May 2019
Champions League Final
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"Gentleman, if you lose today you will continue to be the best in the world, but if you win you will be eternal"
Pep Guardiola
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Champions League Final 2019
Barcelona vs. Bayer Leverkusen
Run to the final
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We've had the more conventional route to the final, having not lost a game the whole campaign. Barcelona have tested their luck a few times, none more so than against City in the semi final.
Lineups
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Barca have huge selection issues. The greatest player to play the game, Lionel Messi is out injured, Jordi Alba misses the game, Serge Aurier is suspended, Sergio Busquets is out and Gerard Pique is also out. We’ve got to stick to our guns. For the away legs against United and Juventus we sat back and soaked up pressure looking to avoid defeat, but here in the final, I feel like we owe it to ourselves to take the game to Barcelona. Both teams are going 4-2-3-1, and I trust my team to prove they’re a better side than Barcelona. Vermaelen is a weak point for them and I'm looking to exploit him.
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Kick Off
11th Minute:
GOAL
Neymar cuts inside from the left wing and finds Luis Suarez, he holds off Andreas Christensen and plays a back heel into the onrushing Gelson Martins who is one on one with Bernd Leno and slides the ball under him. Disaster of a start. 1-0 Barcelona.
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36th minute:
GOAL
Ivan Rakitic whips in a corner and Neymar of all people wins the flick on at the near post. Bern leno dives to save but is caught in Luis Suarez’s path and can only palm the ball out towards Thomas Vermaelen who tucks it away from a couple of yards. 2-0 Barcelona, our dreams are fading before our eyes.
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45th minute:
Brandt has the beating of Juan Bernat all day. He knocks the ball past the Spaniard and crosses it towards Mario Mandzukic. He takes a touch out of his feet, drags the ball back and managed to get a shot away from 8 yards but Ter Stegen swings an arm at it to keep it out. Our best chance of the half.
Half time
Bayer Leverkusen 0-2 Barcelona
Barca have been a class above us so far. Their counter is ripping us to pieces and something has to change. We push to attacking and aggressively tell the players to show some passion for the fans. There’s 45 minutes left of the season, we need to make sure we leave everything out on the pitch and if that’s not good enough then we tried. Barcelona take off the injured Juan Bernat and replace him with Pablo Zabaleta.
49th minute:
Hakan Calhanoglu has been poor and is replaced by Kevin Volland. Still no sign of a breakthrough.
71st minute:
All is looking lost for us here. The frustrated Leroy Sane is substituted on for Mario Mandzukic whom had a poor game. Sane and Brandt will go wide wide De Bruyne playing off of Volland. We push to Overload and will throw everything we’ve got left at them.
73rd minute:
GOAL
Brandt takes a short free kick from 30 yards out to Akkaynak who floats in a direct ball into the box. Ter Stegen comes charging out and Kevin De Bruyne beats Samuel Umtiti to the header and loops the ball over Ter Stegen. We’re back in the game, 2-1, come on!!
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76th minute:
Rafinha is replaced by Oscar as Barcelona drop to a 4-3-3 with the intention of hitting us on the counter. Less than 15 minutes to go.
84th minute:
Hojberg is brought on for Akkaynak since he is the last semi-attacking player we have left on the bench. We’re now throwing the kitchen sink at them, balls are getting lumped into the box but Barca are first to everything.
85th minute:
GOAL
KEVIN KAMPLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!! THE SLOVENIAN SCORES AN ABSOLUTE SCREAMER FROM 30 YARDS INTO THE TOP CORNER OFF OF THE CROSS BAR, WHAT A GOAL, WHAT A MOMENT! 2-2, WE’RE BACK IN IT.
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86th minute:
Gelson Martins the scorer of the first goal is replaced by Andre Gomes. Barca acknowledge the momentum is fully in our favour and try halt our advances.
87th minute:
HUGE CHANCE. Oscar switches the ball to Neymar who gets in behind our defence, he’s clear one on one with Bernd Leno who comes rushing out and decides to try tackle Neymar. The ball ricochets against the Brazilian and is heading for goal! Jonathan Tah sprints back and clears the ball about a foot away from crossing the line, unbelievable from both Tah and Leno. We hold on, still 2-2.
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93rd minute:
The referee blows for full time, that’s it for 90 minutes. We’ve came back from the dead to take the game to extra time, but even at that, Neymar was inches away from winning the Champions League for Barcelona. The players don’t need a pep talk, they know what they need to do. The players have virtually nothing left in their legs after this their 54th game of the season. This next 30 minutes won’t be about footballing ability, but by mental strength.
Full Time:
Bayern Munich 2-2 Bayer Leverkusen
Extra Time
94th minute:
GOAL
LEROY SANEEEEEEE!!!!!!!! THE FORGOTTEN MAN OF THE LEVERKUSEN TEAM SCORES HIS FIRST GOAL FOR THE CLUB IN THE BIGGEST OF STAGES TO GIVE LEVERKUSEN THE LEAD!!!
De Bruyne switches the ball wide to Benji Henrichs and crosses into Sane who peels off his man and volleys it with his left foot into the bottom corner. 3-2 Leverkusen, reality is sinking in.
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105th minute:
Andre Gomes has to come off injured and Barca have no subs left to replace him. They now chase the game with just 10 men.
Half Time in extra time:
Bayer Leverkusen 3-2 Barcelona
I cannot believe this. We’re 15 minutes away. We cannot blow this now, we’ve worked so hard to get to this stage. We must keep it tight.
Full Time A.E.T
Bayer Leverkusen 3-2 Barcelona
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WE’VE DONE IT. BAYER LEVERKUSEN ARE TREBLE WINNERS.
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