The Last Word - Sports Blog (Sean Simara)

On to the 2019 Champions League Final now as Liverpool returned after their heartbreak of last year and they faced Tottenham. An all English final for the first time since 2008.  Both these sides came through some unforgettable semi-finals. Liverpool turned around a 3-0 deficit against Barcelona. While Tottenham came through a hell of a tie against Ajax.  Coming into the match Spurs were left worrying about the fitness of Harry Kane. Kane came into the game struggling but declared himself fit for the match after missing the semi-final. For Liverpool, no real major injury concerns. It was the start that Liverpool fans could only dream of. After only 20 seconds Moussa Sissoko was penalised for 'handball' from a cross by Sadio Mane which seemed to hit his chest. His arm was out in an unnatural position and after a VAR check the penalty was given. It was down to Mo Salah who was so cruelly taken off injured last year to give Liverpool the lead, which the Egyptian did. ...

A hell of a game this one and one that would be remembered for years to come. It was Liverpool’s turn to try and topple Real Madrid as they faced up in Kiev, Ukraine. This match had some outstanding goals, controversy, drama and some hilarious mistakes. Liverpool were looking for their 6th European Cup while Madrid were hoping to make it 3 in a row. Both teams came out of the blocks very fast creating a lot of chances. The major moment of the first half though came around the 25-minute mark. Remember Sergio Ramos and his shithouse antics in Cardiff last year? Well here he got himself into a tangle with Mo Salah which sadly saw the Egyptian star forced off with an injury. I thought it was a fair challenge and Ramos landed on Salah’s arm by accident while rolling up on his shoulder with his full body weight. These things happen in the game. The first half did in fact end 0-0 but it was in the second is where all the entertainment came. Madrid took the lead through Karim Benzema but i...

To the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff now for another sensational final as Juventus faced the tough task against defending champions Real Madrid. Los Blancos were looking to become the first team to retain the cup under the Champions League era. Juventus headed into the final hoping to finally get their hands on the trophy since 1996. The Old Lady were also looking to lock down their own treble. Juventus had a much-changed team since their last appearance in the final against Barcelona 2 years ago. Real Madrid were pretty much the same team as they were last year. The closed roof of the Millennium made a cracking atmosphere and Juventus started the game much stronger and were unlucky not to take the lead early doors through a couple of strikes from Gonazlo Hugain. The break-through did finally come from Madrid’s talisman Cristiano Ronaldo. His sweeping right foot effort nicked off Leonardo Bonucci into the bottom corner. Juventus were the better side in the first half and their h...

A repeat of the 2014 final now as Real Madrid faced city rivals Atletico. This time the setting was the San Siro in Milan. Zinedine Zidane was now the head coach of Real Madrid taking over the side in early January 2016, with pretty much the Champions League the only hope of success. This game was not as open as their encounter two years ago, but it still had its drama. Real took the league through fan favourite and one of my favourite players ever Sergio Ramos. The captain managed to get a touch on Gareth Bale’s flick on which saw it just go past Jan Oblak in goal.  Atletico had the perfect chance to level it up from the spot but their star Frenchman Antoine Griezmann’s penalty smashed off the bar and bounced out. Chances in this were few and far between with an excellent display in goal for Atletico by Oblak. With just over 10 minutes left on the clock Atletico finally found the net. A cross from Juanfran on the right-hand side was smashed in by the substitute Yannick Carrasc...

Off to Berlin now for this year’s final between Juventus and Barcelona. Both sides here chasing their own treble for the season after wrapping up their domestic leagues and cups.  Could Barcelona get any better from the Pep era? Well yes, they sort of did. They added Luis Suarez to the mix the summer of 2014 boosting their fire power to untouchable heights. ‘MSN’ Messi, Suarez and Neymar racked up a remarkable 122 goals that season. Coming into this game Barcelona were the heavy favourites but Juventus had a cracking team themselves. A midfield four of Andrea Pirlo, Paul Pogba, Claudio Marchisio & Arturo Vidal had talent and creation. The pair up front was Carlos Tevez and Alvaro Morata who can get goals on their day. This should have been quite a game and maybe a little more even. Well to the match and Juventus plan to keep it tight at the back was blown out of the water as Ivan Rakitic scored after only 4 minutes. This brought Juventus out on the attack and played into th...

What a game this was and one of my favourites looking back. The stage was set as Real Madrid took on city rivals Atletico Madrid in the capital of Portugal, Lisbon for the 2014 Champions League Final. Real Madrid were on the hunt for ‘La Decima’ (their 10th European Cup) and Atletico looking for their very first. Atletico came into the game having recently won La Liga.  This game had it all from start to finish, with some of the best on show they all turned up for the main event. You might have forgotten main man for Atletico Diego Costa was forced off early with an injury, could things have been different if he were fully fit? It all added to the drama of a great game. Atletico took the lead with a trademark set piece goal Diego Simeone’s side were well know for. Real Madrid keeper Iker Casillas was caught in no man’s land and Diego Godin’s looping header caught him out. What we saw next was some sensational defending from Atletico putting everything on the line as Real went ult...

The first ever all German final at the home of football Wembley Stadium saw Borussia Dortmund face Bayern Munich in Der Klassiker which is the German Classico.  In their respective semi-finals they took out Barcelona and Real Madrid, so this was sure to be a cracker and yes our boy Arjen Robben played a massive role here again. In a very open game both sides had chances, but the breakthrough came after the hour via Mario Mandzukic who scored for Bayern. Dortmund leveled it up via the spot with a penalty from Ilkay Gundogan. A familiar face in English football now as he’s at Manchester City. (Side note Dante should have got a second yellow & been sent off for Bayern for giving away the penalty)  The chances still came at both ends during the second half and just as extra time loomed up stepped our familiar face. After fluffing his lines last year Robben found the net with only 2 minutes remaining rolling in his one on one with his famous left foot.  Wembley expl...

From the feedback so far on the blog for some reason Bayern Munich v Chelsea is the one a lot want to read and reflect on. I can't think why. Well the German side back in the final on their home patch surely it’s the perfect time for them to lift the Champions League again? Well football is not that easy and can be cruel.  Roberto Di Matteo was named caretaker manager of Chelsea in March 2012 until the end of that season after the sacking of Andre Villas-Boas. What came in the few months after will forever be remembered in Chelsea’s history. Leading up to the final ‘leader’ John Terry was suspended after getting sent off in the semi-final against Barcelona. This was literally set up for Munich to win.  Looking back at this game I remembered the surprise selection of Ryan Bertrand in the starting line up and Arjen Robben missing a lot of chances for Bayern, boy did he miss a lot. Chelsea pretty much defended for most the game (in particular though Ashley Cole was outstandin...

A footballing lesson was handed out in 2011 at Wembley Stadium as Barcelona took on Manchester United. Barcelona at the peak of their powers under Pep Guardiola dominated the game from start to finish proving they were one of the greatest sides ever assembled.  Looking back at this game and the starting line ups it wasn’t a bad United team, with a back four including Ferdinand, Vidic & Evra. Rooney as number 10 and Hernandez up top. However, Barcelona with the midfield trio of Iniesta, Xavi & Busquets (the best midfield trio in the world) and someone called Messi up front, simply tore United apart. A few half chances at the start for United but the Catalan side created chance after chance and finally broke through with a Pedro strike sending Van der Sar the wrong way. Rooney did grab an equaliser for United but the class difference between the two sides grew in the second half and Messi & Co extended the lead with a couple of stunning goals. Messi’s goal came in the...

To kick off my throwback review of Champions League finals the first brings us to Bayern Munich v Inter Milan in 2010 at the Santiago Bernabéu in Spain. It was the completion of a historic treble for Inter Milan as they also landed Serie A and the Coppa Italia that season. This was also Jose Mourinho's second Champions League victory. The game was remembered for a display of master class finishing from Diego Milito who netted both goals for Inter. The second all his own work, taking on Van Buyten before slotting his right foot strike pass Butt in goal. In true Mourinho fashion the Inter tactics were pretty much what many football fans of that time expected of him, soak up the pressure and hit on the counterattack. Robben pulled the strings for Bayern but he couldn't quite find the net, a very similar performance from him appears in a few years’ time which I will get to. For the German side this was a breakthrough season of one Thomas Muller, one of the modern day greats of ...