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Who do we want in the last 8 of the Champions League?

Monkey boy

Well-Known Member
Jun 18, 2011
6,381
17,040
Maybe we cut them a deal, we’ll roll over in the league for them if they agree to keep it respectable in the CL.
 

Saoirse

Well-Known Member
Aug 20, 2013
6,143
15,550
If you honestly believe that the draws are pure chance and not rigged then please explain this too me because the chances of these match ups coming out as they have in UEFA's favor are so slim. Not trying to argue, I'm genuinely trying to see things from your perspective.

Just to put this out there, I couldn't give a fuck about our match up I believe we can beat anyone on our day. My grievance is with the draw in general.

Where to even begin?

a) UEFA's interests don't lie in the best footballing teams avoiding each other. They lie in the best commercial teams avoiding each other. The last thing they'd want is United vs Barcelona when that's extremely marketable as a semi or a final.

b) These interests haven't always aligned in previous rounds/years either. Again, they would not have given United a tie they'd probably lose last round (and if you think the matches are rigged too - how the hell did Madrid go out? When VAR had the chance to rule out Ajax goals too?). You also certainly wouldn't see Porto vs Roma, guarenteeing a commercially near-useless side in the QF.

c) A lot's been made of UEFA's geopolitical 'interests' too, with the obvious ties to the Qatar bribery with FIFA. If that was influencing things, you'd see them trying to get City knocked out, since they're owned by a state not all that far from war with Qatar. Instead you see them get relatively easy draws two rounds running.

d) So many other cases of football corruption have been leaked. If the draw's are rigged regularly, it's absolutely incredible that they've kept it secret, and that there are numerous "leaks" every time which invariably turn out to be bullshit.

e) It just doesn't add up. Draw rigging would be extremely high-risk. As well as being hugely damaging to the competition in its own right, it would destroy trust that the games and refereeing decisions are genuine too. You could see an exodus of sponsors, huge drops in TV viewship etc. Given that they're so reliant on the Champions League it could feasibly be the end of UEFA. And for what? Happily for them, the bigger teams tend to win through and beat the smaller teams anyway, especially by the time you reach the showpiece SFs and final. You'd have to be insane to take that level of risk to increase their chances in a given round from 60% to 70% or whatever.
 

ardiles

Well-Known Member
Nov 24, 2006
13,228
40,308
The home leg first is a disadvantage, that's why the group winners play the second leg at home in the first knockout round.

Yes, it’s a disadvantage that can be turned into an advantage.

If we can keep a clean sheet at home, then city will have to be wary of conceding at home as they would then have to win the home tie.
 

Dennism

Well-Known Member
Dec 23, 2006
1,225
2,712
I hope the team isn’t as negative and defeatist as everyone on here. If so we might as well not play. Much depends on injuries and how we perform. If we can put out a strong team that plays at its best we have a chance. Obviously if we have a Southampton day or a Burnley day it will be curtains. We know we have a talented team and it is time for them to perform.
 

SE Spurs

Well-Known Member
Aug 12, 2018
2,669
4,760
To be fair, had we got Porto or Ajax, we'd have been favorites, and had a totally different pressure. At least we now have nothing to lose, no ones gonna give us much of a hope anyway. Just give us a clean sheet in the 1st leg, and you never know. :unsure:
 

pablo73

Well-Known Member
Dec 6, 2006
3,978
13,596
Ha ha, they've switched the Utd vs Barca game so that Utd play at home first so it doesn't clash with our game vs City. Couldn't have switched our game instead could they. You could not make this shit up.
 

Archibald&Crooks

Aegina Expat
Admin
Feb 1, 2005
55,533
204,721
Ha ha, they've switched the Utd vs Barca game so that Utd play at home first so it doesn't clash with our game vs City. Couldn't have switched our game instead could they. You could not make this shit up.
No they couldn't have switched our game. And they explained why.
 

Saoirse

Well-Known Member
Aug 20, 2013
6,143
15,550
Ha ha, they've switched the Utd vs Barca game so that Utd play at home first so it doesn't clash with our game vs City. Couldn't have switched our game instead could they. You could not make this shit up.
They literally spelt out how that would work before the draw. United finished lower in the league last season, so their tie is the one that gets moved around.
 

wrd

Well-Known Member
Aug 22, 2014
13,603
58,005
I don't think its rigged but fuck me I'm not half fed up of hearing how magical Liverpool are when 90% of the games they've had in this competition the last 2 years would be better suited to a thursday.
 

George94

George
Feb 1, 2015
3,661
19,454
Disaster.

The absolute worst possible draw.

Fucking hell.

For what it's worth, majority of Liverpool fans were saying this exact same thing after they drew City last year...

Having said that, Liverpool have a much better head to head record against City recently than we do.
 

hughy

I'm SUPER cereal.
Nov 18, 2007
31,842
56,935
Yes it will be on the Tuesday as we play Huddersfield on the Saturday before and then the early kick off against Man City the following Saturday.
Fucking great. Don't even get to go to the first (and possibly last for a while) CL game at the new stadium.

Today can eat shit.
 

JCRD

Well-Known Member
Aug 10, 2018
19,153
30,013
Being home first is a godo and bad thing. Id rather away first and come back to WHL with something to aim for with the crowd etc
 

King of Otters

Well-Known Member
Jun 11, 2012
10,751
36,093
Did anyone else catch Ledders briefly put his head in his hands when the camera cut to him after the draw was made?

The man is proper Spurs.
 

wrd

Well-Known Member
Aug 22, 2014
13,603
58,005
I'm guilty of it too but, if Owen saw this thread, he'd be vindicated wouldn't he.
 
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