Topic: Champions League, Europa, Conference League & PL fixtures 30th April - 2nd May

[Robinred]

Who’d have predicted that Eric Dier would have turned out to be the better of the two BM centrebacks?

[DonkeyWan]

Is it just me? Everytime  I’ve watched a game where Jude Bellingham is playing, he’s not looking anything special at all.

When he plays further forward and gets in the box he is dangerous, but his all round play is only average imo. Don't think he is able to control games, hence Modric and Camavinga coming on.

[smicer07]

Ref has been brilliant

[Buster Gonad]

The Modric pass for Vinicius earlier was a thing of beauty.

[ShrewKop]

Who’d have predicted that Eric Dier would have turned out to be the better of the two BM centrebacks?

Dier, Kim, and Upamecano as their CBs. It's a low bar!

[Fromola]

Is it just me? Everytime  I’ve watched a game where Jude Bellingham is playing, he’s not looking anything special at all.

Haven't seen them much at all this season but it's the Real Madrid effect, it's rare they ever play well, even though they get results.

Only player who's been consistently class for them going back a long time is Modric (probably Benzema as well and at least in terms of goals Ronaldo with his Haaland impression).

[Haggis36]

Who’d have predicted that Eric Dier would have turned out to be the better of the two BM centrebacks?

Bayern spent €175m on Kim, Upemecano and De Ligt and they're all shite....

[Peabee]

Every challenge is "nothing" to Macmanaman. If someone had their legs snapped he'd claim there's nothing in it. 

[Tonyh8su]

Popped out for 3 minutes and Madrid equalised. Football is so different and enjoyable to watch when are a true neutral.

The way McManaman commentates on both teams you’d swear he grew up in Madrid and came through their academy with his mates and then ended up on a free to Liverpool. Shocking.

[Wabaloolah]

What on earth is that pen camera angle?

so you can see the track of the ball right off the foot. I didn't used to like it but prefer it now

[Buster Gonad]

Bayern spent €175m on Kim, Upemecano and De Ligt and they're all shite....

True. Their defending in the last few years has been atrocious as a result

[DonkeyWan]

Tell you what, Kane has been fucking shit tonight as well.

[Raid]

Good shout from Fletch on the lack of VAR interference this evening. Breathe of fresh air.

Helps with good officials too of course

[Hazell]

Ref has been brilliant

He's stood and delivered tonight.

[Fromola]

Good shout from Fletch on the lack of VAR interference this evening. Breathe of fresh air.

Helps with good officials too of course

Less it's used the better the game is, unless the ref has missed something blatant there's no need for it.

[Peabee]

Could we contract those match officials to the PL please?

[Wabaloolah]

McManaman chats an incredible amount of shite

can't stand listening to him or Carragher, you could be forgiven for not realising either ever played for our club

[smicer07]

He's stood and delivered tonight.

Dick.

[Dougle]

Ref has been brilliant

 MOM for me.

[Wabaloolah]

Less it's used the better the game is, unless the ref has missed something blatant there's no need for it.

it helps when you don't have clearly biassed PGMOL officials too

[Fromola]

can't stand listening to him or Carragher, you could be forgiven for not realising either ever played for our club

The Bootle effect.

[crewlove]

I'm such a Turpin fan. His matches are refereed rather well most of the times.

[Buster Gonad]

I'm such a Turpin fan. His matches are refereed rather well most of the times.

He was AdamAnt about letting the game flow

[theredguy03]

Quite enjoyed the Bayern Real match. At the Bernabeu Real have home advantage but anything can happen in the 2nd leg!

[oldman]

Enjoyable game with none of the cheating and diving on every contact that you get in the premiership

[MonsLibpool]

Quite enjoyed the Bayern Real match. At the Bernabeu Real have home advantage but anything can happen in the 2nd leg!

It's like it's 0-0 and they have 1 legged semi at the Bernaneu which is the impact of removing away goals.

Winner takes all.

[Ray K]

Football can be great at this level when (a) you don't really care who wins and (b) the refs aren't putting their thumb on the scales like in every PL match.

[oojason]

Highlights & full match replays: https://old.reddit.com/r/footballhighlights/comments/1ch0a9e/bayern_munich_vs_real_madrid_uefa_champions

10 minute highlights: https://hoofoot.com/?match=Bayern_Munich_v_Real_Madrid_2024_04_30

[MonsLibpool]

Football can be great at this level when (a) you don't really care who wins and (b) the refs aren't putting their thumb on the scales like in every PL match.

This should be normal

A ref that doesn't want to be the centre of attention. Refreshing, isn't it?

[Fromola]

Football can be great at this level when (a) you don't really care who wins and (b) the refs aren't putting their thumb on the scales like in every PL match.

Most big Premier League games and all anyone talks about afterwards is VAR.

It's less of a factor in the CL, although shit stain that it is, it can still rear its head. Games are on the whole officiated far better.

[kop306]

really enjoyed that game

[elkun]

Musiala is a real talent. Was really good tonight. I’ve watched Bellingham now against City and Bayern. Nothing special at all. The english media would let u believe hes the second coming of Messi. I wonder if he’ll cut it in the PL or just become another Sancho.

[Ray K]

Musiala is a real talent. Was really good tonight. I’ve watched Bellingham now against City and Bayern. Nothing special at all. The english media would let u believe hes the second coming of Messi. I wonder if he’ll cut it in the PL or just become another Sancho.

Bellingham is a good player, you don't score 21 goals in your first season in Spanish football before your 21st birthday without having something about you. But he might just be a really good no. 10/ attacking midfielder.

But Toni Kroos was on a different fucking level to him and every other player out there this evening. He gave an exhibition on how to play central mid.

[ScouserAtHeart]

How is Toni Kroos still playing so well?

If only Stevie'd been a better salesman over the phone 10 years ago...

[Tokyoite]

Imagine how Bayern feel about losing Kroos .
Should have just paid whatever he wanted, guy is one of the best in the world.

[rob1966]

Is it just me? Everytime  I’ve watched a game where Jude Bellingham is playing, he’s not looking anything special at all.

I thought it was just me as well. Not seen a lot of him but when I have, he's never impressed me, not like Vinicius for example.

[The North Bank]

Bellingham has done nothing away at city and Bayern, harsh to judge on two of the most difficult away games in europe.
Hes beaten barca in the last minute twice, and was decent at home against city

[Scottymuser]

Musiala is a real talent. Was really good tonight. I’ve watched Bellingham now against City and Bayern. Nothing special at all. The english media would let u believe hes the second coming of Messi. I wonder if he’ll cut it in the PL or just become another Sancho.

Thats got to be a wind up, right?  You have watched him three times, against probably the 2 best midfields in Europe (outside of Real), and you think thats enough evidence to think he is "nothing special at all"?  Lets be clear - it was the Spanish press that have been hyping him up - 16 (non-pen) goals and 4 assists from a midfielder (even one playing as advanced as he has) in 2110 mins is incredible (so one every 105.5 mins); and backed up by 4 goals and 4 assists in 816 mins (at one every 102).  Doing all that whilst being 20, playing in his first season in a new (foreign league), for a team that finished 10 points behind a mediocre Barcelona team before he came in - and transforming them to win La Liga at an absolute canter.

Compare him, say, to Foden, who many would agree should be considered for PL Player of the Season.  He is 3 years older, at a club he has been at for his entire career (so knows how they play, there is no language barrier, etc etc) and is a much better team overall - and from 2518 mins he has 16 goals and 3 assists at a marginally worse rate (109.5 mins).  In the CL he has been better (681 mins for 5 goals and 4 assists) - but they came against marginally easier opposition than Bellinghams - 8 of his goal involvements came against RB Leipzig, Young Boys, Red Star and Copenhagen (and only one against Real) vs Leipzig/Napoli/Union Berlin/Braga.  I'd say his season has been more impressive than Foden's given the circumstances.

[SvenJohansen]

Borussia Dortmund telling it like it is. Calling out clubs owned by nation states. I always like Patrik Berger 
Pity LFC and the rest of the PL don't call it out. From an article in getfootballnewsfrance.


" ‘WE ARE NO LONGER PLAYING AGAINST FOOTBALL CLUBS’ – DORTMUND REVEAL WHY THEY HATE PSG

May 1, 2024
An animosity will await Paris Saint-Germain as they return to Signal Iduna Park to face Borussia Dortmund. The two teams had already met in the Champions League group stages, but tonight’s meeting, in the semi-final, promises to have more at stake.

For the French champions, this is a moment the club have been waiting for. It is a season where all the pieces feel as if they’re coming together at the exact right time, and there is a sense that this year could be their chance to claim the crown they’ve been desperately searching for.

While in Germany, it will be a story framed in a very different light. To the Bundesliga club, tonight will be about a battle for the soul of football, as Dortmund’s general manager Hans-Joachim Watzke said in November, “We no longer play against football clubs but against states. We play against Qatar, which is the main owner of PSG, and against Saudi Arabia, which is the main shareholder of Newcastle.”

A sentiment that the fans of the club have carried into this match. Surveyed by RMC Sport, the Dortmund faithful were clear on what they thought of Les Parisiens, “We don’t really like them here. I find their players arrogant.” Or as the journalist Patrick Berger of SkySports explained to the French paper, “Here, people are very proud to win on their own. Thanks to the local environment, local sponsors, fans… There would be great pride in beating a team like PSG, backed by a state.” "

GFFN | Nick Hartland

[oojason]

Borussia Dortmund telling it like it is. Calling out clubs owned by nation states. I always like Patrik Berger 
Pity LFC and the rest of the PL don't call it out. From an article in getfootballnewsfrance.


" ‘WE ARE NO LONGER PLAYING AGAINST FOOTBALL CLUBS’ – DORTMUND REVEAL WHY THEY HATE PSG

May 1, 2024
An animosity will await Paris Saint-Germain as they return to Signal Iduna Park to face Borussia Dortmund. The two teams had already met in the Champions League group stages, but tonight’s meeting, in the semi-final, promises to have more at stake.

For the French champions, this is a moment the club have been waiting for. It is a season where all the pieces feel as if they’re coming together at the exact right time, and there is a sense that this year could be their chance to claim the crown they’ve been desperately searching for.

While in Germany, it will be a story framed in a very different light. To the Bundesliga club, tonight will be about a battle for the soul of football, as Dortmund’s general manager Hans-Joachim Watzke said in November, “We no longer play against football clubs but against states. We play against Qatar, which is the main owner of PSG, and against Saudi Arabia, which is the main shareholder of Newcastle.”

A sentiment that the fans of the club have carried into this match. Surveyed by RMC Sport, the Dortmund faithful were clear on what they thought of Les Parisiens, “We don’t really like them here. I find their players arrogant.” Or as the journalist Patrick Berger of SkySports explained to the French paper, “Here, people are very proud to win on their own. Thanks to the local environment, local sponsors, fans… There would be great pride in beating a team like PSG, backed by a state.” "

GFFN | Nick Hartland