UEFA Champions League 2023/24

[Twist]

9 minutes ago, Baddar said:

Has it even been determined what's actually needed for 5th to be good enough?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/68553886#:~:text=The Champions League has four,%2C Italy%2C Spain and England.
 

This has a good explainer. But basically it now depends on performance between English and German teams. If West Ham progress (against Freiburg) it does the world of good but still depends on future results in all three competitions. For instance if Bayern and Dortmund both made the UCL final it would likely go to Germany, same if it was Arsenal/City for England.

[Lineker]

Inter going out last night is a good thing.

[Kaney]

20 hours ago, DavidMarrio said:

Would you take Arsenal winning the Champions League if it meant Spurs qualifying. Just curious

Speaking on behalf of not just Lineker but all the staff here, we unanimously would absolutely take Spurs qualifying if it meant Arsenal winning the Champions League.

[Szumi]

21 hours ago, Lineker said:

No. Normally I couldn't care less about how them lot do. But I also know how unbearable I was preparing to be should we have won the CL the year we made the final. It would be truly awful. So give me a year in the Europa over that hands down.

Even your leg couldn't bear you anymore!

 

I say that with love ❤️

[METALMAN]

15 hours ago, METALMAN said:

I’m really hoping Arsenal win now. I’m going to become an Arsenal fan solely for the purpose of taunting Linkeles

Starting to wonder why I bother being nasty to Lineker anymore if I can’t even get any likes for it ☹️

[Lineker]

Quote

Arsenal v Bayern Munich
Atlético Madrid v Borussia Dortmund
Real Madrid v Manchester City
Paris Saint-Germain v Barcelona

 

Quote

Atlético Madrid or Borussia Dortmund v Paris Saint-Germain or Barcelona
Arsenal or Bayern Munich v Real Madrid or Manchester City

 

[gunnar hendershow]

Okay I now agree with UEFA's knockout seeding proposal for next year. Seems outrageous one of those 4 clubs in the top half will be playing at Wembley.

And it'll probably be Barcelona who have been in decent form of late.

[DavidMarrio]

I don't know. Its the luck of the draw and if you are in the harder side, you're surely the favourites to win it. Say Arsenal best Bayern then City/Madrid I'd favour them to go on and win the whole thing. 

That and it'll help our title chances....

 

[Szumi]

47 minutes ago, gunnar hendershow said:

Okay I now agree with UEFA's knockout seeding proposal for next year. Seems outrageous one of those 4 clubs in the top half will be playing at Wembley.

And it'll probably be Barcelona who have been in decent form of late.

They've been better, but they're also missing Pedri, Gavi, Balde, and De Jong. PSG are choke artists and Mbappe is barely playing since Enrique is preparing them for life without Mbappe, but I would still fancy PSG to eliminate them. Also fully expect Atletico to eliminate Barca if they win. 

If Real Madrid were at full force, I think they could eliminate City, but they're still missing Courtois, Militao, and Alaba. Courtois and Militao are getting close to returns, but they're coming off ACL tears so it's really hard to count on them for anything. 

Definitely intrigued to see if Arsenal can celebrate ruining Harry Kane's last chance for a trophy this season, or if Kane will eliminate Arsenal.

[Adam]

3 hours ago, gunnar hendershow said:

Okay I now agree with UEFA's knockout seeding proposal for next year. Seems outrageous one of those 4 clubs in the top half will be playing at Wembley.

And it'll probably be Barcelona who have been in decent form of late.

I'm not really seeing that, beyond the fact that City and Real are playing each other when they're probably the two best sides.

I don't think there's too much to choose between the rest, honestly. Bayern are having a dreadful season by their own standards, for instance, and Arsenal have the least (recent) pedigree at this level.

[FLiam]

Knocking Kane and City out on the way to the final would be stuff that dreams are made of.

So, it won’t happen. 

If we do get to the final I would fancy our chances though. 

But I’m not convinced we’re ready for five difficult European games amidst a title push to be honest - although I will happily be proved wrong.

[gunnar hendershow]

58 minutes ago, FLiam said:

Knocking Kane and City out on the way to the final would be stuff that dreams are made of.

So, it won’t happen. 

If we do get to the final I would fancy our chances though. 

But I’m not convinced we’re ready for five difficult European games amidst a title push to be honest - although I will happily be proved wrong.

It does sometimes happen that a club in the midst of a disappointing league season wind up storming through the Champions League. Liverpool in 2005 and Chelsea in 2012 both immediately spring to mind.

[Lineker]

 

[Colly]

Bizarre little scene from the Arsenal game last night, Tuchel was fuming. I can't decide whether the referee is useless or should be applauded, but he's reffed it like an under 10s game (and in fact more leniently than some...).

 

 

[DavidMarrio]

I'd go with useless but I'm a grumpy git. You hear the whistle, its not on the ref to go ah that's a silly mistake we'll let it go.

I did think he got the Saka call right at the end as well. Only because Saka sticks his leg out to make contact. 

[gunnar hendershow]

City-Real was a fun exercise in one-upping each other on fantastic goals. Etihad fixture will restore harmony and be a dreadful 0-0 for most until some gross, ugly goal late seals it for the winner.

[DavidMarrio]

Last night made me miss away goals in a sense. Its just practically 0-0 both games. I thought the last round missed a bit of jeopardy without it and it felt very paint by the numbers. 

 

[METALMAN]

See my suggestion to make the Champions League more entertaining that would absolutely work but would also never happen is to get rid of two leg games and make them all single leg ties. 

[Baddar]

1 hour ago, DavidMarrio said:

Last night made me miss away goals in a sense. Its just practically 0-0 both games. I thought the last round missed a bit of jeopardy without it and it felt very paint by the numbers. 

 

See I'm not sure about this.

If away goals were a thing, Real would've been more defensive in trying to prevent City from getting one or multiple, and it could well have ended in an actual 0-0. 

I'd prefer to watch a 3-3 than a "tactical" goalless draw. Different comp, but you saw what happens when neither team really wants to lose/go behind in the City/Arsenal game the other week.

[stokeriño]

I too miss something about the tactical implications of away goals. The thrill of sneaking an away goal in the first leg, the more nuanced implications of any scoreline in the second leg, and so on.

But then I guess I also have a higher tolerance for so-called 'defensive football' than seems to be the norm.