UEFA Champions League
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: NEUTRALIZING MESSI THREAT KEY TO BAYERN’S AMBITIONS
It is a problem that has confounded managers and players alike since 2004. How exactly do you stop a player like Lionel Messi?
Bayern Munich believe they have the solution ahead of today’s blockbuster Champions League quarter-final clash with Barcelona in Portugal, but man-marking the Argentinian is not part of their plans.
On limiting the influence of the Barcelona skipper, who possesses the greatest threat to the Bundesliga champions’ hopes of a second treble and their sixth European Cup, Germany international Leon Goretzka said: “That can only be done collectively because he is a gifted footballer.
“Thousands of people before me have tried to answer this question. It is nice – after playing against (Juventus’ Cristiano) Ronaldo a few times – to play the other formative player of the last decade.
“I don’t know how, but we have to force our game on them.”
Taking the game to Barca is easier said than done, but if any team can do so, it will be Bayern.
The Bavarian giants have won all 13 games since German football restarted in May following the coronavirus lockdown and underlined their impressive form last Saturday when Robert Lewandowski, the Champions League’s top scorer, helped seal a 7-1 aggregate thrashing of Chelsea to book their last-eight berth.
Barca, on the other hand, are staring at their first trophyless season in 12 years unless they can win their sixth European Cup.
While Antoine Griezmann put up a brave front, telling the club’s TV channel that “we have the weapons to beat them”, the failure to defend their Spanish La Liga title as well as limp exits in the domestic Cups do not lend much confidence to his comments.
Bayern have already won the domestic double and are aiming to emulate Barca in becoming just the second European club to win the treble twice.
Seven years after their maiden accomplishment and powered by the hot form of Lewandowski – he has already notched a career-best 53 goals in all competitions, including 13 in Europe – Goretzka is feeling confident.
Some critics believe the knockout format of the “Final Eight”, which is Uefa’s solution to the pandemic, could even out today’s game as compared to the usual two-legged ties.
However, it may be more of a detriment to Barca as they cannot rely on the Nou Camp, where they are unbeaten in Europe since 2013, as their safe haven.
And Goretzka revealed Bayern have spent the past few weeks training specifically for an assault on the Champions League. Unlike the rest of their rivals, the German Bundesliga season finished almost a month earlier.
“There is no easy way now. We are here in the sun in Portugal and are preparing for a knockout game in the Champions League,” he said. “We’re really up for it. Knockout matches are great.
“At the moment, we’re playing as a unit, in addition to the quality of the individual players.
“We have a clear plan in hand and our intensity without the ball can make the difference.”
Both clubs know each other intimately, with four meetings since 2013 and there will be a reunion of sorts for both Barca’s Arturo Vidal and Bayern’s Thiago Alcantara, who is a product of Barca’s La Masia academy, making today’s encounter a likely classic.
On Vidal, who is facing his former side for the first time since leaving the Allianz Arena in 2018, Goretzka said: “He has a first-class mentality with amazing fitness.
“I noticed that during fitness tests – which I took next to him – he can go beyond the pain threshold.”
UEFA Champions League
David strikes as Lille end Real’s long unbeaten run
A first-half penalty earned Lille a shock 1-0 home victory over holders Real Madrid in the Champions League group phase on Wednesday, ending the 15-times European Cup winners’ 14-game unbeaten run in the competition.
Jonathan David converted from the spot three minutes into first-half stoppage time to hand Real, who had not lost in their previous 36 matches in all competitions, their first defeat since January.
The result put Ligue 1 side Lille on three points from two games in the new format of Europe’s premier club competition.
Real, who won their opening match against VfB Stuttgart, are also on three points.
“On the penalty, I try to focus, to keep calm to take a good shot but I’m confident when it comes to taking penalties,” David said. “It has not sunk in yet but it’s a memorable night.”
Real keeper Andriy Lunin said his team had lacked their usual aggression.
“It’s difficult to analyse right after. (We lacked) aggression, creativity, in the end, what we always have,” he said.
“To fight a bit more. In the second half we showed more desire, but in the first half we were worse, that’s obvious. We want to win because we know what colours we’re playing in. But that’s OK. Courage, keep working and prepare for the next game.”
Carlo Ancelotti’s side started with Kylian Mbappe, who joined from Ligue 1 champions Paris St Germain in June, on the bench after the France captain picked up a muscle injury last week.
Real’s Vinicius Jr. had the first chance with a low shot in the sixth minute as the visitors controlled the pace and the second came when Endrick’s close-range attempt was blocked by Lucas Chevalier.
Lille went close to opening the scoring after 26 minutes when Andriy Lunin made a spectacular double save to deny David, first from the forward’s header, then by tipping away the Canadian’s follow-up shot.
Their relentless pressure paid off in stoppage time when Eduardo Camavinga handled Edon Zhegrova’s free kick.
A VAR review ensued and David confidently converted the resulting penalty.
The hosts continued to apply pressure in the second half, refusing to sit back and wait as Real enjoyed possession, cutting off the supply to England midfielder Jude Bellingham.
Ancelotti sent Mbappe and Luka Modric on to replace Endrick and Eder Militao and Lille survived a late Real onslaught to hang on for the victory.
-Reuters
UEFA Champions League
Ancelotti makes no excuses after Real’s shock defeat at Lille
Defending champions Real Madrid failed to show the best version of themselves in a shock 1-0 Champions League defeat at Lille on Wednesday and must accept the criticism that comes their way, manager Carlo Ancelotti said.
Lille pressed relentlessly and took the win courtesy of a Jonathan David penalty in first-half stoppage time to hand Ancelotti’s team their first defeat in all competitions since January.
Real Madrid – record 15-times Champions League winners – have three points after two matches following their opening win over VfB Stuttgart.
“Everything was pretty bad. We did badly with the ball, although the team was quite compact in the first half, it was difficult for us to recover the ball, it was difficult for us to make transitions,” Ancelotti told reporters.
“We tried to be a little more aggressive, but it was difficult for us. So… We have to look at things with a cool head, not throw everything away. But obviously we have to improve.
“I am very sincere. The criticism for today’s game is fair, correct and we have to accept it because it is like that. We have not shown a good version in this game.”
Ancelotti said Lille “deserved” to win despite Real’s improved showing in the second half of the match.
“It was difficult for us to get into the game at the level of intensity, at the level of duels, at the level of clarity of play,” the Italian added.
“Obviously, the game could have been tied because we had opportunities at the end, but it wasn’t deserved.
“So we have to learn, as it happened the last time we lost a game, learn from what we have to improve, which is quite clear. I think it’s not very complicated.”
Real, who are second in the LaLiga standings with 18 points, next host third-placed Villarreal on Saturday.
-Reuters
UEFA Champions League
Lookman shines as Atalanta outclass Shakhtar
Ademola Lookman scored one goal and was heavily involved in the other two to drive Atalanta to a 3-0 win over Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League on Wednesday as the Italians outclassed their Ukrainian opponents in Gelsenkirchen.
Atalanta have four points from two games, having held Arsenal to a 0-0 draw in their opening match, and Shakhtar remained on one point, after they played out a scoreless draw in the first game against Italian side Bologna.
Atalanta went ahead in the 21st minute when Lookman curled a cross into the area which found Berat Djimsiti in front of goal and he controlled the ball before poking it past the keeper.
Atalanta doubled the lead a minute before the break when Sead Kolasinac squared a pass to Lookman in the middle of the area and the Nigerian struck a first-time shot through the legs of his marker Marlon Gomes into the bottom corner of the net.
The game was all but over as a contest three minutes into the second half after Lookman played the ball out wide to Davide Zappacosta and his cross into the six-yard box was headed home by Raoul Bellanova.
At 3-0, Lookman, who also hit the crossbar in the first half, was taken off with over half an hour to play, his work done for the night and the tie ended with the same scoreline as the last time the sides met in the Champions League in 2019.
-Reuters
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