UEFA Champions League Preview (Matchday 2): Group D

Diego Costa of Atletico Madrid and Cristiano Ronaldo of Juventus walk out onto the pitch prior to the UEFA Champions League group D match between Atletico Madrid and Juventus at Wanda Metropolitano on September 18, 2019 in Madrid, Spain.

(Sept. 17, 2019 - Source: ANGEL MARTINEZ/Getty Images Europe)

Group D

Juventus vs Bayer Leverkusen– Tuesday, 01 October 2019

There is nothing more that Cristiano Ronaldo cherishes other than competition. The awarding of FIFA’s The Best Male Player Award for 2019 to Messi could have possibly poked the 34-year-old Portuguese legend to push himself to the limit once more. A 5-5 tie on such awards sounded a decent end to their decade long rivalry but with the scale now tipped 6-5 to Messi, best believe the all-time record scorer in the Champions League is preparing to fire himself and Juve to a coveted UCL title. After all, that’s what the Old Lady signed him for.

Bayer Leverkusen have since recovered from a shocking loss at home to Lokomotiv Moskva in the Champions League and also recorded some decent results in the league that have seen them rise to 6th in the Bundesliga, only a point off leaders Bayern. However, against Juve and Ronaldo in Turin who are yet to win in the UCL this season, it’s hard to see them get a result.

Lokomotiv Moskva vs Atletico Madrid– Tuesday, 01 October 2019

Just how good is Thomas Partey? The Ghanaian international was the best player on the pitch over the weekend as Real and Atletico battled to a 0-0 draw in the Madrid derby at Wanda Metropolitano. On a night such as that one, he looked a combination of Sergio Busquets and N’golo Kante and Atleti would be hoping he carries that form into the Tuesday clash in Russia.

Teenage sensation, Joao Felix has also settled in well at Rojiblancos and looks quite dangerous every-time he gets the ball. Simeone and his men are going for all 3 points at Group D topping Lokomotiv Moskva as they look for their first win this campaign after a 2-2 draw against Juve on opening night. Lokomotiv Moskva themselves beat fellow champions league representatives, Zenit 1-0 over the weekend and are just 2 points off table-topping CSKA Moscow after 11 matches.

UEFA Champions League Preview (Matchday 1): Group D

Cristiano Ronaldo of Juventus scores the opening goal during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 Second Leg match between Juventus and Club de Atletico Madrid at Allianz Stadium on March 12, 2019 in Turin, Italy.

(March 11, 2019 - Source: Getty Images Europe)

Atletico Madrid vs Juventus- Wednesday 19 September 2019

Two European giants who haven’t hit the right form in the new season square-off. Atletico Madrid slumped to their first defeat of the La Liga season, a 2-0 loss to Real Sociedad while Juve were quite lucky to get a point at Fiorentina. Diego Simeone’s men will particularly be interested in getting one over Ronaldo and the Old Lady who knocked them out of last season’s champions league in the round-of-16 on a 3-2 aggregate scoreline. Wanda Metropolitano will likely be hostile to Ronaldo who mockingly returned a cojones celebration after scoring the three goals that saw Atleti out, and at the same time hoping their new star Joao Felix can stand-up to challenge the heroics of his aforementioned compatriot.

Bayer Leverkusen vs Lokomotiv Moscow- Wednesday 19 September 2019

Leverkusen vs Lokomotiv might be the most unpredictable fixture of the round. The Bundesliga giants have had a mixed start to the season, worse off a 4-0 loss at the hands of the Dortmund over the weekend that confined them to an 8th position on the log. On the other hand, the Russian Premier League side haven’t done bad at all, sitting just 3 points off the top after 9 games. They are actually very capable of leaving Germany with all 3 points. Former West Brom’s Grzegorz Krychowiak and highly rated Kai Havertz will surely form an interesting midfield battle.

Are we witnessing the resurgence of the Italian Serie A?

Gianluigi Buffon (L) and Matthijs de Ligt (R) of Juventus are seen on arrival at the stadium prior to the International Champions Cup match between Juventus and FC Internazionale at the Nanjing Olympic Center Stadium on July 24, 2019 in Nanjing, China.

(July 23, 2019 - Source: Getty Images AsiaPac)

Can the Serie A really become more competitive?

Often considered to be one of the top five leagues in the world, conversations about the Serie A have continued to escalate in recent times. The attention towards the league has been vastly heightened by the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo at the start of the 2018/2019 season. Ronaldo’s arrival has somewhat caused some more traction and attracted more players to come to Italy to compete. Now, with another Serie A season already here, one can’t help but wonder whether the upcoming season will be a matter of same champions, just a different season, or will the other teams step up to finally dethrone Juventus off their title. Furthermore, much will be expected from the Italian teams, particularly those participating in the UEFA Champions League, as they will be looking to bring home the trophy which has remained elusive for Italian teams for the past nine seasons. Below we have a look at the evolution of the league and possible outcomes from the new season.

One player can make all the difference

It is without a doubt that the Serie A has been gradually developing. One might be fooled to think that the league is not growing as Juventus continue to be the favorites to win every title on offer. However, that aside, one can argue that the league is growing for a number of different reasons. It is easy to underplay the effect that Ronaldo’s signing has had on Juventus and even the league. The best players are attracted to other top players, it makes the league better and more competitive. Firstly, the arrival of one of the top two best players in the world in Cristiano Ronaldo shows the progressive nature of the league, as well as its ability to attract high quality players to the top flight. Undoubtedly, Ronaldo’s arrival in Italy has had many ripple effects for the league, many of which are positive. His arrival has further attracted more big name players with the likes of Matthijs De Ligt, Romelu Lukaku, Aaron Ramsey, Danilo, Diego Godin and even the veteran Franck Ribery, just to name a few. The presence of more quality players in the league will improve the competition for the league title amongst the teams, bring in more merchandise and TV money as well as provide fans with high quality football entertainment. Therefore, reasons or factors such as the above are proof of the league’s growth.

Juan Cuadrado (L) of Juventus is challenged by Marten De Roon of Atalanta during the Serie A match between Juventus and Atalanta BC on May 19, 2019 in Turin, Italy.

(May 18, 2019 - Source: Getty Images Europe)

How ready are the Serie A’s top sides in challenging for the Champions League?

Juventus

​Many expected that the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo to Juventus would help the team finally bring the Champions League title back to Turin, but the Old Lady’s misfortunes in the tournament continued as they were put to the sword by Ajax Amsterdam in the quarterfinals of the tournament last season. Nevertheless, the main agenda for the new season is no different for this Juventus side as the UEFA Champions League title remains the ultimate goal for them. To this end, the team has made a number of changes in a bid to ready the squad for the new Champions League season. In a move that is surely to change the team’s style of play, Juventus brought in Maurizio Sarri to replace Massimiliano Allegri who left at the end of last season. The team has further been quite busy in the transfer market, signing Aaron Ramsey and Adrien Rabiot to beef up the midfield and improve the creativity in the belly of the park. Furthermore, Juve has also strengthened the team’s defence with the capture of one of the most sought after signings of the summer in Matthijs De Ligt, as well as the swap deal involving the signing of Danilo who came in place of Joao Cancelo. Combine that with the experience of Gianluiggi Buffon, as well as the presence of seasoned players like Ronaldo, Higuain and Mario Mandzukic, Juve surely have the ammunition to go all the way and win this season’s Champions League. But team depth is not the only puzzle to glory. The arrival of Maurizio Sarri is an interesting factor that can have an upside and downside. Others are worried that Sarri could take some time to settle in at Juve, and his new players may initially have problems adapting to his methods. The 60-year-old has no experience of winning top-flight titles, although he did lead Chelsea to Europa League glory last term. It therefore remains to be seen whether Sarriball will provide the right tonic and help finally bring the Champions League title to Turin for the first time in 23 years.

Rodrigo Bentancur (L) of Juventus and Nicolo Zaniolo of Roma compete for the ball during the Serie A match between Juventus and AS Roma on December 22, 2018 in Turin, Italy.

(Dec. 21, 2018 - Source: Tullio M. Puglia/Getty Images Europe)

AS Roma

AS Roma are in another period of transition under new manager Paulo Fonseca and the Portuguese boss is imprinting a new style upon them. The Giallorossi did poorly for their standards last season and finished sixth. Furthermore, the team waved goodbye to one of its greatest legends in Daniel De Rossi, leaving the team with a huge void to fill in terms of leadership and overall quality in the team. This season, Roma bolstered its defense with the acquisition of Leonardo Spinazzola and Gianluca Mancini. In addition, Bryan Cristante, who enjoyed success at Atalanta is expected to spearhead the midfield. Having had one of the most porous back-lines in Serie A last season, the team has also brought in a centre back, Gianluca Mancini from Atalanta who has big shoes to fill following the departure of Manolas. Moreover, the team should be pleased by the news that Edin Dzeko’s future is now sorted and the player is staying put for another season. AS Roma also received a further boost last week when Italian midfield sensation Nicolò Zaniolo penned a new five-year deal with the club. All in all, Roma’s primary focus will be fighting for a top four position and perhaps a round of sixteen qualification in the Champions League in the season following the current one.

“Juventus hired Sarri to guide them to Champions League glory, while Inter brought in the services of another former Chelsea coach in Antonio Conte. AS Roma captured the services of former Shakhtar Donetsk coach Paulo Fonseca. Only Carlo Ancelotti at Napoli and the highly impressive Gian Piero Gasperini, who led Atalanta to third position, remain unchanged.”

— Siphosethu Thwala, FirstTouch Africa

Supporters of Inter Milan during the UEFA Champions League Semi Final First Leg match between Inter Milan and Barcelona at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on April 20, 2010 in Milan, Italy.

(April 19, 2010 - Source: Claudio Villa/Getty Images Europe)

Inter Milan

Inter seem to have taken serious measures to help the team get back to challenging for league honours. Firstly, the appointment of former Chelsea coach in Antonio Conte to replace Luciano Spalletti by the board is a statement of inten. Next to this, Inter snatched the signing of former Man United forward, Romelu Lukaku, beating rivals Juventus to his signature. Furthermore, the Nerazurri have also been able to add some experience defensively by signing former Atletico Madrid defender in Diego Godin who boasts loads of years of Champions League experience. The team further acquired the services of Nicolo Barella, Valentino Lazaro, Stefano Sensi and now imminently Alexis Sanchez, all who are expected to play a big part in this reinvented Inter squad this season. With Conte at the helm, this Inter team will most certainly be challenging for league honours and they seem to be one of the sides that can push Juventus all the way for the title.

Napoli

Napoli’s defence looks solid as a rock after their summer capture of Kostas Manolas from Roma. The Greek international will form a formidable centre-half partnership with the dependable Kalidou Koulibaly as coach Carlo Ancelotti plots to bring the league title to the city for the first time in 29 years. Napoli’s transfer window has been the quietest of the big teams in Serie A, but that doesn’t mean they were unsuccessful. The signing of Kostas Manolas gives them one of the world’s most formidable center back pairing. The rest of the world already had to deal with Napoli’s elite attack, but now they’ll also have to find ways to score against a defence that features Manolas and Kalidou Koulibaly. That will be an unbelievably difficult task for any team. That move, coupled with the continued development of young talents like Fabian Ruiz, Alex Meret, and Arkadiusz Milik should make them a formidable opponent for anybody next season. Should we even mention the arrival of the dynamic Hirving Lozano?

Atalanta

The undisputed surprise packages of the 2018/2019 Serie A season. Atalanta finished third last season, the best ever in the club’s history. The pessimist out there would argue that the only place to go for them this season is down. Contrary to this, the optimists see an opportunity for more success. Most attribute the club’s success in recent times is to the team’s ability to produce youth players in abundance. Atalanta, however, have also gotten older and more experienced. In addition to striker Duvan Zapata, Gian Piero Gasperini’s men feature several newcomers in strikers Luis Muriel and midfielder Rusian Malinovskyi. This will allow the team to remain competitive both in the league and the Champions League group stages that begins next month. With their attack stronger than ever, there’s no limit to this team’s potential as they continue to shock teams across Italy. Many believe that the departure of young central defender Gianluca Mancini left a huge vacuum in their back-line that hasn’t been properly filled as of yet. Though Atalanta have been almost inactive in this transfer window, the fact that they kept a talented core together should be enough for Gian Piero Gasperini’s men to have a decent run in their maiden appearance in Europe’s biggest tournament.

Atalanta BC coach Gian Piero Gasperini looks on during the Serie A match between Atalanta BC and UC Sampdoria at Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia on October 7, 2018 in Bergamo, Italy.

(Oct. 6, 2018 - Source: Emilio Andreoli/Getty Images Europe)

Luring in the best gaffers

There has been a considerable number of coaching changes in the Serie A this off season. Interestingly, four of the teams that finished in the top six last year appointed new managers. Juventus hired Sarri to guide them to Champions League glory, while Inter brought in the services of another former Chelsea coach in Antonio Conte. AS Roma captured the services of former Shakhtar Donetsk coach Paulo Fonseca. Only Carlo Ancelotti at Napoli and the highly impressive Gian Piero Gasperini, who led Atalanta to third position, remain unchanged. These factors are likely to be key and become a determining factor regarding who walks away with the Serie A title come May 2020.

On paper, it looks likely to be a three-horse race for the honours this season with perennial runners-up Napoli as well as Inter, likely to push Juventus all the way. With more world class players being drawn to the league each passing season, the attractiveness of this league is moving at lighting speed. Now with all said and done, this Serie A campaign might just be one of the most exciting in years and better still, the only way for this league seems to be all the way up! Who’re you’re vouching for?

Are Juventus Serie A Favorites?

Matthijs de Ligt of Juventus and Marcelo Brozovic of FC Internazionale talk prior to the International Champions Cup match between Juventus and FC Internazionale at the Nanjing Olympic Center Stadium on July 24, 2019 in Nanjing, China.

(July 23, 2019 - Source: Getty Images AsiaPac)

Forza Juve

They have had a great run, haven’t they? Eight Scudettos on the spin, one of which was won in that impressive 2011/12 campaign where they finished the entire season unbeaten. More profoundly, they have done it with three different managers in those 8 years, meaning it’s not just a result of one gaffer’s magic but perhaps the ageless spirit and wisdom of the Old Lady of Turin. Come to think of it, why were they nicknamed the Old Lady? Legend says it’s an ironic joke for their name Juventus, which means youth in Latin and also for notably sticking to some old players even up to date. Lady comes from how their fans love Juve as they would their better halves. Well, without turning this into an Italian history lesson, let’s chew the meat at hand. Yes, they have been dominant but rendered the Serie A less interesting to watch in that space of time.

Everyone wants some, “I didn’t see that coming” moments, for instance Leicester City’s historic 2014/15 Premier League title win. Fortunate enough for us lovers of the thrills and spills of the game, taking into account the events that have transpired over the summer, there seems to be a more realistic prospect of the Italian Serie A title changing hands, after close to a decade.

I hope I have piqued your interest because am going to get straight into it.

Cristiano Ronaldo of Juventus celebrates scoring his side's second goal during the International Champions Cup match between Juventus and Tottenham Hotspur at the Singapore National Stadium on July 21, 2019 in Singapore.

(July 20, 2019 - Source: Getty Images AsiaPac)

Addio (Goodbye) Allegri

The first fortunate factor that could favor the other bold Italian giants in their quest for a rare Serie A title, is actually self-inflicted by Juve. Them, parting ways with manager Massimiliano Allegri at the beginning of the summer hinted on what their priorities are at this point in time. It’s clearly not to win another Scudetto. The Italian had been a real clutch, taking over from Conte in 2014 and doing just enough to continue that impressive title winning run coupled with leading them to two Champions League finals in a space of three years. But the writing is on the wall, they are pricing another piece of silverware above the honor of becoming Italian champions, a UEFA Champions League crown they last laid their hands on, 23 years before today. No wonder they have had the privilege to pick and drop most of the finest rising and established Italian gaffers to do try and do that job in recent years with no success.

More evidence to support this cause states that the big money acquisitions of five time Balon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo (Mr. Champions League) from Real Madrid, suiting up Aaron Ramsey with hefty wages, the capture of Mathijs de Ligt for the third most expensive fee for a defender and recently the charge to try and prize Romelu Lukaku away from Manchester United amongst others. They had been winning Scudettos without spending a lot but specialising in signing some of Europe’s top talent on free transfers. All of sudden, they feel the need to. More concretely, Juve know that it could probably take a century to have another Ronaldo in world football and the need to utilise this unique opportunity before the soon 35-year-old can hang up his boots. They’ve had the first strike at the UEFA crown and the second one called 2019/20 could be the last. In short, they really like Italian but need some more European flavour which could loosen their hold on the domestic title and give room for the likes of Napoli and Inter Milan to pounce. What else has happened over the summer?

“They came, went abroad, saw and conquered, now the three Italian stallions in Sarri, Conte and Ancelotti have returned to headline a looming war for supremacy on home soil. With the silent and potentially dangerous stakeholders that also include the fast-rising Atalanta, AC Milan and AS Roma, the 2019/20 Italian Serie A season could be the best we have seen in quite a long time.”

— Dennis Takaendesa, FirstTouch Africa

The Italian Job

So their new gaffer is Maurizio Sarri, a highly rated manager who has just won his first ever title with Chelsea in the recent 2018/19 season. A European crown, not the one Juve are craving but the sister, the UEFA Europa League title. Meaning the 60-year-old has bare minimum experience but less likely enough to help them maintain their foothold in Italy, as well as conquer Europe. Sarri’s “stubborn methods” came under a lot of fire in England as they seemed to suggest he needed more time to properly mold Chelsea to his vision, though doing considerably well in the end. Securing a champions league qualification for the Blues and winning some silverware. Now, that could be the same scenario at Juve, but does he have enough time? Considering the conversation we have just had, probably not.

But let’s look at how he could possibly set-up his team.

Juve’s predicted line-up

No doubt it’s a pretty strong 4-3-3 outfit (Sarri’s favorite formation), with the vastly experienced Buffon and long-time servant of the club returning from Paris to gang up with Ronaldo and company, there is hardly no better option in goal than the 41-year-old, who seemingly has the UEFA crown standing between him and retirement. With Mathijs De Ligt who captained Ajax to a Champions League semi-final in the previous campaign and meticulous Chiellini forming a centre-back pairing, they have the right mix of youth and experience. Alex Sandro and possibly Danilo on the left and right-back positions, provide some decent cover for the flanks and it’s in the midfield where it gets more interesting. Pjanic who has similar qualities as Sarri’s beloved Jorginho could retain his role alongside the dynamic Aaron Ramsey and the towering Adrien Rabiot who arrived from Paris St Germain in the summer. Up front, Gonzalo Higuain who just returned from a loan move at Chelsea, coincidentally with Maurizio whom he will work with for the third time dating back to their first meeting at Napoli; could finally get his chance to properly thrive at Juve. He would undoubtedly be flanked by the legendary Ronaldo and Bernardeschi. Another option would be the fluid Dybala but options is what they have in abundance with Matuidi, Samir Khedira, Douglas Costa and many more also looking to break into Sarri’s side.

It’s clear that this unit would be among Europe’s top 0.01%. But with the challenge of also managing egos of highly prized individuals falling onto Sarri’s plate, that won’t be any consolation for the Old Lady faithful who witnessed his fall out with Kepa Arrizabalaga in Chelsea’s Carabao Cup final defeat against Manchester City in February 2019. One consolation however is that the Italian is unproven on home soil and could be on a personal mission to edge his name among the best by winning the domestic title and the much need Champions League in one swoop.

But still, it’s not all that happened over the summer. The next factors have nothing to do with Juve but everything to do with the threats that are gunning for their domestic throne.

Antonio Conte and Inter Milan

No one knows Conte better than Juve themselves. During his 3 years at Turin, the 50-year-old impressively won three Serie A titles and two Suppercopa Italiana. Aside from the Old Lady, we all know him as the highly tactical serial winner who always has something up his sleeve. Here’s a history lesson for you. In his first season at Chelsea, up against inarguably Europe’s best gaffers that included Jurgen Klopp, Pep Guardiola, Jose Mourinho and Arsene Wenger, he came out on top to win the 2016/17 English Premier League title. He didn’t have the best of squads as compared to his foes but after three consecutive defeats in the opening stages of the season, Conte employed some tactical tweaks that saw him and the Blues win 13 games on the bounce and race to the finish line. His methods led to the 3-5-2 formation craze and variation that we have seen in recent years. Even when he came under scrutiny for his dealings with Chelsea players off the pitch and the supposed “boring style” of play, the Italian still got results. He wrapped up his disputed final season in England with an FA Cup win in the 2017/18 season, beating the Special One, Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United in the final.

In light of Conte’s brief bio above, its apparent what kind challenge Juve will get from Inter Milan. He is arguably the most experienced and highly proven gaffer in the league right now. Even more, he doesn’t have a bad squad to transmit his ideas through.

Let us also do justice and briefly look at how Inter could line up and cause Juve and everyone else some problems.

Inter’s predicted line-up

They are clearly not void of talent and experience as well. The possible defensive line up that would have Skriniar, de Vrij and Ghana’s Kwado Asamoah looks quite decent and arguably far even better than the Victor Moses, Gary Cahill, Azplicuetta unit he used to do the Chelsea job excellently. With the warrior and come-back kid, Brozovic, likely to play a key role in midfield and Politano or Ivan Perisic on either wings, they won’t be short of offensive options. Even better, there is mooted interest and likelihood of the Belgian, Romelu Lukaku joining the side from Manchester United which would also bolster the attack.

The transfer window is still open for Inter and the rest of Europe for at least 20 more days and some possible additions could make them even more interesting. For now, one thing is sure, Inter have good squad to try and match Juve and under the guidance of Conte who’s proved to be highly versatile when it comes to tactics, frustrating and annihilating opposition’s strengths; there’s a realistic chance of beating Juve to the 2019/20 Scudetto.

It’s not just the blue and black stripped warriors, there’s one more.

Carlo Ancelotti and Napoli

Kalidou Koulibaly of SSC Napoli vies Cristiano Ronaldo of Juventus during the Serie A match between SSC Napoli and Juventus at Stadio San Paolo on March 3, 2019 in Naples, Italy.

(March 2, 2019 - Source: Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images Europe)

For the Naples citizens, it surely must be now personal for them. That thing of Juve winning consecutive Serie A titles. Napoli last won a Serie A title in the 1989/90 season. What’s even worse is that they have come so near yet so far on many occasions, starting ever so well and the Old Lady snatching the trophy in the closing stages. In the previous two seasons under Maurizio Sarri and former Real Madrid and Bayern Munich manager in Ancelotti, they have finished second. They are clearly looking up to what’s beyond that ceiling and very much eager to achieve something tangible with the excellent crop of players they currently have at their disposal. Napoli might have narrowly missed out on Nicolas Pepe who moved to Arsenal in a record-breaking deal but still have an awful lot of quality to get the job done. With additions coming in the form of the Greek defender, Manolas who will partner Koulibaly. It’s a nightmare defense. One that’s foundation to winning titles.

With that in mind, let’s actually organize them and predict how Ancelotti might organize his charges to challenge both Inter Milan, Juve or any other underdogs we could be sleeping on.

Napoli’s predicted line-up

They have real quality players in perhaps not all but the most essential areas. With the best defender in the world in my humble opinion, Senegal’s Kalidou Koulibaly leading from the back, they still retain one of division’s top defences. Fabian Ruiz who emerged as one of the top players as he and Spain clinched the 2019 UEFA U-21 European Championship will undoubtedly be back for business and eager replicate that form, supported by the once Manchester City linked, Allan in midfield. The quick and diminutive cutting edge duo of Dries Mertens, Lorenzo Insigne and Milik need no introduction and will no doubt return to terrorise defences.

Apart from new signings that could still be added to the team, Napoli finished trophy-less last season but very much showed they possess the pedigree to beat anyone or achieve anything on their day. It’s just the need to do it on a more consistent basis. For instance, after upsetting PSG and eventual champions Liverpool in the 2018/19 UEFA Champions League group stages, Napoli were unlucky to miss out on the round-of-16 spots. Only the goal difference separated them and Jurgen Klopp’s men.

Final note

They came, went abroad, saw and conquered, now the three Italian stallions in Sarri, Conte and Ancelotti have returned to headline a looming war for supremacy on home soil. With the silent and potentially dangerous stakeholders that also include the fast rising Atalanta, AC Milan and AS Roma, the 2019/20 Italian Serie A season could be the best we have seen in quite a long time.

Who are you rooting for? Tell us in the comment section below and share with your friends on social media to get the conversation going.

If Juventus lose the Champions League, is their season a failure?

If Juventus lose CL, is their season a failure?

Winning trophies is the hallmark of success for any football club around the world, and the dream for any budding or ageing professional player. Even to fans, it’s the foundation of “my club is better than yours,” conversations. Now, the question at hand is not about just winning silverware, the club understudy has so many of them, winning almost every other season. In fact, Juve are currently 18 points clear of the Italian Serie A league standings, on-course to win their 8th consecutive title since the 2011/12 season. But there is something about getting the same result/outcome, over and over again. It begs for the need to distinguish stability from stagnation, a fine line between success and comfort with mediocrity. Especially when all other factors remain constant. Let’s explore what this means for the Italian Serie A champions and hopefully get enough perspective to form an informed opinion about the club.

Champions League, where art thou?

Andrea Pirlo of Juventus looks dejected with team mates after the UEFA Champions League Final between Juventus and FC Barcelona at Olympiastadion on June 6, 2015 in Berlin, Germany.

(June 6, 2015 - Source: Matthias Hangst/Getty Images Europe)

The Old Lady of Turin last won Europe’s most coveted club trophy back in 1996. In other terms, Real Madrid’s Marco Asensio came into this world, grew up and won two UEFA Champions League titles in the same period. They have since appeared a total of 17 times, reached the final 4 times but with no success. Who haven’t they had as part of the troopers and coaching staff to help bring the coveted trophy home? The mighty Gianluigi Buffon exchanged the black and white for the Parisians’ colors in the summer of 2018 with the hope of finally securing this elusive trophy that has seemed to resist the wind and pursuits of the Old Lady. Just like a high school crush who does not only dislike the pursuing guy but hate his guts. All of Carlos Tevez, Arturo Vidal and even the legendary Andreas Pirlo wore the Juve colors and left them without getting their hands on the UCL trophy. Carlo Ancelotti, Fabio Capello, the 2018 world cup winner in Didier Deschamps, Giancarlo Corradini, Claudio Ranieri, Ciro Ferrara, Alberto Zaccheroni, Luigi Delneri and Antonio Conte are all of the managers who tried and failed to break the champions league duck since 1996.

The discussion to consider Juventus’ position with regards to champions league triumph becomes even more important in light of their potential or assumed status in global footballing affairs. Even a historic invincible 2011/12 season, where they won the Scudetto without losing a single game, the second club after Arsenal to achieve such a feat in the 21st century, is not enough to excuse them for their “apathy” of European silver.

“The mighty Gianluigi Buffon exchanged the black and white for the Parisians’ colors in the summer of 2018 with the hope of finally securing this elusive trophy that has seemed to resist the wind and pursuits of the Old Lady. Just like a high school crush who does not only dislike the pursuing guy but hate his guts. ”

— Dennis Takaendesa, FirstTouch Africa

To be considered as a now great club, not just a museum like artefact with flowery history, you need some success at the continental stage, not just on national level. Even the highly funded Paris St Germain with the two most expensive footballers in their squad in Neymar and Mbappe are less revered, simply because they haven’t won the champions league since their inception. It is one of the foremost reasons why the French Ligue 1 is called the “farmers league” by banter fans. Of course you can understand such mockery given that PSG have won the domestic title five times in the past seven seasons, but consistently failed to reach even the semi-finals of the continental cup. At this rate of domestic dominance and failure on the continental level by the Old Lady, the Italian Serie A might as well be a present day farmers league. Should you travel around the world, the Juve black and white is one of the least worn shirts amongst those considered to be top clubs. Manchester United, Real Madrid and Barcelona all have larger fan bases than the Italian club, because memories of success at the highest level, the UEFA Champions League are still fresh in people’s memories. Even after receiving a boost of more than 6 million new Instagram followers upon the arrival or Ronaldo, Juve are still shy of the followership of the above mentioned clubs irrespective of their impressive trophy records.

The reason why this season could be the mark of failure

Cristiano Ronaldo of Juventus scores a penalty (3-0) during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 Second Leg match between Juventus and Club de Atletico Madrid at Allianz Stadium on March 12, 2019 in Turin, .

(March 11, 2019 - Source: Getty Images Europe)

As established earlier on, the Turin club haven’t won the champions league for almost 23 years now; why is it even more important that they win it now? The answer is one name, Cristiano Ronaldo. The 34-year-old Portuguese is undeniably one of the greatest players of all time. Him and Barcelona’s Lionel Messi are the kind of players you may get once in a century.

With Juve 2-0 down after the first leg of the 2018/19 UEFA Champions League round of 16 clash against Atletico Madrid, courtesy of the Los Rojiblancos’ “cojones” according to their gaffer, Diego Simeone and in part as a result of some less successful tactics by Massimiliano Allegri – he came alive. They needed to score three goals without conceding against a club that concedes once in a dozen years. Of course it’s an exaggerated analogy. He believed he could do it, everyone counted on him to do it and he did it. The Portuguese captain jumped highest to initially convert Bernadeschi’s lofted cross into the box, pulled the same trick again to head past Jan Oblak to put the home team level on aggregate. Upon receiving the responsibility of taking a late penalty, we all knew it was over for Atleti as he stood over it. As certain as the rising sun on the equator. In the end, and like many other times, Mr. Champions League had pulled off the stuff of a legend to orchestrate a famous comeback and saved Allegri and the whole of Juventus of some blushes. Delivering on the job he was signed off in the summer, even as he is aware:

“If we continue like this, we have not won yet but we have reasons to be proud and we are on the right way. That’s why Juve signed me and I tried to do my best job.”

— Cristiano Ronaldo, Juventus Forward

Now, this is all good and fairy-tale sounding but puts more pressure on Juve. If they do not win the champions league silverware with the highest scoring player in the history of the competition on 124 goals in 108 matches and who has won it four times in the past five seasons, it will be difficult to put your money on them for anything else. Ronaldo might still be available at Turin in the next campaign, but he is not getting any younger or quicker, the five time Balon d’Or winner will be 35 next year. In securing the services of the forward for a fee reported to be 117 million euros, Juventus had to rely on transfer business conducted with four other Serie A clubs that generated almost 50% of the fee. To be specific, after considering all the deals, one report alluded that Benevento paid 2.5%, 2% by Perugia, 17% by Sampdoria and finally 26% from Genoa. In other words, numerous negotiations, planning and time was needed to get the signature for the kind of fee, that not only boosted Juve but drastically improves the followership and revenue of the whole league. For a club that has become famous for signing players on a free transfer, it’s going to take some time before they can afford a footballer that expensive. They have an important player on their hands and one should use him to make hay while the sun still shines. A kind of player that may come as a one-time gift in a hundred years.

Champions League in light of history

A Juventus fan enjoy the atmosphere prior to the UEFA Champions League Final between Juventus and Real Madrid at National Stadium of Wales on June 3, 2017 in Cardiff, Wales.

(June 2, 2017 - Source: David Ramos/Getty Images Europe)

Looking at other teams that have similarly gone for a long drought without winning the champions league, it’s not the kind of company that the Old Lady would like to keep. Borussia Dortmund who last won the trophy, a year after Juve in the 1996/97 season are also in search of one and their status as top top club is slowly fading, especially given the dominance of their country rivals, who have won the trophy 5 times in their history. Contextually, Juventus have won the champions league twice since its rebranding, in the 1984/85 season and of course the aforementioned 1995/96. They have been runners up on four occasions since then, the latest being in the 2016/17 when they lost 4-1 to Ronaldo’s Real Madrid in the Cardiff final and the 2014/15 final where they fell 3-1 to another Spanish La Liga giant, Barcelona. Could it be a curse? Perhaps not, droughts happen to even the very best. Liverpool for example, last won their major trophy in 2006, that was 13 years ago when they beat West Ham on penalties to claim the English FA Cup. The Reds have gone through a long barren period as a club but their 5 champions league trophies still give them the stamp of a massive global football club.  In the same vein, Juve are still revered but do need to end the drought as soon as yesterday. As far as history of the champions league is concerned, their fellow Italian counterparts in AC Milan and Inter Milan still have the bragging rights, with both of the Milan clubs having won the UCL trophy, seven and three times respectively in comparison to Juventus’ two. Manchester United, Real Madrid, Liverpool, Barcelona, AC Milan, Inter Milan, Chelsea and Bayern Munich have all won the trophy in the past 20 years whereas four time champions in Ajax Amsterdam, are the only side in the top 10 winners of the competition to hold a longer drought than the Killer Lady, having last won in the 1994/95 season. These two will go at each other in this year’s quarter-final and at least one of them is going to have to wait a while longer. The rest of similarly two time winners as Juventus include SL Benfica, FC Porto and Nottingham Forest FC, with all due respect, the company that an ambitious club like Juve wouldn’t want to keep.

The fate of Massimiliano Allegri

Head coach Massimiliano Allegri of Juventus looks on during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 Second Leg match between Juventus and Club de Atletico Madrid at Allianz Stadium on March 12, 2019 in Turin, Italy.

(March 11, 2019 - Source: Getty Images Europe)

In all fairness, the 51-year-old gaffer has been a relative success at the Bianconeri. The former AC Milan coach joined Juventus in 2014 and has since won four Serie A and Coppa Italia titles as well as two other Supercoppa Italiana cups. He is responsible for leading the club to their two UEFA Champions League finals in the 2014/15 and 2016/17 seasons. The Italian was praised by football legend, Andreas Pirlo for bringing a sense of “calm” to the team which gave players an extra sense of confidence especially after the high pressure and seemingly defensive tactics of former mentor, Antonio Conte. The latter recently vacated the Chelsea job for allegedly the same reasons. Allegri quickly gained reputation as a discipline mastermind who takes a more fluid approach to tactics by employing an array of formations such as the 3-5-2; 4-3-3; 4-4-2 and 4-2-3-1 in match or between matches. More famously, Allegri gained immense praise from the media in his second season at the club after successfully rebuilding a squad that had voids left by key players such as Carlos Tevez, Arturo Vidal and Andreas Pirlo. After occupying 12th position after ten games, Allegri’s Juve went on a 25-match unbeaten run and successfully defended the Scudetto in the 2015/16 campaign. Unfortunately, all of Massimiliano’s successes pale in comparison to the Juve faithful’s need for a champions league trophy. It’s fair to consider that a Serie A win may no longer be as exciting and could be a mark of stagnation rather than stability or success. Another trophyless UCL campaign might not be good news for Allegri whom fans were even quick to criticise after it looked like they would kiss another UCL trophy goodbye when they lost 2-0 to Atletico in this year’s round of 16 first leg. Failure to return the UCL trophy to Turin could make him another scapegoat of Juve’s drought.

“Unfortunately, all of Massimiliano’s successes pale in comparison to the Juve faithful’s need for a champions league trophy. It’s fair to consider that a Serie A win may no longer be as exciting and could be a mark of stagnation rather than stability or success. ”

— Dennis Takaendesa, FirstTouch Africa

The cracks of the matter once more

Juventus are essentially champions in waiting as far as the Italian Serie A is concerned, 18 points ahead of second placed Napoli with 8 games left in the season. This will be their eighth consecutive Scudetto but have been deluded from a Champions League silverware since the 1995/96 campaign. That is close to 23 years in waiting. Another domestic cup win is almost a sign of stability but continuously failing to hit the mark on the continental stage looks more like stagnation in comparison to other European guns. They however recruited a special arsenal in the summer, Cristiano Ronaldo, a 34-year-old who’s still go it but pretty much racing against time when it comes to age. The current campaign is by far their best chance of finally clinching the UCL given the inclusion of the Portuguese but will they? Falling short once more could it be a real sign of failure?

Allegri’s Juventus will face this year’s surprise package, Ajax in the quarter-finals and if they progress, they would meet either Manchester City or Tottenham (who are all chasing their first UCL trophy) in the semi-final before battling one of Porto, Liverpool, Manchester United or Barcelona in the Madrid 2019 final.

10 January Transfers Everyone Wants To See: #9 Mehdi Benatia

Faycal Fajr (L) of Morocco is consoled by Mehdi Benatia following his sides defeat, meaning his team are knocked out of the World Cup after the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia group B match between Portugal and Morocco at Luzhniki Stadium on June 20, 2018 in Moscow, Russia.

(June 19, 2018 - Source: Michael Steele/Getty Images Europe

No matter how good some players are, football players or otherwise – they kind of need a bigger turf or neighbourhood to show that they belong, to prove that they have the “it” factor. Such is the story of some of the most exciting professional footballers in the game today, they can only become as big as the club they play for and we have a few names that many would want to see move to other pastures. Some have been rumoured away from their clubs and some haven’t but sooner rather than later, transfers are inevitable. This next one, is all about class.

Morocco national team captain Mehdi Benatia, is nearing the end of an illustrious career. Some of the notable contributions of the 31-year-old came during his time at Bayern Munich, Roma and most recently at the Old Lady, Juventus. During the 2018 FIFA World Cup, he showed that he still got it as he expertly marshalled the Lions of the Atlas’ defence and rallied the whole team, though deprived of a fairy tale ending to the campaign. Above his class and ability on the ball, Mehdi’s most sought after attribute right now is his experience. Having fallen out of favour in Turin, with Chiellini and Bonucci preferred for the central defensive roles, Mehdi has had to warm the bench. This has led to many Benatia fans’ desperation to see the veteran move on hoping he would have one famous last straw in the colors of another fancy club. And perhaps even win another trophy in the process.

Big clubs eager to effectively sort out their defensive issues for immediate results have the proven centre-back on high alert. The likes of Manchester United and Arsenal are not sleeping on him and a move may be imminent. Considering Koulibaly whom we have also featured in this series, African defensive stars might just be the get out of jail card for many top clubs.

Is Senegal's Koulibaly the best CB in Italy?

Often times soccer fans debate about the best players in the world which usually boils down to either Lionel Messi of Barcelona and Cristiano Ronaldo who recently joined Juventus in Italy. This is usually because these players are consistent in scoring goals and matches are won by goals. Consequently, not much recognition is given to midfielders who create those chances let alone defenders who protect the back as the team attacks. Because of that, FirstTouch makes a conscious effort to appreciate the contribution of defenders to the game. In this piece, we look at a certain Senegalese centre back by the name Kalidou Koulibaly and compare him among the best defenders in Italy and the rest of the world.

Background

“Napoli conceded only 29 goals in the 38 matches that they played and the Senegalese defender was intelligent in his play. He was tasked with stealing the ball from the strikers and stifling any threats just in front of the arch and he did just that. He only committed 8 fouls in the process which is significantly low as compared to other defenders like Giorgio Chiellini of Juventus who committed 27 fouls and Bonucci with 25.”

— Tinotenda Magiya, FirstTouch Africa

The Napoli defender currently valued at €100m was born in France to Senegalese parents and identifies as African. He began his professional career at Metz in 2010 before joining Genk, the club that nurtured other world class talents like Kevin De Bruyne and Thibaut Courtois in 2012. He pledged his allegiance to Senegal in 2015 although he had represented France at the Under-20 football level. He was eventually picked to solve the defensive situation at the Naples side, where he has been a consistent performer since 2014.

Koulibaly’s Strengths

Organizing the defense is part of the requirements when comparing the very best of defenders in Italy. The players have to be great at communication with their goalkeeper and the rest of defenders playing on the team. Kalidou Koulibaly is a leader in that Napoli team and has helped his team throughout the 2017/18 campaign. The best way to assess a defender’s ability to communicate is by looking into the individual errors committed by the player leading to a goal. Koulibaly was not culpable of such mistakes in the previous season and has started this 2018/19 season very well. He looks sharp and commanding at the backline next to Raul Albiol.

Robert Lewandowski of Poland is challenged by Kalidou Koulibaly of Senegal during the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia group H match between Poland and Senegal at Spartak Stadium on June 19, 2018 in Moscow, Russia.

(June 18, 2018 - Source: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images Europe)

Besides, the primary role of a defender is to shield the goal and prevent the ball from going in. Koulibaly was exceptional in the 2017/18 season where he led his team to a second placed finish in the Italian Serie A. Napoli conceded only 29 goals in the 38 matches that they played and the Senegalese defender was intelligent in his play. He was tasked with stealing the ball from the strikers and stifling any threats just in front of the arch and he did just that. He only committed 8 fouls in the process which is significantly low as compared to other defenders like Giorgio Chiellini of Juventus who committed 27 fouls and Bonucci with 25. It is clear that the African defender would be the best bet among these Italian defenders because he is less likely going to put the team in trouble through committing unnecessary fouls in dangerous positions. This season as well, he leads the pack in terms of interceptions (6), blocks (2), tackles (8) and clearances (7) in just the three games that he has played. Both Chiellini and Bonucci, the so-called best defenders in the league are far behind the African star which makes us question the criteria used by the relevant authority in determining the best defender in the country.

According to Pep Guardiola, defenders in the modern era have to do more than just defending. They have to instigate the attack which means that they need to have the quality to pass the ball from the back. We also looked at this part of Koulibaly’s game comparing him to the Juventus pair. His ball playing abilities were above every other defender in the league. He made 3324 passes across all competitions compared to Chiellini’s 2196 and Bonucci’s 1951. If that is not enough, he also had the most completed passes pegged at 91%. Chiellini and Bonucci were at 87% and 86% respectively. These numbers are out of the ordinary and it is no surprise that Chelsea were rumored to have submitted a €100m bid in the summer of 2018 which was turned down by Gli Azzurri (The Blues). Kalidou Koulibaly is just quality!

Limitations

Kalidou Koulibaly of S.S.C Napoli during the international friendly game between Liverpool and Napoli at Aviva Stadium on August 4, 2018 in Dublin, Ireland.

(Aug. 3, 2018 - Source: Charles McQuillan/Getty Images Europe)

The only explanation for being snubbed from the conversation of the best defenders in the world boils down to the fact that Koulibaly last won a trophy 4 years ago. Many debates about the very best include the aforementioned individual statistics as well as the accolades won collectively. His club has not done him justice and he must be disgruntled seeing players like Sergio Ramos win the UEFA Best Defender Award ahead of him when he conceded more goals than him and was nowhere near the numbers achieved by the 28-year old. Maybe if Napoli become more ambitious and stop selling their best players, he might be able to mount a challenge for the biggest titles in Europe and earn his status among the best defenders.

Also, Koulibaly has had little success so far in trying to create a formidable partnership at the back with Lamine Sane at the back. The Senegalese team looks very strong on paper but somehow, they still lack that competitive edge when it matters the most. In the 2018 FIFA World Cup, they were the best African team at the tournament, arguably the best team in the group but they still failed to make it past the Group Stage. A lot more is expected of him from his national side.

What’s next?

Catch Koulibaly in action this international break when his side, Senegal, plays against Madagascar in the AFCON Qualifiers. He must be disappointed by his nation’s early exit from the biggest individual sporting competition on the planet. Koulibaly will be looking to guide his team to victory against the Southern African team. Senegal currently lead Group A with 3 points after having beaten Equatorial Guinea by 3 goals to nil back in June 2017. We anticipate this to be an easy victory for Senegal.

FT French Ligue 1 Preview: PSG must win the UEFA Champions League to keep Neymar

The Brazilian sensation left Barcelona in a bid to step out of Messi’s shadow and achieve his goals of winning the Ballon d’Or at the French giants Paris-Saint Germain. He hoped that the club’s recruitment policy would give him an edge when the tournament commences and that they would be able to recruit the best players who would be able to compete at the highest level. Last season, PSG failed to make it past Real Madrid in the round-of-16. This year, they will have to do better than that if they are to stand a chance to fend off interest from the likes of Real Madrid in keeping their star player at the club. In this feature story, we look at how the club can be able to win the title.

Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid and Neymar of PSG embrace at half time during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 First Leg match between Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain at Bernabeu on February 14, 2018 in Madrid, Spain.

(Feb. 13, 2018 - Source: Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images Europe)

The recruitment of the Italian and Juventus legend, Gianluigi Buffon to beef up their goalkeeper position is nothing but a positive signing for the club. The legend brings his vast amount of experience to a squad that looked out of character when they were dispatched by Real Madrid last year. PSG needed a commanding number 1, and they have got their man who will organise his defence and hopefully prevent the best players in the world from scoring past him. Apart from that, he also brings his winning mentality. Buffon won the last 7 Serie A titles in a row with Juve and is also a 2006 FIFA World Cup winner. He has been around for a long time and knows how to compete. The UEFA Champions League title is a trophy that has eluded him, and he will be as hungry as Neymar to win it this year.

Football is a team sport. Neymar cannot win the trophy on his own. He will need his teammates to bring their A game to the table if they really want him to stay at the Parc des Princes. This means that players like Kylian Mbappe and Edinson Cavani have to bring their World Cup form to Paris and help Neymar push for the title. The former is a teenage sensation who shined at the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia but was went hiding when PSG faced Real Madrid in the 2017/18 season. He should be looking to grow from that experience and carry his form into the coming season. Cavani was also at the focal point of Uruguay’s success at the tournament before picking up an injury that kept him out of the squad that was eliminated by France. The whole team has to be at their best this season and play to Neymar’s strengths if they want him to lead them to European glory.

Neymar of Brazil reacts after a missed opportunity during the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia Quarter Final match between Brazil and Belguim at Kazan Arena on July 6, 2018 in Kazan, Russia.

(July 5, 2018 - Source: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images Europe)

There are rumours that PSG wants to sign N’Golo Kante from Chelsea this season. The 27-year old is a midfield destroyer who has been at the heart of successes of the best teams in recent years. He first led his club Leicester to the EPL title in 2015/16 before winning it again the following year with Chelsea. This year, he was trusted with the defensive responsibilities in the French team that lifted the 2018 FIFA World Cup trophy. N’Golo Kante is famous for stopping Messi, arguably the world’s best player, in his tracks and preventing Argentina from making it to the quarter-final stage. PSG need a player like Kante who could strike a partnership with Marco Verratti in the spine of the French team and protect the backline. Whether the club will actually get to sign him from the English side remains to be seen, but it is clear that they would stand a better chance of winning the most prized asset in European club football if they have the defensive midfielder on their books.

Sometimes a good run in the tournament requires some bit of luck. The draw did not favour the club in the previous season. PSG were unfortunate to face the defending champions in the round-of-16 in the 2017/18 season . This year, they would want to avoid the biggest teams in the tournament at the early stage as they build momentum. However, some argue that you have to beat the best teams in the competition to be called the best. What do you think that PSG has to do to keep Neymar at the club after this season?

Juventus wins Coppa Italia 2018

In an old Italian rival clash between Juventus and AC Milan in the Coppa Italia final, three African players made it to the starting XI. Ghanaian midfielder Kwadwo Asamoah was deployed in the left back position for Juventus next to Morrocan defender Mehdi Benatia, while Ivory Coast international, Franck Kessié was at the heart of the midfield for Gattuso’s AC Milan. Asamoah and Kessié were looking to shine in a cup final because that’s all they had to fight for since their national teams failed to qualify to this year’s FIFA World Cup Russia 2018. As it was a final, there could only be one winner at the end of the match and Massimiliano Allegri’s Juventus pulled through with a convincing 4-0 win.

The result, however, could not have been predicted after having watched the first period of the match. The Bianconeri were on par with AC Milan as both teams failed to score a single goal even though they both created a few decent chances. The second half saw a mean-looking Juventus side that has been dominating Italy in the past decade. First, it was Miralem Pjanic’s corner that found its way to an unmarked Mehdi Benatia who headed past Gianluigi Donnarumma on the 56th minute. The goalkeeper could not keep out Douglas Costa’s shot from going in just 6 minutes later as his effort bounced off the keeper’s chest before finding its way into the net. Morrocan international Benatia was at hand again to score Juventus’ 3rd goal after Donnarumma dropped it in the box. Pjanic once again delivered a cross that was flicked in by Kalinic to confirm Juventus’ 4-0 against AC Milan in the cup final. Congrats to the Bianconeri!

3 Peat? Real Madrid through to the UEFA Champions League Final

Real Madrid have shown that they are not all that as they have shipped in a lot of goals when playing with teams like Tottenham, Juventus, and Paris Saint-Germain. Bayern Munich came into the game with the intention to press Real Madrid high up the pitch and score some goals if they were to stand a chance of qualifying to the final. They received a boost in welcoming Alaba back to the team who missed the first leg of the clash because of a thigh injury. Real Madrid had Benzema up front alongside Ronaldo and Zidane omitted his most preferred defensive midfielder, Casemiro.

The game was off to an interesting start as Joshua Kimmich repeated his heroic efforts in the first leg as he scored the opener for Bayern in just the 3rd minute. They succeeded in marking Ronaldo who has been a threat since the beginning of the tournament but what they did not realize is that their plan was predictable. Zidane knew that they would do that so he focused his team’s attack on Benzema who has been out of form. The Frenchman scored the equalizer for the defending champions in the 11th minute from a cross by Marcelo. Bayern Munich had the opportunity to go into the break with a lead but on-loan Real Madrid midfielder, James Rodriguez unbelievably blazed over the bar from two yards out.

Benzema scored the second for again for Madrid after Ulreich’s bizarre mistake. The goalkeeper lets a back pass from Thiago run past him because of indecision. He looked like he wanted to catch the ball before remembering the indirect rule so ended up sliding and attempting to kick the ball. Real Madrid capitalized on that and they were once again ahead in the tie. Now, Bayern needed two goals to make to the next round. James Rodriguez scored one and Bayern gave their all in search of a second. Thomas Muller had the very last chance of the game when the ball fell to him but he failed to score and Real are through to the final on aggregate. 3-2 was enough to see them through to the third final in a row. What can easily be concluded is that they are not as scary as people thought. They showed their weaknesses against Tottenham, Juventus, and Bayern but were lucky to pull through. Will they get away with it again in the final?

Real Madrid through to the semis

Real Madrid went into the match with a 3-0 advantage inspired by Ronaldo’s brace in the first leg. That was then, Mandzukic came into the match and scored in the 2nd minute just as Salah did last night. Juventus were out for blood in the Bernabeu and were pushing for more. Real Madrid had their fair chances as well even though a couple of them were ruled offside and the rest were saved by Buffon. The Old Ladies seemed to have the perfect recipe for success as they score the second through Mandzukic again. Real Madrid clearly missed a force in Ramos at the back as the defence looked disorganized and failed to deal with their opponents’ play. Zidane made big calls at half time as he replaced Gareth Bale with Vazquez and removed Casemiro for Asensio. Still, Juventus had the upper hand. Navas was forced to make a save from Higuain’s effort from 20 yards after the player took a shot on the half-turn. The match was intense and saw more than 7 yellow cards being flashed by Michael Oliver who was officiating on the night. Douglas Costa then crossed the ball from the right and Navas looked to have saved the ball before it slipped through his hands and it bounced off Matuidi’s knee and into the net. 3-0 it was and Real Madrid were nervous. Zidane made his final call from the bench and replaced Modric with Kovacic in a match that looked to be heading for extra-time. Little did we know that a big decision would be made by Michael Oliver as he pointed to the spot when Vazquez looked to be pushed by Benatia in the box. The game paused for a while as Juventus players took 3 minutes of the time, protesting at the decision which resulted in a red card being flashed at Buffon. So much for the final bow for the player who is rumored to be retiring at the end of this season. Eventually, the big man had to step over it and finish Juventus off. Ronaldo’s penalty hit the back of the net in the top right corner and Szczęsny  (the backup goalkeeper) guessed right but he could not stop the effort. 3-1 it ended and Real Madrid are through to the semifinals. This goal makes it 10 for Ronaldo against Juventus which means that he is the highest goalscorer against a single team in the history of the UEFA Champions League. Lionel Messi is just behind with 9 goals against Arsenal. Do you think Real Madrid deserved to go through?

Ronaldo sinks Juventus in first leg

Cristiano Ronaldo was the star of the show as Real Madrid defeated Juventus 3-0 away from home. The Portuguese forward scored two goals and turned provider to Marcelo’s goal against 10 men Juventus. The defending champions are now looking more like a hungry team ready to defend their title after seeing some poor performances on the domestic front in the early parts of this season. They dispatched Paris Saint-Germain in the last round and have already put one foot into the semifinals with a convincing win on Tuesday night. As FirstTouch Football, we divided the match into 5 talking points.

1. Luka Modric’s performances – The Croatian midfielder did not have the best of games against the Old Ladies. He was at fault for many counter-attacks by Juventus because of his careless passes. It was not Modric’s night as the player looked tired until he was replaced on the 81st minute by Kovacic. Much respect should be given to Zidane for playing Isco in the match otherwise it would have been shambles in midfield had Modric not gotten an extra player to help him in midfield. His performance was typified by his last kick of the match when he missed a chance in acres of spaces from a Marco Asensio cross. We hope this does not mark the decline of an ageing player who has been crucial to Madrid’s dominance in Europe for the past 2 years.

2. Ramos to miss second leg – Real Madrid Captain Sergio Ramos picked up a yellow card in the match after fouling Paulo Dybala and was given a yellow card for the second time running which means that he will miss the second leg of the clash with suspension.

3. Ronaldo – a clinical finish in the 3rd minute gave an early lead to Madrid who were playing unconvincing football. He later on scored an overhead kick for his second which gave Madrid a two goal cushion. Do you, if ever, recall Ronaldo scoring a beauty like this one before?

4. Red card – Paulo Dybala picked up a second yellow card for a stupid foul on the 64th minute and was given his marching orders. This killed the morale of the team who were fighting even with two goals down. The red card gave advantage to Real Madrid who scored the third goal through Marcelo who finished off Ronaldo’s defense splitting pass.

5. End of match – a 3-0 result has all but confirmed Madrid’s qualification into the next round unless Juventus provide a miracle and win with a 4-goal advantage which is looking unlikely.

Champions League Quarter-Final Overview: Real Madrid vs Juventus

Key Points

• Will Bale or Isco start? Based on the pattern of Zidane’s choices for starting XI’s in Champions League games, it looks like Isco is set to start for Madrid in what will certainly be a tense affair in Turin.

• Despite losing in last season’s final, Juventus did defeat Real Madrid the last time these two sides met over two legs.

• Cristiano was rested at the weekend and will most surely be a decisive player if Madrid are to take away a good result for the second leg in Madrid.

• Juventus will be feeling confident after defeating AC Milan in the league 3-1 at the weekend. Dybala looks to be back to his decisive best after a bit of an injury spell earlier in the year.

• Allegri vs Zidane will be an interesting tactical battle. Zidane did well to out guise Emery last round, but Allegri also did well in his tactical battle with Pochettino.

Firstly, I was wrong. I wrote about how the Real Madrid train was going to be stopped dead by the tie’s initial favorites, PSG. The Neymar-led Parisians had blown all of us away in the 2017/18 UEFA champions league group stages, finishing top of the group they shared with Bayern Munich and scoring a record number of goals. But the round of 16 came and the Los Blancos who had a difficult start to their La Liga campaign completely annihilated the Parisians. In fact, they seemed to have effortlessly blew away the PSG smoke, beating them 5-2 on aggregate. The champions league spirit of Ronaldo who bagged a total of three goals in both legs reminded us that the most successful club in Europe cannot be judged on their league form alone.

Next, they face the challenge of the increasingly unpredictable Juventus. The Old Lady produced a miracle at Wembley. They maturely responded to a first leg bullying by Tottenham taking the game to Spurs in the final 45 minutes of the match. Sitting pretty at the top of the Serie A league table right now, Allegri’s men will be confident of avenging last year’s 4-1 humiliation by Madrid in the final. Both Spanish sides Real Madrid and Barcelona may be the prohibitive favorites, but this will be Spain’s best against Italy’s best.

UEFA Champions League draw could bring out explosive matches

Spanish Marca has been looking at the UEFA Champions League draw and assessing top-notch clashes that could be juicy for the tournament in the quarterfinals. It has been confirmed that former AC Milan and Chelsea forward, Andrey Shevchenko will be the one to reveal the balls for the draw on Friday. Only 5 of the 8 teams left have won this competition before with Real Madrid leading the rest with 12 titles. Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Liverpool have all lifted the trophy on 5 different occasions. Juventus have only two. It is important to note that AS Roma, Manchester City and Sevilla have not yet enjoyed much success in this European competition but some of these teams have reached the semis and final of this tournament before. Some of the potential ties after the draw could be an El Classico which is Real Madrid vs Barcelona. This fixture is the biggest rivalry in the world and would be ideal to be reserved for the latter part of the competition like the semifinals. Next up could be Real Madrid vs Manchester City. Pep Guardiola has undeniably set up a fierce team that is capable of beating anyone on their day and it would be nice to see how they fare against the defending champions. Visit the link to see the rest of the potential fixtures.

Abroad: Inter Milan chase Ghanaian midfielder, Kwadwo Asamoah

The 29-year-old’s contract will come to a close as at the end of the season and a host of Italian football giants have not been shy to honeypot him to their clubs. Inter Milan is reported to be offering the Ghanaian international, €3 million to draw him away from the Old Lady. Galatasaray and Napoli are understood to be also vying for the veteran midfielder. Kwadwo joined the Italian side, Juventus in 2012 and has won the five Serie A titles with the club.

Allegri: Madrid Are the Team to Beat

Juventus coach Allegri believes that Real Madrid are once again the title favorites after eliminating PSG. The Spanish club had been struggling in form this season as they are currently sitting in 3rd place with just a point ahead of Valencia in fourth. Allegri feels that Madrid are the team to beat and he is keen to avoid them in the quarterfinal round. “This is because their focus is solely on that competition and also that there is nobody else that deals with games in this competition like they do,” said Allegri. He said the same about Barcelona who are hungry for the title which has eluded them in the past two seasons when Real Madrid were dominating. Barcelona host Chelsea on Wednesday for the final clash between the two. Many celebrations will come from the qualifying teams if another big club in Barcelona falls at this early round. Let us wait and see who gets to pack their bags this round because this tournament never disappoints.

Impact of Football on Fans

How often do we actually sit down and think about the value that football adds to the avid soccer fan? Well, at FirstTouch Football, we like looking into such things and think about the impact. Does football bring joy, despair or any other emotion? Here’s our thought process.

In a tournament like the UEFA Champions League, there are two different types of teams that are often seeded against each other in the knockout rounds. The first being the typical giants like Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Manchester United, Juventus, most recently Paris St Germain among others. These are very big teams with great ambitions. They are often expected to win every match that they play during the season. This is different to the kind of teams like Liverpool, Basel, FC Porto and the like who are usually in this tournament just to try their luck and see where it takes them. It is not like they really look forward to lifting the trophy at the end of the tournament. This is just how it is. Having said that, this mentality within the team spreads out to a fan of the teams in question such that, whenever a soccer season starts, they know the limit to their expectations on their favorite teams.

When the tournament commences, nerves are prone to attacks. Fans have a scare when their teams fail to score, concede penalties, and receive red cards among other things. It doesn’t end there, some go home disappointed in the results. This has an impact on a person’s mood for the rest of the day and even sometimes the following days as you’ll be having some fans of other clubs sometimes rubbing the defeat in your face.

Enough said about the negative energy. What about winning? How’s that? ArsenalFan TV (on YouTube) has been a great platform that shows the emotions of fans post matches. The excitement, joy or happiness you see on the faces as their teams triumph in derbies or big matches is priceless. Soccer fans literally cannot stop smiling when they reflect on their teams performances after big wins. However, this is only beaten by claiming the title in any competition. Being the team to defeat everyone in the competition brings pride to the club and the fans. I mean, this is why people support football. To hopefully see their team lift a trophy at the end of the competition. Unfortunately, the trophy is only lifted by one team in any competition which sometimes mean that one team in a league of twenty is celebrating. What then would be a fair evaluation of the impact of soccer at such a moment? Does it bring happiness to the fans more than disappointment? What do you think?