Champions League knock out stage

[EIM]

The Super Cup in August is in Belfast, and at the moment looks likely to be another all-English affair - very possibly a Manchester derby.

I'm not sure what would be worse, a Manchester derby in Belfast, or Chelsea v anyone in Belfast.

[Sean of the Shed]

Two things. First, the BBC is saying that Mason Mount is the youngest ever player to score in a Champions' League semi-final. That 'stat' is in the same territory as the last team to win a Premier League game in London on a Tuesday night wearing green (see WSC thread).

Secondly, what happens (in terms of Champions League qualification) if the top four in the Premier League are Man City-Man Utd-Leicester City-West Ham and Chelsea win the Champions League and Arsenal win the Europa League? I should know this but don't.

I have questions:
If this happens do they allow more English clubs into Europe next season above the quota of seven or does the seventh placed club miss out?
Also if this happened and the seventh place club missed out and Southampton had been FA Cup winners would they or West Ham be dropped to the Conference (UEFA competition not the fifth tier of English football)?

[Sean of the Shed]

I'm not sure what would be worse, a Manchester derby in Belfast, or Chelsea v anyone in Belfast.

Rangers v Celtic in Belfast.

[Satchmo Distel]

My understanding is that the FA Cup winners go into the EFL and the league side goes into the Conference League in the slot allocated to the League Cup winner.

The issue in Belfast would, I assume, be two sets of Manchester fans on ferries. But this was foreseeable when Belfast was given the game given that Man U have won the EL fairly recently.

[elguapo4]

Why should UEFA venues administrators know anything of Northern Ireland history when the UK government is clueless about it?

[jwdd27]

With Istanbul currently on lockdown, and quarantine-free travel for UK fans very doubtful, it would seem sensible for UEFA to move the Champions League final to the UK.

Istanbul it is, then.

[Satchmo Distel]

The Super Cup in an anachronism. It wasn't designed to be 1st tier winner v 2nd tier winner.

[ursus arctos]

It was designed to generate money for UEFA and to provide a jolly for the blazers attending the congress.

It therefore continues to serve its purpose well.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

UEFA now reportedly favouring playing the final in Lisbon, which would allow for around 8,000 fans to attend. Which, coincidentally, was the attendance in Vienna when Man City won the Cup-Winners Cup final in 1970.

[Guy Profumo]

UEFA now reportedly favouring playing the final in Lisbon, which would allow for around 8,000 fans to attend. Which, coincidentally, was the attendance in Vienna when Man City won the Cup-Winners Cup final in 1970.

Porto it is


https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/57071221

[Logan Mountstuart]

What's the actual situation regarding fans attending in Porto? Portugal is on Johnson's Green list, yet the Portuguese are refusing non - essential travel to people outside the EU.

Interesting. Another consequence of Brexit?

[ad hoc]

What's the actual situation regarding fans attending in Porto? Portugal is on Johnson's Green list, yet the Portuguese are refusing non - essential travel to people outside the EU.

Interesting. Another consequence of Brexit?

Probably. That's the case here too. Non EU citizens can't come in unless it's absolutely essential. That would be me if I wasn't a permanent resident

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

Why the hell is it in porto? Surely the aim should be to limit international travel to the greatest possible extent?

[Satchmo Distel]

UEFA didn't get a guarantee from the UK govt that they could bring all their sponsors and lackeys to London. They can have a bigger piss-up and backslapping session in Lisbon. I assume they've got a guarantee from Portugal that fans with tickets would get through immigration. Fans without tickets trying to drive across and buy tickets from touts must be a risk UEFA and Portugal are willing to take.

[Greenlander]

Get the new ferry from Plymouth.... https://www.independent.co.uk/travel...-b1846174.html

[Tony C]

Why the hell is it in porto? Surely the aim should be to limit international travel to the greatest possible extent?

There are clearly bigger issues than health and safety to consider.

[Gangster Octopus]

Are you going TC?

[caja-dglh]

You wouldn't want to put it in London for some massive Super League protest. The game must go ahead as smoothly as possible.

[Third rate Leszno]

The Portuguese government have said that all fans must arrive on charter flights on the day of the game, go to their fanzone bubble and be bussed from there to the Dragao, then bussed to the airport straight afterwards so that they're out of the country inside 24 hours.

Having had a day like that in Istanbul myself, it's not the most joyful way to enjoy the build up and aftermath but I suppose at least some of them will get the chance to attend that would otherwise be denied them so it's going to be worth the hassle.

[Satchmo Distel]

Are you going TC?

Pro-vid-ing it's with dig-nit-y?

[Tony C]

Are you going TC?

Goodness no. Even if I wanted to - which I don’t - I have no valid way of applying. I haven’t had a season ticket since 2008.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

UEFA now reportedly planning to move the Super Cup from Belfast to Istanbul, to make up for taking the Champions League final off them.

[Nocturnal Submission]

Just written a few comments for Le Monde, as you do.

[Nocturnal Submission]

A number of my friends are heading to Porto, with or without tickets. One of them realised that his passport expired within the next six months. The only passport office in the country that he was able to secure an emergency passport from was Belfast so guess where he's been today!

Hope his COVID test doesn't come back as positive.

[ad hoc]

People I know who live in Porto are really pissed off about the fans. They are pretty tolerant people (and mostly football fans), but they have all said that a large number of the Chelsea and Man City fans who have descended on the city are behaving like cunts, drinking to get drunk, having fights, damaging property, not wearing masks, not making any effort to socially distance, complaining about the testing and so on that they have to do, and generally making everyone's lives miserable. It's heartily depressing to read. I get that people have felt trapped and restrictd for over a year, but taking out this energy on a city I love (well, any city) is really shitty