PBP: UEFA CL Semifinal 1st Leg | Chelsea FC v FC Barcelona | 18 April 2012 [R]

As has been said by several here, than god we had a decent ref and I hope we get the same again - he did make two mistakes though... the Iniesta/Cahill incident was a foul definitely and should have been a free kick just outside the box, and Drogba should've been booked for his 'simulation'.

That said, it is hilarious reading some the reactions to Drogba, given that what he was doing was effectively warning Busquets and a few of the other Barcelona players that 'anything you can do, we can do too'. I still fully expect Alves, Busquets, Iniesta, et al to drop and roll like they're on fire IF it's at all close after 65-70 minutes.

The likelihood is you'll probably be 2 or 3 up by then so it won't matter!


Good luck, here's hoping for another exciting game!

You are really thick headed if you think we resort to diving when things don't go our way. We play about 60 games each season and you will find it hard to back your accusations with evidence from more than 1 or 2 matches played against RM.

I fully understand why our players went down easily against those butchers. What can you do when your opponent is kicking shit out of you but the referee don't warn them with the yellow? Anyway our player only dived against them when they were most interested in kicking us than playing football and it all happened while they were losing or needed a win.

What do you think of yesterday's game? We were on the Blackfoot for the entire match, did you see our so called antics? What about our game against your team last Wednesday, when we were trailing by a goal, did you see any antics there?

Hell, even that game in 2009, our players played the honest game and it was the referee who didn't award you the penalty. It was not our players diving that won us the game.

There isn't a single game where your team were unjust directly by our player( before you bring that Del Horno incident, he should have been red carded when he tried to break Messi's leg and the referee disn't even gave him a yellow).

I remember only one cheating play by a player in all those matches we have played and that's the incident where Carvallho was holding Valdes and Terry scored in the open goal to take you to the next round. That was the biggest cheating moment in our two club's games, closely followed by Drogba's feigning injury everytime he touched the ball last Wednesday.

Now can you be kind enough to give me examples of our player being dick against your team to gain some advantage?

If you can't then kindly GTFO and never come back again.

No, I won't give you specific examples because frankly I don't care that much, and because it won't change your mind any more than your examples would change mine.

You are blinkered to the faults of your team much like I am to the faults of Chelsea. That's only natural. If you think it's just a coincidence that, from time to time, Barcelona's opponents concede soft penalties and soft red cards when things aren't going according to the grand plan, then that's fine, if naive.

As I said, you'll probably win *without* any such skullduggery and I hope for a good, exciting game. Peace to you all

OK, it's not like I watch Chelsea 40-50 times per season or anything or know how Drogba has played mostly clean for the last 5-6 years. He pretty much only does this in Europe where he knows the refs are soft.

Ok, so you want to blame Barca for the incompetence of the refrees? Well fine, I hope you are one of those who believes we pay refrees to get a decision for us. I shouldn't have expected much from you as you are already brainwashed by Mourinho.

If you want to continue this discussion though, I honestly ask you to come with a concrete example where our players have cheated against your team. I will really appreciate if you did so rather than throwing wild accusations on our players.

I freely admit Drogba used to be a really bad diver. And I freely admit that on Wednesday, Drogba was a really bad faker and diver. The referee was soft.

I DO NOT think Barcelona buys referees. I do think that in 2009, the referee may have been heavily influenced by senior UEFA officials - not to outright cheat, but to lean one way where possible. If he was just blatantly cheating, your team would not have had a red card!

After what happen to Barca agaisnt AC milan at San Siro, the ref is helping Barca's opponent not otherwise. Puyol shirt was pulled hard, Sanchez was fouled twice in single run inside the box and Nesta survive a red card for that superman tackle?

I know I'm just making hiperbole statement cause haters only said Barca paid the ref when the ref incidently give them adventage.

I actually like the game against AC milan cause both team players and coaches didnt complained much about ref mistakes. That's a rare thing these days when 2 big teams collide.

The argument is wider and longer pitch, not square footage. I could care less as a player that there are an extra 239 sq meters in total on the pitch, when the concern is stretching the defense.

Therefor there is no difference in the dimensions of the pitch...not square footage?!?!?!?!

If you're willing to suggest that Barcelona receives favorable treatment without providing specific examples, irregardless of whether or not it would change anyone's mind, then you're just straight up trolling no matter how much you try to disguise it.

I was just trying to be a d*** mentioning that square meter.

But i still think that even though it might not look much in numbers, it is enough to stretch the defence and get more space in middle to shoot or play the through ball. If you just take one half of the pitch in consideration, we will get 1 meter longer field to attack and the whole field will be 1 meter broader. This will give us that extra space to attack and at the same time Chelse will need to cover more ground to defend.

I thought about the notion of stretching the defense a bit, and how it related to Barca's offense approach. I don't think the issue forcing the opposing defense to spread the back line but more so forcing the center back's out of position. I never thought the issue would be missing Villa, but it truly is to some extent.

He is the only striker in the squad, the role he played was a pivot to Messi, who predominantly is running from right wing into the center. What the pivot enable Messi to do is draw a center back out of position and create more space up the middle for Messi to play give an go. Forcing a player like Sanchez out on the wing negates Barca to play anywhere near the team's full capability. All it does is free the two center back to converge on Messi as he goes on one of his meandering runs, without a target to play give and go.

^^^ ...which is why I want to see Pique start at CF in the return leg.

Solves two problems at once: we need a striker, and Pique's already scored in a CL semi as a forward. Plus, we still get to play Puyol and Masch at CB.

^ no way we should start Piqué as a CF. That is a big risk. I would instead play Sanchez through the right or as a CF right ahead Messi. Sanchez has a good movement and as Lucbo said over the qualities of Villa, Sanchez is similar to that if he is played through the left, which we saw in our league win at Santiago Bernabue.
I have thought a lot about this, and we are certain that Chelase will co e to defend, so my line up will be:

Pedro------Sanchez----------Cuenca
------------Messi---------------
Iniesta------------------Xavi
------------Busquets---------
Puyol------Piqué--------Alves



Or

Sanchez----------Messi---------Pedro
-----------------Fabregas-------------
Iniesta----------------------Xavi
---------------Busquets-------------
------Puyol-----Piqué---- Alves

This is the game suited most for the 3-4-3 as 4 defenders are not needed. Pique should play as he offers height to defend set balls. If we play Dani as a RB, he will both defend and attack and I think he is better at attacking while played at this position rather than at RW. Messi should get a outlet on the left wing as well as the player who makes the running through the middle who will create some space for Messi. The outlet player on the left wing also enables Iniesta to play through Middle, where he can also dribble through their CDM to unbalance their CBs.

It is very essential that we play with 2 wingers and another player with Messi on the middle in this game.

Seems like Pique will be starting according to Sport.

Good luck, you'll need it.

Anyone else feel Adriano was dead weight in the first leg? I am not 100% convinced of him yet, nor will I ever be.

Yes, he's actually look like a passanger all the time

To Adriano's credit, he did create a great chance for himself in the 2nd half when he cut inside, beat 3 defenders and curled a shot that Cech saved. Can't ask for more than that from a LB.