Champions League

[khaled_a_d]

Too bad our game is at the same time with Liverpool - Bayern.

Are they on same time or just same day? Read somewhere that this year games will be on different times
But UEFA website listed all games on same time, so not 100% sure

 

[Givenchy]

the perfect draw

Lyon are no joke, look how they did vs City but we should be beating them

Barca-Lyon
United-PSG
Madrid-Ajax
Schalke-City
Liverpool-Bayern
Dortmund-Spurs
Juve-Atleti - anyones game

 

[soul24rage]

Is this true

no. They will do the draw for the Quater final and the Semi final after the round of 16 is over.

 

[Centauri B]

These keyplayers have won against Paris 3-1 at home, away also 2-1 , destroyed Juve away 0-3, Bayern in their own stadium 2-1 and Liverpool in final 3-1.

But you could be right that Real will maybe win this tie but against a BIG team they will lose for sure without CR7.

ImO the reason why the offensive players are weaker than last season is that without Ronaldo who stick always 2-3 players they havent got much freedom to play. Look at Juve how many goals Manzukic is scoring, just because he has more freedom than ever.

Real's key players are all aging badly: Marcelo (30), Benzema (31), Ramos (32), Modric (33) There is also the issue of fatigue & motivation.

Ronaldo is not that great either this season, scoring just one goal in the CL. Mandzukic has eight goals in 18 apps, not too impressive either. Juventus are the most overrated team in the CL at this point.

 

[El Gato]

Real's key players are all aging badly: Marcelo (30), Benzema (31), Ramos (32), Modric (33) There is also the issue of fatigue & motivation.

Age doesn’t matter for many of them, like it didn’t with Pirlo. We only really need both playmakers to come good. Marcelo is the biggest concern. If he can’t bounce back to be our best attacker then we may as well play with 10 men. Either he gets his form back by February or Reguilon may play for stability and damage control.

Nothing has changed as to what this team is capable of. We could make it even to the final with a kind draw I.e. Porto/Roma next round (if possible?) and then Atleti, PSG or Spurs all of whom we can beat over 2 legs.

 

[Centauri B]

Age doesn’t matter for many of them, like it didn’t with Pirlo. We only really need both playmakers to come good. Marcelo is the biggest concern. If he can’t bounce back to be our best attacker then we may as well play with 10 men. Either he gets his form back by February or Reguilon may play for stability and damage control.

Nothing has changed as to what this team is capable of. We could make it even to the final with a kind draw I.e. Porto/Roma next round (if possible?) and then Atleti, PSG or Spurs all of whom we can beat over 2 legs.

I was referring to your form in this season and up to this point, which I'm sure you are not happy with.

Unlike most people, I would not write RM off just yet, and I expect you to be up for the CL KO games in two months time. As you say, I can see you going deep if the draw is the kind to you.

 

[Centauri B]

90-10 is too complacent of us to say. I'd say 60-40. Remember it is Valverde at the helm.

We are FC Barcelona & we have the GOAT on fire and with a point to prove.

Moreover, the influence of managers is so absurdly exaggerated by football fans and pundits. RM won 3 CL's on the trot with Zidane & United are Europe's laughing stock with the so-called Special One (a manager which I was the only one describing as a fake after his treble season at Inter)

 

[El Gato]

I was referring to your form in this season and up to this point, which I'm sure you are not happy with.

Unlike most people, I would not write RM off just yet, and I expect you to be up for the CL KO games in two months time. As you say, I can see you going deep if the draw is the kind to you.

Yeah, sure, and I just pointed out that age is kinda irrelevant to the players you named, no offense. Only a major factor in a matchup against a visibly fitter and better team, of which there are only 2 (City & LFC), one of whom we were still skilled enough to repel. Our lot put far more effort in spring, both in terms of keeping form and staying healthy.

I don’t think we will win anyway.

 

[Centauri B]

Yeah, sure, and I just pointed out that age is kinda irrelevant to the players you named, no offense. Only a major factor in a matchup against a visibly fitter and better team, of which there are only 2 (City & LFC), one of whom we were still skilled enough to repel. Our lot put far more effort in spring, both in terms of keeping form and staying healthy.

I don’t think we will win anyway.

I do not agree that age is not a factor with those players. Especially Modric. He is clearly done and dusted.

 

[El Gato]

I do not agree that age is not a factor with those players. Especially Modric. He is clearly done and dusted.

Not 'clearly'. With managed minutes he can still be an asset. We will see.

 

[Luftstalag14]

We are FC Barcelona & we have the GOAT on fire and with a point to prove.

Moreover, the influence of managers is so absurdly exaggerated by football fans and pundits. RM won 3 CL's on the trot with Zidane & United are Europe's laughing stock with the so-called Special One (a manager which I was the only one describing as a fake after his treble season at Inter)

We had Messi last season against Roma as well.

The influence of managers is not exaggerated at all. It is clear as day that our games under Valverde deteriorated so much and he made us a worse team, a more competent and capable manager would have made us much better.

All I am saying is we have no rights whatsoever to think this one is ours to lose. The shame inflicted by the Roma tie is still fresh.

 

[Ronaldinhobarca10]

We had Messi last season against Roma as well.

The influence of managers is not exaggerated at all. It is clear as day that our games under Valverde deteriorated so much and he made us a worse team, a more competent and capable manager would have made us much better.

All I am saying is we have no rights whatsoever to think this one is ours to lose. The shame inflicted by the Roma tie is still fresh.

+1

 

[Centauri B]

We had Messi last season against Roma as well.

The influence of managers is not exaggerated at all. It is clear as day that our games under Valverde deteriorated so much and he made us a worse team, a more competent and capable manager would have made us much better.

All I am saying is we have no rights whatsoever to think this one is ours to lose. The shame inflicted by the Roma tie is still fresh.

The Roma debacle was a gross miscalculation by everyone involved at the club, I don't think that it can be blamed entirely on EV. How has EV made us worse? I think we are going from strength-to-strength this season. Do you disagree?

Of course we had Messi last season as well, but by now I think it's clear that he is approaching this season's CL as a personal mission (for reasons too obvious to mention) We also have more options squad-wise this season, something that was never the case for many years now.

If managers are as important as most fans/pundits seem to think, then why nobody cares to sign Zidane? A manager who has "won" 3 CL's on the trot? That's more than Pep or Jose have won in way more years managing top clubs? I can give a million more examples of how reality violently contradicts popular opinion on the manager issue.

 

[El Gato]

It is clear as day that our games under Valverde deteriorated so much

4 losses in a calendar year.

and he made us a worse team

How?

, a more competent and capable manager would have made us much better.

Who? Realistically?

 

[Centauri B]

To all those who believe that managers make a heck of a lot of difference, I will ask this: who and precisely *why* are the top 5 managers in the world?