With regrds to Liverpool i reckon even this season despite being 8th in the prem they would have probably got out of the group stages, and then with luck of the draw & couple of desicions going their way could easily have found themselves in the qf or sf that says it all for me about which is the best competition.
"But generally speaking you will need to beat top European teams to win it."
Same with the Premier League, to an extent. Top English teams have been top European teams over the past few years, this year aside.
Liverpool will struggle the next time they get back in the CL. If they had qualified for next season's comp they would have been seeded 3rd so they need to go on a good run in the Europa next season or face a really difficult group if they ever do qualify.
Bottom line - and Mourinho said this - over the course of a season there are so many decisions/points and games that whoever comes out on top is the best. No arguments.
This season the best comes from Manchester.
First priority is the Premier League title.
The current state with Liverpool, I really can't see them qualifying for at least 2 or 3 seasons. I don't rate their squad at all and their manager seems out of his depth
But generally speaking you will need to beat top European teams to win it.
============
The German champions of last year and probably this season went out in the group stages.
The English champions of last season and this went out in the group stages, as did the team in second.
You don't have to face the best teams.
Surely any competition that requires consistency over a greater number of games, while containing within it teams that are consider to be amongst the elite of the other competition... you get the drift x
Jeezus don't jinx it, we're far from title champions right now.
Arab, should have said the English champions of this season went out in the group stages. That way either United or City, it still reads correct.
united have managed to win both in the same season twice. an incredible feat given that most teams usually prioritise one or the other.
I think the Premier League is harder to win but winning the Champions League is more prestigious.
If you win the CL you can also go for 2 more trophies, the european super cup and the club world cup, which imo are major trophies.
"an incredible feat given that most teams usually prioritise one or the other."
Nobody chooses to prioritise one or other. More often than not, that's just how it works out. However, it's an exceptional achievement, and kudos to the likes of United, Barca, and Inter for doing it.
You don't have co-efficents in the PL either to try and give you an easy route through a group stage.
i'd take the FA cup right now....
Man utd both champions league and league is top priority and you can see from winning 4 of the last 5 titles and playing in 3 of the last 4 champions league finals breaking around 5 records in the process and leading the 5 year period in terms of uefa coefficient points.
Alright, chill out, nobody's knocking United's recent record
The German champions of last year and probably this season went out in the group stages.
The English champions of last season and this went out in the group stages, as did the team in second.
============================================
So is that a reflection of the overall standard of the English and German leagues at the moment? Look at the CL records of Scottish teams in the group stages (don't bother looking any further!). Very few teams win the CL in consecutive seasons which is more than can be said for domestic leagues.
saf always says premier league isalways a main priority and the champions league is what he always wants to win. Its the best competition outside your main league.
that can work both ways though. in 98/99 we were drawn in a group containing bayern munich and barcelona which was quickly renamed 'the group of death'. thankfully it didn't stop us.
"in 98/99 we were drawn in a group containing bayern munich and barcelona which was quickly renamed 'the group of death'."
And conversely, Benfica and Basel did stop you.
That doesn't make either of them "better" than you of course, but it just shows that even now, the seedings can mean very little.
For example, Dortmund, the champions of Germany, were in the 4th seed pot this year, and easily the team everyone wanted to avoid from that pot. As it was, we got them, and they ended up having a poor season in Europe.
Speaking as a fan of a club that has won neither the premier league title or the Champions League, I have no marker in which to judge which one I'd feel more happy about winning.
I think I would get more satisfaction/enjoyment out of us winning the Premier League than the Champions League though. But in terms of status -- Champions of England or Champions of Europe -- it's should seem obvious which one carries more weight.
But then the title "Champions of Europe", indeed the name "Champions League" itself is a bit of misnomer, and thus the competition is in my opinion devalued for that reason. I mean, how can a team be regarded as the best team in Europe when they are not even the best team in their own country?
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Premier League or Champions League?
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posted on 15/4/12
With regrds to Liverpool i reckon even this season despite being 8th in the prem they would have probably got out of the group stages, and then with luck of the draw & couple of desicions going their way could easily have found themselves in the qf or sf that says it all for me about which is the best competition.
posted on 15/4/12
"But generally speaking you will need to beat top European teams to win it."
Same with the Premier League, to an extent. Top English teams have been top European teams over the past few years, this year aside.
posted on 15/4/12
Liverpool will struggle the next time they get back in the CL. If they had qualified for next season's comp they would have been seeded 3rd so they need to go on a good run in the Europa next season or face a really difficult group if they ever do qualify.
posted on 15/4/12
Bottom line - and Mourinho said this - over the course of a season there are so many decisions/points and games that whoever comes out on top is the best. No arguments.
This season the best comes from Manchester.
posted on 15/4/12
First priority is the Premier League title.
posted on 15/4/12
The current state with Liverpool, I really can't see them qualifying for at least 2 or 3 seasons. I don't rate their squad at all and their manager seems out of his depth
posted on 15/4/12
But generally speaking you will need to beat top European teams to win it.
============
The German champions of last year and probably this season went out in the group stages.
The English champions of last season and this went out in the group stages, as did the team in second.
You don't have to face the best teams.
posted on 15/4/12
Surely any competition that requires consistency over a greater number of games, while containing within it teams that are consider to be amongst the elite of the other competition... you get the drift x
posted on 15/4/12
Jeezus don't jinx it, we're far from title champions right now.
posted on 15/4/12
Arab, should have said the English champions of this season went out in the group stages. That way either United or City, it still reads correct.
posted on 15/4/12
united have managed to win both in the same season twice. an incredible feat given that most teams usually prioritise one or the other.
posted on 15/4/12
I think the Premier League is harder to win but winning the Champions League is more prestigious.
posted on 15/4/12
If you win the CL you can also go for 2 more trophies, the european super cup and the club world cup, which imo are major trophies.
posted on 15/4/12
"an incredible feat given that most teams usually prioritise one or the other."
Nobody chooses to prioritise one or other. More often than not, that's just how it works out. However, it's an exceptional achievement, and kudos to the likes of United, Barca, and Inter for doing it.
posted on 15/4/12
You don't have co-efficents in the PL either to try and give you an easy route through a group stage.
posted on 15/4/12
League. Always.
posted on 15/4/12
i'd take the FA cup right now....
posted on 15/4/12
Man utd both champions league and league is top priority and you can see from winning 4 of the last 5 titles and playing in 3 of the last 4 champions league finals breaking around 5 records in the process and leading the 5 year period in terms of uefa coefficient points.
posted on 15/4/12
Alright, chill out, nobody's knocking United's recent record
posted on 15/4/12
The German champions of last year and probably this season went out in the group stages.
The English champions of last season and this went out in the group stages, as did the team in second.
============================================
So is that a reflection of the overall standard of the English and German leagues at the moment? Look at the CL records of Scottish teams in the group stages (don't bother looking any further!). Very few teams win the CL in consecutive seasons which is more than can be said for domestic leagues.
posted on 15/4/12
saf always says premier league isalways a main priority and the champions league is what he always wants to win. Its the best competition outside your main league.
posted on 15/4/12
that can work both ways though. in 98/99 we were drawn in a group containing bayern munich and barcelona which was quickly renamed 'the group of death'. thankfully it didn't stop us.
posted on 15/4/12
Hafi go away
posted on 15/4/12
"in 98/99 we were drawn in a group containing bayern munich and barcelona which was quickly renamed 'the group of death'."
And conversely, Benfica and Basel did stop you.
That doesn't make either of them "better" than you of course, but it just shows that even now, the seedings can mean very little.
For example, Dortmund, the champions of Germany, were in the 4th seed pot this year, and easily the team everyone wanted to avoid from that pot. As it was, we got them, and they ended up having a poor season in Europe.
posted on 15/4/12
Speaking as a fan of a club that has won neither the premier league title or the Champions League, I have no marker in which to judge which one I'd feel more happy about winning.
I think I would get more satisfaction/enjoyment out of us winning the Premier League than the Champions League though. But in terms of status -- Champions of England or Champions of Europe -- it's should seem obvious which one carries more weight.
But then the title "Champions of Europe", indeed the name "Champions League" itself is a bit of misnomer, and thus the competition is in my opinion devalued for that reason. I mean, how can a team be regarded as the best team in Europe when they are not even the best team in their own country?
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