UEFA Champions League 2008-09

[Galee]

Sh*t happens. When you support Chelsea you get use to it.

Examples. The Liverpool goal that never was a few years ago. Can anyone honestly say the ball definitely crossed the line?
Last years penalty fiasco.
Last nights game.

Having just seem BM's clip I can't condone Drogbas behaviour. I can understand it, but he's a professional who should maintain professional standards.

At least Michel Platinni will be happy there isn't a repeat of last years final.

[Ba Bob]

Good to see your taking it well galee not as hard as this bloke

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story ... 25&cc=9999

[beer monkey]

About time they changed the aggregate system, they play 2 legs each team plays at home so its even, so why do they have it.

[BobHelm]

I think the theory of it is to encourage (by rewarding away goals) teams to attack away from home & so make a more entertaining game.
I am not sure if it works though.

[Galee]

About time they changed the aggregate system, they play 2 legs each team plays at home so its even, so why do they have it.

We were talking about this at golf today. If it's 0-0 after 90 mins play extra time in both matches. If after that it's still even have pens at the end of the second match.

I really want Utd to win the final, but fear UEFA have another agenda. Expect more of the same at the Final.

[beer monkey]

another agenda

There has been talk of UEFA not wanting a all Brit team final..(well.. a brit team in name not players)..couldn't be right ..could it..?..

[beer monkey]

The Referee has received death threats.

[BobHelm]

Barcelona's players applauded John Terry and sang his name after he congratulated them on their progress by going into their dressing room and shaking hands with each of them.

A class act for certain...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/footbal ... 039375.stm

[Zidane]

Barcelona v Manchester United.....kick off 7.45pm UK Time......1.45am Thai time Thursday morning.
Dont miss it.....could be a late finish in Thailand......come on United !!

[Galee]

The referee for tonight's game is Swiss. In the past he has ref'd numerous matches involving Spains National side and Spanish clubs in Europe.

In all the games he has ref'd, not once has a Spanish side lost. Expect more controversy.

I really hope Man Utd win, if they do I'll be turning the TV off as soon as the match finishes. Seeing them celebrate 2 years on the trot will be a little bit too much.

[saint]

galee , im not surprised , see my post on the chelsea ref thread !!!!! im not a gambling man , but if i was my money would be on barca . i realy hope im proved wrong

[saint]

just an after thought , but i wonder if vidic will stay on the field for the 90 minutes . red card him and united have big problems .

[vlad]

Well ive just been to Tesco and stocked up with singah and tiger going to turn the fire up full put the shorts and flip flops on and think im in the chareon watching the game on the big screen can't be there with you guy's but im sure you will be supporting the reds. Want to see Ronaldo take the p ss out of messi he has told his close friends here that this is his last game for united. Teves is deff gone word is Scouseland.

[vlad]

So there goes the final whistle respect to Barca better team on the night utd never looked like scoring because barca never let them. No escuse's just beaten by the better side.

[BobHelm]

I did not stay up to watch.
Congratulations to Barcelona.
While I would have been delighted if Man U had won Barca have undoubtedly played the most attractive football in Europe this year. As Vlad says, from the reports I have read. the better team on the night won - as it always should be.
As far as United go - I hope it will highlight within the club the inadequacies they have often displayed this season. In my opinion, they were some what fortunate to win the Premiership (bad managerial decision by Chelsea, not enough quality depth in the Liverpool squad, Arsenal rebuilding) and luck may not be with them next season....

[Galee]

Well that was disappointing. Commiserations to all Man Utd supporters.

It's easy to be critical of the Man Utd players after the event, but unfortunately too many Man U players decided to have an off day. Some of the passing looked as though it was the first time they had played together. Surprised at SAF's tactics. Did he make a mistake?

After all my concerns i thought one of the best performances on the park was from the ref.

[cfcmik]

Seemed to me that Utd treated the final like a home premiership game against WBA (no offence Baggies!)
Didn't Fergie look at the Chelsea v Barca games? Chelsea defended deep, didn't allow Barca space in the final third and were very close to knocking them out. If Utd had adopted the same approach I'm sure they had the firepower up front to punish them on the break. Isn't hindsight a wonderful thing.

[BKKSTAN]

I agree the ref did a great job.barca defnded high disrupting the passing and the Man.Utd. backline didn't perform to the normal high standards.The best team of the night won,though Ronaldo had some good chances,just not connecting.The passing by barca was superb.

Disappointing for us Man Utd. fans ,but a deserving win for Barca! =D> =D>

[Zidane]

Well,I went to bed this morning at 4am hoping that when I woke up it would all be a bad dream and the Final would,in fact,be 24 hours later......but,no,its real enough !
For the first 9 minutes United were excellent.....Ronaldo fizzing the shots in.....shot count 5-0 in Uniteds favour....but then in the 10th minute Eto'o turned Vidic in the area and that was it....game over !
The match reminded me very much of the United v Liverpool game in March where Liverpool cut holes in Uniteds midfield.This time it was Xavi and Iniesta who tore United to shreds.United sorely missed a holding midfielder like Fletcher and,of course,Hargreaves has been out all season.I thought the scoreline of 2-0 actually flattered United.
Possibly United could have played Rafael at full back and put O'Shea in the holding midfield role but even if Sir Alex would himself have been the referee I doubt if it would have made much difference to the result.
The referee,I thought,had a very good game.
So congratulations to Barcelona who deservedly won the Final.Wether or not they should have been there in the first place is another matter !
So United have ended up with 3 trophies which has flattered to deceive.Hopefully Hargreaves will be back next season but the midfield is still woefully short of real quality.Scholes and Giggs have been great servants to the club but,surely,next season will be their last playing for United.
Up front United could well sign Tevez,permanently, for 25.5m but the jury remains out on Berbatov.
In defence they are not too bad with young lads like Rafael and Evans in reserve but Evra has looked decidedly dodgy the last couple of months.
Bob,I'm surprised you didnt watch the Final (although it was the right decision).Had the Beer Changs already taken their toll by 1.45am ??

[BobHelm]

Nice match summary (as always Zidane).
I have been 'off the beer' for the week, so that was not the issue.
To be perfectly honest I never really expected a United victory, so when I felt sleepy at 11 thought "go to bed, if karma is with United you will wake up at 2 to watch it". It would appear me & karma made the correct decision....