European Semi-Finals - 1st Leg

Watching PSG vs Man City, these two are playing a different sport to anything we play, sadly.

Likewise Michael. The goal was a header from a corner but, apart from that, the ball rarely leaves the ground. Unbelievable ball retention, pass and go and movement from both teams.

Watching Gana tonight for PSG, I can't help thinking he must be gutted he never got a chance to play with Delph.

Michael, I'm watching the same game, a brilliant game of chess - football!

As an aside on the game, Richarlison has got a lot to learn from Neymar – not talking about football-wise, but play-acting. Neymar was dying for about 3 or 4 minutes… seconds later, he's in the thick of the action in City's 6-yard box!!

Michael, Ray, Dave I'm enjoying it too, the fast accurate passing is top class tonight.

When a midfielder gets the ball there is an immediate intent to get attacking no slowing the pace of the game with sideways and back passes in this match.

Just what I'm hoping for from us, sooner rather than later!

Richarlison obviously trying to emulate Neymar in the play-acting, he's about as faraway from the acting skills as he is with the playing skills.

I laughed my head off earlier when someone on here said Richarlison was the complete player, your easily pleased mate.

Gana Gueye sent off for an awful challenge.

Ugh... that's gotta be the worst moment of Gana's career. A hideous, pointless foul with his side down a goal in the last 20 minutes of a Champions League semifinal. Wow. Never thought I'd see a moment like that from him.

Brian, after that bit of insanity he might just wind up playing with Delph after all. At some bottom-of-the-table club in Spain.

Crikey, De Bruyne lucky with that challenge. That could have been a red as well. PSG players surround the referee demanding a red card.

After the ESL I find myself in the bizarre situation of supporting PSG as they are less money oriented than the rest. Just think about that for a second, a team bankrolled by a totalitarian nation state who can buy anyone, are less money oriented than the RS

Mike, Gana also gave a very stupid foul away from which City scored the second goal.

When they are at their best it's what City, do to teams/players though Mike G. They pass, move, rotate, recycle, and are constantly on the front foot, working teams into the ground, and it's why I thought that although they beat us in the cup at Goodison, it was one of our best displays of the season, just on concentration levels alone.

Well in, City – now go on and win it and bin that choker tag once and for all.

No idea why people eulogise about the master of the mistimed tackle, Gana. Clumsy to set up City's winner and a blockhead attempt with no chance of getting the ball sees him red carded.

Barry

Maybe Poch is a bigger choker. That said PSG will look a little foolish if they go out and Tuchel gets to the final. Lille are on course for the league too.

As for Gana, bad night but he's been a good player for them and was for Everton.

"...master of the mistimed tackle..."???

Ridiculous. When Gana was with us he was the best tackler in all the European leagues, both on sheer number of tackles and on tackles-to-fouls ratio. And this is only the second straight red of his entire 400-game career.

He doesn't mistime very often. And he's never done something this stupid. Ever.

Guess I don't know where else to put this one but Jesse Marsch (American but very German name) appointed the new Leipzig manager. Any thoughts from our American Brethren?

Smack a little of Red Bull incestuousness. Salzburg transfer manager to Leipzig.

Man Utd v Roma – is that what we are watching?

Man Utd v Roma – is that what we are watching?

No!

Villarreal 1-0.

It would be fitting to have non ESL clubs from Spain and Italy knocking these traitors out. Unai Emery at Villareal now, won it three times with Sevilla, got Arse to the final, the man owns this trophy

Arsenal in a bit of bother now. 2-0.

Didn't Chelsea hammer arsenal in that final, Kieran?

Rob

Yes it was the Eden Hazard show, 4-1 I think

Arsenal penalty, but overruled by VAR for an obvious handball against Pepe.

Foyth the former Tottenham man conceded the penalty that was overruled. Dzeko the former city man scoring against Utd.

Never saw it Kieran. Was somewhere on the river Nile on a cruise. Fell nicely that planned holiday as I also missed the RS v Spurs CL final.

Rob, I watched the RS v Spurs CL final in a packed beer garden. I live 20 miles north of Manchester so full if United and of course Liverpool fans. One guy was so angry after the armpit ball penalty 50 seconds in. We all knew the script for the night. He went straight to his Merc pissed, and drove it straight into the beer garden wall. He mates wrestled the keys off him straight away.

Joe, I never knew the score until the following morning. Some RS on our cruise managed to find out the score.

Anyone else like me who, since last week, defaults to supporting whoever any of the Dirty Dozen now plays?

Every goal they concede. Every VAR decision in their favour overturned. Every point they drop. Every defeat they suffer. I'm loving it.

Barcelona losing to Granada and missing a chance to go top in La Liga earlier. I wanted PSG to beat City last night. Currently watching Villa Real and the Arse, rejoicing in the scoreline. Delighted to see United trailing at half-time to Roma.

The joys of schadenfreude. Or as the Japanese more poetically put it:

'The misfortune of others tastes like honey.'

Lapping it up like Winnie the Pooh, meself.

Rob, even if your cruise was on another planet it would have been shown on a large screen to Aliens screaming 6 times YNWA.

Ceballos harshly getting a 2nd yellow card and thus a red reducing the Arse to 10 men.

Damn! This Japanese honey tastes sweet!

That's true Joe. I took the piss out of the crew, all Egyptians, saying Salah was a diving cheat. Don't think they were impressed! 😁😁

That Japanese honey going a bit sour, Jay? Man Utd now 4-2, arsenal pull a goal back and now Villarreal down to ten men.

What a dive for Arsenals penno!!! What is football coming to

Talking of Barcelona losing tonight - Koeman was sent off. He never showed that sort of passion when he was with us!

Villa Real have managed this 2nd half really badly, Rob, given everything in their favour.

Capoue flying in as he did was dumbnuts, evening up the numbers.

Giving the Arse a sniff they hadn't deserved. Not following the United game. Looks like they've put that game to bed.

Man Utd now 6-2. Think they're in the final.

Wow Koeman back to type, 1 up but managed to lose even though Barca had 82% possession

It could be two all English finals Rob? Id argue the English teams play in a league that is the most physically demanding, and this has stood them in good stead, in what has probably been the most demanding season of all time?

Very much on the cards Tony. The two Manchester clubs will be in their respective finals, the Chelsea and Arsenal second legs could still go either way.

'It could be two all English finals.'

Rather begs the question Tony why put your status in the PL in jeopardy, soiling your club's name even with your own supporters, to join a 'Super League' when you're already in one.

I fancy Chelsea to beat Madrid, Rob, but Emery, does seem to have a special affinity to the Europa League, so I'm not that sure about Arsenal.

That Cavani puts in a shift for a geriatric doesn't he?

‘Say NO to players who are 26 and over!!”

Rob

Roma lost 3 players to injury in the first 30 minutes including their goalie. Talk about game changing bad luck.

Money Jay, pure and simple, let's just hope that greed catches up with the beasts!

Top player Cavani, I just hope he has another great game at the weekend 🤞

Didn't know that Kieran. The way Owen Hargreaves and Paul Scholes are drooling over the United performance, it sounds like it wouldn't have made much difference anyway.

39 year old Molina scored the winner against Barca. I thought players were virtually finished by the age of 29 never mind 39?

The best strikers and goal scorers are clever, instinctive players. They find space, have unshakable confidence make intelligent and well timed runs . I think this is the reason why some strikers seem to bet just as good in their early to mid thirties. They are only partly reliant on physical prowess to ply their trade.

Felt sorry for Roma. They were clearly underdogs but lost 3 players in the first half including the Keeper and their most influential attacker Spizioni. Somehow they had the lead but Smalling is rubbish and it was only a matter of time before Man Utd took over.

Arsenal were poor but got the away goal with ten men so they have a chance at the Emirates.