Loss of Yaya may prove costly for Manchester City

By David Lee Wheatley

Manchester City may possess enough firepower to threaten Champions League last-16 foes Barcelona, but the first-leg suspension of powerhouse Yaya Toure could prove pivotal.

A great deal of water has gone under the bridge since Manchester City and FC Barcelona met at this stage of the same competition 12 months ago, with the Catalans advancing by way of a comfortable 4-1 aggregate margin.

City eventually claimed the Premier League crown, while Barca missed out on honours both domestically and in Europe to rivals Atletico Madrid. Additionally, ex-player Luis Enrique assumed the Nou Camp coaching reins in place of misfit Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino at the end of that campaign.

Normal service seemingly resumed when Barcelona won five out of six Champions League Group F contests to qualify above fancied French side Paris Saint-Germain. Meanwhile, the Citizens faced almost certain elimination having failed to win any of their opening four group encounters.

Astonishingly, Manuel Pellegrini’s men scraped through at the death courtesy of a home win over Bayern Munich and a subsequent away triumph at the Stadio Olimpico against Roma.

Now the two sides clash again on Tuesday night a year on from what can only be described as a massively one-sided affair in favour of the Blaugrana, but with many observers openly voicing their belief in City’s ability to reach the Champions League quarter-finals for the very first time.

They’ve got Sergio Aguero delivering almost a goal-per-game this term, while David Silva is pulling the strings beautifully, as recently evidenced by a man-of-the-match performance against Newcastle United last Saturday.

However, there is the crucial matter of Yaya Toure’s enforced absence from the first leg, which could tip the balance of the tie in favour of the Catalonian side before they welcome City to the Nou Camp.

Former Barcelona star Toure’s galloping runs, supreme physicality and eye for goal will all be keenly missed by his team-mates who feed off his barnstorming performances.

The 31-year-old has undergone a turbulent spell at the Etihad, with persistent rumours of his unhappiness at the club. But, he remains a potent weapon in their armoury and represents several attributes their Spanish conquerors from last season simply can’t replicate from within their own squad.

Andres Iniesta is still one of the world’s best passers of a ball, while Ivan Rakitic has quickly grown into a key player following his move from Sevilla last summer. Argentine superstar Lionel Messi continues to devastate in between the lines of midfield and attack, with Sergio Busquets undertaking a deep role in helping Barca tighten their grip on possession.

It’s certainly a highly subjective debate, but the likes of Fernando, Samir Nasri, Fernandinho, Jesus Navas and even the fabulous David Silva cannot legitimately claim to be better than their Barcelona counterparts.

What’s more, not one of those aforementioned players offer the beast-like presence of Yaya Toure, who can win a game single-handedly when on top form.

He could well make the difference for Manchester City in the second leg of this glamourous tie once he’s served the last of a three-match ban imposed for his November sending-off against CSKA Moscow, but by then it could be too little, too late.

Follow @davewh1980

Chelsea look to keep PSG in their place

 

 



 



By David Lee Wheatley    @davewh1980

Paris Saint-Germain have another opportunity to glimpse into their potential future when taking on Chelsea for the second year running, a club who represent the blueprint for their own long-term plans.

Chelsea were purchased by Russian Roman Abramovich from long-time owner Ken Bates almost 12 years ago in a deal reportedly worth £140million.

At the time, the Blues had mounting debts of around £80million to contend with and still no Premier League title to show for consistently heavy investment in the playing staff.

That all changed under Abramovich, with Italian manager Claudio Ranieri jettisoned in favour of bright young FC Porto head coach Jose Mourinho after he’d just delivered the UEFA Champions League trophy to the Portuguese giants in 2004 against all odds.

A first top-flight championship in 50 years was secured a year after his arrival at Stamford Bridge, as local mainstays Frank Lampard and John Terry led the Blues to new heights alongside an array of foreign stars.

Mourinho and co defended their title, while two League Cups and an FA Cup were secured before the headstrong boss left amid great acrimony between him and his paymaster.

Even after the Portuguese moved on to Inter, the honours cabinet continued to fill up in the shape of three more FA Cups and a league crown, which completed a celebrated double under Carlo Ancelotti in 2010.

They’d agonisingly missed out on the holy grail of the Champions League under much-maligned Avram Grant in 2008 on penalties under the rainy skies of Moscow, but didn’t deviate from that stated aim and finally became kings of the continent under Roberto Di Matteo in 2012.

A Europa League followed under Rafa Benitez, whose lifting of that cup occurred in spite of public opinion railing against him due to his once-searing rivalry with the west London outfit when in charge of Liverpool.

Up to the present day - with Mourinho back in harness - it appears another Premier League title could be on the horizon, plus a realistic tilt at a second Champions League success should they swipe pretenders PSG aside.

The French capital club wish to emulate those illustrious achievements which define Chelsea’s recent history, while they often cast a keen eye over a selection of the Blues’ best talent including Eden Hazard to go along with their purchase of Brazilian David Luiz last summer.

In fact, they offered the head coaching role at Parc des Princes to current Chelsea supremo Mourinho on two separate occasions in the past, while they have been repeatedly linked to skilful Belgian Hazard and several others in the Chelsea ranks.

They aspire to be just like Abramovich’s beloved Chelsea, but this tie may prove a tad too soon for their burgeoning ambitions to flourish, which is a myth they will do their damnedest to dispel.

Should they falter this time around, they will undoubtedly continue recruiting a plethora of the greatest players on the planet, meaning it won’t be too long before they finally grab glory at the top table of European football to go with a solitary Cup Winners’ Cup in 1996 - won only two years before London upstarts Chelsea emerged victorious in the very same competition.

David Luiz out to halt Chelsea's Champions League charge

 

 

By David Lee Wheatley  @davewh1980

 

 

Brazilian defender David Luiz will line up against former club Chelsea for Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League round of 16 determined to knock his old club out of the competition.

 

27-year-old Luiz won the trophy with Chelsea in 2012 by virtue of victory over Bayern Munich in the final, and would love to add another winners’ medal to his collection with the French big-spenders.

The South American has experienced a turbulent few months having suffered the embarrassment of a 7-1 loss to Germany at the World Cup in his homeland before moving to the French capital in a £50 million deal.

 

He was also named in the best XI at the World Cup, while topping off his first six months at the Parc des Princes with a nomination for FIFPro Team of the Year announced at the Ballon d’Or awards evening in January.

 

 

Luiz’s performances have largely been very good, as PSG strive to retain the French title they claimed last term. However, they sit in third place as part of a titanic three-way tussle for the championship along with leaders Lyon and Marseille after 25 matches.

He’s featured in 19 of those league outings so far, while starting every one of PSG’s Champions League group F games, as they advanced in second spot behind Barcelona.

 

“I hope this is the year we win it,” said a typically jovial Luiz at the pre-match media conference alongside boss Laurent Blanc.
 

“We have an amazing team, but it is not easy to win the Champions League.

 

“We need to be strong and play an amazing first leg because it will be decided there.
 

“I want to qualify, like I did last year but now I want to qualify for PSG.”

 

Of his former colleagues, Luiz rates them highly.
 

“They are stronger this year,” he explained.

 

“They understand more the philosophy of Jose Mourinho and in his second year it is easier to pass the message.
 

“And they have players joining with amazing quality like Diego [Costa] and [Cesc] Fabregas.”

 

Two late goals from struggling visitors Caen surprisingly hauled the scores level on Saturday in the Parisians’ latest domestic outing after the fancied hosts streaked into what appeared to be an unassailable 2-0 lead.

Injuries are piling up for manager Blanc heading into Tuesday’s game, who will certainly have to do without the services of Yohan Cabaye, Marquinhos, Serge Aurier and Lucas Moura.

Meanwhile, doubts remain over the availability of Blaise Matuidi, Javier Pastore and Maxwell, who will all be evaluated during training on Monday.

 

Arsenal still have much to do in order to prove win at Manchester City was no fluke

By David Lee Wheatley    @davewh1980 on Twitter

Arsenal’s victory over Manchester City suggests Arsene Wenger’s side have finally found an effective way to deliver successful results against top opposition.

Manchester City would’ve been mightily surprised by Arsenal’s approach at the Etihad on Sunday, as were many observers watching on, but the Gunners’ unfamiliar counter-attacking style paid huge dividends when defeating the reigning Premier League champions.

It seems the penny has finally dropped with the north Londoners’ long-serving manager that he no longer possesses the squad capable of overrunning opponents with all-out attacking intent.

That was eminently possible during the vintage 2003-04 season when the ‘Invincibles’ went an entire Premier League campaign without loss, but not any longer.

Another plan had to be sought to allow Arsenal to resume winning ways against a City outfit they’d failed to beat away from home since October 2011.

Wenger came to a long overdue realisation that his current crop of players required an urgent readjustment to alter their troublesome lack of resilience.

They’d been found wanting far too often, with the fragility of their back-line and defensive midfield area exposed with great ease by a succession top-four challengers.

The Gunners managed only 35 per cent possession during the contest in Manchester, which represents the smallest amount of time in control of the ball they’ve achieved since Opta records began in 2003.

Undoubtedly, playmaker Santi Cazorla’s wonderful end-to-end performance was instrumental in the eventual outcome, but it was the overall discipline showcased by the entire team which led to a 2-0 victory which brought Manchester City 12-match unbeaten run to a shuddering halt.

Central defenders Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny were protected brilliantly by 23-year-old Frenchman Francis Coquelin, who produced his best showing yet in an Arsenal shirt. The pair rarely appeared to be under any significant pressure and almost always found time on the ball to clear their lines successfully when called upon.

Coquelin was ably assisted by the dynamic Cazorla, with the Spanish star popping up everywhere when battling for the ball in his own half and carrying it into enemy territory beyond several attempted tackles that simply couldn’t stop his progress.

Full-backs Nacho Monreal and Hector Bellerin also stuck to their duties diligently without succumbing to the damaging marauding runs forward that Arsenal’s flank defenders are often guilty of employing.

Arsenal’s display drew widespread praise from media pundits across the board, as well as from a beaming Wenger afterwards, in what amounts to a rather ironic twist considering his regular admonishment of rival Premier League teams who’ve set out their stall with similar strategies against the Gunners in the past.

However, it doesn’t seem to be as bitter a pill to swallow for the experienced tactician as most people would have believed after witnessing his contented smile for the cameras after securing a precious three points at the home of the champions.

They’ve apparently accepted that a sea-change in approach was needed heading into those kinds of high-profile fixtures and the key now is to put that level of performance into practice on a consistent basis in order to make certain the win over City wasn’t simply a flash in the pan.

Follow me on Twitter: search @davewh1980

La Liga: Real Sociedad v Barcelona preview

By David Lee Wheatley     @davewh1980

David Moyes faces an acid test of his managerial credentials this evening when Real Sociedad take on Luis Suarez’s Barcelona in a mouth-watering La Liga clash.

Scotsman David Moyes has encountered an inconsistent start to life in Spain since taking over the Basque outfit Real Sociedad in November.

He’s unbeaten at home, but has witnessed only one victory over strugglers Elche from his five league matches at the helm, having also surrendered leads in eventual draws with local rivals Athletic Bilbao and Levante.

A 4-0 hammering away to Villarreal highlighted worrying defensive frailties, which must be corrected alongside a severe lack of goals at the other end; Real Sociedad aren’t scoring anywhere near enough, managing 17 in 16 games.

Furthermore, a meagre return of three wins leaves them perched perilously just two points above the drop zone.

Ex-Arsenal star Carlos Vela is a slight doubt ahead of the contest, with the six-goal striker vital to the Basques’ hopes of victory.

Luis Suarez has so far failed to hit the goal-trail since his sensational move from Liverpool, notching once in eight La Liga outings, but caused nightmares for former Everton boss David Moyes during the pair’s time on Merseyside.

Barcelona have been unbeaten for six top-flight games since a double loss to Real Madrid and Celta Vigo to close within one point of league-leading arch-rivals Real Madrid. Five of those have been wins, including one-sided thrashings of Sevilla, Espanyol and Cordoba when plundering five goals on each occasion.

Right wing-back Dani Alves is ready to return after a calf strain, thus handing head coach Luis Enrique an almost fully-fit squad to choose from; only Thomas Vermaelen misses out.

Real Sociedad can take some comfort from their recent home record against the Blaugrana, whose last triumph at the Anoeta arrived in May 2007. Meanwhile, the hosts defeated Barcelona 3-1 when they last met there in February 2014.

The fans will be out in force at the Anoeta for such an enticing fixture, with Moyes hoping they’ll produce the kind of cacophonous atmosphere they’ve been renowned for in the past.

However, it’ll take a effort of Herculean proportions to ward off the rampant Barcelona attack and repeat such a result.

Team news

Real Sociedad: Rulli, C.Martinez, Bergara, Inigo, Granero, Xabi Prieto, Vela, Ansotegi, Canales, Chory Castro, De La Bella

Barcelona: 13. Bravo, 2. Montoya,14. Mascherano, 24. Mathieu, 18. Jordi Alba, 7. Pedro, 6. Xavi, 8. Iniesta, 5. Sergio Busquets, 9. Suarez, 31. Munir