Chumps League - It's a knockout

[Alivey]

The first half of the United game I can only remember the free kicks, but nothing exciting. Watching Park on the floor was starting to make me angry. The second half had its moments, but the amount of falling over ruined any bit of fluidity of play.

Chelsea take the lead with Diddy.

[papereyes]

Porto have a striker with the greatest Latino nickname EVER

Birmingham's Honduran Carlos Costly has the best real name ever. Better even than Newcastle's Julio Geordio from the 90's.

I dunno. This guy appears to be called 'Hulk'.

[Starfish]

Bayern doing the business - 3-0 to the good in Portugal. I really really doubt Ribery will still be in Munich next season, but who knows.

[T.R.O.L.I.]

1-0 Liverpool (Benny Noon) - I can hear the cries of anguish from Calcot loud and clear.

[cmonurz]

He has made mistakes in the league, but time and time again, Benitez has proven he is a master tactician in Europe. A win in Barcelona and now minutes from a win in Madrid. A big mistake on Liverpool's part if he leaves the club this week.

[Kitsondinho]

1-0 Liverpool (Benny Noon) - I can hear the cries of anguish from Calcot loud and clear.

Been an awful game.

[cmonurz]

Bayern laying down a marker - 5-0 up in Lisbon!

[John Madejski's Wallet]

Bayern doing the business - 3-0 to the good in Portugal. I really really doubt Ribery will still be in Munich next season, but who knows.

Ribery.... 2 goals 2 assists and captain of my fantasy footy team.

40 points
Skillz

[Alivey]

He has made mistakes in the league, but time and time again, Benitez has proven he is a master tactician in Europe. A win in Barcelona and now minutes from a win in Madrid. A big mistake on Liverpool's part if he leaves the club this week.

Rafa cracked months ago. Master tactician in Europe. LOL.

[Archie's penalty]

Benayoun has been one of Liverpool's only performing players over the last couple of months. He was instrumental in getting them the victory over Chelsea...

[Alivey]

From my talks with Liverpool fans and most Reading fans is that Rafa has been given too much time and they would rather win the league than the "Champions" League, there is no point in settling for fourth every season just for Rafa to show off his "Champions" League tactical genius.

[papereyes]

From my talks with Liverpool fans and most Reading fans is that Rafa has been given too much time and they would rather win the league than the "Champions" League, there is no point in settling for fourth every season just for Rafa to show off his "Champions" League tactical genius.

club make more money doing well in the Champions league.

The guys who run the show would happily take 4th and a decent run to the later stages of the competition every time.

which is kind of sad.

[Silver Fox]

Nice one Jossy, good result that didn't confound the experts but certainly caught some uninformed types on the hop

[TBM]

Nice one Jossy, good result that didn't confound the experts but certainly caught some uninformed types on the hop

They got lucky

[cmonurz]

Nice one Jossy, good result that didn't confound the experts but certainly caught some uninformed types on the hop

They got lucky

You obviously didn't watch the game then. They went to Madrid, whose best effort was a Robben 30-yarder, and snuck a 1-0 win with one of their own chances. It's a typical Liverpool away result. They were very comfortable.

[papereyes]

I can't remember a set of four games so devoid of pleasure for the neutral fan.

[Archie's penalty]

English clubs have truly become the Italians of Europe. I don't think the games were that boring though.

[Tony Le Mesmer]

English clubs have truly become the Italians of Europe. I don't think the games were that boring though.

But now its not cinical defensive football, just superiority you understand.

As both a competition and for entertainment the CL is plumeting every year. And not only that, its destroying competetion in all the major domestic leagues. Oh, and we've got no Cup Winners Cup and the UEFA is soon to take another backward step.

European nights used to be great, now they just bore me to tears.

And if one more commentator tries to tell me what the Away goals rule is and how all you have to do is score away and you are as good as through, my TV is on borrowed time.

[papereyes]

The UEFA cup has so much potential though. It might not be quite the same level of football but there's a wider range of countries involved, teams that rise one year not to be even seen the next.

I find it genuinely hard to believe that fans genuinely want the same clubs playing the same clubs for the same trophies year in, year out.

[Hoop Blah]

He has made mistakes in the league, but time and time again, Benitez has proven he is a master tactician in Europe. A win in Barcelona and now minutes from a win in Madrid. A big mistake on Liverpool's part if he leaves the club this week.

They can shut up shop and defend better than almost anyone, Rafa has suceeded there.

In Europe that works fine because teams will actually try to attack them and then they can try and nick a win with the likes of Gerrard and Torres good enough to score against anyone. I'd hardly call that tactical genius, especially when it's taken so long and so much money to get the right players to make it work.

If he were a tactical genius he'd figure out a way of making that team a little more effective at winning games at home against sides with playing resources miles away from those at his disposal.

They won't win the league with Rafa in charge. If that's good enough for Liverpool then fair enough, but I can't imagine it is.