Champions League 2022/2023

[Birdy]

In general, the logical fallacy that many here commit by saying that we would be in the CL final
had we beaten Inter in that Camp Nou game is astonishing.

No, we wouldn't!
First of all, no one guarantees the draws would have been the same, but let's say they would.

Are you sure our team that conceded 2 against Plzen and struggled against everyone else would have eliminated Benfica? Even against Porto it's questionable

 

[Morten]

Was too tired to watch, not surprised by the result though, Inter outplayed them, right?

 

[jamrock]

Was too tired to watch, not surprised by the result though, Inter outplayed them, right?

By a long way

 

[ajnotkeith]

A much more reasonable take.

Pretty much agree with everything you said.

If anyone looks at this inter squad and thinks medicore, I don't know what to say about that.

In some positions they even have better "named" players on the bench than they do in their starting XI.

Today they had the likes of brozovic, lukaku, gosens and skriniar is injured I think.
Solid squad players like de Vrij and Correa.

but medicore lol.

They are a very well organized team, that plays a brand of football that's enjoyable to watch.

Barcelona definitely has a team that should be able to compete in Europe, it didn't happen this year, we just have to take that L, learn from it and move on, not try to shit on every other team that does well in Europe to make the failure look even worst lol.

Inter had a relatively "easy" passage to the SF, but I will never use that against them, because you can only beat who is in front of you and they did so whenever they needed to this season in the CL.

People always want the thing they don't have, but don't appreciate the good things they take for granted, especially in football.

Case in point : Inter want to sack Inzaghi regardless of him getting them to a CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL because he's coming 4th in the league 😂😂 and winning an Italian Cup too.

It is the same with Xavi..he has done an amazing job to win a league like this and with this many points. It isn't something that easy or Madrid would have done much better than they have. We have to appreciate that we dominated domestically this season as well as considering the European failure.

Next season we have to do better, but I don't think it's impossible, if Xavi changed his approach to the games. The baseline we have in terms of tactics is good enough, we just maybe need to be more pragmatic rather than playing CL the same way we play Valencia in Liga.

 

[malvolio]

People always want the thing they don't have, but don't appreciate the good things they take for granted, especially in football.

Case in point : Inter want to sack Inzaghi regardless of him getting them to a CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL because he's coming 4th in the league 😂😂 and winning an Italian Cup too.

It is the same with Xavi..he has done an amazing job to win a league like this and with this many points. It isn't something that easy or Madrid would have done much better than they have. We have to appreciate that we dominated domestically this season as well as considering the European failure.

Next season we have to do better, but I don't think it's impossible, if Xavi changed his approach to the games. The baseline we have in terms of tactics is good enough, we just maybe need to be more pragmatic rather than playing CL the same way we play Valencia in Liga.

don't think any big club would be chasing the likes of xavi or simone inzaghi, mate.

just like di mateo was never in the conversation for a big job after winning the CL with chelsea.

let's stop looking at numbers and watch the actual game.

 

[ajnotkeith]

don't think any big club would be chasing the likes of xavi or simone inzaghi, mate.

just like di mateo was never in the conversation for a big job after winning the CL with chelsea.

let's stop looking at numbers and watch the actual game.

I've been more critical of Xavi than most here. Definitely not his biggest fan, I don't think he is a 'top' manager, but he's not bad for sure.

I watch Calcio weekly, Inter being good is not a surprise, I did already put here weeks ago that I predict them to win the CL. I think Inzaghi is great and definitely good enough for a 'big' club, the same big clubs that employed guys like Conte/Potter/Tuchel are too good for Inzaghi?

If Inzaghi had a serious striker this season they would have won Serie A as well, their underlying numbers and game play are probably the best in the league, it just isn't mentioned because Napoli ended up a dozen points ahead (by virtue of having Osimhen). Inter have been good the whole season but let down by missed chances by Lukaku and co.

 

[jamrock]

I wonder if inzaghi makes it to the final & loses which is most likely, (though not what I want) and finishes 4 in the league

Who would Barca forum say had the better season/better potential manager.

 

[Andresito]

I wonder if inzaghi makes it to the final & loses which is most likely, (though what I don't know) and finished 4 in the league

Who would Barca forum say had the better season/better potential manager.

In the end a league title weighs heigher than nothing.

Both will be considered to have had a pretty OK season. But it also increases the expectations for next season. For Inter and Inzaghi it is to apply the successful CL formula to Serie A and for Xavi/Barca it's vice verca.

 

[ajnotkeith]

In the end a league title weighs heigher than nothing.

Both will be considered to have had a pretty OK season. But it also increases the expectations for next season. For Inter and Inzaghi it is to apply the successful CL formula to Serie A and for Xavi/Barca it's vice verca.

A CL final is huge for Inter. Yeah doesn't win anything at the end of the day but it's a huge signal they might be a serious force again in Europe after decades of being a joke, a shadow of their former selves.

Personally believe they have a great chance to win it though, too.

And it has been done with a decent but not very remarkable group of players, and with little investment (they are absolutely broke). Compared to some of these EPL teams putting hundreds of millions and not getting near the final, like some say is necessary to compete (it isn't).

 

[Porque]

Inter had a favourable route to the final. But let's be honest, Charvy would have gone out against Benfica.

 

[BJJ]

Xavis whole approach and mentality when it comes to European competition is piss WEAK.

The man was whining about EL draw against Utd for crying out loud. A weak Sevilla with the right mentality put Utd to the sword while we choked in Europe for the umpteenth time.
Our squad has holes no doubt but for me the weakest link is Xavi. Put any half decent manager in and we would have got out of the group with Bayern.
Inter making the final just gives Xavi more excuses.
He just enjoys beating la liga fodder on a Sunday as opposed to high pressure European ties. Flat track bully with no tactical acumen.

 

[delancey]

Tired of RM still churning out wins in CL despite turgid play...but I honestly don't see how Inter can beat them if City fail to do the job at home.

A team like Inter is the kind of team RM tends to feast on (Juve, AM types).

Also, if Pep chokes this at home (unlikely, he is beast in CL at home), he really can't get it done without Messi, Xavi, Iniesta in Europe. I don't like reductionist takes, but after having strong squads for 10 years and failing repeatedly, it's tough to defend him in CL

I am of the opinion that Pep’s squad is strong for he makes it strong. He brings out the best in his players. Look at Chelsea, for example, after having spent 600m, with Lampard at the helm. A great example of how one can have the best machinery but without knowing how to use it, what’s the point?

or… look closer to home. Xavi has One of the best goal keepers in the world, Christensen, Araujo, Kounde, Pedri, De Jong, Dembele, Lewandowski, Raphinha, Ferran and Fati, but has no clue how to use these great players offensively. They are all underperforming. Each and every one in our front line. Hence why we are getting knocked out of the Europa League first round, and churning out countless 0-0 and 1-0 results in La Liga, while still playing some the most boring football in Europe.

Point is, leadership and management matters just as much as the players. I say significantly more. Besides, Pep an ideologist. Had he played boring Italian style football, he would have been more successful in Europe. Thank goodness he sticks to his guns. He keeps beauty in football alive.

Ferguson, who wasn’t as good as Pep (GOAT) but still a generational talent as far as managers go, also struggled in Europe. Again, he is a good example of making good players perform way above average (at times), such as when he won the EPL for the last time before retirement. Simeone also brings out the best in his squad.

You could give Xavi or Lampard the Manchester City squad, and they would both make everyone see just how incredibly talented Pep is.

Pep will win it again, this season or another one.

 

[Birdy]

Anyone who puts Di Matteo in the same sentence as Inzaghi doesn't understand a thing about football.

When I say a thing, I mean a thing

 

[El Gato]

Anyone who puts Di Matteo in the same sentence as Inzaghi doesn't understand a thing about football.

When I say a thing, I mean a thing

Who did

 

[Birdy]

Who did

A Messi's lost orphan did