And Madrid always win.
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So we win the group and get a tough game.
Villa finished 8th and get Brugge?
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Just the way fixed (or semi-fixed in this case) brackets work. Brugge was the lowest ranked team to survive that round by quite a bit, meaning Villa was expected to face a much stronger team. We got one of the two lowest ranked teams that were expected to survive.
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That was the draw I did not want not because we should be scared of them (the last time we played them we won the CL) but the main problem we will have will be the security for our supporters and how their supporters are going to be marshalled because if we win the game in Paris they will go berserk and also as happened in the final in Paris our supporters were assaulted out of the metro, into the metro, into the ground and out of the ground, I am not confident the police will be able to handle all of that.
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Maybe ask UEFA to move that leg to a neutral ground because of demonstrable recent failures?
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It is just pure ass bad luck to be on the silver sideâŚThe lucky ones in this draw happens to be those in 3rd and 4th, 7th and 8thâŚ
Next year, it could change a fair bit. I know it may be unsporting but for next yearâs UCL, towards the last 3 league fixtures, we should be calculating the odds for the next round so as to progress to the QFs in an easier manner while keeping top 8 status.
No.
Just, no.
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I actually like what PSG are doing recently.
For the first time in a while, theyâre basically without a mega star. And theyâre building something interesting, a bit different, with some new young or quality players.
Of course you donât want to lose someone like Mbappe, youâd have him every day of the week, itâs not even in question. They might add some new stars. But itâs an exciting team with all players involved in all phases of the game.
Hence why Enrique got rewarded with a new contract.
We play in a more competitive league and are the leaders for most of it, so weâll be favourites on paper, but probably shouldnât be viewed as too big favourites.
Itâs the CL, we shouldnât be afraid of PSG, but itâs exciting and unpredictable.
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They are still probably out funding every single other team in that league.
The question really is how good are Brest in comparison.
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A bit disappointed that we did not reap the full benefit we should have from finishing first.
At the same time I fear no one. Letâs go!
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Barca got a very sweet draw: Benfica; one of a weak Dortmund or Lille; Inter (out of sorts), Feyenoord, a poor Bayern or Leverkusen. As easy a route to the final as they could have wished for.
Perhaps UEFA need to reconsider the ârandomnessâ to the seeding.
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Jonathon Wilson expects PSG will prevail:
Letâs face it - this a poor/unlucky draw for the team finishing top.
Even though we knew PSG were 1 of the 4 we could be drawn it was always 50/50 given there easy match and strength. Barca got the lucky hand. Iâm not happy.
But whatever thats the way it works and it will take a massive effort to win it.
Lesson learned is just finish top 8 as that is at least some advantage.
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Jonathan Wilson can go fuck himself.
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Opinionâs are like Arseholes everyone has one.
Also his book on the inverted pyramid was bland, before they destroyed Brest had they shown much?
Like they may very well beat us but they qualified down there for a reason. After all our draw was seen as one of the hardest on paper. Only benefiting from the fact we had Madrid and Leverkusen at home.
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Some opinions are based upon research and analysis, whilst others are just plucked out of the air.
Wilsonâs appears to be the latter.
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Itâs no better or worse than most it just seems reactive to a couple of games against the 9th best team from the same division and one against a Man City that was losing to everyone at that point.
They also beat Brest away in the league 5-2 the only similar result seems a 3-0 against Monaco bar that itâs 2-1âs and 1-0âs evidently they are a good side but is it form or quality who knows. Personally our current situation is form. I believe the quality still exists.
Arsenal actually beat them 2-0 by the way and Arsenal werenât in the best of form then.
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Maybe, rather than a draw for the top 8 teams, the teams should be able to pick their starting position in the knockout phase, starting with the first place team and working their way down. There would be a real advantage to finishing as high as possible then.