Based on their league performance, I had largely written off Schalke in the Champions League. Please pass me some more crow. After losing to Schalke 5-2 at the San Siro, Inter Milan’s best scenario is to beat Schalke 4-0 – in Gelsenkirchen no less. Stellen eine Gabel in ihnen; mettere una forchetta in loro; stick a fork in them.
That being said, what a friggin’ game! The good news for Inter was the goal scored by Stankovic, which, in my humble opinion is this year’s goal of the tournament: a blistering volley from the halfway line. The bad news for Inter was that it was the high point of the game for them – and it came in the first thirty seconds. If after watching this game someone still believes that the sport is “boring,” then they’re just being difficult – and I believe I’m being charitable.
As for Tottenham v Real Madrid, what on earth is Peter Crouch thinking? With a yellow card already he made a reckless tackle, resulting in a second yellow and leaving his team with ten against eleven. If Spurs have any hope of going through, they have to score at least four in London to send the match to extra time and 5 to win outright – without giving up any goals. Good luck with that.
Paula
I DVR’d these babies for later viewing, but never mind …
As someone once asked of me, is it fair to dislike [ANY team Cristiano Ronaldo is on] just because it has Cristiano Ronaldo? I mean, it’s easy to hate on RM because of Mussolini and being full of overpaid athletes but, hey, not ALL of them are douchebags just because they’re overpaid. But having Ronaldo on any team makes it just that much more annoying …
SST
Haven’t got a chance to watch the full highlights, but that Stankovic goal was awesome.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xyobvv-HbHI&feature=youtu.be
I think Shakhtar’ll give Barca a tough run. Not saying they’ll beat Barca, but I’d be surprised to see a walk in the park.
And Spurs are cooked.
alcatrazzledazzle
Crazy matches! I had the exact opposite winning both games. But any chance you cover the CONCACAF Champions League run by Real Salt Lake? They’re defending the MLS’s honor tonight!
Randinho
@Paula: The pedant in me must point out that one should hate RM because of Franco and Lazio because of Mussolini.
Of course you’re absolutely right: Cristiano Ronaldo is another good reason to hate RM.
SST
@Paula: Hating on Ronaldo is fine. Most of his teammates hate him. Most of the world hates him. You and I might as well, too.
Randinho
@SST: Agreed about Shakhtar v Barça. Thanks for the link to the video. Loved the commentary auf Deutsch!
Steeplejack
I couldn’t finish the Tottenham game. What a bloodbath.
Paula
@Randinho: Whoops. Brain fart. Although I have to admit that unless said man has a Hitler ‘stache my ability to tell one Fascist dictator from another is pretty woeful …
Ronaldo’s just a gigantic douche. Even the biggest superstars still celebrate goals made by their teammates. Ronaldo looks like his reaction is “I could have done that better”.
SST
@Randinho: Cheers. Good post.
Randinho
@SST: Thanks for the kind words.
@Paula: What have you got against douches? :-)
General Stuck
The Reds just went 4 and 0. I know it’s not soccer, but it is sports.
Paula
@Randinho:
@Paula:
Admittedly, the fart gets worse: I just realized that part of my brain was still thinking about Inter and how they are the “nice” team to root for against evil AC Milan, which of course is associated with another Italian douchebag, Berlusconi. So Berlusconi apparently turned into Mussolini somewhere in my brain.
Actually, maybe I have nothing against douches, considering I myself just confused Berlusconi for Mussolini and Mussolini for Franco. :P
Randinho
@Paula: So many douchebags, so little time.
Paula
@General Stuck:
Wait, Liverpool have a match tonight?
I keeed …
burnspbesq
Was anyone at the Galaxy – Philly match over the weekend? I heard a story from a co-worker that is so crazy that I need corroboration before I believe it.
Supposedly, the referee had an aerosol can of some substance in his pocket, and on free kicks he would first spray some of it where he wanted to the kick to be taken from, then pace off the 10 yards and draw a line. It’s a great idea, but …
SRW1
Don’t eat too much crow. I sort of was aware, and argued so in a thread before the Valencia game, that Schalke’s league performance wasn’t the measure of the team. But what they achieved last night was way beyond their own wildest dreams.
What made the result extra sweet is the fact that Inter had deluded themselves into believing that they were the better team against Bayern and had advanced on merit.
SRW1
PS:
Two spectacular headers last night. The one by Neuer, which lead to the Stankovic goal, and the diving one by Sergio Ramos, which Adebajor missed by a bit to put into the net. (Though he also made productive use of that body part on two other occasions.)
Blue Neponset
Someone needs to punch Peter Crouch in the back of the head. He lost the game for his team.
Super happy about Schalke. I don’t know why exactly but I can’t stand Inter.
Randy Paul
@burnspbesq: They’ve been doing that in the Brasileirão for years.
Tuttle
Why didn’t Inter park the bus after going up like they did last year against Munich?
Because Jose Mourinho owns that bus and he’s taking it to White Hart Lane next week.
Oh yea, Schalke ist die macht!
mofo
Schalke is now the VCU/Butler/Hoosiers of the CL. What a spectacular performance, esp. after Stanko’s stellar goal-of-the-year. Raul still has some gas left in that old tank. Funny thing re #20 comment is that Guardian MBM was predicting/suggesting that Schalke would park the bus in 2d half. Great positivity by Schalke instead = great match for viewing. Crouch is a twit….left his feet minutes after a rash challenge was carded, and in a meaningless situation. Real woulda won anyway. “COYS” back to Europa next yr……….a briefly happy adventure this yr.
Today is Chelsea’s only hope to salvage their season, or at least put a bit of a damper on ManU’s treble-aspirations.
But Saturday’s results — Chelsea tepid, ManU torrid — do little to give me hope.
Notwithstanding his cock-up on Saturday, I wish D Luiz was Champs Leag eligible. Torres was a waste.
I hope Roman splashes some cash this offseason. Personally I’ll gladly pay more at the pump if it goes toward Neymar, Kun Agero or the like. Cech needs a serious understudy/replacement too.
ABU!
Tuttle
mofo, that was Schalke’s plan all along apparently;
Halftime at Chelsea and it looks like the pot-noodle is still a ways away from boiling. Evra may have had the defensive play of the tournament clearing Lamps’ shot off the line.
burnspbesq
At least Shaktar got a goal. Now they only have to beat Barca 4-0 in the return leg in order to advance.