Champions League Thread

[Liam]

What!?

That red was extremely harsh. Yeh, his boot was high but he was looking at the ball the whole time.

'Mon the Arsenal.

←

Considering what the FA/FIFA/UEFA have been trying to clamp down on, the red was deserved. Fair enough, he went for the ball, but he also managed to stick his foot 5 feet above the ground and kick someone in the head and shoulder. Most of the other red cards this year have been dished out for reckless and dangerous challenges, and Van Persie's was both.

[fineintent]

Why the fuck Vieira was sent off I really don't know, too nothing tackles and that's a piss take that we have to lose him like that.

←

[Colly]

What!?

That red was extremely harsh. Yeh, his boot was high but he was looking at the ball the whole time.

'Mon the Arsenal.

←

[Big Red Fury]

If Juninho had converted that penalty, I'd be flying right now.

Edited September 14, 2005 by What Would Jesus Do?

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

Just watched the Udinese game and they were OUTSTANDING. I was slagging off Iaquinta the other day for how crap he played for Italy, yet tonight he was fabulous. Anybody who can, watch the highlights of this. He tears apart their defence with speed I never thought he actually had. His finishing was brilliant and really he could have had another three or four but still managed the hat trick. Really happy for them too, I want them to make it into the next round that's for sure, they've worked hard for it and it's paying off now.

[fineintent]

Heck, he's pretty darn good.

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

Just got to catch some of the other highlights. Arsenal were lucky, although I haven't seen it all so they may have been way better in terms of play. The red card was maybe debatable and while I don't think it was a red' it was certainly a dangerous foul.

In two weeks time the fixtures look like this (My predictions too):

Tuesday:

Ajax 1-3 Arsenal

Barcelona 3-3 Udinese

Bayern Munich 2-1 Club Brugge

FC Thun 0-1 Sparta Prague

Juventus 3-0 Rapid Vienna

Lille 0-2 Villarreal

Man Utd 2-0 Benfica

Panathinaikos 1-2 Werder Bremen

Wednesday:

Anderlecht 1-2 Real Betis

Porto 4-0 Artmedia Bratislava

Fenerbahce 1-2 PSV

Inter Milan 3-1 Rangers

Liverpool 1-2 Chelsea

Real Madrid 4-1 Olympiakos

Rosenborg 0-3 Lyon

Schalke 04 0-3 Milan

Best game on Tuesday will be Barcelona taking on Udinese, well it should be going by the results from this week and it has the potential to be great if you ask me. I'm expecting to see Inter overcome Rangers and for Chelsea to scrap it out and get the win over the holders. I expect to see a Madrid backlash too.

In the fantasy I'm doing awful too thanks to two red cards

[Different Cloud]

Inter V Rangers will be weird to watch (empty stadium).

I'm scared of Adriano :ohwell:

[lanky316]

What!?

That red was extremely harsh. Yeh, his boot was high but he was looking at the ball the whole time.

'Mon the Arsenal.

←

Considering what the FA/FIFA/UEFA have been trying to clamp down on, the red was deserved. Fair enough, he went for the ball, but he also managed to stick his foot 5 feet above the ground and kick someone in the head and shoulder. Most of the other red cards this year have been dished out for reckless and dangerous challenges, and Van Persie's was both.

←

[The Kraig]

Inter V Rangers will be weird to watch (empty stadium).

←

Edited September 16, 2005 by The Kraig

[Guest Booker T & The MG's]

And why are Hibs acting weird in the press? Mobray said Dnipro were the favourites, despite being a no name team, and the fact Hibs recently whipped Rangers 3-0 (I know, it still hurts) it makes no sense for him to right his own side off (I know he didn't really, but some of the fans and players could have seen it that way). It ended 0-0, which I'd say Dnipro would be happy with.

←

[The Kraig]

Hibs were clearly the better team though. It doesn't matter how much 'pedigree' you have in Europe, it's the quality of the team. (0_o)

[Different Cloud]

The San Siro will be empty to punish Inter for their fans's behaviour last year. (Against Meelan)

[Guest Booker T & The MG's]

Hibs were clearly the better team though. It doesn't matter how much 'pedigree' you have in Europe, it's the quality of the team. (0_o)

←

[fineintent]

HAHAHAHAHAHA at Everton.

And I thought they'd do well in Europe.

[AJ]

That's some other shit cup no-one cares about, not the Champions League.

[fineintent]

The Scots were talking about Hibs...

[TMM]

One-game ban for van Persie

Arsenal striker Robin van Persie will serve a one-match ban in the UEFA Champions League after his sending off against FC Thun.

The young Dutchman was dismissed just before half time of Wednesday's 2-1 win after catching Thun defender Alen Orman in the head with a high challenge.

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger had branded the decision harsh but was also aware that van Persie could receive a three-match suspension.

But Uefa have deemed that there was no intent in van Persie's challenge and have decided a one-match ban is sufficient punishment.

Van Persie will now miss Arsenal's next game in the Champions League which is against Ajax in the Amsterdam ArenA on September 27.

Arsenal have no grounds to appeal the decision, meaning Wenger is likely to ask veteran attacker Dennis Bergkamp to make the trip to Holland by ferry due to his depleted options up front.

The 22-year-old is upset to have been hit with a ban for his indiscretion but has taken the sanction on the chin.

"I am disappointed to have received a one-match suspension following the game on Wednesday night," said van Persie in a statement.

"I felt, at worst, the incident was a foul. I don't even think it was a yellow card offence. Of course, I am really sorry that Alen Orman was hurt but it was purely accidental.

"I would never deliberately try to injure another player. Anyone who has seen the incident can see that my only intention was to win the ball.

"My eyes were always on the ball, never on the player, and there was absolutely no malice in my actions whatsoever.

"Personally, I feel I shouldn't have to miss a match because I do not think I should have been sent off in the first place, but of course I have to accept it."

Credit: SkySports.com

Think this belongs here more than the Arsenal thread to be honest.

I think all things considered, it's fair. He shouldn't have been sent off in the first place I think, but he was, and considering the damage van Persie's boot did to the players face, there was no chance the red-card was going to be rescinded (sp?). It's good that we have him back for both the Sparta games, but he'll miss the Ajax game which leaves us with Reyes and Bergkamp up front. Then we'll have Quincy and possibly Lupoli as our only other choices because of Henry's injury, so the game in Holland should be a tough one.

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

What Persie got is about right, cant see it hurting Arsenal too much either.

Patrick Vieira has urged Wayne Rooney not to cool his fiery temper, despite the Manchester United player's sending off against Villarreal.

Rooney was dismissed during Wednesday's UEFA Champions League tie in Spain after sarcastically applauding Kim Milton Nielsen's decision to book him for a foul.

Though it was only Rooney's second red card of his career, the teenage forward has previously been involved in several heated altercations with opposition players.

But Juventus midfielder Vieira believes Rooney's tempestuous character is a key facet behind him becoming England's best young player of his generation.

Vieira does not feel it is necessary for the United ace to change dramatically and expects Rooney will eventually learn to control the wilder side of his nature.

"I think the potential and talent is there," Vieira told Sky Sports News. "There's no doubt about it, he's a fantastic player.

"He is a terrific player who has just started and everybody looks after him but, after all, you need that temperament and anger as it's part of his game.

"I hope he's not going to change it. That's how he is and, if he is who he is right now, it's because he's a strong player.

"He just needs to learn a little bit about it but I'm not worried about it. He will sort himself out."

Former Arsenal captain Vieira was also sent off on Wednesday as Juventus earned a 2-1 victory at Club Brugge, with the Frenchman unhappy with his dismissal.

He added: "It was really harsh and difficult to accept.

"After all it is the decision of the referee and I have to accept it but what is important is to win and take three points."

Vieira's ex-Arsenal team-mate Robin van Persie was another player to see red on Wednesday after a high challenge on FC Thun defender Alen Orman.

Van Persie has endured a troubled past couple of months but Vieira has backed the Dutch international to come good for The Gunners.

"The potential, of course, is there for Robin," continued Vieira. "He has a fantastic left foot and is a terrific player.

"He will need to play a little bit more to get confidence. It's all about confidence with him at the moment. The more he gets on the pitch, the more confidence he will have."

[NobBe Nobbs]

Wait...what? He goes for a challenge that smacked of attempted decapitation, and gets a ONE game ban? Let me draw your mind back a couple of years. Last day of the Premiership season, Charlton host Fulham. Dean Kiely comes out to catch a high ball, Louis Saha stands in the box. Kiely jumps, catches it, and lands beside Saha.

Saha goes down like he's been shot. Referee waltzes over and sends Kiely off. Straight red, therefore it's an instant three-game ban.

I'm not seeing the logic here.