Fußball!

[Skybird]

The Champions League is an internal German affair this year, it seems. After Bayern Munich destroyed Barcelona 4:0 in semifinals' first leg, yesterday BVB Dortmund plowed under Real Madrid 4:1 in pretty much the same fashion. I would have little hope that the Spaniards can turn that double disaster around in the re-matches next week - both teams looked too chanceless in both meetings this week, and the two German teams almost collapse under their own self-confidence and strength.

And that opens the perspective for a German-German final.

Played on English soil.

In Wembley stadium.

G.....R.....I.....N.....!

Oh the irony...

:haha: Fußball's coming home!

[Oberon]

:har: Oh, that'll be something...first real game of football played on English soil in over two decades! :o

[Herr-Berbunch]

At least it'll be policed right. :03:

[Oberon]

At least it'll be policed right. :03:

:haha: They calling Jim in, you think?

[Herr-Berbunch]

Shadwell Army, Shadwell Army, Shadwell Army.

Baggsy not being Gumbo this time. :D

[Oberon]

We come in peace, we leave you in pieces.

[Jimbuna]

It'll be interesting to see just how many of the players are actually German :)

[Skybird]

If I would have asked that question, I already would have gotten crucified by now... :haha:

[Jimbuna]

That's what comes when ones reputation precedes them :03:

[Feuer Frei!]

Bayern will be there. That much is for sure.

[Skybird]

Dortmund made it through. :yeah: For Munich tomorrow, it will be - statistically - even easier, since Barcelona failed to score an away goal in Munich last week. Where a 3:0 for Madrid today wopuld have given them the finals, a 3:0 for Barcelona means nothing: they must shoot at least 5 goals.

Extremely unlikely. :D

[Jimbuna]

I readily accept it should be an all German final but lets not start a war over it :O:

[Schroeder]

I readily accept it should be an all German final but lets not start a war over it :O:
Will you stop mentioning the war!:stare:

:O:

[mapuc]

I'm not a fan of none of these 4 team

However Skybird is right, it's almost impossible to Barcalona to score 5 goal on one of the best fotball team in Germany right now.

So how will the match go today?

It will be 3-1 to Barcalona.

Markus

[Jimbuna]

I'm focussing more on who will win the all German final :hmmm:

[Skybird]

one of the best fotball team in Germany right now.

I'm no explicit fan of Munich, but what you mean by "one of the best football teams in Germany"? It is the best currently. This season they have vaporised practically every league record. They have vaporised their opponents. They won many matches by extremely high scores. Nobody ever became champion that early in season, and by such a huge lead in goals and points. Economically, they are a superpower, they have managed their business extremely competent and thus must not ever talk about money. They want this or that player - they buy him if he is available. Done.

Dortmund is a very good second, though, what Munich has in single player power, Dortmund has in fighting spirit expressed in the collective effort. But the Bavarians dominated them in both league meetings this year.

I'm not happy with Guardiola going to Munich. They should have kept Heynckes, obviously he knows what to best make of the player material he has. Guardiola cannot become more successful than Heynckes in managing the team, and since he does things very differently, there is a chance that in fact he will mess things up, and if not messing them up at least weakening the team. And for the audience, Guardiola's playing philosophy is not that attractive, too. On the other hand, Munich's strategy always has been to weaken the opposition by buying players that they did not need, but that would have boosted competing Bundesliga clubs. Maybe they only took Guardiola to prevent somebody else getting him.

I think Munich will go to the finals tonight. And there I estimate a meager 55:45 chance that they will beat Dortmund again, because the BVB players may want to settle the score of this season and thus will try to go beyond their limits.

[Jimbuna]

I'm not happy with Guardiola going to Munich. They should have kept Heynckes, obviously he knows what to best make of the player material he has. Guardiola cannot become more successful than Heynckes in managing the team, and since he does things very differently, there is a chance that in fact he will mess things up, and if not messing them up at least weakening the team. And for the audience, Guardiola's playing philosophy is not that attractive, too. On the other hand, Munich's strategy always has been to weaken the opposition by buying players that they did not need, but that would have boosted competing Bundesliga clubs. Maybe they only took Guardiola to prevent somebody else getting him.



If Guardiola achieves just half as much as he did with his previous club he'll dwarf anything Heynckes can or has achieved.

As long as he can adapt to the Bundesliga way of play I believe it is highly probable he will be a success.

[Penguin]

meh, Bayern vs Dortmund is like Pest gegen Cholera. :shifty:
The only thing which satisfies me, is that kicking out 2 Spanish teams is a nice revenge for the World Cup 2010. :arrgh!:

[Skybird]

3:0, 7:0 in total. :o That is a humiliation.

Now the Germans will show the English how to really play football - on land, in the air, and on the seas and oceans. :D

If Guardiola achieves just half as much as he did with his previous club he'll dwarf anything Heynckes can or has achieved.



I think you either overestimate Guardiola or underestimate Heynckes - Heynkes is in champions league final for the third year in a row!


Well, Heynckes has coached Bilbao, Madrid, Lissabon, twice Munich, and a couple of German 1st league clubs, won the champions league with Madrid, led Munich into the third finals in a row now. He won three national championships as trainer. As player he became world champion, European champion, UEFA Cup champion, national cup winner and four times national champion, two seasons league'S top scorer. Munich this year is national champion, and the triple (adding champions league and national cup to the collection) is still possible. And is a solid record already. But my argument is that he has so far brought the maximum possible to shine in the team as it is now. And the Bavarians have pulverized 13 league records this season and currently are probably the best team in Europe. Guardiola can only keep that level, but he cannot improve it. But he runs the risk of ruining it if he tries experimental playing styles that do not suit Munich. And when Guardiola quit in Spain, European press said that quite some Spaniards were happy to see him go, for his team played effective, but so desinteresting. That Munich would have kept Heynckes if Guardiola would not have showed up, also says something (and behind the stage curtain, Heynckes and the officials had quite a collision over him getting fired - he did not quit voluntarily).

It is strange. The club played the strongest season of a German club ever, and probably also the most successful at the end - and the trainer gets fired. While Barcelona and Madrid are rumoured to get Heynckes. :doh: I think at least it simply is bad style what Munich did with Heynckes, and a humane disappointment. Heynckes is a top man in his business.

A German final. In England. In Wembley. And the Englishmen must watch. I just cannot get over this. :D

[Jimbuna]

3:0, 7:0 in total. :o That is a humiliation.

Now the Germans will show the English how to really play football - on land, in the air, and on the seas and oceans. :D



I think you either overestimate Guardiola or underestimate Heynckes - Heynkes is in champions league final for the third year in a row!


Well, Heynckes has coached Bilbao, Madrid, Lissabon, twice Munich, and a couple of German 1st league clubs, won the champions league with Madrid, led Munich into the third finals in a row now. He won three national championships as trainer. As player he became world champion, European champion, UEFA Cup champion, national cup winner and four times national champion, two seasons league'S top scorer. Munich this year is national champion, and the triple (adding champions league and national cup to the collection) is still possible. And is a solid record already. But my argument is that he has so far brought the maximum possible to shine in the team as it is now. And the Bavarians have pulverized 13 league records this season and currently are probably the best team in Europe. Guardiola can only keep that level, but he cannot improve it. But he runs the risk of ruining it if he tries experimental playing styles that do not suit Munich. And when Guardiola quit in Spain, European press said that quite some Spaniards were happy to see him go, for his team played effective, but so desinteresting. That Munich would have kept Heynckes if Guardiola would not have showed up, also says something (and behind the stage curtain, Heynckes and the officials had quite a collision over him getting fired - he did not quit voluntarily).

It is strange. The club played the strongest season of a German club ever, and probably also the most successful at the end - and the trainer gets fired. While Barcelona and Madrid are rumoured to get Heynckes. :doh: I think at least it simply is bad style what Munich did with Heynckes, and a humane disappointment. Heynckes is a top man in his business.

A German final. In England. In Wembley. And the Englishmen must watch. I just cannot get over this. :D

Only time will tell if the club have made the right decision and as for "And the Englishmen must watch"....there will be a squadron of Spitfires on CAP to ensure you don't go for a third attempt :O:

[Schroeder]

Only time will tell if the club have made the right decision and as for "And the Englishmen must watch"....there will be a squadron of Spitfires on CAP to ensure you don't go for a third attempt :O:
I guess these will be the only Spitfires near the stadium:
http://foto.arcor-online.net/palb/alben/54/1012554/3461616139393739.jpg


:D

[Jimbuna]

Well if I had my way....yes :)

[BossMark]

So the Germans Finally get their wish..................

[Jimbuna]

Let em all in Wembley then lock the gates and whip over to there place and drink all the beer :)

[Feuer Frei!]

one of the best fotball team in Germany right now.

Not just in Germany but in Europe.

[Dan D]

Quote:
one of the best fotball team in Germany right now.
Not just in Germany but in Europe.

Yea, true that. "Prussia" Dortmund from Westphalia will beat the nancies from Bavaria.
Drop your leather pants.:arrgh!:

[mapuc]

May the best team win

[TarJak]

I've got an alternative venue if it rains

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-yQxDohOvBr4/TlTjaY69stI/AAAAAAAABwI/pFTUbt_7Uds/11%252520-%2525201.jpg:O:

Best of luck to both teams.

[Jimbuna]

Heard a rumour tickets aren't selling very well and UEFA are currently in detailed negotiations with 'Rentacrowd Ltd' :hmmm:

[Penguin]

Yea, true that. "Prussia" Dortmund from Westphalia will beat the nancies from Bavaria.


Like the 1:1 victory against Bayern last Saturday? :O:


Heard a rumour tickets aren't selling very well and UEFA are currently in detailed negotiations with 'Rentacrowd Ltd' :hmmm:

Well, at least Podolski will probably visit.

[Skybird]

Wonderful evening. The stadium all red and yellow. Looked like Manchester playing Dortmund. :) Munich defeats Dortmund in a very tight, very intense and fast-paced match of highest quality level. A very worthy final, the best since several years, I'd say.

The first 25 minutes were Dortmund's: they started like rockets and played Munich against the wall, as if there was no day after to come. Then, paying tribute to the very fast pace, they had to taker some breath, and the remaining 20 minutes of first half saw Munich equalizing the statistical scores for first half, but still no goals.

The duel was tight in the second half also. Dortmund scored its goal via penlty, Munich scored both goals from the running game. I think it was clear that Munich would not be able to shoot Dortmund out of the stadium like they did with Barcelona, Dortmund is a much stronger team currently, with great individual players, and very strong team cohesion - like the Bavarians as well. I think it is fair to say that at this moment, these two teams indeed are the best two teams in Europe. I think they could cope with most of the prominent national teams, too.

It also was a duel of the goalies, who both had many opportunities to shine with fantastic parades.

Very great match. If you haven't seen it, I think you really missed something, sorry.

Munich now heads for the saturday's national cup finals against Stuttgart. I have little doubt that they will complete the maximum triple triumph possible in a season. But for today, the Bundesliga left a very, very strong message in dear old England, ID' say.

Add to this compliment that the Bundesliga is much more economically solid and financially healthy than the other European football leagues.

Guardiola will take over a very heavy burden. In principle he cannot make anything better than Heynckes, he can only hold the team on the current level. With the risk of doing changes that work to the weakening of the team. Improving Munich's current standard? How...?

Götze is coming to Munich, rumour says Lewandowski is heading for Munich, too. Two heavy losses for the BVB, two gains for the FC.

[Rhodes]

Saw the final half-hour, good game! By the way, so the european super-cup will be Gardiola vs Mourinho? :o

[Catfish]

Generally saying, in Germany Bayern-Munich is 'accepted' when playing against other international teams, however if it plays against other german teams a lot of germans loathe them.

Bayern-Munich is the most rich club of all, and they just buy the best players, which are often being described as a bunch of mercenaries. I know this is business as usual in international clubs by now, but additonally the management and the whole policy of this club can be at least be described as arrogant and very unsympathetic.

And the president is currently under accusation of defraudation of the venue, and would have been imprisoned - weren't he the president of said cub, and being able to pay a hefty caution. He belongs to the 'elite' after all. To see him hold the cup after the match .. :dead:

Thanks and greetings,
Catfish

[Skybird]

Economically Munich does what every other club does if he wants to be competitive and is acting by his senses. It's not that they buy their success with child work or such thing. So what do you mean when saying they "just" buy the best players? Every club buys the best players he can afford.

Economically, the Bundesliga is an example to follow for all other national leagues in Europe. Especially when comparing with the negative headlines you get from Spain, Italy, and the problems with the clubs in England who get financed by rich foreign oligarchs only, without having a comparable economical health like Bundesliga clubs. Different to other leagues, the Bundesliga is not that much subsidized by external playboys wanting to own their own toy-club. Some things in how TV fees are distributed could be changed, away from treating these as performance-bound boni and instead paying every 1st league club 1/18 of the general pot (like it was in the past).

I certainly do not want the competition in the Bundesliga getting regulated and "inferior" competitors getting subsidized.

Regarding the sports, the Bavarians simply are very very good at the moment, like the BVB as well. Both would have deserved to win the match. But to loose the third final in four years is something that I do not wish any team, so my sympathies in the final were with Munich. Beyond that I would have felt okay even if Dortmund would have won - it was a fantastic match by both teams and practically all players. Read the international Pressespiegel in one of the published media in germany: the greatness of both teams and the current superiority of the Bundesliga in Europe gets recognised in practically all countries.

It seems to me then that both the league and Munich make some things the right way then.

[Jimbuna]

A most enjoyable game and Bayern wore worthy winners in the end.

I'm wondering if it was still drawn after 90 minutes which of the two might have been the fittest to go on and win in extra time.

[Skybird]

A most enjoyable game and Bayern wore worthy winners in the end.

I'm wondering if it was still drawn after 90 minutes which of the two might have been the fittest to go on and win in extra time.
Probably Munich, that is consensus amongst commentators here. Their reserve bank is very strongly crewed, and they are claimed to play the most physical or athletic style in the league currently. You also could see it in yesterday's match: the longer it lasted, the more their physical fitness helped them to start dominating - and who would have thought that after the furious start by Dortmund in the first 20, 25 minutes?

The vulnerability of theirs in overtime maybe would have been nerves. They have lost two finals in three years. Nobody can avoid to have that on his mind when the penalty shooting looms at the horizon.

[Jimbuna]

Probably Munich, that is consensus amongst commentators here. Their reserve bank is very strongly crewed, and they are claimed to play the most physical or athletic style in the league currently. You also could see it in yesterday's match: the longer it lasted, the more their physical fitness helped them to start dominating - and who would have thought that after the furious start by Dortmund in the first 20, 25 minutes?

The vulnerability of theirs in overtime maybe would have been nerves. They have lost two finals in three years. Nobody can avoid to have that on his mind when the penalty shooting looms at the horizon.

That's the point I was intending to make....would fitness levels override nerves :yep:

[Skybird]

Munich now is the world's most valuable football club, taking over the top ranking from Manchester United.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-22704180

And this evening, I have not seen it, German national B-team played against Ecuador, in America. 4:2. Germany scored the first goal - after 6 seconds of play :timeout:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=li4n4kvj4vM

And third: a poll shows that 80% of Germans interested in football would prefer Heynckes over Löw as coach of the national team. I am currently shifting in my opinion on Löw, since I had to realise since some time that he has tailored all and everything in and around the national tam to focus on himself and his decisions, with all staff being turned into supernumeraries - to a wider degree then I would say is healthy for the team interest anymore. There are conflicts around the national team, and I fear that Löw will make sure with his approach that once again Germany will die most beautifully at the next major tournament - and the golden generation we were assuming to have since the tournament in Germany then being eaten up and burnt.

[Jimbuna]

Honestly never been all that interested in Man Utd but of far more interest to me is the overall picture...


But it added that Germany's Bundesliga was still second to the Premier League in brand value terms.
Premier League club brands have a combined value of $3.1bn, the research suggested, well ahead of the $1.9bn combined value of Bundesliga teams.

[Skybird]

"The commercial transformation of the English game, which has created hugely successful global brands, had been seen as the model to emulate," he said.

"However the escalation of player wages, poor financial management and alienation of grass roots fans has left many people jaded.

"In contrast the cheap tickets, high attendances, democratic ownership structure and financial prudence of the Bundesliga now looks like an attractive alternative, particularly now it is delivering world-beating, fluid football rather than the more workmanlike style German teams had been known for."

:woot:

The Premier League is heavily "subsidized" by toy-owners from far away exotic countries. The economic basis of the Bundesliga is much more solid and healthy. It would survive a retreat of external spenders, and has a more massive fundament, so to speak. Not in total money, but in economical structure.

[Jimbuna]

:woot:

The Premier League is heavily "subsidized" by toy-owners from far away exotic countries. The economic basis of the Bundesliga is much more solid and healthy. It would survive a retreat of external spenders, and has a more massive fundament, so to speak. Not in total money, but in economical structure.

Agreed...but as it stands at this moment it no way compares to the Premiership.

Those 'toy owners' as you refer to them as have invested because it continues to be the most popular football league in the world.

All things potentially subject to change in the future of course.

[Skybird]

Quick Google shows that nine English PL clubs are owned by foreigners and are not in English hands. Half of these owners are no investment companies or funds, but have just one owner, a billionaire from Russia or some Arab or Gulf State, who bought the club more or less completely (93-100% of shares) not as a business investment, but because he just wanted to own a club, as his toy, so to speak. Like some people cover their oldtimer's engine with gold, must have a dozen villas in the world, and own twenty Ferraris.

[Jimbuna]

Well that certainly isn't me :)

I'd be surprised if there is any club in the world as debt ridden as Man Utd...as far as I'm aware they purchased the club with monies from overseas investors and rake off approx. 50% of the profits for themselves.

I could be a bit off the mark here mind.

[mapuc]

For me football is fun to watch with friends

I'm not that into football(soccer) and it's therefor difficult for me to understand why someone go so far as to injured an opponent.

Or like what I saw last week. The football team in the town I live in have, not been playing very well this season and have therefore been forced to leave the top division and are going to play in the next best division next year

So on my way to a friend, I saw this elderly person with a yellow t-shirt I knew he was a supporter when I came nearer. I saw that he was crying.

That made me sad.

I do understand that some are "married" to the team they support.

Markus

[Skybird]

Triple...!

Another league record for Munich, they are the first German team to achieve it. In national Cup Finals, they have beaten VfB Stuttgart 3:2 an hour ago.

[Jimbuna]

It is beginning to look like Lewandowski is holding out for a move to Bayern despite his current clubs refusal to sell him to them:

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/4971609/Robert-Lewandowski-to-snub-Manchester-Utd-and-Chelsea.html

[kranz]

It is beginning to look like Lewandowski is holding out for a move to Bayern despite his current clubs refusal to sell him to them:

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/4971609/Robert-Lewandowski-to-snub-Manchester-Utd-and-Chelsea.html

good. we don't want that loser in Bayern.

[Jimbuna]

good. we don't want that loser in Bayern.

I'm thinking he could well end up there yet if his current club want to cash in on a player that is clearly determined to leave.