Europa League 2011/12

I support Bilbao. Everybody should, in fact, as they are one of the few clubs left that play with players from their region (though of late they have twisted a bit the meaning of "basque"). Anyway, it's a club that deserve a lot more respect than all the big clubs.

Only for this, I will be rooting for them and celebrating their win if it happens.

Plus, I love Bielsa and I love the way Bilbao plays. Honest, attacking non-stop football. No matter the result, thanks to Bilbao for this season.
 
This final excites me more than the CL final to be honest. I expect to see more attacking football in this one.

Although i completely agree with drekkard (both Bielsa and Athletic de Bilbao have everything that i like about football), i don't know which club to support.
I always liked Atletico Madrid (two reasons: because they are the other Madrid team and because they are underachievers, i love underachievers) and now they have Courtois in goal...i really don't know now. Courtois is a GK i immensely like (i've been a GK myself, i've seen his first match for Genk when he was 16 and to be honest IMO he is the biggest GK talent i've ever seen in Belgium).

I could say that i want a suspense match with lots of goals and a close finish (4-4 after 90 minutes, 7-7 after 120 and 11-12 after penalties), but my favourite player on the pitch is a GK...lots of goals would reflect badly on Courtois.

I really don't know, let's just hope for a good match and may the best win.

Oh and i wouldn't mind a CL final between those 2 teams, but we all know better...the fact that Chelsea plays the final is already a major upset.
 
Stef, of course i was exagerating...but stranger things than that have happened (google Antwerp-Vitosha Sofia where everything happened in injury time).
 
I think all United fans will be supporting Bilbao tonight after the football they played against us and the humility they showed afterwards. They gained a lot of respect from us and probably the rest of the football world for that.

Still love this pass from Llorente in the semi-final:

YouTube - Llorente amazing pass Vs Sporting Lisbon

Come on Bilbao!
 
matherto said:
Not really.

Playing tactically is always gonna be more boring than balls out attacking.
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Well I guess it all depends on personal perceptions. Of course I like attacking football and yes, offensive football is entertaining but I never feel bored from tactical battles. In fact, I always prefer tactical battles over attacking play and highly regard differend tactical approaches from managers. Also, defending is art too :)

By the way... Bilbao all the way tonight!
 
I'm not rooting for either one. May the best team win and they are two good teams with LOTS of great players on either side.

I can't WAIT! Really pumped up for this and excited and only 4 hours away!
 
F**k! Just realized only EuroSport world is showing THE FINAL where I live.

Anyone got a good stream for the game? Hopefully HD quality? :P

Would love to watch it LIVE but doesn't look like I'll be able to unless I'm doing it online.
 
If you don't mind watching it with German commentary, you could see the game here in a good quality. It's the legal stream of the only presenter of the EL here in Germany and therefore has the same signal as the "normal" television.

Edit: The stream will start at 20:30 CEST.
 
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Out of the two Argentine coaches and the footballing philosophy embedded in them ?

One is a member of the Menotti school of attacking football. The other more in the pragmatic Zubeldia school.

I'd take Bielsa's approach every time.

It's great to see how he has managed to turn Bilbao around and what would be great is to see the side not broken up but allowed to grow together and become a force in La Liga and Europe.

Typical of the man he refused the 1000 Euros a night hotel in Bucharest provided for him but chose to sleep in the same cheaper hotel as the players and staff.

Like Menotti none of the fripperies and fake drama of the modern game appeal to his socialist sensibilities.
 
S-NipE said:
If you don't mind watching it with German commentary, you could see the game here in a good quality. It's the legal stream of the only presenter of the EL here in Germany and therefore has the same signal as the "normal" television.

Edit: The stream will start at 20:30 CEST.
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Thanks a lot!

I would much prefer English commentary or my 2nd choice would be Spanish but if the quality is great there and I can't find an English one, then this will do.

I appreciate it.

There must be some HD quality English streams though? Anyone have any?

Atletico will be favourites but Bilbao can beat anyone on their day. This should be a GREAT match! Can't wait!
 
Aguero the better player but Falcao much more deadly goal-scorer! One replaced the other isn't Atletico lucky? lol
 
Atletico have a history of acquiring excellent forwards. Falcao, Aguero, Forlan, Torres, Vieri, Hasselbaink etc.
 
3 great goals.
And good to see Diego back, let's hope he can stay with Atletico.

This was a great match. I seriously doubt if the CL final will be any better.
 
Deserved win for Madrid, I am a bit disappointed with Bilbao, they made too many mistake and weren't as dangerous in front of the goal as in the last matches, still they can be proud of reaching the final.

Overall in was a good game, although I suppose the CL final to be more thrilling and even better in terms of tension.
 
IMO the CL final will never be better than this match.
Maybe more tension, but we will certainly not see better football than what we saw yesterday.

This was a fast paced, technical game.
The more experienced team has won. It seemed as if the young Bilbao players were nervour wrecks. I hope they can keep this team together, but that seems unlikely.
Never seen as much heart broken players after a match as yesterday.
The end was very good: the Atletico players applauding the Bilbao players (will this always be this way in the future or was it an initiative of Atletico?), the Bilbao fans staying until the end. The aftermath of the match had something refreshingly fair.

I heard that Platini is thinking to stop with the Euro League: that would be the first time i don't agree with him. IMO at least the winner but maybe the last four teams should get a a CL ticket...

I rarely have criticism for refs, but Stark was very irritating yesterday. In the first half there was a Bilbao player who made an horrendous tackle on (i think) Falcao. He didn't give a yellow until the Bilbao started complaining...that is awfull refereeing. I don't like the theatric way Stark leads matches.

Finally something about Courtois: what a commanding presence in the box for somebody who will be 20 tomorrow...He was there for Atletico Madrid when they needed him.

Oh and if Drogba leaves Chelsea, they should buy Falcao...or if Van Persie leaves Arsenal, or best of all: Falcao to Spurs. What a fantastic striker he is.
 
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Falcao totally dominated the match with those two splendorous goals. To be so great in a final tells a lot about his quality. I would like him to stay at Atletico for some years and raise the level of La Liga competitors, but we know too well the Atletico chairman and managers to know they will probably sell it next year for a fistfull of dollars...

Bilbao payed the unexperience of most of its players. They put the heart into the match, but not the head. They were too nervous and strangely unaccurate. But I think all this is because of the Falcao show that undermined their morale.

Gerd, Courtouis probably played his best match as an Atletico. He's a great GK and can develop into a fully world class one if he continues to evolve like this season.

A pitty Bilbao couldnt score in one of the few melees in the area they had. If they had been a bit luckier, with a 1.2 the final could have been more dramatic, but at the end the superior quality of the Atletico midfielders and forwards decided the match.

The fair play of this final should be shown at schools. This is the way to enjoy this sport. But definitely, this is not my season. All the teams I root for are losing more than winning, even in the NBA my favorite players have broken their knee during the season! The only explanation I can find is that something VERY good is oncoming for the next season! :BOP:
 
yeah, it was like wattching men vs kids yesterday. bilbao players never got their heads into the game yesterday. too much tension and pressure going into this final i guess. that was arguably the worst performance i've seen from them this season. they had a few bad performances this season, but they never looked so sloppy, so toothless, so predictable.
anyway it's no big deal. they're a young team and this experience will teach em a lot. besides it was a pretty good game to watch (although it could have been much better had bilbao managed to calm down keep their cool).
the special one said:
Falcao is imo the best poacher in the world (yes, I know I'm beating a dead horse).
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no arguments there! ;)
 
Yep, that Falcao is class in a glass, does remind me of Forlan with the way he plays although he's way better in the air.

Wasn't too bothered who actually won, but kinda favoured Bilbao in a way, but wasn't to be.

The boy Munian looked really good too.


FD
 
Yep he's great in the air despite not being the tallest. Definitely one of the best ones around! Love watching him play! He's a true KILLER!
 
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