Chronic underinvestment over the last 5 years and the inflation of prices for star players. They can't simply go and buy the Hazards, Salahs anymore so they've become like everyone else.
La Liga 2018/19
- Thread starter jojojo
- Start date
So glad they signed Courtois.
Curse you, VAR! Offside.
It's not the only reason. They technically could buy Hazard, they have a lot of money, but Real Madrid thinks they shouldn't have to pay that much since they're the great Real Madrid and just try to let players start a conflict with their current club so the price drops. Chelsea did cave for Courtois but not for Hazard. They'd try the same thing with Neymar/Mbappé if Perez didn't have business interests in Qatar. Add on top of that an aging modric, a Marcelo who decided that defending wasn't his job at all anymore (even less than before), you have the perfect reciepe for a disaster.
Asensio was also largely overrated and he seems to have a pretty inflated ego.
Banter first half
Madrid have shown they're not affraid to overpay in the past under Perez.
I think the board is just obsessed with the stadium project and have been saving up and getting the wage numbers in control so they can make the Bernabeu best stadium in the world. Personally I think there's a lot of Florentino's ego put on that, he's won 5 UCL titles and done a lot for the club, but everyone knows the name Santiago Bernabeu in the stadium will stay forever, so his best chance at leaving a bigger impact in the club history is to "associate" his name to the stadium by leaving something impressive and a legacy in club philosophy that lasts after his departure, hence the weird Lopetegui signing to nurture a style of football and the focus on young players.
from the BBC
Real Madrid are now experiencing the longest goal drought in their history. They have not scored in 464 minutes - the previous record was in April 1985
Real Madrid are now experiencing the longest goal drought in their history. They have not scored in 464 minutes - the previous record was in April 1985
Real Madrid are just going to have to hope they're somehow still in a title race come christmas (given everyone else is dropping points) and splash the cash in the January transfer window.
This is pretty great. I now doubt they'll even score, let alone come back completely.
There is a slight chance I jinxed that one.
Real Madrid lose 2-1 at home to Levante
So how long does Lopetegui have left?
If they get humiliated at the Clasico next week he can't long left?
If they get humiliated at the Clasico next week he can't long left?
Surely Real have to act now because this is worse than under Benitez. The team are just going nowhere.
Who on earth would they bring in?
Conte seems like an obvious candidate.
Asensio is a quality footballer.
Lucas is a decent squad player. Resigning Mariano was crazy though.
If Sevilla defeats Barcelona tonight this could be the most interesting Liga since 2014 or even 2003 and 2004.
Mariano is the only one of the 3 playing well right now
Another 3 posts in this game, a ton of wasted chances, and it's ultimately impossible to win football games if you play without the CBs. Varane needs a holiday, and Sergio needs to wake up
Still we weren't bad today. Not good, but a big improvement over the last few games. Unsurprisingly, Marcelo comes back and we start playing football
Think Barca will probably win tonight, and if they do and follow that up with a Clasico win they'll go 7 points ahead of Madrid.
A 7 point lead even in October would be an automatic death sentence against the vast majority of Barcelona sides in the past 10-15 years, but this Barcelona team, I'm still not sure.
For me Real Madrid have to got keep it within 5-6 points come January, have a new manager in place, spend big, and then who knows?
Remember Real Madrid were absolutely miles behind when Zidane took over in January and then only finished 1 point behind and nearly won the damn league. That was a better Barca team too.
A 7 point lead even in October would be an automatic death sentence against the vast majority of Barcelona sides in the past 10-15 years, but this Barcelona team, I'm still not sure.
For me Real Madrid have to got keep it within 5-6 points come January, have a new manager in place, spend big, and then who knows?
Remember Real Madrid were absolutely miles behind when Zidane took over in January and then only finished 1 point behind and nearly won the damn league. That was a better Barca team too.
No need to rush. Lopetegui needs January to get some signing. Sacking the coach would only bring instability.
If we have opted for him we must give him time to implement his philosophy,his style.
Our options in the league and champions are still completely open.
We knew it was a transitional season, so let's assume the situation and calm down.
I'm kidding!, I'd say he'll be sacked tomorrow or Monday morning.
There was talk of Laudrup and Blanc but it seems that Conte is the most obvious option
If we have opted for him we must give him time to implement his philosophy,his style.
Our options in the league and champions are still completely open.
We knew it was a transitional season, so let's assume the situation and calm down.
I'm kidding!, I'd say he'll be sacked tomorrow or Monday morning.
There was talk of Laudrup and Blanc but it seems that Conte is the most obvious option
You take Conte so we can have Blanc.
I think it’s going to end up that way regardless if Barca win today.
I fancy Atletico to win it again this year and that the other teams like Sevilla will be closer to the top this season. Maybe even Real come 4th.
A quality footballer? Maybe, he plays like sh*t for a while now. He was supposed to be a big hit, best left foot since Messi according to Zidane, boy wonder, big revelation of the world cup according to his own words and so far I think he scored once in 10 games.
And I was talking about the whole attack front as a whole, it's very average for Real Madrid.
Apparently, Real will announce Lopetgui's firing tonight or tomorrow (a couple of credible journalists mentionned that on twitter, I can't paste the links though since i'm a new member).
Just randomly checked the La Liga table... what the heck is going on there?
Alaves 1st, Barca and Real 3rd and 5th? LOL!
I know Alaves have 1 more game played than Sevilla, Barca and Atletico, but still!
Alaves 1st, Barca and Real 3rd and 5th? LOL!
I know Alaves have 1 more game played than Sevilla, Barca and Atletico, but still!
Valencia draw 1-1 with Leganes. 7th time in 9 games that they have drawn
If they work for the Daily Mirror don't believe a word of it.
If Barca can't take advantage of yet another Madrid slip up, they might as well both just say Atletico, you can just have the title this year and we'll try again next season.
Barca - Sevilla in 25 minutes:
FC Barcelona
ter Stegen - Alba, Lenglet, Piqué, Semedo - Busquets, Arthur, Rakitic - Messi, Suàrez, Coutinho
Cillessen, Chumi, Roberto, Vidal, Rafinha, Dembélé, Munir
FC Sevilla:
Ben Yedder - Silva
Vazquez - Sarabia
Banega
Arana - Gomez - Kjaer - Carrico - Navas
Vaclik
Bank: Soriano, Mercado, Vidal, Mesa, Promes, Nolito, Muriel
FC Barcelona
ter Stegen - Alba, Lenglet, Piqué, Semedo - Busquets, Arthur, Rakitic - Messi, Suàrez, Coutinho
Cillessen, Chumi, Roberto, Vidal, Rafinha, Dembélé, Munir
FC Sevilla:
Ben Yedder - Silva
Vazquez - Sarabia
Banega
Arana - Gomez - Kjaer - Carrico - Navas
Vaclik
Bank: Soriano, Mercado, Vidal, Mesa, Promes, Nolito, Muriel
Malcom again in the stands
Oh well, that took long..
Sky had this in their live commentary thread.
19:33
MALCOM TO LEAVE BARCA?
Summer signing Malcom could well be on his way out of the Nou Camp in January, according to Spanish paper Sport.
The Brazilian, who looked set to join Roma before Barcelona swooped with a last-minute offer, has struggled to break into Valverde's first-team squad.
Inter Milan are believed to be interested and he remains a Tottenham and Arsenal transfer target.
Donde está Vinicius?
What a goal, that Messi pass.
Well its looking fun for Julen and Floren the dynamic duo.
Spicy start to this match, Barca score early and then Sevilla hit the post 
Messi in decline huh ?
He's done.
His 32nd goal vs Sevilla. How does one achieve that against one team
He makes everything look so simple.
On a different topic, I can't stand Ray Hudson. I didn't mind his OTT hyperbolic white noise at first but now he's just obnoxious, Bein need to offer a mute option just for Hudson.
On a different topic, I can't stand Ray Hudson. I didn't mind his OTT hyperbolic white noise at first but now he's just obnoxious, Bein need to offer a mute option just for Hudson.