Champions League...

[VivaFutbol 10]

...anyone following the Champions League? I know there aren't that many soccer followers on here.

 

The footballing gods were looking over the Camp Nou today as Barca ousted Arsenal 3-1 (4-3 on aggregate). Harsh sending off for Van Persie, but Barca were easily the better side over the two legs. Shakhtar gave Roma the business over two legs 6-2 on aggregate and advance.

 

Interesting games tomorrow with Milan heading to White Hart Lane against Tottenham and Valencia going to Germany to face Schalke 04. Gotta think Spurs and 04 advance there.

Edited March 9, 2011 by VivaFutbol

[beano5 14]

...anyone following the Champions League? I know there aren't that many soccer followers on here.

 

The footballing gods were looking over the Camp Nou today as Barca ousted Arsenal 3-1 (4-3 on aggregate). Harsh sending off for Van Persie, but Barca were easily the better side over the two legs. Shakhtar gave Roma the business over two legs 6-2 on aggregate and advance.

 

Interesting games tomorrow with Milan heading to White Hart Lane against Tottenham and Valencia going to Germany to face Schalke 04. Gotta think Spurs and 04 advance there.

 

Yes, the Van Persie sending off was harsh, BUT, in the first half when he got his first yellow, it should have actually been a red IMO. He was striking back after that altercation in which he got grabbed in the neck, obviously intent trying to hit the defender, pitiful act. I've never liked RVP, and that just solidified my standing on him. Barcelona was looking good, but not like the best club in the world like some have called them, they still have weaknesses in their defense. A good club can see that and exploit it a lot. Tottenham got saved by Gallas today and advanced, another good game to watch even though it was 0-0. I'm really looking forward to Man U's second leg (considering I am a HUGE Man U fan, have been since I've been watching soccer) and Inter Milan's second leg. I also want to see Real out early because I can't stand them the same I can't stand Arsenal and Barca hahaha. If I were these teams, I'd be worried about Shakhtar, they are legit and can flat-out play, definitely no slouch (sp?). Just my two cents.

[VivaFutbol 10]

And no one wants that long plane ride out to Ukraine. I've been a Barca fan since about '04 I guess. That's when I really started to follow European football. Now, I hardly miss a Barca match. To defend our defense, we didn't have Pique and Puyol last night, arguably the best center half duo in the entire world. Who doesn't enjoy the way Barca play though? So many touches on the ball, and I think Guardiola summed it up best when he said the reason they won is not because of the referee, but because Arsenal couldn't connect 3 passes in a row and didn't have a single shot all night.

 

I'd love to see Copenhagen demolish Chelsea tomorrow, but I don't think it will happen. I personally hope the draw looks a little something like this:

 

Barcelona vs Schalke 04

Tottenham vs Manchester United

Chelsea vs Shakhtar

Inter vs Lyon

 

I hope and pray Madrid go crashing out with a bang. I think Inter will overcome Bayern and I think Chelsea and Manchester United have easy wins.

[beano5 14]

I would have to respectively disagree about Puyol and Pique, all WC, the commentators even claimed that was the weak spot was the center of the defense, as is the same with Barca. If you meet a team with strong center mids and strong strikers (Man U, Chelsea, Inter) then it could smell trouble. I just don't wanna see Barca win because they have so many players that have earned trophies since '08 with Spain and clubs.

[beano5 14]

I also hope that Chelsea get destroyed, but realistically, it won't happen. And my girlfriend had asked me yesterday who I wanted to win, Arsenal or Barca, I told her that was like asking if you'd rather be shot or stabbed, that's how I feel about those 2 teams hahahaha.

[VivaFutbol 10]

And my girlfriend had asked me yesterday who I wanted to win/QUOTE]

 

That's a keeper right there...lol

 

And about Puyol and Pique, when both are in good form, it's hard to crack the defense. When teams are only seeing 25% of the ball, I think it makes the defensive mistakes stand out more (if that makes sense). Also we are putrid at defending set pieces. That's why I fear a team like Tottenham over a team like Manchester United. Tottenham has speed on the wing and a tall striker in Crouch and you could throw in Roman as well coming of the bench. I personally think Abidal has played wonderful in Puyol's absence as a center half. Busquets was wonderful over the weekend against Zaragoza, but let us down with the own goal against Arsenal. But overall, depending on the draw, if Manchester United and Barcelona avoid each other, it will be a 2009 rematch.

[beano5 14]

Agreed wholeheartedly, I think the set-up is to where it will end up a rematch. You can't forget about one of the best players in soccer right now as well, Gareth Bale. That man is dominant and can change a game, with him and Lennon on the wings, any team will struggle with the speed of them. I think United can hang with them with Evra and Rafael at the outside backs and Nani (if he's back and they draw Tottenham) and whoever else on the other side. Either way the draw works, I see it a Barca-United rematch. And United is the ONLY EPL team that has a shot at winning it. Period.