They really have become a machine defensively under Valverde this season.On what planet are this Barca side ‘immense defensively’?!
Champions League Round of 16 (13th Feb - 14th Mar)
- Thread starter Samid
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Fair enough. Think Conte's plan will be to absorb Barca's pressure and keep the score down to at 1-0. Even if it's 2-0 they can keep their game plan, albeit, they'll have to be more adventurous earlier in the game.
We will see. Just feels like one of ties where teams are badly matched for each other. If Barca were playing Spurs for instance, the aggregate score would probably be 15-0 to Barca.
How can they keep their plan at 2-0 when barca have the away goal? The away goal is what has killed Chelsea
What?! This Barca plays nothing like that Brazil, if anything Man City are the inexperienced team who lose to teams like Wigan and Bournemouth while Barca has yet to lose in league or CL play. Man City are a good side but people really overrate them. They also can be opened up defensively. Man City can be vulernable just as much as Barca. If they play a team who can actually attack them instead of conceding possession man city can definitely be beaten, although they are obviously still a formidable opponent.
I wish I could say they are favorites but I do worry about their attack. Still, if they can have an Atletico like defense they can certainly go far.
I don't think we will go through. I thought we might win tonight yet never thought we would win at the Nou Camp.
Perhaps unlucky with the two strikes against the posts and conceding via a defensive error yet there it is.
Perhaps unlucky with the two strikes against the posts and conceding via a defensive error yet there it is.
Facepalm.
How can they keep their plan at 2-0 when barca have the away goal? The away goal is what has killed Chelsea
What?! This Barca plays nothing like that Brazil, if anything Man City are the inexperienced team who lose to teams like Wigan and Bournemouth while Barca has yet to lose in league or CL play. Man City are a good side but people really overrate them. They also can be opened up defensively. Man City can be vulernable just as much as Barca. If they play a team who can actually attack them instead of conceding possession man city can definitely be beaten, although they are obviously still a formidable opponent.
I wish I could say they are favorites but I do worry about their attack. Still, if they can have an Atletico like defense they can certainly go far.
Well if Chelsea are 2-0 down at 45-60 mins they wouldn't have to throw the everything at Barca because if they get one then its game on. Get one in the dying seconds and they're through on away goals. That's my reasoning behind it.
The red card was unfair.Beşiktaş
Horrible run of games for them coming up. Hope that puts them in a slump.
We score one goal at Camp Nou and their away advantage is gone. If we score two there then they're well and truly F'd. It's not an impossible tie for us to win. This rivalry seems to be intense regardless of either team's form in the build up to the meetings. That match felt like a direct continuation of the 2012 tie. Don't tell me we can't score 2 at their stadium. We've done it before. Multiple times.
My only fear going into the tie was that this squad didn't have the guts and fight that the old guard did in their day but they've proven to be able to rise to the occasion. Even if we lose the tie in the end, I'm certain we won't be pushovers in the 2nd leg at all. Their pitch is bigger than ours and gives them more space to operate but it also gives us more space to operate as well. We're the one English team they never want to play no matter what year it is (you don't have to believe me, Messi said it himself a few years ago). On the other hand, Madrid would have shredded us to bits.
My only fear going into the tie was that this squad didn't have the guts and fight that the old guard did in their day but they've proven to be able to rise to the occasion. Even if we lose the tie in the end, I'm certain we won't be pushovers in the 2nd leg at all. Their pitch is bigger than ours and gives them more space to operate but it also gives us more space to operate as well. We're the one English team they never want to play no matter what year it is (you don't have to believe me, Messi said it himself a few years ago). On the other hand, Madrid would have shredded us to bits.
Weird game. Barca's passing was occasionally as crisp and comfortable as you'd expect it to be, but for the most part their play in the final third was quite poor. Messi was surprisingly ineffectual until his goal in the second half. Simultaneously, Chelsea seemed to vary between being incredibly compact at the back and making basic errors you'd slate League Two players for, the goal they conceded being the prime example. Decent on the counter-attack though, with Willian looking excellent just about every time he was in a part of the pitch where he could conceivably score.
Reckon Barca will see them off comfortably on their own patch. They're not the team they once were years back but still a cut above most sides in world football when in control of the ball. Even when they're playing poorly they manage to look like a side three neatly threaded passes away from a goal.
Reckon Barca will see them off comfortably on their own patch. They're not the team they once were years back but still a cut above most sides in world football when in control of the ball. Even when they're playing poorly they manage to look like a side three neatly threaded passes away from a goal.
Some facts from BBC -
- Only Cristiano Ronaldo (56) and Lionel Messi (38) have scored more goals in the Champions League knockout phase than Thomas Muller (21).
- Robert Lewandowski has scored 19 goals in his last 17 Champions League appearances at the Allianz Arena.
- Bayern Munich have won their last five Champions League games, the longest current run in the competition.
- At the Allianz Arena, Bayern Munich have won 20 of their last 21 Champions League games, the only exception coming against Real Madrid in last season's quarter-final (1-2).
City have to be the most overrated footballing side in history.
What's worse is that United fans on this site overrate them way more than their own fans do.
Yeah they're good, but they've done nothing in the CL to earn the plaudits they get.
What's worse is that United fans on this site overrate them way more than their own fans do.
Yeah they're good, but they've done nothing in the CL to earn the plaudits they get.
Worth pointing out Basel finished ahead of CSKA and Benfica in their ground and Besitkas and Porto had RBL and Monaco in their group.
I'm not sure if they are. Obviously results say so and stuff, but that's TBD IMO.
For all the talk of them being too reliant on MSN and everything, they rely HEAVILY on Messi this season. At least they could lean on Neymar last season.
It's certainly more of a team, but they 'limp' a fair bit in most games I watch. They're fairly efficient and probably as good as they've ever been in conventional defending. But I don't think they can win it. I think it'd take Messi to play as good as ever for them to win it(which I wouldn't discount).
Portland's amazing! Absolutely love that city. Used to live there.
Last night's game highlights why I think Barcelona arent a great bet for the Champions League. They've done superbly well this season in grinding results and while their defence has been terrific thus far, they're just too reliant on Messi going forward. It's all well and good to want him to boss every game and score and assist along the way, but the team needs to attack well. And I think, unless they integrate Dembele and Coutinho quickly, and their manager becomes a little braver I think they'll struggle come the quarters or semis. Messi is essentially both their main create and goalscoring force. But everytime he picked up the ball today, apart from the see of Chelsea defenders you'd expect, there was only Suarez and possibly two fullbacks way out wide ahead of him. They didn't even play any wide players today.
It's a good result for them and I think they should now go through. But I don't think they're a team that others should fear. Especially in the CL.
It's a good result for them and I think they should now go through. But I don't think they're a team that others should fear. Especially in the CL.
They definitely are better than last year's team. Last year's team looked even worse offensively against Juventus and the first leg vs PSG. This Barca side would never concede 3-4 goals.
People see the posts Willian hit (from outside the box) and blame it on shoddy defending (and yes Barca should've covered him more...and they did after he finally scored) but the games that Barca have won (especially the close ones) would all have been losses last year. They are the ultimate second half team. There is a reason they are undefeated in league and CL play and it's not by "sheer dumb luck" or "poor competition". We are in the middle of February, it's an uncanny run even if this is the least "sexiest" Barca team in terms of playstyle of possibly the decade. I also don't think they wanted to play a 4-4-2 for as long as they have but with Dembele being injured and Coutinho being cup tied they've had to make do without any real wingers. If anything it's a testament to Valverde that they've even done this well. My favorite thing about him, and it reflects in the team as well, if that he never panics.
Can this Barca squad be beaten? For sure, but when you have an elite defense you can do really well in knockout tournaments, much like Atletico and Juventus have. And yes, they both lost in the finals but NOBODY in the round of 16 had them being finalists.
Barca last year were extra reliant on MSN because they had no midfield and had to bypass the midfield to get the ball to MSN as quickly as possible. When you're conceding 2-3 goals in multiple CL matches it's going to be very difficult to win the tie. You can tell me this year's Barca squad don't have the 6-1 comeback (especially with no Neymar who was the #1 reason the comeback was even possible) but I firmly believe this year's Barca don't concede 3 goals to Juventus and 4 goals to PSG.
Willian was close to a hattrick but how many players can you say had a hattrick this season with all goals coming from outside the box? Outside of those Willian shots it wasn't like Chelsea was crazy threatening outside of a Hazard shot or two.
Disagree completely on Bayern and City. Good teams but they've had the easiest draws in this round of CL by far. Give them a Chelsea/PSG/Juventus and they're sure as hell not winning 4-0 and 5-0. Bayern couldn't even win their group, and Man City won their group by a mere three points, and it was a very easy group they had as well.
Great teams, but let's hold off on the champagne until they play proper teams.
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Called a 1-1 before the game. Conte serving up the equivalent of a Mourinho masterclass, they really are more alike than they would care to admit.
Come on. It was a textbook red.
Not a bad foul, but last man prohibiting a clear scoring chance.
The more pertinent thing to think about is how has @endless_wheelies escaped the "City Lover" tag after those postsIt was one game
I saw City get done off Wigan last night...
This is not the same Barca team as in those finals. So comparing the two makes no sense.
Well, Coutinho is cup tied, so that's not gonna happen this year. Dembele should give them more firepower up top But they definitly don't look like THE favourite to win it this year.
Pretty much. He started well - the first 10 or so minutes, I thought. Then disappeared.
I made a discovery yesterday when Willian scored. I dislike Barcelona more than Chelsea.
Also, my God the days of Barca being exciting are over aren't they? Endless possession without an end product. nauseating to watch.
Also, my God the days of Barca being exciting are over aren't they? Endless possession without an end product. nauseating to watch.
Does it give you flashbacks of the Dutch national team?
Which Dutch national team?
The one failing to qualify for tournaments because we're shite, the one from 2010 that had De Jong and Van Bommel break the oppossing teams legs and make Robben score, the one with the Bergkamp goal or the one from the 70s?
It reminds me of United under Van Gaal if anything
I'd rather play Barcelona in the next round than any other team. Park the bus and they're clueless.
I wouldn't write off Chelsea yet, they were the better team.
Be crazy if City, Chelsea, United, Spurs & Liverpool all went through to the last 8. Be even better if they all avoided each other to make the semi's very interesting.
City, United, Bayern and Liverpool in the semis. You heard it here first
I wouldn't write off Chelsea yet, they were the better team.
Be crazy if City, Chelsea, United, Spurs & Liverpool all went through to the last 8. Be even better if they all avoided each other to make the semi's very interesting
. City, United, Bayern and Liverpool in the semis. You heard it here first
So Real Madrid "smacked" PSG but aren't considered the top team because City and Bayern managed to put a lot of goals past their opponents. Not sure I agree with that logic.
It would be extremely interesting if 5 teams managed to avoid each other in a grouping of 4 matches.Be crazy if City, Chelsea, United, Spurs & Liverpool all went through to the last 8. Be even better if they all avoided each other to make the semi's very interesting
Chelsea won't go through I feel. Although stranger things have happened in previous Barcelona vs Chelsea ties.
I have a feeling they could nick it in Spain. They need to score so can't completely park the bus but they only need 1 goal so they don't need to be overly attacking either. They set up well last night.
Giroud is made for those type of games.
They don't have a hope IMO. For once in a Barca-Chelsea they are the ones going to the Nou Camp needing the goal. The away goal changed everything.
In 2012 they parked the biggest motherfecking bus there was on the back of their win at Stamford bridge. Both the goals they scored they caught Barca on the counter. Barca don't need to be anywhere near as aggressive in this tie.
Yeah exactly. great for set pieces, great hold up play, I'd definitely have him over Morata in that game. Its the type of game that suits Chelsea's strengths, Barcelona were lucky to get a draw last night.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...-to-take-into-return-tie-heres-the-proof.html
This is from four years ago but still.
Good read! If Chelsea got an early goal in Barcelona then the away goal advantage is suddenly all on Chelsea's side and every draw is in Chelsea's favour from then on.
Have to agree. In addition, Barcelona is pretty clinical on the counter. Chelsea have a mountain to climb, and I'd be surprised if they actually succeeded.
Messi and co with lot of space when team is chasing the goal would be lethal. If they can get Dembele fully fit in terms of match fitness then they will beat Chelsea easily as Chelsea will come out to score a goal.
Or they need miracle like in 2012 when Barca missed penalties, hit the post multiple times, missed easy chances.
You were clearly watching a totally different game to me. We didn’t park the bus last night either. Barca did what they always do and dominated possession, but they did very little with it. We were actually much more positive than I’d expected us to be, and it paid off with some really good chances. Barca are still obviously favourites, but that was a really good performance from Chelsea last night, and I’m looking forward to seeing if we can repeat it in the second leg.
My main complaint was that the Pedro-Morata switch should have been made a lot earlier. I was tying out for it from around the 60th minute. Putting on Morata and immediately removing Fabregas also seemed pretty daft.
Think United could struggle today, but then they will have no problem at home.
Sevilla isnt great this season. I´ll go with 0:1 or 1:1.