'Inter' the Sandman

Talk about an upset in the semis that no one saw coming! Internazionale winning three (3) goals to nil against what seemed to be a superior Barcelona squad. I, on the other hand, saw exactly this by the way that Inter Milan played throughout the game with almost as many shots on goal and a total 9 off-side calls against. The so-called "small Champions League" club can beat their chest because they wanted it more...with just as many off-side traps as shots at goal, the Internazionale squad were hungry and dug in for three successive goals after going down 1-0 at 19 minutes into the first half. Of course this young squad seemed a little timid in the beginning against a juggernaut (and defending champions) of FC Barcelona, but Inter's success came with just as much skill as heart considering most stats were even except time of possession. Sure, Barcelona controlled two-thirds of the match but stellar defense and capitalizing on possession was the key to helping the Italian squad walk away with the win. Now all the Ligue 1 team really has to do is put all 11 players in the backfield and defend against what I'm sure will be an onslaught of fury by Messi and Co. to get to their first Champions League final in team history and put Barcelona to bed...'inter' the sandman.

Join us at Mercury bar for the rest of Champions League play and ALL pitch matches leading up to the World Cup 2010. We are located on 33rd and 3rd avenue and show all sports on 14 huge screens, and are the best damn sports bar in Murray Hill if not the whole island...I guarantee it! We look forward to you stopping and getting your soccer/futbol fix with us.

Manchester Knocked Out?! Whodathunkit??

Achtung!! This one of the reasons I love watching futbol!!! Bayern Munich knocking off a major favorite in Champions League Quarterfinals by away-goal differential since aggregate goals were tied 4-4. The rampage that ManU were pitching in the EPL lately, albeit mainly credited to the stellar play of Wayne Rooney, was cut short in Champions League Play after an amazing full volley, one-touch shot on goal by Munich's Arjen Robben to hit the side netting. The 74th-minute goal has to be one of the more impressive I have seen in a long time coming from a cornerkick set-up in Bayern Munich's favor. But to credit ManU, the second yellow card given to Rafael and hence sent off for holding Olic was overzealous on the referee's part. And why wasn't Olic carded for retaliation/fighting after the foul was committed?! The ref should have given due course of a free kick rather than concede to the bullying of Munich players to assign an ejection for what ALL players do in every single game of futbol. The beautiful game is extremely physical and every player fights for possession with every touch of the ball. Hence, ManU played the rest of the game down one man and gave a superb team an advantage...which helped Bayern Munich continue to semifinal play and leaving Manchester with only hopes of the EPL championship(most likely against Chelsea).

And if you are still asking who Lionel Messi is, then you have been livng under a rock since November when he came tearing out goal after goal, leading to the shellacking he single-handedly gave the Gunners yesterday. Barca showcased a 4-1 ass-kicking at Camp Nou dominating most of pitch play and showed the World that Argentina may have the makings of another Diego Maradona...only if the aforementioned coach can get Messi to play for country as he does in club play. What I would give to see a player dominate and take the World [Cup] by storm that has not happened in over 20 years, minus the 'hand of God.'

And do not think I forgot?! I am still wondering Lyon Who?? They got past another subpar French team in Bordeaux to get to the semis of the CL for the first time in franchise history...considering that, I guess we can all safely assume that Ligue 1 play is about as interesting as watching paint dry.

All in all, I hope you come by Mercury Bar in Murray Hill to watch all of your favorite teams, especially considering that the World Cup is only a few months away. Cheer your team(s) and your country on here at Mercury where all sports are played and we boast to be the best damn sports bar in Murray Hill, if not the whole island!!

Squeeky 'Cling' Play

Do you ever get so wrapped in European League(s) play that it seems like one week is just too much to handle?! We are only halfway through this week and I just seems like one highlight reel after another, along with Wayne Rooney out for God knows how long, Gallas, Arshavan AND Arsenal captain Fabregas done in a single match, and finally with Messi disappearring when his team needed him most...the 'upset' of Arsenal tying the Defending Champs of FC Barcelona in Champions League play. Most people were hoping for a trifecta of hat tricks by Messi, with his surgeance in recent weeks, against a Gunner squad who were dominated in every way except the final score. Arsenal could do nothing except watch Barca dominate for most of the game with shots on goal outnumbering their own by more than three to one. Having a home crowd did not help matters either as most of the stands just watched in silence as the Gunners squeeked by with a tie going into the second leg of quarterfinal matches on Barcelona's home pitch...I am sure we can all see where this match-up will lead with Arsenal clinging on to what little life they have left in Champions League play.

And what's up with all of the recent injuries?! With recent headlines of Bekham and Rooney having some issues of when they will come back...Bekham's World Cup hopes are dashed but what will become of Rooney after such a severe sprain in the 'Wayne-ing' minutes of a devestating loss against a stacked Bayern Munich squad?! Let's all just hope that he is out for maybe 3-4 weeks and is in top condition entering the World Cup in June. I personally just want to see the best players in the world competing at an optimum form, which will only lead to another amazing tournament for the World to watch.

So, as the European Leagues and Champions League is in the last weeks of play, come by Mercury Bar on 3rd Ave and 33rd streets to fill all of your pitch play needs. We are showing ALL matches leading up to the World Cup and will even be showing all the matches from South Africa when the World Cup begins in June. Come check us out and see why we are the best sports bar in Murray Hill, if not the whole island!!!

Lyon Who?

Real Madrid is asking themselves many questions today as they have nothing left to look forward to except La Liga for the rest of the season, where they sit atop the league over their arch rival FC Barcelona...for now. All their Champions League hopes came tumbling down in a 1-1 draw as they lost to an inferior team in Lyon that was dominated during most of pitch play...more shots, more corner kicks, more possession, and copious amounts of shots on goal albeit mainly in the first half. Even defender Alvaro Arbeleo said it best that "[Madrid] fell to an inferior team, which makes it more painful than ever. We lacked a bit unity and aggressiveness." What it all boils down to is the fact that Real Madrid could not capitalize, even with a gimme goal once Gonsalo Higuain slipped past Lyon's keeper for an open net just to hit the post. What it all boils down to is blindly admitting that the French Ligue's fourth ranked team was a good adversary for a dominating squad such as Madrid. And that's about as realistic as finally admitting that Theirre Henry is actually not a cheat. Who thinks that is going to happen anytime soon?!

And once again, I have to give accolades to one of the best players in Champions League play with Wayne Rooney after his 4-0 shellacking of AC Milan. He has to be one of the more cerebral strikers in the game by the way he is able to slip in goals effortlessly and make defenses break down single-handedly. Not surprisingly, Manchester United dominated AC Milan during the Last-16 match play of Champions League futbol where Rooney scored four goals from a goal differential 7-2 over their Italian counterparts. This highlight reel of a game kind of worries me as who to has to play Rooney's England in Group C during World Cup play, which is less than three months away. The United States will probably finish second to move on if their premiere players (i.e., Davies) do not fully recover from injury. But who is to say what Messi can do for Argentina or what Ronaldo can do for Spain in their own groups?

So, if you still have not gotten your fill from my pitch talk then come by Mercury Bar East on 33rd St and 3rd Avenue and catch all of the futbol action every day, seven days a week. We show all sports and we are the best sports bar in Murray Hill, if not the whole island. Feed your futbol fix before the World joins in June.