Barcelona vs. Bayern Munich.
There are so many stories to follow in this matchup. Pep Guardiola vs. Luis Enrique. The 7-0 thrashing in the 2013 semifinals. Bayern's injuries against Barcelona's resurgence. Which side wins the possession battle?
And on and on and on.
But the players will ultimately decide the game and in this tie the backline will be the one with the greatest pressure. Which holds serve? Which implodes? Here is a look at the goaltenders and defenders for each side in this tie.
Everyone dreams of an all-star team. What would the best soccer players in the world working alongside one another look like? Without further ado, here is a look at the starting XI of 2014. For the lineup, Latin Post has picked a 4-3-3 formation because it is arguably the most balanced lineup in the modern game:
Anytime that the idea of best player in the world is brought up the list starts and ends with two names - Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. When looking at 2014, picking the top player between Messi and Ronaldo seems like a futile and uninteresting task. So instead, Latin Post.com's David Salazar and Edwin Molina, as part of our Best of Soccer in 2014 feature series, are looking at players not named Ronaldo or Messi, who deserve some credit in 2014.
Everyone loves to honor the individuals. But ultimately, the collective may be even more important in some cases and nowhere is this more apparent than in soccer. As part of the Best of Soccer in 2014 feature series, writers David Salazar and Edwin Molina now highlight their team of year.
Manuel Neuer made headlines earlier this week when he landed a top three spot for the FIFA Ballon d'Or. While many expect Cristiano Ronaldo to lift the trophy in January, Neuer's arrival on the scene is already a huge triumph.
On Monday, FIFA finally announced the three finalists for the 2014 Ballon d'Or which will be handed out in January. Voting has already closed, so the winner has already been determined. But will Cristiano Ronaldo beat out Lionel Messi? Or will Manuel Neuer pull away with the trophy?
Goalkeepers rarely get major recognition in personal awards. They have arguably the most important position on the pitch, but get less chances to showcase their talent on truly elite teams.
This is quandary that faces Manuel Neuer in his Ballon d'Or bid. The German netminder plays for two teams that rarely give up chances, thus limiting his abilities to show off. He still makes splendid saves and won major tournaments in 2014.
But is this enough to win the coveted individual trophy?
After scoring a hat-trick to break Spain's La Liga all-time scoring record against Sevilla over the weekend, Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick on Wednesday against Cyrus champion APOEL FC on Tuesday to surpass Raul's all-time scorers record in UEFA Champions League history.
Two of the last reigning World Cup champions, Spain and Germany, will battle each other Tuesday in an international UEFA European international friendly soccer match. These two soccer nations are two of the greatest of all time. Latin Post.com previews the game and predicts who will win.
Also, after losing to Poland on Saturday, current World Cup winners Germany struggled yet again ending their game against the Republic of Ireland in 1-1 draw while the Serbia-Albania game is delayed due to a drone interrupting match.
The UEFA Best Player in Europe award will be presented on Thursday. The finalist are Manuel Neuer, Cristiano Ronaldo and Arjen Robben. Which of these superstars will take home the coveted prize? Latin Post.com takes a look at the favorites and predicts the winner.
Germany will compete in its record seventh World Cup final, hoping to come away with their fourth title. The team won in 1954 before taking home the prize in 1974 and 1990, all on European soil, and are looking to become the first European side to win the Cup in South America.
Germany defeated Algeria 2-1 on Monday afternoon to setup a quarterfinals matchup with France next Friday. Here are some observations regarding the matchup.
