European Football Thread

[Lineker]

Lionel Messi could leave FC Barcelona without a transfer fee if Catalonia secedes from Spain and the club does not compete in any of Europe’s top four leagues, Spanish newspaper El Mundo has reported, citing a clause in his new contract.

[Colly]

Never gonna happen. 

[Lineker]

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Spartak Moscow are at the centre of a racism row after their official Twitter account posted a video of three black players in training alongside a caption that translates as “See how chocolates melt in the sun”.

The message was accompanied by several emojis of laughing faces and chocolate bars, above a 13-second clip showing the players, reported to be the Brazilian trio Fernando, Luiz Adriano and Pedro Rocha, smiling while stretching in sunny conditions.

The anti-discrimination group Kick It Out condemned the Russian club, writing a response on Twitter which said: “This social media post from the official account of Spartak Moscow only continues to highlight the prejudices towards black people in Russia.

“It is a reminder that, along with the whole of football, there is significant work to do to eradicate racism of all forms from the sport.”

Piara Powar, executive director of Football Against Racism in Europe, believes the message from Spartak is troubling as Russia builds towards hosting the World Cup later this year.

He told BBC Sport: “Racism is one of the biggest issues Russia faces in the year they host the World Cup. References like this show how some minorities are seen by some in the country.

“For Russia’s biggest club to tolerate and then celebrate racist references of this kind is wrong.”

The controversial Twitter post was later deleted from Spartak’s official page.

It is the third time in a matter of months Spartak have been embroiled in a controversy over racism.

They were ordered to partially close their academy stadium for one fixture by Uefa, which found some of the club’s fans were guilty of racist behaviour towards Liverpool striker Bobby Adekanye during a Youth League match in September. Last month, Spartak defender Leonid Mironov was charged with racially abusing Reds striker Rhian Brewster after an incident during the return Uefa Youth League game between the sides at Prenton Park.

The controversial social media posting comes a day after Russia’s foreign ministry accused the British media of “conjuring up” government-led propaganda in the buildup to the World Cup. Its spokesperson, Maria Zakharova, said: “We learned that reporters from the United Kingdom – not just one media outlet, but a number of them – received, in the truest sense of the word, a state order to launch a smear campaign for holding the World Cup in Russia.”

Zakharova then suggested that journalists were dissuaded from focusing on searching for different news angles because “stories, topics and approaches had been already conjured up”.

Russia will kick off the World Cup on 14 June, against Saudi Arabia at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.

[Baddar]

Oh dear 

[Twist]

I won’t be watching a minute of the World Cup this year because it’s in Russia. It doesn’t mean much in the grand scheme of things but i wouldn’t feel comfortable watching.

[Lineker]

Ryan Giggs is to be named the new Wales manager.

[Chris2K]

Diego Carlos was sent off for Nantes against PSG tonight after getting tangled up with the referee, the referee then kicked him, and he got the second booking for dissent aimed at the referee, who you may remember had just kicked him. 

Worth watching for Mbappe's amazing dive at the start, which went unpunished.

[The Lusophone]

That's appalling.

[Adam]

What the fuck! And I thought our ref was bad yesterday. Fergie's right, they should just shoot them all 

[Lineker]

Real Madrid have been dumped out of the Copa del Rey by Leganés. Zidane surely can't be too much longer for that job...

[Lineker]

Ronald Koeman has been named as the new Netherlands national team coach. Koeman has signed a contract until 2022, when the national team will hope to compete at the Qatar World Cup having failed to qualify for Russia 2018.

[Gazz]

RIP @Lars Kuyt

[The Lusophone]

Eden Hazard has been named best Belgian playing in a foreign league for 2017. Can't help but feel Fellaini has been robbed there.

[Lineker]

McLeish is the new Scotland manager.

[Kaney]

Eh. It's not the worst appointment we could make but it doesn't inspire any real confidence after the way things have been. Bit of a sideways move, might as well have stuck with Strachan but not like it would really matter.

[MDK]

Barca vs Atleti on Sky Sports Mix in a minute.

[Lineker]

 

[Adam]

Their tribute to Astori was wonderfully done.

Meanwhile, in La Liga, former West Ham striker and all-round penalty genius Simone Zaza has taken his on-field ridiculousness to new heights today:

 

Simone Zaza trying to headbutt someone’s arm to get a free kick is the funniest thing I’ve seen today. pic.twitter.com/nBwUKeOLrV

— Dan Critchlow (@afcDW) March 10, 2018

[MDK]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/43369490

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Greek Super League suspended after PAOK Salonika president invades pitch with gun

The Greek Super League has been indefinitely suspended after PAOK Salonika's president invaded the pitch with a gun during a match on Sunday.

Ivan Savvidis tried to confront the referee with a gun in a hip holster after his side had a late goal ruled out for offside against AEK Athens.

AEK's players left the pitch concerned for their safety and did not return.

The match was officially abandoned two hours later and local police are seeking Savvidis to arrest him.

 

West Ham fans: We're going to put the corner flag in the centre circle!

PAOK president: Hold my ouzo.

[Lineker]

It was obviously a No DQ match.