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Champions League Tops & Flops – Semi Final First Legs
Goal.com looks at the best and the worst performers for the Champions League last four this midweek…
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Apr 22, 2010 2:00:00 PM
By Carlo Garganese
It was an explosive two days of Champions League football this midweek as Inter and Bayern took one step closer to the final at the Santiago Bernabeu. The Italians stunned holders Barcelona with a brilliant 3-1 win at San Siro, thanks to goals from Wesley Sneijder, Douglas Maicon, and Diego Milito. Meanwhile, Arjen Robben-inspired Bayern Munich edged out Lyon 1-0 in Bavaria in a game where both Franck Ribery and Jeremy Toulalan were sent off.
As always, there were tops and flops from these games. Goal.com takes a look…
TOPS
Jose Mourinho (Inter): Proved why he is the best coach in world football by getting his tactics spot on. Inter allowed Barcelona to have the ball where they couldn’t hurt them before pressing, stealing possession and launching speedy counter-attacks from which their three goals were scored.
Javier Zanetti (Inter): All the talk before the game was about how Inter couldn't stop the world’s best player Lionel Messi, but the little Argentine only showed a few flashes of brilliance as he was silenced by compatriot Zanetti. When will the 36-year-old ever slow down?
Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich): Undoubtedly the most important player in this season’s Champions League. Without him, Bayern would have gone out to Fiorentina, gone out to Manchester United, and drawn with Lyon last night. Settled the game with a long-ranger and Bayern’s one standout star in Munich.
FLOPS
Ibrahimovic, Dani Alves, Busquets (Barcelona): Zlatan Ibrahimovic did his reputation as a big-match European flop no favours with an abysmal display against his former club. Barely moved all night, travelling the same distance as goalkeeper Victor Valdes!
Dani Alves defended atrociously and was undone down his side time and again by the likes of Goran Pandev. Midfielder Sergio Busquets emphatically failed to protect the Blaugrana defence, making it even harder to understand why he is still preferred to the clearly superior Yaya Toure.
Mario Balotelli (Inter): Committed “public suicide” by reacting to whistles from the home crowd by angrily storming off the pitch and chucking his shirt at full time. This led to team-mate Marco Materazzi attacking him in the tunnel, and president Massimo Moratti having to plead with fans to allow the youngster to exit the San Siro car park. Almost certainly destined to leave Inter in the summer now.
Inter-Barcelona Officials: Portuguese referee Olegário Benquerença, and his assistants Jose Manuel Silva Cardinal and Bertino Miranda made a string of errors throughout the game. Diego Milito's 3-1 goal was offside, while Barcelona also felt aggrieved after having two penalty shouts turned down. Inter will point to an incorrect offside flag on Milito at 0-0 when clean through.
Franck Ribery (Bayern Munich): A nightmare week for the Frenchman both on-and-off the pitch. Having been allegedly caught up in a sex scandal involving an underage prostitute, Ribery failed to place these troubles to one side as he was red carded for a nasty over-the-ball challenge on Lisandro Lopez. Fortunately for Ribery and Bayern, Robben came to their rescue.
As always, there were tops and flops from these games. Goal.com takes a look…
TOPS
Jose Mourinho (Inter): Proved why he is the best coach in world football by getting his tactics spot on. Inter allowed Barcelona to have the ball where they couldn’t hurt them before pressing, stealing possession and launching speedy counter-attacks from which their three goals were scored.
Javier Zanetti (Inter): All the talk before the game was about how Inter couldn't stop the world’s best player Lionel Messi, but the little Argentine only showed a few flashes of brilliance as he was silenced by compatriot Zanetti. When will the 36-year-old ever slow down?
Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich): Undoubtedly the most important player in this season’s Champions League. Without him, Bayern would have gone out to Fiorentina, gone out to Manchester United, and drawn with Lyon last night. Settled the game with a long-ranger and Bayern’s one standout star in Munich.
FLOPS
Ibrahimovic, Dani Alves, Busquets (Barcelona): Zlatan Ibrahimovic did his reputation as a big-match European flop no favours with an abysmal display against his former club. Barely moved all night, travelling the same distance as goalkeeper Victor Valdes!
Dani Alves defended atrociously and was undone down his side time and again by the likes of Goran Pandev. Midfielder Sergio Busquets emphatically failed to protect the Blaugrana defence, making it even harder to understand why he is still preferred to the clearly superior Yaya Toure.
Mario Balotelli (Inter): Committed “public suicide” by reacting to whistles from the home crowd by angrily storming off the pitch and chucking his shirt at full time. This led to team-mate Marco Materazzi attacking him in the tunnel, and president Massimo Moratti having to plead with fans to allow the youngster to exit the San Siro car park. Almost certainly destined to leave Inter in the summer now.
Inter-Barcelona Officials: Portuguese referee Olegário Benquerença, and his assistants Jose Manuel Silva Cardinal and Bertino Miranda made a string of errors throughout the game. Diego Milito's 3-1 goal was offside, while Barcelona also felt aggrieved after having two penalty shouts turned down. Inter will point to an incorrect offside flag on Milito at 0-0 when clean through.
Franck Ribery (Bayern Munich): A nightmare week for the Frenchman both on-and-off the pitch. Having been allegedly caught up in a sex scandal involving an underage prostitute, Ribery failed to place these troubles to one side as he was red carded for a nasty over-the-ball challenge on Lisandro Lopez. Fortunately for Ribery and Bayern, Robben came to their rescue.
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