Skip to main content

Four discussion points ahead of the Champions League semi-finals.

Four talking themes ahead of the Champions League semi-finals, including a clash between England's biggest stars and Paris Saint-Germain's soft centre.

Kane and Bellingham go head-to-head

Only two English players have won the Champions League with a foreign club: Steve McManaman and Owen Hargreaves, who won in successive seasons with Real Madrid and Bayern Munich from 2000 to 2002.

This week, the former teams of that couple compete for a spot in the final, with English influence once more at the forefront of their concerns. Harry Kane's Bayern Munich will face Jude Bellingham's Real Madrid in continental competition, pitting arguably England's most influential players against foreign powers.

Kane has been Bayern's shining light this season, scoring 42 goals and being personally involved in 10 Champions League goals, a joint-record for an English player in a single season with David Beckham (1998/99 and 2001/02) and Steven Gerrard (2007/08).

 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧 England's highest rated players in Europe's top five leagues: 

🥇Harry Kane - 7.81

🥈 Jude Bellingham - 7.76

🥉 Bukayo Saka - 7.63

🏅 Phil Foden - 7.52

🏅 Cole Palmer - 7.43


Meanwhile, Bellingham has been a revelation to Real. The pressure of a Galactico arrival has not deterred the 20-year-old, who has 21 goals and 10 assists in 36 games for the Spaniards.

It promises to be a memorable duel.

Problems mount for battered Bayern. 

Thomas Tuchel faces a selection headache ahead of Bayern Munich's match against Real Madrid, as the German giants' injury troubles worsen. Matthijs de Ligt and Konrad Laimer were forced to make early substitutes over the weekend, while Leroy Sane, Jamal Musiala, Serge Gnabry, and Dayot Upamecano are doubtful, as are Kingsley Coman and Sacha Boey.

It is far from ideal preparation for the Bavarians ahead of a winners League showpiece match against the 14-time European winners. It is the eighth time the teams have played at this stage, and Real Madrid has advanced from the previous two.

🎙️ Kimmich: "It's a clash between two big clubs. We know that Real have a lot of experience and quality in their team. They believe in themselves and know their strengths." 


 Not for the first time this season, the onus will be on the aforementioned Kane to make an impact. Kane's brace against Eintracht Frankfurt at the weekend brought his season total to 42 goals, a new career high for a single campaign.

Paris Saint-Germain needs to address its soft center.

With Ligue 1 locked up for the record-extending 12th time at the weekend, Paris Saint-Germain's whole emphasis is on securing a European crown. The French champions face Borussia Dortmund in the semi-finals, with the Parisians hoping to reach the Champions League final for the second time.

PSG, the pre-game favourites, must find a solution to the soft core that has afflicted recent performances. Luis Enrique's team trailed three times in a 3-3 draw with Le Havre at the Parc des Princes over the weekend, and they have only kept one clean sheet in their previous seven Ligue 1 matches.
 
A 1️⃣2️⃣th title won TOGETHER! ❤️💙
🗣️ THIS IS PARIS 

In Europe this season, there have only been three shutouts in ten games. Enrique must find the ideal mix for his backline ahead of Wednesday's trip to Dortmund, and Milan Skriniar is expected to return after starting from the bench against Le Havre. Nuno Mendes and Lucas Hernandez are also candidates to return.

Has Dortmund learned their lessons?

Borussia Dortmund have outperformed expectations by reaching the last four, despite a dismal domestic season. Dortmund advanced to this stage after winning the tournament's Group of Death, which included matches against PSV and Atletico Madrid.

Paris Saint-Germain are waiting for a rematch of their group-stage games. Despite winning the group, Dortmund were unable to match PSG in those two games.

 The French champions won 2-0 in Paris and drew with Dortmund in the return match. On both instances, PSG dominated possession and opportunities, and Dortmund will need to learn from those games if they are to reach their first final since 2013.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

🇩🇪 Adeyemi and Juventus agree on conditions as the deal develops.

According to rumors, Karim Adeyemi has reached an agreement in principle with Juventus and is currently awaiting further talks with Borussia Dortmund. The Bianconeri have begun to move forward in the transfer market after selling Dean Huijsen to Bournemouth and Matias Soule to Roma, and are preparing to make a serious bid for Atalanta star Teun Koopmeiners. The team is also looking for Nice defender Jean-Clair Todibo. Juventus is in the early stages of their new project under Thiago Motta, and there are still a few concerns to overcome before the 2024-25 season, such as the future of star winger Federico Chiesa, who could move to the Premier League. Adeyemi has agreed to an agreement with Juventus . Page 14 of today's Tuttosport reports that Juventus is currently working on final contract details after reaching an agreement in principle with Adeyemi, who has approved a five-year contract worth roughly €3.5 million net per season with add-ons. Once the Bianconeri have finalised the ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Thierry Henry was denied a joyful homecoming as France was defeated by gold medal winners Spain.

Exactly 36 years after Vinnie Jones, Dave Beasant, Lawrie Sanchez, and others ripped up the rulebook to propel Bobby Gould's Wimbledon to a storied FA Cup victory, Thierry Henry's France fell agonisingly short of capturing an emotional Olympic gold medal in front of a sold-out Parc des Princes in Paris. Henry, who gave his young French team the nickname the 'Crazy Ones' due to their fun-loving nature, won nearly everything as a player, and despite the stars appearing to align for a historic gold medal on home turf, the Arsenal legend was overshadowed by Santi Denia's slick Spaniards in a dramatic 5-3 extra-time defeat. Sergio Camello of Rayo Vallecano was their unexpected late nemesis, dunking French goalkeeper Guillaume Restes with 100 minutes on the clock to startle a stunned capacity crowd. And he delivered a virtual carbon copy of that finish with the game's final kick, charging in on goal as the French flung bodies forward to slot past Restes and cruelly ...
Post a Comment
Read more

🏅Mateta shines as France defeats Egypt, securing a gold medal clash with Spain.

On Monday night, France hosted two Olympic semi-finals. This is what occurred. France advances to the final following a fierce clash with Egypt. In a tense contest, France rallied from a 1-0 deficit to defeat Egypt 2-1 in extra time. After a poor start, France improved just before the interval, with Loïc Badé hitting the post after Joris Chotard's pass. Alexandre Lacazette had a golden opportunity to score in the second half, but he hesitated and ultimately missed the shot. After absorbing all of France's pressure, Egypt proceeded to the other end, where Mahmoud Saber smashed a powerful attempt into the roof of the net. The goal ignited the game, and Hamza Alaa made a wonderful save on a Jean-Philippe Mateta header. France then hit the post twice in quick succession, with Lacazette's shot and Badé's follow-up hitting the woodwork. Les Bleus equalised thanks to a brilliantly weighted ball from Michael Olise, which Mateta converted decisively. France requested for ...
Post a Comment
Read more