Champions League upcoming fixtures [R]

Rover · 03-09-2005, 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arelius

Luxemburgo blows a 1-0 agg. advantage to go crashing out of the Champions League. He is going to feel the heat now!

It can't take the sting out of Barca's loss yesterday, but Real's collapse helps a little.

So much for the Spanish and Catalan Giants. If Inter can send off Porto next week, it's the Italian clubs that have the numbers, even with 2/4 English clubs surviving.

Even with results not working out for Barca, it's been entertaining. Great, competitive soccer.

Czar Jake · 03-10-2005, 01:17 PM

Agreed, great soccer, and Forza Italia!!! Will it be an all-Italian final again like 2 years ago??

Arelius · 03-10-2005, 03:26 PM

No Spanish sides left. Hmmm, interesting in light of Ronaldinho's prediction that all four English sides would bow out of the competition.

After the first leg of this recent round of 16, and the poor showing of almost all the English sides, the pundits in England were bemoaning the decline of English football in relation to the rest of Europe....

What a different a fortnight can make. Now, its the Spaniards that can reflect on their sudden exit from the competition and their supposed decline in the sport.

Its funny how commentators will make generalizations like this.

Anyway, as it stands, two of the four English sides went through to the quarterfinals. There are presently also two Italian sides (possibly three, depending on what happens next week).

Also, there is a Dutch side, a German side, and a French side that went through.

So, to use the pundits same logic, we would have to say now that English and Italian football is presently dominant on the continent.

What a crock to use a side’s showing in this competition to extrapolate how a country’s football fares in relation to other countries.

Arelius · 03-10-2005, 03:28 PM

Another observation: Beasley is getting quite an education over there:

Czar Jake · 03-10-2005, 03:46 PM

And yet everyone always talks about the decline of Serie A and how they have lost their place as the elite league... Well they do very very well in international competition! (except Roma 🙁 )

SoccerPrime · 03-11-2005, 05:57 AM

Well it would really mean something if the English sides had more English on them. I think Chelsea has 2 English players.

AreliusII · 03-15-2005, 12:12 PM

Now its time for commentators to question Spanish clubs’ ability to compete in Europe:

http://www.goal.com/NewsDetail.aspx?idNews=51692&progr=0

AreliusII · 03-16-2005, 04:01 PM

Now, this is the kind of logic commentators of the Champions League should be using: Even if we flop, we’re still great…

http://www.keralanext.com/news/?id=150962

You gotta love this quote (unless your Czar Jake):

“'So exactly where is the good football being played?' is a question I'd like answered by the critics of English football. Have you watched Italiano footy? Great if you like napping but rarely sets the pulse racing. It can be skilful, sure, but that's like someone telling you that working out a quadratic equation is more exciting than watching Sabbath playing War Pigs. One might be more intelligent and complex than the other but I know which one is going to make me feel immortal.”

AreliusII · 03-16-2005, 04:07 PM

On the other hand, we have the Italians saying that their recent form in the Champions League proves how good their calcio is:

http://www.noticias.info/asp/aspComunicados.asp?nid=52461&src=0

…And of course, Portuguese football is on the decline…

Czar Jake · 03-16-2005, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AreliusII

Now, this is the kind of logic commentators of the Champions League should be using: Even if we flop, we’re still great…

http://www.keralanext.com/news/?id=150962

You gotta love this quote (unless your Czar Jake):

“'So exactly where is the good football being played?' is a question I'd like answered by the critics of English football. Have you watched Italiano footy? Great if you like napping but rarely sets the pulse racing. It can be skilful, sure, but that's like someone telling you that working out a quadratic equation is more exciting than watching Sabbath playing War Pigs. One might be more intelligent and complex than the other but I know which one is going to make me feel immortal.”

I think that's a funny quote, actually. It seems so insecure, like they want to admit Italian Calcio is the best out there, but they are trying their best not to.