Manchester City vs Real Madrid and Arsenal vs Montpellier: Champions League Open Thread
Manchester City’s dreams of making it through to the next round of the UEFA Champions League could officially be over today if they lose against Real Madrid at home. Or they could be back on again with a victory. Needless to say, Manchester City has everything to play for today in a match that we can only hope will be as entertaining as the reverse fixture from September when City lost 3-2.
In the other match, Arsenal is at home against Montpellier. A win will be imperative for Arsenal to help their chances of getting out of Group B.
Before, during or after today’s UEFA Champions League matches, post your rants, raves, questions or observations in the comments section below.
67 Responses to Manchester City vs Real Madrid and Arsenal vs Montpellier: Champions League Open Thread
Dzeko up front with Aguero rather than Tevez? Not necessarily how I would go at this, but Mancini probably figures the CL is a lost cause anyway so why not throw Dzeko a “no you’re not really the super-sub” bone?
Thing is, as great and season-saving as Dzeko has been as the super-sub, he has looked quite dreadful at times when starting.
On paper Madrid should dominate this match through the midfield area.
i think your boys are in for a long match could be wrong.Dzeko is like Hernandez at UTD better sub then a first team player.
Barton making Wynalda look like a idiot in the pre game. Say what you like about him sitting with a dumb look on his face at times but Barton knows his stuff having played at the highest level.
Hopefully Madrid win! Hate Man City!
Don’t worry Anita, I’m sure if they play your team they will smash em! Hate city, Why? Jealous? Bitter?
Whenever Mancini says his side are underdogs and have no chance of winning the team plays well and they win. So I’m going for a City win today but they still won’t progress in the tournament.
it is official the waiter is in at chelsea-ovitch LMFAO!
Christmas temp manager is needed just to get us through the holiday season. Good hourly pay rate and sacking bonus. Apply at http://www.chelseafc.com
The greeting from the fans on Sunday could be interesting. We love you Ra-a-fa, oh yes we do….
Loved the quote on Rafa’s 2 season deal with Chelsea……winter and spring.
i agree that was good i have to give one thumb up to rob pebble.
Rafa has spent an awful lot of time down at Clayton Woods (the Stoke training ground), hopefully it may bear fruit in the loan market during the January transfer window.
That or the fat spanish waiter will sign Shawcross on the cheap.
I’d have him in a heartbeat as a replacement for Pulis so hopefully he only lasts until the end of the season at Chelsea.
Isn’t Shawcross near the end if his current contract? I know we have first option on him again should he leave.
Ian
not sure if i would want the waiter for my gaffer.no money for transfers like at LFC.i think your soup might be served cold.
He just makes me laugh, Fact!
What are you on about no money, if we stay up this season we’re self sufficient and we can pump in the big bucks through ‘sponsorship’ by BET365 to get around FFP. Torres will be wearing red & white stripes again next season. Can’t you lot start lobbying to open up the US to online gambling?
Shawcross has been offered a 6 year extenion and has 2 years left I think. Rumour is Man Utd have first refusal e.g Arsenal
offer £15m and Stoke accept they have to offer him to utd for the same price. State of Utd’s defence he’ll probably go back there, Ferguson is on the record saying he made a mistake selling him. £1m!
He’s played 250 games+ for Stoke, been the Captain for 3 seasons, dealt with all the Arsenal mongery, led us out at our first cup final, into Europe, become our first England cap since Mark Chamberlain and is rightly revered. He’ll go one day but he’ll always be welcomed back.
Guy
any opinion on RM in green kit?i myself not a fan.
Not a fan of many third kits…..other than Spurs’.
because they resemble a rugby kit.
Yes!
that did not take long glad to see city playing a defensive lineup.sort of a joke not good mankini.
Shocking defending from maicon. Ball watching from defenders will cost you every time
Kind of dreadful here. What is so difficult to play three at the back for these guys?
Plus Maicon makes a good bit of sense against a cautious side trying to grind out a point. But here?
Three at the back does fine in the league, but in the CL it never seems to work for them.
Ajax 2-0 down doesn’t really matter if city win or lose now unless they turn that around, or get the impossible draw at Madrid.
hope the waiter can make it till April 20th LFC/CFC at Anfield should be rousing.
Yeah it will be one big racist love fest
make that three!
When CFC fall to 8th in the league them what? I don’t see how this appointment works for CFC, MCFC who will be looking for a scalp at home in the league. Rafa with a loss out of the gate = locker room troubles.
Unless… Rafael wins away at city then Mancini in dodo.
I expect dzeco off after 55 tevez on, Maicon off for lescott as they change to a 4-2-3-1
Looks like It’s Garcia on for Kolorov, to a 4-2-3-1 with toure and garcia in front of the back 4 of Maicon, Kompany, nastasic, Zabeleta Dzeco playing behind Aguero…..
Wheres the Sheik now city? Small club big pond will never be regarded as a one of europes biggest clubs
Whats the Sheik got to do with it? Bitter?
Not a utd fan im from japan and hes my fav player for the national team and i am a BVB fan. We win without some rich sheik teams like city ruin the game for teams like us. Hopefully FFP screws city and dont say anything abt other teams spending big money nothing wring if u earn ur dough and not getting pumped up with financial steroids by a rich fat cat. Have fun with urpot x3 seeding next year.
well isn’t that handy for you? Hey what do you think about the dodgy dealing your Club got up to in early to mid 00′s? You know when they nearly spent themselves into bankruptcy! Then sold the club via insider dealing. Of course that how to run a club isn’t it? Somthing tells me you don’t know much about that though.
So you think a basically Government looked after club that’s in massive debt who started with a team costing £295m That is some how doing it correctly right? Because City team starting cost £175m why are they are the bad ones? Because they didn’t borrow it???
Yeah you’re not at all BITTER! LOL
Hey Why? How is all that money spent doing for you in Europe?
You are a huge whiner and are worthless, shut up!
As well as it did for any team at first or maybe you can name me one who spent then won it straight away? Where am I a ‘whined’? And what is a whiner? I like a nice Rioja if that’s what you mean. Lol
It’s amazing isn’t it? Some bitter plastic puts a pathetic remarks bitterly for no reason about my club, and I’m a ‘whiner’, what a tool!
Chances Farcenal finish top and draw second place Real Madrid in knock out stage?
Chances Farcenal get battered like a dead fish and wenger looses his job?
Well Dust I owe you a pint for saying that AVB would be out before RDM. I’m gutted that Rafa will take charge and perhaps you could argue it doesn’t matter who takes charge because they’ll be out when the club draws or loses a couple of matches in a row. Sunday will be interesting for sure.
Rafa is a temp for sure, he will be tasked with getting CFC back to the top of the league with the minimum requirement for the top3 for auto champions league. I really think RA had no faith that RDM could get Top 3 over the season. If RA wants Pep you have to have UCL.
I don’t think Rafa will, do it, too much dressing room madness.
The irony is that Chelsea can still qualify from the group and the last season is the testament that anything can happen in the elimination stage. AVB was sacked after Chelsea lost to Napoli 1-4 and everyone thought they were out of the CL. They put RDM as interim manager and you the rest.
Gah. If I’d had to work today I’d be complaining about taking off work for this. This should be easily 3-0 by now.
But that’s alright. Not the end of the world. The UCL season was doomed by the twin Ajax debacles.
Ian
when Stoke stays up at the end of the season they will not be in the top eight in the transfer window.i think you might have a pint or 2 in you by tomorrow you will think clearly and agree no waiter who serves the soup cold.ENJOY!
The ref in MC vs Real game is losing it. A streak of some strange decisions
Kompany and Silva should have seen their second yellows.
??? Did they even get first yellows?
Dust
no cracks about Luka are you feeling okay.i don’t think he gave his all the last season at Spurs.
He didn’t, he is a bit player at RM, I think Jose leaves RM at the end of the season and luka will too, prolly to Man Utd.
Ronaldo flopping around like a fish out of water.
I’d like to see city score just so they have to make the effort against Dortmund in the last group game which I believe is right before the Darby
Apparently the ref wanted City to score too
Yeah Andrei cos that wasn’t a penalty at all was it? ,-}
No becuase Kompany and Silva should have seen red before that. And the penalty was a bit soft.
Well don’t have a clue what your on about there pal. I watched it, neither me or the Sky commentators seen what you seem to have seen, or was it just hoped for?
If somebody catches you while your going past them and on the heal at that, how can that be soft? I don’t think you’re a City fan at all are you?
send a second string to Germany now, please lose City. No waste of time Europa!
Not sure the foul on Ronaldo wasn’t a pen but the one on aguero was.
I like Mourhino I really do and I believe he should follow SAF when the time comes but fcuk me he is annoying on the sidelines
You think that SAF is not annoying
Only managers with attitude of SAF or Mourihno can handle a club like United.
I just assumed fans of other teams liked SAF, guess I was wrong.
How about Olivier Giroud? He’s developing qute nicely. Two assists against Montpellier, and 7 total goals this season. He works hard, defends well (especially on set pieces), and can win just about any ball in the air.
Likely opponents for utd in the next round are PSG/Porto – AC Milan – Real Madrid – Juve – Valencia/Bayern Munich – Celtic/Benfica.
Only ones that I’d like to avoid would be Real Madrid or Bayern Munich
I would add Juve to the teams to avoid – they are quality. I really want see United vs Celtic
Might have to make a trip home for that game if it happens.
good call Andrei that would be a classic if i could go to only one match i would choose Parkhead. it would be crazy that stadium would be rocking from start to finish.just have to get the Hoops into the next round.
What the hell is going on with Michael Owen? I just watched the Sky post game show and he’s sporting a worst stuck on goatee than Manuel of Fawlty Towers fame ever had! Perhaps he’s trying to get in good with the fat waiter at Chelsea. After all he’s been seen waddling around at Stoke recently. It’s all to hilarious.
That’s no goatee, that’s his 1970′s Stokie handle bar tash. Didn’t you know that the minute you enter Stoke’s boarder you are instantly transformed to 1974?
Benitez might be the only manager that will be booed on his first game in charge. The Chelsea fans are going mental on their forums with his hiring. I don’t see this ending well for Rafa. He is a good manager that is tactically one of the best around but his problem is going to be the dressing room. He also likes hard-working players over flair.
I know they might not want it, but it would benefit Man City somewhat to get into the Europa League to improve their UEFA coefficiant. At this rate they could fall to Pot 3 next season!