Cracking game. Predictably Madrid attacked more than you guys, predictgably ronaldo scored, and predictably the ref was petrified of waving a single card at a madrid player (how ramos wasnt sent off twice, once for a clear last man foul and two clear cases of playacting i can only cycnically speculate) whilst valenci got booked for jumping for a header. I said it after Chelsea Barcelona '09 and I will say it now..... dodgy. Apart from that, Despite being on the back foot for most of the game, you had a few really good chances to win also. The return leg will be amazing. Just hope Ronaldo doesnt score a hattrick!!
Absolutely. De Gea was incredible. ON another day Madrid could have scored 3 or 4 with the chances they created. Not enough credit goes to keepers sometimes, so in the words of a former sky sports pundit.... Take a bow, son
Exactly, he's not had the credit he deserved saince he joined us, i hope its a turning point for the press.
Forgive me, but that is just naiive. A turning point for the press? You are the most hated club in the country by and large, and he is a spanish keeper. I imagine they will be finding a way to blame him for ronaldo's goal as we speak
PHP: WHAT are you suggesting?!?! Next you will be saying that hed have let madrid take that corner before the 3 minutes of added time were over!!!!!
Sorry - sarcasm does not translate very well over a typed message. I basically agree he would have sent a united player off for the same thing. Id say its indisputable. He didnt book a single madrid player, despite a number of cynical tackles to stop counter attacks, a blatant red card offense you just referred to and him throwing 3 cards at united players, 1 of which (valencia) he basically only gave because ramos told him to. its either weakness, not being good at his job or downright corrupt. As for the corner at the end. No words needed....
De Gea was great tonight, fantastic reflexes but he never came under the same kind of pressure he gets in the premier league (mostly because the defence played well) but he did make one strange save with his foot which looked easier to have got with his hand, still a save though. All in all a great performance from him.
The official standing when extra time is announced is "a minimum of" which means the ref can add more time on if he has a reason but not take it off, this ref blew 15 seconds early. Add this to the other points you made and i think he got a healthy bonus from an admirer tonight
My theory on that save is that his momentum was shifting to the back post, so he threw his feet up to black. Would take too much take time to get his momentum to shift back the other way. Regardless, who cares as long as he saves it right?
Quite possible I am crying conspiracy here and filling in the gaps myself, but.... Didnt practically the same thing happen to City at the Bernabeu? As in, either in the first or second half the referee blew up just before City had an attacking corner? You wait, United winning 2-1 in the 93rd minute of the second leg, with 3 minutes injury time, Madrid get a corner... What percentage of ronaldo's weekly salary would you bet on them being allowed to play on for another minute or so?
Also if he'd saved it with his hands his momentum would have meant he would have batted it down into the turf and someone could have turned in the rebound or it would have gone for a corner. By kicking it upwards he got it completely out of the penalty area and cleared the danger. T'was an excellent and deliberate bit of keeping imo, particularly given how many other times he has done the same.
the turning point in the game and probably the whole tie was when Evra was clean through and Varane pushed him, he denied him a goal scoring opportunity.
