By Akorede Kameel


The excitement and jubilation after the match for Atletico Madrid shows how much the victory means to them. Have we watched the final already? Many Barcelona fans across the globe are still in disbelieve. They have found it very difficult to accept that the team which they have defeated twice in the league already this season can now come back to knock them out of the Champions League 3-2 on agreggrate. It’s no more a dream Catalans! Somebody should wake somebody up before something else happens. I know Enrique would have learnt after this painful exit that there are opponents you play that you wouldn’t even think of your present form or their own form when planning for the game. Over the last few years, Atletico Madrid have proved to be a huge and keenly contested match for Barcelona. What they have just done this season is like saying – look here Barca, you can have your way in the domestic league but not in the Champions League which matters most. Fernando Torres should be singing a new song by now or perhaps rush to have a dig at their opponent on twitter.

Any time Atletico Madrid and Barcelona are playing, you should always expect a tedious game, full of energy and physical battle. Tonight game wasn’t an exception. Looking at it from the tactical points of view, the game plan for Atletico Madrid was to go out within the first minutes to secure the first goal that would put Barcelona into trouble, and come back to defend but attack again when you have the chance, perhaps, this may force Barcelona to play the way they don’t want to. But I saw a very battle-ready Barca players including Lionel Messi who were ready to track back when they lost the ball. It was so obvious to see that Atletico Madrid were not interested in the ball possession rather were ready to press, press, press and counter with purpose when they have the chance. Barcelona needed just one away goal to send the tie to extra time but couldn’t get it. Why? Well, it may interest you to know that in the last 14 champions league home games, Atletico Madrid have kept 12 clean sheets, it simply shows the sort of defence the catalans have come to face. Atletico Madrid were determined to go through at the expense of Barcelona and were equally ready to do anything they could to make this happen. Tonight will be the second time in nine seasons Barcelona have failed to reach the Champions League semi-finals. They have both been quarter-final exits to Atletico Madrid. Now you can say it’s hard to find words for just how good a job Diego Simeone has done at Atletico. Genius? Just help me out.

You can’t in anyway fault the work rate of Barcelona players, even after going behind. Whatever Enrique told them after the first half showed a bit of character in them, they looked dangerous early on in the second half and almost got the equaliser. The brain box in the middle for the catalans who is no one other than Iniesta himself had a good game, he was there doing what he knows best but all still amounted to nothing. When you are a goal down, searching for the equaliser and then your opposing team is playing deep, you should know that any mistake from you will initiate a counter attacking threat and can wreck you from creating further chances. The game finished when Atletico scored the second goal from the spot-kick. There were talking points, the Iniesta hand ball, was it a red card offence? I really think so. And also, the Gabi handball? There, I want to believe Atletico Madrid were very lucky not to have conceded a penalty, but with a second look at it from the side view, showed like it was handled on the line. Nevertheless, Atletico Madrid deserve to go through over the two legs, many people are of the opinion that it was Fernando Torres that gave Barca the advantage in the first leg, if not, would have been as tight as it was tonight. As some will say, the spirit in Diego Simeone is a replica of what he has embedded in his team. Enrique didn’t have any idea of how to break the stubborn Atletico defence, everyone was there in the box to either block or intercept any through ball that could lead to goal. The talk of Mess-Suarez-Neymar partnership have been on for quite a while, the unbelievable goals the trio have got within but when Messi himself isn’t having a good day on the field of play, others tend to struggle a bit to make things happen, though you can say not as always but it has to be a day like this night or else nothing really good to show for it.

Wonders they says never end.

surprisingly? How?, we saw it coming. Barca is only a hyped team with some shitty overrated MSN. MSN ko SMS ni

Justycxx:
surprisingly? How?, we saw it coming. Barca is only a hyped team with some shitty overrated MSN. MSN ko SMS ni

Lol, Barcelona fans are coming for your head.