Football Icons: Part 7 - Gabriel Batistuta

By David Lee Wheatley

Batigol!

Born 1^st February 1969 in Avelleneda, Argentina (Santa Fe province), Gabriel Batistuta grew up in nearby Reconquista.

It was with Newell’s Old Boys that he began his pro career, before spells at Buenos Aires giants River Plate and Boca Juniors.

His year-long stint at La Bombonera yielded 13 goals in 30 appearances, bringing him to the attention of several top European clubs. It was a year that put Batistuta firmly on the map when helping Boca to the Argentine championship, as well as standing atop the league goalscorer chart.

He followed that up with some impressive performances for his country at the 1991 Copa América, so much so that Serie A side Fiorentina moved in to take the striker to Italy. His six goals for tournament victors Argentina made him the competition’s top scorer.

In a notoriously tough place for strikers to get goals, Gabriel flourished in Florence with 13 strikes in a successful debut season in Serie A. The following season was a difficult campaign for La Viola, resulting in relegation to Serie B. On a personal note, Batistuta kept the goals flowing with 16, but alas it wasn’t enough to keep Fiorentina in the division.

The setback of relegation made many fans and the club directors fear the departure of their hero and this was heightened by his fine displays in Copa América ’93, as his country stormed to the title once again.

Those with purple hearts needn’t have worried, because their beloved club kept hold of the player and they bounced back to Serie A at the first attempt under the tutelage of coach Claudio Ranieri. Having stayed loyal to the Florence side, Batistuta fired 16 goals to cement promotion back to the top-flight.

‘Batigol’ scored four goals in as many games at the 1994 World Cup but his team floundered at the last-16 stage, amid the doping controversy surrounding Diego Maradona.

The league season that followed was very special for Batisuta, hitting 26 goals. His powerful physique and ball control were too hot to handle for most defenders and he ripped even the best of them apart. His performances and goals that season elevated the Argentine hit-man to legendary status in Florence; to fans he was untouchable.

The next campaign, 1995-96, heralded a trophy in the form of the Coppa Italia with an Italian Super Cup triumph to boot. Still, ‘Batigol’ was desperate to win the Scudetto and started to think over the possibility of a move elsewhere to help him achieve that aim.

His international career had taken a dip after several fall-outs with Argentina national coach Daniel Passarella, whom Batistuta had history with from their time together at River Plate. He was left out of many of the qualification matches for the 1998 World Cup, but finally broke back through to take his place at the tournament proper in France.

He scored the second World Cup hat-trick of his career against Jamaica in the group stages before the Argentines lost to Holland in a tense quarter-final, settled by a last-gasp winner from Dutch master Dennis Bergkamp.

Fiorentina’s club leaders were so concerned over losing their talisman in 1998 that they brought in Giovanni Trapattoni as coach and pledged to do all they could to snap up the coveted league title. The season started brilliantly, but Batistuta suffered a month-long lay-off and the team lost its momentum as a result. The big prize had eluded Fiorentina once more, but by way of consolation they finished third and took up one of the Champions League spots.

After a promising start to 1999-2000 on both domestic and European fronts, Fiorentina fell away badly in the league to finish seventh and also faltered in the second round of the Champions League. After 10 years at the Artemio Franchi stadium, it was time to move on.

Roma snapped up the highly-rated forward on a 3-year deal and it was there that Batistuta finally realised his dream of winning Lo Scudetto. In his first season in the Italian capital, ‘Batigol’ garnered a whole new set of fans with 20 goals to lead the club to their first title since 1983. The celebrations were long and loud; the Roma support had found a new icon to worship.

Gabriel told of his intention to quit the national side after the 2002 World Cup was over and he hoped to sign off with victory in Japan/South Korea. Optimism surrounded the squad, but they fell at the group stage. It was a mightily disappointing end to Batistuta’s international career and one that was largely unexpected by the majority of fans and commentators.  

That first championship-winning campaign in the Eternal City was undoubtedly the high point of his time with Roma, as injuries began to play a big part in his career and advancing years seemed to be catching up with him. He was loaned out to Inter in 2003 before moving to Al-Arabi in Qatar on a megabucks contract. He banged 24 goals in the heat of the Middle East before announcing his retirement in 2005.

To a legion of Fiorentina fans he is a living legend, a God, a phenomenon. And, to Roma followers, he’ll be remembered as the man that brought Lo Scudetto back to their club after 18 years of hurt.

Follow me on Twitter: @davewh1980

Move over Vilanova

By David Lee Wheatley

Is it ta-ta to Tito?

Not since the days of the early 2000s has a Barcelona side looked so inept in a high-profile fixture, with German opponents Bayern sweeping them aside emphatically in Munich last night.

A defeat of this magnitude has been coming, considering the poor first-leg performance in Milan at the last-16 stage of the Champions League, closely followed by two largely uninspiring performances against Paris Saint-Germain in the quarter-finals (not to mention the group stage loss away to Celtic). A 30-minute cameo from half-fit superstar Lionel Messi in the second-leg of the tie with PSG was all that separated the sides, as Barcelona narrowly squeezed through to the last four.

Without doubt, the disruption caused by Tito Vilanova’s illness and absence during the season will have been a distraction to the players and perhaps a lack of direction has set in within the camp. Jordi Roura kept things ticking over in La Liga and they stand on the verge of sealing the league title after surrendering it to great rivals Real Madrid last campaign. However, it’s at the top table of European football where they’ve failed to reach the heights of old and it brings about the suggestion that the golden era for this crop of Barca stars is over.

In previous seasons, the likes of Xavi and Iniesta were as influential as the diminutive Messi, but it seems they’ve become over-reliant on the Argentine genius, the team looking a pale shadow of Guardiola’s Barcelona when Messi’s either unavailable for selection or not fully fit like yesterday evening. The question surrounding former assistant coach Vilanova has to be asked, is he the right man to take Barcelona forward?

Since 2003, with the arrival of Ronaldinho and the start of young president Joan Laporta’s plan to put Barcelona at the top of the tree once again, the Camp Nou club have been dominant at home and in Europe. First Frank Rijkaard, then former captain Pep Guardiola led a Barca revival that culminated in becoming the world’s greatest and most-admired team. There is no doubting they’ve taken backward steps since last summer and last night the powerhouse that is Bayern were far too strong, agile, powerful and brutally effective against their illustrious foes.

Perhaps Tito Vilanova is best suited to his former role of assistant coach, as the head coach at such a big club has to be able to cajole and cuddle his players when needed, but must also possess a ruthless streak ready to be broken out of his locker when the situation requires it. I don’t know Vilanova personally, but I get the feeling from his demeanour that he is far too mild-mannered to bring about a change in the direction the team is headed; I simply can’t see him being able to motivate and inspire his players when the going gets tough.

The achievement of winning back the La Liga crown will give Vilanova a satisfied feeling, especially as Barcelona have run away with the title in all honesty. However, maybe it’s time for a head coach with significant experience of European football to come in and take the reins in time for next season.

Twitter: @davewh1980

Bayern just Götze have Mario

By David Lee Wheatley

Dortmund star on route to Munich

It was announced today that Bayern Munich have clinched the surprise signing of Borussia Dortmund starlet Mario Götze for £32m (37m euros), a record fee for a German player, eclipsing the amount paid by Bayern for striker Mario Gomez.

There’s been much speculation surrounding the future of the attacking midfielder/winger for quite some time, but it was widely expected that he’d see out at least another season in Dortmund colours after this current campaign.

All that changed immediately after his club’s advancement over Malaga in the last round of the Champions League, according to Borussia head coach Jürgen Klopp, who says he knew of the intention to make the move to Munich happen only the day after the victory over the Andalucians.

The Bavarian giants put forward an offer that triggered the minimum release clause in Götze’s contract and, despite strong reservations from Dortmund about letting him go to a major rival, the player and his advisors were well within their rights to agree to a move to any club that met the required amount of money that the clause stipulated.

The young midfield player made his full debut at Borussia as a 17-year-old and has twice lifted the Bundesliga title with the club he joined aged eight. Now, this season’s runaway German league champions from Munich have pounced for a player regarded as one of the most special talents in Europe.

With Bayern preparing the nest for their new coach Pep Guardiola’s arrival in the summer, the club’s hierarchy envisaged Götze as an ideal addition to an already impressive squad. It’s a tactic regularly used in the past by Bayern to improve their own squad while weakening those of their closest rivals and creating a super-team of sorts by cherry-picking top German talent; they’ve certainly captured one of the very best in the form of Götze.

Guardiola will no doubt be very pleased with Bayern’s acquisition of the German international, but Borussia probably less so (!), especially considering the Champions League semi-final with Real Madrid is on the horizon.

It remains to be seen whether the sensational move has any impact on Dortmund’s preparations or the player himself when Ronaldo and company roll into town.

 

Twitter: @davewh1980

Manchester United set for title

By David Lee Wheatley

Standing in the Hall of Fame?

Through the various eras of Alex Ferguson's reign as Manchester United manager there's been many great players under his leadership, leading to many questioning just how good the current crop really are.

To say that the players aren't good enough to be classed as worthy champions would be a grossly unfair assessment of a team comfortably in control of the Premier League ahead of illustrious rivals such as Manchester City, Arsenal, Spurs and Chelsea.

Despite the odd setback, including a home loss in the recent derby with Manchester City, we've seen a largely consistent and efficient side sweeping most opponents aside in their quest for the league title.

There's no doubt that United are missing an icon a la Cantona, Keane or Beckham, but they still possess an array of talent within their ranks and to simply dismiss this season's league leaders as ordinary would be well wide of the mark.

A side boasting superbly talented individuals such as Robin van Persie, Michael Carrick, Nemanja Vidic, Wayne Rooney, Danny Welbeck, Nani and even the ageing Giggs, Scholes and Ferdinand, cannot be simply discounted from the list of great sides Ferguson has put together over the years.

It's a team that were unfortunate not to knock Real Madrid out of the Champions League and having been better than all those around them up to this late stage of the league campaign, they must be classed as a top side.

I can understand the need for another leader in the engine room, or an iconic forward with magic in his feet up front, but there's no doubting the quality within the United ranks in my opinion.

If the Red Devils triumph over Aston Villa this evening, it will deliver the Premier League crown to Old Trafford once again and there'll be very few United fans even remotely concerned at the perceived lack of superstar names on their team-sheet, as they celebrate regaining the league title from arch-rivals Manchester City.

It's been a tough time for those connected with United since losing their grip on the league crown to their nearest and dearest; it'd be a hugely significant response to the doubters should they complete their pursuit of the championship tonight.

Follow me on Twitter for more sport, travel & music: @davewh1980

Suarez in limbo

By David Lee Wheatley

Last-chance saloon for Luis?

Having suggested only last week that Luis Suarez should be PFA Player of the Year, the little Uruguayan yesterday showed the side of him that makes me think otherwise with that extraordinary bite on Branislav Ivanovic's arm during a tussle in the box.

The majestic pass for Liverpool's first leveller just after half-time displayed in glorious colour what Suarez is capable of with a ball at his feet.

However, he was guilty of a ridiculous handball to gift Chelsea a 2-1 lead at Anfield through an Eden Hazard penalty, before he and Ivanovic bumped into one another in the penalty area at the other end later in the match.

The frustrated forward's animalistic reaction was to grab hold of Ivanovic by the right arm and sink his teeth into it. It was a truly remarkable sight to witness one professional savagely attacking another in such a way, shocking the thousands in attendance and millions watching at home on TV.

Tricky to the last, Suarez feigned a leg injury immediately after the flashpoint by limping slowly away from the scene, his face contorted in mock pain. He knew the ref wanted a word and was surely concerned that Kevin Friend had seen what he'd perpetrated.

It turned out the ref had only seen the aftermath of the tangle between the two and gave Suarez a brief talking to. As soon as the official said something to the Liverpool striker, Suarez argued back, seemingly forgetting he was meant to be hurt in some way!

At the tail-end of the contest and with the initial period of six injury-time minutes over, the controversial forward popped up with a headed equaliser to give the Reds a share of the spoils.

Television pictures clearly showed the barbaric behaviour of the Liverpool man and it is yet another Suarez-related embarrassment for the proud Merseysiders to overcome.

Despite Chelsea's Ivanovic accepting an apology over the telephone from his assailant, it remains likely that there'll be retrospective action taken by the FA in the form of a lengthy ban. In the meantime, his stunned club have slapped him with a hefty fine that the player himself insisted should go to the Hillsborough families support group.

It's been an emotional week for Liverpool Football Club, following on from the anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster and the sad passing of die-hard campaigner for justice Anne Williams.

The response to this incident is one the club, along with the FA, can ill-afford to get wrong.

Follow me on Twitter: @davewh1980

Sunderland on a roll

By David Lee Wheatley

Di Canio effect taking hold

Paolo Di Canio strode out to the centre circle at the Stadium of Light at yesterday's final whistle to the acclaim of the thronged masses in attendance as Sunderland battled their way to a second win in a row with victory over European hopefuls Everton.

The home side, roared on by 44,500 fans, showed great purpose and belief to record a 1-0 win over David Moyes' Toffees and in doing so put to bed a hoodoo the Merseysiders had held over the Black Cats for many a year.

Sunderland had failed to record a victory over their opponents in 19 attempts, but with a pumped-up Di Canio barking instructions and gesticulating furiously on the sidelines, Stéphane Sessègnon struck just before half-time with a low strike into the bottom left-hand corner of the net that Tim Howard could only get fingertips to as it flew by him.

It set up a strong platform for the red-and-white army to work from into a second half that saw every player defend wonderfully well against the possession-hogging visitors.

Despite Sunderland having to dig deep at times, Everton failed to create many clear sights of goal, only really troubling Mignolet with
a deflected effort that squirmed out of his grasp and almost went through his legs!

The home side's constant pressing and harrassment of Everton was a real boost for the fans to behold as their heroes chased down everything and managed to set off several counter-attacks, Adam Johnson almost scoring a second when bearing down on goal one-on-one with Howard only for the American to make a smart save with his feet.

In one crazy episode, Larsson whacked a high back-pass towards his goalkeeper from the halfway line. It was a ludicrous moment, forcing Mignolet to catch the ball in his area. A yellow card was brandished to the keeper for deliberate handball and an indirect free-kick awarded just yards from goal. Luckily for Larsson and Sunderland, the defence scrambled it clear after two last-ditch blocks.

The atmosphere inside the stadium was probably the loudest and most jovial it's been all season after last week's win at Newcastle and they definitely helped the players to carry on fighting until the last-minute of the match.

In the end, a deserved hug and pat on the back from Di Canio for every Sunderland player, with special attention paid to goalscorer Sessègnon, whose beaming smile said it all.

The fans largely stuck around after clapping the players from the field, knowing that Paolo was set for one last hurrah of the day. The confident Italian bounded on to the pitch arms aloft to salute every supporter and to say once more, 'we are staying up'.

Twitter: davewh1980

Schürrle a target for Blues

By David Lee Wheatley

Chelsea aim to bag André

Bayer Leverkusen today announced that they’re currently in talks with reigning European champions Chelsea over a move to London for their star man André Schürrle.

Having started out at Mainz, Schürrle made the move to Leverkusen in 2011 and has since struck 19 goals for the BayArena club, 11 of which have come so far this season.

The 22-year-old has been linked with several of the Premier League’s leading lights during the past few months and the Stamford Bridge club have shown their hand by making a solid play for the German international’s services. Bayer director of sport Rudi Völler confirmed that his club have been in talks yesterday with the Chelsea hierarchy and a move appears imminent, despite Völler insisting that nothing has been decided as yet.

The likes of Manchester City and Liverpool have been mentioned in connection with the sought-after frontman regularly this year, but it would seem that Chelsea’s push for a new generation of success is the most tempting option for the powerful young German. The club are seemingly looking to move the older players on or at least push them toward the sidelines, heralding a new influx of younger stars into their ranks to freshen up an ageing squad.

Leverkusen legend and former Chelsea attacking midfielder Michael Ballack will no doubt give his opinion of the Blues to his young compatriot and it may well help the west London side’s hopes of landing their target should Ballack speak favourably about his time at Stamford Bridge, as is likely.

A £20 million fee has been mooted for the 6-foot tall forward, who can also operate on the wing should he be required to fill in there. After helping to push Leverkusen up to third spot in the Bundesliga, it’s almost certain that Schürrle will begin next season in the Barclays Premier League.

Twitter: @davewh1980

Liverpool star tops the lot

By David Lee Wheatley

Suarez should be Player of the Year

When the announcement of the Player of the Year award comes it could possibly be a two-horse race between Dutchman Robin van Persie and Uruguayan international star Luis Suarez.

Having gone off the boil in recent weeks, van Persie may well lose out in the final judgement to a man that has almost single-handedly kept Liverpool in the hunt for a Europa League spot next season with both his goals and an unnerving ability to get past players from the tightest of spots.

Suarez has experienced dark days during his time at Anfield, not least the much-publicised spat with Patrick Evra that was an embarrassment to all connected with Liverpool Football Club. However, the tricky forward has overcome the worst of the backlash, going on to thrive spectacularly in front of goal this season.

He heads the Premier League top goalscorer list with a 22-goal haul thus far and his dribbling abilities have allowed him to bamboozle umpteen defences on his way to such an impressive total and has also seen his stock rise all across Europe.

Manager Brendan Rodgers will be absolutely determined to hold on to his star man, as he attempts to rebuild the Liverpool side in an effort to reach the Champions League once again, plus to perhaps mount a Premier League title challenge at some stage down the road. Losing Suarez would be an almighty blow to those dreams of big European nights and silverware returning to Anfield anytime soon.

Despite Manchester United's dominance in the league and a rip-roaring first half of the campaign from van Persie, it is the consistent performances of Luis Suarez that would be most deserving of the PFA Player of the Year title.

He has paid the price for his misdemeanours and should now be allowed to stake his claim in the debate over who has been this season's stand-out footballer.

Follow me on Twitter: @davewh1980

Cardiff in the big time

By David Lee Wheatley

Long time coming

Welsh dragons Cardiff City finally made it back to the top-flight last night with a draw at home to Charlton Athletic ensuring they will compete in the Premier League next season after an absence from the top division of 51 years.

It has been a long wait for the Bluebirds fans and they celebrated with glee at the final whistle, many rushing on to the pitch to celebrate.

Manager Malky Mackay has brought a steely determination to a club that have fallen out of promotion contention on several occasions in recent years as the season has wound down in its final stretch.

This time, there was no mistake, as with 3 games remaining they sealed promotion and can now look ahead to their weekend visit to Turf Moor knowing a win over Burnley would give them the league title.

Hometown hero Craig Bellamy returned to the club he followed from boyhood to help lift them into the upper echelons of English football. It’s an achievement that he described as being the best in his career should his club manage to do it when asked last week and it has finally come true; the realisation of the dream reduced Bellamy to tears afterwards.

Not only have Cardiff fans got to look forward to playing against the big guns of the Premier League next season, they can also look forward to the south Wales derby matches against arch-rivals Swansea City. Both clubs have had severe ups-and-downs over the years, but they’ll now face-off in the top-flight after years of heartache and struggle at both clubs.

Their new Cardiff City Stadium and appointment of Mackay into the role of manager have catapulted Cardiff into contention for automatic promotion from the Championship and will provide a firm base from which to work in the quest for survival in the biggest league in the world next season.

The 2013/14 campaign is going to be a mighty exciting one for the fans, players and staff alike.

 

Follow me on Twitter: @davewh1980

Young Guns: Draxler

By David Lee Wheatley

Schalke 04: Julian Draxler

Young German Julian Draxler has caused a stir on the European stage this season after announcing himself as the new star of Schalke’s team in this season’s Champions’ League. Despite his side falling out of contention at the last-16 stage of the competition, Draxler had already done enough to spike huge interest in his future services from clubs all over the continent.

The 19-year-old midfielder displayed a deft touch, creativity and attacking instinct, while also scoring in the Champions’ League group stage at home to Montpellier. He became a fixture in the side afterwards and was one of the German side’s top performers over the two-legged round of 16 clashes with Galatasaray that ended in an unfortunate 3-4 aggregate loss.

It was a slow start to the Bundesliga campaign at the Gelsenkirchen-based outfit, costing Huub Stevens his job. However, former player Jens Keller came in during December and lifted spirits around the place, culminating in a recent run of 5 wins in 6 matches. After sitting in mid-table running up to the winter break in Germany, they have since risen up the table to fourth place and continue to look a good bet for that top-four spot come the end of the season.

Draxler has struck 8 league goals so far from his favoured attacking midfield position, as the admiring glances from other clubs who rate him as a potential world-class star persist. The Gladbeck-born German international is viewed by many as the next great playmaker for the national team and his form this season domestically and in European competition certainly adds weight to that belief.

 

His contract runs until the summer of 2016, therefore a sale may not be urgent for the Schalke board. However, if he continues to develop at the current rate of knots, it won’t be too long before the top clubs around Europe come calling with huge bids to tempt his club to part with a player they value extremely highly.

 

For more sport, travel & music go to @davewh1980 and follow on Twitter

UEFA Europa League preview - QF 2nd leg

By David Lee Wheatley

English clubs face stern tests

Chelsea, Spurs and Newcastle all go into their Europa League quarter-final 2nd leg ties with differing, but equally difficult, tasks on their hands in order to qualify for the next round.

Chelsea look the most comfortable of the three having triumphed 3-1 at home to Rubin Kazan in the first leg, but they face a long trip and will be disappointed to have conceded an away goal at Stamford Bridge that gives Rubin some hope of clawing back the deficit.

The Blues had a great week when winning in the FA Cup against Manchester United on Easter Monday, Rubin on Thursday and then Sunderland on Sunday in the Premier League. Tired legs may be a factor in their quest for Europa League glory, but boss Rafa Benitez will hope Chelsea can continue their forward momentum.

Spurs were lacklustre for large parts of their first leg match with Basel at White Hart Lane and had to come back from two-down to draw. The Swiss are a competent outfit and I fear for Spurs' chances of making it through to the semi-finals. Inconsistency and some dodgy defending have crept into their game of late and this tie with Basel may prove a step too far for AVB and his boys.

Newcastle started brightly in the Estadio da Luz last week, in an unusually wet Lisbon, by taking the lead against Portuguese giants Benfica. However, it all fell apart as the home side found their rhythm to record a fine 3-1 victory.

The Magpies will have one eye on Sunday's Tyne-Wear derby and it's difficult to guess what Alan Pardew will do with his team selection with that in mind. Will he go for the jugular, knowing that Newcastle have that away goal that keeps them in the tie? Or, will the former West Ham manager seek to rest some key players ahead of the huge clash with rivals Sunderland?

If it's the former choice that Pardew settles on, then it isn't inconceivable that United could turn the match around in front of their own fans tonight. I believe the Newcastle boss will give it a real go to get past Benfica this evening before focusing on derby day.

It all makes for a very intriguing night's football as the English sides in the Europa League attempt to make up for the Premier League's failings in this season's Champions League.

Follow me on Twitter: @davewh1980 for more sport, travel and music

Champions League QF 2nd leg review

By David Lee Wheatley

Barcelona progress

The fans at Camp Nou seemed strangely subdued last night, as if they knew a tough encounter was afoot when facing Paris Saint-Germain in the 2nd leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie.

Barcelona, led by Iniesta, initially seemed in control of the midfield, getting forward on many occasions only to be let down by the final pass or a wayward shot.

However, PSG got into the game more and more as the half went on, coming close to scoring on the breakaway when Lavezzi found himself one-on-one with Barca keeper Valdes, but the stopper stayed big to block the shot.

The French side were hitting Barcelona on the counter-attack repeatedly, while the likes of Villa and Fabrégas were looking toothless up front for the Catalans.

The injured Lionel Messi sat nervously on the bench due to a hamstring strain picked up in the first leg in Paris last week and it was evident that the Blaugrana were missing the little magician.

The match was all square at half-time, with Barcelona still holding the away goals advantage after a 2-2 draw in the first game. The home side failed to get one shot on target during a hugely frustrating first half for the Spanish league leaders.

Matters worsened early in the second period when PSG struck on 50 minutes to go one up on the night and 3-2 ahead in the tie. A neat move ended with a fine pass from Ibrahimovic for Javier Pastore to run on to and the midfielder dinked the ball home past Valdes, with the slightest of touches off the keeper's body as the ball made its way into the net.

The silence in the stadium was deafening as the public of Barcelona sat disbelieving of what they were witnessing. It was time for a half-fit Messi to enter the fray just over ten minutes later, as coach Tito Vilanova attempted to redress the balance of the tie.

Despite not playing at full tilt, Messi seemed to inject some belief into his team-mates with his arrival and the fans became vastly more vocal in support of their hero. Despite having world-class talent in their ranks such as Xavi and Iniesta, it is Messi who seems to make the team tick and they miss him greatly when he's absent from the line-up.

Messi probed for an equaliser and it was a through-ball from the Argentine maestro that found Villa inside the box with his back to goal, before he expertly held off his marker to lay off for the onrushing Pedro to smash the ball into the bottom right-hand corner of the net after 72 minutes.

PSG began to retreat and were starting to feel the full force of the Barcelona attack, as wave after wave came in their direction. In an attempt to stem the tide they brought on David Beckham with seven minutes left on the clock, but it was too late as Barca progressed into the semi-finals of the competition on the away goals rule.

It had been a valiant effort from the away team and it bodes well for the future of this burgeoning PSG side that they almost did enough to knock out what some people consider to be the best team in the world.

Follow me on Twitter: @davewh1980

Top 10 - Brits abroad

By David Lee Wheatley

Johnny Foreigners!

I can remember following Serie A in Italy intently from way back in the early 1990s and my memories of the likes of Paul Gascoigne moving over there from England to ply his trade got me to thinking...which British players made the greatest impact on foreign shores within the last 30 years? Here, I give a rundown of my top 10.

10. Mark Hateley – England international Hateley spent three years apiece with Milan and Monaco, joining Glenn Hoddle in Monte Carlo. Won the Ligue 1 title in 1988, but only managed a Coppa Italia runners-up medal with Milan during a transitional period for the club. Went on to star for Glasgow Rangers, initially under player-manager Graeme Souness.

9. Graeme Souness – The hard-man of Scottish football joined Sampdoria from Liverpool and with his vast experience led Mancini, Vialli and co. to the Coppa Italia in 1985 for the first time in the club’s history.

8. Steve Archibald – From humble beginnings at East Stirling and Clyde to the big-time at Barcelona, Archibald’s eye for goal catapulted him to stardom. The Scot was a popular figure at Camp Nou after a move from Spurs, but due to restrictions on the amount of foreign players allowed in each team, Archibald found himself loaned back to England. He did however manage a goal every two games with Barca, while also enjoying a short spell in the colours of Espanyol.

7. Paul Ince – Overcame a slow start to his time at Inter by becoming an integral part of the side during a two-year period at Giuseppe Meazza. Became a fans’ favourite and was offered a new contract by the president Massimo Moratti, but decided to return to his native England with Liverpool. Ended his time in Milan as a runner-up in the 1997 UEFA Cup final, as Inter lost on penalties to German side Schalke.

6. David Beckham – Worldwide superstar and global brand, but also a decent footballer! Won the La Liga title while with Real Madrid and also spent two loan spells at Milan. Could be about to add another league title to his name with Paris Saint-Germain in France.

5. Gary Lineker – England striker Lineker signed with Barcelona from Everton in 1986 and his time with the Catalan giants was initially successful under then-coach Terry Venables, but once Johan Cruyff took over the job he began to use the striker out of position on the right wing, causing him to lose his place in the team. Barcelona won the Copa del Rey and European Cup Winners’ Cup during the Englishman’s stay in Spain.

4. Paul Lambert – From Motherwell in the Scottish Premier League to Champions of Europe with Borussia Dortmund, combative midfielder Lambert’s story was the stuff of fairytales. Lambert signed for Dortmund on a Bosman free transfer and coach Ottmar Hitzfeld employed him in a defensive-minded role. His drive helped the club to the greatest night in their history in 1997 when winning the Champions League with victory over Juventus and by doing so Lambert became the first British player to win the trophy with a non-UK club.

3. David Platt – The goal-scoring midfielder spent four years in Italy playing for Bari, Juventus and Sampdoria. His performances for England at Italia ‘90 had attracted Italian interest in the Aston Villa player and he enjoyed a personally good first year at Bari, despite the club’s relegation. He moved on to Juventus in 1992, but struggled to hold down a place with the UEFA Cup victors of that year. Then, he really made his mark in two seasons with Sampdoria, where he played alongside Roberto Mancini amongst others, and lifted the Coppa Italia under Sven-Goran Eriksson.

2. Chris Waddle – Former Newcastle and Spurs winger Chris Waddle made the move across the channel in 1989 when joining Marseille and made such an impact that he was voted as the second-best Marseille player ever behind Papin during the club’s centenary celebrations. He also helped the southern French giants to the 1991 European Cup final, losing on penalties to Red Star Belgrade.

1. Glenn Hoddle – The least British player stylistically to feature in the list. Spent just over three years with Monaco in France and showed the midfield prowess that was hugely undervalued by his own country. After joining from Spurs, Hoddle led Monaco to the Ligue 1 title in 1988, their first in six years. He consequently won the award for ‘Best Foreign Player in French Football’ in the 88-89 campaign, as Monaco reached the quarter-finals of the European Cup.


You can follow me on Twitter: @davewh1980 

Benteke The Beast

By David Lee Wheatley

Striker making the difference

Kinshasa-born Belgian international Christian Benteke has already landed 15 league goals this season (19 in all competitions) in a Villa team fighting for survival in the Premier League and with six games remaining he could be the difference for the Villains in their battle against the drop.

The 6 foot 3 inch powerhouse has been a revelation since his £7 million move from Genk last summer and now he's looking to become the first Aston Villa star to hit 20 league goals in a season since Peter Withe in 1981. That side won the league title, making it all the more remarkable that Benteke is within touching distance of matching such a record.

His strength, power, heading ability and eye for goal will certainly have captured the imagination right across the country at other Premier League clubs, making it imperative that Villa stay up if they wish to hold on to their prize asset.

Benteke's goal to finish Stoke City off at the weekend was typical of the man, as he strode forward with support around him only to finish with aplomb past the onrushing Begovic in the opposition goal making it 3-1.

It was a cool finish from a classy striker and one that gave plenty of hope to the travelling faithful that their team may well keep their heads above water in the top-flight this campaign.

Manager Paul Lambert will undoubtedly be delighted will his signing and can take a lot of credit for picking up such a talent at a reasonable price. The Scot will now hope his investment pays off in spectacular style in the shape of Premier League safety come May.

You can follow me on Twitter: @davewh1980

What next for Inter?

By David Lee Wheatley

Inter on the slide

After losing 3-4 yesterday at home to Atalanta from 3-1 up, Inter managed to compound an already disappointing season in which they have struggled to put together a consistent run of results in Serie A. They also got dumped out of the Europa League by Tottenham Hotspur at the last-16 stage of the competition, despite a rousing fight-back from a first leg thrashing.

A look at Inter’s last six league fixtures provides an excellent indication of their season so far; 2 wins, 1 draw and 3 losses. Inexperienced coach Andrea Stramaccioni was entrusted with the Inter reigns in March 2012 and the former Roma and Inter youth team coach has struggled with injuries to key players including striker Diego Milito, as well as a lack of form from many of his charges.

Having had his playing career cut short while at Bologna due to a serious knee injury, the 37-year-old Stramaccioni has long been earmarked as a top coach of the future. However, it appears the chance to head up the 2010 Champions League winners has come too soon; Inter currently lie fifth in Serie A, two points behind Fiorentina and eight adrift of local rivals Milan in third.

It has been a dramatic fall from grace after first Roberto Mancini took Inter to the Scudetto in 2006, after so long without the league trophy, and then Jose Mourinho led the Nerazzurri to a famous league, Coppa Italia and Champions League treble in 2010.

Rafa Benitez, Leonardo, Gasparini and Ranieri all tried and failed to live up to the lofty expectations created by the Mancini/ Mourinho eras, every one of them falling well short in their attempts to keep Inter at the top of the Italian game and it remains to be seen how long it will take the Milanese giants to get back to the pinnacle.

An interesting conundrum for club president Massimo Moratti is whether to stick with Stramaccioni or to replace him with more experience and possibly a former coach such as Mancini. The current Manchester City boss is under increasing pressure with his reigning champions losing their grip on the Premier League crown with every passing fixture. It could be a scenario that suits all parties to see the former Lazio head coach return to Milan in an effort to put Inter back on the map again regarding their Scudetto credentials.

You can follow me on Twitter: @davewh1980

Will Celtic be able to reinvent once again?

By David Lee Wheatley

Fearful summer in store for Celts

Celtic go into today's game at home to Hibs 13 points clear at the top of the Scottish Premier League, following on from their promising run to the last-16 stage of the Champions League.

All would appear rosy in the garden for the Scottish champions-elect, but this summer they face a gruelling test of the club's ability to hold on to star players while knowing deep down that some will leave Celtic Park for pastures new.

The names that are linked with big transfers away from Glasgow include imposing goalkeeper Fraser Forster, versatile midfielder Victor Wanyama and scoring sensation Gary Hooper. There's no doubting the huge void their departures would create in the spine of the Hoops' team, but the value on each of their heads would give manager Neil Lennon a handy kitty with which to replenish the squad.

Forster, Wanyama and Hooper could be expected to fetch in the region of £30-£35m altogether and Lennon would certainly hope the board would provide him with a large chunk of that to reinvest. It would be a blow to the club to lose such established stars, but it seems inevitable that at least 2 out of 3 will move on.

It's hard to say with conviction how much Celtic have been affected by the loss of competition from local rivals Rangers with their demotion to Division Three, but Lennon and the Celtic board members must guard against complacency when choosing new recruits.

Taking it for granted that they'll forever lord it over every other team in Scotland could lead to a backward step being taken both in domestic and European competition.

If Celtic wish to make it through to the knockout stages of the Champions League as they did this season, they must find quality footballers to come in and boost a squad that already requires bolstering without the loss of any of the current playing staff.

Celtic's scouting network should be working overtime right now in a bid to find the next Hooper or Wanyama and the club must be relentless in their pursuit of such targets.

Neil Lennon has previously shown himself to be a shrewd man in the transfer market since assuming the role of manager at Celtic Park and he'll need to use all of his skills this summer to help the Celts to improve upon this highly successful campaign.

Follow me on Twitter: @davewh1980

Reading v Southampton - Early kick-off

By David Lee Wheatley

Adkins faces former employers

The early match in the Premier League today throws up an intriguing clash between two clubs in relegation danger.

Nigel Adkins got sacked by Southampton in January and now he heads up a Reading side 7 points adrift of safety. The decision to sack Adkins was widely condemned, but his replacement Pochettino has continued the former manager's good work, taking the Saints to within probably two wins of safety.

Southampton travel to Reading on the back of a stunning victory at home to Chelsea last weekend and will see the clash at the Madejski Stadium as a huge opportunity to almost seal their Premier League status.

Reading on the other hand are still getting used to their new boss and don't have any time to waste. They lie 7 points away from Wigan and Aston Villa above them, while sharing the same amount of points as QPR at the bottom.

Adkins has a massive task on his hands to keep Reading up and will view today's game as a must-win. He'll look to the Royals' fans to help propel the team on to three points that would put the Berkshire club back in the hunt for a place above the drop zone.

However, Southampton striker Rickie Lambert, highest English goalscorer in the Premier League, is bang in form and the 31-year-old will give the home defence no end of problems.

I can see an exciting match materialising from two teams producing attacking football in a bid to end the match on top. I think Adkins' old side will have just a little too much for his new one and will sneak the victory.

If Reading fail to win, it'll look increasingly likely that they'll be playing Championship football again next season.

You can follow me on Twitter: @davewh1980

Mourinho's next move

By David Lee Wheatley

Jose wants English return

Real Madrid meet Galatasaray tonight in a Champions League quarter-final first leg tie, whilst Real head coach Jose Mourinho continues to play cat-and-mouse with English clubs over a return to these shores.

The former Chelsea boss makes no secret of his desire to make England his next destination after he completes his Spanish odyssey in Madrid, but refuses to go further in confirming or denying that this summer will see his long-awaited Premier League reappearance.

The darling of the English media, Jose has endured a much frostier relationship with the Spanish press (as well as the Italians when with Inter) and his constant bickering with Spanish football writers is one reason why his leaving Madrid will be imminent.

The Portuguese tactician repeatedly states his love of England and the country's football, while pointing out that it is certain that he "must be back" in the British Isles to manage a team at some point.

He speaks of a possible return to his "home" Chelsea, while also making off-the-cuff suggestions of an interest in the two Manchester clubs.

This angling and posturing is all part of another Mourinho masterplan to eventually facilitate a move back to the Premier League where he is loved and adored by the majority of the media and fans alike. Rumours of PSG interest in him have muddied the waters somewhat, but he maintains England as his preferred destination should he opt to leave Madrid between this summer and 2016 when his current contract runs out at the Bernabeu.

With Alex Ferguson looking likely to remain at the Old Trafford helm for some time yet, it'd appear that former club Chelsea and Roberto Mancini's Manchester City are the most appealing candidate clubs for Jose to join. Mancini is under pressure after losing his grip on the league title he won last season, and in this era of short memories at board level, it'd be no surprise if Mancini was given the boot this summer.

However, Stamford Bridge still has to be the number one choice for Mourinho if a deal can be brokered. He enjoyed massive success there the first time around, he's still loved by the fans there and reports suggest he and owner Roman Abramovich have kissed and made up after an acrimonious departure from his first spell in west London.

Interim Chelsea manager Rafa Benitez made it clear he will leave the club at the end of the season after the barrage of abuse he's suffered at the hands of some supporters, therefore leaving the path clear for a triumphant return of the 'Special One' to the Blues' hot seat.

Follow me on Twitter: @davewh1980

Champions League quarter-final - PSG v Barcelona

By David Lee Wheatley

Barca squander late advantage

Barcelona living legend Lionel Messi gave the Catalans a half-time lead in Paris, but the home side hit back to grab a draw from the jaws of defeat in the Parc des Princes this evening.

Messi gave the visitors a 38th-minute lead after a fine ball from Dani Alves put the little Argentine through on goal. The Brazilian wing-back hit the pass with the outside of his right foot, finding Messi on the left side of the box. The outcome of the move was never in doubt, as he smashed the ball emphatically into the bottom corner.

The goalscoring phenomenon went off with a hamstring strain shortly after, though, and Barcelona seemed to become more laboured after the break. Still, they kept control over the middle of the park against a somewhat pedestrian PSG midfield until Carlo Ancelotti started to bring fresh legs into the fray.

Ibrahimovic was largely ineffectual when given the ball in advanced areas and he was becoming frustrated at losing possession so readily. However, Barca gave away a silly free-kick 30 yards from goal, which was sent in for Thiago Silva to latch on to. The captain nodded on to the left-hand post with the rebound finding Ibrahimovic in an offside position. The officials failed to spot that rather important fact and the Swede muscled his way in front of his marker to equalise against his former club.

With a minute remaining of normal time, Alexis went through and invited the foul from the keeper. He was clipped slightly and went into a forward roll to make sure he got the referee's call. Xavi stepped up to coolly slot home for a 2-1 advantage.

It looked likely that Barcelona would go back home with a clear lead, but in injury-time Ibrahimovic knocked a cross down to Matuidi on the edge of the box, who dispatched a shot that took a minimal deflection to wrong-foot Valdes and that was enough to take the ball past the despairing right hand of the Barca goalkeeper.

Two away goals puts Barcelona in the strongest position going into the second leg, but Paris Saint-Germain remain in the tie ahead of the Camp Nou clash.

Barcelona will desperately hope to have Messi available for the second leg, but should his hamstring injury keep him out, then it'll be all to play for in the Catalan capital.

Follow me on Twitter: @davewh1980

Premier League run-in - Drop zone

By David Lee Wheatley

Relegation fight hots up

QPR and Reading are looking strong favourites for a return to the Championship after the most recent round of results over the Easter weekend, but the other relegation spot is still very much in the melting pot.

Only three points separate Newcastle United, Sunderland, Wigan Athletic (who have a game in hand on the others) and Aston Villa. All sides face tough fixtures during the run-in and it is almost impossible to predict which of them may be dragged down to the division below by May 19th.

Sunderland decided to part company with manager Martin O'Neill in a desperate bid to propel themselves out of harm's way, replacing the genial Irishman with the confident, charismatic and controversial Italian fire-brand Paolo Di Canio. The club's hierachy wil hope his passion and determination will inspire a Sunderland side without a win in the last eight matches.

Newcastle United attempted to buy their way out of trouble when signing a raft of players during the January transfer window. Initially, it appeared the plan had worked with a brief upturn in results, but the Magpies have stalled somewhat and have been left looking over their shoulders at Villa and Wigan just 3 points adrift of them; Alan Pardew will view the Tyne-Wear derby on April 14th as a potentially make-or-break match-up.

Aston Villa suffered a home defeat to Liverpool at the weekend after back-to-back victories had put them in a slightly healthier state. That setback will be further compounded by the fact that their goal difference is the worst in the Premier League currently, which could come into play on the final day of reckoning this season.

Wigan are renowned for their ability to escape relegation scraps at the last-minute and they will be confident of repeating the feat with a tasty-looking tie against Aston Villa on the last day of the campaign, not to mention the fact that the fantastic cup run Wigan have been on has left them with a league game in hand on all those around them. Their run to the FA Cup semi-finals (and possibly beyond) will give them momentum that will be hard to stop.

It's difficult to predict the teams that will make the eventual drop into Championship football, but at this moment in time it's looking like QPR, Reading and Aston Villa are set for demotion this time around.

Follow me on Twitter: @davewh1980