[EU] Champions League 05/06 (29 Viewers)
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It is confirmed Messi will miss the match at the San Siro. Ronaldinho will be rested against Villarreal too but should be OK for Milan. Actually Messi could be out for the rest of the season (only make the CL final if Barca get there). There are also doubts over Beletti and Motta.
Looking at the possible Barca team - Milan have a huge advantage as this is hardly the line-up Rijkaard would want for such a fixture with the midfield looking especially weak:
Valdes; Beletti (or Oleguer), Oleguer (or Marquez), Puyol, Gio; Edmilson, Motta (or Iniesta), Van Bommel; Larsson, Eto'o, Ronaldinho.
Looks like Barca's (relative) struggle win continue and with recent statistics in CL they will not come away with the win at the San Siro. Big chances for Milan definitely.
Looking at the possible Barca team - Milan have a huge advantage as this is hardly the line-up Rijkaard would want for such a fixture with the midfield looking especially weak:
Valdes; Beletti (or Oleguer), Oleguer (or Marquez), Puyol, Gio; Edmilson, Motta (or Iniesta), Van Bommel; Larsson, Eto'o, Ronaldinho.
Looks like Barca's (relative) struggle win continue and with recent statistics in CL they will not come away with the win at the San Siro. Big chances for Milan definitely.
I believe they do too - but unfortunately most of Europe do not see it this way. I don't think Barcelona match up particularly well against Milan either. Still it will be a very tight match and even if Milan do manage to progress they will be considered 'lucky'.
Barcelona with this generation of players will eventually take this title and make new history for a club which has a dour standing in this competition really. I think it's too soon for Rijkaard and this team - they are the best team in Europe for the second season but performances against Chelsea and Benfica show their problems. More in expectation and belief rather than quality. Milan have those attributes and it would be a fitting end for this team with 3 finals in 4 years taking over Real's position from 2000-2003 as the dominant team. I though Instanbul would be the end for this team and would not be competing at this level until a number of new players were injected into the team. But it appears the hunger from that loss and all-important timing have overturned those thoughts.
As for the other semi - I am also more convinced with Villarreal. Reyes missing the Highbury match is a huge loss. Success so far has been with the 4-5-1 but mainly direct running from Hleb and Reyes on the break. Now he will either have to use Pires (very slow) or Ljunberg who has been the support in the middle. Alternatively he could just re-adjust to the more conventional 4-4-2 with Van Persie in support of Henry. I see Arsenal having to break pattern from the last performances because of that and Villarreal's more disciplined approach in that they will attack less than Juve did but have more possession as their normal character. Having the Tottenham match the Saturday before the 2nd leg in Spain is also a problem for Wenger too.
Barcelona with this generation of players will eventually take this title and make new history for a club which has a dour standing in this competition really. I think it's too soon for Rijkaard and this team - they are the best team in Europe for the second season but performances against Chelsea and Benfica show their problems. More in expectation and belief rather than quality. Milan have those attributes and it would be a fitting end for this team with 3 finals in 4 years taking over Real's position from 2000-2003 as the dominant team. I though Instanbul would be the end for this team and would not be competing at this level until a number of new players were injected into the team. But it appears the hunger from that loss and all-important timing have overturned those thoughts.
As for the other semi - I am also more convinced with Villarreal. Reyes missing the Highbury match is a huge loss. Success so far has been with the 4-5-1 but mainly direct running from Hleb and Reyes on the break. Now he will either have to use Pires (very slow) or Ljunberg who has been the support in the middle. Alternatively he could just re-adjust to the more conventional 4-4-2 with Van Persie in support of Henry. I see Arsenal having to break pattern from the last performances because of that and Villarreal's more disciplined approach in that they will attack less than Juve did but have more possession as their normal character. Having the Tottenham match the Saturday before the 2nd leg in Spain is also a problem for Wenger too.
Let me expand on that point; IF Barcelona do not achieve Europe's top prize this year:
Rijkaard's Barcelona will have been without doubt the best club over the last two years. Yet Ronaldinho the teams most influential player turned 26 last month and looks likely to secure a 2nd World Cup winners medal but this time being the star-man having played 3rd billing in 2002.
This point leads me to believe that the CL is the one title above all nearly all footballers in Europe want more than any. It is also the more valuable. Of course all aspire to win the World Cup - but every four years and your country of birth are huge hinderances; George Weah is just one recent example.
The fact that so many Brazilian's participate in this tournament and are influential for their clubs also strengthen this claim.
But here is the ultimate point:
Cafu, Carlos and Ronaldo have all been involved in the last three World Cup squads that have reached the final and look certain for Winners medal No.3 this year. But just look at these players in a tournament which over the same time takes place yearly. Cafu has for most career been at the wrong clubs, Carlos perhaps as he was also the best left-back in this period deservedly happened to be at the right place at the right time and Ronaldo at various places where he must have thought a medal was coming his way.
In fact the maximum a player has won this tournament is on three occasions. Carlos, Raul and Morientes can all be considered priveliged for being involved in a team with such an illustrious history. Carlos' place deserved but the other two definitely Morientes owe some to their nationality. The latter in fact had the opportunity to go one better with Monaco in 2004 but failed. Joining these Real players is Seedorf who is really the ultimate example; having won with Ajax, Real and Milan.
Seedorf epitomises the scope available to players in this tournament. Unlike nationality one can go in search of their destination to land this trophy. Yet ironically, so few players are repeated winners or winner at all. If we consider a player to have between 10-12 years at the top and it appears the maximum wins are 3 (currently) and possibly 4 it is very strange. Or perhaps not? It highlights the plateau that exists in European football.
Zidane after WC1998, Euro2000 and two straight finals with Juventus was still not content and moved to Real to finally land the one oustanding medal. His victory was perhaps the sweetest as it was not only by destination but he proved he was the best player at that time with the sensational winning strike at Hampden Park.
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So is the World Cup the biggest achievement in a players career? It's occurance is outweighed by a 1:4 ratio by the Champions League yet after this summer certain players are likely to make that ratio reversed in relation to medals.
I have no doubts we will see Ronaldinho end as a winner of this title. No doubts. Maybe not this year but definitely with the current generation at Barca. Repeated winner? Hard to say - successive winner? Almost no chance.
Rijkaard's Barcelona will have been without doubt the best club over the last two years. Yet Ronaldinho the teams most influential player turned 26 last month and looks likely to secure a 2nd World Cup winners medal but this time being the star-man having played 3rd billing in 2002.
This point leads me to believe that the CL is the one title above all nearly all footballers in Europe want more than any. It is also the more valuable. Of course all aspire to win the World Cup - but every four years and your country of birth are huge hinderances; George Weah is just one recent example.
The fact that so many Brazilian's participate in this tournament and are influential for their clubs also strengthen this claim.
But here is the ultimate point:
Cafu, Carlos and Ronaldo have all been involved in the last three World Cup squads that have reached the final and look certain for Winners medal No.3 this year. But just look at these players in a tournament which over the same time takes place yearly. Cafu has for most career been at the wrong clubs, Carlos perhaps as he was also the best left-back in this period deservedly happened to be at the right place at the right time and Ronaldo at various places where he must have thought a medal was coming his way.
In fact the maximum a player has won this tournament is on three occasions. Carlos, Raul and Morientes can all be considered priveliged for being involved in a team with such an illustrious history. Carlos' place deserved but the other two definitely Morientes owe some to their nationality. The latter in fact had the opportunity to go one better with Monaco in 2004 but failed. Joining these Real players is Seedorf who is really the ultimate example; having won with Ajax, Real and Milan.
Seedorf epitomises the scope available to players in this tournament. Unlike nationality one can go in search of their destination to land this trophy. Yet ironically, so few players are repeated winners or winner at all. If we consider a player to have between 10-12 years at the top and it appears the maximum wins are 3 (currently) and possibly 4 it is very strange. Or perhaps not? It highlights the plateau that exists in European football.
Zidane after WC1998, Euro2000 and two straight finals with Juventus was still not content and moved to Real to finally land the one oustanding medal. His victory was perhaps the sweetest as it was not only by destination but he proved he was the best player at that time with the sensational winning strike at Hampden Park.
----------------------------------------
So is the World Cup the biggest achievement in a players career? It's occurance is outweighed by a 1:4 ratio by the Champions League yet after this summer certain players are likely to make that ratio reversed in relation to medals.
I have no doubts we will see Ronaldinho end as a winner of this title. No doubts. Maybe not this year but definitely with the current generation at Barca. Repeated winner? Hard to say - successive winner? Almost no chance.
Time for some pontification with the last four teams in the CL and European leagues winding down - a good article from my favourite journalist:
Attacking intent By Gabriele Marcotti
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3361-2137813,00.html
Some interesting points there and ones that have been gone over in different threads here on this forum explaining Juve's relative successes and failures in Italy and Europe respectively.
But I don't agree with him on Arsenal as they have succeeded so far with conservative tactics. The fact that they have explosive attacking players makes this even worse.
And another article on Villarreal and Riquelme:
Juan to remember By Gabriele Marcotti
http://www.sundayherald.com/55183
Attacking intent By Gabriele Marcotti
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3361-2137813,00.html
Some interesting points there and ones that have been gone over in different threads here on this forum explaining Juve's relative successes and failures in Italy and Europe respectively.
But I don't agree with him on Arsenal as they have succeeded so far with conservative tactics. The fact that they have explosive attacking players makes this even worse.
And another article on Villarreal and Riquelme:
Juan to remember By Gabriele Marcotti
http://www.sundayherald.com/55183
Gilardino set for Pippo role Monday 17 April, 2006
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Alberto Gilardino will start in attack for Milan against Barcelona after Pippo Inzaghi was ruled out of the Champions League semi-final.
Inzaghi has been crucial to the Rossoneri’s European Cup campaign by netting braces in the San Siro legs against both Bayern Munich and Lyon.
But he’s failed to recover from the illness which saw him miss the derby on Friday night and will subsequently sit out the Barca clash too.
Boss Carlo Ancelotti will subsequently field Alberto Gilardino in attack alongside Andriy Shevchenko on Tuesday.
The tie will be a big test of Gilardino’s ability given the recent goal drought which the £18m summer signing is suffering from.
The ex-Parma sensation hasn’t netted in one of his eight Champions League games so far, where he has amassed 406 minutes.
Although he has grabbed 16 goals in Serie A, the Italian international hasn’t bagged since the 4-0 win at Udinese on March 19.
Milan do have Shevchenko to rely on though as he’s collected nine in the European Cup this term, while Kaka will orchestrate play behind the attacking duo.
There is good news for boss Ancelotti, though, with the likely return from injury of Dutch master Jaap Stam.
He’s being tipped to start on the right side of defence, with Brazilian flying wing-back Serginho set to begin on the left.
Alessandro Nesta and Kakha Kaladze, fresh from his derby goal, should start in the centre, with Paolo Maldini taking his spot on the bench.
Milan probable: Dida; Stam, Nesta, Kaladze, Serginho; Pirlo, Gattuso, Seedorf; Kaka; Gilardino, Shevchenko.
source: channel4.com
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Alberto Gilardino will start in attack for Milan against Barcelona after Pippo Inzaghi was ruled out of the Champions League semi-final.
Inzaghi has been crucial to the Rossoneri’s European Cup campaign by netting braces in the San Siro legs against both Bayern Munich and Lyon.
But he’s failed to recover from the illness which saw him miss the derby on Friday night and will subsequently sit out the Barca clash too.
Boss Carlo Ancelotti will subsequently field Alberto Gilardino in attack alongside Andriy Shevchenko on Tuesday.
The tie will be a big test of Gilardino’s ability given the recent goal drought which the £18m summer signing is suffering from.
The ex-Parma sensation hasn’t netted in one of his eight Champions League games so far, where he has amassed 406 minutes.
Although he has grabbed 16 goals in Serie A, the Italian international hasn’t bagged since the 4-0 win at Udinese on March 19.
Milan do have Shevchenko to rely on though as he’s collected nine in the European Cup this term, while Kaka will orchestrate play behind the attacking duo.
There is good news for boss Ancelotti, though, with the likely return from injury of Dutch master Jaap Stam.
He’s being tipped to start on the right side of defence, with Brazilian flying wing-back Serginho set to begin on the left.
Alessandro Nesta and Kakha Kaladze, fresh from his derby goal, should start in the centre, with Paolo Maldini taking his spot on the bench.
Milan probable: Dida; Stam, Nesta, Kaladze, Serginho; Pirlo, Gattuso, Seedorf; Kaka; Gilardino, Shevchenko.
source: channel4.com
