Can anyone stop real madrid?

[lond2345]

who can stop them? they are playing soccer from another galaxy!

[kevbrunton]

Short answer -- NO -- definitely not in this stage -- nobody to threaten them among AEK Athens, Genk & AS Roma.

The only one that I might have mentioned as even taking any points against them is Roma at home, but they've already blown that.

We'll see how the next stage draws out -- then MAYBE.

[Spartak]

Originally posted by lond2345
who can stop them?
Ronaldo will stop them. He will ruin their chemestry and they will crash out of the second group stage. Or at least I hope so ;)

[appoo]

that was a fake AS Roma team with their best attackers injured or suspended. AC Milan has very good balance with Maldini and Nesta in the back, and Rui Costa, Rivaldo, and a red hot Filippo Inzaghi in the attack. IMHO, I think they will provide the biggest road block to Real and the Cup.

[RuiJorge2002]

Originally posted by appooOnU
that was a fake AS Roma team with their best attackers injured or suspended. AC Milan has very good balance with Maldini and Nesta in the back, and Rui Costa, Rivaldo, and a red hot Filippo Inzaghi in the attack. IMHO, I think they will provide the biggest road block to Real and the Cup.

I agree completely. At this stage, the only team that looks like it could put a stop to Real would be AC Milan. The only problem with Milan is that a couple of key injuries could send the whole season on a downward spiral. Real has a very deep bench, and I think that's one of the biggest reasons that they're so successful over the long haul.

[Jawz10]

Defensively, yes, Milan are short on options, but offensively an injury could be a blessing in disguise as it would help the coach to avoid conflicts of interest amongst the many attacking options he has. Consider this, Andriy Shevchenko, the clubs leading scorer the last 3 seasons and in some circles considered one of the best if not THE best striker in the world is on his way to recovery from a knee injury. And he won't miss the chances Inzaghi does.

[kevbrunton]

AC Milan aren't in the same group, so they're not going to stop them anytime soon.

If you're talking longer term or the overall competition, then you'd have to include Arsenal in the list of teams that could give Real a game.

I know Arsenal doesn't have the tradition in the CL, but they sure seem to be playing well.

Also, I'd hesitate to count ManU out and I'd expect Bayern Munich to rebound from only taking a point in their first 2 games. They'll both be there in the next stage.

[Clan]

The Arse made quite the statement today stuffing PSV, in their own gaff yet, and coupled with their fine domestic form without GVB and Pires in the middle, could well givew them a run for the money.

[mnthunder]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by kevbrunton


I know Arsenal doesn't have the tradition in the CL, but they sure seem to be playing well.


I agree, Arsenal is one of the few teams in the CL that could challenge Real in the latter stages. They are also one of the few teams that could continue playing at a high level after and injury or suspension.

[Casper]

Yes, someone can beat them.

This is soccer. Particularly in the home-and-home stages where a couple of breaks / mistakes can completely change the outcome, they can be beaten.

[n00bie deluxe]

No Ronaldo, no Zidane, no Makelele.

No problem.

Like I said, the B team is better than most starting teams in all of UEFA. But it's still early, and the home and home ties are tricky. Anything can happen. The major challengers are Barca, Valencia, AC Milan, and Arsenal, but Real is still king of the hill, and they are the best until someone can prove otherwise.

[acmilan_barcelona]

the only teams that will shoot down real will be barca and ac milan, both teams are impressive though missing some of thier top players with injury, barca-overmars,patrick anderson, dani, ac milan-roque junior, super sheva and don`t rule out the return of redondo and danish right full back helveg. shevechenko has already resumed running and should be back pretty soon to form the most prolific front line in europe reminiscent of the gullit-vanbasten-savicevic-massaro-boban-donadoni golden days of the late 90`s.

don`t rule out juventus among the top contenders and may be the gunners. depor`s defeat doesn`t rule them out to.

[thepremierleague]

Arsenal are much better than Barcelona.

Milan need another good performance to see how good they really are.

[soccerfan220]

I hate to say it but AC Milan. Other possibilities are Inter, Arsenal, and Valencia, as well as Bayern. But I think the CL is up to Milan and Real this year. WHat a final that would be.....

[Azabache]

Madrid looks fine, but the way they play depends on ball controlling and dictating rhythm. If they play against a negative side like Inter (Cúper knows how to do Madrid), which will not play nor let Madrid play, then they'll have problems. I haven't figured out this year's Milan yet, so I don't know how they will do against Madrid. They did add ball handlers like Seedorf (who certainly knows Madrid) and he's started well.
Arsenal is an unknown quality in this competition. Like Madrid, theirs is a control game, but if their backs are against the wall, their counter is deadly. Few in Madrid can keep up with Wenger's rabbits. The main problem, of course, is Madrid's attack. Besides Campbell and Cole, no one in the Arsenal backline can handle Madrid's front and attacking middle.
But Madrid's transition from the back is suspect, and if Patrick Vieira decides that Makelele is not to supplant him in Les Bleus and denies him, then Del Bosque would have a distribution problem. Helguera can certainly do it, but that would mean leaving Hierro alone with Bergkamp and Henry....
This is sexy.

[thepremierleague]

Real Valencia

Arsenal Man Utd

Milan Juventus

Outsiders Bayern (if they qualify)

Nobody else will win it.

[The Pikey]

Originally posted by appooOnU
that was a fake AS Roma team with their best attackers injured or suspended.

I suppose it was a "fake" Roma squad against Bologna, Modena, and AEK as well...

[Etcheverry's Mullet]

Originally posted by The Pikey


I suppose it was a "fake" Roma squad against Bologna, Modena, and AEK as well...

This is true...they haven't showed very well all year long, but Real had them looking absolutely ridiculous. That had to be the ugliest CL performance by a club from the top four countries in Europe (england, italy, germany, and spain).
Actually, Leverkusen hasn't been setting bench marks for pretty football.

[Quake87]

earthquakes for sure

[morenolsen]

I would say that Real is the cream of the crop, and I also think that Milan is the best challenger. Nothing groundbreaking here...everybody more or less agrees on both accounts.