The Barcelona v Real Madrid thread

[Shaggy]

Pique:

''We fought well and had a good result. Now it is up to the second game,'' he said. "It's always the same, they [Real Madrid] didn't want to play at football, at their own stadium. They play at the limit of violence. If you play with fire, you can end up burning.''

Xavi goes into further detail:

"I just want to talk about football. There will always be decision from referees that will be talked about. Sometimes they go against you and sometimes they go in your favour. It was clear to see for everybody that Pepe's dismissal was a correct decision," Xavi told Marca.

"We got the result that we deserved. We were again superior. We're a team that wants to play attacking football and have fun on the pitch. They [Real Madrid] are just hoping that we'll make mistakes. That worked in the Copa del Rey final, but not this time.

"I don't want to talk about [Jose] Mourinho. I only want to discuss Barcelona. We put in a good performance and it's a fair result. This is a victory for football."

[Tee]

What a **** strategy....

Parked the bus at home in the CL semi, at the Bernabaeu.

[Reece]

At no point whatsoever did they "control the game"

[Rich]

Pathetic isn't it.

See Abebayor rambling on about all the Barcelona players crying...

You just wish for Alonso to come out and say it was our tactics which were at fault.

[Craig_H]

Thing is it's not the first time he's acted that way and it won't be the last.

Good manager no doubt but completely without class.

He has form, but i think this one is a bit of a 'pinnacle' when it comes to childish ramblings I've never really genuinely laughed at his dopeyness before, but it was impossible to avoid this time.

[Craig_H]

Can we get back to the most serious and disturbing aspect of events after last nights match... WTF was that Gary Lineker Walkers ad?

I laughed for minutes, pure cringe.

It reminded me of how Peter Kay describes Bullseye: "It were so ****, it were good"

[Reece]

Alonso is so wasted in that team when they play like that.

We should put in a cheeky bid

[Craig_H]

At no point whatsoever did they "control the game"

I think the most they can say is that they were 'in the game'.

They certainly didnt control it.

[Rich]

Alonso is so wasted in that team when they play like that.

We should put in a cheeky bid

I doubt he'd come back but I reckon he has another 4 or 5 years at the top left in him.

[Shaggy]

"I just have one question: Why?,'' he added. ''Why Ovrebo [Chelsea vs. Barcelona referee in 2007 semi-final], Busacca [Barcelona vs. Arsenal in this year's Champions League], Stark? In each semi-final it is the same. We are talking about an absolutely fantastic team. Why didn't Chelsea make the final? Why did Inter have to be saved by a miracle?

''Congratulations to Barcelona. But I just do not understand why Barcelona always receive the help of the referee. All my life I will be asking myself this question, and one day I hope to receive an answer.

''I am not too sad, I have a great family. But I don't understand why Barcelona have this power. It happened two years ago to Chelsea (in the 2009 semi-finals), almost to my Inter last year, and also to Arsenal this year.

''Why do the opponents of Barcelona always have a man sent off? Where does this power come from? Maybe it is to give more publicity to UNICEF, maybe because of the power of (Spanish federation president Jose Angel) Villar in UEFA.''

Turning his attention to Pep Guardiola, Mourinho said: ''Barcelona are a great team on and off the pitch, but winning like that doesn't leave the same taste.

''I have already won two Champions Leagues, and I won them on the pitch, with two teams that weren't Barcelona. I won one with Porto, a small team from a weaker league. And I won another with Inter, sweating and fighting hard.

''Josep Guardiola is a fantastic football coach, but the Champions League he won was an embarrassment because of what happened at Stamford Bridge - it was a scandal. And if he wins it this year, he will win after the scandal at the Bernabeu. Let's hope he gets the chance to win a clean Champions League (in future), without scandals.

''Guardiola deserves to win a Champions League normally. That's what I wish because he is a very good coach who I respect as a person for his fantastic treatment in four years with him.

''I respect him a lot as a coach and as a person, I hope that one day he will win a clean Champions League, with no incidents behind it.''

[kris90210]

Wow Craig - it's even turned you off the special one!

[Craig_H]

Wow Craig - it's even turned you off the special one!

I still think he's a superb manager and most of all, that's all i want from my club's manager - the ability to make my team win. I wouldnt be having him round for dinner, after all

I'm happy with Kenny but if for whatever reason he wasnt going to be our manager, i'd be over the moon with Mourinho.

[Roboklopp]

Embarassing from Maureen. Surpised he didnt mention the "ghost goal" again to be honest.

[kris90210]

I still think he's a superb manager and most of all, that's all i want from my club's manager - the ability to make my team win. I wouldnt be having him round for dinner, after all

I'm happy with Kenny but if for whatever reason he wasnt going to be our manager, i'd be over the moon with Mourinho.

Fair enough mate - I can understand that viewpoint.

At the same time, seeing the way he conducts himself makes me love Kenny all the more. The difference is night and day - Kenny oozes class.

[Buzzo]

Quote:
"I just have one question: Why?,'' he added. ''Why Ovrebo [Chelsea vs. Barcelona referee in 2007 semi-final], Busacca [Barcelona vs. Arsenal in this year's Champions League], Stark? In each semi-final it is the same. We are talking about an absolutely fantastic team. Why didn't Chelsea make the final? Why did Inter have to be saved by a miracle?

''Congratulations to Barcelona. But I just do not understand why Barcelona always receive the help of the referee. All my life I will be asking myself this question, and one day I hope to receive an answer.

''I am not too sad, I have a great family. But I don't understand why Barcelona have this power. It happened two years ago to Chelsea (in the 2009 semi-finals), almost to my Inter last year, and also to Arsenal this year.

''Why do the opponents of Barcelona always have a man sent off? Where does this power come from? Maybe it is to give more publicity to UNICEF, maybe because of the power of (Spanish federation president Jose Angel) Villar in UEFA.''

Turning his attention to Pep Guardiola, Mourinho said: ''Barcelona are a great team on and off the pitch, but winning like that doesn't leave the same taste.

''I have already won two Champions Leagues, and I won them on the pitch, with two teams that weren't Barcelona. I won one with Porto, a small team from a weaker league. And I won another with Inter, sweating and fighting hard.

''Josep Guardiola is a fantastic football coach, but the Champions League he won was an embarrassment because of what happened at Stamford Bridge - it was a scandal. And if he wins it this year, he will win after the scandal at the Bernabeu. Let's hope he gets the chance to win a clean Champions League (in future), without scandals.

''Guardiola deserves to win a Champions League normally. That's what I wish because he is a very good coach who I respect as a person for his fantastic treatment in four years with him.

''I respect him a lot as a coach and as a person, I hope that one day he will win a clean Champions League, with no incidents behind it.''

What a total ****ing tool.

Who exactly does he think he is to pass these judgements, totally disrespectful to Guardiola who seems a good coach (well he doesn't feel he has to do all his talking in the media)... I hope they annihilate Real in the second leg. I note that Mourinhos defeats are never, ever down to his negative defensive boring tactics.

Personally I look forward to hearing what Jorge Valdano thought of last nights Real performance.