Atletico (A) - Wed 13th April, 20:00 (BST) | Pre-Match Thread

[Deleted member 87819]

No surprise you're also an expat for German refs ;)

I can only tell you that dippers wouldn't have finished the match with 11 men on the pitch with Siebert on duty yesterday and Raz would have been on the score board with Marco Fritz as VAR.

Also, it's not a ref's job to "control a match" but to care for the rules in place, unbiased. We will be in good hands is what I believe.

I’m not an expert on German referees, but I have seen in the Bundesliga and in the UCL. I have also seen the reactions from people who probably know him much better than I.
I’m not sure you can argue that a guy who has given 3 red cards in 27 games this season, and none from two yellow cards, would absolutely have sent a Liverpool player off. Maybe he would have, maybe not. And it is not the VAR referee’s job to draw the lines for the offside checks either.
When I say “control the match”, I should have said, “keep it under control”. I certainly think he lost control at that Atletico vs Liverpool game, for instance.
I do hope we are in good hands, like you said. I have no reason to think he is corrupt but just reasons to question how he will do at that stage.

 

[MCFC1993]

Think if Ferna is going to have an impact in a high profile game this season it could be this one. He's the master of the dark arts and can play Atleti at their own game. These were awful against United and I don't see any jeopardy from them at all.

Ederson
Walker Stones Laporte Ake
Fernandinho
Gundogan KDB
Marez Grealish Foden

Fernandinho hasn't started a game that's really mattered since 3rd January and that was Peterborough in the Cup. I doubt Pep throws him in here.

 

[edinburgh123]

1.25 hours so far queuing for passport control. 20 desks and 3 are manned. 2 for EU -and one other for us for what I would estimate is 500 people looking at the queue. Just need a few police dogs and big “hard” policeman behind Battons to make it the full experience. And as I wrote this there is now a 4th desk manned. Obviously had his well deserved 3 hour siesta

 

[OccupiedPalestineBlues]

The team i listed should be good enough to win that game, if not then we have Laporte, KDB, Rodri and Sterling on the bench

Maybe they would be good enough, who knows?
But the fact remains that if we go a goal down, playing away from home against a side that can defend like they can, then having to play 30 minutes additional time and then take the pot luck of penalties is a distinct possibility.

Why risk it?

Why not just start with our strongest 11 and then rest key players if we manage to add to our very slender lead?
IMO That’s so much better than putting out a weakened side and then trying to claw back a goal after it’s gone pear shaped.
It’s only opinions though, maybe you & Pep are of like minds and he’ll consider them to be no threat to us whatsoever and decide to rest key players for the following weekend.

I love a surprise and I look forward to seeing the team sheet.

 

[Legal Alien]

Maybe they would be good enough, who knows?
But the fact remains that if we go a goal down, playing away from home against a side that can defend like they can, then having to play 30 minutes additional time and then take the pot luck of penalties is a distinct possibility.

Why risk it?

Why not just start with our strongest 11 and then rest key players if we manage add to our very slender lead?
IMO That’s so much better than putting out a weakened side and then trying to claw back a goal after it’s gone pear shaped.
It’s only opinions though, maybe you & Pep are of like minds and he’ll consider them to be no threat to us whatsoever and decide rest key players for the following weekend.

I love a surprise and I look forward to seeing the team sheet.

Yeah we'll see, but we have a strong squad for a reason and i think whatever players we put out should be able to get a result.

The fact that they have to score plays into our hands, so if they come at us, stay strong defensively and hit them on the break.

 

[Goater=Legend]

He made a point about Walkers stupidity against Leipzig and we know he can be a hothead at times, wondering if he'll go with him on Wednesday.

 

[balotellishaircut]

OP Updated.

De Bruyne and Cancelo miss the 1st Leg of the Semi Final if they are booked and we go through.

I think that cements in my mind Ake over Cancelo for this one.

De Bruyne just has to be disciplined, I now think Pep will rest him or Bernardo.

It’s a clean slate after this game mate, all yellow cards swiped for the semi finals, there not carried forward.

 

[Jesus H Gabz]

AM are having their capacity reduced by 5000 due to the incidents in the first leg, they also have to display an anti racism banner, wouldn’t surprise me if they just banned the City fans attending, they have form for that

 

[Chappie]

Rest De Bruyne and Cancelo as they're both on yellows. Replace with Gundog and Zinks, sorted.

You don't rest players because they are on 1 booking.
If you rest those 2 we won't be in the semi finals

 

[BlueMoonRisin’]

You don't rest players because they are on 1 booking.
If you rest those 2 we won't be in the semi finals

So playing those two instead will cost us the second leg?