just check that Depay is injured and probably will miss the match against Juventus. Ronaldo's lady luck is back. He may smash some goals against Lyon( 8th place at Ligue 1) and will be ballon dor top 3 next year. Unbelievable.
Forget top 3. He can be Ballon D'Or period if Juve win the CL or Portugal win Euro. At least one of those two is kind of likely to happen to be honest.
Really doubt that Portugal will win euro. Juventus is a serial choker. And if Inter wins over them at seriea,he can not be the winner but top 3 maybe. He will score goals in ko round against Lyon and media will hype him enough
Early predictions: Man City - Real Madrid I think they are stronger all around. LPB could give them a run and are better in the back but I think English teams are generally much stronger than people realize. I'm fairly confident City advance. Like 80%... I think City would also beat us comfortably so this is not me irrationally hating LPB. Although I do hate them. When you put things in perspective, City hasn't really been in as bad of a form in the EPL as Liverpool have been in amazing godly form. No team can keep pace when you drop points in 1 match halfway through the season. Juventus - Lyon Juve easy. Total beatdown especially with no Depay but beatdown either way to be honest. Liverpool - Atletico Honestly this is one of the supposed mouth-watering matchups but Liverpool will win easily. Atleti aren't in good form, they can't find a way to score goals, and there is just no fear in other teams' eyes facing them. Bayern Munich - Chelsea Chelsea will give them more trouble than people think and could even take this one. I don't trust Bayern considering their massive struggles in Bundesliga but if both teams play close to their best, Bayern has way more firepower and a more balanced squad. Ultimately they will go through but it won't be easy. Valencia - Atalanta Valencia got this. Boring match-up. RB Leipzig - Tottenham Kane and Son both in great form plus Mourinho will inspire them. I don't think I can imagine Spurs losing this. PSG - Dortmund If Neymar stays healthy (big if) this could be PSG's year to win it all. Nobody is really taking them seriously. They are almost kind of a dark horse and with their talent it makes them extremely dangerous. Icardi gives them yet another good attacker. Dortmund plays no defense. PSG's goalkeeping is better with Navas. I think they will finally progress to the QF even without Neymar. Barcelona - Napoli Saved the best for last. I'm not sure we can win but I believe. We have Messi and a team starved for CL success. We should play with a no-lose mentality. We've already choked big leads in the CL so it can't really get worse. Lot of people predict us to lose this. Let's win instead!
Don't sleep on Leipzig. They haven't lost in all comps since 10/26. Six straight BL wins, they and Dortmund play each other next, in Dortmund.
Enough depth to beat Burnley at home on the weekend while still resting everyone for the Madrid match that comes up 3 days later. I mean, I agree that Pep won't mail-in the league in early March. But will he be willing to do some heavy rotation for a couple of league matches when they're 15 points behind Liverpool anyway? That certainly seems possible (likely).
Let me rephrase that then. Pep has depth on defense, but they are all shit including the 1st choices. I mean, he is using Fernandinho as starting CB.
The interesting thing with this season's CL is everyone has fairly major problems, except Liverpool. As shit as City's defense is, they haven't allowed that many goals this season despite playing both 2nd-choice CBs for a good chunk of their matches. I mean, you just said it was worrying how LPB only allowed 12 league goals. I'm sure City would be at around that level too if Laporte played every match as Otamendi is solely responsible for a good 3-4 goals already this season.
Man City - Real Madrid Assuming Laporte is not back. Aguero I guess will. For Madrid Hazard should be back. Madrid still can play a more counter attacking game and hurt Man City IMO. If Laporte is back I think that changes things. Although he fuked up big time vs Spurs last season. Juventus - Lyon Should be simple for Juve. Liverpool - Atletico Atletico can't score, plain and simple. Still solid on defense but Liverpool should be too much for them. If the get Cavani as some rumors are circling around that could make things more interesting but still wouldn't be enough. Bayern Munich - Chelsea Probably a close tie but Bayern should take it. Valencia - Atalanta The attacking Italian side vs the defensive Spanish side. Role reversal here. Gonna go for Atalanta just on gut. RB Leipzig - Tottenham Experience should play a role here. PSG - Dortmund PSG I think are going to get better as the season goes on as long as they don't have injuries. They can't mess up again... Can they ? Barcelona - Napoli I think Barca will struggle but ultimately go through. Won't be surprised with an upset here though. Napoli have some fast players who can hurt our midfield/defense.
Sounds like Hazard will be out for just a couple more weeks. Then again, the way his Madrid career is going, maybe that's too soon - leaves more time for him to get injured again before late-Feb.
BELOW in italics are the odds by bookies and the 538 computer on TUESDAY, before match 6 started, followed by current odds and any witty comments I can come up with: City - 3:1 odds to win it all; 24% chance by 538 now 4:1 (still 1st) but still 24% (1st) , and 70% (4th best) to advance to quarters, so almost worth a bet Barca - 6; 9% now 5.5 (3rd) but only 8% (5th) & 72% (3rd best) so worse as a bet despite our draw, bad bet Liverpool - 6.5, 10% now 4.75 (2nd, jumped Barca) and 13% (3rd) and 68% (6th) so a tough-ish draw doesn't really dim prospects PSG 7.5, 8% now same 7.5 (4th) , but 11% (also 4th) and 69% (5th) Bayern 8, 19% --- this is the best bet to make if you believe the computer still 8:1 (5th) and a great bet, 20% to win (2nd) and 76% to advance (1st) - by far still the best bet, computer must like their CL dominance, and is mostly ignoring their domestic troubles Juve 12, 4% - now 13:1 despite easy draw (6th), 4:1 to win (7th) and 74% to advance (2nd) Real 16, 7% - biggest hit in all ways, now 20:1 (tied for 7th), 5% win (still 6th) and only 30% to advance (13th worst of 16) Spurs 22, 3% - now 20:1 (tied 7th), 2% (tied 9th-11th) and 44% (9th) Atleti 25, 3% - also a big hit now 35:1 (9th), 3% (10th), and only 32% to advance (11th) Chelsea 33, 3% - also a hit at 50:1 (11th), 2% (tied 9th-11th), and only 24% to advance (dead last at 16th) Ajax 40, 2% -----OUT!!!!!!!!!!! Napoli 40, 1% - big hit at 100:1 (13th-15th), less than 1% (also 13th-15th), and 28% to advance (14th) RB Leipzig 50, 3% - a riser at 45:1 (10th), 4% (tied 7th), and 56% (8th) BVB 80, 1% - now 66:1 (12th), 2% to win (13-15th), and 31% to advance (12th) Inter 80, >1% ------OUT!!!!!!!!!! everybody else less than 1% to win and 200:1 or longer odds in this order 200 Lyon, Valencia; 250 Salz; 300 Zenit; 500-1000 all others not already eliminated Lyon, Valencia and Atalanta made it Lyon 250:1 (dead last, 16th), under 1%, and only 26% to advance (15th) Valencia 100:1 (13th-15th), under 1%, but 43% to advance (10th best) Atalanta also 100:1 (13th-15th), but 1%, and 57% (7th best). Key takeaways, only 2 draws are toss ups to the computer Atalanta-Valencia, and RB Leipzig-Spurs; the rest are at least 2/3ds in favor of the favorite, with Pool - Atleti next at 68% - 32% and PSG-BVB the next closest at 69% - 31%, followed by the ones we will all watch City-Real 70-30, and Barca-Napoli 72-68.
City haven't even been that bad. It's just Liverpool who's been insane in the league. For example, if we win the Clasico we will be 11 points behind Liverpool with 17 matches played. They are on pace to shatter the 100-point barrier. In fact currently they are on pace for 110 points!
It has nothing to do with Liverpool's pace. City hasn't been as good as City from last couple of seasons. They have had a worst start than Pep's first season in EPL. Pep looks out of it in press conferences.
Because City the last 2 seasons has been INSANE. They literally had the two highest point finishes in EPL history and now Liverpool is on pace to shatter that record by like 10 points. City despite their "horrid start" is on pace for a 78-point season which is actually very good. Liverpool is on a historic roll and it makes them look bad.
Anyone's predictions changing after the 1st leg? I predicted Valencia but now I think Atalanta will got through after a 4-1 win. Valencia would need 3-0 or better. Don't think it will happen. Also predicted Tottenham but RB Leipzig is now at least a slight if not solid favorite especially if Son and Kane don't come back for the 2nd leg plus the match will be in Germany. Still very sure Juve and Liverpool will get through despite the first leg setbacks.
Leipzig conceded the first goal in all 3 of the home CL matches so far this season. In 2 of those matches they found themselves down 0-2. So Mou/Spurs will point to that if they need a lift. But Spurs w/o Kane, Son and Ericksen.... My money is on Leipzig for sure.
I'd obviously switch Madrid going through. And yeah .. Spurs. Agree that Juve and Liverpool go through. Juve have a better chance than Liverpool IMO. PSG could be in trouble though. They just don't look good. To be fair, the Haaland signing shifted things as well.
Yea, Portugal only won 3 games in 2016 Euro. Not a single win at group stage, reached semi with shootout and facing Wales in semi , I highly doubt such lucky scenario would be repeated. Then again, Zidane had that kind of luck for 3 straight CL, so I wouldnt write him out either.
No better time than now to update a topic we first discussed a few years ago and continues to be debated. "Away goals rule" in extra-time. My original post... https://www.bigsoccer.com/threads/u...oad-to-lisboa-r.1993034/page-10#post-29359550 1967-1996 251 second leg matches went into extra-time. 135 had at least one goal scored in extra-time: ... 92 (68%) Home advances/victories ... 43 (32%) Away advances ...... 30 Away victories ...... 13 score draws, advance on away goals 116 went goalless in extra-time: ... 15 decided by third match playoff or coin toss (1967-70) ... 101 were decided on penalties (1970-1996): ...... 58 Home won penalties ...... 43 Away won penalties - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - December 1995: Bosman ruling went into effect. February 1996: Restrictions on number of foreign players appearing for clubs in UEFA competitions lifted. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1996-2003 76 second leg matches went into extra-time. 48 had at least one goal scored in extra-time: ... 33 (69%) Home advances/victories ... 15 (31%) Away advances ...... 14 Away victories ...... 1 score draw, advance via away goals 28 went goalless in extra-time and were decided on penalties: - 17 Home won penalties - 11 Away won penalties