New year, new stage, new ball, same objectives. The UEFA Champions League returns in 2021 with the knockout rounds starting with a European classic. Barcelona host last season’s runners-up Paris Saint-Germain at the Camp Nou for the first leg of their last 16 tie. It promises to be an intriguing game four years after that…
Juan Cuadrado gained prominence when registering the most assists (four) at the 2014 World Cup with quarter-finalists Colombia. But in the intervening six years – via a forgettable stint at Chelsea – his decision-making failed to live up to those standards as a World-class winger, settling instead, in his preferred wing-back role. Up until now….
Management is about making decisions which mostly involves weighing risks. Some risks could turn out well given the outcome, while some could lead to regrets. But not taking any at all is total incompetence. And on Wednesday, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer once again showed his incompetence as a manager; and this is not about the defeat…
Olivier Giroud’s career is a showreel of coming back from adversity and shutting down the doubters. In typical fashion, The World Cup winner delivered yet another defiant performance for Chelsea away to Sevilla in the Champions League. Giroud missed a gilt-edged opportunity that could have won the game against Spurs, but responded with four goals…
The Football Castle provides an in-depth analysis of Chelsea’s victory over Rennes on Matchday four. Chelsea needed to win this game to secure early qualification into the next rounds of the UEFA Champions League while Rennes had to win to give themselves a fighting chance in the group. In the first leg of this tie,…
The pressure has ramped up in the UEFA Champions League season as qualification for the knockout rounds intensified in matchday four. Atalanta continued their fantastic away form, and exerted revenge, on a depleted Liverpool side with goals from Josip Iličić and Robin Gosens within four second-half minutes. On a very sad evening for football, Papu…
Paris Saint-Germain suffered yet another group stage loss in the UEFA Champions League to RB Leipzig amidst an unfortunate start to the season. Two months on from their Semifinal showdown in Lisbon which PSG won with a commanding 3-0 scoreline. Leipzig overpowered their opponents after crashing to a 5-0 defeat at Old Trafford last week…
Real Madrid versus Inter Milan was always quite the titanic European clash. The three-time Champions League winners returned to the familiar surroundings of the record-winners’ facilities where they prepared for and won their last UCL Final in 2010. On Tuesday night, Zinedine Zidane’s men sealed a brilliant 3-2 win which took them to four points…
A Duván Zapata brace helped Atalanta to a matchweek 2 draw against Eredivisie Giants Ajax in the first Champions League game at the Gewiss Stadium. The fixture was reminiscent of the Battle of Greek mythology between warriors (Ajax) and hunters (Atalanta). And it lived up to its billing as the Italians came from a two-goal…
It had all the sparks of a befitting final. A fantastic cross to the far post, a small leap and well-placed header made the difference. Neymar was in inconsolable tears. Bayern Munich were crowned Champions League winners after an entertaining final that was decided by a lone Kingsley Coman goal against PSG. Their first since…
