closed Chelsea 0-1 Porto

[Vesper 28,832]

crazy drama with Bayern, Hasan Salihamidžić was screaming at Hansi Flick

one of them is out soo

Flick probably takes over German national team I wager

[milka 3,346]

 

[Magic Lamps 11,654]

44 minutes ago, Azul said:

Do you watch anything outside of the Premier League? Madrid are the 4th best team in Europe right now. Very dangerous bunch of players, especially in midfield.

Their league is dilapidated, a sad shadow of what it once was. They are not any better than Atlético who we thrashed . Most of their players are ancient, they are on their last leg. Zidane has a few tricks up his sleeve and Benzema can still be deadly but the rest is so much worse than a few years back. 

[killer1257 3,282]

Just now, Magic Lamps said:

Their league is dilapidated, a sad shadow of what it once was. They are not any better than Atlético who we thrashed . Most of their players are ancient, they are on their last leg. Zidane has a few tricks up his sleeve and Benzema can still be deadly but the rest is so much worse than a few years back. 

Vinicius is deadly. His pace and dribbling skills are high level. He may not score many goals, but Neymar does not score either in big games, but still causes trouble. 

[Magic Lamps 11,654]

43 minutes ago, Vesper said:

I was close, I said 14

 

45 minutes ago, Ledg said:

 

Schmeichel said it’s the first time a player has drawn this many fouls since the legendary semifinal Barca vs real in 2011

[Magic Lamps 11,654]

Just now, killer1257 said:

Vinicius is deadly. His pace and dribbling skills are high level. He may not score many goals, but Neymar does not score either in big games, but still causes trouble. 

I am indeed worried about him. On a good day is unstoppable. I saw him live a few times when I was still living in Madrid and he was so much quicker and more agile than the other guys in the pitch it was unreal. Before the Liverpool game you could always count on him shitting himself in front of goal but now I am not so sure anymore 

[cosmicway 1,323]

The result was an April fool but the qualification was real.
Porto came to play kickbox and we did not even try to organize our attacks - only if something went through.

 

[Nero 1,838]

 

[Azul 1,615]

28 minutes ago, Magic Lamps said:

Their league is dilapidated, a sad shadow of what it once was. They are not any better than Atlético who we thrashed . Most of their players are ancient, they are on their last leg. Zidane has a few tricks up his sleeve and Benzema can still be deadly but the rest is so much worse than a few years back. 

They are better than Atletico bro, come on. Especially when Ramos and Varane are back. These ancient players bossed the game and destroyed Liverpool, and the game against Liverpool should've been 6-1 atleast. How did we perform against Liverpool? Literally scored 1 goal and thats it. 

Don't sleep on Real and get carried away, if they play us then I see them as the favourites.

 

[Azul 1,615]

30 minutes ago, killer1257 said:

Vinicius is deadly. His pace and dribbling skills are high level. He may not score many goals, but Neymar does not score either in big games, but still causes trouble. 

Imagine Vinicius vs Azpi who's looked a bit shaky lately👀

[King Kante 1,481]

42 minutes ago, Azul said:

They are better than Atletico bro, come on. Especially when Ramos and Varane are back. These ancient players bossed the game and destroyed Liverpool, and the game against Liverpool should've been 6-1 atleast. How did we perform against Liverpool? Literally scored 1 goal and thats it. 

Don't sleep on Real and get carried away, if they play us then I see them as the favourites.

 

Come on buddy, Real aren't dog sh*t but they also aren't prime CR7 or Di Stefano Real. The way I see it, I wasn't expecting to beat Atelti when we drew them so anything more, such as a Semi Final is a bonus. 

At the moment, things are shaping up as follows for the semi's: 

Chelsea 

PSG

Real/Dippers

City/Dortmund 

Whilst, I would say we aren't favourites, none of those teams really scare me. Real have a geriatric CM (I mean seriously, if our midfield were as old as theirs there would be people on here ringing up Dignitas trying to book them a slot). The Dippers don't have any CB's and continue to play a high line that most teams have figured out. PSG have a suspect midfield and defence and we have inside intel on them with Silva and TT, while they have recently been beaten by Monaco and Lille. City are the best team in England but again, they can be got at. Leeds gave a very good blueprint on how to beat them and if it were not for an incompetent ref, they would be in trouble going into tomorrow's game at 2-2. As for Dortmund, they are current 5th in the Bundesliga and 7pts off 4th with 6 games to go. They really haven't been playing that great. 

The way I see it, City are favourites, then it is a bit of a toss up between the rest as they/we all have weaknesses. However, it is a pretty good position to be in considering where we were in January. 

[OneMoSalah 8,778]

1 hour ago, Azul said:

They are better than Atletico bro, come on. Especially when Ramos and Varane are back. These ancient players bossed the game and destroyed Liverpool, and the game against Liverpool should've been 6-1 atleast. How did we perform against Liverpool? Literally scored 1 goal and thats it. 

Don't sleep on Real and get carried away, if they play us then I see them as the favourites.

 

Real are pretty decent aye but what they have got is that knowhow in the CL and on their day can step it up.

But lets not pretend that nobody else can step it up on their day to perform at a very high level or that Real are the force like they were the first time round under Ancelotti and Zidane when they had huge CL success. Without Benzema they would be nowhere in the last 2 or 3 seasons or if Atletico didn’t choke 2/3 leagues games in the same time period we played them they would be the 10 points clear they once were. 

Our performance v Liverpool was also impressive, bar it being only one goal. We were very complete I felt, solid defensively, good in building the game, had a few half chances which was the only disappointment.

Tbf, 2 of Real’s goals v Liverpool come from real poor moments from Trent Alexander-Arnold, if he had tracked the run of Vinicius and tucked inside, the guy would never have scored the first goal. Thats not even mentioning Liverpool giving Toni Kroos the opportunity to get the ball under no pressure, turn around and get his head up to play the pass. Yes the pass and finish was quality but poor from Liverpool, particularly a team that press and play at high intensity normally, Jota (IIRC) just looks at him and lets him pick his pass, its a matter of 2 or 3 yards he doesn’t even have to go full tilt to put pressure on him and he didn’t. I mean how many times have people seen Kroos do that throughout his career? It is not rocket science, he has quality giving him time on the ball with no one trying to close him down is not good because he will hit forward runners all day long. Then again the second goal, Kroos again too much time and space, Trent mistake, Asensio goal. Then the third is a GK mistake.

This assumption Real bossed the full game and destroyed Liverpool is a bit far fetched. They had another big chance that came from a Kabak mistake and a few other half chances but take the mistakes out and if it finishes 1-1 people are saying its not an amazing result for Real. Id fancy us against them also, probably more so than Liverpool, we have plenty of pace on the break and also legs in MF with Kovacic, Kante and Mount whilst they may have quality they have got ageing legs in MF and in defence. I wouldn't be surprised if Liverpool went and beat them later in fact, if they play with aggression and intensity and actually defend it will be a lot closer than many would think. Salah, Jota and Mane against anyone as well gives them as good a chance as they can get.

[NikkiCFC 7,953]

 

[DanP2311 65]

6 hours ago, NikkiCFC said:

I am now concerned. Casemiro, Kroos and Modric is one of the best midfield in the history of football. Plus Real have amazing pedigree in this competition. I changed my mind, we are not favorites in semis.

Puli plays his best against the big clubs. Don’t give up hope.

[nyikolajevics 2,577]

I hope Real goes through tonight. Against Liverpool we play 2-4 times every year, against Real I don’t remember when we last played a competitive match, would be much more fun.

[Blue Armour 4,289]

6 hours ago, Magic Lamps said:

Their league is dilapidated, a sad shadow of what it once was. They are not any better than Atlético who we thrashed . Most of their players are ancient, they are on their last leg. Zidane has a few tricks up his sleeve and Benzema can still be deadly but the rest is so much worse than a few years back. 

Not any better than Atletico?

Sorry, but you should watch some of the more recent La Liga matches.

Atletico have sucked balls ever since we faced them in the CL, and Madrid are miles above them right now. 

EDIT: Granted AM are top of the table atm., but barely

We better hope Kovacic is fit by the time of the first leg of the CL. Same goes for Kante.

Edited April 14, 2021 by Blue Armour

[Strike 7,217]

I am not extremely worried if it comes to Real - I think we are in with a decent shout in that tie. Kroos and Modric will probably control the midfield so it will have to be a counter attacking job

[Blues Forever 1,232]

Rather facing Liverpool than Madrid in semifinals. I don't fancy our chance against an in forms Benzema, Kroos, Modric, Varane, Vinicius, and Casemiro.