Champion's League 2011-2012

[DCHeather]

Not sure, I really don't pay attention to La Liga. But Barca looked pretty good against Bayer yesterday. That Messi guy can play.

Well, I guess I'll take a wild stab in the dark guess. They may be going through what a lot championship teams sometimes go through here in the States. They kinda go stale, they do the same exact thing that they did last season (I see this mostly with NFL). But now other teams know what to expect, so the team faces a bigger challenge during the course of the season. Just a theory since I don't really watch them.

[Clevelandmo]

Can't get a handle on Barca this season. They looked great against Lever today, but they've lost some league matches to teams they shouldn't have, and trail RM by a substantial margin. Injuries? Age? Fatigue? Boredom? Slump? All of the above? None of the above?
Thoughts?

Didnt watch the games but my son told me it is because they're playing a lot of youngsters in the league games to rest much of their first string for Champions League. You would think they would place an equal priority on the league but maybe some players have nagging injuries and they want to give the youngsters experience.

[HatterDon]

Or, it could be that it's just too difficult to remain dominant season after season. Or, as my old high-school baseball coach used to say, "The sun don't shine on the same dog's ass every day."

[SoCalJoe]

'The little engine that could' and the best story of the CL, Apoel lost their first leg to Lyon in France 0-1. Need some home cooking back in Cypress to keep the party train rolling for another round.

[SoCalJoe]

Wow, the mighty have fallen. Arsenal gets destroyed 4-0 at AC Milan No surprise they lost away from home to those scumbags, but to get taken behind the woodshed? When I first started watching the Prem, the Gooners had such an amazing team, that great old stadium (Highbury), and even went undefeated one whole season. They now have a precarious hold on 4th, aren't spending the money to keep up in the arms race, and I'm never surprised anymore when they lose to the Swansea's over the Prem. Out of the CL with barely a whimper.

[jumpkutz]

Gooners gave it a go, much to everyone's surprise. Van Persie alone gives them a chance no matter how big the hole. Milan may do some business now that they're through. ZI is one ugly dude, though.

[SCFulhamFan]

How long does RVP stay? Probably till the summer in my opinion.

[DCHeather]

Wow, Messi is amazing. That is all.

[nevzter]

Five goals.

[MisterF]

I seriously do not think Messi is human.

[jumpkutz]

I seriously do not think Messi is human.

He's not. He's an alien under surveillance by MIB. In the next movie, he'll be up on that big video board in HQ with Stallone, Roker and Hoda, who, I'm also convinced, is an alien.

[SoCalJoe]

No amount of superlatives for Messi seem enough at the moment.

APEOL!! Hard to fathom that a team from the Cypress First Division is now in the Final 8.

[SoCalJoe]

Favorite stat heard was Apoel's payroll is 13.5 million or roughly 145th of Real Madrid's. Sadly, the clock has struck midnight and the carriage has turned back into a pumpkin. They held RM at 0-0 until the 74th at which point the floodgates opened and the whining Ronaldo's won 3-0. Amazing journey from the tiny club and the best storyline of the CL

[nevzter]

Milan was the first to hold Barca to a clean sheet in 30 CL matches. 0-0 headed to the Nou Camp - not exactly gravy for Milan, but an away goal can be a monkeywrench in the process.

[nevzter]

bayern looks to be headed to the semis after their 2-nil beating of olympique marseille (great club name).