Champions League Semi Finals (24th April - 2nd May)

[Pink Moon]

I suppose they will control possession much better against Liverpool. Bayern are better on the ball than Liverpool which is why Real were pushed back. Don't underestimate the effect Anfield has on them as well. Playing in a neutral ground will be a different prospect especially when faced with a team that can pass it around for fun.

Anfield is obviously advantageous for them but to be fair they've also had impressive wins away at Porto and City.

Real will definitely have most of the possession but I feel like that's how Liverpool would prefer it anyway. They're at their best when they're playing on the counter attack, pressing from the front and harassing the opposition into mistakes.

I still can't look past Ronaldo v Lovren and Kroos & Modric v Henderson & Wijnaldum as being two areas where Liverpool just can't compete.

 

[Mrs Smoker]

Surely you can understand why so many Utd fans would be desperate for anyone but Liverpool to win it though?

I'm from and live in Manchester. It would be an absolute nightmare.

But I absolutely do! And have no problems with that. I take issue with people call out others for cheering on Roma, Juve, Bayern in recent games.

 

[GhastlyHun]

Dont know whats your point. Football is like this.

My point is that Real was not really impressive tonight and that they were there for the taking.

 

[Samid]

 

[Canagel]

If Robben, Boateng, and Alaba are still out for the return leg, we might as well stay at home.

You guys have shot yourselves in the foot. Why are your players so susceptible to injuries? You were still the better team even with a depleted squad but without key players it's a bridge too far. How can you expect to beat Real Madrid with vital players missing? Those three you've mentioned are the equivalent of Marcelo, Ramos and Isco maybe. If they were missing and you guys had a fully fit squad you would've been out of sight.

 

[Djemba-Djemba]

But I absolutely do! And have no problems with that. I take issue with people call out others for cheering on Roma, Juve, Bayern in recent games.

But it's all in aid of hoping Liverpool don't win it!

That's the whole point!

We'll have to agree to disagree. You've said you're not a local fan and it appears you don't get the rivalry.

 

[redman5]

I'll base it on them getting past PSG, Juve and on their way to get past Bayern.

OK, fair enough. Just thought it would make more sense to judge Madrid's chances of winning a possible Liverpool v Real final on how they've fared against another PL side of a similar standing. Anyway, there's still the 2nd legs to come yet. So there's still a chance that one, or both, will not feature in that final.

 

[Paxi]

At least he can recover quickly using his pace, anyway today's game didn't exactly filled me with confidence.

Honestly, I think Zidane is very tactically astute and he won't be leaving gaping holes for Salah to run into. Madrid played against some amazing teams over past 3 seasons in CL and they're on course to win it again.

 

[el3mel]

OK, fair enough. Just thought it would make more sense to judge Madrid's chances of winning a possible Liverpool v Real final on how they've fared against another PL side of a similar standing. Anyway, there's still the 2nd legs to come yet. So there's still a chance that one, or both, will not feature in that final.

Group stage games mean feck all in the contest as long as you progress. Spurs leaded the group, did it really matter now ? PSG leaded the group ahead of Bayern, did it matter ? Nah.

 

[JustFootballFan]

I have to say though Bayern fans are too harsh on Lewandowski. Okay he´s bottled every big game for the last five years, but he deserves some major credit for Bayern´s one Champions League win in 2013.

 

[Mrs Smoker]

But it's all in aid of hoping Liverpool don't win it!

That's the whole point!

We'll have to agree to disagree. You've said you're not a local fan and it appears you don't get the rivalry.

Fine, but just wondering, do you usually like those teams more than Barca and Real?

 

[Can23]

But it's all in aid of hoping Liverpool don't win it!

That's the whole point!

We'll have to agree to disagree. You've said you're not a local fan and it appears you don't get the rivalry.

So who did you support when City played Liverpool? Surely you'd support Liverpool if you lived in Manchester and surrounded by City fans more than Liverpool ones.

 

[Dante]

Well, I'm not from Manchester, not even England. Kids didn't tease me for my love of United, so grew without such scars. Almost everything Liverpool connected comes from internet for me...Why would I really really really hate them? (Granted, I don't like them).

United play individual games and you oppose the side we're playing against that day.

United are involved in league campaigns and you oppose the sides around us in the table.

United have been playing football since the dawn of the professional game and you oppose the sides that challenge our record as the most decorated team in the country.

In the last case, Liverpool are our closest rivals for top dogs in England. Even if you're not a Manc, you should recognise the long-term sporting rivalry. It's a part of the club, and therefore should be factored into your support.

Sorry if that sounded condescending. I didn't mean it that way. I'm just trying to boil it down into simple terms.

 

[Peanut Butter]

Well, I'm not from Manchester, not even England. Kids didn't tease me for my love of United, so grew without such scars. Almost everything Liverpool connected comes from internet for me...Why would I really really really hate them? (Granted, I don't like them).

This is why.

 

[Murder on Zidanes Floor]

AC Milan

You mean MUFC?

 

[Djemba-Djemba]

So who did you support when City played Liverpool? Surely you'd support Liverpool if you lived in Manchester and surrounded by City fans more than Liverpool ones.

I supported nobody.

I've got both City and Liverpool friends, loads of scousers live in Manchester. All good lads, except for their taste in football teams.

 

[hubbuh]

But I absolutely do! And have no problems with that. I take issue with people call out others for cheering on Roma, Juve, Bayern in recent games.

People can obviously cheer for whoever the feck they feel like. From a ‘typical’ United fan point of view though, everything is geared towards hoping Liverpool get cunted in the quickest and most vigorous way possible - Madrid are surely our best hope of this happening!

 

[Theonas]

Anfield is obviously advantageous for them but to be fair they've also had impressive wins away at Porto and City.

Real will definitely have most of the possession but I feel like that's how Liverpool would prefer it anyway. They're at their best when they're playing on the counter attack, pressing from the front and harassing the opposition into mistakes.

I still can't look past Ronaldo v Lovren and Kroos & Modric v Henderson & Wijnaldum as being two areas where Liverpool just can't compete.

I think against at City, they were extremely lucky not to be 3 down by half time. They couldn't string enough passes to effectively counter until the last quarter of the game.

As for your point about possession, I think for the counter attacking team, being out possession can only be an advantage if the possession team is attacking. If they are just recycling the ball like Barcelona used to do at their best, there is just nothing to exploit. Real are nowhere near Barcelona in that regard but they are easily good enough to do it to Liverpool. They can be play the patient keep the ball game very effectively against teams who are not Barcelona, Bayern or City this season.

I think as is the case in most of these games, it will come down to that first goal. If Real get it, I can see them toying with Liverpool making them chase the ball. If Liverpool get it, space will open up for them. I just happen to think Real are much more likely to find a goal out of nowhere than any team in the world.

 

[Djemba-Djemba]

Fine, but just wondering, do you usually like those teams more than Barca and Real?

Yeah definitely.

I don't really like Barcelona and I especially don't like Real Madrid.

But if the other option is Liverpool then it's an easy decision.

 

[Pink Moon]

I think against at City, they were extremely lucky not to be 3 down by half time. They couldn't string enough passes to effectively counter until the last quarter of the game.

As for your point about possession, I think for the counter attacking team, being out possession can only be an advantage if the possession team is attacking. If they are just recycling the ball like Barcelona used to do at their best, there is just nothing to exploit. Real are nowhere near Barcelona in that regard but they are easily good enough to do it to Liverpool. They can be play the patient keep the ball game very effectively against teams who are not Barcelona, Bayern or City this season.

I think as is the case in most of these games, it will come down to that first goal. If Real get it, I can see them toying with Liverpool making them chase the ball. If Liverpool get it, space will open up for them. I just happen to think Real are much more likely to find a goal out of nowhere than any team in the world.

Yep. Tonight proved as much.

 

[Charles Miller]

My point is that Real was not really impressive tonight and that they were there for the taking.

Yes. Thats exactly why they are so strong. Managed to win when the other team was stronger.

 

[Can23]

I supported nobody.

I've got both City and Liverpool friends, loads of scousers live in Manchester. All good lads, except for their taste in football teams.

That's fair enough, must of been terrible to watch lol I'd support Everton in the same situation as i don't live near any Everton fans!

 

[Djemba-Djemba]

That's fair enough, must of been terrible to watch lol I'd support Everton in the same situation as i don't live near any Everton fans!

And you know Everton would feck things up anyway!

 

[Kostov]

Real were awful. They got carved apart countless times by a very depleted Bayern team.

Nah, not for me. There wasn't a single well worked play by bayern, they were dysfunctional and deserved nothing. Most of their chances came from a lucky deflection or bad defending, and yet they fecked up. Real scored two good goals and played like an away team in the CL.

 

[Mihai]

Nah, not for me. There wasn't a single well worked play by bayern, they were dysfunctional and deserved nothing. Most of their chances came from a lucky deflection or bad defending, and yet they fecked up. Real scored two good goals and played like an away team in the CL.

The Bayern fans willl tell you that you are blind.

 

[SV_Planegg]

Couldn't watch the game so I recorded it. Just cought up with Ronnie's shot aimed at the corner flag. WTF

Please somone make a gif of that one.

 

[Mrs Smoker]

Sorry if that sounded condescending. I didn't mean it that way. I'm just trying to boil it down into simple terms.

Not sure what's the point of it though, I still oppose them...just don't have as strong feelings as you. I do remember myself being more radical so to say, guess Fergie was the wind beneath my wings.

This is why.

Agreed!

 

[Theonas]

You don't know what you talk about. The 2014 and 2016 sides are MUCH better than the current one. Much, much, much better.

In 2014, they finished third in the league and in the CL, they narrowly edged Dortmund 3/2 on aggregate having to survive a second leg Juventus style. They were lucky against Bayern in the first leg producing admittedly a brilliant performance in the second. In the final, they were saved again by a last minute header having looked impotent throughout the game.

In 2016, They were about 10 points behind Barcelona late in the season before finishing a respectable second (yet again in the league). In the CL, they lost 2/0 to the mighty Wolfsburg before a Ronaldo hatrick saved them only go on to produce one of the most limp semi final performances against an even limper City going on to win a very even final on penalties.

I am not disputing their quality as I stated before, nobody can deal with game on the edge moments like they can. They always seem to find what's needed. But to suggest they were a brilliant team bar 2017 is overlooking some serious flaws. Unless of course we differ greatly on what constitutes a brilliant team.

 

[strongwalker]

Or maybe we took him out of the game rather efficiently, and Real snatched two goals from two clear chances, while our entire attack forgot how to hit a ball or was injured after five minutes.

face it, Süle is taller than him, faster than him, and more handsome too. His confidence was broken.

 

[Paxi]

I cheered and fecking supported and pleaded with them to twat Liverpool. I don't care about City. Their fans a fecking gobshites and will still be gobshites if they win the Champions League. It would even be slightly amusing since they all pretend to hate the competion.

With Liverpool, you would get every fecking media outlet eulogising over them for the foreseeable future. You'd get fecking twats writing books about it. You'd fecking never hear the fecking end of it. My boss is Scouser and I think I might actually quit if those wankers lift it fore I cannot be fecked hearing about for the next 2-3 years.

 

[Mrs Smoker]

People can obviously cheer for whoever the feck they feel like. From a ‘typical’ United fan point of view though, everything is geared towards hoping Liverpool get cunted in the quickest and most vigorous way possible - Madrid are surely our best hope of this happening!

Should start from the group stage onwards then. :-p

Yeah definitely.

I don't really like Barcelona and I especially don't like Real Madrid.

But if the other option is Liverpool then it's an easy decision.

Cheers. It's not something I could be these days I believe, but reckon 5-6 years earlier could...maybe.

 

[fellaini's barber]

I'm not a local fan but I'd be sick if Liverpool win it

 

[Eddy_JukeZ]

Very similar run to 2016 for Real.

Not impressing much, but they get the results.

They are clearly inferior to last season, but it may not matter much.

 

[NM]

Hate these stupid stats. The more clinical team won. It was obvious Bayern played better, but if that's all football was about then Arsenal would have won a lot more trophies in the past 10 years

 

[GhastlyHun]

It was obvious Bayern played better

Not to everyone here.

 

[strongwalker]

Nah, not for me. There wasn't a single well worked play by bayern, they were dysfunctional and deserved nothing. Most of their chances came from a lucky deflection or bad defending,

It is what happens when the attacker beats the defender.

Anyone has a video of CR7s best scenes from the match?

 

[ti vu]

Not to everyone here.

Not everyone can be correct...

 

[juggernaut1986]

Going to be tough watching the final if Real or Bayern play like they did today

 

[Witchking]

Didn't watch the match. But from the comments in here, it looks like Liverpool need to start getting the celebration bus ready when they win the CL. Well Done Liverpool.

 

[Member 109952]

Bayern definitely did play better and should've scored more, they weren't helped by bad finishing and the injuries.

Madrid however made it easier than it should've been, playing Ronaldo as the lone striker doesn't work that well, he's much better coming off of Benzema. Isco is terrible as an attacking wide forward (good skills for a midfielder ala Modric/Iniesta, but rubbish in the final third), and Vasquez as hard as he works and the occasional great pass doesn't have the technical ability of a fit Bale or Asensio when he's on song.

Imo if Madrid line up with Ronaldo - Benzema - Asensio/Vasquz/Bale they'll be much more effective in the return leg. Real's problem in this match was that in the first half they couldn't keep the ball in Bayern's half at all.