Champions League Final: AS Monaco FC vs. FC Porto

[Lauren Hynde]

http://www.uefa.com/images/Competitions/ucl/header_final_left.jpg

The Champions League Final is about to start. I'm a little bit excited about it, since this is the first time in seventeen years Porto has reached it, and I wasn't allowed to stay up and celebrate when I was 4.

For those of you who have no idea what the Champions League is or what it means for a football club to even be there, trust me. It's big. Or ask Lou. She knows it too.

In 1984 no one believed Porto would go on to win that game, against Bayern Munich, but they did, 2-1.

Six months ago, few would have believed these two teams, AS Monaco FC and FC Porto, would meet today in Germany to decide who will be crowned champions, but there you go. I never doubted Porto could do it.

Only half hour to go. I'm all set, sitting in front of the TV.

You can get a play-by-play report at: uefa.com



If you're asking yourself what does this have to do with writing, bite me.

 

[oggbashan]

Best wishes to England's oldest ally.

Together we beat Napoleon.

Alone, Porto can beat Monaco.

Og

 

[ABSTRUSE]

Do you have your snacks and beverages ready??
Phone turned off?
Go to the bathroom now!

 

[Guest]

*Settling in for a good game of footie*

Go get 'em, Porto!

Lou

P.S. Lew sends his best, he's rooting for ya!

 

[Lauren Hynde]

Best wishes to England's oldest ally.

Together we beat Napoleon.

Alone, Porto can beat Monaco.

Og

Funny you should mention that.

On the road to the final, FC Porto first had to play against Real Madrid, Partizan Belgrade, and Olympique de Marseille, in Group F. Porto ended up qualifying in second place, with 11 points:

Partizan - Porto 1-1
Porto - Real Madrid 1-3
Marseille - Porto 2-3
Porto - Marseille 1-0
Porto - Partizan 2-1
Real Madrid - Porto 1-1

In the knock-out stages:

First knockout round
Porto - Man. United 2-1
Man. United - Porto 1-1

Quarter-finals
Porto - Lyon 2-0
Lyon - Porto 2-2

Semi-finals
Porto - Deportivo 0-0
Deportivo - Porto 1-0

 

[Colleen Thomas]

I am a Cubs fan. (1908 last world series championship)

A Saints fan. (No super bowl vicotires)

A Mississippi State fan. (No national championships)

Considering my track rcord, perhaps I should pull for monnaco?

-Colly

 

[Guest]

I think of the Man Utd result, no wonder we're rooting for ya.

I hate to bring this up at such a delicate moment, but aren't Chelsea about to grab your manager?

Lou

 

[Lauren Hynde]

In case anyone wants to place some last minute bets: oddchecker.com

 

[Lauren Hynde]

I think of the Man Utd result, no wonder we're rooting for ya.

I hate to bring this up at such a delicate moment, but aren't Chelsea about to grab your manager?

Lou

Probably. They're also said to be trying to grab three players for about as much as the entire Porto's budget for 2 whole years...

 

[lucky-E-leven]

Ten more minutes?



~lucky

 

[Lauren Hynde]

Monaco line-up:

30 Roma
3 Evra
4 Ibarra * (this guy actually is a Porto player on loan. )
7 Bernardi
8 Giuly
10 Morientes
14 Cissé
15 Zikos
25 Rothen
27 Rodriguez
32 Givet

Bench:
29 Sylva
6 Plašil
9 Pršo
18 Nonda
19 Squillaci
24 Adebayor
35 El Fakiri

***

Porto line-up:

99 Vítor Baía
2 Jorge Costa
4 Ricardo Carvalho
6 Costinha
8 Nuno Valente
10 Deco
11 Derlei
18 Maniche
19 Carlos Alberto
22 Paulo Ferreira
23 Mendes

Bench
13 Nuno
3 Pedro Emanuel
5 Ricardo Costa
9 Jankauskas
15 Alenichev
17 Bosingwa
77 McCarthy

***

Porto coach José Mourinho, as expected, partners Carlos Alberto and Derlei up front, leaving Benni McCarthy on the bench. Indeed, he is able to begin with nine of the starting lineup that beat Celtic FC 3-2 in last season's UEFA Cup final, only the departed Nuno Capucho and substitute Dmitri Alenichev not on the field at kick-off today. Midfield player Pedro Mendes and Carlos Alberto take their places.

Monaco are in their first European final, and Didier Deschamps, at 35 years and 224 days old, will become the youngest coach to win the European Champion Clubs' Cup should his team triumph. Fernando Morientes, top scorer in the competition with nine goals, leads the line alone with wide support from Ludovic Giuly and Jérôme Rothen. Dado Pršo, scorer of seven Champions League goals this term, is on the bench.

There will be a result tonight, and for the last time in UEFA club competition silver goal extra-time will be used. If a side leads at the end of the first 15-minute period, they will win. If the scores are level after both extra-time periods, there will be a penalty competition - the method by which AC Milan beat Juventus FC in last year's final.

 

[Lauren Hynde]

Ten more minutes?



~lucky

3!

 

[Lauren Hynde]

http://www.uefa.com/MultimediaFiles/Photo/competitions/UCL/182398_SMALL.gif

 

[ABSTRUSE]

Lauren do you know anything about this game?

 

[Lauren Hynde]

Lauren do you know anything about this game?

No

 

[Lauren Hynde]

If anyone wants to follow the play-by-play report, go to www.uefa.com and click on the Monaco 0 - 0 Porto link on the right side, at the top of the page.

Good divided game so far.

 

[Guest]

If anyone wants to follow the play-by-play report, go to www.uefa.com and click on the Monaco 0 - 0 Porto link on the right side, at the top of the page.

Good divided game so far.

Cool! I was trying to find how to get there from the original link you posted.

Lou

 

[Lauren Hynde]

Cool! I was trying to find how to get there from the original link you posted.

Lou

Sorry. Should have checked if it worked.

 

[Guest]

Monaco have substituted their captain, already!?

They seem to be committing far too many fouls, too. Are they jumpy?

Lou

 

[Lauren Hynde]

Monaco have substituted their captain, already!?

They seem to be committing far too many fouls, too. Are they jumpy?

Lou

Porto does that to teams. They are the best pressing team in the world. When the other team gets the ball, Porto player immediately try to get it back, still on the other team's defence, instead of retreating to their own midfield. It's risky, but doesn't leave other teams any time to think. It tends to piss them off.

 

[Guest]

Porto does that to teams. They are the best pressing team in the world. When the other team gets the ball, Porto player immediately try to get it back, still on the other team's defence, instead of retreating to their own midfield. It's risky, but doesn't leave other teams any time to think. It tends to piss them off.

Yep, seems to be working.

I'm watching it on the TV, too!!! Woohoo!!!

I didn't realise, but it's on ITV1 here (a channel I rarely watch).

This is MUCH better than trying to keep up with it via online updates.

Lou - happy now.

 

[Guest]

WHOOP!

And I tuned in in time to see the goal!!!

Lou

 

[Lauren Hynde]

GOOOOAL!

 

[Lauren Hynde]

WHOOP!

And I tuned in in time to see the goal!!!

Lou

*HUGS*

 

[lucky-E-leven]

Woo Hoo!! (For the goal that I didn't see and didn't know about until just now)

Happy dancing around the living room in my underwear...the blue ones.

~lucky