Champs League

[Ultra]

Arsenal are missing a few defenders right now. That will cost them against United.

With Barca having too much strength for Chelsea, it looks like London will have to wait another year for the Champions League trophy.

[Guest]

I agree about the need for a change.

If they don't change it to a knockout, get rid of seedings. Let everyone have a chance of playing each other in the first round. Might liven things up early on.

Yes it's good for those clubs, but not English football. The money doesn't help lower-league or even lower Premier League clubs, and not even the England team.

They won't do that as the average armchair plastic is not interested in seeing anything but the so-called big teams. Gone are the days of the underdog.

The whole concept of the CL is in TV revenue, and doesn't give a crap about fans who may want to go to games, or are interested in football as a whole, and not just those teams we are supposed to like.

[Uncle Albert]

Changing the Champions League would be shit.

It's the best competition in the world, I love Champs League night. All pile round someone's house to watch the matches and get a few sweepstakes going on the match. Lovely stuff.

The Champions League is even better as English teams dominate in the competition.

United again looked weak but had one moment of magic to see them through, I think Arsenal will cause United a few problems in the Semi's. Looks like we are garunteed an awesome Final whoever get's there out of United, Arsenal, Barca or Chelsea. I will be happy if its anywhere as good as last years.

I dont know why there is a 3 week gap between the first and second legs? Bit strange, seeing as the Quarters was all over within 2 weeks.

Hoping for a United Chelsea Final.

[Edmund]

Agree with the C-Man really.

While everyone's having a big wank fest about how good English football is or how much Britain's dominating sport because of this I personally just find it really boring.

I had this moan a lot last year, too. I don't get why anyone would want to see 3 English teams in the semis. I know the Liverpool - Chelsea game was good but generally we can watch English teams play each other in our domestic competitions at any time.

Why would we want to see it AGAIN in the Champions League?

I strongly believe there should be less representitives from the strongest countries, really. Takes the fun and variation out of it.

Hang on weren't you arguing that in The Euro/World Cup qualifiers that the smaller nations should be given equal opportunity. Why should stronger nations be penalised in the champions league but not International?

[welck12]

Hang on weren't you arguing that in The Euro/World Cup qualifiers that the smaller nations should be given equal opportunity. Why should stronger nations be penalised in the champions league but not International?

I could be wrong, but i think he was trying to say that all the nation should have the same number of entrants regardless of size/strength of the league. I.e england and spain should have the same as sweden and russia etc

[Uncle Albert]

I could be wrong, but i think he was trying to say that all the nation should have the same number of entrants regardless of size/strength of the league. I.e england and spain should have the same as sweden and russia etc

That would be bollocks then because then if we only had 2 teams going into the Champions League, then the other 2 out of the top 4 would go into the UEFA Cup and then teams finishing in 5th and 6th would be without a place in Europe.

Which way do people want it to be?

[Edmund]

I could be wrong, but i think he was trying to say that all the nation should have the same number of entrants regardless of size/strength of the league. I.e england and spain should have the same as sweden and russia etc

If they were to do this you would still end up with the same top teams reaching the final and then like albert said the other teams would have no chance of winning the uefa cup due to the influx of higher ranked teams being demoted.

It is just fine how it is now. How people can call the champions league boring and predictable after the 4-4 draw at stamford bridge, Liverpool's victorious comeback in Istanbul are just complaing for the sake of it.

The standard would drop and all that would happen is the big teams will piss all over the smaller teams that would start flooding the competition.

[welck12]

I want the champions league back to what it should be; league winners (and holders) only in a knockout format. It gives the competition a bit more prestigue (sp) i feel.

If they want to get more tv revenue have this "europa league" that they have planned with 2-5th placed teams (and cup winners) then they still have the same big teams playing regulary to generate the revenue they want.

[Uncle Albert]

I want the champions league back to what it should be; league winners (and holders) only in a knockout format. It gives the competition a bit more prestigue (sp) i feel.

If they want to get more tv revenue have this "europa league" that they have planned with 2-5th placed teams (and cup winners) then they still have the same big teams playing regulary to generate the revenue they want.

So the Europa League would have a potential 7 English teams in it? Have a day off will you.

[welck12]

So the Europa League would have a potential 7 English teams in it? Have a day off will you.

Didnt phrase that right, meant to be a combination of 2-5th in the league and the cup winners in some form totalling 4 or whatever they set as our allocation

[Uncle Albert]

Didnt phrase that right, meant to be a combination of 2-5th in the league and the cup winners in some form totalling 4 or whatever they set as our allocation

It doesnt matter how you phrase it because it wont be happening anytime soon.

[C-man]

I have to admit, I do enjoy nights at the pub at Uni with the Champions League on. I'm usually cheering on the underdog, which is pretty much always not the English team. More to do with winding up these massive club followers than wanting the English teams to fail.

[welck12]

It doesnt matter how you phrase it because it wont be happening anytime soon.

Yep because uefa are a bunch of money grabbing c*nts, just like every other sport governing body in the world today.

If there gonna call it the "champions leauge" it should be champions only, simple in my view.

[Uncle Albert]

Yep because uefa are a bunch of money grabbing c*nts, just like every other sport governing body in the world today.

If there gonna call it the "champions leauge" it should be champions only, simple in my view.

So we will have a League consisting of about 12 teams? No not happening.

So what if UEFA are making money? Them making money goes to teams for progressing in the Champions League and the UEFA Cup, if a team wins in one of these competitions they are looking at about £150,000 a game, even if they lose they get £50,000. Plus all the TV money they get for SKY and ITV showing their games on TV.

So really they arent 'money grabbing cunts' because they plow alot of money back into football. Teams like Aalborg would of made a nice wack off this years Champions League and they only won 1 game I think and they would still of been looking at about £1 million profit for 6 games in the Champions League.

If you have such a problem with these 'Money grabbing Cunts' then the simple thing is dont watch the Champions League.

[purpleronnie]

Well after the chelski match last night was as dull as....

Great results for the 'english :D' teams last night. Didnt think Man u would do it but it was pretty straight forward in the end. Although my prediction of Man U V Barca final is back on.

I cant see Barca being stopped, I'm not that bothered who wins but a little part of me hopes Arsenal win it.

[Ultra]

If you have such a problem with these 'Money grabbing Cunts' then the simple thing is dont watch the Champions League.

...or buy anything from their sponsors..

Anyone calling for a return to the old "league champions only" format is deluded. There's no way the likes of Real Madrid, Juve or Bayern are going to be dumped in favour of some no-mark village club from Andorra or Liechtenstein..

[Guest]

...or buy anything from their sponsors..

Anyone calling for a return to the old "league champions only" format is deluded. There's no way the likes of Real Madrid, Juve or Bayern are going to be dumped in favour of some no-mark village club from Andorra or Liechtenstein..

So basically UEFA is being run by the clubs looking after their own interests, and not for the interests of football.

Good stuff.

[welck12]

...or buy anything from their sponsors..

Anyone calling for a return to the old "league champions only" format is deluded. There's no way the likes of Real Madrid, Juve or Bayern are going to be dumped in favour of some no-mark village club from Andorra or Liechtenstein..

I know its never going to happen i just believe thats how it should be

[Edmund]

So basically UEFA is being run by the clubs looking after their own interests, and not for the interests of football.

Good stuff.

But whats the point in having teams like Cork City in the champions league. They will just get stuffed 20-0 or so.

[Darkzzz_]

Who cares... As long as the English clubs are dominating it then its the best competition in the world. The English dominance is so great in world football at the minute that nobody needs to turn up to next years world cup, England have already won it!

England are the best. The English players are ruling the champions league and world football. Enough said.

[Finnegan]

Hang on weren't you arguing that in The Euro/World Cup qualifiers that the smaller nations should be given equal opportunity. Why should stronger nations be penalised in the champions league but not International?

I'm just saying I think it's a bit excessive that the third and fourth placed teams from any league get to qualify for the Champions League.

Particularly when it perpetuates a boring cycle of England vs England ties.

Uncle Albert's entitled to his opinion but I don't understand it at all. We've got the FA Cup, the League Cup and the Premiership already, plus we've got the Community Shield. We've got plenty of opportunities to see Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal play each other.

Why would you want to watch it again in the Champions League when you COULD be watching the best our nation has to offer going up against the best from Spain, France, Holland, Italy, Germany, etc?

[Manwell Pablo]

I'm just saying I think it's a bit excessive that the third and fourth placed teams from any league get to qualify for the Champions League.

Particularly when it perpetuates a boring cycle of England vs England ties.

Uncle Albert's entitled to his opinion but I don't understand it at all. We've got the FA Cup, the League Cup and the Premiership already, plus we've got the Community Shield. We've got plenty of opportunities to see Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal play each other.

Why would you want to watch it again in the Champions League when you COULD be watching the best our nation has to offer going up against the best from Spain, France, Holland, Italy, Germany, etc?

We already see that, your arguement will lead to us watching them giz over the champions of Wales 47-0, and we all know the Welsh are shit at football.

[Edmund]

Particularly when it perpetuates a boring cycle of England vs England ties.

Fair enough everyone has an opinion but were you oblivious to the going ons at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday?

Id rather watch two attacking english teams with non stop entertainment than a English team up against a boring all out to defend Italian side.

[Darkzzz_]

Fair enough everyone has an opinion but were you oblivious to the going ons at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday?

Id rather watch two attacking english teams with non stop entertainment than a English team up against a boring all out to defend Italian side.

Stereotyped.... Yet again.

Ok, the Italian sides are lacking that bit of class at the moment, domestically bar Inter running away with it, Serie A has been a joy to watch. Chelsea defended for their lives against Juve recently and Arsenal just scrapped past Roma in a dull affair.

If you watched the league more you would probably see that Serie A is more attacking than ever, goals galore in fact. I am not saying you have to love it, but I just hate this sterotypical comment regarding Italy, I am sure you won't be complaining if an Italian manger leads England to world cup glory.

I am not saying it is as strong as the Premier League, before the mob start coming out with their stupidity, but it isn't boring, well not from the games I watch anyway. But what do I know. Eh?

[Finnegan]

We already see that, your arguement will lead to us watching them giz over the champions of Wales 47-0, and we all know the Welsh are shit at football.

I think we both know that's not what I'm saying.

Fair enough everyone has an opinion but were you oblivious to the going ons at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday?

Id rather watch two attacking english teams with non stop entertainment than a English team up against a boring all out to defend Italian side.

Yeah but with the honourable exception of Chelsea and Liverpool most England vs England ties are fairly boring affairs. Some of the best matches I can remember in recent years were against foreign teams.

Chelsea vs Monaco at the hands of Fernando Morientes? Chelsea against Valencia, David Silva's screamer? The Arsenal vs Barca final? The Liverpool vs AC Milan final? Porto's clashes with Man Utd? (It was Man Utd's tedious defensive display that spoiled the last game)

They're just a few that spring to mind.