European Football Thread

[Baddar]

Most entertaining league in the world!

[Colly]

Did it seem mean to anyone else that half an hour in, 2-0 with Bale scoring both, they didn't let him take the pen? I know you've got assigned takers, and Ronaldo isn't bad at them, but still.

[Jimmy]

Definitely, but I found it pretty funny. Just shows Ronaldo's still a dick.

[Matt]

There was a free kick at 7-3 as well. Ronaldo already had his hat trick but he still wouldn't let Bale take it.

[Lineker]

French President Francois Hollande has rebuffed protests against a 75% tax on high earners, prompting football clubs to press on with a planned "strike".

Mr Hollande stood firm by his plan to levy the tax on incomes above 1m euros (£850,000; $1.36m) at a meeting with club presidents.

Polls suggest a large majority in France back the temporary tax.

But many of France's great clubs are financially fragile and say the plans could spark an exodus of top players.

They have joined a chorus of protest from businesses and wealthy individuals who have condemned the tax - including film star Gerard Depardieu, who left the country in protest.

The tax must apply to "all companies concerned", President Hollande was quoted as telling the clubs.

"The need to rebalance public accounts fully justifies this effort asked of companies that have made the choice of paying annual salaries at such a level," Mr Hollande said.

In response, the head of the UCPF club union, Jean-Pierre Louvel, said after the meeting that clubs would refuse to take part in match fixtures from 29 November to 2 December in protest - the first football "strike" since 1972.

The proposed levy will last two years, affecting income earned this year and in 2014.

The initial proposal to tax individual incomes was ruled unconstitutional by France's top court. But the government modified it to make companies liable for the 75% tax rate for salary paid above the 1m-euro mark.

It still requires approval by parliament.

The government has been forced to backtrack on a number of other tax plans following protests.

This proposal is one of few strongly endorsed in popular surveys - which otherwise suggest more than 70% of the French consider their taxes "excessive" and 80% believe Mr Hollande's tax policies are "misguided".

The Qatari-owned Paris Saint-Germain, France's richest club, has more than 10 players whose pay exceeds 1m euros, including the Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

But many of the other great clubs plead poverty, reports the BBC's Christian Fraser in Paris.

Last season the Ligue 1 clubs registered a combined loss of 108m euros and paid around 700m in social charges and image rights, which was more than they received from the television deals.

The new tax, they say, will hit them hard, sparking an exodus of top players, to the greater detriment of the French domestic leagues.

[Colly]

Rubs hands together in anticipation.

Also, you'll have to forgive me for not sympathising with poor Gerard Doopidoo.

[Lineker]

Meanwhile in lighter news, Roma have become the first Serie A team to win their opening 10 matches with a 1-0 win over Chievo.

[Lineker]

It's all going on this morning.

The FAI is reported to be on the brink of appointing Martin O'Neill as the new Republic of Ireland manager. A number of bookmakers in Dublin have suspended betting on the odds of the former Sunderland, Celtic and Aston Villa manager agreeing terms to succeed former boss Giovanni Trapattoni. Newspaper reports on Friday morning say O'Neill could be unveiled as manager as early as the middle of next week.

[Hobo]

Ha! I'm guessing the logic is "James McClean played well for Sunderland for a few months under Martin O'Neil... People like James McClean."

I look forward to seeing him fail too.

[Lineker]

MON and Keane have been confirmed as the new Ireland management duo.

[Hobo]

This will be amusing....

[Lineker]

Paul Pogba's volley against Napoli tonight was delicious.

[Lineker]

Messi is out injured for two months.

[Lineker]

Ahaha, what the fuck.

[EddieG]

Messi is out injured for two months.

Spanish media is blaming this on Guardiola leaving and taking his nutrionists with him. As Messi has gone back to eating a lot of red meat.

[Lineker]

Dortmund vs. Munich is on BT, and it looks as if Götze may well have given Bayern the win.

[Starvinho]

Alkmaar down to 9 men after 20 minutes against Roda, but they take the lead on 25 minutes. How shit are Roda?

[Lineker]

They're on the Roda nowhere.

[Lineker]

Robben and Müller score it quick succession. 3-0.

[Summers]

It's hard being a Valencia fan this season. I don't rate Dukic as a manager at all either.