Barcelona: Charged with corruption .... again!

[Son]

Or maybe it could have something to do with the fact that La Liga is the most successful league in Europe of all-time in terms of trophies won by Spanish teams? In particular the past 20-15 years have almost been complete and utter Spanish dominance. Not only thanks to Barça and RM.

The Bundesliga, with all due respect, is not in the same stratosphere either.

Also I am sure that it is the fault of UEFA that footballers representing Barça have won more Ballon d'Or's and FIFA World Player of the Year awards than any other club. RM being second. Nothing to do with the fact that those two teams have had (historically) the best attacking players of all football clubs. It's all solely due some imaginary pro-La Liga/Spain UEFA bias. So Lewa said nothing controversial at all. Even more so when UEFA has nothing to do with the Ballon d'Or nor the FIFA World Player award.

Anyway the same corrupt UEFA (indeed but so is FIFA and most football bodies) are now involved in a legal battle with Barça and RM due to the Super League.

If anything UEFA has been holding their hands and protecting the EPL for 15 + years ever since that league turned into a doping league (financially) and after it started to attract dictatorships and criminal oligarchs that were/are in it for the sport washing element.

Absolutely ridiculous comment.



Shocker. A RM fan not understanding a Barça fan complaining about the unbearable international breaks and subsequent injuries. In Barça's case the absurd cases of Araújo, Koundé, FDJ, Dembélé and Depay. Just a regular occurrence for any team to lose that many players in the first week of a international break. Nothing to complain about either after all RM fans have never ever complained about injuries or anything for that matter.



It's absolutely intolerable that players representing their countries in useless friendlies in the middle of the club season (when is the useless and corrupt FIFA going to wake up and reform the international football calendar?) end up suffering from injuries, some long-term ones. A few crucial injuries at a bad time and your entire season could be heavily impacted. Yes, injuries are part of the game, but those international games should have taken place AFTER the club season ends. Ages ago. The worst thing about a club season are those insufferable international breaks that used to occur in August, September, October and November and March. Now a World Cup in winter. When on top of that your players end up suffering long-term injuries, it gets even worse if that was even possible.

Anyway looks like Araújo is going to be operated and miss the remaining year, World Cup included. Luckily that will mean "only" 12 games until the Derbi Barceloní on 31 December. Looks like Koundé could be out for quite some games too. Hopefully he will be ready for the Clásico game. Vinicius will likely have a field day without Araújo and Koundé. Just bad luck, something that we have not lacked in recent years.

All Real and Barcelona do is paper over the cracks in their league. End of the day we saw the odd fluke win like Villarreal or Sevilla even Athletico last season over United at their very worst but let’s be honest their league is in the Premier League’s dust now.

I would argue the fact they can play so well in Europe is because most of the games are poor in their own division these days. Premier League sides use more energy over a full season.

On the whole a Prem team in the same position as a La Liga team would wipe the floor with most. City should wipe the floor with Real too at the top given he gap in quality. Again Real fluked last season. City smashed them and should have put 8 or 9 in their net over the two legs.

 

[dinostar77]

If this was any other club I’d be interested to see how they’d go about starting an investigation, but the fecking audacity PSG Chairman bitching about Barca’s levers

As hes the chairman of ECA, the investigation will happen. Barcelona have done some rather dodgy deals this summer financially. Buts its UEFAs fault anyway. Turned a blind to the financial doping of man city and psg so its not a suprise barcelona have done this.

 

[Niemans]

As hes the chairman of ECA, the investigation will happen. Barcelona have done some rather dodgy deals this summer financially. Buts its UEFAs fault anyway. Turned a blind to the financial doping of man city and psg so its not a suprise barcelona have done this.

Selling club assets at half the real price it is not financial doping. It is quite the opposite.
And that was produced by the FFP of Spain, if it were for the uefa Barcelona would not have to sell anything.

Then apart from the state clubs, there are others with brutal capital increases, money that does not come from football or the club and nobody talks about the issue as financial doping.

 

[GatoLoco]

All Real and Barcelona do is paper over the cracks in their league. End of the day we saw the odd fluke win like Villarreal or Sevilla even Athletico last season over United at their very worst but let’s be honest their league is in the Premier League’s dust now.

I would argue the fact they can play so well in Europe is because most of the games are poor in their own division these days. Premier League sides use more energy over a full season.

On the whole a Prem team in the same position as a La Liga team would wipe the floor with most. City should wipe the floor with Real too at the top given he gap in quality. Again Real fluked last season. City smashed them and should have put 8 or 9 in their net over the two legs.

Whenever I watch a Premier League game, it is true, they don't stop running and running. In Spain they just pass the ball calmly, it is like players are about to order a Pina Colada at some point and lie down on the pitch.

However, when the Premier was not so strong, that was the reason why clubs did not do well in Europe either.

This is called the Premier Paradox. The better the worse, the worse the worse.

 

[dinostar77]

Selling club assets at half the real price it is not financial doping. It is quite the opposite.
And that was produced by the FFP of Spain, if it were for the uefa Barcelona would not have to sell anything.

Then apart from the state clubs, there are others with brutal capital increases, money that does not come from football or the club and nobody talks about the issue as financial doping.

So many football people have commented on the financial deals of barcelona and how suspect they are. So i will wait for the inevitable investigation and its outcome.

 

[dinostar77]

All Real and Barcelona do is paper over the cracks in their league. End of the day we saw the odd fluke win like Villarreal or Sevilla even Athletico last season over United at their very worst but let’s be honest their league is in the Premier League’s dust now.

I would argue the fact they can play so well in Europe is because most of the games are poor in their own division these days. Premier League sides use more energy over a full season.

On the whole a Prem team in the same position as a La Liga team would wipe the floor with most. City should wipe the floor with Real too at the top given he gap in quality. Again Real fluked last season. City smashed them and should have put 8 or 9 in their net over the two legs.

The problem with your idea is that once the PL team gives the ball away they wont get it back for 15 mins. Besides english clubs have so far done quite badly aganst spainish oppsition overall in europe.

 

[Niemans]

All Real and Barcelona do is paper over the cracks in their league. End of the day we saw the odd fluke win like Villarreal or Sevilla even Athletico last season over United at their very worst but let’s be honest their league is in the Premier League’s dust now.

I would argue the fact they can play so well in Europe is because most of the games are poor in their own division these days. Premier League sides use more energy over a full season.

On the whole a Prem team in the same position as a La Liga team would wipe the floor with most. City should wipe the floor with Real too at the top given he gap in quality. Again Real fluked last season. City smashed them and should have put 8 or 9 in their net over the two legs.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/elpais...la-defensa-duerme-la-liga.html?outputType=amp

"La Liga is the European championship in which the most is run, 103.7 kilometers per game, for the 102.8 of Serie A or the 100.8 of the Premier League."

The effective playing time in LaLiga last year was 52.3 minutes per game. In the Premier 54.2 minutes.

With this data it is seen that LaLiga players run 3 kilometers more in 2 minutes less playing time, therefore that claim that Premier League clubs spend more energy is not true.

 

[MexicanCowboy]

All Real and Barcelona do is paper over the cracks in their league. End of the day we saw the odd fluke win like Villarreal or Sevilla even Athletico last season over United at their very worst but let’s be honest their league is in the Premier League’s dust now.

I would argue the fact they can play so well in Europe is because most of the games are poor in their own division these days. Premier League sides use more energy over a full season.

On the whole a Prem team in the same position as a La Liga team would wipe the floor with most. City should wipe the floor with Real too at the top given he gap in quality. Again Real fluked last season. City smashed them and should have put 8 or 9 in their net over the two legs.

Kind of funny how reality has proveen otherwise in both the Champions League and the Europa League. Real Madrid alone have won more Champions League titles in the 21st century than the entire almighty Premier League. Last season alone those feckers beat your top 3 teams. I don't like them but excepting for United and Arsenal I like them more than the Premier League

 

[CruyffMaradonaMessi]

Horrible performance overall on many fronts. Winning at a relatively difficult away ground such as Son Moix, no new injuries, another clean sheet (the team has conceded just 1 goal in 7 league games so far, an abnormal rate) and Lewa's goal were the main positives. Last season we would have lost such games. Judging by the atmosphere of Son Moix it was almost a derby. Obviously Mallorca is somewhat of a backyard for BCN and in many ways an extension of Catalonia so not that surprising.

Has to be said that Mallorca are a well-drilled team thanks to Aguirre.

Anyway grinding out such wins when playing badly is a good sign in terms of competing for the league title. Next up Inter away, which won't be easy, regardless of Inter's struggles this season.

 

[Son]

Kind of funny how reality has proveen otherwise in both the Champions League and the Europa League. Real Madrid alone have won more Champions League titles in the 21st century than the entire almighty Premier League. Last season alone those feckers beat your top 3 teams. I don't like them but excepting for United and Arsenal I like them more than the Premier League

I’ve never seen Madrid play anything like City today for example. This City team would smash every single Madrid side in history at least 7/10 times. Tactically on the ball they are incredible.

Guardiola domonated Madrid at Barcelona in his early days, we all know he would do the same thing no matter what Madrid do. Home and away City should be beating sides like Real because they can’t do anything about it when City play well.

This City side are levels above for anyone who uses their eyes.

 

[The_Midfielder]

I’ve never seen Madrid play anything like City today for example. This City team would smash every single Madrid side in history at least 7/10 times. Tactically on the ball they are incredible.

Guardiola smashed Madrid so bad at Barcelona we all know he would do the same thing no matter what Madrid do. Home and away City should be beating sides like Real because they can’t do anything about it when City play well.

This City side are levels above for anyone who uses their eyes.

Well Barcelona had prime Roanldinho, Messi, xavi, iniesta but still Real held their own..

 

[Son]

Well Barcelona had prime Roanldinho, Messi, xavi, iniesta but still Real held their own..

Not when Guardiola was manager. I remember some of those Barcelona beatings because that’s why they were. It was like this United / City game at times.

His Bayern team seemed to have a soft underbelly in odd games Madrid took advantage of but this City team would just destroy Madrid. Real have never seen their team play football on this level despite the trophies.

 

[stefan92]

Not when Guardiola was manager. I remember some of those Barcelona beatings because that’s why they were. It was like this United / City game at times.

His Bayern team seemed to have a soft underbelly in odd games Madrid took advantage of but this City team would just destroy Madrid. Real have never seen their team play football on this level despite the trophies.

Yeah I remember how City destroyed Real Madrid last season and went on to win the CL... oh... wait... that never happened

 

[Son]

Yeah I remember how City destroyed Real Madrid last season and went on to win the CL... oh... wait... that never happened

City should have put 8 past them on another day. It was embarassing to lose against that Madrid side.

They utterly outplayed Madrid for most of the tie but again CL is a luck based competition.

Play it 10 more times City win 9. Benzema went on a career defining run of games otherwise PSG would have easily knocked them out too.

Madrid played the underdog role (which they now have to) but played it well with some extreme luck.

They are basically at best a top 4 Premier League team these days. Wouldn’t be winning much of anything in England maybe the odd Carabao Cup or FA Cup.

 

[stefan92]

City should have put 8 past them on another day. It was embarassing to lose against that Madrid side.

They utterly outplayed Madrid for most of the tie but again CL is a luck based competition.

Play it 10 more times City win 9. Benzema went on a career defining run of games otherwise PSG would have easily knocked them out too.

Madrid played the underdog role (which they now have to) but played it well with some extreme luck.

They are basically at best a top 4 Premier League team these days. Wouldn’t be winning much of anything in England maybe the odd Carabao Cup or FA Cup.

That is probably all true, but I just think that Pep’s City has got the same "soft underbelly" as his Bayern team.

 

[Son]

That is probably all true, but I just think that Pep’s City has got the same "soft underbelly" as his Bayern team.

I agree with that at times. They take their foot off the gas maybe because of his intense football. Hard to do it for 90 mins none stop at their peak levels.

 

[CruyffMaradonaMessi]

As a side comment, ter Stegen has started the season as well as the job his doctor did with his hair transplant. I completely forgot how it is to have an goalkeeper in goal that can actually influence games in your favor.

One of our biggest weaknesses among many other weaknesses, in particular post-2019, has been the very criticizable form of ter Stegen.
Obviously the defense did not aid him in his job but nevertheless ter Stegen resembled a statue at times more than a goalkeeper. Let me put it this way, with say last years's Courtois in goal (or any highly performing goalkeeper), neither Roma nor Liverpool do occur.

In particular in critical games and situations. It is too soon to make any conclusions but his season start has been like the ter Stegen of old (his first few seasons for the club, say the 2014-2018 period).

A lot probably has to do with his successful knee operation, finally a capable team (at least on paper), demanding manager and most importantly a new competent president/leadership/board and obviously the hair transplant.

Lastly, I think it is about time to begin to ask some serious questions about Ferran Torres. He has already been criticized a lot in the media and by the fans but if his abysmal form continues, I do not see a future for him beyond this season, irrespectively of his young age (22). This guy looked great at Man City as as sub but in Spain he looks like some kind of amateur so far.

@Son With all due respect, you are overrating this Man City in some absurd and extreme fashion.

What kind of generational players have all of Pep's Man City teams even had aside from De Bruyne (a mostly serial choker in the biggest European and international games), Agüero and now their biggest talent so far 6 years into Pep's tenure, Haaland?

I would never compare those Man City teams with the best Barça and RM teams. They are nowhere near the conversation.
Neither in terms of success (CL in particular) nor in terms of actual players and talents. In fact in the past 14 years since Man City became relevant (UAE takeover) they have nothing to show for it in Europe. Zero titles. The only thing that is comparable to either Barça and RM (Barça in this case) is Man City's domestic dominance but this is typical of Pep. He is the by far best "league manager" out there.

As a side comment, I feel that only Haaland and De Bruyne would be taken into consideration as possible starting material in the best Barça teams.
I think that RM fans think similarly when it comes to the best RM teams. Maybe I am underrating the other Man City players but I think that the most important element of the Man City dominance in the EPL has been the system that Pep has built and the squad depth not so much some kind of outstanding starting 11.

 

[MexicanCowboy]

It had been almost three years since the last time Barca lead La Liga. I think if we don't suffer that many injuries we will win it. We do play better than Madrid most of the games.

 

[wangyu]

From the gutter to the top in just a few months. This only happens with Barca and Real.
I would love to see both of them playing like shit for 9 years straight.

 

[MexicanCowboy]

I’ve never seen Madrid play anything like City today for example. This City team would smash every single Madrid side in history at least 7/10 times. Tactically on the ball they are incredible.

Guardiola domonated Madrid at Barcelona in his early days, we all know he would do the same thing no matter what Madrid do. Home and away City should be beating sides like Real because they can’t do anything about it when City play well.

This City side are levels above for anyone who uses their eyes.

I also criticize the unorthodox Madrid's method of winning thropies but it works.
But not all their victories have felt as lucky. The Madrid side that won the 2016-2017 league and champions league was pretty strong. Not sure if this Man City side is really better.
Those feckers had back then still in shape and younger the likes of Cristiano, Bale, Benzema, Modric, Casemiro, Kroos, Marcelo, Carvajal, Ramos, etc

 

[Niemans]

It had been almost three years since the last time Barca lead La Liga. I think if we don't suffer that many injuries we will win it. We do play better than Madrid most of the games.

We will have to see the physical fatigue of the players in a long season.
I think it will be a very close league.

 

[Ragnar123]

It had been almost three years since the last time Barca lead La Liga. I think if we don't suffer that many injuries we will win it. We do play better than Madrid most of the games.

833 days

 

[CruyffMaradonaMessi]

833 days

Basically before COVID-19 began (March 2020). Gifted the league title away later that season (June and July 2020) under the headless chicken Setién after having topped the league table before COVID-19 postponed the season.

The season after (2020-21) another potential league title was thrown away under the reign of Sr. "Es lo quo hay" (Koeman). Best exemplified by that horrendous home defeat against freaking Granada when the team could have been leading the league table with a win, with just 5 rounds left.

Last season was the culmination of 2-3 years of wandering in the desert with the collapse of the previous useless regime (Bartomeu), the exit of the most accomplished and greatest club footballer for any team in history (MessI), tons of injuries, Koeman sabotaging the season initially (we were 9th and had just 17 points after 12 games when Xavi took over - worst league start in 30 + years), Bartomeu leaving an economic ruin for Laporta to clean up etc.

Basically Laporta, Xavi and the team can first be properly judged this season and so far (very early on) things look far better than most of us could have imagined.

Inter away from home tonight. It won't be easy regardless of Inter's recent form. A win would be crucial. I don't know what to expect (I learned it the hard way in the CL in the past 4-5 years) but on paper the team should win.

 

[Iker Quesadillas]

They are basically at best a top 4 Premier League team these days. Wouldn’t be winning much of anything in England maybe the odd Carabao Cup or FA Cup.

Laughable stuff.

The PL "we are the best, all our teams are superior" narrative is living off of 6 months of good Chelsea form in 2021. Look past that fluke and the overall performance of the league in maximum European competition is a complete embarassment.

 

[gibers]

Another big game and Lewa does nothing. This guy is a coattail merchant and only does well when his team carries him.

 

[cyberman]

Laughable stuff.

The PL "we are the best, all our teams are superior" narrative is living off of 6 months of good Chelsea form in 2021. Look past that fluke and the overall performance of the league in maximum European competition is a complete embarassment.

Barca aren’t better than City, Liverpool or even this Arsenal. What has this Barca team shown?

 

[Mb194dc]

Basically before COVID-19 began (March 2020). Gifted the league title away later that season (June and July 2020) under the headless chicken Setién after having topped the league table before COVID-19 postponed the season.

The season after (2020-21) another potential league title was thrown away under the reign of Sr. "Es lo quo hay" (Koeman). Best exemplified by that horrendous home defeat against freaking Granada when the team could have been leading the league table with a win, with just 5 rounds left.

Last season was the culmination of 2-3 years of wandering in the desert with the collapse of the previous useless regime (Bartomeu), the exit of the most accomplished and greatest club footballer for any team in history (MessI), tons of injuries, Koeman sabotaging the season initially (we were 9th and had just 17 points after 12 games when Xavi took over - worst league start in 30 + years), Bartomeu leaving an economic ruin for Laporta to clean up etc.

Basically Laporta, Xavi and the team can first be properly judged this season and so far (very early on) things look far better than most of us could have imagined.

Inter away from home tonight. It won't be easy regardless of Inter's recent form. A win would be crucial. I don't know what to expect (I learned it the hard way in the CL in the past 4-5 years) but on paper the team should win.

Laporta doing exactly the same as Bartomeu. Cleaning up = more crazy transfers mortgaging everything to the hilt to pay for it... Possibly worse even than Bartomeu from a financial perspective anyway.

 

[Tacitus56AD]

Thursday night...lever 5?

 

[avgp_1]

Moyes-ball

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

 

[CruyffMaradonaMessi]

Absolutely horrible performance and some horror tactics by Xavi against a piss poor Inter side. If Xavi fails to get us out of the group, he should be sacked and replaced by Tuchel or someone else. I don't know what the tactics even were other than the usual idiotic 1000 trillion crosses looking for Lewa who is man marked by 10 Inter defenders? Makes no sense to use the disallowed goal and the lacking penalty (WTF was that even?) as excuses just to mask his tactical ineptitude.

Legendary player, average manager (so far). Playing Busquets and Roberto is like playing with 2 players less. Both of those are barely professional footballers.

Shocking stuff.

 

[kouroux]

I don't get Xavi's obsession with Busquets

 

[The Purley King]

Did de jong play?
I couldnt watch the games tonight.

 

[Idxomer]

Did de jong play?
I couldnt watch the games tonight.

No, he's injured.

 

[Oly Francis]

Absolutely horrible performance and some horror tactics by Xavi against a piss poor Inter side. If Xavi fails to get us out of the group, he should be sacked and replaced by Tuchel or someone else. I don't know what the tactics even were other than the usual idiotic 1000 trillion crosses looking for Lewa who is man marked by 10 Inter defenders? Makes no sense to use the disallowed goal and the lacking penalty (WTF was that even?) as excuses just to mask his tactical ineptitude.

Legendary player, average manager (so far). Playing Busquets and Roberto is like playing with 2 players less. Both of those are barely professional footballers.

Shocking stuff.

That was absolutely ridiculous. Doing that against a 3 men defense including Bastoni, De Vrij and Skriniar was absolutely moronic, they played right into Inter's strength. And why did he asky Pedri to play so low on the pitch? Barcelona needed quick passing and fast movements around the box, Pedri wasn't able to provide that while starting 40mn from the goal.

 

[UnofficialDevil]

Great. Hope they lose all remaining games too.

 

[Buckie]

Great. Hope they lose all remaining games too.

Agreed. I hope they don't make it out of the group stage. Hopefully that would shut their incredibly irritating supporters up for a while.

 

[GatoLoco]

To be fair Barcelona played the two most difficult rivals in the group away from home. Still three games left so it is not the end of the world.

 

[MrEleson]

Barca aren’t better than City, Liverpool or even this Arsenal. What has this Barca team shown?

They’re not better than City but I’d wager they’d beat this current liverpool and it’s still too early to definitively conclude how good this Arsenal really are.

 

[colombianmancunian]

Is so good to see those arrogant cnuts lose. A little dose of reality for them: they have an average manager, a team who only wins against way inferior opposition, and are far off what they were.

What excuses did Xavi give this time?Did he blame the grass’ length? Did he said they deserved to win because they had “possession”?

 

[cyberman]

They’re not better than City but I’d wager they’d beat this current liverpool and it’s still too early to definitively conclude how good this Arsenal really are.

Isn’t it too early to conclude how good this Barca side are if we’re being fair?