Barcelona liked playing Arsenal in the UCL because they dominate them

By
Dani Alves says Barcelona always liked playing against Arsenal in the Champions League as they were able to "dominate" them.
The Catalan club eliminated Arsenal from the Champions League in the 2009/10, 2010/11 and 2015/16 seasons.

Alves believes the two clubs' shared philosophy allowed Barcelona to control games against the Gunners, particularly at the Camp Nou, where they scored ten goals in three games.
"We definitely liked to face Arsenal," Alves told Four Four Two. "They had a similar football style to ours and this sometimes helped to facilitate our way of playing.

"They were a team we dominated and had a control over. Every time we faced Arsenal, we'd have a good result or good performance."
Arsenal will face the architect of that Barcelona team, Pep Guardiola, when they travel to Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday.

Guardiola's Barcelona won the Champions League in 2009 and 2011, beating Manchester United on both occasions.
Alves fondly remembers those Champions League wins and believes the 2011 team that won 3-1 at Wembley is rightly regarded as one of the best of all time.
"Talking to several football experts, they haven't seen another team as incredible as that Barcelona," he said.

"We represented the definition of a collective game. We ate, drank and breathed football, so moments like winning the Champions League were rewards for all our efforts."
click here for more

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Real Madrid are the first team to win the UCL trophy back to back after a 4-1 win over Juventus

By
Image
He did what he always does. And Real Madrid did what they have done so often since this rather magnificent trophy was first awarded in 1956. Cristiano Ronaldo, at 32, is still demanding centre stage. He won an FA Cup final at this stadium in 2004 as a callow youth against Millwall. It was his first ever trophy. On Saturday night he secured his 20th. The opposition was somewhat more glamorous here, the prize more treasured but the performance remained the same. He did what he does, which is to lead from the front and ensure that, if silverware is at stake, he is the man left holding it at the end. But Real Madrid are the team who appropriated the old European Cup at its outset. Now they are dominating the modern era. This was their 12th trophy of all time. But never before in the modern era of the Champions League has the trophy been defended. It has now. Three wins in four years begins to look like a team of the calibre of Ajax, Bayern, Liverpool, AC Milan. Don't mention it on L...
Read more

Tammy Abraham happy with English national team call up

By
Image
Tammy Abraham is delighted following his maiden call-up to the English senior national team for the international friendlies against Brazil and Germany. The 20-year-old who is on loan at Swansea from English Premier League champions Chelsea had been torn between representing England or Nigeria, even though he has represented the former at the youth levels. But his latest invitation by the Three Lions manager ,Gareth Southgate may have put an end to speculations over his international future. “Words can’t describe the feeling, but truly blessed and honoured to be called up to @ English seniors. Thanks for all the messages,” Abraham wrote on his Twitter minutes after the squad list was announced. Southgate also handed another Chelsea loanee Ruben Loftus-Cheek his first invitation, along with Liverpool’s Joe Gomez. Abraham has had a hand in five of Swansea’s seven league goals this season (4 goals, 1 assist), the highest ratio in the Premier League. He has represented Englan...
Read more

Mourinho worried about the possibility of Fellaini leaving Manchester united

By
Image
Jose Mourinho, the Manchester United manager, has admitted he is worried Marouane Fellaini will leave the club. Fellaini is out of contract at the end of the season and talks over a new deal remain at an impasse. The Belgium international midfielder rejected a new contract offer in September, and while United remain hopeful of persuading the player to stay, he will be free to talk to foreign suitors in January and Mourinho fears he could be tempted to go next summer. Fellaini currently earns about £120,000 a week and is requesting for 170,000. “Yes,” the United manager said when asked if he was worried about Fellaini leaving. Asked what he could do to get Fellaini to stay, Mourinho added: “Nothing. It is a discussion between the player and the board. I’m not involved in contracts, deals. “I respect both. The respect the player because he has the right, he has the right to decide his future. If he has finished his contract he has the right. I respect the boar...
Read more

Man City came from behind to beat Monaco 5-3

By
Image
The first competitive meeting between Manchester City and Monaco will live long in the memory as the sides shared eight goals. Manchester City claimed a remarkable 5-3 victory over Monaco in an all-time Champions League classic at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday. The first competitive meeting between the two sides will live long in the memory after goals inside the final 13 minutes from John Stones – atoning for an earlier error – and Leroy Sane put City in command of the last-16 tie. Sergio Aguero and Radamel Falcao had scored two apiece – the latter also missing a penalty – while Raheem Sterling and Kylian Mbappe also got in on the act. Leonardo Jardim's side, who have scored over 100 goals in all competitions this season, will rue the moment Falcao squandered a chance to make it 3-1 from the spot, as City hit back. It was Sterling who opened the scoring 26 minutes in, but City quickly surrendered their advantage to Falcao's diving header following a p...
Read more

Messi doesn't think he can become friends with Ronaldo one day

By
Image
Messi and Ronaldo are two of the best to play football. Easily the two greatest players of their generation. While they respect each others talents, will the Barcelona and Real Madrid stars be friends? They have plenty in common. From guiding their respective sides to domestic and European glory, not to mention holding aloft the most prestigious individual honours. Messi and Ronaldo have nine Ballon d'Or gongs between them, though Messi is unsure whether they can become friends. "I don't know if we will be," the Argentine ace told MARCA. "Friendship is built through spending time together and getting to know each other. We have no relationship, mainly because we only see each other at awards ceremonies and that's the only time we speak. Obviously, they lock horns during the El Clasico and are often seen together at FIFA functions. Messi added: "Everything is fine, but our lives don't cross over very often."
Read more

Mohammed Salah, Victor Moses and Sadio Mane tops 30 men list for African player of the year

By
Image
The nominees for the African Player of the Year and African Player of the Year – Based in Africa 2017 have been revealed. Thirty (30) players each have been nominated for the two topmost categories. The winner will be decided by votes from the Head Coaches/Technical Directors of the National Associations affiliated to CAF, members of the CAF Technical and Development Committee and a panel of Media Experts. The Awards Gala will be held on Thursday, 4 January 2018 in Accra, Ghana. According to CAF "Nigerian energy giants, Aiteo, are the headline sponsors of next year’s edition that will see players, officials and administrators who distinguished themselves exemplary during the year under review being honoured for their efforts towards the development of the game on the continent". African Player of the Year 1. Ali Maaloul (Tunisia & Al Ahly) 2. Bertrand Traore (Burkina Faso & Lyon) 3. Cedric Bakambu (DR Congo & Villareal) 4. Christian Atsu (Gh...
Read more

Surprising results of Tuesday night Champions league

By
Image
There are so many surprising results in Tuesday night Uefa Champions league . Liverpool were the biggest winner of the night scoring 7 goals without letting in any. Liverpool were already 4 goals up at half time, adding more three in the second half. The most surprising result for many was sevilla 5-1 loss in Russia to Spartak Moscow Another results that got people talking was Tottenham Hotspur 1-1 draw against Real Madrid and Monaco losing 2-1 to Beskitas at home.    Full results Maribor 0-7 Liverpool Spartak Moscow 5-1 Sevilla Feyenood 1-2 Shakhtar Donetsk Manchester City 2-1 Napoli Monaco 1-2 Beskitas Leipzig 3-2 Porto Apoel 1-1 Dortmund Real Madrid 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur Which of this matches surprised you more 1 1
Read more

Video Assistant Referee(VAR) to be used in Spain

By
Image
According to Marca, The Spanish FA have been given the green light to begin using VAR - Video Assistant Referee - and the technology could make its debut in the second leg of Atletico Madrid and Elche's Copa del Rey tie at the end of November. VAR is already in use in some European leagues, but there has been a mixed reaction to it, particularly in Germany   and Italy. As such, any initial use of it in Spain will be for testing and it will not be rolled out across the country straight away. This, though, is a start and a big step, one which seemed unlikely to come to fruition until Angel Maria Villar had to step aside as Spanish FA president. click here for more
Read more