Are you suggesting there's a common denominator?.... must be Alcaraz :)
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Are you suggesting there's a common denominator?.... must be Alcaraz :)
Q/F's
Dynamo Kiev v Fiorentina
Club Brugge v Dnipro
Sevilla v Zenit
Wolfsburg v Napoli
What happened to Dynamo Kiev :O ?Quote:
Originally Posted by DeLorean
Annexed by Moscow apparently. Move to the Putin thread?
Haha how did that happen!
Semi Final Draw
Napoli v Dnipro
Sevilla v Fiorentina
Second one should be a great tie.
Agree with all that. You know where you heard the regionalisation proposal first :)
I actually mentioned it to Delaney when I met him with Paul. He liked the idea before finding someone more interesting to talk to. He's on the international committee that discusses these things.
I really believe it could be what brings countries / leagues like ours in from the periphery.
I think the Europa League should be played a week after the Champions League, like Week 1,3,5 etc, is Champions League - Week 2,4,6, etc, is Europa League. Also played on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays of that week, instead of 24 games on one night, we would get 8 games on a night and makes it easier to follow.
Good idea in principle but are there enough free weeks? Would it interfere too much with domestic schedules?
Some good ideas in fairness. Giving the Europa League winner a Champions League spot has been a great idea. Last night's Europa League pairing worked out brilliantly - two clubs who just missed out on Champions League qualification from their respective domestic leagues. It was all to play for.Quote:
Originally Posted by DeLorean
Regionalising the Europa League is not a bad idea along with keeping the 8 Champions League drop-outs drawn together. The Europa League could be regionalised into three regions of 4 groups.
Region 1 - 4 groups of teams (16 teams). After knock-out rounds, 1 team from that region making the semi-finals.
Region 2 - 4 groups of teams (16 teams). After knock-out rounds, 1 team from that region making the semi-finals.
Region 3 - 4 groups of teams (16 teams). After knock-out rounds, 1 team from that region making the semi-finals.
Champions League 3rd placed teams (8 teams). After knock-out rounds, 1 team from the 8 CL 3rd placed teams making the semi-finals.
The semi-finalists should be guaranteed a EL group spot in the following year. The winner of the competition as of this year continuing to enter the Champions League.
Now there's a CL spot up for the winner, they should drop the nonsense of having eliminated CL teams parachute in the knockout rounds.
Do you want them to keep the Round of 32 or reduce it to a Round of 16? In some ways I would favour only the 4 best 3rd placed teams in the CL dropping in. I would also give the 4 best 3rd placed teams in the EL a place in the Round of 32. They could then draw 12 EL group winners against 12 EL group runners-up and draw four 3rd placed CL teams against four 3rd placed EL teams.Quote:
Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin
Round of 16 - it's a double-handicap for EL teams as they have to play an extra round of games which either dilutes the quality in Europe or affects their domestic form.Quote:
Originally Posted by legendz
OK. Next question...Quote:
Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin
Are you keeping the 12 groups and having 12 group winners and 4 runners-up heading into the Round of 16?
I'm not as sure about that because I like how 48 teams are accommodated as is but I don't like systems that exclude runners-up.Quote:
Originally Posted by legendz
Impressive result for Aberdeen last night in Croatia. A tad embarrassing for West Ham only taking a slender lead to Malta and two respectable results in Slovakia for Linfield and UCD. Shamrock Rovers' opposition are a punmaster's dream, too easy in fact so I'll leave it off.
https://scontent-ams2-1.xx.fbcdn.net...47621612_o.jpg
I see Sampdoria lost 4-0 'at home' the Serbian team FK Vojvodina last week. Sampdoria only qualified for the competition because their city rivals, Genoa, hadn't registered an a stadium fitting of UEFA's criteria. Sampdoria and Genoa share the Stadio Luigi Ferraris, scene of Ireland's penalty shoot-out with Romania in 1990, but Sampdoria had registered alternative venues also, and qualified despite finishing below Genoa in Serie A. Walter Zenga is their new manager, having replaced AC Milan bound Sinisa Mihajlovic, and is immediately under severe pressure after the defeat.
Nick Powell confirming he's every bit the stereotype modern day footballer who just doesn't care!
Manchester United: Computer games or watching your team?
He could at least have the manners to lie and pretend to give a sh!t!
The dream is still alive... just about! Very interesting draw in store today, the quality seems higher than usual this season. I suppose Sparta Prague, Anderlecht, Braga and Fenerbahce might be the preferred teams to get (in that order)? It's an open draw with no country protection.Quote:
Originally Posted by bennocelt
Athletic Bilbao (Spain) Sevilla (Spain) Basel (Switzerland) Bayer Leverkusen (Germany) Borussia Dortmund (Germany) Braga (Portugal) Fenerbahce (Turkey) Lazio (Italy) Liverpool (England) Manchester United (England) Sevilla (Spain) Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukraine) Sparta Prague (Czech Republic) Tottenham Hotspur (England) Valencia (Spain) Villarreal (Spain)
Benno is right about Basel, they are a poor reflection of just 2 years ago, player drain I presume. The decline in their standard is shocking, yet they are still running away with the swiss league.
Yikes!
Quote:
Originally Posted by UEFA Europa League Last 16 Draw
Can't wait.
Me neither, have to fancy Sevilla though.
Athletic vs Valencia also an interesting tie.
Super draw really with Dortmund Spurs and Leverkusen Villarreal as well. Second Legs are on St. Patrick's Day, there'll be lots of self proclaimed 'Mancs' and 'Scousers' around the towns of Ireland that evening.
Yes has potential!Quote:
Originally Posted by OwlsFan
Valencia are a soft touch these days :)
3 Spanish teams to get through.
If I had to pick two to watch --> Villarreal v Leverkusen and Dortmund v Spurs
Liverpool fans must be counting their blessings, they save a few bob with the short away trip and have a great chance to shove Man U noses down deep.
Ha yeah just about, last minute winner. Didnt go to the game, was actually playing 5 a side football just across from the stadium! :DQuote:
Originally Posted by DeLorean
As bad as the Swiss league is, Basel actually tend to get a bigger crowd in than these Europa games.
They have no chance against Seville.
Valencia v Ath Bilbao was a tea time treat, complete with a brilliant headed 2nd goal for Valencia and a sublime flick assist for Bilbao's tie winner.
Neville's pendulum swung from unrestrained fist pumping ecstasy, to a fist pumping fit of madness.
highlights
Boom!
Sporting Braga (Portugal) v Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukraine)
Villarreal (Spain) v Sparta Prague (Czech Republic)
Athletic Bilbao (Spain) v Sevilla (Spain)
Borussia Dortmund (Germany) v Liverpool (England)
The Europa League quarter-finals will be played on 7 and 14 April.
Quelle Suprise eh?!!!Quote:
Originally Posted by DeLorean
One thing though, at least BVB v LFC will be on TV now.
BT show all the Europa League games anyway.
They can show it all they want. I don't have it.
I have to make do with freebie Setanta Ireland on UPC.
That pass into Reus was a thing of such beauty.
The Liverpool supporters will get serious mileage out of that (i.e. eternity). Some comeback. Sevilla's Europa love affair rolls on.
I missed the EL football last evening. Of all the games to miss, Seville v Bilbao hurts the most.
How did Bilbao pull that tie back to a penalty shootout and then tragedy strikes.
Well done to Liverpool and all that but i've had my quota of camera shots of Klopp's agony and ecstasy on the sidelines and it's disrespectful to the lingering aura and legend of Stevie G, for Liverpool to have a glorious comeback european night like this without him being involved and so soon after his departure.
Giddy up! The magic of football!
Liverpool's comeback to victory is everything that is great about soccer ! Amazing occasion and result