La Liga 2020/21

Daysleeper

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What circumstances?

He has by some distance the best attacking players in the league. If anything he has done what is expected from whatever coach that counts on the squad he has at his disposal.
Are you trolling?! He’s been handed a squad with their best player held hostage when he wanted to leave, virtually no signings because the club is broke (dest was signed for peanuts) integrated the youth, overcame the worst start we have had since 1988, had no president for parts of the season so weren’t even able to make a January signing for a cb we desperately needed, and lost ansu Fati for several months who was out scoring Messi to start the season. He has done an insane job where others a few months before like Setien failed spectacularly. Heading into this season Barca had the lowest odds of winning the league they have had in the last fifteen years. He is exceeding expectations and then some. Done a superb job considering the dumpster fire of a mess the club was in to start the season.
 

GatoLoco

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Are you trolling?! He’s been handed a squad with their best player held hostage when he wanted to leave, virtually no signings because the club is broke (dest was signed for peanuts) integrated the youth, overcame the worst start we have had since 1988, had no president for parts of the season so weren’t even able to make a January signing for a cb we desperately needed, and lost ansu Fati for several months who was out scoring Messi to start the season. He has done an insane job where others a few months before like Setien failed spectacularly. Heading into this season Barca had the lowest odds of winning the league they have had in the last fifteen years. He is exceeding expectations and then some. Done a superb job considering the dumpster fire of a mess the club was in to start the season.
I don't claim the situation was optimal for Barcelona, it was not. I just say that comparatively a strikeforce of Messi, Griezmann and Dembele is way better than Benzema and two 19 year old Brazilians. So as long as you do things more or less well, the potential of a Barcelona squad in the league is way higher than anyone else, because in the league a good organization can restrict the rival's chances but if you don't have the quality upfront the opponent, no matter their position in the table, has good weapons to limit your attack and take points away from you with draws and narrow results like 0-1.

Also, if Ansu Fati gets injured at Barcelona you still have the goals. If Hazard gets injured (and he has been injured for two years now), you will a have holding midfielder as the second top scorer of your team.
 
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Paul_Scholes18

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La liga is way behind the PL now. It is strange how fast it has changed. I guess the money finally making a big difference?
 

Daysleeper

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I don't claim the situation was optimal for Barcelona, it was not. I just say that comparatively a strikeforce of Messi, Griezmann and Dembele is way better than Benzema and two 19 year old Brazilians. So as long as you do things more or less well, the potential of a Barcelona squad in the league is way higher than anyone else, because in the league a good organization can restrict the rival's chances but if you don't have the quality upfront the opponent, no matter their position in the table, has good weapons to limit your attack and take points away from you with draws and narrow results like 0-1.

Also, if Ansu Fati gets injured at Barcelona you still have the goals. If Hazard gets injured (and he has been injured for two years now), you will a have holding midfielder as the second top scorer of your team.
Gonna disagree with you there. We may have some firepower up front but in Madrid’s case you have a much better midfield and defense. We’ve lost Pique and Araujo and forced to play De Jong at CB because of those crucial injuries. You guys have more depth in the back line than we do. If Barca wins the league Koeman deserves manager of the year, these were Barca’s worst odds in 15 years to win the league. Considering how disastrous we looked to end last season and the fact that we had to overcome our worst start to a season since 1988 speaks volumes about the job Koeman has done with this team when many criticized the hire at the time. He’s definitely exceeded expectations with this squad.
 

GatoLoco

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Gonna disagree with you there. We may have some firepower up front but in Madrid’s case you have a much better midfield and defense. We’ve lost Pique and Araujo and forced to play De Jong at CB because of those crucial injuries. You guys have more depth in the back line than we do. If Barca wins the league Koeman deserves manager of the year, these were Barca’s worst odds in 15 years to win the league. Considering how disastrous we looked to end last season and the fact that we had to overcome our worst start to a season since 1988 speaks volumes about the job Koeman has done with this team when many criticized the hire at the time. He’s definitely exceeded expectations with this squad.
Not denying those problems but quite basically the difference between a very good Zidane and a horrible Setien last season was just 5 points and the general consensus in the media was that Zidane had gotten most of the squad in the league and Setien had been very poor for anyone's standards. As long as someone at Barcelona could motivate a squad that had been getting very bad results under Setien, impose some discipline backed by those past very bad results and Madrid started not to get so lucky with narrow 1-0 scores it was going to be a matter of time that both teams had lesser difference of points in the league (2 points at the moment).

From my point of view, if you count on the greatest attack in a league full of teams whose main weapons consist of sitting back and restrict goals against them to 0 or 1 goals, you have the most valuable card of the deck. This is not the same Liga of 15 years ago crowded with quality players in all the lines.
 

Daysleeper

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Not denying those problems but quite basically the difference between a very good Zidane and a horrible Setien last season was just 5 points and the general consensus in the media was that Zidane had gotten most of the squad in the league and Setien had been very poor for anyone's standards. As long as someone at Barcelona could motivate a squad that had been getting very bad results under Setien, impose some discipline backed by those past very bad results and Madrid started not to get so lucky with narrow 1-0 scores it was going to be a matter of time that both teams had lesser difference of points in the league (2 points at the moment).

From my point of view, if you count on the greatest attack in a league full of teams whose main weapons consist of sitting back and restrict goals against them to 0 or 1 goals, you have the most valuable card of the deck. This is not the same Liga of 15 years ago crowded with quality players in all the lines.
Oh I agree that la liga is pretty weak right now but Barca had been performing under well below their xg for most of the season. And again, the defense has been shambolic on top of bad injuries to the few decent defenders we do have. We have kept the least amount of clean sheets since 2013 for the club. We’ve also had a lot of new players to implement from the youth so tons of growing pains.

While having players like Messi helps, this was supposed to be a transition year so the fact that we have yet to lose a league game this calendar year is crazy.
Setien finished five points below but took over when the team was ahead of Madrid. Valverde wasn’t very good his final season either. Koeman taking a chance on pedri, Trincao, Araujo and illaix is the biggest difference between him and the prior two managers in their final season.
 

Tallis

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Not denying those problems but quite basically the difference between a very good Zidane and a horrible Setien last season was just 5 points and the general consensus in the media was that Zidane had gotten most of the squad in the league and Setien had been very poor for anyone's standards. As long as someone at Barcelona could motivate a squad that had been getting very bad results under Setien, impose some discipline backed by those past very bad results and Madrid started not to get so lucky with narrow 1-0 scores it was going to be a matter of time that both teams had lesser difference of points in the league (2 points at the moment).

From my point of view, if you count on the greatest attack in a league full of teams whose main weapons consist of sitting back and restrict goals against them to 0 or 1 goals, you have the most valuable card of the deck. This is not the same Liga of 15 years ago crowded with quality players in all the lines.
I think you’re somewhat downplaying how difficult that dressing room is and the amount of toxicity around the club. Plus he had to get rid of players but didn’t sign replacements.

I think he deserves a lot of credit. I also think they will win the league.
 

GatoLoco

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I think you’re somewhat downplaying how difficult that dressing room is and the amount of toxicity around the club. Plus he had to get rid of players but didn’t sign replacements.
Or maybe it is you who is downplaying the fact that exactly the same thing could be said about some certain big club during the pandemic.

I think he deserves a lot of credit. I also think they will win the league.
If he wins the league he would deserve credit of course, but so would Simeone or Zidane if they win it.
 

Daysleeper

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Or maybe it is you who is downplaying the fact that exactly the same thing could be said about some certain big club during the pandemic.



If he wins the league he would deserve credit of course, but so would Simeone or Zidane if they win it.
sure either of those managers would deserve credit for sure, but Koeman entered a far worse situation, zidane already has the chemistry and defense intact Barca had implement so many new faces on top of having a disgruntled superstar and no signings allowed due to the club being broke. Again, they had the lowest odds in 15 years to win the league and just getting top 4 was the goal. There is talent on the team but a very weak back line that’s as weak as Madrid’s attack is. A solid defense and mediocre attack will carry you further than a solid attack and mediocre defense. Atletico have been doing that for years.
 

GatoLoco

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Two stars and one destiny.

Mbappe and Haaland are Real Madrid objectives for 2021-22.

There will be a deep reconstruction next season. Cristiano's option is deferred.

 

WeePat

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Watched Getafe today for no other reason other than to witness their shithousery. There's been a red card in 5 of their last 9 games :lol:
 

FootballHQ

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Think Bilbao is winning this.

They have the knack of just doing enough in cup games over last 18 months and think Raul Garcia-Williams combo will give La Real loads of issues. Could go all the way to penalties of course.
 

mazhar13

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Hold up. Why was that red card rescinded? Iñigo Martinez wasn't even going for the ball and lunged his leg out at the player whilst being behind him.

Oh well, Sociedad still get the goal off of the penalty spot.
 

always_hoping

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Only Sociedads 3rd Copa del rey in their history and blbao have now lost their last 5 finals it will probably be 6 against Barcelona in 2 weeks time.
 

carvajal

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Was that a Sociedad chant he was chanting? :lol:

Sounds hilarious when you have no idea of what is being said.
Yes, I felt the same :lol: .
Yes, it must be a chant. The tweet says "anthem", but it doesn't look like it.
I didn't expect it coming from him, although after 34 years without a trophy...
 

TheReligion

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Yes, I felt the same :lol: .
Yes, it must be a chant. The tweet says "anthem", but it doesn't look like it.
I didn't expect it coming from him, although after 34 years without a trophy...
Am I right in thinking they've waited 34 years for this yet they'll only have the trophy about a week and this season's winners will get it?

Absolutely bizarre if so.
 

carvajal

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Am I right in thinking they've waited 34 years for this yet they'll only have the trophy about a week and this season's winners will get it?

Absolutely bizarre if so.
They have been unlucky. A Basque final with public would have been very nice. They can't even celebrate it properly.
 

FootballHQ

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It was always a bad idea to have two finals for the same trophy a week apart. Nothing sensible can come of doing that.
They held it off for a year to try to get some fans back, idea was good but can't help pandemic going on for seemingly forever.
 

Lay

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How would it work, so they qualify for the Europa league next season via the cup? But then they technically aren’t holders next week
 

giorno

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How would it work, so they qualify for the Europa league next season via the cup? But then they technically aren’t holders next week
Nope. It's last season's cup so the last EL place went through the league, as normal

Doesn't count for this season
 

mazhar13

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Cadiz v Valencia
Players left the pitch due to racism


What was weird was how Juan Cala stayed on the pitch for so long, as if he didn't think he did anything wrong. A few of the Cadiz players (one of them being former Valencia player Alvaro Negredo also stayed out there with him. Eventually, they all did walk off at the end.

It looked like Gabriel also caught what Juan Cala said as well as he started rushing to the ref and then at Cala just after the ref stopped the play.
 

GifLord

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edit: players back on - diakhaby's been replaced though
 
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mazhar13

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I don't know how true this seems, but this whole situation feels fishy if Valencia are out there without Diakhaby. Still, Thierry Correia is playing, so I may be reading too much into this.
 
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Ludens the Red

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I don't know how true this seems, but this whole situation feels fishy if Valencia are out there without Diakhaby. Still, Thievy Correia is playing, so I may be reading too much into this.
What about it is fishy? And what do you think is not true?
 

mazhar13

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What about it is fishy? And what do you think is not true?
This is why I said that I may be reading too much into this in that post, so I hope that you don't read too much into my response (which will consist of my initial thoughts that I no longer have).

My thoughts then were that Juan Cala's still on the pitch whilst Diakhaby wasn't. If Valencia were to want to continue, why would Diakhaby allow the match to continue whilst he's not out there? Wouldn't that seem like Cala got what he wanted? Then I saw Thierry Correia out on the pitch, and that's when my doubts went away.
 

Ludens the Red

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This is why I said that I may be reading too much into this in that post, so I hope that you don't read too much into my response (which will consist of my initial thoughts that I no longer have).

My thoughts then were that Juan Cala's still on the pitch whilst Diakhaby wasn't. If Valencia were to want to continue, why would Diakhaby allow the match to continue whilst he's not out there? Wouldn't that seem like Cala got what he wanted? Then I saw Thierry Correia out on the pitch, and that's when my doubts went away.
The problem is there isn’t really a precedent on what to do in this situation. Different players will handle it differently and ask for different things. If the club state that happened then that’s probably what happened.


Apparently Valencia were told they would forfeit the game if they didnt resume
That makes sense. And part of the massive problem. There’s no actual obvious directive and when you’ve got players being sneaky feckers and covering their mouths and doing it just makes it that much harder to manage.
 

FootballHQ

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I take it with it being Spanish speakers on the pitch the n world in whatever context was uttered?
 

mazhar13

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Looks like this may not get further investigation as the refs themselves have reported that they didn't necessarily hear what was said.
 

Idxomer

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The race at the top is getting really heated.

I'm pulling for Barca.
 

Morty_

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Some collaps by Atletico this half of the season.