Winner of 2013/14 UCL

It doesn't seem like many sports fans on here but lets see who.

Champions League quarter finals started yesterday with


Today PSG vs Chelsea and Real Madrid vs Dortmund

So who will win this year?

I like Bayern repeating cause of their stack lineup, but Real Madrid has maybe the best top 3 right now in the BBC combination.

I'd have to go with Bayern, even though no team has ever retained the CL I think with Guardiola's tactical skills and the dominance they show in both Europe and their own league (Even though it is a bit one-sided) it's theirs to lose. I hope Chelsea win though because I'm a Chelsea fan but I don't believe this will be our year. On the opposite side my Girlfriend wants PSG to win since she's part French so I'm sure that will cause some tension! ;)

I want Moyes to win UCL 13/14

I'm going for Bayern Munich on this one. With the bundesliga already in their grasp, they can concentrate completely on all their champion league's matches. But then again, it's football, we should also be prepared for the unexpected.

Hence what today had in store.

Chelsea down 3-1 but had that all important away goal. They score in first half and then again late into the game in the 87' minute. Was a fun game to watch and was so great to see how all the Chelsea players reacted after the game. So exciting. I think big blow to PSG was not having the big sexy man Ibra.

I didn't see the other game, but looked like the game was just as exciting. Dortmund down 3-0 going into the game and yet get 2 first half goals which put pressure on a Real Madrid side without CR7. Yet no goals in the second half means Real Madrid advances.

Dortmund were unlucky. Mkhitryan finishing was bad.

Chelsea quallifying against all odds, the moment where Demba Ba scores in the last minutes of the game, I agree with you, the match was as exciting as it was intense! As for Ibra, the match would be different if he was playing but I'm sure Mourinho would be able to think of a strategy to limit his movement. (He is "the special one" after all!)

As for the other game, it was like the opposite of what happened in the previous tournament. I mean last year, it was Real Madrid who needed to score three goals yet fail to do it. And like Dortmund this year, they won with the score of 2-0 and yet failed to quallify. The only difference is that Dormund has won its first match with a score of 4-1

Anyway, we can expect some more intensity the way the competition is going. On that note, I can say we won't be bored until the end of the tournament!

And then there was 4


No idea who will play in the finals but a Bayern vs Real Madrid final I think would be the most entertaining.

Yup! I would expect no less from these two teams, although my elder brother would prefer to have Real Madrid (yes, he is a big fan of Real Madrid) go against a more manageable opponent. As for me, BAYERN ALL THE WAY!!

EDIT: On a more serious note, I think both semi-final match will be interesting and I will try watching both games. With Chelsea and Atletico Madrid morale boosted by their win, it won't be easy to play against them but then again at this level of the competition, there won't any easy opponents for anyone.

Even if Bayern does not manage to reach the final round, I will still watch it and hopefully be entertained

Watching Atletico eliminate Barca has been one of the highlights of 2014. I really can't stand what Spanish football has turn into these days, so it's nice to see another team rise to the top for once.

Atletico winning is what I want. They're doing to well in the local league as well. Shame they couldn't make it to the Copa del Rey final, but meh, can't win them all.

Well I was hoping for a little different semi cause wanted a Bayern vs Real Madrid final, but oh well.

Obviously, nothing against Chelsea or Atletico Madrid, but we can see which is the more interesting matchup. You have to wonder will CR7 be ready for the first leg and then will the big 3 overpower Bayern's big well team.

The other matchup I think is just going to be a dogfight. Both teams are pretty good defensively (especially at home). So with Diego Costa be ready and can the Special One get his Chelsea team back to the finals?

Very good matchups starting next week.

I don't know why, but I see Bayern running away with that matchup the same way they did against Barca last year. They're just way too good for everyone right now.

That's why I'm more interested in the second match up a lot more. It seems more even and Atletico is on a great run at the moment. I haven't been following the EPL lately, but I'm assuming Chelsea is still consistent like they always are.

Judging tactically and weighing in the players and their attributes, I wouldn't count Madrid out that soon:

1. Both Madrid and Bayern seems to have a possession based and passing dependent playing style, with Madrid edging a bit in flair (frequency of skills related plays) but yes, both of them also rely upon the players flair to break down their opponents. With that said it is highly predictable that Bayern will edge Madrid in the possession game.

2. Defensively they are both rock hard and highly organized in defense again opponents in possession, however, they are highly vulnerable to quick passing counter attacks, proven by Madrid's 0-2 loss to Dortmund and Bayern's 0-3 loss to the same team, with the goals highly identical in playing styles. With that being said, Bayern certainly will lack the pace up front in counters if they can only produce speed down the wings, proven to be lacking in last year's Madrid for a lethal enough counter attack. Madrid this year however, with Modric, Dimaria Bale, Ronaldo and Benzema involved in their counter attacks(and a fair amount of that Mourinho five man counter left), have a success rate of 43.4% of the CA attempts, that's one goal every two to three times they counter. So if Madrid pull off another CDR final performance (with Ronaldo this time), Bayern might be trumped.

That's the same for Bayern too as I pointed out, organized and strong when faced with possession-based attacks but clumsy and weak against fast, one touch counter. The two goals Dortmund scored against Madrid is quite similar to the ones they scored against Bayern. One more thing for weighing in between players is that Real have a quicker sets of center backs than Bayern, but as always, Phillip Lahm can always even things out when it comes to players' qualities in defense, so we'll see but it's not simply going to be a battle between tactics (which Bayern has a clear advantage) or players abilities (which Madrid always holds the upper hand to any of the teams they go against)
But a mental battle between both of the squads and the managements.

Tomorrow Real Madrid vs Bayern Munich

Ah, Chealsea missing Hazard, Eto, Oscar And Matic didn't help either.

Real Madrid vs Bayern Munich