Europa League 2016/17

[Super_horns]

Good news for Man U is that the 2nd leg is at home 3 days after the Chelsea FA Cup tie...

 

[Super_horns]

btw: Olympiakos vs Besiktas (Greece vs Turkey). Phew, that could be a "heaty" one

Bet UEFA are a bit worried!

I noticed the final is in Sweden - all set up for Zlatan then!

 

[Deepcut Cobbler]

Happy with 04, away first as well...

 

[Leo]

Jesus, what a terrible challenge. He had to go.

You on about the Deli Alli one ? If so it was horrendous. I winced when I saw it live and it got no better in the slo-mo replays. What got me was Alli's reaction...looking incredulous at being given a red card.

 

[Super_horns]

Well that is just typical of most footballers!

Think they have done nothing wrong...

Just seen the ITV highlights and of course we have Tim Sherwood waffling on about how poor Kent were and Spurs should be easily be beaten them.

Well maybe that was the mind set Spurs had before the game(s)

They have a habit of messing up when expected to do well.

 

[Libertadores FC]

Any United fans expecting a free ticket to the quarters, you are all very wrong. Rostov are far from mugs.

 

[Stevencc]

Any United fans expecting a free ticket to the quarters, you are all very wrong. Rostov are far from mugs.

Who do you expect to progress? I certainly don't anticipate a "free pass" (away leg in Russia is basically hell and they've beaten Bayern and other strong sides this season) but I'd put my money on United.

 

[Libertadores FC]

Who do you expect to progress? I certainly don't anticipate a "free pass" (away leg in Russia is basically hell and they've beaten Bayern and other strong sides this season) but I'd put my money on United.

I'd say United too but I'm seeing some people say its the best draw when it really isn't. Its a middle of the road draw. Better than getting Lyon, Roma or the 2 German sides but worse than the Benelux teams, Krasnodar and APOEL.

 

[mente captus]

Watching the Fiorentina vs Gladbach game. How do people think the Bundesliga is world class? Aside from Bayern no German side has made any continental semi final in the last 4 years. Garbage league.

hahahaha.

for those who do not get it. Gladbach were 0:3 down in the tie and turned it around in the second half away from home into a 4:3 aggregate win

 

[Libertadores FC]

hahahaha.

for those who do not get it. Gladbach were 0:3 down in the tie and turned it around in the second half away from home into a 4:3 aggregate win

It wasn't a semi final though

 

[Dirk]

for those who do not get it.

and for you who do not read it. It's already mentioned here

Happy with 04, away first as well...

As a Gladbach fan I bet you think the "Fohlen" will advance, right? In the DFB Cup Schalke lost 0-2 at home but in the Bundesliga they won 4-0. Interesting that they are playing in the Bundesliga again 5 days before the Europa League 1st leg.

 

[Deepcut Cobbler]

and for you who do not read it. It's already mentioned here



As a Gladbach fan I bet you think the "Fohlen" will advance, right? In the DFB Cup Schalke lost 0-2 at home but in the Bundesliga they won 4-0. Interesting that they are playing in the Bundesliga again 5 days before the Europa League 1st leg.

Never bet on anything from Gladbach, pleased when we get a good result but invariably expect the worst.


It's never boring though...

 

[SALTIRE]

Rostov give it a go if their CL campaign is anything to go by. Let's hope for a truly tortuous tie.

 

[mistermagic]

Fiorentina suck

The manager isn't the problem though. They've got a bang average squad. Sure Kalinic is decent but they had Rossi and Cuadrado a few years ago. Now they have bloody Kalinic. Big difference.

That's because they play in a bang average league.

 

[Libertadores FC]

That's because they play in a bang average league.

Serie A has more European semi finals in the last 3 years than Ligue 1 and the Bundesliga combined..

 

[mistermagic]

Bayern has been in the last 3 semis of the CL to Juventus' solitary appearance. It's true that the Germans haven't been doing great in the past few years EL-wise (Hamburg being the last appearance in a semi against Fulham which was back in 2009/10) but I blame Spain/Portugal for that more than Italy. Apart from Juve in 13/14 and Fio & Napoli in 14/15, no Italian side has been to a semi since the UEFA Cup was renamed Europa League.
You can scrap Ligue 1 going anywhere in the EL. It's a miracle we still have someone in the comp. Our clubs simply don't bother with it. Most don't make it out of the group stage. Roma/Lyon will be very exciting though.

However, your stubborn stance to ignore that Serie A lacks quality smacks of desperation. Will we ever see Milan back in the CL? How many leagues Juve will win in a row (it'll be their 6th straight league success in May)? You can't possibly think that all is well in Serie A.

 

[mistermagic]

Oh and I've just noticed that Celta Vigo is the only Iberian club left in the EL! Not have that for a while!

 

[Libertadores FC]

Bayern has been in the last 3 semis of the CL to Juventus' solitary appearance. It's true that the Germans haven't been doing great in the past few years EL-wise (Hamburg being the last appearance in a semi against Fulham which was back in 2009/10) but I blame Spain/Portugal for that more than Italy. Apart from Juve in 13/14 and Fio & Napoli in 14/15, no Italian side has been to a semi since the UEFA Cup was renamed Europa League.
You can scrap Ligue 1 going anywhere in the EL. It's a miracle we still have someone in the comp. Our clubs simply don't bother with it. Most don't make it out of the group stage. Roma/Lyon will be very exciting though.

However, your stubborn stance to ignore that Serie A lacks quality smacks of desperation. Will we ever see Milan back in the CL? How many leagues Juve will win in a row (it'll be their 6th straight league success in May)? You can't possibly think that all is well in Serie A.

I don't think all is well in Serie A, but in the last few years they've done more than the Bundesliga and Ligue 1 in Europe.

Besides, have you even looked at the head to head in the past few years?

I'm just going to ignore Juve here.

Wolfsburg 0-4 Napoli
Gladbach 0-1 Fiorentina
Lazio 3-2 St Ettiene
St Ettiene 1-1 Lazio
St Ettiene 1-1 Inter
Inter 0-0 St Ettiene
Fiorentina 3-0 Guingamp
Guingamp 1-2 Fiorentina
Roma 3-2 Leverkusen
Leverkusen 4-4 Roma

Out of those, the only one I didn't include was a Wolfsburg result against I think Fiorentina, but thats one match and its a pretty good record I'd say. I'd be keen to agree that Serie A is not what it once was but I don't agree with it being worse than the Bundesliga and Ligue 1. Lets not forget that Juve is easily better than any side the Prem and Ligue 1 has to offer.

 

[Dirk]

Oh ffs. Not again

Hamburg being the last appearance in a semi against Fulham which was back in 2009/10)

Those were the times. Hamburg in Europe. You are both right, in the EL the German clubs don't have much success in the last years in the latter stages (Dortmund last year could've reach it but they lost one of the epic matches against Liverpool in the last minute).

tbh: I am really bored about this "League x is better than y and z " and so on. I look at the UEFA standings and these measures the results of the league clubs in Europe in the last 5 years. Actually the standings are a bit "cemented" but if Serie A continues to make good results maybe they can "overtake" the PL (like the Bundesliga overtook the PL a few years ago in the point standings). Doesn't mean that they are then automatically better, only that their teams get more points in the EL/CL matches. So, please, let's stop this crap. Enjoy the matches.

 

[epic73]

Juve is easily better than any side the Prem and Ligue 1 has to offer.

You just keep telling yourself that.

 

[Libertadores FC]

You just keep telling yourself that.

I seem to recall Juve won both games against Man City a few years back and also reached the UCL final.

No Prem side is near Juve's level. Its like comparing monkeys to gorillas.

 

[Libertadores FC]

Oh ffs. Not again



Those were the times. Hamburg in Europe. You are both right, in the EL the German clubs don't have much success in the last years in the latter stages (Dortmund last year could've reach it but they lost one of the epic matches against Liverpool in the last minute).

tbh: I am really bored about this "League x is better than y and z " and so on. I look at the UEFA standings and these measures the results of the league clubs in Europe in the last 5 years. Actually the standings are a bit "cemented" but if Serie A continues to make good results maybe they can "overtake" the PL (like the Bundesliga overtook the PL a few years ago in the point standings). Doesn't mean that they are then automatically better, only that their teams get more points in the EL/CL matches. So, please, let's stop this crap. Enjoy the matches.

Just saw the edit. Relax! No one is fighting over anything. Just a small and fun debate

 

[mistermagic]

You must learn to spell Saint-Etienne!

I seem to recall Juve won both games against Man City a few years back and also reached the UCL final.

No Prem side is near Juve's level. Its like comparing monkeys to gorillas.

 

[Libertadores FC]

Had a feeling I was spelling it wrong.

I'm a pretty clever guy with my comparisons. Glad you had a laugh!

 

[epic73]

I seem to recall Juve won both games against Man City a few years back and also reached the UCL final.

Leicester beat Man City 3-1, does that make Leicester better? And does it make Leicester equal to Juventus because Juve's score was 3-1 on aggregate? And if Leicester = Juve then Juve > all English teams is false.

 

[Libertadores FC]

Leicester beat Man City 3-1, does that make Leicester better? And does it make Leicester equal to Juventus because Juve's score was 3-1 on aggregate? And if Leicester = Juve then Juve > all English teams is false.

I'm not basing it off that one result, but Juve has a better team on paper and perform better in Europe than any team in the PL on a yearly basis.

You're just a PL fanboy and its hugely showing here. Juve is probably the 3rd best side in the world at the moment.

 

[epic73]

I'm not basing it off that one result, but Juve has a better team on paper and perform better in Europe than any team in the PL on a yearly basis.

So why did you use that result as an example to prove your point?

You're just a PL fanboy

And everything you've ever said is purely 100% based on fact and not biased whatsoever?

 

[Libertadores FC]

And everything you've ever said is purely 100% based on fact and not biased whatsoever?

I'd like you to name me a team who's won more than 30 games at home in a row in all competitions in the prem.

Then I'd like you to name me a team in the PL who has reached the Champions League final in the last 5 years.

Then name me a team in the PL who puts up a fight against Bayern Munich and gives them a scare?

Then name me a team in the PL who beat Juventus since 2010

Name me a team in the PL who has a defensive line as good as Bonucci, Chiellini and Barzagli including goalkeeper (buffon in this case)

Lastly, name me a team who has the depth of Juve and compare the players.

I looked at all the facts for this post, and quite honestly I don't think these questions have any answers. Aside from maybe the second one where you could fairly say Chelsea 2012 who are regarded as the worst UCL winners of all time. But go on, try to answer those questions without looking like an idiot. Just keep in mind that no PL team has beat Juve since I believe 2009.

 

[epic73]

I'd like you to name me a team who's won more than 30 games at home in a row in all competitions in the prem.

To compare teams whis way is unfair, the Premier League is much more competitive than Serie Juve.

Then I'd like you to name me a team in the PL who has reached the Champions League final in the last 5 years.

Chelsea. As well as 7 between 2005 and then, which was a time period in which Juve appeared in the final 0 times.

Then name me a team in the PL who puts up a fight against Bayern Munich and gives them a scare?

Juve still lost.

Name me a team in the PL who has a defensive line as good as Bonucci, Chiellini and Barzagli including goalkeeper (buffon in this case)

Chelsea: Luiz, Azpi, (Cahill), Alonso, Courtois
Man City: Otamendi, Kompany, Zabaleta, Sagna/Kolarov, Bravo
Man United: Smalling, Rojo, Jones, Bailly, Valencia, De Gea

Lastly, name me a team who has the depth of Juve and compare the players.

Too lazy, also what defines depth?

But go on, try to answer those questions without looking like an idiot.

Pfft, I always look like an idiot.

Just keep in mind that no PL team has beat Juve since I believe 2009.

Juve have played twice against PL teams (2 Man City matches) since 2013, which was all I could find easily on the internets.

 

[Libertadores FC]

Chelsea: Luiz, Azpi, (Cahill), Alonso, Courtois
Man City: Otamendi, Kompany, Zabaleta, Sagna/Kolarov, Bravo
Man United: Smalling, Rojo, Jones, Bailly, Valencia, De Gea

My lord. Otamendi, Luiz, Smalling, Rojo and Bailly compared to Juve's back 3? Jesus christ