The Ultimate Champions League Challenge

[Mr_Grieves]

January


Were 2 points behind Spurs and everyone else is well behind, although Man City have 3 games in hand. It was all about the premiership in January and a humiliating 4-0 defeat by Man Utd at Anfield it was wins everywhere else including away to Arsenal, Just!

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Meanwhile in the FA Cup We beat Cardiff in the 3rd round but lost away to Arsenal in the 4th round, revenge was taken in the league




January Transfers
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Only Barcelona really splashed the cash in an attempt to make the difference in there battle with Real Madrid, Both are tied on 46 points at this stage



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[Mr_Grieves]

February




Champions League last 16



1st Leg


Udinese 0-3 Liverpool
Pacheco
Morales
Havranek


Two goals around the half hour stage had us well in command of the tie going into the second half where a 3rd goal put the tie beyond doubt




2nd Leg


Liverpool 3-0 Udinese
Kabore
Pacheco 2


Yet again a 3-0 win and yet again it was very very comfortable. Into the last 8 without having to move through the gears


AGG
Liverpool 6-0 Udinese



Biggest shock is the champions Man City going out on Penalty's to Benfica. Barcelona are also out, loosing to PSG
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Premiership
View attachment 311046

We enjoyed a 100% month to go top for the 1st time, scoring heavily along the way. 6 against west ham, 4 against Swansea and 6 away to Southampton in a 10 goal thriller






March


Champions League Q/F + S/F Draw
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QF
Juventus V Liverpool


SF
Juventus or Liverpool V Man Utd or Sevilla


Im Quite happy with the Quarter final draw, Juventus will be tough but beatable. Semi final possibly with Man Utd, who will want to reach the final at Old Trafford




Premiership
View attachment 311048

We missed the chance to put a hand on the title but lost away to Spurs when the result reversed would have put us 10 points clear with 8 to play



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[Mr_Grieves]

April


Champions League Quarter Final

1st Leg


Juventus 2-1 Liverpool
Silva


Juventus proved the better side in the 1st leg but we did manage to pick up an away goal which could be priceless. All the other games finished 1-1




2nd Leg


Liverpool 3-0 Juventus
Havranek
Pacheco
Worton


The Anfield crowd was the difference between failure and success. Juventus were weak and offered no danger to our goal making progress more comfortable than it should have been


AGG
Liverpool 4-2 Juventus


All the home teams won the 2nd leg to reach the semi finals. Sevilla await

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Champions League Semi Final


1st Leg


Liverpool 5-0 Sevilla
Kabore
Worton 2
O'G
Hrgota


What's the crack with this Sevilla team? EASY!




Chelsea 0-0 Bayern




2nd Leg


Sevilla 4-2 Liverpool
Pacheco
Silva


With such a huge lead all there was to do in the 2nd leg was to set up defensively and time waste our way through th match. Sevilla offered more than i expected but in the end we did more than enough to reach the final


AGG
Liverpool 7-4 Sevilla


Bayern Munich 2-0 Chelsea


So my current team "Liverpool" play my last team "Bayern" in my first teams stadium "Old Trafford". What a story!




Premiership
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After our defeat to Spurs at the end of March we lost to Man City at the beginning of April. THat however was a turning point and we won the rest of our games to leave it a fight between ourselves and Tottenham for the title. We need 2 points to secure the title so a win at Reading will do it!



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[Mr_Grieves]

May


Premiership in the bag. We got the win over Reading but only 1-0 and it was not comfortable viewing, and in the final match of the season we won a thrilling match at Stamford Bridge 4-3 to end the season on 91 points

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[Mr_Grieves]

The Champions League Final
At The Theater of Dreams
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Liverpool Road to the Final
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The Line ups


Bayern
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Phil Jones is suspended so misses out on a return to Old Trafford. Rabe and Djokic are still there! All 11 players starting the game were in my two winning squads




Liverpool
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David Worton and his back up midfielder Branimir Hrgota are both out of the biggest games of there life!






The Match


35 - Goal - Liverpool - Vosseler
Yep our center back against the run of play puts us ahead




HT - Bayern 0-1 Liverpool
Bayern have edged the half keeping us to long range chances but nothing they can do with our set pieces




47 - Goal - Liverpool - Clark
Set piece again Clark was up for a corner and he's put us in a great position!


54 - Red Card - Bayern - Javi Martinez
Not that were doing well enough by ourselves Javi gets a second booking and is off


87 - Goal - Bayern - Rabe
Can't believe its taken him 87 minutes, what's happened to you Rabe!


91 - Goal - Liverpool - Clark
Bayern were all over us but one counter attack led to another set piece which led to you another goal. 2 goal lead in stoppage time means the title is ours!




FT - Bayern 1-3 Liverpool

View attachment 311079




A late late goal from Clark made sure that Liverpool add the championship of Europe to the Championship of England

+15pts
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[Mr_Grieves]

Season 9 review




Premiership - Winner
Champions League - Winner
FA Cup - 4th Round
League Cup - 3rd Round




Liverpool won the League after a 30 year wait. Wasn't easy with Spurs making a brilliant start and Man City always being there about.




Liverpool Season Stats
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Premiership
View attachment 311088


Liverpool win there first Premiership title after a season long fight with Tottenham while last seasons top sides Man Utd and Chelsea were left fighting for 4th place. Wolves, Blackburn and Reading go down.






2020/21 awards




Footballer of the year
Jesus Joachim - Man City - 7.84


Top scorer
Kyle Strachan - Stoke - 33 goals in 36 games


Manager of the year
Oleg Luzhnyi - Tottenham






Other Major leagues




Italy
View attachment 311087


Napoli fight back to win the league. Juventus collapsed at the end of the season.




Spain
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Barcelona had the better 2nd half of the season and won the league comfortably while Sevilla return to the champions League with money bags Valencia






Going into the summer
Might have a new job already! You'll have to wait and see



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[White army]

nice work..i am still doing mine just got another save with Chester FC on the go and just got back to back promotions

 

[likeabaws]

Nice work mate, was thinking of doing this challenge but seems that everyone is doing one ATM, also doing a Newcastle save as well. When are you going to Notts Forest? That looks the biggest challenge of all IMO

 

[Mr_Grieves]

Nice work mate, was thinking of doing this challenge but seems that everyone is doing one ATM, also doing a Newcastle save as well. When are you going to Notts Forest? That looks the biggest challenge of all IMO

Well i've just moved to my next club and after that if either the Real, Barcelona or Juventus job came up i'd be going for that 100% but i've loaded Romania and Serbia so any one of the 3 big jobs may be next, really not sure though. Will be changing back to my Aberdeen story for a while soon as well so i'd be surprised if i can fit in another 2-3 teams if i get lucky. Ideally i'll knock off two of the big three and get going with one of the more challenging teams but we'll see!

 

[Mr_Grieves]

Real Madrid 9 times winners
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Recent History
Very Unexciting. Jose quit at the end of the season i agreed to join at the end of the season and here i am.




Previous managers
Just Jose




First team 2021
View attachment 311132
We had a very good squad but i cleared out some of the bit part players to buy the best regens I've seen in the game




Best regens, before i joined



Patrick Verhoeven - GK
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Maruan Carlos - DR
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Ian Miller - DC
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Umaro Ture MR
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Season 10 Preview
10th season for me 10th Champions league for Real!


Major Manager changes
Karl Robinson - Aston Villa, Martin Jol Retired
Victor Pereira - Liverpool
Josip Simunic - Porto
Gheorghe Hagi - Steaua, Other guy sacked



Transfers
June & July
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Real Transfers
With a £261m transfer budget plus players leaving meant i had heaps to spend



Adam Rabe - AT & Zlatko Djokic - ML
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Remeber me? One of the two players from Bayern i really wanted. Set a low release clause when i was leaving but unbelievably nobody took them up on it so he come to help me out again.



Pablo Scenone + Sahin Abdulaziz - MC
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Center midfield was my weakest spot and we needed at least 2 world class players. I would have liked another one just in case either of these boys don't work out but im confident in them!


Ivo Neves - DL
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Marcelo was still the starting left back some how so i set about trying to sign the best Left back i could and my 3rd choice was Ivo of Sevilla, and it takes a player from my rivals


Matias Cahais - DC
View attachment 311144

I had 1 squad place left to fill, this guy was on a free so i decided on him to do the job.



Season Targets
After spending £200m you have no choice but to win the league and Champions League and try and get Barca to sack there manager


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[Mr_Grieves]

August


3 wins from 3 including winning a thrilling "El Classico" match against Barca with Rabe being the hero with a last minute winner. Comfortable wins in the opening two ties leaves us in top spot already

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Champions League Draw


Group F
Real Madrid
Sporting Lisbon
Fenerbahce
Olympiakos


No easy games all middle of the road team that we should be getting a result against




August transfers
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September


Champions League Match 1
Fenerbahce 1-5 Real Madrid
Rabe 2
Scenone
Aragones 2


Wow what a start. Have that unbeatable feeling!

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Champions League Match 2
Real Madrid 4-0 Olympiakos
Griezmann
Rabe
Djokic
Ture


Once again a very comfortable win. Should seal the group against Sporting over the next 2 games

View attachment 311917




La Liga
Malaga match is my 500th in football managment! Sadly we were humbled and suffered a draw in this tie but win everywhere else means were still top

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October


Champions League Match 3
Sporting Lisbon 0-1 Real Madrid
Ture


Sporting put up quite a fight and did well enough to keep the winning margin down to only 1 goal from winger Ture. Both sides had the chances to get the second goal but neither did and we win our hardest group match

View attachment 311919




La Liga
The league got a bit more interesting this month after we lost our derby match to Athletico Madrid. Won every other game, not that it matters when the unbeatten run is over

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[Mr_Grieves]

November




Champions League Match 4
Real Madrid 5-0 Sporting Lisbon
Rabe 3
Miller 2


What started as a tight affair turned into a thrashing and our place in the last 16 is secured

View attachment 311964




Champions League Match 5
Real Madrid 2-1 Fenerbahce
Ture
Sveum


12 shots on target to 1! This should have been so much easier than it was but in the end we got the 3 points and that was all that matters

View attachment 311965




La Liga
What a exciting league this is turning out to be. Barcelona and Valencia have both caught up as we suffered the embarrassment of dropping 2 points away to Mallorca

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December




Champions League Match 6
Olympiakos 2-2 Real Madrid
Rabe 2


Injury's and perhaps a lack of interest cost us the win and our 100% record

View attachment 311967




Elsewhere Bayern fall out of the group of death as Man Utd and Inter progress




Last 16 Draw
View attachment 311968


As Group winners we had the luxury of trying to avoid PSG, Juventus and Inter. Mission accomplished. Zenit aren't to great and rely on aging players Hulk, Criscito and Witsel






La Liga
December is the 1st month we end off the top of the table. Despite winning all our games including against Valencia Barcelona played 1 game more and moved ahead. In the cup we made up for our defeat in the league by beating Athletico 8-3 over two legs

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[Mr_Grieves]

January




La Liga
We seemed to be trundling along fine in both league where we had a perfect record to return to the top and cup. 7-2 aggrigate win against Sevilla then a 2-0 win in the Beunabau against Barcelona was truned around by a 4-0 defeat in the Nou Camp. Not the best preperation for our first league match of Febuary at the same ground!

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January transfers
Bayern pay big to replace Rabe and Sevilla are the big spenders in La Liga
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[Mr_Grieves]

February



Champions League last 16 1st leg


Zenith 0-2 Real Madrid
Rabe
Ture


A Very boring extremely one sided game. Zenith only managed 1 shot on goal at home too. Big win expected in the 2nd leg




La Liga
A Perfect month see's us go 5 points clear of Barcelona at the top and it was all done with an aggregate score of 19-1


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March




Champions League last 16 2nd leg


Real Madrid 4-0 Zenith
Miller
Fellaini
Schenone
Aragones


AGG
Real Madrid 6-0 Zenit


In the 2nd leg we turned our domination into goals as Zenit failed to add to there 1 shot on goal they had in Russia to make it even easier on us.




Only major shock was Roma putting out Barca 3-0!
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Champions League Q/F Draw
Paris SG V Real Madrid


I've long lost my fear of French clubs!




Champions League S/F Draw
Paris SG or Real Madrid V Tottenham or Liverpool


And if we beat PSG a reunion with Liverpool may await




Champions League Q/F 1st leg
Paris SG 2-2 Real Madrid
Rabe
Fellaini




La Liga
View attachment 312224


Until the PSG match we were on for a second consecutive run of wins and clean sheets but unfortunately the run ended at 11 games in all competition



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[Mr_Grieves]

April


Champions League Q/F 2nd leg


Real Madrid 3-1 Paris SG
Zouma
Ture
Rabe


It was looking like i was going to have to eat my words about French teams at half time when we were 1-0 down and not looking too hot. However a rousing team talk led us to come out and dominate the second half with our star attackers Rabe and Ture both grabbing a goal to put us into the Semis


Where Liverpool await! Along with a Manchester Derby for the other final spot
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Champions League Semi finals


1st Leg
There has been minimal change to the Liverpool side a face today from the Champions League winners in 2021. Apart from Jose Reina leaving on a free the other 10 players were all in my team last year




Real Madrid 3-0 Liverpool
Miller
Rabe
Ture


This superstar team totally turned over a team with a few gems who failed to shine through. Miller gave us a great start with a early goal with reliable Rabe sticking home the 2nd right on half time. A late goal from Ture to give us a 3 goal cushion was the least we deserved!




Elsewhere
Man City 1-0 Man Utd






2nd Leg


Liverpool 2-0 Real Madrid


AGG
Real Madrid 3-2 Liverpool


Were In the final, JUST. Despite it being a very even game Liverpool got the two goals as Rabe and co were denied again and again and again




Other Semi Final


Man Utd 2-0 Man City




Final
At Luzhniki Stadium


Man Utd V Real Madrid


Man Utd won the title here in 2008. We can only hope they don't repeat it!




La Liga
View attachment 312877


While we were thrashing Getafe Barcelona were loosing to close rivals Valencia to ensure the title returned to Madrid




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[Mr_Grieves]

Champions League Final
View attachment 312899

At
Luzhniki stadium
View attachment 312901


I don't want a repeat of this!
[video=youtube;Fnlnb2Ixyag]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fnlnb2Ixyag[/video]



Man Utd V Real Madrid
Two biggest teams in the world
View attachment 312900


Line ups
View attachment 312902


Man Utd
My first team are my opponents for the 2nd time after loosing to Bayern in 2019. Ryan Giggs in his 5th season in charge is without star attacker Neymar


Real Madrid
20 years after there last CHampions League title Madrid return to the final with there star forward only half fit. Rabe was injured 2 weeks before the final and has only recovered to 80% fitness and will be far from his best, however i can't leave him out of our biggest game so hopefully he'll last the distance. ONly other problem is Midfielder Perez who played a handful of games but would have been benched with Sahin returning





The Match




17 Goal - Man Utd
United take a deserved lead having made all the early chances.


40 Goal - Real Madrid
Ture gets a equalizer from our first shot on target to pull the game level


44 Injury - Real Madrid
Right back Maruan Carlos goes off injured. The story of his 2022 so far!




HT - Man Utd 1-1 Real Madrid
Brilliant match. Man Utd have edged it but we ended the half the Better team




59 Goal - Real Madrid
Another Penalty by Ture puts us in front for the first time as we start to take control of the tie


61 Disallowed goal - Real Madrid
Half crippled it looked like Rabe had swung another title my way but the goal wasn't given


84 Missed Penalty - Real Madrid
Mr Ture had a chance to complete a hattrick of penalty's but this time De Gea was fit for him




FT - Man Utd 1-2 Real Madrid

View attachment 312903


A Result we deserved after bossing the game after we pulled level. Perhaps we were lucky to have been awarded 3 penalty's but unlucky with injury's through the season. Rabe ended the competition as top scorer if you can believe that.



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[Mr_Grieves]

Season 10 Review




La Liga - Winners
Champions League - Winner
Spanish Cup - Semi Finals

View attachment 312964


Madrid came oh so close to winning the treble 1st time out if not for a horrible performance in the Nou Camp in the semi Final 2nd leg. This team was the best team i managed. Bayern got some bigger wins and scored more goal but i think this Real team would have beaten them





La Liga
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Real Madrid win the League with a record points haul of 102 winning 33 of our 38 games. Barca and Moneybags Valencia follow both breaking 90 points. The big news however, like in other European leagues is at the other end of the table where Bilbao were relegated for the 1st time in there history




Spanish Cup
Barcelona 2-4 Valencia AET


Hahaha. Barcelona's tired little legs couldn't hack the pace of Extra time as Valencia take the cup






2021/22 Awards




Footballer of the year
Zlatko Djokic - Ave 7.60
View attachment 312967


Adam Rabe?
View attachment 312968


Not even a goal a game average! Not going to moan too much though with 48 goals!




Top scorer
Aaron Tomas - Espanyol - 26 goals






Other Euro leagues




England
View attachment 312969

Chelsea take advantage of me leaving to regain the title with Henriquez having another amazing season. The two Manchester teams and Liverpool follow behind




France
View attachment 312970


PSG Won the league by 17 points but look who finished bottom!




French league removed for now!




Italy
View attachment 312971


Napoli retain Seria A and AC Milan are back in the Champions League as kings of yesterday Juventus only come 5th after Conte left mid season






Going into the summer
Barcelona would be a dream destination if Bilic leaves to manage Croatia, hmm doubt that some how. Chelsea is Montella goes to Italy? JUventus if they wise up and sack Cristian Stellini



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[Mr_Grieves]

-- Story on hold --

All these summer plans will have to wait however as im taking a break from this challenge to go back to my Aberdeen story for a while. Im hoping my time focusing only on Europe's top prize had helped me and made me wiser to a few trick with team selection and tactics that can help me to win the big one with the little guys


Here is a link to my other story. I hope you can follow and enjoy it as much as i have so far.

http://www.fm-base.co.uk/forum/foot...u-thought-celtic-beating-barca-something.html


Thanks for all you comments and to everyone who's taken on the challenge. Natuarly i'll still be updating the table even if im no longer making big strides up the table.

Good luck everyone and thanks!

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