NATHAN MCMAHON

TechNews | Tuesday, April 28th, 2015

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
   
  

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sports@technewsiit.com

arcelona FC strides

through Europe

Kazan Ieet Singh
TECHNEWS WRITER

It was the second leg of the UEFA
Champions league quarter finals, with Barcelona
cruising through to the semi-finals, and Bayern
giving the possibly most surprising second leg
comeback ever. I

Neymar did a double, as Barcelona
head through to the semifinal when they hosted

Paris SG at Camp Nou for the last leg of the "

quarter-final match. With Barcelona already
3-1 up on aggregate, Paris SG was expected
to be menacing, but the story was opposite
altogether. Barcelona opened the match on a
very high note and it was the magical run by
Iniesta who made a box to box run through the

pitch, running past defenders before providing
a telling assist to Neymar who took it past the
keeper and slotted it into the back of the net,
which decided the match. A few minutes after
that, it was Dani Alves with an assist who got
the ball high up the pitch and tracked the ball
back before feeding it back into the box and onto
the head of Neymar, who once again provided
his sublime, touch and Barcelona was two goals
up in no time. After that it was game over for
Paris SG who now head out of the Champions
League for the fourth year running. Barcelona
2(5), Paris SG 0(1).

With two goals down on aggregate,
Bayern Munich was looking at exiting the
competition at the quarter-final stage for the
first time in six years, and with critics breathing

down the neck of Pep Guardiola, it was a
managerial masterclass by the German giants.
Bayern Munich once again showed their class
as they took the two-goal deficit and turned
it around into a three-goal lead on aggregate,
with the match ending with six goals in Bayern’s
pocket. The scoring started in the 14th minute
when the man who scored the away goal in
their last tie scored a wonderful header after
a fantastic ball in, begging to be hit. That
goal took Bayern’s spirit to a whole new level,
soon afterwards it was another headed goal
by Boateng which teasingly slipped past the
goalkeeper’s fingers and into the back of the
net, and this took Bayern level on aggregate.
And within the first half Robert Lewandoski
scored a brace and Muller scored a long ranged

seeker, which meant game over for Porto. The
second half started with Bayern, hungry for
even more—they weren’t content with" just
five goals—but Porto was able to get the shine
off their win by scoring a well built up goal
bringing down Bayern’s lead to two goals. Just
as the match was about to end Porto conceded a
free kick very close to their box, and it was Xabi
Alonso who stepped forth to take it. Scoring his
second goal in the last six years, he popped the
ball right into the left corner well beyond the
goalkeeper’s reach. Bayern Munich now head
into the semi-finals as they meet Barcelona at
Camp Nou next week. Bayern Munich 6(7), FC
Porto 1(4).

Real Madrid headed to UEFA final?

Karan Ieet Singh
TECHNEWS WRITER

The quarter final stage of the UEFA
Champions league comes to an end with two
nail-biting matches between Real Madrid and
Atletico Madrid, and Monaco and Iuventus.
With all the teams in top form, it was an exciting
week in the European Championship.

Real Madrid hosted their local rivals
Atletico and turned it into the most thrilling
match of the championship. It was deemed to
be the recap oflast year’s final and it turned out
to be so, in some fashion. Both team played
really well with Atletico doing what they do
best, i.e. defending. The first half belonged to
Real Madrid territorially as they kept most of

the possession and took few fairly good shots
at the goal, but the Slovenian keeper was at his
best once again and was able to keep all ofthem
out. The second half started with Gabi being
substituted in and joining the defense force
of Atléti. The match turned more and more
aggressive as it always does when these two
sides meet, and Atletico was determined tqnot
go out without a fight, literally. At 75th minute
Arda Turan made a reckless challenge at Sergio
Ramos, and Ramos being at his theatric best
made sure that the referee got to know about
it. Referee showed Arda the red card and the
task of going through to the semifinals turned
even more difficult for Atléti as they went a
man down. Real translated into an opportunity
as they increased their work rate, and at the

88th minute, the spell was finally broken.
Ronaldo did a wonderful 1—2 with James and
found himself looking for a player to pass to
inside the box, and at that moment Chicharito
presented himself at the perfect location for
Ronaldo to pass to, and he shot home. Last year
it was the late strike by Sergio Ramos that took
Real Madrid into the extra time, and this year
it was the late strike by Chicharito, who is on
loan from Manchester United, that takes Real
Madrid through to the semifinal. Real Madrid
1(1) Atletico Madrid 0(0).

After 12 years Iuventus are finally in
the Europe’s elite as they head into the Semifinal
after beating Monaco on aggregate. Monaco
hosted their Italian rivals with a high paced
football with experienced and seasoned players

like Berbatov kept on the bench and fresh legs of
Bernardo Silva given a chance. Monaco played
really well coming close to almost breaking
Iuventus’ defense a few times but it was a pie
they weren’t able to take bite of, Iuventus also
came close to scoring with Andrea Pirlo’s 35-
yard screaming free kick hitting the woodwork
in the second half. The match ended goalless,
but Iuventus go ahead in the competition with
Vidal’s last week’s penalty being the decider in
two legs ofthis contest. Monaco 0(0) Iuventus
0(1).

Iuventus now meets Real Madrid for
their semifinal match, and being the form Real
Madrid is in right now, it won’t be a surprise if
they take out Iuventus and head into the finals
as they defend their title for the tenth time.