Was our Champions League group fixed???

[Cleo]

If this somehow gets proven, where the hell do you start in terms of compensation??

We can't accept anything else than a financial compensation - imagine how bad we would look if we were allowed into this year's competition on a wild card

[Craig_H]

If they lose that game their is a massive confidence swing in all four teams. Debrecen get a boost before they play the Viola away. LFC and Lyon see a major rival drop points and believe their chances of qualifying go up. Fiorintinas confidence drops knowing they have dropped three points against a team that LFC, Lyon and Fiorintina all believed they would need to get 6 points off to qualify.

Not just confidence issues either. If Fiorentina had dropped points in this game, it changes everything in terms of what they 'need' from other games.

As we all know, the kind of result you 'need' in any group game, in context of how the group sits, is crucial in determining not only how you play, but also what kind of pressure is going to be on you for each game.

If this is going through the german courts now (also, why the german courts, of all courts??) i'm surprised no major media outlet over here has picked up on the story.

[Drago]

No

Rafa built a team that just wasn't good enough.

[Tezza1974]

But the Debrecen v Fiorentina game wasnt the last group game.

Had Fiorentina not won this game, it might have made our position stronger and given us more motivation in our own games.

if that game was fixed surely it must cast doubt on the other games either or played in the group?

[Tezza1974]

We can't accept anything else than a financial compensation - imagine how bad we would look if we were allowed into this year's competition on a wild card

We did it in 2005 when we finished 5th start from the first qualifying round again if we have to -just this time have them allow the top 4 from Engaland to qualify and take one of the spots from the league of the team(s) who are found guilty of match fixing

[The Birdman]

No

Rafa built a team that just wasn't good enough.

Wow, have you heard of Hicks and Gillete???

[CJ]

We did it in 2005 when we finished 5th start from the first qualifying round again if we have to -just this time have them allow the top 4 from Engaland to qualify and take one of the spots from the league of the team(s) who are found guilty of match fixing

cant see it happening. The reason for that was reigning champions of Europe not a club who was wronged over a season ago.

[ronanm]

Think Benitez was in on it given we played so badly

[lancinleeds]

To be honest regardless of what has happened and what could have happened I think we need to forget about this. We have been involved in too much crap recently to start another war.

For me its far more important we focus on playing well and winning again.

[Arn]

No

Rafa built a team that just wasn't good enough.

Money, money, money, would be funny, in a rich man's world.......money, money, money would be funny in a rich man's world aaaaaaaa, in a rich man's world withoooooouuuut Parry and Puuuurssssloooowww.

[Craig_H]

He's cracking up, he's cracking up, he's cracking.....

Arn is cracking up

[Arn]

He's cracking up, he's cracking up, he's cracking.....

Arn is cracking up

[Drago]

[QUOTE=Shaggy;1847476]

[Craig_H]

Article from a few days ago....

BOCHUM (Germany): The Champions League was on Friday dragged into the Europe-wide betting scandal after a group stage match was named in the trial of six men accused of match-fixing.

The Group E match between Hungarian side Debreceni VSC and Italy's Fiorentina on October 20 2009, which finished in a 4-3 win for the Italians, has been named as one of those allegedly fixed by the group.

Bochum's public prosecutions office has linked the main defendants, who are named only as Ante S and Marijo C, to the Champions League game where six goals were scored in the first-half alone.

This is the first time a Champions League game has been named in the trial which is said to have involved 3.5 million euros worth of bets and affected 47 matches across the continent.

A 2010 World up qualifier between Liechtenstein and Finland in 2009 has also been named in the trial.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/s...ow/7286810.cms

[sean_lfc]

Article from a few days ago....

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/s...ow/7286810.cms

I just read an article today in the German magazine 'Stern', which interviewed - for the first time - a player involved in the scandal - Rene Schnitzler.

What he talks about - in the footballing world - is quite incredible. 70-80% of footballers bet on all sorts, it's a common thing. However there is one Don of the betting world, a Dutch fella by the name of 'Paul' <something, forgot the name>. This guy is the major player and he has players from all over Europe under his control, even in the Premier League. It's a highly sophisticated organisation, which spans continents, major gambling takes place in Asia, where 6-figure sums on games right down to Youth-level are not batted an eyelid upon. This Paul is untouchable. He cannot be found and/or taken account for.

It's a fascinating story and unravels some real deep truth about the footballing world. I didn't manage to finish the article, as I was about to have my hair cut, but it's amazing how many are involved and the level of money that footballers can and do spend, and how easily they can become engulfed in a shady world with criminal organisations.