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

[GSC]

Alves was being used to stifle Ronaldo. They weren't allowing him to go central

[Guest]

We all know the voting is all rigged on these FIFA awards/votes. Ramos has never been a good centre back, nor is Pepe. Both of them together are just accidents waiting to happen, probably why they always fall short in the champions league final stages. Yeah, Alves was doing a job on Ronaldo quite effectively & he also hit the post with a great shot, it wasn't a bad performance by Alves at all. If anything, Neymar was pretty atrocious & has been poor this season, as I expected he would, coming to the European leagues.

[socal1976]

I think he has played pretty well John, i have been surprised by his ability to create for others. Considering his slight build, the adjustment to European football has been pretty successful. As for Alves di maria was just parading down the barca right in the first half against maybe it was because he was focusing on Ronnie but with some better striking di maria should have had 4 assists in the first hslf

[GSC]

The gameplan was for Alves to block Ronaldos path centrally. Di Maria having the freedom of Madrid was down to Martinos tactics.

[Guest]

Sevilla 2- 1 Real Madrid last night. Barca/Atletico both win. Going to the wire....

[GSC]

Barca will beat Atletico on the last day

[kiakahaaotearoa]

Atleti have a much tougher finish. This weekend they're away in Bilbao where Athletic at home haven't lost a game (if you don't count Atletico's win in the King's Cup). They still have Valencia away and Malaga and in general have a much tougher finish to their fixture list than Barcelona. They have banana skins in Espanyol and Villareal but really have a softer fixture list than Atletico. They are, however, without Valdes and I don't care much for Pinto their reserve keeper.

The longer Atleti can hold on, the more confident I'll get but as Simeone commented yesterday, 3 games might be possible to hold on but 9 games in football is too many to feel confident about your chances.

[NickisBHAFC]

Athleticoooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Incredible how they are actually first really and in with a legit shot at winning the league.

[Guest]

Barcelona win 1-0
Atletico win 2-1


Over to Real........?

[Fernando]

Madrid currently 4-0 up

Bale just ran 3/4 of the pitch to score a solo goal.

[Guest]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Co0FBGBjodA - Bale second goal of the night.

All the big boys won this weekend in Spain.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Simone is manager of the year in Europe no doubt whatsoever

[kiakahaaotearoa]

Neymar with a blatant hand ball just before Barca was awarded a penalty and an Espanyol player received a red card. Simeone is approaching every game like it was a final. If the players can do well against Barca in the Champions, I think it will give them the belief in the League. If they play like they did against Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey, it will knock their confidence and they'll be more likely to slip up in the League.

At some stage Barcelona and Real Madrid have to play the Copa del Rey final and there might be a hangover after that in the League.

[kiakahaaotearoa]

Ref was a disgrace in the Atheltic Atletico match. You could argue Athletic had a penalty down the other end, but it was after a clear penalty to Costa and then inexplicably he didn't play advantage when Cebolla Rodriguez had a one-on-one with the goalkeeper.

Atletico has to arrive at Nou Camp with more of a points advantage. The fairytale must happen. It'll be a cruel blow if either Madrid or Barcelona win this league. The players must believe!

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Barca banned from signing players for the next two transfer windows!!

"So hey Victor you know about leaving to go to Monaco you didn't really mean that did you??"

[GSC]

Probably gets reduced on appeal

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Yeah chelski had one overturned over the Kakuta transfer iirc

[Fernando]

Fifa rules state that international transfers are only permitted for players over the age of 18 - unless the player in question meets one of three qualifying criteria.

A Fifa investigation found that Barcelona and the RFEF were guilty of a "serious" infringement of the rules in relation to 10 players.

The investigation centred on several players aged under 18 who were registered and played for the club between 2009 and 2013.

They've got no chance on appeal if it's 10 players.

Expect to see them appeal and take it to the CAS so can do business in summer then accept the ban after that.

[GSC]

Tbh Nando they'll just appeal and itll probably take so long they can do business in the window. Then FIFA will probably settle for next January and Summer windows

[Crimey]

If not, they're a bit screwed considering they really need a replacement for Valdes and Puyol. Real Madrid will currently be rubbing their hands together in glee.

[kingraf]

Mes Que Un Club... lol

[CFCNick]

Yeah chelski had one overturned over the Kakuta transfer iirc

It was only overturned because we reached a settlement with Lens and they dropped the charges. Plus it was only over one player. Barcelona have been charged for over 10 players.

[Ent]

Barca banned from signing players for the next two transfer windows!!

"So hey Victor you know about leaving to go to Monaco you didn't really mean that did you??"

He'd do well to get that move with his crucially injury.

Certainly one example of letting your contract run out back firing on you.

[Hammersmith harrier]

They'll get away with it, the big teams always do, this combined with the Neymar fraud case doesn't paint a very good picture of Barcelona, one of the most bent footballs club in Europe it turns out.

[GSC]

If you dig deep into Spanish football it ain't pretty

[skyeman]

Chelsea one down inside four minutes and RM one up, courtesy of Bale inside two.

[skyeman]

John Terry with the assist   Scored the Saturday goal too!!!

[skyeman]

Danny Mills, BBC Radio 5 live.

"Ramires took that yellow card for the team then, Ezequiel Lavezzi was going to get through on goal. It was a poor corner from Chelsea and I think he did the right thing to bring him down."

Who said on air recently, these players were stupid for doing so.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

If you dig deep into Spanish football it ain't pretty

*cough* performance enhancing drugs *cough*

[CFCNick]

This Valencia-Basel game is good. No one has ever come bacl from a three goal deficit in the Europa. Valencia will be the first if they get through.

[CFCNick]

Basel down to 10 men. HT in ET.

[CFCNick]

5-0 Valencia. 5-3 agg. 2 minutes left.

[Guest]

Granada 1-0 Barcelona - 15 mins left.   

[GSC]

Tough to see Martino getting another year. Rehaul needed. Klopp might be the man

[Guest]

I know before Martino was appointed it was Joachim Low this & that but they went for Tata. Can see them going with geniune pedigree this time, european based coach with experience of champions league. Tata going in there, trying to change the philosophy, that is inbuilt, was crazy. Okay, he's had to face the fact Messi has had a drop in performance & was injured & it's Neymar's adjustment phase to this league, but you can't be losing games like this.

Klopp needs to challenge himself elsewhere now, Pep has the bundesliga wrapped up for the next two or three years.

[NickisBHAFC]

Yeah Barca need a new manager next season. Klopp would be a superb appointment! 

Easy win for Real. Isco was on #Flames

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Diego Costa stretchered off with a season ending injury it seems
Cruel cruel luck

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Atletico tweeting it's just a cut and the post needs more fixing than the leg

[Fernando]

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Crikey. That's 1st leg risk definitely

[NickisBHAFC]

What a shame. Really hope he is going to be fit for some part of the Chelsea match.

[The Special Juan]

Rooney's thigh gash took a long time to heal and that looks like a bigger injury.

[Guest]

Copa Del Rey final tonight. You really feel Bale needs to step up tonight & win this thing for Madrid without Ronaldo.

[kiakahaaotearoa]

Messi hasn't been in great form either. Both sides will really want the win to guarantee at least some form of silverware but both teams I have a feeling will look back on the year as a missed opportunity, even though Real Madrid could still mathematically win a treble.

Diego Costa is back training with the team so thankfully he looks as though he will be fine.

[Fernando]

Barcelona 0-1 Real Madrid - Angel Di Maria. Barca got counter attacked.

[The Special Juan]

Fabregas' performance tonight makes Bradley Johnson look like a world beater.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

MARC BARTRA FTW

[Guest]

Brilliant header that

[The Special Juan]

That was good. Pure speed there from Bale.

[Fernando]

Barca 1-2 Madrid - Bale - ran from inside his own half, Got fouled by Bartra then finished well.

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