Tag Archives: champions league

Champions League Chuntering: There’s Always Next Year…

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Robert Lewandowski learned what it was like to have the personal attention of Real Madrid’s record red card earner last night. Image: DANI POZO/AFP/Getty Images.

In the end, of course, it all came down to Sergio Ramos. Jose Mourinho’s musing on the fact that Robert Lewandowski scored four goals in the first leg and yet was not fouled once was obviously taken to heart by the Real Madrid central defender, whose constant clattering, elbowing and bullying of the Polish international was sufficient for him to lose his composure in front of goal.

It’s a testament to Lewandowski’s focus and professionalism that he accepted the majority of the attention without complaint, despite ample opportunity to bitch to referee Howard Webb, and, amid rumours of his departure, it’s difficult not to feel like the Champions League trophy is his idea of a perfect parting gift to the club that gave him his breakthrough.

Dortmund’s necessarily stoic, functional performance last night in the Bernabeu makes it hard to argue.

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Champions League Chuntering: Conquerors With Combovers

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Image: PATRIK STOLLARZ/AFP/Getty Images.

Love him or hate him, the bloated, whacked out world of elite football needs Jose Mourinho. The Real Madrid manager, still reeling from Borussia Dortmund’s captivating demolition of his team, stated in a press conference last night that he was certain his players could overturn the 4-1 deficit, claiming “Of course we can do it. On a crazy night where everyone performs at a high level and you score every chance, you can do it. What you cannot do is get knocked out without dying on the pitch.”

Like the replay wasn’t going to be entertaining enough without the likes of Sergio Ramos, Cristiano Ronaldo and Xabi Alonso overdosing on tanning oil if they fail to reach the final.

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Borussia Dortmund: You Know You’re Old When…

…a club posts a picture of several players relaxing after qualifying for the knock-out stages of the Champions League on their Facebook timeline and you think it’s a publicity shot from Grange Hill circa 1987.

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Champions League: A Little Something For Everyone

JT fiddles while Roman burns. Image: Michael Steele/Getty Images Europe.

Chances are, if your team’s hopes of qualification took a knock, one of your club’s fiercest rivals probably shipped points too.

It was that kind of Champions League week.

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