This is pathetic

Alright, we know, it was an undeserved red card.  But what good does bitching about it all over your website do?  Who thought writing this article was a good idea?  It just makes Real look spiteful and petty.  Plus, with the way that game was going, who’s to say someone else wouldn’t have gotten sent off?

Here’s a life lesson for you: decisions don’t always go your way, but you get over it and you move on.  Focus on the next thing.  It doesn’t do any good to dwell on what’s done and dusted.

Messi is awesome, game was not

Lionel Messi scored twice in the final 15 minutes to give Barcelona a 2-0 win over Real Madrid at the Bernabeu.  He has now scored 11 goals in his last 11 Champions League games and as is typical, his goals were quite nice.  What wasn’t so nice?  The vast majority of the rest of the game. Thoughts and observations below:

• Pepe’s red card was on the harsh side.  I probably would’ve given yellow if I was the ref. (But let’s be honest, I’d be a terrible ref because I’d never call anything unless you were bleeding and/or a bone was sticking out of your body.)  More deserving of a red card?  Emmanuel Adebayor’s blatant face shove of Sergio Busquets.  I realize you’re frustrated, but still, that was unnecessary and you were lucky to only see yellow.
• Whether it was completely legit or not, the red card completely changed the game.  Pepe was the key cog in the clogging of the midfield and a vital piece of Real’s success against Barca in their last two encounters.   Barcelona was finally able to break through because they were finally able to string together passes through the midfield.
• For the love of all that is holy, enough with the diving.  If you get knocked over, fine, but grow a pair and get back up.  There is no need to act like you just got shot from the stands.  It’s embarrassing.  Players should be able to be carded and/or fined after a game ends for playacting.  Games should be won and lost because of the product on the field, not because someone (cough*Dani Alves*cough) is a good actor.
• Also, there’s no need for 15 people to get in the ref’s face after every single foul call (and there were a lot of them tonight).  He made a decision, now let’s move on.
• This game never got into any sort of rhythm.  There were too many whistles and too much bitching.  (Not saying they weren’t legitimate fouls, but hot damn, there were a lot of them.)
• Yeah, Messi is kind of amazing.  His first goal required an excellent touch off a great cross and his second goal was pure brilliance.  Talk about a difference maker.  I love how he doesn’t always go for pure power on his shots.  It’s all about the placement.
• Jose Mourinho is an excellent coach and a brilliant tactician.  However, me thinks he runs his mouth a bit too much.  After the game, he said, “Barcelona has qualified for the final. Sometimes I feel disgusted about this football world of ours…No one has any chance against Barca. Where does all this power come from? To win like this is very nasty.”  Huh.  If I recall correctly, your team beat them in the Copa del Rey final last week.  Also, you beat them as manager of Inter last year.  So you got a player (and yourself) sent off, get over it.  If it had been the other way around, would you be bitching?  Doubt it.  I realize that being rational isn’t necessarily Mourinho’s strong point, but please, you just sound way too bitter.
• Halftime fight in the tunnel.  Seriously, people?  I realize tensions are high, but that’s just stupid.  What if Victor Valdes had gotten hurt?  Barcelona would’ve been screwed since Jose Pinto was sent off during the fracas.
• Real has an uphill battle going into the second leg at the Camp Nou.  They won’t be able to sit back and let Barca control the ball 80% of the game if they want a chance at the final. (Which it sounds like Mourinho has already given up on…or are these just more Special One mind tricks?)

What’d you think?

Drama, drama, drama

Yesterday’s semifinal between Schalke and Manchester United was merely the appetizer for today’s main course: El Clasico #3.  Let’s recap the last two meetings, shall we?  El Clasico #1 – A  1-1 draw in league play thanks to penalties on both sides, Real effectively shut down Barca’s passing game.  El Clasico #2 – Real wins its first domestic trophy in 18 years on an extra time header from Cristiano Ronaldo and again they shut down Barca’s midfield.  Sergio Ramos drops the trophy under a bus (yep, still funny).

What can we expect from this edition? Real had  success against Barcelona the last two times out mainly because Pepe is a beast.  That man was all over the place.  Barcelona did not have the space or time to get the ball high up the field to players like Lionel Messi.  I’m sure Pep Guardiola has realized that there needs to be a shift in the way Barca plays today, so it will be interesting to see the adjustments.

There are also some injury issues for both squads.  Real will be missing Sami Kheidra and Barca will be without midfield man Andres Iniesta.  Good news for Barca, though, as Carles Puyol is back in the squad.

Barcelona has dominated the clash the last couple years, but Real’s drastically improved performance over the last week shows that this Champions League match is totally up for grabs.  Hopefully it will be epic.

My prediction: Real 1, Barca 1  Why?  I just can’t see Barcelona getting shut out by Real for the second time in a row.

TV Schedule
Real vs. Barcelona – 2:45 p.m. ET/FX (Live)

Schalke-United kick off Champions League semis

Schalke hosts Manchester United in the first leg of their Champions League semifinal clash today. United is definitely the favorite and will try to put this tie to bed early, but if Schalke can play like it did against Inter in the quarterfinals, it will be a close contest. The visitors will be without Dimitar Berbatov, who is injured, while the host side will be missing key defender Benedikt Hoewedes, who was injured over the weekend.

United was eliminated by Bayern Munich last year in the quarterfinals and doesn’t have the best track record against German teams, winning only seven of 19 Champions League matches. However, that really does not matter one iota as it’s in the past. Meanwhile, Schalke has won all five of its home Champions League games this season, so it will be no walk in the park for United.

Of course, this is the forgotten semifinal as everyone is geared up for El Clasico #3 tomorrow, but more on that later.

My prediction for today’s game: Schalke 1, Manchester United 1 – There is no doubt that Schalke is more than capable of hanging with likely EPL champs Manchester United. The German side will score a surprise goal early, but a typical late goal from United will salvage a crucial away goal.

TV Schedule
Schalke vs. Manchester United – 2:30 p.m. ET/Fox Soccer (Live)

What up, Maxi?

Maxi Rodriguez was the unlikely hero in Liverpool’s 5-0 demolition of Birmingham Saturday, notching a hat trick in his first league appearance in over a month. Workhorse Dirk Kuyt and late sub Joe Cole (remember him?) also scored. The goals weren’t necessary pretty (with the exception of the Luis Suarez to Maxi one), but they all count. The nature of the goals just served as a reminder of how far this team has come since January. There’s more fight, more desire and more hope for 2011-12, it’s pretty awesome. Seriously, I have high hopes for next season.

It was a dominating performance by a resurgent Liverpool side. The defense put on another solid performance as John Flanagan and Jack Robinson continued to show that the future is bright. Lucas and Jay Spearing controlled the midfield well and did not give Birmingham much time to get anything sorted.

With four games to go, the Reds sit in sixth place with 52 points. Tottenham is fifth with 55 points and a game in hand. Manchester City’s win today over Blackburn gave City 59 points. The Reds are definitely not out of the running for a spot in Europe and they have four winnable games remaining against Newcastle (H), Fulham (A), Tottenham (H) and Aston Villa (A). Tottenham has it a little bit tougher with games against Chelsea (A), Blackpool (H), Manchester City (A), Liverpool (A) and Birmingham City (H). Liverpool will have to continue to play passionate, aggressive football (and of course win) if there’s to be any chance at Europe next year.