Premier League, Champions League, and MLS Tickets
So after a much awaited night of footballing action, i have to say i am very disappointed. Disappointed because not only did Milan lose (which i was not expecting), but also because of other shocking results across the continent.
Before i get into the Chelsea game, i just want to give my 2 cents worth on the Milan v Barcelona tie. In my opinion this was arguably the biggest game of the season so far and though it did not fail to excite, it also did not live up to its billings.
Inter Milan, Bayern Munich and Benfica all advanced to the knockout stages tonight, while Ajax and Napoli took huge strides towards joining them. Meanwhile both Manchester teams, City and United, are in real danger of being sent to the Europa League.
Inter knew before their game against Trabzonspor that all they needed was a point to win the group after Lille surprised CSKA Moscow and won 2-0 in Russia. Ricardo Álvarez’s fine opener was cancelled out by a deflected Halil Altıntop effort, but the former Champions held out for a comfortable 1-1 draw.
As attention shifts to matchday 5 of the Champions League today, many will be waiting with bated breath for what could very well be the Match of the season. Italian giants AC Milan host defending Champions Barcelona at the San Siro tomorrow.
The first leg of this fixture ended in a 2-2 draw at the Nou Camp and Milan know that they can’t take any chances with the champs this time round. Looking back, i now see how Milan were very lucky to get away with a point at the Nou Camp. If you consider the fact that they were without a host of their regular players and Barca were a full strength squad the Rossonerri were indeed very lucky.
Europe’s premier footballing competition the Champions League resumes today with fixtures that could mark the end of the journey for 16 teams. All teams will be left with one group match after this round of fixtures however, many will not want to take any chances on their qualification to the next round.
Today’s fixtures include:
CSKA Moscow v Lille
Trabzonspor v Inter Milan
Otelul Gulati v Basel
Man U nited v Benfica
Napoli v Man City
Bayern Munich v Villarreal
Real Madrid v Dynamo Zagreb
Lyon v Ajax
Just a few days ago, Brazilian club Santos FC revealed that they were keen on resigning their former player Robinho. It seems like the comment from their president has sparked rumours that the AC Milan star could move back to his native Brazil.
Robinho who scored a brilliant goal (which was voted goal of the week) against Catania has come out to say that he intends to finish his career with the Italian giants.
Speaking to Italian daily Corrie dello Sport, Robinho was quoted as saying that he had found his home and that had found his home in Milan and that his major goal was to become a club legend.
Barcelona president Sandro Rosell has joined the bandwagon of people who are calling for the number of clubs playing in top flight Spanish, Italian and English leagues to be cut down to 16.
According to Rosell, La Liga is too big and needs to be cut down to 16 teams. Rosell who also doubles up as the European Club Association Vice President, said that UEFA is in danger of witnessing a mass walk out of some of its biggest club’s if the association refused to consider the demands made by the ECA.
AC Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic is no stranger to controversy and judging by his recent remarks, the Swede is far from burying his hatchet with Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola.
Ibrahimovic was traded to Barcelona in the summer of 2009 after it became apparent that striker Samuel Eto’o had become surplus to requirements in the Catalan dressing room.
At the time Guardiola believed that Ibrahimovic was the answer to all the club’s troubles. He was for a short period of time until injury and subsequent bench warming soured their relationship to the point that communication between the two was non existent.
It was a week of records for 2 of the best players in the world. Both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi achieved significant personal milestones in their careers as they scored their 100th and 200th goals in midweek Champions League action.
I have to admit, although i am not Cristiano Ronaldo fan, his accomplishment in two seasons with Madrid is simply amazing. 100 goals in 2 seasons over 40 of which he scored in the league alone last year. Even Messi’s amazing record can’t compete with that.
Real Madrid maintained their perfect record in Group D and strolled into the round of 16, while Inter Milan and Bayern Münich both took giant steps towards the knockout stages.
Two goals from Cristiano Ronaldo in each half, a trademark free-kick and a penalty, were more than enough for Real Madrid as they beat Lyon 2-0 to make it four wins out of four in the Champions League this season, and they join Barcelona and AC Milan in looking up a round of 16 place with two games to spare. Behind Madrid are Ajax, who turned on the style in a 4-0 win against bottom club Dinamo Zagreb. Later this month, Ajax will meet Lyon in France in a game that could decide who finishes second in the group.
Lionel Messi is on course to equal Barcelon’a all time leading Goal scoring record of 235 set by Cesar Rodriguez during his 16 year stint with the club from 1939-1955.
Messi has scored an impressive 120 plus goals in the past two seasons and no matter how much people may try and hate on him, he is by far the world’s best player at the moment. In fact, i had my doubts as to whether he would win a 3rd consecutive Ballon D’or award but these were erased last night.
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