Saturday, October 26, 2013

Extra Time

Change everywhere.

It's just over two months into the domestic league season in Europe and the lasting feeling is one of complete change. In Spain, Real Madrid has yet another new coach and its latest annual prize player purchase, while Atletico Madrid, shorn of Colombian hitman Radamel Falcao, tries to remain the biggest threat to the big two. Real's season has begun under Carlo Ancelotti as he continues his whistlestop tour around Europe. After eight years at Milan, the old warhorse did a two year stint at each of Chelsea and most recently PSG, collecting a league and cup double with former and a Ligue 1 medal with the latter. It would appear that moneybags clubs are his thing, with Real spending a world record 100 million Euros on Tottenham's Welsh winger, Gareth Bale. Still, they trail both arch rivals Barcelona and crosstown rival Atletico respectively. The latter have replaced Falcao with Diego Costa, a Brazilian born striker who, having become a naturalised Spaniard, has been allowed to switch allegiance by FIFA after the Spanish FA made an official request. Interesting trivia note - he made his Brazil debut against Italy in March and if he does play for Spain this year, would have turned out for both teams in the same calendar year. Barcelona themselves have a new coach, as Argentine, Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino takes the helm, with new superstar Neymar in tow. The Blaugrana remain the team to beat in Spain and are that much more ominous with both Lionel Messi and Neymar part of the attack.

In Italy, Napoli, under new manager Rafael Benitez continue to be one of the favourites for the Serie A crown, continuing their rejuvenation over the past few years, but find themselves trailing a resurgent Roma, who are top of the table with 8 wins out of 8, under a new Allenatore of their own, Rudi Garcia. Garcia is well known to followers of the European game as the man who took Lille to a league and Cup double in France in 2010-11, building one of Ligue 1's most exciting squads on a relative budget. At time of writing, Roma were five points clear of second place with 22 goals scored and only one against. For a team whose two biggest signings this off season were PSV’s Dutch midfielder Kevin Strootman and Serb winger Adem Ljalic from Fiorentina, this is some achievement. It's only a fifth of the way in but the Scudetto appears to be a three way contest between Roma, Napoli and Juventus, who have won it two years in a row.

Germany sees Borussia Dortmund renew their rivalry with Bayern Munich. Having won the Bundesliga twice in a row before being overwhelmed by Bayern last year, as well as losing to the latter in the Champion's League final, Dortmund's attention continues to be focussed on their rivals from Bavaria. While Jurgen Klopp is still very much in charge at Dortmund, despite summer speculation linking him elsewhere, his opposite number at Bayern is another new appointment, although Pep Guardiola, needs no introduction on these pages. Bayern's epic treble winning season last year, where they simply annihilated everyone in Germany and Europe, including Pep's former all-conquering Barcelona side, was a perfect send-off to manager Juup Heynckes, who retired at age 67, having participating in more than 1000 games as either a player or manager in Germany. Pep's new side are not performing at full speed yet but are unbeaten and atop the table, when we went to press, a point ahead of Dortmund. Despite Bayer Leverkusen, in third, being tied on points with Dortmund, it's hard to see beyond the two finalists of the 2012-13 Champions' League domestic glory.

The most changed landscape surely has to be in the English Premier League with Chelsea (Jose Mourinho's second stint), Manchester United (David Moyes) and Manchester City (Manuel Pellegrini) all under new management. What's more, famously parsimonious Arsenal broke the bank to spend 42.5m Euros on German attacking midfielder Mesut Ozil. The latter is probably the most astounding of all the new developments as the London club are notoriously for spending next to nothing on transfers for over a decade. Despite a good start by the Gunners, their league leading position is sure to change as the tricker part of an easy opening schedule begins to appear. Currently on top, they are trailed by six teams, all within four points of each other. While financially supercharged City and Chelsea are the favourites for the title, the latter's familiarity with Mourinho may prove decisive over the season.

Finally, in France it appears that there's a new financial bully in town. PSG, who were threatening to make a mockery of Ligue 1, have a new challenger. Monaco, promoted back after a season in the second division, are powered by new majority owner Dimitry Rybolovlev, another Russian billionaire. His consortium's cash infusion has allowed the principality club to spend heavily on the likes of Falcao, Colombian winger James Rodriguez, Portuguese midfielder Joao Moutinho and French midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia for a grand total of 150m Euros. They currently sit in second spot in Ligue 1, a brace behind with PSG. Everyone else is playing for 3rd place and the spot in the Champions League Playoff Round.

An interesting season awaits.

Friday, February 22, 2013

Champions League Thoughts



I am not a fan of the current format of the Champions’ League. There, I said it. Look, I understand the logistics of trying to fit in eight two legged knockout ties and the obviously financial importance of the Global TV audience. But, creating a schedule that features 16 different games on eight different match days, spread over five weeks is just bad planning. It dilutes the excitement and breaks up the momentum. Fans want to see the knockout rounds take place in fewer installments, over two pairs of days, just like the regular group stage, with 4 matches on each day. Under the current format, teams play their first legs on Feb 12/13 and then their second legs on March 5/6. For the teams that kick off their ties on Feb 19/20, they don’t play again till March 12/13. Where is the continuity, why make fans wait for so long?

Moreover, even in the knockout stages, there appears to be a glass ceiling forming. There is a division between a set of teams who are always in the running and who will win the tournament one of these years, and another set of consistent also-rans who may get to the latter stages but will never challenge. This is because the former group will simply acquire the best talent from the latter group. As a result, despite being close to the finished product, the teams in the second group will rarely, if ever, get to add the final pieces to their teams and will almost never hold on to their entire rosters, serving instead as high level finishing schools for their up and coming players. It’s not ideal, and FFP or not, there is little that can be done to alleviate this trend. It must get a little frustrating for a team of exciting young talent or a cohesive unit of players, to build on a few years of teamwork and progress, reach the last 16 or eight of the Champions’ League and then get raided by one of the bigger teams.

Focussing on this season’s tournament, the usual suspects remain with Bayern Munich and Barcelona, still smarting from their shock losses, in successive rounds last year, to Chelsea. A deep run beckons for both, assuming they avoid each other in the draw. This column anoints them as the favourites at this point, all the while realising how unoriginal that declaration may be. This column likes to think it’s self aware. With two of the most dangerous teams - a resurgent Real and a revitalised Manchester United - squaring off against each other, it’s a win-win situation for everyone else as one heavyweight will get eliminated before the quarterfinals. Further afield, Barcelona’s seemingly annual set of ties against Milan will showcase just how far the Rossoneri have fallen, while Bayern’s tie against Arsenal, is surely a formality. With Europe’s most consistent qualifier from the Champions League, seemingly in terminal decline, this may be Arsenal’s last appearance in the knockout stages of Europe’s top tournament for a few years.

A neutral’s dream sees Borussia Dortmund and Shakhtar Donetsk play out arguably the most mouth-watering tie in years, as both clubs bring well drilled rosters bursting at the seams with exciting talent and an expansive style of play.  No doubt, a summer of potential sales awaits both teams. Elsewhere several other ties showcase the unpredictability and excitement of the tournament with Juventus taking on Celtic; Malaga, financially shackled of late but not unbowed, lining up against Porto; PSG versus Valencia and interestingly Galatasaray playing Schalke. Spain continues its dominance with four teams in the last 16, but Germany, after several lean seasons in Europe, has now provided three. England, who used to come up with four participants in the knockout stages, almost annually, has seen its contribution shrink to just the original big two of Arsenal and Manchester United – both Chelsea and Manchester City didn’t make it past the group stage. Italy returns just two sides and both teams, Milan and Juventus, erstwhile giants of the game, are outside bets, at most, for the trophy. Among the most consistent participants, Porto return to the knockout stages after a few seasons spent dominating the Europa League, while newly minted PSG are building on their new owner’s promise of competing in the Champions’ League. They look to be a fixture at this stage for years to come.

All in all, a very favourable draw for both Barcelona and Bayern, whom many will be hoping to see in the final in May as they are currently Europe’s two best teams. Still, stranger things have happened and nothing is certain; while it is highly unlikely that both teams will get knocked out by Milan and Arsenal respectively, it is possible. So, initial scheduling and parity gripes aside, it’s good to have the Champions’ League back and fans worldwide await the continuation of the best soccer competition in the World.