UEFA European Football Forum

My 1/4 draw prediction:
Bayern - PSG
Arsenal - Real
Atleti - Dortmund
Barca - City

Probably a good thing. If Inter got through this round, they'd likely have been able to rest players before every CL game.

I think over the two legs and considering the whole season, the better team went out. Tonight Inter was far from its best version and not cynical enough (both tonight and in the first leg). Big let down for the nerazzurri, this season felt like a good chance, with some of the usual suspects not in the best form and the league title already secured.

Overall this is a competition of details and luck, last season a weaker Inter was lucky against Porto in the round of 16 and then it went all the way to the final.

Lorric wrote: ↑Wed Mar 13, 2024 23:49 Probably a good thing. If Inter got through this round, they'd likely have been able to rest players before every CL game.

Good point.

PSG is in a similar, not as good as Inter, position (10 pts lead with 9 games to go).

Lyonnais wrote: ↑Wed Mar 13, 2024 22:54very enjoyable Atletico-Inter game.

I agree, both sides played good football. I was expecting a completely different kind of match.

Clubs qualified to 1/4 final of Champions League
Spain: 3 clubs
England, Germany: 2 clubs each
France: 1 club
Italy: none

So, Italy is at this moment leading the country coefficient ranking for this season, but is the only Top5 country that has no clubs in the top 8 of Europe.

Nice football evening.

Dortmund did the job in Terzic style, it doesn't look sexy all the time, unlike what Dortmund did in the past under Klopp or even Tuchel, but for this squad it works perfectly in the CL (unlike in the Bundesliga). After a great group win over PSG, Milan and Newcastle they now eliminated a highly praised team that plays very well in their league and also in some CL games before. It was of course an easier draw for BVB, but a deserved one when you win such a group. And usually they get PL teams like City right away.

I didn't expect Inter's elimination as they are very consistant in their league and also in KO ties under Inzaghi. For sure they benefited from the easy path in the previous season (I wish Bayern or even BVB or RBL would have gotten a path like this), but for me it looked like they improved and could be a dark horse. Is the old Atletico back or is Inter a bit overrated after making it to the CL final? Good for Italy that there are two other competitions, especially the ECL is like a jackpot for them ranking wise.

Second legs (second week) attendances

Dortmund - PSV 81,365
Atlético de Madrid - Inter 69,196
Arsenal - FC Porto 60,257
Barcelona - Napoli 50,301

Serie A on fraud watch

Here's some crazy stats for you:

Manchester City have won all 8 games.

Manchester City have scored 3 goals in all 8 games. 3-0 X1, 3-1 X5, 3-2 X2. Only 1 clean sheet is very surprising.

Tonight, the only real surprise in the 1/8 finals is the passage of Atletico. In the derby of the round of 16, Inter missed too many chances, Atletico surprised and deservedly eliminated the strongest Italian team this season. Congratulations to Atletico!

Qualifications to the QF in the last 5 seasons


Bayern and Man City are the only clubs to make the Grand Slam


11 - ENGLAND
Man City (2020-21-22-23-24)
Chelsea (2021-22-23)
Liverpool (2021-22)
Arsenal (2024)

10 - SPAIN
Real Madrid (2021-22-23-24)
Atletico (2020-22-24)
Barcelona (2020-24)
Villarreal (2022)

8 - GERMANY
Bayern (2020-21-22-23-24)
Dortmund (2021-24)
Leipzig (2020)

4 - FRANCE
Paris (2020-21-24)
Lyon (2020)

4 - ITALY
Inter (2023)
Milan (2023)
Napoli (2023)
Atalanta (2020)

3 - PORTUGAL
Benfica (2022-23)
Porto (2021)

WS marks - Update after the Round of 16

Marks in KO rounds count twice
Average of the best 5 marks


Top 10

8.59 Phil Foden (Man City, AMR, 23, ENG)
8.58 Kylian Mbappé (Paris, FW, 25, FRA)
8.56 Harry Kane (Bayern, FW, 30, ENG)
8.41 Antoine Griezmann (Atletico, FW, 32, FRA)
8.30 Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid, AMC, 20, ENG)
8.25 Bukayo Saka (Arsenal, FWR, 22, ENG)
8.25 Joao Cancelo (Barcelona, DR, 29, POR)
8.19 Mikel Merino (Real Sociedad, MC, 27, ESP)
8.19 Galeno (Porto, AML, 26, BRA)
7.99 Mats Hummels (Dortmund, DC, 35, GER)
etc.


Best XI

....................................... K.Mbappé (Paris) ...........................................
............ Galeno (Porto) - J.Bellingham (R.Madrid) - P.Foden (Man City) ................
....................... M.Merino (R.Sociedad) - M.Odegaard (Arsenal) ........................
D.Raum (Leipzig) - M.Hummels (Dortmund) - Marquinhos (Paris) - J.Cancelo (Barcelona)
...................................... G.Kobel (Dortmund) ...........................................


U21 Players

8.30 Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid, AMC, 20, ENG)
7.93 Jamal Musiala (Bayern, AMC, 21, GER)
7.88 Xavi Simons (Leipzig, AMC, 20, NED)
etc.


Best per club

8.59 Phil Foden (Man City, AMR, 23, ENG)
8.58 Kylian Mbappé (Paris, FW, 25, FRA)
8.56 Harry Kane (Bayern, FW, 30, ENG)
8.41 Antoine Griezmann (Atletico, FW, 32, FRA)
8.30 Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid, AMC, 20, ENG)
8.25 Bukayo Saka (Arsenal, FWR, 22, ENG)
8.25 Joao Cancelo (Barcelona, DR, 29, POR)
7.99 Mats Hummels (Dortmund, DC, 35, GER)

8.19 Mikel Merino (Real Sociedad, MC, 27, ESP)
8.19 Galeno (Porto, AML, 26, BRA)
7.91 David Raum (Leipzig, DL, 25, GER)
7.68 Nicolo Barella (Inter, MC, 27, ITA)
7.65 Johan Bakayoko (PSV, AMR, 20, BEL)
7.50 Kvicha Kvaratskhelia (Napoli, FWL, 23, GEO)
7.38 Kamil Grabara (Copenhagen, GK, 25, POL)
7.32 Luis Alberto (Lazio, MC, 31, ESP)

Imagine the same final at Wembley again Unfortunately very very unlikely, one of them (Bayern) would be fantastic already, and even for them it would be unexpected after all the struggle under Tuchel . Okay, there is one big favorite (City) and for the rest a lot depends on the draws, so lets see. 8 big names are left, some more PSO's incoming?

No Serie A teams among the last 8, but UEFA give them 5 teams next season. Nonsense. With a team playing a tournament only from next season there is no reason to not have individual rankings for the three competitions: UCL, UEL, UCoL.

Lyonnais wrote: ↑Thu Mar 14, 2024 12:15 WS marks - Update after the Round of 16

Marks in KO rounds count twice
Average of the best 5 marks


Top 10

8.59 Phil Foden (Man City, AMR, 23, ENG)
8.58 Kylian Mbappé (Paris, FW, 25, FRA)
8.56 Harry Kane (Bayern, FW, 30, ENG)
8.41 Antoine Griezmann (Atletico, FW, 32, FRA)
8.30 Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid, AMC, 20, ENG)
8.25 Bukayo Saka (Arsenal, FWR, 22, ENG)
8.25 Joao Cancelo (Barcelona, DR, 29, POR)
8.19 Mikel Merino (Real Sociedad, MC, 27, ESP)
8.19 Galeno (Porto, AML, 26, BRA)
7.99 Mats Hummels (Dortmund, DC, 35, GER)

Beautiful. 4 of the top 6 English, including 1st.