*****Man City v Villareal ***** Official Match thread.

[Duckman]

I think Dzeko deliberately had a shocker to evoke discussion on this site and tempt PALUS back...

this.

[Mingchester Mingy]

BIG WIN FOR THE BLUES ! Got to watch the replay last night on Direct TV, wasnt as impressive a showing as I was hoping for, but take the points with a smile !
I had a question though, why doesn't a game like this sell out at Etihad Stadium aside from being on a weekday night? Its Champions League !!!!!!!!

[Bluetealeaf]

Did Dzeko have a fucking stroke or something?

That actually made me laugh out loud..... and I'm at work.

[Beefymcfc]

What's that bloke out of Emmerdale doing in Dzeko's boots???

BIG WIN FOR THE BLUES ! Got to watch the replay last night on Direct TV, wasnt as impressive a showing as I was hoping for, but take the points with a smile !
I had a question though, why doesn't a game like this sell out at Etihad Stadium aside from being on a weekday night? Its Champions League !!!!!!!!

I thought it was a good turn-out last night. 43,000 with 12 travelling fans and a limit of 45,000 is not bad atall.

[DoomMerchant]

What's that bloke out of Emmerdale doing in Dzeko's boots???

BIG WIN FOR THE BLUES ! Got to watch the replay last night on Direct TV, wasnt as impressive a showing as I was hoping for, but take the points with a smile !
I had a question though, why doesn't a game like this sell out at Etihad Stadium aside from being on a weekday night? Its Champions League !!!!!!!!

I thought it was a good turn-out last night. 43,000 with 12 travelling fans and a limit of 45,000 is not bad atall.

didn't 28,000 leave early tho?

cheers

[Beefymcfc]

What's that bloke out of Emmerdale doing in Dzeko's boots???

BIG WIN FOR THE BLUES ! Got to watch the replay last night on Direct TV, wasnt as impressive a showing as I was hoping for, but take the points with a smile !
I had a question though, why doesn't a game like this sell out at Etihad Stadium aside from being on a weekday night? Its Champions League !!!!!!!!

I thought it was a good turn-out last night. 43,000 with 12 travelling fans and a limit of 45,000 is not bad atall.

didn't 28,000 leave early tho?

cheers

I don't think anyone noticed, delirious and all that.

[Moonchesteri]

The stadium tonight looks great

Has anyone seen pics of the stadium when the players came out? Looked fantastic on TV this

[Dameerto]

BIG WIN FOR THE BLUES ! Got to watch the replay last night on Direct TV, wasnt as impressive a showing as I was hoping for, but take the points with a smile !
I had a question though, why doesn't a game like this sell out at Etihad Stadium aside from being on a weekday night? Its Champions League !!!!!!!!

The main reason is that Villareal brought between 17 and 100 supporters (depending on which reports you read).

[phips]

Well we just got some good news, as much as I hate calling someone's injury good news...it is,

Villarreal striker Giuseppe Rossi is set to be sidelined until April after it was confirmed that he suffered cruciate ligament damage in the 3-0 defeat to Real Madrid.

The Italy international was replaced after 60 minutes of the match at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday and scans have revealed the extent of the knee injury.

He will now miss most of the rest of the season, including the rest of the UEFA Champions League group campaign.

Villarreal's 2-1 defeat at Manchester City last week left them without a point at the bottom of Group A and they welcome Roberto Mancini's men to El Madrigal for the reverse fixture next Wednesday.

A statement on Villarreal's official website read: "Worst fears have been confirmed. Villarreal's Italy striker Giuseppe Rossi seriously injured in his right knee in the match against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu and is out for six months."

The club said the 24-year-old was set to undergo surgery on his anterior cruciate ligament on Thursday night.

The news of the severity of the injury is a major blow to the Yellow Submarine, who have endured a dreadful start to the new Primera Division campaign.

Juan Carlos Garrido's side, who have become Champions League regulars, lie in the relegation zone with only seven points from their opening nine matches.

Rossi is perhaps the player they can least afford to be without.

The former Manchester United forward scored 32 goals in all competitions last season and his form saw him linked with a move to Barcelona in the summer.

Villarreal are now seriously short of options in attack as their other senior striker Nilmar is also out with a knee injury for at least another month.
http://www1.skysports.com/football/news ... six-months

[david yearsley]

I knew it was bad the second I saw the incident

Sad news for the lad - they could be seriously fucled in La Liga

[Dameerto]

I hate to see anyone injured for so long, but their attack just lost some of it's edge.

[Beefymcfc]

I hate to see anyone injured for so long, but their attack just lost some of it's edge.

Such a shame.

[Mark (Blue Army)]

I agree with others, sad news for him. But it makes our job of going there and getting a win a lot easier