⚽ [POLL] FOOTBALL: UEFA Champions League 2023/24

[JollyGood]

These are the next set of games for the Champions League knockout stage first leg:

Tuesday 20th February
Inter Milan vs Atletico Madrid
PSV Eindhoven vs Borussia Dortmund

Wednesday 21st February
FC Porto vs Arsenal
Napoli vs Barcelona

These are the results of the knockout stage first leg games already played. Manchester City have a healthy goal advantage cushion when they host FC Copenhagen but cannot be deemed as favourites to retain the Champions League trophy because Bayern Munich and Real Madrid are also in the draw. I would not count Arsenal, PSG and Barcelona in that list as serious contenders.

Lazio stunned Bayern Munich today with a 1-0 win but Bayern Munich should win the return leg and Real Madrid won by a single goal away at RB Leipzig:

Wednesday 14th February
Lazio 1-0 Bayern Munich  
Paris Saint-Germain 2-0 Real Sociedad

Tuesday 13th February
FC Copenhagen 1-3 Manchester City
RB Leipzig 0-1 Real Madrid

[Igebotz]

These are the results of the knockout stage first leg games already played. Manchester City have a healthy goal advantage cushion when they host FC Copenhagen but cannot be deemed as favourites to retain the Champions League trophy because Bayern Munich and Real Madrid are also in the draw. I would not count Arsenal, PSG and Barcelona in that list as serious contenders.

Lazio stunned Bayern Munich today with a 1-0 win but Bayern Munich should win the return leg and Real Madrid won by a single goal away at RB Leipzig:

17 shots and none went on target - Nah Tuchel ain't going to survive this one if they got knocked out and to add fire to it they had only 1 shot on goal in their last league match. The sack is inevitable at this point.

[JollyGood]

These were the previous results from the knockout stag first leg that were not updated:

Wednesday 21st February
FC Porto 1-0 Arsenal 
Napoli 1-1 Barcelona 

Tuesday 20th February
Inter Milan 1-0 Atletico Madrid 
PSV Eindhoven 1-1 Borussia Dortmund

Arsenal suffered a loss and could be out if they do not win in the return leg. I think the season has been long therefore Arsenal could be tired with all those young players and for that reason could lose the tie (even if they drew on the night).

[JollyGood]

Three Spanish, two English, two German and one French team make up the Champions League quarter finals.

Over two legs, I expect Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and PSG to go through to the semi-finals. Here is the draw:

Tuesday 9th April
Arsenal vs Bayern Munich
Real Madrid vs Manchester City

Wednesday 10th April
Atletico Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund
Paris Saint-Germain vs Barcelona


---------------------------------

These were the results of the second leg games that took place:

Wednesday 13th March:
Atletico Madrid 2-1 Inter Milan
Agg: 2-2
Atletico Madrid win 3-2 on penalties.

Borussia Dortmund 2-0 PSV Eindhoven
Agg: 3-1

Tuesday 12th March:
Arsenal 1-0 FC Porto
Agg: 1-1
Arsenal win 4-2 on penalties.

Barcelona 3-1 Napoli
Agg: 4-2

[tokeweed]

Three Spanish, two English, two German and one French team make up the Champions League quarter finals.

Over two legs, I expect Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and PSG to go through to the semi-finals. Here is the draw:

Tuesday 9th April
Arsenal vs Bayern Munich
Real Madrid vs Manchester City

Wednesday 10th April
Atletico Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund
Paris Saint-Germain vs Barcelona

All pretty good match ups across the board...  Prolly one of the best quarter finals I've seen as of late.  All great clubs, all great winners across Europe with the exception of PSG.    I mean it's a good club but mot really comparable with these other clubs.

Just looking at it, I think we shouldn't really write Bayern Munich off the board.  If you guys remember, Tuchel won the CL for Chelsea with an inferior squad.  He could do it again with Bayern imho.

Bayern to go thru and reach the semi finals is lined at 2.25. 

[JollyGood]

Looking at the way the draw has gone, it is too difficult to choose a favourite to win the competition.

There is a real possibility that both English clubs could be eliminated from the competition. Bayern Munich could lose/draw the way game but probably win the home game. Kane will probably score against them too.

As for Manchester City, if they lose at Real Madrid in the first leg I would expect them to be knocked out regardless of what happens in the return leg.

This will be the best chance Atletico will have to win the Champions League after many years of getting of trying therefore I expect them to beat Borussia Dortmund. I also believe PSG will beat Barcelona in both legs.

Those are my views 

All pretty good match ups across the board...  Prolly one of the best quarter finals I've seen as of late.  All great clubs, all great winners across Europe with the exception of PSG.    I mean it's a good club but mot really comparable with these other clubs.

Just looking at it, I think we shouldn't really write Bayern Munich off the board.  If you guys remember, Tuchel won the CL for Chelsea with an inferior squad.  He could do it again with Bayern imho.

Bayern to go thru and reach the semi finals is lined at 2.25. 

[tokeweed]

^  Mmm...  It should depend on how many goals City is behind after the first leg tho?  I mean has City the better squad between the two.  So one goal behind, City could get that one back and could win on aggregate to push through.  Two goals, I think they could still do it but higher chance it could go to pens.  Three goals, yeah they are fcked,

And keep in mind that City is hard to beat at home.  I don't think they lost a match at the Etihad yet.  :/  If anything I'd say it would be the reverse. 

[JollyGood]

Tuesday 16th April
Barcelona vs Paris Saint-Germain
Agg:3-2

Borussia Dortmund vs Atletico Madrid
Agg:1-2

Wednesday 17th April
Bayern Munich vs Arsenal
Agg:2-2

Manchester City vs Real Madrid
Agg:3-3

Well, the first legs were played and the results were a mixed bag. The 3-3 was a surprise, I did not anticipate Manchester City would take the lead or even score three goals therefore I believe anything is possible in the return leg. Overall, I still am very confident Real Madrid will go through to semi-finals and Manchester City knocked out.

^  Mmm...  It should depend on how many goals City is behind after the first leg tho?  I mean has City the better squad between the two.  So one goal behind, City could get that one back and could win on aggregate to push through.  Two goals, I think they could still do it but higher chance it could go to pens.  Three goals, yeah they are fcked,

And keep in mind that City is hard to beat at home.  I don't think they lost a match at the Etihad yet.  :/  If anything I'd say it would be the reverse. 

[JollyGood]

Here are the full results for the quarter-finals:

Wednesday 17th April
Bayern Munich 1-0 Arsenal
Agg: 3-2

Manchester City 1-1 Real Madrid
Agg: 4-4
Real Madrid win 4-3 on penalties

Tuesday 16th April
Barcelona 1-4 Paris Saint-Germain
Agg: 4-6

Borussia Dortmund 4-2 Atletico Madrid
Agg: 5-4


Both remaining English teams were knocked out on  the same night (last night).

Congratulations to Real Madrid on getting past Manchester City in a thrilling game. PSG stepped up their game to sweep past Barcelona. Bayern Munich knocked out Arsenal. Borussia Dortmund scraped past Atletico Madrid.

Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, PSG and Borussia Dortmund are through to the semi-finals.

[JollyGood]

Bayern Munich 2-2 Real Madrid

This was the result of the first semi-final first leg game played yesterday. Vinicius Junior gave Real Madrid the lead in a tense game that eventually saw Bayern Munich take a 2-1 lead with a penalty from Kane but Vinicius Junior scored a late penalty himself to end the game 2-2.

How many people would be confident about Real Madrid winning the return leg at home? I suppose Bayern Munich will score but Real Madrid should manage to win the tie and get to the final.

[JollyGood]

These are the semi-final results.

Wednesday 8th May
Real Madrid 2-1 Bayern Munich
Agg: 4-3

Tuesday 7th May
Paris Saint-Germain 0-1 Borussia Dortmund
Agg: 0-2


Congratulations to Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid for making it to the Champions League final.

Bayern Munich were winning 0-1 but Real Madrid scored two late goals (88th min and time added-on 91st min) and ended up going through to yet another Champions League final. PSG missed out on a final place after Borussia Dortmund beat them by a solitary goal in each of the games.

[JollyGood]

Champions League Final
Saturday 1st June 2024

Wembley Stadium, London

If Real Madrid make it to a Champions League final, what are the chances they will lose?

This is not a usual 50/50 situation because Real Madrid have won the (European Cup/Champions League) final 14 times and lost only 3 times. They last lost the European Cup/Champions League final in 1981 and since then have won 8 finals. They have played 17 finals.

Borussia Dortmund have played in two European Cup/Champions League finals. They won in 1997 and lost in 2013.