Champions League Quarter Finals (3rd - 11th April)

Shiva87

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Are you serious? You cannot write off Juventus who are 3-0 down, away from home and without their best player? They are completely out of it without any question.

City need a miracle. They will need to attack Liverpool and it will expose them to counter attacks. I think Liverpool have a good chance to score at Etihad and if that happens, I doubt City are scoring five or more.

Of course it’s also possible that Sevilla will win 6-0 in Munich and Roma will beat Barca 8-0 in the return leg but I guess that’s not going to happen either. All the games look very unexciting heading into second legs which was my point. City are probably the only team not entirely out of it and even then their chances are so slim and will probably be gone after the first half.
I guess football is not that simple :P
 

roonster09

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Pique should be fined his whole year wages for giving away penalty. It's not a big issue to concede penalty but the way he did it was pathetic. You don't expect that from experienced CBs.
 

Sarni

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I guess football is not that simple :P
Yeah I did not expect that at all!

Still everyone was spot on about the City game. They were never coming back from that 3-0, neither are Juventus tonight.
 

KC91

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Pique should be fined his whole year wages for giving away penalty. It's not a big issue to concede penalty but the way he did it was pathetic. You don't expect that from experienced CBs.
I agree, he got completely bullied by Dzeko there. Not only did he give away the penalty at a crucial moment, but there are some refs out there who would have given him a red for that challenge, which would have changed the complexion of the match even more.
 

redman5

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Surely not a United fan then ?

I think us Liverpool fans are just happy to be in the semi's and enjoying the ride . What I buzz off though is we have got you all thinking and shitting yourselves over the thought of us just being there again.

You just never know with Liverpool.
Exactly. It's been a few years since we've actually been in the competition, so to get to the last 4 is way beyond our expectations. A bit like Roma I suppose. It might be hard for our rivals to stomach, but that's what makes football so good & keeps us coming back for more.
 

12OunceEpilogue

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Is it wrong to take pleasure in it?
Not at all, but I think it's wrong to discount it entirely. My take on our game and last night is that City fans have a right to feel bitter (:rolleyes:) about decisions going against them but they'd better hope their management are more interested in addressing that soft underbelly that's started to peep out rather than dwelling on their misfortune.
 

Treble

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Only Bayern from the last 4 will win the domestic title. Real, Roma and Liverpool won't finsih higher than 3rd in their league. The teams that were in hot form in the first half of the season and are walking their league currently are already out of the CL - Barca, PSG and City. League form and CL form are two very different things.
 

T A

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Will Sevilla beat Bayern tonight ? if this happens, this will be one of the weirdest Champions League season
Nah no way the likes of Steven N'Zonzi or Jesus Navas could make that far. Heynckes is not an amateur in Champions League plus it will be no Fellaini there to feed them even a slightest chance
 

Zlatattack

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I expect to see Real Madrid in the semi's, but Bayern/Sevilla could go either way.

I reckon Liverpool could go all the way, on their day they're very good. I expect Real Madrid will probably win it though.
 

Judge Red

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Klopp is good at getting to finals. Klopp is also very shit in finals. I cling to this.
 

vangagal

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I can see if Roma wins the CL, the big ear will be present by Fergie himself to Roma, and if Pool goes to final it, he even will not be in Kyiev that day. But watching his golden son Cristiano on final will be tempt him, whoever Madrid face if go to final.
 

Cassady

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The final score is misleading, every single 50-50 decision was against MC.
It was 50-50 that Salah offside goal on the first leg should not stand.
It was 50-50 that MC's legitimate gold would have stood and they would have pulled it back to 3-1 rather than 3-0.
In the first half of the second leg, Mane avoided a red card, Miller escaped a possible hand ball penalty, Arnold avoided a potential penalty call also. Combine those 3 together, it should be at least 50-50 that at least one of the decision might have gone against Liverpool.
It was 70-30 that MC's goal right before the half time could have stood.

Changing just one decision out of those above may result in MC completely annihilating Liverpool like they did at Etihad.
For a series of 50-50 decisions going unfavorably against you may result in something similar to Huddersfield outscoring Man Utd at Old Trafford.
Their offside goal at Anfield was offside. Look at where the players are and the lines on the pitch.
 

redflair

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It's incredible how pundits and fans react very differently to CL victories, particuarly knockout ones.

Stevie G and Rio in the BT hovel: 'Nobody will want to play Liverpool after that.'

Bayern (if they go through) - Madrid, Roma or Liverpool? They'll take Liverpool or Roma, would probably want to avoid Madrid.

Roma - Liverpool, Madrid or Bayern? Maybe Liverpool.

Real Madrid - Bayern, Roma or Liverpool? Probably Roma but if they have to take Liverpool, they'll take them.

The bottom line here is Liverpool fans (and United) who've been round the clock in the CL knockouts know there's an ambush waiting round the corner.

Look forward the first leg, try and win it and that's it. Never look too far ahead.
 

strongwalker

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Bayern supporter here. I still would be glad if we got Pool. We know Klopp very well, i don't think Pools team is all that strong (i mean: Karius/Mainz, Firminho/Hoffenheim, Matip/Schalke - losing to Bayern is in their DNA xD), and we tend to suck against defensive minded italian teams. Obviously don't want to face Madrid.

But let's get the job done tonight first. I don't believe that tie tie is home and dry yet.
 
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Bepi

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It's incredible how pundits and fans react very differently to CL victories, particuarly knockout ones.

...

Look forward the first leg, try and win it and that's it. Never look too far ahead.
CL knockout stages are the pinnacle of football and very entertaining for the general public. We may argue leagues are a fairer representation of strength & depth every given year but sport at its best involves much more than that.
 

Cal?

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13 times is a nightmare

To give you context, if Madrid win the CL this season, they will have won more CL trophies in the last 4 years than Manchester United in their history.
Not really, no one is going to catch Real anyway (especially with Milan being crap), so it really doesn't matter if they're on 12 or 15.
 

Cal?

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Would there still be more people rooting for Madrid because of Ronaldo? That’s the vibe I got in recent times. A lot of people also don’t want to go us too far ahead in regards to CL titles.
It's not because of Ronaldo. But I still harbor some hope that United may one day catch Bayern & co, but I don't realistically see anyone making a dent on Real's CL record in my lifetime.
 

Alabaster Codify7

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Calling it again, if Liverpool avoid Madrid over two legs, they're winning the CL. If we thought the City love-in was bad, this would see me avoid football for 5yrs.
 

giorno

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Roma are a big, physical team with a strong DEF, arguably the best GK in the world right now, and a MID that would likely overrun Liverpool’s. Not only that, they would be willing to concede possession to a Liverpool team who is much better at counter attacking open space, rather than breaking compact teams down.

All that being said, unless Sevilla somehow advance, I think Liverpool and Roma would be pleased to draw each other.
Roma are also as good or better than liverpool at pressing, and the main reason for their defensive record is that teams can't get out of their own half against them. And their defenders know Salah

Pique should be fined his whole year wages for giving away penalty. It's not a big issue to concede penalty but the way he did it was pathetic. You don't expect that from experienced CBs.
Dzeko is huge and strong like a bull. Very few CBs wouldn't get steamrolled by him in that situation. The foul is unlucky, he falls and trips him accidentally
 

roonster09

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Dzeko is huge and strong like a bull. Very few CBs wouldn't get steamrolled by him in that situation. The foul is unlucky, he falls and trips him accidentally
He didn't fall and tripped him accidentally. He held his shirt and then pulled his hand like an idiot. Such an obvious foul.
 

Inigo Montoya

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Liverpool's luck is about to run out.

Offside decisions went their way. Decisions won't again!
 

schwalbe

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Dzeko is huge and strong like a bull. Very few CBs wouldn't get steamrolled by him in that situation. The foul is unlucky, he falls and trips him accidentally
I don't think that pique tripping dzeko is important,he's been pulling his shirt for 10 seconds prior to that.
 

giorno

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He didn't fall and tripped him accidentally. He held his shirt and then pulled his hand like an idiot. Such an obvious foul.
I don't think that pique tripping dzeko is important,he's been pulling his shirt for 10 seconds prior to that.
Trip is what brings Dzeko down, trip is what the foul is awarded for
 

el3mel

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He's rubbish at finals. It might dawn on them eventually.
I can't see Madrid not winning a final game against Liverpool. Even without Klopp's rubbish record at finals, most of these Liverpool players didn't have enough experience of the pressure of such games while they're pretty normal for Madrid.

It'll be better for Madrid to draw Bayern now and not in the finals. In 2 legs they can get past Bayern easily while facing one of Liverpool or Roma in a final game, while a Madrid-Bayern one off game can be either way even if Madrid has superior squad.

But hopefully, and in order not for people to lose their mind, Madrid draw Liverpool now. :D
 

DomesticTadpole

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I can't see Madrid not winning a final game against Liverpool. Even without Klopp's rubbish record at finals, most of these Liverpool players didn't have enough experience of the pressure of such games while they're pretty normal for Madrid.

It'll be better for Madrid to draw Bayern now and not in the finals. In 2 legs they can get past Bayern easily while facing one of Liverpool or Roma in a final game, while a Madrid-Bayern one off game can be either way even if Madrid has superior squad.

But hopefully, and in order not for people to lose their mind, Madrid draw Liverpool now. :D
A lot are writing Roma off. I would be wary of them.
 

el3mel

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A lot are writing Roma off. I would be wary of them.
They will have loads of confidence and belief in themselves now whatever the result is. However, I think they're fighting for securing 4th spot in Serie A, only one point ahead of 5th position (Inter) at the moment, while the other 3 have nothing but CL to concentrate for. That may affect Roma's chances.
 

Infordin

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The only thing Liverpool have over Roma is attack. Roma has the better goalkeeper, better defence and better midfield.