Champion’s League thoughts

Fun game. Although, the Ref was totally stoned.

I watched the game in a bar full of crying Arsenal fans. Who really didn’t appreciate my cheers too much. (If Arsene would have put Bergkamp on I would have been seriously torn.)

But, Congrats to Rijkaard and his men! Only the second coach in Barca history to win the Champions League (after Cruijff) and only the second person to win the cup as both coach and player (also after cruijff..)

Posted from  United States

Ya, it was beautiful stuff at times. And I’m also pretty sure that the ref had never officiated a match before. Do they just pick people off of the street or what?

Posted from  United States

Wasn’t it shocking? The way the ref handled that Lehman faul and that unjust free kick out of which Arsenal scored? I felt this ego maniac ruined a great CL finales. Happy for Rijkaard & Co, sad for Dennis…

Posted from  Australia

Shame about the ref (particularly after the fiasco with one of his original linesmen being photoed in a Barca shirt) — he should’ve given Barca a goal and not sent Lehmann off.

There have been a few other players-turned-coaches who’ve won it as both. Think the Cruijff-Rijkaard comparison is that they’re the only ones to’ve scored a winning goal in the final as well.

Posted from  United Kingdom

Great game! i loved it. It was really unjustified to give lehnman a red card. After that i had a feeling that Arsenal would lose, playing against Barca with ten men? Not going to happen. But that goal from Arsenal was so beutifull. i was stunned, that cross, the header, and the second goal scored by barca, through the goalkeepers legs. And 2 goals for Barca in 5 minutes? Amazing. I won 10 Beers of a friend because Barca won, He supported Arsenal, I supported barca. Was a good night

Posted from  Oman

I was cheering for Barça too, naturally. Great game!

About Lehmann’s red card, there is a rule about that. The referee was right to send him off, but he shouldn’t have stopped the play.

He should have waited for the goal to be scored and only then show the red card. It’s the rule of the game. Tha fact that the play goes on don’t avoid the foul made before.

Mark Van Bommel was very aggressive for my liking. I would necessary consider him top quality. Average player more like.

Eboue has been outstanding all season and I think there was slight contact. He is a tough boy and doesn’t go down easily.

I am an Arsenal fan by the way and I am gutted.

But congratulations to Barca.

Posted from  United Kingdom

@Euler
The rule is there, you’re right. But how can you tell in a situation like that, in a split second, that Lehman went for Eto’o on purpose? I think – but again: that’s just my “spirit of the game” concept – that that rule you’re referring to kills the game. If the ref would have allowed the advantage than the goal for Barca would have been punishment enough. A yellow card would have been enough, in my opinion… But we could go on and on and on about this, I know…

@Ade Lamidi
I agree with you on Bommel. He is sometimes to agressive, and a bit sneaky too. He doesn’t need that.

Posted from  Australia

Van Bommel is a whining bastard. That’s all I got to say on him.

Posted from  France

Thierry Henry really is a sore loser.. saying the ref was on Barca’s side when it was actually the other way round.. The ref almost ruined the game for Barca.. anyway, barcelona played better and they really deserve to be the champions!

Posted from  United Kingdom

Barca deserved Champions. Trully the best

Posted from  The Former Yugoslav Republic Of Macedonia

Henry did say some nasty things about Ronaldinho and Eto’o too. Said he hadn’t seen the two in the match. HELLO@!! They got Lehman sent off. And who scored that first Barca goal, again?? So much for the rumours of Henry packing his bags for a Barca-signing, I’d say…

Posted from  Australia