PlayBeautiful

Fighting until the end. Something Real Madrid have been doing throughout this competition. This week, Real Madrid showcased their desire on the pitch as they led a 3-0 home victory against Galatasaray.

Before this match began, I was curious to know what tactical changes Mourinho would make to secure a win in the first-leg. After escaping a near-death encounter against Manchester United, I was hesitant to believe Mourinho would make any dramatic changes to the starting XI. Getting this far into the Champions League leaves no room for complacency or silly errors.

Real Madrid definitely did not disappoint their fans at the Bernabéu. As nine minutes rolled in, Cristiano Ronaldo made an incredible goal (assisted by Mesut Özil) that had set the tone for the rest of the match. This display of Ronaldo’s impeccable skill showed Galatasaray that Madrid meant business.

During the 29^th minute, Karim Benzema had scored Madrid’s second goal. One might argue that it was just as significant as Ronaldo’s 9^th minute goal because it enforced Madrid’s rhythmic tempo. Having a recent goal-drought at Real Madrid, this had certainly boosted Benzema’s morale and easily inspired others to keep pushing.

Real Madrid’s third goal was just as beautiful and magnificent as the first two! In the 73^rd minute, Higuaín paired an amazing header with Xabi Alonso’s free-kick. This goal was the icing on the cake! Check it out here:



Real Madrid maintained their possession and constantly put pressure where it was needed. One man who stood out in Real Madrid’s midfield was Mesut Özil. He created many chances and fed players great balls throughout this match.

What ultimately led to Galatasaray’s downfall was their lackluster back-line. Galatasaray’s defense made some fatal errors which eventually led to their demise. Many times, Galatasaray’s defense left open spaces that Real Madrid took full advantage of. There were several glimpses of frustration and lack of focus that translated to midfield. Even though Galatasaray’s midfield were persistent, they had a hard time providing proper balls to strikers. This didn’t allow their forwards to execute a proper goal. In my opinion, it seemed as though Galatasary’s pace and energy declined as the match progressed.

Going back to defense: Real Madrid’s backline, on the other hand, had put forward a spectacular side of talent. They were strong, focused, and determined. Someone who had stood out to me was young-talent, Varane. He did a fantastic job clearing the ball away from any threats and made necessary challenges to win over the ball. Also, taking on someone like Didier Drogba isn’t easy to do, but Varane did a excellent job keeping up with him.

Final thoughts: Real Madrid put forth a brilliant style of play with a much deserved win. If they can stick to this kind of momentum until the second-leg, then I do not see them having a problem advancing to the next round. Unless Galatasaray can buck-up their defense, prevent Real Madrid from scoring during the second-leg, and somehow manage to get 4 goals (at least) I really don’t see Galatasaray advancing.

Written by: Laxmi Patel

Thank you for reading! Make sure to leave your comments down below to tell me your thoughts!

Follow me on twitter: @OfficialLaxmi

 

Image via Real Madrid

Image via Real Madrid

Image via Real Madrid

　

“It's going to be a lot of fun. Even if I lose, I intend to play the right way." Galatasaray coach Fatih Terim boldly uttered these words before the team's quarterfinal test against Real Madrid. Terim was ready to step onto the battlefield with his army consisting of Didier Drogba, Burak Yilmaz, and Wesley Sneijder in attack. Would history repeat itself once again when Galatasaray beat Real Madrid 3-2 in the quarterfinals on April 3, 2001?

It was to be expected Los Blancos would come to play at the Santiago Bernabéu with a bang. It was too much for Galatasaray to handle the link-up between Mesut Özil and Cristiano Ronaldo. This understanding between the two caused problems for Galatasaray's midfield and the duo bulldozed through the fragile defensive line. Ultimately, this lead to the opening goal. Muslera's added poor judgment was enough for Ronaldo to take a perfectly timed run and lob the ball into the post. Karim Benzema was looking more threatening as time ticked on. Benzema had his say when Eboué's hesitation helped him achieve his 30th Champions League goal. Three defenders were near Benzema, but none were able to do an effective job. The deficiencies in defence were ever present as an unmarked Higuaín scored the final goal of the night through a header. Overall, defence was lacking clear focus and much-needed discipline. It was a night of clinical finishing from Real Madrid and a below-average Galatasaray back-line.

Although both teams were close in passes and possession wise, there was a spark missing in Galatasaray's attack. Burak Yilmaz wasn't his usual goal-scoring machine and seemed to be drifting in and out of the game. He had a good chance in the 27th minute and again in the 35th, but the poorly controlled shot was not converted. Drogba looked more aware and was all over the pitch in the first half. From Galatasaray's 11 shots, Drogba had taken 3. There were moments where he successfully slipped past Real Madrid's fine-tuned defence. However, these moments didn't materialize into anything more than chances and the finishing in the final third was lacking. Real Madrid were able to close down the balls coming from Gala's half and were keen not to free up too much space in the process. Selçuk Inan, Wesley Sneijder, Felipe Melo, and Hamit Altintop all tried their level best to move the ball up, but Real Madrid collectively worked together to neutralize their attempts. It was impressive to see Galatasaray push forward through intricate passing, though it was difficult to find the strike force. This frustration was more than visible. Instead of finding strikers up front, players would shoot from far-range. Galatasaray could've better utilized set pieces, too. The most controversial decision of the match came when referee Oddvar Moen didn't caution Sergio Ramos for stepping on Burak Yilmaz's foot in the box, which would have lead to a penalty. Moen decided to book Burak for diving. This poses a huge blow for Terim's men since Yilmaz will be missing the return leg at Türk Telekom Arena. Cimbom will also be without the services of Dany Nounkeu due to yellow card accumulation.

With a 3-goal advantage, people believe Real Madrid are already through to the semifinals. It'll be a testament to Galatasaray's character to overcome this deficit because Mourinho commands a team that rarely falters. What Galatasaray will have to channel is a "never die" attitude. Terim will need a game plan as well as creativity to match goals and prevent Real Madrid from scoring. A feat that is easier said than done. Anything is possible and everything is unpredictable in football, however.

Written by: Goral Patel

Follow me on Twitter: @goralpatel 

Image via Getty Images

Image via Galatasaray

Image via @English_AS (Twitter)

Months ago, (back when I had an ask.fm) someone had asked me, “what do you think Chelsea could improve on tactically speaking?”. This was my response:

Tactically, there are a couple of things Chelsea can improve on but I‘ll only name a few (I already know this is going to be a long response). Let’s start with defense. Since Terry has been injured, this has weakened the back-line. Also, David has been moved up to mid-field (where he should be) so that has also affected defense. (Now I’m not saying defense is horrible at the moment, but you’re asking me how we can improve the team as a whole). We have great defenders right now that are very good tactically (Cole, Ivanovic, Cahill, and Azpilicueta), but we are missing a leader (like Terry) to really strengthen it (i.e. those times where defense can look very sloppy). You might argue that players like Cech, Lampard, and Luiz act as leaders on the pitch (and I agree) but I think Terry makes a bigger impact. Just his presence on the pitch can boost the players’ morale. As you can see there’s not much wrong with defense. Bottom line: Bring Terry back ASAP.

Moving on to mid-field. mid-field is pretty much solid. With mid-fielders like David Luiz, Ramires, Lampard, Mikel, Oscar, Hazard, Mata, and Marin I don’t have many complaints. I do like how mid-fielders get rotated around, however, I feel that certain players should be put as top priority. For example, Juan Mata paired with either Hazard or Oscar should always be a default in the starting XI (after the QPR match, I think most of you will agree with me).

Let’s talk about our Strikers. Torres. He isn’t the most consistent player on Chelsea. I’ve said this on many occasions that I believe Torres is a good player and he has made many goals this season but his poor execution is due to his lack of confidence. As a striker you have to acts as a leader because everyone is counting on you. You ultimately have the responsibly to be a leader on the other end of the pitch, boost your players’ morale, and have a superb finishing when it comes to making goals. Whether Torres has those qualities is up to you. Someone that does have all of those qualities is former CFC player Drogba. This man oozed leadership qualities (plus his finishing wasn’t too bad either!). The point I'm trying to make is that Torres has to become more of a leader on the pitch to make a greater impact on the team. No one can help him regain his confidence but himself. If that doesn’t work, (I can’t believe I’m saying this) Chelsea should send him to another club (i.e. Athletico Madrid) so he can become the player he once was. If he can’t improve at Chelsea maybe he can improve somewhere else? I can talk about this for hours so I’m just going to stop myself here. We do have Demba Ba now (and I can’t say much about him yet since he has only had his debut) so I think this will strengthen our attacking. In my opinion, Chelsea should start investing in long-term strikers (due to the lack of them). These players should not only be “great players” but they should have experience and a good leadership mentality. With that being said, these kind of players don’t necessarily have to be expensive. It’s not always about the value, it’s about a player’s presence on the pitch.

Overall message: All of the players are great physically. What leads to Chelsea’s downfall is their moral/mental state. If we bring back strong leaders in the front and back line, Chelsea would be unstoppable.

Now that the season is close to an end, I want to know what your thoughts are. Has Chelsea improved as a whole? Does mid-field still need that extra push? Leave your comments down below!

***I wanted to share this post first because I will eventually make another one to discuss their overall performance throughout this season.

Written by: Laxmi Patel

Make sure to follow me on twitter: @OfficialLaxmi

If entertainment was what you were looking for, entertainment was what you got. The atmosphere at the Stade de Geneve in Switzerland was electrifying when the two powerhouses of world football squared off. Whether you supported the Samba Kings or the Azzurri, this was one “friendy” you couldn’t wait to sink your teeth into.

Elite Goalkeeping
Within a couple of minutes, both Julio César and Gigi Buffon made excellent saves which epitomize the meaning of world-class. The first 5 minutes alone previewed what the rest of the match would bring. There were moments where Neymar, Hernanes, and Hulk slipped past Italy’s defence, but Buffon’s experience allowed him to block their efforts. Julio César was no short of brilliance when he made crucial saves to prevent the score from tipping. Italy could have easily gotten 5 goals in the first half.

Andrea Pirlo the Maestro
Pirlo is the best at his craft. Employed as a regista, he made it clear why he is the architect of the midfield. He set up important goal-scoring opportunities with perfectly-timed crosses. His presence gave the Azzurri the control, possession, and fluid movement to threaten in Brazil’s half pushing forward.

Mattia de Sciglio’s Debut
At 20 years of age, this young talent made his start against a formidable opposition. The left-back held his own ground against the likes of Dani Alves and Hulk. He already displays a sensible maturity and will continue to develop if given more chances. Surely, a player to watch out for in the future.

Neymar-Oscar Connection
The link-up play between Neymar and Oscar was phenomenal. A run by Neymar was well-read by Oscar who tapped in a goal for Brazil right before half-time. Neymar’s agility and Oscar’s vision for goals complement each other. They were standouts in Brazil’s strong, attacking style-of-play. Does this mean a move to Chelsea for Neymar could be in the cards? It’s too early to tell, but the possibilities are endless.

Written by: Goral Patel

Follow me on Twitter: @goralpatel 

Image via Getty Images

Image via AFP

Image via AFP

Image via AFP

This is Episode 2 of Play Beautiful! In this segment, Laxmi and Goral discuss the fate of various managers after the 2012-13 season. How do you think the situations of Rafa Benitez, Arsène Wenger, Roberto Mancini, José Mourinho, and Carlo Ancelotti will play out going into the summer?



Make sure to follow us on Twitter:

Goral - @goralpatel

Laxmi - @OfficialLaxmi

Thank you for listening!

E.H. Chapin once said, “the best men are not those who have waited for chances, but who have taken them,—besieged the chance, conquered  the chance, and made the chance their servitor.” 

It was a clash of epic proportions at Camp Nou. The scene was set, but the script was yet to be written. Barcelona were 2 goals down courtesy of their prior defeat at San Siro. Many believed Barça were not the team they once were. Teams in the Champions League had figured out the formula to break down Barcelona’s tiki-taka style of play. Did the Blaugrana really have something to prove to their critics? Had they really fallen back to earth exposing a more vulnerable side?

Right off the bat, we saw Milan were playing deep and Barça were looking far too comfortable on the ball. If you give Barcelona players a little room to breathe, they pounce. In the first 5 minutes alone, Messi showed just how little space he needs to operate. There were defenders surrounding Messi, but he used the slightest space to swing in a goal past Abbiati. This first goal of the night was unexpected and set the tone for the evening. Just minutes later, El Shaarawy was given a chance of his own, but to no avail. El Shaaraway was having somewhat of an off night. He displayed great pace by outrunning Barça’s backline, but lacked finishing. We could’ve seen better from him overall because his shots were far from convincing.

Even with the likes of El Shaarawy, Boateng, and Niang playing up front, Milan were missing the presence of Giampaolo Pazzini. Pazzini didn’t feature for the Rossoneri due to a micro fracture in his calf bone. Boateng was used as a false #9, but it was nothing close to what Pazzini could have offered. Pazzini would’ve been a point of reference with his physical play up top. Milan were hesitant in attack and you could sense it. They were simply not able to hold the ball up front. There were a couple of instances where Flamini was the closest one to goal. At one point, Niang and Boateng even switched positions as per Allegri’s orders.

“One goal. Just one goal.” This was the unanimous chant of Milanisti. One goal could have been that deciding factor to completely change the game around. In the 38th minute, it was Niang with notably the biggest chance of the game. Niang was not able to capitalize on a long ball causing his shot to hit the bottom of the post. If the goal went in, would it have saved Milan? Let’s not forget Niang is only 18 years old. This miss does not take away from the quality player he could be in the future.

There were key differences between the match played at San Siro and the one at Camp Nou. At San Siro, Milan played more as a cohesive unit. Not only did the defense work hard to close down gaps, but they hushed Messi’s goal-scoring ability in the process. Barça were the ones with the missed chances and not enough pressure. However, it was a different story at Camp Nou. Barcelona came with a full-force of energy that Milan had previously shown. The Rossoneri were one team on the field, but did not play as one unit. Milan were not able to contain Messi like they did in the first leg. The Argentine had gone invisible in Italy, but he was dangerously alive and present in Spain.

The biggest takeaway from this match was that Barça had far too much possession. This comes as no surprise. With a firm grasp on possession, Barça showcased their vision to make confident plays. Thus, creating more chances in the final 3rd. This was something a relatively inexperienced Milan side couldn’t deal with. We saw reckless challenges, a hard time picking out passes, and overall poor ball control.

The bottom line: everything that could’ve went wrong for Milan, went wrong and everything that could’ve went right for Barcelona, went right. I didn’t see hunger from Milan tonight, but what I did see was  bigger than that. I saw the promise of a young side that will step up as a force to be reckoned with in years to come. The rebuilding starts now for Milan. The Rossoneri should walk away with their heads held high and morph this defeat into a learning experience. Using the gracious words of Alessandro Nesta after Milan’s loss to Barcelona last year, “we were unlucky to get Barcelona in the draw," he said. "But at least we know we are bowing out against the best in the world.”

Written by: Goral Patel

Follow me on Twitter: @goralpatel 

FT: Barcelona 4-0 Milan (Aggregate 4-2)

Goals:
5’ - Lionel Messi
39’ - Lionel Messi
55’ - David Villa
90’ - Jordi Alba

This is the first ever episode of Play Beautiful! The gauntlet was thrown for the Sixth Round of the FA Cup on March 10, 2013. Goral and Laxmi discuss what went down between Premier League giants Manchester United and Chelsea at Old Trafford.

FT: Manchester United 2-2 Chelsea
5' - Chicharito
11' - Wayne Rooney
59' - Eden Hazard
68' - Ramires



Comments and suggestions are much appreciated :)

Let us know what else you would like to hear in our next episode and thank you for listening!

Make sure to follow us on Twitter:

Goral - @goralpatel

Laxmi - @OfficialLaxmi

Image via Chelsea FC