2011/2012 Champions League Thread

[GirlySports]

looks like heavier rain, should favour Chelsea

[M*A*S*H 4077]

I don't like Puyol, I think he looks like a goof and is a drama queen sometimes, but he is a darn good soccer player. I would take him on my team any time

[vennegoor of hesselink]

Does anyone know why Pique didn't start ? I see he is on the bench

[vennegoor of hesselink]

The best part about the rain is that it has killed the squirrel on Meireles head

[M*A*S*H 4077]

When Drogba doesn't flop he is the best player on the pitch.

[The Big Chill]

Wow, what an ending.

[M*A*S*H 4077]

It will be Chelsea's day. Wow! Great defending by them and a good chunk of luck.

Barcelona really needs to clean up their defending and marking players. That's what cost them on Drogba's goal.

My match MVP is the referee! Outstanding job in my opinion. No needless cards, didn't get fooled by the diving. Great job by him!

[d_phaneuf]

6th best team in England>2nd best team in Spain

the Euro's are ours!

- Daily Mail, tomorrow

[M*A*S*H 4077]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

6th best team in England>2nd best team in Spain

the Euro's are ours!

- Daily Mail, tomorrow

Honest question: How is Barcelona being hailed as the greatest club team ever and they aren't even leading La Liga?

[Locke]

Originally Posted by M*A*S*H 4077

Honest question: How is Barcelona being hailed as the greatest club team ever and they aren't even leading La Liga?

Not to mention, as I alluded to earlier, La Liga is a complete joke and Barca arent even winning it.

[d_phaneuf]

Originally Posted by Locke

Not to mention, as I alluded to earlier, La Liga is a complete joke and Barca arent even winning it.

but they have 3/4 semi-finalists in a tournament so important that Spurs played their u18's and Man United and Man City looked like they were out drinking about an hour before game time

that has to mean something right...

[sadora]

Originally Posted by vennegoor of hesselink

Does anyone know why Pique didn't start ? I see he is on the bench

Barcelona play Real Madrid on Saturday on a game that could decide the league.

[sadora]

Originally Posted by Locke

Not to mention, as I alluded to earlier, La Liga is a complete joke and Barca arent even winning it.

People just love to hate. If Barca beat Real on saturday then they will be 1 point behind and could take the league in the following weeks. Loosing Villa after his injury set Barca back for a few games, and though Real had a 12 point lead at one point Barca has closed the gap to 4, possibly 1 after Saturday. And as your reference to La Liga being a joke, 3 semi-finalists in the Euro Cup & 2 semi-finalists in the Champions League, yes that league is a joke.
Pep Guardiola has done a lot to put this team where they are, under him they have become the first football Club ever to win a sextuple in a single year.....La Liga, Copa del Rey, Champions League, Spanish Supercopa, European Supercopa & the FIFA Club World Cup.
Chelsea definitely has the advantage going into the second leg but anything can happen in sports. Barcelona are very strong at home and a 1 goal lead can mean nothing. Having said that, even the best team looses sometimes.

[d_phaneuf]

I wouldn't say Chelsea has the advantage

Barca are a different team at home, Chelsea are a different team away

the splits are huge

I expect a 2 or 3 goal Barca win

[Locke]

Originally Posted by sadora

People just love to hate. If Barca beat Real on saturday then they will be 1 point behind and could take the league in the following weeks. Loosing Villa after his injury set Barca back for a few games, and though Real had a 12 point lead at one point Barca has closed the gap to 4, possibly 1 after Saturday. And as your reference to La Liga being a joke, 3 semi-finalists in the Euro Cup & 2 semi-finalists in the Champions League, yes that league is a joke.
Pep Guardiola has done a lot to put this team where they are, under him they have become the first football Club ever to win a sextuple in a single year.....La Liga, Copa del Rey, Champions League, Spanish Supercopa, European Supercopa & the FIFA Club World Cup.
Chelsea definitely has the advantage going into the second leg but anything can happen in sports. Barcelona are very strong at home and a 1 goal lead can mean nothing. Having said that, even the best team looses sometimes.

To me whoever is winning La Liga is irrelevant. Theres only 2 teams and they harvest the other 18 for points. Its become a who can beat which teams and by how much. Hell, they took one of Italy's CL spots away, they should only designate 2 for Spain.

The teams Spain have in the Europa League are irrelevant, they take that tournament seriously because they cant get into any other tournaments. The whole league should just fold up and watch Barca and Real play each other 38 times.

[d_phaneuf]

Scotland of the South

[Barnet Flame]

The only reason the EPL is not still the Man U/Arsenal duopoly of 98-04 is the financial doping of Chelsea and Man City by a Sheikh and a Russian oil oligarch.

[d_phaneuf]

Man U maybe, I wouldn't go anywhere near including Arsenal there

but that is the point though, Barca and Madrid are doing the same thing City and Chelsea do, they just do it with clubs that have a richer history and in a league where only 2 clubs do it.

Compared to England where 2 clubs can spend as much as anyone, and 4 clubs behind them can spend more than the rest of Spain combined

[Notorious Honey Badger]

I'm planning a trip to see a soccer game in England sometime in the next year, any advice on where to go? My grandfather tried out as a walk on for Man U when he lived in Manchester so I was thinking that's a good starting point. Suggestions on where to get tickets? Will any game at old trafford be awesome or are there certain teams/games/nights more worthwhile?

[cheevers]

Originally Posted by Notorious Honey Badger

I'm planning a trip to see a soccer game in England sometime in the next year, any advice on where to go? My grandfather tried out as a walk on for Man U when he lived in Manchester so I was thinking that's a good starting point. Suggestions on where to get tickets? Will any game at old trafford be awesome or are there certain teams/games/nights more worthwhile?

If you are in London, Fulham used to have a neutral stand that was pretty easy to get tickets at. And if you are near Wigan or Bolton (providing they are still in the prem) it should not be an issue to get a ticket as they rarely sell out. Man U, Liverpool and Arsenal would all be great places to go to, however getting tickets could be tricky. Depending where you go check out teams in the Championship and League 1, still great footy (better than MLS for sure), and the tickets can be quite reasonable.

Most if not all the teams in the Premiership have some sort of membership scheme to buy tickets to ensure you are a home supporter, so it would be a good idea to look into those costs and what teams you are interested in.