⚽UEFA Champions League Discussion Thread -- 2021/22 winner - Real Madrid!

[Naida_BR]

In the champions league everything can happen Atalanta is not the best club in Serie A

In not the best but they are one of the best.

They are on the second spot for points from January to December 2019.

Facing Valencia is one of the best pick someone could get in this league! comparing to Liverpool vs ATM or Real vs Man City or even Bayern vs Chelsea... those are the best games by far, anything can happen!

I won't bother if Atalanta would get disqualified from this round facing Valencia.
If they qualify they won't last long as they are going to be disqualified from the next team they will find on their way. Something that would be more difficult if Valencia reached the round of 8.

[webtricks]

In the champions league everything can happen Atalanta is not the best club in Serie A

In not the best but they are one of the best.

They are on the second spot for points from January to December 2019.




source https://www.transfermarkt.it/serie-a/jahrestabelle/wettbewerb/IT1

That's because Atlanta had good second half of 2018/19 season but recently the level of their performance had fallen. In last 6 Serie A fixtures, Atlanta is able to win only 2, losing three others and drawing one. If we talk about whole season, Atlanta only won 50% matches so far and not looking convincing enough to qualify for Champions League next year.

Valencia has shown metal in Champions League especially against Chelsea and Ajax in away games. Atlanta is comparatively weaker side, IMO. 

[Chrystora123]

What else could possibly turn unexpected?

Leipzig to win UCL? Why not?
This is the underdogs year!

I support you, for the first time in the history of UCL, Leipzig made it into the round of 16.  in the last match against Benfica, I did not think Leipzig to be able to make the score draw in the final minutes, they were really unexpected.

[Upgrade00]

...

Making it to the round of 16, is one thing, going all the way to win it is another. The UCL needs lots of consistency and squad depth for a club to win it.
My picks are: Liverpool, Man City, and PSG. I'm a Barcelona supporter, but I just don't see then winning the UCL this season with the way they've been playing

[casperBGD]

Valencia has shown metal in Champions League especially against Chelsea and Ajax in away games. Atlanta is comparatively weaker side, IMO.  

as a fan, i could add that in March/April, even Europa league this season was seen as doubtful, since Valencia was in the middle of the table, but showed strength compared to Getafe, Sevilla, Alaves, Bilbao and reached position four in last round, then reached group stage, and finally kick-out stage in the last round, kicking out last year semifinalist Ajax on their pitch, it is an amassing strike for them

Atalanta is certainly the best you can get in this stage of CL, but Valencia was first in their group after all, so deserved team from position two, and due to same country it could not be Atletico or Real Madrid, and Chelsea from the same group, that left us with names that are not that better than Atalanta

here are my predictions
Dortmund vs PSG
Real Madrid vs Manchester City
Atalanta vs Valencia
Atletico vs Liverpool
Chelsea vs  - Bayern
Lyon vs Juventus
Tottenham vs Leipzig
Napoli vs Barcelona

[FlamingFingers]

What else could possibly turn unexpected?

Leipzig to win UCL? Why not?
This is the underdogs year!

I support you, for the first time in the history of UCL, Leipzig made it into the round of 16.  in the last match against Benfica, I did not think Leipzig to be able to make the score draw in the final minutes, they were really unexpected.

Let us be realistic about this,  Leipzig cannot win Ucl with their current squad,  this ain't Bundesliga, this is champions league,  that is why it's not that easy for underdogs to win champions league. Leicester won Epl and went to the champions league without reaching Semi finals

[NJB18]

What else could possibly turn unexpected?

Leipzig to win UCL? Why not?
This is the underdogs year!

I support you, for the first time in the history of UCL, Leipzig made it into the round of 16.  in the last match against Benfica, I did not think Leipzig to be able to make the score draw in the final minutes, they were really unexpected.

Let us be realistic about this,  Leipzig cannot win Ucl with their current squad,  this ain't Bundesliga, this is champions league,  that is why it's not that easy for underdogs to win champions league. Leicester won Epl and went to the champions league without reaching Semi finals

Well said man. I mean, upsets do happen but lightning won't strike twice. Very small chance for Leipzig to win this UCL. Leipzig will struggle here and they are already lucky if they can proceed to the next stage.

[slaman29]

After watching the last El Clasico I have to admit, even as a Barca fan, we are probably not going to win this again. We drew and it was a huge performance from our defence, but our keeper was too good and he cannot possibly have so many days like that (and well we didn't as he gave away goals in 2 games before that!).

I think City is the one who has to go to finals this time. Who meets them decides who wins.

[EdenHazard]

What else could possibly turn unexpected?

Leipzig to win UCL? Why not?
This is the underdogs year!

I support you, for the first time in the history of UCL, Leipzig made it into the round of 16.  in the last match against Benfica, I did not think Leipzig to be able to make the score draw in the final minutes, they were really unexpected.

I've seen the odds for Leipzig to win the champions league while they are still in the group stage is over @100 or so.
Now the odds changed down to @50 only, the same odds as Dortmund and Chelsea to win champions league!

Last year .. the hope falls as ajax got beaten.
This year I choose Leipzig as the potential shocker in the champions league.

Let's see. Tottenham isn't easy opponent but they will play at home in the second leg , could be an advantage? Or a disaster?

[Daniel91]

After watching the last El Clasico I have to admit, even as a Barca fan, we are probably not going to win this again. We drew and it was a huge performance from our defence, but our keeper was too good and he cannot possibly have so many days like that (and well we didn't as he gave away goals in 2 games before that!).

I think City is the one who has to go to finals this time. Who meets them decides who wins.

Well,  Barcelona depends to much on Messi.
When is difficult situation in the match everybody waiting what Messi will do.
It's to much pressure on him.
Also,  Messi and Suarez don't play in defense and it's serious weakness for Barcelona in the "big " matches.
I agree that Manchester City and Liverpool have more chances to play in the final than Real and Barcelona.

[bassbity]

What else could possibly turn unexpected?

Leipzig to win UCL? Why not?
This is the underdogs year!

I support you, for the first time in the history of UCL, Leipzig made it into the round of 16.  in the last match against Benfica, I did not think Leipzig to be able to make the score draw in the final minutes, they were really unexpected.

Let us be realistic about this,  Leipzig cannot win Ucl with their current squad,  this ain't Bundesliga, this is champions league,  that is why it's not that easy for underdogs to win champions league. Leicester won Epl and went to the champions league without reaching Semi finals

The quality is indeed in the championship league but we can see his Leipzig vs. Tottenham match there where we will see which is the best in UCL, remember Tottenham never went to the final of last season at UCL so there is no doubt in his players to go ahead in the match especially, have never seen Mounrinho able to lift his team to be champions.

[Coyster]

I think City is the one who has to go to finals this time. Who meets them decides who wins.

City face Madrid in the next round, and that's a huge test for them if they are to make it to the final, to eliminate the team who have won the tournament the most is not easy to do, no matter what form they are in, when it gets to the knock out stages, the experience cones back, they have been there numerous times and conquered, but Manchester City have not.

If city are able to win though, then they can go all the way to win the title, the victory will give them the spirit to believe they can beat anybody, I think city's problem is that the UCL looks like unfamiliar territory to them, the moment they can get over that, then they should be ready to win the trophy.

[Juggy777]

After watching the last El Clasico I have to admit, even as a Barca fan, we are probably not going to win this again. We drew and it was a huge performance from our defence, but our keeper was too good and he cannot possibly have so many days like that (and well we didn't as he gave away goals in 2 games before that!).

I think City is the one who has to go to finals this time. Who meets them decides who wins.

Well,  Barcelona depends to much on Messi.
When is difficult situation in the match everybody waiting what Messi will do.
It's to much pressure on him.
Also,  Messi and Suarez don't play in defense and it's serious weakness for Barcelona in the "big " matches.
I agree that Manchester City and Liverpool have more chances to play in the final than Real and Barcelona.

@slaman29 Barcelona deserved to loose the El Classico but in the end they got lucky, and managed to draw the match but in Champions League they’ll have to either win or they’ll face elimination from the competition.

@Daniel91 Barcelona have always been over reliant on Messi, and despite their poor results they do not learn from their mistakes and never try and promote other players ahead of Messi.

Manchester City will not win the champions league because of their leaky defence, the only team that can win it is Liverpool as they’re playing surreal football and no team is strong enough to stop them.

Manchester City Leaky defence criticism video: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5s0Jt-vIJCM

[Upgrade00]

@Daniel91 Barcelona have always been over reliant on Messi, and despite their poor results they do not learn from their mistakes and never try and promote other players ahead of Messi.

Manchester City will not win the champions league because of their leaky defence, the only team that can win it is Liverpool as they’re playing surreal football and no team is strong enough to stop them.

The solution is not to promote other players ahead of Messi (He is the best player in the world, so he is rightly above everyone else). The board for whatever reason seem to be ignoring the lack of an efficient tactical approach on the pitch, I would never have expected Valverde to last this long and except it is part of an attempt to keep him till the end of the season and make a move for Pep, then its a wrong decision.

I also fancy Liverpool ahead if every other team, but I wouldn't go as far as to say they are the only team that can win it.

[tokeweed]

Chelsea vs Bayern - I like to watch Lampard's Chelsea, but they aren't ready to eliminate Bayern yet

Everyone underestimate Chelsea under Lampard as not ready, one thing you should know that everytime you got underestimated.... there's a bigger motivation to prove that everyone wrong , this is football though. 
A team with odds @5000 won the premier league in 2015-2016, leicester city.
A team with odds @50 to win UCL in 2012 , chelsea they did it underestimatedly.

What else could possibly turn unexpected?

Leipzig to win UCL? Why not?
This is the underdogs year!

And everybody prolly forgot the history between these two in the CL.  Remember when (and where) they faced each other during the 2011/12 final?  Lololol.

69 days to go till this match and so far the bookies set chelsea @3.8 to win at Stamford Bridge... damn this crazy good odds to bet now! while Bayern munich @2.1 , the risk is worth taking.
Besides the history says it all , look at both situations ... chelsea and Bayern munich both in not good form , Bayern munich rarely to lost 2 games in a row in Bundesliga and they even fall down to 5th position by now.
Chelsea also lost 2 games in a row in epl , nearly approached the second place they slipped to lost 9 points in 4 games.

Bayern's doing better overall and looks more in form compared to Chelsea tho.  Chelsea looks like it's gonna implode soon.

[EdenHazard]

Bayern's doing better overall and looks more in form compared to Chelsea tho.  Chelsea looks like it's gonna implode soon.

Yeah but both also in the similar conditions.
We'll see later , I won't blindly go for chelsea to bet though just because I'm a chelsea diehard fans.

I just feel need to remind everyone that underestimating chelsea over Bayern munich is a mistake.
I'd say both have the same chance to beat each other but yeah we'll see later how both make a progress over the next 6 to 7 weeks.

[DeathAngel]

Bayern will progress to the 1/4 final imo, Chelsea are a good team but full of young players. Experience usually counts at this stage of the competition.

[Naida_BR]

Bayern will progress to the 1/4 final imo, Chelsea are a good team but full of young players. Experience usually counts at this stage of the competition.

True. Bayern might be in a bad condition right now and a lot of players are out of form but they are going to have a good game in Germany i believe with all their supporters on their side.
Chelsea has been accomplished an amazing qualification to 16 but they cannot go further in the CL.

[kolonel_x]

Bayern will progress to the 1/4 final imo, Chelsea are a good team but full of young players. Experience usually counts at this stage of the competition.

True. Bayern might be in a bad condition right now and a lot of players are out of form but they are going to have a good game in Germany i believe with all their supporters on their side.
Chelsea has been accomplished an amazing qualification to 16 but they cannot go further in the CL.

Indeed, Bayern Munich in the domestic league is not good this season and even ranked 3rd but if at UCL the game will be different they will be even more excited in the match, see in the match at UCL last week able to beat Tottenham at home so chelsea opponents will not that bad

[DaveWave]

Very exciting matches next year. Dortmund certainly won't be a walk in the park against PSG. Tottenham struggling in EPL I guess can overcome an inexperienced young Leipzig. Chelsea and Bayern is 50-50? I had a slight edge on Bayern. And Real Madrid looks like it will be exiting early as it is matched against Manchester City. Can't wait for these matches.