This is the thread for the Arsenal/Barcelona Champions League final

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Gaby Logan's went a bit ott with the eyeliner and El Tel's looking chipper but will the 'Neutral's' choice of finalists come up with the goods?

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Wednesday, 17 May 2006 17:08 (nineteen years ago)

Heh. About off to join some friends for an extended lunch to watch this. Will report back afterwards.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 17 May 2006 17:16 (nineteen years ago)

Messi isn't fit :(

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Wednesday, 17 May 2006 17:45 (nineteen years ago)

Anyway, 3-1 Barca is my prediction.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Wednesday, 17 May 2006 17:46 (nineteen years ago)

Jens Lehman sent off on 18 minutes!

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Wednesday, 17 May 2006 18:05 (nineteen years ago)

ITV commentary confuses Lehman for Sol Campbell, Manuel Almunia is now playing in a Champions League final.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Wednesday, 17 May 2006 18:05 (nineteen years ago)

Eboue's booked now, what are odds that Arsenal go down to 9 men.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Wednesday, 17 May 2006 18:09 (nineteen years ago)

Arsenal now 7/1 to win in 90 minutes.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Wednesday, 17 May 2006 18:10 (nineteen years ago)

Ah, missed this thread a minute. As I was saying... what a twat of a referee. He could have left Lehman on, given Barcelona the goal, and set up an attacking 70 minutes. Instead he's pissed off both teams.

― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Wednesday, 17 May 2006 18:12 (nineteen years ago)

Pires is looking depressed.

― Matt #2 (Matt #2), Wednesday, 17 May 2006 18:13 (nineteen years ago)

lol campbell

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Wednesday, 17 May 2006 18:23 (nineteen years ago)

YES YES YES YES

― Suedey (John Cei Douglas), Wednesday, 17 May 2006 18:24 (nineteen years ago)

Arsenal to win in 90 minutes: 11/8
Barca to win in 90 minutes: 11/8
Draw: 5/2

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Wednesday, 17 May 2006 18:26 (nineteen years ago)

Someone has just put £100 on Barca to win 5-1.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Wednesday, 17 May 2006 18:28 (nineteen years ago)

World class dive by Eboue to win the free kick btw.

― Matt #2 (Matt #2), Wednesday, 17 May 2006 18:29 (nineteen years ago)

wish i'd had some betfair action when the red card was shown

― secondhandnews (secondhandnews), Wednesday, 17 May 2006 19:17 (nineteen years ago)

Arsenal finally moved to odds on to win: 5/6.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Wednesday, 17 May 2006 19:18 (nineteen years ago)

11/4 Barca, 11/5 the draw.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Wednesday, 17 May 2006 19:18 (nineteen years ago)

If Arsenal do win this it's Ludovic Giuly's fault, he had to be the one to touch the trophy beforehand.

― Porkpie (porkpie), Wednesday, 17 May 2006 19:24 (nineteen years ago)

Samuel Eto, 1-1.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Wednesday, 17 May 2006 19:25 (nineteen years ago)

Spurs fans to thread.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Wednesday, 17 May 2006 19:25 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah, this was kinda inevitable.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Wednesday, 17 May 2006 19:29 (nineteen years ago)

I'd never even heard of Belletti before now, btw.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Wednesday, 17 May 2006 19:29 (nineteen years ago)

his hundred quid well spent

― secondhandnews (secondhandnews), Wednesday, 17 May 2006 19:30 (nineteen years ago)

ahahaha I'm loving this! go barca!

― Lovelace (Lovelace), Wednesday, 17 May 2006 19:31 (nineteen years ago)

who's the happiest man in the world right now? patrick viera, that's who.

― Lovelace (Lovelace), Wednesday, 17 May 2006 19:33 (nineteen years ago)

and jose

― secondhandnews (secondhandnews), Wednesday, 17 May 2006 19:34 (nineteen years ago)

Wenger looking very :(

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Wednesday, 17 May 2006 19:34 (nineteen years ago)

I've not seen a minute of the game. Have Barca dominated? Did Henry play well? And why was Lehman given a red card?

― Lovelace (Lovelace), Wednesday, 17 May 2006 19:37 (nineteen years ago)

booooooooooo

― Suedey (John Cei Douglas), Wednesday, 17 May 2006 19:42 (nineteen years ago)

And it's over. Barca are your European champions.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Wednesday, 17 May 2006 19:42 (nineteen years ago)

Lovelace: it was pretty even in the first half (especially considering Arsenal were a man down), but Barca have dominated the second half.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Wednesday, 17 May 2006 19:43 (nineteen years ago)

As I said on Saturday, 'Fuck, I hate football'.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Wednesday, 17 May 2006 19:43 (nineteen years ago)

So fucking near man!

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Wednesday, 17 May 2006 19:44 (nineteen years ago)

"Hooray, I'm for the other team!"

― Haikunym (Haikunym), Wednesday, 17 May 2006 19:45 (nineteen years ago)

There was a spell of about ten minutes in the second half where Arsenal looked certain to go 2-0 up. They had several breaks, Ljungberg and Henry were looking good, Henry should have scored. Then Barcelona scored and you just knew immediately it was all over, even at 1-1.

― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Wednesday, 17 May 2006 19:47 (nineteen years ago)

please please please let David Pleat retire now. "the sight is in end" genius.

― Porkpie (porkpie), Wednesday, 17 May 2006 19:49 (nineteen years ago)

I feared the worst (almost knew it) when Henry missed his chance in the 70th minute :-(

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Wednesday, 17 May 2006 19:54 (nineteen years ago)

As the clock ticks past 86 minutes, Pleat: "well, there'll be at least five minutes of extra-time, so Arsenal have got ten minutes to get something back". Wrong, wrong, wrong. There was nothing to suggest there would be that much time added, and there wasn't, and even if there had been there wouldn't have been ten more minutes, and it's not fucking extra-time, it's INJURY time. Grrrrr.

― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Wednesday, 17 May 2006 19:54 (nineteen years ago)

Terry 'enery looks about ready to smack the interviewer.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Wednesday, 17 May 2006 19:55 (nineteen years ago)

ronaldinho is so pretty

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Wednesday, 17 May 2006 19:56 (nineteen years ago)

The Pleat-Tyldsley teaming have a remarkable knack for making you want English teams to get caned just to piss them off.

― Michael A Neuman (Ferg), Wednesday, 17 May 2006 19:56 (nineteen years ago)

The Pleat-Tyldsley teaming have a remarkable knack for making you want English teams to get caned just to piss them off.

qft.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Wednesday, 17 May 2006 19:57 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah, Henry's leaving isn't he?

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Wednesday, 17 May 2006 19:58 (nineteen years ago)

he needs to take it on the chin first?.?.?.

So how much will Blatter be fining young Thierry for his "with the ref on their side" comment?

― Porkpie (porkpie), Wednesday, 17 May 2006 20:00 (nineteen years ago)

The ref was really, really shit.

― Suedey (John Cei Douglas), Wednesday, 17 May 2006 20:01 (nineteen years ago)

Enh, ref was pretty awful, but it's not like Arsenal should've had the free kick they scored from.

― Michael A Neuman (Ferg), Wednesday, 17 May 2006 20:02 (nineteen years ago)

the ref was completely shit yes, but both ways, I don't think he favoured either side

― Porkpie (porkpie), Wednesday, 17 May 2006 20:03 (nineteen years ago)

Who cares about the centrepiece of the European footballing calendar when we can talk about Robbie Williams' footballing skills!

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Wednesday, 17 May 2006 20:04 (nineteen years ago)

not seen this yet but
doesn't sound like ref screwed up
by tossing lehmann

is it not the same
as intentional hand ball
or clapping the ref?

― Haikunym (Haikunym), Wednesday, 17 May 2006 20:12 (nineteen years ago)

Skipping 41 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

TBH I don't think Arsenal got a bad deal with the ref's decisions, on balance. I'm more pissed off that Lehmann was stupid and that because they were one down, Henry was too tired to score.

― beanz (beanz), Thursday, 18 May 2006 09:51 (nineteen years ago)

ha I misread Mike's very steady ratio.

this still feels awful - losing it 4-0 might've felt slightly better than coming so close. xp

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Thursday, 18 May 2006 09:53 (nineteen years ago)

no cos surely SPurs fans would rub 4-0 in your face much harder.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 18 May 2006 09:55 (nineteen years ago)

I don't really care about that especially after what happened in the last day of the premiership.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Thursday, 18 May 2006 09:59 (nineteen years ago)

Its like with the Ashes last year when it ws so close but you're on the right side of it - if Glenn McGrath hadn't slipped up in training, or Warne had held that catch on the last day it might have been v diffrent.

Now i'm on the wrong side...

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Thursday, 18 May 2006 10:07 (nineteen years ago)

first half: tough justice for barca. ref didn't do much wrong with lehmann. and i almost knew arsenal would go one up as soon as that foul/dive (horrible dive) at the edge of the box happened. supporting barcelona all the way. didn't like the goal, don't like goals that result from cheated freekicks

second half: still supporting barcelona although the support level dropped more and more as they seemed to not be in a hurry to attack like they can but instead almost looked like they wanted to get their own back through diving in the box like there was no tomorrow, ronaldinho was the worst, and deco and various others kept fouling badly. and arsenal getting some deserved chances because barca were fannying about. well done ljungberg for trying.

why is alumnia just hoofing the ball to the opposition corner flag everytime there's a goal kick? has he noticed that there's no arsenal players there?

i thought i heard a whistle during the buildup of the 1-1 goal, probably offside, arsenal players all sleeping. didn't really like that goal for those reasons, but barcelona still deserved to be level. hated the reaction of arsenal after the 1-1 goal. all standing around as though it was game over. and it starts pouring with rain, a sign? it's like a film. it was only logical given that arsenal had given up that the 2-1 goal went in, crap goal. through the keepers legs - he can't be tired!!!!

and then, arsenal: this is like, the very very last game this season, you're 2-1 down, why are you just standing around?????? thierry henry get one fitness? i mean, it's not like he's playing 3 games in 3 days! fuck's sake. £60k or whatever a week can't afford you a gym membership?

it's just ridiculous, after the 2-1 goal went in it didn't have to be over but it was. barcelona prodding the ball to each other, whilst arsenal sits down on an imaginary sofa and watched, feeling sorry for themselves. fuck's sakes.

and then henry reveals after the match why he was so shit for the last 30 minutes: TOO BUSY WRITING A SPEECH IN HIS HEAD FOR THE INTERVIEWS. It was poetic, the whole speech, he must have worked hard on it whilst crouching down by the corner flag huffing. i don't think the ref was that shit. not as much as the players were shit, the goals were shit. a bad night for football.

― ken c (ken c), Thursday, 18 May 2006 10:12 (nineteen years ago)

3 out of 5 telly-watching Spaniards saw the footbal last night. then again, they don't have The House Of Tiny Tearaways or In The Line Of Beauty.

I hope you all appreciate my extensive mediawatch.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Thursday, 18 May 2006 10:14 (nineteen years ago)

but the palpable sense of entitlement when the second goal went in reminded me of how annoying the Catalan Giants and their followers can be.

it's true. but then i was at the pub for the second half and the cheers from that cheated freekick as if arsenal were some kind of heros for scoring that goal made me glad that the ill-placed gloating happens in a different country than here. by the end of the match i wanted neither team to win.

― ken c (ken c), Thursday, 18 May 2006 10:16 (nineteen years ago)

Arsenal were so gone after it went to 2-1 cos Barca are a very, very tough team to play when you're a man short - they move the ball around so much and are physically and mentally challenging in a way no English team can match.

They're such a canny side. Did much the same to us at the Bridge (tho Arse played much better than we did overall). Flustery start, we had a player sent off then went sort of ballistic and took the lead, rode our luck but missed a couple of chances, game opened up, we got knackered, they scored twice late on. After that, we were totally spent.

― Pete W (peterw), Thursday, 18 May 2006 10:28 (nineteen years ago)

A colleague has just pointed out that both teams had the word "arse" in their names. Surely a first, etc.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Thursday, 18 May 2006 10:29 (nineteen years ago)

Barcelonarse?

Oh, he wasn't typing, right? He said it, right?

― mark grout (mark grout), Thursday, 18 May 2006 10:32 (nineteen years ago)

Barsenalona

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 18 May 2006 10:32 (nineteen years ago)

what a mess!

wenger is stupid plank!

reminder who plays for Arsenal: JENS Lehmann!

systems thinking dictates loss would not have happened if JAMIE ASHDOWN in goal

season is INVALID!

has SVEN even heard of CHAMPIONS LEAGUE? no, he doesn't have their new 10"! or a record player! RADIO dial not set to SYSTEMS FM!

Arsenal must not represent ENGLAND next season. CHAMPIONS LEAGUE must be brought to FRATTON. can thick bastard BARWICK do this? NO!

Barcelona would not cope with SYSTEMS FOOTBALL of stefanovic and PRIMUS

― David Analysis (gareth), Thursday, 18 May 2006 11:55 (nineteen years ago)

I don't see why Steady Mike is 55% miserable at this result. I am surprised he is even 1% miserable. I would expect him to be largely indifferent, an an interested way.

― the pinefox (the pinefox), Thursday, 18 May 2006 12:27 (nineteen years ago)

I am about 70% miserable with this result which compares with the Boro final but is below West Ham (75%) and Gretna (80%) and is well behind Berwick losing the playoff final (95%).

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Thursday, 18 May 2006 12:31 (nineteen years ago)

I am 100% miserable even acknowledging we wasn't exactly robbed

― beanz (beanz), Thursday, 18 May 2006 12:46 (nineteen years ago)

I'm almost 100% pleased with the result, on a purely selfish "Celtic Avoid Repeating Artmedia Bratislava Shambles" basis.

Wasn't much of a game really. The ref was right to send the keeper off but then Andy Gray was right that it spoiled the game.

We switched to ITV but someone told me today that Andy Gray had a go at Martin Tyler(? is that his name?) for going on and on about the "injustices" that Arsenal were being subjected to and ended up saying something like "For goodness sake Martin! Behave!" on air. Anyone confirm?

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Thursday, 18 May 2006 12:48 (nineteen years ago)

I am 100% accepting of the result. The lads gave 100% which is really the most that they could give.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 18 May 2006 13:19 (nineteen years ago)

The ref was right to send the keeper off. He doesn't think so now.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Thursday, 18 May 2006 13:19 (nineteen years ago)

Fun fact: The last English club to lose a European Cup final before last night?

Arsenal, UEFA Cup final, 2000. And before that - Arsenal, UEFA CUp final, 1996.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 18 May 2006 13:21 (nineteen years ago)

(not including European Super Cup final lost by Man Utd in 1999)

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 18 May 2006 13:22 (nineteen years ago)

Because Boro won the Uefa?

― Matt (Matt), Thursday, 18 May 2006 13:24 (nineteen years ago)

I'm 120% sick as a parrot

― beanz (beanz), Thursday, 18 May 2006 13:25 (nineteen years ago)

That BBC article about the referee doesn't make sense, I think they've chopped it up a bit as at the end he seems to be talking about the Arsenal dive for the free kick that led to their goal but it's all described as being part of the same incident with Lehmann being carded.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Thursday, 18 May 2006 13:31 (nineteen years ago)

I think the 55-45 split is between different emotions than the Liverpool result; this time it's mild disappointment at an "English" loss and the way the game played out vs I can laugh about this with the Pinefox. Apologies if the former seems to hold slight sway.

On Saturday it was burning hatred and violent despair vs Porkpie and JtN will be jumping up and down, bless them. I wish the former didn't overwhelm the latter by 50:1 but it's this dash of genuine misanthropy which makes me such sparkling company.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Thursday, 18 May 2006 13:32 (nineteen years ago)

Because Boro won the Uefa?

~~last night~~ last week

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 18 May 2006 13:34 (nineteen years ago)

Heh, that's the logic which saves me from absolute despair whenever England get knocked out of a major tournament - Chris Moyles will be sad, as will that bloke from the Mars adverts.

x-post, ah.

― Matt (Matt), Thursday, 18 May 2006 13:35 (nineteen years ago)

Arsenal, UEFA Cup final, 2000. And before that - Arsenal, UEFA CUp final, 1996

I'm not necessarily disputing the 1996 one, but I have no memory of it. They won the FA Cup against Sheff Wed in 93, then won the Cup Winners Cup in 94 against somebody (all I remember is Alan Smith scored), then they lost the Cup Winners Cup final in 95 against somebody else when Nayim scored from the halfway line.

― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Thursday, 18 May 2006 13:37 (nineteen years ago)

Bayern beat Bordeaux 5-1 on agg in the 1996 UEFA Cup final.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Thursday, 18 May 2006 13:41 (nineteen years ago)

You can argue that he should have played the advantage, but there's nothing technically wrong with his decision. Andy Gray can shove his "players shouldn't be sent off in big games" crap up his arse, where he might also find Gazza in the 1991 FA Cup final.

That's a bit different though, because Gazza went completely mental and tried to break someone's legs.

You can't let a player get away with that sort of professional foul (imagine if Lehmann had stayed on then made the winning save in a penalty shoot-out?). And Barca deserve the goal. So send him off, allow the goal. Tough justice.

Pete: What about Cech against Liverpool in the European Cup semi last year?

― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Thursday, 18 May 2006 13:42 (nineteen years ago)

Porkpie overwhelms JtN by 50:1? Fair comment, I suppose, but a bit harsh to make your feelings public.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Thursday, 18 May 2006 13:42 (nineteen years ago)

Yep. They beat Parma in 94 in a typically plucky 1-0 to the Arsenal type way, then lost to Nayim & Poyet (Real Zaragoza) in 95 (both ECWC), and on pens to Galatasaray in 2000 (UEFA I think).

Henry: 'I'm with Mourinho'. Maybe he's coming to play for us next season? Yay!

― Pete W (peterw), Thursday, 18 May 2006 13:44 (nineteen years ago)

Pete: What about Cech against Liverpool in the European Cup semi last year?

Ah, in that case it wasn't so clear cut - there was a man rushing back to cover. Remember, Billy Gallas, the one what booted it off of the line... (flounders in pit of own making).

I do genuinely think there's a difference between a keeper rushing out and misjudging and taking out the striker in the process, and one what reaches out a hand to grab the ankle of the dude that's just sped past him.

― Pete W (peterw), Thursday, 18 May 2006 13:50 (nineteen years ago)

After watching this
it is clear the ref was right
to send Lehmann off

anyone who's mad
must get mad at Jens himself,
no one's said that yet

"professional fouls"
and fans' passive acceptance
are equally dumb

― Haikunym (Haikunym), Thursday, 18 May 2006 13:56 (nineteen years ago)

i put 1996 when it was indeed 1995. apologies.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 18 May 2006 14:07 (nineteen years ago)

and i put UEFA Cup when it was indeed European Cup Winners Cup. boy is my face red :(

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 18 May 2006 14:08 (nineteen years ago)

Bayern beat Bordeaux 5-1 on agg in the 1996 UEFA Cup final.

And, in looking this up, I discovered that Juve beat PSG 9-2 on agg in the Super Cup final that year (6-1 in Paris!) I don't remember this at all.

There must be a VHS of this somewhere on eBay with Brian Moore commentary.

boy is my face red :(

What a muppet! Or, should I say "moppet"? Har har.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Thursday, 18 May 2006 14:10 (nineteen years ago)

it's all too easy to forget there used to be a Cup Winners Cup sometimes. or that the UEFA Cup final used to have two legs. i should stick to UK Gallup Top 30 statistics really...

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 18 May 2006 14:13 (nineteen years ago)

x-post: Would they have bothered to televise the Super Cup if no English team was in it? No one ever remembers it. It's like a European Charidee Shield.

― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Thursday, 18 May 2006 14:13 (nineteen years ago)

The memory of Dundee United vs Gothenborg, 2nd leg, is too strong - yet very vague! - for me to forget that the UEFA Cup Final had two legs.

― the pinefox (the pinefox), Thursday, 18 May 2006 14:19 (nineteen years ago)

And Ipswich-Alkmaar! A goal-filled campaign (lots of Wark penalties and Thijssen/Muhren genius) culminating in a 5-4 agg win (3-0 home, 2-4 away).

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Thursday, 18 May 2006 15:29 (nineteen years ago)

and Spurs winning on penalties at White Hart Lane in 84 with a reserve goalkeeper whose name escapes me

― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Thursday, 18 May 2006 15:40 (nineteen years ago)

Didn't watch the match but today in my school in Leon it was like a national holiday, the kids were screaming and chanting all day and I could hardly get them to sit down. Some of them had Barca colours scribbled on their arms in felt pen.

― Cathy (Cathy), Thursday, 18 May 2006 15:51 (nineteen years ago)

Tony Parkes I think you mean Jamie

― Porkpie (porkpie), Thursday, 18 May 2006 15:56 (nineteen years ago)

the same TP who was caretaker at Blackburn (or was it Wednesday?) briefly a few years back?

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 18 May 2006 16:09 (nineteen years ago)

Woah.... that's really odd. I kept thinking to myself 'Tony Parkes', but then I thought 'No, that's the name of that old bloke who kept being caretaker manager at Blackburn every time someone got the sack'. They must be two different people with the same name, surely?

― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Thursday, 18 May 2006 16:27 (nineteen years ago)

[one bit of googling later]

Tony Parks once of Spurs:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/345000/images/_347906_parks150.jpg

Tony Parkes once of Blackburn:
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/40055000/jpg/_40055594_parkesind.jpg

― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Thursday, 18 May 2006 16:33 (nineteen years ago)

Matt DC missed out Melvyn Bragg in his anti-gooners tirade.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Thursday, 18 May 2006 17:08 (nineteen years ago)

I have no idea what I was talking about up there. That's what I get for posting in my pyjamas when waiting for my coffee and toast to be ready. I did watch the game, honest.

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 18 May 2006 18:08 (nineteen years ago)

Those jokes in full:

http://www.thfc1961.fsnet.co.uk/henrypriceless.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v475/lomographer/teehee2kk.jpg

Chim Chimenee Chim Chiminee
Chim Chim Cheroo
Nayim from 50
Beletti from 2

― Dave B (daveb), Thursday, 18 May 2006 18:15 (nineteen years ago)

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