2020/21 UEFA Champions League: The Road to Istanbul (Not Constantinople)

PedroSpecialK

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Marega again, free header off a brilliant set piece routine, can't convert

Chiesa lucky to not pick up a second yellow for his foul on Corona

Marchesin with a great, but supremely risky, challenge to deny Ronaldo - Bernardeschi with a rough challenge on Grujic which draws a yellow a couple minutes after he came on for Chiesa

Mbemba and Pepe have been unbelievable
 
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PedroSpecialK

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Oliveiraaaaaaaa! Nutmegs McKennie to draw the free kick, catches Szczesny at his near post on the free kick, and Porto look to be through if they can hold on and not concede twice
 

PedroSpecialK

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Rabiot... going to be a hell of a finish

De Ligt making Morata blush with that one

Unbelievable finish, thrilled for Mehdi's sake that Porto are through
 
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SocrManiac

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Pirlo is getting more support for this year than Sarri did. Neither covered themselves in glory, but Juve have showed more flashes this year than they did last. There’s absolutely no consistency, however.

I understand the Juventus hate from around the world. It was fun when the team was loaded with personalities that I could root for. There are very few left and they aren’t fun to watch. I can’t and won’t abandon them (too fucking ingrained at this point), but I won’t interrupt my weekend to find a TV in the near future.

The new logo fucking sucks, too.
 

bosox4283

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Pirlo is getting more support for this year than Sarri did. Neither covered themselves in glory, but Juve have showed more flashes this year than they did last. There’s absolutely no consistency, however.

I understand the Juventus hate from around the world. It was fun when the team was loaded with personalities that I could root for. There are very few left and they aren’t fun to watch. I can’t and won’t abandon them (too fucking ingrained at this point), but I won’t interrupt my weekend to find a TV in the near future.

The new logo fucking sucks, too.
I don't follow Serie A, but it seems that Inter and AC Milan are back to playing at a high level at the same time for the first time in a while. Is this the case?
 

SocrManiac

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I don't follow Serie A, but it seems that Inter and AC Milan are back to playing at a high level at the same time for the first time in a while. Is this the case?
Both have been building to the point of challenging again for years, but it takes special coaching to get so little out of the talent Juventus can put on the field. Sarri was a disaster and Pirlo's hiring is utterly incomprehensible given his complete lack of experience.

I genuinely think Pirlo's initial approach was to have his team built around his playing style- several midfield Registas working together to dominate possession with devastating vision and incisiveness. Of course, if you had even one such player the team would be far more effective. Now that it's failing, the rumor mill is that he wants a true Regista signed for next year. I think he's incapable of playing a style that isn't his own.
 

Jimy Hendrix

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It's also weird reading articles about his coaching thesis regarding complicated passing angles or whatever it was and then he's just playing a 4-4-2 where Cuadrado pumps in crosses.
 

67YAZ

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It's also weird reading articles about his coaching thesis regarding complicated passing angles or whatever it was and then he's just playing a 4-4-2 where Cuadrado pumps in crosses.
I was thinking the same thing - you can't try to play a possession-based game focused on creating passing boxes throughout the midfield and then throw Ronaldo and Morata out there as twin strikers. I love that Pirlo has put McKennie in a position to shine, but damn. Play to the strengths of the roster.
 

Morgan's Magic Snowplow

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IMO, Juve has been declining for years, its just that nobody else was quite ready to seize the mantle from them. Last year they won the league despite having the fourth best goal differential and third best in XG differential. By both goal differential and XG differential they are actually performing better this year, they're just not getting the rub of the green and other clubs have improved.

I don't know if Pirlo can keep his job but I don't think he has done much worse than Sarri. He was handed a somewhat dysfunctional roster and almost no ability to improve the squad.
 

Kliq

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Lol at Juventus chairman and European Super League pusher Andrea Agnelli watching his team get bounced from the UCL by Ajax, Porto and Lyon, three teams that wouldn't qualify for the super league.
 

67YAZ

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Liverpool rolling with Phillips & Kabak at the heart of the defense while Jota steps into the front line for Firmino.

I'm interested in seeing how the midfield 3 of Gini-Fab-Tiago works. I think (hope?) that part of Thiago's struggle has been playing a deeper role and getting to shuttle back and forth more will play better to his talents.

 

Morgan's Magic Snowplow

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Another terrible penalty decision by VAR in the PSG-Barcelona match. Lenglet accidentally catches the back of Icardi's boot in a situation where Icardi could never have reached the cross anyway, Icardi rolls around in pain for a lifetime (giving the VAR and TV coverage plenty of time to review the incident), and its finally called a penalty.

Barca quickly snatch one back afterwards but its still a big hole to climb out of.
 

Zososoxfan

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Another terrible penalty decision by VAR in the PSG-Barcelona match. Lenglet accidentally catches the back of Icardi's boot in a situation where Icardi could never have reached the cross anyway, Icardi rolls around in pain for a lifetime (giving the VAR and TV coverage plenty of time to review the incident), and its finally called a penalty.

Barca quickly snatch one back afterwards but its still a big hole to climb out of.
It's ovah barring a miracle equal to 2 remontadas.
 

PedroSpecialK

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Fabinho has been so important in midfield as expected... and he has gotten away with a Casemiro-esque number of fouls to break up the play without a booking thus far.

Jota was offside there but Salah misses another sitter

Definitely helps that Nat Phillips is having the match of his life so far
 
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swiftaw

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Last time City won the PL, LIverpool won the CL. Last time Everton finished top 4, LIverpool won the CL. Last time Messi and Ronaldo didn’t get to the QF, LIverpool won the CL. Last 2 times LIverpool beat a German side in the last 16, LIverpool won the CL.
 

pedro1918

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Who will join Dortmund, Porto, PSG and Liverpool? We will find out today and tomorrow as the second half of second legs of the round of 16 play out. Bayern Munich, Manchester City, Chelsea and Real Madrid are leading after the first leg.

Tuesday, March 16
Manchester City vs. Borussia Monchengladbach, 4 p.m. ET (2-0)
Real Madrid vs. Atalanta, 4 p.m. ET (1-0)

Wednesday, March 17
Bayern Munich vs. Lazio, 4 p.m. ET (4-1)
Chelsea vs. Atletico Madrid, 4 p.m. ET (1-0)
 

Zososoxfan

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Chelsky-Atleti should be awesome. When Atleti have to go out and attack, they can be a lot of fun. The fact that Chelsky is more adept at attacking than defending makes this potentially very entertaining.
 

bosox4283

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Chelsky-Atleti should be awesome. When Atleti have to go out and attack, they can be a lot of fun. The fact that Chelsky is more adept at attacking than defending makes this potentially very entertaining.
Atletico is going to start the match with a offensive line-up but returning to a more stable 4-4-2. There's a lot of offensive creativity with Carrasco, Llorente, Joao Felix, and Suarez. The team needs Saul to play his best football today -- I'm a bit surprised he got the start over Thomas Lemar.
 

bosox4283

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Apparently, Simeone's plan for the first 20 minutes of the match was "who needs the ball when you need two goals to advance".

Then, when Simeone decided to turn up the pressure, we got the worst version of Trippier and mediocre Oblak. Gross.
 

bosox4283

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Kudos to Simeone for taking out Suarez. Whatever style and structure Simeone is using sure as hell isn't working -- Suarez was lost out there.