Guest koenji Posted April 17, 2011 Share Posted April 17, 2011 Barca got a draw, which wins them the league basically against the 2nd best team in world in there back-yard. How people can say that is a massive sign of weakness in a team is beyond me. Real HAD TO win tonight to stand any-chance of winning the league and they failed. at least it was am improvement on their 5-0 performance Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Posted April 17, 2011 Share Posted April 17, 2011 Both teams will take that, I sense. For Barca, it confirms the league and ensures there won't be a grandstand finish. For Real, Mourinho will take heart from causing Barca problems - I haven't seen Barca want a game to end for quite a long time. Doesn't change my belief Barca will go through in the CL though. What were the possession stats? There were a fair few periods of 20-30 passes strung together by Pep's boys and that wouldn't have pleased the home faithful. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
David28 Posted April 17, 2011 Share Posted April 17, 2011 Barca got a draw, which wins them the league basically against the 2nd best team in world in there back-yard. How people can say that is a massive sign of weakness in a team is beyond me. Real HAD TO win tonight to stand any-chance of winning the league and they failed. I think Mourinho saw this more as a 'test match' for the next 3 against them. Yesterday wasn't that important for them (of course he would have liked to get a win, though) - the league was lost before that game. It'll be important for them to beat Barca in the cup and/or in the CL over two legs. To be down to 10 men for almost the whole 2nd half and still come back to end 1-1 isn't too bad for them and shows that they can beat them in the other competitions. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taylor Swift Posted April 17, 2011 Share Posted April 17, 2011 Yup. Real should take a lot of heart from being able to cause the Barca defence a lot of problems and more importantly, limiting the number of clear chances that Barca created. IIRC, Barca didn't have one chance where you would say that they should have scored. They scored from a penalty but otherwise didn't have any clear cut chances whereas Real actually had a few good chances to score. Mourinho has Inter'd this Real team and they look very ready for the next three Clasicos. Mourinho has already mentioned how it's all right to draw 0-0 at home in the CL in the first leg (he said this against Spurs but it applies even more against Barca) then try to score an away goal in the second leg. I think that's exactly how he'll set up the Real side - much like he did today. They'll plan for the 0-0 at home, defend very deep - 11 men in their half, like last night - and hope to score a counter-attacking goal. If they do, they're in full control. If they don't, try again in the second leg, where a goal probably dooms Barca. The way Real defended last night made it very difficult for Barca to create chances. That'll be different in the Mestalla this Wednesday because it's a one and done cup final, and in the Camp Nou in the second leg, but Madrid should be a lot more confident after drawing last night's match. Barca weren't really going for it last night so it'll be interesting to see whether they're more expansive in the other three Clasicos because a goal in the Bernabeu in the first leg would completely change the face of the tie. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frazzle Posted April 17, 2011 Share Posted April 17, 2011 The only time in the next three that last night's game is repeated (i.e. Real at home) is the first leg of the CL tie and a 1-1 in that game would be a pretty bad result for Real so I don't think they can take too much confidence from the result. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tooj Posted April 17, 2011 Share Posted April 17, 2011 I fancy Madrid to win the semi-final over two legs. However, both teams weren't really busting a gut to win last night, especially Barca. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taylor Swift Posted April 17, 2011 Share Posted April 17, 2011 I actually reckon we'd have a better final if it was Real vs Man Utd because both teams would play to score. If Barca go through then whoever they play will defend as deep and as much as Real did last night, and look to try to score on the counter. Man Utd already have a history of doing this ('08 semis and '09 final) so it wouldn't be the best game for the neutrals. If I'm Mourinho I'd certainly be a lot more confident about the semis because that was certainly reminiscent of Inter v Barca last year. It's going to be very tight. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
madras Posted April 17, 2011 Share Posted April 17, 2011 I fancy Madrid to win the semi-final over two legs. However, both teams weren't really busting a gut to win last night, especially Barca. barce always look like that though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
David28 Posted April 17, 2011 Share Posted April 17, 2011 Yup. Real should take a lot of heart from being able to cause the Barca defence a lot of problems and more importantly, limiting the number of clear chances that Barca created. IIRC, Barca didn't have one chance where you would say that they should have scored. They scored from a penalty but otherwise didn't have any clear cut chances whereas Real actually had a few good chances to score. Mourinho has Inter'd this Real team and they look very ready for the next three Clasicos. Mourinho has already mentioned how it's all right to draw 0-0 at home in the CL in the first leg (he said this against Spurs but it applies even more against Barca) then try to score an away goal in the second leg. I think that's exactly how he'll set up the Real side - much like he did today. They'll plan for the 0-0 at home, defend very deep - 11 men in their half, like last night - and hope to score a counter-attacking goal. If they do, they're in full control. If they don't, try again in the second leg, where a goal probably dooms Barca. The way Real defended last night made it very difficult for Barca to create chances. That'll be different in the Mestalla this Wednesday because it's a one and done cup final, and in the Camp Nou in the second leg, but Madrid should be a lot more confident after drawing last night's match. Barca weren't really going for it last night so it'll be interesting to see whether they're more expansive in the other three Clasicos because a goal in the Bernabeu in the first leg would completely change the face of the tie. I don't think they'll 'play to get a 0-0'. They'll probably be happy with it if it ends up that way but there's no way that they won't try to score goals in the home game. Inter got it right last season by beating Barca 3-1 at home - I can see Real trying the same this time. I think you need a 2 goal advantage going into Camp Nou. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Snrub Posted April 17, 2011 Share Posted April 17, 2011 So Mourinho didn't allow the pitch to get watered or cut before the game, and he's sent the ground staff on leave until after they play each other there in the Champions League. And some people think this guy is good for the game.. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frazzle Posted April 17, 2011 Share Posted April 17, 2011 As long as it in the rules its fine by me. I think you should be able to use things like that to your advantage. I remember when all the S. American teams were complaining about having to play at high altitude in Bolivia. Tough! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tooj Posted April 17, 2011 Share Posted April 17, 2011 I fancy Madrid to win the semi-final over two legs. However, both teams weren't really busting a gut to win last night, especially Barca. barce always look like that though. You reckon? I think they took it easy last night as everything wasn't riding on that one result. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Posted April 17, 2011 Share Posted April 17, 2011 Barca definitely took it easy last night. After the goal and red card, I thought they'd smell blood but an onslaught never materialised and Real grew in strength. In the end, it was Barca IMO who were the ones holding on a bit. Barca were more casual than I thought they'd be. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ketsbaia Posted April 17, 2011 Share Posted April 17, 2011 Last night made me even more excited for the next three tbh. Its fascinating how these four will pan out and last night was a nice bit of foreplay to the rest. Barca took it easy; they're pacing themselves and it worked. Got a horrible feeling Real will knock them out of the CL though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pandamninator Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 So Mourinho didn't allow the pitch to get watered or cut before the game, and he's sent the ground staff on leave until after they play each other there in the Champions League. And some people think this guy is good for the game.. lol. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/competitions/champions-league/7646491/Barcelona-v-Inter-Milan-as-it-happened.html Barcelona watered the pitch last year more then usual last year, no doubt they are scum too right... And by watering the pitch more then usual, I don't just mean when they turned on the sprinklers on the Inter players after they lost .. but yeah, Jose is the scumbag. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 Villarreal are in a bit of a sticky patch at the moment. Lost 3 out of their last 5 and currently unable to break down 17th place Zaragoza at home. They probably have too much of a lead over Bilbao to not qualify for the CL but they're wobbling. Definitely fancy Porto to knock them out the Waffa. Haha, the home fans aren't happy with the ref to say the least. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 Villarreal bailed out by an abysmal challenge. Rossi tucks away the penalty. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AliGupter Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 Can't believe they tried to appeal that so vehemently, ridiculous tackle. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 Villarreal are in a bit of a sticky patch at the moment. Lost 3 out of their last 5 and currently unable to break down 17th place Zaragoza at home. They probably have too much of a lead over Bilbao to not qualify for the CL but they're wobbling. Definitely fancy Porto to knock them out the Waffa. Haha, the home fans aren't happy with the ref to say the least. They're often ropey the match following a European game. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Snrub Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 Who's watching this one then? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Snrub Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 Madrid have started much brighter. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ObiChrisKenobi Posted April 21, 2011 Share Posted April 21, 2011 http://i.imgur.com/Ti1Dx.jpg Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Geordiesned Posted April 21, 2011 Share Posted April 21, 2011 Sergio Ramos dropped the Cup off the open top bus in the early hours of this morning and it went under the bus wheels! What a tool! http://m.youtube.com/index?desktop_uri=%2F&gl=GB#/watch?v=Q2BWcGIFXh0 I'm not sure if that link will work as done from mobile. If not, search for "Le bus du Real Madrid écrase la Coupe du Roi !" on YouTube. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raconteur Posted April 21, 2011 Share Posted April 21, 2011 Saw that on the news - awesome! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ponsaelius Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 Lots of rumours about Giuseppe Rossi going to Barca in the summer, would be a good signing but it would be a shame to see him on the bench all the time. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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