Exactly how it’s gonna go down. Will be lumping money on Madrid tonight.With the luck Liverpool have had in this competition, it wouldn’t surprise me if Real went through and Benzema to miss the final through injury.
omg we're gonna lose surely
Kroos…City will be laughing.
Based on what? City are on pace to 90+ points in the PL and are one draw from CL final. They regularly outplay and batter teams to pretty much the same degree as barcelona did. Relative to eras, i don't think there is much between themI think Barça was (way) better than this City.
Same idea, same coach, better players.
They had some prominent losses to Chelsea recently and seemingly can't beat Liverpool. Not sure Pep's Barca had similar "weaknesses"Based on what? City are on pace to 90+ points in the PL and are one draw from CL final. They regularly outplay and batter teams to pretty much the same degree as barcelona did. Relative to eras, i don't think there is much between them
4 CMs? Why?!
Well one team had Messi which in itself makes a huge difference. There's no individual in City's team who is genuinely terror inducing. And in big matches I'd argue that Iniesta did that as well. City are effective but they don't regularly make opponents look properly inferior the way Peps Barcelona did. Huge gulf between them imo. Then again that's the best club side I've seen and as per many the best of all time.Based on what? City are on pace to 90+ points in the PL and are one draw from CL final. They regularly outplay and batter teams to pretty much the same degree as barcelona did. Relative to eras, i don't think there is much between them
I'm talking this season specifically. This liverpool side is better relative to era than anything that Barcelona facedThey had some prominent losses to Chelsea recently and seemingly can't beat Liverpool. Not sure Pep's Barca had similar "weaknesses"
They had a better player on literally every single position. Well I guess you could debate Abidal/Cancelo and perhaps Valdes/Ederson. But other than that Barca had much better players and Messi of course.Based on what? City are on pace to 90+ points in the PL and are one draw from CL final. They regularly outplay and batter teams to pretty much the same degree as barcelona did. Relative to eras, i don't think there is much between them
Messi, Xavi and Iniesta were not just world class, but generational players / among the best ever players. City don’t have any player like that.Based on what? City are on pace to 90+ points in the PL and are one draw from CL final. They regularly outplay and batter teams to pretty much the same degree as barcelona did. Relative to eras, i don't think there is much between them
So? "Better players" is a hypothetical. We have actual results and performances to compare, and those don't differ muchThey had a better player on literally every single position. Well I guess you could debate Abidal/Cancelo and perhaps Valdes/Ederson. But other than that Barca had much better players and Messi of course.
City don't have that aura? If so, part of it must be down them not being new like that barcelona side was. A barcelona side that lucked their way big time past chelsea in '09. That failed to win CL in '10. That was in real trouble against arsenal in '11. That only won the cup in '12...They also had an aura about them, couldn’t touch them. Which this City side does not have, going up against City feels hard. Against that Barca it felt impossible.
Hey I might be wrong or nostalgia bias, but I was much more scared of that Barca side than this City side. Xavi/Iniesta/Busquets would pass you to oblivion, their pressing game as a team was ruthless. You got the ball and lost it a second later, with City I feel like their press isn’t as organised and you can play your way out of the pressure. Then you had Messi who pulled stuff out of his ass every single game, him and Iniesta would split open the defense with either an outrageous dribble or pass.So? "Better players" is a hypothetical. We have actual results and performances to compare, and those don't differ much
City don't have that aura? If so, part of it must be down them not being new like that barcelona side was. A barcelona side that lucked their way big time past chelsea in '09. That failed to win CL in '10. That was in real trouble against arsenal in '11. That only won the cup in '12...
Valverde will play as a false wing back that can help in midfield and defense giving more freedom to Modric and support for Carvajal.4 CMs? Why?!
Was always a bit of a myth by salty Chelsea/EPL fans, tbh. Abidal got sent off in that game because Abidal literally tripped over his own feet but you never hear about it. Only about a big 16 stone tank like Drogba falling over every 5 seconds because someone touched his hip.Adding my two cents to the discussion, the Spanish nt's domination gone a long way to further the myth of the invincible ticky taka I think, as to my memory it really gone overboard in 2009/10 after the world cup I think.
They kinda weren't that highly regarded before that I feel, I mean hey we were even the bookies favorite in 2009 final and you could argue they shouldn't have made that final to begin with.
They were unprecedented. Like Ajax in the 70s or Milan in the late 80s. They changed the sport. By comparison, this City side is "just" an evolved version of thatHey I might be wrong or nostalgia bias, but I was much more scared of that Barca side than this City side.
City's press is better than Barcelona's was. Teams are just more used to it nowadays and better equipped to deal with itXavi/Iniesta/Busquets would pass you to oblivion, their pressing game as a team was ruthless. You got the ball and lost it a second later, with City I feel like their press isn’t as organised and you can play your way out of the pressure.
Now this is the one thing that holds trueThen you had Messi who pulled stuff out of his ass every single game, him and Iniesta would split open the defense with either an outrageous dribble or pass.
Largely because football as a whole had learned and evolved from that barcelona. Simply put, they faced better opponents than barcelona did, teams better equipped to beat themPeps Bayern and City feels like he wants to capture that same level, but that was some lightning in a bottle stuff of everything coming together.
Tie winning injury team diving header goal by the ref, followed by historic celebration going right at Ceferin, taking his shirt off to reveal one underneath that read "Feck you UEFA, Hala Madrid y nada mas"Is it too much to ask for a 7-1/8-2 style trouncing for Real?
Just kick them out, even if it's a 93d minute super soft pen deflected off the keeper's butt.
I hope so. I want to see Ancelotti with a cigar in his mouth and sunglasses on at the end of the match even if it’s dark.Actually feeling the nerves tonight as if it's a United game. Watching this Madrid team with all of the 'past it' and 'aged' stars knock out PSG and Chelsea on pure heart and passion has me believing they can save us the agony of a City or Liverpool UCL win.
Hopefully Modric and Benzema can produce another timeless performance and the Bernabeu make this City team feel the heat.
Tie winning injury team diving header goal by the ref, followed by historic celebration going right at Ceferin, taking his shirt off to reveal one underneath that read "Feck you UEFA, Hala Madrid y nada mas"
You know it
Disagree, that Barca team was dominant to a completely different level. Even top teams would resolutely put 10 men behind the ball when facing them because opening up even slightly would ensure a battering. Keep it watertight and nick a goal or two on the break. That's the only chance an opponent had, and it was still tough. They just never let you have the ball.Based on what? City are on pace to 90+ points in the PL and are one draw from CL final. They regularly outplay and batter teams to pretty much the same degree as barcelona did. Relative to eras, i don't think there is much between them