Champions League

[Horatio]

Cristiano with an assist today. SIUUUU

You guys won’t believe me I can tell

 

[serghei]

Can?t see City getting close to the CL again without a striker. Same problems persist for them.

Level is not great in CL. Chelsea this year won it with all of their strikers shooting blanks. Their main goalscorer in the Prem was Jorginho . City could fall short again, but imo, there's a good chance they'll make the semifinals without much fuss. Let's see the draws.

Still, with a top striker, City would improve their chances by a great deal. Now I wouldn't say they're favorites, but they have a shot to win it.

 

[KingLeo10]

Deciding between Bayern or Pool winning their 7th CL (most likely two at the moment) is like choosing between death or death.

 

[serghei]

Deciding between Bayern or Pool winning their 7th CL (most likely two at the moment) is like choosing between death or death.

I'd take Pool if push comes to shove.

 

[FinBarcelonafan]

Deciding between Bayern or Pool winning their 7th CL (most likely two at the moment) is like choosing between death or death.

Few teams who can win it this season. Too early to say who is the favourite.

 

[serghei]

Few teams who can win it this season. Too early to say who is the favourite.

Yea, too early, but a top 4 is pretty decent bet. Bayern, City, Chelsea, Liverpool. PSG with an outside chance. No Spanish or Italian team will even get a sniff. They all need a lot of luck at the draws.

 

[Birdy]

I mean I hate to take Jammy side but this is a slightly patchy position to take.
Pool 04-05 not even the same as years after. Even Dudek who had that mad game in Istanbul did a podcast last week and told stories how Houllier came down to dressing room after the 2005 CL win to take photos with players he assembled. To which Benitez 'took offense' and basically went and replaced 3/4 of the side, because he wanted to validate himself.

They weren't a joke in cups, but they weren't the same side either. And that 2005 side was comfortably worse than the followups despite some mad results leading up to the 2005 final.

This basically
Houllier coming to the dressing room attests to the fact that the team that won CL in 2005 was his team,
it was the final stage of the team he created (and won the domestic and UEFA cups), managed at the time by Benitez
And that 04-05 Liverpool team was an average side as Morten said.
Many average sides have won CL, no need to shock about it

Now, the team that Benitez eventually built that went on to play a final in 07 and semis in 08 is a different story,
is a different team eventually.
Whether that Benitez team was any good is a different discussion

 

[Horatio]

PSG more favourites than you think.

 

[El Gato]

Don't they normally storm the groups and fold to the first serious opponent later?

 

[Birdy]

Yea, too early, but a top 4 is pretty decent bet. Bayern, City, Chelsea, Liverpool. PSG with an outside chance. No Spanish or Italian team will even get a sniff. They all need a lot of luck at the draws.

Kind of a agree with the above.
These are the top-4 this season, but how far they get depends on many factors

My hunch is Bayern will become even better under Nagelsman, and will def. be the team to beat this season

 

[FinBarcelonafan]

Yea, too early, but a top 4 is pretty decent bet. Bayern, City, Chelsea, Liverpool. PSG with an outside chance. No Spanish or Italian team will even get a sniff. They all need a lot of luck at the draws.

I think you are right.

 

[KingLeo10]

I think PSG v City Etihad will tell us a lot about who the 4th of the "elite" is. I'm not sold on either but I think PSG have more upside (and also more potential to combust).

 

[Horatio]

I think PSG is the team with most potential and can actually get there. Season is still long lads.

I mean...have you guys seen Donnarumma today? A keeper like that almost alone will win you CL.

 

[Horatio]

Saw Milan Atletico. Milan completely robbed by my boy Cakir. That was no penalty lol.

 

[Gnidrologist]

This PSG plays pretty much like Barca with Messi in recent times. No team koherence and dependence on his goals (or Mbappes, when he does it). I'm pretty sure this will be continuous phenomena. Also their midfield is horrendous. Never understood what they were even trying to do. Veratti needs to put three shifts, because otherwise they basically have to go straight from defense to front 3. Nice goal though. Don't like these dudebros, but can't help and feel good for Messi, especially when it's such a golazo.