In the
week, where teams were free of Champions League matches, there were cup clashes
planned in most of the countries. About these and other matches of the previous
weekend will be the story this time.
The
major matches of the week:
The main
football rivalry of Netherlands, called De Klassieker, took place last Sunday. Ajax
was back after the famous win over Manchester City in the Champions League. The
team was ready to show some quick football, but the circumstances prevented the
champions of doing this. Christian Eriksen, who is getting closer to his top
form, scored a nice goal, wittily cutting opponent’s two defenders before
beating the keeper. Ajax decided to close down and break Feyenoord’s enthusiasm
afterwards, but the team was making too many mistakes in the back. Feyenoord
got the equalizer on the 23rd minute. The second half started as the
first one, where Ajax
was showing some initiative. On the 48th minute Erikson’s ball found captain de Jong, who scored Ajax’s second. And again Frank De Boer’s side stopped thinking about scoring. They could probably succeed with their defensive tactics, had Moisander not received his second yellow card 15 minutes before the final whistle. The home side managed to score and equalize for the second time on the 90th minute. Ajax could even lose the match, but Vermeer’s fantastic reaction on the 93rd minute saved a point for the Amsterdam team. Two hours later Vitesse lost its match and helped Ajax remain the only unbeaten Eredivisie team.
was showing some initiative. On the 48th minute Erikson’s ball found captain de Jong, who scored Ajax’s second. And again Frank De Boer’s side stopped thinking about scoring. They could probably succeed with their defensive tactics, had Moisander not received his second yellow card 15 minutes before the final whistle. The home side managed to score and equalize for the second time on the 90th minute. Ajax could even lose the match, but Vermeer’s fantastic reaction on the 93rd minute saved a point for the Amsterdam team. Two hours later Vitesse lost its match and helped Ajax remain the only unbeaten Eredivisie team.
Bayer’s
visits to Munich normally end with nothing else but a heavy loss. There was not
much to expect from this visit last Sunday, taking into account Bayern’s shocking
Bundesliga form. Despite the absence of last year’s main forces Robben, Ribery
and Mario Gomez, Bayern started actively. The dominant play didn’t bring any goals,
though. Bayer’s Leno was able to parry any threat, before his team members
started to organize some dangerous counterattacks. One of those attacks
disclosed the carelessness of Bayern defenders, and turned into a surprise
scoring from Kiessling. Bayern needed almost a whole half to find an equal
response to this attack. But Bundesliga topscorer Mandzukic’s goal didn’t develop
into another win for his team. On the 87th minute Bayer players
delivered the ball to Sidney Sam, whose header was about to send the ball wide
of Neuer’s goal, but fortunately for the visitors, the ball hit Boateng and
appeared in the back of the net. Bayern had to surrender.
London’s
Stamford Bridge saw Manchester United’s two visits in a spell of 3 days. The
first one was the central match of the week in Europe, as the top two teams of
the League met. Just before the teams would find their games, van Persie and
teammates managed to score two. It was Ashley Cole, whose flank allowed the
opponents invade and conquer. Manchester United could simply take a deep breath
and think of successful defensive actions: not the best tactics considering
their terrible defensive form, critics would say. And they would turn right, as
Chelsea got the necessary time to reorganize, touch the pulse of the game and
suddenly throw all its forces towards the opposite goal. The last action
started after 35 minutes, which demolished Manchester United’s defense. Oscar-Hazard-Mata
trio was perfect again. By the 53rd minutes Chelsea had already broken
even. And then the match, which was on its way to make Ferguson’s critics
happier, was intervened by the referee Cluttenburg, who expulsed Branislav
Ivanovic for a last chance foul, then Fernando Torres for simulation, and
finally allowed Javier Hernandez’s goal. Sir Alex Ferguson appeared on top
again, proving that sometimes waiting is the best tactics. Despite the wave of
criticism against referee’s decisions, United showed it has got everything to fight
for the gold this season; experienced Ferguson on the bench, hardworking Rooney
and Valencia in the midfield, and witty van Persie and Hernandez in front.
In the
League Cup match three days later coaches introduced slightly different
line-ups. The match scenario didn’t change much, except the very last action,
when Chelsea scored and made it 3-3, to send the match into extra time. Here it
was the substitute Eden Hazard, who dictated the rules. 5-4 and Manchester
United is out of the Capital One Cup.
But the most scandalous match had taken place
a day earlier, when Arsenal made the most famous comebacks of all, winning by
an astronomic 7-5 after going down to 0-4. Arsene Wenger had to use all his magic
to make his lads believe in the impossible. Theo Walcott and Marouane Chamakh
simply destroyed Reading’s defense. Words can’t describe the incredible
scenario of this legendary match, however, one thing is sure: conceding 5 goals
is not a glorious achievement no matter what. It is clear that Koscielny and
friends are far from being reliable this season.
Highlights
of the week:
- - Croatia’s
Dinamo Zagreb is now 9 points clear over the closest followers, however the
team couldn’t make its fans even happier, losing the cup match on Tuesday,
- - Denmark’s
FC Nordsjælland couldn’t go further either, as they lost to Midtjylland in the Danish
Cup match. On the other hand, they had won a very important match over AaB, which
helped them remain in the fight for the highest places,
- - Another
Champions League participant leaving the domestic cup earlier than expected is Spartak
Moscow. They lost to Rostov on penalties,
- - The
French Coup de la Ligue brought two rivals PSG and Marseille face to face.
Despite the absence of their leader Zlatan Ibrahimovic, PSG could easily send
their opponents out of the tourney,
- - German
champions were among the first ones in Europe, who tested a snowy pitch last
weekend. Anyway, it didn’t appear to be a huge problem for them to earn all
three points in Freiburg,
- - Most
of the Champions League participants succeeded in improving their league
positions this week. The average position for the 32 teams is now 3,59. The worst quartet is still the same: Lille,
Valencia, Milan and Montpellier.
The
upcoming weekend:
Ajax will
get a chance to climb up to the top three. They will need to beat Vitesse for
that. Valencia will host Atletico, one of the most impressive teams missing the
Champions League this season. England will remain in the focus of football
fans, where Robin van Persie’s current and previous teams will meet at Old
Trafford. Arsene Wenger has already asked Arsenal fans to show respect towards
their former captain. And the central match of the week is going to take place
at Juventus Stadium, where Juventus will again host its closest follower. Now
this follower is Juve’s worst enemy – Inter. Don’t miss Derby d’Italia on Saturday.
| Club | Last Matches | Next match | Position in the
domestic league
|
| Ajax (Netherlands) | 28.10 Feyenoord (A) 2-2
31.10 Sneek (Cup) 2-0
| 03.11 Vitesse (H) | 4 |
| BATE (Belarus) | 28.10 Brest (H) 3-1 | 03.11 Naftan (A) | 1 |
| Anderlecht (Belgium) | 27.10 Sp. Charleroi (A) 0-2
30.10 Gent (H) 5-0
| 03.11 Mechelen (A) | 2 |
| Dinamo Z. (Croatia) | 27.10 Cibalia (A) 1-0
30.10 Zadar (Cup) 2-3
| 02.11 Istra (H) | 1 |
| Arsenal (England) | 27.10 QPR (H) 1-0
30.10 Reading (Cup) 7-5
| 03.11 Manch. United(A) | 6 |
| Man. City (England) | 27.10 Swansea (H) 1-0 | 03.11 West Ham (A) | 3 |
| Man. Utd. (England) | 28.10 Chelsea (A) 3-2
31.10 Chelsea (Cup) 4-5
| 03.11 Arsenal (H) | 2 |
| Chelsea (England) | 28.10 Man. Utd. (H) 2-3
31.10 Man. Utd.(Cup) 5-4
| 03.11 Swansea (A) | 1 |
| FC Barcelona (Spain) | 27.10 Rayo Vallec. (A) 5-0
30.10 Alaves (Cup) 3-0
| 03.11 Celta (H) | 1 |
| Real Madrid (Spain) | 28.10 Real Mallorca(A)5-0
31.10 Alcoyano (Cup) 4-1
| 03.11 Zaragoza (H) | 4 |
| Valencia (Spain) | 27.10 Betis (A) 0-1
30.10 Llagostera (Cup) 2-0
| 03.11 Atletico (H) | 11 |
| Malaga (Spain) | 27.10 Espanyol (A) 0-0
30.10 Cacereno (Cup) 4-3
| 03.11 Rayo Vallec. (H) | 3 |
| Bayern (Germany) | 28.10 Bayer (H) 1-2
31.10 Kaisersl.(Cup) 4-0
| 03.11 Hamburger (A) | 1 |
| Borussia D. (Germany) | 27.10 Freiburg (A) 2-0
30.10 Aalen (Cup) 4-1
| 03.11 Stuttgart (H) | 4 |
| Schalke 04 (Germany) | 27.10 Nurnberg (H) 1-0
30.10 Sandhausen(Cup)3-0
| 03.11 Hoffenheim (A) | 2 |
| Benfica (Portugal) | 27.10 Gil Vicente (A) 3-0 | 03.11 Vitoria G. (H) | 1 |
| Porto (Portugal) | 28.10 Estoril (A) 2-1 | 02.11 Maritimo (H) | 2 |
| Sp. Braga (Portugal) | 28.10 Maritimo (A) 2-0 | 03.11 Gil Vicente (H) | 3 |
| CFR Cluj (Romania) | 27.10 Turnu Severin(A)3-1
31.10 Bostosani (Cup) 2-0
| 03.11 Brasov (H) | 7 |
| Galatasaray (Turkey) | 27.10 Kayserispor (H) 3-0 | 02.11 Istanbul BB (A) | 1 |
| Juventus (Italy) | 28.10 Catania (A) 1-0 31.10 Bologna (H) 2-1 | 03.11 Inter (H) | 1 |
| Milan (Italy) | 27.10 Genoa (H) 1-0
30.10 Palermo (A) 2-2
| 03.11 Chievo (H) | 12 |
| Montpellier (France) | 27.10 Nice (H) 3-1
31.10 Bordeaux (Cup) 1-0
| 03.11 Troyes (A) | 13 |
| PSG (France) | 27.10 Nancy (A) 1-0
31.10 Marseille (Cup) 2-0
| 03.11 Saint-Etienne (H) | 1 |
| Lille (France) | 27.10 Valenciennes (H) 2-1
30.10 Toulouse (Cup) 1-0
| 03.11 Evian (A) | 10 |
| Nordsjæland (Denmark) | 26.10 AaB (H) 1-0
31.10 Midtjylland(Cup)2-3
| 03.11 SønderjyskE (A) | 3 |
| Olympiacos (Greece) | 29.10 Aris (A) 2-2 | 03.11 Creta (H) | 1 |
| Shakhtar D. (Ukraine) | 27.10 Tavriya (A) 1-0
31.10 Hoverla (Cup) 4-1
| 03.11 Metalurg Z. (H) | 1 |
| Dynamo K. (Ukraine) | 28.10 Illichevets (A) 0-0 | 03.11 Tavriya (H) | 3 |
| Zenit (Russia) | 27.10 Alania (A) 3-2
30.10 Mordovia (Cup) 2-0
| 02.11 Rostov (H) | 3 |
| Spartak M. (Russia) | 27.10 Mordovia (H) 2-0
30.10 Rostov (Cup) 0-0, 2-3 pen.
| 03.11 Kr. Sovetov (A) | 6 |
| Celtic (Scotland) | 27.10 Kilmarnock (H) 0-2
30.10 St. Johnst. (Cup) 5-0
| 04.11 Dundee Utd. (A) | 1 |
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