UEFA Champions League Semifinals

[Telson11]

UEFA Champions League Semifinals:
Bayern Munich V Real Madrid (April 23 and 29)
Chelsea V Atletico Madrid (April 22 and 30)

Which team do you think will win this season's title?
I would prefer to see Real Madrid and Chelsea meet in the finals.

[Penalty Rates]

Bayern München, as they are the only team who deserves to be there.

[Telson11]

I also want to see Guardiola's Bayern win the champions

[MG&Son]

Bayern München, as they are the only team who deserves to be there.

How so?

[Adolf Hĭtler]

Did the others win their domestic league last season?

[MG&Son]

Did the others win their domestic league last season?

Okay, and?

[Adolf Hĭtler]

That says it all.

[MG&Son]

That says it all.

No it doesn't. Winning the league isn't a requirement to compete in the competition

[Adolf Hĭtler]

Tell that to the runners up of scotland.

[Telson11]

Chelsea 0-0 Atletico Madrid

Real Madrid may also draw with Bayern Munich in the first leg

[ozzie owl]

Bayern München, as they are the only team who deserves to be there.

Whilst I agree only the Champions should play in the competition, all other sides qualified in terms of the rules.

[The Kings Jesta]

Chelsea 0-0 Atletico Madrid

Real Madrid may also draw with Bayern Munich in the first leg

Really?!?! Such a wise statement doesn't belong in this forum...
But I'll go out on limb and say that Bayern MAY beat Madrid, and Madrid MAY beat Bayern... but I'm only 33% sure of each option (Draw, Win, Loss). The final 1% is the game being called off and replayed later... which also MAY happen

[Adolf Hĭtler]

Bayern München, as they are the only team who deserves to be there.

Whilst I agree only the Champions should play in the competition, all other sides qualified in terms of the rules.

Agree. Bring back the European Cup.

[Telson11]

Chelsea 0-0 Atletico Madrid

Real Madrid may also draw with Bayern Munich in the first leg

In fact, Real Madrid 1-0 Bayern Munich.

[Con M]

0-4! What a bottle of shiraz home thumping in Munich.

Didn't see that coming.

[Adolf Hĭtler]

I didn't see it either.

[Nice One Cyril]

0-4! What a bottle of shiraz home thumping in Munich.

Didn't see that coming.

Guardiola's one dimensional coaching showing again. Only has the one plan and, as soon as it's worked out, has nothing to fall back on.

Shocking marking from set pieces plus playing a high defensive line against Bale and Ronaldo is suicidal, if Chelsea get through (which I hope they don't), you won't see Mourinho undone like that. Whether you like the kind of football he plays, he coaches for the opposition on the day.

Almost two-thirds possession for Bayern just shows that quick transition can be better than hanging onto the ball at all costs.

[Old Redback]

The reality is that for all the so-called experts lauding Pep's style of play it is actually just what we teach kids, and have done so for many years, pass to feet and move. There is no genius or reinvention of the wheel there. In fact the only difference is that you are dealing with competent players who should be able to execute this rather than kids who, as any coach of kids will know, can frustrate the patience of saints!
The history books don't lie and as much as Barcelona and Munich's style of play has been praised/envied or whatever they actually have not converted that "genius" game plan into European dominance like Ajax, Real Madrid and Liverpool managed to do.

[Con M]

Agree that was dumb defending, concentrating on Ronaldo & letting Ramos sneak in for easy headers. Why the shiraz didn't Mandzukic track back and pick up Ramos?

ps, the Real midfield of Di Maria, Alonso, Modric & Bale can keep possession with best of them. But true, Real showed flexibility, versatility & lightning fast transition.

[oldfart]

Agree that was dumb defending, concentrating on Ronaldo & letting Ramos sneak in for easy headers. Why the shiraz didn't Mandzukic track back and pick up Ramos?

ps, the Real midfield of Di Maria, Alonso, Modric & Bale can keep possession with best of them. But true, Real showed flexibility, versatility & lightning fast transition.

I think that Bayern believed they could outplay Madrid by keeping the ball and forcing them to use the long ball and then stop their midfield from pushing up fast enough to join in - or words to that effect.

[Telson11]

0-4! What a bottle of shiraz home thumping in Munich.

Didn't see that coming.

I didn't see it either,but I am really happy for Real Madrid. Especially Ronaldo and Bale

[Con M]

Watched Chelsea versus Atletico this morn. Chelsea lost 1-3 at the Bridge.

Chelsea were in control 1-0 up until the 44th minute when they conceded a dumb equaliser.

The 'Special One' had to go in at half-time and revise his plans, then as ESPN commentator Craig Burley noted, inexplicably went to 4-4-2 with 40 minutes still to go, thus handing the midfield initiative to Atletico. It was all downhill from there with Atletico adding a penalty, then a 3rd goal.

Well done to Simeone and his crew, who might even now grab the La Liga title.

[ozzie owl]

Watched Chelsea versus Atletico this morn. Chelsea lost 1-3 at the Bridge.

Chelsea were in control 1-0 up until the 44th minute when they conceded a dumb equaliser.

The 'Special One' had to go in at half-time and revise his plans, then as ESPN commentator Craig Burley noted, inexplicably went to 4-4-2 with 40 minutes still to go, thus handing the midfield initiative to Atletico. It was all downhill from there with Atletico adding a penalty, then a 3rd goal.

Well done to Simeone and his crew, who might even now grab the La Liga title.

Leaving Hazard stranded wide left was big mistake .

[Con M]

Watched Chelsea versus Atletico this morn. Chelsea lost 1-3 at the Bridge.

Chelsea were in control 1-0 up until the 44th minute when they conceded a dumb equaliser.

The 'Special One' had to go in at half-time and revise his plans, then as ESPN commentator Craig Burley noted, inexplicably went to 4-4-2 with 40 minutes still to go, thus handing the midfield initiative to Atletico. It was all downhill from there with Atletico adding a penalty, then a 3rd goal.

Well done to Simeone and his crew, who might even now grab the La Liga title.

Leaving Hazard stranded wide left was big mistake .

Sure was a mistake! Hazard was always doubled up on by defenders out there.

And Chelsea's front two did nothing, while Atletico ruled the midfield in that second half.

[Bomber]

Maybe Jose got his squads the wrong way round from Sunday's game to this one.

[The Kop]

Q. What do Chelsea fans and players have in common?
A. They both turn up to watch the opposition play.

[ikon]

http://shop.soccertutor.com/URLrewrite. ... t-b013.htm

[MegaBonus]

Mourinho's code at Real Madrid for handling games against high-class teams, particularly away from home:


1) The game is won by the team who commits fewer errors.
2) Football favours whoever provokes more errors in the opposition.
3) Away from home, instead of trying to be superior to the opposition, it's better to encourage their mistakes.
4) Whoever has the ball is more likely to make a mistake.
5) Whoever renounces possession reduces the possibility of making a mistake.
6) Whoever has the ball has fear.
7) Whoever does not have it is thereby stronger."


I'll post the whole article in the Coaching Forum....article by Jonathon Wilson (great football journo - I recommend reading his "Inverting the Pyramid - The History of Soccer Tactics"

[N5 1BH]

Mourinho's code at Real Madrid for handling games against high-class teams, particularly away from home:


1) The game is won by the team who commits fewer errors.
2) Football favours whoever provokes more errors in the opposition.
3) Away from home, instead of trying to be superior to the opposition, it's better to encourage their mistakes.
4) Whoever has the ball is more likely to make a mistake.
5) Whoever renounces possession reduces the possibility of making a mistake.
6) Whoever has the ball has fear.
7) Whoever does not have it is thereby stronger."


I'll post the whole article in the Coaching Forum....article by Jonathon Wilson (great football journo - I recommend reading his "Inverting the Pyramid - The History of Soccer Tactics"

Or even his original non US edition "Inverting the Pyramid - The History of Football Tactics"

[ikon]

imagine coaching this into kids....