UEFA Champions League 05/06 Thread

[sonnysan]

Juventus will advance at the top of their group as they will continue to dominate!

They have the best midfield in the Champions League! No Doubt!

 

[Sulph]

Well considering we only have a 3 man midfield, we are close :p

 

[Stan]

Juenus are underachievers IMHO.
Their coach plays too defensive...i'm not quite sure if teams like Brugge and Rapid Wien have no chance o win poins aains Juve im no saying that hey are better).
i don't rate Capello high as a coach (but who am i????)

 

[Dominic]

Juventus always play well in the group stages, I don't see why it will be any different this year. Especially against the alleged 'smaller' sides, juve know how to pick up the points.

 

[Revan]

...
I just hope Porto and Inter do us a favouir and hammer Rangers. :mrgreen:

I'm gonna see it happen all over again, when we beat Celtic in the UEFA Cup final, it looked like rangers fans loved us.
Now if we beat Rangers it will be the other way around! :lol:

Anyways, an acessible group for Porto, And I was hoping to face inter again. Both teams last year were playing shit, but this year both Porto and Inter have improved. Can't wait for the game against Inter.
Just hope Porto players don't screw up, taking the Artmedia games for granted. Wasn't Artmedia that kick Celtic out of the CL? Sorry if i'm wrong.

 

[ooh_harry]

Im actually doubting Juventus's chances this year...fair enough they'll destroy the group stage but Juve have a hack of slipping up at the ¼/½ stage.....hopefully if Juventus avoid the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea, Barcelona in the first 2/3 rounds they may stand a chance

 

[Milanista]

Well they did lose to the finalists, and eliminated Real Madrid, and Bayern in the group stages. Now theyve signed Arsenal's captain, theyre way more solid. Arsenal are the ones taht need to avoid every big team because thats their weakness in Europe...hence their failure to EVER go past the quarters or semis.

 

[SPiTFiRE]

Well, we'll see Real out again...

 

[Derfil]

I see the Champions league in Del piero hands this year
I hope I'm wrong and see Maldini doing it
Juve are great !! they can win it if they really wanted !!

 

[Revan]

Juve are between my favs to win. Alongside Chelsea, Milan, and Barça.

 

[SPiTFiRE]

I think will be Juve, If they would contract Miguel oh Jesus would be a invencible team.

 

[JayM]

Juventus or Real.

 

[SPiTFiRE]

I don't belive in this Real again. For me will be Juve, Chelsea and Milan and maybe this Man Utd...

 

[RuneEdge]

I thought Juve were good last season but up against a team like Liverpool, every team seemed to look normal. Its kinda strange really. SO IMO, it could be anyone winning it.

 

[Sabac Red]

I going for Pool again no seriously(I may put a bet on it).

Other than that I only see Milan or Barca actually winning it.

Juventus & Chelsea coming close and Madrid flopping.

 

[Professor Nutmeg]

I honestly don't think Liverpool will win it this year. I know most thought that last year, but the surprise happened. Now there'll be more pressure on them.

 

[JayM]

I don't belive in this Real again. For me will be Juve, Chelsea and Milan and maybe this Man Utd...

I've been watching their games and I think their style will be very good in Europe, Robinho alone will get them pretty far.

 

[ooh_harry]

Robinho is one hell of a player but he's too lightweight and lacks the a great strikers predatory instinct, I doubt Real will get far with their current squad, I reckon selling owen is the stupidest thing Real could have done...when ronaldo and raul didnt fire...who was there...OWEN.....I think this could be Chelsea's year but who knows....darkhorses have won the title in the last few yrs....Milan 2003, Porto 2004, Lpool 2005...etc

 

[Milanista]

Sorry but how are Milan the darkhorses in 2003?

 

[SPiTFiRE]

I've been watching their games and I think their style will be very good in Europe, Robinho alone will get them pretty far.

I don't belive it, the "galáticos" will fall down.

 

[gerd]

Easily, Milanista...because throughout Juventus were the better team.
Milan were quite average that year (wasn't that the year that they beat Ajax in extra time).
Come to think of it, they're average for years now...last year they played the final that PSV should have played...This Milan team is but a shadow compared to the great team with Baresi, Maldini, Van Basten, Gullit and Rijkaard or later with Desailly, Boban and Savicevic...They have great players like Shevshenko or Kaka but they do not impress...The Milan, team wit the 3 Dutch players was a team that every football fan loved (i certainly did). The last Milan team is a team that underachieves considering the wealth of the club and the preferential treatment they get from referees (before you start arguing: in the book "How soccer explains the World" there is a chapter about Italian football and preferential treatment clubs like Juve and Milan get, you should read it).

 

[Milanista]

Apart from the CL failure in 03-04, i think that season was different, and Milan played the best football in Italy...hence winning the league.

And right now, our poor performance is noticeable, and i think its time for Ancelotti to go. Hes dont what he could to win the Coppa Italia, Serie A, UEFA Super Cup and Champions League in his 5 years. I think its time we changed.

 

[RuneEdge]

I don't belive it, the "galáticos" will fall down.

And why?

 

[SPiTFiRE]

And why?

Because they're too proud of themself's and will take in the ass again in Champions... you'll seen, even with Robinho I don't belive in this Real Madrid!

 

[Revan]

Real Madrid have improved their squad, It's all up to finding out if the newcomers, besides Robinho, can fill in for injuries and such. Because if they can't, it will the 03-04 season all over again, reaching january and the players being tired.

 

[SPiTFiRE]

And not so... They only invest in famous players, with lot of pace and the their defense?

 

[Revan]

The only one famous they got was Robinho. They got 3 other players.
But the defence is still crap. I still find hard to believe that a club that has the reputation of being the best club ever, doesn't invest considerably in the defence.

 

[Milanista]

Sold samuel lol.

 

[SPiTFiRE]

Sold samuel lol.

I don't only know why they don't bet in the young players of their soccer school. That's stupid buy old players because of their marketing. For me Beck's, Ronaldo and Roberto Carlos had gived their own best in football.

 

[Gedtillo]

I don't only know why they don't bet in the young players of their soccer school. That's stupid buy old players because of their marketing. For me Beck's, Ronaldo and Roberto Carlos had gived their own best in football.

May I know exactly where are you getting these ideas from? Let's see:

- "They don't bet in the young players of their soccer school". Well. here's Pavón, Arbeloa, Mejía, Soldado, De la Red and Raúl Bravo in the first team, apart from the obvious Guti and Raúl.

- "They only sign attacking players". Since this time last year Real Madrid has signed Thomas Gravesen, Pablo García, Carlos Diogo, Sergio Ramos, Jonathan Woodgate, Cicinho... There go SIX defensive players (four defenders and two defensive midfielders). Since Gravesen arrived last year, Real Madrid's defense was the less beaten in Spain, plus it become the best team in La Liga (talking about raw numbers). That's a fact. Real Madrid is a much more solid team now than a year ago. Gravesen and Pablo García are great strong players.

- "Roberto Carlos, Beckham and Ronaldo have already given everything they had...". Eh-hem. Roberto Carlos, Ronaldo and Raúl are the fastest players in the team (not counting Robinho, who did not do those tests) as of August 2005. Ronaldo is the only player in Europe that can guarantee 25+ goals every season. Beckham's last ten games last year were astonishing, he was the strongest in the team and such a leader. Real Madrid fought until the end despite their disastrous start thanks to him

- I can't see why people keep saying Real Madrid is an unbalanced team. I watch their team and can see Roberto Carlos, Salgado, Helguera, Woodgate, Diogo, Ramos, Pavón, Gravesen, P. García... Since 2002 they haven't had such a strong team, and by strong I mean tough. Plus they've got a lot of skilled players in the midfield (Guti, Beckham, Zidane, De La Red...) and great attackers. Raúl and Ronaldo are both in much better form than last year, and Robinho is just amazing.

Plus, there is Casillas.

I can see Real doing well this year in Europe. It's a much younger and faster team than last year, they only need to get accustomed to the changes inside the team.

Personally, I think Chelsea, Barcelona, Juventus, Bayern, Real Madrid and United could get tthe cup home. I bet Villareal will do well, it's got a great team, and a nice surprise would be Lyon taking the cup.

Remember that these last years the champion has not been the best team on the paper, but the best team on the pitch, and great heart has beaten great skills. See Monaco, PSV, Porto, Liverpool... great performers without great names. See Greece at Euro 2004.