2023/2024 CL (and UYL) Group E: Feyenoord - Atlético - Lazio - Celtic

[matt]

The turning point was the marginal offside against Lazio at home and then conceding late, small margins at this level

In my opinion Celtic were clearly the worst team of the group, "what if"? aside. Goal difference confirms it too. They are a team more suited for the EL/ECL, like Rangers.
I'm curious to see how will Celtic or Rangers perform next season with the new format. 24th-30th out of 36 teams is where i instinctevely would put both of them.

Adding to your now edited post it depends on the draw and who qualifies. Celtic and Rangers domestic restraints financially do mean they are now suited more to the EL and ECL but I'd rather lose all my games against the best than fighting against the lesser teams.

Italian teams shouldn't be beating us by the odd goal, they should smash us like we do most of the other Scottish teams.

Yes, i criticized Lazio many times here. They are nowhere near to a CL round of 16 level.

[Lubomir25]

In my opinion Celtic were clearly the worst team of the group, "what if"? aside. Goal difference confirms it too. They are a team more suited for the EL/ECL, like Rangers.
I'm curious to see how will Celtic or Rangers perform next season with the new format. 24th-30th out of 36 teams is where i instinctevely would put both of them.

Adding to your now edited post it depends on the draw and who qualifies. Celtic and Rangers domestic restraints financially do mean they are now suited more to the EL and ECL but I'd rather lose all my games against the best than fighting against the lesser teams.

Italian teams shouldn't be beating us by the odd goal, they should smash us like we do most of the other Scottish teams.

Yes, i criticized Lazio many times here. They are nowhere near to a CL round of 16 level.

Even with that the Italian teams have never really demolished Celtic despite the gap continuing to grow. It's not just Lazio

[Firnen]

Prediction

1. Atletico Madrid
2. Feyenoord
3. Lazio
4. Celtic

Lazio got 2nd thanks to their late goals. I'm not convinced they were better than Feyenoord, but they were certainly more efficient.

[aekFC4everNEW]

Prediction

1. Atletico Madrid 11-14 points
2. Lazio 9-12
3. Feyenoord 6-9
4. Celtic 4-7

On point prediction, as expected.

[Dragonite]

UYL:


Congratulations Feyenoord!


At half-time they were losing 0-2 in Scotland, but recovered and won 3-2. Then they had to wait for Atlético vs Lazio, that started one hour after Celtic vs Feyenoord, to know if they would get the first place or not.

Lazio won in Spain, so Feyenoord got the first place!

And Lazio didn't help just Feyenoord, they also helped themselves, and with the win avoided the group's last place.

Now Atlético will play in Netherlands against title holder AZ Alkmaar.

It will be the sixth time that Atlético plays the UYL playoffs against the teams coming from the domestic path. They were eliminated in the first by Midtjylland in 2016, and advanced in the following four against Altinordu in 2017, Zeljeznicar in 2018, Rangers in 2020 and Hadjuk Split in 2022.

UYL Prediction:
1. Atlético
2. Feyenoord
3. Lazio
4. Celtic

I was right about the top 2, Lazio third and Celtic last, but wrong about Atlético winning the group.


CL:


Congratulations Celtic!


Their winless streak of 15 CL matches is finally over!

Not enough to avoid bottom of this group anymore. But at least enough to have a 100% improvement compared to their previous CL participation.

It's interesting that the villain in round 1, Lagerbielke, was now the hero in round 6. In Netherlands he was sent off, now he scored the winner!

Prediction:
1. Atlético
2. Lazio
3. Celtic
4. Feyenoord

I was right about Atlético first and Lazio second, but wrong about Celtic finishing third above Feyenoord.

[Polak]

1. Atletico Madrid
2. Lazio
3. Feyenoord
4. Celtic

One of the two groups I got completely correct. For me it was obvious Celtic would finish bottom, it's what they do most of the time in the CL for quite a while now, if they can qualify for it. Atletico Madrid had a poor group stage last year but generally they qualify without issues. I expected them to do it once again this year, and they did. The question for me was where Lazio and Feyenoord would finish. I didn't think Feyenoord had quite the quality needed to go further in the CL and they didn't. In the EL they might go further. In the CL they would probably have been knocked out immediately.