The last two spots in the Champions League semifinals will be on the line today as Roma travels to Manchester United and Schalke travel to Barcelona, both needing big wins in stadiums where visitors generaly don’t deliver big wins.
Manchester United strolled to a 2-0 win in Rome last week and will be heavily favored against a short-handed Roma side while Schalke must find a way to erase last week’s 1-0 loss in the first leg.
My prediction is the same as most people’s Man U and Barca should win today and secure their places in the semis, which would set up a very juicy semifinal between two star-studded squads.
The Man U-Roma match will be on ESPN2 today while Barcelona-Schalke can be followed on ESPN360.com. If you will be following the matches while online, or if you want to come somewhere with constant updates on the action, then please feel free to check in to SBI.
I will be doing a running commentary on the ManU-Roma match (which is set for a 2:45 kickoff) so check in for that. We are still anhour away from kickoff so feel free to share your pre-game thoughts on the matches in the comments section below.
Enjoy the soccer.
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Yes folks, other pressing matters have pulled me away from the running commentary. I won’t be able to continue it. Feel free to share your own thoughts, views and play-by-play on both games in the comments section below.
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30th minute- WOW. Daniele DeRossi pulls a Baggio and sends his penalty kick high over the crossbar.
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29th minute- Wow, what a bad penalty call by the referee. PENALTY FOR ROMA.
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26th minute- Still waiting for Roma to show a sign of life. For those of you wondering, Barcelona and Schalke are still scoreless in their game.
Nice to see Eric Cantona all dressed up.
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16th minute- Doni with a great save to stop a Hargreaves blast and I’m not sure there’s grass on the other side of the field because I haven’t seen the Roma attacking side of the field yet.
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10th minute- Hargreaveshas a clear look saved. Some nice work from Man U’s B team, okay A- team.
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10th minute- Wes Brown misses a clear header. Any minute now Roma, feel free to join the game.
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7th minute- Teves misses wide with a header and Roma looks asleep early on.
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6th minute- Park Ji Sung misses just wide with a shot. And yes, Park is still the most popular Korean soccer player in America. At least he should be.
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2nd minute- Man U already pressuring with Tevez. Corner to Man U
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1st minute- And we’re off.
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PRE-GAME– No Cristiano Ronaldo for today’s match. VERY interesting. Here’s wondering if Alex Ferguson isn’t taking Roma too lightly.
Barca v. ManU, Chelsea v. Liverpool?
The Champions League just got completely boring all of a sudden.
Three superpowers having the dullest seasons in recent memory, and one blowing everybody away. ManU are the only team left whose form is worthy of winning the trophy, and I f***ing HATE ManU.
Of course I’ll pay attention, but I have no true interest anymore, other than seeing somebody knock the sh*t out of ManU (which probably won’t happen).
At leaset we don’t have to watch AC Milan limp through to the final.
It’s all over, but it pretty much was as soon as the pairings were announced, United have Roma’s number. Too bad no Totti, but United were able to look great at times with a B Team.
Hargraves was my Man o’ Match, but special props go out to Rae and Smyth, who’ve been great the last 2 days.
Goat of the day goes to ESPN, as word is we don’t get to watch the Barca game until tomorrow?!?
that was a great header by tevez, 1-0 to united….. roma now need 3 in 15 minutes
Whoops! Too late. Hargraves hits a great cross to Tevez, who finishes a diving header.
1-0, 3-0 on aggregate.
69th Roma miss a free header off a corner. The game’s really slowed down.
Guily on for Roma, which raises the question of where he’s been all game
Park’s touch lets him down in the Roma box and the game is still scoreless.
is Nani hurt? why isn’t he on either the pitch or the substitutes bench? Spencer- thanks
Halftime.
Barca 1-0 Schalke
Man U 0-0 Roma
sorry, meant to add this in at the end of the last post………
what a cracking game this is….. lot more excitement that what i would have expected.
another penalty, when they way mancini went down surely had to indicate a dive. but at least today, justice was served…. a la beckham or baggio, depending on who you would rather hate on more
I wonder how much longer Ferdinand will last. I hope he doesn’t aggravate his injury today. They’re gonna need him down the stretch.
“Pulled a Baggio” – nice one Ives!
Man, too bad Canada couldn’t have held on to Hargraves, our region would be much more interesting.
Wow. That was a chance wasted! De Rossi misses penalty.
In the words of Tommy Smyth, who’s been great the last 2 days as well, “that’s as bad of a penalty kick as you’ll ever see”
Barca game is a lot better…might be because Schalke have em on their toes.
De Rossi almost steals one against the run of play, and on the rebound penalty!
Come on Roma, make it a game!
Ronaldinho in China, and Henry and Riquelme to MLS. Suuuuure…
Hargraves (who’s been all over the place) gets behind the Roma defense for about the 12th time so far.
Darek Rae is very entertaining.
De Rossi is screaming at his teammates after aother wave of United attack. Big props to the Roma goalie so far.
I would love to see Ronaldinho in China. Sadly, I doubt that will happen. Probably Chelsea, in the end. Where else?
Coventry move for Fulham defender Bocanegra
tribalfooball.com – April 08, 2008
Coventry boss Chris Coleman is preparing to make a bid for Carlos Bocanegra.
Coleman signed the American while at Fulham and wants to be reunited with him as part of his Championship rebuilding job.
The defender, who played 42 times for the United States, has been with Fulham since joining from Chicago in 2004.
The Sky Blues lost 2-1 at Watford on Saturday and are just three points above the relegation zone.
Beijing Guoan go for Barcelona star Ronaldinho, Maradona
tribalfootball.com – April 09, 2008
China’s Beijing Guoan have made a sensational move for Barcelona superstar Ronaldinho.
Marca says Ronaldinho’s brother and agent, Roberto de Assis, met last week with a representative of the Chinese club in Spain. Assis left the meeting without rejecting the Chinese club’s approach, which included a salary far greater that what Ronie is currently on at Barca.
Beijing Guoan would have no problem handing Ronaldinho a staggering £8 million-a-year to play in the C-League and also is chasing Diego Maradona to be his coach next season.
Actually, United are having no problems attacking, I’d be shocked if they didn’t score. Roma haven’t really seen the ball yet.
Having said that, United looks like they are going to win 3-0 at least.
Sir Alex would obviously not have a problem with 0-0, and I think his chosen lineup fairly reflects that. Barring a complete disaster, United are as good as through.
Park is sprung loose and takes a terrible shot with Tevez all alone on the other side.
Then Man U races down again and Tevez has a free header that is in the direction of the goal
Full Line Ups:
Man Utd: Van der Sar, Brown, Pique, Ferdinand, Silvestre, Hargreaves, Park, Carrick, Anderson, Giggs, Tevez. Subs: Kuszczak, Neville, Ronaldo, Rooney, Scholes, O’Shea, Welbeck.
Roma: Doni, Panucci, Mexes, Juan, Cassetti, De Rossi, Pizarro, Taddei, Perrotta, Mancini, Vucinic. Subs: Curci, Cicinho, Aquilani, Giuly, Esposito, Tonetto, Brighi.
Man U better come out well, with a clearly 2nd rate line up
Barca is replayed on Classic tomorrow at 4.
Ferguson is supposedly sitting Ronaldo, Rooney, and Scholes, i dont know if that is the greatest strategy with so much on the line. Hopefully Tevez steps up and puts at least one in the net.
anyone know why ESPN Classic isn’t picking up today’s Barca game? Hopefully this isn’t an indication of waning interest by ESPN
Roma is class but with all the injuries I don’t think they have a chance.
It is a little sad that the two teams who play some of the most attractive, innovative football in Europe have to be paired together so soon.
Aaron,
The games will be on the 22nd for Chelsea and Liverpooland also the 30th. ManU and Barce will be on the 23rd and the 29th. Yes it is 2 legged so one of the games will be at Nou Camp.
Ives,
Can you tell me what the set-up is for the semis? Are they still 2-legged affairs, or does it move to a one-off game for the semis? If the expected outcomes take place, and we get a ManU/Barca semi, when and where would the game(s) take place? That potential semi looks like a classic I wouldn’t want to miss, so I’m trying to do some planning ahead to see if I could catch that game at the Camp Nou.
Count it C Ronaldo scores and someone on Roma tries to injure him. ManU take this easy 4-0. Roma tries to push way too much and Ronaldo and Rooney burn them.