Game in a sentence
A classic heavyweight encounter between two powers of European football delivered knock-down punch after knock-down punch until Goran Pandev’s dramatic 88th minute winner floored Bayern Munich for good.
Observations
- Without doubt this was one of the best European Champions League games of all time. It was simply breathtaking from the moment Samuel Eto’o scored just 181 seconds into the match.
- The Cameroon international is arguably one of the best players in the game today and changed the tie three minutes into the game and once again two minutes from time when he outmuscled Breno, charged into the Bayern box, drawing the Macedonian’s marker towards him, and placed it perfectly for the unmarked Pandev to slot home.
- Pandev proved to be a remarkable hero after a lackluster display. Throughout the match his lack of pace (and right foot) cost Inter a number of times in possession and lots of Inter fans on twitter were messaging me wanting Leonardo to take him off. However, his finish was brilliant.
- Its an old cliche but it’s one that tells the story of this game. Goals change games. Inter were in control in the first 20 minutes and could have been ahead by two goals until Julio Cesar incredibly made another error in this tie to allow Mario Gomez to equalize.
- The Brazilian goalkeeper made a massive mistake but Gomez still showed why he is one of the most in-form strikers in Europe, hooking the ball over his shoulder, and Cesar, to score. The goal spurred Bayern, who went for the knock out as Inter looked demoralized for the rest of the first half.
- The remaining 25 minutes of the first half was one of the most entertaining periods of Champions League football you’ll ever see. Unless you’re an Inter Milan fan that is. Arjen Robben was a wizard, cutting in, showing great invention and pace to link with team-mates centrally, particularly Franck Ribery, and when Thomas Muller scored just after the half hour it looked like the champions were going out.
- Bayern kept Inter up against the ropes; the shaky Andrea Ranocchia allowed Ribery to breakthrough alone but Cesar was magnificent in keeping the game close to deny the Frenchman and again shortly after, stopping Gomez on the volley.
- It was 2-1 on the night for Bayern at half-time but really it could have been 4 or 5-1. However, Inter knew they were still in the tie and anytime they showed invention in the final third, Bayern’s defence looked shaky.
- Leonardo – who isn’t praised for his tactical knowledge – needs to be praised for switching to a 4-3-3 very early in the second half, bringing on Phillippe Coutinho, and allowing Wesley Sneijder to come into the game centrally, having previously been used on the leftside of midfield. The Dutchman was lethal combining with Eto’o and his second goal, blasted from 2o yards out, changed the game again. Bayern looked like a team who didn’t quite believe in themselves, even when they led by two goals and were in complete control, and looked even more nervous once they game was tied.
- In truth it was really quite remarkable to see two teams, who less than 10 months ago were in the final of this very competition, show so many flaws. In the end it was perhaps fitting that the tie over two legs ended all square and had to be separated by away goals.
- Bayern, who become just the second team in the history of the Champions League to lose after winning the first leg away from home, must now be questioning their reasoning for keeping manager Louis Van Gaal around until the end of the season. They have terrific weapons going forward but are very poor at the back and that’s why they have nothing left to play for this season.
- Inter, meanwhile, still have a lot to play for but are a far different team than the side that won the title last May. On this night they were exhilarating going forward and laughably pathetic in defence. It’s a style that wins very few trophies but one that is easy on the eyes for neutrals.
Three Stars
- Samuel Eto’o
- Wesley Sneijder
- Arjen Robben
Game of the year without a doubt for me. Was left speechless on many occasions, and the moves that I believe it was Pranjic (though possibly Mueller) made around the 80th minute in the box was just downright jaw-dropping.
I’m just curious though as to if Robben had stayed on for the entire match, or for a little longer than he was sent off at, how much that would of changed the rest of the match, especially given how good he was early? Would of been quite interesting indeed.
Either way, still amazing.
Van Gaal’s choice in sub was a terrible suicidal game breaker. What was he thinking?!
And that goal line clearance that Mueller almost got to was just insane. Off the line, off the post! What a great match.. I thought we had it.
The Italians really know how to break hearts.
to be a great and successful side in sport you need to have luck on your side. inter showed they had buckets of luck earlier. buckets of luck coupled with the skill of players like eto’o and sneijder makes inter still a very dangerous team to draw in the later rounds. you say the way they played earlier won’t win trophies but if rannocchia and lucio can pull up their socks and the team is met with a favorable draw in the next round europe might just see its first ever repeat champions
tottenham draws shakhtar, inter draws shalke, inter plays shakhtar in the semis and strolls into the finals to face off either barca or man utd. would be hilarious like
When you got superstars like Eto’o and Sneijder on your team a match can be turned around at any time.
Terrific match, both teams played all out attack and both defenses were left unprotected, game of the year no doubt!
What a game. I’m still in total shock that Bayern managed to let this one slip, especially by not taking advantage of their total domination of the first half to better effect, but the defensive flaws in this match were visible on both sides. I agree with Art P, taking Robben off for Altintop was one of the worst tactical errors in European history. Knowing that one goal would see Inter through and force you to attack, and witnessing how vulnerable your defence had already been, you decide to take off your deadliest offensive weapon? Smart, Mr. Van Gaal. Dead on about the switch for Sneijder into a more central role. He dominated that second half, and Pandev had a couple chances set up by him to make the scoreline totally Inter’s.
Just one last bit of irony, as Bayern became the second team to lose after winning the first leg on the road. The first team was Panathinaikos, who lost to an Ajax side coached by the one and only Louis Van Gaal. You can’t make this shit up.
Coutinho looked a fish out of water.
This game almost made me throw up. It was a pathetic display of football. The defending in this game (especially Inter) was horrendous. Bayern’s finishing was terrible.
In all honesty both of the teams should of lost.
You’d have to think Robben picked up an injury or something. No other excuse for taking him off. They still have Champions League qualification to play for, the 2012 final is at Allianz. Would be a shame if they are not even in the tournament.
So did Shweinsteiger deserve a yellow for shooting after the whistle early in the 1st half? Didn’t think so.
Considering it’s Robben he could easily have picked up an injury, but also knowing Robben, I’m not sure an injury is necessary. He’s lost his appetite mid-battle before.
Shweinsteiger – What you deserve and what you get aren’t always the same thing.
A lot of people talking about away goals rule. If you ask me, that’s why this was great. The drama was always there because that means there was always a chance. You can’t sit an your laurels.
And since Bayern snuck through TWO rounds on away goals last year, they’re the last team to complain (not that Bayern did, to be fair to them)
This game was a bit of the CFL of footy matches. CFL fans claim it’s more exciting than NFL, but a fair bit of that excitement stems from poor execution on some part. NFL’ers don’t miss the tackle or blow coverage that leads to outrageous plays that are the hallmark of the CFL.
So yeah it’s exciting, but both managers will probably come out of the film room missing clumps of hair.
SB
i’m so disapointed in ribery!
he sucks now! he dribbles with his head down ,doesn’t always spot his partners and only
gets by on sheer talent and the speed of his feet.
when he was completely clear on that one breakaway,robben was actually free for an easy pass and tap in.
as a player myself, i hate guys like that
First of all I dont even like Inter Milan to begin with. But all through out the game I was shouting at my screen at the howlers I was seeing. I rather have Inter win than Bayern.
I had written inter off after the first half but I was absolutely proven wrong. I questioned why Bayern were lacking in the Bundesliga, but after the match I had seen why. Van Gaal in my opinion should have added extra cover to help that defense. Lahm and Pranjic made too many runs forward that cost their team. And the defense mistakes cost great work from Robben and Gomez.
Secondly good for Inter and Leonardo. Wesley Sneijder put in the best second half performance I have seen from him all season. And Chivu, Motta, Eto pulled their heads in and helped Inter change this game. Maicon was poor, Ranochia was horrendous, and Lucio was just confusing to watch. Julio Cesar God help him he fixed his mess in the latter stages of the match. If Inter lost this match it would have been an unbelieveable injustice to the work that Eto and Sneijder had put in. Coutinho needs more experience before he gets thrown into big matches like this, he had speed but no quality.
And finally A Classic, greatest match Ive seen in a long time. Ironic how Louis Van Gaal was the last to achieve such a comeback feat. Good for Italian football and hopefully this should give a huge momentum boost to Inter. And does anyone still consider Maicon as the best RB in the world anymore?
@karl
I have to say in Ribery’s shoes there I would have shot as well one on one with the keeper I’d bet on him to score, good read and save by Cesar which turned out to save them in the end.
Also IMO when Robben is fit and focused he’s the third best attacking player in the world behind the two la liga superstars.
In complete agreement. A great game and a well written piece.
Thank you to all the British Pundits, analysts, commentators and writers out there for making this one of the greatest footballing days of my life… as a fan of Inter, and a fan of calcio in general.
I’ve had to listen to you clowns (not you James, KJ…. you guys are money) constantly remind me how Italian football is dead. We’ve lost coefficient points and are now a second rate league and footballing nation…. As if the EPL’s recent dominance has had ANY effect on your national side
Today Inter proved why they are the champions of europe. Although we were pathetic defensively… I’ll square a lot of that on the fact that Zanetti was out of the side, Lucio was barely fit, Ranocchia is a rookie in Europe and most of all Julio Cesar’s howler. I can say this from my own footballing experience,,, when a keeper repeatedly makes mistakes, its spreads like a disease to the rest of the backline and all confidence is lost. Like JC said himself after the match, “Hopefully he’s used up all his errors for the season.”
As long as we can avoid Barcelona or Real Madrid, we have an excellent shot at making the semi finals.
Forza Inter! Forza Italia!
Also…
I can’t overstate how much of a difference a fully fit Lucio as well as Zanetti and Milito would have made Inter a much better side. I’ve never seen Lucio play that poorly, and without Zanetti you could really sense a lack of leadership at the back.
As for Milito… Inter’s offence looks really thin without a proper striker leading the attack. Eto’o has now turned into a wide support striker and without Pazzini or Milito at the top they looked shorthanded. Luckily Pandev came through, because otherwise he had a quite pathetic match
I think everyone is in agreement over Maicon’s defensive merits these days. Then dont Inter swap Maicon with Zanetti? Zanetti as RB and Maicon as RM. Zanetti is better defensively and can still make some forward runs and Maicon is pure attack minded these days.