HOW TO IMPROVE THE EUROPA LEAGUE

UEFA's second major club tournament, the Europa League, could use some modifications to become a true meritocracy and to raise the profile of the competition in general. Here are a few suggestions.

D. Ray Morton, 26th February 2015.

With this season's Europa League champions guaranteed a spot in next season's Champions League, the status of UEFA's "B" tournament has increased quite a bit. Now clubs like Liverpool and Tottenham and Italian sides who notoriously underachieve at what is perceived as a waste of time, have something more to play for.

There are a few inconsistencies in the format that need ironing out. First of all, the group stage is way too over-bloated. The sheer amount of groups alone is absurd. To remedy this, more pre-qualifier rounds should be scheduled so that the group stages fall in line with the eight group layout of the Champions League.

Secondly, the round of 32 is overkill. To avoid this, do not allow teams that finish third in their Champions League groups to enter the Europa League at all. Why should a team that finishes third in a group get the consolation prize of another tournament rather than, say, teams that get knocked out of the Champions League in the round of 16? This safety net has to go and the competitions must be kept separate.

Finally, in order for teams to truly be awarded on merit, runners up prizes need to go. This means teams that lose domestic cup finals but still get into the competition would be discounted. Should a cup-winning team already qualify for Europe through league position and happen to triumph in a domestic cup, the next spot should go to the next highest league team, not cup final losers.

The same goes for the Europa League final itself. Say, for example, this year's final is Wolfsburg vs. Everton and the German side triumph. Wolfsburg will likely qualify for the Champions League via league position in Bundesliga, therefore that leftover Champions League spot would not go to Everton who will likely finish well off the Premier League European spots. It should be given to a team that did it via performance in their domestic league, Germany rather than England in this example perhaps. How UEFA should decide this is their choice but they have come up with creative ways in the past to give sides European appearances, like the Fair Play award.

Traditionally, the European Cup was the big one but the Europa League's precursor, the UEFA Cup, was not far behind in terms of achievement. Many considered the UEFA Cup harder to win because it would feature several teams from the top leagues and not just one. It has been a long time since UEFA's secondary tournament has been held in such high regard but some functional changes could bring a lot of that excitement back.

A GERMAN SHOULDN'T BE IN BALLON D'OR RACE

Football's greatest individual prize will be awarded soon with Real Madrid's Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo being the hot favourite to win the award for the second year in a row. There are many people within the game suggesting the prize should go to a German, however. Here is why that argument does not hold any real weight.

D. Ray Morton, 27th November 2014.

Ronaldo has, again, been magnificent in the past calendar year and fully deserves the top individual prize in the game

Cristiano Ronaldo has set phenomenal numbers in the past year. As his club Real Madrid achieved Champions League glory, Ronaldo racked up 51 goals in competitive club level matches. He was the top goalscorer in both La Liga (31) and the Champions League (17). Already this season, he has 26 goals in all competitions. These figures are astounding and are the mark of a great individual player in his prime. Why then is there such a push for a German to be awarded football's biggest individual prize this year?

Germany did win the summer's FIFA World Cup in Brazil but it was not a team that featured one great individual. It was a collective, a well-oiled unit that got the job done in a football tournament that has lost its gloss in comparison to UEFA's Champions League. Manchester United legend and Ronaldo's former manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, pointed out some years ago that the Champions League had overtaken the World Cup as the sports premier competition. The World Cup gets a lot of attention due to its international appeal but it is no longer football's bread and butter. The Champions League is the true testing ground at the highest level.

Lionel Messi is currently the second favourite behind Ronaldo to challenge for the Ballon d'Or. Trophyless at the end of last season, Messi has kicked back into gear this season and has rediscovered his very best form in recent days having scored back-to-back hattricks domestically and in Europe. Despite his injuries and dip in form last season, did any German out-perform him, for club and country without even mentioning Ronaldo? Not likely.

The Ballon d'Or's credibility was dealt a further blow by the exclusion of Luis Suárez in the shortlist for potential winners. Did his silly bite at the World Cup warrant undoing what was an incredible season at Liverpool where he practically dragged an unfancied team single-handedly to near-Premier League glory?

Individually, the Germans don't match up. Philipp Lahm's name has been touted and the recently-retired international does deserve respect but how big an impact does he make? Is he a match-winner? Hardly. How much impact can he possibly have playing at either right-back or as a tidy possession keeper in midfield for Bayern Munich?

Manuel Neuer is another name in the conversation. He only seems to be mentioned because he has been in and around greatness over the past year but has not really provided it himself. Thibaut Courtois' performances for Atlético Madrid were far more impressive at club level and at international level, Neuer did not have much to do for Germany with a good team in front of him. Indeed, he could easily have been sent off in the World Cup final for his flying knee on Gonzalo Higuaín.

Neuer can poke fun at Ronaldo's underwear ads but to say he has had a better year, individually, than the Portuguese is a stretch no pair of pants can take

That leaves maybe Toni Kroos and Thomas Müller's names in the hat but again, how big an impact did they have on their own? Müller is a fine poacher and deserves admiration for consistently delivering despite his lack of technical prowess but he should not be mentioned in the same breath as the Ronaldos and Messis of the football world. Kroos is a great midfielder but is now at Real Madrid and is not exactly their biggest star there. At the Bernabéu, Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Sergio Ramos are considered to be key players and Kroos is, for now, merely a good addition to their midfield options.

Were Ronaldo to miss out on the award, FIFA would appear to be engineering their Ballon d'Or award to promote their tournaments, not UEFA's. Messi does not quite deserve it this year despite, and oddly so, being awarded the Golden Ball award for being the World Cup's best player. Neuer, Lahm, Kroos and Müller do not deserve it just for being in a fine international team (and probably not an all-time great one). Give it to Ronaldo. He has been the best and fully deserves it.

IRELAND'S PARKHEAD WOES/FERGIE'S CONTINUING INVOLVEMENT IN THE GAME

The Republic of Ireland sank to a disappointing 1-0 defeat away to Scotland to fall down to fourth place in UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying Group D. Can they pick themselves up and get vengeance against the Scots at the Aviva next June?

 

D. Ray Morton, 17th November 2014.

Shaun Maloney celebrates the goal that shattered Ireland's dreams in Glasgow

Scotland put the Republic of Ireland to the sword at Celtic Park on Friday night thanks to a finely-worked late winner from Shaun Maloney to spell trouble for Martin O'Neill's men early in this European Championship qualifying group. Speculation before the game had centred on the Republic's Glasgow-born duo, Aiden McGeady and James McCarthy, with the ex-Scottish international Gordon McQueen hoping the Parkhead crowd would give them a "horrible reception" for choosing to play for an international team they were not born in. McCarthy pulled out with an injury and McGeady started but it did not seem as if he was targeted for any special treatment on the night.

If there was anything focused on McGeady, it was drowned out by what was a raucous atmosphere in general. Any player in possession, Irish or Scottish, felt bellowing roars from the rafters of one of Europe's most intimidating arenas. This lead to a somewhat disjointed and quite ugly game of football. Possession was gifted cheaply, especially by Ireland with their overall completed passes actually being less than that against Germany in a game which they snatched a point despite a barrage of  German attacks. There is such a thing as playing with passion but there is also playing with recklessness and Ireland certainly achieved both on this occasion.

Their play resembled that of a scrappy rugby team. They got stuck in and the challenges were wild. There was no intelligence to their play. The missing pair of the aforementioned McCarthy and Wes Hoolahan hit Ireland hard. Without their bit of craft of the ball, the Irish resorted back to Trappatoni-esque tactics of aimless long ball for the most part. Robbie Keane had been dropped in favour of starting Shane Long as a lone target man but the gamble failed.

Stephen Quinn was supposed to be Ireland's "plan B" off the bench but his performance typified his side's reckless play and was lucky not to be sent off on the night

In RTÉ's analysis of the match, pundit Richie Sadlier had rightly suggested that Ireland's gameplan had been focused on effort over skill. Liam Brady felt they had been outplayed by what was, on paper, a slightly weaker team and that it showed Scottish manager Gordon Strachan had won the tactical battle.

O'Neill's post-match interviews deflected the focus on their rematch at the Aviva next summer. He gets off lightly because Ireland have made a good start all things considered. No-one expected Ireland to draw in Germany and their points total is probably acceptable. The manner of play is another story. O'Neill will be forgiven if he can turn it around in Dublin but until then, the sceptics will be sharpening their knives.

Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson heads a panel of "elite coaches" which give UEFA recommendations for changing rules in their continental competitions. Considering some of his decisions outside of actual football management, is he the right man for this role

 

 

Gone from the game, or is he? Ferguson is still manipulating the football world despite retiring as a manager a year and a half ago

He was the man that brought David Moyes to Manchester United sinking them into mid-table obscurity and now he leads a panel that recommends changes in UEFA rules that will directly effect the European Champions League. His recommendations seem to be based on personal dissatisfactions with the rules and do not reflect what is best to bring the game forward.

One of his recommendations is to change rules in the Champions League which sees players suspended from the final. He has experienced this in his own managerial career having lost Paul Scholes and Roy Keane for United's clash with Bayern Munich in Barcelona is 1999 and with Darren Fletcher for the tie against Chelsea in 2009. The rules probably do need sprucing up but it is somewhat disconcerting that these changes would be made only because the retired Scottish managerial legend kicks up a fuss about it. Teams, players and managers have had the same problems with the rules for years, just ask Xabi Alonso who missed the showcase final last season, but does this mean UEFA will only listen when it is the likes of Ferguson speaking up about it?

He has also suggested a ludicrous "sin-bin" system borrowed out of rugby which could cause a huge amount of confusion and tactical cynicism. As the current rules stand, a red card means a player's involvement in the game is over. A sin-bin system could involve calculated fouls designed so the punishment only lasts a set amount of time. One imagines a shrewd manager with a dark side could use such a rule deviously.

Alex Ferguson's post-managerial decisions in football have been poor. He is a legend of the game but he needs to step away from it as he only seeks controversy, more praise and more recognition. His presence at Old Trafford last season was an uncomfortable one and never gave David Moyes a chance to breathe. This season, despite Louis van Gaal's shaky start, there is a greater sense of ease around the club without old purple nose behind his back. This feels like a clean slate and it allows for optimism. Walk off into the sunset, Fergie, before you start to ruin your great legacy.

A STINKER TONIGHT COULD MEAN CURTAINS FOR JOE HART

Manchester City face AS Roma in a crucial Champions League group match at the Etihad tonight. Having lost to Bayern Munich in their first game and with the side from the Italian capital in impressive form, all eyes will be on the returning Joe Hart who needs a solid performance to remain as City's no. 1 choice between the sticks.

D. Ray Morton, 30th September 2014.

Joe Hart has found himself on the bench for Manchester City of late and must channel any frustration into a positive performance given another chance to prove his ability tonight

I wonder what a man like Manuel Pellegrini thinks of Joe Hart. The Chilean manager, who you cannot imagine to be a believer of English hype, must surely have his reservations about the bleach-headed stopper evidenced by the fact that he has openly dropped him for the second time since taking over as Manchester City's boss. Hart is a media-friendly and hard-working, all-round nice guy. This alone cannot cut the mustard with the expectations City have set themselves. If they want to become a true continental and global power, they need the best as their last line of defence.

When not dancing on nightclub tables or shooting Head & Shoulders ads, Hart is certainly an above average goalkeeper with a good aerial ability and quick reflexes. The weakness in his game is his propensity to do something crazy when City are in command of games. Perhaps he becomes over-eager to prove himself in matches where he has very little to do. He has been dropped for the last two games, Pellegrini favouring Willy Caballero - a goalkeeper he trusts from his time in La Liga. Caballero may not be as imposing a figure as Hart but he has a tendency to pick up a lot of man of the match awards thanks to his ability to pull off impossible-looking saves. It is actually something of a puzzler why he was not selected for Argentina's World Cup squad after having a great season with Málaga before making his move to the Premier League.

Willy Caballero is proving to be the real competition in the City squad which Hart did not really have last season

The match against Roma tonight is absolutely crucial to City's hopes of making an impact in this season's Champions League. Though they are favourites, defeat would mean staring down the barrel of very possible elimination at the group stage, something this team has been familiar with during the Roberto Mancini era. The time for excuses is over. City have one of the most expensively-assembled squads of all-time and stating that they lack experience in the competition would simply be a fallacy now. Were they to lose, there would be no more second chances after that. They would probably need to win their remaining four matches barring an unlikely capitulation from either Roma or Bayern. Keep in mind that Roma have won all of their matches so far this season.

The pressure would hit Pellegrini were they not able to put the Italians away. Even a draw would hurt. With Chelsea looking strong in the league, elimination from Europe's greatest club competition could spell major trouble. A bad performance from Hart tonight, a nervous moment or an error, would surely end any remaining trust of his manager. There would be an escape plan for Hart, possibly offered by Liverpool who are sniffing around as they are not entirely satisfied with Simon Mignolet's performances at Anfield. If Roma give City a game tonight, this could be Joe Hart's D-Day.

FUNDAMENTAL TACTICS BACKFIRE IN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SEMIS

D. Ray Morton, 1st May 2014.

Mourinho must sense that Chelsea went too defensive last night

Jose Mourinho and Chelsea's recent run of good results playing ultra defensive football had not won over many fans these past few weeks and there were some neutral smiles last night as their approach back-fired sending Atletico Madrid into their first Champions League final in its modern guise. On Tuesday, Bayern Munich and Pep Guardiola's obsessive possession football was completely dismantled by a ruthless Real Madrid side who ended up conquering the Germans by four goals without reply on their own turf at the Allianz.

Mourinho and Guardiola approached their respective ties as football fundamentalists turned up to eleven as the pressure of late season crunch time reared its asymmetrical head. Bayern continued with what has become a sterile possession game since they won their domestic league weeks ago. Whether it was a loss of focus on the players' part, a deep overall strategic issue or even Real Madrid's finishing efficiency, the Bavarians were left with a substantial amount of egg on their faces. Chelsea's attempt at dealing with Atletico was borderline repressive, the London side setting themselves up so defensively that the visitors must have felt flattered. The supposed underdogs had been made the belle of the ball.

Ronaldo, who tormented Bayern with a brace of goals, signifying to Bale that La Decima is on

Questions over team selection can be made for both matches. Guardiola reverted to playing Philip Lahm in his natural full-back position which allowed Thomas Muller to start behind Mario Mandzukic up front. €37m signing Mario Gotze and €40m Javi Martinez both failed to make the starting eleven. Chelsea's selection was so conservative it could have had a punchline attached to it. Cesar Azpilicueta had been chosen as some sort of additional full-back meant to destroy the play in wide areas by sitting in front of, or alongside, Ashley Cole and Branislav Ivanovic. Who knows?

Whereas Bayern had set themselves up to play and pass Real to death, Chelsea wanted to smother Atleti but handed them far too much of the iniative. Not even thinking about adapting to a brave approach in front of their own fans, Mourinho's side simply allowed Diego Simeone's "big-balled" dark horses to play without any pressure. A bizarre tactical angle, personally crushing as it adds to Mourinho's semi-final hoodoo that has haunted him since his days at Inter.

Simeone praised his players' mothers for giving them "big balls", maybe a pop at Chelsea's feeble defensive set-up

Real and Atletico advance to the Lisbon final, the two teams least overloaded with tactics in the semi-finals. Of the four teams, there wasn't a whole lot to separate them on paper but it appears as if the two teams that simply reacted to fundamentalist approaches triumphed comfortably. Though the defeats ended up being heavy, Bayern and Chelsea fans should probably hold some optimism for next season. Chelsea are one world class striker away from being a far more dangerous machine and Bayern can do a lot better once they resolve how to play "tiki-taka" without a Messi.

BIG MONEY COULD ULTIMATELY CRUSH ATLÉTICO'S DREAMS

BIG MONEY COULD ULTIMATELY CRUSH ATLÉTICO'S DREAMS

D. Ray Morton, 10th March 2014.

After five games, four draws and finally a win, Atlético Madrid have toppled Barcelona on Europe's grandest stage with last night's 1-0 second leg win at the Vicente Calderón. Manager Diego Simeone has performed miracles with limited resources and a domestic duopoly to contend with. They now join three elite European superpowers in the semi-finals: their local rivals and nine-time winners Real Madrid, the holders Bayern Munich and 2012's winners Chelsea. Atlético are set to battle amongst the giants no doubt.

They shouldn't fear any of the three sides on strictly footballing terms, that is but for Chelsea partly for what I outlined here yesterday, though they will take the rest of the competition in their stride knowing that getting to this stage is an adventure far beyond what they could have imagined at the start of the season. There is, however, the grim reality of what their refreshing football makes us forget, and that is money.

Should Atlético be put with Chelsea in tomorrow's draw, they will be hit with an immediate disadvantage. On-loan Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois will not be selected should the rojiblancos have to face his parent club. Not that they are contractually forbidden, but because they, according to club president Enrique Cerezo, would have to pay the London club an additional €8m for his services if he were to feature in that specific fixture. Such a loss could be catastrophic considering Courtois' brilliance this season which has left many rating him as one of the finest keepers on the planet.

Courtois' brilliance would be sorely missed were they to face Chelsea

Atlético are cash-strapped. The club are thought to be several hundred million Euro in debt and cannot afford to shell out any payments beyond their extremely limited financial structure. They are not in the position to reject lucrative transfer offers, as evidenced by Radamel Falcao's big money departure to Monaco last summer. This team and its successes so far have not been bought. They have been willed on by Simeone's sheer motivational drive, man management skills and sound tactical knowledge. Not many managers could have set up a side to stifle Lionel Messi in the manner he was last night.

Indeed, Diego Simeone could be one of the most sought after managers in the world come next summer. What he has managed on such a limited budget is simply remarkable and although the Argentine has stated in the past that he would only like to manage teams he has played for, big money offers would surely roll in. There would be temptation in taking over a club with massive resources, a team capable of challenging in Europe season after season without having to deal with loan sharks.

 Simeone's impressive managerial skills will be in high demand next summer

It's not only Simeone who could leave as well. Midfielder Koke has come on in leaps and bounds this season and has attracted the interest of several big clubs capable of vastly increasing his salary. Manchester United are one name that have been repeatedly mentioned. Striker and talisman Diego Costa will almost certainly end up in the Premier League after the World Cup. The core of the team could be completely dismantled with Atlético trying to chip away at their massive debts by having to sell to any prospective buyers with big wallets.

It's sad in a way that Atlético and Simeone aren't in a position to really grow together and see this project blossom the way it would for a more fiscally secure team. Their following in Spain is formidable, probably the country's third most supported club, especially with the demise of Valencia. That was the same Valencia that made it to two Champions League finals before having to sell their stars as the debts racked up. Atlético's coffers are similarly empty. Enjoy this year's vintage because the likelihood is, unfortunately, that it won't be repeated.

PRAGMATIC CHELSEA ADVANCE AND COULD WELL WIN IT

PRAGMATIC CHELSEA ADVANCE AND COULD WELL WIN IT

D. Ray Morton, 9th March 2014.

There was an air of inevitability about Demba Ba's late strike at Stamford Bridge last night, the same inevitability that haunted Edinson Cavani and Ezequiel Lavezzi two seasons ago at the same ground, albeit representing Napoli and not Paris St. Germain. José Mourinho had promised beforehand that Chelsea would progress. He was confident that his side would outscore the Parisians on the night and record the sufficient victory to guide them to the Champions League semi-finals.

They'll be an exceedingly tough nut to crack. With Liverpool and Manchester City pulling away in the Premier League to form their own two-horse, "Champions League-less" Premier League title race, the Portuguese has chosen his words very carefully over the past few months. He had warned Chelsea fans that, this season, it wasn't possible to win the league with the players at his disposal. The Champions League, however, is a very a different kettle of fish. A kettle of fish José knows like the back of his hand.

Barcelona and Manchester United, tonight, travel to Atlético Madrid and Bayern Munich respectively hoping to join Chelsea, along with Real Madrid, in that prestigious last four. Of all teams potentially left in the competition, Chelsea should fear no-one over two legs. Bayern were the football purists' darlings throughout the season but a recent slump in performances after winning their domestic league with their eyes closed has left many doubting their ability to complete back-to-back Champions League triumphs, a feat yet done in the competition's modern guise.

In a lot of ways, Chelsea are the perfect team to go on to win this tournament now. Barcelona aren't quite the Barcelona of old and even when they were, the Londoners were always a bogey team of theirs. Mourinho will not be ashamed to batten down the hatches and defend deep against any opponent should he see fit. If anything, last night's game against PSG represented "Big Money, Big Sam" tactics at their finest. A strong defensive unit, capable of dealing with a Zlatan-less side, long balls and long throws becoming their main threat once Eden Hazard was taken off injured. To watch a player like Willian scurry and track like a ball-winning midfielder was an unexpected sight and he performed in this unorthodox role admirably.

Willian was all-action, all energy last night

Indeed, the Brazilian could be vital for Chelsea with only two games between them an appearance in the lucrative final, to be played in Mourinho's native land at the Estádio da Luz in Lisbon. With Juan Mata sold and Oscar starting to show signs of tiredness due to the insane amount of matches he's appeared in for club and country over the past two years, Willian is starting to look like the freshest of their attacking midfielders, finding his form at the perfect time for what might be a heroic late season surge.

They lack a striker still, obviously, but the way they're set up doesn't require a world class No. 9. Demba Ba is no Marco van Basten but he's certainly capable of troubling defenders and his impact was predictably devastating last night. Chelsea are a team of big, powerful no-nonsense men for the most part. John Terry, Gary Cahill, Branislav Ivanovic etc. They will bully teams who are not up for it. Teams that are not at 100%. Teams whose game plans aren't at their zenith. And looking across what's left to compete with, they should be quietly confident with whatever comes their way.

CHELSEA HUMBLED IN PARIS AMIDST GAZE OF THE "PREMFACE" BRIGADE

CHELSEA HUMBLED IN PARIS AMIDST GAZE OF THE "PREMFACE" BRIGADE

D. Ray Morton, 3rd April 2014.

Substitute Javier Pastore reels away in celebration after making it 3-1 in late injury time

José Mourinho and Chelsea were dealt a tough night in Paris last evening thanks to goals from Ezequiel Lavezzi, Javier Pastore and an own goal from David Luiz to cancel out Eden Hazard's penalty for the visitors.

It was a game that lulled at times but this suited Paris St. Germain as a tired-looking Chelsea were not able to play at full intensity. Nemanja Matić was cup-tied after his involvement with Benfica earlier on in this Champions League season, and his calming defensive midfield presence was sorely missed.

The Parisians stunned Mourinho's side early on when Lavezzi was able to pounce on a loose ball in the penalty area and volleyed home beautifully with his left foot. Zlatan Ibrahimović had received all the attention before kick-off but it was his supporting cast of Lavezzi and Edinson Cavani that stole the spotlight on this occasion. The wide attacking duo tormented Chelsea not only with their offensive movement but also by covering back and preventing the visitors from exploiting the flanks.

Ramires diligently covered ground in midfield, pressing Thiago Motta and Marco Verratti with regularity but picked up a yellow card in process which will see him out of the second leg in London next week. PSG have a worry of their own in that Ibrahimović was hauled off with what looked like a hamstring injury. Such strains don't heal that rapidly and there's a good chance he'll miss next week's encounter also. Such as the strength of their squad however, they should be able to cope. Brazilian starlet Lucas Moura came on during the second half and troubled Chelsea with his elusive dribbling skills.

Chelsea's equaliser was somewhat fortuitous. Oscar went down in the penalty area under an awkward challenge from compatriot Thiago Silva. Such was the centre half's positioning that the referee cannot be blamed for awarding the spot-kick although replays seemed to indicate that Silva had at least gotten a bit of the ball. Hazard buried the penalty and that was Chelsea's last shot on target for the evening. After only 28 minutes.

Chelsea had opted for a "strikerless" formation with André Schürrle up front on his own, a tactic only used twice this season, once against Bayern Munich in the European Super Cup and again against Manchester United early on in the campaign where a 0-0 result seemed solid at the time. Here, it worked to an extent. With Schürrle dropping into the midfield, Motta and Verratti found themselves pressured more often than they would in an average Ligue 1 match. It was Mourinho's decision to replace the German with Fernando Torres in the second half where things began to unravel.

Sky Sports' panel came up with the ludicrous conclusion that Chelsea were in complete control by half-time. Perhaps they were, if control means aimlessly pressing to the point of exhaustion and playing into the hands of a highly technical home side with many individuals capable of coming up with a match-winning moment of flair. The lead goal didn't require any flair, however. The ticking defensive time bomb that is David Luiz couldn't get the ball out of his feet from Lavezzi's whipped free-kick and ended up putting it in his own net. It became a calamitous night for Luiz after being one of Chelsea's better players in the first half.

The visitors looked tired but seemed content to take a 2-1 defeat back home. That was until substitute Javier Pastore came up with a bit of magic late on in injury time. Picking the ball up on the right flank, he managed to slip into the Chelsea penalty area near the by-line, skimmed Frank Lampard and smashed home past Petr Čech from a narrow angle. That little bit of magic made it 3-1 and makes next week's proposition much harder for an infuriated Mourinho.

Mourinho described PSG's third goal as "ridiculous"

He dubbed the third goal as "ridiculous" and didn't write off their second leg prospects but described it as "a difficult job, not impossible". Clearly dissatisfied at Fernando Torres' contribution he thought the substitution would give them more depth: "a bit more". The Spanish club record signing is clearly in the doghouse and there's very little chance he'll remain in Mourinho's first-team squad next season.

The Sky trio of Jamie Redknapp, Jamie Carragher and Glenn Hoddle seemed perplexed at what they had just seen. In unison, thinking Chelsea were "in control" at half-time, they didn't offer any real explanation as to how Chelsea had just been outclassed. Hoddle even went as far as suggesting that PSG were weak at the back despite having Brazil's captain and arguably the world's best defender in Thiago Silva. Classic "premface" opinion again on display.

The second leg should remain a decent spectacle and Chelsea are not necessarily out. Lavezzi and Cavani will remember from their time at Napoli that Chelsea are capable of overturning a 3-1 first leg defeat but considering PSG's overall quality, it's a much bigger ask this time.

GUARDIOLA'S SELECTION BLUNDER AND ATLÉTICO'S RESILIENCE

GUARDIOLA'S SELECTION BLUNDER AND ATLÉTICO'S RESILIENCE

D. Ray Morton, 2nd April 2014.

The talk beforehand had been about how much of a mismatch this would be. Struggling Manchester United taking on the cream of Europe in the form of Pep Guardiola's mighty Champions League holders Bayern Munich. And mighty were the Bavarians' possession statistics no doubt but leaving Old Trafford with only a draw and having Bastian Schweinsteiger sent off was never part of the script.

The team selection immediately raised some eyebrows. Mario Mandžukić, a serious tormentor of defences, was left on the bench leaving Thomas Müller up front on his own with the trio of Franck Ribéry, Arjen Robben and Toni Kroos in behind. Müller didn't offer a focal point for the visitors' attacks and the United defensive pairing of Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidić enjoyed a rather pleasant evening as a result.

As the first half wore on and Bayern racked up the passes, it suddenly dawned on those watching that maybe this side just wasn't going to be all that incisive on the night. It was described as "sterile possession" in some quarters, reminiscent of Pep's Barça when Lionel Messi wasn't available for selection.

United grew in confidence, defended with spirit and unrattled the Germans. They took the lead on 58 minutes when Vidić glanced home from a corner kick. The old vulnerability from set pieces remains as a Guardiola trademark, something which wasn't obvious in last season's treble winners lead by Jupp Hynckes.

Though Bayern did equalise on the night and set themselves up to take control of the tie in Munich, the other potential semi-finalists will be pleased that die Roten have had some weaknesses exposed. It was the eventually red-carded Schweinsteiger who got the goal, finishing sweetly from substitute Mandžukić's knock-down header. Surely the big Croat will start in the second leg. The result has hurt Guardiola it seems. His post-match press conference was uneasy as he cut a frustrated figure in front of the English media's bombardment of questions.

In the other clash last night, Atlético Madrid will be delighted to have secured a 1-1 draw at Camp Nou against Barcelona meaning the Catalans have failed to beat Diego Simeone's men in four attempts so far this season. Simeone will point out that the same goes for Atléti failing to beat los culés but Diego Ribas' sensational strike could make a key difference should the second leg be as cagey.

Barça still struggle against defensive-minded teams and though Atléti are well capable of playing attacking football, they change up their game plan when they face "Tata" Martino's side. Neymar managed to get an equaliser late on getting on the end of Andrés Iniesta's sumptuous through pass but surely the side from the capital will be happier with the result. Barça's woes continue today with the news that FIFA has banned them from signing any new players for the next two transfer windows.

Looking ahead to tonight's clashes, a game of huge interest should be Paris St. Germain vs. Chelsea in the French capital. José Mourinho gets reacquainted with Zlatan Ibrahimović in a potential classic between the ambitious Parisians versus the defensive and tactical toughness of the Londoners. Chelsea don't have Nemanja Matić available to them which is a big loss, so PSG will try to inflict as much damage as possible tonight in order to set up the away trip. It's a very hard one to call because as much quality as the French champions have, Mourinho's tactical nous in big European clashes is unmatched.

Mourinho and Zlatan, best of chums at Inter

In the other game, Real Madrid face an off-form Borussia Dortmund at the Santiago Bernabéu. Though the Germans triumphed in the same clash last season, injuries have ravaged their squad and the side from the Spanish capital should have enough to kill this one off in the first leg provided the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale have their shooting boots on.

EXPECT FAVOURITES TO PREVAIL IN TONIGHT'S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE DOUBLE HEADER

EXPECT FAVOURITES TO PREVAIL IN TONIGHT'S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE DOUBLE HEADER

D. Ray Morton, April 1st 2014.

The smart money this evening would be to back Barcelona and Bayern Munich as they face down Atlético Madrid and Manchester United respectively in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final ties. Barca play at home and will be thrilled at the sight of the visitors' star striker Diego Costa hobbling off at the weekend with a reported groin injury. As of now, there's only a 50/50 chance that he'll play and without him, Diego Simeone's team are not nearly as dangerous. The Argentine manager describes Costa as being as important to his side as Lionel Messi is to los culés. Indeed, Messi is back to his best. His form this calendar year has been astonishing after shaking off hamstring problems that interrupted his form throughout most of 2013. Gerardo Martino is likely to pair him alongside Neymar up front again with Cesc Fabregas operating in behind them. If anything, Barca's trademark 4-3-3 has been abandoned in recent weeks. Martino has preferred to stack the midfield in order to dominate possession, something which they hadn't focused on during the first half of the season.

Fabregas plays at the tip of the diamond in behind Messi and Neymar

Their shape now resembles something of a diamond 4-4-2. The high defensive line remains, which could be tested now that Victor Valdés is out for the season leaving José Manuel Pinto in goal, and Sergi Busquets continues his anchor man role. Xavi, Andrés Iniesta and Fabregas occupy the midfield positions leaving Messi and Neymar ahead to do as they please up front. Pedro and Alexis Sánchez have been left out for some of their recent big games though many fans of the Catalan club believe that one of the two ought to oust the young Brazilian from the starting line-up. Opinion is divided on how effective Neymar has been although the 22 year-old has been steadily racking up assists, winning penalties and chipping in a steady amount of goals this season.

Neymar's season stats from WhoScored.com

In the other fixture, David Moyes' Manchester United may very well be staring down the abyss. Defeat at home to Bayern Munich would end any realistic hope of advancing to the next round and would render the rest of United's season meaningless considering their poor league position well outside the top four. This is Moyes' last hope. He's likely to gamble on Ryan Giggs in the centre again, something which worked a charm against the considerably weaker Olympiakos but with Bastian Schweinsteiger, Toni Kroos (supposed United target) and Mario Götze all set to start for the visitors, it could be a tough night for the aging legs of the 40 year-old Welshman. Bayern's midfield trio work the ball beautifully and Philip Lahm can just as easily slot in should he be required there.

Whatever about Giggs, the key concern for United fans should be how deputy left-back Alexander
Büttner deals with the mazy dribbling skills of flying Dutchman, Arjen Robben. Robben has been fantastic under Pep Guardiola this season, building on last season's late burst of form and really improving as an all-round team player. He is still, of course, very one-footed and a good defence can make him look predictable cutting in from the right but United's defence has been very shaky this season, especially at home. Whether Büttner can cope will go a long way towards decided this first leg. I would predict Guardiola's side to approach the game more cautiously than the thrashing many people expect to be dealt out. The Spanish manager's record away from home against English opposition in the Champions League isn't actually all that formidable.

So some hope for United but what's important tonight is not so much the result but the performance. Pride needs to be restored at Old Trafford and picking up wins against the likes of Aston Villa and West Ham isn't enough to get people back on Moyes' side. With rumours that the club are willing to give the Scot a £200m war chest to spend in the summer, they have to send out some kind of a signal tonight. Realists don't expect to progress but they can at least exit this one particular tournament with their heads held relatively high provided don't perform footballing self-defecation.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUARTER-FINAL DRAW REACTION

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUARTER-FINAL DRAW REACTION

D. Ray Morton, 21st March 2014.

Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid

 

Not an ideal draw for the Catalan giants considering they have not been able to beat Madrid's second side in three attempts so far this season. Atletico managed to pip Barcelona to the Spanish Super Cup early on in the season by securing a 0-0 stalemate at home and getting a 1-1 draw at Camp Nou for an away goals victory. January's league meeting at the Calderon was a repeat of the earlier 0-0. The two sides square off in the first leg come April with the tie going to Camp Nou first. Barca have to get through rivals' clashes against Real Madrid and Espanyol between then and now, matches which will determine whether they can build on their impressive recent form which includes victory over Manchester City and the 7-0 league thumping of Osasuna. Diego Simeone's Atletico will be hoping to maintain their formidable intensity into the highly anticipated fixture and upset Messi, Iniesta et al. Prediction: Barca to scrape through by the skin of their teeth by exhausting Atletico with their possession game and taking the few chances they'll get.

Real Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund

 

It's very unlikely that we'll see a repeat of last year's clash when Dortmund really upset the apple cart by eliminating Madrid and forcing the first ever all-German final against Bayern Munich. Dortmund have been ravaged by injuries this season and have done well to get this far. Their domestic form has been disappointing with the Bundesliga as good as over already. Real, after starting the season slowly, are now firing on all cylinders and are a terrifying prospect with the likes of Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo coming into top form. Prediction: Real to qualify comfortably, likely winning both legs.

Paris St. Germain vs Chelsea

 

This should be a fascinating clash seeing as the sides have never met before in Europe's top competition. Chelsea will bring their usual defensive resilience but one wonders whether they'll set up with their backs to the wall the way they would be expected to play against a Barca or a Bayern. PSG have a squad full of world class individual talents but don't yet play with a distinctive style that dominates teams tactically. They generally play a balanced game and rely on getting the ball to their undoubted star man, Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Very close to call. Prediction: Chelsea to edge it thanks to Mourinho's experience and craftiness. May require penalties!

Manchester United vs Bayern Munich

 

The draw no United fan wanted, Bayern Munich is surely too great a task for David Moyes' side to handle. Bayern have been incredible this season, stomping on everyone domestically and being mainly outstanding in Europe apart from one poor performance against Man City at the Allianz. That poor performance is all United can base a blueprint from. All they can do is hope for Bayern to have a bad first leg and then build on it in the second. Very few people see that happening, however, as FCB's strength in depth is second to none and Guardiola rarely gets things wrong on those big European nights. Prediction: Bayern to embarrass what is a poor United side, lucky to have made it thus far. 

LA DECIMA ON COURSE WITH CHELSEA LURKING IN THE SHADOWS

LA DECIMA ON COURSE WITH CHELSEA LURKING IN THE SHADOWS

D. Ray Morton, 19th March 2014.

La Decima has been a Real Madrid obsession since 2002 when Zinedine Zidane's inspired strike against Bayer Leverkusen secured the side's record-setting ninth victory of the European Cup/Champions League crown. Despite continuing to spend a fortunate on the world's top stars, "Old Big Ears" has eluded them season after season in the meantime. This year, however, they're as good a bet as anyone to win it outright considering the ease in which they steamrollered German side Schalke last night.

Cristiano Ronaldo slotted home a brace and Alvaro Morata added another to cancel out Tim Hoogland's deflected strike for a 3-1 win. Real didn't need to get out of second gear but at full flow, they seem like a team well capable of competing with the other top dogs in the competition such as Bayern Munich, Barcelona and perhaps Jose Mourinho's Chelsea or Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid (or maybe PSG? Very hip).

Chelsea had an easy night of their own at Stamford Bridge. Goals from Samuel Eto'o and Gary Cahill allowed them to cruise past Galatasaray and no-one will want to face them in the next stage. Real, Barca and Bayern each play with their own distinctive attacking style but the defensive resilience and never-say-die attitude of Mourinho's men could stand them in good stead as we reach the business end of the competition. Atletico are something of an unknown quantity as of yet but they will be very hard to beat.

Real, though more of a possession team this season under Carlo Ancelotti, are still devastating on the counter attack with the pace of Ronaldo and Gareth Bale. Karim Benzema's form has also returned to its best and with the likes of Luka Modric and Xabi Alonso in midfield, they are a side capable of barnstorming anyone if they get things right on a given evening. Barca are still a passing machine with a few long(er) ball tweaks and Bayern are something of an all-round juggernaut such are the tactical and positional options available to them. Atletico's main strength is their aggressive pressing which was what helped last season's inspired Borussia Dortmund to reach the final. Pressing, however, can get exhausting over the course of a long season.

Don't write off Chelsea though. Mourinho, and even Chelsea under other managers, have proven time and time again that they deliver their best European performances with their backs against the wall, looking to pick apart pretty, attacking teams by being forceful in the set-piece and defending like demons.

As all names go into the hat for the quarter-finals with no more seeding in the competition's structure, anything can happen and the real drama begins. The winnners of Borussia Dortmund vs. Zenit St. Petersburg and Manchester United vs. Olympiakos have yet to be decided but the two sides that get through there won't stand much of a chance lest there be a huge surprise in store for us.

MOYES' HEAD ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK TONIGHT

MOYES' HEAD ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK TONIGHT

D. Ray Morton, 19th March 2014.

As Manchester United suffer through their worst campaign of the modern Premier League era, David Moyes' appearance has become more zombie-like by the week. So zombie-like, in fact, that once his head is placed on the chopping block of managerial dismissal, it won't need a very sharp blade to sever it.

Humiliation at Old Trafford at the hands of Liverpool was the latest in series of agonising results but failure to get past Olympiakos in tonight's Champions League clash, in reality, would probably be worse. The league is a write-off at this point for United and with a top four finish out of sight, one wonders whether any of their fans are looking forward to the prospect of playing Europa League football next season. Defeat to Liverpool hurts but ultimately, would it not be better for the likes of Tottenham and Everton to slug through that logistical nightmare of a tournament giving United a clean slate when it comes to doing as well as possible in the league in 2014/15.

Therefore, elimination tonight is worse because it would leave the rest of the season void of meaning. No-one expects United to win the Champions League outright but even competing into the quarter-finals would generate some badly-needed pride with Arsenal and Manchester City having already been knocked out.

Barring a heavy home defeat, Moyes will not be given his marching orders on Thursday morning but yet another poor performance could make up the minds of the men upstairs who could very easily cut the chord in the summer and start afresh with a new manager who can quickly impose his vision on the club.

With Chelsea, Man City, Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham likely to spend handsomely in the summer, giving Moyes a few extra months next season to get things right could be seriously detrimental to United's ambitions over the next few seasons. Whatever series of events falls out expect plenty of desperate crosses and aghast expressions from all involved at the Theatre of Dreams.