Champions' League 2013/4

[SkStu]

Ah yes, okay! I get it now.

[Closed Account 2]

I think when Notts. Forest won it twice in a row they beat Liverpool in the second year. So there was a possibility of two teams from the same country playing each other if one of them had won it the year before. The chances of both these teams being from the same city (which obviously isnt the case with Nottingham and Liverpool) is even slimmer. I can only see:

1961-2 Sporting and Benfica were both in it, but Sporting lost to Partizan Belgrade in an early round
1963-4 Milan won it the year before, but this year they lost to Real Madrid, who went on to lose to Inter in the final
1989-90 Milan won it the year before and went on to retain it, Inter went out in the first round

[DeLorean]

Chelsea beat Arsenal in the quarter final under Ranieri. I'd say that and AC Inter in 2003 and the only times it's happened so, granted they weren't finals.

[geysir]

In a welcome break from the english leagues' play off mania( aka milking hope), the secret is out, the EL final on this evening, nevertheless it manages to generate huge tv audience interest, despite a near media total blackout and it being relegated to the 3rd and 4th tv channels. Though it will be doing well to match the figures who watched last year's drama in Amsterdam.
Benfica have been very impressive in this year's competition, my half vote will be for them to win it.

[geysir]

Half time in the EL final and we are left with oldest cliche in football ringing in our ears, from Andy Townsend "I've seen them given", referring to a very valid penalty claim. This is a very interesting contest, between 2 of the best in their division, with a flurry of activity in the last 10 minutes.

[DeLorean]

Benfica really owed the second half despite coughing up that massive chance to Bacca. The commentators kept glorifying Rakitic even though he was pretty non existent on the night, that one super (if slightly speculative) pass aside. Overall I feel a bit for Benfica but given I don't really like the CL drop outs being in it I'm not too pushed. Unfortunately for Sevilla CL qualificathion for the winners will come a year too late.

[DeLorean]

Rakitic, needless to say after my comment, got motm :)

[geysir]

Maybe it was the commentators who got to choose the motm :)
He's a tough nut, Rakitic, I'd have him in my team. Football is a cruel game, all those Benfica fans having watched a title winning performance, with chance after chance created, had to witness a couple of powder puff penalties that ultimately doomed this performances and all that went before to get them to the final.
Benfica had a tough CL experience losing out with 10 points, they were too good for this EL competition but that wasn't enough to win it.

[DeLorean]

Well they lost out to Olympiakos so I've little sympathy for them. If they were in one of those group of death's like Napoli were, then fair enough. I like Rakitic too, looking forward to seeing him at the WC. He was anonymous last night though, mainly due to Benfica's dominance for long spells. He probably got the assist of the season as well, that night against Real Madrid for Bacca's goal... worth a look below (on 3:13) for whoever hasn't seen it. Benfica never really created enough for all their possession and territory, although a lot of the Sevilla defending was last ditch stuff.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5TUXxVzCvc

[geysir]

Well they lost out to Olympiakos so I've little sympathy for them. If they were in one of those group of death's like Napoli were, then fair enough.
Why do you think your sympathy has anything to do with it? :)
Benfica outplayed Olympiakos in the crunch game and would have beaten them on any one of a 100 other nights. That's a tough experience to lose out on advancing to the knock out stage that way. Whether you feel sympathy for Benfica is another matter. :) Personally, I don't have feelings of pity or sorrow either, but that's also besides the point.
If I say, 'ah tough experience for Sulejmani to come off so early', you might retort 'well I have no sympathy for Sulejmani because he obvioulsy doesn't do a proper pre-match warm up.'
Or 'did you see those shattered Benfica fans with their hopes drained?' and you retort 'well I have no sympathy for them, their team just didn't do enough on the night'. :)

[DeLorean]

Why do you think your sympathy has anything to do with it? http://foot.ie/images/smilies/smile.gif

Well you were talking about football being cruel and all that. Obviously my sympathy or lack thereof isn't a factor in the trials and travails European football. I was just making the point that they had favourable group in the CL but they blew it. I don't know anything about their performance against Olympiakos but it seems similar to last night from your short analysis. Maybe that's their major flaw, just not being able to finish teams off.

[Charlie Darwin]

So Diego Costa starts after all. That horse placenta is magic stuff.

[Stuttgart88]

Maybe not.

[Charlie Darwin]

Shame, worth the gamble I suppose.

[Stuttgart88]

My son hates Gareth Bale. He calls him Gareth Fail. Anyway, he relished that miss.

[Charlie Darwin]

I was just about to post that Real are the only team who look like scoring!

[Stuttgart88]

And that's why Casillas should never start for Ireland.

[Stuttgart88]

Does Coentrao ever do anything other than pick fights with people? I don't think I've ever seen such a narky player.

[Stuttgart88]

This is cracking stuff now.

[geysir]

Does Coentrao ever do anything other than pick fights with people? I don't think I've ever seen such a narky player.
Leave off , he's my favourite left back.

[geysir]

This is a nailbinder of a game.

[geysir]

Extra time, I'll go for Atletico scoring first and holding out.

[Crosby87]

Madrid fans will be real happy.

[geysir]

Just as predicted, AM out on their feet and RM finishing strong.
Superb final.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

And that's why Casillas should never start for Ireland.

With all that match practice Casillas got in La Liga, he really should have done better.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Absolute stupidity starting Costa. Egotism running wild.

[geysir]

Our Roy is one mean pundit, talking as if this has been a failure for Atletico.
They have already achieved the "impossible" and were an inch away from the European cup. Yes i suppose they did fall short by an inch of achieving one of the most magnificent seasons ever, in the history of european football

[ArdeeBhoy]

Extra time, I'll go for Atletico scoring first and holding out.

Oops. But totally right with the last post.

Disappointing to see Franco's Former XI & their fascist supporting presence win in the end!
:(

[DeLorean]

My son hates Gareth Bale. He calls him Gareth Fail. Anyway, he relished that miss.

I don't think I've ever seen a player rescue so many poor performances by scoring a massive goal. Fair play to him, he should be able to kick on further next season with less pressure/expectation.

[squareball]

I don't think I've ever seen a player rescue so many poor performances by scoring a massive goal. Fair play to him, he should be able to kick on further next season with less pressure/expectation.

A goal doesn't rescue a poor performance. It means he scored while playing poorly. Can't believe he cost as much as he did. Game completely bypasses him if defence plays deep.

[NeverFeltBetter]

It wasn't that he was shut out in the final though, he just couldn't shoot straight, even with no one in front of him. Could have had a hat-trick before full time.

[DeLorean]

A goal doesn't rescue a poor performance. It means he scored while playing poorly. Can't believe he cost as much as he did. Game completely bypasses him if defence plays deep.

The Copa del Rey final will be remembered for his goal and little else for example. He played poorly but won the match for Real, it absolutely rescued a poor performance. Of course he still played poorly (if that's what you mean) but the goals have pretty much exempted him from any pressure with regards underachieving, not delivering, etc.

I don't think anybody believes he's worth €100m but he's delivered big moments in big games.

[bennocelt]

Then Feghouli, thanks for that, dont look at an awful lot of football on the box, so was a joy to see him play, look forward to seeing him in the summer in the WC

kicking myself for not backing him, ha:mad:

[ArdeeBhoy]

Isn't the draw for the first preliminary round this week...

[pineapple stu]

In 12 hours' time.

But that'd be a new thread

[Stuttgart88]

Geysir's lobbying forces UEFA into changing the yellow card / suspension rule.

[geysir]

There must be a deserve clause somewhere though, due to DeLorean's intervention.
If the player doesn't deserve it, then he doesn't get the amnesty :)