Atletico (H) | CL QF 1st Leg - Tue 5th April, 20:00 | Pre-Match Thread

[Blue Theatre]

Have a look at the teams villa played when they won it, forest too. And liverpool. They played about 4 rounds and were playing the champions of ireland and finland.

infinitely harder trophy to win now than then

For sheer quality of European opposition, it's hard to beat United's 1991 Cup Winners Cup route to the final. They reached the quarter finals by beating 2 teams: Pecsi Munkas & Wrexham.
Then Montpellier in the QF & Legia Warsaw in the SF.

 

[ninjamonkey]

Ederson
Cancelo
Stones
Laporte
Zinchenko
rodri
Bernardo
Gundogan
Mahrez
Foden
Kdb

Don't think we will press high, we will prioritise control and limiting the counters otherwise jesus would come in for gundo. There won't be any space for sterling to run into so can't see him starting, he's a better option from the bench when we've hopefully tired them out. Rest of the team pretty much picks itself. Ake at left back is an option but don't think Pep will have all 3 of his centre backs on the pitch given the injury concerns in that area and the dippers up next.

If we score early I think we have a comfortable night. If we start slowly and get slower, they'll find it very easy to defend against us which could lead to a very frustrating night.

 

[Ali B's Heel]

Raz KDB Mahrez
Gundo Rodri Bernardo
Zinny Laporte Stones Cancelo
Ederson

3-0 & we can then concentrate solely on Sunday

 

[phargrave]

Think we’ll line up like this:

Ederson
Cancelo
Stones
Laporte
Ake
Rodri
Bernardo
De Bruyne
Grealish
Sterling
Foden

Mahrez for Grealish

 

[Cheeky Txiki]

think stones might be right back for this

 

[14aguero]

think stones might be right back for this

So, would it be

Stones
Laporte
Ake
Cancelo?

That 40m+ investment in Ake will have to pay off in a big way. He has been looking good.

 

[Gray]

CL does nothing for me, but desperately want us to progress.

 

[Cheeky Txiki]

So, would it be

Stones
Laporte
Ake
Cancelo?

That 40m+ investment in Ake will have to pay off in a big way. He has been looking good.

Yeah, feel like Cancelo as left back has become ingrained into our setup and the way we have attacked this season, I really don't want us to change that in a crucial knock out game. Ake should be more than enough to do the job against Atleti.

 

[bluemoon32]

Hopefully no injuries for the weekend

 

[bluetonium]

Confess I feel a little nervous about thus, European games haven't really bothered me before. Maybe it's more because it's the start of a big week.

Anyway, facing the counter without walker is a problem, and I think the other issue we need to overcome is the decision to play inverted wingers or not. Both their full backs are mostly one footed so it could work, but bringing the ball inside against this lot packing the centre may also not be clever.

Have a suspicion Jesus could play, or at least be important here.

Still think we'll win, 2-0.

 

[MichaelFrontzeck'sBathroom]

If we think about it as long as we win tonight (doesn’t matter what the score line is since away goals no longer count) would suit us down to the ground. It forces Atletico to have to come out and attack us 2nd leg, which obviously would suit us. Any other outcome and it could be edgy

 

[Bluesince1979]

For sheer quality of European opposition, it's hard to beat United's 1991 Cup Winners Cup route to the final. They reached the quarter finals by beating 2 teams: Pecsi Munkas & Wrexham.
Then Montpellier in the QF & Legia Warsaw in the SF.

Oh i Dunno, have a look at villas, ive never heard of half of em and it was only 4 rounds to the final

 

[DMA's]

Really excited/nervous for this one. Unlike some I am absolutely desperate for us to win the champions league, would put the cherry on top of the very nice cake under this pep era.

Part of me would be gutted if pep wasn’t the manager to win us our first champions league trophy.

 

[skillman]

Could’ve already been posted. Apologies if so

 

[14aguero]

Could’ve already been posted. Apologies if so

Was this Suarez? Who was that disrespectful person who spat on it?

 

[Welsh]

Would love to see

Ederson
Cancelo Stones Laporte Ake
Rodri
Gundo Bernardo
Mahrez KDB Foden

But think Grealish and Sterling will both be squeezed in somehow, probably for Gundogan and Mahrez.

 

[LangleyBlue1970]

Would love to see

Ederson
Cancelo Stones Laporte Ake
Rodri
Gundo Bernardo
Mahrez KDB Foden

But think Grealish and Sterling will both be squeezed in somehow, probably for Gundogan and Mahrez.

Sterling is arguably one of our best players of late. Foden not so much. Sterling should be starting both tonight and Sunday.

 

[AliBobbyJ]

Are most of Atletico's away support going to miss the match through getting stuck in the queues at M/cr airport?

 

[urban genie]

Was this Suarez? Who was that disrespectful person who spat on it?

The was that rag **** herrera not suarez

 

[Manchester33]

Have a look at the teams villa played when they won it, forest too. And liverpool. They played about 4 rounds and were playing the champions of ireland and finland.

infinitely harder trophy to win now than then

There are different ways of looking at it. When Villa won the European Cup, they had to win the league to qualify. If you think of the recent (last 20 years) English victories in the Champions League (Chelsea '21, Liverpool '19, Chelsea '12, Rags '08, Liverpool '05), there's only one example of a team that won the league going on to win it.

For Liverpool to win it in '19, they had to qualify by finishing at least fourth, which they did... 25 points behind the champions.

Even though the competition itself is tougher now (with more high-quality teams), qualifying is far easier. So swings and roundabouts. I think Villas EC win was a brilliant achievement for their club.