OT: Soccer Tuesday Open Thread (Champion's League)
Today’s Schedule:
UEFA Champions League – Knockout Round Leg 1/ Day 3
1:45pm Manchester City v Monaco – FS1
1:45pm Bayer-Leverkusen v Atletico Madrid – FS2
Notes
*Games Featuring major clubs are in bold.
*Champions League Knockout Round is played over 2 legs, and this is the first of them. Also, in the knockout round, and only then, away goals are factored into the aggregate for advantage in place of an overall draw.
*If you don’t see a league or team listed that you want to follow and discuss, let me know and I’ll add it (within reason). I’m not going out of my way to make sure Scunthorpe or Drogheda United are covered here.
*These are Central Time. Because I live in Central Time.
Enjoy, cheers, and Go Blue!
February 21st, 2017 at 8:56 AM ^
Will be interesting to see the line up for Man City as Monaco has a potent attack and City has been weak on defense (against better teams, but they have been good lately). Hoping for some good open play and work rates from each game today.
February 21st, 2017 at 9:33 AM ^
Pep's style of defense is, "if I have the ball you can't score..." he's used that to great effect at Barca, Munich, and is instilling that idea at City. The problem with that is once you crack initial rush they do not fare well on defense.
This game will be very interesting if Monaco can drive an open pace and maintain enough possession to get City working in the defensive 3rd.
Should be a very entertaining weeknight game either way.
February 21st, 2017 at 9:19 AM ^
February 21st, 2017 at 10:19 AM ^
February 21st, 2017 at 11:05 AM ^
To be fair, a lot of the clubs have basketball teams too, so FC or CF more adequately name the team to the sport of which you are referring.
February 21st, 2017 at 9:22 AM ^
Monaco's an intriguing team. They're very young and a lot of their guys aren't that well known (yet), but there's a ton of talent in that lineup. They're scoring goals like crazy.
They're not going to be able to keep their team together long-term, but this could be one of those teams where you look back 10 years later and think, "Man, all those guys were teammates?"
February 21st, 2017 at 9:35 AM ^
I agree with you that like most French teams not named PSG, Monaco will find it very difficult to hold on to their best young talent. In a few years you will see their best and brightest playing in Germany, Spain, and England. Still makes for a potentially interesting matchday.
February 21st, 2017 at 12:01 PM ^
Waiting for some rich owner to buy Marseille. Their plummet from the top of Ligue 1 has been unfortunate considering they're the only French team to ever win Champions League.
February 21st, 2017 at 1:13 PM ^
Unfortunately for Marseille they are currently in 6th place and have done so by taking some BPL players who coudln't make the cut (Payet & Depay). If they are serious they will need to attract other top French stars like Griezmann or Nasri.
It would be nice if Ligue 1 was more than just whoever will finish behind PSG.
February 21st, 2017 at 3:32 PM ^
Marseille was actually just bought by Frank McCourt. It'll be interesting to see where they go from here.
February 21st, 2017 at 9:47 AM ^
Madrid 1-0 and Monaco 3-2.
February 21st, 2017 at 10:36 AM ^
I could get behind this.
February 21st, 2017 at 9:50 AM ^
Hoping to see something from Man City or Atletico to give me hope they can break up the Real-Barca-Munich stranglehold on the Champions League.
February 21st, 2017 at 9:55 AM ^
Also, an upvote for my random lesson of the day... I saw the word Scunthorpe and figured it was a made up word. A couple of google searches later, I now know that it is actually a real team AND I know there is a such thing as The Scunthorpe Problem.
February 21st, 2017 at 2:29 PM ^
Atletico was in last years' final (and drew 1-1, but lost in PKs to Real) and also lost in the final two years prior.
Bayern has only won once in the last 15 years (in '13).
February 21st, 2017 at 4:58 PM ^
True but you have to go back a decade to find a final that none of those 3 were in, and it seems those 3 and team TBD are always the Final Four.
February 21st, 2017 at 4:00 PM ^
PSG just might have the goods to win the whole thing. They didn't play well in the fall (relatively speaking) but have been rounding into form since the new year.
February 21st, 2017 at 5:00 PM ^
Never been a big fan of Zlatan (more a attitude thing than anything to do with his play), so would love it if PSG won it after he left, while Man U is doing no better with him.
February 21st, 2017 at 10:23 AM ^
Now a Tuesday soccer thread. Hopefully, we can advance to a soccer thread every day, then twice a day, then on to infinity! Yes, I know I didn't have to click on it. Yes, I know it's no worse than another thread about uniforms. Yes, I know it's already gotten 11 responses.
I. Just. Hate. Soccer.
February 21st, 2017 at 10:30 AM ^
he's -- that -- guy!
February 21st, 2017 at 10:34 AM ^
I say the strategy for these instances is to not respond, just downvote. The only reason someone handles themselves like this is when they are looking for attention, even in a weird online anonymous way. I don't plan on commenting on these guy's perspectives at all, after this. It's just giving them what they want. Enjoy the footy, boys!
February 21st, 2017 at 10:31 AM ^
The Carolina Challenge Cup continues Wednesday and Saturday. Excited to get my first look at the new Atlanta United squad in person tomorrow night. I can start a thread tomorrow to help satisfy your desire for infinite soccer threads.
February 21st, 2017 at 11:16 AM ^
February 21st, 2017 at 12:47 PM ^
February 21st, 2017 at 12:56 PM ^
February 21st, 2017 at 6:10 PM ^
nice name
February 21st, 2017 at 11:38 AM ^
February 21st, 2017 at 12:09 PM ^
Lots of value in that Monaco ML, given their offensive attack.
February 21st, 2017 at 12:24 PM ^
February 21st, 2017 at 1:13 PM ^
February 21st, 2017 at 1:53 PM ^
Citeh (4-1-4-1? 4-1-2-2-1?): Caballero, Sagna, Stones, Otamendi, Fernandinho, Toure, Silva, De Bruyne, Sterling, Sane, Aguero
Monaco (4-4-2): Subasic, Mendy, Raggi, Glik, Sidibe, Bakayoko, Fabinho, Mbappe, Lemar, Bernardo Silva, Falcao
February 21st, 2017 at 1:59 PM ^
Leverkusen (4-2-3-1): Leno, Wendall, Dragovic, Toprak, Henrichs, Kampl, Aranguiz, Brandt, Havertz, Bellarabi, Chicharito
Athletico (4-4-2): Moya, Filipe Luis, Gimenez, Savic, Vrsaljko, Carrasco, Saul, Gabi, Koke, Griezmann, Gameiro
February 21st, 2017 at 3:16 PM ^
I want Griezmann to come to Old Trafford soooo bad. So bad. Like. Bad.
February 21st, 2017 at 3:34 PM ^
Kylian Mbappé - one of Monaco's many emerging youngsters - just scored. The kid is 18 years old.
February 21st, 2017 at 3:37 PM ^
February 21st, 2017 at 4:05 PM ^
Man City-Monaco is nuts. Back and forth.
February 21st, 2017 at 4:05 PM ^
February 21st, 2017 at 4:09 PM ^
This Man City/Monaco match is fantastic.
February 21st, 2017 at 4:22 PM ^
How many goals will it take to win this? 5?
February 21st, 2017 at 4:26 PM ^
What kind of weird ass shit is going on in Manchester?
February 21st, 2017 at 4:37 PM ^
February 21st, 2017 at 4:52 PM ^
Great game. City earned that with a great last 20 minutes. Monaco got 3 away goals, though, so they've got a shot. Rematch should be fun.
February 21st, 2017 at 5:13 PM ^
14 goals in the 2 matches, wish I could have watched live but seems to be a good one to watch when I get home. 2nd legs should be fun to watch.
February 21st, 2017 at 7:13 PM ^