Season 35 Week 14 processing...

Welcome to week 14.

The reset has finished and data entry has begun...

Friendly games have kicked off so I expect the league games to kickoff tomorrow Wednesday morning at 1000 hours, but we do keep having short powercuts so maybe not but we'll try for that...

WATFORD

A strong and clinical display from Watford vs Liverpool who in the reverse fixture earlier in the season suffered a 3-1 defeat. Only blemish on the result is the sending off of Cancelo, who is the team's only natural RB. Having toyed with the idea of playing a LB at RB, given they can play either flank without handicap. The manager opted for Harvey Barnes, due to being a DY, also suffers no handicap but has the added bonus of being right footed. This weeks opponents are Chelsea who are usually the sides bogey side and always struggle against them. Hopefully the manager can take advantage of the Chelsea managers indifferent form this season.
Napoli are the Champions Cup opponents, the Italian side already has one over on the manager having defeated sister club Milan. Hopefully the Watford side can avenge, however progress to the latter rounds of the competition are a must given the poor domestic start to season leaves only the League Cup and Europe as realistic opportunities for silverware.
 

AC MILAN

3 Wins on the bounce for AC Milan, scoring 12 goals in the league also. Hopefully the side has finally clicked. The club has reshaped the backroom staff given the side a boost to help off-field and help intergrade and train up the players to get the best out of them. The manager is keen to still offload some of the previous regimes players and continues to focus on that. Cagliari are the opponents are if memory serves correct they used to be a formidable side within Italy and still boast the likes of Bentivenga, Borini, Petrucci and Pobega.. Hopefully Milan can show the rest of the league there ambitions and claim the 3 points.
Europa opponents are Atletico Madrid, this clash could easily be a Champions Cup final, however the manager is hoping he can progress, but it could be a hurdle just a little to soon. Players such as Dybala, De Paul, Barella…
 

LEVERKUSEN

“Rekordbrecher”
The Record breakers Leverkusen are smashing previous records set by the side as the continue to show there potential in the league. Old Guard Milinkovic-Savic show he is still a key player in the side and producing a Sublime performance last week out and Guimaraes back to form. Joao Felix is the league top scorer having scored a sensational 29 goals in all competitions this season. Remarkable.
The Yellow and White of Dortmund await the Leverkusen side in the league and no doubt will be stern opponents, previous form has been hit and miss. Managing to sell-out there home ground of 120,000! Such loyal hardcore fans. Hopefully the players can remain focused and use the lure of potential glory to drive them forward.
Cork City are European Cup opponents, spearheaded by Davy Klaassen who has a respectable 17goals in 20 games, no doubt the danger man at TM for the side, so the manager has reacted by replacing Vermeeren who is a great understudy. However Guimaraes is required to marshal the midfield at AM.
 
 

BOTAFOGO

Regular service resumed in Rio as Neymar and Casemiro both dominated the game Vs Coritiba, both players getting a brace. Also delighted for youngster Endrick who managed to bag a goal in the league and cup this week increasing his tally for the club and giving him much need exposure to first team rigors. Marcos Llorente is rewarded with a new contract, the midfield trio of Saul, Llorente and Casemiro has be a rock for the rio club. Mixing flair, grit and determination together.
A league/copa double header vs Flamengo this week! The manager will be eager to progress in the Copa Liba having missed out on the final last year!
 
Good luck to everyone and Merry Christmas 

Thanks Phil, a great read as usual. League games will kickoff following the Cup results...

Confederatgions Cup - Quarter Final results

Dallas 1 Nashville 0
Chicago 5 Tampa 2
NewYork 1 Kansas 2
Harrisburg 0 Cosos 0 aet pens 5-4

Champions Cup

Charlton 2 Ajax 1
Plymouth 2 Barcelona 1
Schalke 3 Man City 2
Watford 2 Napoli 0

European Cup Winners Cup

Lyon 0 Linfield 1
Rotterdam 3 Shamrock 2
Santander 2 Berlin 3
Malmo 1 Dresden 2

Anglo-Scottish Cup

Newcastle 1 Falkirk 1 aet pens 5-4
Leeds 1 Banstead 0
Bournemouth 3 Stirling 0
Spurs 4 Stenhousmuir 0

European Cup

Villa 1 Genk 0
Lazio 0 Betis 0 aet pens 3-4
Wolfsburg 2 Viking 0
Leverkusen 6 ( six ) CorkCity 0

Europa Cup

Rangers 1 Nantes 3
ManUnited 3 Gornik 0
Arsenal 0 Liverpool 3
ACMilan 3 Atletico 1

European Fairs Cup

Gladbach 3 Braga 1
Liege 0 Stuttgart 0 aet pens 6-5
Hannover 3 Valencia 0
Gothenburg 1 Dunfermlin 0

Europa Conference Cup

Soton 3 Aberdeen 1
Leicester 2 Wolves 3
Motherwell 4 Dundalk 3
Westham 2 Derry 0

UEFA Intertoto Cup

Coventry 2 RedStar 1
Anderlecht 1 Juventus 0
Rennais 2 Cagliari 1
Wednesday 2 Parma 1

Europa InterCity Cup

WestBrom 1 Blackburn 2
Sampdoria 0 Cherry 0 aet pens 2-3
Hibs 3 Slovan 1
Fulham 4 Udinese 1

SudEuropa Cup

Bremen 3 Zurich 3 aet pens 4-5
Norwich 0 Stoke 1
Dortmund 3 Tranmere 0
Ferencvaros 3 Wimbledon 2

Copa Libertadores

Santos 3 SaoPaulo 0
Fluminense 2 RiverPlate 0
Botafogo 4 Flamengo 1
Independente 2 Vasco 1

Copa SudAmerica

Nacional 1 Torque 0
Velez 4 Fenix 3
Gremio 4 Toluca 2
Danubio 1 Portuguesa 3

Congratulations to all the successful managers.

The league games have kicked off, good luck to everyone this week...

Schalke 1 Hannover 0 Musiala on 2 minutes.

WestBrom 0 Soton 1 Obafemi on 3 minutes.
Etienne 1 LeMans 0 Matheus Nunes.

Coventry 1 Wolves 0 Dzeko on 5 minutes.

Schalke 2 Hannover 0 Rodri header on 7 minutes.
Atletico 1 Barcelona 0 Dybala.

Monaco 0 Nantes 1 Gerson Santos on 8 minutes.

Finally managed to log-on and get to the dugout during this busy Xmas period! Huge 90 minutes (well 85 now) coming up!

ManUnited 1 Arsenal 0 Akanji on 9 minutes.
WestBrom 0 Soton 2 Smallbone.
Burnley 1 Huddersfield 0 Cullen freekick.
Coventry 1 Wolves 1 Van Velzen.
Cannes 0 Rennais 1 Griezmann.
Atletico 1 Barcelona 1 Gavi.