Gigantic but not insurmountable task ahead for Ronaldo and Real Madrid

                                  A first leg rout at the hands of Dortmund was unexpected

Heading into tonight's pivotal second leg fixture against Borussia Dortmund one thing is certain: Real Madrid will have to be at it's absolute best to overturn a 4-1 deficit from the first leg in Germany. In fact, Madrid had no answer for Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski who scored four times and destroyed the centre-back pairing of Pepe and Rafael Varane time after time.

                                           

                                                    Second Leg brings a new life line

Needing a 3-0 to win outright or a 4-1 result of their own to send the game into extra time, few pundits have given Real Madrid a chance against a Dortmund side which they have failed to beat on three different occasions throughout this year's Champions League. The circumstances however are completely different in this final game. With their backs against the wall and facing a real sense of urgency, Real Madrid will attack Dortmund in force and with the attacking prowess they possess, managing a large amount of goals against a Dortmund side who may feel comfortable with their lead is not out of the question at all.

                                                 

                                                      Changes coming for Real Madrid

After serving a red card suspension in the first leg, Alvaro Arbeloa will likely be back for Madrid at his preferred right-back place. The change will cause Sergio Ramos to slot back in at centre-back to pair up with Varane. Portuguese international Pepe will likely start the game on the bench after struggling to contain Lewandowski in the first leg. While Mesut Ozil started the last game on the wing, expect him to go back to his central midfield role while Angel Di Maria should come back into the starting 11 on the wing. Croatian midfielder Luka Modric who started the first leg will likely have to settle for a place on substitute's bench.    
                                                                   
                                                                

                                                     Ronaldo the key to any comeback

While the Portuguese star netted a goal in Germany after a terrible giveaway by Mats Hummels, he was often marked out of the match and unable to make his usual impact. Reports after the game stated Ronaldo may be battling a bit of a thigh injury and was kept out of the Madrid Derby this past weekend. Having been deemed fit to go, the talismanic Madrid star will need to be at his goal scoring best to overturn the tie in his team's favour and considering his Champions League form it may not be out of the realm of possibility that he equals Lewandowski's first leg performance. Any Madrid hopes of reaching the Champions League final depend on it.  
                                              
       

Champions League First-Leg Preview: Real Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund

Love him or hate him, you can't argue with success. A two-time Champions League winner and multiple league champion in various leagues, Jose Mourinho's resume is one that few soccer managers can hold a candle too. Never one to shy from the spotlight "The Special One" has had a rather tumultuous time as manager of Real Madrid with significant highs and lows but what happens in the next few weeks will likely cement his legacy with the world's most valuable soccer team.

After Barcelona were dismantled 4-0 by Bayern Munich in that's fixtures first leg yesterday, Mourinho's side becomes the real only realistic hope for Spain to not only reach the Champions League final but win it all. Standing in their way is a strong Borussia Dortmund side that managed a win and a draw against Real Madrid in the group stages of the competition and will be confident that they could do the same again.

                                                  Can they repeat the feat?

While Dortmund's midfield gave Madrid significant problems in the group stages, the news that midfield maestro Mario Gotze is on his way to Bayern in the summer will no doubt cause some anxiety in the Dortmund camp and the impact on Gotze in particular will be something to observe. Mourinho is a master tactician and will have undoubtedly made some adjustments from the group stage games. Stopping the likes of Gotze, Marco Reus and Robert Lewandowski will be Mourinho's top priorities.

                                                       

                                                              5 matchup's to watch

Cristiano Ronaldo vs  Lukasz Piszczek: The Polish right-back will have his hands full with the Portuguese superstar who is leading the competition in scoring. With his Argentinian rival faltering, Ronaldo has the opportunity to leave a significant mark and add significant fuel to his bid to be FIFA Player Of The Year. Expect him to deliver on the big stage once again.

Mario Gotze vs Mesut Ozil: The battle in central midfield between the two creative German internationals will play a key role in each team's movement off the ball. With Ronaldo likely to be marked rigorously throughout the game, Ozil should have opportunities to make a significant impact with his dribbling and passing ability.

Marco Reus vs Sergio Ramos: With Alvaro Arbeloa suspended, Sergio Ramos will move over to right-back after playing the majority of the season at central defence. Having played that role for the majority of his career it shouldn't be an issue for Ramos but the pacy Reus could give him some trouble if he isn't careful.

Robert Lewandowski vs Pepe and Raphael Varane: With Ramos suspended against Galatasaray in the second leg, the duo of Pepe and Varane played together for the first time in the competition and the results weren't good. The young Frenchman Varane was caught out on several occasions by Didier Drogba and Wesley Sneijder and Madrid's once comfortable lead in the two legged tie dwindled significantly as he and Pepe didn't seem to be on the same page. If the duo continues to struggle together it could be a field day for Polish striker Robert Lewandowski who is in great form and has become one of the top rated strikers in all of world football.

Roman Weidenfeller vs Diego Lopez:  With two very offensive squads, goalkeepers Weidenfeller and Lopez will be very busy in net and whoever outperforms the other could be the difference. Having kept long term starter Iker Casillas on the sidelines for a long spell, the pressure is on Lopez to deliver a strong performance with any slip up likely causing pundits to call for the return of Casillas

Prediction: Dortmund's home form in the Champions League has been strong but I can Madrid nick a goal and send things back to Madrid all square at 1-1.           

 

 

Nani on borrowed time at Manchester United

Down a goal in the second half of the latest version of the Manchester Derby, Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson had a decision to make, who could he bring on to impact the game and level proceedings. Danny Welbeck had been playing out wide in a position he wasn't normally accustomed to and was the likely substitution.

Watching the match and knowing that Nani was available off the bench and with United needing a goal, the likely inclusion for Welbeck seemed inevitable...but it never came. Instead Antonio Valenica was deployed by Ferguson, a player that is often criticized for being one footed and has only managed 4 goals in the last two seasons. It was right then and there that the widespread speculation of a Nani departure following the season wasn't just media hearsay anymore but pretty much a given. The round of 16 red card Nani received against Real Madrid in the second leg of the Champions League fixture will be in all likelihood his last major moment at the club.

                                                             

                                                       Changes coming at United
With Wilfried Zaha likely to join the club next season after being bought from Crystal Palace, Manchester United looks set to offload several players in the summer to deal with high costs in terms of player wages. While Nani seems to be the biggest name set to be transferred, fellow winger Valencia doesn't seem to be too far behind along with former FC Porto midfielder Anderson. With the influx of wide players at the club also including the likes of Ashley Young, the impressive Shinji Kagawa and the incoming Zaha, opportunities may be few and far between for high wage players like Nani in Sir Alex Ferguson's eyes. Last summer's signing of striker Robin Van Persie and his high wage is also a likely factor in the team's upcoming transfer policy.

                                                          

         
                                                          Best/Possible Destinations

Arsenal: With the two clubs conducting successful business last summer with Van Persie departing Arsenal for United and Arsene Wenger's known interest in Nani this seems like the best possible situation for the Portuguese winger. With Gervinho failing to impress for the most part, Lukas Podolski likely to leave the club in the summer and Theo Walcott's injury history the opportunity is there for Nani to nail down a starting spot with the Gunners. While the emergence of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain on the wing may come sooner rather than later, Arsenal's free flowing offensive soccer would suit Nani well and playing alongside creative midfielders Jack Wilshere and Santi Cazorla wouldn't hurt either.

Tottenham: If Welsh winger Gareth Bale is indeed enticed to leave the club for greener pastures in the summer a spot on the wing is up for grabs. While Aaron Lennon seems entrenched on the team, Gylfi Sigurdsson and Lance Holtby have had their struggles at times which may cause Tottenham to go looking for some insurance.

Athletico Madrid: With media speculation linking striker Radamel Falcao with United, the likely transfer of the Colombian starlet would likely be a player plus cash transfer with Nani or perhaps Javier Hernandez being Madrid's likely player choice. La Liga's offensive style coupled with Athletico's strong use of their wingers at times could see Nani strive.

Juventus: The Serie A champions have long been rumored to have interest in Nani but whether or not he could succeed with the Bianconeri is a question in itself. With his lack of back tracking and the Italian league being known for more defensive oriented soccer, the likelihood of Nani succeeding is remote and would likely go down the same failed route of fellow Portuguese winger Ricardo Quaresma's stint with Inter Milan.  


                                         Living in Ronaldo's United shadow


When fellow countryman Cristiano Ronaldo departed for Real Madrid in 2009, Nani was expected to raise his game and pick up the slack at United but while both players share many similarities including great pace, flashy dribbling and strong crossing abilities they differ significantly on several key technical football attributes. Ronaldo's time at United saw him become a complete player with deft finishing ability with both his head and his feet, on the other hand Nani has shined mostly in a role as a play maker with his strong crossing abilities while chipping in goals here and there.

In reality, Nani was never going to be able to repeat Ronaldo's goal scoring exploits at United and for arguments sake very few in the world of soccer could have. Living up to his star compatriots accolades may have in fact put him in a precarious position both mentally and with United's brass and fans, his time with United undoubtedly going down as a failed chapter in his career. How the next chapter turns out will either make or break Nani's legacy as a footballer.

Champions League round-up: Heartbreak for Malaga

                                                 Agonizing defeat for Malaga's Portuguese trio

Soccer can be a cruel sport, from the sweet taste of victory to agonizing defeat it can be a whirlwind at times. Yesterday's battle between Borussia Dortmund and Malaga proved to be a great example of that as a Champions League semi-final spot was snatched from Malaga at the death in the cruelest of fashions.

                                                       

                                                         Duda making an impact

A stellar effort by Malaga goalkeeper Willy Caballero kept Dortmund dormant in the first leg of the fixture and having not allowed an away goal and grinding out a 0-0 result, everything was still to play for in Germany. An early first half goal by Joaquin gave Malaga a dream start with Portuguese winger Duda who served as team captain proving dangerous from set pieces and nearly finding the head of defender Martin Demichelis on several crosses.With pressure mounting, Polish striker Robert Lewandowski's goal before the half equalized the game but still left Dortmund needing a goal due to the away goals rule.

                                               

                                                           Eliseu leaves his mark

A pivotal figure in Malaga's group stage success, Eliseu failed to feature in the round of 16 fixtures against FC Porto and also missed the first leg against Dortmund due to injury. A 74th minute substitution for fellow countryman Duda saw Eliseu brought into the mix and he was quick to make an impact. A swift Malaga attack in the 82nd minute with a hint of offside left Eliseu with an easy tap in goal that looked likely to make the difference in the game. Needing two goals, Dortmund peppered the Malaga net and were rewarded early in stoppage time as a misjudgement on a cross by Demichelis allowed Marco Reus to pull Dortmund even in the game.

With a renewed sense of hope, Dortmund would score just a minute later as a frenzied scene in the Malaga box(four Dortmund players seemed to be offside as the free kick cross came in) saw Portuguese left-back Antunes block the first shot attempt but unable clear the ball off the line as Dortmund defender Felipe Santana slotted home from close range to give Dortmund the win with seconds to go. A tough pill to swallow for a Malaga side who will be banned from European competition next season due to financial irregularities at the club.

While Duda and Antunes are dark horses to be called up by the Portuguese national team, Eliseu's ability to both play as a winger and left-back should see him get a hard look by Paulo Bento as he has proven to be a match winner for Malaga.

 

Portuguese influence all over Champions League Quarter's

The Champions League quarter-finals are set to commence on Tuesday and several Portuguese players will need to play key roles if their sides are to progress in the competition:

                                                                       

                                         

                                                     Cristiano Ronaldo, Real Madrid

What more can you say about one of the top players in the world, a complete footballer that can beat you in every way possible, Ronaldo is the focal point of a Real Madrid attack that has been hard to contain throughout the competition. Leading the Champions League with eight goals, the Portuguese superstar has a favorable match-up against an attack minded Galatasaray side in the quarters. Expect Ronaldo to find the back of the net a few times against the Turkish giants and play a pivotal role in Madrid reaching the Champions League semi-finals.

                                             

                                                         Fabio Coentrao, Real Madrid 

The Portuguese left-back is in very good form at the moment and was a major threat against Manchester United in the round of 16 match-up. Playing as a winger early in his career, Coentrao has made the switch to left-back rather seamlessly and partners Ronaldo on the left for both Madrid and the Portuguese National Team. Possessing great pace and dribbling ability, Coentrao has managed to entrench his role at Madrid in the last few months forcing Marcelo to the bench. Galatasaray should be weary of Coentrao's offensive capabilities while trying to take advantage of the space he leaves behind him.

                                                                

                                                             Pepe, Real Madrid

A enigmatic figure, Pepe has seen his role at Real Madrid diminish with the emergence of youngster Raphael Varane at centre-back and Sergio Ramos in good form as well. Whether Jose Mourinho chooses to utilize the experience of Pepe over Varane is still to be seen but his impact in the two legged tie should be felt either at the back or playing a holding midfielder role for Mourinho's men.

                                                             
                                                      

                                                                 Eliseu, Malaga

The Malaga left-back has been a revelation for the big spending Spanish team this season scoring some marvelous goals and putting in some man of the match performances against some of Europe's biggest clubs in the group stages. Unable to play against FC Porto in the round of 16 (fellow Portuguese left back Antunes filled in for him admirably) because of injury, Eliseu will need to play a key role for Malaga if they are to defeat one of the most formidable Champions League teams of the season in Borussia Dortmund.            











                                                              

Portuguese footballers battle to avoid BPL relegation

                          Jose Bosingwa and Harry Rednapp face a tough task at QPR

It's a position no soccer player really wants to be in, fighting for survival and realistically your way of life at a club but alas for lower tier clubs in the Barclay's Premier League it's a dog fight every year just to survive.

Having spent millions of pounds in the summer and having the backing of Malaysian businessman Tony Fernandes, few would have predicted the struggles that Queen's Park Rangers would have had this season. After all with the supposed shrewd signings of keeper Julio Cesar, midfielder Esteban Granero and blossoming youngster Junior Hoilett the team was expected to at least challenge for a top 10 position.

A disastrous first half of the season saw Mark Hughes sacked and former Tottenham manager Harry Rednapp brought in to try and salvage the campaign. Though Rednapp's impact was a positive one at the club right from the start, his relationship with Portuguese right back Jose Bosingwa was tumultuous at best.

A starter for the majority of Mark Hughes reign at the club, Bosingwa found himself on the bench early for Rednapp and wasn't happy about it, so much so that he refused to sit on the bench for a league game against Fulham in December.

The last few months has seen the relationship between the two be repaired but the club's fortunes once again have hit a downward spiral, needing points in nearly every game to realistically avoid the drop to England's second division.

                                                   

                   Difficult start at Reading for former Sporting Lisbon captain Daniel Carrico

Having had a contract dispute with Sporting Lisbon earlier in the season, Daniel Carrico was sold to Reading in the middle of the season in hopes he could provide depth to a club that was always going to find survival in the Premier League a difficult task.

Unfortunately, Carrico has found himself very out of form and has only featured for the club once so far in his BPL career. With less than 10 games remaining and with Reading's fortunes dipping significantly so much so that Brian McDermott who led the club to promotion was replaced by also recently fired Southampton manager Nigel Adkins to try to salvage the season, it looks like Carrico will have to wait until next season to have any real impact at the club.

                                                    Suffering from the drop

Barring a remarkable run of form or a huge collapse by teams sitting in front of the them in the table both clubs will likely drop out of the BPL this season leaving the futures of Bosingwa and Carrico in doubt.

Having had his clashes with Rednapp and Portuguese National Team head coach Paul Bento (He's refused to call up Bosingwa to the NT) it seems that Bosingwa's career is very much on the decline. That being said he's still a serviceable right back with good speed and offensive capabilities. His work on the defensive side of the ball lacks discipline but should QPR put him up for sale he should find a home in top league soccer again next season.

As for Carrico, having just joined the club in the last few months and being relatively cheap financially he is likely to be molded into the first team squad in the second division should other players move on. Low on confidence, Carrico may prove a good piece to the Reading puzzle when they once again seek promotion should they indeed drop out of the BPL.