Sixteen European clubs battled out for eight places and produced some scintillating football along with some historic (and some funny) moments. This article is all about which teams and players had the upper hand in matches.
Best goals
Juninho (Lyon 1:1 Barca)
The freekick that Lyon were rewarded with was from the tightest of angles. Cristiano Ronaldo or Bastian Schweinsteiger wouldn’t be able to score from such an angle. Yet, this great Brazilian managed to squeeze it into the goal. Valdez was left shell shocked.
Joao Moutinho (Bayern 7:1 Sporting)
Sporting might have embarrassed themselves but this man didn’t. He left a mark of his class on the aggregate scoreline and Hans-Jorg Butt’s goal. A shot from distance saw the experienced keeper unable to get even a finger on it as it flew past him into the goal.
He didn’t celebrate as Sporting were 3-1 down, but indeed the goal was a special one.
Lionel Messi: (Barca 5:2 Lyon)
This man did what he always does. He left the defence staring at him as he dribbled past them and calmly shot into goal.
Biggest Gaffes
Anderson Polga own goal (Bayern 7:1 Sporting)
His touch was like that of a certain Miro Klose waiting in the box. Miro Klose, however, didn’t need to get to the ball. Polga finished beautifully, anybody who saw that goal would have been convinced that Polga was a Bayern player.
The own goal was better than Demichellis’ one against Lyon at the Allianz Arena.
Juliano Belletti handball (Juventus 2:2 Chelsea)
It seemed like Belletti was played volleyball. The handball gave Juve the lifeline, almost costing Chelsea the match.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic miss (Man United 2:0 Inter)
“Ibra” is a brilliant player, nobody will ever doubt that. However the header that he missed from close range was similar to the one that Mario Gomez missed in the Euros. The distance might have been a bit more this time, but someone with the class of Ibrahimovic should have definitely scored.
Best Team
Liverpool (Liverpool 5-0 Real)
Liverpool gave the Kings of Europe a defeat to remember and they did so in style. Torres, Gerrard and Dossena all added to the misery piled on Madrid by Yossi Benayoun previously.
This win will not be forgotten easily, especially if Liverpool lift the Champions League this season.
Historic moments
Miroslav Klose – seven goals
When Klose stepped up to take the penalty against Sporting, German history books were being rewritten. No German player has managed that many goals in the Champions League.
Scoring seven is more of an achievement for Klose as he has done it even before the quarter finals, that too in his first season in the Champions League with Bayern, rather than Werder.
Probably a better club can bring more out of a player, who knows?
Steven Gerrard—100 appearances in Europe
100 appearances is an achievement for any player and now Steven Gerrard is another player with that many appearances. He marked the occasion with two goals, one a penalty.
Historic Scoreline
FC Bayern Munchen 12:1 Sporting (on aggregate)
The scoreline surpasses the previous mark Lyon had set (Lyon 10-2 Werder) over a two legged tie. The scoreline may be slightly misleading. Bayern played well but could even afford to be sloppy at times. Sporting created chances but it was their hapless defending that gave them away, Polga’s own goal being a prime example of that.
Best Players
Didier Drogba (Chelsea 3-2 Juve on aggregate)
If you ask me why, my answer is that Drogba was the decisive factor in the tie. He gave them their goal at Stamford Bridge and scored one in Turin to end Juve’s hopes. Not only that, he terrorized the Juve defence all night.
For once, Chiellini was being bullied!
Steven Gerrard: (Liverpool 5-0 Real on aggregate)
He might have missed the first leg, but he returned with a bang in the second. He pulled the strings in midfield and struck twice.
Special mentions: Juninho, and Mark van Bommel
The Player who needs to read a football guide book
Nicklas Bendtner
I love Bayern, but Arsenal are equally close to my heart. I have supported Bendtner like most Arsenal fans. He did well against Albion, yet over two legs against Roma, he proved that he still has a lot to learn.
The two most vital things in football are keeping possession and scoring. In the first leg, Bendtner missed a lot of chances and in the second he failed to keep possession.
Best match
Juventus 2:2 Chelsea
This match had everything! Iaquinta leveled the tie at 1-1. Three goals followed his, making the tie mouth watering. The tie even had a red card and a million controversial decisions. Liverpool’s match was more or less one way traffic, but this match was nothing like that.
Special Mention: Bayern 7:1 Sporting
This is because that match had the highest number of goals and van Bommel failed to earn a yellow card for a first.
Unlucky teams
AS Roma:
They were the better side throughout the second leg and they can exit the Champions League with their head held high. They were really unlucky to go out on penalties.
Inter Milan
Had Stankovic, Adriano and Ibrahimovic converted their chances, the story that night might have been a different one. Man United made most of their chances, unfortunately Inter didn’t.
Best Youngster
Thomas Muller (FC Bayern Munchen)
Messi was impressive, yet Messi is a veteran of the competition. Thomas Muller, at 19 years of age made his debut as a sub for Schweinsteiger. In his 20 minutes, he set up Van Bommel’s goal and scored one of his own.
Indeed, his celebration with his girlfriend Lisa after the match said it all about his night.
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