Football (Soccer) Thread

[Duque de Bragança]

So, Kosovo got stuck in a group where IIRC only Sweden recognizes its independence. That will be fun 

EDIT: I'm reading that they first got drawn in Group A alongside Serbia (!!) but FIFA decided to move them to B instead. Probably a good decision...

Political reasons. Kosovo can't be drawn with Bosnia-Herzegovia, probably due to the Serbian part of the entity as well.
There are also geographical criteria to avoid more than one team in the fringe of the UEFA zone.

[Liep]

So, Kosovo got stuck in a group where IIRC only Sweden recognizes its independence. That will be fun 

EDIT: I'm reading that they first got drawn in Group A alongside Serbia (!!) but FIFA decided to move them to B instead. Probably a good decision...

Group A is also joined by Qatar it seems.

[Valmy]

I mean can you really arrange these tournaments forever to where you never have a politically complicated match?

I personally am looking forward to all the drones at the Armenia-Azerbaijan match. They just need to somehow get out of their groups and meet in the knock out round someplace 

[celedhring]

If we go to war against France we might have a chance of making a deep run in football tournaments 

[Sheilbh]

If we go to war against France we might have a chance of making a deep run in football tournaments 

Unrelated but the French Football Federation stories at the minute are incredibly grim

[Josephus]

So what transpired during the PSG game?

[Duque de Bragança]

So, Kosovo got stuck in a group where IIRC only Sweden recognizes its independence. That will be fun 

EDIT: I'm reading that they first got drawn in Group A alongside Serbia (!!) but FIFA decided to move them to B instead. Probably a good decision...

Group A is also joined by Qatar it seems.

That's a new low for UEFA.
That's Portugal group, a 5-team only group.

[celedhring]

So FIFA essentially force teams in group A to play friendlies with Qatar? Heh.

I would put their qualification berth on the line 

[Duque de Bragança]

So what transpired during the PSG game?

Contradicting reports.
Following several fouls and yellow cards given to Basaksehir and mounting contestation from the team, fourth referee would have called a Basaksehir Camerunese staff member (deputy coach) of Erdogan's club "black" but it's not clear if he used an epithet possibly seen as derogative by the relevant player in a Romanian-accented French "Negru" very close to an untrained ear to négro in French (offensive like nigger in English unless it's rap go figure) or either noir (black) or black (English word in French). The last being the most PC you can use for wokes.
It is not said if it was just communication between referees, all of them being Romanian.

There is an history of anglo-like minded francophones mistaking the neutral term negro in other latin languages as a racist insult.
OTOH, the Romanian fourth referee may not just care about PC or be used to using derogative slurs or just be racist.

This followed two yellow cards for fouls committed by Basaksehir, as I said previously.

It's game lost for Erdogan's club a priori, since PSG players were willing to resume playing and the visiting team did not show up until 22.00.
OTOH, since Erdogan and Qatar (owner of PSG) are friends the accident could be minimized by both sides.

PS: another video surfaced, just before the incident, a Turkish staff member, while talking to the Romanian referees, compared Romanians to Gypsies "In my country, Romanians are gypsies" before pulling some backhand preterition "but I can't say it".

[Duque de Bragança]

So FIFA essentially force teams in group A to play friendlies with Qatar? Heh.

I would put their qualification berth on the line 

That crap used to limited to Asia or even CONMEBOL (how the might have fallen).

[Sheilbh]

Actually Ba's point - from the video I've seen is why they're using the phrase "the black one". They never refer to "the white one":
https://twitter.com/Turkish_Futbol1/status/1336420377019510784?s=20

"You never say 'this white guy' you say 'this guy', so why when you mention a black guy you have to say 'this black guy'."

Fair play to both sides for walking off.

[Tamas]

Then again if he was a blond guy among black haired ones he might have said "that blond one".

I mean, online dictionary says black in Romanian is negru. Identifying him by skin colour was not nice, but I don't think both teams would have gone off if he said black in English.

[Duque de Bragança]

Actually Ba's point - from the video I've seen is why they're using the phrase "the black one". They never refer to "the white one":
https://twitter.com/Turkish_Futbol1/status/1336420377019510784?s=20

"You never say 'this white guy' you say 'this guy', so why when you mention a black guy you have to say 'this black guy'."

Fair play to both sides for walking off.

Not too many black staff members in Basaksehir, I'd guess.

They certainly refer to this white guy in Africa cf. yovo in Beninese French, or  "le sorcier blanc" for foreign coaches, in other countries. L'Européen is synonym of white for African francophones, as well.
And there is the counter-argument heard: "how many languages do you speak? To pass PC Judgment that is. Valid point.

PS: I'm surprised referees are not coached in PC to be honest to avoid these kind of "awkwardness".

[Duque de Bragança]

FYI, Cavani recently ran into trouble with the FA for saying "gracias negrito" (thanks blackie) to a friend in a tweet.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sportsnews/article-8999161/Edinson-Cavani-facing-FA-probe-sparking-racism-storm.html

[Sheilbh]

Yes. The same word Suarez used to Evra - who did not take it as friendly gesture.