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JW1's avatar
Apr 8Edited

Recall a couple seasons back in the CL semis,

when height-of-their-powers City led RM 3-0 at 76'--

and City lost on aggregate?

Don't take your boot off your opponents' collective neck. Ever.

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izzo's avatar

Different teams, mate. This current Real team just ain't it.

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JW1's avatar
Apr 8Edited

It's a lifelong credo that works no matter who you're playing.

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izzo's avatar

Not this time. That credo has run out.

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Ryan's avatar
Apr 9Edited

I agree with JW1

ItтАЩs not that real are that good at this exact moment, is that they are Real Madrid, which is more significant than you give them credit for

Going back to elite esports analogies as I love me some of those, those who are consistently the best players in the world over tens of years develop an abstract advantage over the rest that is difficult to quantify. They can play pretty badly, struggle badly, be down and out and somehow find a result against all odds. Actually the opposition to said players/teams can come quite heavily unstuck by overthinking the situation. When the best of the best are playing genuinely quite crap it can actually be a bit disarming and unexpected, leading to the opposition making some unforced errors and inviting the comeback accidentally. Sometimes itтАЩs easier to play against a good opponent playing as well as expected than a good opponent who is surprisingly off colour.

In football, this can manifest for example in Arsenal going into the second leg and Madrid playing poorly, but Arsenal not daring to turn the screw when the chance is actually there because тАШsurely Madrid arenтАЩt going to roll over???тАЩ. So Arsenal play more cautiously than they should and fail to score the first goal. Madrid recover their heads in the second half and score first. At that point the tie is wide wide open and momentum swings to Madrid at home and with Arsenal players ruing that they didnтАЩt bury Madrid when they had the chance. That frustration then actually makes it easier for Madrid to get a second and if that happens all bets are off.

Not saying the above will happen but this is an entirely plausible scenario. Seen it happens a million times before and will a million times again

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izzo's avatar

I know about all that but it ainтАЩt happening this time around. I wonтАЩt budge. Nothing is in their favor after youтАЩve done all your hypothesis and historical mambo jumbo.

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