International Soccer/Football & UEFA Champions League

[proserpina65]

18 hours ago, Wee S said:

Newcastle aren't a struggling team anymore - they are joint 3rd with United, which is guaranteed CL football. They are also owned by Saudi and despite the denials, they would make it happen for him. If anyone comes close to breaking his CL records, he'll find a chance to get back into a team in the CL - that's how his ego works.

It's still a hell of a step down for him.  But you're right about his ego and his CL records.

[xaxat]

If you have credible threats to the safety of a board of directors (as Everton did today) and that danger is serious enough that they are told not to attend a match, then perhaps you should rethink plans on playing that day.

[isalicat]

2 hours ago, xaxat said:

If you have credible threats to the safety of a board of directors (as Everton did today) and that danger is serious enough that they are told not to attend a match, then perhaps you should rethink plans on playing that day.

Um, I think the players and coaching team were in no danger...except from "going down", which is the issue with the board of directors. Poor Everton! I feel for their fans given their history in the Premier League.

[blackwing]

I don't know why it's taken me so long to find it, but I just discovered the one-hour documentary "Antoine Griezmann: Making of a Legend" on Netflix.  His story has been told before but it was nice seeing on video, from his struggles as a teen constantly being overlooked because of his small size through the 2018 World Cup and a little beyond.  I really enjoyed it.  If you haven't seen it, it's leaving Netflix in two weeks.

Also found that Neflix has a bunch of documentaries on other teams and players, like Neymar.

[blackwing]

I'm excited for the Euro qualifiers which start today.

I'm a Griezemann fan, so I am a bit disappointed that Deschamps chose Mbappe to be the captain after Hugo Lloris retired.  I get that he thinks Mbappe is younger and will have a longer future as French captain than the 32 year old Griezemann.  But what a slap in the face to Antoine.  France wouldn't have made it to the finals in the WC without him.  I don't know how many years left he has in international football.  At most he would probably retire after the next World Cup.   

I feel like he should have been named captain, he has been such an integral part of the French team for years.  He has the leadership and he deserved the recognition.  At worst, Mbappe would have had to wait four years before being named captain.  

[DoctorAtomic]

Oh, apparently not behind a paywall for a change. 

[blackwing]

How was this not a red card?  Primadonna Ronaldo again, pouty when he gets beat.

https://www.espn.com/soccer/saudi-pro-league/story/4928001/cristiano-ronaldo-avoids-red-card-as-al-nassr-lose-again

[wanderingstar]

Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr. has been subjected to racial abuse. Again. La Liga and the Spanish authorities have been dragging their feet on doing anything to address this. I'm glad Carlo Ancelotti criticized the racism forcefully. But the governing body needs to do something. Yet with victim blamer Javier Tebas as the head of La Liga, I doubt that will happen.

Edited May 24, 2023 by wanderingstar

[twoods]

I’m can’t believe the amount of racial abuse he has encountered without anyone doing anything about it. Finally there are arrests, but get your shit together La Liga.

[AimingforYoko]

And Man City completes the treble, the second English team to do so after rival Man U in '99.

[Wee S]

Citeah may have achieved the treble (for now), but you know you're hated when even scouse and munich fans are calling you out over your 115 FFP charges! Never thought I'd see the day the scousers would team up with united fans on an issue.

Also Brandon Williams is a wee scamp, trolling Rio F on Instagram- well deserved, with him buzzing over city's win...

[Danny Franks]

I'm tired of hearing the same nonsense from pundits, regarding City - "but the manager and players still had to do it on the pitch. You can't blame them for the financial side of things."

What, so players who get their wages doubled by some random company based in Abu Dhabi, for non-existent 'sponsorships' and a manager who likely gets the same plus his own brother gets given a major club to run, don't know anything about City's cheating? Sure.

And now we have Newcastle United being given a hugely inflated sponsorship deal by a Saudi company that's owned by the same investment fund that owns Newcastle.

Better deal with those 115 charges effectively, or the Premier League will have to chuck any attempts at financial fair play out of the window.

[Oosala]

And Man City completes the treble.  Like @AimingforYoko, that's all I have to say.