ponsaelius

They've never won a trophy and this is their first European semi final, let's hope they get crushed by Man Utd IMO.

Funnily enough moving abroad had no influence on me wanting Manchester United to win trophies.

Nope, it's an additional place. Somebody does get relegated into the play-off round though, I believe.

Their fans couldn't even give a fuck about the trophy either. It's just a path to the CL. Imagine how much more the trophy would mean for the other clubs.

You are sick in the head.

Translated it for your reading pleasure. Why am i giggling so much at this

uh oh, i've set him off

He's just trying to fit in with a bunch of other criminals by making a crass joke, but what shows clearly is the victim mentality he has and complete lack of remorse or even comprehension that he has done anything wrong. Arrogant, horrible, thick twat. What's also disgusting though is that there is loads of men across the country who will hear what he's saying in that video, and be nodding along in complete agreement. You could see that throughout the trial when the story was that he had 'met her in a club' and 'lied about her age'. Rape culture is still a very serious problem.

Disgusting man and a fucking disgusting paper for using that headline that the victim will likely see and read.

You at the game like?

Good ties. Would take anybody but Man Utd winning it as it would mean a damn sight more to fans of the other clubs.

But then, the FA Cup is dying and the CL is thriving. So perhaps TV supporters and big clubs are actually all that matters.

Spot on. If all the big teams take each other out in the FA Cup, it opens up chances for other clubs. Nobody is asking for seeding there. Yet with the CL, as its a TV competition, people seem to want the same clubs filtered into the latter stages and watch the same clubs win.

Because I'm watching the games not posting.

I'd have both our right backs ahead of Bruno, but they've shared pitch time all season.

Pocchetino's the best thing to happen to English football in years, but he has made a handful of odd signings.

He's been tearing it up this season. His heart was never in it here. Shows what a mess we are/were. Sign players who don't want to be here, mismanage them when they are here, then lose money on them.

The side had a dip mid-season over Xmas.

I don't know why people get hung up on these teams. They're voted for by the players.

Yes they are the 'best', but it's made the tournament boring. Globalization has turned the best clubs into global brands, with enormous revenue streams, that monopolize their leagues and hoover up the world's talent. The CL is a tournament built to allow these clubs to reinforce their brand as they qualify every year (even if they finish 3rd or 4th in their league), get to play 6 group stage games against lesser sides due to seeding, then have country restrictions help them out in the last 16 too. It's basically a guaranteed quarter final place every year at this point. They've always been big clubs, but they're almost indestructible now. Barca have 3 of the best forwards in the world, Real Madrid too, and they have a bench filled up with talent that would star for teams elsewhere. It's not just the tournament that's 'rigged', it's the entire set-up of the global game, but the Champions League has become a particularly powerful tool in reinforcing unbreakable and insurmountable hierarchies. This is the kind of post that suggests you don't actually go to many games and watch much football in person. Football is worth watching at all levels. It's the best sport in the world for entertainment, atmosphere, tribalism, and a feeling of belonging. People turn up in their droves every week to watch all kind of levels, all around the world, all poorer than the Champions League. The CL is a 'shit' tournament not because of the players that are involved in it. Obviously it has most of the best players in the world playing in it and has the highest pure footballing level. The problem is the inequality involved, the monopolization of talent, the few number of teams who actually have a chance of winning it, the fact the same ties are consistently repeated year on year. There's only so much of Bayern vs Barca, Barca vs PSG, Bayern vs Real Madrid before things become very dull. I guess not though, because plenty the world over still stick the telly on to watch, so it must be me that's got it wrong by being so fatigued.

I don't particularly rate him but I'd be tempted to give him a new deal just because of how much of the rest of the side needs spending on it.

It's a shite tournanent. Monaco winning it would be mildly interesting, but Real will. Tedium. I've always preferred the UEFA Cup/Europa League for that very reason. Much more open with who can win it and the kind of sides that make runs to the final. Sevilla monopolizing it got a bit dull, but impressive that a small club has been able to build a dynasty and have the record number of successes. Can't imagine how pig sick Betis fans are after the last 10 years.

That said, they've only conceded 2 goals all tournament. Which is obscene.

Juventus love bottling the CL. They'll lose in the final.