Champions League 2016-17

**geysir** · 22/02/2017, 7:36 PM

Valencia hung on with death grip determination onto their one goal lead v Madrid, excellent game and the atmosphere was unworldly. Not much love lost there between those two.

**osarusan** · 22/02/2017, 8:18 PM

Leicester fans singing "How sh!t must you be, we just scored a goal"

**geysir** · 22/02/2017, 9:57 PM

6 of the 8 home teams (group runners up) have the advantage to varying extents going into the 2nd leg, flying in the face of conventional wisdom.

**BonnieShels** · 24/02/2017, 11:19 AM

Should this thread just be general (non-Irish team) European thread?

Europa draw done:

FC Copenhagen v Ajax
KAA Gent v Genk
Olympiakos v Besiktas
FC Rostov v Manchester United
Lyon v Roma
Schalke v Borussia Monchengladbach
Apoel FC v Anderlecht
Celta Vigo v FC Krasnodar

Hmmmmmmmm...

3 Belgian sides into the last-16. At least one will make it to the QF with the All Belgian Gent v Genk

A Greece v Turkey tie in Olympiakos v Besiktas

All German tie with Schalke and BormMon

**DeLorean** · 24/02/2017, 5:10 PM

Why not use this?

Jeez Bonnie, it only seems like a few weeks ago that you reached 10,000 posts. Now I'm luring you into number 11,000... a Foot.ie posting machine.

**BonnieShels** · 27/02/2017, 11:08 AM

Originally Posted by DeLorean

Why not use this?

Jeez Bonnie, it only seems like a few weeks ago that you reached 10,000 posts. Now I'm luring you into number 11,000... a Foot.ie posting machine.

I couldn't find the EL thread. I don't think there's enough traffic to warrant 2 threads. I would be pro-merging them into one.

Yeah, 11000 posts outta no where and I haven't been on a lot since Christmas either!

**pineapple stu** · 07/03/2017, 8:32 PM

Wow. Bayern 10-2 Arsenal on aggregate (and still a few minutes to go)

Arsene's done a superb job at Arsenal over the past two decades of course, and I think a lot of the criticism of him is over the top, but could this be the result that tips things?

**DeLorean** · 07/03/2017, 9:53 PM

I did call it to be fair

I think things were already 'tipped'. His press conference was surreal, blaming the referee after losing 10-2.

I can understand the frustration but I do think some of the protests and demonstrations are very disrespectful towards a man that's such a massive part of their history now.

Sergio Ramos doing what Sergio Ramos does in the other tie tonight. He ruined it as a spectacle actually because it had turned into a fascinating tie with Napoli dominating the first half. What a player he is though.

**CraftyToePoke** · 07/03/2017, 11:27 PM

Originally Posted by DeLorean

His press conference was surreal, blaming the referee after losing 10-2

Not just him though, the BTSport lads were a bit onto the ref also, I mean yes he ruined this 90 as a spectacle maybe, but the 10-2 is all yours Arsene / Aresnal. I remember reaching for the remote soon as that began, it's simply not the situation which I had watched.

**DeLorean** · 08/03/2017, 7:52 AM

As soon as the discussion on the ref began is it?

Yeah, if it was the first leg and it turned on a poor refereeing decision it'd have been understandable, but beyond embarrassing to zoom in on it after losing 10-2. Plus, it looked the correct decision in any case, didn't it? Well, the penalty part definitely. The referee would have probably got away with giving a yellow maybe under the new rules but I'm not even sure about that. Looked like he deliberately impeded him to me without having any chance of getting to the ball.

**osarusan** · 08/03/2017, 8:52 AM

It was a penalty. Under the new rules, thought the red was a bit harsh. Looked to me like he was getting arm across him to hold hime off and make space to get a leg in, but Lewandowski dropped immediately.

If Koscienly had been on the pitch, they'd have conceded fewer, but that was as good as it would have got.

Without him they were an absolute embarrassment. The goals they conceded were shameful at any level.

I was actually thinking after the first half that even though they were going out, they'd be able to recover some pride and ease the pressure on Wenger with a decent home performance at least. But then they fell apart. The put on a lot of pressure in the first half and looked like they completely ran out of gas with about 20 minutes to go.

**OwlsFan** · 08/03/2017, 10:33 AM

Originally Posted by DeLorean

His press conference was surreal, blaming the referee after losing 10-2.

.

Arsene Whinger blaming the ref !!?? Are you sure we're talking about the same person and it wasn't a doppelganger ? Bayern were never going to come out with all guns firing sitting on a 5-1 lead and the fact that Arsenal dominated the early part of the game is not a surprise. Usually happens when a team has a comfortable lead from the first leg. I agree with Osarusan that it was a peno but that the sending off was harsh but that hardly changed the outcome or spoiled it, unless you are an Arsenal fan.

**DeLorean** · 08/03/2017, 10:54 AM

I'm not sure I like the softening of the professional foul rule. Great in theory but almost impossible to determine intent in most cases. Maybe just give a yellow (or nothing) in all circumstances where a penalty in awarded, barring dangerous tackles obviously.

**DeLorean** · 08/03/2017, 12:53 PM

Bayern fans last night. I'm sure my brain just isn't functioning but what do they mean by 'MUNICH 59 + 1€'?

**BonnieShels** · 08/03/2017, 1:29 PM

Originally Posted by DeLorean

Bayern fans last night. I'm sure my brain just isn't functioning but what do they mean by 'MUNICH 59 + 1€'?

There's a €1.00 advanced booking fee on all tickets. Would have been easier to just lob on "€60" on the banner given the plethora of fees and charges for Munich tickets. Also, it's a bit rich for fans of that club to complain about ticket prices!

**DeLorean** · 08/03/2017, 1:34 PM

I see. I thought Bayern (and Germany in general) had a great reputation when it comes to ticket prices? Anyway, isn't it their fans that are protesting, not the club?

**BonnieShels** · 08/03/2017, 1:40 PM

Originally Posted by DeLorean

I see. I thought Bayern (and Germany in general) had a great reputation when it comes to ticket prices? Anyway, isn't it their fans that are protesting, not the club?

They have a generally decent reputation when it comes to tickets alight. But in the CL they are as greedy as everyone.

**CraftyToePoke** · 08/03/2017, 2:22 PM

Originally Posted by DeLorean

As soon as the discussion on the ref began is it?

Yeah, if it was the first leg and it turned on a poor refereeing decision it'd have been understandable, but beyond embarrassing to zoom in on it after losing 10-2. Plus, it looked the correct decision in any case, didn't it? Well, the penalty part definitely. The referee would have probably got away with giving a yellow maybe under the new rules but I'm not even sure about that. Looked like he deliberately impeded him to me without having any chance of getting to the ball.

Not 100% on when it began but it recurred during post match broadcast, it even got to Ian WrightWrightWright suggesting it would all have been different had the ref given Arsenal the earlier spot kick. Laughable stuff, not credible at all. And yes it was the right decision, the card colour change was iffy after it, but none of this makes the ensuing collapse remotely acceptable.

**osarusan** · 08/03/2017, 2:47 PM

Originally Posted by BonnieShels

There's a €1.00 advanced booking fee on all tickets. Would have been easier to just lob on "€60" on the banner given the plethora of fees and charges for Munich tickets. Also, it's a bit rich for fans of that club to complain about ticket prices!

I thought it meant they were protesting about their own prices too.