What exactly has Coutinho offered? Sanllehi still needs to explain that transfer

Messi just gets better and better. Age is no barrier for him

This is witchcraft. Sevilla must feel so defeated

And an assist to suarez to seal the deal. That was trickier than it looked. Chest control and a perfectly weighted volleyed through ball

Messi has played 23 La Liga games this season(did not start all of them). Scored 25 goals and got 11 assists.

Claudius wrote:

After some Arsenalesque defending, Sevilla gifts Messi a goal. He took it well though.

Arsenalesque defending  😆
That's a very real thing.
Painful but real.

Back to Messi.
650th goal.
50th hattrick.
Today's performance is not surprising, really.

HomeSteak wrote:

Messi has played 23 La Liga games this season(did not start all of them). Scored 25 goals and got 11 assists.

Playing deeper too eh? 

6 days later

We need to replace xhaka with someone like arthur. Press resistant and can play consistent forward passes between the lines

Watching barcelona after a while, busquets out there still killing it.

Gazza M wrote:

We need to replace xhaka with someone like arthur. Press resistant and can play consistent forward passes between the lines

Hes a terrific signing for them and pretty cheap too. Problem is he wouldn't look nearly as good for us without other players who are as comfortable on the ball as him, Busquets Messi etc

Very ordinary clasico. World's best played didn't really do much. And Messi was a bit subdued too, possible groin pull.

Pique was really good today, didn't think he had this sort of level in him anymore.

7 days later

Gotta appreciate just how useless Coutinho is. He hasn't scored in the league since October.

Klaus wrote:

Gotta appreciate just how useless Coutinho is. He hasn't scored in the league since October.

Shadiest deal in recent times. They need to bring Sanllehi in for questioning. One of my friends always jokes as we watch these games that Messi is playing with a pack of hyenas these days. It sure isn’t 2011 anymore.

I think it was a commercial signing too. There used to be this list compiled every year of the most marketable football players in the world, and Coutinho was the only name in the top 10 that wasn't at a top tier team. It was only a matter of time until a club like Barcelona with such a massive commercial machine behind them would jump at the opportunity.

I’m not even sure what drove that other than social media following, which could also just be down to having good social management. What’s bad for Coutinho is to see how well Arthur is doing for less than 1/3 of that outrageous fee

Alcalaraz with one of the worst penalties I’ve ever seen. Sent it right out of the stadium. 5 penalties missed this season alone.
But they score 60 seconds later.
Solari should just hand in his resignation.

Zidane back in at Real Madrid.

That's an odd reversal on both he and Perez's part. Doesn't seem like a good fit, as none of the issues - he was supposedly concerned with - have been addressed. Curious what promises were made to him regarding budgets and player transfers.

He will be given Hazard amongst others.

Law 35: Master The Art of Timing.

Zidane's timing is impeccable. When he joined, left and returned.

Never go back to an ex. It's never as good the second time around.
I heard he's asked for Mbappe back and, under no conditions, Neymar

Madrid needs to make a statement like Mbappe. And then some. They have suffered greatly since releasing Cristiano.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/47523681

This is from Balague so probably La Liga fanfiction but still:

It is the custom of club president Perez to visit the dressing room after home matches. Needless to say on this occasion it was not to offer his congratulations.

My sources tell me what followed was a tirade against the players, accusing them of lacking professionalism, taking too much time off and effectively blaming them for the dire situation the club had found itself in.

The only player to respond was Ramos. What ensued over what I am reliably told was little more than one or two minutes, was what media sources euphemistically refer to as a "frank and robust exchange of views". Ramos told the president that if he really wanted someone to blame for the club's plight he might like to take a look at himself in the mirror.

Ramos conceded that the club was sick but added that Perez, rather than treat the patient, had done his best to kill it off.

Perez responded by telling Ramos that he would get rid of him, which was met with something akin to "show me the money and I'll be on my way".

And while this carried on, from all corners there came a deafening silence that said much more about the lack of captains, generals and leaders in the Madrid dressing room than mere words ever could.

This isn't the first time the two men have fallen out, the last time being when Ramos was up for a contract renewal and nothing was happening.

Perez had told previous managers that he wanted rid of Ramos and not giving him what he wanted in a new contract seemed the perfect way of doing it. Then when Manchester United came close to signing him it suddenly dawned on both men that they needed each other and an agreement was reached.

5 days later

DB10 goal by messi for his hattrick. Beauty.

I think even the betis fans were applauding. Noticed messi raising his arm to acknowledge them.

The whole stadium was applauding him, chanting his name even bowing their heads. A curled chip from 18 yards to complete his hat trick ffs

I thought I remembered him scoring a very similar goal and did some quick research. What's even more absurd is this is not the first time he completed a hat trick away from home with almost the exact same goal

Today vs Betis

Almost ten years ago vs Tenerife

It will be fun watching him torture united. He seems to be in that kind of mood

Sicario wrote:

The GOAT of La Liga

Is this supposed to be some kind of joke? 'Of La Liga' as in there is better outside of Spain?

jones wrote:

I thought I remembered him scoring a very similar goal and did some quick research. What's even more absurd is this is not the first time he completed a hat trick away from home with almost the exact same goal

Today vs Betis

Oh my fucking god.

jones wrote:
Sicario wrote:

The GOAT of La Liga

Is this supposed to be some kind of joke? 'Of La Liga' as in there is better outside of Spain?

StevieG

He really is the greatest ever player. Give it another 100 years and he will still be the greatest no doubt. We are so lucky to have him in this generation. Throwback to the UCL thread last year where some thought Ronaldo is better 😆

The whole Betis stadium was giving him standing ovation

His freekicks has improved massively but I didn't realise how good it is. Direct freekicks scored since 11-12.