firefinga

Well-known member
Oh well, good game at least for an hour. Would have been nice for Buffon to score the Champions League title.
 

baboon2004

Darned cockwombles.
Wtf happened to Juventus? They started so well. Defending was static for some of the goals too.

Ronaldo's been absolutely outstanding in 2016-17, the biggest star by far... but he's not the eternal big-game player they were all crowing about after the final whistle - last CL final he was made to look mediocre. Real have such quality all through the team though, that they can carry Ronaldo when he doesn't turn up. Modric, Kroos, Casemiro, Isco, Marcelo, Ramos....jeez. With Bale fully fit, they're frightening.

They'll still probably sack Zidane next season.
 

baboon2004

Darned cockwombles.
Absolutely - this season in the semis and final he has been remarkable. The rewriting of history to fit a narrative is what annoys me. 2014 and 2016 finals, Ronaldo did almost nothing except score penalties (he didn't light up Euro 2016 either). There are more consistent big game players, and one of them is his greatest rival. Not to mention Ramos and Modric, obvs (and arguably Bale).
 
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IdleRich

IdleRich
What's the UCL? The Champions League I guess - but Madrid are out (that's why they brought ZZ back) so it's impossible for him.
 

IdleRich

IdleRich
Yeah, I deleted my post because I'd completely forgotten that Madrid had been knocked out.
Fair enough. I suppose Zidane could rebuild this year and win next year and keep his flawless record. A lot of rebuilding needed though. If they buy Neymar that sounds like a hollywood purchase but Hazard might be better.
 

version

Well-known member
I think if they do, it's a long way off. They're probably making money simply by having him at the club.
 

IdleRich

IdleRich
To me the main prize in club football is the Champions League and the biggest statement or whatever PSG could make is to win that. At the moment they are not even close, at some point there will have to be a calculus of whether Neymar is increasing or decreasing their chances in that competition. But I agree, it may not be for a while and maybe they'll decide he does improve them.
Anyway, speaking of CL, who do you like in today's games? I'm watching Liverpool v Porto cos it's on telly but the other one is pretty tasty.
I notice that on the Guardian website it says

Second in the Portuguese league table behind Benfica, but only on goal difference, Sérgio Conceicao’s side emerged from Group D ahead of Schalke, Galatasaray and Lokomotiv Moscow, before eliminating Roma in the first knockout round. They face their sternest test yet tonight at Anfield, a ground where they held the hosts scoreless in last season’s round of 16, before getting thumped 5-0 by Liverpool in their own Estádio do Dragão
Which is bollocks. Liverpool won the tie in the first leg at the Dragon and then didn't bother inflicting more pain in the second leg. The way it's written it makes it seem as though there was a tense nil - nil and that the tie was still alive as a competition rather than finished after about 40 minutes.
Still, Porto are stronger this time around apparently, but really, I didn't realise how weak Portuguese club football is until I moved here, the teams they play week in week out are no preparation at all for facing Liverpool, I think they will struggle (and I think Pepe is out through suspension).
 

version

Well-known member
It's hard to look past City and Liverpool, but I wouldn't be surprised if they lost either. It's all a bit up in the air these days.
 

version

Well-known member
There was a period where you knew Barca would just smash everyone followed by a period where you knew Madrid would somehow scrape through, no matter how poorly they played. Now the spell is broken and I have no idea who's going to win. It's quite exciting.
 

version

Well-known member
Yeah, Tottenham's second game at the new ground. Guardiola's picked a weird team too.

Manchester City pick a slightly surprising team after reaching the FA Cup final at the expense of Brighton. In come Fabian Delph, Fernandinho, Riyad Mahrez and the fit again Sergio Aguero; out go Benjamin Mendy, Kevin de Bruyne, Bernardo Silva and Gabriel Jesus. Is Pep Guardiola thinking about Sunday’s trip to Crystal Palace? This isn’t City’s strongest side. Nicolas Otamendi and Aguero are a booking away from a ban.
 

IdleRich

IdleRich
Apparently B Silva picked up a strain in training and so is not being risked. I guess KDB is also feeling his way back and surely Aguero for Jesus isn't that weird.
 
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