European Champions League 2020/21

[frosty]

20 hours ago, speeeeeeedie said:

This week saw City and Real Madrid through on Tuesday, Bayern Munich and Chelsea yesterday.

City's progression was a formality, they were too good for Monchengladbach. Real outclassed Atalanta who aren't the same side without Gomez.

Bayern were far too good for Lazio. Chelsea moving on was a small surprise, although they are unbeaten under Tuchel. Atletico were not good at all last night. They didn't seem to be as organised as usual. On their day they are exceptional. I can't stand their antics but enjoy watching them.

The last 8 are; 

Man City, Chelsea, Liverpool, Porto, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Dortmund, PSG.

The draw is tomorrow. It is setup such that quarter final and semi final ties are done at the same time.

 

It sounds like Atletico have been pretty poor for a while now, their lead at the top of La Liga has been cut right down, they had quite a big lead at one stage. You're right though, it's rare to see them go out of a two-legged knockout tie like that, normally they're a much tougher prospect and they beat Liverpool twice this time last year when Liverpool were flying high.

You're right about Atalanta and Gomez. He's such a fantastic little player. I'm surprised they didn't start Illicic though who can come up with something out of nothing and is pretty hard to stop when on form. I thought Atalanta would have run Madrid a lot closer than they did, but - speaking as a big Italian football fan who'd like Serie A to rule Europe again one day - it's hard to be too critical of them, they're still performing miracles making the CL knockouts two years in a row.

[roverandout]

1 hour ago, frosty said:

It sounds like Atletico have been pretty poor for a while now, their lead at the top of La Liga has been cut right down, they had quite a big lead at one stage. You're right though, it's rare to see them go out of a two-legged knockout tie like that, normally they're a much tougher prospect and they beat Liverpool twice this time last year when Liverpool were flying high.

You're right about Atalanta and Gomez. He's such a fantastic little player. I'm surprised they didn't start Illicic though who can come up with something out of nothing and is pretty hard to stop when on form. I thought Atalanta would have run Madrid a lot closer than they did, but - speaking as a big Italian football fan who'd like Serie A to rule Europe again one day - it's hard to be too critical of them, they're still performing miracles making the CL knockouts two years in a row.

Seria a is miles behind la liga and the epl now. Long gone are the days when Italian sides outspent their opponents.  

[speeeeeeedie]

1 hour ago, frosty said:

It sounds like Atletico have been pretty poor for a while now, their lead at the top of La Liga has been cut right down, they had quite a big lead at one stage. You're right though, it's rare to see them go out of a two-legged knockout tie like that, normally they're a much tougher prospect and they beat Liverpool twice this time last year when Liverpool were flying high.

You're right about Atalanta and Gomez. He's such a fantastic little player. I'm surprised they didn't start Illicic though who can come up with something out of nothing and is pretty hard to stop when on form. I thought Atalanta would have run Madrid a lot closer than they did, but - speaking as a big Italian football fan who'd like Serie A to rule Europe again one day - it's hard to be too critical of them, they're still performing miracles making the CL knockouts two years in a row.

I don't follow much La Liga but read a match report which said that unlike previous Atletico sides they've been banging goals in this season. I had a look and they've already scored almost as many as the last 2 seasons totals with 10 games to go. Maybe Simeone went to his tried and tested route but the players weren't used to it? Or Giroud's goal knocked the stuffing out of them. I knew last year that when they scored against Liverpool early in the first leg that they'd progress. Granted they did it scoring 3 at Anfield but they had the confidence to do it.

I'm with you on the nostalgia for Serie A. Roma is the only Italian team left in Europe, and they are in the Europa League.

I watched 5 minutes of Milan-Man U. The quality on offer from Milan was light years away from the sides of the past. Old man Zlatan was their best player. From far away one lad in midfield (Kessie, I think) had the look of Clarence Seedorf. Unfortunately his ability wasn't anywhere near.

[speeeeeeedie]

The draw is out;

QUARTERFINALS

Manchester City vs. Borussia Dortmund
FC Porto vs. Chelsea
Bayern Munich vs. Paris Saint-Germain
Real Madrid vs. Liverpool

SEMIFINALS

Bayern Munich or Paris Saint-Germain vs. Manchester City or Borussia Dortmund
Real Madrid or Liverpool vs. FC Porto or Chelsea

[roverandout]

Can definitely see 3 English teams in the semi finals 

[DeeCee]

Where and when are the ties played please?

[Banzai]

Bayern v Madrid final.

[speeeeeeedie]

20 hours ago, DeeCee said:

Where and when are the ties played please?

First legs are April 6th and 7th.

Return legs are the week after, 13th and 14th.

Where is a guess at the moment. Budapest may be busy again.

[DeeCee]

1 hour ago, speeeeeeedie said:

First legs are April 6th and 7th.

Return legs are the week after, 13th and 14th.

Where is a guess at the moment. Budapest may be busy again.

Many thanks 👍

[oldjamfan1]

I'm looking forward to the two games tonight featuring City and Liverpool, if only to take my mind off the Rovers situation!

[rigger]

7 minutes ago, oldjamfan1 said:

I'm looking forward to the two games tonight featuring City and Liverpool, if only to take my mind off the Rovers situation!

I'm more interested in the Birmingham and Huddersfield games.

[Doug]

Terrible refereeing display during first half of City v Dortmund game.

[SuperBrfc]

Toni Kroos with his best Tugay impression tonight. Liverpool have a mountain to climb already. Madrid look like they could score three or four here.

[SuperBrfc]

2 minutes ago, Doug said:

Terrible refereeing display during first half of City v Dortmund game.

How he didn't allow Dortmund's equaliser to stand I'll never know. A shocking decision.

[roverandout]

Bellingham's goal was a perfectly good goal. That's what happens when  u have refs from small football nations at this level.  It should be English German Italian or Spanish refs. 

[rigger]

1 minute ago, roverandout said:

Bellingham's goal was a perfectly good goal. That's what happens when  u have refs from small football nations at this level.  It should be English German Italian or Spanish refs. 

Why English, at the moment they are shit.

[roverandout]

1 minute ago, rigger said:

Why English, at the moment they are shit.

Just for big game experience 

[Ossydave]

He's had a stinker the ref for that goal, could end up being so crucial too.

[roverandout]

Quality from Mount. No one should doubt how good this lad is. Bellingham foden yesterday.  Mount today. I think this is England's midfield for the next 10 years

[roverandout]

I also think reece james looks far more solid than trent. He has trents crossing quality and also a solid defender 

[riverholmes]

Reece James was close to signing for Rovers on loan, a few years ago, apparently, but it didn't happen as he wanted assurances of starting. Well, that is what Mowbray said in an interview - in which he critiqued loan signings: “Rather than you pay the wages or part of the wages of a loan player who goes back to their parent club with an increased value and it’s all win-win for them really whereas you are £1m out of pocket....When you don’t (achieve your goals) it’s a lot of money spent and it’s not even your own player. So you try and recruit your own players, polish them up and create an asset value for the future.”

On a different note, the rigid narratives that people create around players was yet again clearly shown by the commentary on BT Sports during the Bayern vs PSG match. Bayern's Choupo-Moting, deputising for Lewandowski, missed a couple of half-chances and finally scored a glancing header from the centre of the penalty box, more-or-less. Later, Thomas Muller, scored a virtually identical header but, perhaps, slightly more difficult, given that the cross from the right had less pace on it.

The commentators for the Choupo-Moting goal: "He's not going to miss that. Quality ball in - it's begging to be headed in..." By contrast, when Muller scores in almost the same fashion: "...and he just guides it beautifully..." and use of several superlatives referring to Muller's career. 

Of course, Muller has been the far greater player but the failure to give due credit to Choupo-Moting for a good header, perfectly guiding a whipped cross, seems to be more than just petty, but an example of embarrassing lack of objectivity. Of course, we see it the other way when highly-rated players do something basic and are praised to the heavens.

 

 

 

Edited April 8, 2021 by riverholmes

[speeeeeeedie]

I watched Real v Liverpool and Bayern v PSG.

Liverpool were terrible. Too many misplaced passes, and inaction going forward. TAA showed why Southgate dropped him. His positioning and one on one defending wasn't good enough. They could still go through though as they do have goals in them. It will be very hard though.

Bayern v PSG was a cracking game. Mbappe was class. Bayern aren't out of it despite getting beat. They had loads of chances. 

City got lucky against Dortmund. No surprise that Chelsea beat Porto.

I think that lazy commentary has gotten worse over the pandemic. Maybe the lack of fans is causing it but there's a lot of it about. Plenty of talking up narratives that don't exist to completely and missing important bits of play. 

 

[speeeeeeedie]

PSG 0-1 Bayern. 3-3 on aggregate. PSG through on away goals.

Bayern may have won the game but PSG were the better team. Neymar can be an absolute plonker at times with his antics but last night he showed how good a footballer he is. He was mesmerising at times. Bayern couldn't get the ball off him. Bayern will point to not having Lewandowski but his replacement Choupo-Moting (ex Stoke) scored in both legs.

Chelsea also got beat 1-0 at home but progressed 2-1. Porto scored a cracker with virtually the last kick of the game.

[roverandout]

Bellingham and foden have justified the hype.  Those two and Mount should be England's midfield 

[roversfan99]

8 minutes ago, roverandout said:

Bellingham and foden have justified the hype.  Those two and Mount should be England's midfield 

Too lightweight as a 3 that, no balance.