UEFA Champions League

Going to be some big casualties with

Bayern v Real

Juve v Barca

Terrorist hit team bus - Article - Updated

Marc Bartra in surgery to remove shrapnel, fingers crossed for a speedy recovery.

Class

In that 2nd one, the assistant ref is quite a bit behind the play - overall it sounds like the ARs and the ref had quite a few shockers all in favour of RM. 

Yeah I think the second one is slightly more excusable. The first one is just silly though

Well done CR and RM.

Liverpool beat the meat.

So where's that Roma lad?

Fudge me. Despite it being manic at work (I mean, biggest week I've had in 3 years), I'm glowing! Really didn't see this one coming, especially after losing 2-0 to Fiorentina at home on the weekend. 

4-1 at Camp Nou was a harsh result given how well we played, but I didn't expect to win in this fashion. Amazing. Just so happy :)

Go JUVE! 3-3

Crazy game. Gutted it ended how it did.

Thought it was a penalty. Looked like a push and either way it was probably dangerous play for a high foot.

Buffon stupid for getting red carded.

I'm a fudgeing jynx :(

Haven't seen it but guess having lost Barcelona there was no way UEFA were going to allow Real to not be in the semi final either. Expect the draw will be made to ensure a Real-Bayern final.

yea i think its one of those tackles that anywhere else in the pitch it isn't a foul. But I think I'm more disappointed that a great game like that was decided by a refs call. rather than the players. 

Also, Gigi going off in the after match conference is something else. he is definitely going down swinging. 

Hard to see anyone beating RM now

They got beaten 3 - 1 at home...they can draw anyone of 3 teams. One that hasn't been beaten in the CL at all, one that just demolished Barca in the second leg and then there's Bayern...apparently they aren't too bad either.

That tackle anywhere else on the field is still a foul. Not only was the foot high but the RM player was pushed in the back. 

Agree. Like I said, hard to see anyone beating them. Not that no one was going to beat them. 

Bayern weren't great this morning or in the first leg tie, barca capitulated,as did city(and liverpool played ok :)  Yes RM lost the match, but it ended on such a high for them, that's the momentum which will be carried through. 

yea I've had another few looks, still goes down easily, but there is a nudge in the back. Not sure about the high foot call. Only ever gets nipple height. 

I think that's an easy foul to give. Dumb challenge in the box. Penalty. See you in Russi.... oh.

Quite scary that people actually think like this.

More than what ajc28 said, I actually believe bigger teams are often (not always!) implicitly favored by referee decisions.  Not implying any foul play - just that decisions in key moments often go the way of the more important team.

Juve have had this time and time again going in their favor in Italy (when they weren't outright buying referees - go and read about Calciopoli and you'll know what I mean), but interestingly enough they often run into the same hurdle when playing in Europe.

Anyway, that was a penalty 100% so moot point imho.

Semi-Finals - draw is about 11pm tonight correct?

At this stage, don't really care who we get. I'm going to guess...

Real vs Roma

Bayern vs Liverpool

With our luck I wouldn't be surprised...but then again I'd rather have Real than Bayern or Liverpool as they've not been their usual selves.

Pewl vs Roma

Bayern Vs Rael

Isn't this established in studies? Dominant teams tend to get more 50/50s? Psychology or something. Fergie time. VAR

All right - Real vs Roma in the final...should be good to watch! :)

called it!

There seem to be questions over whether the UEFA Champions League and Europa League will be broadcast in NZ this season.

Seems that Italian Serie A may be a possibility though.

I notice that beIN are no longer listing the Champions League or Europa League on their websites.

This from beIN to me in recent days:

Hi Peter,

Thank you for contacting beIN SPORTS.

We do apologize for the mistake, The rights to the Italian Serie A are yet to be awarded in this region same goes with UEFA League, but we hope to have an update for you soon.

Any update regarding this competition will be announced on our website https://www.beinsports.com/nz/ & https://connect-nz.beinsports.com/en.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

They had previously sent me this stock reply in regards to another query:

"beIN SPORTS brings you exclusive coverage of the EPL, La Liga, French League 1, Carabao Cup, Italian Serie A, EFL Championship, League 1 & League 2 competitions, from August 2018 to May 2019"

No mention of Champions League or Europa League.....

Sky TV announced this morning that they have purchased rights to the Champions League and Europa League for the next three seasons:

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/football-soccer/news/ar...

"Sky Sport announced today the company has secured the exclusive broadcasting rights for the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League for the next three years.

It comes a day after Spark revealed they have purchased the English Premier League rights for the next three years starting next season.

...The announcement today means Kiwi fans of top English teams, the likes of Manchester City, Liverpool and Manchester United, would need to buy subscriptions to both Sky and Spark to watch their favourite side playing both domestic and European football.

....From this season Sky will expand their coverage of the Champions League and broadcast 138 matches - at least doubling the fixtures compared to the 2017/18 season."

That's not going to please quite a few people I would think having CL and premier league with separate companies. The realities of modern day sport I guess though.

Great reminicising in this week's Flying Kiwis, esp Danny Hay & Wynton.

http://theniche-cache.com/football/2020/4/6/a-history-of-kiwi-footballers-in-the-uefa-champions-league

Great article, but he left out Chris Killen at Celtic

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/world-game/300056105/manchester-city-overturn-twoyear-ban-from-champions-league

The money pulls through...

Normality continues

Boo PSG. Atalanta were soo close!!! Robbed!!!

Can city actually pull it out this year?

Looks pretty bad against Man Utd. Haven't seen them play Rodri and Fernandinho in a while!

https://www.sportsbetting3.com/soccer/uefa-champio...

Bayern Munich seem too strong really. Juventus with Ronaldo having 1 more go at it with a mature team seems likely too.

I have Bayern Munich repeating as champions this year. They are just on a different level because of the combination of defence and offence with players like Sule and Neuer on the back line and the ever powerful Thomas Muller and Robert Lewandowski up front. However, I can't really count out the other teams like Real Madrid and PSG who are all in good form but have struggled with injuries to their star players like Eden Hazard and Neymar Jr.