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Real Madrid – Morata & Sergio Ramos Steal Show From Cristiano Ronaldo
With the league being the least important competition at the moment for Real Madrid, it was no surprise to see Morata and Kaka in the starting lineup. A match that could have gone in a very different direction after Sergio Ramos got sent off, but eventually didn’t need anyone to step up, not even Cristiano Ronaldo, to pick up a meaningless win.
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Lionel Messi – It’s All About the Numbers
It s not always right to measure footballers through statistics, when even goals might be misleading regarding a players’ ability, but Lionel Messi passing the 300 career goals mark for Barcelona is nothing but a tale of greatness, when there’s a good chance he still hasn’t reached his peak as a player.
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Bayern Munich – Thomas Müller Ready for the Big Double
In a world of Barcelona’s, Bayern Munich will never be regarded as true favorites to win the Champions League, but it’s hard to argue with two finals in three seasons, while playing excellent football in both the Bundesliga and the UCL, having quite a few players having career-best seasons, with possibly no one better than Thomas Müller.
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Marco Reus & Mario Götze, the Future of Borussia Dortmund
Some things are obvious, but still need a little bit of demonstrating from time to time. Like Marco Reus being a wonderful player. Like his partnership with Mario Götze being the basis for future success with Dortmund and with the German national team.
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AS Roma – The Never Ending Francesco Totti
Last season really seemed like the last hurrah. Roma failed miserably in the league – a sixth place finish for a second consecutive season, despite all the expectations from their Barcelona-system manager, Daniele De Rossi presumably on his way out and Francesco Totti looking older than ever.
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FC Barcelona – Lionel Messi Doesn’t Stop in Garbage Time
The Spanish La Liga is so over, and we’re only in the middle of January. Barcelona are on cruise control for the rest of the season while bigger challenges await in the Champions League, although it doesn’t mean Lionel Messi is going to stop scoring.
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Cristiano Ronaldo Will Always Be Behind Lionel Messi
Unless their careers suddenly take a very different path in the next few years, it’s safe to assume that despite Cristiano Ronaldo winning everything possible in club football and being as good as humanly possible on the football pitch, he’ll eventually be remembered as the second best player of his era, behind Lionel Messi.
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Chelsea FC – Oscar Hides the Terrible Fernando Torres
No matter how many chances he gets, it seems that anything Fernando Torres had going for him earlier this season and then again from time to time has almost been depleted, with both Eden Hazard and Juan Mata, despite countless tries, failing to make the broken Chelsea striker to work like before. Luckily, Oscar does have some football to overcome his physical adaptation to Europe.
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Liverpool FC – Steven Gerrard & Joe Allen Doesn’t Work
Instead of moving forward, Liverpool take steps back. Further from contention for a European spot in the Premier League, and not really in a good position to turn their Europa League knockout tie on its head, as Brendan Rodgers learnt once more that playing with Steven Gerrard and Joe Allen together isn’t good for a team that simply doesn’t know how to play defensively.
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Manchester United – David de Gea Silences Last of Critics
Impossible expectations can never be met, so why try to live up to them? David de Gea has been heavily criticized since the first time he put on the Manchester United goalkeeper jersey, but slowly and gradually, he’s winning over those who called for him to be benched or even sold.