Champions League — quarter-finals and semi-finals draw

Risky tactics by PSG not playing Mbappe in this leg.
 
Technically, by the stupid rulebook, wasn´t that a handball by Haller?

So it could be Azpilicueta, Jorginho, Rüdiger, Christensen and Havertz in the Champions League semifinal for their new clubs, while Chelsea sold them for a 1bn € deficit and a 10th place finish.

I think that might even beat United´s transfer policies.
 
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That was such a weird comment, outside of the boot volley from that kind of ball is one of the rarest finishes. Giggs scored one, maybe against Fulham?, but you rarely see it ever.
As kids when we played football on the streets that was a regular attempt at striking the ball. The comment brought back good memories for me.
 
Correa misses a fecking clear chance as hell
 
I just don't think he's a technical goalkeeper like the likes of Onana, Ederson, Raya, etc. and you need that in modern football, especially for a possession-based coach like Enrique.

My comment didn't have anything to do with his performance tonight, it was just a reply to the poster saying he's overrated, which I agree with.

In my opinion, PSG signed him 3 years ago mostly because of him being a huge name with a great reputation. If they had any sense, they would've looked for a better keeper, who's also good on the ball and with their feet: Maignan is a PSG youth product and Milan got him for 16m euros in the same summer that Donnarumma went to Paris. The perfect option was right there, and they passed up on him for a big name, but worse fit in Donnarumma, but that's nothing new from PSG. Messi and Ramos were similarly awful signings IMO.

They have a really good academy and they could've easily bedded some of their biggest talents in, since they play in Ligue 1 and can win the league without too much of a hassle. Maignan, Nkunku, Coman and Moussa Diaby are all players who could be of great use to PSG, but they let them go at an early age. Similar to how Chelsea just sold off more than a dozen promising Cobham products that could've given them a La Masia 2000s or Class of 92 type of mass integration of youth players into the first team.

Thanks for the reply. I appreciate your insight. I always thought he would be a good replacement for De Gea before he signed for PSG but maybe not.
 
Zaire-Emery is a good young player but that was such a fecking baffling substitution considering PSG needed help on the defensive side.
 
That Dortmund young player Bynoe has contributed more in the game than Sancho has since he came back to Dortmund
 
The worst PSG I can remember in years. A lot of mediocre players and the coach, a Barça mole who is going to drive everyone crazy.
I see myself supporting Atleti and of course they are going to disappoint me.
 
Thanks for the reply. I appreciate your insight. I always thought he would be a good replacement for De Gea before he signed for PSG but maybe not.

We rarely sign Italians (or Germans) anyways. I usually just subconsciously dismiss it when we're linked to players of these nationalities because of that. :lol:
 
No idea what LVG was thinking. We could've had a Kroos-Gundogan midfield.
Ah yeah of course - add Thiago as well if Moyes didn’t mess that one up.

Instead we were treated to a Fellaini, Herrera and Schneiderlin trio..
 
Sancho has been good this game. Probably Dortmunds best attacker
Can’t remember a single chance created or shot that he got, didn’t beat a single man. I don’t know what you watched but for me average
Brandt was better than him by a mile
 
I don’t understand why TNT Sports seem more buzzed by Pedri’s pass than Raphina’s finish. Both are great but the latter is clearly the crazy part in the goal!
 
Atleti game ends on Brandt hitting the crossbar :lol:
 
Pau Cubrasi looks generational. La Masia strikes again?
Today the game was a little too much for him. A bit slow going backwards but he has a very very good press and if they take care of him they will surely have a center back for a long time.
 
What a bummer can't even defeat a weak Barcelona side at home. Hope they field Mbappe for the returning leg as I wanted to see him play today.
 
As kids when we played football on the streets that was a regular attempt at striking the ball. The comment brought back good memories for me.
But to the far post from close range? It’s really common near post but so rare the way he did it. Obviously way more common further out like Scholes’ slice which ended up top corner vs Barca.
 
I don't think any of these ties are over, to be honest.

Madrid and Arsenal are incredible in transitions, and the draws in the first leg aren't really tragic outcomes for them. The likes of Vinícius, Rodrygo, Martinelli, Saka, etc. will cause plenty of problems to the Bayern and City defenses.

Barca's 3rd goal is huge, obviously, but I can't count out PSG yet either. Mbappé will probably show up for the return leg and he can decide a tie on his own within a few minutes. If PSG get a goal early, I'll favor them to go through.

I think Atletico have what it takes to scrape through in the return leg, but that Haller goal will be very inconvenient for them. At 2-0, it's almost over IMO, because Dortmund are very average.
 
Can’t remember a single chance created or shot that he got, didn’t beat a single man. I don’t know what you watched but for me average
Brandt was better than him by a mile

He was constantly dribbling past Madrid players but was also in 2v1 situations so it wasn't easy for him. Don't think any Dortmund player created a big chance other than Ryerson right at the end, even the Haller goal was a poor pass from Brandt (who I agree was really good after coming in as well) that the defense screwed up the clearance.
 
Mbappe best player in the world? I'm not certain he'd be the best player at City, Liverpool or Arsenal.
 
Flo seriously needs to forget Mbappé and throw the kitchen sink at Klopp
 
All ties are evenly balanced. I do want City and Arsenal to be knocked out but have to say, I've enjoyed these CL games a lot as a neutral.
 
This game was Terzic in a nutshell.

Could have been sacked at half time, but then the team did just enough to allow reporters to ask whether defensive mistakes were the problem.
Given the circumstances 1:2 isn't a bad result and still have thing in their hand at home, especially without the away goal rule.
 
Who are the Barcelona regens that are coming through looking like world beaters. Ridiculous :lol:
 
This game was Terzic in a nutshell.

Could have been sacked at half time, but then the team did just enough to allow reporters to ask whether defensive mistakes were the problem.
Given the circumstances 1:2 isn't a bad result and still have thing in their hand at home, especially without the away goal rule.
Terzić must be Croatian for ten hag.
 
All ties are evenly balanced. I do want City and Arsenal to be knocked out but have to say, I've enjoyed these CL games a lot as a neutral.

Right now, I desperately want Arsenal to go through, as they're the best equipped team to stop City. If Madrid somehow go through, though, then I'm a neutral and won't care one bit who wins.
 
Mbappe didn't had a great game, he'll never be a player that would intervene constantly if the ball doesn't reach him and he is better suit to be launch in space and in a flank. PSG didn't find him too much and when they did, it was in more crowded areas where he was well marked.
Yet Dembele's goal came after him reaching a really bad pass from Ousman that generated the rebound for Dembele to score and in some very few ocassions if the player attacking with him was someone like Messi, Neymar or Di Maria he could have scored running alone throught the middle like the Barcola chance in the second half.
He is nowadays receiving a bit of his medicine when he becomes a bit sellfish because PSG many times uses kids that are not mature enough and eager to make their name in order to become first team.

PD: Donnarumma still lives on his prestige? dunno, but he is and was one of the major reasons of why PSG sometimes didn't grab a good result in CLs all of these years.