Football (Soccer) Thread

[The Larch]

Why strange? That was the first European Cup won by Barcelona, and it was thanks to that Koeman goal. And Laudrup was playing for Barcelona by then. It's the culmination of Cruyff's stay at Barcelona, in a way. Two years later they'd be humilliated by Milan 4-0 in the final.

What I mean is that I was only a fan of the players never the club. I don't remember any Barca wins from the 90's so I never saw that Koeman goal as something special.

I do remember when they lost that 94 cup though. Laudrup wasn't on the team because of the 3 foreigners rule or something and I had quite a bit of schadenfreude. Actually this might be why I don't like Koeman or Cruyff or any Dutch player.

In fact being left out of the 94 final was what made Laudrup leave Barcelona, IIRC.

[celedhring]

No, he'd been finding himself out of team way before that. He had a falling out with Cruyff.

[The Larch]

No, he'd been finding himself out of team way before that. He had a falling out with Cruyff.

One of the many incomprehensible things Cruyff did in his last stages in the club. The next year was the one with the weird signings, right?

[celedhring]

No, he'd been finding himself out of team way before that. He had a falling out with Cruyff.

One of the many incomprehensible things Cruyff did in his last stages in the club. The next year was the one with the weird signings, right?

To be fair to Cruyff, all those weirdos were not his first options. Nuñez penny-pinched him a lot in his last 2 years, only to then break the world's transfer record to bring in Ronaldo after Cruyff left.

Incidentally, Ronaldo was the best player I have ever seen play for us until Messi appeared on scene. What a force of nature he was.

[Liep]

Incidentally, Ronaldo was the best player I have ever seen play for us until Messi appeared on scene. What a force of nature he was.

Has Brazil been good since Ronaldo, Rivaldo and Ronaldinho?

[The Larch]

No, he'd been finding himself out of team way before that. He had a falling out with Cruyff.

One of the many incomprehensible things Cruyff did in his last stages in the club. The next year was the one with the weird signings, right?

To be fair to Cruyff, all those weirdos were not his first options. Nuñez penny-pinched him a lot in his last 2 years, only to then break the world's transfer record to bring in Ronaldo after Cruyff left.

Yeah, I really doubt that Escaich, Eskurza, Ekelund or Sánchez Jara would have been on Barcelona's radar otherwise.  [/quote]

Incidentally, Ronaldo was the best player I have ever seen play for us until Messi appeared on scene. What a force of nature he was.

And then he was sold to Inter the next year  I never understood that move, as you said that young (and uninjured) Ronaldo was a true force of nature.

[The Larch]

Incidentally, Ronaldo was the best player I have ever seen play for us until Messi appeared on scene. What a force of nature he was.

Has Brazil been good since Ronaldo, Rivaldo and Ronaldinho?

Define good.  If it means "winning the world cup", then no, the three Rs were the last ones to do so back in 2002. Besides the team that was steamrolled by Germany in 2014, they haven't made it past the quarter finals since then.

[Liep]

Incidentally, Ronaldo was the best player I have ever seen play for us until Messi appeared on scene. What a force of nature he was.

Has Brazil been good since Ronaldo, Rivaldo and Ronaldinho?

Define good.

As in fun to watch.

[celedhring]

Ronaldo wanted a new contract, since Inter were willing to trigger the release clause (which was fantastically high for the time). It looked like there was an agreement, but Núñez ultimately walked back at the last moment for reasons unclear. Some say he was blinded by the potential $$$, others than he thought Ronaldo's camp were bluffing about Inter...

[The Larch]

Ronaldo wanted a new contract, since Inter were willing to trigger the release clause (which was fantastically high for the time). It looked like there was an agreement, but Núñez ultimately walked back at the last moment for reasons unclear. Some say he was blinded by the potential $$$, others than he thought Ronaldo's camp were bluffing about Inter...

What could had been had Ronaldo stayed...

[celedhring]

We used the Ronaldo money to buy Rivaldo, so it turned out fine.

I mean pre-injury Ronaldo was a way better player, and it's a hell of a what-if, but Rivaldo was delightful.

[The Larch]

We used the Ronaldo money to buy Rivaldo, so it turned out fine.

I mean pre-injury Ronaldo was a way better player, and it's a hell of a what-if, but Rivaldo was delightful.

You really had a great string of Brazilians in the 90s/early 00s, first Romario, then Ronaldo, afterwards Rivaldo and Ronaldinho to top it off.

[Liep]

City is ready to pay Messi 100 million euros per year for 5 years including a 250 million euro bonus for a transfer to New York in the last 2 of the 5 years. That is insane but I'll be in New York in 2023 or 24 as I don't think it possible to get tickets to Etihad in the near future.

[Duque de Bragança]

This could go in the coronavirus thread as well.

3 PSG players tested positive, following a short holiday in Ibiza:

Paredes, Di María and last but not least Neymar!
French league is to resume next week for PSG.

[Liep]

Messi will stay in Barca to avoid a legal battle. They honestly don't deserve him.