Messi out for two weeks on suspension. Don’t the PSG people know that Messi is now a slave to Saudi Arabia? I’m guessing that is where he ends up next year, as no one will pay him what he’s worth if the salary includes his having to fly to Saudi Arabia at their whim. Easier for all parties if he is already there. They probably have a hit out on his kids if he doesn’t do as they “politely ask.” Messi is no Liam Neeson, after all.
Clasico preseason match (maybe) at The Cotton Bowl (and not ATT, which should bug the shit out of J Jones, but, hey, grass):
TIL: AC Milan and Inter share one stadium.
And now, they are trying to replace it. Maybe with one or maybe one stadium for each. Of course, there is resistance.
UCL Derby not on the Cable TV today.
Madrid allegedly substituted incorrectly.
I think not.
First, Odriozola should not come on to the field until Asensio is off. That is a yellow-card violation for entering the field without permission. This is not like 'murican NFL Football, where the players trot on and off simultaneously, because of a time clock.
So, until Asensio steps off the field, he is the player of record. He can play the ball.
(IMO, as a referee, who does not give out cards to kids for a violation like this (coach’s fault, usually).)
In my training, I was taught that if a to-be-substituted player refuses to leave the field, he is still the player, and the substituting must withdraw.
Man City left no doubt today that they are focused on winning the Champions League.
1 Like
I think I am going to drown my sorrows tonight…
Not a great game for RM
Better team won.
I mean, once you ignore that all-important “history” stat that is 100% assurance of winning in the future.
Not a good game for RM? That was an incredibly embarrassing performance. They got annihilated. For a team guaranteed to win it they did not show up. Don’t make the final here to salvage a year they couldn’t win the league title over Barca (who didn’t even get to KO stage) who have 14 pt edge. Time to tear this thing down considering they had a healthy full squad.
1 Like
They already have the “next generation”. All early 20s.
Which will now include Bellingham.
Modric, Kroos, Benzema are all old now. They are about to retire or move on to the US.
The pieces are all there for RM.
What a comeback by Sheffield Wednesday. Down 4-0 they get a 90+8’ to get to 4-4. Then they go down in extra time only to score again and win on penalties. After this kind of comeback, hope they finish it off and get promoted.
On RM, Vini looks like a talent. Let’s see how it goes without those old guys.
1 Like
Modric will leave this year.
Benzema…no real replacement yet. He could stick around a few more years
Kroos will probably be around a few more years.
The midfield is where RM will be really strong once Bellingham comes from Dortmund.
One match left and Dortmund pull ahead of Bayern.
So, not the most boring league in the world.
Don’t know if you guys have been tracking this but there is now a huge blow up over the racism that Vinicius Jr was subjected to at the Valencia game (vs Real Madrid)
Points to consider from the Valencia game
6 VAR officials have now been fired (for purposely not including a part of the sequence that involved Vini Jr)
6 people now arrested (from the crowd)
Huge political blow up in Brazil over this (Lula is now calling Spanish PM)
The La Liga President (Tebas) is basically a right-wing nutter who tried to downplay things (he is a VOX supporter which is like the tea party in Spain). He is likely to be forced out over the next few weeks over this.
Racism in Spain has existed for a long time in football matches, but it was just so blatant in this match that it was impossible to ignore (the folks that tried to downplay it are basically being fired).
They now want to change the laws so that this problem does not happen again in the future.
Spain’s football league seeks changes to law after racism backlash - Spain’s football league seeks changes to law after racism backlash | Financial Times via @FT
1 Like
I have been following it and it has been pretty disgusting. The Spanish racism is much bigger than this one game.
1 Like
Let Vini demand a move away and see what happens. It will take a top 5 player or 2 doing that from Spain. Unfortunately England may not be significantly better.
1 Like
He won’t move. He was just fed up (obviously with good reason).
For UK, go take a look at what happened at the Sheffield Wednesday manager (also black) when they lost 4-0.
UK natives are just as bad (if not worse).
The main difference is that UK started cracking down in the PL earlier due to loss of revenue (hooligans basically made sponsors unhappy as it was costing them money).
I am 100% onboard this happening as well in La Liga. Time to bring the hammer down with lifetime stadium bans.
1 Like
Need Italy Stadiums’ video surveillance systems. I read somewhere that they caught a couple a-holes using it.
While Jr might not leave, it probably affects transfers’ decisions. Think Mbappe will ever want to play there?
1 Like
For enough money and trophies?
You bet he will come.
Seems unusual that only Vinicius Jr is targeted for this abuse.
Is he blacker than the other black players on Real Madrid or the dozens of other black player in LaLiga?
Do other black players get any abuse?
Is he the only one pointing it out and reporting it?
Is he the only one who is affected so much by it?
I have no questions regarding the VARs’ cherrypicking of Vinicius’s red card offense over the others’ offenses in that match (and probably other matches). Get rid of those jokers. And none for LaLiga’s initial complaints about Vinicius’s complaints social media. Shut up and do something about it, in 2023!! Whole world is regressing to the 1950’s, IMO.
Note: his suspension for the Red Card has been overturned.
1 Like