Fighting for Promotion

If you just listened to our respective governments, you might think that the United States and China want nothing to do with each other, or that its people have nothing in common. Fortunately, the government can't speak for all of its people. I'm here to tell you all about the day an American soccer fan went to Tianjin in search of an interesting Tianjin TEDA match, and came home with a love for both Chinese soccer culture and Chinese culture in general. That American was me, and that day was one of the best of my life.

Background:
I visited Tianjin on May 7th of this year. I knew about the club because they had one of the best Iranian players, Morteza Pouraliganji, the season before last, which gave me a great reason to follow and support. This support was escalated about 18 months ago when I met a man who is now one of my best friends - his name is Samuel Wang, and he is an international student from Tianjin, studying at a school in Maryland. I was at a D.C. United match when I saw a guy wearing a Tianjin TEDA scarf, so I went up to talk to him. His initial reaction was shock at the fact that anybody in the US had ever heard of TEDA, let alone recognized their logo. We bonded over Pouraliganji and supporter culture - I found out that he was the founder of Tiger Wings, TEDA's top supporter group - and immediately made it a priority to get me to Tianjin as soon as possible. This guy had started an enormous group of rabid fans over on the other side of the world, and I had to go see them in action.

Long story short, I made it to Tianjin a few months ago, but Sam was still taking his final exams back in Maryland. Luckily, one of his best friends/another Tiger Wings founder, Baolai, was gracious enough to host me throughout my day in the city. He ended up being one of the coolest people ever, but I'm sure you won't need me to tell you that after you see him in my photos.

Pre-Game:
I arrived in Tianjin around noon wearing my TEDA shirt, and was greeted by a guy wearing a D.C. United hoodie - more specifically, he was a wearing a District Ultras hoodie, representing the supporters group of which I'm a member. I knew Sam had told Baolai about all the DCU matches he'd been attending, but I had no idea the merchandise had made its way halfway across the world.

Once I thoroughly complimented my new acquaintance on his choice of cold weather clothing, he took me on a tour of his favorite city spots and showed me his favorite restaurant. This was one of those hole-in-the-wall places that isn't used to seeing anyone from out of town, so needless to say I got plenty of confused stares when I walked in. But it doesn't matter, because the food was inexpensive and it was incredible.

After some grub, we headed to the stadium where I was handed Tiger Wings stickers, my match ticket, and a TEDA scarf before we had even left the parking lot. I was immediately taking a ton of pictures of all the merchandise, as well as the outside of the stadium. Once we had walked in, I got a glimpse of the stadium's beauty during player warm-ups. I was meeting all of the other Tiger Wings leaders and getting previews of what the chants sounded like. Keep in mind that Baolai was the only person I met that entire day that spoke any English; luckily, soccer chants are an international language even if you can't pronounce every word correctly. I was already falling in love with Chinese soccer culture (I fell in love with Chinese food years ago), so I decided to show them a bit of my own culture.

I had successfully spread District Ultras fever to Tianjin, China. Now it was time to enjoy the match.

Match: Tianjin TEDA 1-1 Liaoning Hongyun

Where do I even begin with the match itself? Imagine the loudest thing you've ever heard, then multiply it by five, and you might have an idea of the passion of these supporters. Just check out the time and effort that went into their tifos and signs:

On a purely soccer level, it was kind of cool to see numerous big-name players on the field. So much has been made of the foreign players being bought for huge sums of money by Chinese clubs - some say the players are just chasing money, or that the clubs themselves are wasting their finances - but what I noticed was that each foreign player on these two sides was working their socks off and clearly wasn't in China on a retirement tour. It was especially cool to see John Obi Mikel, former Chelsea star, suit up for TEDA alongside former West Brom striker Brown Ideye.

Anyway, back to the fans. My vocal chords were absolutely shriveled up by the end of this match, and I have some chants in my head that I won't soon be forgetting. The capo (chant leader) was yelling into his microphone nonstop, and 90% of the crowd was responding in perfect unison, creating an absolutely hostile atmosphere for the opponents. It would be pointless for me to try putting this into any more words than I already have, but just know that I walked out of that stadium unbelievably impressed by Chinese supporters and their passion for the sport. When TEDA scored to take the lead, I wouldn't be surprised if the celebrations registered as a small earthquake in Tianjin.

Post-Match:

I'll keep this part short since I know you're all tired of reading about my misadventures. It was a pleasure to see Tianjin at night; its beauty is really accentuated. For a city that most of the world has never heard about, it was magnificent in its architecture and city layout, centered around a large river much like Venice or Amsterdam. Only 30 minutes from Beijing via the bullet train (by the way, did I mention how crazy it was to ride a train going over 200 mph?), I wouldn't be surprised to see it become another tourist destination sooner rather than later.

I left the city around 9:30PM after a day full of great food, great soccer, and great memories, but not before giving Baolai a token of my appreciation for his unmatched hospitality: his very own D.C. United shirt. He can wear it under his Ultras hoodie next time I go visit.

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Four years after leaving Manchester United as a lanky 19-year-old in pursuit of first-team football, Paul Pogba has blossomed into something bigger and better than most would have thought possible. Now one of the most talented midfielders in the world, the Frenchman has just completed his record-breaking move from Juventus back to Old Trafford – in case you somehow hadn’t heard yet.

Entertain me here, and let’s ignore the deal’s price tag for a few minutes. Whether or not the transfer fee is justified, the fact is that Pogba is back in red and will undoubtedly be thrust right into the starting XI. While we’re making assumptions, we should establish that the club has no new signings coming in. José Mourinho cited a desire for four new players, and he has since acquired them. Now, all he and his staff should care about is how to perfectly set up the team to win trophies immediately.

So what exactly is the ideal way to incorporate Pogba into his new team?

The first issue is simply how Mourinho will set up the midfield. If recent tendencies are anything to go by, United fans should expect to see a 4-2-3-1 to start the season. Mourinho found success with this formation during his last spell at Chelsea, using a defensive midfield pairing of Nemanja Matic and Cesc Fabregas to establish a great balance between defence and attack. In fact, one could liken Fabregas’ role in that system to what Mourinho will ask Pogba to do; start in the middle, maybe a bit deeper, but advance forward to create somewhat of a 4-1-4-1 when in possession. The 4-2-3-1 would be perfect for a player like Morgan Schneiderlin, who is used to it from his time at Southampton, but would it really bring the best out of Pogba?

A short answer to that is, most likely, ‘no.’ Even thinking as recently as the European Championships earlier this summer, most pundits agreed that the 23-year-old was played out of position as one of the two holding midfielders in France’s 4-2-3-1. At this point in his development, he does not quite have the technical brilliance to play the #10 role, nor does he have the defensive acumen to be the true number 6 in a two-man midfield. France had that problem at the Euros, as did Juventus when they attempted to play him in a true attacking midfield spot.

On the other hand, if there is any manager who knows how to maximize the 4-2-3-1, it is Mourinho. A player like Pogba has been known to make both incisive passes and quality tackles, much like a Michael Carrick of a few years back. The Frenchman is slightly hampered when forced to stay back, but he is still capable of success when paired with the right player alongside him. Pogba in the midfield two needs a workhorse, defensive-minded player to play with. Daley Blind or even Timothy Fosu-Mensah could pull this off, but Schneiderlin is the most viable option. He was not world-class by any stretch in his first season in Manchester, but again, coaching could play a key role in maximizing his abilities. If Schneiderlin can do the dirty work while Pogba finds a balance between cleaning up at the back and being attack-minded, the middle of the park could be a very fruitful area for United, even in this somewhat foreign formation.

It is undeniable, however, that the 4-3-3 formation would have the fewest growing pains associated with it, at least for Pogba. At this point in his career, he isn’t perfectly fit to handle the bulk of his team’s defensive midfield responsibilities, nor does he have the skill set to be a team’s sole creator. With his unique combination of strength, skill, and passing ability, however, he is tailor-made to play one of the true box-to-box positions in a 4-3-3. In fact, playing in the #8 spot is exactly how he rose to prominence at Juventus, and it should be how United fans can expect the highest return on investment for him. He has the dynamism and physicality of a Vieira or a Yaya Touré, but with even better technical ability can really be a #8 like no other before him. A player that can aggressively push the ball forward from midfield to attack with such purpose comes along a couple times a generation, and United have now got one of those players.

So we’ve established that Pogba should ideally play in a midfield trio. Where does that leave the lone defensive midfield spot, then?

It is easy to say that a lone #6 in the 4-3-3 formation has to be a destroyer like Makélélé, but in reality, Mourinho teams work much better with a more graceful holding midfielder – think back to Matic, or Esteban Cambiasso, or even Sami Khedira, all intelligent, composed players who had great success plugging the gap in the 4-3-3. This being said, it is feasible for Schneiderlin to fit into this role perfectly, with some fine-tuning; he certainly fits the aforementioned description of intelligence and composure that his new manager likes so much. Because of his mediocre first season, it is easy to forget the number of useful defensive actions the Frenchman had every game while at Southampton, especially in terms of interceptions. If he can improve his passing consistency to be on par with a player like Matic, United may be set to excel in a 4-3-3.

Paul Pogba is nothing short of a behemoth. He has great feet for a player of his size, is competent defensively, and is one of the best in the world at holding onto the ball under pressure. Last season in Turin, the Frenchman averaged a goal or assist every 150 minutes – pretty good for a midfielder also expected to track back on defence. As Mourinho mentioned this week, this level of production should not see any decline upon a return to England; in fact, Pogba’s physique is prototypical of a dominant box-to-box midfielder in the Premier League (again, think Touré, but an inch or so taller).

Now, the onus is on the coaching staff to ensure that their world-record signing can be put in the best position possible to justify his price tag.

Can Zinedine Zidane succeed as Real Madrid manager?

When Zinedine Zidane returned to the club at which he ended his playing career, it was almost inevitable that he was the heir apparent to the club’s seemingly constant managerial vacancy.

With then-manager José Mourinho in charge of first-team affairs, Zizou concentrated on the academy. Under Carlo Ancelotti, the Frenchman coached his way into the first-team, assisting as Madrid won their historic tenth Champions League title. For the last 18 months, Zidane was in charge of the club’s B team – known as Real Madrid Castilla – and guided them to just a slightly above-average campaign in the Spanish third division. While these three years of experience could hardly be referred to as a period of incredible personal success for him, he was officially named the first-team manager of Real Madrid on January 4, a day that saw the club cut ties with Rafa Benítez in favour of the legendary French international.

Zidane has been given a near-impossible responsibility; with his first senior managerial job, he has to make Real Madrid play beautifully again while also meeting the sky-high expectations put forth by the front office, the players, and the fans. Certainly he has a vast knowledge of the game and a passion for the club, but can we really expect Zidane to find managerial success at Madrid?

Part of me thinks he is doomed to fail. It is one thing to have experience coaching and winning at the lower levels, but managing a team full of stars is a completely different task altogether. Real Madrid is a collection of players with some of the biggest egos in world football – not an insult, but a fact – and getting on their bad side will inevitably lead to failure (see: Rafa Benítez). Unfortunately for Zidane, the quickest way to get on a player’s bad side is to force them to do something to which they are not accustomed. He wants his teams to play beautiful football, but the Madrid team up to this point have not had such an identity; sure, they play to win, but their performances are usually dependent on moments of individual brilliance rather than a particular style of play. Trying to implement a particular philosophy has not gone well for the club’s past few managers, and the Frenchman will decide whether or not the risk is worth the potential rewards.

Additionally, and probably most importantly, is the sad reality that a Real Madrid manager has no real power. Regardless of name recognition or prior success, the fact of the matter is that this is Florentino Pérez’s club. As presidents go, Pérez is one of the most stubborn and dictatorial ones out there, and no manager has ever been able to change that. Just look at Carlo Ancelotti – he guided Madrid to La Décima, but failed to win the league title or keep Gareth Bale happy and was promptly shown the exit door. Benítez did a great job keeping players like Bale content, but allowed unrest to occur among some of the fringe players (Isco, James, etc.) and was heavily scrutinized for it by the media, which led to his sacking. It seems that the management job at Real Madrid is a recipe for disaster, no matter the level of on-field success. With the enormous pressure put on him right from the start, how can we really expect Zidane to succeed as Madrid manager?

Well, if there is anyone equipped to handle being pulled in every direction by the owner, the fans, and the media, it is him. The French legend has shown more than enough willingness to be his own man, with the prime example of that relating to young superstar Martin Odegaard. Madrid fought off a slew of Europe’s elite clubs to sign the now-17-year-old Norwegian, yet Zidane left him out of the Castilla lineup entirely on a number of occasions. According to his contract, Odegaard was allowed to train with the first team for a certain number of days per week, but Zidane refused to give him playing time for the B team while he was training with a different set of teammates. Given the hype surrounding the youngster and his ridiculous wage figure, this whole saga showed the world that Zidane was not afraid to take a Ferguson-esque “my way or the highway” approach to management.

Furthermore, his knowledge of the game and leadership abilities are already abundantly clear from his time as a player. During the most important tournaments, playing for the most important teams, Zidane was essentially a coach on the field that proved he could lead his men to the highest of heights. He’s been the World Player of the Year, the best player of the UEFA Champions League, and the best player of the World Cup, and all of those awards were completely deserved. If the Madrid players don’t respect him and follow his instructions, then maybe the manager is not the root of the club’s problem.

Furthermore, he knows what he is getting himself into. Zidane understands (and even embraces) the pressure. Most importantly for him though, I think it is unlikely for him to be heavily scrutinized for anything that happens this season; Madrid is already out of the Copa Del Rey, behind two magnificent teams in the La Liga standings, and not really a favorite to win the Champions League. He should get half a season to experiment with the team and its tactics, which hopefully set him up for more long-term success.

There are plenty of reasons to be nervous about Zidane’s appointment as manager. A managerial search for a club of Madrid’s calibre should be conducted reasonably and methodically, yet here we see a beloved player with minimal experience get the nod, and with a points deficit already staring him in the face. Sure, he could be an absolute revelation, but the fact that the players can be friendlier with him than with Benítez will not mean much if he can’t turn things around. The fans, media, and President will be quick to turn on him, regardless of his star power.

I wish Zinedine Zidane the best of luck, as I’m sure many of us do. He definitely has the footballing knowledge and leadership abilities to go far, and will undoubtedly be a successful manager for some club, even if he doesn’t remain at Madrid. I sincerely hope that he validates his legacy as a winner by leading Los Galácticos to as many trophies as possible, and proves all the doubters wrong. Unfortunately, under a boss like Florentino Pérez, all of that might not even be enough.

Football’s worst-kept secret has gotten out: Starting this summer, Pep Guardiola will be manager of Manchester City Football Club.

The current Bayern and former Barcelona coach is the most successful manager in the modern era, having won almost every trophy imaginable in his few years on the scene. He is renowned for his tactical brilliance, both offensively and defensively, and for having a strong personal relationship with his players. Many of the greatest players of the past generation, including Lionel Messi, have touted him as somewhat of a managerial magician.

But the Premier League is a different animal altogether. Who’s to say that he can just waltz in and succeed right away?

Some will say that Guardiola hasn’t yet created success as much as inherited it. His record as a winner can’t be denied, but it must have been a little easier walking into a locker room already occupied by Messi, Iniesta, and Xavi at Barcelona and Robben, Ribery, and Muller at Bayern. Sure, there is something to be said for being a strong personality and man-managing these superstar egos, but just putting these teams out on the field already guaranteed victory about 90% of the time. In the Premier League, there is significantly more parity. Not only is no club in England on the level of Barcelona or Bayern, but the league itself is already looked down upon as a frequent under-achiever in international competition. Even Guardiola himself doesn’t know how good he really is at reversing declines or rebuilding a faltering team, and his job will be even more difficult in a league notorious for giving managers a very short leash.

Another important point to discuss is the difference between cultures. While Guardiola has usually had good friendships with his players, it is publicly known that he’s not the biggest people person behind closed doors. Throughout his time at Bayern, he has often sent assistants to deliver messages instead of doing it himself, and he has even been known to fall out with a team doctor or two (something that didn’t work out too well for another Premier League manager). At times, he has revealed himself as relatively inexperienced on the PR side of things, and the brutal English media will eat that up.

On the other hand, the media will have boatloads of praise for Guardiola once he inevitably attracts some of the world’s superstars to play in the Premier League. We all know about the high-profile footballers who have rejected moves to England in recent years, but that could very well be a thing of the past should he find success on the field. Under the Manchester City ownership team, Guardiola will have the freedom to spend big, and the blessing to select the players he wants with little interference from the club’s hierarchy.

Which players will survive and thrive under Pep's leadership?

On the topic of changing up the squad, which current City players could succeed next season, and which will probably be seeing the exit door this summer?

I am by no means an expert, but a quick look at City’s current team should make Guardiola feel relatively confident heading into his first year in charge. Highly technical and intelligent players thrive under his system, and he will already have a few of those at his disposal.

It’s hard to think of a system in which Sergio Agüero wouldn’t excel, and tiki-taka should be no different. The Argentinian is a technical striker that could successfully be employed as the center forward in a False 9 system, one of Guardiola’s favorites.

Kevin De Bruyne is one that jumps out to me, and he could easily end up being Guardiola’s Müller 2.0. With his intelligence and positional flexibility, he could be very well-utilized all over the field and could really hone his game and become a complete footballer before too long. Similarly, Raheem Sterling is a pacy winger who fits the manager’s mold completely, and could hugely benefit from learning how to be more positionally sound and composed on the ball.

David Silva has often struggled to nail down one position on the field as his own, but his talent has never been in question. He is instrumental to the function of the City team, and he certainly has the intelligence and skill required by Guardiola’s system. I could see him playing as a central midfielder slightly pulled the left, much like Iniesta at Barcelona.

On the other hand, players like Wilfried Bony, Fernando, Martín Demichelis, and Eliaquim Mangala stand out as players that will almost certainly struggle under the tiki-taka system. They are the worst on the ball technically, and are fairly weak in terms of passing and positional discipline. Under proper tutelage they could very well prove me wrong, but they all seem the most likely to be on their way out.

Other players are trickier. Yaya Touré seems to be on his way out, but more because he is tired of City and less because of any deficiency in footballing skills. Jesús Navas doesn’t exactly fit the Guardiola style, but could be an effective source of energy off the bench. Samir Nasri is a quality player but seems to be have been out of form for a good few years now.

Alright Cameran, enough rambling. Will Guardiola succeed or not?

What makes Guardiola truly special is how he views and thinks the game of football. He has never faltered with his tactical tendencies, and this consistency is a large contributor to his success. We will all have to wait and see, though, how the tiki-taka style translates to Manchester. A methodology that depends heavily on technical ability and quick decision-making shouldn’t theoretically be a huge problem for a talented City squad, but the infamous English weather conditions might be roadblocks on some matchdays. Imagine trying to string together a dozen one-touch passes on a cold, rainy night in Stoke. Now imagine that the cold and the rain could be very prevalent in more than just a couple of the team’s 38 league matches. Tactical consistency is crucial to any team’s success, but it’s safe to say that Guardiola will have to be more willing to adapt than he has been in the past.

There is an exorbitant amount of money in the Premier League these days, which has allowed teams like Leicester, West Ham, and Southampton to go all out for the top spots in the table; the traditional ‘top four’ clubs are no longer solidified. With no disrespect to the Bundesliga or Liga BBVA, Guardiola will have to be at the top of his managerial game every single day in England, because the difference between qualifying for the Champions League and finishing in the bottom half of the table is smaller than it has ever been before. In terms of money, though, Guardiola will be given whatever he needs. He is arguably the world’s best, and will soon begin working for a club desperately aiming to join the elite of world football. If it’s going to take hundreds of millions of Pounds to bring in the players he needs, that is what he’ll be given.

While other Premier League managers like Jürgen Klopp have found it tough to adapt to English life, I don’t think Guardiola will have quite so many growing pains. In fact, I think he already has a head start on his tactics from his time in Germany. He prepared for the Bayern job by learning how to stop counter-attacks, because that’s how most German teams play; specifically, his Bayern team was incredibly successful at pressing high up the field for the ball as soon as possession was lost, so the opponent couldn’t built up the momentum necessary to start a counter-attack. Luckily for Guardiola and for City, counter-attacking is the most prevalent style of play in England, so it seems inevitable that the team will know approach most matches.

Managing in England is no easy task. Many have tried and most have failed, often not even lasting a full season. But Pep Guardiola has a consistent tactical identity, he knows how to deal with the counter-attack, and he has the freedom to assemble a team of his ideal players. It will be absolutely shocking to me if he doesn’t win multiple trophies during his first couple seasons in Manchester, while also helping the league regain some respect in the eyes of the world.

Who knows? With his help, the Premier League may rise to prominence once again.

The UEFA Champions League quarterfinal stage kicks off next week, and it’s hard to deny that we get to witness the battles of some of the strongest teams in Europe. World powerhouses FC Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain were handed stiff tests against Atlético de Madrid and Manchester City, respectively, while FC Bayern and Real Madrid were slightly more fortunate, and will face SL Benfica and VfL Wolfsburg.

The last three editions of the tournament have produced somewhat surprise finalists; will this year’s quarterfinal stage allow that trend to continue? Let’s take a look.

(Teams listed first are at home for the first leg)

VfL Wolfsburg vs. Real Madrid CF

One of last season’s most pleasant surprises in Germany, Wolfsburg have not exactly replicated their performances this season. However, they’re still a talented, attack-minded side capable of pulling off a shock result and hanging around with the best teams in the world. Dieter Hecking’s men have relied on the leadership of long-serving players like Ricardo Rodríguez and Naldo, and have benefitted from the pure talent of attackers like Julian Draxler and André Schürrle.

Real Madrid is a different animal from the average Bundesliga club, though, and will wholeheartedly challenge Wolfsburg’s backline. With the likes of Ronaldo up front, Modric in the middle, and Ramos in the back, the Galacticos seem to hardly have a weakness. On the field, they tend to make easy work of most opponents, but other top-quality teams can give them headaches. While Madrid will almost always be favored on paper, it would be silly to write off Wolfsburg already. Zinedine Zidane hasn’t exactly been spectacular as the first team manager (a position that was always going to be tough for him), and has notably struggled to get the best out of his team in the big games, especially away from the Bernabeu.

Should the Germans get off to a quick start in the home leg, we could have an upset on the cards. That being said, the smart money would certainly still go on Zidane & co. to progress to the semifinal.

Prediction: Real Madrid defeats Wolfsburg 3-2 on aggregate.

FC Bayern München vs. SL Benfica

After a near-miraculous comeback against a tough Juventus side, the Bavarians will be riding high heading into their matchup with the reigning Portuguese champions. Douglas Costa and Kingsley Coman have consistently terrorized defenses all season, even with world-class players such as Arjen Robben and Franck Ribéry frequently injured and unable to back them up. To add to that, the midfield and backline have been rock-solid, and really helped to lift the club into a comfortable 1st-place position in the Bundesliga table.

Luckily for anyone other than Bayern fans, Benfica’s motto will be “Anything you can do, I can do better.” Whether they can actually live up to that motto is a different story, but the fact of the matter is that they have really been just as dominant as Bayern over the past 18/24, albeit against weaker opposition. Like the Germans, the Portuguese club have attackers like Jonas and Nico Gaitán who can absolutely toy with opposing defenses, along with a veteran backline led by Luisão.

They are relatively unproven against the world’s best, though, and this Bayern squad is definitely one of the world’s best. Benfica would hold their own against many strong teams, but the Bavarians don’t seem likely to mess this one up.

Prediction: Bayern Munich defeats Benfica 5-2 on aggregate.

FC Barcelona vs. Atlético de Madrid

This is where it gets good.

Barcelona are hoping to be the first club in the Champions League era to repeat as winners, and most analysts would agree that they are again the favorites this time around. In fact, it’s truly difficult to envision a scenario in which any team in the world could beat them over two legs. In a one-off game in the middle of a La Liga season, maybe, but in a monumental matchup like this, you can bet that Luis Enrique’s men will be absolutely ready to play. The deadly Messi, Suárez, Neymar trio aren’t showing any signs of slowing down.

If any team could slow them down, though, it’s Atleti. Diego Simeone has somewhat been Barça’s kryptonite during his time as manager of the Colchoneros, using his philosophy of stout defensive organization to neutralize MSN to a certain extent. If healthy, Godín and Giménez can lead their team to a clean sheet against almost anyone, but will obviously be tested to the extreme against the world’s best.

Unfortunately, goals have been hard to come by for their attack; French attacker Antoine Griezmann is the only player in double figures for Atleti thus far this season. If Barça can manage even three goals over the two legs, they should be in good shape to advance, especially if they can use the first leg at Camp Nou to create some separation in the aggregate scoreline.

Prediction: FC Barcelona defeats Atlético de Madrid 3-1 on aggregate.

Paris Saint-Germain vs. Manchester City FC

El Cashico. Oil Classico. El Plastico. The Abu Derby.

However you spin it, this matchup will tell us a lot about the front office of both of these clubs. In the past few years, both have become known for their free-spending ‘projects’ as they attempt to move into the world’s elite, but the jury is still out on which has truly developed into the stronger team.

PSG wrapped up the Ligue 1 title with about three months to go, but haven’t yet taken their foot off the gas because of it. They handled a resurgent Chelsea side fairly easily in the Round of 16, and the prolific strike partnership of Ibrahimovic and Cavani will be licking their lips at the thought of a Man City side without their captain, Vincent Kompany; by all accounts, the Belgian will be forced to miss both legs of the quarterfinal with a recurring calf injury.

There have been times when the dynamic partnership of Agüero, Silva, and Touré have been able to bail City out of otherwise hopeless situations, but all three are having sub-par seasons and don’t look to be vastly improving on current form. Kevin De Bruyne was leading the team in assists (and second in goals) before his big injury, but he should be back in time for this tie. His return to the side could potentially be a silver lining for the Citizens, who will need all the help they can get against the world-class Thiago Silva at the back for PSG.

At the end of the day, I see the loss of Vincent Kompany as the deciding factor. On their day, City is capable of holding Ibra & co. relatively quiet for 180 minutes, but without their big Belgian at the back, that seems unlikely.

Prediction: Paris Saint-Germain defeats Manchester City 4-1 on aggregate.

What do you all think? Let me know in the comments below, or find me on Twitter if you’d like to discuss further.

The historic 20^th season of Major League Soccer comes to a close this Sunday, and it couldn’t have come down to two more evenly-matched teams than Portland Timbers FC and Columbus Crew SC. These playoffs have been the most dramatic and controversial in recent memory, but both of these teams have earned their right to be here. And they’re not done yet.

With a hotly-contested final in store, and available on national television in more than 140 countries around the world (yes, we’re still talking about MLS), I thought I would delve into a little background info regarding the Timbers, Crew SC, the preparation to the game, and even some tactics.

1) First and foremost, the game will be in Columbus

It’s amazing how important goal difference is once the end of the season rolls around. The Timbers and Crew SC finished the season with the exact same record – Portland even beat Columbus when they played during the regular season – but the men in yellow and black will host MLS Cup at their own Mapfre Stadium because they boast a superior goal difference.

2) The Timbers sold out their 900-ticket allotment for the final in six minutes

If you haven’t already heard, the Timbers Army is loud, proud, and dedicated – they filled their 21,000-seat stadium to capacity for every regular season and playoff game. Oh, and they make some of the best tifos in the entire world.

3) Fanendo Adi is a handful…

The Portland striker has been arguably the most influential player in MLS over the last two months. Built like Didier Drogba but possessing better ball control and technique, it is going to be extremely difficult for Crew SC’s center back pairing of Michael Parkhurst and Gastón Sauro to keep him from scoring over the course of 90 (or 120) minutes.

4) …but Kei Kamara might be even better

The one-time refugee from Sierra Leone has certainly seized the chance to make a name for himself in his new country. As the league’s co-leading scorer, he boasts a combination of power and pace that is made even scarier by the amazing connection he has with his attacking teammates; no team scored more goals than Columbus (58) during the 34-game regular season.

5) We may be seeing the future of coaching in America

MLS Cup 2015 features a matchup of two up-and-coming American head coaches: Gregg Berhalter of Crew SC and Caleb Porter of the Timbers. If you look around the league, you likely won’t find two more consistent leaders, and you absolutely won’t find two guys quite as obsessed with the sport as Berhalter and Porter. Both have a multitude of weapons at their disposal, but who can put their players in a better position to succeed?

6) It will be tough for the Timbers to keep up with the home team

Under Berhalter, Columbus has a reputation of getting tricky from time to time. Aside from Kamara, the versatile central midfielders and wingers all have no problem swapping positions and rotating all over the pitch. The Portland defense will have to communicate very well if they want to contain the very fluid Crew SC attack.

7) Crew SC must contain the Portland counter-attack

Columbus will have the majority of the possession – they held the second most in MLS this year (53.84%). Columbus will also have the majority of the chances – they created the second most chances from open play during the regular season, and being at home only helped them in that regard. To top it all off, only two teams scored fewer goals than Portland this season. If the Timbers want to win, they are going to have to bide their time and counter-attack with purpose. It’s in Crew SC’s best interest to prevent that from happening.

8) Columbus is the more storied club…

When MLS first began in 1996, Columbus were one of the original 10 clubs; since that time, they have a total of five trophies in their history, including winning the MLS Cup in 2008. Portland, on the other hand, did not play their first game until 2011.

9) …but Portland won’t mind that at all

If any team can win the trophy away from their home ground, it’s Portland. They won seven of their 17 road games in the regular season, including one in Columbus (who haven’t lost at home since then). Granted, the crowd this time around will be a completely different animal, but the Timbers will at least go into this matchup knowing that they’re capable of anything.

10) Either team winning is good for MLS

Many consider MLS a ‘retirement league’ of sorts. Players like Kaká, Lampard, Pirlo, etc. come to live/play in America in exchange for huge paychecks, whether or not they produce on the field of play. However, the negative perception could change on Sunday. Neither Columbus nor Portland boast any real household names on their rosters, nor are either committed to any Steven Gerrard-like enormous contracts. No matter who wins MLS Cup 2015, it will send a message across the league that good coaching and a solid core of moderately-paid players could be the key to success.

My prediction: Columbus 2, Portland 0.

At the end of the day, I think Columbus will come out and execute their game-plan better than Portland. While they have been threatening in the playoffs, only two teams in the entire league scored fewer goals than the Timbers during the regular season, and a big cup final is often the time when a team gets tense and reverts back to their old ways. I think the support of the home crowd, the intelligent defending of Parkhurst and Sauro, and the calming presence of Gregg Berhalter will be more than enough to carry the yellow and black to their second MLS Cup title.

Please comment below with your own predictions and analysis, and may the best team win!

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