CL Round 6: Borussia - Barca

[Nello]

Uruguayooo

Christensen and Ansu also in final stretch of recovery. Squad is filling up and competition increases. Perhaps that's why we drop points, because everyone are afraid of losing their spots so they give 120% in training and have nog gas left for games

Yeah, feel like it hasn't made much of a difference yet however.
Remember looking forward to all the options we'd have when Frenkie, Ansu and Gavi would return.
Bar Frenkie's classico cameo, its still the same XI that produce results as at the start of the season, and they are getting run into the ground. None of Fermin, Ferran, Ansu (very limited time he's had I know), Gavi or Frenkie has managed to improve the team when subbed on or started.

Fermin been ok, Ferran hot trash, Ansu injured, Gavi needs more time and Frenkie is either mentally or physically not 100% over his injury yet.
I trust Araujo will do well when he's available, but feel like what's screwed us more than anything lately is the drop in quality as soon as we rotate and our starters already getting tired.

 

[Donauwelle]

I wish you luck tomorrow.

Tapalovic and Westermann played for Schalke... - BVB is their big enemy...

Flick has 5 matches - 5 wins against BVB.
Lewy has 26 games with 27 goals - he hasn't scored more goals against any other opponent...

 

[Loki]

Inigo looking like an AI crossbreed of Pique and Sergio Ramos right there.

To be honest, he had games this season where he played like it too

 

[TemporaryFan]

At this point, with the new format, I don't have the slightest clue how the UCL campaign progresses. I've been too lazy to educate myself on it. All I know is that I enjoy more matches, and that each one is different.
So far, except for the Monaco loss, everything else was won, so hopefully with this one being a win, the knock out stages are guaranteed.

 

[Fati_Future_BallonDor]

I wish you luck tomorrow.

Tapalovic and Westermann played for Schalke... - BVB is their big enemy...

Flick has 5 matches - 5 wins against BVB.
Lewy has 26 games with 27 goals - he hasn't scored more goals against any other opponent...

I know a lot of Dortmund and all of them hate Lewy because he scores always against them + celebrate🤣🤣

 

[Maradona37]

At this point, with the new format, I don't have the slightest clue how the UCL campaign progresses. I've been too lazy to educate myself on it. All I know is that I enjoy more matches, and that each one is different.
So far, except for the Monaco loss, everything else was won, so hopefully with this one being a win, the knock out stages are guaranteed.

Here's how it works:

Each of 36 teams plays 8 unique games against 8 different opponents, four home and four away. At the end of the group stage, each team will have played 8 matches. The top 8 (with goal difference, goals scored and so on being the tie breakers for equal points) go straight into the last 16, where they are seeded (think of them as group winners from the Groups A-H in previous format). Positions 9-16 will go into a preliminary knockout draw, where they will be seeded, and play a two-legged tie against the teams they are drawn against from 17-24 (who are unseeded). The winners of these ties will be unseeded in the round of 16 draw, similar to how the second-placed teams in Groups A-H in the previous format were unseeded. Positions 25-36 are eliminated from Europe altogether - no dropping to Europa League.

From the round of 16 the Champions League progresses as normal.

One possible caveat is that @Rassvet and others think it might work like 9th plays 24th, 10th plays 23rd and so on, but I don't think that is what will happen, though it might make sense if it did and make the games very intense til the end.

Also, in the final matchday all 18 games kick off at the same time. This is to eliminate potential collusion or teams knowing what to do playing in later kicks off, similar to the final round of group games in World Cups and Euros and so forth.

So it is an 8-8-8-12 split.

 

[MontenegrinCuler]

It is absolutely a prestigious match. Winning on Signal Iduna always gives you bragging rights. That's a UCL finalist, let's not forget.
I don't mean to upset anyone but I deem UCL campaign as a priority in my own hierarchy.

I mean, if you ask me what's more more exciting a UCL final against, say, ManCity or Inter or Bayern, or rather a classico match, deciding the La Liga Championship, I opt for the former without hesitation. Of course, it is best, if the both are won the same season which is still a possibility.

UCL campaign is definitely a priority. Isn't even arguable honestly.

We haven't won the CL in 10 years, it's beyond shameful. I can't understand all these people jerking it off La Liga when we dominated it for years while facing constant embarrassment in the CL. I would comfortably trade a CL win for the next 3 league seasons to be a total failure.

But yeah, I think a double is possible and even better long term as it would bring us back fully. CL win alone can't always be an indicator of some better times. Chelsea won it in 2021 but didn't do anything outside of it that season and hence they didn't continue it for long.

 

[Ter Stature]

Flick will destroy Dirtmund.

 

[Maradona37]

At this point, with the new format, I don't have the slightest clue how the UCL campaign progresses. I've been too lazy to educate myself on it. All I know is that I enjoy more matches, and that each one is different.
So far, except for the Monaco loss, everything else was won, so hopefully with this one being a win, the knock out stages are guaranteed.

Hi again mate

Here is more info on the draw - seems it's a little more complicated than just a straight draw

2024–25 UEFA Champions League knockout phase - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Fati_Future_BallonDor]

Its matchday lads🔥🔥🔥

Hansi is on fire, we wont lose this game.

Expect many goals, a 2-2 or 2-3 seems realistic

Lewy 1x, Yamal 1x, 0x🦈

 

[Maradona37]

Its matchday lads🔥🔥🔥

Hansi is on fire, we wont lose this game.

Expect many goals, a 2-2 or 2-3 seems realistic

Lewy 1x, Yamal 1x, 0x🦈

Yeah gone for 2-2

 

[Fati_Future_BallonDor]

Yeah gone for 2-2

Thank me later 💯🔥

 

[Maradona37]

Thank me later 💯🔥

I had already decided before you said

 

[Loki]

Its matchday lads🔥🔥🔥

Oh shit, the fun is over again!

 

[Andresito]

Could be due to an easy schedule, but Dortmund at home won 8 games and drew 1 (v Bayern) so far this season. Scored 27, conceded 8. Time to give them first home L.