None for the big ones Real Madrid: El Angel de Madrid Raúl going to the hospital instead of going to England, a day before the final clash with Manchester Barcelona: The unbeaten, sank as the Titanic, in a suprising way Valencia: They played better, but they didn´t classify?? Hala Madrid!
Definitely, I am bummed that Valencia is out. It sounds like without Toldo and Vieri, Inter doesn't even deserve to be where they are. Don't know if Vieri is still hurt or not, but Marca was it's usual unbiased self in it's description of the game, saying that the Danish ref missed two clear penalties. Didn't see the game, but disappointing to hear that two clear penalty kicks could have been missed. That would have been the difference too, Valencia were certainly pressing for that 3rd goal and the pass on to the semifinals. Now only Real Madrid remains, otherwise, the Spanish are out, something we haven't seen recently in the Champions League. I fully expect Madrid to go through to the semis and give Juve a lesson, but it will be interesting. I'm hoping Ajax get through just to keep the Italians from having 3 out of 4 in the finals.
Also a bad day for Inter de Milan because they lost, in such a stupid way, El Toro Vieri!! Christian will not be playing for weeks.
And with that loss, they may be kissing their chances in the next round goodbye. It's hard to see Inter doing much without Vieri. He's a monster.
.I didn't see any plays that would have warranted a penalty for Valencia. Some occassions where a Valencia player fell down weren't legit penalties in my opinion, more them trying to fool the ref. .What a blunder in Valencia's defense for Inter's goal, gotta suck not going to the next round because of such a goal. Hopefully Ajax will kick them out in the next round .Now Barcelona, they deserved a penalty for the hands ball by Thuram. And Luis Enrique will have had a sleepless night for missing that clear opportunity...couldn't have happened to a better man
Truly sad, but Madrid is still in the game I consider it a real blow for Spanish football. I mean if the best Spansih clubs coudn't make it. Valencia is the real disappointment to me. I can't believe they are out. That is sad. But never the less, the best Spanish team, Real Madrid are still in the game. I just hope this doesn't mean that the best league in the world will now be second once more the Serie A.
Re: Truly sad, but Madrid is still in the game Well, if it happens the next two years and we are looking at 3 Italian teams and one Spanish team in the semifinals, then the Serie A can reclaim their "best league" title, but until then, no one has had the run of success of the Spanish teams over the past 5 years. I don't see that changing soon. Real looks to be a dynasty for at least a couple of years to come, Valencia are young and talented, and Real Sociedad may have the chance to prove that they aren't just a flash in the pan with a spot in the Champions League next year. And don't forget Depor, who are quietly 1 point out of the league lead.
The difference between domination and being dominating is very slim it seems. Valencia went out due to the away goals rule, Barcelona was eliminated in 2nd overtime. It really doesn't come any closer than that. On another day the outcomes probably would've been reversed. There really is nothing to be concerned about here. However, if this pattern repeats the next couple of seasons, as Malaga CF Fan pointed out, then we can start to be concerned.
I guess. I guess you have apoint there Juanele. But it would be for the best IMO if all Liga fans would be on Madrid's side against Juve. Not for Madrid, but for the Spanish side in general. Though i can imagin how hard that would be for a Barca fan.
It's simple. Italian teams got in one week all the good luck which had eluded them in the past two seasons. Teams are so equal at this level that anything can happen, and in this case, the Italian teams won out. Many have said the past two years that Serie A was going downward, and suddenly now it doesn't appear to be the case. Did anything really change? Not to my eyes.
Very good point, SueB. And I think most logical people have that viewpoint. I certainly never thought there was any slide in the Italian game. Who mostly makes these opinions? The press. Hint: don't pay attention to the Spanish press in particular.
The Italian press is probably very similar. When things go wrong, it's either the sky is falling and everything is "in crisi" OR there is some hidden conspiracy which, if they could just expose it, would explain everything eg the whole Moreno affair (of which we can both attest)!
A few minutes after the 2nd Valencia goal, Juan Sanchez was completed upended as he went around Materazi in the right side deep corner of the box. It was a crystal clear penalty. You must have been getting a beer at the time.