Barcelona, Manchester City or Inter Milan? David's Dilemma

Good things like all other things have to come to an end as Bayern Munich's Austrian auxiliary man reaches his sunset at the Allianz Arena. Having won everything, there is to win with Die Roten, it comes as no surprise that he wants to have a taste of other leagues. At the peak age of 27, there would no better time to try this. His trophy haul and contractual situation make him an attractive option for several clubs in Europe. As is common practice in Europe, once the news of an elite player's desire to leave leaks, the big cats come sniffing. David Alaba's situation is no different. The moment his desire for a new challenge became public knowledge, the usual suspects in Real Madrid, Barca, City, and Inter have been hovering.

With the pick of Europe's elite as suitors, who will he choose?

Manchester City

The Cityzens are an exciting proposition for Alaba. Joining them means he reunites with Pep Guardiola, the man responsible for who he is today.

With City being made to look normal this season by some suspect defending, Alaba's defensive ability will improve them immensely at the back. He can play in the heart of the defense and also at left-back. Testament of his defensive ability is seen with 13 clean sheets in 29 appearances this season.

Pep's unpredictability when it comes to player selection only goes in his favor as his versatility makes him a shoo-in in defense, midfield, and attack.

Pep and Alaba are made for each other, as seen in their time together in Munich. The potential hitch is the Sky Blues' two-year ban from the Champions' League, but the reunion with Guardiola could tempt Alaba.

Barcelona

The lure of playing for Barcelona with Lionel Messi should be a lure too great to turn down, but with The Blaugrana in a tumultuous state on and off the pitch with Messidependencia at an all-time high, it looks like too great a risk for Alaba. Dominance on the domestic front has not translated into Champions' League wins, which the Austrian dreams of winning (again).

His passing ability should do the trick as it makes him a fit in Quique Setien's 'pass-centric' side.  He can slot right into the heart of the defense with Pique as current options; Umtiti and Lenglet have not been up to the standard. He can replace Jordi Alba at left-back when needed.

In moving to Barcelona, Alaba does not improve the team much. Still, he fits their style of play. A win for Barca, not so much for Alaba (if they fail to win the Champions' League).

Inter Milan

David Alaba appears to be Antonio Conte's most wanted player. Having failed to sign him while at Chelsea, he is trying again as he seeks to break the monopoly Juventus has over the league. In David Alaba, Conte gets a player who fits into his 3-5-2 and 3-4-3 systems.

He can play as a part of the three-man wall at the back or a rampaging wingback on the left. Also, he fits in as a deep-lying midfielder, a box to box dynamo, or an attacking midfielder. He epitomizes the energy that Conte looks for in his players. Should he join The Nerazzurri, he improves them on many levels and takes them back closer to the upper echelons of Italian and European football.

Moving to Inter does not guarantee that Alaba will win domestic trophies, to even talk of the Champions League. Still, it will give him a chance to develop under Conte, a manager who demands high levels of hard work, passion, and intensity on and off the pitch from his previous bosses.

Despite the numerous options, Alaba has two choices; to stay with Bayern or move overseas and test himself against the best in more challenging leagues in Europe.

Do you think we missed out on other teams Alaba could join? Let's hear it in the comment section below.

LIONEL MESSI'S RETURN MAKES SEVILLA'S WINLESS STREAK AT THE NOU CAMP UNLIKELY TO END.

On Sunday night, a rejuvenated Barca side will welcome sixth placed Sevilla at the Nou Camp in a game that promises to be keenly contested.

Despite both teams going into Sunday's clash with identical points,13, the standings reveal the slight chasm between these clubs, with Barcelona at 4th on the League table with a goal difference of six and Sevilla 6th, with a goal difference of three. Ironically, Los Hispalenses boast of a better defence having conceded 7 in 7 games to Barca's 10 in 7 games somewhat highlighting the ability of the Catalan club's front men to bang in the goals despite spells in which key cogs like Luis Suarez, Dembele and team captain Lionel Messi have had to battle with minor injuries.

On Wednesday, midweek, against Serie A league leaders, Inter Milan in the Champions League, Luis Suarez's double and an inspiring Lionel Messi performance ensured that, FC Barcelona were able to claw their way back from a goal down to ultimately register their first CL win after two games in the 2019/20 season having had to settle for a stalemate at Signal Iduna.

Noticeably, a slow start against Inter which has actually been the case for Valverde's men all season, meant they had to win the game the hard way, with a goal down against a Conte inspired team that were defensively solid with a flat 3-5-2 shape. At half time Inter led which was soon going to change after the break, when the sheer brilliance of Luis Suarez in the final third in the second half, demonstrated how demoralising this Barca side have been at home for so many years in the CL.

A fortress it was midweek, a fortress it will be for Sevilla this Sunday as Lionel Messi's return all the more rightly suggest Barca might make it four wins in their last four games, a win-streak that the team badly yearns for at the moment after huge struggles initially in the season.

However, despite Barca's immense superiority at the Nou Camp, this new Sevilla team under the tutelage of Julen Lopetegui could well eye for an end to their bizzare winless run at the Nou Camp. Granted, Sevilla haven't won at the Nou Camp for years, and to heighten the difficulty, the return of Dembele and Messi, yet it still would be utterly ridiculous to write them off. A "work-in-progress", a perfect description for this Julen Lopetegui's side, perhaps, exhibited after a show of pure quality last weekend in an engrossing nail-biter against Real Sociedad that ended 3-2 in their favour marking arguably the best La Liga game yet this season.

Four wins in their last six games shouldn't be bad for a potential top four candidate. The trip to Nou Camp may refreshen ill memories on the the path of the former Real Madrid boss, Lopetegui, whose side lost 5-1 in a clasico to ultimately end his reign as head coach of Los Blancos.

At Nou Camp and with Lionel Messi's return, Sevilla faces an uphill battle as they aim to cause an upset.

Credited to Bright N. B. Antwi

Weekend Insanity Index

Weekend's over and back to work! Boooriiing! Like Garfield, we all hate Mondays (or most of us). Till now! Your Weekend Insanity Index looks at the top 3 crazy (and unexpected) events on the football scene over the past weekend and scores them over an Insanity index of 5.

1. Manchester City 8-0 Watford 

Oh dear , look what Norwich did! Pep and his men roared back with an absolute romp. Taking no prisoners as Watford came to the Etihad to take eight bloody goals with 5 coming in the first 20 minutes.  Scary thing is Pep didn't start with his preferred starting XI (does he even have one?) !
1959 was the last time Watford conceded 8 goals; how crazy is that ?
Insanity Score : 5/5

2. Arsenal 3-2 Aston Villa

 
Madness! Absolute Madness I tell you! That Arsenal team has no business playing defense, they just can't (stares angrily at David Luiz and Maitland-Niles) ! These saps (except Aubameyang) from North London provide good entertainment value almost every weekend and this weekend was no different! Here's what made this game insane:
-Arsenal a goal and a man down at the break.
- Arsenal concede right after levelling it.
-Aubameyang with a late winner !

The only missing was Mings-El Ghazi 2.0
Absolute wringer of a match. Most entertaining league for a reason

Oh before I forget #EmeryOut
Insanity Score: 4/5

3. Granada 2-0 Barcelona 

This is a bit of a strange one for all involved. Granted Messi didn't start the game but its Barca and everybody expects them to win. Not! Barca have been dreadful on their travels since they got back from Anfield last April winning nothing in 7 games. With arguably the best youngster in football in Ansu Fati, Griezmann, Messi, Suarez and De Jong, Barca managed a single shot on target all game ! How insane is that ?
Insanity Score: 3.5/5

Honorable Mention: Sevilla 0-1 Real Madrid
Thibaut Courtois kept a clean sheet! Yes this is real. Real Madrid and Thibaut Courtois have kept their first clean sheet since February. What's crazy about this, they did it at  a ground they haven't won at in 4 years, against a Sevilla team that came into the game as the league leaders.
Insanity Score: 3/5

Quite an insane weekend. Expect more and add your insane moments and comments in the comments box.

MESSI'S DOUBLE SINKS KLOPP'S LIVERPOOL.

The recently crowned Spanish champions dealt Liverpool's Champions League aspirations a telling blow after Messi's double and Suarez's opener ensured the English side traveled back home with a daunting task to overturn a 3-0 deficit next Tuesday.

As usual, as we all have become accustomed to, Messi once again was on alien-mode. In this game? Yes. In the next game ? Yes. And in every other game, yes ! During the build-up to this titanic clash, a lot was asked, about how to nullify the 31-year-old Argentine. In spite of this, stopping Lionel Messi completely was out of the question. He's simply unstoppable. For a player like him, with ridiculous abilities and skills, it's always strenuous, depressing and stressful to keep him under control especially in two high-profiled games.

In games in which slight margins and details separate both teams, Messi shows up to always decide the tie in his team's favour whenever he wants to. Wednesday night was no different, and yet again he made the impossible seem so normal. Whatever Jurgen Klopp planned on as the optimal strategy to halt Messi surely failed. Liverpool could have lost by a bigger margin had Barça been more clinical upfront. After the third goal, in the dying embers of the game, Dembele missed a sitter. Maybe a more confident Dembele would have slotted home such a glorious opportunity. And yes, Valverde's intuition to play Coutinho and Vidal ahead of Dembele and Arthur respectively really paid dividends.

Irrespective of the fact that Messi decided the game, Ernesto Valverde had his tactics spot on. His conservative approach was what allowed Barça to be rock solid at the back which made it difficult for Liverpool's front men to cause any havoc. After an even and well matched first-half, Liverpool started the second-half on the front foot, strongly and looked likely to restore parity by each passing moment. Mo Salah and Sadio Mane worked brilliantly on the flanks and looked menacing anytime they were in possession. The Merseyside team in fact pinned the home team deep in their own half and incessantly mounted pressure and attacks one after the other. Barca's defense never crumbled, succumbed or capitulated. Lenglet and Pique's partnership was just a delight, with their telepathy giving an impression as if they had played for years. Both were well composed and neatly timed each tackle. Ter Stegen also was superb. He made some great saves which kept Liverpool at bay especially in the second-half until the magical Messi decided to kill the contest. Enough was enough. His great awareness was exhibited as he converted Suarez's rebound off the post. Soon his second of the night followed. A free-kick so far away, almost impossible to convert, against a top-notch world-class Alisson who has already 20 clean-sheets in the Premier League if not more. Messi never really cared about the distance, he knows his abilities. He knows he has magic in his boots. Then he converted, highly demonic and unreal. Just unbelievable. The world was left in deep stupefaction. A technique just out of this world. The power, the speed, the accuracy. Full venom !

Everything about that goal summarized how great Messi has been all these years. Yes all these 12 years, maybe 15 years. He's changed the scripts in football and reinvented new ones. Isn't this what great players do ? Isn't he the best ever ? Isn't this magic ? How can you stop Messi ? How can u stop magic from happening ? That divine free-kick his 8th of the 2018/19 campaign, his personal best in any season. He has 12 UCL goals, he's also top scorer and assist leader in La Liga with 34 and 13 respectively. On Saturday against Levante in La Liga he came off the bench to clinch the title for Barça. After his promise to the Camp Nou faithfuls initially in the season, it looks as if he will deliver the Champions League too. The Copa Del Rey as well to complete the treble.

Where would Barça be without Messi ? With him they can believe, have no fear and are an unbelievable force.

Messi will spearhead this Barça team on Tuesday when they visit Liverpool at Anfield. Knowing Liverpool need four goals without response to qualify, an away goal from Barça will evidently end the contest.

As a Cule, embrace yourself for more magic, because Messi isn't done yet.

Credited to Bright N. B. Antwi

MESSI'S BARÇA PROGRESSES TO THE SEMIS, RONALDO'S JUVE STUNNED.

A never ending debate, Messi or Ronaldo ? Across the globe, these two extraordinary footballers have had opinions divided. The Argentine, likened to his fellow countryman, Maradona, both with artistry devilish skills, some say "magic". Messi's small stature aids his center of gravity, enhancing his ability to also twist and turn defenders at will.

 Also, the ability to closely control the ball even at top speed, mesmerizing with every single touch, dancing past top level professional defenders like no ones business. So pleasing and easy to the eye, so simplistic. He's a genius and makes you wonder if those professional footballers he comes up against aren't good enough or well skilled or simply can't stop his magic from happening.

On the other side, the Portuguese, Cristiano Ronaldo, well known for his astounding desire to push himself to the limit, to go places and to conquer. First in Portugal, then England, next Spain and now in Italy with Juventus. Ronaldo always in the state of flux, always on the move and wanting for newer challenges.

A man for the big occasions. He relishes such occasions and as well thrives in it, in the limelight too, newspapers as well, he just loves it. So many times his teammates relied on his goals, so many times the former Real Madrid forward came to the party. Just like the Atletico comeback, a divine hat-trick only he can score under such great pressure and intense condition. A saviour for his team at the same time a serial killer, he just eliminates the opposition and shreds their dreams also.

On Tuesday night, both great players played and as usual both scored

                                         
Lionel Messi with a brace, his first goal so supreme and simply Messi-like. He registered his name on the scoresheet twice in the opening 20 minutes to kill the contest. After the Argentine's second of the night, the Quarter-finals was all but decided. Manchester United were ruffled, in fact tamed by no one else but the master, the genius Messi, when initially the Red Devils threatened on few occasions just 3 minutes into the game. The away team were energetic, attacked incessantly and as well played with purpose earlier on in the game. Whiles the team from England were on a mission to unnerve and stun the home team, the little magician, Messi, strode quietly into United's defense also on a mission, observing their vulnerabilities.

In fullness of time, Messi noticed one, pounced on Ashley Young's untidy clearance, then nutmegged Fred who lost his balance, found more space and clinically slotted home the opener effortlessly. Few minutes later, he added yet another goal, his 10th of the 2018/19 UCL campaign and United's hope of a comeback was dead in the waters. An emphatic 4-0 aggregate pummeling, ensured Barça broke the jinx of failing to qualify for the semis of the CL three years running.

In Italy, Juventus' only goal came from the maestro, Cristiano Ronaldo, as they surrendered a 1nil lead. The 34-year-old was the only Juventus player to find the back of the net over two games against Ajax. In each leg, he scored first, two identical headers. Unlike Barça, Juve failed to match their opponents boot for boot and never looked like posing any serious menace in both games. Of course, Cristiano remained Juve's only threat, but his two goals weren't enough to fire the Old ladies past a dazzling Ajax side. The Bianconeri lost 3-2 on aggregate, a scoreline so flattering. It could have been much worse with such dismal and lackluster performance from the Italian Champions.

Congratulations to Ajax, they played with guts and cojones having no phobia and qualms whatsoever. They treated Juventus like a piece of cake with an astonishing teamwork. The Old Ladies were schooled the Cruyffain way by Ajax as if to remind the team from Turin that Ronaldo alone can't win games all by himself always, it's a team sport !

Now there's only Messi, but no Ronaldo in the semis. Perhaps the world wouldn't witness yet another thunderbolt of a CL final between the two most decorated players of this era. Their ages wouldn't permit. Maybe next season, maybe not. But for now, this blockbuster remains a dream !


Credited to Bright N. B. Antwi