Added Extra Time: Champions League and Seeing Red




Beyond The Pitch show

Summary: The first of a new segment called Added Extra Time where we take a look back at a key decision in a tournament where the incident or event has a far greater impact on the match and how it determined the outcome after further analysis - ESPN commentator and Press Pass pundit Janusz Michallik is our first special guest on a key topic that affected who proceeded in the Champions League. In this case we look at the Round of 16 and the key incident is the Nani red card during the Manchester United-Real Madrid return leg, a decision that was not only harsh, but also may prove to be the catalyst for a Spanish side in search of a milestone achievement in Europe. We break down the aspects of the card itself, whether reckless, dangerous play and excessive force were clearly apparent and how the bigger question really is how Sir Alex Ferguson and his team responded once handed that bit of misfortune. We also examine the decision to quickly move Luka Modric into the match by Jose Mourinho, what that really bought Real Madrid, and analyze how Wayne Rooney was employed and in some ways delayed in having a hand in this decisive encounter. We also take a look at the one team who nobody in the next round will want to face and that is Juventus FC as they in many ways are the anti-Barcelona - a collection of organized players who can offset the balance by having an all-world player in Gigi Buffon at a key position.