Place your bets for The Champions League

[spinflick]

So who do you think will win The Champions League this year? With 3 English teams still left in it could be an all England final. My team however (Newcastle) are playing tonight in the uefa cup :)
But for The Champions League I think Man U are going to win, what do you think? if your not bothered or hate football that's ok just dont answer :P

[DC@DR]

Chelsea, for sure :p

[beercz]

Uuuuunnnnniiiitttteeeeddddd!!!!!!

[mediax]

Bayern - even though I'm a United fan.

Now, if only we'd signed Owen Hargreaves . . .

[rhyswynne]

Liverpool. We'll see off PSV (again), then we'll see of Chelsea, then AC Milan. It's a sign!

And then I'll be happy. I'll be delighted if Colwyn Bay can win the Unibond League Division 1 Playoffs ;)

[spinflick]

For those that have not seen it here is the draw

Tuesday April 3
AC Milan v Bayern Munich
PSV Eindhoven v Liverpool

Wednesday April 4
Roma v Manchester United
Chelsea v Valencia

Quarter-Final Second Leg

Tuesday April 10
Manchester United v Roma
Valencia v Chelsea

Wednesday April 11
Bayern Munich v AC Milan
Liverpool v PSV Eindhoven

Semi-Finals
Chelsea/Valencia v PSV Eindhoven v Liverpool
Roma/Manchester United v AC Milan/Bayern Munich

[G Morgan]

You have to expect an English winner given the advantage in numbers in the quarter finals. United have found that which made them a great team in the past. I don't know how Ferguson got them out of playing also ran Football and back into this sort of ruthlessness but they are serious opposition who are quickly becoming favourites in games the stats suggest they should lose 9-0. They are back to where they were when you just knew that they would win in the last minute in spite of the opposition dominating them.

Can't see Roma troubling them too much but Bayern or Milan would provide a test.

I think the same goes for Liverpool and Chelsea, they are both favourites in their ties. Obviously the interpretations of the rules can again derail the English teams as the game suddenly becomes a tame non-contact affair. Who the referees are is vital.

Anyway I expect a Man Utd v Chelsea final though either Milan or Bayern on one hand and maybe Valencia or Liverpool on a good day could upset that. To knock out either team will require absolute ruthlessness though, it's not enough to dominate against them since they will convert almost everything that is offered to them. A few teams need to realise that possession is meaningless if the opposition is capable of breaking away and scoring or putting away a set piece.

Still think the game has gotten too soft in the last few years. It wasn't exactly prison rules 6/7 years ago but the 99 season was much tougher than anything I've seen since some in Europe have castrated the game.

[spinflick]

Latest odds from Ladbrokes.........

Manchester Utd 11/4
Chelsea 7/2
Liverpool 5/1
Milan 7/1
Valencia 8/1
Roma 10/1
Bayern Munich 11/1
PSV 25/1

[Perfect Storm]

Liverpool. Nuf' said. :guitar:

[tbroderick]

Roma

[JanusGeminus]

Barca... Wait no forget that, I'll shut up now...

Bayern is my choice.

[Arathorn]

Although I'm an Ajax supporter and don't think PSV will win, I still hope they do.

[Lopsicle]

Just watched the Man U v Milan match, Man U looked in trouble for the first half but managed to turn it around. Should be a great second leg at Milan.

Liverpool v Chelsea is going to be another tough game to choose the winner, as Im a neutral I dont care much, so long as it's a great game with lots of goals.

[ComplexNumber]

another vote for the scousers here :guitar:

[beercz]

Uuuuunnnnniiiitttteeeeddddd!!!!!!
Still UUUUUUUUUUUUUNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE EEEDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:lolflag:

[ComplexNumber]

beercz
united + northfleet = traitor ;). why not chelsea? its closer to where you are.

[proalan]

wha hey, some footie fans amongst you all (thats soccer if your american)

I would make man utd favorites so far, then liverpool, why not chelsea you ask? I think that the teams that have won it before show more desire to hold the cup again. Man utd making habits of scoring late goals like they did in 1999.

Forget the national competitions, club football is far superior.

[beercz]

beercz
united + northfleet = traitor ;). why not chelsea? its closer to where you are.
I am originally from Manchester, and used to live about 7 miles from Old Trafford, and used to go regularly as a kid. Used to watch George Best, Bobby Charlton, Dennis Law, Nobby Styles et al.

Would love to be able to go now though :-(
Too far and too expensive, and not enough time :-(

[G Morgan]

wha hey, some footie fans amongst you all (thats soccer if your american)

I would make man utd favorites so far, then liverpool, why not chelsea you ask? I think that the teams that have won it before show more desire to hold the cup again. Man utd making habits of scoring late goals like they did in 1999.

Forget the national competitions, club football is far superior.

I'd agree with that but given how the United defence looked today short of both first choice centre backs and Neville at right back it could be edgy. I'd have picked United as a certainty today with any sort of defence.

That second Rooney goal was vital. At 2-2 you'd expect Milan to shut the game down at the San Siro, a low score would favour them. Now they have to chase the game and it will allow United the room needed to finish the tie off.

The parallels between now and 1999 are startling. Back then United stumbled through the last few weeks with players missing. They won the League by a single point and everyone remembers the CL final. Once again they could take it all or win nothing. Also then Munich were chasing their own treble and Chelsea are chasing a quadruple this time around (though I think Chelski blew the league last weekend).

[timpino]

I hope Man utd lifts it, but seeing as a 3-2 win is fragile to say the least, essentially they will have to win in Milano, I wouldn't be surprised to see a reprise of the good ol' 3-3 shootout final of 2005 (Liverpool-Milan).

Chelsea does have a great team, but Liverpool has great form against them, they also have a team that remembers winning the cup and players like Gerrard and Carragher will play even better to secure a second win.

Not to mention I hate Chelsea... :P

Dream Final: Man U - Liverpool ending in a 2-1 extra time, for that extra suspense

[LookTJ]

If you talking football...soccer?(which I don't watch) But what's the Champions League?

[ComplexNumber]

If you talking football...soccer?(which I don't watch) But what's the Champions League?
here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Champions_League) yer go. its more or less the best(ie the ones that came top the previous season etc) clubs from each country competing against each other.

[LookTJ]

here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Champions_League) yer go. its more or less the best(ie the ones that came top the previous season etc) clubs from each country competing against each other.
thanks for the link :)

[lepz]

Not to mention I hate Chelsea... :P

Dream Final: Man U - Liverpool ending in a 2-1 extra time, for that extra suspense

I dont hate Chelsea but I do hate Morinho ;) and I agree Man U v Liverpool would be the "dream final" but please more than 2-1 :)

[proalan]

wow what a game, the football was awful but i felt the tension thoughout. I think either man utd or ac milan will win it. I don't mean to upset anyone but i really can't stand chelski or mourinho and am glad they crashed out.

[louistan3]

MAN UNITED! wooohoo! lol

[Hobbes]

Having played keeper for much of my mediocre football experience, it is satisfying to see Reina basically win it for Liverpool. Hopefully the last couple games will be great matches.

[lepz]

Just need Man U to win tomorrow night now, then we should have a fairly subdued, tension free final, we all know how much Liverpool and Manchester love each other. :lolflag:

[G Morgan]

Hope United win tomorrow and in the final. Actually making Football interesting again after years of boring defensive rubbish.

[timpino]

Come on everybody cheer UNITED!!!

[proalan]

not good for united at the moment, going out on away goals

[tbroderick]

not good for united at the moment, going out on away goals

United look fine to me. :lolflag:

[igknighted]

I wanted Arsenal, but failing that I'm rooting for the one non-english team left... AC MILAN!

[G Morgan]

This is the sort of game that 6/7 years ago Keane would have saved for United. Gattuso is murdering the United midfield.

Carrick has played well for them this year but this is the sort of game where he comes up short.

Whatever the result Ferguson knows what he needs this year in the transfer market, same as last year.

[proalan]

bye bye united, i doubt there will be a 1999 repeat of late goals, milan look too good

[G Morgan]

Ferguson should add a couple of defenders to his wish list for next year as well. Defending has been absolutely rubbish.

Milan have been very good, Gatttuso has been phenomenal.

[lepz]

That was a terrible display, did Man U want to win or what? wtf!

[hoagie]

So the final match of the Champion's League is AC Milan - Liverpool FC.
I say Liverpool will be the winner.

[sha_man]

So the final match of the Champion's League is AC Milan - Liverpool FC.
I say Liverpool will be the winner.
would be great :)

[beercz]

Still UUUUUUUUUUUUUNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE EEEDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:lolflag:
Well, it wasn't to be. AC Milan were the much better side and deserved to win.

Congratulations AC Milan and Liverpool. Hope it is a good final!

My head wants Liverpool to win, but I think AC Milan will win it, revenge for the defeat in the 2005 final.

[Canis familiaris]

So the final match of the Champion's League is AC Milan - Liverpool FC.
I say Liverpool will be the winner.
Yes, and Liverpool will be crowned for the sixth time.