2018-2019 Champions League

[rsw626]

All four English teams through.

 

[rsw626]

Tally so far:

England 4
Spain 3
Germany 3
Italy 2
France 1
Netherlands 1
Portugal 1

One slot left between Lyon and Shaktar Donetsk, they play tomorrow.

 

[potzer25]

Thank you, PSV!!

 

[rsw626]

Today's Games:
All except one are formalities, bold teams have already qualified for the knockout rounds.

Real Madrid v CSKA Moscow
Viktoria Plzen v AS Roma
Ajax v Bayern Munich
Benfica v AEK Athen
Man City v TSG Hoffenheim
Valencia v Man United
Young Boys v Juventus
Shakhtar Dontesk v Lyon - playing for the last knockout slot.

 

[bksballer89]

This was fucking huge

 

[nappyvalley]

BVB take care of Monaco 2-0 + Atletico settles for a draw in Bruges = BVB group winners!

 

[rsw626]

You can watch all the games right now on Univision

https://www.univision.com/

Under the game you want click "en vivo"

 

[MrFlyingV]

Watched Bayern Ajax at the bar today on Galavision. This was the worst I ever seen Bayern get dominated in posession and whoa the giveaways. Wow. Couldn't get out of their own zone. Not one thing Neuer could do about the goals. Buffoonery at the back end and midfield. Ajax pressure, pace, and ball movement, they looked like Bayern in their prime. Bayern got some chances on the counter attack. At least the Ajax defense was at times Swiss cheese so that helped. Bayern should have scored two more goals if it wasn't for a two great saves. This was the game where I felt Kovac inexperience showed. He couldn't tactically figure out the Ajax pressure and I didn't like the starting lineup. I would have had Kimmich back at right back, with the healthy Thiago in midfield, and Coman at left back. Ribery sure had a lot of turnovers today and the Ajax pace got the best of him. Shouldn't have started Ribery. Central defense still a problem too. Boetang, Hummels, Sule...have been problematic all season. Plus side, they win the group. Dortmund wins their group too. Schalke moves on too. Good for the Bundesliga.

P.S. It is official: Ribery and Robben are out after this season. One year too late.

 

[MrFlyingV]

Today's Games:
All except one are formalities, bold teams have already qualified for the knockout rounds.

Real Madrid v CSKA Moscow
Viktoria Plzen v AS Roma
Ajax v Bayern Munich
Benfica v AEK Athen
Man City v TSG Hoffenheim
Valencia v Man United
Young Boys v Juventus
Shakhtar Dontesk v Lyon - playing for the last knockout slot.

Interesting some of the big teams took a beating today by inferior taleb with the risk of the seeded slot being lost but no knockout round being lost. Real Madrid losing 3-0 at home a bit shocking.

 

[rsw626]

Watched Bayern Ajax at the bar today on Galavision. This was the worst I ever seen Bayern get dominated in posession and whoa the giveaways. Wow. Couldn't get out of their own zone. Not one thing Neuer could do about the goals. Buffoonery at the back end and midfield. Ajax pressure, pace, and ball movement, they looked like Bayern in their prime. Bayern got some chances on the counter attack. At least the Ajax defense was at times Swiss cheese so that helped. Bayern should have scored two more goals if it wasn't for a two great saves. This was the game where I felt Kovac inexperience showed. He couldn't tactically figure out the Ajax pressure and I didn't like the starting lineup. I would have had Kimmich back at right back, with the healthy Thiago in midfield, and Coman at left back. Ribery sure had a lot of turnovers today and the Ajax pace got the best of him. Shouldn't have started Ribery. Central defense still a problem too. Boetang, Hummels, Sule...have been problematic all season. Plus side, they win the group. Dortmund wins their group too. Schalke moves on too. Good for the Bundesliga.

P.S. It is official: Ribery and Robben are out after this season. One year too late.

It’ll hurt them in the knockout rounds if they continue to start Ribery. I love the guy but he’s past it. He’s ok to bring on in the last 10-15 minutes, but can’t move at pace an entire game.

 

[rsw626]

Interesting some of the big teams took a beating today by inferior taleb with the risk of the seeded slot being lost but no knockout round being lost. Real Madrid losing 3-0 at home a bit shocking.

I was also surprised at Juventus losing. Granted it was on the road, but still. They started most of their big guns and could’ve lost the top spot had ManU beat Valencia.

And yeah, Real Madrid looks lost lately. But I love it. Lol

 

[MrFlyingV]

It’ll hurt them in the knockout rounds if they continue to start Ribery. I love the guy but he’s past it. He’s ok to bring on in the last 10-15 minutes, but can’t move at pace an entire game.

Totally agree. He was gassed by halftime and was getting abused in the 2nd half. You could see the first Ajax goal coming and I was screaming for Kovac to make a change and get Coman and Thiago in there.

I wonder if Muller will get more than 1 game for the red card? That was pretty dangerous penalty. By the time the next game comes it will be after the Transfer window and I am sure changes are coming then. James should be back and it might be a bonus to have Muller suspended for the knockout round.

 

[MrFlyingV]

I was also surprised at Juventus losing. Granted it was on the road, but still. They started most of their big guns and could’ve lost the top spot had ManU beat Valencia.

And yeah, Real Madrid looks lost lately. But I love it. Lol

Knockout rounds going to be interesting. Who gets Liverpool, Atletico, Tottenham, Ajax if you are seeded? Some seeded teams are going get a tough oppenent. I am hoping Bayern get Schalke lol.

 

[nappyvalley]

Knockout rounds going to be interesting. Who gets Liverpool, Atletico, Tottenham, Ajax if you are seeded? Some seeded teams are going get a tough oppenent. I am hoping Bayern get Schalke lol.

If I'm not mistaken, teams can't be drawn against teams from their own domestic league in the first round

 

[rsw626]

If I'm not mistaken, teams can't be drawn against teams from their own domestic league in the first round

Yeah, per the UEFA website:

" No team can play a club from their group or any side from their own association."

So as an example, Bayern can't be drawn against Ajax or Schalke. So BM's potentials are Atletico, Liverpool, Spurs, Lyon, Man United, or Roma.

 

[MrFlyingV]

If I'm not mistaken, teams can't be drawn against teams from their own domestic league in the first round

Yeah I was mistaken. Heard that on the football show. So Man City can't play Liverpool, Tottenham, Man United or Lyon? Leaves only four possible teams: Schalke, Roma, Atletico, and Ajax. Everyone but Atletico would be good for them. I think Man City has the smallest possible pool. Porto the most. Everyone but Schalke.

 

[MrFlyingV]

Yeah, per the UEFA website:

" No team can play a club from their group or any side from their own association."

So as an example, Bayern can't be drawn against Ajax or Schalke. So BM's potentials are Atletico, Liverpool, Spurs, Lyon, Man United, or Roma.

Not a good selection for Bayern. Liverpool would be a bad oppenent for them so would Atletico but not as bad as in the past, and Spurs would give Bayern's leaky central defense fits. Others I think they can beat. Ajax is better than any of the others they could possible get and survived them ... barely. Ajax I would say is one of the 10 best teams in the world possibly right now. I don't think anyone who gets Ajax will be a cake walk unless they sell in January. I hope they don't do that.

 

[bksballer89]

 

[rsw626]

Juve v Atleti looks tasty.

Liverpool v Bayern, tough draw for both.

 

[bksballer89]

Juve v Atleti looks tasty.

Liverpool v Bayern, tough draw for both.

Hoping they get job done. Would love to see Juve & PSG fall flat on their face