The European Leagues & Competitions Thread V2

[Sheva. 5,373]

Inevitably, 2 Spanish teams draw each other.

Barca playing 2nd leg away makes that tie all the more interesting - given their shaky record away in CL in the past few seasons.

[cosmicway 1,252]

PSG are beatable.

Dortmund might have been the easiest opponent and United the second easiest, because with United it's an English derby.

PSG is the third easiest.

Also Atletico can eliminate Barca, because the other Spanish teams know their tricks and beat them more often.

Real are through and Bayern also in all likelihood.

I saw PSG twice this season, PSG - Olympiakos, a drab affair as PSG were certain group winners (result 2-1) and Monaco - PSG 1-1 where their performence was not very impressive.

[Fernando 6,376]

[jfruedam 8]

There was 1,75% or so of probability that the 3 first balls were the ones of the spanish teams, and yet that's what happened....Why UEFA can't buy some kind of lottery ball machine? It surely would avoid them any kind of speculation. I mean come on, repeated matches year after year, the "easiest" opponents for the most "desirable" final contenders (Madrid - Bayern)... No, they have to do it manually with a plastic dish, and a ex-player that obviously cheer for one of the teams in the pot ....

[BlueLion. 21,491]

AZ Benfica

Lyon Juventus

Basel Valencia

Porto Sevilla

Even in europa the top 3 have avoided each other.

If it goes to form, Benfica, Juventus, Valencia and Porto in the semi-finals will be delicious!

[cosmicway 1,252]

There was 1,75% or so of probability that the 3 first balls were the ones of the spanish teams, and yet that's what happened....Why UEFA can't buy some kind of lottery ball machine? It surely would avoid them any kind of speculation. I mean come on, repeated matches year after year, the "easiest" opponents for the most "desirable" final contenders (Madrid - Bayern)... No, they have to do it manually with a plastic dish, and a ex-player that obviously cheer for one of the teams in the pot ....

It's 3! x 5! / 8! = 1.79% (urn scheme without replacement probability).

To outwit the draw the methods used are hot and cold balls, balls making vibrations and ball magnets.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

If it goes to form, Benfica, Juventus, Valencia and Porto in the semi-finals will be delicious!

With the final being played in Turin, it is set up nicely for Juve to clinch it

[Special Juan 27,102]

Part of the Allianz Arena will be closed when they face United due to homophobic banner being displayed.

[Rmpr 8,977]

With the final being played in Turin, it is set up nicely for Juve to clinch it

Juve losin it on penalties like Bayern in 2012!

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Juve losin it on penalties like Bayern in 2012!

Brasil losing the WC on penalties like Bayren lost in 2012!

[didierforever 7,349]

Except for the bayern united tie, the rest 3 are going to be very competitive.

Chelsea - psg is a 50-50 (51-49 due to jose).

Atm should get more credit than they are getting specially against a team that they have faced thrice this season and have drawn all 3. Alsi that atm are actually liga toppers at the moment. I expect a brilliant 180 minures and won't be at all suprised if atm came thru the tie.

Rm have once again shown that they are big game chokers. 1 point from a possible 12 against the only teans worth mentioning in the la liga. Their defence is a joke and attacks is based on moments if magic rather than actual plays or even link up. I mean bake was tge perfect example of that last night. Non existebt for 89 minutes but those 2 runs that he made, one in each half were just out of the world. So while RM are definite favourites, I would still say that bvb have a decent chance is they can keep the wungers quiet. Specially if bvb are clinical upfront. They will get a buck load of chances agaibst that defence.

[KevinAshburner 1,270]

IF MANCHESTER UNITED DO NOT SACK DAVID MOYES BEFORE OR AFTER BAYERN MUNICH - 1ST LEG IN UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE. IT WILL BE HILARIOUS TO WATCH & MAN UTD WILL LOSE AT LEAST 11 - 1 ON AGGREGATE AFTER THE 2 LEGS

[didierforever 7,349]

Despite my lack of football knowledge (apparently), I did call out RM for exactlt what they were. Choke with the game on the line and they were having a really good spell of form. Their defence once showed that it is their for the taking. Block the wings and they seem paralysed. Plus the depth of class from the first 11 to the subs is immense with isco, illaramendi, morata etc simply not able to fill the boots.

[Rmpr 8,977]

Despite my lack of football knowledge (apparently), I did call out RM for exactlt what they were. Choke with the game on the line and they were having a really good spell of form. Their defence once showed that it is their for the taking. Block the wings and they seem paralysed. Plus the depth of class from the first 11 to the subs is immense with isco, illaramendi, morata etc simply not able to fill the boots.

LOL, comeback once the season is done!

It will be so fucking funny now that you have jumped the gun!!!

:lol:

[didierforever 7,349]

LOL, comeback once the season is done!

It will be so fucking funny now that you have jumped the gun!!!

:lol:

I don't need to comeback sooner or later. It would change nothing.

RM is there for the taking defensively. FACT.

They HAVE struggled so far against all "big " teams and you can include bilbao and sevilla in it (4th and 5th placed).

There attack lacks creativity especially against good teams and mids who won't offer that extra second or that extra yard for RMs obvious talismans to have a moment of magic.

What is actually LOL is that while you went on to say that ancelotti's RM was defensively organized and better than jose's RM, I called it like it was. There has been no jumping of guns here. Had said before that the currenr RM and its tactics were not as good as the 31 match unbeaten streak made it out to be and still do.

Ps- our discussion began with ne saying I would take psg over rm ( or something of that sort), and I would still do. Nothing has changed from what I first said. So again, no gun jumping done here.

[Eligius 121]

If United is able to somehow beat Bayern in 2 legs, this might be the biggest upset I've witness.

However, I would bet 8-1 in aggregate to Bayern.

[communicate 2,703]

Despite my lack of football knowledge (apparently), I did call out RM for exactlt what they were. Choke with the game on the line and they were having a really good spell of form. Their defence once showed that it is their for the taking. Block the wings and they seem paralysed. Plus the depth of class from the first 11 to the subs is immense with isco, illaramendi, morata etc simply not able to fill the boots.

They are still really good,they really miss khedira especially against good team.

Their subs imo is decent enough isco, illaramendi and morata are all good players.

It's just impossible to get replacement as good as bale/ronaldo

[didierforever 7,349]

They are still really good,they really miss khedira especially against good team.

Their subs imo is decent enough isco, illaramendi and morata are all good players.

It's just impossible to get replacement as good as bale/ronaldo

Never said they were not good. Infact they are still one of the best teams in the world.

The discussion was very different. It was more of how good are they tactically. I just think the 31 match unbeaten run made them seem better than they were. They were always going to struggle against barca. That run somehow made them the favourites. Despite having bale, isco, illaramendi, I don't think they are better than jose's RM which was tactically more astute.

Their subs are decent but when those subs have to replace not just bale/cr but also an injured maria/modric/alonso is when they struggle. Their right backs are pior defensively and marcelo himself is not that greay deapite being one of the best attacking left back.

My problem was that RM was made to sound like this flawless machine that would crush everythin in it's path. Simply dint think so.