2013/14 UEFA Champions League technical report

2013/14 UEFA Champions League technical report

Technical report2013/14

Introduction.................................................................. 2

The lure of Lisbon ......................................................... 4

The final: A minute difference .................................. 12

The winning coach: Carlo Ancelotti ......................... 17

Technical topics ......................................................... 18

Passing ........................................................................ 26

Goalscoring analysis .................................................. 28

The importance of scoring first ................................ 36

Attempts on goal ....................................................... 38

Contents

Crossing ....................................................................... 39

Talking points ............................................................. 40

Distance covered ....................................................... 43

Approaching the goal ................................................ 44

Discipline ..................................................................... 46

All-star squad .............................................................. 48

Results and tables ...................................................... 50

Team profiles .............................................................. 52

INTRODUCTION

Reading the game

Group B

Group D

Group F

Group H

Group A

Group C

Group E

Group G

Real Sociedad de Fútbol

(RS)

FC Shakhtar Donetsk

(SHK)

Bayer 04 Leverkusen

(LEV)

Manchester United FC

(MU)

Arsenal FC (ARS)

FC Schalke 04 (SCH)

Borussia Dortmund

(DOR)SSC Napoli

(NAP)

Manchester City FC

(MC)

AFC Ajax (AJX)

Real Madrid CF (RM)

Chelsea FC (CHL)

FC Barcelona (BAR)

Juventus (JUV)

FC København (KOB)

FC Bayern München

(BAY)

PFC CSKA Moskva (CSKA)

FC Porto (POR)

FC Zenit (ZEN)

Celtic FC (CEL)

SL Benfica (BEN)

FC Basel 1893 (BSL)

FC Steaua Bucureşti

(STE)

Galatasaray AŞ (GAL)

Olympiacos FC (OLY)

AC Milan (ACM)

FC Viktoria Plzeň (PLZ)

RSC Anderlecht (AND)

Paris Saint-Germain

(PSG)

Olympique de Marseille

(MAR)

The above abbreviations are used in place of club names on pages 52–85

The review of the 22nd season of UEFA Champions League football combines the annual technical report, which has been published for the last 15 seasons, with the commercial, marketing, financial and broadcasting aspects – the essential ingredients in the success of European football’s premier club competition. The technical report is also being produced as a limited-edition stand-alone publication for a small target group of front-line coaches.

As usual, the technical report sets out to provide a permanent record of the 125 matches played during the 2013/14 UEFA Champions League season and to present factual and statistical information in a reader-friendly format. Data on specific matches and the 32 teams who competed in the competition are widely available – notably on UEFA’s own website. The focus in this report is therefore to deliver an overview based on the presentation and interpretation of factual evidence, blended with the input from the team of UEFA technical observers that

FK Austria Wien (AW)

Club Atlético de Madrid

(ATL)

The UEFA technical team lineup at the final (from left to right): Graham Turner, Ioan Lupescu, Thomas Schaaf, Sir Alex Ferguson, Roy Hodgson, Jorge Jesus, Mircea Lucescu and Frank Ludolph

attended the matches played during the knockout stage of the competition. These culminated with the final in Lisbon, contested for the second successive season by two teams from the same national association.

This mix of facts and observations seeks to provoke as well as to inform. The objective is to provide inspiration for analysis, reflections and debate which, it is hoped, will give technicians

food for thought. By highlighting tendencies and trends at the peak of professional club football, the report also offers coaches who are active in the development levels of the game information that may be helpful in terms of working on the qualities which will be needed by the players and coaches who will play leading roles in shaping the UEFA Champions League of the future.

2 32013/14 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE TECHNICAL REPORT INTRODUCTION

COMPETITION OVERVIEW

The lure of

Madrid’s great rivals laid down a marker in the group stage, dropping just two points each on their way to ensuring the competition’s first single-city final

One of the multifarious challenges facing members of the coaching profession is that expectations can blur the public’s perception of success and failure. In the UEFA Champions League, success can be a place on the starting grid, survival into the new calendar year, or raising a national flag for the first time in the quarter-finals. For a select few clubs, expectations are pinned to images of the captain triumphantly lifting ‘Old Big Ears’ – and some of the pre-season favourites ended the

campaign with a bitter taste of disappointment despite a more than creditable season. FC Bayern München, for instance, had been signalled as candidates to become the first club to make a successful defence of the title, only to suffer a comprehensive semi-final defeat comparable to the one the Bavarian side had inflicted on FC Barcelona a season earlier. It was one of the many dramatic twists and turns which form the quintessence of the world’s prime club competition.

Lisbon

4 52013/14 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE TECHNICAL REPORT COMPETITION OVERVIEW

The drama started to unfold during the autumn. The results pages might have suggested a degree of normality. Half of the 96 group games, for instance, had ended in victory for the home team. On the other hand, there was an eye-catching fact that, in 25 of those fixtures, the visiting team had failed to score. But theories about teams ‘travelling badly’ could be swiftly dismantled by another salient feature of the group stage. No fewer than 31 fixtures were won by the away team. Of the three possible results, draws slumped to a low of 18, with Groups D and F failing to produce a stalemate. The statistics aligned with the previous season (in which 51 of the 96 group games had not been won by the home side) to suggest a more adventurous approach by travelling teams. The competition offered spectators only six 0-0 draws (a meagre 4.8% of the total) with the knockout rounds contributing only one – the goalless first leg of the semi-final between Club Atlético de Madrid and Chelsea FC.

Further question marks were attached to the time-honoured theory that ten points are enough to earn a place in the knockout stage of the competition. SL Benfica, who went on to reach the UEFA Europa League final for the second successive season, reached double figures, only for the head-to-head ruling to consign them to third place behind Olympiacos FC – the Greek club exceeding

expectations by reaching the knockout rounds. SSC Napoli suffered an even crueller reverse, ending Group F in third place despite accumulating 12 points by winning four of their six matches. Stark contrasts were provided by Galatasaray AŞ and FC Zenit, both of whom secured second place with less impressive records. The Turkish club won their final home fixture in conditions which had forced a 24-hour postponement to qualify with seven points and a deficit of six in the goal difference column. The 1-0 victory in Istanbul signified an early exit for Juventus after the Italian champions had lost ground by conceding three draws in their previous five games.

On the same day, Zenit clinched second place in Group G despite a resounding 4-1 defeat in Vienna against FK Austria Wien. It earned kudos for the Austrian debutants, who recorded their first win in the competition. It also allowed the Russian team, thanks to FC Porto’s defeat against Atlético in Madrid, to progress with cabin-size baggage of six points and a solitary win. The two Portuguese clubs joined Juventus, FC Steaua Bucureşti, Olympique de Marseille, AFC Ajax and Celtic FC on a seven-strong list of former champions of Europe who fell at the group stage hurdle.

Wesley Sneijder strikes to send Galatasaray through

Philipp Lahm revelled in a new central role for Bayern

Olympiacos advanced for the first time since 2009/10

AC Milan striker Mario Balotelli

Zlatan Ibrahimović scores one of his four goals in Paris’s 5-0 win at Anderlecht


Further apparent contradictions could be found in the eight group tables, where differences between first and last were generally substantial but where few issues had been definitively resolved before the final matchday. The eight fourth-placed teams registered deficits of between nine and 13 points in relation to the group winners – substantial margins in an 18-point campaign. At the same time, differences between first and second ranged from zero (in Groups D and F) to ten points in Group G, where Atlético, significantly, equalled their city rivals by conceding only two points in their six games.

Elsewhere, isolated performances rather than sustained excellence caught the eye. In Group E, for example, FC Basel 1893 raised eyebrows by defeating Chelsea at home and at Stamford Bridge – but failed to beat anybody else. Similarly, FC Shakhtar Donetsk, a major force in previous seasons, could only register a brace of wins against Real Sociedad de Fútbol, with the Basque club a shade unlucky to reap only a single point on their return to the competition after a ten-year absence. Galatasaray earned four of their seven points against Juventus. Zenit took four of their six points from the 2004

champions, Porto, and in Group H, AC Milan took second place even though the only opponent they defeated was Celtic.

In terms of grand finales, Group F had no peer. With Marseille losing their six matches, the top two spots were contested by heavyweights Borussia Dortmund, Arsenal FC and Napoli and all three managed to knock down their opponents once. A dramatic late winner at the Stade Vélodrome ultimately handed top spot to the 2013 silver-medallists, while Rafael Benítez’s side fell just short of glory in a 2-0 home win against Arsenal. That result meant that Milan would be the only Italian representative in the next phase.

When the dust had settled, it became clear that the knockout stage would get under way with four clubs from England and Germany, three from Spain, and one apiece from France, Greece, Italy, Russia and Turkey. Few would have predicted that, once the ball started rolling in February, many of the ties would be all but resolved after the first 90 minutes. Or that all eight group winners would progress to the quarter-finals at the expense of the runners-up.

Aaron Ramsey was in sparkling form for Arsenal in a tight Group F

Neymar was a striking addition to Barcelona’s attack

Benfica bowed out despite amassing ten points

Ryan Giggs retired with a record 151 UEFA Champions League appearances (including qualifying). Raúl González holds the record for most games from group stage to final with 142


Knockout blowsThe opening round of 16 fixtures yielded six away victories, five of which were won by two goals or more – with the advantages compounded by the away goals rule. Real Madrid CF, 6-1 victors against FC Schalke 04 in Gelsenkirchen; Paris Saint-Germain, 4-0 winners in Leverkusen; and Dortmund, favoured by a 4-2 scoreline in St Petersburg, became odds-on favourites to go through – and did, even though Zenit claimed a consolation victory in Dortmund. Only two matches punctuated the away win sequence. Galatasaray, coming from behind to draw 1-1 with Chelsea in Istanbul, were outgunned at Stamford Bridge, losing the return 2-0. And Olympiacos, 2-0 winners against Manchester United FC in the home leg, failed to truncate their negative record of 11 losses in as many visits to England when they were beaten 3-0 at Old Trafford.

David Moyes’ team then faced the defending champions and, despite working to extenuation, lost 3-1 in Munich after a 1-1 draw in Manchester. Their local rivals Manchester City FC had suffered the misfortune to be drawn against Barcelona, and their excellent campaign was ended with defeats in Manchester and at Camp Nou. Gerardo Martino’s side, however, were then required to take part in the only one-country tie to emerge from the quarter-final draw. A stunning long-range shot by Diego earned Atlético a 1-1 draw in the Catalan capital, with Barça then unable to bounce back after conceding an early goal in the return.

Real Madrid also prevailed by the narrowest of margins in a rerun of the previous season’s semi-final against Dortmund. A convincing display earned Carlo Ancelotti’s side a seemingly comfortable 3-0 advantage but, in Germany, two early goals for Jürgen Klopp’s

team produced nail-biting. Limiting the damage to that 2-0 scoreline saw the Spanish team through – by the skin of their teeth. Paris seemed to have carved out a winning margin when an added-time goal earned Laurent Blanc’s team a 3-1 win over Chelsea in the French capital. Despite conceding once in the first half, the French side looked reasonably comfortable – until a diagonal ball into the box allowed Demba Ba to scoop in a second in the 87th minute and secure an away-goal victory for the Londoners.

Their reward was a trip to Madrid, where a respectful display against Atlético led to the only goalless draw of the knockout stage. Again, Chelsea went 1-0 ahead during the first half of the return. But Diego Simeone’s team produced enough mental and physical strength to turn the game round, with Adrián López equalising just before the break. A Diego Costa penalty

and a quick reaction by Arda Turan when his scoring attempt rebounded off the crossbar allowed Atlético to seal a return to the final of Europe’s premier competition for the first time in 40 years.

The other semi-final also produced a tale of the unexpected – at least in the second leg. Real Madrid earned a 1-0 home victory in the first, but, bearing in mind the club’s meagre dividends from previous visits to Germany, the result did not generate undue optimism. The surprise in Munich was that centre-back Sergio Ramos was allowed to head home from two set plays within the opening 20 minutes, and that Bayern were subsequently unable to find a reply. An impudent direct free-kick by Ronaldo put 0-4 on the scoreboard in the final minute, perpetuated the tradition that no team has successfully defended the UEFA Champions League title, and made history by ensuring that, for the first time, the European title would be decided at a final between two clubs from the same city.

A minute’s silence was held before both semi-finals to mark the passing of Tito Vilanova and Vujadin Boškov

Diego Costa (left) celebrates scoring Atletico’s second at

Chelsea with team-mate Koke

2013 finalists Dortmund saw off Zenit in the last 16

André Schürrle takes on Alex at Stamford Bridge


A minuteSergio Ramos’s equalising goal seconds from the end of normal time turned the outcome and perceptions of an intriguing final on their heads

“The equaliser was the winning goal.” The comment by Sir Alex Ferguson focused a spotlight on one critical moment. Three minutes into added time and with only one remaining, Luka Modrić delivered a corner from the right. The one head that the Club Atlético de Madrid players wanted the ball to avoid was that of Sergio Ramos, the man who had killed off the defending champions by heading home twice from set plays during the second leg of the semi-final in Munich. But there he was, given enough elbow room in the centre of the box to rise above the ball and, calculating the angles as shrewdly as a billiards player, swivel his neck to send his header past the stretched-to-the-limit right arm of Thibaut Courtois and into the net at the far post. In the short term, it signified 1-1 and extra time. In the greater scheme of things, it heralded, as Sir Alex pointed out, ultimate victory for Real Madrid CF.

To start a review of the 2014 UEFA Champions League final in the 93rd minute could legitimately be classed as an aberration. But the equaliser not only changed the game. It changed perceptions of the game. Had the Ramos header struck the post, the post-match plaudits would undoubtedly have been directed at the compact organisation, defensive acumen and incommensurable team spirit of Diego Simeone’s side. Just over half an hour later, the praise was being redirected towards the self-belief, the tactical sophistication and the sheer punching power of Carlo Ancelotti’s Madrid. As Roy Hodgson remarked on the following morning: “We can make a lot of positive points about Real Madrid, but we shouldn’t be too harsh on Atlético.” Nevertheless, a considered review of the final is inevitably coloured by the hindsight factor.

difference

THE FINAL

Sergio Ramos celebrates his dramatic late equaliser

12 132013/14 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE TECHNICAL REPORT THE FINAL

The hindsight factor reaches back to 75 minutes before kick-off, when the 60,976 spectators were still filling the magnificent Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica with colour, decibels, banners and Madrileño accents. At that moment, the team sheets were being handed to Dutch referee Björn Kuipers. Atlético’s included No19, Diego Costa, injured a week previously, but apparently recovered in time to take part in training on the eve of the final. For a coach, the situation presented a dilemma. Should he start on the pitch or should he be reserved as the stiletto up the sleeve on the bench? Simeone, backed by evidence from the player and the medics, opted for the former. But only nine minutes had ticked past when he needed to be replaced by Adrián López. At that stage, nobody knew there would be extra time. It is only the hindsight factor which classes Costa as a costly gamble.

On the other team sheet, Carlo Ancelotti, needing to meditate on the ideal replacement for the suspended Xabi Alonso, went for his No6. Sami Khedira, returning from long-term injury, emphasised his physical fitness by producing a sprint which, at 32.69km/h, was the fastest of the game. But match sharpness comes with matches – and he had played very few. Hindsight singles out his substitution in the 59th minute as one of the watershed moments of the final.

the 59th minute, when Ancelotti ordered a double substitution. “This wasn’t just about fresh legs,” commented Hierro. “Ancelotti added joy to the team’s play. Swapping Khedira for Isco gained a lot for the team, as he tried to combine with everybody. And sending on Marcelo for Coentrão at left-back was a key move. He was ready to push forward, to try the 1v1. In a game when the front men couldn’t find spaces to run into, individual skill was required – and the two changes provided it.”

Hodgson added: “From that moment, Real Madrid pushed more and more, while Atlético couldn’t pose any threat in attack. If you let

Real have the ball in or around your area for 30 minutes, you can expect bad news.” For all their pressure, however, there was little to trouble Courtois. Bale struck two shots; Ronaldo launched an acrobatic effort; Isco tried his luck from outside the box. All went wide.

As Atlético stubbornly held on, Simeone sent on José Sosa to replace Raúl García, who had been brought into play much less frequently than his midfield colleagues Tiago, Gabi and Koke. Then, with seven minutes remaining, left-back Filipe Luís limped off injured, obliging Simeone to make his third change at a stage when, as Hierro commented: “Had I been the coach, I would have sent on an extra midfielder and closed the game down.”

While the referee was consulting his watch prior to closing the game down after four minutes of added time, the ‘winning equaliser’ entered the seemingly impenetrable Atlético net. “The 1-1 released the pressure and gave Real added impetus,” said Thomas Schaaf. “Atlético couldn’t find the resources to play vertically or build attacks.” As the referee signalled the start of extra time, a new game had also started. And within minutes, the Atlético fans began to see the writing on the wall. Juanfran landed

awkwardly – and hobbled as best he could through the extra half-hour, aware that the three changes had been made.

Finally detecting a weakness in Atlético’s defences, Ancelotti’s team exploited it mercilessly, with Marcelo and Di María relentlessly assaulting the damaged area. “This is where the intelligence of Modrić paid off,” Lucescu observed. “He helped Real to dominate totally in midfield. He constantly switched the direction of play to pose questions. And Marcelo, with his interceptions and vertical runs, caused serious problems.” Significantly, while Modrić was the chief supplier to Bale and Ronaldo on the wings, Sergio Ramos – who made more passes than any other player in the final – was the main purveyor of passes to Di María and Marcelo as they broke forward from the left side of midfield.

Atlético’s instinct for survival had seen them through the first half of extra time, but with so many key players running – and Juanfran hobbling – on empty, the umpteenth incursion by Real’s left-flank players provided the breakthrough. The shot which provided the culmination to Di María’s run was blocked by Courtois, only for the ball to cannon hard enough

“ Atlético were ready to wait and wait and wait – and they scored from their first real chance”

Sir Alex Ferguson

Finally detecting a weakness in Atlético’s defences, Ancelotti’s team exploited it mercilessly

Atlético coach Diego Simeone

Ángel Di María on the run for Madrid

Luka Modrić goes past Atlético captain Gabi

Diego Godín opened the scoring for Atlético

And so to the pitch, where the pageantry of the opening ceremony and the rendition of the UEFA Champions League anthem by Portugal’s celebrated fado singer Mariza gave the crowd goosebumps as the tension rose. This translated seamlessly into a tense start to a contest between, as former Madrid star Fernando Hierro put it, “two different ways of seeing football, with Atlético a compact, tactically mature side with a very good defensive set-up”. Initially, it was Real who probed deeper, with Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo working the right and left flanks respectively, while Karim Benzema attempted to capitalise on neat combinations through the middle. But effective combinations were rare in an opening phase when, as Mircea Lucescu commented, “neither team could put more than three or four passes together”.

For Sir Alex, Atlético’s strength was to “hunt the ball down, to stay organised and to be patient. They were ready to wait and wait and wait – and they scored from their first real chance.” The game was into its 36th minute when it came. Gabi trotted over to take a corner on the right, with his delivery cleared only as far as right-back Juanfran, who redirected into a box where there was two-way traffic among a platoon of players moving in or out. With Iker Casillas among those moving out, the header by Diego Godín looped over him and, as the goalkeeper put a despairing hand to it, crossed the line and found a tortuous route into the side of the net. A set play had given Atlético the advantage and the solidity of Simeone’s unit challenged Ancelotti and his players to find solutions.

The first half ended with Khedira earning himself a yellow card during the 94 seconds of added time. It was the third of a dozen in a match where the tensions and frustrations of a local derby transferred to club football’s ultimate stage lowered boiling points and distorted the timing of tackles. But the opening act had served to highlight the contrast in playing styles and in formations. Atlético’s 4-4-2 relied heavily on the two full-backs – Juanfran on the right, Filipe Luís on the left – exploiting the wide areas. Real’s 4-3-3 had a more attacking complexion, with Ángel Di María bursting into the spaces created by Ronaldo’s off-the-ball running on the left wing. Although Ancelotti’s team dominated possession 60-40, they struggled to pierce Atlético’s defensive block. When they did so, Gareth Bale missed the target with the only two clear chances. Real’s attacking guns were being effectively spiked.

The second half initially offered more of the same: orderly defending by Atlético amid deafening support from their fans. Hindsight, however, reveals that a turning point came in

14 2013/14 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE TECHNICAL REPORT 15THE FINAL

THE WINNING COACH

Carlo Ancelotti became champion of Europe for the fifth time, having done so twice as a player and twice as coach of AC Milan before completing his hat-trick with Real Madrid CF. He was within a minute of losing a UEFA Champions League final for the second time as a coach and giving Diego Simeone his first sweet taste of success in Europe’s prime club competition. In Lisbon, the contrast in coaching styles was as marked as the contrast between the teams’ playing styles. Simeone, hyperactive from start to finish at the Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica, had created a team capable of wresting the Liga title from Spain’s ‘big two’ and of reaching the UEFA Champions League final unbeaten. His concepts are based on unremitting efforts, spirit and commitment to the cause. Simeone’s side was a reflection of his own attitude as a player and his credo as a coach. “Effort and spirit are not negotiable,” he always maintains. “And I insist on being clear, sincere and honest. Being a coach is different from being a player. But the essence of human values remains the same.”

Ancelotti, by the narrowest of margins in spite of the heavy scoreline, celebrated the climax of his first year with the club’s tenth European crown. “Real Madrid has become a different team with Ancelotti – a team that’s strong in defence and doesn’t concede that many goals, a team that has more patience with the ball, and a team that attacks with speed and power,” said Fernando Hierro. “Before, the emphasis was on direct attacking. This team has a

balanced mix.” This was illustrated by a campaign in which Ancelotti shrewdly managed the riches of his squad to achieve a tactical diversity which allowed Real to adopt different approaches to dealing with the defending champions, FC Bayern München, in the semi-final and then Club Atlético de Madrid in the final.

‘Carletto’ also has a balanced approach to the job. In the technical area he seems imperturbable, almost inscrutable. Those who study his behaviour on the touch line would maybe find it difficult to equate that image with the ease and jocularity of his relationships within the dressing room. When the 93rd-minute equaliser hit the Atlético net, his reaction was a minimal gesture with clenched fists. When Bale nodded in the second goal, Ancelotti’s body language transmitted more passion – but it was a contained passion. His joy at lifting the trophy was allied with a measured appraisal of the victory. “I am a lucky man,” he admitted, before stressing that “happiness is giving happiness to the people who follow us, day in day out, throughout the year.”

The coaches who acted as UEFA’s observers at the Lisbon final unanimously lauded his shrewd use of the substitutions and his bravery in deploying six creative, attacking players in front of his back four as he chased the adverse result. Eyebrows were raised when he sent on Isco, a middle-to-front player replete with skill and unpredictability, to replace the industrious Sami Khedira and accompany Luka Modrić in the central midfield. Marcelo’s attacking virtues made him another successful substitution. “Marcelo changed the game,” Sir Alex Ferguson remarked. “Ancelotti was able to bring on substitutes who added to the team, whereas Simeone found himself having to make changes to survive.”

Mircea Lucescu added: “Ancelotti reorganised the team and made an impact and he found ways of beating different types of opposition – like breaking up Bayern’s game by sometimes going over the top. He’s good at finding the right answers.” After Ancelotti’s team had clawed its way back from the brink to take the title, Roy Hodgson reflected on the qualities which had allowed him to ultimately prevail: “Throughout the game, he transmitted calmness, confidence, belief in the work that had been done and faith in the ability of his players.”

“ I am a lucky man. Happiness is giving happiness to the people who follow us, day in day out, throughout the year”

Carlo AncelottiUnder the Italian coach Real Madrid have developed a balance and tactical diversity that reaped its greatest reward in the final

from his body to bounce high in the air from the ground and allow Bale to nod in at the back post. Within minutes, Marcelo made an almost identical run through the same unprotected territory to score with a low shot. And Ronaldo rubbed salt into wounds by converting a last-minute penalty then exuberantly celebrating before the camera which was gathering images of him for a feature film.

It brought down the curtain on a game in which, as Lucescu observed, “the more agile, creative, technical players ultimately beat the highly disciplined defensive organisation of their opponents”. There was statistical evidence to support his view. Ancelotti’s team, apart from its 60% share of the ball, had doubled Atlético’s

tally of goal attempts, and had attempted 862 passes to Atlético’s 548 with a 76 to 59 advantage in the percentage of accuracy. Atlético’s endeavour was reflected by midfielders Koke, Tiago and Gabi, each of whom covered almost 16km in running to extenuation. They and their team-mates could legitimately feel maltreated by the 4-1 scoreline. As the white shirts of Real headed into the main stand to receive medals from the UEFA President, Michel Platini, and lift the trophy for the tenth time, the hindsight factors began to come into focus. At the moment when red and white ribbons were being readied for attachment to the cup, Atlético had been beaten by a winning equaliser.

Gareth Bale celebrates scoring what proved to be the winning goal

Marcelo adds the third

Iker Casillas lifts the trophy as Madrid celebrate ‘La Décima’

Match statisticsSaturday 24 May 2014, Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica

Real Madrid CF 4-1 Club Atlético de Madrid(after extra time)

Goals

0-1 Godín 36, 1-1 Ramos 90+3, 2-1 Bale 110, 3-1 Marcelo 118, 4-1 Ronaldo 120 (P)

Lineups

Madrid: Casillas (C); Carvajal, Ramos, Varane, Coentrão (Marcelo 59); Modrić, Khedira (Isco 59), Di María; Bale, Benzema (Morata 79), Ronaldo

Atlético: Courtois; Juanfran, Miranda, Godín, Filipe Luís (Alderweireld 83); Raúl García (Sosa 66), Gabi (C), Tiago, Koke; Diego Costa (Adrián López 9), Villa

Cards

Yellow: Ramos 27, Khedira 45+1, Marcelo 118, Ronaldo 120+1, Varane 120+3 (Madrid);Raúl García 27, Miranda 53, Villa 72, Juanfran 74, Koke 86, Gabi 100, Godín 120 (Atlético)

Referee

Björn Kuipers (Netherlands)

Attendance

60,976

1716 2013/14 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE TECHNICAL REPORT THE WINNING COACH

Unlocking the doorFrom launching attacks from deep or hitting teams on the break to the importance (or not) of possession, opinions differed on the most effective route to goal

“If we ended the season asking ourselves why Real Madrid were the champions, we’d have to think about the balance within their squad; their ability to field a team equipped to deal with any rival. They could always field two of the best central midfielders you could hope to see, because of their skill on the ball and their defensive strength. They were always ready to get back to their own box or, as we saw against Bayern, to double up against Ribéry and Robben. More importantly, against any opponent, they could find ways to unlock the door.” These words, spoken by Roy Hodgson on the morning after the Lisbon final, raise many of the points to emerge from a fascinating UEFA Champions League season.

TECHNICAL TOPICS

David Villa and Raphaël Varane lock horns

The engine roomThe final provided a clear example of how Carlo Ancelotti was able to change the texture of his team by blending different personalities into the two central midfield positions, tilting the balance in the direction of a more creative approach when chasing the result. Although team structures were fluid, no fewer than 23 of the 32 coaches opted to operate with twin screening midfielders at some stage of the competition. Like Ancelotti, Pep Guardiola was able to stamp different hallmarks on to his formation by permuting Toni Kroos, Thiago Alcántara, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Javi Martínez and Philipp Lahm in the pivotal roles. The other two semi-finalists tended to prioritise a more pragmatic approach, with José Mourinho fielding David Luiz, Ramires, Frank Lampard or Jon Obi Mikel in the Chelsea FC holding roles, while Diego Simeone’s Club Atlético de Madrid relied on the industry of Tiago, Gabi or Mario Suárez to form the central platform on which he built his team’s defensive and attacking strategies.

Among the minority of teams who operated with a single screening midfielder, Laurent Blanc generally deployed Thiago Motta in the anchor role of the Paris Saint-Germain midfield, with Marco Verratti working, pressing and harrying in the area ahead of him. At FC Barcelona, Sergio Busquets performed the vital shielding role in front of the central defenders, tackling and intercepting to supply the ball to the team’s creative talents, generally Xavi Hernández and Andrés Iniesta. In the Juventus formation, Andrea Pirlo played the role of deep-lying playmaker in front of the centre-backs and behind a well-populated midfield.

Attacking from the backThe final demonstrated that the central area of the defensive third has become the prime area for laying the foundations of attacking play. For Real Madrid CF, the suspension of Xabi Alonso left Carlo Ancelotti with, as Roy Hodgson put it, “a big hole to fill”. He filled it in two different ways, with Luka Modrić the lynchpin, distributing play to every team-mate except Iker Casillas. Alongside him, Sami Khedira’s successful passes included only one to Karim Benzema and none to Cristiano Ronaldo or Gareth Bale. Isco, his second-half replacement, linked more successfully with the two wide forwards. The salient feature, however, was that centre-back Sergio Ramos stepped into the Alonso role, completing more passes than any other player and effectively feeding Ángel Di María and Marcelo on the left flank. This provided a contrast with his role during the away leg of the semi-final against FC Bayern München when, faced with Mario Mandžukić and Thomas Müller, he prioritised defensive duties. The former was able to receive only eight passes during the 90 minutes.

Modrić’s most frequent pass during the Lisbon final was to Daniel Carvajal – a fact which highlighted the continued trend for moves to be built on centre-backs spreading wide and full-backs advancing on the flanks, with either one or two screening midfielders dropping deep to provide extra cover through the central area. The trend is, in consequence, for the playmakers to operate from deep positions and to open play to the flanks where full-backs and wingers combined in attempts to find routes round the defensive block. During the second leg of the semi-final against Real Madrid, Toni Kroos played 69 of his 130 successful passes

Frank Lampard keeps one step ahead of Blaise Matuidi

to Bayern’s wingers (Franck Ribéry and Arjen Robben) or full-backs (Lahm and David Alaba).

Atlético’s winger-less formation relied heavily on box-to-box activity by the two full-backs, notably Juanfran, whose two determined runs deep into the Chelsea box provided two crucial goals at Stamford Bridge in the semi-final. Like Ramos, he had shown his ability to prioritise defensive duties when responsible for subduing Neymar and Co. during the quarter-final against Barcelona. During the return leg, Juanfran attempted 30 passes: the Barça full-backs Daniel Alves and Jordi Alba attempted 104 apiece.

As Arsène Wenger commented: “A team that was playing with two wingers ten years ago now attacks you with two wingers and two full-backs. Wingers need to be top athletes, able to attack and defend and to switch from one to the other very quickly. With the focus in the modern game on possession and passing, the best also have a particular quality that we tend to forget about: they can dribble. They can run and keep the ball.”

Flexible structuresThe trend towards a 4-2-3-1 structure continued in the 2013/14 season, with 19 of the 32 contestants operating in this formation at some stage, six setting themselves up in 4-3-3, another six in 4-4-2, and Juventus playing their trademark 3-5-2 except in the two group matches against Real Madrid, when Antonio Conte opted to play four at the back.

However, the season offered infinite opportunities to play with numbers. AC Milan, with a change of coach during the campaign, permuted 4-4-2 with 4-3-3; David Moyes’ Manchester United FC mixed 4-4-2 with 4-2-3-1; Carlo Ancelotti switched from 4-3-3 to 4-4-2 against Bayern in the semi-final; AFC Ajax’s starting lineup at home to Barcelona was an example of the teams whose structure was, at certain moments, more akin to a 4-1-4-1 than the traditional 4-3-3; Atlético occasionally switched to 4-5-1; FC Schalke 04’s 4-4-2 was so distant from two flat lines of four that UEFA’s observer was tempted to label it a 4-2-2-2 formation; and, in general, quick transitions to and from attacking and defending structures blurred definitions. Yet the top teams suggested that, in order to be able to unlock doors in the UEFA Champions League, you need to be equipped to play in more than one system.

1918 2013/14 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE TECHNICAL REPORT TECHNICAL TOPICS

On the ballAfter nine seasons at the top of the ball possession chart, Barcelona were relegated to second place by Bayern, Pep Guardiola having transferred a playing philosophy from Catalonia to Bavaria. Possessing the ball can be equated to possessing the initiative. But the 2013/14 season demonstrated that, to quote Arsène Wenger, “football doesn’t necessarily reward teams that take the initiative”. Defeats for the main standard-bearers of possession football kept alive a debate which has been ebbing and flowing since the contrasting winning styles of Barcelona in 2009 and 2011, and an FC Internazionale Milano side which became the filling in a sandwich by winning the title under José Mourinho feeling comfortable without the ball and having it for only 32% of the 2010 final against Louis van Gaal’s Bayern. The 2014 final was between two teams and two coaches who gave little relevance to possession figures. Madrid’s average for the victorious campaign was hoisted upwards by a 60% share in the Lisbon final, after defeating Bayern at home and away in the semi-final with a 36% share of the ball. Atlético, the silver medallists, dominated possession in only three of their 13 matches – one of them a marginal 51% quota away against FK Austria Wien. Like Madrid against Bayern, they defeated Barcelona in the quarter-final with 34% of the ball at Camp Nou and 36% at home.

Gareth Southgate, one of the team of UEFA technical observers during the season, commented: “There seems to be a small current trend where teams that dominate possession are being beaten by well-organised defensive blocks and quick counterattacks.” Antonio Conte adopts a similar line: “The football mentality is slowly changing in Italy,

working on possession play and attacking. Yet we find ourselves playing smaller clubs that do not allow us to play like this.”

The season certainly offered multifarious examples to support the thesis that minimal possession can be translated into maximum results. Austria Wien had a 36% share at home to FC Zenit and won 4-1. Ajax, renowned as a possession team, registered their season low of 41% – and registered their best result – in the 2-1 home win against Barça. FC Basel 1893’s 2-1 away win over Chelsea was achieved with 44% of possession. When Celtic FC, normally a low-possession team, were given 53% of the ball by visitors AC Milan, they were beaten 3-0. Chelsea, in their semi-final against Atlético, had 38% during the 0-0 draw in Madrid and, when they had 52% in the return at Stamford Bridge, were beaten 3-1.

Diego Simeone has clear ideas about the importance of ball possession. “I’m not interested. Not at all,” he insists. “What I’m interested in is winning games. Possession is something that has been sold to us as attractive. Possession play is one way of winning, but it’s not the only way. Our aim is to achieve a balance between both facets of the game and we have players who can mix possession, defensive balance and counterattacking. I much prefer powerful, purposeful attacking.”

A comment made over a decade ago by Rinus Michels could be injected into debates on the value of possession in a winning formula. “Those who focused on the best result rather than the best football,” he stated in UEFA’s technical report on the 2002/03 season, “were less vulnerable than the others. They were strong defensively, took no big risks and reacted rather than taking the initiative.”

Bayern

Paris

Juventus

Madrid

Napoli

Arsenal

Manchester United

Marseille

Atlético

København

Celtic

Barcelona

Zenit

Galatasaray

Shakhtar

Real Sociedad

Benfica

Schalke

Leverkusen

Milan

Plzeň

Austria Wien

Porto

Ajax

Chelsea

Basel

Dortmund

Manchester City

Olympiacos

Anderlecht

Steaua

CSKA Moskva

The clubs in bold qualified for the knockout stage

Average possession per game

Pep Guardiola implemented his possession-based philosophy at Bayern

“ What I’m interested in is winning games. Possession play is one way of winning, but it’s not the only way. I much prefer powerful, purposeful attacking”

Diego Simeone

65%

58%

52%

51%

50%

48%

48%

47%

45%

44%

41%

63%

55%

52%

51%

50%

48%

48%

46%

45%

44%

40%

59%

54%

51%

51%

49%

48%

47%

45%

45%

42%


Better late than neverOne of the talking points to emerge from the 2012/13 season was the fact that 24% of the goals were scored after the 75th minute. When this statistic was presented to the participants at the UEFA Elite Club Coaches Forum at the beginning of the season, Carlo Ancelotti commented: “It’s difficult to prepare the last 15 minutes from a tactical point of view. They are the least foreseeable minutes because of tiredness, loss of concentration and so on. Sometimes changing a player or a tactic can help, but it is the most difficult period of the game to control.”

The reaction from Paulo Fonseca, head coach of FC Porto at the time, was: “These figures represent a challenge for coaches. In the last 15 minutes you tend to run more risks defensively. But the emotional balance of a team can be improved. You need to keep your players focused – and coaching can achieve that.”

The balance to emerge from the 2013/14 season reveals that the coaches may indeed have found antidotes to fatigue and losses of concentration. The last 15 minutes were no longer the most productive of the 90 and the number of goals scored during added time at the end fell by 23%. For the first time since UEFA started compiling technical reports on the UEFA Champions League in the 1998/99 season, the first 15 minutes after the half-time interval proved to be the most fertile period for goalscoring.

One facet, however, remained unaltered. The second half was by far more productive than the opening 45 minutes. No fewer than 59% of the goals were scored after the break and, in line with previous seasons, 40% hit the net after the 60th minute. This figure has stabilised in recent seasons and arguably reflects enhanced fitness levels. UEFA’s first technical report in 1998/99 highlighted that 53% of the goals had been scored after the hour mark.

However, while debating the high number of late goals in the 2012/13 season, the coaches had wondered how many of the goals scored after the 75th minute had been decisive. For the purposes of analysis, ‘decisive’ was defined as a goal which altered the home win/draw/away win outcome of the match. Using these criteria, the Group B game between Juventus and Galatasaray therefore produced three ‘decisive’ goals, with the result shifting to 1-1, 2-1 and 2-2 in the closing minutes. In other games, the late goals had little impact. Staying in Group B, for example, three goals in the last ten minutes of Galatasaray v Madrid simply extended the scoreline from 0-4 to 1-6.

In the knockout rounds leading to Lisbon, decisive late goals were few and far between. Atlético’s winner in Milan was one of the rare examples, along with very late goals for Manchester City FC and Barcelona at the Camp Nou which shunted the score from 1-0 to 2-1. However, their decisiveness can be relativised by the 2-0 win for Barça in Manchester in the first leg.

The equaliser by Sergio Ramos in Lisbon brought the total of ‘decisive’ goals to 33, representing 42% of the 79 goals scored between the 76th minute and the end of added time. The other 46 goals signified no change to the status quo at the time, although it can be argued that the need to chase an adverse result sometimes made teams vulnerable to further goals by the opposition.

When the goals were scoredGalatasaray striker Didier Drogba takes on Juve’s Giorgio Chiellini in a match in which the lead changed hands twice late on

Arsène Wenger’s Arsenal reached the group stage for a 16th successive season in 2013/14

Kevin Grosskreutz’s late winner at Marseille on matchday six sent Dortmund into the last 16 at Napoli’s expense

Decimal points account for the extra 1%

First half1-15

Minutes16-30 31-45 45+ 46-60

43(12%)

54(15%)

49(14%)

67(19%)

4(1%)

When the first goals were scored

1-15 16-30 31-45 45+ 46-60 61-75 76-90

38 29 19 1 15 10 7

Minutes

61-75 76-90 90+ Extra time 1

Extra time 2

63(17%)

62(17%) 17

(5%) 3(1%)

0(0%)


Counters countUEFA’s technical observers frequently highlighted teams’ reluctance to expose themselves to counterattacks until the necessities of chasing a result obliged them to do so. During the 2013/14 season, the number of goals directly attributable to counters dropped to 61 in comparison with 79 in the previous season. Even so, counterattacks accounted for almost a quarter of the goals scored in open play (23% to be precise). The champions provided a prime example of the potential value of the quick break. No fewer than 13 of Real Madrid’s goals – almost a third – came from counters, the most frequent modus operandi being a ball win in midfield (often just inside opposition territory) and a quick launch of the ‘Formula 1’ forwards, Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale. Seven counterattack goals came from a simple ball win + one pass + solo run combination.

Jürgen Klopp makes no secret of the importance he places on counterattacking skills – and Borussia Dortmund scored seven times via this method during the season, including one lightning reply to a dangerous free-kick in favour of Olympique de Marseille. In their away game at RSC Anderlecht, Olympiacos FC also scored one of their five counterattack goals after a set play for their opponents. Barcelona

laid foundations for five counters with their intense pressure game, which led to ball wins high up the pitch. Chelsea also scored five times (one of them following a dangerous free-kick for FC Steaua Bucureşti), mostly with three or more players flooding forward as soon as the ball was won.

“Counterattacking is now much better organised and well thought out,” Carlo Ancelotti comments. “It’s not just about launching a long ball forward – counters tend to be more elaborately planned and can create more goals.” The 2014 champions underlined that counterattacking is an important method of unlocking doors.

Marco Reus was a danger on the break for Dortmund

Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo celebrate one of 23 goals the pair scored

Dortmund coach Jürgen Klopp Eden Hazard’s speed opened up defences for Chelsea

Counterattacks accounted for almost a quarter of the goals scored in open play

“ It’s not just about launching a long ball forward – counters tend to be more elaborately planned and can create more goals”

Carlo Ancelotti


STATISTICS

Passing

One of the most notable evolutions in the UEFA Champions League is a general trend towards a passing game. In the 2009/10 season, 24 of the 32 participants averaged fewer than 500 passes per game and five of them had averages below 400. The figures for 2013/14 reveal that only six of the 32 starters posted averages below 500 and none of the teams made fewer than 400 passes per game. This represented an advance in comparison with the 2012/13 campaign, when 13 sides were below the 500 mark and one (CFR 1907 Cluj with 367) clearly under 400. In 2012/13, just two clubs clocked up averages of over 600 (FC Barcelona and AFC Ajax), whereas in 2013/14 nine teams exceeded that figure. Barcelona once again topped this particular table with a higher average than in the previous season (819 to 783). Defending champions FC Bayern

München had taken the title with an average of 584 passes a match and, under Josep Guardiola, this number increased by over 200 passes per game. Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid CF added almost a hundred passes to their average under José Mourinho, while FC Zenit also added 128 to their average for 2012/13. It is indicative that Ajax, despite adding three to their 2012/13 average of 607, dropped from second place in the table to eighth, as other clubs hardened their emphasis on a passing game. Seven of the top ten made it through to the knockout stage.

The exception to the trend was Diego Simeone’s Club Atlético de Madrid, who occupied 24th position of the 32 starters in 2013/14. They were one of the three teams in the bottom ten who progressed beyond the group stage. Olympiacos were the only side to

reach the last 16 with an average below 500 passes a match. Eventual champions Madrid made over 700 passes in four of their games en route to the title and would have posted a significantly higher average had they not been restricted to 410 and 414 passes in their two semi-final meetings with Bayern. Their peak of 862 in the final is misleading in that it was achieved over 120 minutes instead of 90. The season high of 984 passes was recorded by Bayern in the away leg of their round of 16 tie against Arsenal FC, while Barça attained 900 three times and Paris Saint-Germain registered 930 passes during their 3-0 home win against Benfica.

There was a significant advance in precision. In 2012/13, 12 teams were below 70% in terms of accuracy and this figure was halved in 2013/14, with four sides (among them

Atlético) just shy of that mark with 69%. FK Austria Wien had the lowest average of 65% whereas, in the preceding campaign, five teams fell below that figure.

Individually, Barcelona schemer Xavi Hernández once again proved his status as pass master by making 1,117 passes during his 811 minutes on the pitch. Bayern’s Toni Kroos was the only player to exceed this figure, but his total of 1,212 was reached during 175 minutes more than Xavi, whose passing accuracy was measured at 92%, with the German international only marginally behind at 89%. Barça’s holding midfielder Sergio Busquets underlined the importance of not giving the ball away by registering a 93% success rate in his 833 passes in 793 minutes of play. For the champions, Luka Modrić was passer-in-chief with 838 (85%); Gabi led Atlético’s passers with 813 (75%); Paris’s screening midfielder Thiago Motta made 931 passes (90%); and Bayern’s rich passing weave allowed Philipp Lahm (995/88%) and David Alaba (887/81%) to appear among the leaders, albeit with significantly more minutes on the clock, the latter playing all 12 of Bayern’s games in their entirety.

The graphic gives the average number of passes attempted during a game (passes) and the percentage of passes received by a team-mate (accuracy).

Only Barcelona, Bayern and Paris averaged more passes per match than Zenit (bottom left); Thiago Motta (above) kept the ball moving for Paris

Toni Kroos (above left) topped the passing chart ahead of Xavi Hernández in second, though the Barcelona player (top left facing page) played 175 fewer minutes

Number of passes attempted

Accuracy %

Barcelona 84% 819

Bayern 83% 798

Paris 83% 742

Zenit 75% 644

Madrid 79% 636

Porto 75% 619

Arsenal 77% 611

Ajax 78% 610

Schalke 78% 607

Juventus 77% 591

Basel 73% 577

Napoli 74% 571

Chelsea 75% 567

Galatasaray 74% 565

Dortmund 71% 562

Manchester United 73% 556

Shakhtar 74% 537

Manchester City 76% 546

Real Sociedad 71% 533

Steaua 69% 532

København 74% 531

Benfica 74% 529

Leverkusen 73% 525

Atlético 69% 515

Milan 74% 508

Marseille 72% 498

Austria Wien 65% 470

Anderlecht 69% 464

Olympiacos 70% 457

Plzeň 69% 456

Celtic 68% 418

CSKA Moskva 74% 512

26 2013/14 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE TECHNICAL REPORT 27STATISTICS

GOALSCORING ANALYSIS

The final scoreThe goalscoring record of 368 established in the 2012/13 season was not surpassed, but the final tally in 2013/14 fell only marginally short of the benchmark and registered the second-highest average of goals per fixture during the 22 seasons of the UEFA Champions League. Real Madrid CF scored 41 times en route to the title, with Cristiano Ronaldo setting an individual benchmark of 17 goals with his last-minute penalty in Lisbon, bettering the previous record of 14 strikes in a single campaign. He led a pack of 177 different players who scored during the season.

By the time the two Madrid clubs headed for the Portuguese capital, they had jointly accounted for 17% of the season’s goals. Carlo Ancelotti’s team had, in addition, been

standard-bearers for an attacking approach to away fixtures, scoring 20 times on the road, compared with 17 at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu. The four semi-finalists contributed over 100 goals to the overall tally of 362. Excluding the goals scored on neutral territory in the final, 201 goals (56% of the total) were scored by the home team and 156 by the visitors – parameters pretty much aligned with the 202/163 split in the 2012/13 season.

In terms of individual goalscoring patterns, the season offered further evidence to fuel debate about the role of the target striker. Among the leading scorers, Zlatan Ibrahimović, Diego Costa, Robert Lewandowski and Álvaro Negredo could be put into that category, whereas Madrid’s scoring pattern provokes reflections:

Average goals per game were only just off the 2012/13 record and Cristiano Ronaldo hit a new individual high as scoring flourished again

Season Goals Games Average1992/93 56 25 2.241993/94 71 27 2.63

1994/95 140 61 2.30

1995/96 159 61 2.61

1996/97 161 61 2.64

1997/98 239 85 2.81

1998/99 238 85 2.80

1999/00 442 157 2.82

2000/01 449 157 2.86

2001/02 393 157 2.50

2002/03 431 157 2.75

2003/04 309 125 2.47

2004/05 331 125 2.65

2005/06 285 125 2.28

2006/07 309 125 2.47

2007/08 330 125 2.64

2008/09 329 125 2.63

2009/10 320 125 2.56

2010/11 355 125 2.84

2011/12 345 125 2.76

2012/13 368 125 2.94

2013/14 362 125 2.90

Total 6,422 2,408 2.67

Category Action Guidelines GoalsGroup stage

Knockout stage

Total

Set play

Corner Direct from or following a corner 27 10 37

Free-kick (direct) Direct from a free-kick 5 2 7

Free-kick (indirect) Following a free-kick 15 3 18

Penalty Spot kick (or follow-up) 23 7 30

Throw-in Following a throw-in 2 0 2Total set play goals 94

Open play

CombinationWall pass or three-man (or more) combination play

41 15 56

Cross Cross from the wing 51 11 62

Cut-back Pass back from the byline 16 5 21

Diagonal Diagonal pass into the penalty box 12 7 19

Run with the ballDribble and close-range shot or dribble and pass

18 8 26

Long-range shot Direct shot or shot and rebound 24 11 35

Forward passThrough pass or pass over the defence

28 5 33

Defensive errorBad back-pass or mistake by the goalkeeper

8 1 9

Own goals Goal by the opponent 7 0 7

Total open play goals 268

Total goals 277 85 362

Goals season by season Goal type

Open playto Celtic FC or a similar spell of sustained possession culminating in the passing interchange which allowed Daniel Alves to cut in from the right and seal the 2-0 away victory against Manchester City FC. Chelsea FC scored goals during the group games against FC Basel 1893 and FC Steaua Bucureşti thanks to combinations in wide areas (notably on the left flank), but were unable to exploit this route during the knockout rounds. At the other end of the combination-move spectrum, Jürgen Klopp’s Borussia Dortmund reaped dividends by flooding forward in numbers as soon as the ball was won, offering enough passing options for goalscoring combinations on the counterattack. During the knockout rounds, combination moves were the most fertile sources of goals, whereas crosses from the wide areas had been the prime mover of scoreboards during the group stage.

Karim Benzema contributed five goals from the central attacking position, while Ronaldo started his record-breaking campaign in a wider role. Other players at the head of the scoring chart such as Sergio Agüero, Lionel Messi, Arturo Vidal, Thomas Müller, Gareth Bale and Marco Reus operated in wider or support-striker roles. Apart from the players already mentioned, no individual scored more than five times.

Inevitably, certain goals require a degree of personal interpretation in terms of pinpointing their source, but the goal type chart (left)outlines the technical and tactical actions which led to the 362 goals.

Acrobatics from Diego Costa (above); Robert Lewandowski celebrates a late winner at Arsenal

Daniel Alves scored Barcelona’s second at Manchester City

The salient feature of the season was that the number of goals scored in open play dipped by 10% to fall just below the 70% mark – which ineluctably indicates a resurgence of dead-ball situations as sources of goals. One of the trademarks of the 2012/13 season had been the emergence of the cut-back from areas near the goal line as a significant purveyor of goals, a fact discussed by the UEFA Champions League coaches when they met at the UEFA Elite Club Coaches Forum prior to the 2013/14 campaign. The tendency towards the cut-back was comprehensively reversed, and though it still produces far greater dividends than it did during the first decade of this century, in relation to 2012/13 it registered a downturn of 44% to provide only 6% of the global tally. The debating point is whether this can be attributed to a greater focus on providing positional defensive cover when opponents sought to exploit the areas adjacent to the midway mark between goalpost and corner flag.

Another eye-catching element in the goalscoring breakdown of the season is the marked decline in the number of goals attributable to the traditional through ball – the forward pass delivered either through or over the defence. Analysis of the 2012/13 campaign pointed out that, as recently as the 2008/09 season, this category had produced 32% of open-play goals, yet had plummeted to 18%. 2013/14 registered another massive downward movement (a further drop of 44%), meaning

that the supply of goals via this route has been practically halved in a time span of just two seasons and has reached, by far, the lowest figure since the current 125-match format was introduced a decade ago. The source of 82 goals in the 2010/11 campaign, it dived to 33 in 2013/14 and accounted for several decimal points below 10% of the goals scored.

Reflections based on this statistic will evidently be launched from the starting point of compact central defensive blocks based on positionally conservative centre-backs shielded by, in many cases, two screening midfielders. Another element to be injected into the equation, however, could be related to the advances and adjustments made to goalkeeping techniques in recent years. The keepers are now extremely sensitised to the need to ‘sweep’ behind their defences and perform sprint-speed sorties to pre-empt the success of the traditional through pass into those less protected areas. Instead of the defence-splitting pass through the central area, more goals were derived from neat combination moves, many of them exploiting the channels between central defenders and full-backs. The number of goals attributable to combination play has almost doubled since 2011/12 and, in 2013/14, reached its highest level in the last decade.

FC Barcelona again provided some outstanding examples, notably the intricate combination move that brought their fourth goal at home

28 2013/14 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE TECHNICAL REPORT 29GOALSCORING ANALYSIS

Set playsThe 2013/14 season revealed that there is still life in the dead ball. The steady downward trend registered in recent seasons was halted and the three dead-ball situations which led to goals in the Lisbon final brought the total for the campaign to 94. In the 2005/06 season, the number of set play goals peaked at fractionally below one-third before falling away to marginally over 20% in 2012/13. However, in 2013/14, the figure climbed back to 26% – the level registered in the 2008/09 and 2009/10 seasons.

However, there is a codicil to add. The ‘recovery’ of the dead ball was due, in great part, to a 50% increase in the number of successfully taken penalties: from 20 to 30. This represents the highest figure recorded since the UEFA Champions League adopted its current format in 2003. The total had only once reached 20 (21 to be exact, in 2004/05) until 24 were scored in 2010/11, to spark off correlations with the introduction of the additional assistant referees. During 2013/14, another striking figure is that 17 penalties were not converted. This can legitimately be associated with greater in-depth analysis of opponents, with goalkeeper coaches encouraging their pupils to study penalty takers’ preferences. Adding successes and failures, 47 spot kicks were awarded at an average of one every 2.6 matches. However, 14 of the 32 contestants were not awarded a penalty.

Success rates in the UEFA Champions League raise questions about the wisdom of investing in training ground rehearsals of certain types of set play. In 2013/14, only seven goals were struck into the net from direct free-kicks – representing fractionally below 2% of the total. In other words, only one in 50 of the season’s goals was supplied by free-kick specialists. Andrea Pirlo’s expertise was successfully stifled

Cristiano Ronaldo (Madrid)

Cristiano Ronaldo, Madrid (2013/14)

Zlatan Ibrahimović (Paris)

Lionel Messi, Barcelona (2011/12)

Diego Costa (Atlético) Lionel Messi (Barcelona)

Cristiano Ronaldo, Madrid (2012/13) Lionel Messi, Barcelona (2010/11) Ruud van Nistelrooy, Manchester United (2002/03)

Sergio Agüero (Manchester City) Gareth Bale (Madrid) Robert Lewandowski (Dortmund)

Karim Benzema (Madrid) Thomas Müller (Bayern) Álvaro Negredo (Manchester City) Marco Reus (Dortmund) Arturo Vidal (Juventus)

Top scorers 2013/14

Most goals in a UEFA Champions League season

Crosses from the wings have remained numerically consistent on the season-by-season scoring chart and account for just over one in every six goals scored in the UEFA Champions League. Juventus scored all of their open-play goals following crosses. FC Bayern München, one of the most prolific suppliers of crosses in the competition, owed both their equalisers in the quarter-final against Manchester United FC to balls in from the wings.

Related to the theme of crossing (many of the productive crosses were, in fact, delivered low) was the number of headed goals (including those scored from indirect free-kicks). The total of 54 was higher than in the previous season (46) but, once again, fell well short of the striking figure of 29% which had provoked media coverage during UEFA EURO 2012. Over the larger sample of the 125 games played in a UEFA Champions League season, the figure was 12.5% in 2012/13 and 15% in 2013/14.

Another noticeable variation was a 29% decrease in the productivity of long-range shooting. Long-distance strikes yielded 54 goals in the 2009/10 campaign (15% of the overall total). After a resurgence in 2012/13, the figure has dropped into line with the long-term average and still accounts for around 13% of open-play goals. During the knockout rounds, long-range shooting shared second place with crosses as the most prolific – and, frequently, the most spectacular – source of goals, with strikes by Zlatan Ibrahimović in Leverkusen and Patrice Evra in Munich among the best goals of the season.

Crosses from the wings have remained numerically consistent season on season and account for just over one in every six goals scored in the UEFA Champions League

During 2013/14, 17 penalties were not converted. This can legitimately be associated with greater in-depth analysis of opponents

Arjen Robben’s cross from the right resulted in Bastian Schweinsteiger’s equaliser at Old Trafford

by opponents of Juventus, and no other specialist scored more than once, including Lionel Messi, Robin van Persie, Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo’s success against Bayern in Munich was among the season’s best set-play goals, along with spectacular strikes by Jens Hegeler and Lorenzo Insigne.

On the other hand, the number of goals resulting from indirect free-kicks increased from 11 to 18 – and their potential value was underlined by Club Atlético de Madrid’s winning goal in Porto, scored from a well-rehearsed move which allowed Arda Turan a free shot at goal from an unprotected area of the Porto box. Indirect free-kicks, for many years, yielded over 20 goals per season, but the resurgence in 2013/14 did little to change the significant statistic that free-kicks (direct and indirect) accounted for 26% of the set-play goals but only 7% of the goals scored in the competition.

The two goals derived from corners – one per team – during the Lisbon final brought the total for the season to 37 – a 14% increase on the previous campaign. The efficiency of corner kicks as an attacking weapon is discussed elsewhere in this report.

Olympiacos goalkeeper Roberto saves Zlatan Ibrahimović’s penalty

17

17

10

14

8

12

6

5

30 2013/14 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE TECHNICAL REPORT 31GOALSCORING ANALYSIS

Scorer Match Score Time1 Klaas-Jan Huntelaar Schalke v Madrid 1-6 90+

2 Patrice Evra Bayern v Manchester United 0-1 57

3 Zlatan Ibrahimović Anderlecht v Paris 0-3 36

4 Vladimír Weiss Olympiacos v Paris 1-1 25

5 Diego Costa Atlético v Milan 1-0 3

6 Yaya Touré Plzeň v Manchester City 0-2 53

7 Neymar Barcelona v Celtic 4-0 48

8 Douglas Costa Shakhtar v Real Sociedad 3-0 68

9 Hulk Dortmund v Zenit 0-1 16

10 Diego Barcelona v Atlético 0-1 56

Hulk lets fly for Zenit

The best goalsOpen playThe challenge was to choose ten goals from the 268 scored in open play during the 125 matches of the 2013/14 UEFA Champions League season. No fewer than seven of these could be assigned to the long-range shooting category. Diego’s right-footed strike at Camp Nou provided a crucial away goal for Club Atlético de Madrid in the quarter-final against FC Barcelona, while the breathtaking shots from Patrice Evra in Munich, Yaya Touré in Plzen, Zlatan Ibrahimović in Brussels and Hulk in Dortmund were also scored for visiting teams. Ibra’s stunning strike even earned applause from the home supporters.

Of the two scored on home territory, Douglas Costa produced a wonderful shot high into the Real Sociedad de Fútbol net from a position wide on the left of the penalty area, while Klaas-Jan Huntelaar belatedly gave the FC Schalke 04 fans something to cheer about by meeting a lofted cross from the left with a simply magnificent long-range volley into the roof of the Real Madrid CF net. The fact that his side was 6-0 down at home at the time took nothing from the brilliance of the Dutch striker’s finish.

Of the three goals that were not struck from outside the box, Diego Costa’s opener during the home match against AC Milan was selected on account of its technical excellence. The Atlético striker met a lofted cross from the right with a left-footed volley executed in a difficult posture. Neymar’s goal against Celtic FC at the Camp Nou was a technically gifted finish but was also selected because of the brilliance of the combination move which set him free in the centre of the Scottish club’s box.

Ibra’s stunning strike even earned applause from the home supporters

Patrice Evra Bayern v Manchester United Klaas-Jan Huntelaar Schalke v Madrid

Zlatan Ibrahimović Anderlecht v Paris

32 332013/14 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE TECHNICAL REPORT THE BEST GOALS

Set playsFive goals were selected from the 94 which resulted from dead-ball situations during the 2013/14 season. Two of the five were corner kicks, both headed into the net. The header which gave Manchester United FC a momentary advantage over FC Bayern München at Old Trafford was of exceptional technical quality – Nemanja Vidić’s glance which beat Manuel Neuer being directed into the net from a difficult posture almost facing away from the goal. The other corner, it could be argued, won the title for Real Madrid CF. The delivery from the right by Luka Modrić was superbly directed by Sergio Ramos into the corner of the Club Atlético de Madrid net to force the final into extra time.

The other three were free-kicks struck directly into the net in various manners. Jens Hegeler’s last-minute strike into the top corner of the Real Sociedad de Fútbol net earned his team the three points. Cristiano Ronaldo rounded off his side’s victory in Munich by placing his free-kick firmly under the leaping members of the defensive wall. And Lorenzo Insigne doubled SSC Napoli’s advantage against Borussia Dortmund with a fierce and superbly executed right-footed shot from outside the area which cannoned high into the net off the near post.

Scorer Match Score Time1 Nemanja Vidić Manchester United v Bayern 1-0 58

2 Lorenzo Insigne Napoli v Dortmund 2-0 67

3 Sergio Ramos Madrid v Atlético 1-1 90+

4 Cristiano Ronaldo Bayern v Madrid 0-4 90

5 Jens Hegeler Leverkusen v Real Sociedad 2-1 90+

Nemanja Vidić twists as he leaps to power a header into the Bayern goal

Lorenzo Insigne Napoli v Dortmund

Cristiano Ronaldo Bayern v Madrid

Sergio Ramos Madrid v Atlético

Jens Hegeler Leverkusen v Real Sociedad

34 352013/14 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE TECHNICAL REPORT THE BEST GOALS

Benfica came from behind to earn seven of their ten points STATISTICS

The importance of scoring first

Real Madrid CF’s from-the-brink comeback in the Lisbon final was one of the rare exceptions in a season when the team scoring the first goal became, for yet another year, the odds-on favourite to emerge as the victor. No fewer than 74% of the games which produced goals were won by the team scoring first. This statistic sets a UEFA Champions League record, beating the 72% success rate for sides scoring first in the 2004/05 and 2010/11 seasons. In the 2008/09 campaign only 56.8% of matches were won by the team that broke the deadlock but, since then, the percentage has steadily increased.

The total of 23 draws in 2013/14 represents a downturn in relation to 27 in 2012/13 and 31 in 2011/12. It is a return to the figure recorded in 2010/11. Groups D and F did not produce a draw, while just five of the 29 knockout fixtures ended in stalemate. The season produced six goalless draws – the only one in the knockout rounds being the semi-final first leg between

Club Atlético de Madrid and Chelsea FC. It means that, on 17 occasions, the team conceding an opening goal fought back to draw, but just 14 of the 119 games which contained goals finished in victory for the side going 1-0 down.

Three teams (SL Benfica, Manchester City FC and Atlético Madrid) came back more than once, though the latter suffered the reverse process in the Lisbon final. The debating point is why the success rate is so low when it comes to fighting back. In the return leg of their quarter-final, for example, FC Barcelona went 1-0 down to Atlético after only five minutes and failed to find a reply in the remaining 85. On just seven occasions 1-0 went up on the scoreboard in the last quarter-hour, when there was little time to mount a comeback. In almost one-third of the games which featured goals, the first hit the net in the opening 15 minutes and, in 56% of the total, the deadlock was

broken during the opening half-hour. The question is therefore why, with so much time to react, so few sides manage to.

In search of explanations, Sir Alex Ferguson points to the steady trend towards possession play and an increasingly accurate passing game. “Teams now have the ability to keep the ball for long periods, which makes it more difficult for teams who are chasing goals,” he said. Manuel Pellegrini regards the statistic as “something very logical. When you start a game, you’re playing against your opponent. When you are losing a game, you are playing against the opposition, the clock and the scoreboard.” Arsène Wenger adds: “If you are losing, you are obliged to take the initiative and therefore have an even greater chance of losing.” Is it logical that the first goal should have such great importance?

Result of the team scoring first Comeback kings

74% of games that produced a goal were won by the team scoring first – a UEFA Champions League record

Anderlecht Benfica 2-3

Benfica Paris 2-1

CSKA Plzeň 3-2

CSKA Manchester City 1-2

Plzeň CSKA 2-1

Chelsea Basel 1-2

Napoli Marseille 3-2

Porto Atlético Madrid 1-2

Austria Wien Zenit 4-1

Bayern Manchester City 2-3

Paris Leverkusen 2-1

Bayern Manchester United 3-1

Chelsea Atlético Madrid 1-3

Real Madrid Atlético Madrid 4-1

Teams in bold recovered from going a goal down to win

WINS DRAWS DEFEATS

88 17 14

3736 2013/14 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE TECHNICAL REPORT STATISTICS

STATISTICSSTATISTICS

Attempts on goalThe average UEFA Champions League match during the 2013/14 season offered spectators 25.02 goal attempts and, on average, they saw one goal per 8.64 attempts to score.

However, the averages conceal radical differences in the efficiency of finishing. FC Porto’s success rate was one goal for every 27 attempts; Real Madrid CF converted one in five of their chances. Silver-medallists Club Atlético de Madrid’s conversion rate was 1 in 6.69; FC Barcelona’s was 1 in 6.86; Chelsea FC’s was 1 in 7.58; and FC Bayern München’s was above the average at 1 in 9.54 – but they did

generate more attempts than any other team, and 64% of their finishing was accurately placed between the posts. Barça were marginally better, with two out of three attempts obliging the goalkeeper to react.

Overall, 59.1% of the season’s goal attempts were on target. Among the 32 contestants, Porto were alone in delivering more off-target than accurate finishes (57 to 51). In terms of the average number of goal attempts generated per match, four of the clubs in the bottom ten nonetheless reached the knockout stage of the competition, and Arsenal FC

occupy bottom place in the table for the second successive season. On the other hand, three of the top ten failed to pass the cut in spite of healthy quantities of goal attempts, with Real Sociedad de Fútbol scoring only once from their 80 strikes at goal.

Club Attempts Average Goals Attempts on target Attempts off targetInside box Outside Inside box Outside

Juventus 118 19.7 9 33 33 30 22Bayern 229 19.1 24 89 59 41 40Porto 108 18 4 31 20 30 27Madrid 206 15.8 41 81 44 46 35Barcelona 144 14.4 21 64 30 21 29Dortmund 141 14.1 18 50 37 28 26Atlético 174 13.4 26 62 41 33 38Leverkusen 107 13.4 10 26 36 22 23Manchester City 106 13.3 19 43 16 26 21Real Sociedad 80 13.3 1 16 27 13 24Ajax 77 12.8 5 24 25 13 15Schalke 101 12.6 8 31 23 26 21Zenit 100 12.5 9 24 33 13 30Paris 124 12.4 25 57 28 26 13Napoli 74 12.3 10 23 21 14 16Shakhtar 74 12.3 7 17 27 12 18Chelsea 144 12 19 45 42 25 32Olympiacos 95 11.9 12 30 24 16 25Benfica 68 11.3 8 27 15 14 12CSKA Moskva 68 11.3 8 22 23 10 13Plzeň 67 11.2 6 22 15 13 17Basel 62 10.3 5 17 16 12 17Manchester United 103 10.3 17 38 25 26 14Anderlecht 61 10.2 4 17 18 13 13Marseille 61 10.2 5 13 19 13 16Celtic 60 10 3 18 16 9 17Steaua 59 9.8 2 15 19 9 16Galatasaray 78 9.8 9 25 16 15 22Austria Wien 58 9.7 5 17 14 7 20Milan 73 9.1 9 21 19 13 20København 48 8 4 17 10 11 10Arsenal 59 7.4 9 28 13 8 10

Crossing

For the second successive season, a Portuguese club topped the chart in terms of the average number of crosses per game. In both cases, the club was eliminated at the group stage. The most salient feature, however, is that whereas SL Benfica topped the 2012/13 table with 20.83 crosses per match, no fewer than seven teams exceeded that figure during the 2013/14 season. Success rates, calculated on the basis of the cross reaching a team-mate, were headed by Manchester City FC’s 39%, which gave them a narrow advantage over the two Portuguese contestants, but there was a general upward trend in success. In 2012/13, ten of the 32 participants registered averages below 20%, with CFR 1907 Cluj finding team-mates with only two of every 25 crosses. As the table reveals, only two clubs – SSC Napoli and FC Basel 1893 – fell below the one-in-five ratio during the 2013/14 season.

In some cases, the figures could arguably suggest adjustments to playing styles. José Mourinho’s Chelsea FC delivered substantially fewer crosses per game (13.08) in comparison with the previous season (18.67) while FC Barcelona, under Gerardo Martino, practically doubled their delivery of crosses (from 11 per match to 21). FC Bayern München, with Pep Guardiola taking the baton from Jupp Heynckes, also registered a substantial increase (from 16.77 to 28.83).

Porto’s Fernando looks to cross

Real Madrid converted one in five of their chances. Silver-medallists Atlético Madrid’s conversion rate was 1 in 6.69

Porto

Bayern

Anderlecht

Ajax

Real Sociedad

Barcelona

Celtic

Leverkusen

Juventus

Atlético

Schalke

Shakhtar

Benfica

Viktoria Plzeň

Zenit

Olympiacos

Manchester United

Milan

Madrid

Manchester City

Marseille

Dortmund

Paris

Basel

Arsenal

CSKA Moskva

Steaua

Galatasaray

Austria Wien

Chelsea

Napoli

København

Crosses per game Success rate %

37%

29%

23%

22%

26%

23%

24%

25%

29%

31.67

28.83

27%

24%

28%

38%

33%

21%

28%

25%

25.67

22.67

22.67

21

21

20.75

20.5

19.92

19.63

19.5

19.33

19

18.25

17.88

17.8

17.13 31%

31%

39%

29%

22%

27%

19%

26%

26%

29%

27%

27%

25%

17%

20%

17.08

17

17

16.1

15.7

14.33

14.25

14

14

13.88

13.17

13.08

12.5

10.83


ANALYSIS

Talking points

The language of goals There is strong evidence to suggest that world and European titles in national team football exercise an influence on the world’s prime club competition. On the back of a unique hat-trick for La Roja, Spanish players were the most numerous contingent, with 86 in the 2013/14 UEFA Champions League. They ended a period of domination by the French, triggered by their titles in 1998 and 2000, who this season supplied only 45. Brazilians, who peaked at 96 in the 2007/08 season, accounted for 54, with Argentina supplying exactly half that number.

The question is not so much about numbers, however, as the roles they play. “If you look at the top strikers, most of them are South American. In Europe we’re not producing many real strikers.” The words were spoken by Arsène Wenger at the UEFA Elite Club Coaches Forum at the beginning of the season. He could be contradicted by Club Atlético de Madrid who, in the final, fielded Adrián López, David Villa and, briefly, Brazilian-born Diego Costa who now travels with a Spanish passport. But it could be pointed out that Adrián (554 minutes) and Villa (454) played less than half of Atlético’s campaign. At the other end of the pitch in Lisbon, Álvaro Morata made a brief appearance for Real Madrid CF to bring his total for the season to 173 minutes. Team sheets speak volumes. Attacking duties at the top eight clubs relied heavily on imported talent.

Digging deeper into the last 16 reveals more of the same: Edin Džeko, Sergio Agüero, Álvaro Negredo and Jesús Navas at Manchester City FC; Hulk, José Rondón and Danny at FC Zenit; Ádám Szalai and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar at FC Schalke 04; Michael Olaitan and Nelson Valdez at Olympiacos FC; Olivier Giroud at Arsenal FC, where Theo Walcott played only 93 minutes … There are also shades of meaning. Although they are undoubtedly attacking players, is it legitimate to describe Wayne Rooney,

Real MadridKarim Benzema (FRA), Cristiano Ronaldo (POR), Gareth Bale (WAL), Álvaro Morata (ESP)

Atlético MadridDiego Costa (ESP), David Villa (ESP), Adrián López (ESP)

BayernMario Mandzukić (CRO), Arjen Robben (NED), Franck Ribéry (FRA), Xherdan Shaqiri (SUI)

ChelseaFernando Torres (ESP), Samuel Eto’o (CMR), Demba Ba (SEN)

DortmundRobert Lewandowksi (POL), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (GAB)

ParisZlatan Ibrahimović (SWE), Ezequiel Lavezzi (ARG), Edinson Cavani (URU)

Manchester UnitedRobin van Persie (NED), Javier Hernández (MEX), Danny Welbeck (ENG), Wayne Rooney (ENG)

BarcelonaLionel Messi (ARG), Neymar (BRA), Alexis Sánchez (CHI), Pedro Rodríguez (ESP)

Striker nationalities at quarter-final clubs

Stefan Kiessling at Leverkusen (right) was a rare example of a striker

plying his trade in his country of birth

Players from South America, such as Manchester City’s Sergio Agüero, are increasingly preferred to home-grown talent up front

The trend for foreign strikers, long-range shooting and an increase in goals from corners are up for debate

Pedro Rodríguez or the Bayern wingers as strikers? Is it realistic to class any of the Barça front men as ‘strikers’? A scrutiny of squad lists reveals a high number of middle-to-front players who could just as easily be labelled midfielders as forwards – and very few attackers who operate as genuine target men.

The undisputable fact is that, in the attacking departments of the top clubs, native players generally had marginal roles and minimal presence. Among the German clubs, Bayer 04 Leverkusen were alone in fielding a home-grown striker (Stefan Kiessling) whereas, at other clubs, German players tended to be fielded in supporting middle-to-front roles. Among the English clubs, Danny Welbeck is the only genuine candidate for a ‘striker’ label.

This tendency has come to the fore at a time when the trend towards a 4-2-3-1 team structure is becoming a regular feature at UEFA’s age-limit tournaments, meaning that the lone striker has become a common sight. The debating point raised in last season’s report therefore has continued relevance in terms of the UEFA Champions League star performers of the future. Is European football developing a sufficient number of strikers to guarantee a supply of ‘predators’? Or is the modern-day coach being pushed towards a striker-less formation simply because there is a shortage of strikers?

4140 2013/14 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE TECHNICAL REPORT TALKING POINTS

STATISTICS

Distance coveredFor the second successive season, Jürgen Klopp’s Borussia Dortmund covered more ground than any other UEFA Champions League participant, peaking at a team total of 126,344m in the 3-0 victory over Olympique de Marseille in the German club’s first home fixture of the season. This was also the match in which Dortmund hit their highest number of long passes and, by far, the lowest number of short passes. During the quarter-final against Real Madrid CF, for example, the team played three times as many short passes.

The four German clubs featured among the top dozen in terms of distance covered, with FC Bayern München slipstreaming Dortmund for much of the season, only to bring their average down by covering ‘just’ 112,660m during the home leg of their semi-final against Madrid – the Bavarian club’s lowest tally of the campaign. It is noticeable that the other six quarter-finalists are in the bottom half of the table. Another salient feature is that no fewer than 13 of the 17 teams which covered the greatest distances per match were eliminated during the group stage, and that the difference between first and last in the table is significant: the average distance covered by Dortmund

players over the season was 16% greater than the figure for AC Milan.

Individual statistics are not easily calibrated, as the data generally available refer to cumulative distances over the entire season – which evidently favours players from the two teams that contested the final. More reliable comparisons can only be made on the basis of metres covered per minute played. The table is based on sampling rather than an exhaustive analysis of the 600-plus players who competed in the 2013/14 UEFA Champions League. The key players from Bayern and Dortmund form the nucleus of the top ‘runners’ in the competition, with the two Bayern wingers invading a list otherwise dominated by middle-to-front players or, in the case of Xabi Alonso, Xavi Hernández and Andrea Pirlo, organisers operating in the pivotal area in front of the back four. For the sake of comparison, the foot of the table highlights the figures registered by forwards who made a significant impact on the competition. The diversity of attacking styles is illustrated by Thomas Müller and Robert Lewandowski covering, respectively, 52% and 36% more ground than Lionel Messi.

Player Club Average*Henrikh Mkhitaryan Dortmund 136.51Thomas Müller Bayern 136.25Koke Atlético 136.05Kevin Grosskreutz Dortmund 133.26Xabi Alonso Madrid 133.19Franck Ribéry Bayern 130.77Xavi Hernández Barcelona 130.34Andrea Pirlo Juventus 129.05Ramires Chelsea 128.71Marco Reus Dortmund 128.53Paul Pogba Juventus 127.93David Alaba Bayern 127.42Raúl García Madrid 126.99Arjen Robben Bayern 126.3Toni Kroos Bayern 125.43Robert Lewandowski Dortmund 121.54Luka Modrić Madrid 120.97Cristiano Ronaldo Madrid 111.47Diego Costa Atlético 109.37Zlatan Ibrahimović Paris 95.88Lionel Messi Barcelona 89.17

Is shooting a crime?Strikes from outside the box provided some of the most spectacular goals of the season, but the goalscoring pattern to emerge from 2013/14 reveals a sharp decline in the number scored from long-range shots – a 29% downturn. The debating point is whether this can be interpreted as a tribute to greater alertness by goalkeepers, as the sheer number of goal attempts from outside the penalty area has shown no sign of decreasing. Of the campaign’s 3,127 attempts at goal, 1,476 (47%) were delivered from long range.

No fewer than 15 clubs tried their luck more frequently from outside the area than they did within it (AFC Ajax, RSC Anderlecht, FK Austria Wien, FC Basel 1893, Celtic FC, Chelsea FC, Bayer 04 Leverkusen, PFC CSKA Moskva, AC Milan, Olympiacos, Olympique de Marseille, Real Sociedad de Fútbol, FC Shakhtar Donetsk, FC Steaua Bucureşti and Zenit), the most striking example being Zenit who, with Hulk prominent, had 63 long-range shots compared with 37 inside the box. SSC Napoli distributed their attempts on a 50-50 basis – or rather, 37-37. Of the two finalists, 38% of Madrid’s finishing was from long range compared with 45% of Atlético’s. Paris were alone in having two in-the-box attempts for every effort from outside.

The next question is whether a success rate of one goal per 42 long-range attempts represents encouragement for players and coaches to advocate the ploy. The ratio is not inspiring in

a competition which, overall, yields one goal per 8.6 attempts. The penchant for long-range shooting, it could be argued, may be linked to deep defensive blocks which act as a deterrent to playing into the box. It could also be alleged that deflections and ricochets from long-distance strikes are one of the few elements which can generate chaos in today’s well-organised defences. Another talking point could be related to a feature of futsal, where coaches often assert that finishing a move with a shot might not only result in a goal, but is also a way of pre-empting the chance of a counterattack by the opposition. Is this thesis also valid in the outdoor game?

Turning a corner?Luka Modrić takes a corner on the right, Sergio Ramos heads into the net. This was the script for two key episodes in Real Madrid’s route to the title: the crucial opening goal against Bayern in Munich, and the even more crucial ‘winning equaliser’ during the final, where his header annulled the advantage which Atlético had acquired as a result of a corner kick. The two successes from corners in Lisbon brought the season’s total to 37 – 16% more than in the previous season and a 37% increase on the total in 2011/12, when the success rate was 1 in 46. The ratio in 2013/14 was one goal per 34 corners.

The most efficient converters of corners into goals were Paris, with six successes from 38 deliveries. Atlético and Chelsea, teams with

a reputation for exploiting set plays, converted four apiece, whereas Madrid had only once scored as the result of a corner before the Ramos double in the critical moments at the climax of the campaign. Paradoxically, the two teams who won the most corners – Pep Guardiola’s Bayern and Gerardo Martino’s FC Barcelona – made minimal use of them. Bayern scrambled in one of their 98 corners, at home to Manchester City; Barça, who tend to put the ball down and use a corner purely to renew the attack with a short pass, could, stretching a point, claim that the sustained passing move that led to the opening goal against Celtic at home could be traced back to a corner on the left – one of their 70 during the season.

The talking point is whether a growing success rate gives coaches incentives to invest more training ground time in the rehearsal of corners, even though the level of ‘spying’ often means that, as José Mourinho maintains, “in the Champions League, opponents watch you so closely that you can only use the move once. So you tend to reserve it for a big occasion”.

The table excludes matches when teams played 30 minutes or more with ten players – a factor which evidently distorted the team total.

*Metres covered per minute played

Distance in metres per match

José Mourinho was back at Stamford Bridge after

a six-year absence

“ In the Champions League, opponents watch you so closely that you can only use the move once. So you tend to reserve it for a big occasion”

José Mourinho

Milan 105,021Paris 106,053Celtic 108,444Marseille 108,551Olympiacos 108,937Barcelona 109,273Real Madrid 110,992Galatasaray 110,804Manchester City 111,335Chelsea 111,411Anderlecht 111,547Arsenal 111,915Atlético 112,088Manchester United 112,323Zenit 112,464Porto 113,061Shakhtar 113,875CSKA Moskva 114,395Real Sociedad 114,743Napoli 114,777Leverkusen 115,548Benfica 115,634Juventus 116,682Schalke 116,864Steaua 117,581Bayern 117,600Plzeň 118,045Austria Wien 118,418København 118,191Ajax 119,333Basel 121,062Dortmund 121,918


STATISTICS

Approaching the goalHow efficiently does a team translate approach work into scoring chances? Statistically, the number of deliveries or solo runs into the opposition’s penalty area could be presented as evidence – and here, FC Bayern München more than doubled the average for the 2013/14 season of 14.1 incursions into the box per game. However, the average over the campaign provides only minimal orientation bearing in mind that most of the participants showed disconcerting inconsistencies during the course of the season – none more so than FC Viktoria Plzeň, who played their way into the penalty area 38 times during the 2-1 home win against PFC CSKA Moskva but failed to progress that far into enemy territory at all when taking on Bayern in Munich. Pep Guardiola’s side registered the highest maximum (50 in that match against Plzeň) and the highest minimum (18 at home to Manchester City FC). The other beaten semi-finalist, Chelsea FC, twice failed to record double figures during the group stage and reached the Club Atlético de Madrid area only four times during the fixture in Madrid. Atlético registered their minimum at Camp Nou during the first leg of the quarter-final, while city rivals Real entered the Borussia Dortmund box only five times in their away leg and penetrated the Bayern penalty area only 15 times during the two legs of the semi-final. Olympique de Marseille recorded a single entry in Dortmund, while FK Austria Wien could claim maximum efficiency by drawing 1-1 in Porto, where they also entered the penalty area only once.

Deliveries or solo runs into the opponents’ box

Arturo Vidal scored five times for an offensive-minded Juventus

Arjen Robben on the attack for Bayern

Bayern50 | 18

Paris22 | 9

Juventus39 | 8

Real Madrid30 | 5

Napoli15 | 7

Arsenal18 | 5

Manchester United 26 | 6

Marseille19 | 1

Atlético20 | 5

København11 | 5

Maximun Minimum Average

Celtic18 | 6

Barcelona27 | 14

Zenit19 | 5

Galatasaray19 | 6

Shakhtar25 | 9

Real Sociedad15 | 8

Benfica24 | 13

Schalke23 | 6

Leverkusen23 | 7

Milan13 | 5

Plzeň38 | 0

Austria Wien13 | 1

Porto32 | 16

Ajax21 | 6

Chelsea28 | 4

Basel14 | 3

Dortmund31 | 7

Manchester City 23 | 6

Olympiacos14 | 2

Anderlecht17 | 4

Steaua14 | 5

CSKA Moskva19 | 3

30.1

15.9

13

11.3

9.1

22

14.8

13

11.2

8.5

21.8

14.8

12.6

11.2

8.5

19.5

14.6

12.3

10.3

6.8

18

13.7

12.3

9.9

16.2

13.4

11.5

9.7

16.2

13.2

11.5

9.5

4544 2013/14 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE TECHNICAL REPORT STATISTICS

STATISTICS

Free-kicksDuring the 2013/14 season, the average UEFA Champions League fixture was punctuated by a few decimal points below 28 free-kicks (27.58 to be precise). The overall total increased slightly season on season from 3,413 infractions to 3,448 – in other words, by just 1%. The technical report on the 2010/11 season remarked that, for the first time, none of the 32 teams had exceeded 20 fouls per game and that the average number of fouls had dropped below 30. This trend was continued, with all 32 teams comfortably below the 20 mark. It was noticeable that 10 of the 16 teams in the top half of the ‘fouls committed’ table were eliminated during the group stage. Once again, the trend towards defending from the front meant that forwards, middle-to-front players and screening midfielders were often the most penalised, including, to cite random examples among the leaders, Eden Hazard, Mario Balotelli, Neymar, Ezequiel Lavezzi, Robert Lewandowski, Olivier Giroud, Giorgios Samaras and Franck Ribéry, alongside midfielders such as Axel Witsel, Marco Verratti, Fernandinho, Gabi, Ramires and Raúl García.

Yellow and red cardsEven though the number of infractions was marginally higher, cautions by referees registered a downturn of just over 4%, despite a Lisbon final which yielded a dozen yellow cards. The season’s total fell from 548 in 2012/13 to 525 at an average of 4.2 per match. One in every 6.57 fouls was considered a bookable offence. In terms of individual clubs, four had exceeded an average of three cautions per game during the 2012/13 season. During 2013/14 the only club to reach this mark was RSC Anderlecht, who accounted for four of the season’s 27 dismissals.

Twelve clubs recorded averages lower than two yellow cards per game, compared with 10 in the previous season. There was an even split between group stage fallers and teams who reached the knockout rounds. One player, Real Madrid CF’s screening midfielder Xabi Alonso, was ruled out of the final as a result of receiving his third caution of the season during the return leg of the semi-final in Munich. The number of

Discipline

Cards: season by season

Season Yellow cards

Yellow/ red cards

Red cards

Matches played

Average yellow cards

(per match)1994/95 192 4 6 61 3.151995/96 198 10 8 61 3.241996/97 203 3 3 61 3.331997/98 283 11 6 85 3.331998/99 302 7 8 85 3.551999/00 524 14 16 157 3.342000/01 567 13 13 157 3.612001/02 508 10 11 157 3.242002/03 530 8 11 157 3.382003/04 415 20 9 125 3.322004/05 434 14 25 125 3.472005/06 463 19 9 125 3.72006/07 477 9 17 125 3.822007/08 445 7 9 125 3.562008/09 489 11 8 125 3.912009/10 472 14 13 125 3.782010/11 453 13 11 125 3.622011/12 549 15 7 125 4.392012/13 548 10 10 125 4.382013/14 525 12 15 125 4.2Totals 8,577 224 215 2,356 3.64

Club / fouls per game In individual terms, Italian players who used to occupy pole position season after season in the offside lists, have now left the stage. And gone are the days when, for example, the technical report could remark that Arsenal FC striker Emmanuel Adebayor had been flagged 26 times in a single season. In 2013/14, the assistant referees’ best friend was another Arsenal striker, Olivier Giroud, yet he was flagged only 14 times during his 630 minutes on the field of play. Olympiacos forward Kostas Mitroglou was caught offside 11 times in 450 minutes – the same number, but not the same frequency, as Cristiano Ronaldo, whose 11 offsides were spread over 993 minutes. Anderlecht striker Aleksandar Mitrović was flagged nine times during his side’s six group games.

The debating points raised by the sharp downturn in offside decisions focus on whether this is due to players’ increased awareness – and discipline – in positional terms, coupled with questions about whether the flagging offside

statistics can be related to deeper defending. An interlocking factor is the practice by assistant referees of not raising the flag if the player is deemed to conform with today’s ‘not interfering with play’ criteria.

Eighteen of the 32 teams caught their opponents offside more frequently than they were flagged themselves, with Olympique de Marseille and FC København providing the most striking examples, while Club Atlético de Madrid’s transitions into deep defending were reflected by their opponents straying into offside positions only once every two games. Although FC Porto created openings for 109 goal attempts during their six group games, the Portuguese club’s players were flagged offside on only three occasions.

The graphic (right) gives average figures, club by club, for being caught offside and for catching opponents offside.

dismissals registered a significant upturn of 35% – the highest total since the 2009/10 season. Direct red cards accounted for more early showers than yellow-red dismissals, with goalkeepers responsible for three of the 15 direct sendings-off.

Offside is flaggingGames in the 2008/09 season were halted 724 times when an assistant referee raised his flag. Since then, the total has been steadily diminishing, and the 2013/14 campaign produced another downturn – and a steep one – of 18% in the number of offside decisions. The total of 667 in 2012/13 fell to 547, with the average per game tumbling from 5.34 to 4.38. It means there was one offside awarded for every 20 minutes of play. The relevance of offside in the global picture of the game seems to be waning.

Five matches registered a zero in the offside column. There were five or fewer offside decisions in 70% of the 2013/14 fixture list, with only the FC Viktoria Plzeň v Manchester City FC and RSC Anderlecht v Olympiacos FC encounters breaking into double figures, the flag being raised on 13 and 11 occasions respectively. The six matches involving FK Austria Wien yielded a harvest of only 11 offside decisions.

Plzeň

Napoli

Olympiacos

Manchester City

Paris

Anderlecht

Arsenal

Barcelona

Steaua

Madrid

Bayern

Juventus

Milan

Dortmund

Manchester United

Galatasaray

Atlético

CSKA Moskva

Shakhtar

Schalke

Celtic

Basel

København

Ajax

Chelsea

Austria Wien

Benfica

Marseille

Zenit

Real Sociedad

Leverkusen

Porto

Offsides

Offside by opponents (average per match)

Offside (average per match)

Björn Kuipers refereed the final

Benfica 17.67

Porto 17.67

Anderlecht 16.67

Atlético 16.46

Austria Wien 16.33

Manchester City 16

København 15.67

Celtic 15.5

Dortmund 15.3

Chelsea 15.25

Basel 15.17

Plzeň 15.17

Galatasaray 15

Steaua 15

Olympiacos 14.88

Shakhtar 14.83

Ajax 14.5

Napoli 13.83

Zenit 13.63

Milan 13.5

Leverkusen 13.25

Manchester United 13.2

Real Sociedad 12.67

Juventus 12.17

Arsenal 11.88

Schalke 11.75

Marseille 11.67

Paris 11.6

Barcelona 11.4

Bayern 11.17

Madrid 9.69

CSKA 8.33

4.332.67

3.171.33

32.38

2.883.75

2.883.13

2.72.1

2.71

2.673.17

2.671

2.622

2.583

2.51

2.52

2.31.4

2.31

2.252.38

2.230.54

2.173.5

2.171

2.132.75

22.83

1.673.83

1.674

1.53

1.422.08

1.330.5

1.333.67

1.334.17

1.251.251.17

3.331

1.630.5

1.67


TECHNICAL TEAM SELECTION

Goalkeepers

Defenders Midfielders Attackers

Thibaut Courtois

Daniel Carvajal Ángel Di María Diego Costa

Philipp Lahm Andrés Iniesta Marco Reus

Sergio RamosManuel Neuer Luka Modrić Cristiano Ronaldo

Diego Godín Gabi Zlatan Ibrahimović

Pepe Toni Kroos Arjen Robben

Xabi Alonso

All-star squadSelecting a squad of 18 players who had made an impact on the 2013/14 UEFA Champions League was among the challenges facing a team of coaches led by Sir Alex Ferguson when they met in Lisbon on the morning after the final. In recent seasons, there had been up to 23 players in the squad. But this season, the decision was to imitate the UEFA Champions League coaches and to impose a limit of 18 names on the team sheet.

The selection features 11 players from the two finalists, with Club Atlético de Madrid, in the final for the first time, supplying one player in each line. A notable departure from recent traditions is that Lionel Messi was not selected. Seven players from the previous season’s squad were named once again: Manuel Neuer, Philipp Lahm, Sergio Ramos, Andrés Iniesta (the only FC Barcelona player on the list for the 2013/14 season), Arjen Robben, Zlatan Ibrahimović and Cristiano Ronaldo. The defensive line comprises three central defenders and two full-backs, although Lahm permuted his place in the back four with a holding role in midfield. Four of the six midfielders operated in central roles, with Ángel Di María and Iniesta playing wide on the left. The five attackers include two central strikers and three who started in wide positions.

0 Goals conceded by Madrid in the semi-final against Bayern, who had previously scored in 15 successive UEFA Champions League games

47 Attempts on target by Cristiano Ronaldo, 17 more than second-placed Arjen Robben

48 2013/14 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE TECHNICAL REPORT 49TECHNICAL TEAM SELECTION

SEASON OVERVIEW

ResultsPLAY-OFFS – LEAGUE PATH (Aggregate scores played over two legs; the first-named club was at home in the first leg) PLAY-OFFS – CHAMPIONS PATH (Aggregate scores played over two legs; the first-named club was at home in the first leg)

GROUP STAGE GROUP STAGE

ROUND OF 16 18 February–19 March QUARTER-FINALS 01–09 April SEMI-FINALS 22–30 April FINAL 24 May

Paços de Ferreira 3Zenit 8

Dinamo Zagreb 3Austria Wien 4

Viktoria Plzeň 4Maribor 1

Schalke 4PAOK 3

Lyon 0Real Sociedad 4

Ludogorets 2Basel 6

PSV 1Milan 4

Steaua (away goals) 3Legia Warszawa 3

Shakhter 2Celtic 3

Fenerbahçe 0Arsenal 5

GROUP A P W D L F A PtsManchester United FC 6 4 2 0 12 3 14Bayer 04 Leverkusen 6 3 1 2 9 10 10FC Shakhtar Donetsk 6 2 2 2 7 6 8Real Sociedad de Fútbol 6 0 1 5 1 10 1

GROUP E P W D L F A PtsChelsea FC 6 4 0 2 12 3 12FC Schalke 04 6 3 1 2 6 6 10FC Basel 1893 6 2 2 2 5 6 8FC Steaua Bucureşti 6 0 3 3 2 10 3

GROUP C P W D L F A PtsParis Saint-Germain 6 4 1 1 16 5 13Olympiacos FC 6 3 1 2 10 8 10SL Benfica 6 3 1 2 8 8 10RSC Anderlecht 6 0 1 5 4 17 1

GROUP G P W D L F A PtsClub Atlético de Madrid 6 5 1 0 15 3 16FC Zenit 6 1 3 2 5 9 6FC Porto 6 1 2 3 4 7 5FK Austria Wien 6 1 2 3 5 10 5

GROUP B P W D L F A PtsReal Madrid CF 6 5 1 0 20 5 16Galatasaray AŞ 6 2 1 3 8 14 7Juventus 6 1 3 2 9 9 6FC København 6 1 1 4 4 13 4

GROUP F P W D L F A PtsBorussia Dortmund 6 4 0 2 11 6 12Arsenal FC 6 4 0 2 8 5 12SSC Napoli 6 4 0 2 10 9 12Olympique de Marseille 6 0 0 6 5 14 0

GROUP D P W D L F A PtsFC Bayern München 6 5 0 1 17 5 15Manchester City FC 6 5 0 1 18 10 15FC Viktoria Plzeň 6 1 0 5 6 17 3PFC CSKA Moskva 6 1 0 5 8 17 3

GROUP H P W D L F A PtsFC Barcelona 6 4 1 1 16 5 13AC Milan 6 2 3 1 8 5 9AFC Ajax 6 2 2 2 5 8 8Celtic FC 6 1 0 5 3 14 3

Date Home Score Away Date Home Score Away17/09 Man. United 4-2 Leverkusen 05/11 Real Sociedad 0-0 Man. United17/09 Real Sociedad 0-2 Shakhtar 05/11 Shakhtar 0-0 Leverkusen02/10 Leverkusen 2-1 Real Sociedad 27/11 Leverkusen 0-5 Man. United02/10 Shakhtar 1-1 Man. United 27/11 Shakhtar 4-0 Real Sociedad23/10 Man. United 1-0 Real Sociedad 10/12 Man. United 1-0 Shakhtar23/10 Leverkusen 4-0 Shakhtar 10/12 Real Sociedad 0-1 Leverkusen

Date Home Score Away Date Home Score Away18/09 Chelsea 1-2 Basel 06/11 Chelsea 3-0 Schalke18/09 Schalke 3-0 Steaua 06/11 Basel 1-1 Steaua01/10 Basel 0-1 Schalke 26/11 Basel 1-0 Chelsea01/10 Steaua 0-4 Chelsea 26/11 Steaua 0-0 Schalke22/10 Schalke 0-3 Chelsea 11/12 Chelsea 1-0 Steaua22/10 Steaua 1-1 Basel 11/12 Schalke 2-0 Basel

Date Home Score Away Date Home Score Away17/09 Benfica 2-0 Anderlecht 05/11 Paris 1-1 Anderlecht17/09 Olympiacos 1-4 Paris 05/11 Olympiacos 1-0 Benfica02/10 Paris 3-0 Benfica 27/11 Anderlecht 2-3 Benfica02/10 Anderlecht 0-3 Olympiacos 27/11 Paris 2-1 Olympiacos23/10 Benfica 1-1 Olympiacos 10/12 Benfica 2-1 Paris23/10 Anderlecht 0-5 Paris 10/12 Olympiacos 3-1 Anderlecht

Date Home Score Away Date Home Score Away18/09 Austria Wien 0-1 Porto 06/11 Zenit 1-1 Porto18/09 Atlético Madrid 3-1 Zenit 06/11 Atlético Madrid 4-0 Austria Wien01/10 Porto 1-2 Atlético Madrid 26/11 Porto 1-1 Austria Wien01/10 Zenit 0-0 Austria Wien 26/11 Zenit 1-1 Atlético Madrid22/10 Porto 0-1 Zenit 11/12 Austria Wien 4-1 Zenit22/10 Austria Wien 0-3 Atlético Madrid 11/12 Atlético Madrid 2-0 Porto

Date Home Score Away Date Home Score Away17/09 København 1-1 Juventus 05/11 Juventus 2-2 Real Madrid17/09 Galatasaray 1-6 Real Madrid 05/11 København 1-0 Galatasaray02/10 Juventus 2-2 Galatasaray 27/11 Real Madrid 4-1 Galatasaray02/10 Real Madrid 4-0 København 27/11 Juventus 3-1 København23/10 Real Madrid 2-1 Juventus 10/12 København 0-2 Real Madrid23/10 Galatasaray 3-1 København 10/12 Galatasaray 1-0 Juventus

Date Home Score Away Date Home Score Away18/09 Marseille 1-2 Arsenal 06/11 Dortmund 0-1 Arsenal18/09 Napoli 2-1 Dortmund 06/11 Napoli 3-2 Marseille01/10 Arsenal 2-0 Napoli 26/11 Arsenal 2-0 Marseille01/10 Dortmund 3-0 Marseille 26/11 Dortmund 3-1 Napoli22/10 Arsenal 1-2 Dortmund 11/12 Marseille 1-2 Dortmund22/10 Marseille 1-2 Napoli 11/12 Napoli 2-0 Arsenal

Date Home Score Away Date Home Score Away17/09 Bayern 3-0 CSKA Moskva 05/11 Man. City 5-2 CSKA Moskva17/09 Viktoria Plzeň 0-3 Man. City 05/11 Viktoria Plzeň 0-1 Bayern02/10 Man. City 1-3 Bayern 27/11 Man. City 4-2 Viktoria Plzeň02/10 CSKA Moskva 3-2 Viktoria Plzeň 27/11 CSKA Moskva 1-3 Bayern23/10 CSKA Moskva 1-2 Man. City 10/12 Bayern 2-3 Man. City23/10 Bayern 5-0 Viktoria Plzeň 10/12 Viktoria Plzeň 2-1 CSKA Moskva

Date Home Score Away Date Home Score Away18/09 AC Milan 2-0 Celtic 06/11 Ajax 1-0 Celtic18/09 Barcelona 4-0 Ajax 06/11 Barcelona 3-1 AC Milan01/10 Celtic 0-1 Barcelona 26/11 Celtic 0-3 AC Milan01/10 Ajax 1-1 AC Milan 26/11 Ajax 2-1 Barcelona22/10 Celtic 2-1 Ajax 11/12 AC Milan 0-0 Ajax22/10 AC Milan 1-1 Barcelona 11/12 Barcelona 6-1 Celtic

Manchester United FC 2-4 FC Bayern München First leg 1-1 (agg) Second leg 1-3

FC Barcelona 1-2 Club Atlético de Madrid First leg 1-1 (agg) Second leg 0-1

Club Atlético de Madrid 3-1 Chelsea FC First leg 0-0 (agg) Second leg 3-1

AC Milan 1-5 Club Atlético de Madrid First leg 0-1 (agg) Second leg 1-4

Olympiacos FC 2-3 Manchester United FCFirst leg 2-0 (agg) Second leg 0-3

Manchester City FC 1-4 FC BarcelonaFirst leg 0-2 (agg) Second-leg 1-2

FC Schalke 04 2-9 Real Madrid CF First leg 1-6 (agg) Second leg 1-3

Arsenal FC 1-3 FC Bayern München First leg 0-2 (agg) Second leg 1-1

FC Zenit 4-5 Borussia DortmundFirst leg 2-4 (agg) Second leg 2-1

Bayer 04 Leverkusen 1-6 Paris Saint-GermainFirst leg 0-4 (agg) Second leg 1-2

Galatasaray AŞ 1-3 Chelsea FC First leg 1-1 (agg) Second leg 0-2

Real Madrid 2-3 Borussia DortmundFirst leg 3-0 (agg) Second leg 0-2

Real Madrid CF 5-0 FC Bayern MünchenFirst leg 1-0 (agg) Second leg 4-0

Real Madrid CF 4-1 Club Atlético de MadridAfter extra time

Paris Saint-Germain 3-3 Chelsea FC (away goals) First leg 3-1 (agg) Second leg 0-2

50 512013/14 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE TECHNICAL REPORT RESULTS

TEAM PROFILES

The last 16At the UEFA Elite Club Coaches Forum in Nyon prior to the start of the 2013/14 season, Arsène Wenger commented: “Winning your group is important, as you get to play the second leg at home. Whether or not that is a real advantage is unknown. But you feel you have done the job well if you finish at the top of the group.” Sir Alex Ferguson added: “Some years ago, a change in counterattacking methods in terms of the use of quick combinations and collective counters has given teams a better chance of scoring away from home.”

Further discussion of their views was promoted by events when the top 16 teams kicked off the

knockout stage of the competition in February. The first legs produced six away wins which all but settled the ties, with the group runners-up – the home teams – scoring six goals and conceding 20. Only two English clubs required the home advantage factor in order to progress, with Chelsea FC winning at Stamford Bridge after drawing in Istanbul, while Manchester United FC rebounded from a 2-0 defeat in Athens to edge past Olympiacos FC by scoring three unanswered goals at Old Trafford.

Once the ‘pure’ draws came into play as from the quarter-final stage, ties gained in intensity and home advantage carried greater specific

gravity. Indeed, there were no away victories in the quarter-finals. On the other hand, the outcomes of the semi-finals were decided by the second-leg wins for the two Madrid clubs in Munich and in London.In terms of playing styles, the most illustrious standard-bearers for possession-based football – FC Bayern München and FC Barcelona – were both eliminated by opponents who attached lesser importance to their share of the ball.

EnglandARSENAL FC

STATISTICS

COACH

Arsène WengerBorn: 22/10/1949, Strasbourg (FRA)Nationality: FrenchMatches in UEFA Champions League: 154Head coach from: 28/09/1996

KEY FEATURES

TEAM SHAPE

GOALS SCOREDPLAYERS USED 924GOAL ATTEMPTS 61 (43 on target) = 7.6 (5.4) per game

TIME SCORED

1-15 16-30 31-45 45+ 46-60 61-75 76-90 90+ Minutes

1 030 1 3 1

0

SUBSTITUTIONS 21/24 (Including one double substitution)

1-15 16-30 31-45 Half-time 46-60 61-75 76-90 90+ Minutes

0 0 2 1 81 7 2

POSSESSION 51%*Max. 61% v Marseille (h)Min. 36% v Bayern (a)*

PASSES ATTEMPTED 655*Max. 887 v Marseille (h)Min. 433 v Bayern (a)*

AVERAGES

TEAM DISTANCE COVERED 111,915 metres*Max. 114,521 v Bayern (a)Min. 106,282 v Dortmund (h)

PASSES PER GAME*

Long 81 (12% of total)

Medium 404 (62%)

Short 170 (26%)

PASSING ACCURACY 77%Max. 86% v Marseille (h)Min. 62% v Bayern (h)

• 4-2-3-1 with rapid transitions to 4-5-1 defending

• Strong, experienced defenders: Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Koscielny

• Build-ups based on neat, assured combination play

• Varied attacking options with good use of width

• Effective intense pressing from midfield

• Hard-working midfielders: Arteta, Oxlade-Chamberlain …

• Compact defending; rapid defence-to-attack transitions

• High levels of technique; Rosický excellent dribbling, passing

• Excellent team spirit and work ethic

• Dangerous set plays delivered by Özil, Cazorla, Rosický …

G A MAR NAP DOR DOR MAR NAP BAY BAYW 1-2 W 2-0 L 1-2 W 0-1 W 2-0 L 2-0 L 0-2 D 1-1

Goalkeepers1 Wojciech Szczęsny 90 90 90 90 90 90 37so S13 Emiliano Viviano 021 Łukasz Fabiański 0 0 0 0 0 0 51 90Defenders3 Bacary Sagna 2 90 90 90 90 90 90 904 Per Mertesacker 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 905 Thomas Vermaelen 0 0 0 1 0 0 906 Laurent Koscielny 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 9017 Nacho Monreal 12 2 0 15 90 16 59 I25 Carl Jenkinson 0 0 0 0 90 0 028 Kieran Gibbs 2 90 90 90 90 I 90 31 IMidfielders7 Tomáš Rosický 63 89 90 75 74 16 45 8 Mikel Arteta I 90 90 90 8 76so S 77 10 Jack Wilshere 2 90 27 58 I 75 0 90 I11 Mesut Özil 1 2 90 90 90 90 82 90 90 45 15 Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain I I I I I I 74 84 16 Aaron Ramsey 2 1 90 88 86 90 90 22 I I19 Santi Cazorla 32 75 15 68 39 9020 Mathieu Flamini 90 90 I I 90 90 90 6 31 Ryo Miyaichi 1 45 Isaac Hayden 0 0 0Forwards9 Lukas Podolski 1 I I I I I I 0 9012 Olivier Giroud 2 1 90 90 90 90 90 90 0 9014 Theo Walcott 1 78 I I I 15 0 I I22 Yaya Sanogo 9023 Nicklas Bendtner 0 4 1 0 037 Chuba Akpom 044 Serge Gnabry 0 1 0 0 0 13 Numbers in the squad list refer to minutes played; G = Goals; A = Assists; = taken off; = brought on; 0 = unused sub; S = suspended; I = injured/ill; so = sent offMatches: blue = home; grey = away

*Excluding matchday seven v Bayern (h) when playing 53 minutes with ten men

19

1020

11

12

15

286 4

1

3

53TEAM PROFILES52 2013/14 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE TECHNICAL REPORT

SpainCLUB ATLÉTICO DE MADRID

STATISTICS

COACH

Diego SimeoneBorn:28/04/1970, Buenos Aires (ARG)Nationality: ArgentinianMatches in UEFA Champions League: 13Head coach from: 23/12/2011

KEY FEATURES

TEAM SHAPE

GOALS SCOREDPLAYERS USED 2624GOAL ATTEMPTS 176 (104 on target) = 13.5 (8) per game

TIME SCORED

1-15 16-30 31-45 45+ 46-60 61-75 76-90 90+ Minutes

5 052 6 3 5

0

SUBSTITUTIONS 35/39


1 1 0 3 174 9 0

PASSES PER GAME


Medium 269 (52%)

Short 175 (34%)

• 4-4-2 with twin screening midfielders

• High-energy football based on fast, vertical combination moves

• Exceptional commitment, spirit, work ethic; high levels of technique

• Diego Costa a disturbing, threatening presence at apex of attack

• Compact, industrious midfield play; Mario, Gabi, Tiago, Koke, Arda Turan…

• Aggressive, ambitious upfield runs by full-backs, especially Juanfran on right

• Very quick transitions in both directions; occasional intense high pressure

• Compact defensive block dominating in final 25m

• Courtois the insurance policy with outstanding goalkeeping qualities

• Dangerous set plays with centre-backs providing aerial power

SpainFC BARCELONA

STATISTICS

COACH

Gerardo MartinoBorn: 20/11/1962, Rosario (ARG)Nationality: ArgentineMatches in UEFA Champions League: 10Head coach from: 22/07/2013

KEY FEATURES

TEAM SHAPE


TIME SCORED

1-15 16-30 31-45 45+ 46-60 61-75 76-90 90+ Minutes

5 113 3 5 3

0

SUBSTITUTIONS 25/30


1 0 0 0 120 12 0

PASSES PER GAME


Medium 502 (61%)

Short 251 (31%)

• 4-3-3 with single screening midfielder (usually Busquets)

• Striker-less formation; Messi a deep-lying focal point in attack

• Excellent short-passing game; high-tempo ball circulation

• Players (Iniesta, Neymar, Messi …) running at defenders with high-speed dribbling skills

• Good use of width with both full-backs attacking constantly

• Patient build-up by skilful players who want the ball; Xavi the leader

• Set plays not ‘launched’; emphasis on short corners, quick free-kicks

• Intense immediate pressure as soon as ball lost in final third

• Influential experienced spine: Piqué, Busquets, Xavi, Messi

• Excellent passing, wall-passing into box from wide areas

G A AJX CEL ACM ACM AJX CEL MC MC ATL ATLW 4-0 W 0-1 D 1-1 W 3-1 L 2-1 W 6-1 W 0-2 W 2-1 D 1-1 L 1-0

Goalkeepers

1 Víctor Valdés 90 90 90 90 90 90 I I13 José Manuel Pinto 0 0 0 0 90 90 0 0 90 9025 Oier Olazábal 0 0 0 0Defenders

2 Martín Montoya 1 0 0 0 0 90 90 03 Gerard Piqué 2 80 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 12 I5 Carles Puyol I I I I 68 0 I14 Javier Mascherano 90 I 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 9015 Marc Bartra 10 90 0 0 0 0 0 78 9018 Jordi Alba I I I I 0 90 90 90 9021 Adriano 1 90 90 90 90 I 90 0 0 0 022 Daniel Alves 2 90 90 90 90 I I 90 90 90 9027 Patric Gabarron 22 Midfielders

4 Cesc Fàbregas 1 2 71 78 16 12 82 S 86 86 68 61 6 Xavi Hernández 1 3 19 90 90 88 74 90 90 90 90 908 Andrés Iniesta 3 90 89 90 78 90 0 90 90 90 72 12 Jonathan Dos Santos 0 I I I I I I I I16 Sergio Busquets 1 1 90 90 90 90 0 73 90 90 90 9017 Alex Song 0 1 0 2 90 17 0 0 0 024 Sergi Roberto 0 16 90 4 4 0 0Forwards

7 Pedro Rodríguez 1 18 74 9 5 90 90 0 0 0 18 9 Alexis Sánchez 2 90 16 74 90 S 63 74 10 22 29 10 Lionel Messi 8 90 I 90 90 I I 90 90 90 9011 Neymar 4 3 72 90 81 85 90 81 16 80 90 9020 Cristian Tello 1 12 0 27 28 Adama Traoré 8 29 Jean Marie Dongou 0 9 Numbers in the squad list refer to minutes played; G = Goals; A = Assists; = taken off; = brought on; 0 = unused sub; S = suspended; I = injured/ill; so = sent offMatches: blue = home; grey = away

POSSESSION 63%Max. 72% v Celtic (a)Min. 55% v Man City (h)

POSSESSION 45%Max. 64% v FK Austria (h)Min. 34% v Barcelona (a), Zenit (a)

PASSES ATTEMPTED 819Max. 959 v Man City (a)Min. 689 v Ajax (h)

PASSES ATTEMPTED 515Max. 733 v FK Austria (h)Min. 370 v Porto (h)

TEAM DISTANCE COVERED109,273 metresMax. 114,202 v Ajax (a)Min. 101,659 v Milan (a)

TEAM DISTANCE COVERED112,088 metresMax. 119,576 v FK Austria (a)Min. 104,304 v Milan (a)

PASSING ACCURACY 84%Max. 88% v Celtic (a)Min. 78% v Atlético (a)

PASSING ACCURACY 69%Max. 78% v FK Austria (h)Min. 57% v Barcelona (h)

AVERAGESAVERAGESG A ZEN POR AW AW ZEN POR ACM ACM BAR BAR CHL CHL RM

W 3-1 W 1-2 W 0-3 W 4-0 D 1-1 W 2-0 W 0-1 W 4-1 D 1-1 W 1-0 D 0-0 W 1-3 L 1-4*Goalkeepers

1 Daniel Aranzubia 0 0 I 0 0 90 0 0 0 0 0 0 013 Thibaut Courtois 90 90 90 90 90 I 90 90 90 90 90 90 12045 David Gil 0 0Defenders

2 Diego Godín 2 90 90 90 0 90 90 90 90 90 90 1203 Filipe Luís 1 1 90 90 45 90 I 90 90 90 90 90 83 12 Toby Alderweireld 0 0 90 0 90 90 0 0 0 0 0 0 37 17 Javi Manquillo 0 90 I I I I18 José María Giménez 0 020 Juanfran 2 90 90 90 90 90 S 90 90 90 90 90 90 12022 Emiliano Insúa 2 0 0 45 0 90 90 90 0 0 023 Miranda 2 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 12027 Lucas 0 0Midfielders

4 Mario Suárez 90 0 I I I 90 90 0 0 79 90 05 Tiago 90 90 56 I I I 90 90 0 90 1206 Koke 1 2 89 16 90 66 90 90 90 82 90 90 90 90 1208 Raúl García 4 3 4 79 81 90 90 90 80 72 S 90 86 24 66 10 Arda Turan 4 1 86 90 90 I I 28 74 78 77 I 30 84 I11 Cristian Rodríguez 1 45 30 24 80 I 16 12 13 11 0 6 014 Gabi 4 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 S 12015 Josuha Guilavogui 0 0 34 90 I16 Óliver Torres 1 11 0 45 10 62 24 José Sosa 1 0 18 19 0 11 14 54 26 Diego 1 0 8 60 28 60 0 0Forwards

7 Adrián López 2 2 79 I 9 45 90 82 10 62 66 111 9 David Villa 90 45 0 0 45 0 0 71 79 4 0 12019 Diego Costa 8 1 S S 60 90 45 90 90 30 I 90 76 9 21 Léo Baptistão 1 11 74 I 0 8 42 Momar Ndoye 0*After extra time

Numbers in the squad list refer to minutes played; G = Goals; A = Assists; = taken off; = brought on; 0 = unused sub; S = suspended; I = injured/ill; so = sent offMatches: blue = home; grey = away; light blue = final

Data from final corrected pro rata to 90-minute values to facilitate comparisons

(Extra time: 91-105 = 0; 106-120 = 0)

(Extra time: 91-105 = 0; 106-120 = 0)

13

23

14

1019

6

23

5

20

8

1

314

18 2216

64

108 11

54 2013/14 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE TECHNICAL REPORT 55TEAM PROFILES

GermanyFC BAYERN MÜNCHEN

STATISTICS

COACH

Josep GuardiolaBorn: 18/01/1971 Santpedor (ESP)Nationality: SpanishMatches in UEFA Champions League: 61Head coach from: 24/06/2013

KEY FEATURES

TEAM SHAPE


TIME SCORED

1-15 16-30 31-45 45+ 46-60 61-75 76-90 90+ Minutes

6 142 2 7 2

0

SUBSTITUTIONS 32/36 (Including two double substitutions)


0 1 0 4 102 15 0

PASSES PER GAME


Medium 499 (63%)

Short 210 (26%)

• Variations on 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 with single or twin screening midfielders

• Possession-based game; slick combination moves built from back

• Neuer the outstanding sweeper/goalkeeper; good distribution

• Comfortable in possession even when under intensive pressure

• Ribéry (left), Robben (right) constant threats on wings

• Exuberant support from full-backs Lahm/Rafinha and Alaba

• Schweinsteiger, Martínez read game excellently as midfield pivots

• Strong support for striker Mandžukić from Müller, Kroos, Thiago, Götze, etc

• Ball regained quickly via upfield and midfield pressing

• Rapid attack-to-defence transitions with wingers working hard to cover

EnglandCHELSEA FC

STATISTICS

COACH

José MourinhoBorn: 26/01/1963, Setubal (POR)Nationality: PortugueseMatches in UEFA Champions League: 113Head coach from: 03/06/2013

KEY FEATURES

TEAM SHAPE

GOALS SCOREDPLAYERS USED 1922GOAL ATTEMPTS 144 (87 on target) = 12 (7.3) per game

TIME SCORED

1-15 16-30 31-45 45+ 46-60 61-75 76-90 90+ Minutes

2 042 6 1 4

0


1-15 16-30 31-45 Half-time 46-60 61-75 76-90 90+Minutes

1 2 1 3 130 12 3

PASSES PER GAME


Medium 337 (59%)

Short 141 (25%)

• 4-2-3-1 with compact 4-5-1 defending

• Disciplined team play based on strong work ethic, collective spirit

• Outstanding dribbling skills from three attacking midfielders

• Good use of long diagonal passing to switch focal point of attack

• Dangerous counterattacking, bursting forward from midfield

• Width well exploited; wingers cutting in, full-backs forward, notably Ivanović

• Lampard the influential leader in midfield; shrewd passes, attacking presence

• Immediate pressure on ball carrier after loss of possession

• Dangerous set plays, exploiting aerial power of defenders

• Composure on the ball, experience, mental strength, winning mentality

POSSESSION 51%Max. 64% v Steaua (h)Min. 38% v Atlético (a)

POSSESSION 65%Max. 73% v Arsenal (a)Min. 58% v Man City (h)

PASSES ATTEMPTED 567Max. 800 v Steaua (h)Min. 372 v Atlético (a)

PASSES ATTEMPTED 798Max. 984 v Arsenal (a)Min. 596 v Man City (a)

TEAM DISTANCE COVERED111,411 metresMax. 117,884 v Basel (h)Min. 106,826 v PSG (a)

TEAM DISTANCE COVERED117,600 metresMax. 122,474 v Plzen (a)Min. 112,660 v Real Madrid (h)

PASSING ACCURACY 75%Max. 82% v Steaua (a and h), Schalke (h)Min. 56% v Atlético (a)

PASSING ACCURACY 83%Max. 88% v Plzen (h)Min. 75% v Man Utd (h)

G A CSKA MC PLZ PLZ CSKA MC ARS ARS MU MU RM RMW 3-0 W 1-3 W 5-0 W 0-1 W 1-3 L 2-3 W 0-2 D 1-1 D 1-1 W 3-1 L 1-0 L 0-4

Goalkeepers

1 Manuel Neuer 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 9022 Tom Starke 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 I I I29 Leopold Zingerle 032 Lukas Raeder 0 0 0Defenders

4 Dante 2 90 90 I 0 90 90 90 90 S 90 90 905 Daniel Van Buyten 0 0 90 90 0 0 0 0 0 0 013 Rafinha 1 90 90 90 90 90 0 45 0 90 25 66 015 Jan Kirchhoff 0 14 0 0 10 17 Jérôme Boateng 90 86so S 0 90 90 45 0 90 90 90 9021 Philipp Lahm1 3 90 90 63 90 28 90 90 90 90 90 90 9026 Diego Contento 0 0 90 90 0 0 I I I I I27 David Alaba 2 1 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90Midfielders

6 Thiago Alcántara I I I I 62 90 79 90 I I I I7 Franck Ribéry 3 2 90 82 67 90 I 90 I 85 90 90 72 72 8 Javi Martínez I I 0 31 80 35 90 90 90 S 24 45 10 Arjen Robben 4 4 79 78 90 I 90 I 90 90 90 90 90 9011 Xherdan Shaqiri 11 12 I 22 I I 0 I I I19 Mario Götze 3 1 I 8 27 87 88 55 90 59 16 65 18 18 23 Mitchell Weiser 3 0 0 025 Thomas Müller 5 1 90 90 23 59 90 90 26 5 63 84 16 72 31 Bastian Schweinsteiger 3 19 76 90 59 I I 0 90 90so S 74 9034 Pierre Højbjerg 0 0 0 0 037 Julian Green 2 39 Toni Kroos 1 1 71 90 90 90 90 90 90 31 74 90 90 90Forwards

9 Mario Mandžukić 3 3 75 0 71 31 I 68 64 90 27 90 90 45 14 Claudio Pizarro 15 19 I 0 11 0 0 6 0 18 20 Patrick Weihrauch 01Midfield screen in six games (four away)

Numbers in the squad list refer to minutes played; G = Goals; A = Assists; = taken off; = brought on; 0 = unused sub; S = suspended; I = injured/ill; so = sent offMatches: blue = home; grey = away

G A BSL STE SCH SCH BSL STE GAL GAL PSG PSG ATL ATLL 1-2 W 0-4 W 0-3 W 3-0 L 1-0 W 1-0 D 1-1 W 2-0 L 3-1 W 2-0 D 0-0 L 1-3

Goalkeepers

1 Petr Čech 90 90 90 90 90 0 90 90 90 90 18 I23 Mark Schwarzer 0 0 0 0 0 90 0 0 0 0 72 9040 Hilário 0Defenders

2 Branislav Ivanović 1 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 S 903 Ashley Cole 90 90 I 0 0 90 0 I I 0 90 54 4 David Luiz 1 90 90 6 0 I 90 I 0 90 90 90 9024 Gary Cahill 1 90 0 90 90 90 0 90 90 90 90 90 9026 John Terry 1 0 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 73 9027 Nathan Aké 0 028 César Azpilicueta 2 0 11 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 9033 Tomáš Kalas 0 1 0 0 0 034 Ryan Bertrand 0Midfielders

7 Ramires 2 1 90 90 90 90 16 90 90 90 S 90 908 Frank Lampard 1 2 75 90 90 9 90 90 90 90 18 66 90 S11 Oscar 1 4 90 79 84 81 55 67 1 82 72 81 0 012 John Obi Mikel 15 0 18 90 90 74 23 0 0 0 90 S15 Kevin De Bruyne 0 I I 12 4 10 16 Marco van Ginkel 75 I I I I I 0 017 Eden Hazard 2 90 I 88 35 90 90 90 90 18 9022 Willian 2 67 9 0 90 86 80 90 90 90 90 90 77 Forwards

9 Fernando Torres 4 11 90 I 48 0 68 4 31 9 90 67 10 Juan Mata 23 81 0 0 0 014 André Schürrle 1 90 72 78 0 23 67 8 59 72 17 13 19 Demba Ba 3 15 0 13 90 0 0 0 24 1 23 29 Samuel Eto'o 3 2 90 79 2 77 42 22 86 I 90 36 Numbers in the squad list refer to minutes played; G = Goals; A = Assists; = taken off; = brought on; 0 = unused sub; S = suspended; I = injured/ill; so = sent offMatches: blue = home; grey = away

(one own goal)

AVERAGESAVERAGES

1

17

2127

4

3931

257 10

9

1

2426

2

48

28

1722

79


GermanyBORUSSIA DORTMUND

STATISTICS

COACH

Jürgen KloppBorn: 16/06/1967, Stuttgart (GER)Nationality: GermanMatches in UEFA Champions League: 29Head coach from: 01/07/2008

KEY FEATURES

TEAM SHAPE


TIME SCORED

1-15 16-30 31-45 45+ 46-60 61-75 76-90 90+ Minutes

2 043 2 2 5

0

SUBSTITUTIONS 28/30 (Including three double substitutions)


0 0 2 0 120 12 2

POSSESSION 49%Max. 62% v Marseille (a)Min. 42% v Real Madrid (a)

PASSES ATTEMPTED 562Max. 760 v Marseille (a) Min. 381 v Marseille (h)

TEAM DISTANCE COVERED121,918 metres*Max. 126,344 v Marseille (h)Min. 117,887 v Arsenal (a)*

PASSES PER GAME


Medium 327 (58%)

Short 162 (29%)

PASSING ACCURACY 71%Max. 82% v Marseille (a)Min. 61% v Zenit (a)

• 4-4-2 or 4-2-3-1 with Lewandowski leading the attack

• Good mix of elaborate build-up with direct supply to front

• Power-play based on speed, aggressive running, off-the-ball movement

• Good links between lines; high defence with keeper covering behind

• Rapid defence-to-attack transitions; dangerous counters in numbers

• Good use of width with wingers cutting in to attack goal

• Intense pressure on ball carrier in midfield and attacking third

• Dangerous free-kicks by Reus, Mkhitaryan; aerial strength in box

• High levels of individual technique, 1v1 skills, athletic qualities

• strong team spirit, work ethic, mental resilience

TurkeyGALATASARAY AŞ

STATISTICS

COACH

Roberto ManciniBorn: 27/11/1964, Jesi (ITA)Nationality: ItalianMatches in UEFA Champions League: 60Head coach from: 30/09/2013

KEY FEATURES

TEAM SHAPE


TIME SCORED

1-15 16-30 31-45 45+ 46-60 61-75 76-90 90+ Minutes

0 010 3 1 3

1

SUBSTITUTIONS 23/24


0 1 1 2 102 6 1

PASSES PER GAME


Medium 338 (60%)

Short 141 (25%)

• 4-4-2 with occasional use of 4-2-3-1; 3-5-2 when chasing result

• Drogba, Burak strong strike force; Sneijder cutting in from left to support

• Melo the midfield pivot; centre-back when defending with three

• Selçuk the catalyst in midfield; movement, creative passing

• Adventurous full-backs, especially Eboué on right

• Frequent use of direct supply from keeper to strikers

• Good diagonal passing but emphasis on playing through middle

• Intense pressure on ball carrier as from midfield

• Dangerous set plays based on aerial power

• Excellent team spirit, resilience in adverse situations

G A NAP MAR ARS ARS NAP MAR ZEN ZEN RM RML 2-1 W 3-0 W 1-2 L 0-1 W 3-1 W 1-2 W 2-4 L 1-2 L 3-0 W 2-0

Goalkeepers

1 Roman Weidenfeller 45so S 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 9020 Mitchell Langerak 45 90 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 033 Zlatan Alomerović 0Defenders

2 Manuel Friedrich 90 0 0 904 Neven Subotić 90 90 90 90 I I I I I I15 Mats Hummels 45 90 90 I I I I 90 90 9024 Marian Sarr 90 025 Sokratis Papastathopoulos 2 3 90 90 90 90 90 90 026 Łukasz Piszczek 1 I I I I 9 12 90 90 67 81 29 Marcel Schmelzer 1 90 I 90 90 I 90 77 I I30 Koray Günter 0 0 037 Erik Durm 2 0 90 0 0 90 90 1 13 90 90Midfielders

5 Sebastian Kehl 1 I I I 0 90 78 90 90 74 S6 Sven Bender1 90 90 90 75 90 I I I I I7 Jonas Hofmann 14 8 24 15 0 24 5 1 26 011 Marco Reus 5 3 90 82 87 86 81 78 85 I 90 9014 Miloš Jojić 0 21 16 9016 Jakub Błaszczykowski 1 45 19 66 74 69 66 I I I I18 Nuri Şahin 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 019 Kevin Grosskreutz2 1 2 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 9021 Oliver Kirch 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 90Forwards

9 Robert Lewandowski 6 3 90 90 90 90 89 90 90 90 S 9010 Henrikh Mkhitaryan 2 76 88 66 90 90 90 70 69 64 9017 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang 1 45 71 24 16 21 0 20 90 90 9 23 Julian Schieber 1 0 0 0 4 1 12 0 0 23 034 Marvin Ducksch 0 0 01Defender on matchdays one and five; 2Defender during group stage


*Excluding matchday one v Napoli (a) when playing 45 mins with 10 men

(one own goal)

POSSESSION 52%Max. 56% v København (h) and (a), Chelsea (h)Min. 43% v Juventus (a)

PASSES ATTEMPTED 565Max. 691 v København (a)Min. 456 v Juventus (a)

TEAM DISTANCE COVERED110,804 metresMax. 116,761 v København (a) Min. 104,577 v Juventus (h)

PASSING ACCURACY 74%Max. 79% v Real Madrid (a)Min. 65% v Juventus (h)

G A RM JUV KOB KOB RM JUV CHL CHLL 1-6 D 2-2 W 3-1 L 1-0 L 4-1 W 1-0 D 1-1 L 2-0

Goalkeepers25 Fernando Muslera 90 90 90 I I 90 90 9067 Eray İşcan 0 I I 90 9086 Ufuk Ceylan 0 0 0 0 0 0 0Defenders2 Guillermo Burdisso 05 Gökhan Zan 65 I I 90 90 I I13 Dany Nounkeu 1 90 90 0 90 015 Alex Telles 90 9021 Aurélien Chedjou 1 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 9022 Hakan Balta 0 90 I I I I 45 23 26 Semih Kaya 0 25 90 76 0 90 45 9027 Emmanuel Eboué 2 90 90 90 90 90 81 90 77 55 Sabri Sarıoğlu 0 0 0 0 0 0 077 Albert Riera 90 60 0 90 23 90Midfielders3 Felipe Melo 1 90 90 76 90 88 90 90 906 Ceyhun Gülselam 14 28 2 1 0 07 Aydın Yılmaz 62 I I I I8 Selçuk İnan 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 9010 Wesley Sneijder 2 1 90 74 80 27 90 90 9014 Izet Hajrovic 31 13 20 Bruma 28 90 90 90 63 035 Yekta Kurtuluş 0 0 59 67 50 Engin Baytar 62 052 Emre Çolak 0 0 0 I53 Nordin Amrabat 1 45 30 10 8 67 Forwards11 Didier Drogba 2 3 45 90 86 90 90 90 80 9017 Burak Yılmaz 78 0 90 82 0 90 90 54 19 Umut Bulut 3 12 16 4 14 90 9 10 36 Numbers in the squad list refer to minutes played; G = Goals; A = Assists; = taken off; = brought on; 0 = unused sub; S = suspended; I = injured/ill; so = sent offMatches: blue = home; grey = away

Fatih Terim (04/09/1953, Adana, TUR) was in charge on matchday one

AVERAGESAVERAGES

1

2515

37 26

185

1011

19

9

25

212615 27

810

3

11 17

35


GermanyBAYER 04 LEVERKUSEN

STATISTICS

COACH

Sami HyypiäBorn: 07/10/1973, Porvoo (FIN)Nationality: FinnishMatches in UEFA Champions League: 8Joint head coach from: 13/05/2012 Solo from: 24/06/2013

KEY FEATURES

TEAM SHAPE


TIME SCORED

1-15 16-30 31-45 45+ 46-60 61-75 76-90 90+ Minutes

4 111 0 1 1

1

SUBSTITUTIONS 24/24 (Including five double substitutions)


0 0 0 1 83 10 2

PASSES PER GAME


Medium 334 (64%)

Short 127 (24%)

• Classic 4-3-3 with swift transitions to 4-5-1 defending

• High pressing in numbers to disturb opponents’ build-up

• Compact, narrow back four ready to hold high line (40m)

• Quick counterattacks mostly led by Sam, Castro

• Direct attacking: sustained ball possession not a priority

• Sam the key performer; technique, pace, dribbling, hard-working defending

• All players back to defend set plays; limited opportunities to counter

• Emphasis on building from centre-backs with full-backs moving high

• Dangerous inswinging corners by Sam (from right), Castro (left)

• Aerial power supplied by Spahić, Rolfes, Bender, Kiessling, Toprak

POSSESSION 46%Max. 52% v Shakhtar (h), R. Sociedad (a), Man Utd (h)Min. 39% v PSG (a)

PASSES ATTEMPTED 525Max. 594 v Shakhtar (h)Min. 414 v Man Utd (a)

TEAM DISTANCE COVERED115,548 metres*Max. 122,060 v R. Sociedad (a)Min. 105,764 v PSG (a)

PASSING ACCURACY 73%Max. 80% v Shakhtar (h)Min. 61% v Shakhtar (a)

G A MU RS SHK SHK MU RS PSG PSGL 4-2 W 2-1 W 4-0 D 0-0 L 0-5 W 0-1 L 0-4 L 2-1

Goalkeepers1 Bernd Leno 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 9022 David Yelldell 0 025 Andrés Palop 0 0 0 I I I36 Niklas Lomb 0 0 0Defenders2 Kostas Stafylidis 0 04 Philipp Wollscheid 0 90 34 0 0 0 28 905 Emir Spahić 90 0 56 90 90 90 59so S14 Roberto Hilbert 0 90 0 0 I I 90 017 Sebastian Boenisch 90 68 90 90 0 020 Andrés Guardado 90 9021 Ömer Toprak 2 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 9026 Giulio Donati 2 90 0 90 90 90 90 90Midfielders3 Stefan Reinartz 90 90 I I 70 I 45 78 6 Simon Rolfes 3 90 90 90 90 90 90 45 908 Lars Bender 26 90 I 90 81 90 90 I10 Emre Can1 1 90 22 90 21 90 90 S 68so13 Jens Hegeler 1 I 5 19 13 20 45 0 I15 Levin Öztunali 0 0 018 Sidney Sam 2 78 85 90 90 I I 62 67 19 Julian Brandt 45 23 27 Gonzalo Castro I I 90 69 90 90 90 67 31 Dominik Kohr 0 9 1 35 Maximilian Wagener 12 Forwards7 Son Heung-Min 2 64 68 71 77 70 90 45 23 9 Eren Derdiyok 12 0 14 0 20 4 9011 Stefan Kiessling 2 78 90 76 90 90 86 90 023 Robbie Kruse 12 22 0 1 0 45 1Defender on matchdays five and six


AVERAGES

*Excluding matchday seven v PSG (h) when playing 31 mins with ten men

EnglandMANCHESTER CITY FC

STATISTICS

COACH

Manuel PellegriniBorn: 16/09/1953, Santiago (CHI)Nationality: ChileanMatches in UEFA Champions League: 48Head coach from: 14/06/2013

KEY FEATURES

TEAM SHAPE


TIME SCORED

1-15 16-30 31-45 45+ 46-60 61-75 76-90 90+ Minutes

5 113 3 2 4

0



0 1 0 3 63 11 0

PASSES PER GAME


Medium 315 (58%)

Short 156 (28%)

• 4-4-1-1 formation, more clearly 4-5-1 away from home

• Rapid transition from attack to deep, compact defensive block

• Disciplined hard-working defending; intense pressing from halfway line

• Effective ‘double-cover’ defending pre-empting penetration in wide areas

• Mixed attacking: short passing from back; direct supply to front

• Effective full-backs pushing forward and delivering crosses

• Powerful, athletic team; Kompany, Touré, Džeko the strong spine

• Dangerous inswinging or outswinging set plays aimed at big men in box

• Silva the creative midfield playmaker behind Agüero or Džeko

• Quick, powerful counters; good game-opening diagonal passes

POSSESSION 48%Max. 57% v CSKA (h)Min. 38% v Barcelona (h)

PASSES ATTEMPTED 546Max. 743 v CSKA (h)Min. 355 v Bayern (h)

TEAM DISTANCE COVERED111,335 metres*Max. 115,381 v Plzen (a)Min. 107,820 v Plzen (h)*

PASSING ACCURACY 76%Max. 84% v CSKA (h)Min. 64% v Bayern (h)

G A PLZ BAY CSKA CSKA PLZ BAY BAR BARW 0-3 L 1-3 W 1-2 W 5-2 W 4-2 W 2-3 L 0-2 L 2-1

Goalkeepers

1 Joe Hart 90 90 90 0 90 90 90 9030 Costel Pantilimon 0 0 0 90 0 0 0 0Defenders

2 Micah Richards 90 0 0 90 16 04 Vincent Kompany 1 90 90 I I I 0 90 905 Pablo Zabaleta 90 0 90 90 0 74 90 78so6 Joleon Lescott 0 0 0 0 90 90 32 9013 Aleksandar Kolarov 1 90 90 24 90 90 58 9022 Gaël Clichy I 90 1 90 I I 90 026 Martín Demichelis I I I 90 90 90 53so S33 Matija Nastasić 90 90 90 90 I38 Dedryck Boyata 0 0 0Midfielders

7 James Milner 1 3 23 20 45 90 90 908 Samir Nasri 1 4 90 70 11 77 75 32 75 14 Javi García 10 0 90 90 90 0 015 Jesús Navas 3 67 90 90 13 45 90 58 15 17 Jack Rodwell 0 I 2 21 David Silva 1 1 I 20 79 66 I 73 90 72 25 Fernandinho 90 90 90 45 64 90 90 9042 Yaya Touré 1 80 90 90 90 26 S 90 9052 Emyr Huws 0Forwards

9 Álvaro Negredo 5 1 7 33 72 90 15 17 74 18 10 Edin Džeko 2 1 83 57 18 0 90 88 16 45 16 Sergio Agüero 6 2 90 70 89 90 45 0 I 45 35 Stevan Jovetić 0 0 I I I 0 INumbers in the squad list refer to minutes played; G = Goals; A = Assists; = taken off; = brought on; 0 = unused sub; S = suspended; I = injured/ill; so = sent offMatches: blue = home; grey = away

AVERAGES

*Excluding matchday seven v Barcelona (h) when playing 37 mins with ten men

1

45

2613

25 42

21

158

16

21

1

26

5

20 6

827

711

18


EnglandMANCHESTER UNITED FC

STATISTICS

COACH

David MoyesBorn: 25/04/1963, Bearsden (SCO)Nationality: ScottishMatches in UEFA Champions League: 10Head coach from: 01/07/2013

KEY FEATURES

TEAM SHAPE


TIME SCORED

1-15 16-30 31-45 45+ 46-60 61-75 76-90 90+ Minutes

4 015 0 3 3

1


1-15 16-30 31-45 Half-time 46-60 61-75 76-90 90+

0 0 0 3 101 9 3

PASSES PER GAME


Medium 318 (57%)

Short 152 (27%)

• 4-4-2 or 4-2-3-1 with Carrick the anchor in midfield

• Positive possession game, looking for early ball over defence

• Attacks also patiently built from back; frequent diagonal passes to open game

• Compact, disciplined deep defending with eight or nine behind the ball

• Good supply of crosses from wide players and full-backs

• Rooney the attacking catalyst as target or shadowing Van Persie

• Very strong when defending in final third, especially on edge of box

• Rapid defence-to-attack transitions; quick supply to Rooney, Welbeck …

• Strong at set plays, notably corners; Rooney the main supplier to tall targets

• Enormous work rate, energy, resolve in midfield and attack

ItalyAC MILAN

STATISTICS

COACHES

Massimiliano AllegriBorn: 11/08/1967, Livorno (ITA)Nationality: ItalianMatches in UEFA Champions League: 32Head coach from: 25/06/2010 to 13/01/2014

Clarence SeedorfBorn: 01/04/1976, Paramaribo (SUR)Nationality: DutchMatches in UEFA Champions League: 2Head coach from: 16/01/2014

KEY FEATURES

TEAM SHAPE


TIME SCORED

1-15 16-30 31-45 45+ 46-60 61-75 76-90 90+ Minutes

2 121 1 0 2

0

SUBSTITUTIONS 22/24

1-15 16-30 31-45 Half-time 46-60 61-75 76-90 90+Minutes

0 2 0 1 112 6 0

POSSESSION 45%Max. 56% v Atlético (a) Min. 36% v Barcelona (h)

PASSES ATTEMPTED 508Max. 654 v Atlético (a)Min. 368 v Ajax (h)

TEAM DISTANCE COVERED 105,021 metresMax. 110,352 v Celtic (a) Min. 102,074 v Atlético (h)

PASSES PER GAME


Medium 296 (58%)

Short 122 (24%)

PASSING ACCURACY 74%Max. 78% v Atlético (a)Min. 62% v Ajax (h)

• Variations on 4-4-2 with occasional switches to 4-3-3

• Compact defending with conservative central defenders

• Two disciplined controlling midfielders: usually Essien, De Jong

• Overloads on right to open space for overlapping left-back Emanuelson

• Kaká the free spirit behind creative, unpredictable Balotelli

• After ball loss, Kaká hard-working in defending spaces on left

• Mix of direct and elaborate attacking; more possession under Seedorf

• Occasional high pressure, especially on right (Taarabt the leader)

• Otherwise swift transitions to deep 4-5-1 defensive block

• Varied attacking options (Robinho, Pazzini); 4-2-4 when chasing result

G A CEL AJX BAR BAR CEL AJX ATL ATLW 2-0 D 1-1 D 1-1 L 3-1 W 0-3 D 0-0 L 0-1 L 4-1

Goalkeepers1 Marco Amelia 0 0 90 I I I 0 032 Christian Abbiati 90 90 I 90 90 90 90 9035 Ferdinando Coppola 0 0 0 0Defenders2 Mattia De Sciglio I I I I I 90 26 05 Philippe Mexès 90 90 90 90 9 0 013 Adil Rami 90 9017 Cristián Zapata 1 1 90 90 90 90 90 90 I I20 Ignazio Abate 90 90 90 48 I 64 9021 Kévin Constant 76 90 90 0 18 90 5 25 Daniele Bonera I I I 0 90 90 90 9028 Urby Emanuelson 27 6 19 90 90 0 90 9081 Cristian Zaccardo 90 0 0 I 0 0 0Midfielders4 Sulley Muntari 1 90 90 90 90 90 12 14 Valter Birsa 1 63 0 80 16 72 I I15 Michael Essien 90 68 16 Andrea Poli 1 3 84 10 74 90 66 85 9018 Riccardo Montolivo 1 90 90 90 90 22so S S23 Antonio Nocerino 1 90 0 0 42 027 Adel Taarabt 90 45 34 Nigel de Jong 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 78 Forwards7 Robinho 1 14 80 64 45 10 I I 45 9 Alessandro Matri 87 10 0 6 0 011 Giampaolo Pazzini I I I I I I 12 22 22 Kaká 2 2 I I 71 84 80 81 90 9045 Mario Balotelli 2 1 90 90 26 45 90 90 78 9092 Stephan El Shaarawy I I I I I 24 I IŽan Benedičič, Bryan Cristante, Luca Iotti, Andrea Petagna and Matías Silvestre were all unused substitutes


(two own goals)

POSSESSION 48%Max. 56% v Leverkusen (h)Min. 30% v Bayern (h)

PASSES ATTEMPTED 556Max. 709 v Olympiacos (a)Min. 380 v Bayern (h)

TEAM DISTANCE COVERED112,323 metresMax. 114,310 v Shakhtar (h)Min. 110,395 v Bayern (a)

PASSING ACCURACY 73%Max. 80% v Leverkusen (h)Min. 61% v Bayern (h and a)

G A LEV SHK RS RS LEV SHK OLY OLY BAY BAYW 4-2 D 1-1 W 1-0 D 0-0 W 0-5 W 1-0 L 2-0 W 3-0 D 1-1 L 3-1

Goalkeepers

1 David de Gea 1 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 9013 Anders Lindegaard 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0Defenders

2 Rafael I 90 59 I I 90 90 I I3 Patrice Evra 1 1 90 90 90 90 70 90 90 S 904 Phil Jones 1 I 1 90 1 90 90 90 90 905 Rio Ferdinand 90 I I 90 90 90 90 90 90 06 Jonny Evans 1 0 90 I 90 90 I I12 Chris Smalling 1 90 90 31 90 90 90 I 9015 Nemanja Vidić 1 90 90 I 90 I 90 90 9022 Fabio 028 Alexander Büttner 0 0 20 88 0 74 0Midfielders

8 Anderson 0 I I 0 10 011 Ryan Giggs 1 24 90 90 90 63 0 90 45 016 Michael Carrick 90 90 90 I I I 90 90 90 9017 Nani 1 S 0 0 0 90 0 018 Ashley Young 19 0 10 27 11 63 90 13 16 023 Tom Cleverley 10 90 0 27 60 24 Darren Fletcher I I I I I I 8 0 74 25 Antonio Valencia 2 2 90 90 90 90 79 2 60 77 90 9026 Shinji Kagawa 71 0 90 90 90 90 30 0 45 9031 Marouane Fellaini 1 80 66 0 90so S 0 1 90 I44 Adnan Januzaj 0 90 0 0 9 Forwards

10 Wayne Rooney 2 8 84 90 63 80 90 90 90 90 9014 Javier Hernández 6 0 80 63 0 0 0 0 5 16 19 Danny Welbeck 1 90 I 0 30 82 85 81 20 Robin van Persie 4 1 90 90 27 I 27 90 90 I INumbers in the squad list refer to minutes played; G = Goals; A = Assists; = taken off; = brought on; 0 = unused sub; S = suspended; I = injured/ill; so = sent offMatches: blue = home; grey = away

(two own goals)

AVERAGESAVERAGES

Decimal points account for the missing 1%

1

5

43

15

1611

1019 25

20

32

1320

25

28

34

27

15

16

22

45


COACH

MíchelBorn: 23/03/1963, Madrid (ESP)Nationality: SpanishMatches in UEFA Champions League: 8Head coach from: 01/02/2013

GreeceOLYMPIACOS FC

STATISTICS

KEY FEATURES

TEAM SHAPE


TIME SCORED

1-15 16-30 31-45 45+ 46-60 61-75 76-90 90+ Minutes

3 113 2 1 1

0

SUBSTITUTIONS 24/24


0 0 0 7 82 7 0

PASSES PER GAME


Medium 263 (58%)

Short 118 (26%)

• 4-2-3-1 transforming into 4-3-3 attacking formation

• Compact, deep defensive block; pressing mainly in last third

• Occasional high pressure; but emphasis on fast attack-to-defence transitions

• Patient well-constructed back-to-front passing movements

• Looked for chances to make quick, well-executed counterattacks

• Effective use of wide areas; accurate crosses and cut-backs

• Willing to shoot from long range• Domínguez the playmaker;

good technique under pressure; accurate, incisive passes

• Manolas the leader in back four; good positioning, decisive interventions

• N’Dinga the hardworking midfield screen; Maniatis the more attacking partner

FrancePARIS SAINT-GERMAIN

STATISTICS

COACH

Laurent BlancBorn: 19/11/1965, Alès (FRA)Nationality: FrenchMatches in UEFA Champions League: 26Head coach from: 25/06/2013

KEY FEATURES

TEAM SHAPE


TIME SCORED

1-15 16-30 31-45 45+ 46-60 61-75 76-90 90+ Minutes

2 155 4 5 3

0



0 0 0 3 111 13 0

PASSES PER GAME


Medium 463 (62%)

Short 207 (28%)

• 4-3-3 with single screening midfielder

• Compact unit with good links, movement between lines

• Emphasis on building from centre-backs, playing through midfield

• Composed combination play based on individual technique

• Full-backs supporting attacks; Lavezzi, Cavani cutting in from wide

• Ibrahimović the creative, unpredictable focal point of attacking play

• Midfield trio (Motta the pivot) combining well, shutting down spaces

• High defensive line led by Thiago Silva; keeper covering space behind

• Intense pressure on ball carrier in high areas and midfield

• Aerial strength (Silva, Alex, Ibrahimović …) effectively used at set plays

POSSESSION 58%Max. 65% v Benfica (h), Anderlecht (a)Min. 46% v Chelsea (a)

PASSES ATTEMPTED 742Max. 930 v Benfica (h)Min. 516 v Chelsea (a)

TEAM DISTANCE COVERED106,053 metres*Max. 110,169 v Anderlecht (a)Min. 102,358 v Olympiacos (a)*

PASSING ACCURACY 83%Max. 89% v Benfica (h)Min. 73% v Chelsea (a)

POSSESSION 47%Max. 59% v Anderlecht (h)Min. 42% v PSG (h)

PASSES ATTEMPTED 457Max. 580 v Anderlecht (h)Min. 379 v Benfica (h)

TEAM DISTANCE COVERED108,937 metresMax. 115,590 v Man Utd (h)Min. 103,639 v Benfica (a)

PASSING ACCURACY 70%Max. 78% v Anderlecht (h)Min. 61% v Anderlecht (a), Benfica (h)

G A PSG AND BEN BEN PSG AND MU MUL 1-4 W 0-3 D 1-1 W 1-0 L 2-1 W 3-1 W 2-0 L 3-0

Goalkeepers

16 Roberto 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 9042 Balázs Megyeri 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0Defenders

20 José Holebas 1 0 13 90 90 90 90 90 9021 Avraam Papadopoulos 0 0 0 0 0 022 Carl Medjani 90 0 2 023 Dimitris Siovas 90 90 90 90 90 90 I I24 Kostas Manolas 2 0 90 90 90 90 90 90 9025 Iván Marcano 90 9030 Leandro Salino I I 90 90 57 90 90 74 88 Gaëtan Bong 90 90 I 16 45 0 0 0Midfielders

2 Giannis Maniatis 1 90 90 90 90 90 S 90 905 Paulo Machado 90 I I I 0 53 14 16 8 Delvin N'Dinga 1 0 90 34 34 0 1 90 9014 Andreas Samaris 90 90 90 90 90 90 0 017 Hernán Peréz 86 57 19 David Fuster 3 74 33 69 74 90 89 23 82 26 Joel Campbell 1 30 0 0 77 90 67 9035 Alejandro Domínguez 3 1 60 11 88 45 33 29 76 9060 Sambou Yatabaré 6 0 21 56 079 Vladimír Weiss 1 84 90 56 45 37 Forwards

9 Javier Saviola 2 1 16 66 0 45 13 61 I I11 Kostas Mitroglou 3 1 90 90 90 90 90 I18 Nelson Valdez 4 33 28 Nikos Vergos 8 99 Michael Olaitan 1 57 0 I I 90 90 INumbers in the squad list refer to minutes played; G = Goals; A = Assists; = taken off; = brought on; 0 = unused sub; S = suspended; I = injured/ill; so = sent offMatches: blue = home; grey = away

G A OLY BEN AND AND OLY BEN LEV LEV CHL CHLW 1-4 W 3-0 W 0-5 D 1-1 W 2-1 L 2-1 W 0-4 W 2-1 W 3-1 L 2-0

Goalkeepers

1 Nicolas Douchez 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 030 Salvatore Sirigu 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90Defenders

2 Thiago Silva 90 I I 28 90 90 90 90 905 Marquinhos 3 1 90 90 90 62 11 90 0 90 0 5 6 Zoumana Camara 0 12 34 90 5 13 Alex I 78 56 90 90 90 0 90 9017 Maxwell 1 90 90 90 90 90 0 90 0 90 9021 Lucas Digne 1 0 0 0 0 0 90 0 90 0 023 Gregory van der Wiel 4 90 90 90 90 90 S 90 026 Christophe Jallet 0 0 0 0 90 90 9037 Kalifa Traoré 90Midfielders

4 Yohan Cabaye 1 1 23 90 14 35 7 Jérémy Ménez 1 1 0 0 14 0 90 0 18 I 08 Thiago Motta 2 3 90 90 90 90 90 61 90 0 90 9014 Blaise Matuidi 1 3 90 90 64 90 86 29 67 90 9024 Marco Verratti 1 79 70 90 76 46so S 90 76 55 25 Adrien Rabiot 11 20 26 0 40 90 0 90 027 Javier Pastore 1 I I I 15 0 90 14 90 5 17 29 Lucas 1 45 20 19 90 4 90 90 27 21 85 38 Kingsley Coman 0Forwards

9 Edinson Cavani 4 90 90 90 I 90 61 I 85 90 9010 Zlatan Ibrahimović 10 90 90 90 90 79 90 72 69 I22 Ezequiel Lavezzi 2 3 45 70 71 75 50 29 76 63 85 73 35 Hervin Ongenda 0 0Numbers in the squad list refer to minutes played; G = Goals; A = Assists; = taken off; = brought on; 0 = unused sub; S = suspended; I = injured/ill; so = sent offMatches: blue = home; grey = away

(one own goal)

AVERAGESAVERAGES

Decimal points account for the missing 1% *Excluding matchday five v Olympiacos (h) when playing 44 mins with ten men

16

24

30

25

208

3517

99

2

26

30

13217 26

14 2422

9

8

10


SpainREAL MADRID CF

STATISTICS

COACH

Carlo AncelottiBorn: 10/06/1959, Reggiolo (ITA)Nationality: ItalianMatches in UEFA Champions League: 130Head coach from: 01/07/2013

KEY FEATURES

TEAM SHAPE


TIME SCORED

1-15 16-30 31-45 45+ 46-60 61-75 76-90 90+ Minutes

8 339 3 8 4

0

SUBSTITUTIONS 39/39 (including two double substitutions)


2 1 0 3 112 19 1

PASSES PER GAME*


Medium 373 (59%)

Short 171 (27%)

• 4-4-2 or 4-3-3 with twin screening midfielders

• Flowing attacking moves; high-tempo passing; changes of pace, direction

• Outstanding individual technique in all departments

• Always dangerous in final third; running at opponents; Benzema the predator

• Lethal counterattacks, exploiting pace of Ronaldo, Bale, Di María

• Effective use of width with full-backs ready to support attacks

• Balanced two-man midfield screen; Alonso the pivot, Modrić playmaker

• High defensive line with keeper sweeping spaces behind

• High pressing; frequent ball-winning in opponents’ half

• Dangerous set plays; aerial power and Ronaldo’s dead-ball efficiency

GermanyFC SCHALKE 04

STATISTICS

COACH

Jens KellerBorn: 24/11/1970, Stuttgart (GER)Nationality: GermanMatches in UEFA Champions League: 10Head coach from: 16/12/2012

KEY FEATURES

TEAM SHAPE


TIME SCORED

1-15 16-30 31-45 45+ 46-60 61-75 76-90 90+ Minutes

3 100 1 1 2

0



0 0 2 2 111 7 0

PASSES PER GAME


Medium 364 (60%)

Short 158 (26%)

• Variations on 4-4-2 frequently evolving into 4-2-2-2 structure

• Set out to play possession football with neat combinations

• Attacking philosophy; prepared to take risks, get players in front of ball

• Emphasis on attacking through wide areas, delivering crosses

• Adventurous support from full-backs; quality crossing

• Conservative centre-backs and holding midfielder the defensive core

• Draxler the attacking catalyst; Meyer effective as support striker

• Huntelaar the dangerous target player and predator

• Good athletic condition, physical presence; energetic midfield

• Dangerous set plays; strong work ethic, mental resilience

POSSESSION 48%Max. 56% v Steaua (h)Min. 43% v Real Madrid (h)

PASSES ATTEMPTED 607Max. 795 v Chelsea (h)Min. 460 v Basel (a)

TEAM DISTANCE COVERED116,864 metresMax. 122,025 v Basel (a)Min. 110,352 v Steaua (h)

PASSING ACCURACY 78%Max. 84% v Chelsea (h)Min. 70% v Basel (a)

POSSESSION 52%Max. 60% v Atlético (final)Min. 36% v Bayern (h and a)

PASSES ATTEMPTED 636*Max. 756 v Dortmund (h)Min. 410 v Bayern (h)

TEAM DISTANCE COVERED110,992* metresMax. 114,396 v Dortmund (a)Min. 107,893 v København (a)

PASSING ACCURACY 79%Max. 83% v København (h), Juventus (h), Schalke (a)Min. 66% v Bayern (h)

* Excluding matchday five v Galatasaray when playing 64 mins with ten menData from final corrected pro rata to 90-minute values to facilitate comparisons

G A STE BSL CHL CHL STE BSL RM RMW 3-0 W 0-1 L 0-3 L 3-0 D 0-0 W 2-0 L 1-6 L 3-1

Goalkeepers1 Ralf Fährmann 0 0 0 90 90 90 9034 Timo Hildebrand 90 90 90 90 I 0 0 036 Lars Unnerstall 0 0Defenders2 Tim Hoogland 1 I 5 0 0 0 0 0 904 Benedikt Höwedes 1 90 90 90 90 90 31 90 58 5 Felipe Santana 0 90 0 0 90 90 90 I6 Sead Kolasinac 12 19 13 0 90 76 9014 Kyriakos Papadopoulos I I I I I I 0 32 15 Dennis Aogo 90 78 90 90 90 I22 Atsuto Uchida 1 90 90 90 90 90 90 I I31 Philipp Max 032 Joel Matip 1 90 0 90 90 0 90 90 90Midfielders7 Max Meyer 0 85 78 23 74 88 90 908 Leon Goretzka 2 12 I 2 31 09 Kevin-Prince Boateng 1 90 90 71 77 90 59 010 Julian Draxler 3 1 90 90 90 62 16 66 90 9011 Christian Clemens 1 0 90 28 0 I I12 Marco Höger 88 90 I I I I I I13 Jermaine Jones S 71 90 90 S23 Christian Fuchs 2 8 I 0 67 88 24 14 I24 Kaan Ayhan 0 0 0 0 0 81 33 Roman Neustädter 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 9040 Anthony Annan 9 Forwards17 Jefferson Farfán 2 89 45 I I 90 90 72 I19 Chinedu Obasi I I I 2 18 9025 Klaas-Jan Huntelaar 1 I I I I I I 90 45 28 Ádám Szalai 82 45 19 90 90 59 0 45 Numbers in the squad list refer to minutes played; G = Goals; A = Assists; = taken off; = brought on; 0 = unused sub; S = suspended; I = injured/ill; so = sent offMatches: blue = home; grey = away

AVERAGESAVERAGESG A GAL KOB JUV JUV GAL KOB SCH SCH DOR DOR BAY BAY ATL

W 1-6 W 4-0 W 2-1 D 2-2 W 4-1 W 0-2 W 1-6 W 3-1 W 3-0 L 2-0 W 1-0 W 0-4 W1-4*Goalkeepers

1 Iker Casillas 15 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 12013 Jesús Fernández 025 Diego López 75 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0Defenders

2 Raphaël Varane I 90 0 90 I I 0 90 0 1 17 15 1203 Pepe 2 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 0 90 90 73 90 04 Sergio Ramos 3 2 90 0 90 90 26so S 90 70 90 90 90 75 1205 Fábio Coentrão 1 I 0 0 I I I 0 90 90 90 90 90 59 12 Marcelo 1 2 I 90 90 90 74 90 90 0 I I 0 0 61 15 Daniel Carvajal 1 90 90 0 0 16 0 90 20 90 90 90 90 12017 Álvaro Arbeloa 1 1 90 0 90 0 90 90 0 I I I I 018 Nacho 0 62 90 90 0 0Midfielders

6 Sami Khedira 90 74 90 90 I I I I I I I I 59 14 Xabi Alonso I I I 71 32 77 73 45 90 90 90 90 S16 Casemiro 0 58 8 45 10 17 0 6 19 Luka Modrić 1 3 72 67 90 90 S 82 90 90 90 90 90 12022 Ángel Di María 3 6 90 90 79 15 90 23 68 0 73 90 84 12023 Isco 3 2 64 23 18 0 90 67 22 90 72 45 82 10 61 24 Asier Illarramendi 18 90 72 19 90 13 17 90 18 45 8 0 026 José Rodríguez 0 0Forwards

7 Cristiano Ronaldo 17 5 90 90 90 90 I 90 90 90 80 0 73 90 1209 Karim Benzema 5 5 90 81 67 81 0 90 90 I 75 90 90 80 79 11 Gareth Bale 6 4 26 I 23 75 90 90 80 82 90 90 17 90 12020 Jesé 0 9 9 28 0 10 8 I I I I I21 Álvaro Morata 1 1 0 16 11 0 0 90 15 0 0 0 41 *After extra time

Numbers in the squad list refer to minutes played; G = Goals; A = Assists; = taken off; = brought on; 0 = unused sub; S = suspended; I = injured/ill; so = sent offMatches: blue = home; grey = away; light blue = final

(Extra time: 91-105 = 0; 106-120 = 3)

(Extra time: 91-105 = 0; 106-120 = 0)

41

315

4

14 1922

1197

5

1

5 32

46

33 6

17

725

10


RussiaFC ZENIT

STATISTICS

COACH

Luciano SpallettiBorn: 07/03/1959, Certaldo (ITA)Nationality: ItalianMatches in UEFA Champions League: 49Head coach from: 11/12/2009 to 10/03/2014

KEY FEATURES

TEAM SHAPE


TIME SCORED

1-15 16-30 31-45 45+ 46-60 61-75 76-90 90+ Minutes

2 002 1 3 1

0



1 1 0 1 92 9 0

PASSES PER GAME


Medium 390 (61%)

Short 177 (27%)

• 4-2-3-1 with, usually, Kerzhakov as pacy target striker

• Quick transitions to compact defensive block

• Emphasis on building attacks via neat combination play

• Excellent passing skills and individual technique

• Well-balanced midfield screen: Fayzulin and more offensive Witsel

• Fast counters launched by Witsel; quick supply to Danny, Kerzhakov

• Witsel the creator; technique and strength in 1v1 situations

• Left-footed Hulk, on right, the free kick and long-range shooting specialist

• Skilful Danny a permanent threat as shadow striker

• Varied attacking options: Hulk, Danny, Shatov, Kerzhakov/Rondón

POSSESSION 55%Max. 66% v FK Austria (a)Min. 43% v Porto (h)

PASSES ATTEMPTED 644Max. 750 v Dortmund (h)Min. 520 v Porto (h)

TEAM DISTANCE COVERED112,464 metres*Max. 117,120 v Porto (h)Min. 103,263 v Atlético (a)

PASSING ACCURACY 75%Max. 79% v FK Austria (a)Min. 68% v Porto (h)

G A ATL AW POR POR ATL AW DOR DORL 3-1 D 0-0 W 0-1 D 1-1 D 1-1 L 4-1 L 2-4 W 1-2

Goalkeepers

1 Yuri Lodygin 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 016 Vyacheslav Malafeev I I I I I I 0 9071 Egor Baburin 0 0 I 0 0 0 I I95 Aleksandr Vasyutin 0

Defenders

3 Cristian Ansaldi 90 90 90 I 83 I I4 Domenico Criscito 1 3 10 90 90 90 90 906 Nicolas Lombaerts 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 45 13 Luís Neto 45 0 90 0 0 0 90 45 14 Tomáš Hubočan 90 90 0 90 90 90 0 9019 Igor Smolnikov 1 90 90 80 90 7 6 6 22 Aleksandr Anyukov I 87 0 I 0 84 9024 Aleksandar Luković 0 0 057 Dzhamaldin Khodzhaniyazov 0

Midfielders

15 Roman Shirokov 1 I 40 73 67 64 90 I I17 Oleg Shatov 1 45 50 90 90 90 90 9018 Konstantin Zyryanov 74 25 9 0 63 0 020 Viktor Fayzulin 0 90 90 90 64 83 84 84 28 Axel Witsel 90 44so S 81 90 90 90 9034 Vladimir Bystrov 5 0 0 26 7 44 Anatoliy Tymoshchuk 0 0 0 0 0 0 75 0

Forwards

7 Hulk 4 2 85 90 90 90 90 90 90 9010 Danny 90 90 90 28 I I I 9011 Aleksandr Kerzhakov 2 1 90 65 17 62 90 90 6 62 23 Andrey Arshavin 16 25 65 23 26 27 15 I29 José Rondón 1 1 90 28 Numbers in the squad list refer to minutes played; G = Goals; A = Assists; = taken off; = brought on; 0 = unused sub; S = suspended; I = injured/ill; so = sent offMatches: blue = home; grey = away

(one own goal)

Sergei Semak (27/02/1976, Sychanske, UKR) was in charge on matchday eight

AVERAGES

TEAM PROFILES

Group stage fallersThe fact that SSC Napoli were eliminated with 12 points while FC Zenit qualified with six underlines the difficulties when it comes to searching for common denominators among the 16 teams who made an exit from the competition in December. In recent seasons, the clear trend towards a possession-based passing game has been interrelated with the pre-Christmas exits of teams whose statistics suggested a more direct attacking style based on a slimmer share of the ball and lower numbers of passes.

In the 2012/13 season, 14 teams averaged less than 50% of possession and nine of them were among the group stage fallers. During the 2013/14 campaign, the number of teams averaging a smaller share of the ball than their

opponents rose to 18 – a majority of the 32 starters. Nine of them were eliminated after the group stage, which meant that more than half of the teams which successfully negotiated the ‘cut’ and played in the knockout rounds also averaged less than 50% of the ball. There is still a case for arguing that greater possession lays foundations for greater success in the competition, but the evidence in 2013/14 became much more tenuous. In Group G, debutants FK Austria Wien (averaging 40% of possession) ended level on five points with FC Porto (59% of the ball).

In terms of passing, a similarly contradictory story could be told. In recent seasons, the figure of 500 passes per match has been used as a benchmark to distinguish ball-playing,

combination-move teams from those who adopt a more direct approach. In 2012/13, nine of the 13 clubs which averaged fewer than 500 passes per match were among the December casualties. In 2013/14, only RSC Anderlecht, Austria, Celtic FC, Olympique de Marseille and FK Viktoria Plzeň had an average inferior to the 500 mark. In other words, the other eleven fallers were, in theory, ‘passing teams’, and the reasons underlying a group stage exit could not readily be traceable to a determined playing style or philosophy.

*Excluding matchday two v Austria (h) when playing 46 mins with ten men

1

14

28

11

4 22

10717

20

6

6968 2013/14 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE TECHNICAL REPORT TEAM PROFILES

NetherlandsAFC AJAX

STATISTICS

COACH

Frank de BoerBorn: 15/05/1970, Hoorn (NED)Nationality: DutchMatches in UEFA Champions League: 19Head coach from: 06/12/2010


TIME SCORED

1-15 16-30 31-45 45+ 46-60 61-75 76-90 90+ Minutes

1 101 1 0 1

0

SUBSTITUTIONS 18/18


0 0 1 3 71 6 0

TEAM SHAPE

POSSESSION 54%Max. 64% v Milan (a)Min. 41% v Barcelona (h)

PASSES ATTEMPTED 628*Max. 709 v Milan (a)Min. 543 v Celtic (h)

TEAM DISTANCE COVERED 119,333 metres*Max. 122,845 v Celtic (h)Min. 116,534 v Celtic (a)

PASSES PER GAME*


Medium 417 (66%)

Short 128 (20%)

PASSING ACCURACY 78%Max. 82% v Milan (a)Min. 67% v Barcelona (h)

G A BAR ACM CEL CEL BAR ACML 4-0 D 1-1 L 2-1 W 1-0 W 2-1 D 0-0

Goalkeepers

1 Kenneth Vermeer 90 0 0 0 0 0

22 Jasper Cillessen 0 90 90 90 90 90

Defenders

2 Ricardo van Rhijn 1 90 90 80 90 90 90

4 Niklas Moisander 73 78 I 0 90 90

6 Mike van der Hoorn 17 12 0 1 0 10

12 Joël Veltman 90 90 48so

17 Daley Blind1 78 90 90 90 90 90

24 Stefano Denswil 1 90 90 90 90 39 90

27 Ruben Ligeon 0

Midfielders

5 Christian Poulsen 90 90 67 7 56 45

8 Lerin Duarte 90 59 I I 6

10 Siem de Jong 59 90 90 90 I I

15 Nicolai Boilesen 90 0 23 90 34 I

18 Davy Klaassen 0 0 83 90 90

20 Lasse Schöne 2 1 12 31 10 90 51 90

25 Thulani Serero 1 2 31 90 72 90 80

34 Lesly de Sa 65 18 0 0

Forwards

7 Viktor Fischer 0 90 72 18 90 90

9 Kolbeinn Sigthórsson 90 90 90 90 I 18

11 Bojan Krkić 90 I I I I 72

16 Lucas Andersen 25 90 0 0 0

19 Tobias Sana 0

23 Danny Hoesen 1 0 0 0 0 84 45 1 Midfield v Celtic (h), Barcelona (h)


*Excluding matchday five v Barcelona (h) when playing 42 minutes with ten menDecimal points account for the missing 1%

BelgiumRSC ANDERLECHT

STATISTICS

COACH

John van den BromBorn: 04/10/1966, Amersfoort (NED)Nationality: DutchMatches in UEFA Champions League: 12Head coach from: 29/05/2012


TIME SCORED

1-15 16-30 31-45 45+ 46-60 61-75 76-90 90+ Minutes

0 001 1 1 1

0



0 0 0 2 52 5 1

TEAM SHAPE

POSSESSION 45%Max. 55% v Olympiacos (h)Min. 35% v PSG (h) and (a)

PASSES ATTEMPTED 475*Max. 533 v Olympiacos (h)Min. 399 v PSG (a)

TEAM DISTANCE COVERED 111,547 metres*Max. 113,465 v Benfica (h)Min. 106,963 v Olympiacos (h)

PASSES PER GAME*


Medium 282 (59%)

Short 120 (25%)

PASSING ACCURACY 70%*Max. 72% v PSG (h)Min. 65% v Olympiacos (a)

G A BEN OLY PSG PSG BEN OLYL 2-0 L 0-3 L 0-5 D 1-1 L 2-3 L 3-1

Goalkeepers

1 Silvio Proto 90 I I I 90 90so

13 Thomas Kaminski 0 90 90 90 0 0

33 Davy Roef 0 0 0

Defenders

2 Fabrice N'Sakala 1 90 90 90 90 90 88so

3 Olivier Deschacht 0 0 0 90 55 I

14 Bram Nuytinck 0 90 90 1 73 37

16 Cheikhou Kouyaté 90 90 90 90 90 49so

22 Chancel Mbemba 1 90 0 90 90 90 90

39 Anthony Vanden Borre 1 I I I 90 90 72

Midfielders

6 Demy de Zeeuw 1 45 0 0 90 0 0

8 Luka Milivojević 90 0 18 90 0 53

10 Dennis Praet 11 74 72 79 90 83

17 Massimo Bruno 1 79 90 0 0 90 S

19 Sacha Kljestan 1 1 90 90 90 82so S 90

30 Guillaume Gillet1 1 90 90 90 I 90 90

31 Youri Tielemans 0 90 90 3 0 7

70 Ronald Vargas I I I I 17 0

Forwards

9 Matías Suárez 90 90 45 I I I

12 Andy Najar 0 0 90

15 Cyriac 14 0 18 0 0

18 Frank Acheampong 45 16 45 11 35 18

45 Aleksandar Mitrović 76 90 72 87 90 90

1 Defender v Benfica (a), Olyampiacos (h), Paris (h)


*Excluding matchday six v Olympiacos (a) when playing 41 mins with ten men, finishing with eight

Decimal points account for the missing 1%

AVERAGESAVERAGES

22

25 18

24 4

17 2

5

20910

1

1622

392

3019

45

18 17

8


AustriaFK AUSTRIA WIEN

STATISTICS

COACH

Nenad BjelicaBorn: 20/08/1971, Osijek (CRO)Nationality: CroatianMatches in UEFA Champions League: 5Head coach from: 17/06/2013


TIME SCORED

1-15 16-30 31-45 45+ 46-60 61-75 76-90 90+ Minutes

2 110 1 0 0

0



1 0 0 4 60 6 1

G A POR ZEN ATL ATL POR ZENL 0-1 D 0-0 L 0-3 L 4-0 D 1-1 W 4-1

Goalkeepers

1 Pascal Grünwald 0 0 I 0 I I

13 Heinz Lindner 90 90 90 90 90 90

26 Ivan Kardum 0 0 0

Defenders

4 Kaja Rogulj 90 I 90 0 90 90

5 Lukas Rotpuller 0 0 I I I I

14 Manuel Ortlechner 90 90 90 90 90 90

15 Christian Ramsebner 90 0 90 0 0

22 Marin Leovac 0 80 5 90 26 0

29 Markus Suttner 1 90 90 90 38 82 90

30 Fabian Koch 90 90 0 90 90 0

Midfielders

8 Tomáš Šimkovic 23 90 0 53 0 22

17 Florian Mader 1 90 90 90 68 20 90

18 Thomas Murg 33 52 64 60

23 Srdan Spiridonovic 0 15

25 James Holland 84 90 90 90 90 90

27 Emir Dilaver 0 I 90 22 70 90

28 Daniel Royer 90 57 85 90 90 30

Forwards

9 Rubin Okotie 6 10 0 8

11 Tomáš Jun 1 67 0 75 0 0 83

16 Philipp Hosiner 2 1 84 90 90 37 90 90

19 Marko Stankovic 1 90 I 14 I I 68

24 Roman Kienast 2 6 1 76 90 90 7


TEAM SHAPE

POSSESSION 40%Max: 50% v Atlético (h)Min: 35% v Porto (h)

PASSES ATTEMPTED 470Max: 626 v Atlético (h)Min: 381 v Porto (h)

TEAM DISTANCE COVERED 118,418 metresMax: 121,960 v Zenit (h) Min: 113,246 v Atlético (a)

PASSES PER GAME


Medium 273 (58%)

Short 113 (24%)

PASSING ACCURACY 65%Max: 72 v Atlético (h)Min: 55% v Porto (a)

SwitzerlandFC BASEL 1893

STATISTICS

COACH

Murat YakinBorn: 15/09/1974, Basel (SUI)Nationality: SwissMatches in UEFA Champions League: 6Head coach from: 15/10/2012


TIME SCORED

1-15 16-30 31-45 45+ 46-60 61-75 76-90 90+ Minutes

1 100 0 1 2

0



0 0 0 0 80 9 1

TEAM SHAPE

POSSESSION 51%Max. 56% v Schalke (h)Min. 44% v Chelsea (a)

PASSES ATTEMPTED 586*Max. 632 v Steaua (h)Min. 524 v Chelsea (a)

TEAM DISTANCE COVERED 121,062 metres*Max. 125,066 v Chelsea (a)Min. 118,832 v Steaua (a)

PASSES PER GAME*


Medium 353 (60%)

Short 133 (23%)

PASSING ACCURACY 74%*Max. 76% v Schalke (h)Min. 71% v Steaua (h)

G A CHL SCH STE STE CHL SCHW 1-2 L 0-1 D 1-1 D 1-1 W 1-0 L 2-0

Goalkeepers

1 Yann Sommer 90 90 90 90 90 90

18 Germano Vailati 0 0 0 0 0 0

Defenders

4 Philipp Degen 0 6 0 0 0

5 Arlind Ajeti 9 0 3 0 19 18

13 Ivan Ivanov 90 90 90 90 90 31so

15 Kay Voser 90 90 90 90 90 90

16 Fabian Schär 1 90 90 90 90 90 90

19 Behrang Safari 90 84 68 I I I

26 Gastón Sauro 0 0 1 0

34 Taulant Xhaka 2 62 22 90 71 90

Midfielders

7 David Degen 0 6 0 0

8 Serey Die I 0 87 90 90 72

10 Matías Delgado 1 26 6 0 66 0 18

14 Valentin Stocker 1 81 90 90 90 90 72

20 Fabian Frei 90 84 90 78 90 90

21 Marcelo Díaz 1 90 90 90 12 I I

22 Mohamed Salah 2 88 90 90 84 90 90

33 Mohamed Elneny I 0 16 0 90 61

Forwards

9 Marco Streller 1 2 90 90 74 90 78 90

30 Giovanni Sio 1 64 28 24 12 29


*Excluding matchday six v Schalke (a) when playing 59 mins with ten men

AVERAGESAVERAGES

13

414

3029

25

16

11 28

17

24

1

161519 13

208

9

1422

21


PortugalSL BENFICA

STATISTICS

COACH

Jorge JesusBorn: 24/07/1954, Amadora (POR)Nationality: PortugueseMatches in UEFA Champions League: 28Head coach from: 16/06/2009


TIME SCORED

1-15 16-30 31-45 45+ 46-60 61-75 76-90 90+ Minutes

2 011 2 0 2

0



0 1 0 0 82 7 0

TEAM SHAPE

POSSESSION 48%Max. 55% v Olympiacos (a)Min. 35% v PSG (a)

PASSES ATTEMPTED 529Max. 657 v Olympiacos (a)Min. 425 v PSG (a)

TEAM DISTANCE COVERED 115,634 metresMax. 118,862 v Anderlecht (h)Min. 108,858 v Olympiacos (h)

PASSES PER GAME


Medium 330 (62%)

Short 131 (25%)

PASSING ACCURACY 74%Max. 78% v PSG (h) and (a), Olympiacos (a)Min. 68% v Anderlecht (a)

G A AND PSG OLY OLY AND PSGW 2-0 L 3-0 D 1-1 L 1-0 W 2-3 W 2-1

Goalkeepers

1 Artur 90 90 90 90 90 90

13 Paulo Lopes 0 0 0

41 Jan Oblak 0 0 0

Defenders

4 Luisão 1 1 90 90 90 90 90 90

14 Maxi Pereira 1 15 0 0 90 90 90

16 Guilherme Siqueira 90 90 90 I I I

24 Ezequiel Garay 90 90 90 90 90 90

28 Sílvio I I I 90 90

33 Jardel 0 0 0 0 0 0

34 André Almeida 1 90 90 90 0 90 0

Midfielders

5 Ljubomir Fejsa 90 29 90 90

6 Rúben Amorim I I 8 78 I I

8 Miralem Sulejmani 1 24 I I 18 13

10 Filip Djuričić 1 75 45 0 16 0

20 Nicolás Gaitán 1 1 I 66 82 90 72 77

21 Nemanja Matić 1 90 90 90 90 90 90

30 André Gomes 0 61 0 1

35 Enzo Pérez 2 69 90 82 90 87 90

90 Ivan Cavaleiro 45 12 1 21

Forwards

7 Óscar Cardozo 1 87 90 90 71 I I

11 Lima 1 3 0 90 19 90 90

15 Ola John 21 45 0

19 Rodrigo 1 0 I 8 3 0

50 Lazar Marković 90 45 I 74 89 69


(one own goal)

ScotlandCELTIC FC

STATISTICS

COACH

Neil LennonBorn: 25/06/1971, Lurgan (NIR)Nationality: Northern IrishMatches in UEFA Champions League: 14Head coach from: 09/06/2010 (interim from 25/03/2010)


TIME SCORED

1-15 16-30 31-45 45+ 46-60 61-75 76-90 90+ Minutes

1 000 1 0 1

0



0 0 1 0 81 7 1

TEAM SHAPE

POSSESSION 43%*Max. 53% v Milan (h)Min. 32% v Barcelona (a)*

PASSES ATTEMPTED 428*Max. 555 v Milan (h)Min. 364 v Barcelona (a)

TEAM DISTANCE COVERED 108,444 metres*Max. 111,515 v Ajax (a)Min. 105,599 v Barcelona (a)

PASSES PER GAME*


Medium 248 (58%)

Short 107 (25%)

PASSING ACCURACY 70%*Max. 75% v Milan (h)Min. 65% v Ajax (h)

G A ACM BAR AJX AJX ACM BARL 2-0 L 0-1 W 2-1 L 1-0 L 0-3 L 6-1

Goalkeepers

1 Fraser Forster 90 90 90 90 90 90

24 Łukasz Załuska 0 0 0 0 0 0

Defenders

3 Emilio Izaguirre 90 90 90 90 90 S

4 Efe Ambrose 90 90 90 90 90 90

5 Virgil van Dijk 90 90 90 90 90 90

23 Mikael Lustig 90 70 77 90 90 90

41 Darnell Fisher 0 0 0 0

Midfielders

2 Adam Matthews 75 90 I I I 82

6 Nir Biton 1 0 11 so S S 69

8 Scott Brown 90 59so S S S 90

15 Kris Commons 77 87 I 81 65 21

16 Joe Ledley I I 19 13 59 90

18 Tom Rogic 0 0 0 0 10 I

21 Charlie Mulgrew 1 89 90 90 90 90 45

33 Beram Kayal 1 20 71 77 31 I

46 Dylan McGeouch 0

49 James Forrest 1 20 90 90 80 I

Forwards

9 Giorgios Samaras 1 90 90 90 90 90 90

10 Anthony Stokes 90 70 90 73 25 8

11 Derk Boerrigter 15 I I 17 90 90

17 Amido Baldé 0 0 1 0 0 0

20 Teemu Pukki 13 3 90 9 0 45

37 Bahrudin Atajić 0 0


* Excluding matchday two v Barcelona (h) when playing 31 mins with ten men

AVERAGESAVERAGES

1

1416

424

535

20

19

50

11

1

4

23

5

3

8

49

21

9 15

10


35

46

42

8

20

14

21

18

7

3

1

2622

4319

21

236

10 14

RussiaPFC CSKA MOSKVA

STATISTICS

COACH

Leonid SlutskiBorn: 04/05/1971, Volgograd (RUS)Nationality: RussianMatches in UEFA Champions League: 21Head coach from: 26/10/2009


TIME SCORED

1-15 16-30 31-45 45+ 46-60 61-75 76-90 90+ Minutes

0 002 1 3 1

1

SUBSTITUTIONS 17/18


1 0 2 2 51 5 1

TEAM SHAPE

POSSESSION 42%Max. 47% v Plzeň (h)Min. 35% v Bayern (a)

PASSES ATTEMPTED 512Max. 575 v Man City (a)Min. 426 v Bayern (a)

TEAM DISTANCE COVERED 114,395 metresMax. 119,089 v Plzeň (h)Min. 108,037 v Man City (a)

PASSES PER GAME


Medium 297 (58%)

Short 143 (28%)

PASSING ACCURACY 74%Max. 79% v Plzeň (h)Min. 70% v Man City (h), Bayern (h)

G A BAY PLZ MC MC BAY PLZL 3-0 W 3-2 L 1-2 L 5-2 L 1-3 L 2-1

Goalkeepers

1 Sergei Chepchugov 0 0 0 0 0 0

35 Igor Akinfeev 90 90 90 90 90 90

Defenders

4 Sergei Ignashevich 90 90 90 90 90 90

5 Viktor Vasin 0 0 0 0 0 0

6 Aleksei Berezutski 0 90 84 90 90 90

14 Kirill Nababkin 90 90 90 90 90 0

24 Vasili Berezutski 90 6 I I I

39 Vyacheslav Karavaev 0 90

42 Georgi Schennikov 90 90 90 90 90 90

Midfielders

3 Pontus Wernbloom 1 90 90 90 90 90 90so

7 Keisuke Honda 2 2 90 90 90 79 90 38

8 Steven Zuber 77 64 50 46 68 16

10 Alan Dzagoev I I I I I 67so

11 Mark González I 26 0 0

19 Aleksandrs Cauņa 90 I I I I I

20 Rasmus Elm 73 I 45 22 90

21 Zoran Tošić 2 1 44 90 90 90 90 52

23 Georgi Milanov 13 17 90 45 90 74

25 Elvir Rahimić 0 0 0 0

Forwards

18 Ahmed Musa 1 1 74 89 40 44 80 90

31 Vitinho 46 1 0 11 1 1

71 Konstantin Bazelyuk 16 0 0 10 0

88 Seydou Doumbia 2 I I 90 90 I I


(one own goal)

ItalyJUVENTUS

STATISTICS

COACH

Antonio ConteBorn: 31/07/1969, Lecce (ITA)Nationality: ItalianMatches in UEFA Champions League: 10Head coach from: 22/05/2011


TIME SCORED

1-15 16-30 31-45 45+ 46-60 61-75 76-90 90+ Minutes

1 002 1 3 2

0

SUBSTITUTIONS 16/18 (Including five double substitutions)


0 1 0 2 81 4 0

G A KOB GAL RM RM KOB GALD 1-1 D 2-2 L 2-1 D 2-2 W 3-1 L 1-0

Goalkeepers

1 Gianluigi Buffon 90 90 90 90 90 90

30 Marco Storari 0 0 0 0 0 0

Defenders

3 Giorgio Chiellini 90 90 48so S 90 90

4 Martín Cáceres 1 I I 90 90 90 0

5 Angelo Ogbonna 90 0 69 0 7 0

11 Paolo De Ceglie 17 0 0

13 Federico Peluso 1 73 0 0 0

15 Andrea Barzagli 90 90 90 I 90

19 Leonardo Bonucci 90 68 40 90 90 90

26 Stephan Lichtsteiner 86 45 I I I 90

Midfielders

6 Paul Pogba 2 90 90 90 90 90 90

8 Claudio Marchisio I 0 90 90 21 87

20 Simone Padoin 0 0 0 69 0

21 Andrea Pirlo 1 90 90 59 90 90 I

22 Kwadwo Asamoah 0 90 31 90 90 90

23 Arturo Vidal 5 90 90 90 90 83 90

33 Mauricio Isla 4 45 0 0 I 0

Forwards

9 Mirko Vučinić 26 I I 9 I

10 Carlos Tévez 90 90 90 82 81 90

12 Sebastian Giovinco 14 21 2 I 1

14 Fernando Llorente 2 0 22 50 88 90 90

27 Fabio Quagliarella 2 76 64 I 8 0 3


*Excluding matchday three v Real Madrid (a) when playing 42 mins with ten men

TEAM SHAPE

POSSESSION 52%Max. 57% v Galatasaray (h)Min. 48% v Real Madrid (a)

PASSES ATTEMPTED 601*Max. 645 v Galatasaray (h)Min. 493 v Galatasaray (a)

TEAM DISTANCE COVERED 116,682 metres*Max. 124,353 v København (a) Min. 106,608 v Galatasaray (a)

PASSES PER GAME


Medium 384 (64%)

Short 120 (20%)

PASSING ACCURACY 77%Max. 81% v København (h)Min. 62% v Galatasaray (a)

AVERAGESAVERAGES


DenmarkFC KØBENHAVN

STATISTICS

COACH

Ståle SolbakkenBorn: 27/02/1968, Kongsvinger (NOR)Nationality: NorwegianMatches in UEFA Champions League: 20Head coach from: 21/08/2013


TIME SCORED

1-15 16-30 31-45 45+ 46-60 61-75 76-90 90+ Minutes

1 020 0 0 1

0



1 0 0 1 82 6 0

TEAM SHAPE

POSSESSION 44%Max. 47% v Juventus (a)Min. 41% v Real Madrid (h)

PASSES ATTEMPTED 531Max. 588 v Juventus (a)Min. 484 v Real Madrid (a)

TEAM DISTANCE COVERED 118,191 metresMax. 125,884 v Juventus (h)Min. 112,370 v Real Madrid (h)

PASSES PER GAME


Medium 310 (58%)

Short 143 (27%)

PASSING ACCURACY 74%Max. 77% v Galatasaray (a)Min. 70% v Galatasaray (h), Real Madrid (h)

G A JUV RM GAL GAL JUV RMD 1-1 L 4-0 L 3-1 W 1-0 L 3-1 L 0-2

Goalkeepers

21 Johan Wiland 90 90 90 90 90 90

31 Jakob Jensen 0 0 0 0 0 0

Defenders

2 Lars Jacobsen 90 90 90 90 90 90

3 Pierre Bengtsson 90 90 90 90 90 90

4 Kris Stadsgaard 0 0

5 Olof Mellberg 1 90 90 90 90 90 90

15 Georg Margreitter 4 0 4 0

17 Ragnar Sigurdsson 1 90 90 90 90 90 90

25 Christoffer Remmer 0 0 0 0 0 13

Midfielders

6 Claudemir 1 86 90 90 86 90 90

8 Thomas Delaney 90 90 90 90 76 90

16 Thomas Kristensen 0 18 0 15 29 0

19 Rúrik Gíslason 1 20 90 45 56 90 90

22 Daniel Braaten 1 90 66 84 90 I I

24 Youssef Toutouh 1 11 63 6 75 81 77

30 Christián Bolaños 79 27 45 34 61 68

Forwards

9 Igor Vetokele 0 45 0 90

11 César Santin 0 0 0 0

12 Fanendo Adi 70 24 45

18 Nicolai Jørgensen 1 90 72 90 90 90 9

23 Marvin Pourie 9 13

32 Danny Amankwaa 14


FranceOLYMPIQUE DE MARSEILLE

STATISTICS

COACH

Élie BaupBorn: 17/03/1955, Saint-Gaudens (FRA)Nationality: FrenchMatches in UEFA Champions League: 18Head coach from: 04/07/2012 to 07/12/2013


TIME SCORED

1-15 16-30 31-45 45+ 46-60 61-75 76-90 90+ Minutes

0 120 0 1 1

0



0 0 0 5 81 4 0

TEAM SHAPE

POSSESSION 47%Max. 52% v Dortmund (a), Napoli (a)Min. 38% v Dortmund (h)

PASSES ATTEMPTED 513*Max. 574 v Napoli (a)Min. 407 v Dortmund (a)

TEAM DISTANCE COVERED 108,551 metres*Max. 110,254 v Dortmund (a) Min. 106,493 v Arsenal (h)

PASSES PER GAME*


Medium 308 (60%)

Short 129 (25%)

PASSING ACCURACY 72%Max. 76% v Arsenal (h)Min. 66% v Dortmund (h) and (a)

G A ARS DOR NAP NAP ARS DORL 1-2 L 3-0 L 1-2 L 3-2 L 2-0 L 1-2

Goalkeepers

16 Brice Samba 0 0 0 0 0 0

30 Steve Mandanda 90 90 90 90 90 90

Defenders

2 Kassim Abdallah 0 37 90 90 45

3 Nicolas N'Koulou 90 90 90 90 90 S

4 Lucas Mendes 90 90 I I 90 45

15 Jérémy Morel 90 I 90 90 90 35

19 Laurent Abergel 0

21 Souleymane Diawara 1 I 0 90 90 0 90

23 Benjamin Mendy 0 90 0 0 0 90

24 Rod Fanni 90 90 53 I 0 90

32 Baptiste Aloe 0

Midfielders

7 Benoît Cheyrou 0 I 90 90 8 90

10 André Ayew 2 90 90 90 90 I I

13 Mario Lemina 0 17 0 7 82 90

14 Florian Thauvin 1 1 10 9 19 90 32 79

17 Dimitri Payet 1 73 73 71 33 34so

20 Alaixys Romao 90 90 90 83 90 S

25 Giannelli Imbula 80 90 0 0 58 11

Forwards

9 André-Pierre Gignac 90 I 77 23 90 90

11 Jordan Ayew 1 1 17 9 13 67 58 0

28 Mathieu Valbuena 90 81 90 57 32 I

29 Saber Khalifa 1 1 81 I 0 90 55

36 Momar Bangoura 0


*Excluding matchday six v Dortmund (h) when playing 56 mins with ten men

Replaced by José Anigo (Marseille, FRA, 15/04/1961) for matchday six

AVERAGESAVERAGES

21

17 5

23

8 6

3024

2218

4

30

3

15

9

24

1410

7 20

28


25

33 1127 21

8885

1924 7

9

1

284

8

21

710

26

19 11

9

ItalySSC NAPOLI

STATISTICS

COACH

Rafael BenítezBorn: 16/04/1960, Madrid (ESP)Nationality: SpanishMatches in UEFA Champions League: 89Head coach from: 27/05/2013


TIME SCORED

1-15 16-30 31-45 45+ 46-60 61-75 76-90 90+ Minutes

0 103 1 5 0

0

SUBSTITUTIONS 16/18


0 0 0 2 80 5 1

TEAM SHAPE

POSSESSION 50%Max. 56% v Dortmund (h)Min. 43% v Arsenal (a)

PASSES ATTEMPTED 571Max. 649 v Marseille (h)Min. 470 v Arsenal (a)

TEAM DISTANCE COVERED 114,777 metresMax. 118,418 v Arsenal (a)Min. 109,481 v Dortmund (h)

PASSES PER GAME


Medium 340 (60%)

Short 145 (25%)

PASSING ACCURACY 74%Max. 80% v Arsenal (a)Min. 68% v Arsenal (h)

G A DOR ARS MAR MAR DOR ARSW 2-1 L 2-0 W 1-2 W 3-2 L 3-1 W 2-0

Goalkeepers

1 Rafael Cabral 0 0 0 0 90

15 Roberto Colombo 0 0

25 Pepe Reina 90 90 90 90 90 I

Defenders

3 Bruno Uvini 0 0 0

5 Miguel Britos 90 90 I I 0 0

11 Christian Maggio 90 I 90 90 90 90

16 Giandomenico Mesto 1 90 14 I I I

18 Camilo Zúñiga 1 90 90 I I I I

21 Federico Fernández 7 90 90 90 90

27 Pablo Armero 0 0 90 90 90 90

28 Paolo Cannavaro 0 0 0 0 0 0

33 Raúl Albiol 90 83 90 90 90 90

Midfielders

7 José Callejón 2 1 90 77 90 90 66 90

14 Dries Mertens 2 17 29 76 83 90 90

17 Marek Hamšík 90 90 83 24 I I

20 Blerim Dzemaili 0 0 0 90 62 90

85 Valon Behrami 90 90 90 1 90 90

88 Gökhan Inler 1 90 90 90 90 28 0

Forwards

9 Gonzalo Higuaín 4 2 78 I 58 90 90 90

19 Goran Pandev 1 12 61 0 66 76 57

24 Lorenzo Insigne 2 1 73 90 7 7 24 33

91 Duván Zapata 1 13 32 0 14 0


Czech RepublicFC VIKTORIA PLZEŇ

STATISTICS

COACH

Pavel VrbaBorn: 06/12/1963, Prerov (CZE)Nationality: CzechMatches in UEFA Champions League: 12Head coach from: 08/10/2008


TIME SCORED

1-15 16-30 31-45 45+ 46-60 61-75 76-90 90+ Minutes

0 110 1 1 2

0

SUBSTITUTIONS 18/18


0 0 0 1 80 8 1

G A MC CSKA BAY BAY MC CSKA L 0-3 L 3-2 L 5-0 L 0-1 L 4-2 W 2-1

Goalkeepers

1 Matúš Kozáčik 90 90 90 90 90 90

13 Petr Bolek 0 0 0 0 0 0

Defenders

2 Lukáš Hejda 67 0 0 0 0 0

4 Roman Hubník 23 90 90 71 90 0

8 David Limberský 90 I 75 I I 90

14 Radim Řezník I 84 90 19 0 0

21 Václav Procházka1 90 90 90 90 90 90

27 František Rajtoral1 1 1 90 90 90 90 90 90

28 Marián Čišovský I I 90 90 90 90

Midfielders

7 Tomáš Hořava 1 90 76 90 90 90 90

10 Pavel Horváth 1 90 90 63 90 90 90

11 Milan Petržela 1 90 90 86 90 73 70

19 Jan Kovařík 90 70 15 0 17 32

24 Martin Pospíšil 0 6 0 6 0

25 Zdenêk Koukal 0 0

Forwards

9 Stanislav Tecl 1 1 6 20 4 87 90 82

12 Michal Ďuriš 29 14 27 84 90 58

15 Tomáš Wágner 1 0 0 0 1 8

23 Marek Bakoš 1 84 90 0 3 4 20

26 Daniel Kolář 1 2 61 90 90 90 86 901 Midfield v Bayern (a)


Decimal points account for the extra 1%

TEAM SHAPE

POSSESSION 44%Max. 54% v CSKA (h) Min. 30% v Bayern (a)

PASSES ATTEMPTED 456Max. 607 v CSKA (a)Min. 323 v Bayern (a)

TEAM DISTANCE COVERED 118,045 metresMax. 122,843 v Bayern (h) Min. 113,861 v Man City (h)

PASSES PER GAME


Medium 277 (61%)

Short 99 (22%)

PASSING ACCURACY 69%Max. 77% v CSKA (a)Min. 57% v Bayern (a)

AVERAGESAVERAGES


1

30

226

22

35

25

3

8 179

PortugalFC PORTO

STATISTICS

COACH

Paulo FonsecaBorn: 05/03/1973, Nampula (MOZ)Nationality: PortugueseMatches in UEFA Champions League: 6Head coach from: 10/06/2013


TIME SCORED

1-15 16-30 31-45 45+ 46-60 61-75 76-90 90+ Minutes

2 002 0 0 0

0

SUBSTITUTIONS 17/18


0 0 0 2 72 6 0

TEAM SHAPE

POSSESSION 60%*Max. 65% v Austria (a)Min. 54% v Zenit (a)*

PASSES ATTEMPTED 657*Max. 706 v Austria (h)Min. 620 v Atlético (h)

TEAM DISTANCE COVERED 113,061 metres*Max. 116,624 v Zenit (a)Min. 109,098 v Atlético (a)

PASSES PER GAME*


Medium 420 (64%)

Short 141 (21%)

PASSING ACCURACY 75%*Max. 77% v Atlético (a)Min. 73% v Atlético (h)

G A AW ATL ZEN ZEN AW ATLW 0-1 L 1-2 L 0-1 D 1-1 D 1-1 L 2-0

Goalkeepers

1 Helton 90 90 90 90 90 90

24 Fabiano 0 0 0 0 0 0

Defenders

2 Danilo 2 90 90 90 90 90 90

4 Maicon I 0 0 0 90 90

5 Jorge Fucile 0 0

13 Diego Reyes 0 0 0

22 Eliaquim Mangala 1 90 89 90 90 90 90

26 Alex Sandro 90 90 90 90 90 90

30 Nicolás Otamendi 90 90 90 90 0 0

Midfielders

3 Lucho González 2 87 68 86 86 90 64

8 Josué 1 90 60 75 76 72 45

15 Marat Izmailov 23

16 Hector Herrera 11 0 6 so S 0 12

19 Licá 67 30 53 14 65 45

25 Fernando 90 90 90 90 90 90

35 Steven Defour S 90 15 90 45 78

46 Mikel Agu 0

Forwards

9 Jackson Martínez 2 90 90 90 90 90 90

10 Juan Quintero 3 22 0 I 18 0

11 Nabil Ghilas 0 1 4 4 I 26

17 Silvestre Varela 79 90 37 90 45 90

21 Ricardo 0 0 25 0


SpainREAL SOCIEDAD DE FÚTBOL

STATISTICS

COACH

Jagoba ArrasateBorn: 22/04/1978, Berriatua (ESP)Nationality: SpanishMatches in UEFA Champions League: 6Head coach from: 08/06/2013


TIME SCORED

1-15 16-30 31-45 45+ 46-60 61-75 76-90 90+ Minutes

1 000 0 0 0

0



0 0 0 0 50 13 0

TEAM SHAPE

POSSESSION 50%Max. 54% v Leverkusen (a)Min. 46% v Man Utd (h)

PASSES ATTEMPTED 533Max. 638 v Shakhtar (a)Min. 467 v Man Utd (h)

TEAM DISTANCE COVERED 114,743 metresMax. 118,316 v Leverkusen (h)Min. 111,376 v Shakhtar (a)

PASSES PER GAME


Medium 322 (60%)

Short 119 (22%)

PASSING ACCURACY 71%Max. 76% v Shakhtar (a)Min. 66% v Man Utd (h)

G A SHK LEV MU MU SHK LEVL 0-2 L 2-1 L 1-0 D 0-0 L 4-0 L 0-1

Goalkeepers

1 Claudio Bravo 90 90 90 90 90

13 Eñaut Zubikarai 0 0 0 0 0 90

26 Enrique Royo 0

Defenders

2 Carlos Martínez I 90 90 90 I 90

3 Mikel González 90 90 90 90 0 66

6 Iñigo Martínez 90 90 90 90 90 I

15 Ion Ansotegi 0 0 0 0 90 90

19 Liassine Cadamuro 0 0 0 90

20 José Ángel 0 0 90

22 Dani Estrada 90 I

24 Alberto de la Bella 90 90 90 90 90

28 Jon Gaztañaga 0 24

31 Joseba Zaldúa 0

Midfielders

4 Gorka Elustondo 90 I 0 90 62

5 Markel Bergara 90 90 90 90 S 90

10 Xabi Prieto 90 I 68 18 90 28

14 Rubén Pardo 81 0 22 72 68 90

17 David Zurutuza I 90 75 90

23 Javier Ros 0 1 0 22 0

25 Esteban Granero 9 I I I I I

Forwards

7 Antoine Griezmann 74 84 90 80 74 90

8 Haris Seferovic 69 68 75 10 16 10

9 Imanol Agirretxe 21 22 15 63 16 80

11 Carlos Vela 1 90 90 90 90 74 90

18 Chori Castro 16 6 15 27 90

32 Marco Sangalli 0


AVERAGESAVERAGES

*Excluding matchday three v Zenit (h) when playing 84 mins with ten menDecimal points account for the missing 1% Decimal points account for the missing 1%

6

1

3

24

14

117

8

2

10

5


UkraineFC SHAKHTAR DONETSK

STATISTICS

COACH

Mircea LucescuBorn: 29/07/1945, Bucharest (ROU)Nationality: RomanianMatches in UEFA Champions League: 89Head coach from: 16/05/2004


TIME SCORED

1-15 16-30 31-45 45+ 46-60 61-75 76-90 90+ Minutes

1 000 1 2 3

0



0 0 0 0 91 7 1

TEAM SHAPE

POSSESSION 51%Max. 56% v Man Utd (h)Min. 46% v Man Utd (a)

PASSES ATTEMPTED 537Max. 688 v Man Utd (h)Min. 460 v R. Sociedad (a)

TEAM DISTANCE COVERED 113,875 metresMax. 116,315 v Man Utd (a)Min. 109,281 v Leverkusen (a)

PASSES PER GAME


Medium 343 (64%)

Short 110 (20%)

PASSING ACCURACY 74%Max. 82% v Man Utd (h)Min. 68% v Leverkusen (h), R. Sociedad (a)

G A RS MU LEV LEV RS MUW 0-2 D 1-1 L 4-0 D 0-0 W 4-0 L 1-0

Goalkeepers

30 Andriy Pyatov 90 90 90 90 90 90

32 Anton Kanibolotskiy 0 0 0 0 0 0

Defenders

4 Olexandr Volovyk 0

5 Olexandr Kucher 90 90 90 90 90 90

13 Vyacheslav Shevchuk 90 90 90 90 90 90

33 Darijo Srna 90 90 90 90 90 90

38 Serhiy Kryvtsov 0 0 0 0 0 0

44 Yaroslav Rakitskiy 1 90 90 90 90 90 90

Midfielders

3 Tomáš Hübschman 66 90 90 90 0 0

6 Taras Stepanenko 1 24 0 0 0 90 90

8 Fred 3 90 80

10 Bernard 13 1 45 64 69 27

17 Fernando 87 84 61 90 0 10

20 Douglas Costa 2 2 77 90 90 78 90 90

28 Taison 1 1 90 90 45 12 21 63

77 Ilsinho 6 29 26

Forwards

9 Luiz Adriano 1 90 90 78 12 72 88

11 Eduardo 0 0 0 0 15 0

19 Facundo Ferreyra 1 12 78 18 2

29 Alex Teixeira 3 1 90 90 90 90 75 90


RomaniaFC STEAUA BUCUREŞTI

STATISTICS

COACH

Laurențiu ReghecampfBorn: 19/09/1975, Targoviste (ROU)Nationality: RomanianMatches in UEFA Champions League: 6Head coach from: 21/05/2012


TIME SCORED

1-15 16-30 31-45 45+ 46-60 61-75 76-90 90+ Minutes

0 001 0 0 1

0



0 0 0 3 35 7 0

TEAM SHAPE

POSSESSION 45%Max. 53% v Schalke (h)Min. 36% v Chelsea (a)

PASSES ATTEMPTED 532Max. 631 v Schalke (h)Min. 437 v Chelsea (a)

TEAM DISTANCE COVERED 117,581 metresMax. 121,388 v Basel (a)Min. 112,900 v Schalke (a)

PASSES PER GAME


Medium 306 (57%)

Short 142 (27%)

PASSING ACCURACY 69%Max. 74% v Chelsea (h)Min. 63% v Chelsea (a)

G A SCH CHL BSL BSL SCH CHLL 3-0 L 0-4 D 1-1 D 1-1 D 0-0 L 1-0

Goalkeepers

1 Florin Niță 0 0 0 0 0 0

12 Ciprian Tătăruşanu 90 90 90 90 90 90

Defenders

4 Łukasz Szukała 1 90 90 90 90 90 90

6 Florin Gardoş 90 90 90 90 90 90

14 Iasmin Latovlevici 90 90 90 90 90 90

17 Daniel Georgievski 90 71 90 90 0 90

33 Fernando Varela 0 19 0 0 45 0

Midfielders

5 Mihai Pintilii 90 I 59 45 I 64

7 Alexandru Chipciu I I 0 28 77 90

8 Lucian Filip 0 90 31 45 I I

10 Cristian Tănase 90 90 90 90 90

11 Andrei Prepeliţă 0 0 0 0 82 29

19 Adrian Cristea 17 0 0 0

22 Paul Pîrvulescu 0 I 90

23 Nicolae Stanciu 60 90 55 62 8 61

26 Ionuţ Neagu 0 45 0

55 Alexandru Bourceanu 90 90 90 90 90 S

77 Adrian Popa 1 90 45 90 90 90

80 Gabriel Iancu 13 90

Forwards

20 Leandro Tatu 1 13 45 35 I I 26

25 Federico Piovaccari 1 26 45 45 76 90 19

35 Pantelis Kapetanos 64 45 45 14 0 71


AVERAGESAVERAGES

30

544

13 33

173

2010

9

29

12

46

17

10

55

14

77

25

23

5


CreditsEditorial Ioan Lupescu, Graham Turner

Technical observers Jean-Paul Brigger, Jacques Crevoisier, Fernando Hierro, Roy Hodgson, Ginés Meléndez, Peter Rudbæk, Thomas Schaaf, Gareth Southgate

Production Michael Harrold, Phil Atkinson, Rob Esteva, Andy Lockwood, Dominique Maurer, Paul Murphy

Design Oliver Meikle, Chrissy Mouncey, Tomás Louro (Designwerk)

Photography Getty Images

Translation Doris Egger, Zouhair El Fehri, Corinne Gabriel, Gudrun Gröner, François Jamme, Yves-Manuel Méan, Patrick Pfister, Cécile Pierreclos, Sabine Redlich, Florian Simmen, Anna Simon, Annika Thoden, Frédéric Wyler

Administration/coordination Frank Ludolph, Stéphanie Tétaz, David Gough

Printing Mpress

Roll of honour

2014 Real Madrid CF2013 FC Bayern München2012 Chelsea FC2011 FC Barcelona2010 FC Internazionale Milano2009 FC Barcelona2008 Manchester United FC2007 AC Milan2006 FC Barcelona2005 Liverpool FC2004 FC Porto2003 AC Milan2002 Real Madrid CF2001 FC Bayern München2000 Real Madrid CF1999 Manchester United FC1998 Real Madrid CF1997 Borussia Dortmund1996 Juventus1995 AFC Ajax1994 AC Milan1993 Olympique Marseille1992 FC Barcelona1991 FK Crvena zvezda 1990 AC Milan1989 AC Milan1988 PSV Eindhoven1987 FC Porto1986 FC Steaua Bucureşti1985 Juventus

1984 Liverpool FC1983 Hamburger SV1982 Aston Villa FC1981 Liverpool FC1980 Nottingham Forest FC1979 Nottingham Forest FC1978 Liverpool FC1977 Liverpool FC1976 FC Bayern München1975 FC Bayern München1974 FC Bayern München1973 AFC Ajax1972 AFC Ajax1971 AFC Ajax1970 Feyenoord1969 AC Milan1968 Manchester United FC1967 Celtic FC1966 Real Madrid CF1965 FC Internazionale Milano1964 FC Internazionale Milano1963 AC Milan1962 SL Benfica1961 SL Benfica1960 Real Madrid CF1959 Real Madrid CF1958 Real Madrid CF1957 Real Madrid CF1956 Real Madrid CF

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Documents

2013/14 UEFA Champions League technical report