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

[Lorric]

Well, Kane missed his chance about 5 minutes after Davies goal (hit the side netting).
Real was better (and Ancelotti clearly out-subbed Tuchel).
Reload time for Bayern (cue 2011-2012).

He did what he could, but this was a beating. It was barren upfront, 3.29xg vs 0.41 according to Flashscore. Despite these crumbs, he assisted the goal and forced the only save of note out of the keeper with the turn and shot.

[rpo.castro]

I never fancied PSG because Paris and Parisians are too full of themselves. When Qatar arrived it made things worse, they thought they'd be the new kings/emperors of France and walk on Europe. On one side you have Manchester City, also financed by a state, but at least they have been building something, not changing coach every 1.5 year, and getting the right players (Kevin De Bruyne is an incredible player but not "bankable" enough for a club like PSG). On the other side you have PSG that has been transferring "superstars" for marketing purpose only, paying astronomical fees, giving insane salaries and even licking the shit out of their own players (Mbappé and Neymar are first coming in mind). Very often people talk about the club but not for sport reasons.

I didn't give a chance to Dortmund in semi-finals. French media were very condescending with Dortmund, calling them "the 5th club of Bundesliga".
But we all forgot that PSG is... PSG. They will fail when we least expect it. Congratulations Dortmund.

There's a funny thing: UAE or city, took 15 years to conquest their first and so far only champions league, only past season.

If Qatar/PSG wins CL next season, they will get it 14 years after buying PSG. If they win only in 2025/26 they will take same time as City, yet City is considered as better model. Because they have been there for more years after the same thing?

[ultra2013]

Given that Madrid KOed Guardiola FC I would say is deserved if they get the trophy. Anyway a finalist in UCL makea the season worth it in any case. Good Dortmun make the Bundesliga proud.

[rrey1]

Man City is being unfairly picked on.
They haven't spent that much in the last 3 years (look at Chelsea and Man United !). They develop their "own" players (Foden, Palmer). They make the above-average players the best (de Bruyne, Rodri). Much better than PSG who just snag Mbappes, Neymars and Messis for marketing reasons.

[BurningStorm]

Ah ah sore losers! Blame the ref.

Real even go to the VAR screen to cry towards the referee when the situation is clear. They would cry even more in such a situation at the end, but it never happens for them in the CL. We have to wait if it was offside or not. If it wasn't, it's typical Real again and a big scandal. If it's offside I'm glad that Bayern wasn't robbed, but it still would be amateurish from the linesman.

Regarding the game, you are right, Real was better in the 2nd leg, but also lucky with the blunder. Bayern should have won the first leg, where they were better.

I'm happy to see a German team in the final. Unfortunately the chances are not very high to win it. We were so close.

[Lorric]

Man City is being unfairly picked on.
They haven't spent that much in the last 3 years (look at Chelsea and Man United !). They develop their "own" players (Foden, Palmer). They make the above-average players the best (de Bruyne, Rodri). Much better than PSG who just snag Mbappes, Neymars and Messis for marketing reasons.

Sancho, a product of their academy, is in the Champions League final.

[rpo.castro]

Ah ah sore losers! Blame the ref.

Real even go to the VAR screen to cry towards the referee when the situation is clear. They would cry even more in such a situation at the end, but it never happens for them in the CL. We have to wait if it was offside or not. If it wasn't, it's typical Real again and a big scandal. If it's offside I'm glad that Bayern wasn't robbed, but it still would be amateurish from the linesman.

Regarding the game, you are right, Real was better in the 2nd leg, but also lucky with the blunder. Bayern should have won the first leg, where they were better.

I'm happy to see a German team in the final. Unfortunately the chances are not very high to win it. We were so close.

And Bayern don't cry? Don't waste time? Players don't keep falling like leaves in autumn? Wasn't Tuchel and his bench crying for every single thing? Its football?

And there wasn't VAR or a goal disallowed. The play was stopped way before, all Real Madrid players stopped to play. No one knows if it would be a goal or not. And in Real time looked a clear offside to me, I didn't even noticed at first that Bayern kept playing.
But even it was a case of a disallowed goal, some would say that wasn't a "clear and obvious mistake".

Real was better in the combination of both legs.
Against city Real scored at 12 and suffered at 73 or so, and they didn't crumble. They stuck and held 20+30 minutes and won on pks.
Bayern scored on 70 something and then fell apart not much latter. Thats the difference between a champion and a runner up. From the 4 semi finalists, Bayern was the weakest in mentality.

[Sagy]

Bayern robbed. Nowadays sometimes the play goes on even when there's a ridicolously clear offside, he should not have raised the flag for sure in this case.

This was actually a double error. Per the instructions:
1) the AR should have waited with raising the flag.
2) the CR, seeing that the AR raised the flag, should have waited with the whistle until the attacking phase was over.

Not saying that if both either the AR or the CR would have followed the instructions Bayern would have scored (Real players stoped at the early whistle), we will never know. What we do know is that both screwed up.

[rrey1]

Being up 1:0, Bayern wasted two great counterattacks (could not make the "final" pass). Tuchel was dumb with subs and tactics (why not use Davies more, he "owned" Rudiger on the left). Bayern has no right to claim "robbery", they lost entirely by themselves.

[rpo.castro]

Man City is being unfairly picked on.
They haven't spent that much in the last 3 years (look at Chelsea and Man United !). They develop their "own" players (Foden, Palmer). They make the above-average players the best (de Bruyne, Rodri). Much better than PSG who just snag Mbappes, Neymars and Messis for marketing reasons.

Lets just compare last 5 years on transfers (sign in)
City:
260M this season
155
138
173
170

PSG
454 this season
147
91
62
95

In last 5 seasons PSG only skyrocketed this season (because they sold Neymar), on the 4 before they were below city. PSG and city have been the great big spenders in europe and being under financial fair play watch. They can only pay this with their "sponsorships" since they are state owned. Now chelsea and united have been burning money even faster and a lot worse than these two but just because there is someone doing worse, doesn't mean you aren't spending big.

City and PSG are doing it since 2008 and 2011 respectively, and unlike Man. United, their real income (taken state sponsorships out) are much lower. 15 and 13 years of spending big and they still doing. PSG and City are like twins, one better organized just that. A middle east rivalry playing in European football pitch. Thats why city keeps being picked.

[rrey1]

You should look at "net" spending, not just incoming transfers. Man City sold a lot of players in the last 3 years (Mahrez, Cancelo, etc.)

Also, isn't it the testament to football that those teams keep spending and still can NOT win UCL consistently ? It would be much worse otherwise. Spending is not everything (look at Turkish or Saudi teams). Man City spending transformed "Big 4" in EPL into " Big 6" with increased competition and value of the league, whereas PSG keeps winning Ligue 1 (with the exception of 1 season) without increasing domestic competition or the value of other French teams.

[Bulgarian]

Before anyone cries about the ref take in mind that:
1 Real got a goal disallowed rightfully so
2 Neuer got Real back into the game
3 its not clear that there was no offside
4 Real stopped playing Lunin didnt even dive for crying out loud
Of course there will always be crying when Real wins mainly from barka fans who share a total of one brain cell between them but for anyone else there should be no excuse.
I see @Sagy comment above. I dont think the linesman should carry much fault. To my knowledge they are instructed to mark offside if they are absolutely sure and Davies was marked a few minutes before for offside immediately and it was correct. The CR though had no excuse he should not have blown thats for sure but then Real’s players would not stop especially Lunin so yeah it is what it is.

[MercedesBenz240]

Before anyone cries about the ref take in mind that:
1 Real got a goal disallowed rightfully so
2 Neuer got Real back into the game
3 its not clear that there was no offside
4 Real stopped playing Lunin didnt even dive for crying out loud
Of course there will always be crying when Real wins mainly from barka fans who share a total of one brain cell between them but for anyone else there should be no excuse.
I see @Sagy comment above. I dont think the linesman should carry much fault. To my knowledge they are instructed to mark offside if they are absolutely sure and Davies was marked a few minutes before for offside immediately and it was correct. The CR though had no excuse he should not have blown thats for sure but then Real’s players would not stop especially Lunin so yeah it is what it is.

You're completely right no one except barka should be crying about this. Especially Bayern that had previous good experience with Uefadrid robberies, shouldn't have come as a surprise to them at all.

[Bulgarian]

Fun fact Real is yet to lose at home with Mendy in the starting lineup.

[berntie]

I dont think the linesman should carry much fault. To my knowledge they are instructed to mark offside if they are absolutely sure

If the linesman is absolutely sure a player is offside when in fact, the player is onside, then there's something wrong with the linesman's eyes. We constantly see situations where the attacker is meters offside and the refs let them continue for the play to be cancelled later. And here, at this crucial point, the refs stop the play.

Maybe it wouldn't have produced a goal anyway, maybe it would, we'll never know, and that's bad for everybody involved. Not least for the ref himself, who apologized to Bayern.