Champions League Thread 2013/14

[BlindFaith_8]

You got to hand it to Mourinho. He came in with a team that was 80% AVB, Di-Matteo and Benitez and has taken Chelsea to the brink of a major final and possibly the league title. And we have to settle for 4th place and an FA Cup with nothing to brag about in the last 10 years apart from 4th place, just goes to show how superior a manager Mourinho is to Wenger. This is his 5th straight CL semi final, credit where credit due. In my book he is probably the best manager anywhere on the planet. And before you all say he spends money, just look at his Porto side and how they won the Champions league. Can you ever see a portuguese side winning the champions league again? No chance.

[Özim]

Their team is pretty good at keeping their shape and defending well for most of the game.

All they need to do is nick an away goal, park the bus, and wait for the home game.

I wouldn't be surprised if they reach the final again.

To do this you also need desire and hunger to win, they have this in abundance, teams like this can get lucky simply because of the way they play, the manager is also very tactically astute and good at making the right substitutions.

I'm worried to they could do it again as well, horrible having to watch this.

[BlindFaith_8]

Well if they do it will prove Wengers theory of organic growth and buying cheap is receipe for disaster, as oppsoed to Chelsea who have won practially every cup in the past 10 years. And whose to say they cant win the Champions League again under Mourinho, they are only 180 minutes away from that possibility. We can slag off Chelsea all day long but I have to admire Roman and how he's transformed that club in to one the top clubs in Europe. He may hire and fire but that strategy works as they keep wining silverware,, and lets not feel sorry for the departing managers, they have all been made very rich men from being sacked. All we have this year is a lousy FA Cup and 4th place. I can never see us competing with the super clubs even though we have the financial muscle to do so, just a bunch of greedy fuckers who are more interested in their bank balances then bringing success to this club. We will never win the Champions League or ebven the Europe League. We can only dream and watch Chelsea, Man Utd and Man City play these big matches. How sad is that.

[Niall_Quinn]

...but I have to admire Roman and how he's transformed that club in to one the top clubs in Europe

Al Capone used to give generously to charity, it helped maintain the sham of respectability. He was honoured in the community too, I guess people knew what was good for them. The chav gangster has dumped a lot of cash into the club but his own record when he has directly intervened hasn't always been glossy, like the Shevchenko brain fart. I can't admire a man for what he's bought if the comparison to what he's done is so stark.

[BlindFaith_8]

I admire the guy what he has acheived as a very succesful businessman , who has gone on to become a super wealthy individual, who has never come out in the public domain like Vincet Tan, or Allam at Hull or Al Fawasi at Forest. He'sa clever man and although some of you despise him and the monster that is Chelse FC, you have to admit that we only wish he bought Arsenal. He's put his own money and bank rolled Chelsea's success for many years and we have been left a million miles behind. If only we had Roman as the owner of Arsenal, how different the last 10 years would have been. I sense a lot of envy not just from Arsenal fans but many fans across the leagues. We can only sit back and watch Chelsea's adventures.

[Munchies]

Neuer, Dante, Boateng, Lahm, Müller, Alaba, Götze, Kroos, Ribéry, Mandzukic, Robben

De Gea; Jones, Smalling, Vidic, Evra; Carrick, Fletcher; Valencia, Kagawa, Welbeck; Rooney

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No real CDM for Bayern, with Schwein/Martinez suspended. United have to make sure they dominate the midfield.

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HD sky Ustream for Bayern: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/sportzhdtvccccccccccccc
HD sky Ustream for Barca: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/17707250 , password, type it in :rider-hdlive

Both streams are from the usual places, just the direct links which are slightly ahead, for me anyway

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Man Utd dominate midfield.

Atletico Madrid: Courtois, Juanfran, Miranda, Godin, Filipe, Gabi, Koke, Tiago, Raul Garcia, Adrian, Villa.
Subs: Aranzubia, Alderweireld, Insua, Mario Suarez, Cristian Rodriguez, Sosa, Diego.

Barcelona: Pinto, Fabregas, Xavi, Iniesta, Messi, Neymar, Mascherano, Bartra, Sergio, Alba, Alves.
Subs: Oier, Montoya, Song, Adriano, Alexis, Pedro, Sergi Roberto.

BBC.

I'd love that to be Barca's backline.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Champions League music.

[Munchies]

Hope Robben gets injured

[Niall_Quinn]

Come on utd