European Football Thread

[Adam]

Tagging @Colly just because he loves VAR.

[Twist]

That has to be the first time someone has been sent off twice in a single match.

[Colly]

Seen it already. I actually think the second yellow is quite harsh on him, doesn't look like he instigates it. And to be fair that's the kind of thing I actually like VAR for, wrongly given red cards ruin games.

[Adam]

Barcelona and Real Madrid have both been knocked out of the Copa Del Rey on the same night. Madrid went out 4-3 at home to Real Sociedad, with Martin Odegaard scoring against his parent team, and Barca lost to an injury time Inaki Williams goal as Athletic Bilbao won through.

The final four is Sociedad, Bilbao, Granada and midtable Segunda Division side Mirandes, who have knocked out Celta Vigo, Sevilla and Villarreal in sucessive rounds. Impressive.

It will mean the first final without either side in 10 years, and Barca's run of making the final ends at six straight.

[Malenko]

8 hours ago, Adam said:

Barcelona and Real Madrid have both been knocked out of the Copa Del Rey on the same night. Madrid went out 4-3 at home to Real Sociedad, with Martin Odegaard scoring against his parent team, and Barca lost to an injury time Inaki Williams goal as Athletic Bilbao won through.

The final four is Sociedad, Bilbao, Granada and midtable Segunda Division side Mirandes, who have knocked out Celta Vigo, Sevilla and Villarreal in sucessive rounds. Impressive.

It will mean the first final without either side in 10 years, and Barca's run of making the final ends at six straight.

I hope Mirandes wins the whole thing although two-legged semi finals make it even harder for smaller teams.

They were promoted last season from the Spanish third level and besides beating a few top sides, it's not like they're just sitting back and hoping for a late goal. They've beaten their opponents 5-4, 3-2, 2-1, 3-1 and 4-2 on the way to the semis!

 

 

[Baddar]

Isak is very, very good.

EDIT: And he went on to score the winner. No wonder they're not arsed about losing Willian Jose.

[Baddar]

Betis v Barcelona was a great game on Sunday night. Finished 2-3, 3 Messi assists (plus he almost scored a carbon copy of his chipped goal at the Benito Villamarin last season) and two red cards. 

[Szumi]

After abruptly quitting as manager of Hertha Berlin because somehow he wasn't getting enough power and control, despite Berlin spending a lot on players for him this winter, Berlin have now sacked him from his supervisory position on the board.

Klinnsman is such a fucking useless twat

[Lineker]

Quote

Porto striker Moussa Marega had to be restrained by teammates as he tried to walk off the pitch after he was apparently racial abused during his side’s 2-1 win over Vitoria de Guimarães. Marega scored what turned out to be the winner on the hour mark but felt unable to continue, his final act was to raise his two middle fingers to the home supporters.

After scoring Porto’s second, Marega celebrated his goal by pointing to his skin. In response Vitoria fans aimed abuse and threw seats from the stand at Mali international. Marega even celebrated with one of the discarded plastic seats but then made his way to the side of the pitch, with his thumbs down and seemingly booing the home supporters.

As Marega walked to the touchline, players from both teams attempted to calm down the striker and convince him to stay on the pitch but were unsuccessful. Porto head coach Sérgio Conceição also spoke to Marega but ultimately decided to grant him his wish of leaving the pitch and brought on Wilson Manafá to replace the goalscorer.

After the match, Marega wrote on Instagram: “I would just like to tell these idiots who come to the stadium to make racist chants, go fuck yourself. I hope I never see you on a football field again. You are a disgrace!

“And I also thank the referees for not defending me and for giving me a yellow card because I defend my skin colour.”

Marega spent the 2016-17 season on loan at Vitoria, scoring 13 goals in 15 league appearances.

Head coach Conceição said: “We are a family regardless of nationality, skin colour, hair colour. We are human, we deserve respect. What happened here is unfortunate,.

“We are completely indignant with what happened. I know the passion that exists for Vitoria and I think that most of the fans do not see themselves (as having the same) attitude of some people who insulted Moussa since the warm-up.”

[The Lusophone]

Barcelona's board has hired a company to make social media accounts to attack, variously, Real Madrid, Pep, Xavi, Leo Messi, Ronaldinho, Florentino Perez, Gerard Pique, Carlos Puyol, rivals of club president Josep Maria Bartomeu in the upcoming election and even Messi's wife Antonella Roccuzzo.

It's kinda mad.

[Lineker]

 

[Baddar]

I read last week that he's challenging to become the president of the Spanish Football Federation.

[Baddar]

Barcelona are pinching Martin Braithwaite from relegation threatened Leganes, all because they have an injury to Dembele.

[FLiam]

And he'll sit on the bench for the rest of the season.  

[Baddar]

They already lost En-Nesyri to Sevilla during the proper transfer window too. Doomed now.

I mean, he'll probably play more games than Fati now, but it's not like the injuries to Suarez and Dembele have crippled them.

[MDK]

Martin Braithwaite played for Stockport in the 70s

[Colly]

I think he taught me Geography.

[DavidMarrio]

The thing that's bad is La Liga said Leganes can't sign anyone. Such a dumb rule that, maybe Barca should just ya know...put up with it.

They've got a B team, maybe move someone intoa different position. 

[The Lusophone]

Horrific decision to allow Barca to sign a new player in the first place - they have Messi (arguably best player of all time), Griezmann (120 million euros) and Ansu Fati (youngest player to score a brace in La Liga history) all fit, plus B Team and academy players if needed.

[Baddar]

I'd argue that Sergi Roberto, Arturo Vidal and Nelson Semedo could all slot in to one of the front 3 positions if needed, too.