Tjena!

I have been getting a bit keen lately, and honestly I just couldn’t stay away from my Varbergs BOIS story. One of the reasons that this is so early is because I got an idea in one of the comments about simulating matches. I never thought of the idea until now really and as the domestic side of my club is getting a little tedious, I decided that it was probably best to just simulate all the matches. With the assistant taking care of matters in Sweden, I had full focus on the European adventure that lay ahead..
As you know from the previous update, our lads had just come top of our champions league group consisting of Inter Milan. Having won at the San Siro in the last match, I thought that the draw would be nice to me this time. Alas, I was so wrong and unfortunately for me it was another hard draw against none other than Barcelona. So lets crack on eh?

Barcelona vs Varbergs BOIS (Champions League 1st Rnd, Leg 1)

First game was away at the Nou Camp, a tough place to go at the best of times, especially having not beaten them in the previous 5 games we had faced them in. Still, with over 90,000 fans packed into the stadium we would sure put up a good fight! Things didn’t get off to the best of starts I have to say and we were scraping to not concede inside the first 10 minutes as Bertolotti had to be at his very best to save a few lethal shots. Belyakov had our first real chance of the match as we tried to fight our way back in. A low drive from 18 yards well held by the Barcelona keeper. From then on, it was all Barca. As you can imagine, their crowd really revved them and just before half time they had a golden chance to go infront! A low ball in from the left hand side saw Piasani hit the post from only a couple of yards out.

Half time score: 0-0

The second half started much the same way as the second, another flurry of Barca chances just barely over from two corners. We hung on, but eventually our lads were broken. A few one-twos in the middle saw Alvaro set free through our defense. Bertolotti saved, but unfortunately it went straight into the path of the ever present Piasani to score on the 80 minute mark. We didn’t stand a chance from there on in and were lucky to see the game out 1-0. If Barca would have been more clinical in front of goal, it would have been a rout. Could that just bite them in the backside when we host them at home?

Full time score: 1-0

The stage was set then I guess, and with a rather good result from our perspective away at the Nou Camp, I wasn’t feeling as bad as I would usually do. Two goals is all we needed, and with home advantage on our side and the roar of our home fans (albeit, only 25,000 of them..) we were feeling as confident as ever that we could pull this off.

Varbergs BOIS vs Barcelona (Champions League 1st Rnd, Leg 2)

Things started the brighter for Barca, and with a few tame shots under their belt during the first 5 minutes, they went in search of that goal. A ferocious shot from 20 yards out made sure Bertolotti was at his best, palming the ball away to saftey. We had a couple of chances of our own, but unfortunately Luciano couldnt convert a free header from a corner. Barca had the last laugh of the half however, a freekick 20 yards out flashing past the post. That could have been game over..

Half time: 0-0

I told the lads to do it for the fans at the break but that did little to spur them on. Golden chance for Barca to get that second goal, with Krebs sliding in Roca from the left hand side. 7 yards out, with only the keeper to beat he managed to smash it straight down the middle and into Bertolotti’s arms to palm away. Massive chance! Although, I was wondering what had happened to my defence, it was all too easy for them. They kept coming too, and we were holding on to thin air at this point. Something needed to change… PENALTY! Never, but we will take it. A ball in from Lecomte just off to the right, about 30 yards out got swung into the area. A mass sprawl of people went for it, Adriano tumbled and the spot kick was given. Pressure… Ravlo steps up to take, and smashes it right into the top right hand corner. Get in! Totally undeserved but then so was the draw so you cant complain ;). We saw out the final minutes with a great attacking display, but we couldn’t get that second goal to kill the tie off.

End of 90 minutes: 1-0 (1-1 aggregate)

A half hearted display had got us to extra time against one of the best footballing sides in the world. Call it newbie luck, but we had a chance! The first half of extra time saw us come out all guns blazing, Taylor with the shot that just whizzed past the post just 30 seconds after the restart. Barcelona had the possession dominance and controlled the tempo of the game. A misplaced pass saw us grab hold of it just inside our half though, and we made no mistake. A defence splitting pass saw Lecomte run through one on one, he shot was saved but Taylor managed to smash the rebound home from a tight angle! Extacy around the stadium.. But wait, it wasn’t finished there? Just 5 minutes after we had a two goal cushion! I couldn’t believe my eyes.. A ball down the left to Svensson was exchange to Ronaldo. His pass found Talyor, and just to the left of centre, he let fly.. Shot smashing off Itturralde into the far corner.

Extra time, First Half: 3-0 (3-1 aggregate)

No? Still cant believe it? Well neither can I. Still we had a job to do in the second half of extra time. As you can imagine, Barcelona came out of the blocks on a mission.. A few snap shots saw Bertolotti produce some outstanding saves to his right hand side. He couldn’t stop this one though.. A massive 30 yarder from Colonnette was rifled in the bottom left hand corner, with 10 minutes of the match left! We didn’t stop pressing though, and nearly found a goal straight after the restart. Svensson cutting in on his left foot, curling a wonderfully hit shot just wide of the mark. Chance! Blimey that was close. A counter attack from the right left Barca able to cross into the box, and all but two yards out, Cebalios should have done much, much better.. rolling it softly into the gracious arms of Bertolotti. Game over!

End of 90 minutes: 3-1 (3-2 aggregate)

Video highlights: Here (Not sure why, but it doesn’t show the Talyor goal)

Cmon! SI, you can stick that where the sun doesn’t shine. I’m so proud of my lads for what they have done, even if the performance was below par. They just beat one of the best club sides in the world, to storm through into the Quarter finals. You better believe it :)

So SI, who have you got for me now then eh?

Oh.. I see. Smartarse’s

Story continues on the next page..

Sorry that was a long read, I just wanted the Barca win to be a little more in depth as it was brilliant to see us come out on top like that. Anyway, back to my old style of writing and back once again to a Varberg BOIS story that is filled with important games that are frankly fixed to be as hard as possible. As you might have seen on the other page, it was Arsenal who I would be playing in the Quarter Finals. Now, I played these lot last year we got licked 4-1 so I wasn’t looking forward to it happening to us all over again.

Taken from last season:
The 3rd richest side in the game, and one that have finished either 1st or 2nd in the league since the 2016/2017 season.
..And as you can see from the previous page, current Premier League champions. Urgh. Still, we had a good chance this time and if we are going to win this thing, we are going to do it the hard way! First leg was at the Emirates…

Ohh you beauty! What an absolute corker of a game, and what a brilliant result for us. We got off to the most horrendous of starts, going 2-0 down within 20minutes, but the fightback was on when Lallement got sent off just after half time for a wreckless lunge. Minutes later, we were back in the game due to some Lecomte magic, followed by a screamer from Olsson to get us back level. That only left a goal from the little Dane, Gaarde, to seal an historic win for us in England, and one that we would take back knowing Arsenal would have to score at least 2 to go through. Woo! :D.
Highlights of the game: Here

Wasn’t all laughs though unfortunately, as Olsson was sent off just after that Gaarde goal due to two bookings which left us without him for the return leg in Varberg. But would we need captain fantastics influence?

Cmon!!!! Have that SI, have that! We did concede two goals in the end, but that Lecomte goal just 10 minutes into the match meant we were going to fly through to the Semi Finals of the Champions League on away goals. Yes! I literally cant fathom the words to describe what my feelings were when I saw that final score, but it was something from a mix of joy/sadness/nervousness. Dont ask me why, I just was and I was jumping round my room singing ‘we are the Champions’ too (which ironically, we are not..). It was a very tense match though, and that second Yao goal really set my pulse racing, but we held on after a barrage of shots to book our place in the Semi Finals.
Highlights of the game: Here

Semi Final draw would see us face:

Story continues on the next page..

So Lyon it is then, and I for one am pretty content with the draw. The 3 other teams left in the hat were: Roma, Inter Milan and Lyon, and the only one I wanted to avoid, if I could was Inter. Yes I beat them at the San Siro, but the knockout rounds are a completely different ball game whereby all the elite teams come out of first gear and compete for that trophy. Lyon, were one of those. Overlooked by some, but they have a tendancy to surprise people, and they are very strong in the world of Football Manager as you all know.. So this was no easy feat for me at all.
Saying that, my first win to an ‘elite’ side was against Lyon back when I first came into the Champions League group stages 8 or so seasons ago. Was only a 1-0 win, but that has helped project the team where it is today and now they stand between us and a European trophy that I have wanted since the start of the save, more than 16 seasons ago.

Away first then, as has been the trend throughout the competition so far. My first game stats were not looking good, with all but one win away from home. Still, there is always a time to prove people wrong right?

Bummer, we took a hit. Lyon were very strong at home and it showed, after only 20 minutes they were 1-0 up and looking to expand that through their two deadly front-men. Luckily we only came in on the half with a one goal deficit, which was a valuable time to get my team talks in. Unfortunately, it didn’t really pay off, as Lyon took a 2-0 goal lead before Belyakov managed to score a valuable consolation goal that meant we would only need one goal to go through in the home leg.
Highlights of the game: Here

In all fairness we knew what was going to happen in the first leg, and it is the second that our BOIS really come into their element. After looking at the pre-match news, I knew that my lads would give it the best they had. But was it enough?

HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA!!!! Oh you cheeky *[Censored]*! Get in. Cmon! :D
We had done it, the impossible, the incredible. After the frustrations of the draw, we had finally made it. Finally conquered the best, demolished the elites of the game. We might not have played the best football, in fact I think that was probably the worst I had seen us play in a knock-out round, but it was enough. We deserve to be here, not through skill and class, but through grit and determination. The games we have played up until this point have been fantastic to manage, with tasting the highs and lows throughout our adventure this year and I just hope my lads can show the same attitude when they go out on that final stage.

About the game though, and blimey it had its ups and downs. If I had a pacemaker.. It wouldn’t work now put it that way ;). The game got off to a belting start when Adam Lecomte ran from the half way line, through the defence and slide the ball under the hapless keeper. Despair then followed as Lecomte turned from ‘Hero’ to ‘Zero’ in a matter of minutes when he got sent off for a needless lunge on the Lyon left back. Luckily we went into half time one up, but straight after the restart, Lyon pulled one back. Ramadhani rounded the keeper and it looked as though Luciano was there to save the day! Unfortunately, his slide tackle was too strong and he scored an own goal for his attempt at a heroic last ditch attempt, much to the disappointment of the home fans.

Still, it was our day to saviour, and Belyakov restored our lead. The now lone front-man jinxing inside from the left, and curling a beautiful shot into the far corner of the net. Bastos completed the fightback after some great work found himself one on one with the keeper. He was sliced down, meaning he was there to stick home the spot kick. Get in :). From there on in it was a tense affair, which seemed to resemble the film 300 more than anything else as a player from either side was sent off before the full time whistle.

Highlights of the game: Here

And the draw for the final would see us face..

Gah. Knew it…

Story continues on the next page..

Or story for that matter.. ;)

Tune in next time, when we will see if Varberg BOIS, the lowly club in the mist of the Swedish 4th division all but 16 years ago, can make history by winning the Champions League final against Inter Milan.

Till then, Hej då :D