San Siro's Siren Call: 2015-16 UEFA Champions League

Schnerres

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Captains meeting: Lahm (155cm) vs. Jardel (197cm), funny as usual, when Lahm stands next to Neuer...
Bayern without Lewandowski, as Pep wants to improve midfield with a 4-3-2-1 with Neuer-Lahm,Kimmich, Javi Martinez,Alaba - Vidal, Alonso, Thiago- Costa, Ribery - Müller.

Already a dangerous freekick for Benfica in the 3rd minute, but Eliseu hits the man next to the wall for a corner.
 

Zososoxfan

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Atleti is defending as almost a 4-3-3 when Barca is in their own half, and dropping into a 5-3-2 when defending in their own third. Barca has been patient, but has also played some long balls, which have pulled the D out of shape, but ultimately haven't connected. Atleti has had a couple of good attacks, but has slowed since the start.
 

Schnerres

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First chance, 1-0 Benfica. Now it´s interesting.
Neuer looked very bad on the cross. Three Bayern defenders in the middle and Jimenez alone gets the header...
 

Zososoxfan

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Atleti look content to sit back and try to hit on the counter. Barca has had some sketchy moments, but overall has remained composed. Simeone will likely need to change something to get Atleti some more chances if the scoreline stays the same. Although he must be pleased that SNM are being starved of touches.
 

Schnerres

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Another huge chance for Jimenez. Cross comes in, two Bayern slide to the ball, but miss it, Jimenez stops it from about 7m, but pokes it almost right at Neuer. Bayern now looking in trouble, but with 70% possession. Peppi is happy :)
Facts mentioned:
-Pep always reached the semis in CL
-in last two years, Bayern only had one away win in knockout round (@Arsenal)
 

Schnerres

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1-1 Vidal, beautiful attack through Costa and Lahm on the right side, blocked ball and Vidal smashes it with weak foot from just outside the box into the empty net, as the keeper had to come to the near post to block the cross. So Benfica needs to win 3-1 tonight, which looks almost impossible.
 

Schnerres

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This season, Atletico led three times 1-0 vs. Barca.
Three times, the final result was a 2-1 win for Barca with all six goals from Messi(2), Neymar(1), Suarez(3).
 

Schnerres

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2-1 Bayern, that´s it.
Müller after a corner. Benfica needs a 4-2 win with 40mins to play.
Javi Martinez wins the header and Müller taps it home inside the 6y-box.

The central defense of Martinez+Kimmich still looks vulnerbale/shaky, so let´s hope for Boateng to come back soon enough for the semifinals.
 

DennyDoyle'sBoil

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It's kind of weird how similar this feels to the 2014 final, except against Barca instead of Real Madrid.

I even think Atleti scored in the 36th minute there too. You don't get too many chances to flip the script like this and I really hope they can hang on this time.
 

Schnerres

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Santana almost laid an egg for Benfica, but that tie is over. Maybe Bayern gets a win for Pep. But the spanish tie is now the one to watch :)

Just as i wrote it, Javi Martinez with a foul as red as it can be to stop a goal-scoring chance and he escapes with a yellow card. Ridiculous wrong decision. Just dumb. Should have let him run and make it 2-2.
And now Benfica score from the free-kick anyways...:)
 

fletcherpost

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The slowest clock in football. Trying to hold a one goal lead v Barca. Ex Real Madrid player Steve McManaman, saying Atletico are 'at it' with their stop the game, tactics. Simeone's 'at it', remonstrating to the officials, the players are 'at it' an all. I did think he had a point until i remembered who he used to play for.
 

DennyDoyle'sBoil

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Should have been a red. The card would have actually been more valuable than the penalty, because Barca still only needs one.
 

Schnerres

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I would say it was very hard to see for the ref and i´m alright with it, but then, what would have happened with Barca´s penalty troubles..

Those four quarterfinals had a lot of drama and each team could have made it into semifinals.

Even if the penalty were called Atletico would have advanced in away goals right?
No.
2-1 Barca
2-1 Atletico means a 3-3 tie with one away goal for each, which means extra time. IF they had scored the penalty..
 

teddykgb

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Ah right, my goodness. Really tough break for Barca

Edit/ one final thought. It sucks seeing Turan in a Barca shirt. Just doesn't look right to me
 

Spacemans Bong

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Considering Iniesta had no right to be on the pitch, Barcelona can suck the stinkiest shit imaginable out of my asshole.

The only way this could get better is if Simeone stomps into the Barcelona dressing room, grabs Messi by the hair, and gives him a swirly.
 

fletcherpost

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Not a bad result for City. Still outsiders but any team can win it. What a break for Atletico though with the non pen call. You need a bit of luck, you take it when you get it.
 

Zososoxfan

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Congrats to Atleti and Bosox. Deserved win. Barca couldn't conjure the creativity to break down that D, looked tired and uninspired. Suarez didn't get nearly enough of the ball, Neymar was ineffective against the underrated/underappreciated Juanfran, Messi was blanketed, and Iniesta and co. couldn't rise to the challenge. Obviously upset no penalty given at the end for Barca, but it was a very close call and Iniesta should've been sent off earlier. Atleti was patient and took their chance in the first half when it was there. Felipe Luis showed off his class in basically creating the second.

I'd rank the semifinalists:

1. Bayern
2. Atleti
3. Real
4. City

The Spanish teams both deserve a chance to reach the final. Hopefully they're not drawn against each other.
 

teddykgb

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And freaking Muller. I don't know if I've ever watched a player like him. He's such a predator in front of goal but isn't a striker per se. But just always pops up in the right place at the right time. I think he's one of the most underrated players in world football
 

Zososoxfan

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And freaking Muller. I don't know if I've ever watched a player like him. He's such a predator in front of goal but isn't a striker per se. But just always pops up in the right place at the right time. I think he's one of the most underrated players in world football
I think he's a consensus top 5 (10 at worst) player in the world and has been for some years now.
 

Schnerres

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I'd rank the semifinalists:

1. Bayern
2. Atleti
3. Real
4. City
I think that ranking is alright, maybe City is gaining some steam and above Real, which had lots of trouble with Wolfsburg.

The matchups offer tons of storylines (Madrid derby, Pep vs. a spanish team, etc.). Obviously Pep vs. City would be the biggest, so this would be the most interesting final, with City winning it, not from what i like, but from what it would mean for City, Pellegrini, Pep´s pressure next season, etc..As i think City has no chance vs. Atletico´s killer defense, it would be best if the draw would bring Real vs. City and Bayern vs. Atletico.

Atletico is just made for Europe with their defense and not-getting-goals-against. They got 3 in the group stage (each from Benfica), zero vs. PSV and two vs. Barca, which means five goals in ten CL matches.
 

Vinho Tinto

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Bayern's defensive line is too vulnerable to be the favorite. Benfica played without Gaitan, Jonas, and Mitroglou in attack. The drop in quality from those players is pretty dramatic. By the end of the match, they had two players on the field who played on their B team last weekend. For the entire match, they never broke from playing a tight defensive shell. And yet, they scored two goals and got Javi Martinez in a position where he could have gotten a straight red.
 

teddykgb

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Bayern's defensive line is too vulnerable to be the favorite. Benfica played without Gaitan, Jonas, and Mitroglou in attack. The drop in quality from those players is pretty dramatic. By the end of the match, they had two players on the field who played on their B team last weekend. For the entire match, they never broke from playing a tight defensive shell. And yet, they scored two goals and got Javi Martinez in a position where he could have gotten a straight red.
Unless you're willing to make Atletico the favorite you can certainly say the same thing about the other 3 remaining teams
 

Vinho Tinto

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Unless you're willing to make Atletico the favorite you can certainly say the same thing about the other 3 remaining teams
I'd have no problem making Atletico the favorite. My only issue with them is the likelihood they get carded into an oblivion. Real gave Bayern a thumping just two years ago. Bayern's attack and midfield is world class, but their center back situation is a problem. I think it's in their best interests that UEFA likes the idea of matching them up vs City so TV gets the Pep vs City storyline. Both Spanish clubs will believe they can knock them off.
 

Morgan's Magic Snowplow

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Congrats to Atleti and bosox4283! That was really fun to watch, up there with the Barcelona-Inter second leg in 2010 in terms of heroic, well organized defending. It was actually amazing how few clear cut chances (or even half chances) Barcelona was able to generate. I don't think Atleti got outplayed at all across the two legs: It was just two very different gameplans and they executed their better.

I will definitely be rooting for Atleti in the semis and, if they get there, the finals.