2013-04-12, 06:30 | Link #4241 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2004
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EL semi final draw:
Fenerbahce v Benfica Basel v Chelsea I can't say either draw excites me. I think a Benfica v Chelsea final in Amsterdam is a safe bet. CL draw on the other hand: Bayern Munich v Barcelona Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid Can't wait for it, I think we'll get a German final. Bayern's current form will be too much for Barca and Dortmund has already beaten Real earlier this season (2-1 win at home and 2-2 in Madrid) and they should be able to repeat that feat.
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2013-04-12, 09:02 | Link #4242 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
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The EL is anyone's guess.
Basel are skilled giant killers, Chelsea has the best squad but face a brutal set of fixtures in april and may. Fenerbahce look the least impressive but have been solid at grinding out results. If they make it to the final they will play a home game in Amsterdam. Benfica hasn't really impressed either but were a class above Newcastle. CL looks interesting. Bayern will answer the question if Barcelona are still unbeatable in open play. Real's form has improved during the season but will it be enough against Dortmund? Both sides have had plenty of time to study the other. Probably going to end up a tactical chess game. |
2013-04-12, 11:49 | Link #4243 |
Spinning round and round~
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Singapore
Age: 32
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Dortmund against Real again?! This will be the third and fourth meeting within the same competition (they met in the group stages), but it'll be a much higher stakes affair this time. Bundesliga vs. La Liga final > El Clasico Final. It's like Euro 2008 all over again.
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2013-04-13, 12:28 | Link #4247 |
Spinning round and round~
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Singapore
Age: 32
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Man we nearly got screwed over by the officials (denied a penalty, and conceded an undeserved free-kick). Bold substitutions by Wenger and I especially applaud the move for Oxlade-Chamberlain to take the central midfield position. His pace and technique helped create the opening and a very sharp pass into the six-yard box brought us the vital lead and turned everything around. Mind the gap, yo.
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2013-04-23, 12:17 | Link #4252 |
~AD~
Join Date: Oct 2006
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1>8
Man, that code hurts... Getting a hattrick on a match that wins you Premier League on your first season with the rival of your previous team. Congratz to van Persie. I would certainly say, your move to MU is a very good choice. Now waiting for Bayern vs Barca... Will rooting for Bayern tonight. |
2013-04-23, 12:23 | Link #4253 |
Spinning round and round~
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Singapore
Age: 32
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I find it really funny that van Persie's "title-clinching hat-trick" were actually all offside at one point of time (none of them should have stood). 1) build-up for the first one by Valencia, 2) just about a foot in behind the last defender (yet the finish was a volley of absolute quality, really brilliant at that, this fella), 3) his foot is ahead the two defenders. As long as any playable part of the body (hands not included) is in an offside position, the assistant should flag. Just poor refereeing, and giving more fuel for anti-United haters who claim United bought the FA over and the referees.
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2013-04-23, 15:43 | Link #4254 |
Banned
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Hamburg
Age: 54
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Wow. Just wow. Bayern destroy Barcelona 4:0 in the first semifinal.
Yes, 2 of these goals weren't legit (2:0 was offside, 3:0 was a bodycheck), but overall, the result has been very fair. I can't remember EVER seeing Barcelona so helpless on the attack and shaky in the defense. 68% possession, but NO danger whatsoever. Sorry, I don't see Barcelona overturning this. |
2013-04-23, 15:44 | Link #4255 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
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Bayern won an impressive victory and a pretty certain place in the final against a rather lackluster Barcelona.
Same day that the news was leaked that Dortmund's star player Götze will join Bayern next season. Bit of a blow for both the Bundesliga and European football as the most promising young team around seems to be dismantled before it had a chance to really compete. |
2013-04-23, 16:40 | Link #4258 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2004
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Honestly I think this result has been coming for Barça for a long time now and Bayern was the team who was at the right place at the right time. There were several El Classico in which Real should have been comfortably ahead by half time, there was that away match against AC Milan in which Barca's first shot on goal was in the 90th minute and Barca didn't win against PSG. The symptoms were there but the result didn't quite reflect it, but now it does.
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2013-04-23, 17:12 | Link #4259 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
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That's certainly true. With the power of hindsight, I think Barcelona's decline started in the last year of Guardiola. In first half of the current season they had a temporary resurgence with Vilanova but the magic is running out.
That will be a tough rebuilt as a number of key players are nearing the end of their careers and the current defensive weakness needs to be addressed. They'll need their youngsters as Barcelona is not the most competent club when it comes to transfers either. |
2013-04-23, 19:41 | Link #4260 |
Spinning round and round~
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Singapore
Age: 32
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Barcelona had it coming because of their over-reliance on Messi. Shut down Messi, shut down Barcelona. He's got amazing records and all but that only reflects his particular quality as a player, rather than reflecting on Barcelona as a team.
They were never the strongest at the back and now they were well-exposed. Pretty much game over at this point. However with the purchase of Gotze I fear the Bundesliga will fall into a sure-fire "Bayern wins all the time" scenario, and we already know the La Liga has already fallen into something similar already. |
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football, soccer |
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