So did the referee screw Arsenal? Well yes, and no. The second yellow card to Robin Van Persie wouldn’t have been called if it was in the Emirates. That’s home advantage for you. Maybe he just wanted the Arsenal players to stop with their delusions – With 11 men they still thought they had a chance. With 10, they would have to refrain from trying to attack. Maybe he wanted Arsenal to pull an “Inter” and survive the Nou Camp onslaught with just 10 players. Manuel Almunia made some fantastic one on one saves but eventually succumbed to the attacking waves of Barcelona players.
I know Barcelona, this Barcelona side at least, gets a sickening amount of affection and adoration from fans and pundits across the globe that didn’t really care for the team in the two years they missed out on the title or the pre-Ronaldinho years. Still, when Arsenal, supposedly equipped to beat Barcelona at their own game, finish the 90 minutes without shooting once at Valdes’ goal, enjoying a fluke own goal and most of the time unable to get out of their own half and their best player pulls off a no show (Cesc Fabregas) I can’t help but feel glad the better team won.
Arsenal weren’t equipped to defend at the Nou Camp but are just not good enough to play with Barcelona, especially on their own ground. The Swiss ref wanted to get rid of Van Persie in the first half already, I’m pretty sure of it. He just waited for a line the Dutchman would give him. Still, the referee didn’t give Barcelona the win. They fully deserved a much higher scoreline than the 3-1 the lights showed at the end.
As for Guardiola’s team, the fingers get tired of knocking on those same letter. M E S S I, I N I E S T A… you get my drift. The constant pressure 20 meters from the Arsenal goal led to all three goals. Having a team like Arsenal, too proud of their way to knock balls away when under pressure, only made it easier. Manuel Almunia came from the bench-grave to show he still has a few tricks under his sleeves. Too bad there was not one teammate he could count on to pull a few tricks of his own.
10 responses to “On Barcelona Beating Arsenal – The Day After Thoughts”
Isn’t it a little bit odd that they always play against 10 whenever they don’t get lucky scoring in Champions League?
Am not questioning that they deserved to win, actually they deserved a way better score-line than the one they finished with, but it’s kinda fishy that all referees make critical mistakes on their favor.
I have to say that’s his sad to see such errors from the referee in one of the most important game of champions league.
Immagine Wenger who was f*cked by the referee in each of his last games. So unlucky…
The better team won but Arsenal didn’t need to win… And do you think Van Persie would have missed what bendtner missed …
Even if Barcelone was way stronger, they can feel lucky to be in quater finals because I do believe RvP would have scored in the end.
TBH, I don’t care about arsenal but i’m starting to “hate” barcelona. So called team of the century with players that are a disgrace to football (alves & busquets).
What i’ll remember from that game :
. Messi incredible goal, simply brillant and yet not surprise he did it.
. Iniesta & xavi are once again the heart of Barcelona.
. Wilshere good game and Nasri good game. He’s proving to be the best french player atm (abidal was awesome too but god I hate that player).
@Sando What is with Abidal that so many people dislike him?
I think it’s only french ppl who dislike him.
He’s been a top player for Barcelona for a couple of years now (and the only french player to actually succed there). Yet he always was awful with our national team.
He cost us important games with stupid error resulting in red cards & penalty in very important games.
He’s one of the oldest player in our team, one with the biggest experience thus making him a key player and somewhat of a leader in national team (along with gallas, henry, ribery). And what they did during the south African world cup…
We’re kinda of “upset” to see him back in national team but we can undestand it since we don’t have any good left back anymore.
But compare to ribery, we love Abidal.
@Sando I think Abidal playing as a Centre Back in the World Cup really hurt both him and the national team, leaving the social side out of the discussion. As a left back I always though Clichy will make some sort of breakthrough to an ‘Evra’ type of level but he keeps on making the same mistakes.
Well If i’m not wrong, Abidal got red card + penalty in 2006 final world cup against our best “ennemy” , Italia. He’s still doing a great job with barcelona when he plays CB. He’s even better than milito.
Never liked Clichy, always thought he was overated and everyone here kinda laught because we say that there’s a magic tunnel between national french team and arsenal team.
To me, there’s no doubt Evra is talented and one of the best left back in the world but he was the captain during the last world cup and players need to take responsabilities.
The next generation will be better, it will be world class 🙂
@Sando Too bad Eden Hazard is from Belgium, huh (speaking of next generation)? Btw, you mentioned the 2006 World Cup – I was watching that game in Panama, in the islands, Bocas Del Toro, with a group of people from France and Italy. There was a huge brawl after the penalties.
Well France and Italy is like Argentina and Brazil.
It’s our nemesis ^^.
Let’s not forget that in euro 2000 , we beat italy in finals.
2006, zidane headbut what will become the most popular italian player – Materazzi ^^.
in 1998, we are the one who get win against italy in quater finals.
And our top players played in italy (zidane, platini, deschamps, Papin,…)
Hazard is an incredible player (and i’ve already said that too much ^^). Btw he scored an amazing goal a week ago against Marseille. Brillant. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqFic9BWYHA
@Sando Ligue 1 goal of the year… I like it better than Briand’s
i’m sorry but if arsenal derserved to not have van persie sent off, barca deserved their ‘offside goal’ at the emirates.
Also you can tell when a team realises their fine when they sub off one of the top 3 best players in the world, david villa, for a 20 year old striker who’s scored only 1 goal this season!
barca ftw!!!!!!!!!!!