Midweek Football Preview

More cups!

FA Cup 5th Round

Peterborough vs. Man City

Peterborough beat QPR in the last round and sit bottom of the Championship. They have since drawn one and lost five. Man City beat Fulham 4-1 in the last round and sit top of the Premier League. They have since won four and lost one of their games. This should be a straightforward win for Man City. Anything else and it would be a massive shock. 

Crystal Palace vs. Stoke City

Palace beat Hartlepool 2-0 in the last round and they sit 11th in the Premier League. Palace have since won one, drawn three, and lost one. Stoke beat Wigan 2-0 in the last round and sit 15th in the Championship. Stoke have won one, drawn two, and lost two since. Palace are the better team on paper and are at home so they should win this even if Stoke cause some problems. 

Middlesbrough vs. Tottenham

Middlesbrough beat United on penalties in the last round and sit 8th in the Championship. They have since won two, drawn one, and lost two. Spurs sit 7th in the Premier League and beat Brighton 3-1 in the last round. They have since won two, and lost three of their games. With Tottenham away and the form that they are in this result could go either way. Spurs though are still favourites on paper.

Southampton vs. West Ham

An all Premier League clash as Southampton take on West Ham. Southampton sit 9th in the Premier League and beat Coventry City 2-1 in the last round. The Saints have since won three and drawn one of their games. West Ham sit 5th in the table and beat Kidderminster 1-2 in the last round. The Hammers have since won two and drawn two. Neither team is unbeaten in their last four but Southampton have won one more game. This should be an interesting game between two good teams and the result can go either way.

Liverpool vs. Norwich

The newly crowned Carabao Cup champions take on another cup as they welcome Norwich City in an all Premier League clash. Liverpool beat Cardiff 3-1 in the last round and have since won five and drawn one of their games. Norwich beat Wolves 0-1 in the last round and sit bottom of the table. Norwich have since drawn one and lost three of their games. This should be a straightforward win for Liverpool.

Everton vs. Boreham Wood

Everton beat Brentford 4-1 in the last round and sit 17th in the Premier League as they take on Boreham Wood. Everton have since won one and lost three of their games. Boreham Wood sit 3rd in the National League and beat Bournemouth 0-1 in the last round. They have since won two, drawn one, and lost two. Everton are at home and even though Boreham Wood will give it their all Everton should win this game. 

Premier League (Games in hand)

Burnley vs. Leicester

Burnley sit 18th in the table as they take on Leicester who sit 13th. A win for Burnley would take them out of the relegation zone and into 15th in the table on goal difference with two games in hand remaining. A win for Leicester won’t mean much movement but it will take them closer to mid table with three games in hand remaining. A big game for both teams Burnley have only lost one of their last five games while Leicester have lost three and drawn two. One game to keep an eye on.

Copa Del Rey Semi-Final 2nd Leg

Valencia take on Bilbao with an aggregate score of 1-1. Betis take on Rayo Vallecano with an aggregate score of 2-1. The Valencia Bilbao game is finely poised and the result can go either way. Betis have a slight advantage but Vallecano are no pushovers and will give it a go. Any team can reach the final. 

Coppa Italia Semi-Final 1st Leg

Milan take on Inter, and Juventus travel to Fiorentina. Two very good games and neither team are clear favourites in their fixture. Milan and Inter are going though a rough patch at the moment while Juventus are inconsistent. Fiorentina are having a decent season. Who will take advantage in the 1st leg?

DFB Pokal Quarter-Final

Union Berlin take on St.Pauli, Hamburger take on Karlsruher, Leipzig travel to Hannover, and Bochum welcome Freiburg. Leipzig are the most high profiel team remaining in the cup. Freiburg are having a very good season though and so are Union Berlin. Anything can happen. 

Coupe De France Semi-Final

Nice take on Versailles, and Monaco travel to Nantes. Nice should beat Versailles and reach the final while Monaco and Nantes will be a more cagey affair. Nice will be favourites though with Monaco and Nantes being at a similar level this season. 

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Midweek Football Review

Some surprises

Carabao Cup Semi-Final 2nd Leg

Arsenal 0 (0) vs. (0) 2 Liverpool

Arsenal worked so hard to get this game called off and rescheduled. They got their main players back and fielded their strongest XI. They lost to Liverpool without scoring a goal. Jota scored in the 19th minute and in the 77th minute as they cruised to the final. Liverpool will face Chelsea in the final. Arsenal are now knocked out of all competitions and only have the Premier League to focus on. 

Premier League (Games in hand)

Leicester 2 vs. 3 Tottenham

Daka scored in the 24th minute to give Leicester the lead. Kane equalised for Spurs in the 38th minute. Maddison restored Leicester’s lead in the 76th minute and looked ot be heading for a win. Bergwijn came off the bench to score the equaliser in the 95th minute and get the winner in the 97th minute. Spurs made a brilliant comeback and Leicester again bottled the lead. Leicester remain 10th while Spurs move up to 5th now 11 points clear of Leicester. They are now within eight points of Chelsea with four games in hand. 

Brentford 1 vs. 3 Man United

Brentford dominated Man United for 45 minutes but failed to take their chances. There was only going to be one outcome from there on. Elanga gave United the lead in the 55th minute. Greenwood made it two for United in the 62nd minute and Rashford made it three for United in the 77th minute. Toney got one back for Brentford in the 85th minute. Brentford remain 14th in the table. United remain 7th now only two points from top four with two games in hand. 

La Liga (Games in hand)

Valencia drew with Sevilla 1-1. Sevilla play their game in hand and sit 2nd in the table but still four points behind Real Madrid. Valencia sit 9th in the table. 

Copa Del Rey Round of 16

Real Sociedad beat Atletico 2-0, Real Madrid came from behind to beat Elche in extra time 1-2. Eden Hazard got the winner for them. Bilbao beat Barcelona 3-2 to progress as well. Barcelona and Atletico dumped out and Barcelona especially are having one of their worst seasons ever. 

Coppa Italia Round of 16

Lazio beat Udinese 1-0, Juventus beat Sampdoria 4-1, Inter beat Empoli 3-2, and Roma beat Lecce 3-1. The favorites won their games and progress to the next round to potentially make up some very tasty fixtures. 

DFB Pokal Round of 16

St.Pauli beat Dortmund 2-1, Hannover beat Monchengladbach 3-0, Leipzig beat Hansa 2-0, and Freiburg beat Hoffenheim 1-4. Some big upsets here and the DFB Pokal will be getting a new winner this season. The biggest teams are out and only Leipzig remain among others. Freiburg especially are having a really good season. 

Ligue 1 (Games in hand)

Lille beat Lorient 3-1. Lille play their game in hand and move up to 8th in the table. Only three points behind 4th placed Strasbourg. 

Midweek Football Preview

A mix of games in hand and cup competitions.

Carabao Cup Semi-Final 2nd Leg

Arsenal (0) vs. (0) Liverpool

The 1st leg was played last week as Arsenal did well to hold on for a draw after going down to 10 men. Arsenal used a similar loophole to Liverpool to avoid playing during the weekend and will be fresh for this game. Liverpool beat Brentford during the weekend. This should be an interesting game for sure and either team can go through.

Premier League (Games in hand)

Burnley vs. Watford

A relegation battle as 20th placed Burnley take on 17th placed Watford with 3 points seperating the two teams. Burnley have five games in hand going into this game while Watford have three games in hand going into this game. Both teams are in extremely poor form so either team can win this game. The most likely result is a draw. 

Leicester vs. Tottenham

10th placed Leicester have four games in hand as they take on 6th placed Spurs who have four games in hand as well. Both teams did not play during the weekend because of Covid related issues. A win for Leicester would take them to within three points of United while a win for Spurs would take them above Arsenal and a point behind West Ham. Tottenham were abysmal against Chelsea over two legs in the Carabao Cup so there is a need to put in a better performance against Leicester. An interesting game for sure.

Brentford vs. Man United

14th placed Brentford have only won one of their last five games as they take on United who sit 7th and have only lost one of their last five games. This is Brentford’s game in hand while United would have one more after this. United will be favourites but Brentford can get something out of this game especially since they are at home. 

La Liga (Games in hand)

Valencia take on Sevilla amongst other teams.

Copa Del Rey Round of 16

Atletico travel to Real Sociedad, Real Madrid travel to Elche, and Barcelona travel to Athletic Bilbao. Bilbao and Real Madrid just played the Supercopa De Espana final in the Middle East which Real Madrid won. Bilbao will be looking to bounce back while Madrid will want to continue the good form. Some interesting games. 

Coppa Italia Round of 16

Lazio take on Udinese, Juventus take on Sampdoria, Inter take on Empoli, and Roma welcome Lecce. Home games for all these big teams and one woulde expect all of them to progress to the next round. Milan, Fiorentina, and Atalanta are already through.

DFB Pokal Round of 16

Dortmund take on St.Pauli, Monchengladbach travel to Hannover, Leipzig take on Hansa, and Hoffenheim take on Freiburg amongst others. No Bayern in the DFB Pokal so that is a different. Winnable fixtures for most teams with Hoffenheim and Freiburg being the toughest fixture. 

Ligue 1 (Games in hand)

Lille take on Lorient amongst other games. Lille can go up to 8th in the table with a win in this game.

Tottenham 0 (0) vs. (3) 1 Chelsea Carabao Cup Semi-Final 2nd Leg Review

We are heading to Wembley!

Chelsea took a short trip within London to play Tottenham in the 2nd leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final. Chelsea had a 2 goal advantage going into the game and Spurs had to come out and get 2 without reply to take the game to extra time. Weirdly Conte fielded an even weaker team on paper than the 1st leg. Son was already out injured but Gollini started instead of Lloris and Los Celso started in the front three. Tuchel went strong with Kepa in goal and back four of Azpilicueta, Christensen, Rudiger, and Sarr. Kovacic, and Jorginho started in the midfield with Hudson-Odoi, and Mount in front of them. Lukaku, and Werner started up front. A hybrid 4-2-2-2 of sorts that could switch to a back three. The likes of Silva, and Kante returned to the bench. 

The first half was all Chelsea once again. Spurs showed a bit more intitiative but Chelsea were able to silence the occasion and atmosphere within the stadium via possession. The only goal came in the 18th minute as Rudiger flicked the ball into the net with his back after Gollini failed to gather the ball. Rudiger then brought down Hojbjerg outside the box but the referee ordered a penalty. VAR intervened and cancelled it. Chelsea had a few more chances in the 1st half but could not take advantage. 

The 2nd half saw Spurs try to get back into the game and they had another penalty ruled out by VAR after Kepa made a legitimate tackle on Moura but the referee awarded a penalty. Kepa then made a poor pass and Kane was able to score but was ruled offside. Three goals by Spurs but all ruled out. Chelsea didn’t have any big chances in the 2nd half but managed the game well despite being their own worst enemy. 

Chelsea Team Review

Goalkeeper

Cleansheet for Kepa and some solid saves from him in the game as well. The offside goal did stem from his mistake and he should know that in a pressure situation just boot it. A confident performance and good to see him doing well.

Defenders

A cleansheet for the defenders but some shaky moments through our own mistakes. Sarr was very good throughout the game and continues to do well when given a chance. Silva and Alonso did come in the 2nd half and managed to see out the win. Kane was the only real threat at times.

Midfielders

Jorginho and Kovacic controlled the midfield and passed around whatever Spurs through at them. Mount looked off pace and looked like he was struggling with something. Loftus-Cheek and Kante came on in the 2nd half with Chelsea flexing their depth. 

Forwards

Hudson-Odoi did well on the wing again and was dangerous. Werner and Lukaku linked up well in the first half with Werner especially invovled in a lot of the good moments. This is a formation that suits him. Ziyech came on in the 2nd half to see out the game along with the other substitutions. 

Manager

Tuchel post match said he was happy with the first half but the 2nd half was lacking and we weren’t playing at our full potentional. The German said that there is always room for improvement as well. There was good ingame management to change the formation when Spurs looked like gaining some momentum. Another final for him and that will please the team.

27th February the Carabao Cup final at Wembley. The opponent will be Arsenal or Liverpool but Chelsea can park the tournament for now. Next up is a trip to Manchester City in the Premier League, COME ON CHELSEA!!!

Tottenham (0) vs. (2) Chelsea Carabao Cup Semi-Final 2nd Leg Preview

Big game at Spurs!

Chelsea travel to North London to play the 2nd leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final against Tottenham. Chelsea have a 2 goal advantage going into the game but there is no away goal advantage. Spurs go into this game having beaten Morecambe during the weekend and will have to score a minimum of 2 goals without reply to take the game to extra time. Spurs in the first leg were extremely poor for much of the game so there is alot of room for improvement in this 2nd leg.

Chelsea go into this game with the 2 goal advantage and having beaten Chesterfield 5-1 in the FA Cup. Tuchel pre-match said that the advantage doesn’t exist and the players need to treat this as a one off game. A tough team at a tough stadium with an amazing coach. Chelsea can expect tougher opposition with Spurs at home and Spurs will have to come out fighting in this game. The first leg was straight forward but Chelsea could have easily scored a few more and finished this tie off. 

Chelsea Team Preview

Kepa should return to goal after the rest during the weekend. I expect a back three of Azpilicueta, Silva, and Rudiger. Pulisic, and Alonso should start as the wing backs with a midfield of Jorginho, and Kovacic. Mount, Ziyech, and Lukaku should start up front for Chelsea. Plenty of these players were rested during the weekend and should be fresh for this game. The likes of Werner, Hudson-Odoi, Havertz, Saul, and Kante should be available off the bench. Chelsea did switch between a 3 at the back and 4 in the first leg and I expect the same here. Pulisic, and Ziyech can then move up with Azpilicueta, Silva, Rudiger, and Alonso as the back four. Lewis Hall is also still with the squad after his brilliant performance against Chesterfield. I doubt he will start as a left wing back in this game. It’s a good lineup and one that has players in some sort of good form.

Tottenham Team Preview

Tottenham will not have Son available for this game as he has been ruled out for the month. Conte was able to rest key players during the weekend but the likes of Moura and Kane did eventually come on to get the win for Conte. Lloris should start in goal with a back three of Tanganga, Sanchez, and Davies. Emerson, and Reguilon should start as the wing backs with Skipp, and Hodjberg making up the midfield two. Moura, Gil, and Kane should start up front for Spurs. I doubt there is a gung ho form of Conte but maybe Alli could start in one of the midfield positions if they want to attack more or Winks. 

Starting XI Prediction

Tottenham failed to bring the fire in the 1st leg and Chelsea dominated the game. The 2nd leg should see Tottenham come out fighting because they are at home and the crowd will demand it. Cheslea will treat this game as a one off and will know the job is not done until the whistle has blown to end the game. COME ON CHELSEA!!!

Midweek Football Review

All English finals but 1!

Champions League Semi-Final 2nd Leg

Man City 2 (4) vs. (1) 0 Paris Saint Germain

Mahrez scored in the 11th minute and in the 63rd minute while Di Maria was sent off for PSG in the 69th minute as Man City finally reached their first Champions League final. Pep’s first Champions League final since 2010-11. PSG really didn’t cause any damage and funnily enough they looked like Spurs at the Battle of the Bridge no mentality what so ever. It looks like Pochettino has transferred the Spurs psyche to Paris. City now travel to Istanbul where they will play Chelsea for the Champions League trophy.

Europa League Semi-Finals 2nd Leg

AS Roma 3 (5) vs. (8) 2 Man United

Roma needed to score a minimum of 4 and they almost managed that if it wasn’t for De Gea and his world class saves and Cavani’s lethal finishes up front. Cavani scored in the 39th minute to give United the lead. Dzeko, and Cristante scored within 60 minutes in the 2nd half to cause United some problems. By that time De Gea had made around 4-5 world class saves to keep United in the game. Cavani then scored again in the 68th minute but Telles scored an own goal in the 83rd minute to give Roma a consolation win. Roma based on the match deserved to go through but De Gea’s class shined bright and United book their first final under Ole where they will play Villarreal. 

Arsenal 0 (1) vs. (2) 0 Villarreal

Villarreal are through. Emery is through. He gets the job done against the club that sacked him. He beat the manager that replaced him. Arteta and Arsenal had no ideas whatsoever and bar Aubameyang hitting the post there was no indication that Arsenal would win. Villarreal reach their first European final where they will face off against Man United and they have every chance of winning that game. Arsenal are not officially a mid table club. 

Chelsea 2 (3) vs. (1) 0 Real Madrid Champions League Semi-Final 2nd Leg Review

ISTANBUL BABY!!!

Chelsea took on Real Madrid at Stamford Bridge for the 2nd Leg of the Champions League semi-final on Wednesday night. The aggregate score was a 1-1 with Chelsea having got a crucial away goal in the 1st leg. This meant that Real Madrid had to score against Chelsea to stand any chance of going through. Zidane picked a strong XI with all the top players starting. Mendy, and Ramos also made the starting XI with Hazard starting as well. Tuchel went with a trusted XI with Mendy in goal, Christensen, Silva, and Rudiger made up the back 3. Azplicueta returned as wing back with Chilwell starting on the left. Jorginho and Kante returned as well with Mount, Werner, and Havertz starting up front. Pulisic was dropped to the bench for this game as Tuchel said he wanted more height up front. 

The opening minutes were even with both teams getting time on the ball. The first real chance came in the 18th minute when Chilwell found space down the left and was able to cross into Werner who finished past Courtois but was a margin offside. The next big chance fell to Benzema in the 26th minute as his low shot was saved by Mendy who strongly palmed it out of the way. The opening goal came in the 28th minute as Werner won the aerial ball and passed it to Kante who passed it to Havertz. The German drove forward and was able to chip over Courtois but the ball hit the post, luckily though it fell straight back in and Werner was there to head it into an empty net. A massive goal for Chelsea started and finished by our Germans. Mendy then made another strong save from Benzema as he was able to head a Modric cross. The 1st half ended with Chelsea in the lead and 45 minutes away from a CL Final. 

The 2nd half was all Chelsea and we could have easily put the game to bed. Havertz hit the post in the 47th minute following a brilliant header from distance. Mount and Werner then combined really well to send Mount through on goal but his shot went over the goal in the 53rd minute. The 59th minute saw Jorginho send a ball over the top and Havertz had a clear run on goal but his shot was saved by Courtois. Werner then drove forward in the 66th minute and passed the ball to Kante who’s shot was saved by a last ditch effort from Valverde. Silva’s header then went wide in the 74th minute. The goal then finally came in the 85th minute and was largely down to Kante. Kante sensed a tackle and he charged down a loose ball to pass it into Pulisic who drove down and cut back to find Mount. A pin point pass into Mason and he finished past Courtois to send Chelsea into pandemonium and book a place in the Champions League Final. 

Chelsea Team Review

Goalkeeper

What a game from Mendy. The keeper’s saves from Benzema in the 1st half were crucial in keeping Chelsea in the game and he was a rock at the back. Mendy has brought so much confidence to this team and a clean sheet against Real Madrid adds another check to his brilliant season. Distribution, vocally everything top to bottom Mendy is doing really well. 

Defenders

Azpilicueta, Christensen, Silva, Rudiger, and Chilwell were amazing throughout the game. The back 3 were defensively solid with Christensen having Hazard in his pocket while Rudiger handled Benzema throughout the game. Chilwell dominated Vinicius as well leaving the Brazilian frustrated. Azpilicueta and Silva showed so much fight throughout the game and led from the back. Reece James came on for the final 10 minutes to see out the win in place of Azpilicueta. Also on top of that another clean sheet. 

Midfielders

Jorginho and Kante are so so good. Kovacic has been missing due to injury but these 3 have formed a great trio of midfielders in this team. Jorginho got an early yellow but managed the game well, defensively and offensively. Kante was Man of the match though. Absolutely outstanding. Kante was everywhere and was crucial in both goals and it was amazing to watch. The Frenchman is elite he is probably the best in his position in the world. Mount was amazing and he has been throughout this season. The goal was a cherry on top of the cake and he arguably should have had one more. Top class from all.

Forwards

Everyone was a bit surprised to see Pulisic on the bench and Werner selected but the Germans repaid the selection in full. Werner was crucial in creating chances and probably should have had an assist or two. The goal was slightly lucky but again he was in the right position at the right time to take advantage. Havertz was at his majestic best. The German glided along the pitch and should have had a goal or two of his own. They seem to be gaining form at a crucial point in the season. Ziyech, and Pulisic came on late in the game and Pulisic got a crucial assist. The American ran the Madrid backline ragged and was great to watch. Ziyech played some good passes in his limited time. Giroud came on for the final minute or so to see out the win. 

Manager

Tuchel has made such an impact at Chelsea its amazing. A successive Champions League final for him is a great personal achievement but he will want to win it this time. The belief and strength he has drilled into the team is great to see. This is only the beginning under him and I can’t wait to see what’s next.

So, Chelsea book a place in the Champions League final for the 3rd time in recent history. Before we face Man City at Istanbul though we have 5 crucial games to play domestically. 4 very important league games and 1 FA Cup final. Next up is a trip to the Etihad to play the one and only Man City. COME ON CHELSEA!!!

Chelsea (1) vs. (1) Real Madrid Champions League Semi-Final 2nd Leg Preview

The latest biggest game this season!

Chelsea take on Real Madrid for the 2nd Leg of the Champions League semi-final at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night. The game is level on 1-1 with Chelsea having an away goal advantage at the moment. Real Madrid have to score at Stamford Bridge to stand any chance of reaching the final. Real Madrid won 2-0 at the weekend in La Liga so they come into this game with good momentum. The 1st leg was saw a mixed performance by them with the 1st half that saw them get dominated while the 2nd half was even on both sides. The greatest source of motivation for this Real Madrid side is what they have accomplished in the competition over the last 5-6 years and the experience they have. 

Chelsea go into this game having won 2-0 against Fulham at the weekend. It was a professional performance that was needed between two heavy duty games not that they Fulham game was any less important. Like Tuchel said in the press conference pre match Chelsea will have to forget about the 1st leg result. We need to go into this game thinking it’s a one off and a win is the only way through to the final. If we rely on the first leg advantage then it can cause us to get complacent in this game. As always under Tuchel the key will be to take our chances up front. If there is one area to improve from in the 1st leg it is to finish our chances. We cut open Madrid at will in the first 45 minutes last week but failed to find the final pass or shot. A solid performance against Fulham should help that. 

Chelsea Team Preview

Tuchel said that Kovacic will be out of the squad for the game. Rudiger is available and should be able to play with a mask. I expect Mendy to start in goal with Christensen, Silva, and Rudiger making up the back 3. Azpilicueta and Chilwell should return as the wing backs with Kante and Jorginho starting in midfield. Mount and Pulisic should start this game but it’s anyone’s guess who starts up front. Werner caused a ton of problems for Madrid in the first leg but Havertz was clinical and great against Fulham. With City at the weekend I think Havertz could start up front. Werner, Ziyech, Giroud, Hudson-Odoi, and Tammy are all players available from the bench for Tuchel with the likes of Reece James and Zouma. With 5 subs there is plenty of scope for changes to be made as well. Mount, Pulisic, and Havertz worked wonders against Palace and they could work more against Madrid even if it is another level entirely.

Real Madrid Team Preview

Real Madrid and Zidane will be without Carvajal and Varane who are injured for the game. Ramos, and Mendy are back though while Marcelo was also able to travel. Courtois will most likely start in goal with a back four of Odriozola, Ramos, Militao, and Marcelo. Mendy could start but I don’t think he will be risked from the start. The midfield 3 of Casemiro, Kroos, and Modric will be ever present while up front I think Hazard, and Vinicius will flank Benzema. It’s a stronger team than the one we faced in the 1st leg and one with bucket loads of experience. Hazard looks fresh and is seeking a revival while Benzema is the big threat up front. Vinicius was quite in Madrid but is always a danger. The quality of the midfield is known to the whole world while Ramos will be key at the back and for the whole team especially from set pieces. I think Madrid will stick with the 4-3-3 they had in the 2nd half as opposed to the weird 3-5-2 they deployed initially. 

Starting XI Prediction

It’s one of the big ones but perhaps it’s the biggest one yet for this Chelsea team. We will have to work hard like we have done under Tuchel, run for 90+ minutes with our lives stay solid at the back and we have to take our chances in front of goal. We can be confident and take motivation from our results in previous fixtures under Tuchel and while it won’t be easy we know that it is more than possible to get the job done. COME ON CHELSEA!!!

Midweek Football Preview

Who’s going to make the finals in Europe?

Champions League Semi-Final 2nd Leg

Man City (2) vs. (1) Paris Saint Germain

City got two massive away goals in the 1st leg which means that PSG need to score a minimum of 2 goals to reach the final. City are looking to make their first final and won at the weekend while PSG also won at the weekend. The game is finely poised but PSG will have to be way better than they were in the 1st leg to reach a 2nd successive final. Pep hasn’t reached a final since Barcelona while Poch is looking to reach his 2nd Champions League final. It’s a big one. 

Europa League Semi-Final 2nd Leg

AS Roma (2) vs. (6) Man United

Roma did so well for 45 minutes in the 1st leg but United finished them off in the 2nd half of the game. Roma would have to score 4 goals without reply to reach the final which is a daunting task. United really only need to hold on and get an away goal to book a place in the final. Roma lost at the weekend while United didn’t play Liverpool because the fans entered Old Trafford and damaged property. Either way bar some miracle Man United and Ole should reach their first final under the Norwegian. 

Arsenal (1) vs. (2) Villarreal

Arsenal managed to get a crucial away goal in the 1st leg which means that they need to score a goal without reply to reach the final. Villarreal can create a problem if they score 1 goal which would mean that Arsenal would have to score a minimum of 2 without conceding to take the game to extra time at least. Arsenal won at the weekend while Villarreal also won at the weekend. Emery is one of the most successful managers in Europa League history and it would be sweet for him if he beat Arsenal. Arsenal are looking to reach the final mainly because it’s their only way into the Champions League for next season but the same can be said for Villarreal. An interesting game. 

Midweek Football Review

Teams with the advantage go through!

Champions League Quarter-Final 2nd Leg

Paris Saint Germain 0 (3) vs. (3) 1 Bayern Munich

Bayern Munich always had to score a minimum of 2 goals but they could not and over 2 legs PSG were the better team. Choupo-Moting got the only goal of the game in the 40th minute. PSG head into the semi-finals while the holders Bayern are knocked out and can now focus on securing the Bundesliga. 

Liverpool 0 (1) vs. (3) 0 Real Madrid

No Anfield miracle for Liverpool this time as once again they fail to beat a team from Madrid in the Champions League. Liverpool dominated the first half but failed ot finish any of their chances. Real Madrid managed the game well and went through. Liverpool have the top four to focus on now while Real Madrid are still fighting on 2 fronts. 

Dortmund 1 (2) vs. (4) 2 Man City

Bellingham scored in the 15th minute to give Dortmund the lead and for 45 minutes in the game it looked like Dortmund were going into the semi-final. It was always going to be City though and Mahrez scored a penalty in the 55th minute while Foden scored in the 75th minute to seal the win for City. Man City and Pep finally reach a semi-final while Dortmund now have a mountain to climb in the Bundesliga as they look to get top four. 

Europa League Quarter-Final 2nd Leg

Slavia Praha 0 (1) vs. (5) 4 Arsenal

Pepe, Lacazette, and Saka scored in the 1st half while Lacazette scored again the 2nd half as Arsenal got a massive win against Slavia. Slavia have been in the middle of some racist activity and it was good to see Arsenal knock them out. Arsenal now set up a semi-final as the Europa League remains their realistic chance of Champions League football. 

Villarreal 2 (3) vs. (1) 1 Dinamo Zagreb

Alcacer, and Moreno scored in the first half while Orsic got one back for Zagreb in the 2nd half. Villarreal go through and Emery sets up a mouth watering clash against his former side Arsenal in the semi-final. 

Man United 2 (4) vs. (0) 0 Granada

Cavani scored in the 6th minute and Vallejo scored an own goal in the 90th minute as United once again failed to dazzle but went through into the semi-final. United still have a chance at getting silverware while Granada valiantly drop out. 

AS Roma 1 (3) vs. (2) 1 Ajax

Brobbey scored in the 49th minute to give Ajax the lead but Dzeko scored in the 72nd minute to get the draw and seal progression to the next round. Roma stand a realistic chance of winning the Europa League as they chase Champions League Football while Ajax are once again knocked out of European football.