UEFA Champions League: The Semis

This week we were treated to two very highly tactical games of football. Both ties are far from over and I will be excited to see the conclusion come next week.

On Tuesday Inter took on Barcelona at the San Siro and two master tacticians in Mourinho and Guardiola took center stage. There is no doubt the the reigning European champions are favorites in all their games. Their philosophy of playing highly entertaining football has reached its peek under Guardiola last season with an unprecedented treble (actually six cups if you count the European Super-cup, Spanish Super-cup and the Club World Cup). Mourinho had other plans. No one would blame you in thinking that it's just another Barca route after Pedro scored the first goal. However you will have been gravely mistaken. Pedro, one of the break out stars this season, scored the opener in the first half after some great work by Maxwell on the left side. Pedro mind you had never scored a senior goal prior to this season. He has now scored in every competition he has played in and I think he is all but sure to be in Del Bosque's squad in the World Cup. Inter responded superbly and Diego Milito was always threatening with his great control and pace (not to mention his finishing ability). He missed a couple of chances but then provided the assist for Wesley Sneijder to even the game up. The second half was a much more tactical affair. Mourinho managed to close up space and pressure Barcelona all through the pitch. Messi was made to go deep to get the ball and found many bodies in front of him. He had no room to manoeuvre. Mourinho used the attributes of his team well. They are very much a physical team as they are technical and the likes of Zanetti, Maicon, Cambaisso, Motta and Stankovic bossed the Midfield and out powered Sergio, Xavi, Pedro and Messi. Inter scored the second goal from a Maicon tap in and Mourinho closed up the game after replacing Pandev with the excellent Stankovic who will be missed in the second leg. The third goal came via Milito after an excellent counter attack. Miltio could have been marginally offside but he deserved the goal. He was fantastic and like I've said before I rate him very highly. To me he is now one of the best strikers in the world and It would be a real shame not to see him in South Africa. He is better than all the big name forwards in the Argentina squad and yes he is better than his direct competitor Higauin. Barca had a clear penalty denied towards the end when Sneijder hacked down Dani Alves in the box, but like Mourinho had said it seems Barcelona have a short memory. In last year's semi final against Chelsea they escaped three clear cut penalties, one of which was a blatant handball by Pique. Mourinho learned his lesson after facing Barca twice in the group stage. He has managed to dismantle both Chelsea and Barcelona, but this tie is far from over. At the Nou Camp the Bluegrana are a different team. The size of the pitch will make it difficult to contain the likes of Messi but as always Jose will have a plan. Inter have a two goal advantage but I won't count Guardiolas men out just yet. Their home record has been unbelievable and they seem to score at will at the Nou Camp. I know I should not be supporting Inter as a Milan fan but they have grown on me in the Champions League and tactical master piece after another, how can I not enjoy their play? One last thing I have to say is that in my humble opinion Alves is one of the most overrated players in the world at the moment. He is a wing back that can't tackle or cross the ball. Maicon is twice the player he is or he ever will be.

The other semifinal between Bayern and Lyon might not have attracted much hype as both teams are not as flashy as Inter and Barcelona. The casual follower would not have cared to watch or even enjoyed the game had he did. The game however was won and controlled by the tactical master that is Louis Van Gaal. Lyon, make no mistake are not a weak team. They beat Liverpool at Anfield, Knocked out Real Madrid and won a close tie over Bordeuax who destroyed both Bayern and Juve earlier in the competition. Lyon had only conceded 6 goals in the competition so far. Bayern made them look like an average team. Right from the off Bayern controlled the game missing a number of chances but as the first half progressed Lyon started getting into the game. Towards the end of the half Ribery, who was having a good game thus far got rightly red carded for an over the top challenge on Lisandro. Robben was nowhere to be seen. Sissokho had the better of him. Bayern where down to ten men at half time and it didn't look good. The second half Van Gaal introduced Tymoschuck for Olic. Pundits and fans a like thougth Van Gaal was looking for a draw and not to concede an away goal. Well it did not look that way come the second half with Bayern dominating possession against 11 man Lyon. It seemed Lyon were the ones who had ten men. They did after a while, when Toulalan was sent off for 2 bookable offences. 10 against 10 Lyon had no chance. Claude Puel tried to shut things off by introducing Makoun but it had no effect. Robben now was running ragged, thanks to his ability but in no small part to Phillip Lahm. Germany's number one right back (miles better than Alves as well) continued to bomb forward at every opportunity down the right flank giving Robben more freedom to cut inside and use him as a decoy. The goal came just like that with Robben given time and space to unleash a left footed strike that took a slight deflection off Muller into the back of the net. Bayern could have won by a bigger margin if Muller and then Gomez had taken their chances. I got the feeling that Olic would have finished off one or two of those. Robben seemed to have another goal in him but Van Gaal took him off much to his contempt. I think the man was protecting him after putting in much effort and knowing his injury record he might have been right to do so. Bayern losing him and Ribery in France would have been a huge blow. This tie is not over yet but I think Bayern have a huge edge by not conceding an away goal. They also have a very good record away from home and Lyon will find it difficult to stop them from scoring. Anyone taking bets on Robben scoring in France?

Champions League Last 16 Thoughts

Yesterday saw the conclusion of one half of the last 16 matches. Man United qualified to the Quarter final with an impressive 7-2 aggregate win over AC Milan. The United faithful are ecstatic and so they should but lets not put things out of proportion. Yes on Wednesday night United out played and out ran Milan but frankly at the end of the day the score line in both legs is very flattering.

At San Siro Milan dominated most of the game and could have been 2 or 3 up before Scholes equalized with a fluke just before half time while Antonini was out injured and unable to prevent the cross coming in (Seriously it seems to me United are the luckiest team in the world). United then capitalized on that stroke of luck and scored two good goals. At the end Milan could have equalized but luck stayed on United's side. At Old Trafford Milan should have scored twice in the first 15minutes, how different of a game it would have been then had AC Milan scored first. Huntelaar missed a howler and frankly this is his last straw with me. He missed a one on one at San Siro and couldn't have had an easier chance last night. I now realize why Real were eager to sell him. He just can't cut it at the top teams who need to win day in and day out. Borriello also looked a bit light weight but he had no help. It seems obvious that a World Class Striker should be the top of their shopping list come the summer. Dzeko is the man I think. Man United got to play against half a defensive line with AC missing Nesta, Antonini and ultimately Zambrotta. The ones that actually played have not started a game once with each other. Also Milan's one super talent was also injured, Pato. In the second half Leonardo went for broke knowing he had to score three goals and Fergies men ripped AC Milan to shreds on the counter. Good win for Manchester but not as good as they will make it out to be. Anyways I think it is beneficial for the Milan hierarchy to wake up and smell the roses. Milan need re-enforcements.

In the other game of the night an arrogant Real Madrid took on a disciplined hard working Lyon side. Sergio Ramos had the audacity to predict a 3-0 win against Lyon before the game. I bet he's eating his shoe now let alone his words. An early goal by Ronaldo seemed to put Real on their way but missing a number of easy chances and overconfidence born out of arrogance made them throw the game away. As long as it was 1-0 Lyon were in it, and they kept grinding until finally they grabbed an equalizer late in the game via 19 year Old Bosnian Pjanic. Real were out. Congratulations are in order for Claude Puel and his men and as for Real, let the circus begin, Barca will win La Liga:P

It might be the first time ever that we have two French Teams in the quarter final of the champions league. Bordeaux play at home holding a commanding 1-0 away win over Olympiacos. Bordeaux are the break out team for me this year. After dispatching Juventus and Bayern with great ease to top their group they continued were they left off. Olympiacos are poor on their travels and a professional and determined Bordeaux side lead by the vibrant Gourcuff (couldn't Milan have used him yesterday?) should make it to the quarter finals with ease. Both French clubs will provide a strong test for any team they come against. I'll be secretly rooting for them:)

Inter and Chelsea is the other crunch game next week. I think both Seville and Barcelona will qualify with ease unless we see another shocker like that of Lyon. Jose Mourinho returns to Stamford Bridge with something he likes best, a lead. A win against Chelsea in Milan is a good result especially with the kind of squad he possess. In my opinion he has one of the best strikers in the world at the moment in Milito. It is very difficult to eclipse Samuel Eto'o but he has done that with ease. Maradona would be crazy not to have him in South Africa. However, make no mistake this is not going to be easy. Ancelotti has been there a number of times before. This is what he does best. He also has a brilliant squad capable of destroying any team. Carlo was the one to over turn a 3-2 defeat at Old Trafford when with Milan to a 3-0 destruction at the San Siro with a full United squad that included both Rooney and Ronaldo. United faithful have a short memory, yes I'm a bit bitter. It will be too close to call but one thing is for sure, it's going to be a cracker.

On Tuesday night Arsenal put on a virtuoso performance. Destroying a good Porto side 5-0 to over turn a 2-1 defeat at the Dragao. This was a classic Wenger display. The slick lethal football that the Frenchman demands of his team every game. It all fell into place beautifully, even with an injured Fabregas. The likes of Nasri and Arshavin stepped up and Porto frankly had no clue what hit them and who was causing the havoc. Nasri scored a Maradonish goal and Bendtner scored a hat rick to redeem himself after a poor showing at the weekend. On their day Arsenal are unstoppable. Wenger has a right to be happy. He wants to play Man Utd or Chelsea in the quarters, is he mad? He is always logical and pointed out that his team can't possibly play any worse than they did during the season against their two rivals....umm OK Arsene. There is reason for concern too as for some parts of the game the Gunner defense seemed a bit uneasy and you could feel that against tougher opposition in might be dangerous.

The last game that night was a cracking one. Fiorentina were robbed from a draw at Bayern when a "blind" linesman allowed a clearly offside Klose goal. He was 3 meters offside at least. 2-1 it finished. The viola started out brightly in Florence by taking a 2-0 lead but the experience and sheer talent in the Bayern Munchen squad proved to be decisive. Van Bommel scored first to make 2-1 then Robben broke the hearts of Firoentina when he scored an unstoppable shot to make it 3-2. Bayern went through on away goals and misses from Gilardinho could have changed the game. However, ultimately the Viola have a right to feel aggrieved and it will leave a sour taste in their mouth having gone out by a clear offside. Technology in football anyone?, hell no I say. It will take half the fun and debates out of the gorgeous game.

The quarter finals draw will be very interesting, we just have to get through next weeks games.