Barça vs. Bayern

Well, the anticipated final. They are a very strong team and anything can happen. I'm not scared of them though. I think we will surprise and win this.

Madrid will just destroy Dortmund without opposition and refs going their way.

Let's see what happens. I would give half my money to avoid Madrid winning this CL.

Would rather face this lot in a 2 legged game than Madrid.

And I would prefer to face Madrid in a one off game, I think we would do better. But I didnt want it to be the final of course, thats no good for my heart.

Anyway, it is what it is, the same story for us as always. If we press we can do it, if we dont we wont.

The Franchise wrote:Would rather face this lot in a 2 legged game than Madrid.

And I would prefer to face Madrid in a one off game, I think we would do better. But I didnt want it to be the final of course, thats no good for my heart.

Anyway, it is what it is, the same story for us as always. If we press we can do it, if we dont we wont.

I think we shouldn't press. We are too poor doing it. We should press only when we lose the ball in their box after long posession. Otherwise, defend compact.

Whoever progresses will get the trophy...

Its a decent enough idea, but I think its very very unlikely we will do that.

I know... I just don't want to even consider the possibility of Mou lifting it.
BVB of course is out of the picture

I meant not pressing as Free said not being likely.

But I hope your right and think its very possible.

I think we would do better vs Madrid in a 1 legged game.

Since when have we been able to defend compact? lol

Huge draw. You have to beat the best to win it, so I see little problem. We'll need to improve, but its strange how quickly some have forgotten how good our team is. Bizarrely we could be underdogs...

Free was talking about the last 15-20 of PSG where we had Busquets, Song, the back 4 together with Bartra and Pique, two real centerbacks. They didnt create any real chance.

I think its a small sample size and while there have been hints of it from us before, I dont know if we are capable of it for extended periods and especially against a team like this. My feeling is probably not.

But really it doesnt matter, I dont think we will even go down that road.

The Franchise wrote:Free was talking about the last 15-20 of PSG where we had Busquets, Song, the back 4 together with Bartra and Pique, two real centerbacks. They didnt create any real chance.

I think its a small sample size and while there have been hints of it from us before, I dont know if we are capable of it for extended periods and especially against a team like this. My feeling is probably not.

But really it doesnt matter, I dont think we will even go down that road.

Both CL finals vs. Manu are other samples, we had to do quite a lot of compact defending and they didn't create many chances.
I'm not talking about parking the bus, just keep the lines together some metres before the middle of the pitch, press one player only and keep shape. When we get the ball play our usual game.

Where will the first leg be played for for this match and for Madrid and Dortmund?

Also what date are the matches?

I kind of agree with Franchise, I think if we are to play Bayern it should be over 2 legs. And with Barcas/Spains experience in finals, IF we get that far I dont see us losing.

1st leg at Germany, second leg Barcelona.

Same for the evil.

I like the fact that Bayern are '' favorites '' . Being underdogs might help the team to stick together. It's going to be hard but it's also exciting. The score will be close but the away goals are going to mkae the difference imo.

Mandzudic won't be there for the first game as he is suspended... Where is the first game going to be ?

Would be amazing if dortmund beat Real , but i don' think so.

My only wish is Bartra is started regularly in la liga in order to get some rhythm.
Pls no more makeshift defenses. The boy is decent enough, start him already and even if we fail I don’t think anyone will complain

i cant remember the last time when we were not called favourite in a big game. totally different feeling.....lets face it.....
with that i quote BarcaKizz "You have to beat the best to win it" .....there is nothing called avoid.....If Byern is the best team and superior to us we would loose them in final then why not now???
Waiting for an enthrilling match....Normally it is difficult for me to watch such an highly tensed match.....lets see whether i can manage this time...

Last time we were not favorite was against Man Utd in the 09 CL final, which we won pretty easy in the end..

Eh, while I would have rather faced Dortmund, every team is hard at this stage. I do think that Bayern's style suits us more than the other two (who would be happy to sit back and counter attack - i can't see Bayern doing that)

What I'm not so happy about is playing the first leg in Germany.

Also Dani I personally think our chances vs Madrid are better on a 2 legged game than a 1 off - the games tend to be won by low margin of goals so in 1 legged games the refs, mistakes, injuries have a higher impact than over 180 minutes. Anyways let's pray for Dormund, who I think are being underrated, they already beat Madrid while tactically outclassing them (essentially they just parked the bus and marked Xabi out of the game, which is what every la liga scrub has found works against them). I'm sure they can do it again.

free_cat wrote:Well, the anticipated final. They are a very strong team and anything can happen. I'm not scared of them though. I think we will surprise and win this.

Madrid will just destroy Dortmund without opposition and refs going their way.

Let's see what happens. I would give half my money to avoid Madrid winning this CL.

A few points here cat.

1. There is no "surprise" in us beating Bayern. Heck Arsenal almost knocked them out.

2. I think a fully fit Dortmund are a match for any of the other three teams. Only experience goes against them.

3. We completely agree on the third point. If we don't win UCL I just don't want Madrid to win it. That would mean a year of mourning for us in football. La Decima for them. Mourinho becoming the second manager ever to win three UCLs and then gloating endlessly about it. I have had some wonderful moments in football and some ugly ones but this would be the worst football moment of all time for me.

Reposting what I wrote in the other thread since I got to know of this new thread only now.

The big truth is out now. It's Bayern we are going to face in the semi final. Whatever others may feel it does not displease me. Having to face Madrid would mean having to tolerate all of Mourinho's shenanigans for days before and after. As for Dortmund, they are my second favourite team and I didn't really want them pitted against us. Now if only they can get their self belief together and conjure up the spirit that made them get the better of Madrid in the group stages. Anyway we need to look ourselves first. In 2008-09 we totally demolished Bayern. In the next few years they have been quoted as saying we are the only team in the world they would like to avoid. How things have changed since then that it's now us who are showing fear of them!!! Anyway I feel this is a clear 50-50 tie that could go either way. Bayern have better balance than us but if we get our act together and if all our key players perform they we can be near unstoppable. A very exciting clash awaits football fans worldwide.

free_cat wrote:

I think we shouldn't press. We are too poor doing it. We should press only when we lose the ball in their box after long posession. Otherwise, defend compact.

Then how did we manage it against Milan? I think its mainly about preparation and attitude.

I am really surprised that some are calling us underdogs. In my book you don't dream of using that term for a team having Messi, Xavi and Iniesta unless at least two of them have one leg broken.

This Bayern team is being hyped too much. Let them first show that they are worthy of it. They could easily choke against us or against Madrid in the final.

The bookies still rate us as favourites to win the tournament.

Most on Twitter are saying it will be a Real vs. Bayern final but Guillem Ballague has predicted a Dortmund vs. Barca final. Now that's the final I want to see happen.

P.S. - If we get knocked out and Madrid go to the final, it will be very hard to take. Last season the biggest consolation was that they also got knocked out at the same stage.

We also did it for a 10minute spell vs PSG around when we scored.

But both were based on desperation, we in trouble, we needed something...thats no good, we need it from the start.

BarrileteCosmico wrote:

Also Dani I personally think our chances vs Madrid are better on a 2 legged game than a 1 off - the games tend to be won by low margin of goals so in 1 legged games the refs, mistakes, injuries have a higher impact than over 180 minutes.

Sure, but over two legs the mental side of the game is different and I think doesnt favour us.

In one game, its all or nothing, desperation kicks in, energy, nerves....all these things I think we top them in, if e become desperate and have to rely on our big game mettle so to speak, we are better.

In 2 games, there elements of caution, they know there is another chance, I dont think this helps us against them.

JD, I too dont buy this underdog thing. But I think its not important anyway, because the team wont feel like underdogs so that part of the story will have no impact on the game.

I also wouldnt worry about Madrid. If Bayern beat us, the boost they will get, the belief....I think they would beat Madrid too.

The Franchise wrote:JD, I too dont buy this underdog thing. But I think its not important anyway, because the team wont feel like underdogs so that part of the story will have no impact on the game.

I also wouldnt worry about Madrid. If Bayern beat us, the boost they will get, the belief....I think they would beat Madrid too.

dani, agree completely on the first point. Neither will Barca team think of themselves as underdogs nor will Bayern team think of themselves as favourites against us.

Like your confidence on the second point but Bayern need to get over their choking mentality. Just when everything seems in their favour is when they are most likely to choke. Anyway I am not writing off Dortmund's chances of knocking Madrid out. That team deserves more respect. They have shown that it's possible to create a top team without spending big money - something Arsene Wenger tried to do for years and failed. What they have achieved in the last three years is beyond incredible.

free_cat wrote:

The Franchise wrote:Would rather face this lot in a 2 legged game than Madrid.

And I would prefer to face Madrid in a one off game, I think we would do better. But I didnt want it to be the final of course, thats no good for my heart.

Anyway, it is what it is, the same story for us as always. If we press we can do it, if we dont we wont.

I think we shouldn't press. We are too poor doing it. We should press only when we lose the ball in their box after long posession. Otherwise, defend compact.

But pressing is out only way, we dont really have a plan B, we are not good at defending comptact. Pretty much as we know, we always play the same way. Whatever, I think boths team will really rise up to the occasion and provide us with another amazing 2 legs, 2 of the best 3 teams in the world. There will be injuries and other things affecting it...and I hope that refs dont prove decisive would hate it to happen again...

Overall I think ppl still consider Barca favourites, but know that Bayern have been the closest they have been to us. Im always confident, but i cant be this time, this is definitely the hardest CL route we have ever had I think in the current era... if we win it, it will truly cement our place to be the greatest! But I really think its 50/50...

I understand and agree with everyone's fears too about meeting Real in the final and if get beaten it would be the ultimate nightmare.... I think Real will beat Dortmund... so I hope Dortmund continue their fairytale and pull another 2 great performances to knock them out.... but it is more likely that Real will get to the final I think.... although I dont think they will continue to beat us, it will be also 50/50....

I think even in our "bad" form, opposing teams still fear us. This team earned that.

I think we should still have the mental edge. We need to get Barta in rhythm though and rest Messi in league games. If he re-injures his leg then we are screwed.

I think the obvious as everyone, and the same old story all tournament long...we NEED to try to end this series in the first leg. Even a 1-0 is fine, we just need to stop giving up goals.

I also believe last time Dortmund played Real Madrid, was the easiest time to play them. They were getting bad results left and right in La Liga and were having problems with Mou. Now they are clicking, and full of confidence. Dortmund will have to hope they can perform the impossible yet again and get the better of those a-holes two more times. Dortmund, please dont screw up.