UEFA Champions League Round-up: 10/3 & 11/3

Dmac · 03-10-2009, 11:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BBC Sport

UEFA Champions League Round-up: 10/3

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Fernando Torres delivered a scintillating solo performance to torment his old adversaries Real Madrid and send Liverpool into the Champions League quarter-finals.

Torres, for so long the symbol of Real's fierce rivals Atletico Madrid, returned from injury to spearhead a Liverpool display that once again re-inforced their credentials in Europe's elite competition.

Torres put Liverpool ahead after 16 minutes when he turned in Dirk Kuyt's cross from close range - although Real complained bitterly that defender Pepe had been fouled in the build up.

Real also felt they were harshly treated when Steven Gerrard scored Liverpool's second from the spot 12 minutes later after Gabriel Heinze had been penalised for handball.

The brutal truth for Real was that they were outclassed, with Liverpool underlining their vast superiority when Gerrard slammed home the third from Ryan Babel's cross two minutes after the interval.

Chelsea booked their place in the quarter-finals of the Champions League despite a severe test from Juventus.

The hosts dominated from the start and went ahead when David Trezeguet played in Vincenzo Iaquinta to clip home.

Chelsea thought Didier Drogba's free-kick had gone over the line, before Michael Essien bundled in from a yard.

Juve had Giorgio Chiellini sent off but Alessandro del Piero scored from the spot after Juliano Belletti handled, before Drogba's late strike settled it.

It was perhaps more than Chelsea deserved after a disappointing display, especially in the first half, but they improved sufficiently after the break and Guus Hiddink will be delighted they made it through.

Bayern Munich cruised into the quarter-finals of the Champions League after they annihilated sorry Sporting.

Lucas Podolski scored a pile-driver and overhead kick for Bayern early on.

Anderson Polga's own goal increased the lead but Joao Moutinho rifled in from range for Sporting before Bastian Schweinsteiger stroked home for Bayern.

Captain Mark van Bommel poked home, Miroslav Klose added a penalty and Thomas Muller tapped in late on to complete the rout.

Bayern's 12-1 aggregate win set a new record for a Champions League knock-out stage tie - bettering French side Lyon's old mark of 10-2 against Werder Bremen in the 2004/05 season.

A Joseba Llorente strike saw Villarreal edge out Panathinaikos to make the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

Ariel Ibagaza put Villarreal, who were held 1-1 at home in the first leg, in the lead when he finished off a fine move with a first-time strike.

Vangelis Mantzios equalised for the Greek side by heading in a corner kick from Giorgos Karagounis.

But from another counter-attack Ibagaza set up substitute Llorente to drill home Villarreal's winner.

The 70th-minute goal seemed to knock the wind out of Pana's sails and the visitors were able to see out the remainder of the match fairly comfortably.

So... I'm back I guess.

Best performance of the season by far and damn do I wish we could play like that all of the time.

PeaceSells · 03-11-2009, 12:03 AM

The "penalty" totally ruined the match as a spectacle. Madrid were never going to have a hope after that and appeared to just totally switch off. Pity.

But yes, Liverpool did play very well.

Dmac · 03-11-2009, 12:05 AM

I knew it wasn't a penalty straight away myself but you cannot sit there and tell me you can't see why it was given, he threw his arm towards the ball even if it did hit his shoulder, it was his own fault.

Tommy Platinum · 03-11-2009, 05:28 AM

Madrid made you look better than you were, but you were good.

They should be ashamed of themselves imo.

4 English teams through again I predict.

Oh and lmao @ 12-1.

Flash_Back · 03-11-2009, 11:43 AM

Excellent performance from Liverpool and Chelsea to be fair because Juventus probably deserved to go through on general play over the two legs.

All hail Bayern lmao winning 7-1 without Luca Toni and Franck Ribery just shows how bad Sporting were.

Dmac · 03-11-2009, 11:59 AM

Madrid didn't help themselves but they didn't do all of the work... or none of it as it should happen, this was a brilliant performance from us, can you not even admit that Tom?

Tommy Platinum · 03-11-2009, 12:22 PM

I said you were good. You don't beat Madrid 5-0 on aggregate without playing extremely well.

All I am saying is that Madrid really are pretty damn bad in Europe, and they proved that again last night. They were never in danger of making it close, although Liverpool at times were unplayable.

PeaceSells · 03-11-2009, 12:25 PM

I think it would have been a lot closer had that penalty decision been made correctly, ie not one.

Tommy Platinum · 03-11-2009, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeaceSells
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I think it would have been a lot closer had that penalty decision been made correctly, ie not one.

That was a shame because as you said, it ended it as a contest, but I highly doubt Madrid would have got back into it. Liverpool were too good and they were too bad.

PeaceSells · 03-11-2009, 12:33 PM

I think the whole (Madrid) team just switched off after that though. I'm not saying they would have won, who knows, but I think it'd have been a lot closer and they'd have still been up for it by that stage.

UEFA Champions League Round-up: 10/3 & 11/3

This is a discussion on UEFA Champions League Round-up: 10/3 & 11/3 within the European Sports forums, part of the Sports Forums category; Originally Posted by BBC Sport UEFA Champions League Round-up: 10/3 To view links or images in this forum your post ...