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29
Mar 2012
13:37 Comments (19)
Champions League Quarter Finals, first legs, by Rafa Benítez

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Rafa Benítez

The first legs of the quarterfinals of this year's Champions League have now been concluded and no home team came out as winners. There was one draw, which featured AC Milan against FC Barcelona, and which, since the draw was made, appeared to be the most evenly matched tie, while the others were more predictable in this round and they gave Chelsea a win in Lisbon, Bayern a win at Marseille and Real Madrid a win in Nicosia. While purists may disagree, with the exception of the evenly contested game in Lombardy, you could say that the rest of the results were predictable. But as we have done for every round of this exciting competition, we will look at the games as we saw them...
19
Mar 2012
09:49 Comments (14)
Observations on the Champions League draw by Rafa Benitez

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Rafa Benítez

Having reached this point in the most important European competition and having seen the draw for the UEFA Champions League, it is a good time to to have a closer look at the clubs that are in the quarter finals and how they have set up in previous ties on the way to the final in May at the Allianz Arena in Munich. So, if you would like, let's have a look at the teams and how they square up in the quarter finals...
16
Mar 2012
14:42 Comments (7)
First Kick Weekend – MLS Analysis, by Rafa Benítez

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Rafa Benítez

This week has not only seen the quarter-finalists of the Champions League revealed, we should not forget that it has also been the first week of the new MLS season or First Kick Weekend as it is sometimes known. Not surprisingly, the match between LA Galaxy and Real Salt Lake drew a lot of the attention as these two had been great rivals last season. It was a first round of matches which again showed the strength of the Western Conference over the East with 5 wins to 1. We were able to view two well contested matches and analyse the games between LA Galaxy and Real Salt Lake and Portland Timbers v Philadelphia Union...
15
Mar 2012
13:19 Comments (5)
Champions League, 13 and 14 March, by Rafa Benítez

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Rafa Benítez

After the second legs of the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League, we now have the names of the clubs that make up the select group who will contest the quarter-finals. After the two matches on Tuesday and the other two played yesterday, we now know who will accompany Milan, Apoel Nicosia, Barcelona and Benfica in the draw which will take place tomorrow and decide the clashes in the search of the final two who will play at the Allianz Arena in Munich next May. And as there was a lot to debate, we will have a look at the highlights...
08
Mar 2012
15:04 Comments (11)
Champions League 6 and 7th March, by Rafa Benitez

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Rafa Benítez

We now know the first of the teams to go in to the hat for the quarter final draw of this year’s UEFA Champions League. With a surprise included, and another possible, as well as a feast of goals and one player scoring 5 goals in a match, we have our main talking points. Let’s get started...