Bayern is on their way to play the most wanted dream homefinal at Allianz Arena, Munich against Chelsea on 19th May.

                                     Reliable hands of Manuel Neuer guides Bayern Munich towards the dream homefinal  of UEFA Champions League after a jaw-dropping battle of 120 minutes at Snatiago-Bernabeu lastnight, now Bayern Munich will take on the British side Chelsea in the Final at Allianz Arena on 19^th May. Bayern Munich won the match in a penalty shoot-out following a thrilling 120 minutes where the match was equally balanced for the both sides, aggregate 3 all. After the schedule 90 minutes & extra time te hosts were leading by a 2-1 margin, regarding the first leg 2-0 win of the Bayern Munich the aggregate becomes 3 all.

              The Spanish side need to overturn their first leg 1-2 deficit for securing a place in the final, they almost on their way from the beginning. The hosts occupied the penalty in the very early minutes of the game when Angel Di Maria’s thunderous volley hit David Alaba's arm inside the box, Christano Ronaldo didn’t make any mess to convert it from the spot,  Los Blancos took the 1-0 lead in the 4^th minute of the game. Just after the goal the Bavarians started to sizzle in upfront, the Dutch star Arjen Roben missed a sitter from the top of the box in just 8^th minute, Frank Ribery’s well directed volley was blocked by Mesut Ozil in 10^th minute.  The homeside started to counter attack to stop might German side from their offensive role,  they got the result very early, Christano Ronaldo netted his double with a through ball from Mesut Ozil, he puts Los Blancos in a 2-0 margin, crowd of Santiago Bernabeu rocked in delight. But Bayern Munich known for their killer German attitude, started to regroup themselves very early, occupied a penalty while Pepe recklessly dragged Gomez to the ground inside the area and the referee pointed to the spot, Arjen Robben didn’t make any mess to convert it, star goalkeeper Iker Casillas merely missed that kick. Robben puts his team in a 1-2 margin in the 27^th minute of the match.

               After the drama of entire 120 minutes the match went to a penalty shoot-out. Alaba netted the opening penalty but Ronaldo failed to match the Austrian as Neuer got a strong hand to the ball. Gomez converted Bayern's second and then Neuer saved Madrid's with an almost identical spot kick from Kaka. Los Blancos pulled one back as Kroos and Philipp Lahm missed while Xabi Alonso scored but Ramos failed to draw level as he blasted over from 12 yards. That offered Schweinsteiger the chance to put Heynckes' side into the final and deny Jose Mourinho the chance to face his former club, and he did so, dispatching the penalty with ease.

                          Bayern is on their way to play the most wanted dream homefinal at Allianz Arena, Munich against Chelsea on 19^th May. Its time to see can the Bavarians now become the first team to win the Champions League at their home ground or not ?

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Acid test for Real Madrid against Bayern Munich at Santiago Bernabau tonight.

             Bayern Munich will face the challenge of Spanish giant Real Madrid at Santiago-Bernabau tonight in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League semifinal on the way of their dream home final following a 2-1 win in the first leg at Allianz Arena, Munich. In the history of UEFA Champions League Real Madrid is the most successful team ever, they grabbed the crown nine times while the Bavarians are the four times winner of that crown. Whether previous record is concern Bayern Munich have a very poor track record at Santiago Bernabau, they managed to win twice only against the Real Madrid out of twenty two clashes.

                       Real Madrid needs to overturn their first leg deficit in front of their homecrowd for reaching the final of the tournament while the visitors just need a draw for becoming through to the final. In an official press meet Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge confessed that he expects the return leg at Santiago Bernabau to be like a trip to hell, he added “ we have great respect for Real, but no fear”.

          Apart from the first leg defeat in the Champions League semifinal the hosts are in a very good form now, just few days they have beaten their arch-rival Barcelona at Nou-Camp & secured the La-Liga crown this year. Star striker Christano Ronaldo scored against arch-rival Barca in their last La-Liga match.

         Mario Gomez scored the winner in the end minute of the schedule time in first leg clash after Real midfielder Mesut Ozil scored to equalize Real what could prove to be a crucial away goal for the visitors. Bayern fans are dreaming of contesting the Champions league final at their own stadium Allianz Arena in Munich on 19^th May. No team has won the Champions League title in their own stadium before, if the Bavarians can do that this time it would be another feather in their crown.

                The visitors are in a bit of cautions regarding their yellow card panic, seven of their key player sare already booked, the players like Phillpp Lahm, Holder Badstuber, Jerome Boateng, David Alaba, Tony Kroos, Luiz Gustavo & Thomas Muller have already an yellow, another yellow will suspend them for the final if they qualify.

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Chlesea becomes through to Munich

                  It could well be told that was not Barelona’s night at Nu-Camp lastnight in second leg of the UEFA Champions League semifinal. Chlesea helds the mighty Barcelona in a 2 all margin at Nou-Camp lastnight & become through to their way to Munich on behalf of their first leg 1-0 win. It is a clean & tactical movement by Di-Matteo & co to hold might Barcelona for entire ninety minutes in their own den.

                      There was a full of drama at Nu-Camp lastnight, Pep Guardiolla started with  four men in the upfront, from the very first minute Barcelona was a fair bit of attacking to overturn their first leg 0-1 deficit. They did everything apart from scoring more than two goals, the entire credit goes to the Chelsea goalkeeper Peter Cech, he became unbeatable in lastnight apart from that it has to be told Barposts also denied Barcelona in few occasions from scoring.  Messi & Alesxis Sanchez missed few opportunities for the hosts in very early minutes of the game. Then the unlikely combination of Isaac Cuenca and Sergio Busquets ended the home frustration on 35 minutes,  just after four minutes Chelsea captain John Terry got a marching order from the Turkish referee for his ruthless leg work, the visitors converted to ten men due to that incident. The hosts took the entire advantage of that incident,  Andres Inniesta scored from a long ranger just over the right side of the top box in the 44^th minute of the game.  It looked all over for the visitors, but in the leadership of the Didier Drogba they started to regroup themselves, Ramires scored the first goal  from a clean through ball by Drogba from the midfield at the death of the first half, he just chipped the ball over the goalkeeper Victor Valdez,  it was a chip worthy of Messi and a goal worthy of winning the tie.

                   Then came half-time, and then the Catlan side occupied a penalty just after restart of the game, but a starplayer like Lionel Messi failed to convert it from the spot, everybody got the indication of luck from that incident, If ever there was a sign that it was not Barcelona's night that was it, especially when Daniel Alves had a strike ruled out for offside in the 79^th minute of the game. Guardiolla have done a blunder when he replaced Cesc Fabregas in the 80^th minute, it gave a fair bit of ease in Chelsea defence, regarding that they got the equalizer through Ferando Torres in the dying moments of the game.

                 The Catalan side looked a bit of exhausted due to fatigue while the visitors were full energetic in front of their superior opponent. Of course the time will say if the Barcelona era is ended in world football or not, but it is surely a heart broken for all the Barca supporters throughout this globe.

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Do-or-die battle for the defending Champion Barcelona tonight against Chelsea.

                             Defending champion Barcelona will host the British side Chelsea tonight at Nou-Camp in the second leg  of the UEFA Champions League semifinal following a 0-1 defeat in the first leg. Barcelona seeks to overturn their first leg 0-1 deficit in front of their homecrowd for becoming through to the final while Chelsea just needs a draw for becoming through to the next stage.

                        If the Catalan side can perform their best then overturning one goal deficit wouldn’t be a big deal for them apart from that the positive point is since 2003 Barcelona have never lost three consecutive matches in any kind of competition. Though Barcelona have lost back to back two matches against Chelsea in the first leg & against their arch rival-Real Madrid in La-Liga but it has to be told that the hosts don’t need a Midas touch for overcoming the defensive strategy of the visitors. Few peoples  already started to criticize & comment  that its all over for Barcelona but they shouldn’t forget that this Catalan side has won 13 titles since 2008 in the coaching of Pep Guardiolla, midfielder  Pique told that there is no question of doubts creeping in. "I don't think any of our supporters doubt this team," he said. "We have given a lot and people recognise that we can lose a match because our opponents are very good, but I am sure the Nou-Camp will be full and everyone will be behind the team”.

                    It doesn’t look that which team have a player like Lionel Messi, all time top scorer in European competitions, they need to think muchmore about overturning an one goal deficit in their home while the visitors also have some good solid defenders like John Terry, who lead from the front in the first leg clash. Apart from the battle of tactics it could well be also a battle between Barca’s attacking line & Chelsea’s defence.

                     The visitors are going to miss few of their key players due to injury tonight, the Ivory coast international Didier Drogba is Chelsea’s main injury doubt having missed Saturday’s goalless draw against Arsenal with a knee injury, in first leg Drogba not only scored the goal, he continually disrupted the game by falling to the floor almost throughout the 90 minutes, if Drogba misses, Fernando Torres will start from the beginning, apart form that the visitors will also miss their Brazilian centre-back David Luiz, in his absence Gary Cahill will start from the beginning.

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Congrats Dempo SC, they bag the I-League 2012 with one match in their hand.

Congrats Dempo SC, they regain the most prestigious trophy of the country I-league.Dempo SC held the Kolkata giant East Bengal in a goalless draw at Jawahar Lal Stadium, Margau yesterday to secure the trophy on their behalf. There are few matches left yet for this year’s I-League but there is no one in touching distance of Dempo, now Dempo reaches in 54 points in 25 matches, while East Bengal is in 44points in 24 matches. That is 5^th succescive time Dempo won the I-League title in the coaching of Armando Coalso, its an alltime record in Indian football history.

That match was a do-or-die battle for the red & gold brigade of Kolkata while the homeside just needed a draw to secure the championship. The visitors put their entire effort for keeping their hope alive in the championship battle, the visitors started with three strikers form the beginning of the game, they should have gotten a decent margin in the first half against the hosts, Edmilson missed an 1:1 opportunity against the Dempo goalkeeper only while Tolgay Ozbey was fouled inside the box by Rowilson Rodrigues, referee Bishnu Charan denied the visitors from a clear penalty. In second half visitors also got few chances but due to bold goalkeeping of Dempo goalkeeper Subhashish Roychowdhury they failed to convert, meanwhile Dempo also got few chances but posts denied them from scoring.

It has to be told that entire credit goes to Dempo coach Armando Colaso, he works silently & always stay away from limelight. He has a lot of contribution for holding the same team since last five to seven years. Two veterans Mahesh Gawli & Samir Nayek also have a lots of credits for such kind of performances of Dempo while in forwardline star player Ranti Martins & Coco Sakibo did their job truely well throughout the entire season.

Its all about celebration & partytime for Dempo while they have one match left in this year I-League competition, they will take on the Kolkata giant Prayag United on 5^th May at Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata.

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Chelsea managed to win their first leg home match against the much superior opponent Barcelona in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League semifinal

It might be all about Barcelona show but the British side Chelsea manages to defeat Barcelona by 1-0 margin in front of their homecrowd at Stamford Bridge, London lastnight in the first leg of the second semifinal of the UEFA Champions League .The Ivory Coast international Didier Drogba scores the solitary goal of the match in the stoppage time of the first half to secure a win for the homeside. The same two sides met in the same stage in the 2009 Champions League this time Barca managed to overcome their British opponent but this was an utterly different contest between Chelsea FC and FC Barcelona.

This might be in rarest of the rare occasions in football that with having 28% ball possession in an entire match the side manages a victory, the defensive quality of Chelsea was awesome lastnight, the Chelsea defence blocked almost everything, it reflects the shadow of the great Italian defence through their Italian boss Di-Matteo. In the other hand Pep Guardiolla’s side did everything apart from scoring, it has to be said the luck was not on the Catlan’s way or else in first half in which kind of speed they operated they should have assured a 2 goal margin atleast & another thing has to be told that watching Barcelona play an allure & comfort to eyes. The Catalan side denied twice by the post there was even more drama in the last minute of injury time, with Pedro striking the base of the post after a scramble in the box as Chelsea did just enough to hang on Sergio Busquets did thrash an opportunity over the bar in the last seconds but moments earlier Petr Cech had produced a save.

This was a classic European contest; two teams from different countries with opposing concepts of how to play, testing themselves to the limit. It was notable that, on the occasions when the players were in dispute, they did so with tolerant smiles on their faces. This was a match played in a spirit of wary respect.

Chelsea won because they earned it. The intriguingly narrow scoreline, and the ongoing battle of styles, promises so much more at the fortress of Barcelona, Nou Camp next Tuesday.

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