Football (Soccer) Thread

[The Larch]

So, rumours of CR to Chelsea are floating around, which fits the bill of a club with a new owner that want to make a statement signing. But apparently Tuchel is not convinced, given how Cristiano plays at the moment (no defensive contributions, no pressing, nothing off the ball can be expected of him) and his massive wages (I heard somewhere that he's on 500k per week, highest on the Premier League, which sounds absolutely nuts). CR wants out of Man United because he's not sure they can compete at the top level and he wants to still challenge for titles and play the Champions League. If he is still at that level doesn't seem to enter his calculations.

It seems to me that CR has finally reached the white elephant stage of his career.

AS (Spanish sports source "newspaper" for the non-Spanish people around) said Mendes went to Barcelona to discuss Ronaldo as well. 
Well, Mendes has other (Portuguese) players in Barcelona to managed, besides Ronaldo, but the former makes for a better headline. 

Yeah, it was mentioned that maybe Barcelona could be an option, but IMO that's basically a troll headline. I believe Bayern was also mentioned as a possible option to replace Lewandowsky, but I'm not sure.

As I said, I don't think the guy fits into any top team anymore, what is demanded from players at top teams nowadays is not something he can deliver at this point on his career.

[FunkMonk]

He lives in Barnet. So probably a North London team.

Aren't all the teams from North London anyway? 

In any case I guess that this guy will end up suspended with his career basically over, like Man City's Mendy, right?

We still don't know a lot of the details but I'd say three rape allegations necessarily means the club suspends the player. One allegation is enough for me, personally.

If it is an Arsenal player and he plays even one more game for the club then I'm just going to have to tune Arsenal out next season because that's genuinely disgusting behavior from the organization. I can't imagine the club continues playing him.

[Sheilbh]

Aren't all the teams from North London anyway? 

In any case I guess that this guy will end up suspended with his career basically over, like Man City's Mendy, right?

Yeah I'd amazed if they weren't suspended - like Mendy or Sigurdsson. Although I think both of those were under more active investigation - Mendy's trial is this year. Not least because they will have a lot of other things on like getting lawyers, having police interview etc.

Flipside is Yves Bissouma who was arrested last autumn, I think he carried on playing and he's been cleared and moved to Spurs. The police have now announced they're not proceeding with charges and the investigation is closed I think.

[Duque de Bragança]

He lives in Barnet. So probably a North London team.

North London (Arsenal) has such a PES vibe. 

[FunkMonk]

Absolutely savage here from Bayern to Barca 

Bayern Munich have told FC Barcelona they don't want any installments in any deal for Robert Lewandowski and that they want all the money upfront in cash because Bayern believes that FC Barcelona won't exist in "one or two years' time". #fcblive #fcbayern [@honigstein]

https://twitter.com/Football_TaIk/status/1544604825257918470?s=20&t=OZ60zIXEy_Das8sKrRH9hQ

[The Larch]

That goes beyond burn and into uncalled for nastiness, I'd say.

[Threviel]

We can dream of a day without Barcelona FC, let's hope the Bavarians are correct.

[Sheilbh]

Threviel's war on tiki-taka and the causes of tiki-taka continues.

[The Larch]

Threviel's war on tiki-taka and the causes of tiki-taka continues.

Not even Barcelona play tiki taka anymore!  And they're coached by Xavi, who is basically tiki taka made flesh!

[FunkMonk]

Got to wonder how the perception that Barcelona will go under in a few years is affecting their transfer dealings though

[The Larch]

It is not even grounded. Barcelona might be in a tough economic position, but it is not dissappearing. It's unnecessary negative disinformation.

[Threviel]

Yeah, what's the deal? That they're in trouble I know but how bad is it really? Them going under would be a fitting damnatio memoriae to tiki-taka, but the world would be poorer if there's no-one for Real to triumph over. Espanyol does not have the same ring.

[crazy canuck]

There is some real hate Emanating from this one

[Duque de Bragança]

Threviel's war on tiki-taka and the causes of tiki-taka continues.

Not even Barcelona play tiki taka anymore!  And they're coached by Xavi, who is basically tiki taka made flesh!

Don't bother him with facts and knowledge of the game, will you? 

[Sheilbh]

That's why I added causes of tiki-taka