Super Cup Blues

The wait is finally over....

 

Super Cup 2012

With the thrilling conclusion of the UEFA Super Cup yesterday, the Champions League season has returned with a bang. The game between European Champions Bayern Munich and Europa League Champions Chelsea started off a bit slow, but ended in a thrilling penalty shoot out. Chelsea, off of their high of receiving a wonderful draw the day before for the upcoming CL season as well as with the singing of Cameroon srtiker Samuel Et'o started the game off with nothing but confidence. And even with the loss, it was still worlds better than last years Super Cup, when they got thrashed and frankly embarrassed by Falcao and Athletico Madrid. Unfortunately for Chelsea, it still wasn't their year to lift the Super Cup, loosing the game 4-5 on penalty kicks. 

Though Chelsea didn't go home with the cup, they have nothing to be ashamed of. It was a wonderful game against a challenging opponent. Both goals, by Fernando Torres and Eden Hazard were beauties and keeper Petr Cech was definitely the star of the Chelsea side that day. Jose Mourino was even quoted the next say saying that the better team had lost, which is wonderful support from a manager just starting back up with the club. Not to mention, Chelsea were playing with 10 men for quite a portion of the game. Ramires was sent off in the 85th with a second yellow for a challenge. Especially after the train wreck that was last years Super Cup, Chelsea are definitely moving up and are should look forward to a thrilling Champions League campaign. 

Bayern of course didn't play horrible either. The German Champions will surely be contenders for the trophy again this year as well, especially under the direction of Pep Guardiola. UEFA player of the year Franc Ribbery led his team to victory with the tying goal in the 47th minute which led to the extra time. After a goal by Hazard in the 93rd, Chelsea nearly had it in the bag, until a goal by Javi Martinez in the 120th minute of extra time led to the penalty shootout. Chelsea were a mere 30 seconds away from victory until Martinez snatched it away. The penalty shoot out, like all of them, was a nail biter. Arguably, two of the best keepers in the world went head to head in the hopes of victory. One after the other, both the Bayern and Chelsea players shot and made every one. The score was 5-4 Bayern with one Chelsea shooter left, Romelu Lukaku. Unlike his idol before him, Dider Drogba, Lukaku was not so fortunate, awkwardly shooting right down the center into keeper Manuel Nuer's arms. It was all over. Another Super Cup loss for the Blues from London. Oh well, on to the CL group stages! 

What a draw!

Though the Super Cup was played in Prague this year, the UEFA Champions League draw, as always was in Monaco. Overall, the draw pretty much went one of two ways for teams. You either loved it or you hated it. Though its debatable this year, my group of death is definitely group H: Barcelona, AC Milan, Celtic, and Ajax. However, group F: Arsenal, Marseille, Borussia Dortmund, and Napoli, and group B: Real Madrid, Juventus, Galatassary, and FC Copenhagen are no walks in the park either. Chelsea and Manchester United were both handed fabulous draws, and should sail easily into the knockout stages. Chelsea's toughest opponent in group E will probably be Shalke, especially now with their recent purchase of AC Milan mid fielder Kevin Prince-Boatang. Manchester United's tough opponent will be German side Bayer Leverkusen. Manchester City have been dawn into group D: along with defending European Champions Bayern Munich, and with the way their season has been going so far, isn't saying much for their chances in advancing. 

But of course we all know, good draw or bad, the only thing that matters is how you play come game time. And especially in this league nothing is written in stone, one second can change everything. Who knows what's going to happen next? No one, and thats what makes the Champions League so exciting. The best of the best compete against one another to be crowned Kings of Europe. Personally, I couldn't be more excited! The Champions League is my absolute favorite and I can't wait until the group stages start in September! We're in for an incredible 2013-2014 season, who will take it all? The road to Lisbon starts here! Lets go!

Calcio Queen 

Transfer Gossip

Oh those lonely days of Summer....

The summer can be a boring time for any football fan. We're all counting down the days until the club season returns to us once again while trying to keep ourselves occupied with whatever international games are on to tide us over. This year we had the Confederations Cup, Brazil beat Spain in the final. Which was pretty interesting. The side with automatic entrance into the competition was the team that ended up winning. It was Brazil though, they've been beginning to improve again with things only looking up as the 2014 World Cup approaches. On average host countries always end up out performing expectations anyway, and in this case its Brazil. Real 2014 World Cup contenders in my opinion. Speaking of the World Cup we still have qualifying going on in all major confederations as well. That can be interesting sometimes, but ehhhh, no surprises there. The CONCACAF Gold Cup is coming up as well. A competition that holds a special place in my heart. This will be the USA's year...mark my words!!!
However, the thing that is most exciting to us, the thing that really keeps us on our toes all summer long is most definitely the transfer rumors. All of a sudden the football world feels like we're all in high school again. Who's unhappy at their club? What players are in contact with what clubs? Who can meet who's asking price? Nobody knows what to believe until the ink is on that dotted line. But until any transfer is official, its always fun to speculate what's going to happen. Here are some that caught my eye this week, as well as some of the major topics of the summer.

Jody Altidore to Sunderland

His first spell in the epl was a disappointment. Since then, he's made a move in a more positive direction but is he ready yet to make it to first team football in England? He was leading scorer for his club AZ Alkmaar in the Dutch league this season and has finally found a place for himself in the lineup under Klinsman after quite a lengthy absence. But is he really ready to be put up against the likes of a strong Man U or Chelsea side? He's still young, perhaps first team play in a championship side would be better suited for him but at the same time you'll never know until you try. He wasn't performing for country and then all of a sudden this form has finally found him. Maybe he should take advantage of it and throw caution to the wind and see what his chances are in this Sunderland side. It is definitely going to be a shock at first. The Dutch league is nothing compared to England, but if he can keep up he could possibly thrive. Hopefully this new found form isn't just a burst of energy ready to die out. Clint Dempsey is getting pretty lonely in England.

Where is David Villa going?

There are so many rumors about where Villa will be playing football next season. Will it be at Barca? In my opinion most likely. As much of a legend this guy is he isn't the player he used to be. Not because of a lost form like some people, he's just outdated. Other people are better than him and that's the issue. Why else would barca want to unload him? He's dead weight on their over talented side and they're just hoping to get some money for his name. The rumors of him going to Arsenal or Spurs seem a bit ridiculous to me. If Villa is going anywhere it's going to be to a league other than the epl or to a side that doesn't have any major stars. But then again, a team like that wouldn't be able to afford him, which is why I feel like next season villa will continue to warm the barca bench.


Bale to Madrid?

I really feel like this would be a great match, but will it happen? I'm still not sure. I feel like the only thing that would stop this move from happening would be Tottenham not wanting to let him go. They've gotten themselves in the position that he is their whole team basically. With the loss of Bale, Tottenham would have no one to carry the team. And after all of the progress they've made over the past few years is the money that they would get for him going to be worth it? Doubtful. Tottenham have one thing on their mind, Champions League football, and bale is the only way that they're going to get there. They have been so close these past few seasons that they can taste it. Even making it through to the knockout stages from the qualification rounds a few years back. Tottenham have been moving up and with the sale of Bale they would definitely be moving in the wrong direction. But we of course live in a time where that doesn't really matter anymore. If Bale personally wants trophies and he's got the talent, he's gonna move to a club that can guarantee him that. Should Spurs sell Bale? Hell no! Will he end up leavening? That depends on his loyalty to the club.


The Cavani Debacle
Yes. This has officially turned into a debacle. Where on earth is this guy going! Is he leaving? I'm almost positive. But where? Who knows? A few weeks ago it seemed he sealed a deal to Chelsea. But it seems like now that may not work out. Psg has been thrown into the mix and they seem to be the frontrunners with Ibra possibly moving to Monaco. I've said it once and ill say it a million times. The epl is the best league in the world. It's the most competitive, the most cut throat, the most difficult. Sure, Cavani would be great at Psg, they've got a great side. But league 1? If Cavani wants to be one of the best footballers in the world, getting lost in the French league isn't going to get him there. His friend Javier Pastore knows that story all too well. I'm not being biased as a Chelsea fan saying that that is he best fit for him, but it really is. Unless he can't cut it in the epl and he turns into another Fernando Torres problem, he's exactly what Chelsea needs. A strong center forward that gets goals. Chelsea hasn't had one since Drogba left. They've added some amazing players since the loss of Drogba, but still no one has been able to fill the void that he left yet. Cavani could be that guy. I've been hearing rumors of Lewandowski making a move to Chelsea. Another attacking midfielder is the last thing that they need. All of their goals already come from the super talented attacking mids they already have. Why would they create more competition for first team play by buying players that do things existing players already do exceptionally well. Lewandowski needs to go to Bayern Munich, or Manchester United. (Okay, hopefully not Man U)