A place to discuss the events in UEFA land during the 2021-22 season. UEFA CL/EL games not involving Spurs, tournament draws, which UEFA officials have been arrested etc.
...and idiotic rule changes So, about how UEFA have decided to abolish away goals because of reasons...?
Making away goals count double is supposed to make away teams attack more. But it might also make home teams more defensive. Which, if either is true, should be easy to check by comparing european matches between teams in the same league with their domestic league matches. It would be good to see such data.
For the most extreme example, here's Porto's record in the 2003-4 Champions League Home W: 4 D: 1 L: 1 GF: 8 GA: 5 Away W: 2 D: 4 L: 0 GF: 9 GA: 7 Funny how their away record looks uncannily like our overall record from December-April, isn't it?
In a league, you always have the opportunity to spread out results against one particular team over the other games. Which changes the stakes significantly for most games. UEFA KO ties less so : you have only the 2nd leg to rectify any mistakes made in the 1st. In recent times, the Citeh vs Poool and Citeh vs Spurs CL KO ties have been belters, IMHO far above the spectacle and resolve of the teams in their recent PL encounters. In 2019 Spurs scored THREE AWAY goals in the KO stages against both Citeh and Ajax. Who did similar against either that season, at any stage of the CL ?? On that basis there are grounds for stating that the number of away goals should be subject to a multiplier based on the UEFA ranking differentials between the opponents.
I think you need to analyse the first tie only. In the second tie both teams know what they have to do.
I guess this is the best place for this, sort of. DAZN have acquired the worldwide broadcasting rights to the women's Champions League and they're going to put it on Youtube for free for two seasons. That could be very sensible, depending on what they've paid for it. Grow the audience by giving the product away. Interesting move.
These are the teams we can face in the qualifier to get to the group stages. Ideally hope we avoid Sofia, as they’re both the strongest side I’d say and one of the furthest away.
Pacos de Ferreira must be the best side there, surely? 5th in Liga NOS behind their big three and Braga. Lots of Brazilian players, as you'd expect. They've got Northern Ireland's Larne in this round too, so they're almost certainly through.
Could have been worse from the travelling perspective, but will probably have to take a strong side out there if we are not to be embarrassed.
Absolutely, strongest XI for these two legs then rotated side for groups if we make it - which we bloody well better!
Can someone explain this mornings draw, I'm lost. UEFA confederacy whatever it is. Have we signed General Lee?
You'd have thought he'd take this round seriously, as it leads to the group stage and he'll be familiar with the opposition. They're pretty local to the clubs that he spent time with in Portugal.
Or batter them in the first leg and give Scarlett, John and Devine a chance to get bedded in for the second leg