Friday 20 May 2016

10 Best reasons why ATLETICO MADRID can/will win REAL MADRID in UEFA champions league final


Ahead of the May 28 UEFA champions league final at San Siro, Sports Analysis takes a look at the some of the ten [10] best reason why Atletico Madrid are favorites to winning the cup final against their city rivals Real Madrid.

1. Diego Simeone is more experienced
Having lost to Ancelotti's Real Madrid back in 2014 in yet again a similar event [UCL finial], we all can admit that he [Diego Simeone] has turned to a badass good manager over the years. His success and achievements over the past years with Atletico Madrid, a team he built from nothing can make us rank him amongst the likes of Pep Guardiola, Carlo Ancelotti, and Jose Mourinho as some of the best experienced managers in the game today. Remember, the Argentine has eliminated the cup favorites FC Barcelona and Bayern Munich, a feat no football fan thought possible and we'll all count on his experience in the game to beat Real Madrid's yet to be experienced manager Zinedine Zidane.



2. Rojiblancos' style of football
Atletico Madrid style of football is one that has being working for them, though am not a fan of it, but I must say that its one of the pattern of football that can beat any team of any caliber. Their negative football pattern has seen them beat great attacking teams like FC Barcelona, Bayern Munich and even Real Madrid this season. They sit back and hit their opponents on counter attacks and ones the get the goal then just forget about winning the match because their rock solid defensive backline this season ranks them as the team with the best defence in Europe, a defensive backline that even the incredible MSN [Messi, Neymar, Suarez] couldn't break in UCL quarter finals return leg, can the famed BBC trident of Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo break it? #NotSoSure
3. Teamwork attitude of Atleti
From their attack to midfield to defense, Atletico Madrid has shown great teamwork chemistry, a feat that Real Madrid lacks. With the Rojiblancos, its all hard work and teamwork, attacking or defending, with or without the ball, a quality I enjoy when watching them. With Diego Simeone's men, there's no dull moment, whether winning or losing, everyone is energetic, always up and doing and will charge you like a wounded lion whenever they're dispossessed with the ball. Watching Atletico Madrid play, you'd be asking yourself, how players are in the pitch?? Are they on drugs?? #Lol
4. This Real Madrid team do not deserve to be in the finals 
I must say it was only luck that got this Real Madrid team to the finals and nothing but that. They not only got the weakest team at every stage but also struggled with a lacklustre performance to get pass them.

Starting from the group stage, Real Madrid got PSG from France, Malmo for Sweden and Shakhtar Donetsk from Ukraine, they eased past the group as expected, coming out tops but it was just the group stage anyway. However, their luck didn't just end there as they got another easy opponent, AS Roma from Italy in the Round of 16, a team which they beat both home and away although not convincingly.

After the round of 16, 8 teams were desperately waiting for the Quarter final draw and because of the luck Real Madrid have had recently in the Champions League, most football fans predicted that they'd get one of the easiest teams, Wolfsburg precisely. No one was surprised at the end of the draw after Real Madrid were drawn with Wolfsburg just as almost everyone predicted. They lost the first leg 2-0 away from home but went on to make a nice comeback in the second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu to win 3-2 on aggregate and book a ticket to the semifinal.

The four teams in the semifinal, Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid, Manchester City and Real Madrid were to be drawn again and of course Man City are the weakest among these four so most football fans once again predicted that Real Madrid would get them as they were the easiest opponent of that round. Once again, no surprises as Real Madrid would play Man City in the semifinal, a game they won 1-0 on aggregate to progress to the final.

Truth be told, if they [Real Madrid] have played a top class European team like Barcelona or Bayern Munich, they would have been kicked out by now and it won't be fare if they still go ahead to win the title by the football gods.
5. Zinedine Zidane lack of experience as a manager 
Zinedine Zidane no doubt was a fantastic and experienced footballer before retirement but as a manager I can't say that about him. He has not really been tested as a good manager this season, apart from beating FC Barcelona at Camp Nou back in April, his other feats are what an average manager can achieve given the kind of quality players at his disposal. Also knowing that he has lost already to Diego Simeone this season will be a moral booster for Atletico Madrid heading into San Siro on May 28.
6. Atletico Madrid's Rock solid defense
A team that has recorded a remarkable 23 clean sheets in 37 matches in all competitions, and only let in more than one goal in four of their fixtures thus far should be feared in all of Europe, Diego Simeone's men has only been breached 11 times in La Liga – that’s a miserly 0.44 goals conceded per game – and just three times in six Champions League encounters.
Jan Oblak has become Rojiblancos rock between the sticks this season and will be called upon to keep another clean sheet against city rivals Real Madrid.
Filipe Luis, Diego Godin, Jose Gimenez and Juanfran, are the men expected to start in the backline for Atletico Madrid come May 28. And if they can keep MSN down then they can certainly keep BBC down too.
7. BBC inconsistency
With the kind of lacklustre performance which the famed BBC trident of Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo put up in their last 5 games in all competitions, I'd say that it would be impossible or will take a miracle for them to break into the defense of Atletico Madrid, it will take a huge luck for that to happen given by what we saw back then in February when Real Madrid fell to a 1-0 defeat in the hands of Atletico in Estadio Santiago Bernabeu.
8. Fantastic head to head record against Real Madrid
After falling to Carlo Ancelotti's Real Madrid back in 2014 [4-1], Diego Simeone's men have went ahead with 5 wins, 4 draws and only 1 defeat against their city rivals Real Madrid, a very fantastic record I must say.
9. Rojiblancos' improved depth in attacking areas
Antoine Griezmann is his name, the man of the moment, he developed into one of the best forwards in Europe over the last couple of years, with the France international hitting 19 goals in 34 appearances this term. And also, having been the key attacker in knocking out Bayern Munich and FC Barcelona.
Fernando Torres and Luciano Vietto too cannot be overlooked, they have been in incredible form this season and always scoring when needed.
Koke and Gabi's superb teamwork and work rate speaks for itself . Saul Niguez, 21, and Yannick Carrasco, 22, too have been fantastic this season.

10. Atletico Madrid has really worked hard this season and deserves a silverware
If football was a court case, they will surely win this one.

Thursday 12 May 2016

Photos: Platoon 6 lift NYSC Abuja Football Championship Cup after a 1-0 finals win against Platoon 2 - as it all happened...



Team captain Jide Fatai given the deserved Trophy by Abuja NYSC camp director, accompanied by team goalkeeper Ibebugwu Chukwuemeka and central defender Ani Ifeanyi.
Photograph: Ebinyasi Sunny Ugochukwu for the Observer


Platoon 6 Sports director Chinye C. Charles, Performance, head of tactics and analysis coach Ebinyasi Sunny Ugochukwu, Central defender and finals only goalscorer, Ani Ifeanyi with the Cup as the Platoon and team celebrates.


Well, what a day. A day that will be remembered for a long long time in the minds of Corp members, NYSC officials, and The Nigerian Army, As Platoon 6 of Batch A 2016 Stream A, lift the NYSC Football championship Cup after a series of four hot matches with other Platoons which started from the knockout round to the finals of the tournament. It’s a day that will be remembered by anyone [corp members] who saw it.

I must use this opportunity to praise some individuals who put in extra work into the Team and Platoon to make this dream a reality
1) Mr Omokri Babatunde, The Platoon Officer. Without his enormous supports, physically, morally and financially to the Team and Platoon, this won't have being a dream come true.
2)Ani Ifeanyi.I. One of the central defenders. He was incredible and fantastic throughout the tournament, helping the defence line keep two clean sheets in the Quarterfinals against Platoon 10 [1-0] and the Finals against Platoon 2 [1-0]. He also scored the only goal in the finals which secured the trophy for the team through a wonderful curling
 free kick from 26 yards out into the top Left angle of the Goal post.
3) Ibebugwu chukwuemeka H.:The Goalkeeper. He kept two clean sheets with two man of the match awards for helping the team in the two penalties rounds in the tournament. In the knockout stage, when the match ended in a 1-1 draw and had to be decided on penalties, which he saved the last penalty kick from the opposition side [Platoon 5] which ended in a 5-4 win. And also in the Semifinals match with also ended in a draw [2-2] which he [lbebugwu Chukwuemeka] saved two penalty kick and won the match 4-1 win.
3) Chinye C. Charles: The Sports director. He organized and help recruit the footballers in Platoon 6 that later won the tournament at last and also assisted the head coach in some tactical changes.
4) Obi Chukwuebuka Irechukwu: The head coach. I must say he showed great leadership qualities and trust in the team players that later paid off. What a great coach that always takes advice from his coaching crew.
5) Ebinyasi Sunny Ugochukwu: The performance, head of tactics and analysis coach. He provided the team Head coach with the correct and adequate tactics which the team used to secure the trophy. He also helped keep the team players fitness in shape and provided opposition team analysis for the head coach.
6)Jide Fatai: The Team Captain: He scored a very important and crucial goal to pull the team back on level terms when the team was losing 2-1 to Platoon 1 in the Semifinals of the tournament with just few minutes to fulltime whistle. The match later ended in a 2-2 draw and decided on penalties which Platoon won 4-1.
7) Arowolo Tayo: Top Goalscorer: He scored two [2] goals with an important assist. He reps Platoon 6
8) Louis Ezechi S.: He was an incredible defensive midfielder, played all four matches and fulltime too, helped control the tempo of the matches and did all the dirty works of the team. I must say he truly deserves this recognition and praise.

MATCH RESULTS
Knockout Stage: Platoon Six 1-1 Platoon Five (5-4 Penalties)

Quarterfinals: Platoon Six 1-0 Platoon Ten

Semifinals: Platoon Six 2-2 Platoon One (4-1 Penalties)

Finals: Platoon Six 1-0 Platoon Two


Mr Omokri Babatuned with some Platoon 6 officers and the Team players as celebration goes on.
Photograph: Ebinyasi Sunny Ugochukwu for the observer


Sports director Chinye C. Charles with the team waiting to lift the trophy


Pre-match picture with head coach Obi Chukwuebuka Irechukwu and team


Team captain Jide fatai with trophy



Ani Ifeanyi I. as he kisses the well deserved trophy




Performance, head of tactics and analysis coach Ebinyasi Sunny Ugochukwu with Louis Ezechi S. and Cup



Performance, head of tactics and analysis coach Ebinyasi Sunny Ugochukwuwith a Platoon member and fan Igbokwe godsgift chisom.