European Football Thread

[FestiveJack]

Messi and Ronaldo to Leeds!

[Hobo]

17 minutes ago, therockbox said:

What ten other sports do they have?

1. Lawn Bowls
2. Bog Snorkling
3. Dwarf Tossing
4. The Egg and Spoon Race
5. Arguing On The Internet
6. Catching Your Bus When You're Running Late
7. Getting Up Too Fast
8. Christmas Dinner With Your Racist Aunt
9. Chess Boxing
10. Celebrity Death Match (repeats)
11. La Liga

[therockbox]

I like that you've ranked them in the order I'd choose to watch them.

[Matt]

For what it's worth, I remember Radrizanni talking about how football would make sense as a streaming service and it's something he's already introduced for LUFC games internationally. I expect that to be the way this goes.

[MDK]

15 minutes ago, Matt said:

For what it's worth, I remember Radrizanni talking about how football would make sense as a streaming service and it's something he's already introduced for LUFC games internationally. I expect that to be the way this goes.

Our new chairman or owner, I forget which, is wanting to dabble in livestreaming Orient games. Already done one. He must be trying to crack the US market.

[Baddar]

I really enjoy watching La Liga, but I'm not paying for it separately to Sky and BT. 

[therockbox]

Haven't been this nervous about a semi since I watched Brokeback Mountain.

[Liam]

3 hours ago, therockbox said:

Haven't been this nervous about a semi since I watched Brokeback Mountain.

I had to like that. Well done.

[Lineker]

March of Les Herbiers’ petit poucet enters Coupe de France folklore
Vendée minnows to take on mighty Paris Saint-Germain but the French Cup final is rich in fairytales

[FLiam]

Every season without fail, “El Classico” is a fucking embarrassment to football. So much play-acting. 

[Lineker]

Quote

Arsène Wenger is convinced that a seismic change to the game is afoot and the coming years will witness the inception of a European super league. The outgoing Arsenal manager believes it will take over from the Premier League at weekends, with domestic games being played in midweek.

Wenger is preparing for the final match of his 22-year Arsenal tenure at Huddersfield on Sunday and he spoke at what was his final pre-match press conference. He was in unusually reflective mood and yet he offered his juiciest sound-bites when he looked to the future.

“The next evolution? Maybe I will see you in a few years and you will certainly have a European league over the weekends,” Wenger said. “A domestic league will certainly play Tuesday/Wednesday. I think that is the next step we will see.”

Wenger has felt a swell of affection since the announcement was made that he will leave his job at the end of the season with – most recently – Leicester and Burnley fans singing his name during matches against Arsenal. “They all love me now,” Wenger said, with a smile.

The Frenchman feels that the austerity years after the club’s move from Highbury to the Emirates Stadium in 2006, when he had to manage with restricted budgets because of the need to service debts, were his most challenging and when he did his finest work.

He gave a commitment to stay at Arsenal for a five-year period, which would be extended for longer, and it was a key factor in the club being able to persuade the banks to lend them the money they needed for the project.

“I would say, personally, from 2006 to 2015 – it was certainly the period where I needed to be the strongest and did the best job,” Wenger said. “To accept to commit to five years when you build the stadium and to work with restricted resources and keep the club in a position where we can pay our debts back, I personally feel I did my best job in that period. Not the most glamorous, maybe, but the most difficult.”

Wenger’s team trail Manchester City by an astonishing 37 points and he believes that the newly crowned champions will continue to set the standard, although he could not resist a dig at how their lavish spending has helped them to construct the platform for success. “They glide well through financial fair play,” Wenger said. “It is a club who has a great manager, a great team and they anticipate all the problems. I think they are forward-thinking and will be the team to beat next season.”

[Lineker]

Apparently there's a fire in one of the stands at the Hamburg game? Hamburg are facing their first relegation in their history. 

[MDK]

[Lineker]

Shit!

[britneyspearsisgod]

Yeah... They've lost their shit 

They're generally considered a bit more right leaning than their wonderful counterparts (and totally unbiased endorsement from me, obviously) FC St. Pauli. I've heard a few stories of Pauli fans getting beaten up by HSV ultras around the Reeperbahn in Hamburg, although I can't verify that.

All in all, it's sad to see. On the plus side, that Hamburg Derby next year is going to be INSANE. Although I do fear there may end up being trouble and most news sites will play it as a left versus right argument.

[Adam]

And their manager is called Christian Titz!

[Gazz]

Renaming the Ritz - watch more funny videos

 

[Arjen Robben]

Barcelona are away to Levante tonight, potential unbeaten season still on the line.

They went 5-1 down. And now it's 5-4 with 20 minutes left.

Madness.

[Gazz]

Spursing it.

[Lineker]

Shouldn't have left Messi at home.