Bayern Munich will compete for the European Cup at the Allianz Arena
As part of the general footballing audience, perhaps we really should of been more prepared, and perhaps the dramatic events at the Camp Nou should have had us acclimated to such a climatic [semi-]finale, yet still the excitement felt overwhelming. But while Chelsea survived successive waves coming down a one way attacking street, tonight’s visit from the Bavarians to Madrid was more a kin to high-speed traffic on both sides of a highway.
It was fast, it was quick, it had its fair share of crashes, and in the end it was decided by a game of Russian Roulette. For a match with such high stakes, there’s usually a party to fault. Yesterday, all of the social networks were inundated with claims that Barcelona needed a “plan B” (another story for another day), but on this occasion blame seems too harsh of a serving to dish out.
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Fernando Torres put Chelsea’s triumph beyond doubt in extra time
When Andres Iniesta slotted home Barca’s second goal, it’d may have well come with a deafening sound of reckoning. Such was the feeling of inevitability that ensued after the Spaniard’s strike. There was just no reason to believe that any suspense would follow. John Terry had already been sent off, it was the Catalans second, and the fact that Chelsea was down by a lone score was miles from recollection.
The headlines may as well have been readied, and, for the more cynical, the conspiracy theories equally so. But that funny, old, beautiful game provided what the more neutral audiences of any spectacle will always love most; a twist.
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But these calls just never happen anywhere else. It’s incredible actually. Robin Van Persie last year, technically right, and that’s a stretch, but rarely, if ever applied anywhere else. Alessandro Nesta a few weeks ago, perhaps technically a foul, but rarely, if ever given anywhere else.
Here, John Terry is just not clever, to say the very least, but when do we ever see a line judge brave enough to make that call, never mind calling offsides right, with the ref looking elsewhere?
When it comes to Barca matches, things are applied strictly by the book, and that’s alright. They question is, why only in Catalonia and no where else?
Wake up, check twitter, look on the internet. Oh yes, that DID happen.
As hard as it may be to imagine, even the best things in the world have their detractors. Likewise, regardless of how much it is considered the most prestigious club competition in the world, the UEFA Champions League has received its share of criticism, particularly from those who’ve aquired an apparent distaste for the earlier proceedings of the tournament. Perceived as stale and routine, the group stages of Europe’s showpiece event have often been dismissed, by some, for its lack of ability to inspire that “edge of your seat” thrill, the type that is so appealing to all football fans. Close your eyes, allow a brief flashback to yesterday, and, as you can imagine, the irony becomes overwhelming.
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