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Free Kicks galore in UEFA Champions League

BalotelliM1 (Getty Images) 

There were plenty of goals scored in Champions League action this week, but masterful free kicks took center stage.

Inter Milan's Mario Balotelli, Barcelona's Lionel Messi and Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo all delivered skillful free kick goals to help their teams win ans secure places in the Champions League Round of 16.

If you missed those free kicks, here are the videos:

Inter Milan highlights (including Balotelli's free kick)

Lionel Messi's free-kick winner

Cristiano Ronaldo's free kick beauty for Real Madrid vs. Marseille on Tuesday:

Comments

  1. Sorry but a shot that is straight in the middle of the net like Balotelli’s should be stopped.

    It reminds me of one of the goals Crissy Ronaldo scored against Zurich a few weeks ago, people were hailing it as a great strike when it was sub-standard goalkeeping.

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  2. You are an idiot. A black man named Fabio Liverani has already played on the Italian National Team. Do your homework before you comment!

    The kid is a headcase and that is why he has not been called up to the senior squad. He plays all the time for the U-21 team.

    Lippi won’t even call up Cassano because of his past attitude problems, and Balotelli makes Cassano look like an angel!

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  3. You are an idiot. A black man named Fabio Liverani has already played on the Italian National Team. Do your homework before you comment!

    The kid is a headcase and that is why he has not been called up to the senior squad. He plays all the time for the U-21 team.

    Lippi won’t even call up Cassano because of his past attitude problems, and Balotelli makes Cassano look like an angel!

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  4. How could you pass if given Balotelli for the national team? He would be our best player, period. He’s what, 19 years old. I would have an “attitude” too if I was playing for a top 10 side in the world at 19. He’ll come down and be one of the best players in the world in 5-6 years. Altidore wishes he was as good as Balotelli…

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  5. Ok, let me rephrase. I wish we had a player of his caliber on the field in the MNT. Agreed he has an attitude problem and is a headcase.

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  6. What a waste of time. All they’re showing is how to hit the ball straight with power. Great technique by all of them, but Ronaldo uses dip (can’t even call it spin cuz there isn’t any) which they don’t even touch on. Cool video nonetheless, but elementary stuff.

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  7. same with balotelli’s goal – a bit more movement but still should not have beaten a gk from that distance…..

    (SBI-A “Bit” more movement? Balotelli’s was MUCH tougher to deal with than Ronaldo’s. It basically changed direction in mid-flight. The keeper committed to the initial movement and then couldn’t recover.)

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  8. from a GK standpoint, Ronaldo’s shot should not have beaten a GK from that distance…..it was up and down, but more than enough time to react. did well to get it on goal with pace, but should not have been beaten….

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  9. Yeah, Messi put beautiful touch and spin to make the ball dip around the wall and under the bar. But I’m still trying to figure out how Ronaldo it his shot over the wall with power and then made it drop so quickly. The flight of the ball seems almost unreal.

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  10. Agree. to hit the ball with the inside of the foot with THAT much power and dip is ridiculous. Messi’s wasn’t easy by any means, considering the limited space he had to work with. But Ronaldo’s is slightly better for me.

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  11. one up-ed by messi? are you insane or just biased? ronaldo’s free kick was certainly better than messi. both were nasty, but CRs was more difficult.

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