This has been one of the better seasons for the Champions league.

Slightly disappointing both ties are over after the first leg. Juventus are probably more better equipped for Madrid though.

Not much between both teams, the only difference is that Juve are clinical. 2 chances in the entire match, 2 goals. Monaco had tons of chances but just can't seem to get it over the line.

Allegri has shown his tactical masterclass again with his flexibility in changing his teams. Might have been easy just defending in the entire match like them, but no mean feat certainly considering Monaco haven't scored less than 2 goals at home in their entire league season. To keep them at bay and get a cleansheet home is amazing, even accounting for the amount of chances Monaco missed.

Oh and Buffon makes everythnig looks so easy. Still the best out there, positioning top notch as always.

Agreed.
I would much rather Team Juve win than Ronaldo Madrid.

Too early to say Monaco/Juve tie is "over" when all Monaco need to do is score first to open it back up

Realistically it's over. Juve are not bottlers.

their home record is silly. unbeaten in their last 18 CL homes games (a club record), and only a handful of home defeats in all competitions in the last 3 years. looking at how the game went today and monaco's defensive lapses, i think it is over

Watching Dani Alves tonight just highlights further the unacceptable return we get from our fullbacks in a back 4.

Alves, along with Higuain, has decided the game tonight with two moments of outstanding vision and technique. If there were more players like Alves out there - or like Marcelo, for that matter, who played a big part in seeing off Bayern in the last round - players that can be such a creative force in the attacking third whilst holding their own in the defensive third, then, fine, go with a back four. But there simply is not.

Wenger says playing with an extra centreback is a defensive move but I don't see that. It means you can potentially put someone like Oxlade-Chamberlain in the same positions a fullback finds himself in from the middle third forward and still maintain defensive stability. Chambo's technique and creative potential put him in the bracket of a good right winger, but he would be off the charts from an attacking perspective  if he were a right back/wingback with that kind of speed, dribbling and crossing ability.

It only becomes a defensive move when you don't put more productive players in those wingback roles. I mean look at the difference between Sandro on the left and Alves on the right tonight. Night and day in terms of their impact on Juventus when they had the ball and yet a negligible difference when they didn't.

Klaus wrote:

Ricky1985 wrote:

Also thought Fabinho was very good in midfield - made lots and lots of good tackles.

I thought he was in a class of his own in Monaco when it came to creating something too. He was the only one who could work the ball forward between the lines until Moutinho came on. They should probably have played Fabinho in a more advanced position in this game, but it's an easy thing to say in hindsight. I don't think Jardim got anything massively wrong tonight. Juventus were just too good.

He's the best and most compete midfielder I've seen in any of the matches in the knockout rounds - and I've watched nearly all of them! There are no outstanding parts to his game but he's good at everything, including his athleticism, strength and reading of the game.
Reminds me a lot of Gilberto Silva, a bit more refined in his passing game although perhaps not the defensive monster Gilberto was.

Gazza M wrote:

their home record is silly. unbeaten in their last 18 CL homes games (a club record), and only a handful of home defeats in all competitions in the last 3 years. looking at how the game went today and monaco's defensive lapses, i think it is over

They are unbeaten away from home as well, only conceded 2 goal in the entire UCL campaign.

Agree with that Ricky, people often say fullbacks ain't important but I would argue it's the most underrated position on the pitch due to the options it gives you tactically. Most of the great teams in history that have won a lot of things have top fullbacks. You don't win shit consistently if you have fullbacks like Clichy and Sagna crossing to no man's land.

By the way, Alex Sandro was there for the taking but only Juve took it. Brazil is still the most productive place to find top class fullbacks.

Allegri on £4.5m vs Wenger on £8.5m

Who would you rather have managing your team?

Clrnc wrote:

Gazza M wrote:

their home record is silly. unbeaten in their last 18 CL homes games (a club record), and only a handful of home defeats in all competitions in the last 3 years. looking at how the game went today and monaco's defensive lapses, i think it is over

They are unbeaten away from home as well, only conceded 2 goal in the entire UCL campaign.

Agree with that Ricky, people often say fullbacks ain't important but I would argue it's the most underrated position on the pitch due to the options it gives you tactically. Most of the great teams in history that have won a lot of things have top fullbacks. You don't win shit consistently if you have fullbacks like Clichy and Sagna crossing to no man's land.

By the way, Alex Sandro was there for the taking but only Juve took it. Brazil is still the most productive place to find top class fullbacks.

i've always viewed fullbacks as the final flourish in terms of making a great team an even greater one. you get your foundations set first obviously, but having the more accomplished fullbacks can make the difference between 2 evenly matched teams

We definitely missed out on Dybala, should have nabbed him when Zamparini was trying to get rid of him.

Surprise changes by Monaco. Fabinho and Lemar dropped. Mendy still not fit enough so Raggi at RB. Can't see them going through now.

Wtf? Fabinho dropped and Bakayoko keeps his place? No way can that possibly work for them. Really hoped they would mamage a comeback as well.

Fabinho is literally the last player I would have dropped if I were Monaco. They would have lost by 5 or 6 goals without him in the last game.

Something wrong with him? Must be more to it, he was so impressive throughout the campaign.

Must be a knock or something, yeah. Moutinho is starting in his place though, and that's the player Jardim had to get into the team tonight. They had zero presence offensively until he came on in the first leg.

Mendy back in after an injury to Dirar in the warmup

Monaco changed to a 3-5-2 after Dirar got injured in the warm-up. Makes sense now.

Sounds like Monaco is taking it to Juve?