i dont really like bayern so i am gonna go for a chelski win in the final.

quite the match, cant quite believe all the penalties.

Yeah, I definitely think Bayern deserved it, on chances alone. Robben's miss was unbelievable and he'll probably re-live it till he dies. Bayern should've been out of sight by half time. Real's penalty never was but Ronaldo's finish was super cool, as was his goal. But he seemed to fade after that. I think both teams were playing for penalties towards the end.

Impossible to call the final, especially given that both teams will be effectively fielding their reserves. Either way, Mourinho was right: Real won't be meeting Chelsea in the final.

i don't remember who chelsea will be missing besides terry, the fucking maniac, but bayern will be missing 2 defenders + a defensive midfielder. ouch!

luckily their offensive lineup will be intact-- unless you count alaba in it. he's particulary a huge loss not just because he can attack and defend but also because he and ribery play together so well on the left side. did you notice the change when muller came in & robben was moved to the left?

anyhuevos, this is gonna be awesome. cripple fight!

Chelsea will miss Ivanovich, Ramires, Mireles and Branislav. Ramires will be the big miss.

Haha, cripple fight is about right. It does seem wrong though, that the team that wins the final won't be the one that got them to it.

Terry is a big loss. No matter what you think of either Lampard or Terry they're both great players. So the fact Terry was a twat and got himself sent off is a shitter for Chelsea.

Ramos' penalty last night was just brilliant.

Apparently Anton Ferdinand's lawyer has advised him not to shake hands with John Terry when Chelsea and QPR meet. WTF?????

Ha! And risk another debacle like the Suarez incident?

Can't see the sense in that. The only person who'd come out badly by not shaking is Anton. It's just a formality, although I do think they should ultimately get rid of it.

Why?

I don't think the handshake's a terrible thing, just that it's so transparently artificial. I don't see what it achieves, besides giving tv stations a chance to squeeze in another ad break.

The fa have 'suspended' the handshake, presumably until the court case, then the rest of them can hug it out

So Guardiola has officially left Barcelona for a 'rest from football'

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2...ona?intcmp=239

Can't help wondering if there might be another dead man walking situation at the Bridge. I could imagine Roberto Di Matteo winning both the cup finals and still getting let go so that Guardiola can come in. If that was Abramovich's plan, I would prefer to see Guardiola having his year out, RDM being given his chance as boss next season (he deserves it on the basis of the match-by-match results he's acheived since coming in, even if the season ends trophyless), and if that doesn't work out, then bring Guardiola in.

What does worry me a bit is that the senior players are all rallying around RDM and saying they want him in charge next year - will they all throw their toys out of the pram again if they don't get their way? Even if we win the Champions League, I still think it's time to get rid of those guys, get some new blood in, and rebuild.

Finally, I wonder if Abramovich really does want Guardiola anyway, or if it's Messi he wants and he sees Guardiola as the way to get him?

UAU

he cracked under pressure.

can't say i blame him.

I tend to agree. Even Mourinho has mentioned the ridiculous pressure. Although I also think Guardiola realised that there maybe wasn't any more he could do with that team. Shame he couldn't go out on more of a high, though. Definitely the end of an era.

There's no way Guardiola will go to Chelsea. I honestly think he means what he says when he wants to take time out. Managing Barca must be so time consuming and incredibly stressful and you only need to look at pictures from when he first started out to now. He must've aged 10 years.

On the other side of football leagues where the hell did this strength come from for Wigan?! That's three of the main teams beaten in dramatic fashion. 4-0 against Newcastle? Good on 'em.

I agree. I don't think there's any conspiracy behind his leaving. As you say, just looking at pictures he looks increasingly exhausted. And I can't see him going anywhere other than back to Barcelona. I certainly don't think he'd be tempted by Chelsea. Although I also think he'd be a big risk for another big team. Nobody could deny his success but he had that with a team he largely inherited from the academy rather than built, and we know he isn't great with pressure.

Wigan's up-turn is just weird to me. They're just lucky it came in time to save their season.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2...England coach"

Quite a shock, that. I really thought Redknapp was nailed on for the job. I still think 'Arry would've been ideal but consider Hodgson a better manager all round and one that would've probably been favourite were it not for his disastrous stint at Liverpool. I'll definitely find it easier supporting England with him in charge, rather than Redknapp.

--See you at the champions final.
--Cool. Do we watch it in your house or mine?

dont know what to say...

except that it turns out Roy is a Croydon boy! so he must be safe