Champions League?!

[gremlin]

Anyone making any plays on the CHampion's League today?

Bayern v Real Madrid?

I'm leaning towards the over 2.5 , as I can't see this being a tight defensive affair for either side. Real Madrid would be happy to leave with a draw, but I think Bayern will be attacking relentlessly in front of their home crowd, forcing the pace.. what say you?

:chest:

 

[tk2wndw]

This other board I look at, most of the people there like the under. The assumption is both teams will play very tight and Real Madrid will be happy to leave with a draw. Even if this is the case, I still see there being too many goal scorers on both teams. The first goal will be huge, if it happens early in the game, will dictate everything going forward (I guess you could say that about every game). I also had the over in the bayern-dortmund game last week and it ended up being a very tight, boring affair. I can't see that kind of tempo today though.

 

[DialSquares]

feel free to rip this apart (if people even read it) but this is my thinking for the match ... normal size wager for me:

Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
Bayern Munich pk aka draw no bet -107 - 1.07 to win 1 unit
Munich have a crazy good record at home vs Madrid in the CL. 5 wins and 1 draw since 2000. 4 results were 2-1 and this game sets up perfectly for another 2-1 home win. A draw wouldn't shock me but it is very hard to travel to munich and come out with a win..esp in a first leg match and esp if you are playing Barcelona in 4 days. Munich 2-0 winners vs Marseille in the first knockout round, and were a perfect 3-0 in the group stages that included Man City, Napoli and Villarreal. Last year Munich 3-0 at home in the group stage but they did lose to Inter at home 2-3.(2nd leg) but 7-1 at home vs European clubs is pretty sweet. This will be a challenge, Madrid with just 1 away loss in 22 matches. The road to this stage in the CL has been smooth but, for reasons only UEFA knows, the easiest way to get here playing subpar teams. Funny how Barca and Madrid get easy trips --- but I still wonder about their travel. It's pretty far Spain-Germany, they recently drew to Villarreal and CSKA Moscow (last second if i remember right) and I can't help but point out again that they play in Barcelona in 4 days. With just 4 points ahead of Barca that game is an even bigger Classico then normal. No question Mouinho wants another CL win but reclaiming La Liga is very important. Teams like Barca and Madrid really wouldn't be too concern about losing 2-1 as long as they get their away goal and keep it close enough to win at home.

2-1 FT score is my thinking...good to cover the draw so i wouldn't touch the straight win or the over. 1-1 wouldn't surprise me at all.

 

[rolltide]

mourinho preaches defense in away games in europe...always has, always will. couple that with bayern being nearly impossible to score upon at home and i would take under. i really don't play CL matches with anything but beer money so doesn't matter to me one way or another so GL with the over.

will definitely be chances out there. don't know historically how first semifinal legs have done o/u but before I would lump either way, i would find out

my only big midweek play is Santos -2 goals home vs The Strongest.

 

[cocktailsnlongshots+]

i have not made a wager yet....but i lean towards munich....madrid are walking into a slaughterhouse...i truly believe this is one of the toughest arenas for an opposing side to walk away with a positive result

 

[gremlin]

mourinho preaches defense in away games in europe...always has, always will. couple that with bayern being nearly impossible to score upon at home and i would take under. i really don't play CL matches with anything but beer money so doesn't matter to me one way or another so GL with the over.

will definitely be chances out there. don't know historically how first semifinal legs have done o/u but before I would lump either way, i would find out

Last three years of FIRST LEG SEMIFINALS

2011: Man U beat Schalke away 2-0 and Barcelona beat Real Madrid away 2-0. Barcelona beat Man U 3-1 in the final.

2010: Bayern beat Lyon 1-0 , Inter Milan beat Barca 3-1 , Inter beat Bayern 2-0 in the finale.

2009: Man U beat Arsenal 1-0, Barca and Chelsea tied 0-0 , final was a Barca 2-0 win over Man U.

Sort of irrelevant though, because I believe all of these teams from all three years scored less goals than both Bayern and Real Madrid in the run-up to the semifinal, so even though they mainly stayed under 2.5, so did many of their knockout round games. It really comes down to who scores first IMO.

 

[DialSquares]

in the last 5 years, semi-final first leg 2 overs and 8 unders. Teams are, of course, the who-s/who of european footy...so fire power a' plenty in h2h matchups but still 0-0 1-0 games. Perhaps a c rinaldo dive early in the first half (he did play for Man U afterall ) will force a much more open game but time will tell.

definitely not on a total as a play today though

 

[gremlin]

I think Mourinho will possibly try to play a defensive shell, but Bayern is good enough to break it, and if they go up 1-0 and begin attacking for a second Real Madrid will be forced to play with more aggressive pace up top. We shall see how it shakes out. Hopefully a goal in the first 20 minutes for over backers

 

[cocktailsnlongshots+]

threw in 3 pieces on munich @+175..to catch back 525...i detest spanish football..even though this team i believe starts 2 or 3 german internationals

 

[gremlin]

threw in 3 pieces on munich @+175..to catch back 525...i detest spanish football..even though this team i believe starts 2 or 3 german internationals

Yea, Ozil is one one my favorites.

 

[DialSquares]

funny how you have to dive in the box to try and win nowdays...time to ban players for doing it...ribery scores after imho he should have been red carded for the dive. Works for the bet so far but so silly to see these professional ruining the beautiful game....ashley young included.

 

[cocktailsnlongshots+]

replay showed his shirt being tugged...i am not there next to him to know how hard it was tugged...?..but fer christ sake be a man you french twat and play on..and i bet on his side...it's really making the modern day player look weak and rather lazy

 

[cocktailsnlongshots+]

coentrao???..wow!!!...u really had to slide tackle(and desperately miss) a right back(lahm)..i'd make him walk back to spain...mourinho must be sick watching that......bayern were the better team i thought tonite..oh yes, thanx fer the cash.....and webb giving marcello a yellow is laughable..good thing mueller is a strong kid or he would have a broken left leg

 

[cocktailsnlongshots+]

and yes robben can go get fucked...just the sight of him and iker casillas in the same frame on my flat screen brought on nauseous feelings...yes i am still bitter we lost to spain....

 

[gremlin]

Over cashes!!!! Should have had more goals in that one...How that Coentrao DOUBLE LEG TAKEDOWN in the 87th minute isn't a PK I have no ideaaaaaaaaaa.

 

[gremlin]

And Marcelo, that is a straight red every day, every hour, every minute, ever. He jumpkicked Mueller's leg 4 seconds after the ball was out of frame for crying out loud!

 

[DialSquares]

i already knew this but two rules in soccer - one for Barca/Real and one for the rest of us. Marcello red card - Yes. And 1 of the 3 madrid players might have gotten the ball but the other 2 didn't. If those plays are reversed Real gets a penalty and munich gets a red card. But i guess we shouldn't be too upset if we won the bet. But shameful to watch madrid play...they are telling munich floppers to get up yet they have the king of all floppers in christano.

i knew the game would piss me off so why did i watch? On to tomorrow and more flopping - this time it will be messi's turn. And drogba of course.

 

[gobucks]

I don't think Drogba plays tomorrow unless it is as a 2nd half substitute.
Morhino blew this game.....I undertand going back to Spain 1-1 on aggregate all but assures RM advances, but they were clearly the better side in the 2nd half...right up until the moment they equalized. Into the shell they went never expecting to concede....beautiful falnk play by Lahm an the winner. The return match will be a classic, but I see RM getting the result they need...1-0 or better

 

[gremlin]

i knew the game would piss me off so why did i watch? On to tomorrow and more flopping - this time it will be messi's turn.

Messi does not dive.

 

[Mobdeeper7239]

Realize that 70% of home teams win their games. This goes for stadiums that are "down on" the referee's. The stadiums that have a track separating the crowd from the field the home field advantage drops into the mid 60's. Basically... I am saying the reason that didn't go Real Madrid's way is because the Ref would not allow that to happen. The game I felt was ref'd very well for a champions league game. No bogus penalty's. no Red cards. Let the players decide the match. and that is what happened.... Madrid became too defensive at 1-1. Not enough chances, he brought on Higuian too late...he should have gone more defensive but bad subs and just waiting for the clock to run out bit them in that ass.

Great call on the 2-1