LA LIGA & REAL MADRID

[fingolfin]

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..........still i have fears that Real Madrid will lose to Juventus 1-0. I do hope that Samuel, Helguera, Carlos and Salgado will do their job at tip top form.

Who do you want to start Ronaldo or Owen??

Here is my line-up;

Carlos, Helguera, Samuel, Salgado.

Figo, Beckham, Zidane, Gravesen

Raul, Owen

Subs; Ronaldo, Guti, Mejia, Pavon, Solari

[Von!-x]

I saw the game against Athletico Bilbao.

Real Madrid was not on its best form, dumped at its own frontyard. How can they catch up with Barcelona or win the Champion's League if they continue doing like this? Owen, Ronaldo and Raul could not find the goal. Their defense was destroyed.

OT: Chelsea was manhandled at NewCastle. A Kluivert goal at the first half did the damage and send them packing out of the FA Cup.

[fingolfin]

....any football related discussions is open here, please don't put OT, hehehe.

Luxem made a gamble by starting out Solari at front and Guti in Midfield. Their formation was bad.

Damn. Back to 7 points. The only feasible trophy they could win is the ECC.

Check your schedules, it's on Wednesday. 12 noon.

[Von!-x]

Hi Fin! The heading is titled "real madrid fans". Topics other than Real Madrid may be OT, unless you change the topic to, say, "Real Madrid fans, and other football crazies" he he he.

Hope It'll be Real Madrid over Juve, and Chelsea over Barcelona! Real is dangerous escpecially if it reaches the finals of the Champion's League.

[fingolfin]

..........don't worry Von, you all have my "moderator's blessing". i wont be strict when it come to OT's as long as it is football then-- GOOD TO GO. hehehehe

I go for Barcelona.

[Von!-x]

Yep Fin, you're the moderator and a hard core Real Madrid fan. Thanks for the "blessings".

Chelsea is currently plagued with injuries, with Wayne Bridge as the latest casualty. Whom shall they turn to when it comes to goal scoring? Drogba and Robbens will just watch from the sidelines. And Mourinho waiting for miracles.

This is Barcelona's best chance.

[Von!-x]

Real Madrid 1-0 Juventus: FT Report

PA

MADRID, February 22 (Champions League) - A first-half goal from defender Ivan Helguera gave Real Madrid a narrow lead to take to Turin for the second leg of their Champions League tie against Juventus.

Helguera rose highest to glance home a David Beckham free-kick from the edge of the six-yard box to give his side a 31st-minute lead, which they rarely looked like relinquishing.

However, Real will be unhappy with the result from a game they dominated almost entirely from start to finish, limiting their opponents to just three shots on target.

Juventus coach Fabio Capello included both Pavel Nedved and Alessandro Del Piero in his starting line-up, while Madrid coach Wanderley Luxemburgo included Ronaldo, Raul and Zinedine Zidane in his having left them on the bench for the weekend defeat to Athletic Bilbao.

Zidane especially was in excellent form, delighting the packed crowd with a series of flicks and clever passes as Madrid controlled the midfield. Ronaldo fired over on eight minutes and saw an effort blocked by Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon a minute later.

By this time Madrid had already lost full-back Michel Salgado, who had limped off with an apparent knee injury to be replaced by Raul Bravo.

But the change didn't alter the game as Raul clipped the crossbar in the 24th minute after a great run and cross from Roberto Carlos, while another cross from the Brazilian was cut out just as it looked to be heading for the Madrid striker.

It was no surprise when Helguera gave Madrid the lead just after the half-hour mark, the only surprise was it had come from a set-piece rather than open play.

Five minutes later, Juventus suffered another setback as Nedved gave in to the knee injury that had made him doubtful for the game and was replaced by Ruben Olivera.

Madrid ended the first half in complete control and began the second in similar fashion.

Ronaldo, who looked out of touch for most of the night, forced Buffon to tip away his 25-yard shot wide in the 56th minute and moments later Raul produced the miss of the match.

The busy Buffon had blocked a Zidane shot from inside the box and Raul somehow fired over an empty goal from five yards.

Without David Trezeguet and Nedved and with Del Piero looking jaded, Juventus did not resemble a side who are currently first in the Serie A title race, but on the hour Olivera forced Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas into the first of two good saves, the second being from the impressive Zlatan Ibrahimovic nine minutes from time.

Juventus got into the game in the last 15 minutes as Madrid tired, but still Luis Figo forced Buffon into another save, while Walter Samuel was unlucky to see another header rebound off the post.

Had it gone in nobody in the Juventus squad could have complained about the result. As it is the tie is still wide open.

[fingolfin]

..i saw the game. It was a one side affair, all Real Madrid. It should have been 3-0 thanks to the cross bar, twice, and some stupid referee decisions. Raul was clearly pulled down in the penalty area and no penalty was given. Damn referee...............Raul, Figo, Zizo, Bravo, Carlos and Gravesen are on freaking top form. Thomas was just intense and Zizo, what can i say, MAGIC. Raul still the killer that he is, Carlos was a rock. Figo the work-horse as ever and Bravo's persistance made all the difference. This five gave madrid the game. Ronaldo isn't himself. We can't blame him, whenever he gets the ball, four people will come to murder him.


other significant results.............Bayern trashed Arsenal 3-0..... stuck it up your ass Arsene Wenger. you f.cking loud mouth.

Liverpool got their wins too.

Barca should make easy picking on Chelsea. Most of Chelsea's squad are first timers when it comes to big games. While Barca on the other hand have "veterans" so to speak, in high pressure games. Ronaldhino is just unstoppable.

[raul julia]

Im watching now the game between Milan and Man U at Old Trafford. A horrible goalkeeping gave Milan the lead when Crespo pounced on the ball which bounced off the keeper........As for Arsenal, well what do you expect, they're just being consistent on being a nobody in the Champions League, hehehehe no offense meant..................

[raul julia]

Barcelona now leads Chelsea 2-1 on goals by Maxi Lopez 67min, and Eto'o 73min......An own goal by Belletti gave Chelsea the lead at half-time......Its final AC milan won at Old Trafford 1-0 which gave them a big advantage going through the next round......