Hopefully the City players will be able to cheer themselves up with a sing-song on the plane home.
City and also PSG show that money can't buy you everything
That old chestnut. How much have Real, Liverpool, Man Utd spent?
of course I want the British teams to go through, but if they can’t, another City bottle job in the big games is never not funny.
+1
Some ‘interesting’ refereeing decisions tonight
That's going to be a hard one to take, they had that tie in their own hands, over both legs, and to finish off with a complete crash at the end won't help their mindset.
It'll be a struggle for Man City to get to a position like this again, they made the final last year and choked, now the same in the semi's, crazy the way they just walk their way to EPL titles, but the CL is just a real struggle for them.
I’m pleased for binners. He now gets to laugh at City and has a…checks notes…Spanish team to cheer for in the final. 😂 Thursday nights in Tirana anyone?
Some ‘interesting’ refereeing decisions tonight
I didn't see the game, but guessing that at the bernabeu with a full house, and a team that like to use histrionics, there was a lot of falling over the minute a Real player felt cornered or in trouble and the fouls given?
I thought the ref was alright? Let a lot go but was pretty consistent.
‘14’ shirts from Real. Classy!
Liverpool would rather play them than City, surely?
there's something wrong in the team or club there. Of course they have the technique, to a player they are magnificent footballers. But they don't seem to have the mental strength. In the past it was the likes of Keane, Cantona, Scholes, Stam. Terry, Ballack and Drogba. Liverpool have Van Dijk, Henderson, Milner.... Not always the same talent as these City stars, but they don't wilt.
When it's going their way, they are flat track bullies. Gets a bit tough and they have a tendency to crumple
Steve *ing McManomanoman?
FFS!
Why oh why has this utter gobshite got a job as a pundit or commentator?
Like nails down a *ing blackboard
Bravissimo… already got my Real top for the final and got my bet on Milner getting carded, even if he only comes on for the last five minutes. Always the safest bet in football since hair’n’elbows went to China 😂
Someone on twitter has asked if BT can include a mute steve 'muppet' mcmanaman button on the new remote. I'd like to mute Rio too.
Liverpool would rather play them than City, surely?
City bring an intensity that few teams can bring, the press, the speed, the power..
Real do offer threats of course, we saw that last night, but Liverpool SHOULD get an easier time and ability to press as they usually do (and did in the 2nd half against Villareal), so get to play their usual style. So yeah i'd agree that i'd rather having them playing Real. But that said, you don't get to the CL final and win La Liga by being rubbish... So it'll be a toughie.
I do like the fact that City won't be winning the CL though i admit. Even though we're mostly past the money aspect of buying titles now in my mind as that's been and gone and spent, i do like the fact they've still not won the big one.
I think the final is pretty even. Real will look for balls over the top of Trent and use Vinicius’s pace. Benzema is one of the few strikers who’ll give Van Dijk a hard time but if Liverpool are brave and attack they’ll score goals.
Well, that was a nostalgic night for long-term City fans. 🙂 Still better than losing away to Wycombe on a wet Wednesday in the 90s, I guess.
We lost it in the first leg, to be honest, even without the away goals rule.
Liverpool have Van Dijk, Henderson, Milner…. Not always the same talent as these City stars, but they don’t wilt.
Citeh have never really replaced Vinnie Kompany, which is understandable as theres not many players like that around. Real leaders on the pitch. God knows we could do with a shouty person who everyone is terrified of. Unfortunately, as you've pointed out, Liverpool have a few.
Well, that was a nostalgic night for long-term City fans. 🙂 Still better than losing away to Wycombe on a wet Wednesday in the 90s, I guess.
We lost it in the first leg, to be honest, even without the away goals rule.
And once again we are able to snatch defeat to of the jaws of victory. We have a very frustrating legacy.
The old Utd never went out thinking they would lose, similar to the current Liverpool team. But Citeh always have self doubt.
Interesting to see what Weeks says - I think Real ahem a much better chance of beating `Liverpool that Citeh would have done.
I think City play in a very pre-determined way, which is very hard to play against, but ultimately if you're organised enough, you can counter it. Real are far more unpredictable, and Benzema/Modric/Vinicius can just turn a game...but still, they two legit shots on target in normal time last night...and we should have been out of sight by then.
Who knows which Real will turn up on the 28th?
To be fair, it was just a mad final 10 minutes, City should have scored a second, but for a great clearance and a great save, then Real go up and score 2, both poor goals from a City point, the second was just an awful goal after that first one, the cross should never have been allowed in, Grealish just didn't contest or really press Asensio, Real had a 2 v 1 on the edge of the box to get that cross in!
It really was just a collapse, i doubt you'll see Ruben Dias make mistakes so quickly costing goals, it's as if Man City were trying to sit back and defend, something they never do, and it cost them.
Grealish is certainly turning out exactly like I thought he would. 🙂
Grealish is certainly turning out exactly like I thought he would.
You miss the part he nearly scored 2 in 2 mins ?
I think he's a cracking player, who sadly made the wrong choice to go to City... but he's far from the only one. I guess though if you think you can make it into the first team regular and have that belief, then that's a good thing.. But it doesn't always work out.
Grealish will come good, it is almost a meme now that it takes a season for players to adapt to Peps playing style.
Last night was largely just bad luck, real were behind and had to gamble by putting on attacking players and ignoring defence, it paid off, but nearly didn't city came extremely close to padding the scoreline. It was a gamble only the team losing can make and more often than not will result in an even bigger bigger loss, but every now and then....
The ref made a few blunders, I actually prefer that most niggling challenges were just played on, but the 2 Casemiro challenges in the first half were clear yellows even under the "freeflowing football" rules, and the yellow for Sterling in extra time for what was a perfectly timed challenge was rather contradictory. He bought a couple of Vinicius dives as well which nothing came of.
And while ref decisions can affect the flow of a game, I don't think they had too much impact on the outcome, it was still just RM throwing everything at it in the final minutes and city running out of legs.
As an aside, a million miles away from the Champions League, I read yesterday a telling story in the Athletic about the state of things at Old Trafford.
Apparently Tony Marshall is still on £240,000 a week and has over 2 years left on his contract. They can't sell him as nobody will match the salary (for very good reason) and who'd want him anyway? Even though he's playing on loan at Sevilla at the moment United are still paying 60% of his salary. So they're about to offer him £12 million to terminate his contract, or he could sit it out, pick up £25 million in wages then leave on a free
Who on earth negotiates these contracts? That is absolutely insane! 😳
With those leaving on free's in the summer, including Pogba, and the rest of the wage-stealers they're going to have to offload at an enormous loss, I dread to think what the final bill for the summer clearout is going to be
United surely stand as the high watermark of the utter lunacy of present football finance?
Agree re Grealish. At the moment he often slows everything down but there are signs he’s becoming a bit more direct. I think first season Pep was manager there were stories of him painting lines on the training pitches to get Sterling to stay wide!
I hope Liverpool smash Real after those "going for 14" shirts and their general shithousery.
And the famous Ballague comments about northern European sanctimony
yeah hoping Liverpool smash them.
Can't help but think as soon as Pep made defensive changes it was going to go to shit. They're almost untouchable when playing normally and if they played as if they were then madrid wouldnt have got involved. Same at last years final.
Who on earth negotiates these contracts?
the recently passed Mino Raiola?
Lots of mentions of Man City bottling it and not having the players other teams have had over the years. UTD, Arsenal and Chelsea have all struggled during the UCL with the players mentioned, they struggled before these players, when they had them and afterwards!
Fergie only winning it twice underlines how hard a competition it is to win IMO, City just didnt seem to get it right on the night and should have killed the game off well before the 89th minute last night!
One thing that has made me giggle about last night is people pedalling how dominate City were cos Madrid didnt have a shot on target till they scored, IMO this was more due to Madrids poor finishing then City's defending! Stats = Lies!
The didn't have 2 shots on target.... until they scored TWICE !
I only managed to watch from about 60mins in so had only heard about no shots on target. Having watched the highlights this morning, Real did have a couple of very good opportunities in the first half, Benzema header and Vinicius at the back post that they should have put away. But there's no denying that letting in three goals that late in the match is not a good showing. I think Pep struggles with a plan b
The didn’t have 2 shots on target…. until they scored TWICE !
Which basically tells you all you need to know. If Guardiola is a master of tactics, he didn't tell the defence ...
Tony Marshall’s contract also has a ballon d’or clause in it 😃 At least United will never need to pay it!
I don’t think last night forms any great piece of evidence to have a go at Pep and his tactics. It’s football/sport. Crazy stuff happens. Bayern should have put United away in 99 for example.
Pep was more conventional last night than in previous semis. Took De Bruyne off, but that was when it was still goalless. One of those Grealish efforts goes in, he gets all the plaudits for a professional performance.
So, anyone think Rangers can do what they need to do tonight..!? 😱
Ffs West Ham. What a limp way to go out.
Ffs West Ham. What a limp way to go out
Yep, ruined the game. I was going to bleat on about that kinda simple brush off wouldn't knock over a normal bloke nevermind a highly trained athlete but football is becoming non contact.
Yep, ruined the game. I was going to bleat on about that kinda simple brush off wouldn’t knock over a normal bloke nevermind a highly trained athlete but football is becoming non contact.
It was soft for sure, but Creswell should know that you can't put your hands on someone when you're the last man.
Some win for Rangers!
Just a bit..!
Aye, as a Celtic fan, I say fair play to Rangers, tremendous achievement.
Hope youse get pumped. 😆
^ ^
This.
I can respect that energy.. 😁
surely you'll set aside minor differences and support the Scottish side in the final won't you?
Aye but no.