Champions League 2016/17

[Super_horns]

Where does Buffon stand in terms of the greatest ever goalkeepers?

The best ever/in the top 3?

 

[Skinner]

Casillas let himself down at Real, so I'd so top, in my lifetime.

The big question tgough, is why is he not considered one of the best in the world right now?

 

[Dirk]

No comment on the goal? Dear this place is dead!

Sorry, but you won't find me posting "one-liners" while watching a match. A pity that both semi-finals are nearly decided after the 1st leg, although I am happy for Gigi Buffon. He made some good saves. He deserves to win the CL like nobody else.

 

[OllieMorris]

Juve and Real, I see.

 

[Pagnell]

Two Atletico goals inside 15 minutes. Come on! Would fucking love Real to get knocked out here.

Just one Real goal would mean it would surely be over though, I can't see Atletico scoring 5.

 

[JimJams]

Oojamaflip.

 

[Pagnell]

Game over. Shame.

Atletico to score 3 with no further reply? Nah.

 

[Master D]

Owen Hargreaves thought that goal was incredible. I think.

 

[Bilo]

So is anybody in the world supporting Real tonight?

 

[epic73]

Maybe Ronaldo.

 

[Dave]

So is anybody in the world supporting Real tonight?

Me.

Has anyone else got one of these BT VR things for the match tonight?

I'm giving it a go but doubt I'll watch much of the match on it.

 

[SALTIRE]

Cancelled my BT Sport sub the other week though I'll still get the match tonight, the lass I got on the phone - fair play to her - was a hell of a saleswoman, anytime I told her we wanted to cancel, she was offering deals left, right and centre, but I held my ground!

As for the match tonight, come on Juve, I could do with that 100 quid potential winnings!

 

[Stevencc]

Forza Juve, fuck Dave.

As the slogan goes.

 

[Cornish Piskie]

Try as I might, I can't get excited about this game. Real Madrid (again. Yawn.) vs Gigi Buffon and ten others.

Does that sound cynical..? Perhaps it does. But I feel that every season the Champions League final is more a case of "going through a process" rather than the culmination of a great competition. One of two Spanish giants against somebody else from Germany, Italy or (occasionally) England.

2003/04 (Porto vs Monaco) was the only occasion this century when teams from any other country contested the final. 6 of the last 8 finalists have been Spanish, and the other 2 from Italy have contested the last 4 finals.

7 of the last 9 finals have featured either Barcelona or Real Madrid. 2 of the last 4 finals have been all Madrid affairs.

Is there any reason to expect that next season.... or any other in the foreseeable future come to that.... will be any different..? Does it matter who plays who in the group stage? Financial considerations aside, does it really matter who even qualifies..?

There is only the "Will he / won't he win a Champions League medal" issue for Buffon which is interesting but in my opinion, not enough to glue me to the TV for 90 minutes, possibly 120, maybe even the best part of 2 hours if it goes to penalties.

As for the game itself, for sure it will be technically excellent, but even that can feel soulless when every pass and move is so slide-rule accurate that the element of human fallibility is likely to be almost completely missing.

There is no doubt that the Champions League is the pinnacle of European, possibly global, club football. The Spanish giants are truly great clubs. That is not disputed. But frankly, I'm getting bored with it. I'd much rather watch a tournament where the finalists aren't decided almost before the first ball is kicked, or the game has a bit more of an interest factor than whether or not one individual gets to fill the last empty space in his personal medal collection.

Good luck Buffon. I hope he gets his medal, if only so the issue will then be resolved once and for all and won't be the subject of relentless pundit discussion before, during and after every match he plays in next season.

 

[Bilo]

Try as I might, I can't get excited about this game. Real Madrid (again. Yawn.) vs Gigi Buffon and ten others.

Does that sound cynical..? Perhaps it does. But I feel that every season the Champions League final is more a case of "going through a process" rather than the culmination of a great competition. One of two Spanish giants against somebody else from Germany, Italy or (occasionally) England.

2003/04 (Porto vs Monaco) was the only occasion this century when teams from any other country contested the final. 6 of the last 8 finalists have been Spanish, and the other 2 from Italy have contested the last 4 finals.

7 of the last 9 finals have featured either Barcelona or Real Madrid. 2 of the last 4 finals have been all Madrid affairs.

Is there any reason to expect that next season.... or any other in the foreseeable future come to that.... will be any different..? Does it matter who plays who in the group stage? Financial considerations aside, does it really matter who even qualifies..?

I agree with this and the top level clubs are becoming fewer and fewer, it's a problem. I mean, for how fucked american sports is they do wage caps well. The Stanley Cup playoffs is infinitely more interesting than the Champions league has been in the past 15 years.

 

[GodsGift]

So clinical from Ronaldo. Shame as Juve had been much the better side.

 

[JoshBCFC]

Lovely goal that. Real Madrid are better at attacking then Juventus, and it shows.

 

[GodsGift]

Lovely goal that. Real Madrid are better at attacking then Juventus, and it shows.

Their attacking wasn't too bad there...

 

[Stevencc]

Mandzukic

 

[Bilo]

Fucking hell what a strike.

 

[JoshBCFC]

Wow. Wow. Wow. No other words.

 

[JoshBCFC]

Their attacking wasn't too bad there...

True, but they keep running into teammates/passing it to Real Madrid.

 

[JoshBCFC]

Ronaldo got that all wrong: should've easily scored.

 

[GodsGift]

True, but they keep running into teammates/passing it to Real Madrid.

That's because the game is being played at such a frantic pace and neither side are being allowed any time on the ball.

 

[JoshBCFC]

That's because the game is being played at such a frantic pace and neither side are being allowed any time on the ball.

Yes but Real Madrid, in my view, at the time seemed to be doing that less than Juventus.

 

[Bilo]

Juve just edged it for me, but a very good final, it's risen well above my expectations. Hopefully it keeps on going like this.

Dybala has had moments of quality but he needs to get involved more. Higuain hot and cold, looks sharp but goes missing at times. Kroos probably the best player of the half for me, his run for Real's opener was very good.

 

[JoshBCFC]

Casemiro got incredibly lucky for his goal. Buffon should've come out for Ronaldo's goal.

 

[Super_horns]

Few goals worthy of a final tonight..

 

[JoshBCFC]

Superb run that from Benzema.

 

[JoshBCFC]

Few goals worthy of a final tonight..

Mandzuic's one is certainly worthy of a final.