2023/24 Conference League quarter-finals, semi-finals and final

[Lorric]

Well, Villa indeed followed City and Liverpool through the trapdoor and out. Bad season for England, maybe only West Ham who deserve praise and City were unlucky. So, Villa probably finish 4th and play CL, good season for them, but not fantastic as the English media likes to trumpet it. They're ahead of Tottenham, Chelsea and MU? Big deal, all 3 are disasters.

Liverpool are a strange one. They were well up for it and kicking everybody's ass, then they have one terrible game and threw it all away. But that's how it goes sometimes.

Newcastle almost got out of the CL group of death, which proved even stronger than we thought it was at the time. Pretty happy with them.

Arsenal, can't really complain about a CL quarter final and group win on their return to the competition after a long absence.

Brighton I'm happy with, especially when you see their position in the table, on debut in Europe they won the group of death and were very unlucky for the reward for that to be Roma. The team they beat into 2nd made the semis.

United, utter dross. Looks likely they won't be in Europe next season, and we may well be better off for it.

I'd say it's an underwhelming season rather than an outright bad one. Only United I feel disgraced England. 17.375 is still better than plenty of seasons put up by the other big four leagues. Was compounded by being very unlucky across multiple draws.

[Lorric]

2-0 FT. Final in Greece will be more interesting with them there. Additionally, Olympiakos actually have a couple of English players in their squad, with one, Omar Richards, having played in the Conference League. So hope they win!

Neither were in the squad tonight.

You have an ability to make everything about England that is amazing. You would be able to find a link with England also in a third division Basketball game of the Lithuanian league

My luck has run out for the EL final, but seeing if Leverkusen can make history will make the match interesting.

[Firnen]

2-0 FT. Final in Greece will be more interesting with them there. Additionally, Olympiakos actually have a couple of English players in their squad, with one, Omar Richards, having played in the Conference League. So hope they win!

Neither were in the squad tonight.

Richards was injured for today, Abbey is not in the UEFA list.

[mspm89]

2-0 FT. Final in Greece will be more interesting with them there. Additionally, Olympiakos actually have a couple of English players in their squad, with one, Omar Richards, having played in the Conference League. So hope they win!

Neither were in the squad tonight.

You have an ability to make everything about England that is amazing. You would be able to find a link with England also in a third division Basketball game of the Lithuanian league

Hey, we speaking English to comment on Lithuanian 3rd division basketball.

[Lorric]

2-0 FT. Final in Greece will be more interesting with them there. Additionally, Olympiakos actually have a couple of English players in their squad, with one, Omar Richards, having played in the Conference League. So hope they win!

Neither were in the squad tonight.

Richards was injured for today, Abbey is not in the UEFA list.

Thanks. A pity about the injury. I checked the first leg and he was a half time sub, so hopefully the injury doesn't keep him out of the final. Do you know whether the injury will?

[og2002gr]

Olympiacos totally outclassed Aston Villa.
Defenders where panicked every time El Kaabi or Podence touched the ball, while Oly's defenders managed to clear everything.
In both games English side was presented slower, weaker, with poor quality and unable to respond to their opponents traps.

If "this" Aston Villa played in Greek Superleague they would fight with Aris Thessaloniki for 5th place.
Greek football is much more intense than what AV presented tonight.

[Juliusz]

Second legs attendances

Olympiacos - Aston Villa 33,000
Club Brugge - Fiorentina 26,936

[Firnen]

2-0 FT. Final in Greece will be more interesting with them there. Additionally, Olympiakos actually have a couple of English players in their squad, with one, Omar Richards, having played in the Conference League. So hope they win!

Neither were in the squad tonight.

Richards was injured for today, Abbey is not in the UEFA list.

Thanks. A pity about the injury. I checked the first leg and he was a half time sub, so hopefully the injury doesn't keep him out of the final. Do you know whether the injury will?

There are no details so far, but yesterday the reporters said he might be in the squad so I don't think it's serious.

[TommyChat]

Wings on the feet, heart in the chests
which gave triumphs like fairytales.
They play with art, fearless wolves
and Niki reopens her wings.

[bugylibicska]

Olympiacos v Fiorentina 3.00 3.25 2.15

[bugylibicska]

Well, Villa indeed followed City and Liverpool through the trapdoor and out. Bad season for England, maybe only West Ham who deserve praise and City were unlucky. So, Villa probably finish 4th and play CL, good season for them, but not fantastic as the English media likes to trumpet it. They're ahead of Tottenham, Chelsea and MU? Big deal, all 3 are disasters.

Liverpool are a strange one. They were well up for it and kicking everybody's ass, then they have one terrible game and threw it all away. But that's how it goes sometimes.

Newcastle almost got out of the CL group of death, which proved even stronger than we thought it was at the time. Pretty happy with them.

Arsenal, can't really complain about a CL quarter final and group win on their return to the competition after a long absence.

Brighton I'm happy with, especially when you see their position in the table, on debut in Europe they won the group of death and were very unlucky for the reward for that to be Roma. The team they beat into 2nd made the semis.

United, utter dross. Looks likely they won't be in Europe next season, and we may well be better off for it.

I'd say it's an underwhelming season rather than an outright bad one. Only United I feel disgraced England. 17.375 is still better than plenty of seasons put up by the other big four leagues. Was compounded by being very unlucky across multiple draws.

I salute your patriotism and remaining optimistic, but I see dark clouds over English football. If City gets banned, England won't have a competitive team left in Europe next season. Arsenal might be heralded as the new champions, but they should prove themselves against the elite outside of England. Liverpool after Klopp will be a different story, maybe back to the not so good, old days of "massive dickhead" or will run by another bald head wacko. Aston Villa, you've seen them today, a week before and at Lille. Not good enough! Tottenham, Chelsea or MU are total disasters, only hope rests with Newcastle. Money motivates everyone, but up to a point only. Beyond that point is meaningless. Here's a good read, I think the guy hit the nail on its head:

The Premier League lie has been exposed again in European disaster

"It’s the best illustration of how we are sold an English exceptionalist lie deployed to keep us spending. Players which cost a fortune are regularly beaten by players who don’t. And some commentators are still surprised. And in the studio the pundits all agree, nodding with the sage intellect blessed upon them that yes, that’s why for me, it’s the best league in the world. Ooops we’ve lost. Yeah, for me, it’s the best league in the world. Repeat after me."

https://www.football365.com/news/premie ... -liverpool

[Firnen]

AEK websites are already crying and demanding the stadium of the final changes.

They cannot stomach the idea of tens of thousands of Olympiacos fans invading their neighbourhood and their stadium and marking it forever

[Greyn]

Fully understandable.

This is a painting made by one of Lech Poznań fans made at the stadium of Legia, or to be more precise, at the stand called "Żyleta" for most fanatic Legia fans.



It is "Koziołek Matołek" and the two goats are a symbol of Poznań.



I can only imagine how AEK stadium will look like after an invasion by Olympiacos fans.

[rpo.castro]

Well, Villa indeed followed City and Liverpool through the trapdoor and out. Bad season for England, maybe only West Ham who deserve praise and City were unlucky. So, Villa probably finish 4th and play CL, good season for them, but not fantastic as the English media likes to trumpet it. They're ahead of Tottenham, Chelsea and MU? Big deal, all 3 are disasters.

Liverpool are a strange one. They were well up for it and kicking everybody's ass, then they have one terrible game and threw it all away. But that's how it goes sometimes.

Newcastle almost got out of the CL group of death, which proved even stronger than we thought it was at the time. Pretty happy with them.

Arsenal, can't really complain about a CL quarter final and group win on their return to the competition after a long absence.

Brighton I'm happy with, especially when you see their position in the table, on debut in Europe they won the group of death and were very unlucky for the reward for that to be Roma. The team they beat into 2nd made the semis.

United, utter dross. Looks likely they won't be in Europe next season, and we may well be better off for it.

I'd say it's an underwhelming season rather than an outright bad one. Only United I feel disgraced England. 17.375 is still better than plenty of seasons put up by the other big four leagues. Was compounded by being very unlucky across multiple draws.

I salute your patriotism and remaining optimistic, but I see dark clouds over English football. If City gets banned, England won't have a competitive team left in Europe next season. Arsenal might be heralded as the new champions, but they should prove themselves against the elite outside of England. Liverpool after Klopp will be a different story, maybe back to the not so good, old days of "massive dickhead" or will run by another bald head wacko. Aston Villa, you've seen them today, a week before and at Lille. Not good enough! Tottenham, Chelsea or MU are total disasters, only hope rests with Newcastle. Money motivates everyone, but up to a point only. Beyond that point is meaningless. Here's a good read, I think the guy hit the nail on its head:

The Premier League lie has been exposed again in European disaster

"It’s the best illustration of how we are sold an English exceptionalist lie deployed to keep us spending. Players which cost a fortune are regularly beaten by players who don’t. And some commentators are still surprised. And in the studio the pundits all agree, nodding with the sage intellect blessed upon them that yes, that’s why for me, it’s the best league in the world. Ooops we’ve lost. Yeah, for me, it’s the best league in the world. Repeat after me."

https://www.football365.com/news/premie ... -liverpool

I liked this comment by "Dave":

"Coventry beat Wolves in the FA Cup

this, does this mean the Championship is better than the premier league? No, it’s knockout football. Whilst the Premier League is very strong, it’s not so strong that the teams in it can just sweep away any others. Also, it’s not like teams such as Real Madrid, Bayern Munich or PSG are paupers is it?"

Does winning EL or ECL means so much to most english clubs and people? No.
In CL Premier League has City, had for some time Liverpool, Chelsea in the past, United during Ferguson. Countries having more than 2 real strong clubs year after year are not common. Spain had it but now only Real hold that status, Italy used to be in beginning of the century, now not even a single club, Germany even if Dortmund is crowned champions only Bayern for now holds status of favourite to win CL, so not having a dominance is not signal of failure its just signal of normal status, coming down from exceptional high.

Having a team like Olympiakos beat Aston Villa and reaching the final is amazing, its what we want: proving smaller teams with smaller budgets can compete with bigger ones. If this wasn't possible, we wouldn't need to play, just rank the teams by budget.

But not get fooled like some greek fella there, one thing is knock-out football where a team like Olympiacos or Braga can get to an European final (or teams like Porto or Steaua can be European Champions) other is being champion of a round robin competition, being better than all the other teams week after week during a whole season, not just duelling. Olympiacos won't be the greek champions will they? And Man. United eliminated Liverpool (and I think they didn't lost a match between them this season). Are they better than Liverpool? Just look at PL table.

[eye]

There is also one funny stat. If Olympiakos wins the final will be the first win of a greek club at UEFA competitions at this stadium since AEK didn't win any of the 5 matches that played at current season