Champions League 2019/2020 season

[Man_City_Loyal]

I don't think so as both had already qualified. If Arsenal win the Europa then England will get 5 places.

Ah i see.

 

[ManieH96]

Don't think it could be seen as a shambles if Liverpool win it. Historically (cringe) seen as a European powerhouse. Lost the final last year to the biggest and best club in Europe. Either going to have the 2nd or 3rd most points in n Premier league history in a few days. They've beaten Barca and Bayern along the way. They're undoubtedly a superb side just like we are.

If Spurs win it I'd agree it looks a bit of a shambles.It will hurt us in terms of we should not be losing a 2 legged match to them and we all know we're good enough to win it but it continues to allude us.

Agreed, as much as it pains me to admit it, Liverpool are currently one of the strongest teams in Europe right now and have fully merited their position in the final. Albeit, I still feel a lot of their players are very average.

Spurs have lost 13 league games this season. They have been very fortunate to get into the final, I believe going through on away goals on 3 occasions. They do have some quality players, however, just don't feel they are anywhere near one of the best sides in Europe right now.

 

[rm61]

City's record in Europe is poor. Apart from winning cup winners cup in 1970 have struggled to make a mark even with this team. Liverpool have had alot of success in Europe and even spurs have won a couple of European trophies. Never seems to go well for 1 reason and another.

 

[LeeJay]

Can't understand our fans who don't give a stuff about the Champions League. The Champions League is why SM bought the club and the reason Pep is here. We are now a Champions League club. And I'm sort of old school - been going since the 60s and was at Halifax in 80 when we thought things couldn't get any worse !!!! Come on folks, try and understand the club.

i don't think its a case of not giving a stuff about the CL, moreover its about what gets sacrificed for the sake of it.

Fighting four fronts (retaining the league, retaining the league cup and aiming at the FA cup as well as CL) is a big ask.

City have a fantastic first 11 and a more than adequate second team, but the schedule has been horrendous this season.

The PL itself demands that we hit at least 90 points to be in with a shout, 95 is preferable which means winning at least 30-32 games out of 38 while playing twice a week to sustain all chances in all competitions....

With zero injuries, and a good run of luck then that is do-able.

i understand where you're coming from, that Pep is the man to reign in the CL and that SM wants the trophy in his cabinet - hopefully with an injection of funds for three decent buys this transfer window will see the team over-clocked to dominate the coming season, because we have to take into account that key players may not be able to step up when we need them.

We've had long term injuries, we could benefit from a central defender and a mid field player to dampen the issues injuries bring and strengthen the side. But, having said that, not being able to offer players first team spots may not appeal to some and the process of rotation may put players off too...

Brahim Diaz being a good player in question.....

OC i don't know who is up and coming from the academy, so those concerns may already be being taken care of...

Having said all that, bar handballs and denied penalties, baring injuries, City are very much a CL finals club - and it's those hurdles we need to get over to be able to get to the final.

Do we then sacrifice a competition for the sake of CL?

i don't think Pep has that mentality. i doubt very much he'd sacrifice the PL, the winning formula that he has developed feeds on winning and lets not forget the cash cow that is Sky pumping £ into the PL....

But do we then stand aside in the league cup and fa cup and play exclusively for the two leagues?

There are a lot of angles to it, not just player fitness / fatigue - but fans expense at traveling or attending 2 games a week, 9 games a month etc - traveling to London three + times in a month versus not playing those games and potentially receiving more home support etc etc. OC playing London, home / Manchester, home / Liverpool, home etc isn't so bad as playing Europe, home / Europe, home which it could have been if we weren't drawn against Spurs.

Don't get me wrong here, i'd love to see the CL trophy at the Etihad, and i'd be there cheering on the open bus with the rest of us - but for me, winning & retaining the PL and winning the FA cup is a great achievement, far greater than winning the CL, but i'm just a guy on a pc who wears a City scarf, i know f*** all and i'm not the owner.....

But, also, as a fan i don't think any team should stack those achievements as of lesser important than the CL.

We shouldn't ignore or stand back from any cup or any challenge or any competition. But doing that takes its toll, and keeping up in four battles is never going to be easy.

 

[Thomas Hearns]

Our chances of seeing Adebayor, Robinho and that bottling French **** of a leftback will be the same, they'll be in pot 4.

I prefer it when Ciy fans refer to him as title winning hero Gael Clichy

 

[Thaksinssoldier]

Don't think it could be seen as a shambles if Liverpool win it. Historically (cringe) seen as a European powerhouse. Lost the final last year to the biggest and best club in Europe. Either going to have the 2nd or 3rd most points in Premier league history in a few days. They've beaten Barca and Bayern along the way. They're undoubtedly a superb side just like we are.

If Spurs win it I'd agree it looks a bit of a shambles.It will hurt us in terms of we should not be losing a 2 legged match to them and we all know we're good enough to win it but it continues to allude us.

Taking Liverpool's historical European exploits out of it, neither Liverpool nor Spuds have won a domestic title in this century.

Both of them have had the stuffing knocked out of them 4 times in the competition so far. One of the pair will lose the final, so have 5 losses in the campaign.

It says a lot of how the champion teams are being stretched too thin and can't focus on this competition in the way that say Spurs have. Liverpool to their credit have just ran their 15 players into the ground and it's worked for them so far.

Not that either Liverpool or Spurs care, and the fact City went out on away goals to Spurs doesn't really come into it for me so it's not a snarky comment, but an observation that it's not been an elite competition this season.

 

[Craig]

Taking Liverpool's historical European exploits out of it, neither Liverpool nor Spuds have won a domestic title in this century.

Both of them have had the stuffing knocked out of them 4 times in the competition so far. One of the pair will lose the final, so have 5 losses in the campaign.

It says a lot of how the champion teams are being stretched too thin and can't focus on this competition in the way that say Spurs have. Liverpool to their credit have just ran their 15 players into the ground and it's worked for them so far.

Not that either Liverpool or Spurs care, and the fact City went out on away goals to Spurs doesn't really come into it for me so it's not a snarky comment, but an observation that it's not been an elite competition this season.

Yeah,I agree it's a weak competition this year. Madrid,Barca and Bayern were all a shadow of what they've been at various times over the last 10 years. Fact is though nobody will really care as Liverpool or Spurs will be listed as winners and that's all that matters.

 

[goalmole]

Providing we win the FA cup, I think the main priority next season should be the league followed by the champions league. Domestic cups aren't regarded in the same manner anymore. However, as it has been 8 years since last FA cup, it would be nice to get our hands on it.

If you gave me the option to swap positions with Liverpool right now where they have a great chance of winning the champions league but less likely to win the premier league, I would turn it down. I appreciate getting our name on the champions league for the first time is a big deal, however, dominating the premier league is more important in my eyes. Alex Ferguson, one of the greatest managers in the game was revered for his premier league success, not quite as much for his champions league success. Would love Pep to secure a similar legacy, albeit over a shorter period.

All this being said, it has been very disappointing the manner in which we have exited the champions league to inferior teams. Wish Pep did not over think the big occasions.

Pisscan won it twice in a reign of 27 seasons and he's regarded as one of the all time greats and a legend. In those same 27 seasons Liverpool have won it once and they consider themselves European royalty. So I reckon we have plenty of time to win it but domestic dominance is the main criteria regardless of how some may want to move the goalposts.

 

[wagonman]

By whom?

My local butcher...


JJ

 

[Deleted member 77198]

You could finish 4th in your league and be crowned the best team in Europe!! Bizarre??

Spurs haven’t been Champions of England for 61 years, they could also finish 28 points behind the champions of their league this season after finishing 23 points behind them last season.

Liverpool won the CL in 2005 and wouldn’t have even qualified for the competition for the year after if they hadn’t won it that year as they finished FIFTH in the Prem. Not only weren’t they the best team in Europe that season, they certainly were nowhere near the best team in England and they weren’t even the best team in Liverpool as Everton finished above them in the league.

Chelsea won the CL in 2012 and they finished SIXTH in the Prem. They were closer to being a mid table team in England than the best team in England. They actually finished 25 points below 1st, but just 26 points above 16th!

Frank Lampard had it right that very night on the pitch, when he said; “listen we know we’re not the best team in Europe but we’ll enjoy tonight!”

All this doesn’t even take into account how shit the group stage games are, how corrupt the organisation that runs it is or how racism is ignored by the organisation that runs it.

I do want to win the competition one day just to tick it off the list of things everyone thinks we should do. But that’s the only reason really. It’s not because it’ll prove we are a better club after having won it than we were before.

And it’s not like the new format makes it less prestigious than it used to be. Because decades ago you only had to play about seven games in the competition and a number of teams got a bye through rounds.