***Champions v Bruges CL Official Match Thread***

[PaulieIrish]

Actually scratch that lol. Seems the City/Celtic thing is a draw to see who plays Bayern or Real.

Could they make it any more fucking complicated?

[Nigels Tackle]

can the new lads play or just for the knock outs?

[PaulieIrish]

I think there might be a draw for which new players can play for which clubs also.

[ayrshireblue]

City or Celtic will draw to see who is on the blue side and who is on the silver side of the draw, then Bayern or Madrid will do similar so it will be City v Bayern and Celtic v Madrid or City v Madrid and Bayern v Celtic. Confusing, not at all.

[PaulieIrish]

Here's the draw rules. So we play either Real or Bayern with the away leg last.

How does the draw work?
Eight bowls are prepared for the draw, with the balls containing the names of the seeded and unseeded teams placed in pairs in the corresponding marked bowls according to the league phase rankings.

The draw starts with the unseeded teams, allocating each team from a pair of unseeded teams to one of the relevant pre-determined positions in the bracket, starting with the sides ranked 23/24 and finishing with those in 17/18.

One ball is taken from the bowl containing the two relevant ranked teams (i.e. the teams ranked 23 and 24) and is opened to display the team. The first team drawn from this bowl is placed in their reserved spot on the silver side of the bracket. The other unseeded team of the pairing is then drawn and displayed, and allocated in the corresponding reserved spot on the blue side of the bracket.

The same procedure is carried out with the remaining unseeded clubs.

Once all the pairings of unseeded teams have been drawn and assigned to an appropriate position on the bracket, the draw continues with the seeded sides, starting with the pairing ranked 15/16. The process is the same as described above for the unseeded teams, with the first team drawn from the relevant bowl allocated to the reserved designated spot on the silver side of the bracket and the second team on the blue side.

The procedure is repeated for the remaining pairings, finishing with the teams ranked 9/10 to complete the pairings for the knockout round play-offs.

In principle, the seeded clubs play the return leg at home.

The knockout phase play-offs are played over the course of two weeks:

First legs: 11/12 February 2025
Second legs: 18/19 February 2025

[Nigels Tackle]

can the new lads play or just for the knock outs?

apparently 3 new players can be registered

[Nigels Tackle]

can the new lads play or just for the knock outs?

apparently 3 new players can be registered

nice one, thanks mate

[Beefymcfc]

can the new lads play or just for the knock outs?

apparently 3 new players can be registered

Yep. Thank fuck!

[blues2win]

If we’d won that match against Feyenoord which we should have done we’d have had a much easier draw, Our fault.

[blues2win]

If we’d won that match against Feyenoord which we should have done we’d have had a much easier draw, Our fault.

[carl_feedthegoat]

can the new lads play or just for the knock outs?

apparently 3 new players can be registered

nice one, thanks mate

[Indianablue]

Stones for me. Closely followed by kova.

Bayern or Real next. Kin ell.

Was Stones playing?

Yes he was , had a good game in midfield tonight.

Really? He was supposed to be partnering AKanji tonight in a back 4. If you saw him in midfield he was out of position. Nobody was in that midfield in the first half. We were weak until Kovacic put his big boy pants on and decided to do something positive

[blues2win]

If Dias is fit we could play Akanji on the Right. Cambiaso could play in midfield if we get him if this is right. We’d be mad not to do so. Marmoush would also play. We can’t play Nunes on the Right against either nor that midfield.

[blues2win]

https://x.com/beckwar34/status/18847300 ... 9Awxy5lqVQ


This suggested no new players bought in January unless we get through to the last 16.

[Indianablue]

Never doubted them for a minute

I didn't either, but there are a lot of panic mongers ,in the match thread.

Gundo should retire , caused their goal with his arrogance. Thinking he can take all the time he wants ,when he is not even facing the goal. Should have played it back.

If you didn't doubt it, then you have blind faith. We were going out at half time and playing crap. Brugge were in control. I was annoyed but not panicked because I couldn't give a toss one way or another this season in Europe. The PL is the main priority, that and Pep sorting his head and this team out. Players need to be dropped, tactics need to change

[Outcast]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footb ... eague.html

What's going on with Pep?

[lovecity8utd]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-14339893/Pep-Guardiola-scratches-head-Man-City-Club-Bruges-Champions-League.html

What's going on with Pep?

Who the fuck quotes the fail? Get a grip.

[carl_feedthegoat]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-14339893/Pep-Guardiola-scratches-head-Man-City-Club-Bruges-Champions-League.html

What's going on with Pep?

Who the fuck quotes the fail? Get a grip.

Did they photoshop pep as well ?

[Outcast]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-14339893/Pep-Guardiola-scratches-head-Man-City-Club-Bruges-Champions-League.html

What's going on with Pep?

Who the fuck quotes the fail? Get a grip.

Its not a quote you gimp, look at the picture, it's not the first time.

[KinkyKinkladze]

Stones for me. Closely followed by kova.

Bayern or Real next. Kin ell.

Was Stones playing?

Yes he was , had a good game in midfield tonight.

Really? He was supposed to be partnering AKanji tonight in a back 4. If you saw him in midfield he was out of position. Nobody was in that midfield in the first half. We were weak until Kovacic put his big boy pants on and decided to do something positive

He did sit in the back 4 when defending, when we had the ball he slotted into the middle to help kova as pep relied on gundo and Kevin to be the forward play. Alas, gundo was anonymous and Kevin was shite. Stones was magnificent though, always looking for the ball, always looking to recycle it. The pockets of space he was finding himself in was all due to his brain. He was finding those gaps like David Silva, shame his feet aren't as good as he was.

Facetious Silva comment aside, he was superb. Made me hanker for the treble season when stones would run the midfield. Still the most underrated move of pep's tenure, finding this new midfield general in stones.