The UEFA Champions League continues this week with the second leg of semifinals.
Sportsnet’s panel of soccer writers and broadcasters preview both games and offer their predictions.
Wednesday programming alert: Watch Chelsea vs. Atletico Madrid on Sportsnet and Sportsnet World. Live coverage begins at 2:30 pm ET/11:30 am ET. | Sportsnet World Online | TV schedule
Chelsea vs. Atletico Madrid
James Sharman: Although an Italian, Niccolo Machiavelli was probably not a soccer fan. However, I’m sure he would have been smiling this past week having witnessed Chelsea’s last two matches. Machiavelli coined the phrase “the end justifies the means,” something that Jose Mourinho has taken to heart.
Last Tuesday’s 0-0 with Atletico Madrid was a perfect example of how to suffocate an attacking side if your 11 players buy into a plan of conservative football, and executes it in a disciplined, workmanlike fashion. If you thought that was a little fortunate, then Sunday’s slow strangulation of Liverpool at Anfield was further proof that Chelsea could carry out a similar plan of execution, even with an inferior 11 on the field. Kudos Jose—To hell with how you get there, as long as you get there.
Which brings us to the second leg against Atletico. For the first time in three matches the Blues will be entering a match knowing that they have to score. The opponents will be buoyed in the knowledge that a score draw will be good enough for them, which leaves Mr. Mourinho with a conundrum.
It has been suggested over the last seven days that “parking the bus” is hardly an example of a coaching master-class, which is perhaps a little unfair, but the point is well taken. The Boring One will need to show his worth this week, and he clearly has the CV to back it up. But we should be in for a far more entertaining match from Chelsea than we have seen of late.
Prediction: Chelsea wins 2-1.
James Doyle: So here’s the thing: On the one hand, you’ve got to applaud Jose Mourinho for getting a result in Madrid in the first leg. Nil-nil may not be ideal, but it’s not a loss and puts Chelsea a nose ahead heading back to London. On the other hand, as a spectacle that match was just so damned boring you’re probably still asleep and unable to applaud anything, much less the Machiavellian Mourinho who proved willing to kill soccer itself to get out of Spain without giving up a goal.
But that was then and this is now and Chelsea just won’t be able to do that in the second leg. They’ll have to go for it, at least a little bit, and the game will have to open up. And if you open the door for Atletico, they’ll bust on in. Diego Simeone’s side is excellent on the counter, and they’ll be countering a weakened Chelsea side—Petr Cech, John Terry, Samuel Eto’o and Eden Hazard are all out injured, while Frank Lampard and John Obi Mikel are suspended. Atletico, meanwhile, are remarkably healthy and missing only midfielder Gabi through suspension.
So while Chelsea have done the job in second legs at home before in this Champions League season (see: Galatasaray and—especially—Paris St. Germain), this time my gut is telling me it’s beyond their depleted squad’s grasp.
Prediction: Atletico Madrid wins 1-0.
Tuesday programming alert: Watch Bayern Munich vs. Real Madrid on Sportsnet and Sportsnet World. Live coverage begins at 2:30 pm ET/11:30 am ET. | Sportsnet World Online | TV schedule
Bayern Munich vs. Real Madrid
Gerry Dobson: Bayern Munich’s predicament, if you can call it that, is just more evidence as to why it is so difficult to repeat as winners of the Champions League. This deep into the competition the teams are just too good. If the title-holders have an Achilles heel, it’s that they concede too many goals, and they’re conceding them at home. Bayern have allowed eight goals in their last three league home games, including in a difficult and troublesome 5-2 over Werder Bremen on the weekend. They looked vulnerable defensively, as they did in the first leg against Real Madrid.
The visitors on the other hand seem to be peaking at the right time. Real has won four straight by a combined score of 17-0, including a 4-0 drubbing of Osasuna on the weekend. Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice in that game to increase his season total in all competitions to 47. If Real’s offensive juggernaut comprised of Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Angel Di Maria can keep on firing and get that first goal, then Bayern will need three. Yikes. Then again, the home side has scored 89 goals in the Bundesliga this season. There will be goals in this one, count on that. Real Madrid should try and go get that first one. If they do, look out.
Prediction: A 2-2 draw.
Thomas Michalakos: Could this finally be the year? After three consecutive semifinal exits, Real Madrid are 90 minutes away from their first Champions League final appearance in a dozen years, and more importantly the opportunity to attain the vigorously sought-after Decima (tenth European title). The term has been used almost ad nauseam, though it’s impossible to ignore given how much emphasis the club has placed on claiming their version of the Holy Grail. How deep does the obsession run? It’s best described by referencing Gollum from the Lord of the Rings film trilogy and his infatuation with the coveted gold ring of power. I wouldn’t even be surprised if Real president Florentino Perez utters the character’s iconic phrase from the film—”My Precious”—should he get his hands on trophy.
All kidding aside, the opening leg at the Bernabeu last week wasn’t exactly a complete performance by the hosts. The first 20 minutes saw Bayern have a staggering 85 percent of possession, before Karim Benzema opened the scoring, tapping in an exquisite square ball from Angel Di Maria that began from a slick counter-attack started by Cristiano Ronaldo. The moment of brilliance was followed by Ronaldo and Di Maria spurning glorious chances that may prove to be costly. Mario Gotze squandered Bayern’s best attempt to secure the decisive away goal, denied inside the area by the heroics of Iker Casillas with six minutes remaining. Whether your a fan of Pep Guardiola’s methodical possession-based tactics or not, you can be certain he won’t make the same mistakes twice.
Prediction: Bayern Munich wins 3-1.
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