Sven Ulreich: Could he be Neuer's successor at Munich?

Could Sven Ulreich eventually replace Manuel Neuer at Bayern Munich?

Bayern's reserve goalkeeper Sven Ulreich has had a huge responsibility over his shoulder after Manuel Neuer's unfortunate injury against Real Madrid in the 16/17 Champions League quarterfinals. Let's be honest, filling Neuer's shoes is no child's task. With a big burly frame, he has frighteningly fast reactions, and his "sweeper keeper" style has dreaded forwards since forever. Sven Ulreich, a name previously unknown to the majority of football watchers, has quickly become the center of attention after his eye catching performances both in the Bundesliga and the Champions League


Sven Ulreich's famous penalty saves

From Stuttgart's 2nd choice to Bayern stardom

Sven began playing with VfB Stuttgart in 1998. At that time he played in their reserve team. He was promoted to the first team in 2008. He moved to Bayern in the 2015/2016 season and finished with 3 appearances. in 2016/2017 season he had 7 appearances. However, the 2017/2018 season has been the one in which he has shone his best. With 45 appearances in all competitions, he has managed an impressive 17 clean sheets. Although he had a rocky start, he's managed to recover remarkably, giving stellar performances all around. One expensive mistake from him though, cost Bayern Munich their place in the Champions League Final.

Ulreich's slip let Karim Benzema score the goal that extinguished Bayern's Champions League dreams

The Future

With Ulreich's current performances, he can be definitely seen as one of the vital long term replacements for Manuel Neuer. World Cup is currently a distant dream. Although we have no doubt that Low must've thought about him. In a team studded with stars like Bayer Leverkusen's Bernd Leno and Barcelona's Marc Andre Ter Stegen, Ulreich getting a spot is very difficult. But, with his current run, there's definitely a bright future for him. We leave you with a compilation of his best saves!

1.FC Köln get relegated: What went wrong?

1.FC Köln: one of the most heartbreaking campaigns ever?

Expect the unexpected. Yup, one can easily relate that to the now ex-Bundesliga club 1.FC Köln. The 2016/2017 season was arguably one of the best season they could ever have. With French striker Anthony Modeste in top form, the Billy Goats of Germany qualified for a European tournament for the first time in 25 years. Finishing 5th, 1.FC Köln fans were ecstatic to know that their favorite club was going to play in the Europa League.

Watch Yuya Osako secure Europa League qualification for Köln

Here's our speculation as to what ruined the party for Köln:

1] The departure of Anthony Modeste

Okay, you don't need to be a genius to understand that. Anthony Modeste was undoubtedly one of Bundesliga's most feared strikers. The Frenchman played a vital role in securing a Europa League spot for the Billy Goats. Needless to say, Köln needed to "put a ring on it". But, they sold Modeste to Chinese Super League club Tianjin Quanjian, only to get Jhon Cordoba from FSV Mainz 05. I smell regret!

2] A horrible start

In what can be called as one of the worst starts ever to any team playing top division football in Europe, Köln were winless in their first 18 matches, securing a measly 2 points. That's like half the season. What do you expect? This must've seriously downed the morale of the entire team, making the job even more difficult. They did have their ups in the second half of the season, but quite sadly, it was nowhere enough. Relegation for Köln was almost inevitable, and that's exactly what happened.

3] The big names failing to perform

Claudio Pizarro
Even with all their problems, Köln's squad wasn't the one you would call weak. Blessed with forwards like Claudio Pizarro and Simon Terodde, defense consisted of Jonas Hector and Sørensen, while midfield had Marcel Risse and Vincent Koziello, and yes, you cannot forget Timo Horn! Despite having a team that bursts with quality, Köln failed to replicate their previous performance, ultimately leading to relegation.

4] The Stöger charm lost its edge

Peter Stöger bidding farewell to his fans after his last game with Köln.
Peter Stöger did an amazing job last season. Leading from the front, ever enthusiastic and exuberant in his coaching style, Stöger was Köln's talisman. However, it was only going to be an uphill battle next, with Stöger failing to live up to the new heightened expectations. Stefan Ruthenbeck did succeed in giving the team a fresh start after Stöger's departure, but it was too late. Things had already gotten out of hand.

We go down, we go down as a team

Jonas Hector and Timo Horn are staying with Köln.
That's the reason why we watch the Bundesliga, don't we? In an era where players change teams like they change clothes for a few extra bucks and going to any extent to get a penalty/free kick, the Bundesliga is a shining example for fair play and royalty. Some of Köln's best players, including Timo Horn and Jonas Hector, have signed extensions with their club, despite many other teams pursuing them. This will surely lead to a stronger resolve to come back to the Bundesliga as quickly as possible.

We will surely miss you in the Bundesliga next season, Billy Goats! Come back as quickly as possible!

Who will win the Champions League this year?

Will Real Madrid have it's way? Or will Liverpool spoil Los Blancos's dream of making it 3 out of 3?

There's no doubt about it.
This is the game of the season.
David vs Goliath. A battle of 2 sides hungry for European glory.
The question is, who will make it till the end?

Honestly, both teams have had a mixed season. Real Madrid failed to go out guns blazing at the beginning of the season, with many speculating that Ronaldo is experiencing one of his worst seasons ever. The Portugese winger then went on an unprecedented scoring spree, scoring 44 goals in all competitions. Mohammad Salah, the Liverpool star currently has one more than him. Both superstars will have the spotlight on them as the 2 teams head out to play the Champions League Final 2018.

Predicted squad for both teams:

REAL MADRID C.F. (4-4-2)
[1] Keylor Navas
[17] Lucas Vasquez
[4] Sergio Ramos (C)
[5] Raphael Varane
[12] Marcelo
[14] Casemiro
[8] Toni Kroos
[10] Luka Modric
[20] Marco Asensio
[7] Cristiano Ronaldo
[9] Karim Benzema

The absence of Dani Carvajal and Isco will surely bother the Spanish giants. But no need to worry, Real are full of talent!

LIVERPOOL FC (4-3-3)
[1] Loris Karius
[26] Andrew Robertson
[7] James Milner
[4] Virgil Van Dijk
[66] Trent Alexander-Arnold
[14] Jordan Henderson (C)
[48] Curtis Jones
[5] Giorginio Wijnaldum
[19] Sadio Mane
[9] Roberto Firmino
[11] Mohammad Salah

Liverpool are plagued with their own problems, with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Joe Gomez and Emre Can out with injuries. A lot will be expected from Liverpool's front 3, one of the most feared in Europe.

So who will win?

In any case, both teams are ridiculously strong. It can go either way. However, there can only be one winner!
At FootBlogger, we predict Real Madrid to win within regular time with a score of 2:1. What do you think? Who will win the most coveted trophy in Europe? Leave your opinion in the comments below!

These great footballers announced their retirement this season

These footballing geniuses announced retirement this season

1] Dirk Kuyt

The Netherlands international has had nothing short of a bright and successful career. Starring for many teams like Liverpool, AFC Ajax, Fenerbahce and his boyhood club, Feyenoord. His career reached the highest when he reached the Champions League final in 2007, eventually losing to AC Milan.
An evergreen legend, Dirk will surely be missed!

2] Ricardo Kaka

Famously remembered as winning the last Ballon d'Or before Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi winning it for 10 years straight, this Brazilian legend was always admired by everyone as a footballing wizard. He is regarded as one of the most intelligent footballers ever to grace the pitch. Kaka's long list of achievements include a World Cup, Champions League, a La Liga title, a Serie A title, 2 Confederation Cups, a Ballon d'Or and many more. And who will forget THAT goal he scored against Manchester United?

3] Frank Lampard

The Chelsea and England great announced retirement after a short stint with New York City FC. Lampard is regarded as one of the greatest midfielders of his generation by many, and was renowned for his goal scoring records. His last minute goal was responsible for sending Chelsea in the 2012 Champions League Final, where they defeated Bayern Munich on penalties. His goal was infamously disallowed against Germany in the 2010 World Cup. His only regret was that he couldn't end his career with the club he loved the most- Chelsea FC.

4] Xabi Alonso

Xabi Alonso is known as one of the best defensive midfielders of the game. Feared for his deadly long passing, Alonso dominated the midfield in Germany, England and Spain. He scored the equaliser goal against AC Milan in the 2005 Champions League Final, which Liverpool won on penalties. Alonso will remain a genius who's shoes will be quite difficult to fill for a long time!

4] Phillip Lahm

Ah, how can we forget Philipp Lahm? Regarded as the best right back in the world, Lahm has guided Bayern Munich and the German national team to many victories. Lahm helped Germany win the 2014 World Cup. Coaching genius Pep Guardiola called Lahm as one of the most intelligent players he's ever worked with. Making a staggering 764 appearances in total, he's NEVER received a red card, quite a spectacular achievement for a defender. Announcing his retirement aged just 33, Lahm broke many hearts. Without a doubt, Lahm will go down in history as one of the greatest players of the game.

5] Andrea Pirlo

The Italian midfield maestro has had a long and illustrious career. He announced retirement after playing for MLS side New York City FC. Often called the orchestrator of the pitch, Pirlo has played with 3 Serie A giants and won top honors with 2 of them. His amazing talent played a big role in Italy's World Cup winning side in 2006. He famously quoted, "On the afternoon of July 9 2006, I spent the entire afternoon playing the PlayStation. In the evening, I went out and won the World Cup". What a player!

6] Francesco Totti

The prodigal son of Rome, Francesco Totti was regarded as the perfect No.10,a playmaker who could score goals as well as create them. Rejecting many big money moves from teams like Real Madrid, Totti remained loyal to Roma for 25 years. He won the World Cup with Italy in 2006. While his trophy haul with Rome cannot be called a great one, he remains Roma's top goalscorer, and had quite an emotional retirement in 2016.


Well, this was quite an emotional year for many football fans! Who did we miss out? Leave your opinion in the comments below!