2022-23 UEFA Champions League Discussion Thread

[SgtPepper]

Coman's been awful. Pavard is creating more chances & shots. It's also crazy how much better Bayern are in the middle after Muller replaced Goretzka.

[SgtPepper]

City's been imperious this half. Bernardo's runs, Gundo's passing, Rodri's knockdowns, and Guardiola's tactics icing the game.

It was more Upamecanos mistakes icing the game than anything.

Kimmich and Goretzka are kings of the all bark no bite fanclub.

Also Sane…yelling at Mane for a bad pass he made himself. What a douche.

I rate the Bayern back 4 the best unit in Europe and think they were let down with plodders like Sommers, Goretzka, the pointless wing play and false 9's.

[Young Stapler]

Sane was in the lineup so a guaranteed win for City. They probably couldn't believe how easy it was for them tonight.

[Foye]

City's been imperious this half. Bernardo's runs, Gundo's passing, Rodri's knockdowns, and Guardiola's tactics icing the game.

It was more Upamecanos mistakes icing the game than anything.

Kimmich and Goretzka are kings of the all bark no bite fanclub.

Also Sane…yelling at Mane for a bad pass he made himself. What a douche.

I rate the Bayern back 4 the best unit in Europe and think they were let down with plodders like Sommers, Goretzka, the pointless wing play and false 9's.

De Ligt has been way better than I expected lately.

But Upamecano was the most insecure player on the pitch for the whole second half.

I think they are not going to win the CL anymore as long as they field the all bark no bite fanclub Kimmich and Goretzka in the DM in important games.
German NT has the same issue. Bayern is able to hide it better because they have a better defense and more possession - but in the really big games like today it definitely shows that their midfield is bad defensively.

Goretzka was really invisible all game long. Not sure where the hell he was. But not in Manchester.

[SgtPepper]

How do you rate Upamecano vs Alaba over the past 2 years? At Madrid Alaba is the worst defender but best playmaker among the CB's, and that's a vital role especially to replace Sergio Ramos' offensive contributions.

[Foye]

How do you rate Upamecano vs Alaba over the past 2 years? At Madrid Alaba is the worst defender but best playmaker among the CB's, and that's a vital role especially to replace Sergio Ramos' offensive contributions.

To be honest since Dazn increased prices in a ridiculous way for existing customers I have decided to discontinue using it.
No more La Liga and most UCL games.

I just have Sky for Saturday Bundesliga games and Premier League.

So my opinion on Alaba will be close to worthless because I have not seen him like at all in like the past year.

[fbalmeida]

Balanced first half with Benfica getting the better chances. 2nd half was unkind to Benfica: Inter capitalized on a mistake from Gilberto (Bah will be back for the 2nd leg) and a questionable penalty awarded for a handball on the very edge of the box. Gonçalo Ramos missed a great chance at the very end to pull one back.

Benfica is probably out here, but it's been a fun ride. Overachieved in the CL. Time to consolidate the domestic league title.

[magik9113]

Balanced first half with Benfica getting the better chances. 2nd half was unkind to Benfica: Inter capitalized on a mistake from Gilberto (Bah will be back for the 2nd leg) and a questionable penalty awarded for a handball on the very edge of the box. Gonçalo Ramos missed a great chance at the very end to pull one back.

Benfica is probably out here, but it's been a fun ride. Overachieved in the CL. Time to consolidate the domestic league title.

Although Inter put in a solid performance, things certainly could have been different without that handball and the Onana save at the very end.
Inter are a fragile team and this tie is by no means over. if Benfica go up 1-0 at any moment in Milan it’s going to be exciting.

[SgtPepper]

It was more Upamecanos mistakes icing the game than anything.

But Upamecano was the most insecure player on the pitch for the whole second half.

I suppose my main point is that it was a probable outcome given that there was literally just Kimmich and him doing the most important playmaking for the team. I think only Militao would make it into a combined Madrid/Bayern backline but in possession and offense Madrid have more skillful and press resistant players across the pitch than Bayern so if Madrid end up facing City I expect the defeat to be truly due to individual errors and being unable to compete athletically rather than due to lack of midfield skill and bad pressing shapes against a 3 man backline like Tuchel's 451 for most of the 2nd half.

[Foye]

So apparently there was a brawl between Sane and Mane in the Bayern lockerroom after the game initiated by Mane.

Mane probably had enough of Sane‘s arrogant behaviour after making a terrible pass to him. Lmao.

From everything I have read and heard so far Mane is the most humble person on earth. I can’t imagine what an incredible douche you need to be to get into a brawl with Sadio Mane.

[SgtPepper]

Mane's fight with Nagelsmann got amped in the media between Freiberg and the latter's sacking too. Mane is a professional but he's not having a party at Bayern currently because his goal tally is under expectation. And Sane's long shot was the best Bayern goal threat yesterday.

Madrid is winning with B- football and no tactical effort by Ancelotti. Since Cucurella came on as a cb they could have inverted Carvajal into a permanent winger.

Benzema is having another Sunday footballer night despite the goal.

[Foye]

Mane's fight with Nagelsmann got amped in the media between Freiberg and the latter's sacking too. Mane is a professional but he's not having a party at Bayern currently because his goal tally is under expectation. And Sane's long shot was the best Bayern goal threat yesterday.

Madrid is winning with B- football and no tactical effort by Ancelotti. Since Cucurella came on as a cb they could have inverted Carvajal into a permanent winger.

Benzema is having another Sunday footballer night despite the goal.

Sane is not a winning player on the big stage.

Yeah, his long shots looked good but were an easy save for Ederson.

I don’t remember the last time he actually made a meaningful contribution in the CL knockout stage in a game where Bayern wasn’t flat out out dominant from the beginning.
And this is not just on Bayern, also at the national team.

I don’t doubt that he is trying to win, he just has a piss poor IQ for the game.

In my opinion, Bayerns best choice is to get rid of him if someone offers decent money.

I agree that Mane has been poor at Bayern but his goals+assist record per minute is still on the same level or better than Sane even in poor form and less minutes. They just need to give him a few games at the wing in a row and gain confidence. He is better than Sane. No doubts about that.

[magik9113]

I feel like Leroy Sane is the definition of almost good. super fast, great dribbler, but no final product.

Napoli lose 1-0 in Milan. A bit unlucky but being forced to start Elmas up top is basically like playing a man down.

Real win 2-0, pretty unsurprising result.

Red cards in both games. Not convinced on either of them.

[SgtPepper]

Mane's been banned from Bayern indefinitely. At least he made 1 shot on target this week.

[The_Brecht]

Saking Nagelsmann for Tuchel was so stupid.
Tuchelball is boring as **** and is a recipe for disaster.

[magik9113]

excited to see if Osimhen could bring Napoli to the semis. It won't be easy. Damn shame that Anguissa and Kim are suspended

[Foye]

Saking Nagelsmann for Tuchel was so stupid.
Tuchelball is boring as **** and is a recipe for disaster.

Won the CL with it.
The team he got fired from is doing way worse without him.

Bayern will figure it out and be back in full strength next year.

[HIF]

Saking Nagelsmann for Tuchel was so stupid.
Tuchelball is boring as **** and is a recipe for disaster.

Won the CL with it.
The team he got fired from is doing way worse without him.

Bayern will figure it out and be back in full strength next year.

Winning isn't everything. This isn't a comment on Tuchel btw. I can appreciate and love defensive football but I can't stand boring football, fans watch it to be entertained.

[SgtPepper]

^^Still, it's the Bayern board's choice and fault for replacing the managers so early and killing a campaign where they were the on field favorite for the CL. Perhaps they were doing their old friend Pep a favor. The excuse was that they feared Tuchel would sign for Tottenham before the season ended -_- This is the club which had Pep signed 6 months ahead of his start to replace a treble winning German manager.

[SgtPepper]

Madrid showing the shakes. Benzema is still in bad form and I suspect playing in order to get fit again. I think Madrid's whole CL campaign in the remaining rounds will be driven by whether Benzema can become more productive. He's the clubs best finisher but has been consistently unable to be at the right place at the right time in the attack the last few months as a consequence of participating too heavily in deep midfield buildup.

Madrid also could benefit from getting a left wingback to sub for Vinicius for games like this in the summer. Hoping for Benzema sub for Lucas Vazquez ~70' to give Fede or Rodrygo more license to run at goal.