European Football Thread

[Fernando]

First topic message reminder :

To be used for discussing European transfers and matches from Anywhere but the PL

La Liga
Bundesliga
Ligue 1
Seria A etc

The Bundesliga & Ligue 1 start today with Big Spenders PSG in Action as are German Champions Bayern Munich

[Dolphin Ziggler]

They've had a manager come in who isnt as tied to the Tiki Taka way as well. The players, as guarded as they are, will see that success has dropped and blame the man who is now taking them away from what they know. A scapegoat. And he's left because of it.

[GSC]

Eh, Martinos sort of taken the flak for Barcas decline, but a few brave decisions needed to be made to change up the side. A fresh approach is needed.

[Guest]

agree, torn hamstring wasn't it. saving himself for WC possibly but hamstrings are difficult to come back from fully at first. takes time to regain the confidence in your game & trust the muscle wont break down again. messi this season since he came back just doesnt have that usual explosion in the first five yards of years back.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Obviously the latest drug from Dr Fuentes wasn't as good this year   

[Dolphin Ziggler]

So, Enrique in as gaffer, Der Stegen in and now a good few players to leave. Alexis, Valdes, Song, Mascherano could be some of those.

[Crimey]

I think Enrique has a tough job, while Barcelona will recover over time because they have such a good youth system, the expectations from the fans is so high after such sustained success that the opportunity for a rebuild, which they need, simply isn't there. I expect Enrique to last less than two years as the job will be just too much for him.

Replacing Xavi is the big job now because he's definitely winding his career down right now, he simply doesn't control games at the highest level any more, he keeps getting large statistics in terms of how many passes but games don't flow through him like they have done in the past. The Barcelona fans don't seem to have really taken to Fabregas so they will have to find somebody else to replace him and with a transfer embargo possibly incoming, that may have to happen soon.

This summer will be very interesting as Valdes and Puyol definitely leave and strong rumours that Alves, Song, Mascherano are all going to leave as well. That would require quite a lot of new signings to bolster a squad which at times actually looks quite poor beyond the first 14 players.

[GSC]

Its very much hoping for Guardiola part 2. Much like Guardiola he inherits a club in need of a rebuild, at the end of its cycle. Be interesting to see if he can find replacements in the B team, like Guardiola did with Busquets and Pedro. I see Defoleu will be involved next season

[Ent]

A far bigger job than pep had.

Pep inherited a very good squad, prime xavi, iniesta, a motivated messi, younger valdes and puyol. Yaya toure and eto etc

[GSC]

Eh, Pep also showed the way for getting the most out of those players. Messis problems were also more physical I suspect.

Prime Messi, Neymar, Pique, Alba, Busquets is certainly nothing to sniff at.

[Hammersmith harrier]

Obviously the latest drug from Dr Fuentes wasn't as good this year   

There's a very good reason why the Spanish government wanted the Operation Puerto bloods destroyed, they were happy to have the cyclists get dragged in because they don't bring the big dollar in like the Tennis players of the footballers. If only he would speak out and give us some more details.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Obviously the latest drug from Dr Fuentes wasn't as good this year   

There's a very good reason why the Spanish government wanted the Operation Puerto bloods destroyed, they were happy to have the cyclists get dragged in because they don't bring the big dollar in like the Tennis players of the footballers. If only he would speak out and give us some more details.

You don't have to tell me HH, sticking it on cycling was the easy way out

Look at how Neymar all of a sudden got 'anaemia' when he moved to Barca (low haemoglobin levels) and had to be 'treated' by doctors. Hopefully one day it'll come out, but I doubt it

[Hammersmith harrier]

Just seems coincidental that a certain tennis player exploded onto the scene at the same time that a certain football team seemed to be able to harry and harass teams non stop then there's the fact it was a Spanish judges decision in a Spanish court.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Now thats support

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Xavi to leave Barcelona to play in Qatar

[The Special Juan]

Sell-out. He might have emulated Pirlo by joining another club and reinvigorating himself.

[Guest]

Been gone for two years. Great player but time to move on. Martino should of realised but didn't have the bottle to go into the Nou Camp, as a new face, & make the call. Difference between top managers & the unemployed now.

[GSC]

Yeah, his time as a top player in Europe has gone. Why not get a payday before you retire

[The Special Juan]

Was Pirlo not being written off towards the end of his Milan days?

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Reports that Conte has resigned at Juve due to differences in their transfer policy plans

[Crimey]

Next Italy manager presumably.

[FootballLight]

Conte I'm guessing will soon be the Italy manager. With the excuse of leaving because of a poor "transfer policy", it seems all the more likely that, if you add up the numbers, he will become the next Italy manager. But I guess we don't know whether or not he will go for that job until we find out from some sources. Bu he will be waiting a while for another big job I'd imagine.

[Guest]

Another defeat for Dortmund today vs Hannover. Comical really, given their performances in the elite european club competition. Just above relegation.

[The Special Juan]

As if we weren't going to miss a goal.

[Guest]

Why are we watching Coleman & Balague looking at a fu***** laptop. Yeah, 1-0 already through Neymar

[GSC]

Barcas front 3 is absolutely lethal.

[GSC]

Carvajal is the only RM defender capable of defending

[GSC]

Obvious Pique handball, Ronnie from the spot

[GSC]

Alba needs to come on at LB and Mathieu back to CB

[GSC]

2-1, Pepe free header

[GSC]

3-1 Benzema, despite awful Isco pass

[Guest]

Clinical and brutal. Game over?

[Ent]

Easy for madrid, could have been embarassing had thy got the counters right.

Barca in serious trouble, disjointed side and messi looked like he didn't want to be there.

[GSC]

You never saw any urgency or attempts to up the tempo from Barca, and when Madrid got in front, they were happy to let Barca pass it in front of them, then nick it and break.

Could've been a different game if Messi makes it 2-0 mind. Small margins

[kingraf]

Ronaldo and Benzema played so well together as part of a 4-4-2, With James and and Isco being faux wingers, and Marcello and Carvajal tearing down the flanks, don't think there's room for Bale at the moment.

[GSC]

Thought Suarez was promising in his cameo. Showed hustle, few good touches.

Probably the end of Xavi in big games. When Madrid got on top he was a passenger. Shame to see, but Father Time remains undefeated

[kingraf]

Half time at the Allianz, Dortmund up a goal. They must wish they played big teams every week.

[Guest]

Half time at the Allianz, Dortmund up a goal. They must wish they played big teams every week.

after 90, normal service resumed, 2-1 win for Bayern

[Gerry SA]

Strange substitution by Klopp changed the dynamic for Dortmund. He took off Kagawa, and brought on anotherr holding midfielder, it left Aubameyang isolated up top and Bayern kept Dortmund pinned in their own half. PK for Bayern was pretty soft mind you. But Ribery against a tiring Dortmund was the icing on the cake for Pep.

[Gerry SA]

Celta beat Barcelona 1-0 at Camp Nou. Barca wasted countless chances and even hit the woodwork FOUR times. But Barca are poor at the back and Celta made them pay.

[Mad for Chelsea]

not quite sure where to post this, but this is odd

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/30175861

errors in the CL final and the first two WC group games, barely played all year for RM, yet still nominated for best keeper? eh?

[Crimey]

Ridiculous decision based on no real judgement.

[Duty281]

He fits the criteria: playing for one of Real Madrid or Barcelona.

[monty junior]

Indeed, haven't checked but wasn't Pique nominated amongst the best defenders? Even if not this year he has been rubbish for a few years.

[kingraf]

I quite like how Citeh fans are annoyed with the seeding system...

Well then get out of the Group stages every now and then!!

[kingraf]

To be fair to Casillas... He has been pretty good this season...

[Fernando]

Bayern just got dicked on by Wolfsburg 4-1 away from home.

[Guest]

Everton dicked Wolfsburg home & away this season, funny old game. Pep will have an excuse, no doubt. Only eight points off Bayern now are Wolfsburg with Schurrle joining.

[Fernando]

#WinterBreakExcuse

[Jermaine2015]

Kevin de Bruyne is a fantastic player and like is coming from a Dortmund fan.

[Gerry SA]

Borussia Dortmund have been beaten yet again and have been cut adrift at the base of the German league. 

It's looking increasingly likely that Klopp's men will be relegated

[Sponsored content]