Hooliganism - Why do English football fans continue to embarrass themselves?

During the 2016 European Championships in France the one thing more embarrassing for England than the performances on the pitch was the actions of the travelling fans off of it. Violent out bursts occurred frequently during the tournament with dozens of arrests made particularly after the opening game vs Russia. Similar scenes took place this week when England's solitary side left in the Champions League, Leicester City, travelled to Madrid.

Four thousand plus fans of the English champions followed their side to the Spanish capital to witness their sides incredible run in Europe's elite competition but it appears that the game was the last thing on the minds of many of the fans. A minority of the group managed to embarrass themselves with an extremely inappropriate rendition of 'German bombers' less than 24 hours after the Dortmund team bus was attacked before their first-leg tie against Monaco. As well as screaming 'You Spanish b******s Gibraltar is ours' at the top of their lungs. All of this appears satire when compared to the fights breaking out with Spanish riot police, with many videos appearing on social media of beer bottles and other dangerous objects being thrown in the direction of the police who were drastically outnumbered by the English fans.

Eight Leicester fans were arrested for public disorder and vandalism a police spokesperson confirmed and have since been given a four month suspended sentence following their actions. A group of 70 hooligans gathered in the Plaza Mayor, a common spot for travelling fans in Madrid, and when the police approached, these 'fans' started attacking the Spaniards seemingly unprovoked, one video capturing a member of the group throwing a concrete cafe table in the direction of the riot police, he like many others appeared to be strongly under the influence. All of the fans held by police had been drinking heavily the court heard. Three officers and two Leicester fans were treated for cuts and bruises on the ground but luckily no one was taken to hospital.

What is perhaps worse than the actions of the fans is the image that is being portrayed to the rest of the world. English fans in the future will complain when they can't travel to follow their team without interruption of the authorities but it is all down to a reputation built up by a group of idiots who continue to give English football fans a bad name. The incredible lack of respect shown by the Leicester fans to the locals in Madrid is far too similar to that of the England fans in France during last years competition. Their are idiots in every walk of life and it is always a minority of people, much like it is here. But what it is doing is painting every English fan as a hooligan, as a threat and as a person you do not want visiting your country. Due to the actions of a select few idiots English fans can no longer travel in numbers to anywhere in Europe without being under the constant watchful eye of the local authorities and rightfully so to maintain peace and safety for the local people.

The difference between the Leicester fans and the Monaco/Dortmund fans on Tuesday night is laughable. During a time of peril and with numbers of fans stranded and people scared for their lives the fans on the German and French clubs came together to show the world they were not afraid, they stood united and helped each other out in every way they could. Commendable. Where as the Leicester fans spent the same evening chanting racial slurs at the locals, inappropriate comments regarding the war and Gibraltar as well as of course engaging in a drunken fight with the local police which lead to the trip being cut short for a select group of these 'fans' that due to the amount of alcohol consumed might not even be able to remember their stupid actions. Embarrassing.

I would like to stress that these actions were carried out by a minority of the Leicester fans in Madrid. Not every fan of the English champions wants to travel abroad simply to start fights and to give English fans a bad name. The select few that do however travel with this intentions might not have the same attitude towards it when their actions lead to the abroad 'away day' experience being drastically changed due to increasing numbers of these incidents taking place when English hooligans travel abroad.

The actions that took place the night before the game will be what's remembered in a years time. And with the home side beating Leicester 1-0 it could be seen as justice for the locals who were caught up in the horrendous scenes in the city centre.

Champions League Quarter Final Predictions: Who will progress to the final four?

Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Dortmund, Monaco, Leicester City, Bayern Munich and Juventus. The quarter finals of the 2016/2017 Champion League season sees a lot of the same sides we're accustomed to seeing at this stage, as well as one or two shocks. I am going to go over each of the four ties and predict this seasons final four!

Game one: Bayern Munich vs Real Madrid.

Between these two sides are 16 European cups. They have competed in 24 finals. And have won 3 of the last 4 competitions. This is what the Champions League is all about, two heavyweights from different countries colliding to see who is the better side! In 2014 Real Madrid completed La Decima, and knocked out Bayern Munich 4-0 on aggregate on their way to the final so the German side will be out for revenge! The German champions are currently flying in Europe after a 10-2 aggregate humiliation of Arsenal in the round of 16. Bayern are also currently 13 points clear at the top of the Bundesliga and look set to walk to another title. Where as Real only have a two point cushion over Barcelona in their battle to reclaim the league title. This could give the German side a huge advantage going into the tie against Real Madrid, as they have the opportunity to rest certain key players during league games, knowing the title is all but secured! On the other hand, Madrid can't afford to drop many points if they want to win the title, and therefore must play their strongest side week in, week out to ensure that fact. During these matches anything could happen, injuries, key players could become fatigued or struggle to maintain full fitness then it comes time to face Real Madrid. In terms of pure star power this tie will attract more intrigue then almost any other, and rightfully so. Two of Europe's elite, only one winner. I think that, on Tuesday 18th April, Real's goal to become the first team in the Champions League era to retain the European cup will come to an end. Bayern Munich will get their revenge for 2014 and progress to the semi-finals.

Game two: Barcelona vs Juventus.

For the first time since the 2015 Champions League final these two sides face off in the tie which will challenge Bayern vs Madrid for the biggest attraction of the quarter finals. Since Paul Pogba's exit in the summer, Juventus has found a new talisman in the form of Argentine Paulo Dybala, and has got the eyes of the entire world on him! The young attacker has adopted a more creative role in the side with club record signing Gonzalo Higuain occupying the position of top scorer and he has taken to it like second nature. The comparisons drawn between him and national team mate Lionel Messi has been more evident then ever this season and compliments don't come much bigger then that for a young attacker! As for Barcelona, they must still be in shock after their incredible comeback to knock out PSG in the round of 16. Sergi Roberto's late late volley ensured that the 5 time champions stayed in the competition and despite a lot of controversy coming from the referee's decision making during the game at the Nou Camp, it will go down as one of the great comebacks in European football history. With Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez leading the line Barcelona can beat any side in world football, and with the added grit and determination coming from their incredible comeback last time out I can see history repeating itself and Barcelona proving to be too good for their Italian opposition.

Game three: Dortmund vs Monaco.

The highest scoring team in Europe's top five divisions against the highest scoring team in this years Champions league. This year is likely to be the best opportunity either of these teams will have for the foreseeable future to achieve European glory with a lot of the bigger European sides sniffing around at their top players. Monaco came through an incredible round of 16 tie against Manchester City, coming back from a 5-3 deficit after the first leg to win 3-1 at home and to seal their place in the quarter final. Kilian Mbappe scored a brace in the second leg against Man City and has stood out as one of the most promising young players in Europe this season, a repeat performance from him could be a big factor in Monaco reaching the Semi-finals. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has scored an incredible 34 goals in 37 games in all competitions this season and with 7 in 6 champions league games so far he will be a definite factor in the tie! 19 year old Ousmane Dembele has shot to provenance this year and will challenge Mbappe as the most impressive youngster in this seasons competition, whichever one of the two live up to expectations the most could push their side towards the next round. In the battle between two of the hottest attacks in Europe it is game with guaranteed goals, when 180 minutes plus of football has passed I think Monaco will be the solo French side in the semi-finals.

Game four: Atletico Madrid vs Leicester City. 

Diego Simeone might be one of the most unlucky managers in the world, but he is almost certainly one of the best! His Atletico side have twice in the last three years been within seconds of winning the Champions League only to have it snatched away from them at the death, this year they won't be taking any chances. Antoine Griezmann is the latest in a long line of Atleti strikers who are considered one of the best in the world, and with over 20 goals this season he is backing up his third place finish in 2016's Ballon D'or. The Frenchman is rumoured to be on his way to England in the coming transfer window so this really could be his last chance to make up for his penalty miss in last seasons final. Leicester City continue to cause shock after shock and their appearance in this stage of the competition is worth plaudits in itself. Craig Shakespeare seems to have rediscovered the form Claudio Ranieri dragged out of the foxes on their way to the Premier League title last season and by knocking out Sevilla in the round of 16 the English champions have shown they can compete with the biggest and brightest. Whatever your opinion on Leicester City with all that has been going on this season in the midlands you have to applaud their performance in Europe this season, however despite avoiding the likes of Barcelona and Bayern Munich in the draw again I feel Atletico could be the worst draw Leicester could have gotten. You can say with certainty that Simeone will set up his side to counter Leicester's style of play where as many of Europe's elite may have just attempted to play their own game, which in turn plays right into Leicester's hands. And with how much success the Madrid club seem to have in games such as this one, Leicester could be out of their depth at last. I think that it will be Atletico representing Madrid in this years final four of the Champions League.

Prediction for the Semi-Finals of the 2016/2017 Champions League;
Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Monaco, Atletico Madrid.

The World's Richest 'Guests' - Can Manchester City win England's first Champions League in 4 Years?

Thanks to Kevin de Bruyne's late strike against PSG in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter final, Manchester City have progressed to the semi finals for the first time in the history of the club. After a 2-2 draw in the first leg in Paris, the two away goals gave Manchester City a great opportunity to progress past the French champions. The Manchester club faithful had the England number one Joe Hart to thank for producing some incredible saves throughout the game, namely keeping out a thunderous Zlatan Ibrahimovic free kick. The luck appeared to be against City however when top goal scorer and one of the world's top strikers Sergio Aguero missed from the spot in the first half. But with fifthteen minute left on the clock, the Belgian de Bruyne scored the goal which would secure the progression to the last four, with Manchester City's only shot on target over the 90 minutes of football at the Etihad! Paris Saint Germain coach and former French center back Laurent Blanc came out after the game and congratulated Manchester City for becoming the 'guests in the semi final draw' alongside Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich. Now although the holders Barcelona and five time winners Bayern are yet to guarantee their progression to the semi final, with both teams playing their quarter final second legs tonight! The final four in Europe's elite competition has been subject to very little change in the last 5 years, with 2014 being the only year since 2011 where either Real Madrid, Bayern Munich or Barcelona did not appear in the bracket for the semi final. In 2012 the eventual winners Chelsea joined the elite group, only to fall in the group stages in the next season. In 2013, Borussia Dortmund progressed all the way to the final, knocking out Real Madrid in the semi finals! However they fell to fellow Germans Bayern Munich in the final. During the 2014 season, Athletico Madird knocked out Barcelona on their road to the final, to be toppled by cross town rivals Real Madrid late on. And finally, Italian giants Juventus progressed to the final last year after knocking off Real Madrid in the semi Finals, however they couldn't handle the 'MSN' strike force of the Catalan giants and they lost 3-1 in Berlin. History is not on the side of Manchester City, with the big guns of European football dominating the champions league in recent years, but can Manuel Pellegrini's side bring the giant trophy back to England for the first time in four years?

Well when you look at the Manchester City side, in terms of star power, they aren't too out gunned by the sides they'll have to beat if they wish to win their first Champions League. With the likes of Yaya Toure, who can be unplayable on his day! Vincent Kompany, a man who's importance to the City team is so evident by defensive performances when he is absent costing his side. David Silva, a player who is no doubt one of the most gifted play makers on the planet. But with a very impressive record of 96 goals in only 127 league starts, the Argentine front man Sergio Aguero may be the key to City's victory! Despite missing a fair period of the last couple of seasons with injury, his goal scoring rate has not diminished, and despite missing a penalty in the win over PSG 'Kun' could go toe to toe with any player the other three semi finalists have to offer. Manchester City's number 10 has certainly got the pedigree to perform against the biggest sides, with a hat-trick against Bayern Munich last season for City and goals against Real Madrid and Barcelona in his Atletico Madrid days there is no doubt he is the man to watch out for.

Sergio Aguero will certainly have the chances to make an impact, especially playing along side club record signing Kevin de Bruyne. The Belgian has made a huge splash since returning to the Barclays Premier league and has been one of the stand out performers for City this season. Now while Aguero is Manchester City's top goal scorer, when it comes to having a hand in the goal, the £55million man is neck and neck with his Argentine team mate, with de Bruyne being involved in 27 goals this term in all competitions (15 goals and 12 assists) a figure level with that of 'Kun' Aguero. Now the Belgian has been the subject of plenty of ridicule during his career, and he was written off by many after his move to Werder Bremen was made official in 2014 but he proved himself to be every bit the player he was rumored to be and in just over a years time, he had returned to England and he hasn't looked back. The incredible talent of the young midfielder could have a big impact on Manchester City's dreams!

If the remaining fixtures in the Quarter finals go as expected it is no doubt that Manchester City will be the underdogs to reach the finals and then to win it. However their potential opponents aren't invincible! A Cristiano Ronalso inspired Real Madrid progressed past Wolfsberg last night, but a 2-0 defeat in the first leg shows if a team comes at Madird, they really can be made to look poor at the back! Despite eventually rolling over Juventus 4-2 in the second leg of their round of 16 tie, Bayern Munich appeared to be asleep at the start of the game, going 2-0 down to the Italian side, and if Juventus had shown some more 'Italian like' defending, they would have knocked the German's out! Those crazy minutes against Juventus show Manchester City that when Bayern Munich aren't at 100% they can be made to look vulnerable. Now the holders Barcelona are the closest you can get to a perfect side right now. At the start of April the Catalan giants where 39 games unbeaten! However, they have followed that historic run by losing two games in a row in the league. If there's ever a chance for Manchester City to turn over Barcelona and their unstoppable front three of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar, this is that time!

But if i'm realistic for one moment, Manchester City would need a miracle to walk away from Milan in May with the famous trophy! No matter how many points I, or anyone else make about City's chances, you can make so many more saying their going to lose their semi-final 6-0 and get dumped out of Europe! Between Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich the most elite trophy in European football has been lifted 20 times, making them three of the four most successful teams in the competitions history (Only A.C Milan winning more then Bayern and Barcelona with 7). These sides have all the history and pedigree to back up either of them securing yet another title and in all likelihood one of them will win in Milan. However it's been done before and who's the say Manchester City wont upset the odds and turn over the biggest sides in Europe and, much like Chelsea in 2012, shock the world by winning their first Champions League title!

Premier League vs La Liga - Which is the best?

For years, the English premier league as been the undisputed king of football. Producing the best teams, the best drama, and the best competition. However over recent years the quality of football coming from our shores pales in comparison compared to that of the likes of Spain's La Liga.

In the 2007 - 2008 season the English premier league had all four representatives in the UEFA Champions League quarter finals, and three of the four teams in the semi finals where also from the premier league, the exact same scenario took place in the following season. However in the 2014 - 2015 season not a single English team made it past the first knockout round. However in the 2013 - 2014 season, the final of the champions league included two Spanish teams, Real Madrid and Athletico Madrid. and in the 2014 - 2015 season Real Madrid and Barcelona both progressed to the semi final of the competition, with the Catalan giants eventually winning the competition.


The English top flight boasts to have the best competition out of Europe's elite, poking fun at leagues such as the Bundesliga & La Liga for constantly having one or two front runners year after year. However in recent years this theory can perhaps be proven otherwise. The premier league may claim to provide the best competition, but the title race in England has only really seen the addition of Manchester City in this century, with the 'big four'(Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool) dominating England, even with Liverpool dropping down the table in the last few seasons. Well if it was a battle of those said teams season after season England may still have a case for the best competition, as a five way title race is very rare in football. However it isn't as straight forward as that. Since the introduction of the premier league we have seen five different teams walk out champions, Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester City and Blackburn Rovers. Now, if you remove the pre mentioned sides, only two other teams have featured in the top two of the Premier League (Newcastle United and Aston Villa), but like Blackburn Rovers these two sides have since dropped off massively, and are no where near the title picture.

Season after season the Premier league, which claims to be the most competitive of Europe's top leagues, is dominated by the same big names, however if you look deeper, the competition again takes a hit. Two of the 'giants' of English football have failed to win a league title in a long period of time, Arsenal have not been champions on England since 2004, and Liverpool have failed to win a title in the premier league era! This reduces the competition levels even more, meaning since 2005 only Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea have been crowned champions of England. However, although Manchester United have won the most league titles since that year, in the last couple of seasons we have seen a decrease in success for the red devils, which has lead to Chelsea and Manchester City dominating the division. These two teams have won one Champions league title between them (Chelsea 2012), how can the Premier league claim to be the best league in the world if out of their two front runners, they have only one champions league title between them? When the Champions League is seen as the elite competition of European football. So not only do the English top flight sides pale in comparison in Europe's elite competition compared to other European league competitors in recent years, but it also fails to produce the 'competition' that had made it famous.

The main reason other European Leagues have, particularly La Liga, have struggled the stake a claim for the best league in the world is the lack of competition, between 2003 and 2013 Only Barcelona & Real Madrid won the league title in Spain, and this is perhaps the main reason for an argument against the Spanish top tier being the best in world football. Since 2009, La Liga has also had, without a doubt, the two best players in the world, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, the two men who have won the last seven Ballon D'ors between them. However many people have said that due to the poor quality of sides these two players where playing on a weekly basis, because of this, although those two players where playing of Spain's shores, it does not contribute to La Liga's argument to be the best.

However, just like the performances in the champions league can argue against the Premier League for being the best, it helps argue La Liga's case. In the last seven years, four of the seven champions league winners have been Spanish clubs, including the winners of the competition for the last two years (2013-14 Real Madrid & 2014-15 Barcelona). Being the top competition in European football, the success in the champions league by Spanish clubs really helps argue the leagues case for being the best.

Despite Continental success, until 2014 the argument still stood against La Liga that the competition level was far to low to be considered the best, that is until Athletico Madrid won the league title, at the home of the Catalan giants Barcelona, in the same season Athletico also reached the champions league final (losing after extra time to Real Madrid). In their attempts to retain their title in the 2014-15 season Athletico pushed city rivals Real Madrid all the way in the battle for second place, showing that Diego Simeone's side have the capabilities to compete with the best in Spain, showing that the competition levels in the domestic league in Spain is increasing. Also players such as Neymar, Luis Suarez, Garath Bale, Toni Kroos, James Rodriguez and many other big signings have helped increase the quality of players playing week in, week out in Spain. The increasing competition, dominance on the Continental stage, and outstanding class of players really makes it hard to argue against La Liga being one of, if not the best the best league in Europe.

Other leagues such as Germany's Bundesliga & Italy's Seria 'A' both also could have claim to the spot as Europe's number one league, but both perhaps are missing either the competition in the League, for example, Bayern Munich's dominance on the Bundesliga. Or the competition on the bigger stage, such as Seria 'A' , the Italian top tier only have had one finalist in the competition since 2010 (Juventus 2015).

In my opinion, the La Liga has recently became the out right best league in the world, personally i believe the dominance on the Continental stage by Spanish sides is to big to ignore, and the lack of success for English teams in recent years is the reason for them being knocked off of the podium. Will the Premier League ever get back to the top of world football? only time will tell and with Lionel Messi's Barcelona currently dominating world football, and Cristiano Ronaldo's goals leading to success for Real Madrid, La Liga looks like it could be on top for a long time.