I can understand the decision. I guess Celtic are more of a draw than Sion. And money's all that matters to corrupt organisations.

As much as I hate Celtic, if Sion broke the rules, what else can they expect bar being kicked out of the tournament? The bonus of this is Celtic get gubbed 6 times. But it is pretty shite that they're in a tournament they have no right to be in.

It's not like they rigged games or anything like that. A fine would have sufficed. UEFA are a corrupt and hypocritical organization, and sometimes I do wish that the big clubs' threats to disband and form their own league happens

Sheva's Dynamo drew with Stoke with a last minute goal.

Would so love him to win it.

Maybe if it was one ineligible player yes, but 6?

No matter, as predicted Celtic lost anyway - and I suspect they will struggle to pick up even a point in this tournament.

Udinese's backups draw Celtic in the worst reffed game i do believe i have ever seen. aside from the Pen at the end for Udine, The ref was Celtic's 12th man... All's well that ends well .

In news me and Kurt can cuss about, Maribor almost beat Birmingham, but lost their lead...

Why do clubs rate the Europa League that low? I mean, most of the teams are starting with reserve squads, which shows how much they care?

I think only Italian teams play with their reserves.

Naah - I watched Tottenham play a B or even C side, now I watched PSG do almost the same...

Maribor should be ashamed.

thats funny considering their yearly objective in the domestic league is to reach europe...

I think you spelled McLeish wrong. And it's Premier League, not Premiership. At least he can admit they're making up the numbers and are irrelevant in the EPL.

Worst reffed match was the Scotland Czech Rep match. Truly abysmal. Anyway, Celtic have picked up one more point than I thought they would.



That's the Maribor side Rangers couldn't beat.

Because it's a load of shite? It's truly the bowels of European football. Any tournament with a country's second tier playing in it (Birmingham) plus with shite like Maribor and Malmo is not exactly the creme de la creme.

Udinese and others would rather qualify for the CL by prioritising Serie A than deploy a strong team for this garbage cup.

Teams who don't take it seriously generally aren't good enough anyway.

Villa got to the KOs a few years back and put out a bunch of kids. We went out to CSKA who fielded the likes of Akinfeev, Dzagoev, Krasic, Vagner Love et al. We were never good enough to win the thing.

To be honest, I can't remember the last time a bad team won it, Parma maybe? The rest were pretty damn good.

That's not true. The Italian sides are good enough to even win the whole damn thing.

Though a side like Porto last season is better, but that's an exception.

I dunno, Porto ('03), Valencia ('04), CSKA ('05) Sevilla ('06/'07) and Atletico ('10) were very good teams and it's not so easy to say that the only reason Italian clubs didn't win it is because they didn't try. even if they did try, they probably wouldn't have beaten these sides.

I meant Porto is one exception during one tournament. Italian sides should be able to reach the finals, and who knows even win a time. Now they are not even (or rarely?) in the QF's or so for how long?

I wouldn't go so far...why is this Maribor team been constantly insulted? What did they do wrong?
The UEFA Cup was full of Shellbournes and Maribors, but never then less presented a respectful tournament most of the teams tried to go as far as they can. I think a big stupidity was inventing the league system. Small clubs cannot play the 2 match rhythm (no depth) as clubs like Milan or Madrid can, and that's a part of the problem.


Why Porto as an exception? The other winning team were also pretty good like Kurt said.

I don't think it's just not trying. I think they mostly aren't on level to be honest.

I don't agree with this they are not trying business, we could all make that excuse. England don't try in World Cup's, Milan don't try in CL etc.

Nah, my dislike of the Europa League goes back to its Uefa Cup days and beyond.

It's always been a diddy cup, a consolation prize for mediocrity.

Maribor didn't do anything wrong, they're just rubbish! Like far too many of the teams in the EL.

That the favourites are Tottenham and Atletico shows how weak the cup is.

Poor competition.. yet a quality side wins it every year. Also more competitive unlike the borefest that is the CL.

Though, who else is there? Aside of putting more English, Italian & German sides in but how is that fair on those 'rubbish' teams? Greece were probably your definition of a rubbish team in Euro 2004 too... Zenit St Petersburg, were possibly too a couple of years back.

I'm quite surprised in all honesty you have this mentality. I mean if you supported Barca or something I'd just put it down to fanboyism but your first team is Rangers, who whilst good, certainly aren't a top, top team in Europe these days themselves. Therefore, I'd thought you'd have slightly more respect for these lower quality teams.

That Zenit team tanked Bayern about 8-1 on aggregate. Greece were fantastic in Euro 2004 and deserved to win.



It's not about respect, it's about adjudging the quality of the teams in the tournament. You said it yourself - lower quality teams.

Rangers aren't even good enough for the EL these days - that in itself is beyond depressing but another issue entirely.

My support for Rangers has nothing to do with my view of the EL being a poor tournament.

Well the cream usually rises to the top doesn't it?

As for competitive, looking at the recent set of results from both cups, apart from Barca's demolition of Bate, the scores are fairly comparible. Not that many drubbings in either cup tbh.

But how many times have Man U and Barca appeared in the Final in the last 5 or so years? It's sad.

agreed, they are essentially a team of slovenian teens, vying for some higher quality competition, why is this a hated trait as Mexes and taiwo both cited that as the reason they came here...
They should not be ashamed or called **** because they could not beat a ex-premiership( ) team

Because they're the best teams in Europe? You get variety in the EL because the level drops down dramatically from the CL and leaves more random teams making it. Whereas Barca and Man U will always be in the CL because they're the best.

Although Man U haven't started this season's very well.

small heath lose in Braga 1-0. To give them a good chance of qualifying they needed Maribor to get a draw against Brugge. Well, Maribor found themselves 3-0 up with 16 minutes to go.

Brugge score 4 goals including a 90th minute winner.

What a disgrace, Maribor.

Don't be too harsh on them

Spurs 1-2 PAOK.

PAOK had 10 men for nearly an hour.

When did Maribor become the new Inter
I have never seen a team so esoteric to Milan's cause take such heat.
Who expected one of Slovenia's top teams to attract so much hate? I mean i did expect them to lose to Brugge, but losing a 7 goal game 4-3 surely isn't disgraceful... Was Lecce disgraceful for losing to us 4-3 or a valiantly feisty side?

I don't get it either - with Maribor.

No hate from me, I'm delighted with Maribor. Now they can make up for it and win their next Europa game.

Extra officials made a difference.

Spurs score with a player injured on the line, neither the linesman or referee stopped play but the official behind the goal said it was a foul so the goal was disallowed. Though they need to be given something, Spurs fans at the game didn't understand why it was disallowed. The extra official has no flag or whistle, so he has to shout at the referee.

LOL, I don't hate them. I just think it's disgraceful for a team to lose 4-3 at home after leading 3-0 with only 22 minutes to go.

Disgraceful? I don't think it's disgraceful. It's childish, stupid, moronic, tragic or tragicomic...but disgraceful IMO doesn't fit.

Fine, call it whatever you like.

And Milanfans can't speak a word post Istanbul about leading 3-0 and losing now can we?

Did you have to bring that up?

If he's the same Captain Jack we know, then he just had to. The guy can't help it.

Me and X Off sometimes disagree on things, but I would agree that losing a match 4-3 after being 3-0 up with 22 minutes to go, if you're against a team you should probably beat, is pretty shocking.

I remain disgusted with Milan for Istanbul - I'll never forget it, and I blame us and us alone.

And at home turf, too.

Sould beat? I agree letting a lead like that slip is bad, but Maribor are the worst team in the group. Being 3-0 up was a huge shock in the first place. No way should they be beating Brugge.

Hey now, Brugge are not Barcelona. OK, they are by far the better team, but the difference in quality between them is not as vast as, say, Milan and Lecce. Maribor should have never lost that game.

Maribor are indeed complete tripe. But when I said 'a team you should beat' that was on the assumption you were 3-0 up against them with 22 minutes to go. That said Brugge are no Barca themselves, they came 4th in a league barely any better than the SPL.

Lazio 2-0 Sporting Lisbon.

Notes for the few (if any) who care

-Kozak scores (player to look out for in the near future)
- Diakhite + Canvanda were amazing at the back. The latter will become an amazing player, he was unplayable in both offense and defense.
-As well as Kozak and Cavanda, Lazio also have this prospect called zampa who showed alot during his 20 minutes...

Yeah, I noticed that Kozak kid was highly rated on FM.

Lazio are through right?

Yep.