Europa League - Semi Finals

Quarter Finals:

1. Fulham vs Wolfsburg
2. Hamburg vs Standard Liege
3. Valencia vs Atletico Madrid
4. Benfica vs Liverpool

Semi Finals:

1. Hamburg vs Fulham
2. Atletico de Madrid vs Liverpool

Final:
Hamburg or Fulham vs Atleti or Liverpool

Always going to be a good set of games considering the teams.

I fancy Fulham of doing over Wolfsburg.

We owe Benfica, after the knocked us out in the CL last 16 in 05/06.

I wish valencia and liverpool, were on other sides of the draw, that way we could have the potential of two big names being in the final.

Boom!

Toughest draw we could have got in comparison to our friends just up the M62....

If we get through Benfica then I think we'll go on to win the cup, Rafa knows Valencia inside out, there's no way he'd lose to them and Atletico I think we could do over two legs.

Benfica will be very tough though, I fancied them to win the competition, they destroyed Everton in the group stage and we'll have to raise our game a hell of a lot if we want to get through. As Ade said we owe them one! I was at Anfield that night they knocked us out in 2006 and they outclassed us that day.

Luis wrote:Boom!

Toughest draw we could have got in comparison to our friends just up the M62....

If we get through Benfica then I think we'll go on to win the cup, Rafa knows Valencia inside out, there's no way he'd lose to them and Atletico I think we could do over two legs.

Benfica will be very tough though, I fancied them to win the competition, they destroyed Everton in the group stage and we'll have to raise our game a hell of a lot if we want to get through. As Ade said we owe them one! I was at Anfield that night they knocked us out in 2006 and they outclassed us that day.

Luis we have lost about 15 matches this season. Not sure where this confidence is coming from.

Really not looking forward to Benfica away. Hopefully Aquilani has fully established himself in the team by then to at least give us a chance of competing in the first leg.

COTR #6 wrote:

Luis wrote:Boom!

Toughest draw we could have got in comparison to our friends just up the M62....

If we get through Benfica then I think we'll go on to win the cup, Rafa knows Valencia inside out, there's no way he'd lose to them and Atletico I think we could do over two legs.

Benfica will be very tough though, I fancied them to win the competition, they destroyed Everton in the group stage and we'll have to raise our game a hell of a lot if we want to get through. As Ade said we owe them one! I was at Anfield that night they knocked us out in 2006 and they outclassed us that day.

Luis we have lost about 15 matches this season. Not sure where this confidence is coming from.

Really not looking forward to Benfica away. Hopefully Aquilani has fully established himself in the team by then to at least give us a chance of competing in the first leg.

Teams aren't steam-rolling us though are they, most of our losses have been by a goal. Sometimes the knowledge that a team are favourites to win the competition plays on the mind of some players. Benfica can definately knock us out but I'm confident for this one.

Fancy us against Wolfsburg. We can defend (despite the game away to Juve). They have a good attack and poor defence. We can defend and can usually fashion a chance. Need to win at home though. We are ridiculously poor away.

Luis wrote:Boom!

Toughest draw we could have got in comparison to our friends just up the M62....

If we get through Benfica then I think we'll go on to win the cup, Rafa knows Valencia inside out, there's no way he'd lose to them and Atletico I think we could do over two legs.

Benfica will be very tough though, I fancied them to win the competition, they destroyed Everton in the group stage and we'll have to raise our game a hell of a lot if we want to get through. As Ade said we owe them one! I was at Anfield that night they knocked us out in 2006 and they outclassed us that day.

This has got to be one of your most idiotic comments yet. Rafa left them over 5 years ago how the fuck would he know them inside out.

Does Mourinho still know about Chelsea? evidently yes.

Same players for the most part and it wasnt THAT long ago.

L r dd wrote:Same players for the most part and it wasnt THAT long ago.

3 years? 2 years less. It's not just about the personnel, it's about how the club functions. Rafa left the club on bad terms and it will be one of the biggest matches of his career should it happen.

Ade wrote:Quarter Finals:

1. Fulham vs Wolfsburg
2. Hamburg vs Standard Liege
3. Valencia vs Atletico Madrid
4. Benfica vs Liverpool

Semi Finals:

1. Hamburg or Standard Liege vs Fulham or Wolfsburg
2. Valencia or Atleti vs Benfica or Liverpool

Final:
Semi Final 2 vs Semi Final 1

Lol the four best teams

It's stupid. The other half of the draw is so week in comparison.

Could you imagine a Fulham-Liverpool final

Romford Pele wrote:It's stupid. The other half of the draw is so week in comparison.

Could you imagine a Fulham-Liverpool final

Yes

Luis wrote:

L r dd wrote:Same players for the most part and it wasnt THAT long ago.

3 years? 2 years less. It's not just about the personnel, it's about how the club functions. Rafa left the club on bad terms and it will be one of the biggest matches of his career should it happen.

What a bs statement Luis. The current Valencia squad and style of play is *nothing* like when Benitez left them. Even the directors and the way the club is run has changed a lot. There's clearly a massive difference to Chelsea where most of the starting lineup is the same and the owner is the same.

Ade wrote:Quarter Finals:

1. Fulham vs Wolfsburg
2. Hamburg vs Standard Liege
3. Valencia vs Atletico Madrid
4. Benfica vs Liverpool

Semi Finals:

1. Hamburg or Standard Liege vs Fulham or Wolfsburg
2. Valencia or Atleti vs Benfica or Liverpool

Final:
Semi Final 2 vs Semi Final 1

It's an interesting draw and like the CL one, slightly "heavier" on one side than the other. Benfica were one of my favourites to win the tournament, while Liverpool, Valencia, and Atletico can all beat anyone if they take the game/s seriously.

For all the talk of Fulham having a good draw, what about Hamburg? They'll feel all those teams are beatable, and have the super-motivation of a final in their own stadium.

Not really the draw I hoped for. Liverpool and Valencia were the two teams I wanted to avoid, and being overly optimistic, not facing Hamburg in the final on their own mudheap.

Well, we got Liverpool, and, as we have a reasonable chance of winning the Portuguese championship, also a complicated away game against Naval 2 days after the home leg against Liverpool, I imagine we will play against Liverpool with several players who aren't regular starters.
It will be an excellent oppotunity to see the strength of our squad.


I'm shocked and stunned to see how humble some Liverpool fans can be. Last time they were prepared for beating us 4/5-0. Yet this time, just when they are getting back some form, and have Torres playing again, they're being very humble.

You have a better chance than ever of beating Liverpool, and are reasonably comfortable in the league. I can't understand why you'd rest some starters against them!!!

Not reasonably comfortable. We have 3points more than Braga, and we play them in Luz this weekend. After that, they have 6games they are more than capable of winning, while we have still to play Sporting and Porto.
If we don't beat Braga this weekend, they become favourites to win the title, if we beat them only by one goal, we have a 6points advantage, but the are better in the head to head. And with Sporting and Porto to play, they can still close the gap.
If we beat them by 2 or more goals, 6 points plus a superior difference in goals would be more comfortable, but still means we must win in Naval, 2 days after playing Liverpool.
And, every Benfiquista, including all those employed by the club, believes that away to Naval is far more important than the Europa League against Liverpool.

Hmm, didn't realise the fixture list was like that. Well, good luck, Benfica have been excellent to watch this year so I hope you win something.

We won the league cup on Sunday. 3-0 against a Porto team that did everything within their power to injure and maim our players. Fortunately we fielded half a reserve side.

I fancy Benfica to beat Liverpool. Gerrard is playing like shit (worryingly in a World Cup year...), Rafa doesn't know which team is his best, how he wants to play, Riera's outburst suggests there may be a rift in the changing room between players and manager,

the insistence by Rafa to play Kuyt on the right and Lucas in the middle defies belief. It just doesn't make sense to continue with a formula that ain't working.

Benfica look a very tidy and impressive side. They murdered (an admittedly weakened) Everton.

It's a tough draw for Pool.

If they get through this, they could and should go onto to the final, and possible win it. Benfica are possibly the strongest side in the competition.

Fukuto wrote:We won the league cup on Sunday. 3-0 against a Porto team that did everything within their power to injure and maim our players. Fortunately we fielded half a reserve side.

Haha that is so funny. First of all you had 3 first team players out of the first eleven and they played in the second half. You call that your reserve team? Haha pathetic.
Second you must be seen a different game, derbies are always rash and you guys weren´t exactly saints in the field.
You've scored from a stupid mistake from our keeper and at key momments playing shit(like us). Thing is what matters is to score and you did it and we don´t.
Talking about "reserve teams". We have half our first team injured/suspeded for about 3 weeks now. 16 long term injuries so far this season. I wonder who can talk about fielding a "B" team then?

I love the way out rivals "shape reality". I guess that is what years of bitterness and defeats does to you. You should focus more on have fun this season while it lasts. But then again i guess we can´t expect more from bitter fans.

Congratz for the cup

Yeah, what you got to say about that Fukuto?

FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT. Portuguese style!

Judith Chalmers OBE wrote:I fancy Benfica to beat Liverpool. Gerrard is playing like shit (worryingly in a World Cup year...), Rafa doesn't know which team is his best, how he wants to play, Riera's outburst suggests there may be a rift in the changing room between players and manager,

the insistence by Rafa to play Kuyt on the right and Lucas in the middle defies belief. It just doesn't make sense to continue with a formula that ain't working.

Benfica look a very tidy and impressive side. They murdered (an admittedly weakened) Everton.

It's a tough draw for Pool.

If they get through this, they could and should go onto to the final, and possible win it. Benfica are possibly the strongest side in the competition.

I agree. The players sometimes don't want to be there and if that happens in this tie, particularly away from home, we'll get slaughtered.

Protheus wrote:

Fukuto wrote:We won the league cup on Sunday. 3-0 against a Porto team that did everything within their power to injure and maim our players. Fortunately we fielded half a reserve side.

Haha that is so funny. First of all you had 3 first team players out of the first eleven and they played in the second half. You call that your reserve team? Haha pathetic.
Congratz for the cup

Firstly just a question, can you read English?
I did write half a reserve side. So, we played without Javi Garcia, Cardozo, Saviola and Ramires. There, that's four, not three. I also thought that after the excertions of thursday against Marselha, Peixoto would have played left back, so that's five. Plus Aimar played out of his position. That makes half a reserve side, just as I said.
As for the savagery of two Porto players, that went far beyond the normal physical side of a derby game.
Still, in the end all well that ends well, and the better more sporting side won the cup.
Thank you for the congratulations.

And just to please Pele, don't say anything bad about Benfica again, or I'll come to Porto and hit you with my Manbag.

Fukuto wrote: Firstly just a question, can you read English?
I did write half a reserve side. So, we played without Javi Garcia, Cardozo, Saviola and Ramires. There, that's four, not three. I also thought that after the excertions of thursday against Marselha, Peixoto would have played left back, so that's five. Plus Aimar played out of his position. That makes half a reserve side, just as I said.
As for the savagery of two Porto players, that went far beyond the normal physical side of a derby game.
Still, in the end all well that ends well, and the better more sporting side won the cup.
Thank you for the congratulations.

And just to please Pele, don't say anything bad about Benfica again, or I'll come to Porto and hit you with my Manbag.

That argument coming from someone who doesn´t know what a reserve team is is somehow strange. Garcia was suspended i think, anyway even if you count him too you have 4 that were out in the first eleven and then played in the second half. Hardly a "reserve team" like you said. Players out of position do not play? That's a new one too. I guess they should be ghosts or spirits So your view of reserve team is somehow dubious.

You fail to refer the changes in our side but obviously that point wasn´t important for your selective reality, even when they were much greater that yours. So you beat most of our secondary players it is hardly the post you use in the begining. "We even beated them with our reserve side". I call that arrogance and shaping reality but hey feel free to use it. You know there are bad losers but also bad winners. I have no problem in saying we play shit when we do but that goes both ways and just because you won doesn´t mean you played well.

BOTH were phisical so don´t play innocent. Recent history shows how sporting you have been but i won´t even go that way. Your front players diving have been superb too i give it a 10.0 for acting.
Have you seen derbies around europe lately? Have you seen the love beeing spred around? This is a rough game don´t expect flowers and stuff. Do you want a fair-play award or to win games?

I rarely talk about rivals as i think they must talk about themselves as supporters are always biased and it makes a better point for the supporters of the team in question to talk as they know their reality better. Thing is, when our rivals say things about my team that are untrue or very selective and extremly biased then you can bet i just have to post.

Well since i do not use a manbag i guess i will just dodge and throw it back at you

Because no Porto player ever dives? Or any player in Portugal for that matter. Must be an inherent thing to Benfica players right?

Bruno Alves and Meireles should have been sent off. It was not 1,2,3 bad fouls , it was 4 for Alves, including elbowing Cardozo, twice. That, is not being physical, it was just downright free violence. Meireles (who I do like as a player, much more than that supposed new Zidane you just bought) was also being, overly "physical" and the stamp on Carlos Martins was just another one of a series of bad fouls.

Alves was an headless chicken, to the point of arguing with your own team doctor, and the stupid rabble of the 4 fingers to the supporters et all. He is the captain of Porto, so don't tell me that is a behaviour you condone.

BTW, Katsouranis was suspended 3 games when he and Luisao had an argument a few years back and Katsouranis showed him the finger. Ronaldo was suspended for showing the finger to Benfica supporters for the same reason. Will Rodriguez get the same treatment for doing the same?

Protheus, Javi Garcia wasn't suspended.

But, this is a debate that shouldn't go on in this thread, which is about the Europa League. So, I don't even know what you are doing here, shouldn't you be posting in a champions league thread?

Ooops, sorry. Maybe you can post there in a couple of years time.

lamps:

All teams have divers. I don´t remember saying it was just your players but that your fowards seem to excel at it.
I won´t even lose time naming minutes, games etc of tackles from players as i don´t care about that bs i care about football. All teams have players that tackle harder, YOURS INCLUDED. But it seems that for you guys even when you win it is more important to talk about us that the victory itself. Different tastes i guess.

fukuto:
If that was an atempt of wind up it was really incredible bad.
Yeah champions league, you know the competition in wich only United Have more presences than us. You know the one we've WON already. Oh wait i forgot the last trophy you won was in the time where tv were still black and white. I've already experienced my own team beeing european champion and world champion twice, how many times have you experienced it? I tell you, it is something it can´t be described, just felt.

As for the talk, well it is really a wrong threat but since you were the one refering my team in the first place (i don´t remember porto-benfica beeing played in europa league) and bragging about it i really don´t see any logic in using that kind of arguments since you were the one who started it.