The flying dutchman and the sumo block

This year's champions league semi finals proved to be tactical and both the first legs showed different types of football to the core.

Bayern took on Mourinho's Real at home and gave a master class on how the game should be played with two out and out wingers. Wingers - I do mean natural wingers and not converted midfielders - are become a rare breed and Bayern boast having two of the best in the world. Robben and Ribery! As someone put it , together they cause a 'Roblem' for the opposing teams. To showcase their mettle against a team like Real needs perfection and they did their part. Mourinho, the tactician, had made plans to double team both of them but yet, were not able to rob or even control them to rare crosses. Bayern take a deserved 2-1 lead - after Gomez took one of the many chances he had - to the Bernabeu but much will be expected from the R-men if the harbour any dreams of returning to the Allianz for the final.

If the first Semi-final was a winger act, the second was a totally different affair. Chelsea took on the mighty Barcelona at the bridge with the hope of taking a lead to Spain and without conceding. To prevent Messi and co from scoring takes more than parking the bus in front of the goal, as he is sure to score through the windows ;) , so the blues took a leaf out of the Italians and defended from the word go! And they did it well as the scoreline suggests. This was a game of defend and take your chances. All they had was one shot on target and that was enough for the 'strong'(let's not even talk about the constant on your backside for a change) Drogba to give them a slender 1-0 first leg lead. Cech and the last line in front of him had a lot - and I mean a LOT - of defending to do, but they managed it and are in a decent position for the second leg. This statistic alone sums up the game Chelsea passes: 128; Xavi passes: 127 :)