European Leagues Thread 2012/2013

[Orion1871]

Barca 1-0 down at HT to Villarreal

Atletico and Bilbao right behind them in the table waiting to pounce

If they fail to win the pressure to get rid of Xavi will just increase even more.

FT 3-5

Villarreal goals in the 90+9 and 90+12 minutes

Plus a Villareal equaliser on 84 minutes

And a 89th minute penalty overturned by the referee after a VAR review that Xavi called "a disgrace".

The defender had his arm tucked in, his back to the ball and it was hit from close range. Never a penalty.

[Winston Biscuit]

Barca 1-0 down at HT to Villarreal

Atletico and Bilbao right behind them in the table waiting to pounce

If they fail to win the pressure to get rid of Xavi will just increase even more.

And he announces he's leaving at the end of the season.

It had become inevitable really. Various people had been calling for him to go, stories leaking out the dressing room, and he had been talking nonsense (even more than usual) recently which felt like he was under pressure and just not coping

Will be interesting to see what happens. Their finances are so bad that they are reliant on being in the Champions League. If they fail to qualify this season they could be in a right old mess.

[Franchise FC]

Barca 1-0 down at HT to Villarreal

Atletico and Bilbao right behind them in the table waiting to pounce

If they fail to win the pressure to get rid of Xavi will just increase even more.

And he announces he's leaving at the end of the season.

It had become inevitable really. Various people had been calling for him to go, stories leaking out the dressing room, and he had been talking nonsense (even more than usual) recently which felt like he was under pressure and just not coping

Will be interesting to see what happens. Their finances are so bad that they are reliant on being in the Champions League. If they fail to qualify this season they could be in a right old mess.

Spanish press (well, outside of the region) are all over them being in a right old mess even if they qualify for the CL
They ‘reporting’ that the Super League is their only route out

[Winston Biscuit]

Listened to a thing the other day where they basically said there were a number of clubs in europe who's model for a long time was buy cheap and young, develop, sell high. The examples they used were Sevilla & Villarreal as it was a Spanish focused chat.

Now that player fees have escalated so much and football finances have tightened so much, the clubs at the top don't want to spend out like that anymore so, while they will make a high purchase now and again, they are way more focused on themselves buying young and cheap as that's a risk they can afford. Hence so many young south American teenagers moving to Europe recently.

It means that while we are all focused on what happens at the top, clubs in the middle like Sevilla & Villarreal need to change their way of doing things, otherwise they are at risk of serious decline

[Winston Biscuit]

Another win for our boys Cartagena!

They are now only 1 point away from getting out of the relegation zone.

In an 8 game form table they are top!

[Stranded]

Leverkusen draw 0-0 while Bayern win 3-2 with a goal from Mr Kane

Crazy how many, esp in the UK press were writing the season as done without really looking at the table properly. Since the gap opened to 7 points, Bayern have won twice (albeit unconvincingly) whilst Leverkusen, dropped 2 points at home.

As a result, the gap has been cut from 7 to 2 points and they have to play each other soon.

Bayern will probably still win the title.

[Winston Biscuit]

Leverkusen draw 0-0 while Bayern win 3-2 with a goal from Mr Kane

Crazy how many, esp in the UK press were writing the season as done without really looking at the table properly

I know you are in Germany so probably see it differently, but I honestly haven't even seen one person saying it was done. tbh all I have seen is a kind of 'what an amazing job, I wonder if they can somehow manage to hang on and win the league' approach to discussing Leverkusen

[Stranded]

Leverkusen draw 0-0 while Bayern win 3-2 with a goal from Mr Kane

Crazy how many, esp in the UK press were writing the season as done without really looking at the table properly

I know you are in Germany so probably see it differently, but I honestly haven't even seen one person saying it was done. tbh all I have seen is a kind of 'what an amazing job, I wonder if they can somehow manage to hang on and win the league' approach to discussing Leverkusen

There has definitely been a few - not many but a few - focussing more on the Harry Kane curse and how he might as well come home as there is no way he'll win now - how could Bayern be so far behind etc etc.

[Winston Biscuit]

The Girona excitement train rolls on! Next up they have Real Sociedad and then Real Madrid after that!

Disappointed that Bilbao drew yesterday. could have added some extra lols at Barcelona

[NathStPaul]

My Girona seem to have a real Knack for winning football matches.

[Winston Biscuit]

Top of the Turkish Super Lig continues its nutty story this season

[Winston Biscuit]

FC St. Pauli teasing us again this season or are they actually going to go up?

they have had 2 seasons up in the Bundesliga since the turn of the century, both of which ended in relegation at the first try

[Loafer]

FC St. Pauli teasing us again this season or are they actually going to go up?

they have had 2 seasons up in the Bundesliga since the turn of the century, both of which ended in relegation at the first try

There's some big hitters in that list

I have a fortuna dusseldorf shirt I won playing sorare, so I support them

They were 2nd at the time but have played shit lately

Shinta Appelkamp and Ao Tanaka are very good players though

[Stranded]

At the other end, Schalke only out of relegation zone on GD.

Been made clear this week, that due to the level of debt they are carrying, they would not get a licence to play in the 3. Liga - has a separate licence agreement from the Bundesliga.

If they go down, they will likely cease to exist in their current guise and would need to apply to the regional leagues.

Big couple of months for them.

[Orion1871]

Getafe fans are the latest Spanish fans to chant "Vinicius is a monkey" before their game against Real Madrid tonight.

[Orion1871]

Getafe fans are the latest Spanish fans to chant "Vinicius is a monkey" before their game against Real Madrid tonight.

Getafe have asked La Liga to investigate Jude Bellingham after he was accused of calling Mason Greenwood a rapist.

[From Despair To Where?]

He's not wrong though, is he?

[NathStPaul]

He's not wrong though, is he?

Legally yes.

[From Despair To Where?]

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/rapist

[Winston Biscuit]

Jordan Henderson makes his Ajax debut. Draws 1-1 with PSV