UEFA Champions League 2008-2009

Originally Posted by Reza

Xavi, Eto'o, Messi and Alves don't even deserve a 3 in match ratings, very poor, lucky to win.

If we mix our lists, that gives a poor game by Eto'o, Messi, Alves, Keita, Xavi and Abidal, which is a lot for a team going to the final !!

Anyway, if Barcelona didn't qualify, that would have cancelled all the chances of Messi to win the next Ballon d'Or ... and that would have probably allow C.Ronaldo to keep it.

I hope they will enjoy their battle to win this Ballon d'Or because in 2010, none of them will be able to win this title as their national team won't win the World Cup ...

Unbelievable!!!! I was getting ready to cry myself to sleep over another United-Chelsea final...and then Barca scored! Deservedly? Based on this game absolutely not, and I've just felt something I thought I couldn't feel: Sympathy for Chelsea - although Drogba's and Ballack's reactions after the game quickly removed that sympathy. Turns out Chelsea are no better losers than Barca.

I much prefer Barca in the final too, but when Valdes is the best player (who else was good?) he made a couple of important if not very difficult saves then I don't think it was deserved.

What?!?!?!?

This is a sad day for football! I was pro Barca before the game, but Chelsea deserved to go to the final. 3 clear penalties for Chelsea, total domination during the entire game and that thief robbed them of their victory.

Barca was sooo slow and impotent, Guardiola did a terrible job tonight; kept Gasquets (sp?) until 85', forced Messi in the middle where he was surrounded by defenders and gave Alves left wing for his useless crosses. The guy was worst than Oddo and Favalli combined tonight.

Hiddink beat Barca tonight, but the ref decided otherwise. His players were so dominant physically, especially Ballack, Lampard and Essien ran like crazy tonight.

Did anybody hear what was Drogba screaming into the camera in the end???

Valdes was the best? His saves were trivial, Chelsea just have terrible finishers (except Essien ofcourse , pls come to Milan).

Disagree that Xavi was any good at all, and I say Valdes because he at least did something, Barca had what one shot on goal? with a team comprising of Alves, Iniesta, Xavi, Messi, Eto'o, Keita, etc.

Chelsea were just as impotent, at least prior to the unjust red card for Abidal. Ofcourse they're gonna get chances when Barcelona are playing with 3 defenders, one of them being Daniel Alves, and the last one being Yaya Toure who's a DM, it's their own fault they can't score a goal against that defence.

Chelsea should've had 2 penalties, but both off them came after the red card (which was a dive), question is would've had that many chances with a back four for Barce??? Which if's though are pointless.

When Drogba and the rest of the bunch dive time after time after time after time, then there's only one word for what happened, and that's Karma!

Originally Posted by Christian

Chelsea were just as impotent, at least prior to the unjust red card for Abidal. Ofcourse they're gonna get chances when Barcelona are playing with 3 defenders, one of them being Daniel Alves, and the last one being Yaya Toure who's a DM, it's their own fault they can't score a goal against that defence.

Chelsea should've had 2 penalties, but both off them came after the red card (which was a dive), question is would've had that many chances with a back four for Barce??? Which if's though are pointless.

When Drogba and the rest of the bunch dive time after time after time after time, then there's only one word for what happened, and that's Karma!

I didn't understand why Hiddink replaced him ... his tactics were brilliant to beat Barcelona, but he made a mistake there.

That wasn't diving. watch the replays. Maluda in the first half was inside the box, Pique played with his arm(clear as day), 1 tackle on drogba, 1 tackle on Anelka.

I do agree that the RC wasn't a foul, but sure looked like it at first.

^^ Drogba was limping...or faking one of the two. So Hiddink figured he might as well rest Drogba while solidifying the defense.

Good for football that Barca went through but c'mon lets be real - they're in for a real shafting.

Will be a stroll in the park for United.

Goal.com gives the following ratings:

Essien - 6
Alves - 6.5

Did they really watch the game ??

Ballack should stop football, since he is a Chelsea player (because he seemed more respectful in Bayern), he's just a boring guy contesting all the referee decisions, and he seems more and more aggressive. From a star player, he transformed himself into a Van Bommel kind of player ...

LOL what a game!

A clear game to see how unexperienced Guardiola is. Two games in a row and Chelsea outplayed them in London despite they had more ball possesion since they didn't have clear chance (shot on goal) except the last one Iniesta got. Chelsea deserved to go to Final but they lacked of concentration made them suffer at the end of the game (of course the bad decisions by the referee and the wate of the chances they got played important role too).

Before the game I didn't want MU win the final but looking at how bad Guardiola tactic against Chelsea, I suddenly don't want Barca win the CL, better MU.

Originally Posted by GeoTav

he's just a boring guy contesting all the referee decisions, and he seems more and more aggressive. From a star player, he transformed himself into a Van Bommel kind of player ...

Eh, only from the last scene when he protested the referee? Or is it only because of your hate to Ballack?

Originally Posted by Siregar

Eh, only from the last scene when he protested the referee? Or is it only because of your hate to Ballack?

No, not only from this game and at start, I didn't hate this player ... nor like him, I was just neutral. But look at him since he is in Chelsea: he always contests the decisions of the referees (not only against Barcelona), he often makes vicious fouls like Van Bommel, maybe it is a syndrom that 30+ midfielders have when they see their influence on the game dropping ? Juninho does exactly the same things in Lyon.

If I'm not wrong, both Ballack and Juninho were fair players some years ago ... they were both very influential in the game of their respective teams ... look at them nowadays ...