Barstool’s Champions League Preview – The “Messi vs Liverpool (Part 1)” Edition
Sam’s Soccer Safe Space For Stoolies
Hi Haters™,
Yesterday’s game was… interesting. Ajax got an early goal and continued to wax Tottenham’s ass throughout the first half hour. Then this happened:
Forcing Pochettino to remove one of his best CBs and suddenly the team remembered how to play soccer and was arguably the better (albeit probably not more dangerous) side for the remaining hour. Spurs couldn’t nick an equalizer because, well, Fernando Llorente, but the team – battered and bruised as they were – battled back and have it all to play for in the second leg down only 0-1 despite looking as though they would lose by a million for the first 30 minutes.
What I am saying is that all in all that was not really a bad result for either team, especially the one that gets this guy back next time out:
But enough about old shit. We got another 90 minutes of gloriousness on deck today. So sit back, relax, and let the warm melodies of the world’s second greatest anthem get you in the mood…
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CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
Yesterday’s result and schedule for the next two weeks:
Traditional reminder for people itching to bet their house on the overs today and/or tomorrow: first legs of home-and-homes are often a little cagier than second legs.
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TUESDAY’S PICK
Barcelona [-125]
Liverpool [+325]
Draw [+270]
I have been saying it all season but I’ll say it once more in case some of the people in the back haven’t heard: I think Liverpool is a better team than Barcelona.
Now, does that mean that Liverpool are absolutely positively going to win today’s first leg at the Camp Nou? No, not necessarily, in part because they know they don’t need to win it and also – welp – because Messi (more on that in a moment). I do think, though, that they have a muuuuuuch better shot at winning than the odds would suggest.
Why is that? Well, I’m going to make my way around to that in a second but first let’s take a look at some of the zillion or so storylines heading into this one:
1. Barcelona hasn’t won Champions League in FOREVER – since 2015 to be precise. What a bunch of shmucks, amirite? In truth though this actually constitutes a serious dry spell for the club, which is amazing in its own right. Needless to say, they are hungry.
2. This could be make-or-break for Liverpool. Lifting the Champions League trophy would immediately validate the decision to hire Jurgen Klopp as a brilliant move. The club obviously came close last year, and probably would have won it if Sergio Ramos wasn’t such a douchebag, but woulda/coulda/shoulda is supposed to be Tottenham’s thing and the bottom-line (among people who actually care about trophies) is Liverpool still have squadoosh to show for bringing him at this point – literally, zero silverware… and oh by the way they no longer control their own destiny in the Premier League.
3. The return of Luis Suarez. Liverpool fans loved the hell out of his old bitey racist ass back when he was scoring a buttload of goals for them, and probably still have a soft spot for him (whether they would admit it publicly or not), but that may be subject to change if he takes a dump on their hopes and dreams over the next week.
4. The return of Coutinho. Liverpool fans probably didn’t love the way things went down at the end of the wee Brazilian’s tenure, but they should be loving the shit out of him now since his departure helped free up the cash that bought Virgil Van Dijk, who has transformed the club’s defense and (more impressively) has made Dejan Lovren look halfway decent sometimes. In fact, speaking of VVD…
5. World’s best defender vs World’s best player. VVD has been incredible and was a deserving winner of the PFA Player of the Year. When flanked by Robertson and Alexander-Arnold and CB2 (name almost doesn’t matter though ideally Joel Matip), and supported by Alisson – well, let’s just say there is a reason they have conceded 20 goals in 36 league games. Yeesh. Then again, they don’t play against Messi every day.
So now to tie this all together. I said I was going to get around to talking about Messi and why Liverpool have a good shot at advancing so let’s get to it: this Barcelona team is not as complete as they have been in the past. Messi, on the other hand, is as good and perhaps even better than he has ever been.
Yeah, I get it, Barça already won La Liga, but that’s because this has been an extremely off year for their only real competition (both Madrid clubs). A number of guys have lost a step (*cough* Suarez *cough*) and their defense is nowhere near as good as the teams we are used to watching house any and every opponent. Much of this has been papered over by Messi, who finished fifth in the Ballon d’Or voting last year – about which there needs to be a blue ribbon international panel to get to the bottom of why that many idiots are allowed to vote – but has responded by essentially carrying Barcelona this season.
So that brings us to Messi vs Liverpool’s defense. I’m not saying he has met his match against this Reds’ back line, I’d take Messi in a fair fight against anyone, but if any group is going to be able to at least limit his damage is it VVD and company… which I suspect will free up their attackers to do some damage on Barcelona over the course of two legs, albeit most of it likely coming in the second leg at Anfield.
For the first leg I think Liverpool – given how confident they will be going back home – will be fine simply holding the fort and hoping to find a goal here or there… who knows, maybe even two if they feel like they actually need it.
Gimme a 1-1 draw.
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Bigggggggggggggg day tomorrow. Kidding, it’s just Europa.
Nevertheless, should be some entertaining games that would be well worth your time to watch… if only because a bad performance could be the death of either Arsenal or Chelsea (assuming one misses the top four – not a given but a good possibility).
Holler,
Samuel Army