Suarez clearly dived. Ronaldo, amazingly, didn't!
And he gets sent off!
What a mad game.
General Football 17/18
Hahahahahaha, I was just going to hate on people who take their shirt off when they score. 
Love watching these cunts kick the shit out of each other.
wow, asensio!!!
Golllaaasssooooo Asensio.
This is some high quality fucking entertainment.
That was an amazing Classico.
Now which daft git set a blue-red team to play against a blue-green team. Why not let Real play in white?
What a strike by Asensio on his left foot.
I think Barcelona are in for a tough season.
Had been watching all first half and then left just before the game took off. Ended up missing all of the second half action.
Asensio looks ready to become world class, and he (plus Isco) may make Bale expendable.
Ronaldo has earned himself a 5 game ban
Worth it. Was such a cunty decision, especially after the Suarez dive. Real will be fine without him.
Just watchted the "shove" now for the first time. Doubt little tap was worth anything, let alone getting a 5 game ban for it.
I hate how smug refs look when they make these kinds of decisions, and act like they have some kind of force field around them. It's pretty infuriating.
Definitely should be banned, though. Can't be having that become a thing, but overall it was just another part of a great spectacle.
Watched the Suarez dive and what angered me even more than the dive was Ramos' reaction to it. Disgusting bunch of cheats and hypocrites.
Haha yeah, that bit really struck me too. The hypocrisy seems completely lost on them too, like when someone who's lying about something get's genuinely indignant when they're accused of lying.
Cronaldo definitely needed to be banned just to act as a deterrent, 4 games about right too I'd say.
They are all so perfectly hateable, and also ridiculously good at football. Like bizzaro Arsenal.
Gnabry playing for Hoffenheim against Liverpool in the CL qualifier right now.
Gnabry winning a pen 
Shit pen though
So obvious h was gonna miss that pen. He took way too long, as did the ref TBf.
That's about the worst penalty I've ever seen.
Salah
Hoffenheim's players don't look very good, but they seem like a well-coached team. At least going forward, they know how and what to do. Nagelsmann has a lot hype around him, but he could be a candidate to take over when Wenger decides to step down in 2036.
That Alexander Arnold kid sure knows how to take set pieces, his corners on Saturday were very good too.
Gnabry didn't do anything tonight to me rue our selling him.
Hoffenheim are shit BTW.
At least that will make a game of the second leg. Great take too.
Hoffenheim only have themselves to blame. So many chances. Could have scored 5 or 6 tonight.
est wrote:Hoffenheim only have themselves to blame. So many chances. Could have scored 5 or 6 tonight.
Hilarious misses tbf. So bad.
est wrote:Hoffenheim's players don't look very good, but they seem like a well-coached team. At least going forward, they know how and what to do. Nagelsmann has a lot hype around him, but he could be a candidate to take over when Wenger decides to step down in 2036.
Guy is one of the most revolutionary manager around. We have no chance though, if Bayern wants him they will get him.
Love those quotes about how much of a nonsense football is at the end of the day. Seems like a smart and likeable guy.
Clrnc wrote:est wrote:Hoffenheim's players don't look very good, but they seem like a well-coached team. At least going forward, they know how and what to do. Nagelsmann has a lot hype around him, but he could be a candidate to take over when Wenger decides to step down in 2036.
Guy is one of the most revolutionary manager around. We have no chance though, if Bayern wants him they will get him.
Meh, it's not like he'll be at Bayern forever at this rate. We'll just get him a few years later - may as well make first contact.
We can point to Wenger's reign and offer him the kind of job-security he wouldn't get anywhere else. As long as he delivered the holy grail of top 4 finishes every season, of course.
Seriously though, he seems like a very likable person and a good manager. Liked the part where he talked about keeping the players mentally engaged at all times. Was the first game I saw his team play, but despite the lack of individual quality, they impressed me. Was thinking during the game what it would look like to have the likes of Özil, Alexis, Ramsey, Xhaka et al. play in a such well-coached system that is designed to get the most out of their strengths. Stuff of dreams.
Would love to have Nagelsmann here, I mentioned him several times in that new manager thread. I wouldn't put it against Kroenke for going after Nagelsmann, he recently hired the youngest coach in the NFL (31 years old).
Another gem from him:
Mertens scores for Napoli:
Borderline world class footballer.
You've been watching? How's Seri been?
He's been dirt poor, unfortunately. Don't think it's that surprising though. He plays like someone who is anxious not to pick up an injury that could screw up a move. Lots of safe passes and half-hearted challenges.
Jorginho is the midfielder I would take from this game, personally. He reminds me a lot of Arteta.
Too lightweight I would have thought? Arteta in his prime could handle himself alright.
Asensio with another stunner. Wonder if he'll dislodge the likes of bale and isco
I think he's already dislodging Bale.
2 goals and 2 assists for Neymar today. He is going to hit ridiculous numbers in France this season. I wonder is 40+ goals and CL success will be enough for Neymar. That said I can't see past Madrid and Ronaldo for the CL and Ballon D'Or again next year. Barcelona really fucked up. They failed horribly to build on the success they had and took things for granted. After the dominance of the tiki taka era they moved into the MSN era and were lucky enough to have arguably the best front three of all time paper over so many cracks within the squad. They threw so much money down the drain on shit players in this period of time as well and have continued doing so this summer with Paulinho and likely Countinho to follow for stupid money. Thank fuck for them they have Messi. Hope he doesn't decide to leave for City if things go sour this season. One last big contract under a manager who oversaw the most successful period of his career.