UEFA Champions League review: Different matches, similar fate but disillusioned fans

Emirates stadium, Arsenal

UEFA champions league, the grandest stage in football was back this week, and all eyes around the world were pregnant with anticipation for the two colossal matches – Man City vs Barcelona & Arsenal vs Bayern. And why not, the build-up to these two matches was exaggerated like a match made in heaven, showered once in a while.

Billed as the best in Germany and Spain vs the best in England, no doubt it set the ball rolling for the fans. However, the clash of the titans turned out to be just a bickering over “my ball” issue & nothing more than that. The fate of both the matches was sealed by a red-card and a dying minute goals to put Bayern and Barcelona in the driver’s seat to reach the next stage.

Barcelona vs Man City – A ballyhoo now difficult to chew.

It was considered to be an encounter between two attacking powerhouses. Barca ,in recent years,has been like the cruelest mercenaries when it comes to plundering goals & Man City, the Abu Dhabi backed nomadic team possessing the best of the talent from around the world are on a scoring spree this season.

With ex-Barcelona honchos namely Ferran Soriano and Txiki Begiristain now the henchmen of City, it was a battle beyond football, a battle to impose each other’s philosophy of the beautiful game. A match which carried the promise of extravagant goals in its underbelly turned out to be a false one.

Instead, a red-card foul and a momentary defense lapse had to be committed by City to allow Barca to break their citadel & score. Barca were happy with their laid back tiki-taka game & City in awe of their opponent’s first competitive visit to Etihad were happy to cede the ball with a grudging smile. Neither side showed a sense of urgency and played with a safe approach.

Bayern Munich vs Arsenal – A dour affair.

Everyone expected this match would provide the much needed exquisite football which was in short supply in the Man City-Barca match, however it too turned out to be a dour affair. Bayern Munich- the new behemoth in the European footballing circuit who are in a rampaging run of trophies and Arsenal – an achievers club with best of young talent, both the teams boasted of playing a trademark lucid passing game.

Both the teams started on a promising note with real intent and the first half hour duel exchanges between the teams made the fans eyes twinkling , however the match’s fate was again undone by a red-card offence by the Arsenal keeper Wojciech Szczesny and after that it was a one way traffic with Bayern dominating the proceedings from then on. It was a foregone conclusion and Arsenal could not avoid the inevitable defeat with the final score reading 2-0 in Bayern’s favour.

Both the matches were a disappointment from the footballing point of view. This what happens when two teams with a big reputation at stake cross swords, the lucky one emerges unhurt, the other one escapes with minor injuries but the fans bleed profusely with disillusionment scratching their head , was this the match I stood awoke till the wee hours.