My Team of the Year Vote

Hi to everyone,

I've just voted for what I think is the Team of the Year given the choices by Uefa.  Go to Uefa.com to submit your Team of the Year.
Leave a comment to let me know if you agree or if you disagree.

- Crossbar and In (footballingworldnews.blogspot.com)


My Team of the Year Vote

Formation: 4-3-3

Manuel Neuer (Goalkeeper)



Honours

2012/13 Bundesliga League Title
2012/13 DFB-Pokal (German Cup)
2012/13 Uefa Champions League Title
2013 Uefa Super Cup

Stats (Club and Country)

33 goals conceded
47 games won
27 clean sheets

Philipp Lahm (Right-Back)



Honours

2012/13 Bundesliga League Title
2012/13 DFB-Pokal (German Cup)
2012/13 Uefa Champions League Title
2013 Uefa Super Cup

Stats (Club and Country)

47 appearances
42 games won
0 goals

Gerard Pique (Centre-Back)



Honours

2012/13 La Liga Title
2013 Spanish Super Cup

Stats (Club and Country)

48 appearances
34 games won
3 goals

Sergio Ramos (Centre-Back)



Honours

Runner-up of 2012/13 Copa del Rey

Stats (Club and Country)

38 appearances
29 games won
6 goals

David Alaba (Left-Back)



Honours

2012/13 Bundesliga League Title
2012/13 DFB-Pokal (German Cup)
2012/13 Uefa Champions League Title
2013 Uefa Super Cup

Stats (Club and Country)

53 appearances
44 games won
11 goals

Arjen Robben (Right of Midfield)



Honours

2012/13 Bundesliga League Title
2012/13 DFB-Pokal (German Cup)
2012/13 Uefa Champions League Title
2013 Uefa Super Cup

Stats (Club and Country)

44 appearances
39 games won
20 goals

Mesut Ozil (Centre of Midfield)



Honours

Runner-up of 2012/13 Copa del Rey

Stats (Club and Country)

52 appearances
40 games won
13 goals

Franck Ribery (Left of Midfield)



Honours

2012/13 Bundesliga League Title
2012/13 DFB-Pokal (German Cup)
2012/13 Uefa Champions League Title
2013 Uefa Super Cup

Stats (Club and Country)

47 appearances
40 games won
20 goals

Lionel Messi (Left Winger)




Honours

2012/13 La Liga Title
2013 Spanish Super Cup

Stats (Club and Country)

39 appearances
25 games won
40 goals

Cristiano Ronaldo (Right Winger)



Honours

Runner-up of 2012/13 Copa del Rey

Stats (Club and Country)

49 appearances

36 games won

59 goals

Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Striker)

Honours

2012/13 Ligue 1 Title

2013 Trophee des Champions

Stats (Club and Country)

51 appearances

34 games won

41 goals

Last Season's Champions League Quarter-Final Second Legs

Last Season's Champions League Quarter-Final Second Legs

Watch my Video Match Report of the Uefa Champions League Quarter-Final Second Leg matches (from my youtube channel Crossbar and In)between Borussia Dortmund and Malaga, Galatasaray and Real Madrid, Barcelona and PSG, and Juventus and Bayern Munich.

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Please Comment

Please Comment your predictions for today's Champions League Quarter-Final match-ups:

Today

Juventus vs Bayern Munich

Barcelona vs PSG

Bayern Munich vs Juventus

 Bayern Munich vs Juventus

                                 2        -        0

The Allianz Arena was the location for this Champions League quarter-final match-up, as Bayern Munich faced Juventus.  A match with big expectations.  As the match kicked off, it didn't take long for Bayern to score their opening goal as Alaba's strike from 35 yards out took a deflection and ended up in the back of the net, putting Bayern in front.  At the half, it remained, 1-0.  In the second half, Juventus looked determined to score a goal, but Bayern extended their lead when in the 63rd minute, Luiz Gustavo's shot was perished away to the right by Buffon, where it fell to an offside Mandzukic who calmly set up Thomas Muller for a simple tap-in, to make it, 2-0.  In the end, the match ended, Bayern Munich, 2, Juventus, 0.




Bayern Munich 

David Alaba vs Juventus

Alaba opened the scoring in the first minute of the encounter, and played a great match. 

Thomas Muller vs Juventus

Thomas Muller scored Bayern's second of the night to give them a good scoreline going into the second.



Juventus 

Andrea Pirlo vs Bayern Munich

Andrea Pirlo's sloppy pass led to Alaba's opening goal.  He shortly after came close to equalizing off a free kick.  If Juventus are going to have any chance in the second leg at home, Pirlo will have to be at his best.

Vidal and Ribery fight for the ball

Lichtsteiner and Mandzukic battle for an aerial ball

Juventus will be missing both Vidal and Lichtsteiner in the second leg, as they were booked.

 

Please Comment

Please leave your comments and comment any predictions you may have for the Champions League Quarter-Final second-legs.



Today - April 9th, 2013
Galatasaray vs Real Madrid
Borussia Dortmund vs Malaga

Tomorrow - April 10th, 2013
Barcelona vs PSG
Juventus vs Bayern Munich

Malaga vs Borussia Dortmund

Malaga vs Borussia Dortmund

                                       

On the 3rd of April, 2013, Malaga took on Jurgen Klopp's Borussia Dortmund, as Malaga would try to reach the Champions League semi-finals for the first time in their history. As the match started, there was a great atmosphere in La Rosaleda. Borussia Dortmund would threaten on the attack with their upfront three, Lewandowski, Reus, and Gotze. Chances were created by Borussia with Gotze leading the attack. Willy Caballero kept Malaga in the game making some great saves keeping the score line at, 0-0. As the second half kicked off, there were some nervy moments for Borussia as Malaga's Saviola looked dangerous on the attack. In the end, Willy Caballero kept Malaga in the game, and Malaga's few chances weren't converted as the match ended goalless.

Malaga

Willy Caballero vs Borussia Dortmund

Willy Caballero was Malaga's key man as he kept out Borussia Dortmund's chances giving Malaga a chance going into the second leg.

Saviola vs Borussia Dortmund

Saviola had some chances against Borussia Dortmund looking dangerous on the attack.

Borussia Dortmund

Mario Gotze led Borussia Dortmund in attack as he created a few chances.

Marco Reus

Robert Lewandowski

Lewandowski and Reus will be key players for Borussia Dortmund in the second leg, at home.

Real Madrid vs Galatasaray

Real Madrid vs Galatasaray

 

 3        -        0

Cristiano Ronaldo vs Galatasaray

On the 3rd of April, 2013, in the capital of Spain, Spanish giants, Real Madrid took on Turkish side, Galatasaray, in the Santiago Bernabeu. Two attacking sides, with Real Madrid who play a counter-attacking style, and Galatasaray who like to attack with their upfront trio, Yilmaz, Drogba, and Sneijder. Nine minutes into the encounter, Real Madrid were put infront when Ozil played a great through ball to Ronaldo who chipped the ball with his left foot past Galatasaray's Muslera. As the first half continued, Galatasaray created few chances with Drogba firing high and wide on one occasion, and another being stopped by Diego Lopez. In the 29th minute, Essien's far post cross was controlled by Benzema before finishing into the back of the net from close range to make it 2-0 going into the half. As the second half started, Real Madrid looked to be happy with the 2-0 scoreline as they kept possesion of the ball. With fifteen minutes to go, Real Madrid finished the match off as Higuain converted Xabi Alonso's free-kick with a header in the box. The match would finish, Real Madrid, 3, Galatasaray, 0. Galatasaray's chances of reaching the semi-finals have now been made even more difficult with that scoreline, 3-0, and leaving Mourinho to say, "They need a miracle." Galatasaray would need to score at least three goals, in the return leg, in Istanbul, to take the game into extra-time, and would need to score four goals to advance. If Madrid scores, things will be very complicated for Galatasaray.




Real Madrid

Cristiano Ronaldo vs Galatasaray

Cristiano Ronaldo scored Real Madrid's opener against Galatasaray last wednesday and is the top scorer in the Champions League with 9 goals.

Mesut Ozil vs Galatasaray 

Mesut Ozil provided Ronaldo's goal, and was a key part in midfield.



Galatasaray

Drogba vs Real Madrid

Didier Drogba had a few chances against Real Madrid, firing high and wide on one ocasion, and another one being stopped by Diego Lopez.

Sneijder vs Real Madrid

Wesley Sneijder will have to perform well in the second leg, in Istanbul, for Galatasaray to have a chance.

Mourinho - Press Conference

"They need a miracle." Mourinho talks about Galatasaray's chances of a come back in the second leg.

PSG vs FC Barcelona

 




          2     -     2








On the 2nd of April 2013, Paris Saint-Germain took on FC Barcelona in Paris, in the Parc des Princes.  As the match kicked off, PSG dominated the first thirty minutes as they had an early on goalscoring chance in the 4th minute as Ezequiel Lavezzi hit the post.  With seven minutes until half-time, Lionel Messi broke the deadlock when he was put through onto goal from Dani Alves's perfectly waited outside of the foot pass.  The little Argentine made no mistake, with a left foot volley into the bottom right corner.  Shortly after Messi put his side infront, he suffered an injury in his hamstring, and had to be changed at half-time.  Cesc Fabregas would replace him.  

As the second half kicked off, Barça were in control of the game with Xavi orchestrating Barcelona's attack.  The PSG fans were getting inpatient as their team could not get possesion of the ball, but the Parc des Princes was set alive when Zlatan Ibrahimovic finished a loose ball in the box to equalize.  Barcelona's players complained for offside and looking at the replay, he was a clear yard offside.  Just after Zlatan's equalizer, Barcelona with more injury worries as Mascherano had to be taken off by a stretcher.  He would have to be replaced by 22 year old centre-back, Marc Bartra.  Barcelona were looking for the winning goal, and in the 88th minute, after stringing some passes together, Alexis Sanchez was put through behind PSG's back four and  was taken down in the area by Sirigu.  A clear penalty for Barcelona and the chance to go into the second-leg in Nou Camp with the advantage.  Xavi stepped up, and finished the penalty into the bottom right corner giving Barça the lead.  It looked as though Barcelona would be heading home with an away victory, but that was denied when in the dying seconds of the match, Ibrahimovic won the header to set up a volley for Matuidi who smashed it.  His volley took a deflection off Bartra's leg, and rolled into the back of net to give PSG the last minute equalizer.  The match ended 2-2.


FC Barcelona

Dani Alves vs PSG

Man of the Match - FC Barcelona

Dani Alves is FC Barcelona's Man of the Match as he played a brilliant game vs PSG, attacking, defending, and creating chances for Barcelona.  He assisted Messi's goal in the 38th minute of the match with a perfectly weighted outside of the foot pass.

Lionel Messi vs PSG

Lionel Messi broke the deadlock in the match putting his side infront, but shortly afterwards, had to come off due to a hamstring injury.

Iniesta and Xavi

 Both Iniesta and Xavi had a great influence on Barcelona's attack stringing up passes in midfield and creating opportunities.



PSG

Blaise Matuidi vs FC Barcelona

Man of the match - PSG 

Blaise Matuidi is PSG's Man of the Match as he covered a lot of ground in midfield and also scored PSG's equalizer in the dying seconds of the match with a volley.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic vs FC Barcelona

Zlatan Ibrahimovic was a key part for PSG as he was very effective with his aerial presence, winning headers, controling with his chest, and then laying off to start the attack.  He scored PSG's equalizer in the 79th minute and assisted Matuidi's last minute equalizer.

Thiago Silva vs FC Barcelona

 
Thiago Silva played a great match.  He was impressive in defense, winning headers, and making great tackles.  His header that hit the post was finished by Ibrahimovic who was offside.

Lucas Moura vs FC Barcelona

Lucas Moura was very active in the first half making runs down the right hand side, but in the second half, he lacked the intensity that he had in the first half.