UCL QF : Juventus Vs Real Madrid

All banter aside, this is going to be a very tough game. If they defend like they did against Spurs they are never beating us but I feel this is the tie where Dybala will finally announce himself on the big stage and Higgy getting his revenge on Perez. I don't know, they don't look as defensively solid as the last couple of season while the jury is still out on us, are we really back? Is Ronaldo really back? Are Carvajal/Marcelo/midfielders really back etc etc

I guess the silverlining is that BBC is no longer first choice, Bale off the bench can be very useful.

I think we should start Lucas Vasquez and Asensio/Isco and have Ronaldo play as the number 9. Jjuve aren't as shit as QSG, we are going to need all our players and can't have players missing 1v1s

I'm not convinced that "we're back", but our core players are very experienced in this competition, and I think it's very evident that they put substantially more effort into their performances in the Champions League - which is the only competition in which we're fighting to win this season.

It really depends on what team we field. I say we have two completely different teams. There is the one we saw against PSG and then the sputtering team we’ve seen most of the season. If they play as they did against PSG, they can beat anyone. But if it is anything else, we could lose to anyone in the last 8.

I definitely think our core players are back. All of them are playing like they did last season. Just the attack and Isco minus Ronaldo that's still struggling but as long as he keeps scoring we'll be alright. We've never relied on them for goals anyways.

I think our corner defending has gotten alot worse and we are going to have to be 10/10 in every department to reach the semis

The Demon of Carthage wrote:

Thimmy wrote:I'm not convinced that "we're back", but our core players are very experienced in this competition, and I think it's very evident that they put substantially more effort into their performances in the Champions League - which is the only competition in which we're fighting to win this season.

I don't think "we're back" too, but I also disagree with you about the experience argument. To me, experience doesn't mean anything and rarely ever does it play a decisive factor.

I always bring up the Dortmund example because it's just perfect to further illustrate my point. After many years without CL football, Dortmund finally returned to the fold with Klopp:

2012: Straight elimination from the group stage.
2013: Champions league final.

They knocked out Madrid even though their experience pales in comparison to the then 9-time European Champion, who at that time had already reached the semi-final twice in a row with Mourinho.

The only thing that matters is "the now". It doesn't matter if your opponent is the most experienced club in the world, if you're better, you're better.

Naturally, experience doesn't necessarily trump talent, but if there's one thing I've observed from the regular top sides in the Champions League over the past decade, it's that they don't capitulate as soon as it looks like things aren't going their way. Clubs with younger and less experienced players on their team tend to take a hit to their morale once it looks like the advantage is on the other side of of the pitch, almost as if it's instinctive. Atletico Madrid have done it, PSG certainly do it on a regular basis - even in Ligue 1, and I expect Man City to do the same thing if we manage to get a healthy lead on them. It's a farfetched thought, but I believe this reaction may be because most of these younger, more inexperienced talents just aren't wired to fight against the odds. Experience might not be the right word for it, I just don't think our players have the typical habit of yielding to unfavorable odds in the Champions League. We definitely used to, when we seemed to get kicked out by Lyon every year, but this is an almost entirely different squad with a different mentality - a winner's mentality.

Our players have proven countless times in this competition that they won't budge, even if it looks like they're about to lose. It's a mentality that won't guarantee us any success, but I definitely think it's an advantage we have over several of the other teams that have younger and more emotionally fragile squads, and I think our players are aware of this. Even some of the more higher rated players that are inexperienced with success in the CL, have a tendency to give up, once it looks like there's no coming back. Our never say die attitude on the big occasions have been our greatest weapon in the Champions League, in recent time. It's perhaps an undervalued trait we have, but I'd argue it's been very decisive in the past.

Zidane is also a factor here! Although most of us have been critical of his seemingly lack of tactics, he definitely had the right tactics in play against PSG. The players followed thise tactics to the letter indicating how professional (or experienced) they are.

I repeat if the team that played against PSG as opposed to the liga team we have seen, this club can beat any of the remaining 7.

IMO, the draw got it right keeping the top 4 away from each other. It just so happens that we got the 5th best team. If we can’t beat Juve, then we wouldn’t have been able to handle any of City, Bayern nor Barca.

I’m actually now expecting semi finals of City - Madrid; Barca - Bayern and a Clasico finale.

Pjanic is a serious threat from set pieces, as well. Good thing he's out for the first leg. I can't think of a more prolific freekick taker who's still active.

Yes, Messi's freekick goals in recent months do not change my opinion.

StrugaRock wrote:

Thimmy wrote:Pjanic is a serious threat from set pieces, as well. Good thing he's out for the first leg. I can't think of a more prolific freekick taker who's still active.

Yes, Messi's freekick goals in recent months do not change my opinion.

*cough* Dybala *cough*

Pjanic has the longevity to back up his merit If I'm not mistaken, he's scored against us for both Lyon and PSG. The guy has been a nightmare for us in the past

Dont think Bale will start. He didnt start both home and away against QSG and zZ seems to have abandoned 433 in favour of 442/4312

The game is more or less upon us now. Only 3 days to go

All but 1 position are set in stone and that is the 4th player in midfield. Will it be Bale or Lucas or Isco Disco. I can't remember the last big game ZZ started the BBC, oh wait the Clasico when we got run over in our own backyard, yh safe to say we won't see the BBC again for a while. I'd like Lucas to play, don't mind Isco Disco if he plays like he did earlier in the season but I don't want Asensio, he goes missing far too much. He can play against those butchers next Sunday

Marca put out a poll today as to who should start against Juve. There were 2 surprises!

Neither Bale nor Benzema came anywhere close to be listed. Instead their spots were voted as Isco and Asensio!

Navas; Carvajal, Varane, Ramos, Marcelo; Casemiro, Modric, Kroos; Asensio, Isco; Ronaldo.