Champions League Semi-final discussion

http://www.marca.com/2014/03/22/futbol/equipos/atletico/1395485229.html
  

while other sources report Atletico should pay 10 mln

that can't be legit.
If he's an registered player for the CL for Atletico, and he's not banned or anything, they should just play him. How are Chelsea going to disallow that?

Can't imagine such a contract clause could be upheld tbh.

Lol if that's true that they have to pay that much, it'll be hilarious.

Can't wait for that match up to happen and for us to be painted the bad guys because Courtois can't play against us.....just another reason to be painted the bad guys as usual


But really, I don't want Athletico for any reason. My least desired draw tbh. My preferences in order of what I want the most:

Bayern
Madrid
Athletico


Give us Bayern ffs

Dat Giroud.

Anyway, it doesn't matter who Bayern face. Anyone of those teams will take em out.

Sub plot:

Of the 4 managers in the semi finals, 3(Mou, Pep, Carlo) have a chance to become the first ever manager to win 3 CL titles


Honestly think all 4 coaches are the 4 best tacticians in football right now.

Blue Barrett wrote:Sub plot:

Of the 4 managers in the semi finals, 3(Mou, Pep, Carlo) have a chance to become the first ever manager to win 3 CL titles


Honestly think all 4 coaches are the 4 best tacticians in football right now.

If the Paisley curse (that has been in effect for 30 years now) continues, then it's definitely Atletico's CL

Even Ferguson couldn't break the Paisley curse


btw, am I the only one who reckons Atleti will be the toughest draw for Chelsea in the Semi (Courtois or not). They just seem very well suited to Chelsea's style, because they are every bit as solid and physical, and even more.

Agree with NP that Atletico looks like they will give the toughest game to Chelsea. RM with Bayern will have a touch of revenge.

Natalie Portman wrote:

Blue Barrett wrote:Sub plot:

Of the 4 managers in the semi finals, 3(Mou, Pep, Carlo) have a chance to become the first ever manager to win 3 CL titles


Honestly think all 4 coaches are the 4 best tacticians in football right now.

If the Paisley curse (that has been in effect for 30 years now) continues, then it's definitely Atletico's CL

Even Ferguson couldn't break the Paisley curse


btw, am I the only one who reckons Atleti will be the toughest draw for Chelsea in the Semi (Courtois or not). They just seem very well suited to Chelsea's style, because they are every bit as solid and physical, and even more.

Said that a few posts ago. I absolutely do not want to play them for any reason. We already have enough problems breaking down the West Hams of this world, I shudder to think what it would be like facing a defence like Athletico's. Absolutely do not want them.

On the other hand, we thrive against teams that love to play possession football like Bayern. We'll be able to tighten up at the back, wait for them to come to us and attack them on the counter.

Real Madrid, though, have godly speed on the wings with Bale and Ronaldo and they have a few other things that may be problems for us, but they still have the problem of a shit defence that can be torn apart. I don't exactly want to play them(mostly because of Bale and Ronaldo on the wings) but I'd rather have them over Athletico who can match our biggest strength and even more.

Chelsea can target Miranda and Juanfran. lol Miranda's the weak link of Atleti Defense.

PSG were able to mark Hazard out of the game. I don't even want to imagine how Athletico will set up against him.

But you guys got dat Terry, tho. The guy can score in more ways than one. lololol

Not sure I understand the joke

Blue Barrett wrote:Not sure I understand the joke

I don't mean it in a negative sense, lol. I'm koo' with everyone. Just saying that I wouldn't put it past Terry to influence a big game.

I understand your doubts though. The things that get said in this place are too much sometimes.

Lord Awesome wrote:

Blue Barrett wrote:Not sure I understand the joke

I don't mean it in a negative sense, lol. I'm koo' with everyone. Just saying that I wouldn't put it past Terry to influence a big game.

I understand your doubts though. The things that get said in this place are too much sometimes.

Oh I wasn't taking it negatively

But yeah, you're right.

pathetico would have to pay chelsea 3m euros per game courtois plays in if they face chelsea. Cerezo has said they cannot afford it.

https://twitter.com/GuillemBalague?original_referer=http%3A%2F%2Fweaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com%2F2014%2F4%2F10%2F5599278%2Fatletico-madrid-cant-afford-courtois-fee-if-they-draw-chelsea&tw_i=454040667019558912&tw_p=tweetembed

I hope we get either Chelsea or Atletico.

Bayern would outplay us and would end up outscoring us too. Can see us scoring due to our counter-attacking ability, however it probably wouldn't be enough.

We really need to start playing more as a team. With Pepe and Ramos there's no point sitting back, so we need to start pressing better and more consistently throughout the match. Bale needs to track back at all times whenever we are in our half.

El Chelsea Fuerte wrote:pathetico would have to pay chelsea 3m euros per game courtois plays in if they face chelsea. Cerezo has said they cannot afford it.

https://twitter.com/GuillemBalague?original_referer=http%3A%2F%2Fweaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com%2F2014%2F4%2F10%2F5599278%2Fatletico-madrid-cant-afford-courtois-fee-if-they-draw-chelsea&tw_i=454040667019558912&tw_p=tweetembed

They wouldn't exactly need a Leo Yashin to beat Chelsea though. a Julian Speroni or Brad Guzan would suffice

Hoping for:

Madrid-Atleti
Bayern-Chelsea

Atleti and Bayern on to the final ofc. Atleti for the title but that's a pipe dream. I think their style is very effective against Barca but probably not against Chelsea or Bayern, who have plenty of athletism to cope with.

Just not Chelsea, they would stifle our nonsense possession system and capitalize on their chances.

BarcaLearning wrote:

RealGunner wrote:https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BkzstrYCcAASDkB.jpg

Didnt remember Man U knocked us out in 2008? Wasnt semi for sure even if so....

I think this is the first time since Pep that we failed to get into the semis?

Ahh forgot about that, so its been that many seasons we got into the semi, and it shows that the team b4 Pep were all that bad in the end. It makes this loss to Atletico even more significant obviously

Bayern the favourites left, followed by Real. I hope to see Bayern vs Real and Chelsea vs Atletico, and then Bayern v Atletico final

Come on Atletico Madrid, do it for Fernando Torres.

Abramovich wrote:In the scenario that we get drawn against A Madrid, I wonder if Courtois will be allowed to play against us bearing in mind he started the Super Cup but I think that was a one off?

Mourinho should recall Courtois back to Chelsea. Imagine the riots!  

nice read. imo for chelsea to go through all the way and win it (best case scenario Chelsea draws against Atletico; worst case scenarion chelsea draws Madrid, second best case scenario is drawing against Bayern.)

Jose Mourinho has no equal in adapting tactics depending on the opponent. No coach currently left in the competition prepares a team better for individual matches. This season he has earned Chelsea rewards in the Premier League and Champions League by his setting his team out with a particular game in mind.

The win against Manchester City, which brought down Manuel Pellegrini's facade of impenetrability, was among the best displays in the Premier League this campaign and owed a lot to Mourinho's preparation in the days leading up to the game.

"This is where he comes into his own," captain John Terry said after the 1-0 victory in February. "We spent a good couple of days working on their strengths and weaknesses. They were long sessions for us but they were very worthwhile."

Jose was at it again in midweek. He had a blueprint in mind for every circumstance against Paris Saint-Germain, Terry revealed. Andre Schurrle and Demba Ba both came off the bench to score in a 2-0 win which eliminated the French Ligue 1 leaders.

"We worked a lot all week on scenarios; 1-0, 2-0, 3-1, what would we do if Demba came on," Terry said. "For every scenario, we had a game plan and once again we got it right."

Chelsea may not play heart-stopping football or boast an all-star attack but they are going to be a match for any team in the semi-finals due to their coach's meticulous attention to detail and the willingness of his players to buy into his plans and execute them. They don't give goals up easily and score at the right time.

Make no mistake, Mourinho already knows how to beat all three semi-final rivals.

Real Madrid's awesome attacking power has served them well so far. No team in the competition has more goals this season. They have scored 32 times in the Champions League and have been able to devastate opponents due to their immense firepower.

As the game against Borussia Dortmund showed, however, Madrid are in danger when their attackers have an off-night. With no Cristiano Ronaldo in their ranks, Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale were tamed easily. Dortmund scored twice and should have had more. Madrid are lucky to be in the last four because their defence cannot be relied upon. When they are expected to see out a game instead of vanquishing the opposition with relentless attacks, Real Madrid are in peril.

There is a lack of organisation in front of Iker Casillas with neither Sergio Ramos nor Pepe capable of adequately commanding a defence. Moreover, there are mistakes aplenty in the Real ranks. Pepe and Xabi Alonso were both culpable in allowing Jurgen Klopp's side their goals on Tuesday. Any repeat of that and Real will be eliminated.

They are facing three teams who can defend better than they can. It's a lot to ask but if the shackles can again be applied to Real's attack then they must be considered outsiders at best for their latest shot at La Decima.

Pep Guardiola has faced some snipes for taking the fun out of Bayern Munich's play but he deserves immense credit for his unleashing of Philipp Lahm.

Guardiola reasoned that Lahm was too good a player to be shunted to the full-back position and has put him back in the position he played as a youth - in midfield. Lahm has responded with his best individual season to date.

He is the one who interprets best what Guardiola demands. He is the one who plays that pace-setting pass, whether it's long or short. He is the one to fill the gaps and quench whatever, usually inconsequential, pressure Bayern are facing.

No game this season illustrated better Lahm's evolution than the 3-1 home win against Manchester United in the quarter-finals. Lahm was named at right-back but didn't often pop up there. Formations are really only team shapes when defending. Lahm didn't have to face down Danny Welbeck or Shinji Kagawa very often and so was allowed to dictate the game from further infield whenever he could.

The key moment in the game, aside from Patrice Evra's goal, was the introduction of Rafinha. He played as an orthodox right-back allowing Lahm to push into midfield proper and not have to worry about United's left-sided midfielder. And it was he who instigated the attack for Robben's goal. But more than that, he gave Bayern the control and stability they craved with so many first-choice midfielders absent.

When Bayern have a problem, Lahm is the man to solve it. Whatever Guardiola asks of him, he carries it out. He will be vital in the semi-finals, whoever they face.

When Koke scored the goal to take Atletico Madrid to the Champions League semi-finals - at the expense of Barcelona - for the first time in the history of the competition, many would have been forgiven for thinking that this was going to be the start of something beautiful.

They are top of the Spanish Primera Division and now among the best four teams on the continent. They possess a coach on the up and a red-hot forward in Diego Costa; Atleti seem to have it all. Although this is only their first season among Europe's elite it is nonetheless likely to be their last.

Diego Simeone is the man who has forged this project together. If he moves on to pastures new in the summer given that he is now one of the most in-demand coaches in world football he will take with him the secrets and methods of Atletico's success.

Moreover, they remain some €500 million in debt. Atleti are continually striving to drive down wages and are in no position to turn away transfer fees. Diego Costa's release clause will likely be met and he will go. Koke, too, will now find himself in demand. The essence of this brilliant, energetic team could be torn away.

Which is why success will taste all the sweeter for Simeone. After the Europa League, the European Super Cup and the Copa Del Rey, a Liga and Champions League double would not be the start of something special  - it would be the end.

The value of an away goal means teams can be very cagey at home at this stage of the competition. Nonetheless, the rewards are there for any side who keeps a clean sheet at home in the Champions League knockouts. Scoring an away goal is more often than not a determining factor in which team goes forward in Europe. The quarter-finals emphasised the importance of maintaining a shut-out at home whether in the first or second leg.

Bayern were the only team among the last four to go through having conceded on their own ground. Patrice Evra's long-range strike provoked a fearsome backlash and Bayern won comfortably with goals to spare. Things, however, were closer in the other matches.

PSG must have thought they had done enough to eliminate Chelsea by virtue of a 3-1 win in Paris. Not so. Some good saves from Petr Cech and a big missed chance for Edinson Cavani meant that PSG were always vulnerable so long as Chelsea held them goalless. And so it proved with a matter of minutes on the clock.

Real Madrid can point to the chances missed by Henrikh Mhkitaryan as the chief reason that they progressed but Borussia Dortmund were always up against it having failed to score at Santiago Bernabeu. Had they taken one chance in Spain, they would have been the team through.

And what of Atletico Madrid? No team has been as consistently successful in one season against Barcelona as they have. They snatched a vital lead at Camp Nou through Diego and although Neymar pulled one back on the night, it was not necessarily Koke's goal at the Vicente Calderon but their ability to shut out Barca that put them through.

So much emphasis is put on the big attacking players these days that it's difficult to make the point that scoring goals is not always the most important element in knockout football; not conceding them is.

I would be VERY surprised if we didn't see a Madrid derby semi final.

nah, i want Chelsea first.
After we've disposed of those clowns, I want a Bayern-Atletico final, exactly 40 years after the 1974 one