Barcelona vs Bayern Munich 2-8 Highlights & Goals – Quarter-finals | UCL 2019/2020



Bayern Munich sent out an emphatic and ominous message to their Champions League rivals with an absolute demolition of fellow European heavyweights Barcelona in a gloriously chaotic and utterly one-sided quarter-final tie in Lisbon.

The high-pressing, energetic and ruthless German champions were on a different level to their Spanish rivals, as they have been for pretty much every opponent they have faced in Europe this season and in every competition since football restarted in June.

They scored four times in the first half, added another quartet in the second, and could easily have netted more against a shell-shocked and shambolic Barca side whose defensive errors were too numerous to recount and who now have a new and embarrassing record defeat in European competition to their name.

Bayern were not entirely infallible, though, with Barca’s forward players – inevitably led by Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez – regularly finding space in behind to cause problems and test Manuel Neuer.

In a dizzyingly madcap opening 10 minutes, Thomas Muller fired Bayern ahead following a one-two with Robert Lewandowski and David Alaba wildly sliced a Jordi Alba cross into his own net to restore parity, before Suarez was denied by Neuer and Messi hit the post with a curling cross through a packed box.

The following 22 minutes took the game away from Barca, with Ivan Perisic smashing in a deflected second for Bayern before Serge Gnabry finished off a delightful ball over the top from Leon Goretzka, and Muller poked in his second at the near post.

A neat turn and finish from Suarez after the break gave the Spanish side hope, but this was snuffed out by arguably the pick of the goals – a Joshua Kimmich side-foot finish following some stunning skill and speed and excellent delivery from Alphonso Davies.

Robert Lewandowski headed his 14th Champions League goal in just eight games before salt was poured into Barca’s deep wounds as Philippe Coutinho – on loan from the Spanish side – netted a seventh and eighth via close-range finishes after coming off the bench.

Bayern are by far the most decorated side left in the competition, having won the European Cup/Champions League on five occasions, most recently in 2013 and look comfortably the strongest left in this season’s tournament.

There is always a danger that knock-out games between two of Europe’s most decorated sides become a cagey tactical grapple as opposed to the haymaker-throwing thrill-fest promised by the hype.

Not Barca v Bayern, though. This is a match-up that delivers, even in an empty, neutral stadium.

Four knock-out ties since 2009 have now yielded 36 goals at an average of five goals per game.

This includes the Arjen Robben and Muller-inspired 7-0 aggregate win for Bayern in the semi-finals in 2013 and a Messi and Neymar masterclass in the last four two years later as Barca floored the Germans.

But this game tops the lot and will last long in the memory as a showcase of two sides now operating in different stratospheres.

Bayern’s brilliance and risky high line, Barcelona’s crippling frailty but still potent attack – it all ensured that a goalscoring chance was never far away and the ball in the net a high possibility from each.

Such has been the quality of these sides in the three previous knock-out ties, the winner of each went on to lift the trophy, and you would not put it past Bayern continuing that trend.

They have ripped through the competition, scoring 39 goals and conceding just eight in the process of winning all 10 of their matches. The eight they scored on Friday is the most a side has scored in a European Cup tie since Real Madrid beat FC Wacker Innsbruck 9-1 in a last-16 tie in 1990-91.

This is on top of the nine they won post-lockdown to claim an eighth straight Bundesliga title and the two that gave them the German Cup.

The hiring of Hansi Flick – initially on an interim basis but now permanently – now looks like a masterstroke by the Bayern hierarchy.

In a short space of time he has built a Bayern side that is every bit the match of their impressive predecessors, constructed around a positivity that makes Jerome Boateng and Alaba playmakers from the back, Davies and Kimmich as much wingers as full-backs and Lewandowski, Muller et al a seamless attacking unit unmatched on the continent.

Lyon will have a monumental task on their hands next Wednesday.

Did Cristiano Ronaldo Deserve To Be World Player Of The Year 2014?

FIFA’s recent award of the Ballon d’Or 2014 (World Player of the Year) to Cristiano Ronaldo proves that the accolade is more about politics and personal popularity than about performance on the field.

Although players from several nationalities are nominated and win the award, they always all play for European clubs while those active in other leagues such as in South America and Mexico are generally overlooked. The best player is chosen by players and managers based on favoritism rather than merit which often creates unworthy winners. Thus the award has lost its recognition and become the object of amusement and ridicule.

The Ballon d’Or was established by a magazine called France Football in 1956 to recognize the history-makers of the game. But that is not what it has turned out to be.

LA LIGA

Between January 1 and December 31, 2014 in this competition Lionel Messi scored 35 goals in 36 matches (11 with the right foot, 23 with the left and the other with the head) while Cristiano Ronaldo scored 38 but with less versatility as only 4 were with his head and unfavorable left foot.

In addition Messi created 97 chances, 24 more than any other player and completed 164 dribbles, 63 more than the nearest rival Iker Muniain of Atletico Bilbao (MAILOnline – Why Lionel Messi should win Ballon d’Or after a record-breaking year with Barcelona; by Kieran Gill, January 12, 2015).

EUROPE

Messi conquered the continent on November 25 when he became the all-time top goal scorer in the Champions League in Nicosia, Cyprus. It was his 23rd European city, his 16th European country and recorded the 24th different stadium in which he had scored (MAILOnline etc.)

WORLD CUP 2014

At soccer’s most important competition Messi led Argentina to the final, was voted Man of the Match in 4 games (the most of any player in the competition) and won the Golden Boot as the best player of the tournament.

He had the most impact on the competition. His goals were all match-winning goals which propelled Argentina to the final. He was the third joint highest goal scorer with 4 goals and 1 assist, created the most chances, had the most successful dribbling runs, made the most deliveries into the box and produced the most through balls of any player.

In contrast, Ronaldo was a non-factor and only scored a late goal against minnow Ghana and had an assist against the USA.

HISTORY MAKER

Messi’s performance in 2014 was what the Ballon d’Or is all about, namely, history-making performances. On March 16, he became Barcelona’s all-time top goal scorer (371). One week later he became the El Clasico (matches between Real Madrid and Barcelona) top goal scorer (21) with a hat- trick.

He scored his 400th career goal on September 27 against Granada and surpassed a 59-year-old record to become La Liga’s all-time top goal scorer (253) on November 22. Three days later he overtook Raul by scoring a hat-trick to become the top goal scorer in the history of the Champions League (74).

Given all these achievements one would think that of the three nominees Messi was the most deserving to win the award. Instead he not only lost to Ronaldo but he and the other nominee Manuel Neuer got less votes combined (31.48 %) than Ronaldo (37.66%).

In 2013 Ronaldo won nothing and Franck Ribery won everything but nevertheless Ronaldo beat him.

How can all this be explained?

POLITICS BEHIND THE VOTING

FIFA’s criteria call for national managers, captains and media officials to vote for the most outstanding performer of the previous twelve months.

Not unexpectedly players vote for their team-mates and compatriots. In the 2014 contest for example, Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany) gave all three spots to Germans, Manuel Neuer, Phillip Lahm and Thomas Muller.

Diego Godin (Atletico Madrid) voted for his former team-mates Diego Costa and Thibaut Courtois.

Vincent Kompany (Belgium) voted for team-mates Thibaut Courtois and Eden Hazard as the world’s two best players with Arjen Robben third.

The best example of the politics in all of this is illustrated by Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich) who declared without giving a reason that he regretted voting for Ronaldo instead of his team-mate Neuer. This ‘change of heart’ can only be explained as coming from a player who wants to save face with team-mates in the dressing room rather than from a voter with any real conviction.

The same criticism applies to managers who only vote for national players. For example, Argentina’s manager Gerardo Martino gave all three places to his fellow countrymen namely, Lionel Messi, Angel di Maria and Javier Mascherano, Belgium coach Marc Wilmots voted for Belgian Thibaut Courtous for third place, Didier Deschamps (France) gave the final spot to French striker Benzema and Holland’s Guus Hiddink gave top honor to compatriot Arjen Robben.

Players will get a lot of votes if they are popular ‘with the boys’ and can play to the cameras to advertise commercial products. Those who defend the choice of Ronaldo as best player point to the fact that in the second half of 2014 he scored 32 goals. The problem is that 9 of those goals were penalties so his non-penalty goals were 23, the same amount as Messi who had no penalties. Ronaldo is nicknamed «Penaldo» because of his mastery of drawing and scoring penalties.

In a World Cup year such as 2014 your performance in that tournament is what defines you. On the world’s biggest stage Ronaldo was a nonfactor and his supporters excuse this by saying he was carrying an injury. If that is true that is unfortunate but injury is a misfortune, not a privilege and he can only be judged on actual performance and not on speculation as to what he might have achieved had he been fully fit.

The Player of the Year award has lost its authenticity. But it does not have to be so. It is not a personality or school prom contest. It is supposed to recognize performance on the field. Maybe the officials of FIFA should themselves become the judges, give more consideration to non-European clubs and use criteria like achievements and fair play to choose the winner. This would not be a perfect system but would be preferable to the present one which is deeply flawed and cannot be taken seriously.

Victor A. Dixon

January 18, 2015

FCB with Huge Comeback | FC Bayern – FSV Mainz 05 2-1 | All Goals | Matchday 15 – Bundesliga 2021/22



#FCBM05 | Short Highlights from Matchday 15!
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Goals: 0-1 Karim Onisiwo (22′), 1-1 Kingsley Coman (53′), 2-1 Jamal Musiala (74′)

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PES 2013 Tutorial: Top 3 Match Winning Strategies

Seasoned players in the PES Master League Online mode are able to secure successive victories and achieve high rankings as they understand the game well, know what works in PES Master League Online, and are able to exploit the weaknesses of the game to punish their opponents. In this tutorial, you will find out how you can apply some of these tricks in your next online game.

1. Controlled Shot

The controlled shot in PES 2013 and PES MLO is very effective, perhaps too effective for everyone’s liking. If you have a top striker, a controlled shot has a high chance of finding the net. To execute a good controlled shot, aim towards the far post with the player’s stronger foot, charge up the shot and press R2. The striker will curl the ball nicely past the goal keeper into the corner of the net. Online players use this frequently to great effect, and you should as well.

2. Chipped Through Pass

An effective way to split the defence. The chipped through pass enables you to bypass the entire defence with a simple ball. Use this in conjunction with a fast striker, and you will have plenty of one-on-one chances with the goal keeper in PES 2013. This is used to a great extent in PES MLO, and definitely a necessary skill to master in order to rise up the rankings in the online mode. To use the chipped through pass, push right analog stick towards the striker and trigger a forward run. Once the striker start his run, hold L1 and charge up the through pass button. Placing the striker all the way to the top in the formation will aid in the implementation of this trick too.

3. Play Left Footer at Right Flank

And vice versa. Think Robben and Ribery for Bayern Munich. Or Ronaldo and Angel Di Maria at Real Madrid. Playing a left footer at the right flank is very useful as it allows the player to easily cut into the box, aim for the far post, and send a powerful shot towards goal. It also puts your player in the best position to execute the controlled shot mentioned earlier in this tutorial. When you are playing with a formation with two side midfielders or wingers, select appropriate players for the role such that a left footer player is on the right flank and vice versa. For a formation with 2 strikers, you can also play a left footer striker as the right striker and vice versa.

These are the top 3 strategies used by majority of the top players in PES Master League Online. Practising and using these strategies will allow you to match up to the top players in the online mode.

Bayern Munich will have to improvise vs. Borussia M'gladbach | ESPN FC



Archie Rhind-Tutt joins ESPN FC to preview Bayern Munich vs. Borussia M’gladbach and addresses the lineup issues Bayern Munich faces with players out due to COVID.

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Best Football Players Ever

The ingenuity and creativity that symbolize the game of football would render a form of art rather than the physical context of the sport. Football players are granted the freedom of expression that is why it is the distinguished sport from others. Cricketers and baseball players are limited to specific actions, but football players may dribble, tackle, pass, or shoot in variety of different ways, which allows footballers to reach the peak of the sport.

The list below doesn’t include the current star players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, rather the list contains the players who have retired from the beautiful game.

10. Zinedine Zidane – France

Zinedine Zidane’s strong points are his passing, strength, ball control and individual skill. We got to see the best performances from Zidane in the most important or decisive games that we don’t get to see from many players. In 789 games he scored total of 159 goals as a central midfielder. He won 2000 European Championships and 1998 World Cup with France. With Real Madrid and Juventus he won one European Cup and 3 league titles.

9. George Best – Northern Ireland

The career of George Best was inundated by drink problems, but his ability and talent was almost unmatched. With Manchester United he won two league titles and 1968 European Cup. In 579 games he scored total of 205 goals as an attacking midfielder and was the winner of Ballon d’Or in 1968.

8. Ferenc Puskas – Hungary

Puskas was known for his precise goal scoring ability. Combining his scoring talent with the ability to produce new skills and general intelligence, he scored 700 goals in total of 705 matches. With Real Madrid he won 5 league titles and 3 European Cups. In 1954 he led Hungary to the World Cup Final.

7. Alfredo Di Stefano – Argentina

Stefano was a prolific player for Real Madrid with 511 sensational goals in 702 games. He wasn’t an orthodox forward though; he used to appear all over the filed, passing, tackling, and dictating the game. As a whole he was a complete footballer the game has ever seen. He won 5 European Cups with Real Madrid, and won total of 13 league titles throughout his career.

6. Michel Platini – France

With 353 goals in 652 matches, it wouldn’t be wrong to say Michel was an attacking midfielder. He was a superb free kick taker and excellent passer. Scoring 9 goals in 1984 European Cup, he almost helped France to win the championship. He won 3 league titles and a European Cup with Juventus.

5. Franz Beckenbauer – Germany

In today’s lingo, Beckenbauer was a defensive midfielder or a sweeper, but that wasn’t enough to stop him from scoring 111 goals in 776 appearances for Bayern Munich and Germany. Just like Di Stefano, he was seen all over the field, exerting his influence and dictating the game. Obviously he was the decisive captain, but combined with his all round technical ability, passing and dribbling; he was surely one of the greatest footballers ever. He won the 1972 European Championships, 1974 World Cup, along with 8 league titles and 3 European Cups during his career in clubs.

4. Johann Cruyff – Netherlands

Cruyff had the pace and dribbling of George Best and the strength, control and skill of Zinedine Zidane. Combination of calculating intelligence, clinical ability and sublime gracefulness made him the complete football player. As an attacking midfielder he scored 401 goals in 710 appearances. He won 10 league titles and 3 European Championships.

3. Zico – Brazil

Zico’s capability in football world was never in question, though he was seldom included in the list of top players due to his deficiency of successes. He was a prolific goal scorer with 527 goals in 769 matches. His ability to produce unique skills and shots also made him remarkable creator of goals. Moreover, he had mastered the free-kick and heading ability. He won 4 league titles and the Copa Libertadores.

2. Pele- Brazil

Pele is often ranked the best footballer in the history of the game. His dribbling ability, pace, strength and sheer power saw him score varieties of goal. In 1366 games he scored 1282 goals. The ultimate goal score machine helped Brazil win World Cup in 1958, 1962 and 1970. He also won 5 league titles and 2 Copa Libertadores.

1. Diego Maradona – Argentina

Undoubtedly Maradona’s talent was the greatest ever seen in the history of football. His crossing and passing were precise, his goal scoring was clinical and unique, and his dribbling ability was mesmerizing which helped earn him plenty of assists throughout his career. Being an attacking midfielder he score 345 goals in 680 matches. Though he had a difficult career than Pele, he still won 3 league titles and 1986 World Cup. He also won UEFA Cup with Napoli.

Lewandowski Brace against BVB | Borussia Dortmund – FC Bayern München 1-3 | All Goals | DFL-Supercup



#BVBFCB | Short Highlights from the DFL-Supercup 2021 !
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Goals: 0-1 Lewandowski (41’), 0-2 Thomas Müller (49’), 1-2 Reus (64’), 1-3 Lewandowski (74’)

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We’ve seen another Matchday full of unmissable Bundesliga drama. Don’t miss any highlights from Germany’s football league! The Official Bundesliga YouTube channel gives you access to videos about the greatest goals, best moments and anything else you should know about. Make sure to subscribe now and visit us at to find out more about the fixtures, analysis and news about your favourite team!

UEFA Champions League

Having won last season’s edition, Manchester United FC lead the entries for the 2008/09 UEFA Champions League, which will conclude on Wednesday 27 May 2009 at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome; the question that rises is «can they repeat?»

Last season Manchester United could say they questionable had their best season for an extensive, lengthy time. Cristiano Ronaldo (Premier League top scorer and World player of the year) and Wayne Rooney helped win two big titles, the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League. Both made millions of Euros.

The question this year will be in what order the ‘big four’ will be positioned. Can any team break into the elite group of clubs that are dominating English football? I will say it is possible!! Looking further down the league; can the newly promoted teams survive in the Premier League? Why not! They are prepared already.

Look at the ‘big four’. Manchester United has not brought any new bodies in (not that they need) but have lost someone significant, Tony Coton. Why will Coton be missed? Simple, best goalkeeping coach Manchester United has ever had and despite the fact the knee injury retired him for good, he will be someone to look for advice in a future.

Man Utd has survived the ‘Ronaldo saga’ and live to fight another day. All in all it has been a quiet summer for Manchester United. Alex Ferguson has said over the last few days that he hopes to sign an elite player soon (the name Robinho keeps popping in my head).

I don’t like to predict, but would expect Man Utd to be in the top two or I can foresee the future and say injuries could play a roll. Why? Well, besides the fact that this championship is being played in a «battle field» any injuries to key men like Ronaldo, Rooney or Tevez may mean they could struggle to score goals, has happened before; this was a problem that did occur at times last season, but like earlier mentioned, Ferguson is tracking a striker and this could put an end to any apparent flaw in the squad.

Now, how much is Chelsea willing to risk winning this year? Well, Scolari, Deco, Porto… need I say more? Of course I do, what about the dramatic change in tactics. Chelsea is going all the way, so don’t be surprised to see them playing another UEFA final game against Manchester United once again. Maybe you are wondering «will Chelsea focus more on the Champions League instead of the Premier League?» That sort of rational could ambition the title near Manchester.

Manchester United is with no doubt on top of the pile, not only locally, but on the European front. The current crop of players is certainly the finest manager Sir. Alex Ferguson has had at his retention in his twenty-two year influence, but who of the pretenders can make a strong claim as being genuine contenders this season? Will the ‘Big Four’ charge further away, or can others shorten the gap?

Bucket Challenge | #4 FCB Summer Games



Team Lewandowski and Team Neuer are not aiming for goals but for barrels in the fourth challenge of the FC Bayern Summer Games. The team that hits the most barrels wins. #AudiFCBTour

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David Beckham – Exclusive Profile of the Former England Captain

David Beckham is undoubtedly one of the most charismatic footballers the world has ever produced. A former captain of the English senior national team- The three lions, he has remained a focal point in world football, as exemplified by his recent appointment by England towards her unsuccessful bid for the FIFA 2018 and 2022 World Cup respectively.

One of the things that gives the 35 years old Beckham the cutting edge over other footballers, is the wonderful technique he usually deploys when taking free-kicks. He can curve the ball from outside the penalty area into the net with ease. He has scored crucial goals for both club and country via his trademark free-kicks. The accuracy with which he passes the ball and deliver crosses has also endeared him to the heart of football fans world-wide.

His club career has seen him playing for the biggest club in England- Manchester United, before moving over on loan to Preston North end in 1995. David Beckham was eventually signed by Spanish giant-Real Madrid for a whopping £25 million record transfer fee in 2003. This move made him one of the highest paid athletes in the world and created a lot of media buzz around the player.

His stay at Real Madrid were not the most memorable, as he never got to his full potential either through suspension or injury. It wasn’t long before Beckham soon parted way with the Club and pitched his tent with Major League soccer club- Los Angeles Galaxy in 2007 for a record transfer fee of US$32.5 million for a 5-year contract deal.

He got married to entertainment icon- Victoria Adams in a lavish ceremony on July 4th 1999 held in Ireland. His marital life has been blessed with three sons- Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz. His marriage to Victoria has seen him gaining more global popularity in both the British and world press on a daily basis.

A hugely talented footballer, Beckham has created some enviable records for both club and country in his career which has spanned more than 20 years. During the 2006 FIFA World Cup, he became the only English player to score in three World cups. He also became the fifth player to score from a direct free kick when he scored against Ecuador in 2006 and Colombia in 1998 via free-kicks. He was also the first British footballer to play one hundred Champions League matches.

He is presently a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador with special emphasis on promoting sports development especially in developing countries. His humanitarian gestures have seen him supporting the less privilege children in Africa and beyond.