UEFA Champions League » May 05/06

[nastro 1888]

Originally Posted by ABhoyoFromScotland

If UEFA and Platini wanted Barca in the final so much why did the ref deny Henry a clear penalty last week...?


Get a grip ffs, the best footballing team won

spot on.

[Mahno]

Both teams to socre @1.83 bet365
Barca to socre 2 or more 7/5 Paddy Power
Barca To Qualify for the Next Round 8/13 Paddy power
Messi anytime 21/10 Paddy Power
Drogba anytime 9/5 PP
Barca win 13/8 PP

[1907zico]

Maybe the matches were boring to watch, but they showed the contrast between two football worlds in the best possible way.

I mean.. Barcelona with 70% ball possession away from home against such a great physical team thats amazing.

I admire both teams to be honest.. Both teams used their strength to get advantage of it and get the result they want.

And it was really close twice which shows in which perfection both played what they are known for.

For me it was one not given penalty against Henry in Barcelona, and one not given penalty for Anelka yesterday (where pique touched the ball with his hand).

The red card was a joke so that everyone who is now saying this game was fixed just spoke out of emotion (Chelsea wants a penalty, but at the end ther referee punished them for not wanting to score but to get a penalty or in this case red card..)

What can the ref do if Drogba is too stupid to score, or take the ball with him (full of technical mistakes).

At the end Barcelona got their goal which they was patiently waiting and passing for 180 minutes... So what, thats football and I really enjoyed both goals.

Especially Essiens one reminded me back to Zinedine Zidanes goal versus Leverkusen. Great moments yesterday, which somewhat reminded be back to Turkey matches in European Championship.

Just amazing

[Caveman]

Former Uefa ref Graham Poll was quick to dismiss any suggestion that the governing body had influenced Ovrebo to ensure Barcelona reached the final on 27 May against Manchester United.
He told the BBC: "I refereed in Uefa for 13 years, 11 in their top group of referees, and never, ever, ever was there any suggestion that 'it would be nice if this team won' or 'could you do this team a favour', I promise you absolutely nothing.
"I'm 99.9% certain that there was nothing untoward going on here."


interesting, why a former UEFA ref can't give 100% certainty?

[Notts_Punter]

Paddy at it with the publicity stunts again, but good news if you used them to back Chelsea!

Taken from Setanta:

Reacting to the astonishing refereeing in Wednesday night’s Champions League semi-final, top bookie Paddy Power has not wasted any time pledging to refund bets placed on Chelsea to win the encounter and to qualify for the Champions League final.

Chelsea, who were on course for a Champions League final repeat with Manchester United, were seemingly denied at least four penalty appeals and then lost out after a 93rd minute winning strike from Barcelona’s Andres Iniesta.

Paddy Power said: "The refereeing in tonight’s match was disgraceful and we’re not going to let our punters suffer because of that nonsense.

"Anyone who backed Chelsea to win in 90 minutes or to qualify for the Champions League final will get their money back."

[Lennon]

^^^

Wow .. unreal ... seen stuff like this for 20-1 goalscorer markets and such but not match odds markets ...

[Caveman]

Originally Posted by Notts_Punter

Paddy at it with the publicity stunts again, but good news if you used them to back Chelsea!

Taken from Setanta:

Reacting to the astonishing refereeing in Wednesday night’s Champions League semi-final, top bookie Paddy Power has not wasted any time pledging to refund bets placed on Chelsea to win the encounter and to qualify for the Champions League final.

Chelsea, who were on course for a Champions League final repeat with Manchester United, were seemingly denied at least four penalty appeals and then lost out after a 93rd minute winning strike from Barcelona’s Andres Iniesta.

Paddy Power said: "The refereeing in tonight’s match was disgraceful and we’re not going to let our punters suffer because of that nonsense.

"Anyone who backed Chelsea to win in 90 minutes or to qualify for the Champions League final will get their money back."

Mr. Platini should begin to think about his poor decision to fix this match, even when Bookies start to see it the way like majority of bettors

[sabrolios]

1) When a game is fixed, you don't give a red card like the yesterday one.
2) You don't rest with the hope that a 93rd minute strike would go to the back of the net.

Chelsea have grounds to protest about the handball of Pique, which was after the red card.

Chelsea team should put the blame on the way they played this leg, especially after the red card against barca. This was disgraceful against themselves but most important against football!

[Bhoy_Wonder_7]

Originally Posted by ABhoyoFromScotland

I'll take that again, shame Abidal will miss the final with Fletcher for a non existant 'challange'

My God you've ridden your luck this week big man. Dodgy penalty then a 93rd minute goal wins both your bets. delighted for you though mate!

[1907zico]

Caveman, what you mean by fixed?

I mean if you say fixed, than the outcome is 100% sure.

Therefore you need more than 1 side.. or a referee..

If the referee had given a penalty for example for Messi when he dived then I would understand everyone.

The referee was simply bad, thats it... fixed? Dont think so, Barca didnt got a penalty in first leg and did they cry so much then?

I mean imagine they had got the goal and lead 1:0 at home, they would not have lost in this match over 90 minutes regulary..

If its fixed why someone should give a defender the red card and risk this team to not win then?

It was simply ******* deserved, Barca tryed 180 minutes to find a little small way to shot and they did..
Chelsea did risk that themselves, rather blame Drogba for not scoring than the referee..

[drawback05]

thankfully some people here have remembered that this was a two-leg affair.
for those who have forgotten Chelsea should have had 2 players, Ballack and Alex red-carded last week but didn't so take your talk of fix and shove it.
the big concern is that us punters are losing bets because of poor refereeing decisions and we need to be bothered about that. i swallow statistics left, right and centre and therefore i will just have to consider a 1-1 draw and barca therefore proving that they can score against English competition.
and finally I agree with everyone on here who slates Drogba. After the game he proved himself to be an idiot, during the game a cheat, diving at every opportunity. I'm delighted that there will be a final to savour and hopefully money to be made as well

[sajtion]

i didn't like the way chelsea played. essian goal was a fluke and it probably had 1% chances of going in the net. it went in but why then defend for the rest of the game. barcelona was better team and always attacking in both games. totally deserved to go through

[Caveman]

Originally Posted by 1907zico

Caveman, what you mean by fixed?

I mean if you say fixed, than the outcome is 100% sure.

Therefore you need more than 1 side.. or a referee..

If the referee had given a penalty for example for Messi when he dived then I would understand everyone.

The referee was simply bad, thats it... fixed? Dont think so, Barca didnt got a penalty in first leg and did they cry so much then?

I mean imagine they had got the goal and lead 1:0 at home, they would not have lost in this match over 90 minutes regulary..

If its fixed why someone should give a defender the red card and risk this team to not win then?

It was simply ******* deserved, Barca tryed 180 minutes to find a little small way to shot and they did..
Chelsea did risk that themselves, rather blame Drogba for not scoring than the referee..

if match isn't fixed, if it isn't rigged, why whole world speaks unisono about it in that way today?
Why even biggest british bookie pays back bets involved with chelsea to win?
Deserved win? Really? for whom? For Platini? For merchandising industry? For those Copa Cabana sunshine football lovers who think Barca's way of playing is non plus ultra? Man, seriously, that was CL Semifinal, not an Albanian third league behind cow box match!!!
If this rigged ref didn't gave the well earned red card either, we would have seen a riot yesterday on field. This guy managed to ignore all major possible penatly decisions against chelsea. This guy is the same who was dissmissed after Euro 2008 after doing same crap in Italy vs Romania match. Love it, like some "so called experts" here want even to deny it, what a f....yesterday happenend in front of whole world.
This was smth football doesn't need, I am Barca supporter by heart, but IMO even if they win CL, it will be a shame after this match



nice work, well done bald guy, Mr. Platini is proud of you!!

[1907zico]

Dont know what the referee would have done when he Chelsea simply would be so smart to score another goal and lead 2:0 Caveman.

I mean, be realistic.. what should the ref do when Chelsea would have scored the 2:0.. and they HAD several clear chances?

I like you my friend, no one said Barcelona is non-plus ultra and we saw it.

Yet again look at how Chelsea scored, it was THE message of the game. Both teams can only defeat each other when someone has a genius moment.

And I said myself, that the performance of the referee was not good, but to say Barcelona didnt deserve it is showing pure emotion.

I mean.. what did Chelsea in order to pase this round? Defend right and what else..? Yes dont use their few chances.

They tryed to knock-out Barcelona with the ONLY possibility.. to defend, to be tackle and do lots and lots of pressing.

BUT they did not get use of their chances, or better Drogba didnt do so.

"When a team does not score, they will concede".

I can blame the referee for not giving atleast one penalty.
But then I have to blame the referee for the red card, and I have to blame the other referee for not giving penalty in 1st leg, not showing Ballack red card.

SURE the whole world is shocked about such a referee performance and thats now the reason that Barcelona didnt deserved the win?

They played without two center backs and missing Henry aswell, and still dominated Chelsea with 70% ball possesion.

Now dont say they had so low number of chances, who cares at the end I have to watch this with Hertha now for 30 matches in Bundesliga so what..

I may have another opinion than others, but thats because I give a **** on what media says.. they love this kind of news, this exaggeration..
Making my own view of sth and I still say, if this match was going to be fixed than why the **** the referee gives Barcelona a red card when they are losing 1:0.

Did he knew Iniesta would then score the 1:1?

C'mon guys

[corvus corax]

Some person here, at age of 29 seems have too many emotions and is not thinking with his own head.

Whole world? Hmm, everyone I spoke with agreed that referee did some mistakes, but they are all glad that footbal won. So called experts can be also those who saw three clear penalties, lol. And they are not mentioning anything about not fouled red card. About not giving Drogba yellow card for fauls simulation. Mistakes can be in every match.

Just read 1907zico's last post, he is a wise man and stop to be childish.

[Teabag]

Events usually have a habit of evening themselves out - final should be interesting

[Mozzi]

I'm going to sit on the fence as they're no clear evidence that it was or wasn't match fixing - it could very well be simply bad refereeing. However, what does strike me as ironic is Platini really doesn't like English clubs and desperately wanted to avoid another all-English final. Funnily enough, via bizarre means, he got that wish. What that says exactly I don't know, but it's certainly intriguing if nothing else.

If I were a Chelsea fan, I'd be furious, and rightfully so. How is a referee that is so poor allowed to referee such big games? At least two of those penalty claims were stonewall; no doubt at all. However, Barca have been superb this season and have very much earned their place in the final, by foul means or by fair. Chelsea have laboured to the finish line and although they should be applauded for their tenacity and grit, they didn't really merit a place in the final over the season. I can't really remember a convincing win that they had this campaign, barring their antics at Anfield - can anyone else?

Anyway, good luck to Barca if there are any fans here. I'll be there with a bit of luck supporting United!

[elgoonerman]

Originally Posted by Mozzi

I'm going to sit on the fence as they're no clear evidence that it was or wasn't match fixing - it could very well be simply bad refereeing. However, what does strike me as ironic is Platini really doesn't like English clubs and desperately wanted to avoid another all-English final. Funnily enough, via bizarre means, he got that wish. What that says exactly I don't know, but it's certainly intriguing if nothing else.

I'm not surprised to see Platini hate on the English clubs, most teams have stopped trying to produce young players and simply to get foreign owneres in to buy players for all over the world.

Even the russian teams and Shakhtar Donesk with their billions still try to bring young talent in because the know they will learn from the foreign imports. Kraverts is a great example.

In the next five years the Engilsh national team is going to go even further downhill because of this and the fact their clubs are not adapting to trying to produce talent, clubs like Wigan, Chelsea, Liverpool, Newcastle, Portsmouth are a joke. All have eithier a non existant youth policy in bringing young players in or like liverpool just signing many young teenagers from europe.

Its not the fact the top four are dominating the Champions League is what gets to him, its the way they are doing it. Clubs like Wigan think that by signing x, y and z mercenaries will bring them succes? Even when Seri A was mad rich in the 90's the only club that didn't make an effort to bring though players was Inter and let's face it Internazionale are all about foreign players.

The club was founded on 9 March 1908 as Football Club Internazionale Milano, following a "schism" from the Milan Cricket and Football Club (43 members). A group of Italians and Swiss (Giorgio Muggiani, a painter who also designed the club's logo, Bossard, Lana, Bertoloni, De Olma, Enrico Hintermann, Arturo Hintermann, Carlo Hintermann, Pietro Dell'Oro, Hugo and Hans Rietmann, Voelkel, Maner, Wipf, and Carlo Ardussi) were unhappy about the domination of Italians in the AC Milan team, and broke away from them, leading to the creation of Internazionale. From the beginning, the club was open to foreign players and thus lived up to its founding name.

The english teams have been almost non exsistant in the Uefa Cup for some time now! Boro got to the final in2006 apart from that we have only seen top clubs from england such as Arsenal, Leeds (2000) and Chelsea get anywhere near the final.