One of the best games of the season, imo. So many chances for both teams, especially Celta in the first half. A fair result in the end. Aspas looks great for Celta.
La Liga 2017/18
- Thread starter Santi_Mesut_Alexis_87
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strange to rest Messi today and not against Leganes at home before Roma, but at least he got it finally. Semedo looks good and he'll surely start vs Sevilla in saturday's cup final now that Roberto got the red card.
if he score another 2 goals for them, he'll become their all time top scorer. he'll probably do it this season.
That's crazy, in the last two seasons Barcelona was beaten comfortably in Balaidos while fielding pretty much full strength XIs, yet they start with 8-9 reserves today and avoid defeat.
Barcelona and Madrid resting players the way they do and still being able to be better than 90% of the teams in the league isn't a good look.
La Liga is much better than EPL, imo
Watching highlights of Celta-Barcelona and...wow 
How the bloody feck did they manage not to get battered?!?!?!? Incredible. Just incredible. All year long
Btw, the 2-2...sheesh. It's technically a good goal according to the laws of the game but...it was scored with his hand. They really should make it a rule that any goal scored with the hand is illegal
How the bloody feck did they manage not to get battered?!?!?!? Incredible. Just incredible. All year long
Btw, the 2-2...sheesh. It's technically a good goal according to the laws of the game but...it was scored with his hand. They really should make it a rule that any goal scored with the hand is illegal
Aspas should be called up for Spain in this WC. What an amazing season for him. Telmo Zarra's Award far way from the rest. Only have less goals than Messi, CR and Griezmann.
He shouldn't just be called up, he should start.
If that is your opinion then fine. Weird time to be advocating for them to get an extra place given the drop off in performance and not all their teams making it through the group stages and only having one side left in both European competitions, however.
You're wrong. They have one in the CL and one in the Europa League. And I'd venture to say favourites in both.
Sorry, it was badly worded. I meant that they have one side left in each competition, the same as England. I think A Madrid are favourites but not Real. I don’t think any English side, or Bayern & Juve should fear playing any Spanish side anymore like they might have done in the past few seasons. The cream of the Spanish teams look as vulnerable as they have done in many years and with aging stars and reduced power in the transfer market.
It's the semifinals...how many spanish teams did you expect, 8?
I do agree the league wasn't as good as usual this season, mind
Look at the performances of the Spanish League in previous seasons, I mean in terms of tangible progression markers, and the relative decline is clear. That's not to say we won't have two Spanish winners this season, its entirely possible. Performance wise too the decline is clear too. Would any team really fear playing Madrid after their group stage performances and second leg against Juve? They look as vulnerable as any side left in. Personally I think Bayern will beat Liverpool in the final.
But the decline is relative to the point of view, you can only go down when your standard has been winning the European double for 3 of the past 4 seasons, 4 in 5 could be this year.
And even from that relative point, you can't say there's a decline in performance if they failed to win both titles but reached the finals and lost at penalties. That's like debating between level of performance and supremacy, they're linked things, but don't have to related to the league performance in the same way, when teams like Celta can box Man United in a UEL Semifinal, or Sevilla get fair shots at Bayern in the UCL I think talking about worse performance of the league (in general) wouldn't be fair.
There might be a point that, last years, bottom tier teams have been worse than before, but I think that's also because from 6 to 13 the level has increased, so they can't milk points against those teams anymore.
Which is why I refer to the UEFA coefficients. It is the cleanest way of assessing the comparative strengths of leagues. As you can see, Spain's dominance has been absolute 13/14, 15/16 & 16/17, only in 14/15 did the Italians put in a strong performance. This season England are leading at the moment and Italy are close to Spain too. Obviously Spain could still top the rankings or come 3rd, so that remains to be seen and if this is a one off season or a trend remains to be seen too.
https://www.uefa.com/memberassociations/uefarankings/country/
On a more subjective basis I think the signs of relative decline are there, in how strong the Spanish teams look in games and due to PSG and the English sides growing in strength in the transfer market. My estimate would be that the it will become a trend. I don't think the Spanish sides will stop being competitive or anything like that, just that the era of absolute Spanish domination is coming to an end.
I was originally replying to a poster who claimed that Spain should be given an extra place in the CL due to them always getting through the group stage, which seemed odd, all things considered.
Well, not signing Kepa ia going well
Dare I say, Madrid in the final would be lovely.
I didn't know Muniain had another ACL injury recently, he came on as sub just a couple of minutes ago. seems like he's gonna follow Etxeberria's path rather than going for big money somewhere. he certainly looked good enough for that in those two games against us.
This is just a ploy to fool Bayern, guys. Nothing else. Seriously.
Ronaldo with the flick on a Modric shot - 1:1.
Winning goal comming up in 97th minute? From non existing penalty?
Marcelo is playing on right wing
Bale with another horrible cameo.
Must be hard for Real to play these meaningless games
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It's a meaningless games for them. They have only 3 important games for the rest of the season.
Real Madrid couldn't beat my Athletic this season.
Athletic played their best game of the season by far
First half was one of the best of the season. Kepa just a wall. Second half more meh...no idea why he took off Asensio who was our best player by far. Should have won to secure CL qualification...
We don't play on the weekend because sevilla will play the final of the copa, so we should have pushed harder in the second half
First half was one of the best of the season. Kepa just a wall. Second half more meh...no idea why he took off Asensio who was our best player by far. Should have won to secure CL qualification...
We don't play on the weekend because sevilla will play the final of the copa, so we should have pushed harder in the second half
Yeah I hope Aspas will start for us in the WC, Diego Costa is just not good enough technically and I like Rodrigo but Aspas is a better player (I doubt Morata will be called by Lopetegui)
You guys were extremely unlucky, Kepa was the only reason Athletic got a point.
Getafe won thanks to a Remy's brace 
. I thought he was dead
. I thought he was dead Zidane looking very foolish for vetoing Kepa's purchase in January. Young, class keeper. It looks particularly bad, because the accusations of nepotism when his son is a youth team GK won't go away.
Are you permanently a newbie now?Getafe won thanks to a Remy's brace
I don't know, tbh. Not a problem at all
Atletico got smashed 3-0 away to Real Sociedad. Don't get my hopes up, as it's gonna be different next week 
.
Barca only need a win to win the title now.
.Barca only need a win to win the title now.
Isn't it just as meaningless game for them as the Real Madrid game yesterday ?Atletico got smashed 3-0 away to Real Sociedad. Don't get my hopes up, as it's gonna be different next week
Barca only need a win to win the title now.
Think Atletico wants to be ahead of Real in the table. Only 3 points now.
I don't think Madrid clubs will care that much. Real have CL and Atletico EL to worry about and both are more important than finishing ahead of the other in a meaningless league campaign.
After a 2-2 draw with a lot of substitutes, FC Barcelona could be winning the double in the next two weeks if beat Sevilla in the final of Copa del Rey and Deportivo de la Coruña in Riazor.
With a goal in the 93, Málaga to segunda and probably Deportivo too, since they needed a draw or a Málaga victory to keep the distance. In some weeks derby against Celta. It would be terrible to be relegated in Balaídos