Champions league Semi Finals 2020-21 - April 27-28 and May 4-5

Chelsea missed a trick here, they could have been out of sight in the first half.

Madrid should be the happier of the two with the result, Chelsea were superior yet they have just a slight away goal advantage to show for it.

Werner is useless...
 
BalanceUnAutreJoint said:
Chelsea will regret missing their chances.

Madrid with Mendy and Valverde will be an entirely different story
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Who is Valverde coming in for? Carvajal?

Thought Madrid looked far better once they moved to 4 at the back - not sure how Valverde fits in then. I know he's played a bit at wing back in a shuttling role but as a right back I'm not sure he's got the 1v1 nous.
 
GatoLoco said:
Just the fact he is available helps a lot imo because he's versatile and energetic, and Modric and Kroos are knackered at the moment.
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Yeah that makes sense - especially if one or both can put their feet up at the weekend. That said I'd be surprised if he started over either in the second leg, or am I completely off base?
 
TheMagicFoolBus said:
Yeah that makes sense - especially if one or both can put their feet up at the weekend. That said I'd be surprised if he started over either in the second leg, or am I completely off base?
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Congrats. Good result for your boys despite what our Spanish contingent say. Totally in your hands now.
 
TheReligion said:
Congrats. Good result for your boys despite what our Spanish contingent say. Totally in your hands now.
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Cheers mate! Undeniably a good result but could have been better given the way the match went - still exceedingly pleased overall though.

Agreed that we're probably slight favourites but given Madrid's pedigree it'd be silly to write them off. Will have to create more from open play in the second leg though and that might leave space for us on the break.
 
TheMagicFoolBus said:
Cheers mate! Undeniably a good result but could have been better given the way the match went - still exceedingly pleased overall though.

Agreed that we're probably slight favourites but given Madrid's pedigree it'd be silly to write them off. Will have to create more from open play in the second leg though and that might leave space for us on the break.
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I think you'll beat them 2-0.
 
TheMagicFoolBus said:
Yeah that makes sense - especially if one or both can put their feet up at the weekend. That said I'd be surprised if he started over either in the second leg, or am I completely off base?
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Under normal circumstances it should be Casemiro-Modric-Kroos indeed. But Zidane likes to make changes from time to time, so he might surprise us all.
 
GatoLoco said:
Are they back for the second leg?
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Yes. If they don´t get injured again, and knowing our luck this year... Mendy has only muscle overcharge and Fede covid, but was already negative.
TheMagicFoolBus said:
Who is Valverde coming in for? Carvajal?

Thought Madrid looked far better once they moved to 4 at the back - not sure how Valverde fits in then. I know he's played a bit at wing back in a shuttling role but as a right back I'm not sure he's got the 1v1 nous.
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Valverde would play on the right, in the midfield. He is a bit shadowed there, but as Gato says at this point and seeing how tired they are, anything is valid
 
Regardless of what happens I hope it's this side of the draw that wins the CL. It would be gutting to see soulless PSG or city win.
 
GatoLoco said:
Under normal circumstances it should be Casemiro-Modric-Kroos indeed. But Zidane likes to make changes from time to time, so he might surprise us all.
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carvajal said:
Valverde would play on the right, in the midfield. He is a bit shadowed there, but as Gato says at this point and seeing how tired they are, anything is valid
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Makes sense! I thought overall you struggled on the right given Carvajal was still half fit - can't recall a single overlapping run he made all game? The knock-on effect was that all your attacks were down our more robust flank - into Kante / Christensen / Azpilicueta. Having someone threatening to get in behind down the right or offering an option in possession could be very meaningful for sure in the second leg.
 
Pow said:
Lmfao I'm glad someone's confident
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Madrid are slow and one paced. You have this bar some Hazard, narrative magic.
Looks likely we could have 2 all english finals again. European football is really in a sorry state.
 
BigDunc9 said:
Haaland will consider himself lucky to have the career Benzema has had. I don't doubt he will finish up with more goals once he is done but i don't see him having the all round ability of Benzema.
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Who cares if Haaland doesn't have same all-around ability as Benzema. Lewandowski is widely regarded as the best striker in the world and he is nowhere close as skilled as Benzema. Skills is overrated, what matters is how prolific a forward is.

It's not a coincidence Benzema is way, WAY more appreciated after scoring 30 goals in 3 straight seasons after CR7 left.
 
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Pow said:
Tie should be put to bed. Madrid worse than I thought they were. Kante fantastic again.
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Told you Madrid are awful. Should be an easy enough stroll at home for you provided you put away one, or ideally two, of the minimum 5 clear cut one-on-one chances Madrid will concede to you. Pulisic to score.

If we had Joelinton playing for us at Anfield we would have knocked Madrid out. Unfortunately we had Salah, Firmino, Mane and Jota. :wenger: :rolleyes:
 
Spoony said:
City ought to win the CL.
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I really don't see a different result bar some freak goals or injuries going against them. Out of the teams left they are the only ones that have shown consistent superiority over their opponents. I know the match against PSG is billed as a pretty even matched clash but I really don't see that being true. Strategically things could get interesting but Pep has too much experience and too many players firing at at least near full potential to make me doubt there is nothing but only one result possible this year. Having said that - I agree I'd rather see the other side of the bracket win it.
 
Every step of the way the teams we face are supposed to be better than us, then after we play them people are saying how bad they are. Perhaps Chelsea is making these teams look awful. Awful didn’t get them this far in the CL.

I think we should have had one or two more goals in the first half, hope it doesn’t haunt us in the end.

Nothing you can say about Benzema’s goal other than it was a beauty.
 
Redplane said:
I really don't see a different result bar some freak goals or injuries going against them. Out of the teams left they are the only ones that have shown consistent superiority over their opponents. I know the match against PSG is billed as a pretty even matched clash but I really don't see that being true. Strategically things could get interesting but Pep has too much experience and too many players firing at at least near full potential to make me doubt there is nothing but only one result possible this year. Having said that - I agree I'd rather see the other side of the bracket win it.
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Pep has a lot of experience completely overthinking things in the CL lately too and PSG made the final last season.

I don't understand why they're seen as massive underdogs. They have the best attacking duo in the world. If Mbappe/Neymar are firing, I think they'll cause serious serious problems.

Last time Pep faced a dangerous continental attack in the CL, he decided to man mark MSN at the Nou Camp like a madman and got lucky the 1st half before it unraveled in the 2nd half.
 
Dumbstar said:
Told you Madrid are awful. Should be an easy enough stroll at home for you provided you put away one, or ideally two, of the minimum 5 clear cut one-on-one chances Madrid will concede to you. Pulisic to score.

If we had Joelinton playing for us at Anfield we would have knocked Madrid out. Unfortunately we had Salah, Firmino, Mane and Jota. :wenger: :rolleyes:
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The only issue is your finishing is still probably better than ours.
 
Barnslig said:
Don't get all of the Benzema loving all of a sudden, yes he's had a good season, but he's 33. People raving about him as if he's another Haaland. People forget the years of being frustrating, overweight and looking disinterested. Good striker, don't get me wrong, but never been quite up there for me.
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He has better goal contribution per minute over his career than the likes of Aguero,Kane and Cavani do.

As far as 21st century strikers are concerned, only Suarez Lewy Ibra and R9 have a better goal+assist per minute number than him

Not sure what you're on about.
 
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BalanceUnAutreJoint said:
He has better goal contribution per minute over his career than the likes of Aguero,Kane and Cavani do.

As far as 21st century stikers are concerned only Suarez Lewy Ibra and R9 have a higher goal+assist per minute number than him

Not sure what you're on about.
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Fair enough, he might be up there in terms of numbers, just never done it for me I guess. As I said, good player no doubt, but doing it in Ligue 1 and for possibly one of the best Real Madrid teams ever, with all his off-the-pitch issues etc, I guess he never really stood out to me as someone I desperately wanted for United.
 
Zaphod2319 said:
Every step of the way the teams we face are supposed to be better than us, then after we play them people are saying how bad they are. Perhaps Chelsea is making these teams look awful. Awful didn’t get them this far in the CL.
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This is Real Madrid's 4th draw in 5 games. That's not to say Chelsea played badly; they played quite well and could win the CL if they play like that. But RM have been running on fumes since half-time during the Clasico.

I'm afraid it's the end of the road for Zidane's boys.
 
Pow said:
The only issue is your finishing is still probably better than ours.
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That would only be an issue if you needed the goals. Madrid can't finish (or create) much either. All they have is Benzema, don't fall for the Vinicius hype as we momentarily made him look good. It's all about Benzema and he'll only get one (chance and goal).

I think at least one of Mount or Pulisic will score. And that should be enough.
 
Iker Quesadillas said:
This is Real Madrid's 4th draw in 5 games. That's not to say Chelsea played badly; they played quite well and could win the CL if they play like that. But RM have been running on fumes since half-time during the Clasico.

I'm afraid it's the end of the road for Zidane's boys.
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I anticipated this seeing how tired the team looked in that game and the second leg vs Liverpool. When you see Modric and Kroos miss easy passes you know there is something wrong with their energy.
 
Genuinely think city might win comfortably, really hope I am wrong.
 
I want PSG to win, but I would not put money against Pep.
 
Barnslig said:
Fair enough, he might be up there in terms of numbers, just never done it for me I guess. As I said, good player no doubt, but doing it in Ligue 1 and for possibly one of the best Real Madrid teams ever, with all his off-the-pitch issues etc, I guess he never really stood out to me as someone I desperately wanted for United.
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A top 4 CL scorer of all time never did it for you :lol:
 
duffer said:
Marcelo is out of the second leg as he has been called up to work at a polling station.

Very strange but he was kinda wank last might anyway.
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Spanish government intervening on Real Madrid's behalf yet again ffs
 
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