Pep Guardiola takes on Carlo Fantastico — Again!

Brilliant counterattack. Camaninga occupied City's right side defenders placing a pass to Vini and smash from outside the box. Real 1-0

Dale- it was NcNeilesque

Are we using that now? Ilike it. Carvajal is a dirty fucker.

A lot of MC possession with few touches for Haaland. Probably just how Carlo wanted it.

Nothing special so far, 80% cancel out/stalemate. Prefer a good relegation scrap myself.

City pushed Gundogan and Debruyne to the forward line but nothing in the runs really. Carlo has had the angles covered. Maybe Bernard can open something up but Real will be sitting deep now for sure.

I agree, Will. Pep makes me laugh. He's no Sam Allardyce.

City are playing too slow and it's suiting Madrid, who have got a manager who knows how to set up a team to defend.

Tight result tonight and Guardiola will rest Haalland, Grealish, Stones and DeBruyne on Sunday in readiness for the second leg, and hope they'll have enough to beat us, which they won't.

Pffff. Benzema thought he was Dwight McNeil there, cheeky fucker.

That was not a foul by Rodri.

Get Mahrez on!

City losing could be good for us. They will be more interested winning the second leg than beating us.🤞

Yes, one goal defeat is best for us.

Didnt think of that Any chance we see Garcia not Haaland?

Nice possession around the box. Pays off with Debruyne at the top of the D. 1-1

OK, Wolves and Bournemouth it is then.

Yeeeees, typical KDB.

What odds for Haaland to sneak a winner late on?

1-1 is ok for us too. Maybe better.

Carlo doing a Dyche here. No subs till 85. minute and then just one.

Definitely had some of that first leg vibe to it but a decent watch.

Carlo Fantastico? Name rings a bell. Wasn't he that fellow who we were told was a busted flush, dinosaur, charlatan?

That will have really taken it out of them, they looked tired in the last 10. Not many of that team will feature, Sunday.

The thing is, Will, their reserves are good enough to beat us.

Will @23,

I agree, but unfortunately, they could rotate that whole side and still have quality all over the pitch on Sunday. I'd expect a few of those who played tonight to be on the bench just in case.

Whichever side they put out, it won't make it any easier for us to get something.

Mahrez, Foden & Alvarez didn't feature tonight…

Paul, they are less good though... take what we can.

Paul, Barry and Stephen... great backup of course but it all helps. Hopefully Guardiola's planning extends to preserving his better reserve players too, for what he will see as the big one... I think.

Paul,

Brighton we're good enough to beat us before Monday's game, that didn't work out too well for them. We're on our own patch, the team looks as strong and balanced as I've seen it this season, confidence will be high and the crowd will be the 12th man.

Man City were a bit ragged in the second half against Leeds and they've had a fair amount of football lately. Just maybe a good time to get something from the game.

I'd sooner play against that Man City team than one that plays both Foden and Mahrez.

I'm looking forward to Sunday because I've had a genuine belief in my heart that we can beat City for a few weeks now. Honest!!!

I watched the game last night and even though Real are not as good as they were last year with players like Kroos and Modric begining to show their age I felt, they still seem to raise their game for this competition. They were very reliant on Vinicus junior a lot and he looks a real handful, and Benzema is still a huge threat. But I would think City are now favourites to go through, 2 great goals and a really good game to watch. Strangely Harland was very quiet except for one chance.

Just a thought for the critics of Dyche being reluctant to use substitutes, Guardiola made no changes at all and it was very warm in Madrid so that would have had an effect on players. Also Guardiola has an array of talent on the bench that Dyche doesnt have which made the decision to not make any subs a bit strange. Hopefully he will rest a number who played last night for our game on Sunday, although they will still field a very, very good side, just hope he rests Harland and De Bruyne.

Do we care about Guido v Fabio? I guess I'm good with seeing two Italian teams go 3-5-2 v 4-4-2. In cup competition.

Can't see either winning the cup but you never know.

Good camera work. Closeups of each player's reaction to a cheap foul early. Good stuff

Dzeko drills one in while holding off the defender in the box. 0-1 Inter

Excellent big man goal

Mhikatarian (provide your own spelling) runs thru the D after a layoff and drills another for Inter.

Inter are shelling AC Milan so far. One off the inside of the post on another counter.

AC Milan need a goal here as they are going to have to travel to the San Siro for the second leg. Never an easy venue for an away team. . . except Inter

Tonali gets post and that's all. AC Milan look completely ordinary without Leao. This suits Simone and that 3-5-2.
Bastoni is still class btw.

If Man City and Inter Milan both make the final, two former Blues will be playing in the final: Stones and Lukaku. Of course, both had frustrating traits but both very good players

Doesn't this make that City-Real 2nd leg look like it's for the cup? Could be good for us that it is 1-1.

I hope this doesn't spoil it but the Juve-Sevilla match is a good match tjus far, very open 0-1 Sevilla.

West Ham are a worry. I think they might lose to both Leeds and Leicester. Can't rely on them at all.

West Ham level with a penalty, so hopefully Moyes's team can go on and win the game.

They are now in front, so maybe a European final is on the agenda for the hammers?

West Ham haven't won much in their long history, with their last major honour, being 43 years ago, so imagine finally getting to a European final, and finding out you will be playing in a stadium with a 19000 Capacity.

Where are they playing it? Rochdale? Can't see the point of that competition anyway.

The final of the comp West Ham are involved in will be held in Prague I believe.

Would have preferred West Ham to lose in the hope that if they were out of Europe it might reduce the possibility they rest players in their final few matches in the PL given they play both Leeds and Leicester.

I think that the Hammers win over Man U,, was unhelpful to Everton's cause, European success might keep the Hammers on their toes, who knows, you can never tell, but it's still up to Everton to look after themselves regardless.

Barry #48

Of course it's down to Everton regardless but plenty of posters on this site were pleased at the Man City / Real Madrid result as it may mean City resting some players against us.

Leeds/Leicester fans may take the same view of the West Ham result.

Moyes got to one cup final during his extremely long tenure at Everton, and played his strongest team for every game.

I remember we won at Fulham the Sunday before the cup final playing at full strength, and thinking that it might have been better to rest a few of our players, before getting them ready for the biggest game of their Everton career.

If Moyes has learned from that experience then he might make changes, but I remember him saying at the time, that he thought it was better for players to play, so he might just have a different outlook on what he feels is the best thing for his players.

Tony #50,

Seeing a pattern from what Moyes did in his one cup final season with us is a hell of a stretch.

Apparently he's played his second-choice keeper in all the European games. Perhaps he's learned?

You sometimes do what a lot of people do on this great website, unfortunately Brendan.

Trying to see a pattern, is something that you might be trying to do mate, but I'm just speculating on what David Moyes might do.

Moyes often used to flog dead horses, but it wasn't his fault because he never always had a strong enough squad, to rotate, and this is something that hasn't really changed at Everton unfortunately, despite all the money that has been spent.

Although I am jealous of West Ham, I wish them well in Europe but hope it distracts them even though I think they are safe.

On Moyes, I am in two camps.

We are related. Our Grandfathers were brothers. His left Northern Ireland for Scotland, mine to Liverpool.

My Grandfather spoke fondly of him when I was young. He kindly hosted my sister and brother at Bellefield.

So on that count, I wish him well.

Now my own opinionated football head on (subject to debate).

As Everton manager, he started well and done what we needed at the time. But in hindsight, dragged us into his trait of playing down expectation. He is a master of it, everywhere he has been. I think that is where our genes differ. Maybe he is a realist and I am the idiot?

I do intend to make contact and meet up with him.

I can't forget the lost opportunity of that Wigan match when we bottled it. When Lucifer's children were there for the taking in the semi final and we choked at the prospect of winning. Having to walk away from Wembley with them gloating and taking the piss.

He took over Alex Ferguson's champions and failed. Spain, enough said. Got Sunderland relegated. Relieved of his duties by West Ham once and was sailing close to the wind this season.

Maybe he will get a long awaited trophy and keep them up.

In respect of the bigger picture and hindsight, I don't look back on the Moyes years with fondness. It typified how the club became plucky little Everton battling the odds and that came from the top.

The Chairman / owner and Manager were made for each other.

Apologies. By tomorrow, I'll be up for it.

Well it isn't Cambiasso v Gattuso but the 2nd leg has some edge to it.

I'm not cheering for it but it needs an AC Milan goal.

I have a sentimental attachment to AC Milan from Football Italia in the 1990s and the 4-0 demolition of Barca in 1994 which might be one of the best team performances ever. Brilliant game.

This side is rubbish in comparison.

They do have on the bench though Charles de Ketalaere who might be a cracking loan signing for us next season if they'd let him go. Not worked out for him in Milan yet but so classy, and a physical beast.

Yeah, I was expecting Leao to make a big difference but Inter have looked solid. As I say that Leao gets into the box and shoots wide.

Always enjoyed AC Milan as a nemesis. The Litmanen Ajax years are some fine memories.

Okay, Robert, I'm a convert.

Lukaku is brilliant. He has improved footwork immensely and that interplay in the box was class. Maybe the final will be interesting.

City looking potent. KDB and Bernard showing early signs of brilliance.

Early days but one-way traffic so far

Any sites for this game I was watching it in Canada on CBS until the ko and even though it is advertised they switched to a Dr Phil/ now they just switched back to the game after 15min play

That save by Courtois possibly shows what Pickford could or should have done on Sunday in almost identical circumstances?

Bill I'm watching in Toronto on CBS

For streaming try googling crichd

Thanks Neil they have switched back to the game

Great from Thibo

Fucknig brill team goal.

I'm watching but I can't get too bothered about this.

I am more concerned about Wolves on Saturday.

And then Bournemouth home after that.

Everton is all that matters and what keeps me awake at night right now.

Yeeeuh Bernardo City 2-0!

Carlo ashen faced. Good job Pep.

Carlo looks like he could do with some comfort food.

Hot chocolate?

Robert 55

I have an emotional but unintentional attachment to Inter. When I was a kid in the Gullitt, Van Basten era we went to Italy on holiday and I wanted to buy an AC Milan shirt. The vendor couldn't understand what I was saying so my Mom claimed having studied Latin in school that she could speak Italian. I don't know what the Hell she said or thought she said but she came out of the shop with an empty purse and a shirt, scarf, wristbands and flag for Internazionale, not AC Milan. So was like "fuck it" I guess Inter can be my Italian team.

The Italian Dinosaur stinking the gaff out. It's just like an Everton home game three years ago.

Wow. A bit nervous that City could not get the third with two passes clear in the box late. Overall that was masterclass though.

My annual television subscription to watch most live matches has only gone and ended and because I rarely watch football on tv, I've only just found out when I went to put this game on. I will have to get it renewed for Saturday, but I now realize why I should have tried to get a ticket for Wolves, because my subconscious has really been nagging away at me since Sunday.

City, are an unbelievable outfit in every single way, although they are that advanced from most of their opponents, that sometimes it can actually make watching them feel boring.

I didn't think that tonight's game would be boring, because Madrid can be very dangerous on the counter-attack, but City's fitness, focus and ball retention are all incredible, so I was half expecting them to steam-roll Madrid tonight.

Ian

You've been waiting two years for a chance to say that haven't you.

First half was as one-sided as it gets, Real are lucky its only 2-0. Was hoping for a better contest but at least that ugly fish lipped bastard hasn't scored yet

Great from City to be fair

You're not half right Tony.

I'm sure I've said it recently Kieran!!!

For the record Ian, was it a latte or hot chocolate?

Ian, Carlo is long gone from an Everton perspective.

All I am concerned about is being in the away end at Wolves on Saturday willing the team on to a win.

Not continuing to go about a past manager to prove and alleged point.

Everton is what matters. Not Carlo.

Bovril, Dale.

Michael (69), Carlo was doing a good impersonation of Allardyce chewing that gum!!

Danny, the away "end"??

Ugly fish lipped bastard. An essential addition to the discussion.

A privilege to watch him and his attractive teammates in that first half. Outstanding performance.

Dale #78

Hot Chocolate for Carlo..."I believe in Miracles"

Watching Man City who must be the best team in the world right now . Is it fair to say that Everton and Real Madrid are having a similar impact on them. Maybe Everton fared a bit better ! Real Madrid will have to open up at some point, but they'll just get picked off. One pass from De Brunye through to Haaland will put them out of their misery.

What I like about watching City is that rarely do two players not know the proper play when running toward a free ball between them.

And Brendan I think thats a Derek Knox favorite.

Funny Brendan, but so was Neil, even if it wasn't essential reading!

We played them better than RM are so far.

Bet Carlo's having some serious regrets.

(Yeah, I'm kidding.)

Shane, I could talk about how Everton is the only thing that matters in the only thread on the site that isn't about Everton, would that be essential enough for you?

I reserve the right to dislike Haaland and will his fake chase of Dixie's record to fail.

That deserves an ooooh! Alaba and Kroos could have evened it up by inches.

Neil you could talk about the game and criticise Haaland for whatever it is that bothers you about him.

I'm just not sure what his face has to do with it.

Fair enough Shane, I concede that criticizing his ugliness was childish. Still hope he doesn't score though.

Well the away side of the pitch Brent. Last season I was looking across at our supporters.

Neil it is absolutely your right to use the phrase ugly fish lipped bastard freely. And it is my roght to feign offence (joking Shane).

Nice to hear Neil. Enjoy the game. I predict 2-2.

Rudiger for Modric when needing 2 goals. Never tell me Ancelotti isn't a dinosaur.

People pay thousands to get their lips blown up, when the reality is, it turns most of them into ugly fish faced bastards. Read ToffeeWeb, and save yourself a fortune!!

It's hard to gauge when you're not watching, but that change in personnel, also sounds like Madrid are going to try and tighten things up at the back, so it wouldn't surprise me if Shane's prediction comes through?

Have Madrid pushed Kamavinga into midfield? What a player he his, I haven't watched a lot of him but do feel he his totally wasted as a fullback, even in the modern game?

Come on Dale, there's a time and a plaice for that though.

Haaland looks like a Bond villain. Bernardo Silva looks like Rosa Klebb.

Ilkay was silky but ol fishface can't get in the net.

Sorry Barry I just now saw that. I'll stop now. And sorry Shane for my smartass post above. Fucking TW eg? It does that to me, I'm not really like this. No really.

Very unfortunate miss by Haaland.

But great save from the keeper.

Is Gundogan one of the best players of his generation?

Wow, City on fire, and gotta say Bernardo Silva is one classy but underated player.

Theres a real madrid bar just down the road from me which has been very strangely quiet tonight. Normally they live and breathe every attack,cross,deflection,save, everything. Tonight its like a ghost town. The rest of the bars here are Barca,they ve being going bonkers

Coventry are beating Middlesbrough, so it's turning into a very good night for the teams that wear sky-blue.

Our aggregate against City this season is the same as Real Madrid's if this score holds. Watching this today I feel like they walked Madrid easier than us. And Haaland didn't score! It's the little things that keep me going.

Well that post aged well...now we're better than Real!!

Yay Coventry Just memories from the 90s. Aleays liked them and Wednesday up for some reason.

Too little...too latte from Carlo

Two substitutes on, combine for a very nice quality goal. Total control for Man City tonight, Real Madrid outclassed.

Pep is the new king of football

It's sad to see City doing things like this, because it could have been us. If we'd got a different owner sooner or Moshiri had any actual clue about football then we could have really done something.

I've been watching other teams perform and win things since I was 13 yrs old...when is it gonna be our turn?

Maybe we can celebrate League 1 and Championship titles soon?

Talk about playing through the lines.

That last goal was perfection.

Nice Brendan. No country for Real old men.

Lee (112) my sad thoughts exactly…

Praying for City to win the CL/Prem/ FA cup treble.

Another milestone unmatched in the English game will have the RS eating their young and demonstrate further the only thing that matters in football is money.

If policy makers do something to make the game what it once was - competitive to all as a result - it will be worth it.

They won't of course and the game will continue to bland it's way to oblivion.

Due credit to City, they were excellent. Was hoping for a better contest but they killed it. Carlo probably didn't fancy going back to Istanbul anyway, football PTSD

Lee, give it another 2 years and we may be in league one play off final v Wrexham.

I too share your feelings regarding the biggest opportunity (along with the Kings Dock failure) in the history of the club pissed up the wall.

It's a long time since I have been to Coventry, but I can still remember quite a few games with them from years ago.

I'm sure I remember our reigning champions losing our first game of the season under Colin Harvey, at Coventry. I remember Walter Smith having to go with a few kids and winning, and then losing at home to Tranmere in the cup the very next week, once a few of our more experienced players returned.

I remember Kendall sending the players back out onto the pitch after a league cup massacre (I think it was a cup match) and Everton winning a Merseyside derby just a few days later, and I can also remember a lot of similar fixtures against Luton Town, during that same era.

Dale

I was hoping Wednesday would be on the rise but 0-4 down doesn't look pretty. I hate Luton. My abusive ex school headmaster was a fan. I hope Coventry stuff them.

"...when is it gonna be our turn?"

Lee, the answer is sadly obvious. Whenever we are in the same monetary position as City and similar, and with the same level of players and coach.

Tony

Our first game under Harvey was against Coventry but it was the Charity Shield and we won.

Some Barca fans now letting off fire
works,bit naughty.

THAT was impressive. They made Real look like a team of Courtois and ten traffic cones. Never in the game. Never even on the pitch.

Shane #91, he's the greatest goalscorer on the planet and I love watching him, but there's no getting around it, that is one ugly dude.

I personally take more hope from Manchester City, than any other football club. Imagine the stick they got from United fans when they dropped into the third tier, just as their horrible neighbours, won the treble?

Less than a quarter of a century later, they are on the cusp of that incredible and magnificent treble themselves, and could actually do it by beating their horrible neighbours.

Not so long ago, anyone thinking that something like this could one day happen, would have been sectioned in Rampton, and this is why in always think of City, whenever I hear our horrible self-superior neighbours, coming out with their self-centered and nauseating bollocks.

Mike, you ain't kidding, he looks like the grandad in Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Being Hell ugly don't effect rich footballers though, look at Peter Crouch Mrs.

Tony #123, still celebrating the La Liga title.

Spoke to a lot of City supporters at the weekend Tony and shared a drink with them.

A good example of what properly directed investment and good good management can achieve.

Good point, Tony. If they can do it, then maybe there's still hope, I just need to keep the positivity that I always had up until the last year or so.

It just feels further away from ever before and we have nobody to blame but ourselves...we had enough money to rely capitalise on the downfall of United, the drop off from Arsenal and the Spursyness of Spurs.

And we blew it!

The Champions League… the biggest con in football.

Horrible competition.

It was 1989 Kieran, with my memory of it being the first game of the season, being the only thing I got right mate👍

Sometimes strange things happen Lee, and the manager you don't want or don't like might actually go and win us the FA Cup, once the jinx is finally asked to depart, instead of just staying away for his own safety.

HE WAS WARNED!!🤮

Danny,

A good example of what properly directed investment and good good management can achieve.

I wonder if City lawyers will seek to use that as a key argument justifying the financial breaches they have been accused of?

What's good for the goose…?

Those City fans are living the dream Danny, and will always be acknowledged as having a proper support by myself.

They don't always fill out their stadium, is often a stick to beat them with, according to both our neighbours, and their own neighbours, but I bet you working class City, don't sell at least 50% of their ground, to people who travel a long way? This will change if they continue breaking records and building up their success rate, and those people who really stuck by their football club, deserve everything that is coming there way.

The unbelievable contradiction is that, I fucking hate most City fans, but still I don't begrudge them their success!!

I remember someone telling me that a very famous local taxi owner was a very clever man. I didn't know you knew him I said - I don't he replied, but he's clever because he always employs the best.

I will be very surprised if City's lawyers don't keep the Wolves from the door, when it comes to their clients, Michael K. I might be wrong, but it's why I'm hoping City get dealt with before Everton.

Saw a Noel Gallagher interview around early/mid-2000s when City were getting relegated, he said he'd rather be fighting to win something than just be like Bolton making up numbers in the prem. Who the fuck wants to be Bolton? was his parting remark. I remembered this interview a few times the last couple of seasons as we've been circling the drain. Got no love for City but I'm happy enough for their long suffering fans to be putting their red neighbours in the shade. One day that will be us, hope I'm alive to see it.

Hard to deny that this City squad is probably the best in the World. They destroyed Real Madrid so we have no shame in getting laced by them at Goodison.
We must have caught them on a rare off day at the Etihad just to get a point.

Hard to believe they lose the likes of Aguerro and Silva but can bring in Haaland and Grealish and eat everybody up just as easily.

For the next few season's it's just a question of who's going to finish second.

Kieran, I know it is par for the course but with an abusive school teacher, a conversion to Inter because of your Mom's overconfidence in her Latin and I forget the other, you're always a good read

Cmon Coventry! And use that argyle away kit from the 90s next season.

Huzzah!

A team built for the last fifteen years on £mega-billions from a thoroughly corrupt (if not criminal) petro-state have just demolished their Spanish, but now way poorer, equivalents.

Who'd a-thought it?

I always say the biggest word in the dictionary is contradiction, Don, and this is especially true of Manchester City's owners, who have acted with total professionalism, in everything they have done since they took over a sleeping giant, that had been sharing a bed with Rip Van Winkel.

I hope City thrash Inter in the final, I've always had a soft spot for City, until recently living in the shadows of their red shite neighbours and having UTDs success shoved down their throats like we've had with our red shite neighbours, they are a brilliant team, well done City, also for some reason it pisses the kopite's off any British side winning the CL

John Stones is different class and delighted for him that he has turned into a top player.

What a game the City left-back had last night.

Only been with City since the beginning of the season, he looked calm and classy with everything he did including having a hand in the third goal, cost a mere 㾻M from Borussia Dortmund and looks like he has played for years at City.

Makes you wonder about some of our signings of the last few years!!

Don 138, Real Madrid are not exactly squeaky clean when it comes to finances, bailed out by the National Bank on several occasions for years and years just to sign one galactico after another.
So Huzzah indeed to Man City, if we are really honest we wish it could've been us sticking it to our red neighbours.

Jeff, I fully agree, but given the rampant corruption increasingly apparent in football club ownership, comparing Real Madrid against Man City in terms of probity is a bit like comparing Myra Hindley against Ian Brady in terms of culpability.

They're all unpalatable to any sane person.