'Son la Hostia' E02 - No Saben Empatar :: The Other Teams' Thread [R]

Yes

I feel the away goals rule in extra time is negated with the away team having to deal with the crowd for an extra 30 minutes.

I'll go with Bayern.
This past weekend they rested their first team and did some interesting experimentation. playing two midfielders, Tymoshchuk and Luiz Gustavo (who's suspended for the final) in central defense (!) Ended up winning 2:1 away to Werder Bremen.
Pranjic is very versatile, capable of playing as a wing back, midfielder (defensive or attacking) or winger.
So I think they will go with Pranjic taking over for Badstuber at left back (there's also Rafinha who could go to right back and have Lahm move to the left), probably Contento lining up in central defense replacing Alaba (Van Buyten is just too unreliable) and perhaps Tymoshchuk could slot in for Luiz Gustavo next to Schweinsteiger in defensive mid (?)
Kroos will likely start again ahead of T.Müller.
I'm just glad that they have Ribery available this time (he was suspended against Inter in 2010). Robben and Ribery are quite a duo to handle.

Interesting that the week before the final Bayern will play Dortmund in the DFB-Pokal final while Chelsea tangle with Liverpool in the FA Cup final. So no week's rest for either side after their league seasons end.

 

you had a somebody in here that wanted to get rid of Messi.

 

Actually the FA Cup final is 2 weeks before the CL final. Although Chelsea still have some tough league matches to play (@ Liverpool, Newcastle, West London derby) and are battling for 4th place. Bayern's league season is now meaningless and they can experiment in their last 2 matches.

 

Argh, that sucks. So one could see Chelsea being able to give their players a good week's rest at the very least (they close at home to Blackburn which could be meaningless by then). Also noticed that the last day of the Premier League season is on a Sunday so it also gives Di Matteo a chances to attend the Pokal final in Berlin and watch Bayern in person a week ahead of Munich.
So as I also hold my hand up and recognize that, yes, home field advantage is indeed more than fan support () Chelsea might have the advantage of having their players more rested come May 19th..

 

Wow! Tiago lets his emotions get the better of him and is sent off. and with Valencia needing three goals and roughly ten minutes to play Tiago, in all likelihood, just removed himself playing in the final.
The really stupid thing is that the handball call on him that he was objecting too was reversed! So no penalty for Valencia.

 

Yeah, although it most likely won't be meaningless. Arsenal are hopeless without Arteta and Spurs can't beat anyone right now.

Anyway, Bayern will be fresh. They don't even look tired now and they have only one big match in the next 3 weeks.

 

Athetic Bilbao vs. Atletico Madrid in Bucharest on May 9th. Two big finals for Bielsa and Bilbao in 11 days. Possibly his last match helming Bilbao will be playing Barca in the CdR final.

Llorente assisted the first 2 goals then scored the winner just before extra time. Game would have gone into OT.

If Pep leaves, if Bielsa comes, maybe we bring the big plan B too?

 

I'd love to bring in big Llorente. The guy is a true forward with some height. I would love to see home headed goals next season.

 

Images for consideration for opening post of new OTT thread...

 

Kind of sucks that the EL final is on a Wednesday and the CdR final is on a Thursday. I think Cup finals are important enough to be played on the weekend. So a couple of league matches would have to be moved to mid-week ... big deal.

 

That's pure gold