Seems like Olympique Lyon is still in quite a bit of financial trouble and supposedly has to sell players for the amount of 30m € in the winter break. I always thought that Lyon was one of the most sound clubs in European club football. Did missing the Uefa Champions League twice really mess up their financial situation that much? It's even more disappointing as they're playing fantastic football with talented young players at the moment. That's just sad.
Lyon might be a financial sound club but if you pay wages and transfer fees like a CL club (they spent a lot of money the years before) and don't quality for it then you do get into trouble in the long run without a wealthy owner. Werder Bremen for example just reported a loss of 13,5m € and that's a club with a smaller budget. One shouldn't underestimate what a few years of CL football can do to the wage structure of a club.
I hope Leverkusen ask for 35m euros. Or maybe they will only make proper transfer demands and play kiss arse to any other big club.
I'll be cheering for BVB vs Real. I hope they can at least walk away with a draw, which will be gigantic. I don't think they can win, this real side means business even if they havent found their stride yet, but if BVB can withstand the first 15 minutes and score, its a draw.
If Real Madrid fail. It will be said that with their 2nd galactico era they falter at the first sign of a top team... When was the last time they have been in a final? You would think because every year they have a circle jerk about them and their fans with their heads far up their ass about how great they are.... You would think they would be in the finals every year Yet this generation falls at the first tough team, every time...
Am I the only one that thinks that BvB can win this game ?? Of course it'll be a tough game, but this current Real Madrid team is one of the most overrated teams ever ...
Yah I know it was kind of rethorical This generation have flopped since 2002.. I am sorry but they're massively over hyped every season they all have circle jerk about them.. Bayern schooled them last season... They were lucky to even take it to penalties in the first place with the amount of clear cut chances we had... Mancity schooled them and nearly beat them this time, Dortmund schooled them last match and they can do it again tonight... The one common factor is their midfield gets overrun cuz their front 4 is some of the laziest pre medonas in football... Whatever..
The one thing that's totally changed about this Mourinho team is the defense. It's not very good. The only great defensive players they have are Pepe, Casillas. Marcelo is one of the best left backs in the world but even he has issues defending along with the several of their offensive players not tracking back enough.. which also explains why they're so good on the counters since when they win the ball back, they have 2-3 players already at the opposite side of the field. Anyways I would absolutely love it if Dortmund win today, just because it's Madrid.. and watching them fail would be glorious.
Madrid's biggest problem is that they don't defend as a team. You can't win the CL if you have 4 offensive players who contribute nothing to the defensive. They are a very un-Mourinho like team.
Who plays LB for Madrid? Marcelo and Contrao should still be out. I hope it would be Essien again Ozil Ronaldo, Benz/Higuain, Kaka, and Di Maria to an extent are used to formation where zero defensive responsibilities are expected of them. So they need a monster workaholic in CM. Nowadays with more teams deploying 4-2-3-1 as against 4-4-2, It makes the midfield overworked everytime. I doubt makelele alone can even cope with a 4-2-3-1 playing opposition like he coped in the early 2000
REAL MADRID (4-2-3-1): Casillas; Ramos, Pepe, Varane, Arbeloa; Alonso, Modric; Di Maria, Ozil, Ronaldo; Higuain DORTMUND (4-2-3-1): Weidenfeller; Piszczek, Subotic, Hummels, Schmelzer; Gundogan, Kehl; Gotze, Reus, Grosskreutz; Lewandowski
Sadly is. Would have liked to see him but I guess that's good for Dortmund. I've my doubts that Modric and Alonos will be that stable.
Without a doubt but its better to reach and win them than to make final after final and just lose, especially when you're considered the heavy favorite in so many of them.