Bayern Munich - Borussia Dortmund PREVIEW!

Bayern's NEW 'Mario' and Robben..ready to roar

The Allianz Arena co-Landlords are on a roll at the moment. 2013 has been flawless for them. Every match in all competitions has been won and dominated. Many goals have been scored and only a few conceded. Former player, Lukas Podolski, was the first player to score against the Bavarians in 2013 and that was on the 19th of February. At the weekend, a ruthless Roten army opened fire on Werder Bremen and the result was a 6-1 mauling of Thomas Schaaf's side. Despite resting regulars like Mandzukic, Schweinsteiger, Alaba, Kroos, Van Buyten and Muller, those that came in did a great job. Even Arjen Robben has found himself among the substitutes in the last 2 months. Such is the fantastic quality that the outgoing Jupp Heynckes has at his disposal. Last season's top scorer, Mario Gomez started  the Bremen match and scored 2 goals. The German striker is currently being kept out of the starting 11 by a very impressive Mario Mandzukic who has weighed in with 15 Bundesliga goals amongst others this term.

Rolls Reus and Mario-telepathic

Borussia Dortmund took European football more seriously than the German league this season it seems. Topping a group consisting of Real Madrid, Ajax and Manchester City with an incredible record of 4 wins and 2 draws. Both draws could have been wins if not for Mario Balotelli of MCFC and Ozil of Real Madrid whose last gasp interventions prevented a 100% record for Die Borusen. The League campaign has been regrettable and bad for the defending champions. Winning the last two championships must have taken its toll on the players and the loss of Shinji Kagawa who has been their best player of the last two seasons must have been too hard to take and the vacuum too large to fill. The Japanese has since signed for Manchester United, although he hasn't found his best form since his arrival. Marco Reus, once a foal, left the Borussia Park and Gladbach to pitch tent with the double champions of Germany. The Germany international whose 18 goals propelled Lucien Favre's men to fourth position and a place in the UCL qualifying rounds, decided to seek pastures new. It wasn't a bad decision. His 11 goals and superlative displays in all competitions this season have been crucial to the Dortmund cause. His return to the Park last weekend was not fruitful as his former club put paid to Dortmund's very slim hopes of catching an impeccable Bayern side in the race for the Bundesliga crown. Rolls Reus as he is fondly called, has linked up well with another aspiring great, Mario Gotze. The best show of their link-up play came two weeks ago against Frankfurt. Reus scored a fabulous hat-trick thanks largely to Gotze's sagacity. The draw v Gladbach made it virtually impossible for Dortmund to ever catch a relentless and trophy hungry Bayern Munich who are now 17 points clear of the chasing pack. Sincerely, the Bundesliga should be handed over to them, even though there are still some games remaining to play. Anything other than a Bayern ribbon on the Bundesliga trophy would be melodramatic.

'Okram' wants to leave on a high

Fohlen Legend, Jupp Heynckes is determined to retire in grand style. After painfully losing 3 titles last season (two to tomorrow's opponents), the Bayern Munich managers who is set to be replaced by Pep Gaurdiola next season, has set his sights on another treble winning chance. The Bundesliga title is a wrap it most likely seems. The Pokal was lost to Dortmund in Berlin last season. The performance was shabby and very unlike Bayern. The 5-2 drubbing laid down a marker. FC Hollywood want to make amends. The revenge mission will not be complete this season if Bayern don't put Dortmund in their place. Mainz and Hannover have both been served their respective revenge meals in the German top flight already. Dortmund avoided it in the league clash which ended 1-1. Die Roten however defeated their nearest challengers 2-1 in the German Super cup in August of last year, thanks to goals from Mandzukic and Muller. Lewandowski's goal ended up as only a consolation.

Vivacious and Vibrant..The Klopp of Dortmund

Coach Jurgen Klopp has said in the past that the Bavarians bring out the best in him. His coaching resume has been beefed up in the last couple of months. His impact in Europe has brought him more admirers than critics. He's currently one of the most sought after tacticians in World football. To lure him away from the Signal Iduna would be very difficult, but not impossible. This match will be taken seriously by the man touted to take over from Joachim Loew as manager of die Nationalelf. The Bundesliga race has been lost realistically, so it remains the UCL and the Pokal. He will be hurt that Bayern are set to reclaim the German title, but he'll be more pissed if they also take the Pokal away from his team. The central defensive partnership of Subotic and Hummels have performed extremely well when both are fit. Marcel Schmelzer is arguably the best left back in the German League and the attacking quartet of Kuba-Gotze-Reus-and arrow head, Lewandowski, need no introduction. Compared to the Bayern frontline, they have a strong case.

Dante wall of Munich

Goalkeepers Neuer and Roman Weidenfeller have been in good form since the start of the season. Germany's No 1 goalie has allowed only Poldy and Kev de Bruyne to score past him since the turn of the year. The Bayern rearguard can do no wrong at the moment. the Dante marshaled backline simply hate to concede. While Reus chose Dortmund over Bayern, Uli and KHR consoled themselves with the purchase of towering defender Dante Costa Santos from the Borussia Park for a meager 4.7 million Euros. One of the bargain buys of all time. The Brazilian has started every Bundesliga game so far and it is thanks to him that die Roten have been so brilliant at defending this season. His performances haven't gone unnoticed Internationally. New Selecao manager, Luis Felipe Scolari aka Big Phil called him up for the friendly v England. He went on to earn his 1st cap in the 2-1 loss at the new Wembley to commemorate the English Football Association's 150 years of existence. Klopp has repeatedly backed his goalkeeper for a national call-up which has fallen on deaf ears ever since. Rene Adler of Hamburg who was No1 three years ago until he unfortunately got injured, has been called up instead following fine performances for HSV.

Probable Lineups-
Bayern: Neuer, Lahm, Dante, Van Buyten, Alaba, Martinez, Schweinsteiger, Kroos, Robben, Muller, Mandzukic

Dortmund: Weidenfeller, Piszczek, Subotic, Hummels, Schmelzer, Gundogan, Kehl/Bender, Blaszczykowski, Gotze, Reus, Lewandowski

The six players rested for Bayern at the weekend are all expected to return for this crunch game. Meanwhile Franck Ribery is suspended after his dismissal in earlier rounds. Arjen Robben has been chosen to replace him. Gomez has to sit on the bench yet again as the other Mario returns to the starting 11.

For Dortmund, The return of Lewandowski is a timely boost for die schwarzgelben. Hummels who limped out of the Gladbach match is fit for this one. Kuba Blaszczykowski is match fit too and will feature. The returning Nuri Sahin hasn't featured as he would have envisaged. The on-loan Real Madrid midfielder who came back to his former home after unhappy spells at the Bernabeu and Anfield, is finding it difficult to break into this talent/quality laden Dortmund team. His thought? 'I should never have left'.

The match between Germany's two biggest clubs will be a great show case of talent and greatness. The two teams that produced more than half of the players called up by the national team management in their recent friendly v France lurk horns tonight. Happy viewing.

Battle Royale

The 'INFLATABLE BOAT' will host this awesome duel

Ohireime P Eboreime
ff me on Twitter @ohiskaka1990

EL COPA CLASICO II...The stage Is set at the Camp Nou!

Los Merengues face a season defining week starting from tonight. Three very important matches today, on Saturday and next week Tuesday are must wins if they stand any chance of claiming at least one title this campaign.. One could argue that the Spanish League is a foregone conclusion given Barcelona's healthy lead over their most illustrious rivals. But as they say, it is never over until it is over. Real Madrid aren't even 2nd on the La Liga table. They sit third and a massive 16 points behind the Catalan giants. El Cholo Simeone's Colchoneros sit 2nd, four points ahead of their city rivals and 12 behind the 21 time La Liga champions.

Today isn't about the League and its twists and turns. It is the Copa Del Rey semi-final second leg and Barcelona hold the slender advantage haven scored an away goal and conceded one at the Bernabeu. With the match evenly poised at 1-1, Real Madrid will fancy their chance of beating the Blaugrana on their soil. Jose Mourinho was at his best when throwing verbal tirades at opponents yesterday citing Bacelona's obsession with referees and their holier than thou attitude in footballing parlance. Jordi Roura was critical of the appointment of Alberto Undiano Mallecano as referee fro the marquee match-up for the mere fact that he presided over Barcelona's loss in the '11 Copa Del Rey final v the Blancos. The stand in coach of the Catalans was of the opinion that Undiano left too many Madrid challenges unattended to in that Mestalla decider. One of the most flimsy excuses you'll get in a long time. The Portuguese tactician who is no stranger to verbal exchanges, wasted no time in giving the League leaders a dress down.  in truth, Barcelona and Real's whitewash of their own failings has become like a broken record. Both clubs who have won so many titles between them, are becoming disgraceful and infuriating to the football public at the same time. The focus on things other than football has become a bore and the Institutions which were once revered have almost become a laughing stock all over the World. Perhaps, both club Presidents can find a way around this shameful representations.

Back to the game. Barcelona warmed up for this spectacle with a come-from-behind 2-1 win v Sevilla at the Nou Camp. After Albert Botia, a former Camp Nou servant, put the Andalusians ahead, Barca had to wait until the second half for David Villa and who else but Messi to score the goals that ensured they took the lead and eventually won the match. Not what they envisaged, but they got out of a slippery situation to record the much needed win which was important after what went down at the San Siro in midweek. Real Madrid had to face relegation threatened Deportivo La Coruna at the Riazor which remains the only ground Cristiano Ronaldo has yet to register a goal since his arrival from Manchester United three and a half ago. Depor were pumped up for this and it was no surprise how they started the match. Veteran master, Juan Carlos Valeron ran a makeshift (if am allowed to call it that) Real Madrid midfield of Modric and Essien ragged. Riki Sanchez Soto (a former Madrid youth/reserve team product) scored a peach of a goal at the other end, although Diego Lopez ought to have done better at his near post. Real Madrid tried all they could to equalize all to no avail. It was in the 2nd half that the 'whites' made their supremacy count. The introduction of Khedira, Ozil and CR7 motivated those left on the pitch and eventually, a Ricky Kaka beauty set the tone for a tense finale. Kaka was again on hand to feed CR7 who unselfishly laid it on for Pipita Higuain to apply the simplest of finishes for not only RM's winner, but his 100th La Liga goal in 179 appearances for the capital club. It was also the Argentine's 10th goal of a disappointing season for himself and the club.

The all important goal that still keeps RM in the tie.

Tonight is another atmosphere entirely. A purely different and more important game situation. If not for anything, for the rivalry that exists between both clubs. The Catalans rested Xavi, Fabregas, Busquets -who won the Catalan footballer of the year, and Pedro Rodriguez who is no stranger to the big occasion and is the only player to score in six different tournaments in one year for one club. Leo Messi is yet to score a Copa Del Rey (CDR) goal for Barca v Madrid and failed to find the net in the 1st leg. He however set Fabregas up for the team's only goal. El Guaje (Villa) will hope for a starting berth after impressing on his return to the starting 11 on Saturday. That looks increasingly unlikely if Barca decide to place Iniesta on the wings as has been done more often than not. The Merengues were without Xabi Alonso the bandleader, Karim Benzema and teenage prodigy, Raphael Varane at the Riazor. All will be expected to return to the starting line-up. Varane was supposedly left out of the Deportivo game due to muscular issues. We all know how these clubs formulate and cook up stories just to hide the real reasons behind some decisions and actions. The youngster from France was instrumental to Madrid's defensive masterclass at the Bernabeu and even scored a beautiful equaliser off an Ozil assist when it was looking like another Barcelona triumph.

TITANIC BATTLE of greats

The two Spanish giants will slug it out tonight for the right to contest the final of the Copa. Apart from CR7 and Messi who are the usual suspects, there are great players like Xavi, Iniesta, Busquets, Pique, Puyol, Ozil, Alonso, Khedira, Sergio Ramos, Fabregas, Modric, etc who can decide the outcome of a match on their own. One moment of brilliance and boom, game, set and match. The two protagonists any day are RONALDO and MESSI. The best players in the World by any standard have scored an astonishing 86 club goals between them this season. The Portuguese's record of scoring in consecutive Clasicos stopped at 6 (he couldn't score in the 1st leg). Nevertheless, he is the main threat, the biggest and most lethal weapon of REAL MADRID. Set him loose and he hurts you deeply. Mr Messi is just unbelievably phenomenal. The 'flea' has scored 38 league goals in just 25 matches this season including scoring in the last 15 la liga matches. The last time he failed to find the opposition net in league play was November 2012. Since then it has been 15 matches-25 goals. An Ambrosini-esque performance will be needed from Alonso or Khedira or Essien to stop him from causing damage. His 17 Clasico goals is just 1 less than Alfredo Di Stefano's record of 18 set donkey years ago He loves the Nou Camp and is sometimes unstoppable when he gets on the famous pitch.

We anticipate a fantastic game of scintillating football tonight. Anything short of that will be way below our expectations.  Handbags, theatrics and shameful playacting have been common sights in recent Clasicos. The last two have been excellent with little or no controversies, with good football taking centre stage rather than childishness, immaturity and unprofessional behaviour among players and coaches.

Probable Lineups-
BARCELONA- Pinto, Alves, Puyo/Mascherano, Pique, Alba, Busquets, Xavi, Fabregas, Messi, Pedro, Iniesta

REAL MADRID- Lopez, Essien, Ramos/Pepe, Varane, Marcelo/Coentrao, Khedira, Alonso, Modric/Kaka, Ozil, CR7, Benzema.

The widespread rumours have been that Mourinho will employ a false '9' system v Barcelona (Copa), Barcelona (League) and MUFC (UCL). Whatever he does, at least 8 of the players I mentioned must start the game. The 'false nine' idea is as a result of the poor performances and injury worries of his strikers this season. Compared to last season, it has been a very fortuneless campaign for the strikers at Mourinho's disposal. Angel Di Maria stupidly and irrationally sent himself off the other night. Sometimes, he behaves really funny. Two yellow cards in the space of 20 seconds is unacceptable even in amateur football. His moment of absolute insanity has cost him a place in Saturday's League game v Barcelona. What a farmer-'FAZENDEIRO' according to JERALD PETERS. Jose the 'only one' has lost only one of his last five games v Barcelona (winning 2 and drawing the other 2). He has got the MIDAS TOUCH. Tito Vilanova is still in the States for his cancer treatment and will not be expected until at least mid-April. Roura continues in his stead.

Ohireime P Eboreime
ff me on Twitter @ohiskaka1990