Champions League 2025/26

[Super_horns]

Yes cannot see Real or  PSG not scoring on the break tbh .

 

Arsenal will probably win 1-0 and Liverpool 2-0 with no away hand to cheer Galatasaray on.

 

Newcastle will get beaten as well but close .

[Wsl]

11 minutes ago, Dan said:

This is classic English sides in Europe. Dominate where it's less important and found out when the pressure's on.

I don't think that's fair; both Man City and Arsenal have played more matches across all competitions than PSG and Real Madrid have, for example. That matters with the swift turnaround of games at this level. And the last 10 years of the Champions League have had 7 PL finalists. Spain is next with 4 (all Real), Italy 3 and Germany and France 2. That doesn't sound like a weak league and teams that fold under knock-out pressure to me. The PL has many flaws, but a league of bottlers it isn't.

[Wsl]

31 minutes ago, Fear Of The Fox said:

French league is a class above PL right now. 

If that's right, I'd expect more French teams in the CL last 16 than 1, PSG. France's only finalist for a decade. Especially with the new league stage. You get more chances, less luck of the draw and one bad game being the difference as it can be in a small group stage. But only AS Monaco got through to the knock out playoffs. And were beaten by PSG. Don't mind being proved wrong, but I'd expect a lot more successful representation if the French League was truly a class above.   

[fazzyfox]

Watching the goals Spurs conceded, the keystone Cops are going to sue for breach of copyright.

 

Got me thinking about Spider Kalac and also Danny Ward against Wolves where he apparently asked to be subbed at half time.

 

At one point after the 3rd goal vs Bolton (?) Kalac sat in the box motionless, head in his hands (until he dropped it) I thought “he’s not getting up, there’s no way he can carry on”. Not subbed off, no team mates reaching out, thousands of miles from home, left to face it and get on with it. In his next appearance for us at Wembley, ironically subbed on,  he was absolutely faultless and his mere presence was pivotal in our win .
 

[Wymsey]

3 hours ago, Parafox said:

Real V ManC

 

You gotta laugh. 3-0. Serves that cheating, fraudulent club right. 

Know it has been said many times, but when will anyone - finally - hear about the outcome of their 115 charges?..

Edited 12 March by Wymsey

[purpleronnie]

So funny watching sky sports not understanding how english teams could struggle..LOL.

[purpleronnie]

11 hours ago, Parafox said:

Real V ManC

 

You gotta laugh. 3-0. Serves that cheating, fraudulent club right. 

Got 18/5 on madrid, some crazy prices when english teams play in europe.

[foxfanazer]

Poor showing from all of the English sides so far apart from Newcastle 

Edited 12 March by foxfanazer

[Fox92]

10 hours ago, BrilliantFox said:

Maresca truly was Chelsea's saviour and they didn't back him 

 

 

Chelsea's "saviour" for winning a trophy they should have won, the prestigious Conference League (which West Ham won only two years previous), and the Club World Cup which I wouldn't even call a trophy  

 

Also, genuinely, why do you roll out this "they didn't back him"? They spent stupid amounts of money during his time there (Felix and Neto were more than £40m each, Dewsbury-Hall and Delap were £30m each, Garnacho £40m, Pedro £55m.. I could go on..).

[Finnegan]

31 minutes ago, Fox92 said:

Chelsea's "saviour" for winning a trophy they should have won, the prestigious Conference League (which West Ham won only two years previous), and the Club World Cup which I wouldn't even call a trophy  

 

Also, genuinely, why do you roll out this "they didn't back him"? They spent stupid amounts of money during his time there (Felix and Neto were more than £40m each, Dewsbury-Hall and Delap were £30m each, Garnacho £40m, Pedro £55m.. I could go on..).

 

Chelsea don't really back any of their managers. They just sign a bunch of high profile, young attacking midfielders like there's going to be a shortage at some point. It's weird. 

 

Maresca specifically wanted A. a smaller squad and B. a better defence and they went "lol OK then" and gave him, well, the above. 

 

[RonnieTodger]

These penalties are a joke. Vinicius and Madueke not even touched. 
 

VAR just exists to give even more penalties in Europe. 

[Fox92]

33 minutes ago, Finnegan said:

 

Chelsea don't really back any of their managers. They just sign a bunch of high profile, young attacking midfielders like there's going to be a shortage at some point. It's weird. 

 

Maresca specifically wanted A. a smaller squad and B. a better defence and they went "lol OK then" and gave him, well, the above. 

 

I read into "not backing him" wrong then, fair enough if he wanted players and they go for totally different. They do seem a bizarre club now but I don't ever think he was their "saviour". 

[Finnegan]

Just now, Fox92 said:

I read into "not backing him" wrong then, fair enough if he wanted players and they go for totally different. They do seem a bizarre club now but I don't ever think he was their "saviour". 

 

Tbf it's not just you the media do it all the time. People equate £ spent with quality. Just because they spent a lot of cash it doesn't mean it was well spent or what the coach wanted. 

 

Nobody suffers from this more than Man Utd head coaches who have had gazillions spent "for" them on mostly wank. 

 

[Stuntman_Mike]

Just seen about Bodo/Glimt winning 5 in a row in the CL before Man Utd have in the PL.

 

Surreal really. 

[Dan]

19 hours ago, Wsl said:

I don't think that's fair; both Man City and Arsenal have played more matches across all competitions than PSG and Real Madrid have, for example. That matters with the swift turnaround of games at this level. And the last 10 years of the Champions League have had 7 PL finalists. Spain is next with 4 (all Real), Italy 3 and Germany and France 2. That doesn't sound like a weak league and teams that fold under knock-out pressure to me. The PL has many flaws, but a league of bottlers it isn't.

I stress I'm saying this as somebody who thinks that the Premier League is the strongest league - I think our average team, say Brentford, is better than the Spanish or German equivalent. But in terms of actually hammering home the dominance I tend to find there's too much emphasis on less important games and when the chips are down, English sides are often found wanting. It's very much the case with the national team as well.

 

It's probably a good thing for the overall health of football that this happens, because English sides financially have the ability to really dominate and generally it just doesn't really happen. I do concede that Real Madrid are a big reason for it, and Sevilla back in the day as well.

 

I mean if this Arsenal side is the best team in Europe then just wrap it all up. I suspect they will meet their match in Europe soon - I don't think they're capable of knocking out Barcelona and then Bayern.

Edited 12 March by Dan

[DJW1]

The oficial UEFA rankings show that the English League has been the strongest for 4 of the last 5 seasons

[purpleronnie]

TBH I couldn't care less how many quarter final places a particular league has.  The only thing that matters in winning the trophy.  And spainish clubs do that better than anyone else.

[Fear Of The Fox]

19 hours ago, Wsl said:

If that's right, I'd expect more French teams in the CL last 16 than 1, PSG. France's only finalist for a decade. Especially with the new league stage. You get more chances, less luck of the draw and one bad game being the difference as it can be in a small group stage. But only AS Monaco got through to the knock out playoffs. And were beaten by PSG. Don't mind being proved wrong, but I'd expect a lot more successful representation if the French League was truly a class above.   

Maybe I wasn't clear enough. The quality of football in Ligue 1 games is better in my eyes. Most games flow better, I'm general feels more attractive the football there. I wasn't talking about success or overall quality of the teams compared to the PL teams. 

[Nalis]

9 hours ago, RonnieTodger said:

These penalties are a joke. Vinicius and Madueke not even touched. 
 

VAR just exists to give even more penalties in Europe. 

I cant stand Vini Jnr or Real Madrid but he was definitely clipped by Donnarumma 

[Stuntman_Mike]

It feels like so much has been made of the English clubs struggling in the CL all of a sudden because of one round of bad/disappointing results. Even then, there's a chance of progression still.

 

English teams made up 5 of the top 8 in the final table and all 6 made it through to the knockouts, so I'm not sure why such a big deal is being made of it.

 

Maybe it's just the way of the media and the need for extremes one way or another.

[Langston]

Very dubious pen for Sporting CP to draw level with Bodo Glimt!!!!

[Super_horns]

Just now, Langston said:

Very dubious pen for Sporting CP to draw level with Bodo Glimt!!!!

Shame for Bodo .

 

Looks like one gsme too many ?

[Arkie Bennett]

I guess everyone's a PSG fan tonight!

[Jaspa]

Øh nø Bodø brøs

[RowlattsFox]

Looks like handball.