Real Madrid, Juventus, Barcelona and Bayern in Champions League Semis

The second matchday of the UEFA Champions League quarterfinal return leg matches lacked the goals that were the order of the day before with only one goal scored in two matches.

Forgotten Mexican Javier ‘Chicarito’ Hernandez emerged from the abyss as he scored the only goal of the night, a vital one as it helped defending champions Real Madrid progress to the last four.

With the match still barren after 178 minutes of football, the on-loan Manchester United forward popped up with the goal tapping in a Cristiano Ronaldo pass.

The timing of the goal and the fact that Atletico had been reduced to 10-men with quarter an hour to go meant Diego Simeone’s men could not prevent their first defeat in their previous 8 matches against the reigning champions.

The Stade Louis Stadium in Monaco opened and closed without any goal being sighted. Juventus, holding a 1-0 first leg advantage reminded many of their old days when resolute defending was their and Italian football mainstay.

Monaco had 12 shots but only one tested Gianluigi Buffon in the Old Lady’s goal as they restricted the hosts to trying their luck from outside the box.

In the end, Arturo Vidal’s converted penalty in the first leg in Turin proved decisive as Juve won the tie 1-0 on aggregate to book their first semi-final berth in 12 years.

Real Madrid and Juventus joined Bayern Munich, Bundesliga defending and champions-elect, and FC Barcelona in the last four.

Pep Guardiola’s Bayern produced a breathtaking second leg display by thumping FC Porto 6-1 at Allianz Arena to win 7-4 on aggregate having shockingly lost 3-1 in the first leg.

Barcelona, 3-1 winners at Parc de Princess a week earlier, completed the job fairly easily at Camp Nou as Neymar double saw them run out 2-0 winners and 5-1 on aggregate.

The four teams are arguably the best there is in Europe, be it in the domestic front or at the continental level. No matter who draws who in the semifinals, we should expect a football treat.

And That's thesteifmastertake!!

Porto Defeat Leaves Bayern with their Biggest Character Test Yet

At the final whistle, some FC Porto were left lying on the ground, not celebrating, perhaps overcome with emotions after one of the club’s best European results in recent memory.  They had done a job. A great job. Had you, by your own fault or otherwise, tuned in to watch the match at that point, you’d have been forgiven for thinking Bayern Munich had grabbed a routine Champions League win over some lowly ranked team.

But no.

Bayern were second best at Estadio do Dragao despite wearing the favorites tag right from Friday March 20 when the draw was conducted in Nyon and they were pitted against the Portuguese in the Champions League quarter finals.

However, a trio of defensive lapses paid put to their chances of taking control of the tie. As early as the third minute, the Bayern defence started erring. Xabi Alonso, always known to be a cool customer with the ball at his feet, was perhaps too cocky and miscalculated the distance between him and Porto’s Jackson Martinez. The Colombian, making his return after over a month out with injury dispossessed the Spaniard. Both players fell on the ground but Martinez was faster in recovering.

With the Bayern goal gaping at him, the Porto captain made two touches, his third getting him closer to Manuel Neuer. He moved to round off Neuer but who tripped him with a loose right leg with the referee deciding the contact was illegal enough to warrant a penalty. Quaresma stepped forward, sent Neuer to the left while tucking the ball into the right side of the net for a 1-0 lead.

Seven minutes later, the Bayern defence was at it again. Dante seemed to be in total control when he received the ball just yards from the center circle. However, his first touch was poor allowing Quaresma to close him down, rob the ball and race unchallenged towards Neuer and slot the ball home. 2-0.

Thiago Alcantara scored at the back post in another poorly defended goal just before the half hour mark to make it 2-1. That should have proved a vital away goal but Bayern were caught napping in the 65^th minute when Martinez was once again gifted after Jerome Boateng miscalculated the flight of the ball allowing the Colombian to slot home and make it 3-1.

Bayern rallied for another goal but Porto held on to ensure Pep Guardiola’s side lost for the first time in Portuguese soil.

In the aftermath of their defeat, Bayern attacker Thomas Muller took a swipe at the Portuguese club accusing them of ‘parking the bus’ but it’s hard to understand his logic given that Porto scored three times and could have had more had Neuer had an uncustomary bad day in office.

You only score when you ‘unpack the bus’ and venture forward.

The Bavarians were held 0-0 away to Shakhtar Donetsk in the round of 16 but were merciless at the Allianz Arena in the return leg slicing the Ukrainians into pieces in a 7-0 whitewash.

Arjen Robben, Franck Ribery and Bastian Schweinsteiger met the first leg clash but will most likely be available for selection in the return leg. The Bundesliga leaders will still be favorites to win their return leg clash against Julen Lopetegui’s FC Porto but whether they can overturn a 3-1 deficit is the biggest question.

On account of their defending on Wednesday night though, it might prove to be a monumental task.

And That’s thesteifmastertake!!

Jurgen Klopp to Quit Dortmund at the End Current Season

After seven years of service in which he transformed Borussia Dortmund to a Bundesliga giant and one of Europe’s best clubs, German, Jurgen Klopp, will end his relationship with the club – at least as far as being their manager is concerned – at the end of the current season.

A club statement released on Wednesday stated that the 47-year-old requested to be released from his contract which was due to run until 2018, a time in which he would have celebrated 10 years managing the club.

"It's extraordinary for such a relationship to last seven years in football. Nobody is to blame for our parting of the ways, whether it be the team, the fans or anybody else,” said Klopp.

"Jürgen, you can be sure that after our incredible achievements and outstanding co-operation you have earned the gratitude of all Borussia fans," BVB CEO Hans-Hoachim Watzke told him.

Klopp joined Dortmund in May 2008 signing a two-year contract at Signal Iduna Park. Having finished in a lowly 13th place the previous season under Thomas Doll, Klopp helped Dortmund rise to 6th in his first full season in charge and one higher place the season after.

In his third season in charge, he delivered the 2010-11 Bundesliga title, Dortmund’s first in 8 years before successfully defending it in the 2011-12 season. He won the German Football Manager of the Year in both occasions.

He made Dortmund a permanent UEFA Champions League club, coming close to winning the competition in the first ever all-German final in 2012-13 season. They lost 2-1 to Bundesliga rivals Bayern Munich.

At the start of the current season, they beat Bayern Munich 2-0 to win the DFL-Supercup but that success has evaded them in the league. By the time he announced his imminent departure, Dortmund are out of the Champions League and need one hell of a miracle in the Bundesliga to even finish in a Europa League space. 

Die Schwarzgelben were at one time bottom of the Bundesliga before winning a couple of matches that catapulted them to a slightly higher position. They have won only 9 games and lost 13 which sees them placed 10th with 33 points, over twice less than leaders Bayern who are on 70 points, and 18 adrift of Bayer Leverkusen who occupy the last of the four Champions League spots.

The likable Klopp is the longest serving head coach in the history of Dortmund and has delivered 129 victories in 232 games, the highest average in the club’s history.

Although he will most certainly leave Dortmund without having delivered Champions League football for next season, the former Mainz player and boss commands huge respect across Europe.

There will be suitors for sure. Be it Manchester City in England, either of the Milan sides in Italy or an above average club in Spain, it would be interesting to see where he will land.

And That's thesteifmastertake!!