robertmac43
Forever 43!
- Mar 31, 2015
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Alvarez is a big miss for the first leg. West Ham will probably run a Soucek/Ward-Prowse midfield that will get overrun quicker than Belgium.
Liverpool get a walk to the final. Couldn't have seen that coming - the Klopp broadcast will be unreal. Imagine if they play Leverkusen.
The Europa League Final has potential to be better than the UCL final with the way that draw went
Madrid vs PSG would be the biggest game because of the Mbappe thing. Besides that…
It’s a good draw.
But let’s be honest. Who are they not favorites against? Milan / Leverkusen are the strongest teams left I guess but neither would be favored in a two leg.
I’m just glad Liverpool avoid Roma and people getting stabbed.
They also had a hard time against Rangers. This is not a strong Benfica side.Hopefully OM beats Benfica because Toulouse completely dominated them and should have won that tie.
Joao Neves tho….They also had a hard time against Rangers. This is not a strong Benfica side.
This is not a strong OM side either mind youThey also had a hard time against Rangers. This is not a strong Benfica side.
There are "favorites", and then "FAVORITES". Benfica/Marseilles in the semis is an actual walk, and Atalanta is a much worse mid-table side this year than they have been. Liverpool avoided the entire half of the draw that would have given them a match (minus West Ham).It’s a good draw.
But let’s be honest. Who are they not favorites against? Milan / Leverkusen are the strongest teams left I guess but neither would be favored in a two leg.
I’m just glad Liverpool avoid Roma and people getting stabbed.
One less thing for the Man City fans to sing about .It’s a good draw.
But let’s be honest. Who are they not favorites against? Milan / Leverkusen are the strongest teams left I guess but neither would be favored in a two leg.
I’m just glad Liverpool avoid Roma and people getting stabbed.
Atalanta are four points off 4th and, until a recent four game skid (in which they played away at Inter, Milan, and Juve) were unbeaten in 2024. They were in 4th only a few weeks ago. Their run-in is such that I'd have them favourites to finish 4th and get back in the UCL. They're not a much worse mid-table side this year. Gasperini has very effectively rebuilt this team from the one that made the UCL QFs a few years ago.There are "favorites", and then "FAVORITES". Benfica/Marseilles in the semis is an actual walk, and Atalanta is a much worse mid-table side this year than they have been. Liverpool avoided the entire half of the draw that would have given them a match (minus West Ham).
Atalanta deserve respect for sure. And they just took Sporting out. That’s a pretty nice scalp. They aren’t going to be pushovers. We’ve played them pretty recently tooAtalanta are four points off 4th and, until a recent four game skid (in which they played away at Inter, Milan, and Juve) were unbeaten in 2024. They were in 4th only a few weeks ago. Their run-in is such that I'd have them favourites to finish 4th and get back in the UCL. They're not a much worse mid-table side this year. Gasperini has very effectively rebuilt this team from the one that made the UCL QFs a few years ago.
I wouldn’t call them favorites at all and, as you say, are on a bad run of form. Roma as the other “mid-table” candidate in the EL, have only lost once themselves since sacking Mourinho and that was to Inter (though admittedly an easier run of fixtures). I was probably being harsh calling them “mid-table” but my point was more so they aren’t last year’s team.Atalanta are four points off 4th and, until a recent four game skid (in which they played away at Inter, Milan, and Juve) were unbeaten in 2024. They were in 4th only a few weeks ago. Their run-in is such that I'd have them favourites to finish 4th and get back in the UCL. They're not a much worse mid-table side this year. Gasperini has very effectively rebuilt this team from the one that made the UCL QFs a few years ago.
Yeah, I wasn't talking about the favourites aspect - Liverpool are the only favourite on that side of the bracket. My point is just that Atalanta are a good team this year, better than last year (a season in which they didn't play in Europe). On track for the same point total in Serie A, but they've also gotten most of their toughest fixtures out of the way - they'll likely exceed it by an okay margin.I wouldn’t call them favorites at all and, as you say, are on a bad run of form. Roma as the other “mid-table” candidate in the EL, have only lost once themselves since sacking Mourinho and that was to Inter (though admittedly an easier run of fixtures). I was probably being harsh calling them “mid-table” but my point was more so they aren’t last year’s team.
The first game will dictate the rest if they can get a draw or win at Anfield it will be very for LFC to comeback in the reverse fixture.Yeah, I wasn't talking about the favourites aspect - Liverpool are the only favourite on that side of the bracket. My point is just that Atalanta are a good team this year, better than last year (a season in which they didn't play in Europe). On track for the same point total in Serie A, but they've also gotten most of their toughest fixtures out of the way - they'll likely exceed it by an okay margin.
And the "bad run of form," as I mentioned in my post, was four consecutive games against the top four, three of which were away. That's a decent asterisk next to the "bad form" category when they've been by and large (outside of Inter) the form team in the league since early December. Just wanted to put some respect on the name, because mid-table was harsh.
The Europa League Final has potential to be better than the UCL final with the way that draw went
Madrid vs PSG would be the biggest game because of the Mbappe thing. Besides that…
Steady….Newly crowned English champions vs German champions in EL, and similarly Spanish champions vs French champions in CL, at least it would be proper top teams of the season facing each other in the final.
Liverpool not really in the game so far, Atalanta with two big chances already.Kelleher saved a ball with his face and his cheek has a welt