Know The Player 3-Markel Susaeta

Markel Susaeta ,   The Stylet.... 

"El Estilete" (The Stylet) as he's known and called by the fans of Athletic club , Markel Susaeta , was a youth product of Athletic Bilbao  has over these years established himself as one of the main fixtures in the starting XI. Seen as one the leaders in the team , Susaeta has contributed a lot and has stepped up from time to time when his team needed him. He's come leaps and bounds over these past years and has arguably been the most consistent player at the club.

 A real fan favourite at the San Mames , the 26 year old attacking midfielder  is a pacey customer and is a danger for any defence. He mainly operates on the right flank and is excellent at streching the opposition by making good runs. Calm and composed on the ball , he's a quick natrual dribbler who does like to cut in from the right flank and switch positions at times. 

Some of the major standout qualities he has is his ability to run at defenders and to cross. He's very intelligent in and around the penalty area , this is another unique quality possesed by the spainard. Being a set-piece specialist his freekicks and his crosses are second to none. He's scored some great freekicks over these years. A clinical finisher , he's also good at shooting from range and does take his chances when given time and space , be it on his favoured right foot or his left.  Susaeta is equally a provider and a goalscorer. Although he's always on the lookout for a killer pass , picking out a teammate via a cutback or laying off someone for a shot. His passes in the final third are very accurate aswell.  His pace , dribbling ability and his quality crosses are one of the main assets on which the team depends upon.

Unlike many players who are often criticized are for not playing thier defensive part , Susaeta does track back from time to time and is not afraid of making  a tackle or two. The 2011-12 campaign proved out o be his best season with 13 goals and 15 assists. So far this season , he has 5 goals and 7 assists to his name in all competitions. A consistent player indeed. In the summer of 2012 , Susaeta was linked to many clubs like Arsenal ,Manchester united and Chelsea as he was out of contract the following year. The feeling in spain was that he was going to leave for pastures new , but he signed a contract extension after a few months. It would've been brilliant to see a player of his quality in the premier league but it just wasn't in the script. Though , you never know what the future holds...

At 26 years of age , he's a gem of a player entering the peak of his powers. El Estilete is rightly considered as a quality Attacking Midfielder in spain. His perfomances justify that.  

21st Century World Eleven

Selecting a "World Eleven" is not a straight-forward task particularly when we have to choose the top eleven starts from a span of great 14 years passed till now. 

Goal Keeper-    Iker Casillas- 

Although the Spanish living legend has not been in limelight in the recent times for Real Madrid, his team and individual achievements can not be ignored. His achievements between 2009 and 2013 for the club and the Spanish side give him a place in the World Eleven.

He has won five LaLiga titles, two Champions League winner's medal with Real Madrid. He also captained Spain in the World Cup 2010 and other Internation-European Cups.

Right Back- Javier Zanetti

Inter Milan and Argentina legend Zanetti gets his place in the position of Right-back in the World Eleven because he has been the most consistent player in the past few years. The 40-year-old is still strong and is capable of doing wonders on the pitch now also.

Centre Back- John Terry

Chelsea's loyal captain - Terry has been great from the starting of his career and has impressed critics with his defending on the field for his side.

The former England captain has been exceptionally good for his national team as a talismanic leader.
He best defender in the Premier League deserved a place in the World Eleven.

Centre Back- Carles Puyol
Barcelona defender Carles Puyol will be ending his career as one of the most decorated player in the history of football. He has worked very hard to be called the " Best Defender In The World ". He has shown exceptional leadership qualities as the captain of the Spanish and the Catalan club- Barcelona.

LaLiga Titles, European Cups, European Championships and the World Cup- Puyol is covered with success.

Left Back- Ashley Cole

Paolo Maldini would have been the first preference for this position of Left-Back but considering the fact that his majority success had come in the 20th century, in the late 1990's. So, Ashley Cole is the most deserving player for this position.

There hasn't been a more consistent left-back than the England star in the past 14 years. Making over 100 appearances for England in this period, he has won multiple titles with Chelsea and Arsenal like the Premier League and the Champions League also.

Right Wing- Cristiano Ronaldo

The Portugal-2013 Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo is the best player for this position. He used to
" Destroy " english clubs during his six year spell at Manchester United. He has also experienced the left-flank position with Real Madrid and has been devastating for the opposing clubs.

The two-time Ballon D'Or winner has been great during his career with a goal status of 235 goals in 231 matches.

Central Midfield- Xavi

One of the most finest players in the 21st Century, Xavi, the Spanish wizard has been a " Trophy Conductor" for both Barcelona and Spain.
He is the best passer of the ball and one of the best play makers in the history.

The final conclusion is that without Xavi, Spain and Barcelona would not have achieved what they have done over a past decade.

Central Midfield- Andres Iniesta

The pale-faced midfielder of Barcelona and Spain, Andres Iniesta has bagged this position in the World Eleven as he literally deserves it. He has scored breath-taking goals and has provided his sides with invaluable assists.

The 29-year-old would be remembered as of the best midfielder of this generation.

Central Midfield- Zinedine Zidane

Not positioning this graceful player in the line up of World Eleven would have been a "Crime".

Despite the fact that he played the most of his career before 21st Century, one can not simply ignore his career during 2000 and 2006.

He lit up the Santiago Bernabeu while playing for Real Madrid for five years. During the same period he scored the best goal in the Champions League history in 2002 against Bayer Leverkusen in the final. He led France to the World Cup Finals in 2006 after the Euro glory.

He was truly a " One Man Army".

Left Wing- Ronaldinho 

For several big reason the former Barcelona star has been stated as the " Unstoppable Star "

While playing, now one could even touch him at some point of his career. He is considered as one of football's all-time greats alongside the likes of  Diego Maradona and Pele.

However, he has not been the player which he was but has changed in past years. He was also moved to AC Milan by Pep Guardiola because of some serious reasons.

Striker- Lionel Messi 

" The Best of The World " is the only sentence heard when people are talking of Messi.

The Argentine is just 26 years of age and has scored a remarkable 339 goals in 408 appearances since he started playing for the Catalans in 2004.

Born with the most incredible natural ability and body structure, Messi is a football freak and is capable of beating any defender in the world, which he does.

Olympiacos v Manchester Utd-Preview,Team News and Predictions

The Greek giants pitted against the Champions of England

Some United fans would feel the need to take Olympiacos lightly in an all important Champions League fixture at Piraeus.But,for the non-believers let me tell you-Olympiacos are 26 points clear at the top of Greek Super League table and have a astounding record in their last 28 games.They have won 26 of their last 28 and this serves as a testimony to what we might expect out of them at the Karaiskakis Stadium in Greece.And Michel's men are unbeaten in the League since February last year have scored an astonishing 69 goals and have conceded just 9.They are back from hammering 4 past OFI Crete ,following a hat-trick from Serbian striker Marko Scepovic.

And the concerning state of things for the Red Devils is about salvaging some pride by advancing into the next round.They have been surprisingly unbeaten in this competition this season and this piece of stat ,sure will offer them a lift.There will still be some doubts surrounding United's abilities to unlock defenses but their last game against Palace reflected Marouane Fellaini's return to form.Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney scored once each to hand United a much-needed 2-0 victory in London.

Another interesting stats refers to how United have fared in their previous four games against the Greek giants,saying that United have won all of their four outings against Olympiacos,with the last one in 2002.

They game will be an interesting watch for the neutrals but a nervous one for the United faithfuls,so let's take a look at it in further detail.

Team News

Olympiacos are seemingly lucky of not facing Juan Mata as the Spaniard is already cup tied with rivals Chelsea,from whom he joined this January.David Moyes will check on Jonny Evans' ,Rafael da Silva and Phil Jones' fitness,who all were excluded from United's showing at Selhurst Park.

As far as Olympiacos are concerned,their recent hat-trick hero Marko Scepovic's fate is same as Mata's and veteran Javier Pedro Saviola will also miss their crucial tie against the Man United.January recruits Hernan Perez and Ivan Marcano will be available to step onto the pitch but 29 year old Nelson Valdez is a major doubt to face the English Champions.

Expected Line-ups

Olympiacos : Roberto; Bong, Siovas, Manolas, Salino, 

Samaris; Maniatis, Fuster, Domínguez, Campbell; Valdez

Manchester United : De Gea; Smalling, Vidic, Ferdinand, Evra; Fellaini, Carrick, Valencia, Januzaj; Rooney; Van Persie

Predictions

Nobody can deny the a peculiar sort tension will be hanging around in the atmosphere ,especially for the United fans but Olympiacos will fancy their chances against the vulnerable Red Devils.If United play the way they played against Crystal Palace,then joyous celebrations may commence in the United camp even before the game ends. Michel's men would like to pull out an upset which will jeopardize David Moyes' position further.

IOTW predicts a 2-0 win for the Red Devils

Barcelona's tax Fraud Case

Spanish giants Barcelona have been charged against a tax fraud on signing Neymar from Santos by a Spanish court. 

A spokesman said last week ""Judge Pablo Ruz has charged FC Barcelona with an infringement against the tax authority relating to the purchase of the Brazilian player,"
Barcelona claimed no wrongdoing in the future as the public prosecutor asked the court to lay fraud charges on the club. 

Neymar's high profile move from Santos to Barcelona has also been a topic of investigation for possible misappropriation of funds said by a member of Barcelona. 

Barcelona Managing Committee reported said that they would be sending legal representatives to protect and defend the interests of the club.

Sandro Rossell stepped down as the President of the club. He said in an interview that he wanted to protect the image of the club and himself as he received many life threatening notes and messages anonymously. Rossell was replaced by deputy Josep Bartomeu who claimed that the Brazilian had cost them about 87.2 million and not 57.1 million which included all the payments to the family and the club. 

The club refused to show the actual details of the transfer but Neymar's father asked the club to reveal the confidential information. 

Santos asked the court to see the transfer deal with Neymar's family with a view to seeking a bigger cut in the transfer. The club lost their case and are now threatening the Spanish judge to hand over the transfer deal. 

Neymar was pretty angry on this topic as his anger was shown by him on the former Instagram page. He protested personally on his father's innocence and hit out Santos' current and former Presidents.

Crystal Palace v Manchester Utd-Preview and Predictions

Tony Pulis' Eagles host the injured Red Devils

Many would consider this fixture to be a relatively easy one for Manchester United,but the irony lies in Crystal Palace's recent home form.The Eagles have not conceded defeat in 5 of their previous home games,quite contrary to Manchester United's home form and even away form. The Selhurst Park is increasingly becoming a difficult place for visiting teams to go which serves as a testament to the job Tony Pulis has been doing .Tony Pulis' men have been handed a virtual revitalization after the loan signing of starlet Tom Ince and Joe Ledley on a permanent basis as both men scored on their respective debuts in Palace's last encounter against West Bromwich Albion.

Moving on to the team under fire ,Manchester United will look to end their recent poor form after accumulating just two points from possible 9 points recently.Their recent stalemate draw away to Arsenal reflected exactly how much creativity they lack in midfield and this prospect is provoking them to stay back more often. New signing Juan Mata has managed to give 3 assists so far,which is more than any other Manchester United midfielder.And heading into the game at Selhurst Park,agitated David Moyes will know what dangers the Eagles now pose under new manager Tony Pulis.

Team News

Crystal Palace will step onto the home turf without any injury problems,which is again contrary to Manchester United's situation.They have some key defenders on the sidelines but young Phil Jones is said to have recovered from the concussion he suffered weeks ago against Stoke.David Moyes will not be able to see Jonny Evans,Nani and Danny Welbeck who are all out following their respective injury problems.And even right back Rafael is to sit out due to a concerning concussion he suffered after his malignant fall at the Emirates.But,a good news for United will be the return to action of summer signing Marouane Fellaini who is back from a thigh injury.

Expected Line-ups

   Crystal Palace (4-2-3-1):

 Speroni; Ward, Dann, Delaney, Ledley; Dikgacoi, Jedinak; Bolasie , Ince, Puncheon ; Chamakh 

Manchester United(4-2-3-1): 

De Gea;Smalling,Vidic,Jones,Evra;Carrick,Fletcher;Young,Rooney,Mata;van Persie

Predictions

It feels awkward to say that it's going to be another tough game for the Red Devils being an away fixture.United's defense will find it tough to deal with Palace's quickness on the sides especially Tom Ince and Joe Ledley.Goals will come but chances will be few and far to capitalize upon.United full backs would have to be cautious of being caught on the counter and that's where the game will be decided.

We predict a close game and a 2-1 victory for Manchester United

Know The Player 2-Patrick Herrmann

Patrick Herrmann :- One of Uchtelfangen's finest products

It's been two years since this lad scored twice in a big 3-1 win over league leaders Bayern Munich. He's come a long way from that perfomance , and has developed into quite a player . 

The talented German has been the standout individual at Borussia Mönchengladbach for some time time now. One of the highly rated youngsters in the Bundesliga , He's been in the spotlight for his club since the departure of Marco Reus , who left for Borussia Dortmund .

Hermann , a right winger by nature  can play on the left wing and also as an Attacking Midfielder (as a No.10). He's an unpredictable player with great dribbling skills. He does like to play one-two touch football  at times . He's also a good header of the ball when presented with a chance. A clinical finisher with excellent off the ball runs.

  A very intelligent player indeed .  Hermann has been critiscized for being a poor crosser when it comes to putting the ball in the box. In recent games over the past year he looks to have improved that side of his game  . He also tracks back to help his fullback every now and then. This is certainly a player with bags of promise who's en-route to become a top winger in the near future. The 23 year old winger already has 110+ apps under his belt for the Die Fohlen. He's been as impressive this season with 3 goals , 5 assists and has created a total of 72 chances for the german side.
Yes , he is the one who makes them tick all boxes. He's also scored three times for Germany's U21's and even though being called up for the Senior squad , Joachim Löw  is yet to give him a chance with the seniors . Throughout the summer and  the january windows , English clubs like Manchester United , Arsenal and Spurs were reportedly interested in Hermann .  He'll probably leave for nothing less than a fee in the reigon of  €15 million euros .

Who signs him , remains to be seen. Whoever it is , will have invested in a talent well worth investing !! 

Why Toni Kroos would be perfect for United

The 24 year old was heavily involved in Bayern Munich' s 2-0 win over Arsenal yesterday

Read why German midfielder Toni Kroos would be a perfect signing for David Moyes,once the summer window opens

http://www.ftbpro.com/posts/kaustubh.pandey/718784/why-united-must-surely-sign-toni-kroos

Messi penalty decision-Right or Wrong?

Was the referee's decision to send off Martin Demichelis and award Barca a penalty justified?

"Be scared,Barca,Be very scared"City fans stated on social networking sites hours before the game kicked off at the Etihad.And heading into the titanic game at the Etihad,nobody had a speck of idea that a referee's decision would ruin the outcome of the game

The first half dragged on to a close but the second half kicked off rather unexpectedly with Alvaro Negredo threatening Victor Valdes' goal but Barcelona's back line coped up to avoid a set back.The talking point came in the 53rd minute,when Andres Iniesta threaded a through pass to Lionel Messi who escaped the defense slickly.But Argentine Centre half,Martin Demichelis was giving a stiff chase and attempted to dispossess the compatriot but his leg caught Messi instead.Messi went down slightly in the box and Demichelis was shown a straight red for a so called "blatant" foul.Lionel Messi stepped up to take the spot kick and hammered it straight past Joe Hart,who was left mourning Demichelis' sending off decision.

But ,despite being a man down and a goal down,City showed signs of resiliency and tried frantically to claw back.But as the game went on,City got caught at the counter as substitute Neymar played a delightful through ball to Dani Alve,who doubled Barca's lead from a curious angle.

And just as the game concluded,the fans launched a scathing attack on the referee's decision by stating that it was only a free kick from the edge of the box.Moreover,City fans also exclaim that Martin Demichelis' sending off decision was nothing short of unjustified.

According to FIFA rules ,a penalty is awarded when the foul is committed inside the area but this was an exceptional case.Martin Demichelis had committed the foul just 5-7 inches outside the box but Leo Messi went down just 3-4 inches inside the box.It was a sort of a professional foul to deliberately halt Messi's trademark surge into the box but Demichelis' leg caught Messi's just some inches outside the penalty box. Messi went down just inside the box and the referee was ready to brandish a red card straight at the Argentine's face.

Here's what happened-

Verdict-

It's a tough one,this one but just to suggest a comprise,I'd have yellow carded Demichelis at the most and would've awarded a penalty to the Catalans.Another alternative could've been sending Demichelis off and ordering a direct free kick from the edge of the box.The game was so heated up that the referee ,instead of offering warnings sent the Argentine off abruptly.The decision was,quite rightly harsh and the foul being not a clumsy one,should 've been ignored .Wondering what ignored means here?Ignored in the sense,it should not have been a red card .City's defense was working well yesterday and they do deserve a pat on the back despite of conceding .Could City have survived the game if not for the red card and the spot kick?I get the feeling they could have done so.But the decision to brandish a straight red was utterly harsh on the referee's part.

Beware of the Bavarians: Arsenal vs Bayern Preview

Arsenal welcome European and German champions Bayern Munich to the Emirates in the first leg of the UCL round of 16. After a sweet revenge against Liverpool in the FA Cup, Wenger's men have a huge job to topple over the defending UCL champions. 

The German side have only lost twice this season, against Borussia Dortmund and ManCity and lead the Bundesliga by a phenomenal 16 points. Arsenal, whereas, lie second in their League, one point behind London rivals Chelsea. 

The Gunners did play the Germans last year as well but bowed out of the competition only on away goals after drawing 3-3 on aggregate. This year though, it's a completely different story. The Bavarians are a much superior side than last year with a mastermind of a manager in Pep Guardiola and Arsenal have also been much involved around the top of the table and have been pretty good. 

Predicted line up: 

In goal, Wojciech Szczesny would return after a rest on Sunday, replacing his compatriot Lukasz Fabianski. The Polish international has been in sensational form this season with the highest number of clean sheets (12) in the League. 

The back line will see the return of Bacary Sagna and Gibbs in the full back positions to keep out the likes of Arjen Robben and Thomas Müller. They will be alongside the ever present partnership of Mertesacker and Koscielny who have been excellent throughout the season. 

The midfield is where it gets tricky for Arsène Wenger. Arteta's suspension means Wilshere will partner Flamini in the centre of the park with Mesut Özil placed ahead of them. The midfield three will have to control the game if Arsenal are to get a result against Munich. 

The three up front would shape with Cazorla on the right, Giroud returning in the striker role with Tomas Rosicky on the left wing. Oliver Giroud would have to be on good form and take his chances. 

A very tricky fixture but if Arsenal get a positive result, it may just put the season back on track. A loss would be a blow on the confidence and may hamper the remainder of the campaign. If Arsenal play with the same intensity as they played against Napoli at home, they should come out on top, making a big statement. 

COYG. 

Via itsallarsenalinhere.blogspot.com 

Arsenal v Liverpool: five talking points

Arsenal 2- Liverpool 1

1) Arsenal survive first five minutes to earn redemption

If Daniel Sturridge had not been in that infuriatingly scatty mood into which he sometimes slips, then Liverpool would have been 2-0 up within five minutes, bettering the explosive start they made when demolishing Arsenal at Anfield eight days ago, yet this was still a much improved performance by Arsène Wenger's men. Above all, and unlike at Anfield, they displayed the combative character that befits a team of their ambitions, bursting with energy and aggression (and sometimes even viciousness). They truly earned the right to play their part in a thrilling tie.

2) Sanogo makes a bright first start

Yaya Sanogo suffered so many injuries as a teenager that at one particularly low point he contemplated abandoning his football dreams to become a postman – and that was before he endured the back injury that sidelined him for months just after joining Arsenal. So it was heartening to see the 21-year-old deliver on his long-delayed first start in English football. This was a much higher level than he has ever played before but he did not look out of his depth and instead caused regular discomfort to Liverpool's defenders thanks to his power and mobility. At times his touch was uncharacteristically rough – perhaps owing to nerves and the unfamiliar intensity of proceedings – but he never hid and showed a capacity to adapt quickly, notably through his contribution to Arsenal's first goal. After hesitating when Mesut Özil provided him with a prime opportunity to shoot in the 12th minute, he did not make the same mistake in the 17th, when he took Özil's cross nicely on his chest and immediately lashed the ball towards goal. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain adeptly converted the rebound off Steven Gerrard.

3) Should Özil have been rested ahead of Bayern on Wednesday?

If it was slightly surprising to see Özil start, bearing in mind that he has looked jaded in recent weeks and a showdown with Bayern Munich looms, then Wenger's decision may have been vindicated as the German produced an influential performance. He did nothing astounding but was involved in everything, knitting together Arsenal's moves with relentless deftness. Will the surge in confidence that this performance should give him prove more beneficial than a rest? We should find out on Wednesday.

4) Can Oxlade-Chamberlain seize Walcott's England spot?

Brendan Rodgers recently suggested that there is no better winger in England than Raheem Sterling. Here Oxlade-Chamberlain may just have alerted him to one. Both players are wonderful to watch, of course, and Sterling has a snazzier trove of tricks and even looks a little faster but for now Oxlade-Chamberlain trumps those assets with his superior decision-making. If Roy Hodgson reduces the dilemma over how to replace Theo Walcott at the World Cup down to a choice between this pair, then Oxlade-Chamberlain currently looks the safer bet even if his long-term future lies in central midfield. But England could do far worse than play both of them at the same time.

5) Did Howard Webb bottle it?

Oh Howard Webb! The man reputed to be England's wisest referee was five yards away from the action when Oxlade-Chamberlain clunked into Suárez to concede a seemingly obvious penalty. But Webb waved play on. Perish the thought that he lacked the bottle to award the away team a second spot kick in a matter of minutes, so instead we must assume he saw something that was not apparent from farther away – nor on TV replays. It would be fascinating to find out what. After that, not showing a second yellow card to Gerrard when the England captain mowed down Oxlade-Chamberlain in the 76th minute came as no surprise.

Cesare Prandelli to replace Sherwood after the World Cup

Italian coach Cesare Prandelli set to become Spurs manager from the 2014-15 season

The news may come as a surprise for the Tottenham fans but Italian National team's coach Cesare Prandelli is reportedly set to replace Tim Sherwood as Tottenham Hotspur just as the World Cup ends.As understood by Italian newspaper La Republica,the 56 year old has agreed to manage the London club,even if Sherwood succeeds in his objective of guiding them to the 4th spot.

The Italian will take over at White Hart Lane just after the World Cup finals but will lead Italy to the grandest stage of them all.After successfully leading the Azzuri into the Euro Cup finals in 2012,the 56 year old surely has risen through the ranks as a decent manager and a mentor.

Real Madrid: The Champions League campaign 2013-14

 We are in the middle of February and as the football fans call it , we are in the Champions League time of the year, contrary to the belief of the masses of this being the Valentine's week of the year. The best teams of Europe prepare to give it their best shot at the very top level of European Football.

  After beating Atletico Madrid 5-0 on aggregate, the Los Blancos are high on confidence as they saw a comparatively easy draw at the UCL Knockout draws which saw the 9 time Champions of Europe face Schalke FC on their course of getting the La Decima. Real Madrid topped group B with tough competition from the Italian Champions Juventus.

  Now that they have a new coach in Carlo Ancelotti and some new talent in the form of Jese, Carvajal and Isco; the club would accept nothing but Cup success from Ancelotti and co.The much talked about new signing Gareth Bale has become a key figure of Ancelotti's side and he surely will prove out to be a pivotal figure in their campaign.


 The Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo has been in terrific form in the group stage scoring a record 9 goals in 5 matches. The 100m man Gareth Bale seems to get along with his new aquad after he scored a goal and provided one assist in 20 minutes on his return from injury last week in the La LIGA. Luka Modric, Angel Di Maria and Karim Benzema are enjoying a decent run of form too.

  But something that the Spanish Giants can be very confidence of is a decent defensive display by the side. With Iker Casillas yet to concede a goal in 2014, the Club of The 20th Century are on a high and will be aiming for nothing less than the UCL title this year.

Complete Analysis of Zlatan Ibrahimovic's Paris Saint-Germain Role

Zlatan Ibrahimovic was at it again in midweek on Feb 4, scoring twice to help Paris Saint-Germain to a 2-1 win away at FC Nantes on Tuesday to secure a place in April’s Coupe de la Ligue cup final. 

One of his two goals was an outrageous lobbed effort that has attracted plenty of attention, with agent Mino Raiola even tellingFrance Football (h/t Goal.com) that he has pleaded with his client to stop making French football look “really easy.” 

The superlative effort is just one of a number of stunning strikes that Ibrahimovic has netted so far this season for Laurent Blanc’s side. 

Back in November of last year, following another wonder goal in the 5-0 UEFA Champions League away at RSC Anderlecht; the Swede was even touted as a potential 2013 FIFA Ballon d’Or winner by formerOlympique de Marseille striker and 1991 award winner Jean-Pierre Papin. 

Although he did not go on to win the award, there is no doubt that the 32-year-old is currently one of the best players on the planet. In Ligue 1, he is certainly top dog at the moment, despite the presence of strike partner Edinson Cavani and AS Monaco’s Radamel Falcao. 

However, Ibrahimovic’s importance to PSG extends beyond the pitch. He is more than just a player for the French champions in his current role.

Zlatan is a talisman for the club, a leader on the pitch without the need for the captain’s armband on a regular basis. He is also a shining example to those around him as to what is needed in order for the side from the French capital to succeed in their aim of ultimately becoming Europe’s top team.

Here is a complete analysis of Ibrahimovic’s role at the Parc des Princes, underlining why he is PSG’s most indispensable player and the most outstanding of all performers in Le Championnat at present.

Goals

Any top striker’s main currency is goals. Ibrahimovic scores lots of them and is the most prolific attacking player in France’s top flight at present. 

The Swedish international has struck 18 times so far this campaign and is only 12 goals short of equalling last season’s total of 30. That feat was the first time since Papin had done so in the 1989/90 season for Marseille, that any player has scored 30 goals in a Ligue 1 season.

Ibra is already targeting better this term. But perhaps his overall statistics are more impressive than his 18 goals from 22 league starts so far.

In 56 Ligue 1 appearances since arriving in 2012, the towering striker has scored 48 goals and provided 17 assists. Extend that to all competitions, it reads 66 goals and 25 assists in just 78 appearances.

It is an incredible tally, even by Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi’s impeccable standards.

Creativity 

But Ibrahimovic’s value to PSG does not only lie in his goals. The Swede is also an extremely creative player, demonstrating a rare blend of prolific ability in front of goal and exceptional vision, technique and unselfishness when his teammates are better placed. 

Considering that he accounts for 33 percent of PSG’s total league goals so far this season, his creativity must also be accounted for in how big a role he is playing for Blanc’s team at present.

Ibrahimovic has provided nine direct assists in the 22 Championnat matches he has featured in so far this term. Added to his goal tally of 18, PSG would not have scored 27 of their total 54 goals without him.

That is exactly 50 percent of all of the capital club’s league goals this campaign. 

Breaking down the statistics further thanks to Squawka, Zlatan has created 46 chances in 22 league appearances this term, with a pass accuracy of 75 percent. In the Champions League, that figure reads eight chances created in just five games with 81 percent pass accuracy. 

Whether he is in front of the goal or pulling the strings from behind, Ibrahimovic is playing an absolutely pivotal role for PSG. 

Talisman

While there are a number of stars in the current PSG squad, players with relatively similar importance to Ibrahimovic in different positions such as Thiago Motta, Blaise Matuidi and Thiago Silva, the Swede is still the unquestioned talisman of Blanc’s side. 

The 32-year-old steps up when not everybody is able to, and his ability to almost singled-handedly lead PSG to the title last season is testament to that. 

In terms of consistency, he is ahead of the majority of his current teammates and particularly relishes the champions’ biggest domestic and European games.

When Ibrahimovic does not perform, PSG often fail to deliver. Last season’s Ibra-dependency has been offset somewhat by the arrival of Cavani since, but the team still depend heavily on the Swede.

Leadership 

In the absence of PSG’s captain Silva on occasions this season, particularly at the start of the campaign after the Brazilian suffered a thigh injury against AS Monaco in their first meeting this term, Ibrahimovic has taken on the captain’s armband and led the team. 

It is a role that the former AC Milan and Barcelona man is not unfamiliar with, having been captain of the Swedish national team since 2010.

Combining his ability to lead by example and his own personal leadership qualities, he proved to be an influential leader of the side in both the league and Champions League while Silva was away. 

Although the Brazilian is now fit and once again captaining the side, Ibrahimovic is still looked toward by Blanc and his teammates for inspiration, while being expected to set an example in games and in training. 

A number of the Swede’s former coaches have lauded his professional approach to training and match preparation. His being in the French capital has also been crucial in altering the character of the squad toward a greater level of professionalism. 

His “winning” mentality, also provided by a number of other senior players including Silva and Motta, has helped to instil a hunger for success into the current players that was lacking at the club prior to his arrival. 

Off-Field Role

In addition to his integral role in a playing capacity, Ibrahimovic plays an even bigger one off it in commercial terms.

The Swede is more than just a player for PSG.

Ibrahimovic adorns posters, heads the club’s marketing campaigns and is a huge hit with the fans in terms of replica shirt sales. At the Parc des Princes on an average match day, you will likely see more Zlatan shirts than any other. 

His presence in Paris has made the French champions instantly more recognisable and infinitely more respectable because they have been able to attract a player of his impressive calibre.

PSG’s profile has risen on and off the pitch because of Ibrahimovic’s exploits, his reputation and the loyal following he has built up over the years inside and outside of Sweden.

Importance 

Right now, Ibrahimovic is irreplaceable for PSG. 

There are arguably no players in the world, outside of Ronaldo and Messi who are capable of filling the mercurial striker’s role adequately on all fronts. 

Messi is, for the moment, unobtainable according to president Nasser Al-Khelaifi’s recent interview with L’Equipe. A move for 2013 Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo appears unlikely. 

Ibrahimovic’s goals and assists, not to mention his position within the team, are so integral at present that if he were to be absent for a considerable period of time then PSG would struggle to cope.

No attacking player has scored as many goals as he has this season, while no midfielder comes near him for assists. 

Strike partner Cavani missed Tuesday’s Coupe de la Ligue win over Nantes and will miss Sunday’s vital clash with Monaco in Ligue 1, as well as the first leg of their Champions league last 16 encounter withBayer Leverkusen. 

Had it been Zlatan with the injury instead of El Matador, then the Parisians might have been facing some real problems, despite Cavani’s own prolific scoring record. 

Should Ibrahimovic be able to lead PSG to a second straight Championnat title and progress past last year’s Champions League quarterfinal appearance, then he might even find himself up against Messi and Ronaldo for next year’s Ballon d’Or.