Champions League Thread (the dawn of time - 2014)

[shravi]

This isn't Fifa - it's about much more than simply throwing money at it. I don't care how much money Man City have, or who they sign, they're going to have their work cut out to finish ahead of us with our never say die attitude which has been burned into the team. Let alone ousting Barca as CL champions.

Yeah, but they aren't just signing players and then selling them right away. They are keeping them and eventually, these world class players will start gelling and will become a force. Remains to be seen but I can see it happening.

 

[Haarithan]

"Cesc Fabregas, back home, scoring goals, winning trophies!"
If only I knew the name of the commentator who said that!

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Btw, that's trophy #12 for Pep Guardiola in just over 3 seasons. Eventually surpasses Johann Cruyff's 11 managed over 8 seasons.

 

[Bevab]

Guardiola's a legend.

But he has wasted a lot of money on several players. Barcelona seriously need to look at their finances.

 

[m_vaughan]

From my prediction two combinations came out.

From the group of death I expect Manchester City to go through, especiall with the quality they now have. First match will be against Napoli and then Bayern Munich.

Manchester United and Real Madrid got the easiest draw.

How do we have an easy draw? Lyon have always caused us problems (not sure when was the last time we won at the Stade Gerland) while Ajax are the best team in the Netherlands. Yes I expect to beat them, but to say its going to be easy is ridiculous/arrogant.

Honestly I think Porto have got the easiest group. I have a weird feeling they will be reaching atleast the semi finals this season.

 

[Bevab]

How do we have an easy draw? Lyon have always caused us problems (not sure when was the last time we won at the Stade Gerland) while Ajax are the best team in the Netherlands. Yes I expect to beat them, but to say its going to be easy is ridiculous/arrogant.

Honestly I think Porto have got the easiest group. I have a weird feeling they will be reaching atleast the semi finals this season.

Ajax have lost Suarez, Stekelenburg and that is really a bad loss. But they have Eriksen, Sulejmani, Lodeiro so they atleast have a few players worthy of looking at ATM.

Lyon, have lost Toulolan, that is a bad loss considering the importance of him to them.

I do agree that its not so easy but they can't impact Madrid much.

 

[JBlues08]

Honestly I think Porto have got the easiest group. I have a weird feeling they will be reaching atleast the semi finals this season.

Really? They may not have the toughest of groups but it's certainly not the easiest. Zenit and Shakhtar are no mugs and anyone of them could easily qualify from the group in my opinion.

If anything, United and probably Barcelona got the easiest groups with Benfica and Milan being their only really challenge in their respective groups.

 

[Haarithan]

Not sure if you guys knew about this, but there was a serious possibility of Liverpool playing Champions League football once Fenerbahce were disqualified following their involvement in match fixing. From what I learned, that slot was about to be given to the highest seeded European team that wasn't playing Champions League football, which was Liverpool (9th). Then UEFA eventually (and rightly) gave that slot to Trabzonspor (runners up of the Turkcell Superliga). All in all, the right decision's been made. I just can't imagine how embarrassing it would've been for all our supporters and the world of football as a whole, had we made it in this manner. I'd rather have us in next year's CL via merit.

This forum sums it up all:

Fenerbache thrown out the Champions League...

 

[JBlues08]

5 English clubs in the Champions League?! Platini ain't gonna let that happen so easily!

 

[Bevab]

You seem to be an anti-Platini supporter.

 

[JBlues08]

Obviously.

 

[ZexyZahid]

Real Madrid outplayed Ajax in the two matches they played previous year. Ajax sold their main players and are weaker and Real Madrid has the same squad strength. PSV and Twente (similar quality as Ajax) faced Benfica within a couple of month and they got outplayed by Benfica. As I rank Real Madrid higher then Benfica it's an easy prediction what the outcome will be if Real Madrid faces Ajax.

Previous year Twente lost 8-2 on aggregate against Villarreal and Real Madrid beat Villarreal both times previous year.

 

[Haarithan]

Thought of supporting Milan in the CL solely for this guy, before this happened.

AC Milan omit veteran Filippo Inzaghi from Champions League squad - ESPN Soccernet

 

[Bevab]

That is weird, they have no proper back-up to Ibrahimovic, a centre forward.

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And time is running out for him to recapture his record from Raul Gonzalez.

 

[JBlues08]

UURRRGGGHHHHHH!! Too many interesting group games been played at once! DAMN IT!

 

[Haarithan]

Looks like my prediction in tipping Milan to go all the way might actually happen.