Pre-European fixture lose syndrome

I've been wanting to make this point since FM 97/98 but for all these years I thought it must be me. In every version of this game, almost every time in the game before a european match I cannot win. I can be playing Old Tosspotians or Man U, it makes no difference. It's particularly noticeable in games I would expect to win. I batter the oppo for 90 minutes and end up losing 1-0 or occasionally I'll nick a draw. When I play the european match my team, (and it doesn't matter what team I happen to be managing), will revert to form and and get the result I would expect.

I've played every version of the game and this 'fault' has been present. I would be interested to know if anyone else has experienced this phenomenon.

Just because I'm paranoid, doesn't mean they're not out to get me!!

No have to admit ive had nothing like that in fact I tend to win all my games around european ties and lose the european game.

Nope I've not noticed it either. Last season I won 11 of the 13 matches preceeding a European game.

I agree that some players won't play to their strengths before a european fixture, I notice this too. But you can still win the matches, pay attention to the team talk, focus tactics to the ones that do perform, sub the ones that don't etc. Anyway, I think it's quite realistic the way this has been implemented, as this happens IRL too (especially if the european competition reputation is much higher than the reputation of the league you are playing).

Do you rest a few key players, or alter your tactics to ensure they don't get injured or low condition?

I tend to have more problems with the game after european games than the one before.

Best bet is to take the pressure off the team with a "calm down" team talk.

Thanks chaps for the input. Looks like I am paranoid. As to the meat of the question, I generally don't change a thing before a euro game if I'm playing a decent side. Team talk and tactics remain the same as I would normally do dependent on home/away. Indeed, sometimes I fail to notice I've got a euro game coming up. It's obviously not been a big issue for others, so I shall try to analyse more closely what goes on with my team on these occasions. I have to say, however, it really does happen to me, and I've always been aware of it, no matter what version I have been playing