UEFA Champions League 2023-2024
#11
If we can make it out of this group I'll be proud.

I think we have the talent but must admit there are no easy games it seems like
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#12
(08-31-2023, 12:56 PM)Arildonardo Wrote: Impossible, but yes it would be a good test. Devilcool

Yup, now I saw I put two english teams together Tongue But this group we got isn't easy as well.  Undecided
Avaiting for arrival of exorcist into our boardroom.
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#13
Tbh we are in the Champions League thanks to the punishment Juve got last season.

So I am not gonna complain. We are in the hardest group, it is what it is.
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#14
Group of death. No doubt.

But to be honest, is this impossible? No way.

PSG have lost Neymar, Messi, and have a Mbappe with his heads in Madrid already. Their defence and midfield is no way better than ours. I think we have a decent chance against them. Dortmund is night and day. Really strong at home, but we will be definitely favourites at home. Newcastle is actually maybe the hardest nut to crack. Really decent team, very physical, very talented, and with a good coach.

The group is totally open, but as thing stands, if we dont get any good replacement for Giroud, and a better DM than Krunic we will take the 3 spot.
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#15
Hard...but i think we can make it. The worst are Newcastle.
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#16
Dortmund should be 2 wins. They are probably the weakest team in the group, although in Germany the game will not be easy at all.

Newcastle brings the physicality that English teams usually do. That has hurt us in recent times, but this year we have one of the more physical teams out there and should be able to match anyone physically without issues. From that point on, it becomes a game of quality and I think we have more of it compared to Newcastle. I think we'll win at least one of these games.

PSG by far has the most individual quality and on a given day they can shred anyone with their attack (Mbappe, Dembele) But I think we should be able to handle them at at the San Siro just fine and take 3 points.

Last year, all predictions were that we're going to be 2nd behind Chelsea and it turned out to be correct. This year, we are expected to advance and it's impossible to call the group winner this early. But I give us a good shot to actually win this group. 6 points vs Dortmund and 6 from the Newcastle/PSG games puts us through. Anything more and we probably win the group.
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#17
It’s funny, because we are in the third pot, any group we were in was to be the group of death. PSG is tough because the Calabria v Mbappe match up. Hopefully his physicality prevails.

With that said, we bought additions for the CL in Reijnders, Pulisic and RLC. Newcastle is new to the competition so it’ll be tough for them to adjust. The group hinges on that fixture but our players are not just smart but CL experienced. This is something we didn’t bring to other recent CL campaigns. I’m pretty confident this pulls us through independent of our quality.

Roma game will be telling. They will play some type of nasty catenacchio especially with their injuries. Depending on how we play, that will really set the tone for the season.
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#18
This season i dont see any clear favourite. Maybe Bayern after the edition of Kane maybe. But Real has no good CF, and i think they are generally vulnerable. Barca is unpredictable and not stable at all. City is of course great but very Haaland and De Bruyne independent, and the the Belgian has a lot of injuries lately and does not get any younger. They are not invincible.

PSG is PSG, they will never succeed in CL, its just in their DNA. I think the Italian teams will go far this season too. Napoli and Inter are really strong, and we are darks horses this year.

Sidenote: I still cant let go of the Lukaku case. He would have solved so many problems.. And for that amount? Im still irritated. Yes he has a special personality, but i think he would blend in our team perefectly fine. He is a proffesional, we have proffesional players, he would have been welcomed in the locker room. No doubt. And his qualities would have taken this team from a potential scudetto contender, to favourites. i think we also would have had a decent chance in CL. Yes the reels and "Maguire" style of bullying does not give him any favours, but he is hands down a quality player, you cant mean anything else.

I admire that Furlani want a glad and happy locker room, but it doesnt mean that it would have been depressing if Lukaku came. I think this failed move will haunt us this season. Unfortunatly.
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#19
I agree Benna with your view on CL. I think we have a legit chance if Pioli can stabilize the formation and not be leaky defensive (open play or set pieces). Also we need another CF. Then I think we are set especially with Krunic as DM.

However, the disagree on Lukaku. He is perfect player for us, no doubt. But I think we were right to pass him up. We already have a new set of players. Better not to disturb the locker room. His inter past worries me primarily. It would lead to too much drama.
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#20
isnt drama what we looking for in the derby?
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