Chelsea played today.

[Conor Dary]

Pretty exciting semi-final with Chelsea knocking off Barcelona.

[Daisy]

And what about everyone who DVD'ed the game to watch it 'live' tonight?

[Conor Dary]

And what about everyone who DVD'ed the game to watch it 'live' tonight?

Oops, Sorry about that Daisy. It was such a surprise. I will change the title.

PS. It could have been worse. The Blues might have lost.

[Daisy]

I'm just playing faux mad. But better safe than sorry.

[mcgato]

Glad that you changed the title, but then it became "surprise ending ahead" for me. Just watched the match on replay. I work during the day, so I can easily avoid scores and watch the replay on Fox Soccer Net (or whatever they call themselves).

Ugly match. I get all stabby when a team is not succeeding with a strategy that refuses to change it. Barca decided that they had to have pretty passes through the middle in order to score. When that wasn't working, they decided that they had to have pretty passes through the middle to score. Aargh!!

Try something different. I thought I was watching the futility of the Netherlands who seemingly refuses to pass the ball wide in an effort to score. Aaargh!!

Oh, back to the final... Who is available for Chelsea? There were so many cards, I think that they will be going with mostly third teamers.

[lonewolf]

Shucks. I thought this was about Chelsea Handler.

[Marlow]

That last Chelsea goal was High Drama. For Barca to push all their chips in and then find out that Chelsea had just drawn into an inside straight . . .

[Conor Dary]

That last Chelsea goal was High Drama. For Barca to push all their chips in and then find out that Chelsea had just drawn into an inside straight . . .

Close, but not quite accurate. Chelsea was already through, if the score stood, before the last goal. More like Barca had 2 pair and Chelsea with 3 aces and then drew the fourth ace on the last card, while Messi was still looking for a full house which he through away with that missed penalty kick.

But anyways, an exciting match and with only 10 men in Barcelona and down 2-1. I would bet you could have got some pretty good odds at that moment that Chelsea was out.

[Daisy]

That last Chelsea goal was High Drama. For Barca to push all their chips in and then find out that Chelsea had just drawn into an inside straight . . .

Close, but not quite accurate. Chelsea was already through, if the score stood, before the last goal.

Right, Marlow's missing the away goal tie breaker they held.

As to who will not be able to play in the final; Ramires, Terry, Ivanovic and Meireles are all out.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17817584

[Marlow]

That last Chelsea goal was High Drama. For Barca to push all their chips in and then find out that Chelsea had just drawn into an inside straight . . .

Close, but not quite accurate. Chelsea was already through, if the score stood, before the last goal.

Right, Marlow's missing the away goal tie breaker they held.

Say what? It was BECAUSE Chelsea held the tie-breaker that Barca had to push everyone up (so as to win outright - Barca don't play for no stinkin TIES!). They gambled for the outright win . . . and LOST!

[Conor Dary]

Say what? It was BECAUSE Chelsea held the tie-breaker that Barca had to push everyone up (so as to win outright - Barca don't play for no stinkin TIES!). They gambled for the outright win . . . and LOST!

I guess you still don't understand. They had no choice. A tie in the circumstances was meaningless to Barca. Chelsea was through even without the late goal. A 2-2 aggregate was fine with Chelsea. And also would it have been fine with Barca if they had the away goal. Which was true 3 years ago.... against Chelsea.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/footbal ... 010840.stm

[Marlow]

Chelsea was through even without the late goal.

Which was WHY Barca was all pushed up - score or LOSE - and then Chelsea slams the door shut with an insurance goal! What part of that did you think I didn't understand??!! Why were the announcers going nuts that Chelsea scored again?!

[Conor Dary]

Chelsea was through even without the late goal.

Which was WHY Barca was all pushed up - score or LOSE - and then Chelsea slams the door shut with an insurance goal! What part of that did you think I didn't understand??!! Why were the announcers going nuts that Chelsea scored again?!

Because it was really over then. If the whistle had blown at that moment they would have had the same reaction.

PS. As for the announcers I really like Gary Neville as an analyst. That Lancashire accent is quite charming. And considering his rivalry with Chelsea and John Terry in particular it was nice he was so excited.

[Daisy]

Chelsea was through even without the late goal.

Which was WHY Barca was all pushed up - score or LOSE - and then Chelsea slams the door shut with an insurance goal! What part of that did you think I didn't understand??!! Why were the announcers going nuts that Chelsea scored again?!

I think the problem is that the clarity of your prose needs some work.

[Marlow]

I think the problem is that the clarity of your prose needs some work.

While that is indeed always a distinct possibility, perchance there is also the (albeit remote) chance that you JUMPED to a horrendously faulty conclusion!!!!

[Daisy]

For what it's worth, two of us jumped to the same conclusion.

[Marlow]

For what it's worth, two of us jumped to the same conclusion.

Lemmings!

[Conor Dary]

For what it's worth, two of us jumped to the same conclusion.

Lemmings!

Well I am glad we agree on something.

[Marlow]

So how does C Ronaldo feel about his missed PK today . . .

[Per Andersen]

But anyways, an exciting match and with only 10 men in Barcelona and down 2-1. I would bet you could have got some pretty good odds at that moment that Chelsea was out.

That was one incredible game. Beating Barca at Camp Nou with 10 men in a game of this importance. Unbelievable. But Barca was more impressive last season. I believe Barca and Real just about killed themselves in their "el Clasico" matches in La Liga.
Chelsea showed the limitations of their style. I love to watch Drogba when he's on. He would not fit into the Barca system

It truly delighted me that it was the much maligned Fernando Torres who put the final nail in their coffin.

[Per Andersen]

6-1 today over QPR and BTW Jose Mourhino agrees with me regarding Barca and Real killing themselves in La Liga.

But can Chelsea beat Bayern? Will be hard since the game goes in Munich and Bayern has alredy qualified for the UEFA league next year while Chelsea is still out of the top 4 in England and cannot afford to rest players.

Well, more than enough with the soccer, no?

[Vielleicht]

But can Chelsea beat Bayern? Will be hard since the game goes in Munich and Bayern has alredy qualified for the UEFA league next year while Chelsea is still out of the top 4 in England and cannot afford to rest players.

I think it'll be extremely difficult for an aged Bosingwa to hold Ribery in the final, and they'll also miss the dynamics of Ramires in the midfield. In fact, I agree to most of what's said here: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/w ... index.html