Europa League Round of 16 First leg result from the Camp Nou Stadium, Barcelona:

Barcelona 0 - Galatasaray 0

Barcelona went into this match heavy favourites, having scored 4 goals in three of their last four games (14 goals in total), whereas Galatasaray had conceded 7 in the last four games, which included a 2-0 defeat to Konyaspor in their last league game. However, Galatasaray contained Barcelona well for the most part, playing a 4-2-3-1 set to counter attack. Barcelona hit the post and forced a couple of good saves from the Galatasaray keeper Inaki Pena, who just to confuse things is on loan from Barcelona B. One of the saves was from a Memphis Depay free kick. Galatasaray had a few limited chances and looked to have taken the lead late on when 36 year old Bafetimbi Gomis, who is in his second spell at the club, was played through on goal and put his shot away, but the goal was ruled out for a marginal offside. It felt like one of those offside calls that isn't really in the spirit of the game and would have probably been given in the days of giving the attacker the benefit of the doubt, but it seems we don't live in those days any more.

Barcelona are one of those clubs who have a club anthem play after every game come rain or shine. I have no arguments with this when a team wins, but when they haven't it just looks a bit silly and it also had the unfortunate effect of drowning out the Galatasaray fans, who you could see on camera were clearly chanting something inaudible under the sound system blaring out "BARÇA, BARÇA, BAAAAARÇA!".

To be honest, as a Galatasaray fan I was fearing the worst before this one and would have taken a 0-0 draw before the game. Let's see what the second leg brings.

RM

> It felt like one of those offside calls that isn't really in
> the spirit of the game and would have probably been given in the days
> of giving the attacker the benefit of the doubt,

Maybe it is because English is not my native language, though I've been
living in an English speaking for 30+ years, but I never liked the way
that phrase is constructed.

I think that "give the attacker the benefit of the doubt" just means
"when you don't know a foul really occurred, don't call it" which "gives
the benefit of the doubt to the potential infractor". This applies
anywhere on the field, and applies to all players, attackers, defenders,
etc.

But I understand it will never go away, just like 90% of USAians will
always say "offsides".

-- HASM

On 2022-03-10, Real Mardin <real_mardin@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
> [...] Galatasaray had a few limited chances and looked to have taken
> the lead late on when 36 year old Bafetimbi Gomis, who is in his
> second spell at the club, was played through on goal and put his
> shot away, but the goal was ruled out for a marginal offside. It
> felt like one of those offside calls that isn't really in the spirit
> of the game and would have probably been given in the days of giving
> the attacker the benefit of the doubt, but it seems we don't live in
> those days any more.

It may indeed be a shame, but he was pretty clearly offside. About a
half a meter to a mater, which is oceans now in the days of VAR
deciding it on the basis of hair's breadth. Too bad, but it would
have been embarrassingly flattering. Of course, if you're a fan you'd
take it. FC Bayern stole a game like that in Barcelona in the 1998/9
group stage. But the late goal by Salihamidzic was indeed onside :-)

--
ciao, Bruce

On Friday, March 11, 2022 at 12:40:55 AM UTC+2, Real Mardin wrote:
> Europa League Round of 16 First leg result from the Camp Nou Stadium, Barcelona:
>
>
> Barcelona 0 - Galatasaray 0
>
>
> Barcelona went into this match heavy favourites, having scored 4 goals in three of their last four games (14 goals in total), whereas Galatasaray had conceded 7 in the last four games, which included a 2-0 defeat to Konyaspor in their last league game. However, Galatasaray contained Barcelona well for the most part, playing a 4-2-3-1 set to counter attack. Barcelona hit the post and forced a couple of good saves from the Galatasaray keeper Inaki Pena, who just to confuse things is on loan from Barcelona B. One of the saves was from a Memphis Depay free kick. Galatasaray had a few limited chances and looked to have taken the lead late on when 36 year old Bafetimbi Gomis, who is in his second spell at the club, was played through on goal and put his shot away, but the goal was ruled out for a marginal offside. It felt like one of those offside calls that isn't really in the spirit of the game and would have probably been given in the days of giving the attacker the benefit of the doubt, but it seems we don't live in those days any more.
>
> Barcelona are one of those clubs who have a club anthem play after every game come rain or shine. I have no arguments with this when a team wins, but when they haven't it just looks a bit silly and it also had the unfortunate effect of drowning out the Galatasaray fans, who you could see on camera were clearly chanting something inaudible under the sound system blaring out "BARÇA, BARÇA, BAAAAARÇA!".
>
> To be honest, as a Galatasaray fan I was fearing the worst before this one and would have taken a 0-0 draw before the game. Let's see what the second leg brings.
>
> RM

> "...giving the attacker the benefit of the doubt..."
Aksiyomatik, correctomundo is: “Giving the Blue Blood the benefit of the doubt.”
Had it happened to be a Barça goal, it would have been valid with no VAR intervention. Remember that England – Denmark at Euro 2020/21?

> "Let's see what the second leg brings."
Aksiyomatik, what happens to Second-tier teams in confrontation with Blue Bloods is something like déja vue:
• Galatasaray – Real Madrid 0 – 6
• Crvena Zvezda – Bayern 0 – 6
Etc.

“I received a phone call
From someone claiming was tall
Then, he cursed me even worse
For my gambling on the horse.”

Iyi şanslar, aksiyomatik!

Saliu
(also a Turkish name, but not a Turk — see Vergilius’ “Aeneid”)
• https://saliu.com/contact.htm

Real Mardin wrote:
> Europa League Round of 16 First leg result from the Camp Nou Stadium,
> Barcelona:

Does anyone else feel it's a bit weird reading about a Barcelona match
in the Europa League on a Thursday evening?!