So why wasn't that a straight red for Marcelo?

4/17/2012 5:27:58 PM

Because it was the last minute of a semifinal UEFA CL game.

It was the same reason Gomez didn't get a penalty in the 87th minute.

Really stupid, imho, but glad we won.

4/17/2012 8:13:12 PM

That was not a penalty bro.

4/17/2012 8:25:57 PM

That was a tough game for Webb to referee. People were falling down all over the place and no one was happy with the way things were being called.

4/17/2012 8:30:00 PM

Also, yellow card!



[Edited on April 17, 2012 at 8:39 PM. Reason : ]

4/17/2012 8:39:42 PM

holy crap, i dont watch non-epl much but ribery makes suarez look like a fucking saint. i counted 3-4 complete fabrications and lots of theatrics looking for a nonexistent handball

4/17/2012 9:50:59 PM

when you play cunts like real madrid you have to up your cuntiness to survive

4/17/2012 9:55:21 PM

well after watching the game, i'd rate my top 3 dives as

1. ribery
2. ribery
3. ribery

4/17/2012 9:57:31 PM

clearly you dont watch much barcelona games

4/17/2012 10:08:11 PM

Ribery has always been a diving diva cunt.

4/17/2012 10:23:09 PM

^^?? Wtf does barca have to do w/ anything I posted?

4/18/2012 12:01:25 AM

I was a big fan of Webb's booking Higuan for showing an imaginary card
it was the perfect response, obviously


[Edited on April 18, 2012 at 3:29 AM. Reason : /]

4/18/2012 3:27:41 AM

If I were Webb, I would have booked one player from each team for crowding him when they started doing it 10 minutes into the game. They would have gotten the picture. He was obviously instructed to call a lenient game so players would be able to compete in subsequent matches and I think he did a good job with that. But after you tell players to clear out 10+ times, it's time to start taking a hard line.

4/18/2012 9:07:00 AM

Go Chelsea or more like Go to Hell Barca!

4/18/2012 9:33:24 AM

GO CHELSEA (so Bayern can beat them in the final!)

4/18/2012 1:46:55 PM

damnnn ittttt firstrowsports is down

4/18/2012 2:22:25 PM

Don't forget it's on FX and not Fox Soccer Channel

4/18/2012 2:24:45 PM

I'm at work

nevermind the .eu works

[Edited on April 18, 2012 at 2:33 PM. Reason : .eu]

4/18/2012 2:25:43 PM

What the fuck was Meireiles thinking getting that haircut??

4/18/2012 3:04:37 PM

Shocking...

4/18/2012 3:33:30 PM

fantastic counter

4/18/2012 3:35:00 PM

4/18/2012 3:37:14 PM

It's so cute to see the Barca players yell at other players for diving.

4/18/2012 4:12:48 PM

wow at that ending

4/18/2012 4:39:29 PM

I still think Barca takes care of business at home. Chelsea can't do that shit for 90 more minutes

4/18/2012 4:47:05 PM

I didn't see it, did Chelsea park the bus?

4/18/2012 5:45:32 PM

Well, 21% possession, so I'm sure they did.

4/18/2012 5:46:46 PM

^

Right from the first minute.

4/18/2012 5:47:18 PM

1 attempt on goal, 1 goal.

100% success rate

4/18/2012 8:50:50 PM

21%... Jesus...

4/19/2012 3:57:11 AM

I don't follow barca regularly, but do they play alexis at striker much? Did he play any striker at udinese? I always thought he was strictly a wing.

4/19/2012 4:14:38 AM

In my opinion, Barca's playing style is so fluid that positions don't really mean much.

4/19/2012 12:32:24 PM

I think he's been mainly a striker this season, even when Villa was healthy. Not sure about Udinese.

4/19/2012 1:40:14 PM

Sanchez is a winger, basically a wide forward in barca's 4-3-3. He sticks to the right side and his defensive contribution is trying to put pressure on defenders rather than tracking back.

[Edited on April 19, 2012 at 2:28 PM. Reason : So yes, he's both a winger and a striker, sort of]

4/19/2012 2:28:21 PM

it really doesnt matter where he plays with barca. imstoned is right with how they play. barca players interchange all over the place and are just looking to get in space and work 1-2s right through the defence. i believe barca's first chance yesterday was sanchez, in what you would call the striker position, getting an over-the-top through ball that he beat cech with 1v1 but hit the crossbar.

i am definitely amazed chelsea managed to win this game. they went with the stoke city tactic and it worked. very effective with some of the throw-ins they did into the box, since chelski have the bigger, stronger players. im surprised more english teams havent tried this against barca's defense.

however, chelsea cannot ride their luck again. after watching the highlights, they were incredibly lucky to not give up a goal, let alone 4 or 5. i dont expect to see fabregas being so generous in front of the goal again and in barca, it will prob be iniesta or xavi following up a late rebound off a post, rather than busquets (what a woeful shot that was at the end of the game).

im predicting 4-1 game. kinda close til late when chelsea have to press and barca get at least 1 goal with chelsea unable to play so compact.

4/19/2012 5:39:35 PM

Falcao with an absolute missile in the Europa League

http://es.pn/HWuZHj

4/19/2012 7:58:36 PM

^^ probably right.

But still not giving up that away goal is so crucial. Barca need 3 if Chelsea can somehow scrape 1 on the counter. I'd rather be in their position than Arsenal's last year only up 2-1 going to Nou Camp.

4/19/2012 8:35:50 PM

Alright guise...

4/24 - Barcelona vs Chelsea (0-1 Agg.) - Live at 2:30pm on FOX Soccer HD

4/25 - Real Madrid vs Bayern Munich (1-2 Agg.) - Live at 2:30pm on FXHD (I think?)

Can Chelsea achieve the impossible and hold off Barca at Camp Nou?

Will Bayern be the first team in UEFA CL history to host and make it to the championship game?

4/22/2012 3:34:56 PM

I certainly hope both those things happen.

4/22/2012 6:01:23 PM

http://deadspin.com/5904132/italian-soccer-match-delayed-when-fans-demand-players-hand-over-their-jerseys

So has anyone read this yet? LOL, can we just ban Italy from sports?

4/22/2012 7:49:49 PM

that's fucking awesome

the players deserve it

4/22/2012 9:22:48 PM

Quote :

"4/24 - Barcelona vs Chelsea (0-1 Agg.) - Live at 2:30pm 3:00pm on FOX Soccer HD"

fify

4/22/2012 10:33:05 PM

Wouldnt mind seeing that at tottenham if they lose to blackburn

4/22/2012 10:36:55 PM

^^ Some of us like to watch the prematch

4/23/2012 1:20:25 AM

well I think prematch coverage starts at 2

4/23/2012 10:04:32 AM

Barça do move around a lot but sanchez stuck to the right side of the pitch against Chelsea, sometimes he made the leading forward run diagonal from the wing. When he came on against RM, however, he played as a center forward.

It's interesting that for all the moving around Barça certainly do, Cesc said that he has to learn to be married to his position to play for Barcelona, and that he had much more freedom to roam for Arsenal.

I still think we'll see an El Clásico rematch in Munich in spite of the first legs. As a Toon fan I'm definitely hoping Chelsea lose, don't want them stealing England's 4th CL slot.

Also the match kicks off at 2:45 EST, like normal.

[Edited on April 24, 2012 at 12:31 AM. Reason : `]

4/24/2012 12:30:54 AM

lets do this

4/24/2012 9:49:00 AM

Chelsea will defend in a 4-5-1: Cech; Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Cole; Lampard, Mikel, Ramires, Meireles, Mata; Drogba.

Barcelona team news, and it's 3-4-3. Valdes, Pique, Mascherano, Puyol; Busquets, Xavi, Fabregas, Cuenca; Messi, Sanchez, Iniesta.

4/24/2012 2:10:59 PM

c'mon barca

4/24/2012 2:11:31 PM

That was a collision. Pique looks to be ok after it.

4/24/2012 3:05:09 PM