Angell555666

Yea, twice. Porto and Monaco did it just a few years ago, PSV beat Arsenal last year. All in all those are flukes not proof if their inherent greatness.

</BLOCKQUOTE>

Actually.

The point I was trying to make was that the tournement prospered in it's old format of Champions only. Since the change to letting big leagues other teams in, these teams have been forced out as they can't compete. I would simply like to see a reduced number of teams from one country in so other countries can compete at a better level. And TBH I can't see what's wrong with that.

retired_sedimohasel

Then why do you talk about Yougoslavian teams? Will they play against Tchecoslovaquian teams any time soon?

My point is that it is totally possible for a small team from a small nation to win the CL. The only thing is that it will take them decades which is only normal because it took decades to Madrid, Man U or Milan to be who they are today.
I don't want more teams from small nations in the CL, champion or not I couldn't care less. If they want to be in it they have to deserve it and as of today they don't.

retired_sedimohasel

Yea, twice. Porto and Monaco did it just a few years ago, PSV beat Arsenal last year. All in all those are flukes not proof if their inherent greatness.

</BLOCKQUOTE>

Actually.

The point I was trying to make was that the tournement prospered in it's old format of Champions only. Since the change to letting big leagues other teams in, these teams have been forced out as they can't compete. I would simply like to see a reduced number of teams from one country in so other countries can compete at a better level. And TBH I can't see what's wrong with that. </BLOCKQUOTE>

What's wrong with that is that it would make the CL weaker. Unless you trully believe that the Slovenian champion is better than the 4th EPL side.

retired_v_meenucancer

it's a bit easier to take it to the champion's league when you get an automatic spot for winning the league. or for coming second. or third.

retired_sedimohasel

No but Lyon is a quite good example of a team/club that has built their own success firstly within their own league then taking it to the CL and even though they haven't gone all the way yet they do beat the "minnows" on a regular basis these days (well not so easily this season ). </BLOCKQUOTE>

Lyon just had a flook game against Glasgow but they still beat the German Champion twice with a 2 goals difference each time. There's no "minnows" in Lyon's group this year really. (Although to be fair Lyon aren't as good this year as they were the past 2/3 years)

retired_v_meenucancer

eh? i referred to a yugoslav team winning the tournament in the past. i could hardly call them a serbian team, especially as they shortly afterwards went to war over the issue. get a clue ffs.

what? decades for madrid to be who they are today? seriously i am completely lost here, what are you talking about?

Angell555666

Yea, twice. Porto and Monaco did it just a few years ago, PSV beat Arsenal last year. All in all those are flukes not proof if their inherent greatness.

</BLOCKQUOTE>

Actually.

The point I was trying to make was that the tournement prospered in it's old format of Champions only. Since the change to letting big leagues other teams in, these teams have been forced out as they can't compete. I would simply like to see a reduced number of teams from one country in so other countries can compete at a better level. And TBH I can't see what's wrong with that. </BLOCKQUOTE>

What's wrong with that is that it would make the CL weaker. Unless you trully believe that the Slovenian champion is better than the 4th EPL side. </BLOCKQUOTE>

Well by that logic you might as well add the 5th, 6th and 7th Premiership sides to the CL because they are probably better then most other CL entries.

retired_sedimohasel

it's a bit easier to take it to the champion's league when you get an automatic spot for winning the league. or for coming second. or third. </BLOCKQUOTE>

If the team is good enough to play with the big boys they'll get out of the qualifying round easily. Lyon lost in the qualifying round (to Maribor) like 5-6 years ago when they weren't good enough to make it to the group stage and there's nothing wrong with that.
You're using the qualif round as an exemple to prove that small teams don't have a chance but they do have a chance since they get to play 2 games to get in the CL, if they don't take their chance and win these 2 games it's simply that they don't deserve to be in it.

retired_v_meenucancer

they get to play two games in which they're unseeded, which guarentees them a game against difficult opposition. it's not like they've got much scope to improve, and they've not even got the hope that the draw will be kind to them. not sure how being placed in those circumstances and not winning constitutes not "deserving it"

you seem to think that if a romanian team spend forty years plugging away and losing nine times out of ten they'll gradually get better.

retired_khabmth

That might be your opinion. The overall popularity and ever growing TV deals would IMO indicate that the average football fan (nor I) doesn't agree at all.