2016-17 UEFA Champions League Thread
- Thread starter Brend
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- 29,948
- Bratvegas
- GTP_Liquid
I would like to issue the heartiest of congratulations to Dundalk on making it through to the final qualifying stage of the Champions League. Great noise from the crowd and the second goal is a lovely header!
Guaranteed Europa League group stage whatever happens.
€7 million minimum payment.
Seven. Million.
For a League Of Ireland club. A league system which is still very much semi-pro. A friend of mine here used to play for them and has been saying how four years ago the town was advertising in petrol stations for donations to get their staff to away games. What a turnaround.
It'll be interesting to see what exactly they do with that money. When it comes through, around December time, they will easily cement their place as the richest club in Ireland and if sensibility comes in place, after clearing their debts they will also by far and away have the largest transfer and wage budget in the league.
Guaranteed Europa League group stage whatever happens.
€7 million minimum payment.
Seven. Million.
For a League Of Ireland club. A league system which is still very much semi-pro. A friend of mine here used to play for them and has been saying how four years ago the town was advertising in petrol stations for donations to get their staff to away games. What a turnaround.
It'll be interesting to see what exactly they do with that money. When it comes through, around December time, they will easily cement their place as the richest club in Ireland and if sensibility comes in place, after clearing their debts they will also by far and away have the largest transfer and wage budget in the league.
- 31,704
- Buckwheat City
- Dennisch
No, Ajax had protected status. No draw was possible against Man C, Porto, Villareal or Mönchengladbach.
Edit.
And that's another example as of why the whole draw circus is an horrible piece of crap.
UEFA has 55 members. Lump all (only the league winners) in one pot and draw. Give smaller teams a chance to make it further into the tournament. Now there are always 2 top teams per group, and usually they go through to the next round.
Who doesn't want to see a group stage with Real, Juventus, Bayern and in this case as the oddball Leicester?
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Brend
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- GTSophy-Lapos
- ClassicBrend
It's a bit daft all round. The only reason there's a week break too is because of the new teams coming in at this phase. The next round should start next week, not our fault that finishing 3rd in your league still makes you accountable to play CL football. It just breaks the momentum up.
- 29,948
- Bratvegas
- GTP_Liquid
UEFA. They don't book those 80,000 seater stadiums 5 years in advance for a Ludogorets vs Nicosia final.
Specifically, there was a game in the second round of the 1986/87 (?) European Cup which led to all of this. The European Cup was a straight draw from the very go for domestic champs only with no qualifier rounds. And I think it was a Juventus vs Real Madrid game and UEFA were all "Oh my god, it's a tragedy that one of the big teams is out so soon" and that is what directly led to seeding, the Champions League and a Big Boys Only club.
Bull:censored:. That's the point of a bloody cup draw in the first place; that anyone can draw anyone and that a small team can overcome the odds.
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- 9,401
- Western Sydney
- mustafur
Ireland really needed something like this to happen, their league is very disproportionately poor for the country it's in, and this can go a long way to atleast making Europe a thing that's possible.
Pretty crazy to think the money they have gotten from this would destroy anything an Australian Club has at the moment, and our league is fully professional, growing at a fast rate and is a powerhouse of the Asian Champions league.
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- Western Sydney
- mustafur
The goods come with the bads, it creates massive difference between teams in each league but for example you get teams such as Celtic or Porto which are able to provide a much stronger team then they could possibly imagine if the teams where more equal across the league, it gives them more of a chance in Europe at the expense of their own league.
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- Ireland
- driftking18594
- CiaranGTR94
It's still weird thinking of Dundalk as a potential dominant power for the next few years in Irish football. Prior to that I remember it being thought of as that town everyone drives past to get to Newry, it's like Carlisle or Middlesbrough dominating the Premier League.
Brend
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So, Play-Off week is here...the first leg of all the ties takes place on Tuesday-Wednesday.
Celtic (for the first time this season), will play the first leg at home. I'm pretty damn worried about this since the team can't rely on the crowd to push them through to the promised land that is the Champions League.
Difficult opposition as well - Hapoel Be'er Sheva have only lost 1 of their first 8 competitive games; 5W 2D 1L. I'd say a 2 goal lead and clean sheet will be a must to try and mitigate whatever happens in Israel.
Very excited though.
Celtic (for the first time this season), will play the first leg at home. I'm pretty damn worried about this since the team can't rely on the crowd to push them through to the promised land that is the Champions League.
Difficult opposition as well - Hapoel Be'er Sheva have only lost 1 of their first 8 competitive games; 5W 2D 1L. I'd say a 2 goal lead and clean sheet will be a must to try and mitigate whatever happens in Israel.
Very excited though.
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