5 of the best-Andrea Pirlo replacements

Possible Andrea Pirlo replacements for Italy.... 

Well , They say he gets better with age , such is the aura of this classic bearded Italian Legend who's been the driving force for club and country for what seems like ages ,now . Football fans in general won't like the sight of him hanging up his boots but , eventually  Andrea Pirlo will have to setlle for a lesser role in the coming years.  Yes , he can't be replaced by Italy nor  by Juventus but someone will have to fill this gap left by him. This gap by no means is a small one , as Italy's all round play will depend on the one who fills this gap.  The one who comes in will obviosly under the kosh for a while , down to the fact that he's come in for a player like Andrea Pirlo . With Pirlo possibly playing his last International tournament for Italy here , we examine the players capable of filling that huge gap.  

Marco Verratti -  Paris  Saint  Germain  

At 21 years of age , Marco Verratti is one of europe's brightest midfield prospects. The former Pescara player is a Defensive Midfielder with some qualities which are rather surprising for a player in his position. Technically gifted , he's a supreme  passer of the ball, particularly in difficult circumstances. His remarkable technique to get away from players helps a whole lot here. He's also a quick , sublime dribbler and finds the right pass even when it comes to the passing in the final third. Paris Saint Germain soleley depend on Verratti to getting the ball out of the defense and linking up with the likes of Javier Pastore etc. 

Even though  being small in size , his ability to retain the ball is one of his major assets. Being quick , he isn't afraid to dive into tackles in which he often comes out on top winning the ball for his team. Verratti can also operate behind the striker in the no.10 role , when needed.  His technique  of going about things on the pitch and his abilities to pass and  to find a teammate in the most difficult of circumstances make him a player capable of filling the void which will be left by Andrea Pirlo. At such a young age , he's the perfect player around whom Italy can raise a team in the near future.  

   

Claudio Marchisio - Juventus 

The 

      

Experienced Juventus vice captain is already a main fixture in the Gli Azzurri side. He's been immense playing in front of the likes of Bonnucci , Chiellini , Barzagli etc , along with that his defensive contributions 

have also led to Pirlo having sufficient space to orchestrate the play. Marchisio is a mixture of an attacking midfielder and a Defensive midfielder. A proper Central midfielder in simple words. He's very good going forward and can see a final pass. On the other hand , he's a workhorse when it comes to his defensive contributions.

He acts as a shield for his back four , be it for Italy or Juventus. Intercepting and breaking down play are one of his major qualities.Moreover , he's a textbook passer of the ball who often likes to play one touch passes. When given time and space , he's also a good long range shooter. The  ever present Claudio Marchisio will have to take over more responsibilities when Pirlo isn't there. He's certainly capable of doing so , as he's shown that at Juventus at times.  

Andrea Poli - AC Milan 

After joining Milan , we've seen that Poli , a Central midfielder by trade , is very versatile and can also play as an Attacking midfielder. This is a player who was dubbed as "The New Pirlo" a few years ago. These expectations were too pre-mature considering his perfomances weren't consistent. Nevertheless , he's always been a talented player. Poli operates well in a three as well as a four man midfield. He likes to have more of the ball and always  has an unexpected turn or a flick up his sleeve. He's the one on whom AC Milan often rely for dictating the tempo of the play. A smooth passer and a brilliant interceptor , Poli is a very versatile player as he can also put a shift in at Right back. At 24 years of age he's a player entering the prime years of his career and will only be getting better every season. He can well be the one who fills Pirlo's role in the near future if he showcases his talent on a consistent basis. 

  

There are many player who can fill that Andrea Pirlo role for the time being , the likes of  Daniele De Rossi , Ricardo Montolivo , Thiago Motta are close calls for this job , but the  three mentioned above, are the best when considering a long term solution for Italy's  Midfield Anchorman role .

England's T20 World Cup Campaign Review

The World Cup campaign was a disastorous one

Tipped to lay their hands on the prized World Cup trophy,the English Cricket Team simply failed to prove their mettle in Bangladesh  , when it was due to be proven.

Now,well they arguably ran out of luck in their opening encounter against New Zealand owing to the D/L method ruling made by the umpires.But,the weaknesses were being clearly reflected in the way they played against each of the sides they faced,excluding their victory over Sri Lanka.Their bowling misfired in almost every game and the bowlers failed to get a grip on the game.

They conceded buckets of runs in their games against the big guns but their showings with the bat must be thoroughly commended.But,everything fell apart when they got " ditched" by the Dutch.Peter Borren's resilient bunch of men pulled out an upset yet again by out staging England convincingly by 45 runs.Their batting let them down against The Netherlands 

The likes of Jos Buttler,Moin Ali are still not giving their all. Jos is accustomed to making blunders behind the stumps and is constantly failing with the bat.Ali is also seemingly not good enough to feature in a World Cup as huge as this .

 Alex Hales has proved why he's more than capable of launching a blitzkrieg on huge totals.The batting collapsed against the Dutch but you've got to admire the way they fought against the Lankans and the South Africans. 

They have got kicked out of the grandest stage and there's no wonder why they falter every time .I would rate some players in the region of 9 but there's a tremendous amount of non uniformity in their  performances.

Conclusively or to sum up, I will dedicate the lines of ImagineDragons' On Top of the World to the way they played in this World Cup-

I know it's  hard when you're falling down

It's a long way up when you hit the ground

Get up now 

How Man United can beat Bayern Munich

Manchester United were drawn with Bayern Munich last week

A few and when I say a few,I mean very few are expecting Man United to book a berth in the Champions League Semi Finals owing to a pretty obvious reason.The world conquerors Bayern Munich are standing in their path to Lisbon in the Quarter Finals.

The hearts of many United fans skipped their respective beats when Luis Figo drew out Chelsea with Paris Saint Germain during the draw last week  and rightly so,United were pitted against last season's treble winners Bayern Munich.

To begin with,both clubs share a huge amount of history amongst themselves and the so called -rivalry has become a renowned but yet dreaded one.The dramatic 1999 European Cup Final is one of the most sweetly cherished games which is embedded in the hearts of United fans (including me) but the Bavarians did avenge that loss 10 years after the historic epoch in time.United went down on away goals rule thanks to an Arjen Robben equalizer on aggregate.

We all know that United are currently enduring an exceptionally torrid season and are languishing down at the 7th place,but they can never be counted out.Bayern were recently crowned the Bundesliga Champions and deservedly so,they won it by a huge margin of 25 points.They will be a tough nut to crack for Moyes' boys but Napoleon had rightly quoted-"Impossible is a word found in the dictionary of fools".

Bayern ran out as lucky winners against United's rivals Arsenal but this time around United should not laugh at how their Emirates residing rivals got kicked out. The 2nd Leg of that clash is worth drawing out lessons from feasibly . And the early part of the 1st Leg in London should also be looked upon as a way to outstage the Germans.

In the early part of the 1st Leg,Arsenal came up as a surprise for Guardiola's men.Considering the fact that they were not used to falling prey to such kind of quickness in the Bundesliga especially in the early part of a game,they succumbed to it perfectly.Arsenal got their reward for it but Mesut Ozil's ridiculous penalty pulverized all the momentum.

Moving on to the 2nd Leg,we saw Arsenal willing to keep the ball,even when Bayern wanted it. And that was when Bayern looked highly edgy and nervous,especially their centre backs and Bastian Schweinsteiger ,who was coerced to sit deep in order to stop Arsenal.The nervousness was evidently lurking on their faces at a stage when Arsenal were regularly exerting pressure with quickness and agility. But,the dented confidence of the Arsenal players meant that Bayern got off easily and escaped a goal or two but it surely is something which David Moyes must look at.

David Alaba ,Bayern's left back must be tracked down very efficiently ,if Bayern are to be "assassinated".If United's right winger isn't able to track Alaba down,the 2v1 for Rafael will prove murderous for United.Same's the case with Lahm,but in a different context,he must be closed down as quickly as possible by the opposition.He can spray balls all over the park and especially if Pep pushes him into the central midfield.Philipp Lahm is no longer a buzzing full-back, but replicates Guardiola’s role of twenty years ago. Captain Lahm plays just ahead of the centre-backs and possession goes through him continuously.

Last but not the least of the most considerable ways to stop Bayern would be to cut the line of supply for them.If you want to stifle Bayern reserve a forward to track down Lahm and reserve a midfielder to stop the central midfielder they use either Schweinsteiger or Toni Kroos.

A critical analysis of Bayern's youth system

The Youth system of FC Bayern Munich , A.K.A  "The Bundesliga". 

Bayern Munich , The supreme power in Germany.

Winning their first ever Club World Cup meant that it was a 5th trophy in the bag for the year for the mighty Bayern Munich. The fans couldn’t have asked for more in 2013 , their team had won everything , yes everything which was there to be won. The best club in Germany has been a dominant force in Europe for many years now. What is the reason behind all this success ?? Yes, its “The Bundesliga” , which is these days commonly known as the youth system of Bayern Munich.

Unlike many other European heavy weights , Bayern have mostly invested in young or experienced players from Germany itself. This also showcases that the amount of upcoming talent in Germany is second to none , but Bayern buying almost all top talent has weakened the Bundesliga . In many ways, the German league is a direct supply unit for Bayern , which also reduces the chances of the others beating Bayern because they rely immensely on the talent of the players who they end up selling.

The most recent case has been that of Mario Gotze. The 37 million man had his mind made up about joining Bayern and eventually, he got what he desired. This “desire” which players often have , of joining Bayern is not a new thing in Germany. In previous years , we’ve seen players like Michael Ballack and Ze Roberto, who led Bayer Leverkusen to new heights, before jumping ship to join Bayern Munich.

Mario Gotze moved to Bayern in the summer.

The all time leading German goalscorer , Miroslav Klose was snatched from Werder Bremen. Similarly, Schalke goalkeeper Manuel Neuer who was then dubbed to be the future best goalkeeper in the world was reportedly a Manchester United target until he opted to join the German side for a huge fee of 25 million euros (for a young goalkeeper). In all fairness , he’s certainly lived up to the hype.

Bayern have also invested in experienced players who over a period were excellent for their respective clubs. The purchase of Mario Mandzukic from VFL Wolfsburg in a reported 15 million Euro deal serves as a great example. Borussia Mönchengladbach stopper Dante was bought last season to shore up the Bayern defense. Most notably, the now Fiorentina striker Mario Gomez’ 26 million move to Bayern was a record breaking transfer in Germany at the time.

Speaking of records, Bayern have been  involved in most of Germany’s record breaking transfers. They’ve also had a tendency to have a veteran striker in their ranks; Ivica Olic and Claudio Pizzaro being the most recent names on that list.

When given a choice , players in Germany have opted for big wages and the chance to lead their already settled lives in the country itself , over joining foreign clubs and experiencing a different football culture, bar the likes of a few select superstars like Mesut Ozil and Sami Khedira etc. In addition to this , The appointment of Pep Guardiola has given the club, a big advantage in convincing young talents from Germany or abroad to join the club. Almost every player admires Guardiola’s brand of tikki – taka football and will obviously be eager to experience it.

The German league is now similar to a factory which finds and develops young talent , and then is on the receiving end of huge amounts sanctioned by Bayern Munich to hand over these players. Sadly, if players don’t join other big European clubs or choose to stay at their club, the Bundesliga might be a one horse race for many years  to come.

Recently , Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said  ”Bayern will not stop signing Dortmund stars” . Having said that , another Dortmund player in Robert Lewandowski is set to arrive in Munich come next season which will prove to be a huge lift for this already unbeatable Bayern side. It’s almost impossible to compete with such a squad. They look like Invincibles , and they might be prove to be invincible for a long, long time.

Suarez gunning down for Sunderland and Golden Boot

Luiz Suarez would be looking forward to continue his sensational goal-scoring form when Liverpool would take on Sunderland. 

The Uruguayan forward has scored a total of 28 goals and 11 assists in this season although he missed his first five games in this season.

"El Pistolero" has managed to score more goals than the whole Sunderland team this season, who have only managed to score as less as 26 goals in this season.

The Uruguayan forward is on the top of the goal-scorers as well as the number of assists. He looks set to break the record of 34 goals in a single season by Andy Cole and Alan Shearer.

Suarez's fine form of this season began against Sunderland when he netted the ball twice at the Stadium Of Lights after he returned from a 10-match ban from the previous campaign.

In this sensational season for the Reds, Suarez and his striking partner Daniel Sturridge are looking to break another record of most goals scored in the partnership. The prolific pair are aiming to break the record of the all time favorite pair of Andy Cole and Peter Beardsley who scored a tremendous total of 55 goals in 1993-94 season together. The SAS are having a total of 47 goals combined.

The Rodger's side has only lost one game at home (vs. Southampton) and are in a thundering form. 

UCL Round of 8

Manchester United after an unexpected win over Olympiacos and Borussia Dortmund after winning over Zenit became the seventh and eighth contender respectively in the UEFA Champions League for the Round of 8. 

The matches of the UCL Round of 8 are-

Manchester United vs. Bayern Munich
Paris Saint Germain vs. Chelsea
Real Madrid vs. Borussia Dortmund
Barcelona vs. Atletico Madrid

Arjen Robben- " Well....this is a nice draw. Though Manchester United are not in their best form during this season, we still consider them as tough opponents."

J. Klopp- " Playing against Madrid is not an easy task, specially in this season. We can not guarantee our place in the Semi-finals but we would give our best." 

Thiago Silva- " Chelsea is a good club. They have many Brazilian players like Luiz, Ramires, Willians. We would love to play against them." 

The Champions League Quarter Finals -What can possibly happen?

All the group leaders advanced into the Quarter Finals

The ending was nothing short of dramatic for United fans,good enough for neutrals to relish but what this means is that we'd be in for a hell of a Quarter Final round.

City fans may argue about the fact that they were "cheated" out by the Catalans but somebody has rightly quoted that "Fortune favors the Brave". Even Arsenal fans may contemplate about the fact that they could have upsetted Bayern Munich but the Bavarians proved out to be too good for them in the end.

PSG comfortably overcame Bayer Leverkusen,who would have felt that things never went how the doctor had ordered .They became victims of a thorough hammering in the First Leg but came out as  better side in the Second Leg only to concede defeat again.

Elsewhere Real Madrid breezed past classless Schalke as Cristiano Ronaldo's goals took their toll.

Galatasaray ,although were expected to give Chelsea a tough outing but faded in the 2nd Leg at Stamford Bridge.The 3-1 aggregate victory ensured a safe passage into the Quarter Finals for Mourinho's men after Didier Drogba was given a grandstand welcome back.

Despite of losing to a Hulk inspired Zenit side in the Second Leg,Borussia Dortmund marched on to the next round .Winning the First Leg comprehensively paid off for Jurgen Klopp's men in yellow but Zenit ensured that they don't get away easily.

The most enthralling encounter involved Man Utd and Olympiakos but the former were quite keen on playing for David Moyes' job.United turned out to be the victors after overcoming a 2 goal margin at Old Trafford.

Now,surely this year's Quarter Finals will be nothing short of extravaganzas for fans and neutrals alike.Almost all the big guns have managed to convince fans of their spot in the Quarter Finals and Bayern Munich still look like favorites to win the title again.The likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona could be dubbed as "Second favorites" followed by French giants PSG,who still lack the experience to possibly lift the trophy. Atletico Madrid, who had ousted giants AC Milan are tipped to be the dark horses of the current campaign along with Borussia Dortmund.

As far as Manchester United are concerned,you never know about them do you?They can spring in a surprise any time they desire to.And the way they played against Olympiakos showcased what exactly they can be capable of even if handed a back to the wall job.

Being a United fan,they are the team for me but maybe Real Madrid also have a fair chance of winning it at Estadio da Luz.

Chelsea Vs. Galatasaray

The tensions will be higher, the atmosphere would be turbulent and a fierce battle would be fought at the Stamford Bridge. The Champions League action from Tuesday, 18/04/14 comes from the Leg two of the Chelsea vs. Galatasaray of the Round of 16. 

Chelsea and Galatasaray, both turned out to be good in the Leg-1 of their match in Turkey. The Jose Mourinho side were able to score an important away goal late in February which resulted in a 1-1 draw. If the Stamford Bridge club would win this second leg then they would most probably be the only English team left in the competition unless United are able to turn around their 2-0 defeat on wednesday.

Galatasaray would however be a little disappointed by their performance in the Leg-1 as they had the home advantage and it would be quiet difficult for the Turkish club to take a victory over the London club in the second leg. If they didn't win the Round of 16 this season they would bow out of the Champions League and would regret that they could have clinched a spot in the Round of 8 by winning the Leg-1.

CHELSEA TEAM NEWS- 

The hosts would be without midfielder Marco van Ginkel as he continues to receive a treatment for his ligament rupture. Never the less, Mourinho has good quality players to choose for his starting line-up. Since Fernando Torres failed to score against Aston Villa which was a 1-0 defeat for the Blues, he would be possibly on the bench. And veteran striker Eto would be taking up the attack.

GALATASARAY TEAM NEWS- 

The visitors from Turkey would be without Emre Colak and Aydin Yilmaz as both players are suffering from their respective injuries. Burak Yilmaz and former Chelsea legend- Didier Drogba have scored a total of 23 goals so far this season in the Super Lig and would be the two main players leading their attack upfront.

Recent Stats-

Chelsea lost 1-0 against Aston Villa in the Premier League. Other than this they have won three and drawn one of their last five games. They are on the top of the table with 66 points.

Galatasaray have being playing well in the Super Lig and would be on their toes to give a blast at the Bridge.
They are second in the league behind Fenerbahce with 49 points.

Prediction- 

After having a look at the recent forms of both the sides, and considering the fact that Chelsea would be having the home advantage for the Leg two, I would predict a 2-1 victory for Chelsea today.

Psg look to maintain their winning momentum

Les Verts look to keep their champions league hopes alive

Saint Etienne would love to cause a major upset at the Parc des Princes as they face mighty Parisiens. Saint Etienne have been inconsistent in the Ligue as they won just 2 of their last 5 games. It is a very crucial game for the men in green as they are battling for CL spot(currently 4th in the standings). Christophe Galtier's men  would be desperate to give Psg a taste of their own medicine and get 2 points behind the 3rd placed Lille.

On the other hand,Psg have been outstanding as they have won last 6 out of 6 in all competitions.After qualifying for the last 8 in the CL(beating Leverkusen 6-1 on aggregate) the team will be high on confidence& raring to go against Les Verts  at their home. Psg has not defeated Saint Etienne in the past 2 years in the Ligue 1 and they  look to be the prefect prey for the Parisiens.

In the Last Ligue 1 fixture,when these teams met it all ended in a 2-2 draw. Psg were down 2-0,luckily for them ASSE were down to 10 men  after that  goal from Cavani and stoppage time equalizer from Matuidi salvaged the french champions from the brink of defeat.


Psg's manager Laurent Blanc said"I think Saint-Etienne are an excellent team. They have caused a lot of teams problems this season, not only Paris. That explains their excellent place in the standings (4th after 28 games). It will be an interesting match against an attacking team. I know their coach very well and he will come here with his principals. That's great. That should allow us to play our football. It's a positive thing for the players, the coaches and the spectators. We can't wait for this match."


ASSE's skipper Perrin said"Paris are in great form (but) we have nothing to lose. We are really looking forward to measuring ourselves against some of the best players in the world. We have always managed to cause them problems. I hope we can do that again."

Team News

Psg would be without their right back  Gregory van der Wiel who is suffering from a knee injury.

 Midfielders Marco Verratti,Blaise Matuidi and defenders Maxwell,Alex are expected to return for men in dark blue after missing the second leg against Leverkusen.

While, for Saint Etienne  their Top scorer Romain Hamouma is a doubt for the match(ligament damage).

Defender Florentine Pogba is out with a hamstring injury,full back Clerc has a knee problem and midfielder Fabine Lemoine is also a doubt due to lack of match fitness.

Expected line-ups

Psg:Sirigu;Silva,Alex,Maxwell,Jallet;Verratti,Matuidi,Motta;Ibrahimovic,Cavani,Lavezzi.

ASSE:Ruffier;Perrin,Zouma,Baysse,Mignot;Clement,Corgnet,Tabanou;Brandao,Gradel,Erdnic.

Prediction

Laurent Blanc's men will be eager to win against Saint Etienne and continue their winning streak.  .But, Les Verts have defeated teams like Monaco& Lille by 2-0 that shows  there capability to perform at critical times.So it is going to be a very tough game for both the teams.

IOTW predicts a 2-1 win for Paris Saint-Germain.

  

  

  

AS-Roma's Resurgence under Rudi Garcia....

Seen as a Messiah by many Roma fans , Rudi Garcia who was third behind Massimiliano Allegri and Walter Mazzarri in Sporting Director Walter Sabatini's list to take over the reins in Rome has certainly transformed AS-Roma into the giant they once were. Furthermore , by the looks of it , there's more to come from them in the coming years. The classy and composed Frenchman came with a reputation of being a success in France , being voted French football manager of the year in 2011 & 2013. He has succesfully built a side which is well capable of challenging the best of teams around in Europe.

In the past year , Roma weren't in the best of financial conditions and being under pressure had to sell the likes of Erik Lamela , Pablo Osvaldo and Marquinhos. Garcia , now had the task to replace as well as build a side he wished to. Experienced goalkeeper Morgan De Sanctis and Maicon led the list of arrivals in Rome. Mehdi Benatia, Kevin Strootman and Adem Ljajic were bought too. Although seen as a risk , Garcia also bought Gervinho from Arsenal, who had been excellent under him previously at Lille. These set of players have so far flourished under the Frenchmen's style of play.

Garcia likes his team to build from the back as seen in his previous sides. In Leandro Castan and Benatia ,Roma have one of the best young centre backs in Italy. This is a partnership which has been rock solid this season and has been a major part in thier transformation. The fullbacks have also been on par with the men in the middle. Maicon has as always contributed a lot in the attacking third as well as defensively. Dodo and Balzaretti on the other hand have been consistent too.

The Core of this Roma side , the trio of Pjanic - De Rossi and Strootman have worked wonders this campaign. Daniele De Rossi is a re-born player under Garcia. He's been allowed to play as an Orchestrator  in that that midfield along with Strootman. The Dutchman has been Roma's most consistent player this season . Garcia has found the perfect balance offensively and defensively as well as a blend of youth and experience. This in return has led to the team conceding only one goal in the first 10 fixtures of the season, proving that Roma are indeed an excellent defensive unit.

Miralem Pjanic's creativity and awareness has been second to none in that midfield as he's been a constant provider to the likes of Francesco Totti ,Alessandro Florenzi , Ljajic and particularly Gervinho , who's pace has been terrifying defenses and is in excellent form this year. In Pjanic , Roma have that composed No.10 every top team needs. The Bosnian has an eye for a killer pass and can pick out players in difficult circumstances be it with through balls or long balls. No wonder , the transition from defence to attack this season has been a pleasure to watch. All credit to these three midfield men who have been the driving force this season.

Francesco Totti has often been deployed as a False no. 9 this season. A role in which he has previously excelled and as of now is arguably his best position considering his age. The captain has a great understanding with the wide players in Gervinho and Florenzi who have been great in providing as well as scoring themselves. The likes of Adem Ljajic and Mattia Destro have also been sharp and decisive when called upon.

All in all , Rudi Garcia has formed a team that can not only play the creative brand of football he desires them to play , but can also do a job in the most difficulct of situations. The young talented players in this team are only going to get better and learn from the experienced ones. It's safe to say that AS-Roma have made a bright start in thier quest to dominate Italian football on a consistent basis again.

United Vs. Liverpool- Preview

The tensions will be higher,the atmosphere will be turbulent and fierce battles will be fought on the Old Trafford pitch. The Red Devils will look to keep their bid for the 4th spot alive by somehow silencing the away fans,who will be gearing up to face a renaissance affected United side.

Both sides have beaten each other once this season with Liverpool beating United 1-0 in the Premier League and United beating Liverpool 1-0 in the League Cup,thanks to a Chicharito volley.Daniel Sturridge had managed to steer in a Daniel Agger header from close range,early in the game’s proceedings.

But,the game won’t be any easier for both sides considering the fact that United had beaten Liverpool at Old Trafford in the League Cup but not at Anfield.This will be an unfamiliar position for both sides of late as at the start of the season there won’t have been many supporters from either side saying that Liverpool would have an 11 point lead over Manchester United with 10 games remaining – but that’s the way it is.

United are looking ahead to a tough set of fixtures after Liverpool and would expect to pick up 3 crucial points against the Merseysiders.

Team News

We United fans hate Liverpool,don’t we?And Liverpool fans hate our team.

Although,we United fans would have loved to contemplate either of the SAS being injured but it’s not the case.

United will be back with a full squad and winger Nani ,who was sidelined for almost a month may be back in action.

Liverpool will still be missing first choice left back Jose Enrique but the Scousers have received a double injury boost ahead of the United clash. Defensive midfielder Lucas will be back in action along with former PSG centre back Mamadou Sakho .

Expected Line-ups

Here’s how the two sides may line up at Old Trafford on Sunday

United-

Liverpool-

Predictions

As expected,the game will be a tense and a high pressure one and a single mistake can cost the game for either of these sides.And it sure will be make or break for Moyes’ men ,considering they will have just 9 games to go after this one to secure a European spot.

The SAS pairing will be difficult to handle but if Phil Jonah wants to prove that he’s one of the best young centre backs in the world,he’d have to prove his mettle.The same will be the case for Chris Smalling ,if he pairs up with Jonah at the back.

The Wazza-Rvp-Mata-Adnan quadruple has now been upgraded to five men with Marouane Fellaini joining in.If these five come any way near to playing well,Liverpool sure will be in for a tough time.

I predict a 1-1 draw but it’s very tough to predict,this one!

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Devils Secure 600-million Deal With Nike

England's giants are set to secure a 600-million sponsorship deal with American sportswear company- Nike which would last for a whole decade. 

The Daily Mirror reports suggest that United are trembling under the current deal of Nike of just 23-million per season.

The Red Devils have been going through one of the worst seasons in their history and would be looking to miss the Champions League in the next season- 2014/15 for the first time since 1995/96 season. But Red Devils have demonstrated that they are still one of the biggest names in the world of football. 

United's 60-million deal per season almost doubles the current Real Madrid kit deal as they earn about 31-million per season from Adidas. 

Big companies like Puma, Adidas and Warrior were after the Premier League champions to gain sponsorship of them but United were determined to keep their prized asset. 

United's chief executive Ed Woodward recently confirmed that the club would be entering in the transfer window in a way which the team has not entered from the past so many years as the Old Trafford club would be looking forward to revamp their faltering squad. 

With the shirt sponsorship deal with Chevrolet too, these too big sponsorship names would help Moyes with large amounts of funds to challenge other teams for the very best players in the market. 

Leverkusen play dead rubber at Paris-Preview

Sami Hyypia's men look to salvage some pride

PSG host Bayer Leverkusen as they look to finish the proceedings with a comfortable win,taking home a 4-0 advantage.Leverkusen would be desperate to register even a tight victory against the mighty Parisiens after conceding losses in 5 matches out of  their last six and have drawn one. Leverkusen will be hoping against  hope at the Parc des Princes but they still will lookto give their 100% and will be eager to restore some lost pride.

While ,PSG are in sublime form ,winning their last 5 games  and would be eager to pull off a great victory at their home under the lights and the night sky.

PSG are making in roads into the quarter finals of the Champions League  due to  the likes of Ibrahimovic, Cavani & Ezequiel Lavezzi  who have been in dazzling form ,their defence which has restricted the opposition team and their midfield creativity is also quite commendable.

In the first leg Ibra bagged a brace,Matuidi opened the scoring and Cabaye finished it off with a late rebound. Leverkusen got very meagre chances in the whole game and were not able to hold on to the ball even for a few minutes.

Psg coach Laurent Blanc said in the pre match press conference-
  "We negotiated the first leg. And brilliantly so, now we must finish the job"

He added "I would like to avoid Barcelona, Real Madrid and particularly Bayern Munich in the Quarter Finals"

"For four years Bayern is always present in the last four. They lost two finals. It is a club that should be avoided, but we do not control the draw."

Team News

Edinson Cavani and Christopher Jallet  are back for men in dark blue(after missingo out the first leg) which would uplift the spirits of the team.

On the other hand for Bayer, the injury of their midfielder  Jens Hegeler(ankle),Robbie Kruse and  the suspension of Eric Spahic will heap upon the troubles for them.

Expected line-ups

Psg:Sirigu; Silva,Alex,Maxwell,Jallet;Matuidi,Motta,Verratti;Ibrahimovic,Cavani,Lavezzi.

Bayer Leverkusen:  Leno; Wollscheid, Toprak, Hilbert, Boenisch; Rolfes,  Can,Bender, Castro; Son Heung- Min , Stefan Kießling.

Prediction

Laurent Blanc's men are the favourites  against struggling Leverkusen who would certainly be hoping against hope for a miracle to happen.The visitors have the potential to comeback strongly and can coerce the Parisiens to think about their own issues heading into the business end of Champions League.

IOTW predicts a 2-1 win for Psg.

How a City fan reacted when Wigan knocked City out

Manchester City crash out of the FA Cup after Shocking loss to Wigan

Wigan Athletic were at It again yesterday and it seems they have got used to knocking Manchester City out of the FA Cup.They did it in the final last season and they have done the same this season thanks to goals from Jordi Gomez and James Perch.Fans have been left to wonder ,which curse has been inflicted upon them since the last time around but it gives them a reason to moan.Here's how a City fan reacted to their shocking loss to the Latics.

Barcelona To Bring Reinforcements

With Vector Valdes and Carles Puyol announcing their departures, the Catalans are looking for new players to add to the squad. The desire for bringing new players to the squad deepened when the Nou Camp club missed a golden opportunity to go to the top after their 0-1 loss to Valladolid. 

Manager Gerado Martino would be having a maximum of 60 million at his disposal to bring in players for the next season.

Main Aim For The Transfer Window- 

Barcelona in the 2013-14 season has unfortunately leaked to many "Unwanted" goals. They are planning a revamp of their defensive line, which has recently seen Javier Mascherano pairing up well with spanish star -Gerrad Pique.

Already Signed-

With Victor Valdes announcing his departure, the Catalonians have been after a quality Goal Keeper to replace the spaniard. Ander Ten Stegen from the Borussia Monchegladbach has been signed for 10 million. The Catalans will confirm this deal only after the LaLiga title is decided.
 The Borussia Moncheglabach goalkeeper is comparable to Manuel Neuer in term of reflexives and quick saves.

Looking for-

David Luiz- From Chelsea. 

With Carles Puyol leaving the side and Marc Bartra yet to win full confidence of Martino, the Nou Camp club see Brazilian center-back as a perfect addition to boost up the defense.

Luiz has been linked with Barcelona for the past two transfer windows and it would turn out to be difficult for the Catalonians to convince Jose Mourinho to sell the Brazilian center-back.

Juan Cuadrado- From Florentina.

Rumours sugggest, which might turn out be true in the future that Barcelona might get into a swap deal with Florentina involving Dani Alves.

 The 25-year Colombian's assets are pace and dexter dribbling abilities which make him one of the most lethal players in Europe.

Parisiens must stay focused:Preview

9th placed Bastia tackle the table toppers

Psg will face struggling Corsicans  at the Armand Cesari stadium to  extend their lead to 11 points at the top .Champions of France wold love to destroy their opponents  and get fully prepared for the Champions League match against Bayer Leverkusen. While,the Bastia side hasn't defeated the Parisiens since 2003 would expect something extraordinary to happen at their home. Bastia sitting at 9th position in the table will look to start afresh after they had only won 2 of their last 6 games.

Last time,when both these teams met Parisiens trounced their opponents 4-0 with Ibrahimovic and Cavani registering 2 goals to their name. The duo have combined and scored 36 goals together for their team and are considered among  the top most strike force in Europe. 

Bastia is a team who currently is playing Ligue 1 after seven year long stint in the Lower leagues.

Psg's manager Laurent Blanc said"Cavani will not play tomorrow for the match against Bastia" He added "I think apart from Cavani no other player will be unavailable.

"Bastia will want to exploit tomorrow, they are very motivated. We will try to be very effective in recovering the ball."

Team news

Psg will be without their star striker Edinson Cavani who made a stunning comeback in his last game by scoring a winner against their fierce French rivals Marseille . He did feature in midweek's International Friendly but will not be back for the match at Bastia.

Jeremy Menez, the person who had been linked with Atletico Madrid has been left out of the squad.

Christophe Jallet is back for the champions which will help Psg breathe a little about Netherlands right back Van der Wiel.

Corsicans don't have any injury problems or niggles and would be at their full strength.

Expected Line-ups

Psg: 

Sirigu;Silva,Alex,Jallet,Maxwell;Cabaye,Verratti,Motta;Ibrahimovic,Lavezzi,Lucas Moura

SC Bastia: 

Leca; Squillaci, Modesta, Harek, Diakite; Krasic, Romaric, Boudebouz, Sable; Keita, Cisse.

Predictons

Psg start as favourites against out of form Bastia.But,Bastia has players which can outclass the mighty Parisiens and cause a major upset at their home.Though,Laurent Blanc will not allow the team to celebrate and has said them to stick to their basics until their title win is a mathematical certainty.

IOTW predicts a 3-1 win for the champions of France.

Time for retribution at the Hawthorns-Preview

Pepe Mel's West Brom face Moyes' Manchester United

Two sides,low on momentum will face off at Birmingham in England.

How out of reach can things go for David Moyes this season?It's become a rather unanswerable question for Manchester United fans after they saw their side succumb to a 2-0 defeat at Karaiskakis Stadium at the hands of Olympiakos.They have promenaded upon a hugely rocky path this season owing to some poor showings by some lot of players,who have been laballed as "not able enough to play for United" by some former players.

And circumstances have not bettered for the Throstles since Steve Clark's sacking some months ago and new manager Pepe Mel's side have slumped to the 17th place in the Premier League table.They have barely managed to accumulate 4 points in their previous 7 games but have somehow scraped out points from some of their tough games.Not only this but West Bromwich Albion have won just a single game out of their last 18 games and have never shown any evident sings of improvement. Their highlight of this season has been their 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge and their 2-1 win over the Red Devils at Old Trafford. Saidy Berahino and Morgan Amalfitano had ensured that Moyes' men slumped to their 3rd defeat of their season.

United desperately need to finish their season on a high after hitting new lows in nearly every game and had 10 days off to train.West Bromwich Albion would never ever prefer lurking around the dreaded relegation zone and it is a spot they are accustomed to much.

Team News

The hosts will be without right back Billy Jones ,who will miss out due to a hamstring tear.Nicolas Anelka is under a ban after his quenelle gesture but both Claudio Yacob and Stephane Sessegnon will be fit to feature for the Baggies.

As far as the visitors are concerned,winger Nani will be back after suffering from a serious thigh injury which kept him out for 10-11 weeks.New signing Juan Mata will be back in action for the Reds after he missed out on the Olympiacos game on being cup tied to Chelsea.

Expected Lineups 

West Brom: Foster; McAuley, Olsson, Dawson, Ridgewell; Brunt, Yacob, Mulumbu, Morrison; Vydra, Anichebe

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

Predictions

United's games have become rather tough to predict these days and this game will be one of them.West Brom will opt to park the bus and sit at the break to catch United off guard at the counter.They will be more than happy to concede possession to Moyes' men but sacrificing the possession can leak away goals for them,considering the side United are.

United still lack the cutting edge in midfield to unlock defenses and this is what that's let them down this season.If Marouane Fellaini ,Juan Mata,Adnan Januzaj,Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie start ,United should win this game but doubts still hang over their abilities.

IOTW predicts a 2-1 win to Manchester United after a crappy performances from Moyes' men.