Champions League: Real Madrid Wins But Are Still All Bark and Very Little Bite

Real Madrid beat AJ Auxerre in their Tuesday Champions League match in their now typical 2010 fashion. Lots of possession, some opportunities and very few goals.

Madrid possessed the ball for 70% of the game and had 19 shots compared to Auxerre's 9 shots. Yet anyone that watched the game could tell you that even though Madrid had a lot of possession and shots, they had very few great opportunities.

Granted, Gonzalo Higuain did have a great opportunity in the first half where his shot was blocked by a defender on the line. There were other good moments as well, but you have to expect more out of a team that possesses the ball for 70% of the game and has so many talented players.

It also wouldn't be as big of an issue if this was an isolated incident or one time event. But Real Madrid's lack of scoring production has been an issue and their main cause of concern thus far all season.

Jose Mourinho finally expressed his concerns and feelings about the lack of goals after Real Madrid was unable to score last week against lowly Levante in their La Liga match-up. In speaking about that game Mourinho said:

"We created so many chances, some very good, and obviously I'm worried because you need to score to win. Every point counts, but for us every game we play is one we have to win. So these are two points less than we could have. We're not happy about earning only one point because we must win every match.''

In preparation for the Champions League match against AJ Auxerre Mourinho tried to mix things up and went with Karim Benzema as a starter hoping that he would produce a spark.

Unfortunately for Benzema he looked somewhat lost for much of the game. Not sure if it's his youth or lack of playing time, but he's never seemed to gel or be on the same page with Higuain or the other players. He wasn't terrible last night, but didn't quite produce the spark Mourinho was probably hoping for.

Not that the other players were much better. All the players seem to struggle when they get in and around the box. There are opportunities, but most chances seem to end with a bad pass or Ronaldo getting frustrated and blasting a shot from outside the 18 yard box.

Despite the lack of scoring concerns, there are plenty of bright spots thus far for Real:

1. The defense is much better.

Probably a result of the return of Pepe and shifting Sergio Ramos to play central defense with Pepe. Last year Iker Casillas had to make 2-3 amazing saves a game to make up for Real's faulty defense. This year has been very different.

2. They have a loaded roster.

Madrid isn't like Liverpool or other teams that are struggling and don't have options or solutions. They have players, the just need to find the right combination. Kaka will return soon and he might help. Ozil, although he didn't start last night, has been amazing thus far for the team. He has created numerous opportunities for the forwards. Once he can get on the same page with Ronaldo and Higuain, the scoring flood gates could burst open.

3. They have Jose Mourinho.

He doesn't call himself The Great One for no reason. If anyone can figure out the right combination of players and control all the egos on the roster and get everyone on the same page, it's Mourinho. He's done it multiple times before, no reason to think he won't be able to do it with this talented squad.

Yet the scoring is a concern. Mainly because it needs to get resolved soon. Madrid can get by with one goal against opponents like Auxerre and it can even afford a tie to Levante only because La Liga is pretty weak this year.

But Madrid doesn't spend the money to beat Auxerre and do well in La Liga.

Madrid spends money and brings in Mourinho to win the Champions League and beat Barcelona and win La Liga.

One goal might get you a victory against Auxerre, but it likely won't be enough against Inter, Chelsea, Man U or Barcelona in the knock out stages of the Champions League or El Clasico.

Especially since none of these teams fear Madrid.

Surely they all respect Madrid and the players on the roster. But Madrid has been eliminated from the Champions League in the round of 16 five years in a row. Barcelona has won La Liga the past two years. Teams know that Madrid is a tough opponent, but not unbeatable.

Madrid been a lot of bark and hype, but no bite and results. Hopefully that changes soon. Otherwise, despite the many changes, they will be the same dog as always.

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Inter beats Bayern: What the Champion's League Final tells us about the World Cup

Here are a couple of quick thoughts after today's Champion's League Final.

The nationalities of the winners of this year's Champion's League final may only interest me, but there is something intriguing about this group. Here is the line-up:


Internazionale - Julio Cesar (Brazil), Maicon (Brazil), Lucio (Brazil), Walter Samuel (Argentina), Christian Chivu (Romania), Javier Zanetti (Argentina), Esteban Cambiasso (Argentina), Wesley Sneijder (Netherlands), Sameul Eto'o (Cameroon), Diego Milito (Argentina), Goran Pandev (Macedonia).

First of all, Internazionale is based in Milan, Italy and there are no Italians in the starting 11. Second, they have three Brazilians anchoring their defense, which tells me that Brazil will be very strong defensively in South Africa. Next, the four Argentinians are great players, but the second best Argentinian on the night wasn't picked to play for his country. Esteban Cambiasso was left out by the tactical genius (ha!) Diego Maradona. This tells me that Argentina will have a typically strong side that misses out on the Semi-finals of the World Cup due to poor management. Same story as 2006.

UPDATE: I also forgot to mention that Javier Zanetti was snubbed from the World Cup squad as well. Allegedly, Maradona blamed him for some of the poor results in qualification. There was also rumors that Zanetti overruled Maradona's tactics once the players stepped on the field.

Prior to today's match, I thought that Spain and Brazil were the teams to beat in the World Cup. After watching this game, I'd say Brazil has the edge. They are stronger defensively and in tournaments, that makes a big difference.

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Manchester City v. Tottenham: You Couldn't Script It Any Better

For the past six seasons, the same 4 teams ("The Big Four") have finished at the top of the English Premier League: Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United. They haven't always finished in that order, but it's always been those four teams. What's the big deal about finishing in the top 4? Those teams qualify for the Champions League in the next season. The Champions League is a tournament of all the top clubs from all of the top leagues in Europe. The teams still play in their own league (English Premier League, La Liga in Spain, Serie A in Italy etc.), but in addition, they also play in the Champions League. It's a best of the best league. It's a way to crown the best team in all of Europe. Kind of a big deal. Ok, its a huge deal.

This year, for the first time in a long time, Liverpool won't qualify for the Champions League. There is only 1 game left and Liverpool is mathematically eliminated from making the Champions League. They will likely finish in 7th and qualify for the Europa League (sort of a NIT tournament to the NCAA March Madness tourney. A nice consolation for finishing well, but not nearly the excitement or publicity or glory). The two teams competing for the 4th and final spot are Tottenham and Manchester City. Perfectly enough, they actually play each other tomorrow (Wednesday). A previous game between the two teams earlier in the season was postponed and it was conveniently and dramatically rescheduled for the final week of the season. The two teams do have one more game on Sunday, so the winner of tomorrow's game doesn't necessarily have 4th place locked up, but they control their own destiny.

So here's a look at the two teams:

Tottenham:

There isn't much reason to root against Tottenham. I tried to think of one and couldn't. As far as I (and wikipedia) am aware, Tottenham hasn't finished in the top 4 since the inception of the current Premier League in 1992. The best they have finished was 5th, twice. They have always been a good team, but usually somewhere in the middle of the pack. For the most part, they have likable players. You would really have to try to not like them or have some personal vendetta against one of the players if you were upset that they finished 4th. You may have wanted another team and may not be excited that they made it, but it's sort of hard to hate them. One of those, "Well, I would have preferred Team X, but I don't mind Tottenham and at least it wasn't Team Y that made it" teams.

Manchester City:

Manchester City is a Team Y type of team.

First of all, its worth noting that Manchester City is often called Man City. Their coach is named Roberto Mancini. Mancini. Mancini coaches ManCity. This was the reason he was hired right? It's like someone walking into a job interview being named Joe Dodger or Danny Laker. You have an immediate leg up on the other candidates. Who wouldn't hire that person?

But here is why it's possible to dislike Man City: they have money. And tons of it. Granted, there is a lot to like about Man City and a lot of reasons to root for them. They have long played second fiddle to the other team in their city, Manchester United (the Evil Empire of the Premier League). This isn't even like the Mets play second fiddle to the Yankees. The Mets have at least had success in the past. Man City is more like the Los Angeles Clippers. Just terrible for many years and always right next to the Lakers. Finally, a few years ago, a man by the name of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan bought the team. He's only a member of the ruling family of Abu Dhabi emirate. The family worth is estimated to be about $500 billion.

Anyways, he bought Man City a couple years ago and like any good owner with endless resources, he started buying many great players. The problem is/was, many were reluctant to go to Man City because Man City isn't part of the Champions League. Some went because the money was good, but Man City couldn't quite attract all the great names. Now however, they are on the brink of being a part of the Champions League. Which is why tomorrow's game is so intriguing. If Tottenham wins, great. That's fun and its a good story for the kids. But if Man City wins, it could dramatically change the Premier League landscape. They could be at the top of the Premier League for years to come. Man City will be a team that has qualified for the Champions League, so all the great players will want to go to Man City because they will get to compete against the other great teams of Europe. On top of that though, the owner has the money for all of those players. If Tottenham wins, their stock will go up and they will probably land some new players. But no one has the resources like Man City. Their owner can go out and buy up all the great players without even noticing. Man City could go to town in the offseason and have their pick of any player. They have the money and they would now be part of the Champions League stage where many of the great players want to perform. There is really no excuse for a player to not want to join. Torres? David Villa? Buffon? Ribery? Robben? The list and possibilities are endless.

Thus, despite their losing history, it's a reason Man City is a "Team Y" and people might not be happy they get in. Man City has essentially bought themselves a birth into the Champions League and will continue to buy their success for many years to come. Doesn't always make a you a likable club. Essentially it just boils down to people being jealous that Sheik Mansour bin Ihavetonsofmoney Nayan isn't their owner, but still, its a reason to root against Man City.

Regardless of the winner, the big 4 are shaken up. It's a bummer for Liverpool fans and Torres lovers (like yours truly), but in this case, any change is good change. Especially when the change comes down to the (second to) last game. Couldn't be scripted any better.

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Sir Alex the Fantastic

As mentioned in the previous post, Manchester United lost in the Champions League to Bayern Munich. As expected, Manchester's coach, Sir Alex Ferguson came out today with some nice 'gems' about the game. From ESPN:

"Ferguson was furious about the manner in which the Bayern players had put pressure on the referee to show Rafael a second yellow card after tugging back Franck Ribery.

"The young boy showed a bit of inexperience, but they got him sent off, everyone sprinted towards the referee - typical Germans," [Ferguson] said. "They were never getting through that tie. With 11 men, we had no problem."

Fantastic comment. Typical Germans? What does that even mean? Only Germans yell at refs when there is a foul and try and get the ref to make a call in their favor? I suppose that makes sense. I mean, its not like Manchester United players ever argue with the refs. It's also interesting that he says that this behavior of complaining about the refs is typical of Germans yet in the process of saying Germans complain about refs, he too was complaining about the poor calls made by the refs. But Ferguson is Scottish, not German. And this isn't the first time he's complained about the officiating. Someone should tell him to retract his comment to say, "typical Germans, and Scottish." Then it would be a little more accurate. We don't want Sir Alex to look like a fool with his comments.

Seriously though, I have no problems with a coach being upset at some of the calls that happened during the game. I understand that calls can influence a game. But when your team gives up a two goal advantage at home, and your best player, who is also arguably the best player in the league right now, had to sit out the entire second half because of a busted ankle, then maybe it was your team, and not the "typical Germans" that are responsible for the loss. Just a thought. Not that you need to go out and blame it on your players, but perhaps a little perspective could improve your comments and thus prevent snide remarks from the bored bloggers.

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Recognize this Face?

This is the "Aw Snap, I Just Made a Wicked Goal and Knocked Your Team Out of the Champions League with My Sick Volley that Sort of Even Surprised Me, but Not Entirely Because I Knows I Gots Mad Skills So Much So that It Almost Causes Me Pain But Not Really Because Ohhh That Was So Nice" face.



The goal and face come at the 5:20 mark.

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Hey Look! Another Drogba Red Card

So Chelsea bowed out of the Champions League yesterday in a surprise loss to Inter Milan. Inter Milan is a great team, but Chelsea was definitely the favorite to win this match-up. It was sweet revenge for Jose Mourinho, the current Inter Milan boss and former Chelsea boss. Not that anyone ever really roots for Mourinho or has any sympathy for the guy. Great coach, not exactly the world's most likeable guy though.

Anyways, the loss is very disappointing for Chelsea. Two years ago they made it to the Champions League final only to lose to their rival Manchester United. Last year they were literally seconds away from returning to the final until Andres Iniesta ripped their hearts out by scoring a late goal and sending Barcelona on to the finals where they eventually won it all. After getting so close the past two seasons, they are eliminated in the first stage of the knock-out rounds. Even though the results haven't been consistent, one thing has been consistent: a late in the game card for Didier Drogba.


2008:

Granted, this is pretty weak. I understand Drogba "hit" Vidic, but it's not like it was a punch or anything. Not sure if he deserved a red.



2009:

In 2009 he actually only received a yellow card and it came after the game was over (it just makes for a better post to pretend he got three red cards).



Drogba's reaction is actually understandable. Here is a video of Iniesta scoring late in the game and ripping Chelsea's heart out (love the announcer in that video). Below is a video of all of the potential penalties that happened during the game that weren't called and made all the Chelsea players so upset.




Finally, 2010:

Here is the red card Drogba received late in the game yesterday.



At first view I didn't think the red card was deserved, but after a few views, the ref made the right call.

I really wouldn't consider Drogba a dirty player. Although the third was cheap, the first red card was a little ticky tacky, the second was actually just a yellow. But his reactions are somewhat justified. The Champions League is a big deal and naturally emotions will run high. I get upset and start yelling at the ref in my local city league. I can only imagine the intense emotions running through these players in a Champions League game, let alone final. So I don't post this so much to say that Drogba is dirty, but if it's the Champions League and Chelsea is losing and the game is almost over, bet your neighbor on a late card for Drogba.

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Six Years, One Result

I know this post is a little late since it has been almost a week since Real Madrid lost to Lyon and was knocked out, yet again, in the first round of the knock-out rounds in the Champions League. That makes six years in a row that they have lost in the first stage of the knock-out rounds of the Champions League. I wanted to post earlier, but I needed a few days to mourn as I was legitimately upset after the game. There is nothing worse as a sports fan than losing and knowing that you will have to wait an entire year before you can team can redeem itself.

The other difficult thing about this game is that I don't really know what to say about Real. I keep wandering in circles. Six years with the same result means that this has happened to six different squads. You can't fault C. Ronaldo or Kaka for not getting the job done, when Zidane also failed with Figo and the original Ronaldo. But it's not the players and I don't think its the coach. I could only come up with one explanation: the business model.

Real's "business model" doesn't work. They spent over $280 million in the offseason to acquire 5 players and they lost to a team that doesn't have 1 recognizable player. I didn't know anyone on Lyon. At first I thought I knew one guy, but then I realized it was thinking about a differnet guy with the same name. I guess Lyon's central defender might make Brazil's World Cup squad as a back-up. Might.

I haven't read Soccernomics entirely, but I understand that Lyon is discussed in the book as a team that is projected to be successful in the future because of their business model of developing youth and not overspending for players. Real disregards its youth system, overspends on players and has no loyalty to its current players because they are constantly running out and looking for the next "hot" player to buy. I think the game was a great illustration of both teams and how their style of play reflects their business models.

In the first half Real came out firing. Granted, they were down 1-0 because they lost the first leg at Lyon, so they couldn't hold anything back. Not that they would though. They are hot, flashy players. Not all of them of course (some are ugly), but most of them are recognizable players and have a huge paycheck and huge expectations to live up to. So they come out firing and needing to score goals to silence the critics and be int he spotlight. Which is what they did in the game. They scored right away and had a couple of other great opportunities. Real just dominated in the first half. It could have easily been 3-0. One would think that the dominance would continue in the second half, but it was a totally different game.

But in the second half, Real flamed out. Lyon had weathered the Real storm and onslaught, proven that they weren't intimidated by the big names on the back of the jersey, and then they just started a slow, progressive attack on Real. The game turned into a finesse battle and was no longer just one side trying to overpower the other side. Lyon suddenly had tons of chances and was attacking just as well as Real. Lyon knew that the game was 90 minutes long and they played like it. Real was in it to win it within the first 10 minutes of the game. Not in it for the long haul. No development, just come out and slaughter the other team. Lyon withstood the onslaught, built up their confidence and offense, and came out and late in the game put the dagger in Real's heart. Which is what they have been doing all season. The announcer mentioned that Lyon scores most of their goals late in the game - more than any other team. Might not be the most exciting way to win games or the most exciting way to build a club, but it works. Just slow and progressive and playing for 90 minutes.

Lyon's business model and game plan isn't flawless of course, but it is pretty brilliant. Sometimes it might not work. Real did have some moments where they should scored. But you aren't going to beat Real at it's own game - not that you would want to. No one can spend money like Real, frankly, no one should. And no one can really attack like Real. Well, teams can attack better than Real, but you know they are going to do an all out attack. Lyon didn't try and match their attack, they just frustrated it. Waited until Real was done trying to show off, and then just beat them at soccer with their good team chemistry and players that might not be individually as skilled, but collectively are solid.

So really it's pretty simple. Real failed because their business model failed. They were beaten by a team with a better business strategy. The need to change their strategy. I understand that the original group of galacticos won the Champions League in their first year together, but they only won once. No long term success. If you only have one championship to show for all your efforts over a long period of time, then your business model needs to be changed. And it's a shame Real couldn't figure things out a couple years ago so that the dream of winning the Champions League in Madrid in their own stadium could have been a reality. I'm sure Barcelona will be more than happy to turn that failed dream into a nightmare by winning the championship in Madrid.

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Offside Goal and a Straight Red Card in Bayern Munich v. Fiorentina

Bayern Munich come away with a 2-1 victory over Fiorentina in a very controversial way. First, Massimo Gobbi is given a straight red card for a body check on Arjen Robben. Now, I'm not saying Robben is a diver, but he does a nice job of rolling around on the ground in agony. The official probably saw that Gobbi's elbow was raised and seemed to catch Robben in the neck. So Robben is sent off.

Fiorentina played admirably well with 10 men. Then, in the 89th minute, Miroslav Klose is three yards offside as he puts the winning goal into the back of the net. The linesman completely misses it. This is one where it would be very easy to overturn the goal with video technology. A very quick look by an official in a booth will let everyone know that Klose was way, way offside.

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Paul Scholes - Luckiest Goal Ever?

The knock out rounds of the Champions League started up on Tuesday. While there are many interesting story lines and thoughts about the games, the biggest storyline isn't Wayne Rooney's continued dominance or Real Madrid's continued failure in the knock out rounds, it has to be the incredible goal scored by Paul Scholes in Manchester United's 3-2 win over AC Milan. Check it out in the video below. It comes at the 1:10 mark. It's the opposite of a golazo.



That has to be one of the luckiest goals ever. He tries to kick the ball with his right foot, completely whiffs like an 8 year old in AYSO, yet miraculously the ball deflects off his left foot which is planted on the ground and rolls into the side of the net. Anyone could have scored that goal. All you need is a shin. Not even a shin or a leg that can move. If you have a stationary body part, you too can score a goal in the Champions League.

There were other interesting observations from Tuesday's games. Since I'm already discussing the Manchester United/AC Milan game, I don't know how you stop Wayne Rooney. We might be witnessing one of the greatest individual seasons ever. I don't know how his season stats actually compare with single season records, but the way in which he is carrying Manchester United is incredible. Everyone expected somewhat of a drop off for Man U after C. Ronaldo left over the summer, but it hasn't happened. And it's not because some player stepped up and filled in Ronaldo's shoes. It's because Rooney decided to make up the difference on his own. Love or hate the guy, you have to admire his efforts this season and be impressed with how well he has done with the parts around him. Granted, we are talking about Man U here, the players around him aren't chumps; but they are when you compare them to the players at Chelsea who only maintain a 1 point lead on Man U in the standings. It's impressive.


Real Madrid v. Lyon

For the past 5 seasons, Real has failed to advance out of the round of 16 in the Champions League. 5 years, 5 different teams, 1 result: Juventus, Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Roma and Liverpool. This year, it looks like it might be Lyon's turn.

Now, Lyon only won 1-0, and it was at Lyon. It's not like it's over for Real by any means. If Real Madrid does lose after the second leg, it will be interesting to discuss the true value and impact of C. Ronaldo. Granted, you can't pin all of this on him, especially since Real has had the same result over the past 5 seasons. But Man U seems to be perfectly fine without Ronaldo and Real actually seemed to be playing better as a team when he was out for a couple games with a red card.

I guess the main issue for Real though, is what do you do if you are yet again knocked out in the round of 16? Real Madrid spent over $250 million this past offseason purchasing various players - most notably, C. Ronaldo, Kaka, Benzema and Xabi Alonso. $250 million! It's completely absurd to spend that money in the first place. But when you spend that type of money, anything short of a championship would be a disappointment. You know what would be even more disappointing? Spending that money and not improving - which is what has happened thus far this season. Real finished second in La Liga last season behind Barcelona. Currently, they are in second place in La Liga right behind Barcelona. Last year they were knocked out in the round of 16 of the Champions League, they are currently down 1-0 after their first game with Lyon in the round of 16.

Well, it makes for good drama. Not to mention the fact that Zidane is disappointed with the team. You can't disappoint Zidane.

Anyways, Real and Lyon play again on March 10 in Madrid. Love them or hate them, Real Madrid always makes things interesting. I don't know why March 10 will be any different. If you ahve $250 million on hand, you'll find out if it's enough to buy win, or at least advance to the quarter finals of the Champions League.

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Barcelona 2 - Inter Milan 0: And It Wasn't Even Close

Barcelona completely dominated Inter Milan in their Champions League game yesterday. The stats for the game don’t really do justice in demonstrating that Inter Milan really wasn’t ever in the game and never really threatened. Unfortunately I didn't do an in depth break-down like Brig to really portray how much Barcelona dominated. It’s also hard with a game like this because the teams have two completely different styles. Barcelona plays for possession. They have such a strong midfield and they will pass the ball back in forth for 10 minutes without moving forward in order to wait for the perfect opportunity to attack. The highlights below fail to show some of the brilliant passing and opportunities that Iniesta and Xavi were creating throughout the night. Although the second goal is pure Barcelona and soccer brilliance. The worst part about the goal is actually the finish. It’s not a bad finish by any means, but the set up is pure gold.

Inter Milan on the other hand plays more of the Italian style where they are defensive minded and play for the counter attack or fastbreak. I’m not positive that is their style, I haven’t watched many of their games, but I’m basing that on what I know of the team and what I saw yesterday. Of course, yesterday it’s hard to say if they had any style. They couldn’t control the ball. They couldn’t create passes. They had almost no offensive opportunities throughout the entire game.

Even though it wasn’t necessarily a “do or die” game for either team, I expected a better showing or more urgency or inspiration from Inter Milan. They looked dead on the field. They would have greatly benefited from a tie or even a win. Barcelona is a world class team, but they have been struggling lately and have not been playing at the level they were last year. Either they found their groove just in time for "El Clasico", or Inter is just not very good. Regardless, they handled Inter last night and created a true "do or die" game on December 9 between Inter Milan and the enigma that is FK Rubin Kazan. Not sure where they came from or what they have up their sleeve, but they seem like the perfect candidate to be the spoil the potential party in Milan.

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Quick Champions League Preview

The Champions League is back underway today and tomorrow. With only two games left to play in the group stage, the games this week could decide the fate for some teams. Here is a quick preview of some of the more interesting games:

Group C

Marseille v. AC Milan: This game is really only a big deal if Marseille wins. If they do, and Real Madrid beats Zurich as well (which is expected), then Marseille and Real Madrid will be at the top of the table. However, they play in the final game of the group stage and the winner of that game will move on while the loser will likely be out; because AC Milan will likely leapfrog the loser if they beat Zurich in the final game. I made that more complicated and wordy than necessary. Just check the scores after tomorrow's games. If Real and Marseille have both won, then there will be a great showdown with the two teams, in Marseille, to decide who moves on. If any of those teams tie this week, then I have no idea what will happen.

Group E

Liverpool v. Debrecen and Lyon v. Fiorentina: This one is slightly less complicated, but much more compelling at this point. For Liverpool to advance they must win and Lyon must win. If Fiorentina wins, then Liverpool is done. Both games are important, but between the two games, the Lyon/Fiorentina should be a better game since the two teams are evenly matched. Debrecen have yet to win this season, so Liverpool should win. However, nothing is a guarantee with Liverpool this year, especially since they are playing without some key players.

Finally, my favorite group, Group F

I posted this table before, but it's worth posting again:

UEFA Champions League Group F
	GP	W	D	L	GS	GC	GD	PTS
Internazionale	4	1	3	0	5	4	1	6
Barcelona	4	1	2	1	3	2	1	5
FK Rubin Kazan	4	1	2	1	4	5	-1	5
Dynamo Kiev	4	1	1	2	6	7	-1	4

The bottom two teams play each other today, while Inter and Barca play in Barcelona.

Why Tyler Should Care: My friend Tyler follows this site but mentioned the other day that sometimes it's hard to read the posts because he's not a huge soccer fan and doesn't quite understand the importance of some games or not sure why he should even care about what we are talking about. He's not only a hockey fan, but a Los Angeles Kings fan, so he can relate and understand following a non-mainstream sport and one that people may not always understand.

So, for his benefit, here is why I think Tyler should care: The Champions League is the "best of the best" league. All of the clubs that finished at the top of their league the previous season, play in the Champions League the next year. As mentioned, this isn't the final game of the group stage, so neither Barcelona or Inter will be eliminated after this week's games. But besides one game to Chelsea last season, Barcelona completely dominated the Champions League and the Spanish League. They were practically untouchable. Inter Milan dominated the Italian League last year. Coming into the Champions League, it was expected that both Barcelona and Inter would advance from this group to the knock out rounds. However, neither team has performed like it did last year and for one of these teams to not make it out of the group stage would be a huge upset and disappointment for that club, especially if it was the reigning champions Barcelona. Neither team can afford to lose this game. Plus, if Barcelona loses, then you won't get to see any more of Messi (pictured). At 5'6", he's arguably the best player in the game right now.

In hockey terms, this game would be like if the Mighty Ducks (after they were good) entered a tournament and in the round robin portion, they were grouped with The Hawks and then another team that played with their tennis shoes instead of skates and another that was full of a bunch of girls (Rubin Kazan and Dynamo aren't that bad). Naturally, you would expect that the Ducks and the Hawks would advance. Not because the other two aren't good, but just not as good as the Ducks and Hawks. Well, imagine if the Ducks and Hawks had some bad games here and there to the point that they were playing, and although it wasn't for the championship, the loser would not be guaranteed to move on. The game just went from interesting because of the skill of all the players involved, to thrilling because so much is on the line. Plus, last night, Inter found out that Barcelona's best player was actually owned by Inter and now has to play with Inter today. It's amazing no one noticed it before, but it adds to the drama (that was probably one too many Mighty Duck references).

So there you have it. The (not so) quick preview of the Champions League games this week. Surely an analysis of some of the games will come in later posts, unless Liverpool loses in which case Brig may lose all desire to watch or talk about soccer.

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The Magician's Second Act

In a previous post I briefly talked about the last meeting between Barcelona and FK Rubin Kazan. I thought that Barcelona controlled the first game and was sure that despite losing, they would come back and dominate Rubin Kazan in their second meeting. While they didn't lose again on Wednesday, they were unable to come away with a victory. It was the same story as the first game: Barcelona dominated possession and had many more shots, but in the end, they couldn't score and walk away with a victory - which is all that really matters.

So who is this Rubin Kazan? Not sure anyone knows. But maybe it's not so much that Barcelona is playing poorly, but rather that Rubin Kazan is a legit team. Either way, with the Inter victory vs. Dynamo Kiev (highlights in the post below), Group F has turned into the most exciting group in the Champions League. Just check out those standings. Awesome. I thought for sure Barcelona would run away with the group with Inter following in second. With two games remaining, no one, including the champs, is guaranteed to make it to the next round. No team can afford to lose and every team has to be taken seriously. I laughed a few weeks ago at the Russian magician's "lucky" victory, but look who's smiling now? The Russian magician. Never laugh at a Russian magician. He can and will break you.

UEFA Champions League Group F
	GP	W	D	L	GS	GC	GD	PTS
Internazionale	4	1	3	0	5	4	1	6
Barcelona	4	1	2	1	3	2	1	5
FK Rubin Kazan	4	1	2	1	4	5	-1	5
Dynamo Kiev	4	1	1	2	6	7	-1	4

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Inter 2 - Dynamo Kiev 1, or Revenge Is a Dish Best Served Cold, Unless You Lose In the End

In bitter cold temperatures in Ukraine today, Dynamo Kiev gave Inter Milan a real run for its money in the Champions League. And it all started with a bit of sweet revenge from Andriy Schevchenko on an incredible looping half-volley from the edge of the box. It was a brilliant goal and had to feel good for Scheva, who's time under the Special One in Chelsea basically ruined his career. Jose Mourinho certainly didn't look too pleased about it...


Of course, the Special One had the last laugh, as Inter scored two goals in the last five minutes of the game to steal victory from the ice-cold jaws of defeat. (And Diego Milito proved again that he is one of the best and most underrated strikers in the world.) All-in-all, a fairly rollicking game in Kiev. Highlights in the clip below.

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Nobody's Perfect: Barcelona 1 - 2 FK Rubin Kazan

Barcelona lost at home in the Champions League yesterday to FK Rubin Kazan. Who? Exactly. FK Rubin Kazan. Sounds like the name of a magician, not a professional soccer team. Apparently though, that is them on the left and they are a Russian powerhouse that should be feared. I don't know about feared. They were first promoted to the Soviet Top League in 2003 and won it last year and thus qualified for the Champions League. Not bad for their first appearance.

I don't want to take anything away from their win. They did go into the Camp Nou and beat Barcelona on their own turf. Few teams within the past couple of years can boast that accomplishment. However, Barcelona did control the ball for 76% of the game. Barcelona also had 24 total shots, compared to Rubin Kazan's 3 total shots. None of that nerdy stat stuff really matters though. After 90 minutes, all that matters is the scoreboard and not how many total shots a team had. Rubin Kazan only needed 3 shots to score 2 goals-that first goal is a beauty. What a rocket. So who cares how many shot Barcelona had if they can only get 1 goal out of it. Rubin won, they deserve their due. They have proven that Barcelona isn't invincible. With that said, every team has their off games. They will meet again and I'm sure Barcelona will exact their revenge.



It is interesting with Barcelona though. Maybe I am just giving them too much praise and credit. They tied Valencia last Sunday in their La Liga game, and then they come out three days later and lay an egg against a cheap Russian magician. Yet I don't think too many people are questioning the team or worried about the team. Perhaps that is because despite the draw and loss, they are still playing Barcelona futbol. They control the game and wear teams down. They are still confident in their game plan and players. They just haven't been able to capitalize on their chances. Still though, they lead you to believe that everything is still under control, which I believe it is. Unlike this next team.

Liverpool.

All is not well in Anfield. When is it time to panic? Has that time already passed? Four total losses already in the EPL. Four straight losses if you combine their last two EPL and Champions League games. That will likely become five straight losses on Sunday when they host Manchester United. It's not as though their losses are "bad". Tottenham is clearly one of the stronger teams in the EPL this year. Sunderland is also a tough opponent. An away loss to Chelsea is almost expected. But you have to win some of those games if you expect to finish at the top of the table.

Perhaps I jinxed them a couple weeks ago when I said Fernando Torres was bringing sexy back and that Liverpool was on the rise. Torres left sexy in the closet with R. Kelly and Liverpool is sinking fast. I know it's still relatively early in the season, but teams just can't afford to get too far behind and expect to make a comeback. In the first three Champions League games, Liverpool has two losses. They have a huge hurdle to overcome in order to just make it into the knock-out stages. Same thing in the EPL. They already have 4 losses. Most of the top of the table clubs finish with 2-3 losses, 6 maximum. Anything more than 6 and you can almost guarantee you will be on the outside looking in.

It's not over yet for Liverpool but something has to change. Transfers? New coach? New lineup? New defense. Whatever it is, they need to figure it out soon. Before they know it, they will be fighting just for a spot in the Europe League. A spot they don't even maintain at the moment.

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