Yanks Abroad Champions League All PBP [R]

Red card for Monaco a couple of minutes into the half. It was bad contact, but I thought unfortunate since the Monaco player seemed to be going for the ball and the PSG player poked his leg in and got caught on the shin. Harsh way to go down a man, but probably a red I guess. This game's probably over now (along with Balogun's hat trick dreams).

 

At least this was a foul with some contact and not 100% playacting.

 

Him + Danny Ward in goal at Leicester may be the worst CB/GK duo I’ve seen at the top level in 20 years.

 

In the other "Yank game", Musah is a DNP in a 0-2 loss away to Dortmund.

edit: I guess the 4th game was technically "a yank game", however, Wynder was not on the bench for Benfica who lost 0-1 at home to Real Madrid.

 

Setting up the pins for today's matches ...

Leverkusen visiting Olympiacos - Tillman is on the bench.

Atletico Madrid visiting Club Brugge - Johnny is on the bench.

 

Tillman, Johnny, AND Pulisic all on the bench this afternoon?

What, do they WANT me to do more actual work??

 

Tillman played ~26' in a 2-0 win over Olympiacos
Johnny got brought in for a stoppage-time cameo in a 3-3 draw with Brugge.

 

The Champions League KOs return with four matches today, four tomorrow. The YA matches are spread out, so we can discuss them here together or in each player's separate thread.

Today

12:45 PM (all times ET) Atletico Madrid v Clubb Brugge (3-3 aggregate)

3:00 PM Bayer Leverkusen v Olympiacos (2-0 aggregate)

Tomorrow

12:45 PM Atalanta v Dortmund (0-2 aggregate)

3:00 PM Juventus v Galatasaray (2-5 agrregate)

3:00 PM PSG v Monaco (3-2 aggregate)

Johnny starts!

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Sorloth bullies his way down rte 1 and surprises Mingolet with a snap shot that manages to beat him.

1-0 in Madrid.

 

Wow, that was amazing!

 

Old-fashioned Route 1 - assist to Oblak, the goalkeeper.

 

really powerfully struck, but also, 29 year old Mingolet probably would've had it covered. Not *great* keeping

 

Brugge equalize off a corner!!

edit: it's technically Johnny's man who put the ball in the net, but the announcers are assigning more blame to the defender at the near-post, who was able to flick it on to the goal scorer.

Still... not ideal!

 

Barely a minute after the restart, Brugge force an incredible point-blank reaction save from Oblak off a diving-headed shot. We've got a game now

 

Closer to ideal if Johnny learns his lesson on Atletico's dime, not ours.

The second half should be exciting.

 

half-time at 1-1 (4-4 on agg). Very exciting match.

 

Also, the commentators also noted that the goal scorer had been off the pitch receiving treatment prior to the corner, and had been waved back on just a few seconds before it was taken, so Johnny might have been forced to switch at the last second. It did seem like a bit of a hight disparity WRT the marking assignments.

I don't think that fully absolves Johnny (the scorer was in a ton of space), but it helps explain how he could've lost track of his mark.

 

GOLAZO JOHNNY!!!!!

 

off a corner, Brugge clear the ball out, and it falls to Johnny who controls it and then strikes it beautifully from about 20 yards out.

First CL goal, first Atleti goal, and it puts his club in front!!!

 

Very nice goal! Excellent strike!

 

His goal celebration needs a little work. Additional practice may help.

JOHNNY!!!! 😍😍😍

2-1 ATLETI ❤️🤍 pic.twitter.com/Vab6MYEmk3

— Atlético de Madrid (@atletienglish) February 24, 2026