Champions League - Quarter Finals

Status
Not open for further replies.
It's Neuer; Rafinha, Boateng, Dante, Bernat; Alonso, Thiago, Lahm; Götze, Lewandowski, Müller according to the LiveScore app which is pretty accurate most of the times, except for the odd change here and there.
I really hope they're wrong this time. We're fecked if Dante and Alonso again start.
 
Barca was dominated by Valencia so Zlatan co. are certainly give them a few ticks..
Could very well be, but it's nearly impossible for them to go through right now. Barcelona only conceeded 3 goals in a home game once in the last two years, also against Valencia.
 
Looking forward to these tonight. I can see Bayern back in it, could be an epic encounter.

Really hits home not being in the competition. Can't wait for next year!
 
Marcelo, Modric, Bale and Benzema out for Real, that's bad. Atletico favorites for me tomorrow. Any idea how Real will play? Chicarito upfront? Illaramendi or Khedira in midfield?

Difficult game for Bayern too, but still think they will go through, a early goal and they will fly. Could be just in trouble if they don't score in the first 20,30 minutes or concede a unlucky goal.
 
All about the Champions League for Bayern. You don't assemble a squad of that quality just to win the Bundesliga.
When a player like Thiago joins Bayern, it's for the CL. You sacrifice a bit of exposure when you join them. There are no El Clasicos or SUPER DUPER SUNDAYS!!! there. Its all about Europe for the non German world cup winners.

They are great - especially that older Spanish speaking guys. Great team players and integrated so fast and are very helpful. That scene shows a simple 1:0 in a normal Bundesliga match. They are the best cheerleaders...

10409196_1139268509423172_1791170366176413048_n.jpg


Thiago came to Munich to jumpstart his career as there were too many handicaps for him at Barcelona.

Especially this week you see again that nobody really appreciates what this fabulous Bayern players really did the recent seasons. They are so good that it seems so easy.

This season they will finish the third best season in Bundesliga history - the first and second were done the recent two years. Wolfsburg as 2nd probably will have more points at the end of the season than the Champions of about 25 of the 52 years have had.

Porto rotated - Bayern played with about the same decimated team including some youngsters away from home - and won. They even had more sprints and won more duels than the other team - it is not that they win just because of being superior. They put a lot effort into winning, too.

---------------------

They send Lahm and Müller into the press conference yesterday - that was one of their luck recipes for the treble year.

And they asked the fans for support:

 
Marcelo, Modric, Bale and Benzema out for Real, that's bad. Atletico favorites for me tomorrow. Any idea how Real will play? Chicarito upfront? Illaramendi or Khedira in midfield?

Difficult game for Bayern too, but still think they will go through, a early goal and they will fly. Could be just in trouble if they don't score in the first 20,30 minutes or concede a unlucky goal.

That conceding is something that would be poison to that match. An early goal ain't really so important. If they keep an 0:0 until mid of the second half they still can put Pizza and Schweinsteiger in and go for crosses.
 
All four tonight's CL managers in the same team:


Amazing. Exactly same thing happened last week as well!

And that's Mourinho with his arm around Guardiola. Sweet. Even when not in the CL he manages to creep into the later stages of the competition.
 
Marcelo, Modric, Bale and Benzema out for Real, that's bad. Atletico favorites for me tomorrow. Any idea how Real will play? Chicarito upfront? Illaramendi or Khedira in midfield?

Difficult game for Bayern too, but still think they will go through, a early goal and they will fly. Could be just in trouble if they don't score in the first 20,30 minutes or concede a unlucky goal.

What if they concede a non-unlucky goal? They'll be better off?

Porto being underrated subconsciously :) Let's hope Pep does the same mistake. He seems to have done it in the weekend by not rotating the team properly.
 
Not sure it will make a huge difference.

Jose rested virtually his entire team before the Atletico 2nd leg last year, while Simeone kept a strong team and Atletico were still comfortable winners away from home.
 
Not sure it will make a huge difference.

Jose rested virtually his entire team before the Atletico 2nd leg last year, while Simeone kept a strong team and Atletico were still comfortable winners away from home.

It's not huge, but it can obviously make a difference. Probably more to Porto, who ran more last week and looked exhausted by the end of the match. In regards to Bayern, preventing some muscular injuries would have been priority in my opinion. Games separated by 6 days in this phase of the competition is ridiculous. It's also more important for UEFA to keep their tidy Tuesday/Wednesday rotation, which results in some teams resting 6 days and other teams resting 8 days. This can kill a league run. We'll be playing Benfica next weekend as well, bringing the total to 4 decisive games in 12 days. Not even in the World Cup such nonsense happens.

Just read that Robben will be playing. This scares me. I'm so excited for this game that I forget we have a makeshift defence,
 
What if they concede a non-unlucky goal? They'll be better off?

Porto being underrated subconsciously :) Let's hope Pep does the same mistake. He seems to have done it in the weekend by not rotating the team properly.

Pep did not have a choice at the weekend. There is nobody to rotate...
It is like the starting formation tonight - he does not have much choice either.

Robben will not play. He did not go to the team hotel.
 
Pep did not have a choice at the weekend. There is nobody to rotate...
It is like the starting formation tonight - he does not have much choice either.
Nobody? You're 10 points clear in the league... There is really no more players you could have fielded? I know squads are limited in the CL, but usually clubs have a shit load of players they can call for internal competitions. I suppose it's different in Germany.
 
Pep did not have a choice at the weekend. There is nobody to rotate...
It is like the starting formation tonight - he does not have much choice either.

Robben will not play. He did not go to the team hotel.
Reina, Badstuber, Schweinsteiger, Rode and Gaudinho are five players he could've fielded this weekend if I'm not mistaken? You're walking the league so I would've rested every player possible.
 
All managed/influenced by LvG?
Bobby Robson was the manager then (and Blanc's only season at Barca). 96/97.
Amazing. Exactly same thing happened last week as well!
Well, obviously. I thought this was so remarkable I wanted to make a thread of it, but then I half assumed this was pointed out before, isn't the tweet a few days old?
 
I have got money on Bayern to go through tonight, so they better play the match of their lives and do it. Will Ribery play?
 
Bobby Robson was the manager then (and Blanc's only season at Barca). 96/97.
Well, obviously. I thought this was so remarkable I wanted to make a thread of it, but then I half assumed this was pointed out before, isn't the tweet a few days old?
I was joking :) Yeah, it was posted last week as well.
 
I don't see PSG pulling it back against Barca, they may be open defensively as Valencia showed but that front 3 will finish PSG off on the counter.

Bayern vs Porto should be good, if Bayern score early I think they'll win but the longer it goes and the mere presence of Dante gives Porto the hope of using their pace to put Bayern out.
 
Reina, Badstuber, Schweinsteiger, Rode and Gaudinho are five players he could've fielded this weekend if I'm not mistaken? You're walking the league so I would've rested every player possible.
I don't think Neuer needs rest. Badstuber, Rode and Gaudinho started on the weekend and Schweinsteiger doesn't need to be rested or rotated in, he needs to be fit. He hasn't played a game in two weeks. If he was fit enough to start on the weekend, he should start today as well. I hope he does, but I'm worried that he isn't ready for 90 minutes yet.
 
I don't think Neuer needs rest. Badstuber, Rode and Gaudinho started on the weekend and Schweinsteiger doesn't need to be rested or rotated in, he needs to be fit. He hasn't played a game in two weeks. If he was fit enough to start on the weekend, he should start today as well. I hope he does, but I'm worried that he isn't ready for 90 minutes yet.
I based myself on the LiveScore app team so didn't think Schweinsteiger would start. If that team is anything to go by, your team from the weekend is indeed the biggest 'rotation' you could do, yes. (Seems like a vague explanation, hope you understand it)
 
Nobody? You're 10 points clear in the league... There is really no more players you could have fielded? I know squads are limited in the CL, but usually clubs have a shit load of players they can call for internal competitions. I suppose it's different in Germany.
I think resting players is often a bit overrated anyway. It's important that players keep their rhythm and keep momentum. Look at the Chelsea vs PSG game, Chelsea had a full week off without a game on the weekend while PSG only had 3 days rest, yet PSG looked way better and fitter even with 10 men. I also remember our semifinal in 2010 against Lyon. The French league gave Lyon the weekend off, postponed their league game, so that they have more time to prepare for the game against us. We had 3 days rest and won the away game 3-0.

If we go out today, which I expect, it won't be because Guardiola didn't rest all our players and played a reserve or youth side on the weekend.
 
They send Lahm and Müller into the press conference yesterday - that was one of their luck recipes for the treble year.

And they asked the fans for support:



What does "pack ma's" mean? They keep saying it.
 
Bayern better come out and give them a proper beating today, or else Pep is going to feel a bit pressure.
 
I think resting players is often a bit overrated anyway. It's important that players keep their rhythm and keep momentum. Look at the Chelsea vs PSG game, Chelsea had a full week off without a game on the weekend while PSG only had 3 days rest, yet PSG looked a way better and fitter even with 10 men. I also remember our semifinal in 2010 against Lyon. The French league gave Lyon the weekend off, postponed their league game, so that they have more time to prepare for the game against us. We had 3 days rest and won the away game 3-0.

If we go out today, which I expect, it won't be because Guardiola didn't rest all our players and played a reserve or youth side on the weekend.

Actually I always believed that, there should be a point in the season where it's all about recovery and playing. Training is affected the most and it's probably the least important phase for it in the season. Still think 4 games in 12 days is pushing it too much too much, and when muscular injuries start to creep in it's probably a good thing to take the foot off the pedal.

I do disagree completely with resting the whole team like Porto did. Only the 3-4 more tired players should have stayed out, with another 3 subbed off if things were going well. I do feel for a lack of rhythm, and also feel we risked the league unnecessarily (it's hard as it is, we need to win 2-0 at Benfica, but it still depends on us, if wouldn't be the case if we lost more points).
 
I think we're going out today. :(

Without Robben we have not enough power to score many goals. He's just the best player in the world.
 
I think we're going out today. :(

Without Robben we have not enough power to score many goals. He's just the best player in the world.

:lol:

I'm sorry but your midfield/attack is ridiculously good; Robben is not the be all and end all.

If it clicks you can walk all over them tonight.
 
Neuer - Alonso, Thiago, Lewandowski, Rafinha, Boateng, Bernat, Götze, Lahm (C), Müller, Badstuber

At least Badstuber for Dante. Alonso playing is a fecking joke though. And Lahm in midfield, but Rode on the bench is annoying as well.

Bench:
Reina - Dante, Pizarro, Gaudino, Rode, Weiser, Schweinsteiger
 
Neuer - Alonso, Thiago, Lewandowski, Rafinha, Boateng, Bernat, Götze, Lahm (C), Müller, Badstuber

At least Badstuber for Dante. Alonso playing is a fecking joke though.

Bench:
Reina - Dante, Pizarro, Gaudino, Rode, Weiser, Schweinsteiger


Neuer - Rafinha, Boateng, Badstuber, Bernat - Alonso, Lahm, Thiago - Götze - Müller, Lewandowski
 
Neuer - Alonso, Thiago, Lewandowski, Rafinha, Boateng, Bernat, Götze, Lahm (C), Müller, Badstuber

At least Badstuber for Dante. Alonso playing is a fecking joke though.

Bench:
Reina - Dante, Pizarro, Gaudino, Rode, Weiser, Schweinsteiger

I'm fecking done with Pep. Alonso is bullshit, nothing else. Rode should look for a coach that doesn't live in a player's ass and leave us, the poor sod.
 
Injury problems blah blah blah, and yet they can still field a team with a world class player in pretty much every position lol
 
Status
Not open for further replies.