Champions League Liveblog: Barcelona v. Inter Milan

Leo who? This should be a special one

Today’s semifinal first leg needs little in the way of an introduction. We suspect you’re familiar with these sides. There’s the team from Barcelona, on the east coast of Spain. Catalunya. They’re quite good, thanks in no small part to a fella named Messi. His teammates are quite talented as well, and their coach, Guardiola, has a way of arranging it all.

Then there’s Inter Milan. They’ve won the Italian league a few times on the bounce. They too have a heavyweight manager– the Scousers coo– but with a slightly larger personality. Mourinho won’t actually play today (I mean, he can’t, right?), but after Messi, I imagine he’ll be game announcers’ most named participant.

Inter and Barca have met twice before in 2009-10, in the group stages of this competition, with the Catalans winning one, the other ending nil-nil. That was at the San Siro, which will also play host to today/tonight’s affair.

There you have it. Team sheets, the sooooong; kick-off nears. It’s Barcelona’s firepower bearing down on Inter’s icy gates. Will the belt-holders break open the tie with a barrage of away goals… or will it be Mourinho and his hardened outfit holding out and holding off.

Let’s do this.

Oh, lovely start. Apparently FSC will debut its English-language coverage of this match at 5p. So I’ll be watching this with Spanish play-by-play. How does one say “Mourinho” in Spanish?

Oh, decisions now. The game will go live and en ingles on MSG (MSG+ for you Time Warner NYC cats) and, I’m told, regional Fox Sports channels.

Let’s try it in Spanish to start…

Here are the teams, courtesy of Auntie Beebs:

Inter– Julio Cesar, Maicon, Lucio, Samuel, Zanetti, Motta, Cambiasso, Pandev, Milito, Sneijder, Eto’o.
Subs: Orlandoni, Cordoba, Stankovic, Muntari, Materazzi, Chivu, Balotelli.

Barca– Valdes, Dani Alves, Pique, Puyol, Maxwell, Xavi, Busquets, Keita, Ibrahimovic, Messi, Pedro. Subs: Pinto, Marquez, Bojan, Henry, Milito, Abidal, Toure Yaya.

Referee: Olegario Benquerenca (Portugal)

2.32– Think I’ll go to the Spanish feed for the pre-game as well. Wynalda is best at tossing to commercial breaks. That part of this job he has locked down. The rest is a bit dicier.

2.34– Obvious stuff: Puyol (suspension) and Pique back in central defense for Barcelona. Ibrahimovic, too. Iniesta remains out. Of course, this is all moot as only Arsenal suffer injuries in football.

2.37– Shocking detail: Liverpool aren’t the only club who managed/are managing to arrive for their European matches with 19th century technology. Barcelona bused it to Milan.. a little rainbow ride through the south of France I imagine.

2.42– It’s that time.

These are the Chaaaaaampions!

(Drink Heineken)

The Chaaaaaaaampions!

2.44– Obvious, but enough for me: Eto’o returns as well

And we’re off!

1- Barca in their glowing pink kids, going right to left on your computer screen. The Nerazzuri in their (well you figure it out)

Ibra with an early chance, flicked wide. A missed chance from a lovely pass.

3- Milan looking spunky to start. Cambiasso aggressively dispossesses Messi upon the latter’s first touch, then lays the ball off to Milito for clever but fruitless foray into the Barca box.

5- Barca are right back down and earn the first corner.

It’s played back to Xabi, who lofts one in toward Pedro, who’s bullied aside… Clear.

6- Messi makes his first zig-zag run (almost) into the box. But again, it’s Cambiasso there to block his way. Messi, upon further review, goes down a bit easy. Never much of a shout anyway.

9- Barca have possession in the midfield, but it’s not quite as purposeful as against Arsenal. Inter always look ready to bite. I’d say the two sides are appropriately attired. Barca glowing and Inter glowering.

11- Ruh Roh Barca! Lucky Catalans avoid giving Diego Milito a clear break after the linesman incorrectly flags offside. That’s our game today, folks. Inter sit back… counter.

12- Yellow Card: Eto’o. Deserved, as he booted ball in frustration (Nick Nolte in Blue Chips-style) after being whistled for a foul after dispossessing the Barca defender. Not deserved in that it was not a foul. Quick whistles like that, duhhh, do not bode well for saltier Inter.

18- Oh my. Eto’o shot parried by Valdes.. right into the path of Milito, who just ummm slides it parallel to the goalline. That was the chance of the game so far. Milito bottled it hard, though.

19- This is all Inter at the moment. Barca looking toothless. Messi, anonymous. Inter inspired in defense..

20- GOAL Barcelona! Pedro from Maxwell. Maxwell made a lively run down the left, and laid the ball back to Pedro, who was alone and slotted home.

The point: Ignore my “analysis.” And f**k my internet. Sorry for the delay.

24- I guess that’s why they’re champions, folks. Totally against the run of play. Mourinho’s masterplan looks a bit in doubt now. A goal from Inter is no longer optional– but certainly not improbable.

But Barca are looking more confident now.

26- Cambiasso with yet another speculative long-ball up the middle. Eto’o was the intended receiver.

And then again, Maicon intended for Milito. Looks a bit like Ingerlish long ball to me.

27- Gahhhh. Milito makes a hash of another sharp (but unmolested and close-in) angle shot. Wide right. Profligate, as we like to say.

30- Goal Inter! Game On, Wayne!! All of the Barca defense were draped on Milito, who coolly plays the ball off to Wesley Sneijder and the Dutchman makes no mistake. He’s all alone and beats Valdes clean.

1-1.

32- Valdes punches clear a looping free kick from Sneijder… but Inter are back on the ball and applying still more pressure.

33- That’s the thing about Barca. Just like before their first goal, Inter are dominating. But then Alves gets sprung on the right and only a bad bounce keeps the Brazilian from the chance at a clear cross.

And on that note: replay shows how Alves was ball-watching/chasing as Sneijder creeped in behind and into the space from which he’d score his goal a few minutes back.

37- Jason Talyor just signed with the New York Jets.

A lingering crowd shot, mostly on a woman that looks like French actress Anne Consigny. Nuthin’ wrong with either of those two things.

38- Messi touches the ball. Now he rolls about on the floor. He’s fine.

40- This is Barcelona. Messi in on the act now. Alves getting chances to cross, though failing miserably. Bad half for him. But it’s one-way traffic now.

41- Alves again. Ugh. Puts a touch on a ball that travelled 80 yards toward his own goal. Out for a corner.

Valdes punches clear again.

Inter back on the ball.. foul.

Long, free kick for Inter. Thirty yards from straight away.

43- Sneijder into the wall. Out for another corner.

44- a bit of scramble at the top of the box ends with ball headed in to Valdes, who, again, doesn’t quite catch it. Pats it down, then picks up. Are his hands broken? Is he wearing boxing gloves back there?

45+1- Yellow Card: Busquets pulls an Eto’o… except his team were awarded a free kick. Odd.

Halftime

The Chaaaaaampions are lucky to be tied right now. Dani Alves will be lucky to come back on the pitch for minute 46. Mourinho’s gameplan was/is perfect, it’s just that Barca are getting their goal or two no matter what. A sparkling first half. Wee time. Seeya in a few.

Btw- @TaylorTwellman approved of that first Barca goal.

3.43– Eric Wynalda “did not expect 1-1 at this point.” …

But what a toss to commercial!

46- Game (back) On!

47- Milito in for Pandev. Led him a bit too far. Ball slides harmlessly across box. Inter dangerous early.

48- Milito again on the run.. but offside.

48- GOOOOOAL!!! Inter… and wouldn’t you know it, it’s Maicon making good. Comes on the back end of Messi muscled off the ball. He stood and complained. Milan came down and scored.

Inter 2-1

50- The San Siro is in hysterics as Barca scuff up another. Goal kick. This, friends, will not be resolved today.

53- Possession about split now, but Inter looking dangerous still. Long balls played with a purpose.

And naturally, as I type that, Messi takes his patented cut in from the right and nearly blasts past Julio Cesar from 20 yards.

54- Keita plays in Ibra, the softy, who gets knocked off ball. But it’s a corner to Barca…

Cesar again! Stops Busquets, who was all alone!

56- Stanjovic on for Goran Pandev. Point taken, Mourinho. Time to get nasty.. or stanky?

Cut to Mourinho, pounded hand in fist. High drama now!

57- Maicon cuts down a streaking Pedro with a well-timed knee to the thigh. Lucky not to see yella.

Free kick is punched clear by Cesar. But it’s moot, as a foul is called.

60- Getting a bit chippy now as Pedro is taken down by a tag-team of Cambiasso and Maicon. A nice swipe by Pedrito after.

Tackles flying around now…

61- Abidal seen prepping, surely to replace one of Barca…

62- GOOOOOAAAAALLL!!! Inter! 3-1 now! Barca are left wobbling! It’s Milito from Sneijder. A header on the hop (maybe offside but oh well)

Abidal on for Ibra… oof!

64- Must be hard for Barca going from gutless, princely Arsenal to this brutish, determined and certainly skilled Inter club.

66- As my ‘net flails, so to does the Barca backline… again. They are just imply outpaced on these long runs from the Inter forwards.

Barca threaten now, but Pedro is knocked to the turf. Somehow, Inter are awarded a kick off that. Cesar taking his time to boot it.

68- Yellow Card: Seydou Keita for a kinda awkard tackle in the center circle. Let’s be kind and say the Catalans are out of sorts. The game has devolved now. Possession is fleeting.

70- Another long lead pass from Inter, but Valdes is in from center field to pick this one off. Watch me mix my metaphors!

71- Maicon looks just about dead, and I don’t know why. Got tangled up in front of his own net. Messi was there, but not guilty. He’s stretchered off for ummm, someone.

74- And Balotelli is now really on, for Milito.
Balotelli, who’s Italian makes it one of XI for Inter. (Hey, they’re called Internazionale!)

76- Eto’o offside as Milan look to play still another long release. There are good offside and bad offside. These are the good kind. Damn close and they’ve hit it on more than a few times today. All Hail, The Special One.

The question now: Can Barca pull one back and change the shape of this for the second leg.

(In the meantime, Xavi sets up Pedrito, who is de-nied in front.)

79- free kick for Barca… 30 yards. Messi takes it but Cesar is there for a diving stop. Might have gone wide anyhoo.

80- Barca laying the wood now. Pressing hard. Inter backed up. Barca stalking the box… but settle for Keita long strike. Saved easily enough.

33% possession for Inter. Maybe the best 33% I’ve ever seen. Quick Strike Inter!?!? (weird…)

82- Stanky with a clumsy tackle in the center of the field and it’s a Yellow Card. He’ll be watching at the Camp Nou, not playing.

83- Dani Alves finally tries something. He goes down in the box. Dicey, but the replay shows he was not entirely faking it. Still, he sees a Yellow Card for diving. Poor call, not that Alves deserves anything today.

85- Messi lays off to Alves again, who is forces to cross with his left. Poor. Messi and Alves have been made into ghosts by the sturdy Zambrotta, feisty Cambiasso, and the dude who pulls the strings.

Long shot is deflected, though now, so a corner to Barca.

87- Confusion. Another corner. Lucio heads clear. But here are Barca again..

…pulled across for Pique, who’s been in there to his credit, but it’s cleared again.

Ball’s been in the air or bouncing all day. Not Barca’s style.

90+1 – Four minutes added…

90+1 – We’ve officially seen more of Mourinho than Messi. Not the director’s fault.

@Ebullient — Of course they can.

90+4 – Hey Citeh fans, you think Mancini could’ve managed this, ever?? hahahah.

That’s all folks. 3-1 to Inter.

Post: Inter played their game and won. Plain and simple. Mourinho gets a lot of ink and spittle, and by god he’s earned it today. Didn’t hurt that his players executed his plans to near perfections. Barca were never comfortable and Messi didn’t touch the ball more than 9 or 10 times. He barely had a chance when he did. But this was only the first act. Let’s just assume it’ll be a different story at the Nou Camp. (But will that story end with Barca 2-3 goals up? Hmmm… I s’pose we’ll see.)

Thanks for joining!

The NY Kid has got you covered for Bayern-Some French Team tomorrow… same time!