European Football Thread

[stokeriño]

An interesting article looking at the way FFP might work for teams who overspend whilst outside of European competition (e.g. Liverpool or Monaco) and then qualify for the CL. For example, it seems likely that they would be allowed to enter the Champions League unhindered next season, only potentially facing sanctions later, whereas if a CL club like Man City or PSG breached FFP in the same time frame, their sanctions would be implemented more immediately.

http://www.financialfairplay.co.uk/latest-news/liverpool%E2%80%99s-accounts-raise-intereting-question-of-%E2%80%98fairness%E2%80%99-of-ffp

[The Lusophone]

Seems a bit unfair tbh.

[stokeriño]

I'll add it to the already-vast list of ways in which the second F in FFP is grossly inappropriate.

[Colly]

Surely that just encourages teams to gamble on Champions League qualification, which is pretty much what FFP is supposed to stamp out. Stupid stupid stupid.

[Lineker]

Unbeaten leaders Bayern Munich battled back from behind to thrash Wolfsburg in a record 16th straight Bundesliga win

Xavi says he wants to take over as Barcelona's head coach after he retires from playing.

[Adam]

Maybe he can take over sooner...they lost to relegation threatened Valladolid today and could be third by tomorrow evening.

[Nerf]

What was it people were saying about La Liga having no upsets earlier?

[Summers]

What was it people were saying about La Liga having no upsets earlier?

That it had no upsets..?

[Liam]

What was it people were saying about La Liga having no upsets earlier?

That it had no upsets..?

It was a conversation where it was suggested that La Liga wasn't like the Premiership, and it didn't have 20 competitive teams that could potentially beat anyone on any given weekend.

[Summers]

Yeah, I skimmed it a bit.

Just responding to the silly question by Nerf.

[Liam]

Oh, ok. Thought you hadn't seen the conversation.

[Liam]

Athletico go 1-0 up against Celta.

[Nerf]

Yeah, I skimmed it a bit.

Just responding to the silly question by Nerf.

I just appreciated the fact that relegation fodder beat Barcelona on today of all days

[Lineker]

Luciano Spalletti sacked as Zenit St Petersburg manager

[The Lusophone]

Odd decision that.

[Lineker]

Uli Hoeness, president of European football champions Bayern Munich, has admitted in court to defrauding Germany's tax authorities of 18m euros (£15m; $25m). Prosecutors had earlier accused him of evading a far smaller sum of 3.5m euros in taxes and are seeking a jail term. The former World Cup-winning German international footballer, 62, kept the funds in a secret Swiss bank account.

[stokeriño]

Pep Guardiola speaks on his exit from Barcelona: http://espnfc.com/news/story/_/id/1755840/bayern-munich-coach-pep-guardiola-explains-barcelona-exit?cc=5739

“[The defeat to Chelsea in the 2011/12 Champions League semi final] was a moment of great sadness -- as if suddenly someone had switched the floodlights off,” he told the Audi Annual Report in one of his rare interviews. “We were better than our opponents but in the second leg conceded an unnecessary goal and the next thing we knew we were out of the competition.

“That was a very hard defeat for me. I had the feeling that I was no longer able to reach my team, and if you can no longer reach your players then it is time to move on.”

To summarise: Chelsea broke Pep Guardiola's Barcelona.

You're welcome.

[Gazz]

http://instagram.com/p/l4PKm0u75v/

Tekkers

[MDK]

Greatest football ever

[Summers]

If that was Ronaldo he throws a tantrum, jump stomps the floor, then cries.