2022-23 UEFA Champions League

Rule makers have ruined the game.

With VAR now there's no excuse to be penalising accidental stuff.

Anybody who has played the game even in the park would know almost 100% whether someone was trying it on.

Tuchel is a bit of a numpty

For a skinny vegetarian he seems to have a lot of anger issues

A few of the City lads wouldn't look out of place in wrestlemania

what are city at, going to the corner and time wasting when up 4-1

Humiliated Bayern and they're not even top of the premier league (yet). Maybe Real will stop them but they're not favourites and the tie being over two legs gives Pep less of a chance to do something stupid.

Another step towards the premier league being the outright dominant league in the world, and Newcastle haven't even got going yet. Arsenal haven't played in this competition in 8 years and will probably be looking to go far next year.

I put City favs. I think they will sneak past Madrid.

Final with Milan will be a 2 nil.

I would say inter definitely favourites to beat Milan which is a pity because Milan are more likely to make the final at least look like a contest.

Ironically the final is in Istanbul so if City make it we will see a role reversal with the unfancied Italian side beating a local rival to make a surprise final against an English super club.

Of course if Real make it we could have both Carlito and Milan facing off in the stadium of their shared woe.

Milan won't have the away goals rule to get them through this time, Inter have already beaten them twice this year too.

Benfica fans threw flares at the Inter fans below thew tonight, I've no problem with flares but why throw them at opposition fans?

To be fair the English league has been showing very good consistency in CL over the last few seasons. To call it the dominant league isn't a massive stretch.

22- 23 season - 1 English in semi finals - Unknown final

21-22 season - 2 English in semi finals - 1 in final.

20-21 season - 2 English in semi finals - 2 in final.

19-20 season - 0 in semi finals.

18-19 season - 2 English in semi finals - 2 in final.

17-18 season - 1 English in semi finals - 1 in final.

2 all English finals in 5 seasons prior and both of those featured 2 different sets of teams. At least 1 English club in the final in 4/5 seasons.

There just isn't the strength across the other leagues there was 10-15 years ago (Financial differences between EPL and the rest). Real have been the only club who have stopped an English team winning 4/5 CL. Bayern winning it the season none of the English sides got to the semis.

Pep has to win the CL this season with City - everything is falling into place for them. They have hit form at the right time, they have the best squad and the best player in Haaland left in the competition. If Real dump them out again it will be a disaster for them.

Pep has had the deck stacked in his favor for Europe for a while now and the league as a whole has been doing well in Europe. His failure to win the CL will have to have serious questions asked if they fail again this season.

I think inter are the only team left that were not in some way state washed.

It was his own money but Milan were bankrolled by a Prime Minister for a time.

Real and Barca continue to get away with all sorts of financial shenanigans in Spain thanks to political power.

I think considering the money sloshing around the EPL for the last decade, their CL record isn't as good as it should be.

Outside of the EPL, the other 4 top leagues in Europe are Spain, Italy, Germany and France.

When you look at each of those, and who could realistically compete with the English?

Spain : 2 clubs, Madrid & Barca.

Italy : Juve were miles clear for a decade, and they didn't even compete then. Milan, Inter, Roma weren't at the races.

Germany: 1 team league for a decade.

France : 1 team league

So when all the money is taken into account, epl had man City, Liverpool, Arsenal, Man Utd, Chelsea, Spurs.

It's a fair point. Still I think it has been a good showing for the league overall over the last 5 seasons or so.

When you go back over a decade Real and Barca still had great teams. Bayern as well.

But (to agree with your point)... I do also think this might be the weakest European football has been in my lifetime right now. Looking around at the traditional European giants and there is issues at almost every one of the clubs off the field or they are in serious need of a squad rebuild. Harder done when the EPL clubs will be looking to sign players as well and a midtable EPL team can bid 50/60m on a player.

PSG has the money but they are a basket case and the French league poses no challenge to them. A collection of players but not a great team.

Everyone else seems to have money issues of some sort. It's easy to see why the likes of Real, Barca etc... want the super league so much.

If the EPL go down the route of their own streaming service it could end up an even bigger financial disparity.

If the City or PSG money had fallen on a club with a history of winning Champions Leagues I wonder would things be different right now.

Chasing the 1st title seems to be a monkey in the same way no.10 was for Real. Could see floodgates if either win it.

La Liga aslo seems pretty weak also but that has not stopped Real Madrid turning over big PL clubs on a regular basis. The winner stats dont have the PL being by far dominant yet but I think it is only a matter of time.

I know not CL , but Utd upholding their 'Epl best league in the world' side tonight.

Talking to people today and everyone seems to be saying City. Sort of the same people who say England will win everytime, despite the same obvious shortcomings. People can hold me to this, and I'll leave boards, if City win. They've no chance.

Every year, they don't have the ability to unlock the blanket defence at the highest level, and the same will happen this year. Madrid should beat them, and if they don't, Milan will take them to the cleaners. They're actually the perfect match for Milan.

Madrid would usually play a conservative game against City, but I sense they've a confidence in themselves to be more expansive this time, which in an open game of football, they'll lose. So I think City might get fortunate in how Madrid will set up

The final, and it will be against Milan if they get through, will be unique as it will be one of the most lopsided finals in who's deemed favorite. And will be very lopsided in who wins, but the other way around. I think this is one of the most obvious and predictable match ups, Milan go to town on them on the break .

Milan continually written off as poor due to their league form but it has no bearing. In the league, they've to bring the game to the opposition, in Europe they can sit back and let the opposition come onto them. It suits them perfectly and plays to their strengths.

They'll park the double decker bus, and defend for their lives. A suspect City defense will be continually hit by quick and direct running and counter attacks, from Diaz and Leao. I don't see how this match up could play out differently infact.

They're also the most honest and hard working team left. They're players have been made study the history of the club and what it means to play for it. When the league was on the line last season, it was pride and hard work that won it, versus opposition players only playing for money. The Milan players, when they dig in, are genuinely playing for the crest in the way other teams aren't.

They've put all their eggs in the European basket this year, and like the league last year, their players are going to give a huge push, walk through walls for the crest. Having this unity and belief for the club they're playing for, is the difference between the Milan players and the rest. Yous will see!