The UEFA Champions League and Europa League Thread 2016/17

[Duty281]

First topic message reminder :

Might as well make a poll on this one...

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15 to go, Bayern need 1, Leicester 2.

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And a Ramos own goal draws Bayern level on aggregate.

[Jermaine2015]

If only King Robert was fit for the first leg...

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Now Bayern down to 10 as Vidal walks

Leicester need something sharpish to force a big finish

[Jermaine2015]

Absurd decision to send Vidal off. Real paying the officals as per usual...

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Atletico do a job on Leicester, game over from the moment they got the away goal.

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An Atletico Juve final would be something.

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Not entirely sure what was cringier, the tat Leicester give out pregame or the post game fireworks display

[Hammersmith harrier]

Juventus had better watch out tomorrow, there is a very clear and obvious pattern emerging in Real Madrid and Barcelona games as soon as the going gets tough for them.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Now Real score a goal that is clearly offside...

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Ronaldo makes it 2-2 and Bayern need an away goal

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3-2, Ronaldo has his hat trick and this tie is over

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Perfect hat trick and first player to 100 Champions League goals. He's not as good as he was before yet still immense

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Perfect*

[nathan]

Not entirely sure what was cringier, the tat Leicester give out pregame or the post game fireworks display

A free beer and pie are pretty good

[Crimey]

Ajax aren't  that bad. They're second in the Dutch league right now. I wouldn't right them off at all.

I mean second in the Dutch league is not much to right home about, the quality of that league has really dropped off of a cliff in recent years.

Manchester United should be walking the rest of this competition, they have one of the world's most successful managers, the world's most expensive player, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, some of the most talented young players in the world and are probably 10 times as big as any of the clubs left in the competition.

Let's wait and see. Not meaning to insult you, but your post reminds me of the typical English arrogance that we always seem to show at the major tournaments. We're always going to stuff the supposedly inferior sides like Iceland but yet we end up getting stuffed by them or don't even get out of the group stages.

Tottenham are currently a better team than United but ended up being knocked out by Gent, so I take nothing for granted with the United and the Europa League. How many times do we hear that spending money doesn't guarantee a better team but yet because United have expensive players they're supposed to 'walk' the rest of this competition. I hope you're right, but I'm not get carried away yet.

Obviously football is unpredictable, nobody would watch it otherwise. But simply on paper United should consider themselves better than the other sides and if they don't win the competition should be more than disappointed. Mourinho has put a lot of eggs in this basket, so if they were to drop the basket now this season would surely be considered a failure, even if they manage to push forward and get top 4. The competition is wide open for them to win it.

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Juve showing PSG how to I am a twonk of the highest order-out a tie

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Real, Atletico, Juve and Monaco.

Should be an interesting draw

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Wanna see Real-Juve and Atleti-Monaco

[Crimey]

Wanna see Real-Juve and Atleti-Monaco

Only problem with that is the very real chance we get Real/Atletico final AGAIN.

Would rather see Juventus or Monaco in the final, so Madrid semi-final would be best.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

All on the Atletico express. It does however stop at the "anyone but Real" stations

[Guest]

Wanna see Real-Juve and Atleti-Monaco

Only problem with that is the very real chance we get Real/Atletico final AGAIN.

Would rather see Juventus or Monaco in the final, so Madrid semi-final would be best.

There is a 33% chance that the two Madrid teams will be drawn together in the semi. I would like to see Atletico Madrid win the Champions League which might be the catalysis for Simone to move on, maybe to England if a top job opens up. All four teams make interesting stories, while Real Madrid is just a juggernaut, winning it 11 titles.

[Guest]

and that might be the end of zlatan

[Ent]

Great goal from Rashford.

Anyone saying united should walk this competition just need to look at tonight's game.

The remaining semi finalists can all rest 11 players before the remaining games too, given their league positions.

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Madrid derby and Monaco Juve

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Monaco might just fancy that. Not sure Juve are a powerhouse.

[Guest]

more difficult for monaco to continue to create & score at will, than defend & destroy (not that juve are simply just that). probably why people fancy hazard over kante for poty? i'd fancy juve in that one, got the experience too.

seen atletico this year, not the same side of a few years back. expect real to win that, just like they've done in previous years.

JUVENTUS v REAL MADRID FINAL

[Hero]

Europa League Draw semi finals

Ajax v Lyon
Celta Vigo v Man Utd

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I'm not saying Juve don't start favourites but I'd back Monaco to cause them some problems, especially if Juve take their eye of the ball a tad. Think the Madrid duo are the best teams left.

[Guest]

and that might be the end of zlatan

8-9 months out

[Guest]

I fancy Real to be the first team to retain the CL. Juve look good but I'm not seeing the great side many others are. Be interesting to see them chase a game.

[compelling and rich]

and that might be the end of zlatan

8-9 months out

cant see him getting another year with us if thats true, harsh but perhaps he should have renewed quicker

[Ent]

Should give him another year if he wants to continue playing, would be the decent thing to do to let him get fit again - money would obviously be less but I'm sure that would be acceptable.

Disappointed in CL draw, thought Juve Atletico and Monaco Real could have been 2 brilliant ties. Fancy Juve to win it, Madrid are absolutely running on empty and it is remarkable how they have done this season.

Celta probably the weakest team on paper left in the competition but they are plumb 10th in la liga and can rest their whole team for the semis.

[Guest]

and that might be the end of zlatan

8-9 months out

cant see him getting another year with us if thats true, harsh but perhaps he should have renewed quicker

Those are the risks of not signing a new contract and waiting around.  Except Zlatan doesn't need the money and for him it is all about playing and competing for trophies.  He seems like a honest person and very highly driven.  It wouldn't be a surprise to see him return earlier than predicted, but he is getting older all the time and the powers of recovery slow down no matter how much effort you put into it.  I think it was injury to Zlatan that really caused Mourinho to be upset in all the aftermatch interviews.  Zlatan is Man Utd leading goal scorer and a tremendous role model in his dedication,  professionalism and staying power not only for the team but everyone in the club.

[compelling and rich]

it was all set up for zlatan final in sweden and for him to steal the show. shame he wont have the chance, although after anderlecht performance getting to the final is no gimme

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

and that might be the end of zlatan

8-9 months out

cant see him getting another year with us if thats true, harsh but perhaps he should have renewed quicker

Don't think it'd be the worst outcome for Utd either - allows Rashford more games up front as he continues to develop

[Guest]

Flying start for Real. Against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Atleti have been abysmal tonight - truly woeful

[Guest]

seen atletico this year, not the same side of a few years back. expect real to win that

As I thought. Tie over.

[Crimey]

Wonder if Simeone will stick around after this year, his Atletico side seem to be getting further away from the top 2 of La Liga again and you do sometimes feel he's taken them as far as he can. They'll likely lose Griezmann in the next couple of years and whilst they are very good at replacing their star strikers, Simeone will surely want to try something new. 

He'd be one of the most in demand coaches, Arsenal may take a look at him, I imagine even Barcelona would consider it even though there is a real clash of styles. If Conte hadn't been such a success I imagine Chelsea would be favourites considering he's very much a Mourinho style manager. Inter Milan would likely be favourites because of the history. 

Cristiano Ronaldo has scored back to back hat tricks in the Champions League against Bayern and Atletico Madrid. Not bad going really. A different player to the one of the past but still world class. He's kept himself so fit and is adapting his game so well that if he wanted to I could imagine him playing into his last 30s, especially as a proper number 9. There would still be clubs falling over themselves to sign somebody with such good anticipation.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Talks with Inter have happened with Diego apparently

[compelling and rich]

massive step down going from althetico to inter. both milan sides are really poor these days. perhaps he fancies a challenge but playing in front of a half empty stadium in a poor 1 team league would be a strange choice

[Crimey]

massive step down going from althetico to inter. both milan sides are really poor these days. perhaps he fancies a challenge but playing in front of a half empty stadium in a poor 1 team league would be a strange choice

I guess as a project it would be interesting for Simeone. Taking Atletico and breaking up the top two teams in La Liga and also competing for years in the Champions League is an accomplishment. Especially when doing it with a club he already has a strong connection with.

It wouldn't surprise me if Inter strikes him as a similar kind of project to work with, take one of his old clubs and take down Juventus in the same way he took down Barcelona and Real Madrid in 13/14 and also get Inter competing in Europe, then he can move on again and take on a similar project.

The style of management Simeone has is always going to suit the outsider clubs rather than the establishment.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Apparently there's loads of money for Inter coming. Trying to rise again, and if they do then it's a step up, plus a labour of love

[Hero]

It's a step down in the short term but Inter have supposedly got more cash to splash than the likes of City/Utd/PSG this summer.

[compelling and rich]

dont see how with ffp, youve seen with the likes of psg and city that both have had to reign it in.

[Hero]

And we've seen certainly in the case of Man City how they're able to play around those rules with stadium sponsorships etc.

[Guest]

Europa League - Ajax 4-1 Lyon / Celta Vigo 0-1 Man Utd

CL - Monaco 0-2 Juventus

[Josiah Maiestas]

Never seen as lucky a draw as the one united have had. Celta Vigo with 16 league defeats so far this season in the semi's of Europa!!!

[Hammersmith harrier]

Never seen as lucky a draw as the one united have had. Celta Vigo with 16 league defeats so far this season in the semi's of Europa!!!

What do you expect, it's the Europa league.

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