Champions League 23/24

Who will win CL this season?


  • Total voters
    57

Temptation

Well-known member
My impression is that nobody complained after first leg, everyone is result-oriented, even Barca-fans.
Birdy was getting hate here for being Xavi out even after 3 good results.......

My take is that Madrid were insanely defensive against City and were horrendous to watch but like I said, it was an efficient strategy by Ancelotti to get a result. Ofcourse, you guys were lucky at the Etihad but the gameplan was well executed by your defenders and midfielders.

I agree that Madrid fans shouldn't care when they just made it to a CL semi final. As a neutral, I'm happy that Madrid made it but the style of play was very ugly.
 

ajnotkeith

Senior Member
Xavi has won like that plenty of times against poor opposition and fans eat it up and say 'we know how to suffer' then act like they care about Madrid shithousing a win against the best team in the world.

As Morten says, the bottom line is results, really, few people care much after that, and it isn't like Madrid don't play interesting games ever.
 

Morten

Senior Member
Birdy was getting hate here for being Xavi out even after 3 good results.......

My take is that Madrid were insanely defensive against City and were horrendous to watch but like I said, it was an efficient strategy by Ancelotti to get a result. Ofcourse, you guys were lucky at the Etihad but the gameplan was well executed by your defenders and midfielders.

I agree that Madrid fans shouldn't care when they just made it to a CL semi final. As a neutral, I'm happy that Madrid made it but the style of play was very ugly.

If we didn't get the early goal, we probably would have come out a bit more, after we got the dream start, Ancelotti was always going to go super-negative, sucks for the neutrals watching, but it is what it is.

It really is only Klopp that can consistently get results vs City by playing their normal game, for some reason.
 

Temptation

Well-known member
If we didn't get the early goal, we probably would have come out a bit more, after we got the dream start, Ancelotti was always going to go super-negative, sucks for the neutrals watching, but it is what it is.

It really is only Klopp that can consistently get results vs City by playing their normal game, for some reason.

I'm saying this as a guy who has always respected the greatness of RM(GOAT club), but it's been a long time since you lot had the stardust, va-va-voom and razzmatazz of being 'The Real Madrid'!


I reckon Real have been fairly average to watch post 2018. The style of play has been rather laboured and just lacks that effervescent exuberant fluidity I associate with RM pre 2018. RM is meant to be a red carpet, it represents box office entertainment value as the club of dreams. A one-off away game is fine but overall, the playing style needs to be easier on the eye for a club of this stature.


@Fati_Future_BallonDor do you agree with me?
 

Fati_Future_BallonDor

Well-known member
I'm saying this as a guy who has always respected the greatness of RM(GOAT club), but it's been a long time since you lot had the stardust, va-va-voom and razzmatazz of being 'The Real Madrid'!


I reckon Real have been fairly average to watch post 2018. The style of play has been rather laboured and just lacks that effervescent exuberant fluidity I associate with RM pre 2018. RM is meant to be a red carpet, it represents box office entertainment value as the club of dreams. A one-off away game is fine but overall, the playing style needs to be easier on the eye for a club of this stature.


@Fati_Future_BallonDor do you agree with me?

Imo the last time when Real played superior football was in 2017, after 2018 they were a few years average. In 2022 they didnt play well but had an unstoppable mentality not to give up. In Ethiad they played ugly but it was the only way to win the tie.
Most beautiful Real football was probably in the beginning of 14/15 when Isco was disco and Ronaldo was scoring like crazy 🧐
 
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FC B

Senior Member
Pep has stuck to his ideology and he's won just 1 UCL title in 11 attempts since leaving Barcelona. We've also failed to win the UCL since 2015. Madrid in that same period have won 5 and could possibly add another. At what point do we ask ourselves whether that style is really worth it? Can you even win with that style without all time great players like messi, Iniesta etc?
The style is clearly outdated at least for CL, in leagues it can still payoff pretty good, in the right circumstances, with City being the living proof.

Even with prime goat, Iniesta, Xavi and the rest and Pep as coach, it wasn't one single back to back win of CL by Barca with two "modern day Madrid style type of "eliminations in front of Inter an Chelsea though clearly Barca was miles ahead better than any other club at that time.

This style has too many limitations. Barca's Board needs to quit living in the romanticized past glory days of the club and start adapt and live in the present football days where except City's last year win every other CL win was done with a very different style of play.
 

FC B

Senior Member
Can't wait for Madrid vs Bayern.


The 2 biggest clubs on the planet. Proper European semi final this.


This is basically Tuchel's audition for the Barca job. If he beats Madrid, I'm pretty sure Laporta will sign him coz that's how his brain works.
Bayern of today isn't nowhere near what it used to be a few years ago. As a matter fact I cannot remember such a poor Bayern side. I've got zero trust in them to KO Madrid in the circumstances. Even when they are on top of their game and they manage to knock Madrid out it's pretty close battle up until the end of the tie.

I remain by what I said after the draws, it's Madrid's trophy if they manage to knock out City.
 

Temptation

Well-known member
Bayern of today isn't nowhere near what it used to be a few years ago. As a matter fact I cannot remember such a poor Bayern side. I've got zero trust in them to KO Madrid in the circumstances. Even when they are on top of their game and they manage to knock Madrid out it's pretty close battle up until the end of the tie.

I remain by what I said after the draws, it's Madrid's trophy if they manage to knock out City.
PSG can beat Madrid in a final. Mbappe can beat Madrid singlehandedly.
 

FC B

Senior Member
PSG can beat Madrid in a final. Mbappe can beat Madrid singlehandedly.
Theoretically Barca could've won this CL, could beat the crap out of Madrid tomorrow, could've even beat City but in practice it rarely happens so.

Almost everything is possible but many things are unlikely or very unlikely. Imo it's very likely Bayern won't stand a chance vs. Madrid like Paris won't stand a chance vs. them in a CL final. Ofc I'd love to be wrong and somehow for Madrid to get knocked out by Bayern but I really don't think it's going to happen so.
 

Temptation

Well-known member
Theoretically Barca could've won this CL, could beat the crap out of Madrid tomorrow, could've even beat City but in practice it rarely happens so.

Almost everything is possible but many things are unlikely or very unlikely. Imo it's very likely Bayern won't stand a chance vs. Madrid like Paris won't stand a chance vs. them in a CL final. Ofc I'd love to be wrong and somehow for Madrid to get knocked out by Bayern but I really don't think it's going to happen so.
This is just my prediction/gut feeling but both Bayern and PSG can beat RM. It's 50-50.
 

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