Champions League Draw for Last 16

First topic message reminder :

Galatasaray v Schalke

Celtic v Juventus

Arsenal v Bayern Munich

Shakhtar Donetsk v Borussia Dortmund

AC Milan v Barcelona

Real Madrid v Manchester United

Valencia v Paris St Germain

Porto v Malaga

They play some lovely stuff and are undoubtedly talented. But they are also a full team of cheaters. Leaves a sour taste.

And perhaps more annoying is the fact people accept is because they are Barcelona. If Suarez dived half as much as that cheating bunch he'd probably be executed.

GSC wrote:Don't get the hatred for Barca, a club that brings through youth, owned by fans and installs an ethos of attractive football.

Diving, timewasting, badgering the ref, and waving imaginary cards springs to mind.

Barca are not the only team to engage in 'gamesmanship' but they seem to be chastised more than most for it.

**** off Adrian Chiles, nobody finds you entertaining.

Duty281 wrote:

GSC wrote:Don't get the hatred for Barca, a club that brings through youth, owned by fans and installs an ethos of attractive football.

Diving, timewasting, badgering the ref, and waving imaginary cards springs to mind.

Again, this applies to a number of teams.

GSC wrote:Barca are not the only team to engage in 'gamesmanship' but they seem to be chastised more than most for it.

**** off Adrian Chiles, nobody finds you entertaining.

No other team are in the public eye as much, or do it as frequently.

As GSC says Barca are not the only team to do these types of things, yet they are seen as villainous for some odd reason.

Heck my team Norwich do it just as much

Watch a Brighton game.

Barca are to diving what Stoke are to fouling.

It's all about levels are Barca clearly do it more than most. It's embarrassing.

Bayern played really really well tonight, but my god Pirlo and Mark Clatenberg were rotten. Vidal could have been off after 20 minutes, incredible he wasn't even carded until the 70th minute, never seen Pirlo give the ball away so many times either.

Barca, for all their attacking genius, may just be the worst defensive team in the history of "great" teams.

It is odd when a defensive midfielder converted into a centre back, who by all accounts is too short to be a central defender, is better than your other supposedly "world class" central defender.

Barcas defense is in possesion.. If you have the ball thats the best defense possible.

So yes if possesion doesnt work out they are going to clearly be vunerable..

They dont pick defenders to be the best defenders, They pick players that can retain and pass first!

GSC wrote:**** off Adrian Chiles, nobody finds you entertaining.

I do

How can Stoke be compared in terms of discipline?

Aston Villa have the most Yellow Cards this season with 65, and Stoke are behind Arsenal and Man City in terms of Red Cards.

Ill think you will find as well that West Ham are the biggest foulers.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22010825

I thought 'brand Beckham' had died out in this country? I kid you not, the BBC charts one of Beckham's key moments in yesterdays game as "Beckham is the last PSG player to touch the ball before Messi's opener."

Brand Beckham has certainly not died!!

Yeah, but even against Milan in the 4-0 win, without the ball, they werea bundle of nerves. Its no wonder Real Madrid has beaten them three times this year.

9 goals for Ronnie this season. It almost seems ridiculous to think Rooney was once classed with him

kingraf wrote:9 goals for Ronnie this season. It almost seems ridiculous to think Rooney was once classed with him

when rooney burst through i dont think there was too much difference between them, since then though rooney has been declining while ronaldo just kept improving. just shows you where the right/wrong attitude will get you

Nothing to do with attitude Compelling..

Rooneys attitude for playing and training has allways been top notch!

He has been blighted with the odd injury and been shifted around a lot.. But still very good..

Not many players have ever got/get to Ronaldos level. Infact possibly only a handfull- yet 100's seem to have had that potential

will have to disagree mystir, he's been smoking and drinking in off seasons, ive read his favorite meal is burger and chips. he's a typical little englander who thinks he achieved all he needs to do as soon as his bank balance is bulked up. just because he runs round after the ball people think thats a good attitude

ronaldo always had that arrogance and drive to want to prove to everybody he's the best, show boats because of this but is the reason why he improved ten fold while at united while others with similar ability when they came through (i.e nani) havent

I would say that ronaldos talent is only matched or bettered by one or two players in the world. And he has come close to fullfilling it.

But its all opinions isnt it. You may be right. Ronaldos application maybe the difference..

Ronaldo is the most physically talented footballer on the planet.

Rooney just hasn't really progressed. Never taken that step to world class

I think the gap opened after the 2006 World Cup, actually. Gary Neville said before that Ronaldo came back from the resulting break looking like a prize-fighter. Ronaldo was always more inherently talented. Faster, stronger, More skillful, plus he had that growth spurt after joining utd.

Ronaldo, especially recently, is the epitome of professional. Doesnt drink, smoke. Very rarely seen out late, especially in-season. Stable girlfriend (who has her own fortune), To my knowledge, no rumours of extra-relationship affairs. Regular blood donor, so in the absence of proper doping measures, I will use this to accept that he isnt doping.
He has actually matured into a stand-up role model, and all-round general great guy. A great athlete who doubles as a great human being is a very rare combo

A great deal of friends disagree with me, when I say this, but I really dont think Rooney is/was world-class at any point in his career. Dont get me wrong, he is still very good, and on occasion great. But I feel he is behind a great deal more players than people want to admit. Even in Euro 2004, Lampard was the best player for England that tournament. In fact, I think Roo has never been a better player in terms of actual perfomances, than Lampard, or even Gerrard wether in England colours or in EPL.

he has scored something like 15 goals in the Champions League, with 17 assists. The stats simply dont show the hype.

Goetze looking good tonight, such a talented footballer.

Kinggraf I really think you have got them stats completly mixed up- I remember a few months ago him having at least 27 CL goals with a higher percentage of them in the knock out stages than Messi and Roanldo.. His assits also much higher than you have stated.

Rooney has done very well at this level..

It is possible, as I cant remember where I got my stats from. I'll have a lookey

As I a Utd fan I would say Rooney has reached world class once. That was in 2010 I believe when we rushed him back to face Bayern in the 1/4 due to his performances. Bayern targeted him in the first half and basically kicked him and our chances of progressing out of the tie. He was superb in that first half and that season in general. He scored 33 goals that season but apart from that season imo he hasn't reached world class levels.

he got that injury against Bayern and from that point on he wasnt quite the same tbh..

Still a good player and still has a few years to go.. But not a stand out player

Rooney's never really had the drive or ambition to reach the very top. It's sad really, because watching the Rooney of 2003/4 the future really did seem bright for him. I suppose he changed as a player when he joined United, at Everton he was very much an out and out striker who would go on mazy runs and smash goals in from anywhere. At United, he's more of an attacking midfielder who tracks back a lot, passes a lot more and plays behind someone (Van Nistlerooy, Ronaldo, Van Persie etc.).

Real Madrid have strolled into the semi-finals.

Never know comebacks are possible

So that's Real Madrid into the Semi's

Malaga and Dortmund ending 0-0, money is clearly on Dortmund but you never know!

Malaga will feel okay with that result I'd have thought, they got away with it really without conceding an away goal, if they can get one in Germany they'll fancy going through especially if Dortmund finish as badly as they've did tonight.

I think Dortmund are a different animal at home but obviously Malage are in witha chance. They'll need to score early if you ask me because I think Dortmund will start fast and if they get an early goal then they'll win comfortably if you ask me.

Real are through if you ask me. It'll be an intimidating atmosphere for sure but Real just have too much quality. Maybe a score draw or Madrid 2-1.

Yeah Real Madrid are home and dry, if they score one goal away from home, Galatasary have no chance as they'd have to win 5-1.

compelling and rich wrote:will have to disagree mystir, he's been smoking and drinking in off seasons, ive read his favorite meal is burger and chips. he's a typical little englander who thinks he achieved all he needs to do as soon as his bank balance is bulked up. just because he runs round after the ball people think thats a good attitude

ronaldo always had that arrogance and drive to want to prove to everybody he's the best, show boats because of this but is the reason why he improved ten fold while at united while others with similar ability when they came through (i.e nani) havent

Agree on Rooney being a typical Englander, the day after Rooney suffered the nasty gash injury back in August he was in a bar in Prestbury and downed 4 pints within the first hour.

Not sure what an Englander is supposed to be?

Liam wrote:As I a Utd fan I would say Rooney has reached world class once. That was in 2010 I believe when we rushed him back to face Bayern in the 1/4 due to his performances. Bayern targeted him in the first half and basically kicked him and our chances of progressing out of the tie. He was superb in that first half and that season in general. He scored 33 goals that season but apart from that season imo he hasn't reached world class levels.

Was this the season after Ronaldo left, and he was played as a lone striker? I remember him being very good that season and hopes were high going into the World Cup.

hopes wernt high after because he was injured. bayern players targeted him and stamped on his foot.. The perfect german plan. They end up kicking us out of the tourny(with off course the help off a goal that wasnt given an all!)

Very happy for Malaga this morning, a solid performance that gives them a chance of progressing still. Good for them.

Also glad that Galatasaray got a stuffing

Lets set some myths straight, rooneyxscored a lot of goals that season (with many first time finishes) but his all round play was poor and assists dropped greatly.

We went out against bayern as rafael got sent off stupidly and they scored a wonder goal.

Ent wrote:We went out against bayern as rafael got sent off stupidly

So this Nani thing wasn't a one-off? Interesting...

Still cant believe Rooney got the PFA that year. Lampard had statistically one of the greatest seasons by a midfielder in history that year¡ 22 goals, 17 assists.

Regardless, Rooney is a good player, I dont think that there is any doubt of that. But as a striker/forward, he's no Ronaldo/Messi, and down a notch, Suarez, v. Persie. While as a playmaker, he is miles behind Ozil and a small army of 5'6 Spaniards.

Ent wrote:Lets set some myths straight, rooneyxscored a lot of goals that season (with many first time finishes) but his all round play was poor and assists dropped greatly.

We went out against bayern as rafael got sent off stupidly and they scored a wonder goal.

Thats the myth.

the truth is rooney played well in that season and the previous few. Since then he has been struggling with form.. But in that season he played as an out and out striker and he prooved he could take that role on very well.. Its a no brainer that his overall game will suffer. because he wasnt there to give an allround game!!

I see some Real Madrid players deliberately got yellow cards last night so they will be clean for possible semi-finals. I believe Garth Bale did this too against Inter. I think the rules are too harsh. I think if it's a second consecutive card, then there should be a ban, but not like 4 games later. We all want to see the strongest teams playing.

Nothing less than what I would expect from a Mourinho team, though.

But more importantly, exactly what I think they have to do as professionals.