Wagner Love - A SpVgg Bayreuth Story
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Micky Pain
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OCTOBER 2017
I can only hope that the previous month was any indication of the determination of my squad at this point, as October will be no less jam-packed with matches that are sure to test our strength and stamina.
Again, seven fixtures will be played at the club level, but also a few more national fixtures are scheduled, and with our current team, this will mean a large number of players are out to represent their country.
This will no doubt be one month where our substitutes are needed to step up to relief the pressure put onto my regulars.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE- GROUP STAGE
The second Champions League group match pitted us against arguably the strongest team in the mix, and on the whole it was a very exciting match to watch. Most of the game took place in midfield, and although there were a few chances for either side, the defense made sure to keep the threats on goal manageable for the goalkeepers.
With a draw looking like the most likely result, there was a brief period of doubt cast on us getting the point, when Lennon scored a screamer from well outside of the area, but it took only moments for Andre to level the score again in the closing minutes.
On the whole, a fair result, and I am glad we managed to get an away goal which might prove important in the group table.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
League surprise package Nurnberg came out to face us in the first league fixture of the month. After battling relegation in the previous couple of seasons, the Club had a great start to the current campaign, taking second place at this point.
But a very solid and confident performance by our squad left little doubt about who was the stronger team, and after Feghouli scored the opener Nurnberg seemed more concerned with keeping the score low than with taking the game.
We had a few more great chances, but it was a corner kick that lead to the second and final goal, when Bacci rose above the pack and connected calmly with the head for the final result.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
Recently promoted Hoffenheim has in the previous couple of seasons proven to be a team we could get a number of goals past, and this home-game was no different this time.
Things got of with an unlucky own goal by Hoffenheim, and our opposition never looked confident after that. We prevented even a single shot on our goal, while at the other end Sribnyi and Feghouli managed to put their name on the score sheet, giving us a solid three-goal advantage going into half-time.
With the match firmly in our grip, I switched in some substitutes, but it was my first team players that finalized the score when Andre was not to be denied from close range and later Erman Celik got his goal with a header from a corner kick.
The frustration in the Hoffenheim squad showed clearly late on, when Yacob got a straight red card for an ill-timed tackle close to the end.
A very solid match that was never in any doubt for us.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
With only a few weeks since I took charge of the Brazil squad, I am still a bit unsure about where the team is at. Looking at the squad is is quite apparent that the skill is there, but the string of rather poor results under my predecessor make it quite clear that a new approach is needed.
As my first order of business, I changed the formation to my own 4-4-2 diamond with wing-back support, the same tactic I use for the Bayreuth squad. Call it picking favorites if you like, but I also called up Franca to the squad, not only because I like this player but because I truly believe there is no one better suited for the left wing-back position than him.
The problem area is still the goalkeeper, more so since my first choice Diego Renan is out injured for at least another few months.
With my focus on playing a fast and attacking tactic, I decided to drop a few high-profile players, who are simply not up to the speed I intend to play anymore - most notably, former team captain Kaka will be left out of the squad at least for now.
CONMEBOL Qualifying Section
With only two matches remaining to achieve qualification, I am glad that we were facing a weaker team for my first outing on the national level.
My worries about how the players will take to the new formation were quickly put to rest when Andre scored twice in only three minutes, giving us a good lead in the early minutes.
Team captain Coutinho increased the lead moments after the game restarted before Andre completed his hat-trick with a stunning curled shot from well over 20 yards out.
With time running out, Neymar put the icing on the cake with a strong volley for the final five goal winning margin.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
With Uruguay hot on our trail, the final qualifying match was one we could not afford to loose if we were to avoid a play-off match.
Only four days since the last match, the fatigue showed in my squad, but never enough to let the game get out of our control.
Keeping an eye on the Uruguay match, a draw seemed to be enough to see us safely through, so I restrained myself from employing careless attacking play, but eventually we did get the lead with Andre's fourth goal in two matches.
Close to the end, Coutinho put the game away for good with a perfect free-kick from the edge of the box.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
After my first two matches as a national manager, I am quite happy with the performance of the squad. The youngsters are playing well, and I am especially happy with Franca, showing no signs of nervousness after being called up to the squad and fitting in like he's been with the team for years.
It's still too early to get any real idea of the overall strength of the squad since the two matches we played were against teams of lower stature, but hopefully I can arrange a few friendlies against stronger teams to prepare us for the World Cup in 2018.
As it is, we claimed the fourth qualifying spot in the group, exactly what was expected of me.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
Having just arrived back from South America the night before, I was still rather jet-lagged and let my assistant take charge of the game.
From what I was told, the match was another solid performance, although the finishing was rather poor until a miss-timed tackle in the closing minutes opened the flood-gates, allowing Andre to score from the spot before Ozil and Andre again finished the scoring with time running out.
I'll watch the game later after I had some sleep.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE- GROUP STAGE
I was hoping for more out of this game, but in the end the growing fatigue mixed with a pinch of over-confidence lead to a rather disappointing draw against the Scottish League champions.
We did have a few great chances, but oftentimes failed to create any real danger for the Celtic goalkeeper, and although we did get the lead from a spot-kick in the second half, we missed the opportunity to put the game away and were ultimately punished by the equalizer.
We did get a point, which is well enough, but for the return match we have to perform much better if we are to take the group.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
A wild mix for second stringers and tired starters was just about enough to create a game average at best and plain boring at the worst.
We missed too many passes, the usually solid midfield seemed uninspired and the finishing was just plain poor.
On the whole, I am glad that we didn't let our exhaustion get in the way of a point, but that doesn't make it any better of a game to watch.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
DFB POKAL 2017/2018 - THIRD ROUND
To finish the month we traveled to Gladbach for the third round of domestic cup football.
We did play a lot more composed than in the previous match, but the finishing was lacking for most of the time just the same.
And so the score by Sribnyi at the hour-mark remained the only goal of the match, just enough to see us through to the quarter final.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
I am glad that this tiring month came to a close without any major mishaps, and we find ourselves firmly at the top of the table with a good lead and a solid goal-difference.
At this point we are undefeated in the league for well over a year, an impressive record to say the least.
Everything is going according to my best hopes, with an almost flawless league record and a confident run in the cup. The Champions League is a bit of a concern for me, having dropped to second place after the less than desirable result against Celtic, but there's still everything to play for.
I am also happy as can be to go to the World Cup come June, and I am counting the days until we get a chance to show our might in the Club World Cup in Tunisia.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
I can only hope that the previous month was any indication of the determination of my squad at this point, as October will be no less jam-packed with matches that are sure to test our strength and stamina.
Again, seven fixtures will be played at the club level, but also a few more national fixtures are scheduled, and with our current team, this will mean a large number of players are out to represent their country.
This will no doubt be one month where our substitutes are needed to step up to relief the pressure put onto my regulars.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE- GROUP STAGE
The second Champions League group match pitted us against arguably the strongest team in the mix, and on the whole it was a very exciting match to watch. Most of the game took place in midfield, and although there were a few chances for either side, the defense made sure to keep the threats on goal manageable for the goalkeepers.
With a draw looking like the most likely result, there was a brief period of doubt cast on us getting the point, when Lennon scored a screamer from well outside of the area, but it took only moments for Andre to level the score again in the closing minutes.
On the whole, a fair result, and I am glad we managed to get an away goal which might prove important in the group table.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
League surprise package Nurnberg came out to face us in the first league fixture of the month. After battling relegation in the previous couple of seasons, the Club had a great start to the current campaign, taking second place at this point.
But a very solid and confident performance by our squad left little doubt about who was the stronger team, and after Feghouli scored the opener Nurnberg seemed more concerned with keeping the score low than with taking the game.
We had a few more great chances, but it was a corner kick that lead to the second and final goal, when Bacci rose above the pack and connected calmly with the head for the final result.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
Recently promoted Hoffenheim has in the previous couple of seasons proven to be a team we could get a number of goals past, and this home-game was no different this time.
Things got of with an unlucky own goal by Hoffenheim, and our opposition never looked confident after that. We prevented even a single shot on our goal, while at the other end Sribnyi and Feghouli managed to put their name on the score sheet, giving us a solid three-goal advantage going into half-time.
With the match firmly in our grip, I switched in some substitutes, but it was my first team players that finalized the score when Andre was not to be denied from close range and later Erman Celik got his goal with a header from a corner kick.
The frustration in the Hoffenheim squad showed clearly late on, when Yacob got a straight red card for an ill-timed tackle close to the end.
A very solid match that was never in any doubt for us.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
With only a few weeks since I took charge of the Brazil squad, I am still a bit unsure about where the team is at. Looking at the squad is is quite apparent that the skill is there, but the string of rather poor results under my predecessor make it quite clear that a new approach is needed.
As my first order of business, I changed the formation to my own 4-4-2 diamond with wing-back support, the same tactic I use for the Bayreuth squad. Call it picking favorites if you like, but I also called up Franca to the squad, not only because I like this player but because I truly believe there is no one better suited for the left wing-back position than him.
The problem area is still the goalkeeper, more so since my first choice Diego Renan is out injured for at least another few months.
With my focus on playing a fast and attacking tactic, I decided to drop a few high-profile players, who are simply not up to the speed I intend to play anymore - most notably, former team captain Kaka will be left out of the squad at least for now.
CONMEBOL Qualifying Section
With only two matches remaining to achieve qualification, I am glad that we were facing a weaker team for my first outing on the national level.
My worries about how the players will take to the new formation were quickly put to rest when Andre scored twice in only three minutes, giving us a good lead in the early minutes.
Team captain Coutinho increased the lead moments after the game restarted before Andre completed his hat-trick with a stunning curled shot from well over 20 yards out.
With time running out, Neymar put the icing on the cake with a strong volley for the final five goal winning margin.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
With Uruguay hot on our trail, the final qualifying match was one we could not afford to loose if we were to avoid a play-off match.
Only four days since the last match, the fatigue showed in my squad, but never enough to let the game get out of our control.
Keeping an eye on the Uruguay match, a draw seemed to be enough to see us safely through, so I restrained myself from employing careless attacking play, but eventually we did get the lead with Andre's fourth goal in two matches.
Close to the end, Coutinho put the game away for good with a perfect free-kick from the edge of the box.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
After my first two matches as a national manager, I am quite happy with the performance of the squad. The youngsters are playing well, and I am especially happy with Franca, showing no signs of nervousness after being called up to the squad and fitting in like he's been with the team for years.
It's still too early to get any real idea of the overall strength of the squad since the two matches we played were against teams of lower stature, but hopefully I can arrange a few friendlies against stronger teams to prepare us for the World Cup in 2018.
As it is, we claimed the fourth qualifying spot in the group, exactly what was expected of me.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
Having just arrived back from South America the night before, I was still rather jet-lagged and let my assistant take charge of the game.
From what I was told, the match was another solid performance, although the finishing was rather poor until a miss-timed tackle in the closing minutes opened the flood-gates, allowing Andre to score from the spot before Ozil and Andre again finished the scoring with time running out.
I'll watch the game later after I had some sleep.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE- GROUP STAGE
I was hoping for more out of this game, but in the end the growing fatigue mixed with a pinch of over-confidence lead to a rather disappointing draw against the Scottish League champions.
We did have a few great chances, but oftentimes failed to create any real danger for the Celtic goalkeeper, and although we did get the lead from a spot-kick in the second half, we missed the opportunity to put the game away and were ultimately punished by the equalizer.
We did get a point, which is well enough, but for the return match we have to perform much better if we are to take the group.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
A wild mix for second stringers and tired starters was just about enough to create a game average at best and plain boring at the worst.
We missed too many passes, the usually solid midfield seemed uninspired and the finishing was just plain poor.
On the whole, I am glad that we didn't let our exhaustion get in the way of a point, but that doesn't make it any better of a game to watch.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
DFB POKAL 2017/2018 - THIRD ROUND
To finish the month we traveled to Gladbach for the third round of domestic cup football.
We did play a lot more composed than in the previous match, but the finishing was lacking for most of the time just the same.
And so the score by Sribnyi at the hour-mark remained the only goal of the match, just enough to see us through to the quarter final.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
I am glad that this tiring month came to a close without any major mishaps, and we find ourselves firmly at the top of the table with a good lead and a solid goal-difference.
At this point we are undefeated in the league for well over a year, an impressive record to say the least.
Everything is going according to my best hopes, with an almost flawless league record and a confident run in the cup. The Champions League is a bit of a concern for me, having dropped to second place after the less than desirable result against Celtic, but there's still everything to play for.
I am also happy as can be to go to the World Cup come June, and I am counting the days until we get a chance to show our might in the Club World Cup in Tunisia.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
Micky Pain
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NOVEMBER 2017
Coming off of two very challenging and testing months, November will literally be a breath of fresh air. In terms of opponents it will certainly be full of tough matches, but at the very least the amount of games we need to play will allow us enough rest so that I am confident we can go out and do what is needed.
With the league going exactly our way, my main focus will be on the two Champions League matches that are vitally important for us to progress in the group.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
Although the team was still quite tired after the last handful of matches, that is simply not enough of an excuse to overlook the very poor performance we displayed against bottom-half Aachen. Uninspired midfield and tame attempts at goal only proved just about enough for the win because of the solid defense, spotlighted in the first half with the only goal from a corner kick, courtesy of center-back Bacci.
The fatigue was ever-present in this match, and although we did get the win it was no joy to sit through.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE- GROUP STAGE
At the very least, the away fixture at Celtic was one we could under no circumstances afford to loose, and playing away from home against a strong team bolstered by unmistakably biased officiating made this match an uphill battle until the very end.
Both teams came out flying, and only minutes in we got the lead through Sribnyi's strong long-range effort, but the joy was only short-lived as Celtic equalized immediately.
We did play the better football for the rest of the game, but the match was marred by overly physical play and the resulting stoppages. That it was only our side that got the cards, despite being out-fouled by a margin of almost 3-1, got a goal disallowed under questionable circumstances and even had a clear foul in the box overlooked didn't help us either in any way.
On the whole, about the only good thing I can take from this game is that we did kept both the opposition and the referee under enough control to get the point.
Not an ideal result, but a point nonetheless.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
After yet another spirited battle against fallen giant FC Bayern I can really see a new rivalry emerging between our two teams. The previous years have brought on some of the best matches all season long when we met, and this November fixture was no different.
Bayern came out with a mission, and pelted our side relentlessly until they eventually got the lead in the first half.
Not to be outdone, we responded immediately, drawing level only a few moments later before taking the lead going into half-time, both goals coming off the foot of the outstanding Andre.
The second half saw us getting pushed back into our own half a lot, but precise counter attacks allowed us to get yet another goal when Di Maria found himself the space to curl in a shot from the corner of the box.
Bayern managed to pull one back, but their increasingly physical play eventually resulted in the sending-off of Matheu, a death sentence for the hopes of getting back into the game.
In the end it was Andre again that made the one-man advantage count, completing his hat-trick and putting the game beyond any doubt.
A strong game, and exactly what we needed to get back to our scoring ways.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
With an all-important match in the Champions League approaching - and the league seeing us comfortably on top - this match had us line up more subs than regulars, and all things considered I am quite happy with what I saw.
The score only flatters our opponents, as we dominated the game, and only the relative inexperience of the strike force had the game end with only one goal. The defense was solid, and it always looked to be only a matter of time until we scored, and in the end it was team captain Toni Kroos that recorded the only goal of the match for the win - a great way to return after his broken leg kept him on the sidelines for the last five month.
The very late injury to Bacci is certainly a massive blow to our ambitions, keeping the ever-present rock in the back out of the squad for close to two month.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE- GROUP STAGE
With Liverpool having claimed the top-spot in the table at this point, the fifth game in the group was a make-or-break fixture, a win the only thing that could keep us safe.
Although Aalborg came out drawing all registers, it was simply not enough to break down our defense for anything more than tame long-range attempts, and so it was our side that recorded the goals, giving us a two goal lead going into the half after Kroos and Celik had found the net.
Aalborg tried their hardest to get back into the game in the second half, but it was our striker Skuletic that found the goal for the final score.
A solid game, giving us the vital win and with it a guaranteed spot in the next round, although we need all the points from the Liverpool match to emerge as group leaders.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
Another solid month for us, and although we did scrape some narrow victories we got the points all the same, and so increased the lead in the table to a sizable nine points.
Adding to that the massive confidence boost by qualifying for the second round of the Champions League for a third consecutive year, I have little worries about the matches ahead.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
Coming off of two very challenging and testing months, November will literally be a breath of fresh air. In terms of opponents it will certainly be full of tough matches, but at the very least the amount of games we need to play will allow us enough rest so that I am confident we can go out and do what is needed.
With the league going exactly our way, my main focus will be on the two Champions League matches that are vitally important for us to progress in the group.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
Although the team was still quite tired after the last handful of matches, that is simply not enough of an excuse to overlook the very poor performance we displayed against bottom-half Aachen. Uninspired midfield and tame attempts at goal only proved just about enough for the win because of the solid defense, spotlighted in the first half with the only goal from a corner kick, courtesy of center-back Bacci.
The fatigue was ever-present in this match, and although we did get the win it was no joy to sit through.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE- GROUP STAGE
At the very least, the away fixture at Celtic was one we could under no circumstances afford to loose, and playing away from home against a strong team bolstered by unmistakably biased officiating made this match an uphill battle until the very end.
Both teams came out flying, and only minutes in we got the lead through Sribnyi's strong long-range effort, but the joy was only short-lived as Celtic equalized immediately.
We did play the better football for the rest of the game, but the match was marred by overly physical play and the resulting stoppages. That it was only our side that got the cards, despite being out-fouled by a margin of almost 3-1, got a goal disallowed under questionable circumstances and even had a clear foul in the box overlooked didn't help us either in any way.
On the whole, about the only good thing I can take from this game is that we did kept both the opposition and the referee under enough control to get the point.
Not an ideal result, but a point nonetheless.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
After yet another spirited battle against fallen giant FC Bayern I can really see a new rivalry emerging between our two teams. The previous years have brought on some of the best matches all season long when we met, and this November fixture was no different.
Bayern came out with a mission, and pelted our side relentlessly until they eventually got the lead in the first half.
Not to be outdone, we responded immediately, drawing level only a few moments later before taking the lead going into half-time, both goals coming off the foot of the outstanding Andre.
The second half saw us getting pushed back into our own half a lot, but precise counter attacks allowed us to get yet another goal when Di Maria found himself the space to curl in a shot from the corner of the box.
Bayern managed to pull one back, but their increasingly physical play eventually resulted in the sending-off of Matheu, a death sentence for the hopes of getting back into the game.
In the end it was Andre again that made the one-man advantage count, completing his hat-trick and putting the game beyond any doubt.
A strong game, and exactly what we needed to get back to our scoring ways.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
With an all-important match in the Champions League approaching - and the league seeing us comfortably on top - this match had us line up more subs than regulars, and all things considered I am quite happy with what I saw.
The score only flatters our opponents, as we dominated the game, and only the relative inexperience of the strike force had the game end with only one goal. The defense was solid, and it always looked to be only a matter of time until we scored, and in the end it was team captain Toni Kroos that recorded the only goal of the match for the win - a great way to return after his broken leg kept him on the sidelines for the last five month.
The very late injury to Bacci is certainly a massive blow to our ambitions, keeping the ever-present rock in the back out of the squad for close to two month.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE- GROUP STAGE
With Liverpool having claimed the top-spot in the table at this point, the fifth game in the group was a make-or-break fixture, a win the only thing that could keep us safe.
Although Aalborg came out drawing all registers, it was simply not enough to break down our defense for anything more than tame long-range attempts, and so it was our side that recorded the goals, giving us a two goal lead going into the half after Kroos and Celik had found the net.
Aalborg tried their hardest to get back into the game in the second half, but it was our striker Skuletic that found the goal for the final score.
A solid game, giving us the vital win and with it a guaranteed spot in the next round, although we need all the points from the Liverpool match to emerge as group leaders.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
Another solid month for us, and although we did scrape some narrow victories we got the points all the same, and so increased the lead in the table to a sizable nine points.
Adding to that the massive confidence boost by qualifying for the second round of the Champions League for a third consecutive year, I have little worries about the matches ahead.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
I
iNickStuff
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Fantastic story mate,loving every post.
Micky Pain
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Thanks. Certainly takes a lot f work to do, but doing this story is unquestionably the main reason why I'm doing so well, as I make extra sure to scout carefully, tweak my tactics and whatever, to give me the best chance possible to write up something positive. So it's a give-and-take type scenario, and getting the occasional reassurance makes it all worthwhile.
.
Micky
Going strong as ever.
Great job on getting the Brazil job quite an achievement seeing as (I assume) your nationality is not set to Brazillian.
Im backing Bacci to break the 1000 games barrier.
All roads lead to the top of the Worldwide hall of fame
Great job on getting the Brazil job quite an achievement seeing as (I assume) your nationality is not set to Brazillian.
Im backing Bacci to break the 1000 games barrier.
All roads lead to the top of the Worldwide hall of fame
Micky Pain
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Going strong as ever.
Great job on getting the Brazil job quite an achievement seeing as (I assume) your nationality is not set to Brazillian.
Im backing Bacci to break the 1000 games barrier.
All roads lead to the top of the Worldwide hall of fame
Yeah, the Brazil job came as a surprise to me as well. No idea how that happened, as there's tons of great players turned coaches around but I am not complaining....
Nationality is set to German (with American as second, so I could start with English as a language), but with enabling the German National team they are just ripping through the competitions, so Loew is nowhere near being sacked so I had to look for other teams to manage.
I'm just glad I got the team to the World Cup and not taken over the squad when all was lost.
Will surely be great as I never before managed a national team in any of the big tournaments (African Cup with Egypt was the closest so far....).
.
Micky
Micky Pain
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Well, been a while since I updated this, and I apologize to everyone following this.
To get to the point, I'm not abandoning this, I just had absolutely no time to even play, let alone update this story.
Work pushed me from one pre-launch overtime crunch right over to the next project with insane work hours, I have a friend staying with me until he moves next week and I picked up a stray cat that just happens to be pregnant...
Lots of stuff to do, very little time to play.
So, for everyone who once was or is still reading this, I promise I'll update as much as I can this coming weekend - the current season is wrapped up in my game, so I can concentrate on just adding the updates, and hopefully get even further to season 10.
Thanks for the patience guys,
Micky
To get to the point, I'm not abandoning this, I just had absolutely no time to even play, let alone update this story.
Work pushed me from one pre-launch overtime crunch right over to the next project with insane work hours, I have a friend staying with me until he moves next week and I picked up a stray cat that just happens to be pregnant...
Lots of stuff to do, very little time to play.
So, for everyone who once was or is still reading this, I promise I'll update as much as I can this coming weekend - the current season is wrapped up in my game, so I can concentrate on just adding the updates, and hopefully get even further to season 10.
Thanks for the patience guys,
Micky
Southampton_4_Ever
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can u post key members screenshots?
especially andre!
especially andre!
Micky Pain
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Where from?
I lived there until 2001, before college and work lured me out into the big wide world....(US ==>Norway==>China).
I went to the GMG and the FOS before I went to college.
Family still lives there in a small village close by.
What I find extra-amusing about making this story is:
When you google "SpVgg Bayreuth", this story is linked to on the front-page....
Sure, no prob.
I think I'll create a new album for that, so I don't disrupt the layout too much, but I will upload the team I have so far and put the link here. But yeah, Andre is sick - probably the best find I ever had on FM, and dirt-cheap in the beginning. There's two other insane guys on my safe, on Turkish one English, both forwards, and their stats are off the charts...
Hahaha great. I'm from Pegnitz and also went to the FOS in Bayreuth. Where does your family live? Wicked...
Micky Pain
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OK, to sweeten the wait until I can update more of the story in a few days, I uploaded my entire team from the end of season 9 for your viewing pleasure:
SpVgg Bayreuth - Season 9 squad
SpVgg Bayreuth - Season 9 squad
Southampton_4_Ever
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Thanks, look at andre a super star, btw which honduran club?
where they drunk when the gave him to you!
where they drunk when the gave him to you!
Micky Pain
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Nah, you're confusing things here:
I bought Andre from an Romanian club he joined after he was sold there from Avai in Brazil.
Cost me 700.000 Euros back then and a hefty "sale on" clause (I guess that club will be rich if I ever need to sell him).
The Honduran club was CD Real Espana, and that's where I got Wilmer Meza from in the 2011 season.
Well, for this story I loaded an insane amount of leagues and countries, which makes the game rather slow, but the talent I found so far exceeds every other save I ever had. I went all out on scouting, sending them high and low - by now my scouting knowledge is exceptional and better for pretty much every part of the world except for some areas in Asia.
D
Deleted member 79730
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Good updates micky, missed this story
Micky Pain
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So, at long last, the promised updates.
Real life can be a ***** when it cuts into game-time, but today I'm going to devote my time to getting the updates posted.
In the save, I'm already in the following season, with an hour here and there that I spend playing, but the amount of work it takes to post these updates has so far prevented me from posting.
Anyway, long story short, December is next....
Micky
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DECEMBER 2017
December is going to see us face off against a varied batch off opponents, in three different competitions, among them our first ever appearance in the Club World Cup.
At this point of the season, I am very happy where we stand, sitting on top of the league table and qualified for the second round of the Champions League - although a win against Liverpool is needed to claim the top spot in the group.
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We kicked off the month against Gladbach, a team that has so far surprised everyone with their top-half position. They put up a great opposition, recording a number of great chances and only stellar goalkeeping on our side prevented us from going down a goal or two.
We had chances on the other end as well, and it was Sribnyi that found himself on the end of a low cross to tuck away the only goal of the match.
In the end, this score was just about enough to secure the victory, but for a bit of luck it could have gone either way.
Not that I'm complaining....
The sour note on this day was certainly the injury to Skuletic, keeping him out of the game for at least three weeks.
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UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE- GROUP STAGE
Although we had more than week to prepare for this final group match, I was feeling a bit worried, mostly because we were down one half of our strike force after the Skuletic injury the game before.
Having already qualified for the next round, the "only" thing at stake in this match was the placement in the group, and Liverpool came out on a mission to assure that they were the team to come away with the first place.
We were on the back-foot for much of the first half, having to withstand heavy pressure, and only a stellar Adler in goal kept the score level. Close to the half-time whistle it was us, however, that got the score, when second-string striker Fernandez outran the entire defense on the break and calmly converted from the edge of the area.
The second half saw much of the same, with us being pushed back far into our own half, relying on counter-attacks to create some danger on the oppositions goal, but in the end our composed defensive and goalkeeping performance was enough to edge the game.
With this hard-fought and somewhat lucky victory, we have once again managed to claim the top spot in the group table, and can now eagerly await the draw for the second round.
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Getting close to the half-way point in the season, I can't wait for a couple of days of rest for my players - yet another injury in the previous match had Toni Kroos out for a few days, and the exhaustion is starting to show in my squad.
With our comfortable lead in the table, I decided to play a lot of the substitutes in this match, and each and every one of them came out to prove to me that they are deserving of more first-team duty.
It was a relentless attacking match against disappointing Schalke, who were simply outclassed on this day. After a number of near misses and blocked shots, it was a Schalke defender who deflected the ball past his own keeper for the first goal of the match.
Only minutes later, Andre showed his amazing speed and skill by cutting through the defense and converting from close range to double the lead.
I switched to more conservative play later on, to preserve the stamina of my guys, and to avoid any more injuries - too late, however, for Denis Stevic who had to be carried off in the first half.
A solid match, and a good win, and the good news for us is that the injury to Stevic will only be for a day or two. Maybe he just wanted his close-up on TV....
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CLUB WORLD CUP - SEMI FINAL
Our first-ever appearance in the Club World Cup had us enter the competition for the Semi Final against hosts ES Tunis.
The odds were heavily in our favor, but not knowing anything about our opponents, I nevertheless fielded the strongest team I had at my disposal.
It became apparent very early on that we had been made favorites for a reason, as we pelted the target from all possible (and some impossible) angles, but it took until injury time in the first half for us to get the lead, when Andre took advantage of the confusion in the box following a corner kick. Fernandez increased the lead in the second half after some superb build-up, and Di Maria put the score in the books after he found himself at the end of a weak clearance attempt.
In the end, this game that had us advance to the final, flattered no one, we could and should have scored a lot more, but I am quite happy with our defensive play that prevented even a single shot, let alone on target.
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To finish off the month, we traveled to Leverkusen.
Despite the goalless draw, it was a very exciting match to watch, with the highlight reel getting robbed of many great scores by superb goalkeeping on either end.
The chances were very evenly divided amongst the two teams, and in the end the draw was a fair result.
I am quite pleased with the defensive performance on this match, although we dropped two points. In any case, it was a great match to finish off the year.
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Despite the draw in the last match we still have a very solid lead in the league table.
Everything is going according to plan, although there were a few too many injuries in the previous couple of weeks.
I hope the short rest before the season restarts will rejuvenate the guys so we can finish the season as strong as we started.
Despite the somewhat disappointing draws we played against Celtic, we once again managed to win the group stage of the Champions League and can now focus on the knock-out stages.
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With the year nearing it's end, there were once again two of my players getting honored with awards:
Sofiane Feghouli claiming the title as Africas best, and Wilmer Meza clinching the second spot of the best goalkeeper in Europe award.
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---------- Post added at 03:07 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:11 PM ----------
JANUARY 2018
January will start with the final in the Club World Cup before we head for a few weeks of rest - only interrupted by two friendlies to stay in shape.
Despite very focused and determined scouting efforts, we have not managed to find any more worthwhile additions to strengthen the squad - at last not immediately.
With the start of the transfer window, we have offered contracts to Barcelona's Yohan Mollo, a French attacking midfielder, and Real Madrid's Innocent Opara, a midfielder and striker - both players contracts are about to run out at the end of the season, and we have secured their services for the next campaign.
On the other end, I decided to accept an offer from Manchester United for Angel Di Maria - the offer was for just about his market value, but with the player being used on rotation at best, and already having passed the magic 30 years of age, I decided to agree to the transfer and use the money to invest in more youth players.
In our youth squad, the current season in the U-19 competition is going as good as never before - home-grown talent Tom Franke is already hailed as the next Michael Ballack while our new signing Matthias Lechner is cutting the opposition to shreds, scoring a lot more goals than the second placed TEAM, and featured as the starting striker in the Germany U-19 squad - all that at a mere fifteen years of age.
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CLUB WORLD CUP - FINAL
The year started with a historic Club World Cup final against Brazilian powerhouse Palmeriras, and with a clean bill of health for our side, it was sure to be a day to be remembered.
It was a very exciting match to witness, with great build-up and passing plays on either side, and a handful of great chances as a result of that. Although we were made slight favorites, the teams were very evenly matched on the pitch.
Ultimately, it was our dominance in the box that gave us the upper hand. After some great defending in the back, it was center back Erman Celik that connected with the head from a corner kick to give us the lead.
When Skuletic doubled the lead in his first appearance after his injury, things were looking a lot better for us, but Palmeiras never let off, and were ultimately rewarded with a goal of their own in the second half.
In the end, we kept our composure despite having to withstand some heavy pressure, and the team performance allowed us to record a deserved victory.
Another great match, another great win, and another international trophy, putting us in a very small group of teams to have ever won the Club World Cup.
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With the chanting of the fans still echoing through town, we had a few weeks time to relax and reflect on the season so far. Some light training and two friendly matches against our affiliate clubs helped us pass the time until the campaign would restart, and although we were almost shocked by Frankfurt in our match, I am quite hopeful of the coming weeks.
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Bottom-table Furth came out with a mission on this day, but their efforts, although threatening, only lasted for the opening minutes before we found our footing, and it was our game from that moment on.
A solid defense gave the midfield and strike force the confidence to play a beautifully flowing match, culminating in a stunning curled shot from the foot of Sribnyi that sailed past a powerless opposition keeper.
We kept up the pressure, but despite our best efforts it took until well into the second half for us to increase the lead when Toni Kroos converted from a free-kick.
It was Kroos again that finalized the scoring in injury time to give us a result that better reflected the game than the two-goal margin would have had.
On the whole, a great match and a good performance to build upon for the stronger opponents in the coming weeks.
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Remembering the tough times we had in the past when facing off against Wolfsburg I couldn't have been more surprised at what happened on the pitch today. At times I had to get re-assured by my assistant that we weren't accidentally playing against their youth squad, such was our dominance. We had firm control of all areas of the pitch, and the goals by Andre and Ben Arfa gave us a solid lead by the half-hour mark.
Andre added his second goal shortly after the game restarted, and Wolfsburg simply rolled over and let us have our way at this point. A quick double by Skuletic and Ozil increased the lead to five goal, and substitute Fernandez added the icing on the cake with a great solo effort.
Certainly, one of the best matches we played all season long, and the confidence boost from this one is sure to go a long way.
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After the previous match, I and probably everybody else was hoping for yet another blow-out victory, but Ingolstadt put up a brave fight. There was really no reason for the game to be this close, as we dominated in almost all departments except for the taking of chances.
In the end, a whim of the referee to let the game go on way past the announced injury time allowed us to score a very late goal through Kroos to get this deserved but still somewhat lucky victory.
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With two solid and one lucky victory, we managed to once again increase the lead in the table to nine points, and improving our goal difference by a good number after not having conceded a single league goal.
With the success in the Club World Cup still putting a smile on everybody's face, it was a great month to start into the new year.
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---------- Post added at 04:59 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:07 PM ----------
FEBRUARY 2018
After having a relatively quiet January, this month will see a lot more action with no less than six games in three competitions.
I hope my guys are well rested and prepared for the weeks ahead.
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Against closest chaser Stuttgart, this was one of those "six-pointer" games, us trying to increase the lead in the table while Stuttgart was out to cut into it.
Things got off to a great start, with Andre getting the goal in the opening minutes, but we were never able to capitalize on the momentum to increase the lead even further.
We had a number of great chances, but so did our opposition, and the equalizer was never far away.
In the end, we did just about enough to see the game through to the final whistle.
Against ever-threatening Stuttgart, this was one of the most important matches to be played this season, and with our already solid lead in the table now increased even further, this could very well be a deciding factor in the race for the title.
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Despite some great passing and build-up play, we never really got going on this day against mid-table Hoffenheim.
We had a number of attempts, but that spark was missing to put anything away. On the other end, we played a very solid defense, and we managed to thwart all but the most ambitious attempts on our goal, but we remained rather toothless up front.
Just when a draw seemed to be the order of the day, Andre stepped up and scored the only goal of the match after a great solo effort.
A rather boring affair, but it's the victory that counts.
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DFB POKAL 2017/2018 - QUARTER FINAL
This midweek fixture for the cup came very close to an upset against Dortmund.
We played great attacking play, but we were caught too often on the break, and finally punished in the second half when Dortmund got the lead.
The team seemed more motivated than shocked at the goal, and the squad pulled together and ultimately recorded the equalizer when Skuletic finished after some great build-up.
Substitute Ben Arfa scored what proved to be the winner only a few minutes later, as we managed to see the game through despite some heavy pressure by Dortmund in the final moments of the match.
Certainly not the most confident performance we had all season, but a win and a progress in the cup no less.
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I certainly would have liked a more comfortable victory in this match, but with the very congested fixture list I opted to line-up a number of rather inexperienced players on this day.
What we lacked in scoring we certainly made up for in entertaining pass play, and the youngsters on the pitch showed a lot of promise.
We held firm in the back, and recorded a number of good attempts on goal, but we were unable to put anything away.
In the end, it was young defender Bolzoni that recorded the only goal of the match - his first ever for our team - when he rose above the pack to head in a corner kick.
We were expected to win and did just that, if only so.
With the solid lead we got in the league, I am giving some more playing time to the youngsters, and under that light it was a very good game.
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Dortmund was itching to set the record straight, and they put on a great show to avenge their recent cup defeat by our hand.
They certainly had the majority of the chances throughout the game, but were time and again thwarted by a solid Adler in goal, while we were able to get the lead on the other end when Skuletic tucked it away on the counter.
Dortmund pulled one back close to half-time, but their momentum left with them for the break.
In the second half, the match was very even, with good attempts on either end, but in the end it was us that got the final goal of the match when Andre converted on the volley from a perfect cross .
Another solid game, and considering the balance of the match rather fortunate, but three points that I am not complaining about.
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UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE- FIRST KN|OCKOUT ROUND
Continental travel for a mid-week match is never easy, and the exhaustion clearly showed on this day.
We played rather uninspired for the most part, no one really wanting the ball, and so the attacking play in particular was rather unimpressive. Always pushing to get an important away goal, we never succeeded, while at the other end it was only a spectacular Meza in goal that kept the score level.
A questionable decision was ultimately the deciding factor in this match, when the referee awarded a penalty for what (replays have since shown) was a clear dive in the box.
The relief of Meza's save from the spot was only short-lived as Joao Moutinho pounced on the rebound and put it away.
A painful defeat, but I am confident that the team will be determined to put on a show at home to make the fans forget this first leg of the knock-out round.
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After some important -if somewhat lucky - wins in the league we managed to increase the lead to an impressive fourteen points.
With as many games left, it seems the title is ours to loose.
No time to get complacent, for sure, but the ball is certainly in our court, so to speak.
The defeat in the Champions League is a blow, for sure, but there's 90 more minutes to be played to decide who will advance, and we have come back from worse results in recent years.
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---------- Post added at 09:52 AM ---------- Previous post was yesterday at 04:59 PM ----------
MARCH 2018
March will be one of the busiest months we had in a long time, with seven matches to be played across three competitions, and an all-important match against Sporting coming up - one we need to win by a good margin to overcome our first-leg defeat.
At least the team is fit and ready, an important factor for us to see this month through.
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Kicking off in front of a capacity crowd, this match was a no-contest throughout.
We came out with a vengeance, determined not to let last weeks defeat be the beginning of bad run, and we pelted the target from the early moments of the game.
Sribnyi scored a stunning long-range attempt in the opening minutes to set the tone of the game and we never let off trying to get more. Getting closer to half-time, Andre and Di Maria increased the lead to three goals, effectively ending this match as a contest.
Koln tried to mount a few more attacks in the second half, but were rarely threatening enough to challenge our keeper. Whatever little hope was gained by their first goal of the match was quickly negated when Andre scored his second goal of the game only minutes later, giving us a comfortable three-goal winning margin.
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Traveling to our neighbors Nurnberg we faced off in a match that saw two distinctly different half-time performances by the two teams.
Nurnberg looked determined to battle for all three points, and they got off to a great start with a number of dangerous attempts on goal, only to be denied by a stellar Adler between the posts. Luck was not on our side, when Garcia misdirected the ball past our own keeper, putting us down one goal by half-time.
Whether it was nerves or the intention to wait out the one goal lead until full-time I don't know, but the second half took place almost exclusively in our opponents side of the pitch. We were getting chances left and right, and only minutes after the game restarted, Kross scored the equalizer. Not much later, Andre and Skluletic set each other up for their goals, giving us a two-goal lead around the hour mark.
Despite some brief moments of resistance from Nurnberg, it was our side again that scored, as Ben Arfa hammered in the ball from a long way out for the final score.
A great comeback victory against a team that is always there to put up a great fight whenever we meet.
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How this game ended up a draw is beyond me, as we were clearly the dominant ones on this day, not even allowing a single shot on goal on our end while testing the opposition keeper throughout.
In the end, luck was not on our side to put away any of our chances, but with the overall performance we showcased, getting only a single point has to be considered a slight disappointment.
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UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE- FIRST KNOCKOUT ROUND
The most important match to be played this month was one that I went into with mixed feelings. On the one hand, I know we are good enough to get the win, but after last weeks mediocre performance I wasn't so sure anymore if my players knew that as well.
We had a great start with numerous chances but once again failed to put them away, and with the danger of conceding a home-goal ever present the first half played out with heart-pounding excitement.
Close to the half, we finally got the deserved goal when Skuletic broke through the defense and tucked away the ball from close range.
Within ten minutes in the second half we tilted the odds heavily in our favor when Skuletic again and later Di Maria gave us an important three goal lead -effectively two goals up on aggregate.
Sporting looked stunned, and despite a few great build-up plays never made it far enough into our own half to threaten the goalkeeper. In the end, it was us again that scored when Ozil put the finishing touches on a clinical counter-attack for the final score.
I knew we could do it, but the final score surprised even me, if I am honest.
And so we can once again put our sight forward to playing one of the last teams left in the competition.
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The short rest since our last match clearly showed on this day, as we were outrun and outplayed over wide stretches of the game.
We got off to a great start, however, when Andre scored from the first attempt on goal only seconds in, but it didn't take long for the score to get leveled after some confusion in our own box. Skuletic restored the lead at the half-hour mark, but after a converted spot-kick the game was once again level going into the break.
In the second half we just didn't perform up to the level I know we are capable of, and so we were forced to watch the game slip away as Hamburg got the lead and never let it go.
We had a few more chances, but that bit of luck was missing to draw level or even ****** the game back.
After this frustrating defeat, our unbelievable streak has come to an abrupt end - this game ends the run of previously 55 games without loosing, lasting all the way back to September 2016.
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DFB POKAL 2017/2018 - SEMI FINAL
Wolfsburg had obviously made some changes to their line-up after the heavy beating we gave them last month, but it still didn't stop us from having firm control over this fixture just the same. The defense stayed tight and solid throughout, although we were lacking a bit of luck up front to make our chances count.
After Ozil found himself alone in front of the keeper to score we had a great number of chances to increase our lead, but in the end it remained the only goal that separated the teams at full-time.
Not the most exciting match, but we made it to the final of the domestic cup once again with a good chance for some more silverware.
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To finish the month we welcomed newly promoted Aachen on our home turf, and it was a match they might as well have stayed at home for.
We didn't allow a single shot, hardly even letting the opposition get past the center of the pitch while at the other end the goals just wouldn't stop coming.
Ozil scored the opener only moments in before Skuletic converted twice to give us a comfortable three-goal lead by the half-hour mark.
The second half had much of the same with great play by the regulars and substitutes alike and after Ozil got his second goal of the game it was Skuletic that got his deserved hat-trick to the delight of the cheering home crowd.
A great victory against an admittedly inferior opponent, but maybe just the confidence boost we will need before we face Barcelona in next weeks Champions League Quarter Final.
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Although we dropped four points and recorded our first defeat in more than a year we are still firmly on top, and with only five games left in the season the nine point lead in the league should be enough to keep us safely up front.
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---------- Post added at 12:14 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:52 AM ----------
APRIL 2018
With the domestic season getting to a close - and our strong lead in the table giving us every reason to be hopeful - this month will see a heavy focus on the European Competition.
Both the quarter final and - if we succeed - the first leg of the semi final will be played, and with the quality of teams remaining, none of these matches can be taken lightly.
We have shown in the past that we have a strong team, but now it will be up to us to prove it.
One of our club icons, Robert Zeher, has announced his intent to retire at the end of the season. Although he featured only intermittently in recent years the contributions he made on our way up since we signed him cannot be valued high enough.
He might have had another few years in him, but nowhere near the level required for my team, and so I am happy that he chose our club to be his last.
Preparations are underway for his farewell tournament at the end of the season, they week before he will officially join our coaching staff in July.
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UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE- QUARTER FINAL
Traveling to Barcelona to play in front of close to 100.000 spectators, we weren't given much of a chance in the build-up to the match.
Barca fielded their strongest team available, and their attacking play was relentless throughout the entirety. It was all we could do to keep the score level, highlighted by a man-of-the-match performance by Adler in goal, and it always looked to be only a matter of time until we would concede.
Against the flow of the game, me managed to get the lead in the second half, when Skuletic found the target on our first attempt on goal all day long. The equalizer was only minutes away, however, but despite the heavy pressure we had to withstand in the closing minutes we managed to hang on to the draw.
Against this unbelievably strong Barcelona team, getting the draw and the important away goal has to be seen as a bit of an upset, even more so when considering that we only managed to test the oppositions keeper twice in the entire match.
It's a good first leg, one we can hopefully build upon when we welcome the Spanish champions at home in the coming week.
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Considering the exciting matches we played against Bayern in the past, this afternoons fixture was a rather boring affair.
It got off to a great start when Korotetskyi tucked in a header from a corner kick, but things ebbed down after that. There were a few great moments for both teams throughout, but in the end no one did enough to score, and so the early goal remained the only really noteworthy event of the day.
Sadly, Toni Kroos' injury problems continued in this match, as he suffered a broken arm, keeping him out of the game for several weeks and even putting his World Cup hopes in question.
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UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE- QUARTER FINAL
Playing in front of a cheerful home-crowd, we performed a whole lot better than in our first meeting with Barcelona.
Although still considered slight underdogs, we were more than a match for our opposition, at times dominating the match with the confidence of the away goal.
We got the lead through Skuletic at the half-hour mark but just couldn't use the momentum to pull further ahead.
An equalizer always looked likely, but in the end we held firm in defense to deny the ever-threatening Barcelona attackers and we managed to scrape the win.
A great showing against a very strong opponent - possibly the best team in the world - has us through to the last four in the competition and a real chance to retain the title.
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Only days after the exhausting Champions League game, we welcomed Hannover at home for this rather unremarkable match.
There were a few chances for either side, and some great passing to go with it, but on the whole nothing that would make this day one to be remembered.
Late in the game we snatched the winner when Bacci out-muscled his marker in the box to convert a header from a corner kick.
I'm glad we got the points, but the performance was average at best.
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Just one day after our Hannover game, Stuttgart have ended the race for the title by dropping two points against Dortmund. With three games left and eleven points ahead, we have now claimed the Bundesliga title for the third consecutive year.
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Surprise package Gladbach showed no signs of how they managed to find themselves near the top at the end of the season, being outplayed for most of the match against our side that featured more substitutes than regulars.
We scored twice before half-time through Celik and Ozil, and should have scored a lot more had it not been for a string of great saves from the opposition goalkeeper.
We didn't manage to increase the lead in the second half, but our defense was solid and left no doubt about their intention to keep a clean sheet, and so the few attempts on our goal were never a real threat.
The late injury to Andre fortunately turned out to be a short-term affair, and he should be able to play in the Champions League match in a few days.
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UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE- SEMI FINAL
The second giant of Spanish football came to visit for the first leg of this years quarter final in the Champions League.
The fans were delighted when we got the early lead through a long-range effort by Celik, but Real was determined not to let go of the match. Chance after chance was denied by Adler in goal, giving us a somewhat lucky lead at half-time.
A late tackle in the second half allowed Madrid to draw level from a spot-kick, but their momentum was stopped by the solid defense, keeping the score level until the late stages of the game. After Andre was brought down in the box he stepped up himself to convert from the spot, giving us once again the lead with only minutes left.
Capitalizing on the all-out attacking play by Madrid, we caught them on the counter with time running out, when Skuletic slipped past the defense to hammer in an unstoppable shot from around 10 yards out.
With this great showing int he first leg we now have every right to look forward to the return fixture with confidence.
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After another undefeated month, we have no claimed the Bundesliga title for the third time in as many years, and with our performance in the other competitions we now stand a real chance to record a treble.
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Real life can be a ***** when it cuts into game-time, but today I'm going to devote my time to getting the updates posted.
In the save, I'm already in the following season, with an hour here and there that I spend playing, but the amount of work it takes to post these updates has so far prevented me from posting.
Anyway, long story short, December is next....
Micky
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DECEMBER 2017
December is going to see us face off against a varied batch off opponents, in three different competitions, among them our first ever appearance in the Club World Cup.
At this point of the season, I am very happy where we stand, sitting on top of the league table and qualified for the second round of the Champions League - although a win against Liverpool is needed to claim the top spot in the group.
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We kicked off the month against Gladbach, a team that has so far surprised everyone with their top-half position. They put up a great opposition, recording a number of great chances and only stellar goalkeeping on our side prevented us from going down a goal or two.
We had chances on the other end as well, and it was Sribnyi that found himself on the end of a low cross to tuck away the only goal of the match.
In the end, this score was just about enough to secure the victory, but for a bit of luck it could have gone either way.
Not that I'm complaining....
The sour note on this day was certainly the injury to Skuletic, keeping him out of the game for at least three weeks.
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UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE- GROUP STAGE
Although we had more than week to prepare for this final group match, I was feeling a bit worried, mostly because we were down one half of our strike force after the Skuletic injury the game before.
Having already qualified for the next round, the "only" thing at stake in this match was the placement in the group, and Liverpool came out on a mission to assure that they were the team to come away with the first place.
We were on the back-foot for much of the first half, having to withstand heavy pressure, and only a stellar Adler in goal kept the score level. Close to the half-time whistle it was us, however, that got the score, when second-string striker Fernandez outran the entire defense on the break and calmly converted from the edge of the area.
The second half saw much of the same, with us being pushed back far into our own half, relying on counter-attacks to create some danger on the oppositions goal, but in the end our composed defensive and goalkeeping performance was enough to edge the game.
With this hard-fought and somewhat lucky victory, we have once again managed to claim the top spot in the group table, and can now eagerly await the draw for the second round.
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Getting close to the half-way point in the season, I can't wait for a couple of days of rest for my players - yet another injury in the previous match had Toni Kroos out for a few days, and the exhaustion is starting to show in my squad.
With our comfortable lead in the table, I decided to play a lot of the substitutes in this match, and each and every one of them came out to prove to me that they are deserving of more first-team duty.
It was a relentless attacking match against disappointing Schalke, who were simply outclassed on this day. After a number of near misses and blocked shots, it was a Schalke defender who deflected the ball past his own keeper for the first goal of the match.
Only minutes later, Andre showed his amazing speed and skill by cutting through the defense and converting from close range to double the lead.
I switched to more conservative play later on, to preserve the stamina of my guys, and to avoid any more injuries - too late, however, for Denis Stevic who had to be carried off in the first half.
A solid match, and a good win, and the good news for us is that the injury to Stevic will only be for a day or two. Maybe he just wanted his close-up on TV....
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CLUB WORLD CUP - SEMI FINAL
Our first-ever appearance in the Club World Cup had us enter the competition for the Semi Final against hosts ES Tunis.
The odds were heavily in our favor, but not knowing anything about our opponents, I nevertheless fielded the strongest team I had at my disposal.
It became apparent very early on that we had been made favorites for a reason, as we pelted the target from all possible (and some impossible) angles, but it took until injury time in the first half for us to get the lead, when Andre took advantage of the confusion in the box following a corner kick. Fernandez increased the lead in the second half after some superb build-up, and Di Maria put the score in the books after he found himself at the end of a weak clearance attempt.
In the end, this game that had us advance to the final, flattered no one, we could and should have scored a lot more, but I am quite happy with our defensive play that prevented even a single shot, let alone on target.
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To finish off the month, we traveled to Leverkusen.
Despite the goalless draw, it was a very exciting match to watch, with the highlight reel getting robbed of many great scores by superb goalkeeping on either end.
The chances were very evenly divided amongst the two teams, and in the end the draw was a fair result.
I am quite pleased with the defensive performance on this match, although we dropped two points. In any case, it was a great match to finish off the year.
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Despite the draw in the last match we still have a very solid lead in the league table.
Everything is going according to plan, although there were a few too many injuries in the previous couple of weeks.
I hope the short rest before the season restarts will rejuvenate the guys so we can finish the season as strong as we started.
Despite the somewhat disappointing draws we played against Celtic, we once again managed to win the group stage of the Champions League and can now focus on the knock-out stages.
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With the year nearing it's end, there were once again two of my players getting honored with awards:
Sofiane Feghouli claiming the title as Africas best, and Wilmer Meza clinching the second spot of the best goalkeeper in Europe award.
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---------- Post added at 03:07 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:11 PM ----------
JANUARY 2018
January will start with the final in the Club World Cup before we head for a few weeks of rest - only interrupted by two friendlies to stay in shape.
Despite very focused and determined scouting efforts, we have not managed to find any more worthwhile additions to strengthen the squad - at last not immediately.
With the start of the transfer window, we have offered contracts to Barcelona's Yohan Mollo, a French attacking midfielder, and Real Madrid's Innocent Opara, a midfielder and striker - both players contracts are about to run out at the end of the season, and we have secured their services for the next campaign.
On the other end, I decided to accept an offer from Manchester United for Angel Di Maria - the offer was for just about his market value, but with the player being used on rotation at best, and already having passed the magic 30 years of age, I decided to agree to the transfer and use the money to invest in more youth players.
In our youth squad, the current season in the U-19 competition is going as good as never before - home-grown talent Tom Franke is already hailed as the next Michael Ballack while our new signing Matthias Lechner is cutting the opposition to shreds, scoring a lot more goals than the second placed TEAM, and featured as the starting striker in the Germany U-19 squad - all that at a mere fifteen years of age.
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CLUB WORLD CUP - FINAL
The year started with a historic Club World Cup final against Brazilian powerhouse Palmeriras, and with a clean bill of health for our side, it was sure to be a day to be remembered.
It was a very exciting match to witness, with great build-up and passing plays on either side, and a handful of great chances as a result of that. Although we were made slight favorites, the teams were very evenly matched on the pitch.
Ultimately, it was our dominance in the box that gave us the upper hand. After some great defending in the back, it was center back Erman Celik that connected with the head from a corner kick to give us the lead.
When Skuletic doubled the lead in his first appearance after his injury, things were looking a lot better for us, but Palmeiras never let off, and were ultimately rewarded with a goal of their own in the second half.
In the end, we kept our composure despite having to withstand some heavy pressure, and the team performance allowed us to record a deserved victory.
Another great match, another great win, and another international trophy, putting us in a very small group of teams to have ever won the Club World Cup.
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With the chanting of the fans still echoing through town, we had a few weeks time to relax and reflect on the season so far. Some light training and two friendly matches against our affiliate clubs helped us pass the time until the campaign would restart, and although we were almost shocked by Frankfurt in our match, I am quite hopeful of the coming weeks.
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Bottom-table Furth came out with a mission on this day, but their efforts, although threatening, only lasted for the opening minutes before we found our footing, and it was our game from that moment on.
A solid defense gave the midfield and strike force the confidence to play a beautifully flowing match, culminating in a stunning curled shot from the foot of Sribnyi that sailed past a powerless opposition keeper.
We kept up the pressure, but despite our best efforts it took until well into the second half for us to increase the lead when Toni Kroos converted from a free-kick.
It was Kroos again that finalized the scoring in injury time to give us a result that better reflected the game than the two-goal margin would have had.
On the whole, a great match and a good performance to build upon for the stronger opponents in the coming weeks.
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Remembering the tough times we had in the past when facing off against Wolfsburg I couldn't have been more surprised at what happened on the pitch today. At times I had to get re-assured by my assistant that we weren't accidentally playing against their youth squad, such was our dominance. We had firm control of all areas of the pitch, and the goals by Andre and Ben Arfa gave us a solid lead by the half-hour mark.
Andre added his second goal shortly after the game restarted, and Wolfsburg simply rolled over and let us have our way at this point. A quick double by Skuletic and Ozil increased the lead to five goal, and substitute Fernandez added the icing on the cake with a great solo effort.
Certainly, one of the best matches we played all season long, and the confidence boost from this one is sure to go a long way.
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After the previous match, I and probably everybody else was hoping for yet another blow-out victory, but Ingolstadt put up a brave fight. There was really no reason for the game to be this close, as we dominated in almost all departments except for the taking of chances.
In the end, a whim of the referee to let the game go on way past the announced injury time allowed us to score a very late goal through Kroos to get this deserved but still somewhat lucky victory.
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With two solid and one lucky victory, we managed to once again increase the lead in the table to nine points, and improving our goal difference by a good number after not having conceded a single league goal.
With the success in the Club World Cup still putting a smile on everybody's face, it was a great month to start into the new year.
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---------- Post added at 04:59 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:07 PM ----------
FEBRUARY 2018
After having a relatively quiet January, this month will see a lot more action with no less than six games in three competitions.
I hope my guys are well rested and prepared for the weeks ahead.
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Against closest chaser Stuttgart, this was one of those "six-pointer" games, us trying to increase the lead in the table while Stuttgart was out to cut into it.
Things got off to a great start, with Andre getting the goal in the opening minutes, but we were never able to capitalize on the momentum to increase the lead even further.
We had a number of great chances, but so did our opposition, and the equalizer was never far away.
In the end, we did just about enough to see the game through to the final whistle.
Against ever-threatening Stuttgart, this was one of the most important matches to be played this season, and with our already solid lead in the table now increased even further, this could very well be a deciding factor in the race for the title.
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Despite some great passing and build-up play, we never really got going on this day against mid-table Hoffenheim.
We had a number of attempts, but that spark was missing to put anything away. On the other end, we played a very solid defense, and we managed to thwart all but the most ambitious attempts on our goal, but we remained rather toothless up front.
Just when a draw seemed to be the order of the day, Andre stepped up and scored the only goal of the match after a great solo effort.
A rather boring affair, but it's the victory that counts.
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DFB POKAL 2017/2018 - QUARTER FINAL
This midweek fixture for the cup came very close to an upset against Dortmund.
We played great attacking play, but we were caught too often on the break, and finally punished in the second half when Dortmund got the lead.
The team seemed more motivated than shocked at the goal, and the squad pulled together and ultimately recorded the equalizer when Skuletic finished after some great build-up.
Substitute Ben Arfa scored what proved to be the winner only a few minutes later, as we managed to see the game through despite some heavy pressure by Dortmund in the final moments of the match.
Certainly not the most confident performance we had all season, but a win and a progress in the cup no less.
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I certainly would have liked a more comfortable victory in this match, but with the very congested fixture list I opted to line-up a number of rather inexperienced players on this day.
What we lacked in scoring we certainly made up for in entertaining pass play, and the youngsters on the pitch showed a lot of promise.
We held firm in the back, and recorded a number of good attempts on goal, but we were unable to put anything away.
In the end, it was young defender Bolzoni that recorded the only goal of the match - his first ever for our team - when he rose above the pack to head in a corner kick.
We were expected to win and did just that, if only so.
With the solid lead we got in the league, I am giving some more playing time to the youngsters, and under that light it was a very good game.
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Dortmund was itching to set the record straight, and they put on a great show to avenge their recent cup defeat by our hand.
They certainly had the majority of the chances throughout the game, but were time and again thwarted by a solid Adler in goal, while we were able to get the lead on the other end when Skuletic tucked it away on the counter.
Dortmund pulled one back close to half-time, but their momentum left with them for the break.
In the second half, the match was very even, with good attempts on either end, but in the end it was us that got the final goal of the match when Andre converted on the volley from a perfect cross .
Another solid game, and considering the balance of the match rather fortunate, but three points that I am not complaining about.
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UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE- FIRST KN|OCKOUT ROUND
Continental travel for a mid-week match is never easy, and the exhaustion clearly showed on this day.
We played rather uninspired for the most part, no one really wanting the ball, and so the attacking play in particular was rather unimpressive. Always pushing to get an important away goal, we never succeeded, while at the other end it was only a spectacular Meza in goal that kept the score level.
A questionable decision was ultimately the deciding factor in this match, when the referee awarded a penalty for what (replays have since shown) was a clear dive in the box.
The relief of Meza's save from the spot was only short-lived as Joao Moutinho pounced on the rebound and put it away.
A painful defeat, but I am confident that the team will be determined to put on a show at home to make the fans forget this first leg of the knock-out round.
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After some important -if somewhat lucky - wins in the league we managed to increase the lead to an impressive fourteen points.
With as many games left, it seems the title is ours to loose.
No time to get complacent, for sure, but the ball is certainly in our court, so to speak.
The defeat in the Champions League is a blow, for sure, but there's 90 more minutes to be played to decide who will advance, and we have come back from worse results in recent years.
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---------- Post added at 09:52 AM ---------- Previous post was yesterday at 04:59 PM ----------
MARCH 2018
March will be one of the busiest months we had in a long time, with seven matches to be played across three competitions, and an all-important match against Sporting coming up - one we need to win by a good margin to overcome our first-leg defeat.
At least the team is fit and ready, an important factor for us to see this month through.
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Kicking off in front of a capacity crowd, this match was a no-contest throughout.
We came out with a vengeance, determined not to let last weeks defeat be the beginning of bad run, and we pelted the target from the early moments of the game.
Sribnyi scored a stunning long-range attempt in the opening minutes to set the tone of the game and we never let off trying to get more. Getting closer to half-time, Andre and Di Maria increased the lead to three goals, effectively ending this match as a contest.
Koln tried to mount a few more attacks in the second half, but were rarely threatening enough to challenge our keeper. Whatever little hope was gained by their first goal of the match was quickly negated when Andre scored his second goal of the game only minutes later, giving us a comfortable three-goal winning margin.
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Traveling to our neighbors Nurnberg we faced off in a match that saw two distinctly different half-time performances by the two teams.
Nurnberg looked determined to battle for all three points, and they got off to a great start with a number of dangerous attempts on goal, only to be denied by a stellar Adler between the posts. Luck was not on our side, when Garcia misdirected the ball past our own keeper, putting us down one goal by half-time.
Whether it was nerves or the intention to wait out the one goal lead until full-time I don't know, but the second half took place almost exclusively in our opponents side of the pitch. We were getting chances left and right, and only minutes after the game restarted, Kross scored the equalizer. Not much later, Andre and Skluletic set each other up for their goals, giving us a two-goal lead around the hour mark.
Despite some brief moments of resistance from Nurnberg, it was our side again that scored, as Ben Arfa hammered in the ball from a long way out for the final score.
A great comeback victory against a team that is always there to put up a great fight whenever we meet.
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How this game ended up a draw is beyond me, as we were clearly the dominant ones on this day, not even allowing a single shot on goal on our end while testing the opposition keeper throughout.
In the end, luck was not on our side to put away any of our chances, but with the overall performance we showcased, getting only a single point has to be considered a slight disappointment.
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UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE- FIRST KNOCKOUT ROUND
The most important match to be played this month was one that I went into with mixed feelings. On the one hand, I know we are good enough to get the win, but after last weeks mediocre performance I wasn't so sure anymore if my players knew that as well.
We had a great start with numerous chances but once again failed to put them away, and with the danger of conceding a home-goal ever present the first half played out with heart-pounding excitement.
Close to the half, we finally got the deserved goal when Skuletic broke through the defense and tucked away the ball from close range.
Within ten minutes in the second half we tilted the odds heavily in our favor when Skuletic again and later Di Maria gave us an important three goal lead -effectively two goals up on aggregate.
Sporting looked stunned, and despite a few great build-up plays never made it far enough into our own half to threaten the goalkeeper. In the end, it was us again that scored when Ozil put the finishing touches on a clinical counter-attack for the final score.
I knew we could do it, but the final score surprised even me, if I am honest.
And so we can once again put our sight forward to playing one of the last teams left in the competition.
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The short rest since our last match clearly showed on this day, as we were outrun and outplayed over wide stretches of the game.
We got off to a great start, however, when Andre scored from the first attempt on goal only seconds in, but it didn't take long for the score to get leveled after some confusion in our own box. Skuletic restored the lead at the half-hour mark, but after a converted spot-kick the game was once again level going into the break.
In the second half we just didn't perform up to the level I know we are capable of, and so we were forced to watch the game slip away as Hamburg got the lead and never let it go.
We had a few more chances, but that bit of luck was missing to draw level or even ****** the game back.
After this frustrating defeat, our unbelievable streak has come to an abrupt end - this game ends the run of previously 55 games without loosing, lasting all the way back to September 2016.
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DFB POKAL 2017/2018 - SEMI FINAL
Wolfsburg had obviously made some changes to their line-up after the heavy beating we gave them last month, but it still didn't stop us from having firm control over this fixture just the same. The defense stayed tight and solid throughout, although we were lacking a bit of luck up front to make our chances count.
After Ozil found himself alone in front of the keeper to score we had a great number of chances to increase our lead, but in the end it remained the only goal that separated the teams at full-time.
Not the most exciting match, but we made it to the final of the domestic cup once again with a good chance for some more silverware.
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To finish the month we welcomed newly promoted Aachen on our home turf, and it was a match they might as well have stayed at home for.
We didn't allow a single shot, hardly even letting the opposition get past the center of the pitch while at the other end the goals just wouldn't stop coming.
Ozil scored the opener only moments in before Skuletic converted twice to give us a comfortable three-goal lead by the half-hour mark.
The second half had much of the same with great play by the regulars and substitutes alike and after Ozil got his second goal of the game it was Skuletic that got his deserved hat-trick to the delight of the cheering home crowd.
A great victory against an admittedly inferior opponent, but maybe just the confidence boost we will need before we face Barcelona in next weeks Champions League Quarter Final.
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Although we dropped four points and recorded our first defeat in more than a year we are still firmly on top, and with only five games left in the season the nine point lead in the league should be enough to keep us safely up front.
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---------- Post added at 12:14 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:52 AM ----------
APRIL 2018
With the domestic season getting to a close - and our strong lead in the table giving us every reason to be hopeful - this month will see a heavy focus on the European Competition.
Both the quarter final and - if we succeed - the first leg of the semi final will be played, and with the quality of teams remaining, none of these matches can be taken lightly.
We have shown in the past that we have a strong team, but now it will be up to us to prove it.
One of our club icons, Robert Zeher, has announced his intent to retire at the end of the season. Although he featured only intermittently in recent years the contributions he made on our way up since we signed him cannot be valued high enough.
He might have had another few years in him, but nowhere near the level required for my team, and so I am happy that he chose our club to be his last.
Preparations are underway for his farewell tournament at the end of the season, they week before he will officially join our coaching staff in July.
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UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE- QUARTER FINAL
Traveling to Barcelona to play in front of close to 100.000 spectators, we weren't given much of a chance in the build-up to the match.
Barca fielded their strongest team available, and their attacking play was relentless throughout the entirety. It was all we could do to keep the score level, highlighted by a man-of-the-match performance by Adler in goal, and it always looked to be only a matter of time until we would concede.
Against the flow of the game, me managed to get the lead in the second half, when Skuletic found the target on our first attempt on goal all day long. The equalizer was only minutes away, however, but despite the heavy pressure we had to withstand in the closing minutes we managed to hang on to the draw.
Against this unbelievably strong Barcelona team, getting the draw and the important away goal has to be seen as a bit of an upset, even more so when considering that we only managed to test the oppositions keeper twice in the entire match.
It's a good first leg, one we can hopefully build upon when we welcome the Spanish champions at home in the coming week.
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Considering the exciting matches we played against Bayern in the past, this afternoons fixture was a rather boring affair.
It got off to a great start when Korotetskyi tucked in a header from a corner kick, but things ebbed down after that. There were a few great moments for both teams throughout, but in the end no one did enough to score, and so the early goal remained the only really noteworthy event of the day.
Sadly, Toni Kroos' injury problems continued in this match, as he suffered a broken arm, keeping him out of the game for several weeks and even putting his World Cup hopes in question.
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UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE- QUARTER FINAL
Playing in front of a cheerful home-crowd, we performed a whole lot better than in our first meeting with Barcelona.
Although still considered slight underdogs, we were more than a match for our opposition, at times dominating the match with the confidence of the away goal.
We got the lead through Skuletic at the half-hour mark but just couldn't use the momentum to pull further ahead.
An equalizer always looked likely, but in the end we held firm in defense to deny the ever-threatening Barcelona attackers and we managed to scrape the win.
A great showing against a very strong opponent - possibly the best team in the world - has us through to the last four in the competition and a real chance to retain the title.
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Only days after the exhausting Champions League game, we welcomed Hannover at home for this rather unremarkable match.
There were a few chances for either side, and some great passing to go with it, but on the whole nothing that would make this day one to be remembered.
Late in the game we snatched the winner when Bacci out-muscled his marker in the box to convert a header from a corner kick.
I'm glad we got the points, but the performance was average at best.
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Just one day after our Hannover game, Stuttgart have ended the race for the title by dropping two points against Dortmund. With three games left and eleven points ahead, we have now claimed the Bundesliga title for the third consecutive year.
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Surprise package Gladbach showed no signs of how they managed to find themselves near the top at the end of the season, being outplayed for most of the match against our side that featured more substitutes than regulars.
We scored twice before half-time through Celik and Ozil, and should have scored a lot more had it not been for a string of great saves from the opposition goalkeeper.
We didn't manage to increase the lead in the second half, but our defense was solid and left no doubt about their intention to keep a clean sheet, and so the few attempts on our goal were never a real threat.
The late injury to Andre fortunately turned out to be a short-term affair, and he should be able to play in the Champions League match in a few days.
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UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE- SEMI FINAL
The second giant of Spanish football came to visit for the first leg of this years quarter final in the Champions League.
The fans were delighted when we got the early lead through a long-range effort by Celik, but Real was determined not to let go of the match. Chance after chance was denied by Adler in goal, giving us a somewhat lucky lead at half-time.
A late tackle in the second half allowed Madrid to draw level from a spot-kick, but their momentum was stopped by the solid defense, keeping the score level until the late stages of the game. After Andre was brought down in the box he stepped up himself to convert from the spot, giving us once again the lead with only minutes left.
Capitalizing on the all-out attacking play by Madrid, we caught them on the counter with time running out, when Skuletic slipped past the defense to hammer in an unstoppable shot from around 10 yards out.
With this great showing int he first leg we now have every right to look forward to the return fixture with confidence.
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After another undefeated month, we have no claimed the Bundesliga title for the third time in as many years, and with our performance in the other competitions we now stand a real chance to record a treble.
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KidBlink56
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Checking back in, I've been a reader for a very long time and honestly mate this is one of the best stories on the site.
Also, I love that you've been regularly posting since February and have played until 2018 and there's only 4 pages of story. XD Must be the big posts eh?
Also, I love that you've been regularly posting since February and have played until 2018 and there's only 4 pages of story. XD Must be the big posts eh?