2018 UEFA Champions League

[Versaute]

The 2018 Champions League competition is down to the last eight teams now. Quarterfinals pairings announced today:

Liverpool vs. Man City
Barcelona vs. AS Roma
Sevilla vs. Bayern Munich
Juventus vs. Real Madrid

My picks to make it to the semis:
Liverpool: Juergen Klopp is one of the few coaches in the world who knows how to play against Pep Guardiola's schemes dating back to their days against each other in the Bundesliga
Barcelona: too much Messi who is on a roll now
Bayern: they just play so much more cohesively under Jupp Heynckes now.
Real Madrid: getting long in the tooth and Ronaldo slowing down but still good enough to make it to semis.

Your picks for the semis?

 

[Meta not Meta]

Klopp has a winning record but I don't think he'll beat Pep over the two upcoming games. Just don't see it, not with the squads as they are today. But 3 weeks away, so who knows?

Pool may have a problem at right back, Sane may well shred TAA, even worse than Rashford did last weekend. And in that 4-3 Pool victory in Jan. I think D. Silva did not play. How is the Pool midfield gonna get the ball away from him and De Bruyne? And if Jesus starts over Aguero he will high-press the Pool backline like there's no tomorrow causing turnovers and fewer Pool fast breaks, those guys are very nervous. Plus a healthy Kompany is a huge upgrade over Stones ...

Yeah, don't see any upsets in the other three. Actually, no, I'll pick Juve to beat RM, why not?

Man City
Barcelona
Bayern Munich
Juventus

 

[Versaute]

The Reds have tightened their central defense with the acquisition of Virgil Van Dijk. The dude is a stud and has already made a difference, especially when opponents go on the counter. Lovren has played better and is less prone to screw up now that he's partnered with van Dijk as opposed to Matip. Liverpool has recorded several clean sheets since Van Dijk joined the regular line up. Liverpool's Achilles heel before Van Dijk has been their vulnerability in the back. It is now much better than before. Pep's scheme is more or less similar to Klopp's, e.g. play aggressive offense high up the pitch. The only difference is more tiki-taka in midfield. I just think that Liverpool's front line of Firmino, Mane and Salah is arguably one of the best in the world with their speed and they are much more dangerous than Man City's on the counter. I like their chances against favored Man City.

 

[Meta not Meta]

VVD is solid, for sure; needed leadership, too. But, overall, still a bit shaky back there. United scored two on how many shots? Midfield is a bit fragile, as well. Will miss Coutinho. With Silva and KDB controlling possession the LP front three might be starved for service. And LP will need a decisive win in the first leg.

And no way are the pool front 3 better than Aguero or Jesus and faster than Sterling and Sane; and MC play a different game, anyway, where they become something like an interchangeable front five with Silva and KDB. It ain't just tiki taka. Result: 85 goals for MC; 68 for pool. Offensively, MC are better balanced; more fluid; for pool, everything depends on those three guys, especially Salah. But to stop the counter, Pep may have to sacrifice something ... they can't be overbalanced, for sure.

Either way, should be a lot fun!

 

[Meta not Meta]

Speaking of Salah, he is tearing-apart Watford this afternoon, lol ... a BPL player-of-the-year performance right there, only KDB a serious alternate candidate. And that goal by Firmino ... woof!

 

[Jonathankeeves2]

Yeah, don't see any upsets in the other three. Actually, no, I'll pick Juve to beat RM, why not?

Man City
Barcelona
Bayern Munich
Juventus

I feel the same. Last time these teams met over two legs, it was Juventus who went through. Real madrid always start improving after December and Ronaldo is back in form. So that will be a great fixture.

Even though I am a Barcelona fan, I feel Bayern have become so strong after Jupp came back that they are the team to beat and they for me are the favourites to win this year.

 

[Versaute]

Ronaldo showed today why he's Mr. Prime Time when it comes to Champions League late rounds. That second bicycle-kick goal (see link below) with his back to the goal was one for the ages. Even Juve fans stood up and applauded that one. It will be replayed all over the world and will be included among one of his best goals in his long illustrious career. Real is almost a shoo-in to advance to the semis especially with 3 away goals on its ledger. Juve is toast and will just play for pride. I feel bad for Buffon. He's been a rock for Juve for a long long time.
Bayern looked good today against Sevilla but Sevilla is tough. That game next week in Munich could be a nail biter for Bayern fans.

https://deadspin.com/cristiano-ronaldo-executes-juventus-with-gorgeous-leap-1824295626

 

[Versaute]

Liverpool just squashed City today. Klopp outsmarted Pep -- again. Going in, it was no secret that the Reds' best defense was to stay on the attack but it's also a measure of how improved the Reds' defense has been with the addition of VDD in central defense and Karius in goal. A clean sheet against City was the most unexpected result of today's game. If Liverpool manages to score an away goal next week in the rematch at City, then MC would have to score 5 goals to advance. I just don't see it happening. MC is in deep shit now...

 

[Meta not Meta]

LP were immensely impressive in that first 30 mins. City, just too stunned to respond. I don't think they had a single good goal-scoring chance all night; Karius didn't have to do much, his defence and City incompetence did it for him. Literally nothing City tried came off... this consummate ball control team couldn't pass the ball at all, just terrible .... A comprehensive defeat. City were too narrow without Sterling and when he came on, he too did nothing, partly because City continued to focus their attack on Sane, whom I wrongly predicted would eviscerate Alexander-Arnold. TAA was man of the match. Aside from a few dribbles, Sane's shooting and passing were embarrasingly bad. There was no plan B; no Aguero to come off the bench; and Jesus didn't do a thing right either; he looked really out of his depth. They should have played wide with both Sterling and Sane from the start, and left KDB and Silva to do their thing in the middle; but I don't know, really, that anything would have worked. They were just outclassed by LP today, all over the pitch and in all facets of the game.

 

[Meta not Meta]

Versaute,

Footage of the City bus on its way into the colosseum of Rome ... er, I mean Anfield.

https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...ach-posts-footage-of-attack-on-team-bus-video

Extenuating circumstances?

 

[Versaute]

Versaute,
Extenuating circumstances?

Extenuating circumstances? LOL! That's called home field advantage! There are examples of this in a lot of other sports, think Dortmund BVB in the Bundesliga, Oakland Raiders in the NFL, etc. I happen to have personally attended games at all three stadiums and they can be intimidating places for opposing teams. The 12th man can make a difference in those places if you let them. But really, at this stage of the Champions League we're talking about the best pro teams in the world and to be using this as an excuse for what is in fact poor performance on the field is pretty lame. Bottom line is Liverpool outplayed and outcoached ManCity yesterday. By the way, if my memory serves me correctly, MC has not won at Anfield for over a decade, pushing 15 years. Happy to see that streak continue, lol!

 

[Meta not Meta]

Try as I might, I can't disagree with the above, lol ....

I do need some context, though:

Just how emotionally invested in Liverpool are you? It's not a hatred for City, right? I mean it could be - and I'm refering to the ownership situation, here. Or maybe a Klopp fan via Dortmund? A few years back Arsenal fans like me [no laughing] thought he might be a worthy successor to Wenger, who of course now looks like he may never leave ...

 

[Versaute]

I'm a big time and long time Liverpool fan. Pretty agnostic regarding opponent of Liverpool so nothing against ManCity. Although there is some extra gratification in seeing Liverpool beat the next-to-be-crowned Premier League champ. I'm also a huge admirer of Klopp dating back to his days at Dortmund and the Gegenpressing attacking style football philosophy he preached. Fantastic motivator and his combination of passion, energy, and honesty is unique. Of course now that Klopp and Guardiola are facing each other in the EPL and on the grand stage of the Champions League just adds more juice to their historic rivalry dating back to their days at Dortmund and Bayern respectively. Have spent time working and living in Europe and was lucky enough to have seen many fantastic games in the EPL and the Bundesliga.

 

[Versaute]

It's official. Liverpool has booted ManCity out of the Champions League quarterfinals. Adding insult to injury Guardiola was sent off to the stands at the end of the first half for duking it out with the referee. Brilliant two-game strategy for Klopp against Guardiola who's arguably one of the best coaches in the world. But I'll take Klopp any day anywhere. Now on to the semis. Hoping this is finally Liverpool's year after a 12-year drought!

 

[Meta not Meta]

Congratulations, dude ...

... but that ref is a dick, with obvious authority issues, as in a lack of confidence in his own, which he attempts to compensate for with comically-exaggerated postures of defiance in the face of protesting players and team officials. It's almost beside the point he missed a clear MC goal in the first half. He is out of his depth. He and Pepe have history, too. And "duking it out with the referee" is an extreme exaggeration for a mildly verbal protest as Pepe was walking away from that idiot, having corralled his players from confronting him.

Amazing game today. Anti-Real conspiracy theorists should have a field day ....

 

[sharkman]

...Amazing game today. Anti-Real conspiracy theorists should have a field day ....

There should be no reason for conspiracy theories...definitely not from Juventus conspiracy theorists...or Rubentus (Robber Barrons) as they are referred to in Italian Serie A....Rubentus wrote the book on bribing league officials and referees!

Juventus got what they deserved!....It was PAYBACK TIME! BIG TIME!...and I loved every minute of it!...And many Serie A afficionados know exactly what I am referring to!

There is an old saying....WHAT COMES AROUND GOES AROUND!

...And don't have too much sympathy for Buffon...Here is a punk that was involved in the worst match fixing scandal in Italian footbal history "CALCIOPOLI"...and indicted for match fixing and sports betting...with Juventus guilty of bribery in the infamous Calciopoli scandal the team was stripped of 2 championships and subsequently relegated to Division II....How quickly people forget!!!

 

[Meta not Meta]

Lol .. just a bit over the top there, sharkman ...

.. care to declare an interest?

Please, no diatribes ... I'm neutral ... well, mostly, lol. I was hoping for Juventus ....

 

[sharkman]

Ha! Ha! No disrespect Meta. My allegiance is towards neither of these two teams. Simply educating Merb members who may not know all the facts about Juventus or some of their players who seem to get away with being tagged as "angels"!

In the aftermath of today's game and controversy, Juventus has been screaming 'bloody murder" with owner Agnelli and goalkeeper Buffon making ridiculous accusations towards the British referee Oliver. With more accusations and conspiracy theories certainly forthcoming in the days ahead!

 

[man77777]

Knowimg that Russia and Qatar will be the 2 next World Cup host countries, I won't bet there is no reason for conspiracy theories in Soccer.

 

[Meta not Meta]

Just you, me and Versaute here, I think, lol ...

Really, is there a more universally-admired guy in the game today than Gigi? Perhaps some proof of his wickedness?

Haven't studied it closely but it looked like it could have gone either way. Probably the Bernabeu sealed it; a call like that is a lot less likely to go to a visiting team ...

A fan of one of the Milan clubs, maybe?

Arsenal, if I have to choose one ... lol.