Tag: bayern munich

Looking back nine years ago – Chelsea’s first Champions League Trophy

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A trophy that few have won, yet many wish to attain is the Champions League trophy. Players such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé and Robert Lewandowski have played in this tournament, however, several clubs have yet to hoist it for the first time.

For each club that has achieved this great triumph, there was a long and difficult path to win the Champions League. One such club is Chelsea FC. Prior to Roman Abramovic’s purchase of the club back in June 2003, Chelsea managed to win trophies such as the FA Cup, Football League Cup and UEFA Winners Cup, though they weren’t successful in winning Champions League.

A new journey began when Abramovic officially became the new owner of Chelsea Football Club. It gave the team a new identity, philosophy and path moving forward. More importantly, it gave fans hope, that not only that they could compete against the bigger teams in the Champions League, but that Chelsea could finally contend to win this prestigious tournament.

During the Abramovich era, Chelsea has managed to have plenty of success come their way. He’s instilled a winning mentality which has brought triumph to this club. It hasn’t always been smooth sailing for the Blue, where players such as Andriy Shevchenko, Adrian Mutu and Juan Sebastián Verón, failed to meet expectations. However, the likes of of Didier Drogba, Eden Hazard and Claude Makélélé have been able to leave their mark and help this club become successful.

In May 2008, nearly five years since Abramovic purchased the club, Chelsea were in a situation that no one had imagined in their history. The club, managed by Avraham Grant, had made it to finals of Champions League, which was to be played in Moscow at Luzhniki Stadium after they defeated Liverpool 4-3 on aggregates in the semi-finals. An English club was standing in their path as their bitter rivals, Manchester United, had advanced to the finals after their win against Barcelona.

Heartbreak.

Unfortunately, the match ended 1-1 after extra time and Chelsea lost 6-5 in a shoutout.

Four years later in May 2012, the club found themselves in a similar position. They were, once again, in the midst of trying to win their first Champions League trophy. This time their opponent was the German powerhouse club, Bayern Munich. Unlike their meeting against Manchester United, their match against Munich needed guts, determination and the will to never give up.

Chelsea was managed by Roberto Di Matteo and had players such as Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba and Ashley Cole. They were a part of the team when they lost in 2008 and were hoping to not follow the same path.  With the score 0-0 and nearly tens minutes remaining, Chelsea conceded the first goal as Thomas Müller scored at the 83rd minute to give Munich the first lead of the match. Chelsea seemed destined to follow a similar path.

Five minutes later, with Chelsea fans nervous and frantic for that needed goal, they redeemed themselves. Drogba rose to the challenge, as he had done on multiple occasions throughout his career with the club. The striker scored one of the biggest goals in his career, as he found the back of the net at the 88th minute to tie the game at 1-1.

The match headed into extra time, which didn’t solve anything for either side and they needed penalty kicks to decide their fate. With their backs against the wall and Munich leading 3-1 in the shootout, the improbable happened for Chelsea. The Blues changed the script, as they won 4-3 in penalties and won their first Champions League trophy.

King.

The wait was over and fans were out of their seats cheering in a frenzy as Chelsea also became the first and only club from London to win Champions League.

Chelsea’s all-time leading scorer, Lampard, will always look back on this moment.

In a UEFA Q&A, Lampard said, “I had lots of ups and downs. We tried and fought to get to [Champions League] finals, we lost one, and then the culmination of that, to win at Munich, and to win in the circumstances we did – as underdogs in their home stadium. The ride we’d had to get there was crazy; it was the stuff of movies.”

“When anyone asks me about my career, I cannot help but have that as the moment that jumps out at me; that’s what the Champions League is.

“If I’d have finished my career without that on my CV, I would have certainly felt incomplete, and I think this club would be incomplete.

“To win the Champions League as Chelsea, the first London club to do so, is something we’re all proud of.”

The long wait for a Champions League trophy ended and there were celebrations all over London. For certain players such as Lampard, Drogba, Cole and Petr Čech, the feelings were much greater as they developed a relationship with the club. More importantly, they had a connection with the fans after being with the club for several years.

Now we look back to eight years ago and relish the moment which became a reality for all Chelsea fans, the night when Chelsea hoisted the Champions League trophy. For the players, it will be a game that they will never forget as their comeback and the events which occurred throughout the match, will go down as one of the best in the history of football.

Time to win the trophy.

Frank Lampard’s Time With Chelsea Shouldn’t Be Viewed As A Complete Failure

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When Frank Lampard became the manager of Chelsea FC in the summer of 2019, many didn’t know what to expect. Coming off his first full season as manager for Derby County in the EFL Championship, his side finished short of being promoted back to the English Premier League. They lost 2-1 versus Aston Villa in the final of their playoffs and, despite that, they had a successful season that saw the team mature and grow. 

Lampard, who spent 13 seasons with Chelsea as a player, had a positive first season as manager of the club. He led his side to a fourth-place finish in the Premier League, which secured their spot in the Champions League for the 2020/21 campaign. Additionally, Chelsea advanced to the FA Cup finals versus Arsenal, yet lost 3-1.

However, they weren’t as fortunate in the League Cup and the Champions League as they had bitter defeats versus Manchester United and Bayern Munich, with the latter proving to be too much to handle. It was a learning curve for Lampard as it was his first time managing a club in the Champions League. A tough task to do with limited managerial experience.

In Lampard’s first season, he exceeded expectations for his side after a transfer ban in the summer of 2018. He had the daunting task of not being able to sign players that he would have wanted to and, instead, had to depend on players who returned from the prior season and also relied on the Youth Academy. Although the ban was lifted and they were able to sign players in the winter transfer market, not much was done, which left Lampard in a difficult situation.

Most managers would prefer to arrive, transform the club as to how they would want it and have the flexibility to buying players in the transfer market. Lampard took on a challenging task and, in doing so, he has been able to take many Chelsea academy players to the next level in their young career.

Last season, Mason Mount, Tammy Abraham and Reece James broke into the first team and got their opportunity to show what they could provide to Chelsea. All three players didn’t disappoint as they finished the season rather impressively. Mount and Abraham had a combined 22 goals in the Premier League, while James proved to be a capable backup to Cesar Azpilicueta for the foreseeable future. He is a physical defender, with strong tackles and a good read for the game.

Heading into the 2020/21 season, expectations became much different for Lampard. This time around, the club had a full summer transfer window to purchase and were quite active, to say the least. They brought young, highly talented players, Timo Werner, Kai Havertz, Hakim Ziyech and Ben Chilwell. They also brought veteran Thiago Silva to provide leadership and experience in the backend. They spent an excess of 200 million Euros in the summer transfer window and expectations were high.

Lampard’s job was in jeopardy at the mid-point of the season as his side had failed to produce. They exited early in the League Cup versus Tottenham Hotspur, advanced his side to the round of 16 in the Champions League and won against Hull City to advance into the fourth round of the FA Cup. Prior to his firing, Chelsea was sitting in ninth place in the Premier League. The results were encouraging yet not enough to save his job.

Lampard’s first season was more lenient given the circumstances the club faced however in his second season, club owner, Roman Abramovich, didn’t wait to evaluate Lampard’s performance as manager. The club decided to replace him with ex-PSG manager, Thomas Tuchel, which caught many by surprise when the deal was announced.

While it was sad to see Lampard leave Chelsea, he did his best in a tough situation the past two seasons. One noticeable area of concern was Lampard’s lack of managerial experience. Far too often this season, he had players in positions that were not their regulation position. Specifically, Werner, who was used as a left-wing but spent most of his time as a centre-forward with RB Leipzig. The German has struggled to find consistency, along with not scoring at the same rate he did in the Bundesliga.

All the blame shouldn’t be squared solely on Lampard. It was well known that he had limited managerial experience and he was going to need time to learn and adapt. Many successful managers have advanced through the youth rankings or have managed the lower divisions to help them gain experience. Lampard should have been given the proper time to adjust and figure it out with Chelsea. That’s never the case with Abramovich, who is known to have little patience.

Additionally, Chelsea acquired a plethora of new players in the summer transfer market and they had limited time to become familiar with each other. Training camp was shortened this season as Covid-19 altered the season and the scheduling. Injuries and illnesses also hampered Lampard’s squad, which made it difficult to have a full roster where players could play regularly.

While it didn’t go as planned this season, the Englishman was able to keep Chelsea on course through difficult times. Now he will embark on a new journey in his managerial career. Regardless of how it went, he will always be a Blue who gave it his all just as he did when he was a player with the club.

How will Timo Werner fit this season with Chelsea FC?

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It has a been tumultuous summer transfer market for Chelsea who have been one of the most active teams to date. One player who had been mentioned regularly prior to joining the Blues was Timo Werner. The German came off a career year who had been consistently mentioned to join Liverpool. Chelsea, who hardly were mentioned caught many people by surprise.

When a player such as Werner is available to be signed, a club who has the necessary funds should do what is possible to obtain their signature and commitment. If they wait too long to make a decision, other teams will grasp at the opportunity to acquire some of the best talent available in the transfer market. 

Over the past couple weeks prior to joining Chelsea, it was widely rumoured that Liverpool was in pole position to sign Werner. The Reds were reluctant to pay his full release clause of nearly €53 million euros and had yet to offer a contract to the forward.  Inter Milan and Juventus were also interested, but Chelsea seem to be willing to pay the full release clause and offer a five-year deal worth 10 million per year in wages. 

The late move by Chelsea caught many people by surprise and has shown that they are committed to signing one of the best up-and-coming players. Before signing Werner, in the past 12 months, Chelsea had only signed Mateo Kovaĉić and Hakim Ziyech. The transfer ban may have been a blessing in disguise as the club acquired a player who will help in many different ways.  Chelsea’s willingness to put pen to paper for the forward has Werner convinced in the project they have setup and Lampard playing a major role in convincing the German in what they plan to do moving forward.

While Liverpool continued to stall in signing Werner, Chelsea was lurking in the dark and wasted no time, pouncing on the opportunity. With the forward now part of the club, Chelsea fans have much to be excited about. What can they expect from the Leipzig forward?

Frank Lampard will be getting a player who should nicely fit his style of play. The Chelsea manager prefers to play direct attacking football, but the Blues have really struggled to finish their chances this season. Chelsea averaged 16.6 shots per game while only scoring 1.7 goals per game. Tammy Abraham has contributed 15 goals, but is the only player on the squad to find the back of the goal more than ten times in the English Premier League.  Willian who no longer is with the squad was second with six goals. The inability to find consistent scoring from other players has been a major issue for Lampard.  

Werner has flourished under manager Julian Nagelsmann, who’s been able to develop the forward’s game this season. Currently playing in a 4-4-2 formation, Werner showed to be very consistent, which is a rare quality to find in young players. The forward has scored many goals this season with his great movement and ability to strike the ball with great power and accuracy. The striker scored 28 goals in the Bundesliga, who was second in the league behind Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski. 

In the previous two Bundesliga campaigns, where he played as a wide forward, he averaged 3.6 shots per 90 minutes. In recent seasons he’s managed to get to the net and create opportunities for him and his teammates. This year, playing as a false nine, he’s averaged 3.6 shots per game and has improved his goal-scoring rate, averaging 0.71 goals per 90 minutes.  

Last season, Bayern Munich decided not to make a move for the forward, which has worked out well for the young forward.  Playing another season under Nagelsmann has helped Werner become a more complete player.

“Nagelsmann has said that I won’t be playing as an out-and-out striker for him as much, but more of a false 9,” Werner said.

“It has encouraged me to improve and develop myself, even when we come up against oppositions that sit deep. He’s helped me to make better use of space.”

Werner’s flexibility will provide Lampard positional versatility.  He will allow the Chelsea manager the option to play different formations, including the 4-3-3.  While Lampard has used various formations this season, the 4-3-3 is his preferred option. Werner will be a viable replacement for Pedro and Willian who are no longer with the club, and the forward has shown he can play on either wing, as a striker and as a false nine. 

Lampard’s current options include Abraham as the striker, Christian Pulisic and Callum Hudson Odoi on either wing and Ziyech who could play as a right winger, a ten, or an eight. New addition, Kai Havertz could be used on the right wing or as an attacking midfielder, yet both players are capable of playing together up front. They have the ability to score and the experience of playing together for the German International squad.

Lampard has an abundance of players that offer positional versatility, which gives the manager many options to choose from. With so many competitions to be played, it never hurts to have more bodies in the line up as injuries do occur throughout the season. 

The scoring should vastly improve the most for Chelsea. Werner’s great movement will create more space for Abraham to work with and should result in more scoring opportunities.  Abraham’s physical strength up front and ability to play behind the defense should allow him room to separate him from the defense and have more chances to score. 

While Werner is not the most physical player, he has shown he can score at a prolific rate. He has scored 78 goals in 127 Bundesliga appearances with Leipzig over the past four campaigns. Goal scoring will no longer be an area of concern for Lampard as with a player of this caliber at his disposal. A new chapter is about to begin in Werner’s life and one which he will most certainly embrace. 

What will Kai Havertz offer to Chelsea and what makes him special

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Chelsea finalized their second biggest signing in club history as they reached an agreement with Bayern Leverkusen. Kai Havertz was purchased for 70 million Euros from the German club and will join the Blues. He will have the chance to play alongside Timo Werner who plays with him for International side, Germany.

To be acknowledged and recognized in football takes hard work and dedication with the hopes of making dreams a reality. Throughout the past seasons, Havertz has shown the desire and devotion to work hard, improve his game and consistently perform at the highest level. He now joins a club who is showing the ambition to win multiple trophies as they have been one of the most active teams in the transfer market.

Havertz joins a relatively young squad who has players such as Mason Mount, Christian Pulisic, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Tammy Abraham. He becomes the next youngest player to be inserted into this squad and will immensely help manager, Frank Lampard, who has shown the commitment and willingness to play young players. Yet, what will Havertz offer his new club and what makes him so unique?

Havertz started playing at the age of four years old with Alemannia Mariadorf. In 2009, he then signed with Alemannia Aachen and spent one season in the club’s academy. Only spending one season with the second division club, he then signed with Bayer Leverkusen when he was 11 years old.

In the hopes of one day making the first team and playing in the Bundesliga, the midfielder spent seven years in the club’s academy. Additionally, Havertz played for the under 16 and 17 German National side. As the years passed by, the midfielder continued to develop his skills and mindset which developed him into an elite midfielder.

The commitment, hard work and ability to develop his game finally paid off for the German as on October 15, 2016, he found himself coming on to the pitch as a substitute for Charles Aranguiz. The wait was over for the midfielder who at the time was 17 years old and saw his dream become a reality. Since taking that step on to the pitch, the midfielder hasn’t looked back as he’s developed himself into one of the most talked about players in football.   

While Werner, James Rodriquez and Donny van de Beek have incited talks that see them with new clubs this upcoming year, another player who was headlined and generated a lot of attention has been young sensational midfielder, Havertz. In his four seasons with the Leverkusen, the midfielder has made quite the name for himself with his exciting style of play and ability to read the game.

Havertz holds many qualities which have been crucial to his game and allowed him to become a complete midfielder. At a young age, he’s developed skills in his game which many other players have yet to establish.

Starting off as a number ten with Leverkusen, in the role of an attacking midfielder, he has developed into a more versatile player who has shown to succeed in any position in the forward. He can play right midfield, right forward and the false nine. He’s able to assert himself as forward playing deeper but safely.

When Havertz is in the box and near the goal, he’s a very creative player who has good movement. His dribbling skills allow him to get around defenders and he has shown the ability to be decisive and clinical. In addition to scoring timely winning goals, he’s assisted in the build up of many plays which have led to goals for his teammates.

Havertz is a technical player and has the ability to play off either of his feet when in possession of the ball as he’s cemented himself as a two-footed midfielder. He is a threat to the opposition defence with his quick one-touch passes within tight areas. He has good passing and decision making and carries the ball well when playing it to his teammates.

The most important trait which Havertz has developed in his game is the ability to play at a high consistent level and carry the responsibility that has been given to him and take the lead.

The season prior was a career year for Havertz as he scored 17 goals in 34 Bundesliga matches. This season he has followed with another strong campaign as he’s tallied 12 goals in 24 appearances. Additionally, no player has scored more than the 36 goals that Havertz has amassed in the Bundesliga before the age of 21. The midfielder has shown no signs of slowing down as he continues to become one of the best upcoming midfielders in today’s modern game of football.

“You look at his profile, his experience already and the regularity with which he performs at a high level, you can have great confidence that he is the real deal, “recruitment expert David Webb told The Independent.

“He has been consistent and established himself as one of the best young players in the world at Leverkusen, which is also a good sign because he’s had to shoulder a lot of responsibility there and take the lead.

“He’s obviously got a maturity about him, which comes across not just in his performances but in his character.”

Lampard now gets a player who he has coveted for quite a while and should help the Englishman in this upcoming season. From being a versatile player to a complete scorer, he could be slotted into the lineup in various way which will give Lampard plenty of options to consider. He prefers to use a 4-3-3, so, expect Werner and Havertz to play together as they have been able to develop chemistry with German squad. Both have shown the ability to score at a rapid pace and will make it difficult for the other team’s defense.

The midfielder has taken his game to the next level this year and caught the interest of several clubs in different leagues. A player who is as rare as Havertz had top teams such as Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, FC Barcelona and Liverpool in Leverkusen’s path for his services. It was an unlikely club that continues to catch teams by surprise as Chelsea once again dipped into the transfer market and signed him.

Havertz now has the chance to play for one of the biggest clubs in the English Premier League as his hard work and determination has paid off. At the age of 21, he is already being compared to Mesut Özil and Michael Ballack. He is an exciting young prospect who aims to make his mark with Chelsea.  

Bayern stroll past Fortuna Dusseldorf

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Bayern Munich moved ten points clear at the summit of the Bundesliga with an emphatic 5-0 victory over Dusseldorf.

Bayern’s 10 point lead at the top last 24 hours before Dortmunds game the following day.

The German giants gained the lead in the 15th minute through an own goal by Mathias Jorgensen. Some good passing play saw Benjamin Pavard shoot but was deflected past the Dusseldorf goalkeeper by Jorgensen. 

French right back Pavard was able to find the back of the net himself in the same half to name the game 2-0.

Robert Lewandowski continued his rich form with his 33rd and 34th goals of the season. The Polish goalscorer put any chance of a Dusseldorf comeback beyond doubt either side of the half time interval.

Image from Bayern Munich

Young Canadian Alphonso Davies added insult to injury two minutes after Lewandowski’s second weaving his way past players in the penalty box and tucking the ball past the keeper.

Davies has been touted by some as the best left back in the world. Personally I feel he is currently the most inform left back, however, when you look at other players in that position you have to look at the likes of Marcelo and Jordi Alba at Real Madrid and Barcelona plus a certain Scot playing for Liverpool in the form of Andy Robertson as the best of in the world.

Image from Bayern Munich

With Chelsea looking for a left back these are the types of left backs that they should be thinking of in regards to their ability to get up the field to support the attack but also having the strong defensice skills.

Obviously the four named are well established in their teams so any transfer for the above named would be unlikely though others are available such as Nicolas Tagliafico of Ajax, Alex Telles of FC Porto and Ben Chilwell of Leicester City.

Finally, on loan Barcelona player at Bayern Munich Philippe Coutinho again was absent from the match day squad due to his ankle injury he substained during training during the break in football due to Coronavirus.