Champions League Semi-Finals

[tototoner]

Barcelona 3 Chelsea 2 - Sergio Ramos

 

[tobi]

I think this week may have shown up the quality of La Liga. Real and Barca may well be the two best sides in the world, but they don't face the same calibre of opposition as Bayern and Chelsea do week in, week out, and I think that is a key reason why both teams lost.

Maybe but I wouldn't say that's the reason for Real not going through tonight, to me they didn't have a game plan. I don't think Bayern did either but their players were fresher going into the game and played better overall.

 

[tototoner]

I think this week may have shown up the quality of La Liga. Real and Barca may well be the two best sides in the world, but they don't face the same calibre of opposition as Bayern and Chelsea do week in, week out, and I think that is a key reason why both teams lost.

I think the fact they played each other last weekend and couldn't rest any players is the main reason why both are out

 

[HappySpur]

Let's see there were 8 teams left in the two European competitions. 5 of those were from La Liga. Neither Barca nor Madrid were blown out. The league is far from the southern version of the SPL so many want to paint it as

 

[DEFchenkOE]

I think this week may have shown up the quality of La Liga. Real and Barca may well be the two best sides in the world, but they don't face the same calibre of opposition as Bayern and Chelsea do week in, week out, and I think that is a key reason why both teams lost.

I disagree, remember that the English champs went out in the group stages then got spanked twice by Bilbao. There were 2 spanish teams in the CL semi final and 3 in the EL semi finals. Ok so both went out in the CL but Real was on pens and Barca just missed too many chances, clear chances as well not half chances.

 

[seanwhite1961]

"In the 1975 European Cup Final Bayern Munich beat an aging English side whose 30-something manager had been sacked some months before after losing the dressing room following an attempt to rebuild."

"In the 1981 European Cup Final Bayern Munich lost to an English side whose 30-something manager had resigned some months before after a dispute with the board over his contract."

 

[Marty]

I disagree, remember that the English champs went out in the group stages then got spanked twice by Bilbao. There were 2 spanish teams in the CL semi final and 3 in the EL semi finals. Ok so both went out in the CL but Real was on pens and Barca just missed too many chances, clear chances as well not half chances.

But the other Spanish sides clearly take the Europa League so much more seriously than the rest of Europe does, apart from maybe the Portuguese. It's the one competition they actually have a chance of winning. I don't think Man U will repeat their horrendous campaign in the CL any time soon, and neither them nor City prioritised the EL the same way Valencia, Bilbao, Atl. Madrid et.al. have done.

 

[Hoddle_Ledge]

A slight positive if there can be one from Chelsea winning

John Terry barred from lifting European Cup if Chelsea win final

• Uefa reluctant to let a suspended player on to the pitch

 

[HappySpur]

But the other Spanish sides clearly take the Europa League so much more seriously than the rest of Europe does, apart from maybe the Portuguese. It's the one competition they actually have a chance of winning. I don't think Man U will repeat their horrendous campaign in the CL any time soon, and neither them nor City prioritised the EL the same way Valencia, Bilbao, Atl. Madrid et.al. have done.

The Germans take it very serious.

And perhaps the Spanish sides take it seriously because they have the strength, talent and depth to do so. We don't make this argument when a Fulham or a Boro make it to the final. We revert to it when they then lose to a Spanish side.

 

[cwy21]

Team like Fulham makes it too EL final = Thats how good England is. Its 9th best team can make a European final.

English teams crash out like this year = Well, the English teams really don't care about it that much.

 

[tototoner]

@honigstein: Mourinho went to Bayern changing room and congratulated every player

 

[felmani26]

Another unbelievable semi and who'd have thought a Bayern - Chelsea final was possible?!

Bayern will still be hot favourites though and even though it will be more of an open affair, i think the Germans will prevail.

By the way, how good was Neuer for that shoot-out - made himself absolutely huge in goal!

 

[Marty]

Another unbelievable semi and who'd have thought a Bayern - Chelsea final was possible?!

Bayern will still be hot favourites though and even though it will be more of an open affair, i think the Germans will prevail.

By the way, how good was Neuer for that shoot-out - made himself absolutely huge in goal!

Immense, neither Ronaldo's or Kaka's penalties were as easy saves as he made them look.

With so many defensive players out for both sides in the final I think we can safely predict that we will see a few goals. Just hope Bayern get more of them.

 

[felmani26]

Immense, neither Ronaldo's or Kaka's penalties were as easy saves as he made them look.

With so many defensive players out for both sides in the final I think we can safely predict that we will see a few goals. Just hope Bayern get more of them.

Even without a host of players, you absolutely can't rule Chelsea out here as the way the last two games have shown, ANYTHING can happen in football!

But naturally I will rooting for Bayern and hope they destroy Chelsea good and proper.

 

[tototoner]

To win CL

Bayern 4/9
Chelsea 7/4

 

[thinktank]

Holy fucking shit!!

 

[Bus-Conductor]

I think this week may have shown up the quality of La Liga. Real and Barca may well be the two best sides in the world, but they don't face the same calibre of opposition as Bayern and Chelsea do week in, week out, and I think that is a key reason why both teams lost.

An excellent point. La Liga is one of the most overrated leagues on the planet. There are only two games actually worth watching: Barca vs Real and Real vs Barca. The remaining games are just beyond dull. The most imposrtant thing is that Barca is out. Real was my favourite for the title.

Unlike all the high calibre, thrilling EPL games like Stoke v Sunderland you mean ?

Get a fucking grip. The sixth placed side in Spain gave ManU a footballing lesson and Chelsea just did a Greece on Barca.

 

[Partizan]

 

[ShelfSide18]

La Liga is comfortably better than the Premiership, comfortably.

5 out of the 8 European Semi Finalists this season were Spanish, it's a technically better league, tactically better league and there's no Stoke anywhere to be seen.

Bilbao were 11th in La Liga when they dismantled Man Utd twice, although I doubt Utd would have rolled over so easily had it been the Champions League, but still.

 

[seanwhite1961]

Bilbao selected their first team for the Man U games and made several changes for their league games. A few weeks ago they played Europa on Thursday and then had to face Barca away on Saturday night. That's why they dropped to 11th in La Liga.

With 4 games left they are 6th and easily able to finish 5th. Pretty much the same as Chelsea(5th) beating Barca(2nd).