UEFA Champions League 2024/2025

[Trollheart]

Trollheart's Tip for the Title

Sure, it's early yet, but my money would be on Liverpool to win it. They've performed consistently well, are the only English team to have a perfect winning record, have the least amount of goals against them - just the one - shared only with Arsenal and Sporting, and have scored the second-highest tally, only behind Barcelona (who are in 6th place), Villa (in 8th, and from whom they just took top spot) andLille, who are all the way down in 14th. Given their performance in the Premier League, too, added to their long experience in this competition, a manager who almost seems not to know how to lose, and the general air of euphoria and resurgence around the club, I think it will be hard to beat them.

Mind you, don't discount Brest, absolutely flying in their first-ever tournament, and if and when they come up against Liverpool I imagine that will be some match. The big hitters - your Barcelonas, your Bayerns, your Reals and your Man Cities - have all failed to impress, and I don't see them making up the ground on Liverpool. YNWA!

[Trollheart]

As for predictions for Matchday 5, let's see. Who are likely to hit the jackpot

In the next match and who will come out the


Sparta Prague v Atletico Madrid: Fresh off their victory over PSG, the Spanish will surely want to keep up the pressure, and 23rd position will obviously not do them, so they will be looking to advance up the table. Sparta Prague had the tits beaten off them, sorry were beaten by Brest, and still have just the one win, languishing in elimination position on the table, but I couldn't see them rising to the occasion here.

Prediction: Atletico to win.

Slovan Bratislava v AC Milan: Another no-hoper, the Slovakians are rooted to the very foot of the table without a single point, whereas Milan beat Real and will want to capitalise on that. Should be an easy win for the Italians.

Prediction: Victory to Milan.

Bayer Leverkusen v Red Bull Salzburg: May not be the walkover for the Germans that it would have been previously. Salzburg finally won tonight, impressively beating Feyenoord 3-1, and Bayer themselves were defeated by Liverpool 4-0. The Germans are at 13th and only have the two wins. I would expect they'd be able to add a third though. Can't see Salzburg coming good against them.

Prediction: Bayer to win.

Young Boys v Atalanta: Would anyone bet on the Swiss team winning? Not me. They may score (marginally possible) but they've proven they can't hold a lead, whereas the Italians won tonight.

Prediction: Atalanta to win.

Barcelona v Brest: This may not be the foregone conclusion it would at first seem. I mean, we are talking a titan of the competition versus the new boys, but the new boys have not only been making serious inroads into this Champions League and now sit fourth with three wins and a draw, but the Spanish giants are three places below them with... three wins and a draw. Yes, Barca have a superior goal tally, but I would say there'll be more about this match than you might expect, and it could turn out to be one of the matches of the day (sorry).

Prediction: Not gonna call it

Bayern Munich v Paris Saint-Germain: This is easier to call, on the face of it. While the Germans have underperformed, they're still winning more matches than PSG, and are eight places above them. I imagine a win for Bayern here.

Prediction: Bayern to win

Inter Milan v Leipzig: The best performing of the Italian teams, currently fifth with four wins out of four, versus the poorest of the German ones, 32nd with no wins? Surely not hard to call this one!

Prediction: Inter to win

Manchester City v Feyenoord: Both teams well beaten tonight, both will be looking to improve their standing, City at 10th with 3 wins, Feyenoord at 21st with two, but my money would be on the English team.

Prediction: Man City to win

Sporting CP v Arsenal: The Gunners will, like their Manchester rivals, want to start climbing the table again, while Sporting have taken a huge English scalp and probably fancy another.

Prediction: Draw

Red Star Belgrade v VfB Stuttgart: Another one that's hard to call. Neither team have done particularly great in the competition so far, but Red Star haven't won a game and are one from the bottom, while Stuttgart are 26th with two wins. Probably expect the Germans to take this.

Prediction: Stuttgart to win

Sturm Graz v Girona: Sorry Austrians but if it's a match-up between one of your country's teams and anyone, I'll go for the other guy. Out of in total 8 games played by Austrian sides, only 1 game has been won, whereas Girona have managed at least one and are four places above Sturm Graz.

Prediction: Girona to win

Monaco v Benfica: Without a single loss or even draw, four wins and sitting third in the table, Monaco seem very likely to proceed. Benfica, way down in 19th place, have just the one win.

Prediction: Monaco to win

Aston Villa v Juventus: I would certainly hope my lads would be anxious to scrub out the embarrassing defeat by Club Brugge tonight, and start making their way back to the top. Juventus though are only three places below us, but with just the one victory. Plus we're at home so hopefully Villa Park will cheer us on to glory.

Prediction: Villa to win (did you expect anything else?)

Bologna v Lille: The Italians haven't won a match yet, and I don't see them starting here, against a Lille team who are 17 places above them.

Prediction: Lille to win

Celtic v Club Brugge: The Scots will want to keep going, now that they've won their second match, and though Brugge took us down, that was- only on the back of a penalty. Other than that, it's their only win and they're at 22nd while Celtic are 7 places higher.

Prediction: Celtic for the win.

Dinamo Zagreb v Borussia Dortmund: Dinamo grabbed a victory tonight to add to their other two, whereas Dortmund only have two, but the Germans are 9 places above the Croatians.

Prediction: Draw

Liverpool v Real Madrid: Has to be one of the ties of the tournament so far. Liverpool will want to maintain their 100% win record and keep top spot, but Real will be stinging from that defeat to AC Milan, and are unlikely to be easy to get past. Still, I think the English team can do it.

Prediction: Liverpool to win

PSV Eindhoven v Shakhtar Donetsk: Does anyone think this is in doubt? Despite the Ukrainians gaining their first ever victory tonight, they're down the bottom and PSV are likely to blow them away.

Prediction: PSV to win.

[jimmy jazz]

@Trollheart

https://x.com/centregoals/status/1861542502735438157

Bit strange.

[jimmy jazz]

I don't usually complain about refs as I think it's a cop out and fans like to do it because they love having someone else to blame.

But that referee tonight is a fucking disgusting bastard and I hope he gets diarrhoea for Christmas.

Robbed us of one of the greatest results in our European history.

No fucking way was that a foul.

From start to finish our players were getting booked for nothing while Juve players fouled ours with no repercussions.

And I fucking hate Juve BTW.

Forza Roma 🟠🔴

[Trollheart]

Totally agree. A perfect, well-executed, last-minute goal that had me raising the rafters and would have scared the cat if I still had one, and then FUCKING WHAT?? A foul? No fucking way.

Honestly, I think refs should have to explain themselves in match interviews after ridiculous decisions like these, particularly when it impacts who wins the game. They talk about goalkeepers being too protected, but what about the man who makes the call? He should not be able to hide in the dressing room and say "No I'm not coming out: I made my decision and you have to live with it, even if it was wrong." Stupid cunt. He had better hope he never finds himself on the mean streets of Birmingam. Personally, I hope the Referee Association fine him. Or at the very least, the yuletide log slips from his fire and burns down his house.

[Trollheart]

Matchday 5

Sparta Prague v Atletico Madrid
(Czech Republic v Spain)
Stadion Letna, Prague

Atletico opened the scoring in the first quarter hour from a free kick, and doubled their lead just before half time, adding a third on the hour, and then a fourth ten minutes later, to breeze past Sparta Prague. But they weren't finished yet as they netted for a fifth five minutes from time, and then hit the Czechs for six in the final minute. One might say a case of overkill?

Result: Sparta Prague 0 - 6 Atletico Madrid
Next Opponent: Feyenoord/Slovan Bratislava
Prediction was: Correct

Slovan Bratislava v AC Milan
(Slovakia v Italy)
Tehelne Pole, Bratislava

Would not have given much for the Slovakians' chances here against one of the premier Italian teams, and AC Milan were ahead on 21 minutes but Slovan came back three minutes later to level the match. Milan soon restored order though, two more in the second half, three minutes apart, leaving Slovan down the bottom of the table, where they must feel right at home. Even a second goal for the Slovaks in the dying minutes couldn't put a better complexion on the scoreline.

Result: Slovan Bratislava 2 - 3 AC Milan
Next Opponent: Atletico Madrid/Red Star Belgrade
Prediction was: Correct

Bayer Leverkusen v Red Bull Salzburg
(Germany v Austria)
BayArena, Leverkusen

After a brief blip, it's back to normal for Austria in this competition as Red Bull went down 5-0 to Bayer Leverkusen. It really was a blitzkrieg, with the Germans opening the scoring from a penalty and the match only eight minutes old. Three minute later they had doubled their lead, and on the half hour two became three, Salzburg unable to hold them. The second half progressed much the same as the first, Bayer in total control as they added a fourth on the hour and followed that up with another ten minutes later.

Result: Bayer Leverkusen 5 - 0 Red Bull Salzburg
Next Opponent: Inter Milan/Paris Saint-Germain
Prediction was: Correct

Young Boys v Atalanta
(Switzerland v Italy)
Stadion Wankdorf, Berne

A familiar feeling for Young Boys as they went behind only nine minutes in. But they equalised two minutes later to give themselves some hope of gaining their first point in the league. Atalanta put paid to those hopes though with two more either side of the half-hour mark, adding a fourth before the break, the Italian team maybe rubbing it in now. Atlanta haven't exactly been what you'd call a high-scoring team up to now, with a total of  five goals so far, but they equalled that total tonight in the one game, when they added a fifth just before the hour was up, and rounded off a commanding performance to make it six with a minute to go. Young Boys' biggest defeat (and that's saying something!) which left the Swiss team looking at a very disconsolate ride back to their hotel.

Result: Young Boys 1 - 6 Atalanta
Next Opponent: VfB Stuttgart/Real Madrid
Prediction was: Correct

[Trollheart]

Barcelona v Brest
(Spain v France)
Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys, Barcelona

Before this competition kicked off, nobody would have given the French side, playing for the first time in the Champions League, a hope against the mighty Barcelona. But Brest have proved themselves more than equal to the task, almost the stars of the show really, with three wins and a draw, and sitting in fourth place. Barcelona, meanwhile, are two places below them, a situation they no doubt wished to remedy with all speed tonight. They started to do just this when they were awarded a penalty in the 10th minute, which gave them the lead, adding a second just after the hour after some fine heroics by the Brest keeper.

The French thought they had pulled one back, but that annoying offside flag went up, and 2-0 it remained, till Lewandowski scored his second, and Barca's third as extra time ticked away, to hand Brest their first defeat, and I guess welcome them properly to European football.

Result: Barcelona 3 - 0 Brest
Next Opponent: Borussia Dortmund/PSV Eindhoven
Prediction was: Not made

Bayern Munich v Paris Saint-Germain
(Germany v France)
Allianz Arena, Munich

The German giants have not shone as expected in this league so far, sitting at a very uncomfortable 17th in the table, and currently looking at play-offs to progress. They had the best of the chances but seemed unable to do anything with them, while PSG tried but were equally stymied. The breakthrough came at the end of the first half, Bayern ahead after some very poor defending by the French team. Things got worse for the visitors in the second half when they had a man sent off, and from then on it was German stoicism all the way as Bayern held on for the win. Not pretty, but it helps the Germans move up the table.

Result: Bayern Munich 1 - 0 Paris Saint-Germain
Next Opponent: Shakhtar Donetsk/Red Bull Salzburg
Prediction was: Correct

Inter Milan v RB Leipzig
(Italy v Germany)
San Siro, Milan

A single goal was enough to separate the sides at the final whistle here, and to add insult to injury it was an own goal by the German team that sealed it just before the end of the first period. With opponents like that, who needs team mates? Or something.

Result: Inter Milan 1 - 0 RB Leipzig
Next Opponent: Bayer Leverkusen/Aston Villa
Prediction was: Correct

Manchester City v Feyenoord
(England v Netherlands)
The Etihad, Manchester

City are experiencing a very unexpected wobble in the Premiership that threatens to shake the wheels off, and though they still reside at second in the table there, eight points now separate them and the league leaders. In addition to this, they lost their last Champions League match too, and while it might be a little early to talk about a crisis of confidence at the Etihad, it would be vital for them to start winning again. Especially at home. It was of course Haaland who had the first chance, but if you're counting, since Saturday that's five missed chances by the big goal machine. He put that to bed though in the final minute of the first half, though it took a penalty for him to be able to convert. Nevertheless, it was in the back of the net and that's in the end all that counts.

And that was all that counted, in the first half anyway, as they chased a second after the restart, getting it when Gundogan scored five minutes in, to put his team in a comfortable position, something they have not felt for a few weeks now. Haaland netted again three minutes later, and that was that. Man City 3-0, no coming back from that for the Dutch team, United finally win a match.

Right?

Well... probably best not to enumerate too many young birds before they've broken through the shell, really. In one of the most amazing turnarounds of this Champions League so far, that wobble persisted as City gave the ball away in the box, which led to Feyenoord's first, with 15 minutes of the match left, seemingly only a consolation. Surely only a consolation. Ah, but then they scored again, eight minutes left on the clock, City's lead not looking so solid. But surely not? I mean, this was Manchester City, after all - multiple Premier League champions, Champions of Europe and fighting for another title at home.

Keep reading.

Charging forward in the final minute, a position they should never have been allowed to be in (doesn't anyone at the Etihad know about the corner flag? Especially in the last fucking minute!) Feyenoord equalised, and you would have to say, at this point, almost normal service has been resumed at the Etihad. Lucky Pep has no hair, or he'd surely have been tearing it out as a 3-0 lead vanished and City were left almost lucky to have the one point. Maybe that talk about a crisis of confidence isn't so premature after all.

Result: Manchester City 3 - 3 Feyenoord
Next Opponent: Juventus/Sparta Prague
Prediction was: Incorrect

[Trollheart]

Sporting CP v Arsenal
(Portugal v England)
Estadio Jose Alvalade, Lisbon

Playing for the first time without their famous manager, who has crossed the channel to take charge of a struggling Manchester United, Sporting were behind within 7 minutes as Martinelli opened the scoring for the Gunners. And halfway through the first period they were two to the good, Havertz helping himself. Surely this was not the team that took Man City apart last matchday? Arsenal ended the first half three goals ahead, the third scored in extra time and leaving the Portuguese side with a real mountain to climb in the second.

They began to fight back immediately, two minutes into the second half, cutting Arsenal's lead to two, but when the English side got a penalty that lead was restored just after the hour. Sporting tried but if a 4-1 scoreline was going to be hard to overturn, 5-1 was impossible as Trossard put the seal on a fine Arsenal performance eight minutes from time. Now I guess Sporting know how Pep felt last time!

Result: Sporting CP 1 - 5 Arsenal
Next Opponent: Club Brugge/Monaco
Prediction was: Incorrect

Red Star Belgrade v VfB Stuttgart
(Serbia v Germany)
Red Star Stadium, Belgrade

While Stuttgart have hardly set the competition alight, you would not have expected them to be slaughtered by Red Star, but that's what happened when the two met, the Serbians putting an incredible five goals past them without a single reply, making this Red Star's best score in the Champions League this year. And it had all started so well for the Germans, as they scored within the first five minutes, but six minutes after that Red Star were level, and from there on it was an absolute assault on the Stuttgart goal.

With the game a half-hour old, they went ahead and so in at the break 2-1 to the Serbians. They didn't hang around and were three up by the hour mark, adding a fourth just before the 70th minute, and with two minutes of the match to go, and the game clearly already won, Red Star notched up their biggest victory in the competition with a fifth goal. Stuttgart shattered, Germans' jaws on the floor. Celebrations in Belgrade tonight!

Result: Red Star Belgrade 5 - 0 VfB Stuttgart
Next Opponent: AC Milan/Young Boys
Prediction was: Incorrect

Sturm Graz v Girona
(Austria v Spain)
Worthersee Stadion, Klagenfurt

Flying the flag for Austria, could Sturm Graz overcome the Spanish side, who are not doing all that well? Girona are the lowest-placed of the four Spanish teams, and have the least amount of wins, just the one. Girona came close, their best chance an absolute sitter, and had cause to rue that miss when the Austrians scored to take the lead on the hour. As it turned out, it was the goal that won the match, giving Sturm Graz their first points, their first win, and Austria their second.

Result: Sturm Graz 1 - 0 Girona
Next Opponent: Lille/Liverpool
Prediction was: Incorrect

Monaco v Benfica
(Monaco v Portugal)
Stade Louis II, Monaco

Monaco have lit up the competition, winning every one of their matches and sitting third in the table. According to my statistics, only two other teams have won all their games, Liverpool and Inter Milan. That's some amazing company to be in, and they were ahead on the quarter-hour, a second shot after the Benfica keeper had saved. As the second half began the Portuguese were almost immediately two down, but the shot came back off the post, then while it's still a little way to Christmas, Monaco presented a gift-wrapped opportunity to Benfica three minutes in, who did not squander the opportunity to level the match, pretty much the only way it looked like they would.

Monaco quickly went about the job of restoring their lead, and thought they had done, but it was ruled out for offside. Benfica, meanwhile, to quote Steve Winwood, saw a chance and took it, scoring their second to take the lead. Except it, too, was marked off by those hated lines and VAR said on yer bike son. 1-1 it remained.Then Monaco had a man sent off and the whole game... didn't change, as they scored again on 67. Holding that lead with a man down though was always going to be a big ask, and six minutes from time Benfica again levelled the match, then four minutes later scored again, to take the match and hand Monaco their first defeat in the tournament.

Result: Monaco 2 - Benfica 3
Next Opponent: Arsenal/Bologna
Prediction was: Incorrect

[Trollheart]

Aston Villa v Juventus
(England v Italy)
Villa Park, Birmingham

Eager to get back to winning ways, in Europe if not the Premiership, Villa were at home against the Italian giants, who have only won one of their games compared to the English side, who are three for four. I must say, in a humorous aside, Juventus's away strip made it look like they had ten refs running around after the ball! The ref was in orange, just so there would be no confusion. Villa laid siege to the Juventus goal, but no score at the break, Martinez just about keeping out a Juventus shot, almost but not quite over the line.

Still nothing to separate the teams as we entered the final seconds of extra time and Villa got a free, Rogers scoring to take the game. But now we had to wait for VAR as the goal was chalked off, so the game ended in a draw. Absolute disgrace. That was never a foul. At least the ref was easily identifiable in his orange strip. Hey! Maybe him and Juventus were in on it, and that's why they all looked like him, to distract and confuse anyone who might have wanted to have a word with him on the way out of the stadium? I bet he had to have an escort.

Result: Aston Villa 0 - 0 Juventus
Next Opponent: RB Leipzig/Manchester City
Prediction was: Incorrect

Bologna v Lille
(Italy v France)
Stadio Renato Dall'ara, Bologna

I'm not going to keep ragging on poor Bologna. Oh all right then: one more. They must be almost sorry they got back into European football after so long, with no wins, one single point and already looking a shoo-in (or should that be shoo-out?) for elimination. Lille had two chances to open the scoring just before the end of the half, and took the second as the ball rebounded back, the Italian defence floundering like, well, insert your own Italian stereotype here, I'm bored doing it. Bologna fans though finally had something to cheer as just past the hour their team scored their first ever Champions League goal, their joy short-lived (and probably expectedly so) as Lille restored their lead literally three minutes later to hand the Italians yet another defeat. Mamma mia! Or something.

Result: Bologna 1 - 2 Lille
Next Opponent: Benfica/Sturm Graz
Prediction was: Correct

Celtic v Club Brugge
(Scotland v Belgium)
Celtic Park, Glasgow

With a one hundred percent win record at home in the competition so far, Celtic were playing in front of their own fans again, but it was Club Brugge who took the early chance, but just wide, the home side's first shot going high over the bar. Back came the Belgians, again very close, and then just before the half-hour mark Celtic scored. But down the wrong end. Own goal put Brugge ahead in the most ridiculous manner, Celtic humbled at home.

The Scottish team tried to redress the balance in the second half, but almost went two down, just saved by the keeper, then Celtic almost drew level, less than a yard in it. On the hour they did it though, a fine shot into the Brugge net to equalise. Not for long though, as 9 minutes later Brugge were ahead again, but was it offside? Yes it was, said VAR, and so the match ended with the points shared.

Result: Celtic 1 - 1 Club Brugge
Next Opponent: Dinamo Zagreb/Sporting CP
Prediction was: Incorrect

Dinamo Zagreb v Borussia Dortmund
(Croatia v Germany)
Stadion Maksimir, Zagreb

Dortmund made this look easy, scoring twice in the first half and then sealing it at the death to take the victory 3-0. Dinamo, perhaps overconfident after their last victory against Slovan Bratislava, don't seem to have had a kick of the ball, though of course highlights are exactly that: highlights, but it seems there were none of them for the Croatian side. They must have held a decent line of defence though, as Dortmund only opened the scoring just before the break, but in the second half the German side applied all the pressure, adding a second in the first ten minutes and capping off the victory with a third just before the final whistle.

Result: Dinamo Zagreb 0 - 3 Borussia Dortmund
Next Opponent:
Prediction was: Incorrect

[Trollheart]

Liverpool v Real Madrid
(England v Spain)
Anfield, Liverpool

One of the biggest ties of the competition, as Liverpool, unbeaten in Europe and unbeaten at home, took on Spanish giants Real Madrid. Not the worst of times to be taking on the Iberian legends, as Real's form so far can only be described as stuttering, having been beaten twice already. Both teams are used to facing each other, as they've contested the final three times before, Liverpool winning in 1981, Real taking it in 2008 and again in 2022.

Liverpool were on the attack early and could have scored in the fourth minute but the ball was cleared off the line. A punch-up of sorts in the Real box, both players getting carded as the English side continued to apply the pressure, the Real keeper able to keep out the shot. Despite all their efforts though, scoreless at the break, Real perhaps the luckier of the two teams, but not for long as McAllister netted for Liverpool seven minutes into the second half.

Real got a penalty but Kelleher performed brilliantly as he saved from Mbappe. Liverpool on the break then and it was the home team's turn to get a penalty as Salah was chopped down in the box. Amazingly, the man on whom you would bet your house to score missed, shooting wide, the keeper not even having to make the save! But with 14 minutes to go Gakpo made it safe with Liverpool's second, a lovely header from the corner, poor defending from a lacklustre Spanish side, Liverpool maintain their perfect record in the Champions League, and condemn Real to their third defeat in the tournament.

Result: Liverpool 2 - 0 Real Madrid
Next Opponent: Girona/Atalanta
Prediction was: Correct

PSV Eindhoven v Shakhtar Donetsk
(Netherlands v Ukraine)
Philips Stadion, Eindhoven

With only four points separating the teams, and Shakhtar on a high after their first ever win last time out, the Ukrainians must have fancied this. PSV have only won one match, the same as their opponents, and in fact it was the visitors who scored first, an early lead as the game had only been progressing for eight minutes, the keeper almost keeping it out, but into the bottom corner it went. Quite amazingly, the Ukrainians doubled their lead just after half an hour, to go in at the break two ahead. A red card produced in the second though left Shakhtar a man down, and PSV scored three late goals to take the match. The first came three minutes from time to halve the deficit. Were Shakhtar about to do what we may unkindly refer to from now on as a "City" and lose a seemingly winning lead? As Dave Hester says on Storage Wars "Yuuup!"

As full time loomed, PSV got their reward as they drew level, then completed the turnaround in extra time to take the match. Shakhtar no doubt wondering "What the fuck!" or whatever the Ukrainian equivalent is.
Result: PSV Eindhoven 3 - 2 Shakhtar Donetsk
Next Opponent: Brest/Bayern Munich
Prediction was: Correct

[Trollheart]

Overview Matchday 5

There are a lot of stories this week, but before I get into that, my own attention is drawn to the amount of games with huge scores in them, surely more than any other matchday? We have Young Boys getting another six of the best, this time at the hands of Atlanata, Red Star battering Stuttgart 5-1, Arsenal putting five past Sporting, Bayer Leverkusen taking Red Bull Salzburg for five without reply, and Atletico slamming six into the Sparta Prague net and coming away with a clean sheet. That's five matches in which the score was 5 goals or more in favour of the winner. Of course, none of these are the highest score in the competition - that honour belongs to Bayern who beat Dinamo Zagreb 9-2 on the opening day - but I haven't seen a matchday previously which had so many teams being beaten by huge, huge margins.

That would be controversial enough, but then we have that total shock result for Man City, who were cruising at 3-0 and ended being forced into a draw - in the last fifteen minutes! We also had the first defeat of the competition for Brest at the hands of Barcelona, and the second victory for Austrian teams as Sturm Graz came good against Girona. Real were well beaten by Liverpool, who continue their perfect record, and Monaco tasted defeat for the first time. Finally, we had that incredibly stupid decision by the ref to disallow what should have been Aston Villa's winner against Juventus. I'm not entirely sure, but I think it's possible this may be the only matchday so far with three sendings-off, leaving three teams to struggle with ten men; in all cases, as you might expect, that ten-man team lost. And while it may not be the only one, the Liverpool/Real match was the first I've seen here in which two penalties were awarded and both were missed!

[Trollheart]

Nations' Progress

With quite a few shocks this week, how are the individual nations doing now? Let's take a butcher's, shall we?

Austria
Last time out it was Red Bull Salzburg keeping Austrian hopes alive, this time it's their countrymen, Sturm Graz, who beat Girona by a single goal. That gives Austria as a country two wins overall.


Austrian tally (Matchday 5): W1, L1
Austrian tally (so far): W2, L6

Belgium
Belgium's Club Brugge played out a 1-1 draw with Celtic, so no more wins for them this time out.


Belgian tally (Matchday 5): D1
Belgian tally (so far): W2, L3, D1

Croatia
Croatia's only team in the competition, Dinamo Zagreb, lost to Borussia Dortmund.

Croatian tally (Matchday 5): L1
Croatian tally (so far): W2, D1, L2

Czech Republic
The Czechs' poor form continues, with Sparta Prague hammered by Atletico.

Czech tally (Matchday 5): L1
Czech tally (so far): W1, D1, L3

England
Liverpool remain the only English team in the competition - and one of only three overall - who have a perfect record of wins, which they added to tonight when they took down Real. Arsenal battered Sporting, while Villa were denied their match-winning goal by a blind ref and VAR team and so had to settle for a draw. Man City, of course, we know is the shock of the night, losing a 3-0 lead to be left with a draw against Feyenoord.


English tally (Matchday 5): W2, D2
English tally (so far): W13, L3, D4

France

Not the best night for la belle France, as PSG were beaten by Bayern and Brest were beaten by Barcelona, but at least Lille won on the night, beating the hapless Bologna.


French tally (Matchday 5): W1, L2
French tally (so far): W7, D3, L5

Germany
German teams did well, with Bayern beating PSG and Bayer Leverkusen taking down Red Bull Salzburg, while Borussia Dortmund made short work of Shakhtar Donetsk, the only blip on the radar being Stuttgart's decimation by Red Star Belgrade and RB Leipzig's defeat at the hands of Inter Milan.


German tally (Matchday 5): W3,  L2
German tally (so far): W11, D2, L12[/b]

Italy

A good night too for Italy, with Inter beating Leipzig and AC Milan defeating Slovan Bratislava, Atalanta crushed Young Boys though Juventus could only draw with Villa (and should have lost: poxy ref) and Bologna, as expected, the idiot cousin, lost again, this time to Lille. Interestingly, the tally for Matchday 5 is exactly the same as it was on Matchday 4.

Italian tally (Matchday 5): W3, D1, L1
Italian tally (so far): W12, D6, L7

Monaco

Monaco's inexorable rise through the table came to a halt tonight as they experienced their first defeat, this being meted out at the hands of Benfica.


Monaco tally (Matchday 5): L1
Monaco tally (so far): W3, D1, L1

Netherlands

Feyenoord came back against an almost comically self-destructive Manchester City to turn a certain defeat into a draw, while PSV Eindhoven won their match against Shakhtar Donetsk.

Dutch tally (Matchday 5): W1, D1
tally (so far): W4, L3, D3

Portugal

Portugal had mixed fortunes, Sporting's high from last matchday quickly brought down to earth as they crashed to defeat at the hands of Arsenal, but Benfica did what no other team they have faced have been able to do so far, and beat rampant Monaco.

Portuguese tally (Matchday 5): W1, L1
Portuguese tally (so far): W6, L4, D1

Spain

Good and bad results for Spain too. Barcelona dealt Brest a three-nil first-time defeat, Atletico destroyed Young Boys, but Real fell to the mighty undefeated Liverpool and Girona may have been embarrassed to be Sturm Graz's first victims. They should be. Interestingly, Spain look to be the only country - of those with say more than three teams in the competition - with zero draws, they're all either wins or losses.

Spanish tally (Matchday 5): W2, L2
Spanish tally (so far): W10, L10

Switzerland

Young Boys must be feeling very old now, dazed and confused after another hammering, this time at the hands of Atletico Madrid. They now have a perfect (if you can call it that) losing record in the competition.

Swiss tally (Matchday 5): L1
Swiss tally (so far): L5

Scotland

Celtic fought back after a stupid own-goal threatened to hand them their second defeat, but managed to pull level for their second draw.

Scottish tally (Matchday 5): D1
Scottish tally (so far): W2, L1, D2

Serbia

Red Star surprised everyone - certain surprised me - and showed perhaps why they won the title all the way back in the 1990s, unleashing an unprecedented 5-1 defeat against Stuttgart, their first victory in the competition.

Serbian tally (Matchday 3): W1
Serbian tally (so far): W1, L4

Slovakia

Slovan Bratislava came close, but no cigar, as AC Milan beat them, leaving them as the second team with a perfect (yeah) record of losses.

Slovakian tally (Matchday 3): L1
Slovakian tally (so far): L5

Ukraine

Shakhtar lost again, after an unexpected (maybe) first victory last time against Young Boys. This time they were up against PSV Eindhoven, and though they made a match of it, the Dutch won in the end.

Ukrainian tally (Matchday 5): L1
Ukrainian tally (so far): W1, L3, D1

So how do the rankings stand now? Let's check it out.

WINS
England (13)
Italy (12)
Spain and Germany (11)
France (7)
Portugal (6)
Netherlands (4)
Monaco (3)
Scotland (2)
Croatia, Austria and Belgium (2)
Czech Republic and Ukraine (1)


LOSSES[
Germany (12)
Spain (10)
Italy (7)
Austria (6)
Switzerland, Slovakia and France (5)
Serbia and Portugal (4)
England, Netherlands, Czech Republic, Ukraine and Belgium (3)
Croatia,  (2)
Scotland and Monaco (1)

DRAWS
Italy (7)
England (4)
France and Netherlands (3)
Germany and Scotland (2)
Ukraine, Portugal, Monaco, Belgium, Czech Republic and Croatia (1)

There's still no change at the top of each group - England lead on wins, Germany on losses and Italy on draws - but some have moved up and some down. After England, Spain and Italy were leading last time, this time it's just Italy as Spain drop down to third, to accompany Germany. Then we had France, Portugal and the Netherlands, which is more or less how it remains except Monaco now joins the Dutch due to their loss tonight. Austria moves up off last place thanks to Sturm Graz's win.

In losses, Germany still leads, followed by Spain in second, Italy in third and Austria in fourth place, France joins Switzerland and Slovakia in fifth, with Serbia and Portugal in sixth. As far as draws go, again no change at the top with Italy leading the pack followed by England, who break away from third place in company with Netherlands and France, then at fourth it's Germany and Scotland.

[Trollheart]

[Trollheart]

Tale of the Table

A lot of movement at the top of the table after some shock victories, and a few unexpected defeats. Liverpool remain unconcerned, above it all, literally, staying top with a perfect record, while below them Sporting are replaced by Inter Milan, leaping 3 places and Monaco's third place vacated spot is taken by Barcelona, who finally find themselves where they should expect to be. Borussia Dortmund fill the fourth spot as Brest slide down, now the highest of the German teams. Atalanta and Bayer Leverkusen move into the spots left vacant by Inter and Barcelona respectively, and Arsenal and the deposed Monaco make up the last of the teams who are, at the moment, bound for the Round of 16. The Gunners and Liverpool are, therefore, the only English teams right now looking likely to qualify.

Directly below Monaco, the third team from England's green and pleasant land, Aston Villa are hanging on there at 9th, while Sporting have fallen all the way from second spot to tenth, and are now looking at play-offs. Bayern Munich continue to struggle, finding themselves in unlucky thirteenth place, while other than Barcelona, Spanish teams are really doing badly. Atletico are the next closest, at 14th, while Real are all the way down at 24th. As for Girona? They're going home, surely, languishing in 30th place.

Things aren't looking good for Man City at 17th, nor Juventus at 19th, and Celtic continue to struggle down there one place below the Italians. At the bottom it's pretty much as you were, with only Sturm Graz and Red Star making any sort of progress, thanks to their wins tonight.

[Trollheart]

Matchday 6

Girona v Liverpool
(Spain v England)
Montilivi, Girona
Table positions (before match): 30 & 1


The table leaders started as they meant to go on, as they have done so far in the competition, putting pressure on the Spanish side from the second minute, the header from the corner just clawed over the top by the keeper. Five minutes later they were at it again, cutting through the Spanish defence and shooting at the keeper, who was able to stop it at the far post. Relentless pressure from the team who can't seem to lose a match at home or abroad, Girona kept in their own half until the 11th minute when they managed to make a break, coming close indeed to scoring, Allison down to save.

Liverpool then turned defence into attack and were nearly ahead through Salah, but straight at the Girona keeper. End to end stuff as the Spaniards went down the Liverpool end but their striker slipped at the crucial moment, both teams with chances and the match barely a quarter of an hour done. Nunez could have opened the scoring for Liverpool just after the half-hour, but again the keeper was equal to it. Another fine shot from Girona was batted away by the keeper, and so nothing to separate the teams at the break.

Girona were on the attack from the opening of the second half, but it was Liverpool who got the only goal of the match as a penalty was awarded on the hour, Salah slotting past the Spanish keeper, sending him the wrong way as the ball crashed into the left corner of the net. Seven minutes from time the English team could have gone two up, but in the end one goal was enough to clinch their sixth victory and keep them top of the table.

Result: Girona 0 - 1 Liverpool
Table positions (after match): 30 & 1
Next Opponent: AC Milan/Lille

Dinamo Zagreb v Celtic
(Croatia v Scotland)
Stadion Maksimir, Zagreb
Table positions (before match): 23 & 20

Celtic's free kick in the first half went over the bar, but Dinamo's effort was just as bad. The second half saw no goals either, nothing to separate the two teams as Celtic pushed for a win and the Croatian team held on for the draw. Dinamo could in fact have won it at the death, but honours even was how it ended.



Result: Dinamo Zagreb 0 - 0 Celtic
Table positions (after match): 24 & 21
Next Opponent: Arsenal/Young Boys


Atalanta v Real Madrid
(Italy v Spain)
Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia, Bergano
Table positions (before match): 5 & 24

Mbappe was in on ten minutes to put his side ahead, and could have made it two three minutes later, but shot at the keeper. Similar for Atalanta, who also fired into the keeper's arms, then in extra time at the end of the half the Italians had a penalty from which they levelled the match. Game on! Early in the second half it was the home side who made all the running, almost doubling their lead, but just before the hour it was in fact Real who did that, pulling ahead and then adding another to put the Italians out of the game.

But Atalanta, nineteen places above Real, were back among the goals on 64, Madrid perhaps hanging on now as the Italians pressed their advantage, and in extra time they should have drawn level, but the ball went high over the net. Real holding out for the win.

Result: Atalanta 2 - 3 Real Madrid
Table positions (after match): 13 & 20
Next Opponent: Sturm Graz/Red Bull Salzburg


Bayer Leverkusen v Inter Milan
(Germany v Italy)
BayArena, Leverkusen
Table positions (before match): 6 & 2

Almost an early start for Leverkusen as they shot against the bar in the third minute, and over again halfway through the first period. Scoreless then at the break and it remained the Germans who kept up the pressure six minutes in, again hitting the bar. In the final minute they got their reward, and the only goal of the match.

Result: Bayer Leverkusen 1 - 0 Inter Milan
Table positions (after match): 4 & 6
Next Opponent: Atletico Madrid/Sparta Prague


Club Brugge v Sporting CP
(Belgium v Portugal)
Jan Breydel Stadium, Bruges
Table positions (before match): 22 & 10

Clearly missing their charismatic and talismanic manager, who has departed Iberian shores to take control of troubled Manchester United, Sporting slipped to another defeat tonight, though at least it wasn't the thrashing Arsenal had given them last matchday. Things started well for them, scoring the fastest goal yet in the Champions League this season, barely two minutes on the clock, but that was as good as it got for the Ruben Amorim-less side.

Club Brugge, not known for their scoring and currently sitting 22nd in the table, gratefully took the early Christmas present as Sporting scored an own goal on the 24th minute to level the game, and with 7 minutes to the whistle the Belgians scored themselves, to take the match and condemn Sporting to another defeat, memories of that hammering of Manchester City now surely long faded.

Result: Club Brugge 2 - 1 Sporting CP
Table positions (after match): 19 & 17
Next Opponent: Juventus/RB Leipzig