Player Duel: Gylfi Sigurdsson vs. Andreas Beck

The atmosphere is tense. Gylfi Sigurdsson chooses Chelsea, Andreas Beck goes with Real Madrid. Both have played the game for years. “When I was at Reading, I used to play against the other guys in the team. It's like that in every team I imagine!” says Hoffenheim's Icelandic international.

“I've played football games for years. You look forward to August coming around, when the new versions come out, what the players are like and what changes have been made from the last issue”, says TSG captain Beck. While selecting their teams, the two players were asked what it was like to not be playing, prompting a few smiles from them both. “It's a good feeling!” admits Gylfi. “When you have a new game, the first thing you check is how good you are!” Gylfi and Andreas aren't the only gamers in the squad. Matthias Jaissle, Tom Starke and Sebastian Rudy also share the hobby. “Sebastian is really good actually. But even the team physios play with us, although they're pretty terrible”, adds Andi with a chuckle.

Lead for Chelsea, but Real hit back

Chelsea (Sigurdsson) kick us off. Iker Casillas is immediately under pressure in the Real goal, as both players are a picture of concentration, trying to put the other off. “You only play long balls,” complains Sigurdsson of his opponent. Andi smiles, but soon isn't laughing afterwards as Gylfi bursts into the box with Didier Drogba and makes it 1-0 on 32 minutes. He celebrates with a fist-pump in the direction of his opponent. That exuberant celebration gets a reaction from Andi and he soon forces an equaliser on the stroke of half-time through Cristiano Ronaldo. This time it's his turn to rub it in.

Exciting Second-half

Both players quickly skip the half-time break without making a substitution, eager to restart the game. And it's Chelsea who make the running in the early period of the second half, eventually retaking the lead on 65 minutes. It soon becomes clear that his lead is undeserved, as Real Madrid have more and more chances to equalise. And, with just five minutes remaining, Mesut Özil makes it 2-2 with a cracking strike from the edge of the box. Now both guys are determined to grab a winner. However, just as Chelsea kick us off again, a power failure strikes at the training ground at Zuzenhausen. “What?! That's never happened before!” cries Sigurdsson. Both men comically accuse the other of engineering a stalemate.

“Normally we'd play extra time and then penalties”, says a slightly disappointed Sigurdsson. It ends 2-2, with Gylfi and Andi continuing to assert that they would have won the game.