Champions League Semifinal: Manchester United at Barcelona (Running Commentary)

The match-up is finally here. Manchester United vs. Barcelona. Two of the most storied clubs in the world, two of the most star-studded squads in the world, ready to battle with a place in the Champions League final on the line.

The first leg of their semifinal series takes place in Barcelona today (2:45pm, ESPN2) and there are storylines galore. You have Man U defender Nemanja Vidic coming down with an illness the day before the game. You have Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi battling to see who can make the bigger impact. You have Rio Ferdinand trying to stop Samuel Eto'o or Thierry Henry (or both). You have Wayne Rooney and/or Carlos Tevez potentially doing battle with Carles Puyol.

So many great subplots in what should be a far more entertaining series than the Chelsea-Liverpool semifinal series (comical own goals notwithstanding).

I will be doing a live commentary on the match so feel free to follow the match here. Even if you're watching the match yourself, if you happen to be online please feel free to share your thoughts and opinions on the match in the comments section below. I have a feeling we'll have plenty to talk about.

Enjoy the match.

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FINAL- Barcelona 0, Manchester United 0. Both squads will come away upset to not have won. Cristiano Ronaldo's missed penalty cost Man U the win while Barcelona's wasted free kicks and heavy advantage in possession failed to produce a single goal. I think Man U has to have the edge heading back to Old Trafford, where they have been deadly all season.

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90th minute- Barcelona has to feel disappointed about not finding a single goal despite a truckload of free kicks and possession.

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88th minute- Another Barcelona free kick. It's about 28 yards out straight in front of goal. SAVE VAN DER SAR. Henry hits a hard blast but VDS had enough time to find it.

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84th minute- Barcelona has certainly dominated possession today but Manchester United set out to sit back and counter like it did in the away leg against Roma. The strategy is working from the standpoint that it's keeping Barcelona off the board, but Man U hasn't come close to an away goal since Ronaldo missed that early penalty.

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82nd minute- Thierry Henry forces a save from Van Der Sar. Good chance.

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76th minute- Nani comes in for Wayne Rooney, who didn't really have an impact on the match. He spent more time defending than attacking today.

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67th minute- Bojan Krkik is already causing some problems. The kid is nasty and capable of finding a game-winner here.

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64th minute- Messi showed some flashes but you can tell he hasn't been playing for a while. We can only dream what this match-up would have been like with both teams at full strength.

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63rd minute- Messi has left the match and you wonder how that affects Barcelona. He didn't have a great match, though it was his first action in a while.

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HALFTIME- Ronaldo sends the free kick wide and we head into halftime scoreless. Man U got off to a fast start but Barcelona took over for a long stretch. Man U regained control the last 10-15 minutes. It should be a fun second half.

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44th minute- Ronaldo draws a free kick on Marquez, who gets a yellow in the process. Another dangerous free kick spot for Man U.

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41st minute- Man U earns a good free kick spot after Zambrotta takes down Evra.

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38th minute- I'm not sure about that foul call on Scholes. That was a phantom call.

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34th minute- Eto'o gets into a dangerous spot but his kick is blocked. Barca is getting close.

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33rd minute- Tevez with a nice elbow to Zambrotta's throat. He definitely meant to do that.

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32nd minute- Messi schools Patrice Evra and then Scholes brings down Deco for a decent free kick for Barcelona.

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29th minute- Ronaldo shouts for a penalty. Not sure he had a case there.

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23rd minute- This has been a very good game to watch from a tactical and technical standpoint. Good ball movement and good movement off the ball. The goals aren't coming, but this won't end 0-0.

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21st minute- A weak Barcelona free kick goes right to Van Der Sar. Still waiting to see Van Der Sar tested.

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19th minute- Not sure about Wes Brown today. He looks a bit shaky.

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17th minute- Man U corner is wasted.

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15th minute- Tell you what, if Ronaldinho were healthy he puts that kick into the net.

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14th minute- The Man U wall blocks Marquez's free kick. A pretty bad kick.

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13th minute- Carlos Tevez with a dangerous foul that sets up a Barcelona free kick from 19 yards out.

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9th minute- Barcelona is knocking on the door now. Man U is on its heels.

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6th minute- Barcelona is knocking the ball around now but haven't found the killer pass yet.

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3rd minute- RONALDO MISSES THE PK. He hits it wide right. He tried too hard to place it on the top corner. WOW

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2nd minute- PENALTY!!! A Barcelona handball by Milito off a Ronaldo header. Good call.

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1st minute- You have to wonder how long it will be before Marquez gets exposed by Tevez and Ronaldo.

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1st minute- And we're off.

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PRE-GAME- Here is the Man U lineup:

--------------Tevez----------Ronaldo-------------

-------Park-----------------------------Rooney

----------------Scholes------Carrick----------------

Evra-----Ferdinand-------Brown-----Hargreaves

--------------------Van Der Sar----------------------

Here is the Barcelona lineup:

------Iniesta--------Eto'o---------------Messi-

--------------Deco----------Xavi-----------------

---------------------Toure-----------------------

Abidal--------Milito-------Marquez-----Zambrotta

-----------------------Valdez----------------------

Comments

[Chosun]

Very excited about this game. Anyone know if there's somewhere to watch this online? Let's go Man U!

[Andrew]

I'm still gutted about the Liverpool result. All food bland; sky = gray. cannot. muster. excitement.

[Joe_in_ND]

I don't know about more entertaining.

Champions League Semifinals are notoriously tight affairs no matter who is in the games. I expect this one to be no different.

1-1, 1-0, 0-1, whatever the result will be, I am almost certain that Manchester United will move on in the end.

Barca are in turmoil, United are too good.

United may lose today, but they will dominate when they go back to Old Trafford.

[Dave]

I believe Puyol is suspended, the task of stopping Rooney/Tevez will be assigned to Milito

[sprool11]

Man Utd: Van der Sar, Evra, Hargreaves, Ferdinand, Brown, Ronaldo, Rooney, Park, Carrick, Scholes, Tevez.
Subs: Kuszscak, Anderson, Giggs, Nani, Pique, O'Shea, Silvestre.

Barcelona: Valdes, Milito, Marquez, Xavi, Iniesta, Eto'o, Zambrotta, Messi, Deco, Abidal, Toure.
Subs: Jose Pinto, Gudjohnsen, Henry, Sylvinho, Giovani, Thuram, Bojan.

[Spencer]

ManU takes this. Go ManU!!!!!!!!!

[Spencer]

Not sure I like Scholes starting though.

[Dave]

so who is playing right back brown or owen?

[eric]

Spencer - Agreed on Scholes in the lineup, I thought me mostly hurt the team in the draw against Blackburn. Or at least not him and Park??? Despite his age, I'd rather see Anderson.

[jerry]

OMG my hands wont stop shaking !!!! let this game begin already !!!!! VISCA EL BARCA !!!!! lets show the world Messi is the real POY and not that diving cheat CR7!!!!! lol

[Homey Boehme]

My prediction, Ronaldinho is spotted in the stadium wearing a Manchester City jersey.

[eric]

I don't get to watch La Liga so I might be off on this, but hasn't it been a while since Barca's rolled Deco out of the closet?

[Original Aaron]

I'm on a business trip in Chicago, and after a little research, I am heading to Sedgewick's to watch the game. Does anyone out there have a better suggestion in downtown Chicago?

[briguy]

Devils 2-0 Barca

Book it.

[Dominghosa]

Conventional wisdom has ManU all the way. But I'm biased, so either Barca takes it 2-1 or it's tied up at 2 going into the second leg.
Messi does his magic after the half and Bojan comes in at the 65th minute to provide the winner/tying goal.
Defensive-minded lineup for Rijkaard's boys. He has to do something because Barca's defense has been giving up goals like a fat guy on a diet locked inside a candy store.

[Dominghosa]

Even with a defensive side, Barca will allow a goal or two. I've given up on hoping for a shutout week after week. It's futile. This team can't defend and with Puyol out, it looks worse.

[Nick]

Knot in stomach, uck. Can't wait for this thing to start.

Glory glory!

[Spencer]

Eric, Deco was hurt for a while, so they might just keep him out. Don't want this to be his first game back, but maybe next leg.

[Spencer]

Oh I stand corrected, I knew he was healthy but didn't look at the lineup, but yes he was injured.

[eric]

Man I'd love a shootout, i.e. Barca score their goals. I just don't see how ManU doesn't score a couple, although I don't remember them winning that big on the road, and this line up doesn't seem to be their most dangerous.

I'm afraid that in one of these matches ManU could hand out a beating Roma-style in honor of Francesco Totti's ACL.

[eric]

So we really have Hargraves at RB, huh? What's the logic, if Essien can do it...

[Dominghosa]

disaster already.

[puffyjrkfan]

United for the European Cup!! It's all over already!

[Dominghosa]

yes! no way! he missed! please let this be an omen.

[Jonathan]

WHAT?
Rooney right wing, Ronaldo up top???

[puffyjrkfan]

Correction: I CANNOT BELIEVE that Ronaldo missed a PK. United still for the Cup, but I'm aghast.

[eric]

WOW! From the last minute of yesterday to the first minute of today, those are the two most stunning minutes of soccer I've ever seen (factoring in the hyperbole of the moment)

[ManicMessiah]

It's an unlucky penalty, and I don't think the barca player meant to strike it with his hand, but I think you had to call that.

And as I'm typing, Ronaldo amazingly misses the penalty.

[Dominghosa]

Marquez has actually played well the last few matches when he comes in, which hasn't been too often.

[ADG]

My best friend just happened to book a trip to Barcalona for this week. He's texting me from a bar in barcalona right now. I couldn't possibly be more jealous

[eric]

Alright, did Rafa Benitez hand in United's lineup today???

[Joe_in_ND]

Yeah, wtf is up with both teams lineups. Surely Rijkaard and Ferguson are having a laugh with each other.

This game is looking to be more entertaining, but only because Barca are in this. Man U look pathetic.

[Erik Abarca]

channelsurfing.net not working for me, any1 know of another site giving the game? thanks

[Dominghosa]

You would expect a better chance there after Van Der Sar's mess of a clearance. But dangerous free kick here. Too bad 'dinho's not healthy or fit or anything.

[ManicMessiah]

Dangerous spot for a barca freekick.

[eric]

What's the over-under on the Scholes YC? Wait a minute, he's kind of limping out there, which is impeding his lunging.

[puffyjrkfan]

Scholes looks a bit past it, if you ask me. He was off the pace in the Arsenal game and he looks it again today. Next year, Anderson needs to be the 1st choice.

[Dominghosa]

no way is C. Ronaldo going to get a PK after going down like that after a bump.

[Dr. Rockzo, The Rock N' Roll Clown]

Thirty minutes of this game is infinitely more exciting then all of yesterday's match.

[Bored at work]

Does anyone have a link where I can watch this game? My ESPN 360 account isn't working...

[ManicMessiah]

It was a fair challenege, plus Ronaldo was doing a bit of shoving himself.

[Dante]

Tevez with a cheapshot to Zambrotta.

[Dante]

Terrible trip on Ronaldo by Marquez. Now, he's suspended for the second leg.

[Homey Boehme]

How much possession can you have in the opponents 1/3 without a decent attempt on goal? Barcelona do not look threatening at all. Rooney looks lost on the wing, he needs to see more of the ball. Tevez touch is a little heavy. I hope Fergie changes the lineup for the second half. His formation has confused his own players instead of Barcelona's defense.

[PanchoMiguelMoralesdeConejo]

Hey "Bored at work" join the club...try this one and the eXtra2 seems to be the best stream. Lots of poor streams today.
http://livefooty.doctor-serv.com/wed23.4/Barcelona_ManU.html

[Homey Boehme]

I just saw a possession stat that said 70% Barca and 30% Man Utd.

[eric]

This game really lacks life with Messi out (it was time, but he was Barca's best out there) and Man U playing confused.

[Dante]

Ferguson's tactics are survive until the second leg.

[eric]

Rooney off for Nani. What a waste of Rooney today.

[Frank]

Ives,
Quit being envious that none of the USMNT defenders could get a whiff of Barca. Marquez is world class and your bashing is shameful.

[eric]

Frank, what are you talking about? Are you watching the game? Marquez has a bad foul and a bad free kick, that's about it. Go read the Guardian MBM if you want to read an English writer "bash" both of those plays as it happened.

A montage of whining sums up this super disappointing match. If you ever wanted to know how Benitez would ruin a loaded Man U line up, this was your dream come true.

[eric]

I missed when Henry came on and for whom, I think it's Deco but he could be out there doing nothing. Henry had a spurt where he looked like he might actually score a goal.

Is that it? This game was so bad it was hard to tell when it ended. In retrospect, it would have been better if Ronaldo had scored, maybe Barca would have felt obligated to do something about it.

[Homey Boehme]

I am going to state that if Man United had already sealed up the premiership title, we would have seen a completely different line up for this game. Thank goodness I didn't have to pay to watch this match.

[Frank]

Yes, he had a couple of bad plays but Ive's comment in the beginning about how long it would take to expose him is ridiculous. Expose him as what? A shutout of Man U's offensive firepower is nothing to be ashamed about for a defense including Marquez. Barcelona has only lost one game of the last 20 that Marquez starts. Ive's your just another USMNT homer and Mexican hater. You should post that on your front banner to warn people.

[brentmcd]

i think i read that marquez has finally come out of the closet and declared his love for men. perhaps that is the exposing to which ives refers
;-)

i don't understand how people could say this was a bad game. sure it ended 0-0, but this was riveting soccer. the pace of play, ball control, passing, and trapping was absolutely top-notch.

[Ives]

Frank, are you serious? I'm a Mexican team hater? Get a grip already. Your hyper-sensitivity toward anything Mexican-related is getting a littled tired.

Rafa Marquez is a good player, without question, but he is SLOW. VERY SLOW. When I said how long it would take before he was exposed I meant with relation to his speed. Man U has some serious speed in its attack and just might have had a chance to expose Marquez if Man U didn't decide to play in full sit back and counter mode. Of course now when the series goes back to Old Trafford, where Man U will be on the all out attack, Marquez will be suspended after picking up a yellow for fouling Ronaldo, who beat him easily on the play.

Marquez's strengths are his passing out of the back and his positioning, NOT his speed so I was simply stating an unbiased opinion based on that and not based on the fact that he's Mexican.

[scott47a]

ManUre ought to be ashamed for bleeding the life out of the game today. I can't recall how many times I saw them with 10 men behind the ball, packed in and tucking their tails.

They were playing not to lose and took the life right out of what should have been an exciting matchup.

It has to be frustrating for guys like C. Ronaldo to basically be forced to be a forward-line defender for 75 minutes of a 90-minute game.

[kpugs]

Forgive me lads, as I'm only watching the rest of this match in the middle of the night.

So far: IDIOTS, a hand ball is a hand ball, you don't ignore a ball slapped to the ground by a defender, EVER. He missed the penalty, so shut up. If he doesn't make that call he's looking at a ban.

That was probably a second penalty. I won't argue it, I was 50/50. Definite foul there, which, if you obey the FIFA rules, is a penalty. But as a personal feeling, I'm ok with it.

[kpugs]

Hey Frank...watch Marquez play once in a while. Just because he is the only non-hideous Mexican national teamer doesn't mean you need to pretend he is an all world defender.

Or have you NEVER seen Mexico vs. USA? Learn about the game moron, it might help in the future with regards to you not looking like a moron. Marquez fits his role--barely. And that's it. He should be thankful he's on that team.

[kpugs]

Wow, now that I typed that, Marquez is pathetic, whoever wants to is beating him. Awesome job Frank, of being a total idiot and not knowing a thing about soccer.

Guess what, journalists AREN'T BIASED when a defender is constantly and pathetically beaten, and in turn when he pathetically commits non-ball fouls for the rest of the game. Congrats, you're an idiot. How does it feel?

[kpugs]

No seriously now, I want Frank to email me, he is a genius: Frank, it's kpugs7@gmail.com son.

You have displayed so much stupidity on this site, I really just want to know your explanation since you're so smart. Please email me. Feel free in the email to explain why you are smarter than a three year old.

[Timoteo]

0-0 gives a little edge to Manchester but with the away goals tie breaker rule, if Barca can score one (which they have a better chance since I think Manchester will be more offensive minded at home) then it forces Man U to come up with two goals. I think Chelsea's 1-1 tie favors Chelsea much more than the 0-0 tie favors Man U.

[Hincha Tim]

Sorry, I accidently posted under Timoteo. I thought Yaya Toure was an animal out there. What a fantastic holding midfielder who can get offensive (in a good way) at times. I think he's the best at that position in the world.
Actually, quite an entertaining game for a 0-0 tie. It goes to show you that at this stage of the game, the margin of victory is so razor thin, that I think it will go to the team that capitalizes on the scoring chances that they have. Eto'o should have scored off the gorgeous backheal from Iniesta and of course, CR should have scored off the penalty.