10
May

Borussia Dortmund’s secret weapon?

To become one of the top clubs in the world, you are going to need to every advantage you can get. Borussia Dortmund’s advantage comes in the form of the Footbonaut. 

The Footbonaut is a sophisticated arena that launches soccer balls and lights up squares that enable the player to improve their technique, spacial awareness, and peripheral vision, as well as the ability to believe they are in a sci-fi movie. 

Dortmund’s coach Jurgen Klopp: 

“It is the perfect tool to improve ball-handling skills. It demands precise skills used at speed in a physically tough environment. It’s quite a package!”

Having had the Footbonaut for nearly a year now, I think it’s safe to say that it’s played a role in getting the club to the UEFA Champions League Final and it might be time for other teams to get on board.

3
May

On the bright side…

image

Talk about looking through rose-colored glasses.

After suffering an embarrassing 7-0 aggregate loss in the Champions League semifinals to FC Bayern Munich, Barcelona is looking on the bright side.

One of the top stories on the club’s official website yesterday was headlined: “Barca rule Champions League possession.”

The story starts by noting that Barcelona led the competition in possession and passes this season, which, quite obviously, didn’t translate to the one stat that truly matters: goals.
If you learned one thing this week, let it be this: possession isn’t everything.
 
3
May

Trecker’s Travels, Day Two: Hello Wembley!

image

Photo: Jamie Trecker / FOX Soccer

By Jamie Trecker

LONDON, ENGLAND

Wembley Stadium will turn seven later on this year. For a toddler, it’s getting quite a workout. Over the next several weeks, London’s iconic stadium will host the FA Cup and UEFA Champions League finals and then the Football League promotion playoffs – the richest game in all of soccer.

On Thursday, we were invited to an FA program shoot (you’ll see it on May 25) that will show off some of the stadium’s history and legacy. One of the most surprising things about it is how vibrant a venue it is outside of game days. During our taping, Wembley was crawling with tours, so many that the guides had to call in reinforcements and extend hours. It should come as no surprise that many of these visitors spoke German.

One thing that those visitors got to see – and did not know it – was the Champions League trophy itself. It’s kept in a silver gig crate up in the FA’s office on the fourth floor, and two young men carry it down to you. As we had the trophy outside, next to Bobby Moore’s statue, for security purposes we asked the tour group leaders to tell the visitors it was a replica. But, I can tell you now, that if you were a visitor between 2:30 and 3:30 on Thursday, you saw the real thing. Special congratulations to the enterprising little boy who went up and touched it.

Read More

3
May

C’mon Marco, oldest trick in the book!

Robert Lewandowski tripped Marco Reus on a warm-up lap at Dortmund training camp earlier this season in a classic display of trolling by the Pole. 

With Dortmund’s sights set on the Champions League final against Bayern in a few weeks’ time, Lewandowski will look to trip up the Munich defense next. Dante, Boateng, Lahm: you’ve been warned.

30
Apr

Sky Sports Germany felt so confident that Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund would march on to the Champions League final that it came out with this outrageous advertisement mocking its Spanish opponents ahead of the semifinal second legs.

The ad opens in a Spanish bull-fighting arena with a matador screaming in agony. We then see the matador, fat, disheveled and defeated, with a Bayern and a Dortmund flag sticking out of his rear end. The words then appear on the screen: “Adios Amigos! The road to Wembley” (translated)

Cheeky? Arrogant? Maybe, but who can blame Sky after the two Bundesliga squads outscored Spain’s Barcelona and Real Madrid by a combined score of 8-1 in the first legs.

The ad hasn’t jinxed the German teams yet, but it certainly came close. Borussia Dortmund held off a spirited Madrid rally on Tuesday, losing 0-2 but squeaking by on aggregate, 4-3.

12
Apr

UEFA Champions League Semifinals

The Semifinal draw is set in the UEFA Champions League. Bayern Munich takes on Barcelona, ranked by UEFA as the two top teams in Europe. The second semifinal is another German vs Spanish matchup; Borussia Dortmund plays host to Real Madrid.

There are endless storylines no matter how you look at it. Will we have an all-German final? Will there be an El Clasico to determine the title? Sit back and enjoy the ride.