Who will win the Champions League this season ('12-'13)

I can understand it being a red card if Arbeloa had been in clear sight running in front of him. Fact is, Nani has to try and control that ball and he is completely unaware of Arbeloa charging in. His eyes were entirely on the ball and there was no intent to do anything other than try to control the ball.

If he had gone in with his head, missed and caught Arbeloa would that have been a red card too???

Joke of a decision and it completely changed the direction of the game.

Ever since the world cup final and De Jong's brutality-foul against one of Spaniards (Was it Iniesta?) I think there actually is some FIFA regulation to completely discourage scenes like this. I remember after the final, people were going 'How did De Jong not get red'? Maybe it's something like that?The ref didn't want that to happen? Anyhow -considering how Arbeola said: 'Nani didn't see me coming' - it should not have been a red. I doubt he said it to the referee though.

In any case, pity for Manchester. Even so - what on Earth did they do for those 10 minutes? Completely fell asleep? When they finally woke up it was 2-1. A great team can't afford 10 minutes like that, not even against Real. I am even more surprised considering that you've got players like Ferdinand, Vidic or Giggs who have both the experience and the charisma to prevent a team from falling apart after a red card. And Nani is a winger anyway. After he was sent off, all the danger came through the centre. Not quite sure what happened there. Must have been the shock of the red card.

I guess that's the point. If it's a high ball, you don't go in there with a stretched leg as there might always be a player whose head or chest you might kick. If it was a fully stretched leg, I would have said yes, red card. But it wasn't. And it wasn't that high a ball either. Yellow would have been enough.

It happened in the semi-final against Bayern a few years ago. 3 goals up, Rafael clumsily gets himself sent off and then United capitulate. It happens all the time with United. They are a great side but they are rattled far too easily by even the minnows of the league, be it through concession of a single goal (even if they still have the lead) or getting a man sent off, and it makes watching them very frustrating at times.

I said before the game that if United tried to protect a 0-0, they'd get turned over too easily. The best tactics they could employ would be pressing hard when Real had it in the United half and looking to break on the counter attack - something they did very well with 11 on the pitch.

With Nani gone, Welbeck had to cover the left side of the field leaving a gaping hole in the middle of the park for Real to exploit. You can survive with 10 men against some teams but the likes of the European heavyweights will grind you down eventually. The only reason United came back into it in the last 20mins was because Real had a lead to protect - why push for a third when your opponent needs to find two unanswered goals and they're a man light?

Well...it was a quarter final and Bayern scored the 3-1 before half time. The red card came middle of the second half when Bayern was on the rise already. Also, in that game, Manchester didn't collapse. They maintained order and played it down. However, with both Robben and Ribery in the form of their lives it was tough not to concede a goal (and what a goal it was), even with 11 men on the pitch.

And Mourinho brought Modric as well, forcing through the centre. I still felt like they were terribly disorganised - even after the 1-1. Yes, after the 2-1 Mourinho brought Pepe for Oezil and the team focussed on defense. Still. I can't stop but believe that it was all too easy for Real for those 10 minutes.

On a slightly different note: what do you guys think on Borussia Dortmund?
The way they dismantled Donetsk was impressive. As long as they play the 2nd leg at home, I think they can beat anyone. 15 years ago was the last time they made it to the semis. They kicked out Bayern in the quarters of that year. To be honest, I'd rather they played Real in the next stage. I think they have a shot to make it to the final...

Currently ranked 4th with the bookies, just after Real, Bayern and Barcelona. In my book, Barcelona is out already so they'd be 3rd favourite. Quite insane how Dortmund developed over the last 3-4 years.

With Borussia everything is possible. I see the team like Porto lead by Mourinho; they may surprise us just the same way. They have nothing to lose, too; they already lost Bundesliga and were just few days ago eliminated from the German Cup. And as my favourite team (Inter) is out of CL this season, I keep the fingres crossed for the team with 3 players from my country

I see them even more like Dortmund from 1997. Insane similarity. They had won the Bundesliga in 1995 and 1996. They had NO chance in the 1997 campaign against Bayern who played a very dominant Bundesliga season. Yet they won the Champions League being undefeated I think.

One big difference, in 1997, Bayern was playing UEFA Cup

Right…Barcelona is back then.

They won't win it. AC Milan are average.