Football (Soccer) Thread

[The Larch]

We're at the Europa League semis!

[Duque de Bragança]

We're at the Europa League semis!

More glorious than the 7-1 inflicted on Benfica?
Hoping to get Lyon? 

[The Larch]

We're at the Europa League semis!

More glorious than the 7-1 inflicted on Benfica?
Hoping to get Lyon? 

That one was glorious. 

Lyon or Ajax, just not ManUre plz.

[Duque de Bragança]

We're at the Europa League semis!

More glorious than the 7-1 inflicted on Benfica?
Hoping to get Lyon? 

That one was glorious. 

Lyon or Ajax, just not ManUre plz.

I remember all the LULZ in North Portugal, with people offering 7-up drinks to Benfica fans, the glorioso, or so they called themselves. 

[Liep]

We're at the Europa League semis!

How do you like Sisto now?

[The Larch]

We're at the Europa League semis!

How do you like Sisto now?

Quite a lot, thanks for asking. 

And, of course, we got ManU. Well, let's hope they'll regret it!

[celedhring]

Go for it Larchie, I'll live vicariously through you this season.

[The Larch]

Go for it Larchie, I'll live vicariously through you this season.

Come on, you still have the Cup final to look forward to. And if you win the Clásico don't count the league out either. 

[celedhring]

Go for it Larchie, I'll live vicariously through you this season.

Come on, you still have the Cup final to look forward to. And if you win the Clásico don't count the league out either. 

We're a zombie team, there's no way we'll win this Sunday. Fortunately my brother is getting married that day so I will be able to avoid the game and be already drunk when I learn of the result.

[Zanza]

The bomb attack on Borussia Dortmund's teambus ten days ago was perpetrated by a German with Russian roots who had bet on falling stock prices of the Dortmund stock to profit from the attack. 

[Ed Anger]

We're at the Europa League semis!

I did not know you played, Spanish Tim.

[Syt]

http://www.espnfc.com/fifa-confederations-cup/story/3111918/dfb-backs-bild-over-claims-of-russian-censorship-for-confederations-cup

DFB backs Bild over claims of Russian censorship for Confederations Cup

German Football Association (DFB) president Reinhard Grindel has backed the Bild newspaper over claims of Russian censorship ahead of this summer's Confederations Cup.

Bild, Germany's most popular paper, has said it will boycott this summer's Confederations Cup in Russia if journalists are not given freedom to report as they please.

Print journalists attending the event -- which serves as a warm-up for the 2018 World Cup in Russia -- have been informed that they will be restricted in their travelling and reporting.

The guidelines issued to journalists working in print media with approved accreditation for the tournament stipulate that they "will solely cover the FIFA Confederations Cup 2017 and related events," with their reporting limited to the "territory of the host cities and cultural sites located nearby."

If media want to report from other territories, or cover events unrelated to the Confederations Cup, a separate visa issued by the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is required. That stipulation is not included in the guidelines for broadcasters with approved accreditation.

On Tuesday, Bild made those stipulations public and announced a boycott of the Confederations Cup as long as "censorship" remained in place.

The paper claimed that FIFA is aware of the restrictions and views them as "a relief."

Bild was backed by DFB president Grindel, who promised to address the issue at the next FIFA Council meeting in May.

Grindel told the paper: "At the next FIFA Council meeting on May 9, I will advocate for free coverage for accredited journalists at the Confederations Cup. It would be an important signal for the 2018 World Cup if the Russian Organising Committee, right from the dress rehearsal, made it clear there are no restrictions of the freedom of press."

Ralf Stegner -- a vice president of the Social Democratic Party of Germany, the smaller partner in Germany's grand coalition -- told Bild: "Just as we don't think it's right that U.S. President [Donald] Trump attacks the 'fake media,' we can't accept it when [Russian President Vladimir] Putin or FIFA restrict freedom of press."

[Tamas]

Russia is so happy and successful, nobody in the outside world can learn about it!

[mongers]

Tyr must be gutted; Newcastle returns to the premiership. 

[Josquius]

Tyr must be gutted; Newcastle returns to the premiership. 

Tyr must be gutted; Newcastle returns to the premiership. 

It was pretty inevitable. Hoping they fail to win the league still. That'll be something considering their boasts of how it was going to be a walk over.