2for Ronald and 3for messi. Wonder who will blink first.

Reus might be classier than Bale, but I don't know about "better". Bale has proven himself. Reus really hasn't. They'll both score and assist wherever they go. Bale seems fit more often than not, Reus is a bit injury prone. That's the way I see it anyway. It really depends on how the team is set up and what you need from them.

In fact, I'd have Reus and Bale in the same team, no problem.

Spanish football will suit Reus.

Arsenal will suit him better.

Griezmann with 2 more in the first half.

when are you going to come and rescue us don simeone

The rules in Spain are weird, I prefer the English ones.
Over there a direct card is only a one match ban, even if it's for a bad tackle. In special cases, like now when Ronaldo hit a guy, they can give longer bans. Two matches. For hitting and kicking someone.

Apparently Gabi got himself a red card during half time. Atletico need three goals to go through, so Barca are pretty much in control now.

Turan losing the plot 

Linesman pokes Jordi Alba in the face.

An eventful game too by all accounts.

I can't believe Turan didn't see a red for that.

Barca scored two great counter attacks yesterday, Neymar's understanding with Messi and the team has really moved onto another level this season. He's having a great season for them.

@madridatleticos

2 sent offs, Juanfran reminding Neymar of the World Cup, Ansaldi arrested and Arda throwing boot at linesman. Needless to say we lost.

Rohit wrote:

I can't believe Turan didn't see a red for that.

his throw was so lame that it could easily be said he was just throwing away something that shouldn't have been on the pitch.

An ode to Don Diego, the guy who has the decency to thank the players' mothers for birthing them with cojones the size of basketballs after reaching the CL final last year:

The only thing that was missing was an iguana on his shoulder. Besides that last Wednesday during the game Atletico Madrid – Barcelona, Diego Simeone looked like the head of a Colombian drugs cartel from a James Bond movie. His suit was black, his shirt was black and his tie was black. He had combed his sticky black hair backwards. The skin of his face was so pockmarked that it looked as if was covered with scars. En every time he laughed somewhere else on the world a hundred downy chicks died.
The entire match I looked at him with open mouth. How he played with the crowd. How he secretly got in the way of a Barcelona player trying to make a throw in. How he asked for a card whenever a tackle was made on one of his players. How he killed the fourth referee (who complained about him leaving his coaching square) with his stare. What an asshole. What a delightfully disgusting face. What a charisma. Don Diego Simeone is the classic bad guy from a movie, but disguised as the manager of a Spanish football club.

In the past as a football Simeone was already a bad guy. He kicked his opponents across the ad boards, tackles players with two legs stretched out and whenever possible he tried to lure his opponents into getting a red card. But as a manager Simeone fits his role even better. He has made his team into one big Diego Simeone: his players rush across the field with rage in their eyes, they walk straight through opponents, they hunt the ball as a pack of hungry wolves on a deer – and oh yes, they can play great football as well. The crowd cried of happiness at every counter. At last the ideal sons, the boring Catalans, the ballerinas of Barcelona were mercilessly crushed. Atletico played so intense that I at home on my couch was out of breath. The only one who didn’t show a hint of emotion was Don Diego himself.

Simeone is the improved version of Jose Mourinho. He is scarier. He did not cultivate his ugly face for nothing with brylcreem coupe and undertaker suit. I suspect him of letting his players do their running sessions by letting a bunch of Rottweilers loose on them. Contract negotiations he does by hanging players at their ankles above a sharktank. ‘Tell my boy. Do you sign your contract, or would you rather take a bad with my sweethearts?’ And the first journalist who tries to ask a critical question will wake up the next morning with a horsehead in his bed.
Simeone doesn’t do patience. He doesn’t wait on success. He takes what he wants. In one and a half month when his team stands in the finale of the Champions League. Which he will win, because in real life the bad guys always win. When he gets the cup with the big ears in his hands, he will see his own reflection in its metal. And he will see that something is missing.

The next morning he will buy an iguana.

Meatwad wrote:

Rohit wrote:

I can't believe Turan didn't see a red for that.

his throw was so lame that it could easily be said he was just throwing away something that shouldn't have been on the pitch.

He could argue that it was on target to hit Mohammed Al-Fayed.

Going to have to download/watch this game. Sounded too fun to miss out on.

Another ridiculous Messi performance yesterday, deserved three points for Barcelona but Villarreal have been very impressive as well. Looking forward to the Copa ties between the two teams.

Fun fact: Messi has scored more goals with his weaker foot than Aston Villa have altogether this season.

Ødegaard debuted for Castilla last night. Norwegian media saying that he played 60 minutes and got two assists. Other places I read that he didn't get any. The game ended 3-3.

James Rodriguez has broken a metatarsal and is out for 2 months, he's been in good form for R.Madrid. Bit of a blow for them as well going into the Madrid derby, though Isco has been in great form for them as well and gives him a chance to try and hold his place in the team down.

Isco is the better player, outrageous talent. Insane that he cost about a third of James.