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UEFA Champions League 2017-18 | Discussion Thread

PSG continue to choke. They were in a good position but couldn't score the 2nd goal. Real lift there performan e slightly and end up scoring 2 goals. Really disappointed with PSG. But Real showing they are a team for the big occasions.
 
It was a good game between PSG and RM.Really fast paced first half.Zidane’s substitutions in the second won the game for Madrid,with Asensio’s 2 assists
 
Chelsea tactically very good in the first half and unlucky as Willian hits the post twice!
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">30 - Lionel Messi has scored his first-ever goal against Chelsea in nine appearances, netting with his 30th shot against them. Finally. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CHEBAR?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CHEBAR</a> <a href="https://t.co/VKVfoiHmcX">pic.twitter.com/VKVfoiHmcX</a></p>— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) <a href="https://twitter.com/OptaJoe/status/966059879650807815?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Pretty good performance, but one mistake and it ends in a draw. The away goal could be crucial for Barcelona, disappointing result.

Will take a stunning effort in the second-leg for us to progress.
 
Pretty good performance, but one mistake and it ends in a draw. The away goal could be crucial for Barcelona, disappointing result.

Will take a stunning effort in the second-leg for us to progress.

I thought it was an excellent performance by Chelsea & as you say one little mistake and Barca score.

Barcelona wont sit back on the away goal so it's not as important as it normally is. Chelsea still have a chance as Barca will give them opportunities but they need to play as well as today.
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">you kidding me, Umtiti?? <a href="https://t.co/FUWRLWFS31">pic.twitter.com/FUWRLWFS31</a></p>— amadí (@amadoit__) <a href="https://twitter.com/amadoit__/status/966044132409053184?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Chelsea played good but against teams like Barcelona it's very hard to win away from home. A win would have been ideal for Chelsea. They are going to have to win on the night at Barca now which will be very very difficult
 
Chelsea played good but against teams like Barcelona it's very hard to win away from home. A win would have been ideal for Chelsea. They are going to have to win on the night at Barca now which will be very very difficult

They don't have to win on the night.
 
They don't have to win on the night.

Well technically they don't. A 2-2 draw, 3-3 etc they'll qualify but I'm sure they would prefer having won yesterday 1-0. 2-2 etc is unlikely as can't see Chelsea going to Barca and scoring 2 or more goals. If Chelsea didn't lose concentration for that goal yesterday and won the match 1-0, Chelsea could have gone to Nou Camp and just parked the bus.
 
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Barcalona will get through imo. At home they are really strong and you would expect them to create more chances at home. Also Chelsea will have to come out more and Barcalona will fancy there chances on the counter.

Was a good tactical game. Barcalona didn't threaten enough. Chelsea defended well and countered well. But in the end , s lapse of concentration proved very costly.
 
Barcalona will get through imo. At home they are really strong and you would expect them to create more chances at home. Also Chelsea will have to come out more and Barcalona will fancy there chances on the counter.

Was a good tactical game. Barcalona didn't threaten enough. Chelsea defended well and countered well. But in the end , s lapse of concentration proved very costly.

Wider pitch at Camp Nou, more space for wingers like Hazard and Willian, I struggle to see how Alba and Roberto cope with their threats on the break, especially with Moses and Alonso backing them up. Barcelona don't have any wide talent other than Dembele, so if they go for the same lineup with Paulinho at RCM it will help us for sure. Hazard was getting cynically fouled constantly when Morata came on and he was given more freedom outwide, while Willian was easily gliding past Busquets and Rakitic and should have scored 3.

I honestly can see us go through, we just have to score once to stay in the game, and we know tactically how to frustrate Barcelona.

In the first half, we can try the same tactics with the false 9, and high pressing. If we get a goal by half time and don't concede, then we should continue until the 55-60th minute and bring on Morata/Giroud. If we don't score, then we should bring on Morata or Giroud at halftime and go for it. Cesc has said it would be suicidal to sit back at Camp Nou, so I see us having a large attacking threat in the second leg.

One thing people don't see to have noticed is that Barcelona aren't score 3 or 4 goals regularly anymore, even at home. They barely score more than 2 or even 1 a game, and Eibar gave them a really tough game. Their defence can be solid, but they haven't really faced players who have exposed the spaces left behind by their fullbacks (as they need to be because of the lack of wingers) or the recovery pace of the midfield, until Willian and Hazard did at the Bridge.

Surprised Suarez has the worst statistics out of every striker in the UCL. Crazy.
 
Wider pitch at Camp Nou, more space for wingers like Hazard and Willian, I struggle to see how Alba and Roberto cope with their threats on the break, especially with Moses and Alonso backing them up. Barcelona don't have any wide talent other than Dembele, so if they go for the same lineup with Paulinho at RCM it will help us for sure. Hazard was getting cynically fouled constantly when Morata came on and he was given more freedom outwide, while Willian was easily gliding past Busquets and Rakitic and should have scored 3.

I honestly can see us go through, we just have to score once to stay in the game, and we know tactically how to frustrate Barcelona.

In the first half, we can try the same tactics with the false 9, and high pressing. If we get a goal by half time and don't concede, then we should continue until the 55-60th minute and bring on Morata/Giroud. If we don't score, then we should bring on Morata or Giroud at halftime and go for it. Cesc has said it would be suicidal to sit back at Camp Nou, so I see us having a large attacking threat in the second leg.

One thing people don't see to have noticed is that Barcelona aren't score 3 or 4 goals regularly anymore, even at home. They barely score more than 2 or even 1 a game, and Eibar gave them a really tough game. Their defence can be solid, but they haven't really faced players who have exposed the spaces left behind by their fullbacks (as they need to be because of the lack of wingers) or the recovery pace of the midfield, until Willian and Hazard did at the Bridge.

Surprised Suarez has the worst statistics out of every striker in the UCL. Crazy.



You are talking about all the space that Barcalona will leave,eventually Chelsea will have to come out which will leave space for Barcalona. Barcalona are much stronger defensively in recent years. So I'm sure they will have a better plan this time.

Barcalona don't need to score 4 or 5 to go through. Chelsea have never scored more than 2 at the camp nou. 2 goals should be enough for Barcalona to get through. You aren't always going to keep Messi that quite. Furthmore if Barcalona have 4 cms,there will be more cover for the full backs. Sergi Roberto doesn't always venture to far forward.

Chelsea could got through. But I don't see it happening.
 
You are talking about all the space that Barcalona will leave,eventually Chelsea will have to come out which will leave space for Barcalona. Barcalona are much stronger defensively in recent years. So I'm sure they will have a better plan this time.

Barcalona don't need to score 4 or 5 to go through. Chelsea have never scored more than 2 at the camp nou. 2 goals should be enough for Barcalona to get through. You aren't always going to keep Messi that quite. Furthmore if Barcalona have 4 cms,there will be more cover for the full backs. Sergi Roberto doesn't always venture to far forward.

Chelsea could got through. But I don't see it happening.

Rakitic and Busquets couldn't deal with Hazard and Willian, so I don't see how Roberto and Alba do, but obviously we have to turn up like we did at the Bridge. We only need a 1-1 draw to get to penalties, and a 1-0 or 2-2 to get through. Iniesta and Paulinho barely cover for the fullbacks, so I don't see how that matters at all. Semedo won't be playing either so their right hand side looks pretty poor unless Dembele can get back to full match fitness.

In the end though, I feel like we'll go through or just not turn up and get a humbling defeat. Hopefully its not the latter.
 
Rakitic and Busquets couldn't deal with Hazard and Willian, so I don't see how Roberto and Alba do, but obviously we have to turn up like we did at the Bridge. We only need a 1-1 draw to get to penalties, and a 1-0 or 2-2 to get through. Iniesta and Paulinho barely cover for the fullbacks, so I don't see how that matters at all. Semedo won't be playing either so their right hand side looks pretty poor unless Dembele can get back to full match fitness.

In the end though, I feel like we'll go through or just not turn up and get a humbling defeat. Hopefully its not the latter.


They played well in 1 game. Doesn't mean Raktic and Busquets can't deal with them in the 2nd leg. Demeble won't play even if he's fit.

Barcalona to get through.
 
They played well in 1 game. Doesn't mean Raktic and Busquets can't deal with them in the 2nd leg. Demeble won't play even if he's fit.

Barcalona to get through.

Why wouldn't Dembele play in the second leg? Surely he'd easily get past Alonso on a consistent basis? If Valverde doesn't play him at all and Barca are kept relatively quite again I'll be very confused.

Rakitic has never been a defensive midfielder and was lucky to not to be sent off in the first leg, have no idea what you're on about, Willian + Hazard would have to be really poor to be kept quiet by him.
 
Why wouldn't Dembele play in the second leg? Surely he'd easily get past Alonso on a consistent basis? If Valverde doesn't play him at all and Barca are kept relatively quite again I'll be very confused.

Rakitic has never been a defensive midfielder and was lucky to not to be sent off in the first leg, have no idea what you're on about, Willian + Hazard would have to be really poor to be kept quiet by him.


I have followed Barcalona games for a majority of the season. Valverde likes a 4-4-2 diamond. Which allows him to fit Iniestia in and also have enough legs in the team so he doesn't have to track back. It also has Messi and Suarez in central roles .

This formation has worked for a majority of the season. Just because it didn't work for 1 game I don't understand why you are writing them off. Furthmore Rakatic has been outstanding playing the position he has all season. Don't understand why your judging him off 1 game. Willian and Hazard aren't easy players to mark.
 
I have followed Barcalona games for a majority of the season. Valverde likes a 4-4-2 diamond. Which allows him to fit Iniestia in and also have enough legs in the team so he doesn't have to track back. It also has Messi and Suarez in central roles .

This formation has worked for a majority of the season. Just because it didn't work for 1 game I don't understand why you are writing them off. Furthmore Rakatic has been outstanding playing the position he has all season. Don't understand why your judging him off 1 game. Willian and Hazard aren't easy players to mark.

I know they play 442 diamond, but they played Vidal on the right in the game at the bridge and it worked better than Paulinho. Suarez and Messi can still play upfront and Iniesta can drift inside on the left, while Roberto can stay back while Alba pushes up, leaving Dembele to handle the attack on the RW.

I don't understand how I've ever said anything that writes them off, I've just said IF they are kept quiet again. Rakitic has been decent but not outstanding, he's not a natural defensive player. I know Willian and Hazard aren't easy players to mark, which is why I said Rakitic might struggle again in the first place.
 
PSG dont have the pedigree to beat a team such as Real. Playing in a league which doesnt have the best quaility has given them a big ego.

LFC did ok tonight, nice to have a clean sheet but disappointed we didnt score a goal.

Looking forward to the quarter final draw, hopefully we get an easy game against Shaktar or Man utd.
 
Liverpool played a rather boring draw at home. Now hoping for a good draw for the quarters.
 
Looking forward to Spurs v Juventus tonight. What a game that will be out. Wembley will be buzzing tonight for sure. Spurs have a great chance to qualify with the 2 away goals they have. But Juventus are a great team and you can't simply expect to turn up against teams like Juve and win. Spurs will still need to play good.
 
Great win for Juve! Spurs have done nothing in recent history, people were getting carried away with them now being some great team.
 
Feel sorry for Spurs. Dominated and probably deserved to go through but 2 goals in a short period of time changed the tie completely. Mentally it's very hard to deal with when something like that happens.
 
Feel sorry for Spurs. Dominated and probably deserved to go through but 2 goals in a short period of time changed the tie completely. Mentally it's very hard to deal with when something like that happens.

They deserved what they got, you dont let in 2 goals in a few minutes at home when you're 1-0 up and think you played well enough to go through.

Juve showed their experience and pedigree in the CL tonight.
 
Very surprised when I heard Spurs got knocked out. I really thought they were the favourites for this game. But then again they were playing against Juventus
 
very good match juve and tottenham - when spurs had the lead i though game over , as higuain cam etoo short all game.

however i have to credit cheillini - mans was great
 
Didn't see the game, however I'm gutted for Spurs.

So Liverpool, Real Madrid, Man City and Juve are through.

I'm looking forward to Barca vs Chelsea, should be an amazing tie.
 
I said it on another thread and i’ll say it again...
Mourinho is sucking the life out of Manu...
 
Great to see Man Utd lose at home thereby being eliminated from the Champions League with Mourinho's anti-Football tactics. Seville, who fully deserved to win beat them by their own tactics by defeating them in midfield. Man Utd were playing for penalties right from the start it seemed. Well, the "special ones" boring tactics don't always work neither is he a "tactical genius" as many seem to think. He stifles the game with his negative tactics, if that is a quality then power be to him but most Footie fans don't see it that way. The smiles of their fans faces after Saturday's win didn't last to long after all!:asif Many Man Utd fans were on about how the results are all that matter after Saturday's win even if it means boring everyone to death. Problem is that negative tactics will eventually be found out by some opposition. It is not as if Man Utd played Liverpool of the park on Saturday rather Seville learned from Liverpool's defensive error's. Man Utd would happily swap the FA Cup and the win over Liverpool for a place in the quarter's of the Champion's League:klopp
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The UCL draw can't come soon enough &#55357;&#56833;</p>— Mohamed Salah (@22mosalah) <a href="https://twitter.com/22mosalah/status/973681612364840961?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Horror show by British teams this week!! First united played like scared turtles and lost to a poor Seville team and now Chelsea have forgotten how to defend and gifting goals for fun!
 
Simply the greatest of all time.

Pele, Maradona, Ronaldinho, Zidane, Ronaldo, Cristiano Ronaldo, Cruyff, Di Stefano etc. etc. None of them are fit enough to tie the shoelaces of the GOAT that is Messi. The best individual player of all time by a massive margin.

Yes but he will struggle in the Premier League because of the physicality and what not, never mind the fact that he destroys English teams ever year.
 
Horror show by British teams this week!! First united played like scared turtles and lost to a poor Seville team and now Chelsea have forgotten how to defend and gifting goals for fun!

It was a gutsy performance by Chelsea, there defence and GK let them down big time. They should have gone to the nau camp one goal up and couldve scored 2 more.
 
Simply the greatest of all time.

Pele, Maradona, Ronaldinho, Zidane, Ronaldo, Cristiano Ronaldo, Cruyff, Di Stefano etc. etc. None of them are fit enough to tie the shoelaces of the GOAT that is Messi. The best individual player of all time by a massive margin.

Yes but he will struggle in the Premier League because of the physicality and what not, never mind the fact that he destroys English teams ever year.

Yet CR has still taken 5 B'Dors away from him.
 
The draw in full:

Barcelona v Roma
Sevilla v Bayern Munich
Juventus v Real Madrid
Liverpool v Manchester City

The team drawn first will host the first leg, which will be played on 3/4 April, with the return the following week.
 
The draw in full:

Barcelona v Roma
Sevilla v Bayern Munich
Juventus v Real Madrid
Liverpool v Manchester City

The team drawn first will host the first leg, which will be played on 3/4 April, with the return the following week.

LFC take on the favourites which will be a very tough tie to win but since we have beaten City this season I'm sure the team will be hopeful of progressing.
 
The draw in full:

Barcelona v Roma
Sevilla v Bayern Munich
Juventus v Real Madrid
Liverpool v Manchester City

The team drawn first will host the first leg, which will be played on 3/4 April, with the return the following week.

Pretty boring draw. Liverpool v Man City will be good but play in PL.

Juventus played RM in final last year.

Barca Roma and Sevilla Munich will be one sided.

Hopefully Semi final line up is better.
 
Bayern and Barcalona should get through.

Real Madrid vs Juventus should be a good tie. Expect Real Madrid big players to show up again and perform. Don't think Juventus are as good as last season but defensively they are always strong . So that will keep them in the time long enough but expect Real to go through.

Liverpool vs Manchster City is difficult to call. The worry you have is Liverpool is there defence . Can they really hold out Manchster City attack for 180 minutes ? Don't see it . A score draw and City will be favourties for the 2nd leg. Looking forward to this game in particular.

I'll go for a final 4 of City,Bayern,Real, and Barcalona . Which makes for a mouth watering prospect.
 
Simply the greatest of all time.

Pele, Maradona, Ronaldinho, Zidane, Ronaldo, Cristiano Ronaldo, Cruyff, Di Stefano etc. etc. None of them are fit enough to tie the shoelaces of the GOAT that is Messi. The best individual player of all time by a massive margin.

Yes but he will struggle in the Premier League because of the physicality and what not, never mind the fact that he destroys English teams ever year.

Exaggerated to the sky

Strange that this is the GOAT's best knockout perfo after some years.The last one came against bayern in semis 2 years back
 
Pretty boring draw. Liverpool v Man City will be good but play in PL.

Juventus played RM in final last year.

Barca Roma and Sevilla Munich will be one sided.

Hopefully Semi final line up is better.

Juve is a diff beast in 2 legged matches,they knocked out barca last year and also troubled madrid over some years

But with the kind of form madrid playing in ucl recently and the presence of big match players they might edge past the old lady threat
 
LFC take on the favourites which will be a very tough tie to win but since we have beaten City this season I'm sure the team will be hopeful of progressing.

I would love to see Liverpool vs madrid semi

2 teams with so much ucl history
 
Pretty easy draws for the big 4. Like it was fixed to ensure Barca, Madrid , Bayern and City in semis.
 
I expect Real and Bayern to win tonight. Juve looked out of touch against Spurs at home and Bayern are on fire atm.

This Real team is naff compared to its recent vintage. Zidane will be gone if they dont win the CL this year. They just dont look right.
 
This Real team is naff compared to its recent vintage. Zidane will be gone if they dont win the CL this year. They just dont look right.

Yes they were very poor for the first half of the season but their form has improved in recent times. Somehow they always manage to get far in the CL league and no different this year, I expect them to get to the semis.
 
Ronaldo scores stunner as Real hammer Juve, Bayern win

Juventus 0 - 3 Real Madrid

Ronaldo stabs home to give Real the lead. Ronaldo's second - a bicycle kick - applauded by home fans. Dybala sent off for Juve before Marcelo makes it 3-0.

Sevilla 1 - 2 Bayern Munich

Thiago & Ribery put Bayern ahead after Sarabia's opener for Sevilla.
 
Ronaldo is a true great of the game but nowhere near Messi in terms of skill. Most of his feats are due to hard work, determination and athleticism unlike the sheer genius of Messi. It's like Kohli vs Tendulkar.
 
Amazing goal from Ronaldo.

Madrid look unstoppable, everything seems to be going their way the last few years in CL.
 
Ronaldo does it again. The lad has got to be one of the best players ever if not the best. Hiss consistency levels are incredible. As for tomorrow I am going for 2-1 to Liverpool.
 
Ronaldo has 22 quarterfinal goals(so far). Juventus as a team have 21 in their entire history

CL QF/SF/Final top scorers (all time)

Cristiano Ronaldo - 39
Di Stefano - 32
Puskas - 16
Lionel Messi - 16
Eusebio - 15

An absolutely freak,i haven't seen a decisive player ever close to him in the history of the game
 
Cristiano's body was 4.63ft parallel above the ground.

He connected with the ball at 7.81ft.

The height of the crossbar itself is 8ft!

He's 33yrs old. This is insane.

DZ5QdiaXkAUO2kh.jpg
 
Apparently Juve hadn't lost at home for the UCL since Oct 2013

So what a great perfo from madrid that was ,zidane again outclassed allegri tactically

And what more can i say that hasn't been said about Cristiano already

The greatest goal scorer, the most complete player and the most hard working athlete.He is the prime example for generations to come
 
Just the GOAT doing GOAT things [MENTION=46929]shaz619[/MENTION] [MENTION=47617]Red Devil[/MENTION]
 
Just the GOAT doing GOAT things [MENTION=46929]shaz619[/MENTION] [MENTION=47617]Red Devil[/MENTION]
lol, he had a handful of touches all game.

Without those players putting him the spot, he would have done nothing.
 
2 goals (one absolute worldy) and an assist, created the most chances in the game and the most dribbles.

ATG performance.
 
Just the GOAT doing GOAT things [MENTION=46929]shaz619[/MENTION] [MENTION=47617]Red Devil[/MENTION]

What a player man, simply insane how he keeps scoring goals for fun.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">&#55357;&#56517; December: <br><br>❌ <a href="https://twitter.com/Cristiano?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Cristiano</a> Ronaldo not in the Top 10 goal-scorers in Europe. <br>&#55357;&#56803; "He's past it now...."<br><br>&#55357;&#56517; April:<br><br>&#55357;&#56613; 23 Goals in last 12 Games.<br>✅ Europe’s leading goalscorer with 39 Goals.<br><br>&#55357;&#56846; “Your love makes me strong. Your hate makes me unstoppable.” <a href="https://t.co/CZCLGf2es9">pic.twitter.com/CZCLGf2es9</a></p>— SPORF (@Sporf) <a href="https://twitter.com/Sporf/status/981481266435502080?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 4, 2018</a></blockquote>
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lol, he had a handful of touches all game.

Without those players putting him the spot, he would have done nothing.

How many touches did Messi get against the same opposition last year? :yk
 
Just the GOAT doing GOAT things [MENTION=46929]shaz619[/MENTION] [MENTION=47617]Red Devil[/MENTION]

lol, he had a handful of touches all game.

Without those players putting him the spot, he would have done nothing.

What a player man, simply insane how he keeps scoring goals for fun.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">�� December: <br><br>❌ <a href="https://twitter.com/Cristiano?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Cristiano</a> Ronaldo not in the Top 10 goal-scorers in Europe. <br>�� "He's past it now...."<br><br>�� April:<br><br>�� 23 Goals in last 12 Games.<br>✅ Europe’s leading goalscorer with 39 Goals.<br><br>�� “Your love makes me strong. Your hate makes me unstoppable.” <a href="https://t.co/CZCLGf2es9">pic.twitter.com/CZCLGf2es9</a></p>— SPORF (@Sporf) <a href="https://twitter.com/Sporf/status/981481266435502080?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 4, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Exactly, nothing can dispute his greatness. You got to be something beyond ignorant to go down that route and then comes [MENTION=132954]Aman[/MENTION] but at this stage you're making yourself look beyond stupid
 
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