Watching a football match from the europa cup, and notice thant none of the 22 players on the pitch (plus subs), had black boots, green yellow, red, orange, pink, blue you pick a colour, but none had good old black boots, by now old school equipment. A sign of the times for sure
My adrenaline was pumping hard the last 10 minutes of the Chelsea V PSG Tuesday night, I didn’t think they were going to make it.
Let’s see what the draw has in store tomorrow.
Tito Vilanova R.I.P.
Great first half by Real Madrid, I confess my surprise a 0-4 result was not in my expectations, but I was surprise also in the first game
for me Bayer main problem was that they won the league to early, also the actual Bundesliga is a walk in the park for them no real competion,and that is not good when you face big teams from more competitive leagues.
And lets face it its also the end of tiki taka, if it doesn’t work no more in Barcelona it will not work in Munich, and its so strange to see a German team playing that way, with lots os possesion going around, and not straight away to the goal like I was used to.
I took a lot of defeats for RM at the hands of Barcelona, but they and others found, the antidote for tiki taka.
Sad for Xavi Alonso a great player should be in the final
Saturday’s Champions League final?
This time I support Atlético… 
I think most ‘neutral’ football supporters will support Atlético tonight (may heart beats for them too).
It’s only normal to sympathize with the outsider, and even though they won the title this year, Atlético doesn’t have the overall international reputation of their ‘Big Brothers’ from Madrid.
If I had to make a guess, I’d still say Real Madrid. Seems to me they have the better players.
There is no doubt about that, but Ancelotti is an uncaring, half-hearted coach… Simeone on the other hand knows how to psych up the team before the game.
That is true, but for me there is an additional reason to support Atlético… ;D
In Spain I really never supported the big teams, always liked Athletic Bilbao, no explanation possible, but yes its normal for most people from other countries than the teams in the final to support the “underdogs”, but Athletico is a tricky underdog, they won the league. Also my “sources” told me Ronaldo is injured, not 100% fit.
Simeone is the most wanted coach around, these day, let’s see how the game will go, my forecast is that the team who scores first will win, RM cause thay can counter like no other team can do, and AM cause they are very solid, and with an advantage almost impossible to beat. I just hope none of the PORTUGUESE players came out with an injury, all of them (except Tiago who sadly quit playing the national side, something i really can’t understand), are important for the world cup.
Anyway got the beer and all the football kit ready for the game.
[quote=“JonathanCorbett, post:2207, topic:527”]There is no doubt about that, but Ancelotti is an uncaring, half-hearted coach… Simeone on the other hand knows how to psych up the team before the game.
That is true, but for me there is an additional reason to support Atlético… ;D
Aha, insieme anti-Inter e anti-Mourinho
I ragazzi zeru tituli
Well, Milan has a few titles. I’ll still support Atletico, I think …
Looking forward to the match, actually. It’s something special, two teams from the same city.
For those who don’t know the phrase “zeru tituli”
AhAh i think right now AC Milan wouldn’t mind having Mourinho as coach, what surprises me is a team team like Manchester city not being able to compete in two fronts, with the choice of players they had.
City have great players, but as it team they weren’t strong enough face tot face to both Bayern and Barcelona this year. That was of course serious opposition.
I agree with you that the team scoring the first goal will likely win the game tonight. Atletico because they are so strong in defense when they’re one goal up (and can lean back), and Real because they play the best counter football on the planet.
But that’s also the reason why I fear we’re going to have an unspectaculair game, unless one of the two teams scores an early goal. If that doesn’t happen, neither of the two will want to take any risk, and we’ll get a game like the Milan - Juventus final of a decade or so ago, one of the worst finals I’ve ever seen (sorry Jonathan)
[quote=“scherpschutter, post:2212, topic:527”]I agree with you that the team scoring the first goal will likely win the game tonight. Atletico because they are so strong in defense when they’re one goal up (and can lean back), and Real because they play the best counter football on the planet.
But that’s also the reason why I fear we’re going to have an unspectaculair game, unless one of the two teams scores an early goal. If that doesn’t happen, neither of the two will want to take any risk, and we’ll get a game like the Milan - Juventus final of a decade or so ago, one of the worst finals I’ve ever seen (sorry Jonathan)[/quote]
Yap I remember that final, even a game of the league I sometimes play would have been better, but those were Italians teams, with Spanish teams I think that won’t be happening, at least in the all 90 minutes like it did in the AC/Inter final.
Pepe won’t be playing, and Benzema is in doubt
Wow. 1-1 after 90 minutes, extra time and (wouldn’t surprise me) penalties
Not a great game, the best players not playing at their very best (Ronaldo in particular), but a lot of suspense, Hitchcock style
Starting the game with injuried players is quite risk, and now with extra time, let’s wait and see
It was a very physical game, the players work very tired
Don’t know anything about the weather conditions, probably a warm night too
Well well, 4-1
I think it’s a deserved win for Real overall, but 4-1 is too much and I feel sorry for this brave Atletico team.
Simeone did a lot for this club, but tonight he gambled wrong, to start with an injured players and using his possibilities to replace players too quickly. Atletic virtually played with ten men during extra-time, with Juanfran being injured.
Not very warm Sherp perfect conditions for the game, the night have been quite chilly lately a bit more 12/14º
Three players for RM were great in this game, Sergio Ramos Modric and Di Maria, with Casillas on the other side almost giving it away. But in the end i fell sorry for AM, they did almost everything right except, only one mistake. Godin JuanFan Tiago Koke were great, yes but replacing one player at the start of the game. In this ocasion the responsability is from the player he must have said he was fit otherwise he wouldn’t have started, i still remember when Diiego Costa was plying in the Portuguese second league, how things can cahnge for a player
RM also played with ten men, Benzema shouldn’t have started, but the extra time was too much for AM players.
Normally I’m not a fan of Di Maria, but tonight he was the best player on the pitch. The others you mention were great too. I think it was also the psychological blow of that late Real equilizer. The Atletico players looked demoralized.
So, we’ve had the FA Cup final and the Champions League and all has been interesting enough.
But today is the day when the important stuff gets decided.
For the rest of today and tomorrow I will be nervous, elated, distraught, scared, happy and exhausted in equal measure. One thing is for sure though, whatever happens and whatever the score I will be mostly drunk.
[size=18pt]Come on you O’s!!![/size]