2018/19 Champions League

Started yesterday with the new preliminary tournament - the bottom four teams meeting in one-leg matches in Gibraltar. Drika of Kosovo won on their European debut, 2-0 after extra time against Santa Coloma of Andorra. Santa Coloma are the first side to use four subs in a competitive match, availing of the extra sub in extra-time rule. (Drita only used three subs overall, possibly in part because they seem to have only had five in total) Lincoln of Gibraltar beat La Fiorita of Malta and will meet Drita in Friday's "final", with the winners going to the next CL round, and the three losers all dropping into the Europa League.

So farewell then Celtic and £40 million apparently. Might the season Rangers catch up.

Things apparently not all well in the Celtic camp, with players AWOL and no-one of substance brought in during the summer. Getting to the knock-outs of the Europa League would soften the financial blow I suppose, and you would expect them to do that.

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Originally Posted by NeverFeltBetter

Things apparently not all well in the Celtic camp, with players AWOL and no-one of substance brought in during the summer. Getting to the knock-outs of the Europa League would soften the financial blow I suppose, and you would expect them to do that.

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tired of managers whinging about lack of signings. what's the point in having these academies that cost millions to run if you cant produce your own players?
didn't Celtic break their transfer record to sign Edouard this summer?

Celtic fans protesting about the automatic qualification for 4th placed teams from the 'top leagues' last week:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ys4X4ePKlWU

Yes, if ever there is a misnomer, it's the name "Champions League". We know what it is. A money making exercise where clubs often forfeit the possibility of winning cups to qualify for the CL because of the riches. But that's the way of the world now.

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Originally Posted by jbyrne

tired of managers whinging about lack of signings. what's the point in having these academies that cost millions to run if you cant produce your own players? didn't Celtic break their transfer record to sign Edouard this summer?

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Yes, I've often wondered about these academies. I suppose they only need to produce a player once every few years who is sold on for £5 million to pay for themselves. It would be interesting to see the statistics for how many players currently playing in the top two flights in England actually came through the clubs' own academies.

Extraordinary end to the PSG/Man Utd tie. The Parisians must be traumatised at another unlikely exit!

And the Real Madrid vs Ajax game was even better. Amazing how teams who win an away leg psychologically think the job is done, so much so that even one of their players gets deliberately booked so he misses the home game - what a plonker, Rodney. Sport is played in the head as well as on the field. Teams that go in with the attitude that the job is done often come a cropper. Competition now wide open.

I could be wrong, but it seems these remarkable comebacks only seem to have become a thing in the last two or three seasons. Makes for great viewing!

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Originally Posted by DeLorean

I could be wrong, but it seems these remarkable comebacks only seem to have become a thing in the last two or three seasons. Makes for great viewing!

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Prophetic or what ? Amazing that how confidence crumbles once a side gets a goal back even when 3 ahead. Last night was one of the best. The Liverpool games less so when one considers what Roma did to them the season before. Always find it hard to sympathise with the Dutch after the heartache they've caused us over the years. Is Spurs' name on the cup this season ?

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Originally Posted by OwlsFan

Is Spurs' name on the cup this season ?

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Hopefully! Doubt it though.

All four Euro finalists this year from England, a notable achievement considering the traditional Spanish domination of the last decade. Especially surprising given how poor Chelsea and Arsenal have looked at times this year, which is why I think it might be more a fluke occurrence than a changing of the guard.

There's a definite element that there was some fortune in getting all four finalists. Both CL semi-finals - Liverpool v Barca in particular - could have ended up like Valencia v Arsenal; an early come-back quickly snuffed out. Jordi Alba's absurd miss in particular - when there was three clear through on goal only for him to turn back and pass to Messi - could have ended that tie instantly.

But I think there's definitely no question that the balance of power is shifting back towards England again.

4 teams based in England. One owned by English and how many English players will actually start in the to games? EPL is certainly the epimome of the global game.

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Originally Posted by OwlsFan

4 teams based in England. One owned by English and how many English players will actually start in the to games?

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Liverpool - Alexander-Arnold, Henderson (maybe), Milner (maybe)
Tottenham - Trippier, Rose (probably), Winks (maybe), Dier (unlikely), Alli, Kane (if fit)
Chelsea - Barkley (unlikely), Loftus-Cheek (unlikely)
Arsenal - Maitland-Niles (maybe)

There are some other English players but in terms of 'starting' I'd say these are the ones with any chance. Probably looking at seven max. between the four clubs.

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Originally Posted by DeLorean

Liverpool - Alexander-Arnold, Henderson (maybe), Milner (maybe)
Tottenham - Trippier, Rose (probably), Winks (maybe), Dier (unlikely), Alli, Kane (if fit)
Chelsea - Barkley (unlikely), Loftus-Cheek (unlikely)
Arsenal - Maitland-Niles (maybe)

There are some other English players but in terms of 'starting' I'd say these are the ones with any chance. Probably looking at seven max. between the four clubs.

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Eight starters in the end, in bold above. Tottenham with five of the eight.

The Emperor has been shown to have feet of clay.

..and again. Interesting that one of the great tippy tappy teams resorted to so-called hoofball in extra time. That was a mystery to me.