jenni_blog | CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SEMI-FINALS

I don't think anyone would argue that Barcelona and Real Madrid were the favourites to go through to the final this year. But the exact opposite happened. It's not that Chelsea and Bayern Munich are not good teams. Far from it. But with it being impossible for both of these teams to win their respective leagues, while Barcelona and Real Madrid were still battling it out to see who would win theirs, the key factor for the CL semis seems to be that while Chelsea and Bayern were able to rest their players for their Champions League matches, Barcelona and Real Madrid had to face each other last Saturday in a high octane match that probably decided who would be La Liga champions. And I think that 'El Clasico' game probably took all the wind out of both teams' sails.

Both semi-finals were highly dramatic. Here are some photos.

"He ain't heavy, he's my brother."

I won't go into great detail because everyone probably knows what happened, but one more fascinating fallout from the semis is that both Chelsea and Bayern will be missing tons of key players for the final. Most notably, Chelsea's entire back line will not be able to play. All these players are suspended for the final, due to accumulation of yellow cards or the issue of red ones: John Terry, Branislav Ivanovic, Gary Cahill (he's injured), David Luiz (ditto), as well as Raul Meireles. Did I miss anyone?

Bayern Munich will be missing Holger Badstuber and Alaba, and I'm not sure if there's anyone else not going to be able to play.

More from Barcelona vs Chelsea:

And from Real Madrid vs Bayern Munich:

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

*LOLZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ* @ Bayern and Chel§ky would be good teams. You go with the flow....

The best - to watch how CR arsehole missed the penalty!

The worst - I lost my bet :(

Another good aspect - the shit arrogant spanish teams will NOT win the CL 2012! Not that I would care about the worst team Bayern and I really hope that arseholes will lose at home!

Lots of LOLZZZ moments. XDDD

When Chelski went on their run of winning games I got interested in seeing just when they would crash down, because I knew they would. It was much more than STUPID Gareth Bale saying Spurs were a better team right before the FA Cup final. I got fascinated a bit.

But I don't like any of these teams! It was fascinating to watch, and to see how it would all turn out. I don't like Bayern (or more truthfully, I just don't care about them) but because I watched yesterday's game I saw that they played well!

And the LOLZ moments were so worth seeing! CR missing a penalty kick! Priceless! Messi missing one the day before! GREAT! JT's red card! Awesome! Sergio Ramos' ball launched into orbit! Wonderful stuff!

I have to admit I would not have missed the CL semi-finals for the world this year! Toooooo entertaining. If this is going with the flow, then OK, so I went with the flow. But I seriously don't think I did. ;)

It was a boring day! My day off and the weather was too crappy to go out, and I was NOT interested in the Copa Lib matches. But those were LOLZ as well! Bolivar beating the one Brazil team was GREAT, even if I hate Bolivar too! And the other two 0-0 was also LOLZ. Seeing Neymar lying on the ground with a pained expression was too funny!

XD

I guess I watch football with other eyes. I cannot be objective and I don't want to be!

I haven't watched barca vs Chel$ky but I guess it was sometimes the lolzzzzzzzzz I have read the spanish press made him goging round *lol* The fallen hero???

The Real vs Bayern match I had on TV but I wasn't watching it, only the penalties were interesting and when the arsehole CR couldn't score I laughed my arse off!

My only hope is now that Chel$ky will kick the Bavarian arseholes.

I think the half finals were like shit, shit teams and nothing to like.... I hate all four teams and what I have seen from Real vs Bayern was not good, they both played very ugly football and both didn't deserve to play a half final. Just the football the most fans love to watch because the have ZERO brain and NO own opinion. Sounds hard but I think so.

Much better to watch was Paraguay! Fernado Giménez!!!! He made a great match!
My Emelec boys won 5-0 and they made me happy!!!! They played fantastic football and their coach wasn't there because he got a ban and watched them from the stands with a phone at his ear. LOVE THEM!!!
America played 0-0 but it wasn't aired (copa match) Julian didn't play! They still lead their group :)

Have nothing seen from the Libertadores matches but the results.

Better than football is writing sex *lol* (part 27)

It would be easier to NOT be objective! I was thinking how much stress I cause myself by liking too many teams! But that is the way I am from a child. Maybe because my parents encouraged me to have a mind of my own and make my own choices. But this time of year is very stressful and I'll be glad when it is over!

If I liked only ONE team and didn't care about any others, then life would be SO much easier and simpler for me. I could be at peace. But I might also be bored out of my mind, and I've never liked being bored.

Are you referring to Guatemala vs Paraguay - the friendly? I saw some pics and saved them, but it seemed such a random match and I didn't have anything to connect it to.

Emelec won 5-0? That is awesome! I hope they do well in the Copa too.

I saw the America result and others from the Copa Postobon. I hope they do well, but I also hope for Junior and Millos. :)

I'm only watching the Libertadores matches with teams I like a lot.

You are RIGHT that writing about sex is better than football atm!!!!

XD

*smiles* I go always my way! My parents told me to be confident. I cannot say how often I was going against the flow. I chose the hard way!
Later I learnd to 'use' other people!

I make it easier for me by being ME!

I like more than one team but it is hard to like two teams of the same league.

Guatemala vs Paraguay to watch Fernando Giménez and it was his FIRST call!!!!

Emelec - I love them! I know I say always the same ;) three days before the last match the played vs the same team away and lost 2-1 and the boys were too tired..... they fought so hard and I guess they were almost dead after the final whistle. The played now five matches in two weeks! In the win they showed how much passion they have and they wanted to win and holy shit they were great! Okay.... I know I am a bit ähmmmm 5-0!!!! REVANCHE!

América is doing well!

Next week are better Libertadores matches :)

I will send you morrrrrrrrrrrrre :)

That dramatic game between Chelsea and Barcelona was one of the best this season. Once Chelsea got the red card I practically handed the victory over to Barcelona. What a complete shocker. And then the next day, with the knowledge that Barca was out, I fully expected Real Madrid to blow away Bayern. I genuinely did not expect to see this final. You are correct though - the timing of the Clasico definitely impacted the performances. I am cheering for Bayern in the final. I really don't care but it would be nice to see a 'home' team win in it with the full support of a stadium (and a nation) full of fans.

I think that the BBVA powers-that-be will be more careful next year with the scheduling of El Clasico and not make it in the same week as any CL games. ;)

Real Madrid's loss to Bayern was a shocker. But because of that, and the fact it is a home game for them, I very much doubt that Bayern won't win the CL. Chelsea will have so many players out, especially all those defenders, that I think they'll have a tough time holding off the Bayern attack. Having said that, though, the 'substitute defenders' are likely to be very well rested, and who knows? Chelsea's style makes it very difficult to penetrate their defense, and they are such experts at counter attacking to score goals. This year, anything can happen. Which made it a much more exciting CL than ever before. :)

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SEMI-FINALS - QUITE AMAZING RESULTS

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