CLASICO AT THE CAMP NOU

EL CLASICO

FC BARCELONA VS REAL MADRID CF
Saturday, December 3rd
Camp Nou, Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain
10:15 EST BEIN Sports (television) fubotv.com (streaming)

Happy Tuesday folks!  This week we are in for the treat of all treats, or better yet Christmas has come early as the biggest matchup on the planet will be taking place this Saturday, December 3rd!  It’s none other than EL CLASICO!  Barcelona vs Real Madrid!  I simply can’t wait for 10:15 EST to stream this match live on fuboTV.  The countdown has been going on for months now on BEIN Sports, and thankfully we are just four days away now!  So with that said, lets delve into the details of this hated rivalry between the worlds top two clubs, provide my keys to the match, and reveal who will win round one of this season’s El Clasico.

Hated Rivals

The rivalry between Real Madrid and Barcelona is deeply rooted in a pure distain for one another.  Whether that’d be due to political differences within Spain, or the fact that these two clubs are simply the most decorated in all of soccer.  For starters, Real Madrid holds the record for most Champions League Triumphs with 11, while Barcelona are tied for third all-time with five.  Oh, and by the way, these two have combined won each of the past three Champions Leagues (2 for Real and 1 for Barca).  In addition to their European success, domestically Real Madrid has won a record 32 La Liga campaigns, meanwhile Barcelona holds the record for the most Copa del Rey (28) and Supercopa de Espana (12) Titles.  

Off the pitch, this rivalry breads even deeper into the fanbases.  Two groups of people, Catalans who have been seeking political independence from Spain for some time now, and Madridistas, who represent the crown and the capitol of Spain.  Thus, heated arguments, and I’d imagine violent clashes are bound to take place when these two fanbases are near each other.  And from personal experience from attending an El Clasique match between Paris Saint Germain and Marseille, altercations in the streets or within the stadium are inventible.  Therefore, there’ll plenty of passion radiating from within the Camp Nou providing a spectacle unlike any other.

Key Personnel

When you hear the words El Clasico, you think instantly think of Messi vs Ronaldo!  The two best players of our generation.  Lionel Messi, this man with a record five Ballon d’Ors, is La Blaugrana’s maestro and El Clasico’s all-time top goalscorer with 21 goals to his name.  Cristiano Ronaldo, second all-time in Ballon d’Ors with three and soon to be four,  is Los Blancos’ freight-train forward and El Clasico’s third all-time goalscorer with 16 goals.  These two men are also first and second in the Pichichi Standings for La Liga Top Goalscorer as Ronaldo has 10 and Messi has 9.  In addition, Messi tops the Champions League goalscoring chart through 5 matchdays, although he’s only played in three, and has netted 8 times.  Lastly Ronaldo is first and Messi is second on the Champions League career goalscoring list.  Ronaldo has 96 goals and Messi has 92, third place Raul (retired) has 71. Insane!  Thus, its clear that these two famed forwards will assuredly dazzle us this weekend. The winner of this battle between Messi and Ronaldo will likely see his side win El Clasico.  

With that said, there are plenty of other stars that’ll have a say on center stage.  For Real, keep an eye on Galactico Luka Modric.  The incredibly creative Croatian midfielder is bound to produce scoring opportunities for the Real front three whomever they are.  Ronaldo will be playing, but Bale and Benzema are both out.  Lastly for Madrid, Marcelo is a dangerous forward thinking left back that is prone to come up with an assist or a goal, which could be vital as the forward situation is a real question mark.

As for the Cules, keep an eye on Pique.  He’s Barca’s best defender, but has endured an injury-laden season.  He just came back from a leg injury that hampered him for about a month a few matches ago, but once again got banged up this past weekend against Real Sociedad.  He had his ankle heavily taped and was hobbling at times throughout the game.  Come Saturday, Barcelona needs a great performance from Pique and the only way that’ll happen is if he’s healthy.  Pique is a tough egg and will battle through the pain, but Madrid is the best, so if he is even a half a step slower, Los Blancos will exploit Pique’s lack of speed and agility and get past him.  Another position of concern for La Azulgrana is midfield.  Ever since captain Andres Iniesta went down due to injury, Barca has lost its bite in the center of the park.  A team that prides itself on commanding the midfield, through winning the ball back quickly and producing through ball passes to MSN, has become a shell of itself with Iniesta’s absence. This was clearly highlighted in the Sociedad game, where Barca had the fewer of the possessions; which seemingly never happens except in in El Clasico matches.  For this to change, I’m calling upon Ivan Rakitic.  He’s had poor run of form, but when he’s on, he can effectively press, win the ball back and create chances moving forward.  If Barca is to win this match, they need to win the midfield, and it starts with Rackitic.  

LSB Prediction:

Real Madrid is currently the hottest team in the world, as they’ve now gone 31 matches unbeaten. A run of form that is second longest in Spanish history, only to Barcelona’s 39 match unbeaten streak from the 2014-15 season and into the 2015-16 campaign.  Barca meanwhile, have suffered through a bevy of injuries and failed new faces, resulting in the worst start to a La Liga season since 2007, albeit they’re still in second place.  Thus, all of the cards are pointing in Real’s favor. Still, with Barca sitting six points adrift of its hated rivals and coming off of perhaps the worst performance in the Luis Enrique era, which Lucho himself stated post game against Sociedad, Ifully expect an out of this world effort from the men in blue and red.  Plus, Real has to lose sometime.  Could it just be that Barca returns the favor of ending the streak, as did Real last season?  Messi will be “magisterial” once again, as Roy Hodson would say, as he’ll produce a “nipple tickler of a ball” nearing the game’s end to Luis Suarez (Los Pistoleros) and negate Ronaldo’s brace. 3-2 FC BARCELONA

ENTHRALLING ARSENAL TO ENTERTAIN AT THE EMIRATES

ARSENAL FC vs PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN FC

Champions League Group Stage Matchday 5
Emirates Stadium, London, England
Wednesday, November 23rd, 2016 2:45pm EST FS1

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone reading in The States!  This is a time of year that’s very special for us all.  A time to give thanks, give back, and reconnect with the ones who are held most dear.  It’s also a time for Futbol to give back to us the fans, and that is just what UEFA is doing!  Hello Champions League Matchday 5!  Yup, this week we have some stellar international club football taking place Tuesday and Wednesday, highlighted by my featured match of the week in Arsenal vs Paris Saint-Germain!  In this article, I’ll provide Group A analysis, reveal key players to watch for, and give my scoreline prediction.  

Through four matchdays, the battle for the top two in Group A has been settled as both Arsenal and PSG have clinched advancement into the Champions League Round of 16, currently sitting on 10 points each.  However, what hasn’t been determined yet, but most likely will come Wednesday night once these two top dogs clash for the second time this campaign, is which club finishes first?  The importance of the seeding is simple.  If you win your group, then you get drawn an opponent that was runner-up in its group for the Round of 16.  Thus, the opponent for said round should be weaker, giving you a better chance of advancement to the quarterfinals.  Therefore this match, given that either side wins or simply doesn't draw 1-1, will provide us with the Group A winner!  So, it’s winner take all in London, who has the edge?

Both clubs are incredibly talented, as PSG has simply dominated domestically over the past several seasons winning six consecutive Ligue 1 Titles, as well as back to back Domestic Trebles in France!  As for Arsenal, they’ve finished in the Top 4 of the Premier League in England every season since 1997-98!  With that said, there are going to be some outstanding players taking the pitch Wednesday, but the most important men for me have to be Mesut Ozil and Olivier Giroud for Arsenal, and Tiago Silva and Edinson Cavani for PSG!

The Third Generation Turkish-German Mesut Ozil, I feel, is Arsenals’ best and most important player.  He’s a highly talented Attacking Midfielder with a tremendous pedigree.  As he’s entered the beginning of his prime, Ozil has already cemented himself as a starter for the German National Team, where he helped guide the Germans to their fourth World Cup Win in 2014.  He led in goals with eight during qualifying as well.  In addition, at club level for Arsenal, Mesut finished first last season in the EPL for most assists with 19, and is currently tied for second in the Champions League this year in goals, with four.  Thus, Ozil has a propensity of finding the back of the net, whether its by him booting the ball into the back of it or by him setting up his teammates to score.  Therefore, in this match, be sure to hone in on Ozil’s ball distribution, as well as watch him as he pushes forward into the box. He is a technically savvy finisher when given the opportunity.  

Since we’re discussing opportunities, Olivier Giroud may or may not start come Wednesday, but he will most definitely see time on the pitch and when he does, he must take full advantage of his scoring chances for the Gunners.  A much maligned Center Forward, Giroud is capable of taking games by the scruff of the neck, but too many times fails to reach his perceived expectations.  However, coming off of last weekend’s performance, where he came on late second half sub and scored the equalizer against Manchester United, coupled with the fact that he's going up against his home country’s top club, the motivation and desire to get the job done will be there.  Hence expect him to be physical, utilizing his 6’4” frame to get quality headers on goal.  The question is, will he connect with one?

As we flip the script, the player most capable of causing Giroud fits is Tiago Silva.  The Brazilian Centerback is not only the captain of the back line for PSG, but the captain of the team, and I’d say PSG’s best player.  He’s been regarded as one of the Gala Xl in years past, and he’s going to have to prove his worth in this match.   Arsenal not only has size in Giroud, creativity in Ozil, but also has speed, speed, speed out wide in Alex Oxlade Chamberlain, Theo Walcott, and Alexis Sanchez.  Thus, Silva must keep the PSG backline compact and working together.  In addition, his leadership qualities need to be evident.  He’s not the most vocal guy, but when he gets fired up, as i’ve seen on occasion, PSG as a whole seems to raise its level of play, which they’ll need on the road.

Lastly, much like the curious case of Giroud for Arsenal, Les Bleus striker Edinson Cavani must be clinical in front of goal.  He possesses all of the physical tools: height, speed, and finishing ability, to be a great center forward, but he's been inconsistent in year’s past, particularly when playing second fiddle to Zlatan Ibrahimovic.  But Zlatan has moved on and Cavani is PSG’s main man now, and so far in the Champions League he’s scored 4 goals in as many games.  However, in the first meeting between these two teams, he left a couple of gimme’ chances go begging.  Which then begs the question, which Cavani will show up this go round? The one putting away his chances, or the man squandering them?

LSB PREDICTION:

This match is being held at the Emirates Stadium in London, one of the most raucous atmospheres in England, thus the Gunners will be amped from the opening whistle.  I expect Ozil to create a bevy of chances for Alexis and Oxlade early, and a gem of a cross to Giroud, late, to secure a wild ride of a win against France’s best.  3-2 ARSENAL FC

CITY RIVALS SET TO CLASH IN SPAIN'S CAPITOL

THE MADRID DERBY

CLUB ATLETICO DE MADRID vs REAL MADRID CF
Estadio Vicente Calderon, Madrid, Spain
Saturday, Nov 19th, 2016
2:45pm EST, BEIN Sports

Welcome back to another edition of the Lewnau Sports Bureau!  This weekend boasts a plethora of must see matches across Europe.  From Arsenal vs Manchester United to a London Derby between Tottenham Hotspur vs West Ham United in England, to Borussia Dortmund vs Bayern Munchen in Germany to Athletic Club vs Villarreal in Spain, there’s no match with greater intrigue and importance than the Madrid Derby taking place at the Vicente Calderon on Saturday night in Spain’s Capitol!  Therefore, I’ll prime you for this match by providing you with a Madrid Derby history lesson, reveal the key figures to the game for either side, and touch upon the significance this match can have in the La Liga Table after Matchday 12.

Real and Atletico are two clubs that historically have been as divided in terms of club culture as the Derby’s overall record which stands at Los Meringues winning 108 games to Los Colchoneros 54 games over the span of 213 total matches.  This can be attributed to several factors.  First, Real has and seemingly will always have more resources than that of Atletico, as the club is the highest valued sporting organization in the world.  Secondly, Real have won an unprecedented 11 European Cups to Atletico’s goose egg.  In addition, while Atletico has won a nice haul of La Liga Trophies with 10, that number becomes dwarfed when compared to Real’s record 32 La Liga Triumphs, and truly, I can go on and on in that regard.  Thirdly, Real is seen as the club in Madrid that represents the white collar executive, meanwhile Atletico represents the blue collar worker. 

The teams rosters and playing styles very much reflect the club’s supporters. For Real, the squad is littered with world class players, so many so, that one of the team’s nicknames is the Galaticos (referring to the Gala Xl, which is what the best Xl players in Europe are called). They play with blundering pace and indescribable creativity culminating in goals, A LOT of goals.  Conversely, Atletico’s roster is filled with a blend of crafty veterans and youngsters oozing with potential.  But things have changed recently.  Ever Since Diego Simeone began toeing the sideline for Los Rojiblancos, little over 5 seasons ago, Atleti has gotten better and better.  So much so, that Atletico won the Europa League in 2012, won the Copa Del Rey in 2013 over Real, won La Liga and reached the Champions League Final in 2014, and lastly reaching the Champions League Final for a second time in 2016.  Unfortunately, both Finals defeats were to Real.  Nevertheless, Atletico appears to not only be rivals of the pitch, but on it now with Real.

The three key figures for Los Blancos are none other than the soon to be four time Ballon D’or Winner in Cristiano Ronaldo, Luka Modric, and Sergio Ramos!  After struggling by his standards for much of this season, Ronaldo appears to have turned the corner as he has scored 11 goals over the past 11 games for club and country.  This fine fettled form is just what Real needs in as score chances will be hard to come by in this match. Cristiano’s thundering pace, powerful shots, and deadly accurate headers make him a triple threat down the left side of the field.  Moving towards the middle of the park, Luka Modric will be back from injury.  Seen as Real’s maestro of the midfield, Modric is one of those Galacticos that can turn the match on its head with a dynamite through ball to the front three, perhaps to Ronaldo. Or perhaps he just lands a wicked strike alas his wonder goal for Croatia in EURO 2016. Keep an eye on how he's moving, as this is his first match back from injury, so fitness will be a question once the match hits 70 min and beyond.  Lastly, Real’s Captain in Sergio Ramos leads the backline once again, as he too is coming back from injury.  Ramos has missed the past eight games, so for him sharpness might be an issue.  He’s incredibly versatile as he routinely comes up with crucial goals via heading home set pieces, but as a center back Ramos is prone to laps in judgment leading to penalty shots or yellow and red cards.  The fact though, is that Real getting its Captain, its leader back for this main event is huge for the morale of the team.

On the flip side, there are four key figures for Atletico, and they are Diego Godin, Filipe Luis, Antoine Griezmann, and Diego Simeone.  Diego Godin, recently awarded the Best Defender Award in La Liga for the 2015-16 campaign, is the glue to Atletico’s defensive prowess.  At centerhalf, he essentially eliminates any scoring chances from the middle of box.  In addition he brings a toughness and mental acumen to the field that insures his manager’s tactical gameplan comes to fruition.  Also on the back line is left back Filipe Luis.  This Brazilian fullback is as fierce a competitor as they come, just ask Lionel Messi.  During last season’s encounter with Barcelona, Filipe Luis sent a message to the World’s Best Player with a vicious tackle leading to a straight red card.  This is where Simeone’s passion pours onto the pitch.  But thats not all with Luis.  Like most Brazilian defenders, he's quite talented with the ball at his feet.  Courtesy of ESPN.com, Luis had the most passes by a defender as well as the most tackles in La Liga last year.  Thus, expect him to be a focal point of Atleti’s counter attacks down the left flank.  Next, Antione Griezmann has truly blossomed over the past season into one of the world’s best strikers.  He won the La Liga Best Player Award for 2015-16 campaign, as well as EURO 2016 Best Player and Golden Boot honors.  Thus, he’s Rojiblancos’ go to man up front.  Expect him to be the guy to finish off the counter attack and put Atletico on the front foot if given the chance.  Lastly, make sure to keep an eye on Atletico Manager Diego Simeone.  He is as passionate as they come, and when a play goes for or against his club you’ll know about it as his demonstrative demeanor will be ever present on the sideline.  He too has been kicked out of a match and suspended for getting into heated discussions with the officials.  But that passion will only feed the tremendous Calderon crowd and their hardworking, defensive-minded, rough-housing squad.

Finally, in terms of La Liga importance, this match pits first place Real against fourth place Atletico.  If Real wins, then they’ll remain top dogs and increase the gap on their city rivals to nine points.  However, if Los Colchoneros were to pull out a win, then Real would stumble to second in the standings assuming Barcelona win its match over Malaga earlier in the day, and Atletico would close the game on its rivals to just three points.  A tie obviously would keep the two squads six points apart, but Real would then be tied on points at the top wth Barcelona, setting up an even bigger battle in Catalonia coming up Dec. 3rd!

LSB PREDICTION:

Los Rojiblancos will come out firing on all cylinders, feeding off of the energy produced from inside the stadium and will get out to an early 1-0 lead courtesy of a cross from Filipe Luis to Antoine Griezmann.  But that goal will ultimately be cancelled out by a a header from Sergio Ramos off of a set piece in the late stages.  The continuos waves of balls into the box will be too much for Godin and company to keep a clean sheet. 1-1 DRAW

THE BEAUTIFUL BATTLE IN BELO

LSB: ISSUE 7

BRAZIL vs ARGENTINA
November 10th, 2016 6:45 PM EST
Estadio Mineiro, Belo Horizonte, Brazil

For Americans, today is one of the most important and anticipated days in the 2016 calendar year, Election Day!  Election Day not only provides us with the revealing of the country’s 45th President, but also gives millions of Americans across the country a renewed hope and excitement for a better tomorrow, that’s of course if your candidate wins.  Conversely, if you are one the many millions that stay up to see his/her side lose, then an immediate sinking feeling of despair and disappointment is sure to come over oneself.  This ladies and gentleman, are the feelings that will be shared amongst the rabid fans, players, and coaches involved in what can be deemed as the most heated footballing rivalry west of the Atlantic.  Its none other than Brazil vs Argentina!  I will set the stage with historical facts, and top player personnel that will be sure to perform this upcoming Thursday!

BRAZIL vs ARGENTINA

As aforementioned, this match pits South America’s fiercest rivals against each other in Belo Horizonte (Beautiful Horizon), Brazil.  What a befitting backdrop as we should get to see the best that the “beautiful game” has to offer.  Brazil, founders of the “beautiful game”, kings of the trophy cabinet (5 World Cups, Most All-Time and 8 South American Titles, 3rd All-Time), and perhaps most notable, is home to the legendary Pele.  Argentina, princes of the pitch (2 World Cups and 14 South American Titles, Second Most All-Time), home to legendary Maradona, and again perhaps most noteworthy, the country is currently led by the Best Player to lace up a pair of boots in Lionel Messi!  A rich history of Continental and Global excellence runs through the veins of these culturally divided neighbors as they aim to one up the each other every time out, and Thursday’s World Cup Qualifying match will be no different.

The hosts Brazil will look to push the pace with an incredibly young talented trio up front in Gabriel “Gabigol” Barbosa, Gabriel Jesus, and the electrifying Neymar Santos Jr.  Neymar is Brazil’s best player and Captain of this past Summer Games’ Gold Medal Winning squad.  He is just 24 yrs of age, but already has scored 94 goals for FC Barcelona in just over 3 seasons.  Therefore, expect Ney to get the magic going for the Selecao with his silky smooth skills as he’s likely to play either creator for the Gabriels and/or finisher by the game’s end.  The added work that the front three had with each other during the Olympics appears to be paying dividends as Brazil moved from the middle of the CONMEBOL World Cup Qualifying Standings to currently first, and a big reason for that is this cohesive front three.

As for Argentina, they have been considered the #1 team in the world for over a year now, thanks in part to three consecutive seasons of reaching a major title final.  Unfortunately for them, they came up short each time, losing 1-0 to Germany in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, 0-0 on Penalties in the 2015 Copa America to Chile, in Chile, and then this past summer here in the States 0-0 on Penalties to Chile again. (It should be noted that a match that reaches penalties is officially deemed a tie according to FIFA rules).  With that said, the reason for the Albeceleste being a model of consistency is that they have Leo Messi!  The five time Ballon d”Or recipient and Argentine Career Top Goalscorer is expected to dazzle by setting up his teammates, most likely Aguero or Higuin for high quality chances. And when the moment is necessary, Messi will take matters into his own hands and provide us with a jaw dropping dribble and fancy finish. 

LSB PREDICTION:

Even though Brazil is at home, Argentina sitting just 5th in the Standings needs this match more.  Therefore, thanks to a healthy Messi, and a stroke or two of his genius, the Albecelste wins this one in the Beautiful Brazilian Horizon. 2-1 ARGENTINA

STANDOFF IN SEVILLA

Sevilla FC vs FC Barcelona

Sunday, November 6th, 2016
Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium
2:45pm EST, BEIN Sports

Welcome back Folks! The 2016-17 season is now in full swing as clubs are a quarter of the way through its domestic campaigns, as well as participating in its domestic and European cup obligations.  With this fixture frenzy comes plenty of marque matches for fans to get excited about. As a key example, this week we have the Champions and Europa Leagues midweek coupled with some highly entertaining domestic games at the weekend.  With that said, no game will feature more passion this week than Sevilla vs Barcelona, as these two Spanish sides will be sure to show their flamenco flair in this one.  I’ll discuss the significance of the match, touch on key players, personal problems, and provide a victor….if there is one.

Sunday’s La Liga matchup will pit fourth place Sevilla against second place Barcelona, in what is sure to be a feisty affair at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan in Sevilla, Spain.  With both squads separated by just a point, and sitting within a game’s reach of first place Real Madrid, the importance of getting a “W” and earring a full three points to stay within arms length of the Galaticos is magnified.  Thus, La Blaugrana and Los Rojiblancos are sure to play fast and physical the second the whistle blows.  And if the significance of staying in the top four of the standings wasn’t enough, this will already mark the third meeting between these clubs this season.  Why? Whelp, Sevilla and Barca squared off at the season’s start by playing in the two-legged Spanish Supercopa, with the Cules winning 5-0 on aggregate (2-0 and 3-0).  Thus, expect Sevilla to empty the tank as they seek revenge on those defeats, as well as last year’s 2-0 Copa del Rey loss that was suffered at the feet of the Catalans as well.

So, you’re probably thinking that Barca, who won the past four meetings, simply has Sevilla’s number and this game should be a shoe-in victory for the Catalans. Well you’re wrong, and hears why.  For starters, the last time Barca lost to Sevilla was last season at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, where the match will be played this weekend.  Secondly, Sevilla is still a very talented team, a team that’s won three consecutive Europa League Titles running, something that’s never happened before.  And thirdly, Barcelona has a plethora of player problems, called injuries.  For this fixture, Barcelona will be without its starting center back Gerard Pique, starting left back Jordi Alba, starting midfielder and captain Andres Iniesta, backup center half Jeremy Mathieu, and likely backup right back Aleix Vidal all due to injury.  As a result, manager Luis Enrique had to call up three Barca B (academy) players to fill out the roster last Saturday and will likely have to do so again this go round.  The depth of the squad is being tested, in particular the backline, as La Blaugrana has been vulnerable to giving up quality scoring chances whenever Pique has been out of the lineup.  Also in terms of creating forward up the field, the loss of Iniesta is devastating by itself let alone coupled with Alba.  This likely means that Messi will drop further back to receive the ball and play more creator and distributor, which he’s magical at, but that will leave Barca with one less true goal scorer up front.  Also, the loss of Alba means that the young Lucas Digne, who has played well this season when given the opportunity, will have to try and fill the void up the left flank.  Alba is so deadly pushing forward with his blistering pace and accurate crosses into the box, Digne will have big shoes to fill.

Thus, Sevilla will most definitely have a chance in this match.  They’ve proven that they can compete and win against Spain’s Big three, most recently beating Atletico Madrid 1-0 a couple weeks back.  Sevilla must be aggressive and put as much pressure on the wounded Catalan back four as possible when Barca is attempting to play from out of the back, as well as when Sevilla has possession and is pushing forward.  Also, Los Rojiblancos must convert when they get their chances— I’m looking at you Wissam Ben Yedder and Luciano Vietto.  If not, then once again Barca will likely come out on top due to its front three fire power in the MSN whose surely to get on the score sheet at least once.

Furthermore, I expect a highly contested match between two of Spain’s top four clubs.  A match that is sure to be decided in the final ten minutes, with Barca solidifying itself in and around Sevilla’s eighteen yard box creating chance after chance, but Los Rojiblancos hold on with the help of its young up and coming goalkeeper Sergio Rico saving the day with his two hands.

LSB PREDICTION: 1-1 DRAW

THE MANCHESTER MAIN EVENT

EFL Cup: Round of 16

Manchester Derby: Manchester United FC vs Manchester City FC
Manchester, England
Old Trafford, 3:00pm EST

This Wednesday will feature what is sure to be a hotly contested match between city rivals as the Red Devils play host to the Citizens for the second time this season, in what is called the Manchester Derby!  This time around, the game has a little bit more than bragging rights and Prem League Table positioning on the line, as it’s a one off battle in the English Football League Cup Round of 16. This means that the winner advances to the Quarterfinals and the loser is eliminated, and is sent sulking all the way home.  In the paragraphs to follow, I will feature key players to watch for, discuss the fantastic atmosphere that Old Trafford will provide, and touch upon the rivalry that is between these two Manchester clubs.

The Manchester Derby can be dated back to 1881 when Newton Heath (present day Manchester United) defeated West Gorton (currently Manchester City) 3-0. Since that day, there’s been 172 total meetings between these rivals.  Man U holds a 71 to 50 edge in wins over City, and there are 51 draws between the them.  In addition to the Red Devils derby dominance, they’ve dwarfed the Citizens’ trophy cabinet was well.  Over its illustrious history, Man United holds domestic records for league titles (20), Community Shields (21), and FA Cups (12), to go along with three Champions League Trophies.  Meanwhile, City has only won the English League and Community Shield on four occasions and the FA cup five time, also, aChampions League triumph has yet to occur.  Therefore, its clear which club has carried the flag not only in this in-city rivalry, but for the county of England as a whole.  With all of that said, its all history, it’s all in the past. In the here and now, its actually Man City that’s staked claim of the city of Manchester, and barred the British flag in the Champions League. Although not winning, they lost to the eventual champions in each of the past two Knockout Rounds.  Yes, the Citizens won its most recent league title in 2013-14 and are currently tied for 1st in the English Premier League, whereas Man United is currently seventh in the standings and six points back of City.  Also, as previously mentioned these two faced off back in September and City won 2-1 at Old Trafford.  Thus, this rivalry is indeed that, as both sides are competitive with the typical second fiddled City club actually being the favorites, adding even more intrigue to the match.

The three players I’ve picked to watch for on Manchester United are Goalkeeper David De Gea, Midfielder Paul Pogba, and Striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic.  New additions Zlatan and Pogba have both underwhelmed since joining the Red Devils during the summer transfer window.  While Zlatan came on a spree and started the season off in fine form scoring 6 goals in his first seven games, he's failed to net since.  Moreover, with his larger than life personality, he must begin producing once more or the pundits that had said time and again that he couldn’t hack it in the Prem Legue will be proven right and Man U will fail to meet its lofty expectations.  In addition, Paul Pogba who moved to United via a world record $89.1 million transfer fee from Juventus needs to turn things around and quickly.  For me, his performance decline began during the EURO’s when French Manager Didier DesChamps put Pogba in a deep midfield role acting more as a defensive midfielder rather than an attacking or box-to-box midfielder which is what he excels at.  Needless to say, his impact on the French squad was minimal by his and everyone else’s standards.  And for whatever reason, Man U Manager Jose Mourinho has done the same thing, placing Pogba farther back, which as a result limits his attacking capabilities.  In this match he must push forward and provide an added offensive threat for the Man U attack in order for the Red Devils to win.  Hopefully Mourinho tinkers with his lineup and puts Pogba in an attacking midfield role similar to that of when he was at Juve. Because when utilized properly Pogba can be electric with the football.  Lastly for United, David De Gea must have himself his typical magnificent performance between the sticks, because City possesses a dynamic offensive attack, and with Man U’s August Player of the Month Eric Bailly now out injured for United, expect City to create even more chances.

As for City, its attacking front three in Sergio Aguero, Kevin DeBruyne, and Raheem Sterling are expected to provide constant pressure for the United defense.  Aguero will have a point to prove as he was left out of the starting XI for Man City’s clash with Barca a week ago, and failed to score against Southampton at the weekend.  He needs to get back on track and prove to Pep, City’s Manager, that he can still light up the score sheet. If not then the youngster on the bench behind him in Kelechi Iheanacho is ready to seize his opportunity, as he’s produced seemingly every time out.  Kevin DeBruyne however, continues to be City’s best player.  He along with Iheanacho scored in September’s Manchester Derby, and I fully expect the Belgian International to create some terrific opportunities this go round.  Lastly, Sterling must press the flanks with his quick pace, putting pressure on either Antonio Valencia or Daily Blind.

This match will no doubt provide some fireworks, and there are few better venues to witness a high quality spectacle than at Old Trafford!  The Theatre of Dreams as its been dubbed by Manchester United Legend, Sir Bobby Charlton, has played host to a Champions League Final, World Cup matches, Euro fixtures, Olympic Games, and countless championship caliber United squads over its 100 plus year history.  Its a stadium, a venue, that has deep rooted history. It’swhere simply the finest footballers, or athletes in general have put their world class talents on display in front of nearly 76,000 fans.  And on Wednesday night, The Theatre of Dreams will play host to a heavyweight bout between United and City in the 173rd Manchester Derby! So tune in at 3pm EST on Bein Sports to watch the spectacle take shape. 

As for the winner, my head tells me City, but my heart tells me United.  And after the Red Devils embarrassing showing at the weekend losing 4-0 at Chelsea, coupled with the fact that City got the best of them last time out, I believe that United has to come out and show some grit and toughness. They must provide a physical and passionate performance as Pogba and company edge City at the end, providing great drama inside The Theatre!

LSB Prediction: 3-2 Manchester United FC

THE CLASH IN CATALONIA

Match Of The Week Preview: Issue 4

UEFA Champions League Matchday 3
FC Barcelona vs Manchester City FC
Camp Nou, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
2:45pm EST, 8:45pm Local, FS1

Coming up this Wednesday night will be a showdown of epic proportion as we finally get to see Barcelona squad off against Man City in what has surely been deemed the most anticipated matchup of this seasons’ Champions League Group Stage.  I will touch upon key players, delve into what makes this game so special, and reveal why it is a rivalry game of sorts, in-spite of these two clubs only meeting for the 5th time.

To start, Barcelona and Man City are both considered the best in their respective leagues.  Barca, while currently fourth in La Liga, have won the domestic double— league and cup, each of the past two seasons, including a treble winning 2014-15 campaign.  As for Man City, they won the Premier League in 2014-2015, finished fourth in 2015-2016, and are currently first in this young 2016-17 season.  Therefore, this game should produce some of the highest caliber performances. This can be attributed to these teams possessing some of the world’s best collection of footballers, coupled with great managers toeing the sideline. 

Over the past decade, the Citizens have evolved into an English power, thanks to a new deep pocketed ownership group. This has allowed a club that historically has played second fiddle in its own city of Manchester, to now bearing the country’s flag in search for European supremacy.  The influx of money has brought in the likes of star striker Sergio Agureo (Premier Leagues’ best goalscorer in goals per min), electric wingers Raheem Sterling and Leroy Sane, dazzling midfielders in David Silva and Kevin DeBruyne, and perhaps England’s best defensive prospect since John Terry in John Stones, to name a few.

As for Barcelona, its pedigree is only rivaled by that of Los Blancos in the Spanish capital, as the club has seemingly always produced silverware since it inception in 1899.  I’m talking five European/Champions League Trophies, five European Super Cups, 24 La Liga Titles, 28 Copa Del Rey Triumphs, and 12 Spanish Super Cups, as some of the premium pieces.  The trophy cabinet or better yet, the museum that houses all of the hardware Barca has inside the Camp Nou is quite an amazing sight to be seen, but that’s a story for another day.  Also unlike Man City, Los Cules didn't just have a rich ownership group to feed the club money and players, rather FC Barcelona is owned by the city, by the fans, by its people, similar to that of the Green Bay Packers in the NFL, which as fans of the NFL can attest to, undoubtedly adds to the mystique of Green Bay.  In addition, the players that Barca possess, while many of them were so-called free agents or bought players, the core that has led to perhaps the greatest run of success in modern day soccer was born and bread from Barca’s world renowned youth academy La Masia.  It has produced legendary and world class players such as Andres Iniesta, Xavi Herndadez, Carles Puyol, Gerrard Pique, Sergio Busquets, and the all-time great in Lionel Messi.  Four of these six players are still on the current roster and in prime form, meaning Man City is going to have its hands full in this one.

Everything for Barca begins and ends with its Maestro Messi.  The record five time Ballon D’or winner (Awarded to the best player in Europe/World) is back and healthy for this pivotal match.  He was out for nearly four weeks, but was subbed on after the break this past Saturday and looked in fine fettle as he scored two minutes on.  Messi can wreak havoc through his deadly accurate left foot whether its from a free kick or the run of play.  The Maestro can pick out a pass that only he can see with, what BEIN Sports’ own, Roy Hodson calls, his “flies eye vision”.  He can break a defense down by simply making half the opposing team look silly as he dribbles in and around them on way to goal, and then sharply and softly chipping the ball over the outstretched ‘keeper, in this case Claudio Bravo.  Yes, Messi can do it all, and the Man City defense, led by young, but talented John Stones, will have to keep its defensive shape or gaps will be sure to appear and Messi will either score himself or set things up for Neymar Jr and Luis Suarez, two world class players themselves.  One man that can act as a catalyst and a leader on the pitch for Man City is newly acquired goalkeeper Bravo.  Why him? Whelp, the past three seasons he plied his trade donning a catalan crest.  Yup thats right, he manned the posts for Barcelona before losing the job this past season to the young, but talented Marc Andre Ter Stegen.  Thus, expect him to provide as much insight to his teammates regarding the Barcelona attack as he can.

In addition, Man City’s new boss Pep Guardiola will be heading back for another trip to the Camp Nou since leaving the Catalans more than four years ago.  Guardiola is simply a mastermind, one of the games greatest managers, and the one credited with molding this current core of La Masia players into European Champions.  He led Barcelona to multiple Champions League victories along with a bevy of other titles, but for the third time he’ll be in the opposing managers’ box, a place where he hasn’t fared well whilst going up against his former squad.  The Spaniard and his Bayern Munchen team were bounced in the 2014-15 Champions League Semifinal to Barca, courtesy of an electric performance from the Catalan front three over the two legs.  Therefore, this match will feature as something of a derby as both Bravo and Guardiola will be seeking revenge for days gone by, and Man City will be hoping to record its first ever win over Europe’s alpha, inside the most visited stadium in the world, the 90,000 plus Camp Nou.  So make sure to crack open an Estrella Damm or a Newcastle Brown Ale and simply sit back and watch the magic unfold.

LSB Prediction: 3-1 FC Barcelona

THE SHOWDOWN IN SAO PAULO

Match of the Week Preview: Issue 3

Sao Paulo FC vs Santos FC
Thursday, October 13th
8:00pm EST

Get ready to watch one of South America’s most heated derbies as two of the continent’s most storied clubs take to the pitch in Sao Paulo, Brasil.  Yup, it’s none other than Sao Paulo vs Santos, or as the locals call it “San-Sao”!  I’ll brief you on the storied past for both clubs, the significance of the rivalry, and a list of key players to keep an eye on during the match.

The passion for futbol runs deep all over the world, but perhaps none deeper than in Brasil.  The place were the term “the beautiful game” was coined due to the flair with which the country played the game.  All of the flicks and tricks that many players fool around with on the practice field, are implemented in-game, producing jaw-dropping plays while simultaneously making their opponents look completely silly.  Undoubtedly the best at this was none other than Santos’ own Edson Arantes do Nascimento, or more commonly referred to as Pele.  The man revered as the best footballer of all-time, is the only player to have won three World Cups.  The Black Pearl has also scored the most goals in a career, for both club and country, was voted the Player of the Century by former Ballon D’or winners, and was even declared a National Treasure in 1961 by then President Janio Quadros.  In addition to Pele, the Peixi (fish), have been blessed with producing other greats, such as present day Superstar Neymar Jr., and budding youngster Gabriel (Gabigol) Barbosa, both of which ply their trade in Europe now.  As for Sao Paulo, the list of past Brazilian greats is lengthy, but can be highlighted by names such as Cafu, the Selecaos’ most capped player at 142, Casemiro currently manning the midfield for reigning Champions League Winner’s Real Madrid, and Kaka, the last Ballon D’or winner not named Messi or Ronaldo, an achievement he accomplished in 2007.

Through all of these talented players comes not just results, but record holding achievements.  For Santos, they are tied with another rival in Palmeiras with the most Brasileiro Serie A Titles with eight, tied for the most Paulista (State of Sao Paulo based football league) trophies with 21, and have won three COPA Libertadores (Champions League equivalent for South America) Titles as well.  Sao Paulo meanwhile have won six Brasileiro Serie A Titles, and are tied with none other than Santos for the most Paulista Trophies with 21, and also have also won three COPA Libertadores Titles of their own.  Thus, this rivalry has been built not just on club proximity, but on championship caliber squads, making this match so hotly contested since 1936.  And as such the stakes are high once again this season, as the Brasileiro Chevrolet campaign is hitting the home stretch with is fixture being match day 30 out of 38.  

Now historically both teams would be battling for three points in an attempt to get ever closer to Brasileiro Title supremacy, but this year is a little different.  Santos is in the hunt, currently fourth in the standings and just six points back of Palmeiras, but Sao Paulo is sitting 14th and just three points above relegation.  This folks I can assure you can be seen as an aberration, as Sao Paulo is one of just five teams in Brasil to have never been relegated.  Santos being one of the other four.  But even despite Sao Paulo’s struggles this season, largely due to some key players from last years’s squad leaving for bigger paydays abroad, this matchup will be fierce. It will be raucous inside the stadium, and every point will count. Whether its for Santos aiming to stay in the title race or Sao Paulo attempting to avoid the danger zone that is the bottom four.  

Therefore, some key players to watch for Santos are the creative attacking midfielder Lucas Lima, and the fine wine forward Ricardo Oliveira.  Look for these two to link up throughout the match as they lead the line to an offensive attack that ranks second behind Palmeiras in goals scored this season with 47.  As for Sao Paulo, expect the squad to feed off of the intensity descending from the Morumbi stands.  They’ll be sure to come out energetic, put perhaps over zealous, which is why the attention needs to be focused on captain Maicon.  He’s a trusty centerhalf, with 116 FC Porto caps to his name. He will need to keep the defensive shape of Sao Paulo, because if they get stretched, then the high scoring Pexie will pounce.  Offensively for Sao Paulo, they’ll need to rely heavily on Michael Batos, a midfielder credited with over 200 European club caps.  Batos will need to create some magic moving forward because its been tough offensively this campaign without the recently departed Alan Kardec, Alexandre Pato, and Paulo Henrique Ganso providing additional goalscoring support.

LSB Prediction: 2-1 Santos FC

THE TUSSLE IN TORINO

Match of the Week Preview: Article 2

Italia vs Espana
Thursday, October 6th
2:45pm EST

Will Italy leave Torino winners or will Spain fall forward to victory?  As the European club level takes a week plus autumn hiatus, we will turn our attention towards the international soccer scene.  Depending on what confederation your nation is in, the importance of this International break may vary.  For the United States, it’s simply a time of the year to give some youngsters, and perhaps those well earned vets, a try during a couple of friendlies.  But if your’e tuned into the goings on in Europe and South America, its time to get serious as these participating nations will be competing in World Cup qualifiers for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.  With that said, to me there is no bigger matchup on the docket than Italy vs Spain this upcoming Thursday.  Therefore, I’ll touch on some key points surrounding this game, such as the changing of the guard for both squads, Spain seeking revenge, and the significance of what the result of this match means for Group G in Europe’s World Cup Qualifying Table. 

For starters, Italy and Spain are two of Europe’s most successful clubs.  Italy has won one European Championship to go along with its four World Cup victories bringing them in as second overall behind Brazil, and tied with Germany for first among European counterparts.  Meanwhile, La Roja has won one World Cup and are tied with Germany for the most European Championships with three.  In addition, over the last decade, Spain has been in what many have called a “Golden Era” of football for the country.  This is because the national team won the 2008 European Championship followed by winning the 2010 World Cup, and culminating in 2012, they won the European Championship, cementing its place in footballing lore as this feat has never been done before, and perhaps will never be accomplished again.

Therefore this matchup will be a real treat for fans as two footballing titans take the pitch against each other, but wait, it gets better.  This game will mark a rematch of this past summers’ EURO 2016 Round of 16 game in which we saw Italy surprise and stun Spain to the tune of a 2-0 final score.  It was expected that the Antonio Conte led Italian squad would defend with all their might and try to score via the counter, and that’s exactly what happened, as the match sealing goal came via the break.  Spain had been considered one of the top favorites to win the tournament due to its aforementioned back to back to back titles, but La Roja succumbed to the defensive pressure and looked like the uninspired and unimaginative team that failed to make it out of the Group in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.  I would expect to see more passion, creativity and determination in this one from Spain, especially since this game will give these two Group G favorites the advantage in securing the top spot and earning an automatic bid to the World Cup.  The loser will then need to keep pace the rest of the way during qualifying and hope to unseat their counterpart the second time around.  Also, its noteworthy to mention that while the second place team within the Group remains alive for a World Cup berth, that team will have to play in a two legged playoff instead of getting an automatic bid.

Lastly, we could see two very different teams than what we saw this past summer, since both managers Vincente Del Bosque for Spain and Antonio Conte for Italy have moved on, resulting in a potential new look and new identity, especially for Spain.  Del Bosque was apart of the legendary run of success for La Roja, but after two consecutive disappointments in major tournaments, everyone felt like it was time for a change. The squad began to underperform and as a result the river bed of trophies dried up.  So, here comes in Julen Lopetegui as the new La Roja boss.  As a manager, he’s experienced mixed results as he led Porto to the quarterfinals of the Champions League in 2014, but never won any silverware, which ultimately led to him being released of his duties.  Needless to say, he’s not a glamorous signing. It will be interesting to see how the squad responds to him and his philosophies whilst at the helm.  Spain has a plethora of riches all over the field, thus this Spanish side must begin producing the goods once again.  We’ll just see if Lopetegui is the man to motivate them.  For Italy however, Antonio Conte took what was considered an average team by Italian standards and led them to the quarterfinals of the European Championship, only losing to Germany on penalties. He was loved by all in Italy, thus making Giampiero Ventura’s job a little more difficult.  Still, with that said, Italy boast perhaps the best back four and goalkeeping combination in the world. Additionally, they will still relay on and hope for a goal or two from Graziano Pelle or Eder via the counter or through set pieces.  In the end though, the lone goal of the game wont come from the Azzurri, but rather from La Roja’s in-form forward Diego Costa.  Ironically, the man that fronts the Chelsea starting Xl managed by none other than Antonio Conte.

LSB Prediction: 1-0 Espana

THE DUEL IN DORTMUND

Match of the Week Preview: Article 1

BVB 09 Dortmund vs Real Madrid CF
FS1 2:45pm EST
8:45pm Local Time

It’s match Day 2 of the UEFA Champions League Group Stage! This stellar showpiece, taking place in Dortmund, Germany between Bundesliga and La Liga Giants will make the eleventh time in history that the two will clash. With Madrid earning a slight edge over the first ten matches with a 4-3-3 record over the Black and Yellows, we will surely see a terrific contest tonight.  In the ensuing paragraphs, I will provide some key notes to look for during the game, such as the battle between Pierre-Emrick Aubameyang vs Cristiano Ronaldo, the effect of the stadium atmosphere, and a possible X-Factor for Dortmund. I will also explore two poignant questions, will either defense rise to the occasion, or will this be an electric up and down offensive battle?

The first thing that any footballer notices, especially if you are the visitor, is the energy inside the stadium whilst walking out of tunnel.  As a fan I absolutely must witness this part of the match. A crowd roaring in excitement or joining in song, truly sets the tone for the game.  And tonight, expect the players to be affected by it all as Signal Iduna Park will be irreverently rocking.  For BVB, the players will be affected positively, instantly being pumped up from their 12th man.  Meanwhile, Los Blancos will be affected negatively, thinking to themselves here we go again.  See, despite Real’s European dominance: holding the most European and Champions League Trophies of all-time with 11, they are a meager 0-2-3 when playing in Dortmund.  Thus, once the likes of Sergio Ramos, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Marcelo hear and see that raucous crowd, they’ll be thinking in the back of there heads that this is going to be a long evening.  

Once the whistle blows however, the match is expected to have great pace, as both squads like to push the tempo and attack as quickly as possible on counter attacks.  Therefore, whichever team’s middle field and back four can hold up the best on counters may end up winning this one.  So, keep an eye on Madrid’s Centerback Sergio Ramos for Real, who conceded a penalty last week due to a handball in the box vs Villarreal.  And on the other side of the pitch watch Centerbacks Sokratis Papastathopoulos (what a name, gotta love it) and Marc Bartra try and clear chances away from Los Blancos’ BBC (Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema, Cristiano Ronaldo).  Bartra will be very familiar with Madrid as he is a La Masia grad and former first team member of rival club Barcelona. Although, it is worth mentioning that he failed to impress at the Camp Nou resulting in a move to Dortmund.  

The matchup that everyone is waiting ever so impatiently to see, though, is who will steal the show.  Will it be Galactico Cristiano Ronaldo or BVB man Pierre-Emrick Aubameyang?  Ronaldo, regarded as one of the best footballers of all-time, looks to add to his record Champions League goal tally of 94; meanwhile, Aubameyang’s eyes are capitalizing on center stage to show the world his goalscoring prowess which lead him finishing second last season in goals. Only to be succeed by Bayern’s Robert Lewandowski in the Bundesliga.  Both men are likely to net tonight, but they will do it in different ways.  Ronaldo, while fast, scores plenty with his head, while Aubamenyang relies on is absolute blazing speed to create space and high scoring chances inside the box, particularly on the break.

Lastly, keep an eye on the young US Men’s National Team Member Christian Pulisic.  Just turned 18 years of age, this Pennsylvania born, Croatian decent youngster is a real gem for Dortmund.  He recently became the youngest player at age 17 to start in a Champions League match and with tremendous pace, vision, and technical ability and he could be the X-Factor for Dortmund in this one.  So with that, make sure you grab a cold one, sit back, relax, and enjoy this epic battle between European Heavyweights.

LSB Prediction: 3-2 BVB 09 Dortmund