¡Hala Juve! - The 2018-2019 Other Players (and Teams) thread

Rapenaldo is really disrespecting his ex-teammates. The ones who played for him week in week out, especially people like Benzema. I don’t recall a single Real Madrid player being unhappy when Rapenaldo scored.

The whole interview is so absurd— because it was Rapenaldo who got upset countless times when somebody else scored.

He is losing his mind — perhaps because he lost the Ballon D’Or.

 

The irony

 

I’m someone who admires Ronaldo’s ambitious nature and hunger to succeed, but he was pretty much hypocritical in that interview. He seems petty despite what Perez did to ensure that Ronaldo wins the Ballon.

 

Bright side of Brexit?
https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/brexit-could-drastically-change-english-soccer/

Concluding paragraphs:

A large drop in the number of EU/EEA players does not necessarily imply a substantial reduction in terms of the quality of players. The money and allure of the Premier League would still entice elite players to come to play in England, at least for a while. The wealthiest clubs would continue to attract the biggest stars; the rest, on the other hand, would be forced to focus more on the domestic market. Teams often scout for potential in soccer leagues across Europe, but many of those players would no longer be allowed to make the leap. Champions League places would move even further beyond the horizons of most clubs, and “near miracles” such as Leicester’s fairytale league win — on the strength of the star turn from Riyad Mahrez,Despite choosing to play for the Algerian national team, Mahrez was born in France and is a French citizen.

On the other hand, some will argue that a drop in foreign recruitment would be a positive thing if it affords greater opportunities to British players. While the situation would be unchanged in terms of top-end recruitment at the elite clubs, even they would be forced to review their recruitment of young players from abroad. Homegrown players might have more of a chance of making it at the highest level.

There is no doubt that the Premier League has benefited enormously from freedom of movement, with the rapid influx of foreign players helping to drive the league’s huge international popularity. But freedom of movement was also a crucial factor in the opposition to continued U.K. membership in the EU. It could well be that one effect of Brexit would be to diminish, perhaps sharply, the number of highly talented European footballers in the Premier League — which could have huge consequences for the future of the sport.

 

Without even checking, CSKA is first team ever to beat LPB twice and still finish last in a group.

(Maybe first time last place team beat first place team twice in any group(?))

 

All the CSKA supporters dressed like Putin, rest of Leonabeu 80% empty. Great scene!

 

they all look like this?

 

^ Pretty much. Just replace the bear with Solari.

 

10 man Ajax draw PK (Boateng with a stupid foul in the box) over 10 man Bayern.

Tadic scores the PK and is on a brace, we could draw Bayern as things stand. Should we be signing a 3rd Ajax player? 4th is Jasper leaves....

DANG - did I jinx it? First one red card leads to another then one PK leads to another, and is converted so one brace leads to another. Upside is that we are back to being able to draw Ajax instead of Bayern.

Possible Barc-AX

Dembele-TADIC-Messi
Arthur-Busquets-DE JONG
Alba-Umtiti-DE LIGT-Semedo
MAtS (but backed by ONANA if Cillessen leaves to start for a club)

And now Coman seals it at 2-3 with a nice curling effort off a bad turnover. Ends a 3-3 draw, Ajax needed the win though.

 

Looks like Mourinho fielding the B team. Ya know, Fred & Pogba, etc.

 

I was looking at the live tables and trying to find a Europa League match worth watching in the 2nd session. While Salzburg did not really have anything to play for, having won the group already, I recalled that they were supported by Red Bull just like RB Leipzig, and thus might feel compelled a bit to seek a result in Scotland (as Celtic advanced with just a point, but could be overtaken on goal difference if RB Leipzig won and Celtic lost, and RB was already winning). Turned it on and boom, Salzburg was attacking and soon scored, so now Celtic (like the Rangers) will be out unless they can equalize or RB Leipzig blow their 1-0 lead to winless and drawless Rosenborg.

Only other bracket of note I see is Betis advancing in first place with a scoreless draw as Olympiakos is beating AC Milan but no longer overtaking them on goal difference as AC Milan got one back to 2-1.

EDIT - switching to Milan v Olympiakos after Celtic keeper just rolled the ball onto the foot of a Salzburg forward who tapped in the gifted ball for a 0-2 lead. Game over.

EDIT - switched to Olympiakos scoring PK, up 3-1, so Milan need a goal or going out on goal difference. Should be a nice last 10 minutes of desperation from AC and Gattuso. No chance to see Yaya Toure (just waived/released from contract by Oly), but Alen Halilovic was just put on as a sub for AC. Meanwhile Betis featured 3 ex-Barca: Bartra, Tello, and Kaptuom

Wow - RB Leipzig lets Celtic off the hook allows Rosenborg to get its first point of the entire group stage with an equalizer.

IN THE END: early somewhat top favorites Milan OUT & RB Leipzig OUT (so Celtic advance), all 3 Spanish teams advance and are joined by Valencia from CL. All 4 might win, but Chelsea, Arsenal, Napoli, and Inter will be formidable among others.

 

You can't just let it be can you..

 

Half year mark, and Refdrid has improved:

17-18 4th, group second, r16
18-19 4th, group winner, r16

 

What will he blame that on?