Champions League Final (soccer) tonight!

[th0m]

I'm not much of a soccer guy, but I guess I'd start this thread anyway because there seem to be at least some soccer enthusiasts around here!

Who ya rootin' for?

AC Milan - Liverpool

I'd like to see Seedorf do well because he's kind of a relegated Dutch player (at least in the National team), but I don't like the team. Liverpool is much more, although not as much as it used to be, a true team in my mind, the gritty British soccer instead of the primadonna Italian soccer.

[bandl]

I'm not much of a soccer guy, but I guess I'd start this thread anyway because there seem to be at least some soccer enthusiasts around here!

Who ya rootin' for?

AC Milan - Liverpool

I'd like to see Seedorf do well because he's kind of a relegated Dutch player (at least in the National team), but I don't like the team. Liverpool is much more, although not as much as it used to be, a true team in my mind, the gritty British soccer instead of the primadonna Italian soccer.

Gotta say that I'm rooting for Liverpool, simply because they took out my team, PSV Eindhoven, in the quarters. Want to be able to say that we lost to the best. :o

Kaka will be difficult to overcome. He's been clutch when it matters this season for AC Milan.

[th0m]

A PSV fan huh? Did you see the total self-destruction of PSV at the conclusion of the Eredivisie? With the three-way tie going into the last playing round... Anyway, everything's better than Ajax. Wait, I just said I didn't care about soccer ;)

[SirApp]

I guess I'm rooting for Liverpool. I was a big Michael Owen fan, so I cheered on Liverpool when I was younger. Don't really favor one or the other though. Should be a great match.

[bandl]

A PSV fan huh? Did you see the total self-destruction of PSV at the conclusion of the Eredivisie? With the three-way tie going into the last playing round... Anyway, everything's better than Ajax. Wait, I just said I didn't care about soccer ;)

I sure did. As soon as Alex went down with an injury, their whole season just about went kapoot. Luckily Ajax and AZ somehow both blew it on the last round of the season! 1 goal differential to win the title (and the automatic bid to next season's Champions League, btw)...who woulda thunk it? :)

[th0m]

Heheh, somehow PSV always manages to win, or at least play for satisfactory results. I would have liked to see AZ win the whole thing because of how much they have improved over the last couple of years, but in the end I do feel that PSV - at this moment - is the best team to represent Holland in the CL. Just out of interest, why is it that you follow Dutch football? It seems the US interest (as far as national leagues go, anyway) is mostly confined to the Italian/Spanish/German/English leagues.

[bandl]

Heheh, somehow PSV always manages to win, or at least play for satisfactory results. I would have liked to see AZ win the whole thing because of how much they have improved over the last couple of years, but in the end I do feel that PSV - at this moment - is the best team to represent Holland in the CL. Just out of interest, why is it that you follow Dutch football? It seems the US interest (as far as national leagues go, anyway) is mostly confined to the Italian/Spanish/German/English leagues.

I think that's exactly why, everyone in the U.S. (who follows European soccer) follows those 4 leagues primarily. I do too, but I love the fact that PSV is the dutch equivalent of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the U.S. Small time market, so-so budget (at least compared to the upper echolons of the big 4 leagues), but enormous success. They've pulled in some major stars during their time also...Koeman (now the coach), Romario, some guy named Ronaldo, Alex, Farfan, etc. Oh, and Beasley is making his way back there next season after being on loan at Manchester City xhurrayx

BTW, I'm heading to Portugal in September. Start of their season...should get in some good matches with Sporting, Porto and Benefica! xnodx

[th0m]

Cool. I never thought about the Steelers-PSV comparisson, but it seems to make sense indeed. Portugal will be sweet. I went to Lisbon 2 summers ago, only saw the Estadio da Luz from the outside though.

Inzaghi 'scored', Milan up 1-0 at the half.

[Grizalltheway]

1-0 Milan at halftime, shameless dive from Kaka to win a free kick just outside the box. xnonono2x

[Grizalltheway]

I have a feeling that deflection was a hand ball, as well.

[flea]

MILAN, MILAN, MILAN, MILAN

Ireland are playing Ecuador tonight too in Giants Stadium

[bandl]

Another goal by Inzaghi. It was a beautiful setup pass, he was only inches away from being offsides. 2-0 Milan. It's over. xbawlingx

[bandl]

Wait....what's this??? Kuyt scores for Liverpool! xthumbsupx down 2-1.

How much stoppage time is the key here...xconfusedx

[Grizalltheway]

Valiant effort by the reds, I thought we might see a repeat of '05, but it wasn't to be.

[SU Jag]

I watched! Everytime that I watch international soccer I'm blown away by the passion of the fansxthumbsupx I wonder if it will ever be like that here in the U.S?

[th0m]

Well you have to pick your poison. With the passion also comes the hooliganism. It's not a black and white thing but I think there is a large correlation.

Plus don't forget, soccer is KING on the entire European continent. While over here most fan support is distributed - not so much divided, but still everybody has a top sport to be passionate about - over more sports. While football is the obvious #1, when football season's done you can start following NBA, when that's done start the Major League. You'd be more passionate if there was only one season. Granted, the soccer season in Europe is quite long, usually one game in the weekend and depending on the UEFA Cup/CL, qualifiers during the week.

[Grizalltheway]

Plus the off-season is only what, two months and a half? Then you also usually have Euro or World Cup qualifiers in the summer, or the Euro or World Cup itself. Definitely not a bad sport to be obsessed with if you're European.

[PantherRob82]

rerun is on now. 44 mins in. glad i didn't read the score. :D

[PantherRob82]

that was a great redirection on the ac milan pk.

[Grizalltheway]

that was a great redirection on the ac milan pk.

*cough* handball! *cough*

[th0m]

Plus the off-season is only what, two months and a half? Then you also usually have Euro or World Cup qualifiers in the summer, or the Euro or World Cup itself. Definitely not a bad sport to be obsessed with if you're European.

That is correct. I think how it works with Euro/World qualifiers is that the leagues will have a week off, and then schedule 2/3 games in a little over a week. Of course, you also need to practice. Some say the reason for some of the countries that do well club-wise, pay the price by not being able to properly practice together because they play more games than other countries where the national level isn't as high. This is mainly true for Spain, it seems. They usually underperform in Euro/World Cups, yet are among the best when it comes to CL/UEFA.

[bandl]

Plus the off-season is only what, two months and a half? Then you also usually have Euro or World Cup qualifiers in the summer, or the Euro or World Cup itself. Definitely not a bad sport to be obsessed with if you're European.

I love the short off-season. I could watch European soccer all year long, and with the short off-season, it hardly feels like a break at all! :)

What's killing me right now is waiting for the Portuguese League to release their schedule for the 2007/2008 season. I need to buy tix to as many games as I can while I'm there!! xnodx

[th0m]

I don't think you need to be worried about getting tix for those games, unless you want the big matches like Sporting-Benfica or either with Porto (I'd assume those 6 games would be the biggest). Since they significantly upgraded all of their stadiums and hosted a truly kick ass Euro Cup, I don't think they fill all of their venues.