PBP: UEFA CL 1/4 1st Leg | AC Milan v FC Barcelona | 28 March 2012 [R]

Discussion in 'Barcelona' started by Viscaelbarca, Mar 24, 2012.

  1. Imperador3

    Imperador3 Member

    Apr 30, 2010
    Club:
    Aris Saloniki
    Nat'l Team:
    Brazil
    So you think it's ok that a quarterfinal in the Champions League gets affected quality wise by the grass?
     
  2. Rana catesbeiana

    Mar 11, 2008
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    I don't see a problem with a team making a complaint about stuff that is complaint-worthy, and I see it's not cool that CL quarters are being played on bad pitch. I mean, it's weird logic that you'd have to shut up about matters that you are allowed to complain about if you want to "be a class act". All teams more or less complain, and a formal complaint about pitch is way minor "bad behaving" than, say, some other stuff that has been going on in CL lately.

    That said, it's OF COURSE issue in the first place only cause we didn't win. But whatever, it's only half-time in the battle and I'd rather back up the team who bosses the match and tries to create stuff and is disappointed to be even than the team who defends-defends-defends and is happy to draw in their own home, especially when they're a gigantic club and not some first-time-in-CL club from somewhere.
     
  3. evil_allan

    evil_allan Member+

    May 3, 2004
    Turtle Island
    the tie isn't over yet. no one needs any excuses at this point. the grass affected your team's performance also. neither team was able to play to their usual strengths. both teams are highly technical and like to pass the ball around on the grass, both teams have skillful players that like to change direction at speed. so both sets of fans have legitimate reasons to be annoyed about the grass' impact on what should have been a great footballing spectacle between two great teams.
     
  4. NYfan

    NYfan Member

    Sep 1, 2004
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    Of course they should lodge a complaint...I doubt it is because they are trying to make excuses. Rather, they want to play on better pitches in the future and getting AC Milan punished will encourage future opponents to provide a better playing surface.

    All games should be played on the best pitch possible (if watering it will improve the game) and UEFA should take the complaint seriously because their product was affected. Better pitch = better play = more goals and highlights = more money from Heineken and gate money.
    That Goal.com article was moronic.
     
  5. unclesox

    unclesox BigSoccer Supporter

    Mar 8, 2003
    209, California
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    I have no problem with Milan's tactics. I've accepted a long time ago that Barca's opponents need to do what they feel is their best chance to succeed. I'll give kudos to attack-minded clubs like Valencia and Betis who are willing to go at Barca, but I won't criticize those teams who feel their best chance at success is to park the bus and rely on counters. It's up to Barca to punish those who rely on safety-first tactics. If they are unable to break them down I'll wonder why Barca couldn't get the job done because they have the players neccessary. But I can't fault the opposition who are looking out for their best interests.
     
  6. Rana catesbeiana

    Mar 11, 2008
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    Agreed 100%
     
  7. manyfaces

    manyfaces Member

    Feb 4, 2004
    SF Bay Area
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    If the complaint is about the fact that such a pitch is unsafe to play on, then I'm in support of it.

    If it's just bitching and moaning about it being unfair or something, then I'm embarrased by the team.
     
  8. canzano55

    canzano55 Member+

    Jun 23, 2003
    Toronto
    Club:
    AC Milan
    I think its a little more complex then you're making it sound. Inter and Milan spend quite a bit of money importing new turf on a monthly cycle, there have been new ideas presented but collaboration isn't easy.

    Also, there are other tangibles or intangibles that can be cited to have influence over matches like 50 thousand vuvuzela's at the SA World Cup or playing in high altitudes in Peru for example.

    At the end of the day, different environments are part of the game whether influenced by man or not.
     
  9. Imperador3

    Imperador3 Member

    Apr 30, 2010
    Club:
    Aris Saloniki
    Nat'l Team:
    Brazil
    I haven't said that Milan did it on purpose. I don't know exactly why the pitch was like it was. But apparently it's something that bothers Milan too since Galliani said that one of the priorities of the summer is to change the turf.

    But I think that it's something that has to be taken care of before it gets this bad and I don't think it's acceptable that a team like Milan has a home field like that. I have nothing against the club, I actually think it's a sympathetic club and I was there about a month ago and saw the game against Juventus.

    I don't agree that it's a environmental issue though, like the examples you brought up with altitude in Peru or the vuvuzelas in SA. The pitch is something that has to be at a certain level, it's where the game is played. It doesn't make any favors to the game when the pitch is in that condition.

    I'm not taking anything away from Milan, they did a good game and I agree with unclesox above. I still don't believe it's anything wrong with making a complaint about the quality of the pitch though, I don't believe it was made in order to get Milan punished, but to make UEFA take this subject more seriously from now on.

    Otherwise it could become a weapon for teams that face skillful and possession oriented teams. It would only hurt the sport itself. And again I'm not saying Milan did it on purpose(watering the pitch is just a detail and we are used to teams not doing that) but other teams could do it on purpose and it would be hard to tell. That's why UEFA should obligate teams to have some kind of standard level at the pitch.

    Anyway, maybe everyone doesn't see it as serious as I do, it just annoyed the hell out of me from the beginning of the game that the ball couldn't roll with bouncing.

    Now we are looking forward to the 2nd leg though which shall be a good show.
     
  10. evil_allan

    evil_allan Member+

    May 3, 2004
    Turtle Island
    why make such a big deal about this? the grass problems in the san siro is nothing new. an 'official complaint' is just to ask UEFA to address a legitimate problem (how they are supposed to address this, who knows?), but no one is accusing milan of dirty tricks or trying to get them punished.

    i remember hearing about the san siro pitch almost every season. iirc, the problem has something to do with the design of the stadium itself which doesn't allow the sunlight to reach the grass, which prevents it from growing evenly ... or something like that. this is why it is such a difficult problem for them to solve. they can't just build a new stadium for the grass, or tear down half of it to let the light in, this is why they are considering artificial turfs. a major design flaw in the heart of the fashion capital.

    point is, the grass in the san siro has been a known issue ever since the stadium was built, barca is certainly not the first team to identify this problem, and we probably won't be the last. but more than anyone, milan and inter should be the most unhappy about it.
     
  11. celito

    celito Moderator
    Staff Member

    Palmeiras
    Brazil
    Feb 28, 2005
    USA
    Club:
    Palmeiras Sao Paulo
    Nat'l Team:
    Brazil
    Did something else happen (weather, some concert) to the field in the week leading up to the game that influenced the field condition ? It seems as if the field was just worse than usual. I mean even Milan players were struggling with it. I've watched many games at the San Siro and I've never noticed it being so bad. There is no way that field is in that condition week in week out.
     
  12. Leon12

    Leon12 Member+

    Jan 5, 2006
    Man of the world
    Nat'l Team:
    Argentina
    J

    I'm no expert on this subject, but I have read that oneof the reasons for the issues with the pitch at the San Siro (and this has been ongoing for years) is the lack of natural light getting through to the grass. I belive Ajax had similar problems when they moved to the Amsterdam Arena, I think at one stage they, Ajax, were having to relay the pitch once a month. Eventually they switched to a sythentic/grass mixture pitch and that solved the issue.
     
  13. celito

    celito Moderator
    Staff Member

    Palmeiras
    Brazil
    Feb 28, 2005
    USA
    Club:
    Palmeiras Sao Paulo
    Nat'l Team:
    Brazil
    I just saw it on FSC that the reason is the micro climate in the stadium that was created when the 3rd ring was built for WC 90. Apparently the third ring keeps enough air from circulating down to the pitch which keeps grass from growing properly. Milan imports turf from Netherlands every 3-4 weeks to place it on the pitch. That's gotta cost a lot of money !!

    I still think the pitch was worse than usual. Don't really remember players slipping at all in the group stage game against the same Milan nor the SF CL game against Inter.

    UEFA has refused to hear Barca's complaint which was to be expected.
     
  14. MavadoDribblez

    MavadoDribblez Member+

    Feb 7, 2008
    Ontario
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    I agree with this. To me the complaint seems irrelevant in the grand scheme of things, so why bother? The match was already played, and it ended nil-nil. If we complain now, it doesn't matter, who knows what year it will be before we have to go back there. In that time any number of things could happen with regards to the state of the pitch.

    It was a deplorable pitch, yes....but we can't get too wound up by it. Like Usox said, its not the first time that its happened. If they broke a verbal agreement to water the pitch then a slap on the wrist goes to them. It's their stadium they can do what they want, just like how domestic federations let clubs spend waaaaay beyond their means and then they go into administration. No one wants injuries and most people want to see a spectacle, but that can't happen every single time.

    The focus should be more on how we played, and I thought we created some opportunities in the first half, and next match we will have to try and score early to bring them out of their defensive alignment.
     
  15. NYfan

    NYfan Member

    Sep 1, 2004
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    I think you guys are missing the point of this complaint:

    - the squad and coaches are not making a big deal of this, it is the club administration who filed the complaint. This is not a comment on the tactics of Milan either.

    - according to what was reported, Milan did purposely fail to water the pitch after agreeing to do so the night before. That is what the complaint is about. This is not a case where Milan can throw up its hands and say "we did the best we could, there is not enough light and air, etc". They intentionally didn't do the best they could.

    - lodging a complaint is not just about making it so that Milan does a better job. It is to try to establish a deterrent so every other club the team faces in European play doesn't do this.

    Yes, this is not a big deal and not something to blame the match on or something worth going on about. However, it is still entirely appropriate for the club to try to ensure that the team plays on the best surface. It is not a cowardly or underhanded action in any way (as Milan fans are implying).
     
  16. ITALIA1982

    ITALIA1982 Member

    Jun 14, 2005
    Toronto
    Club:
    AC Milan
    This whole argument should be irrelevent when in the 2nd leg Barca defeats Milan.
     
  17. unclesox

    unclesox BigSoccer Supporter

    Mar 8, 2003
    209, California
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    My point about Milan's tactics was mainly directed at Rana's comment...

    And yet after I gave my thoughts on Milan's tactics...

    :confused:
     
  18. Leon12

    Leon12 Member+

    Jan 5, 2006
    Man of the world
    Nat'l Team:
    Argentina
    Some of the praise I'm reading for Milan's performance does strike me as way over the top. And that is not sour grapes, but when a club like Milan is described as being "magnificent", "brilliant" and showing the way to play against Barca, you have to remind yourself that all that has happened is the first leg of a 2 leg game (with the second leg being played away from home) has ended 0-0. When this is hailed in some quarters as a truly outstanding achievments then something is not right.

    Fair enough if Milan get through, then I will hold my hands up and congratulate them, but if they get knocked out, then all this over the top praise is going to look a bit silly.
     
  19. MavadoDribblez

    MavadoDribblez Member+

    Feb 7, 2008
    Ontario
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    I think Paolo Bandini or maybe it was Sid that was saying that it speaks volumes about how great this Barcelona side is that some (not all) of the Italian papers were heralding their defensive prowess at home where they sat with eight players in two waves of defense all match. Again, they believe this is how they can win, and fair play to them. However, I really thought they would have played to take an advantage to Barcelona, not sit back and wait to hit on the counter. Reminds me of Chelsea in 2009 when they were up a man at home and decided to sit back....and we all know how they were punished....8.
     
  20. Leon12

    Leon12 Member+

    Jan 5, 2006
    Man of the world
    Nat'l Team:
    Argentina
    The part of the plan that did not work for Milan was scoring a goal on the counter attack. They had 2 great chances to do so, luckily for us those chances fell to Robhinio and Ibra. ;)
     
  21. Rana catesbeiana

    Mar 11, 2008
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    ^ Yo unclesox, I meant that of course different teams use their own weapons and that's just smart, BUT I'm happy that the team I support happens to lean on the creative, attacking side of tactics rather than destructive and defensive side. Simple as that.
     
  22. Leon12

    Leon12 Member+

    Jan 5, 2006
    Man of the world
    Nat'l Team:
    Argentina
    I agree with you, teams will use whatever they can to get an advantage over their opposition. I don't have a big problem with that, but in the second leg I want to see us destroy Milan, 4-0 will do. I would really like to see us start the game at a fast tempo, the way Arsenal did at The Emirates (OK, I know the circumstances were different and they had little option), far to often this season we have started games off at too slow a pace.

    Obviously, ideally you would want an early goal, the longer it stays 0-0 the more nervous the team and the fans are going to get.
     
  23. Imperador3

    Imperador3 Member

    Apr 30, 2010
    Club:
    Aris Saloniki
    Nat'l Team:
    Brazil
  24. unclesox

    unclesox BigSoccer Supporter

    Mar 8, 2003
    209, California
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    Probably unfair for me to say this in 20/20 hindsight but it appears their main concern was not conceding an away goal. Probably would have been a bonus in their minds if they had managed to grab a goal.


    Well, that's fair enough but...... I don't know. I followed the team before Cruyff took over as coach and champagne football was the last thing on my mind when the trophy haul was virtually non-existent (1980-1988). I just think many Barcelona fans today are spoiled by success and the old goat in me is a bit bugged by this.
     
  25. Rana catesbeiana

    Mar 11, 2008
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    If you are lucky to have been born early enough to follow Barca under Cruyff, then good for you. But you don't exactly have to go back too much to experience trophyless years for Barca (the early 2000's under numerous coaches).

    Also: if other Barca fans are "spoiled" by success, maybe you don't need to be "a bit bugged" about it as people simply experience Barca from different positions due to many factors just like they experience everything else from heterogenous positions.

    And also: there is a difference between arrogant champagne football and non-arrogant creative, attacking method of play. When someone underlines the positivity of attacking football, maybe one shouldn't be too fast to label them as supporters of champagne football or whatever, especially when the posting happens in the direct aftermath of a high-profile & high stakes match against a defensive minded opponent that didn't end too well.
     

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