A Football Report

Through Ryu’s Lens: Madrid a moment away from history

While there was only one club that looked fit for a Champions League final after 90 minutes in Dortmund, Real Madrid strung together an amazing final 10 minutes in their 180 minute battle with the German giant. The chances were there for the taking. Kaka and Benzema changed the game. Ronaldo faded, but ultimately Los Galacticos left their supporters knowing that every ounce of energy was left on the pitch. Ryu was at the Bernabéu to see Jurgen Klopp’s squad hold on until the dying seconds despite the surge of spirit that came from the Spaniards. [You can interact with Ryu on twitter @Toksuede and check his Flickr. Posted by Eric]

Through Ryu’s Lens: Messi lifts Barça, PSG bows out

Fingernails were bitten, but the Camp Nou crowd saw their side edge another excellent performance from PSG. Barça were second best until Lionel Messi came on and despite playing at 60% or so due to an injury, the Argentine led the Catalans into the back of the net. Ryu was in Barcelona to see the mighty Zlatan go silent as Pedro stole the show.

[You can interact with Ryu on twitter @Toksuede and check his Flickr. Posted by Eric.]

Through Ryu’s Lens: Dortmund delivers a classic

Few gave Málaga a chance. And sure, they lost in the end, but what a fight they put up in Germany. The Andalusians climbed on top of the yellow wall, and silenced the 70,000 fans. The game was there for the taking, and Manuel Pellegrini’s side was absolutely defiant of any storylines that were supposedly set in stone. As they return to Iberia, they’ll be crushed. Dortmund rose to the occasion in the end, providing a comeback for the ages in the dying minutes, but it was a game that allowed us to see two teams competing at their very best. Ryu captured the full spectrum of emotions that both clubs experienced throughout the 90 minutes.

[You can interact with Ryu on twitter @Toksuede and check his Flickr. Posted by Eric.]

Through Ryu’s Lens: Paris rises against Barça’s best

The main complaint about football in major European capitals (London aside) is that the size of the city prevents any sort of the tribal passion you’ll find in the smaller communities and villages from developing. Well, tonight was different. Paris became united through Paris St. Germain’s rebellious performance against Barcelona. After the Champions League match, PSG midfielder Blaise Matuidi said: “We’re happy with what we produced against the best team in the world. We showed Paris could be great.”

Ryu was in the French capital to see Thiago Silva, Zlatan, and company put in a memorable performance against Messi and his new tattoo that looks like it’s inspired by The Walking Dead. [You can interact with Ryu on twitter @Toksuede and check his Flickr. Posted by Eric.]

Through Ryu’s Lens: One for history, Croatia take on Serbia

“I asked the players: ‘Where were you born? Have any of you ever played in Croatia?’ The answer was no,” he said. “The players are so young they don’t know what we had and what we lost. They live today in a new world.” - Siniša Mihajlović

The atmosphere was tense and emotions were raw, but as Croatia met Serbia in Zagreb in a match that always seemed on the verge of boiling over, there was nevertheless one overarching sensation: hope. Relationships have been strained, to say the least, since the dissolution of Yugoslavia throughout the 1990s, and with that in mind, visiting fans had been banned from attending the pair of matches to avoid any confrontations. But even with increased security and nationalist chants raining down, Croatia managed to hold strong against Serbia, 2-0.

More important, though, was what took place after the match ended. Croatian and Serbian coaches, Igor Stimac and Siniša Mihajlović, long-time nationalist symbols with their own decades-long differences, met in the center of the pitch and embraced. Maybe, just maybe, there’s a reason for hope. Ryu was on scene for the derby and all the emotions surrounding it.

Interact with Ryu on twitter @Toksuede and check his Flickr. Posted by Maxi.    

Through Ryu’s Lens: Turkish giants take Germany

The Bundesliga’s stature in world football continues to rise, and Schalke were slight favourites to join Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals of the Champions League. But with Burak Yilmaz, Wesley Sneijder, and Didier Drogba leading them forward after a 1-1 draw in Istanbul, Galatasaray rose to the challenge at the Veltins-Arena, clinching an emphatic 3-2 victory on German soil. Ryu was on the scene to catch the Turkish giants sailing into the deep waters that await in the quarterfinals.

Interact with Ryu on twitter @Toksuede and check his Flickr. Posted by Eric.

Through Ryu’s Lens: The Champions League welcomes back Didier

The last time Didier Drogba kicked a ball in the Champions League, it was a cool penalty that allowed Chelsea to win the competition for the first time in the club’s history. So when Drogba landed in Turkey after an extremely lucrative and tumultuous 8 month trip to Shanghai, excitement was in the air as he could continue his already legendary career with Galatasaray. The Turkish giants welcomed Schalke in the round of 16, and Ryu was in town to capture the Ivorian making his return on the continent’s greatest stage.

Interact with Ryu on twitter @Toksuede and check his Flickr. Posted by Eric.

Through Ryu’s Lens: France vs Germany, Stade de France

For the first time since 1987, the French fell to Germany. It may have been a friendly, but it happened at Stade de France in Paris, no less. The come from behind victory was a product of yet another outstanding performance from Mesut Ozil, working the strings in the final third. Just look at THAT PASS to set up Sami Khedira for the match-winner. Ryu followed the Germans from Berlin to Pair-ee, capturing Deutschland defeat Les Bleus. 

Interact with Ryu on twitter @Toksuede and check his Flickr. Posted by Eric.

Through Ryu’s Lens: Old Trafford dreams trump FA Cup magic

The Theatre of Dreams was as vibrant as ever, and Ryu almost forgot just how incredible of a venue it is. Manchester United welcomed Fulham, but acted rudely to their guests with a display of pure demolition. Rooney, Chicharito, and Ryan Giggs led the way forward into the 5th round of the FA Cup, leaving Fulham with only a consolation goal for their trip back to Craven Cottage.

Interact with Ryu on twitter @Toksuede and check his Flickr. Posted by Eric.