European Football Thread

[Fernando]

First topic message reminder :

To be used for discussing European transfers and matches from Anywhere but the PL

La Liga
Bundesliga
Ligue 1
Seria A etc

The Bundesliga & Ligue 1 start today with Big Spenders PSG in Action as are German Champions Bayern Munich

[kingraf]

Bundesliga obviously isn't quite the gauntlet... but I think the reality is that Bayern are just on a separate plane to everyone else at the moment.

[Guest]

I see Andre Villas Boas is the new Zenit St Petersburg manager.

In 12 months time, he will be picking up his oil money compensation then, adding to the £16m he's already picked up from Chelsea & Tottenham.

[TRUSSMAN66]

AVB is the biggest waste of space there is ...Isn't he !!

Bale kept him in a job last year.........Consistently played the useless Soldado...Bought crap..Before that got kicked out of Chelsea in a couple of months..

But because he has name recognition "we'll get AVB in......."

That's the problem with soccer there are name-less talented Brendan Rogers types who lose out on the Name - Merry go round...........

AVB will have ten jobs in the next ten years...........Joke !!

[Crimey]

Disappointed that he's taken that job, shows a lack of ambition I think to go to Russia, just cashing in on his name value. Would have been nice to see him take over a middle-sized club somewhere and try and stamp his legacy on them as I do think there is managerial talent in there.

[Guest]

AVB is the biggest waste of space there is ...Isn't he !!

Bale kept him in a job last year.........Consistently played the useless Soldado...Bought crap..Before that got kicked out of Chelsea in a couple of months..

But because he has name recognition "we'll get AVB in......."

That's the problem with soccer there are  name-less talented Brendan Rogers types who lose out on the Name - Merry go round...........

AVB will have ten jobs in the next ten years...........Joke !!

Think our Brendan has done himself no end of favours. He's endured a lot of ribbing about his experience, his looks, his "philosophy" of football etc etc etc but he's won over so many of the critics that even the most vocal critics would have to agree that he's turned Liverpool around. I just hope it continues.

Read a stat that said out of Wengers 1000 matches in charge, the last 500 have yield no silverware. Nice work if you can get it

[CFCNick]

Disappointed that he's taken that job, shows a lack of ambition I think to go to Russia, just cashing in on his name value. Would have been nice to see him take over a middle-sized club somewhere and try and stamp his legacy on them as I do think there is managerial talent in there.

I think it's clever to go back to that sort of level. I imagine there's a better chance he'll come out the other side looking good rather than staying in an elite league and showing he hasn't climbed out of his depth yet.

[Guest]

I don't like managers going to a club half way through a season, possibly winning the russian league & then it makes it look like they did all the good work. I think AVB's chosen this for three reasons-

1. Money (no-brainer)
2. Many portuguese speakers at the club, might be able to control them & manage them better than his previous players.
3. They are second in the table, half way through the league I believe. If he wins the league, he's immediately got back a bit of respect & reputation in some people's eyes in half a season or less. Which, admittedly, is clever management, if you can get the opportunity and then deliver.

[NickisBHAFC]

AVB is the biggest waste of space there is ...Isn't he !!

Bale kept him in a job last year.........Consistently played the useless Soldado...Bought crap..Before that got kicked out of Chelsea in a couple of months..

But because he has name recognition "we'll get AVB in......."

That's the problem with soccer there are  name-less talented Brendan Rogers types who lose out on the Name - Merry go round...........

AVB will have ten jobs in the next ten years...........Joke !!

Indeed. Very overrated manager.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Valdes is so so overrated

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Poopie this game is good

[Fernando]

Indeed and Ronaldo has been a passenger so far. Di Maria being a tank of a man today.

[kingraf]

Goal from Messi!! Had 8/1 odds on both Ronnie and Messi scoring... it could be my day

[Fernando]

Not the way Ronaldo is playing you won't Raf. Benzema should of had a hat trick by now.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Somebody's given Di Maria some sort of drug, man is on flames

[GSC]

Marcelo on the floor holding his face must be an El Classico tradition by now.

Still the customary Ramos red to come

[Fernando]

Marcelo on the floor holding his face must be an El Classico tradition by now.

Still the customary Ramos red to come

Still need Marcelo to go down then as well GSC. Was Pepe & Cesc that time.   

[kingraf]

Yeah he isn't on it today, is he? But he's had worse games where his name ended on the score sheet.

di Maria has played like a human buzzsaw. Forced out of position to accommodate the most overpriced player in history, he's certainly shown serious versatility.

[kingraf]

Iniesta will never have the fan club, and to perfectly honest, Ronaldo and Messi are probably some way ahead of him... but there Is a genius element in his game,a little surprised he only has 50 for Barca

[The Special Juan]

This is a great game. Di Maria has been a man possessed so far against... the world's "best" right-back folks!! Oor Gareth's not been in it too much but when he does get the ball and an opportunity to run at the defence he looks as dangerous as ever.

Barca don't close players down as quickly as they used to or am I imagining things?

[GSC]

Nows Ronnys chance

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Never a pen in a million years that

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Fabregas and Neymar need to be subbed, been non existent

[kingraf]

YEEEEEESSSSS!!!!

To clarify, I didn't just put in a sneaky fiver on Ronaldo and Messi scoring.... It exchanges to about £80... Getting myself an iPhone5 this week!!

[JDizzle]

Marcelo on the floor holding his face must be an El Classico tradition by now.

Still the customary Ramos red to come

And done.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Well thats two pens that weren't pens, what a ball by messi though

[GSC]

Called it

[Hammersmith harrier]

The defending of these two teams is comical, devalues the quality somewhat.

[GSC]

Seems more the attacking quality

[Hammersmith harrier]

They can't replicate it against the best defensive sides in Europe so it's very much down to the pathetic defensive displays.

[kingraf]

Funny how the lauded City attack only got one through in 180 minutes...

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Awful defending again as Alves unleashes that 25 yarder...  

[GSC]

Well both sides are actually trying to attack instead of parking the bus, so its understandable there'll be spaces at the back.

[kingraf]

As entertaining as this has proven, I struggle to see either side not being ripped in two by Munich...

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Hat trick for messi, thought that was a pen that one, clumsy from Alonso and carvajal

[kingraf]

Sergio Ramos has nineteen career red cards!! Someone speak to him

[kingraf]

Not for me Olly - No way is that a pen... The ref has had a particularly poor match, but it keeps La Liga very interesting

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Not for me Olly - No way is that a pen... The ref has had a particularly poor match, but it keeps La Liga very interesting

More of a pen than the Ronaldo one for me, but add you say keeps it very tight, athletico still there...

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

And I think you've seen tonight that Bale/Neymar are still someway off the best in the business, but have the flashes that show they'll get there

[Champagne_Socialist]

atletico top la liga with 8 games to go

[The Special Juan]

I thought the ref was great at the start of the match but rapidly went downhill. On saying that though, the only major decision I think he got wrong was the Ronaldo penalty (which, obviously, was outside the box).

[The Special Juan]

That "Ronaldo is better than Messi" article the BBC had has disappeared from their main page..................

[CFCNick]

Ronaldo is better

[GSC]

Gotta be Messi for me. Best I've seen play.

Real unlucky tonight. Most even El Classico in years

[Crimey]

That "Ronaldo is better than Messi" article the BBC had has disappeared from their main page..................

I can still see it?

I think that Ronaldo has been better than Messi for at least a year, mainly because of Messi's injury. Judgement is out on whether Messi can recover from his injuries to his previous form, I can't help but think he might have peaked. Think Ronaldo has gotten better every year since he started playing.

[kiakahaaotearoa]

I'm an Atleti fan and the only legitimate penalty was the Iniesta penalty at the end. Ronaldo was outside the area and Neymar dived with nothing on him. I can't say I'm unhappy with the result as Atleti are now leaders and Madrid face a tough opponent in Seville who always seem to rise for Madrid at home. Atleti face Granada at home which is a much easier scenario.

Still a long way to go but I have a feeling this was an important result for Atleti tonight. Being leaders will help erase the sour memories of Almeria and Osasuna and more importantly the Copa del Rey capitulation.

That a team with nowhere near the same resources as Barca or Madrid can be leading the League at this stage of the year is incredible. Still a long way to go but if Barca can't win the league it's important to know that they will rather lose to Atleti in the last game of the season than see their rivals Real Madrid win.

[Guest]

Golden Boot Chase

Luis Suarez -28
Cristiano Ronaldo - 26
Zlatan Ibrahimovic - 25
Diego Costa -23
Lionel Messi -21 (back to back hat-tricks, he's coming.....  )
Daniel Sturridge 19

[kingraf]

Think Ronaldo is going to haul Suarez in...

[Champagne_Socialist]

Ibrahimovic will get the golden boot

[The Special Juan]

That "Ronaldo is better than Messi" article the BBC had has disappeared from their main page..................

I can still see it?

I think that Ronaldo has been better than Messi for at least a year, mainly because of Messi's injury. Judgement is out on whether Messi can recover from his injuries to his previous form, I can't help but think he might have peaked. Think Ronaldo has gotten better every year since he started playing.

I couldn't. Are you using a mobile?

[socal1976]

Great Classico it is still the one match that you have to see in the football calendar. Messi got the hat trick but di maria was insane. A terrible performance by dani Alves how is this guy and Ramos by the way on the FIFA team of the year?

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