UEFA Champions Leage Final 2015

I saw a player who has broken all sorts of scoring records in this competition fail to score from play against Italian opposition for the 10th game in 11 meetings.

I was up for the old lady. Marcissio motm for me. Pogba very overrated.

One of the very few good finals imo so kudos to both teams.

Oh so what you meant to say was that Messi didn’t score. Fair enough, I can’t dispute that

I’m saying he didn’t influence the game much, like he struggles to when he plays Italian teams. He’s a good player, not a great one.

Retard

Genuine question for the soccer brains. How come juventus free kicks and corners nearly always ended in Barcelona counter attacks in open prairie ???

I couldn’t get over juve and their lack of aggression they had a corner in last minute and I think there was only 1 lad looking for the ball a poor enough game where there was always going to be one winner.

The final has renewed my faith in soccer somewhat. A brilliant match. I know it’s only a friendly but I think I’ll watch the first half of Ireland minus 6 vs England now. Pity the second half clashes with the main event of the day in Derry. First world problems

Leitrim isn’t first world mate.

This Barcelona team are the greatest team to play the game. Messi is the greatest player to ever play the game. It’s a joy and a privilege to be a fan of this great club.

Against, Italy’s most decorated European side, seven times champions AC Milan, Messi has scored 8 times in 8 matches. I think I recall it been remarked when Messi scored twice in last season’s 3-1 win over Milan, that his 8 goals were a record for a single player for most goals scored against Milan in Europe.

Last night, Messi was very influential. It was his first time facing Juventus as Barcelona hadn’t played Juventus since the 2003 quarter finals.

The one disappointment Messi has had against Italian opposition was the 3-1 loss to Inter in the first leg of the 2010 semi final.

Overall, Barcelona’s record against Italy’s Big 3 with Messi in the team reads Played 13 Won 7 Drawn 4 Lost 2

He doesn’t have to influence the game against Italian opposition , they’re never at the stage of the competition where players need to rise a sweat

[QUOTE=“Manuel Zelaya, post: 1154962, member: 377”]Against, Italy’s most decorated European side, seven times champions AC Milan, Messi has scored 8 times in 8 matches. I think I recall it been remarked when Messi scored twice in last season’s 3-1 win over Milan, that his 8 goals were a record for a single player for most goals scored against Milan in Europe.

Last night, Messi was very influential. It was his first time facing Juventus as Barcelona hadn’t played Juventus since the 2003 quarter finals.

The one disappointment Messi has had against Italian opposition was the 3-1 loss to Inter in the first leg of the 2010 semi final.

Overall, Barcelona’s record against Italy’s Big 3 with Messi in the team reads Played 13 Won 7 Drawn 4 Lost 2[/QUOTE]

You’re shifting the goalposts. Messi has only scored in one game from play in the 11 times he has face Italian opposition. That’s my point and that is irrefutable. This is the guy who is meant to be the best in the world but seems to come up short against Italian opposition.

An aging and decrepid Milan very much rose a sweat off them in 2012 and 2013. Juve very much rose a sweat off them last night and Inter overturned them in 2011.

You struggle with the concept that football is a team game. Before this great Barcelona team (and its talismanic leader Messi) came along, Barcelona had won the European Cup once in 50 years. In the last 10 seasons, they’ve won it on four occasions.

It was Juventus and Italian football that came up short last night, not Messi.

Juventus, now the biggest losers in European Cup finals. 6 final defeats from 8 appearances, moving ahead of the 5 defeats of Benfica and Bayern. For the supposed standard bearers of catenaccio, that was unacceptable defending last night - the joint worst defensive performance by an Italian side in 27 final appearances, emulating the three goals conceded by Milan in 1958 and Juventus themselves in 1997.

When it comes to Italian football, is there ever anything other than an ageing and decrepid side? The age profile of last night’s Juventus starting team featured a 37 year old, a 36 year old, two who were 34, two 31 and a 29. The unwillingness of Italian football to give youth its chances is indicative of many of the failings of Italy as a nation and a society. A country full of mammy boys tied at home to their mother’s apron strings until they reach middle age.

A great game enjoyable stuff

[QUOTE=“Manuel Zelaya, post: 1154978, member: 377”]You struggle with the concept that football is a team game. Before this great Barcelona team (and its talismanic leader Messi) came along, Barcelona had won the European Cup once in 50 years. In the last 10 seasons, they’ve won it on four occasions.

It was Juventus and Italian football that came up short last night, not Messi.

Juventus, now the biggest losers in European Cup finals. 6 final defeats from 8 appearances, moving ahead of the 5 defeats of Benfica and Bayern. For the supposed standard bearers of catenaccio, that was unacceptable defending last night - the joint worst defensive performance by an Italian side in 27 final appearances, emulating the three goals conceded by Milan in 1958 and Juventus themselves in 1997.[/QUOTE]

Yes, football is a team game, which is why Messi has won diddly squat with Argentina. He’s not a great player, he’s not a team player, throwing his toys out of the pram when he is not deployed as manager, picking who manages the team, undermining his coach. He’s an egomaniac obsessed with personal scoring records and recognition, for a player who thrives on goals, he’s only been able to deliver them from play in 1 game out of 11 against Italian.

Great players blend to those around him, Messi throws his toys about of the pram, goes behind his managers back and issues a list of conditions of how the team should play to suit his own needs. How many more World Cups will he bottle?

This discussion is about Messi and his failure to do it against Italian teams, not about the teams he plays in, not about Italian teams record in finals so the reasoning of you bringing those issues into this topic is a sure fire sign of the absolute pounding you are taking here. They are separate debates and ones which you want to shift focus on in as it’s an absolute fact that Messi doesn’t do it against Italian teams, much like Colm Cooper doesn’t do it against Ulster sides.

Our youngsters have respect for their elders in society. Compare that to the Oirish and the disgrace they made of the parents who brought them into the world in the recent referendum, happy to grandstand and get one-upmanship on them for the sake of their perception from others. Italian society is ingrained in respect, I wouldn’t expect you to understand our noble culture.

You might want to digest this information in relation to your irrefutable point about Messi scoring in one game from play in the 11 times he has faced Italian opposition.


Here’s some goal footage from the 2012/13 last 16 tie between Bareclona & Milan. You’ll find Messi scoring the first and second goals from play as Barcelona won 4-0.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARD7tlChAck


Here’s some goal footage from Barcelona’s 3-1 win over Milan in last season’s tournament. You’ll find Messi scoring the third goal from play.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpiKql9Sl1s


Here’s Messi’s equaliser at the San Siro in the return leg against Milan in last season’s tournament. You’ll find that was from open play as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEFPyTejTtc


You should really stop spreading erroneous falsehoods about Lionel Messi, the worlds greatest player and take your beating with some level of dignity.