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Champions League Last 16 Draw

Timberwolf

Well-Known Member
Jan 17, 2008
10,328
50,217
The groups are as good as done so who would you rather face?

It has to be one of:
Juventus
PSG
Barcelona
Valencia
RB Leipzig

Do Not Want: Barcelona, PSG
Dangerous but beatable: Juve
Wildcard: Leipzig
Best draw: Valencia

- Barcelona are the obvious one to avoid and I'd be worried about PSG too, though obviously they'd be the better draw of the two.

- I actually think Juve wouldn't be a bad draw as they've been playing shite and scraping results under Sarri - unless they see a big upturn in form I think we'd have a decent chance against them. We also owe them a beating after the tie 2 years ago.

- Leipzig are a bit of a dark horse and have an excellent coach. I think they could be a real threat, although we'd be marginal favourites.

- Valencia are the ones I'd be most confident against.
 

Shadydan

Well-Known Member
Jul 7, 2012
38,247
104,143
The groups are as good as done so who would you rather face?

It has to be one of:
Juventus
PSG
Barcelona
Valencia
RB Leipzig

Do Not Want: Barcelona, PSG
Dangerous but beatable: Juve
Wildcard: Leipzig
Best draw: Valencia

- Barcelona are the obvious one to avoid and I'd be worried about PSG too.

- I actually Juve wouldn't be a bad draw as they've been playing shite and scraping results under Sarri - unless they see a big upturn in form I think we'd have a decent chance against them. We also owe them a beating after the tie 2 years ago.

- Leipzig are a bit of a dark horse and have an excellent coach. I think they could be a real threat, although we'd be marginal favourites.

- Valencia are the ones I'd be most confident against.

Barcelona are beatable, been watching them under Valverde for ages and they are over reliant on Messi most of the time and they rarely play a as a team, obviously you want avoid them as much as possible but they're not the strongest team we could face here, that's PSG or Juve.
 

eddiev14

SC Supporter
Jan 18, 2005
7,173
19,679
Agree with that assessment.

Having said that, part of me just wants the best and/or most entertaining opponent. Being in the Champions League should really be about everyone enjoying it and trying to beat the best.
 

dude573

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2012
1,589
4,813
Juve still scare me after what happened last time we played them. We battered them at Wembley but then lost the game in three minutes.
 
D

Deleted member 27995

Any of them from the standpoint of - we're going to have to beat a good team at some point to win it.
 

Timberwolf

Well-Known Member
Jan 17, 2008
10,328
50,217
Agree with that assessment.

Having said that, part of me just wants the best and/or most entertaining opponent. Being in the Champions League should really be about everyone enjoying it and trying to beat the best.
In previous years it was great to have big ties against the traditional titans of Europe, but now that we've essentially played all of the giant clubs I'd happily take the easiest draw possible if it gets us further in the competition. In our current state we can barely compete with the very best sides so I'd rather avoid them until later if we can.
 

'O Zio

Well-Known Member
Dec 27, 2014
7,405
13,785
Hard to disagree with the OP. That said, I still wouldn't be so quick to write off Juve. They're definitely beatable though.
 

spursfan77

Well-Known Member
Aug 13, 2005
46,680
104,956
We havent drawn PSG yet have we, so I'm expecting it will be them. Although Ive a feeling we will get Juve again. Whoever it is, it won't be one of the perceived easier teams.
 

Timberwolf

Well-Known Member
Jan 17, 2008
10,328
50,217
Barcelona are beatable, been watching them under Valverde for ages and they are over reliant on Messi most of the time and they rarely play a as a team, obviously you want avoid them as much as possible but they're not the strongest team we could face here, that's PSG or Juve.
I'd still fancy Juve over Barca in a 2 legged tie. Barca have been pretty average in the league, but I think their ceiling is an awful lot higher than Juve's this season. Juve have barely had a single complete performance whereas Barca might be a 5/10 a lot of the time but on their day are 10/10 and can blow teams away. Over 180 minutes I fear Messi far more than a fading Ronaldo et al.
 

leray

Well-Known Member
Jan 31, 2013
628
2,067
Juve and Barca, although they might have problems and look beatable, have Messi and Cristiano for whom Champions League this season is the most important trophy, maybe of their entire career.

Ronaldo has not won Balon d'Or for two years now and Messi has surpassed him recently. He might bring his absolute A game in the knockout stages.

Messi has now won the CL for 4 years now. It's a trophy they desperately chase and it might be the last chance to win it in current squad situation with Pique not really that motivated, Suarez and Busquets getting older.

I'd definitely want to avoid those two teams.
 

hellava_tough

Well-Known Member
Apr 21, 2005
9,429
12,382
An easy draw to allow us more time to grow and gel as a team; we can save the hard matches for the quarters

It's great, though, that we've got a coach at the helm who has won this thing twice before
 

mark87

Well-Known Member
Nov 29, 2004
36,031
114,064
PSG seem to have a mental block when it comes to the knockout stages of the CL, they play really well in the group stages each year but not so much in the knockouts.
 

Jenko

Well-Known Member
Mar 18, 2004
5,290
4,157
The groups are as good as done so who would you rather face?

It has to be one of:
Juventus
PSG
Barcelona
Valencia
RB Leipzig

Do Not Want: Barcelona, PSG
Dangerous but beatable: Juve
Wildcard: Leipzig
Best draw: Valencia

- Barcelona are the obvious one to avoid and I'd be worried about PSG too, though obviously they'd be the better draw of the two.

- I actually think Juve wouldn't be a bad draw as they've been playing shite and scraping results under Sarri - unless they see a big upturn in form I think we'd have a decent chance against them. We also owe them a beating after the tie 2 years ago.

- Leipzig are a bit of a dark horse and have an excellent coach. I think they could be a real threat, although we'd be marginal favourites.

- Valencia are the ones I'd be most confident against.

I've been cursing Juventus since that game 2 years ago. Been desperate for a rematch since. That's who I want no matter who else might provide an easier tie.
 
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