UEFA Champion's League 2013/14

[sussexpob]

Real Madrid v Bayern
Atletico v Chelsea

Bayern (Ronaldo injured, would still back them even if he was fit though) and Atletico (presuming Courtois plays) for me.

Bayern v Real is a game I wouldn't want to call, and Athletico don't have the overall quality to beat Chelsea

You say that they don't have the overall quality to beat Chelsea but Atletico beat Chelsea 4-1 in the 2012 Super Cup with 10 of their current squad members. They beat Real twice at the Bernabeu in 2013 and are unbeaten in 5 games v Barca this season so they definitely can compete with the best. Both sides will fancy their chances though and it's obviously going to be difficult with the 2nd leg in London.

Simeone has done well on a method of defensive stability, and tactical nous. His team are not that great, despite two or three very good players (two of which are currently injured, don't know if they will play against Chelsea or be 100% match fit).

The truth is that Simeone wants teams to attack him and exploit the counter attack, but in Mourinho he faces not only a person who can out-tactic god, but he also plays the opposite of a tactic that Athletico exploit. Atheltico want you to bring your full backs forward (Chelsea play stopper fullbacks, and Ivanovic particularly never gets forward) and exploit the space, but Mourinho trusts his midfield creative outlet to provide the quality without committing bodies.

In short, Simeone wants Chelsea to play a different style to him to make his style work, otherwise it comes down to quality.... and Athletico simply don't have the man for man quality to beat Chelsea imo.

Another thing is Chelsea have only conceded one goal at home in 4 months, and that was an unimportant consolation goal!!! If they score away I think they end the tie

[budgetmeansbudget]

Real Madrid v Bayern
Atletico v Chelsea

Bayern (Ronaldo injured, would still back them even if he was fit though) and Atletico (presuming Courtois plays) for me.

Bayern v Real is a game I wouldn't want to call, and Athletico don't have the overall quality to beat Chelsea

You say that they don't have the overall quality to beat Chelsea but Atletico beat Chelsea 4-1 in the 2012 Super Cup with 10 of their current squad members. They beat Real twice at the Bernabeu in 2013 and are unbeaten in 5 games v Barca this season so they definitely can compete with the best. Both sides will fancy their chances though and it's obviously going to be difficult with the 2nd leg in London.

.... and Athletico simply don't have the man for man quality to beat Chelsea imo.

Agree that man for man they don't match up with Chelsea, but having watched them quite a bit this season, they are a high class team who play extremely cohesive football. They do start from a defensive base and look to bring teams onto them but they are also very effective going forward in their own right, hunt for the ball very effectively when they don't have it and rarely let a pass go astray. They certainly seem to have got the upper hand in games with Real and Barcelona this season which is a top achievement. I'm not sure Chelsea have anywhere near as cohesive a team, but they certainly have the more experienced manager.

[dan08]

Atletico haven't lost a game this season when their usual back 5 of Filipe, Miranda, Godin, Juanfran, Courtois plays. Only time they've lost is when 1 or 2 of those are injured/rested.

[sussexpob]

Cant take much note of their domestic form tbh. La Liga is increasingly becoming a joke league apart from 2 or 3 sides, and even Barcelona are in a relative freefall of decline. Even then, Real gave them one nastly beating, and one comprehensive 2-0 victory in back to back weeks.... they also played Barcelona ravaged by injury and couldn't beat them at the middle point in the year.... Barcelona played Fabragas up front for that.

The whole league is in debt to their eyeballs. Only recently it was pointed out that an EU study into tax debts highlighted that, should the EU pass a decree that the state forces La Liga teams to pay their accumulated tax debt, and they are set to apparently do this as part of the Eurozone bail out for Spain, you would probably be left with the current top 4 plus Getafe and Elche left after the bankruptcy cases hit the fan.

Quite shockingly that top 4 is only just going to survive in the form of Real Soceidad because they already went bankrupt a few years back and had to start again, and that they sold their top player to Real for 40 Mill Euro's. In fact, their performance in spain considering the paper thin budget rather points out the truth in the story..... they managed to get Canales from Valencia, a top rated youngster who everyone in the world tried to sign 4 years ago, for 3.5million when Valencia defaulted on their 69mill government loan and were effectively taken over by their local council who started to asset strip them.

5 years ago Valencia were 4th in La Liga with Villa, Mata and David Silva as the three up top... they bought a quality player in Banega who cost 20 odd million, and who earlier this year they had to loan to Newell's Old Boys in Argentina because they cant even afford his wages. They lost Soldado too, in fact, they lost virtually everyone!!! Their only signing of note recently was to take a 35 year old Seydou Keita from a middle table Chinese team on a free.

Its easy to look organised in a poor league, but the truth is that Barcelona have had a horror year with Messi being injured for a long time, Martimo taking over and struggling, a transfer ban, tax evasion accusations, two sacked presidents...... Real have made this team look average twice.

And I guess the final thing I would say is, look at Sociedad's Champions League performance.... one goal in six matches in a division which was labelled a pretty average one

[Aidan11]

Like to see Athletico win the trophy just to have somebody different from the big clubs.

[budgetmeansbudget]

Cant take much note of their domestic form tbh. La Liga is increasingly becoming a joke league apart from 2 or 3 sides, and even Barcelona are in a relative freefall of decline. Even then, Real gave them one nastly beating, and one comprehensive 2-0 victory in back to back weeks.... they also played Barcelona ravaged by injury and couldn't beat them at the middle point in the year.... Barcelona played Fabragas up front for that.

The whole league is in debt to their eyeballs. Only recently it was pointed out that an EU study into tax debts highlighted that, should the EU pass a decree that the state forces La Liga teams to pay their accumulated tax debt, and they are set to apparently do this as part of the Eurozone bail out for Spain, you would probably be left with the current top 4 plus Getafe and Elche left after the bankruptcy cases hit the fan.

Quite shockingly that top 4 is only just going to survive in the form of Real Soceidad because they already went bankrupt a few years back and had to start again, and that they sold their top player to Real for 40 Mill Euro's. In fact, their performance in spain considering the paper thin budget rather points out the truth in the story..... they managed to get Canales from Valencia, a top rated youngster who everyone in the world tried to sign 4 years ago, for 3.5million when Valencia defaulted on their 69mill government loan and were effectively taken over by their local council who started to asset strip them.

5 years ago Valencia were 4th in La Liga with Villa, Mata and David Silva as the three up top... they bought a quality player in Banega who cost 20 odd million, and who earlier this year they had to loan to Newell's Old Boys in Argentina because they cant even afford his wages. They lost Soldado too, in fact, they lost virtually everyone!!! Their only signing of note recently was to take a 35 year old Seydou Keita from a middle table Chinese team on a free.

Its easy to look organised in a poor league, but the truth is that Barcelona have had a horror year with Messi being injured for a long time, Martimo taking over and struggling, a transfer ban, tax evasion accusations, two sacked presidents...... Real have made this team look average twice.

And I guess the final thing I would say is, look at Sociedad's Champions League performance.... one goal in six matches in a division which was labelled a pretty average one

All that said they've still got more sides in the semis than any other nation!!

[andy]

fianlly UEFA have stepped in and are allowing Courtois to play without Athletico having to pay a fee!!!

also IMO Courtois is better than Cech!

[SaintPowelly]

fianlly UEFA have stepped in and are allowing Courtois to play without Athletico having to pay a fee!!!

That is NOTHING close to whats happening. UEFA have said nothing close to the sort, they have have confirmed there is no rule against Courtois playing, NOTHING to do with the cash, that is a matter between the 2 clubs.

[andy]

no UEFA have said that it's against UEFA laws to make athletico pay the fee. The fee stands if it was a domestic game (same league) but they have said that the fee dosen't matter in this compeition, and that athletico don't have to pay.

[SaintPowelly]

Athletico would be sued if they don't pay, because they have a contract, its not in UEFAs jurisdiction

[budgetmeansbudget]

Like to see Athletico win the trophy just to have somebody different from the big clubs.

I want Chelsea to win because they're an English club and I want our clubs to do well so we can maintain our 4 qualifying spots. After that I'd take Real because I like the way they play and I want to see a Brit player succeed abroad. Then Athletico because I admire what they've achieved on fairly limited resources compared to the big guns. And lastly Bayern as I have no real fors or againsts for them.

[dan08]

To everyone that's posting, it's "Atletico" not "Athletico".

[sussexpob]

Athletico would be sued if they don't pay, because they have a contract, its not in UEFAs jurisdiction

Indeed, it's a contractual matter for the two parties

[Aidan11]

To everyone that's posting, it's "Atletico" not "Athletico".

They've paid Chelsea £5m to use the "h".

[andy]

Chief executive has now said, that Courtois can play without them having to pay the fee as well now!