Champions League Thread 2011/12

[Cripps_orig]

Uefa has also announced a new suspension for players deliberately incurring yellow cards in European competition.
http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/53487000/jpg/_53487378_ramos.jpg Ramos was fined for being booked deliberately last year
Last season Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho was handed a touchline ban and Xabi Alonso and Sergio Ramos were fined over incidents in the Champions League group game against Ajax last November when the two players earned second bookings for conspicuous time-wasting.

Barcelona's Andres Iniesta also faced allegations of a similar offence during his side's quarter-final win over Shakhtar Donetsk but escaped punishment.

Players found guilty of the offence in future will now be banned for two matches.

Infantino said: "Up to now, this kind of conduct has been penalised with a fine, but now there will be an additional match of suspension on top of the one automatically given after an accumulation of yellow cards.

"We are also strengthening our rules with regard to the whole cancer of match-fixing, manipulation and corruption by foreseeing measures giving the possibility to the disciplinary bodies and inspectors to co-operate much more closely with the public authorities.

"We are co-operating already, but we did not have the legal base - we will now have it much more clearly."

The meeting also set out the prize money for next year's European Championship in Poland and Ukraine, with £6.53m (7.5m euros) on offer to the winning team.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/13814982.stm

More proof of Barcas corruption

Pathetic really.

Also, how will UEFA prove that a player was deliberately booked?

[Master Splinter]

Also, how will UEFA prove that a player was deliberately booked?
If it's a Barca player, they get away with it as they would never do something like that. Everyone else did it deliberately.

Simple really tbf.

[Cripps_orig]

Rangers :lol:

Lost 1-0 at home to Malmo in the qualifiers

[Niall_Quinn]

Rangers :lol:

Lost 1-0 at home to Malmo in the qualifiers

Save the laughter until we are safely through our own qualifying stage. Let's just keep our heads down and fingers crossed.

[Cripps_orig]

Just practising for when/if we lose our qualifier.

In fact, i expect it so winning it will be a surprise

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Rangers.

:haha:

[Master Splinter]

Rangers.

:haha:

:gp:

Scottish football :haha:

[Elreactor]

Arsenal is not part of this competitio yet. We should wait a bit.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Why? The moment would've gone by then.

[Master Splinter]

I suppose we should delay all the :haha:s in next season's Weekend Fixtures thread until every Arsenal result comes in.

[Elreactor]

I suppose we should delay all the :haha:s in next season's Weekend Fixtures thread until every Arsenal result comes in.

No need for that, we can use it unscrupulously. In fact no one will even think of using the :cry: one, as the great Wenger prepared us to be tough guys and digest everything.

Wenger :bow:

[Cripps_orig]

Tuesday, 16 August 2011
Uefa Champions League Qualifying
Arsenal (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/a/arsenal/default.stm) v Udinese, PO, L1, 19:45
BATE Borisov v SK Sturm Graz, PO, L1, 19:45
FC Copenhagen v Plzen, PO, L1, 19:45
FC Twente v Benfica, PO, L1, 19:45
Lyon v Rubin Kazan, PO, L1, 19:45

[Master Splinter]

Rubin Kazan to destroy Lyon.

[Cripps_orig]

Thats probably the game of the round

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Twente 1-0 Benfica, De Jong. :unsure:

Lyon 1-1 Rubin Kazan. Dyadyun for Rubin, Gomis equalised for Lyon.

[Master Splinter]

BATE 0-1 Sturm Graz, Weber

Twente 1-0 Benfica, De Jong

Lyon 1-1 Rubin, Dyadyun then Gomis equalised.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

BATE Barisov 0-1 Sturm Graz, Weber.

[Master Splinter]

Cardozo equalises for Benfica. 1-1.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Twente 1-1 Benfica, Cardozo.

:lol: I'm way behind.

[Master Splinter]

1-2 Benfica, Nolito.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Twente 1-2 Benfica, Nolito.

[Master Splinter]

2-1 Lyon, Gomis again.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Lyon 2-1 Rubin, Gomis again.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Copenhagen 0-1 Viktoria Plzen, Kolar.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

BATE 1-1 Sturm Graz, Simic.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Copenhagen 0-2 Viktoria Plzen, Pilar.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Copenhagen 1-2 Viktoria Plzen, Ottesen.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Lyon 3-1 Rubin, Briand.

Lyon's second goal went to Kverkvelia (o.g) incidentally.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

1-3 Viktoria, Fillo.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Twente 2-2 Benfica, Ruiz.

[Cripps_orig]

This Ruiz is getting pretty good.

[Olivier's xmas twist]

Twente 2-2 Benfica, Ruiz.

Ruiz sign him wenger sign him lol

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Champions League goals on now.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Great strike from De Jong.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Benfica took the lead with a FIFA goal. :lol:

[Cripps_orig]

Harry and Kluivert sitting together

New striker probably?

[McNamara That Ghost...]

'Arry and Kluivert were sat next to each other. :unsure:

[Cripps_orig]

Ruiz is white? Thought he'd be black coming from Costa Rica.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Theo has become such a GHEL. It warms your heart.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

How did Bastos miss that?

:blink:

[Coney]

Theo has become such a GHEL. It warms your heart.

We is now well hard innit.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

What a goal from Fillo.

[Cripps_orig]

Odense v Villareal on Sky Sports 2 atm

0-0 atm

Bayern lead 1-0 v some team

[Coney]

Good goal by Robben. 2-0

[Cripps_orig]

1-0 Odense

Wtf Zapata?

Absolute shocker from him

[McNamara That Ghost...]

And Odense won 1-0.
Bayern Munich won 2-0 against Zurich.
Dinamo Zagreb 4-1 Malmo.
Maccabi Haifa 2-1 Genk.
Wisla Krakow 1-0 APOEL.

[Cripps_orig]

Tuesday, 23 August 2011
Uefa Champions League Qualifying
Apoel Nicosia v Wisla Krakow, (agg 0-1), PO, L2, 19:45
FC Zurich v Bayern Munich, (agg 0-2), PO, L2, 19:45
Genk v Maccabi Haifa, (agg 1-2), PO, L2, 19:45
Malmo v Dinamo Zagreb, (agg 1-4), PO, L2, 19:45
Villarreal v Odense BK, (agg 0-1), PO, L2, 19:45

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Villarreal vs Odense is on SS2. I suspect all the other matches are on the red button.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Come on Rossi. :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Zurich 0-1 Bayern Munich, Gomez.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

APOEL 1-0 Wisla Krakow.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Genk 1-0 Maccabi Haifa, Vossen.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Genk 1-1 Maccabi Haifa, Golsa.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Genk 2-1 Maccabi Haifa, Buffel. 3-3 on aggregate now. :popcorn:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Villarreal 1-0 Odense, Rossi. :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

APOEL 2-0 Wisla Krakow, Almeida.

[Marc Overmars]

Villarreal 1-0 Odense, Rossi. :bow:

A must get.




Oh yeah. :(

[McNamara That Ghost...]

There's still time.

For me to download Football Manager and get him.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Villarreal 2-0 Odense, Rossi again. :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Malmo 1-0 Dinamo Zagreb, Figueiredo.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

APOEL 2-1 Wisla Krakow, Wlk.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Valero sent off for Villarreal. :rolleyes:

I think Odense had been reduced to ten men earlier in the match too.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Villarreal 3-0 Odense, Marchena.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

APOEL 3-1 Wisla Krakow, Almeida again.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Malmo 2-0 Dinamo Zagreb, Jansson.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

APOEL, Bayern Munich, Dinamo Zagreb and Villarreal all through.

Extra-time to be played between Genk and Maccabi Haifa.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Rossi's second goal was great, on the volley. Brilliant cross.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Genk vs Maccabi Haifa is now on SS2, still 3-3 on aggregate.

Howard Webb is the ref. :haha:

[GP]

Rossi's second goal was great, on the volley. Brilliant cross.

Sign him up!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Maccabi Haifa hit the post!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Sign him up!

I haven't downloaded it yet!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

2-1 half time in extra time.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Cohen sent off for Maccabi Haifa, Howard Webb has done it again.

[Özim]

We could have got Rossi, but instead Wenger went for Lupoli. :(

[McNamara That Ghost...]

On to pelanties.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

We could have got Rossi, but instead Wenger went for Lupoli. :(

He had a good loan spell at Derby and er, that's about it.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Genk 1-0, Vossen.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Genk remain 1-0 up, terrible pelanty from Maccabi Haifa.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Genk 2-0 up, Hubert.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

And it remains 2-0 up. The keeper goes nuts not realising they aren't through yet. :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

3-0 Genk.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Genk 3-1 Maccabi Haifa.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Genk win 4-1!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Possible group: FC Barcelona, AC Milan, Manchester City, Borussia Dortmund


That would be immense.

Anyway, the draw is on Thursday. I'll post a thread in Arsenal debate tomorrow evening should we make it through.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

http://i.min.us/iefPnbIjn.gif

Valero is crazy.

[Master Splinter]

E. Honda :bow:.

[Darth Vela]

:lol:

Nice to see he learned something from his time at West Brom.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Fenerbahce have been removed from the competition due to an on-going matchfixing case!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Rubin Kazan 0-0 Lyon currently. Looking like Lyon will be going through, only twenty minutes or so remaining.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Great save from Lloris

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Rubin 1-0 Lyon, Natkho!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Rubin 1-1 Lyon, Kone. That will be that then.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

1-1 full time, Lyon through 1-4 on aggregate.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Wednesday, 24 August 2011
Benfica v FC Twente, (agg 2-2), PO, L2, 19:45
Plzen v FC Copenhagen, (agg 3-1), PO, L2, 19:45
SK Sturm Graz v BATE Borisov, (agg 1-1), PO, L2, 19:45

[Rors]

Fenerbahce have been removed from the competition due to an on-going matchfixing case!

Ireland :pray:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Viktoria Plzen 0-1 Copenhagen.
Sturm Graz 0-1 BATE.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Ireland :pray:

It has gone to Trabzonspor I am afraid!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Benfica 1-0 Twente, Witsel.

[Rors]

Ireland :pray:

"Robbed!!Robbed!!"

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Benfica 2-0 Twente, Luisao.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Benfica 3-0 up, Witsel with his second.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Viktoria Plzen 1-1 Copenhagen, Bakos.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Benfica 3-1 Twente, Ruiz.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Lyon, Benfica, Viktoria Plzen, BATE Borisov all through.

Champions League goals on SS2 at 10.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

We're on first. :scarf:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

SJshfjfy! What a save.

[Özim]

Man City in 3rd pot, they're one of the favourites ahead of us though.

Think they have a chance with the players they have.

[Master Splinter]

Dortmund in pot 4 :o.

[Cripps_orig]

13th September

Chelsea v Bayer 04 Leverkusen
Borussia Dortmund v Arsenal

14th September

Manchester City v Napoli
Benfica v Manchester United

27th September

Bayern München v Manchester City
Manchester United v Basel

28th September

Valencia v Chelsea
Arsenal v Olympiacos

18th October

Manchester City v Villarreal
Otelul Galati v Manchester United

19th October

Chelsea v Genk
Olympique de Marseille v Arsenal

1st November

Genk v Chelsea
Arsenal v Olympique de Marseille

2nd November

Villarreal v Manchester City
Manchester United v Otelul Galati

22nd November

Napoli v Manchester City
Manchester United v Benfica

23rd November

Bayer 04 Leverkusen v Chelsea
Arsenal v Borussia Dortmund

6th December

Chelsea v Valencia
Olympiacos v Arsenal

7th December

Manchester City v Bayern München
Basel v Manchester United

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Fenerbahce find out at midnight (BST) whether they will be reinstated or not. If they are at the expense of Trabazonspor, it's incredibly unfair on them who have probably already made their travel arrangements. And of course so would have the clubs and their supporters of the teams they face. It could mean a five-team group. :wacko:

Either way, it would mean we can get to say...UEFA :haha: though.

[Cripps_orig]

Tuesday, 13 September 2011
Apoel Nicosia v Zenit St Petersburg, GpG, 19:45
Barcelona v AC Milan, GpH, 19:45
Borussia Dortmund v Arsenal, GpF, 19:45
Chelsea v Bayer Leverkusen, GpE, 19:45
FC Porto v Shakhtar Donetsk, GpG, 19:45
Genk v Valencia, GpE, 19:45
Olympiakos v Marseille, GpF, 19:45
Plzen v BATE Borisov, GpH, 19:45

Will probably watch the Dortmund match

Also come on Milan

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Cesc is on the bench. :lol:

[Master Splinter]

Cesc :lol:.

Lamps is on the bench too.

Fat Frank :lol:.

Matt Damon starts for Leverkusen.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Chelsea: Cech, Bosingwa, Ivanovic, Luiz, Cole, Mikel, Sturridge, Malouda, Meireles, Mata, Torres.
Subs: Hilario, Lampard, Ferreira, McEachran, Kalou, Alex, Anelka.

Bayer Leverkusen: Leno, Castro, Reinartz, Toprak, Kadlec, Rolfes, Bender, Ballack, Sam, Kiessling, Schurrle.
Subs: Yelldell, Schwaab, Friedrich, Renato Augusto, Balitsch, Derdiyok, Bellarabi.

Referee: Stephane Lannoy (France)

[Cripps_orig]

Matt Damon?

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Barcelona: Valdes, Dani Alves, Mascherano, Busquets, Abidal, Keita, Xavi, Iniesta, Messi, Pedro, Villa.
Subs: Pinto, Fabregas, Puyol, Thiago, Maxwell, Afellay, Adriano.

AC Milan: Abbiati, Abate, Nesta, Thiago Silva, Zambrotta, Van Bommel, Nocerino, Seedorf, Boateng, Alexandre Pato, Cassano.
Subs: Amelia, Aquilani, Ambrosini, Bonera, Emanuelson, Yepes, Antonini.

Referee: Martin Atkinson (England)

[Cripps_orig]

Cesc :lol:

[Cripps_orig]

0-1 Milan

Pato

Barca :haha:

[Cripps_orig]

0-1 Shakthar

Luis Adriano

Helton :haha:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Porto 1-1 Shakhtar, Hulk.

[Cripps_orig]

1-1 Porto score

Hulk with a FK from 35 yards

Think he missed a pen as well

[Cripps_orig]

1-1 Barca

Pedro

Messi with the assist but pulling the shirt of the defender.

[Cripps_orig]

1-0 Victoria Beckham

Bakos

Good team goal

[Cripps_orig]

2-1 Barca

Villa

Good FK tbh

[Cripps_orig]

0-1 Marseille

Lucho

[Cripps_orig]

2-1 Porto

Kleber

[Cripps_orig]

0-1 Zenit

Zyryanov

[Cripps_orig]

1-0 Chelsea

Luiz

[Cripps_orig]

1-1 BATE

Bressan

[Cripps_orig]

APOEL 1-1

Manduca

[Cripps_orig]

APOEL 2-1

Ailton

[Cripps_orig]

2-0 Chelsea

Mata

Torres has 2 assists

[Cripps_orig]

2-2 Milan

Silva

Barca :haha:

[Master Splinter]

Barca :haha:.

[Coney]

2-2 Milan

Silva

Barca :haha:

FT too. Hehe.

[Cripps_orig]

CL goals on SS2 in a few mins

Some good goals to be seen

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Barca. :lol:

Two 2-2's in a row.

Wednesday, 14 September 2011
Man City v Napoli, GpA, 19:45
Villarreal v Bayern Munich, GpA, 19:45
Inter Milan v Trabzonspor, GpB, 19:45
Lille v CSKA Moscow, GpB, 19:45
Basle v SC Otelul Galati, GpC, 19:45
Benfica v Man Utd, GpC, 19:45
Ajax v Lyon, GpD, 19:45
Dinamo Zagreb v Real Madrid, GpD, 19:45



Come on Otelol. :bow:

I'll probably watch Citeh's game to start with.

[Cripps_orig]

Real match for me

[Cripps_orig]

Coverage starts at 6pm on SS2

Will show last nights goals and will probably talk about our game a bit

[Cripps_orig]

Lindegaard in for De Gea as Fergie rings the changes

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Benfica: Artur Moraes, Maxi Pereira, Luisao, Garay, Emerson, Amorim, Javi Garcia, Witsel, Aimar, Cardozo, Gaitan.
Subs: Eduardo, Bruno Cesar, Nolito, Machado, Matic, Saviola, Jardel.

Man Utd: Lindegaard, Fabio Da Silva, Evans, Smalling, Evra, Fletcher, Carrick, Giggs, Valencia, Rooney, Park.
Subs: De Gea, Jones, Owen, Anderson, Berbatov, Hernandez, Nani.

Referee: Damir Skomina (Slovenia)

De Gea. :lol:

[Cripps_orig]

Benfica: Artur Moraes, Maxi Pereira, Luisao, Garay, Emerson, Amorim, Javi Garcia, Witsel, Aimar, Cardozo, Gaitan. Subs: Eduardo, Bruno Cesar, Nolito, Machado, Matic, Saviola, Jardel.
Man Utd: Lindegaard, Fabio Da Silva, Evans, Smalling, Evra, Fletcher, Carrick, Giggs, Valencia, Rooney, Park. Subs: De Gea, Jones, Owen, Anderson, Berbatov, Hernandez, Nani.
Referee: Damir Skomina (Slovenia)

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Man City: Hart, Zabaleta, Kompany, Lescott, Kolarov, Toure Yaya, Barry, Silva, Aguero, Nasri, Dzeko.
Subs: Pantilimon, Richards, Johnson, Savic, Clichy, Toure, Tevez.

Napoli: De Sanctis, Campagnaro, Cannavaro, Aronica, Maggio, Inler, Gargano, Zuniga, Hamsik, Lavezzi, Cavani.
Subs: Rosati, Fideleff, Dossena, Santana, Dzemaili, Fernandez, Pandev.

Referee: Jonas Eriksson (Sweden)

[Cripps_orig]

Clichy :lol:

[Master Splinter]

De Gea :lol:.

Clichy :lol:.

Hamsik :bow:.

Cavani :bow:.

Witsel to break a leg?

[McNamara That Ghost...]

1916: So what do we know about Napoli and Benfica then?

BBC :doh:

[Cripps_orig]

No Young for Man Utd either

Play the 2nd team in this and the first teamers v Chelsea

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Champions League music.

:bow:

[Cripps_orig]

Kaka not even in the 18 for Real

What a squad they have

[Cripps_orig]

Commentator says Arsenal have been watching some Zagred pub teamer whos apparently really good.

Kovacic or something.

Hes playing today so il keep an eye

[Cripps_orig]

Real are in red :blink:

I thought they were the team in black and thought they had a corner

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Nasri shoots, wide.

[Cripps_orig]

Ronaldo shoots wide

Expect better there

Great start so far. End to end

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Villarreal 0-1 Bayern Munich.

[Cripps_orig]

Kroos scores for Bayern

[Cripps_orig]

Benzema clips the bar

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Barry. :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Inler plays a ball absolutely nowhere near a Napoli player. :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Dzeko shoots, well saved. Goal kick given. :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Barry completely scuffs one. :rolleyes:

[Marc Overmars]

Barry. :lol:

Gareth Barry is playing in the Champions League.

Your thoughts?

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Lavezzi hits the bar!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Gareth Barry is playing in the Champions League.

Your thoughts?

Keep it up.

[Cripps_orig]

The dude we are interested in is 17 and already the captain of Zagreb.

Impressive

Dont know how hes done in this game as i have no idea what he looks like or what his number is

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Hamsik, Cavani and Lavezzi. :bow:

[Olivier's xmas twist]

Napoli are a decent team tbh

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Brilliant cross from Lavezzi. Citeh are all over the place.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Zabaleta booked.

[Olivier's xmas twist]

Gareth Barry is playing in the Champions League.

Your thoughts?

As shocking as stoke being in europe

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Aguero. :lol:

[Özim]

Benfica 1 Man U 0...Benfica impressive, been far more potent in front of goal than Dortmund were against us IMO.

[Olivier's xmas twist]

Benfica 1 mancs 0 Cardozo

[Olivier's xmas twist]

Benfica 1 Man U 0...Benfica impressive, been far more potent in front of goal than Dortmund were against us IMO.

2 diffrent teams to compare tbh

[Cripps_orig]

1-0 Benfica

Mancs :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Benfica 1-0 Man Utd, Cardozo. :haha:

[Özim]

2 diffrent teams to compare tbh
Yeah but Benfica are very good going forward, they have looked very dangerous (the atmosphere has been great too).

Dortmund reminded me of us a few years back, lots of neat passing and play but little cutting edge up front.

Let's not forget Man U are on fire and far superior to us as well.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Rooney booked.

[Cripps_orig]

Dortmund are better than Benfica

[Cripps_orig]

Rooney booked.

FFS

Hes in my team

[Cripps_orig]

What a double save from the Zagreb keeper

The 2nd save from Ozils shot was brilliant

Must get

[Marc Overmars]

I like the look of Napoli tbh.

But I predicted City to win 1-0.

[Olivier's xmas twist]

Yeah but Benfica are very good going forward, they have looked very dangerous (the atmosphere has been great too).

Dortmund reminded me of us a few years back, lots of neat passing and play but little cutting edge up front.

Let's not forget Man U are on fire and far superior to us as well.

Tbh dortmund are as they have always been tbh. nothing more nothing less, but benfica are always dangerous. to diffrent leagues with 2 diffrent styles tbh

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Cannavaro GHELS Aguero. Booked.

[Olivier's xmas twist]

Dortmund are better than Benfica

no chance they are

[Cripps_orig]

Casillas :bow:

Stayed big and saved the one on one

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Yaya smacks the bar! Should've buried that.

[Cripps_orig]

Zagreb look pretty decent. Playing some nice football.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

no chance they are

I'm finding this comparison odd. Anyway, for whatever reason Fergie has chosen to do it, that is not Man Utd's first choice team. Benfica are a good team attacking wise, they have been for years. They've got an innate ability to balls it up though.

[Özim]

I'm finding this comparison odd. Anyway, for whatever reason Fergie has chosen to do it, that is not Man Utd's first choice team. Benfica are a good team attacking wise, they have been for years. They've got an innate ability to balls it up though.
Benfica over the years always seem to have a cutting edge up front, they always look likely to score goals and that makes them a very dangerous team.

They lack consistency, but they have a lot of quality.

[Cripps_orig]

We need to take a look at the Zagreb left back

[Cripps_orig]

Jerko Leko booked

Awful challenge

Should be red

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Kolarov's freekick nearly went all the way in. :blink: De Sanctis only seemed to notice it right at the end.

Basel 1-0 Otelul, Frei.

[Cripps_orig]

Frei scores for Basle

No Shaqiri tonight

[Özim]

Giggs 1-1, great goal.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Frei scores for Basle

No Shaqiri tonight

He's suspended I think.

Napoli on the counterattack. :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Aronica booked.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Giggs 1-1, great goal.

WPotY.

:scarf:

[Cripps_orig]

1-0 Lille

Sow

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Lille 1-0 CSKA, Sow.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

0-0 half time at Citeh.

[Cripps_orig]

0-0 HT at Zagreb

Alonso has been very poor.

Zagreb impressive. Their left back, Luis Ibanez looks some player. Should be down to 10 though with an awful challenge by Leko on Coentrao. Just the once chance which Casillas saved.

As for Real, only a wonder double save especially the 2nd one stops them from leading.

[Master Splinter]

United awful, but a great strike by the WPOTY.

Aimar with some great GHELling :bow:.

Luisao and Cardozo are Must Gets. Have been for a few years tbh.

[Cripps_orig]

2nd halfs about to start

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Barry. :lol:

A few yards out and manages to belt it against a Napoli player.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

What a clearance off the line from Kompany. Brilliant cross and a brilliant volley by Hamsik.

Napoli. :bow:

[Marc Overmars]

Tempted to start a new season on FIFA with either Napoli or Dortmund tbh.

Might have to be Dortmund just because their ground is on there.

[Cripps_orig]

Tempted to start a new season on FIFA with either Napoli or Dortmund tbh.

Might have to be Dortmund just because their ground is on there.

FIFA is a bit shit tbh

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Free header for Lescott, over.

Money well spent.

[Cripps_orig]

0-1 Real

Di Maria

Great finish

[Cripps_orig]

Excellent save from the keeper from Ronaldo

Expect Real to go on and score a few more now

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Gagano runs on to it and shoots from outside the box, drags it way wide though.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

0-1 Real

Di Maria

Great finish

Marcelo assist. :dance:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Nasri shoots, wide. :lol:

Lavezzi off, Dzemaili on.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Basel 1-1 Otelol, Pena!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Lille 2-0 CSKA, Pedretti.

[Cripps_orig]

2-0 Lille

Pedretti

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Inler booked. Tripped Yaya up with his hands. :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Hamsik shot, just deflected over by Zabaleta.

Great counterattack from Napoli again.

[Özim]

Benfica almost score, lovely attacking football, good save by the keeper.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Citeh 0-1 Napoli, Cavani!

What a counterattack.

[Özim]

Benfica come close again, but cross shot was disappointing.

[Rors]

A shot then of De Gea on the bench. He really is a goon isn't he? :lol:

[Marc Overmars]

Mancini. :wave:

[Olivier's xmas twist]

Benfica come close again, but cross shot was disappointing.

Benfica have been fab tonight

[Özim]

Mancini. :wave:
To be fair Mancini has been a failure in Europe, with Inter his team were great in Italy but in Europe they weren't.

Liverpool gave them a hiding, once Mourinho took over it was a different story.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Hamsik shot, right across goal.

[Özim]

Benfica have been fab tonight
Yeah they have, I love watching them play they counter so quickly and use the ball very cleverly.

My kinda football.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Lille 2-1 CSKA, Doumbia.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Aguero hits the bar!

Freekick to Citeh now, dangerous area.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Wilkins thinks Javier Hernandez is from South America. :doh:

[Olivier's xmas twist]

Yeah they have, I love watching them play they counter so quickly and use the ball very cleverly.

My kinda football.

We used to play like that once lol

[McNamara That Ghost...]

1-1 Kolarov, what a freekick.

[Rors]

On this form no side will want to take on Benfica in the knockout stages (which they should make quite comfortably)

[Olivier's xmas twist]

To be fair Mancini has been a failure in Europe, with Inter his team were great in Italy but in Europe they weren't.

Liverpool gave them a hiding, once Mourinho took over it was a different story.

Yep

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Kolarov off, Clichy on.

Nasri off, Johnson on.

[Özim]

We used to play like that once lol
We sure did, I wish we could again....pacey football is so much more exciting IMO.

[Olivier's xmas twist]

Kolorov what a freekick

But tbh Napoli should at least be 3-2 ahead

[Özim]

Benfica good enough for CL IMO, they've given Man U a real tough match tonight.

An outside bet maybe, how well do they travel?

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Villarreal 0-2 Bayern Munich, Rafinha.

[Rors]

Pablo Aimar off for Benfica. He's younger than I thought - it seems like he has been around for centuries!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Dzeko somehow puts it wide. :wacko:

[Xhaka Can’t]

We sure did, I wish we could again....pacey football is so much more exciting IMO.

And then Graham got fired.

[Olivier's xmas twist]

Pablo Aimar off for Benfica. He's younger than I thought - it seems like he has been around for centuries!

Tbf he was 17 when he started playing

[Rors]

Tbf he was 17 when he started playing

We can't all be Ian Wright...

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Marcelo sent off for Marketing. :doh:

[Olivier's xmas twist]

Commentators on sky are planks lol, Swagger has returned to city, they never changed what they was doing.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Dzeko off, Tevez on.

[Marc Overmars]

Pablo Aimar off for Benfica. He's younger than I thought - it seems like he has been around for centuries!

Very much a legend on manager games pre 2006!

Bit like Saviola!

Both never quite as good as the billing in real life though. :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Basel 2-1 Otelol, Frei pelanty.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Cavani off, Pandev on.