UEFA SEMIFINAL FOOTBALLING SHORTS 2017

This past week proved pivotal for several clubs across the various domestic leagues in Europe.  In Germany, Bayern Munchen smoked Wolfsburg 6-0 at the Volkswagen Arena en route to clinching FC Hollywood’s 5th consecutive Bundesliga title. Leaving them 26th overall since the current league was formed just 54 years ago.  Meanwhile in England, Chelsea made the Champions League football for next season after defeating Everton 3-0 at Goodison Park.  In addition, the Tottenham Hotspurs sealed a 2-0 victory over Arsenal in what was the final North London Derby at White Hart Lane. 

The win not only kept the Suprs’ slim Premier League title hopes alive, but also assured the club of finishing the season ahead of rival, Arsenal, for the first time in 22 years.  Lastly in Spain Real Madrid seized all three points against Valencia after Marcelo’s late game heroics via a long range danger and Barcelona won El Derbi 3-0 courtesy of 2 goals from Luis Suarez.  Thus the LaLiga title race is still finely balanced with just three matches to go for La Blaugrana and four matches left for Los Blancos.  

This week however, we’ll once again turn our attention to Europe’s two elite competitions in the Champions League and Europa League as the first leg of the semifinals will be taking place Tuesday through Thursday.  Therefore I’ll be providing short and sweet synopses on each of the four marquee matches.  Here we go!

UEFA Champions League

Real Madrid C.F. vs Club Atletico de Madrid
Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid, Spain
Tuesday, May 2nd, 2017    2:45PM EST    FS1

The first semifinal of the week is the Madrid Derby!  This marks the fourth consecutive season that these two clubs will have squared off during the Knockout Stages, with Los Blancos getting the better of their crosstown rivals Los Colchoneros on each of the previous three occasions.  Real beat Atletico 4-1 in extra time in the 2013-14 final, 1-0 on aggregate in the 2014-15 quarterfinals, and 1-1 (5-3) on penalties in the 2015-16 final.  Thus there’s a bevy of intrigue in this semifinal as Los Rojiblancos look to finally avenge their shortcomings against Real.  Meanwhile the Galacticos are eyeing back-to-back Champions League titles, a feat that no club as ever achieved in the modern era. Edging out Atletico will get them one step closer to achieving that goal.

LSB Prediction: Take out the recent heartbreak from Messi’s magic in the dying seconds of El Clasico and the 2-1 Copa del Rey defeat to Celta Vigo (Europa League Semifinalist), and Los Vikingos has been unbeatable at home this season.  Thus expect a spirited and clinical performance from Cristiano and company as they capitalize on the couple chances that come their way in front of goal, but it’ll be Antoine Griezmann’s away strike that could prove the difference in the tie after leg two. 2-1 Real Madrid C.F.

AS Monaco FC vs Juventus FC
Stade Louis II, Fontanelle, Monaco
Wednesday, May 3rd, 2017    2:45PM EST    FS1

Perhaps the most intriguing matchup of the four to be previewed is Monaco vs Juventus.  It’ll be a clash between the young blind-eyed boys of Monaco and the seasoned wherewithal men from Torino.  Le Zebre are captained by 39 year old goalkeeper Gigi Buffon.  He’s a footballer that’s accomplished virtually everything he could for club and country, including countless Italian league, cup, and super cup titles to go along with his World Cup winner’s medal.  But one thing that the Italian captain is void of wining is a Champions League Final.  Time is fleeting for him as he’s set to retire after the World Cup next season, just as it is for the likes of 30 plus year old vice captains Giorgio Chiellini and Andrea Barzagli.  It appears the time is now for Juve to finally hoist the famed bunny eared trophy. Still, the fresh legged, pace-filled, young guns from Monaco might have something to say.  Whether, it’s 18 year old Kylian Mbappe, 21 year old Thomas Lemar, or 22 year olds Bernardo Silva, Tiemoue Bakayoko, and Benjamin Mendy, there’s speed, skill, and sense of invincibility all over the park.  A triple threat could take the old organized men by surprise and prove deadly come game’s end.

LSB Prediction: The match being at the Stade Louis II bodes well for Les Rouges et Blancs because of the backing of the home crowd.  Monaco has played loose and unerring all campaign long, but going up against Juve will be the club’s toughest test yet.  Le Zebre held Barcelona scoreless over two legs in the quarterfinals and have allowed just a single goal in the entirety of the Champions League this season.  I expect Monaco’s talented youth to get taught a less or two as Juve stifle wonder-kid Mbappe and the boys.  2-0 Juventus FC

UEFA Europa League

AFC Ajax vs Olympique Lyonnais
Johan Cruijff ArenA, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Wednesday, May 3rd, 2017    12:45PM EST    ESPN3

This matchup features one of Europe’s most storied clubs in Ajax Amsterdam.  Domestic league and cup title record holders Ajax have won the European Championship (Champions League) four times including back-to-back-to-back titles in the early 1970’s. In addition, in their illustrious history, they have won one UEFA Cup (Europa League).  This go round, Ajax features some tremendous up and coming talent in the likes of 19 year old Kasper Dolberg, 20 year old Jairo Riedewald, and 24 year old captain Davy Klaassen to name a few.  Meanwhile Lyon will feature one of the Netherlands golden jewels in former Eredivisie Player of the Year, Memphis Depay.  The 22 year old claimed the honor at age 20 while leading one of Ajax’s rival clubs PSV Eindhoven to the domestic title.  Depay has pace, skill, power, and a wicked curling shot and cross. He is definitely a player to watch out for, especially since he’ll be having a homecoming of sorts.  Depay will have support in teammate and striker Alexander Lacazette. Lacazette is a stone cold killer in front of goal as he’s netted 31 times in 40 appearances for Les Gones this campaign.

LSB Prediction: On paper Lyon has more quality and senior team experience than that of de Godenzonen, but this match will be played inside Johan Cruijff ArenA, featuring an extremely load and boisterous crowd.  Therefore I’m going with de Joden to pull out a close win as Dolberg finds the back of the net late on.  2-1 AFC Ajax

Real Club Celta de Vigo vs Manchester United FC
Estadio Municipal de Balaidos, Vigo, Galacia, Spain
Thursday, May 4th, 2017    2:45PM EST    FS1

The slate of semifinal matches culminate with a tussle between Spain and England.  Many pundits and supports alike still seem to stake the claim that the Premier League is the top domestic league in Europe despite the fact that Spain has won a European Double of sorts in each of the past three seasons.  Real Madrid and Barcelona combined to win the three Champions League titles, with Sevilla wining the past three Europa Leagues.  In addition, two of the past three Champions League Finals have been Madrid Derbies, meaning that it was an all Spanish final.  Seems to me that Spain has a firm grip on Europe, but for those Premier League proponents, this matchup can be seen on the surface as an example of the depth of squads that England possess and Spain supposedly does not.  Now, as we dig deeper, we see that the Red Devils are sitting fifth in the Premier League table, whereas Celta Vigo sits eleventh in LaLiga.  Thus Man United is in a must win situation.  United is the better side on paper and in it’s respective league, but Celta sitting mid-table could just in fact prove that there is indeed depth to Spain’s top flight and silence the critics once and for all.

LSB Prediction: Manchester United are the heavy favorites to not only win the first leg and the tie, but the Europa League as whole.  With Zlatan Ibrahimovic out for the remainder of the season, the front line has been led by the talented teenager in Marcus Rashford.  Rashford's pace has proved problematic at times for opponents, Premier League leading Chelsea included.  However, he and the rest of the Man U squad will get a rude awaking at the Balaidos.  Celta will play aggressive, physical football and disrupt Rashford, Pogba, and Martial’s flow. Ultimately, they will counter on a couple of occasions with Iago Aspas claiming the winner.  2-0 Real Club Celta de Vigo

DERBI BARCELONI

RCD Espanyol de Barcelona vs FC Barcelona
Estadi Cornella-El Plat, Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain
Saturday, April 29th, 2017    2:45PM EST    beIN SPORTS | fuboTV

Wow!  What a wondrous week it was.  It started off in thrilling fashion with the Champions League Quarterfinal second legs taking place. We saw a young, exciting Monaco, a well organized Juventus, gritty Atletico Madrid, and rather lucky Real Madrid advance to the semifinals.  Then it was Sunday. Oh yes, on Sunday afternoon at the Santiago Bernabeu, the week culminated in scintillating style.  It was none other than the maestro himself, La Pulga, Lionel Messi that put on a magisterial performance, despite being battered, bloodied, and bruised.  He dazzled us with his velcro-like touches of the ball, long bursting and evasive runs, and sniper-esc shots ultimately killing Real Madrid’s hopes of running away with LaLiga. He burned down the Bernabeu as he sealed victory in the fleeting seconds of the match.  To add insult to injury, he removed his jersey and held it up high with his name facing the Madridista crowd. In that moment, he owned the stadium, squad, and supporters in Spain’s capitol city.

So, how is this week going to live up to El Clasico? To start, I've picked another LaLiga derby for you this weekend. This derby features El Clasico’s match winners in Barcelona, as the Azulgrana square off against crosstown rivals, Espanyol, in the Derbi Barceloni!  I’ll provide a brief historical backdrop of the derby, reveal my keys to the match, and unveil my LSB prediction.

Derbi Barceloni

This Catalan Derby means more than just crosstown clubs going toe-to-toe. In fact, if that were the case, then this rivalry wouldn’t be much more than another game against Spanish sides, as Barca have won 93 league matches to the Periquitos’, 34, with both sides drawing 36 times.  What makes this such a heated and, despite the record, rather competitive fixture is that Espanyol was founded by Spaniards. In addition, the club was christened royal patronage by the Spanish government.  The team being deemed royal patronage by the Spanish government, and their acceptance of it, inherently diminishes the Catalan connection of the team. Thereby, creating a rivalry not just of location, but of loyalties. 

You will also notice that, the Blanquiazules’ crest is eerily similar to that of Real Madrid’s, as it sports a circle filled with the club colors and team name, capped off by a crown and cross.  This only exacerbates the stance of the club, as their allegiances are already muddied.  El Derbi should be quite a dandy as the city of Barcelona will be behind FCB, and the country of Spain will be behind la Blanquiazules. 

Keys to the Match

Last week I chose Lionel Messi as my key performer for Barcelona, and boy did he live up to the billing!  This go round, I’m focusing on Los Pistoleros, Luis Suarez.  He’s scored 32 goals and produced 17 assists in all competitions this year, but over the past 5 matches Suarez has been shooting blanks.  Los Pistoleros has zero goals and just one assist over this span.  Thus, he’s primed to break out against Espanyol.  A world class striker of his ilk possesses raw power in physique, pace in his lumbering runs and shots, and deadly accuracy from all angles.  This is the Suarez that we have come to know, love and don Los Pistoleros and that’s the Suarez we’ll see come Saturday.  

As for Espanyol, it’ll be a collective effort to keep Barca from running rampant.  Espanyol will try to neutralize FCB through playing a physical, aggressive and foul-laden match.  Two things are for certain, plenty of yellow cards and plenty of images showing Messi’s jersey being pulled back as he squirts past defenders.  

LSB Prediction

Assuming that Barcelona win tomorrow’s midweek match against LaLiga dwellers Osasuna, the Azulgrana will not only be playing for Catalan pride, but for the hopes of winning and retaining LaLiga, as well.  Thus, a focused Barcelona squad, led by Luis Suarez, will produce a quick-fire double on way to undressing the royal patronage hosts.  3-1 FC Barcelona

EL CLASICO: COUNTRY VERSUS CATALUNYA

Real Madrid C.F. vs FC Barcelona (LaLiga)
Estadio Santiago Bernabeau, Madrid, Spain
Sunday, April 23rd, 2017    2:45PM EST    beIN SPORTS | fuboTV

Last week’s fixture list was loaded with marquee matches as the Champions League and Europa League had the spot light from Tuesday through Thursday, while the weekends attention was on the Derby della Madonnina, and Manchester United vs Chelsea.  If you though last week was wondrous, this week will be magisterial. Thanks to the decisive second legs of the European competitions taking place Tuesday through Thursday, and El Clasico Sunday afternoon, this will be a delightful week of football.  As El Clasico is passionately known as the biggest rivalry in club football, this week, I delve into the significance of the match from a LaLiga perspective, provide key performers that are to make an impact, and reveal my LSB match prediction.

LaLiga Standings

With just six matchdays left to be played for Barcelona and seven for Real Madrid, LaLiga appears to be just a two horse race to the title.  Thanks to a severe storm that rumbled through Galacia Spain, damaging the Balaidos, Celta Vigo’s stadium, Barcelona lost a club game. Currently, Los Blancos sit atop the table with 75 points, with eternal rivals La Blaugrana in second with 72 points.  After that, there’s a sizable cliff and then its Atletico Madrid in third, with 65 points.  So, as the season is nearing its end, each and every point matters, especially for Barcelona.  This is a must win, if there ever was one, for La Azulgrana. If they win, then Barca is level on points with Madrid, and possess the two-legged head-to-head tiebreaker.  In short, if Barcelona was able to win their remaining league fixtures, and Madrid loses one of its remaining matches, then La Blaugrana would win the title.  However, if Real Madrid were to simply draw, then Los Blancos would then have to lose two more matches, and Barca would have to win all of its remaining games.  Lastly, if Los Merengeas beat Barca, then the fat lady will have sung, and the title winning ceremony might as well take place post match.

Key Performers

When its the Galacticos squaring off against FCB, there’s stars galore to chose from.  However, all eyes are on Leo Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo first and foremost.  They’re the two best players of our generation, and arguably of all-time.  As such, both men are sure put on a stellar show of footballing class.  With Barcelona’s Messi, he will have your jaw drop by way of pulling off mind-boggling passes in spaces that no one watching could even see.  Messi will explode on dazzling runs, leaving defenders looking foolish, as he strolls by toward goal.  And lastly, La Pulga will produce magisterial wonder through his golden left leg as he’ll stroke the ball into the back of Real’s net, as he’s done more times than any other player. 

As for Cristiano, he will steamroll forwarded on net, as is his trademark.  He’ll use his lethal right leg and wicked swiveling head to blast the ball past an overmatched Marc-Andre Ter Stegen. And lastly, he’ll provide assisting play for the likes of Karim Benzima, Isco, or Alvaro Morata, as he’s begun to do more and more this campaign.

LSB Prediction

As aforementioned, it’s a must win for Barcelona.  By the time gameday rolls around, it’s likely that La Blaugrana will have been knocked out of the Champions League, leaving a LaLiga/Copa del Rey double left to play for.  Thus, I fully expect a spirited start to the match from the Messi led squad, as they’ll create several chances, with La Pulga capitalizing on one.  But as the match drags into the final half-hour, Barca will be heavy-legged after exerting so much energy from the mid-week’s mountain climb of a match against Juve, resulting in La Azulgrana being a step slow here and there, ultimately creating space for Ronaldo to put the dagger into Barca’s 2016-17 season.  1-1 Draw

Bonus LSB Champions League Quarterfinal Predictions

Leicester City FC 1-1 Club Atletico de Madrid (Cub Atletico de Madrid 2-1 on aggregate)
Real Madrid C.F. 3-1 FC Bayern Munchen (Real Madrid C.F. 5-2 on aggregate)
AS Monaco FC 1-3 BVB 09 Dortmund (BVB 09 Dortmund 5-4 on aggregate)
FC Barcelona 2-1 Juventus FC (Juventus FC 4-2 on aggregate)

EASTER BASKET BONUS SHORTS

One of the most important holidays of the year, for Christians, is this weekend.  In addition there will be a a battle between Catholics in Italy and a clash of Protestants in England.  Thus I thought it’d provide you with a little Easter basket of mine own.  I've filled my basket with two footballing shorts that are sure to keep you entertained this weekend, as Inter and Milan square off and Man United and Chelsea go head to head. !  Hear we go!

Saturday, April 15th, 2017

F.C. Internazionale Milano vs A.C. Milan
Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, Milano, Italy
6:45AM EST    beIN SPORTS | fuboTV

It’s fitting that this derby between crosstown rivals Inter and Milan is being played on Easter weekend, as the derby itself is called the Derby della Madonnina, which means “Derby of Little Madonna,” referring to the famed statue of the Virgin Mary that sits atop the Duomo de Milano (Milan Cathedral).  Aside from the derby’s iconic title, this particular rivalry is the most heated in all of Italy due to the illustrious history that both clubs possess.  Combined, the Rosenerri and the Nerazzuri have won 10 European Cups, 36 domestic titles, and 12 Coppa Italia and Suppercoppa Italia titles.  Thus this should be a real treat for those early risers aiming to watch this one live,  but remember you can always record this match via beIN SPORTS or fuboTV to watch it at a more convenient time.  Lastly, Inter and AC are just two points apart from each other in the Serie A Table, sitting in sixth and seventh.  As a result this match will be of even more importance as they’ll battle it out for sixth place or better, as the top six of the league qualify for European football come next season.

LSB Prediction:  There’s some exceptional young talent that will be gracing the San Siro pitch come Saturday, led by Milan’s 18 yr old goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and Inter’s 24 yr old striker and captain Maurio Icardi.  When the two best players on teams are a striker and 'keeper respectively, it becomes a battle of who blinks first. This matchup is one that we’ll likely see a lot of at club level and on the international stage for over a decade to come, but on this day, my faith is in club captain Icardi to sneak one past Italy’s future #1 goalkeeper in Donnarumma.  1-0 F.C. Internazionale Milano.

Sunday, April 16th, 2017 (Easter)

Manchester United FC vs Chelsea FC
Old Trafford, Manchester, England, United Kingdom
11:00AM EST    NBCSN

There’s a bushel basket of subplots set to take place in this matchup between the Lions and the Red Devils.  For starters, Jose Mourinho is facing his former club Chelsea for the third time this season. He is 0-2 thus far. This includes, most recently, a disastrous FA Cup exit loss, at the Bridge, that saw Spaniard Ander Herrera sent off at the 35 minute mark.  Secondly, arguably, the top three players in the Premier League will be on the Old Trafford pitch as Chelsea’s N’golo Kante and Eden Hazard (Premier League’s 2015 Player of the Year) square off against Man U’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic.  All three men have been incredibly influential for their respective clubs this season, and come Sunday I’m expecting to see their best on display.  Lastly, United will be striving to take all three points as the club is in a dogfight for the fourth and final UEFA Champions League qualifying spot, currently being occupied by city rivals Manchester City.  Meanwhile Chelsea is simply looking for the status quo as the Blues are sitting pretty with a seven point cushion atop the table.  

LSB Prediction: There’s sure to be loads of drama inside the Theatre of Dreams come Easter Sunday.  Chelsea will bring its typical workman-like style of play to the offering.  Meanwhile Zlatan and Wayne Rooney will try to tap into their fountain of youth once more in an attempt to carry United across the line.  In the end though, Hazard, with the help of Kante, will outshine the Mercurial Swede and England captain, ultimately sending Mourinho home sobbing. 2-1 Chelsea FC

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FOOTBALLING SHORTS

Welcome everyone to the new and improved Lewnau Sports Bureau!  It’s been a busy, but exciting few weeks as we’ve updated the website aesthetically and added new content sections, in an effort to provide a more immersive and encompassing footballing experience.  As you scroll down the homepage, you’ll find sections articles, illustrations, stadium info, and more.  I hope you enjoy the new facelift, now, let’s kickoff this week’s article.  

The Champions League is back, and it’s now down to the nitty gritty as just eight teams remain in Europe’s top competition.  This week there are four first leg matches to be played, with the second legs on April 18th and 19th.  I’ll provide you with short, but sweet synopsis on all four fascinating fixtures.  Here we go!

Tuesday’s Slate | April, 11 2017

BVB 09 Dortmund vs AS Monaco FC
Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund, Deutschland
2:45PM EST    FS2

This match is poised to produce the highest goal tally amongst the four highlighted fixtures as Dortmund and Monaco love to play on the front foot with little regard to what could be happening on the backlines. This could be attributed to outstanding, but young, talent littering both outfits.  For instance, the Black and Yellows regularly play Christian Pulisic, Ousmane Dembele, Emry Mor, and Felix Passlick, all of whom are teenagers.  And as for Les Rouges et Blancs, you’ll see a bevy of under 23’s, such as Kylian Mbappe, Thomas Lemar, Bernardo Silva, and Benjamin Mendy. Thus, expect to see plenty of explosive play pushing forward, but several defense lapses while tracking back.

LSB Prediction:  While Dortmund’s youngsters will have the backing of “The Yellow Wall”, Monaco’s boys will feel like they ran into a brick wall.  4-2 BVB 09 Dortmund

Juventus FC vs FC Barcelona
Juventus Stadium, Torino, Italia
2:45PM EST    FS1

Tuesday’s main event features The Old Lady seeking revenge from suffering a defeat to La Blaugrana in the 2015 Champions League Final, in Berlin.  The core for Juve, its defensive back line, is still intact and will no doubt give the MSN fits. But, it’s the Zebras front two in Gonzalo Higuain and Paulo Dybala against Barca’s backline, lead by Gerard Pique and Javier Mascherano, that’ll be the must watch of the evening.  La Azulgrana has had issues galore in defense this season, meanwhile the Bianconeri strikers have been in fine fettle. Thus, whomever gains the edge in this battle, will see its side have the edge on the scoreline entering leg 2.  

LSB Prediction: Juventus have a chip on its shoulder from 2015’s shortcomings and its been documented that Barcelona had been rooting for any of the six other clubs to be drawn against them for these quarterfinals.  However, I expect a hard-nosed workman-like performances from Pique and Mascherano, as they ultimately go on to hold Juve’s Argentine duo to just a single goal.  1-1 Draw (FC Barcelona lead on away goal difference)

Wednesday’s Slate (12 April 2017)

Club Atletico de Madrid vs Leicester City FC
Estadio Vicente Calderon, Madrid, Espana
2:45PM EST    FS

On paper this matchup appears to be clearly one sided in favor of Atletico, as La Rojiblancos are facing a mid-table Premier League squad in Leicester.  But, might I remind you that since Carig Shakespeare took over the reigns from Claudio Ranieri, six games ago, the Foxes have been playing like something out of Shakespeare, William that is.  The english club is undefeated during this time and has even eliminated one of La Liga’s top four squads, in Sevilla, along the way.  It’ll be interesting however as both teams greatest qualities are grit, physicality, and defensive stability.  Which unit will win the day?

LSB Prediction: The last time the foxes took the pitch in Spain they lost 2-1 to Sevilla.  The same will happen Wednesday night in Madrid.  Diego Simeone will have the Calderon rocking and his players lead by El Nino, and Antoine Greizmann will have the foxes coming up lame by games end.  3-0 Club Atletico de Madrid

FC Bayern München vs Real Madrid C.F.
Allianz Arena, München, Deutschland
2:45PM EST    FS1

The most hyped and hotly anticipated fixture of the quarterfinals is indeed Bayern vs Real!  Not only does this matchup pit two teams that have a combined 16 European titles, but it also features familiar faces from both sides, which should add to the intrigue.  For Real, current Galactico Tony Kroos first plied his trade for the Bavarians.  Meanwhile for FC Hollywood, current player Xabi Alonso and manager Carlo Ancelotti used to represent Los Blancos, with both men taking part of Los Merengues’ La Decimal Title.  In addition, Bayern also features Spaniards Thiago Alcantara and Javi Martinez, two players groomed in Catalunya and Basque County respectively.  Thus, they’d like nothing better than to take down Spain’s evil empire.

LSB Prediction:  Los Vikingos are the defending European Champions, but Bayern München appears to be in the best form of any across Europe at the moment.  Lewandowski, Robben, and Ribery all netted this past weekend in Der Klassiker, and I fully expect them to keep that going come Wednesday evening in Bavaria.  2-0 FC Bayern München

DERBY IN DEUTSCHLAND

BUNDESLIGA

FC Schalke 04 vs BVB 09 Dortmund
Veltins Arena, Dortmund, Germany
Saturday, April 1st, 2017 9:30AM EST FS1

Welcome back everybody! Last week all eyes descended upon South America as the CONMEBOL World Cup Qualifiers were taking place.  Big time matchups such as Brazil vs Uruguay and LSB’s Match of the Week, Argentina vs Chile, truly packed a punch as they were filled with physicality, passion, skill, and flair.  I fully expect the same in this week’s main feature between Schalke and Dortmund!  That’s right, Germany’s famed Revierderby is this Saturday.  So, let me get you primed with a brief background of the rivalry, provide my keys to the game, and reveal my LSB prediction!

The Revierderby

Heralded as Germany’s fiercest derby, the matchup between Ruhr river rivals dates back to 1925.  In that time, these two clubs, who’s stadiums are separated by less than 25 miles, battled it out for the supporters, on and off the pitch. They have played 149 times, seeing Schalke win 58 matches, Dortmund win 51 games, and both sides drawing on 40 occasions.  In addition, when they weren’t going toe-to-toe on the field, they were jockeying for German and European supremacy, as the Royal Blues and the Black and Yellows have won a combined 15 Bundesliga Titles, 8 DFB-Pokal’s and 2 European Titles (Dortmund winning the 1996-97 Champions League and Schalke winning the UEFA Cup in the same season).  Thus, it’s clear to see why this derby is so special to those in Deutschland and why the 150th meeting between bitter rivals will be such a joy to watch!

Keys to the Match

Once again this season, the Miners and BVB are excelling on the pitch, domestically and internationally.  Both clubs find themselves in the quarterfinals of their respective European competitions, as well as being among the top seven in the Bundesliga.  With that said, these two clubs have earned their success by very different means, which brings me to my keys to the match.  For Borussia Dortmund, they possess a high flying, high octane offensive attack, led by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Marco Reus, Ousmane Dembele, and the United States own Cristian Pulisic!  This quartet is electric, looking to blaze forward whenever possible, ultimately putting up video game-like numbers by game’s end.  Thus, expect this bunch to threaten Schalke through out the match.

Schalke however, features a far less desirable approach to its game, as the Royal Blues are more methodical whilst possessing the football and are anchored by three seasoned veterans, two on the backline and one up front.  Club Captain Center-Half Benedikt Howedes and counterpart Naldo provide a real sense of security, defensively. These two have a combined 546 Bundesliga appearances under their belts, as well as an additional 44 international caps with Germany for Howedes.  Also, Vice-Club Captain Striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar has donned the Royal Blue kit on 168 occasions while producing 81 goals.  Thus, the recipe for success with Schalke is to be well balanced with veteran quality near both goals, ultimately showing its “Klaas” in the winners column. 

LSB Prediction

 Schalke will have the home stage in the 150th meeting of the Revierderby, which will lead a helpful hand.  The time-tested trio of Howedes, Huntelaar and Naldo will aim to take the sting out of BVB’s attacking bite. Still, Borussia Dortmund will prove to have a bigger bit.  The blistering pace down the flanks with Dembele and Pulisic, as well as the center power of Reus and Aubameyang, will simply have Schalke’s men scrambling a time or three too many. 3-1 BVB 09 Dortmund

EL JUEGO MONUMENTAL

CONMEBOL World Cup Qualifier

Argentina vs Chile
El Monumental, Bueno Aires, Argentina
Thursday, March 23rd, 2017 7:30PM EST beIN Sports | fuboTV

Welcome back to the Lewnau Sports Bureau!  I hope that you all enjoyed last week’s article “March Madness Footballing Shorts”, as well as watching the corresponding matches.  I know I did!  Leicester City continued their surprise Champions League run by upsetting one of La Liga’s top clubs in Sevilla.  Monaco dazzled too as they came back from a two goal first leg deficit, shocking Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City.  In Istanbul, the Black Eagles breezed past   the Greek giants in Olympiakos 4-1.  Meanwhile in Basque Country, Los Blancos showed their road mettle by dispatching of Los Leones 2-1.  And lastly Liverpool and Man City proved to us all just how poor the officiating is in the Premier League, particularly inside the penalty area, on their way to a 1-1 draw.  Yes, it was a fun filled week of footballing action, and this week will be more of the same as we shift our attention to the International scene for this week.  World Cup qualifying matches will be taking place worldwide, but there’s one fixture in particular that stands amongst the rest, Argentina vs Chile!  Ill provide a brief history lesson regarding this budding South American rivalry, touch upon what a win would mean for either club in their pursuit of qualifying for the World Cup, reveal my keys to the match, and lastly unveil my match prediction.

Budding Rivalry

Over the last few years Chile and Argentina have cemented themselves as the preeminent national teams in South America and across the globe.  Since 2014, Argentina has played in three consecutive finals (2014 FIFA World Cup, 2015 Copa America, 2016 Copa Centenario).  In doing so, the Albiceleste have earned themselves the #1 Ranking in the FIFA World Rankings.  That’s quite an achievement, but, perhaps somewhat tainted by the fact that, in all three occasions of reaching the final, Argentina has lost.  They lost the World Cup to Germany in extra time 1-0.  They then followed that up by being stunned by host Chile on penalties after a 0-0 draw through extra time in 2015.  Finally last year, as North and South America joined forces to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the Copa America, Argentina, still ranked #1 worldwide and once again, they were led by the World’s Best Player in Lionel Messi. They thought that things would be different and a Copa Title would beckon, but no it did not.  Chile shocked the Albiceleste again on penalties, after another physical 120 minute match.  Leo Messi was so distraught after air mailing his penalty, and seeing his former club teammates in Claudio Bravo and Alexis Sanchez celebrating another trophy, that he announced his retirement from International football.  He had been to four major international finals with Argentina, and in baffling fashion has lost them all.  An utter anomaly.  It is like the Buffalo Bills reaching four consecutive Super Bowls and failing to hoist the Lombardi Trophy.  The odds are simply stacked against that happening, but as Messi said post game, sometimes it’s not meant to be, and International Football success isn’t meant for me.  And he wasn’t the only Argentine that felt this way.  Mascherano, Aguero, Higuain, and Di Maria were all considering their international futures as well.  The core of Argentina’s “Golden Era” was pondering handing up its boots after another lost final.  A hollow era that would have been, and could still be.  But luckily, Messi’s retirement didn’t last long, and the morale of the team and fellow stars has been rejuvenated.  Thus, we shall witness another epic match between the Two-Time Defending Copa America Champions Chile and the arguably better, bitter, revenge-seeking rivals, Argentina, this Thursday night!

CONMEBOL World Cup Qualifying

This match isn’t a just a must see because of the quality that’ll be taking the pitch, the intensity that will be shown in every tackle and after every goal, or because it’s a rematch of the 2015 and ’16 Copa America Final’s.  It’s a certain watch because this fixture is a World Cup Qualifier and Chile is currently sitting fourth with Argentina fifth in the standings.  CONMEBOL has four guaranteed World Cup bids, which are issued to the top four teams in the standings at the end of qualifying, with the fifth placed team forced to participate in a two-legged playoff against a nation from another confederation to earn a spot in the upcoming 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.  Thus, with just six qualifiers remaining and both clubs sitting on the edge of qualification, this is a must win game.  If Chile earns themselves three points, then La Roja will move to four points clear of Argentina, and remain at least two points ahead of lurking Columbia who are currently in sixth.  Conversely, if Argentina wins, then they’d move ahead of Chile into at least fourth place, perhaps even into third.  But if the Albiceleste lose, then Argentina could fall to sixth, if Columbia win its match.  Therefore, the stakes will be high inside River Plate’s El Monumental.

Keys to the Match

As La Roja always do, Chile will pack a punch with their physical style of play.  Yellow and red cards have become common place when these two clubs square off, thus keeping a cool head for all involved is key.  But perhaps most importantly for Argentina is finishing.  A common theme amongst the three consecutive lost finals is the lack of goalscoring.  A surprising thing to say when talking about the likes of Messi, Aguero, Higuain, Di Maria, etc., but its true.  The Albiceleste failed to score a single goal in 360 minutes of Major Tournament Finals from 2014-16.  Thus, when Argentina gets their scoring chances, the must take and make them.  I’m glaring at you Gonzalo Higuain!

On the flip side, Chile must continue to do what they have done in the prior matches, be physical, and relentless with and without the ball. Ultimately, this will wear down and frustrate a technically superior Argentine squad.  This style of play is unquestionably led by Arturo Vidal and Alexis Sanchez.  These two players pride and passion pours out onto the pitch whenever they throw the Chile shirt on, and this will be no exception.  Vidal will try to boss the midfield and Sanchez will aim to one up his ex-Barcelona teammate, Lionel Messi.  

LSB Prediction:

Unlike the prior two meetings, this time the fixture is being played on Argentine soil, and at the famed El Monumental in the Capital city no less.  Thus, the Albiceleste will have a raucous supporting crowd advantage behind them: the 12th man.  In addition, Argentina will have had this match circled on its calendar for months now, as they seek revenge for past failures against Chile.  In what will be a heated game, Lionel Messi will rise to the occasion and provide a second half thunder strike past former ‘mate Claudio Bravo on route to the victory.  1-0 Argentina

MARCH MADNESS FOOTBALLING SHORTS

It’s the the middle of March, and that means its tourney time here in the States, better referred to as March Madness. Thanks to the NCAA Tournament’s blockbuster game slate from Tuesday through Sunday of this week, basketball fans will get what they yearn for every collegiate season: mega matchups between historical blue blood programs and shocking game-ending upsets by cinderella slippered mid-majors.  With that said, there’s a bit of March Madness brewing across the pond in Europe, as the Champions League, Europa League and various other domestic leagues feature hotly contested and entertaining fixtures.  Therefore, this week, I’ll be providing a handful of must-see matches, in another edition of LSB’s Footballing Shorts.

UEFA Champions League

Leicester City FC vs Sevilla FC (Round of 16, 2nd Leg)
King Power Stadium, Leicester, England, United Kingdom
Tuesday, March 14th, 2017 3:45PM EST FS1

Heading into this second leg, the tie is hanging in the balance for either side to seize as the aggregate is 2-1, with Leicester having earned a crucial away goal.  Sevilla dominated the first leg in Spain, but wasn’t clinical enough in front of goal to put the tie away early.  Thus, despite the Foxes poor Premier League performance this season, Leicester still has a realistic shot of advancing to the quarterfinals with a 1-0 result at home.  They’ve been better since the change in management, as Vardy and Mahrez have come back to life offensively.  But make no mistake, the aggressive, up-tempo Sevilla is still fancied to win this match. 

LSB Prediction:  Leicester is sure to score as they’ll feed off of the home crowd, but the Blanquirrojos are sure to answer with one or two of their own through from Ben Yedder, Jovetic, or Vitolo.  2-2 Draw (Sevilla FC advance on 4-3 aggregate)

AS Monaco FC vs Manchester City FC (Round of 16, 2nd Leg)
Stade Louis ll, Fontvieille, Monaco
Wednesday, March 15th, 2017 3:45PM EST FS1

The first leg in Manchester was a real cracker, as the two teams combined to score 8 goals, with the Citizens ultimately winning 5-3.  This go round I expect much of the same, at least from Monaco anyway.  The Rouges et Blancs lead Ligue 1 in goals scored with an astounding 84 goals through 29 games, and couple that with them playing at home, there’s no question that Monaco will be striking the back of the net multiple times.  Man City however, has offensive firepower of its own, with the likes of Sergio Aguero, Kevin De Bruyne, Raheem Sterling, and Leroy Sane running amok in the opposing sides final third. But this group has been hot and cold at times this season which makes me think that a second leg comeback is in the cards for the men from Monaco.

LSB Prediction: Monaco will maul Man City, as the lethal offensive attack of Falcao, Lemar, Mbappe, and Silva will prove too potent for the Citizens.  3-1 AS Monaco FC (AS Monaco FC advances on 6-6 aggregate thanks to away goal tiebreaker 3-1)

UEFA Europa League

Besiktas JK vs Olympiakos CFP (Round of 16, 2nd Leg)
Vodafone Arena, Istanbul, Turkey
Thursday, March 16th, 2017 2:00PM EST FS1

A rare FS1 televised fixture between two clubs outside of the “Top 5” leagues.  These two teams may be viewed as “mid-majors”, but they're both very talented and have been incredibly successful domestically.  The Black Eagles of Besiktas won the Turkish Super Lig last season, and are currently in first this campaign through 24 matches.  Olympiakos meanwhile have won 18 of the last 20 Greek Super League Titles, while holding domestic records for the league, cup, super cup, and greater super cup.  Needless to say, this fixture should be a real treat and a rare opportunity for us to see these two talented clubs take the pitch.  

LSB Prediction: With the aggregate at 1-1 heading to Istanbul, the Black Eagles are in a solid position.  If they keep a clean sheet, then they are through.  If they win 2-1 they are through.  With that said, I think it’ll be 1-1 after regular time, with talented Brazilian Talisca scoring the game and tie winner in extra time.  2-1 Besiktas JK (Besiktas JK advances on 3-2 aggregate)

Athletic Club vs Real Madrid CF (La Liga Santander)
San Mames, Bilbao, Basque County, Spain
Saturday, March 18th, 2017 11:15AM EST beIN Sports | fuboTV

As we hit the weekend, club fixtures shift domestically, and on Saturday there’s a real dandy taking place in La Liga.  7th place Athletic Club host 1st place Real Madrid at what will be a politically charged San Mames.  I fully expect this to be a fiery fixture as both the Leones and Galacticos need a positive result.  Bilbao are striving for at least a 6th place finish in order to qualify for European football next year, and Madrid want to remain in first, ahead of rivals Barcelona.  In addition, this match is between the Basque Country and Spain’s Capital City, Madrid.  Politically these two areas of Spain are at odds as many Basques want separation from Spain, much like in Catalonia.  Therefore it should be no surprise to see the Basque flags flying in full force in and around the San Mames, as well as rebellious chants descending from the stands.  

LSB Prediction: With the backing of the raucous home crowd, the Leones led by Inaki, Aduriz, and Muniain, steel all 3 points from Ballon d’Or Winner Cristiano Ronaldo and his European Champions Real Madrid.  2-1 Athletic Club

Manchester City FC vs Liverpool FC (Premier League)
Etihad Stadium, Manchester, England, United Kingdom
Sunday, March 19th, 2017 12:30PM EST NBC

The final fixture of our Footballing Shorts list is between two of the Premier League’s Top 4 clubs.  Man City, sitting third in the table, will be eyeing a win as they attempt to bounce back from the aforementioned midweek Champions League loss to Monaco.  It won't be easy though as the Citizens will not only be battling a talented Liverpool team lead by the Brazilian duo of Coutinho and Firmino, but they will also be fatigued from the hotly contested European fixture just a few days prior.  As an example, after Barcelona shocked us all by beating PSG 6-1 last week, the Blaugrana followed that performance up by losing to a bottom of the table Deportivo La Coruna 2-1.  The positive for Pep Guardiola and his Man City squad is that at least they’re at home and will have support from its supporters, perhaps providing them with a little extra gas in the tank. 

LSB Prediction: The Reds typically reserve their elite performances for the Premier League’s best clubs, and Man City falls into that category.  Couple that with the Citizens physically demanding week, and I’d say its a recipe for success for Jurgen Klopp and a disaster waiting to happen for the men from Manchester.  1-0 Liverpool FC

SCOTLAND'S SUNDAY SHOWDOWN

Scottish Premiership

Celtic FC vs Rangers FC
Celtic Park, Glasgow, Scotland
Sunday, March 12th 8:00AM EST FS1

Happy Tuesday everybody!  We have a blockbuster footballing week ahead of us. Jam packed with a fixture list that is sure to delight.  The Champions League is center stage today and Wednesday on FS1, the Europa League is taking place Thursday on FS1, and there will be domestic league and/or cup action Friday through Sunday on various networks.  With that being said, I had a laundry list of Match of the Week contenders, but only one made the grade this week.  The Old Firm Derby,  Celtic vs Rangers this Sunday morning!  I’ll prep you for the rivalry by providing a brief synopsis of the UK’s most intense derby, touch upon Celtic’s “Invincible” form this domestic season, reveal my keys to the game, and finally make my match prediction.

The Old Firm Derby

Celtic and the Rangers are Scotland’s two most trophy-laden clubs.  They possess clashing core ideals, are separated by a mere 6 miles of each other, and have been sharing the spotlight of the country’s largest city, Glasgow for 130 years.  The Hoops and the Light Blues have been so dominant in Scotland’s top flight that they’ve combined to win an eye-popping 101 Scottish Premiership Titles, 69 Scottish Cups, and 43 Scottish League Cups!  Couple that success with the fact that Celtic is a club founded by Brother Walfrid, an Irish-Catholic who moved to Scotland in 1870.  He taught at various Catholic institutions, including St. Mary’s School, Sacred Heart, and even founded St. Joseph’s College in Dumfries.  Celtic FC meanwhile, was originally formed by Brother Walfrid as a way of raising funds for his charity, The Poor Children’s Dinner Table.  Thus, the club has a strong, deep-rooted connection with the Catholic Church and the Irish community.

Conversely, the Rangers who were founded 15 years before Celtic, have drawn a protestant fanbase from its inception until now.  The religious beliefs and ideologies of the United Kingdom run in the veins of the Teddy Bears, therefore an instant and inherit clash of core values amongst the two clubs, and their supporters, became the root cause of the bitter hatred that exists with the Old Firm Derby.  Such extreme disdain has led to countless brawls taking place inside and out of the respective parks, culminating in brutal injuries and sometimes even death.  This is why, above all else, above the prestigious club pedigrees and the short proximity of one another, it’s the religious and political differences that have manifested itself into the UK’s most intense rivalry.  

The Bhoys “Invincible” Scottish Season

In recent years, while the Rangers have been in a down turn in club form as they lumbered to four consecutive Scottish second division seasons before earning promotion at the end of the 2015-16 campaign, Celtic has simply seized total control of the Premiership.  The Hoops have won five consecutive league titles and will soon clinch its sixth this year.  Through 27 matchdays, the Bhoys are sitting atop the league with a whopping 27 points cushion on second place Aberdeen, and a jaw-dropping 33 points advantage over third place Rangers!  Also, even more impressive is the fact that Celtic has yet to lose a match within the league!  Yup, they have a record of 26 wins, 1 draw, 0 losses!  Simply incredible!  And with 11 fixtures left, the Hoops are in sight of going unbeaten for the season, a mark that has last been done within the UK by Arsenal’s “Invincibles” squad in 2003-04.  That team, granted the Gunners were competing against tougher competition game in game out, produced 26 wins and 12 draws.  Celtic however, already have 26 wins with a chance for 37!  What an astounding thought that is.  But whatever the win total, the big question is, will the Hoops go the distance. Will they go unbeaten, and become “Invincibles”?

Keys to the Match

It’s no question why Celtic has dominated the Premiership once again this season as they possess three of the best attacking players in the league with Scott Sinclair, Leigh Griffiths and of course Moussa Dembele!  Griffiths led the Premiership last season in goals as he reached the back of the net 31 times in 34 appearances.  This year however, he’s scored just 8 times, which ranks him eighth in the league. He,a slo, assisted 4 times in limited action as he’d been sidelined due to injury.  As for Dembele, he’s been utterly sensational this season with Celtic.  A one time Paris Saint Germain youth academy prodigy, Moussa Dembele has produced 17 goals, which ranks him first in the league, and 5 assists this term.  Lastly, Scott Sinclair has been scintillating on the pitch as well, as he’s netted 15 times, which is good for second in the league, and he has assisted 6 times.

On the flip side, Rangers, while sitting third in the table, have produced 36 fewer goals than Celtic, and have allowed in 16 more than their eternal rivals.  The Light Blues goal differential is just plus 5, which is minute compared to Celtic’s plus 57.  Thus, statistically Rangers don’t feature any earth shattering offensive or defensive players.  But one thing they do possess is grit, and a lot of it.  Rangers play tough, physical football, and many games are close. They seem to churn in results more times, than not due to their hardworking never-say-die attitude. And that mindset and effort will need to be on full display come Old Firm Derby day, which let’s face it, it always is against the Catholics.

LSB Prediction

Last time these two squared off it was the Hoops that came out victorious with a 2-1 win at Rangers.  The match was physical and both sides had chances to take all three points.  The difference though was that Celtic had stars on their side, Dembele and Sinclar,  to lift the team up and drag them to glory.  Meanwhile the Rangers do not.  They only have their grit to lead the way.  Therefore, I foresee a similar ending this go a-round.  The Bhoys will be at home and the stars will shine once more as Brendan Rodgers famed three lighting up the Glasgow night sky!  3-1 Celtic FC

A MAGIC MOMENT IN MARSEILLE

Coupe de France (Round of 16)

Olympique de Marseille vs AS Monaco FC
Orange Velodrome, Marseille, France
Wednesday, March 1st, 2017 3:00PM

Welcome back to another edition of the Lewnau Sports Bureau!  Last week’s Match of the Week between Atletico Madrid and Barcelona truly lived up to the billing.  A few players, namely Rafinha, Godin, and of course Lionel Messi, churned out Oscar winning performances.  With that said, this week we’ll see Best Picture as Marseille faces-off against Monaco. Near the beautiful banks of the Gulf of Lion, in the picturesque Orange Velodrome, the two will duel for this crucial Coupe de France Round of 16 one-off match.  Thus, lets get you primed for an entertaining and ascetically pleasing fixture.  I’ll discuss Marseille’s rich Coupe de France tradition, Monaco’s magical 2016-17 campaign, reveal my key performers to watch out for, and lastly provide my game prediction.

Marseille’s Trophy-Enriched Coupe de France Pedigree

There’s only one place to start and that’s with the nearly unmatched Coupe success of Marseille.  Les Olympiens have featured in a record 19 Coupe de France Finales, most recently last season against archrival Paris Saint Germain (A match for the history books, and one that I’ll feature in the months to come).  In addition, Marseille has won a record 10 Charles Simon Trophies.  A record that is now shared with PSG after Les Parisians claimed its tenth this past May.  Thus, Les Phoceens are a dominating force within this domestic cup competition, and with this year’s iteration marking the 100th anniversary of the Charles Simon Cup, expect Marseille to make another great run at the title.

Monaco’s Magical 2016-17 Campaign

Les Rouges et Blancs are in the midst of a spectacular year.  So good so, that with nearly three fourths of Ligue 1 action in the rearview mirror, Monaco is still sitting atop the table. Three points ahead of PSG, they have a realistic eye on hoisting its first major trophy since 2000, when the club won Ligue 1 in the 1999-00 season followed by the Trophee des Champions at the beginning of the 2000-01 campaign.  To put things into an even more improbable context, Les Monegasques were actually relegated to Ligue 2 upon the completion of the 2011-12 season.  In addition, last year, PSG ran away with the Ligue 1 title by finishing a whopping 31 points above Monaco.  Thus, this year has been truly magical for the Red and Whites as they are succeeding in the domestic league, are set to face PSG in the Coupe de la Ligue in March. Also, they are still very much alive in the UEFA Champions League Knockout Stage, and now are set to parlay that success, that momentum, into making a serious run at the Charles Simon Cup.  The question is, can the magic continue?  

Key Match Performers

Monaco’s success this season has been built upon its attacking prowess.  They’ve scored an astonishing 78 goals through 27 games, which is nearly a three goals per game average.  This decisive form is lead by Radamel Falcao, Thomas Lemar, and Valere Germain.  But the man that I really want to highlight for the Red and Whites is the teenage wonder-kid, Kylian Mbappe.  At the tender age of 18 years, Mbappe is a fast paced forward, with a silky smooth style to his game.  In addition, he appears to already have the physical frame to handle the work load of top-flight football and the riggers of colliding with fully grown bodies on a day in and day out basis.  Mbappe has been so impressive, that he's scored 11 goals and produced 5 assists this year.  Therefore it’s no question why he’s not only been compared to French legend Thierry Henry, but that Henry himself has stated that Mbappe is better than he was at 18 years of age.  So make sure to keep an eye out for the talented youngster in this one.

On the flip side, Marseille’s main focus must be to defend well, a goal that is easier said than done when facing Monaco.  But the reality is that, Les Olympiens just lost Le Classique 5-1 this past Sunday, and now face an even more potent attack.  Thus, centerbacks Karim Rekik and Roland must be on the same page tactically.  Also, seasoned veteran vice-captain fullback Patrice Evra can help in this regard by being vocal with his back line, making sure that the aforementioned center backs are in the proper positions, stepping up when necessary and making sure everyone is organized on set pieces as well.  Offensively, Marseille will be hoping for the dazzling Dimitri Payet of EURO 2016, not the player who appeared disinterested and dissatisfied earlier this year in London with West Ham United.

LSB Prediction

This midweek cup match will certainly be fun to watch.  The rabid Marseille crowd will have the Velodrome roaring and the flairs that’ll be lit will have the stadium shimmering.  A true spectacle at kickoff and one that will seep into the veins of Les Phoceens and combusting into a surge of overpowering play on the pitch.  Payed will be the player of old, setting up his teammates, namely Thauvin and Gomes for scores.  Meanwhile Les Rouges et Blancs will get one back through Mbappe in the final thirty, but no matter how hard Monaco pushes for the equalizer, the chances will simply go begging as the much maligned Marsellie backline holds firm for the Coupe de France victory.  Pedigree wins out in the in the end.  2-1 Olympique de Marseille

A MESSI MIDFIELD IN MADRID

La Liga Santander

Club Atletico de Madrid vs FC Barcelona
Estadio Vicente Calderon, Madrid, Spain
Sunday, February 26th 10:15AM BEIN Sports

This week in the Lewnau Sports Bureau we will be focusing our attention on the mega matchup in Madrid this coming Sunday.  A fixture between La Liga giants in FC Barcelona and Atletico de Madrid!  In the days leading up to this match, high profile European league games will be played, as well as a domestic cup final on the same Sunday in the EFL Cup, but none of these tussles will equal the overall intensity and skill that’ll be on display in Spain’s Capitol.  In addition to the on pitch quality, this fixture is oozing with sub plots and questions waiting to be answered, particularly from the Barcelona camp.  Thus, I’ll provide you with a few small plates to wet the whistle in preparation for Sunday morning’s delight.  I’ll discuss the importance of this match as it pertains to the La Liga race and more, provide my keys to the game, and reveal my scoreline prediction.

La Liga Race

As we head into Matchday 24 this weekend, Atletico Madrid find themselves in fourth place behind the usuals in Real Madrid and Barcelona, but also surprisingly behind third place Sevilla.  In addition, Los Colchoneros are essentially eliminated from contention of winning the league as they’re seven points adrift from their crosstown rivals, and the Galaticos still have two matches in hand (one being played this upcoming Tuesday at Valencia).  Therefore, what’s left of importance regarding La Liga for Atletico is ensuring a Top 4 finish equalling another Champions League berth for next season.  And with a talented, gritty, Real Sociedad squad sitting just four points behind, Los Rojiblancos need to produce a result in this match to keep its distance from La Real.

As for La Blaugrana, their sitting in second place, two points ahead of Sevilla and one point behind its eternal rivals in Real Madrid, but as I’ve said, Los Blancos have two games in hand, which means that if Real win both fixtures, then that one point lead on Barca, then balloons to a whopping seven.  Thus, the pressure is on Barcelona to not only produce a result in an extremely tough away environment, but also get a win, a full three points to keep as close to Real as possible.  

In addition for La Azulgrana, this match is of even more importance as it’ll try to finally douse the flames from a week ago when it got utterly humiliated by Paris Saint-Germain 4-0 in what I’ve dubbed “The City of Love’s Valentine’s Day Massacre”.  Both I and pundits all around the world thought that for sure the following match against a soon to be relegated Leganes club would provide the perfect stage for a reeling Barca to bounce back and show to all its heart, and its quality from beginning to end.  Instead what we saw was another dismal performance from the majority out on the pitch, resulting in a last gasp penalty winning shot from the famed left boot of Lionel Messi.  the club performance was so underwhelming that even Messi himself refrained from celebrating his game winning goal, rather simply standing at the spot staring into the stands, likely wondering what ion earth s happening to my club?  Therefore, for Barcelona this match is more meaningful than simply trying to collect three points, it’s about finding its heart, its soul, its desire, its cohesion, its leadership, and its skill and channeling that into the Bareelonaesque performances that we’ve grown accustom to seeing game in game out, season in season out, decade in decade out.  And that resurgence, that resurrection needs to start NOW.  Will it?

Keys to the Match

I could easily, and often times I do, highlight the MSN in this section, and deservedly so.  Messi, Suarez, and Neymar are a prolific front three.  Producing goals at a rate unseen before.  Instead however, I’m picking out Barcelona’s midfield as the club’s key focus in this match.  For me, the most glaring weakness this season for La Blaugrana has been the porous play of its midfield three.  This is crazy to think, let alone say out loud as the squad features two of Spain’s starting three midfielders in its lineup in Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets, but simply put, these men are looking slow and old this campaign.  Also, the play of Barca’s third midfielder, who for some reason isn’t Ivan Rakitc, but instead is Andre Gomes, has been ABSOLUTELY HORRENDOUS!  Gomes, who was brought in during the 2016 summer transfer window has performed at such a low level, that the Cules in the Camp Nou crowd were cheering boisterously as he was being subbed off against Leganes.  The 22 year old, doesn't seem to defend, despite his larger frame.  He doesn’t read passing lanes well, nor does he pass the ball with any high level of accuracy, and lastly he doesn’t finish effectively.  He does NOTHING!  Why Luis Enrique continues to throw Gomes out onto the pitch is mind boggling.  Needless to say, if Barcelona want to win this match, its midfield needs to play better, period.  Personally, I’d relegate Iniesta to the bench, having him come on with a half hour or so left in matches.  Also, I’d bench Gomes obviously.  In response, I’d have Ivan Rakitic starting, and either Arda Turan, Rafinha, or Denis Suarez fill the other opening.  In addition, once Mascherano gets healthy, I’d slot him into his natural position of defensive midfield, Busquets' role.  These changes I believe would be beneficial.  It’d provide the midfield with and injection of energy and pace, two things that the midfield so desperately needs.  Having said that, Barca’s club captain Andres Iniesta and assistant captain Sergio Busquets will most assuredly be starting come Sunday, and Gomes who knows.  But no matter who gets the nod in midfield, Barca needs to start bossing the middle of the park if it wants to turn this rocking season around.  

On the flip side, Diego Simeone knows the vulnerability that Barca currently possesses in midfield and at the back.  Thus, expect his squad to press early and often, trying to force Barcelona into mistakes in its own half, as a result creating quick counter attacks, much like what PSG did.  If successful, then The City of Love’s Valentine’s Day Massacre could strike again in Madrid.  With front line and midfield players such as Fernando Torres, Kevin Gameiro, Yannick Carasco, Saul Niguez, Koke, and Antoine Griezmann, Los Colchoneros undoubtedly have the skill, speed, and chip on its shoulders to pull off the lopsided result.

LSB Prediction

After reading the scathing remarks that I’ve made regarding Barcelona, and the rather assured comments in favor of Atletico Madrid, one would think that this match is a done deal, and that I foresee Los Rojiblancos steamrolling the Cules.  But as Lee Corso would say, “Not so fast my friends!”  Even though I haven’t liked what I’ve seen from Barcelona recently, heck for most of this season really, I believe that the image of Messi not celebrating after icing the Leganes game, spoke volumes to the rest of the team.  The leadership from Messi, Iniesta, Busquets, and Pique will finally show on Sunday, with La Azulgrana playing inspired, aggressive, and tactically sound football.  The midfield, led by Iniesta and Busquets, will once again be winning 50/50 balls, tackling well, and successfully finding open alleys for the MSN to do damage, leaving Los Colchoneros crowd cringing.  3-1 FC Barcelona

EUROPA LEAGUE FOOTBALLING SHORTS

Europa League: Knockout Round of 32 Preview

We are in the midst of European cup competition this week. We will see the Champions League take place on Tuesday and Wednesday. We have already been provided with us with some SHOCKING results and all-time high/low club moments— I’m looking at you PSG and Barcelona; what a surprise!  So, today, I thought why not continue this week’s wild ride of European football with bonus shorts highlighting a few of my top Europa League matches taking place today.  Here we go!

Thursday’s Fixture List

Borussia VfL 1900 Mönchengladbach vs ACF Fiorentina (Leg 1)
Borussia-Park, Mönchengladbach, Germany
February 17th, 2016 1:00PM

This matchup pits mid-table teams from Germany and Italy against each other.  Two clubs hoping to tap into their solid form from a year ago, on the big European stage.  The marquee player to take the pitch in this one is the young, but extremely talented Italian, Federico Bernardeschi.  He’s a phenomenal forward, who at the tender age of 21 featured for the Italian National Team in Euro 2016.  His size, strength and pace on the wing presents problems for any opponent.  Expect him to rise to the occasion in this Europa League fixture, tapping into raw talent that has the likes of Barcelona eyeing his services for years to come.  

LSB Prediction: Borussia has been down and out for much of the BundesLIGA campaign this season, but this is the Europa League. As such, they’ll be at their best and out duel the dazzling Bernardeschi. 2-1 Borussia Vfl 1900 Monchengladbach

Manchester United FC vs AS Saint-Etienne (Leg 1)
Old Trafford, Manchester, England
February 17th, 2016 3:00PM FS1

Dubbed the “Pogba Derby” as the highly talented well-known Paul Pogba takes on his much lesser-known older brother Florentin Pogba!  That’s just a sub-plot of this game however, as the heavy favored but inconsistent Red Devils. They look to live up to their own hype against a talented, but not bandied about, Saint-Etienne, currently sitting 5th in the Ligue 1 table.  Key Players to watch would be the aforementioned Paul Pogba, as well as Zlatan Ibrahimovic for Man United.  As for the Saints, look no further than its defensive backline, as they rank second in Ligue 1 in goals allowed with just 19 given up.  

LSB Prediction:  This match will be a defensive one with just two balls hitting the back of the net, one for each side.  1-1 Draw (away goal advantage AS Saint-Etienne)

Legia Warszawa SA vs ACF AFC Ajax (Leg 1)
Polish Army Stadium, Warsaw, Poland
February 17th, 2016 3:00PM

Two big fish from small domestic league ponds. Legia from Poland and Ajax from Netherlands is a must see match for the purest of footballing fans.  The Militarians finished third in its Champions League Group, which was good enough to qualify for this Europa League Knockout Phase.  In addition, Warsaw drew 3-3 against Real Madrid, a historic feat for the club.  On the flip side, the Sons of the Gods has a proud and illustrious history as it holds domestic records for league and cup trophies, in addition to four European Cup Championships and one UEFA Cup Title.  Lastly, hone in on Davy Klaassen and Kasper Dolberg for Ajax.  These two have combined to score 27 goals over all competitions for Ajax this season.  Meanwhile Legia will depend on its midfield duo of Tomasz Jodlowiec and Guilherme to create offensive opportunities.  

LSB Prediction:  Ajax possesses more offensive fire power, but the match is in Poland.  Therefore, I expect Legia to play aggressive football from the opening whistle and pull at a close win.  1-0 Legia Warszawa SA

CUPID'S CLASH IN THE CITY OF LOVE

Champions League: Knockout Stage, Round of 16

Paris Saint Germain FC vs FC Barcelona
Parc des Princes, Paris, France
Tuesday, February 14th, 2016 2:45PM EST FS1

Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!  Today is the day that we celebrate the love, affection, and passion that we as people, couples, and as partners share with our significant others.  These emotions are only to be released to those that we care most deeply about and of course our favorite futbol clubs.  Love, affection and passion will be ever present come matchday, as fans fill the stadium of their respective club, unraveling banners, waving flags, and cheering and chanting their squad on to victory.  And today, on Valentine’s Day, in the City of Love, we will witness this raw emotion-filled pageantry from the raucous Les Bleus crowd as PSG face Barcelona in the Champions League Knockout Stage!  I’ll provide a detailed synopsis of the road which each team has taken to get to this stage in the competition, touch on key players to watch, and reveal my prediction for this highly anticipated European fixture!

The Road to the Knockouts

La Azulgrana has been in fine form in the Champions League this season.  Through the six matchdays of the Group Stage, Barca has won five and lost just once, producing 15 points out of a possible 18. This allowed them to run away with its Group.  Their only loss came away at the Etihad ironically, at the hands of Barca’s “Golden Boy” Pep Guardiola and his Manchester City side.  In addition, La Blaugrana beat the Scottish giants, Celtic, twice to the tune of a 9-0 aggregate, Borussia Monchengladbach twice on a 6-1 aggregate, and splitting two with Man City with an aggregate of 5-3 in Barca’s favor.  Lastly, Lionel Messi, the world’s greatest footballer, led the entire Group Stage, a field of 32 clubs, with 10 goals in 5 matches played!  Incredible!  

Les Parisians meanwhile, had things a little bit harder.  While PSG advanced with ease, the squad squandered a tremendous opportunity to win the Group on matchday six by surprisingly drawing with Hungarian side Ludogorets Razgrad 2-2.  With that result, Les Bleus dropped from first to second in the Group, still earning a bid to the Knockout Stage. However, ultimately, they were forced into a fixture against a Group winner, Barcelona, despite not losing a game during the Group Stage as the club produced 3 wins and 3 draws.

Key Players To Watch

There’s only one player to start with here, and its the aforementioned, world’s best,  Lionel Messi!  The diminutive footballing maestro can score at a clip that only the absolute best can rival.  Currently this campaign he’s averaging a goal every 45 minutes, scoring via his left, right, and head, inside and outside the box, and from free kicks as well.  He recently set a new club record for free kick goals at Barcelona with 27! In addition, to his goalscoring prowess, what turns heads just as much is his uncanny knack for finding the open teammate, seeing runs before they happen, and placing a killer through ball in an area where only his squad member can get a foot to it.  Roy Hodgson calls this “flies eye vision”, and what a sight it is to see.

As for Paris, Edinson Cavani leads the line as the club’s lone striker.  He was world class with Napoli before moving to the City of Light. But having to play out of position and second fiddle to Zlatan over the past few seasons, his light dimmed. Now, this campaign, with Ibrahimovic having moved on to Manchester, Cavani has regained his ferocious form of old, producing goals at a clip of 1 per game.  His rare combination of size, speed, and strength has simply overmatched the Ligue 1 and Champions League opposition all year long.  His six goals in the Group Stage, which is good for second overall, and 25 Ligue 1 scores, first overall, is surely indicative of that.  

Therefore, it is assured that Messi and Cavani will play a role in this one. The question is, who’ll come out on top and leave their club in prime position for advancement heading into leg 2?

LSB Prediction:

The Parc des Prince will be rocking Tuesday night, led by the pomp and circumstance of the Champions League back drop.  The famed Champions League Anthem will get the crowd roaring, while producing goosebumps for those of us watching from afar.  Once the whistle blows and the match is underway, it’ll be the the MSN that steals the show!  A Barca squad led by a magisterial Messi will produce two first half goals, one for Suarez and one for Neymar, with Messi assisting on both.  Come the second half, PSG will thunder forward trying to get back into the tie, ultimately bringing one back through a streaking Cavani hammering a header home.  Lastly, a late free kick from an Azulgrana counter sees Messi’s strike beat the ‘keeper but get denied by the crossbar. This leaves the tie up for grabs, and everything to play for, in Leg 2 back at the Camp Nou!  2-1 FC Barcelona

LA COPA CLASH AT THE CAMP NOU

Copa del Rey (Semi-Final, Leg 2, 2-1 Agg.)

FC Barcelona vs Club Atletico de Madrid
Camp Nou, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
February 7th, 2016 3:00PM EST BEIN Sports

Welcome back to another glorious edition of the Lewnau Sports Bureau!  Last week’s featured article, “February Footballing Shorts”, provided high quality entertainment from midweek through weekend, starting with Liverpool vs Chelsea on Tuesday, and ending with the Derby d’Italia on Sunday.  Perhaps the most exciting and important match of last week however was Wednesday’s La Copa clash between Atletico and Barcelona.  It surely lived up to the billing and set the stage for what should be an excellent second leg this week at the Camp Nou and isour Match of the Week!  I’ll provide a summary of February 1st’s match, reveal keys to the second leg, and predict who’ll win the game and punch their ticket to the Copa del Rey Final!

Copa del Rey Semi-Final, Leg 1 Synopsis

The first leg was played last Wednesday at the famed Vicente Calderon in Madrid.  It was the final La Copa match to be held at this venue, as Atleti will be moving to a new stadium beginning next season.  Thus, the match had all the makings of what should have been an electric atmosphere, but that didn’t come to be until the second half.  This was due to Barca’s dominant first half performance, in particular the world class efforts from Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.  First it was Suarez who managed to evade three Rojiblancos on way to goal.  He had a man trailing and split the two defenders in front of him with a dynamite through ball, to himself essentially, and then toe poked the ball across goal and past the ‘keeper for the match’s opening score.  It was sheer brilliance and quickly silenced the Colchoneros crowd.  Then, shortly after, Messi unleashed a wonder-strike with his golden left foot from just outside the penalty box to put the visitors up 2-0. La Blaugrana were flying high and Los Rojibloncos were stunned until the halftime whistle.

Once the second half got underway, however, you could see a renewed energy and never say die attitude from Diego Simeone’s men.  They attacked time and again, with Antoine Griezmann heading one back, to pull the match to within one.  We then saw Simeone roaring on the sidelines, throwing his arms up, and gazing at the crowd in an attempt to get the Calderon rocking one more time, and it did.  The place was electric and Barca all of a sudden was simply fending for a 2-1 victory, rather than trying to extend the lead.  Atletico had chance after chance, including some terrific opportunities from Fernando Torres and Kevin Gamiero, but ultimately the match ended 2-1 in favor of Barca. Still, Atletico showed its grit and kept the tie within a sliver of striking distance as it headed to the Camp Nou for the second leg!

Keys to the Match

Club Atletico de Madrid

Los Rojiblancos still have a chance of reaching the Copa del Rey Final, but to do so, will need to overcome a 2-1 first leg defeat. This means a 2-0 win or better, at the world renowned Camp Nou, is what’s required to win the game and the tie outright. What does this mean for Diego Simeone and his feisty squad?  Attack! Attack! Attack!  Atletico will have to put out an attacking-minded starting 11, and press Barca as they did in the second half of the first leg.  Players like Fernando Torres, Nicolas Giatan, Yannick Carrasco, and of course Antoine Griezmenn must create offensively, and convert their chances when they come. In contrast to watching them go begging, as a few opportunities did in the waining moments of leg one.  Also, because Los Colchoneros must push forward in numbers, keep an eye on the very talented, but very vulnerable back line for Atletico.  If Barcelona is able to counter and grab a goal or two, then this match will be out of reach for Atleti. 

FC Barcelona  

As for La Azulgrana, Barca is in a terrific position.  Would they have preferred to have gotten a third goal and have buried the tie, when Messi’s sublime free kick was sensationally saved by Moya in the first half of leg one?  Absolutely.Nevertheless, they still produced two crucial away goals, as aforementioned, leaving Atletico needing at minimum a 2-0 decision to win outright.  Thus, Barcelona can simply relax and play its free flowing football in front of its home crowd.  With that said, La Blaugrana must be sharp whilst playing from out of the back.  It’s been a house of horrors at times this season, but with Iniesta and Busquets likely back in the starting 11 for this fixture, Barcelona should be much more efficient and accurate with moving the ball up the pitch from the back four to the midfield and ultimately up to the MSN, so they can produce some magic offensively.  

LSB Prediction:

This match will be uber exciting for sure.  Between the match featuring two of Spain’s top clubs, a Copa del Rey Final birth on the line, the MSN in action, and the match taking place at the most heralded stadium in the world, this game is a must see.  As for what I foresee, Atletico will play fast and physical from the opening whistle.  Pressuring Barca as they play out from the back.  But La Azulgrana will be on its “A” game this evening. Cool and calmly, they will move the ball up the pitch time and again. All until, one lone time Jasper Cillissen produces an errant pass with Torres pouncing and they put one away.  This will then force the MSN to become more aggressive offensively, ultimately resulting in a couple of goals with a late third on a counter attack as icing on the cake.  3-1 FC Barcelona (5-2 Aggregate)

FEBRUARY FOOTBALLING SHORTS

Happy Tuesday everybody!  This week in the European footballing world, we have blockbuster matches taking place all over the continent!  Whether it’d be a league or domestic cup fixture, historical rivals will be taking to the pitch from Tuesday through Sunday.  Thus, I’ll be providing short and sweet analysis over multiple matches instead of my typical game of the week.  This way I can get you primed for an epic week of footballing fun!  Here we go!

Mid-Week Matches

Liverpool FC vs Chelsea FC (Premier League, Matchday 23)
Tuesday, January 31st, 2016
Anfield, Liverpool, England
2:00PM EST NBCSN

Can’t kick-off the week any better than Liverpool vs Chelsea!  A matchup pitting two of England’s highest profile clubs, It’s sure to be a mid-day delight.  The Blues currently sit top of the table and the Reds are still possessing a Champions League spot in fourth.  Also, make sure to not only tune in to the performances on the field, but rather on the sidelines as well.  With Jurgen Klopp and Antonio Conte patrolling the white line, it should be theatre at its finest!  

LSB Prediction: Diego Costa produces the game winner late-on after a frantic paced final 30’. 2-1 Chelsea FC

Club Atletico de Madrid vs FC Barcelona (Copa del Rey, Semi-Final Leg 1)
Wednesday, February 1st, 2016
Estadio Vicente Calderon, Madrid, Spain
3:00PM EST BEIN Sports

Spanish football fans should be salivating at this Copa del Rey Semi-Final tie between two of the country’s top four clubs.  La Copa record holders Barcelona have their eyes set on a third consecutive title.  Meanwhile their Champions League thorn Los Rojiblancos will be looking to light up the famed Calderon one last time in La Copa play before the club heads to its new digs next season.  The matchup to watch will be the MSN vs Atletico’s back four.  Both are supreme at their respect ends of the pitch, but who’ll win the day?

LSB Prediction: Diego Simeone will have his Red and White’s playing inspired, aggressive, and determined defensive football, squeezing this one out with a Yannick Carrasco goal on the counter. 1-0 Club Atletico de Madrid

Weekend Fixtures

Chelsea FC vs Arsenal FC (Premier League, Matchday 24)
Saturday, February 4th, 2016
Stamford Bridge, London, England
7:30AM EST NBCSN

The North London Derby between the Blues and Gunners is our early bird Saturday special!  I love waking up to top-flight Prem League action on the weekends, and this one between city rivals should have us on the edge of our couches early.  The passion will run high and the pace will be frenetic, culminating in quite a few goals.  But remember, if you’re looking for Arsen Wenger’s sideline reactions, don’t bother as he’ll be absent due to his four match ban for shoving an official two weekends ago.  Ah Arsen! 

LSB Prediction: Winning two blockbuster games in five days time will be too much to ask of Chelsea, but a draw against second place Arsenal is certainly in the cards.  2-2 Draw

AS Monaco FC vs OGC de Nice Cote d’Azur (Ligue 1, Matchday 23)
Saturday, February 4th, 2016
Stade Louis ll, Fontvielle, Monaco
11:00AM EST BEIN Sports

Ligue 1’s top two clubs square off at the Stade Louis in Monaco for what should be a high octane affair, and a possible table separator.  Focus your attention on the young talented French International Thomas Lemar for the Red and Whites.  Meanwhile Mario Balotelli for the Eagles is always exciting to watch.  Wether it’s his electric on-field performance or his off-field antics, Balotelli is sure to provide some drama.

LSB Prediction: With the home crowd behind them, I foresee Monaco pushing forward time and again.  And despite Mario’s efforts, the Red and Whites will simply provide too much offensive firepower.  3-1 AS Monaco FC

Juventus FC vs FC Internazionale Milano (Serie A, Matchday 23)
Sunday, February 5th, 2016
Juventus Stadium, Turin, Italy
2:45PM EST BEIN Sports

The Derby d’Italia is our week long capper, and what a final game it shall be.  Two northern Italian rivals, both having trophy-enriched pedigrees, will provide an atypical Italian style of football.  There will be lots of physicality, passion, and defensive prowess equalling few quality chances at either end.  So goals will be at a premium in this one.

LSB Prediction: Over 90’ the cream will rise to the top, as it so often does.  The Zebras will go away winners courtesy of a Paulo Dybala and Gonzalo Higuain combination.  1-0 Juventus FC

FRENCH FOOTBALL AT ITS FINEST

Ligue 1

Paris Saint Germain FC vs AS Monaco FC
Sunday, Jan. 22nd, 2016
Parc des Princes, Paris, France
3:00pm EST

Last week’s Match of the Week between Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur didn’t disappoint, particularly in the second half, as it was filled with goals, controversy, and, as predicted, another star performance from Dele Alli.  Hopefully this week will be more of the same, as I’ve chosen the Ligue 1 mega matchup PSG vs Monaco! I’ll provide you with insight on the Ligue 1 table and the implications that this match will have on it, reveal the keys to the game, and provide a LSB prediction.  Let’s get started!

Ligue 1 Table

This Sunday will feature two of France’s top three clubs.  Sitting, atop the table, with a slim two point margin on second placed Nice is Monaco with 48 points out of a possible 63!  That’s an outstanding record of 15 wins, 3 draws, and just 3 losses over 21 matches for Les Rouges et Blancs!  The Red and Whites have been simply dominating opponents all season long. Starting with their offensive attack that’s scored 64 times already!  That’s a three goals per game average, and a whopping 23 more goals scored than the second best offensive squad in Ligue 1, PSG.  Couple that with a defense that ranks fourth in the league with having conceded only 21 times, it’s no wonder why Monaco has been in cruise control atop the table thus far.

Les Parisians meanwhile are currently third in Ligue 1 and three points back of Monaco with 45 points out 63!  Still a great tally and a tremendous record PSG possess’s, but considering that at this stage last season Les Bleus were first in the standings and had obtained an unimaginable 57 points through 21 matches (18 wins, 3 draws, 0 losses), its a bit shocking to see PSG in its current position.  With that said however, this is still a very talented club that is second in the league on goals for and against, and on goal difference.

Therefore, when you add up each club’s success and the tight top of the table race, we should be in for a real treat come Sunday afternoon. If PSG is able to defend its home turf and come away with all three points, then these two will be tied on points and possibly tied for first in Ligue 1.  Conversely, if Monaco is able to pull out a difficult win on the road at the raucous Parc des Princes, then the three point cushion on PSG will be doubled to a staggering six.  And that could just be too much for Les Bleus to come back from.

Keys to the Match

As always, Monaco will be led by its quartet of scintillating scorers in Radamel Falcao, Thomas Lemar, Valere Germain, Guido Carrillo, and Gabriel Boschilia.  This group of five all feature in Ligue 1’s top 15 goalscorer list, with the first four actually in the top 10.  Falcao leads the way with 12 goals this campaign, good for third most overall.  Lastly, this attacking bunch has combined to score 39 of Monaco’s 64 goals this season.  Thus, expect the Red and Whites to steam forward whenever possible, as they attempt to blitzkrieg PSG.

As for Les Parisians, knowing that Monaco is so deadly offensively, the nearly all Brazilian back line must perform admirably.  The defense is led by team captain Thiago Silva at the center of defense, his partners are Serge Aurier, and fellow Selecao men Marquinhos and Maxwell.  This unit must communicate well and keep a tight line from start to finish in order to tame the Monaco onslaught of attacks.  In addition, PSG will need to produce at least a couple of goals in this one. Look no further than the Uruguayan Edinson Cavani.  He’s been red hot thus far this campaign with 20 goals in 19 matches, leading Ligue 1 in scores.  Can he lead the line again on Sunday?

LSB Prediction:

This could quite possibly be the best game of the Ligue 1 season, as two of the league’s heavyweights battle it out in the city of love.  The Les Parisians crowd will be a magical site to see before, during, and after the game.  On the field, the match will be fast paced, edge of your seat entertainment, surely with a Cavani and Falcao score.  But in the end, it’ll be Thiago Silva’s late game heroics that ultimately send his side into the ascendancy.  3-2 Paris Saint Germain FC  

ALLI STRIKES WHILE THE SPUR IS HOT

Premier League Matchday 22

Manchester City FC vs Tottenham Hotspur FC
January 21st, 2017 12:30pm EST NBC
Etihad Stadium, Manchester, England

Cheerio everybody, and happy Tuesday to you all.  Last week’s marquee fixture between Man United and Liverpool didn’t disappoint.  It was an up and down affair, particularly in the second half, producing some quality chances and leaving us at the edge of our seats as both sides pushed for the elusive game winner that never came.  This week however, I have my eyes still focused on the EPL with a match that is sure to be a crack’ah”.  It’s Manchester City versus Tottenham!  I’ll set the stage with team table rankings, reveal my squad keys to the game, and provide a prediction for this highly anticipated match.

EPL Table Rankings

As the EPL heads into matchday 22, Manchester City and the Hotspur are two teams trending indifferent directions.  The Citizens started this campaign flying on the front foot, winning its first six matches.  But matchday seven brought the club its first true test of adversity as Man City lost at White Hart Lane 2-0.  Yes, it was none other than Tottenham, that ended the early streak, and since then, the Citizens have been slowing tumbling down the table, from first to at present fifth. Even still, Man Cit is tied with sixth place Man U on points.  In addition, last weekend’s defeat at Goodison Park was the largest loss in Pep Guardiola’s legendary managerial career.  A 4-0 loss to an Everton club that featured two teenagers, Tom Davies and Ademola Lookman, with both finding the back of the net and embarrassing the former Toffee, John Stones, in the process.  Things were so dire, that after 2-0 down, Guardiola appeared to be in such absolute, shock and disgust with his side’s performance, that he wasn’t even paying attention to the action. Rather Pep was seen starring into the abyss, naturally, daydreaming why on earth did he leave Bayern Munchen, where the Bundesliga Title had their name etched on it before the campaign even started.

Conversely, the Spurs are in fine fettle, as the club has won its past six matches in league play, and is currently sitting second in the table, tied with third place Liverpool in points.  The only team above them in the standings is Chelsea, who the White Lyllies beat earlier this month 2-0, ending the Blues record tying 13 game EPL winning streak.

Squad Keys to the Match

Tottenham’s recent success can be attributed to two men in particular, Dele Alli and Hugo Lloris., which makes them my keys for Tottenham.  The tender aged 20 year old Brit, Alli, has sparkled this season, producing 10 goals in 20 appearances including netting both scores in the Chelsea win a few weeks ago.  It’s his blundering pace and power that he provides while pushing forward into the opponent’s penalty area that makes him so difficult to handle.  Couple that with his tremendous heading skills, Alli is able to make great use of every inch of his imposing 6’3” frame.  Expect the England International to play a big role on crosses into the box against City. He may even slam one past the poor performing Claudio Bravo.  

As for Lloris, he’s the heart and soul of the Spurs’ squad.  As one of the world’s finest goalkeepers and club and national team captain, Hugo organizes his defense, makes outstanding saves, motivates and leads his club and country.  Tottenham has produced three clean sheets during the current six match winning streak, and have only allowed one goal in each of the other three fixtures.  This is attributed to Lloris, who must make sure his men in front are in position and holding a tight back line, as this City squad is explosive when it wants to be. 

Speaking of City, the two players that went absent against Everton at the weekend are my City keys to the game.  Who are the two men in question? Sergio Kun Aguero and Claudio Bravo.  Kun is one of the league’s best strikers, as he’s the fastest player to reach the 100 goal mark.  With that said, however, Aguero was simply non existent against the Toffees. When he’s not scoring, the Citizens seem to sputter offensively, which is exactly what happened.  Hopefully against Tottenham, though, we will see a bounce back performance by the Argentine International, as City will desperately need it.  Now regarding Bravo, he saw four on target shots headed his way from Everton, and do you know what he did?  Allowed ALL four of the balls to get past him. With the final goal, a nutmeg as icing on the cake.  Bravo might as well not have even taken the field, ‘cause he didn't stop a single shot.  This performance isn’t anything new either; as he hasn’t played well all season.  It’s a bit of a head scratcher though, because prior to transferring to City this season, Bravo had performed magnificently for Barcelona.  In the 2014-15 treble-winning year for Barca, Bravo headed a defensive unit that led the league in clean sheets with 18, and allowed the fewest goals overall. With City facing a potent Tottenham team, led by Dele Alli, Bravo better dip into his form of old, or City will be left in the dust once again.

LSB Prediction:

The Spurs won the first fixture between these two earlier in the year at White Hart Lane 2-0, but this time the match is in Manchester at the Eithad.  Meaning City will have its supporters behind them, but for just how long?  If the Citizens come out slow, will the home crowd turn? After seeing what’s transpired over recent events, it wouldn’t surprise me.  You’d think that Man City would have desire and purpose about them in this match, wanting to bounce back and stay in the hunt of the top four, but I just don’t think the squad has the quality, particularly at the back, to do so.  Thus, I think the in-form Dele Alli coupled with forward Harry Kane are going to expose the well-past their prime defenders in Zabaleta and Sagna, as well as the over-hyped and often times out of position youngster John Stones.  All of this will lead to a goal or two, and a long day for Bravo.  Lloris meanwhile will be cool, calm and collected at his end as Kun Augero’s chances will go begging.  In the end, Pep will wish he had stayed dreaming about Bayern, since when he awakes his real life nightmare will have continued as his City squad drops to sixth in the Premier League. 1-0 Tottenham Hotspur FC

THE DERBY THAT DREAMS ARE MADE OF

North-West Derby

Manchester United FC vs Liverpool FC
Premier League Matchday 18
Sunday, January 15th 11:00am NBCSN
Old Trafford, Manchester, England

Happy New Year everybody! I hope that you’ve all had a wonderful holiday season filled with love, laughter and lots of football!  I know I did!  Whelp, it’s good to be back and writing once again as there’s been much that’s happened since I posted Holiday Footballing Shorts a couple of weeks ago.  For starters, Real Madrid won the Fifa Club World Cup by beating Kashima Antlers in an extra-time thriller.  Milan upset rivals Juventus in the Supercoppa Italiana, followed by Chelsea tying a Premier League record 13 consecutive wins, Ronaldo claiming the Fifa Best Player of the Year Award, and so much more.  It truly was a celebratory holiday footballing season.  But that was just the beginning folks, because the second half of the campaign is now upon us.  The time when league races and European Cup competitions truly take shape, painting an exciting and beautiful picture of the beautiful game.  So with that, let’s ring in the New Year with a matchup that is sure to delight in Manchester United vs Liverpool!  I’ll provide you with a short synopsis of the North-West Derby, highlight the leading first half story to come out of Manchester and Liverpool, reveal my keys to the match, and provide my match prediction.

North-West Derby

The North-West Derby pitting the Red Devils against the Reds is without question the biggest rivalry in England and one of the largest, most televised matches in football.  What makes this game so fierce, so competitive is that these two clubs are within close proximity of each other, within roughly an hour’s drive between the famed Anfield to Old Trafford.  In addition, and most importantly, is that these are the two winningest clubs in English football.  Manchester United hold a record 20 Premier League Titles, 12 FA Cups, and 21 FA Community Shields, whilst also winning the Champions League on three occasions.  Meanwhile Liverpool ranks second with 18 Premier League triumphs, has won the Champions League five times, which is the most by an English club, and earned a record 8 League Cups.  Lastly, when these two squads actually square off, it’s been heated, competitive, and the atmosphere is top shelf.  The all-time record favors the Red Devils as they’ve won 79 games to Liverpool’s 65, with an additional 53 matches drawn.  Thus, it’s easy to see why this match is such a highly anticipated affair for fans not only in England, but all across the globe.

First Half Stories

With 17 games into the campaign, both clubs have had success so far this season. Liverpool definitely more so as they sit second behind Chelsea atop of the Prem League table, but Man U is finally hitting its stride as they’ve won 11 and drawn 3 over the past 14 matches in all competitions since losing 2-1 to Fenerbahce in Istanbul during the Europa League.  With that said, there are several reasons for their achievements, but none more impactful than the performance of Zlatan Ibrahimovic for the Red Devils and the presence of Jurgen Klopp for the Reds.  When it was announced that Zlatan was heading to Manchester from PSG, there were significant mixed feelings from the English media and footballing pundits from near and far.  Many were excited of the notation of seeing Ibra finally play in the Premier League and with one England’s top clubs, but conversely even more people thought he’d flounder due to his age.  He’s 35, which is elder-statesmen status for footballers.  Couple that with making a move to one of the most physical leagues in Europe and the naysayers were sure to be vocal.  But they were wrong, at least thus far, as Zlatan has led United up front, scoring with regularity.  He’s scored 18 goals in 33 matches and provided four assists this season. Also, 13 of those 18 goals have come in the Premier League, which puts him one behind Diego Costa for top goalscorer. Needless to say, Zlatan’s superb performance has kept the skeptics at bay, which he’s said as much in a recent interview, “I don’t know how many years I have left playing football. I came to the Premier League and everyone thought it would not be possible, but like always, I make them eat their balls.” 

As for Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp has truly excelled since taking the reigns as Reds manager a year ago. As aforementioned, Liverpool are currently sitting second in the Prem League and possessing a Champions League birth with it.  That within itself is a coup considering the Reds haven’t participated in Europe’s top competition since the 2014-15 season where they disappointingly finished third in the group and failing to advance to the knockout stages.  This stellar start is thanks to Klopp changing the culture and philosophy of the club last year.  It started with him introducing intense workouts as soon as he was named the skipper.  At first, the media was second guessing him as countless players were sustaining injuries, which the media blamed on the fierce workout regimen.  But it was clear that the Liverpool squad was simply not fit, at least not enough for what kind of gameplan Klopp was going to implement, his famed gegenpress.  The gegenpress is a style of play that Klopp achieved much success with during his time at Borussia Dortmund.  Its an extremely aggressive style involving lots of running and pressing of the ball, forcing the opponent into mistakes inside its own half, and resulting in a bevy of goalscoring opportunites.  But, with the rest of last season and an entire off-season to work with, Klopp eventually got his team fit and gelling stylistically in time for this campaign where Liverpool are pressing, scoring in bunches, and picking up points game in and game out.

Keys to the Match

For the Red Devils it’s the play of Zlatan and his counterparts Paul Pogba and David De Gea.  Ibra and Pogba linked up late against Middlesborough last week to produce an outstanding equalizer for Anthony Martial to slam home.  And if United expect to come away victorious, these two men have to produce the goods.  We know about Zlatan, but what about Pogba?  He’s the world’s most expensive player and he’s now playing like it.  After struggling to adapt early on, Pogba’s now creating chances, as well as putting ‘em away.  Defensively for United, De Gea is likely to have a busy day at the office as Liverpool is sure to create chances with its gegenpress.  Will the two-time Man U Player of the Year be up to the challenge?

Liverpool meanwhile will look to Roberto Firminoto push the tempo of play and provide the goalscoring opportunites.  The honice will be even more on him as Philippe Coutinho is just coming back from injury and Sadio Mane will be absent due to the African Cup of Nations.  Firmino is perhaps Klopp’s favorite player, because as a forward he has the motor, desire, and work ethic to hustle his way around the park setting the tone defensively up the pitch, something that the arguably more talented Daniel Sturridge does not do.  If Firmino can successfully pressure Man U’s backline, then goals are sure to follow.  Defensively, It could be a nightmare for Liverpool as they have to deal with Zlatan, Pogba, and the pacy Martial and Marcus Rashford.  The Reds are poor at the back, quite frankly the club’s achilles heel.  With that said, Liverpool was able to put up a clean sheet against Manchester City, a club with a bevy of firepower.  Question is, can the backline surprise and rise to the occasion once again or will they perform poorly as they do more times than not?

LSB Prediction:

The North-West Derby is sure to be a cracker of a game.  An up and down affair, with plenty of goalscoring opportunities for both clubs.  Liverpool will come out with loads of energy, forcing Manchester into a vulnerable position or two, with Firmino putting the Reds on the front foot.  But, the final thirty minutes will undoubtedly be in favor of the Red Devils as they’ll feed off the home crowd, with Zlatan and Pogba providing Oscar winning performances inside the fabled Theatre of Dreams.  3-2 Manchester United FC

P.S. A special congratulations to captain Wayne Rooney for becoming Man United’s all-time top goalscorer.  He’s tied the legendary Sir Bobby Charlton with 249 career goals, but has accrued that tally over 215 fewer appearances.  Incredible!

HOLIDAY FOOTBALLING SHORTS

Welcome back everybody! I know this week’s article is coming a bitter later than usual, but things simply have been busier than normal lately with the holiday season in full swing.  Never the less, I’m bringing you your footballing fix, but with a twist this week as it’ll be my last article until the turn of the new year.  I’m calling it Holiday Footballing Shorts.  Instead of picking a match of the week, I’ve selected six games that I’ve deemed must watch from now until the end of the calendar year.  The commentary will be short and sweet; just enough to wet the whistle and keep you yearning for more!  I hope you enjoy them andhave a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!  Happy Holidays to all!

Sunday, December 18th, 2016
Early Bird Special
Real Madrid CF vs Kashima Antlers FC (FIFA Club World Cup Japan 2016 Final)
International Stadium Yokohama, Yokohama, Japan
5:30 AM EST FS1

LSB Prediction: The FIFA Club World Cup Final pits the UEFA Champions League winners in Real Madrid against the host nation participant in Kashima Antlers.  While the Antlers are the winningest club in Japan and recently defeated the Copa Libertadores champion, Atletico Nacional, they’ll be no match for the star-studded Galaticos, led by recent Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo!  4-0 Real Madrid CF

Brunch Delight

Manchester City FC vs Arsenal FC (Premier League)
Etihad Stadium, Manchester, England
11:00 AM EST NBCSN

LSB Prediction: With two of England’s top attacking clubs, this match is sure to be a firecracker of a game!  I expect an up and down affair with Kevin De Bruyne and Mesut Ozil setting up their colleagues Sergio Kun Agureo and Alexis Sanchez with plenty of goal scoring opportunities.  Thus, goalkeeping could be the difference in this one.  The edge goes to Arsenal’s Petr Cech.  3-1 Arsenal FC

Primetime Thriller

FC Barcelona vs RCD Espanyol de Barcelona (La Liga)
Camp Nou, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
2:45 PM EST BEIN Sports (Stream on FuboTV)

LSB Prediction: It’s the Catalan Derby!  Passion on the pitch is sure to run high as Espanyol will try to play an aggressive, borderline dirty, match against it’s city rivals in the Azulgrana.  But no matter how much the Periquitos try to impose the dark arts upon Barca, the MSN will have an answer, as always. 2-0 FC Barcelona

Other Notable Matches

Christmas Week

FC Bayern München vs RB Leipzig (Bundesliga)
Allianz Arena, München, Germany
Wednesday, December 21st, 2016
2:00 PM EST FS1

Juventus FC vs AC Milan (2016 Supercoppa Italiana)
Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium, Doha, Qatar
Friday, December 23rd, 2016
11:30 AM EST BEIN Sports (Stream on FuboTV)

New Year’s Week

Liverpool FC vs Manchester City FC (Premier League)
Anfield, Liverpool, England
Saturday, December 31st, 2016
11:30 EST NBCSN

PASSION TO RUN HIGH IN PARIS

Ligue 1 Matchday 17

Paris Saint-Germain FC vs OGC Nice Cote d’Azur
Parc des Princes, Paris, France
2:45pm EST

Hello again everybody! This week in the Lewnau Sports Bureau, we will shift our attention from last week’s El Clasico in Spain to France as I focus on the monster matchup in Ligue 1 between Paris Saint-Germain and Nice.  This game figures to be a real spectacle inside the City of Love’s Parc des Princes as two of Ligue 1’s top three team’s square off.  So let’s jump right into the nitty gritty as I’ll provide you with club backgrounds, key players to watch, and my usual LSB prediction!

Club Backgrounds

This year’s Ligue 1 season has been a real surprise for many, including me, as Nice has jumped out of the gate, firing at all cylinders, and currently leading the league by three points as we near the midway point of the 2016-17 campaign.  By comparison, last season Nice finished fourth in Ligue 1 and three places behind the eventual champions PSG, not to shabby I’d say.  In stating that however, in finishing fourth, Nice was left a whopping 33 points adrift of Paris!  That’s incredible! Les Parisians only lost twice all season and won 30 out of 38 matches.  Thus, seeing Nice, sitting atop of the table this go round is quit remarkable!  The question is, can Nice hold on and win its fifth league title in club history and first since 1959?

Conversely, PSG has flat-out dominated Ligue 1 over the past half decade, as the club has won four consecutive league titles spanning from the 2012-13 through 2015-16 seasons.  In addition, the club has won back-to-back domestic trebles, which includes winning the domestic league, league cup, and domestic cup all within the same season. With that said, things have changed this campaign.  For starters, apparently this unmatched domestic success wasn’t enough for former manager Laurent Blanc to keep his job at PSG.  Nasser Al-Khelaifi wasn’t pleased with the four consecutive quarterfinal exits in the Champions League, thus he made the move to bring in Unai Emery, a man that has an accomplished European track record.  Emery recently lead Sevilla to three consecutive Europa League Titles, a first within the tournaments history.  It was clear that Al-Khelaifi thought that this second-tier European tournament success could translate into PSG having better success within the Champions League.  The jury is still out in that regard, as the Group Stage is about to finish up with Matchday 6 being held on Tuesday and Wednesday and the Knockouts not starting until February.  But what jury isn’t still out is the lack of success that this PSG squad is having domestically this term.  And I don’t think that its a fluke either.  Emery, while achieving great things on the European stage, failed to finish in La Liga’s top four with Sevilla each season at the helm, and while PSG will undoubtedly finish in the top four in France, unless Les Parisians win the title again, this domestic season will be a complete disappointment and embarrassment after winning the league by 31 points just a season ago.  But, they are just four points back of Nice currently, with 21 matchdays to go, so there’s plenty of time to catch and breakaway from Nice and Monaco.  Can the run of good form start this weekend with a big result against Nice?

Key Players to Watch

The most intriguing figure to step foot onto the pitch in Paris this weekend is the enigmatic Mario Balotelli.  He’s a physical center forward, who likes to thunder forward towards goal, but has often times let the football community down by not taking the game of football and his responsibilities for it seriously enough.  This season however, deemed “his last chance at big time European club football” has harnessed his talents, focused on the game, has become areliable asset, and in doing so is playing some splendid football.  So good in fact, that the Italian manager Giampiero Ventura has recently sat down with Mario in talks of making a comeback to the Italian National Team in the near future.  He currently has six league goals, which is good for 12th overall, and second on his team.  Who is first in goalscorer for Nice you might ask?  That’d be Alassane Plea.  He has netted nine times for Les Aiglones, which puts him third in Ligue 1.  Thus, expect Nice to push forward and create multiple scoring chances in this match, likely putting a couple past Trapp or Areola.

As for PSG, Edinson Cavani leads the line.  He’s a player with tremendous ability and becoming much more consistent this year for Les Bleus now that he isn’t in Zlatan’s shadow any longer.  And it shows, as Cavani is currently the top goalscorer in Ligue 1 with 14 goals.  Recently he netted for the 100th time at PSG, ranking second behind Zlatan Ibrahimovic for most goals at the club.  In addition, after putting away that penalty, he made a nice and emotional gesture of remembrance for the victims of the Chapecoense airline crash last week, as he removed his jersey to display a Chapecoense shirt underneath with his arms stretched out and looking to the sky.  Very classy, despite the yellow card he received for the removal of his kit. Quit ridiculous to be cautioned.  Anyhow, look for Cavani to out perform his counterparts at the other end of the pitch as he can burst towards net and either flick one over the keeper or head one home.

LSB Prediction:

I fully expect this match to be an up and down affair early, as both squads are filled with attacking talent up front and out wide.  But if the game is tied in the later stages, expect Nice to change tactics as a point on the road against PSG will feel like a win.  Conversely, PSG will be pushing for all 90 minutes trying to earn all three points and pull within one point of Nice in the standings.  That’ll leave them exposed at the back for a late counter attack and a Balotelli winner. 2-1 OGC Nice Cote d'Azur