UEFA Champions League Thread [Archive]

[Dreadmed]

Those last 10 minutes...

 

[Dennisch]

For moments like that you need 2 screens!

 

[Akmuq]

Chin up lads, maybe if United are good this season they'll qualify for the Champions League.👍

 

[MUSC4EVER]

Shocking, cant fault the effort of the lads tonight but it was defensively where we had problems tonight, and it was the performances and results before tonight that were terrible and lead to this, we were in a group with Wolfsburg, PSV and CSKA Moscow and we didn't get through, and that is simply unacceptable.

 

[m8h3r]

Shocking, cant fault the effort of the lads tonight but it was defensively where we had problems tonight, and it was the performances and results before tonight that were terrible and lead to this, we were in a group with Wolfsburg, PSV and CSKA Moscow and we didn't get through, and that is simply unacceptable.

LVG was brought in because Moyes screwed up the champions league qualification. LVG then scrapes 4th, and then goes out in the group stage. £200 million and only winning 2 of 6 Champions league games. Sorry Mr Van Gaal but you didn't do your job.

 

[MUSC4EVER]

Its the league position that's keeping him afloat I think, but this is a nail in the coffin.

United in the Europa League should be interesting, Thursday-Sunday schedule isn't easy...

 

[m8h3r]

"Injury crisis" for Arsenal and Man Utd, you ain't seen nothing yet.

Playing in eastern Europe last Thursday night and coming back to play against a top half team Sunday isn't fun at all.

 

[Anthony]

Will be interesting to see what happens in the Chelsea - Porto game tomorrow. If Chelsea loses they're almost certainly out as Kyiv is 2 pts behind and playing Tel-Aviv.

 

[MUSC4EVER]

So for the Brits that United out and City topping the group, Arsenal have a lot to do and need a lot to happen for them to go through, like @Anthony said, Chelsea need a win tomorrow ideally...

 

[Dreadmed]

In terms of the co-efficient, ^ and if Arsenal don't get the spoils tomorrow, that only leaves Man C in the CL + the big point gains, with Juve and potentially Roma fighting the corner for Italy. Not sure what;s happening in the EL, mind.

 

[MUSC4EVER]

A run in the Europa League for any of the English teams helps the co-efficient as well though....

 

[SagarisGTB]

Will be interesting to see what happens in the Chelsea - Porto game tomorrow. If Chelsea loses they're almost certainly out as Kyiv is 2 pts behind and playing Tel-Aviv.

If Chelsea and Porto draw (and Dynamo win, which is almost a certainty), there would be a three-way tie at the top on points and it would be decided by mini-group tie-breakers. All three teams would have a win, a loss and two draws in the mini-group, so it would come down to goal difference in those games and the result that would decide things is the 0-2 result Dynamo earned in Porto (the other two non-draws were 1-goal wins).

Hence the final standings would be:
1. Dynamo (+1 gd in the mini-group)
2. Chelsea (0 gd in the mini-group)
3. Porto (-1 gd in the mini-group)

Chelsea only need a draw to progress. It is Porto who need to win to realistically have any chance of advancing.

A run in the Europa League for any of the English teams helps the co-efficient as well though....

It will be interesting to see how seriously Tottenham, Liverpool and Manchester take the Europa League knock-out stages. Napoli and Lazio have already shown their intent to do well in the Europa League and I imagine Fiorentina will stop resting starters in the knock-out stage.

 

[Akmuq]

All 4 English teams in the Champions League really should be doing better. I don't see any reason why they shouldn't be able to roll over teams using their squad and have players for the big games in the middle of the week.

Their squads are all good enough, management is poor I believe. I assume Chelsea will prioritise Champions League and show us what they can do but they should be able to compete in the league as well.

I am looking forward to February onwards when Spurs and Liverpool restart the Europa League and have some massive Premier League fixtures at the time. I want to see the difference between those two and United, hopefully each club takes it seriously.

I honestly believe the two best managers in the Premier League are Poch and Klopp(slight question marks over his Dortmund injury record mind you). Give either of those managers a top 4 squad and they would be through the group and top of the league. Their high intensity styles and insane fitness trained to allow the players to run 13km a game 50 times a season gives them the edge on fitness over most other teams and leaves teams unable to cope.


If Guardiola does come the Premier League next season, he'll probably win it.

 

[MUSC4EVER]

Completely agree with everything you just said, everything...

 

[Mike Rotch]

Aw yiss. 0-3 to the Gunners with 20 to play

 

[MUSC4EVER]

Congrats to Chelsea and Arsenal for winning and getting through on what could've been a very bad night for them, three out of four through is good and I think it helps the co-efficient. 👍

 

[m8h3r]

If Man Utd do good in the Europa league and the other 3 do half decent in the Champions league then the spot should be ok for a couple of years yet.

 

[sems4arsenal]

That's one of the greatest every victories for Arsenal given the circumstances. Delighted <3

 

[lxmmy]

Knockout draw will be on Monday.

 

[Akmuq]

 

[Dennisch]

The UEFA is still indecisive about what they are going to do with the Russia (Zenit St. Petersburg) vs Ukraine (Dynamo Kiev) situation.

 

[Touring Mars]

CL last 16 draw is on live now:

http://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/season=2016/draws/round=2000635/drawcentre/index.html

Zenit and Dynamo Kiev are being kept apart

 

[Liquid]

Zenit and Dynamo Kiev are being kept apart

How?

 

[Dennisch]

Zenit and Dynamo Kiev are being kept apart

Now that's ********. Yet again.

 

[Touring Mars]

How?

Separate pots for each club - Zenit's pot doesn't have Dynamo Kiev in it...

edit:

PSG v Chelsea

Arsenal v Barcelona

Juventus v Bayern Munich

Dynamo Kiev v Manchester City

 

[Dennisch]

Gent v Wolfsburg

PSV v Atletico.

Gent has a chance, PSV does not.

 

[Dreadmed]

Well, it was a worthy effort Arsenal, see you next year.

 

[Liquid]

Separate pots for each club - Zenit's pot doesn't have Dynamo Kiev in it...

Forgive me for being a bit obtuse but how does that work? I couldn't watch the draw at work (too obvious a distraction) and I thought that these draws are all the names in one bowl and it's an open draw.

Then again, UEFA have confirmed that Spain/Gibraltar and Armenia/Turkey are always kept apart. Go figure.

 

[Touring Mars]

Forgive me for being a bit obtuse but how does that work? I couldn't watch the draw at work (too obvious a distraction) and I thought that these draws are all the names in one bowl and it's an open draw.

I didn't see the whole draw (at work as well) but it appeared that a Runner Up was drawn against a Group Winner, with all Runners Up in one bowl, but separate pots for each Group Winner - clubs from the same nation were also kept apart, as were teams from the same group.

 

[Dennisch]

Why on earth would they want to keep the teams separated based on nation?? You need to get those games done as early as possible. One nation finals suck donkey ass.