Games like that remind me why I love football. Is there any right-thinking neutral out there not currently pulling for Dortmund in the Champions League?

Messi to the rescue for Barca. Even while struggling with fitness, his class told in the end. Credit must go to PSG as well, they pushed Barca all the way and were superb for long periods - particularly Pastore and Lavezzi.

Not exactly a newsflash, but Bayern are really quite good. When Schweinsteiger took command after the half-hour mark, they looked as if they could have kicked on and scored more at any point, with Juve simply unable to track how fluently they moved the ball.

Champions League semi-finals

Bayern Munich vs. Barcelona

Real Madrid vs. Borussia Dortmund

Europa League semi-finals

Fenerbahce vs. Benfica

Chelsea vs. Basel

Wherever that came from, it was one for the ages. Played with freedom and adventure in a high-pressure situation, breaking at speed on the counter-attack and, for the first time in what seems like forever, finishing with precision. The Vaughan goal in particular is as good on the 100th viewing as it is on the first. Under O'Neill, we were pretty much sleepwalking into a relegation scrap, and so far Di Canio is proving to be exactly the jolt we needed, at least in the short term. Still far from safe of course, but all of a sudden that Everton game on Saturday looks winnable, as do the other two home games. I salute you Paolo - just not in 'that' way.

Thought we were pretty abject against Fuiham, particularly second half when our "impact" substitutions proved predictably redundant. Any 606/Talksport/cab driver gargoyle who still doesn't get why Bent and Benteke together doesn't equal tantric bliss need look no further (that's not a slight on either man, by the way). Anyway, the Sunderland result was terrible for us. I hope its Stoke or Wigan that go. Either or (not just saying that because Michael's a nice guy, though ask me after we play them in a few weeks and I might change my mind!) We just beat Stoke so I don't mind them right now but ask me most days and I'd vote for them. Dave Whelan's essentially a cartoon come to life and I'd enjoy seeing the "genius" of Roberto Martinez brought to a crashing halt. Throw in a 12-0 FA Cup final defeat while you're at it. Ah, who cares, anyone but us please.

Another superb result against a team who traditionally make short work of us, and lots to like about the performance - almost every 50-50 ball won, attacking thrust from Sessegnon in particular and a clean sheet, despite Seb Larsson's best efforts. Must start defending further up the park for the full 90 minutes, though. Special mention too for the crowd, the atmosphere in the ground was the best I've experienced since Peter Reid's heyday. Position-wise, I still think we're pretty close to the wind. A few weeks ago I had 36 down as the desired total for survival and now it seems there's been something of a surge, but I'm hoping we've built enough momentum to get ourselves across the line.

If I can't have Stoke to go down this year, I'll take Wigan. Martinez has done well to keep them up for as long as he has, but there's only so long you can delay the inevitable.

Good luck trying to claim that one was a conciliatory greeting in Uruguay, Luis.

Good luck trying to claim that one was a conciliatory greeting in Uruguay, Luis.

Good luck trying to claim that one was a conciliatory greeting in Uruguay, Luis.

Been on a few rough nights out in North Wales where it seemed the case!

It's certainly going to be my go-to excuse should the need ever arise in the future. Sorry officer, cultural misunderstanding!

I actually feel a bit sorry for whichever poor fool at the FA has to decide on the length of Suarez's ban. Give him less than the Dutch FA did and you're seen to be letting him off lightly; give him more and you're sending a message that it's worse than racial abuse of an opponent. I feel a bit sorry for myself as well, I'm going to have to spend four extra Fantasy points to transfer him and Giroud out in the same week.

Perhaps it is still too early to write the epitaph for the Barça era, but last night's game sure felt like a passing of the guard.

Perhaps it is still too early to write the epitaph for the Barça era, but last night's game sure felt like a passing of the guard.

 

Playing against one of the strongest and most in-form teams on the planet with a half-fit Messi up front and a largely untested kid at the back was always going to be a daunting task; throw in bits of officiating that should be unforgivable in the Champions League and you're adding insult to injury. Still, there can be no doubt that Bayern were good value for the win. Barca are and will continue to be a tremendous side, but we may all come to see that in a slightly more reserved context in the near future. The pressing game that used to be so evident in their defensive play seems decidedly lacking these days, and it's fast becoming a serious issue in games at the highest level.

Sorry, Bayern Munchkins? Never heard of them. Barce what? Mourinwho?....

He's married to a hot Polish karateka and he now owns Pepe's soul. Legend!

Lewandowski was absolutely fantastic, but for me the man of the match was Gundogan. Based off the few times I've seen Dortmund play this season, he looks like a real star. Confident on the ball, always looking to move forward and quick and athletic enough to cover vast spaces. He and Bender ripped the heart out of a Madrid midfield assembled at massive expense.

Remember when Cheick Tiote was valued at £20m plus?

A fantastic evening that you could never in a million years have seen coming, frankly I'm surprised it didn't start raining chocolate coins at the end. To bring our goal difference down so much, on the back of Newcastle's tonking, feels almost fated. Except of course I know much better than that. I hope Wigan lose every game from here on out 24-0 though if we win our remaining three games we'll probably end up 9th again like in that really rubbish Houllier season. Anyway, to a man we were magnificent. Now let's see ourselves home and make sure we get all that sexy telly money for next season.

Remember when Cheick Tiote was valued at £20m plus?

How much do they wish they could get a do-over on that one!

A fantastic evening that you could never in a million years have seen coming, frankly I'm surprised it didn't start raining chocolate coins at the end. To bring our goal difference down so much, on the back of Newcastle's tonking, feels almost fated. Except of course I know much better than that. I hope Wigan lose every game from here on out 24-0 though if we win our remaining three games we'll probably end up 9th again like in that really rubbish Houllier season. Anyway, to a man we were magnificent. Now let's see ourselves home and make sure we get all that sexy telly money for next season.

You think Benteke is off now?

I would imagine he will have his fair share of suitors, looks like he will finish his first campaign in England as n°4 on the goalscorers list.