The Importance of Being Ernesto - The 2017-2018 Season thread [R]

Discussion in 'Barcelona' started by Viscaelbarca, Jul 15, 2017.

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  1. inswinger

    inswinger Moderator
    Staff Member

    May 17, 2001
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    Any league would welcome Barça over. And a Catalan premier league wouldn't be viable. So Barça stands to have a lot of leverage in where they will compete.

    The other possibility is that an independent Catalonia pushes UEFA to reform the CL as a European premier league...
     
  2. celito

    celito Moderator
    Staff Member

    Palmeiras
    Brazil
    Feb 28, 2005
    USA
    Club:
    Palmeiras Sao Paulo
    Nat'l Team:
    Brazil
    Other than political bitterness, I don't see why they wouldn't stay in La Liga. If they are going to play in a foreign league, might as well play where they have been playing. Unless as you said, an European league is created, which I am against.
     
  3. Gilmango

    Gilmango Member+

    Jul 20, 2006
    San Francisco, CA
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    As I understand it, if Spanish central government even lets elections go forward, the vote will be nonbinding, even if it is for independence, and independence is unlikely to follow (unlikely to be allowed by Spain if the vote takes place and independence wins). So then you have a vote which is ignored, leading to either (1) negotiations allowing greater autonomy, (2) nothing - no concessions, or (3) civil war. I don't expect the latter, and short of that, I don't see Barca playing anywhere else but La Liga.

    And, even if central government of Spain in Madrid allowed Catalonia to be independent, there would still be all kinds of cooperation (just think of the roads, trains, electrical grid, etc. which would be shared), and similarly Liga would be happy to keep Barca, Espanyol, Girona, etc. So even in the unlikely allowance of independence, I still don't see Barca playing anywhere else. Just look at how Wales competes in England's league as an example, or Monaco in Ligue.

    I am also opposed to a super league to the exclusion of competing in national leagues.
     
  4. BocaFan

    BocaFan Member+

    Aug 18, 2003
    Queens, NY
    Those examples are very different, however. England letting Swansea City play in the English leagues is more like if Espanyol stayed in La Liga after separation. That I could see happening.

    FC Barcelona OTOH has always represented the region. It would be hard to back-up all the "mes que un club" stuff if, after the people voted to want to leave Spain, the football club clung on to Spain like flies on shit.

    But, yeah, independence is still quite unlikely so this is a pretty hypothetical discussion.
     
  5. Gilmango

    Gilmango Member+

    Jul 20, 2006
    San Francisco, CA
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  6. condor11

    condor11 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Apr 2, 2002
    New Zealand
    surely you just cant choose which league to join...dont you need FIFA/UEFA aproval?
     
  7. Forzabarca

    Forzabarca Guest

    Over 90% voted yes and that means Carles Pudig or whatever will declare independence within 48h and create a republic, How that goes remains to be seen. I think it's gonna be infected and affect Barca in a very negative way.
     
  8. condor11

    condor11 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Apr 2, 2002
    New Zealand
    what was the voter turnout?
     
  9. Forzabarca

    Forzabarca Guest

    Reports say roughly 2.3 million, 40%. Quite a lot even if the police stopped massive numbers.
     
  10. BocaFan

    BocaFan Member+

    Aug 18, 2003
    Queens, NY
    The Franco-ish tactics by Spain backfired in so many ways. The No people are probably much less likely to risk injury/death to reach a ballot box. I wouldn't be surprised if the "real" number is quite a bit less than 90% (but obviously still more than 50%)
     
  11. Forzabarca

    Forzabarca Guest

    Never imagined this could happen in 2017 in Spain after what that country went through. It shows that if this is possible that anything is possible and with that I mean LPB and Madrid corruption in La Liga.
     
  12. afar

    afar Member+

    Apr 26, 2007
    From goal.com:

    PIQUE: An IQ of more than 140 and Harvard educated ---


    This is an intelligent man - he has an IQ of more than 140 (genius level) - who puts great thought into what he says and does.

    He can be impulsive, of course - we have seen that on the field and off it, through his social media activity - but he is literally a student of the game, having taken a course in 'The business of Entertainment, Media and Sports' at Harvard University, alongside other elite athletes such as CJ McCollum, Jamie Heaslip, Alisson Feaster and Rashean Mathis.

    He learned many lessons during his course but the importance of being able to communicate clearly with colleagues was hammered home to him - hence his criticism of Rajoy for his inability to speak English, the international language of business.

    After all, it was he and his wife Shakira who, according to Barca vice-president Manuel Arroyo, “laid some of the foundations” for the club’s sponsorship deal with Rakuten during a dinner with senior figures from the company in 2015, while Pique also counts Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg amongst his associates.

    Pique is a polarising figure in Spanish football yet is not a divisive character by nature. Indeed, during a recent case study on FC Barcelona that he presented to over 180 Harvard students last month, he preached inclusion not exclusion. He wants to open the club up to the world, not take it away from anyone.

    Balance was key, he explained, underlining the need to "recognize our obligation to embrace our global reach while, at the same time, maintaining a strong base of local supporters, which is, and always will be, with us, even when times are tough."

    As Pique acknowledged, Barca is, always has been, and always will be "more than just a club" for its Catalan supporters, a means of expression and a form of identity.

    “The most important thing is not the sports performance of today’s youth, but rather the added value of letting them get to know the club and what it is they represent," he reasoned.
     
  13. morrissey

    morrissey Moderator
    Staff Member

    Feb 18, 2000
    West Los Angeles, Calif
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Damn. Pique might be the only man on earth to deserve a woman like Shakira.

    james
     
    condor11 repped this.
  14. bronx_bull

    bronx_bull Member

    Sep 23, 2004
    Shakira's mom comes from a catalan family,Messi's paternal grandmom also
     
  15. inswinger

    inswinger Moderator
    Staff Member

    May 17, 2001
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    unclesox repped this.
  16. celito

    celito Moderator
    Staff Member

    Palmeiras
    Brazil
    Feb 28, 2005
    USA
    Club:
    Palmeiras Sao Paulo
    Nat'l Team:
    Brazil
    I am hearing today that Suarez is playing through pain and may need some knee surgery.
     
  17. Gilmango

    Gilmango Member+

    Jul 20, 2006
    San Francisco, CA
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I saw something about having a cyst removed from his knee, planned for the next international break (when Uruguay will only play friendlies) so that he misses a minimum of Barca matches. URU coach says no problem (but he said that before it was known whether his team would need to do a playoff to qualify, now they don't): http://www.espnfc.com/uruguay/story...need-knee-surgery-uruguay-coach-oscar-tabarez

    Earlier reports said he'd have it in November during break but only miss as little as 3 weeks: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...iker-Luis-Suarez-needs-surgery-knee-cyst.html
     
  18. TitoTata

    TitoTata Member+

    Jun 26, 2014
    His days are numbered .

    Crazy line ups and daft substitutions ...
     
  19. MavadoDribblez

    MavadoDribblez Member+

    Feb 7, 2008
    Ontario
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    How does everyone expect managers to get to know their best starting 11s, without some trial and error? Pep would have been fired last season in the EPL if it were up to some of you. Let's give managers a chance to settle in and get to know the squad.
     
    jfcule, evil_allan, unclesox and 2 others repped this.
  20. Forzabarca

    Forzabarca Guest

    He hasn't won shit yet!

    City always starts with a bang then they start to shake a bit. Let's see if they can hold off this year.
     
  21. BocaFan

    BocaFan Member+

    Aug 18, 2003
    Queens, NY
    I'd be thinking to just have the surgery now and have him come back fit in Mid-November. Why postpone the inevitable?!

    Yeah, they started last season with 6 straight league wins. Still... this season feels a bit different. If De Bruyne stays healthy its difficult to see how anyone in England will stop them.

    What is the record for most goals by a team in an EPL season?
     
  22. unclesox

    unclesox BigSoccer Supporter

    Mar 8, 2003
    209, California
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    103 by 2009-10 Chelsea
     
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  23. Gilmango

    Gilmango Member+

    Jul 20, 2006
    San Francisco, CA
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    #348 Gilmango, Oct 23, 2017
    Last edited: Oct 23, 2017
    During training this Sunday, Valverde had seven players from the reserve side under his control: Jose Arnaiz, Carles Alena, Marc Cucurella, Oriol Busquets, Vitinho, Carles Perez and Adrian Ortola.

    All ready for the start of their Copa del Rey campaign in Murcia at 9.30pm CET on Tuesday. The reigning champions visit the Nueva Condomina Stadium nine years after their last match in the 2007/08 season. The blaugranas head into the first leg of the round of 32 looking to win the Copa del Rey for the fourth year in a row.

    For this match, Ernesto Valverde won’t be able to call on the injured Aleix Vidal and Arda. Moreover, Jordi Alba, Rafinha and Dembélé continue their recovery from their injuries. It is also worth noting the blaugrana coach has decided to rest seven first team players: Ter Stegen, Umtiti, Sergio, Iniesta, Paulinho, Messi and Luis Suárez.

    As Múrcia are in Division 2B they are not able to take more than 16 players as there are only five substitutes. Therefore, the list of 16 players called up for Tuesday’s match is: Cillessen, A. Ortolá (31), N. Semedo, Piqué, I. Rakitic, Denis Suárez, Mascherano, Deulofeu, Paco Alcácer, Digne, S. Roberto, André Gomes, Vermaelen, Aleñá (26), Cucurella (36), Jose Arnaiz (37).

    Final session before Copa del Rey debut
    The available first team players trained on the Tito Vilanova pitch at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper in their final session before the trip to Múrcia. Jordi Alba worked out with the rest of the group for the first time since his injury in training last Tuesday. Barça B players Ortolá, Cucurella, Oriol Busquets, Aleñá, Vitinho, Carles Pérez and Arnáiz also took part. The blaugranas will travel on Tuesday morning to Nueva Condomina, where they will face a motivated team in a tough away match for Ernesto Valverde’s men.

    Prediction:
    Jasper
    Semedo-Verm-Masch-Digne
    Denis-Roberto-Alena
    Deulofeu-Paco-Arnaiz

    Sub on Cucurella for Digne and two Barca B players will get their official debuts (Alena has already played with the big squad).

    EDIT - who am I kidding, of course Gomes will get to start, moving Denis up, and meaning Arnaiz comes on as a sub only.
     
  24. unclesox

    unclesox BigSoccer Supporter

    Mar 8, 2003
    209, California
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    I'm guessing that unlike the Champions League where yellow card suspensions do NOT carry over into the following season, they do carry over in the Copa del Rey. Remember Denis Cheryshev?
    Assuming that is the case, in last season's final against Alaves both Messi and Umtiti were booked, the third yellow of the tournament for each. This would mean that they should be suspended for this season's Round of 32 first leg away to Murcia. (?)
     
  25. Viscaelbarca

    Viscaelbarca Moderator
    Staff Member

    Barcelona
    Spain
    Aug 31, 2007
    MELT01
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    Can someone please start the CDR match thread? I am unable to do this one! Sorry about the late notice.
     

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