g = window.googletag || {}; googletag.cmd = googletag.cmd || []; window.googletag = googletag; googletag.cmd.push(function() { var interstitialSlot = googletag.defineOutOfPageSlot('/17085479/redcafe_gam_interstitial', googletag.enums.OutOfPageFormat.INTERSTITIAL); if (interstitialSlot) { interstitialSlot.addService(googletag.pubads()); } });

The most sickening CL semi-finalists ever?

amolbhatia50k

Sneaky bum time - Vaccination status: dozed off
Joined
Nov 8, 2002
Messages
95,829
Location
india
To be honest I don't get SICKENED but stuff like this. PSG are going to win the CL soon. City are going to win the CL soon. Chelsea already have. And let's not forget Madrid have been state funded in the past. I just, find these bankrolled clubs affect me less rather than create a strong feeling of disgust. It's football at the end of the day, not life or death but some entertainment.
 

amolbhatia50k

Sneaky bum time - Vaccination status: dozed off
Joined
Nov 8, 2002
Messages
95,829
Location
india
Let Chelsea have it.
Wouldn't like to see Chelsea reach 2 CLs this fast. They haven't even been that good this past decade.

Don't want RM to reach 14.

Obviously don't want City to win it.

PSG are the most irrelevant as a United fan.
 

Zaphod2319

Full Member
Joined
Oct 23, 2020
Messages
4,212
Supports
Chelsea
You Man Utd supports should start you chant practice now.

Come On You Blues!!!!

It is a great phrase because it works for both winning games and when we are bottling a game.

When the boys are killing it
COME ON YOU BLUES!!!

When they are just dreadful, a bit of a somber voice

C’mon....... you blues!

Give it a go!!
 

Zaphod2319

Full Member
Joined
Oct 23, 2020
Messages
4,212
Supports
Chelsea

teteus

New Member
Joined
Jan 30, 2021
Messages
176
Supports
Flamengo
Well lets agree to disagree. Personally, I do not see what those clubs where meant to do. From about the 1990's onwards football started to become monopolized by the 'big clubs' who where starting to centralize the wealth. The only way clubs outside of that group could compete was to get an owner like Qatar, Abu Dhabi or Abramovich.

Furthermore, it is also a little simplistic to say that these clubs are the only ones. If you go back to the origins of football in Europe, a lot of the clubs where initially funded by local business men who would send kids inbetween machinery for them to get crushed, whilst even teams today like Utd, Arsenal and the Dippers are owned by American venture capitalists. So for me when I look at things, I largely see globalisation at work. If you want to have an arguement about the ills of globalisation first, then apply it to football, then fair enough.

Now that doesn't mean I am completely sanguine about all if it. I can see some arguments against the owners of City and PSG as they clearly exploit migrant workers in their country, but I am not so sure about Abramovich. Personally, I do not see him as someone so different to Burscoloni and we don't see many people complaining about 80-00's Milan.
Exactly!
 

teteus

New Member
Joined
Jan 30, 2021
Messages
176
Supports
Flamengo
They should have accepted being 2nd-3rd tier, of course.
I hope this was ironic
It's a semi final lineup which totally epitomises modern football. Small clubs that won the oil lottery and the 'galacticos'.

Hopefully PSG win it just because they're the lesser of all evils.
The oil lottery is the only way that a small club can become bigger nowadays.
 

RedRonaldo

Wishes to be oppressed.
Joined
Aug 17, 2003
Messages
18,996
Is the semi draw already decided? Will there be any possibility of City vs Chelsea on final?
 

Mr. Ant

Full Member
Joined
Mar 14, 2014
Messages
733
I really think we wouldn't look out of place if we managed to win against Istanbul. It's a shame. Only city look somewhat convincing and I hope Pep will screw it once again.
 

DrRodo

Honest worker, never posts
Joined
Jun 14, 2014
Messages
2,025
Location
Chile
I really hope city gets eliminated by an stupid controversy like a benzema dive which the referee whistles a penalty and then decides not to look at var just because or something like that! oh and also ramos do something cnutish as usual like injuring some player :smirk:
 

Giggs86

Full Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2014
Messages
3,632
Location
USA
Winning CL finals is Zidane's specialty. I'm not worried at all.
 

roonster09

Hercule Poirot of the scouting world
Scout
Joined
May 10, 2009
Messages
36,824
Hopefully PSG will win it this time. Players like Neymar, Mbappe, Di Maria is brilliant attack to contain, against City they should get enough space to work their magic.
 

Ecstatic

Cutie patootie!
Joined
Nov 26, 2015
Messages
13,787
Supports
PsG
2019 - Paris kicked out by Manchester United
2013 & 2015 & 2017 - Paris sent home by Barcelona (Remontada in 17)
2020 - Final - Paris lost last Champions League Final against Bayern
2016 - QF - A tired Paris lost against a weak Manchester City/Pellegrini
2018 - Last 16 - Paris kicked out by Real Madrid
2021 - Revenge

The revenge has already be taken against Chelsea but it's not impossible to see Tuchel against PSG
 
Last edited:

rollingstoned1

Full Member
Joined
Jan 4, 2013
Messages
1,800
hope psg win it, don't really care about them enough to bother that it's a win for the oligarchy in football.
 

Cnaiür urs Skiötha

Full Member
Joined
Jul 25, 2013
Messages
2,994
Honestly I do not care too much who wins. The only thing I am interested in is how we are going to improve and be able to challenge for the CL ourselves.

I take some positives from the quarter finals. At the moment there is not one club that is clearly above anyone else.

City and PSG have probably played the best football out of the last 8, and we know we can beat them both. Not saying that we are going to win next year, but we are not miles off.

Gun to the head I would say Chelsea winning would be the least awful outcome.

I know all the arguments about oil money ruining the sport etc., but I do not think that we or other top clubs are any better.
Especially these days it feels a bit surreal seeing a bunch of young millionaires running around in empty stadiums. Not saying I am not happy being able to watch football, but complaining about private persons or companies putting their own money into the sport seems a bit odd to me.
 

theklr

Full Member
Joined
Aug 8, 2019
Messages
2,659
Think (and hope) City will struggle massivly against Real.

Its mind blowing they only have been in the semi's once.
 

ivaldo

Mediocre Horse Whisperer, s'up wid chew?
Joined
Nov 15, 2012
Messages
28,701
Chelsea or PSG for me. I don't think I can stomach Madrid being underwhelming champions yet again.
 

SirAF

Ageist
Joined
Sep 28, 2003
Messages
37,681
Location
I don't care, would have been far worse with Liverpool and Barcelona.
 

slored1

Full Member
Joined
May 15, 2016
Messages
3,532
You know what's the weirdest fecking thing ever. My cousin supports Chelsea and City is his second team (I know, right). He would rather see City win the quadruple than Chelsea to win the CL again. Some people are a bunch of proper fecking weirdos.
 

GhastlyHun

Full Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2015
Messages
12,900
Location
Bavaria
Supports
Bayern München
¡Hala Madrid!

I feel so dirty... :(
Shame on you.
Screw it, now that we're out i want Pep to win it. Real can be all that's left of football tradition in this competition, but that's never enough to get me to root for them, no sir.
 

mitchmouse

loves to hate United.
Joined
Oct 8, 2014
Messages
17,718
What's more annoying is that City have had a pretty easy path to the semis... but I expected them to win it last year: can't see anyone stopping this year. I still think PSG a a little bit flaky: if City win in Paris as we did, they won't repeat our mistake at home. I'm still not sure how Real are in the last four. But I'd let City win the trophy twice before letting Liverpool do it once!
 

CassiusClaymore

Is it Gaizka Mendieta?
Scout
Joined
Apr 28, 2008
Messages
35,949
Location
None of your business mate
Supports
The greatest team in history
You know what's the weirdest fecking thing ever. My cousin supports Chelsea and City is his second team (I know, right). He would rather see City win the quadruple than Chelsea to win the CL again. Some people are a bunch of proper fecking weirdos.
Yeah that's not even a thing.
 

11101

Full Member
Joined
Aug 26, 2014
Messages
21,363
The whole world will be supporting Real.

If City or PSG win it will mark a dark day in football. Chelsea already bought one so it's not such an issue.
 

Acrobat7

Full Member
Joined
May 13, 2013
Messages
5,420
Supports
Bayern Munich
Shame on you.
Screw it, now that we're out i want Pep to win it. Real can be all that's left of football tradition in this competition, but that's never enough to get me to root for them, no sir.
Real is the only club left which achievements i respect so i have to root for them even though they are historically Bayern’s biggest European rival.
 

OleBoiii

New Member
Joined
Oct 4, 2019
Messages
6,021
Potential for new winners outside the old cartel is always a good thing
So if Hitler's secret grandson emerged out of nowhere and bought Burnley with Nazi gold, changed the crest to a swastika and made them competitive to the point where they suddenly can win the CL, you'd be fine with it as long as it stops a team from "the old cartel" from winning the CL? :p