Hindsight isn't 2020 - The 2019-20 Season Thread [R]

celito · Nov 12, 2019

Rakitic injured in training with Croatia. Achilles. No bueno. Or bueno depending on how you look at it. Says he is sad of over no playing time at Barca. Dafuq you expect ? Team has to move on. Same shit every year won't take the team forward.

Barto wants to renew with Messi, but Messi says no talks until the end of the season. Probably wants to see how things pan out. Will he hold his contract hostage over bringing Neymar over ? Or is that saga done ? Honestly, I wouldn't mind if we were able to cash out on Messi. As good as he still is, can we build a higher tempo team with him being the central figure ? Him liking the play to be so methodical ? After the many bad expensive signings, the club will need some cash at some point. Is it smart keep him on the team ... not only that, being the central figure after 33 ?

celito · Nov 12, 2019

BocaFan said: ↑

I'll try to put a positive spin on it and say that it can be used to try something new - new tactics, new players. Treat it like a Round of 32 Copa del Rey match. At least for the Atletico match, and then only if both us and LPB win their semifinal (unlikely) then strengthen the team for the one match final.

At least the CdR is now only 1-leg per round, plus the 4 teams competing in the super cup get a bye in the first CdR round.
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I am going to guess there are strings attached with the Saudi money. As in, you have to play your first team.

FootInside · Nov 13, 2019

Did you see the club's fourth new jersey yesterday?

A blood and gold jersey in homage to its Catalan roots, to the senyera, and to its 120 years of history.

I saw it on this website https://www.foot-inside.fr/fc-barcelone-quatrieme-maillot-nike-saison-2019-2020/

I think it closely resembles the outer jersey already unveiled a few weeks ago.

BocaFan · Nov 13, 2019

Dembele, Roberto, Perez can't break-down Cartagena? smh

TitoTata · Nov 13, 2019

I’d go in for this guy at Christmas..

celito · Nov 18, 2019

Abidal has gotten some heat for saying in his recent interview that Valverde's future at Barca depends on Valverde himself (if he wants to stay after this season). But he also said his future depends on results. Everything else about Valverde is standard "we support the manager" talk. People shouldn't expect the club to publicly criticize the current coach.

One thing that does bother me though is his comment about Griezmann. It could be standard talk as well, but thinking that the reason Griezmann hasn't been effective so far is just because of difficult adaptation to the Barca way of playing is worrisome. Since the rumors started about Griezmann, everyone with a little bit of knowledge brought up concerns about how he would fit into the team. I think Barca got fooled into thinking he would fit like Neymar. Remember most people had questions about how Neymar and Messi would play together and also when Suarez was added. But Neymar was a more versatile player IMO.

Forzabarca · Nov 20, 2019

Not that I like it but Bartomeu should look at Levy, EV should be sacked!

celito · Nov 22, 2019

Valverde on Pique ...

"Si está en condiciones o no (para jugar) lo veremos luego en la lista", señaló de entrada. Reconoció que lo ha comentado con él: "Esta semana he hablado con él al respecto de las cosas que hacen fuera del fútbol. Curiosamente se habla de los futbolistas que si no hacen cosas fuera del fútbol, y después cuando las hacen... He hablado con él de esto. Si lo veo centrado y bien, jugará y si no jugará otro", sentenció.

celito · Nov 22, 2019

Dani Morer (RB) and Ronaldo Araujo (CB) from the B team have been included included in the squad list for this weekend. Arthur and Lenglet left out.

Santxo Santxo · Nov 22, 2019

Hi all - I'm really sorry for posting to this thread about an unrelated topic, but I'm a new member to the forum and it looks like I don't have permissions to start a new thread. I'm trying to find out how to get tickets for the Supercopa matches in Saudi Arabia. Does anyone know? I've looked at the each of the 4 participating clubs' websites but the tickets are not on sale. The Spanish Football Federation site doesn't have anything either. Thank you in advance for any information. Regards, Santxo.

BocaFan · Nov 22, 2019

Santxo Santxo said: ↑

Hi all - I'm really sorry for posting to this thread about an unrelated topic, but I'm a new member to the forum and it looks like I don't have permissions to start a new thread. I'm trying to find out how to get tickets for the Supercopa matches in Saudi Arabia. Does anyone know? I've looked at the each of the 4 participating clubs' websites but the tickets are not on sale. The Spanish Football Federation site doesn't have anything either. Thank you in advance for any information. Regards, Santxo.
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I think its still too early. Even for Barca members the tickets are not on sale yet. I'm not sure why not - its only 6 weeks away. But I suspect they should go on sale any day now.

Santxo Santxo · Nov 22, 2019

Ok, thanks. I'll continue to monitor the club sites. Cheers.

Danko · Nov 25, 2019

Wednesday match vs. Dortmund is virtually a must-win and hope the players approach it as such. If we draw here and then lose @Inter in matchday 6 which is a very tough place to play and totally plausible we're likely going to be in the Europa league.

celito · Nov 25, 2019

Danko said: ↑

Wednesday match vs. Dortmund is virtually a must-win and hope the players approach it as such. If we draw here and then lose @Inter in matchday 6 which is a very tough place to play and totally plausible we're likely going to be in the Europa league.
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I am not aware of Dortmund's form at the moment, but I don't have a great feeling about this game.

unclesox · Nov 25, 2019

Dortmund are currently 6th in the Bundesliga tabelle.

Sep 22: 2:2 (A) Eintracht Frankfurt (currently 10th)
Sep 28: 2:2 (H) Werder Bremen (14)
Oct 5 : 2:2 (A) Freiburg (4)
Oct 19: 1:0 (H) Borussia Mönchengladbach (1)
Oct 23: 0:2 (A) Inter Milan (UCL)
Oct 26: 0:0 (A) Schalke (5)
Oct 30: 2:1 (H) Borussia Mönchengladbach (DFB-Pokal)
Nov 2 : 3:0 (H) Wolfsburg (7)
Nov 5: 3:2 (H) Inter Milan (UCL)
Nov 9 : 0:4 (A) Bayern Munich (3)
Nov 22: 3:3 (H) Paderborn (18 = bottom)
Nov 27: ??? (A) FC Barcelona (UCL)

BocaFan · Nov 25, 2019

^ IOW, terrible form. No excuse for Barca.

Pretty interesting group though - even though its only Matchday 5, three of the teams must be thinking that Wednesday is must-win, and the other (Dortmund) are probably thinking its a must-not-lose.

Of course someone (at least one) is gonna get away with not winning/drawing their "must-win/must-draw" match and still advance.

celito · Nov 25, 2019

unclesox said: ↑

Dortmund are currently 6th in the Bundesliga tabelle.

Sep 22: 2:2 (A) Eintracht Frankfurt (currently 10th)
Sep 28: 2:2 (H) Werder Bremen (14)
Oct 5 : 2:2 (A) Freiburg (4)
Oct 19: 1:0 (H) Borussia Mönchengladbach (1)
Oct 23: 0:2 (A) Inter Milan (UCL)
Oct 26: 0:0 (A) Schalke (5)
Oct 30: 2:1 (H) Borussia Mönchengladbach (DFB-Pokal)
Nov 2 : 3:0 (H) Wolfsburg (7)
Nov 5: 3:2 (H) Inter Milan (UCL)
Nov 9 : 0:4 (A) Bayern Munich (3)
Nov 22: 3:3 (H) Paderborn (18 = bottom)
Nov 27: ??? (A) FC Barcelona (UCL)
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Lucky they aren't doing that great then. But matchups can be key. We all know league form doesn't always translate to CL form.

Danko · Nov 25, 2019

Dortmund is the kind of team you can definitely put some goals past but they are also pretty threatening going forward so it evens out. Like I said, getting merely a draw out of this game is very risky and a loss makes it really desparate.

BocaFan · Nov 25, 2019

Danko said: ↑

Dortmund is the kind of team you can definitely put some goals past but they are also pretty threatening going forward so it evens out. Like I said, getting merely a draw out of this game is very risky and a loss makes it really desparate.
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A draw is just as bad as a loss, the way things are set up. Unless Slavia do us a favor and get a draw.

celito · Nov 25, 2019

Pep saying winning the EPL this season is not that important. That we are creating a culture of depressed people for not valuing anything but winning.

Same guy who behind the scenes was shown being obsessed with breaking the EPL point total even after clinching the title a couple of seasons ago.

celito · Nov 25, 2019

Zidane saying he is in love with Mbappe on the eve of a clash with PSG.

But hey, they are buddy / buddy clubs, respect each other and all that ...

Danko · Nov 25, 2019

BocaFan said: ↑

A draw is just as bad as a loss, the way things are set up. Unless Slavia do us a favor and get a draw.
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Not really. A loss is still worse. If we lose we probably have to outright win at San Siro to progress.

JoCryuff98 · Nov 25, 2019

Pep is just butthurt that he got exposed and his L against Klopp. He couldn’t even win CL with such a great team LOL.

Danko · Nov 25, 2019

BocaFan said: ↑

A draw is just as bad as a loss, the way things are set up. Unless Slavia do us a favor and get a draw.
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Never mind. I don't know what I was saying. A draw or a loss on Wednesday is all the same. A win would clinch first in the group though and we know being first is pretty important for the R16 draw.

BocaFan · Nov 25, 2019

JoCryuff98 said: ↑

Pep is just butthurt that he got exposed and his L against Klopp. He couldn’t even win CL with such a great team LOL.
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Meh, you're trying too hard.

Last season was probably the only one where City had one of the top 2 teams in Europe. Pep's first 2 seasons there, they were just one of 7 or 8 contenders.