Real Madrid (A) CL Semi Final 2nd Leg - Wed 4th May, 20:00 (BST) | Pre-Match Thread

[warringtonblue]

We can win both. 6 games to play and we only have to win 4 of them! We can draw both CL games and win the final on penalties!

It would be amazing to beat Liverpool in the final. I thought we would beat Chelsea but I wouldn't be confident against the dippers. We deserved to beat them at Anfield and at home but couldn't, hopefully we right that in the final if we both get there.

Admittedly I have been drinking heavily this weekend, but I don't think Villareal are done just yet...

I wouldnt fancy us on pens

 

[Keepingthefaithsince1976]

How is it a superleague when Villarreal are semifinalists?

Yeah i think that sort of backs up my point of view. V didn't win their league. They are definitely their on merit in the current system but their will be some teams in the champs league who will not in future. It'd be good to make other leagues stronger in my opinion by increasing the prize money to these smaller countries and enabling their local talent to showcase themselves on the european stage.

 

[Mr Ed (The Stables)]

Hope we win, but I would take any sort of draw if it was offered right now.....come on City CTID

 

[JGL07]

Some see it as the principle of the thing,Champions League yet teams as low as 4th 5th can play in it,it’s went to far where they will go back to just the champions of those leagues playing in it,sponsor’s and tv and media companies wouldn’t be to happy either as that’s were football is now Money,but maybe they could drop the champions league name and just go back to European cup maybe or tweaked slightly..

The problem with that argument is that you cannot recreate the football envinonment from the 1960s to the 1980s. Then teams from the likes of Portugal, Holland, Yugoslavia, Poland, Romania, Scotland, Czechoslovakia, and even Sweden were competitive in European Competitions.

Not any more. Ajax are 15th and Porto are 16th in the European rankings, The rest of the top 20 come from the usual suspects: England, Spain, Germany, Italy and France. Even France as hanging on by their fingernails.

The fragmentation of Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, and the USSR has caused much of this as has the re-unification of Germany.

There isn't a hope in hell that football will return to a one team per country European Cup and even those who advocate it know that dammed well.

 

[Withnail]

We can win both. 6 games to play and we only have to win 4 of them! We can draw both CL games and win the final on penalties!

It would be amazing to beat Liverpool in the final. I thought we would beat Chelsea but I wouldn't be confident against the dippers. We deserved to beat them at Anfield and at home but couldn't, hopefully we right that in the final if we both get there.

Admittedly I have been drinking heavily this weekend, but I don't think Villareal are done just yet...

Dippers will get through to the final mate and we need to do our job on Wednesday and then beat them in the final. Not going to be easy, but we will get our chances against Madrid... we just need to take them.

 

[jimmygrimblesboots]

So you think that the there would be much interest in a competion featuring around four teams who could possibly win (City, Atletico, Bayern, Inter) and a few other decent teams (Sporting, Ajax, Club Bruges, Rangers?)? Beyond that the competitors would be total no-hopers. Try selling that to the TV companies let alone to the matchgoing public?

In the meantime the re-invigorated UEFA Cup would be highly competitive with the likes of Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, PSG, Real, Barca, Juve, Milan, Benfica, Porto, Dortmund, etc.

The main problem with the Champions League is its name.

Anyone expecting the the reintroduction of a 'Champions-only' competition is totally out of touch with reality (stuck in the 1980's)? If such a competition were established it would have lower interest than the current World Club Championship.

There should be a Champions only competition alongside a European Super league , similar to the current champs league / europa league , both cups would attract similar interest to the current format .
Clubs that finish 30 points behind in their own league should not be able to compete to be the best in europe.

 

[jimmygrimblesboots]

The best teams aren’t the champions though are they? The champions of Malta aren’t better than second place in Spain.

Anyway it seems to me his point is you’re an idiot for obsessing with the name, I don’t think you’ve quite grasped it yet.

There should still be two cups , one involving the Champions and a second competition similar to the europa league for the remaining qualifying teams , you prick

 

[Manchester33]

I think the current set up is great. I can’t believe they are going to change it.

Let’s be honest. If it’s City vs Liverpool in the final, it’s the two best teams in the world.

Better teams mean better games and more entertainment!

 

[JGL07]

There should be a Champions only competition alongside a European Super league , similar to the current champs league / europa league , both cups would attract similar interest to the current format .
Clubs that finish 30 points behind in their own league should not be able to compete to be the best in europe.

That sounds a dumb idea. Two separate European competitions (plus possibly also the Mickey Mouse World Club Championships)!

No thanks. One European Competition is more than enough.

I assume by the 'best in Europe' you are referring to to the likes of (based on 2021 Champions) Linfield, Shamrock Rovers, Connars' Quay Nomads, Fola Esch, HJK, Ki, Tueta, Borac, HJK, Mura, Malmo, Bodo/Glimpt, Vikingar. OK it will also have Atletico, Bayern, Inter, Dinamo Zabreb, Red Star, Club Bruges, etc. Hardly an elite competition?

 

[penalty spot]

The final is bigger and we threw that away last year.

The PL is more important.

Maybe to you but the winning of the CL would be worth millions more in sponsoring.
Also the players have a desire to win it and should be backed by our fans.