Why Naldo is the best defender in the Bundesliga

The Brazilian has been amazing throughout the season at Schalke 04, and could even be called up to represent Brazil in Russia

When it comes to defenders in the Bundesliga, the most discussed names are those of Mats Hummels, Jerome Boateng, Niklas Sule and Sokratis. However, a 35 year old 6 ft 6 inches defender in the royal blue of Schalke has turned heads this season due to his excellent performances. Ronaldo Aparecido Rodrigues, or Naldo, as he's simply known, has been one of the most eye catching prospects in the 17/18 Bundesliga season. Brazil national coach Tite has stated that Naldo could potentially be starting for Brazil at Russia.

At the age of 35, where most professional footballers have lost their steam, Naldo has gotten better than ever. He's been leading from the front at the back (yes, you read that right), and has always been their for his team in any problematic situation. An excellent example would be Matchday 13 in the Bundesliga. It was the Revierderby, one of the most exciting and most awaited derbies the Bundesliga had to offer. It was a horrific first half for Schalke, as they went down 4:0. In the second half, Schalke turned the game completely over its head, coming back 4:3 at the end of regular time. An extra 7 minutes were added, and everyone wondered if Schalke could complete one of the greatest comebacks of all time. Lo and behold, Naldo stepped up, banging a header from a corner into the top right corner, salvaging a point. It was more than 8 years since any side had turned around a 4 goal halftime deficit in the Bundesliga, and Schalke did it through their main man, Naldo.

One of Naldo's main attributes is his power in the air. He's excellent at aerial duels. He uses his immense muscular strength and speed to win the ball back. He's won 73% of his challenges this season. Hummels, Boateng and Sule combined, have 3% less. He has a 91% pass completion rate. Sule though, has 92 percent.

Always a threat from free kicks, and the knack of scoring late goals has helped Naldo overtake Ze Roberto as the top scoring Brazlian in the Bundesliga. He whirled in an amazing free kick in the Revierderby at the Veltins Arena, helping Schalke to a 2:0 win. Naldo has been elected a starter in the 17/18 Bundesliga Team of the Season as well, along with Leverkusen's Timothy Wendell, and Bayern's Hummels, Sule and Kimmich.


Naldo scored from a long range free kick against Dortmund

Do you think Naldo could play for Brazil in the 2018 FIFA World Cup at Russia? Let us know in the comments below!

DFB Pokal Cup Final 17/18: Frankfurt emerge winners

Eintracht Frankfurt win the DFB Pokal Cup for the 5th time

Eintracht coach Niko Kovac lifts the trophy with his team

Eintracht Frankfurt produced an attacking masterclass to defeat FC Bayern Munich in the DFB Pokal Cup Final 17/18 by a score of 1:3. Losing 2:1 to Borussia Dortmund last year in the Finals, this victory will certainly be a welcome relief to all Frankfurt fans, and especially their coach Niko Kovac, who will join runners up FC Bayern in the 18/19 season. Kovac became the 5th player to win the DFB Cup both as a player and as a coach. Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes has this honor too, winning the Cup as a player with Monchengladbach, and as a coach with Bayern in their famous 2013 campaign.

As it happened

Bayern Munich walked into the Finals as the clear favorites. They had already beaten Frankfurt in both their home and away fixtures in the Bundesliga, a 1:0 win at home in the Allianz Arena and a 1:4 win at the Commerzbank-Arena. Bayern had a pretty strong lineup, with Lewandowski, Muller and Ribery leading the attack, James and Martinez in the midfield, and 2 formidable defenders in the form of Mats Hummels and Niklas Sule, who had come to replace the injured Jerome Boateng. Kevin Prince-Boateng, who had picked up a knock in their Semifinal match against Schalke, was fit once again and was present in Frakfurt's starting XI. Bayern's Manuel Neuer was present on the bench, who returned after an injury in last September.

Ante Rebic chips the ball over the Bayern keeper Sven Ulreich to make it 2:1

Bayern came tantalizingly close to open the scoring through a Lewandowski free kick, which hit the post and bounced off Frankfurt goalkeeper Hradecky's body. Frankfurt began to play a high line, putting a lot of pressure on the Bayern defense, leading them to make risky passes and immediately countering when an opportunity cropped up.

It didn't take long before Frankfurt fatally punished one such risky pass, and within 3 touches, Kevin Prince-Boateng set up Ante Rebic who opened the score for Frankfurt, just as he had did the year before against Dortmund. Bayern did find their groove afterwards, and after some time, an excellent backwards pass from Sule found the legs of Lewandowski, who tapped the ball past Hradecky to make it 1:1.

The game tensed up after that, with players from both teams making wild runs and rushing into challenges, leading to a lot of free kicks. Frankfurt took the lead once again as James slipped on the ball, allowing Rebic to take off once more. Even with Hummels and Sule running after him, Rebic managed to dodge them both, and chipped the ball over Sven Ulreich to make it 2:1. The goal was on the verge of being disallowed due to a potential hand ball, but the VAR cleared any doubts and the goal was given.

Bayern upped their ante after that. Ribery and David Alaba made some threatening crosses from the left side, one of them almost bouncing off Lewandowski into the Frankfurt net. A James corner headed by Hummels rattled the post, but posed no threat. Superb saves from Lucas Hradecky didn't allow Bayern to come on level terms again.

Stoppage time saw plenty of drama as a challenge from Omar Mascarell on Javi Martinez in the box lead to incensed Bayern players appealing for a penalty. Once again, VAR came to the rescue, and the penalty was ruled out for a corner. Sven Ulreich left his position to join the Bayern players in taking the corner. The cross however, bounced off Haller and substitute Gacinovic took no chances, running with the ball almost all alone to the other end, and casually slipped the ball in, making it 1:3. Soon, the full-time whistle blew, and the entire Frankfurt bench, the players and the fans burst into ecstacy. Coach Niko Kovac couldn't hold back tears of happiness. Bayern players continued to argue with the referees over their decisions.

It was an enthralling final, one like never before. After continued disappointments, Frankfurt had emerged German champions. It was their night, and they made it count.

Retiring Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes and soon-to-be Bayern coach Niko Kovac with the DFB Pokal Cup trophy

Gianluigi Buffon's key career moments

As the legendary goalkeeper leaves Juventus after a 17 year long and illustrious career, we take a look at some of the most important moments in his career

Gianluigi Buffon, or Gigi, as he's fondly known, is undoubtedly one of the best goalkeepers the 21st century has witnessed. He was vital in many of Juventus's and Italy's successes. Having won almost every trophy out there, including a World Cup, the UEFA Champions League has always been elusive for the Italian shot stopper.

The move from FC Parma to Juventus

Juventus sold their star midfielder Zinedine Zidane and spent the money in rebuilding the team. One of their key acquisitions was Buffon, who had been a star at FC Parma. He was signed for €51 million, which even today is still a world record fee for a goalkeeper. Buffon became a center figure at Juventus, proving worth his weight in gold.

First Champions League Final

Buffon's first Champions League Final was against AC Milan in 2003. Buffon put on an impressive performance, and saved 2 penalties, one from Clarence Seedorf and the other from Kakha Kaladze. Shevchenko put the final penalty past Buffon, making AC Milan European Champions for a 6th time.

Calciopoli scandal and relegation to Serie B

In May 2006, many players were accused of placing bets on Serie A matches. Buffon was one of them. He openly participated in the interrogation, and admitted that he did place bets on some matches. Juventus was stripped off their 2 recent Serie A titles, were relegated to Serie B and awarded a point deduction. Even in these tough times, Buffon chose to stay with the team. Giorgio Chiellini, Alessandro Del Piero, and Pavel Nedved also chose to stay. This decision endeared Buffon even further to the hearts of Juventus fans.

World Champion in 2006

Although Buffon's place in Italy's World Cup squad was doubtful following the Calciopoli scandal, he was named their first choice goalkeeper. This decision would result Italy winning the World Cup that year. Buffon was outstanding throuhgout the tournament, conceding just 2 goals in 7 matches, a World Cup record. He also posed a 453 minute scoreless streak. In the final against France, he saved a header from Zinedine Zidane, leading them to extra time and then penalties. The shootout was a tense one, neither Buffon nor Fabien Barthez had saved a shot. Following David David Trezeguet's miss, Fabio Grosso sealed the victory for the Azurri. Buffon won the Lev Yashin award, and was enrolled in the team of the tournament.

Almost winning the Ballon d'or

Fabio Cannavaro
No goalkeeper has ever won the Ballon d'Or before. Buffon came closest to this prestigious award in 2006, where he finished runner up to his fellow compatriot Fabio Cannavaro. Cannavaro would be the last defender to win this award. Another goalkeeper who came close to winning the Ballon d'Or was Manuel Neuer, who finished 3rd to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

Third Champions League Final

Buffon played his 3rd Champions League Final against Real Madrid in 2017. Everyone hoped that Buffon's Champions League jinx will be finally broken. Cristiano Ronaldo scored the first goal for Los Blancos. A superb overhead kick from Mario Mandzukic restored title hopes in the Juventus fans. However, nothing went right for the Turin giants, as a second goal from Ronaldo, a long range strike from Casemiro and a late goal by substitute Marco Asensio helped Real Madrid to a 12th Champions League title.

Seventh consecutive Serie A title

Adding yet another achievement to an already bright career, Buffon won the Scudetto for a seventh consecutive time in the 17/18 season.

Failing to qualify for the 2018 World Cup

Buffon had announced that the 2018 will be his last World Cup and possibly, his retirement year as well. He wanted to lead Italy to World Cup glory for one last time. In a sad turn of events though, a loss against Sweden resulted in a failure to qualify for the tournament, a first in over 60 years. Buffon was extremely dejected after the game, his post match interview one of the most heartbreaking ever.

Dramatic exit from the 17/18 UEFA Champions League

Juventus steamrolled their way in the 17/18 season's Champions League. reaching to the Quarterfinals, where the faced previous Champions Real Madrid. Losing 0:3 at home in the first leg, they produced a stunning comeback in the reverse leg, going up 3:0 in the Bernabeu. What looked like a fairy tale Semifinals qualification for Juventus ended in disaster, as a challenge in the box from Medhi Benatia on Lucas Vasquez let to a penalty being awarded to Real. Buffon, who protested against referee Michael Oliver, was instantly sent off with a red card. Ronaldo fired the penalty home to end Juventus's Champions League dreams, yet another time.

Confirming his Juventus exit

Buffon recently broke millions of hearts as the recently announced that he'll be leaving Juventus after 17 long years. Buffon had been loyal to his club through thick and thin. The fans extremely adore him. Where he'll go to next, is a question that's yet to be answered.

No matter where you go Gigi, you'll always be loved and dearly missed by all of us! Wish you all the best for your journey ahead. What do you feel about Buffon's exit? Leave your thoughts in the comments below. Follow if you like our content!

James Rodriguez's dream Bundesliga debut

The Colombian midfielder has risen to stardom in his debut season in the German top flight

James arrived at Bayern on loan from Real Madrid in the 17/18 season

3 years at Real Madrid

A sensational World Cup campaign in 2014 led the Colombian to a dream move to the Bernabeu. Only 22 years old then, he was playing among the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Marcelo and Toni Kroos. It appeared the James was enjoying life at Real Madrid. However, in the 16/17 season, reports surfaced the James was unhappy with the club, mainly because he was not getting the playing time he desired. Despite scoring 11 goals and 13 assists, he failed to gain sufficient playing time at Real Madrid, leading him to make a loan transfer request.

The move to Bayern Munich

The 16/17 season was a season to forget for Bayern Munich. Despite winning their 5th consecutive Bundesliga title, they had been eliminated from the German Cup in the Semifinals stage by eventual champions Borussia Dortmund, and a humiliating 6-2 aggregate defeat to Real Madrid had knocked them out of the Champions League at the Quarterfinals stage. Former Bayern coach Carlo Ancelotti had brought in James to strengthen the midfield, mainly the attacking midfield.

A fresh start

James celebrates after scoring his first Bundesliga goal against Schalke 04

James had a slow start at Bayern Munich, mainly due to a injury he had sustained during pre season. After Bayern lost 3:0 to Paris Saint-Germain at the Parc de Princes, coach Carlo Ancelotti was sacked, and former coach Jupp Heynckes was appointed as then new coach. Jupp was fascinated by James, and was deployed mainly in the central midfield, where he proved pivotal. James is feared for his notorious passing, the ability to create space in unlikely regions, and if needed, deadly finishing. He scored his first Bayern goal away at Schalke in a 3:0 win. In fact, he was involved in all the 3 goals scored by Bayern, one himself, and an assist for Thomas Muller and Arturo Vidal. His most memorable goal has to be a magnificent free kick he scored away at Leverkusen, which was subsequently voted as the goal of the season by the fans. James was influential in their Champions League campaign as well. He scored at an acute angle against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu in the Semifinals, and refused to celebrate. Overall, he's managed to score 8 goals, and make 13 assists in all competitions. He's also averaged an 89% pass completion rate. James appears to have quickly adapted to Bayern's possessive style of play. Bayern have the option to trigger James's release clause worth €42 million, but no reaction has been given by the club yet. He also stated in an interview that he loved the city of Munich, and dreamed of winning many titles with Bayern.

Do you think James Rodriguez will go far in the Bundesliga? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below, and don't forget to like and follow!

Mohamed Salah: the next Ballon d'Or winner?

Will Messi and Ronaldo's Ballon d'Or winning streak finally come to an end?

The man needs no introduction. Some call him the Egyptian king. Others call him the next Messi. Mohamed Salah has had a season to remember, winning the Golden Boot in the Premier League and playing a vital role in firing Liverpool to the Champions League Final, he's seen and done it all.

Salah started his career with the Egyptian Premier League club El Mokawloon. Soon, he moved to Swiss club FC Basel, where he became a star player, winning the league title in his debut season. Also, he was named the SAPF Player of the year. His performances attracted Premier League side Chelsea and they brought him in for around £11 million. He couldn't make much progress at the club, and was publicly criticized by then manager Jose Mourinho. He was loaned to Serie A side Fiorentina after that. Shortly after, Roma permanently signed him for £15 million. Salah flourished at Roma. He would soon move back to the Premier League, with Liverpool signing him for a then club record fee of £37 million.

Back to the Premier League

Salah was back in the Premier League, this time with Liverpool. Some casted doubts over his future, because of his failed spell with Chelsea. However, Salah was here to prove them all wrong. He would go on to have a fantastic season, setting many records, breaking some, and most importantly, embed himself in the hearts of all Liverpool fans. Salah became the first African player to score 30 Premier League goals in a single season. His most memorable match was the one with Watford, in which he bagged an incredible 4 goal haul. He scored in the incredible 4:3 win against Manchester City at Anfield, bringing Manchester City's winning streak to an end. Salah played a big role in Liverpool's Champions League campaign, bringing them to the Finals. In short, he's had the time of his life, and there's lots more to come.

What does the future hold for Salah?

A lot lies ahead for the Egyptian superstar. Real Madrid are reportedly preparing a €200 million bid for him. Even Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United are rumored to line up for him. Salah is a great player, not just because he has technical skills to make it count on the pitch, but because he's humble, kind and a good human being. He's built schools and hospitals in his country and also finished runner up in the Presidential elections. He's widely revered across the planet. A player of such caliber, we could see him winning a Ballon d'Or, maybe 2, in the near future.

What do you think about Salah? Leave your thoughts in the comments, and don't forget to like and follow!

Atletico Madrid - UEFA Europa League winnners 17/18

A stellar performance from a motivated Atletico side helped them to a 3rd Europa League title

The Europa League 17/18 Final was played yesterday between La Liga giants Atletico Madrid and Ligue 1 Champions League hopefuls Olympique Marseille. The venue was the Parc Olympique Lyonnais, in the French city of Lyon. Atletico were the favorites in this one, but an equally strong performance was expected from Marseille, who had given impressive performances throughout the competition.

The journey towards the Finals

Both sides went to the semifinals without much hindrances. However, both had interesting semifinals. Atletico were paired against Premier League side Arsenal and Marseille were up against the Austrian Bundesliga side RB Salzburg.

Arsenal were dominant during the first leg at the Emirates Stadium. Alexandre Lacazette put the Gunners ahead with a stunning header. Antoine Griezmann's last minute equaliser rose Atletico's hopes of going to the Finals. During the reverse fixture at the Metropolitana, Diego Costa struck once again for Atletico, ensuring their place in the Finals.

Marseille completely dominated Salzburg in the first leg. Florian Thauvin and substitute Clinton Njie gave Marseille a strong lead. Salzburg almost made a stunning comeback in the second leg at the Red Bull Arena, with strikes from Amadou Haidara and an own goal from Sarr. Towards the end though, things turned sour as Haidara was sent off with a red card, and with Rolando's header unexpectedly finding the bottom corner at the last minute, Salzburg's hopes of a Europa League final were brutally crushed.

The Final

The Final was expected to be a tough game between 2 equally good sides. Marseille had an early chance with a stunning pass from Dimitri Payet, but Valere Germain failed to utilize it. Soon after, a ridiculously poor touch from Andre Zambo found the legs of Griezmann, who burst into the penalty box and coolly slid the ball past Mandanda, giving Atletico the lead. Marseille's bad luck worsened, as their star man Dimitri Payet was forced to leave early supposedly due to a hamstring injury. Marseille fans applauded as Payet left the pitch in tears. Griezmann soon grabbed a second goal and Gabi scored a third at the end of regular time. It was an emphatic victory for Atletico, one they truly deserved.

Congratulations to Atletico for winning their 3rd Europa League title! Don't forget to leave your thoughts in the comments below and please subscribe!

Big teams insulted this week

All across Europe, some big teams faced shocking and unexpected defeats. Let's take a look at them.

1] Levante vs FC Barcelona (5:4)

This fixture has been the talk of the week. Barcelona, having won the domestic double, went into this one as the clear favorites. What everyone witnessed was a shambolic performance by Barcelona's defence, allowing Levante's Emmanuel Boateng and Enis Bardhi to attack at will. Countinho looked like the only one in the Barcelona squad who seemed awake during the game. A complete thriller, this game saw 2 hat tricks, one from Emmanuel Boateng and one from Phillipe Countihno. Adding insult to injury, the loss also resulted in Barcelona's remarkable unbeaten streak coming to an end. Ah, at last there's something Real Madrid fans can smile about!

2] FC Bayern Munchen vs VfB Stuttgart (1:4)

When you've won the Bundesliga for the 6th consecutive year, and your legendary coach is having the final game of his career, few would expect you to lose in such fashion. It was a total horror show for Jupp Heynckes's men at the Allianz Arena as Bayern went down 1:4 to newly promoted Stuttgart. Bayern's defense was too laid back during the entire game.Stuttgart's Daniel Ginczek and Anastasios Donis delivered a stellar performance with 3 goals and 2 assists between them. Lewandowski selflessly sacrificed an opportunity for Corentin Tolisso, who scored the only goal for Bayern.

3] Newcastle vs Chelsea (3:0)

The Premier League champions of last season have hardly had a season to remember. Opening the season with a shock loss to Burnley, Chelsea have been constantly under fire for not being able to get their game straight. They managed just 6 shots, comparing to Newcastle's 16. Although Chelsea enjoyed 60% of the possession, they failed to make it count. Ayoze Perez scored 2 of Newcastle's 3 goals. With that defeat, there will be no Champions League football next season for Chelsea. Not the way you expect to end a campaign!

4] Paris Saint-Germain vs Rennes (0:2)

In what was supposed to be Thiago Motta's and Unai Emery's last game for the Parisians, Paris faced a first home defeat in 42 league games as Rennes went home with a 0:2 win. The first half was intense, with Paris enjoying most of the possession. Angel Di Maria nearly put the home side in the lead, but the effort from distance ricocheted off the upright. Into the second half, Rennes was awarded a penalty, which Benjamin Bourigeaud happily scored. Adrien Hunou scored the second, ensuring all 3 points for the away side.

This unpredictability of football is what makes it the beautiful game, isn't it? What are your thoughts? Leave them in the comments section below, and don't forget to subscribe!