2018-19 UEFA Champions League

For the first time since The-Other-Team-In-SW6 won the title in 2012, half the teams in the quarter finals are from the Premier League. Manchester City and Liverpool are the two with the best odds of winning the whole thing according to FiveThirtyEight (https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/can-england-win-the-champions-league/). Meanwhile, there are no German teams left and just one Spanish league team. Sure, Manchester United got through with a bit of luck and Citeh and Tottenham faced struggling teams, but it seems that the Premier League may rightly be able to claim the best league (they never stopped claiming that, it is just a matter if it was right or not!)

After enjoying Ajax's dismantling of Real Madrid I wouldn't mind seeing them rewarded with a place in the semi-finals regardless of who they face. The only team I really would like to see go out in the quarterfinals is Barcelona just because I always root against Suarez. Quarter final draw is on Friday.

I had deep concerns about VAR back in the World Cup and that hasn't changed after seeing its impact in the Champions League. I don't think United deserved the handball penalty shot, the Juventus player tripped over his own leg, and the winning Porto penalty kick was for a very soft foul. VAR hasn't fixed anything, it just moves where the debate happens over controversial calls and slows down the game. I won't mind if it never sees regular use in England although I suppose it is inevitable.

 

HD, at least the Dortmund gaffer pulled his head out of his arse and decided to let Pulisic take the splinters out of backside and actually let him play (goal and an assist...shocker) last weekend.

DVRed the Liverpool match and one thing was quite evident. Bayern looked old and slow (Ribery still starting is baffling), Neuer nowhere close to the GK he was, in fact he was a disaster. Munich will likely win the league, but not because they are anything like they were 3-4 years ago.

 

Citeh misses a PK, Spurs scores against run of play on a nice move by Son, but a shot that has to be saved. That 17K single stand in new Spuds stadium is no joke in terms of noise.

Hoping the Cinderella run of Ajax continues, great promo video:

 

There aren’t too many things better then seeing Ronaldo beat down so bad that only diving, delivering a cheap shot, and walking off the pitch shaking his head were his only options. In the second legs vs Real Madrid & Juve (both away), the demolition Ajax has put on them has been a joy to watch. They remind me of Leicester in their title year in terms of pace, work rate, and love of the game. On to the semis where they have no chance....again

EDIT: Spurs - Citeh !!!!

 

Ajax goes into the Spuds new stadium and get the 0-1 victory (Spurs lucky it wasn’t worse). Tottenham was clueless in last third w/out Kane & Son.

The Ajax gaffer with the mic drop comeback after Pocchetino whines about the Eredivisie postponing matches to help Ajax prep for the semi and that it was ‘unfair’. His retort ‘Ajax gets 10 million for playing in the Eredivisie, Spurs get many millions more to play in Premier League, is that not unfair to us?’

Hippie German and the Scousers vs Messi & Barca later, set the DVR.

EDIT: Liverpool gave as much as they got, but Milner and Salah blow easy goals, the Barca GK made a couple nice saves, and some guy named Messy looked pretty good, 3-0.

 

It's hard to call in sick as a footballer.

https://www.fotmob.com/news/world/br9za3kcedvi1kzo4umow736v-

 

Anfield is my second favorite stadium to watch a match on tv. The atmosphere was cracking from the jump, and Liverpool beat the $#!t out of Barca 4-0 (without Salah & Firmini ). Seeing Saurez look dumbfounded between dives was priceless.

 

Spuds were dead and buried. Gotta give them, and scousers, credit for showing some chutzpah.

 

Apparently I should be watching the Champions League more. A lot of excitement the last two days.

After these two semis, who's got their money on a boring, timid final?

 

And here's what you get for your loyalty: an impossibly priced junket to see your team win the biggest of trophies.

https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...nd-tottenham-fans-face-high-price-for-success

And scum and gooners supporters have to figure out a way to get to BAKU (that's the capital of Azerbaijan, apparently) for the Europa League final. I thought that Baku was a species in a Star Trek movie. Who knew? Anyway, it's a 57 hour drive, so that's pretty much out. A combination of trains and buses gets you there in 4 and a half days. The cheapest flights (there aren't any nonstops, if you can believe that) are from Gatwick at $1812. God only knows what tickets cost.

Best of luck mates.

 

I stand corrected!

 

Here's a great headline: Spurs and Mauricio Pochettino suffer major blow ahead of Champions League final against Liverpool.

What's the major blow, you may ask?
A serious injury to a key player?
A player on paternity or bereavement leave?
No.
Buried in the fourth paragraph, the culprit...
"...it's now been confirmed that Jurgen Klopp's side have been given THE BETTER DRESSING ROOM!!!"

WHAT!!!

https://www.football.london/tottenh...ampions-league-final-spurs-liverpool-16269885

YOU. CANNOT. BE. SERIOUS!!!