Real Madrid only won last year's SF because they were incredibly lucky. They were totally outplayed for 178 min.
Can't see them having the same luck again this year. It's City's title to lose.
Champions League Quarter Finals | Chelsea vs Real (Tue) | Bayern vs City (Wed)
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Can't see them having the same luck again this year. It's City's title to lose.
You have a serious recency bias. At the half season you had articles all over the place about Upamecano, wondering if he's the best young CB in the world.
Hernandez got injured 4 bundesliga games into the season.
City's current defensive set-up might play into Real's hands.
Bayern kept getting their wingers isolated vs City's full-backs and they didn't convert their chances.
Real Madrid won't be that wasteful. City are better equipped this season to win the CL, but their tactical set-up might make it easier for Real Madrid to carve out chances.
Bayern kept getting their wingers isolated vs City's full-backs and they didn't convert their chances.
Real Madrid won't be that wasteful. City are better equipped this season to win the CL, but their tactical set-up might make it easier for Real Madrid to carve out chances.
Upamaguire
178 minutes is an hyperbole, the first leg was kinda even, cause Real also had chances.
They got outplayed in the second leg mostly.
And it's City and Guardiola anyways, they always find a way to bottle it, so yeah i can see Madrid winning again.
Surprised by the ref tonight. He's usually very good.
Maybe im over analyzing it but I have the feeling Pep really "matured" as a coach.
When he was our coach he often tried something really unusual in big games. I can still remember Martinez as a 2nd striker against Dortmund.
Or he was so stubborn that he didnt want to adjust anything against a big opponent. The suicidal high back line against Real with Ronaldo and Bale comes to mind.
But in these 2 games he fielded his best team with every player playing on a position hes used to but still adapated his tactics, defending deeper with less focus on having the ball all the time.
I was impressed by this City team but even more by Peps (new?) pragmatism.
@City fans: whats your opinion on that?
When he was our coach he often tried something really unusual in big games. I can still remember Martinez as a 2nd striker against Dortmund.
Or he was so stubborn that he didnt want to adjust anything against a big opponent. The suicidal high back line against Real with Ronaldo and Bale comes to mind.
But in these 2 games he fielded his best team with every player playing on a position hes used to but still adapated his tactics, defending deeper with less focus on having the ball all the time.
I was impressed by this City team but even more by Peps (new?) pragmatism.
@City fans: whats your opinion on that?
This is their year. Madrid can't win every time. Milan and Inter have zero chances in the final
Currently, it seems that we are the only ones standing on their way to the treble
Currently, it seems that we are the only ones standing on their way to the treble
Yeah me too. Tuchel was still furious in his post match interview.
There were so many little decisions against us (offside instead of free kick when Ake lost the ball in the beginning, Musiala being clearly pushed on the edge of the box before he shot, the penalty for City etc) but our penalty was equally ridiculous.
It was just a very, very bad ref
No one besides Milan fans thought they would beat Napoli.
After seeing yesterdays game I can imagine them pulling a catenaccio master class against City/Real and Giroud scoring the winning goal with a header after a corner.
Congratulations City on winning the CL. Its 100% certain the cnuts finally win it now.
I mean he's matured in the sense that he's learnt from his mistakes but he's also been given the ultimate (financial doping) platform to be able to continually have a go at it.
Had Aguero and doesn't use him? Plays De Bruyne as false 9? No defensive midfielders?
Buy Grealish and Haaland. Rinse repeat for him entire tenure at City. He's competed against a poorly run Liverpool team managed by his no 1 rival Klopp and has continually failed (to meet expectation) in Europe. He's outlasted opposition with his superior coaching and superior resources. The last factor being the deciding factor really.
Now that I've said, watch these cheats win the fecking thing.
Nah, many weren't that surprised by it, Napoli weren't nearly as big of a favorite as media would have us believe.
Pep copied Real Madrids blueprint to winning the UCL this season. Absorb pressure then hit them when the opponent is at their most confident point which is when they get too offensive and leave openings. That shatters teams morale.
Real taught him a lesson and beat the *********** out of him.
Real taught him a lesson and beat the *********** out of him.
Maybe.
Like the saying, only when the tide goes out that you learn who's been swimming naked.
His unpredictable game, eliminates him from the teams who aspire to win trophies yearly.
Don Carlo has knocked out Pep both times in the Semifinals, Madrid also have knocked City out both times the two teams met in semifinals.
Maybe tradition continues or maybe third times the charm for Pep and City.
Funny enough saw a stat Pep and Madrid have met 4 times in the KO rounds both have all each other twice.
2011 - Pep
2014 - Madrid
2020 - Pep
2022 - Madrid
2023 - ???
Maybe tradition continues or maybe third times the charm for Pep and City.
Funny enough saw a stat Pep and Madrid have met 4 times in the KO rounds both have all each other twice.
2011 - Pep
2014 - Madrid
2020 - Pep
2022 - Madrid
2023 - ???
Hernandez got injured at the world cup. I think Deligt has been our best defender. I think fully fit would have been Deligt Hernandez or back 3 with Upa Deligt Hernandez.
The Pavard surge was recent which was why we signed Cancelo another bust
Practically the same things were said last year.
Every stroke of luck eventually comes to an end.
Saying it was just luck which got Madrid to the title and to the win over City is a bit silly and an exaggeration.
If you concede 2 goals in a span of 2 minutes, you're not unlucky.
City didn't deserve to move on last year. It'll be interesting to see if Pep makes any adjustments for the semi-finals. I think Real can create lots of chances, but Militao being out for the 1st leg is a massive miss.
City didn't deserve to move on last year. It'll be interesting to see if Pep makes any adjustments for the semi-finals. I think Real can create lots of chances, but Militao being out for the 1st leg is a massive miss.
It wasn't only against City but also against PSG and Chelsea.
They were outplayed in every game but somehow managed to go through.
I was happy to see them eliminating the 3 oil or sugar daddy clubs but they have very lucky especially against PSG and City.
Had Bayern had that luck they could have gone through too.
Not all 3 ties were the same nor were they completely outplayed in all of the games. Also it takes a bit of a skill, pedigre and overall strength to go through to the final, score goals and so on, if football was just luck what would be the point of all of it.
Real Madrid definitely had some luck last year. I just think it's a bit silly to say they "somehow went through." We know how they went through: by scoring more goals than the opposition.
These were not close ties where Real Madrid's opponents somehow failed to score after getting a million chances. Real Madrid were punished for defensive mistakes, and then had to go score goals in order to make up for it, which they did.
City scored 5 goals in two matches against us last season. Yeah, they missed a few goals. But 5 goals should see you through a CL semifinal. If you concede 6 goals and go out, then sorry, I'm not going to accept that you had some kind of great performance.
These were not close ties where Real Madrid's opponents somehow failed to score after getting a million chances. Real Madrid were punished for defensive mistakes, and then had to go score goals in order to make up for it, which they did.
City scored 5 goals in two matches against us last season. Yeah, they missed a few goals. But 5 goals should see you through a CL semifinal. If you concede 6 goals and go out, then sorry, I'm not going to accept that you had some kind of great performance.
Inter scored early and then were very comfortable except for like 5 minutes early in the second half, and then they promptly scored again to make it 2-1 and from there it was a parade. Benfica scoring 2 late late goals to at least not lose gives them credit, but the tie was over by thenWatched the wrong game tonight
Inter 3-3 Benfica
Honestly my biggest fear is we don't have the second leg at home this time
Upamaguire
Idiot fan talk made it's way to the commentary booth.
Again, fans deserve the shit pundits they get. Base level banter disguised as discourse.
Yeah, I'm not sure why anyone would laugh at this "commentary". This is embarrassing.
Maybe. But I don't understand what you're trying to argue. Are you saying that the games would go exactly as they did last season but this time Real wouldn't be lucky?
Maybe Real come with better preparation because they already know that they needed luck last time around?
You can't really judge a fixture based on what happened last time around unless its Arsenal vs Bayern. Safe bets there.
"I'd like to bet you all the money in the world against that happening."
I'm rich ; )