[Champions League] Barcelona vs AC Milan

Although Mascherano was at fault for the goal was was great once again, the yellow card he got was a clean tackle imo.

Fabregas was great. Messi was frustrated against their tight defense, couldn't find many final passes.

Hete BLKSM wrote:* Why the *bleep* did we get to see Keita play? Why didn't Pep just change Xavi for Tello or Alexis? He could've told Cesc to drop back to the midfield and we'd be great.

Was thinking the same. Someone quick on the wings would have really punished Milan in those last 10 minutes. I guess the coach wanted to keep the scoresheet the way it was rather than risking it.

EDIT: Wow, Uefalona chants are already started.

The butthurt is so hilarious, especially from the perspective of someone who knows the laws of the game

Dailymotion link:
https://www.dailymotion.com/TenMillionSlaves

Fabregas Beautiful to watch. His chips, long passes an even short passes were beautiful though I could see that Xavi, Alves and even Messi when the chance Fabregas made a good run they didn't choose him (probably because of the lack of opportunities he actally scores). Anyway good game

we won!

we are the first team to reach Cl semifinals 5 times in a row! (since madrid of the fifties if u include EC.). this is worth celebrating, shows consisrency and real quality!

tonights lineup was ok, but again i think that 343 in first half was poorer than 433. i disagree woth dani: i think we could have won for more than 3-1. thiago, adriano and messi missed semi-sitters, while milan didnt do much aside from the goal.

i think both penalties were legit, but butthurt will flow.

also, i enjoyed cuenca's game a lot, the guy has a lot of ball control... if he was a bit faster...

btw, i dont complain on keita playing today. i think that with pique out it was ok to sub in keita to have aerial defence, although i dont think he did much.

Great game guys, the team deserved this win

Immortal Babun wrote:

danyjr wrote:Why is it that Arsenal fans love Fábregas and Barcelona fans not so much?

Arsenal played him CAM, you guys on the wing. He neither stays wide all nor does he have the attributes to be a winger=> little space for Messi in the middle=> fans can't stand him. He wouldn't start in midfield because Xaviniesta>>> him
The question, why was he bought again?

We dont play cesc in the wing. he has played there only a couple of times, once scoring a header vs madrid in the process.
so all your reasoning is void. we havr played him mainly as Cam ina 343 where he has been great, as cm in a 433 which he has struggled but imo he has fully adapted finally, and a few times as cf or wing.

there are many threads in which i give opinions on him, pre or post signing. to sum up: i was against his signing because of the.price and how he left barsa, but once he is here im happy to have him and though he has struggled as cm i think he will be important for us when xavi retires.

Alexis didnt play Free...you gotta stop this hate man lol

And yes, we missed chances...however up untill 3-1 it was a difficult game and 2 of our goals was pens, (one of which we wouldnt of scored from if the foul didnt occur) so it could of easily been 2-1.

Wondering if Free is drunk, not thinking...

Or taking his Alexis hate to the next level

Either way, gave me a laugh.

He meant Adriano im sure.

zonal marking's analysis

http://www.zonalmarking.net/2012/04/03/barcelona-3-1-milan-guardiola-goes-with-a-3-3-4/

yea i meant adriano. im on cellphone, i make moremistakes.

Meh, it wasnt really 334.

To say such would indicate we had 4 forwards, when in fact we had 0 really.

But yeah, as always good read and indeed the lack of "normal" fullbacks meant the shuttlers get into wide areas easier, however our offside trap negates this if done right. And it was minus the goal where Mascherano was in a strange strange position.

I was also disappointed with Alexis' impact



One thing I'll say, which everyone bringing the hate on us will ignore, is that its a 2 game tie! People have forgotten this against Chelsea, Inter and now Milan. Whether the 2nd game we got lucky calls or not, there is also a first game. In the first game we should have had at least 1 penalty I'd say. If people say the 2nd penalty today changed the face of the game for us, it could just as easily be said that not getting a penalty and an away goal last week changed it even more. We deserved to go through, so rest easy and laugh at the haters.

Second half there was less impressive football, and I also didnt agree entirely with the subs. Would have taken Xavi off for Alexis or Tello, because at that point Milan needed to score and both these players will offer width and run in behind.

Not many comments to add from what I said in the first half... Cuenca is a great talent, but his problem is he isn't a goal threat and generally I'd prefer someone with his skill, but also ability to score.

Alexis has deceived me, I didn't know he played LB :vagi:

I only watched the second half and that part was mostly a dominant display by the team, we managed to keep possession and whatever chances they created Valdes and their lack of finishing dealt with.

I just find it funny that when Free is criticizing a barca player for something he did while busy (therefore criticizing with a mind not fully...into what he is actually writing) he starts to write about Alexis

Haha, but I'm just poking fun, it's an honest mistake.

And that's a good point Kizz- against Inter, they scored an offside goal (milito header I believe- although it was quite close), against Chelsea there were numerous things that could have gone our way (penalty on Henry I think, as well as a second yellow for ballack), and now against Milan one penalty could have very easily been given on another day.

Those will get ignored though, but that's the way it is

All I know is, we're in the damn semifinals baby. And it feels good.

Plenty of double standards in here for Barcelona. But the losing team always feels hard done by and will look for excuses. So what is happening is not surprising really.

But i do not like it when Cesc plays to be honest. A lot of the fluidity just goes out of the window.

CBarca wrote:
And that's a good point Kizz- against Inter, they scored an offside goal (milito header I believe- although it was quite close), against Chelsea there were numerous things that could have gone our way (penalty on Henry I think, as well as a second yellow for ballack), and now against Milan one penalty could have very easily been given on another day.

Those will get ignored though, but that's the way it is

All I know is, we're in the damn semifinals baby. And it feels good.

I'm just saying this is something to keep in mind when you hear the incessant calls that Barca get unfair help etc bullsh*t. There are idiots who have asked me 'How can you be proud of that?'... You don't have to justify it by simply being a loyal fan, we've made the semis 5 years in a row fair and square.

For me, all the butthurt caused by jealousy is really cringeworthy. The only game we arguably got really lucky with the ref was the game against Chelsea. But then we also had that second leg against Inter which cost us the opportunity to go through to the finals due to bad reffereeing.

My fellow Dutchman on the field did a decent job. You could argue that he should've shown the red card to Mascherano, but he also spared Ambrosini numerous times so he did it on both sides.

Hete BLKSM wrote:For me, all the butthurt caused by jealousy is really cringeworthy. The only game we arguably got really lucky with the ref was the game against Chelsea. But then we also had that second leg against Inter which cost us the opportunity to go through to the finals due to bad reffereeing.

My fellow Dutchman on the field did a decent job. You could argue that he should've shown the red card to Mascherano, but he also spared Ambrosini numerous times so he did it on both sides.

We argued the Chelsea game to death 2 years ago... Don't really want to get into it, but read what I said before. Watch the 2 legs, and tell me Barca weren't the better team and that the reffing was really that one-sided. We should have had the lead going to Stamford Bridge already. All the penalty calls of theirs were 'half-chances' and Abidal was sent off ridiculously. Reffing wasn't good, but Barca didn't go through because of the reffing like all the sore-asses say.

Great Chelsea most probable. Won't that be a cheerful visit...

BarcaKizz wrote:We argued the Chelsea game to death 2 years ago... Don't really want to get into it, but read what I said before. Watch the 2 legs, and tell me Barca weren't the better team and that the reffing was really that one-sided. We should have had the lead going to Stamford Bridge already. All the penalty calls of theirs were 'half-chances' and Abidal was sent off ridiculously. Reffing wasn't good, but Barca didn't go through because of the reffing like all the sore-asses say.

No offence Chelsea bossed Barcelona in their backyard in the second leg. And clear handballs are not called 'half-chances'. Not to mention the rest of the calls - there are about 6 of them. Yeah, Abidal dismissal decision was harsh and there was a penalty claim on Henry in first leg (now THAT was half-chance penalty shout).

Also CL semi-final against Madrid. Mascherano diving when Higuaín scored and Pepe receiving a red for not making any contact to Alves. A couple of big decisions going Barcelona's way.

Rest of the referee scandal claims are bullshit though. Most decisions in Clásicos have been against Barcelona and also vs Inter (both legs).

Anyway, I got a comprehensive and conclusive write-up about the whole UEFAlona thing coming up soon.

Congrats for making the number 6 now.

For me, only the Pique handball was a clear penalty. Malouda was fouled outside the box. Toure challenged Drogba and he just went down easy. Half chance. Eto was covering his face . If his hand was not there, it would have hit his face.

So just one clear penalty chance.

Henry's penalty call was not a half chance. A clear tug on his arm and he was pulled down from having a clear goal scoring opportunity.

Anyway, these are just details. I agree with the overall point that you are trying to make!

If you think this is not a handball, the differences between how we perceive things are too fundamental to allow continuing this argument.

Henry's was the most clear cut of them all...(other than Pique).

The problem with showing pictures like that is refs don't get still-framed images and get to freeze time while they're watching a game do they. Ffs be logical, in the play it looked like the ball was coming at Eto'o and he turned to protect himself and it struck him under the arm. Half-chance, it is not clear. It could be just said that it was going to hit his body anyway and he did not purposefully obstruct play.

I'm out though. You can have your reply, but lets keep this thread on topic. We don't want to go into this.