Champions League Round of 16 (and some Europa round of 32 matches) | The Boneyard

Champions League Round of 16 (and some Europa round of 32 matches)

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The draws are complete and play resumes in February. On to the fun part of UCL and Europa....where every game matters. Here's what we got:

PSG v. Chelsea - that is an epic first round match up. Worst possible draw for Chelsea (getting the best "2nd place team") and one of the worst draws for PSG, exception being they could have drawn Real.

City v. Barca - wow, the sledding gets tougher for the English clubs. Another great first round match up.

Leverkusen v. Atletico Madrid - both sides sighed a little, could have been a lot tougher

Juventus v. Dortmund - which Dortmund side shows up? The one in the bottom 3 of Bundesliga or the one that won their UCL group?

Schalke v. Real - should be all Ronaldo, all game.

Shakhtar Donetsk v. Bayern - smiles all across Munich

Arsenal v. Monaco - well lookie there, Arsenal finally gets a manageable first round draw. Let's see what Wenger does with it.

Basel v. Porto - both teams won the first round lottery getting the easiest possible match up they could get. Amazing that one of these two will be in the quarter-finals but two of Chelsea, PSG, City, and Barca won't.

For Euopa League there are a lot of dud first round matchups, but here's the the English round of 32 matches:
Tottenham v. Fiorentina - toughest first round match up for Europa League. Both sides were hoping for an easier path to the next round. COYS!

Young Boys v. Everton - should be a quick trip to the round of 16 for Tim and the crew.

Liverpool v. Beşiktaş - Besiktas won Tottenham's group (granted against Spurs B-side the whole group play), but they will give Liverpool all they can handle. A solid club from Turkey.
 
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Besiktas played Arsenal for the Champions League slot. If I remember correctly it was close. They have a good manager.
 
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I am also shocked by Chelsea getting PSG in the Round of 16. PSG is clearly the best of the 'unseeded' teams while Chelsea is no worse than the 3rd best 'seeded' team. City, while weaker that it has been in the past, has to be unwelcomed sight to Barca. Maybe UEFA borrowed the folks who seeded the last World Cup? Or UEFA wanted a combination of serious TV ratings for tis round and/or wanted to limit the number of EPL teams in next round. Not complaining of course as Monaco is a manageable team for the Gunners, epically if Arsenal can sort out it's back line by February.
 

meyers7

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Besiktas played Arsenal for the Champions League slot. If I remember correctly it was close. They have a good manager.
Yea we barely squeaked by. Although we did have a player sent off in each game, which didn't help.
Not complaining of course as Monaco is a manageable team for the Gunners, epically if Arsenal can sort out it's back line by February.

He better get a CB in Jan 1st. :mad:
 
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Yea we barely squeaked by. Although we did have a player sent off in each game, which didn't help.


He better get a CB in Jan 1st. :mad:

And a true holding mid.


Switching gears slightly to one of the " big" clubs that missed the Champions League cut. Thought this was a really illuminating read on Liverpool's transfer policy. Summary: They've bee using analytics, spent 215 m pounds and still can't score. Suarez covered up their blemishes. Rogers has to take some blame because he has veto power over every purchase and signing.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...sfer-committee-has-been-a-spectacular-failure
 

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PSG v. Chelsea - that is an epic first round match up.
City v. Barca - wow, the sledding gets tougher for the English clubs. Another great first round match up.

P v. C - Epic is right. I haven't be following PSG, how is Zlatan doing these days?

MC v. B - This matchup bums me out. Two out of the 3 teams I'm pulling for meet in the 1st stage.
 

Waquoit

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Thought this was a really illuminating read on Liverpool's transfer policy. Summary: They've bee using analytics, spent 215 m pounds and still can't score. Suarez covered up their blemishes. Rogers has to take some blame because he has veto power over every purchase and signing.

Funny how they remind me of the Red Sox.
 
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And a true holding mid.


Switching gears slightly to one of the " big" clubs that missed the Champions League cut. Thought this was a really illuminating read on Liverpool's transfer policy. Summary: They've bee using analytics, spent 215 m pounds and still can't score. Suarez covered up their blemishes. Rogers has to take some blame because he has veto power over every purchase and signing.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2296954-inside-line-liverpools-transfer-committee-has-been-a-spectacular-failure#articles/2296954-inside-line-liverpools-transfer-committee-has-been-a-spectacular-failure

Reminds me of a certain baseball team in the US from Boston that also wears red and shares the same owner as Liverpool, and I did not shed a tear for either team not making the playoffs.
 
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Reminds me of a certain baseball team in the US from Boston that also wears red and shares the same owner as Liverpool, and I did not shed a tear for either team not making the playoffs.

Or even Kroenke extracting every last bit of profit possible from Arsenal/Rams/Avalanche/Nuggets even at the cost of winning?
 
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Wish I were at home watching Chelski against PSG. I think Mourinho parks a castle in front of goal tonight and goes for a draw. PSG is coming off a league match where 5 players were injured, they finished the game with 9 men and conceded two goals as a result.
 
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just started watching it on my iPhone6 Plus at work, Chelsea up 1-0 beginning 2nd half. Bayern and Donetsk scoreless at the half
 
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Wow, and just like that PSG equalizes on a great cross by Matuidi with an even better finish (header) by Cavani.
 

WestHartHusk

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And Chelsea fans prove again why they are the biggest scum in EPL (blocking a black guy from the metro in Paris and chanting they are racist and proud about it.
 
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And Chelsea fans prove again why they are the biggest scum in EPL (blocking a black guy from the metro in Paris and chanting they are racist and proud about it.

Frack, I did not see that earlier. That is just disgusting (can't think of a better PG word right now).

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-31514168

Chelsea needs to use that video and revoke the season tickets for every fan they can identify. UEFA needs to change their original stance that this happened outside of the stadium so nothing can be done to Chelsea gets to play in from of an empty stadium for their next Champions League match and they lose their proceeds from the match, too.
 

WestHartHusk

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Frack, I did not see that earlier. That is just disgusting (can't think of a better PG word right now).

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-31514168

Chelsea needs to use that video and revoke the season tickets for every fan they can identify. UEFA needs to change their original stance that this happened outside of the stadium so nothing can be done to Chelsea gets to play in from of an empty stadium for their next Champions League match and they lose their proceeds from the match, too.

This couldn't appear at a better time. Chelsea's racist team captain, John Terry, must like what he sees: wants a new extension with the club.

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/31530447

Of course I am being a bit tongue-in-cheek, but the fact that he is their team captain gives some insight into the club and its supporters.
 

CTBasketball

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Monaco usually plays well at Stade Louis. Plus they've been playing outstanding defense as of late - away goals for the Arsenal will be tough. I think they squeeze past the Gunners in aggregate.
 
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And Chelsea fans prove again why they are the biggest scum in EPL (blocking a black guy from the metro in Paris and chanting they are racist and proud about it.

I hate Chelsea too. But probably every club has a few hundred fans that behave like that. That video is outrageous by the way.

I used to be on a private Formula 1 forum with about 20 other people from all over the world. Myself and the other Americans left after getting sick of the Europeans being so judgemental. Many of them, expat Euros living in San Fran and LA who used to swear to me that America was the most racist place on the planet. And then you see something like this... I could never imagine Eagles or Patriots fans acting like this. Their may be racism in their hearts, but it mostly stays there. Europe has a much bigger racism problem than the US. Someone like John Terry in the US would quickly be a pariah.
 

CTBasketball

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I hate Chelsea too. But probably every club has a few hundred fans that behave like that. That video is outrageous by the way.

I used to be on a private Formula 1 forum with about 20 other people from all over the world. Myself and the other Americans left after getting sick of the Europeans being so judgemental. Many of them, expat Euros living in San Fran and LA who used to swear to me that America was the most racist place on the planet. And then you see something like this... I could never imagine Eagles or Patriots fans acting like this. Their may be racism in their hearts, but it mostly stays there. Europe has a much bigger racism problem than the US. Someone like John Terry in the US would quickly be a pariah.
If only we had an ongoing, active Formula 1 thread! :rolleyes:
 
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Champions League is torture. I wish I could play hooky. Two good ones today.
 

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I know many have negative feelings about Luis Suarez and rightfully so. However, the dude can score with the best of them.

I'm just looking at Barcelona's lineup and their front three is Neymar, Suarez, and Messi. Holy f $#k. I'd kill to have one player of their caliber on my team and they're starting all 3.
 
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I know many have negative feelings about Luis Suarez and rightfully so. However, the dude can score with the best of them.

I'm just looking at Barcelona's lineup and their front three is Neymar, Suarez, and Messi. Holy f $#k. I'd kill to have one player of their caliber on my team and they're starting all 3.

I am kind of over it with Suarez. He's not even in Ray Rice or Ray Lewis territory.

I am not Barcelona fan, but I love watching how they play the game. And the fact that some of their players actually came out of their Academy has to be respected.
 

UCFBfan

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Now that I get BeIn I've been watching La Liga more and have caught a few Barcelona games. Just watching Neymar and Messi play together is quite amazing. It's impressive to see how they play so well together. La Liga still isn't up there with my enjoyment of watching EPL but it's a fun side game to watch.
 
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Pretty exciting final 5 minutes of Arsenal v Monaco (I turned it on in the 89th minute). Monaco was up 2-0, Chamberlain with a great goal in 90+1 minutes reduce it to 2-1, Monaco scores in the final seconds on a perfect counter attacl to make it a 3-1 final for Monaco.

Leverkusen tops Atletico 1-0 at home.
 

CTBasketball

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Pretty exciting final 5 minutes of Arsenal v Monaco (I turned it on in the 89th minute). Monaco was up 2-0, Chamberlain with a great goal in 90+1 minutes reduce it to 2-1, Monaco scores in the final seconds on a perfect counter attacl to make it a 3-1 final for Monaco.

Leverkusen tops Atletico 1-0 at home.
Arsenal's goose is cooked. Called it!
 
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