European Football 2009/2010 Season

Real Madrid 1 - 1 Lyon (agg 1 - 2)
Lyon are a more than decent side, they had knocked Liverpool out earlier on. The 1-0 win at home was probably as good as they could expect - especially denying Madrid the away goal - but they must have believed that it would be hard work to come through victorious in Madrid. So it looked after 6 minutes when Ronaldo slotted home. His goal scoring form continues even after his move from United - indeed it has probably improved in the 'big' games, this is his 7th. goal in 6 European outings for Madrid.
Madrid were all over Lyon like a rash for the remainder of the first half & must have gone into half time wondering how the tie was not completely settled.

Gonzalo Higuain might have had a hat-trick, heading narrowly over, superbly denied by an outstretched Lloris left-hand low to his left - and the most clear-cut of all - hitting the post having rounded the keeper.

. However Lyon made it to half time without conceding anything further.
Claude Puel rightly decided that attack was the best form of defense, given that Lyon needed to score to win this tie now. Their attacking pose seemed to make Madrid lose the plot & when Lyon actually scored after 75 minutes it really was not much of a surprise. Lyon then had far better chances to win the tie on the night but didn't manage to convert them.
I guess that many of the other sides that get through this round will see a QF clash against Lyon as winning the prize. I don't think they should be underestimated though - they have proved more than competent to overcome any European challenge thrown at them so far and seem a side that play particularly well away from home.
What of Madrid??? Well they now have the extremely disappointing statistic of being eliminated at this (the first knock out stage) for the last 6 seasons!!
Large fortunes were spent again last summer to win the European title & it has failed yet again...They have just topped the Spanish league & will battle with Barca for that title for the rest of the season. If Barcelona do manage to progress then they will have the bragging rights in Spain no matter what the order in the league is!!

Man Utd 4 - 0 AC Milan (agg 7 - 2)
Well I might have day dreamed a result like this, after all I put the 3-2 win in Milian in the football rumors thread!!
I thought the Arsenal display would not be topped in the competition, but this certainly does.
United were lucky in that, unlike the last weekend, Rooney was fit. No he isn't the team (quite ) as he only showed up with 50% of the goals here...It was the first 50% though & so made the game over as a contest.
United without him do not look like scoring & the longer games go on the more anxious the players seem to get & the more desperate the play. It is a lot easier to play good football when your side is cruising to victory than it is when you are battling to save or win a match. United have too many midfield players who very much fall into that category. One who does not is Park. It is good to see him playing again after a long lay off. He is a 'fans' favourite' in a way that few of the other midfielders currently are. He might not have the silky skills of a Ronaldo nor the pace of a Valencia but the fans can see that he gives every ounce of everything he does have for every minute he is on the pitch. You can ask nothing more of a player. If it isn't enough & you don't win, so be it - you were beaten by a better side & there is no disgrace in that.
As for the game.... A strange affair in which United outclassed Milan who really seemed to give up without a whimper. I don't know if they had enough of Rooney in the first leg (where he also scored 2 goals) & gave up as soon as they saw the team sheet but they never really entered this as a contest. Any traveling fans must have been gutted - as i said about Park to lose giving everything is an honorable defeat, if this is all Milan have to offer then it does not say too much for their future prospects.

Best part of a week's break now until the ties in the Champions League are completed..

Tuesday, 16 March 2010
Chelsea v Inter Milan, (agg 1-2), R1, L2, 19:45
Sevilla v CSKA Moscow, (agg 1-1), R1, L2, 19:45
Wednesday, 17 March 2010
Barcelona v VfB Stuttgart, (agg 1-1), R1, L2, 19:45
Bordeaux v Olympiakos, (agg 1-0), R1, L2, 19:45

Good luck to Chelsea when that happens...an early goal will do it if you can't manage the 4 or 5 United & Arsenal managed at home!!

Tonight first legs in the Europa Cup - ties of interest are...
Juventus v Fulham, 16R, L1, 20:05
Lille v Liverpool, 16R, L1, 18:00
Not to lose & to score would be a great result for both of the English teams.....best of luck!!

Zidane wrote:Incidentally,according to the Liverpool Echo,a secretary from Liverpool FC has left the club by mutual consent after admitting meeting Ashley Cole in hotel rooms before matches. (true)
According to the secretary they were having an affair but I suppose Ashley will claim he was only after the lowdown on Rafa Benitez's team talks during the week !

Ashley was only imitating that well know philanderer George Best, who apparently was bonking away only hours before the European Cup Final in 68. Apparently, sex before a game is good for you.
As for the Liverpool secretary, I heard it was a cost cutting exercise so that they could afford a new forward.

Touche, Gary..............

Not a particularly inspiring night for the two English clubs last night.
Juventus 3 - 1 Fulham
Will not be easy for Fulham to win the tie now...possible, but to score 2 goals without reply will not be easy.
I gather the defense which has been the hallmark of Fulham's European campaign went missing in the first half & allowed Juve to cruise into a 3-0 lead at half time. As can be seen, Fulham awoke in the second half & managed to win that 1-0 to at least give some hope. Fulham must hope that Juve regress to their earlier form for the second leg but it does look a hill to climb. I have a feeling that their run is over. The fans, players & Management can take great heart from their efforts at home & away this year though. the team under Roy Hodgson have come very far from the side battling against the drop on the last day of the season as they were a couple of seasons' ago.

Lille 1 - 0 Liverpool
Lille are doing about the same as Pool in their league this year - in no danger of winning or losing anything - so this is the 'last chance saloon' for both sides to win anything this year. Last season a Liverpool side containing both Gerrard & Torres was something to be feared. Without their talisman they were pretty ordinary. This year even the dynamic duo don't guarantee that a side is going to turn up. I am not sure if they are both looking at The World Cup & which club they will be playing for next year or that other sides have worked them out.
Liverpool clung onto the draw (which really seemed to be their aim) until the 85th. minute & then surcomed.
I have no idea if Pool can defeat Lille in the return leg. On an excellent day they could thrash them soundly and on another day could even lose. That seems to be the Liverpool frustration at the moment, even the personal on the pitch seem to show little indication of how they are going to play until they have actually kicked off!!

Here are the rest of the results from last nights' Europa Cup....

Atletico Madrid 0-0 Sporting
Benfica 1-1 Marseille
Hamburg 3-1 Anderlecht
Panathinaikos 1-3 Standard Liege
Rubin Kazan 1-1 Wolfsburg
Valencia 1-1 Werder Bremen

1-0 to Inter and Chelsea go out. Have to say it was no more than Chelsea deserved. Terrible performance.
I spent most of the second half watching the Wigan-Villa game, which was an end to end entertaining game.

Chelsea 0 - 1 Inter Milan (agg 1 - 3)
I didn't see the match. To be honest I forgot it was on - thought it was tonight.
From reading the reports it seems that the result was a fair reflection of the game, maybe a little generous to Milan, but they well deserved to go through on the balance of the two games. Eto'o (a quite brilliant signing by Mourinho) scored the only goal of the game for Milan quite near the end & right at the death Drogba was sent off.
It is difficult to know where Chelsea go from here. OK still stand an excellent chance of winning the Premiership, but is that enough of a return on investment for Abramovich. Will Ancelotti be given time or will he go out with the bath water?? The Chelsea side is an aging one - it was probably the current side's best chance of winning Europe. New player will undoubtedly be needed next year if they are going to do better than this year.

Sevilla 1 - 2 CSKA Moscow (agg 2 - 3)
As I had said before, many of those in the know in Spanish football had been tipping Sevilla to be the top Spanish side in Europe this year. This is a tremendous result for Moscow.
I gather that it was a good game to watch, closely fought, plenty of skill on display but Moscow just the better side on the night.

So both away sides won last night. Tonight the final games...
Barcelona v VfB Stuttgart, (agg 1-1), R1, L2, 19:45
Bordeaux v Olympiakos, (agg 1-0), R1, L2, 19:45
I think there will be many in London & Manchester that hope it is away side victories tonight as well!!
Friday sees the draw - really must hope that Arsenal & United manage to avoid each other up to an all English final in Madrid !!

A shame for Chelsea.....I always like to see the British clubs do well in European competitions.
So Jose Mourinho gets one over on his old club.....apparently he was subjected to abuse by some Chelsea fans last night,who once idolised him !
So only Arsenal and United left now.Both will be wanting to avoid Barcelona,assuming they get through,when the draw is made for the quarter finals.

Barcelona 4 - 0 VfB Stuttgart (agg 5 - 1)
Very much as Man U & Arsenal had done the week before, Barca swept the opposition aside without much of a care.
Messi is a class act &, worrying for all other Champions League contenders, he has hit a rich vein of form now as well. On Sunday he put away a hat trick against Valencia & here he hit the first & third to put Barca through.
Stuttgart have been under old Premiership Spurs' favourite Christian Gross (NOT !! ) since December & like to play attacking football. They were unlucky to concede in the first leg & should have won it 1-0. That would have sent them to Spain with options....as it was they had to score & at least draw better than 1-1 to go through.
On this form it is an enterprising (or foolish) team that goes to Barca to try and outplay them, and so it proved on the night.
I do not think any of the sides remaining will be eager to get Barcelona in the draw on Friday...although, to be honest either Arsenal or United will probably fancy they chances more over two legs than at the home to Barcelona's Spanish rivals Madrid in a 1 off final in May!!

Bordeaux 2 - 1 Olympiakos (agg 3 - 1)
No real surprises in this result either....Laurent Blanc has proved as good a manager as he was a player. Bordeaux currently top the French League & are also in the French Cup final in may as well. They scored after 5 minutes which must have calmed any nerves. However late on both sides had a man sent off & then the Greek side scored with 15 minutes still remaining. Bordeaux eased into the lead on the night again with a few minutes remaining though.

So this year has proved as good for French sides as for English - with 2 through to the last stages...

Good luck tonight to Fuhlam & Liverpool in their second leg clashes at home in the Europa. It would be great if 2 sides could progress there as well, but I fear for Fulham's chances of scoring 2 without reply!!

Fulham 4 - 1 Juventus (agg 5 - 4)
Oh yea of so little faith....
Well, embarrassment over, now down to the report..
Fulham, now at home cruised through against Juventus, crushing them as Barcelona, Manchester United & Arsenal had previously in the week...
No, not quite the same at all - especially as Fulham were the under dogs even if they had not been 2 goals down from the first leg. In fact Fulham had more than a share of help that the other 3 mentioned clubs did not need.
It started all so well for Juve, as after only 2 minutes, Fulham put there backs through the wall as they conceded an away goal to Trezeguet. But that seemed only to wake Fulham up & after 9 minutes Zamora put some respectability on it for the home fans by equalising. Then a stroke of luck for Fulham. Cannavaro was sent off for a foul on Gera after only 26 minutes- it was a questionable decision where the ref believed Cannavaro was the last defender (a little dubious) rather than because the violence of the foul demanded a red. Gera proved to be Juve's undoing by netting a second Fulham goal before half time & then converting a hand ball penalty just after the break. That leveled the tie, but then the best goal of the night, scored by substitute Dempsey put Fulham into the next round. To add to their woes Juve had a second defender (Zebina) sent off for a spiteful kick at Duff in stoppage time.
Well done Fulham - shows what a great battling side they have become under Hodgson but scoring 4 goals (even against a side down a man) also shows they possess no little skill. The result was not a fluke & but for some sound goalkeeping & wood work intervention Fulham could have won this by scoring 6 or 7!!

Liverpool 3 - 0 Lille (agg 3 - 1)
A result that does not surprise me anything like as much as the Fulham one above. However with the way Pool have played this season I would have said the same if they had lost 1-0 at home.. . There ability to amaze & disappoint has certainly taken over from consistency this year. However, that is being picky after this result. Gerrard scored from the spot early on & then Torres netted twice (second right at the death) to ease Liverpool through.
It was a good night for Pool but they still seem to have a few issues off the pitch. Albert Riera is the latest. He was suspended from this game for apparently calling his side a

sinking ship

So the hopes of English football carry on in both competitions.
The draw for both competitions takes place TODAY!!
Here are the other results (& so contenders) in the Europa last night.

Anderlecht 4-3 Hamburg (agg 5-6)
Marseille 1-2 Benfica (agg 2-3)
Sporting 2-2 Atletico Madrid (agg 2-2) (Atletico Madrid win on Away Goals Rule)
Standard Liege 1-0 Panathinaikos (agg 4-1)
Werder Bremen 4-4 Valencia (agg 5-5)
Wolfsburg 2-1 Rubin Kazan (agg 3-2) (After Extra Time)

Great result for Fulham Its fantastic to see a little club having a lot of success in Europe.
Lets hope the draw is kind to them for the next round plus Arsenal and United in the Champions League.....and lets not forget Liverpool the other small English club still going strong in the Europa League !

Champions League draw.....
Arsenal v Barcelona
Bayern Munich v Manchester United
Lyon v Bordeaux
CSKA Moscow v Inter Milan

Tough draw for Arsenal but if they could beat Barcelona it would throw the competition wide open.
United will be reasonably happy with their draw,particularily as they would play Lyon or Bordeaux should they progress.

In the Europa League Fulham play Wolfsburg and Liverpool have drawn Benfica in the Quarter Finals.
Both winnable ties for the English clubs,I think,but lets wait for the in depth analysis of the draws in both competitions from our resident expert,Khun Helm !

Thanks for the draw Zid - I had missed it up till I read this post, I had a bit of a busy (well Thai 'busy', so hurry up & wait) day yesterday.
Well, not in depth - but a bit of an analysis, for good or bad...
It is great the two English sides can miss each other all the way through to a final in Madrid. What a great night that would be!!!
Just about as tough as it gets for Arsenal though. Really have nothing going their way in the draw. The away tie first would have been a real bonus. You come home knowing exactly what you have to do, but, the home side tends to be more cautious in the first leg as they are wary of giving away goals & so maybe being in the situation where they have to play away from home & scoring!! Also Arsenal seem to have most of their first team squad available which is vital for them. Barca are a good side (just about the best in Europe at the minute) but they are not unbeatable & are not exactly the best in defense. If Arsenal get on the front foot they can be irresistible in front of goal & with a bit of luck ( ) could have Barca chasing the game from a couple behind.
Arsene will be really delighted to have to play the winner of Inter Milan and CSKA Moscow if they manage to progress through the next round - nothing like an easy tie...
I imagine that the bookies have Milan favourites to progress but Moscow have not got this far in the competition by being push overs. Russian football has always attracted the best out of Eastern Europe (often with them having no choice in the matter) but there now seems to be a fair few players from South America plying their wears in the colder climes. The football is certainly not built all around fitness & playing to a formula any more, flair plays a goodly part in it.

As for United...well Fergie must be delighted. I imagine that if he had been given the balls to lay out for the ties he would have placed them somewhere near what happened. OK there are no easy games at this level & you have to win them, but if United play to their potential (i.e. Rooney remains fit & as sharp as at the moment) then they will coast through to the final. In many ways that will be a poor result for football in the red side of Manchester.
If, by some method they do actually manage to win the European Cup then it will be the poorest side to win it in a long time - certainly the poorest United side ever to contest the final!! These things have a way of evening themselves out in a competition like this so, despite the good result of the draw, I would NOT be surprised to see United fail to reach the final. As a United fan I should be gutted by that prospect but I am not. I like to see my team win but I like to see them deserve to win as well. The current United squad have 5 games left to convince me they deserve it this year. So far they have failed dismally - 9 out field players & a good goalkeeper hanging onto a brilliant performance by 1 individual does not make for sustainable results!!

French football will be gutted that in their best European season for a long time their teams have drawn each other. OK it does guarantee a French side in the next round but I am sure they would have preferred that meeting later on.
They are both good footballing sides but in all honesty this is the best chance that either of them have of progressing.

On the Europa front..
I don't think Fulham would care who they drew after the last round. I cannot see them being in a worst situation 10 minutes into a game for the rest of the season. The fact that they came back & won it must have them brimful of confidence. I hope that they have a string of fair results in the Premiership until the next game in Europe - just enough to keep their feet on the ground without removing the confidence.
I imagine that Wolfsburg will be a typically difficult German side to beat. Like Fulham they are mid-table in the German league but did score 4 away from home while conceding none in their last game - so are no mugs themselves. I don't know if me tipping Fulham will do them any favours - my saying they had no chance seemed to inspire them last time!! They do have a great chance if things go their way in what I imagine will be two pretty physical encounters. It might depend on how the referee views some of the challenges - competitive & fair or deliberate attempts at intimidation & outside the rules..

Benfica are top of the Portuguese League at the moment, but, realistically Liverpool should brush them aside. Playing 2 legs to anything like their potential and Pool should have an easy passage through this. However the way they are up & down this year suggests that one of the ties will be a banana skin for them. They have to hope it is the first & that they have time to recover. The more constant side they were last year would see them go on & win the first Europa Cup pretty easily. Mind you I do not know if that will be enough to keep the squad & manager intact for another dash at something next year. A good World Cup by Gerrard & Torres could well see them playing their club football elsewhere next year.
Realistically Liverpool have not shown 1 scrap of evidence that they will be a better side next season or that they will be challenging for anything else apart from a Mickey Mouse Cup again!!

Bayern Munich 2 Manchester United 1
Overall a very disappointing performance by United.They started brightly enough and Wayne Rooney escaped his marker to give them the lead after just two minutes.
Bayern had most of the possession,without really troubling Van Der Saar,but it was United who looked most likely to score with Nani clipping the crossbar and both he and Rooney squandering good chances in front of goal.
At half time United should have been two goals to the good but the second half was a different story.
Bayern had all the play and Van Der Saar made several good saves but United held out until 13 minutes from time when Gary Neville handled the ball just outside the area and was deservedly booked.From the resulting free kick Ribery equalised courtesy of a deflection off Rooney.
Even then United could have won it with Vidic thumping a header against the bar but in the last minute of injury time both Vidic and Evra dithered in the penalty area like a couple of elderly Udon farangs wondering wether or not to bar fine an 18 year old Thai beauty and Olnic nipped in between them to slot home the winner.
So in the end a desperately disappointing night for United.Bayern are a typical workmanlike German side but United couldnt get the ball off them in the second half.
More worrying for United and England was the sight of Rooney hobbling off at the end and leaving the ground on crutches.
He may well miss the second leg and the crucial Premiership match with Chelsea on Saturday.
Whoever eventually wins this tie I dont think Lyon or Bordeaux or,particularily,Barcelona will be too worried.

Nice write up from a United fan of a not very encouraging game Zidane!!
On paper 2-1 down after the away leg does not read as a bad result.
The fact United should have put the tie almost beyond reach in the first half & couldn't.
The fact that Munich almost seemed to work United out in the second half is equally worrying.
A serious injury to Rooney would undoubtedly as good as mark the end of United season in the League & Europe this year.
So second tie still very winnable but I don't think any United fan will be cracking any champagne just yet.
I think it very much depends what team United can put out at old Traford & if they can manage to get off to a good start.
As Zid correctly points out the winners of the French tie will not exactly be quaking in their boots at the prospect of meeting either of these sides in the next round. Neither look anything like special, considering the event is getting very near its climax..

Speaking of the French tie...Lyon 3 - 1 Bordeaux
Great result for Lyon who went into the lead after only 10 minutes. Although Bordeaux managed to equalise after another couple of minutes it went all downhill for them after that. Bordeaux coach Laurent Blanc blamed a young, inexperienced defence for the position his club are now in. This is probably correct but only goes to suggest that they will have an equally difficult task to win the home tie - especially to win it by 2 or more...
So it is probably the end of the road for a gallant Bordeaux side - who probably had just about the worst draw in picking another french side (who knew far too much about them) out of the hat..