Cristiano Ronaldo does it again!

There has to be a touch of charisma in a legendary character. There has to be the Midas touch. There has to be magical supremacy in him. He has to elevate himself beyond others and prove again and again that he is the best in the world. There should be no doubt, Cristiano Ronaldo is the best player of this era – he has redefined this era like no one else. At Old Trafford, last night, he scripted yet another epic by netting the winner against a compact Villarreal unit. Of Course, Cristiano Ronaldo did it again!

Ronaldo’s fifth goal of his second Manchester United coming came on his 178th and record-breaking Champions League appearance but it is a team, not individual honours Solskjær, Ronaldo et al must chase.

Ronaldo’s box-office intervention should not fool anyone, though, as United were again what they currently are: dazed in defence and dizzy in attack, lacking composure where it matters. This should be of deep concern to Solskjær. His side resembles a kick-and-chase schoolboy proposition which can be found out at any moment.

For the unavailable Aaron Wan-Bissaka (suspended), Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw (each injured), Solskjær drafted in Diogo Dalot, Victor Lindelof and Alex Telles in a back four behind a midfield in which the – dreaded, for some fans – McFred partnership was broken up, the manager plumping for the McPob of Scott McTominay and Paul Pogba.

Villarreal tested Manchester United.

Arnaut Danjuma galloped into space along the left and took aim at a David de Gea, who parried. Further holes were punched when Danjuma sold Dalot a prize dummy, the Dutchman’s subsequent effort tipped away by the already busy De Gea.

Manuel Trigueros was next to enjoy prime United space as neither McTominay nor Pogba tracked him and so Paco Alcácer was released, his effort being blocked.

This all meant United were resembling the rabble that went down to Villa – a collection of players rather than a team, with zero foundation and clue.

The Red Devils were just unable to take, and hold possession.

Raphaël Varane missed a simple tackle and Alcácer darted in, his instant effort going wide. Attack-at-will seemed to be United’s message to their visitors, so lax, were they!

Alcacer broke again and pushed the ball wide to Yeremi Pino, and moments later De Gea saved low.

The closest United came to an opener before the break was when Alberto Moreno nearly turned a Pogba chip past Gerónimo Rulli for an own goal: a neat summation of how feeble they were.

After the break, Villarreal ripped them apart along the hapless Dalot’s flank, as Trigueros relayed to Danjuma whose ping over was hit home by Alcacer.

Old Trafford was stunned!

But United soon equalized – and how. Fernandes floated a free-kick over from the right to Telles who, from outside the area, volleyed superbly and cleanly beyond Rulli into the corner. Next, Jadon Sancho – twice – might have given them a lead but he stumbled.

Old Trafford thought their moment had come with 10 minutes left to play when substitute Edinson Cavani had a header at the back post following a Greenwood cross, but the ball flashed wide, seeming to take the veteran Uruguayan by surprise.

Jesse Lingard was next to test Rulli with a chance in injury time as his shot flashed across the near post and forced the Argentine into a quick reflex stop.

It looked as though Manchester United were going to face the difficult prospect of back-to-back games with Atalanta after taking just one point from their opening two games, but there was to be one last moment of drama.

Cristiano Ronaldo did very little throughout the game, even appearing to tire in the latter stages, but an aerial pass into the box fell to Lingard, who lost his footing, but the ball fortuitously to Ronaldo who fired the ball into the back of the net.

Relief reigned at Old Trafford at the full-time whistle, and victory takes United onto three points ahead of two matches against Atalanta, with their hopes of qualification now being much stronger courtesy of Ronaldo.

Note: This article has been posted at Cricketsoccer as CSdesk on 30/09/2021 Cristiano Ronaldo does it again!

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Yet another nightmare for Barcelona at Lisbon

Barcelona returned to Lisbon again, but this time around, the opposition was not Bayern Munich – Benfica faced Barca and they had not beaten the Catalans since 1961. Well, last night they broke the jinx by thrashing the visitors by 3-0. Sadly, Barca experienced yet another nightmare at Lisbon.

Playing on the same pitch where they were humiliated 8-2 by Bayern Munich in the 2019/20 Champions League quarter-finals, Barcelona limped to defeat against the Portuguese side with a combination of poor defending and some horrific finishing.

The results mean Barcelona are now not only winless after their first two matches in Group E but are also goalless and facing the very real possibility of failing to reach the knockout round.

There was a return of Pedri in Ronald Koeman's midfield, while at the back the Dutch boss opted for three centre-backs and upfront a pairing of Luuk de Jong and Memphis Depay.

It was a nightmare start for Barcelona, with Darwin Nunez handing the hosts an early 1-0 lead by moving past the slow-footed Eric Garcia and firing in past goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen for the goal.

After another wobble that saw Roman Yaremchuk force a save out of Ter Stegen, Barcelona found some footing and should have equalised on a clear chance for Luuk de Jong, who botched the shot, followed by missed opportunities for Pedri and Memphis Depay.

Koeman elected to go to his bench in the first half and he hooked the already booked Gerard Pique, who was replaced by Gavi. The veteran centre-back was almost given his second yellow, but nonetheless, it was a shock to see the decorated defender taken off.

The decision also meant Frenkie de Jong dropped back in defence, and with that Barcelona's attacking impetus was badly blunted.

Darwin Nunez nearly had another goal at the start of the second half, this time when Ter Stegen came way off his line, allowing Nunez to round the German shot-stopper and fire a long-range shot with the goal-mouth completely open, only for the ball to hit the post.

Outside of a Sergi Roberto volley off a Memphis pass that was blocked at the far post, Barcelona's attack was generating little, so the recently returned Ansu Fati along with Nico Gonzalez and Philippe Coutinho were summoned for Luuk de Jong, Busquets and Pedri.

But moments after that trio entered the pitch, Benfica made it 2-0 when Rafa Silva followed up Joao Mario's blocked shot with a finish into the net.

The night would grow worse for the Catalonian visitors, with VAR ruling for a penalty in favour of Benfica for a Sergino Dest handball off a Gilberto header. Nunez stepped up and coolly converted the spot-kick, stretching the advantage to 3-0.

For Barcelona, it was just about limiting the damage from that point on, which they managed to do, but not before Eric Garcia got himself sent off for a second yellow card, perfectly encapsulating his side's very forgettable day.

The backline was fragile – Eric Garcia is slow and soft, and Benfica's first goal left him helpless. It's not the first time either. Darwin Nunez did a move at training pace and it was enough for him to outrun Garcia. Meanwhile, Marc-Andre ter Stegen was a shadow of the goalkeeper he once was.

“I feel supported by my players and their attitude,” Koeman declared in his post-match press conference.

“I can only comment on my work with the team.”

“I don't know about the rest, I don't know about the club.”

“The final result is hard to accept, it's not the result we saw on the pitch,” he confirmed.

“I think the team played well until 2-0, we had very clear opportunities to score.”

“That's how you change the game; if they score one of their few chances and get three goals, then there is a big difference.”

“We're in a serious situation, we have only had two games but we have zero points,” Busquets declared in his post-match interview.

“We have to think about moving up the table, we have no other choice.”

“We have to wait and see what happens in the other games. We are bottom, but we must think positively.”

“We had chances which ended up with shots a few meters from goal. The stats are all well and good, but those are chances to score.”

“In the areas where games are decided we haven't been impactful. I think we had enough chances, but we let them off the hook.”

De Jong was one of the better performers on a difficult night for Los Cules, however, the club's Champions League campaign is in danger of being a total disaster after losing to both Bayern Munich and Benfica in their opening two group-stage matches.

“I don't think changing the coach is the solution,” De Jong declared in his post-match interview.

“I can't talk about Koeman, it's not my place.”

“We have to keep fighting, stay together and overcome this situation. We can only escape this with hard work and being united as a team.”

Europe once again brought out the true colours of Barcelona. It was shown once again that the Catalan team are not at the requisite level to play with the best in the continent.

To drop into the Europa League the team would need to finish third in the group, but right now even that is not clear. Perhaps the best thing would be to forget Europe and spend a season tucked under a blanket.

Note: This article has been posted at Cricketsoccer as CSdesk on 30/09/2021 Yet another nightmare for Barcelona at Lisbon

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Juventus beat Chelsea

 

After being beaten by Manchester City at Stamford Bridge it was time for Thomas Tuchel to bounce back at Turin by beating Juventus. Well, Tuchel experienced another setback as Juventus hung on to a slender lead and bagged full points.

Following Chelsea's dismal display in the 1-0 loss to Manchester City on Saturday lunchtime, Thomas Tuchel spoke of a need to improve ahead of Wednesday's European clash, and in truth his team did respond.

It was a bizarre evening where Juventus sacrificed all control of the ball, relying on their defensive quality to stifle Chelsea, whilst the Blues created more chances than their opponents but ultimately fell short.

The first half lacked quality, although Romelu Lukaku forced an outstanding save out of Wojciech Szczesny from close range.

Hakim Ziyech's close control put Juventus' defence on the backfoot as Chelsea held 71 percent possession after the opening half hour.

The Bianconeri's breakthrough came just one minute after half-time, catching Chelsea cold, and it was Chiesa who found himself with space inside the penalty area, powering a finish into the top corner past Edouard Mendy.

Federico Bernardeschi could have doubled Juventus' lead 10 minutes later but flashed a shot wide of the right-hand post.

There was a dramatic climax to the match in the 87th minute, when Chelsea had a penalty shout checked by VAR.

Danilo appeared to misjudge the ball and accidentally handled it, leading to shouts of handball, but VAR determined that there would be no spot-kick for the Blues.

Zenit's 4-0 victory over Malmo earlier in the day saw the Russian club draw level on three points with Tuchel's charges, although the German coach will likely now feel some relief at having back-to-back games against the Swedish club.

Juventus top the group with a perfect six points and two clean sheets, although Massimiliano Allegri will be concerned at the lack of attacking impetus his team showed against the defending champions.

Note: This article has been posted at Cricketsoccer as CSdesk on 30/09/2021 Juventus beat Chelsea

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Brutal Bayern Munich

After gunning down Barcelona at Camp Nou it was time for having fun at Munich for Bayern Munich. They started punching Dynamo Kyiv and when the match ended, Kyiv were left bruised and shattered. Bayern Munich had scored fives as there is no stopping to the brute force.

When the starting lineup of Bayern Munich featured no Benjamin Pavard but all three of Lucas Hernandez, Dayot Upamecano, and Niklas Sule – a three-man backline was on the cards. Sule would presumably play as the right centre-back, while Alphonso Davies would drive up the field to help the attack.

While Davies drifted up field wide as expected, it soon became clear that Julian Nagelsmann intended Sule to play more as a right-back than as a centre-back. But with a twist: just as Davies held the left flank outside of Leroy Sane, Serge Gnabry held the right outside flank while Sule played in the right half-space.

Thus, just two defenders in the shape of Upamecano and Hernandez stood in front of Manuel Neuer while eight players advanced forward including the wing-backs with the intention to aid the two forwards – Thomas Muller and Robert Lewandowski.

Essentially a 2-2-4-1-1 in which Muller had the freedom to roam anywhere he liked.

Bayern Munich kept on pressing, passing the ball fast and scoring goals at will.

Lewandowski, who had failed to score in the league on Saturday to end a 19-game scoring run in all competitions, opened his account in the 12th minute with a well-taken penalty.

He added another in the 27th, latching on to a superb through ball from Thomas Muller to beat the Dynamo keeper before Serge Gnabry thundered in to make it 3-0. Leroy Sane drilled in their fourth in the 74th and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting completed the rout with a header three minutes from the full-time.

The Bavarians were dominant throughout, hardly giving the Ukrainians any space, as their fans enjoyed a goal feast as they returned to the stadium for a European game for the first time since 2019.

Dynamo, who have won only two of their last 14 games in the competition, had a rare chance as Carlos de Pena forced a superb save from Bayern keeper Manuel Neuer after a quick counter-attack in the 41st minute.

But that was their best opportunity of the entire game as Bayern stepped back on the gas midway through the second half to score three more times.

Serge Gnabry thundered in to make it 3-0 in the 68th before Leroy Sane, who had hit the woodwork earlier, drilled in their fourth six minutes later.

Substitute Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting completed the route with a header three minutes from fulltime to lift Bayern.

Leroy Sane was outstanding on the pitch. After an injury-stricken first season, his time at Bayern Munich is coming of age.

After a handful of starts on the right flank, Sane moved to the left, had an assist against Hertha, and has not looked back. Since that game, he now has 7 assists and 4 goals and was on fire against Dynamo Kyiv.

In fact, after torching two defenders and uncorking a rocket on target, the fans in the Allianz Arena could be heard chanting his name - A far cry from the boos he heard early this same season.

Sane played like a man on fire, and he was finally rewarded for his outstanding effort tonight with an assist on Serge Gnabry’s breakaway goal and a screamer of a goal of his own.

Choupo-Moting has an incredible tally of 7 goals and 3 assists in just 187 minutes of game time this season.

Nagelsmann has used Choupo sparingly to relieve Lewandowski when Bayern can afford to sit him for a game or after he has already effectively secured victory. The amazing thing is that Choupo has been hugely productive. And on top of that, he is by all accounts a locker-room favorite.

The German Machine moves on.

Note: This article has been posted at Cricketsoccer as CSdesk on 30/09/2021 Brutal Bayern Munich

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Real Madrid dominate but lose

Fotbal Club Sheriff - commonly known as Sheriff Tiraspol or simply Sheriff, is a Moldovan football club based in Tiraspol, a city located in the unrecognized breakaway state of Transnistria. Founded in 1997 as Tiras Tiraspol and rebranded the following year as Sheriff, it quickly established itself within Moldovan football.

“The Wasps” recorded their debut in the first league in the 1998–99 season, when they also won their first trophy, the Moldovan Cup. They have since amassed 19 championship titles, ten Cups and seven Super Cups–all competition records. On the European stage, Sheriff has reached the group stage of the UEFA Europa League on four occasions and became the first-ever Moldovan side to reach the group stages of the UEFA Champions League in 2021.

On 15 September, Sheriff won their opening group game, 2–0 against Shakhtar Donetsk, before following it up with an upset against one of the heavyweights in club football.

At the Santiago Bernabeu, it was time for Real Madrid to have fun rather than hanging around for a tight finish against a lower-ranked team, who were supposed to be treated like a punching bag. While Liverpool opened the floodgates at Porto, the Madridistas expected the same at Bernabeu – well, they were left shell shocked and as a matter of fact, Sheriff sent shockwaves not only in Madrid but throughout the football world.

Real Madrid suffered one of the most stunning and shocking defeats in their gilded European history with a 1-2 loss to Sheriff Tiraspol in Group D of the 2021-22 Champions League on Tuesday night at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu.

The upstart visitors jumped out to a 1-0 lead, but a strong second half from Los Blancos, including a Karim Benzema penalty conversion, had everyone believing that the 13-time European champions would pull through like always.

But the narrative was turned on its head on a firecracker of a goal from Sebastien Thill, who surely sent shockwaves not just through the Spanish capital but also the entire continent with a late strike that will forever live in Sheriff folklore.

Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti opted to rest Luka Modric, Marco Asensio and Rodrygo Goes, while Miguel Gutierrez, Eduardo Camavinga and Eden Hazard were slotted into the starting XI.

To no one's surprise, Real Madrid came out on the front foot but had to wait a bit before the first chance came when Benzema fired a free-kick that was parried away by Sheriff goalkeeper Giorgos Athanasiadis, who was nothing short of superb the entire night.

Sheriff were hanging tough and midway through the half, they stunned the Bernabeu by taking a surprise 0-1 lead. A counter-attack ended with an inch-perfect cross from Cristiano for the unmarked Jasurbek Yakhshiboev, whose header beat Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.

Real Madrid got right to work to try to pull themselves level, but an error from Courtois almost resulted in a second for the guests, with Yakhshiboev hooking a shot just wide.

Ancelotti's men continued to hammer the Sheriff area, but could only shake their heads when Vinicius, Hazard and Benzema failed to finish chances just minutes apart.

Real Madrid's dominance carried into the second half as they peppered the Sheriff area, yet the visitors stayed compact and were resolute in their defending. Minutes, after Hazard had a crack from outside that, forced Athanasiadis into a diving save, Real Madrid had a big penalty shout when Vinicius went down in the area after a clip from Fernando Costanza, but VAR said otherwise and play continued.

Vinicius kept at it, and moments later VAR would rule in Real Madrid's favour for an Edmund Addo foul on the Brazilian in the Sheriff area. Benzema was tasked with penalty duties and promptly deposited the spot-kick into the back of the net to make it 1-1.

Right after the goal, Ancelotti went to his bench and made four changes, with Toni Kroos, Modric, Luka Jovic and Rodrygo all entering the pitch for Miguel, Casemiro, Hazard and Nacho respectively.

Vinicius was the player doing the damage for Real Madrid and a deflected effort almost fooled Athanasiadis for the home side's second of the night. That was then followed by chances for Modric and Eder Militao, but once again Athanasiadis stood tall to make the saves.

All of Real Madrid's attack was coming through Vinicius on the left-wing and a cut-back pass from Rodrygo was begging to be finished, but instead, it went over the crossbar.

The desperation of the Real Madrid attack and the supporters inside the Bernabeu was felt on every chance that went by the wayside, including a Jovic one in front of the goal in the final minutes.

There was still the sensation that a winner would come, but nobody would have ever guessed that it would be Sheriff to do it, but that's exactly what happened in the final minutes when a ball fell perfectly for Thill, who took it on the bounce and fired an absolute bullet into the left corner of the net to deliver the shock 1-2 victory.

Carlo Ancelotti's men lacked a finishing touch upfront and failed to beat Giorgos Athanasiadis, who produced various great saves to lead his team to victory.

Now, alarms may go off at Real Madrid, but there shouldn't be panic at Los Blancos as there were many things to be positive about from this game, despite the result.

David Alaba is a world-class player, Eduardo Camavinga keeps on shining, Toni Kroos has returned to action, Vinicius Junior is a constant threat for any defence and Karim Benzema scored again.

Alaba is so good that there are games when it seems that Real Madrid are wasting his talent by playing at centre-back.

The Real Madrid defender does everything well. He intercepts, defends, steals balls, leads the team and poses a constant threat from dead-ball scenarios.

No matter how much he earns per year, Alaba's signing was a bargain for Real Madrid.

The Real Madrid academy product – Miguel - has what it takes to become a great football player. Ancelotti is giving him an opportunity against weaker opponents and the young left-back is paying back his coach's confidence with his impressive displays.

Only Alaba and Eder Militao were on the Bernabeu pitch for the final minutes of the game, as Real Madrid attacked in waves in search of an equalizer.

Fede Valverde, Camavinga, Kroos, Luka Modric, Vinicius, Rodrygo Goes, Luka Jovic and Benzema pushed for a second but failed to score.

With an expected goal ratio of 3.29 to Sheriff’s 0.42; Real Madrid digested an unexpected defeat like Manchester City.

Accidents happen in football.  

Note: This article has been posted at Cricketsoccer as CSdesk on 29/09/2021 Real Madrid dominate but lose

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Manchester City lose despite playing well

Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City tamed Thoms Tuchel’s brilliant Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in the game of tactical mastery and then it was time for Pep to beat Pochettino at Paris. Let us remind you again, Pochettino is the manager of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) at present and not Tottenham Hotspur, who have all the elements to be the best, still, a big flop. So, it would not be a tough task for Pep to kick them hard in Paris – well, football was crazy last night in Europe – City lost against PSG, which was surprising.

PSG got off to a great start, as they managed to take the lead just eight minutes into the game through Gueye, who unleashed a thunderous effort inside the box which ended up in the back of the net.

Having played a give-and-go with Messi, Mbappe popped the ball off to Achraf Hakimi and darted for the byline, getting it back unattended before crossing for Neymar, who scuffed his shot. Gueye, though, nipped in ahead of Kyle Walker, took a touch and rasped past Ederson.

Manchester City attempted to bounce back instantly, but they were unlucky to hit the woodwork twice in a matter of seconds as Raheem Sterling's header crashed against the crossbar before Bernardo Silva pounced on the rebound, but his effort from a yard or so came back out off the woodwork.

The Sky Blues piled the pressure on PSG after their wasted double chance, but Gianluigi Donnarumma produced a brilliant save to deny Ruben Dias, who tried to head home from a corner kick just before the break.

Pep Guardiola's men were in control of the game after the break too, but despite dominating possession, they struggled to find a final pass while PSG looked threatening on the counterattack.

And then came Messi's moment.

He found enough space outside City's box on the counter, played a one-two with Kylian Mbappe and then unleashed an effort from the edge of the area to send the ball into the top right corner of Ederson's goal.

That Messi goal took the wind out of City's sails, as they looked resigned to defeat. For PSG, this result is a real signal of intent against arguably England's best team.

City were the better team in the first half when Bernardo Silva advanced a contender for the miss of the season, and they remained on the front foot in the second period until Messi’s goal, even if clear chances became more scarce.

Silva will still not be able to explain how he did not equalise on 27 minutes. The excellent Kevin De Bruyne picked out Raheem Sterling in the middle with the outside of his boot – a sumptuous cross – and Sterling had to score only to head against the crossbar. Then Silva really had to score on the rebound and yet, from point‑blank range and with an open goal gaping, he hit the crossbar. Presnel Kimpembe cleared.

City had more than enough of the play to be level at half-time. They were confident on the ball, advancing through Jack Grealish on the left or making quick switches to Riyad Mahrez on the other flank. They looked capable of springing men in behind a PSG backline that endured nervous moments. Joao Cancelo and Ruben Dias extended Donnarumma.

De Bruyne worked Donnarumma again on 55 minutes and it was City who continued to push.

Donnarumma would save from Mahrez late on.

City had 18 shots to PSG’s six, seven on target to PSG’s three. City had the better xG by 1.9 to 0.8.

Frustration for City piled up, up and up as they were not able to tear down a PSG side that may have the stars but not the coordination and fulfilment that is required to be a champion.

There are moments when the better teams don’t win.

Note: This article has been posted at Cricketsoccer as CSdesk on 29/09/2021 Manchester City lose despite playing well

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Liverpool thrash FC Porto

 

The venue was Porto. The team was FC Porto. And, Liverpool had fun again. The floodgates opened as the Red machine mauled the home side and reminded everyone that they mean business this season.

Liverpool sported black armbands in memory of Roger Hunt but perhaps the finest tribute to their prolific former striker came in the form of another ruthless rout of Porto. Late Roger would have undoubtedly approved of Liverpool’s clinical finishing and vast superiority.

Jurgen Klopp’s team made Porto look like school kids – that had boasted an unbeaten start to the season without conceding a goal at home until Liverpool’s latest bruising arrival.

Sergio Conceicao gathered his squad in a huddle around the centre circle after the final whistle before leading them on a lap of apology around this stadium.

 There were not many Porto fans left to accept it.

They have witnessed 5-1, 4-1 and 5-0 defeats in the last three Champions League home games against Liverpool and had long accepted that any talk of revenge was entirely without foundation.

 Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino netted two goals apiece as Liverpool waltzed to a comfortable 5-1 victory away at Porto.

All of Liverpool’s goal-scorers will acknowledge the contribution of Curtis Jones. The 20-year-old midfielder was involved in all five goals and underlined his growing maturity with a performance that combined defensive industry with creative craft.

Liverpool were the better side from start to finish and managed to turn their superiority into a goal in the 18th minute, when Salah pounced on the rebound after Porto goalkeeper Diogo Costa denied Curtis Jones, as the Egyptian forward netted the opener.

Neither Diogo Jota nor Jordan Henderson managed to beat the goalkeeper on two occasions following Salah's goal, but Sadio Mane doubled Liverpool's lead just before the interval after an assist from James Milner.

Jota wasted another two fine chances after the break to put the game to bed, but Salah didn't miss from inside the box on the hour mark and practically finished the game as a contest.

Porto didn't give in after conceding the third and pushed for a goal, though, with Mehdi Taremi pulling one back with 15 minutes to go, but that seemed to wake Liverpool back up as Roberto Firmino came off the bench to bag a brace after replacing Salah.

Liverpool have registered two wins from two in the Champions League and they currently top Group B on six points, followed by Atletico Madrid with four points and Porto, who have just one point, while bottom-placed AC Milan have lost both of their two Champions League games so far.

Note: This article has been posted at Cricketsoccer as CSdesk on 29/10/2021 Liverpool thrash FC Porto

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10-men AC Milan test Atletico Madrid

The night of the Champions League was back at San Siro after a long time and despite one man down, the Rossoneri gave the La Liga Champions – Atletico Madrid a tough time before losing by 2-1. Milan fought hard and kept close to defend their lead – but perhaps they were let down by the star power of Atleti who bounced back courtesy of Antoine Griezmann and Luis Suarez.

Milan seemed to ride the atmosphere that a raucous crowd of almost 40,000 were providing, pressing high up the field as challenges flew in from both teams making for an exciting but scrappy opening.

There was almost an opening for Milan inside the eighth minute when a sloppy giveaway from Atletico Madrid was seized by Leao, who released a ball in behind the defence that Rebic was about to get onto before a vital clearance from Oblak.

Atletico Madrid had half appeals for a penalty when a ball was stabbed through onto the arm of Tomori, but his arms were down by his side and a VAR check was concluded quickly.

 The early intensity was certainly the order for the day and in the 12th minute, Tomori became the latest to fire on when Milan won the ball back halfway in the Atleti half though his effort sailed wide from 30 yards.

Brahim Diaz will have hoped to have done better a few minutes later when he seized possession inside the Atletico half before dribbling forward and shooting straight into the arms of Oblak with options to the left and right.

With just shy of 20 minutes on the clock, Milan squandered a huge chance to go 1-0 up as Rebic was put through on goal after a fantastic through ball from Brahim Diaz, but Oblak produced a fantastic save with his leg to deny the Croatian.

From the resulting corner, however, it would be 1-0 to the Rossoneri as they got the opener their early pressure deserved. Brahim did fantastically hang onto the ball before squaring to Leao in space, who set himself before sweeping a sweet shot with his right foot into the bottom corner.

The turning point in the game came before the halftime whistle though as Franck Kessie saw red for a second yellow card, though questions have to be asked of the referee’s decision making – it was a harsh decision Cüneyt Çakır the referee.

Pioli responded with a change a few minutes later as Rebic was sacrificed for Sandro Tonali in an attempt to shore up the midfield department after Kessie’s dismissal, with the Croatian forward also on a booking for protesting the red.

The crossbar was rattled eight minutes from the break with an absolutely incredible overhead kick from Leao when he was up against two men inside the box, though the offside flag ensured that any awe would have been cut short.

Diego Simeone responded with a change of his own when Joao Felix game of for Kieran Trippier, who had taken a bit of a kicking in the first 40 minutes of action.

Atletico had the final chance of the first half as a cross from the right-wing was hooked towards goal by Luis Suarez, with the Uruguay international getting a sweet connection but diverting it wide with Maignan rooted.

Simeone looked to make the most of the man advantage by making a double change at the break, with Rodrigo De Paul and Renan Lodi coming on for Carrasco and Hermoso respectively.

The second half started as though it was going to be a game of defence versus attack, and Luis Suarez wasted a huge chance to level the game eight minutes in as he planted a free header from around the penalty spot wide of the post when it seemed harder to miss the net.

Not long before the hour mark Pioli made a double change to try and take a bit more of the sting out of the game, with Leao and Brahim Diaz making way for Olivier Giroud and Fode Ballo-Toure as the switch to a back six took hold.

A couple of changes followed from Los Rojiblancos as Antoine Griezmann and Thomas Lemar entered the fold with Koke and Kondogbia going off, as the latter had got himself into some trouble with the referee, being cautioned.

Atleti’s approached seemed to be one based around keeping possession on the edge of Milan’s box and hoping for some openings, and De Paul should have done better when he wound up to shot from 20 yards out, instead hitting the fans in the first tier.

There was yet another flashpoint in what was turning into a very aggressive and ill-natured game when Suarez tried to reach what he saw as a loose ball inside the box and dived for it knee-first, catching Maignan in the neck which provoked a very unhappy response.

Lemar tested Maignan inside the final 15 minutes as he locked onto the target and fired with his second touch from just outside the box, but he was able to parry fairly comfortably in the end.

With legs clearly tiring as the game wore on, Pioli made a final double change with 10 minutes to go as Saelemaekers and Bennacer came off for Pierre Kalulu and Alessandro Florenzi.

With six minutes left, the sucker punch came from Atletico Madrid and it came through the substitute Griezmann. A ball over to the far post was headed back into a dangerous area by Lodi and volleyed in at the near post with a superb finish as Maignan was mounted to the spot.

Milan found a burst of energy from somewhere and fashioned another chance with ten men as Florenzo charged onto a loose ball and sliced an effort towards the far corner that narrowly missed. It was the man on loan from Roma who found the roof of the net not long after; this time from 40 yards, but Oblak was never in trouble.

In the first of six minutes added on at the end of the game, Maignan produced a fantastic save to stop a turn and volley from Joao Feix.

The referee was again the centre of attention for awarding a late handball and a penalty to Atleti in the final seconds. After a lengthy VAR check that appeared to show Lemar push the ball into Kalulu with his arm if anything, the call stood and Suarez won the game.

AC Milan lost again by fighting it out till the end and tested the top opponents in the Champions League at present.

Simeone spoke to Mediaset’s microphones after the victory against the Rossoneri, and he began with an honest reflection of how the opening stages went, with his comments transcribed by MilanNews.

“At the beginning Milan were superior, they started well, with a fast and dynamic game. After Kessie’s sending off they gave up a bit of ground and we entered the game,” he said.

“In the second half we played with desire to win, against a team that closed well. We needed this victory. In eleven against eleven Milan did better, in the second half we tried in every way. If I had been in Pioli’s place, perhaps I would have thought what he thought. When it turns against you it doesn’t suit you.”

Help from Sempe Milan on the match description 

Note: This article has been posted at Cricketsoccer as CSdesk on 29/09/2021 10-men AC Milan test Atletico Madrid

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Don't write off Antoine Griezmann

The World Champion Antoine Griezmann became the player he was courtesy of Atletico Madrid and Diego Simeone. Then he left for Barcelona and the downfall started. At club level, his form was hitting the rock bottom and it was not the Griezmann with which the world was accustomed to. Barcelona totally unsettled the Frenchman and right now, he is the shadow of the past.

He returned to the club which made him, still, after five games in the La Liga, Griezmann has not cut a satisfactory figure for Atletico Madrid.

A period of adaptation is always to be expected with a new signing, but after 304 minutes, more was expected of Griezmann, especially as he knows the club, the coach, La Liga and he arrived as match fit as he had been playing with Barcelona before the move.

While it is still very early in the season, some are beginning to be a bit concerned that the France international hasn't got going yet.

The defeat against Alaves at Mendizorrotza was Griezmann's first 90 minutes since his return to Atleti, but it was a disappointing afternoon for the whole team and Diego Simeone wants to see more from all his players.

In La Liga for Los Colchoneros, Griezmann is averaging just one dribble per game and his passing accuracy is a mere 70 percent.

Everyone knows how good he can be, but the worry for Simeone and Atleti fans is whether this is just a slow start or if Griezmann won't get back to the level he was at before.

But don’t write off Griezmann yet, especially with El Cholo in charge as he knows how to get the best out of him, but it's been a disappointing start to his comeback and the seeds of doubt are beginning to be sown about whether Atleti has signed the Griezmann they remember or the Griezmann that played for Barcelona.

Note: This article has been posted at Cricketsoccer as CSdesk on 26/09/2021 Don't write off Antoine Griezmann

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Lazio of Maurizio Sarri overcome Jose Mourinho’s Roma challenge

The Derby della Capitale is also known as Derby Capitolino and Derby del Cupolone, as well as The Rome Derby in English and Derby di Roma in Italian, is the football local derby in Rome between Lazio and Roma. It is considered to be one of the fiercest intra-city derbies in the country, along with the other major local derbies, Derby della Madonnina (Milan derby) and Derby della Mole (Turin derby), and one of the greatest and hotly contested derbies in Europe.

The 165th Derby della Capitale kicked off in the evening yesterday and for the first time in 55 years, neither of the teams’ starting lineup featured a Roman-born player.

Despite the lack of local flavour on the pitch, the 30,000 fans in the stands made sure everyone at home knew what they were missing – an absolute mouthwatering and nail-biting encounter.

From the impressive tifo displays at kickoff to the contrasting reds and blues of the kits to the superstar managers prowling the sidelines, the atmosphere at the Stadio Olimpico was electric.

With both sides easing their way into the match, the opening 10 minutes or so was rather dull, but the early returns weren't great for Roma. Lazio created the game's first few chances, probing the Roma backline with well-placed long balls into the likes of Pedro, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, and Ciro Immobile, each of whom found effective space in Roma's final third in the first 10 to 12 minutes this afternoon.

While Roma did well to contain the Lazio threat early on, they were soon exposed by the home club, who found some gaping seems in the Roma backline to draw first blood in the derby.

Milinkovic-Savic headed in the opener before Pedro scored against his former club to double Lazio's lead and become the third player to score for both teams in the capital derby, after netting for Roma in this fixture in May.

Nicolo Zaniolo struck the post before Roger Ibanez pulled one back for Mourinho's side, but Felipe Anderson restored a two-goal advantage for Lazio in the second half by finishing off a clinical counter-attack.

Jordan Veretout converted a controversial penalty to keep alive Roma's hopes but veteran goalkeeper Pepe Reina produced two excellent saves to deny the Giallorossi an equalizer.

Across a typically feisty encounter, referee Marco Guida dished out six bookings - but speaking afterwards, Mourinho stated that he felt the match was undone by his grip on the whistle.

“Unfortunately, a fantastic game was ruined by the referee and VAR, who were not at the right level for this match," the veteran manager told DAZN in his comments at full-time.

“The second goal could’ve been 1-1, it went to 2-0. The [lack of a] second yellow for Lucas Leiva was important too. I think my team was the best on the field today.

“We dominated, we gave Lazio huge problems, they controlled the final minutes the way they wanted to, and because the referee allowed them to do so.”

Despite his criticism of the referee, the former Inter boss was quick to highlight the improvement of Serie A since his last tenure in Italy.

“Italian football has improved a great deal from [a decade] ago,” the 58-year-old added.

“The quality of football, the attacking approach, the desire to win, have all improved.”

The loss against Lazio hands Roma their second defeat in their last three league games, which has checked their stride as they attempt to keep pace with the summit.

Note: This article has been posted at Cricketsoccer as CSdesk on 26/09/2021  Lazio of Maurizio Sarri overcome Jose Mourinho’s Roma challenge

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Arsenal thrash Tottenham Hotspur in North London Derby

The Midas touch of Nuno Espirito Santos in the early stages of the Premier League seems to be history too early as Tottenham Hotspur were thrashed in the North London Derby by Arsena, who were among the strugglers and Mikel Arteta has been under immense pressure since the new season kicked off. Well, the smile is back at the Emirates as London is Red today.

Arsenal's Granit Xhaka returned from a three-game suspension to immediately regain his place in the midfield, seeing Albert Sambi Lokonga dropped to the bench by boss Mikel Arteta. In goal, Aaron Ramsdale makes his derby debut and retains the gloves ahead of Bernd Leno after back-to-back clean sheets in the Premier League. While, upfront, captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang started despite Alexandre Lacazette's good goal-scoring record against Spurs.

For the visitors, Tanguy Ndombele had worked his way back and, after registering Spurs' opener in midweek, joins Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg in the all-important engine room. Meanwhile, Lucas Moura started in a three-man attack led by Harry Kane.

The first couple of minutes had been frantic and gradually the Spurts started o lose the tempo – plenty of gaps were visible at the back and centre of the park which was well exploited by the hosts.

The opening goal arrived to change the mood at the stadium.

Saka got into the area on the right and rather scuffed a square pass, into a good area rather than aimed at any individual but Smith Rowe ghosted at pace from the left into the centre of the area and timed his arrival perfectly to run onto the ball and turned it in from 10 yards.

Tierney passed upfield to Aubameyang, who turns it around the corner for Smith Rowe, who flew down the left before pulling back to Aubameyang, whose first time shot bounces in at the far corner!

Ramsdale’s poor pass was instrumental there. Immediately four Spurs players sprung forward, hoping to profit from a high turnover, but when there was no turnover they were all out of position and all it took was one good forward pass and one first-time flick to fillet Tottenham like a hapless haddock.

The Thierry Henry-like celebration of Aubameyang impressed the legend himself present at the gallery and it was the Arsenal for whom he once ruled the roost.

The Spurs looked directionless and were chasing shadows.

Ndombele passed infield to a stumbling Kane, lurking in his now-customary position 45 yards from goal, but he could not decide what to do with it and in the end, was so confused he falls over.

Arsenal took possession.

Saka ran down the right, cut infield and tried to pass across to Aubameyang. But Kane had sprinted back in an attempt to make amends for his mistake and he slid in, cut out the pass and deflected it back into the path of Saka, who side-footed across Lloris and it was 3-0!

The Spurs were at sixes and sevens.

After the break, there was nothing special from the visitors until the seventy-ninth minute when Sergio Reguilon sent a low cross into the area and Heung-Min Son ran beyond Thomas Partey and side-footed past Ramsdale.

But it was too late – Arsenal were n no mood to let this Derby win slip out of their hands and after the final whistle Mikel Arteta looked a relieved man – he was smiling with his colleagues and finally, his unit is clicking.

Note: This article has been posted at Cricketsoccer as CSdesk on 26/09/2021 Arsenal thrash Tottenham Hotspur in North London Derby

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Barcelona win against Levante

While Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid cut a frustrating figure this weekend, their heavyweight rivals, Barcelona bounced back from the wilderness with a thumping victory against Levanter. This victory was much needed to boost the morale of a unit that has been heavily down over the past few months.

Poor efforts in their previous two LaLiga Santander contests made Sunday's encounter a pivotal one, and Barcelona responded with a very solid effort, which included a much-anticipated return from Ansu Fati, who scored in the waning minutes to top off a bright day for the Blaugrana.

Suspended head coach Ronald Koeman sent out a starting XI that had youngsters Nico Gonzalez and Gavi in the mix in midfield, while Eric Garcia returned to his post at centre-back.

After suffering through their last several matches in terms of scoring goals, Barcelona got an early break when Nemanja Radoja fouled Memphis Depay in the area, which the Dutchman clinically converted to give his side a 1-0 lead.

Levante were making things easy for Barcelona in attack and Luuk de Jong then opened up his Barcelona account by receiving a pass from Sergino Dest and hammering a right-footed finish past Levante goalkeeper Aitor Fernandez for a 2-0 advantage.

Barcelona were enjoying their football and Gerard Pique could have easily made it three had he connected on a cross from Memphis. That was then followed by chances for both Memphis and Gavi.

The good vibes continued into the second half, and the Camp Nou was even more delighted at the hour mark when Riqui Puig was brought on for Philippe Coutinho.

The cheers were even louder in the half when Ansu Fati made his long-awaited return from his meniscus injury in the 80th minute, replacing Luuk de Jong, while Ronald Araujo and Yusuf Demir came on for Oscar Mingueza and Gavi.

Barcelona's triple substitution led to some switching off from their defence and after Jose Luis Morales fired wide for Levante, Marc-Andre ter Stegen had to produce a big save to stop Alex Cantero from scoring and maintain the two-goal advantage.

All that was lacking was a dream return for Ansu Fati, and the 18-year-old promptly delivered with a fierce right-footed strike that wrapped up the three points and made it 3-0.

Note: This article has been posted at Cricketsoccer as CSdesk on 26/-09/2021 Barcelona win against Levante

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Real Madrid fall flat

Real Madrid were flying and lavishing praises were showered on them, but here comes a night when nothing went right for the Los Blancos as they fired blank against a resolute Villarreal of Unai Emery. Real Madrid returned to earth after last night.

After having their way in midweek versus Mallorca, it was the complete opposite for Carlo Ancelotti's men against the Yellow Submarine, who were resolute, organized and compact in turning away Los Blancos.

Ancelotti showed a wrinkle to his starting XI, as Fede Valverde slotted in at right-back and Nacho was at left-back. Luka Modric and Casemiro returned to midfield, along with Marco Asensio, and Rodrygo in the attack.

The first scoring chance went the way of Villarreal, with Arnaut Danjuma hammering a shot that forced Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois into a stretch save.

There was some poking and prodding from Madrid, but nothing that gave Villarreal goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli any trouble. If anything, Villarreal remained the better side and Dajuma again had a crack a goal, only to see his effort slice wide.

Ancelotti did not hesitate to make a change during the break, bringing on Eduardo Camavinga for Rodrygo and the home side were immediately better and came close on an Eder Militao header off an Asensio freekick.

Villarreal weren't going away either and it was all there for Paco Alcacer to give his side the lead, but couldn't connect right in front of Courtois.

Later on, Eden Hazard was brought on for Modric, as Madrid continued to push for a winner, followed by Isco for Asensio.

Isco nearly made an immediate impact with a header that was blocked by Rulli, resulting in a mad scramble in front of the goal and ultimately a clearance.

Madrid committed everyone forward in the final minutes in search of the decisive goal, but Villarreal were unbreakable, leaving Los Blancos to rue two points lost at home.

“It wasn't our best night, we didn't play our best game this season,” Ancelotti explained in his press conference.

“Villarreal gave our goalkeeper a lot to do and we had a lot of difficulty.”

“We kept going.”

Ancelotti has been explaining several decisions. His defensive concerns are born far from his own area and close to that belonging to the opponent. He wants his team to press high up the pitch, provoking mistakes in the other team's penalty area, however, you need the players to do that.

The deployment of Valverde and Camavinga against Real Mallorca and Casemiro and Modric against Villarreal was strange. It's impossible to pretend that the latter can provide the same pressure that the former can.

Luka Modric and Casemiro didn't have their best of games, yet Ancelotti refused to accept they were less fresh than others players around them.

“It was noticeable due to the lack of pressure and they had to cover a lot of the pitch, but it wasn't tiredness,” he continued.

“Playing with Vinicius, Hazard, Asensio, Isco and Karim, the two midfielders have to work a lot.”

Valverde was selected at right-back in what was the biggest surprise of the night, yet Ancelotti defended his choice.

“I liked it because he can play anywhere,” he declared.

“For me, he isn't a right-back but I needed a lot of forward movement and I tried to put Asensio between the lines.”

“We looked for one against one situation, we put in crosses but they have a lot of height, we had difficulty in the pressure and they handled the ball very well.”

Yeremy Pino gave Nacho a torrid night and anyone watching will have been glued to the battle on the right side. Yeremy went wide whenever he wanted, he created chances at will and forced Los Blancos to unbalance themselves by putting a second defender to cover him.

The full-back debate at Real Madrid is becoming to be a real worry for Ancelotti. The Italian would be fair to hold some reservations about Miguel's ability to start in high-intensity matches, but should that doubt be enough to leave the whole team unbalanced?

After the Mestalla it has become clear that Lucas Vazquez will have a difficult time playing at right-back again, but even though Nacho isn't at his best there, playing Valverde in that position saw the team lose every bit of solidity in the middle. Miguel may have done a better job keeping Yeremy quiet as well.

Courtois did his thing, which is to be the best goalkeeper on the planet at this moment. He made a great save from Danjuma with his foot, and he then cleared everything else which came his way. The best news for Madrid is that even if they play poorly, they have a goalkeeper who is virtually an insurance policy behind them.

Unai Emery is a great coach and one of the best on the training pitch on a day-to-day basis. Villarreal played well at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu and they negated Los Blancos' high-press with extreme ease. It was only the final ball that was missing.

Note: This article has been posted at Cricketsoccer as CSdesk on 26/09/2021 Real Madrid fall flat

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Brentford and Liverpool script wild ride

When the smaller teams attempt to punch above their weight, without a doubt, the contest becomes simmering and Liverpool experienced a tough going against Brentford in their away match yesterday. Jurgen Klopp was seen shaking his head after the final whistle but he would agree that it was a Brentford side that never stopped believing.

These two clubs last met in the league in May 1947 when Brentford’s 12-year stay in the First Division came to an end despite a 1-1 draw at the old Griffin Park. After 74 years, surely, it was time to have fun for Liverpool, but it was the repeat of a draw in a different way.

Obviously, the start of Brentford was shaky, still, they did not lose focus - Kristoffer Ajer scrambled back to clear Salah’s shot off the line after playing him onside, it was the enterprising hosts who should have gone ahead in a frantic opening 10 minutes.

Toney and Frank Onyeka both had opportunities to score after Liverpool’s defence failed to clear the danger before Bryan Mbeumo opted to lift the ball over Alisson when through on goal, allowing Joël Matip to prevent it from crossing the line.

With Trent Alexander-Arnold, Matip and Andy Robertson restored to their defence, Liverpool should have looked more secure but they struggled to contain the live wire Toney and Mbeumo in particular.

Toney’s brilliant back-heel diverted a driven cross from the Liverpool academy product Sergi Canos into the path of Pinnock at the back post to open the scoring.

Brentford’s joy was short-lived, however. A brilliant cross from Jordan Henderson allowed Diogo Jota to ghost in front of his marker and guide home the equalizer.

The woodwork and an excellent save from David Raya to deny Curtis Jones and then Jota prevented Liverpool from going in ahead at half-time.

Alexander-Arnold and Robertson pushed forward at the start of the second half as a sign of Liverpool’s intent and it did not take long for them to find the breakthrough after Raya saved Jota’s effort from point-blank range.

Fabinho’s floated ball to the back post deceived all of the Brentford defence and there was Salah to volley home his landmark goal despite the assistant referee initially flagging him offside. Replays showed it was Canós who had played the Egyptian onside.

But Brentford again found a way through Liverpool’s brittle defence with relative ease. Pontus Jansson’s shot crashed off the bar after a cross into the box before Vitaly Janelt was able to nod the ball just over the line despite Alexander-Arnold’s best efforts to get there first.

Parity lasted all of three minutes, though, as Jones let fly from the edge of the box and his shot deflected off the unfortunate Ajer to beat Raya at his near post.

Salah would certainly have sealed the victory had he not spurned a golden opportunity when his side were leading 3-2 but this was all about the pulsating performance from Thomas Frank’s new boys that sparked into life whenever needed as Yoane Wissa – came on as a late substitute just four minutes earlier having joined from Lorient in the summer, coolly lifted the ball over Alisson to seal a deserved point for Brentford.

“We went toe-to-toe with one of the best teams in the Premier League and more than held our own,” said a delighted Frank.

“It was a wild ride,” admitted Klopp, who was also full of praise for the outstanding Ivan Toney. “We played some of the best football we have played this season but struggled against their long balls. It was really tricky for us to control the game and they deserved their three goals. But we got a point so it’s not so bad.”

Note: This article has been posted at Cricketsoccer as CSdesk on 26/09/2021 Brentford and Liverpool script wild ride

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Alaves shock Atletico Madrid

 

At Old Trafford, Manchester United digested a shocking defeat against Aston Villa. At Stamford Bridge, Manchester City ended Chelsea’s unbeaten run. And, at Mendizorroza, the La Liga Champions were stunned by Deportivo Alaves.

La Liga strugglers Alaves condemned reigning champions Atletico Madrid to their first loss of the season with a 1-0 win at home on Saturday afternoon.

The result also marked Alaves' first win of the season after going into this game rock bottom of the table with only one goal in their run of five losses prior.

Alaves' fourth-minute goal took Atleti completely by surprise, as Ruben Duarte's corner towards the far post was headed home by captain Victor Laguardia, who made a late run into the box before putting the Basque side a goal ahead.

The result left Diego Simeone's side second on 14 points, two behind leader Real Madrid, which is in action later on Saturday when it hosts Villarreal.

“We need to improve and ensure that our games are more consistent because right now they really aren't,” Simeone said.

“It's always tough when the opposition closes up shop. We didn't have the kind of speed or skill needed to undo them. The most important thing for us is to improve and grow and I'm confident we're heading in the right direction with the work we're doing,” he added.

Atleti huffed and puffed as it attempted to find a way back into the match after such an early blow, but was kept out by admirable defending from the host.

After an underwhelming couple of seasons at Barcelona, much was made about the return of Griezmann to a club where he bagged 133 goals across five seasons, with fans hopeful that he could rediscover his best form.

Unfortunately for them, it's been the complete opposite story. In a dysfunctional Atletico Madrid team, they have struggled this season whenever Griezmann featured on the pitch. 

Marcos Llorente, Luis Suarez and substitute Angel Correa all went close for the visitor and Laguardia headed Kieran Trippier's shot off the line.

Tomas Pina missed a glorious chance to double Alaves's lead nine minutes from time, but fired over when unmarked on the penalty spot - but his side hung on to claim the first victory over Atleti since 2003.

Note: This article has been posted at Cricketsoccer as CSdesk on 25/09/2021 Alaves shock Atletico Madrid

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Aston Villa trigger shockwave at Old Trafford

 

Old Trafford was buzzing because weekend football is back and the kind of form the Red Devils have been at the moment, yet another party was expected. Sadly, the match ended up with deafening silence at the Theatre of Dreams.

A late Kortney Hause headed goal condemned Manchester United to their third defeat in their last four games, with Aston Villa taking all three points at Old Trafford.

The home side also missed a golden chance to salvage a point when Bruno Fernandes uncharacteristically blasted an injury-time penalty over the bar after Hause had handled the ball in the area.

Manchester United have beaten Villa more times than they have any other side in the competition and went into Saturday's clash at Old Trafford unbeaten at home against their visitors since December 2009.

And yet, as they looked to bounce back following their disappointing Carabao Cup exit at the hands of West Ham in midweek, the spark required to get back to winning ways was badly missing.

A third defeat in four, with the only win in that, run coming via a stoppage-time penalty save, and there will be sections of the fan base sharpening their knives and pointing them in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's direction.

It was the usually so-reliable Fernandes who won the penalty when his delivery was handled by Kortney Hause, Mike Dean giving the kick after giving the call due consideration.

When the final whistle went Hause ended as the architect of taming United at their own backyard. It was his powerful header only a few moments before, from Douglas Luiz’s corner, which had beaten David de Gea to send the defender, his teammates and the raucous travelling support into ecstasy.

Villa had a clear, coherent plan, which they executed well, while United lacked real imagination when it came to their own attacking play.

The front three, and Anthony Martial, in particular, were rightly criticised for their display in the Carabao Cup, but here Cristiano Ronaldo was back and looking to add to his goal tally of four goals in his first three matches back at the club.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner, though, was barely in the game, managing just four shots and none on target.

Instead, it was Mason Greenwood who was the brightest of the front three here, as his direct runs allowed him to get behind the Villa backline regularly, but even he could not find a breakthrough.

The defeat was further compounded by the fact that two of Solskjaer’s first-choice defenders, Luke Shaw and Harry Maguire, were forced off with injuries. With Aaron Wan-Bissaka already suspended for the Champions League meeting with Villarreal, Solskjaer will hope neither of the knocks picked up by his England stars is too serious.

The loss means that the Red Devils missed the chance to go top of the Premier League and now sit in the fourth spot but level on points with Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool, with the latter having a game in hand.

Manchester United are keeping pace in the league for now, but the pattern will be a cause for concern as it becomes evident that signing Cristiano Ronaldo can't paper over all the cracks.

Note: This article has been posted at Cricketsoccer as CSdesk on 25/09/2021 Aston Villa trigger shockwave at Old Trafford

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Pep Guardiola smiles at Stamford Bridge

 

“It was a day where Tuchel could not overcome the tactics of Pep Guardiola”

 Which team would dare to challenge the European Champions at their own den? In the Premier League, Chelsea of Thomas Tuchel are flying high and before today’s high-voltage clash against Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, the Blues were unbeatable at home and they have been winning at home with a lot of style and panache. Here comes Pep with his boys at Stamford Bridge and left the venue after painting it sky blue.

Pep – the master tactician – has studied Tuchel’s Chelsea this season in detail and the plan for Manchester City was to remain calm and composed, apply the pressing game create a zone in the half-space for his players to exploit and stay as narrow as possible at the back. It might have taken the style out of City, but in return, it brought full points and ended the brilliant run of Chelsea – especially at Stamford Bridge.

Mason Mount’s absence through injury forced Tuchel to squeeze the space in midfield by starting with N’Golo Kante alongside Jorginho and Mateo Kovacic.

 It was a continuation of the plan that proved so effective during the second half against Tottenham Hotspur and there were times when it seemed that the intention of Chelsea was to catch City on the counter - urging them to inch forward before stealing possession and playing quick balls to Timo Werner and Romelu Lukaku upfront.

But Pep wanted Chelsea to play in such a manner.  

Aymeric Laporte and Ruben Dias checked Werner, which ultimately isolated Lukaku – none of them were at the same wavelength. Rodri cut the supply chain to Chelsea’s forwards and that extra layer of security gave City more balance, allowing their creative talents to shine.

Bernardo Silva was an intelligent presence in the midfield and Phil Foden performed as the false nine – always there to catch the backline of the blues with an element of surprise.

The tempo was not up to the mark in the first half though - Foden who made the clearest chance, pulling left to find Jesus, swiped wide when he should have at least tested Edouard Mendy.

Rodri saw an effort from long range deflected narrowly over; Kevin De Bruyne was frustrated by Andreas Christensen when he found space on the edge of the area; Mendy punched away an inswinging corner from Foden.

After 27 minutes Guardiola held a discussion with Jesus, Silva and Kyle Walker during a break of play.

Jesus stretched his play on the right and pressed Antonio Rudiger and there were times when the forward was too tentative in possession – meanwhile, he was lacking the pace to beat the left-back Marcos Alonso. Still, Jesus did not lose focus.

On the right Silva, Walker and Kevin de Bruyne joined the party to press the Chelsea players that paid rich dividends after the break.

After 53 minutes, Joao Cancelo dropped a shoulder and fired a low shot into the area from 25 yards. Jesus collected the ball, produced some nimble footwork to make space and earned a slice of luck when his low shot took a deflection off Jorginho, leaving Mendy stranded as the ball squirted into the bottom-right corner.

It was the breakthrough that resulted from a very good pressing and the Blues needed to bounce back but they failed to break down a City unit that was enough compact.  

Chelsea, who lost an attacking outlet when Cesar Azpilicueta was forced to move right wing-back after Thiago Silva replaced the injured Reece James – lost the link-up play with Mount. They improved after Kante made way for Kai Havertz, who was denied by an offside flag when he teed up Lukaku to finish.

Chelsea threw more bodies forward but it was a day where Tuchel could not overcome the tactics of Pep Guardiola.

Note: This article has been posted at Cricketsoccer as CSdesk on 25/09/2021 Pep Guardiola smiles at Stamford Bridge

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Vinicius Junior: The shining diamond

“Some players take time to flourish. But when they do flourish, they become a box-office hit and continue to shine. Vinicius Junior is taking time to flourish and at the moment, he is showcasing his talent on a consistent basis. Maybe we are not very far from witnessing one of the best in world football in the coming days”

 

When it became clearer that Kylian Mbappe would not don the shirt of Real Madrid this season, it certainly hit the expectations of the Madridistas very hard. They were expecting something big during this summer transfer – but Florentino Perez signed an exciting young talent named Eduardo Camavinga and invested faith in Carlo Ancelotti and the young guns in his club – especially the Brazilian - Vinicius Junior.

Vinicius came to Real Madrid by creating a lot of hype three years ago and it has taken him a while to adapt and settle, which triggered impatience among the fans and critics to question his signing.  

The comparisons with Neymar were inevitable given their nationality and the fact both moved to La Liga at a young age, but it must be remembered that Neymar arrived at Barcelona at 21 years old and was very much already an internationally renowned star.

Last season, Vinicius showed glimpses of what was to come as Zinedine Zidane gave him more opportunities and he responded with displays such as the one against Liverpool when his brace helped Los Blancos reach the Champions League semi-finals.

By the end of the campaign, the CIES Football Observatory had him rated as the most valuable player in Real Madrid's squad.

Still, the finishing of Vinicius made him a target of harsh criticisms from the fans.

Despite all the trolls, Vinicius never lost hope and kept on working on his shortcomings and all those hard work has started to pay off this season, which was supposed to be the season of Mbappe.

In just six La Liga games so far, he's scored five times and has already overtaken his previous best tally for domestic goals of three. He's just one goal shy of equalling his best goalscoring season at Real Madrid and it's only September. He has, along with Benzema, Thibaut Courtois, Eder Militao, and Fede Valverde, played in every game under Carlo Ancelotti so far.

His appearance against Real Mallorca marked his 125th for the club at 21 years, two months and 10 days old, having already become one of the youngest players to hit a century of appearances at the club.

Vinicius' 100th appearance came on March 1, and only Camacho, Iker Casillas and Raul Gonzalez did it at a younger age.

Since hitting 100 appearances, Vinicius has played every Real Madrid match, taking him to 125 now. Eighteen of those came last season, with the other seven this term.

At Vinicius' age now, Sergio Ramos had played 99 times for the club, Marcelo 72, Nacho Fernandez two, and Benzema hadn't yet debuted. Casillas' total of 136 games by Vinicius' current age isn't much higher.

Last season, only Courtois (51) played more than the Brazilian's 49 games, and he's featured in 56 of the last 59 Real Madrid matches. Under Ancelotti, Vinicius has become untouchable.

La Liga has found its superstar and that is none other than the Brazilian “Novo Neymar” – Vinicius Junior.

One of the most striking points this season and which is the finishing ability of Vinicius – five goals from six games only shows his improvement than the previous seasons.

A right-footed, but left-sided attacker – Vinicius has offered flair, flamboyance, pace, dribbling and goals – that is making him the poster boy of Real Madrid.

He is beating the defenders regularly, doing so more often than not by pushing the ball past his opponents and quickly accelerating in the direction that he has moved the ball rather than through his manipulation of the ball and quick feet, like Neymar.

He can do so to either side effectively and sometimes even lifting it over a defender before attempting to retain possession on the other side of them. Such is his confidence that he will also regularly try to nudge the ball through an opponent’s legs.

He failed more often than not, but there is no sign that he will not continue to try and he is always trying to iron out the chinks in his armour.  

His impressive acceleration means that opponents cannot commit to closing Vinicius down too tightly if he receives the ball while wide.

His movement is extremely clever and a crucial part of what makes him so effective. He shows great awareness both of where space is and how to use it – he often uses quick in-to-out movements to draw an opponent towards the ball before spinning out into the space he has created.

The dribbling abilities of Vinicius made him a spectacle at age level football, but at the top level, it became one of his enemies.

His natural instinct to dribble the ball too much aided the opposition defender standing on the last line of defence hamper his rhythm quickly and gain control over the ball from Vinicius.

More often his decision-making when one-on-one with a goalkeeper or defender always let him down.

The short passing and link play of Vinicius was not particularly strong, but he did show glimpses of ability when combining in intricate areas around the edge of the area. If a pass was misplaced, Vinicius had been quick to react and counter-press that reaped a rich harvest.

The pieces were needed to be joined together to galvanize such a gifted boy and it was Ancelotti, who stepped up to help Vinicius.

 Following the match against Levante, Carlo Ancelotti revealed the Brazilian’s new focus:

“Vinicius is very good in one-on-one situations. As for scoring goals, I’ve told him that it’s rare to score after taking five or six touches. To score, you need one-touch or maybe two maximum. You have to be in the box.”

It worked and Vinicius has rediscovered himself - All five goals have been scored inside the area. All four goals, once inside the area, have been with two or less touches.

Famous blogging site, Managing Madrid states, “He has taken an average of two additional (+2) shots per game and an average of (+2.5) additional shots on target per game. He has reduced the number of yards from where he shoots by (-2.6) yards vs last season and by (-6.3) yards since his 2018-2019 season when he first broke out. The closer you are to goal, the better chance of scoring. More shots, more shots on target, and closer to goal = higher probability of goals. The Brazilian’s per 90 non-penalty xG is a mouth-watering 0.76 — a figure that will likely fall, but if the above metrics on shots and distance hold, will not be way off.”

“It’s not only the Brazilian’s shooting that has improved but his positioning as well. He is starting higher up the pitch, positioning himself on the oppositions’ backline, ready to ignite a transition. Data from Fbref, shows Vinicius is pressing half as much as he did last season, instead of conserving that energy for the counterattack. He is taking an average of 7 more touches in the final third per game (+21% vs. last year), and receiving +1 additional progressive passes in the final third vs. last season.”

“At the game level I see a player with impressive one-on-one ability," a happy Ancelotti told the reporters before the roster against Valencia.

“Today's Vinicius is the same that I saw when he was not here, what happens is that this season he started scoring and that has given him confidence. I am not a magician, just a coach who has to give players the confidence they need to express their qualities.”

“Vinicius has taken the team on our backs on several occasions and at this moment is what he has to do, when he is more a veteran he will be able to put his character and experience.”

Some players take time to flourish. But when they do flourish, they become a box-office hit and continue to shine. Vinicius Junior is taking time to flourish and at the moment, he is showcasing his talent on a consistent basis. Maybe we are not very far from witnessing one of the best in world football in the coming days.  

Note: This article has been posted at Cricketsoccer on 24/09/2021 Vinicius Junior: The shining diamond

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Faisal Caesar 

Dismal Barcelona

After escaping the Granada scare, Barcelona dished out a frustrating display against Cadiz and things are not looking good at the moment in Camp Nou. The team is lacking an attacking plan in the final third, the confidence is low and Ronald Koeman seems to be running out of ideas. 

Barcelona suffered from a second straight poor performance in LaLiga Santander with a desultory 0-0 draw at Cadiz on Thursday night at the Estadio Nuevo Mirandilla.

The Catalonian visitors did little in the way of creating chances and then had to play the final 25 minutes with 10 men after a foolish sending off for Frenkie de Jong.

The big news in the starting XI of coach Ronald Koeman was the inclusion of Gavi, while Sergi Roberto and Philippe Coutinho were each relegated to the bench. Luuk de Jong was also slotted up top with countryman Memphis Depay, while Oscar Mingueza and Gerard Pique each got nods in defence.

While Barcelona controlled possession, Cadiz weren't one bit concerned about the visitors, as Koeman's men hardly offered anything going forward and posed little risk to the men in yellow.

At the other end, it was also fairly quiet for goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen making for a very tepid first 45 minutes between the two sides.

Koeman's first change saw Sergi Roberto replace Demir to start the second half, and the pace picked up with Alvaro Negredo testing Ter Stegen and back-to-back chances for Depay.

Things then took another turn midway through the half when Frenkie de Jong picked up a pair of yellow cards in four minutes, giving Cadiz a man advantage.

Koeman countered with Coutinho on for Luuk de Jong and Riqui Puig replacing Sergino Dest, however it was an error from Puig that almost gifted a winner to the hosts, with Ter Stegen denying Salvi.

That then led to an end-to-end finale, with Barcelona nearly sneaking in a late winner through Depay, but the shot missing the target, resulting in a share of the spoils.

Barcelona don't have much, neither with 10 nor 11 players on the pitch They again showed how limited they are, and it could well be Koeman's last game. Whoever comes in has Everest to climb.

There was no sign of Luuk de Jong as he made his first start. He offered almost nothing, even when crosses came into the area.

Barcelona's future is in Gavi's hands. He played well at Cadiz and was at the centre of a lot of what Barcelona did, quite the opposite of so many of the bigger names in the team.

Marc-Andre ter Stegen was brilliant again when called upon. He made good saves to prevent a complete humiliation. At least Koeman knows that he had the German.

Cadiz showed great endurance on the night, and they were an insurmountable wall that the Catalans couldn't get over.

Note: This article has been posted at Cricketsoccer as CSdesk on 24/09/2021 Dismal Barcelona

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Faisal Caesar 

Real Madrid gun down Mallorca

At Santiago Bernabeu it was a goal-fest where Real Madrid enjoyed scoring goals after goals to stamp their authority in this season’s La Liga – they are not only a serious title contender but are well poised to challenge the might of the best teams in Europe. Carlo Ancelotti promised an attacking and fluid football and till now, he has kept his promise.

Mallorca made seven changes to their side, with only Reina, Valjent, Olivan and Kubo keeping their places in the starting line-up, as they looked to put their recent results behind them.

Ancelotti made four changes to his Real Madrid team, with Miguel Gutierrez, Marco Asensio, Camavinga and Rodrygo Goes coming into the starting line-up, with Dani Carvajal, Casemiro, Luka Modric and Eden Hazard all dropping out.

Real Madrid could not have asked for an easier start, as a slip from Josep Gaya gift-wrapped a chance to Benzema, who promptly swooped upon the loose ball and finished for an early 1-0 lead.

The errors and bad bounces kept coming for Mallorca and Asensio was happy to take advantage against his former club, taking a ball that deflected off a defender and goalkeeper Manolo Reina and firing into the net to make it 2-0.

The Real Madrid fans were wrapping up their celebration when suddenly it was 2-1, as Lee Kang-In took a pass from United States international Matthew Hoppe and hammered a shot past goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.

Back came Los Blancos and it was almost too simple for Asensio to find a second, with Eder Militao playing up-field to Benzema, who laid off a pass to the running Asensio and the finish was perfect for a 3-1 lead.

Only some last-ditch defending from Valjent prevented Asensio from notching a first-half hat trick, with the Mallorca man cutting off Asensio's one-timer from a yard out after a pass headed back by Benzema.

The Asensio hat-trick would come though early in the second half when he collected a ball from Benzema and with ample time and space, rocketed a left-footer into the net for a 4-1 advantage.

With a comfortable three-goal cushion and a full half-hour to go, Ancelotti went to his bench for the first time, relieving Camavinga for Antonio Blanco, followed later by hat-trick hero Asensio being replaced by Isco, plus Lucas Vazquez on for Rodrygo.

Benzema then basically finished off his day the way he started it, splitting the Mallorca defence and sweeping home a shot that took a deflection and beat Reina to extend it to 5-1.

The Frenchman and Nacho were promptly substituted out in place of Luka Jovic and youngster Sergio Santos with 10 minutes to play, but it was Isco who provided the final score with a finish off a Vinicius pass to round out the 6-1 scoreline.

The previous match was marked by Asensio's anger at a lack of minutes, yet he made his case perfectly well on Wednesday when his coach generously offered him more minutes.

Asensio was flawless from central midfield, scoring two goals in the first half and adding a third in the second, and he didn't let his performance level drop, ironically becoming the first Spaniard to score a Real Madrid hat-trick since 2009.

 It was the first time in 1,015 days that Casemiro, Kroos and Modric all missed a game together. Real Madrid's midfield was put in the hands of Fede Valverde, Eduardo Camavinga and Asensio, all three of which proving the task was comfortable for them.

Camavinga took the standing ovation for his energetic display, but the reality is that the trio combined really well together and certainly offers Ancelotti alternate options as the veteran trio continues to age. It's like we won't be waiting another 1,015 days for the trio to all miss out again.

One of the keys to Los Merengues' excellent start to the season is the hard work they put in during pre-season. Antonio Pintus' return has left Real Madrid with an incredibly fit and fast squad, which is being shown on the pitch.

Rodrygo, Vinicius Jr, Valverde, Militao and Miguel are all performing at lightning speeds, which is a noticeable difference from the sluggish feel to the team in 2020-21.

“We started well,” Carletto said after the game.

“We alternated play a little and played with a lot of intensity. We were more aggressive and on the front foot. We hadn’t worked on it, but we did talk about it and the players understood it well. The players who hadn’t played much were prepared and that’s a good sign for the whole squad.”

“[Asensio] can do very well there, in that position between the lines,” the Italian continued.

“It’s a position in which he can do a lot of damage because he has quality, he shoots very well, he combines very well with the forwards. I think this is his position.”

Note: This article has been posted at Cricketsoccer as CSdesk on 23/09/2021 Real Madrid gun down Mallorca

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Faisal Caesar