Champions League 2024/25

[st albans fox]

2 hours ago, st albans fox said:

Fancy Madrid with arsenal missing Gabriel 

this is why I don’t gamble 😄

[foxes_rule1978]

3 nil Arsenal, that is a dream first leg, still work to be done but you have to have Arsenal clear favourites to go through now 

[the fox]

Am sorry but when did Rice acquire Yaya Tourè's shooting? It just looks AI generated that 2nd freekick

Edited 8 April by the fox

[spacemunky]

9 minutes ago, Nalis said:

Anyone watch the Bayern Inter match? Stats suggest it was a smash and grab by Inter

Didn't see any of it. I do know that Musiala was out and Bayern aren't nearly as good without him.

[the fox]

 

[Finnegan]

On the average night I think Declan Rice is wildly, wildly over rated. 

 

But credit where it's due, that's two of the best free kicks I've seen in ages. The second was one of the most satisfying hits to watch in years. 

 

[Finnegan]

39 minutes ago, Nalis said:

Anyone watch the Bayern Inter match? Stats suggest it was a smash and grab by Inter

 

Lovely, lovely first Inter goal. Class. 

 

Smash and grab is kinda what they do. Brilliant defensive side with some great counter attackers. Love Lautaro, real rat at times but class, like Vards mixed with a bit more number 10.

 

Enjoyed a completely Muller goal as well

 

[Torquay Gunner]

16 minutes ago, Finnegan said:

On the average night I think Declan Rice is wildly, wildly over rated. 

 

But credit where it's due, that's two of the best free kicks I've seen in ages. The second was one of the most satisfying hits to watch in years. 

 

Hard to believe they were his first free kicks scored at senior level. 

[PhillippaT]

38 minutes ago, Torquay Gunner said:

Hard to believe they were his first free kicks scored at senior level. 

:O

[Super_horns]

Blimey credit to Arsenal there .

 

Great free kicks by rice .

[Dan]

Real Madrid have had that coming a while in all honesty. They've been getting away with it a lot this season. They often coast through a season then really hit their stride when March arrives but they still look like early season Real Madrid to me. Not quite feeling them this year but probably shouldn't write them off either.

 

PSG and Barcelona look the two best teams in it for me this year. Can see that being the final.

 

I'm going to have to see it to believe it with Arsenal, but fair play, I didn't expect that.

[foxy boxing]

You can never discount Real Madrid even 3 goals down from the first leg but an amazing performance by the Gunners. Honestly didn't think they had anything like that  in them.

[TheGoldenGod]

6 hours ago, foxy boxing said:

You can never discount Real Madrid even 3 goals down from the first leg but an amazing performance by the Gunners. Honestly didn't think they had anything like that  in them.

I get what you're saying but in this case I think the tie is completely over. This isn't a good Real Madrid side and frankly I found the signing of Mbappe completely egregious. They won the CL without him and now its a too many cooks for me. They also want Zubamendi despite them being completely stacked in that midfield area (to the point that Valverde is playing as a fullback) and also are close to getting Trent. 

Sometimes getting the "biggest" names isn't the answer. but it's all Real Madrid know.

[Leicesterpool]

Problem is you got never can rule out Real Madrid under Ancelotti plus Arteta has bottled things in the past. 

[Leicesterpool]

28 minutes ago, TheGoldenGod said:

I get what you're saying but in this case I think the tie is completely over. This isn't a good Real Madrid side and frankly I found the signing of Mbappe completely egregious. They won the CL without him and now its a too many cooks for me. They also want Zubamendi despite them being completely stacked in that midfield area (to the point that Valverde is playing as a fullback) and also are close to getting Trent. 

Sometimes getting the "biggest" names isn't the answer. but it's all Real Madrid know.

Interesting point you made about Real Madrid and big names. I remember mid 00s Madrid had pretty much all top players from around the globe playing for them and during that period they had a bit of dull period.

 

Likes of Ronaldo (original), Figo, Zidane, Beckham, Carlos, Owen, Casillas, Raul.

 

Of course the amazing Jonathan Woodgate 😆

[Torquay Gunner]

43 minutes ago, TheGoldenGod said:

I get what you're saying but in this case I think the tie is completely over. This isn't a good Real Madrid side and frankly I found the signing of Mbappe completely egregious. They won the CL without him and now its a too many cooks for me. They also want Zubamendi despite them being completely stacked in that midfield area (to the point that Valverde is playing as a fullback) and also are close to getting Trent. 

Sometimes getting the "biggest" names isn't the answer. but it's all Real Madrid know.

I think PSG are a prime example, never won the CL with Mbappe, Neymar and briefly Messi.  Too many egos and they look a much better team now.

[TheGoldenGod]

29 minutes ago, Torquay Gunner said:

I think PSG are a prime example, never won the CL with Mbappe, Neymar and briefly Messi.  Too many egos and they look a much better team now.

Yup and were often labelled as petulant, childlike and just couldn't keep their composure as a group. Those 3 you mentioned never tracked back, so quite a selfish way of playing that won't get you far!

 

I feel the same is happening to Real Madrid. The way Vini Jr handled the Balon D'or snub was downright horrid and Camavinga losing his head last night cause it wasn't going well. Seeing very similar patterns.

[Leicesterpool]

Only one player can save Real Madrid now.

 

 

[Torquay Gunner]

27 minutes ago, TheGoldenGod said:

Yup and were often labelled as petulant, childlike and just couldn't keep their composure as a group. Those 3 you mentioned never tracked back, so quite a selfish way of playing that won't get you far!

 

I feel the same is happening to Real Madrid. The way Vini Jr handled the Balon D'or snub was downright horrid and Camavinga losing his head last night cause it wasn't going well. Seeing very similar patterns.

I take your point, however Vinicius Jr clearly believed racism played a part in that decision, which is why he acted as he did.  As journalists from FIFA ranking countries make up the voting panel I would like to think not.  

[whoareyaaa]

Those freekicks where insane, great second half Real Madrid fell to pieces, looking forward to PSG Villa tonight.

Edited 9 April by whoareyaaa

[Leicesterpool]

Is it shaping up to be a PSG v Barcelona final.

 

Be good if Arsenal can hang on to what they got and Villa can pull of something against PSG. Guarantee one English club to make it.

Edited 9 April by Leicesterpool

[Finnegan]

17 minutes ago, Torquay Gunner said:

I take your point, however Vinicius Jr clearly believed racism played a part in that decision, which is why he acted as he did.  As journalists from FIFA ranking countries make up the voting panel I would like to think not.  

 

A selection of the countries that voted for Rodri:

 

Australia, Ghana, Palestine (and Israel, aww!), Serbia, Zambia, China, Chile, Finland, Uganda.

 

Pretty ****ing diverse.

 

Rodri was just outstanding and deserved to win it. Think if people put their Man City dislike aside they'd probably accept that, too, and it's cool to see a defensive midfielder get that recognition for being so influencial.

 

I didn't particularly think (or realise?) his reaction was about alleged racism at the time, it seemed to me just entitlement because he lives in an echo chamber where the cult of Madrid have convinced him he's the best player in the world, when he isn't.

 

[Torquay Gunner]

19 minutes ago, Finnegan said:

 

A selection of the countries that voted for Rodri:

 

Australia, Ghana, Palestine (and Israel, aww!), Serbia, Zambia, China, Chile, Finland, Uganda.

 

Pretty ****ing diverse.

 

Rodri was just outstanding and deserved to win it. Think if people put their Man City dislike aside they'd probably accept that, too, and it's cool to see a defensive midfielder get that recognition for being so influencial.

 

I didn't particularly think (or realise?) his reaction was about alleged racism at the time, it seemed to me just entitlement because he lives in an echo chamber where the cult of Madrid have convinced him he's the best player in the world, when he isn't.

 

I think that is implied in his X post.  All the s**t he has had to deal with in Spain has played its part.  However, Rodri’s consistency for Man City last season was hugely impressive and he is clearly irreplaceable, as their results this season testify. 

 

https://www.espn.co.uk/football/story/_/id/43036467/vinicius-junior-aims-ballon-dor-dig-best-win

 

 

 

[purpleronnie]

Part of me still thinks Arsenal with bottle it, early goal in madrid and they could fall to pieces.

 

But i guess the money will be on a Barcelona v PSG final with Barcelona winning it.

 

Hard to dismiss teams like Inter Milan though, so difficult to score against and can look lethal up front when they get a chance.

[Finnegan]

8 minutes ago, Torquay Gunner said:

I think that is implied in his X post.  All the s**t he has had to deal with in Spain has played its part.  However, Rodri’s consistency for Man City last season was hugely impressive and he is clearly irreplaceable, as their results this season testify. 

 

https://www.espn.co.uk/football/story/_/id/43036467/vinicius-junior-aims-ballon-dor-dig-best-win

 

 

 

 

Who knows man, it just sounded like paranoid, entitled jibberish from an unbelievably massive ego.