Friday 30 May 2014

WC Friendly Match, England vs Peru - LIVE Commentary:

International friendly: England will be hoping for a good display at Wembley tonight
Hello again everyone and welcome to my latest blog post, where I have a LIVE commentary on England's last international friendly game before they start preparing for the World Cup proper, which starts in 13 days!


Arriving at Wembley: Supporters are pictured walking to the ground before kick-off
They are playing against Peru tonight, and it will be interesting to see how the team performs as they are expecting to do well in this tournament, so despite playing against a weaker team (no disrespect to Peru) - the team should perform well and give manager Roy Hodgson a clear headache as to who should start each match in Brazil. 

Their opponents tonight have failed to qualify for this summer's World Cup, which they will feel disappointed about especially because it is close to their own country in South America - but they will still be expected to challenge their hosts tonight. 

Here are the team line-ups: 

England: Hart, Johnson, Jagielka, Cahill, Baines, Gerrard, Henderson, Lallana, Rooney, Welbeck and Sturridge. 

Subs: Forster, Foster, Smalling, Stones, Flanagan, Lampard, Wilshere, Barkley, Milner, Lambert and Sterling. 


A 4-2-3-1 formation for the Three Lions, a solid team lining up. Hopefully, Wilshere gets a few minutes under his belt tonight to keep him sharp and fit - glad to see that Lallana and Henderson are given their opportunities to shine.

Welbeck will play on the flank with Lallana on the other side of him on the wing - Sturridge the lone striker with Rooney sitting behind him at CAM.

Barkley and Wilshere among a strong substitutes bench.  

Peru: Fernandez, Rodriguez, Callens, Cruzado, Ramos, Advincula, Yotun, Ramirez, Deza, Carrillo and Ballon.

Subs: Forsyth, Gambetta, Hurtado, Ruidiaz, Velarde, Trauco, Flores, Riojas and Gallese.


I think it is fair to say that a lot of people will not be very familiar with the Peru team, but they have a few individually gifted players like Carrillo and Fernandez. 

Andre Carrillo - technically gifted winger/striker, plays for Sporting Lisbon

Fernandez - an experienced goalkeeper who plays for FC Dallas


England vs Peru - LIVE Commentary: 

19:52 - The players are standing in the tunnel, waiting for the referee to give them the nod to walk out. 

19:53 - Liverpool and England captain Steven Gerrard looks as focused as ever, today is the midfielder's 34th birthday if you did not know already.

19:54 - And the referee waves the players forward. 

19:55 - Both sets of players walk out out the tunnel, to a round of applause from the supporters around the ground.

Midfielder and captain Steven Gerrard leads the England team out of the tunnel
19:56 - National anthems' time. Peru first.

19:57 - Observed well. And now it's England's turn. "God Save The Queen" blaring out loudly, the players are focused on the game.

19:58 - Just two minutes to go until the match starts, I'll give you a quick transfer news update:

  • Southampton striker Rickie Lambert is nearing a move to Liverpool, he is set to be confirmed by the club on Monday afternoon after a £4million move was accepted.
  • Arsenal goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski has joined fellow EPL club Swansea City as his contract with The Gunners has expired. 
Done deal: Fabianski has joined The Swans on a three-year contract deal from Arsenal.
20:00 - More transfer news updates later on, the match is about to start. 

0: The referee blows his whistle as England kick-off, playing from left to right.

1: A good atmosphere inside Wembley, the England supporters are making themselves heard. 

3: Lallana gives away a foul near the centre circle after a 50-50 challenge on a Peru player, firm tackle but he won the ball - the referee did not like the follow through by the Southampton creative midfielder.

4: Peru being pushed back inside their own half after some effective pressure from England moves the defenders back towards their own goal.

6: Foul given against Peru next to Hart's goal as the oncoming player Ramirez grabs onto Cahill's shirt and pulls him down across Hart's body. Shows Peru have a desire to win the ball, but without ball possession they could be exploited today.

7: Carrillo goes on the counter with the ball at his feet, with no support he opts to shape to shoot, but it is well blocked by Liverpool full-back Glen Johnson.

8: Great visual awareness by Baines to spot Welbeck running forward and feed him a through ball 25 yards out from goal, the Manchester United striker begins to run but gets tackled by an oncoming defender. Free-kick to England.

9: The resulting delivery into the box is wasted, the Peru defence clear and the danger is evaded. Shame.

11: Many of England's attempted passes into the Peru half, especially through balls are encouraging, but they are not accurate enough to get to the desired player. 

15: Good defensive work further up the pitch by Lallana who chases after the ball when his team-mate Johnson loses it,  he blocks an attempted clear twice, out for a throw-in.

16: Great through ball in-behind the England defence by Ramirez, who seeks to find Deza but Hart sees the danger quickly and reacts quickest to catch the ball as it rolls towards goal. 

That kind of service is what England need! Good reactions by Joe Hart to deal with the danger, otherwise his team would have been in trouble.

17: Rooney is looking sloppy so far, not getting the ball to his feet and when he does, he is either closed down or he loses the ball altogether. Not encouraging.

18: CLOSE! England go on the counter attack after Peru see a deflected strike from Daza well parried away by Joe Hart, Lallana wins ball possession near the centre circle and runs at the Peru defence who back towards their goal, giving the midfielder space to weave his way past them.

He gets past his markers and the ball falls nicely for Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge, who instinctively takes a firing shot towards goal, which narrowly misses the target. A clear-cut chance for England, Sturridge was unlucky not to score; if it was a few inches to the right, it would be 1-0. Peru goal-kick.

20: So far the best player on the pitch for England has to be Southampton midfielder Adam Lallana, he is hungry for the ball and whenever he has the ball he speeds past the defence with pace and purpose.

Good at tracking back and defending for his team aswell, if he does not start in the group stage matches I will be disappointed for sure. 

25: England given a free-kick after a clumsy tackle by Cruzado after he slices through Gerrard's legs and ends up worse for wear. 

26: The referee brandishes a yellow card to Cruzado for his troubles, for a late challenge which could have been much worse for Gerrard.

Luckily for England, Gerrard walks off seeming unharmed, despite looking annoyed by the tackle itself.

27: And now it is Sturridge who is unhappy. He is clipped by his marker near the touchline and protests that a foul be given to the referee, who ignores his claim and the Liverpool striker walks off angry.

29: Tensions getting slightly heated now, frustration is clearly shown. Gerrard is now given a yellow card for a sliding tackle near the centre circle, even though the Liverpool midfielder is protesting his innocence. 

Replays show that he tried to win the ball without touching the opponent, but his trailing leg caught the player. Possibly harsh yellow card, you can tell by his reaction that he feels it is injustice. 

32: GOAL! England break the deadlock!!! Courtesy of Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge, the hosts take the lead soon after the half-hour mark. 


Deadlock broken: Sturridge celebrates his well-taken finish to give England the lead
He wins the ball 20 yards out, dribbles past two defenders at will before curling a swerving strike towards goal from outside of the box. Great finish, what a goal!

34: England starting to gain momentum now? Sturridge's goal should give the hosts a boost, they have not taken their chances as of yet but what a goal to break the deadlock from the Liverpool man. That's his 4th international goal aswell.

40: Everton full-back Leighton Baines whips a free-kick delivery into the box after Sturridge is fouled 25 yards out, the ball falls to the head of Danny Welbeck who jumps highest to head the ball towards goal, but the effort is wide of the mark and goes over the bar.

44: Peru go on the counter attack again, this time from Ramirez who goes one-on-one with the oncoming Hart who reacts well again to parry the ball out of danger and deny Ramirez a second time. Still 0-0.

45: No stoppage time to be added on, the referee blows his whistle to end the first-half of action at Wembley. Joe Hart has done well to react quickly when needed, and Lallana has also performed well tonight thus far.

1-0 to England, courtesy of a great strike from Sturridge. Here it is:

21:03 - The teams are back out onto the pitch, no substitutions have been made as of yet for either side though.

45: The referee blows his whistle, second-half has begun. 

47: Lallana goes on the charge with the ball at his feet, but is instantly tackled strongly by the oncoming Peru defender.

48: Poor ball by defender Jagielka back towards Hart, who rushes out of his goal and partially clears the danger as a Peru player is running at him to try and force a mistake out of the Manchester City goalkeeper. Shaky from the Everton defender there.  

53: Peru almost serve up a surprise equaliser, as Daza takes an ambitious effort from 35 yards out which dips over the bar. Hart looked uncertain but in actual fact had the shot covered though. 

60: First substitution of the match, comes from Peru - 
Luis Ramirez OFF
Paolo Hurtado ON

63: Sloppy play by full-back Glen Johnson who takes too long with the ball at his feet and is eventually robbed of the ball by Carillo as Peru go on the counter attack. 

A through ball falls to Deza, whose attempted shot is blocked well by Jagielka. Good recovery.

64: England SUB:
Steven Gerrard OFF
Jack Wilshere ON

Fresh legs for England you feel, Gerrard has been solid in midfield tonight but it is better if you ease players through the match. 34 years of age, meanwhile Wilshere needs game time if he is going to state his case for a starting role in Brazil. 

65: GOAL! England double their lead! A good corner delivery into the box by Leighton Baines falls to the head of Chelsea defender Gary Cahill who heads the ball into the corner of the net, despite being crowded by Peru defenders.

Poor marking but Cahill and England will not mind! 

66: Substitutions for both sides now - 
Deza OFF, Ruidiaz ON
Rooney OFF, Sterling ON

Sterling replaces a lacklustre Rooney, who has not exactly been at his best tonight. Sterling adds pace and precision to the equation. 

67: Another substitution, this time from Peru - 
Ramos OFF, Riojas ON

70: GOAL! Another goal from a set-piece, this time from Everton defender Phil Jagielka. Poor defending by Peru yet again who fail to deal with the impending danger and are consequently punished as Jagielka makes no mistake in taking his chance to tap the ball into the corner of the net. 

3-0 to England, they deserve to win but the scoreline is flattering the hosts at the minute. If any team with a half-decent defence was playing against the Three Lions tonight, I highly doubt they would have even scored so far. 

75: Substitutions galore! 3 from England - 
Jagielka, Lallana and Baines OFF
Smalling, Milner and Stones ON

Fresh legs for the hosts, John Stones gets his senior debut with 15+ minutes to play. Milner will play on the wing, Smalling a like-for-like sub with Jagielka in the centre of defence.


78: Yet another sub now, Peru making it - 
Luis Advincula OFF, Mario Valarde ON

81: A loud shout of applause and noise coming from the Peru supporters, and you would never guess why. A paper plane has just hit their manager. It's been that kind of match to be fair. 

82: Another England substitution, finally the Everton creative midfielder Ross Barkley is substituted ON, for the scorer of the first goal tonight, and what a goal it was by Daniel Sturridge. Barkley gets 10 minutes or so, what a talent he is.

83: Peru trying to keep hold of the ball, they look more dangerous with it than without it. It's probably too late for a dramatic charge by the side, but they could take away some of the gloss from a comfortable England side with a goal or two in the last few minutes of the match.

85: England go on the counter attack after yet another defensive mistake from Peru is taken advantage of. Welbeck robs the ball off a Peru defender and backpasses the ball towards the path of Barkley, who then looks up and passes the ball into space for Sterling to run onto. 

The Liverpool forward's resulting shot is wide of the mark, and looks more of an awkward cross than a shot in truth. Unlucky, could have been 4-0. 

86: Peru SUB -
Andre Carrillo OFF 
Edison Flores ON

87: England are comfortable to see this game out, one or two more goals would just rub salt in Peru's wounds. They have not exactly been at 100% tonight but shown flashes of good play, and taken their chances. 

89: Great touch by Wilshere to beat two men with a cheeky flick past his marker, he quickly passes across towards the path of Milner who cannot get his footing right and the ball deflects off him out for a goal-kick.

90: The fourth official has signalled that there will be 4 minutes of stoppage time to be added on at the end of the match at Wembley.

90+4: The referee blows his whistle to end the international friendly, with England taking a comfortable 3-0 win out of the match which could have gone either way.

A great opener by Sturridge gives him my MOTM vote, he worked hard and his goal gave his side the momentum in a rather lacklustre first-half performance.

Lallana and Hart were also notable players for England, in a match that they were expected to win, and did.   

England now have a match on Wednesday against Ecuador, before another warm-up game against Honduras next weekend. 

Thank you for joining me for this international LIVE commentary, I hope you enjoyed it. Stay tuned for more footballing content over the next few weeks, the World Cup is under 2 weeks away now! 

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Brazil World Cup 2014 - Preview #1:

4 years of waiting: The World Cup is almost upon us. 2 weeks.
Hello again everyone and welcome to my latest blog post. Today, with just 2 weeks to go until the official start of the World Cup in Brazil, I will have a preview of a select few international countries. 

In this post, I am going to be analysising the host nation Brazil, who will be hoping to win the World Cup on home soil. Also, I will be previewing the German side, who have not won the World Cup since 1990 and despite having a strong squad, finished 3rd place in South Africa, 2010. 

This is the first installment of my official preview to the biggest and best international tournament in the world, which is set to start on the 12th of June.

Ok, so without further ado - here we go: 

Brazil -
No pressure? Neymar stars in Brazil's World Cup poster - he is important for success
There will obviously be pressure on Brazil to do well in-front of their home supporters; they are more used to the climate, they have used the Brazuca ball more than most nations and they have a strong squad on paper. 


Time to get to work: Brazil have started training as a team, with 2 weeks to go until the start.
Brazil are the favourites to win, being managed by former Chelsea manager Luis Felipe Scolari.
FACT: This is the first time that the World Cup is being held in South America for 36 years.

FACT: The previous four World Cups that were staged in South America were ALL won by South American teams.

Neymar in attack and Thiago Silva in defence will be an integral part for the side's success, they are being hotly tipped as the favourites based on the fact that they are hungry to beat the rest and eager to prove to the world that they are the best. 

Having dominated and won the Confederations Cup back in 2013, could it be a sign of things to come starting in a fortnight? Beating the current world champions Spain in the final this time last year could hint at future success for Brazil, but can they do it?

This is Brazil's group: 
Group A - 
Brazil, Croatia, Mexico and Cameroon. 

Would be a major upset if Brazil failed to progress through the group stages against weaker sides with some good individual players. Croatia have the likes of Mandzukic, Rakitic and Modric while Mexico boast Hernandez and Giovani Dos Santos; Cameroon have Eto'o and M'Bia.


Analysis of key players: 

Neymar -
The team's cover star, Neymar will be under pressure to perform at the highest level for his national side this summer. It's justified, given his talent and potential to give defenders trouble thanks to his attacking abilities. 

He is fast, a silky dribbler and has a fierce shot behind him - but he often needs service on the wing to cut inside past the opposition defence. Can he help push Brazil to their first World Cup win since 2002 and prove that he is truly worth the hype after a disappointing first season at Barcelona? 

David Luiz and Thiago Silva -
The heart of the Brazil defence, Luiz and Silva will be playing with each other in the centre of the back four for the host nation this summer, and furthermore afterwards (after Luiz's move to PSG is officially confirmed on July 1st).

Luiz is more of a flamboyant defender, with skills and tricks as well as his defensive qualities, Silva is more of a rock solid centre-back that you can count on - together, they will be important in pushing their markers off the ball and helping to keep clean sheets as they look to win the World Cup.

Julio Cesar - 
The last form of defence, Brazil's number 1 goalkeeper will be expected to keep his side in must-win matches throughout the tournament and not make any crucial mistakes.


Cesar will be hoping that he can lead Brazil to World Cup glory in the coming month and a half
The experienced keeper has played in important matches before, so he should not have too much trouble. But under the expectations of the entire country behind him and the rest of the team, you can never know what will happen.

Luiz Gustavo and Fernandinho - 
The defensive rocks of midfield, both midfielders boast having ability in both going forward and defending for their team. 

They will be important for the Brazillians, without them there is no real bite in the midfield, meaning that the opposition can break them down easily. Gustavo and Fernandinho are also relatively quick, which is a disadvantage for their opponents. Ramires also qualifies for this spot in the team.  

Oscar and Willian -
The creative spark in the midfield, the Chelsea duo will also play an important part in Brazil's counter attacking football at the World Cup. 

Their main job will be to create attacks from the midfield, switch the play onto the wings and feed through balls to Neymar up-top, who will then be expected to score from.
No pressure there then.

Germany -

Big guns: Germany's poster includes Ozil, Lahm and Schweinsteiger - can they finally win it?
Germany have failed to get past the semi-final stage in many World Cup finals in recent years, which they will feel frustrated by but realise that they are actually closing in on lifting the trophy itself.

FACT: Germany last won the World Cup in 1990, 24 years ago

To get to a World Cup semi-final is a huge feat, but people only remember the winners ultimately, and Germany will be equally bullish about their chances this year. 

FACT: Germany finished in third place in back-to-back World Cups, 2006 and 2010 - the only country to do that in history.

They have talent across the pitch, which is why they are one of the favourites to go all the way in this summer's tournament. The question for them is whether they can hold their nerve and do better than they have recently, despite having a great team. Will the lack of clear strikers come back to haunt them? 

This is Germany's group:
Group G - 
Germany, Portugal, Ghana and United States

Not a particularly easy group, but still a group that Germany need to dominate if they are going to have any confidence going into the knock-out stages (provided they get there).

Portugal will be the favourites to get out of the group along with Germany, unless Ghana can conjure up another cheeky surprise like they did in 2010 and shock the bigger teams. The United States have a solid team, but their opposition looks on paper to be too strong for them to compete, but who knows?  

Analysis of key players:

Manuel Neuer
Germany's number 1 goalkeeper has to be on his guard in Brazil if he is going to help his team to glory in June and July. 

Proven at the highest level, Neuer will be under pressure to do well when coming up against some of the best players in the world - one of the best goalkeepers in the world will be on display for all to see, but his clear weakness at the moment is set-pieces. If the opposition exploit the back-four (who are not exactly the fastest), Neuer could be in trouble. Interesting.

Per Mertesacker, Mats Hummels and Jerome Boateng -
The backbone of the defence, these centre-backs all have different qualities that they will be hoping that they can mix together and help contribute to the team with. 

Mertesacker has been an instrumental part of Arsenal's season this campaign, despite not being the quickest he perfectly executes sliding tackles, has a good clearance, scores headers from set-pieces and has improved significantly from last season - where he looked tentative on the ball and his first thought was to get rid of it quickly, where he was more likely to make a mistake. 

Hummels and Boateng both have similar qualities; both play in the Bundesliga for rival clubs - and both are important to their club teams. Despite having a few injuries this season, Hummels may be expected to start for Germany at the back because:

He is tactically smart and has good visual awareness to be able to find a team-mate with a pass, solid at the back and knows how to defend in tricky situations under pressure - which will be key for the national team in the important games. 

Meanwhile Boateng is an unpredictable centre-back who can also play at full-back occasionally. He sometimes gallops forward if his team are winning, he is not afraid to make a sliding tackle which could risk giving away a foul and he has good passing, which could help benefit the rest of his team-mates. 

However, Boateng is sometimes shaky at the back on the counter attack if it is a two-on-one situation (him vs two attackers for example), he does not know how to handle the scenario and gives away fouls in the process, which could lead to goals.

Toni Kroos, Mario Gotze and Mesut Ozil -
The creative spark of the team. These three attacking midfielders will play an integral part of the German side at the World Cup, because a lack of strikers means that the team will have to rely on their key players to prove their worth and show their skills to succeed. 

Kroos can play anywhere in the centre of midfield (CDM/CM/CAM), which is helpful and means that he can sit behind the likes of Gotze and Ozil in the centre of the pitch to sweep up danger behind them and win the ball in tight situations.

Gotze is more of an attacking midfielder who has been converted to a winger for Bayern - he has played well this season and has consequently been rewarded with a place on the team, but despite his flair, pace and good dribbling sometimes his ball retention is poor and he misses good chances. Hopefully he steps up to the occasion in Brazil.

Meanwhile, Ozil is probably the best attacking midfielder that Germany have, and is an important part of the team that they have. 

He destroyed England back in the World Cup of 2010, where his killer through ball passes and runs on the counter attack were too much to handle for the English defence in the second-half of the match as they walked over the Three Lions in the knock-out rounds. 

Ozil has been heavily criticized for "not turning up" in big matches this season, but I am confident that if he is given the chance to prove himself, he will do just that. 

Bastian Schweinsteiger and Phillip Lahm - 
You could never forget these two players really. Schweinsteiger and Lahm, two of the more experienced German players to still be featuring heavily in the side. 

Why? Because they are very good! Both play for Bayern, and if you have seen them this season you would understand why they have their own category. Schweinsteiger can play anywhere in the centre of midfield just like Kroos, while Lahm is traditionally a full-back who was converted into a CDM by Bayern manager Pep Guardiola this season. 

Both are solid, and good additions to any team, Schweinsteiger works like a raging bull to win the ball back for his team, while Lahm has good vision and can beat a player with skill to find a killer pass to a team-mate, or even cross the ball into the box.

They are the hub of the German team, arguably the most important players in the team.  

Watch this, from 1:00 onwards to see what I mean:


Marco Reus and Lukas Podolski - 
Two strong attacking options going forward for Germany in Reus and Podolski. 

Reus has had a great individual season for Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga, and it is no real surprise that he has been rewarded with a national call-up despite not having a lot of experience. His pace, dribbling, attacking positioning and powerful shot are all key qualities that he boasts.

Meanwhile, Podolski is almost a carbon copy. The Arsenal forward has been converted from a striker to a winger, and back to a striker again. As a winger, his crossing into the box is deadly, he can shoot from anywhere within 30 yards and he is most of all a consistent player. More experienced than Reus, but still a strong attacking option for the national side.

Hopefully both players feature. Reus is still young at 24, and looked irresistible at times during Euro 2012. Podolski meanwhile has experience, which could be beneficial for the younger players through the tournament.

Players to watch out for:

Max Meyer -
The young Schalke creative midfielder will not be expected to have much game time, but the World Cup experience will be hugely beneficial to his career. 

Playing alongside some of his heros and team-mates on the world stage, it does not get much better than the World Cup for the 18-year-old teenager, who is full of talent and is certainly one to watch in years to come. Very good young midfielder, top quality and who knows, he could receive a cameo in Brazil..

Julian Draxler - 
Another wonderkid, again from Schalke. Draxler wowed Europe with his consistent and confident performances in the Champions League this season, but has struggled with injury since the start of 2014.

Despite being out injured for 3 months, he has returned to 100% fitness and is looking encouraging as he looks to get back to the level that he was before his various injuries and knocks - which kept Schalke out of the title race in the Bundesliga.

He has been chosen as one of the 23-men to go to Brazil, despite having injury problems this season for one reason; he is a great young player, who has the potential to become world-class in a few years. 

Remember when Arsenal and Chelsea were linked with a £40million move for him earlier in the year? He'll be worth that soon.

Andre Schurrle - 
A quality forward to have in any team, Chelsea's Schurrle has booked his spot in Brazil despite not playing as much as I would have expected him to after his £20million move from Leverkusen at the start of the season.

His pace, power, agility, dribbling and clinical finishing are all great assets to have in a winger who can be converted to a striker - hopefully he features for Germany and is allowed to showcase his various skills. Very good.

Thomas Muller - 
Another good midfielder, this time from Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich. Muller is under-rated, and it actually helps his game because no-one expects him to perform as well as he does sometimes. 

He may start for Germany in their matches, depending on what formation they decide to go for, he can play in midfield, on the flanks or even in striker.

He uses his height to his advantage and has decent acceleration for his build, but sometimes fails to hit the target or fails to score opportunities which you would expect him to. 

Thursday 29 May 2014

Wonderkid #9 - Thibaut Courtois

Key: Courtois has been an integral part of Atletico Madrid's form in the last two seasons

Promising: Courtois has impressed Europe with his solid performances in the past 3 years
Quick reflexes: Courtois has established himself as one of the best goalkeepers in Europe
Hello and welcome to the ninth installment of my wonderkid series. Today, I will be analysising arguably one of the best goalkeepers on-form in Europe right now - who is currently on-loan at an in-form side in Spain from Chelsea. Who is this you ask? Thibaut Courtois. 

The young Belgian stopper has developed significantly since his arrival at Stamford Bridge was announced in July 2011 - but he is yet to make an appearance for The Blues to this day.

This is because he has been constantly sent out on-loan to previous club Atletico Madrid, who Chelsea signed him from for £7million pounds back then. 

He has recently turned 22, and he has already achieved these accomplishments in his career so far: 

  • He has won the Ricardo Zamora Trophy (the least goals conceded in Spain) in back-to-back seasons; 2012-13 and 2013-14
  • He has won the UEFA Europa League, Copa del Rey, UEFA Super Cup and a runner-up medal in the Champions League
  • He became the youngest ever goalkeeper to play for the Belgium national side after being called up in October 2011
  • He has 15 international caps for Belgium, and has played 199 matches in total for Genk and Atletico
  • He set a new Atletico Madrid record of 820 minutes without conceding a goal at the club's home ground
  • He conceded the fewest amount of goals in a substantial amount of matches this past season, helping Atletico to win their first Liga BBVA trophy since 1996 - making 70 saves and keeping 20 clean sheets from 37 matches played in the league
So what makes Courtois so good? Well, the fact that he is still young means that there is time for him to develop further - but he looks like a perfect goalkeeper.

Tall, fast, good handling and has a presence in the air. He has a good shots per game ratio, and it is fair to say that he has benefited from the loan spell he has had at Atletico Madrid since his move to Chelsea was confirmed. 

Having said that, Chelsea will have to do all they can to allow him to settle into the club - he is still young and could possibly leave the club permanently if Mourinho does not get his tactics right. 

This newspaper article just emphasises my point.

Courtois himself has already said that it would not be good if he and Cech were rivalling each other for the number 1 spot at The Blues, meaning that the likelyhood that one or the other would have to leave is high.

PSG have expressed rumoured interest in Cech, who would be reluctant to leave Chelsea so easily after being a loyal servant to them and a great goalkeeper for the London club since 2004, with 324 appearances for the side proving his importance. 

Everyone has been quick to try and compare the two goalkeepers, even though it is hard to. Courtois is 10 years younger than Cech, and looks like a ready-made replacement for the Czech keeper; youth is important in a team and even though Cech is one of the best goalkeepers to grace the Premier League in the last ten years, loaning the Belgian (Courtois) out again for another season will seem like Chelsea are being ignorant - especially as he has vastly improved as a player and major clubs including Real Madrid are watching his progress. 

Cech has been struggling with injuries this season and will be disappointed that he could not have more of a positive influence on the side, but it can be argued that the 22-year-old is the better goalkeeper on current form. He is certainly a better long-term option, and if Chelsea end up losing him then they will have literally "shot themselves in the foot."

I wish the best for Cech in the future, he is still a great goalkeeper but the big question is whether his career needs a new club or whether he will be suited to a rotation role when Courtois returns in July. 

If Courtois' achievements and recent performances are not enough to prove to Mourinho and the staff at Chelsea that he deserves to get a chance, nothing will. 

Wednesday 28 May 2014

Pochettino to Spurs - Pros, Cons and Review:

Intriguing: Pochettino has joined Spurs on a 5-year contract deal, to become their new manager
Hello again everyone and welcome to my latest blog post, where I will be reviewing both the positives and negatives of a new managerial appointment in the EPL which was confirmed on Tuesday evening. 

Spurs have confirmed to the media that they have signed a five-year contract deal with Southampton manager Mauricio Pochettino, who will therefore become their boss from the start of next season as they look to qualify for the Champions League and win some silverware in the upcoming years. 

Pochettino will earn an estimated £3.5million pounds-a-year as part of his contract. 

Chairman Daniel Levy said that his work with young English players at Southampton was key to the choice of appointing him.

Levy said: "We have a man who knows the right balance between experienced and youth - in the new world of financial fair play, that's very important. Now the hard work starts," he told Sky Sports.

Meanwhile Pochettino had this to say: "This is a club with tremendous history and prestige and I'm honoured to have been giving this opportunity. There is an abundance of top-class talent and I can't wait to start work."

It is certainly a signal of intent from Tottenham, who are desperate for silverware and a chance to challenge at the top of the table in the title battle; which has eluded them in recent years. This season just gone has to have been seen as a failure for the club, based on the vast amount of money that was spent in the transfer window, which was not spent properly. 


Here are the positives and negatives of Pochettino's arrival:
  • He will be under increasing pressure to succeed, and win the club their first trophy since Juande Ramos against Chelsea in 2008
  • He will be expected to meet targets, which may be un-realistic based on what he has achieved in the last 18 months with Southampton
  • He does speak English in public, which is a boost for the English-speaking players for Spurs who would otherwise have communication problems
  • He could be expected to try and attempt to sign players from his former club Southampton, like Clyne, Rodriguez and Schneiderlin - which could cause controversy and also help Spurs in the long-run
  • Tottenham as a club have started to get a negative reputation with managers, if they do not perform well in their first season then they are generally expected to get fired - Pochettino could have the same fate unless he gets the players' backing quickly and gets them playing good football
  • FACT: Pochettino has become Tottenham's tenth manager in the space of 13 years. Will he be a success though?
  • He has done well to help nurture the likes of Shaw, Ward-Prowse and Chambers for Southampton, so will be expected to emulate this for the London club and get the best out of players such as Lamela and Soldado who have not exactly hit the ground running as it were
  • This move could make him an even more successful manager though; playing well in the Europa League and a top 4 finish would be great for him next season
Personally I like Pochettino as a manager because he is under-rated, he gets the job done well and frankly Tottenham fans have every right to be excited by his appointment. At Southampton, he was given time to prove himself to the media, and he had no problems there. 

It is thought that he left Southampton because the club could not admit that Lallana and Shaw would stay at the club, despite being hard to keep them, the duo are prized assets and would benefit from staying at The Saints to develop.

Hopefully Southampton continue to strengthen, even if their key players end up leaving the club in the summer - it would be a shame to see the side decline despite having so much potential. Former Swansea manager Michael Laudrup and former England manager Steve McClaren are among the early favourites to join the Saints. 

His appointment back in 2012 was beneficial because he was taking over a side who were visibly confused and upset over the sacking of Nigel Adkins; he solidified the team and got them playing attractive football while having a solid back-four and clinical strikers. Hopefully he can do the same at Spurs, to prove that he is just not lucky, but in-fact skilled. 

The question remains whether or not he will get given time and patience, as taking a step up always warrants time - it's just a shame that he is leaving Southampton despite having unfinished business. Good luck Pochettino, hopefully he does well. 

Saturday 24 May 2014

UCL FINAL: Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid - LIVE Commentary

All-Spanish affair: The Champions League final will be contested tonight between Real and Atletico
Hello again everyone and welcome to my latest LIVE Commentary, where I am covering the UEFA Champions League final tonight between Spanish sides Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid.

Real will obviously be the favourites to lift their first CL trophy since 2002, but the title of underdogs seems to suit Atletico in this competition, when they are not feared they are at their most deadly. 

Atletico won the Liga BBVA title this time last week after a 1-1 draw against Barca sealed their first league title in over 10 years. Real will be desperate for revenge in a season where they could have won the quadruple. 

And here is the team line-ups and substitutions:

Real Madrid: Casillas, Carvajal, Varane, Sergio Ramos, Fabio Coentrao, Modric, Khedira, Di Maria, Bale, Benzema and Ronaldo. 

Subs: Diego Lopez, Pepe, Marcelo, Arbeloa, Morata, Isco and Illarramendi.

A strong Real Madrid side as always, but with notable absences such as Marcelo and Pepe (bench), Alonso (suspension). 

Good to see former Spurs players Modric and Bale starting for Real tonight, Ronaldo & Co will be hoping that they can win La Decima - their tenth Champions League title in history.

Atletico Madrid: Courtois, Juanfran, Miranda, Godin, Filipe Luis, Raul Garcia (Sosa 65'), Gabi, Tiago, Koke, Villa and Diego Costa (Adrian 8').

Subs not used: Aranzubia, Mario Suarez, Rodriguez, Alderweireld and Diego.

Referee: Bjorn Kuipers (Holland)

Another impressive line-up, Real's opposition are nothing to be laughed at. 

Diego Costa shakes off a knock suffered against Barcelona last weekend to start for the underdogs, with David Villa and Koke up-top next to him. 

Cristiano Ronaldo will hope that he can prove why he is one of the best players in the world tonight; back in Portugal for the final where he grew up and developed. 

19:41 - The teams have walked out onto the pitch, to a good atmosphere and loud applause from both sets of supporters. 

19:43 - The Champions League anthem is being sung, the mascots walking off the pitch and the opening ceremony has finished.


A giant sized Champions League trophy is on display in the stands before kick-off
19:45 - Awaiting the referee's whistle.. I have a feeling that this may be a tense game with a few goals, both teams are hungry for the trophy and it will come down to who wants it more on the night, who plays better overall. 


Real vs Atletico Madrid - LIVE Commentary:

1: And the referee blows the whistle. Real kick off and attempt to go straight on the attack, cleared away by Felipe Luis.

3: Foul given as Miranda jumps highest and clatters into Ronaldo, albeit accidentally. Atletico need to keep up the pressure on Real, giving them space is just an open invitation to attack, which everyone knows is not exactly the best idea.

5: A half-chance for Real - Carvajal runs down the flank and feeds a good through ball across the pitch towards Benzema, who attempts a back-flick to the feet of the incoming Bale, but Courtois reads the danger and sprints out the collect the ball.

6: Carvajal has been the one player so far who has made a significant impact on the game, despite being 6 minutes in.

Diego Costa looks uncomfortable on the ball, hinting that he is still struggling with the knock and could possibly be replaced at half-time or before the game is finished.

7: Bale gives away a free-kick after trying to win the ball in mid-air, swung into the box but well headed away by Sergio Ramos inside the Real area.

8: Atletico SUB:
Diego Costa OFF
Adrian Lopez ON

Disappointing but a sensible move by Simeone, Costa is replaced early on after struggling with the hamstring knock despite being desperate to continue. Runs down the tunnel.


Injury doubt: Costa jogs off the pitch in disappointment as he is replaced by Adrian early on
13: It's clear to see that Real Madrid are hungry for ball possession, fighting for every challenge and pressurising Atletico whenever they lose the ball. Just the final ball which is lacking at the moment.

14: A half-chance for Atletico is cleared away by Casillas after a lofted ball over the top of the Real defence by Koke is through towards the path of Adrian, but Casillas rushes out to clear the danger as instructed by the oncoming rush from Sergio Ramos.

15: Pictures show Diego Costa now sitting on the Atletico bench after being substituted 5 minutes ago, he looks upset which is understandable - Atletico need their key man.

16: Sly hint of trouble as Gabi reacts badly to Coentrao after a needless challenge, players rush towards both men concerned and the potential square-up is avoided swiftly as Atletico prepare to take a long distance free-kick.


Heated: Gabi reacts badly to a needless challenge from Coentrao early in the first-half.
20: Danger cleared by Courtois as Real break with Ronaldo and Bale running forward, the ball goes out wide to Carvajal whose attempted cross is deflected into the path of the on-loan Chelsea goalkeeper.

21: Real free-kick after Gabi trips Di Maria down on the wing, a dangerous position 25-yards out despite Coentrao angry for the referee not playing the advantage as he had the ball at his feet.

22: Modric steps up to take it, whips the ball towards the box but the delivery is poor and it swerves straight into the hands of Courtois.

23: Ramos is unhappy after a coming together with Juanfran results in one of his boots being stepped on, the referee temporarily stops play so that the Spanish defender can adjust his footing and tie his laces again.

24: Real go on the counter attack after a loose ball in the middle of midfield falls to Ronaldo, but Atletico eventually clear the danger.  

25: Atletico corner as Koke's delivery into the box is mis-kicked by Ramos over the bar and out of play for a set-piece. Koke whips a teasing cross into the box and Varane clears the danger.

26: Real go on the counter attack with Di Maria, Ronaldo and Bale running forward while Atletico are outnumbered and having to track back. 

Clever tactical foul by defensive midfielder Raul Garcia who slides in late from behind on Di Maria, the referee rushes towards the Spaniard and gives him a booking. Sergio Ramos also gets a yellow for his troubles as he confronts Garcia over the challenge.


Protest: Ramos is clearly upset as he is booked for a heated confrontation with Raul Garcia
27: Cristiano Ronaldo steps up to take the free-kick from around 25 yards out... comfortable save by Courtois. The Atletico wall did not exactly do its job, but it was not powerful enough or have any swerve to trouble the Belgian goalkeeper. 

31: Poor ball by Tiago, who gifts the ball into the path of Bale on the Real counter attack, he drifts past two Atletico defenders and cuts into the box but slots his effort wide of Courtois' goal. 

The best goal-scoring chance of the match so far, and the Welshman probably should have scored. 


Bale should have scored, after a good run past two Atletico players but his shot was lacking.
35: Atletico corner taken by Gabi into the box - partially cleared by Ramos but the ball is headed back towards goal and Casillas is wrong-footed by a Godin header..... GOAL!!!! 

Atletico take the lead thanks to a goal from Uruguayan defender Diego Godin! Two crucial goals from him in the past two weeks, and the deadlock has been broken. 


Jumping highest: Godin breaks the deadlock with a header over Casillas from a corner
Godin celebrates his second vital goal in the space of a week, first against Barca and now Real!
However, you cannot blame Casillas alone for the goal. Real failed to clear the danger and let Godin push forward unmarked, the ball was teasing and Casillas was consequently punished for coming out off his line in an effort to try and punch the delivery away.

36: Atletico's goal just proves that you need to take your chances when you get them. Real have virtually dominated throughout the first-half but have not taken their chances, while Atletico go on the counter attack and break the deadlock before half-time.

37: However, this goal will only fire up Real Madrid to react, 1-0 down before half-time.

41: CHANCE! Atletico could be 2-0 up! Another dangerous corner, this time the chance is headed over the bar by striker and substitute Adrian Lopez.

A bullet header which Casillas probably would not have reacted quickly enough to save, a let-off for Real.

45: The fourth official has signalled for just the one minute of stoppage time to be added on at the end of the first-half of play at the Estadio da Luz. 

45+1: Free-kick to Atletico near the centre circle after a lazy challenge on David Villa by Sami Khedira, who sticks a leg out and is given a yellow card aswell. Third card of the game.


What did I do? Khedira protests, but gets a yellow card for a challenge on Villa before half-time
45+1: The referee blows his whistle to end the first-half of action between the two Madrid sides. It is Atletico who lead at the break, thanks to a Godin header towards the closing stages of the first period.

Real will feel disappointed that they are trailing, but it could inspire them to perform better than they have done so far - because despite dominating the chances, they have not taken them and need to test Courtois more if they are to get back into the match. 

A 1-0 scoreline is not a good thing for Atletico either; they need at least a 2-goal cushion to feel slightly more comfortable than they are at the minute. Despite playing well, it's not over until the final whistle blows.

Atletico have played well, mainly because they have contained the threat of Ronaldo, Modric and Bale as of now. Letting Carvajal have the ball is dangerous, but not as bad as the likes of Ronaldo and Bale. 

They are pressing their men well and not giving them any space, which is effective and frustrating for their opposition. Good tactics by Simeone. 

20:48 - The referee has blown his whistle to start the second-half of action, no substitutions from either side.

47: Real have a free-kick after Modric is tripped by Gabi, the danger is then headed away.

48: Ronaldo wins the ball on the flank and passes it straight to team-mate Bale, who tries to run at his marker but is well tackled by full-back Felipe Luis as Atletico clear the ball away once again. 

50: Great defensive work by David Villa to slide in on Bale as he looks to drive forward with the ball at his feet. Real throw-in.

51: Carvajal gets the ball on the flank and beats Luis before finding Khedira in the middle with a precise pass, but his attempted through ball into the box falls into the hands of Courtois.

52: Carvajal has done well both up and down the pitch tonight, but he has not created any real goal-scoring chances for his team-mates as of yet.

53: Atletico give away another tactical foul as Di Maria is held back by Miranda after the Argentine winger weaves his way past two players and drifts towards the box. 

A free-kick from 23 yards out for Ronaldo to test Courtois, who is giving instructions to his free-kick defensive wall.

54: The resulting free-kick is hit better than the previous one by Ronaldo, but Courtois does well to react quickly and parry the ball out of play for a corner, taking the sting out of the shot. 

55: A corner is given, and the ball manages to fall to Ronaldo who has an attempted header slide past the post, not troubling Courtois.

56: Atletico corner is given after Adrian weaves his way past Carvajal on the flank before a good recovery from the Spanish full-back partially clears the danger with a sliding challenge near the touchline. 

Another corner is given after the ball falls to Adrian and his attempted shot is deflected off Khedira out of play.

57: Cameras show that Isco and Marcelo are standing on the touchline, waiting to be substituted onto the field of play. Ancelloti needs to make changes, and that's exactly what he will do. 

58: Real Madrid SUB:
Sami Khedira and Fabio Coentrao OFF - Isco and Marcelo ON

Fresh legs for Real, they need to get back into the match and quickly if they are going to test Atletico.

60: Good defending by Marcelo who blocks Juanfran's crosses twice in a row, but Atletico win the ball back and continue to keep up the pressure with Gabi on the counter attack near the flank.

61: Inviting ball by Di Maria deep into the box for the path of Ronaldo, but the danger is partially cleared away by Godin.

62: CHANCE! The goal goes begging as a decent cross from Ramos falls to Ronaldo, who jumps high but does not get a solid contact on the ball, enough to test Courtois. End-to-end action now as players start to get tired and the length pitch opens up.


64: Atletico have two corners in quick succession as they try to push players forward to pressurise Real and move away from their goal.

Good tracking back by Modric to partially clear out for another corner - the resulting corner comes of nothing as Benzema smashes the ball clear.

65: Camera shows that Atletico are ready to make their second substitution of the match:

Raul Garcia OFF - Jose Sosa ON

Smart change by Simeone, Garcia is already on a yellow card and despite having played well, he needs to bring on fresh legs.

66: Real keep up the pressure as the ball falls to Isco just outside the box, he drags his effort wide of Courtois' goal as the Belgian scrambles towards the post and happily sees the shot trickle past the post.

70: Bale is penalized after an accidental handball inside the Atletico area, a chance for brief respite for the team leading so far. 

71: Real are looking dangerous on the counter attack, the next 20 minutes or so are very important for Atletico to see whether they can hold on, or even score again. 

72: David Villa may consider himself unlucky as he is booked for an accidental clash with goalkeeper Casillas from a cross, before Bale has another chance which is wide of the mark. 

73: Yellow card yet again, this time for right-back Juanfran after a strong but slightly late tackle on Di Maria near the flank. Atletico's 4th booking of the night. 

75: 15 minutes left plus stoppages for Real to respond, 1-0 down and you can sense that the supporters are starting to get frustrated. 

Atletico are happy to gallop up the pitch with the ball if it means that they get respite from having to constant defend, but Real have had too many chances and need to at least equalise sooner or later if they are to give themselves a decent chance of getting back into the match. 

77: CHANCE! Another chance bites the dust for Real Madrid, Bale goes on the counter attack bursting past his marker from the flank. 

Instead of crossing the ball into the box or passing to a team-mate, the Welshman goes for goal himself and has his effort fly into the side-netting as Courtois dives to make sure the ball doesn't beat him and go into the net. 

79: Real are making their last substitution: 
Karim Benzema OFF - Alvaro Morata ON

80: Great sliding challenge by Godin to deny Isco from taking a shot on goal six yards out, if Atletico win tonight then he will be my Man Of The Match - no doubt about that. 

Carvajal crosses the ball into the box, Isco with a great touch to control the delivery but Godin did very well to challenge.

83: Atletico also making their last sub of the match: 

Felipe Luis OFF - Toby Alderweireld ON

84: Another inviting delivery into the box by Real, this time from Marcelo but the ball goes past everyone before Carvajal crosses the ball back into the area, as Courtois comes out to collect. 

85: Great defending by Atletico, solid at the back but the question is whether they can keep it up for the last few minutes plus stoppages. 

Real have looked brighter ever since Isco was brought on, he should have started ahead of Khedira in my opinion. 

87: Di Maria has a free-kick from 25 yards out cleared away by the Atletico defence, after Koke is booked for kicking the ball away to waste time when Modric is fouled.

88: Cameras show Simeone is desperately trying to encourage the Atletico supporters to get behind their team for the final few minutes.

89: Good tactical play by David Villa who gets in-between Ramos and Modric before getting sandwiched and wins a free-kick. 

90: The fourth official signals for 5 minutes of stoppage time to be added on at the end of a tense final. 5 minutes for Real to salvage extra time - 5 minutes for Atletico to hold on, for their first ever Champions League title win.

90+1: Real push men forward as they search for a late equaliser, a ball by Carvajal into the box is cleared away by Miranda who smashes the danger away for a throw-in, quickly taken.

90+2: Another cross into the box is well defended by the Atletico players, for a corner. 

90+3: GOAL! Another corner is whipped into the box, headed powerfully downwards by Sergio Ramos, accurately curled into the bottom corner of the net. 


Late equaliser: Ramos makes it 1-1 in the 93rd minute with an accurate header past Courtois
Unbelievable! Just a few minutes away from Champions League glory, Atletico cruelly have the lead slip away from their grasp with a last-gasp header. 1-1, Real have the momentum going forward in extra time but Atletico are unpredictable.
Unpredictable source: Ramos celebrates his last-gasp equaliser to make it 1-1.
90+4: Real are keen to keep the ball, they are happy for extra time now. 

90+5: The referee blows his whistle to end the 90 minutes of football. Extra time to be played, 1-1 thanks to two headers from two defenders - Godin and Ramos either side of half-time.

21:44 - The referee blows his whistle to start the first period of extra time, which is 15 minutes long each way. No substitutions left for either side now. 

90: Real Madrid get the first period of extra-time underway.

94: Atletico right-back Juanfran goes down under the challenge of Real's substitute striker Morata, being left on the ground.

He looks uncomfortable initally, but stands tall when his team-mates gather around him and try to encourage him to carry on, otherwise they will go down to ten men. 

96: Ronaldo is struggling with cramp, being helped by Bale with a stretch on his hamstring. 

97: Atletico initally struggle to clear the danger as Real push forward with the ball, constantly looking dangerous. 

99: Yellow card given to Atletico midfielder Gabi after he slides in late on Marcelo, 30 yards out. 6th booking from an Atletico player tonight.

100: Ronaldo steps up to take his third free-kick of the night, and his effort is deflected by the wall out for a corner. 

101: Resulting corner comes of nothing as Real clear, despite protests by Ronaldo who claims that the ball struck Gabi on his hand as the free-kick was taken. 

102: Ronaldo was right aswell, the ball did hit Gabi's hand but it would have been hard to give a penalty, especially because the referee did not see it and it was from an awkward angle. 

Atletico should count themselves slightly lucky to get away with that one, though. 

104: Real hold the play up as they look to close out the first period of extra time, after a culmination of fouls result in a hint of tentativeness from some of the players. 

105: The fourth official signals for just one minute of stoppage time to be added on at the end of the first period, as Real go on the counter attack thanks to a good pass-and-move between Modric, Morata and Isco.

106: The referee blows his whistle, the scoreline is still 1-1 though. 15 minutes remain, both sets of players are starting to get tired and penalties seem as if they are looming.

22:03 - Second period of extra-time begins, 15 minutes left for one of these sides to get ahead of the other or risk the reality of penalties. 

108: Good save by Courtois, followed by another comfortable catch from Casillas at the other end a moment or two later after a set-piece was driven into the box.

110: GOAL! Real go on the counter attack yet again and they eventually make Atletico pay, as Di Maria cuts inside the box and takes a strike at goal which is parried away by Courtois, falls into the path of Bale who jumps ahead of his marker to head into the empty net and make it 2-1.  

Heads I score: Bale headed Real into a 2-1 lead with 10 minutes to play.
Pure jubilation: After a night of missed chances and failing to score, Bale celebrates his goal
111: Atletico cannot believe it. 1-0 up, with seconds to play and now they are facing defeat in the worst possible manner. Played well, fought valiantly and it may not be enough to seal their first Champions League title. 

112: Real well and truly have the momentum now, they'll move forward and look to score again. 

117: GOAL! Marcelo drifts into the box and takes his chance clinically, putting Ronaldo and Bale to shame with a cooly slotted strike past Courtois into the bottom corner of the net.

118: Marcelo is then booked for taking his shirt off, he is celebrating madly and so are the rest of the Real camp.

119: PENALTY! This is all too much for Atletico. Gabi trips Ronaldo inside the area and the referee has no choice but to point to the spot. 

120: Ronaldo steps up to take it... and scores. Sends Courtois the wrong way with a cool finish into the net, before celebrating by taking off his shirt and showing off his muscular physique. 

120+1: No real stoppage time to be played, but it seems as if there will be some added time as the referee rushes towards an incident near the centre-circle, where Atletico manager Diego Simeone has reacted angrily to something that Real defender Varane has done. 

120+3: Play resumes and the referee blows his whistle for full-time in a great final which finished controversially. 

Atletico were unlucky not to win the match after 90 minutes, just a few minutes away from Champions League glory over an hour ago but Real pressed and pressed for the equaliser - ever since then they had the momentum to carry on and push for their illustrious "La Decima."

22:40 - The UEFA Champions League trophy is finally presented to this season's winners, Real Madrid. 

Congratulations to the Kings of Europe this season - they have deserved it over this campaign but Atletico were unlucky not to be celebrating as their opponents are at the moment.

Champions of Europe once again: Real Madrid celebrate their 10th CL title win.