Association Football 2023/2024 Discussion Thread

[Lechasseur]

We've got two big derby games tomorrow.

The Northwest Derby (Manchester United/Liverpool) and El Clasico (Real Madrid/Barcelona).

I think Liverpool and Real respectively win those matches

[Lechasseur]

We've got two big derby games tomorrow.

The Northwest Derby (Manchester United/Liverpool) and El Clasico (Real Madrid/Barcelona).

I think Liverpool and Real respectively win those matches

I agree with you on El Clasico, as Barcelona is a shambles at present, and I'd actually be surprised if they qualified for Europe, but Manchester United might actually win, if things go their way. For one thing, that match is at Old Trafford.

I totally agree with this.

Manchester United are a good team, and yeah they have home advantage so they may well end up winning. That game should be quite the contest.

On the other hand, I'd be surprised if Barcelona beat Real. Now this isn't by any means the best Real team ever, but it's still reasonably decent (it will be them or Atletico winning the league this year imo) and they have a good manager in Carlo Ancelotti, while this is easily Barcelona's worst team since at least the 2002-2003 season (and frankly that team was probably better), and I agree with you that I don't think they qualify for Europe this year.

[Lechasseur]

Yesterday Giovanni Simeone, striker for Verona and son of Atlético Madrid coach Diego Simeone, had a moment of glory and destroyed Lazio by scoring four goals - something that I think happens a couple times a year or so in Serie A. The match ended 4-1 as Ciro "clockwork" Immobile did not fail to put his name on the score sheet.

Wasn't Mussolini's great grandson in the Lazio squad for the match?

[Lechasseur]

Nuno Espirito Santo out at Tottenham Hotspur, former Juventus/Chelsea/Inter Milan manager Antonio Conte in talks to replace him.

I'm not sure a new manager is what is needed at Tottenham. It seems to me like a brand new roster is needed there, and it starts with selling the very unhappy Harry Kane.

Agreed

I don't think anyone else would be doing much better at this point with that squad

Tottenham are not what they were even just a couple of years ago. The Manchester clubs, Chelsea, Liverpool, Leicester, West Ham and Arsenal at least are better sides than Tottenham at this point.

[Lechasseur]

Yeah I agree with NewYorkExpress, I don't think Barcelona will be playing European football next year

[Lechasseur]

Barca lost again

[Lechasseur]

Salzburg vs Bayern
City vs Sporting
Benfica vs Ajax
Chelsea vs Lille
Atletico vs United
Villareal vs Juventus
Inter vs Liverpool
PSG vs Real Madrid

My predictions as of now, could change between now and then though

[Lechasseur]

Villarreal's fairy tale Champions League ride looks to be at an end, as the Yellow Submarine lost 2-0 to Liverpool at Anfield today.

Sad!

Eh well I'll be pulling for whoever wins that fixture in the final, and Man City are my last choice

[Lechasseur]

In the Europa League Semifinals, RB Leipzig and Eintracht Frankfurt lead after one leg, with victories over Rangers (1-0) and West Ham United (2-1).

In the Europa Conference League Semifinals, Feyernood Rotterdam holds a 3-2 lead against Marseilles after one leg, while Roma and Leicester City are even at 1-1 after one leg.

Meanwhile in the English Premier League, Manchester United's chances at playing in Europe at all, are hanging by a thread following a 1-1 draw against Chelsea at Old Trafford. Manchester United is currently in sixth, three points ahead of West Ham, which plays Arsenal this weekend. Manchester United meanwhile, has a much easier matchup against Brentford, but the way they have been playing, no match is easy.

Always great to see Marseille lose!

The parisian-lyonnais in me just can't pull for Marseille lol

[Lechasseur]

At this point leaving Man United for the Austria national team is a promotion lol

[Lechasseur]

5 days ago, Arsenal had a 4-point lead in the table for 4th place. Now, they are behind Sp*rs by 2 points as we head to the 38th and final matchweek, as Newcastle beat the Gunners 2-nil.

For Arsenal to get Top 4, Sp*rs have to lose to already relegated Norwich and Arsenal have to beat Everton on Sunday.

Ugh, probably over for Arsenal in all honesty

[Lechasseur]

2021-22 PL in review: 


Manchester City win title, Burnley get relegated, West Ham head to the UECL, Arsenal and Manchester United head to the UEL, and Liverpool, Chelsea, and Tottenham head to the UCL.

Eww

[Lechasseur]

€50m net annual salary for Mbappe, plus €100m sign on bonus. This makes Messi's old Barcelona contract and Ronaldo's old Juventus contract look quaint.

OK That explains why M'Bappé stayed. PSG must have really had something up their sleeve to keep him, given he had wanted to go to Real so badly.

[Lechasseur]

If it isn't for the fact that Real Madrid again seems unbeatable, and Barcelona's in an impossible Champions League Group, I'd say a La Liga/Champions League double is very much doable for Barca this year the way they've played so far. They destroyed Real Valladolid 4-0, and the only league game they've dropped any points in so far was the opener against Rayo Vallecano.

Barcelona definitely look a lot better than they did a year ago. I'm inclined to agree that Real Madrid will probably defend their La Liga title, and that Barcelona is in what's probably the toughest Champions League group. However, even if it could easily go the otherway, I think Barcelona will make it out of their group behind Bayern Munich and ahead of Inter Milan.

[Lechasseur]

Wow, Arsenal really are looking good. Not the prettiest of performances today, but we showed real fight. I wonder though, considering recent history, when I can start to believe…

It's Arsenal's best domestic start since the 2003-2004 season.

That said, I'd be at least somewhat worried about their European prospects. Their Europa League group (PSV, FC Zurich, Bodo/Glimt) isn't a walk in the park, though at least it isn't as difficult as Manchester United's group.

I honestly think Arsenal will finally qualify for the Champions League this year, I'm very optimistic for them for the first time in a while.

And I think they will win their Europa League group. Not a walk in the park, but definitely doable.

[Lechasseur]

UEFA Champions League Group Stage draw is done.

Group A: Liverpool, Ajax, Napoli, Rangers
Group B: FC Porto, Bayer Leverkusen, Atletico Madrid, Club Brugge
Group C: Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Viktora Plzen
Group D:  Eintracht Frankfurt, Tottenham Hotspur, Sporting CP, Marseille
Group E: AC Milan, Chelsea, RB Salzburg, Dinamo Zagreb
Group F: Real Madrid, RB Leipzig, Shaktar Donetsk, Celtics
Group G:  Manchester City, Sevilla, Borussia Dortmund, FC Copenhagen
Group H: PSG, Juventus, Benfica, Maccabi Haifa

My Champions League group stage predictions :
Group A: 1. Liverpool 2. Ajax 3. Napoli 4. Rangers
Group B: 1. Atletico Madrid 2. Porto 3. Bayer Leverkusen 4. Club Brugge
Group C: 1. Bayern Munich 2. Barcelona 3. Inter Milan 4. Viktoria Plzen
Group D: 1. Tottenham Hotspur 2. Eintracht Frankfurt 3. Olympique de Marseille 4. Sporting CP
Group E: 1. AC Milan 2. Chelsea 3. RB Salzburg 4. Dinamo Zagreb
Group F: 1. Real Madrid 2. RB Leipzig 3. Shakhtar Donetsk 4. Celtic
Group G: 1. Manchester City 2. Borussia Dortmund 3. Sevilla 4. FC Copenhagen
Group H: 1. PSG 2. Juventus 3. Benfica 4. Maccabi Haifa

[Lechasseur]

The Europa League Group Stage draw is done.

Group A: Arsenal, PSV, Bodo/Glimt, FC Zurich
Group B: Dyanmo Kyiv, Rennes, Fenerbache, AEK Lacarna
Group C: Roma, Ludogorets Razgrad, Real Betis, HJK Helsinki
Group D: Braga, Malmo, Union Berlin, Union Saint-Gilliose
Group E: Manchester United, Real Sociadad, Sherrif Tiraspol, Athletic Club Onomia Nicosia
Group F: Lazio, Feyernood, Midtylland, Strum Graz
Group G: Olympiacos, Qarabag, Freiburg, Nantes
Group H: Red Star Belgrade, Monaco, Ferencvaros, Trabzonspor

My Europa League group stage predictions :
Group A: 1. Arsenal 2. PSV Eindhoven 3. FC Zurich 4. Bodo/Glimt
Group B: 1. Rennes 2. Dynamo Kyiv 3. Fenerbahçe 4. AEK Lacarna
Group C: 1. AS Roma 2. Real Betis 3. Ludogorets 4. HJK Helsinki
Group D: 1. Braga 2. Union Berlin 3. Malmo 4. Union Saint-Gilloise
Group E: 1. Manchester United 2. Real Sociedad 3. Sheriff Tiraspol 4. Onomia Nicosia
Group F: 1. Lazio 2. Feyernood 3. Midtylland 4. Strum Graz
Group G: 1. Olympiacos 2. Nantes 3. Freiburg 4. Qarabag
Group H: 1. AS Monaco 2. Trabzonspor 3. Red Star Belgrade 4. Ferencvaros

[Lechasseur]

The UECL group stage:


Group A: İstanbul Başakşehir, Fiorentina, Heart of Midlothian, RFS
Group B: West Ham United, FCSB, Anderlecht, Silkeborg
Group C: Villarreal, Hapoel Be'er Sheva, Austria Wien, Lech Poznań
Group D: Partizan, FC Köln, Nice, Slovácko
Group E: AZ Alkmaar, Apollon Limassol, Vaduz, Dnipro-1
Group F: Gent, Molde, Shamrock Rovers, Djurgårdens IF
Group G: Slavia Prague, CFR Cluj, Sivasspor, Ballkani
Group H: Basel, Slovan Bratislava, Žalgiris, Pyunik

My Europa Conference League group stage predictions :
Group A: 1. Fiorentina 2. Istanbul Basaksehir 3. Heart of Midlothian 4. RFS
Group B: 1. West Ham 2. Anderlecht 3. FCSB 4. Silkeborg
Group C: 1. Villarreal 2. Lech Poznan 3. Austria Wien 4. Hapoel Be'er Sheva
Group D: 1. Nice 2. FC Köln 3. Partizan 4. Slovacko
Group E: 1. AZ Alkmaar 2. Dnipro-1 3. Apollon Limassol 4. Vaduz
Group F: 1. Gent 2. Molde 3. Djurgardens 4. Shamrock Rovers
Group G: 1. CFR Cluj 2. Slavia Prague 3. Sivasspor 4. Balkani
Group H: 1. Basel 2. Slovan Bratislava 3. Pyunik 4. Zalgiris

[Lechasseur]

If I were Todd Boehly, and I were prioritizing the American market (which is what it looks like with the decision to keep Christian Pulisic), I'd be on the phone with Jurgen Klinsmann about the head coaching vacancy.

lol. Hiring a German coach with no managerial achievements to "prioritize the American market"? Might as well just hire Jesse Marsch.

A German coach who has previously managed the U.S National Team, which is why I suggested him.

Jürgen Klinsmann was one of the greatest players of his generation, but his managerial track record hasn't been impressive. He did a good job as Germany coach, but his track records with Bayern Munich and the US national team would not leave me inclined to hire him as Chelsea manager if I was the Chelsea owner.

I'd probably go for Pochettino myself, but I can think of quite a few managers I'd pick before Klinsmann.

[Lechasseur]

Napoli pulls off a pretty impressive upset, demolishes Liverpool 4-1.

Not sure what happened to Liverpool. 4-1 was merciful to them. Absolutely brutal.

I thought the battle between spots 2-3-4 would become tight in this group, but it seems like the real battle is between 1-2-3. Rangers were absolutely atrocious against Ajax with an xG of 0.09. I still think they should be able to get at least some points at Ibrox, but with Ajax as former most likely potential contender for spot 3 and this goal difference, I think it is overwhelmingly likely Rangers will end up fourth.

Hoping for an Ajax upset at Anfield next week.

I'm pulling for Rangers and Ajax to make it out of the group.

Ajax may realistically still be able to do it (before the competition started, I was predicting Liverpool and Ajax would make it out of the group), but realistically I always thought Rangers would finish last in the group.

[Lechasseur]

I have to wonder, if following Ellzabeth II's death, the the British Clubs still taking part in European Football (Liverpool, Rangers, Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea, Celtic, Manchester City, Arsenal, Manchester United, Heart of Midlothian, West Ham United) will continue in their respective competitions, or if they will withdraw.

They will play, UEFA confirmed it yesterday. Other sports associations in the UK don't even cancel their games this weekend; they will honor the Queen before the games.

And some of these clubs don't have any love lost for the Queen in the first place. Unfortunately, I expect a "minute of silence" filled with intense booing at Anfield, and it would have been the same if Celtic were to play at home.

Why at Anfield? I know the whole story with Celtic, but what would Liverpool have against the Queen even if it's a leftwing city?

Also, boo Celtic! Go Rangers!

[Lechasseur]

Arsenal are top of the table, having won 6 of their first 7 matches.

I can't remember the last time they had such good form, but for the first time in a long time, I feel confident about them. I think Arsenal will have a good season.

[Lechasseur]

Potential upset going on in UEFA Nations League action, as in Istanbul, after 82 minutes, Luxembourg leads Turkey, 3-2.

Luxembourg ! Go Luxembourg !

[Lechasseur]

Over in UEFA Champions League Group B, Club Brugge, which already has upset wins  over Bayer Leverkusen and Porto, has a chance to sweep the first three legs in the group as they lead Atletico Madrid 1-0 at the halfway point.

Go Brugge! I'd like to see a Belgian team win their group

[Lechasseur]

Olympique Lyonnais have appointed 1998 World Cup Winner and former PSG manager Laurent Blanc as manager on a 2-year contract.

I'm looking quite forward to seeing where he takes the club.

In other news, Arsenal have beaten Liverpool 3-2. As an Arsenal supporter, this is quite exciting an promising.

A good day for my two favourite clubs.