UEFA Champions League 2020/21

[Bobfoc]

They might as well just automatically give all the Champions League places to the wealthiest teams and abandon any thin pretences they're pushing.

[gunnar hendershow]

The appeal of the Champions League was that you didn't always get to see Barcelona and Bayern Munich face each other so when they were drawn against each other it felt important. Basically creating a system where the big clubs will all beat up on the smaller clubs and then also play each other dilutes a ton.

Obviously we see where this is headed and it's going to eventually scale into the biggest European clubs eventually puffing out their chests even more and trying to create something resembling a breakaway league, because Real Madrid vs Huesca isn't really a good match in terms of money unless you're Huesca. But Real Madrid vs Man City is a good match for all the interested parties at the top of the sport.

It really is turning into a situation where for your favorite club to survive you need a wealthy takeover very soon or you'll be left in the dust, and then eventually the dustbin.

[Malenko]

28 minutes ago, damshow said:

 

Obviously we see where this is headed and it's going to eventually scale into the biggest European clubs eventually puffing out their chests even more and trying to create something resembling a breakaway league.

The thing is this breakaway league has been suggested since the 90s. You are right, of course, but what you say isn't really the sad result of these changes but rather the whole purpose. At the time it was suggested it was outrageous and it would never be done. However, every few years there are more changes that get us closer and closer to that.

When it inevitably happens, nobody will say it's outrageous anymore because the champions league will look almost the same as the 90s euroleague suggestion by the time the last european league winner outside of the top 4 - now 5 - leagues is kicked out of the competition.

 

[Baddar]

I don't hate the new proposed format as such, but the protected places for under-performing clubs idea is an awful one.

[METALMAN]

I reckon UEFA should just call their bluff and let the teams form the super league rather than pandering after them. Tell the players that anyone that joins the breakaway league can't play in the World Cup or the European Championships and see how many cross over.

49 minutes ago, damshow said:

The appeal of the Champions League was that you didn't always get to see Barcelona and Bayern Munich face each other so when they were drawn against each other it felt important. Basically creating a system where the big clubs will all beat up on the smaller clubs and then also play each other dilutes a ton.

For me the Champions League would have more appeal if it was genuinely European, rather than a Anglo/Hispano/Italo/German axis with PSG thrown in. The current system, where Barcelona and Bayern Munich hammer a bunch of no hopers before they play each other isn't working either, and I'm not particularly interested in Barcelona v Bayern Munich after all that either if those teams are getting to the semis every year anyway*. I'm not really sure how you can fix that short of a salary cap and massive redistribution of money, but these things are obviously not going to happen.

Shame, because if the aim was to provide something that is entertaining and competitive that would probably be a good way to do it. I mean obviously you are going to have teams that are at the top and stay at the top and I'm not opposed to that, but right now the difference between them and the rest is just far too wide. I don't particularly like NFL as a sport but there's a lot to admire about the way they attempt to maintain a reasonable amount of parity between the teams, whereas the whole structure of European football is about increasing the gap between teams, to the ultimate ruin of competition and entertainment.

But aside from the parity issue there are a lot of structural things that make European football boring. Games over two legs incentivise teams to sit back and grind it out. Last year's Champions League, while involving most of the usual suspects, was one of the best I've seen in years and I think that is entirely down to the single leg games. It just made things a whole lot more exciting and meaningful.

*Perhaps not the current Barcelona but you know what I mean.

[Szumi]

Liverpool and Real are both going in to tonight's fixture at an equal disadvantage now. Ramos is injured and Varane just tested positive for COVID. Hazard is injured too, but when isn't he now?

[Benjamin]

Real are going to get slaughtered at the El Classico this weekend (and hopefully twice by us in this next week too) 🤞

[Szumi]

Klopp starts Naby over Thaigo/Milner/Jones in midfield. Huge gamble, but huge opportunity for Keita finally have a good performance this season 

[Cymbols]

Maybe that’s why Southgate dropped Trent...hasn’t exactly been a good season for him.

[DavidMarrio]

1 minute ago, Cymbols said:

Maybe that’s why Southgate dropped Trent...hasn’t exactly been a good season for him.

I'm happy for Trent to be dropped. One more player to have a summer break... Tbf it's a bit harsh to single him out here when the whole team have been pretty poor so far and played off the park. 

 

[Szumi]

Keita didn't even last a half. I have no idea why Klopp started him. Keita played every a bit like a man who hasn't played all season, and Gini is playing like someone who knows he's leaving and is done trying. This has been woefully bad from Liverpool. Trent especially has been an amateur. Completely at fault for the second goal obviously, and both him and Phillips gave Vinicius far too much space on the first.

[Jimmy]

Liverpool aren't in this at all. Surely a rocket up the ass at half time etc 

[DavidMarrio]

You'd think they'd know not to give Kroos time on the ball and to close him down 

[Benjamin]

We have been the drizzling shit. Felt like we didn’t even complete a pass the whole game. Massive fucking holes everywhere, and when we get the ball we seem to have fucking forgotten how to pass.

Might easily be our worst performance of the season.

[Jimmy]

oh that disallowed dortmund goal is a disgrace of a decision 

[Szumi]

Salah scores a sitter when a deflected shot falls to him. Game on, although we still have to be much better.

[Benjamin]

Alisson and his dumb fuck moustache with atrocious fucking goalkeeping.

[Szumi]

In his defense, he sees that very late. It's through the legs of Nat, who is obviously screening Alisson. Phillips should've been a lot tighter on Vinicius, and Fabinho looked lost. We've not stayed tight on Modric or Kroos all night, and it yet again bit us.

[Colly]

25 minutes ago, Jimmy said:

oh that disallowed dortmund goal is a disgrace of a decision 

Dodgy as fuck. The daft thing is if Bellingham smashes it as soon as he nicks it he scores before the whistle and VAR can sort it out. Ref blows far too quickly in a clear goalscoring moment, and if VAR is going to work refs need to know not to do that.

[Benjamin]

3 minutes ago, Szumi - A Polack said:

In his defense, he sees that very late. It's through the legs of Nat, who is obviously screening Alisson. Phillips should've been a lot tighter on Vinicius, and Fabinho looked lost. We've not stayed tight on Modric or Kroos all night, and it yet again bit us.

Well, yeah, our midfield has been pretty lacklustre so far. 

Still, Alisson should have saved that when he was able to get both hands on it.