Champions League 2009-2010

**Infadel** · 10/12/2009, 9:19 AM

Originally Posted by OwlsFan

So after all those games in the qualifying rounds, only perhaps two of the highly favoured teams didn't get through (Liverpool and Juventus). Very little riding on most of the final games. In fact, the fate of all the British teams had pretty much been determined even before the final games, so much so that RTE did the unmentionable and showed a game not featuring an English team

Hopefully the knock out phase will be a bit more exciting.

Those 2 teams + Atletico Madrid might brighten up the Europa league a bit.

**osarusan** · 18/12/2009, 10:25 AM

CL Knockout Stages Draw

AC Milan v MAN UTD

Porto v ARSENAL

Lyon v Real Madrid

CSKA Moscow v Sevilla

Bayern Munich v Fiorentina

Inter Milan v CHELSEA

Olympiakos v Bordeaux

Stuttgart v Barcelona

**HarpoJoyce** · 18/12/2009, 10:29 AM

It's good the way CSKA have joined in with MAN UTD, CHELSEA and ARSENAL.

**DeLorean** · 18/12/2009, 10:59 AM

The main focus will be on Mourinho v Chelsea and Beckham v United but there are some other interesting ties there. Fiorentina and Bayern Munich should be fairly evenly matched and I'd say Porto could cause Arsenal a lot of problems. Benzema going back to Lyon also. Decent draws for Sevilla and Bordeaux I feel and they could be the teams to get in the quarters.

**HarpoJoyce** · 30/12/2009, 7:07 PM

Report commissioned by Master Card on the prize money/monetary benefits of remaining in the Champions League. BBC article condenses some of the information.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8418236.stm
"......Prize money

The 50m euros is comprised of 14m euros in participation and prize money, 12m euros from UEFA's commercial deals, 8m euros from the club's own sponsors and merchandise sales, and 6m euros from increased player values. Professor Chadwick said the increased exposure players get through the Champions League increased their value.

He cited Lyon, which has made no secret of the fact it specifically targets the competition in order to increase the resale value of its players."

".....Europa League

For those teams that have not made it into the knock-out stages of the competition, the financial implications could be severe, even for clubs that will now play in the Europa League, such as Liverpool and Juventus.

"The Champions League is the premier European football competition, offering commercial revenues far in excess of the Europa League. In no way are [the two competitions] comparable," said Professor Chadwick."

**OwlsFan** · 17/02/2010, 9:07 AM

What a great game between Man U and AC Milan last night. Milan should have been out of sight by half time but they didn't possess a finisher of the talent of Rooney. Beckam was on the periphery of the game and SEEMS to be past his sell by date. Just as Andy Gray is writing off Milan they come back to score and then almost equalise. I wouldn't totally write off Milan at Old Trafford (remember Ireland in Paris) as Man U's last few home performances in the CL were not impressive as far as I remember.

Nice to see Lyon beating the money men of Madrid. Sets up an interesting second leg.

**shakermaker1982** · 17/02/2010, 10:01 AM

The game flew by last night. Exciting yet full of errors. Ronaldinho was a pleasure to watch and it's good to see him in that kind of mood. Fergie would have been delighted to see Becks start in a 3 man midfield. Pato, Hunterlaar and Ronaldino don't bust a gut to track back so Man Utd's 5 man MF was up against 3 (1 of which was Beckham!!!).

Milan have to chase the game at OT and that plays to United's strengths. Sit back and break on the counter. Hopefully Vidic is back so Evans can sit alongside Owen on the bench.

**superfrank** · 17/02/2010, 10:14 AM

Lyon did very well last night, Real were a bit blunt if anything. Ronaldo had one of those games where he tries all the fancy stuff but his final ball is lacking. The goal was a cracker but nobody closed Makoun down. I think Lyon could easily win the tie.

**rava** · 17/02/2010, 11:00 AM

Originally Posted by shakermaker1982

Milan have to chase the game at OT and that plays to United's strengths. Sit back and break on the counter. Hopefully Vidic is back so Evans can sit alongside Owen on the bench.

I would think that Rio should be the one to sit on the bench not Evans.

**OwlsFan** · 17/02/2010, 5:08 PM

Evans seemed to be off the pace and the camera picked up on Ferguson using a few expletives in his direction.

I thought Ronaldinho faded out of the same in the second half, like most of the Milan team.

**soccerboy** · 17/02/2010, 8:28 PM

milan are an ageing team...utd will beat them easily in the second leg...watching arsenal now,fabianski is having a stinker,a team will never win anything without a half decent keeper!!

**theworm2345** · 17/02/2010, 9:23 PM

The **** Martin Hansson had a hand in Porto's winner over Arsenal tonight. How this man still has a job is beyond me. Fabiaski is pretty stupid and shouldn't have picked it up but Hansson was woeful as well.

**old git** · 17/02/2010, 10:32 PM

Originally Posted by theworm2345

The **** Martin Hansson had a hand in Porto's winner over Arsenal tonight. How this man still has a job is beyond me. Fabiaski is pretty stupid and shouldn't have picked it up but Hansson was woeful as well.

fabiaski & campbell messed up to concede free kick.. fabiaski should have held onto ball and campbell should have got goalside instead of standing with his hands on knees and then slowly trying to walk back ...
referee was correct in letting porto take quick free kick and arsenal were punished .

**shakermaker1982** · 18/02/2010, 7:37 AM

Hilarious stuff.

I don't understand Wenger's moaning. I'm pretty sure his side have taken free kicks before.

**OwlsFan** · 18/02/2010, 9:15 AM

Originally Posted by theworm2345

The **** Martin Hansson had a hand in Porto's winner over Arsenal tonight. How this man still has a job is beyond me. Fabiaski is pretty stupid and shouldn't have picked it up but Hansson was woeful as well.

What did Hansson do wrong? I thought he refereed the game quite well. Dunphy going on (for the sake of being controversial again) about his belated signalling of an indirect free kick was pathetic. The only direct free kick in the box is a penalty and everyone knows that. He is also entitled to ask the goalkeeper for the ball if he thinks the keeper is delaying the game. Blame the Arsenal goalkeeper, not the ref and Campbell for not standing in front of the free taker. 100% Arsenal fault.

Sky Panel (Rednapp in particular) going mental about the ref in the Bayern vs Florentina game. Same Norwegian ref for the Chelsea semi final last year

. Apart from the offside (which was the linesman's job), he pretty much got most decisions right although the Florentina defender might have been sent off for the peno and the Bayern player for an over the top tackle but they'd have criticised him if the game ended 9 vs 10. Got so nauseating that I had to turn back to the RTE Panel.

**Schumi** · 18/02/2010, 11:07 AM

Originally Posted by OwlsFan

Sky Panel (Rednapp in particular) going mental about the ref in the Bayern vs Florentina game. Same Norwegian ref for the Chelsea semi final last year

. Apart from the offside (which was the linesman's job), he pretty much got most decisions right although the Florentina defender might have been sent off for the peno and the Bayern player for an over the top tackle but they'd have criticised him if the game ended 9 vs 10. Got so nauseating that I had to turn back to the RTE Panel.

I thought Fiorentina's red card was very harsh. Looked completely accidental to me.

**OwlsFan** · 18/02/2010, 1:08 PM

Side on view of the ref it looked quite vicious with the elbow high. Presumably the linesman (who got the offside wrong) agreed with the ref that it was a red card. Oh for technology and we wouldn't have to end 75% of games talking about decisions.

**tetsujin1979** · 18/02/2010, 4:09 PM

Originally Posted by OwlsFan

Dunphy going on (for the sake of being controversial again) about his belated signalling of an indirect free kick was pathetic. The only direct free kick in the box is a penalty and everyone knows that. He is also entitled to ask the goalkeeper for the ball if he thinks the keeper is delaying the game. Blame the Arsenal goalkeeper, not the ref and Campbell for not standing in front of the free taker. 100% Arsenal fault.

Dunphy withdrew the complaint when they showed the ref running up to the penalty box with him arm in the air, indicating an indirect free.

**old git** · 18/02/2010, 9:58 PM

Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

Dunphy withdrew the complaint when they showed the ref running up to the penalty box with him arm in the air, indicating an indirect free.

but then agreed when giles still insisted referee should have stood over ball and then raised his arm to let all the arsenal players see it was an indirect free kick

**OwlsFan** · 25/02/2010, 1:14 PM

In the "I agree with Eamonn I agree with John" show last night, they both castigated Zlatan Ibrahimovic and sung the praises of Eto'o. Needless to say, apart from one nice pass leading up to an Inter goal, the latter was pretty anonymous and was subbed while Ibrahimovic scored the previous night. Doubt if there was any mention of this at the end of the "analysis". Chelsea should have won the game on the amount of possession and chances but they didn't and might rue that yet. I for one will shed no tears as they would be my least favourite Premiership team. If they didn't have Droghba, my second least favourite.

At least all the ties are still competitive and no gimmies.