2022-23 UEFA Europa League

Neither of United's goal were fortuitous. United has a shot straight at the keeper too in the first half, or do those only count for Barca? I agree it should have been a pen by the way.

However, either team could have won on the night, which is clear to anyone that watched the match with an unbiased view.

Skipper Disasi may have won it for Monaco in injury time with a long range effort. 3-2. Been a cracking game.

The world's greatest talent, who was hooked at half time in 4 of his 8 starts this season for Elche...

Maybe a bit of hyperbole there perhaps?

I said before he had an attitude, which is his problem in the eyes of Barca. Particularly now, don't want players with strong beliefs or who will speak out. Collado gets stuck in and will speak his mind, Barca have punished him for that tbh.

He's also been injured most of the time at Elche, and hard to run the show around players so basic in technical skill. I suppose his reputation proceeds him, so is expected to deliver from the off or seen as poor.

He should have been given a proper run in the Barca first team. Benching him for so long was a disgrace. You say hyperbole, I'll meet you back here in a few years. I've seen him in full flight, he will do it sooner or later given a real chance, and when he does is unplayable. Serious natural talent, reminds me of the genius that is Reus!

For those unaware, and it may be of some interest to people, Royale Union Saint-Gilloise, have gone straight to the knock out rounds of this competition as group winners. It's a remarkable feat and I'm not sure has anything similar happened in football before.

You look back at the 20s, 30' and 40s and often random teams were successful, now defunct or fallen down the divisions. As the game became more professional over the coming decades, generally most leagues stabilised with a few big teams and a gap opening to the rest, always getting bigger. Successful teams of yesteryear, stabilising down the divisions and finding their place there.

Royal Union seemingly dominated the game in Belgium for a couple of decades, being the top team, circa the 20's and 30's I think. As the game developed became a small team and fell down the divisions, often in the 3rd or 4th divisions, lower at times possibly, a minnow compared to the big 3 in Belgium, or even the rest of the top division.

Remarkably though, they have risen back to the top division. Not only that, were league leaders for most of last season, losing to Club Brugge in a head to head match on the run in. Again they are second in the league this year and cantered through their European group.

In one sense they are a minnow punching way above their weight, in another are back in their rightful place. To this day have more league titles than one of the big 3, Standard Liege. But don't think I've ever really heard of similar story, where a team was once the dominant heavyweight in a country, drop off the radar for 70+ years, and then out of the blue rise to prominence again. Be interesting to see will they remain there and draw a big fanbase off the back of it, as far as I'm aware don't have big investors or money behind them either, could be wrong though.

Sort of like if Torino rose to the top of Italian football again, but even they didn't drop as far back. Royal Union have an Irish guy heavily involved in their back room staff too, can't think of the name. Just thought their story would be of some interest for people to look into. As I said, can't recall ever hearing of a similar set of circumstances

Chris O'Loughlin, Limerick born and is their sporting director. Brighton owner Tony Bloom also owns Royale USG.

I know he’s getting on but Busquets is incredibly slow these days. Lads literally strolling past him.

Monaco/Leverkusen going to pens. Volland came close to winning it with a header against his former side.

Levandowski looked so incredibly nervous in the run-up to that penalty and was lucky it was De Gea in goal, who doesn't save penalties, but still almost did.

Leverkusen through with a 5-3 win on pens. Great spot kicks from Leverkusen.

Belotti goal. Roma level in the tie.

Great volley Dybala. Roma leading the tie.

See that's what happens when you don't make the most of your chances. 1-1 now.

Also, only 1 Spanish team made the last 16. Must be the 1st times in a long long time. I think 4 PL teams made the last 16.

And remember, this is the Europa League.

Fernandes is classless.

Can't stand him.

Lewandowski fortunate that wasn't red.

ANTONY!!!

Antony has been poor, yet he's scored.

Nonsense

Barcelona are very poor...how are they so far ahead in la liga...Spanish football is in trouble I think

For all his criticism, Fred is probably MOTM here.

Suppose it's only fitting that the Premier League's pride is restored by the most successful Premier League club.

As for Barca...

😂😂😂