European Football Thread

[Baddar]

But what about xpectedGoals?

[Colly]

I could get behind XCleanSheets.

[Marcos]

I think Serie A gets a bad repuation for being 'defensively minded' based on a generation of people watching 90s-early 00's stodgy Italian matches.  However, looking at this season the league is the only one from the top 5 leagues with over 3 goals per match on average (3.05), Bundesliga (2.95), Ligue 1 (2.75), Premier League (2.65) and La Liga (2.47).  It's also the only one of the top five leagues with over 1,000 goals in the season so far.  

Looking more specifically at Inter, only Barcelona, PSG, Bayern and Atalanta have scored more goals than them in the top five leagues.  The interesting thing is that if Inter and Conte had been more defensively minded in the Champions League this year, they'd have qualified with ease in all probability. 

Next season they should get an easier draw and that should help them progress. although it does depend on which player they'll have to sell due to their financial position.  

[Baddar]

I find that a lot of the big non English leagues across Europe get branded as being 'farmers' leagues by people who don't even watch them.

Bundesliga is usually a 1 team league in terms of the title, but the football is good to watch. I enjoyed it after the first lockdown when it was the only active league.

People already know my thoughts on La Liga, and this season is going to have an exciting finish.

Barcelona and Real Madrid will always be the teams to beat whilst they have more money than the rest, but I'm hoping that gap closes in the next 5 years or so with big players moving on or retiring from both.

[Benjamin]

This has been a really great season in both the La Liga and the Serie A, IMO. Great, exciting football games with lots of crazy shit happening in both leagues, especially compared to the EPL which has been pretty boring this season. 

Ligue 1 is only exciting at the top when PSG loses, but they lost a lot early in the season which has led to the tight finish this season, but for example the last game between Monaco and Lyon was incredibly thrilling. 

Bundesliga is fun to watch but it's probably my least favorite league of the top five.

[9 to 5]

On 06/05/2021 at 12:38, Baddar said:

I find that a lot of the big non English leagues across Europe get branded as being 'farmers' leagues by people who don't even watch them.

Anyone who says that about most leagues are utter melts.

[Colly]

57 minutes ago, 9 to 5 said:

Anyone who says that about most leagues are utter melts.

Unless they're talking about the Dutch second tier apparently.

 

[Lineker]

Bloody Lars.

[9 to 5]

I did say most. 😂

Anyone trying to put a team or fans down just because they are from a smaller country or league is a melt, those teams are as well loved by their fanbase as yours.

[Colly]

I've always found the "my league is better than your league" ridiculous to be honest, why the fuck should I care? That said I'm a legacy fan so I suppose if that's what the kids and their tickticks are into who am I to argue?

[METALMAN]

Yeah, I love our Scottish league. Sure, it's a bit lame that only 1 (now 2) teams win it but it's a good laugh and there are advantages to being overlooked and ignored by the global football fans.

[gunnar hendershow]

Might be time to get up a summer transfer thread, but in the meanwhile Neymar is someone who won't be going anywhere. Now we see if PSG can lock down Mbappe as well.

 

[METALMAN]

lol he won't be getting that "huge bonus" then will he

[Benjamin]

Super fun first half so far between Barca and Atleti. Atleti being the much more attacking side is really exciting to see.

[gunnar hendershow]

It ended 0-0 which has to overly sting for Sevilla who could've gotten a point out of Real this weekend and still be well within striking distance had they beaten Bilbao.

[Malenko]

Villarreal lost 2-4 at home vs Celta Vigo. 3 penalties, 3 red cards. 14 minutes added on (7 each half).

 

Also Real Madrid 2-2 Sevilla. Real Madrid got an own goal on the 94th minute to avoid defeat.

[Malenko]

Atletico 77

Barcelona 76

Real Madrid 75

 

Atletico schedule:

Real Sociedad  ( H )

Osasuna ( H )

Valladolid ( A )

 

Real Madrid Schedule:

Granada ( A )

Athletic ( A )

Villarreal ( H )

 

Barcelona Schedule:

Celta ( H )

Eibar ( A )

 

EDIT: ffs, I wanted to add standings and schedule to my post and inadvertently deleted what I had written previously.

 

Basically, I said Barcelona were 2-0 and 3-1 up against Levante, but eventually only got a point as it ended 3-3.

[Szumi]

The only surprising fact about Barcelona blowing the lead yesterday was they weren't up 3-0 before pissing it all away.

[Benjamin]

This Serie A game between Juve and Inter has had all the drama in the world. Just absolutely fantastic to watch. Super fun football, too. Including Pirlo taking Ronaldo off with 20 minutes to go.

[gunnar hendershow]

Ugh and Juve won to keep the door open for them to play in the Champions League next year. Gotta hope Napoli and Milan don't drop points.