Champions League Quarter-finals - 2nd Legs
We're into the second legs of the CL Qtr Finals today, with a marquee match-up between Barca and Milan. The Rossoneri were able to hang on for a draw in the San Siro last week and might even have taken a shock goal off Zlatan's big bum to the Nou Camp. But can they hang on in front of 60,000 roaring Catalans today? I don't think so, but I'm anxious to find out. Bayern take a two-goal away win into the home leg and are presumably more than half way to the semis. Join me from 2:45pm EST.
posted by The Blue Devil @ 1:46 PM
173 Comments:
We're just moments away from kick-off now at the Camp Nou. Here's the link that I'm on for the FSC coverage:
http://www.firstrowsports.eu/watch/116925/1/watch-fc-barcelona-vs-ac-milan.html
Here is the team news:
Barça: Valdes; Dani Alves, Piqué, Mascherano, Puyol; Xavi , Busquets, Iniesta; Messi, Fabregas, Cuenca
Subs: Pinto, Sanchez, Keita, Alcantara, Pedro, Adriano, Tello
Milan: Abbiati; Abate, Nesta, Mexes, Antonini; Nocerine, Ambrosini, Boateng, Seedorf; Robinho, Zlatan
Subs: Amelia, Pato, Aquilani, Lopez, Bonera, Emmanuelson, Yepes
Ref: B Kuipers (Holland)
Kick-off time! Rob Hawthorn and Alan Smith on the mic this evening.
First real flash of Messi there but it was broken up by Nesta.
The stadium looks absolutely magnificent; the pitch is a billiards table.
Wow - big chance for Messi after some exhilarating approach play from Dani Alves and Fabregas. He blew it wide!
Barca are, not surprisingly, all over Milan right from the off.
Oh - wonderful cross over from Alves and if Barca had anyone taller than 5'6", that would have been 1-0.
Just a half chance there for Robinho. The first time that Milan have tried to break out. Warning signs.
Barca penalty!!!!
A real mess at the back there, and when the ball broke to Messi again, Ambrosini was forced to bring him down. Yellow for Ambrosini and Messi to take.
Messi slots home for his 50th goal in the Champions League. Simply amazing in this tournament - the youngest player to reach that milestone.
However, I'd still argue - as I have done before - that he has to get it done for Argentina to join the pantheon of the greats.
The pace has slowed noticeably since that opening goal, almost as if there is a sense of inevitability about the result now. The cameras have found a fan with a sign that says "Real - we'll meet you in Munich." Now there's confidence.
Olic has notched an early goal for Bayern who are now 3-0 up over Marseille. Game over.
And Marlon King has scored an opening goal for Birmingham away to Burnley.
Brum are in 4th looking to close the gap on West Ham in 3rd.
Can it possibly be that chilly in Barcelona tonight? Pep Guardiola is sporting the look of an ambitious young philosophy professor, minus the elbow patches.
Good afternonn, BD. I am here briefly before my last class. I see that Barca and Bayern each led 1-0 on the night.
Oh - Alves was nearly in there but Abbiati did well and comes up injured after the clash.
I hope the fourth time is the charm as I aim to find a working link.
Finally I have a working link.
I have Fox Sports Vivo that appears to be filmed about a hundred feet above ground level.
Hiya, MUR! How are you, mate?
Barca have a free kick just outside the box.A really horrid free kick from Danny Alves .
Try this one:
http://www.firstrowsports.eu/watch/116925/1/watch-fc-barcelona-vs-ac-milan.html
Great. How are you BD?
I am on link 4 becaisuse I could not get through with links 1,2,or 3.Thanks, BD.
I see that Barnet is trailing 0-1 vs Swindon and it's great for Paolo, but Barnet really need the points as they are only three points above the drop zone.
WOW - Milan have equalized! Mascherano played Nocerino onside and he raced through to slot home in the bottom corner.
1-1!
GOAL !!! 1-1 AS MILAB CAIUGHT BARCA ON THE BREAKAND SCORED WITH A GREAT FINISH. I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT DEFENDER WAS PLAYING HIM ONSIDE.
Now, then. Milan would go through on the away goals rule if they can "bolt the door" Italian style from here on in. They've got some 55 minutes to weather the Barca storm to come.
Masch was quite a prat. He of all people should know better than that as Milan now lead on away goals.
I am sure that there will be plenty of Barca pressure, especially in the second half.
Well, this is the problem with the so-called "Total Football" style. The disciples of Cruyff always think that you can convert any player into whatever you need. So, Barca have been playing Mascherano out of position as a center back. He bollixed up the offside there and allowed Nocerino to run through unscathed.
Swindon now lead 0-2 at Barnet as it looks like a tough run-in for Barnet.
Oh - Xavi's shot is parried away by Abbiati. More of that to come, I suspect.
Barca have been experts at this style of football, but Masch was guilty of school by defending that even I would not have been guitly of. He is definitely not a defender.
I would think that there will be plenty of that.
Another trip to Italy for Chelsea?
This time Cesc shoots tamely at Abbiatti. Who did he and Masch replace in the starting lineup? I would have kept an unchanged lineup from the first leg.
Bayern now lead Marseille 2-0 and 4-0 on aggregate as it looks to be a rout. Nesta has been booked for Mialn and will miss the first leg of the semis if Milan advance.
Wow - penalty to Barca! Nesta this time at fault.
Messi to take again....
Picks a different side and scores!
2-1 Barca!
Now Seedorf appears to be going into the book. Let's hope the ref can keep a lid on it.He was called for a push oin the box. Messi scores from the spot and it is 2-1.
So, Milan will have to come out of their shells and score again. Interestingly, Pep predicted this scoreline ahead of the match.
I have to leave as it gets really exciting. I will chat with you tomorrow.
CHEERS BD.
Oh - Barca were playing a very risky high line again as Milan broke free. They could get caught.
Cheers, mate. Have a great evening!
Oh - Messi inches away from a hat-trick as Xavi played him through. Abbiati clawed it away.
Zlatan's got a chance now from a free kick. Nice distance for him.
Straight into the wall. Disappointing from him.
Half-time, then. Barca are half way there at 2-1.
We're back on for the first half, then.
Zlatan and then Robinho go down in a heap. The ref looked at it closely but waved the play on.
I keep getting pop-ups for "Russian girls who love American guys" on this site. Bloody annoying.
Messi's got a chance to wrap up one around the wall now.
No - Xavi and Abbiati was scampering.
GOAL! Barca make it 3-0 as Messi plays Iniesta through there and he makes no mistake.
Iniesta is interesting in just how cool he is in front of goal, especially for a midfielder. I've rarely seen him snatch at a chance. He just seems to wait for the keeper to commit and then passes the ball into the back of the net. Simple.
We're past the hour mark and I'm just about to head off for my afternoon class.
Still 0-1 Brum at Turf Moor.
And Bayern are cruising it.
Oh - Tiago had a chance for a fourth after a lovely lay-off by Messi. Just wide of the mark.
Alexandre Pato comes on for Kevin Prince Boateng. He's something of the forgotten man - needs a move, probably.
Oh - Pato was in there but his close control let him down.
I'm back at my class break and Barca and Bayern have gone on to win tonight and are through to the semis. That picture looks like this:
Barca v. Chelski/Benfica
Bayern v. Real Madrid (most probably)
Hi there, lads - I'm back on Wednesday to follow what I can of the Chelski v. Benfica clash. Chelski have the reward of a semi-final with Barcelona to look forward to if they can successfully navigate tonight.
The team news out of Stamford Bridge tonight:
Chelsea: Cech; Ivanovic, Luiz, Terry, Cole; Ramires, Lampard, Mikel, Mata; Torres, Kalou
Subs: Turnbull, Ferreira, Cahill, Essien, Meireles, Drogba, Sturridge.
Benfica: Artur, Emerson, Pereira, Capdevila, García, César, Aimar, Gaitán, Matić, Witsel, Cardozo
Subs: Eduardo, Almeida, Nolito, Djaló, Oliveira, Rodrigo, Saviola.
The usual super link via First Row:
http://www.firstrowsports.eu/watch/117052/1/watch-chelsea-fc-vs-sl-benfica.html
Teams are on the pitch - anthem time!
Kick-off time. Come on, Chelski - Blue is the Color!
The other CL quarter tonight is similar to the Bayern one last night, in that Real go into their home leg with Appoel 3-0 up. It would take an almighty melt-down for the Whites to go out tonight.
Benfica are taking it to Chelski, as they need to. First corner goes to the reds.
Oh - great move from Chelski ends with Mata slotting home but he's ruled offside, and correctly so. Tight margin there.
Aimar's playing it about for fun here. The Chelski middies need to screen him out.
Chelski have weathered the first quarter of the match - but they'll have to be wary of Benfica on the break.
Penalty to Chelski! Cashley makes a super late run into the box and the big Benfica captain Capdevilla blocks him off.
Lamps to take...and he slots it home under the keeper's grasp - phew!
1-0 Blues!
Benfica need two now! A steep hill to climb.
Afternoon Bob
Good start from Chelsea
I'll be around a little bit
Good afternoon, BD. I will join you in a few minutes. It's great to hear that Chelsea is leading.
Ronny has scored for Real... who cares
BBC chief football writer Phil McNulty on Twitter at Stamford Bridge: "'Are you watching Manchester?' chants around Stamford Bridge. Cruel...sort of."
Good afternoon, UWS. I agree. They are already through. It's just a matter of how much mercy they want to show the Cyptiots. I hope they show them naught.
Message to Chelsea fans from Glenville....
LOOK AT THE TABLE CHELSEA!!
Chelsea win all their game left and United lose them all... WE STILL FINISH ABOVE YOU!
SHUT IT CHLESEA FANS.
Where's your EPL title?
WELL STATED UWS FROM GLENVILLE!
We've reached the half-hour mark and Chelski are cruising it through to that semi final date with Barca. What a difference between their league and CL forms?
I could see Benfica scoring here.. they have scored in all their away games... not over yet
They had to score two anyway if they wanted to win without penalties... nothing has changed
Afternoon, boys - how are you?
From Mich, via text: "Ronaldo has just scored. Are we going to go mad like we do when Messi scores?"
I would still take Ronaldo on United
My students are finishing an AP Stats test, so I will be available for the entire second half.
Great how are you BD?
Kaka doubles Real's lead... I am guessing they're through!
Free kick chance now for Benfica and a yellow for Ivanovic.
James, Winchester, via text: "Only 48th goal this season?! Tut tut, Lionel Messi has 59... Though to be fair, Ronaldo HAS done it against Stoke on a wet Tuesday night!"
Again.. just like United at Juve in 99
Two down after 12 minutes didn't really change United's task after they conceded the first
Free kick chance goes into the wall
When do you leave for Blighty Bob
Gordon Bennett... A RED for Maxi... was that a second yellow?
Maxi Perreira's in trouble - he's already been booked. And he's gone!
More trouble for Benfica!
Nice touch from David Luiz. But that was a nasty tap on the ankle from Maxi.
We're off tomorrow evening, mate. Wish us luck!
Nice hit by Mata but it was offside anyway
Good luck
Have a great time
Rameires in the book for a nasty foot in
Arsenal v. Citeh will be fun on Sunday (unless Citeh win, that is). The rest of it - not so much.
Class ened and we are about to approach stoppage time with the same score.
Tores was called offside but he wasn't but it was a useless cross anyway
Into stoppage time.
I know it will be tough.
How are they doing?
Pure rubbish from Torres. I can't believe how far he's dropped. He looks absolutely lost out there, as if he's switched bodies with someone else who's no doubt ripping it up on a footie pitch somewhere else.
Another free kick chance for Benfica
Cleared
End of the half
Chelsea half way to the semis
Half time in Spain too
Chelsea have scored first in all ten Champions League games this season
Half-time. Chelski cruising it. Off to set up my class.
I had a student drop by and see Chelsea lead 1-0 at halftime. I saw the rubbish cross from Torres.
Off to the loo so I will be ready for the second half.
The teams are back out. Chelski to get us started again.
Who does Gary Lineker work for now? He's leading a half-time panel with Graeme Souness, Butch Wilkins and Steve Macca. Aren't they ESPN people. And isn't Gaz a BBC man?
Second half underway
He is the head of Match of the Day
Headed just wide by JT from a corner.
I read the previous comments and wish you and Gooner a safe trip,BD.
Great shot and great save by Cech
Oh my god... HOW DID THAT NOT GO IN!!!
I agree. they missed from a foot out after that superb save from Cech.
Worse miss ever???
Great work from Kalou and it wasn't a save. Ramires missed a wide open goal.
I agree. Even I could have scored that one. Maybe even my mum and she's in a wheelchair.
I saw that Real Lead APOEL 2-0 .
Nearly a goal by Torres , but it waa well blocked for a corner.
Chelsea should be in total control as they have a one man advantage.
Real only leading 2-0. It could be eight if they really wanted it to be.
Great save by the keepr and Torres misses awide open goal on the rebound. Why Wouldn't he. Not as bad a miss as the one from Ramires.
Gary Cahill is on for JT. I wonder if it's due to an injury.
A mis-hiot cross from Kalou is off the top of the bar and out for a goal kick.
Useless long range effort from Lampard
Yannick Dialo is on for Nicolas Gaitan.
yannick has a shot deflected for a corner after a poor chelsea headed clearance and Bengica take a short corner.
Chelsea immediately break and the Benfica keeper saved from Kalou one on one.
Now the Benfica manage is off the bech , yelling and about to run on the pitch.The ref runs over and points for him to go back to his technincal area. The Benfica manger acknowledges and does so.
Useless from Torres from a great cross.
HIT THE TARGET!
Drogba is warming up on the touchline.
APOEL have scored at the Bernabeu, but it is merely a consolation as they trail 2-1 on the night and 5-1 on aggregate.
OH! Inches wide by Mata from a duperb through ball from Kalou. A great Chelsea move.
Cech easily catches a deflected cross.
Rodrigo, the ex Bolton player, is on for Bruno Cesar.
Yannick heads high and wide from a great cross when he had a free header in the box. A warning for Chelsea.
Kalou shoots just wide from a great Chelsea possession after a great cross from Cashley from a great through ball by Mata.
Cech made a kick save from Olivera , but he was never going to be beaten at the near post from that angle.
A useless effort from Olivera and the Benfica manager agrees with me .
Mikel receives his customary booking and now Chelksea have to defend a free kick.Before it can be taken Mireles is on for Mata.
The free kick is shot straight to Cech.
REAL now lead 3-1 as Ronny scored his second of the match.
Another REAL goal as Jose Maria Callejon scores to Give REAL a 4-1 lead on the night.
Chelsea look nervous even though they have a 2-0 aggregate lead with only ten minuites remaining.
Two m ore goals top report as Esteban SOlari scored a penalty for APOEL to pull it back to 4-2 , then Di Maria scored to give REAL a 5-2 lead as KAKA assisted.
My link buggered, but I see that Benfica scored a header from a corner as the player was lwft unmarked in the box and Cech failed to come out to gather the corner.It is now 1-1 and Chelsea now have a slim 2-1 aggregate lead.
Finally, link 3 works and Chelsea hold on to their slim advantage aswe are about top approach stoppage time.
Four minutes of stoppage time.
HOLD ON YOU BLUES!
Great punch from Cech and Benfica's acting wins them a free kick as Chelsea attempt to break from that punch out.
The free kick is easily headed out and Chelsea break!!!!
GOAL !!!2-1 CHELSEA AS MIRLES SCORES WITH A GREAT FINISH ON THE BREAK!!! HE GOT THE BALL WQHEN CHELSEA HEADED OUT THE BENFICA FREE KICK AND RAN 50 YARDS UNCHALLENGED, THEN SCORED WITH A GREAT SHOT INTO THE ROOF OF THE NET.
Aimar shoots straight at Cech.
That's it as Chelsea are in the semis as they defeat Benfica 2-1 and 3-1 on aggregate. PHEW!
I am back as the final whistle blew... squeaky bum time!!
Real have defeated Apoel 5-2 and 8-2 on aggregate.
So the semis are :
Barca vs Chelsea and
Real vs Bayern
Welcome back, UWS. I was worried until Chelsea scored the second goal in stoppage time.
Was there any chance of Benfica winning it?
I look forward to chatting on Friday. Will anyone be available that day?
There was because it was 1-1 and if Benfica had gone 2-1 up they would have gone through on away goals.
I just looked at some chances.. Olivera should have passed it
Chelsea really should have scored at least four more additional goals.They missed lots of easy chances. I don't see how they will beat Barca.
I still expect an all Spanish final.
Martin Tyler said Benfica were the better side
I disagree. Chelsea missed some sitters.I thought they were the slghtly better side.
Take Boys
Have a safe trip Dahlgren boys
COME ON ARSENAL
I second that. Have a safe trip Dahlgrens.
COME ON YOU GUNNERS!!!
It was great chatting.
CHEERS UWS AND BD!
Bang! I'm back at the break and the semis are settled:
Barca v. Chelski and
Bayern v. Real
Good stuff there but it's hard not to see an El Classico final in Munich.
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