Draft CL Draft: Semi-Final 2: 4Juan6 Spartans vs The Sauce Squad

[Rex Stone]

Whilst I wait for the line ups from the other semi final we’ll go ahead and set the thread up for this one.

It’s the 2nd seed 4Juan6 Spartans of @Juan Matas Beard and @Gooner416 vs the 3rd seed Sauce Squad of myself and @Trilly

As the higher seed the Spartans will get to play the second leg at home in front of their fans.

Their knockout results so far:

Final 12: BYE
Quarter Final: Won vs Iftarsenal FC on away goals (7-7)

Their line up for this tie is:




As for the Sauce Squad their results in the knockout so far were:

Final 12 - BYE
Quarter Final - Won vs Pigge Utd (4-3)

Their line-up is:




The Head 2 Head between these two went:

SAU 3 - 1 4J6
4J6 1 - 0 SAU

 

[Trilly]

Whilst I wait for the line ups from the other semi final we’ll go ahead and set the thread up for this one.

It’s the 2nd seed 4Juan6 Spartans of @Juan Matas Beard and @Gooner416 vs the 3rd seed Sauce Squad of myself and @Trilly

As the higher seed the Spartans will get to play the second leg at home in front of their fans.

Their knockout results so far:

Final 12: BYE
Quarter Final: Won vs Iftarsenal FC on away goals (7-7)

Their line up for this tie is:

View attachment 14432


As for the Sauce Squad their results in the knockout so far were:

Final 12 - BYE
Quarter Final - Won vs Pigge Utd (4-3)

Their line-up is:


View attachment 14435

The Head 2 Head between these two went:

SAU 3 - 1 4J6
4J6 1 - 0 SAU

They’re better overall but a CB pairing of prime VVD + Rio and prime r10+ Mbappe upfront will mean youre always in with a chance of beating any team tbh.

It’s gonna be juicy

 

[Juan Matas Beard]

They’re better overall but a CB pairing of prime VVD + Rio and prime r10+ Mbappe upfront will mean youre always in with a chance of beating any team tbh.

It’s gonna be juicy

Wish I could see the ratings tbh.

 

[jones]

Gerbil van Dijk vs Siuuu and Kaka or Mbappé Vs Hummels. Knowing how this sim operates expect two goalless draws

 

[Riou]

4Juan6 Spartans v Sauce Squad.
My guy Juan v Former teammate Trilly.

Riou, when asked by the pitch side reporter who he wants to win...

 

[Riou]

This match up should have been the final, in my humble opinion.

 

[Rex Stone]

This match up should have been the final, in my humble opinion.

We bottled a healthy lead in the ranking tournament and ended up in third.

 

[UpTheGunnerz]

Hummels the weak point in those two teams, mandem

 

[Juan Matas Beard]

Hummels the weak point in those two teams, mandem

Without giving too much away. @Rex Bezos can back me but he has a pretty solid rating based on that 2013 season. I was expecting to start Pepe initially but Hummels was better.

Don’t think we can compete with their defence bar Schmeichel, I think we have a better midfield, especially Kaka and Gerrard doing bits and I’d say their attack given Cristiano hasn’t been hitting as much as I hoped.

 

[albakos]

 

[Juan Matas Beard]

If we never play, we cannot get knocked out.

 

[Rex Stone]

So onto the second semi final and it's 4Juan6 Spartans of @Juan Matas Beard and @Gooner416 up against the mighty Sauce Squad of myself and @Trilly

The big news pre-match for the Sauce Squad was the fitness of Gennaro Gattuso who'd been injured in their victory over Pigge Utd. There were rumours of clandestine trips to a dodgy Miami doctor in the press. However after some digging it turned out the entire team had flown out to celebrate star man Ronaldinho's birthday with Drake.

They even took along Dybala and Pogba who weren't even on the team! Interesting choice just two days before a crunch semi final but the party never ends after all.

On game day it was revealed that their Italian warrior was fit to play and as his descendants were thousands of years ago, he was ready for war with the Spartans. On the Spartans it had been an unusually serene build up...

No arguments between skipper and manager... in fact they'd even been spied at couples therapy together. Star man Cristiano Ronaldo wasn't overly pleased but after Stevie G's heroics in the last round even he had come round to his way of thinking.

As the players kicked off the game Wanda Saucetropolitano the whole world was watching... half for the fashion the rest for the football. Immediately there's a heavy challenge... Abidal goes in hard on Deco and the yellow card comes out.

This sets the tone for the half... low on chances but with some star men in defence for both sides that's to be expected. Hummels and van Dijk are also booked before we're even half an hour in. If you're being charitable you could say the first half hour has been "tactical" but most would say it's a snooze fest.

Some of the play from Deco in particular has been pathetic... you can tell that Griezmann and Mbappe are losing patience with him. Right before half time he dithers on the ball and it's stolen off him by Makelele...



He plays it into Kaka who drives forward...



Away from Kroos...



Opens his body up.... shoots.....







HITS THE CROSSBAR!


Finally some action but it's taken 45 minutes to get it. Incredible run and long range effort from the Brazilian who's unlucky not to see the net ripple. He definitely had Neuer beaten there.


At the half it's a pretty drab 0-0.

 

[Juan Matas Beard]

No arguments between skipper and manager... in fact they'd even been spied at couples therapy together. Star man Cristiano Ronaldo wasn't overly pleased but after Stevie G's heroics in the last round even he had come round to his way of thinking.

Stevie G at half time.

 

[Rex Stone]

Second half underway and @Trilly has seen enough. After a legendary "I'm not him" performance from Deco in the first half he's subbed off at half time for Seedorf instead. Disgraceful effort.

Their play improves to start the half as Seedorf gives what they were missing, tries to get Mbappe and Ronaldinho involved more but ten minutes in it's the Spartans who have a free kick in a dangerous position.

Ronaldo is hovering but @Juan Matas Beard is trying to tell him it's too poor an angle on for one of his trademark knuckleballs. Showing emotional growth both men encourage the captain Gerrard to put a ball into the box. Away fans applaud the maturity from all three, tears in their eyes.

Gerrard looks into the box....



Takes a deep breath... signals....


Flights it in....



Ronaldo gets a great leap....

BUT PUYOL NIPS IN FRONT AND BURIES IT! WHAT A HEADER!


Puyol runs to the away fans... and YES even Ronaldo doesn't mind having his goal taken away and he joins the raucous celebrations!

The Sauce Squad faithful aren't overly happy... they've already read the fashion catalogue match programmes and they're bored with the lackluster performance from their team.


It's all out attack now from the Squad. They're dominating possession and field position... Griezmann manages to dart past two defenders...


Into the box....


Shapes it to the far post...

So unlucky not to score! What a save from Schmeichel!




Things aren't made easier for the Spartans when Makelele is swapped out due to a dead leg. It's Pepe coming on to play in the reducer role in midfield.


He takes it upon himself to follow Ronaldinho everywhere and kicks lumps out of him. No surprise he barely makes it 10 minutes before he's booked.


With just over 15 minutes left there's still no goal for the Sauce Squad but they're looking well on top...

Kroos plays a quick pass into Seedorf who plays it into Griezman...


Oh is he fouled!?!?! Is it a penalty??


The referee reaches for his card....


AND BOOKS GRIEZMANN FOR A DIVE!

VAR check complete and the home fans aren't happy. Looked like there was contact from Abidal...

The managers are incensed as well! @Trilly and @Gooner416 try to get at each other for a scrap but they're help back by their co-managers. The Sauce Squad boss waves his selfie with Drake in the opposition bosses faces which really doesn't go down well!

With not much time left the away team makes a huge call... Ronaldo is subbed off for the defensive wing option in Juanfran! Wow what a big call!

The Portuguese doesn't look happy!

It’s getting late in the day now and the Spartans are minutes away from a huge away win.

The Squad have them penned in though and the full backs are pushed right up.

Seedorf drops deep in the centre circle picking up the ball…



Passes it out to Alaba…



Back to Seedorf… and it goes wide to the substitute Mahrez...




Shows the ball to Abidal for just a second... megs him... and carries it away...



Into Griezmann who's moved central... one two with Seedorf... and he's in between the lines...


Plays in Alaba down the left...


Cuts it back for Mbappe... he's in on goal....


He squares the ball....

WHAT A TEAM GOAL! INCREDIBLE!



Absolutely world class football from the Sauce Squad finished off by Ronaldinho... that must have been almost 20 passes and they've patiently ground out a late equaliser that could be so important in the return leg.

It's the final kick of the game and it's finely poised 1-1 going into the second leg...

 

[A_G]

The Sauce Squad boss waves his selfie with Drake in the opposition bosses faces which really doesn't go down well!

LOOOOL

 

[Rex Stone]

This is how the game went down forgot to include the screenshot...

 

[albakos]

@Rex Bezos simming until Sauce Squad eventually wins the return leg

 

[Rex Stone]

@Rex Bezos simming until Sauce Squad eventually wins the return leg

Just a little bit more

 

[Rex Stone]

With the second leg around the corner all the pressure was on the Sauce Squad. In front of their home fans they'd needed a last second Ronaldinho goal to salvage any kind of result from the game and they'd need a win or high scoring draw to make it to the final.

With a fight erupting between @Gooner416 and @Trilly on the sideline in the last game over the attention of Drake it seemed that the certified lover boy was thriving in all the drama. He'd been spotted on the Tuscan Leather sofas of the Sauce Squad training ground on Monday, but on Tuesday he'd apparently been caught splitting a Pound Cake with @Juan Matas Beard in the Spartans canteen.

Seemed this man liked to Change Locations and both sets of managers looked disgusted when he was seen hanging out in the press box in a half and half top. Everyone was so confused and left asking U With Me?



Both teams had unchanged line-ups going into this one even with the poor display from the first leg, the Sauce Squad bosses didn't want to switch anything up and trusted in Deco in particular to put right an abject performance in the first leg. The pressure was on for the midfielder to Get It Together.

As the game kicks off it looks like it the Sauce Squad who are going Nonstop. They pressure Hummels almost from the kick off and a poor pass towards Abidal goes out for a corner.


Ronaldinho stands over it...


Ball goes in... Schmeichel goes up...


BUT HE DROPS IT!


And it's....




POKED HOME BY THURAM!! MINUTES IN AND THE SAUCE SQUAD ARE AHEAD!

In no time at all the tie is flipped on it's head! Now it's the Sauce Squad who are going through after a catastrophic error from Schmeichel. Arguably the best keeper in the tournament has shelled that and his teammates are saying Look What You've Done!

Now all the pressure is on the Spartans and from the kick off a long ball towards Trezeguet results in an absolute mauling from van Dijk in the air and it's a free kick to the home team. Ronaldo looks very interested from this range...


But instead...



FIRED IN BY CAPTAIN FANTASTIC! STEVEN GERRARD SCORES!!

Not two minutes after Thuram scored for the away side up steps the star player for the Spartans and it's banged in by Steven Gerrard for a goal that's Too Good.

Frantic start means as it stands we're heading for penalties but it looks pretty unlikely we're finishing with this scoreline. As the first half winds on these teams are on their Worst Behaviour. Dani Alves puts in a crunching tackle on Griezmann who rolls around on the floor while his teammate Deco pushes Alves over!


Both sides are in a shoving match now. Not a pretty scene, they're really Doing It Wrong. Yellow cards for Alves and Deco but the dirty tackles just keep coming. On the break, Mbappe is floored by Alves...



Referee runs over...


Yellow card for Mbappe! The ref says he dives!


Van Dijk is livid but No Long Talk from the referee, it's a yellow for the Dutchman for his angry shouting!


Not far from half time now but it's another corner for the away side... once again it's Ronaldinho standing over it...


Good ball in...


Punch by Schmeichel this time out the area...


Straight to Gattuso!!


Driven towards goal...



AND IT DEFLECTS IN OFF THURAM! ANOTHER SCHMEICHEL CATASTROPHE!






The unlikeliest of goal scorers in a side with Mbappe and Ronaldinho now has two! Unbelievable! These away fans are blem for real, they might just say what they feel!

The half time whistle goes and Lilian Thuram has bagged two goals and as it stands the Sauce Squad are heading through...

 

[albakos]

And now we await for two weeks until second half is done