Champions League Thread

[duo11bluecl 207]

I'd rather face Bayern. I hate them, plus I'd get to see Gotze play, who is awesome.

For me he has regressed this year. Yesterday as soon as he gone off Bayern actually started to play really well too. Sure he is still a great player but his influence is no where near the same as at Dortmund.

Anyone know what time is the draw?

11AM UK time so mid-day most of country in Europe.

[iseah100 5,612]

For me he has regressed this year. Yesterday as soon as he gone off Bayern actually started to play really well too. Sure he is still a great player but his influence is no where near the same as at Dortmund.

Me too, it's a shame. But that's to be expected, no? New system, new coach, teammates, team. He's young and is on a team with Ribery, Robben, Schweinsteiger, Muller. It's hard to adapt quickly. I stopped watching when he came off, but he'll improve.

[The Skipper 20,609]

For me RM is probably the best option. They can't defend for shit!

Why do people keep bringing this up like we're awesome going forward?

[Mohammed Seif 1,451]

Why do people keep bringing this up like we're awesome going forward?

looool. What are you talking about? We have got Torres

[Namika 922]

Why do people keep bringing this up like we're awesome going forward?

We are a very good counter-attacking team, nobody can argue with that and RM do seems to struggle when they are pressured high-up the pitch, something we do very well.

BBC is another thing but here too, I think that we can keep them quiet at the Bridge and Ronaldo is out for the 1st leg. So Real Madrid + 1st leg at the Bernabéu, and we could go to Lisbon.

[LAM09 7,085]

Why do people keep bringing this up like we're awesome going forward?

We're not, but we can score. It's quite simple. We can keep them out, but they can't do the same. Logic!

[The Skipper 20,609]

We're not, but we can score. It's quite simple. We can keep them out, but they can't do the same. Logic!

We are a very good counter-attacking team, nobody can argue with that and RM do seems to struggle when they are pressured high-up the pitch, something we do very well.

BBC is another thing but here too, I think that we can keep them quiet at the Bridge and Ronaldo is out for the 1st leg. So Real Madrid + 1st leg at the Bernabéu, and we could go to Lisbon.

People are massively underrating this Real side IMO... So what if Ronaldo is out?

A front four of Benzema, Di Maria, Bale and Isco is still brilliant.

Real have been shaky for a few weeks and suddenly people forget that they recently went on a 30+ unbeaten streak.

Our high press would work the best on Bayern. Real are not a possession based side first and foremost, in fact they're a counter attacking side at heart.

People are forgetting that an on form Real beat Atletico Madrid who play very similar to us, 5-0 on aggregate in the cup.

[bababoom 4,478]

Why do people keep bringing this up like we're awesome going forward?

Maybe we're not City-esque going forward, but what do you expect? we have no striker. The fact is on the break we're good, so few teams go out all attack against us in the league apart from City and Arsenal, but look how dangerous we looked in those matches. PSG never went full out attack either, at home they were playing rather safe and at the bridge they were poor.

Real Madrid will attack, look at the game against Barcelona, they didn't play on the counter like last year under Mourinho, they went for it and should of won. Barcelona won mainly from Real' poor defending. At the back they take risks, Ramos for me isn't a center back, he's the biggest liability and it's a joke he's in the world eleven. We need to defend deep and counter with pace against Bayern and Real, they have obvious weaknesses we can exploit. They are made for us and especially Jose Mourinho.

Atletico are different, they're not expected to go out all attack like Real or Bayern, even at home. If Real drop deep and defend at home the fans will be on their backs, it's not the same for Atleti. IMO they will get to the final, they are so well balanced it's unreal.

[LAM09 7,085]

People are massively underrating this Real side IMO... So what if Ronaldo is out?

A front four of Benzema, Di Maria, Bale and Isco is still brilliant.

Real have been shaky for a few weeks and suddenly people forget that they recently went on a 30+ unbeaten streak.

Our high press would work the best on Bayern. Real are not a possession based side first and foremost, in fact they're a counter attacking side at heart.

People are forgetting that an on form Real beat Atletico Madrid who play very similar to us, 5-0 on aggregate in the cup.

Did you watch them last night?

They lost to a side that had been beaten AT HOME by Zenit. If you stop Ronaldo, you stop RM. It has always been the same.

[Fernando 6,723]

What's up with the draw? Why they changed that?

Before you knew beforehand who you would face in the semis.

What's the purpose of this bullshit?

[Namika 922]

People are massively underrating this Real side IMO... So what if Ronaldo is out?

A front four of Benzema, Di Maria, Bale and Isco is still brilliant.

Real have been shaky for a few weeks and suddenly people forget that they recently went on a 30+ unbeaten streak.

People are massively underrating this Real side IMO... So what if Ronaldo is out?

A front four of Benzema, Di Maria, Bale and Isco is still brilliant.

Real have been shaky for a few weeks and suddenly people forget that they recently went on a 30+ unbeaten streak.

Well, to have the best player in the world out for a match is a blow. Yep, that's a very good front four, i'm not denying that.

The facts are that they don't do well against teams who press them high-up the pitch (At.Madrid, Athletic Bilbao, Barcelona, Dortmund,...), the Pepe-Ramos partnership is a joke, Carvajal and Marcelo aren't know for theirs defensive ability and against the top five they took 7 pts/24.

BBC and their midfield are the threats but I'm 100% sure that Oscar could keep a Xabi Alonso out of the game, Luiz can outmuscle Modric and so on...

I'm not saying that if we face each other we are going to beat them but we certainly can.

And we can't forget that José know them very well.

[The Skipper 20,609]

Maybe we're not City-esque going forward, but what do you expect? we have no striker. The fact is on the break we're good, so few teams go out all attack against us in the league apart from City and Arsenal, but look how dangerous we looked in those matches. PSG never went full out attack either, at home they were playing rather safe and at the bridge they were poor.

Real Madrid will attack, look at the game against Barcelona, they didn't play on the counter like last year under Mourinho, they went for it and should of won. Barcelona won mainly from Real' poor defending. At the back they take risks, Ramos for me isn't a center back, he's the biggest liability and it's a joke he's in the world eleven. We need to defend deep and counter with pace against Bayern and Real, they have obvious weaknesses we can exploit. They are made for us and especially Jose Mourinho.

Atletico are different, they're not expected to go out all attack like Real or Bayern, even at home. If Real drop deep and defend at home the fans will be on their backs, it's not the same for Atleti. IMO they will get to the final, they are so well balanced it's unreal.

It's not as black and white as some of you are trying to make it out to be though... Yes Real aren't beastly at the back but to basically ignore their strike force is illogical IMO.

They don't play like Bayern or Barca, they're more of a counter attacking team that's all about speed in their transition game so I really don't get how people think our strategy suit them the most.

You bring up the Barcelona game - we don't play like Barcelona and don't have their offensive power so that's irrelevant and as you rightly pointed out, they should've easily put that game to bed but they weren't as clinical as they should be.

Let's take a team that has a similar play style to us and look at their results vs Real; Atletico Madrid:

Real 0 - 1 Atletico

Real 3 - 0 Atletico

Atletico 0 - 2 Atletico

Atletico 2 - 2 Madrid

As you can see, Atletico, a team very similar to us in how they play, have struggled in general to get results against Real. You should use them as a yardstick, not PSG or Barcelona.

Now I'm not saying we can't beat them, of course we can, but people are massively underrating them and ignoring other aspects of their game because they've been shaky in a few games this season at the back; which is goes back to my initial point - yes, they're shaky at the back but we aren't exactly the greatest at going forward either, so I really don't know why people are trying to act like it's some sort of massive advantage for us as if we've consistently raped vulnerable defences this year.

[The Skipper 20,609]

Did you watch them last night?

They lost to a side that had been beaten AT HOME by Zenit. If you stop Ronaldo, you stop RM. It has always been the same.

This is bollocks mate, sorry. Did you watch them in the previous leg? You can't ignore quality players like Bale, Di Maria, Benzema and Isco. It's one game.

[LAM09 7,085]

This is bollocks mate, sorry. You can't ignore quality players like Bale, Di Maria, Benzema and Isco.

It clearly ain't mate. They all played last night, but did fuck all.

[The Skipper 20,609]

Well, to have the best player in the world out for a match is a blow. Yep, that's a very good front four, i'm not denying that.

The facts are that they don't do well against teams who press them high-up the pitch (At.Madrid, Athletic Bilbao, Barcelona, Dortmund,...), the Pepe-Ramos partnership is a joke, Carvajal and Marcelo aren't know for theirs defensive ability and against the top five they took 7 pts/24.

BBC and their midfield are the threats but I'm 100% sure that Oscar could keep a Xabi Alonso out of the game, Luiz can outmuscle Modrid and so on...

I'm not saying that if we face each other we are going to beat them but we certainly can.

And we can't forget that José know them very well.

I'm not saying we can't beat them either, we can beat them, in fact we can beat any of the three. My point is that I don't understand how people are trying to say that Real are the easiest out of the three we might face - I think the opposite because of the way they play - it isn't like something we've faced this season. PSG, City and Arsenal are possession based side, and we've done very well against teams like that, but I don't think you can put Real in the same category as them - hence why I think Bayern are our best match up.

[The Skipper 20,609]

It clearly ain't mate. They all played last night, but did fuck all.

You seriously can't judge them off of one off game pal.

[LAM09 7,085]

You seriously can't judge them off of one off game pal.

I know mate, but it was probably the most important they have played this season. They SHOULD be out.

[The Skipper 20,609]

I know mate, but it was probably the most important they have played this season. They SHOULD be out.

It's one leg... By that logic we should be out too since we fucked up in Paris. You really shouldn't put too much weight to that game, their players went into the game practically thinking the tie was over and Dortmund had nothing to lose.

[LAM09 7,085]

It's one leg... By that logic we should be out too since we fucked up in Paris. You really shouldn't put too much weight to that game, their players went into the game practically thinking the tie was over and Dortmund had nothing to lose.

I agree with what you are saying mate, but surely that was a chance for them to shine. Chelsea turned up and created chances, but made three mistakes leading to the defeat.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

I know mate, but it was probably the most important they have played this season. They SHOULD be out.

It's easy to get complacent when you have a 3 goal lead. Bayern did it last season and almost got knocked out by Arsenal. Does that mean that Bayern, who won the treble, we're shit last season? Of course not.

I think people are way exaggerating how bad Reals defense is. Honestly Bayern's is worse, IMO.