UEFA Champions League Thread

[Bakes]

Well I don't see how it could go down as 'nasty gamemanship' because nothing was done against Ajax. They were just being 'clever' and UEFA are less than amused but I don't see what they could legitimately charge them with.

Being the hypocrites that they are I'm sure they'll come up with something.  I don't like the move because to me it's against the spirit of the game... but in today's game where so many other issues that are similarly "against the spirit of the game" (England's non-goal against Germany in S. Africa, Suarez' handball goal, Materazzi baiting Zidane etc., the continued abuse of black players on European pitches) being allowed to have an impact on scorelines... something like this seems positively innocuous in comparison.

[kicker]

Being the hypocrites that they are I'm sure they'll come up with something.  I don't like the move because to me it's against the spirit of the game... but in today's game where so many other issues that are similarly "against the spirit of the game" (England's non-goal against Germany in S. Africa, Suarez' handball goal, Materazzi baiting Zidane etc., the continued abuse of black players on European pitches) being allowed to have an impact on scorelines... something like this seems positively innocuous in comparison.

I wouldn't class what RM allegedly did with racism or gross unsportsmanlike conduct (i.e. an intentional hand ball that directly affects the scoreline of a game)....but I agree it doesn't smell like roses. 

As Chow stated you could probably look at it as a merely strategic move which benefits RM without harming anyone else.  They didn't get the red cards by endangering the opposition, and the game was dead and buried when they started the gross time wasting. 

I chalk it up to gamesmanship on a higher level, not because it's necessarily more egregious than other forms of gamesmanship, but because it seems so premeditated.   

[Bakes]

I'm not classing anything with anything... obviously certain actions will be more egregious than others. I mentioned other acts that I similarly have taken issue withover the years, mentioning them as they came to mind. Irrespective as to how you want to rank or class them, to me they all violate the mythical "spirit of the game."

[dinho]

UEFA need to do something about it, or change a rule or make a new one or something.

Look at the bigger picture. Yuh let this slide and next year at this stage of the group games, a team could theoretically have their whole side take intentional yellows to protect them from suspension without any consequences. This kinda 'gamesmanship' if left unchecked could descend into the farcical and at the end of the day this is football not NFL.

[Mango Chow!]

UEFA need to do something about it, or change a rule or make a new one or something.

Look at the bigger picture. Yuh let this slide and next year at this stage of the group games, a team could theoretically have their whole side take intentional yellows to protect them from suspension without any consequences. This kinda 'gamesmanship' if left unchecked could descend into the farcical and at the end of the day this is football not NFL.

   As far as this sport's decendency into the farcical is concerned, hasn't it done that already?  With all the: diving in football; the referees' inability to tell the difference between a player who is fouled and a player who has blatantly, in esscence, "fouled the opponent" to make her/himself look like they've been fouled; habitual and strategic time wasting by managers and players alike (edwin van der saar is the first name that comes to mind) when their teams are leading but the games are still within reach of the opponent; and the constant incredible comments by managers that come after the games, I think uefa have enough means to that end that need to be addressed.    As far as I am concerned, what RM did the other day paled in comparison to these other issues.  I am willing to bet that players are quite often instructed by their coaches to pick up them yellow cards when it strategically benefits the team.  Every body knows it and the commentators and pre-game analysts quite often allude to it before the games even start.  What RM did was make it look more than obvious.  Big deal.  Ajax had absolutely no chance of staging a comeback and none of their players got hurt.  By uefa launching an investigation, to me, really shows what a farc[e they really are.

[grassrotts]

I think mourinho had the right idea but execution was too blatant. I doh like this yellow card accumulation rule anyway. 3 petty bookings in 3 different games over 270 minutes of football and yuh miss de final!! Big strikers who does hardly tackle does get catch with dat.
And dis group of death was disappointing. More bullying by de big boys as usual.

[jai john]

Mourinho just exposing the stupidity of this rule and how easily it can be exploited ...what dey go charge him for when there is no rule against what he did ...he made his players do it blatant ..he could have made them tackle late etc...but he wanted to show how foolish this rule is ...bet they change it now !

[jai john]

Mourinho always takes the heat on himself before a big game ...that is how he psychologically rests his players ...Hate me !! I am the villain ! so his players are under less scrutiny ..... opponents look to break team spirit by attacking players off the field ....look how Man U has suffered because of Rooney ...

Mourinho counters that by offering himself as the sacrificial lamb . He knows players read papers and are affected by what is said about them ...so instead of reading about Ronaldo's one night stand love child and how he is as a father ..we read about how Mourinho committed a distasteful act ..and is not remorseful about it ...small price to pay for the possible gains to be derived I say ..

[Mango Chow!]

Mourinho just exposing the stupidity of this rule and how easily it can be exploited ...what dey go charge him for when there is no rule against what he did ...he made his players do it blatant ..he could have made them tackle late etc...but he wanted to show how foolish this rule is ...bet they change it now !

I was really thinkin' this morning how Jose likes to be a thorn in the side of the establishment, if you will and I do think that, apart from the strategy of having his full squad for the first of the knockout stages, I'm sure he was having a laugh at the mockery of the rules they were displaying.  I doubt they will change the rule, though, as much as they may decide to carry out punishment to teams that do what Jose did.

  I find the rule itself is fair as it is applied in the various leagues and tournaments when you have men like joey barton, nigel dejong, steven gerrard, paul scholes, johnny evans, (the old) Michael Essien, and them types of players as well as the (literal) blast from the past, claudio gentile, who does play that style of football that is a constant threat to people's safety, and the refs get the calls right.  However, I have seen men get yellow cards for the slightest of fouls+embellishment that have adversely affected their teams and you have men like steven gerrard who does be gettin' away wit some borderline break-foot tackles that does boggle my mind......and the epl in particular, doesn't have a system in place to correct certain mistakes.   

[Bakes]

November 30, 2010

Madrid's Mourinho Banned for Deliberate Red Cards


By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

NYON, Switzerland (AP) — Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho has been banned for one Champions League match for instructing players to get deliberate red cards so they could serve suspensions in a meaningless game.

Mourinho also was fined 40,000 euros ($51,990) Tuesday by the Union of European Football Associations for instructing Xabi Alonso and Sergio Ramos to get ejected against Ajax last week.

Alonso and Ramos were fined 20,000 euros ($25,990). They already were suspended from Real's final first-round match, against Auxerre on Dec. 8, but are free to play in the second round.

Madrid has clinched first place in Group G.

Mourinho also was given a further one-match suspension to be imposed if he is found guilty within the next three years of what UEFA calls "improper conduct."

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/11/30/sports/soccer/AP-SOC-Real-Madrid-Mourinho-Banned.html?ref=sports


-------------------------------------
EDIT:

[rant]

The word "banned" is the second-most overused/misused word in football, after the word "dropped".  The man wasn't "banned" he was suspended one game.  Same way a player isn't "dropped" from a national team just because he's not selected.  "Banned" and "dropped" imply a permanence that just isn't there.

[/rant]

[kicker]

Does this mean that he's not allowed in the stadium at all or just not in the dugout and dressing room?  Can he communicate at all with the players and staff during the game?   Curious about this "ban". 

I also wonder how they proved it. 

[Peong]

So the next time he will issue instructions more discreetly and the players will find a less obvious way of earning a card.   I don't see how FIFA can do anything to stop this.

[Peong]

I watchin a real tight game here, Man U gettin the better knocks but Valencia absorbin pressure and then scored straight from a counter attack.  Valencia keep came up with some big saves, one to deny Berbatov in a 1-vs-1 and a knee save from somebody's volley, I think it was Park.

1-1 Anderson.

Valencia's keeper pullin off some beauties boy.  He just made a save off Berbatov again, low to his left.  I thought it was goal for sure.

[FF]

you watching the wrong game!

tottenham-twente is high octane action and entertainment

66 min: Spurs go on the attack again, obviously conscious of the fact they haven't scored a goal away from home in Europe for almost 10 minutes, and that wouldn't do   

twente ent looking too bad themselves

[Peong]

Inter losin 3-0.  Benitez..............

There's a rat on the field at Old Trafford.

[Bakes]

There's a rat on the field at Old Trafford.

Who Sir Alex went out to talk to?

[giggsy11]

spurs match- what makes these players think they can raise their hands or arms to protect their faces from the ball. Who is the genius that decide that is a smart play- I am happy the refs callin it. If yuh studyin tuh protect yuh pretty face duck or don't stand in the wall!

[Deeks]

spurs match- what makes these players think they can raise their hands or arms to protect their faces from the ball. Who is the genius that decide that is a smart play- I am happy the refs callin it. If yuh studyin tuh protect yuh pretty face duck or don't stand in the wall!

I don't think the guy was in a wall. The Twente player shot from close range. The Spurs guy actually turned his face while trying to jump away from the ball. Unfortunately his arm was up and the ball struck on the elbow.

[giggsy11]

spurs match- what makes these players think they can raise their hands or arms to protect their faces from the ball. Who is the genius that decide that is a smart play- I am happy the refs callin it. If yuh studyin tuh protect yuh pretty face duck or don't stand in the wall!

I don't think the guy was in a wall. The Twente player shot from close range. The Spurs guy actually turned his face while trying to jump away from the ball. Unfortunately his arm was up and the ball struck on the elbow.

 I know the guy was not in a wall but Fabergas, Ronaldo, the Liverpool player just to name a few who have done it when in a wall.

[Small Magician aka Wazza]

that was a good double header

United Valencia..we were rusty .. most the players didnt play since the 7-1 on the 27th... I personally found we werent good..only Park Rooney Anderson and Vidic had worthy games... the rest were poor... but we got the draw needed to finish on top... terrible error by Carrick for Valencia's goal.. shocking....  pitch looked icy and everyone seemed to be uncomfortable... anyway onto to the 2 big games..Arsenal at OT and then to the Bridge

Twente Spurs...well that was fun .. Spurs werent at their best yet produced 3 goals on the road... the ref was terrible..absolute shit call to give twente a free kick which they scored to make it 3-3... Assou Ekotto is a let down for Spurs.. he loses the ball 3/4 of the time..they need to get in a big LB, RB and CM to have a real go at the prem

Special notice to Spurs for topping their group with the reigning champions...EPL Strength..yea I know yall hate it but take note.. If Arsenal didnt f**k up all 4 EPL teams would have topped their group

The draw should be very very interesting... hoping for Barca Inter and Real Arsenal.. and I'll take anyone but I rather not get the both Milans...

[giggsy11]

Berbatov is a teaser and he must had a few smokes before the game! Ando tryin tuh use the right foot more, good to see! And for a Brizilian he does well handle the cold like a man; no gloves, long sleeves,tights or neck warmer!

[elan]

That is rel shyte from Chelsea and the subs rel mind boggling. Don't know what going on, like some of them players not even interested in playing. No effort nutten.   

[Jumbie]

AS Roma    v    Shakhtar Donetsk
AC Milan    v    Tottenham Hotspur
Valencia    v    FC Schalke
Inter Milan    v    Bayern Munich
Lyon    v    Real Madrid
Arsenal    v    Barcelona
Marseille    v    Manchester United
Copenhagen    v    Chelsea

Arsenal will renew their Champions League rivalry with Barcelona after being pitted against the favourites to win the competition during Friday's draw in Switzerland.

Barcelona knocked the Gunners out at the quarter-final stage last season and beat them in the final in 2006. They currently sit top of La Liga, having recently trounced arch-rivals Real Madrid 5-0 in El Clasico.

However, the outcome of the draw will come as no surprise to Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who predicted who his opponents would be on Thursday.

"I know who we will get," Wenger said. "If I say we want Barcelona, you won't believe me. I don't even think about it. I hope we get who I feel we will get."

Tottenham, top scorers in the group stage, also face a stiff test, against AC Milan, in their first experience of the knockout stages of the Champions League.

Milan are currently six points clear at the top of Serie A and with plenty of Champions League experience in their ranks.

At his press conference on Friday, Spurs boss Harry Redknapp said: "It's a great draw. I would have taken AC Milan before the draw. Whoever you draw is going to be tough. They're leading the league, the top team in Italy. It's a fantastic game to look forward to. It's a great challenge for us."

Chelsea were given arguably the easiest draw of the round, up against Danish champions FC Copenhagen, while Manchester United will play French side Marseille.

The other ties see Lyon take on Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid, while holders Inter, now managed by Rafa Benitez, will face Bayern Munich. Valencia will play Schalke and Roma have to overcome Shakhtar Donetsk.

There will be two games on each matchday. The matchdays are:
First Legs: February 15 & 16 and 22 & 23
Second Legs: March 8 & 9 and 15 & 16

Source: http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story/_/id/851008?cc=5901

[grimm01]

oh sh!t man...
if Arsene want silverware, Arsenal better win the Carling Cup.

[Touches]

Doh worry...we go deal with that Argentinian Hobbit.

BENDTNER to purge dem.

[kicker]

Geez Lyon again!!!... They are they are Madrid's bogey team- can't remember ever beating the in Champions' League...

Arsenal - Barcelona will be the matchup of the first round & Milan- Tott 2nd...

[Peong]

Inter vs Bayern Munich, a repeat of the last final is the biggest matchup.

[RehanaOmardeenfan]

R.I.P Arsenal

[Disgruntled_Trini]

Doh worry...we go deal with that Argentinian Hobbit.

BENDTNER to purge dem.

[kicker]

Inter vs Bayern Munich, a repeat of the last final is the biggest matchup.

Except both of those teams are in a mess this season.