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Il Manchester City ha potuto contare, grazie anche alla riduzione del prezzo dei biglietti, su uno stadio pieno e caloroso per la sfida di ritorno contro l’ Amburgo. Parecchi pure i tifosi anseatici al seguito dei tedeschi che si sono segnalati per l’ accessione di alcune torce, circostanza che negli impianti inglesi può portare anche all’ arresto, e per l’ esposizione di alcune copie della Coppa UEFA in cartone argentato. I fans di casa, i quali hanno intonato diversi cori rivolti a quelli che hanno ribattezzato “cheeseburgers”, hanno sostenuto la squadra a gran voce,spesso dopo la rete del due a uno che poneva la “Blue Moon” ad una sola segnatura dai tempi supplementari. Fra i fans biancocelesti in mostra molte banane gonfiabili. La squadra di Hughes ha messo in campo tanto impegno ma, come era ampiamente previsto, si è trovata ad avere a che fare con i propri limiti difensivi oltre che con la solidità dell’ avversario. Ora per i “Citizens” la stagione è pressochè in archivio, vista l’ anonima posizione in “Premier League”, ed il bilancio è molto deludente se si tiene conto degli enormi sforzi economici posti in essere dalla proprietà. L’ ambizioso “cartello di Dubai” che possiede il club probabilmente rivoluzionerà gran parte dell’ organico per tentare la riscossa nella prossima stagione.Essendo già state eliminate Newcastle ed Aston Villa nessuna inglese proseguirà il proprio cammino nella manifestazione continentale minore mentre è trionfale il bilancio in “Champions’ League” dove è rimasto solo il Barcellona a cercare di fermare lo strapotere delle squadre britanniche.
City 2 (3) Hamburg 1 (4)
April 16, 2009
“BRITAIN’S sporting story is littered with reams of glorious failures and City added another chapter on a night of high octane emotion, chewed nails and not a few tears.
The Blues headed out of the Uefa Cup with their heads held high after a thrilling set-to with Hamburg.
Despite the evening’s heroics Mark Hughes’ side were eventually undone by their slipshod defending and late fade out in the Nordbank Arena a week earlier.
In the end 3-1 was just too big a mountain to scale but my how they tried, defiantly thumbing their noses at those who say Mark Hughes is not the man to lead them and that progress is not being made.
Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak was watching from the stands breathing in the intoxicating atmosphere. On this evidence he will see no reason not to give Hughes and his staff at least another year to get back into Europe.
Lucky
Thirty-nine years and one day previously the Blues came from one goal behind in a European Cup Winners Cup semi final against Schalke and thanks to goals from Neil Young (2), Mike Doyle, Franny Lee and Colin Bell sent the German side packing, tails firmly between their legs.
Those of us veterans lucky enough to have been in the 46,000 strong crowd at a pulsating Maine Road that night will never forget the match, the noise or the celebrations and all too few nights watching the Blues have, in truth, come close to it since. This one did.
Thankfully those supporters with axes still to grind after sharpening them during the debacle against Fulham last Sunday, left the metaphorical implements at the front door and seldom since the fabulous afternoons at Wembley in 1999 or at Ewood Park twelve months later can a City side have been lifted by such an all-embracing tide of raw emotion and excitable raucous commitment from the seats.
Vocal
The club’s decision to slash prices as low as £5 for adults and £1 for kids paid rich dividends for all will surely have gone home with vivid memories of a ninety minutes in which team and supporters were in perfect harmony and synchronicity, tied and bonded together straining every sinew, muscle and vocal chord in a bid to vault the Blues into a first European semi final in nearly four decades and the last four of any knockout competition since 1981 – sometimes the more impatient amongst the devoted followers forget how mediocre City have been and for just how long!
A ll but one of the walking wounded at Carrington jumped from their treatment tables to take one pace forward and volunteer for service.
This was a special night when the physical pain and the mental strain of City’s longest ever season simply had to be cast asunder.
Wayne Bridge, Vincent Kompany and Pablo Zabaleta answered the call and all made the starting XI as boss Hughes went for broke in an attempt to keep Istanbul firmly on City’s 2009 Map of places to visit. Shaun Wright-Phillips sadly didn’t with Elano taking his place and Felipe Caicedo giving the side an even greater South American flavour leading the line.
Hughes demanded a high tempo and that led to a choice selection of ball boys with several of the FA Youth Cup winning side deployed. One minute on the bench for the first team the next unpaid servants – who says today’s young pros are not grounded enough.
Nightmare
For all the noise and will to win the Blues got off to a nightmare start when Jonathan Pitroipa’s low cross from the right was deflected into the path of last week’s goal scoring substitute Jose Guerrero who made it two for the tie.
Suddenly three goals behind and their away strike nullified, the Blues were looking for divine intervention, instead they got it from referee Nicola Rizzoli who harshly deemed Elano’s cross had been handled by Piotr Trochowski. The Brazilian resisted the temptation to hand this one to Robinho, took the kick himself and beat Frank Rost.
Infused with self belief and driven on by the almost possessed Argentine Zabaleta, the Blues began to boss proceedings and might have frayed Hamburg nerves to snapping point three minutes before the break when Elano, the home side’s other most convincing performer in the opening half, rattling the bar with a 30-yard free kick that Rost didn’t even see.
However, the second wasn’t long in coming as Michael Gravgaard fell over trying to intercept Stevie Ireland’s delicate through ball and Caicedo waltzed through to score with ease. Cue ear splitting pandemonium as Elano hit the post with another great free-kick and then Caicedo managed to loft over the bar from four yards seeing the ball late after Rost blocked Elano’s corner.
Suddenly it was all City and Rost had to save brilliantly with his feet as Robinho burst into life. The momentum was building to a thrilling crescendo and the gasket threatened to blow on the hour when Caicedo slipped Ireland’s pass into the net only to be brought up short by a linesman’s flag.
The Blues hurricane though blew itself out as Dunne was red carded and the two most influential players Zabaleta and Elano limped out of the game and Richards blazed the last chance over the bar.
A great night ultimately ended in disappointment though thankfully not of the bitter kind!”
Man City 2-1 Hamburg (3-4)
Piotr Trochowski and Elano battle for possession
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Manchester City won a pulsating Uefa Cup quarter-final second leg against Hamburg but crashed out of the competition on aggregate.
“Hamburg took an early lead after Paolo Guerrero beat Shay Given from 12-yards.Elano equalised from the spot for City, and the Brazilian also hit the bar with a fierce free-kick before the break.Felipe Caicedo gave City the lead with a neat finish but after captain Richard Dunne was sent off, Hamburg held on despite intense late pressure.”
( BBC Sport )