Topic: UEFA Champions League. Klopp's got a semi

[gjr1]

https://draw.inker.fun/#/cl/ko

I got -

Roma v Man City
Lyon v Dortmund
Schalke v Barcelona
Liverpool v Real Madrid
Tottenham v Porto
Ajax v Juventus
Atlético v Bayern
Man United v Paris

That’s pretty cool draw simulator. Fyi Liverpool got Barca. We were first out of the hat

As for reality... no team jumps out and you think oh no, not them... they’ve all got a defeat in them

[Lazy Gun]

Real may suck just now, but they always seem to dramatically improve for the CL KO stages.. that, and they are bunch of diving cheating bastards. 
Porto or Bayern please.

[LallanaInPyjamas]

Bayern please. Super Cup aside, can't recall ever playing them in my lifetime, and they're a shadow of their former selves. I don't think they've got the legs to cope with our pressing if we're on it.

Avoid Juve & Barca and we'll have done well though.

[Flaccid Bobby Fowler]

I'd fucking love Real. Im sure every one of our players would love them too. Especially over two legs and not because they may not be the same level as years gone by, but purely for the CL final. Imagine the atmosphere before that home leg and during the match, Imagine Mo in that game at Anfield... 

[Larse]

Bayern for different reasons.

1. Dont think we have played them in UCL yet, at least I can't remember
2. Its not to far away from me and I might get tickets for the Munich leg .
 3. I think we would comfortably beat them. They couldn't even handle Ajax offensive speed, don't know how they are supposed to handle our front three.
4. Big game for Klopp, playing against his former rival  (and big game for Shaq as well

Real for QF please.

[roots99]

Went up to 14th for now but United might surpass us. No matter, we'll catch up in the spring. 

Making up a 20 point deficit to get into the first pot is a big ask though, I don't think it will happen this year even if we go all the way.

This site is much better than the UEFA one: https://kassiesa.home.xs4all.nl/bert/uefa/data/method5/trank2019.html
It updates almost immediately and is much better explained.

It's unlikely LFC will be in pot 3 next year in my opinion. PSG, Juve, Porto, Barcelona/Atleti/Sevilla/Madrid, BVB/Munich will provide 5 of 6 pot 1 league winners -- they are all in the top 13 above us. The CL champs, and maybe the Europa champs, will also be a high ranked team.

Take those out and Liverpool are already in pot 2. City or Liverpool to claim Eng's pot 1 place. If City, that's another team gone and Liverpool move up again.

We'll probably overtake Shaktar (a point away) unless they go v deep in the Europa and we don't in the CL - another place. Arsenal/Roma might not be in the competition - more places.

Plus there are only a few threats from behind.
United are close but look set not to qualify. Chelsea and Napoli would have to go very deep in the Europa while Liverpool fall early. Spurs are not too far away.

All in all, it would take a pretty unlikely set of results for LFC to be in pot 3 again. Getting rid of the 13/14 season has really helped. 

[redk84]

Want Madrid...

Or Bayern would be good otherwise

[BobPaisley3]

I want the weakest team left in it as it probably gives us more chance of getting through.

[SMASHerano]

Porto, Real, Bayern, Dortmund, Juventus, Barcelona.

In that order.

[Uncle Ronnie]

I want the weakest team left in it as it probably gives us more chance of getting through.

Can't get Man Utd this round unfortunately.

[scouseman]

just tried the draw simulator above and we got a reunion with Juve, United got PSG spurs got Dortmund

[BobPaisley3]

Can't get Man Utd this round unfortunately.

[v2krules]

So, both City and Atleti nuke each other out in the round of 16, no one goes through?

Yes if it's possible . I cound't decide that game. Both are strong and just as likely to go through. So didn't bold either

Porto, Real, Bayern, Dortmund, Juventus, Barcelona.

I don't think people are watching Barcelona play. Their general game play is very slow and poor. Attack has no direction. The only thing making them threatening is their individual brilliance and they have 4 of them who could change the game any moment (Messi, Suarez, Coutinho, DEmbele). Good as they are I wouldn't put them ahead of Juventus.

[wige]

Weakest please. Which I see in order as:

Porto
Bayern
Madrid
Dortmund
Barca/Juve.

[Sharado]

Atleti, Lyon and Roma for City, Spurs and United.

[Jm55]

Atleti, Lyon and Roma for City, Spurs and United.

United and Spurs both finished second so that’s not possible.

[Felch Aid]

Atleti, Lyon and Roma for City, Spurs and United.

Spurs and United finished runners up so its similar to ours save for Juventus and Barca?

[FLRed67]

Doesn't really matter who we get, because whether we get to the quarter finals will depend on us, not the other team.

If we play like we did against Napoli and PSG at home, we will have a good chance of progressing, regardless of the opposition.

And if we play like we did against Napoli and Belgrade away, we will most likely get kicked out.

That's why I'm not really a fan of these  "Oh my gosh, I hope we avoid (insert name of European club here)" sentiments. It makes us seem nervous and afraid. 

The reason Real win it every year, even though they aren't all that good, is because they fear no-one. They stay cool let the opposition beat themselves.  As we did to ourselves in Kiev. I despise them, but I do admire that quality they have. We were the same in our heyday.

[deFacto please, you bastards]

Doesn't really matter who we get, because whether we get to the quarter finals will depend on us, not the other team.

If we play like we did against Napoli and PSG at home, we will have a good chance of progressing, regardless of the opposition.

And if we play like we did against Napoli and Belgrade away, we will most likely get kicked out.

That's why I'm not really a fan of these  "Oh my gosh, I hope we avoid (insert name of European club here)" sentiments. It makes us seem nervous and afraid. 

The reason Real win it every year, even though they aren't all that good, is because they fear no-one. They stay cool let the opposition beat themselves.  As we did to ourselves in Kiev. I despise them, but I do admire that quality they have. We were the same in our heyday.

You need some luck along the way, for all their quality experience etc... we gifted them two goals and had our best two players injured [Salah and Ox]

I am not concerned about the away performances, they happened for various reasons imo, I trust in the manager and the players to rectify that going forward, as they other issues in the past.

It's logicial to want the lesser sides first so we have a better chance to go further, no Liverpool supporter is deluded to think that we won't face top class opoosition, you think we look nervous? Have you seen us at Anfield? Why would the atmosphere at Anfield be so crucial and important if we didn't believe in us? There's a reason sides shite themselves when they come to play us, it doesn't mean we will win every game at Anfield, but if anyone seemed nervous or worried about who we played, playing at Anfield would never be a factor.

Liverpool Football Club and it's supporters never fear anyone in Europe, especially in the CL, at Anfield.  We proved it so many countless times, we've beaten and eliminated top class opposition through out our history.

[Cu Chulainn]

Doesn't really matter who we get, because whether we get to the quarter finals will depend on us, not the other team.

If we play like we did against Napoli and PSG at home, we will have a good chance of progressing, regardless of the opposition.

And if we play like we did against Napoli and Belgrade away, we will most likely get kicked out.

That's why I'm not really a fan of these  "Oh my gosh, I hope we avoid (insert name of European club here)" sentiments. It makes us seem nervous and afraid. 

The reason Real win it every year, even though they aren't all that good, is because they fear no-one. They stay cool let the opposition beat themselves.  As we did to ourselves in Kiev. I despise them, but I do admire that quality they have. We were the same in our heyday.

It's not a case of being afraid, it's more like recognising that some teams - whether due to their quality, their style, or a bit of both - pose more of a threat than others. Personally, I'm fine with anyone apart from Juventus, but even Juventus, I believe we could beat; just that they'd be the most stubborn team to beat, and have a habit of getting through in Europe despite not playing well, like against Spurs last year.

[Brain Potter]

I feel we are a good enough team so as to not be dependent on a favourable draw to progress. Having said that I’d like Porto but would prefer to avoid Juventus more for all the shite that would go with us playing them.

[alonsoisared]

Incredibly exciting looking draw. Porto would be the ideal but who cares. We know we can beat anyone at this point.

Home leg first suits us as well, I think. By February I think our attacking flow will have returned and we can get the big damage done at Anfield and then show that new found steel on the road, with the great potential of nicking a killer away goal or two. We did that brilliantly against City and Roma last year. Can't wait to see who we get!

[RedSince86]

1st attempt.

[AndyMuller]

I got Juventus.

The team I don't want to face anytime soon.

[blacksun]

1st attempt.

I like that draw, not just ours either the entire draw. Can we have this one please?

[farawayred]

1st attempt.

Well, a picture makes it official then, no question.

[vicar]

1st attempt.

I got us v Porto too on the first go, but as the last one out of the draw. Its an omen! Also Utd Dortmund, but City Ajax.
Would settle for that.

[andy07]

We are a bettter team than any of the teams we could face so we fear nobody.   That said logic states that Barca and Juve are the strongest of the potential opponents.  Porto or Bayern please.

[stevieG786]

Liverpool vs Barcelona

Ajax vs Porto

Romavs Man City

Schalke vs Paris

Tottenham vs Bayern

Lyon vs Dortmund

Man United vs Real Madrid

Atlético vs Juventus


I got this in the simulator

[nash_av]

Tried the simulator twice and both times got Real Madrid.
Porto/Bayern please and Man utd vs dortmund + City vs Atletico would be good.

[Dench57]

The Guardian have us out in the quarters with City reaching the final. Should we even bother?

https://www.theguardian.com/football/who-scored-blog/2018/dec/14/champions-league-predictions-knockout-stages-last-16

[SteveZissou]

I don't like playing weak teams as it could be a banana skin like the Belgrade experience. i'd rather we get a big name team that's particularly suitable for us. Bayern is perfect. 2nd choice is Real Madrid as we will give 200% to set the record straight. Will be an absolute cracker that.

[elsewhere]

Does anyone know much is UEFA looking for for the teams to draw Porto? I looked at the official website and couldn’t find any information.

[keyop]

The Guardian have us out in the quarters with City reaching the final. Should we even bother?

https://www.theguardian.com/football/who-scored-blog/2018/dec/14/champions-league-predictions-knockout-stages-last-16

By the Guardian's standards that's an awful piece of analysis. They've based their conclusions on the stats, goals, and performances in the group stages, without properly acknowledging the context. Some teams that did well in easy groups are predicted to go further than teams in difficult groups that qualified the hard way. It states that we were in the 'group of death' this year, but then highlights that we only scored 9 goals at this stage compared to 23 last year (no shit Sherlock - we had Sevilla, Spartak Moscow and Maribor last time....).

[SteveZissou]

The Guardian have us out in the quarters with City reaching the final. Should we even bother?

https://www.theguardian.com/football/who-scored-blog/2018/dec/14/champions-league-predictions-knockout-stages-last-16

All media analysis like this is absolute rubbish. Let me give you a proper analysis:

Progress is largely influenced by the draw, so it's impossible to make predictions. It's not about which team is the best. This is not a league. Certain teams don't like playing against certain systems/styles of play, and this is how the draw can make a difference... as well as various other outside factors influenced by league form and injuries. Who's going to win the UCL? My answer: Nobody knows. Nobody can know.

[has gone odd]

whoever we get I do hope the return leg is at anfield, always a belting night when its all to play for.

its probably the strongest last 16 ive seen for a long time to, no matter who we play it will be tough. real are at their weakest just now, their golden hour has near enough passed, time for new challengers.

[SamAteTheRedAcid]

whoever we get I do hope the return leg is at anfield, always a belting night when its all to play for.

its probably the strongest last 16 ive seen for a long time to, no matter who we play it will be tough. real are at their weakest just now, their golden hour has near enough passed, time for new challengers.

We're at home first, its the way it works when you finish second. So you can hope, but its not happening.

[him_15]

Real or Bayern please. Would love to avoid Juventus and Barcelona.

[has gone odd]

We're at home first, its the way it works when you finish second. So you can hope, but its not happening.

bah, ah well, I learnt something new today there!

[elsewhere]

I actually don’t mind Juve that much, i feel like Bayern despite a terrible showing in Bundesliga, will be a big theead in CL.