Champions League 2019-20: The Final Countdown

InstaFace

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So that's a wrap on the R16. The QFs are set, single-elimination from here out. All matches in Lisbon, Portugal, split between the home stadiums of Benfica (incl the final) and Sporting CP.

(A) Wed 8/12, 3pm: Atalanta - PSG
(B) Thu 8/13, 3pm: RB Leipzig - Atletico
(C) Fri 8/14, 3pm: Barcelona - Bayern
(D) Sat 8/15, 3pm: Man City - Lyon

SF1: Tue 8/18, 3pm: W-A vs W-B
SF2: Wed 8/19, 3pm: W-C vs W-D

Final Sun 8/23, 3pm.


I'm pretty excited about all the matches, although Leipzig without Werner kinda feels like a shame, like they never had a chance to really see how they match up. Maybe Chelsea can lend him back for the next week.
 
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Royal Reader

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I'm pretty excited about all the matches, although Leipzig without Werner kinda feels like a shame, like they never had a chance to really see how they match up. Maybe Chelsea can lend him back for the next week.
Yes, although on the other hand fuck Red Bull and everything they stand for.
 

DJnVa

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Obviously all the teams are good, but man, that C/D half has 3 teams that could be 3 of the best 4.
 

OCST

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Atalanta and Lyon were both in Everton’s group in Europa 16-17, and both moved on (we were crap, it got Koeman sacked).

Atletico won the EL that season
 

bosox4283

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I’m just glad that Real Madrid cannot eliminate Atletico this year.

I have a feeling that Atletico will win this year and then have to defend “but it still counts!”forever and ever.
 

bosox4283

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Does anyone know who is showing the games? Bleacher Report was carrying them, but I think BR no longer has the broadcasting rights. Thanks!
 

nayrbrey

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Does anyone know who is showing the games? Bleacher Report was carrying them, but I think BR no longer has the broadcasting rights. Thanks!
CBS bought the rights, showing live only online on their CBS All Access service. TUDN will show it live in Spanish if you have the right cable package, 1229 on Xfinty/Comcast in Massachusetts.
CBS Sports Network will show it tape delayed the next day on their cable channel.
 

bosox4283

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This is bad:

View: https://twitter.com/SkyKaveh/status/1292536649755353088


Kaveh Solhekol
@SkyKaveh


Atletico Madrid say two of their players have tested positive for Covid-19 before their Champions League game against RB Leipzig in Lisbon on Thursday


3:02pm · 9 Aug 2020 · Twitter Web App
Yikes. Spain has been experiencing an increasingly worrisome second-wave of sorts, so I'm not entirely surprised that out of the 93 people tested that there were two positives. At this point, no one seems to be reporting who might be infected -- one source said two first-team members and another said that it is not yet known.
 

Zososoxfan

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CBS bought the rights, showing live only online on their CBS All Access service. TUDN will show it live in Spanish if you have the right cable package, 1229 on Xfinty/Comcast in Massachusetts.
CBS Sports Network will show it tape delayed the next day on their cable channel.
Surprisingly to me, one of the matches is also shown on the CBS Sports Channel thru YTTV. If you use a streaming service or cable provider, it's worth a quick check before going thru some hassle.

This is bad:

View: https://twitter.com/SkyKaveh/status/1292536649755353088


Kaveh Solhekol
@SkyKaveh


Atletico Madrid say two of their players have tested positive for Covid-19 before their Champions League game against RB Leipzig in Lisbon on Thursday


3:02pm · 9 Aug 2020 · Twitter Web App
I heard/read a report that said the positive results were limited to the 2 reported. Small solace but something.
 

bosox4283

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Yikes. Spain has been experiencing an increasingly worrisome second-wave of sorts, so I'm not entirely surprised that out of the 93 people tested that there were two positives. At this point, no one seems to be reporting who might be infected -- one source said two first-team members and another said that it is not yet known.
If the reports are correct, and if the virus is not spreading, the two players are Angel Correa and Sime Vrsalkjo. Sime, who came back from a long-term injury, played great against Liverpool but has been inactivate since then after having another knee procedure. While Simeone likes to use Correa as an offensive spark, he's replaceable -- Carrasco, Llorente, Vitolo, and Joao Felix can all cover his minutes.
 

Zososoxfan

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And we're back! Atalanta vs. PSG today at 3pm EDT. Both teams have key guys out injured/hobbled, or otherwise suspended. PSG will be without Di Maria (suspended), Mbappe is still hobbled, and Kurzawa is not expected to play. Atalanta will be without leading goal scorer Ilicic due to personal reasons. That being said, PSG's tremendous depth could be a factor if this match is tied going into the later stages or ET.

Gomez is given lots of free reign to roam and pull the defense out of shape. Marquinhos will likely be tasked with marking him in most zones. This match definitely has the potential to be the most open and attack-oriented of the QFs.
 

rguilmar

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And we're back! Atalanta vs. PSG today at 3pm EDT. Both teams have key guys out injured/hobbled, or otherwise suspended. PSG will be without Di Maria (suspended), Mbappe is still hobbled, and Kurzawa is not expected to play. Atalanta will be without leading goal scorer Ilicic due to personal reasons. That being said, PSG's tremendous depth could be a factor if this match is tied going into the later stages or ET.

Gomez is given lots of free reign to roam and pull the defense out of shape. Marquinhos will likely be tasked with marking him in most zones. This match definitely has the potential to be the most open and attack-oriented of the QFs.
Shame about Ilicic still being out. He's been missing for a good chunk of the post-Covid return, and Atalanta seemed to miss him those last few weeks. Nonetheless, this one should have goals. Atalanta attack to a fault, and PSG should be able to punish them. Still pulling for the Italians because they are a joy to watch.
 

DennyDoyle'sBoil

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Does Neymar still owe a big tax bill? Because I think he took a payoff to throw this one.
 

teddykgb

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Big 45 minutes for Neymars legacy and maybe even his future. Atalanta are a better team than many think but PSG have invested so much and have exited this competition in a lot of difficulty on too many occasions. A QF loss is OK in the abstract but probably a disaster for the club due to the past several years
 

coremiller

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Big 45 minutes for Neymars legacy and maybe even his future. Atalanta are a better team than many think but PSG have invested so much and have exited this competition in a lot of difficulty on too many occasions. A QF loss is OK in the abstract but probably a disaster for the club due to the past several years
Especially for Neymar with his several big whiffs in the first half.
 

teddykgb

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Atalanta look to be tiring even after making a sub. Also starting to look nervous with a few cheap giveaways in the last 5 minutes while playing deeper and less risky. They’re always so swashbuckling I don’t know if they know how to shut up shop for 30 minutes
 

rguilmar

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PSG doesn't seem to be able to create much when forced to work it up the field. Turning Atalanta over or in space, yes. But when forced to create in tighter spaces, they aren't doing much. They're setting up shop and are going to make PSG work for it I guess.
 

teddykgb

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PSG doesn't seem to be able to create much when forced to work it up the field. Turning Atalanta over or in space, yes. But when forced to create in tighter spaces, they aren't doing much. They're setting up shop and are going to make PSG work for it I guess.
I think they are really missing DiMaria. Probably Verratti too. The midfield is just all destroyer types so there isn’t a lot of back to front fluidity
 

teddykgb

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And if Atalanta is going to try to defend this lead they need to give the outside back help with Mbappe because he’s proving he needs a double team
 

ninjacornelius

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Papu Gomez leaving with an injury in the second half really killed Atalanta. Without him, they couldn't do anything moving forward and they didn't have the defensive discipline to make 1-0 last. It's a shame. But then again, if Mbappe had played the entire match PSG would've been a completely different team. Such is life.
 

InstaFace

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Sweet sweet oil money wins again.
At least it brought further shame to Neymar. Rooting for him in the MSN days on Barcelona always felt dirty.

And yeah, whoever said it upthread - Mbappe really won that for them, he was a menace. I dunno why he didn't start, but when he came on, the lights came on for PSG.
 

Zososoxfan

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What a match. I despise Neymar, Thiago Silva's face, and what PSG represents, so I was thrilled with the first half on all fronts. I was definitely rooting for the Italians to win, but the Ilicic absence, Gomez injury, and inability to defend a lead caught up to them just a moment too soon. All that said, I thought PSG were being hard done by Taylor's reffing. Atalanta were being very cynical in their defending and Taylor didn't punish them much at all with cards for accumulation. I really do despise Neymar, but he was getting clobbered all over the pitch most of the match and took it for the most part (he also had his obligatory 2-3 dives that disgust me to my core).

During the match I felt like Tuchel was lucky his boys bailed him out, because his management of this match left a lot to be desired. But looking back on it, I thought his in-game management was fine but his starting XI was wrong. Sarabia was clearly worthless in this match and that MF was never going to be coherent. Of course Mbappe gets the headlines as he should, but Paredes and Draxler's introductions also made a huge difference. I also don't know what was wrong with Icardi tonight but he never even looked close to being dangerous. Somewhat fitting then that his substitute EMCM (not going to try and spell that) had the match winner. PSG have to hope that the return of Angelito makes a big impact, and that Verratti and Kurzawa can make it back for the semis. Although I thought Bernat was fine.
 

Kliq

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What did Neymar ever do to get into the Messi/Ronaldo conversation? Like I know he isn't REALLY in the conversation, but he somehow managed to emerge in the public lexicon as the third best player of his era and I just never saw it. He is certainly very talented, but he had a few good seasons at Barcelona (but not mind blowingly good) and then has put up solid (but not incredible) numbers at PSG. He had a really good 2015 Champions League, but I just don't see him as a truly transcendent talent. Someone like KDB to me is clearly above him.
 

SocrManiac

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What did Neymar ever do to get into the Messi/Ronaldo conversation? Like I know he isn't REALLY in the conversation, but he somehow managed to emerge in the public lexicon as the third best player of his era and I just never saw it. He is certainly very talented, but he had a few good seasons at Barcelona (but not mind blowingly good) and then has put up solid (but not incredible) numbers at PSG. He had a really good 2015 Champions League, but I just don't see him as a truly transcendent talent. Someone like KDB to me is clearly above him.
He’s a Brazilian sponsored by Nike. That machine feeds itself.
 

Vinho Tinto

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He became a pop culture icon in Brazil playing for Santos when he was a teenager. They won multiple Paulista titles and the Libertadores with Neymar as their best player. That he did not immediately transfer to Europe added to the mystery around him. There was that one summer where he was flown to an MLS game just to make an appearance. As big as Messi and Ronaldo are, they don’t have the same Justin Bieber/David Beckham pop star aura to their following like Neymar has. Especially when he had those wacky haircuts. Like those two, he has a huge fanbase in Asia. In 2015, it was fair to wonder if he was developing into a World Player of the Year. He didn’t, but he’s not a bum.

He does bring a fuckton ton of bullshit to the table on and off the field. He never comes across like he’s all in on any of his club teams. His two transfers were sketchy as hell. At this point, it’s safe to assume he will miss half the season. As good as he tends to play for Brazil, they won Copa America without him and they didn’t seem to miss him (even though he’s the Captain).
 
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teddykgb

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If Kevin De Bruyne isn’t being managed by Guardiola, I wouldn’t take him over Neymar.
Think you’ve got this wrong. KDBs reputation would be higher if not managed by Guardiola. Very few managers would force him deeper into a b2b role. His stats would be even more gaudy if the team was built around getting him space in creative areas which 99% of teams would do.

But in regards to the list, only Mbappe is a young player. Neymars “problem” is that he’s old enough now that he’s not in the top 5 and maybe not top 10 of players youd want right now and there’s a group gathering below him who are younger who will have more value as they mature
 

Vinho Tinto

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Think you’ve got this wrong. KDBs reputation would be higher if not managed by Guardiola.
He was never at the level he's at now before playing for City/Pep. He was a a well known commodity and an excellent player, but he's at another level now. I'm skeptical playing for some of the bum managers that Messi and Ronaldo have dealt with would improve his game.
 
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