Champions League Final Build-Up Thread

In terms of appearances this season, so far in all competitions, a lot of Barcelona players have over or edging 50 appearances this season. Most of our players have played under 40
 
Tareq said:
Are we going to play in red or white ? when this will be decided ?
Click to expand...

Maciek said:
Noooo.... not again please! White.
Click to expand...

Not sure whether Maciek's lamenting the fact that the questions been raised again or if he's praying we won't have to go out in white, but the answer is that we're the away team, ergo we're going to show up in white.

Oh wells, we were the away side in 68 as well... at the same venue (sorta) :)
 
Just out of interest, will we have any sway over the wembley officials over the length of grass, wetting the pitch etc.

Not saying we'd want it any different to Barca, but who gets to make these calls?
 
isnt this (red or white) done by draw ? how come we are the away team ? they played with blue and red in 2009,,this time we should pla with our red kit.
 
Tareq said:
isnt this (red or white) done by draw ? how come we are the away team ? they played with blue and red in 2009,,this time we should pla with our red kit.
Click to expand...

It's random luck of the draw... when the semis are drawn there's an A semi and a B semi... the winner of semi A is the home team when the final comes around.
 
I'm watching the '09 Final again.

First thing is, obviously, our great start. It was part down to our pressing, but also partly due to poor passing from their back 4. Remember they played Puyol on the right, Touré and Pique in the center and Silvinho at the back. Their starting back 4 might not have missed so many passes in their natural positions.

And what a cheap goal to concede, Anderson let Iniesta get by him too easily, but then Eto'o still shouldn't be so dangerous in the position he got the ball.

Then their great passing started to come off a bit, we pressed but not fully committed, so they always managed to get the ball out to Busquets eventually. We still played some good exchanges, but they were often a tad off, and Ronaldo was trying to do it all on his own.

Messi was in the position he plays nowadays, a free-role but starting from the middle. I think if there's ever a consistent Barça beater it'll be a team with 3 at the back, and one man assigned to mark Messi wherever it goes. Barça start most of their attacking play when Messi comes into midfield, receives a pass just behind a midfielder, turns and runs. Either that or he jut comes in, gets a pass and passes it off, and now they're keeping it like this forever.

They didn't press as much as they do nowadays, especially our CBs. Now I don't know if that was a difference from that season to this one, or a thing out of respect for United's quality in quick passing. It showed at the end of the game, we actually had 49% of the ball, which is the most I think anyone's had against Barça since Guardiola took over. I would expect them to press more this time around, and for United to have less of the ball, even if we do pull out a win.

To me it seems like the way to win is simply to play a great match and rely on getting one or two goals. I don't think you can count on keeping a clean sheet simply because with Iniesta, Messi, and so much of the ball, at some point one of those two will break out and create a chance for themselves or a team-mate. And the way to get a goal is to pass the ball very well when you have it, creating as many chances as you can (that might be just 4 or 5 all game), and taking them.

Gonna watch the 2nd half tomorrow, see if I can figure anything else out.

PS: They should start getting Manager commentary on matches, the same way they do for movies. Stick a mic on SAF and make him watch back a game and point out whatever he fancies. It'd be great to know how SAF, Mourinho, and others analyze matches (likely saying the exact opposite of anything I would).
 
Scoring the first goal will be vitally important, if we can get that Barcelona might push up more leaving room for Hernandez and Valencia to exploit.
 
MarceloFalcon said:
I'm watching the '09 Final again.

First thing is, obviously, our great start. It was part down to our pressing, but also partly due to poor passing from their back 4. Remember they played Puyol on the right, Touré and Pique in the center and Silvinho at the back. Their starting back 4 might not have missed so many passes in their natural positions.

And what a cheap goal to concede, Anderson let Iniesta get by him too easily, but then Eto'o still shouldn't be so dangerous in the position he got the ball.

Then their great passing started to come off a bit, we pressed but not fully committed, so they always managed to get the ball out to Busquets eventually. We still played some good exchanges, but they were often a tad off, and Ronaldo was trying to do it all on his own.

Messi was in the position he plays nowadays, a free-role but starting from the middle. I think if there's ever a consistent Barça beater it'll be a team with 3 at the back, and one man assigned to mark Messi wherever it goes. Barça start most of their attacking play when Messi comes into midfield, receives a pass just behind a midfielder, turns and runs. Either that or he jut comes in, gets a pass and passes it off, and now they're keeping it like this forever.

They didn't press as much as they do nowadays, especially our CBs. Now I don't know if that was a difference from that season to this one, or a thing out of respect for United's quality in quick passing. It showed at the end of the game, we actually had 49% of the ball, which is the most I think anyone's had against Barça since Guardiola took over. I would expect them to press more this time around, and for United to have less of the ball, even if we do pull out a win.

To me it seems like the way to win is simply to play a great match and rely on getting one or two goals. I don't think you can count on keeping a clean sheet simply because with Iniesta, Messi, and so much of the ball, at some point one of those two will break out and create a chance for themselves or a team-mate. And the way to get a goal is to pass the ball very well when you have it, creating as many chances as you can (that might be just 4 or 5 all game), and taking them.

Gonna watch the 2nd half tomorrow, see if I can figure anything else out.

PS: They should start getting Manager commentary on matches, the same way they do for movies. Stick a mic on SAF and make him watch back a game and point out whatever he fancies. It'd be great to know how SAF, Mourinho, and others analyze matches (likely saying the exact opposite of anything I would).
Click to expand...


I couldn't believe your stats so I had to look them up. We actually outpossessed Barcelona 52% to 48% in the second half. We also took more shots than them. The difference? While we took 12 shots, only two were on target. Barcelona took 11 shots and EIGHT were on target. We should learn from that. We are more than a match for Barca but all that will be for nought if we simply don't take our chances. I know half those misses were due to blocks and what not but we still have to take our chances. Barcelona respect us. We are the one team they are wary of so we must confirm their fears and then supersede it. 2 quick goals should settle us brilliantly. Keep that till half time and then 2 more in the second half. Capello did it. Why can't Sir Alex?
 
MarceloFalcon said:
I'm watching the '09 Final again.

First thing is, obviously, our great start. It was part down to our pressing, but also partly due to poor passing from their back 4. Remember they played Puyol on the right, Touré and Pique in the center and Silvinho at the back. Their starting back 4 might not have missed so many passes in their natural positions.

And what a cheap goal to concede, Anderson let Iniesta get by him too easily, but then Eto'o still shouldn't be so dangerous in the position he got the ball.

Then their great passing started to come off a bit, we pressed but not fully committed, so they always managed to get the ball out to Busquets eventually. We still played some good exchanges, but they were often a tad off, and Ronaldo was trying to do it all on his own.

Messi was in the position he plays nowadays, a free-role but starting from the middle. I think if there's ever a consistent Barça beater it'll be a team with 3 at the back, and one man assigned to mark Messi wherever it goes. Barça start most of their attacking play when Messi comes into midfield, receives a pass just behind a midfielder, turns and runs. Either that or he jut comes in, gets a pass and passes it off, and now they're keeping it like this forever.

They didn't press as much as they do nowadays, especially our CBs. Now I don't know if that was a difference from that season to this one, or a thing out of respect for United's quality in quick passing. It showed at the end of the game, we actually had 49% of the ball, which is the most I think anyone's had against Barça since Guardiola took over. I would expect them to press more this time around, and for United to have less of the ball, even if we do pull out a win.

To me it seems like the way to win is simply to play a great match and rely on getting one or two goals. I don't think you can count on keeping a clean sheet simply because with Iniesta, Messi, and so much of the ball, at some point one of those two will break out and create a chance for themselves or a team-mate. And the way to get a goal is to pass the ball very well when you have it, creating as many chances as you can (that might be just 4 or 5 all game), and taking them.

Gonna watch the 2nd half tomorrow, see if I can figure anything else out.

PS: They should start getting Manager commentary on matches, the same way they do for movies. Stick a mic on SAF and make him watch back a game and point out whatever he fancies. It'd be great to know how SAF, Mourinho, and others analyze matches (likely saying the exact opposite of anything I would).
Click to expand...

I haven't watched a replay of the final since being heartbroken in rome. Downloading it now to rewatch it.
 
Went on and watched the 2nd half now, until the 70th minute when they scored and it was over.

Its such a frustrating match, but not in the way I thought it had been. We didn't completely get taken for a ride, and we did have the ball for a fair amount of time. The team played some good quick passing at times, but the last and before last pass just weren't there. We got crosses in but none of them were good except for one from Rooney.

The team just weren't sharp enough, by the 70th minute it was essentially a 4-2-4 with Berbatov and Tevez on, and Barca were actually backed up with 5 at the back with Busquets dropping in between CBs. But the goal came because a pass was played too short out left, Puyol got it and advanced and we were out numbered in defense.

I remembered this game as being totally outclassed by Barca, sort of like how most teams do nowadays, seeing as little as 30%-25% of the ball, and hardly ever getting any time on it in midfield. But it wasn't. What was so poor about it was that our great defense conceded the shittiest of goals early, and our powerful attack couldn't get it right in the final third all game long.

I think it went down in collective memory as a Barca masterclass because we did expect to win and they did look better overall. But they weren't as dominant as they've been in some matches since, and United wasn't as bad, they just weren't sharp and that was the difference in the scoreline.
 
Playing Barcelona is almost like playing against the Spain national football team. And that they are the current euro and world cup champion. Huge task ahead.
 
MarceloFalcon said:
I'm watching the '09 Final again.

First thing is, obviously, our great start. It was part down to our pressing, but also partly due to poor passing from their back 4. Remember they played Puyol on the right, Touré and Pique in the center and Silvinho at the back. Their starting back 4 might not have missed so many passes in their natural positions.

And what a cheap goal to concede, Anderson let Iniesta get by him too easily, but then Eto'o still shouldn't be so dangerous in the position he got the ball.

Then their great passing started to come off a bit, we pressed but not fully committed, so they always managed to get the ball out to Busquets eventually. We still played some good exchanges, but they were often a tad off, and Ronaldo was trying to do it all on his own.

Messi was in the position he plays nowadays, a free-role but starting from the middle. I think if there's ever a consistent Barça beater it'll be a team with 3 at the back, and one man assigned to mark Messi wherever it goes. Barça start most of their attacking play when Messi comes into midfield, receives a pass just behind a midfielder, turns and runs. Either that or he jut comes in, gets a pass and passes it off, and now they're keeping it like this forever.

They didn't press as much as they do nowadays, especially our CBs. Now I don't know if that was a difference from that season to this one, or a thing out of respect for United's quality in quick passing. It showed at the end of the game, we actually had 49% of the ball, which is the most I think anyone's had against Barça since Guardiola took over. I would expect them to press more this time around, and for United to have less of the ball, even if we do pull out a win.

To me it seems like the way to win is simply to play a great match and rely on getting one or two goals. I don't think you can count on keeping a clean sheet simply because with Iniesta, Messi, and so much of the ball, at some point one of those two will break out and create a chance for themselves or a team-mate. And the way to get a goal is to pass the ball very well when you have it, creating as many chances as you can (that might be just 4 or 5 all game), and taking them.

Gonna watch the 2nd half tomorrow, see if I can figure anything else out.

PS: They should start getting Manager commentary on matches, the same way they do for movies. Stick a mic on SAF and make him watch back a game and point out whatever he fancies. It'd be great to know how SAF, Mourinho, and others analyze matches (likely saying the exact opposite of anything I would).
Click to expand...

Finished watching the first half just now.

The goal started off by an errant header by carrick. He tried to play it to the left (rooney) who was 15-20 yards away and it was a shit pass off his head. soft, weak, and got cut out by xavi. The rest is history. Iniesta ghosts past ando, carrick is left for dead for pace, and eto'o is eto'o.

Carrick after getting shellshocked by that, dropped his head and played like utter dross.

Furthermore, I also think fergie dropped the ball in starting park over tevez. Tevez grafts as well, and would've given much more quality on the ball than park would've in 09. Park had much too many errant passes in the game. Tevez would've also been more effective starting than coming on at 45.

Having tevez down the middle and ronnie running at old arse sylvinho would've been a bit better tactically.

I would've moved park to where ando was playing so he could pick up messi or deny the ball to xavi and dropped ando from the starting xi. it is obvious the atmosphere got to him and the game was too big.

The former (tevez for park) I and many in rome were hoping for before teh match. The latter move (park for ando) is hindsight.

Everything else you say is spot on about the first half IMO.
 
Comparisons between 09 barca and one we'll face in May:

Strenghts of 11 vs. 09 (barca's point of view).

1. This barca will be better and more assured on the ball from the back than the one we faced.

2. This barca will dive and con the ref a lot more than the 09 one.

3. Messi 11 is better than messi 09.

4. David Villa/pedro will be more active than henry.

5. Barca 11 will press more and hold posession better than 09.

Weaknesses of 11 vs. 09:

1. David Villa/pedro will not turn our defenders inside out like eto'o can. I think it is a big drop off in quality. My views on eto'o are known. He is the best striker of the last decade and villa/pedro don't come close to his quality.

2. This side wont have toure carrying the ball from centerback into midfield positions. Toure is class; mascherano is no toure.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

I think this barca will be better than the one we faced in 09, but I am confident fergie will get the tactics/lineup right this time over last time.
 
One important thing that we should do is to not give Pique any free time, Someone like Hernandez should always keep pressing Pique, so as to force him to a mistake.
 
I downloaded and watched the first half recently, couldn't bear to get started on the second... but I was surprised that we didn't look as bad as I remembered... Messi's 2-0 took the gloss off everything, but I did have hope until then, and not without reason.

I've yet to have a go at the second half.

At any rate, so long as it turns out better than my dream last night... I was livid!

Started with me and my family making it to Wembley... which wasn't Wembley at all... We were in a hall of sorts, with people sat around tables and then there was a big screen... That should've tipped me off that I was in the wrong place but as dreams do it got a bit weird from there and fooled me... I recall that the game started with some weird squidgy wicker ball with all sorts of holes in it, but it was still capable of retaining its shape and holding in air... It needed a bit of pumping, though, and it got pumped up to about 5 times the size of a proper ball... a couple of exchanges of the ball later and the ref wanted them to procure a real ball... Cue Fergie taking a break, I remember walking past him into the "stadium"'s museum, hearing Cathy mumbling Scottishisms that I couldn't grasp at all into Fergie's ear... I remember Fergie remarking that the Liverpool section of the stadium started way too early, as it was draped in their 70s glories and whatnot.

A wee while later people were back to their places, the game started... Barca scored two fairly quickly, Rooney got one back, but by half time we were down 4-1. I remember bumping into a friend of mine, asking her how she was... she said she'd been better, but at least "we're" leading.

A: As I recall, you don't give a toss about footy?

B: We?! You a Barca fan? Name me three of their bloody players?!

She went all indignate on me and said "I know a few!", to which I snorted derisively and went back to my seat as she was spluttering all sorts of things about me being rude.

Anyway, at half time I realised I was watching a big screen rather than being at Wembley, wtf?! Cue me stressing my parents to get their phone and get me a taxi... you lot don't have tickets, I said, so don't bother chasing after me, just sit and enjoy the rest of the match... They didn't, nor did they seem to have any dosh on them, so getting a cab, and paying for what they'd eaten at their table, wasn't straight forward... Here's me, having paid through the nose, and I'm not even going to make it to the second half... AND we're losing heavily *groan*

WELL chuffed to have been dreaming when I woke up, shortly after.
 
Eriku said:
I downloaded and watched the first half recently, couldn't bear to get started on the second... but I was surprised that we didn't look as bad as I remembered... Messi's 2-0 took the gloss off everything, but I did have hope until then, and not without reason.

I've yet to have a go at the second half.
Click to expand...

I had faith up until the 93rd minute. I knew once we got one...we'd get 2.... but one never came.

I rewatched it a week later so I knew weren't as bad.... but I didn't know we were that good.

KM said:
One important thing that we should do is to not give Pique any free time, Someone like Hernandez should always keep pressing Pique, so as to force him to a mistake.
Click to expand...


Like the one he made last night that caused the equaliser....
 
230080_209746429059789_107703099264123_681930_1645263_n.jpg
 
Uefa has launched a disciplinary case against Barcelona's Sergio Busquets over alleged racism in the Champions League semi-final with Real Madrid.

Real posted a video on their website before the second leg showing Busquets allegedly calling full-back Marcelo "mono" (monkey) in the first leg.

The case will be heard on Sunday with a decision due the next day.

The incident was one of several in a heated tie between the Spanish rivals, which Barca won 3-1 on aggregate.

Both clubs lodged complaints to European football's governing body after an ill-tempered first leg at the Bernabeu, which was won 2-0 by Barcelona.


Madrid were unhappy with the behaviour of the opposing players and the red card shown to midfielder Pepe (one of three dismissals during the game, along with Barca reserve goalkeeper Jose Pinto and Real coach Jose Mourinho).

Barca protested over Mourinho's post-match comments alluding to favours from Uefa in big Champions League games and questioning the Catalan club's relationship with the European governing body.

The complaints were dismissed by Uefa, with Mourinho later handed a five-game European ban for his remarks.

The former Chelsea and Inter Milan boss chose not to speak to the media ahead of the second leg of the semi-final at the Nou Camp, which finished 1-1, thus booking Barca's place in the Champions League final at Wembley, where they will play Manchester United.

Instead, it was left to Mourinho's assistant Aitor Karanka to bemoan Uefa's decision not to act on Real's claims of gamesmanship by Barcelona's players.

He said: "The match has been overshadowed by Uefa's resolution - it's on another plane now.

"We have been punished [with the suspensions for Pepe, Sergio Ramos and Mourinho], but there are [Barcelona] players who didn't respect the principles of fair play or who made racist insults, covering their mouths, who will be on the pitch.

"We say over and over there are double standards."

However, Barca coach Pep Guardiola countered by defending his players.

"My players are an example of professionalism and honesty," he said.

"Real might think we are unsporting but I think exactly the opposite. Fourteen of 20 players in the squad have grown up in this house and they all respect the values of the house.

"Mourinho was at Barcelona for five years and he knows our values: to win, fight and earn respect by respecting your rival."
Click to expand...

UEFA charges Busquets over racism claim
 
You must log in or register to reply here.