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Goal.com Worldview: The Difference Makers In The Champions League
Goal.com's international editorial team came together to decide who well and truly set their clubs apart in the CL...
27-Feb-2009 3:52:23 PM
In a thrilling round of Champions League actions, there was no shortage of individual playes to set the fans' passions alight.
Goal.com editors, too, had their own personal favourites after the first knockout round's first leg, and we asked them who they felt made the absolute difference in these matches.
Who they selected was not necessarily the top player of the night, but rather the one who their team could not have lived without...
"Franck Ribery further established his credentials as one of the best players in the world. The Frenchman's industry, determination, and clinical final touch make him almost uncontainable. His first goal was superb, his penalty ice-cold, and his endeavour to produce assists for Bayern's other goals can only be applauded. After being injured at EURO 2008, now he well and truly has his chance to announce himself to the world."
-Sulmaan Ahmad, Goal.com International
"Giorgos Karagounis. Against Villarreal he was a whole team on his own for Panathinaikos. He ran, he scored, and he proved why is the fans' favorite player. He fully deserves what Henk ten Cate said in the post match press conference about him, namely, 'He is a fantastic player and the club that has him are truly lucky...'"
--Michael Paterakis, Goal.com Greece
"Julio Cesar, at the moment, probably is the best goalkeeper in the world, moreso than Gigi Buffon. If Inter managed a draw against Man Utd, and thus saved some hope for the return match, the fans and teammates have Julio to thank. And it's not a big surprise: for a long time now Cesar has been in top form, and Inter's place at the summit of Serie A is largely down to him. Everybody talks about Ibrahimovic, or Mourinho, but maybe the real Special One at Inter is Julio Cesar".
--Sergio Stanco, Goal.com Italy
"Didier Drogba seemed to be back to his predatory best when he pounced to fire the 12th-minute winner in Chelsea's 1-0 Champions League last-16 win over Juventus. The Ivory Coast international kept the Juve back line on their toes all night, with his speed and strength causing more than a few headaches for Claudio Ranieri's men. Guus Hiddink will be hoping that he can make the difference once again in the second leg."
--Peter Pedroncelli, Goal.com Africa
"Of course, Franck Ribery was incredible, but we need to focus on defence, too. So if we speak about Bayern Munich, don’t forget Philipp Lahm. He is, right now, the world's best left-back. He made the difference against Sporting, because were it not for him clearing Anderson Polga's shot off the line at 0-0, it all could have been different. And after that Lahm played brilliantly in an offensive sense, winning the penalty for Ribery's second goal. What a performance."
--Nils Reschke, Goal.com Germany
"Giuseppe Rossi. The Bambino was Villarreal's best player, and the man who kept their qualification hopes against a well-established Panathinaikos side alive. Rossi was a part of on the key play that eneded in Villarreal's penalty goal for the draw, and then scored from the spot. Besides that, the Italian never stopped moving up front and was the key player for Manuel Pellegrini's side."
--Juan Lirman, Goal.com Spain
"Juninho: the Brazilian buried a free-kick against Barcelona that nobody except him could have managed. Yes, Victor Valdes may not be the greatest, but Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola said that the free-kick was one of a kind. That 6th minute lead for his side put Barcelona on the back-foot: what kind of 34-year-old can make such a difference against the Blaugrana? It is Juninho that plays like a number 10, always pressing. He will have his name on the stadium: the city has decided. In Lyon he's more than a player. He is a legend. The legend."
--Alexandre Walraevens, Goal.com France
"Didier Drogba. The Drog has got his hunger back, and even though he managed just the one goal for a Chelsea side that grew clunkier as the game went on, he never stopped running and bustling. It was just like watching... well, Drogba, albeit the Drogba of two or three years ago. Juventus are left under no illusions as to his capabilities for the away leg."
--Ewan Macdonald, Goal.com International
"Marco Motta. He maybe wasn't a "difference maker" in a result-deciding sense, but he was the best player on the pitch as Roma played Arsenal. Motta consistently got the better of Gael Clichy, both defensively and offensively, which takes some doing. He made two key goalsaving challenges, was like a train all night down the right, and would have scored a scremer were it not for Manuel Almunia's 'Save of the Round'. A real talent to look out for in the future - Motta is only 22."
--Carlo Garganese, Goal.com International
Goal.com editors, too, had their own personal favourites after the first knockout round's first leg, and we asked them who they felt made the absolute difference in these matches.
Who they selected was not necessarily the top player of the night, but rather the one who their team could not have lived without...
"Franck Ribery further established his credentials as one of the best players in the world. The Frenchman's industry, determination, and clinical final touch make him almost uncontainable. His first goal was superb, his penalty ice-cold, and his endeavour to produce assists for Bayern's other goals can only be applauded. After being injured at EURO 2008, now he well and truly has his chance to announce himself to the world."
-Sulmaan Ahmad, Goal.com International
"Giorgos Karagounis. Against Villarreal he was a whole team on his own for Panathinaikos. He ran, he scored, and he proved why is the fans' favorite player. He fully deserves what Henk ten Cate said in the post match press conference about him, namely, 'He is a fantastic player and the club that has him are truly lucky...'"
--Michael Paterakis, Goal.com Greece
"Julio Cesar, at the moment, probably is the best goalkeeper in the world, moreso than Gigi Buffon. If Inter managed a draw against Man Utd, and thus saved some hope for the return match, the fans and teammates have Julio to thank. And it's not a big surprise: for a long time now Cesar has been in top form, and Inter's place at the summit of Serie A is largely down to him. Everybody talks about Ibrahimovic, or Mourinho, but maybe the real Special One at Inter is Julio Cesar".
--Sergio Stanco, Goal.com Italy
"Didier Drogba seemed to be back to his predatory best when he pounced to fire the 12th-minute winner in Chelsea's 1-0 Champions League last-16 win over Juventus. The Ivory Coast international kept the Juve back line on their toes all night, with his speed and strength causing more than a few headaches for Claudio Ranieri's men. Guus Hiddink will be hoping that he can make the difference once again in the second leg."
--Peter Pedroncelli, Goal.com Africa
"Of course, Franck Ribery was incredible, but we need to focus on defence, too. So if we speak about Bayern Munich, don’t forget Philipp Lahm. He is, right now, the world's best left-back. He made the difference against Sporting, because were it not for him clearing Anderson Polga's shot off the line at 0-0, it all could have been different. And after that Lahm played brilliantly in an offensive sense, winning the penalty for Ribery's second goal. What a performance."
--Nils Reschke, Goal.com Germany
"Giuseppe Rossi. The Bambino was Villarreal's best player, and the man who kept their qualification hopes against a well-established Panathinaikos side alive. Rossi was a part of on the key play that eneded in Villarreal's penalty goal for the draw, and then scored from the spot. Besides that, the Italian never stopped moving up front and was the key player for Manuel Pellegrini's side."
--Juan Lirman, Goal.com Spain
"Juninho: the Brazilian buried a free-kick against Barcelona that nobody except him could have managed. Yes, Victor Valdes may not be the greatest, but Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola said that the free-kick was one of a kind. That 6th minute lead for his side put Barcelona on the back-foot: what kind of 34-year-old can make such a difference against the Blaugrana? It is Juninho that plays like a number 10, always pressing. He will have his name on the stadium: the city has decided. In Lyon he's more than a player. He is a legend. The legend."
--Alexandre Walraevens, Goal.com France
"Didier Drogba. The Drog has got his hunger back, and even though he managed just the one goal for a Chelsea side that grew clunkier as the game went on, he never stopped running and bustling. It was just like watching... well, Drogba, albeit the Drogba of two or three years ago. Juventus are left under no illusions as to his capabilities for the away leg."
--Ewan Macdonald, Goal.com International
"Marco Motta. He maybe wasn't a "difference maker" in a result-deciding sense, but he was the best player on the pitch as Roma played Arsenal. Motta consistently got the better of Gael Clichy, both defensively and offensively, which takes some doing. He made two key goalsaving challenges, was like a train all night down the right, and would have scored a scremer were it not for Manuel Almunia's 'Save of the Round'. A real talent to look out for in the future - Motta is only 22."
--Carlo Garganese, Goal.com International
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