“It was difficult to admire this football” – Kommersant FM
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The first matches of the 1/8 finals in the Champions League have ended. The main surprise on February 21 was Porto’s victory over London’s Arsenal at the Dragao stadium with a score of 1:0. In another match of the day, Napoli played a draw with Barcelona at home – 1:1. Kommersant FM sports commentator Vladimir Osipov followed the development of events.
It was clear to everyone that Arsenal were the clear favorites in the match with Porto. The British club scores too many goals in the Premier League and they play great football. But in the first match of the Champions League, the game frankly did not go well for the Gunners.
Moreover, Porto, with the support of the stands of the legendary Dragao stadium, was sometimes sharper. It is worth saying that it was difficult to admire the football that the teams showed. There was too much fighting, impenetrable defensive redoubts played by the hosts and, as a result, almost the entire game there were zeros on the scoreboard. Fortunately, the ending redeemed a lot. Imagine, in the fourth minute of added time, Porto snatched the victory.
It was really cool. But even despite this success, Arsenal did not cease to be the favorite in this pair. After all, the return match will take place in London, and there will be a completely different game there. In addition, football analyst Konstantin Kleshchev reminded those who believe in the Portuguese club of one interesting nuance:
“Porto plays poorly against English clubs and has never won against them. Statistics can also be eloquent. “Porto will win at home, give everyone hope, but it turns out that the Portuguese don’t know how to play against the English away.”
True, according to Konstantin Kleshchev, Arsenal is also unlikely to show anything outstanding this season of the Champions League: “Arsenal can shine and surprise everyone with a bright game. But this team is unlikely to reach the end.”
Experts also don’t believe in Napoli and Barcelona. The match in Naples with this bright sign was far from Champions League level football. Players from both teams sometimes made such mistakes that one could only be surprised. Football expert Vladislav Radimov even compared what happened that day in the most prestigious club tournament on the continent with the national championship:
“We often criticize our championship, we say that our players are blind, lame, lopsided, and we swear at something else. Today’s football absolutely corresponded to probably the most boring matches of our championship. I didn’t like it at all.”
Although it is worth saying that Barcelona was more interesting, they scored first, but even the demolished Napoli was able to equalize the score in the end, although it is extremely difficult to believe that the Neapolitans will reach the quarterfinals. The return match in Catalonia should put everything in its place, and, by the way, selling Khvicha Kvaratskhelia for €100 million after such a game is unlikely to be possible.
As for the surprises in the first matches of the 1/8 finals, of which there were few, they have not yet changed the balance of power in any pair. At least in the bookmaker’s lines. Although at the moment experts call only three clubs ironclad participants in the 1/4 finals: Manchester City, Inter and Real.
Even PSG, which beat Real Sociedad (2:0) in the first meeting, was not included in this list, not to mention Bayern, which lost to Lazio, and even announced the resignation of head coach Thomas Tuchel after the end of the season. Therefore, it is quite possible that a couple of real high-profile sensations await us in the Champions League in March.
Everything is clear with us – Telegram channel “Kommersant FM”.
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