Champions League Semi Finals

What a pair of games these two turned out to be.  In no ones wildest dreams can anyone have envisaged a 10 man Chelsea come back from 2 down to draw 2-2 away at the mecca of modern football, the Camp Nou.  Surely not many thought that Bayern could overturn the away goal against a Real team fresh from winning their first El Clasico in a while?

No many would have predicted it, and that's what makes it all the more entertaining and stunning.


Barcelona will be left feeling empty and robbed after completely battering the Blues from West London over the two legs but without being able to book themselves into the final on May 19th in Munich.  Roberto Di Matteo who three years ago to the day was overseeing a MK Dons team lose to Walsall in League 2 certainly has pulled on all his previous experience to help push the aging and 'over the hill' Chelsea old guard over one last hurdle to reach their second ever Champions League final.  Pep Guardiola may not be in his job at the end of the season as he makes a decision on his future, sadly for Di Matteo, a man who has helped transform Chelsea in his 15 games in charge, may not get the full-time managers job even if Chelsea do go on to win the Champions League! It's tough at the top!

After that shock Barca defeat Real Madrid we're already etching their name on the famous trophy for the 10th time as they were 2 nil up within no time at all in their home leg at the Bernabeu.   Those efficient Germans had other ideas however and deservedly went through after playing with invention, guts and attacking flair, as well as taking some a few better penalties.  Ronaldo and Kaka a pair of the worlds most expensive and well known players fluffed their lines in the penalty shoot out with Manuel Neuer saving each penalty kick comfortably.  It was a crazy semi final stage and one of the most entertaining and interesting from a neutral perspective in recent memory.




Before the first leg everyone and their dog had written Chelsea off, during the first half onslaught of the second leg, that chance was even less.  Fair play to Chelsea though as they showed real fighting spirit (and not the kind John Terry was involved in when he kneed Alexi Sanchez square in the back off the ball) but the kind of steely determination and never say die attitude that used to so very British and for a night at least was again thanks for an expensively assembled team with players from all over the world selected by an Italian and man handled by a Russian Oligarch... so as British as it gets really.  The scenes of jubilation after the match we the type that money can't buy, fitting then that Abramovich wasn't even there to see it, must have been busy doing something else I suppose!?

All this leads us up to the final itself in Bayern's home stadium in a couple of weeks time.  Surely it won't live up to the games that got them there? But I'm sure both sides will give it a good go...

Summer Soccer Camps in Washington DC @The George Washington University and @American University

Summer Soccer Camp Sign Up!

Teammates turned Enemies

This past weekend showed just how important every game is to every player of every team in the Barclay's Premier League.  At the business end of the season the emotion, frustrations and passions of players run especially high.  Andy Carroll stormed off the St. James Park pitch after having a complete nightmare against his former club. As the 35 million pound man paced off the pitch and passed his manager to a chorus of ironic cheers, boo's and a few laughs he was swearing bloody murder for all to see.  The big man couldn't wait to get down the tunnel and rip his shirt off to be alone and bare in his desperation. 
There were 3 other incidents of frustration/passion/anger/desperation boiling over this weekend, but unlike Carroll, these players took their anguish out on a fellow teammates in what has become a more and more regular occurrence in the modern game and something more suitable to the ring than the pitch.


When talking of on the pitch combat between players there are always a few belters that spring to mind.

Kieron Dyer v Lee Bowyer - This is the best of the best. Two teammates going at it, swinging punches ripping shirts and getting sent off as they both have a good old tear up! 10/10

Bruce Grobbelaar v Steve McMananman - The curly haired winger gets to grips with the crazy Zimbabwean goalkeeper after whiffing a clearance and getting a torrent of abuse and a slap for his troubles. 8/10

John Hartson v Eyal Berkovic - Although this doesn't strictly count as it was only a training ground bust up (which are as common as muck) it's still a classic. Big John lets the little Israeli know what he thinks with his size 10. 7/10

(Sorry for the poor quality) 

Schumacher v Coke - It's not just in the Premiership where footballers get their knickers in a twist over the most simple of things, like who takes penalty's as Bury recently showed when their players had a good argument over a spot kick which was converted by the rightful kicker! 4/10

David Batty v Graham Le Saux - Le Saux liked a rumble, but probably picked the wrong man when he squared up to David Batty. Lucky for Le Saux this was on the pitch and not down a dark alley! 5/10

Ben Foster v Peter Odemwingie.

After being peppered all afternoon the ex-Manchester United and on loan from Birmingham keeper let the Nigerian know exactly what he thought about his defensive efforts (or lack of). This resulted in some hand bags with both players looking rather silly as they half arsed the physical nature of the arguement and instead gave dirty looks to get their message across.

4/10 - As bad as West Brom's defending

Roger Johnson v Wayne Hennessy.

Times are tough at the bottom. Welsh international Hennessy has been getting abused all season with a defence more interested in getting pissed up than stopping opposition players scoring (Johnson the Wolves Club Captain was sent home from training last month after turning up a little worse for wear and still half cut after a decent night out prior). Again, handbags, but the lanky Wolves center half didn't look dominating or over-powering in his 'dust up' against his keeper, which is in keeping with his performances at the back this season!

3/10 - As awful as Roger Johnson's defending

Mario Balotelli v Aleksandar Kolarov

This was my favourite by far. Super Mario (a hilarious and super entertaining individual in my opinion) having a go at Kolarov over who was going to take a few kick on the edge of the Sunderland box. Mancini looked bemused as he saw his players physically ripping the ball from each others hands, before Balotelli admitted defeat and sulked on the edge of the 18 as Kolarov bent his effort into the side netting for a goal kick. Balotelli will now, of course, feel justified for his actions as the Serbian missed and the Italian will have been overly confident that he would have buried it.
8/10 - For comedy reasons