2022-23 UEFA Champions League

dor83

Martinez makes it 1-2, it's been a very open game so I can see another goal or two.

Mr.Nice Guy

Lautaro makes it 2-1 Inter!

Eric Garcia couldn't handle him. Barca heading to the Europa League if it stays this way.

sligeach

Lovely worked 3rd goal by Liverpool.

dor83

Very surprised Raphina was taken off, I thought he was one of their best players tonight.

ShamoBuc

Lovely 3rd goal from Liverpool. Bobby with a nice flick, Nunez with a nice finish.

sligeach

Rangers being taken to the cleaners by Liverpool now. 6-1. Salah hat trick in roughly 13 minutes.

ShamoBuc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119736723#Comment_119736723

Apparently 6 minutes and 12 seconds.

Unreal.

dor83

Lewandowski makes it 2-2, can see them going on to win it now.

Mr.Nice Guy

Lewandowski gives Barca hope. 2-2.

sligeach

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119736747#Comment_119736747

Ya, but I mean he came on after 68 minutes.

Fitz*

I think Salah has scored the fastest ever CL hat-trick now.

sligeach

This 7th Liverpool goal will likely count. Elliott deserves it.

Mr.Nice Guy

Gosens makes it 3-2!

Defence non-existent.

ShamoBuc

Seventh heaven for Liverpool.

Thought it was going to be tough, especially when Rangers took the lead.

dor83

Lovely ball out by Onana and Martinez sets up Gosens, been a very good game.

sligeach

Salah's broken a few more records tonight. Fastest Champions League hat trick. Most CL goals by a Premier League player I think was another one.

ShamoBuc

Gosens looks to have sent Barca packing!

Edit Barca level in injury time.

dor83

Lewandowski makes it 3-3, would surprise me if there's a winner in this game.

Mr.Nice Guy

3-3! Lewandowski.

This is some game. There's still time for a late winner.

Mr.Nice Guy

How did Inter not score?!

It finishes 3-3. What a great game.

dor83

So Inter need a win at home to Plzen to qualify, I was pessimistic going into the match last week so I'm very happy Inter have qualification in their own hands, should be a good atmosphere for the Plzen match now.

citytillidie

Match Day 4 Results

Group A

SSC Napoli (ITA) 4 V 2 AFC Ajax (NED)

Rangers FC (SCO) 1 V 7 Liverpool FC (ENG)

Group B

Club Atlético de Madrid (ESP) 0 V 0 Club Brugge (BEL)

Bayer 04 Leverkusen (GER) 0 V 3 FC Porto (POR)

Group C

FC Barcelona (ESP) 3 V 3 FC Internazionale Milano (ITA)

FC Viktoria Plzeň (CZE) 2 V 4 FC Bayern München (GER)

Group D

Tottenham Hotspur (ENG) 3 V 2 Eintracht Frankfurt (GER)

Sporting Clube de Portugal (POR) 0 V 2 Olympique de Marseille (FRA)

Group E

GNK Dinamo Zagreb (CRO) 1 V 1 FC Salzburg (AUT)

AC Milan (ITA) 0 V 2 Chelsea FC (ENG)

Group F

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

Celtic FC (SCO) 0 V 2 RB Leipzig (GER)

Group G

F.C. Copenhagen (DEN) 0 V 0 Manchester City FC (ENG)

Borussia Dortmund (GER) 1 V 1 Sevilla FC (ESP)

Group H

Maccabi Haifa FC (ISR) 2 V 0 Juventus (ITA)

Paris Saint-Germain (FRA) 1 V 1 SL Benfica (POR)

Qualified Teams

SSC Napoli (ITA), Club Brugge (BEL), FC Bayern München (GER), Real Madrid CF (ESP), Manchester City FC (ENG)

NIMAN

The 2 SPL teams have found to be out of their depth in this year's CL.

And to think this Rangers team nearly won the EL last year. Shows you the gulf between the 2 tournaments.

Fitz*

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119737497#Comment_119737497

A penalty shootout away from being top seeds.

Brewster

I think the gulf in class comment between Champions league and Europa league is overplayed. Rangers ended up in a nightmare draw scenario, possibly the toughest pool they could have been in. Even the Munich pool would have been easier given how Barce are a shadow of themselves. Yes it is difficult for Celtic and Rangers to step it up for European games but it can be done. Rangers did it last season and did it well. They beat a lot of good teams including Dortmund and Leipzig. These are CL quality teams. Celtic had they have taken their chances the other night, could easily have been ahead and made more of a game of it. Celtic should have beaten Shaktar away comfortably. Rangers lost Goldson last night at HT and this cost them big time as the young kid that came on wasn’t up to it. Liverpool still win the game, but this was a turning point. Rangers played well in the first half and nobody could have complained had they been leading at HT. It’s an easy narrative to throw around, but I don’t think it’s accurate. The one thing Rangers and Celtic need is a fully fit squad, they need best 11 on park to compete at this level and this hasn’t been the case. Rangers missing two centre backs last night and then lost a third to injury, they don’t have enough quality in squad to cope with these losses.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119737497#Comment_119737497

I don't think it really shows the gulf it's just Rangers had one of those weird/handy runs to the final that happens the odd time. The other side of the draw was full of big league teams.

Brewster

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119737882#Comment_119737882

Your post appears contradictory, you appear indicate that there is no gulf in class between tournaments, yet then downplay Rangers achievement, which would simply speak to the point that there is a gulf in class!

The reality is Rangers got to the final by beating Leipzig and Dortmund, Red Star and Braga. 3 out of those 4 teams compete in the CL regularly.

Rangers team has regressed since last season, they lost big players in the summer for big transfer fees and they haven’t been properly replaced. This is the reason why they are struggling, alongside injuries and loss of form to key players.

This Rangers team clearly wouldn’t have a hope in the Europa league either this season. So I think it’s more about circumstances rather than a huge gulf of class between Europa and Champions themselves. The facts speak to this point.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119738312#Comment_119738312

My point is a team of Rangers/SPL level would be very rare in an EL final. They are not a true representation of the usual level of the EL

Brewster

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119738493#Comment_119738493

That’s a fair point, they overachieved to get to final as they did in 2008 and Celtic in 2003.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119738591#Comment_119738591

Ya although I don't think it was as much of a shock in 2003. Celtic could actually compete in the CL back then.

SPL has really sunk a lot in those 20 years. Probably something got to do with the relative strength of the English lower leagues.

~Rebel~

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119740939#Comment_119740939

Yeah, that 2003 Uefa Cup Final team was properly decent - Henrik Larson, Stiliyan Petrov, Paul Lambert, Neil Lennon, Bobo Balde, Didier Agathe, John Hartson, Chris Sutton... different level to what they have these days. Larson had a goal a game in Europe that season.

CalamariFritti

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119736895#Comment_119736895

And Barcelona in dire straits. Need to win the last 2 which includes away to Bayern to have any chance at all.

Allegedly they had the money for last 16 and quarter final budgeted. To add to their overall gamble they started to kick the can down the road on their financial situation. Beginning to look more and more like a slow-motion car crash.

NIMAN

Yip, they went all in with their spending this season. Really had to be winning the CL for it to pay off.

Couldn't happen to a nicer club.

WillmaDickfit

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119740939#Comment_119740939

compete ? as in going out of the group stages ?

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119742367#Comment_119742367

Being competitive in games and winning games are not thing. They were a tough side to get and often the toughest in their seeding group. Went to extra time with the eventual champions in 2007 for instance.

Celtic and Rangers were definitely in a better place in the 00s

Pogue eile

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119742367#Comment_119742367

Celtic got out of the group three times and have beaten all the top teams, but I'm guessing with your ingenious username you are about 10 and don't remember the great team that Celtic had from 2002 - 2008.

Yes they are currently out of their depth in the Champions League which is a very sad reflection on football considering they are the Champions of the 8th ranked league in Europe and can't compete at all. People were up in arms of the proposed European Super League without realising that it already exists and the gap just gets wider and wider.

Celtic and Rangers, two massive clubs with massive global fanbases and playing in the 8th ranked league in Europe are effectively feeder clubs, very sad.

On the matter of Rangers run to the Europa final last year, when you look back at the list of finalists from the last 10 years its depressing, this shi*e of teams dropping down from the Champions League is a load of nonsense and simply a money grab, you play at the level you qualified for and if you are knocked out, tough sh*te wait until next season!

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119742686#Comment_119742686

Jeysus I didn't realize they are still ranked as high as 8th.

Pogue eile

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119743029#Comment_119743029

They had fallen to around 12-14th when Rangers were 'recovering' but yeah they have steadily risen over the last few seasons, its why they have two in the Champions league this year - Scottish Champions are guaranteed and runners up go into the third qualifying round. It actually quite an impressive achievement considering all their points come from just two teams - although that is of course also part of the problem.

NIMAN

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119743132#Comment_119743132

The state of Motherwell and Hearts in Europe this year shows just how poor the depth in the SPL is.

citytillidie

Match Day 5

Tuesday 25th October

17:45 Kick-offs

Group E

FC Salzburg (AUT) V Chelsea FC (ENG) - Live on BT Sport 4

Group G

Sevilla FC (ESP) V F.C. Copenhagen (DEN) - Live on BT Sport 1

20:00 Kick-offs

Group E

GNK Dinamo Zagreb (CRO) V AC Milan (ITA) - Live on BT Sport 4

Group F

Celtic FC (SCO) V FC Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR) - Live on BT Sport 3

RB Leipzig (GER) V Real Madrid CF (ESP) - Live on BT Sport 6

Group G

Borussia Dortmund (GER) V Manchester City FC (ENG) - Live on BT Sport 2 / RTE 2

Group H

Paris Saint-Germain (FRA) V Maccabi Haifa FC (ISR) - Live on BT Sport 7

SL Benfica (POR) V Juventus (ITA) - Live on BT Sport 8

Wednesday 26th October

17:45 Kick-offs

Group B

Club Brugge (BEL) V FC Porto (POR) - Live on BT Sport 5

Group C

FC Internazionale Milano (ITA) V FC Viktoria Plzeň (CZE) - Live on BT Sport 1

20:00 Kick-offs

Group A

AFC Ajax (NED) V Liverpool FC (ENG) - Live on BT Sport 2 / Virgin Media Two

SSC Napoli (ITA) V Rangers FC (SCO) - Live on BT Sport 4

Group B

Club Atlético de Madrid (ESP) V Bayer 04 Leverkusen (GER) - Live on BT Sport 7

Group C

FC Barcelona (ESP) V FC Bayern München (GER) - Live on BT Sport 5

Group D

Eintracht Frankfurt (GER) V Olympique de Marseille (FRA) - Live on BT Sport 6

Tottenham Hotspur (ENG) V Sporting Clube de Portugal (POR) - Live on BT Sport 3

Agent Coulson

Juve & Barca knocked out at the group stages would be awesome.

Can see only see the financial issues getting worse and worse for them.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119793106#Comment_119793106

They can fk off and play a 2 team super league over the springtime.

Weepsie

Turn on city game to see them miss a penalty and then see 3 of their players attempt to hack down Dortmund players. European Refs at least penalise them the odd time.

ShamoBuc

Can with a really stupid tackle, absolutely no need. Penalty brilliantly saved. With Haaland off at ht, Dortmund will really fancy the win now.

sligeach

Justice done with the Mahrez penalty saved. Horrible exaggerated dive from the slightest of slightest touches. Then his teammates congratulating him.

Mr.Nice Guy

'You let Mahrez take a penalty?'

fyfe79

Mahrez is some man to miss a pen. Thought Gundugan should've taken that.

Fitz*

I guess Football Insider wasn't correct, who would have guessed it.

https://twitter.com/MelissaReddy_/status/1584995224551653377?t=AVBSmwv-mGyXF5LbOwOs8g&s=19

TitianGerm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119793267#Comment_119793267

He was excellent in the first half but looks very very tired so far second half. A few poor passes one after the other, losing possession and sloppy challenge for the penalty.

Weepsie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119793275#Comment_119793275

Makers Takers or something.

I would actually not mind a rule saying the player fouled is the one who has to take it, Injuries obviously have to be taking into account. Maybe refs have to be given default peno taker in advance