Photo: AFP
Bayern Munich overturned two early Cristiano Ronaldo goals Wednesday night at the Bernabeu to force a spectacular penalty kick shootout, which saw German international Bastian Schweinsteiger seal a Bayern Munich Champions League Final date with Chelsea on May 19th at their home ground in Munich, Allianz Arena. However, the arena will be called Fußball Arena München for the match due to a sponsorship block.
Croatian internationals Ivica Olić and Danijel Pranjić, who have seldom been used in Champions League competition this season, remained on the bench for this epic encounter, only getting up at game’s end to celebrate with teammates. Although Pranjić has seen little time on the field for Bayern this campaign, he may very well be in manager Jupp Heynckes plans for the May 19th finale as defenders Holger Badstuber and David Alaba will miss the match alongside midfielder Luis Gustavo Dias due to yellow card accumulations.
This will be both Pranjić’ and Olić’ second Champions League Final in three years. Inter defeated Bayern Munich 2-0 two years ago at the same Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid, with the same Jose Mourinho at the helm. Olić received the start but was left futile against the bus that Inter parked in front goal. Pranjić never left the bench for this affair. Fast forward to 2012, Pranjić may get some minutes off the bench with Olić unable to break into the game with Mario Gomez, Thomas Muller and Toni Kroos in front of him in the depth chart. But how bitter sweet would it be for Olić, possibly in his last game for Bayern, to score the Champions League winning goal?
Will there be one more Croatian flag siting and cup raising before Euro 2012 kicks off in June?
All Goals & Highlights
Penalty Shootout
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@Kraljica Ana
You’re absolutely right. That video is a perfect example of appropriateness coinciding with the soccer genre/niche.
🙂
Your comments are very good and you are a welcomed addition to this site!
@mihovil
seriously boys if your gonna post hot women at least make it soccer related, cant do anything right 😛
this is def more appropriate i think haha http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=xFDZS3g4SHY
@Jaso Zlatako Kranjcar also used the 3-5-2 and it works well, I undesrtand your point the lack of chemistry in this team was evident in the last world cup QF and also in the Road to the Euros.
I am not pretending introduced the 3-5-2 as the standard formation, I just want to see it in a friendly just to check how it works!
O my Boze croatia will never play a 3-5-2 unless Miroslav Ciro Blazevic or MIrko Jozic take over in order to play that you need chemistry and player we have dont have that 3-5-2 only worked for then golden era beacuse that was a jugoslav formation. Stick with 4-4-2.
The rent is much higher at Arena. Less overhead with Dom spotova.
Medvescak does draw well in Zagreb, just like MLS teams draw well in their hometowns and fill the stadium. That doesn’t mean there is broad, general interest in the team outside of their hardcore fans.
They are a great story and their games are a fun time, but they lack broad support.
@ARMADA87 why Medvescak plays in Dom Sportova instead of Arena Zagreb?
@TheGoldenChild
If true art, Megan Fox, Jessica Biel, Maria Menounos, and a interesting shot of Shakira is a grading of 6 out of 10, or individually graded as such than I need to speak with my guidance counselor about changing my course curriculum or at least tell the judges to stop smoking crack. LOL !!!!!!!
The “After the first two gifs” pic is awesome! hahahaha
Medveščak are a better draw in Zagreb then Dinamo…
I would imagine that on average, Dom Sportova gets more fans per game than Maksimir…
But in terms of the NT, no one gives a shit. We’re 27th in the world, whatever that means…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IIHF_World_Ranking
Men’s cro hockey team update………………..they play on ice.
How about you look it up yourself. Nobody cares about that team. Niche interest at best.
This has nothing to do with soccer but do you think we could
Get some updates on the men’s cro hockey team.
I see someone listed Vrsljako into their proposed starting XI. No chance, you don’t play a guy in the Euros because he MIGHT have a good future. All we have seen from Vrsljako is some good games in a garbage league. Hardly the qualifications needed to play in the Euros.
Bring him on the roster of you want, but he has not done anything this year to warrant minutes at Euro.
@Mihovil
When I saw your post.
http://i.imgur.com/rG0cG.gif
After the first two gifs
http://i.imgur.com/xgcBF.gif
Then that last gif…
http://i.imgur.com/bMMjs.gif
@Dinko Dog
Sure he’s been great, but breakdowns in big games…you know which ones..have the guy out of the team. Sure you like him because he’s old, safe, and he can handle the ball. The game isn’t like the old game that you think is still around. Half of the teams thrive off speed. Joe’s pretty fast right….
Anyways, i have no fucking clue what FIFA manager is. I just read and watch enough to know that having him back there is a liability.
…………………..GK Pletikosa
………CB Corluka CB Lovren CB Vida
………….DM Dujmovic
……………………..CM Modric
…RM Srna ……………………………LM Perisic
……………………AM Rakitic
………FW Jelavic ………….FW Mandzukic
This is verstile formation, you could easily make a 4 Back defence with Srna or Dujmovic, you don’t have to renounce to a actual forward to make room for perisic and also perisic could play as a wing where in my opinion he is more dangerous.
Rakitic could play as a clasic “Enganche” , and with Mandzukic in the field Jelavic will have more space.
Kranjcar will be a natural alternative for rakitic and Olic could be a Nightmare for the defence in the last 20 minutes when they will be tired.
This is my line up
GK Pletikosa
CB Corluka CB Lovren CB Vida
DM Dujmovic
CM Modric
RM Srna LM Perisic
AM Rakitic
FW Jelavic FW Mandzukic
Australian Football Rules not Australian Soccer, my fault.
simunic is nowhere near to be a wise head in defence, he is a walking red card and sometimes he forget that he is not playing Australian Soccer and it could end up in a silly PK.
@ Golden Child
That was my post above as Anonymous. The wildcard picks are there just so that our key players can play in the positions they usually thrive it. Plus, it’s always good to see some hungry youth in a lineup. I wouldn’t be against swapping out some of the wildcards, but this is definitely a lineup I’d try out for the next two friendlies.
@ Mr. Black
I’m not against Lovren, but I am afraid of him becoming like Igor Tudor. Extremely talented, but frustrating with his errors. I think he needs a bit of discipline, but I wouldn’t be against starting him since I do believe he’s still a huge part of our future. But he’s just been so crazy inconsistent for us.
Also…just because he plays a lot at Lyon doesn’t mean he deserves to start. Lyon spent a LOT of money on Lovren, and it’s not in their best interest to have him fall out of the first team. They already tried selling him to Liverpool for only slightly more than they paid for him. They’re not the kind of club that can let a 9 million euro player lose value by benching him. I’m sure they are counting on Lovren starting these Euros to up his value.
@ Dinko Dog
Sorry for not including your boy Simunic in the lineup. He’s too mentally unstable for me, and I think since he’s stopped seeing his shrink (the one that he’s been going to for over a decade) will only make things worse. He does well against the fodder teams in qualifying, but he almost ALWAYS costs us a red card or a penalty in every single high-pressure game he’s ever played in. He’s caused two penalties against England in qualifying, a red card against Belgium in a Euro2004 clincher way back (that we ended up losing thanks to him), and the famous three-yellows against the Aussies.
Also, don’t talk to me about Simunic being the reason for holding the back line. He makes many, many mistakes. A lot of them go unnoticed. For some reason, nobody even noticed that he was the one who actually passed it to the Israeli striker when Israel went up 1-0 in Zagreb. During WC2010 qualifying, his chemistry with the very reliable Ivan Krizanac was brutal, and I’ll never forget that stupid blunder against Belarus which gave Hleb a breakaway because Simunic’s brain shut down and he decided to “double-team” the Belarussian player that Krizanac already covered. Thank God Runje had the game of his life and bailed us out yet another cliche Simunic blunder in this high pressure match, and the game ended 1-0 for us.
I don’t hate Simunic, but he’s definitely not the player you think he is. I’ll admit that guys like Vida, Lovren, and Vrsaljko are far from perfect…but these guys are a part of our future back line. I don’t consider Simunic (who’s played in only 2 games for Dinamo this year) as any more reliable than those guys. So why not go young and give them (and us) the benefit of some serious development?…instead of giving some 34-year old who hasn’t played first team football in over 3 years yet another chance because he is close with his coach?
@ dinko dog
svaka cast. seriously who wouldnt have crazy joe in the lineup. as you said. people get off fifa. joe is big time as they get.
@TheGoldenChild
“Somebody finally with some sense”…. unbelievable.
Anyone who does NOT have Simunic in their side has NO sense at all. You people play too much FIFA / Football Manager, where once a play hits the wrong side of 30 he is immediately dropped for a “young star”. Simunic will hold our backline together with his experience and composure just like he DID in Istanbul! Why do you think Schidenfeld played well against Turkey? It was because he had Simo guiding him along the way. If any of you have played football at a decent enough level you would know how much of an advantage it is having a wise head beside you at CB. If Vida was to start next to Corluka, you can kiss every game goodbye. Vida would crumble under the pressure and have a brain snap (just like he did in Zagreb against Turkey in the return leg where he blatantly lashed out at their blondey in retaliation)…. how quickly we all forget this. Saying Vida should start ahead of Simunic is something Mamic would endorse, and for that reason, you have clearly made an outrageously stupid call.
I’m not going to predict that back 4…. but I can tell you now, that Simunic will be the first name on that teamsheet. If not…… God help us.
http://www.nastyhobbit.org/data/media/1/football-handegg.jpg
http://www.goal.com/en/news/11/transfer-zone/2012/04/26/3061991/olic-confirms-summer-move-to-wolfsburg
looks like its confirmed.
coaching in Turkey makes plenty of sense. The top teams in Turkey pay great money.
@Anonymous
Somebody finally with some sense. You’ve got a couple wildcards in there, but I like it overall.
I really do think we should play Dejan Lovren. They guy plays almost always at Lyon. Okay, he didn’t do well for our national team before, but things can change.
I have a lot of questions about Vida. I saw Dynamo playing against Ajax in the Champions League. An ordinary dutch player as Boerigter was way too good for Vida. At this time I’d still choose Schildenfield above Vida. To be honest: the german second division is better than the Croatian first Ligue.
@Mihovil
I never answered your question about what my starting lineup for our next friendly against Estonia would be.
Here it is:
– …………………………….CF: Jelavic
– ……………SS: Perisic
– LM: Rakitic……..CM: Modric……..RM: Srna
– …………………….DM: Dujmovic
– LB: Strinic….CB: Vida…..CB: Corluka…..RB: Vrsaljko
– …………………….GK: Pletikosa
First man off the bench: Kranjcar
Reason: He struggles to play a full 90 minutes and has experience playing all the positions that Perisic, Rakitic, Modric, and Srna are starting in, making him the perfect substitute for the weakest of the four.
Notes: Lovren stays on the bench until he learns some discipline. Simunic, imo, should barely get a callup. Vrsaljko starting is a risky move, but it could pay dividends in allowing Srna to play RM and Lovren to sit until he plays consistently. I doubt Vrsaljko would match Lovren’s red cards and Simunic’s handballs and fouls in the box anyway. Strinic and Vida are passable starters and are nowhere near as error-prone as Lovren and Simunic.
fuck man, dont know where die roten would b without Neuer! just waiting for them to pick up that cl trophy at home in allianz arena.
& the ramos gif definitively trumps all 😛
also https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=369032543143233&set=o.309369765788612&type=3&theater
@TheGoldenChild
I’ll call.
http://www.gifflix.com/files/dcae34669add.gif
http://gifs.gifbin.com/052009/1241698093_animated-esquire-cover-girl.gif
http://cdn.wwtdd.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/maria_menounos_giants_bikini.gif
http://thechive.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/1288578617722.gif?w=271&h=450
http://www.igirls.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/shakira_dance1.gif
5 Aces.
🙂
Why would Bilic want to coach a Turkish club? That’s a few notches down from an HNL club.
And how good would it have been if Modric WAS traded to Chelsea?
Then we’d have 3 Croatians associated to this Champions League final.
(but yes I know Olic and Pranjić might not even touch the pitch)
If you become president, will you go to a Laker game finally.
Goldenchild wins!
@Jersey
If Bilic coaches in Turkey, I’ll be the president of the United States.
Bilic will be the manager of Besiktas after Euro 2012 some reports state. Mamic a few days ago said Bilic told him that he would step down after Euro
@Mihovil
I take your gif, and raise you another
http://i.imgur.com/nboEA.gif
@ Mihovil
HAHAHAHA XD
http://i.imgur.com/WKX8r.gif
🙂
Bayern deserved it really, I hope they win the Champions League. I doubt Olic or Pranjic will play, Pranjic won’t for sure despite the suspensions while Olic may come off the bench. I’m surprised Olic didn’t come on yesterday but then again he isn’t probably a good penalty taker.
As mentioned above, Olic has signed for Wolfsburg and will probably end his career there.
I think Pranjic is the best penalty shooter in Bayern
Mediji: Bilić pristao preuzeti Beşiktaş
http://www.nogometni-magazin.com/newspro/coranto/viewnews.cgi?id=EFFVuFVVpAgRSTbmqD&tmpl=ostalelige
Oliću finale Lige prvaka oproštaj od Bayerna: Potpisao za Wolfsburg!
http://gol.dnevnik.hr/clanak/svjetski_nogomet/olicu-finale-lige-prvaka-oprostaj-od-bayerna-potpisao-za-wolfsburg.html