JURGEN AND EUROPEAN NIGHTS

 

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On Thursday Atlanta knocked out Liverpool from the Europa League Quarterfinals. Despite winning the second leg, Liverpool failed to get past the Italian Side on aggregate.  As a result, this game marked the last European Game Liverpool played under Jurgen Klopp. It is because Jurgen has decided to step down as the Liverpool Manger after the end of this season. 

Anfield and European Nights have always had a special relationship, and this relationship became even more better under the charismatic Jurgen Klopp. Not only their record improved, but they also won the coveted Champions League Trophy. Apart from winning the UCL Title in 2019, they were also the runners up in the 2018 and 2022 Editions wherein they lost to Real Madrid on both occasions. Furthermore, the kind of football which Liverpool played under him was a treat to eyes.  Next Season the men in red will be playing in the Champions League. However, there will be no Jurgen on the touchline. We will be seeing a new Liverpool Manager after a decade. Everyone will surely miss Klopp. Afterall no one can replace him. 

BAYER LEVERKUSEN ARE THE GERMAN CHAMPIONS

 

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Bayer Leverkusen have finally won their first Bundesliga title. In October 2022 when Xabi Alonso joined Leverkusen they were not in their best of form. They were struggling at the 17th position in an 18-team league.  But today the scene is different. 

They are no longer Neverkusen as they have eventually taken home the trophy after a chic and entertaining hammering of every German Team.  It is fascinating to see that Leverkusen won their 25th game of the season, in just their 29th game overall. They are currently champions for precisely that reason. With their incredible season-long play, Alonso's team has finally put an end to Bayern Munich's hegemony. 

When the final whistle was blown the entire stadium erupted in joy and happiness. The fans ran over the pitch and the ground was immersed in the colors of Leverkusen. There were tears all. Afterall the impossible has happened. FC Bayern Munich have been beaten for the first time in 11 years. After facing heartbreaks for so many time, Bayer Leverkusen are eventually the champions of Germany.  

It is interesting to note that this was the first full season of Xabi as a Manager, and he pulled out one of the greatest wins in sporting history. However, the job is not done yet as they have 3 more challenges coming in the next one month. The German Champions have a chance of ending this season as invincible. Furthermore, they also have a chance to complete a treble. How much will they win in this historic football season. The answer lies in the womb of time. But, for the time being it's all gold for Xabi and his men. 

HOW THE CHAMPIONS HAVE FALLEN

 

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On April 2, 2022, I wrote a piece on this website when my club lifted the League Winners Shield. It was truly an incredible season as defying all odds we won the League Winners Shield. There was joy and happiness all around. Afterall it was our first silverware. The fans were excited as our own club was in the race of Asian Football. We started dreaming about international stars coming to Jamshedpur for the AFC Champions League.  

However, two years down the line everything is gloomy. For the last couple of seasons, we have been finishing in the bottom half of the table. Forget about winning a trophy, finishing top 4 has become a dream for us. Alas. How the Champions have fallen. 

THE BEST OF LILLE

 

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With their first Ligue 1 championship in ten years in 2021, Lille put an end to Paris Saint-Germain's hegemony in the top division of France.  The team led by Christophe Galtier, who placed fourth in the shortened 2019–20 season, has had an amazing season. However, the team has won Ligue 1 title number four thanks to a superb roster full of energetic, young attackers, led by veteran campaigner Burak Yilmaz. Their victory was guaranteed on the last day of the season when they defeated Angers 2-1. Eden Hazard was one of the performers that helped Lille win its final championship in 2011. Les Douges had earlier won in 1946 and 1954.

Since Monaco's victory in the 2016–17 season, which was motivated by Kylian Mbappe, PSG has won three straight seasons. In fact, this marks just the second occasion since 2012–13 that the capital club has failed to win the championship. Les Dogues kept an incredible 21 clean sheets in 38 games while conceding just 23 goals under Christophe Galtier's guidance. From the first day of the season, their defensive skills put them on the route to win the league title, and strategically, they have been one of Europe's most interesting teams.

The fact that Lille's tactics are so adaptable throughout the entire game gives its players more freedom to read situations and not always play in a rigid manner that might not be appropriate for the situation. The opposition finds it difficult to counter Lille's adaptability, as they have one of the greatest offensive and defensive records in Ligue 1. The fact that they emerged as winners is a noteworthy accomplishment for a team in a league that is frequently referred to as a one-team show. 

ONCE UPON A TIME IN MONACO

 

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Paris Saint Germain has maintained in its dominance in the French League for the last one decade. Since 2012 they have won 9 Ligue 1 Titles and are on the verge to win their 10th. However, there was a season when we witnessed something special. Very special. It was the 2016-17 Season wherein AS Monaco came from nowhere and won the Ligue 1 title. The world was shocked as well as happy to see them lift the trophy. 

It is interesting to note that apart from winning the Ligue 1 trophy, they also reached the semifinal stage of the UEFA Champions League. Every football fan will remember their game against Manchester City wherein they staged one of the biggest upsets. 

The Underdogs were well and truly kicking at the biggest stage. Unfortunately, the Transfer Summer of 2017 changed it all for bad as all their star players were bought by the top clubs of Europe. But still whenever we talk about the AS Monaco team of 2016-17 season there is a tear of joy. 

THE LEGEND OF FC BARCELONA

 

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Under Josep Guardiola, FC Barcelona was the epitome of 'tiki-taka'; opponents could not even get the ball off them, much less score. While Frank Rijkaard's Barcelona team did win the UEFA Champions League in 2005–06, but it was Guardiola, a former midfield player, who made them a legendary team. Guardiola's team won 14 of the 19 events they entered in his four years in charge, including six titles in his inaugural season of 2008–09, which included the FIFA Club World Cup, UEFA Champions League, Liga, and Copa del Rey in addition to the Spanish Super Cup.

Even though the haul was impressive, Guardiola gave debuts to 22 players who, like himself, had trained at Barcelona. This may have had greater significance. When the club defeated Manchester United FC 3-1 at Wembley in the 2010–11 UEFA Champions League final, Sir Alex Ferguson had nothing but admiration for them: "They are the best team we've faced in my time as a manager." The team also helped make Xavi Hernández, Andrés Iniesta, and Lionel Messi household names. Nobody has ever treated us that poorly. It's a wonderful time for them. They like playing football and do it the right way, therefore they deserve it."

Guardiola did not create "tiki-taka"; rather, Luis Aragonés' winning Spain team at UEFA EURO 2008 employed a variation of the style, holding possession high up the field and trying to dismantle opponents with deft, fast passes. But it was Guardiola's attack-mindedness that refined the approach.

His 4-3-3 formation was full of skill, with Messi and Iniesta hemming opponents in and keeping the ball flowing. "There is no team in the world that has played with as many players in the opposing half as Barcelona do," said Víctor Fernández, the former coach of RC Celta de Vigo. There was no difference between attack and defense; as long as you didn't throw the ball away, you didn't need to defend.

MUNICH HAS FALLEN

 

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The dominance of FC Bayern Munich in Bundesliga is unreal. They have won more than 30 Bundesliga Titles and are currently the defending champions as well. Since the 2012 season they have not let any other German Side to lift the Bundesliga Trophy. Last year Dortmund was on the verge of winning the title, but the men from Munich came from behind and won the league on the basis of goal difference. But this year there has been a different tale altogether. 

The consistency of Leverkusen and inconsistency of Munich has made it clear that this year we will get a new Bundesliga Champion. Furthermore, in order to make a comeback it was necessary for Munich to win against their archrival Borussia Dortmund. However, Dortmund scripted an upset as they beat the men in red 2-0 at their home after 10 long years. 

The Munich Fans could not believe what they saw in Allianz Arena. Everyone who has an understanding of German Football is surprised and shocked. Afterall no one could ever imagine the fall of Munich.