GWT: Champions League R16 Draw and Build-Up

[Peen]

waiting for the year we get an easy r16 matchup lol

 

[Blender]

waiting for the year we get an easy r16 matchup lol

Seems it doesn't matter where we finish, still get a tough matchup.

 

[These Are The Days]

*sees Citeh get favorable draw*



Tradition preserved!

 

[cgf]

First time Gladbach faced City in the CL they lost both matches, the 2nd time they drew one & lost the other. So obviously they're going to win the 2nd leg after losing the 1st, this time around. Obviously.

Disappointed that Juve went to Porto. Was really hoping BMG would face them again.

 

[Chimaera]

Some of these matchups could change a lot by the time they're played. I really don't think there's an "easy" out. City probably has the easiest, maybe Juve or Bayern, but all three teams they're playing are dangerous. I think Real should be the favorite in their tie, but Atalanta can punish them if they play well.

 

[Evilo]

IMO Juve got the easiest draw but then again so did their opponents.

 

[cgf]

We've not slumped that much last season finishing(especially compared to those two seasons before under Hecking) with 30 points during the second half of the season, after those 35 during the first half.

There won't be any winter break(besides maybe a week) this season and we still have four games in 2020 while a guy like Zakaria's trying to come back and with Hofmann being out so far.

Though, so far there seems to be something missing, during league play, and I wouldn't be surprised if we finished somewhere between 5th - 9th this season.

If we play like we did against Real we'd probably have loads of trouble against most bottom feeders or even 2nd Bundesliga sides as this was aweful on Wednesday.

Still going through to the round of 16, in a group like we had, is a great achievement for us and a nice amount of money(9.5 mil Euros) on top of it.
That's great for us during times like these.

Now we'll face either PSG, Juventus, Citeh, Chelsea or Liverpool in the next round and I'm just going out on a limb saying we're probably not going to be favourites in that matchup.

I haven't looked at the numbers to confirm my observations, but it hasn't seemed like a strictly 1st half vs 2nd half thing. More like a slump that typically spans the end of the 1st half of the season (when the english weeks start catching up with the squad) and the start of the 2nd half. Though you're right that last season was a weird one in a lot of ways & this one doesn't look to be that much more typical lol.

Elvedi also didn't look right against Real. I won't be surprised at all if we find out at a later date that he rushed back for that match before he was actually ready.

This CL campaign has definitely been a success already, regardless. Plus since the knockout schedule isn't as intense as this group stage was...meaning there won't be CL matches every damn week...your key players should be able to stay fresh once they can catch their breath.

E:
And weird as this is to say given his limitations, but Hofmann's absence has been a surprisingly big loss. His pace in behind really helped create space for the more skilled guys like Plea / Stindl / Thuram / etc., his work-rate against the ball really helped set the tone for the front 4's pressing, and his crosses had been extremely effective so far this season.

When looking at the alternatives he shouldn't be as big of a loss as Elvedi, Zakaria or Bensebaini; as Embolo / Lazarro / Wolf / Herrmann is a lot more talent to choose from than Kramer, Jantschke & Wendt. But given the impact that he was having to start the season & how well he balanced that front 4; I actually think the loss of Hofmann deserves to be included with that group...at least for the season to this point.

 

[YNWA14]

Hmmm...this might be the year that Atletico finally wins. All the other top teams seem in disarray while they've been pretty consistent.

 

[cgf]

Hmmm...this might be the year that Atletico finally wins. All the other top teams seem in disarray while they've been pretty consistent.

Last season's finalists are in disarray?

 

[robertmac43]

If Atleti win I will feel for Partey.

 

[Savant]

If Atleti win I will feel for Partey.

I don’t lol. I don’t feel bad for anyone who takes the money and runs

 

[YNWA14]

Last season's finalists are in disarray?

I mean, yeah? Bayern have looked far from sharp this season, and PSG have been pretty questionable (I mean, they're in 3rd place in L1).

 

[Savant]

Bayern are still the favorites. Don’t think any English team will win this year, but City has the best chance of the three. Atletico is dangerous. Real Madrid you can flip a coin. Juventus and PSG/Barca are going to matchup dependent.

 

[robertmac43]

No update on Neymar's injury, if he is out though it will be real bad for PSG.

 

[Savant]

Updated official schedule on original post.

Upset LFC are on the same match day as PSG/Barcelona, because I won’t get the RBL/LFC on my preferred channel.

 

[S E P H]

Not sure what happened in Italy, but Atalanta should actually be the favourites.

 

[East Coast Bias]

 

[Evilo]

No update on Neymar's injury, if he is out though it will be real bad for PSG.

Positive apparently. 3 weeks.

 

[cgf]

I mean, yeah? Bayern have looked far from sharp this season, and PSG have been pretty questionable (I mean, they're in 3rd place in L1).

PSG struggled while Marquinhos was their best healthy midfielder. They've been drastically improved since Veratti returned and look a lot more like they did last season again.

And I don't know what Bayern you've been watching to claim they are in disarray. With Kimmich injured they have had moments where they looked almost mortal, but even by Bayern standards looking almost mortal =/= disarray. I mean they still waltzed through their group over Athletico without even breaking a sweat & are in a great position to win the league again after they go on their annual second-half winning streak...at least they have been since Hertha took Kruse out to undermine our inevitable title push

I wouldn't have said anything if you had just said that they looked more vulnerable than they did last season and hadn't tried to hype Athletico (who did not look like they even belonged on the same pitch as Bayern during that 4-0 loss in the match they played before the group had already been decided), but you went with the hard hyperbole instead

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

Psg should do away with barca regardless. Xavi might come in to make it interesting but have to see.

 

[Lambo]

ManCity?What in the hell? Eternal overrated. They struggle in PL, they won the CL-Groupstage. But this Group was very easy.

 

[East Coast Bias]

ManCity?What in the hell? Eternal overrated. They struggle in PL, they won the CL-Groupstage. But this Group was very easy.

I dont disagree. Part of the pricing here is going to be based on the matchups for now.

So while I would consider both Chelsea and Atleti better than City, they play each other and City plays Porto. Which would be priced in.

 

[RainyCityHockey]

First time Gladbach faced City in the CL they lost both matches, the 2nd time they drew one & lost the other. So obviously they're going to win the 2nd leg after losing the 1st, this time around. Obviously.

Disappointed that Juve went to Porto. Was really hoping BMG would face them again.

Well, it seems like there's a rule in place that we have to play Citeh everytime we play in CL.

I haven't looked at the numbers to confirm my observations, but it hasn't seemed like a strictly 1st half vs 2nd half thing. More like a slump that typically spans the end of the 1st half of the season and the start of the 2nd half. Though you're right that last season was a weird one in a lot of ways lol.

Elvedi also didn't look right against Real. I won't be surprised at all if we find out at a later date that he rushed back before he was actually ready after the way Tony struggled against Inter.

This CL campaign has definitely been a success already, regardless. Plus now that there won't be CL matches every week, your key players should be able to stay fresher once they can catch their breath.

E:
And weird as this is to say given his limitations, but Hofmann's absence has been a surprisingly big loss. His pace in behind really helped create space for the more skilled guys like Plea / Stindl / Thuram / etc., his work-rate against the ball really helped set the tone for the front 4's pressing, and his crosses had been extremely effective so far this season.

When looking at the alternatives he shouldn't be as big of a loss as Elvedi, Zakaria or Bensebaini; but with the impact he was having to start the season, I actually think he deserves to be included with them...at least for the season so far.

Elvedi just came back from an injury and he also looked completely done after the Hertha match on the weekend.
We just don't have enough behind both our CB's and with Bensebaini(who could play there as well) and Jantschke being out.

Hofmann has been pretty fantastic and he's missed mostly because of his ability to initiate the press while also chipping in with goals and assists.
He also played really well on the wing and with Lazaro only being fully back right about now, losing him was really tough and something Herrmann certainly couldn't replace.

Also, like you've said, this CL campaign has been brilliant so far and helps us quite a bit financially during these times.

BTW:

 

[cgf]

I dont disagree. Part of the pricing here is going to be based on the matchups for now.

So while I would consider both Chelsea and Atleti better than City, they play each other and City plays Porto. Which would be priced in.

I think you meant Gladbach, who are cooler than all three of Pepchester / Chelsea / Madrid

 

[cgf]

Well, it seems like there's a rule in place that we have to play Citeh everytime we play in CL.


Elvedi just came back from an injury and he also looked completely done after the Hertha match on the weekend.
We just don't have enough behind both our CB's and with Bensebaini(who could play there as well) and Jantschke being out.

Hofmann has been pretty fantastic and he's missed mostly because of his ability to initiate the press while also chipping in with goals and assists.
He also played really well on the wing and with Lazaro only being fully back right about now, losing him was really tough and something Herrmann certainly couldn't replace.

Also, like you've said, this CL campaign has been brilliant so far and helps us quite a bit financially during these times.

BTW:

As long as you keep doing better against them each time you face them, I guess it's not the worst rule

I have to tip my hat to Hoffmann. I never really rated him when he was with Borussia Inc. So when he switched to the cooler Borussia, I figured that the best-case scenario was that he'd eventually replace Herrmann as a depth speedster. But this season he has been the perfect complement to Plea, Stindl & Thuram in the first 11.

And yeah, the depth in defense has been a real killer so far. Here's to hoping that Bongard & Beyer can start providing legit CB depth behind the senior teamers, sooner rather than later...even if I'm not as high on Beyer as a lot of folks. Such a shame that Doucoure missed so much crucial developmental time to injury, him being a viable 3rd CB would've been so helpful :-(