Activate Another Lever and Still Lose to a Madrid Remontada - The Small Teams Thread

not to snitch but this dude is GUILTY pic.twitter.com/lTko5GSaLP https://t.co/cXkcqZ2Ihw

— L (@Iewdawg) May 23, 2024

 

The thread that I'd pull on here is related to experience which is the pressure, did he change because he felt like he needed to guarantee success or control the outcome. I think that's a mistake, the players are all professionals and the manager is there to give them the tools and feedback so the players make the best decisions in the moment but micromanaging or controlling them is mistake. I'm really curious if Xabi knows why he's been so successful in such a limited amount of time because that's us what matters.

 

I was never a fan of Paqueta. His absence from football won't change shit for me. Overrated and boring player.

 

Honestly, WHU should sue Paqueta if he's found guilty. He's cost them a lot in transfer fee and wages. And spot fixing like that can influence results too. Say he gets intentional yellow for betting money and later in the game there's a great counter attack for the opposition.

Lucas gets red if he does tactical foul and if he doesn't foul, opposition could take advantage and score. So getting intentional yellow can have consequences in terms of match results. He's cheating his team.

 

So rules are somewhat complicated with new CL qulaification format. If Atalanta finish 3rd or 4th, no CL for 6th placed Roma. But if Atalanta finishes 5th, Roma will get CL spot. Atlanta will be 3rd if they win remaining two homes games in Serie A.

Thanks to UEFA’s newly introduced European Performance Spots, Italy and Germany secured an extra place into the expanded tournament—awarding an additional place to a team finishing outside the top four in Serie A.

Though, this extra fifth slot does not factor into the qualification for any Europa League winner. As a result, Roma would qualify for the Champions League if Atalanta finish fifth in the Serie A table.

However, this wouldn’t be the case if Gian Piero Gasperini’s side leapfrog Bologna or Juventus in the table. Should that happen, the Giallorossi would participate in the Europa League next season.

https://romapress.net/atalanta-win-...mas-hopes-for-champions-league-qualification/

 

How is Spain not granted extra spots? Spanish teams have done stellarly in both UEFA competitions?

 

Spanish teams didn't do well in Europa League and Conference League. Spain in 2023-24 are 4th in UEFA coefficient rankings behind Italy, Germany and England. So Italy and Germany got 5th CL spots.

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Chelsea to ask Leicester for permission to speak to Enzo Maresca. Seen as strong contender for job. Kieran McKenna still in running #cfchttps://t.co/ynBoJtr8Lu

— Jacob Steinberg (@JacobSteinberg) May 23, 2024

 

Europa-



UCL-



Both the UCL and Europa League are dominated by Spain?

 

Paqueta you silly sausage. He was desperate for it. 🤣 https://t.co/ywa5sc2b14 pic.twitter.com/yR221aoUoH

— Jay (@JayVtid) May 23, 2024

Extra spot not given based on historical performance. It's based on who scored most coefficient points in 2023-24 season. Just like PL, La Liga and every other league teams qualify for European places based on that season's performace rather than historical.

 

Thomas Tuchel the frontrunner for Manchester United if Ten Hag sacked

https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...as-tuchel-manchester-united-if-ten-hag-sacked

 

Stadium looks mostly empty. If CR7 brand can't bring in local crowd, people just not interested in domestic league.

قول لنصر

📽️- تابع الحساب الأساسي : @NFCStudio1

💛
#النصر_الرياض | #AlNassrAlRiyadh
#CristianoRonaldo
#CR7𓃵
#رونالدو_نصراوي
#Ronaldo pic.twitter.com/yejViKOgYZ

— تغطية لمباريات النصر V (@xx76668329) May 23, 2024

 

Wasn't all that impressed with Maresca this season tbh

 

The Guardian says McKenna prefers Utd job if they offer him:

Chelsea have notified Ipswich of their interest in McKenna but Brighton want him to replace De Zerbi. Sources close to McKenna, whose release clause is about £4m, believe the 38-year-old would favour United if they ask him to replace Erik ten Hag. Ipswich are desperate to hold on to their manager and have offered him a lucrative new deal.

Sky Sports:

Kieran McKenna: Manchester United meet with representatives of Ipswich boss amid Chelsea interest

https://www.skysports.com/football/...tatives-of-ipswich-boss-amid-chelsea-interest

 

I was wondering why his name sounds so familiar and just realized he was a protagonist in a famous Madrid remontada.

2007, Real Madrid vs Sevilla where my strongest memory is an inspired 2nd half substitute performance by Guti - 2 absolutely world class passes to set up van Nistelrooy and then Robinho to overturn a first half worldie by…Enzo Maresca

Another fun fact I recently realized - when we lost on penalties to Bayern in 2012 with Cristiano, Kaka, and Ramos all missing; most people remember that Kroos started for Bayern that game. But interestingly, Bayern’s first penalty was scored by a teenage David Alaba!

 

March 2023 Tweet.

I find it very strange that Paqueta is 8/11 to be booked today

A player with only 3 yellow cards this season is ODDS ON to be booked for West Ham today.

Surely there is something going on there?#EPL #WHUFC #betting

— Rob (@alwaysagooner83) March 12, 2023

 

Barcelona will drop the women's basketball team from the league due to financial issues. Having the team in the top category costs about 500,000 euros a year.

— @COPE pic.twitter.com/2n5r9a8QXJ

— Barça Universal (@BarcaUniversal) May 23, 2024

 

So when will the NBA drop the WNBA?

 

This is more expensive than Metropolitano stadium that cost 300 ME to build.

🚨 Atlético Madrid will make an investment of €365m for the first phase of the sports city they are building.

The investment is to develop five plots, two of which are municipal, covering 265,000 square meters, along with over 380,000 square meters of green areas, within the… pic.twitter.com/yZwMmtdC6b

— Atletico Universe (@atletiuniverse) May 23, 2024

‼️ JUST IN: Álvaro Morata is considering RETURNING to Italy with the option of Juventus on the table.

Not playing for the past month has displeased him, and he is discussing with his family the possibility of returning to Turin.

At Atlético Madrid, they currently see him more… pic.twitter.com/1tgxJsWKXh

— Atletico Universe (@atletiuniverse) May 22, 2024

Oblak's contract ends in 2025. Looks like Atlético will sell him if there's no renewal this summer.

🚨🇸🇮 Atlético Madrid still consider Jan Oblak a key player but won’t stand in his way if he receives an important proposal.

Giorgi Mamardashvili remains on Atlético list in case he leaves. Jan’s situation is open.

[🎖️: @FabrizioRomano] pic.twitter.com/pPGg8HyAmF

— Atletico Universe (@atletiuniverse) May 23, 2024

🚨💰 JUST IN: Atlético Madrid will carry out a capital increase of €70m for the club to be more competitive next season and to fight for all titles.

[🥇: @AS_Picu, @diarioas] pic.twitter.com/vzqka7a7Mc

— Atletico Universe (@atletiuniverse) May 23, 2024

 

#ÚLTIMAHORA

🚨 La Audiencia da la razón al Barça: anula su imputación por cohecho en el “caso Negreira”

🔗https://t.co/VZaRN7aPFs pic.twitter.com/5E2C8ArAzT

— Diario AS (@diarioas) May 24, 2024

🚨 La AUDIENCIA de BARCELONA ANULA la IMPUTACIÓN del BARÇA por cohecho en el 'CASO NEGREIRA'.

❌ JOAN LAPORTA deja de estar INVESTIGADO.

🧐 Continúa la investigación a Josep Maria Bartomeu y Sandro Rosell por otros delitos. pic.twitter.com/aJJz65NIQk

— El Chiringuito TV (@elchiringuitotv) May 24, 2024

No charges against Barca in Negeria case.
Look surprise

 

Just don't want to hear anymore about justice, fairness, etc.

barcelona and Man City have done something worse than any player gambling yet both clubs won't suffer any consequences and are emboldened even more than ever.

Tiresome seeing people in media or online ignore, rationalize or defend the actions of these two clubs then turn around and condemn other smaller institutions or individuals for something miniscule in comparison. Trash people and hypocrites

 

Foden's style is so different from Zidane's. Carragher is such a sourpuss. Zidane himself, R9, Wenger said there's similarities between Bellingham and Zidane's style.

🗣️ Jamie Carragher: “Jude Bellingham is the Real Madrid star but it’s Phil Foden who reminds me of Zinedine Zidane. Bellingham is a phenomenon, yet for me Foden is England’s most naturally-gifted footballer.” @TeleFootball pic.twitter.com/uOWbRrbCMW

— Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) May 24, 2024

 

Xavi sacked as per Fabrizio Romano. Flick as a replacement.

🚨 OFFICIAL: Barcelona statement confirm that Xavi Hernández has been fired. pic.twitter.com/8ClddJqxbb

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) May 24, 2024

 

This whole Xavi saga has been hilarious. Announcing he'd leave, then Laporta asking him to stay after a bunch of good games and victim playing for Araujo red card which was completely deserved for last man foul, blaming ref for Clasico loss.

And then Girona smashes them again and Laporta found the perfect excuse to sack him when Xavi for once told the truth about Barca's financial condition.