Carricks at the wheel, I think their fans should get behind him and try and get someone who understands their club appointed
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We won't be playing an English side until the last eight, so let's look at what's most likely. Bear in mind we qualify as group winners and thus will play a group runner-up and can't play the runner-up of our group. Also bear in mind that as group winners, we will play the second leg of the last-16 at Anfield - though for the quarters onwards that gets decided "randomly" with the draw which requires some luck.
Anyway, looking down the groups and what you'd expect to happen -
PSG to finish second. If City finish second we obviously can't play PSG.
Dortmund finishing second to Ajax.
Inter Milan finishing second to Real Madrid.
Barcelona squeaking second in their group.
Atalanta or Villarreal should get through Man United's group.
Wolfsburg or Lille.
Juventus might finish second to Chelsea.
Of that lot, on a footballing front, as much as any side can have a good day in Europe, PSG would probably be the only ones that I'd really, really like to avoid in the last-16 as they could steamroll anyone if they have a match where it all clicks. I will say that I'd rather play them over two legs than in the Final though.
For almost every other team you'd say something along the lines of "they are a good side but we should have enough over 180 minutes" - they will almost all fear us more than we'd fear them.
My inner deviant would quite want Barcelona. As funny as it would be to see them in the Europa League, we mentally scarred them with that 4-3 over two legs. This time around there would be almost no way they manage a 3-0 in their favour at the Camp Nou. No Suarez, no Messi. We'd have a rare chance to rock up to their city walls with trebuchets, set fire to their Colosseum, burn their idols and then piss on the ashes of what's left before going Home with bellies full of good meat and their best wine.
Which appeals a lot, to be honest. Plus, even though they're below their best, they're still Barcelona, so our lads - if they prevailed - would go into the last 8 brimming with confidence. I'd be shocked if we came undone over two legs against them though, with the obvious caveat of an injury crisis situation.
Carricks at the wheel, I think their fans should get behind him and try and get someone who understands their club appointed
"If Everton were playing at the bottom of my garden, i'd close the curtains”
Besiktas take the lead against Ajax, VAR penalty. Let's see what Ajax are made of.
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