Category Archives: Champions League

News and views pertaining to the European Champions League.

Bayern Munich: The Bavarians proving themselves worthy of continental dominance

  By O-Posts Team | February 21, 2013 - 20:30 | , , , ,
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While the aftermath of Arsenal’s dismantling by Bayern Munich on Tuesday night will centre around Arsene Wenger’s future and his evolutionary odyssey that continues to edge ever close to an end, it cannot be overlooked that the side who left north London victorious had just made a genuine case that this could be the year that ends their twelve year wait for a Champions League success.

Arsenal had been dogged with disappointment throughout the season and the growing pressure on Wenger had reached evidently new heights as the Frenchman took to a press conference to voice his anger and frustration following a dismal FA Cup knockout at the hands of Blackburn.

They had been embarrassingly eliminated by League Two Bradford in the League Cup, hopes of qualification for next year’s Champions League dangle by a thread domestically and they were heading in to battle with Bayern’s well-oiled machine resembling a lame dog about to be finally put out of his misery. The quest to end a wait of eight years without a trophy was all ready to head over to a ninth.

It was not that Bayern beat Arsenal on Tuesday night but the ease in which they did it. Only a rousing second-half display saw Arsenal come out of the game with any shred of dignity left intact as their German visitors looked content enough to hold their hosts by the puppet strings, waiting patiently for the right time to strike their venom. Sadly, in the second round of UEFA’s flagship competition, their was a huge gulf in class between the two sides.

Bayern sit clear at the top of the Bundesliga by a margin of 15 points and on a run of 13 matches unbeaten in which they have not conceded a single goal since the 14th December. In fact, the only goals they had let past them in that 13 match run were in 1-1 draws against Monchengladbach, Dortmund and Nuremburg as news of Pep Guardiola’s imminent arrival at the end of the season showed now signs of halting the Jupp Heynckes juggernaut that are intent on banishing the heartache of last season’s failure from the memory.

Not only did they lose out on the Bundesliga to Borrusia Dortmund by a margin of 8 points, but they lost the DFB Pokal, Germany’s domestic cup competition, to them too, comprehensively outplayed in the final to a scoreline of 5-2.

Then they contrived to lose the Champions League final on penalties to Chelsea after dominating throughout, in the comfort of their own home of the Allianz Arena. Sebastian Schwiensteiger missed the decisive penalty and was in tears, epitomising the agony Heynckes and his side had suffered.

Uli Hoeness, Bayern’s president, was present on that terrible night and immediately set out his plans to turn his club into winners again, “we used to laugh at Leverkusen for always finishing second, now that is us”, he said. Sporting director Christian Nerlinger was replaced by Mathias Sammer, while Hoeness went about renovating the spine of the side.

In came Monchengladbach’s centre-half Dante who has since become a Brazil international, Basle’s supremely talented young winger Xherdan Shaqiri and Croatian striker Mario Mandzukic, joint top scorer at Euro 2012, for a combined total of £25 million. Mandzukic has 17 goals for Bayern and is currently joint-top scorer in the Bundesliga.

Most notably of all, a Bundesliga record fee of €40 million saw Javi Martinez, Athletic Bilbao’s deep lying midfielder, arrive to add steel to the midfield, or the “biter” as Hoeness called it.

That Hoeness admitted his club “probably paid €10 million too much” was indicative of the lengths the club had to go to in order to land the 24 year old who has slotted seamlessly into the side alongside Schwiensteiger and the young Toni Kroos.

It was Kroos, another sensational product of the new generation of German technicians heading into next year’s World Cup, who set them on their way against Arsenal with a sublimely taken half volley before Thomas Muller, another young native of supreme talent, made it two. A mistake by goalkeeper Manuel Neuer allowed Lukas Podolski to half the deficit before Mandzukic restored the two away-goal advantage that looks unassailable ahead of the second leg.

Wenger described Bayern as “a team of class” as the dust began to settle at the Emirates and he was perfectly correct. It was a defence missing Holder Badstuber, their best centre-half, that coped so easily against Arsenal’s front line. Martinez and Schwiensteiger marshalled the area in front of it with poise and intelligence with Kroos buzzing around in advance of them.

Full-backs David Alaba and captain Phillip Lahm had the freedom of the flanks to march forward and it was the latter’s sublime cross that set up the third goal. That Heynckes can leave Mario Gomez and Arjen Robben on the bench, both of whom saw cameos here, suggests the embarrassment of riches available to Heycnkes that will soon be under the influence of Guardiola.

The Spanish manager turned Barcelona into a footballing version of the all-conquering Harlem Globetrotters during his four years in Catalonia, winning 14 trophies along the way, and this behemoth that Heycnkes and Hoeness have built, intent on reaching their third Champions League final in four years, is the perfect reason to end his sabbatical.

Bayern look dominant domestically, dominant on the continent and under the stewardship of Guardiola’s genius, that dominance could go on for a considerable while yet.

 

Written by Adam Gray

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AC Milan: The Massimo Show

  By O-Posts Team | February 21, 2013 - 19:53 | , , , ,
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The Giuseppe Meazza was agog with indescribable excitement and pride upon the final whistle of the eagerly awaited clash between hosts AC Milan and runaway La Liga leaders, Barcelona.

Not only had the team in red, black and white defeated Barcelona, they also ensured that the blessed trio of Xavi-Iniesta-and Messi were kept absolutely quiet. No member of the Blaugrana starting 11 had a good game. It was the stuff of dreams+greatness for the Rossoneri.

The hugely anticipated match had all the ingredients necessary for a fabulous occasion. Only a Real Madrid-Bayern Munich fixture was more frequent than this one in the history of the Champions League. Between them, 11 Champions League titles have been won.

The Trident couldn’t raise the bar last night..Flustered!
Barcelona arrived in Milan full of confidence in their ability to take home a healthy advantage to the Nou Camp in three weeks. A Messi inspired Barcelona won 2-1 at the Estadio Carmenes after trailing Granada 1-0 at the break.

The Argentine scored his 36th and 37th goals of the league season in a 2-1 win. The winner a classic 25 yard free-kick which left the goalie gasping for breath. Morale was boosted heading into the Milan game. The Diavolo had other ideas. Coach Massimiliano Allegri has risen from adversity to glory many times this season.

From 16th in the table, the Milanese have climbed up to third miraculously thanks to the Manager’s influence and trust. He was at it again last night when he picked the eleven soldiers to do battle with the Catalan army.

Abbiati in goal, Zapata-Mexes-Constant-Abate in defence, Muntari-Skipper Ambrosini-and Riccardo Montolivo in midfield, Pazzini-II Faraone Shaarawy and KPB in attack. Super Mario (January acquisition) could not feature because he was cup-tied (played for Man City in the group stages).

Barcelona didn’t spring too many surprises in their starting line-up. The only doubt was Xavi Hernandez who passed a late fitness test to partner Cesc Fabregas and ever present Sergio Busquets in midfield. Messi-Pedro and Iniesta lined up in attack. Pique-Puyol were chosen to close down Pazzini and company. Alves and Jordi Alba got the nod to play right and left back respectively.

The game started at a high intensity and energy levels were at the maximum for both sides. Barcelona played their game from start to finish but it was not enough to lead to success. Christian Abbiati was rarely threatened and the Mexes-marshaled defence couldn’t have played a better game.

KPB and El Shaarawy did excellently well to double up on the duo of Alves and Alba who both had a game to forget.

Four time Ballon D’or winner and current World Player of the Year, Lionel Messi was kept totally quiet from start to finish. Apart from one trademark bursting run down the right in the first half, he was as ineffective as his coach Jordi Roura who lacked ideas when Barcelona needed a plan B.

The reason for Messi’s incapability for 90 minutes was a certain Ambrosini. Another Massimo, who this time was on the pitch and not the sidelines, followed him everywhere and covered just about every blade of grass on the pitch in a performance reminiscent of Esteban Cambiasso v Barcelona in 2010.

Sulley Muntari apart from scoring the vital 2nd goal (via asuperb El Shaarawy assist), was dependable all night. He was available when needed and reliable when called upon. Ricco Montolivo didn’t do his reputation any harm whatsoever. When he had the ball, he found his teammates easily and calmed the Diavolo with his neat play and timely interceptions. He wasn’t afraid to drive forward either and made Xavi look ordinary in the entire duration of the match.

It was his ferocious shot that led to the Milan opener via a Zapata unintentional handball which KPB put away brilliantly. Andres Iniesta showed some flashes here and there. His only shot was off target and frustrations grew as the game wore on. Milan’s efficiency was the difference between both sides.

For all Barca’s possession (65%), there was absolutely nothing to show for it. Guardiola, Tito and most recently Roura have not devised a new strategy when the main one refuses to yield desired results. The greatness of a side is measured on how flexible and adjustable it can be when faced with a difficult situation.

The man who won the battle of tactics last night was the cool and calm Max Allegri who has been under pressure since August. The task of rebuilding a team after the departures of Gattuso, Ibra, T.Silva, Pippo Inzaghi, Seedorf, Nesta, Zambrotta and most recently Pato was mountainous. He got to it, not particularly well at the beginning which was expected.

The end justifies the means they say and if there’s any situation that best typifies this saying, then Allegri’s perfectly fits the bill. Credit should be given to Vice President Galliani for constantly backing the former Cagliari manager and putting in a word or two for him in his meetings with Owner, Silvio Berlusconi who was given a perfect anniversary present with victory over possibly the greatest club side the world has ever seen.

It is 27 years this week since the former Italian Prime Minister took over the reins. He transformed the club into one of the most successful in World Football and yesterday’s victory is testament to that fact. The emergence of Stephan El Shaarawy from the shadows of the departed Ibrahimovic, the purchases of M’baye Niang, Bakaye Traore, Ricco Montolivo, Christian Zapata, Bojan Krkic (on loan from Barcelona via Roma), etc were shrewd and very essential to their steady growth.

Now the dividends are showing day by day. Now 3rd in the League and on the brink of sending Barcelona packing out of Europe’s premier club competition, Allegri’s managerial ability has passed the acid test. It remains to be seen how far the resurgence can get them to.

It is important to point out that it was the introduction of 18 yr old M’baye Niang which brought the needed bite to the Milan attack when Pazzini ran out of steam. Another brilliant decision by Max Allegri.

Discounting Barcelona will be a big mistake as the tie remains open despite the 2-goal advantage. Nevertheless, if the Diavolo replicate the performance of yesterday night, I can’t see the magic the Catalans will employ when they meet in three weeks time.

It is make or break for both teams. Tie remains firmly in the balance because anything can happen in our sport.

 

Written by Ohireime Eboreime

Follow Ohis on Twitter @ohiskaka1990

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Champions League: A Detailed Analysis and Look at the Round of 16

  By O-Posts Team | February 19, 2013 - 17:24 | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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The Champions League is back! On Tuesday 12th February, the best club competition in the world re-starts with the Round of 16 featuring the greatest clubs and players on the planet. The likes of Real Madrid, Manchester United, Barcelona and Bayern Munich will all be fighting it out to lift the famous trophy.

When the draw for the Champions League Group Stage was made, PowerTableSports created the Champions League PowerTable to predict which teams would qualify for the Knockout Rounds and which would be eliminated from the competition. This prediction is based on our unique ‘tier effectiveness’ system where we calculate how effective different teams are against each other based on 4 tiers. If you’re handy with odds and enjoy the challenge, the Jackpot Capital odds are worth testing your skills on. How did we get on?

 

 

Underachievers

Man City and Chelsea were the big underachievers – PowerTable predicted that they would qualify for the Round of 16 and classed them as Tier 1 teams, however they both failed to qualify.

  • Man City were the biggest underachievers – PowerTable considered them Semi-Finalists but they finished bottom of their group.
  • Chelsea were considered Quarter-Finalists but they finished 3rd and only qualified for the Europa League.

 

Overachievers

Malaga and Celtic were the big overachievers having qualified for the Round of 16 despite being regarded as Tier 4 teams.

  • Malaga were the big overachievers having qualified for the Round of 16 by finishing as Group Winners despite being originally regarded as a Tier 4 team.
  • Celtic were also one of the big overachievers having qualified for the Round of 16 by finishing 2nd in the Group despite being originally regarded as a Tier 4 team.

 

After successfully predicting 75% of the teams who have gone through to the Round of 16, PowerTableSports has yet again used our unique ‘tier effectiveness’ system to calculate which teams will be eliminated and which will progress to the Quarter Finals. Tier 1 and 2 teams are those that we predict will go through, whereas Tier 3 and 4 teams will be those whose European title ambitions are ended for another year.

Galatasaray v Schalke

Schalke are currently on a poor run in the Bundesliga. The signing of experienced duo Sneijder and Drogba will swing the tie in Galatasaray’s favour.

Celtic v Juventus

Celtic have outperformed all expectations, including a fantastic win against Barcelona. Lightening is unlikely to strike twice though and Italian Champions Juventus will go through over both legs.

Arsenal v Bayern Munich

A mouth-watering tie between an inconsistent Arsenal against an unstoppable Bayern in their domestic Leagues. Bayern’s quest to become European Champions will be a step closer.

Shakhtar Donetsk v Borussia Dortmund

Shakhtar and Dortmund both set the competition alight during the group stages. Shakhtar have sold key player Willian though, which puts Dortmund as favourites (just!).

AC Milan v Barcelona

Barcelona are still favourites to lift the title. AC Milan will prove a stern test, but the Italian giants have a relatively inexperienced squad who Barcelona will dispose of over both legs.

Real Madrid v Man Utd

The tie of the round sees Ronaldo face his former club and Ferguson come face to face with Mourinho again. Close game, plenty of excitement but a United away goal should swing it their way.

Valencia v Paris Saint-Germain

Both teams were impressive during the Group Stage. Valencia will fancy themselves in the 1st leg, but PSG and their attacking flair will be too much over both legs.

Porto v Malaga

Malaga remained unbeaten in their Group and their inclusion in the Round of 16 will have surprised a few people. Porto will fancy their chances, but expect Malaga to pull off another surprise over both legs.

 

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Match Preview: Real Madrid vs Manchester United

  By O-Posts Team | February 12, 2013 - 22:10 | , , ,
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When the Round of 16 draw for the Champions League was made, a mouthwatering tie was set. It is not everyday that you get to watch MANCHESTER UNITED play REAL MADRID in a 2-legged tie for the right to progress to the next round.

Rivalries renewed not only between the two great clubs, but also the men at the helm. Sir Alex Ferguson and Jose Mourinho are pretty much close friends with mutual respect for each other. The witty, old Scot hasn’t done well against sides the Portuguese has managed. 3 wins in 14 with 6 losses is not one to be proud of – although he threw Inter Milan and Jose out of the Champions League in the 08-09 season.

On the way to Porto’s triumph in Gelsenkirchen-2004, the Dragons shattered Fergie’s dreams in the Round of 16 in a controversial 2nd leg that saw a legitimate Scholes goal disallowed, then Costinha went on to score in injury time to send the English giants out of that season’s UCL campaign.

The sad memories of 2000 and 2003 are still fresh in Sir Alex’s memory. The Red Fevils led by Superintendent Roy, earned a creditable 0-0 draw in the Spanish capital and were expected to finish the Blancos at the Theatre of Dreams.

However, a certain Fernando Carlos Redondo, the Buenos Aires born Midfield conductor had other ideas. 8 years after setting the King Fahd Confederations Cup alight with some mesmerising displays, he rekindled the form at Old Trafford.

The Argentine midfielder who was famously called the ‘White Machine’ by the Merengues faithful, bossed the game like none other, leaving Roy Keane and Paul Scholes in awe at such an explosive display. He was head and shoulders above all his teammates and opponents that night.

His brilliantly executed back heel  that went round Henning Berg was the highlight of a wonderful night…the resultant effect was a great pass to the deadly Raul who had no problem scoring the 3rd and final goal. The match ended 3-2 and Del Bosque’s men went on to win the tournament for the 2nd time in 3 seasons.

In 2003, it was another story entirely. At the Bernabeu, Luis Figo, Zizou and Raul Blanco put on a show to ensure that Manchester United were soundly beaten 3-1. In the return leg, II Fenomeno Ronaldo had a score to settle with French Goalkeeper Barthez who was part of the World Cup winning Les blues team v  Brazil 5 years prior. A match in which De Lima Ronaldo was below par and half fit.

The Selecao legend registered a well taken hat-trick against Manchester United on the way to a 3-4 loss. They actually led 3-1 until David Beckham came off the bench to score two quickfire goals. 6-5 (on agg) it ended in favour of the ‘Whites’. Yet another disappointment for the Red Army.

Tomorrow at the Santiago Bernabeu, Manchester United will attempt to make things right v a great team comprising of former ward, Cristiano Ronaldo. The 08 Ballon D’or winner aside, Los Blancos have Ricky Kka, Xabi Alonso, Mesut Ozil, Sami Khedira, Karim Benzema, Pipita Higuain, Angel Di Maria, Pepe, Sergio Ramos et al to call on when things become difficult. Young Raphael Varane has come of age too.

Manchester United are not far behind in terms of quality players who can turn the tide. Wayne Rooney and RVP are currently the deadliest strike force in the world in my humble opinion and it will take something much more than the Ramos-Pepe tandem to stop them from causing untold damage over both legs.

In midfield, Michael Carrick has shone brightly this term and has what it takes to pull the necessary strings. Ryan Giggs is playing like an 18 year old. The evergreen jewel of Sir Alex hasn’t put a foot wrong in the last two months. His old head will be needed to negotiate through this daunting task.

The likes of Nani, Ashley Young and Antonio Valencia haven’t been impressive at all this season. It is a miracle that the Red Devils lie 12 points ahead of closest challengers City. All the wingers are in wretched form at the moment. Japan’s Shinji Kagawa showed signs of his Dortmund form in the last couple of games he featured in, although he hasn’t controlled any game like he used to, when he was a Borussen. If there’s any stage he will like to light up, then this is the one.

The Red Army’s defence must also be at its best to keep out the rampaging RM attackers. Vidic was rock solid v Everton on Sunday. The old warrior attributes were evident in his commanding defensive display two days ago. Jonny Evans at his side was his usual calm and composed self, but he might pave way for the experienced Rio Ferdinand when the team sheet is read out tomorrow.

The full backs Evra and Rafael have to maintain complete concentration levels throughout the encounter to avoid being exposed by Di Maria and the GREAT CR7 of life.

 

KEY BATTLES:

 

CR7 v Rafael da Silva

It is common knowledge nowadays that Ronaldo operates from the left flank, then comes infield sometimes and occasionally drifts to the right and the middle. Apart from the Brazilian youngster, Rafael, whoever plays defensive midfield must be alert and supportive to reduce the threat posed by the Portuguese captain.

Phil Jones did a great job on Bale and most recently Fellaini, but none of them is Ronaldo Dos Santos. Anderson would have been the right pick for this kind of job…Oh well, the injury prone left footer is not good enough at the moment. Some flashes of brilliance have been shown by him this season though. That’s all to it.

 

Benzema/Higuain v VIDIC/RIO

None of them are in form currently, but to dismiss the strengths they possess would be plain daft and unprofessional. Pipita Higuain was a different animal when he wore the Albiceleste jersey v Sweden in a recent friendly.

He is perhaps weighed down by the continued alterations at the Bernabeu. That and injuries have contributed to his poor form this season. Nonetheless, he is fully fit and wants to make the centre forward role at the capital his own.

Benz, on the other hand, is not doing well. Granted, he scored a fortuitous goal at the weekend but his all round play has been woeful at best. Whoever Jose chooses to lead the line must be closely watched by Captain Vida and his friend Rio.

 

OZIL V CARRICK, CLEVERLEY/ANDERSON, KAKAGWA V KHEDIRA-ALONSO

Games of recent times are now won or lost in midfield and this one is no exception. Mesut Ozil is currently one of the best attacking midfielders in the game. Only Andres Iniesta is better to me. If not closely attended to, he will cause lots of havoc tomorrow. His vision, defence splitting passes, great technique and ball usage cannot be overemphasised. Those who watch the Spanish League are aware of this all.

If there’s anyone who can make the German superstar uncomfortable, it is Carrick. The Englishman has been reborn and is playing the best season of his career yet. He dominates his position like none other and makes others around him look great. His job tomorrow will be very important and confidence is sky high on his part. He should have a good game.

Whoever partners Carrick in the centre of the pack must also play out of his mind. Sami Khedira is fast becoming the best in his position. His mazy runs and fast interplay are breathtakingly majestic. Xabi Alonso-oh my GOD. The man who also bears Alonso is one of my favourite players ever. His qualities are countless. He can pass to heaven if he wants. He is a WORLD CLASS AND DYNAMIC footballer any day.

The only time his dominance wanes is v Barcelona, thanks to Xavi and Busquets. The former Liverpool midfielder needs no further introduction. Set him loose and you get more than what you bargained for. He is the fulcrum of the Madrid team and his effectiveness should be suppressed.

 

ROONEY-RVP v PEPE-RAMOS

Contrary to what many people believe, I think it is Wayne Rooney that will come out shining tomorrow at the Bernabeu. Analysts and pundits have singled out RVP as the main man for MUFC. That is a surprise. RVP can only play his position.

Wayne is a versatile beast. A bull. A monster. His all round play against the toffees was a sight to behold. He assisted Evra on more than one occasion and made himself available when others were tight and had no space.

If Manchester United will take anything significant from Madrid tomorrow, Rooney has a big role to play. Way bigger than any other for the Red Devils. Robin Van Persie has fit in well into the system at Manchester United. He looked rusty on Sunday,fluffing at balls and missing easy chances..He wouldn’t make any mistake v Real Madrid. More than anything, he wants to succeed this season and do well in the Champions League; his 23 goals this season is nothing compared to Ronaldo’s 36 in actual fact.

He is the highest goal scorer in the Premier League and that’s no mean feat. His goals have been very important and 10 assisst added to that is nothing such of exemplary.

The combination/partnership with Rooney is blossoming. It will have to be profound and deadly to drive the team to victory.

Kepler Laveran Lima ‘Pepe’ is back from injury. The towering centre back has been out for a while. Mourinho’s men have coped well without him. His return from injury is a welcome development.

The Merengues are a stronger set-up with PEPE-RAMOS at the back. One is strong and ruthless, the other is physical and gigantic. Their plan to stop the Roo-RVP strike force must have alternatives because of the talents the aforementioned have in abundance.

Roo can drop deep, RvP can also go wide and their movements sometimes is terrifying.

 

David De Gea

David De Gea has been widely criticised for his shaky start to life as a Manchester United gloves man. The undisputed 1st choice has shown his incredible talent many times this season. Magnificent saves have become like bread and butter for the long term heir to Iker Casillas’ Roja goalkeeping throne.

Despite his well documented problem connected to lack of command of his area, his shot-stopping abilities outweigh whatever he falls short of. He will be called upon many times to save his team and he will rise to the challenge. That is most assured.

For Real Madrid, Iker is injured/out for a while. The captain and great goalie was accidentally kicked in the hand by his own teammate, Arbeloa. Jose acted quickly by sealing a deal for former RM keeper, Diego Lopez who was at Sevilla. Lopez has been an able deputy, playing exceptionally well v Barcelona in the Copa Del Rey 1st Leg and has been superb ever since.

Antonio Adan, Iker’s able deputy, has been overlooked ever since, fuelling the speculation that Mou only used him to remind Casillas that he isn’t indispensable.

This titanic clash will be an interesting spectacle for the viewing public. Mourinho and Fergie face each for the 15th time. Cristiano Ronaldo faces his old club for the fist time since he left 3+ years ago. Both clubs haven’t crossed paths for 10 years. It remains to be seen how this will play out.

Whatever happens, football is the ultimate victor.

 

Written by Ohireime Eboreime

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Special Feature: Match-fixing remains vague, but still a very clear issue

  By O-Posts Team | February 9, 2013 - 11:51 | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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On Monday, Europol, the law enforcement agency of the European Union, announced the results of an 18 month inquiry of match-fixing in football to a reaction of immense shock throughout the game.

They revealed that a total of 680 matches across the world were fixed, including a Champions League tie that had been played in England which went someway to hinting at the seriousness of their findings. Not only would they concern a club close to home, but it gave a lucid indication that match-fixing was now festering in the very highest levels of the sport.

It was an investigation that originally only involved Germany, Finland and Hungary, but expanded to over 30 countries spanning right across the world. The European Police revealed that Asia had staged 300 corrupt matches while Europe played host to 380, including “several top football matches in European leagues as well as World Cup and European Championship qualifiers”.

Officials went to the extent of revealing the figures of corruption in Germany-based matches alone; £13.9 million in total was wagered to a profit of £6.9 million and very worryingly, as they voiced from behind a stall in The Hague, this was “just the tip of the iceberg”.

However, there was a slight sense of apprehension to the report that UEFA are now awaiting in detail according to Rob Wainwright, Europol’s director. The FA, reacting to the bombshell that one of the matches in question was a Champions League game hosted in England “three or four years ago”, said they were “not aware of an credible reports into suspicious Champions League fixtures played in England, nor has any information been shared”.

The match in question was quickly confirmed as Liverpool’s one-nil win over Hungarian side Debrecen back in 2009. Charges involved Debrecen goalkeeper Vukasin Poleksic for not informing officials that he was approached by fixers prior to a game with Fiorentina in that campaign, for which he was banned for two years. However, the charges only specified the Italian club and not Liverpool, who maintain they have never been told by any organisation that the match at Anfield was under investigation.

A case that concerned a goalkeeper who had previously been severely dealt with by European football’s governing body hardly fitted into the sensationalist headlines the investigation should have demanded, but it was clear as the revelation continued that the issue went far, far deeper into the heart of the game. They created a macabre of criminal syndicates, based mainly in Asia, using facilitators in Europe to bribe and corrupt all those involved in the game for financial gain.

Over 425 suspects were identified by an investigation that involved 50 arrests and 80 further search warrants. Wainwright portrayed a dark, eerie criminal network spreading itself into Europe from its epicentre out in the far-east.

It is believed that the betting syndicates are operating not only on results, but on certain events in matches similar to the no ball scandal that scourged the Pakistani cricket team back in 2010. That should be familiar to the everyday football fan who is exposed to in play betting and the plethora of markets now available to betting companies who have developed into a mass businesses on the back of such practice.

The wide-scale of Europol's match-fixing probe.

The wide-scale of Europol’s match-fixing probe.

With so many areas on which to place money in the sport, there is always a suspicion that a footballer can take advantage on an individual level, it was Southampton’s Matt Le Tissier who claimed he made a spread-bet, of which he failed, on himself to win the first throw-in in a game with Wimbledon back in 1995.

Europol’s findings have taken that suspicion and multiplied it to a grave worry that manipulation is taking place on the grandest of scales via a murky underground network of criminals threatening to send a game that has always prided itself on fair play and honest competition into a state of decay.

With the African Nations Cup taking place in South Africa, Paul Put, the Belgian coach of Burkina Faso, said he was not surprised by Europol’s findings, claiming the problem is pandemic.

He has had a previous run-in with the practice having served a three year ban in Belgium after being found guilty for fixing two matches while manager of Lierse, a con allegedly organised by Chinese business man Ye Zheyun and has led to forty people being charged. “Match-fixing has always existed in football” said Put, “that is reality but what can you do about it?”

Even stronger views came from Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger who feared these revelations would form a “tsunami” that would overwhelm the sport. “I cannot accept this” said Wenger, “I was always aware there was a lot cheating in the game and we are not strong enough on what is happening”. These words were motivated partly by Wenger’s past with corruption that involved his Monaco team being caught up in the match-fixing scandal with Marseille in the early 1990s and he now calls for severe sanctions on those found guilty.

Wenger did allay fears over the domestic game though, remaining adamant that English football remains free of corruptive influence, “match-fixing is not a problem in England” said the Frenchman.

The football world will now await the next chapter of this saga, that will probably appear with the details of UEFA’s revision into the Europol investigation, with a great deal of agitation. There will be a hope that the more the governing bodies continue to peruse over the investigation with the finest of tooth-combs, the more information will gradually begin to come clearer in order to erode away the mystery that is shrouding this squalid world of corruption.

The European Police have gone a long way to confirming a fear that football is blighted by a darker-side but there is a sense that it has only scratched the surface, it now must delve further into the abyss in order to ensure football remains free of the disease lurking underneath.

 

Written by Adam Gray

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Man United: 4 reasons why they can win the Champions League

  By O-Posts Team | February 7, 2013 - 16:37 | , , , ,
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Manchester United could not have asked for a much tougher draw in the quarter-finals of the Champions League – but that does not mean they cannot go on and win it.

The Red Devils will face Real Madrid in the last eight of this season’s competition, and past history would suggest that they are on their way out of the competition because the Spanish champions have won the last two meetings between these teams.

However, Chelsea showed last season that this competition is no foregone conclusion. In fact, who would have predicted a Bayern Munich v Chelsea final?

Therefore it would be reckless to write off Manchester United just yet, and here are some reasons why they can become European champions once again:

 

Robin van Persie

Any team that has a red-hot Robin van Persie in the side has a chance of winning every game. The Dutchman has been in excellent form since joining United from Arsenal, and if he gets opportunities he will continue to score the goals that can fire the Red Devils to another appearance in the final.

And they are no strangers to final appearances…

 

Three finals in five years

United have shown their pedigree by reaching the final three times in the past five years. It is fair to say that this current side is not as strong as previous incarnations under Sir Alex Ferguson, but the legendary Scot has found a way to guide his team to finals in the past and you wouldn’t bet against him doing it again.

And this side is better than the Chelsea one that won the Champions League final last season.

 

Sir Alex Ferguson

Like I said before, this man knows how to guide a team to the Champions League final. And with time ticking down on his legendary career, it is well known that he would love to become a European Champion once again.

This will undoubtedly add more motivation to the players, who will be looking to hand Fergie a third Champions League success.

Beating Real Madrid will boost confidence

If United are to win the Champions League then they must overcome one of the favourites in the last 16, Real Madrid. It goes without saying that a two-legged win over the Spanish giants would send a major statement to their rivals, and it would also cement their status as a major contender to go all the way.

 

Written by Leigh Copson Glazier from Bettingpro.com, the number one source for sports betting tips, breaking news and expert views.

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Everton: January decisive month for the Toffees’ Top 4 Hopes

  By O-Posts Team | January 9, 2013 - 19:28 | , , ,
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Everton’s regular late season push is nauseatingly over-referenced. I’ve lost count of the times this season I’ve angrily interrupted insufferable pundits and their propensity to start Toffees-based sentences with ‘Traditionally, David Moyes’ side are slow-starters’. But as we’ve passed the New Year, I’ll risk self-proclaimed hypocrisy to tackle the subject myself.

Everton’s propensity to finish stronger is bandied about as a compliment, a compliment only validated by the sort of start consistently absent from the Blues’ recent records. If you jogged for the first half of the Olympic 100 metres final but sped up enough to overtake a few stragglers late on, tough luck, the Jamaicans have already finished, you’re not getting a medal.

 

Playing well for half a season is only half an accomplishment

Last season’s late surge rewarded David Moyes’ side with eight more points than in the first half, 32 of the overall total of 56. Impressive but still 14 points off third place, 13 points off fourth. A huge deficit. Whilst this season’s significant improvement has given Everton a much better platform – 12 points up on this stage last year – the Toffees’ form absolutely cannot falter if Champions League qualification is to be achieved.

Averaging two points per game for the remaining 17 fixtures will see Everton hit 70 points, Arsenal’s third-place total last year. To achieve this, a run of immediate victories would go a long way. To that end, no Evertonian can complain about the next few fixtures. Everton face Swansea (h), Southampton (a), West Brom (h) and Aston Villa (h) through January and into February.

Whilst 9-10 points would represent a decent return, Everton must view any dropped points as a big failure. Four wins would give Everton 48 points leaving 13 games to accumulate (approximately) 22 points – definitely doable.

 

Taking it two games at a time

To go against the old football adage of ‘taking one game at a time’, it suits the purposes of this article to split those fixtures into two groups rather than four, so let’s look at the first couple.

This Saturday’s home game with Swansea is the biggest threat to a 100 per cent record over the next month, but this is without doubt their toughest period of the season so far.
Swansea’s excellent campaign has them travelling down to London for their Capital One Cup semi-final first leg against Chelsea this Wednesday, heading up to Liverpool to face Everton on the Saturday, before returning to London the following Wednesday to replay their FA Cup Third Round tie with Arsenal. Enjoyably hectic; the problems of progress.

A substantial Stamford Bridge loss may dent confidence whilst a positive result may cause a dip in focus. Either way, there’s enough for Everton to forge a winning attitude out of self-convincing logic.

And then Southampton away. Potentially tricky but one that bears the same traits of Everton’s last away success at Newcastle. A midweek night game (Monday counts as midweek in order to make my argument stronger/ less weak), away at a struggling side just above the relegation zone. If Everton can recreate their St James’ Park performance, the three points should be theirs.

Six points from these games would leave Arsenal needing to beat both Man City (h) and Chelsea (a) to maintain their two-point deficit behind the Toffees. Losing those games could see the Gunners eight points behind Everton. Of course Arsenal have a game in hand but January 16th’s FA Cup replay means Arsene Wenger’s men four times in 10 days culminating in that rearranged West Ham game, followed by Liverpool’s visit the following week. Plenty of potential for a slip-up. Spurs face QPR (a) and Man Utd (h) in the next two. Points could certainly be dropped.  Everton must take advantage.

By January 30th when West Brom travel to Goodison in a game which could really cement Everton’s position in the top six (incidentally my birthday for any overly sentimental and unnecessarily generous followers), Everton will have both Darron Gibson and Kevin Mirallas back (touch wood), and hopefully a few new signings. A victory in that game would create incredible momentum before the Premier League’s current worst side Aston Villa head to Goodison.

If Moyes manages his squad properly this transfer window, as he did so effectively last year, January could well prove to be the decisive month in a successful Everton season, providing the springboard and importantly the points to make for a very hopeful run-in.

 

Written by Chris Smith

Follow him on Twitter @cdsmith789

Check out his excellent blog, The Russian Linesman

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Special Feature: Best Football Video Games of All Time

  By O-Posts Team | January 8, 2013 - 20:23 | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Over the years, many gaming companies have tried to cash in on the most popular sport in the world, football, and make a game that makes the player feel like he’s right there in the thick of the action. This has been attempted in many ways, from manager simulations to games where you control the team on the field and in many formats including arcade, console and PC games.

 

Championship Manager 01-02 (2000)

The Championship Manager franchise, (now Football Manager) dominated the manager simulation genre for years and peaked in the 2001 – 2002 season, according to many fans of the game. Later versions tend to be far more in-depth which does have obvious advantages, but detracts from the user-friendliness of the game. 01-02 has the perfect blend of difficulty, complexity and usability and is probably one of the most addictive games of all time.

 

Pro Evolution Soccer 5 (2005)

Each year since before the start of the century, the battle between FIFA and Pro Evolution Soccer gets played out. While both have had their turn on top, in the middle of the last decade it was all about PES and in 2005, Konami out did themselves. Passing became more important making the game more realistic when it came to end of game results and tackling also changed with this version which added the need for higher skill levels amongst human players.

 

FIFA 09 (2008)

FIFA 09 is considered by many as the best ever installment of the most famous of all football game series and is the one that put the franchise back on top after a spell trailing to their arch rivals at PES. Over 250 changes were made to enhance the realism, gameplay and response times. Skill and ability stats became more important and even the more talented human players found controlling the players when performing tackles, passing etc. needed a little practice to perfect.

 

Kick-Off 2 (1990)

When Anco brought out Kick-Off 2 on the Atari ST, it was seen by many as the best football game ever. It had what was considered very accurate representations on the pitch and at least attempted to use real tactics and formations.

 

Sensible Soccer (1992)

 

In its day, Sensible Soccer by Amiga was the definitive football game. It had an innovative bird’s eye view and is still popular to this day amongst retro gamers. Stanford University compiled a list in 2007 for the Library of Congress detailing the 10 most important video games of all time and Sensible Soccer was the only football game on it.

 

Special Mention

Intellivision Soccer (1980)

Brought out by Mattel Electronics, Intellivision Soccer gets a special mention as it broke the mould and was way ahead of its time. It was the first to give the 3D effect, the isometric point of view and a scrolling pitch, all features that would be used extensively by other sports games for the next couple of decades.

 

Morgan is a Football lover and enthusiast. He also likes to bet sometimes in football matches. You can also find him writing in his personal blog called Free Bets.

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Betting Promo: Place Your Bets and Get Free at Sky Bet Offers!

  By O-Posts Team | January 7, 2013 - 17:00 | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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What would you do with a 5 free bet every week? That’s what Sky Bet is offering to their active users! If you’re a sports lover, why not take your passion to the next level by placing an occasional bet on your favourite team.

You don’t have to spend a fortune to get involved with sports betting, either. There are lots of free bets and bonuses available at online sports-books, but perhaps the most generous is the offer that Sky Bet is running.

As a new user, you will qualify for a complimentary Sky Bet free bet worth 10. Simply open an account and get a 10 free bet, instantly. There’s no need to make a deposit. As long as you are a new user, joining during the eligible offer period, you will qualify for this bonus.

In addition, you will get a Sky Bet free bet worth 5 each week as long as you placed a 5 bet with your own money during the previous week. This offer is a great way to get started in the exciting world of online sports betting.

 

A Huge Selection of Sports to Choose From

No matter what sport you are a fan of, there is a good chance that you will be able to bet on it at Sky Bet. The site covers traditional betting favourites such as football, horse racing and darts, but it is not limited to those sports. Other sports that you can bet on include speedway, NFL, golf, greyhound racing, MMA, Moto GP, snooker and tennis.

The site also takes special bets on subjects such as the possibility of a white Christmas, or the name that the royals, William and Kate, will give their first baby.

 

Lots of Betting Options

If you usually feel intimidated by sports betting websites, fear not. Sky Bet offers lots of betting options. You can bet on the outcome of the game, race, or event by placing an Outright bet, or if the sport allows it (such as horse racing), a Forecast/Tricast bet.

With some sports, such as football, you can bet on who will be the first to score, whether or not there will be scores in both halves, or what the finishing score for the game will be. You don’t have to worry about spread betting or other more complex bet formats if those do not interest you.

Sky Bet is a great place to get started with sports betting and could well become your betting home in the long term. If, at some point in the future you were to feel that you have outgrown the site (or you find a love for a sport that is not supported), you can look on bookmaker comparison sites such as Chips to see what other options are out there. However, for the average UK sports fan, this is, no pun intended, a safe bet.

 

AUTHOR BIO : Diyana Hall is a sports betting expert and avid deals hunter. She enjoys experimenting with new sites in the sports betting world, taking advantage of a sky bet free bet and other welcome bonus offers whenever possible. She writes on the subject of online betting for a range of deals websites and sporting blogs.

 

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Special Feature: Picking The Champions League Round Of 16

  By O-Posts Team | December 26, 2012 - 19:37 | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Now that the UEFA Champions League round of 16 parings have been announced, it is time for football fans all to begin debating them. With the ties not set to occur until mid-February, there is ample time for fans and analysts alike to pick them apart and predict the outcomes. And, of course, this is a particularly exciting process for those who will be placing bets.

Online gambling has become increasingly popular in recent years, and while much of the industry is focused on casino sites like partypoker.com, there is also a great deal of focus on sports betting. For fans, this means that once you’ve made up your mind on the round of 16, you can place a few bets, and really have something on the line during the matches. So without further ado, here are brief analyses and picks for each tie.

 

Galatasaray A.S. vs. FC Schalke

While Galatasaray looks like the underdog on paper, they may actually be the safer bet. Schalke is capable and dangerous, but has struggled in Bundesliga as of late, and is also going through a coaching transition (with Jens Keller replacing Huub Stevens).

Galatasaray, on the other hand, just wrapped up group play with a trio of wins, and few are as hot scoring goals as forward Burak Yilmaz. Schalke remains the oddsmakers’ favourite, but this one is tight. Galatasaray is the pick, against the odds.

 

Celtic FC vs. Juventus

The leg in Scotland won’t be easy, but Andrea Pirlo and Juventus made it through the group stage in relatively dominant fashion, and look to be among the favourites moving forward. A victory for Celtic would be rather shocking here, and Juventus is the smart pick.

 

Arsenal FC vs. FC Bayern Munchen

Having scored 15 goals in the group stage, Bayern is a true powerhouse in this round of 16. Arsenal is never a pushover, but struggled to some extent on both ends of the field during the group stage, and doesn’t seem to have the firepower to stop Bayern. Last year’s runner up, Bayern, will advance.

 

FC Shakhtar Donetsk vs. Borussia Dortmund

Shakhtar impressed during the group stage, defeating Chelsea and earning a draw at Juventus. But, perhaps no team was stronger in the group stage than Dortmund. Currently Germany’s best, Dortmund navigated the group of death with near perfection, and is the pick to move forward in what should be a thrilling tie.

 

AC Milan vs. FC Barcelona

Milan managed only 7 goals in the group stage, and finished with the lowest point total of any team to advance. There isn’t much more to say about this tie – Messi and Barcelona will almost certainly be too much for Milan to handle.

 

Real Madrid CF vs. Manchester United FC

A tie between two historic powers looking to return to the top, this is inarguably the most intriguing of the match-ups. Madrid advanced through the group of death, but has been less than emphatic in recent play, and is essentially out of the running in La Liga.

Meanwhile, the forward combination of newcomer Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney has Manchester United looking quite strong of late. This is a near toss-up and should be a thrilling tie. Madrid remains the oddsmakers’ favourite, but given recent play, Manchester is the pick here, against the odds.

 

Valencia CF vs. Paris Saint-Germain

Despite a strong showing – only one loss, at Bayern – in the group stage, Valencia has looked weak of late, and sits at 11th in La Liga standings. Meanwhile, Zlatan Ibrahimovic leads a scintillating attack for Paris Saint-Germain – one that should carry them through the round of 16 over the Spanish side.

 

FC Porto vs. Malaga CF

This looks to be a closely contested tie between two teams playing fairly well in recent matches. Having earned the first place spot in Group C, and sitting at 4th place in La Liga, Malaga probably looks just a bit stronger right now, and also gets to play at home for the second league. Because of this, Malaga is the pick – but it’s a near toss-up.

 

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