Given that Barca already leads 2-0, that they are the best team in the world, that they have the best player in the world, and that they apparently can have players from the other side sent off whenever they want, I am pretty sure they are going to advance. But if anything of interest happens, I will mention it here.
Oh, and Real Madrid is now accusing Barca of racism.
Barca 0 - 0 Real Madrid (32 min)
ReplyDeleteNothing happening so far.
Well, actually Barca is just playing keep-away, which is about as boring as it sounds.
ReplyDeleteBarca 0 - 0 Real Madrid (Halftime)
ReplyDeleteReal Madrid have not even come close to scoring.
In the 47th minute, Real Madrid scored! Oh, but remarkably, the goal was disallowed because of a foul on Real Madrid. And even more remarkably, replays showed that there was no foul -- Barca's players once again duped the official into ruling in their favor.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, this year's Champions' League competition just has no credibility left. Man Utd shouldn't even bother to show up for the final.
Barca 1 - 0 Real Madrid (54th minute)
ReplyDeleteThis one counts. As Madrid is forced to press forward more and more, Barca catches them on the counterattack and scores. Barca go up 3-0 on aggregate.
A lot of people have tried to defend the refereeing in this match on the grounds that Barca is the best team in the world and that Real Madrid should have played in a more aggressive style. But under that reasoning, we shouldn't have playoffs at all -- we should just take a poll and give the trophy to whatever team gets the most votes.
ReplyDeleteAnd it is perfectly legitimate for a team to adopt a defensive strategy when such a strategy gives them the best chance of winning. Just ask Bill Parcells. If FIFA doesn't like that, then they should change the rules.
Oh, and you've probably forgotten this, but Arsenal was eliminated in the Round of 16 by Barcelona -- in large part because, at a crucial point in the game, an Arsenal player was sent off for taking a shot on goal after the referee had blown his whistle. Of course, it was obvious to anyone that the player couldn't have heard the whistle, and that kicks like this happen all the time. But these things happen when you're playing Barca.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, the Real Madrid goal that was disallowed was shot after the referee blew his whistle -- but of course the shooter wasn't thrown out of the game.
Two other points should be made here. One, there would be fewer bad calls in soccer games if there were more than one official on the pitch. Two, there would be fewer bad calls if officials could look at a replay.
ReplyDeleteBut of course, FIFA has consistently resisted either of those changes. I wonder why that is?
Barca 1 - 1 Real Madrid (63d minute)
ReplyDeleteReal Madrid finally scores. But now they need to score twice more to win the game. That disallowed goal is looming larger and larger.
It makes me just ill to think of all the foul shots Harrison Barnes will take next year.
ReplyDeleteBarca 1 - 1 Real Madrid (Final)
ReplyDeleteBarca win 3-1 on aggregate. They are the better team, but then again Real Madrid never had a fair chance to win this tie.
But at least, for the first time this season, Real Madrid finished a match against Barca with 11 men on the field.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like an awful thing to sit through.
ReplyDeleteAt least I could enjoy the controversy. All the fighting and diving and accusations would have driven you nuts.
ReplyDeleteAnd people wonder why soccer doesn't catch on in this country.
ReplyDelete