2011/2012 UEFA Champions League

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

Torres is looking awesome.

[Dynamite]

I hope Wenger takes note of the Arsenal banner that says 'we want Eboue back'.

[-A-]

FIFA should make it a rule that all pitches have to be mown with straight lines to assist linesmen making offside decisions.

[Lineker]

Can't wait for the next round of matches. All aboard the Genk bus!

[Lineker]

AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri says his team will be playing for Antonio Cassano against BATE Borisov in the Champions League on Tuesday.

The striker, 29, has spent the last two days in hospital after being taken ill following the 3-2 win over Roma.

Reports from Italian news agency Ansa claimed he had suffered a stroke.

Allegri said: "We'll be playing for Antonio. Quite apart from the sporting element, what counts most is the human aspect and we're all feeling sad."

Cassano had complained of finding it difficult to speak or move when the team arrived back in Milan in the early hours of Sunday morning.

He has since been undergoing tests on his heart and brain in hospital.

Allegri added: "Antonio was doing well and he was in good shape and I hope he'll be back as soon as possible.

"The doctors are working on it, let's hope it all goes well.

"I can't diagnose him but he sounds fine. It was completely unexpected and has nothing to do with football. Let's leave it to the doctors and I think everything will be fine."

Luton defender Sol Davis had a stroke in 2006 but was able to return to the first team two months later.

Milan are top of Champions League Group H after drawing with Barcelona and beating BATE Borisov and Viktoria Plzen so far.

Best wishes to Cassano. In a related note, Aberdeen's Jamie Langfield is back after his brain seizure, so that's some good news at least.

[stokeriño]

It's that time again...

All aboard the Genk bus!

[Lineker]

That bus must have been fairly boring with no booze...

[stokeriño]

Oh Luiz. Penalty saved.

[stokeriño]

Fucking hell. 1-1

[Lineker]

GENK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[stokeriño]

On its own, it's merely a mildly disappointing draw against the smallest side in the group (which we tend to do most years actually, e.g. Cluj, APOEL, etc.), and we're still top of the group/clearly going to qualify/etc. etc.

But of course, in the current narrative of "Chelsea are shit and AVB has lost the plot (P.S. we've pre-emptively decided your captain is a racist)", it will no doubt be portrayed as disastrous.

[Colly]

On its own, it's merely a mildly disappointing draw against the smallest side in the group (which we tend to do most years actually, e.g. Cluj, APOEL, etc.), and we're still top of the group/clearly going to qualify/etc. etc.

But of course, in the current narrative of "Chelsea are shit and AVB has lost the plot (P.S. we've pre-emptively decided your captain is a racist)", it will no doubt be portrayed as disastrous.

He wasn't particularly helped out by the fans last night Chelsea condemn chants at Genk. Storm in a teacup media wise, but I'm interested to see the outcome of the actual investigation, Terrys own statements haven't exactly been convincing.

Away from that you're right, daft results are par for the course and nothing to bother about. Highlight for me is Gullit blaming Torres for the Genk goal because someone walked past him on the half way line.

[stokeriño]

No one's statements have been convincing, that's the thing. Anton said he didn't hear anything on the pitch and no one has come forward as a witness, despite Terry having supposedly shouted it when several yards away from Anton. All we have is an internet lip-reader (remember how many misreads people got of what was said to Zidane to prompt his headbutt?), and lots of people saying they have "strong feelings" on the issue (on supposed racism? No shit.), but no actual evidence of anything.

Hell, if someone had made a claim immediately ala Evra with Suarez (notice how that quickly vanished, btw), that would be something else, but in fact it seems to be the internet/media leading this one all the way.

[brenchill]

It's interesting to hear how everyone has jumped to the conclusion that the "Anton Ferdinand, you know what you are" chants were racist. Those chants could have meant anything: liar, prick, bullshitter. take your pick. The chants were very loud, which implies the majority of the traveling Chelsea fans were singing, so obviously there would have been a collection of different races and nationalities present.

[Colly]

I'd say the booing that immediately followed and the condemnation from Chelsea tell you enough. Even if not racist its not clever when there's an investigation going on.

[stokeriño]

Certainly not clever, though Chelsea would obviously condemn them anyway just to avoid that unnecessary quagmire.

Personally, I would imagine they were calling him a cunt (or at least that's what most of them thought they were calling him...)

[IAceI]

Is it worth posting that Michael Owen has gone off injured or should we just assume he always goes off injured and instead post when he completes a full match?

[EddieG]

Is the BBC running some kinda "We love blacks" anti-racism campaign?

[Crybaby Bunting]

Man City goal: Fine goal. Inspired by the swelling lump on Roberto Mancini's head, City break the deadlock in clinical fashion as David Silva feeds Mario Balotelli in the box to open his body and curl home a doozy of a finish into the far bottom corner.

2015: GOALFLASH Villarreal 0-1 Man City (Balotelli)

2017: Correction! It was Yaya Toure's goal at Villarreal, not Mario Balotelli. Apologies.

I suppose not...

[Blaze09]

Is the BBC running some kinda "We love blacks" anti-racism campaign?

Seeing as someone on my Twitter just tweeted they were calling Balotelli a monkey after he just hit a PK, it's needed.