** Uefa Champions League, Semi-final ** *spoilers*

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Tummy

Tummy

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Uefa Champions League Semi-final

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Barcelona v Chelsea
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Venue: Camp Nou
Date: Tuesday, 28 April
Kick-off: 1945 BST

Man Utd v Arsenal
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Venue: Old Trafford
Date: Wednesday, 29 April
Kick-off: 1945 BST

Team News:

Barcelona: Valdes, Alves, Pique, Marquez, Abidal, Toure, Xavi, Iniesta, Messi, Henry, Eto'o.
Subs: Jorquera, Puyol, Gudjohnsen, Bojan, Keita, Silvinho, Hleb.

Chelsea: Cech, Ivanovic, Terry, Alex, Bosingwa, Lampard, Mikel, Ballack, Essien, Malouda, Drogba.
Subs: Hilario, Di Santo, Kalou, Belletti, Anelka, Mancienne, Stoch.

Manchester United team: Van der Sar, Evra, O'Shea, Ferdinand, Vidic, Fletcher, Carrick, Anderson, Ronaldo, Rooney, Tevez.
Subs: Foster, Berbatov, Giggs, Scholes, Park, Rafael, Evans.

Arsenal team: Almunia, Sagna, Gibbs, Silvestre, Toure, Diaby, Song, Fabregas, Nasri, Walcott, Adebayor.
Subs: Fabianski, Eduardo, Denilson, Ramsey, Djourou, Bendtner, Eboue.
 
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If Cech has found some confidence from somewhere Chelsea really have a chance - otherwise it could be a little embarassing

Man Utd vs Arsenal game is too close to call - it could really go either way, but will hopefully be two great games (well 4 I guess if you include the 2nd legs)
 
Even with Chelsea at 5/1 and the draw at 5/2 I don't fancy a flutter, if every Chelsea player doesn't stand up to be counted it will be a hammering and even if they do it could still be.
 
2-1 to Barca in the first leg I think.

2-2 in the Manu game.

Arsenal V Barca is the final I want and have Arsenal win this time. I think it's more likely to be a manu chelsea final though.
 
I don't think Barca will walk this at all. I think it will be 1-1 or 2-2. For some reason I have huge confidence in Chelsea tonight.
 
Fancy Chelsea to knock Barca out.

Fancy us to win tonight as well, team hopefully as follows:

VdS
O'Shea
Ferdinand
Vidic
Evra
Ronaldo
Giggs
Anderson
Rooney
Berbatov
Tevez

Although no doubt Fergie will be cautious and end up leaving Rooney and Tevez on the bench, playing one up top and using Park and/or Fletcher in midfield.

Probably the first time this season I've left Carrick out of my starting lineup. Purely because Anderson will do a job on Fabregas hopefully and Giggs will be fresh, and Carrick still isn't back to his best. Rooney and Ronaldo on each wing will murder Arsenal's defence with any luck.
 
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Both United's and Arsenal's defences are leaking goals, hopefully we'll see something along the lines of the Liverpool-Arsenal game.

I would love United to keep a clean sheet tomorrow, but I can't see it happening.
 
I can really see it being a Utd v Chelsea final again.

Utd are starting to hit form, and Arsenal have lost more of their first team (surely they must be getting tired as well?)

I really don't think Barca are all that, the play some lovely stuff, but I believe Chelsea have the players and manager to do what Utd did last season and just shut them out and nick a goal.
 
I'm not confident we'll get anything over the 2 legs. We're really going to miss Clichy and Gallas. I do think we have a good chance of scoring though. Imagine we'll play something like:

Almunia
Sagna Toure Djourou Gibbs
Walcott Denilson Cesc Song Nasri
Ade
 
Essien to man mark messi and a case of kicking it up for drogba as i think the barca central defenders will struggle against him. However i think that terries waist wouldn't hold all game.
 
Barca defenders to struggle against Drogba?

Only if he dives all over the place and wins free kicks. Puyol is one of the most experienced defenders in the world and his only worry is Lampard.

Barca are not a one player team - Messi is awesome but so is Eto and Henry is having a blinding season (finally settled in - bargin at £8million). And the class continues around the field too. I can see chelsea tonight trying to do a liverpool and attack from the first whistle - will be VERY interesting to see what Barca have in store for them.

90 goals between Messi, Eto and Henry this season. I dont think it wil be a walk in the part for Barca, but I can not see a chelsea win, home or away.

And even though the misses wouldnt let me fly to Barca tonight (she is expecting a baby this week so I wasnt going to complain), I have just got an "away" ticket for the Barca corner at The Bridge!!

Come on Barca!!! A way of life!
 
Barca are playing the best football I've ever seen, but I have a feeling that a gritty Chelski performance could give them some trouble. I can't see Barca not scoring either home or away, however. The stats bear me out. They are so weak at the back, though. Puyol is a shadow of his old self, Pique is slow and clumsy, Marquez can either be a Mexican Beckenbauer or a Mexican Senderos.

My predictions -
There will be at least one red card. Probably for Chelsea.
Marquez will score an own goal.
Chelsea will try and hack Messi and Iniesta out of the games early.
Chelsea will probably score on the break.
Neither side will keep a clean sheet.
 
Looking forward to Barca spanking the hell out of Chelski but i have a feeling that Chelski might sneak a win or draw.

Arsenal and Man Utd match is just too close to call...my heart says Arsenal but i think Man Utd will beat them:(. Am really hoping Arsenal beat Man Utd as id love us to be in the final against Barca so we can avenge our previous final loss a few yrs ago...but sadly cant see it happening even in Arsenal get to the final against Barca.
 
Chelsea coach Guus Hiddink is confident that Jose Bosingwa can keep Barcelona winger Lionel Messi quiet in the Champions League semi-final first leg.

The Argentine has been in spectacular form, and with regular left-back Ashley Cole suspended, Chelsea will rely on Bosingwa to switch from right-back.

"I have full confidence Bosingwa can do the job on Tuesday," said Hiddink ahead of the clash at Camp Nou.

"We have some more options, but if he is doing well he can do the job."

Barcelona thrashed Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals and Hiddink is well aware that the likes of Thierry Henry and Samuel Eto'o also pose a huge threat.

"If you go to a double man-marking system and focus too much on that you forget there are other big players that can do the damage," said the Dutchman.

"A lot of teams have shown that it is very difficult to stop them. The front line is world class, Henry has class and experience and Samuel Eto'o I had as a young player at Real Madrid when he was 17.

"At that time he was already impressive and then he got titles and experience."

Messi, Henry and Eto'o have scored more goals (90) between them this season than the entire Chelsea side...


http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/8021752.stm
 
Getting very excited about all of this, I think both games are too hard to call but unfortunately I can't see Arsenal getting to the final, but they do like to put all their effort in for the big games, so who knows!?
 
Looking forward to tonight.

Anyone got any problems with me doing these kind of threads ?
Anything you want changing about the format ?
 
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