The match-up is finally here. Manchester United vs. Barcelona. Two of the most storied clubs in the world, two of the most star-studded squads in the world, ready to battle with a place in the Champions League final on the line.
The first leg of their semifinal series takes place in Barcelona today (2:45pm, ESPN2) and there are storylines galore. You have Man U defender Nemanja Vidic coming down with an illness the day before the game. You have Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi battling to see who can make the bigger impact. You have Rio Ferdinand trying to stop Samuel Eto’o or Thierry Henry (or both). You have Wayne Rooney and/or Carlos Tevez potentially doing battle with Carles Puyol.
So many great subplots in what should be a far more entertaining series than the Chelsea-Liverpool semifinal series (comical own goals notwithstanding).
I will be doing a live commentary on the match so feel free to follow the match here. Even if you’re watching the match yourself, if you happen to be online please feel free to share your thoughts and opinions on the match in the comments section below. I have a feeling we’ll have plenty to talk about.
Enjoy the match.
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FINAL– Barcelona 0, Manchester United 0. Both squads will come away upset to not have won. Cristiano Ronaldo’s missed penalty cost Man U the win while Barcelona’s wasted free kicks and heavy advantage in possession failed to produce a single goal. I think Man U has to have the edge heading back to Old Trafford, where they have been deadly all season.
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90th minute– Barcelona has to feel disappointed about not finding a single goal despite a truckload of free kicks and possession.
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88th minute– Another Barcelona free kick. It’s about 28 yards out straight in front of goal. SAVE VAN DER SAR. Henry hits a hard blast but VDS had enough time to find it.
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84th minute– Barcelona has certainly dominated possession today but Manchester United set out to sit back and counter like it did in the away leg against Roma. The strategy is working from the standpoint that it’s keeping Barcelona off the board, but Man U hasn’t come close to an away goal since Ronaldo missed that early penalty.
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82nd minute– Thierry Henry forces a save from Van Der Sar. Good chance.
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76th minute– Nani comes in for Wayne Rooney, who didn’t really have an impact on the match. He spent more time defending than attacking today.
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67th minute– Bojan Krkik is already causing some problems. The kid is nasty and capable of finding a game-winner here.
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64th minute– Messi showed some flashes but you can tell he hasn’t been playing for a while. We can only dream what this match-up would have been like with both teams at full strength.
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63rd minute– Messi has left the match and you wonder how that affects Barcelona. He didn’t have a great match, though it was his first action in a while.
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HALFTIME– Ronaldo sends the free kick wide and we head into halftime scoreless. Man U got off to a fast start but Barcelona took over for a long stretch. Man U regained control the last 10-15 minutes. It should be a fun second half.
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44th minute– Ronaldo draws a free kick on Marquez, who gets a yellow in the process. Another dangerous free kick spot for Man U.
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41st minute– Man U earns a good free kick spot after Zambrotta takes down Evra.
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38th minute– I’m not sure about that foul call on Scholes. That was a phantom call.
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34th minute– Eto’o gets into a dangerous spot but his kick is blocked. Barca is getting close.
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33rd minute– Tevez with a nice elbow to Zambrotta’s throat. He definitely meant to do that.
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32nd minute– Messi schools Patrice Evra and then Scholes brings down Deco for a decent free kick for Barcelona.
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29th minute– Ronaldo shouts for a penalty. Not sure he had a case there.
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23rd minute– This has been a very good game to watch from a tactical and technical standpoint. Good ball movement and good movement off the ball. The goals aren’t coming, but this won’t end 0-0.
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21st minute– A weak Barcelona free kick goes right to Van Der Sar. Still waiting to see Van Der Sar tested.
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19th minute– Not sure about Wes Brown today. He looks a bit shaky.
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17th minute– Man U corner is wasted.
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15th minute– Tell you what, if Ronaldinho were healthy he puts that kick into the net.
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14th minute– The Man U wall blocks Marquez’s free kick. A pretty bad kick.
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13th minute– Carlos Tevez with a dangerous foul that sets up a Barcelona free kick from 19 yards out.
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9th minute– Barcelona is knocking on the door now. Man U is on its heels.
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6th minute– Barcelona is knocking the ball around now but haven’t found the killer pass yet.
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3rd minute- RONALDO MISSES THE PK. He hits it wide right. He tried too hard to place it on the top corner. WOW
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2nd minute- PENALTY!!! A Barcelona handball by Milito off a Ronaldo header. Good call.
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1st minute– You have to wonder how long it will be before Marquez gets exposed by Tevez and Ronaldo.
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1st minute– And we’re off.
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PRE-GAME– Here is the Man U lineup:
————–Tevez———-Ronaldo————-
——-Park—————————–Rooney
—————-Scholes——Carrick—————-
Evra—–Ferdinand——-Brown—–Hargreaves
——————–Van Der Sar———————-
Here is the Barcelona lineup:
——Iniesta——–Eto’o—————Messi-
————–Deco———-Xavi—————–
———————Toure———————–
Abidal——–Milito——-Marquez—–Zambrotta
———————–Valdez———————-
Ives,
Quit being envious that none of the USMNT defenders could get a whiff of Barca. Marquez is world class and your bashing is shameful.
Rooney off for Nani. What a waste of Rooney today.
Ferguson’s tactics are survive until the second leg.
This game really lacks life with Messi out (it was time, but he was Barca’s best out there) and Man U playing confused.
I just saw a possession stat that said 70% Barca and 30% Man Utd.
Hey “Bored at work” join the club…try this one and the eXtra2 seems to be the best stream. Lots of poor streams today.
http://livefooty.doctor-serv.com/wed23.4/Barcelona_ManU.html
How much possession can you have in the opponents 1/3 without a decent attempt on goal? Barcelona do not look threatening at all. Rooney looks lost on the wing, he needs to see more of the ball. Tevez touch is a little heavy. I hope Fergie changes the lineup for the second half. His formation has confused his own players instead of Barcelona’s defense.
Terrible trip on Ronaldo by Marquez. Now, he’s suspended for the second leg.
Tevez with a cheapshot to Zambrotta.
It was a fair challenege, plus Ronaldo was doing a bit of shoving himself.
Does anyone have a link where I can watch this game? My ESPN 360 account isn’t working…
Thirty minutes of this game is infinitely more exciting then all of yesterday’s match.
no way is C. Ronaldo going to get a PK after going down like that after a bump.
Scholes looks a bit past it, if you ask me. He was off the pace in the Arsenal game and he looks it again today. Next year, Anderson needs to be the 1st choice.
What’s the over-under on the Scholes YC? Wait a minute, he’s kind of limping out there, which is impeding his lunging.
Dangerous spot for a barca freekick.
You would expect a better chance there after Van Der Sar’s mess of a clearance. But dangerous free kick here. Too bad ‘dinho’s not healthy or fit or anything.
channelsurfing.net not working for me, any1 know of another site giving the game? thanks
Yeah, wtf is up with both teams lineups. Surely Rijkaard and Ferguson are having a laugh with each other.
This game is looking to be more entertaining, but only because Barca are in this. Man U look pathetic.
Alright, did Rafa Benitez hand in United’s lineup today???
My best friend just happened to book a trip to Barcalona for this week. He’s texting me from a bar in barcalona right now. I couldn’t possibly be more jealous
Marquez has actually played well the last few matches when he comes in, which hasn’t been too often.
It’s an unlucky penalty, and I don’t think the barca player meant to strike it with his hand, but I think you had to call that.
And as I’m typing, Ronaldo amazingly misses the penalty.
WOW! From the last minute of yesterday to the first minute of today, those are the two most stunning minutes of soccer I’ve ever seen (factoring in the hyperbole of the moment)
Correction: I CANNOT BELIEVE that Ronaldo missed a PK. United still for the Cup, but I’m aghast.
WHAT?
Rooney right wing, Ronaldo up top???
yes! no way! he missed! please let this be an omen.
United for the European Cup!! It’s all over already!
disaster already.
So we really have Hargraves at RB, huh? What’s the logic, if Essien can do it…
Man I’d love a shootout, i.e. Barca score their goals. I just don’t see how ManU doesn’t score a couple, although I don’t remember them winning that big on the road, and this line up doesn’t seem to be their most dangerous.
I’m afraid that in one of these matches ManU could hand out a beating Roma-style in honor of Francesco Totti’s ACL.
Oh I stand corrected, I knew he was healthy but didn’t look at the lineup, but yes he was injured.
Eric, Deco was hurt for a while, so they might just keep him out. Don’t want this to be his first game back, but maybe next leg.
Knot in stomach, uck. Can’t wait for this thing to start.
Glory glory!
Even with a defensive side, Barca will allow a goal or two. I’ve given up on hoping for a shutout week after week. It’s futile. This team can’t defend and with Puyol out, it looks worse.
Conventional wisdom has ManU all the way. But I’m biased, so either Barca takes it 2-1 or it’s tied up at 2 going into the second leg.
Messi does his magic after the half and Bojan comes in at the 65th minute to provide the winner/tying goal.
Defensive-minded lineup for Rijkaard’s boys. He has to do something because Barca’s defense has been giving up goals like a fat guy on a diet locked inside a candy store.
Devils 2-0 Barca
Book it.
I’m on a business trip in Chicago, and after a little research, I am heading to Sedgewick’s to watch the game. Does anyone out there have a better suggestion in downtown Chicago?
I don’t get to watch La Liga so I might be off on this, but hasn’t it been a while since Barca’s rolled Deco out of the closet?
My prediction, Ronaldinho is spotted in the stadium wearing a Manchester City jersey.
OMG my hands wont stop shaking !!!! let this game begin already !!!!! VISCA EL BARCA !!!!! lets show the world Messi is the real POY and not that diving cheat CR7!!!!! lol
Spencer – Agreed on Scholes in the lineup, I thought me mostly hurt the team in the draw against Blackburn. Or at least not him and Park??? Despite his age, I’d rather see Anderson.
so who is playing right back brown or owen?
Not sure I like Scholes starting though.
ManU takes this. Go ManU!!!!!!!!!
Man Utd: Van der Sar, Evra, Hargreaves, Ferdinand, Brown, Ronaldo, Rooney, Park, Carrick, Scholes, Tevez.
Subs: Kuszscak, Anderson, Giggs, Nani, Pique, O’Shea, Silvestre.
Barcelona: Valdes, Milito, Marquez, Xavi, Iniesta, Eto’o, Zambrotta, Messi, Deco, Abidal, Toure.
Subs: Jose Pinto, Gudjohnsen, Henry, Sylvinho, Giovani, Thuram, Bojan.
I believe Puyol is suspended, the task of stopping Rooney/Tevez will be assigned to Milito
I don’t know about more entertaining.
Champions League Semifinals are notoriously tight affairs no matter who is in the games. I expect this one to be no different.
1-1, 1-0, 0-1, whatever the result will be, I am almost certain that Manchester United will move on in the end.
Barca are in turmoil, United are too good.
United may lose today, but they will dominate when they go back to Old Trafford.
I’m still gutted about the Liverpool result. All food bland; sky = gray. cannot. muster. excitement.
Very excited about this game. Anyone know if there’s somewhere to watch this online? Let’s go Man U!