Menos Mal - The 2025-26 OTT

I just remembered that they already played this season.

 

Newcastle loses again - this time to Everton at home. They are really tanking in the league and have no chance for top 5/CL qualification.

Their season basically rides on the FA Cup and that UCL matchup with Barca. Fortunately, they play Man City in the FA Cup the weekend before the first leg. I don't think their fans will accept it if they field a weakened side and rest up for Barca, whereas if it was a EPL match they might have.

 

Looks like this wish will come true. Can't see int'l football being played in Qatar anytime soon.

 

I'm, like, shocked, SHOCKED that the first winner of the "FIFA Peace Award " would sanction acts of warfare against another nation, in order to, like, make people forget about alleged acts of sexual assault against children.

(Was that believable?)


All that said, as a matter of players on the club I support not wasting their time on international duty, for a made-up trophy, for a corrupt organization like FIFA, I'm pleased.

Club >>>>>>>> County. My club >>>>>>>> stupid international friendlies. Fvkc FIFA in the ear, turn em around, then fvkc em in the other ear.

 

Something something something Negreira.

Something something something that should have been a PK in favor of madrid.

 

Great result at the Bernabeu. Especially as Barca's next La Liga match can be a tricky one (at San Mames). This gives some much-appreciated breathing space.

 

The best part is the title of the thread (that he started). "
Would you pick up a free $68,000 lying on the ground?"

Actually, those (1.34) were not great odds given LPB have been quite reliant on one player this season and that player is injured now (along with several other players).

 

In addition to their other suspended and injured players, LPB has this to look forward to:

https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/fo...st-real-madrid-champions-league-b1273308.html

But, justice would only be served if Rudiger is suspended for a good 10 games. Every time I re-watched his knee stomp, it looks worse. It wasn't in any way a football play, this was an attempt to maim his opponent.

Barring that, I wouldn't feel bad if something bad were to happen to Rudiger and his team mates, to balance karma in the universe.

 

There seems to be a good opportunity for Barca to jump well out front in La Liga title race this month. I know it depends on outside help, but they've been getting it lately and LPB has tricky fixtures coming up.

 

Diego Rico, on Rudiger's knee to his face:

"If it had been the other way around, they would've slapped me with a 10 game ban and I wouldn't have played for the rest of the season. So I don't know what the VAR is even for. I think it's meant for situations like this.

It's an assault. Everyone knows full well he's doing it on purpose. The previous play, we'd had a bit of a scuffle that the ref calls a foul, and on his way back to defense he's mouthing off, and then the very next play the ball comes my way and you can see how he even shoves his teammate aside to smash me in the face, and if he'd caught me wrong, he could've left me unconscious on the turf right there."

 

Now, I usually don't like to comment on the officiating in most cases. I understand that it's a tough job, and sometimes calls are missed, even the VAR gets it wrong on a play decided by millimeters.

But what Rudiger did was NOT a football play. He wasn't trying to win the ball, he wasn't trying to shoulder-charge a man off the ball.

For me, these non-footballing actions that are just an attempt to injure an opponent cannot be missed by the VAR. (Even a ref can lose a sight line of an incident, or the linesman be on the opposite side of the pitch. )

I dont know why Rudiger isn't suspended and fined, but then, I don't know why the VAR isn't also suspended and fined.

Missing a close action footballing play can be down to human error. But ignoring an assault is reckless incompetence by the refs and VAR, and THAT'S call for them to explain themselves, then be fined and suspended as well.

 

Looks like the Finalissima is back on. Maybe. Just a different venue (hopefully not North America). Bernabeu would make most sense IMO.

 

BOOO!!!!

At least have it the Camp Nou, so Messi can play a competitive game there.

But I'm still hoping for the FIFA Flu.

 

Oh, I know. I just don't GAF about FIFA lining their corrupt pockets with more ticket sales for a made-up trophy.

And I'd rather that Messi have a chance for one more match at his proper home.

But above all else, I'm not interested in seeing any Barça player play in this thing.

 

Deflected 94th minute winner? That blows!

Valverde saves Madrid's arses so often.

 

how the hell was this not a foul ?!? , that second goal shouldn't have been allowed , officials blind when it comes to LPB as usual ...

 

Not sure, but they did move the Athletic - Barca match from Sunday to Saturday when it was learned Barca would play CL next Tuesday. Maybe that led to LPB being moved to Friday, though Barca and Madrid often play on the same day.