We beat bayern when bayern were already through and dropped their intensity. This group will be really tight so all teams will be putting alll of their energy into this.
Perfectly statedChelsea are having a laugh through to the KO's as usual.
United got it easy in PSV, and should stroll through to KO's but at least have a trip to Russia.
Arsenal as usual have it fairly tough, but were lucky in that pot 3/4 were kind to them, should easily come 2nd at worst.
We got the toughest group out of the English teams, and arguably toughest group in the whole competition as usual. But it's the first time where I reckon we'll be made favourites to top the group, Juve have lost some of their stars, same with Sevilla, and Gladbach will be decent but not better than us for sure. Easy travelling, but looks unlikely we'll be able to rest players for any matches.
If we perform to our standards we should get through.
They've lost three of their five best players.
Atléti won the Europa Lg and finished third in La Liga just a few years ago.Because it's harder to get into the top 4 in la liga and as we see for prem clubs it's hard to have a good league campaign and do well in the cups
Be a huge lift for us to to that.next year when we win the league and become a pot 1 side
Are they better than Chelsea? No.Sevilla is very very good.
They were in the Europas yes, but then what about Spurs and the dippers? They fuck off in the Europas time and time again not even getting close to the semis.
They've signed Alex Sandro for 26m
Simone Zaza for 18m
Roberto Pereyra for 14m
and that on top of having a champions league final team. They have lost Pirlo (who is over the hill) Tevez (In the twilight of his career) Their main loss was Vidal but I wouldn't say that makes them anywhere near substantially weaker.
If you think Ogbonna who went to West Ham or SImon Pepe is one of their best 5 players then you need help.
Make no mistake the champions of Italy and then teams from the top end of the Bundesliga and La Liga is anything but an easy group Lets not forget that Seville only finished three points behind Athletic Madrid last season and that after they were finalists themselves the season before.
On this debate; I doubt anyone thinks Bayern didn't care in the games they didn't beat us in, but the reality is when it's really mattered to Bayern they've beaten is very convincingly.The Bayern wins have been debated on here ad infinitum. Personally, I don't really buy into the theory that Bayern didn't care. They were legit victories that City can and should take full credit for.
If the boys are up for it, there can be no excuse to losing to either Arenal v.2.0 or Gladbach...So it's over to Pellers to set us up right :)
Atléti won the Europa Lg and finished third in La Liga just a few years ago.
They've signed Alex Sandro for 26m
Simone Zaza for 18m
Roberto Pereyra for 14m
and that on top of having a champions league final team. They have lost Pirlo (who is over the hill) Tevez (In the twilight of his career) Their main loss was Vidal but I wouldn't say that makes them anywhere near substantially weaker.
If you think Ogbonna who went to West Ham or SImon Pepe is one of their best 5 players then you need help.
Make no mistake the champions of Italy and then teams from the top end of the Bundesliga and La Liga is anything but an easy group Lets not forget that Seville only finished three points behind Athletic Madrid last season and that after they were finalists themselves the season before.
People scared because Sevilla are back to back Europa League winners..... if they're SO good, why are they even in the Europa League two years in a row? Because they are not one of the elite teams, and we're better than them.
I hate to break it to you but atletico are spanish which means they can't play other spanish teams