El-Clasico-by-the-Numbers

Two of the biggest club’s in world football go head-to-head at the Camp Nou on Saturday evening, for the second El Clásico of the season.

Real Madrid are trailing behind their bitter rivals and need to win to stand any chance of clawing their way back into the title race. Ahead of what promises to be another thriller, we look at some Clásicos stats:

0 – Clásicos Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane has presided over compared with three for his Barcelona counterpart Luis Enrique – a 3-1 defeat at the Santiago Bernabéu & 2-1 win at Camp Nou last season and a 4-0 thumping over their bitter rivals last November.

75 – Messi, Suárez & Neymar have scored 75% of Barcelona’s goals this season compared to 73% for Madrid’s attacking trio.

389 – The number of goals Madrid have scored in official Clásicos, which is 11 more than Barcelona.

14 – The shirt number of former player and manager, Johan Cruyff, who shaped Barcelona and will be honored at the game.

6 – Real Madrid have only won 6 of the last 27 Clásicos that have been played since the start of the 2008/09 season.

499 – The number of career goals that Lionel Messi has scored and he could score his 500th during the game.

231 – The number of Clásico  played since the first once in the semi finals of the Copa del Rey in 1902.

10 – The number of points that Real Madrid are behind their fierce rivals.

68 – The 68th minute of the game is the time in which the most goals are scored – 17 in total.

52 – The number of goals scored from the penalty spot.

3780 – Gento is the player with the most minutes played in El Clásico with 3,780.

21 – Lionel Messi is the player with the most Clásico goals with 21.

13 – Lionel Messi is the player with the most Clásico assists with 13.

25 – There have been 259 different scorers.

500M – The estimated number of fans around the world who will watch El Clásico.

71 – Since 1929 Real Madrid have won 71 of their 171 La Liga encounters with Barcelona.

8 – The last 8 Ballon d’Ors have been won by Messi and Ronaldo with 5 and 3 respectively.

39 – Barcelona are hoping to extend their current 39 game unbeaten run.

550 – There have been 550 El Clásico goals in La Liga, which is an average of 3.2 per game.

2002 – There hasn’t been a 0-0 draw since November 2002.

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MSN-v-BBC

Real Madrid’s attacking trio of Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo (BBC) go head-to-head with Barcelona’s Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez and Neymar (MSN) in the second La Liga Clasico of the season.

Real Madrid will be out for revenge after losing 4-0 at the Santiago Bernabéu in November. The visitors attacking trio have some remarkable goal-scoring figures this season, but so have Barcelona’s.

Which of these Spanish giants attacking trios have the best statistics this season?

MSN-v-BBC-Stats

The last three La Liga Clasicos have finished Real Madrid 3-1 Barcelona, Barcelona 2-1 Real Madrid and Real Madrid 0-4 Barcelona. 8 of the 11 goals have been scored by the BBC and MSN trios. Whichever strike-force performs the best on the day will likely seal victory for their team.

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2015-Ballon-dOr-Winner

Barcelona forward Lionel Messi has won the Ballon d’Or award for the world’s best player for a record fifth time.

The 28-year-old Argentine claimed the 2015 award at the annual ceremony in Zurich on Monday evening claiming 41.33% of the vote. The award is voted for by a panel of journalists, international coaches and captains. Real Madrid forward Ronaldo was second with 27.76% of the vote and Barca’s Neymar was third with 7.86%.

Upon receiving the award Messi said: “This is a very special moment for me to be back here on this stage again winning another Ballon d’Or.”

“It’s incredible that it’s my fifth and is much more than anything I could have dreamed of as a kid. I want to thank all of those who voted for me first of all. I also want to thank my team-mates, as I always say none of this wold ever have been possible without them.”

“And lastly, I want to thank football in general for everything it has brought me, both the bad and the good, because it has made me grow and learn always.”

Over the past eight years the award has only been won by either Messi or Ronaldo.

Past-Ballon-dOr-Winners

Below is the full list of the awards at the FIFA ceremony:

Ballon d’Or – Lionel Messi

World Coach of the Year – Luis Enrique

Puskas Goal of the Year – Wendrell Lira (view here)

FIFA / FIFAPro World XI – Manuel Neuer; Marcelo, Thiago Silva, Sergio Ramos, Dani Alves; Andres Iniesta, Luka Modric, Paul Pogba; Neymar, Lionel Messi, Ronaldo.

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Dennis-Otto

A young German goalkeeper playing for FC Barcelona is dominating the headlines in German football at the moment. But it is not Manuel Neuer’s backup at the German national team, Marc-André ter Stegen, who is in the spotlight, but rather 17-year-old youth keeper, Dennis Otto.

The young keeper was born in Gehrden Germany, but his family moved to Mallorca where his father Kai Otto works in the tourism industry. Otto has, therefore, played most of his football on the island; until 2011 Otto played for CF Can Pastilla and CD San Francisco before joining RCD Mallorca in 2011.

The step to RCD Mallorca was the first significant milestone in the young keeper’s career, as the club is the largest on the island. Competing for Mallorca’s biggest club also meant that Otto was more visible to the talent scouts of some of Spain’s most successful clubs. In addition, Otto was willing to go the extra mile by regularly attending the Fundación Marcet in Barcelona. Kai Otto tells Germany’s Kicker Magazin that attending the camp was always his son’s biggest Christmas wish. “The camp was expensive, but he would forego other Christmas presents in order that he be able to attend the camp.”

His decision, to sacrifice computer games and lebkuchen in order to hone his goalkeeping skills in one of Europe’s most lucrative training camps, paid off when in 2012 Barcelona scouts noticed his talent during a Mallorca youth game.

In 2013, the then 15-year-old, Otto was invited to join FC Barcelona’s youth academy La Masia. At Barcelona, he quickly established himself as one of the most promising youth players of the club. In January, he was promoted early to the U-19 and, at just 16, was the youngest player in the squad. Otto’s coach at FC Barcelona Juvenil A, the former Barcelona player, Gabri, has since stated, “Dennis is our top player, and he will have a great future.” But Gabri also warns that Otto has to be developed “step by step.”

Otto’s biggest step to date, came in mid-November when Barcelona’s manager, Luis Enrique, called up the keeper to take part in Barcelona’s first team training. Unlike his participation at Marcet, however, the call up to the first squad was not an early Christmas gift; it was recognition of the goalkeeper’s performances in the youth squad.
Indeed, the club seems to be extremely excited about the young German’s future as Otto’s par

ticipation in the first squad’s training was even published on the club’s homepage. This was an extraordinary action for a club that usually shields its best prospects from the public in fear that other clubs will try to pluck the brightest talents away from Barcelona’s youth academy. Some even argue that this is one of the main reasons why Barcelona has so far refused to field Otto in the UEFA Youth League—UEFA’s junior Champions League.

In fact, Germany’s Die Welt newspaper reported that Otto had already received an offer from Atlético Madrid in 2014. But Barça fans need not worry; Otto told a Mallorca based newspaper, “I have been a Barcelona fan my entire life.” Furthermore, Otto himself has pointed out that there are other reasons why Barcelona has not fielded him in the Youth League yet. Speaking to Kicker Magazin Otto points out, “the club has four keepers in my level, and the coaches rotate quite a bit.”

This season Otto has been the number 1 keeper in most of the important league matches of Barcelona’s Juvenile A, including the derby against Espanyol Barcelona, and the junior clasico against Real Madrid, and he is also expected to start for Barcelona in next week’s Youth League match against Bayer 04 Leverkusen in Germany.

Whether Otto plays in Germany next week or not will not effect his chances with those in charge of Germany’s junior national teams. The keeper is already on the radar of the junior national team scouts, and has been invited to the U16. Despite the fact that Otto has strong Spanish footballing roots, the 1,96 meter tall keeper lists the German keepers Oliver Kahn, Manuel Neuer, and Marc-André ter Stegen as his idols. It is, consequently, expected in Germany that Otto will have a bright future with Germany’s national team if he continues on his current development trajectory.

The next step for Otto will be to break into Barcelona’s first team squad, and to gain valuable playing time. Barcelona may even consider loaning Otto out in order that he gain the experience needed to play full fledged professional football. Several Bundesliga, and second Bundesliga clubs have already voiced their interest. Barcelona’s officials, however, believe that they have an outstanding talent, who could one day be the number one at Barcelona—which would mean that Otto’s current idol ter Stegen could soon become his closest rival.

About the author – Manuel Veth

Manuel Veth is a freelance journalist and Editor in Chief @FutbolgradLive and writes about the economics and politics of Soviet and post-Soviet football. You can find his work at Futbolgrad.com.

twitter: @homosovieticus

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Mark-Hughes

With Barcelona dominating the club game and Spain bossing the international scene, the period between around 2008 and 2012 saw many teams across Europe attempt to replicate the pair’s proactive, possession-based style of play.

Stoke City under Tony Pulis were always an exception to that trend. Their football was invariably based on keeping things tight at the back, launching long balls forward to a targetman striker and making the most of attacking set-pieces. It was common for the defence to be made up of four centre-backs, while experiments with more technical players –Tuncay Sanli and Eidur Gudjohnsen to name but two – generally did not work out. The defining image of Pulis-era Stoke was probably Rory Delap drying the ball on a towel while preparing to unleash one of his wicked long throws into the penalty area.

It was not football for the purists, but there was something enjoyable about the variety that Stoke’s differing approach provided. When Mark Hughes took over from Pulis in 2013, the Potters began to play more expansively, their possession figures increasing and the emphasis shifting from the physical to the technical.

That transformation looked to have been completed this summer, when Barcelona’s Ibrahim Afellay and Moha El Ouriachi, Chelsea’s Marco van Ginkel and Inter’s Xherdan Shaqiri were added to a squad that already contained the likes of Bojan and Marko Arnautovic.

Curiously, though, a glance at Stoke’s results show that their season so far has been based on defensive solidity rather than attacking firepower. Only Manchester United (nine), Arsenal (11) and Tottenham Hotspur (11) have conceded fewer goals than Hughes’ men’s 12, with five clean sheets in 13 matches evidencing their terrific ability to keep the opposition out.

Stoke have lost just one of their last eight games to climb away from the relegation zone and into mid-table; even more impressively, they have recorded five defensive shut-outs in their last six outings, keeping out the various threats posed by Chelsea, Southampton, Aston Villa, Newcastle United and Swansea City. Such statistics were common in Pulis’ tenure, but it is interesting that they have continued this term despite Hughes encouraging and developing a more attack-minded philosophy in the last couple of years.

There is a fine blend and balance to the side at present, with the aforementioned flair players such as Bojan and Shaqiri part of a team that also features its fair share of strength and aggression in Ryan Shawcross, Erik Pieters and Glenn Whelan. Many believed the Potters had attempted to overhaul their squad too quickly in the summer, but it was sensible of Hughes and the club’s hierarchy to retain some of the men who are more associated with the ‘old Stoke’ as they attempt to create a new identity and way of doing things at the Britannia Stadium.

Ahead of Saturday’s clash with Sunderland – whose backline, conversely, has been breached on 26 occasions, more often than any other Premier League outfit but Bournemouth – Stoke find themselves in a positive position, with another top-half placing the likely target this campaign after a ninth-place finish last time out. They are likely to become more expansive as the season goes on but, for now, Hughes’ charges are showing many of the qualities – solidity, commitment, organisation – that were common under Pulis.

About the Author – Greg Lea

Freelance football writer. Work published by FourFourTwo, The Guardian, World Soccer, Goal, The National, Squawka, Eurosport, The Blizzard + others.

Twitter @GregLeaFootball

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Thiago-&-Pep

Thiago Alcântara fidgets uncomfortably in his chair.

It’s late March 2015 and there’s a camera in the young man’s face. It’s been a long time since Thiago played football, which means it’s been a long time since he last spoke to a lens; the unfamiliar experience of the interview is probably slightly uncomfortable for him. When he was playing regularly – well over a year ago now – encounters like this were second nature.

He’s agonisingly close to a return. The thought causes his composure to crack and a characteristic grin darts across his face for a split-second.

Physically, Thiago is changed from the man who signed for Bayern Munich in 2013. The midfielder now has an ugly scar painted on this inside of his leg for his troubles, and he’ll probably never be as agile as he was before the injury.

But it’s on an emotional level that Thiago has been impacted most; so much so that he’s organised for a documentary to be put together using video clips of his long & arduous recovery.

That’s what he’s shooting for now, sat relaxedly in a chair against a red backdrop with a camera in his face. At a prompt, he begins to speak in his native Spanish.

“Since my birth, everything was football, football, football,” he says. “I wanted to live my life, and that was football.”

“What I want is to be the best at what I set my mind to.”

At 24, he’s not far off.

Fast forward to now and Thiago is back – sort of.

The short documentary he filmed in March – which can be viewed on Thiago’s official facebook page – is a montage of clips of the player undergoing grueling physio sessions whilst a tone-setting Florence & The Machine track warbles on in the background. It might seem a little cheesy; it might seem a little clichéd. It was a film made to showcase Thiago’s emotional strength and willpower, and it does the intended job well.

But behind all the editing and the emotive music, the film leaves you with an overwhelming sense that this is a young man on the rise.

Just as difficulty shapes us as human beings, adversary defines football players. At the age of 24, Thiago Alcântara has faced more battles than most professional athletes do in their entire careers. It may prove to be his greatest strength.

Thiago suffered damage to the ligaments in his knee in March of 2014. What was initially meant to be a six-month recovery spiralled out of control and several serious setbacks meant that he didn’t return to action until April of the following year. It was a long and painful lay-off: he missed Bayern Munich’s Bundesliga title win. More significantly, he missed the World Cup with Spain, of which he almost certainly would have played a part. At the time of writing, he’s injured again; though this time, he’s ensured his fans, he’s unlikely to miss more than a few weeks.

Bayern manager Pep Guardiola will be hoping his crowning jewel is not struck with any more setbacks.

Even in a team stuffed to bursting with world-class players there is a sense that Thiago is the premium midfielder amongst the Bayern Munich squad. No one is a better age – Arturo Vidal is nearing his thirties, Gianluca Gaudino & Joshua Kimmich are still in the infancy of their careers – and had he not missed an entire year with injury Thiago would surely now be at the peak of his powers.

Despite the layoff, maybe he still is.

What we saw from the young Spaniard in his brief return was staggering. He is of the rare breed of player who can effortlessly control the sway of a game, dancing around the pitch like the conductor of some great orchestra. The score goes where Thiago says, the tempo of the music ebbing and flowing with each sweep of his magical right foot. He sees things other players simply can’t, passes that hardly seem to exist; then executes said passes with a nonchalant swagger. In his brief injury-free stretch this season we have witnessed the young midfielder take myriad teams apart with ease – including Arsenal, which he did with aplomb. It’s staggering to think that he’s been out for so long. It’s numbing to think that there could be more to come.

It was at the Under-21 European Championships in 2013 that Thiago truly announced his obvious intentions to steal Europe’s midfield crown. He was blindingly good; directing Spain’s swift and elegant attacks as they took apart everyone they faced. The captains armband seemed to glow around his bicep. He was the best player in the best team.

He was, in every sense, the ultimate Barcelona midfielder.

Why Barcelona failed to see that keeping Thiago Alcântara was akin to buying the best young midfielder in Europe may remain a mystery to all but those involved in letting him go.

Tito Vilanova’s reluctance to hand the Spaniard enough starts in his final season at the club – meaning that his release clause fell from $90million to $25million – cost Barça their most precocious midfield talent and the natural successor to Xavi Hernandez.

To be fair to Barça, they are doing okay without Thiago.

The fact remains, though, that he would still improve their first eleven. The idea that this Barcelona side could be improved at all might seem difficult to comprehend right now (as they systematically tear apart every defence unfortunate enough to stray into their path), but if there is one player who could take their midfield up a level it would probably be Thiago. Is he better than Sergi Roberto or his brother Rafinha? Without a doubt. Is he better than Ivan Rakitic or Arda Turan? Probably, yeah.

Thiago is a perfect blend of the two players that best represented what Pep Guardiola cultivated at the club. If you could take the mind of Xavi Hernandez, the feet of Andres Iniesta and build the perfect footballer, I think the outcome would look a lot like him.

It’s easy to see, then, why Guardiola moved quickest in securing Thiago when he hit the market in the summer of 2013. The player got to return to the man who had guided him from the depths of Barça’s La Masia academy to the first team; whilst the manager got to work with the young, talented embodiment of his ideals. It was an ideal fit.

The master and protégé relationship between the pair extends far beyond the football pitch, too. They share an agent; Pep’s brother Pere.

Pep Guardiola has won the Champions League twice. He’s won the league in Spain on three occasions and in Germany on two. He’s built the best Barcelona side – arguably the best football side – to ever grace the planet. And yet, there’s this odd idea that won’t go away: that Thiago Alcântara might be his best achievement yet.

It’s an odd concept that seems to pale in comparison to the honours that Guardiola’s teams have won, I admit. But what could possibly be more romantic as a coach than instilling in a player the entirety of your ideals? To watch an embodiment of everything you have advocated in football stride around the pitch, playing the game with your mind? To guide that player from obscurity to world-class? Little, I imagine.

There is a sense of destiny about Pep Guardiola & Thiago Alcântara. Everything has fallen into place for these two maestros, past and present, to shape the future of football together.

Of course, there are rumours of Guardiola moving on from Bayern in the very near future, and it’s highly unlikely the German side will make the same mistake as Barça and let their precocious midfield talent leave with their manager. The pair could go their separate ways very soon.

But the fact remains that for the rest of his career Thiago will fly Pep Guardiola’s flag. With every cushioned pass, every twitch of his head he writes the ode of Pep’s legacy. Guardiola has built the best team in the world; there is every chance that we will soon be able to say that he has built the best midfielder, too.

If, of course, Thiago can stay fit.

The fact that his knee injury is a recurring problem is worrying. The history books are littered with young players whose limitless potential was dampened by fitness issues that they never shook off. The idea that Thiago may never be able to ditch the injuries is a tragedy worthy of Shakespeare.

There is hope yet, though. What Thiago’s slightly ego-heavy documentary shows is that this is a young man with a network of loving people behind him; his wife, his mother and his father Mazinho all feature, as does his talented brother Rafinha, still at Barça.

More than that, though, the film demonstrates that Thiago is a man who is not content to simply fail.

“What I want is to be the best at what I set my mind to,” he says. At the moment, his mind is quite clearly set on being the best midfielder in Europe. Right now he probably isn’t. By the end of the year – by the end of the rapidly approaching European Championship’s in France – he may well be.

And so we come full circle.

It’s been easy to forget Thiago Alcântara over the past year. His injury has meant focus has shifted to players like Paul Pogba, Mateo Kovacic & Marco Veratti – perhaps fairly, as they are all supremely talented players in their own right.

But I think Thiago is better.

With time, guidance from Guardiola and a starring role in Spain’s rapidly evolving midfield he has all the tools to make this season the best of his career. When he returns to action in December it’s crucial he picks up where he left off, because the likes of Veratti & Pogba need to be reeled in. But he can do it.

What he wants is to be the best, and he will be.

About the author – Tom Curren

Writer & freelancer. Author & editor of scoutedfootball.com, a website dedicated to comprehensively profiling those whom the mainstream football media might miss.

twitter: @twcurren

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Sergio-Busquets

El Clasico has become one of the must-see sporting spectacles, and the first clash between Barcelona and Real Madrid gives us a clearer indication of which of these giants of the game are in pole position to secure another La Liga crown.

All the talk ahead of the latest instalment of this blockbuster has been surrounding Neymar, the Brazilian superstar’s relationship with Luis Suarez, his never-ending disputes with the taxman and whether he has broken the Messi-Ronaldo stronghold of Ballon d’Or certainties.

However, playing in an anchor role that is often so under-appreciated, Sergio Busquets has won the lot, and then some, and produced form reminiscent of a former captain that even the most optimistic Cule didn’t think could be replicated.

Xavi’s legacy will take some emulating, but with all the physicality, know-how and tactical acumen in his skillset, Busquets has become a leading figure in Barcelona’s style of play, and finally many are starting to see that it is the platform provided by the multi-faceted Spaniard that allows Neymar and co to fire Barcelona to such success.

With a career pass success rate of 91%, it is amazing Busquets has been underrated for so long – His ability to dictate the pace by distributing high-quality passes across the park is second to none in world football.

While Ivan Rakitic and Rafinha have struggled for fitness and Andreas Iniesta’s influence has waned, Busquets has stepped up to the plate, and rather than simply offering cover for an at times shaky Barca backline, the 27-year-old has carried the ball forward with the aura of a Regista at home further up the pitch.

One of the most fouled players in the division, Busquets has a nack of winning a free-kick to relieve his team-mates – another selfless trait that makes him so popular in Catalonia.

A strict fitness regime and diet means he never misses a game. While others have been rotated as younger stars start to get their chance, Busquets never gets that rest, for club or country, due to this need for such a reliable anchor, and his physical condition is key to his dependability.

Even after limping out of Spain’s victory over England, few doubted his powers of recovery before El Clasico, and with the club’s transfer embargo meaning new signings such as Arda Turan cannot be fielded until the new year, Busquets’ ever-presence is vital.

“He is a unique player. He is the most complete and, for me, best midfielder in the world without a doubt,” Barca boss Luis Enrique eulogised recently – a sentiment that few have actually questioned.

Toni Kroos has won praise from Real great Zinedine Zidane recently for his role in the side, as others struggle to find their early season form. Are these anchor men finally getting the recognition they deserve? Or are these two simply too good to ignore?

Lionel Messi’s injury was greeted with exasperation across Catalonia, with such a setback a rare occurrence for the Barca talisman.

However, Neymar and Suarez’s prolific, almost telepathic partnership has meant Messi can recover at his own pace, with goals in anything but short supply at the Nou Camp.

In fact, Busquets could well be their only irreplaceable player among Enrique’s squad, and the two-time treble winner is revelling in such responsibility.

Claude Makelele’s influence on Chelsea and Real Madrid was often understated, with a host of big names later admitting that without the Frenchman’s protection and Regista qualities, their respective sides would not have won what they have.

Such admittance seems to have taken experts and fans aback. These pivotal playmakers and tempo-dictators are fundamental to even the most attacking team’s hopes of success – the realisation has set in that it is high time they are recognised.

And ahead of the most-watched match in world football, Busquets can once again prove there is more to Barcelona than their dynamic frontmen, and those who start the moves that lead to such moments of glory are just as important as those tax-evading superstar finishers.

About the Author – Pete Hall

Freelance football writer working predominantly for Sky Sports. Also regularly write for Bleacher Report, Eurosport, FourFourTwo and numerous others.

Twitter: @PeteHall86

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Ode-to-Zlatan

CNN’s Pedro Pinto, one of the best commentators in world football, spoke to Zlatan Ibrahimovi? in 2013 just before Paris Saint-Germain played Barcelona in the quarter-finals of the Champions League; a tie that the Parisians ultimately lost.

Zlatan said, when asked if he was hard to work with, that when you got to know him, you would realise that life is plain sailing. “I am not difficult to work with … if I work for you, you need to convince me.”

He was respectful of his former teammate David Beckham, calling him “very elegant”, while of the two best players in European football, Messi’s talent “is natural”, Ronaldo is a “trained product”.

Zlatan seems a complete combination, and I am utterly convinced of his legacy as a true legend having watched a Canal+ documentary from 2013, which showed just how brilliant a star the French Ligue 1 has in Zlatan.

In this two-hour feast, there are songs in his name interspersed with Zlatan facts that make him sound like The Stig or Chuck Norris: ‘Zlatan is never off the game’s pace; it’s the others who are off Zlatan’s’; ‘Zlatan doesn’t turn with the ball; the stadium turns 180 degrees’; and, my favourite of all, ‘Zlatan left Spain, then Italy; when he did so, it was a disaster for those countries.’

There emerges, amongst the hagiography, a portrait of someone who is paid a lot of money to do something he is very good at: stick a ball in the net with any part of his body but his hand. He commands high transfer fees – some of the highest accumulated in history – and helps teams win titles. When he won the 2013 Ligue 1 championship for Paris Saint-Germain, it was a case of another medal for a room-sized cabinet.

Starting in Rosengård, where he now has a place of residence named after him, Zlatan moved from Malmö to Ajax at 19. After a troubled teenage upbringing, where his mother struggled to provide for the family, he quickly became the most promising talent in Swedish football since Henrik Larsson. That was despite being the son of Bosnian immigrants and facing a number of cultural and racial hurdles in his early years.

He began his Ajax career with Zlatan on his back, and now despite not having it on his shirt, people in Amsterdam still know him by that name. From an early age he was confident in his ability without being arrogant, perhaps the mark of a solid upbringing.

Every touch looks remarkable, especially for a man with such a high centre of gravity. Having impressed Ronald Koeman and Leo Beerhakker, Fabio Capello told him to study Marco van Basten and stop trying to score the perfect goal. Few, however, will forget his world-class effort against NAC Breda in 2004 when he danced around six defenders before selling the goalkeeper a dummy and slotting in the far corner.

Moving from Juventus’s number 9 to Inter Milan’s number 8 after scoring 26 goals in 92 games for the Bianconeri, his goalscoring touch didn’t deserted him. There’s a claim to be made that he is the last true number 9, one who scores from three yards with his head and, famously and often, 30 yards with his boots. He scored 15 goals in seven games in one super spell and helped Inter win the 2006 Scudetto, their first in 15 years. In 2007 he was Italy’s Player of the Year, and in 2009 won the Capocannoniere (25), sealing the glory with a delightful back heel.

Of course, few back heels of Zalatan’s will ever match his stunning effort against Italy at Euro 2004. It announced him onto the world stage and set in motion a decade of divisive attitudes towards the black belt taekwondo expert.

Fellow pros like Nigel de Jong, Seydou Keita and Marco Materrazzi praised his goals and his ability to do the impossible. Like Messi, he always seems to be enjoying himself, always tricking with his feet; like Ronaldo, he makes his teams better and is strong enough to shrug fellow professionals off.

He may well be the most composed striker in front of goal of his time, even rivalling Messi and the man he replaced at international level, Larsson. He can bend it better than Beckham and strike it as forcefully as Roberto Carlos. His mentality is as fierce and stubborn as Kenny Dalglish and his hunger akin to an ageing Paolo Maldini, who never gave us his quest for success.

He fell out with José Mourinho at Inter – in a case of who had the bigger appendage, and pride you may feel – and went to Barcelona. He had already won titles with Juventus (asterisked), Ajax and Inter Milan, so could his power bring glory to Barça and could he become the best player in La Liga? For the doubter, this is where Zlatan had to step up and cement his legacy.

He was their record signing, swapping shirts with Samuel Eto’o and becoming the number 9 to the Argentine’s 10, each scoring as many as the other until Messi took over with 15. Ibra finally scored 22 in 46 games for the Catalans but one of those was vital: in El Clasico at Camp Nou, his first, he scored within three minutes of coming on the pitch. Who writes his scripts?

Barça won La Liga in Guardiola’s first season in charge, but things changed in the 2010.

I would imagine Canal+ and the video editors had fun putting the show together, more because it increased the likelihood of Zlatan leaving the Blaugrana and coming to the country they operate in.

Against Arsenal in a Champions League quarter-final, he put two past a helpless Manuel Almunia. But Inter Milan neutralised Zlatan in the semi-final, Mourinho frustrating Barcelona as he would when he first moved to Real Madrid.

One respected journalist said that Zlatan was always the “prima donna” at every other club and in Catalunya, “he realised there were two or three who were better players than him.” Indeed, Barcelona played without a recognised centre-forward, so was it Guardiola’s fault that Zlatan would inevitably be frozen out? Sometimes no matter how good the player, the team comes first, as Guardiola said himself. His last goal was in the Spanish Super Cup 2010. Fans interviewed after Ibra left said he was not a good team player and was pretentious. A year can be a long time in football.

Next, Zlatan became Silvio Berlusconi’s new pet as he returned to the San Siro to play for the red half of Milan. Introducing himself in Italian to the fans that previously booed him, Zlatan wore 11 and scored from the start. Having already played with some of the world’s best, he was now alongside Robinho, Nesta, Pirlo and Seedorf. And Ronaldinho.

Winning and scoring a penalty against Inter Milan, he continued to dazzle and bamboozle, leading his team to the Scudetto in 2011, the final titbit of success before the Rossoneri nosedived into their current troubles. He grabbed 14 goals, and in the next season AC Milan and Barcelona were drawn together in the same Champions League group; the match at the San Siro matched Ibrahimovic with his old friends and foes.

Messi’s goal won the game 3-2 but Ibra scored a blinder. They met again later in the tournament; Ibra gave Nocherino an assist but Messi scored two penalties to win them the game. As consolation, in 2011-12 he was Serie A’s top scorer – of course – including a double at the San Siro against Inter.

Had he achieved the feat in La Liga or the Premier League – where he has sadly been absent – he would be given more coverage and more respect. Euro 2012 was a great platform; he scored a stunning volley against France. A few weeks later, he scored on his PSG debut at home, after being unveiled at the Eiffel Tower.

France poked fun at Zlatan initially, creating a TV puppet of him singing My Way and saying “Kids don’t believe in Father Christmas; they believe in Zlatan.” For some reason he was now wearing 18 on the back of his shirt.

In the away fixture at Marseille, he scored another of those Zlatan goals with his heel (though the goalie does let it slip through his hands), then two minutes later he scores a free-kick from 38 yards out. In a home game against Dinamo Zagreb, he conjured up four assists, and a few weeks later scored that astonishing hat-trick for Sweden against England, with a stunning free-kick and a stupendous moment of skill over his head for his third and fourth.

In the television show that fourth is repeated ten times for effect, with the Swedish coach saying it was like a video game.

Last season he scored yet more sublime goals, including an impossibly audacious back heel against Bastia. If you haven’t seen it on YouTube yet, check it out. His talent shows no sign of waning. Zizou himself said he’s too good for the league, “un joueur formidable” making it seem as though France have a Superman who, of course, is paid the most handsomely of all. Christophe Dugarry calls him a “horseman”, un chevalier.

Yet beneath it all lurks the omnipresent Rosengård spirit who leads with his boot or his arm, who gets sent off for stamping. Yet above this spirit is an unquenchable will to win, to dribble with style and to play the game he loves at the top level. He has won titles with five clubs in four countries.

And through all his fame, fortune and division, there is no mention at all of his private life. There’d be no time for it anyway, because this is a story about the most complete footballer of the modern era. It’s a story of proven success, hardened silverware and goal after goal, some so audacious that the players we consider greats could only dream of scoring them.

Zlatan Ibrahimovi? is to football what Novak Djokovi? is to tennis: sometimes number one, but always beneath the public estimation of the top two in the world. With Neymar becoming Spanish football’s new shining light, can Zlatan do anything to convert the world to Paris Saint-Germain, whom he leads with such brilliance? Probably, although he may not be around to raise the toast when they finally rule the world.

About the author – Omar Saleen

Based in London, Omar is the editor-in-chief at These Football Times. A professional coach by day having worked at clubs including Fulham, QPR and Red Bull New York, he also writes freelance for a number of outlets.

twitter: @omar_saleem

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Roger-Schmidt-Bayer-Leverkusen

One of the most interesting things about football is the relatively unsmooth way that performances often translate into results: each season features multiple matches in which the better side loses, with the strength of overall displays not necessarily reflected in the scoreline that emerges at the end of the 90 minutes.

One such example could be found at Camp Nou three weeks ago, when Bayer Leverkusen were defeated 2-1 by Barcelona in the Champions League despite outplaying their illustrious opponents for long periods of the game.

That setback has made Leverkusen’s clash with Roma on Tuesday night even more important than it already was: with BATE Borisov set to face Barca home and away in their next two encounters, the Germans’ back-to-back meetings with Rudi Garcia’s side could decide who advances to the knockout round from Group E alongside the tournament’s current holders.

Roger Schmidt has made Leverkusen one of the most watchable teams on the continent, with the Bundesliga outfit committed to a high-tempo, hard-pressing and attacking brand of football. Most other sides would have adapted or diluted such natural tendencies for a trip to Camp Nou, but Leverkusen instead opted to impose themselves on Barcelona and were massively unfortunate to leave Catalonia empty-handed.

Schmidt’s charges came flying out of the traps, making their intentions clear by aggressively pushing forward in the opening stages. They almost got off to the perfect start, Javier Hernandez testing goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen 67 seconds in after some fine work down the right by the terrific Karim Bellarabi.

Lining up in an ambitious 4-4-2 formation – Bellarabi, usually deployed on the wing, was pushed up top just behind Hernandez, with Kevin Kampl and Hakan Calhanoglu manning the flanks – Leverkusen closed down Barcelona high up the pitch and sprang forward quickly whenever the ball was turned over. The average age of the starting XI was just over 23, with the team’s youthfulness helping them to carry out their high-octane approach.

The visitors’ pressing was excellent throughout the first half, with passing options for the man in possession routinely shut off. Barcelona were also forced to play the ball out wide rather than through the centre as they prefer, with Sergio Busquets dropping so deep that the Catalans’ formation resembled a 3-4-3, the Spain international tucked in between Gerard Pique and Javier Mascherano at centre-back.

Leverkusen thoroughly deserved the lead that was given to them by Kyriakos Papadopoulos midway through the first period, and continued to dominate for the remainder of the half. Although their attacks became more sporadic after the interval, they were desperately unlucky to lose to goals from Sergi Roberto and Luis Suarez in the final 10 minutes.

Schmidt’s side’s fate is still in their own hands, with Tuesday’s encounter with Roma likely to be pivotal to their chances of progressing:  a win would put Leverkusen five points clear of the Italians, with BATE unlikely to add to the three points they have hitherto collected against Barcelona.

It will be interesting to see how Roma adjust to the challenge posed by the Bundesliga outfit. Leverkusen’s faith in their own philosophy and principles saw them make very few adaptations to their usual game at Camp Nou, meaning they are unlikely to change their approach for a home game against Garcia’s men. Leverkusen deserved more than they got in Catalonia last time out, and will be desperate to ensure they pick up a positive result as well as performance at BayArena this midweek.

About the Author – Greg Lea

Freelance football writer. Work published by FourFourTwo, The Guardian, World Soccer, Goal, The National, Squawka, Eurosport, The Blizzard + others.

Twitter @GregLeaFootball

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Barca-Squad-Depth

Football teams are not often likened to corks, but that is the word that Barcelona manager Luis Enrique used to describe his side earlier this month when he praised their ability to always stay afloat. The problem for the Catalans’ former midfielder, though, is that merely treading water is never seen as good enough at a club as rich and successful as Barcelona.

Enrique deserves great credit for his team’s success last season, the 45-year-old overseeing an historic treble-winning campaign. The individual genius of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar clearly made the difference, but Enrique played a key role in setting up the team to get the best out of his front three both domestically and on the European stage.

So far this term, however, Barcelona have struggled to replicate some of the displays they produced in the second half of 2014/15. The 2-1 defeat to Sevilla just before the international break was their second in seven La Liga encounters; despite losing, Barcelona did create a number of good chances and generally played well, something that could not be said after their deserved 4-1 thrashing at the hands of Celta Vigo 10 days previously. In the Champions League, meanwhile, performances against Roma and Bayer Leverkusen were rather underwhelming, even if Barca sit top of their group with four points from two matches.

The biggest concern for Enrique at present must be Barcelona’s surprising lack of squad depth. It is impossible to ever adequately replace Messi – not just the best player in the world but arguably the greatest of all-time – but the Argentine’s recent injury has substantially harmed the Blaugrana: while Neymar stepped up to plate and assumed the mantle as the leader of the attack against Sevilla, Barcelona desperately missed Messi’s magnificent ability to both control a game and decide it with moments of brilliance.

While that is understandable, it is worrying that further injuries to Rafinha, Dani Alves and Andres Iniesta forced Enrique to alter the configuration of his side. Sergio Busquets, usually the deepest of Barcelona’s midfield three, was pushed forward into Iniesta’s position alongside Ivan Rakitic for the clash with Sevilla, with Javier Mascherano deployed as the anchor in the engine room, something that simply did not work.

Mascherano is excellent at breaking up the play, making important tackles and interceptions and protecting the back four behind him. His vision and passing range is just not as accomplished as Busquets, though; with Barcelona naturally dominating possession – 63 percent against a side who finished fifth in La Liga and won the Europa League last year – Mascherano struggled to start his team’s attacking moves, play penetrative forward passes and set the tempo of a match in the manner that the Spain international seems to do with such effortless ease.

The main reason for the lack of squad depth is the transfer ban Barcelona were handed as punishment for breaking Fifa rules regarding the transfer of players under the age of 18. Arda Turan and Aleix Vidal were signed in the summer but will be unable to make their competitive debuts for their new club until January – though the Catalans are hoping to bring that date forward – while the departures of Xavi and Pedro further decreased the options available to Enrique.

This was telling against Sevilla, when the hosts at the Sanchez Pizjuan had a bench that included Jose Antonio Reyes, Ciro Immobile, Fernando Llorente and Yevhen Konoplyanka and Barcelona’s list of substitutes read: Dani Alves, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Marc Bartra, Douglas, Juan Camara, Gerard Gambau and Sandro, a septet made up of a right-back returning from injury, a goalkeeper, a centre-half, a 25-year-old full-back who has played five times for the club and three youngsters aged 21 or under with 284 La Liga minutes between them.

Barcelona lead their Champions League group and are just one point off the top of La Liga having already undertaken tough trips to Celta, Sevilla and Atletico Madrid. Messi’s absence is a blow but, in Neymar, Suarez and Iniesta – who is set to return in the next couple of weeks – they still possess plenty of players who can change games and make the difference in even the most difficult of circumstances.

The cork is still afloat and will almost certainly not sink, but Barcelona’s unusual lack of squad depth could cause them a few more difficulties over the coming months and prevent them from repeating last season’s fantastic treble.

About the Author – Greg Lea

Freelance football writer. Work published by FourFourTwo, The Guardian, World Soccer, Goal, The National, Squawka, Eurosport, The Blizzard + others.

Twitter @GregLeaFootball

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Long-Term-Identity-and-Success

Identity is underrated in football, but style is revered. However, style comes directly from the identity of a team, which can come in two forms – formation and player type. Over the years so many successful teams have had a strong identity coupled with a unique style of play, stemming from a good relationship between the formation and players used within it. In short, think of Barcelona from 2009-2011.

Identity is the nitty-gritty aspects of the game. Drills, formation training, the thinking behind how quickly opponents should be shut down, who to mark at set pieces – zonal or man mark? The basics that come with identity allow for style – the tricks and flicks.

That Barcelona team had a formation that was implemented and perfected over a number of years under Rijkaard and to a more prominent extent, Guardiola. Guardiola in particular was especially good at identifying the correct style of player to use in his formation. A simple square peg, square hole philosophy. Over time, Barcelona grew an identity that was desired by clubs worldwide; their high pressing, quick passing, through the lines football was quite simply breathtaking. No club side has come close to emulating the Catalans so far.

In South America, we’ll include Mexico for now, international teams are steeped in tradition. Managers will come and go on a regular basis, but formation and player type will almost always remain. Chile and Mexico are prime examples of sides who have used the same formations for a number of years and as such have claimed success in recent times. Using the 3-5-2 or 5-3-2 systems, each team built on their impressive World Cup appearances with silverware over the summer.

Chile have been particularly impressive and under Marcelo Bielsa disciple Jorge Sampaoli have really pushed on in the last two years, culminating in Copa America success this summer. Their style is derived from a formation that concentrates on utilising the players to the best of their ability. Although they rely heavily on Sanchez, Vidal and Vargas as a collective they are a force to be reckoned with and their defeat of Australia in the World Cup demonstrated how Chile can turn on the style at the drop of a hat. Their high pressure game draws similarities with Barcelona, but the style is wholly different as their ball retention is a slower and a lot less methodical. It can be argued that with their 2-0 victory over Brazil in the opening stages of CONMEBOL qualifying that Chile are now the strongest force in South America, in a formation and philosophy they have implemented over a number of years.

Mexico have also been under long-term guidance but this has changed in very recent times, since Miguel Herrera was removed from the hot seat after punching a reporter post their Gold Cup win. El Tri were desperately unlucky to lose to a resurgent Netherlands in the last 16 of the World Cup, but their electric style won them many fans. However, after Herrera’s dismissal Mexico have struggled for form, mainly due to a change in formation. Ricardo Ferretti is current caretaker boss and his orthodox 4-4-2 style is not suited to his squad, as a result Mexico suffered a humiliating draw with Trinidad and Tobago. With a crucial play off against the USA for the final Conferations Cup spot just around the corner it is almost certain that they will revert back to their traditional 5-3-2.

In Europe, things are starting to change. Long term philosophy was not necessarily the key for a number of sides, rather trying to fit players into formations that they were not suited to. However, Wales have taken the first steps to implementing a long-term identity by changing their formation to suit a squad, that outside of Bale and Ramsey, is really quite limited. Their adaptation of the 3-5-2 has come with a ‘hint of World Cup 2014′, as their use of wing-backs echoes the playing styles of Mexico, Chile and the Netherlands in the tournament. As such, their defensive record has improved massively, as two goals conceded in seven goals certainly suggests. Players such as Jazz Richard (full-back), Joe Ledley and of course Gareth Bale have particularly impressed over Wales’ outstanding qualifying campaign.

The Netherlands, have gone in a completely opposite direction. The team that impressed so greatly in the World Cup has been dismantled and reverted back to a 4-3-3 that simply no longer suits them or the player pool available to Danny Blind. It is noticeable that Blind is well out of his depth at this level.

Success almost always comes from long-term processes that are put in place, continuity between formations and playing style is wholly undervalued. Smaller teams are starting to adapt to long-term strategies and are achieving success, thus closing the gap in world football. Until big teams adapt this strategy, there will continue to be upsets.

About the Author – Ben Jarman

Freelance football writer with a penchant for Spanish and European football. Work published by Fulham FC, Italian FA and the Evening Standard.

Twitter: @sonikkicks

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Karim-Bellarabi

Roger Schmidt, Bayer Leverkusen’s charismatic manager, would’ve seen his side’s enormous Champions League clash with Barcelona as a magnificent opportunity to test his dynamic brand of football against one of the world’s best units.

The match would’ve surely also held extra significance for Schmidt, who confesses so much of his philosophy has been derived from the Spanish game. “Most of my training exercises are influenced by those in Spain,” he says.

Luis Enrique was clearly wary of the threat Bayer posed, stating: “Leverkusen is a very intense team, they press excellently, defend very well. It will be very complicated for us tomorrow.”

While playing against last season’s Champions League winners was ultimately a test Leverkusen couldn’t quite overcome, losing 2-1 courtesy of two goals from Sergi Roberto and Luis Suarez in the last 10 minutes, the German side deserved to be applauded for their application and delivery of their manager’s game plan.

Schmidt would’ve been thinking that if only those final few minutes hadn’t been played he would’ve been hailed as a hero. But against the enormous individual talent of Barca, no result is ever safe until the final whistle blows.

“Obviously we are sad, I think we played an excellent match. We deserved a point against the best team in the world in their stadium.

“We defended with passion. But we were exhausted – then Suárez scored a world-class goal,” explained the dejected manager.

Schmidt, formerly of Red Bull Salzburg, used the word “brave” when describing his team’s efforts, which was especially apt when you consider the potential pitfalls attached to Schmidt’s high pressure approach. Leaving oceans of space in behind due to the combination of playing a high line and pressing so aggressively was always going to be a worry against a talented Barcelona.

In the first half, particularly, though, Leverkusen’s implementation of their pressing game was breathtaking. They pressed beautifully as a collective, never allowing their opposition a moment’s rest, and, as a consequence, managed to limit Barcelona’s clear cut chances by virtue of being able to win the ball back so high up the pitch.

Such coordination and cohesion in their pressing served as a testament to Schmidt’s masterful work on the training pitch.

“You need to have conviction to play the way we do, you have to give it your all, all the time, and there are few moments of relaxation,” Schmidt explains.

Figures from Graham Hunter’s fine match report on UEFA.com indicated the away side “out-ran Barcelona by almost 5km in the first half.” A staggering number really, but unfortunately all that exertion took its toll, as by game’s end, Leverkusen had only run 2.5kms more than Barca.

One man who deserved plenty of veneration for his relentless effort was Leverkusen’s high-octane attacker, Karim Bellarabi.

Deployed upfront alongside Javier Hernandez, the Germany international had a profound impact on the contest.

To start with, his incessant pressing proved hugely frustrating for Barcelona in their quest to pass out from the back. He and Hernandez worked brilliantly in tandem, ensuring they always marked two of Gerard Pique, Javier Mascherano and Sergio Busquets. By always having two of the above men marked, in combination with Bayer’s central midfielders, Kevin Kampl and Christoph Kramer, tightly marking Andres Iniesta and Ivan Rakitic, Leverkusen made it hugely difficult for Barca to get their possession phases going. This forced Barca to either pass wide or play back to the keeper, thus successfully guaranteeing Barcelona’s gifted central players struggled to stamp their mark on the contest.

Luis Enrique’s side just couldn’t get going amidst this persistent and aggressive pressure. It seemed wherever they went, a Leverkusen player was there to intervene. The players’ adherence to Schmidt’s plans made certain Barca couldn’t relax one bit. In terms of execution and effectiveness, Leverkusen’s first half pressing game bordered on perfection.

Bellarabi, a key cog in this pressing machine, epitomised his team’s desire to win the ball back. It all started from the front, and his intensity and work-rate set the tone for his side in the best possible way. Moreover, the long limbs of Bellarabi also ably assisted him in winning back possession when nipping into challenges.

On the attacking end, the ex-Eintracht Braunschweig star inflicted plenty of pain on the Barca backline. Using his wicked blend of pace, trickery and his ability to read the game, the 25-year-old provided a multifaceted threat that formed the basis for so much of his side’s best attacking work.

In situations when Leverkusen won the ball back and hit Barcelona on the counter, Bellarabi’s speed and skill saw him flourish throughout. The man who made 156 successful dribbles in the Bundesliga last season (only Eden Hazard (181) and Lionel Messi (174) had more in the Europe’s top 5 leagues) gave Pique an especially torrid time. One moment in particular, on 36 minutes, encapsulated Pique’s troubles in dealing with Leverkusen’s number 38. Here, after making a scintillating run in behind Dani Alves, Bellarabi beautifully latched onto a well hit Wendell pass. Pique was forced to shift across and track the slippery Bellarabi. But while the Spaniard tried his best to stop him, Bellarabi emphatically scorched past him, before cunningly cutting inside to unleash a stinging shot on target. Sadly for him, though, his German international teammate, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, came up with a super save to deny him.

This moment definitely wasn’t a one off – Bellarabi wreaked havoc in this manner on numerous occasions. In fact, Bayer’s goal arrived following a similar run down the left, where he used his scintillating skillset to win the corner from which Kyriakos Papadopoulos scored.

If only Hernandez could’ve finished off the multiple chances Bellarabi laid on for him in general play, the match just might’ve ended in favour of the German club.

His languid, awkward dribbling style, which makes him a highly unpredictable adversary, saw him complete a damaging three successful dribbles. His underrated passing ability, meanwhile, both aerially and along the carpet, propelled him to complete two key passes.

A cerebral reader of the play, Bellarabi would take up good positions all across the frontline that allowed him to scan for openings and then embark on his lethal runs in behind. Plus, his anticipation of headed flick-ons from Hernandez, and later Stefan Kiessling, following Leno’s goal kicks meant he constantly found himself creating opportunities for his side.

Although Leverkusen eventually succumbed to the might of Barca, their application couldn’t be faulted, on a night in which their attacker of Moroccan heritage showcased just what a formidable component of Schmidt’s side he really is.

“He has made our game idea his game idea”, accurately stated Schmidt.

He couldn’t be more right. Bellarabi’s amalgamation of pace, mobility, agility and intensity combine to make him a perfect player for his manager’s system, on both sides of the ball.

Watching him develop at Leverkusen has been as fascinating as it has been exhilarating. His multi-dimensional display against the reigning Champions of Europe demonstrated just how far he’s come.

Under Schmidt’s masterful tutelage, expect his spectacular upward spiral of improvement to continue. Bellarabi’s unquestionably the ideal weapon for Schmidt’s chaotic, yet incredibly organised system.

Frighteningly, at only 25, his best may be still yet to come.

About the author – Edward Stratmann

Edward Stratmann writes regularly about the on-field aspects of the game, with a particular focus on tactics and analysis. In addition to featuring on These Football Times, Inside Spanish Football, Anfield Index, Just Football, The Eagles Beak, Think Football Ideas and JuveFC, you can also find Edward’s work at Licence to Roam, a football blog he started with his brother in 2013.

@licencetoroam

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