2021-22 UEFA Champions League

martingriff

VAR should have looked and changed that

martingriff

So according to BT sports ref it is for some gestures towards the red

Augme

Very harsh red. Just seemed like the ref lost his cool with the athletic players, especially with Felipe walking away. Not exactly ideal before from a ref though..

ShamoBuc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118115126#Comment_118115126

I don't follow that, he cant gesture towards the red.... untilhe gets the red, not watching bt.

TitianGerm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118115161#Comment_118115161

Towards the Ref not the red. Did he clap the ref or make a w*nker gesture or something?

SuperTortoise

If more refs dealt with atletico like tonight, it would soon put a stop their shithouse tactics, diving, feigning injuries, harassing refs, cheating etc etc.

martingriff

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118115161#Comment_118115161

Just going what was said. looks like he was not going for red blew the whistle and he just walks away

marklazarcovic

It looked to me like the ref was showing who the boss was, if he went back to the ref yellow..but he kept refusing his instructions...off ya go ..see how ya like that. Ballsy.

citytillidie

It was a bad challenge too for those just calling it a trip.

tanko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118115183#Comment_118115183

Exactly, they do what they do because too many refs let them away with all of that carry on.

TitianGerm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118115205#Comment_118115205

Yea he stood down Manes left Achilles.

martingriff

From the looks of the pictures he was looking at the ref a good amount and either saying no or a gesture and then ref decided okay a RED do not agree that the tackle was that bad for a red even though there was no way he could have gotten near the ball

ArielAtom

The red was for shithousery, he refused to come back to the ref and the ref had enough of it. Typical of Simeone team, no discipline.

ShamoBuc

Mané off and Bobby on, Klopp not taking any chances on a player on a yellow in this game.

citytillidie

UEFA saying the red was for the foul

martingriff

The red is for the foul as per UEFA

Mr.Nice Guy

Mbappe has spurned a good few chances to put the game to bed. He's getting joy as Leipzig are leaving a lot of space as they go for the equaliser but he doesn't look his usual self tonight. He was ill a few days ago.

Leipzig have another penalty after a Kimpembe foul.

Szoboszlai scores. They need a win to stay in the competition.

ShamoBuc

Leipzig score their pen 2-2

Not sure how there wasn't a second half goal at Anfield.

Easy street for Liverpool tonight.

Poisonous stuff from Simeone and Athletico in the second half. Basically gave up.

Mr.Nice Guy

Ends 2-2 in Leipzig which means the home side are out of the competition. Draw probably a fair result.

Fitz*

Liverpool destroy the group of death, winning it with 2 games to spare.

Liverpool scored 13 goals. Everyone else has scored 11 between them.

3 teams in negative goal difference.

citytillidie

Matchday 4 : Results

Group A

RB Leipzig (GER) 2 V 2 Paris Saint-Germain (FRA)

Manchester City FC (ENG) 4 V 1 Club Brugge (BEL)

Group B

AC Milan (ITA) 1 V 1 FC Porto (POR)

Liverpool FC (ENG) 2 V 0 Club Atlético de Madrid (ESP)

Group C

Borussia Dortmund (GER) 1 V 2 AFC Ajax (NED)

Sporting Club De Portugal (POR) 4 V 0 Beşiktaş JK (TUR)

Group D

FC Sheriff Tiraspol (MDA) 1 V 3 FC Internazionale Milano (ITA)

Real Madrid CF (ESP) 2 V 1 FC Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR)

Group E

FC Bayern München (GER) 5 V 2 SL Benfica (POR)

FC Dynamo Kyiv (UKR) 0 V 1 FC Barcelona (ESP)

Group F

Atalanta BC (ITA) 2 V 2 Manchester United FC (ENG)

Villarreal CF (ESP) 2 V 0 BSC Young Boys (SUI)

Group G

Sevilla FC (ESP) 1 V 2 LOSC Lille (FRA)

VFL Wolfsburg (GER) 2 V 1 FC Salzburg (AUT)

Group H

Malmö FF (SWE) 0 V 1 Chelsea FC (ENG)

Juventus (ITA) 4 V 2 Football Club Zenit (RUS)

Liverpool FC (ENG), AFC Ajax (NED), FC Bayern München (GER) & Juventus (ITA) have Qualified for the Round of 16.

rob316

I could appreciate atletico before and their defensive prowess despite the cynical style but they are just a nasty side now with a fraction of the quality.

Mr.Nice Guy

The folks criticizing Atletico used to revere the chap who tonight led their line when he was at Anfield, biting and racially abusing opposition players amongst other shameful episodes. The lack of self-awareness is astonishing.

~Rebel~

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118115708#Comment_118115708

I mean, on the one hand, people will always have more time for their own players (as many said at the time, 'he's a prick but he's our prick' sort of things - just in terms of his playing style, racial incident aside). But when it goes from 1 of those players to 11 (or more) of those players it gets harder and harder to enjoy, especially as an outsider. I'd be in the camp that quite enjoyed watching Aletico for a good amount of time, but find them to be harder going as time goes on. Especially with some of the genuine quality they have available too. At times they seem to be their own worst enemy, losing the balance of steel and silk that can make them so great to watch.

rob316

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118115708#Comment_118115708

1 player. Simeone is sending 10 players out there to kick you off the ball, fall around, pressure the ref.

citytillidie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118115737#Comment_118115737

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118115768#Comment_118115768

Ahh lads don't

PsychoPete

I thought Ajax would find it tough in group c but they've played four,won four and scored 14 goals. Impressive

Fitz*

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118115992#Comment_118115992

Yeah very. They seem to have a good thing going for them at the moment. I always enjoy a good Ajax side in the modern era.

PsychoPete

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118116044#Comment_118116044

Wouldn't be surprised to see them go on a good run again this year. Ten Hag has them playing nice football, on the ball and off it. He's only lost one away game in the champions league, only conceded two goals in league so far and scored 37. He looks like he'll be a top manager

Did you smash it

If people are looking for highlights of the CL, you can quickly register with uefa.com and watch all europa and CL games in 2 mins highlights package 5 hours after the game ends. Best option for me.

Weepsie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118116910#Comment_118116910

Livescore app has them too.

fyfe79

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118115768#Comment_118115768

Even the one player in that side I wouldn't deem dirty, Felix, was lucky not to be sent off for a lunge on the sideline. He was delighted to only get a yellow.

As for LFC fans celebrating Suarez at the time, he left over 7 years ago so maybe we've all grown up a bit since so we can see through his antics. He was also a one-man wrecking machine, no other Liverpool player played like him and it obviously wasn't a directive which came from Rodgers at the time. Simeone is obviously the orchestrator of what his team do collectively.

NIMAN

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118115593#Comment_118115593

It might have been the group of death in the 80s or 90s, but not of recent times.

Atleti have dropped off from their usual standard. And great to see, cos their anti football wasn't good to watch. A team on the decline.

It just highlights how far the EPL are above the rest.

~Rebel~

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118118492#Comment_118118492

At the same time though, Atleti are La Liga champions and added Griezmann to an already pretty stacked squad. (They also weren't great in the 80s and 90s… under Simeone is the best they’ve been since the 70s.)

yourdeadwright

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118118492#Comment_118118492

Atleti are champions of Spain and 3 points off the top now with a game in hand,

Brought in Griezmann ,De Paul & Cunha this summer , there a top quality side

Porto are also a really good team , currently top of there league ,

AC are joint top of Seria A , & without question are the best 4th seeded team in the competition

Weepsie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118118596#Comment_118118596

Atleti were worth a point in the reverse. They lost due to a peno (correct decision) and because VAR fucked them over with a peno though should have been given to them.

Atleti's chance came and went in 2014 and 2016 though. A team that well drilled couldn't defend a corner and gave away the title as a result.

They took the game to Real in the next one and couldn't score. They were great fun to watch for years, but when they double down on the shithousing they're tough

Fitz*

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118118492#Comment_118118492

Yeh teams are stronger than you're giving them credit for.

When the draw was made, Atletico were reigning Spanish Champions, AC Milan finished in 2nd place in Serie A last season, ahead of Atlanta & Juventus, and Porto and, well, Porto. Porto are a serial CL knockout side, regularly making the last 16 or QF side.

All 4 sides had aspirations of reaching the Knockout stage. Not just qualify for the Europa League, but wanting to qualify for the next stage of the Champions League.

A lot of the groups have teams who's aim is to make it to the EL stage and keep their European journey going, and also the whipping boys of the group. A group with 2 big boys and 1 very weak side is much easier to navigate than 4 sides who all want to progress.

~Rebel~

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118118822#Comment_118118822

If Atleti can make it through to the knockouts, they'd still be one of my dark horses. They've a bit of everything, and plenty of depth, if they can just get out of their own way. Keeping 11 men on the pitch would be a start! Reckon they'll win La Liga again this year too.

The Golden Miller

Thought Ajax would be a good each way bet, or win it, and I think they've a real chance now. A great defensive team might snuff them out, but there's none left, bar Atleti, who don't seem to be the team they were but will be very dangerous when it matters. Don't think any team can go toe to toe with Ajax and beat them at the minute.

European football suits Liverpool but felt had Ajax got to the final a few years back, they'd be a bad match up for Liverpool. Playing open teams normally suits Liverpool, but Ajax probe and attack in a way other attacking teams don't. They don't have the individual quality but it's about the whole for Ajax, had they better individual quality they'd be unstoppable. But they probe and pull players out of position in a way others don't

Atleti will take some beating in the knock out rounds when it counts. They'd do Liverpool over two legs if get them again I think

TitianGerm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118119560#Comment_118119560

Bayern, Juve, Chelsea, City and Liverpool would beat Ajax quite comfortably.

Ajax are playing very well but Eredivise isn't very strong and they've a very easy group in the CL.

Did you smash it

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118119590#Comment_118119590

Juve? Not on current form.

I don’t think Ajax have a great chance of winning the CL as its a strong year but in a weak they’d have every chance.

The Golden Miller

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118119590#Comment_118119590

I know the Eredivisie isn't very strong, but Ajax are clearly a level above it themelves. Juve and Chelsea could cause them problems, in terms of stubborn defence's, but Juve posed that problem a few years back and Ajax beat them. When defences come up against Ajax, they are dealing with an attack they've never encountered before.

If one team attacks and one defends, its generally one team playing around in front of a team parking the bus, seems to be how it is these days. It's basic sideways passing. The problem Ajax pose is they can probe deep and vary it. Even with solid defence's, they seem to be able to play it deep into the channels, retain it, play it back, and transition. In essence, they pull defenders all over the place, and draw them out leaving holes. There's certainly elements of total football. A team like City can't do that, far more one dimensional in thieir set up

As for Bayern, City and Pool beating them in an open game of football, they could. They have better players, but Ajax have better variation and structure, despite being more limited individually. Don't think Liverpool would play them in an open game of football though, sit deep and try hit them on the break like they did City a few years back. But Ajax won't be that one dimensional

Fitz*

Liverpool beat Ajax home & away last season. Even with the whole CB injury crisis.

The Golden Miller

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118120877#Comment_118120877

The team was torn apart a few years back. Took a few years to rebuild. Weren't close to their current level last season. Should be obvious to anyone

The Golden Miller

Just as a side note, and I'm aware people know this, but one man who doesn't get enough credit is Cruyff, for the success Barca and Ajax had after his playing days. Oversaw and revolutionised the Ajax youth system, and a generation later in the 90's the talent came through. Left them in a great position.

Off to Barca he went and oversaw the transformation and vision of La Masia. A generation later, the players came through, while similtaniously Ajax struggled. Off back to Ajax in the late 00's/early 10's and over hauled the youth system once more. A generation later players coming through again with Barca in disarray without him.

The two clubs owe much, if not all, their success to this man. Revoulutioned both in vision and ideology

TitianGerm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118120892#Comment_118120892

He said last season. Do Ajax not have basically the same squad this season as last season?

yourdeadwright

Ajax are decent side but that's about it any of the big teams will beat them over two legs ,

This year you have 4 really strong teams in the Champions league in City, Liverpool ,Chelsea & Bayern ,

They could all drawn each other & one could get a shock exit, but id still expect the final to be 2 of the four, or possibly Real sneaking in ,

United, PSG ,Dortmund,Inter, Barcelona ,Ajax & Juventus all a few steps behind ,

Weepsie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118120968#Comment_118120968

What now? Cruyff gets an absolute **** tonne of credit. It's not like people are not constantly reminded that he brought the Ajax methods to Barcelona and with it unprecedented success for them.

The Ajax youth system was well up and running before Cruyff too, Rinus Michaels is the man who revolutionised that, and Cruyff learned much of his craft from him. Michaels borrowed heavily from River Plate, Hungary and erm, Burnley's approach in the 1940s and 50s.

greendom

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118122349#Comment_118122349

PSG are a bit all over the place at the moment. If they click though they will be hard to beat. They have already beaten City in this year's Champions League