***Champions v Bayern CL Official Match Thread***

[nottsblue]

First leg tonight at ours. Let Bayern worry more about us than us about them. Be a tough tie but I think we will prevail over the two legs.

Just hope Tuchel, (rather than Bayern), hasn't got inside Peps head and we see more tactical brain farts to counter something that isn't there

Come on Blue Boys

[johnny crossan]

Donner und Blitzen
SINK THE BISMARCK!!!
Ederson;
John Stones, Manuel Akanji, Reuben Dias, Nathan Aké;
Kevin De Bruyne, Rodri, İlkay Gündoğan;
Bernardo Silva, Erling Haaland (F/L), Jack Grealish:

Bench: Stefan Ortega, Kyle Walker, Aymeric Laporte, Kalvin Phillips, Riyad Mahrez, Julián Álvarez, Rico Lewis, Sergio Gómez, Cole Palmer, Scott Carson, Máximo Perrone, Shea Charles, Phil Foden.
City win 3-0

[BlueinBosnia]

Ederson;
John Stones, Manuel Akanji, Reuben Dias, Nathan Aké;
Kevin De Bruyne, Rodri, İlkay Gündoğan;
Bernardo Silva, Erling Haaland (F/L), Jack Grealish:

Bench: Stefan Ortega, Kyle Walker, Aymeric Laporte, Kalvin Phillips, Riyad Mahrez, Julián Álvarez, Rico Lewis, Sergio Gómez, Cole Palmer, Scott Carson, Máximo Perrone, Shea Charles, Phil Foden.
City win 3-0

Don't know anything about Shea Charles, but just Googled him: never played a senior game at club level (unless the Auto Windscreens Shield counts), but has 6 full international caps!

[nottsblue]

Ederson;
John Stones, Manuel Akanji, Reuben Dias, Nathan Aké;
Kevin De Bruyne, Rodri, İlkay Gündoğan;
Bernardo Silva, Erling Haaland (F/L), Jack Grealish:

Bench: Stefan Ortega, Kyle Walker, Aymeric Laporte, Kalvin Phillips, Riyad Mahrez, Julián Álvarez, Rico Lewis, Sergio Gómez, Cole Palmer, Scott Carson, Máximo Perrone, Shea Charles, Phil Foden.
City win 3-0

Don't know anything about Shea Charles, but just Googled him: never played a senior game at club level (unless the Auto Windscreens Shield counts), but has 6 full international caps!

Dortmund and Leeds are reportedly sniffing round him.

Must be highly rated

[johnny crossan]

Ederson;
John Stones, Manuel Akanji, Reuben Dias, Nathan Aké;
Kevin De Bruyne, Rodri, İlkay Gündoğan;
Bernardo Silva, Erling Haaland (F/L), Jack Grealish:

Bench: Stefan Ortega, Kyle Walker, Aymeric Laporte, Kalvin Phillips, Riyad Mahrez, Julián Álvarez, Rico Lewis, Sergio Gómez, Cole Palmer, Scott Carson, Máximo Perrone, Shea Charles, Phil Foden.
City win 3-0

Don't know anything about Shea Charles, but just Googled him: never played a senior game at club level (unless the Auto Windscreens Shield counts), but has 6 full international caps!

In our last CL Squad v RB Leipzig & current EDS captain - good player!

[johnny crossan]

Those Krauts will be cowering in the Eye of our Blue Storm tonight

[Blue Jam]

As usual, I am not optimistic. I think they will win tonight and this will derail the current run of form we have been enjoying lately and will lower morale enough to cost us the PL and CL trophies.

[roddysaint]

Here we go again. It's getting to that time of year where our hearts are broken in the most dramatic way possible.

The biggest selection issue is going to center around Akanji, Stones, and Walker. Which two of these will start? Do we stick with the inverted fullback formula which has been working for the past month or so, or do we revert to a flat back four and the reliability of Walker against the most potent attack we've faced all season?

Personally, while I think Akanji has done well relative to his price tag and expectations, this game calls out for reliability. He's had his shaky moments, and a slight positional error that went unpunished by a Southampton or a Palace will definitely be exploited by a top-level side like Bayern.

There's also the question of the right winger. Does Guardiola go for the energy and of Bernardo, or does he go for Mahrez, who's shown up on this stage for us in recent years.

The rest of the team picks itself. While I'd prefer Ortega to Ederson (who has a pitiful 30% save rate
in CL knockouts), there's not a chance in hell Guardiola will do it. The others have now locked in their starting berths after recent performances.

Ederson

Walker/Stones/Dias/Ake

De Bruyne/Rodri/Gundogan

Mahrez/Haaland/Grealish

I wish Bayern hadn't sacked Nagelsmann. We could have seen a really exciting end-to-end game, but Tuchel is almost certain to turn this into a more tactical affair.

[johnny crossan]

Here we go again. It's getting to that time of year where our hearts are broken in the most dramatic way possible.

The biggest selection issue is going to center around Akanji, Stones, and Walker. Which two of these will start? Do we stick with the inverted fullback formula which has been working for the past month or so, or do we revert to a flat back four and the reliability of Walker against the most potent attack we've faced all season?

Personally, while I think Akanji has done well relative to his price tag and expectations, this game calls out for reliability. He's had his shaky moments, and a slight positional error that went unpunished by a Southampton or a Palace will definitely be exploited by a top-level side like Bayern.

There's also the question of the right winger. Does Guardiola go for the energy and of Bernardo, or does he go for Mahrez, who's shown up on this stage for us in recent years.

The rest of the team picks itself. While I'd prefer Ortega to Ederson (who has a pitiful 30% save rate
in CL knockouts), there's not a chance in hell Guardiola will do it. The others have now locked in their starting berths after recent performances.

Ederson

Walker/Stones/Dias/Ake

De Bruyne/Rodri/Gundogan

Mahrez/Haaland/Grealish

I wish Bayern hadn't sacked Nagelsmann. We could have seen a really exciting end-to-end game, but Tuchel is almost certain to turn this into a more tactical affair.

Broken hearted before we even kick off? Where have you been the last 15 years pal - surely not lost in the forests of Panama with the other depressive on here?

[salford city]

I am all for letting Bayern worry about us, we are at the stage of the season where every game is a must-win and tonight is no different. Mane and Sane running at Manu does not fill me with confidence though but will Pep plan on us out-scoring them and stick with the flexible inverted fb to create the extra man in the middle- my gut is he will. Same team as Saturday with bernie alvarez and foden (if fit) to come on to put them away

[Mase]

BBC absolutely willing Cancelo to fuck us -

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65091090

[salford city]

BBC absolutely willing Cancelo to fuck us -

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65091090

They cannot help themselves over on ordsall quays. All that blubbing into their ryan giggs quilt sets

[Nigels Tackle]

As usual, I am not optimistic. I think they will win tonight and this will derail the current run of form we have been enjoying lately and will lower morale enough to cost us the PL and CL trophies.

jesus christ! to think that there's folk on here who accuse me of being negative!!

i'm actually feeling confident about tonight.... so much so that i'm going to put my neck on the line and say that we'll beat them by at least 2 goals. i fear no team over legs, it's only one offs that give me the shits.

[Original Dub]

I want at least a 2 goal cushion to take to Germany.

If the officials don't fuck us, I think we could win by 3.

I'll go 5-2

[johnny crossan]

BBC absolutely willing Cancelo to fuck us -

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65091090

They cannot help themselves over on ordsall quays. All that blubbing into their ryan giggs quilt sets

'Emlyn' the Limerick Crazy Horse - dipper infested BBC Sport is a sad sad place - this sort of tripe is their comfort food,

[Outcast]

I think Haaland will punish them tonight

[Outcast]

As usual, I am not optimistic. I think they will win tonight and this will derail the current run of form we have been enjoying lately and will lower morale enough to cost us the PL and CL trophies.

Are you trying reverse psychology? It's rather strange

[blues2win]

Attack Cancelo. Make him defend.

[Blue Jam]

I'm afraid it's quite typical for me.
I remember having similar thiughs against QPR in 131 months ago, for moat of the 2nd half I was right.

[roddysaint]

Attack Cancelo. Make him defend.

Question mark over whether he starts. Did play 90min his last two games, but Pavard is back from suspension and there's also Stanisic as an option.