[X-Offender]

Yeah, Roma passed through. What you on, Fillipo? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[Fillipo Simone]

Oh, my TV-reporter claimed Leverkusen will surpass Roma on goal-difference. So I didn't care to check much. My bad (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

[X-Offender]

Your TV reporter needs to change job. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[han2503]

Not that Roma deserve any praise mind you, they did everything aside from literally shooting their feet off to try and sabotage their own chances.

Aside from the opener against Barca they were simply an embarrassment to the league.

I still stand by what I said, .i.e I think first and second tier teams in Italy are better than their German counter-parts. Bayern aside, who are light-years ahead of any team in Italy or any other team in Germany for that matter, I think it's pretty even but Italian teams have a bit more quality.

I don't think EL for example is a good medium to test that theory though, because we all know that generally speaking, Italian sides tend to place far less importance on it. Take Fiorentina for example or Lazio last season, they are/were very good in the league but when push came to shove, they prioritised the EL below it, Fiorentina are doing great in the league but have been pretty sub-par in the EL. After all this is at the core of why Italy lost that 4th spot to Germany in the first place.

[X-Offender]

I don't think so, Han. Unlike in the past, winning the EL grants you access to the CL. For example, if Napoli hadn't been KO'd by Dnipro last season and won against Sevilla in the final, they'd be in the CL this season. This holds especially true for teams like Lazio and Fiorentina, who generally speaking have it difficult to access the first three spots in the league.

You'll see, when push comes to shove, they will field their best possible line-ups.

[han2503]

I don't think so, Han. Unlike in the past, winning the EL grants you access to the CL. For example, if Napoli hadn't been KO'd by Dnipro last season and won against Sevilla in the final, they'd be in the CL this season. This holds especially true for teams like Lazio and Fiorentina, who generally speaking have it difficult to access the first three spots in the league.

You'll see, when push comes to shove, they will field their best possible line-ups.

It's a great incentive, no doubt about it, but I still don't see clubs from Italy taking it as seriously as the German and Spanish sides do.

Fielding your best line-up is one thing, half @ssing it is another.

[X-Offender]

It's a great incentive, no doubt about it, but I still don't see clubs from Italy taking it as seriously as the German and Spanish sides do.

Fielding your best line-up is one thing, half @ssing it is another.

You don't think because of the past, but the past doesn't apply anymore. Two Italians side were present in last year's semi finals, so that should be proof enough for you.

[X-Offender]

Juve-Bayern and Roma-Madrid. And Fiorentina-Tottenham, Napoli-Villareal and Lazio-Galatasary for the EL.

Super tough draw for the Italians. I for once believe that if Roma manage to get back on their feet by February, they can actually defeat Madrid, which this season are anything but fearsome. But if it's the same usual BS Roma, they're gonna get floored.

As for Juve, it'll be a close one, but Bayern will definitely pass through.

[X-Offender]

Man, Juve so unlucky! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif)

[Fillipo Simone]

But isn't it typical Allegri though? Decided to draw back too early, needlessly picked a hurt Mandzukic and Sturaro to come in,...

[kurtsimonw]

The difference, aside from a wrongly disallowed goal, was Bayern players deciding to ignore their coach for the last 30 minutes

Proving more and more each year that Messi/Xaviesta made Pep IMO.

[X-Offender]

But isn't it typical Allegri though? Decided to draw back too early, needlessly picked a hurt Mandzukic and Sturaro to come in,...

Juve had two clear-cut chances in front of Neur that would have sent the game 3-0 and closed things. They were just unlucky. Sturaro coming for Khedira was understandable, but they needed Morata for counter-attacks. Once Mandzukic came in Juve practically stopped attacking.

[Fillipo Simone]

Sturaro was goddamn awful though.

[X-Offender]

Sturaro was goddamn awful though.

His fault, no Allegri's. Someone a-la Gattuso was much needed in that scenario, but Sturaro failed to deliver completely.

[Fillipo Simone]

Sturaro is not near Gattuso. He's Ambrosini at best, but Allegri has a stange fixation an that guy, who delivered rarely so far (bar that fluke in Turin). But Khedira wasn't out of steam yet, why change the integral piece of the defense-offense movement?

Also, just like he did with Milan, he decided to park the bus way too early. This actually gave Bayern room to do their thing and come closer. I still think that after leading 2-0 at halftime he should have done some smarter subs and the game would be in their pocket. But yes, mostly it was bad luck.