Aside from troubles against Spanish nemesis Barcelona, Real Madrid is arguably in the greatest form of any club around the world. Jose Mourinho's men have not dropped points against a non-Barcelona team since Sept. 21, marking a span of 27 straight wins over non-Barcelona opposition.
Standing in their way of stretching that streak to 28 is CSKA Moscow, which is unbeaten all-time (3-0-2) against Spanish opposition and hosts the first leg of their UEFA Champions League Round of 16 tie. Other than playing at its home stadium, though, the Russian side is at a heavy disadvantage. The club hasn't played a meaningful game since Dec. 7 because of its league's winter break, striker Vagner Love returned to his native Brazil and starting goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev is out with an injury.
In the day's second match, Napoli and its high-octane attack will look to deliver another blow to Chelsea and manager Andre Villas-Boas, who are in the midst of a troubling season by their lofty standards.
Here is the viewing schedule for the day's matches:
12 p.m. – Fox Soccer Channel – CSKA Moscow vs. Real Madrid
2:45 p.m. – Fox Soccer Channel – Napoli vs. Chelsea
If you will be watching any of Tuesday's UCL action, please feel free to share any thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below. Enjoy the games.
THAT Gary Neville? I had no idea he’s in the booths now. Well, now that I’ve hears him, you can hold the Gary Neville from all future broadcasts, thank you.
Agreed. Napoli is not defensively well set up but that counter attack of theirs is lethal and they fully deserve this win.
Frankly, I think he is doing fine but may be a bit tired. Not lazy though but I do grant the team is just a disaster out there.
What a terrible team. Just like any mid-table Premier League squad. Went through in by far the most difficult group in Champions League, playing Bayern close away and drawing with them at home while beating and drawing City. Having beaten both AC Milan and Inter by three goals apiece this season. Drew with Juventus, AC Milan and Lazio. Just terrible.
Beating Chelsea 3-1, so far. Sorry if it doesn’t line up with your worldview Gary Neville, but this is a very good team that has gotten the tactics right today.
On a separate but equally important note is I have learned a lot about the game as a player and a fan by watching matches who have knowledgeable commentators. I see and percieve elements of the game differently than I would have on my own volition. In other words, I enjoy the different perspective a commentator brings to the viewing experience, because I learn a lot more.
well said, Mem.
Mig, Drogba just isn’t even going hard anymore. Lazy and unfocused play.
It’s Gary Neville, former United and England right back. Complete wanker hated by most people who aren’t United fans.
I for one actually like listening to commentators (good ones) that inform the audience of interesting factoids about a player’s or team’s past, history, previous and current accomplishments etc. I like little anicdotal tidbits about players or managers or anything to do with the relevant game. So it DOES bother me when a hired commentator who is paid to talk about the game brings his or own bias to the game and harps on about the other team or overtly praises their favorite team. Unprofessional is what it is.
definitely just the English thing cuz he’s never had a tie to Chelsea. This is nauseating.
That last part is maybe the most important. Serie A sides have performed just as well or better over the past few years than German sides, but it’s the Germans greater success in the Europa League that’s gotten them the extra spot.
And another one “Napoli only have 2 or 3 good players, the rest would be average EPL squad players.”
God he’s STILL talking about how Napoli couldn’t beat a good Chelsea team (whatever the F that means….) cuz they sure are beating this one and badly. Is he an ex-chelsea player? Or tied to the club somehow?
I don’t understand why we harp on announcers so much. I know they can be bad sometimes but we do have the ability to mute and just be on with our complaint-free lives.
I’m assuming Neville is being more of a EPL-homer rather than a Chelsea-homer? It’s bizarre, either way. It’s just such blatant favoritism. He just said something along the lines of “Chelsea should be able to get 3 or 4 at home.” Yea right. Not with this kind of finishing.
lol both?
AVB or Neville? 😉
I was wrong, apparently. Alas.
Another gem of a comment… “if Chelsea lose 4 to 1 here they still have a great chance of moving on.”
Fire this idiot immediately following the match.
isn’t the 70th minute the most common minute to make a sub?
Gary Neville.
🙂
I do follow the team. Unfortunately and unhappily at the moment.
Edit: Nvm, that’s Lampard. Feed too fuzzy.
England are in no danger of losing their 4th spot. At all.
This is their first poor showing after several years of near dominance.
Plus the (presumed) success of the manchesters in the europa league will boost their co-efficient.
Who in the world is this commentator???? Chelsea’s wannabe PR guy? Chelsea’s newest stockholder? Chelsea’s latest ex-girlfriend/stalker? God it’s UNBEARABLE.
Mig are you psychic? 70th minute to the second for Torres.
lol I wondered what he would say about that, so pathetic.
It’s just kind of sad to see these happen to the EPL teams. How many bad years in a row does it take before you lose a CL spot (like the Serie A did for the upcoming campaign)?
LOL Napoli up 3 to 1 and Neville immediately implies that Napoli are less skilled.
This is embarrassing for Fox Soccer. Neville is just outright trashing Napoli at every turn.
Yeah, Shounen, we’ll leave Harkes out as being in another class, something different than a commentator.
Wasn’t Harkes fired to make way for Neville? I’ll take Harkes over this.
He is bad. I still rate Ray Hudson as the absolute nadir of modern commentating, but Neville is sure giving him a run for his money (Harkes is no longer in the discussion, correct?).
Is that Gary Neville?
This is some incredibly unprofessional commentary. I mean seriously? “Chelsea is better than this team. Napoli isn’t a very good team.”
Just wow.
it qualifies as the sloppiest CL game I’ve seen in a long time.
Okay, enough of this. Muted.
“Chelsea is better than this time. Napoli isn’t very good.”
Neville is shite.
Jesus, this is like amateur hour football. Glaring mistakes left and right.
I agree AwayGoals.
They shouldn’t sell out for an equalizer to the extent that they concede again though.
I think they’d be half-satisfied taking a single goal deficit back to stamford bridge. Especially with the away goal, however fortunate.
Edit: *bounds.
Seriously, Gary Neville’s ignorance knows no abounds. “Napoli’s players always do the same thing, don’t do much beyond that.”
Yeah, I stick with him to begin the half. The fouls are largely immaterial. While the goal was a lucky bounce and a D misplay, the play originated with a nice collection, turn and distribution to the right by Drogba. They need to use him as that target. What will help if they decide to try and score will be to bring on Kalou who is very experienced at running onto Drogba’s holdup play.
If nothing good happens at 70 minutes, definitely bring in Torres, though.
I know you like Drogba’s physicality Mig, but he has a half dozen fouls and was not involved in anything in the first half. You sticking with him for the second half?
I got you covered two comments down lol
that was a ridiculous remark, yes.
Just a really ignorant comment from the commentator. “It’s easy, just shut down Napoli’s top 4 players and Chelsea should win 3 or 4 to 1.”
And there’s the second for Napoli on a beautiful ball in.
Correction: Raul Meireles continues to fall apart. The guy is honestly horrible, and tonight is perfect evidence of that. Can’t complete a single forward pass, terrible defending on the goal, and picks up a yellow in the first half. At least that last point means that he cannot be eligible for the return leg…
Meireles is falling apart right now. Suspended for the second leg now and responsible for the goal.
Jeez, Ramires had exactly the same opportunity and skies it.
Both defenses look a mess. This could go 3-3 which would at least be entertaining.
If you’re supposed to be a “stable presence” then you should never get beat that easily. Just such pitiful defending on that goal.
What a goal! Chelsea’s defense just falls apart.