As we head towards a couple of German-Spanish club semi finals where Bayern Munich (last year’s finalist), who recently celebrated their 23rd German title, face favourites Barcelona, and recently forced out Bundesliga champions Borussia Dortmund take on Real Madrid, let’s carve out some time to explore the prospect of an all-German European Champions League final next month on May 25 at Wembley stadium in London.

Some facts to start with:

* The four semi finalists feature a total of 18 titles between them.

* Both Barcelona and Real Madrid are allotted the home second leg (generally considered advantageous)

* Barcelona is seeking a third title in five years and Bayern their second successive final.

* Borussia Dortmund are on track for their first European Championship since 1997.

Barcelona’s hard-fought quarter-final victory over Paris Saint Germain showed just how dependent they are on world footballer of the year, Messi, whilst Bayern’s every player looks like is out to prove something every time he steps onto the pitch. German side Bayern Munich’s last year final appearance experience and desire to grab the slipped silverware makes them a top prospect for the finals. If they are to reach their third final in four years, Bayern will have to do so without the services of leading scorer Mandzukic, who is suspended for the first leg.

Real Madrid, the other Spanish opponent, will probably not enjoy the thought of another trip to Dortmund in this season’s Champions League. In the group stages, the German side topped the group, demolishing Real 2-1 and later earning a 2-2 draw in Madrid. Real Madrid’s 3-2 away loss to Galatasaray in the quarters was enough to set the alarm bells ringing. Not to forget Borussia Dortmund happen to be the only unbeaten side left in the competition. Real Madrid will need some all round performance from its squad apart from their talisman Cristiano Ronaldo to dispatch bitter memories of last year’s semi final loss to yet another German side, Bayern, and get hold of the European champion crown after almost a decade.

An all-German final would certainly point to a shift as to the top league in Europe, dethroning Spain and England which has held the title for best leagues and teams. The mouth-watering prospect of a Bundesliga clash at Wembley keeps its hope high and lives on. Regardless of the final fixture, these are two tempting matches and will certainly provide for absolute entertainment and offer exciting football.

Graced by yet another tantalizing and tasty set of fixtures in Gameweek 6 produced stimulating results. Chelsea, Sunderland and Manchester City continued their unbeaten run while Arsenal conceded their first loss of the season and Tottenham Hotspur achieved a historic win (first in 23 years) against Manchester united at Old Trafford.

Arsenal 1-2 Chelsea

Both teams went into this game unbeaten with one of the best defenses in the league this season. Chelsea controlled the ball for better part of the first half frustrating the home side. It was only after Chelsea got their first goal through Fernando Torres connecting one inside the box in 20th minute that the Gunners showed a bit more urgency and looked sharp for next 25 minutes only to be awarded with an equalizer when the Ox fine cross was collected by Grevinho and he smashed the ball back into the net. In the second half, visitors got the lead back early when Juan Mata’s free kick was deflected off Koscielny and the ball was in the back of the net. The rest of the match saw Arsenal carry out an onslaught on the Chelsea goal only to be foiled by a solid Chelsea defense. It’s been a great start for Chelsea who have 16 points from five matches and four clear of both Manchester teams.

Fulham 1-2 Manchester City

It was nothing new for Manchester City this season when they found themselves trailing early in the match against Fulham at Craven Cottage. In the 10th minute of the game, Fulham went one goal up when Petric converted a penalty conceded by Zabaleta through a mistimed tackle on Riise. The game went on to open up and the true Manchester City were beginning to re-surface. The passing was crisp, the possession went high and City finally managed to find the back of the net for an equalizer as Aguero tapped a rebound into the back of the net in the 43rd minute. The home team went on to create better chances in the second half. The league champions then showed their class when substitute Edin Dzeko scored the match winner in the 87th minute.

Everton 3-1 Southampton

Southampton’s surprise lead in the 6th minute from Gaston Ramirez didn’t stop the Toffees uncharacteristic great start to the season. Everton came from a goal down to win 3-1 against Southampton at Goodison park to put them second in league table above the Manchester clubs. Leon Osman scored the equalizer in the 25th minute. Later on, two quick goals were scored  by Nikica Jelavic in the 32nd and 38th minute to give Everton their fourth win in six league games.

Norwich City 2-5 Liverpool

Norwich expected to milk out some points when they played host to Liverpool counting on the Reds dreadful performance this season. But Liverpool had different plans as they won their first match of the season in style. The Reds went on an attacking mode from the start with Suarez scoring a very quick goal in the 2nd minute. The Uruguayan went on to score a hat trick with an easy second in the 37th minute and a superb third in the 58th  minute when he spun the ball into the net from twenty-two yards out. Norwich managed to score one through Steve Morison in 62nd minute. Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard scored the fifth goal for the team in 68th minute.

Reading 2-2 Newcastle united

Reading found themselves in bottom part of league table after they failed to cement on to the start they got against The Magpies only to manage a draw in the end. Reading opened with Jimmy Kebe scoring the first goal of the game in the 57th minute. Demba Ba brought the Magpies back twice in the game with his goals in the 58th and 83rd minute.

Stoke City 2-0 Swansea City

Stoke City managed to get their first win of the season after four straight draws and a loss with a comfortable win over Swansea city at Liberty stadium on Saturday. Peter Crouch scored a brace in the game. The striker has now scored four goals in six matches. Swansea are now in a free fall losing their last two matches.

Sunderland 1-0 Wigan Athletic

Sunderland won their first league match of the season behind a lone goal from in form Steven Fletcher against Wigan at the Stadium of Lights. Jordi Gómez was given a red card in the 47th minute bringing Wigan to ten men for rest of the game. Steven Fletcher has an incredible scoring rate with 5 shots on target this season resulting  in 5 goals.

Manchester United 2-3 Tottenham Hotspur

An injury ridden Manchester united hosted Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday as they looked to continue their unbeaten run over their rivals and extend it to twenty-three years. Spurs had different plans for the day as they came out firing in the first half with Vertonghen scoring the opening goal of the game in the second minute. Spurs went on to double their lead when Bale sprinted some fifty yards beating a number of United players. He then went onto slide a shot across the face of the goal, beating the keeper easily. It was edge-of-the-seat stuff in the first half as Spurs dominated and the hosts were patchy defensively. Sir Alex made some crucial changes in the second half bringing on Rooney, who inspired The Red Devils and assisted in bringing one goal back through Nani’s goal in the 51st minute.Visitors responded quickly with a goal from Clint Dempsey in the 52nd minute to take the scoreline to 3-1. After this, Spurs were all behind, cementing their defense only to be breached by a nicely driven through ball from Robin Van Persie to Shinji Kagawa,  who went on to find space before stroking a calm and composed shot into the back of the net. Manchester United failed to score another and the match saw the London-based club pick up a very unpredictable and historic win at the end of the game.

Queens Park Rangers 1-2 West ham

West Ham traveled across London to face Queen Park Rangers who are currently sitting in the relegation zone. The home team had a poor defensive performance as they lost 1-2 against newly promoted West Ham. Matt Jarvis scored his first goal of the season giving the Hammers the lead. Their lead got doubled when Vaz Te’s shot got deflected of Stephane M’Bia, past Julio Cesar. QPR managed to get one back when Taarabt unleashed a curling shot on the run that left the goalkeeper frozen and the ball flew into the top corner to make it 2-1.

It never disappoints! Lots of action,high-profile matches, controversial decisions and a few superb goals. Newcastle United,Manchester United and Tottenham won their respective matches while Manchester City and Arsenal played to a lone goal draw.

Liverpool 1-2 Manchester United

Rafael celebrates his goal

Manchester United took on Liverpool at Anfield on a day when both teams paid tribute to the 96 fans killed at Hillsborough. Both teams were charged up to pick three points from this,  one of the most fierce rivalry matches. The Reds dominated most of the first half without being rewarded with a goal. Instead before the first half came to an end, Shelvey was shown a straight red for a controversial two-footed lunge on Evans reducing them to 10 men. Despite being one man down, Liverpool broke the deadlock through skipper Steven Gerrard who rocketed a nicely chested ball past United’s goalkeeper. The Red Devils gave a fitting reply within five minutes when Rafael curled home a screamer in the 51st minute. Liverpool, expecting a draw, were handed another blow when referee Mark Halsey awarded a penalty in the 76^th minute as Valencia was brought down in the penalty area. The penalty was a little controversial as it wasn’t clear if there was enough contact to justify the call. Dutchman van Persie stepped up to take the spot kick and scored the winner in the 81st minute. With this win Manchester united are one point behind European champions Chelsea while Liverpool need to turn around things in order to get out of relegation zone.

Manchester City 1-1 Arsenal

Arsenal continued their unbeaten run this season as they secured a draw at the Etihad stadium against league champions Manchester City. The North London club dominated most parts of the game but went down in the 40th minute when Lescott headed a ball from a David Silva corner into the top right corner of the goal. City asserted their authority on the game in the second half after that, creating some close chances via Ageuro. For the Gunners it was Gervinho who found the ball most of the time and took hits on target. In the 82nd minute,  defender Laurent Koscielny managed to equalize for the Gunners by smashing a failed corner kick clearance into the back of the net. With this draw, both teams are unbeaten in the league.

Newcastle united 1-0 Norwich

Newcastle United took the lead in the 19th minute when the man-in-form, Demba Ba broke the offside trap to collect the ball slotted by Hatem Ben Arfa behind the Norwich back four and executed a calm finish. Cisse had an opportunity to double the lead just before the break, but missed a penalty kick .Despite being behind Norwich remained composed creating chances but failed to score the equalizer.

Tottenham 2-1 Queens Park Rangers

Tottenham Hotspur came from behind to beat QPR 2-1 to deliver manager Andre Vilas Boas his first home win in charge. Hoping to carry on from where they left last week after beating Reading 3-1, Spurs found themselves a goal down when Bobby Zamora lifted the ball over the goalkeeper and into the back of the net following a through ball from Alejandro Faurlin in the 32nd minute.

But an own goal in the 59th minute from Damian Faurlin got the match on level terms. Spurs then pushed for victory and were rightly rewarded with the lead in the 61st minute by Defoe who placed the  ball into net after a rebound from a thunderous strike onto the crossbar from Welshman Bale. Spurs move up to eighth position after the win, while Queens Park Rangers remain second from bottom in the Premier League.

England striker Jermain Defoe bagged a brace against Reading to register Spurs first win of the season under the newly appointed manager Andre Villas Boas .

Jermaine Defoe scored a brace against Reading on Sunday at the Madejski Stadium.

Of the three previous matches Spurs had drawn two and lost one raising questions about the appointment of ex Chelsea manager Andre Villas Boas. However it was a powerful and convincing performance on Sunday that provided an emphatic response. The visitors went on the attack from the start as they looked to create a number of goal scoring opportunities for themselves. The early pressure paid off as in the 18^th minute,as Defoe slotted the ball into the far post from a pass from Lennon. Spurs dominated rest of the first half accompanied by lot of missed chances in front of Reading goal.

Gareth Bale celebrating after scoring the second goal for Spurs against Reading on Sunday.

The second half started where spurs left ,creating chances and dominating the game. Despite all their domination, they failed to really score another goal till 71st minute when a neatly taken shot by Gareth Bale with his right foot doubled their advantage. Jermain Defoe soon after scored his second of the match with a 50-yard run with a powerful angled finish  to give Spurs a 3-0 unassailable lead. Reading did manage to grab a late consolation in the breaking moments of the match when Le Fonde finished quite neatly in the near post.

Andre Villas Boas registered first win as Tottenham Hotspur manager on Sunday against Reading.

In the end it was a sublime performance from Spurs with limelight on Welsh midfielder Gareth Bale along with Moussa Dembele roaming all over the park and creating chances. With this win Spurs finally managed to climb up in the Premier League table.

LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 01: Andy Carroll of West Ham United clashes with Brede Handeland of Fulham and is forced to leave the pitch during the Barclays Premier League match between West Ham United and Fulham at the Boleyn Ground on September 1, 2012 in London, England.

West ham crushed Fulham 3-0, Swansea, Tottenham  and Wigan managed draws against visitors Sunderland, Norwich and Stoke City, and Manchester City managed three easy points against Queens Park Rangers at Etihad.

West ham 3-0 Fulham

Liverpool‘s on-loan striker Andy Carroll made an impressive debut for West ham as he set up two goals in a cruising victory against woeful Fulham. Carroll’s header let Ricardo Vaz Te tee up Kevin Nolan to score the first in 53 seconds, the fastest of the season. Winston Reid then powered in a free header from a corner to make it 2-0. Matthew Taylor put the Hammers 3-0 up in the 41st minute. The did Cottagers made attempts to breach West Ham’s rearguard, though: Jussi Jaaskelainen made eight saves in the match.

Swansea 2-2 Sunderland

SWANSEA, WALES – SEPTEMBER 01: L-R: Dabvid Meyler, Adam Johnson and Stephane Sessegnon of Sunderland celebrate goal by Steven Fletcher during the Premier League match between Swansea City and Sunderland at Liberty Stadium on September 1, 2012 in Swansea, Wales.

Swansea’s 100 % start to the season came to a halt as Steven Fletcher’s first goals for Sunderland managed a 2-2 draw at the Liberty Stadium.The visitors were denied victory because of striker Michu who scored his fourth goal in just three matches. The hosts had initially drawn level with a fine finish by Routledge in 45th minute. This dramatic draw was marred by a serious ankle injury to Neil Taylor.

Tottenham 1-1 Norwich

LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 01: Moussa Dembele of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates with team-mates after scoring during the Barclays Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Norwich City at White Hart Lane on September 1, 2012 in London, England.

With just two points from three matches, this is not the start Spurs supporters were hoping for. Spurs opened the scoring with debutant Moussa Dembele scoring a pretty goal in the 68th minute . But the Lilywhites and their manager Andre Villas-Boas will have to wait for their first win this season after Robert Snodgrass equalised in the 85th minute for Norwich.

West Brom 2-0 Everton

WEST BROMWICH, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 01: Shane Long of West Brom celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Barclays Premier League match between West Bromwich Albion and Everton at The Hawthorns on September 1, 2012 in West Bromwich, England.

West Brom continued their good run in the league with an impressive 2-0 win over Everton at The Hawthorns. This was their third result after a home win over Liverpool on opening day and then drawing with Tottenham on the road. Shane Long scored the first goal of the match in 63rd minute. Second goal came from Chris Brunt’s corner in the 82nd minute which found the head of defender Gareth McAuley who sent the ball into the back of the net. The Baggies are still undefeated in the EPL with two wins, while  Everton drop  to fourth place with six points.

Manchester City 3-1 Queens Park Rangers

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 01: Edin Dzeko of Manchester City celebrates his goal with Carlos Tevez and Samir Nasri during the Barclays Premier League match between Manchester City and Queens Park Rangers at Etihad Stadium on September 1, 2012 in Manchester, England.

Unlike their first two matches, Manchester City took the lead for the first time this season with City dominating the proceedings early on and with QPR having no response for the English Champions. City took the lead in 16th minute when Toure smashed the ball into the back of the net. In the 59th  minute, QPR managed to level things up in the game with an easy header from Zamora, once Joe Hart had parried the Rs’ initial effort. City then got back on the offensive and scored a goal in the 61st  minute of the game when a ball crossed by Tevez was brilliantly headed into the goal by Dzeko. The last goal of the match came from Tevez who managed to deflect Dzeko’s effort into the back of the net and past the keeper.

Upcoming Matches: Liverpool vs Arsenal (Sun – 6 PM), Newcastle vs Aston Villa (Sun – 8.30 PM ), Southampton vs Manchetser United(Sun – 8.30 PM)

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LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – AUGUST 20: Nani of Manchester United in action during the Barclays Premier League match between Everton and Manchester United at Goodison Park on August 20, 2012 in Liverpool, England.

Manchester United were handed their first defeat in their season opener. Everton defeated Manchester United 1-0 at Goodison park.

Everton 1-0 Manchester United

It didn’t turn out to be the perfect start for last season’s runners-up when they travelled to Goodison Park to take on Everton. Recently, the Toffees have became a thorn in the side for Manchester United: last season’s 4-4 draw at Old Trafford cost them the season. As expected, Everton were solid on their home turf, which gave them a 1-0 win with a header from Marouane Fellaini in the 58th minute.

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – AUGUST 20: Marouane Fellaini of Everton celebrates scoring the opening goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Everton and Manchester United at Goodison Park on August 20, 2012 in Liverpool, England.

Despite having 70% of the possession, United performed below their capability with fewer shots on goal.The first half was one of frustration for the visitors, with Everton controlling play and finding themselves with numerous opportunities to score. It was David De Gea’s remarkable reactions that prevented United conceding a minimum of three goals. The star of the match and lone goal scorer, the six foot four inch Belgian Fellaini provided the breakthrough for the home side with a solid header and a little help from United’s lackluster defense. Former Arsenal hotshot Robin van Persie was brought on in the 68th minute but he did not have any shots on goal. De Gea aside, the only other United player to impress was the newly signed Japanese midfielder Shinji Kagawa, who shone with his great movement and passes throughout the match.

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – AUGUST 20: Shinji Kagawa of Manchester United in action during the Barclays Premier League match between Everton and Manchester United at Goodison Park on August 20, 2012 in Liverpool, England.

The win is Everton’s fourth win in 21 games against Manchester United at Goodison Park. For United, it was a disappointing season opener, one from which they can only hope to improve.

Upcoming Matches: Chelsea vs Reading (Thurs-12.15 AM)

The most coveted extravaganza returns again this summer as 16 best national teams across Europe clash with each other to grab the crown of Europe. The tournament this year takes place in Ukraine and Poland. As has been the case for the past 4 years, Spain enters the tournament as heavy favourites. Other likely teams to challenge world champions Spain are Germany, Netherlands, England, Italy and France. But here we will not be talking about the most likely ones but the most unlikely ones – The Underdogs.

Greece: In Debt (Group A)

Eight years can change a lot and it did for Greece. From being unlikely winners that beat the Portuguese sensationally to win the title in 2004, Greece have disappointed at major finals, exiting in the group stages at Euro 2008 and the 2010 World Cup. The European Champions from 2004 will come to Poland hoping that they will come close to their last huge success. Greece secured their place at the finals thanks to an unbeaten qualifying campaign which saw them amass 24 points from a possible 30. It was based on their solid defense, which leaked just five goals in ten qualifiers. At the other end, Greece’s 14 goals was the lowest return of any of the sides to reach Euro 2012.

Greece may have come through qualification unmarked, but few will be expecting a repeat of their 2004 heroics after a gradual downfall in the eight years since, stuck by a lack of emerging talent coming through the ranks. They do have a chance to go through the group stage mainly thanks to good draw that gave them hosts Poland and Russia to hustle for the quarter final position.

Greece squad

Goalkeepers: Kostas Chalkias (PAOK FC), Michalis Sifakis (Aris Thessaloniki FC), Alexandros Tzorvas (US Città di Palermo).

Defenders: Vassilis Torossidis (Olympiacos FC), Kyriakos Papadopoulos (FC Schalke 04), Sokratis Papastathopoulos (SV Werder Bremen), Avraam Papadopoulos (Olympiacos FC), José Holebas (Olympiacos FC), Giorgos Tzavellas (AS Monaco FC), Stelios Malezas (PAOK FC).

Midfielders: Kostas Katsouranis (Panathinaikos FC), Giorgos Karagounis (Panathinaikos FC), Giannis Maniatis (Olympiacos FC), Giorgos Fotakis (PAOK FC), Grigoris Makos (AEK Athens FC), Giannis Fetfatzidis (Olympiacos FC), Sotiris Ninis (Panathinaikos FC), Kostas Fortounis (1. FC Kaiserslautern).

Forwards: Dimitris Salpingidis (PAOK FC), Giorgos Samaras (Celtic FC), Fanis Gekas (Samsunspor), Nikos Liberopoulos (AEK Athens FC), Kostas Mitroglou (Atromitos FC).

Portugal: Underachievers (Group B)

They are yet to taste glory at any of the big tournaments, with a second-placed finish at the European Championships in 2004 their best performance. They have managed to reach the last four on two other occasions, in 1984 and 2000. They are yet to make it to the final of any World Cup, while last time out they were eliminated by ultimate champions Spain in the second round.

This time around, they are in group of death with Holland, Denmark and Germany. They will face a tough task, as they will try to make it out of a very talented and difficult group. But they rely heavily on the abilities of Cristiano Ronaldo, who netted seven in the last eight matches of qualifying. The Real Madrid star has managed 60 goals in all competitions this season, including 46 in La Liga. The only worry for them is the quality of wide men beyond Ronaldo and Nani and its doubt of the back-ups will be as threatening. Group of death is certain to pop out some surprises and Portugal could be one of them.

Portugal Squad

Goalkeepers: Eduardo (SL Benfica), Rui Patrício (Sporting Clube de Portugal), Beto (CFR 1907 Cluj).

Defenders: João Pereira (Sporting Clube de Portugal), Fábio Coentrão (Real Madrid CF), Bruno Alves (FC Zenit St Petersburg), Rolando (FC Porto), Ricardo Costa (Valencia CF), Pepe (Real Madrid CF), Miguel Lopes (SC Braga).

Midfielders: Raúl Meireles (Chelsea FC), Miguel Veloso (Genoa CFC), João Moutinho (FC Porto), Rúben Micael (Real Zaragoza), Carlos Martins (Granada CF), Custódio (SC Braga).

Forwards: Nani (Manchester United FC), Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid CF), Hugo Almeida (Besiktas JK), Ricardo Quaresma (Besiktas JK), Silvestre Varela (FC Porto), Hélder Postiga (Real Zaragoza), Nélson Oliveira (SL Benfica)

Croatia: No-hopers (Group C)

A team which failed to qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup and was largely unimpressive throughout the qualifying campaign this year, Croatia managed to qualify for Euro 2012 thanks to a two legged win over Turkey. ‘The Checks’ have reached four of the last five Euro finals, so they are no passersby.

Croatia finished second in their group, behind eventual winners Greece. Defeat to the Greeks and a surprise loss away in Georgia meant that Croatia would have to enter the competition via the playoffs. Croatia beat Turkey 3-0 in the first leg of the playoff, effectively ending all hopes the Turks had of entry. Ivica Olic scored after three minutes, Mario Mandzukic added a second and Vedran Corluka added a third in the second half. The second leg finished goal-less, and Croatia progressed to the finals.

It is most likely that the powerhouses Spain and Italy will take the top two spots easily in Group C. However, Croatia are known giant-killers and always pumped up double when playing the bigger nations. Having never lost to Italy in the six matches they have played each other, coupled with the fact the Italians are infamously slow-starters, Croatia has every chance of getting through the group stage, provided players such as Modric, Jelavic and captain Darijo Srna continue their good form.

Croatia Squad

Goalkeepers: Stipe Pletikosa (Rostov), Danijel Subasic (Monaco), Ivan Kelava (Dinamo Zagreb).

Defenders: Domogoj Vida (Dinamo Zagreb), Vedran Corluka (Tottenham), Josip Simunic (Dinamo Zagreb), Gordon Schildenfeld (Eintracht Frankfurt), Ivan Strinic (Dnipro), Danijel Pranjic (Bayern Munich), Jurica Buljat (Maccabi Haifa).

Midfielders: Darijo Srna (Shakhtar Donetsk), Tomislav Dujmovic (Real Zaragoza), Ognjen Vukojevic (Dynamo Kiev), Ivan Rakitic (Sevilla), Luka Modric (Tottenham), Ivan Perisic (Borussia Dortmund), Niko Kranjcar (Tottenham), Milan Badelj (Dinamo Zagreb), Ivo Ilicevic (Hamburg).

Forwards: Ivica Olic (Bayern Munich), Nikica Jelavic (Everton), Mario Mandzukic (Wolfsburg), Eduardo da Silva (Shakhtar Donetsk).

Ukraine: In Yell-blue (Group D)

The co hosts may not have got the opportunity to go through the qualifying campaign, but they have been in a great form recently. The last time they had a good time in a major tournament was when their legendary keeper and current boss Oleg Blokhin led them to the last eight of the 2006 World Cup. They will be led by their rather elderly skipper Andriy Shevchenko, and it won’t be wrong to say the former AC Milan hotshot is no longer the amulet he once was.

One of the players to lookout for is Andriy Yarmolenko, considered the next Andriy Shevchenko by fans and media. The 22 year old is the great white hope of Ukrainian football. Things that could work in their favour is home crowd advantage and the brilliant Eastern-European atmosphere that comes along with it. They can certainly surprise with their performance, and a bit of luck, by making it into the quarter finals. The rest, time will tell.

Ukraine Squad

Goalkeepers: Oleksandr Goryainov (FC Metalist Kharkiv), Maxym Koval (FC Dynamo Kiev), Andriy Pyatov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk).

Defenders: Bohdan Butko (Illychivets Mariupil), Olexandr Kucher (Shakhtar Donetsk), Taras Mikhalik (Dynamo Kiev), Yaroslav Rakitskiy (Shakhtar Donetsk), Yevhen Selin (Vorskla Poltava), Yevhen Khacheridi (Dynamo Kiev), Vyacheslav Shevchuk (Shakhtar Donetsk).

Midfielders: Olexandr Aliyev (Dynamo Kiev), Denys Garmash (Dynamo Kiev), Oleh Gusev (Dynamo Kiev), Yevhen Konoplyanka (Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk), Serhiy Nazarenko (Tavriya Simferopol), Ruslan Rotan (Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk), Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (Bayern Munich), Andriy Yarmolenko (Dynamo Kiev).

Forwards: Andriy Voronin (Dinamo Moscow), Marko Devic (Metalist Kharkiv), Artem Milevskiy (Dynamo Kiev), Yevhen Seleznyov (Shakhtar Donetsk), Andriy Shevchenko (Dynamo Kiev).

Speaking on ITV, Drogba (the eventual match winner) said it was ‘written a long time ago’ that the Club would beat Bayern Munich to become the first London club to win the Champions League. Call them lucky, opportunistic or whatever you want, but let’s face it; it’s hard not to imagine that Chelsea were destined to win the Champions League onSaturday night at the Allianz arena in Munich. The day 19th May, 2012 belonged to the underdogs who colored Munich blue .

Chelsea have made history by becoming the Kings of Europe after a captivating match against Bayern Munich which ended with the Blues winning a penalty shootout 4-3, after the game had ended 1-1. A team that many had thought drained two months ago are now the European champions. Chelsea did it with the heroics of keeper Petr Cech and Didier Drogba, with an interim coach in Roberto Di Matteo, and without four major players (who were suspended). They held their turf and nerves against the Bavarians, who attacked from every possible angle.

Bayern Munich largely held the upper hand throughout, yet were unable to capitalize until Thomas Müller headed in with seven minutes remaining. It looked like the trophy was heading to Munich for a fifth time, but Chelsea’s strength of character rose to the occasion once again when Didier Drogba, who had other ideas. The Ivorian levelled in the 88th minute with a powerful header from Mata’s corner. Bayern had a fantastic opportunity to restore their lead early in extra-time when they were awarded a penalty, but Petr Cech saved it from his former Chelsea teammate Arjen Robben, who looked nothing less than dejected.

After a few clashes in the remaining period of overtime, it was time for the certain heartbreak of a shootout.

Bayern Munich again went ahead 3-1, but Chelsea again restored parity to make it 3-3. The teams were ready with their final kicks. Bastian Schweinsteiger fluffed, finding the post and it fell to Drogba to seal Chelsea’s fate. He did in style, giving Chelsea the title they failed to win in a similar shootout to Manchester United in 2008 in Moscow. He’s been the man of big moments for Chelsea these last couple of months. He’s started every decisive match and has always been there for Chelsea. Drogba has conquered all at Stamford Bridge – the premier league titles, the Carling cup, the FA cup and now the Champions League. He has nothing to prove to anyone anymore, a Chelsea legend forever.

For Bayern, the defeat was particularly bitter as not only have they failed to win the Bundesliga, they also badly lost the German Cup final to Dortmund. Moreover, it also ended FC Bayern Munich’s hopes of becoming the first team to win the competition in their own stadium.

In a nutshell, wasteful Bayern were edged out by an effective and spirited Chelsea side. Munich launched thirty-five shots at them, not counting the penalty kick tiebreaker. They earned twenty corner kicks. Chelsea had one corner, and they scored off of it. Chelsea had done the improbable, if not the impossible. They were simply good.

The world witnessed the mother of all EPL final days. A lot was on stake ranging from the Premier league title to champions league qualification and relegation. EPL, which is known for its uncertainty, surprises and drama, lived up to it even on the final day of the season.

“You want drama? We give you drama”, said ESPN commentator Ian Darke!

And that is exactly what we got. A title that was going to be retained in Manchester, only the colour to embrace needed to be chosen: Red or Blue. It came down to the last minute of play as Manchester City came out on top on the most dramatic final day in Premier League history, scoring twice in injury time to win its first English league title in 44 years.

Manchester city struggled to break the visitors down for much in the first half, only to score a soft one through Zabaleta. They were stunned in second half which saw QPR scoring twice, one helped by Lescott’s awful error and the other one on a counter attack after QPR were down to 10 men (Barton lost his cool and was ejected in shocking circumstances).With more than 84% ball possession, City, throwing caution aside, hammered on the QPR goal only to find disappointment. They pressed and pressed, but QPR were inspired in defense and even Mancini had surrendered all self-control, raging at every over-hit cross and lousy shot as the title lurched back in United’s direction. It was only in the injury time that city managed to zip across QPR’s stubborn defense and register a dramatic 3-2 win.

“To win it like this is incredible,” City Manager Roberto Mancini said. “I have never seen a final (day) like this.”

Arsenal managed to finish19 points back in third place, clinching Champions League qualification for a 15th straight season with a 3-2 win at West Bromwich Albion. Tottenham came in fourth place after Adebayor and Defoe scored in a 2-0 win over Fulham. But they have to wait for the verdict on their Champions league qualification till the result of the May 19 Champions league final between Chelsea and Bayern Munich. Newcastle finished in fifth place after losing 3-1 at Everton, and Chelsea was sixth — its lowest position since 2002 — despite a 2-1 win over Blackburn. Bolton filled the final relegation spot after a 2-2 draw at Stoke, with Blackburn and Wolverhampton Wanderers already relegated.

Well done Manager, Roberto Mancini and Manchester City Captain, Vincent Kompany. A title well   deserved.

They carved through the two favorites from Spain. They made pundits look like fools, who had it all planned out as an El Classico Champions league final, with the two greatest and most followed sides in the world going head to head, and the two most extraordinary players going toe to toe; taking the Spanish rivalry to a much higher level, to that of the European stage

Presenting the final contenders: Chelsea & Bayern Munich

They had different plans for their Semifinal opponents, Barcelona and Real Madrid respectively. They surprised and reminded the whole football fraternity why the game is loved so much (It’s not the best team that always wins).The two Spanish giants looked invincible, at least on paper, with the two top goal scorers this season playing for them. Even after their 1st leg deficits, the odds were still very much in favor of the Spaniards to make it through to the final.

FC Bayern Munich have achieved their dream of reaching the 2012 UEFA Champions League final on home soil, against Chelsea FC, after ousting Real Madrid CF on penalties following 210 minutes of an enthralling semi-final. While at Bernabeu, ten-man Chelsea pulled off an extraordinary display of defensive play to reach the final. A match full of action, Chelsea having had their 1-0 first-leg lead wiped out by Sergio Busquets and captain John Terry sent off, Ramires returned Chelsea to the front seat before half-time. Two shots from Lionel Messi hit the woodwork, and in the second period, Torres confirmed his progress with a sublime cool finish past Valdes.

Chelsea have turned around a season that was looking like a lost cause by beating Liverpool at Wembley in the FA Cup final and would be hoping to add the Champions League title as well. Bayern Munich failed to get a hold on the Bundesliga yet again, and would have a huge desire of making this well fought season amount to something by winning the Champions League.

The Allianz Arena, where the final is to be played, is also the home of Bayern Munich. Playing in their own backyard, the Germans will be slight favorites and also have the advantage of being able to field their strongest team. Chelsea will lose four important players, including captain John Terry, who had a red card in the semifinal. But the Blues can count on a super fantastic Didier Drogba, on top of his game in recent weeks, and a team looking to secure their first ever champions league trophy.

The last time these two teams met each other was in the 2004/05 UEFA Champions League quarter-finals, where Chelsea won 6-5 on aggregate to reach the semi-finals, but then lost to Liverpool FC. In the first leg, Chelsea won 4-2 while Bayern won 3-2 in the second leg. Bastian Schweinsteiger, Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba, Petr Cech and John Terry are the only survivors in the current squad, all five contributing in both the legs.

In this year’s final, on the 19th of May, the two teams will walk out of the tunnel with only a victory in their minds. I bet it would be more appealing than an El Classico, full of sparks and glory. The night will witness a special final with two teams hungry to claim the right to be called the best club in Europe.

Manchester City playmaker, David Silva, who turned 26 this January have taken the Premier League by storm since his arrival from Valencia eighteen months ago. David Silva has received praise from all quarters this season for his performances and rightly so. He has illuminated up the English Premier League with his passing ability which has left many defences flabbergasted.

Such has been his cult status with the premier league leaders at the Ethiad stadium that it comes hardly as a surprise to discover that a T-shirt bearing the slogan that simply reads “Keep calm and give it to Silva” is a best seller. For Manchester City fans as long as David Silva is on the pitch, its impossible to put the ‘The noisy neighbours’ on the back foot.

David Silva has definitely been a better passer as compared any other player in the league. For the sake of stats, David Silva has completed a staggering 939 passes with an accuracy of 85%. His shooting accuracy has been at an impressive 58%. Tackle success of 65% making astounding number of interceptions so far this season.

He has been a inverted forward who is more of a wing playmaker. He looks to cut inside and thread passes, but is also prone to hitting the by-line to deliver a cross. Lately he has been  moving into central positions from out wide. Not to forget that this is only his second season in England, a tempting thought for Man City fans must be that there is more to come.

But despite his scintillating performances for his club so far, he has been a victim of his national team’s almost unenviable layout of talent. Lack of a regular starting berth has left him frustrated. It is this confusion which looms in the minds of every other fan at the Ethiad stadium, why their little genius isn’t receiving the recognition from his country that he undoubtedly deserves.

Considering Man City’s current standing in the league a premier league medal is very much in the reach of David Silva, which might lead to earning more caps for the national side.

With only 2 losses and leading by 7 points against their bitter rivals Barcelona; 2011-12 is turning out Mourinho’s breakthrough season as a Los Blancos manager. The Castilian lead is now commanding and, at the rate ‘those’ clubs drop points, almost unassailable.

But along this smooth sail, an unsuspected question has risen. “What does the future hold for Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho?“ If it is to be believed, answer to this is : ’Jose Mourinho is done at Real Madrid’.

The news floated during the same week Barcelona eliminated Real Madrid in the Copa Del Rey, the latest in the seemingly endless series of classicos. The cries of the fed up Real Madrid fans asking for a change from the negative tactics often deployed by Mourinho against Barcelona which most of time results in team losing to Catalans have also risen drastically.

There is a real hypothesis that we will see Jose Mourinho pacing the touch-line and celebrating a goal by sliding on his knees in the technical area of a Premier League club next season and not the Bernabeu. So what all major options self-acclaimed ‘Special One’  Jose Mourinho have in the English Premier league.

A Chelsea return:  It was Mourinho, who lead the Blues to back-to-back titles in the last decade and could be set for a second stint at Stamford Bridge. He still loves this club and is still loved by the fans. Meanwhile, Andre Villas-Boas, Chelsea‘s boss is already under pressure, as the club are fourth in the Premier League ladder and 12 points behind Manchester City and United.

Rumours of Mourinho making a comeback to Premier league has turned on the heat on AVB, fireball formation won’t take much time with Roman Abramovich on bridgehead.

Mourinho with Gunners: There are rumors in Madrid and London that Real Madrid want Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger to replace Mourinho at the Bernabeu. That would leave an opening at the Emirates. Is this swap possible?

A Grand Old Trafford entrance: Mourinho has always shown a great desire to manage the worlds most famous club. But this is only possible if Sir Alex Ferguson chooses to step aside for the ‘Special One‘.

It would appear that the chances of Sir Alex Ferguson stepping down this summer are very limited, since the Scot announced last year that he could see himself remaining in his Old Trafford post for another three years.