Champions League Final Open Thread
Sorry to have been away from posting, but we’ve had some issues to deal with as well as a vacation to Portugal, where I had the pleasure to be in Porto when FC Porto won the Portuguese Cup and was about an hour away from Porto when they won the Europa League Championship. More on FC Porto and their amazing, 33 year old coach, André Villas-Boas who has led them to four titles in his first season, including an undefeated season in the Portuguese Primeira Liga, later.
Anyway, here’s a chance for you to sound off on the game and during the game between FC Barcelona And Manchester United.
May 28, 2011 1:44 pm
Posted in: Sports
59 Comments
59 Responses
Temporarily Max McGee (soon enough to be Andy K again) - May 28, 2011 | 1:51 pm · Link
Whew! I was worried that you’d forgotten!
Randinho - May 28, 2011 | 1:52 pm · Link
Never! :-)
Temporarily Max McGee (soon enough to be Andy K again) - May 28, 2011 | 2:07 pm · Link
Lineups! Barca: Valdes
Alves, Mascherano, Pique, Abidal
Xavi, Busquets, Iniesta
Pedro, Messi, Villa
Man UTD:
Van der Sar
Fabio, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra
Valencia, Carrick, Giggs, Park
Rooney, Hernandez
Temporarily Max McGee (soon enough to be Andy K again) - May 28, 2011 | 2:10 pm · Link
I can’t imagine that Man Utd. will play 4-4-2.
Royston Vasey - May 28, 2011 | 2:10 pm · Link
Up and ready here in NZ (6:10am)
United shirt on, ESPN on the TV.
Only down side is that ESPN have Tommy Smyth (the ol’ onion bag) on as well.
Go United!
Tony in NZ
Temporarily Max McGee (soon enough to be Andy K again) - May 28, 2011 | 2:12 pm · Link
Also- Puyol starts on the bench!
Temporarily Max McGee (soon enough to be Andy K again) - May 28, 2011 | 2:14 pm · Link
@Royston Vasey:
We dodged Tommy in the States. The game is on Fox here.
mcd410x - May 28, 2011 | 2:14 pm · Link
With these teams prepared to face off, only one question remains: which team will disgrace itself more with theatrics? It’s all up for grabs now!
brad - May 28, 2011 | 2:20 pm · Link
Nice that Fox put this on it’s network today. HD and a much larger audience. But Rupert, time to reel in Ailes!
brad - May 28, 2011 | 2:25 pm · Link
Oh! the Stankovic goal!
Temporarily Max McGee (soon enough to be Andy K again) - May 28, 2011 | 2:27 pm · Link
@brad:
Second year in a row. Hopefully this one will draw better ratings. It would also help if the game isn’t as boring as last year’s final.
MikeJ - May 28, 2011 | 2:33 pm · Link
Before we start the game, keep your seat belts fastened.
burnspbesq - May 28, 2011 | 2:39 pm · Link
Hope this game is as good as last week’s Heineken Cup final.
Royston Vasey - May 28, 2011 | 2:40 pm · Link
Prediction: 2-1 to Manchester United
Hoping this a great game.
Go the Reds! (even though they are playing in white)
T in NZ
Temporarily Max McGee (soon enough to be Andy K again) - May 28, 2011 | 2:40 pm · Link
@MikeJ:
What, they couldn’t get the superstars of Galatasaray?
BTW: Galatasaray is much more fun to say than it is to spell.
burnspbesq - May 28, 2011 | 2:43 pm · Link
Park has a chance to be the unsung hero. If he can be a big pain in Barca’s ass, that can make a difference.
Royston Vasey - May 28, 2011 | 2:45 pm · Link
@Temporarily Max McGee (soon enough to be Andy K again): 4-4-1-1
JustBeingPedantic - May 28, 2011 | 2:49 pm · Link
Oy vey! Fox sucks and Menefee is a moron (or his researchers are). The soldiers carrying the trophy onto the pitch weren’t Beefeaters (Yeoman Warders who guard the Tower of London), they were members of the Queen’s Guard (probably from the Grenadier Guards regiment).
At least we get to listen to Martin Tyler call the game.
Temporarily Max McGee (soon enough to be Andy K again) - May 28, 2011 | 2:51 pm · Link
Pesky defense from Man Utd.. I like.
TheColourfield - May 28, 2011 | 2:57 pm · Link
As a Celtic fan all I can say is fuck the diving sacks of shit from Porto.
MikeJ - May 28, 2011 | 2:57 pm · Link
@JustBeingPedantic: Red plume on the right side of the hat. Coldstream Guards. Grenadier Guards have a white plume on the left.
/more pedantic
At least in this pic from a week ago. I honestly don’t remember what they had on at the start of the game.
John Jitbag - May 28, 2011 | 3:06 pm · Link
Soccer is boring. No wonder the fans spend the whole match beating the sh*t out of each other. Dont get me started about American hipster douches pretending to like this
Randinho - May 28, 2011 | 3:12 pm · Link
Barça! Yes!
Temporarily Max McGee (soon enough to be Andy K again) - May 28, 2011 | 3:18 pm · Link
ROOOOOOOOOOOOONEY!
Randinho - May 28, 2011 | 3:19 pm · Link
Game on!
Royston Vasey - May 28, 2011 | 3:21 pm · Link
@Temporarily Max McGee (soon enough to be Andy K again): Go the reds! This will change the dynamic of the game.
=)
brad - May 28, 2011 | 3:22 pm · Link
fantastic match. Edge to barca so far
Amir_Khalid - May 28, 2011 | 3:24 pm · Link
1-1. Damn.
I hate it when Man U don’t lose a football match.
Randinho - May 28, 2011 | 3:26 pm · Link
@Amir_Khalid: It’s almost as bad as when Cristiano Ronaldo scores a goal.
JustBeingPedantic - May 28, 2011 | 3:27 pm · Link
@MikeJ: I went with the Grenadier Guards based on the even button spacing on their tunics rather than the plume (Coldstream Guards have their tunic buttons arranged in pairs, so your pic did indeed show Coldstream Guards). Thanks to TiVo, I went back to look and saw a white plume on the left side of the bear hat, so the most senior regiment—the Grenadiers—had the honor at Wembley.
As for Menefee having a bad day, during his introduction of the officials, he said the referee was from Hungaria, wherever the hell that is.
Temporarily Max McGee (soon enough to be Andy K again) - May 28, 2011 | 3:35 pm · Link
@brad:
I dunno….It’s been breaking the way you had to think it would, with Barca maintaining possession and getting more shots, and Man Utd. getting a few chances on the counter-attack. I’m not really worried for the Red Devils at this point.
burnspbesq - May 28, 2011 | 3:35 pm · Link
It is amazing to me that, although everybody knows Messi is the guy, he is ALWAYS open.
Messi gets more protection from the officials than any athlete in any sport. It approaches Larry Bird heights of absurdity.
Randinho - May 28, 2011 | 3:37 pm · Link
@burnspbesq: I don’t see that. To begin with he’s not a diver.
burnspbesq - May 28, 2011 | 3:45 pm · Link
@Randinho:
It’s not about diving. That tackle by Valencia is a perfect example. The ball is away cleanly and Valencia’s momentum carries him in. Messi is the only player in the world who gets that call.
It’s a contact sport. The Larry Bird Cloak of Protection gives Messi an unfair advantage.
Royston Vasey - May 28, 2011 | 3:55 pm · Link
bugger
Temporarily Max McGee (soon enough to be Andy K again) - May 28, 2011 | 3:56 pm · Link
wow
JustBeingPedantic - May 28, 2011 | 3:56 pm · Link
sweet
Temporarily Max McGee (soon enough to be Andy K again) - May 28, 2011 | 3:57 pm · Link
What a way to use Vidic to screen Van Der Sar.
Amir_Khalid - May 28, 2011 | 3:57 pm · Link
Barca up 2-1 now.
There. That’s much better.
Randinho - May 28, 2011 | 4:03 pm · Link
@burnspbesq: Disagree. Valencia threw a body block. Why he doesn’t have a card yet is beyond me. Even the Guardian minute by minute guy believes he should have been booked for that.
Violet - May 28, 2011 | 4:07 pm · Link
@Amir_Khalid:
Oh, no. The English relatives are not going to be happy. Not at all.
Temporarily Max McGee (soon enough to be Andy K again) - May 28, 2011 | 4:11 pm · Link
Shit. Short of a miracle….
JustBeingPedantic - May 28, 2011 | 4:11 pm · Link
no surprise there
Amir_Khalid - May 28, 2011 | 4:13 pm · Link
Barca 3-1!
Yeah!
MikeJ - May 28, 2011 | 4:37 pm · Link
The Yankees lost last night (to the Mariners!), Man U loses today.
A pretty good 24 hours for sports.
Royston Vasey - May 28, 2011 | 4:42 pm · Link
Well done, Barca. A deserved win.
T in NZ
arguingwithsignposts - May 28, 2011 | 5:22 pm · Link
I do think it’s cool that five people can push a thread to 40+ comments in what amounts to a live-blog of the game.
JenJen - May 28, 2011 | 6:04 pm · Link
Mmmmm, David Villa.
That is all!
@arguingwithsignposts: Makes me wonder why we never get NHL threads. I’ll bet three of us could push the comments up to 8 or so.
NobodySpecial - May 28, 2011 | 6:05 pm · Link
If only they could push it to a few thousand like a typical SBNation game thread on Sundays in NFL season.
Yutsano - May 28, 2011 | 6:16 pm · Link
@JenJen: We used to get NHL threads, then Crosby got a concussion and JC stopped caring. I freely admit I’m all kinds of excited. There’s the possibility of a huge party about to happen a couple hundred kilometers north of me very soon.
BTW you made me Google. I’m still mopping up the drool. But u haz an adorable puppeh, so it’s okay.
JenJen - May 28, 2011 | 6:27 pm · Link
@Yutsano: Dude, David Villa is MY Sex God Hero. Step the hell off! :-)
Good point about Crosby, and I guess if the Pens get knocked out in Round 1 we don’t get our NHL thread. Maybe we can start again on Wednesday? I’ll harass the boss about it.
Speaking of Vancouver, this video made me smile so much. A woman put a camera on her downtown Vancouver (Yaletown) apartment balcony to capture city sounds during Game 5; that video records the moment Ryan Kesler scored the tying goal with 14 seconds left which sent the game into overtime (action starts at about 0:30). This video was later that evening when Kevin Bieksa scored the double-overtime game-winning goal.
It’s just too cool!! Gawd, I love the city of Vancouver, and, GO NUCKS!! Oh, and Little Lord Stanley Puppeh sends squeaks and licks to you!
handsmile - May 28, 2011 | 7:06 pm · Link
Back home, having imbibed a bit too much sangria. And still so early on a Saturday night.
First off: good to have you back Randinho; hope all (or at least most) is well. I hope you and Mrs. R. enjoyed a delightful and memorable Iberian holiday. Celebrating in Porto must have been glorious!
As to the match, the first half was likely the best 45 minutes of a Champions League final I’ve seen. The opening ten minutes, in fact, bore an uncanny resemblance to the 2009 final: ManUnited applying gangbuster pressure to Barcelona’s improvised back line. Withstanding that attack, Barcelona’s overall quality, player-for-player, inexorably asserted itself.
The second half was simply a master-class by the Catalans in the array of footballing skills. In the minutes before Nani replaced a feeble Carrick, ManUnited appeared to be an utterly disspirited, disorganized squad, their famed resoluteness shredded. Initial match statistics (possession, attempts, corners) underscore Barcelona’s dominance and preeminence.
Saddened to bid adieu to Edwin van der Saar, a paragon football player.
JenJen, you are so fickle when it comes to Spanish footballers. How you once pined for Iker Casillas!
JenJen - May 28, 2011 | 8:16 pm · Link
@handsmile: Since when did I stop pining for Iker Casillas? Must a girl choose?
It’s always so fun to see you in the threads, handsmile. :-)
Yutsano - May 28, 2011 | 8:31 pm · Link
@JenJen: Oh man those videos want me up that way should they get Lord Stanley’s cup!
(and I don’t mean your new gawjuss boy, though he is a prize all on his own.)
Randinho - May 28, 2011 | 10:11 pm · Link
@handsmile: Thanks. Portugal is a gloriously beautiful country with much to offer and we left with regrets that there was so much more we wanted to see.
SRW1 - May 29, 2011 | 5:49 am · Link
ManU urgently needs to rejuvenate their midfild. Oh, and a defender or two who can bring the ball out of their own half instead of having to pass it back to their goalie at the slightest bit of pressing so that the goalie can hoof it up front would also be nice. The inability of Vidic and Ferdinand in that regard when ManU was 3:1 down was actually embarrassing (and I’m a neutral as regards ManU or Barca).
Randinho - May 29, 2011 | 11:10 am · Link
SRW1: I think you nailed it. Ofor once the game stats tell the whole story.
Jim in Chicago - May 29, 2011 | 4:31 pm · Link
Is the current Barcelona team the best that’s ever played? I’ve never seen passing like that: methodically picking out the holes in the other team’s defense as they slowly advance their position until (20 passes later) they find the diagonal pass that gets them into the box behind the other team’s line with players like Messi, Villa, and Pedro who know how to finish. Or eventually the other team just packs it into the box so that Messi et al can shoot at will, unpressured from 20-25 yards out…
I almost wonder if Barca’s defense goes to sleep now and then just to keep the games interesting…
ExNewYorker - May 30, 2011 | 11:53 pm · Link
Finally got a chance to watch the game, already knowing the result. This Barcelona team is the best I’ve seen this generation. If Messi ever decides to play for Spain in the various National cups, that team would be invincible. And it’s mesmerizing to watch…the one touch passing is a joy to watch. To have Man U. wind with only 30% possession is just unbelievable. It’s great having this be football present, and not the past…