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TyrantWD
Nov 6, 2010
Ignore my doomerism, I don't think better things are possible
Vidal forgot his headphones and had to use the standard Apple buds. That kind of forgetfulness can cost you a Champions League final.

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Dirk Pitt
Sep 14, 2007

haha yes, this feels good

Toilet Rascal
I'm just hoping for a good game of foot. Who is going to sing the CL anthem?

Bogan Krkic
Oct 31, 2010

Swedish style? No.
Yugoslavian style? Of course not.
It has to be Zlatan-style.


juve imo

Chris de Sperg
Aug 14, 2009


forza

Sandwolf
Jan 23, 2007

i'll be harpo


Guys I'm loving drinking beers and ready to watch the game and I'm so happy we're loving here. Forza Juve FINO ALLE FINE

atomic gog
Apr 11, 2005


Winner June 2013 POTM
BREAKINGBREAKING TEAM NEWS
Posted at 18:32
The Juventus team swiftly follows and Andrea Barzagli, as expected, replaces Giorgio Chiellini in the centre of defence.

Juventus starting XI: Buffon, Lichtsteiner, Barzagli, Bonucci, Evra, Marchisio, Pirlo, Pogba, Vidal, Tevez, Morata.
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BREAKINGBREAKING TEAM NEWS
Posted at 18:30
Barcelona's team has just been announced, and the three-pronged attack of Messi, Neymar and Suarez predictably start. Xavi, who is playing his final game for the club tonight, is on the bench.

Barcelona XI: Ter Stegen; Alves, Pique, Mascherano, Alba; Rakitic, Busquets, Iniesta; Messi, Suarez, Neymar

atomic gog
Apr 11, 2005


Winner June 2013 POTM
Come on the old lady!!

Shrapnig
Jan 21, 2005

atomic gog posted:

Come on the old lady!!

Rude.

African AIDS cum
Feb 29, 2012


Welcome back, welcome back, welcome baaaack

atomic gog posted:

Come on the old lady!!

Ok Wayne

Lemon
May 22, 2003

It will be a nice evening if:

1. Barcelona lose
2. Suarez does something bonkers

Katana Gomai
Jan 14, 2007

"Thus," concluded Miyamoto, "you must give up everything you have to be my disciple."

ZDF or Sky

The great debate

trem_two
Oct 22, 2002

it is better if you keep saying I'm fat, as I will continue to score goals
Fun Shoe
Since Suqit did a nice job of discussing Barcelona in the OP, here is a plastic's take on Juve's road to the final.



The big story entering the 2014-15 season was the surprising departure of coach Antonio Conte, who resigned just as training camp began. In his 3 years at Juve they won the title each season, he was widely credited with returning Juventus to be the dominant club in Italy, after some very mediocre seasons after returning from Serie B in 2007-2008. Conte had threatened to walk away a couple of times in the previous year, as he felt that Juventus didn't spend enough money in the transfer market, and made many comments in the press how Juve could never compete in the Champions League without a much larger transfer and wage budget. Conte is a tough coach that worked the team hard and demanded effort, there was a lot of panic amongst Juve supporters and laughter by everybody else when his successor was quickly named:



Max Allegri

Allegri had been dismissed from Milan in the middle of the 2013-14 season, they were mid-table after having finished 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in his previous 3 seasons at Milan. He took a lot of (mostly justifiable) criticism for his team selection and the terrible quality of defending. Juve supporters threw eggs at his car as he arrived to Juve's training complex for the first time last summer. There was also a lot of speculation that he and Pirlo would not get along, as it was perceived that it was Allegri that pushed Andrea Pirlo out at Milan, which led to him signing with Juve as Conte arrived as manager.

His time at Juve didn't start out smoothly, they lost their first friendly to amateur Italian club Lucento and people were calling for him to be fired immediately. As the regular season started, he stuck with the 3-5-2 that Conte had almost exclusively used, and Juve got off to a strong start. The prevailing attitude however was that Allegri was simply along for the ride, this was still Conte's system and Conte's squad doing what they had been doing for the past 3 seasons.

While it had been very successful, the biggest problems with the 3-5-2 were: 1) It led to a ton of possession without a lot of good attacking play; 2) It didn't allow Juve to put all of their best players on the pitch at the same time. With midfielders Arturo Vidal, Paul Pogba, Claudio Marchisio and Pirlo, one man was always left out, and in Conte's last season with Juve it meant that Marchiso was just a squad player for much of the year, filling in for Pirlo or Pogba when they needed rest.

Allegri switched to a more attack minded 4-3-1-2, with Vidal usually playing in the advanced role behind strikers Tevez and Llorente. As the season progressed, Llorente was phased out of the starting lineup for newcomer Alvaro Morata, who had transferred from Real Madrid prior to the season. In the 4 man defense, another summer transfer Patrice Evra proved to be a crucial signing, as Juve didn't have a true left back under Conte, he played attack minded wingback Kwadmo Asamoah (who missed most of 2014-2015 with a knee injury) and a rotating cast of left footed center backs in the position. Utility midfielder Simone Padoin also proved to be a useful squad player at left back, covering for Evra when he was rested.

Allegri showed that he was flexible between switching between the two systems, frequently within the same match. Juve will surely start with the 4-3-1-2 today, but if they have a late lead (quit laughing!!!), he may switch to the more defensive minded 3-5-2. However, the absence of CB Giorgio Chiellini may preclude that from happening, the only remaining CB in the squad is Angelo Ogbonna, who is a fine player but not the same class of player as Chiellini, Barzagli (who is also coming off an injury) and Bonucci (quit laughing!!!).

Juve were the beneficiaries of some favorable circumstances during their run to the CL finals. In the first two knockout rounds, they were drew against easily the two weakest sides in Borussia Dortmund and Monaco. However, they did what they needed to do to move on. Meanwhile domestically, their supposed primary rival for the scudetto, Roma, went on a long streak of draws, leaving Juve with a very comfortable double digit point lead for the 2nd half of the season. Allegri responded wisely by resting starters in league games prior to CL and Coppa Italia matchups. Juve then faced a Real Madrid who were not at their best in the CL semifinals, and advanced after a 1-1 draw in Madrid that saw Morata score the decisive goal against his former club.

Juve have long underperformed in cup tournaments, relative to their dominance in the league. Allegri led Juve to their first Coppa Italia win since 1995, beating Lazio in extra time on from substitute Alesandro Matri's goal. Matri had come to Juve on loan from Milan (via Genoa, where he was on loan the first half of the year) in January, he was a big signing for Juve in 2011 from Cagliari, but he had fallen out of favor over the next couple of seasons.

Other key players for Juve are Swiss starting right back Stephan Lichtsteiner, attacking midfielder Roberto Pereyra, and defensive midfielder Stefano Sturaro, who has been owned by Juve for a while but was on loan at Genoa until being recalled to Juve in January.

Oh, and there's also this guy:



Gigi Buffon is an absolute legend, and still one of the top goalkeepers in the world at age 37. He'll need to be at his best today.

Juve have been mostly reliant on Carlos Tevez to score goals over the past 2 seasons. He's been an absolute workhorse since moving to Juve, with no personality or disciplinary issues like he was known for in England. Juventus have also been bailed out numerous times by Paul Pogba long range strikes and Andrea Pirlo free kicks, both of whom are among the best in the world at those respective skills. There are rumors that this could be Pirlo's last match with the club, as he's been rumored to move to MLS this summer. Likewise this could also be Pogba's final match with Juve, as there are constant transfer rumors linking him to the biggest/richest clubs in the world.

Juve are the clear underdogs against Barcelona, but I like their chances to put up a good fight today. There is enough quality in the squad and Allegri has shown to make good tactical decisions and high impact substitutions.

sorry for all the :words:, didn't mean to go on that long

Smirr
Jun 28, 2012

Katana Gomai posted:

ZDF or Sky

The great debate

Here's a quote from ZDF from like 10 minutes ago: "Marc Andre ter Stegen... früher bei Gladbach, jetzt in einer Weltstadt und bei einem Weltklasseclub"

rats off to ya
Jul 22, 2008

Champs League Theme is tickling me in all the right places

advanced statsman
Dec 26, 2012

ISLAM FC
i love pogba, vidal and pirlo i hope they score many goals

paddyboat
Feb 20, 2013

Maxi, Maxi Rodriguez
Run down the wing for me

Lemon posted:

It will be a nice evening if:

1. Barcelona lose
2. Suarez does something bonkers

I don't think Suarez will do anything bonkers but I have a laugh every time I hear "THE CHOMPIONS" song

Honj Steak
May 31, 2013

Hi there.

advanced statsman posted:

i love buffon i hope he scores many goals

Bogan Krkic
Oct 31, 2010

Swedish style? No.
Yugoslavian style? Of course not.
It has to be Zlatan-style.

loving messis kim jong un style haircut tonight, sick fadez

Tahirovic
Feb 25, 2009
Fun Shoe

Katana Gomai posted:

ZDF or Sky

The great debate

Hitzfeld is on Sky.

ephex
Nov 4, 2007





PHWOAR CRIMINAL
I hope that Pirlo and Buffon win like in 2006 and Messi cries like the little bitch he is.

El Hefe
Oct 31, 2006

You coulda had a V8/
Instead of a tre-eight slug to yo' cranium/
I got six and I'm aimin' 'em/
Will I bust or keep you guessin'

ephex posted:

I hope that Pirlo and Buffon win like in 2006 and Messi cries like the little bitch he is.

Messi is a badass he never cries

advanced statsman
Dec 26, 2012

ISLAM FC
I hope Pirlo breaks Neymar imo

TwoDogs1Cup
May 28, 2008

DOUGIE DOUGIE DOUGIE! MY LOVE, HE MAKES MY EMPTY HEART FULL! DOUGIE! THE BEST FOREVER THE BEST DOUGIEEE! <3 <3 - TwoDougies1Cup
This video on itv has me hyped af

advanced statsman
Dec 26, 2012

ISLAM FC
celebrating corruption through conceptual choreography

trem_two
Oct 22, 2002

it is better if you keep saying I'm fat, as I will continue to score goals
Fun Shoe

El Hefe posted:

Messi is a badass he never cries

wrong look at this bitch

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wx6DcDWKVHw

GaussianCopula
Jun 5, 2011
Jews fleeing the Holocaust are not in any way comparable to North Africans, who don't flee genocide but want to enjoy the social welfare systems of Northern Europe.
Does anyone like Berlin more because of this choreography? To me it's just a massive waste of time and money.

Honj Steak
May 31, 2013

Hi there.
Leni Riefenstahl camera angle.

advanced statsman
Dec 26, 2012

ISLAM FC

lol

poty
Jun 21, 2008

虹はどこで終わるのですか? あなたの魂の中で、または地平線で?
This should be some fine light entertainment before the highlight of the evening, Canada vs China on the Women's World Cup

treizebee
Dec 30, 2011

Stage 3 oil injection
Fuckin lol Lichtsteiner taking the escalator like its nbd

GZA Genius
Jan 29, 2009
Lol at Europe trying to put on a pre game performance

paddyboat
Feb 20, 2013

Maxi, Maxi Rodriguez
Run down the wing for me
Mmm yes, Germans dancing

Katana Gomai
Jan 14, 2007

"Thus," concluded Miyamoto, "you must give up everything you have to be my disciple."

gently caress

THAT

SONG

Lladre
Jun 28, 2011


Soiled Meat
It's happening

poty
Jun 21, 2008

虹はどこで終わるのですか? あなたの魂の中で、または地平線で?
Where is Helene Fischer

Why is she not in this

Vegetable
Oct 22, 2010

Anybody else psyched about non-Blatter football happenings

Smirr
Jun 28, 2012

"mes que un club" in the ostkurve. gently caress everything

El Hefe
Oct 31, 2006

You coulda had a V8/
Instead of a tre-eight slug to yo' cranium/
I got six and I'm aimin' 'em/
Will I bust or keep you guessin'
the only good cl anthem singer is Andrea Bocelli

Demon Of The Fall
May 1, 2004

Nap Ghost
Europeans are so weird

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Mean Bean Machine
May 9, 2008

Only when I breathe.
Let's look at some Juventus babes and rate them and decide which one is best:


not bad


eh


loving troll


wowzers


ive had better


nice

juventus has pretty average babes IMHO

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