Chelsea-Barca UCL Semi final 2nd leg - anyone watch?

[EuroSoccer]

Wow... penalties missed by Ronaldo and Messi and Kaka, the last 3 guys to win World Player of the Year, in the 2 semis.

Chelsea - Bayern. I wouldn't have picked those two to make the final were I putting money on it back in September...

-d-

Aye but that's football.
It doesn't look good for Chelsea though, since the final will be played in Munich at the Fußball Arena München
Also Bayern have a far better team than Chelsea this year, so my money is on the Germans

 

[EuroSoccer]

8 years. You forget the '05 FA Cup.

-d-

Oh yeah.........that is such a huge consolation

 

[blackbeltninja]

Well, in case the Gunners finish 4th, we need Bayern to win.

After Liverpool won in '05 and finished 5th and didn't qualify for the next UCL, Uefa changed the rules to insist the holders get back in to defend their title. If Chelsea win and finish 5th or 6th in the Prem and thus don't qualify for the UCL, they automatically get given the spot held by whoever finishes in 4th to go back in.

Come on, Bayern!
-d-

 

[EuroSoccer]

Well, in case the Gunners finish 4th, we need Bayern to win.

After Liverpool won in '05 and finished 5th and didn't qualify for the next UCL, Uefa changed the rules to insist the holders get back in to defend their title. If Chelsea win and finish 5th or 6th in the Prem and thus don't qualify for the UCL, they automatically get given the spot held by whoever finishes in 4th to go back in.

Come on, Bayern!
-d-

Yeah, you're right.
I forgot about that stupid rule.
C'mon Bayern! indeed

 

[Illmatic]

Pretty happy Bayern Munchen won cause everything was about spanish football for like the last 3 years.
Dont think Chelsea's really having a chance.

 

[kallipolis]

Pretty happy Bayern Munchen won cause everything was about spanish football for like the last 3 years.
Dont think Chelsea's really having a chance.

Chelsea proved the football correspondents, wrong on two occasions when stating that they had no chance against Barcelona.

Both Chelsea, and Bayern have lost key players due to yellow cards, even one red card for the thuggish John Terry leading me to believe that the result is not a foregone conclusion.

 

[Illmatic]

Chelsea proved the football correspondents, wrong on two occasions when stating that they had no chance against Barcelona.

Both Chelsea, and Bayern have lost key players due to yellow cards, even one red card for the thuggish John Terry leading me to believe that the result is not a foregone conclusion.

Yes youre right youll never know with football so we'll see I hope that Bayern wins it though

 

[cron9por]

Pretty happy Bayern Munchen won cause everything was about spanish football for like the last 3 years.
Dont think Chelsea's really having a chance.

Most people predicted Barca v Real for the final, even after the first leg defeats for each. So I wouldn't count Chelsea out. All though they do have about 4 players suspended. they won't want to pick up any injuries.

Just hope its as entertaining as what's gone before.

Imagine how sick Newcastle would be if they finished fourth, a miracle in itself, and Chelsea won. Sickening for them. Ohh there is going to be a lot of nervous people watching the final. Love it.

 

[EuroSoccer]

Imagine how sick Newcastle would be if they finished fourth, a miracle in itself, and Chelsea won. Sickening for them. Ohh there is going to be a lot of nervous people watching the final. Love it.

Well, Newcastle is 3 points behind Arsenal, but they have a game in hand, which means that theoretically they could go in third place with the Gunners.
So I will definetly be glued to the telly the 19th of May, hoping Bayern brings the Cup home.

 

[EastMed]

I suspect the final in Munich will be an 'ugly' game. There will be thuggery!
Most football commentators agree that Barca play the most beautiful and exciting football in the world.
Perhaps that is now at an end, and physical mediocracy will prevail.

 

[kallipolis]

I suspect the final in Munich will be an 'ugly' game. There will be thuggery!
Most football commentators agree that Barca play the most beautiful and exciting football in the world.
Perhaps that is now at an end, and physical mediocracy will prevail.

Barcelona demonstrated that they were tired. Their manager would appear to be ending his time with Barcelona, or bargaining for better terms. We'll know this weekend.

 

[EuroSoccer]

Barcelona demonstrated that they were tired. Their manager would appear to be ending his time with Barcelona, or bargaining for better terms. We'll know this weekend.

Guardiola will definetly go..........Chelsea is his next stop (Or Man City)

 

[kallipolis]

Guardiola will definetly go..........Chelsea is his next stop (Or Man City)

Unlike you I don't own a crystal ball. I'll wait for the media release.

 

[EastMed]

Athletic Bilbao were excellent last night.

 

[blackbeltninja]

Guardiola will definetly go..........Chelsea is his next stop (Or Man City)

Must be tempting to go after winning everything in your first couple of seasons.

-d-

 

[kallipolis]

Yes, I was watching them. After Milan, Bilbao is my favorite team. Bielsa is an excellent manager... though his style of football is a tad bit unconventional. Still he's excellent and noticed when he coached Chile.

Oh and it seems like EuroSoccer does have a crystal ball. Guardiola was dismissed.

Guardiola resigned - was not dismissed - and has clarified that he will not be joining Chelsea. Some crystal ball.

Pep Guardiola quits Barcelona | Football | guardian.co.uk

I quote:
At a press conference called at the Camp Nou on Friday lunchtime, Guardiola said that he had always wanted short contracts because the demands of the job were so huge. "Four years is an eternity for a coach," he said. At the beginning of October 2011 Guardiola says that he told the chairman that he felt his era at Barcelona was closing, though he could not say so publicly. Now that the club was no longer in the Spanish title race or the Champions League he felt it was time to end the uncertainty.
unquote

 

[EuroSoccer]

Guardiola resigned - was not dismissed - and has clarified that he will not be joining Chelsea. Some crystal ball.

You don't need a crystal ball to guess that Guardiola would have left Barca at the end of this season.
If you follow football and Barcelona, that wasn't a surprise at all.
He has been giving hints for the last year or so.
He clearly wasn't happy for a long time.
If he goes to Chelsea that's another matter, that is just a pure guess based on the fact that Abramovich usually get what he wants, and Guardiola is ALL he wants.
But Pepe is a successful man and he can afford to take a gap year and get some rest, and probably he will do so.

The fact he didn't confirm anything for his future though, doesn't necessarily mean that he won't go to Chelsea after all.
Chelsea has to play a UCL final............in case you've forgotten
Certainly he would not want to unsettle his future club before the most important final in football by admitting he will be next year manager.........being a football fan you should know how it works.

 

[EastMed]

Guardiola may even decide never to manage a football club again, and return to Barca after a year or so in some other capacity.

Even if Guardiola decided to turn his sabbatical into a retirement, his Barca legacy will be felt for generations.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17867892

 

[EuroSoccer]

Guardiola may even decide never to manage a football club again, and return to Barca after a year or so in some other capacity.

BBC Sport - Pep Guardiola leaves lasting legacy at Barcelona

Yes it could be.
I was listening to his "goodbye" press conference and he genuinelly looked tired.
Having said that, Pepe is young, and I can't see him staying away from competitive football for too long.
Look at Sir alex Ferguson, the most successful manager on earth.
Even at 70, he just doesn't have the strenght to retire............

Guardiola will probably take a year off, and he will come back enegised, ready for his next challenge.
He could go back to Barca, but I doubt it.
Chelsea or possibly Man City (or even UTD if Ferguson retires) could be his next move.
The English Premiership is the best league on earth at the moment, and I am sure Guardiola will fancy the challenge.

 

[kallipolis]

You don't need a crystal ball to guess that Guardiola would have left Barca at the end of this season.
If you follow football and Barcelona, that wasn't a surprise at all.
He has been giving hints for the last year or so.
He clearly wasn't happy for a long time.
If he goes to Chelsea that's another matter, that is just a pure guess based on the fact that Abramovich usually get what he wants, and Guardiola is ALL he wants.
But Pepe is a successful man and he can afford to take a gap year and get some rest, and probably he will do so.

The fact he didn't confirm anything for his future though, doesn't necessarily mean that he won't go to Chelsea after all.
Chelsea has to play a UCL final............in case you've forgotten
Certainly he would not want to unsettle his future club before the most important final in football by admitting he will be next year manager.........being a football fan you should know how it works.

The football commentators have been reporting Guardiola's intentions since last year when he first indicated that he was thinking of stepping down. No crystal ball, or forecasts are needed for the media was reporting accurately all that has come to pass.

I wish Guardiola a happy holiday meantime, I will resist any thought that I can predict his aspirations when he becomes bored with doing nothing. Wealthy men can afford to be generous with their need to take a sabbatical from their career. He'll be back soon enough.