated market it’s probably just enough to open negotiations for Santos Neymar. Bar any significant drop in oil prices it’s not likely that the exorbitant evaluations of top talent will decline anytime soon.

Barcelona were lucky enough that both Cesc Fabregas and Alexis Sanchez have made it known that the only wanted to join the Blaugrana which gave the club some leverage for negotiations. This year it’s pretty much open season on anybody. In order to stay competitive in the transfer market FC Barcelona has to sell.

Let’s take a look at some players who are most likely sold this summer.

Likely to be sold:

Seydou Keita, 32 (8,000,000 Euro)*

Ibrahim Afellay, 26 (10,000,000 Euro)*

Isaac Cuenca, 21 (3,000,000 Euro)* or Cristian Tello, 20 (5,000,000 Euro)*

Should be sold:

David Villa, 30 (35,000,000 Euro)*

Could be sold:

Pedro, 24 (28,000,000 Euro)*

The Breakdown:

Seydou Keita should be sold. The Malian, 32, has never been a regular under Pep Guardiola and will most likely not become one for Tito Vilanova either. The 8,000,000 Euro evaluation represent the high-end of what Barcelona can expect from any sale. The benchmark is Ricardo Carvalho’s transfer from Chelsea to Real Madrid for 8,000,000 Euro. However, Carvalho was a starter in the Blues set-up and one of the best defenders in the EPL. Hence the more realistic fee the Blaugrana can expect is somewhere in the neighborhood of 6,000,000 Euro.

Verdict: Any proposed sale of Ibrahim Afellay would certainly take place after the 2012 European Championships. At present his market value is set at 10,000,000 Euro. A fine performance in the tournament could potentially double his value.

Verdict: Barcelona is not short on wide options (Pedro, Cuenca. Tello, Alexis) so they would probably entertain any offer of 15,000,000 Euro and more.

As mentioned earlier, Barcelona has a lot of wide options. Therefore it would only make sense to sell either Cuenca or Tello. Jeffren was sold to Sporting Lisbon in the previous season and there’s nothing to suggest that it won’t happen again.

Verdict: Liverpool are credited with an interested in Cuenca. 6 – 7,000,000 Euro (for either) seem reasonable since Barcelona sold Oriol Romeu, who had virtually no first team experience, to Chelsea for approximately 5,000,000 Euro.

As fine a player David Villa is, he is just not what Barcelona need (at least the incarnation where Lionel Messi plays centrally). If the plan is to keep him on the left-wing it would be wiser to sell him. Alexis Sanchez wasn’t acquired to warm the bench and Pedro is showing signs that he’s returning to form.

Furthermore, in Cuenca and Tello Barcelona have ready-made back-up players. At 30 years of age his transfer value will drop in subsequent seasons. Though he is rated at 35,000,000 Euro a more realistic fee would be 20 – 24,000,000 Euro.

The most expensive 30 year old was Andriy Shevchenko (AC Milan to Chelsea for 46,000,000 Euro). Nevertheless he was Serie A’s best player and a Ballon d’Or winner. Both Thierry Henry and Ruud Van Nistelrooy transferred to Barcelona and Real Madrid at the age of 30 (Henry turned 30 in the 2007 calendar year) for 24,000,000 Euro.

But that would be the high-end for David Villa. After all, El Guaje turns 31 in December. Sell him and remove his annual wages of 7,500,000 Euro would free up additional funds.

If someone would match Pedro’s evaluation of 28,000,000 Euro it’s probably for the better to sell him. Another inconsistent season and his market value could be less than half. He’s a good player but there’s nothing to suggest that Cuenca or Tello can’t match him. Any offer upwards of 20,000,000 Euro should be seriously considered.

As far acquisitions are concerned there are two positions that need to be addressed – left-back and central defense, perhaps another striker (one that actually plays as a striker).

Center-back:

According to various press reports Barcelona have made AC Milan’s Thiago Silva (rated: 32,000,000 Euro)* their primary transfer target. If these reports are to be believed Barcelona are convinced they can do a deal for about 25,000,000 Euro.

It’s not going to happen folks. Not for 25,000,000 Euro. Adriano Gallani is a lot of things, for instance he looks like Uncle Fester, but he’s arguably the best negotiator in all of football. Along with Ibrahimovic (who he shrewdly bought from Barcelona for just 24,000,000 Euro), Silva is Milan’s most valuable asset. Galliani has already been tasked with rebuilding AC Milan on a shoestring budget and it’s not likely that he’ll sell a world-class defender below market value.

Alternative: Mats Hummels, 23 (20,000,000 Euro)*

Coming off of a second successive German championship the Borussia Dortmund defender wouldn’t come cheap but propose a viable alternative to the Brazilian. A full German International, technically sound, superb sense positioning and, most importantly, he can pass a ball. Perhaps Bundesliga’s best central-defender he is already bordering on world-class, if he isn’t already. Though Dortmund have announced that they aren’t entertaining any sales, save for the inevitable departure of Shinji Kagawa, stranger things have happened.

Verdict: A bid of 25 – 30,000,000 Euro would almost certainly test their resolve. Nevertheless, Mats Hummels doesn’t seem to appear on Barcelona’s radar.

Left-back:

Jordi Alba, 23 (10,000,000 Euro)*

At this point it’s almost a forgone conclusion that Alba either extends his contract with Valancia or rejoins Barcelona. The press suggests that Barcelona is preparing an offer to the tune of 12 – 15,000,000 Euro.

Verdict: Will most likely happen. With one year left on his Valencia contract can’t expect to fetch more than 15,000,000 Euro especially once he makes his desire known to return to Barcelona. In 2010 Mesut Özil transferred under similar circumstances and fee from Werder Bremen to Real Madrid.

Fantasy Football: Gareth Bale, 23 (35,000,000 Euro)*

To make it short – he’s too expensive. EPL-based players are unreasonably more expensive than their continental counterparts. Andy Carroll, Shaun Wright-Phillps, James Milner etc.

Verdict: Not gonna happen

Striker:

Barcelona were found out – opposing teams have figured out how to stop the Blaugrana. However, only a couple of them have the necessary players to execute that particular game plan.

While Barcelona’s usual game plan will work almost against every La Liga team and most European sides, it will most likely not be effective against the likes of Chelsea or Madrid who sit deep and attack on the counter. And there’s the emerging giant Manchester City who could virtually field 10 world-class defenders. A frightening thought.

David Villa is a world-class striker; at least he used to be. But he is absolutely wasted on the left-wing. The feeling, however, is that his situation will not change anytime soon. Maybe it’s because he doesn’t have the imposing striker physique that Pep has mistaken him for a winger. Who knows? Barcelona need an out-and-out striker. Ever seen a Barcelona corner? Nothing fruitful ever happens following a corner. Never. Hence a couple of (potential) recruits.

Fernando Llorente, 27 (25,000,000 Euro)*

He’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic minus the outstanding technique and ego. But he more than compensates that with an exceptional work-rate. At any rate, he has quite exceptional technique for a tall guy.

Verdict: 30 – 35,000,000 Euro and not a penny less. Llorente would walk into most sides. On second thought, there isn’t any side that wouldn’t make him their focal point. If Barcelona still have money in the bank after acquiring their primary targets this one is a realistic possibility.

Robin Van Persie, 28 (45,000,000 Euro)*

Europe’s most wanted. The market value credited above is NOT what Arsenal are stand to make should they cash in on their captain – it’s merely a reflection of his outstanding season. Barcelona are said to be interested in the flying Dutchman but apparently he’s asking for a wage package north of 200,000 Euro/week, which would make the highest earner alongside Lionel Messi. Arsenal are reportedly offering 120,000 GBP/week (roughly 150,000 Euro). And then there are the usual suspects of Manchester City, Real Madrid and Italian Champions Juventus Turin.

Verdict: Robin Van Persie could become the first player who commands a 30,000,000 Euro transfer fee in the last year of his contract. The previous high was Samir Nasri’s 27,500,000 Euro from Arsenal to Manchester City. 45,000,000 Euro seem out of the question but 30,000,000 Euro is a distinct possibility if City decide to blow the competition out of the water. Though FC Barcelona have been financially irresponsible in the past it’s unlikely that they will engage in bidding war for a player that only has one year left on his contract.

Overall analysis:

Assuming Barcelona have a basic transfer budget of 50,000,000 Euro and raise cash through the sales of players such as Seydou Keita, Ibrahim Afellay, Isaac Cuenca or Cristian Tello, David Villa and Pedro, they could potentially look 110,000,000 Euro to reinvest in the squad. Unless Barcelona wants to add a striker to their ranks there’s no reason to sell David Villa or Pedro. In that case 50,000,000 Euro should be sufficient enough to buy a world-class center-back and a left-back. A complete overhaul isn’t needed but addressing the left-back and center-back position is essential in mounting another title challenge.

*transfer values courtesy of www.transfermarkt.de

You can always disagree and argue with me on Twitter @JubeiKibagame.

Also See:

• More Barcelona News.
• More Transfer Rumours.

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

The last round of the Champions League group stages sees a number of mouthwatering and do-or-die ties. If you’re going to be betting on football, you should be very careful where you put your money.

For some teams the last 16 and knockout stages await; others will have to make do with the Europa League. Chelsea know their fate is in their hands, whilst Manchester City must hope for a win and a favour at El Madrigal.

Chelsea vs Valencia

Roman Abramovich has held UEFA Champions League triumph as his holy grail since buying Chelsea in June 2003, and the likes of Jose Mourinho and Carlo Ancelotti have seen their stints at Stamford Bride cut short, as despite delivering the Premier League they have failed to win Europe’s top club tournament.

Andre Villas Boas is under increasing pressure to deliver in his first season in England, and a shaky month has seen his side fall 10 points adrift of league leaders Manchester City. In Europe, a disappointing draw in Belgium against Genk and a last minute winner for Bayer Leverkusen against The Blues at the BayArena sees the London club needing to win Tuesday’s game or draw 0-0 with Valencia to progress.

Unai Emery’s team have impressed recently in La Liga and on the continent, and a 7-0 win over Genk in their last European outing shows that the side from the Mestalla will be no pushovers. Seasoned at this level, Valencia house a number of players capable of winning the tie in England, none more-so than Roberto Soldado, who backed up a first half hat-trick against the Belgian champions with the winner against Espanyol at the weekend.

Chelsea will need to be at their best to get the result they need and the inclusion of former Valencia attacker Juan Mata in their side will provide added motivation for the visitors; Betfair have the home side as favourites however at odds of 1.79 to get a victory.

Manchester City vs Bayern Munich

Not many teams have outplayed big spending Manchester City this season, but Bayern Munich deserved their 2-0 win over Roberto Mancini’s side at the Allianz Arena back in September. The current Premier League leaders are unbeaten this season domestically, but a draw at home and defeat away to Napoli threatens the club’s Champions League status.

City need to beat Jupp Heynckes’ men on Wednesday and hope that Villarreal can stop Edinson Cavani and Napoli from getting three points in Spain to make the last 32. Despite naturally having one eye on events at El Madrigal, the hosts must focus on beating what is a rounded and dangerous Bavarian visitor.

Former City defender Jerome Boateng will get a frosty reception at the Etihad Stadium, but has solidified the Germans’ rearguard since is summer move. The likes of Franck Ribery, Arjen Robben, Thomas Mueller and Mario Gomez need no introduction, and despite the fact that Bayern are already assured to top the group, the visitors will want to complete their group stage with a win.

City are favourites with the bookies, but so are Napoli; Betfair have City at odds of 1.64 to beat Bayern, but at 3.45 to qualify.

Ajax vs Real Madrid

The current Eredivisie champions have a fine tradition and history in Europe, but their 1-0 triumph over AC Milan in the Champions League final back in 1995 will feel like a lifetime ago for the Amsterdam Arena faithful.

Despite the fact that Ajax are three points and seven goals better off than third placed Group D team Lyon, Frank de Boer’s men are not yet through to the knockout stages. With the French outfit facing pointless and hapless Dinamo Zagreb, and the Dutch side locking horns the form team in Europe, Ajax must be careful not to let the balance swing.

Jose Mourinho’s men have the first El Clasico match of the season against Barcelona next weekend, and the Portuguese coach will want a positive result in Amsterdam to continue momentum going into the game at the Santiago Bernabeu. Los Blancos are the only side with a perfect group stage record this season, have scored the most goals and conceded the least – Ajax beware.

Ajax should qualify despite the calibre of their Wednesday opponents; Betfair have the Dutch side at odds of 3.1 to beat the Spaniards.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Their new manufacturers Joma have revealed their away shirt for the La Liga side Valencia for the 2011/2012 season.

Joma have taken over from Kappa who have been manufacturing Valencia’s kits since 2009.

As you can see there’s no sponsor on the shirt pictured below, that will not be the case since the financial side of football is not doing that well in Spain either.

Unibet’s logo will go on the shirt.

This yellow and red striped shirt features a blue collar and a blue stripe on each shoulder.

Source

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

It has been yet another UEFA Champions League campaign that has been littered with thrills and spills. From the magnificence of Lionel Messi, to the Clasico debacle, the cream of the crop has rose as Barcelona and Manchester United make the final two at this year’s Wembley showpiece.

Everybody has had an opinion on just who would make it through the latter stages. Many gasped in horror in Italy as Tottenham Hotspur knocked out the mighty Milan, as they did in Rome as Shakhtar Donetsk humbled the Giallorossi. It is fair to say, this is the most unpredictable sport in the world but the guys at the Professional Football Players Observatory (PFPO) have done their utmost with their predictions – with a near perfect record.

The PFPO has recently innovated to predict outcomes of the major football competitions. The scenario envisaged for the current UEFA Champions League has proven to be quite accurate. From the final 16 onwards, they have correctly foreseen the outcome of 11 matches out of 14. If Barcelona is victorious come May 28th, they will reach their threshold of 80% correct predictions. However, the gap between the Catalonians and Manchester United is amazingly tight.

The criteria for the predictions is as follows. The strength of the clubs is based on four aspects; the experience accumulated by players in Champions League matches, their quality in terms of participation in recent international matches – weighted according to the level of the national team represented, the teams squad stability and the results obtained in the group stage of this year’s competition. The club with the richest squad has an index of 100 which has unsurprisingly turned out to be Barcelona.

Team Rating (lowest to highest):

• FC Copenhagen – 1
• Schalke – 10
• Marseille – 14
• Lyon – 22
• Valencia – 23
• Milan – 36
• Shakhtar Donetsk – 37
• AS Roma – 41
• Tottenham Hotspur – 44
• Bayern Munich – 56
• Arsenal – 59
• Internazionale – 66
• Real Madrid – 76
• Chelsea – 85
• Manchester United – 98
• Barcelona – 100

From the grading criteria, the vast contrast between Barcelona and Real Madrid is staggering with Blancos being 24 points behind their rivals. Surprisingly Milan were graded below Tottenham but were ultimately put to the sword by Harry Redknapp’s men in the last-16. Semi-finalists Schalke were graded second from bottom despite doing wonders to get to the last four, with Denmark’s Copenhagen ranked bottom with just one point.

Click the link below to access the prediction table along with the outcome of the results:

PFPO Champions League Prediction Table (PDF)

Follow Ross on Twitter: @RossMackiewicz

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Player transfer fees and their larger than life wage bills are a common topic of discussion for a football fan of today. From Wayne Rooney threatening to quit to oil-rich owners going on shopping sprees, the footballers have now become spoilt and they now know that their high demands will be met at their current club or the next.

It is especially easy to get a huge wage offer for those who possess skill and/or experience. Yaya Toure moved from Spain to England with a wage demand that even England’s best Rooney was not getting at the time.

For the smaller clubs, it has become far more difficult to move into the top-flight and pose a threat to the top teams in their own country, let alone go on a Euro trip.

We have taken the liberty to skim out the football clubs out of the ESPN’s 200 best-paying teams in the world and present a list to you of 66 best-paying football teams in the world.

If you’re gifted with football, this is who will show you the money:

The Leagues and Countries: Bundesliga (Germany), EPL (English Premier League, England), La Liga (Spain), Serie A (Italy) & SPL (Scottish Premier League, Scotland).

Also see: Best Paid Footballers By Country

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

After Wayne Rooney reminded us all that he used to be a fairly decent professional footballer with his derby day belter against Manchester City last Saturday, the received (Sky Sports-infused) wisdom seems to be that the decidedly off-colour striker’s effort was, without need for second thought, the greatest overhead kick ever scored by anyone, anywhere, ever.

However, that’s not quite the case – as the following, ten-strong video essay will hopefully attest to.

Oh, and apologies for the slightly tongue-in-cheek strapline. I hope we can still be friends.

Let’s press on, shall we?

10. Dean Ashton – Man Utd vs WEST HAM, 2008:

Fergie was quick to peg Rooney’s flying shinner against bitter rivals City as the greatest goal that had ever graced Old Trafford, though former West Ham striker Ashton has grounds to take issue with that particular assessment…

9. Joseph Desire Job – MIDDLESBROUGH vs Sporting, 2005:

After joining on the back of a wave of promise, Job never really ‘clicked’ during his time at the Riverside. However, for one fleeting moment during Boro’s UEFA Cup second round defeat to Sporting Lisbon back in March 2005, the watching world witnesses just what the Cameroonian striker was capable of…

8. Manuel Negrete – UNAC vs Puebla, 1985:

Four wondrous touches; the initial chest control, the ‘sombrero’ (or the ‘chapeau’ for those of you with Gallic pretensions), a deft flick of the forehead and then BOOM!…

7. Trevor Sinclair – QPR vs Barnsley, 1997:

Sadly, it never got any better than this for our Trev, who quite rightly came away with Match of the Day’s goal of the season award in 1997 for this blistering bicycle kick against the Tykes in the FA Cup…

6. Eliran Atar – Maccabi Netania vs BNEI YAHUDA, 2009:

Israeli forward Atar made the 2009 Puskas Award shortlist (i.e. an award doled out to the scorer of the most ‘beautiful’ goal of the year) for this acrobatic strike, though somehow only managed to finish fourth in the final vote behind Cristiano Ronaldo, Andres Iniesta and Grafite.

That said, the look of sheer, discombobulated amazement on the collective faces of everybody present (including Atar’s) serves to tell you more about this freakishly pure connection than I ever could…

5. Unknown – 5-a-side tournament, 2007:

This clip has become somewhat of a viral sensation since it was first posted on Youtube a few years ago, and it’s perfectly understandable as to why.

A goal of truly scintillating beauty, regardless of what level of the game it was scored at…

4. Rivaldo – BARCELONA vs Valencia, 2001:

Brazilian artisan Rivaldo (who, incidentally, has a few overhead corkers under his belt to pick from) finished the 2000/’01 campaign as La Liga’s second top goal-scorer (one goal behind Real Madrid striker Raul), thanks chiefly to the hat-trick he scored against Valencia on the last day of the season.

A momentous hat-trick which first and foremost secured Barca a spot in the following season’s Champions League and, secondly, just so happened to culminate in this little beauty…

3. Youri Djorkaeff – INTER MILAN vs Roma, 1997:

French playmaker Djorkaeff notched his fair share of cultured strikes during his 22-year career, but I’d wager that none come close to the angled, airborne Exocet that he unleashed against Roma during his maiden season with the Nerazzurri…

2. Mauro Bressan – Barcelona vs FIORENTINA, 1999:

In stark contrast to the scrappy build-up, La Viola midfielder Bressan pulls a career-defining, 25-yard pearler out of his ‘you know where’ to open the scoring in a pulsating Champions League game that eventually finished 3-3.

Several years later, ITV voted the Italian’s effort as the second greatest Champions League goal ever scored, nestled sweetly behind Zinedine Zidane’s iconic volley in the 2002 final…

1. Marco van Basten – AJAX vs Den Bosch, 1986:

The Dutch legend, seen here doing what he did better than almost anybody else to have ever played the game, i.e. score goals that seem to tamper with the laws of physics…

So there we go. Missed any blindingly obvious candidates? Please feel free to leave your suggestions in the comments box below…

More from the Soccerlens Archives:

10 Outrageous Disallowed Goals
10 Famous Debatable Goals

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

The 2010/2011 Champions League knockout stages kick off this week with the second round matches to be played from 15th February to 16th March. 16 teams will be looking to progress to the quarterfinals, with no easy winners in sight (except maybe Chelsea).

This season’s Champions League sees Tottenham making their Champions League debut, while 2009 UEFA Cup winners Shakhtar Donetsk are in the knockout stages for the first time. Arsenal haven’t beaten Barcelona in their last three meetings and lost to them in the quarter finals last season, Real Madrid haven’t beaten Lyon since god knows when and lost to them at the same stage last season and last year’s finalists, Inter and Bayern, go into their second-round matchup with both teams suffering a downturn in their domestic fortunes this season.

We will be previewing all the action on Soccerlens – here are your 8 Champions League second round ties, their playing dates and previews:

Champions League Second Round Schedule

15th February and 9th March
AC Milan v Tottenham
Valencia v Schalke

16th February and 8th March
Arsenal v Barcelona
Roma v Shakhtar Donetsk

22nd February and 16th March
FC Copenhagen v Chelsea
Lyon v Real Madrid

23rd February and 15th March
Marseille v Manchester United
Inter Milan v Bayern Munich

Watch Champions League Live

You can watch all Champions League matches live online, plus hundreds of football games from around the world. Read our Champions League live football page for more details.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Click here to watch Valencia v Schalke Live!

Valencia v Schalke 04
Second Round, UEFA Champions League
Mestalla, Valencia
Tuesday, 15 February 2011
Kickoff: 19:45 GMT / 20:45 CET

Valencia host Schalke in the first leg of their Champions League second round tie. Valencia, 3rd in La Liga, will be aiming to stifle the in-form Schalke strikers and keep a clean sheet going into the return leg. The Champions League represents Schalke’s best chance for bringing some respectability into a season that saw them flirt with relegation before rising back to the top 10 of the Bundesliga.

Valencia v Schalke Preview

Valencia will be without midfielder David Albelda for the visit of Schalke in Tuesday’s Champions League last 16 first-leg tie at the Mestalla Stadium. Brazilian striker Jonas is available after arriving in the January transfer window, while forward Juan Mata returns after an ankle injury.

Valencia come into the match in excellent form – a run of six wins in seven matches taking them up to third place in La Liga.

But Valencia coach Unai Emery insists his side’s push up La Liga has not left them ill-prepared for the match against Schalke, saying:

“We are focused 100% on Schalke.

We have had a lot of people analysing Schalke, and we want to transmit this excitement, this passion for the game on Tuesday so that we all can enjoy it.

We will work hard so that our fans can see their team play well and that we have more options of continuing in the competition.”

Schalke have few new injury worries ahead of the match. Frontman Raul returns to Spain for the first time since leaving Real Madrid after 741 appearances for the club. And should the striker score, it would take him above AC Milan’s Filippo Inzaghi as Uefa’s all-time leading goalscorer. The pair are currently tied with 70 goals each.

Raul’s former Real team-mate Christoph Metzelder is also returning to Spain, while Jose Manuel Jurado is back after joining Schalke from Atletico Madrid.

“We are optimistic,” said Schalke coach Felix Magath, whose side earned two draws on their last two visits to the Mestalla. “We are going to try to score the away goal that would help us.”

Schalke are coming off their fifth win in eight games – a 1-0 win over Freiburg – to move up to 10th in the Bundesliga having spent much of the first half of the season flirting with the drop places.

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From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Atletico Madrid hosted the game against Valencia at the Vicente Calderon Stadium and the Spanish winger Joaquin led Valencia to three points and the third position on the table. Diego Forlan had a hand to play in it too when he couldn’t make the most of the penalty awarded to Atletico in the 58th minute.

Jose Antonio Reyes opened the scoring in the third minute.

Atletico Madrid 1-2 Valencia Highlights

Reyes, 3′
Joaquin, 41′
Joaquin, 86′

From Soccerlens.com - Football News