约翰-布莱恩专栏：曼城VS巴萨的三件事

百度联盟

发自曼彻斯特——欧冠1/8决赛首回合比赛中，巴萨2-0战胜曼城，以下是我在伊蒂哈德观战之后的三点随想。
2 A; L+ a3 A  m% P( R1、德米凯利斯让佩莱格里尼失望了
* y# z8 I3 W/ f4 j) Y* }5 g对手是巴萨，本队还被罚下一人，足球场上最痛苦的事可能莫过于此。
& j) g- D& Y( ?% ]1 g! C曼城队员被叮嘱不要打他们所惯常的攻势足球，或者说，其实是他们做不到。他们紧紧收缩在禁区，反击是他们唯一的武器，但打得还是稍显生疏。本场比赛教练对整体性的强调代替了对进攻的追求，但是作为佩莱格里尼从马拉加带到曼城（借道马竞）的忠诚战士，马丁-德米凯利斯却让他的恩师深深失望了，正确的策略因为个人的失误而付之东流。
  Z! i$ f5 D$ ~, d曼城主场的观众已经很久未曾看到那些身披蓝色战袍的球员扎堆在本方禁区了。在比赛刚开始的一段时间，德米凯利斯踢得不错，做出了几次成功的抢断，但是他的鲁莽总是让人担心会出什么问题。直到真的出了问题。
5 L9 l+ \2 T0 C上半场的比赛进行得很沉闷，巴萨的最后三脚传球总是显得不够干净利落。就在下半场开场后不久，法布雷加斯的直传精准地找到了梅西并最终造成了点球：德米凯利斯的滑铲太过急躁，要知道梅西身处禁区（尽管回放显示他们最初的身体接触是在禁区之外），而且他已经是最后一名防守球员了。
, l6 R7 {: o* p5 \7 L毫无疑问德米凯利斯被红牌罚下，梅西点球应声入网。被打进了一个客场进球，接下来还要客战诺坎普，曼城的境况很是糟糕——但接下来还会更糟。
尽管场上剩余的10人展现出了足够顽强的斗志，但曼城还是陷入了前所未有的麻烦。球迷看惯了曼城在场上雷霆万钧般的进攻，而现在整个球场一片死寂。内格雷多在19分钟偏出立柱的斜线射门曾缓解了曼城球迷们心中的紧张情绪，8分钟之后，他的突施冷箭终于让看台活跃了起来。内格雷多和席尔瓦似乎找到了他们所惯常的进攻方式。
1 H; Y1 f$ q. v7 E+ ^他们试图取得和马斯切拉诺一对一的机会，内格雷多对其拥有一定的身高优势——事实上对于马诺这种中场改造的中后卫，野兽的头球相当有威胁。
但由于内格雷多的健康状况不佳，事实并没这么如意。联赛杯半决赛第二场客战西汉姆的比赛中他严重撞伤，之后便一直被肩伤困扰。加上哲科膝伤未愈、阿奎罗赛季报销，曼城遭遇了前锋荒。
+ s* H0 @& `/ I8 j5 f' }; J费尔南迪尼奥，也在两周前对阵切尔西的比赛中受伤，无法在近期上场。
对于曼城来说巴萨这次登门挑战来的实在不是时候。最后时刻，替补上场的内马尔精妙回传，阿尔维斯打入巴萨的第二粒进球，这无疑宣告了本场比赛的终结，曼城也逆转无望了。
. f% J0 t+ `7 c  d3 K  b0 D2、杀手梅西
梅西在英国的魔咒解除了。他终于在一家英格兰俱乐部的主场取得了进球。他当然可以夸耀自己在2011年欧冠决赛的那粒进球，但是对于这个一直在不停打破纪录的球员（迪斯蒂法诺的西甲进球纪录是最近一个被其打破的纪录）来说，英格兰已经被证明是杀手梅西的失手之地。而今天，那个关于“斯托克的潮湿周三”的笑话终于有了个终结。（译注：天空体育的足球评论员安迪-格雷在2010年曾说“巴塞罗那在英超联赛中会处境艰难，即使是梅西也会在斯托克的寒冷夜晚中举步维艰”。）
' E  q5 A) T( f0 y在比赛中德米凯利斯的失误给梅西奉上了一个点球，梅西轻松罚进，但说到底机会还是来自于他对这位手忙脚乱的同胞的突破。和他的伟大对手克里斯蒂亚诺-罗纳尔多一样，随着梅西年龄的增长，不知疲倦的跑动被鬼魅般的走位取代。梅西的角色变成了致命一击的杀手。

梅西在为巴萨取得领先后进行庆祝
$ _$ M' e2 r0 q. `6 M- `  f/ q上半场的比赛梅西已经释放出了几个危险信号。面对亚亚-图雷的那次令人瞠目的变向显示了小个魔术师的制造威胁的本能。虽然孔帕尼全力阻击梅西前进，可他对最后的红牌也有着不可推卸的责任。
梅西还没有恢复到他的最佳状态，但对付曼城已经足够了——德米凯利斯尤为如此。2014年对梅西来说可能是在麻烦不断的2013之后最好的时光。击败曼城，他再一次为球队建功，带领巴萨半只脚踏进四分之一决赛。
3、急于求成？
0 b3 c! f% e0 x9 v+ h4 j距离曼城在第三级别联赛里和麦克莱斯菲尔德城队这样的对手比赛已经过了15年了。他们那时的队长还是安迪-莫里森，一个看上去更像是夜店保镖的家伙。我可以提示一下那些已经记不得他的人：他也许比不上孔帕尼，但是他的铲球比德米凯利斯要好。梅西应该庆幸莫里森此时不在场上。
$ K# Z3 a/ F. v& E( P; }+ r7 F来自巴萨的“热烈欢迎”将成为曼城在通往欧洲豪门之路上的最新注脚。10亿英镑带来了太多的不同！对暗淡日子里坚守缅因路球场（译注：曼城前主场）的球迷来说，从蔷薇球场（译注：麦克莱斯菲尔德城队的主场，该队常年混迹低级别联赛）到诺坎普，是一段超凡的旅程。
( D' Q: ^. D( \第三次欧战之旅，曼城终于来到了欧冠淘汰赛这个称得上是最高水平的竞技场。这是球队更进一步的开始——他们要从统治英超到征服整个欧洲。可是他们只有等待明年才能再进一步了。
如今曼城被加泰罗尼亚人“全面碾压”。前曼城主教练乔-罗伊尔（1998-2001年执教）大概不会明白这个词是什么意思。“典型性曼城”这个词倒是罗伊尔所创，是指那支能打出全英超最猛烈攻势足球的球队。而佩莱格里尼的在本场比赛的战略是让这支球队在自己半场挤作一团。
佩莱格里尼能够执教曼城得益于他在欧战中的丰富经验，而这正是他的前任罗伯托-曼奇尼的阿喀琉斯之踵。此时这位热衷于嘲讽前雇主的意大利人应该很乐于看到这场比赛的结果。
总的来说，在曼城通往顶级俱乐部的旅程中，这场比赛是一个良药苦口式的提醒——要循序渐进。除非下场比赛在诺坎普“赢”得奇迹，不然就该回国内赛场重头再来了。在那里曼城可比在欧战赛场如鱼得水多了。

百度联盟

MANCHESTER -- Three quick thoughts from the Etihad as Barcelona grabbed a commanding 2-0 first-leg win over Manchester City in Champions League action...

9 ?5 O: F/ C/ L1. Demichelis lets Pellegrini down
- j! i4 M  U2 v5 Y2 B& fBeing reduced to 10 men against Barcelona is as painful a prospect as is possible in football.
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City were not allowed, and simply were not capable of, their usual attacking whirlwind. They sat deep, using the counterattack as an increasingly blunt weapon. Discipline instead of adventure was required, but Martin Demichelis, the loyalist brought with Manuel Pellegrini from Malaga (by way of Atletico Madrid), badly let down his mentor. It was the right idea ruined by one individual.
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3 @( x. v4 L# x( o7 hEastlands is not used to the sight of laser-blue shirts camped on the 18-yard box. In the opening moments, Demichelis enjoyed himself, making several interceptions. Those early stages were played at the pace that best suits the Argentine, though his impetuousness was always likely to cause problems. And eventually did.

* f" B  E" G( t# F2 v3 _- Report: Man City 0-2 Barcelona
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The first half was sterile, with Barcelona's passing in the final third lacking the necessary crispness. Almost as soon as the second period began, Cesc Fabregas' through-ball found Lionel Messi bearing down on goal. Demichelis' tackle was utterly rash, since Messi was already in the box -- though replays showed their initial contact occurred just outside -- and the defender was the last man.

Messi scoring from the spot was as inevitable as Demichelis being shown the red card. An away goal conceded and a trip to the Nou Camp to come, things already looked bleak -- and would get yet bleaker.
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: w. j+ o8 p* s9 Q# [0 ]City never quite got into the contest, even though the 10 men showed notable spirit. City fans are so used to their team thundering forward that the stadium lacked noise. Alvaro Negredo's 19th-minute cross shot -- wide of the goal -- briefly lifted hackles. A snap shot eight minutes later lifted the volume higher, as Negredo and David Silva sought their usual angles.
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" P1 G  l; N  y7 w$ NThe aim was to get the striker one-on-one against Javier Mascherano, over whom Negredo had a considerable height advantage even though the converted midfielder is actually rather decent in the air.
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It hardly helped that Negredo is short of fitness. He continues to be troubled by the shoulder injury received in a dead-rubber, League Cup semifinal second leg at West Ham. City are running out of strikers, with Edin Dzeko suffering ankle trouble and Sergio Aguero missed most of all.

9 u6 a& K. x( ?Fernandinho also appeared to be rushed back from the injury he suffered ahead of the Chelsea match a fortnight ago.

1 M6 P/ e7 {' n, B. p# fBarcelona's arrival in Manchester came at exactly the wrong time for City. When Dani Alves slotted the second goal for Barcelona after a fine reverse pass from sub Neymar, it signaled the death of a dream -- and this tie, too.
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2. Messi the killer
' n: R* `$ j/ ?# XLionel Messi's English curse is over. He has finally scored on an English club's home ground. He could boast of a goal in the 2011 Champions League final, of course, but for a player who continues to break records -- overtaking Alfredo Di Stefano's Liga goal record at the weekend was his latest -- England had proved top be an unhappy hunting ground. The jokes about a wet Wednesday in Stoke could finally have an answer.

Demichelis' error provided Messi with a spot-kick opportunity that he took with relish, though it was his dart away from his chaotic compatriot that had done the damage. Like his great rival Cristiano Ronaldo, as Messi matures, perpetual motion has been sidelined in the stead of ghosting. Messi's role is to supply the moments of precision killing.
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; B9 e& b# U* w9 [7 BLionel Messi solo celeb Man City vs Barcelona
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( P& C: G/ B7 u+ t6 H" e& w! fLionel Messi celebrates sending Barcelona into the lead.

9 |2 O; O0 X9 ]* x( E& mThe first half had provided a couple of warning signs. One outrageous swerve away from Yaya Toure reminded of the little magician's inherent danger. Vincent Kompany also picked up what could have been a costly booking when he came across to cut off Messi in full flow.
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Messi is not quite back to his best, but he was still too much for City -- Demichelis in particular. This year, 2014, is supposed to be Messi's best yet after a troubled 2013. Another ghost was buried, as he provided the moment and all but took his club into yet another quarterfinal.

/ f, S  c9 p% j2 [" o. W3. A step too far?
It is almost 15 years ago to the day since City's opponents were Macclesfield Town in English football's third tier. Their captain back then was Andy Morrison, a man who more closely resembled a nightclub bouncer than a professional athlete. For those who do not recall him, let's say he was no Kompany, though Morrison was probably better at tackling than Demichelis is. Messi ought to be relieved that Morrison is no longer around.

The welcoming of Barcelona marked the latest achievement of an objective for the City project. What a difference a billion pounds has made. A journey from Moss Rose to Nou Camp was beyond the belief of those who suffered at Maine Road back in those days.

At the third time of asking, City had reached the knockout stages of the Champions League, almost certainly the planet's highest grade of competition. This was the first step of the next phase; now, City’s place in England’s elite must be translated to the continent. They will have to wait until next year for the next development.

Nowadays, City are run by Catalan powerbrokers on a "holistic" model. It is fair to assume that Joe Royle, City's manager back then, does not know the meaning of that word. "Typical City," the phrase that Royle coined, is a team capable of playing the most potent attacking football in the English game. To follow Pellegrini's logic on Monday, they have become Manchester's team while that lot down the road pull themselves back together.
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Pellegrini was brought to the club for his experience in this competition, one that had been the Achilles' heel of predecessor Roberto Mancini. The Italian, sometimes keen to cock a snook back at his old employers, will have enjoyed this result.

Overall, this was a painful reminder that the journey to the top table of "super clubs" can be slow going. Unless a miracle is pulled off in the Nou Camp, it is back to the drawing board and domestic matters, where City are far more comfortable than they are on the European stage.
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综合体育

) a5 q$ X7 Q, M' i那一记造点的传球来自于小白而不是法布雷加斯
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