UEFA Europa League 2020/21

[FLiam]

1 hour ago, Kaney said:

Yeah, looking at the teams there's no one left we should really fear. United the obvious team I want to avoid but if we can get playing like we did the first hour of the NLD then we should beat anyone.

It'll be funny re-visiting this comment when we lose the first leg.

[Baddar]

Happy with the draw until 83 year old Soldado scores a vital 90th minute away goal for Granada in the 2nd leg.

[Colly]

Top shithousery.

[Lineker]

UEFA have banned Ondrej Kudela for ten games for racist behaviour. They have also banned Glen Kamara for three games for assaulting another player.

[FLiam]

22 minutes ago, Lineker said:

UEFA have banned Ondrej Kudela for ten games for racist behaviour. They have also banned Glen Kamara for three games for assaulting another player.

Haha, wut?

[Lineker]

 

[The Lusophone]

As it stands we play Roma and Arsenal have a reunion planned with Unai Emery.

[Baddar]

We were comfortable throughout the tie because they couldn't put away a chance, but weren't 4 goals better than them. The late goals in both legs flattered us.

[Lineker]

Quote

Mikel Arteta revealed that a group of senior Arsenal players asked him whether they could take a knee prior to their resounding Europa League quarter-final win at Slavia Prague, with the club and Uefa giving the green light to make a gesture that held added significance on the night.

The Slavia Prague defender Ondrej Kudela was banned for 10 matches on Wednesday for racially abusing Rangers’ Glen Kamara, a former Arsenal player, during their last-16 tie in March. Arsenal’s players, led by Alexandre Lacazette, took a knee before kick-off and gazed ahead while their opponents remained standing in a line beyond the centre circle; it was a powerful image and Arteta explained a group of “captains” – likely to have included Lacazette and Granit Xhaka – had discussed it in advance.

“They asked me and the club that they wanted to take that initiative,” he said. “They had the right reasons for it, so the club was very supportive. I think it was a good gesture.

“We spoke with the club to make sure we could follow the rules of Uefa and we can do it in the right way. We decided to take that approach, which I really like from the players, and I must say Uefa was very supportive as well. The captains came to me and asked me to do that, and I just supported them like the club did.”

Arteta was also proud of his side’s exploits during an evisceration of the Czech champions, who were breached three times in six first-half minutes and again late on when Lacazette scored his second goal of the game. “Credit to the players for how they approached the game and how brave they were,” he said. “We were brave, we were efficient, we put them under a lot of pressure, and in the final third we were really clinical.”

Bukayo Saka, who scored the third goal, and Emile Smith Rowe were both outstanding and Arteta described the academy products as “a joy to watch”. They helped carry the fight in the absence of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who announced shortly before the game that he had spent time in hospital this week with malaria.

“He had two days in hospital to get the right treatment, but he’s feeling good now,” Arteta said. “He will need a few days to recover, but he wants to be back as soon as possible.” Sunday’s Premier League game with Fulham is likely to come too soon for the Arsenal captain.

 

Quote

A senior Czech government official claims Uefa handed a 10-game ban to Ondrej Kudela for abusing Rangers’ Glen Kamara in order to satisfy the “perverted expectations of a small group of activists”.

Vratislav Mynar’s intervention came on the day police said they had reported Kudela and Kamara to Scotland’s prosecution service after investigating allegations of racist abuse and assault during the Europa League game between Rangers and Slavia Prague at Ibrox last month.

A case of “racially aggravated conduct” against Kudela has been submitted to the Procurator Fiscal after the 34-year-old was accused of shouting a discriminatory slur into Kamara’s ear. Kamara has been reported to prosecutors over an allegation that he punched Kudela in the tunnel after the match.

Mynar has accused Uefa of acting in the “pinnacle of hypocrisy” in banning Kudela and he bizarrely suggested the ruling would see players who are not black become the victim of discrimination. Mynar heads the Office of the President of the Republic, a department set up to ensure presidential powers and are carried out.

In his open letter to Uefa’s control, ethics and disciplinary body, he wrote: “I note that racism is unproven and alleged. The Uefa inspector himself questioned that Ondrej Kudela had made a racist statement. Nevertheless, you have decided on a completely unprecedented punishment for a player who did not harm anyone and only verbally – according to his statement – offended his opponent.

“You condemn a decent person without a single piece of evidence. You make it impossible for athletes to fulfil their dream in the Europa League – all this just to fulfil the perverted expectations of a small group of activists and a club unable to win on the field, all the more so by shouting empty and hurtful phrases about racism.

“In your submission, the fight against racism has become the fight of the unsuccessful against the successful, the pinnacle of hypocrisy, positive discrimination and embarrassing undermining with stupid trends.

“Your efforts can lead to the opposite, a situation where a person with a colour other than black will be discriminated against, oppressed and deprived of their rights. That is why I also consider it necessary to oppose this procedure.

“Although you’re probably not used to it, let me tell you one thing. I very much appreciate the fact that the Czech public does not identify with your verdict, across the whole society. On the contrary, even if only for a short time, you have managed to unite ancient rivals. We will not kneel before you and no threats apply to the Czech football fan.”

Kamara was given a three-game ban after being found by Uefa to have assaulted Kudela in the tunnel. Kamara met police officers last week to discuss the complaints, and his solicitor Aamer Anwar urged Kudela to follow suit.

Anwar said: “We would strongly urge Mr Kudela to cooperate with officers carrying out their investigations into his alleged criminal conduct … Glen Kamara has fully cooperated with Police Scotland and provided a statement to officers at my offices.”

Slavia said: “Mr Kudela was and still is prepared to fully cooperate with the police inquiries.”

 

[The Lusophone]

THE BEST CLUBS.

THE BEST PLAYERS.

Losing to Villareal and Roma. 

[gunnar hendershow]

1 minute ago, MadJack said:

THE BEST CLUBS.

THE BEST PLAYERS.

Losing to Villareal and Roma. 

Barcelona lost at Camp Nou to Granada today as well.

[Baddar]

Glad we've gone for them 2nd half. Roma are fucking shit.

[DavidMarrio]

We may have a chance in this next season (qualification pending) if the standards like this.

Safe to say one tie is dead and buried and the other one could have some more twists and turns. I do think it's pretty much United's trophy to lose though, think they're a lot better than Villarreal and Arsenal 

[Benjamin]

Second night in a row I went to be at half-time with a Manchester team losing to who I want to eventually win and wake up to them having somehow gotten the W. Fucking hell. 

[Baddar]

9 hours ago, DavidMarrio said:

We may have a chance in this next season (qualification pending) if the standards like this.

Safe to say one tie is dead and buried and the other one could have some more twists and turns. I do think it's pretty much United's trophy to lose though, think they're a lot better than Villarreal and Arsenal 

I'd prefer to play Villarreal. 

Doesn't matter how bad Arsenal are/have been, we've found ways to get shit results against them under Ole.

[Szumi]

Roma definitely were hurt (no pun intended) by having to make 3 injury enforced substitutions in the first half, and being unable to use the other 2 subs as a result. Especially when they had to bring off their pretty darn good GK for a very shit replacement. They still would've probably lost, but they weren't shipping 6.

[Benjamin]

18 hours ago, Szumi - A Polack said:

Roma definitely were hurt (no pun intended) by having to make 3 injury enforced substitutions in the first half, and being unable to use the other 2 subs as a result. Especially when they had to bring off their pretty darn good GK for a very shit replacement. They still would've probably lost, but they weren't shipping 6.

I think they were also hurt by having absolutely useless in big games Chris Smallings as one of their back three. He was out of position in like two or three of the goals 🤦‍♂️

[lanky316]

BT Sport commentators openly celebrating a player getting stretchered off. Classy and very professional there.

[FLiam]

Wouldn’t think it was a European semi-final the way we’re playing. Timid.

[Baddar]

De Gea has genuinely kept us ahead in the tie tonight. Lacklustre. 

Fortunately for us, Bruno and Cavani can be unplayable at times.