You mean lack of one, right? City struggled V CSKA yet Roma destroyed them and got a pretty easy draw at the Etihad. City managed this qualification thanks to managing to beat both Bayern & Roma despite not being as good as either of them.

As X says, Roma are green round the ears re: Europe and UCL in particular, and City are absolutely horrendous given the resources they have.

I am no Roma fan but they're unlucky to have lost out to that City.

I personally thought they played an overall good game and were the better side (who also had the better chances). But as usual, they choked when it mattered the most. City had what? 3 clear cut chances? They took 2 of them. Roma had 5 or 6 and took none


Meh, I don't think they have any realistic shot at winning it tbh. Yeah they'll push Juve right up till April or May, but at the end of the day, there's only one possible winner for this title imo.

Anyone saying that Roma can win it for me are mostly wishful thinkers and are trying to fool themselves into believing Serie A is more competitive than it really is.

Roma have some great players (midfielders) that I would kill to have on our team, but they're just not as good as Juve. Add in the choke factor and you have a recipe for failure


Did you even watch the game? Roma had just as many chances to win this as City did, probably even more, Roma had the upper hand during most of the game but choked when it mattered (as usual for them whether it's Serie A or the CL).

Roma were the better side against City in both their encounters

But it's not just a matter of choking. Why didn't Strootman or De Rossi play? Roma were rapidly loosing the midfield battle, while Garcia insisted with the Nainggolan-Pjanić-Keita (who was too defensive) combination. He also insisted on Totti playing 70 minutes and came too late with the subs. This one goes (IMO) mostly on Garcia, just like when he lost to Bayern.

I don't really think they lost the midfield battle. As I said, they were the ones who created more chances and had the upper hand in the game for most of the time.

But yeah, I also agree that you just don't leave a player like De Rossi on the bench in such a big match, and has Strootman been playing regularly since returning from injury?

Troll.



Nah, the league is different. They have all it takes to push for the title until the very end. I wouldn't be so sure of Juve winning it.



I agree about Totti. He was terrible last night. His old age couldn't let him cope with City's physical players and their constant pressuring. I was also boggled why De Rossi didn't play. He wasn't injured, was he?

As for Strootman, the guy hasn't started a game yet since his injury. Playing him last night would have been too risky.

We'll see, but I personally can't see them winning it, certainly not this season

Roma showed spirit and hunger, they did not give up. They were playing at home, it is only natural. Especially after that Bayern result. Had they not played like that there would have been more damage to the score.

It is definitely about quality, considering City have players of world class status and 'continuity', while Roma have a fallen Italian star in 'Totti' and a team that is relatively newly built.

Dude City are the reigning EPL champions, Roma are?

Playing in the best league there is? At least in terms of tactics and tactical sense of the game.

Is Serie A the best league? As far as rankings go, they aren't.

In terms of tactics and tactical sense? I believe football has evolved from the 90s. Italian teams are not as qualified as they once were in the 90s. Our coaches have migrated to Spain, England, France, Russia etc and are sharing all those traits we used to have exclusively at Serie A.

But that is just my opinion

I know, but Roma were continually loosing the midfield game, and not to bring in some like De Rossi or Strootman was a big mistake IMO.

I'd love to agree but Serie A is miles off being the best league in any context.

Tactical sense? Which one is? Or are above Serie A?

Who cares about rankings, man. Numbers. Fudged up numbers. I mean, if you ask some people they'd say that the Spanish league is the best, or they'll put up the German one higher up (among the top two). Which they really aren't. They may be more entertaining, or on the up overall.

But it's been Serie A and then the EPL in terms of competitiveness and technique for quite some time. It's the modern game that has been skewed towards La Liga, and flash, so to say. But as an honest, neutral fan, I'd never follow that one over the Italian one knowing just how loopy it is.

Almost like a video game, where for the top two teams, it's just about not losing points, instead of winning them. Unless the Serie A and the EPL follows the same flashy route, which I hope they never will, both will be up there at the top. At least for me, and a lot of others. I'd rather watch football games, not money talking.

That's not to say they have their own problems, Serie A having much more pressing issues to fix. And maybe they will someday, but it's still a strong league, and in some aspects the strongest.


Hard to disagree, but that's always been the case, really. Football is a global game, and in the future some other flashy league pops up, say in China, or football in the USA totally goes mainstream, the coaches and players will follow. I'm not saying the Italian teams are still the best, but they do provide a wholesome, tactical watch.

The game has evolved from the 90s, but some things are still the same.


And I respect that. Not that you're wrong, but there are many that watch and prefer watching the Italian league for the spectacle it provides. Many do at the expense of other leagues. Many of my friends in the UK watch it regularly. Besides, there still is hope that one day things will change. One can't forsake values.

There's a reason why Spain couldn't beat Italy for 80 odd years, and Germany has yet to.


Well, they are in consistency. As in most teams are at the same level, and that makes for some rather engrossing match ups. But anyway, at least Serie A has the pace thing going for it. The steady flow of the game sets it apart from all other leagues, you just kick back for the 90 minutes, grab something to eat and relax.

I guess, we should not equate our performances with the league, because AC Milan as a club has been run pretty bad these past few years. The Italian game, though, is still entertaining. Mid table teams put up a good show, and even those below can spring up surprises rather regularly.

Can you say that it's because things are bad in terms of finances and all that? Yeah. But there's also that element of tactics, which means fewer 5-0 scores or even the 1-0 and defend we see in EPL ever so often. It's just this value that sets it apart, and endears it, at least to me. You too, I'm sure, and many other members here.

Serie A is not mainstream, I'll give you that. It's not been since the rise of the English league since 2000s.


None, in my opinion. Maybe there is some other league in some far off country that emphasis more on tactics and technique, but never gets the focus in terms of media, and that I don't know of, but if you're talking about core concepts of the game, I am yet to see any that matches the Italian league.

I don't think any league is especially good tactically. Football these days mostly relies on individuals being brilliant or individuals making errors.

The only tactical master of the game who still gets it right more than wrong is Mourinho. But EPL is far from being sharp tactically. LVG can't make head or tails of Man Utd, and while Pep is starting to get it right with Bayern, outside them Germany is actually a very open and blood and thunder league.

Serie A was the master in the Catenaccio days, but nowadays it's just football.

I remember when a team getting a Serie A in European competition filled them with fear because how good they were at being clinical and how hard they were to score against - now they barely blink and practically actively want a Serie A side.

Look at how Roma fared V Bayern. Embarrassing. Juve also only got through by the skin of their teeth.

Juventus vs BVB

Going to be a tough one, but just like Allegri's Milan gave Barca a run for their money .. Hope Allegri's Juve does more and does not concede in this fixture.

Italian football need Juventus to push hard in Europe.

It's going to be interesting. Looking forward to it.

BVB this season are hardly the Barca we faced under Allegri

Juve in reality should be able to win. Dortmund have been awful this season in the league, and Juve have a pretty great squad. The fact that they are big time chokers in Europe does not give me confidence for Italy's chances in Europe

Dortmund are in a good moment at the moment, though...

They've also been a much different animal in the UCL compared with the Bundesliga.

C'mon BVB.

But for me, Juve are still the stronger team and on paper they should be okay over the 2 games. But history has shown that they tend to struggle needlessly in Europe, especially away from home, and Allegri so far hasn't shown that he could change that going by the way they played their group

On paper Dortmund are superior. On the CL pitch they are too.

On paper? How so?

Juve have a monster of a midfield. Granted, Vidal isn't exactly a trequartista, but he's still a quality midfielder. Defensively they're far better than Dortmund. So yeah, I don't see how on paper Dortmund are superior.

I can't see how that's the case...

Juve's midfield is amazing, their attack not too shabby and a defensive line that is generally very solid.

Dortmund have some great players as well, but for me, Juve just trump them in some areas

On a side note, Reus is such an amazing player to watch, I wonder where he'll be playing next season...

Chiellini brainfart. Typically Juventus.

Let's see, world-cup winning players all over their pitch including several player to recently play CL finals and get to advanced stages.

Dortmund's weakness is their strangely disorganised defence, elsewhere they're fantastic.

And clearly the better team tonight, Juve should not be in the lead.

Dortmund has 5 WC winning players. Out of the 5, Weidenfeller, Durm and Ginter played little to nothing. Juventus has 3 WC winners, Pirlo, Barzagli and Buffon. So what? I think they're pretty even teams.

2-1

Great 70 minutes from Juve. They started strongly, but Chiellini's brainfart sent them on a blackout. Morata's goal completely revitalized them and in all honesty they should have scored at least once more. Deserved win.

Cheers.

Dortmund looked a shadow of the side that made the CL final

The one that qualified for the last 16 with around the same number of points they did this time?
And that drew 2-2 in the first leg of their last 16 tie with the mighty Donestk?

The only good team they had to beat to get to the final was Real and even then only just.

Point they've been really good in the UCL this season, but people are dismissing them based on their domestic form.

I thought they played well tonight and bossed large spells of the match.

They bossed from 18' till 42', then nothing. Juve were far better.

Yeah Juve were the better side, even though their system should've been one Dortmund found comfortable to play against. I don't think they have a clue how to defend, both goals were so simple, should've had more too.

Defence is Dortmund's big weakness. Like ours.

Best teams either dominate the ball so their weak defence doesn't get exposed (Real, Barca), or they build their team around a brilliant defence (Atleti, Chelsea)

Three notes I wanted to make about Juve:

Bonucci has evolved into a very, very reliable defender. I always thought he'd stay a choker after they signed him, his first couple of seasons at Juve were a nightmare, but the guy has truly stepped up his game. I even rate him higher than Chiellini now.

Juve won't suffer Pirlo's blow. Marchisio is fantastic as anchor. Such an overall complete player, can play anywhere and always delivers.

Morata will become awesome. For a pure striker, he has all it takes to shine.

Carlo almost doing another Deportivo/Liverpool tonight...

His range of passing is out of this World for a centre back, something you just don't see in the modern game very often.

Harsh red.

This ref is a joke. That was a clear penalty on Costa.

Obviously trying to make up for the awful decision to send Ibra off

What a miss!

Verratti is so good though, the fact that we could have signed him for as little as 12m just a few years ago makes me want to weep like a little girl

PSG owning Chelsea at Stamford with 10 men.

Too bad they can't seem to grab that goal. I'm really rooting for them, but it seems like it won't happen for them today

Chelsea totally riding their luck aside from that penalty decision, they've been mostly MIA, especially in this 2nd half

LOL Luiz equalises

What a game!

Costa is a total ****

Oh Thiago...

He had no reason to raise his hand like that