Real Madrid created enough chances to get back in the tie, but Dortmund progress to the final.
Jose Mourinho left out Sami Khedira to field a very technical midfield trio, while Angel Di Maria and Michael Essien returned, and Sergio Ramos was back in the centre of defence.
Jurgen Klopp unsurprisingly named an unchanged starting XI...
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Tags: dortmund, klopp, modric, mourinho, ozil, Real Madrid
Posted in Champions League | 70 Comments »
Real pressed effectively in the first half, but Barcelona exerted their dominance after the break.
With various absences, Jose Mourinho was forced to name a makeshift backline – Ricardo Carvalho played alongside Rafael Varane, Alvaro Arbeloa had to play left-back, so Michael Essien deputised on the right. New signing Diego Lopez started in goal, Jose...
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Tags: alba, alves, barcelona, fabregas, modric, mourinho, ozil, pressing, Real Madrid, roura
Posted in Spain | 71 Comments »
Roberto Mancini started with a back three, then moved to a back four, but Manchester City couldn’t find a second goal.
Mancini decided to start with a similar XI to the second half shape against Tottenham, when they looked good with a back three. Nine of the 11 players were the same, with the exception...
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Tags: 3-4-1-2 v 4-2-3-1, back three, Man City, mancini, modric, mourinho, ozil, Real Madrid, ronaldo, silva
Posted in Champions League | 68 Comments »
ZM’s team of Euro 2012…
Iker Casillas, Spain
This wasn’t a tournament of particularly fine individual goalkeeping displays, but the best two goalkeepers of the tournament – and of the century – met as captains in the final. Until the, there was nothing to separate Casillas and Gianluigi Buffon, but after Casillas made a fine...
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Tags: agger, alba, buffon, casillas, coentrao, de rossi, dzagoev, Euro 2012, fabregas, gebre-selassie, hummels, ibrahimovic, iniesta, jiracek, khedira, moutinho, ozil, pepe, pereir, pirlo, ramos, ronaldo, xavi
Posted in Euro 2012 | 1 Comment »
Jogi Low tried to change his shape to compete in the centre of midfield, but Italy produced an excellent performance to qualify for the final.
Cesare Prandelli kept his diamond system. Giorgio Chiellini returned at left-back, but Ignazio Abate was unfit, so Federico Balzaretti moved over to an unfamiliar right-back role.
Jogi Low had decisions to...
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Tags: Euro 2012, Germany, Italy, kroos, loew, montolivo, ozil, pirlo, prandelli
Posted in Euro 2012 | 275 Comments »