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UEFA Champions League: Your Running Commentary

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Manchester United and Chelsea square off today with a place in the UEFA Champions League semifinals on the line (2:45pm, Fox Soccer Channel).

The Red Devils posted a vital 1-0 win at Stamford Bridge in the first leg of their quarterfinal series, putting all of the pressure on Chelsea to have to produce a result at Old Trafford, where Manchester United has been largely unbeatable this season.

The United-Chelsea quarterfinal is one of two on the schedule today. FC Barcelona will look to wrap up its own series against Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk today (2:45pm, Fox Sports affiliates/MSG+) after posting a 5-1 victory in Barcelona.

SBI will be offering commentary on today's matches on our Twitter feed (@SoccerbyIves) so feel free to follow our thoughts there. If you will be watching today's matches, please feel free to share your own pre-game, in-game and post-game thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below.

Enjoy the action.

Comments

  1. Nani’s dives were pretty despicable. He dove on the second Ramires yellow and then asked for a card and embellished the injury to get the player sent off. Just pathetic. I know some players think that’s part of the game – to get a player 2 yellows and sent off – but those players don’t deserve to lace up.

    Then 3 minutes later, he showed some quick feet, but dove to get a foul instead of continuing his play. And he asked for a card again. I thought at first the ref was going to call him for a dive, but he got duped again.

    Man U played great and deserved to win, but it’s upsetting to see them get an advantage from such a blatant disregard for fair play.

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  2. He’s been having some injury problems this year, but Man Utd’s midfield as a whole realizes they will get to play, and respect Fergie’s choices.

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  3. Agreed. Thought his first goal was actually onside whereas the one that actually stood should have been ruled offside. Did that make sense? Ya, he’s a good player. Scary to think about facing him in the Gold Cup.

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  4. Torres is being used as a scapegoat for some real big team-wide issues and it’s almost upsetting.

    Chelsea was even worse before Torres was brought in. Right now they look like they don’t even belong on the pitch with good teams.

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  5. I don’t understand why Hull wouldn’t want to extend Guzan’s loan til the end of the season. I mean don’t they want to make the promotion playoffs? Guzan was playing pretty damn well for them. I don’t think Vito Mannone is back from injury yet, so they’re gonna have to go with Matt Duke.

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  6. anyone fire Carlo yet? what an idiot, who withdraws two strikers down two goals, and leaves on a bevy of ineffective mids that cant get forward and ar ecarrying yellows…IDIOT!!!!!!!!

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  7. Why does Chelsea even bother with forwards? They should just play 6 midfielders with this hackney style of play and spacing.

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  8. When they announced that Chicharito would be joining Man U I didnt think he would be this successful so soon. I figured he had a couple years of loans in his future. Dude is just good…

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  9. Yeah that’s the interview I saw as well. Says he studies their tendencies at different positions on the pitch, on counter attacks, etc. Pretty interesting.

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  10. He hasn’t surpassed Hugo and Zarra yet. The La Liga season record is 38. I know that Messi has at least 33 goals in La Liga. The record could fall.

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  11. Truth. The goal that got called offside was a very nice finish. For me the most dangerous offensive player in CONCACAF.

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  12. I read/heard (don’t remember) somewhere an interview where he said he studies defender before every match by watching videos. I am not sure how much that really helps in a game but doesn’t harm him.

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  13. You would have to think so. At the rate he is producing and with the number of games remaining in all competitions, he could very well break 60.

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  14. Nice! Has he surpassed Hugo Sanchez’s record for goals in La Liga in a single season? Has to be extremely close if not, right?

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  15. Chicharito’s ability to read defenses is uncanny. He makes runs at the right time, puts himself in great positions, and studies defenders and their tendencies. Love that cerebral part of his game. He isn’t – or hasn’t shown he is – very technical, but damn he consistently gets in to positions where he should score and does.

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  16. Has Chicharito scored a goal from more than 10 yards since he joined United? The timing of his runs and his touch around the goal are amazing…

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  17. Also..

    Messi just broke the record for most goals scored in a single season for Barcelona that he and Ronaldo shared. 48 goals.

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  18. Chelsea’s midfield is just not up to the task. The “Torres isn’t scoring” meme is far overshadowing the real problem on Chelsea. The midfield thinks they are forwards.

    United passes seamlessly through the middle of the pitch while one Chelsea player gets the ball and tries to dribble through half the opposing team.

    Torres probably isn’t going to score when, on average, 2 of the 4 midfield players take more shots than both forwards combined.

    That entire team is just a lost cause.

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  19. Chealsea are playing like there’s ten minutes left in the game. This is great but they might get screwed on a counter

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  20. Ives, moderator, or someone with knowledge of it-

    on another note, guzan is not starting or on the bench for hull. is his loan over and now back at villa? he was between the posts this past saturday…

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