Champions League

[number 9]

ManShitty killing Bayern right now! Only 1-0 but dominant!

[number 9]

3-0. No problem. Chelsea will get beat by Real Madrid tomorrow, so counting on MC to come through. Is there anyone on this forum who cares? Shame…

[Charnwood]

If Manchester City don’t win the Champions League this season maybe they never will. Real Madrid are having a poor season by their standards and MC would appear to have at least one foot in the Semi’s already. The only team who could potentially trouble them based on current form is Napoli who are having a great season, but for me it’s City’s Trophy to lose.

Normally I’d watch it but I’ve watched so much footie recently I’ve become a bit bored with it. I may give the Chelsea v Madrid game a look in tomorrow night but I doubt it will bd for the whole game. TBH I’ve got really interested in watching Towns games and there’s two of those every week for the rest of the season and I like watching the Sunday afternoon 4.30 game which is pretty much me done for footie at the moment.

[number 9]

Chelsea will get beat 3 or more nil

[Blue Wilf]

Probably worth another thread, this one, Number 9 cos I could talk about it all day. I am 60 and have loved football for as long as I can remember. I am loving Ipswich in League 1 and the Championship because it still 'feels' like proper football as I remember it. I used to watch all of the European Cup competitons (or televised or highlights) back in the day but now, I really could not care less. I think the whole tournament (or group of tournaments) has been devalued. Its not 'Champions' at all - just a huge money spinner and apart from the odd game, frankly its boring. The FA Cup is the same after the lower league teams get knocked out. I used to be able to name every team who won the league and each cup from about 1972 (Alan Clarke diving header for Leeds from a Mick Jones cross - what a goal - to beat Arsenal 1-0 etc) but after the formation of the Prem, I lost interest and rarely watch the final now (4pm on a sunday when fans have to travel from Newcastle and Manchester etc?? Stupid!!).

My son in law is a Chelsea fan and I went to the Carabao Cup final with him last year. Again, its no big occasion any more - just a formulaic sausage machine of ripping fans off and then a nightmare to get home later on a Sunday!

Same goes for the Premier League for me. I watched a bit of Liverpool v Arsenal (2 teams and sets of fans I have disliked over the years) and the petulant attitudes, diving and challenging the ref (Robertson should be the one banned for approaching the lino but oh no - he gets off scott free and the lino is suspended - what a surprise!) makes me sick.

Its not football, its a bunch of overpaid (hugely overpaid) w*nkers trying to cheat the system and I for one hate what it has done to the game I love. I do worry that if/when we ever het back to the prem, love for the game and watching Ipswich may wane totally. Something I never thought possible.

So - no, I don't care in answer to your question but hope I have explained why! Sorry for the old man rant but it matters to me because football has been an old companion my whole life and I hate to feel that I may one day lose that closeness...

[Bluemike]

Take that as my answer too, word perfect Wilf.

[number 9]

That’s fair. I’m not as into it as I used to be, but I’ll always support English teams in the Champions League. I am and always will be a fan of English football. Money has certainly changed the game just like most sports. I cringe when I see how much modern athletes are paid. I still enjoy watching professional sports though. For the most part, there still remains a significant amount of competitiveness.

[Bluemike]

I can honestly say if there was no ITFC I would have virtually no interest in Football, The Loons aside.

[marko69]

Same for me with Hibs. 80s / early 90s was great….., then it all became a mess. Money and respect for the officials out the window, feigning injury etc etc, and the entertainment value plummeted.
Re Champions League, or other Euro tournaments……,not that bothered about Glasgow being in them. Do like to see the Gunners do well.

AFL is where the entertainment is though. Great, tough and entertaining sport.

[Charnwood]

Chelsea will get beat 3 or more nil

TBH I was amazed they beat Borussia Dortmund to make the QF’s, to go further offers about as much chance as Villa qualifying for next seasons CL Competition. That said Real Madrid are having a pretty poor domestic season by their standards and currently trail Barcelona by 13 points in La Liga.

[number 9]

Well RM beat Chelsea 2-0 not surprised, and AC Milan beat Napoli 1-0.

[Charnwood]

Well RM beat Chelsea 2-0 not surprised, and AC Milan beat Napoli 1-0.

At least both games are still alive and Chelsea were fortunate to limi their defeat to two goals after playing more than 30 mins with 10 men after Chilwell was sent off with a straight red. This said Chelsea have struggled to score goals with tonight’s was their fourth consecutive gave without finding the back of the net.
For me from tonight’s games it will be Real Madrid and Napoli going through to the Semi’s with Man City and Inter from last night.

[number 9]

Well RM beat Chelsea 2-0 not surprised, and AC Milan beat Napoli 1-0.

At least both games are still alive and Chelsea were fortunate to limi their defeat to two goals after playing more than 30 mins with 10 men after Chilwell was sent off with a straight red. This said Chelsea have struggled to score goals with tonight’s was their fourth consecutive gave without finding the back of the net.
For me from tonight’s games it will be Real Madrid and Napoli going through to the Semi’s with Man City and Inter from last night.

The CL is so unpredictable, I wouldn’t be surprised if AC Milan end up in the final. If MC make it to the final, I’ll certainly be cheering for them…even though I’m not a fan of the organization. I admire Pep, and I think he deserves CL recognition with MC. Btw, I dislike RM more than Norwich.

[arana peligrosa]

"Champions League" is horseshit. You get teams finishing 2nd, 3rd, 4th et cetera in respective leagues throughout Europe who get a chance to not only participate but go on to win it. There's something fundamentally wrong with the rewriting of the concept from the previous European Cup naming.

Got to give plaudits to Milan on winning. Naples are possibly the strongest or most dangerous of remaining club sides. They're arguably Italy's best, most powerful team right now and whipped a group stage with ease containing illustrious names such as Ajax Amsterdam, Liverpool - and Glasgow Rangers. Did think they're one of the true favorites to win the damn thing outright. They still could.

Chelsea and Manchester City, plastic manufactured names that without investment and rich ownership wouldn't have a pot to p*ss in or (still) be playing out games in the old Second Division. f**king arabs and oil barons aside, wasn't so long back they were really up to nothing. We'll do many a favor by dropping the former out of it a week from now and adding to whatever decine or sorry-as* season they're supposed to be enduring.

[Bluemike]

Your description of Chelsea and Man Ciry with the investment and pot to p*ss in etc is correct although sadly could be attributed to ITFC also.

[number 9]

Your description of Chelsea and Man Ciry with the investment and pot to p*ss in etc is correct although sadly could be attributed to ITFC also.

And Real Madrid for that matter…Saint’s favourite team.

[Charnwood]

Your description of Chelsea and Man Ciry with the investment and pot to p*ss in etc is correct although sadly could be attributed to ITFC also.

The issue is Mike, we are the Chelsea or Man City of League 1 and you can guarantee that our owners will have written in their 10 year plan the goal of returning ITFC to the Premier League and prospect of European Football. Why else would an American Pension Fund buy into an English football club. They certainly haven’t done it to break even or lose money, Pension Funds don’t work that way. League 1 or even Championship football will definitely not fulfil their business objectives.
So what will we all do when we buy our way to success. Will we all stop supporting the club or be happy to enjoy the ride and be thankful to our owners for buying our club and investing in it to bring success.

[arana peligrosa]

The hun-pally plastics made a fight of it but after some initial scares, once the first Spanish goal went in the rest was just about academic. Years back a tie between these teams would have been something to relish but they're a poor imitation of years past and lost their way. Just too bad.

One toytown manufactured club goes by the wayside although sure as hell won't be as easy to get beyond another in MCFC in the last four. Bayern Munich are a great team, one of Europe's absolute biggest and best but they're not going to pull round that deficit from the first fixture. I'd like the Germans to win by four goals and do it, had some stellar match-ups in recent years with them at the latter stages of competition but guess this time, just may be too much even for their prestige and caliber of distinguished club name.

[marko69]

Must admit, couldn’t care less about CL …… but if it ends up AC v Inter ——>> that’d be interesting.

[Bluemike]

Well done Frankie boy.

[Charnwood]

The hun-pally plastics made a fight of it but after some initial scares, once the first Spanish goal went in the rest was just about academic. Years back a tie between these teams would have been something to relish but they're a poor imitation of years past and lost their way. Just too bad.

One toytown manufactured club goes by the wayside although sure as hell won't be as easy to get beyond another in MCFC in the last four. Bayern Munich are a great team, one of Europe's absolute biggest and best but they're not going to pull round that deficit from the first fixture. I'd like the Germans to win by four goals and do it, had some stellar match-ups in recent years with them at the latter stages of competition but guess this time, just may be too much even for their prestige and caliber of distinguished club name.

Do you not realise AP that Real Madrid were the first toytown manufactured football club in Europe. When Real were first in production Britain didn’t know what a “made of plastic” football club looked like. At that time we were still growing our own in gardens called youth academy’s.

[Charnwood]

Well done Frankie boy.

I can’t believe you could have expected any other outcome ?

[number 9]

Bayern Munich/Man City should be a cracker! I certainly haven't ruled out BM finding a way back.

[Charnwood]

Bayern Munich/Man City should be a cracker! I certainly haven't ruled out BM finding a way back.

They may well win tonight’s game but I can’t see them reversing a 3 goal deficit against a team as good as Man City although I’m sure dafter things have happened before.

For me tonight’s outcomes look fairly predictable with AC Milan and City both going through comfortably.

[number 9]

Bayern Munich/Man City should be a cracker! I certainly haven't ruled out BM finding a way back.

They may well win tonight’s game but I can’t see them reversing a 3 goal deficit against a team as good as Man City although I’m sure dafter things have happened before.

For me tonight’s outcomes look fairly predictable with AC Milan and City both going through comfortably.

Hmm, Liverpool comes to mind…

[Charnwood]

Bayern Munich/Man City should be a cracker! I certainly haven't ruled out BM finding a way back.

They may well win tonight’s game but I can’t see them reversing a 3 goal deficit against a team as good as Man City although I’m sure dafter things have happened before.

For me tonight’s outcomes look fairly predictable with AC Milan and City both going through comfortably.

Hmm, Liverpool comes to mind…

I thought the same as I was posting 9. I went to the first leg in Barcelona 3 years and saw with my own eyes how superior Barca were on the night and didn’t really expect Liverpool to win the second leg 4-0 but of course they’d come back from 3-0 before in the Miracle of Istanbul in 2005 which may have been what you were referring to. Both come backs were legendary but I can’t see it being repeated tonight.

[number 9]

Haaland misses penalty!

[Charnwood]

Haaland misses penalty!

…. but quickly made up for it with goal number 48 for the season.

[Charnwood]

It’s looking highly likely we’ll have Real Madrid v Manchester City and Inter v AC all Milan Semi Finals

[number 9]

It’s looking highly likely we’ll have Real Madrid v Manchester City and Inter v AC all Milan Semi Finals

Yep! That’s good stuff!