REAL MADRID drew 1-1 against OLYMPIQUE DE LYON but was elimated from CHAMPIONS LEAGUE for the 6th time in a row from the final 16 stage. A grand deception for everyone at the Spanish Club who play host to the Champions League Final this season. However, lets be objective, Lyon deserved to go through to the Quarter Finals because in the two games played of this tie the French were far better & smarter.
There will be plenty of analysis & lots of scrutiny at Real after more than 300M€ in investment that can only be justified - & just - if they win the Spanish League title; which in itself will be difficult after this heavy blow to the Madrid "state of mind".
Real Madrid "had" the tie in their hands but were victim of the GENERAL LAW of Football: "if you do not take your chances, you will end up losing", & that is exactly what occurred when Real failed to "kill off" Lyon in the 1ºhalf.
The Spanish team started brilliantly with a CRISTIANO RONALDO goal in the 5th min that set the scene for a memorable night of Football for Real - watch the VIDEO of the goal:
Everything was following the script, with Real attacking in waves that had the French reeling. Higuain missed a sitter that hit the post - this is the crucial point of the match for Real - & then began a string of missed chances that Real will be remembering tonight & the rest of the coming days. Lyon recovered & showed signs that they were strong, organized, well placed & waiting for a chance to score that much valued away goal; for them it was a matter of time.
The 2ºhalf saw Lyon bring on a midfielder ( Ederson) & a defender ( Llstrom) to secure the midfield , tighten the defence & blocked off Real Madrid while they waited for their chance. The French grew in confidence & eliminated the Real play making habilities while the Spanish grew increasingly frustrated leaving gaps. Then it happened, the moment Lyon was waiting for occurred, & unlike their Spanish opponents they took the opportunity it via PJANIC who equalized in the 75th min for the valuable away "double" goal - watch VIDEO of the goal:
Real Madrid now needed to score two goals & reacted by taking off Kaká for Raúl which left the stadium baffled, then another strange change came when Granero was taken off for Van Der Vaart ( who perhaps should have started) & the final mystery came when Arbeloa was taken off for a defensive M.Diarra. This bewildering reaction to the situation has sentenced Coach Pellegrini out of a job as Real Madrid will hold onto his services till the end of the season before sacking him. Manuel Pellegrini just hasn´t cut it at the top & has shown a lack of ideas in crucial moments.
With 15 mins left Real threw everything they had at the French goal & could have lost by more if Lyon had managed to put in two chances that occurred while Real Madrid was caught out attacking & trying to score.
Excellent game by Lyon who deserve to be in the Quarter - Final, while Real Madrid - Higuain who failed hitting the post - will need to re-think again & begin looking around for a new Coach next season who knows what his doing, show character & can handle the big occasions.
By the way there are already two English teams through ( with possibly three with Chelsea FC) to the Quarter-Finals. Spanish Football now has FC Barcelona & Sevilla FC to carry the "flag"...Stay tuned!
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