Champions league Semi Finals 2020-21 - April 27-28 and May 4-5

Pow

New Member
Joined
Feb 1, 2015
Messages
3,516
Location
Somewhere
Supports
Chelsea
Tie should be put to bed. Madrid worse than I thought they were. Kante fantastic again.
 

Bastian

Full Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2015
Messages
18,592
Supports
Mejbri
We need chelsea to bottle it next week because we don't have the fitness levels to beat them ourselves
Yeah, been surprised to see people raving about the invincibility of your midfield (in the Liverpool tie). Kroos and Modric have been world class for years, but they're not an energetic midfield, with Casemiro absolutely crucial. Benzema works hard, but there's not much else compensating for that lack of energy. Counts when you're up against decent sides that have a lot more energy. Big window coming up for you lot..let's see if your president can scam some millions :lol:
 

Lay

Correctly predicted Italy to win Euro 2020
Joined
Jan 29, 2013
Messages
20,046
Location
England
Great advert for the super league
 

giorno

boob novice
Joined
Jul 20, 2016
Messages
26,642
Supports
Real Madrid
Yeah, been surprised to see people raving about the invincibility of your midfield (in the Liverpool tie).
We were at our physical peak first leg against liverpool. We really did play well in that game and our midfielders bossed the game

Right now they're barely able to stand
 

Bastian

Full Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2015
Messages
18,592
Supports
Mejbri
We were at our physical peak first leg against liverpool. We really did play well in that game and our midfielders bossed the game

Right now they're barely able to stand
Yeah, and Liverpool have been awful this season. Awful.
 

Bearded One

Full Member
Joined
Jul 1, 2017
Messages
1,245
We were at our physical peak first leg against liverpool. We really did play well in that game and our midfielders bossed the game

Right now they're barely able to stand
Chelsea was very youthful and energetic but Madrid saw the game out with their experience. At the end of the second leg match, I’m not really sure who comes out winner in this one.
 

Pow

New Member
Joined
Feb 1, 2015
Messages
3,516
Location
Somewhere
Supports
Chelsea
They shouldn't have got passed Liverpool. Like us today at Anfield Liverpool were dogshit in front of goal.
Players need a slap they got a huge chance of getting to the final.
 
Joined
Nov 5, 2012
Messages
3,372
Location
Learn me a booke
Chelsea was very youthful and energetic but Madrid saw the game out with their experience. At the end of the second leg match, I’m not really sure who comes out winner in this one.
Yeah, I sort of enjoyed that it felt like a tale of the old dog having to use all his experience to keep away an inexperienced rival. Madrid players looked absolutely battered by the end.
 

Dancfc

Full Member
Joined
Oct 28, 2016
Messages
7,407
Supports
Chelsea
Free pass for other finalist by the looks of that
Football doesn't work like that, we last won this tournament the same season Pardew, McLeish and Dalglish all won at The Bridge.

That said we will be underdogs if we make it, Madrid i think their big game experience will tell, they simply don't lose CL finals.
 

UweBein

Creator of the Worst Analogy on the Internet.
Joined
Sep 20, 2014
Messages
3,729
Location
Köln
Supports
Chelsea
Best semi-final game for us in quite a while. Can't think of a semi-final game spontaneously when we could control the game like today.
 

OK_computer

New Member
Newbie
Joined
May 6, 2015
Messages
92
Supports
Real Madrid
Real is probably the most injury ravaged team in Europe this season. If they make it to the final they'll put on the fight.
 

FatTails

New Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2021
Messages
1,859
Too many people rushing to write Madrid off. They were poor today, but they have good players and they’re capable of beating Chelsea at the bridge.

I was laughed at when I said this, but if Cavani does leave and Madrid manage to sign Haaland, we could do a lot worse than getting Benzema on a 2 year contract. He’s having a great season and he’s not reliant on pace; his all around game is great and so is his finishing. No international duty too, so less games = more longevity possibly.
 

Gringo

Full Member
Joined
Jul 4, 2019
Messages
3,404
Supports
Portugal
What the hell, Werner scored 28 goals in the Bundesliga last year, averaging a goal every 100 minutes.

So is there a good striker in him that's yet to be unleashed at Chelsea? Or is the Bundesliga crap?
Maybe he got more chances per game in Germany ?
 

Fridge chutney

Full Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2016
Messages
8,960
What a dreadfully terrible match.

Chelsea have been boring as shite every time I've had the misfortune to watch them this season.

Worst CL in my lifetime.
 

Pow

New Member
Joined
Feb 1, 2015
Messages
3,516
Location
Somewhere
Supports
Chelsea
What the hell, Werner scored 28 goals in the Bundesliga last year, averaging a goal every 100 minutes.

So is there a good striker in him that's yet to be unleashed at Chelsea? Or is the Bundesliga crap?
The bundesligas crap.
That guy should have hit 25 plus goals with the amount of sitters he's missed
 

carvajal

Full Member
Joined
Jan 20, 2015
Messages
11,096
Location
Spain
Supports
Real Madrid
Considering how the first part was, it seems like a good result.
I heard on TV that Kante is Kovacic's substitute? Mateo has to be at an incredible level to sit him, seeing Kante's match tonight
 

Hoof the ball

Full Member
Joined
Jan 16, 2008
Messages
12,303
Location
San Antonio, Texas.
Fundamentally this is what Madrid do. We shouldn't be surprised. A number of times in Zidane's 3-peat, in the knockout stages, they were threatened with being beaten and sometimes outplayed in certain games, but Real have UCL winning experience. Mentally, that counts for a lot in these kind of ties. Don't be surprised if Real show up in the 2nd leg with Mendy back at LB, and Ramos possibly making it too. That changes a lot.
 

TheMagicFoolBus

Full Member
Joined
Nov 5, 2016
Messages
6,600
Location
Lisboa, Portugal
Supports
Chelsea
Considering how the first part was, it seems like a good result.
I heard on TV that Kante is Kovacic's substitute? Mateo has to be at an incredible level to sit him, seeing Kante's match tonight
Nah, Tuchel has rotated between the 3 of them depending on the opposition and their strengths. He's also been cognizant that Kante is getting a bit older and has to be managed to mitigate his injury risk.
 

FatTails

New Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2021
Messages
1,859
The bundesligas crap.
That guy should have hit 25 plus goals with the amount of sitters he's missed
If you use his conversion rate from his last BL season, he would have 16 PL goals, instead of the 6. To me, he looks like he’s got the movement and is often in the right positions, but is low on confidence and his finishing has been uncharacteristically poor.

I think he’ll come good.
 

WeePat

Full Member
Joined
Apr 13, 2015
Messages
17,403
Supports
Chelsea
Considering how the first part was, it seems like a good result.
I heard on TV that Kante is Kovacic's substitute? Mateo has to be at an incredible level to sit him, seeing Kante's match tonight
Kante, Jorginho and Kante all rotate in and out of the team when everyone is fit. Kovacic and Kante are excellent together. I'd say Real Madrid fans are happier with that result than Chelsea fans. Interestingly balanced tie now.
 

Pow

New Member
Joined
Feb 1, 2015
Messages
3,516
Location
Somewhere
Supports
Chelsea
If you use his conversion rate from his last BL season, he would have 16 PL goals, instead of the 6. To me, he looks like he’s got the movement and is often in the right positions, but is low on confidence and his finishing has been uncharacteristically poor.

I think he’ll come good.
No. feck the conversion rate. I'm talking about how many clear sitters he's missed. He should be on 20 plus easy.
 

Wolf1992

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Apr 27, 2021
Messages
1,332
Supports
No team in particular.
Real Madrid don't even look that good, surprised they've made it to the semis.
Nah, they have the quality players to be in semifinals..They have better players than 99.9% of the teams who are not in Semifinals right now, with the exception of Bayern Munich of course.

If i could pick a team who is not in Semifinals but is a better team than this Real i would only name Bayern, no way i would pic those underwhelming versions Juventus or Barcelona.
 

carvajal

Full Member
Joined
Jan 20, 2015
Messages
11,096
Location
Spain
Supports
Real Madrid
Nah, Tuchel has rotated between the 3 of them depending on the opposition and their strengths. He's also been cognizant that Kante is getting a bit older and has to be managed to mitigate his injury risk.
Well, the rotation has really come in handy. I'd rather not see him on the second leg, and neither would Mount hehe
Kante, Jorginho and Kante all rotate in and out of the team when everyone is fit. Kovacic and Kante are excellent together. I'd say Real Madrid fans are happier with that result than Chelsea fans. Interestingly balanced tie now.
Of course very happy.With Valverde and Mendy the picture may change a bit.
 

TheMagicFoolBus

Full Member
Joined
Nov 5, 2016
Messages
6,600
Location
Lisboa, Portugal
Supports
Chelsea
Well, the rotation has really come in handy. I'd rather not see him on the second leg, and neither would Mount hehe

Of course very happy.With Valverde and Mendy the picture may change a bit.
Kovacic is recovering from a minor injury and wasn't fit - agreed though that he'd have added an extra dimension. Jorginho was quietly excellent I thought but Kovacic's ability to carry the ball in transition is hugely valuable.

For me Mendy is the key for you to get back - Marcelo is an icon and still very decent going forward but at this point is pretty washed defensively. We had a decent bit of success isolating Nacho I thought - stark contrast to the other flank where Militao was fantastic.
 

lex talionis

Full Member
Joined
Jul 25, 2017
Messages
14,042
Who's the lesser evil between the last 4?

Tonights game has the potential to be a woeful game. Two sides with loads of clean sheets in recent games playing cagey football. Chelsea are unlikely to concede goals from defensive errors like Liverpool did in the 1st leg against Real Madrid.
There really is no lesser of evils among these four scummy clubs, but since I don’t give a shit about PSG I’ll go with them. And I’m a big fan of Herrera, who deserves a CL medal IMO.
 

Morty_

Full Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2013
Messages
2,948
Supports
Real Madrid
Nah, they have the quality players to be in semifinals..They have better players than 99.9% of the teams who are not in Semifinals right now, with the exception of Bayern Munich of course.

If i could pick a team who is not in Semifinals but is a better team than this Real i would only name Bayern, no way i would pic those underwhelming versions Juventus or Barcelona.
Barcelona is crusing towards a domestic double, btw.
 

Morty_

Full Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2013
Messages
2,948
Supports
Real Madrid
Fundamentally this is what Madrid do. We shouldn't be surprised. A number of times in Zidane's 3-peat, in the knockout stages, they were threatened with being beaten and sometimes outplayed in certain games, but Real have UCL winning experience. Mentally, that counts for a lot in these kind of ties. Don't be surprised if Real show up in the 2nd leg with Mendy back at LB, and Ramos possibly making it too. That changes a lot.
It changes something, but they defended okay in the 2nd half, but hardly created anything, dont see how Ramos and Mendy are going to help them much in creating chances.

RM are trailing, remember.
 

SirReginald

New Member
Joined
Oct 7, 2019
Messages
2,295
Supports
Chelsea
Aging Real Madrid side. Does anyone believe they are still in the elite few even before today’s game? They relied on their best players for far too long and never looked to the future. It’ll be 3-5 years minimum before we get another elite Barcelona and Real team.