EL is more important to teams who can't win La Liga, like Bilbao, or greek teamsskull ed by Barcelona
If it was not that important, why did Fergie come out and say that they are going to take the Europa League seriously and try to win the championship?EL is more important to teams who can't win La Liga, like Bilbao, or greek teams
Mou still has a bitter taste because of what happened with him and JT, but he's right.Mourinho: Barca are already finalists
Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has written off former club Chelsea's hopes of reaching the final, branding their opponents Barcelona as "super-favourites" to progress.
Mourinho saw his own side ease into the final four with an 8-2 aggregate victory over Apoel Nicosia, and they will now face final hosts Bayern Munich in the next round.
But should Mourinho's side go through, the Portuguese does not expect to find his old team waiting in Munich.
Asked why he had told Telemadrid that Barcelona would advance, he said: "Because they are very good. Barcelona aren't the favourites, they are super-favourites."
He added: "Let me be honest, I don't think the final will be a Real Madrid/Chelsea final. It could be Bayern or Barcelona, I just don't think it will be Real Madrid v Chelsea and we know why."
Mourinho was cautious about his current side's chances too, recognising that Bayern will prove dangerous opponents with the Bavarians desperate to appear in a final on their home ground.
"Bayern is a very powerful opponent," Mourinho said. "It is a team I know well as it is almost the same side that I played when coach of Inter Milan in the Champions League final two years ago and they have great individual players.
"The players and myself are looking forward to what should be a great semi-final."
Mourinho was full of praise for his side's Cypriot opponents, who he said had achieved more than anyone else in this season's compe ion.
"I think in a few years people in Cyprus will realise what Apoel have done, it is the biggest achievement in Champions League this season," Mourinho added.
"If Barcelona, Real Madrid or Bayern Munich win it's not the same achievement as for Apoel to reach the quarter-final."
Apoel manager Ivan Jovanovic reflected on the end of a great journey for his side, but declared his pride at having reached the last eight for the first time in the club's history.
"We're the only team at this stage in the compe ion to have started on July 12 (2011)," he said.
"This was our 16th game, we don't have a big squad but we have worked very hard to reach the position we have. This is the end of this wonderful journey but I and the whole of Cyprus are proud of this team.
"Real Madrid won fairly and it is a fair result, but to score two goals is no small feat. We knew after the result in Nicosia we wouldn't advance, but we wanted to give our best against such a rival in such a stadium."
I think that guy's an idiot for calling out Chelsea like that. Chelsea can play with the other teams in the semis. No question about it. This could be the extra motivation they need to send them through.
Well as much as I enjoyed the EPL teams getting skull ed in CL ('cept Arsenal), it wasn't so long ago 3 EPL teams made the semis for 3 straight years. Was La Liga and EPL greatness from 2006-10?
A bit short-sighted logic there. Last season it was 3 out of 4 teams from Portugal in the semis of the Europa League. That doesn't make it one of the top leagues.
Normally EPL is the best league in the world because their top sides are among the best in the world and there is still a good level of compe ion, while in Spain the gap between the two best teams and the rest is huge.
This season though top teams in England have been so ty, so I would say La Liga was the overall best league this year.
I think this is Mou playing mind games on Chelsea and Barcelona. It's already starting...
If Chelsea beat Barcelona
They won't
Yeahthis is more to shake up Barcelona than anything to do with Chelsea.
Pretty much. One bad year, in what has been a long time dominance from the EPL.Well as much as I enjoyed the EPL teams getting skull ed in CL ('cept Arsenal
Funny how everybody is so quick to on the EPL after one bad year. Even in this year there is still a premier league team in the last 4 of the Champions league, speaks volumes to its strength imo.
Playing mind games with CitehIf it was not that important, why did Fergie come out and say that they are going to take the Europa League seriously and try to win the championship?
I remember English papers taking a on United's CL bracket and they were saying that it was the easiest route to the knock-out stages. It was true, but the arrogance is just flowing. And then they got knocked out.
It's their own arrogance like English football is God's gift to humanity that gets them bit in the ass.
Well to be fair that United group was probably the easiest group in CL history for an elite team.I remember English papers taking a on United's CL bracket and they were saying that it was the easiest route to the knock-out stages. It was true, but the arrogance is just flowing. And then they got knocked out.
It's their own arrogance like English football is God's gift to humanity that gets them bit in the ass.
Yeah I agree with the papers, but that happens with any sport in any country. Look at the amount of press the Heat got as the team that could beat 72 wins. Bigging a team up like that will sell papers.
Mou is just a realist, and he is correct. Chelsea is going to get skull ed by Barca. I would not be at all surprised if Barca wins something like 7-1 on aggregate.
TOSB John Terry trying to stop Messi
Chelsea have NO chance of beating Barca. Nor would they against RM or bayern.
EhMou is just a realist, and he is correct. Chelsea is going to get skull ed by Barca. I would not be at all surprised if Barca wins something like 7-1 on aggregate.
TOSB John Terry trying to stop Messi
Platini is gonna take care of Chelsea anyway
We should do a count of how many penalties Chelsea are going to be denied at the Bridge.
No effing way Chelsea gets beat that bad on aggregate! I will put money on it.Mou is just a realist, and he is correct. Chelsea is going to get skull ed by Barca. I would not be at all surprised if Barca wins something like 7-1 on aggregate.
TOSB John Terry trying to stop Messi
Over/under is 2, i assume?We should do a count of how many penalties Chelsea are going to be denied at the Bridge.
They are gonna get rapedPERIOD.
Barca will dominate possession (normally easy for them to do vs English teams) like they normally do, Chelsea will only have a couple decent shots all game, and Barca will firing on that defense throughout.
Pep has already issued the reverse mind games.
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/st...-claim?cc=5901
CROFL he knows his squad are gonna violate Chelsea's internals
LOL no mind games IMHO…. Llourinho is so ing obsessed with Barcelona… he so afraid of getting rapped AGAIN by Barca… he’s doing the crying and ing hoping Chelsea can get some help and avoid Barca in the final……. Moudrid will assrape any team but Barcelona in the final.
No, it's not if you add 2 out of 4 in the CL. Portugal got his best teams to those semis. Spain its 2nd tier.
Last edited by DAF86; 04-06-2012 at 09:43 PM.
No, just as now the EPL isn't and La Liga isn't greatness. They have always been more or less on the same level. That's what I've been saying all along.Well as much as I enjoyed the EPL teams getting skull ed in CL ('cept Arsenal
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