CL Group D Thread - AC Milan - Benfica - Celtic - Shakhtar

btw, it was a slightly controversial win for Shakhtar - their goal was scored with a Benfica player down injured.

Benfica also missed a whole host of easy chances in the 2nd half. Combination of bad luck and poor finishing.

Red n' Black wrote:

Rez wrote:

Forza Italia!Forza Milan! wrote:My only regret is that the Celtic fan didn't hit Dida harder.

He is Milans Barthez, I am surprised Milan have persisted with this clown for so long; as his goalkeeping skills are as bad as his acting skills.

You know Rez, the sad part is that everyone (even non-Milan fans) can realise how big of a liability this moron is. Everyone apart from Braida, Galliani and Berlusconi, the people that count..

I feel your pain, we had Barthez for 3 seasons making mistake after mistake in big games and doing embarrassing and ridiculous things, he cost us so many big games and at least one league title.

I can only assume that Dida is Kakas best friend and they play him to keep Ricky happy or he has pictures of the Milan directors in a compromising situation, as he surely cant be persistantly picked for footballing reasons.

Anyway you will still probably top the group, so I wouldnt be too concerned about last nights result.

He has a new nickname... Didaster!

Rez wrote:
I feel your pain, we had Barthez for 3 seasons making mistake after mistake in big games and doing embarrassing and ridiculous things, he cost us so many big games and at least one league title.

I can only assume that Dida is Kakas best friend and they play him to keep Ricky happy or he has pictures of the Milan directors in a compromising situation, as he surely cant be persistantly picked for footballing reasons.

Anyway you will still probably top the group, so I wouldnt be too concerned about last nights result.

bluenine wrote:He has a new nickname... Didaster!

Dida was a joke... sad stuff.

Benfica lossing at home was a surprise to me...thought they'd come through. The Luz isn't the easiest place to play... but I guess when things just aren't coming off it's hard.

The benfiquistas are pretty quiet in this thread... I'd like to hear their opinions on the current state of the group.

Lamps, Johninho, Paulo...

Losing at home to shakhtar makes qualifying very difficult. we have to hope that as injured players return, and Camacho gets more time working with the players, the performances will continue to improve. Hopefully, we'll be able to perform for 90mins, and not just in patches, as the season has been so far for us.
When/If that happens, we are capable of picking up sufficient points to progress, but it looks we are relying on other teams getting the results to help us.

I didn't expect that loss at home, but I guess Shakhtar has a decent team... so much so they won away at a difficult place to win.
Having beaten Celtic as well, Shakhatar are looking good right now, but they still have the Milan matches... that may be in Benfica's favour especially when you consider that Milan have already lost points...they're gonna wanna get things in oder ASAP.

Benfica will have to get max points in their remaining home games I think if they're gonna go through, difficult to do, but not impossible. In any event, it's still to early to start thinking about the Uefa Cup... but they'll have to get their act together quickly. If they do...

Very Very difficult. Having watched both games, albeit one in TV and the other on the net, I have to, sadly, concluded that we are in fact the worst team of the four.

Our attack doesnt produce much opportunities for the strikers and the strikers dont seem to be able to score with an open goal.

I feel we can still achieve something, or at least hope, but for any hope of qualification we have to win both games with Celtic. If that happens then it is possible to dream, less than that and Uefa cup, is our only chance, and even that it will be difficult.

pauloduarte wrote:Very Very difficult. Having watched both games, albeit one in TV and the other on the net, I have to, sadly, concluded that we are in fact the worst team of the four.

Our attack doesnt produce much opportunities for the strikers and the strikers dont seem to be able to score with an open goal.

I feel we can still achieve something, or at least hope, but for any hope of qualification we have to win both games with Celtic. If that happens then it is possible to dream, less than that and Uefa cup, is our only chance, and even that it will be difficult.

??

I saw the Benfica-Shakhtar game. I thought Benfica just didn't take their chances. They played well though.

I'm going yo give my opinion, albeit some people may not agree
Shaktar are very good going forward, midfield and attack, but they are atrocious defending
Both they full backs go on the attack, leaving the defense wide open.
Benfica where very slow building up, and over elaborated on the middle of the park
Every time we sped our game, Shaktar defense was all over the place
Saying that, their goal came from an atrocious mistake (another one ) from Nelson. They had one or two more chances, but I believe that against more organized teams they will stumble big time
And you can not have 21 shots, 9 on goal, and not take one of the chances.
Celtic next, and hopefully Petit will be back. We missed him big time in this 2 CL games

Pretty good summary of the game.

HUGE game for Benfica against Celtic this week. I'm thinking Benfica will come good and get their first 3pts in this years CL.

Celtic were beat pretty soundley on the weekend by Rangers, 0-3, and Benfica is going to have to advantage of this oportunity to catch them while they're down.

Benfica to win, and then take the fight to Glasgow.

As I said, Shaktar against a more organized team, crumbles like a pack of cards
Benfica, Jesus, how many time can we hit the post and up right
Now we need a good result in Scotland.
Hope Cardozo gets is confidence back, and Di Maria also

I especially liked the shot off the cross-bar afer the keeper spilled the ball...that was quality - not an easy thing to do.

If you can get a win in Glasgow you'll be in it, but don't forget you still need to play Shaktar in the Ukraine.

Milan in Lisboa could go either way, depends what Milan side shows up.

good win for benfica throws the group right alive but i think celtic were a bit hard done by. thats football though

Did you see the number of shots off the posts/bar Benfica had?

Based on the chances created, it seemed as though Benfica were the better side.

Great performance by Milan! We need to be as decisive in less space. In other words, in Serie A, we need to be as good.

Was thinking of selling Kaka from my fantasy team, but watching the highlights it's clear he was v. v. unlucky...how did *that* shot not go in...it crossed the entire face of the goal along the line!

Luso wrote:Did you see the number of shots off the posts/bar Benfica had?

Based on the chances created, it seemed as though Benfica were the better side.

I agree...who is this Oscar Cardozo guy? Reminds me very much of Peter Crouch - same lanky, awkward style, but surprisingly good skill with his feet. And tends to look very low on confidence all the time.

kas wrote:

Luso wrote:Did you see the number of shots off the posts/bar Benfica had?

Based on the chances created, it seemed as though Benfica were the better side.

I agree...who is this Oscar Cardozo guy? Reminds me very much of Peter Crouch - same lanky, awkward style, but surprisingly good skill with his feet. And tends to look very low on confidence all the time.

They bough him this summer for 9M Euros, not sure from who though...South American club. He's Paraguyan though, I know that.

He looks down on confidence because he has been. The guy's been going through a rough spell after arriving in Europe labeled as a goal-scorer. Goals have been hard to come by, and when the fans/club expect them from you and things don't go right I guess it's easy to be down on yourself.

Maybe the goal will lift his spirits. Let's hope not...at least not in the league.

Finally we won! Cardozo was unlucky and class at the same time. For the first time was impressed with him. His goal was very well taken and finish excellent.

I find funny that people say Celtic was hard done by, but then again if they only saw the highlights on Sky Sports 2 last night off course they will because they only shown the two attacks that Celtic had on the first half the two crossbar and post and the goal.

Benfica was the better team throughout and in a different day or with a tiny bit of luck, Cardozo could have scored 3 or even 4 goals. Now to have a chance we have to win at Celtic.

Can we do it? At this moment in time it is a heart attack waiting to happen being a Benfica supporter, its like Forrest Gump said "life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you going to get", that's Benfica at this time!!!

First half was to forget, second was much better, we played at a faster pace. Cardoso had his best game for us, the control turn and curled shot against the post was pure class. I don't think his confidence is down, he just plainly tired, and his scoring isn't that bad, in the C/L he has only one goal, yet 3 efforts against the woodwork, and in the superliga, 2 goals, one less than the usual superliga top scorer Liedson. He needs to have a rest, and luckily Camacho knows that, so his time between games is most spent recovering.
This group is wide open, and any of the 4 teams can finish in any position.

StevieG wrote:good win for benfica throws the group right alive but i think celtic were a bit hard done by. thats football though

Actually no, Celtic where very poor, specially in the 2nd half, where only Boruc and the crossbar and upright prevented a more solid advantage to Benfica
And we are not playing that well

Clubs Statistics
Benfica Celtic
1 Goals scored 0
1 Yellow card 3
0 Red card 0
8 Shots on goal 3
9 Shots wide 6
9 Fouls committed 18
10 Corners 4
2 Offsides 2
34' 19'' Ball. Poss. (time) 22' 32''
60% Ball. Poss. (%) 40%

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=b5cIsvu28f8

Highlights in Portuguese

0-0. The scoreline we make into an art form.

Forza Italia!Forza Milan! wrote:0-0. The scoreline we make into an art form.

Forza do you think that Ancelotti will play Ronaldo? Gila almost got injured in the first half and Ronaldo could bring more speed for the team.

Shitty result for Benfica; leaves even the Uefa cup in serious doubt.

Let's hope they can get some needed points and land the 3rd spot as I think CL is now out of the question.

A good Uefa Cup run could be just what Camacho needs to sort out the squad and get some confidence/experience into the younger members of the team.

Christ, I hate Rangers and Celtic. Such boring teams that park the bus and score from counters. How Celtic can get through solely on their home form is beyond me.