It has not been a good week for Italian clubs in the Champions League so far, and it risks having a very negative impact on next season.
European football has brought only bad news for the Italian teams so far this week and for Serie A this is not good news, given that they are hoping to be in the top two for league co-efficient.
The elimination of Milan, Atalanta and Juventus – against Feyenoord, Club Brugge and PSV Eindhoven respectively – has almost ruled out the chance of coming second in the UEFA ranking, which would gain an extra place in the Champions League next season.
While waiting to find out if Roma will be able to eliminate Porto this evening which would help things, as well as a deep run for Inter, Spain have taken a big lead. The rankings in full are below:
1. England – 20,892 co-efficient points
2. Spain – 18,535
3. Italy – 17,812
4. Portugal – 16,050
5. Germany – 16,064
6. France – 14,857
7. Netherlands – 14,366
8. Belgium – 14,250
9. Greece – 11,062
10. Sweden – 10,125
I’m still angry and reeling in pain.
The way we exited the CL is unfathomable.
I’ll never stop blaming CONCEICAO for leaving the hot-headed THEO on the field despite being on a 🟡 card.
This was the third time he’s making this stupid decision and it has cost us dearly.
Dinamo Zagreb, Feyenoord and against Empoli.
This man isn’t tactically sound and we have no clear pattern of play…. It’s really absurd 😭🤦
Theo certainly deserves a lot of the blame here but I nevertheless agree that Conseicao also deserves some scrutinizing for keeping him on field considering he is a very temperamental player and often likes to dive and complain to the ref. I got really worried already when he got the first yellow card and actually thought he would have been subbed off at half time.
You are joking, right?
You are blaming a coach because he can’t count on one of his best players and leaders on the team to understand the situation that he is in and not do a stupid thing 5 minutes later.
This is literally the same situation with young Balloteli at Inter..Mourinho told a story that he spent 13 of the 15 minutes at half time of a UCL game telling Balloteli not to do anything stupid and get a 2nd yellow because he doesn’t have another striker to put in. Then Balloteli goes in and in the 1st minutes of the 2nd half gets a red card.
A coach can do only so much.
No one is at fault for what happened to Theo but Theo. NO ONE.
Don’t ever call Theo Hernández a great player ever again.
No not really as you seem to read into it but you and Conseicao gotta aknowledge that Theo is a lose cannon (diving, acting out and complaining) and has showcased it several times before hence why subbing him off at halftime clearly would have made sense. I’m sure you are right that the Portuguese coach probably has said that he also should avoid doing something like that but he simply doesn’t always act in a sound manner so clearly it was a risk keeping him in and that goes back to the coach for risking that.
Its not like I am calling for Conseicaos head here I just said his choice to leave him on also deserves some scrutinizing which I clearly believe is not an unfounded view.
In the end though Theo absolutely bears the main responsibility as I’ve also had a huge discussion with Igor yesterday. Clearly he messed up and deserves a lot of criticism for that idiotic dive he did.
Theo is a great player offensively but never been a great defensive back and that I will stand by and his stats since joining us also proves it.
Based on your explanation then Theo should not be on the pitch at all, since he is a loose cannon who can act out and do something stupid that will cost your team at any point of the game. These are not toddler brother, but high paid grown men professional footballers.
Let’s blame Conceição for even putting him in the starting lineup. I guess Fonseca had the right thinking that Theo doesn’t deserve to even start games.
Are people really to admit that Paulo was right about Theo the whole time?
Well NO but certainly worth considering pulling him out when already yellow carded but yes they are professional football players whom we certainly should be able to to expect not to do so dumb things.
I really didn’t blame Fonseca much and I didn’t oppose benching neither Theo or Leao after their debacle when the team was huddling up so you really will have to ask someone else that question but I actually do like no gruff coaches who acts as they see fit and not as the players wants them to do as running a football club or squad is not a democracy in my book.
We don’t have competent backup left back. Should have been bought this summer but as usual we bought a striker instead
Yeah its quite paradoxical at this rate we are basically supposed to cheer on Inter winning Champions League if we want to keep the 5th qualification spot.
Nope not gonna happen on my behalf, that’s for sure.
If Portugal and germany leap italy ranking then it will be just 3 italy club can qualify for champions league next season. Fifth ranking country just get 3 team to championship league.
Italy have a healthy lead over Portugal and Germany. Unless all Italian clubs exit in the next round of the three uefa competitions, there’s little to worry about.
Inter will go out in the Quarterfinals, where they will face either Bayern or Madrid, depending on Friday’s Draw.
Milan should just shut the hell up and concentrate on picking up points to get to top 4. That’s their only chance at a UCL spot now.
Atalanta needing to face 6 of the top 7 teams from March to April (in 6 straight weeks) might help, but Milan just need to shut up and WORK.
If Portugal and germany leap italy ranking then it will be just 3 italy team can qualify for champions league next season. Fifth ranking judt get 3 team to championship league.
Oh… No…. Cardinale in panic mode
If Portugal and germany leap italy ranking then it will be just 3 italy club can qualify for champions league next season. Fifth ranking country just get 3 team to championship league.
Oh… No…. Cardinale in panic mode
Its also unbelieveable that Atalanta and Juve got eliminated by a rather “weak” opponent at Brugge and PSV, Inter also not going far in UCL so can only relies on Lazio,Roma and Fiorentina to hopefully win Europa and Conference.