Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 3:14 — 1.5MB) | Embed
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Blubrry | Email | TuneIn | Deezer | Youtube Music | RSS | More
Each week on languagecaster’s podcast we feature a main report and on this week’s show we take a look at the second legs of the 2010 Champions League quarter-finals.A You can listen to the report by clicking above. There is vocabulary support at the bottom of the post.
Next week, the eight teams left in the Champions League meet in the second legs hoping to progress to the semis. Let’s take the ties one by one.
First, Barcelona v Arsenal. In the first leg in London, neutrals and Barca fans were left drooling as the Catalan side utterly dominated the English side in the first 45 minutes. In the whole game, they enjoyed 65% of the possession and had 23 shots compared to Arsenal’s 6. It’s difficult to pick a stand out player from the tie, but ironically perhaps it was Almunia the Arsenal goalkeeper who held back the tide and kept the Gunners in with a shout. At the Nou Camp it is hard to see how Arsenal can overcome the reigning European Champions, especially with their captain, Fabregas, out suspended and injured. Both sides will be missing their first choice centre backs, but Barcelona look better equipped to take advantage. 2-0 to Barcelona.
Second, CSKA Moscow v Inter. A slender 1-0 lead is all Inter can take to Moscow after a frustrating night in Milan. Inter were the better side and it looked like the Russian side had come for the draw. It wasn’t until the 65th minute that the Argentinian, Milito, broke the deadlock with a shot on the edge of the area. CSKA will be hoping that playing in front of their fans will help them, but Inter will be confident that they can progress, after all a goal from the Italian side will leave CSKA needing to score three. The sides met in the 2007 Champions League group stages and Inter won the tie in Moscow 2-1. A repeat of that would suit them.
Next, Bordeaux v Lyon. Bordeaux went into the tie complaining about a rescheduled game for Lyon that they suggested gave their opponents more time to recover for the clash, and the war of words off the pitch translated into a frenetic and pulsating tie that despite the 3-1 scoreline in favour of Lyon was much closer. The key moment was a penalty awarded to Lyon with 13 minutes to play. It was a controversial decision with Bordeaux’s Chalme adjudged to have handled in the area. For the return leg, Laurent Blanc’s side will have key defender Diarra back and with their away goal they are by no means out of this.
Finally, Manchester United v Bayern Munich. The German side surprised most pundits by beating United 2-1 at the Allianz Arena. The German side dominated United after falling behind to a Rooney strike in the second minute and United have their goalkeeper to thank for keeping the score so close. They were also perhaps lucky that Bayern’s in-form winger, Robben, wasn’t playing, as he would surely have stretched the United full backs more. The main talking point with the return leg, however, is the injury to Rooney. Can United pose a threat without him? At the same time, Bayern will probably have Robben and Schweinsteiger back. The German’s must fancy their chances of going through to the semis.
Vocabulary
left (fans) drooling: made fans admire them, played so well that fans were very impressed
slender lead: small lead, not a big advantage
deadlock: a situation when no team has scored, or no team is winning, stalemate
pulsating tie: exciting game, a match with a lot of attacking by both sides, lots of action
adjudge: judge, decide, say
talking point: subject of discussion, key action
fancy (their) chances: think they can win, consider their odds of winning as good