The Official 15/16 UEFA Champion's League and International Club News Thread

[Senator Clay Davis]

It's pretty amazing that Arsenal has three losses, United has one, and Arsenal is probably far more likely advance at this point. Wolfsburg haven't lost at home in 28 matches in the Bundesliga. No idea why United seemed to be playing for the draw tonight, though they were quite poor at finishing their chances too.

[devo22]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

It's pretty amazing that Arsenal has three losses, United has one, and Arsenal is probably far more likely advance at this point. Wolfsburg haven't lost at home in 28 matches in the Bundesliga. No idea why United seemed to be playing for the draw tonight, though they were quite poor at finishing their chances too.

"far more likely" is a huge stress. Arsenal have to win away against a team that beat them at the Emirates, while United only crash out if they fail to beat Wolfsburg AND Eindhoven win vs CSKA.

Still think all 4 English teams will go through. It hasn't been pretty, but in the end, I believe it'll be good enough.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by cam_wmh

Right, but it's in spite of their manager. None of their opponents in that group, should give them any trouble.

Well...PSG arent hot garbage and Real have 3 wins and a draw.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Originally Posted by devo22

"far more likely" is a huge stress. Arsenal have to win away against a team that beat them at the Emirates, while United only crash out if they fail to beat Wolfsburg AND Eindhoven win vs CSKA.

Still think all 4 English teams will go through. It hasn't been pretty, but in the end, I believe it'll be good enough.

Well PSV is playing an already eliminated CSKA side at home, so I suspect they'll squeeze out a win. United though have shown absolutely nothing in the final third of the field in the EPL or in the CL. I doubt they even score a goal at Wolfsburg. Arsenal have a better attack and are probably playing better than United right now. If they bring what they brought yesterday to Olympiacos I think they'll get the 2-0 win. And actually I gave Chelsea too much credit before, they're probably out if they lose and while they're at home, most of their disasters this year have been at home. So it may only be City getting through.

[Locke]

I think Tottenham are going to try and play their way out of a wet paper bag or something today? Good luck with that.

[Addick]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

Chelsea likely off to the round of 16, United and Arsenal likely off to Europa league. The Premier League just cannot compete in Europe anymore it seems.

To be fair, if you replayed the group stages nine additional times, Bayern and Arsenal would both qualify for the knockout stages with a matchday or two to spare. Arsenal have pulled a really special Arsenal for even the Arsenal this CL.

City is special case, European football to City is what Newcastle away is to Mourinho or a Top 4 match is to Arsenal.

Nevertheless, while English clubs should be doing better in the CL, none of them are part of the group of clubs that can win it.

[Locke]

Unconfirmed, but Sturridge injured in training again? You've got to be kidding me!

[Johnny199r]

I know it's Europa and not Champions league, but is anyone else watching Brugge vs Napoli in an empty stadium with no fans? It's really strange...

[The Big Chill]

Mignolet is such a mindless player. He held the ball for 22(!) seconds, gets called for delay of game (or whatever the call is), and Bordeaux score on the free kick in the box.

Lucky for him Liverpool have regained the lead on a soft penalty call and a nice finish by Benteke.

[Locke]

Its not on TV. Damned fascists.

[The Big Chill]

Originally Posted by Locke

Its not on TV. Damned fascists.

Ya, its only on BeIn, which I don't get.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by The Big Chill

Ya, its only on BeIn, which I don't get.

I mean, I get all the SportsNets including World, all the TSNs, pretty much most sports channels and then the game I want to watch is on some other specialty channel? How crap is that?

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Locke

I mean, I get all the SportsNets including World, all the TSNs, pretty much most sports channels and then the game I want to watch is on some other specialty channel? How crap is that?

and that specialty channel is like $15 a month on top of all the other charges for the 8-10 other sports channels. Just criminal.

[Locke]

Whew. 2-1 Liverpool win and are through to the knockout round. It was touch and go for a while there.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by devo22

Real have a joke of a manager on the bench, they were just raped by Barcelona at Bernabeu and today they somehow crawl over the finish line vs Shaktar to win 4-3. They do not deserve to be named in the same sentence as Bayern and Barcelona right now.

United woeful today ... that's 90 minutes of my life that I won't get back.

I can't stand Rafa Benitez, but he's just a symptom of the problem right now unfortunately. The real problem is Florentino Perez. This season is a disaster.

[Bagor]

Russian teams told they can no longer sign Turkish players.

Russian sports minister Vitaly Mutko told R-Sport news agency that clubs had "already got the message".

"If anyone wants [to sign a Turkish player] during the break, there will not be such a possibility," he said.

Mutko said the sports sanctions would not affect Turkish players currently playing for Russian soccer clubs, such as Rubin Kazan's midfielder Gokdeniz Karadeniz, who joined the Tatarstan outfit in 2008.

"Everyone who has an existing contract will carry on working," Mutko said.

"They won't be here in the future but at the moment they have contracts and these will not be looked into."

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/34957802

Political interference in football is not allowed, correct? Be interesting how FIFA responds to this.

[GirlySports]

absolutely. Indonesia is currently suspended for the government interfering with the 1st division.

[HarryH93]

Originally Posted by nik-

I can't stand Rafa Benitez, but he's just a symptom of the problem right now unfortunately. The real problem is Florentino Perez. This season is a disaster.

This. Rafa Benitez is only where he is now because Perez is a moron and made the dumb decision to sack Carlo.

I hope Perez is elected out of his position at the end of the year and Benitez goes with him.

[Locke]

If i had to choose a French team to follow it would have to be 'Angers.'

Just what a great name.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by Locke

If i had to choose a French team to follow it would have to be 'Angers.'

Just what a great name.

I met Joe Simunic (Croatian center-back, wrongly accused of racism and banned in 2014) on Sunday and hung out with him. I asked him who are the best players he every played with and against. He said Luka Modric and Niko Kranjcar were the best he ever played with.

Surprisingly, he said Zlatan was the best he ever played against.

I realize it's a bit off topic, but it was a chance to humble brag Also, you should cheer for PSG based on Simunic's statement of Zlatan being the best. Simunic is no slouch either playing against some of the best of the best.