Champions League 12/13

[Ode to Django]

I think Juventus is due a very heavy loss soon tbh. Their 3 man backline is just waiting to get ripped apart in Europe. Madrid's pace on the wings would cause them all sorts of trouble. They aren't that great going forward either. They miss a world class striker upfront. Against Donetzk I've watched the highlights and they had 1 shot on target. Which was their goal. And offside. They are drawing so many games for a reason. Sure, they have a certain level of compactness with their midfield controlling games. But I still put them behind Barca, Real, Bayern and Dortmund. Infront of United however. Different story if they had someone like :villa: upfront.

Or maybe I'm just overrating Real Madrid. After all they can barely beat top teams. Last minute winner against a horrible City at home and draw away. Owned by Dortmund twice. Owned by Bayern last season. If teams stop their counterattacks, they can't control games and run out of ideas. Mourinho is a horrible tactician if you think about it.

I watched the game vs Donetzk they did a very good job over there, killed there attacking threat & controlled the game perfectly, not many teams win over in Ukraine, arguable on offside goal though, i think there defensive shape is top notch & IMO the best in Europe, a big thing is made of the striking situation but they get by, also are undefeated in the CL for quite a while now, albeit drawing most games, tactically they are great & a two legged tie they'll be a match for anyone.

Certainly not the same RM as last year when they were quite comfortable favourites with Barcelona to win the CL or at least reach the final, i haven't been impressed with them at all, i don't think they've controlled games well & played pretty poorly most of the time. Dortmund not so sure i'm not buying the hype yet, sure they topped the group but as i said RM have been poor by there standards & Man City well what can you say, just a bunch of mercenaries with no character/heart who have played poor all season.

Bayern/Madrid would be cool i'd 50/50 it.

 

[Malappapper]

I watched the game vs Donetzk they did a very good job over there, killed there attacking threat & controlled the game perfectly, not many teams win over in Ukraine, arguable on offside goal though, i think there defensive shape is top notch & IMO the best in Europe, a big thing is made of the striking situation but they get by, also are undefeated in the CL for quite a while now, albeit drawing most games, tactically they are great & a two legged tie they'll be a match for anyone.

Certainly not the same RM as last year when they were quite comfortable favourites with Barcelona to win the CL or at least reach the final, i haven't been impressed with them at all, i don't think they've controlled games well & played pretty poorly most of the time. Dortmund not so sure i'm not buying the hype yet, sure they topped the group but as i said RM have been poor by there standards & Man City well what can you say, just a bunch of mercenaries with no character/heart who have played poor all season.

Bayern/Madrid would be cool i'd 50/50 it.

I like Juventus as well, but I think that you are hyping them to the heavens. Real Madrid are not worse than last season, they are exactly the same team + Modric. They are giving less importance to the league this season, which is understandable. They were also quite unlucky in some games this season (missed sitters against Sevilla + Betis) and were lucky in ours (Osasuna, Granada, Sevilla especially)

I would not confuse league form with CL potential. In fact, Madrid have won the CL title several times when doing badly in the Spanish league.

For me the favorites are more or less what the bookmakers make them out to be:

1. Barcelona 3.65
2. Real Madrid 4.7
3. Bayern Munich 8.8
4. Borussia Dortmund 8.8
5. Man United 13.0
6. Juventus 15.0

 

[BrianSwan]

Truthful.

The amount of shit other leagues get in the UK is insane and I'm, for one, quite happy that La Liga is proving its quality by having all of its teams qualify.

For the last decade though the PL deserved their credit.

There is an intense jealousy of the English game and I'm a Welshman. No other league have the amount of teams and supporters English (and Welsh ) teams do, e.g FA Cup >>> Copa Del Rey

 

[BrianSwan]

For me the favourites have got to be Barcelona, Bayern, Real, Dortmund, Juventus.. probably in that order.
Would love to see the La Liga duo mixing with those teams (Barca vs Bayern/Dortmund, Real vs Juventus) - wow

Shaktar, PSG and Man Utd also dangerous too.

 

[Fishdoll]

I'm not so sure it's jealousy so much as dislike for the endless hype and entitled attitude that emanates from the island and the endless propaganda from Rupert Murdoch's media empire.

That said, I have never been a fan of the style of play in England and don't particularly like any of the teams there (one I have a historic dislike for that I will probably never shake. And it isn't because of Istanbul).

Must say though, your little Welsh team has been a breath of fresh air and is actually rather fun to watch. Kudos for that and I honestly hope it continues.

 

[mitkoa7x]

I like Juventus as well, but I think that you are hyping them to the heavens. Real Madrid are not worse than last season, they are exactly the same team + Modric.

- Altintop, they are worse.

 

[Malappapper]

For Barca, the ideal Last 16 draw would be:

Barcelona - Galatasarray

Man United - Real Madrid

Bayern Munich - AC Milan

Dortmund - Porto

Juventus - Arsenal

PSG - Shaktar

Malaga - Celtic

Valencia - Schalke

 

[FCBarca]

[youtube]gb4Qr8INcRo[/youtube]

 

[Galning]

Celtic.

 

[Flavia]

For Barca, the ideal Last 16 draw would be:

Barcelona - Galatasarray

Man United - Real Madrid

Bayern Munich - AC Milan

Dortmund - Porto

Juventus - Arsenal

PSG - Shaktar

Malaga - Celtic

Valencia - Schalke

Change man utd with bayern and alright. rm has never won in germany. But they would trash manutd.

 

[Malappapper]

Change man utd with bayern and alright. rm has never won in germany. But they would trash manutd.

You are probably correct, Munich are better than United currently, and along with Madrid can be considered our number 1 and 2 rivals for this season's Champions League. But then again, I want United to face something more difficult than AC Milan. But maybe am overestimating United here.

 

[Semi-Neutral]

I think you guys are underestimating United. Rooney+RVP is probably the most deadly striker duo in all of Europe; there's no way they wouldn't cause problems for Madrid. They'll have Vidic back (barring another injury) which will strengthen the defense quite a bit. Also, don't forget Kagawa, who'll come back and probably find that Dortmund form. With him, United's attack becomes quite formidable.

Anyway, I would love it if Madrid drew Munich. No result there can hurt us. Bayern are a tough opponent and I do not wish to face them; Real are no pushovers either. Either one eliminated, I'll be happy. Also, not sure why everyone thinks Galatasaray are so scary; Messi has been scoring in away games like crazy, and I don't see them troubling us at the Camp whatsoever.

 

[Malappapper]

United look very good due to their position on the table, but in many of their games this season they had been lucky (Aston Villa, Man City, Liverpool, Chelsea) and the same goes for their CL games. They also had an even easier group than us in the CL. But there is no doubt that with Rooney and RvP up front they are extremely dangerous. So, who knows?

But are they better than Madrid or Munich? Or even Juventus?

 

[PearLBLacK]

Still don't think United have what it takes. This isn't the 2009 or 2011 team with a top 3 player in almost all positions. Scholes is old, Giggs is probably worse, De Gea is no Der Saar, Nani is benched for Young (lol), Hernandez isn't being as effective as his first season, their midfield is nonexistent, etc... It's now all about Rooney, Valencia, van Persie, and a bunch of overrated players and past-it seniors.

 

[Malappapper]

Still don't think United have what it takes. This isn't the 2009 or 2011 team with a top 3 player in almost all positions. Scholes is old, Giggs is probably worse, De Gea is no Der Saar, Nani is benched for Young (lol), Hernandez isn't being as effective as his first season, their midfield is nonexistent, etc... It's now all about Rooney, Valencia, van Persie, and a bunch of overrated players and past-it seniors.

Valencia has been mostly crap this season. But United have a lethal forward line, and not a soe goalscorer like us, and a simple, but largely effective system. OK, that system many times gets found out against the really quality sides, but they can not easily be discounted.