UEFA Champions League 2013-14

Some rockin' contests this week, some incredible goals and saves. And Messi (ho-hum) gets another hat trick. AND...the Blues lost at the dog track! That alone made my day.

 

We beat them 1-0 at the Cottage and then held on after taking a 2-0 lead, to beat them 3-2 in the snow at their place. Not to discourage you having a laugh at Chelsea's expense but this is hardly the same Basel team. For one that was 4 years ago. And another, Murat Yakin wasn't the manager when we played them.

I'll never forget that snow match, btw. I had to go to a pub to watch it (on Setanta) and Don wasn't able to make it. I almost didn't bother going as a result and also because we had to win that match to get out of the group stage and our road form then wasn't good. But I did, and so it was that I found myself in a corner booth alone, decked out in Fulham gear, watching on the only tv turned to soccer, with no sound. I remember the people at the table next to me looking at me weird when I went nuts as we scored 2 quick goals to take a 2-0 lead right before halftime. Basel pulled it back to 2-1 early in the 2nd half but Gera answered to put us up 3-1 about 10 minutes later. Basel scored a 2nd very late and we were hanging on from there. That's easily one of the best and most memorable Fulham matches I've ever watched and one of the most rewarding.

 

Caught the final 8 minutes plus stoppage of the Ajax v AC Milan match, and so glad that I don't watch Serie A and the antics of Balotelli. In that short span he blatantly dove 3 times. Ajax grabbed a 1-0 in the 88th, but Balotelli was rewarded for cheating on his third dive (I assume there were more in the previous 80+ minutes) when he literally grabbed and tumbled with an Ajax defender. It was a brutally bad call and as talented as he is, I would have a hard time rooting for my team if a jack-ass like Balotelli was part of it. With Barca in the group, Ajax's goal had to be to snag 2nd place to advance, but a home win over AC was a must and it was stolen from them by a cheat.

 

Yup. Just awful. And a prime exhibit of why Americans don't like futbol.

 

Sacha did draw a legitimate penalty that would have tied it, but his Anderlecht teammate blew the pk on their way to losing 0-3 to Olympiakos.

Citeh torn to shreds by Bayern 3-1, with an assist by a Joe Hart mistake. Every player goes thru slumps or poor runs of form, but Hart has been less than stellar for well over a season.

 

The 4 English sides managed a whooping 1 goal in the first games of the knockout stages :laughing-rolling: Even funnier is that it was Torres from the Undead.

 

And that one goal was an away goal in a 1-1 draw, so Chelsea will probably advance and may just win the whole thing again on a wing and a prayer. Mr. Mourinho may have something to do with it as well. :banana-linedance: :banana-linedance: :banana-linedance:

D'oh!

 

Peter Cech gets undercut and the Big Aussie gets to realize his dream of Champions League football, in a semi-final no less. Congrats to Mark.

 

0-0 away.

I'd put my $$$ on Chelsea. The next Man Utd. manager will take them through to the final. And the Big Aussie steps in - as much as I hate it I love it.

 

Ugh, I don't want Chelsea to win but I think they will pull it off. And, my Irish memory won't forgive Atletico for their performance in a cup final a few years back against a certain club. Other than that, I have nothing against a Spanish squad that plays great football. And in a completely arbitrary manner, I like the city of Munich more than Madrid, so I don't feel bad about supporting Bayern. Now I'm off for a siesta.

 

Chelsea, the most painfully boring team per $ spent in the world. Effectively got the draw on the road, but also made the match unwatchable. So, I hope Madrid win because I won't be watching a Chelsea final.

Real looks like a forgone conclusion at this point. Bayern are in a bad run of form and they're getting beat at (what used to be) their own game. I still don't understand why they went with Guardiola after demonstrating the last couple of years how to beat tiki taka football.

So I guess I'm rooting for an all Madrid final, purely from an entertainment standpoint.

 

It looks like an all-Madrid final, as the Undead need 3 goals in the last 5 minutes :shock:. Feel bad for Mark, but not at fault for any of the Athletico goals, and anytime the Special One pouts on the sidelines is a good thing.

 

An intriguing final in Lisbon. Gotta like Real's chances, but Atletico is the real deal. Same TV deal here in the States as last year, does anybody know? I'll be watching, should be quite entertaining. Nice to see the "other" Madrid team doing well. Makes life more interesting. Felt bad for the Aussie...he deserved better from Terry and his chumps.

 

Fantastic Final in Lisbon w/Real scoring 3 goals in the 2nd added extra time to beat Athletico 4-1. Real's onslaught of the AM goal in the last 30 minutes of regulation finally paid off in the 93rd minute of a very dubious 5 minutes given of injury time. I wonder if Simeone regretted starting Costa who if Wynalda is correct was a scripted sub-out after 9-10 minutes in the first half. Athletico could of used the fresh pair of legs late in the match.

 

What did I learn today? Horse placenta doesn't work.