Football (Soccer) Thread

[Tamas]

Frank got the sack. Chels in for Tuchel.

I liked Frank.

I liked him as a player. He was quite clearly out of his depth as a Premier League manager. Mainly, it felt like he could make no effort to change tactics that were clearly not working on the pitch.

With Tuchel it already seems like the players have a better idea of what they are supposed to be doing.

[crazy canuck]

With Tuchel it already seems like the players have a better idea of what they are supposed to be doing.

I am not saying you are not correct, I just don't understand the concept of professional players not knowing what they are supposed to do.  I get that to manager can have any number of influences on a team how did they not know what to do before?

[The Larch]

So UEFA, in its infinite wisdom, has decided that for Champions League and Europa Cup matches in which teams face travelling restrictions to enter countries due to Covid, both teams will then travel to a 3rd country where both teams can travel and play there, rather than postpone a single match.

Thus, RB Leipzig Vs Liverpool will be played in Budapest, Benfica Vs Arsenal will be played in Rome, Atlético Vs Chelsea will be played in Bucarest...

I can't roll my eyes enough.

[Josquius]

Yay, lets spread corona to more places than necessary!

[Sheilbh]

Yeah - I saw that

And obviously we have an international break soon when players from all over Europe, in different leagues with different covid protocols will mix in the national team set up which strikes me as far more risky.

[Sheilbh]

Chaos.

[celedhring]

In other Catalan election news, the Barça presidential election is being held 3 weeks from now. A record 20% of the census is voting by mail. As way of comparison, mail vote in the Catalan regional election has closed and it's clocked at 5% of the census. 

[Duque de Bragança]

I am glad to see Catalonians have set their priorities right. 

[Sheilbh]

So UEFA, in its infinite wisdom, has decided that for Champions League and Europa Cup matches in which teams face travelling restrictions to enter countries due to Covid, both teams will then travel to a 3rd country where both teams can travel and play there, rather than postpone a single match.

Thus, RB Leipzig Vs Liverpool will be played in Budapest, Benfica Vs Arsenal will be played in Rome, Atlético Vs Chelsea will be played in Bucarest...

I can't roll my eyes enough.

Re this Arsenal - Benfica looks worst hit in Europa League because of travel restrictions in both countries.

So a team from England and a team from Portugal will go to Italy and then Greece for their games.

I don't think it's super-high risk but it does feel like something will have to give at some point (as I say I'm fairly sure a few countries in continental Europe will have another big wave when the new UK variant takes over ). At some point it feels like either the Euros, or the CL/EL, or domestic games, or the international break () will need to move.

I think in England we've already got a few teams with basically no space left to play a game if there's a postponement because of European games plus playing domestic games that have already been postponed. And it feels like that's going to happen everywhere at some point.

[Sheilbh]

In the legal press today

Barcelona FC star called to give evidence in wrangle with CMS
By Luke Barr 12 February 2021

A court has said that CMS should be able to cross-examine Lionel Messi over his assets, with the Barcelona star to be served with the order when he next plays in England.

It was ruled by Master Dagnall that Messi, who is represented by Stevens & Bolton, is to be served personally with the order the next time he plays for his club or the Argentina National Team on English soil.

This complex wrangle stems from asserted unpaid legal fees dating back to 2014 that are said to be owed to legacy firm Olswang. CMS is a relevant party to the case following its 2017 merger.

Olswang previously brought the issue before Master Yoxall who awarded a default judgment against the player in the region of £110,000.

Enforcement proceedings have been ongoing in Spain for several years, with Messi arguing that the judgment is unenforceable because the claim form was not properly served. This is also being fought separately in the Spanish Supreme Court.

Meanwhile, this disruption abroad led to CMS applying for an order in England to obtain information about Messi's assets, in particular those outside of Spain.

At a hearing between the two parties back in September, The Lawyer revealed CMS' ambition to question Messi in court over his UK-based assets.

CMS' counsel Mark Vinall of Blackstone Chambers told the court that the firm was not strictly seeking an order limited to Messi's means in the UK and that it did "reserve the right to ask questions about foreign assets".

Meanwhile, Messi's counsel Jonathan Cohen QC of Littleton Chambers suggested that the claim form was initially taken to Barcelona's stadium before then being redirected to Messi's Spanish law firm.

Olswang has historically asserted that it served Messi successfully in Spain.

CMS and Stevens & Bolton were both contacted for comment.

[FunkMonk]

Chaos.

The only thing missing from that game were the fans. Imagine the scenes in the stadium 

There is a clip of Ancelotti casually sipping a cup of tea as Everton scored what would be the winning goal and it's just pure class. 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CLIQCVUnCdH/?igshid=dm3ecsjxpazf 

[Sheilbh]

He's an inspiration

Although I particularly loved Glenn Hoddle on co-commentary whose guess was that it was soup. I think Carlo likes the North-West, but he's not gone that native

[celedhring]

So many fun sports moments that could have been so much more awesome with fans at stadiums 

[Sheilbh]

For people with an Athletic subscription - the long read on Justin Fashanu is outstanding and I think a very important actual article.

[Josquius]

For people with an Athletic subscription - the long read on Justin Fashanu is outstanding and I think a very important actual article.

You work for the Athletic right?
Why else would you talk about an article without posting it here. :p

I have read some of their articles in the past and they were interesting but not quite at the level to pay for.