Champions League 2011 First Semi Finals (First Leg) II

On the contrary, I totally agree with you. This is probably one of the best footballing sides, but they probably are putting their legacy at a big risk with such tactics!! When this side is remembered this dark side of it will also be remembered!! Cheers! Ram

ram_cv, Well, what can I say? I believe after watch the theatrics of Barcelona's Pedro and Alves, this is another eventful match begging FIFA to introduce the electronic eye into the refereeing as well. I am sorry if any (including your good self) Barcelona loyalists that beg to differ but I am sure we all saw how energetic and alive he was starting from his "career threatening injury" resulting from Pepe's challenge. Barcelona went below the belt here and it is just disgusting for them to resort to this to turn the match, instead of pure entertaining professional soccer play. No offense to Barca fans here (again).

rappeter13, I think we need to be fair to Real Madrid here that all the incident which you had stated actually resulted after the theatrics pulled off by the notorious Alves from Barcelona. The repeated segment actually showed that Alves pulled back his leg and that there was no contact with Pepe's charging leg. It was the turning point of the match for both sides after the send off. To be honest, I felt that Barcelona hit under the belt here. The match is evenly matched with Real having a slight advantage after defeating Barcelona recently at the Copa Rey Cup. So, Barcelona knows that unless there's a man down from Real Madrid there's no way Real would loose tactically on the field. Look at the repeats and you can see Barcelona play acting from the start of the whistle. Every challenge would end up having the visitors writhing in agony on the grass. It was as if the field has got some unresistable comfy cushion that cannot be missed. These are professionals everyone can see disgust when they can be so jelly like on the field and get away with murder. Look at Alves after the so called career threatening challenge, he was so eager that he actually sat up on the stretcher that carried him off the field. Does that look like a seriously injured player? Overall, this is another match that is begging FIFA to introduce the electronic eye as the 3rd referee for the game. The main referee can just see and do so much - which are really quite limited basing on the theatrics of these professional actors. As for Mourinho's comments, I believe we are no stranger to that especially on big deciding matches. It is gamesmanship and his jabbering is the psychology aspect of the game. Watch the past matches and you will see how this aspect had won his side crucial games especially when his side is down. You are already so caught up and guess how the opposing team will feel. And when they go onto the field with that negative psyche, I don't think I have to tell you the outcome. It is part of the game and the strategy employed by big time managers - look around and you will see what I mean. Anyway, it will be electrifying to see Real take the game to Barcelona and overcome the deficit, go into extra time and the penalty shootout to decide the outcome. I do not know about you, but I am sadistically rooting for it, especially coming from getting my money's worth for my cable subscription.

I see your point, but I cannot agree with you. Pepe is a player like Materazzi who doesn't deserve to play football anymore, especially after what he has done against Getafe a few years ago. His challenge against Alves was criminal and it doesn't really matter if he caught his leg or not, it is red all the way, according to many former great referees. And Adebayor and Marcelo should have been sent off as well, but that is what many people don't see. As for Mourinho, I know that is a custom for him, but I don't agree with this dirty talking and lack of fair play. He doesn't respect others, why should we respect him. Since I was a little kid, the fair play banner was always there on the football field, so I like to see teams fighting with fair play. I know that many people don't care for this anymore, they want to see only trophies, no matter what, but I am not like that. I am not a Barcelona fan, I know that Alves likes to act a lot(which I don't agree neither, this should be punished severely as well), but players like Pepe and Materazzi should never be let to play the game. They have no respect to other players, they don't care if they injure them and the funny thing is that there are people who agree with this. And I don't care how good Mourinho is like a coach, but as long he is not fair play, I don't respect him.

Matpunk85, I suppose you don't get to call him the Player of the Year and Golden Boot winner for nothing. For the Champion's League record, he is scoring 11 goals out of 11 matches so far and you just have to be mesmerized by his goals (both). He is simply every defenders nightmare and unstoppable. I hope Barca will not sit back on the 2nd leg or decide to rest him for the first half where attack is probably Barca's best defense. Also, it will be good to see Barca attacking and successfully increase the lead.

Orson_Kart, Overall, I would say that the match is keenly fought and you can see that both sides are "fighting" for control over the midfield. But, I have to say that professional soccer doesn't just bring out the quality of the game but the theatrics as well. I just hate to see high prolific teams or players hitting under the belt especially in highly tensed matches. When fair challenges can be read wrongly and magnify the human judgment error by the referee. These players should be ashamed of themselves for bringing the game and team to disrepute. At the moment and I say at the moment, because this is rather on the papers that the outlook is favoring a Man U and Barcelona final but there's still another 90 minutes to go and that old adage which says "The ball is always round". So, anything can happen and who knows we might even be able to see a better match this week.