Champions League/Europa League 2021/22

[Zip]

What a game this is! Extra time please!

Do you support Chelsea OMA?

[NathStPaul]

What a game this is! Extra time please!

Do you support Chelsea OMA?

No, why would you think that?

[Zip]

What a game this is! Extra time please!

Do you support Chelsea OMA?

No, why would you think that?

Just trying to annoy you.

[NathStPaul]

Bayern OUT!

[Sanguine]

Liverpool's cornflakes tasting even better this morning. Lots to do still against Benfica tonight, but they should go through, and won't have been expecting Emery's side in the semis. Villareal have lost at Cadiz and Levante in the last month in the league, both sides in the relegation zone, ridiculous result last night.

[Hendo]

Not sure what the debate is about the Alonso handball. Hit his hand, end of discussion.

+1

[Silver Fox]

I've got no love for Chelsea and might have had a couple of pints before watching the highlights but it was never a handball was it?

[Hendo]

I've got no love for Chelsea and might have had a couple of pints before watching the highlights but it was never a handball was it?

By the letter of the law, it is 100% handball, whether the law is correct or fit for purpose, that is a different question.

[NathStPaul]

I've got no love for Chelsea and might have had a couple of pints before watching the highlights but it was never a handball was it?

By the letter of the law, it is 100% handball, whether the law is correct or fit for purpose, that is a different question.

Yeah I think that is the stance that should be taken 100%. The law is wrong, not the decision.

[Sanguine]

I've got no love for Chelsea and might have had a couple of pints before watching the highlights but it was never a handball was it?

By the letter of the law, it is 100% handball, whether the law is correct or fit for purpose, that is a different question.

Exactly - the laws changed to take intent out of attacking handball. I really don't like that current difference between attacking the defensive handballs, the latter still requiring intent. Makes no sense.

[URZZZZ]

Chelsea have been fantastic.

Werner looking like the player I saw at Leipzig.

Think he’s just a player who performs better in European games, was surprised he didn’t feature in the first leg. His reputation obviously came from his time in Germany (?) too

[South Coast Royal]

A great watch for us neutrals and I think Courtois' save late on led to the eventual result.
Just on Courtois, if we felt that Alisson and Ederson are cool under pressure what about that drag back?.

After all the dross of qualification mini-leagues we eventually end up seeing the best take on the best.

I wish it were still a cup competition where perhaps the top teams only come in at round 3 and we might end up with a few more entertaining matches like last night's.
Maybe also a European Super League?

[Sutekh]

I've got no love for Chelsea and might have had a couple of pints before watching the highlights but it was never a handball was it?

By the letter of the law, it is 100% handball, whether the law is correct or fit for purpose, that is a different question.

Exactly - the laws changed to take intent out of attacking handball. I really don't like that current difference between attacking the defensive handballs, the latter still requiring intent. Makes no sense.

How can you take the intent out of “attacking handballs” but not “defensive handballs” either a player is seeking to gain an unfair advantage or they aren’t, there is no middle ground. For example, why should a defender be penalised because a ball fired at him at reasonably close range hits his arm while if the same thing happened to an attacker it’s “play on”?

[Sanguine]

By the letter of the law, it is 100% handball, whether the law is correct or fit for purpose, that is a different question.

Exactly - the laws changed to take intent out of attacking handball. I really don't like that current difference between attacking the defensive handballs, the latter still requiring intent. Makes no sense.

How can you take the intent out of “attacking handballs” but not “defensive handballs” either a player is seeking to gain an unfair advantage or they aren’t, there is no middle ground. For example, why should a defender be penalised because a ball fired at him at reasonably close range hits his arm while if the same thing happened to an attacker it’s “play on”?

I phrased it poorly, it's the other way around. For defensive handballs, a free-kick/penalty is only given for deliberate handballs/where the hand is in an unnatural position. For attacking handballs, a hand can be in a natural position, and the handling can be wholly accidental (both true of Alonso last night) - but the law says that any contact with the hand by an attacking team is penalised.

[Stranded]

Exactly - the laws changed to take intent out of attacking handball. I really don't like that current difference between attacking the defensive handballs, the latter still requiring intent. Makes no sense.

How can you take the intent out of “attacking handballs” but not “defensive handballs” either a player is seeking to gain an unfair advantage or they aren’t, there is no middle ground. For example, why should a defender be penalised because a ball fired at him at reasonably close range hits his arm while if the same thing happened to an attacker it’s “play on”?

I phrased it poorly, it's the other way around. For defensive handballs, a free-kick/penalty is only given for deliberate handballs/where the hand is in an unnatural position. For attacking handballs, a hand can be in a natural position, and the handling can be wholly accidental (both true of Alonso last night) - but the law says that any contact with the hand by an attacking team is penalised.

This. It was brought in just to stop goals being given that wouldn't have happened if the ball hit the arm. The difference with defensive handball is that with VAR, the handball is only spotted after a goal is scored so there is an obvious advantage due to the handball. With a defensive handball, an accidental handball will often never be spotted or quickly discounted by VAR without need to stop the game.

[6ft Kerplunk]

'Unnatural\natural' position grinds my gears. Unless your arms been chopped off and sewn onto your arse its in a 'natural' position.

[Hendo]

'Unnatural\natural' position grinds my gears. Unless your arms been chopped off and sewn onto your arse its in a 'natural' position.

Don't agree with this. If your arm is up in the air, stretched out in front of your or at a 90deg angle, it isn't in a natural position, in the context of playing football.

[Franchise FC]

'Unnatural\natural' position grinds my gears. Unless your arms been chopped off and sewn onto your arse its in a 'natural' position.

Don't agree with this. If your arm is up in the air, stretched out in front of your or at a 90deg angle, it isn't in a natural position, in the context of playing football.

Yep, the whole point of extending your arms is to make yourself a bigger target - therefore deliberate

[NathStPaul]

Atletico Madrid are hilarious.

[Royal Rother]

My goodness, what a horrible horrible bunch of cnuts.