THE KING'S CUP PREVIEW...AN EL CLASICO FINAL FOR THE SEVENTH TIME IN HISTORY. WHO PREVAILS?

                                                


It is that time again. Real Madrid and Barcelona square up for the third time this season. This time, for the right to be crowned Copa Del Rey winners. One can argue that Wednesday's game is more important for the Catalans than Real, but Don Carlo is eyeing the 'triplete'. Tata Martino is under immense pressure to deliver at least a trophy this season after ouster from the Champions League and La Liga a seemingly lost hope. In the League, they lie four points behind leaders Atletico, after losing 1-0 at Granada over the weekend to slip to third place. Los rojiblancos just need to win their next four games and the run out at the Camp Nou on the final day will be a mere formality. Barcelona may need to form a guard of honour for El Cholo's men on the last match day. Something that will make for a miserable day for the cules.

The Catalans have shifted attention to the Cup and rightly so. Victory over Real Madrid will mean they at least won one trophy in a season that has gone from good to bad to worse. If they lose at the Mestalla tomorrow night, Tata Martino may have to bid farewell to Catalunya in a much shorter time than he planned. Barcelona are 26 time winners of the King's Cup. Eight more than Real Madrid have managed but they will be aware that the last final between both sides ended in the merengues favour courtesy of a great headed goal by CR7 in extra time.

The Mestalla is a happy hunting ground for the record La Liga and Champions League winners. However, they will want to go one better than last year in which they were surprisingly beaten by the vastly improved Atletico Madrid. Now, their capital rivals are attempting to go one or even two better than last season's feat. A 'triplete' will be Ancelotti's greatest achievement as a coach till date.


PREDICTED LINEUPS-

REAL MADRID-

Iker, Carvajal, Ramos, Pepe, Coentrao, Alonso, Modric, Di Maria, Bale, Benz, CR7

BARCELONA-

Pinto, Alves, Mascherano, Batra/Puyol, Alba, Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta, Pedro, Messi, Neymar

Cristiano Ronaldo is doubt for the final as he still has not recovered from a thigh strain but Don Carlo has hinted that he should make the squad. Knowing how important this game is, he can be strapped and made ready just in time for the big night. That will mean the BBC attacking trio may feature from the start. Karim Benzema has to put on his scoring boots yet again. The French striker has gone missing in the scorers' chart in recent games and should make sure he coverts more opportunities than he managed in the 4-3 league loss to the same opponents last month at the Bernabeu. Angel Di Maria produced a near perfect performance last time out v Barcelona and should be picked ahead of the also excellent Isco Alarcon. Having the latter on any bench is a luxury. Dani Carvajal and Xabi Alonso return to the side after sitting out the 4-0 win over Almeria at the weekend. A triumph that sent them to second place, one point and one place above Barcelona. Iker Casillas comes in for Diego Lopez. The club captain cannot remember the last time he conceded a goal in the Cup and if he maintains that record tomorrow and the BBC rise up to the occasion as they usually do, the 19th Copa Del Rey will be secured for los blancos

Barcelona suffered one of the worst weeks of their season when they got eliminated by Atletico in the Champions League and succumbed to a 1-0 loss away to Granada. Andres Iniesta was left fuming at the negative results and will be more than pumped up to stage a fightback for a complete reversal of fortunes. What better way to start than to beat Real Madrid and hoist the Spanish King's Cup? Tata Martino has to go all out on Wednesday night, that's why I feel he will dispense with the 'Cesc love' and start Pedro-Neymar and Messi in a three pronged attack. Xavi will return to the side as he is the most experienced player in the history of Clasico affairs and he has decided it on more than one occasion with his playmaking, passing and scoring abilities. Gerard Pique has lost the battle to be fit for this one and either the departing Carles Puyol who celebrated his 36th birthday two days ago or Marc Batra will partner 'El Jefecito' Mascherano in defence. The others pick themselves.

The Mestalla has played host to some of the biggest games in World football but when Barca-Real square up, it is by far the biggest football game in the Universe. Much bigger than even a World Cup Final. Another EL CLASICO post Mourinho will definitely be controversy free. Let's brace ourselves for the upcoming big night.


Ohireime P Eboreime
@ohiskaka1990

ATLETICO MADRID-BARCELONA PREVIEW

                                                           


Probably the most difficult tie to predict among all the quarter-final pairings, the first leg lived up to its billings. Atletico struck first and then Barcelona equalised. Here we are today with the second leg in prospect. It promises to be one of the most keenly contested matches of recent times.

Los Colchoneros kept their one point lead in La Liga with a slim 1-0 win over the yellow submarine on Saturday. The goal tonight is to send Barcelona packing and they have the weapons to execute their mission. Two of the most potent weapons in Simeone's arsenal are major doubts for tonight's war. Diego Costa and Arda Turan are struggling with hamstring and groin injuries respectively. There is a chance that the much maligned Christian Rodriguez could be given a chance today. The Uruguayan hasn't featured much for the Spanish League leaders this term.

Barcelona have problems of their own. Gerard Pique can play no part in tonight's match and these are desperate times for the Catalan club, especially in defence. A 3-1 win over Betis at the Nou Camp was enough to remain one point behind Atletico. It has been difficult to separate both team during the course of the season but something has to give tonight at the Vicente Calderon. A winner must emerge.

Probable LINEUPS-

ATLETICO MADRID-

Courtois, Juanfran, Miranda, Godin, Felipe Luis, Gabi, Koke, Suarez M, Rodriguez, Diego/Diego Costa, Villa

BARCELONA-
Pinto, Alves, Batra, Mascherano, Alba, Busquets, Xavi, Fabregas, Iniesta, Neymar, Messi

Atletico cannot afford any slips ups tonight. The boys know what is at stake. There is a bit of history for them to follow up on. They have won 16 of their 17 home ties in European Competition and in 106 home games v the Catalans, they have won 50 and lost only 33. Even without Diego Costa, they can give a good account of themselves and register their first victory over Barcelona this season in 5 attempts.

Leo Messi closed in on Suarez and CR7 in the race for the European golden shoe. The 26 year old football god can be the difference tonight. The over reliance on him since he became super human is evident and without, the team is like a lost sheep. Iniesta has regained some of the spark that made him the most feared playmaker in the World. A few of those defence splitting passes today and Barca will certainly go through. Neymar is the only Barcelona player to find the back of the net against the Rojiblancos in four meetings this campaign. His header decided the Super Coppa eight months ago. His equaliser last week ensured that Barcelona will live to fight another day. The day has come and he can become a hero today as he is used to the big occasion.

Diego Simeone has said that his team can beat the best and he aims to claim a big scalp tonight. Who says he can't?


Ohireime P Eboreime
@ohiskaka1990

REVIEW OF THE CHELSEA-PSG AND DORTMUND-REAL MADRID GAMES

Upon seeing Daniel Taylor's wonderfully written piece for the Guardian on the Chelsea-PSG match last night, I thought to myself 'What else can I put together than will thoroughly exemplify the events at Stamford Bridge?' Oh well, I reached the conclusion that my own version might be just as good or even better. Although, DT is a very senior colleague whose feats I may never be able to match.

There is a reason why I have always rated Jose Mourinho. Despite his arrogance and controversial persona, he is in my opinion, the best manager I have ever had the pleasure and privilege to see. An exceptionally gifted coach who has broken and made records of his own. He again proved me right last night. Against all odds, his bruised blues qualified for the semi-finals of the Champions League. The fifth straight time the Portuguese managerial myth has reached this stage with three different clubs. An extraordinary achievement. The odds were firmly stacked against the West Londoners last night but we all know it is when everything seems to be going wrong that winners rise up and prove their mettle. Mourinho is a born winner and he has always demanded the very best from each and every player he has managed. His conveyor belt boasts of some of the greatest footballers who have graced the game and he isn't even halfway through yet.

Many may wonder why the attention is on Mourinho rather than the players. He is the motivator in chief. The very reason why Chelsea qualified last night. The band Leader, the best thing that has happened to football in the last decade or so. From the first minute, you could see the determination of the players. Even when star man, Eden Hazard succumbed to a calf injury in the 18th minute, the players still believed the goal was within reach and the deficit retrievable. It was not long after that Hazard's replacement, Andre Schurrle made his presence felt, scoring just 14 minutes after his introduction to give the pensioners hope that there is something to fight for. The team toiled, gave everything and in the end where rewarded when Demba Ba, another substitute pounced on a loose ball and poked it past Salvatore Sirigu to send the crowd into delirium. Fever pitch mode was activated but when Cech saved a Marquinhos effort at his near post, it dawned on the fans that a place in the last four of the UCL was secured. A fantastic win. Only the second time in 111 games that the French team have been beaten by two goals which added gloss to the excellent victory.

With Chelsea in the last four, whoever they are drawn against will have to contend with a 'special spirit' as Jose rightly put it in his post-match thoughts. It was a truly remarkable night for the blues.

PSG and Laurent Blanc will be very disappointed with the timidity and lack of ambition shown last night. In the absence of IBRACADABRA, Cavani couldn't shine. The man affectionately called EL MATADOR threw away many gilt edged chances to put the match beyond their hosts. He will remain behind Ibra in the pecking order. Although, it will be difficult to really predict what might have been if it was Ibra rather than the Uruguayan. The Paris based club will look at this defeat as another chance missed. A chance to be among the last four teams standing in Europe's most celebrated club competition. They may let their heads drop or us this as a springboard for the upcoming season. Who knows?

Huge Congratulations to Jose Mourinho and Chelsea for pulling the unlikely off. It is another evidence that the best are never to be written off. Mourinho is the finest manager in my book and I have always stood by that. 

Real Madrid went to Borussia Dortmund to disgrace themselves. The 9-time winners showed that there lies a lot of weaknesses in the team with a very below par performance. But for the wastefulness of Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Dortmund would have accounted for the elimination of Los Blancos for the second consecutive season. Carlo Ancelotti can make an excuse that CR7 wasn't fit enough to feature in the game. However, that will be flimsy and daft because there is a plethora of talents flocking around the club.

Rolls Reus took matters personal when he scored a sweet brace to breath life into the collapsing Schwarzgelben. His efforts headed for the waste bin when the usually calm and deadly Armenian, Mkhitaryan, let Madrid off the hook not once, not twice. It was a night of mixed feelings for both teams but the Ruhr based club can be happy with their performance and for the fact that they stopped the 'whites' run of 34 consecutive Champions League games in which they have scored at least one goal. The Signa Iduna crowd clapped off their heroes and deservedly so. Jurgen Klopp has defeated the very best managers in the game. Gaurdiola, Mourinho, Heynckes, Wenger, and now Ancelotti. Surely one of the greatest of his generation and on the path to 'LEGEND' status. If he was a bit luckier with injuries this term, it could have been a much better season. They have only the POKAL to fight for now. At least to retain some pride. The Champions League runners-up bowed out gracefully and the good news (bad for some people) is that they will be back.

Ohireime P Eboreime

@ohiskaka1990

BAYERN MUNICH-MANCHESTER UNITED PREVIEW.......WOUNDED DIE ROTEN READY TO ROAST A DETERMINED UNITED SIDE

                                             
No matter how hard Pep Guardiola has tried to play down Bayern's first loss in 54 League games, it is hurting to say the least that the German Champions saw their record broken on the eve of a very crucial Champions League game. Sascha Molders' goal was enough for Augsburg to break the Bayern fans' hearts and ensure that they don't go the entire League season unbeaten. Markus Weinzierl and his brave soldiers fought gallantly throughout the match and deservedly won. It was the first goal Bayern had ever conceded at the SGL Arena and it proved damning for them in the end. That is a slap on the face of the defending European Champions and they intend to pour it all out on visiting Manchester United on Wednesday.

The red army on their own domestic matters continued their latest run of impressive form when they routed Newcastle United right in front of the packed crowd at SJP. There was nothing the magpies could do as Juan Mata, Shinji Kagawa, Adnan Januzaj and Chicharito ran rings around them  for much of the game. Anders Lindegaard started his first League game since letting five goals go past him in Fergie's farewell game at the Hawthorns last season and he made sure Papisse Cisse was never going to put one past him. Three magnificent saves and the Senegalse was left frustrated and bemused at the same time. Even the introduction of Hatem Ben Arfa hardly made anything different for Alan Pardew's men. A Juan Mata double with additional goals from Chicha and Januzaj were enough to compound the magpies' woes and condemn them to to their second consecutive 4-0 defeat and second straight home loss without scoring a goal. Unfortunately, Mata is ineligible to face fc Hollywood on Wednesday night but Kagawa will definitely be there.

Despite eight changes made by David Moyes, it was a comfortable outing at Tyneside. The likes of DDG, Vidic, Rio, Welbz and Carrick were kept away from the firing line and Wayne Rooney has been declared 95% fit to feature against Bayern after he bruised his toe in training and was a doubt.

PREDICTED LINEUPS-

BAYERN MUNICH

Neuer, Rafinha, Dante, Boateng, Alaba, Lahm, Kroos, Gotze, Ribery, Robben, Mandzukic

MANCHESTER UNITED

DDG, Jones, Vidic, Ferdinand, Evra, Carrick, Fellaini, Kagawa, Valencia, Welbeck, Rooney

Bayern will be without Thiago Alcantara (injured), Bastian Schweinsteiger and Javi Martinez (both suspended) for Wednesday night's match. Wayne Rooney made sure the best DLP in the World will play no part in the second leg and that has given United the midfield edge or so it seems.  That means Mario Gotze will be brought into the starting eleven to support Captain Lahm and Toni Kroos. The ROBBERY gang cannot wait to dispossess United of all what they have got and Mario Mandzukic can fight for next season's starting berth in attack if he scores the goal that will take his team into the semi final. Although, it will take much more than that to keep out the Polish poacher (Lewandowski). Pep will hope that Ribery and Robben have more freedom that what was granted at the Theatre. They know all about the Allianz Arena-all the nooks and crannies.

It all boils down to this one game for Manchester United. Sadly, the red army have had a woeful season and it is unusual that only one game will decide a season for a team used to winning trophies every season. United lie SEVENTEEN POINTS behind log Leaders, Liverpool which means the League title has been relinquished. Only a deep run in the Champions League will allay the fans' fears and give hope for next season. United had a lovely weekend in contrast to Bayern's. A 4-0 win at St James' was achieved without at least five first team regulars while the Buli Champions fell at the SGL to lowly Augsburg. United can do better than Augsburg and one of them can be Sascha Molders. Molders is now a cult hero at Augsburg. The man wrote his name in gold on Saturday. Shinji Kagawa must show that he is a big game player tonight. Last week's draw was the very first time in 5 games he hadn't been on the winning side against Bayern. The Bavarians know all about him. At Dortmund, he won four games on the trot in games against the Buli Champions and provided 1 goal and 2 assists in those battles. Another of such display will help the United cause which is by all means a herculean one. Wayne Rooney has been passed fit to play and that is refreshing. Danny Welbeck will return to the starting eleven and TonyV will take his place on the right side of midfield. The 'high hair' Fellaini must improve considerably on the insipid performance of eight days ago and Michael Carrick has to take advantage of the depleted Bayern midfield and explore the weaknesses if any. DDG returns between the sticks and the Vidic-Rio combo which rolled back the years in a masterclass showing at Old Trafford must once again stiffen the threat of the Bayern front line. Patrice Evra returns to the left back position. The Frenchman has a lot of experience at this level, haven reached four finals but Alex Buttner proved more than an able replacement in the home leg. That may not be enough to retain that position.

Pep shrugged off the defeat on Saturday and has described the game with United as a 'LIFE AND DEATH match'. It remains to be seen how he will approach the encounter but one thing is sure, they are huge favourites to qualify. Manchester United live in hope that something astoundingly preternatural will happen at the Allianz. It will be a colossal result if Moyes can pull it off. One that will effectively get fickle and plastic fans off his back and buy him more time.

Ohireime P Eboreime
@ohiskaka1990

DORTMUND-REAL MADRID PREVIEW..........UPHILL TASK FOR LAST SEASON'S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE RUNNERS-UP

                                             


It's all looking doom and gloom for a once entertaining Borussia Dortmund. Haven been decimated by Real Madrid six days ago, it is time to set the record straight and at least play for pride at the Signa Iduna tonight. It is a seemingly lost cause for Die Borussen but impossible is nothing.

Jurgen Klopp nad his boys warmed up for this special occasion with a sweet, come from behind victory over Wolfsburg in the Buli on Saturday. Marco Reus scored the winner to make it four goals in his last two League games but it is in the Champions League they need him more. After getting bashed by Los Merengues last week Wednesday, Dortmund cannot afford another mauling. Klopp has been rather unfortunate with injuries this term and is likely to call upon the bulk of the same team that faced the Spanish giants at the Bernabeu, except that Lewandowski is back from suspension and will remember how his four goals set his team on a glory hunting mission in the same competition last season. The Pole is Bayern bound but he will want to leave his mark on what is almost certainly his last Champions League game for the yellow and black.

Real Madrid posted a brilliant result on Saturday at San Sebastian when they put champions league chasing Real Sociedad to the sword. The UCL European Cup record winners thrived where Barcelona and many others have failed and the result was a 4-0 win. Gareth Bale starred in that match and despite fears of a layoff, he is fit to face the same Dortmund side he opened the scoring against last week.  Cristiano Ronaldo limped out of training 15 minutes into the game and it has been proclaimed that he is a major doubt for today's affair. That means a chance to break the record he shares with Messi might have to wait until the semi-finals if Real see it through.

It is difficult to see how Dortmund will score four without Real getting at least a goal. Lewandowski's four goals condemned los Blancos to a painful defeat last season. Only a performance much better than that can give Dortmund a chance but they lack the personnel to handle this kind of situation.

PROBABLE LINEUPS-

BORUSSIA DORTMUND

Weidenfeller, Piszczek, Hummels, Papastathopoulos, Dumm, Grosskreutz, Jojic, Sahin, Reus, Mkhitaryan, LEWANDOWSKI

REAL MADRID

Casillas, Carvajal, Pepe, Ramos, Coentrao, Alonso, Modric, Di Maria, Bale, Benzema, CR7

Die Schwarzgelben cannot call upon the services of Sven Bender, IIkay Gundogan and Marcel Schmelzer because they are all injured. To make matters worse, Captain and midfield destroyer, Sebastian Kehl is banned for tonight's game. That leaves gaping holes in midfield which will be filled by January acquisition, Milos Jojic who is inexperienced and may be overwhelmed by the atmosphere. The attacking midfielder has to be helped by Sahin, Grosskreutz and Henrikh. PEA17 will be replaced by Lewandowski after the Gabonese couldn't covert at least one of the many chances that came his way. The returning Pole knows where the net is and Real Madrid are aware that he does. Rolls Reus has to turn up tonight, If he does, then Dortmund fans can dream. Henrikh Mkhitaryan has cooled down a bit. The Armenian attacking midfielder started his career at the club ecellently well but seems to have faded in the last two months. However, class is permanent.

LA DECIMA chasing Los meregues know that there is no margin for error from here on. Any slip up and they can bid farewell to their dream of claiming a 10th European cup for yet another campaign. It has been a long wait (twelve years) for Madridistas. Don Carlo admitted that the Champions League was the priority this term. The main objective. Anything else is a bonus, although a treble would be welcomed. CR7 limped out of training yesterday but should shrug off whatever impedes him. Karim Benzema hasn't been among the goals lately. The Frenchman has done quite well this season and is part of the deadliest trio in WORLD FOOTBALL tagged the 'BBC'.

Anything other than Real Madrid going through will be most bewildering.


Ohireime P Eboreime
@ohiskaka1990

CHELSEA-PSG PREVIEW.......THE BLUES SET FOR THE MOST IMPORTANT MATCH OF THE SEASON

Chelsea were astonishingly humbled quite easily by Les Parisien at the Parc des Princes six days ago. Now the blues face an almost impossible quest to overturn a 2 goal deficit. Not that it has never been achieved before but this is somewhat different.

                                                 


EL POCHO Lavezzi knows how it feels to be taken apart by Chelsea. The PSG forward was part of the Napoli side that were at the wrong end of a brave comeback by the pensioners after going down 3-1 in Naples. Now, he is more than determined to make amends and tomorrow is the best chance he might ever have. A repeat of the fantastic display he put in last week and the French Champions-elect are in the semis. Not even the absence of ZLATAN will deter the much improved and very ambitious french outfit as they aim to go further in the competition. With the Swede, they glided past a helpless Reims side at the weekend courtesy of goals from Edinson Cavani and two own goals from Reims defender, Aissa Mandi

Jose Mourinho has affirmed that it is 'nearly impossible' to qualify after Javier Pastore's  injury time goal put a dagger through the hearts of the Chelsea faithful. But the message to his troops will be very clear. Score two goals and concede none, we are through. But it is going to be very difficult if not herculean to prevent PSG from scoring at least a goal.

PROBABLE LINEUPS-

CHELSEA:

Cech, Ivanovic, Terry, Cahill, Azpilicueta, Luiz, Lampard, Oscar, Hazard, Wllian, Eto'o

PSG:

Sirigu, VDW, Silva, Alex, Maxwell, Motta-Verratti-Matuidi, Moura, Lavezzi, Cavani

Jose Mourinho has a clear plan on how he wants to see off the French League leaders on Tuesday night. The Portuguese manager almost clawed back a 4-1 deficit v Dortmund last season , so he is no stranger to these kind of situations. However, the 'striker-less' West London club may have to risk Samuel Eto'o for the game. The Cameroonian marksman has enough in his tank to shoot down PSG but he is now a shadow of his former self. Fernando Torres has lost it totally. No one can place a finger on what really happened to the once prolific attacker. The Spaniard is done. The blues will miss the services of Ramires, Matic and Salah. The former suspended and the other two cup-tied.  In their absences, Mikel and Lampard have to do the job in the middle and David Luiz may also be required to come in and help out. Mourinho will rue the absence of Matic especially because it is in midfield that the french team possess their biggest weapons.

Paris St Germain can look back on their performances so far with pride and gusto and approach this game with all the confidence in the World. They have every reason to go to the Bridge on Tuesday and seek a result that will take them to the last four of the Champions League. Laurent Blanc can secure his place in the annals of the French club's not so rich history if he qualifies them eventually. The club cannot call on the goals, assists and all round display of LE IBRA but the likes of Lucas Moura, Javier Pastore and Jeremy Menez can provide the spark. They are not quite as efficient as Ibra but they are just as effective. Brazilian wonderkid, Lucas Moura has pace to burn. His skills set cannot be treated with kid gloves. His introduction last time unsettled the Chelsea defence and it ilikely that he will be thrown into the fray from the start. Ivanovic and Azpi have to be helped by Hazard and Willian/Oscar or all hopes will be thrown into the trash can. Edinson Cavani has to shoulder the responsibility of scoring the goals needed to send Chelsea packing, He was also part of the Napoli side who thought they had qualified until their bubble was burst and their hopes dashed by Didier Drogba and company. He has an axe to grind with Chelsea. Greg Van der Wiel is back to occupy the right back slot at the expense of Christophe Jallet who admittedly, did little wrong at the PdP. The All Brazilian central defensive partnership will be joined by another Brazilian at left back. Surely a complete team. Matuidi-Motta and Verratti are keeping the likes of Rabiot and Cabaye on the bench. This is not what the latter signed for when he was leaving England but he must have been aware of how arduous it is to break through the MAT-MARCO-MOTTA wall. They are currently among the very best midfield trio in all of football.

Laurent Blanc and Jose Mourinho go head to head again in a battle of tactical supremacy. Fair to say that the Frenchman won the battle last week. Mourinho hates being at the losers' corner. The 'ONLY ONE' will be pleased to take out PSG in a very special night at Stamford Bridge. In the light of recent developments, the blue face an uphill battle to retrieve the deficit. Even Eden Hazard could collapse under this sort of pressure. Chelsea need more than all the talents of WILZARCAR  to triumph on Tuesday night. Stamford Bridge must be rocking.

Ohireime P Eboreime
@ohiskaka1990