Champions League/Europa League 2021/22

[From Despair To Where?]

Champions League group stage draw this evening. As above, Pot 2 is hilarious - as the Guardian notes, 'because they won bugger all last season.' Milan wandering around in Pot 4 too thanks to their recent rubbishness.

Pot 1 Chelsea, Villarreal, Bayern Munich, Manchester City, Atletico Madrid, Inter Milan, Sporting CP, Lille.
Pot 2 Real Madrid, Barcelona, Juventus, Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool, Sevilla, Borussia Dortmund.
Pot 3 Porto, Ajax, Shakhtar Donetsk, Leipzig, Salzburg, Benfica, Atalanta, Zenit.
Pot 4 Besiktas, Dynamo Kyiv, Club Brugge, Young Boys, AC Milan, Malmo, Wolfsburg, Sheriff Tiraspol.

Group of Death: Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Ajax, AC Milan.
Group of soft pillows and unicorns: Lille (who look awful this season), Sevilla, Shakhtar Donetsk, Sheriff Tiraspol.

Tiraspol are the Moldovan champions, the first Moldovan team into the group stages of the Champions League - and fair play, they've got through eight matches to reach this stage, and beat Dinamo Zagreb 3-0 on aggregate to seal that place.

Nice little article about Sherrif here

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/58546814

[URZZZZ]

Sebastian Haller of Ajax - first player to score four goals on his Champions League debut.

Decent striker although didn’t work out at West Ham. Relies on service, something he didn’t always get there, and couldn’t get ahead of Antonio

[Simmops]

What is the Europa Conference League? Why is it a thing now?

[Winston Biscuit]

What is the Europa Conference League? Why is it a thing now?

Because even though there is already too much football, and more football will impact the quality of it and the interest from the public, the desire for more and more money by those that run the game overrules this and so they continue to think up new tournaments, push expanded tournaments, and try to make tournaments more frequent.

[From Despair To Where?]

I think they wanted to expand the Europa League and most clubs said no thanks so they created the footballing equivalent of a medal for turning up for teams like Spurs who aren't completely shit but are still domestic also rans. It's the Europa League's version of The Championship.

[sheshnu]

It's meant UEFA can give European football to a lot of smaller nations, and at the same time reduce the number of teams in the Europa League. It won't affect any of our lives in any meaningful way whatsoever.

Spurs might play Roma in it at some point, which might be fun (if Spurs can get out of their group etc.).

[WestYorksRoyal]

How on earth has KDB avoided red for that tackle? What was VAR doing? Imagine Pep's reaction if that had been on a City player

[Sanguine]

Dear me. I see the more 'laissez-faire' version of VAR is alive in the Champions League too. Straight red all day.

[Winston Biscuit]

Sheriff beating Real Madrid in the Bernabeu

[Simmops]

Sheriff beating Real Madrid in the Bernabeu

Last minute winner

Got to be one of the all time biggest football shocks ever

[From Despair To Where?]

Anyone know the Transnitrian for "You can stuff your super league up your arse"?

(I think they actually speak Russian there).

[John Madejski's Wallet]

76% possession, 30 shots (10 on target).

[Pepe the Horseman]

76% possession, 30 shots (10 on target).

They beat Shakhtar 2-0 in the last game. Shakhtar had 75% possession, 20 shots and 17 corners.

[From Despair To Where?]

Granted, Sherrif have done to Moldovan football what Real would like to do to European football, bit still, you never pass up an opportunity to laugh at Real.

[Silver Fox]

It seems obvious but good to see last night that Sheriff's badge was errrr, a sheriff's badge

[Stranded]

Bloody good hit for the winner it has to be said.

[NathStPaul]

Does this mean they now qualify for the European Super League? Anyone who beats the mighty Real Madrid surely has earnt a place at the top table.

[Simmops]

Does this mean they now qualify for the European Super League? Anyone who beats the mighty Real Madrid surely has earnt a place at the top table.

The ESL is not a thing

But LOL at Perez saying the ESL needed to be a thing because teams like Sheriff cannot play or beat teams like Madrid

[Stranded]

Does this mean they now qualify for the European Super League? Anyone who beats the mighty Real Madrid surely has earnt a place at the top table.

The ESL is not a thing

But LOL at Perez saying the ESL needed to be a thing because teams like Sheriff cannot play or beat teams like Madrid

The ESL will be back and results like last night's will probably mean it is back sooner rather than later.

[ShaunNegativeTurner]

Ronnie