No More Champions League For Me

[cheddar404]

I can't take anyone that mentions 'rigged draws' seriously, so I stopped reading there.

Contrived rather than rigged. All the seeding etc.

The rules regarding seedings are there for all to see. Not sure where the confusion lies.

If they were to rig the draw so that the big clubs would get through, I highly doubt they'd deliberately draw Barca against us and risk losing the cash cow at the last 16 stage.

There's no confusion. However, the draw is set up so that the big clubs get through from the group stages. Then you can't meet an opponent from your own country in the round after that. Like I say, contrived. They may as well set out who plays whom at the start without bothering with a draw, tell us who is going to win each round and then we can all book our flights accordingly.

 

[Blue_Rossy]

Points 5 & 12 bit silly.

More to life than a pint!!! and tourists, can't be helped we are a successful club with other people following their players etc.
Not a case if you haven't got a mancunian accent you can't get in!!!!
There entitled to pay for a ticket and watch the blues. I don't have a problem with it.

 

[Didsbury Dave]

I afraid it's domestic football only for me from now on. I've been increasingly disillusioned with the so called Champions League for some time and my decision is not just a reaction to last night. I will save my money for our Wembley trips from now on.
reasons :-
1. Bent referees
2. Blatantly rigged draws designed to ensure half a dozen big clubs progress

3. Rip off ticket prices
4. FFPR designed to protect half a dozen big clubs
5. No alcohol in grounds.
6. UEFA effectively condoning racist chanting
7. UEFA insisting no domestic games are played on CL nights
8. Season ticket holders being forced out of their seats for press seats and bigger advertising boards
9. Meaningless group games with nothing at stake
10. Obvious bias by high ranking UEFA officials (eg Platini) towards certain clubs and against English clubs in particular City
11. Heavy handed and often thug like policing abroad
12. The Etihad filled with tourists on Champions League nights

GO and watch FC United then. You can have a cheap pie and jump up and down with your arm in the air chanting "'Who are ya?" as much as you want.

Last night was one of the great nights in The Etihad Stadium's short history. The eyes of the world upon us, a great tactical battle between two teams containing some of the best footballers in the world, a tense, big match atmosphere, no trouble and excitement from start to finish.

I really enjoyed it, even though things didn't go our way. It showed how good we have got, and the fact that we are very much in the hunt for three other trophies was a big silver lining to the cloud.

I've paid my dues stood on windy terracing watching Lee Crooks in a meaningless game. I've sat in a half empty Etihad watching us labour to create a chance against Bolton. Fuck that. I want more of last night.

 

[Alex - City Matters]

I've always said this, but it should just go back to straight knockout. First round Bayern could draw Barça, so what? Luck of the draw.


But no, UEFA will not allow this to happen. They couldn't allow their chums from the big teams to lose the money. That fundamentally is why the CL is rigged. It safeguards all the big teams from going out early.

That leads me onto another point, until we get to Pot 1 or at a push pot 2, we won't get that far in the competition. Unless we draw someone like Porto in pot 1 we're always going to get a Bayern, Barça etc.. And end up finishing second in the group and getting a big team in the last 16. Which means our progress will be slow. So we need to hope that sooner or later we get someone like Porto so we can finish top of the group this getting an easy last 16 team, like United... Oops ;). Oh, we can't get them!

 

[aguero93:20]

I've always said this, but it should just go back to straight knockout. First round Bayern could draw Bayern, so what? Luck of the draw.


But no, UEFA will not allow this to happen. They couldn't allow their chums from the big teams to lose the money. That fundamentally is why the CL is rigged. It safeguards all the big teams from going out early.

That leads me onto another point, until we get to Pot 1 or at a push pot 2, we won't get that far in the competition. Unless we draw someone like Porto in pot 1 were always going to get a Bayern, Barça etc.. And end up finishing second in the group and getting a big team in the last 16. Which means our progress will be slow. So we need to hope that sooner or later we get someone like Porto so we can finish top of the group this getting an easy last 16 team, like United... Oops ;). Oh, we can't get them!

I don't think either team would put too much effort into that one tbh.

 

[alib]

I afraid it's domestic football only for me from now on. I've been increasingly disillusioned with the so called Champions League for some time and my decision is not just a reaction to last night. I will save my money for our Wembley trips from now on.
reasons :-
1. Bent referees
2. Blatantly rigged draws designed to ensure half a dozen big clubs progress

3. Rip off ticket prices
4. FFPR designed to protect half a dozen big clubs
5. No alcohol in grounds.
6. UEFA effectively condoning racist chanting
7. UEFA insisting no domestic games are played on CL nights
8. Season ticket holders being forced out of their seats for press seats and bigger advertising boards
9. Meaningless group games with nothing at stake
10. Obvious bias by high ranking UEFA officials (eg Platini) towards certain clubs and against English clubs in particular City
11. Heavy handed and often thug like policing abroad
12. The Etihad filled with tourists on Champions League nights

GO and watch FC United then. You can have a cheap pie and jump up and down with your arm in the air chanting "'Who are ya?" as much as you want.

Last night was one of the great nights in The Etihad Stadium's short history. The eyes of the world upon us, a great tactical battle between two teams containing some of the best footballers in the world, a tense, big match atmosphere, no trouble and excitement from start to finish.

I really enjoyed it, even though things didn't go our way. It showed how good we have got, and the fact that we are very much in the hunt for three other trophies was a big silver lining to the cloud.

I've paid my dues stood on windy terracing watching Lee Crooks in a meaningless game. I've sat in a half empty Etihad watching us labour to create a chance against Bolton. Fuck that. I want more of last night.

no , as I said, I'll continue to watch City just not in the CL

 

[Alex - City Matters]

I've always said this, but it should just go back to straight knockout. First round Bayern could draw Bayern, so what? Luck of the draw.


But no, UEFA will not allow this to happen. They couldn't allow their chums from the big teams to lose the money. That fundamentally is why the CL is rigged. It safeguards all the big teams from going out early.

That leads me onto another point, until we get to Pot 1 or at a push pot 2, we won't get that far in the competition. Unless we draw someone like Porto in pot 1 were always going to get a Bayern, Barça etc.. And end up finishing second in the group and getting a big team in the last 16. Which means our progress will be slow. So we need to hope that sooner or later we get someone like Porto so we can finish top of the group this getting an easy last 16 team, like United... Oops ;). Oh, we can't get them!

I don't think either team would put too much effort into that one tbh.

I knew there was an error in there somewhere! :)

 

[ImAwesome]

The only thing that annoys me is the different rules when playing in Europe. It is like watching a completely different sport.

The shoulder to shoulder challenges is the one that really got me last night. Have Barcelona ever lost a shoulder to shoulder or 50/50 challenge and not been given a free kick. It just seems a bit unfair that because players like Messi, Iniesta, Cesc etc. are small & weak they get free kicks and penalties every time they are tackled by big players like Yaya, Vincent, Negredo etc.

I hate to say it but without the protection that Messi gets from refs Ronaldo is actually a lot better.

 

[bluevengence]

All these whinging fooks would be the first in the queue if we ever reached a final

 

[dan.j.mcfc]

All these whinging fooks would be the first in the queue if we ever reached a final

People need to get a grip, if we'd have won last night this thread wouldn't even exist.