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Champions League Thread 2019/2020

6K views 196 replies 19 participants last post by  red 
#1 ·
For me there's nothing better or more exciting than mid-week CL matches.

Nothing beats that thrill of seeing Inter play the best of the best.

I guess we are using this one thread for the matches, like we did last season.

Few points on our opponents:

1) Slavia Prague: obviously these guys will be the whipping boys of the group. I'm not going to pretend to know anything about them. They won the Czech league by 5 points last season and knocked out CFR Cluj (Romanian team) to make the group stages.

First match is Sept 17 against these guys in Meazza. Let's hope for a big win before Barca in the Nou Camp. The away game could be very tricky though. Late November so it will be freezing cold. Eastern Euro pitches don't have the best rep. although maybe the Czech ones are good, I've no idea.

Expected points: 6

No-brainer. If we don't get 6/6 we here we can kiss goodbye to the knockout stages.



2) Barcelona: In terrible form ATM but that that is mostly to Messi's injury. The rumour is he is BACK start of October :facepalm: i.e. just in time for Inter. Also the midfield selection has been bizarre and Valverde hasn't found a balance. Busquets and De Jong are probably immovable going forward...

But for me, so far, the new midfields they are putting out seem lightweight and/or inexperienced.

Why the hell are they lining up with Alena and Sergio Roberto in midfield when they have Rakitic, Arthur and Vidal sitting on the bench :facepalm:

Predictably, the results have been sh*te. But the CL is Barca's natural habitat and they usually waltz through the group stage. Rakitic and Arthur owned our midfield last season and I expect them to come back do the same this year.

I would expect a 2-0 loss in the Nou Camp and would hope for a draw in Meazza.

Expected points: 1

3) Dortmund

Dortmund are really fluid, really fast and pretty vulnerable at the back. Union Berlin put 3 past them in the last round, which was pretty shocking considering the whole country expects Union to go down immediately with very few points.


The forward line is pretty lethal. Having Sancho, Thorsten Hazard, Alcacer and Marco Reus attacking you in unison is pretty scary really.

We just need to hope that a mix of Brozo, Sensi, Barella, Vecino and Gaglia can overpower Weigl and Witsel in midfield.

Hummels is error-prone at the back but Akanji is really good.

On their day I think they can beat us in Germany without too many problems. But let's hope for win in San Siro.

Expected points: 3
 
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#2 ·
We had separate match threads for the CL last season, red. But we can use this one for the campaign if we start with a win v Slavia, which really is a must win match indeed. They did knock out Sevilla from their beloved EL last season so I am not taking them lightly.

Barca away, in my time as a fan we lost there 3-0, 2-0, 1-0 :heart: and 2-0. Never saw us score at Camp Nou, would be nice to see us get something really even if it will be tough.

Dortmund at home is a must win. I would be quite content with 6/9 from the first 3 matches. 7/9 would be very good.
 
#3 ·
Today in the Bundesliga:

Dortmund 4-0 Bayer Leverkusen

Feck.

Looks like Dortmund will beat Barca in Germany.
 
#4 ·
Doubt it

I would put money on a Barca win. Dortmund lost to a very weak Union Berlin 2 weeks ago.
 
#5 ·
Barca put 5 past Valencia themselves so they made a strong 'response' so to speak.

Good thing we play early so that I can watch our game against Slavia followed by Dortmund-Barca.
 
#6 ·
I actually think Dortmund are quite weak once they have to shift to defense and put men behind the ball.

A quick, high press really disrupts them, although Conte's press is not very high or fast (as Sacchi pointed out a couple of days' ago).

Our ties against them are hard to call.

But I can see Barca taking 6 points from them and at least 4 from us
 
#7 ·
Barca this season at home look amazing (put 5 past Betis and 5 past Valencia) but away from home they struggle. Don't think they will win in Dortmund.

I watched a replay of Barca v Valencia, that young boy Fati can play.
 
#8 ·
Slavia want to make their mark'
Football Italia

Slavia Prague boss Jindrich Trpisovsky insists his side “want to make their mark in Europe” and expects Inter to be without Romelu Lukaku.

Slavia have been branded the whipping boys in Group F with Inter, Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund, but they did win the Czech title last season and could face the Nerazzurri without Lukaku in their line-up tomorrow.

“We’re in a group of giants and we’re aware of that, but if we didn’t believe then we wouldn’t even try to play here at San Siro,” Tripisovsky said at a Press conference.


“We have the quality to make any team suffer. We want to be able to surprise our opponents.

“They‘ll want to assert themselves with their game. We’ll try to impose our style, knowing that we’re facing a very good team.

“It’ll be difficult, the history of Inter is for all to see. For us, it’s a great opportunity to learn.

“We both made changes over the summer. We know little about them and it’s better that they don’t know much about us either. It’s part of the game.

“We’ll try to pick up as many points as possible. Slavia want to make their mark in Europe.

“I don’t think Lukaku will play because, from what we know, he isn’t fit and that’s important for us.

“The game without him will be different. We’ll have one less problem if he’s not there.”

---

Yeah apparently Lukaku has a back problem. Lautaro-Politano then.
 
#9 ·
Probable line-ups: Inter-Slavia
Football Italia

Romelu Lukaku should be fit to start Inter’s Champions League opener against Slavia Prague tonight.

Lukaku was considered a doubt to face Slavia, but the striker is being tipped to partner Lautaro Martinez in Inter’s attack.

Elsewhere, Danilo D’Ambrosio should come into central defence at Diego Godin’s expense and Valentino Lazaro is in line for his official debut on the right wing.


Slavia, meanwhile, are in the Champions League group stage for only the second time in their history after winning the Czech title last season.

Midfielder Josef Husbauer is their only player with Serie A experience, having played twice for Cagliari in 2015.

Inter (probable): Handanovic; D’Ambrosio, De Vrij, Skriniar; Lazaro, Vecino, Brozovic, Sensi, Asamoah; Lautaro, Lukaku

Slavia Prague (probable): Kolar; Coufal, Hovorka, Kudela, Boril; Soucek, Traore; Masopust, Stanciu, Olayinka; Van Buren

---

I guess Godin and Candreva can't start 3 matches in a week. Looking forward to seeing Lazaro make his debut.
 
#10 ·
Line-up looks good.

:thumbsup:
 
#11 ·
Candreva starting not Lazaro

Gagliardini starting instead of Barella/Vecino

DD for Godin. Considering the age of Godin and with Milan and Lazio coming up within days it's understandable.

Forza Inter. Vinci per noi.
 
#12 ·
Btw Biraghi not even on the bench. Injured? We don't have a lwb aside from Asamoah. Though if Asamoah gets injured we can shift DD to lwb and play Godin as CB.
 
#16 ·
Amazingly bad first 12 mins
 
#18 ·
100% chance missed by De Vrij but foul called I think on Skriniar
 
#21 ·
Aghhh Danilo

Slavia GK saves header
 
#22 ·
Asamoah winning fouls in decent areas
 
#24 ·
Lukaku and Brozo have been really weak so far. They need to step it up.

Gags surprisingly good.
 
#25 ·
I think we need a better link between midfield and attack

Imo Politano for one of the 2 cfs
 
#27 ·
Or take off Candreva, switch to 433 with DD RB and Politano along with the 2 cfs
 
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