CL Group C Thread - Barcelona, Sporting, Basel, Shakhtar

Matchday One
FC Basel 1893 vs. FC Shakhtar Donetsk - Tuesday 19/06
FC Barcelona vs. Sporting Clube - Tuesday 19/06

Matchday Two
Sporting Clube vs. FC Basel 1893 - Wednesday 01/09
FC Shakhtar Donetsk vs. FC Barcelona - Wednesday 01/09

Matchday Three
FC Shakhtar Donetsk vs. Sporting Clube - Wednesday 22/10
FC Basel 1893 vs. FC Barcelona - Wednesday 22/10

Matchday Four
Sporting Clube vs. FC Shakhtar Donetsk - Tuesday 04/11
FC Barcelona vs. FC Basel 1893 - Tuesday 04/11

Matchday Five
FC Shakhtar Donetsk vs. FC Basel 1893 - Wednesday 26/11
Sporting Clube vs. FC Barcelona - Wednesday 26/11

Matchday Six
FC Basel 1893 vs. Sporting Clube - Tuesday 09/12
FC Barcelona vs. FC Shakhtar Donetsk - Tuesday 09/12

Good schedule for Barça...start and end at home, and get both the distant away trips out of the way early.

Come on Sporting, Basel, and Shakhtar!

kas wrote:Good schedule for Barça...start and end at home, and get both the distant away trips out of the way early.

When did Zurich become a distant destination?

Well it's further away than Portugal innit

kas wrote:Well it's further away than Portugal innit

it's not. Basel is closer to Barcelona than Lisbon.

Messi v Sporting
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAmrENOwARA&e

How did Henry play?

Batman wrote:Messi v Sporting
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAmrENOwARA&e

I like his last trick, awesome player.

Henry was better than other games this season...got more involved in the game and although his final pass was mostly poor, at least he's getting closer to goal. Had the usual problems of not being able to get past his man 1-on-1 though...only when the ball is played through into space for him to run onto.

Alive and Kicking wrote:

Batman wrote:Messi v Sporting
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAmrENOwARA&e

I like his last trick, awesome player.

Too selfish

TM wrote:

Alive and Kicking wrote:

Batman wrote:Messi v Sporting
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAmrENOwARA&e

I like his last trick, awesome player.

Too selfish

Remarkably, after a front page with the headline "porque no te callas" aimed at Maradona last week (for his comments that Messi sometimes only plays for Messi), SPORT themselves have a small article today about whether Maradona had a point. Marca have promptly picked up on this too and portrayed it as a "Camp Nou gets frustrated with Messi" kind of message.

Will be interesting to see the player's reaction to it, and whether Pep points out anything to him after the game.

Its true tho' that Youtube clip sums it up, he tries to go past one defender too many on most occassions, the goal he scored against Getafe was class, but he's never going to score that kinda goal each week, let alone again in his career.

I Predict a very close match today, with up most likely ending up on the losing end.

Not if the ref has anything to do with it.

Madrid fans should know.

Yeah thats why we got a non existent PK at the weekend

No need to feel jealous because the refs liked us last week, it was only a fling,you'll get a clear offside goal or a pk next week.

Maybe the match will be cancelled because of fan trouble?

Messiah wrote:I Predict a very close match today, with up most likely ending up on the losing end.

I can also see that happening. Especially with the rotations and a team that leaks goals.

Marquez, Puyol, Pique, Keita, Toure

I think we'll be fine.

What do you expect ffs?

Toure and Keita in the same midfield will overrun any midfield in Europe, let alone little Shakatar.

Pique is playing a lot, good to see.

Yeah that's what I meant, it's our strongest lineup in terms of physical strength...except maybe Abidal for Alves (with Puyol as the RB).

any links where i can watch barca tonight?

MightyBarca wrote:any links where i can watch barca tonight?

There are some links, but nothing really too good, maybe except "mms" streams, if you can put it through Windows Media Player - http://www.myp2p.eu/broadcast.php?matchid=19777&part=sports

Found one looking really nicely - http://www.fotbollive.se/index.php?id=2567

messi is my fooking captain

http://indonewyork.com/contents/Multimedia/livetv/star2/

Poor game, and an awful first half from us. Shakhtar are pressuring the ball all over the pitch when we have it, and this tactic has completely halted the pace and fluency of our passing game. In attack they're mostly just hitting it long. But they are showing a lot more urgency whereas we look very lethargic.

They've had one clear chance other than the goal, while I don't think we have a single shot on goal. Some of the distribution from defense to midfield has been cringeworthy. Pique and Keita the main culprits. Henry looks like a threat, and Iniesta has looked bright on the few rare occasions that he got the ball. Etoo is anonymous.

Again the team overall looks like it has no shape or organisation to it. Massive improvement needed in the 2nd half, and Messi needs to come on to add some creativity and imagination.

ILSINHO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!