Champions League 2024-25

[RedxMAK]

I don't think Inter have master tactician. The thing with Inter is that they haven't really beaten anyone of note in CL. Make a list of their opponents and you have Milan, Porto, Benfica, Atletico, Feyenoord in the last seasons in knockouts. Strongest team out there is Atletico by far and they lost the tie.

You're right, this is the first time Inter Milan have faced a genuine formidable opponent since the 2023 final, the 2023 final they were the better team it was a shame they didn't win. As for this match, you could say Man City 2023 is more formidable than Bayern is now, but what have I learnt from the past few years is that you never doubt Bayern, yeah they might be stale and unimpressing at times but now they are extra motivated for FinaleDaHoam II so they would do anything possible to fix the mistakes of 2012.

 

[serghei]

Would it even rank among top 5 European defeat for us in the past decade?

For me, yes. It would be a massive bottlejob to lose to 10th place in Bundesliga after beating the teams we beat so far this season.

But the chances of that happening are less than 5%.

I know CL is unpredictable, but still...

 

[RedxMAK]

Would it even rank among top 5 European defeat for us in the past decade?

Icl, it would rank in the top 2, we have a better manager and mentality compared to Roma. We didn't implode in any big game so far and stayed committed to our great style of play and ruthless attacking intent.

 

[Porque]

Bayern have the second leg of the Semi at home and the final at home too.

That's a dangerous combination.

I'd prefer Inter to rid them at the Semi and Flick focusing on trying to outsmart a lesser attack.

 

[serghei]

Bayern have the second leg of the Semi at home and the final at home too.

That's a dangerous combination.

I'd prefer Inter to rid them at the Semi and Flick focusing on trying to outsmart a lesser attack.

Yeah, but somehow this Barca team doesn't care if we play at home or not. Might also be because there's not much that feels like home on Montjuic.

 

[Porque]

Yeah, but somehow this Barca team doesn't care if we play at home or not. Might also be because there's not much that feels like home on Montjuic.

Bayern lost their last final there too.

 

[serghei]

Yeah, I guess the only thing that makes me not see us as a Top 2 CL favorite at the moment is the fact we don't really play at home. I know Barca fans are not the most vocal out there, but there's a huge difference between a packed 100k crowd on Camp Nou and the Montjuic impact. Camp Nou had an intimidating factor for the opponent.

 

[JamDav1982]

Yeah, I guess the only thing that makes me not see us as a Top 2 CL favorite at the moment is the fact we don't really play at home. I know Barca fans are not the most vocal out there, but there's a huge difference between a packed 100k crowd on Camp Nou and the Montjuic impact. Camp Nou had an intimidating factor for the opponent.

Camp Nou didnt have that fear factor in Europe for years really but surely be better for Barca and the style of football and crowd could fuel one another.

 

[serghei]

Camp Nou didnt have that fear factor in Europe for years really but surely be better for Barca and the style of football and crowd could fuel one another.

Well, Camp Nou lost that factor when the team we had went down the drain and we were basically demoted to EL quality for a few years post-Bartomeu. But before that, it was common for us to smash teams in Camp Nou and struggle away. Even under EV all of the massive fuck-ups were away.

I believe that, even if Flick's team is much improved away from home than previous teams in recent memory, with a fully packed Camp Nou, we'd go up another gear.

 

[JamDav1982]

Well, Camp Nou lost that factor when the team we had went down the drain and we were basically demoted to EL quality for a few years post-Bartomeu. But before that, it was common for us to smash teams in Camp Nou and struggle away. Even under EV all of the massive fuck-ups were away.

I believe that, even if Flick's team is much improved away from home than previous teams in recent memory, with a fully packed Camp Nou, we'd go up another gear.

Barca were never a EL level squad despite some of those results and had taken some hammerings at home long before that.

Barca failing to beat Man Utd, Inter, Bayern, Frankfurt etc there was poor and before that over years lost some bad ones or failed to perform as good as should have.

 

[serghei]

When we had a great team we went undefeated at home in Europe since Bayern 0-3 defeat in 2013 until 0-3 vs Juve in 2021 I think. 8 years. That's a long time of never losing at home in Champions League.

I don't think I've ever seen something similar from any other team. Almost 8 years undefeated at home.

 

[RedxMAK]

When we had a great team we went undefeated at home in Europe since Bayern 0-3 defeat in 2013 until 0-3 vs Juve in 2021 I think. 8 years. That's a long time of never losing at home in Champions League.

I don't think I've ever seen something similar from any other team. Almost 8 years undefeated at home.

It was 7 years since Barcelona did lose to Juventus in December 2020.

 

[JamDav1982]

When we had a great team we went undefeated at home in Europe since Bayern 0-3 defeat in 2013 until 0-3 vs Juve in 2021 I think. 8 years. That's a long time of never losing at home in Champions League.

I don't think I've ever seen something similar from any other team. Almost 8 years undefeated at home.

Went out with draws at home in two of those years v Juventus and Atletico.

 

[serghei]

It was 7 years since Barcelona did lose to Juventus in December 2020.

7 years and 7-8 months. That Bayern defeat came in April or May 2013.

 

[serghei]

Went out with draws at home in two of those years v Juventus and Atletico.

Yeah, can't win them all. Intimidating home factor remains. But I agree, if we don't have a top level team, it doesn't matter as much.