Cristiano Ronaldo won the fourth 2013 FIFA Ballon D’Or and he rightly deserved it. The types of performances he showed last year have been, without a doubt, extraordinary. The fact that in terms of performance statistics, he outscored the other two contenders to top the charts makes his case very strong. If he had failed this time, the credibility of Ballon D’Or would have been seriously questioned. In the end, it was a good result for football in general. However, the result doesn’t reflect accurately on who the best footballer in the world is. People have made all sorts of arguments in favour of each of the three nominees. Cristiano Ronaldo had a staggering number of goals. Franck Ribery was an integral part of a team that won every competition during the year. Lionel Messi had another stellar season that looks slightly less worthy only because we compare his numbers for the year to the unbelievable standards he has set for himself in the past. If we talk about the ‘true’ best player in the world, then statistics of goals and assists alone or being an integral part of an all-conquering team can’t be taken as a lone criterion. In fact, these are just two of the things that should contribute to the criteria which, in addition, consist of factors such as impact on the team, the ability to influence a game and turn it single-handedly on its head. When all these elements are considered, Messi still appears to be the number one player in the world, not to mention having won four Ballon D’Ors in a row. Lionel Messi Ronaldo and Ribery are both great players and supreme professionals. Ronaldo won many games for Real Madrid and so did Ribery. But none of them are as good at influencing a game as Messi is. Lets recall the match from last season that took place at the San Siro against AC Milan, when Barcelona lost by 0-2 in the first leg, of the round of 16, in the Champions League. But Barca fought back in Camp Nou in the return leg to overturn a deficit; that had never been done in history before. Messi rose to the occasion in unimaginable fashion and scored two splendid goals early in the game through shear individual brilliance. Such was his performance that it left everybody in awe and disbelief. [embed width="620"]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xykdpm_barcelona-vs-milan-4-0_sport[/embed] In the next round, Barça was again in trouble against Paris Saint Germain (PSG). Messi, despite being injured, got off the bench and, in a short cameo, turned the game in Barça’s favour. And if statistics are all that important, then what about the 29 goals scored in 21 consecutive games in La Liga against every single opponent? Is that really a feat easy to achieve? Franck Ribery The case of Ribery for the Ballon D’Or was even weaker. Bayern Munich conquered everything but the success. This was the result of a synergistic team that they have successfully developed rather than the result of a player’s individual brilliance. Ribery is a great player but both Ronaldo and Messi are miles ahead of him. Ballon D’Or is an individual award and hence should be awarded on individual brilliance, no matter how well the team performed. If winning something is the criterion, then there is no need to look for outstanding players in any other club – players from the wining sides of La Liga, the Premier League, Bundes Liga and the Champions League should all qualify for football’s most prestigious individual awards. Cristiano Ronaldo Some analysts say that Ronaldo is a more absolute player because he can use both feet, can score from free kicks and from headers, and is extremely quick and strong. Very true! [embed width="620"]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xxwanp_cristiano-ronaldo-top-10-goals-ever_sport[/embed] But just because Messi scores fewer goals from his other parts of the body, doesn’t mean his genius can be overtaken. This argument is the same as saying that an artist, who can draw well using either of his hands or his feet, claims he is better than Pablo Picasso. Messi is a genius and not a single player can produce the same magic as he does when the ball sticks to his feet like a magnet. His goal against Athletic Bilbao last year was majestic and proved how well he handled the ball. [embed width="620"]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xzeb7h_lionel-messi-golazo-vs-athletic-bilbao_sport[/embed] Ronaldo may produce a moment of similar genius sometimes, but Messi has been doing it week after week for many years. The more you see him do it, the more you are convinced of his ability, vision, talent and composure to execute outrageous skills that can leave you in utter disbelief. Messi has something extraordinary that has earned him a place in the debate of world's greatest player. Ronaldo has won two FIFA World Player of the Year awards now but it is still not likely that the argument of him being ‘the greatest player of all time’ will start floating in the football world. Ronaldo scores an amazing number of goals but looking at his playing style for Real Madrid, most of the time he heads in from long balls and free kicks or taps-in Karim Benzema’s and Mesut Ozil’s fine crosses. Barca’s midfield engine works in a very different way and whenever Messi scores, it’s either his individual brilliance or the outcome of an outrageous link up with his team mates – team goals that you don’t see coming from any other team in the world, as often. He scores goals and creates them too. Sometimes without scoring a goal or setting it up, he leaves you in disbelief with a magical defence splitting pass that not even some of the best midfielders in the world could pull off. [embed width="620"]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x16l4lp_lionel-messi-s-top-10-goals-for-2012-2013_sport[/embed] Ronaldo won the award but it was a very closely fought contest. Unlike the previous three occasions, Messi has won approximately twice the points than his counter. If Messi was not injured during the close of the season and then again for the most part of the new season, there is a significant chance we may have seen Messi picking up his fifth successive award this week. Ronaldo could have lost it to Ribery, had they not extended the voting period after his heroics for Portugal against Sweden. People say Ronaldo took Portugal to the World cup but they forget that Messi did the same, firing Argentina into the World cup with outstanding performances requiring no extra qualifying play off. Ronaldo winning the Ballon D’Or is still praised because it’s good news for football. The decision is going to fuel up the rivalry of these two football maestros further, bringing us many more magical moments. It will also extinguish the unjust campaigning and media war disputes over the best player award such as Sepp Blatter’s ‘harmless’ jokes about Ronaldo. But putting everything aside, Messi is undisputedly the best player in the world, by a long long way!

Last year, when the Portugal football team played their 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Sweden, the whole world expected the match to be a do or die for both the teams. And none other than the superstar Cristiano Ronaldo single-handedly took the Portuguese team to Brazil by scoring a blistering hat-trick. Ronaldo’s exploits on the pitch in 2013, where he scored 68 goals for both his country (Portugal) and his club (Real Madrid), saw him walk away with the most coveted trophy in Football – the Ballon D’Or 2013 (FIFA Best Player of the Year) for the second time in his career. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Cristiani Ronaldo won the 2013 Ballon D'Or. Photo: Reuters[/caption] Now he has been nominated for the prestigious Laureus World Sportsman of the Year award for the year 2014. Laureus is now celebrating its 15^th year and is recognised as the premier honour event in the international sporting calendar. No footballer has ever won the Laureus Sportsman of the Year award. Ronaldo can only win this award if he manages to shrug off the competition from his fellow nominees. Usain Bolt – Jamaica Bolt is the world’s fastest man and greatest sprinter of all time. He won three gold medals at last year’s International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) World Championship in Moscow and he was named IAAF’s Male Athlete of the Year for the fifth time. Mo Farah – United Kingdom This British athlete is one of the greatest distance runners who won the classic 5,000 and 10,000 metres double in the World Champion. LeBron James – United States James has won National Basketball Association’s (NBA) Most Valuable Player (MVP) award for the fourth consecutive time in the last five years. Rafael Nadal – Spain The tennis sensation has won the French Open for a record eighth time and the US Open, regaining his top of the list world ranking. Sebastian Vettel – Germany Vettle is one of the greatest drivers of all time and won four consecutive Formula 1 World Championships. The nominations follow a ballot by the world’s media and the winners are voted by the Laureus World sports academy, which is made up of 46 of the greatest sportspersons of all time. Ronaldo’s opponents are not by the slightest chance easy to conquer. However, considering history, Usain Bolt has won this award three times, including last year’s triumph. Thus, Ronaldo faces stiff competition from other sports fraternities that have always dominated these awards. Tiger Woods has won this award twice for his Golfing techniques, Michael Schumacher for Formula 1 while Roger Federer has won it four times for tennis. It’s difficult but not an impossible challenge for the Portuguese star who was recently named Grand Officer of the Order of Prince Henry, one of the most prestigious honours in Portugal by the country’s President. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Cristiano Ronaldo getting the Grand Officer of the Order of Prince Henry honour. Photo: Reuters[/caption] In 2013, he was Spanish League’s second highest goal scorer and UEFA Champions League’s highest goal scorer. His superb technical skill, unmatched speed, blistering runs down the wings, and his predatory and accurate shoots to score a goal makes him the best football player in the world.   [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: AFP[/caption] With so many accolades in his possession for the year 2013 alone, will he break the jinx and become the first football player to add the tag of world’s best sportsman? I guess we will find out two days from now when the awards ceremony will take place in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lampur, on March 26, 2014.

Old Trafford Stadium, known as the ‘Theatre of Dreams’ for Manchester United FC, has unfortunately become a theatre of nightmares under David Moyes's managerial reign. With another poor performance against their arch rivals Manchester City FC, and a sixth home defeat of 3-0, fans have become greatly disconcerted. As part of the aftermath, many stewards were seen guarding the ‘The Chosen One’ banner at the Stratford End, as fans wanted to take the banner down. The defeat has left United reeling 12 points behind first-place Arsenal FC. During the 2013-14 season of the Barclays Premier League, United secured one victory while playing against English Premier League’s top five football clubs, which shows how dismally it has progressed this season. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Manchester United celebrate winning the Premier League last season. Photo: Reuters[/caption] While the Red Devils prepare to face Bayern Munich FC in the quarter-final match of the UEFA Champions League, their chances of winning look very slim. Bayern Munich remains undefeated after their last 52 matches and currently, under Pepp Guardiola, is one of the best football clubs in Europe. They are going to give David Moyes and United a tough competition. However, United’s current situation, sadly to say, was inevitable. When Sir Alex Ferguson retired, after being in-charge of the club for around 27 years, many speculations were made regarding United’s fate. The task of replacing Sir Ferguson, for instance, was perhaps one of the most daunting matters. The club needed an experienced and high profile manger to handle the kind of pressure and expectations associated with replacing him. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="594"] Sir Alex Ferguson. Photo: Reuters[/caption] At the time of his retirement, the board and Ferguson had to give their choices for United’s future manager, which included Jose Mourinho, Jurgen Klopp, Carlo Ancelotti and even Pepp Guardiola, who at that time hadn’t joined Bayern Munich and hence was available. Therefore, hiring one of the top managers would have certainly ensured at least a top-four slot for the Red Devils. Yet, the board went with Moyes, who was not at all the right choice to replace Ferguson; he was a mid-table manager and has similarly turned United into a mid-table team, earlier than anyone could have predicted. Consequently, incorrect comparisons were made at the start of Moyes’ term between him and Ferguson. He had a wonderful track record of winning titles in Scottish football before he joined United. He took over a mid-table team and turned it into a champion team. Moyes, on the other hand, hadn’t won a single title in his 10 years at Everton FC, and hence, there was no comparison between the two. And now we see that difference in the team’s performance as well. The influence Moyes has over United was already expected. During pre-season, the team lost matches even against Asian clubs, something which had never happened before. Furthermore, the refusal of successful international players to sign up for United under Moyes shows his reputation amongst the football community. The biggest flaw seen in Moyes’s managerial abilities is the lack of sound tactics and the authority to drop big names from the starting line-up, like Ferguson would do if players didn’t perform well. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] David Moyes. Photo: Reuters[/caption] Consequently, Moyes has made two costly sign-ups of Maroune Felliani for £27.5 million and Juan Mata for a club record of £37 million, both of whom haven’t performed well. Now, there are talks of giving £150 million to Moyes for a major overhaul in the club, but looking at his recent selection, can the United board trust him? I definitely don’t think so. Therefore, by the end of the season, United should look to sign an experienced and high profile manager to bring them back in the game and become part of the elite football clubs of Europe again.

There are games that shape the future of the sport; moments which pass us by with no warning of the transition they bring with them. It was only about five seasons ago that Barcelona under the steering of Josep Guardiola introduced a style of play by the name of ‘tiki-taka’ that took the world by storm. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="610"] Messi's Hat-trick keeps Barca on top.Photo:AFP[/caption] All of a sudden, any team that was not emulating their model of quick passing and precise running was living in the Stone Age. The Barcelona team won many laurels under Guardiola’s management before he went on to implement the same style of play to some effect at Bayern Munich in Germany. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="460"] A player playing defense against the opposition. Photo:AFP[/caption] However, given the recent change in the style of play by many of the clubs, the dynamic tide of football strategies might be changing once again. Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea and Carlo Ancelloti’s Real Madrid have showcased that defending well and deep, still has a place in modern football. Rather than resorting to fast-paced attack that domestic rivals showcase against these two teams, all season long. Madrid and Chelsea have adopted the fine, counter-attack strategy in football and it is proven to have worked wonders. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="611"] Real Madrid's midfielder Xabi Alonso (C) vies with Bayern Munich's midfielder Mario Goetze (L) and Bayern Munich's midfielder Thomas Mueller during the UEFA match. Photo:AFP[/caption] Chelsea recently defeated title-favourites Liverpool, in an away game, in the English Premier League while keeping only 27% of the ball. They also came back from La Liga favourites, Atletico Madrid’s home unscathed, having 31% ball possession, throughout the match. Both displays were highly defensive and, perhaps, born out of necessity due to Chelsea’s lack of firepower attack upfront. Having played the entire season with misfiring strikers, Chelsea has adopted a style of play where they defend well and deep only resorting to counter attack measures which exploit spaces left behind the defenders of the opposing team. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="343"] Steven Gerrard and Jon Flanagan of Liverpool have words with Jose Mourinho.
Photo:AFP[/caption] Real Madrid, similarly, have kept very little of the ball during their two semi-finals against Bayern Munich, who opted for the ‘tiki-taka’ which, then proved less successful. Madrid kept 28 per cent ball possession during their home game in Madrid with a score of 1-0. While keeping, only 31 per cent ball possession during their 4-0 decimation of Bayern in Munich on April 30, 2014. Madrid may have had little of the ball but they had all of the goals over the two legs. It is nice to keep possession, but it matters very little when you are unable to score. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="470"] Chelsea moved to within two points of top spot in the Premier League after a 2-0 win away to leaders Liverpool at Anfield. Photo: AFP[/caption] Teams seem to have run out of ideas of how to counter deep-lying defences. While this strategy of counter-attacking defensive football is proving fruitful to Madrid and Chelsea, it has its share of critics. Liverpool was not too gracious of the brand of football Chelsea played at Anfield during their 2-0 victory over the Merseyside team. However, Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has clearly stated that as long as his team stands victorious, nothing else matters. There is little to deny that Mourinho’s brand of football is successful. He has successfully kept his side in contention, of European and domestic silver-ware this season without having a single efficient striker. Mourinho, or the ‘Special One’ as he calls himself, might have made yet another mark on the world of football by ending the era of the tiki-taka. Madrid seems to have done just as well following a similar strategy which brought them to the Champions League final. The team’s European success is a clear indicator that the tide is indeed changing, the days of pure attacking football might formally be over and counter-attacking is the new fad in town!  

I’ve been following Real Madrid for the past four years and I endured a number of heartbreaks at the most crucial stages of the season. For three consecutive years, the team withstood painful defeats throughout the semi-finals of the most important club tournament, the UEFA Champions League. Since the past 12 years, the dream to achieve La Decima always seemed to come to an abrupt halt. The last two editions of the tournament were miserable but this year, Real Madrid did what was always expected of them. They won it and they won it the Real Madrid style; ‘fight till the end’. [embed width="620"]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1tbtjb_real-madrid-uefa-champions-league-final-24-may-2014_sport[/embed] Real Madrid began this season with a lot of new faces. They did, however, sell some key players like Mesut Ozil, Ricardo Kaka, Gonzalo Higuain, Jose Callejon and Raul Albiol. So, the new youngsters in the team like Isco, Asier Illaramendi, Jese Ruiz and the 91 million Euro signing of Gareth Bale, had to live up to the expectations of Madridistas and they sure didn’t disappoint. Even their new coach, Carlo Ancelotti, had to reshape the team and their game plan to land this victory. The Champions League began brilliantly for Real Madrid where they set a record of most points in the group stage by beating big clubs like Juventus and Galatasaray and then progressed towards the knockout stage where they beat three German clubs in row. German clubs had been Madrid’s kryptonite but amazingly enough they beat Schalke 04, Borrusia Dortmund and Bayern Munich by 4-0. [embed width="620"]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1s5ko7_bayern-munich-vs-real-madrid-0-4-all-goals-highlights-29-04-2014_sport[/embed] This season has been more than extraordinary for Cristiano Ronaldo as well. He managed to acquire new records; the European Golden Boot, the Pichichi trophy, most number of goals in a Champions League edition and Player of the Year award are all Ronaldo’s accolades now. I just hope he performs this brilliantly in the 2014 World Cup as well and maybe win another Ballon d’Or. But the achievement that tops these honours is how he helped Madrid achieve their objective of winning La Decima, the tenth Champions League title. Amassing 17 goals with a brace in the semi-final, Ronaldo has lived up to his reputation. [embed width="620"]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1ji052_cristiano-ronaldo-amazing-goals-2014_sport[/embed] [embed width="620"]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1wilqm_cristiano-ronaldo-goal-real-madrid-vs-atletico-madrid-4-1-uefa-champions-league-2014-24-05-2014_sport[/embed] My experience of watching Real Madrid win La Decima has been one of the best sports spectacles of my life. A bunch of my friends and cousins had planned to see the final at a screening arranged by the city’s local cinema, Cine Moosh in Hyderabad, where I provided them with jerseys to show our support for the team. Say what you want but people who follow football as enthusiastically as I do are very passionate about it. We were seated in the hall at 12am, a few minutes after the match had begun. I prayed for Real Madrid’s win like a nervous mother. I kept thinking out loud,

“Don’t choke! Please don’t choke on this one!”

“Yaar maan gaye teri team ko Zain!” (Now we believe your team has mettle, Zain!)

Now that the euphoria of Louis van Gaal’s appointment as Manchester United’s new manager has evaporated, it is worth assessing the scale of the task he has at hand. After seeing the club encounter their worst run of form in a generation, the ruling Glazer family and executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward decided to sack the hapless David Moyes. After weeks of speculation of his appointment, Van Gaal was finally confirmed as the new manager on May 19, 2014. However, he has plenty of work to do to bring the recently displaced English champions back to where they belong. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Ryan Giggs (R) and David Moyes (L)[/caption] What became evident in the final four games of the season, for which Ryan Giggs was made interim manager, was that Van Gaal will inherit a squad devoid of confidence. The swagger and self-belief of the Sir Alex Ferguson era has long gone; David Moyes’ passive football and cautious tactics saw to that. Under the Scot, the club played a pragmatic and dull style of the game, not seen at Old Trafford since the days of the late Dave Sexton (who was at the helm from 1977 to 1981). The Dutchman is known for his authoritarian personality, an emphasis on playing collectively as a team, a commitment to attacking football and his desire to give young players a chance. Indeed, his greatest achievement as a manager occurred with a largely youthful squad. Though the year of 1995 in football is usually remembered for the landmark Bosman ruling that resulted in the advent of free transfers, it is also significantly remembered for the remarkable achievement of the Dutch giants FC Ajax. The Amsterdam side won the UEFA Champions League with a squad that primarily consisted of young players, who were facing the seasoned stars of AC Milan in the final. Fittingly, the winning goal was scored by an 18-year-old Patrick Kluivert. At Barcelona, over the course of two stints, the likes of Xavi Hernandez, Carles Puyol, Andres Iniesta and Victor Valdes were all given their club debuts under Van Gaal’s tenure. And at his last club, Bayern Munich, Thomas Muller, Holger Badstuber and David Alaba were all promoted from the youth system. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Successful FC Barcelona players under Van Gaal. From left to right: Victor Valdes, Carles Puyol, Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta[/caption] Van Gaal will, therefore, undoubtedly want to work on some of Man United’s younger players rather than simply buy players for the sake of making a statement. Nevertheless, for this ailing and ageing squad, reinforcements are an urgent necessity. Attracting big names should be easier for the club under the 62-year-old than under his predecessor. High-profile players are more likely to play for high-profile managers. Unlike Moyes, who had never managed a high-profile club and had never won a major trophy, when he took over, Van Gaal arrives at the club with league titles from Ajax, Bayern Munich, Barcelona and even the unfashionable Dutch outfit AZ Alkmaar. Therefore, luring big names should be easier for the club with Van Gaal. Of course, the absence of Champions League football is sure to be a hindrance. Nevertheless, Luis Suarez with Liverpool and Ronaldinho with Barcelona are examples that top footballers can still sign for major clubs even without qualification for Europe’s elite competition for the specific seasons. Apart from goalkeeper David De Gea, it has been a dreadful season for Man United’s large squad. The club’s creaking defence will not have Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand (a combination of 755 United appearances) at its heart next season. Their deputies, Jonny Evans, Chris Smalling and Phil Jones, are injury-prone and they do not strike fear into the hearts of opposition strikers as the former two. The Lancashire-based club is also in urgent need of a left-back, despite the renewal of Patrice Evra’s contract. Ferguson’s best sides were built on strong defences. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Current Manchester United players. From left to right: Jonny Evans, Chris Smalling, Phil Jones and David De Gea[/caption] Additionally, Man United also possesses, arguably, the worst midfield of the top seven sides in the Premier League. Tom Cleverley has had such a forgettable season that an online petition was launched to ban him from the England squad. Between 2007 and 2013, the Stretford End did not witness the purchase of any central midfielder. United have long missed a midfield general since the abrupt departure of Roy Keane in 2005. While Ferguson was able to paper over the cracks, the deficiency of a box-to-box player like Chelsea’s Ramires was clear during Moyes’ tenure. Ferguson’s vintage teams also included great wingers: the likes of Andrei Kanchelskis, Giggs, David Beckham and Christiano Ronaldo come to mind. Yet the woeful contributions of Antonio Valencia, Nani and Ashley Young recently have made the purchase of wide men essential. At Bayern Munich, Van Gaal’s team thrived with the wing play of Arjen Robben and Franck Ribéry. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Manchester United's vintage players. Top: Andrei Kanchelskis (L) and David Beckham (R). Bottom: Ryan Giggs (L) and Cristiano Ronaldo (R).[/caption] Van Gaal’s default formation is an essentially Dutch 4-3-3, although he has shown his flexibility by fielding 5-3-2 in the buildup to the upcoming World Cup with his Holland side. Van Gaal likes a midfield trio of fluid players that can pass the ball around and press the opposition. None of the current crop at United can offer that. Fellow Dutchman Kevin Strootman is a classic Van Gaal player. Ironically, he is known as the ‘Dutch Roy Keane.’ After years of being spoilt with unprecedented success and, above all, stability, Manchester United supporters have entered the real world of most football fans. A transitional period after Ferguson was expected, albeit not this bad. A club of Man United’s stature can only tolerate one year outside Europe’s elite. An experienced and successful manager like Van Gaal may just be the man to bring the team back to the top. But he will need to find the players who can strengthen a squad in desperate need of upgrading.

Despite lack of infrastructure, no comprehensive grassroots program and a mediocre league, Pakistani football does have one major gain – foreign-based players. Throughout the globe, national teams opt to pick the best players no matter where in the world they are playing. In Asia alone, you can see glaring examples with world cup candidate Iran recruiting players such as Ashkan Dejagah (Fulham) and Daniel Davari (Grasshopper) from Germany to bolster their ranks. Similarly, Lebanon has done the same with a host of European-born Lebanese players opting to play for The Cedars on an international platform. As a result, Lebanon has reached the last round of the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers and thrashed Pakistan 3-1 in a one-sided game with a reserve team when the two sides played a friendly in February. Making sure to benefit from the trend, even Philippines has benefited enormously from European-based players such as Stephan Schröck (Eintracht Frankfurt), Roland Müller (Servette FC), Juan Luis Guirado (Burgos), Neil Etheridge (Fulham) and Dennis Cagara (Lyngby) with results improving and causing a football revolution in the country. You don’t even need to go that far away for inspiration, just take a leaf out of Afghanistan’s book. They often boast their entire starting team from Afghanis playing abroad and, with that added quality and professionalism, Afghanistan thrashed Pakistan 3-0 and won the 2013 SAFF Cup after beating India 2-0 in the final. We, on the other hand, have yet to reach the final of the SAFF Championship despite taking part in the eight team event since 1993. For Pakistan, the problem is multi-faceted. Firstly, some consider our foreign-based contingent to be non-Pakistanis and thus claim that we should not include them in our national team. Well, who are these guys? Hassan Bashir (Fremad Amager), Muhammad Ali (Svebolle), Adnan Ahmed (Droylsden), Zesh Rehman (Pahang FA), Yousuf Butt (BGA) and Shabir Khan (Worcester City FC) were all born outside of Pakistan. Bashir, Ali and Butt are based in Denmark, while former Manchester United trainee Ahmed and Khan reside in England. Rehman, who captained Pakistan in their last senior outing was with English Premier League side, Fulham, a few years back and is now currently playing top flight football in Malaysia. They all possess Pakistani passports, National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistanis (NICOP) and they all love playing for their country. Ace goalkeeper, Butt, who was born in Canada, declined a call-up from Canada U-19s to fulfil his dream of becoming the Pak Shaheens’ number one. Clearly, anyone in their right mind would not dare to call them anything other than Pakistanis. But some go on claim to that these players are not good enough. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Yousuf Butt[/caption] Wait, what? You’ve got Bashir who played for Danish Superliga giants and UEFA Europa League regulars FC Nordsjaelland and is rated by many as one of the top three players in the SAFF region. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Hassan Bashir[/caption] Ali spent a season at UEFA Champions League side FC Copenhagen and is one of the most skilled Pakistani players this writer has ever seen. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Muhammad Ali[/caption] Ahmed graduated from the famed Manchester United Academy, played at Huddersfield Town, Hungarian champions Ferencvaros and Iran’s Aboomoslem. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Adnan Ahmed[/caption] On the other end, Rehman made his English Premier League debut against Liverpool with Fulham, played for QPR, Brighton and Hove Albion and even captained Bradford City in League Two. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Zesh Rehman[/caption] But when all ability and ‘them being Pakistani’ related issues have subsided, local coaches claim that these players don’t attend ‘camps’ to prepare for events. Most of the players mentioned play for semi-professional and professional clubs. And other than FIFA dates, a club reserves the right to waive away national team duty. But despite that fact, these players have travelled to attend training camps and been a part of the national side; leaving their jobs, studies and clubs behind just for the sake of representing their nation. But that’s not always possible, especially since the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) are living in the stone age and call for two month long ‘camps’ to train for events. Throughout the globe, each national team just holds a week or so of training and plays friendly games to build team chemistry. And that is not even an issue for players like Ahmed and Rehman, who have been with the national team for more than seven years. But there are more double standards and the PFF has been caught out. Recently, two players namely Muhammad Adil and Kaleemullah became foreign-based players after signing for FC Dordoi Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan, but according to our coaches, these don’t count. Moreover, former players such as Mohammad Essa always blame the foreign-based players for coming late and pins losses on them. But why don’t they raise an issue when Adil arrived late from Kyrgyzstan to Palestine for Pakistan’s clash against Sri Lanka two hours before the game and did not attend the camp. Moreover, Kaleemullah wasn’t even released by Dordoi and did not play for the Shaheens. But why wasn’t this criticised by Essa for showing a lack of commitment. I don’t have a problem with such incidences, it’s your club that comes first but it’s the hypocrisy shown by former players and coaches that is the problem. All this hostility shown by some of the local coaches and players has meant that we have never gotten more than four foreign-based players in one side. And even then, with their inclusion, we have improved considerably. We take pride in seeing Pakistani players represent other countries in cricket such as Moeen Ali for England, Imran Tahir for South Africa, Usman Khawaja for Australia and the dozens on show at last T20 World Cup for UAE, Holland and Canada. But it has developed a very negative approach when the same happens in football with these overseas-based Pakistanis coming home to represent Pakistan. There are a number of Pakistani origin players that have represented Pakistan but were never welcomed with open arms by many and continue to be labelled as ‘foreigners’ despite wearing the green shirt with pride, holding a green passport and originating from Pakistan. Pakistani football has gained enormous popularity in the last decade but it is yet to reflect on the local game and the way things are going, it will take longer than people hope. That is simply due to ill formed policies of the federation which are being executed by officials who have no expertise in aspects of football. In Pakistan, there are no proper football academies as governmental departments dominate the domestic football leagues and only recruit players over the age of 18; when they have missed their development age. Football fans have not even seen the Pakistan Premier League televised ever since it started 11 years ago. Therefore, the general public has no awareness whatsoever on who, where and how they get selected for Pakistan. All this fuels the discussions and debates on social media and football circles that national junior and senior sides aren’t selected on merit and so forth. Subsequently, foreign-based players are treated with contempt. But last year, Pakistan’s Serbian boss Zavisa Milosavljevic claimed that he would not tolerate anyone calling the aforementioned players ‘foreigners’. While that was a major breakthrough in the problem, his successor, Mohammed Al Shamlan of Bahrain has taken a complete U-turn on that policy. He is no longer calling up foreign-based players except Adil and Kaleem, and to add on, he is even ignoring senior players from the Pakistan Premier League. Instead, he is focusing on a flawed-youth policy, where he intends to give our U-22 team a bit of exposure and make them the senior side. This, possibly, could destroy Pakistan’s chances of progressing at the FIFA 2018 World Cup qualifiers and 2015 SAFF Championship. Here we have our core batch of foreign-based players and couple of new ones like Nabil Aslam (AC Horsens) who played in the UEFA Europa League and could be an ideal centre-back partner for Rehman. Combined with talented local ones such as Saddam Hussain (KRL), Ahsanullah (HBL) and Mansoor Khan (PAF) could produce some sensational results. But no, a country which allows governors with dual nationality clearly doesn’t want to win and use these players. Instead, we want to brand them as ‘foreigners’ even when they want to play for Pakistan, wear green shirts and are Pakistani in spirit and by the law. [poll id="344"]

How ironic is it that Spain had a new king just hours after the country’s football team relinquished their crown in Brazil? And how symbolic is it that it happened at the Maracana Stadium? Oh the Maracana. While Brazil still sees ghosts of 1950 and Uruguay, there will be new skeletons in the closet for Spain for years to come at this iconic venue, for this is the ground that finally saw the end of Spain’s glorious era. All great teams have a cycle. And alas, Spain’s has ended. It was Chile, one of the teams Spain defeated on the way to World Cup glory four years ago that put the final nail in the coffin. And so, tiki-taka, the short passing style of football that has become the symbol of Spanish football, has seen its day. Simply put, Spain’s football has become stale and outdated. Teams have worked their way round it. Last year’s 3-0 defeat to Brazil in the Confederations Cup final should have set alarm bells ringing. It did not. [embed width="620"]http://vimeo.com/71240647[/embed] When Luis Aragones picked his side for Euro 2008, little did he know that he was setting in motion a style of play that was to characterise an era of football. There was originally an outcry over the exclusion of star striker Raul Gonzalez. But what Aragones laid the foundation of was cemented by his successor Vicente Del Bosque. The “false nine” system was developed whereby the team could play without a true centre-forward. It blurred the lines between midfield and attack. But Spain’s success was going side by side with the enormous success Barcelona was achieving simultaneously under Pep Guardiola. Lionel Messi was not only the core of Spain’s side but was also the core of the Barcelona side. Spain might have lost their first game of the previous World Cup too but their level of football was simply on another planet. Tiki-Taka was at its peak. Everyone wanted to mimic Barcelona. Opposition teams would simply tire out in the face of relentless possession. The central midfield duo of Xavi and Andres Iniesta was probably the best midfield partnership of recent generations. Spain scoring a paltry eight goals from their seven games on the way to glory four years ago is symbolic of an emphasis on patient passing and playing without a true number nine. Opposing defenders did not know who to mark. Strikers did not matter. An overloading of midfield made Spain unbeatable. It was a Spanish version of the Total Football which Johan Cruyff brought to Barcelona all those years ago which eventually bore fruit. The defence too was impregnable. Indeed, Spain has already conceded more goals in this World Cup so far than they did in Euro 2008, World Cup 2010 and Euro 2012 combined. This time round though, every aspect of the team has lacked the finesse that brought comparisons with the victorious Brazil side of 1970. Iker Casillas, the man who saved his country in countless penalty shootouts and whose wonderful save from Arjen Robben helped win the World Cup final, was a pale shadow of his former self. A nightmare against Holland in the opening group game was followed by another inept display against Chile. Gerard Pique and Sergio Ramos, two of Spain’s most formidable centre-backs, could not deal with the pace of Arjen Robben and Alexis Sanchez. Spain’s slow style was bowled over by speed and penetration against Holland and additionally intense pressing by Chile. [embed width="620"]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1zd8ng_spain-vs-netherlands-13-june-2014-match-highlights_sport[/embed] Rather than going for fresh blood, Bosque stayed loyal to the old guard. Why change a winning formula? Except that these were tired and ageing legs. That much was evident from Barcelona’s worst season in half a dozen years. At 34, Xavi no longer commands a game the way he used to. He was dropped for the second game but by then it was too late and Koke, considered to be the heir to the former for the national team, was only brought on as a substitute against the South Americans. Additionally, the decision to play Diego Costa as a real number nine smacked of a lack of planning. The Brazilian-born striker has barely played with his adopted country, yet he was expected to fit in seamlessly. Unlike club football, international football requires a long time-frame of synchronisation. To play a complex role in a Spanish national team where a forward is starved of space and opportunities while barely being acquainted with the side is a big challenge for any player. Yet, Bosque decided to stick with the Chelsea-bound striker. The Spanish national team as a whole has failed to see the changes the game has experienced in the last two years. By the time Spain beat Italy 4-0 in the Euro 2012 final, football was at its zenith. But what goes up has to come down. [embed width="620"]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xrhykl_spain-vs-italy-goals-highlights-euro-2012_sport[/embed] The following season, Bayern Munich played a German upgrade on the Spanish tiki-taka. The Bavarian side played with power and speed to add to the possession to complete a treble, thumping Barcelona 7-0 on aggregate in the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League along the way. [embed width="620"]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x14a0ii_bayern-munich-vs-barcelona-7-0-champion-league-2013_sport[/embed] Subsequently, a Guardiola-managed Munich was thrashed by Real Madrid recently. It became increasingly clear that the Spanish model had become archaic. [embed width="620"]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1s51hd_bayern-0-4-real-madrid-highlights-all-goals-29-04-2014_sport[/embed] Indeed, the German national team has followed suit. The 23-man squad includes only one recognised centre-forward, Miroslav Klose, while Thomas Mueller plays a role comparable to the false nine. Bosque did not budge though. With no backup plan and an overly predictable style of play, teams could thoroughly prepare on how to face them. So much so that Holland manager Louis Van Gaal publicly informed weeks in advance that he had switched to a 5-3-2 formation to counter his upcoming opponents. The 5-1 humiliation to Holland also showed a group of players who, the majority having won three major tournaments in four years, did not appear to have the hunger to further motivate themselves. There was no urgency in their play. Chile could smell blood. They hunted in packs and were duly rewarded. Outrun, out-thought and outscored, Spain was to become the third reigning champions of the last four world cups to be eliminated at the group stage. When the dust settles, Spain can take solace from being the best international team of recent times, for symbolising an era of football and can rebuild with the next generation. Koke, De Gea and the injured Thiago are all below the age of 24. Football has moved on. Possession is only nine-tenths of the law. The term applies to the beautiful game as well.

We are only a day away from the kick-off of the most watched football league. Yes, I’m referring to none other than the Barclays Premier League, which returns to your screens for the 2014-2015 season. Unlike other football leagues, where the title race is mainly between two or three teams, this league has five to six teams competing for the title. This summer transfer window has seen some of the biggest signings made by English clubs for their upcoming season. Some have been filling in the gaps left by departed players while others have been busy building up some real power talent. We have witnessed the curtain raiser to the English season, the Community Shield match where last season’s champions, Manchester City, lost 3-0 to FA Cup winners, Arsenal, and are heading into the new season with fresh wounds. They face increasingly challenging competitions with clubs taking active part in the transfer window to build their teams. Speaking of potential title contenders, Chelsea made huge signings this summer and is looking to be at its best this season, Arsenal is optimistic about winning the league title and Manchester United is going through some serious restructuring under Louis Van Gaal and aim to bounce back to the top four ranking this season. Liverpool is coming from its best season, finishing second in the league. Last season was the closest the club had come to winning their 19^th league title since 1990. This has instilled great positivity and motivation for them to perform better this season. But the departure of Luis Suarez is surely a blow to the team as the striker had been the driving force behind the team’s indestructible form, scoring 31 goals in his last season. This summer transfer window saw Pepe Reina leave Liverpool for Bayern Munich while Luis Alberto and Iago Aspas were loaned out. The £75m received from the sale of Suarez initiated a shopping spree for the club as they bought three Southampton players, Rickie Lambert (striker), Adam Lallana (attacking midfielder) and Dejan Lovren (defender). Moreover, Emre Can (midfielder) and Lazar Markovic (winger) were also added to the team and Divock Origi was signed but loaned out for a season. The biggest challenge Liverpool has faced so far was replacing Suarez and have been unable to make a signing worthy of filling his shoes. The signing of the striker Lambert will be of great help as he performed brilliantly in his last season at Southampton. But what Liverpool requires is a star striker with the experience of playing at the highest level of football and being able to perform consistently. Reportedly, the club is eyeing Samuel Eto’o as a possible signing ever since he left Chelsea this summer. But will not be able to do so as per Liverpool’s transfer policy of bringing in young players with great potential. Hence, even if the 33-year-old came in, he won’t be around for long and would only be a temporary replacement for Suarez. Alexis Sanchez was a possible option but he preferred to go to Arsenal. With the summer transfer window drawing close to its end, there is a dire need for Liverpool to act and fill the gaps within the team before they embark on this highly challenging new season. Few weeks ago, the ‘Captain Fantastic’ Steven Gerrard hung up his boots for England to concentrate more on the years he has left for his career at Liverpool. This was a big decision for the former international captain because Liverpool requires his attention more than ever as they return to the UEFA Champions League after five years and need to regain their image as a European giant. Liverpool has displayed amazing performances in their pre-season friendlies, reaching the International Champions Cup’s (ICC) final and demolishing Borussia Dortmund recently. They need to continue this form and take it all the way. Let’s hope they don’t slip this time around. For their fans, it can’t get better than seeing Liverpool playing against the biggest clubs once more. And one should not forget that Anfield is known as the stadium with the most incredible environment on European nights.

Manchester United fans have witnessed many outstanding players who have showcased their skills and abilities at the Theatre of Dreams over the club’s illustrious history. But there have been two players who have stood head and shoulders above others – George Best and Cristiano Ronaldo. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="419"] George Best. Photo: Reuters[/caption] Both are arguably the best players of their eras, who would mesmerise the crowd and take over their opponent’s defences with ease and perfection. Unfortunately, Best’s off the field lifestyle led to his downfall but Ronaldo, on the other hand, went from strength to strength after joining Manchester United in 2003. The boy from Madeira worked incredibly hard and finally became the world’s best player in 2008 with the English club. In 2009, his dream of playing for FC Real Madrid came true when he signed a then record-breaking deal of £80m and ended his six glorious years at United. With United, he scored 84 goals in 196 matches. With Real Madrid, however, his five years have been more rewarding, as he successfully scored 167 goals in 179 matches. And his personal duel with Lionel Messi has taken his game to a whole new level. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Cristiano Ronaldo (L) and Lionel Messi (R)[/caption] However, things have been somewhat turbulent in the Spanish club over the past few months. After winning the record 10th UEFA Champions League with Real Madrid, the news of the current Ballon d’Or winner being fed up of the Bernabéu began circulating from the Spanish capital. All this started after Real Madrid stars like Mesut Özil, Gonzalo Higuain, Angel Di Maria and Xabi Alonso were taken up by other clubs in the last two summer transfer windows. Likewise, Ronaldo further ignited speculations after he spoke about his love for Manchester United and rejected to rule out the possibility of a return to the English club one day. He stated,

“I love Manchester. Everyone knows that — I have said it many times. Manchester is in my heart. I left many good friends there, the supporters are amazing and I wish I can come back one day”.

The UEFA Champions League draws were announced on Monday and one cannot be surprised at the number of repeat fixtures between Europe’s super clubs. It is remarkable that a competition, which has not seen a repeat winner since the last 25 years, witnesses such a number of repeat fixtures in its pre-final stages. However, regardless of who got to play against whom, one fact is certain – we are in for some spectacular competitive football as the clubs look to stamp their dominance in Europe. Two fixtures especially caught the eye of the world as Barcelona goes up against Manchester City in last years’ repeat Round of 16 stage, while Chelsea take on Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in a rematch of last years’ quarter-finals. Juventus face Borussia Dortmund in a 1997 final rematch which, surprisingly, the German side won regardless of Juventus coming into the competition as defending champions. The biggest winners are Arsenal, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, who got the easier share of the draws as compared to their compatriot clubs. Arsenal goes up against Monaco, while Real and Bayern take on Schalke and Shakhtar Donetsk respectively. PSG versus Chelsea In a rematch of last year’s quarter-finals, Chelsea skipped past PSG on the away-goal rule as the scores were drawn at 3-3 on aggregate. The first leg had ended 3-1 at the Parc des Princes, while Chelsea scored twice in the second leg at Stamford Bridge and denied the visitors any goal to go through to the semi-finals. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="595"] Photo: Reuters[/caption] However, both teams have evolved since last year with Chelsea bolstering its squad heavily, and it will be interesting to see who progresses from this season’s clash. Chelsea manager, Jose Mourinho, seems to have his wish granted as he said before the match that it would be easier for Chelsea fans to travel to Paris than any other country. The first leg is scheduled to be played on February 17, 2015 at the Parc des Princes, while the second will be played on March 11, 2015 at Stamford Bridge. Barcelona versus Manchester City While Manchester City have not had any major success on the European scale, except for winning the UEFA Cup Winners in 1970 their rivals, Barcelona, have lifted the Champions League trophy four times since winning it first in 1992. In last years’ fixture, Barcelona had dominated City, winning 4-1 on aggregate, so now it is up to City to turn around their fortunes. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: AFP[/caption] Both teams have experienced changes with Barcelona still in its transition phase and too reliant on its forward line comprising of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez, while the fact that City have progressed on the back of missing an entire spine of stars in the group stages is remarkable on its own. Manchester City have, for the first time, a solid chance of progressing from the knockout stages and should capitalise on this opportunity. Frankly put, Yaya Toure and Sergio Aguero’s shoulders have instantly been piled with heaps of pressure and if they come through, City could be in for the quarter-finals for the first time in the club’s history. The first leg will be played on February 24, 2015 at the Etihad Stadium, while the second leg will take place on March 18, 2015 at the Camp Nou. Juventus versus Borussia Dortmund Five-time runners-up and two-time winners Juventus take on Dortmund in a 1997 Champions League final rematch, which the German outfit won 3-1 at the Olympiastadion in Munich. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: AFP[/caption] Juventus, the only representative of the once-dominant Serie A in the competition, will be desperate to win the trophy and avoid being eliminated in the Round of 16. Dortmund, on the other hand, are having the worst season in their league and have only found solace in their performances in Europe’s elite competition. Simply put, both sides are desperate for a win in this fixture and Jurgen Klopps’s men, who are facing the threat of relegation in their domestic league, will be up for a cracker to ensure that their European campaign does not die down. Nonetheless, it will be one hell of a match to look forward to. The first leg will be played on February 24, 2015 at the Juventus Stadium, while the second leg will take place on March 18, 2015 at the Westfalenstadion. Arsenal versus Monaco Gunners’ boss Arsene Wenger had joked that he would have to go to church to pray for easier draws and it certainly looked like divine intervention was at work when Arsenal skipped past Bayern Munich and Barcelona to land Monaco. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="598"] Photo: AFP[/caption] France’s big spenders Monaco have had to suffer a series of blows to its attacking frontline with the departure of James Rodriguez and Radamel Falcao to Real Madrid and Manchester United respectively. Also, given their lack of spending in the transfer market this season, their miseries have just piled on. The fact that Monaco got through despite the fewest goals scored for a qualified team in history, reflects their lack of firepower. Wenger faces a more sentimental draw rather than a footballing contest as he returns to the club where he started his managerial career. Arsenal is favoured to go through from this draw and should not squander the opportunity to progress past the Round of 16 stage since 2010. The first leg will be played on February 25, 2015 at the Emirates Stadium, while the second leg is scheduled for March 17, 2015 at the Stade Louis II. Bayer Leverkusen versus Atletico Madrid Last year’s Champions League finalists and La Liga winners, Atletico Madrid, are in for a competitive game against German side Bayer Leverkusen. Firstly, it is for the first time that these two sides have been paired and thus would be a highly unpredictable contest. Although many would associate the win with Diego Simeone’s men, however, Leverkusen’s manager, Roger Schmidt, also has a trick or two up his sleeve to cause a major upset for the Spanish league’s defending champions. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="598"] Photo: AFP[/caption] Atletico are coming on the back of losing major stars in the summer transfer window, but the pedigree of winning the La Liga and almost winning the Champions League final against arch-rivals Real must give them some advantage. On the other hand, Leverkusen, for all their fine football skills, also showed their flaws by letting their top spot in the group slip. The first leg will be played on February 25, 2015 at the BayArena, while the second leg will held on March 17, 2015 at the Vicente Calderón in Madrid. Schalke versus Real Madrid In another repeat of last year’s Round of 16 stage, Real will go in with the favourites tag against the struggling Schalke. Last year, Real had stormed past the German outfit 9-2 on aggregate and given the form that the Spanish giant’s forwards showing at the moment, it will be of no surprise if we witness another bashing. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: AFP[/caption] Real representative at the ceremony, Emilio Butragueno, was caught on camera basically trying to suppress a smile when this draw was made, and it's not hard to see why. The defending champions would want to win the competition and set another record, in addition to the ones they have already made this year, of successfully defending the Champions League trophy. The first leg will be played on February 18, 2015 at the Veltins-Arena, while the second leg will take place on March 10 at the Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid. Shakhtar Donetsk versus Bayern Munich The clash between Bayern Munich and Shakhtar needs no analysis, as the German champions have been given an easy passage to the quarter-finals given the problems their opponents have been facing on and off the pitch, including their inability to play at home due to the political situation in Eastern Ukraine which led to their home ground being destroyed by shelling. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="596"] Photo: Reuters[/caption] Although it is highly commendable Shakhtar have still managed to qualify despite this, it will still be a very long shot to even consider beating the likes of Pep Guardiola’s camp. The first leg will be played on February 17, 2015 at the Arena Lviv, while the second leg is scheduled for March 11, 2015 at the Allianz Arena. Basel versus Porto One of the least glamorous draws in the Round of 16, which although would have favoured five-time champions Liverpool who sadly crashed out after a defeat to Swiss Champions Basel, is hard to place a bet on and we will just have to wait and see what comes of this encounter. However, Basel must be given credit for their surprising performance in the group stages as they were the underdogs, beside Ludogorets Razgrad, in a group comprising of Real and Liverpool. It will only add to their glory if they are able to beat two-time Champions League winners Porto. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="598"] Photo: Reuters[/caption] The first leg will take place on February 18, 2015 at St Jacobs’ Park, while the second leg will be held on March 10, 2015 at the Estádio do Dragão. A delicious Champions League encounter is on its way and it will be highly entertaining to see who will progress to play the final at the Olympiastadion in Berlin on June 6, 2015.

All the suspense regarding Steven Gerrard’s future at Liverpool came to an end when, on January 2^nd, he finally announced his departure from his beloved hometown club. He described this as “the toughest decision” of his life. The Reds captain will bring the curtain down on a glittering Anfield career that has spanned almost 17 years. This decision comes at a time when the club is struggling at the eighth Premier League spot and has been knocked out of the group stage of the UEFA Champions League, to which they returned after three season’s absence. Gerrard mentioned that he will not be playing for a competing club after this season as that would be something he “could never contemplate”, hence making his move to the Major League Soccer (MLS) more likely. But until the end of this season, he will be leading his club and doing his best to help Liverpool win games. Born in Whiston, Merseyside, young Gerrard joined the Liverpool Youth Academy at the age of 9, and then finally made his debut in 1998 against Blackburn Rovers for a club he would later captain in 2003. The following years would be considered the most successful in his career. In 2004-05 season, Liverpool were on the brink of being eliminated from the group stage of the UEFA Champions League, when Gerrard scored in the last five minutes of the match to secure Liverpool’s advancement to the knockout stage, from where they made their way to the final at Istanbul against AC Milan. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Steven Gerrard (C) celebrates after winning the Champions League trophy in the 2004-2005 session. Photo: AFP[/caption] This final would later be remembered as the “Miracle of Istanbul” because that night Liverpool went 3-0 down by half-time. But Gerrard exhibited his leadership skills by scoring in the 54^th minute and inspiring his side to score two more and draw 3-3, which took them to the dramatic penalty shootout; the night was in their favour and it eventually led to their European triumph. Gerrard was awarded the UEFA Club Footballer of the Year for his inspirational performance and leadership. Second to that miraculous European night was the 2006 FA Cup final victory against West Ham where Gerrard scored two goals that included one with a volley from 35-yards, which was probably the best goal of his career. During this period he was approached by various clubs that wanted him, which included AC Milan and Real Madrid, but he refused all such offers due to his deep love and loyalty towards his childhood club. When questioned about Steven Gerrard, Carlo Ancelotti, the then AC Milan manager, stated that,

“Of course, I wanted to pair him up with Pirlo; putting Gerrard in mid-field with Pirlo would have been fantastic!”

“My final message is for the people who make Liverpool Football Club the greatest in the world – the supporters. It has been a privilege to represent you, as a player and as captain. I have cherished every second of it and it is my sincere wish to finish this season and my Liverpool career on a high.”

For the second time in a row and third overall, Portugal and Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo has been crowned as the best player in the world, beating the likes of Barcelona’s Lionel Messi and Bayern Munich’s Manuel Neuer at the glitzy gala in Zurich, Switzerland. The result comes as little surprise as the Portuguese has had a remarkable year, winning three trophies for his club – UEFA Champions League, Copa del Rey, UEFA Super Cup – and netting an astounding 54 goals in 60 appearances for club and country during the voting period (November 30, 2013 to November 21, 2014). On the other hand, Messi has not lived up to his own astronomical standards as Barcelona failed to win any trophy and the Argentine having to wear the consolatory second-place medal in the World Cup. Although he did win the Golden Ball for his achievements in Brazil, the feat was not enough to put him in any real contention for the biggest award on the planet. Even though Neuer lifted gold in Brazil for his country, his heroics would never have been enough to win the award keeping in mind that the last keeper to lift the prize was Russia’s Lev Yashin back in 1963 and also the competition he had was from the best duo in the beautiful game’s history. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Lionel Messi (L) and Manuel Neuer.[/caption] Thus it was Ronaldo’s year through and through. The Portuguese netted a record 17 goals in the Champions League to break Messi’s previous tally of 14 and guided Los Blancos to La Decima, which included the goal from a penalty in the 4-1 win over Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Champions League final. In addition to that, Ronaldo was awarded the LFP trophies for best goal, best forward and best player at the end of the 2013-14 season – a feat never before achieved by any player. The sheer persistence and the determination shown by the winger certainly wins him this accolade as the Madeira-born had to endure serious injuries in the closing stages of last season, which saw him miss the Copa del Rey final against Barcelona in addition to the four games since his departure from the Borussia Dortmund clash in the Champions League. Adding to his misery, his team’s dismal performance in the World Cup saw them exit the group stages on goal difference. However, he battled through and came back even strongly to silence his critics and ensure that his name is embedded for the second time running on the world’s most prestigious football award. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="587"] Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates scoring his penalty to cap Real Madrid's victory in the Champions League final. Photo: Reuters[/caption] The winger broke the age-old record of most hat-tricks (23) in the La Liga, previously held jointly by the legendary Telmo Zarra and Alfredo Di Stefano and also struck 17 times during the opening 10 rounds of the current La Liga season to set a new record in the Primera division. He also captained Real Madrid to victory at the Club World Cup and his goal against Eibar on November 22, 2014 saw him become the first player to score against every single side he has faced in the La Liga. Statistics and records are quite inspiring but are not the only criterion to be called the world’s best and even though Ronaldo has by far excelled in the world of football, he certainly has achieved even more. Many had thought that with the Portuguese nearing the declining stages of his career, he would always be second-best to the four-time World Player of the Year, Messi. Ronaldo however, proved otherwise and set the stage for an even more interesting debate – has Ronaldo evolved into a more complete footballer both on and off the field? [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo attempts an acrobatic shot on goal during their Champions League final soccer match against Atletico Madrid at the Luz Stadium in Lisbon May 24, 2014. Photo: Reuters[/caption] Critics always drew stark contrasts with the humble Messi to the poseur Ronaldo, brandishing the money and the might of Real Madrid. Ronaldo was always looked at as a man who had been gifted the power, with the whole team performing blue-collar roles to allow the Portuguese to shine; however, his will and persistence has changed the scenario entirely. The winger has not only demanded to be recognised as the world’s best – especially ahead of the crowd favourite Messi – he has also has laid the foundations for a spectacular season which would require a lot more from Messi and others to overcome. Regardless of whatever the future beholds, the tale of Ronaldo has certainly not entered its dying phases but has embarked upon a new journey of greater challenges and unprecedented heights. It would be quite interesting to see the battle for the greatest player of all-time unfold as the ‘Argentinean genius’ and the ‘goal-scoring machine’ look to add more trophies to their names. [poll id="372"]

The year 2015 hasn’t started so well for the 27-years-old Argentinean, Lionel Messi, who lost the Ballon d’Or award to his rival, Ronaldo. Last year, however, was a great year for Messi; from becoming the all-time leading goal scorer in La Liga (and in the history of the UEFA Champions League with 72 goals) breaking Raul Gozalez’s record, to captaining his Argentinean side in the FIFA World Cup, making it to the final against the World Cup Champions, Germany, he had done it all. Messi, who has been a Barcelona player through the academy ranks and made his debut in 2004, has been a very content and loyal player for FC Barcelona. But that statement doesn’t hold its ground anymore.  Rumour has it that it was after a training row between Barcelona Coach, Luis Enrique, and Messi took place that Messi was benched in the game against Real Sociedad – which Barcelona lost. This casted a cloud of uncertainty over Messi’s future as Camp Nou. The club’s president had to intervene to solve the unpredictable condition, all the while denying rumours surrounding the intensity of the row and possibility of the player transferring out. Messi, on the other hand, when asked about his future in Barcelona at the Ballon d’Or ceremony, voiced his doubt saying,

“I have always said I will end my career at Barcelona but as Cristiano said, only God knows the future. Things in football can change overnight.”

“Whether it’s a (world) record or not doesn’t really resonate with us. What resonates is an elite player that the manager wants who is going to be a star for Manchester United.”

“Things in football can change overnight.”

It’s the mid of February, which means the knockout stages of the Champions League, and the ride to the final match – which will be held in Berlin on June 6^th – is just round the corner. And I am sure that it would be nothing less than thrilling. Before the league officially begins, I think it would be a good idea to look at all the teams and assess their chances at winning. So here goes: Schalke 04 versus Real Madrid Schalke got a run for their money when they played Real Madrid the round of 16 ties last season, losing 6-1 at home. And even this time, Real Madrid, under Carlo Ancelotti, looks amazing and has the ability to play phenomenal football. The key to their success is their strong midfield – they have one of the best strike forces in the world with Karim Benzema, Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo, which makes the record 10 times Champions League winners favourite to win the tie and the trophy once again. If they do win their 11^th trophy, then this would be the first time that such a feat is achieved by a club. FC Basel versus Porto Although Porto played a brilliantly in the group stage matches, it is still expected to be a tight affair with the Swiss league leaders. Porto’s captain and star striker, Jackson Martínez, will be of key importance to their success. And with the second leg at Porto’s home ground, it gives them an edge. Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) versus Chelsea This would be like a rematch of last year’s quarter-final, which Chelsea won with a closely fought encounter on away-goals. And this time, David Luiz will face his former club in battle. It is expected to be another tight affair. The English league leaders look splendid this season and are playing quite fluently with Diego Costa, Cesc Fàbregas and Eden Hazard, who form a brilliant partnership. Even though PSG has a lot of fire power in their squad, I don’t think they will be able to sustain the Blues. With Chelsea’s master tactician, José Mourinho, by their side, the club is one of the favourites – predictions are that Chelsea would not only win the tie but also make it through to the semi-finals. Bayer Leverkusen versus Atlético Madrid Last year’s runner-up, Atletico Madrid, under Diego Simeone, is a very formidable side, capable of defeating anyone on their day. And it becomes even more dangerous when we see the likes of Antoine Griezmann and Mario Mandžukić on the team – these two players form a very dangerous combination with each other. Since Bayer Leverkusen has been largely struggling in the league, it clearly marks Atletico Madrid as the winner in this match. Manchester City versus Barcelona While such a match would undoubtedly by a treat for the fans, it would not be so for City players. Facing Barcelona in the round of 16 again, to whom they lost the league last year, is unfortunate. Many had lost all hopes for City, seeing their dismal performances throughout the previous sessions; therefore, it was quite a surprise to see them competing in the league. Their performance in the last two matches has been nothing short of brilliant and that was what got them the ticket to stay in the competition. Their comeback against Bayern Munich left the fans dumbfounded. City would probably be depending upon towards their Argentinean striker and talisman, Sergio Agüero, to get past Barcelona. But somehow I feel that won’t be enough. Barca currently has a deliciously riveting strike-force – one which has the ability to unlock any defence. The magic that Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez display on the field cannot be explained – it can only be experienced. Containing them will be a tough proposition for City and, according to my view, after the two legs are done, Barca should make it through to the next round. The only thing that City might be able to manipulate to its advantage is Barca’s aging midfield – which is Barcelona’s only weakness right now. Otherwise, the match is pretty much one-sided. Juventus versus Dortmund It’ll be somewhat like a repeat of the UEFA Champions League final in 1997 which Dortmund won by 3-1. However, it’s hard to believe how badly this club has fared in recent league seasons keeping in mind that Dortmund was the 2011 and 2012 Bundesliga Champions, They are reeling at the bottom of the table currently. But people are hopeful that Jürgen Klopp will put things right for the club this time. On the other hand, Juventus is flying high with Paul Pogba, Arturo Vidal – who’ll play brilliantly well in the midfield – and Carlos Tévez – who’ll have a fine season while scoring some much needed goals. This combination makes Juventus the clear favourites to win the tie. Shakhtar Donetsk versus Bayern Munich With Luiz Adriano, Shakhtar Donetsk has a small chance of winning the ties, since he is the highest goal scorer in the Champions League so far – with nine goals this season. But except for him, the team has little to offer. The club will depend upon Adriano to take them into the next round. However, with Bayern Munich, they face a very daunting opponent. The club, under Pep Guardiola, is one the favorites to win the competition and should make it to the semi-finals with ease. Arsenal versus Monaco Arsenal’s boss, Arsene Wenger, will go against his old club, AS Monaco, where he spent seven years of his career. Needless to say, the tension will make up for much entertainment. The second leg at Monaco will be quite an emotional ride for Wenger. The Gunners have been playing some very excellent football lately and with players like Alexis Sánchez and Santi Cazorla, Arsenal is expected to move to the next round. However, the problem for Arsenal will begin when they’ll face the bigwig teams – as the club has a history of messing its game up while playing against bigger, more established clubs. And it’ll be then, precisely, that the club would need Wenger’s tact to rectify this destructive trend and help the club progress. The knockout rounds have already started and till the Champion League finals arrive, the fans of different clubs as well as those who are neutral and just love football, will have a roller coaster ride filled with excitement and thrill… and maybe even some bitterness.

Zinedine Zidane was announced as the new manager for Real Madrid’s reserve team, also known as the Real Madrid Castilla. UEFA Golden Jubilee named Zidane as one of the greatest European football player in the past 50 years. So this shows how great a step this is for the reserve team. Zidane’s achievements boast of two winning goals for France in the final of the 1998 FIFA World Cup, he was named the Player of the Tournament during the UEFA Euro 2000, while in 2002, during the UEFA Champions League, he scored one of the most iconic goals of all time. His 2001 transfer from Juventus to Real Madrid was a world record deal at that point in time. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="350"] Photo: AFP[/caption] After his retirement, Zidane has worked in different roles with Real Madrid. He started as an advisor to the president, Florentino Perez, and later, on the demands of former coach Jose Mourinho, he was selected as special adviser to Real Madrid’s first team. In 2011, Zizou became Real Madrid’s sporting director, and further on in 2013, he was elected as an assistant coach to Carlo Ancelotti. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="598"] Zinedine Zidane (R) and Carlo Ancelotti. Photo: AFP[/caption] However, due to some devastating defeats in the past two months, the press is speculating that Zidane might take up the title from Ancelotti as Real Madrid’s manager. Zidane said he would be keen to become Real Madrid’s coach, although he claims he is in no hurry.

“If the role is offered to me I would agree to it but once again there is an amazing coach in place. I’ve learnt a lot from Carlo Ancelotti and he knows how highly I think of him. He is the perfect coach for Real Madrid, despite what people are saying. If the post of Real’s coach was proposed to me, I would certainly agree. But there is a coach right now who is doing a very good job. And I'm still learning. Am I ready for the job? You are never ready, and even if you’re not, you still say yes. As a player, I didn't forge my career in just two years. Things happen gradually. In coaching, it will be the same,” said Zidane.

Football has never been able to achieve much recognition as a professional sport in Pakistan, even though there are many Pakistani football fans present. This is perhaps because most of our attention is reserved for cricket exclusively and hence, like all other sports, football too has suffered. The game has never been invested upon with the aim of building a professional team. Pakistan’s history of football is marked by its underachievement on both national and international levels and the country is perceived as minnow in this sport. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="595"] Photo: AFP[/caption] However, there have been surprising instances, where our team has accomplished great feats with little or no help from the government. For example, during the Merdeka Cup, the Pakistani side defeated Asian heavy weights like Japan (3-1) and Thailand (7-0) with tact and strategy. In November 1981, during the King’s Gold Cup in Thailand, Pakistan finished third, defeating sides like Malaysia and Singapore. Other remarkable achievements were witnessed during the South Asian Games of 1989 and 2004’s SAFF games. So this goes to show that we have the talent – we only need the right push to use it effectively. Currently, like all other sports, football is also going downhill. The state of Pakistani football can be compared to the provincial elections, which were a complete mockery. Unfortunately, our national football team is struggling to make a mark in the FIFA-ranking table. Our optimism has increased with the current crop of players, who are showcasing their talent and traits in different foreign leagues, but, even with these positives available, the future of football in Pakistan seems bleak. I had the chance of talking to Mr Shahrukh Sohail, the chief editor of Football-Pakistan (FPDC), whose main aim is to professionalise and promote Pakistani football. I asked him some significant questions related to Pakistan football and here is what he had to say. Most of our players play abroad and in European leagues, yet our football team isn’t progressing; why is that so?

“Well, the Pakistan team and its coaches have never really warmed up to the foreign-contingent. We never call all the available players and even when we do, luck doesn’t favour us – some issue with injuries or omissions springs up. Lack of willpower in recruiting new players is also a big drawback. Nevertheless if we embrace our players properly, then we might be able to move forward.”

“Little to no initiative has been taken to improve Pakistani football; whatever is being done is through the PFF.”

“The goal project is designed to build artificial fields and football houses providing accommodation for the players. Despite being inaugurated since 2006, no such goal project has actually been implemented.”

“FIFA provides an estimate of $1.5 million annually to Pakistan, but since the funds are not audited, we can’t be certain where they go.”

“We need to start with concerted efforts at grassroots level, followed by improvement in infrastructure and initiating football leagues, with an addition of liberal use of foreign-based players in the senior team.”

Since the Abu Dhabi group has taken over the Blues, Manchester City invested heavily on transfers this season, estimated to be more than £500 million. This heavy investment, unfortunately, continuously inflicted loss on the club’s balance sheet and brought the wart of UEFA, who imposed a fine of £50 million  and reduced the number of squad players from 25 to 21 in all European competitions. Although invested heavily in the transfer market, the Blues haven’t performed well in the European Champions League and has managed to win only two UEFA titles since the takeover of oil-rich owner Khaldoon al- Mubarak in 2008. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Khaldoon Al- Mubarak. Photo: Reuters[/caption] Once again, the buying power of oil-rich Sheikhs recently ended a transfer saga with Liverpool and Manchester City agreeing on the transfer fee of young English winger, Raheem Sterling. According to media reports, the transfer fee is estimated to be around £44 million, which would rise up to £49 million, based on the performance of the player and the club in different competitions. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Raheem Sterling. Photo: AFP[/caption] However, fans and critics are questioning the transfer fee paid for the 20-year-old player who is yet to win a trophy. Keeping his transfer fee in mind, critics are questioning if City even needs a player like Sterling? Are Sterling and Man City even the perfect fit? Has Manuel Pellegrini signed Sterling because he meets his future goals? Or is it just a decision made by the ambitious City owner who wants to sign high-rated players? [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Manuel Pellegrini. Photo: Reuters[/caption] If one were to look at Man City’s transfer history, we have seen the club signing players without any prior planning. In summer 2009, City signed Paraguayan forward Roque Santa Cruz from Blackburn Rovers for £17.5 million, yet he only played a total of 20 matches for them. He was loaned out to different clubs, and during his 2012-2013 loan spell at Malaga, he played in the Champions League and helped them reach the quarter-finals of UEFA. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Roque Santa Cruz. Photo: Reuters[/caption] One year later, the Blues signed the 22-year-old German defender Jerome Boateng from Bundesliga outfit HSV for £10.4 million, but the young German only managed to don the blue jersey 16 times and was sold to German giants Bayern Munich the following season, where he helped Bayern in winning tremble, Champions League German title and the German Cup. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Jerome Boateng. Photo: Reuters[/caption] Another example is the talented English mid-field player Jack Rodwell, who transferred from Everton in 2012 for the fee of £12 million; he only played 16 matches for the club and was sold to Sunderland at the end of the 2013-2014 campaign. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Jack Rodwell. Photo: Reuters[/caption] Therefore, as a football fan, I’d be extremely disappointed if Sterling’s transfer to City delays his personal growth, as I believe that he holds the potential to become one of the most brilliant football players of all time.

The new La Liga season kicked off this week with an extremely competitive title race set to take place. The English Premier League trumps it financially, but La Liga’s top five teams are inarguably better than their English counterparts, evident from the fact that they have won both UEFA Champions League (toughest European club competition) and Europa League (secondary European club football tournament) for the last two years. Moreover, five Spanish teams will probably feature in this year’s UCL, the most by any league in Europe. Competition in La Liga boils down to three main teams – Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid. The likes of Sevilla, Valencia and Bilbao will give them a run for their money, but are mostly expected to fight out for the fourth spot. Barcelona Last season’s all-conquering, treble-winning Barcelona is likely to win once again. Last year, they had the most miserly defence, creative midfield, and selfless attack. Importance of the attacking trio of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior (MSN) cannot be overstated, as their campaign will hinge on them. One of them always delivered in the last season and Barcelona fans will be hoping for a repeat this year. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="533"] Photo: Reuters[/caption] Neymar will be missing some of the starting action due to mumps, and Pedro Rodriguez has left, so they will need the reserves to step up their game. Munir El Haddadi looks ready to plug the gap. Suarez links up nicely and is, without a doubt, one of the best forwards in the world right now. However, the form of Messi will be the most important factor for them. Messi and Barca will probably win once again as despite the obvious brilliance of his team mates, he is the creative and attacking leader of the squad. Midfield is certainly dented due to Xavi Hernández's departure, as a player of his stature cannot be replaced immediately or ever arguably, but they have an able midfield in Andres Iniesta, Ivan Rakitic, and Sergio Busquets. The defence has shipped nine goals in the preseason and Luis Enrique needs to find a fix. Don’t be surprised if they end up winning once again. The squad will also be refreshed in January by the new signings i.e. Arda Turan and Aleix Vidal. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="493"] Photo: Reuters[/caption] Real Madrid They were the dominant team for the first half of last season, as they had 22 consecutive wins, the highest ever in the recent decades and much better than the previous Spanish best of 18. However, their season fell away as the players were exhausted, particularly Toni Kroos. Moreover, key players such as Luka Modric and James Rodriguez, who had an extremely impressive first campaign, got injured. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: AFP[/caption] With the new manager, Rafa Benitez, intent on employing a strong rotation policy, they are ready to back themselves for the title. A shift from 4-3-3 to 4-2-3-1 is expected with Gareth Bale being the prime favourite to feature in the number 10 role, despite the presence of the proven number 10’s such as Modric, James Rodríguez, Kroos and Isco. They will either play the reigning Ballon D’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo or the Frenchman Karim Benzema as striker. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Reuters[/caption] I believe that the former would be more favourable for them, as the way Ronaldo played last season is more comparable to a striker, and his poaching abilities are currently the best, proven by him receiving yet another Pichichi Award. Casemiro and Mateo Kovacic are set to be capable lieutenants in midfield with Isco leading the way, while Jese Rodriguez and Lucas Vázquez will be decent attacking replacements when needed. Defence is very settled with goalkeeping being a concern, due to the De Gea transfer saga, but it should not be forgotten that current number one, Keylor Navas, was the La Liga goal keeper of the year in 2013-14. Atletico Madrid The less illustrious neighbours of Real are the only team which can realistically challenge the duopoly of Real and Barcelona. The 2013/14 winners are back with an updated attacking force with Antoine Griezmann being supported by new signings of Luciano Vietto (12 goals last year) and Jackson Martinez (courted by the likes of Arsenal too). [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="530"] Photo: Reuters[/caption] Nevertheless, their capable midfield will be weakened by the departure of Arda Turan and Mario Suarez. Having said that, Koke, Gabi and Tiago Mendes can fight off any team on their day. Similarly, the defence has lost Joao Miranda this year, but Jose Gimenez and Diego Godin are more than enough for any attack, while being ably supported by Juanfran, and the returning of Filipe Luis. Diego Simeone’s team will be impressive throughout the year and will pound on any opportunity that becomes available if Real and Barca falter. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Reuters[/caption] Mainly, we can expect a close title race between Real Madrid and Barcelona with Atletico being a close third. My money is on Real Madrid, as they do not only have better squad depth, but will also be hungrier for the title.

Even with a summer full of riveting international soccer contests with the Euro and the Olympics, being a Liverpool fan, nothing beats the good old start to the English Premier League (EPL). And if EPL is the cake then UEFA Champions League is surely the cherry atop this delicious offering. Unfortunately for me, this year is yet another in the long list of seasons this past decade that I would have to do without this particular footballing condiment. But hey, counting your blessings and all that shizz, I still get to cheer on former Liverpool striker Luis Suarez and his band of merry men at Barca. And cheer I did when La Blaugrana thrashed Celtic 7-0 at Camp Nou. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Lionel Messi celebrates one of his three goals as Barcelona recorded its largest Champions League victory when thrashing Celtic 7-0 at Camp Nou.
Photo: Getty[/caption] The lethal trio of Messi and Neymar combined with El Pistolero to wreak havoc on the Scottish champions. Lionel Messi bagged a hat-trick while his partners in crime, Suarez and Neymar got a brace and a goal respectively. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] The Argentinian forward broke another Champions League record with his sixth hat-trick.
Photo: BPI[/caption] Most astonishingly, ever since Suarez joined from the Mighty Reds in July 2014, the holy trinity of MSN have scored 266 competitive goals for Barca. Their arch-rivals on the other hand didn’t have it all their way. Holders Real Madrid were two minutes from losing at The Bernabeu to Sporting Lisbon in their opening group game before staging a later than late comeback to win 2-1. And it was none other than a former sporting forward who spoiled the visitor’s party. Yes, you guessed it right! Cristiano Ronaldo finally scored a free-kick for a late leveller before Alvaro Morata snatched a winner deep into injury time. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Álvaro Morata finds space between two Sporting Lisbon defenders to head Real Madrid’s winner.
Photo: Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images[/caption] The English quadruple had a mix matchday one, with Manchester City and defending champions Leicester City coasting to easy victories over rivals. While Kevin De Bruyne was scintillating in the Manchester derby at the weekend, it was Sergio Aguero who stole the plaudits on Wednesday against Borussia Mönchengladbach as he scored his second hat-trick of the season to help The Citizens emerge 4-0 victorious in their delayed Champions League Group C opener. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Manchester City’s Sergio Agüero celebrates his hat-trick against Borussia Mönchengladbach.
Photo: Martin Rickett / PA[/caption] Kelechi Iheanacho also got in on the act as City served up a sumptuous footballing treat to their supporters in order to make up for the lost time after torrential rain washed out the first attempt to play the fixture on Tuesday. It was yet another fascinating performance by the Blues, as they grabbed their seventh successive win under new manager Pep Guardiola. Defending English League champion Leicester City’s maiden voyage in Champions League took them to “Venice of the North” and they made a huge splash by sinking Club Brugge in a 0-3 score line. Marc Albrighton scored with the Foxes’ first shot and Riyad Mahrez curled in an exquisite free kick, to double their lead in the first half. The English player of the year was at it again when he smashed in a third from the penalty spot to add another chapter to the Leicester City fairy tale. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3MX6lUoIpA Things however weren’t that great as far as the two North London clubs were concerned with both Arsenal and Tottenham failing to achieve maximum from their fixtures. Spurs’ European crusade began in disappointment as even an English club-record home crowd at Wembley failed to prevent them falling 2-1 at the hands of Monaco. The 85,011 crowd was the largest home attendance in any English club’s history, beating the 84,467 that saw Manchester City play Stoke in the FA Cup in 1934. Their North London didn’t fare too well either as they failed to beat a lacklustre Paris Saint-Germain side and ending up drawing the contest 1-1. While it’s early days in the competition there is no escaping the fact that this season again would be roller coaster as far as the supreme European club contest is concerned. [poll id="682"]