UEFA Champions League

CaliKlines

CaliKlines

Well-Known Member
Can we all just take a break to appreciate the incredible accomplishment of FC Barcelona vs. Paris Saint-Germain today in the UEFA Champions League?!! What a game, and what an atmosphere! Thank you Sergi Roberto!!
 
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99% of SoCal Forum members haven't got a clue about Champions League, Barcelona, or what real futbol is...

But yeah what an enormous feat.. More than a club!
 
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SuperNatural said:
99% of SoCal Forum members haven't got a clue about Champions League, Barcelona, or what real futbol is...

But yeah what an enormous feat.. More than a club!
Click to expand...

Even if they don't win the whole enchilada, this was an enormous victory! A comeback for the ages that will never be forgotten. I cannot wait to get home and watch it again (...and again...and again...).
 
Yes the most amazing comeback in Champions league history.

Manchester United vs. Bayern Munich, 1999 final was good as the others
http://www.foxsports.com/soccer/gal...k-champions-league-greatest-comebacks-history

My son is a big Barcelona fan but he thought there might have been some "ask the ref" type moments, not to take anything away from the accomplishment and this is close but was this offside: He thought his leg was offside but I don't know if my eye sight is that good:

http://www.foxsports.com/soccer/video/893191235871


 
Yes, a truly amazing game and comeback for FCB. I figured they were toast after the game in Paris. As a big Barcelona fan, this season has been trying to say the least. I guess the team has gotten to the point now that they have a hard time getting up for the lesser opponents, but "they were at their operatic high note" (to steal a phrase from Ray Hudson) yesterday. The PK awarded to Luis Suarez in the 90th minute was a little soft, but there were other fouls in the box that could have been called penalties throughout the game. Barcelona was on the front foot all game long and almost always the aggressive team gets the benefit of the 50/50 calls.

PSG absolutely blew it yesterday. Had they played anything close to the formation/style they played in Paris, they would have advanced. Even if they lose 3-2 or 4-2, etc., they advance. Why in the world would Emery decide to sit back and invite pressure from Barcelona at the Camp Nou?

Lastly, this may have been the game where Neymar surpassed Messi in terms of value to the team. Neymar is a beast down the left side of the pitch and he caused problems for PSG all game long. He was more of a threat to PSG than both Messi and Suarez.
 
I meant to post something about the CL Quarterfinals a couple of weeks back, but completely forgot. Anyway, the QF this season could be EPIC! Let's look at the pairings:

Barcelona vs. Juventus (April 11th and April 19th):
First game at Juventus Stadium and second game at the Camp Nou. Juventus may be the most complete team one through eleven. Buffon is playing as well as ever and the back three of Juventus are next to impossible to score against. Add in their attacking players (Higuain, Dybala, Mandzukic and Pjanic) and Barcelona have a mountain to climb if they are to advance to the semis. Obviously all the pressure will be on the front three for Barcelona along with their backline. Juventus would appear to be the favorite to advance, but as a huge Barcelona fan, I think Messi, Suarez and Neymar will step up and provide enough goals to advance.

Bayern Munich vs. Real Madrid (April 12th and April 18th):
First game in Munich with the return leg in Madrid. If Juventus is not the most complete team from one to eleven, then it has to be Bayern. I am not sold that their defense is top notch (especially if Boateng plays), but their attacking players are amazing. Between Lewandowski, Muller, Thiago, Costa, Ribery, Robben, etc., they can score many, many goals. Just ask Arsenal. I still think Neuer is the best GK in the world. The key to me will be Vidal. Can he disrupt the midfield of Madrid and cut off supply to the strikers? As for Madrid, if Bale, Benzema and Ronaldo are healthy and willing to share the ball with one another, how do you stop them from scoring? Interesting part to this tie is the match up between Ancelotti versus Zidane (master versus pupil). I like Bayern to advance to the semis.

Dortmund vs. Monaco (April 11th and April 19th):
First leg in Dortmund with the return match in Monaco. Between these two teams, we could see an aggregate scoreline of 8-7 or something like that. I have watched some of Dortmund this season, but very little of Monaco. However, Monaco is leading League 1 and has a ridiculous goal differential in league. I think the Bundesliga is a stronger league than League 1 and that would seem to favor Dortmund in this matchup. I don't think we will see any defensive lessons in these two games. I think Dortmund advances to the semis here, which would be great for Pulisic.

Atletico Madrid vs. Leicester (April 12th and April 18th):
First game in Madrid with the second leg in England. This appears to be the most lopsided tie of the QF. How Leicester is still alive in the CL is beyond me. They have been poor in the Premier League this season and they fired Ranieri a few weeks ago (which seems to have lit a fire under the players). Atletico is one of the hardest teams to play in Europe. They play all 90 minutes and are not afraid to foul with a purpose. Up front they have three great strikers between Griezmann, Gameiro and Corrasco. Their defense is probably second best to Juventus in Europe, so trying to score against them is always difficult. I don't see how Huth and Morgan can keep up with the strikers for Atletico. I expect Atletico to advance with relative ease to the semis here.

Thoughts? Are you excited for the QF's? I may have to take a few days off work in early April to watch these games live.
 
Interesting analysis of Champions League and odds of advancing...from Fivethirtyeight:


"The Champions League Is Unusually Up For Grabs...
This year’s Barcelona, however, does not make the top 10 list of expected goals difference for clubs since 2010-11. With fewer truly great teams in the mix, an upset winner is that much more likely. Here’s what to expect..."

Here is the link if anyone is interested...

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-champions-league-is-unusually-up-for-grabs/
 
PLSAP said:
Welp he kind of missed that penalty ...
Click to expand...

Absolutely. I have not watched the game yet, but saw highlights. Why did Vidal take the PK when they had Robben, Thiago, Muller and Ribery on the field? It's going to be real tough for Bayern to beat Madrid at the Bernabeu.
 
bababooey said:
Absolutely. I have not watched the game yet, but saw highlights. Why did Vidal take the PK when they had Robben, Thiago, Muller and Ribery on the field? It's going to be real tough for Bayern to beat Madrid at the Bernabeu.
Click to expand...
Thank you! I would have 100%, as a player on the field or as the manager either way, had Muller take it IMO. Of course Thiago, Robben, and Ribery would have all been good choices in any scenario.
 
So I watched the Bayern v. Madrid game last night and it was a GREAT game for the first eighty somewhat minutes. How that referee could call that second yellow card on Vidal for that non-foul (which was his second card of the match) and effectively hand the game to Madrid was scandalous. I think Vidal could have received his second yellow card earlier in the second half, but at the time he did get the second yellow it was such a poor call. By the way, Casemiro should have been given a second yellow card too, so if the game was not going to finish 11v11, then it should have finished 10v10.

Once the game went into extra time, it seemed just a matter of time that Madrid would score the winning goal. Both of Ronaldo's goals in extra time were offside and the AR's couldn't figure that out???

What a shame that Bayern was eliminated in this manner. I would be pissed if I were a Bayern player or fan, they deserved a refereeing crew that could handle the importance of that game.
 
Only offside when called. Vidal man he's one of my sons favorite players and Cristiano is the epitome of a poacher. That's soccer somethings the breaks go your way and other times not so much.

18034221_10154316205346246_8154450773595158263_n.jpg
 
I really enjoyed watching Bayern v Madrid. Just great mix of attacking and strategic possession. Yes the ref robbed Bayern, if I was honest I would say Madrid looked a little bit better. So speaking for myself as impartial to both teams... I think things worked out as they should.

Glad to see Juve move on. Not the best game to watch, but of course seeing Naymar cry made me smile. I sorta feel guilty for taking pleasure in his misery, but he's so good I know I'll get paid back in spades. Pogba should have stayed at Juve. He might have won the CL sooner that way...
 
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