Champions League, Europa League & Europa Conference League 24/25

[RG30]

I'm willing to give the new format a go. The group stage had got predictably dull and boring and unless you had a group like Newcastle had last season it was pretty much a foregone conclusion.

Consensus seems to be 16 points should be enough to guarantee top 8, 9 points will get you in playoffs at least.

[Winston Biscuit]

Aston Villa release ticket prices for their Champions League games

£85 - £97

[Winston Biscuit]

3 goals that are all penalties shouldn't count as a hat-trick

#Winstfacts

[Sanguine]

53 goals in 50 games for Bayern, for Harry Kane. Has certainly found his mojo again. Four last night took him past Rooney to become the highest scoring Englishman in the Champions League.

[South Coast Royal]

Great to see Olise doing it on the big stage even if still tinged with disappointment that he is no longer with us.
What an attacking set-up Bayern Munich put out last night with Muller and Sane coming on as subs.

[Sutekh]

Great to see Olise doing it on the big stage even if still tinged with disappointment that he is no longer with us.
What an attacking set-up Bayern Munich put out last night with Muller and Sane coming on as subs.

Olise is the reason we'll have a club until xmas.

[6ft Kerplunk]

3 goals that are all penalties shouldn't count as a hat-trick

#Winstfacts

They should be only if he took one with his right foot, one with his left foot and somehow headed in the third.

[From Despair To Where?]

3 goals that are all penalties shouldn't count as a hat-trick

#Winstfacts

They should be only if he took one with his right foot, one with his left foot and somehow headed in the third.

I saw Trevor Morley scored a penalty rebound with his head, does that count?

[Winston Biscuit]

Unreal save from Raya. One of the best I have ever seen.

I also just learned he joined Blackburn's academy as a 16 year old and played for Southport in the conference.

[Sanguine]

Yeah, that was pretty special from Raya. And he did similar at Villa just a few weeks ago.

https://x.com/343_digital/status/1828828000349225386

[Sanguine]

I think it has immediately become obvious that the lack of real peril driven by the expanded league format is going to test the perseverence of even the most ardent and interested football fans.

Instead of Arsenal's draw giving another club in a four-team group an advantage going into the next round of games, this result is seen as fine for both, in the knowledge that two or three wins and a couple of draws will likely be plenty to see them into the play-offs for the R16.

[6ft Kerplunk]

Raya's double save is getting way overhyped. Not taking anything away from the initial penalty save, that was excellent, but the follow up save is an absolute fvck up by the striker heading it back into the middle of the goal where Raya was rather than into gaping emptiness of the right hand side of the goal.

[6ft Kerplunk]

3 goals that are all penalties shouldn't count as a hat-trick

#Winstfacts

They should be only if he took one with his right foot, one with his left foot and somehow headed in the third.

I saw Trevor Morley scored a penalty rebound with his head, does that count?

No, initial penalty has to be a diving header.

[Pepe the Horseman]

Really enjoying Bodo v Porto. Both defences are shocking.

[Harrison Delbridge]

CeLOLtic

[Sutekh]

CeLOLtic

Wish Tim could do the post match interview with Brendan.

[Harrison Delbridge]

Really enjoying Bodo v Porto. Both defences are shocking.

Kasper høgh my sorare goat

[Sanguine]

Erling Haaland is a real throwback of a player in some respects, isn't he? He's incredibly efficient. Like a 6ft 3ins, blonde Michael Owen in that he really doesn't do very much at all, and then he scores a goal. Last night - jog, jog, jog, walk, walk, jog, through on goal, round the keeper, scores.

He's a phenomenal striker.

[South Coast Royal]

CeLOLtic

Wish Tim could do the post match interview with Brendan.

Not that I have an ounce of care about Celtic but there is no lol from me about their result last night.

They are no better these days than Young Boys or the champs of Bratislavia (1967 is a long time ago when Scotland produced top players) other than having fantastic numbers of support, so once again it is no big surprise when they lose heavily away in Europe again.
For them or Rangers to do any good in any of the European competitions is commendable, especially Rangers with a budget less than Wrexham or even somebody like Oxford.

I do expect them to get the odd good result in some of their home fixtures.

[Sanguine]

Indeed. This is like putting Leeds in the Champions League and then LOL-ing when they lose matches.

Stats fans (i.e. me) will note that there were ten instances of a team scoring four or more goals in last season's CL group stage (96 games). We have had eight already in 27 games so far this season. Bottom the league table is not going to look pretty for some sides by the end of it all.