AC MILAN 1, BARCELONA 1. Good result
02:45
Well done to TATA Martino and Barcelona team. We performed better than the last year, but still couldn't pierce through AC Milan's defense. Yes, AC MILAN did a brilliant Job in defending and their star player KAKA played very well in this game. As I had mentioned in the previous match report, I will take one point from SAN SIRO. The pitch at San siro makes life difficult for a side like us whose main weapon is slick passing.
I can easily quote this as one of the secondary reasons for "not so compelling/appealing performance" at San Siro. Some results of Barca-Milan at San Siro in the Last 3 games are 2-3, 0-0, 2-0 . Add 1-1 result to it . Though Milan are bit lagging in serie A, they always step up against Big teams. AC Milan, a typical italian side was asusual happy to defend deep and close down the spaces for Barcelona to pass. The pitch doesn't suit us, and you can see Xavi complaining about grass here and there. So, it's always tough to win there. Martino's starting line up was without Marc Bartra (Who has every right to start). However, I feel Martino has rested him for an important clasico. So, Mascherano started the game as a CB with Pique. Adriano being the LB. Messi played at Right, Neymar on the left and sanchez at False 9 . Messi played at RW, so that he could get some space . You can remember how easily Milan had removed Messi from that game last year by crowding some players on him.
Coming to the game. AC milan didn't park the bus right away. They started to press high up the pitch and it was really interesting to see two sides play this type of football. Both had decent amount of possession and were getting adjusted to the game .That's when Mascherano made a blunder. Last time he did a blunder, Niang failed to score. But this time they scored thanks to Robinho and Kaka. I feel pique should have done better while dealing with Robinho. But hey !! we always had problem in defense in recent years.
Ok, after they scored,both teams sticked to their usual plans. Milan-we shall defend. Barca-we shall attack. Barcelona led their attack from the right side after this goal seeking help from their best player, to score. It was not so long before Busquets recovered the ball (We score many goals by this approach) You can see here : Recovering
Messi had good amount of space. And he did what he does the best.Scored !!!!! BOOM 1-1. Game on!.
After 1-1, very least happened. Barcelona were trying to find the space but Milan showed great character in stopping some great players. It is worth noting that Iniesta has been poor for a while. I had mentioned about his lack of shooting ability in the osasuna game.Well, same happened here, there was a moment when the attack started from the Right side, Messi passed couple of players and passed to Xavi, who passed it to Iniesta. Iniesta was few metres away from the box when he received it, he passed a Milan defender , but again failed to score. Yes, you guessed it right " His shot was very poor ". He took an extra touch over there.
Also, Iniesta had a very dull game by his standards. It would be blasphemy nowadays to criticize players like his stature . REALLY , he had a poor game . His passes were very weak and at times he passed to AC milan players. The game, throughout looked that it will end 1-1 except when Muntari cross gave Robinho, a one on one chance against Victor Valdes, which he missed eventually. AC Milan could have scored from a corner kick too when valdes's half-hearted attempt to clear the ball left huge space but they headed it wide.SIGH!! . Barcelona tried everything but couldn't score a winner. Messi literally had no space to shoot for himself. He was always looking to pass to the wide players, and only few reached the destination. One among them was a brilliant pass to Adriano and he failed to convert Messi's pass into Messi's assist. Neymar hardly had a chance to be a part in this game since all atacks were started from the right, he had one chance to score but like others he too failed. Brazilians should usually score such goal :D. SO , the game ended 1-1
This season , we didnt get a win in last two games and we gear up for the first el clasico. We are clearly not the favourites for the game.I will be happy with a draw. Martino will use a safe approach in my opinion. Ironically, his corner approach is contradictory. If we concede some 4 corners in a game, I am sure we will concede 1. So, it's a risky job over there. Week by week, we are evolving. So this season is more about evolving than sticking to our usual tiki-taka, which has been figured out. Martino is doing exactly the same. The players have new role to play. Some have succeeded and some aren't . Neymar is playing where Iniesta had played last year. Iniesta is trying to cope up with new role and that's one of the reasons for his poor display. Neymar has adapted pretty well. Let's hope for the best against Real madrid.
VISCA BARCA
I can easily quote this as one of the secondary reasons for "not so compelling/appealing performance" at San Siro. Some results of Barca-Milan at San Siro in the Last 3 games are 2-3, 0-0, 2-0 . Add 1-1 result to it . Though Milan are bit lagging in serie A, they always step up against Big teams. AC Milan, a typical italian side was asusual happy to defend deep and close down the spaces for Barcelona to pass. The pitch doesn't suit us, and you can see Xavi complaining about grass here and there. So, it's always tough to win there. Martino's starting line up was without Marc Bartra (Who has every right to start). However, I feel Martino has rested him for an important clasico. So, Mascherano started the game as a CB with Pique. Adriano being the LB. Messi played at Right, Neymar on the left and sanchez at False 9 . Messi played at RW, so that he could get some space . You can remember how easily Milan had removed Messi from that game last year by crowding some players on him.
Coming to the game. AC milan didn't park the bus right away. They started to press high up the pitch and it was really interesting to see two sides play this type of football. Both had decent amount of possession and were getting adjusted to the game .That's when Mascherano made a blunder. Last time he did a blunder, Niang failed to score. But this time they scored thanks to Robinho and Kaka. I feel pique should have done better while dealing with Robinho. But hey !! we always had problem in defense in recent years.
Ok, after they scored,both teams sticked to their usual plans. Milan-we shall defend. Barca-we shall attack. Barcelona led their attack from the right side after this goal seeking help from their best player, to score. It was not so long before Busquets recovered the ball (We score many goals by this approach) You can see here : Recovering
Messi had good amount of space. And he did what he does the best.Scored !!!!! BOOM 1-1. Game on!.
 |
| Hey iniesta!! I scored again |
After 1-1, very least happened. Barcelona were trying to find the space but Milan showed great character in stopping some great players. It is worth noting that Iniesta has been poor for a while. I had mentioned about his lack of shooting ability in the osasuna game.Well, same happened here, there was a moment when the attack started from the Right side, Messi passed couple of players and passed to Xavi, who passed it to Iniesta. Iniesta was few metres away from the box when he received it, he passed a Milan defender , but again failed to score. Yes, you guessed it right " His shot was very poor ". He took an extra touch over there.
Also, Iniesta had a very dull game by his standards. It would be blasphemy nowadays to criticize players like his stature . REALLY , he had a poor game . His passes were very weak and at times he passed to AC milan players. The game, throughout looked that it will end 1-1 except when Muntari cross gave Robinho, a one on one chance against Victor Valdes, which he missed eventually. AC Milan could have scored from a corner kick too when valdes's half-hearted attempt to clear the ball left huge space but they headed it wide.SIGH!! . Barcelona tried everything but couldn't score a winner. Messi literally had no space to shoot for himself. He was always looking to pass to the wide players, and only few reached the destination. One among them was a brilliant pass to Adriano and he failed to convert Messi's pass into Messi's assist. Neymar hardly had a chance to be a part in this game since all atacks were started from the right, he had one chance to score but like others he too failed. Brazilians should usually score such goal :D. SO , the game ended 1-1
This season , we didnt get a win in last two games and we gear up for the first el clasico. We are clearly not the favourites for the game.I will be happy with a draw. Martino will use a safe approach in my opinion. Ironically, his corner approach is contradictory. If we concede some 4 corners in a game, I am sure we will concede 1. So, it's a risky job over there. Week by week, we are evolving. So this season is more about evolving than sticking to our usual tiki-taka, which has been figured out. Martino is doing exactly the same. The players have new role to play. Some have succeeded and some aren't . Neymar is playing where Iniesta had played last year. Iniesta is trying to cope up with new role and that's one of the reasons for his poor display. Neymar has adapted pretty well. Let's hope for the best against Real madrid.
VISCA BARCA
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