Champions League update: Barca 1 - Inter 0

Above: Thiago Motta is about to receive a red card.

Below: Thiago Motta receives a red card.

Yesterday, Inter Milan lost 1-0 to Barcelona. However, they won the two legs of the Champions League semi-final by an aggregate score of 3-2. They will face Bayern Munich in the final on May 22. Here are some random thoughts about the match:

• Thiago Motta's straight red card for pushing Sergio Busquets in the face was probably not deserved. It did not matter in the end, though.
• Pique's goal for Barca was clearly offside. It did not matter in the end, though.
• Inter came to defend their two-goal lead and played even more defensively after going down to ten men. By the second half, Barca goalie Victor Valdes was basically playing up at the halfway line.
• Inter's goalie, Julio Cesar, is very, very good. I hate him, and I hate the fact that he doesn't play for a team I like.
• For a fleeting second, I was filled with admiration for how well Inter were coping with adversity. Then I remembered how much I dislike Inter and was mad at myself for thinking such ridiculous things.
• I am also mad at Barca.
• The current Inter squad are basically the 1990s New York Yankees of European soccer-- merciless, unrelenting robot/bullies who always win when they need to.

Above and below: Inter coach Jose Mourinho and Barca keeper Victor Valdes push each other after the match. (Video can be found below.)

For match highlights, click here.

Serie A update: Roma lose

Heading into last weekend, Roma were in first place, with a one point lead over Inter. On Saturday, Inter beat Atalanta to move back into first place. On Sunday, Roma played Sampdoria. They got out to a 1-0 lead, but then collapsed and lost 2-1. It was Roma's first Serie A loss in 25 games. After the game, Roma players could be seen crying (and Sampdoria players could be seen running around in their underwear). Roma are now in second place, and Sampdoria have moved into fourth, just ahead of Palermo (who beat third place Milan 3-1).

Match report: Sampdoria 2 - Milan 1

• Goals scored: Borriello 20', Cassano 54' (penalty), Pazzini 90+2'
• What happened: Sampdoria played better than Milan in the first half, but Milan was leading at halftime anyway. Early in the second half, Bonera brought down Cassano in the box, giving Sampdoria a penalty (and earning Bonera a red card). Down to ten men, Milan played much better for a while and had several chances to retake the lead-- Gattuso, Borriello, and Ronaldinho all came close. Then, at the very end, Sampdoria woke back up and pressured Milan until they finally scored the game-winning goal in stoppage time.
• What else happened today: Roma beat Lazio, so they are back in first place.
• Who Sampdoria's coach resembles: A cross between Peter Sellers, Jason Robards, and my mom's father.

• What this match teaches us: Milan has basically no chance to win the Scudetto this year.

Highlights are below:

Maicon puts Inter back in first place

On Friday, Inter defeated Juventus 2-0, thus putting Inter (at least temporarily) back in first place in the Serie A standings. The winning goal was scored by Maicon, and is, unfortunately, worth a look.

Milan are still in third place, six points out. On the positive side, at least Juventus lost.

Hi.

I'd just like to give a shout out to Brazil.

It's pretty awesome. You should try it out.

I'd also like to say that we should all just give Texas a chance...

And that there are only like 2 months until the WORLD CUP !

My favs this year: Brazil and the US.

Most people in the world would find the idea of rooting for a team other than your home country appaling. Practically treason.

But also , the large prt of Brazilians would become very... enraged, by people not rooting for Brazil. And green and yellow are better colors for painting the fingernails than red, white, and blue.

Oh, and if you ever get the chance, go learn about major US events in a different country. In addition to getting "John" (as in Wilkes-Booth) spelled like "Jonh," you will also get a completely new perspective... (Note to client: if you actually LIKE the US, or will feel in any way shape or form like definding the US, it's probably a better idea to not take the history class in a different country...)

Okay, that was enough rambling...

By The Way: Did you know that "hand" in Portuguese is "Mao". We could probably make up some sort of physcological or political phrase out of that... Or not.

Bye,

Besos,

Beijos

What I have been listening to lately #54

Suspect Device - Stiff Little Fingers

Match report: Milan 2 - Catania 2

• Goals scored: Maxi Lopez 12', Ricchiuti 43', Borriello 48', Borriello 81'
• What happened: Milan played a terrible first half and a much better second half. Inzaghi almost scored the game winner in stoppage time.
• Ways to tell how desperate Milan were to win this match: The large number of fouls committed by the Milan players; the large number of players who fell down in the penalty area in the hopes of earning a penalty kick
• Milan players who received yellow cards: Ambrosini, Pirlo, Thiago Silva, Borriello
• Milan players who fell down in an attempt to earn a penalty: Huntelaar, Borriello (twice), Ronaldinho (twice), Ambrosini, Inzaghi (twice), Pirlo
• Number of penalties awarded to Milan today: Zero.
• What this match teaches us: Milan will probably not win the Scudetto this year.

Highlights are below:

Here are the current Serie A standings. Notice that Inter are no longer in first place.

LEAGUE TABLE

• • GER
  • SPA
  • ITA
  • FRA

• 		Pl	W	D	L	+/-	Pts
  1	AS Roma	33	20	8	5	23	68
  2	Internazionale	33	19	10	4	33	67
  3	AC Milan	33	18	10	5	21	64
  4	Palermo	33	15	9	9	8	54
  5	Sampdoria	33	15	9	9	3	54
  6	Juventus	33	15	6	12	2	51
  7	Napoli	33	12	13	8	4	49
  8	Fiorentina	33	13	7	13	7	46
  9	Parma	33	12	10	11	-6	46
  10	Genoa	33	12	9	12	-1	45
  11	Bari	33	11	10	12	-1	43
  12	Cagliari	33	11	7	15	-1	40
  13	Catania	33	9	12	12	0	39
  14	Chievo	33	10	8	15	-5	38
  15	Udinese	33	10	8	15	-6	38
  16	Lazio	33	8	13	12	-5	37
  17	Bologna	33	9	8	16	-14	35
  18	Atalanta	33	8	7	18	-12	31
  19	Siena	33	7	8	18	-22	29
  20	Livorno	33	6	8	19	-28	26