Champions League Thread (the dawn of time - 2014)

[Bevab]

Wonder what must be Platini's reaction after the refereeing performances over the quarter-final matches.

 

[Epic]

Barca/Dortmund final still on?

 

[Haarithan]

 

[shravi]

HOLY MarkING ----!!!!! No words!!

ahahahahha mark!

 

[Haarithan]

What a man. That's German Mourinho right there!

 

[Auwais]

 

[War]

Ha e that was a sexy back-heel.

Don't want to jinx them, but the performances of Munich & Dortmund in the C-League thus far is highlighting how strong Germany are right now on the national stage. And why this current crop of German players could be the best equipped to end the Spain/Barca international/club dominance.

They could even be on the verge of being better than the legendary German teams of 72-76.

 

[Epic]

And as predicted, Barca, Bayern, Real and Dortmund through to the semis.

 

[shravi]

I don't think it was as simple as your predictions. It's quite easy to say "I knew this was going to happen all along" once it's happened.

Dortmund were ultimately quite lucky. I know that Malaga's second goal was offside too, but that doesn't make Dortmund's goal any less lucky. Even without the offside goal, scoring in the dying minutes of the game, however much skill it takes, is also quite lucky and not something that can be or could have been predicted.

PSG also performed valiantly today and Messi brought on some much needed pace and urgency to Barcelona's play. Also, it forced PSG to sit back a little bit more and invite more pressure.

That being said, I am glad that the semi finals will be between the 4 teams that I think are the best in Europe at this moment in time.

 

[MasterBlaster76]

What the hell is this Lionel Messi? Cause he ain't human - supposed to be injured, comes on - no warm up and turns the game!

 

[War]

That being said, I am glad that the semi finals will be between the 4 teams that I think are the best in Europe at this moment in time.

Hmm, well for sure Barca, Munich & Madrid are the best three teams in Europe. Consensus for this would be almost unanimous.

But i don't think we can place Dortmund in that top 4 category clearly despite how good they are. United, Juventus despite being eliminated have strong cases to be considered a better team than Dortmund.

 

[Epic]

I don't think it was as simple as your predictions. It's quite easy to say "I knew this was going to happen all along" once it's happened.

Dortmund were ultimately quite lucky. I know that Malaga's second goal was offside too, but that doesn't make Dortmund's goal any less lucky. Even without the offside goal, scoring in the dying minutes of the game, however much skill it takes, is also quite lucky and not something that can be or could have been predicted.

PSG also performed valiantly today and Messi brought on some much needed pace and urgency to Barcelona's play. Also, it forced PSG to sit back a little bit more and invite more pressure.

That being said, I am glad that the semi finals will be between the 4 teams that I think are the best in Europe at this moment in time.

You telling me that you didn't think Barca, Bayern, Real and Dortmund were going to go through looking at the quarter-final draw back in mid-March? Because the only real toss-up was Bayern/Juve and that ended up being the more one-sided of ties.

Hmm, well for sure Barca, Munich & Madrid are the best three teams in Europe. Consensus for this would be almost unanimous.

But i don't think we can place Dortmund in that top 4 category clearly despite how good they are. United, Juventus despite being eliminated have strong cases to be considered a better team than Dortmund.

I don't know about that, Dortmund schooled Real home and away, a team that we all consider to be 2nd or 3rd best in the world.

 

[shravi]

You telling me that you didn't think Barca, Bayern, Real and Dortmund were going to go through looking at the quarter-final draw back in mid-March? Because the only real toss-up was Bayern/Juve and that ended up being the more one-sided of ties.

Yea, but you are making it sound so simple and matter-of-fact now that it has actually happened. Dortmund didn't necessarily go through because they were the superior side over the two legs. They just had two glorious opportunities fall at their feet in the dying minutes of the game and somehow wrestled it into the back of the net. Dortmund were pretty poor for the majority of the 2nd leg. They had a lot of possession but most of it was just Santana dallying around with Subotic.

 

[StinkyBoHoon]

don't agree that juve were a surprise elimination or better than dortmund, I said before the tie began that juve managed only one impressive win in the whole tournament and had been beaten more often than not when it came to the big games in serie A (and actually their comfortable lead in italy owes a lot to milan's shakey start after such a busy summer in the market)

they're consistent rather than spectacular and have been shown up when up against world class players.

wouldn't bet against Dortmund, they have something of a souped up ajax about them.

 

[War]

I don't know about that, Dortmund schooled Real home and away, a team that we all consider to be 2nd or 3rd best in the world.

When Dortmund schooled Madrid that was the stage of season when they were looking fairly average & everyone was on Mourinho's back. Athletico were even ahead of them @ this point.

The real Madrid that won la liga last year only real started showing up late february/early march when they beat Barca twice & United the C-League second leg.

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don't agree that juve were a surprise elimination or better than dortmund, I said before the tie began that juve managed only one impressive win in the whole tournament and had been beaten more often than not when it came to the big games in serie A (and actually their comfortable lead in italy owes a lot to milan's shakey start after such a busy summer in the market)

they're consistent rather than spectacular and have been shown up when up against world class players.

Juve's non spectacular style is very similar to those past great AC Milan teams that won the C-League a few times in the early 2000s. What really has showed them up @ this stage of the C-league is the lack of a world class striker.