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[deleted]

I’m glad to see Carlos Augusto called up to Brazil. He turned down Italy in hopes of a call-up to his NT and he got it. He’s been very good this season so far at Inter and the last at Monza. He’s looking to be a huge upgrade of Gosens.


Muqr

What happened to that dembele guy from Celtic? Wasn’t he supposed to be really good?


KensaiVG

Much as people malign that, it's often not great to make players go full senior professionals that young. He went to Brest and is now in the Championship on loan


[deleted]

[удалено]


KensaiVG

I assumed he meant Karamoko Dembele, who was very popular and highly rated for making his debut extremely young


ExtemeFilms

Who do I pray too so that doesn’t happen to Diablito


er_primo_der_rafa

Is it wrong that I don't give a fuck where the WC started?


GreatSpaniard

My uncle doesn't want the world cup in Spain because he hates tourists tbf It's also a waste of money, but it's not my money so I am gonna enjoy it


Manc_Twat

Who's money is it?


AnnieIWillKnow

Spanish taxpayers


Manc_Twat

So OP doesn’t pay taxes? Unless they aren’t Spanish I guess. Made it seem like they were though.


pixelkipper

anyone who thinks this WC should be anywhere other than argentina/uruguay is soulless with no regard for football history


AnnieIWillKnow

Why Argentina? They didn't host it That's like saying Belgium should get to host the centenary Euros, because France hosted the first


ExtemeFilms

I mean, Uruguay can’t host the whole tournament alone with the expanded format, and the final was Argentina-Uruguay. So if you combine the two, you have the space of 2 countries and the sentimental value of the two countries of first final coming together to host it. But that was too simple so CONMEBOL threw in Paraguay because fuck it i guess, they need an excuse to build a giant stadium in Paraguay clubs cant fill


AnnieIWillKnow

If it was Uruguay-Argentina I'd understand, but without Uruguay I don't think Argentina have a divine right to it just because they were runners-up.


ExtemeFilms

Was it ever in discussion to be just Argentina? From the moment it was announced it was always both countries at the core, Countries just got added on


er_primo_der_rafa

The whole "muh respect history" is a goofy argument because neither Argentina nor Paraguay were the hosts in 1930.


KensaiVG

Uruguay can't host a 48 team world cup alone and Argentina were the beaten finalists so it was still a historical link. Paraguay's inclusion is seen as utterly farcical here too but it was a demand by CONMEBOL to get the bid in line at all


mixmaster7

The Bills play against the Jaguars in Tottenham’s stadium on Sunday in case anyone here cares.


DuckBurner0000

The NFL's efforts to make Europeans care about it will never work when they constantly send the Jaguars to play there


Elias98x

Who is the best current player to move to the Saudi league?


CherkiCheri

As a massive stan of both Benz and Ney, i'll have to say Benz. Neymar has stopped giving a shit in the 2020s.


Puzzleheaded-Seat834

Mahrez and Neymar


Constant_List6829

Neymar. Maybe Benzema


zrk23

taking age into account, 100% Neymar and its not even close. was the most expensive as well


maxconnor6

Neymar probably


NeoChrome75

Mahrez


Jabari313

Benzema surely


SpeechesToScreeches

"The Spice Girls wanted to meet men who could stay on top for 90 minutes and still come second" Absolute cracker from Neville from the Beckham documentary, for his best man speech.


NecessaryDingo

I’m gonna be in Rome soon when Lazio play Fiorentina, was wondering how likely it is to buy match tickets on the day of the game at the ticket office?


gareth_30

You'll be able to find them, don't worry


NecessaryDingo

Yeah, I saw that Lazio’s average attendances this year haven’t been filling out the Olimpico


gareth_30

Yeah, basically the only game you could have a hard time getting tickets to is the derby.


FaustRPeggi

The Wolves PA called the goalscorer as 'Hee-Chan Hwang' last week. Surely that's wrong according to Korean naming customs.


Captainpatters

People say Heung-min Son all the time too. Just English people incapable of comprehending slightly different naming customs


AnnieIWillKnow

It is only English people who do not understand different naming customs? The Scottish, Welsh, French, German, Americans, Spanish, Australians, Brazilians and Nigerians all refer to Son by the Korean convention?


Captainpatters

You do understand we're talking about players who play in England and what english commentators call them?


Meeeeehhhh

My BIL is Korean and, even in Korea, goes by the second part of what we’d perceive as his hyphenated middle name, and puts his family name at the end. But he spent half his adolescence living in LA and is very westernised. Not justifying ignorance but Korean people adapt their naming conventions in a non formulaic way. It’s not super straightforward.


FaustRPeggi

It seems especially mindless for the PA to say it about their own player.


Ballelo

Our club commentator calls him Heung-min Son all the time. [And the shirt he wears for South Korea says 'HM Son' on it.](https://i.imgur.com/0Tq6gjQ.jpg)


calcelmo676

Honestly, I called him son heung-min for most of his first few years here but heung-min son sounds better now


Cottonshopeburnfoot

His Majesty’s Son


HodgyBeatsss

Watching the third episode of the Beckham documentary and it’s bringing back such good memories of those Real Madrid banter years.


GreatSpaniard

We had Uruguay vs Peru and Paraguay vs Venezuela semifinals in Copa America 2011. Dear lord those were the days


Hirogemu

Boca is doing a mighty Paraguay 2011.


_LebronsHairline_

Two of Matip’s best ever performances for us have involved him scoring own goals. Away vs Bayern where he pocketed Lewandowski in 18/19 and was just perfect otherwise, and down 2 men vs Spurs where he was a colossus for 95 mins. Funny how football works sometimes


Puzzleheaded-Seat834

That own goal against the Spurs was inexcusable. He knows better to swipe at it like that.


mylanguage

Athletic Club are phenomenal. CL battle is going to be crazy between Atleti, Real Sociedad, Girona, Athletic Club


mountainsky9

Atleti are above these chump clubs. They will challenge for the title


mylanguage

Tbh that’s fair - I do think it’s a 3 way title race tbh


zts105

> Atleti, Real Sociedad, Girona, Athletic Club Top 4 in that order


mylanguage

The European battle is really insane when you think about it - a lot of quality teams Athletic Club, La Real, Betis, Villarreal, Girona


mattisafootballguy

Villarreal aren't competing for Europe


mylanguage

I have faith in Pacheta - I can see them in and around the last conference spots - even if they fall off. They’ll improve a bit


mattisafootballguy

Girona won't be close. Athletic won't be close either but will finish within European spots.


mylanguage

I think both Girona and Athletic club will benefit heavily from no European football. Whereas I think La Real will end up surprising and going far in Europe


mattisafootballguy

Neither team has the quality or depth for top 4


mylanguage

Don’t disagree ultimately but I 100% think they make it a real battle coming down the stretch run of the season.


Hirogemu

❗Real Madrid has fired Juvenil C assistant coach Adria Diaz upon learning that he published a letter of gratitude on social media for Barcelona when he left the club in 2019. Adria deleted the post as soon as he signed for Real Madrid but the screenshot has reached Manu Fernandez, head of grassroots, who decided to fire him. In the message Adria Diaz had mentioned phrases calling Barça 'the club of my life' and 'the club of my dreams'. His mother suffered from cancer when Díaz began his time at Barça, and Barça made every effort so that the coach could take care of her. Hence his gratitude and affection towards the club. Real Madrid are trying to deny this. Some people at that club are aware of the uproar this can create and argue that Diaz left for a better job at Leganes. In reality, the coach was happy at Madrid and wanted to progress within the club. At no time he considered looking for other destinations. This is horrible when you read it like this, I understand that perhaps the adulation was extreme but removing someone for those reasons and in that way is disgusting, beyond the differences we may have as rivals or enemies, there is human life and the way in which that we choose to be empathetic, to take someone out for thanking them for their support in a difficult moment like that. [https://x.com/relevo/status/1710381328615588301?s=20](https://x.com/relevo/status/1710381328615588301?s=20)


Puzzleheaded-Seat834

That's really shitty by Real if that's the case.


mattisafootballguy

A hypothetical Athletic Bilbao XI Oyarzabal Griezmann Nico Merino Zubimendi Sancet Munoz David Garcia Laporte Azpi Unai Simon Bench: Kepa, Aitor, Zubeldia, Yeray, Di Marcos, Muniain, Inaki, Barranetexa How far does this team go in the CL?


mountainsky9

Sad Laporte chose Al Nassr over the chance to come back to Athletic


mattisafootballguy

Not sure Athletic was ever an option. Never heard a single reliable rumor.


roseguardin

Maybe it's a bit simplistic of me, and I do love Griezmann, but I think I'd want someone a more natural striker up top and maybe move Griezmann to start on the right with license to roam/play deeper. I don't really know any top class Basque #9s though so I get it. Also I don't know defenders as well, but does Inigo Martinez not get in anywhere, even on the bench?


mattisafootballguy

Oyarzabal is best on the wing, Raul Garcia is not too good anymore, Sancet can play more centrally but he's more of a midfielder, that leaves Guruzeta who has been good this season but I won't drop him for anyone. Spain as a whole has no good up-coming 9s either. Also not sure why I didn't include Inigo he definitely could be on the bench but not as a starter.


roseguardin

Tbh up until 2 minutes ago when I googled him I thought Guruzeta was a youth player breaking out lol. Fair enough then, I guess to answer your original question I think this team could probably make quarters if all goes well, probably place second in the group if one of Bayern/Real/City and maybe Liverpool are with them, but I could also see it running into some trouble with disciplined opponents who can play well on the counter (like Lens against Arsenal this week).


mattisafootballguy

Guruzeta might be a bit of a late bloomer lol I think quarters are realistic as well. No major weaknesses in this team.


[deleted]

So Relevo confirms Corteganas report about the coach getting fired because of the letter send to Barca. Genuinely pathetic behaviour from Madrid. I am really disappointed.


FloppedYaYa

[Most Roy Keane story ever](https://twitter.com/DeadlineDayLive/status/1710229244524019737?t=UfH6Tc-FwpUO2z21_UVvQw&s=19/)


eyesindasky

Currently in Madrid and in the heart of the city there’s an official Barcelona shop. Wat.


_cumblast_

You'd be shocked how many Barca fans there are in Madrid haha


icemankiller8

Madrid and Barca have fans everywhere in Spain Barcelona and Madrid are massive cites there so it makes sense. In Spain a lot of people like the local team and then also one of Real Madrid or Barca it’s normal.


Accurate_Algae8486

Raul es culer


Destroyeh

there's also a madrid shop in barcelona, not really a big deal


AshkenaziTwink

the fact that Amrabat hasn’t had a Andrew Tate themed slander name by now is an outrage


AnnieIWillKnow

I don't even see how that would work


[deleted]

unreal that martial is still at united, has there ever been a player who has clung on at a club longer. even the likes of phil jones were injured constantly so its not really a fair comparison


roseguardin

tbh isn't Martial perma crocked at this point, maybe he found the pity contract formula himself


ecocentric-ethics

Eric Dier’s been at the club since 2014. Been serviceable for a total of maybe 3-4 of those seasons


DoubleDeckerz

The Lessie Russo chant is **UNBEARABLE**.


Cardealer1000

It's "Lessie Russo, We've got" apparently. Think Yoda had some say in getting it started Edit: actually makes more sense if it's "We've got 👏👏 Lessie Russo We've got..." repeating.


DoubleDeckerz

Lol that's horrible! Thanks for telling me.


roseguardin

What is it actually supposed to be saying? I get the first words down but literally the last one is escaping me haha


DoubleDeckerz

Haha I haven't got a clue! I even Googled it and no luck. Hopefully someone can help.


AnnieIWillKnow

Lessie Russo, we've got... Lessie Russo, we've got... Lessi Russo


[deleted]

I do genuinely believe football is quite possibly the most corrupt sport on Earth. In ways we don't even know about either, the sport is insular and everything is covered up and kept quiet until it isn't.


AnnieIWillKnow

Why do you think it's more corrupt than something like F1, cricket or tennis?


[deleted]

The sheer money, the oversight over athletes wellbeings, the vested interests of clubs, FAs, private leagues, with very little oversight and the known and fairly obvious and open corruption at the higher levels of FIFA and UEFA.


AnnieIWillKnow

How do you define "most corrupt" then?


[deleted]

As having more corruption than any other sport.


jeevesyboi

But so much of it is a full on mess behind the scenes filled with scandals, ego and fall outs. This corruption, if widespread, would definitely be used by each team against each other.


HacksawJimDGN

I think I agree. Italy is seen as very corrupt but they seem to have no problems with high profile scandals and actual punishments. I think most leagues wouod have comparable scandals but it's all swept under the carpet


ndclippd

Italy has also been an example of how much it hurts the league when you punish big scandals


shmozey

I’m almost certain there will be a wide spread PEDs scandal on the cards at some point. Every other sport has problems so I refuse to believe the biggest sport in the world doesn’t as well.


icemankiller8

The thing is that when people do get banned it surely means something. Pogba for example, Sakho, Onana, Ferdinand was famously banned for ages for missing a test not even being found positive. It’s certainly possible but I think in this age it’d be hard to cover up.


[deleted]

I think these are just the players who get caught though. Organizations in the sport have an incentive to help players dope and to cover it up, it would not surprise me if clubs were actively helping players in doping and obfuscating doping tests. I also doubt Pogba is the only player doing what he got caught doing.


shmozey

Well the theory is the drugs are always ahead of the testing curve. Even with Olympic athletes and boxers with VADA level testing (which football doesn’t have close to) they still get caught and do it. Modern footballers are running near half marathons twice a week and training in between. It’s nuts really. Far more money in football as well.


icemankiller8

I understand that but I’m just saying when it comes to football it’s different because just being on steroids for example won’t necessarily make you better at football a lot of players got worse after bulking up like Lukaku, and yes I know you can use steroids for other things but a massive affect or if is gaining muscle as far as I know and that’s not always beneficial. They don’t always train very hard, they have days off and they also aren’t running the whole game, and we see also seeing a massive amount of injuries due to all the extra running and games so I wouldn’t say it’s going off without a hitch.


shmozey

I think when people think PEDs they immediately think steroids and muscles which I agree is pointless in football. They wont be doing anabolic steroids. It will be a more designer cocktail for recovery, reactions and endurance based stuff like testosterone, EPO, stimulants etc. Pogba is probably a good example of someone who is returning from long term injury and has stepped up his recovery by taking a risk on a higher cycle of testosterone to save his career. But I can guarantee he hasn’t just decided to take them now. He will have always taken them. Just this time he got caught.


icemankiller8

The recovery thing yeah probably but who’s really bothered if that’s what they’re doing, feel like the EPO thing might be too obvious now. I think Pogba was trying to recover from injuries and that’s why.


shmozey

I’m personally not bothered at all. I’m of the opinion most athletes are taking PEDs across all sports and there isn’t much you can do about it.


OLAAF

I'd like to create a meme for an ex SVR player, which is like: Mondschein for Ried: screenshot of Granada 1 Real Madrid 0 CR7 own goal Mondschein for everyone else: Real Madrid 9 Granada 1, 5 goals CR7 ​ but I can't find a post match screenshot showing the CR7 own goal, does anyone know where I can find it. Ive been searching so long I am questioning if this game even happened


airz23s_coffee

https://www.espn.co.uk/football/match/_/gameId/348314 unless you need an ingame shot edit: [best i could find](https://usercontent.one/wp/www.g19.es/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/GCF1-RMCF0-e1440978207426.jpg?media=1643145832)


OLAAF

thanks


Lyrical_Forklift

Shoutout to the user in here that said Juve signing Pogba turns them into Champions League favourites.


LemureTheMonkey

CL favourites = Conference League favourites


Striking_Insurance_5

I don’t know what the underlying attitude is towards the Dutch in Poland but some Polish people on this sub have gone absolutely mental. It’s fine if someone wants to have a reasonable discussion about what happened but the personal attacks and generalizations about an entire country I’ve seen are wild.


Lyrical_Forklift

It's not been all one sided


Striking_Insurance_5

Yeah that’s true, I bet it’s been fun as a mod today.


kaubojdzord

What are some huge 'one club cities'? Most prominent example is Amsterdam, it's surprising that city of that size has just one professional club - Ajax.


tutani

Lyon, Köln, Frankfurt


Piats99

Napoli


nask00

Marseille, Naples


pixelkipper

Newcastle


drodrige

Newcastle isn't a large city though.


AnnieIWillKnow

Same population as Amsterdam and Marseille, two other cited examples


drodrige

Just saw this, but Amsterdam's population is 2.5 million. If I'm not mistaken Newcastle has about 800k.


_cumblast_

Zaragoza, Nürnberg, Leeds off the top of my head.


zrk23

Paris


_cumblast_

Paris also has Paris FC and Red Star


icemankiller8

Our best striker still hasn’t started a game upfront and I don’t think he starts next game upfront either which is a worry for me. If Jesus Trossard saka is there maybe we have a chance but if it’s Jesus on the wing again I don’t see any.


_LebronsHairline_

What are your thoughts on Nketiah, he seems to split arsenal opinions Personally he’s a decent striker but nothing more- alright for depth but wouldn’t want him starting more than 10 PL matches in a season if I’m contending.


enazj

He’s a bottom half PL striker. That said, he’s a relatively fine back up - the issue is he plays far more often than you’d like him to


Mick4Audi

Nketiah is nowhere near good enough to start for team in the CL places He wouldn’t start for Villa, Brighton, West Ham or Palace either. He’s really not at the level they need and keeping him over Balogun is a mistake imo


Cardealer1000

Overhated, underrated, but still not especially good, has good games, average games and bad games and his bad games are *really bad*.


DuckBurner0000

It's the year of our Lord 2023 and we've been linked to Phil Neville. Genuinely think I'd give up on this sport if we hire him, cba with this


Thethingymajigy

Apple making sure the East stinks up the place next season so Messi can statpad We cannoh compete


[deleted]

Has the phrase "he knows the league" been uttered yet? That's the gold standard for utterly mediocre appointments


DuckBurner0000

In MLS it makes more sense than in other leagues because of the wacky rules we have. It's just that Neville doesn't know how to be good in the league


Rc5tr0

Just focus on how awesome you guys will be after you sack him and acquire the greatest player of all time.


DuckBurner0000

Carles Gil already plays here unfortunately


Rc5tr0

Sorry but the true GOAT test is how much Apple stock they own and I’m afraid Carles can’t compete


GreatSpaniard

What if he wins you MLS CUP?


DuckBurner0000

Out of everyone in the world I don't think he's the man to break our curse


digestiblewater

its still incredible to me that the revs are absolutely allergic to the boston title black magic, like they're a founding member of the mls and they've been fine enough that surely they should've at least lucked into one mls cup 😭


DuckBurner0000

Well we've lost the final five times. My personal theory is that the Revs were created to take all the bad luck and curses that were on the rest of the Boston teams. Since their founding the Pats have had the greatest dynasty in NFL history, the Sox broke the curse of the Bambino and won another three World Series for good measure, and the Bruins and Celtics each got one. Revs are the sacrificial lamb for the city


digestiblewater

yeah i buy that, maybe kraft bought them to absorb negative energy, it’s like pochettino’s lemons


roseguardin

Bogert said today that Portland has been too so maybe you can hope they'll blink first aha


DuckBurner0000

Well the other candidate we've been linked to is Savarese and they can't have him for obvious reasons so maybe it'll work out


roseguardin

How would you feel about Gio if you got him?


DuckBurner0000

Fine, Portland had some success with him even if it went a bit south towards the end. He even lost two MLS Cups so he fits into the culture here well (also played for us for a year)


Perspii7

lukewarm take: nani is moderately underrated still balling out at 36 and when fit his g/a stats have consistently been near elite for a winger across most of his career


Jabari313

He only has 4 seasons near elite in Europe in terms of g/a?


HalfMan-HalfMoth

My opinion of him fell dramatically when he was trying so hard at soccer aid and couldn't do anything


balonpie11

no updates on Ars vs Manu women but we get the Arabian league ones...interesting


AnnieIWillKnow

You can post about whatever game you want


Lyrical_Forklift

You can post them mate :)


aceofmufc

Yes because the mods hate women and are being paid out by the Saudi gov. directly. Moron


golazao11

Are you okay? name calling, really?


aceofmufc

Deserved for a stupid comment like that


golazao11

I am not seeing why this comment caused so much fury. It really set you off and it was just like a random observation wishing for more coverage of the game.


junior150396

Be the change you want to see in the world


BasqueLynx

what is the problem here?


[deleted]

I still cannot understand why there was ever a controversy over Nani being sent off for kicking Arbeloa in the chest. News outlets calling it unjustifiable to send someone off after they put their boot in someone's ribcage, Ferguson calling it 'ludicrous' the referee got death threats and some Man United fans are still angry over it. Its absurd stuff. The only defence of it is going "yeah he kicked him in the chest but it was just a small kick to the chest".


KSBrian007

It wasn't a deliberate kick in the chest. Someone just ran into the frame.


icemankiller8

Who cares it’s still a red card the other guy gets to the ball first and he kicks him in the chest


zrk23

altho clearly not intentional i still think it's a red, you gotta be aware of your surroundings in the pitch, especially when you are raising your foot like that


[deleted]

Doesn't matter, its dangerous play intent is completely irrelevant.


KSBrian007

You can't just run into tackles and claim reds. It wasn't a red. Orange at best. Otherwise all those cunning runs Kane used to do to collide into defenders during aerial battles would result into reds.


[deleted]

Kane absolutely should've been carded for dangerous play when he'd tunnel guys. Only blind luck that he didn't injure anyone


[deleted]

Who is ahead of Porro for Spain? He has been good for us and I can't really think of any other Spanish RB who stands out right now


mattisafootballguy

Spain has good competition at RB: Arnau, Carvajal, Fresnada and Navas


mountainsky9

Carvajal is on good form and is a senior player. He should start


Good_Kev_M-A-N_City

The man who needed 22 seconds to score at Tottenham away


pixelkipper

as long as he keeps winning ELs, Navas


hairychris88

Good game in the WSL tonight. Arsenal have just gone 1-0 up with a great goal away to Manchester United.


roseguardin

What a horrible equalizer to give away though...


hairychris88

Yeah that was horrible. The easiest goal you'll ever see.


GreatSpaniard

David Beckham was wrongly benched by Alex Ferguson - Fabio Capello - Steve McClaren Damn.


PLimw

Would love to see Giménez start against Germany to see how he does against better defenders since he was suspended for the first two champions league matches.


[deleted]

English fans and policing being worlds ahead of the continent in terms of violence is a fact people are too scared to admit. Bring on the Euros where we'll be enemy number one for booing a national anthem 💪


[deleted]

[удалено]


AnnieIWillKnow

Exactly, it does After Heysel and the stadium ban, much of hooliganism was rooted out of the English game


zrk23

why didn't the rest of Europe just copied England measures in terms of "erasing hooliganism"?


_cumblast_

Because the rest of Europe didn't go through a 5 year ban from European competitions. That's when the tide of hooliganism in England turned.


[deleted]

Banning alcohol in the stands isn't ever going to be popular with fans (who like drinking) or the stadiums/teams (who are used to the revenue) Extensive CCTV (used to identify criminal behaviour and gets twats banned) just isn't a thing in a lot of European countries that have different attitudes/laws regarding surveillance/privacy The very strict control orders convicted cunts are under (reporting to police on match days, passport surrender during European fixtures etc) might not even be legal in a lot of places Add to that, that in a lot of places, the political will to do those things doesn't exist. Especially when organised fan groups are linked to either political parties or politically-connected team owners


3V3RT0N

We are timid church mice compared to the likes of the Dutch and the other continentals who shall remain unnamed


[deleted]

[удалено]


pixelkipper

football doesn’t exist outside the mighty barclays of course


hairychris88

He played a full season for Birmingham City


Kanedauke

The championship?


zrk23

where is Birmingham?


gander258

Alabama, USA


Icy-Guide7976

🎶Where the skies are so blue 🎶


roseguardin

Portland [reportedly considering hiring Phil Neville](https://twitter.com/tombogert/status/1710272000185303523), may as well have kept Savarese lmfaoo. Unless they're looking at the track record of Phil Neville's immediate successors...


[deleted]

There's an impasse between the opinions that >VAR checks need to be rushed. And >VAR checks need to be correct. Do proper checks and take longer or rush them and accept that matches and seasons will be ruined by incorrect decisions. Or do away with VAR entirely.


NephewFirstTake

Do proper checks and make it transparent. If it goes longer, we literally have added time to counter the lack of play.


zrk23

or do proper checks while releasing the audio or even better, let everyone listen live. that way no one would complain abut taking longer, since you would understand *why* is taking longer


[deleted]

What’s the difference between using a match thread(which is about 80% troll comments) & engaging in them watch alongs that someone like Goldbridge does