CL: FC Viktoria Plzen - FC Barcelona 0-4

[woobie]

I'd be perfectly happy if he played and maybe picked up a yellow but, well, mine is probably a minority view.

(for those who don't know, I am a milanista)

[PhilS]

3-4-3 again. I think Alves will play, missing at San Siro would not be a big deal. Missing a game in a later round would be bad. First in the group does not seem to be a real big team objective, Pep might not use his first 11 against Milan if Barca wins tomorrow. If Barca gets, say, Bayern Munich or RM in the round of 16, that just means they will not have to face them later.

Pep is unusually careful to have enough squad members and subs. He always takes one extra outfield player to CL away games, maybe in case someone gets hurt in the warm-up. This time he is taking a spare goalie, same reason. And one more spare, in case Alexis cannot go. With subs, he rarely uses the third before the last 5 or so minutes, in case that one is needed for a late injury.

[barcaboy15]

If Barca gets, say, Bayern Munich or RM in the round of 16, that just means they will not have to face them later.

Barcelona cannot face Real Madrid in the next round, if I'm not mistaken?

Teams from the same country are inelligible for the last-16.

[Pepe Silvia]

We go in every match with the intentions to slaughter and win. Exhibition or CL does not matter. DESTROY SHIT

[Myrmecophile]

Barcelona cannot face Real Madrid in the next round, if I'm not mistaken?

Teams from the same country are inelligible for the last-16.

Yup.

[dalitis8]

3-4-3 again. I think Alves will play, missing at San Siro would not be a big deal. Missing a game in a later round would be bad. First in the group does not seem to be a real big team objective, Pep might not use his first 11 against Milan if Barca wins tomorrow. If Barca gets, say, Bayern Munich or RM in the round of 16, that just means they will not have to face them later.

Pep is unusually careful to have enough squad members and subs. He always takes one extra outfield player to CL away games, maybe in case someone gets hurt in the warm-up. This time he is taking a spare goalie, same reason. And one more spare, in case Alexis cannot go. With subs, he rarely uses the third before the last 5 or so minutes, in case that one is needed for a late injury.

Missing the San Siro is a very big deal. That game will quite possibly decide which team will top the group. If we finish 2nd in our group, then we may have to face one of Munich, United, Chelsea, Arsenal, maybe Inter or even maybe Man City if they manage to stage a miraculous comeback in their group. Isn't it better if the candidates are Leverkuzen, Lyon, Benfica, CSKA or Lyon??

[estranged]

Missing the San Siro is a very big deal. That game will quite possibly decide which team will top the group. If we finish 2nd in our group, then we may have to face one of Munich, United, Chelsea, Arsenal, maybe Inter or even maybe Man City if they manage to stage a miraculous comeback in their group. Isn't it better if the candidates are Leverkuzen, Lyon, Benfica, CSKA or Lyon??

but by your logic, shouldn't we wipe the floor with any team that we're paired up with? so why stress over who finishes first

[Manuel Traquete]

Missing the San Siro is a very big deal. That game will quite possibly decide which team will top the group. If we finish 2nd in our group, then we may have to face one of Munich, United, Chelsea, Arsenal, maybe Inter or even maybe Man City if they manage to stage a miraculous comeback in their group. Isn't it better if the candidates are Leverkuzen, Lyon, Benfica, CSKA or Lyon??

If we want to win the Champions League we need to beat anyone. I'm not really bothered whether we finish first or second, the important thing is to advance. And I'd actually like to face Arsenal or Inter: Arsenal are our whipping boys, it's like the football version of Federer vs Roddick match-ups, there's just no way we can be eliminated by Arsenal. I'd love to continue the annual traditionof destroying Arsenal. As for Inter, we have a score to settle with them after the 2010 semis, would be great to face them.

[barcetia]

If we want to win the Champions League we need to beat anyone. I'm not really bothered whether we finish first or second, the important thing is to advance. And I'd actually like to face Arsenal or Inter: Arsenal are our whipping boys, it's like the football version of Federer vs Roddick match-ups, there's just no way we can be eliminated by Arsenal. I'd love to continue the annual traditionof destroying Arsenal. As for Inter, we have a score to settle with them after the 2010 semis, would be great to face them.

That's just naive.. anyone can beat us over two legs, we're not THAT great. No one is and can be that great. Why play against a better opponent when we can play against a lesser good opponent that we can rest players against?

These glory hunters piss me off at times..

[estranged]

yep, people can forget how we were a nicklas bendtner toe poke away from being eliminated by arsenal.

[Manuel Traquete]

That's just naive.. anyone can beat us over two legs, we're not THAT great. No one is and can be that great. Why play against a better opponent when we can play against a lesser good opponent that we can rest players against?

These glory hunters piss me off at times..

We cannot and will not rest players in a Champions League knockout, no matter who we face. Pep didn't even rest player after beating Bayern 4-0 and Shakhtar 5-1 in previous years.

And if they win the group, Inter will be much better opposition than many second place teams. Inter have been terrible this season, definitely a much better proposition than many second place teams. And Arsenal well... we even beat them in 1999/200, when we started out drought period and Arsenal were in the midst of their best period in the past two decades. The match-up s hugely favorable to us to say the least.

And yes, we need to beat anyone we're drawn against.Being first or second is not important, many second place teams went on to win the Champions League (ex. Inter 2010, Porto 2004, Liverpool 2005...), the only important thing is to advance.

[Onuphrius]

Manuel actually has a point. Of course it would be nice to go all the way to the final playing against teams like Lyon, CSKA, Benfica etc and then maybe get Inter at final, but how probable would that scenario be? Fact is that after the group stage, every team that is really going for the cup has to be able to beat any team still in the race. And if that means that we have to go through Arsenal and Inter or any other two big teams just to get to semis I am confident that the team can pull it off.

[barcetia]

Manuel actually has a point. Of course it would be nice to go all the way to the final playing against teams like Lyon, CSKA, Benfica etc and then maybe get Inter at final, but how probable would that scenario be? Fact is that after the group stage, every team that is really going for the cup has to be able to beat any team still in the race. And if that means that we have to go through Arsenal and Inter or any other two big teams just to get to semis I am confident that the team can pull it off.

No, Manuel does not have a point. The only point he has is a selfish one and is not for the club's best. So it's NOT a point.

Being first or second is not important, many second place teams went on to win the Champions League (ex. Inter 2010, Porto 2004, Liverpool 2005...),

Logics of a 5 year old.

[Manuel Traquete]

Manuel actually has a point. Of course it would be nice to go all the way to the final playing against teams like Lyon, CSKA, Benfica etc and then maybe get Inter at final, but how probable would that scenario be? Fact is that after the group stage, every team that is really going for the cup has to be able to beat any team still in the race. And if that means that we have to go through Arsenal and Inter or any other two big teams just to get to semis I am confident that the team can pull it off.

No, that would not be nice at all. I mean, it'd be nice of course, but it'd be better to win by beating the best opposition. Youcan only prove you're the best by beating the best, although Arsenal and Inter are only considered among the elite because of their reputatio, both those teams are nowhere near the best in Europe this season.

But the thing is we cannot choose opponents. If we want to win, we must be ready to face and beat whoever comes in our way.

[cule19]

We will destroy Plzen, and then drink their beers. I think the victory will have a wide margin in scores, this would give us a chance to rest players mid-week and get in a better form before El Clásico.
The upcoming league fixture against Bilbao makes me a bit nervous, but hopefully all the injuries they have suffered lately will benefit us.