Post Match Reaction - Round 33

[Nick@ManCity]

Missing Sheets


Errors
Celtic - Goncalves & Lafont suspended

Error Points

[Derek]

Inter 3 5 Roma

Sometimes a result is really worth waiting for.

Inter dominated the early part of the game and raced into a 2 goal lead. Given our stuttering form I thought it was all over. But then we went on the rampage and started scoring for fun.

Looks like Talbot's mind games worked with Lisbon foolishly opting to try and win.

We've got a horrendous run-in so nice to get a win here.

gg GS.

[JasonH@Wolfsburg]

Ac Milan 0-0 Leverkusen

both teams surprisingly went L, which led to a really tedious first half. Milan switched to A but couldn’t break down the Leverkusen defence which led to some healthy abs.

we have a problem with scoring at the moment and need to snap out of it if we want Europe, but a much needed point on board.

Good game Mati

[Marshy@Atletico]

Rangers 3 Atletico 2

Seems like it is one step forwards and one step backwards at present as Atletico struggle for any consistent form. A game slightly shaded by the away side but Rangers were the more clinical on the day. Goals from Frimpong and Fati.

Manager Simon Marsh commented "It is a damaging result which sees us fall further off the pace of those above us. We are a little marooned now but will keep fighting. 96 goals now for the side is incredible. If only we had not conceded 74!. 9 game to go and we are hopefully going to relax and enjoy them and see where it gets us"

GG Aaron

[Guest]

Inter 3 5 Roma

We started well, really well but it fell to crap soon afterwards, we took the game to Roma 1-0 up fully expecting them to switch it up but they never not even at 2-0 down and with the tactical advanatge they were soon back in the game, a rookie mistake from us we should have shut up shop at 2-0 and got the points.

gg mate

[Livi@Liverpool]

Dortmund 1 Barcelona 2

Hadn't actually appreciated Dortmund have a cup final up next and understandably they rested 3 or 4 starters. We matched their C but having gone ahead early we switched to P and promptly conceded. It stayed that way for a long long time and it wasn't until late on once both sides had switched to A that we sneaked a winner and it was probably a little unfair on Dortmund to be honest.

With Lisbon losing to a fired up Madrid we're back within 5 points of the top. It's not a huge deficit but it's going to be a big ask to claw that back against such a strong and in form outfit as Madrid - especially as we're always likely to chuck in a stinker of a performance ourselves.

We need to find a run of wins from somewhere and see where that takes us. More realistically we're probably in a battle to try and hold off PSG and retain 4th spot.

Unlucky Niall and good luck to both you and Lyon on Tuesday

[Gary@Millwall]

Real Madrid 6 Sporting Lisbon 3

Windebank took his Sporting Lisbon team to the might of Real Madrid trying to increase the three point advantage and make it 11 wins in a row and 14 games unbeaten, however in an exciting end to end nine goal bonanza of a game Sporting Lisbon come up short as Real Madrid became the first team to perform the double over the Portuguese outfit and leap frog them on goal difference to the summit of the table.

Real Madrid decided to attack from the first whistle while Windebank decided to play a more cultured passing game. The game was very even in the opening exchanges and there was a feeling that the first goal was going to be very important.

The first goal arrived in the 18th minute when the home side played some incredible football with Mendy crossing the ball to Kimpembe who hit a first time shot that despite Lopes getting a hand to nestled in the back of the net.

Sporting Lisbon continued to play football but in the 23rd minute Rudiger took advantage of a mistake by Juranovic and found Elliot who made no mistake to double the lead. Real Madrid and Elliot were so ecstatic that Elliot jumped on Steve Talbot to celebrate.

Both managers changed formation and tactics with Real Madrid deciding to sit back and counter and Lisbon going all out attack to try and salvage something from this important fixture.

In the 37th minute Juan Mata capitalised on a mistake from former Lisbon defender Godin and lobbed the desperate Courtois to halve the deficit to 2-1.

Three minutes later the game was turned on it's head when Lewandowski skipped past Mendy and unleashed a rocket to bring the game level at 2-2.

Real Madrid went back to attacking and in the 48th minute Sporting Lisbon gained tactical advantage as Windebank instructed his players to play the Normal tactic.

The referee brought a superb first half to an end with the scores all level at 2-2.

In the 59th minute VAR decided not to award Sporting Lisbon a penalty following shirt pulling from a Lisbon corner and this proved to be pivotal as in the next action as Olmo found Elliot who saw his effort hit the post and the back of the net.

Real Madrid really had the tails up now as and they made the score 4-2 in the 66th minute when Rodrygo saw his initial effort hit the post but the ball fell kindly for him and he tapped in the rebound to score his 20th goal of the season.

Sporting Lisbon were on the ropes and with Real Madrid gaining tactical advantage going back to their Counter Attacking approach the game was put out of sight two minutes later when Sterling saw his shot saved on the line by Lopes but the ball was adjudged to have crossed the line and the score was 5-2.

Real Madrid were now having a party and Steve Talbot took the shackles off to go back Attacking which culminated in a sixth goal in the 71st minute when Olmo shot a low drive that somehow ended in the top corner.

VAR denied Real Madrid a penalty in the 81st minute and Sporting Lisbon were still causing Real Madrid problems as their heads had not dropped.

In the 90th minute Sporting Lisbon got some reward for their efforts when Matteo Politano got to the byline and found Frenkie De Jong who nutmegged the Real Madrid keeper to make the score 6-3.

The referee brought this thrilling game to an end and Real Madrid had managed to pull off a great victory in a very exciting game that was an advert for the EFL League.

Sporting Lisbon had 51% possession with Real Madrid creating 22 chances to Sporting Lisbon's 15 with Real Madrid having 11 shots on target to Sporting Lisbon's 9.

Windebank's Post Match Comments

Well it had to happen sometime and our great run comes to an end in a thrilling game against one of the elite teams. I cannot fault my team today they showed guts and determination and keep going until the final whistle.

The game was lost in nine crazy minutes where every Real Madrid shot hit the back of the net off the woodwork or just trickled over the line.

I said before the game that these are the games the fans and managers want to be involved in and I feel we gave it a real go but come up short today, I could not ask for anymore from my players and they can hold their heads up high following that performance and their performances all season.

We now need to bounce back and go on another run if we are to win the League this season, Real Madrid have a far superior goal difference so we have to earn one more point than them in the last nine games.

The question now is do we have the bottle to see this season through and do we have more bottle than Real Madrid, Roma and Barcelona.

It is going to be an exciting last nine games with more twist and turns and we are just thankful to be a part of it at this stage of the season.

Great game Steve T, well done on doing the double over me mate and best of luck for the rest of the season

[Steve@Chelsea]

Real Madrid 6 - 3 Sporting Lisbon

Real Madrid showed Sporting Lisbon who the real kings of the pitch are with a stunning 6-3 win over the title chasing wannabe's. Our team played with the confidence of having been in this spot several times, showing their experience edge and dominating the game from start to finish. We raced into a 2 goal lead, and countered them tactically but Lisbon pulled it back level at half time against the grain and it was still all to play for. Stern words of advice from SKT at half time was still ringing in the players ears and well, Madrid listened, and just stepped it up into another gear (or two). The fans were on their feet, cheering every goal as we marched to an emphatic victory and hit Lisbon high into stands for a massive six.

This is the kind of performance that defines Real Madrid and proves once again why we are one of the greatest teams in the world. Madrid hit the double top dart here to both do the double over the noisy challengers and to go top of the league. Still plenty of tough games left though for all teams involved. The race is still on. But what a performance. Hala Madrid!

[AB@Juventus]

Juventus 5 - 2 Eintracht Frankfurt

A solid win against a team who, I believe, beat us in the reverse fixture.

We decided to go for it with A, vs the visitor's P tactic and 6 minutes in, we were behind...We stuck with our attacking style and within 10 minutes we'd pulled level.

On 24 minutes, we took the lead and Frankfurt played into our A tactic hands by changing up to an E tactic.
This led to a 3rd for us 5 minutes before half time and we took a 3-1 lead into the break.

The next goal in this game was going to be crucial and just before the hour mark we scored it to stretch the lead to 4-1.

The visitors pulled a goal back on 70 minutes, only for us the restore the 3 goal cushion 7 minutes later to seal the 5-2 victory.

Statistically we were the better team, but not by 3 goals so Frankfurt may feel hard done by, good game Ray

[Drum@Villa]

Valencia 2-0 Lazio

pretty standard stuff now.

play well in 1 game then struggle in the other.

nit a massive amount to say about this except yet again got things all wrong, changed things for the way that didn’t work,

we were outplayed in every department,

End of season blues have kicked in. Same boring tactics and need to change things up.

find a better way.

gg.

[Ed@PSG]

Lyon 1 psg 1
Another poor away performance. I thought we had turned the corner but clearly not. Lyon even rested players before their final. Very quiet game for felix and pino. Nothing to play for now, so might experiment a little in the games that aren't key to the title race. Lisbon finally stumble and it now looks like the title is real Madrids to lose