UEFA Champions League Thread

[CliffyIsGod]

Well, the final is at a neutral venue, so no real home ground advantage...

 

[ManlyBacker]

That is right CIG. They could play either one game or a best of 3, but I don't think 3 games would wash as it would drag the final out too long.

 

[ManlyBacker]

Barca met the blues at Stamford Bridge after a 0-0 finish in Barcelona. Chelsea hit the lead from a stunning Essien strike in the 9th minute. Barca had 63% of possession but just never looked like they would do anything with it. Like Man Utd yesterday Chelsea managed to find spaces and create much more promising chances while Barca once again played deft passes just outside of the box that went nowhere.

Chelsea could have had a couple of penalties but the ref was pretty fair. It was a tough game with Barca giving Chelsea players more elbows than seen at an early opener after a night shift. But despite their good effort it was heartbreak for Chelsea when an Iniesta goal 3 mins into extra time sealed an away goal that saw Barca grab a miracle and go through.

On that form it should be the Reds who win in Rome by 2-0.

 

[Zep]

I weep for Fletcher. After his last two performances he would have been a walk on in the final. He got red card for a fair if not great challenge.

I didn't get to see the game this morning but i believe the two best teams in the world will meet in the final. One with all the attacking flare the other with the aggression and determination to play the ball at every moment.

The Reds will give Barca chances, and Barca will give Reds a chance. The way i see it, is if United get 1 up barca will struggle on the other hand if Barca get 1 up then it will be an exciting game with Utd having a real chance to get the equaliser and use the momentum to win the competition.

MB - Barca, like chelsea, will always score atleast one goal against man utd in a major final. IMO anyway. 2-2 (4-3) To united on penalties with Ronaldo missing the penalty after scoring a brace.

 

[ManlyBacker]

Barca have been guilty of too much fancy football and not enough immediate strikes like the UK teams. Messi weaves magic, makes delicate passes but the time needed for a good strike is lost. The Man Utd defense is as good at it gets and their counter attack is very quick. Barca just doesn't create wide spaces like (AC) United. Bookies have Barca @ $1.80, Reds @ $2.00. I'd take the Reds but do I really want them to win? Haha 😉 I'll stick with my 2-0. It will be a game of spoiling and two counter attack goals to Man Utd or might include one long range from your specialists.

 

[Zep]

from your specialists.

THE specialists...

Barca will get atleast one, they have Henry who can score from anywhere on the edge or inside the box.

A Man Utd goal will come from a corner.

But 2-2 is looking good just for the attack that Barca can muster and the Man Utd trying to catch Barca on the offside trap too much.

...

Btw what is with (AC) United?

 

[ManlyBacker]

Henry didn't play today. They are showing little attack but I admit anything could happen.

Absolute Crap United, I thought we agreed to that before 😉 🙂

 

[lsz]

A win for the team who tried to at least play football (chelski did get some rough calls but there is not excuse for how they carried on at the end of the match)

Also.....Barca had at least one good penalty shout in the home leg (the shirt pull on Henry)

 

[Zep]

A win for the team who tried to at least play football (chelski did get some rough calls but there is not excuse for how they carried on at the end of the match)

Also.....Barca had at least one good penalty shout in the home leg (the shirt pull on Henry)

2 true.

Absolute Crap is not the word i would use for the team that is about to equal the record amount of premiership titles, who is in there second consecutive UEFA CL final and who have the best player in the world in their team. Add to that that you admit that have a strong defense, it is all there in Black and white.

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

Well, the final is at a neutral venue, so no real home ground advantage...

Why isn't the final over 2 legs, home and away, like the rest of the comp ?

 

[Zep]

the final is the final... Is would kinda suckie to have it over two legs as the excitement from one game is greater than that of 2... Case in point, the Man Utd v Arsenal Game was over in 10 mins. However if it was only a one off game it could have been exciting the rest of the time.

 

[Dan]

That was some of the worst reffing going around. Absolutely terrible

 

[lsz]

No Marquez (sorry for the spelling...) no puyol = goals for Manu

If Rio is fit i can not see Barca getting more than a couple.....could be a classic though

 

[Zep]

i find it hard that they think Barca is the best team ever. It might be the best Man Utd team ever if they win back to back, but surely the real madrid team of the late 90's early 00's was equal to them. And that is in recent memory.

 

[lsz]

It is the great argument with sport.

How can you compare great teams? For mind some of the great club football teams (that I know off)

Torino in the 1940's (until the plan crash)
The Real Madrid side with DeStefano, Puskas etc which won 6 Euro cups in a row
Santos at the same time with Pele
The Ajax teams teams of the 70's (with Cryuff and total football)
The Liverpool teams of the early 80's...
The Milan teams of the 90's (Boban, Gullit, Van Bastan to name a few...)

So many great teams. All that I can say is that at the moment, in all of world football, Barca play the most enjoyable football to watch.

As for Manu some of the stuff they play is great but overall, from a neutral point of view, i find Barca to play more complete football (this might have something to do with the relative weakness of the Spanish League this year....)

 

[ManlyBacker]

Last post of the Champions League for this year.

It was a game of unbelievable changes in fortune. Man Utd controlled every aspect with 5 shots in the first 9 minutes but the first attack by Barca resulted in a goal to Eto'o. That rattled Utd who had to play carefully to not concede another but still show attack. Fergie's lads deft touches were off and the next 10 mins were Barca playing to their back 4.

From there the game swang dramatically. The Barca middle controlled almost all the play and their back 4 were brilliant in catching the off-side plays. Messi ran freely and terrorised the Utd defense and Barca made them look ordinary. Another terrific header from him on 70 mins and it was all over.

Maybe they missed Fletcher, maybe they partied too hard, but the bottom line was that Barcelona were just way, way too good on the day. That was their best effort I have seen in the whole competition from them and definitely United's worst.

Back to back seems almost impossible and it was a stunning year for first season manager Pep Guardiola who picked up the Spanish League and Cup titles along with Europe's most coveted club prize.

 

[Zep]

no reply... i thought anderson and rooney were very very poor. And ronaldo just couldn't get any help from anyway. the runs that rooney made were poor and would of led to a worse shooting position, so ronaldo had to shoot.

 

[PONTIAN SEA EAGLE]

They didn't deserve to win the epl they didn't deserve to win champions league.Who hates United we do!!! united we hate you.

 

[Zep]

Atleast we have won something in the last 30 years 😛

And you argument about them not deserving the Premieship is laugable. They played exactly the same teams as everyone else and won more than everyone else.

 

[CliffyIsGod]

Suck it Utd Scum.

Just shows that Vidic and Ferdinand are no more that bully full-backs that when they come up against actual skill, can't cope.

Lovely.