Champions League

Birdy

Senior Member
Thoughts about yesterday's game:

1) the old RM is finished at top level. Which is something we know since 2018. But the supposed renewal has not kicked in the least. Despite seemingly having replaced 4 out of the 11 (Hazard, Courtois, Rodrygo, Mendy were 'new blood' yesterday. I don't count Militao who was an exception to the typical XI this season), the core remains the same (backline is almost the same, the engine room in midfield is the same).

2) It's evident that in 2020 if a team cannot play with intensity, press, and run relentlessly is doomed. Having quality footballers (like kroos, modric, isco) who cannot fuse their quality with the high-intensity requirements is not enough. This includes also facing intensity and being able to cope with it.
RM could not build from the back when facing proper pressing, something they don't usually face in LaLiga:
Difference between EPL and other leagues makes it more difficult for them to catch up.
Same goes for Barca of course. Only quality together with intensity can do it.

3) City were underwhelming IMO yesterday.
Given the clear difference between the levels of the two sides (based on what is described above), they could have sealed the whole thing earlier and easier.
However, they kept RM in the game, by conceding cheap chances.
Benzema's goal and his big chance in the 1st half came from failure to clear the ball when their defenders came in contact with the ball.
No wonder, they are after Koulibaly.

But it seems that when they face Bayern (and maybe even against Lyon), they might not be able to get away with it again.

The xG shotmap:
Ee2NdDZWAAAXLUj
 

Morten

Senior Member
City were good, but it was also easy to see why they have conceded many silly goals in the PL this season.
I still dont think they will win CL, but lets see.
 

Birdy

Senior Member
Juve fires Sarri. Exactly what we should have done after Rome disaster, after Liverpool.... God damn management.

Not equivalent or even analogous.
Allegri is analogous to EV (even if much better), while a new coach that would try to build would be analogous to Sarri.
It is as if we hired Ten Haag (let's say) and fired him after a season
 

khaled_a_d

Senior Member
2) It's evident that in 2020 if a team cannot play with intensity, press, and run relentlessly is doomed. Having quality footballers (like kroos, modric, isco) who cannot fuse their quality with the high-intensity requirements is not enough. This includes also facing intensity and being able to cope with it.
RM could not build from the back when facing proper pressing, something they don't usually face in LaLiga:
Difference between EPL and other leagues makes it more difficult for them to catch up.
Same goes for Barca of course. Only quality together with intensity can do it.

RM main suffering wasn't because of City press, it was due to midfielders being statues and not providing outlets for defense. Who from RM midfield was moving in that video.
Even Barca midfield provides that outlet, thouth they struggle to keep the ball they usually lose it from midfield, providing defense line to defend.

Yesterday games shows the limitations of Casamero, who is pure spoiler.
 

Morten

Senior Member
RM main suffering wasn't because of City press, it was due to midfielders being statues and not providing outlets for defense. Who from RM midfield was moving in that video.
Even Barca midfield provides that outlet, thouth they struggle to keep the ball they usually lose it from midfield, providing defense line to defend.

Yesterday games shows the limitations of Casamero, who is pure spoiler.

Its not just about that, Ramos make difficult passes look easy, without him we also cant play out from the back very well.
 

Andresito

Senior Member
Staff member
Bookies have us as 5th favourite to win CL.

We're in the same department as Atalanta, Leipzig and Lyon :lol:
 

Home of Barca Fans

Top