La Liga Megathread

Fell asleep at half time and awoke at about 4am

 

I know I'm biased but Real are * to watch.

 

They have been since Pellegrini left them about 4 year ago.

I put their games on every week but barely ever glance at the TV. They are all individuals, they never play creatively or dominate a game or put a team under pressure.

Their play is slack and they looks to counter attack and get set peices to score goals.

I would actually need to be paid to watch a whole game of theirs.

Id rather even watch Chelsea or Man U than them and PSG, Dortmund, Bayern, City, Liverpool, Arsenal, Spurs, Everton, Atletico. Even Villarreal are playing quite well again. They are almost unwatchable.

 

They probably spent over a billion to assemble that team as well . You're spot on about Pelligreni they should have given him another year or two because he had them playing good football and they took the league to the last day of the season. I'm glad they didn't though.

 

I think that Madrid have too many players that want to be the match winner, that's if you can have too many of them. In the sense that they'll go alone even if a team-mate is in a better position.

Watched them at home to Celta Vigo last Monday and although they won 3-0 with all goals coming in the 2nd half, the first half performance was absolutely abysmal and they were lucky not to go in at the break behind. They seem to lack a game plan. It's almost as if Ancelotti sends them out and tells them to win. Who knows where they'd be if Ronaldo wasn't in such prolific form.

 

Disappointed to have not seen a goal in the Atletico and Barca game, but with both teams scared to lose in my opinion, it was always a possibility. I think the draw suited Barca more if I'm honest. Would be great to see Atletico have as good a second half to the season as they did first. Fantastic to see 3 teams challenge for the title. What is even more impressive, is the fact that this has been done after losing their top goalscorer and best player in Falcao. They have probably got the best work rate I've seen from any team in World football though.

 

I thought it was a thoroughly entertaining game. Usually Spanish games are played at a lower tempo and pass, pass, pass but the game on Saturday was played at a fast pace and it was end to end the whole game. I'd agree that both teams were very cautious and played not to concede but it was still an exciting game.

I thought Arda Turan was outstanding. Close control and dribbling in tight spaces was exceptional. For Barca, I thought Pique had a tremendous game. He made an extremely vital block in the first half where it looked likely that Diego Costa was going to score. He also headered a goal-bound header over the bar.

You'll be pushed to find a team anywhere in the world that press off the ball and work harder off the ball than Atletico. Exceptional work-rate and great ability within the team. Simeone has built an impressive team that has caused a few eyes to roll this season.

 

Aye it was still a good game to watch, but a goal would have made it a lot more interesting. Agree with you on Arda Turan. He was superb. I would love to see Atletico go on and win it, but I just can't see them being able to maintain their form. I actually think they had to win on Saturday, that would have really put the cat amongst the pigeons.

 

I agree completely. Barca will be the happier side as you quite rightly said, as the Vicente Calderon is an extremely hostile ground and a hard place to pick up points this season. Moreover, you'd have to fancy Barca to beat Atletico at the Nou Camp. Still can't forget Real Madrid as well, a lot of games still to be played and a lot of things will happen but as it stands, in my opinion, it's Barcelona's to lose.

 

Unbelievable assist from dos Santos for Villarreal's fourth. He turned on a pin head then slipped the ball through leaving everyone standing, amazing.

 

That is three goals in five minutes now. Nice

5 x 1

 

Villarreal were so impressive tonight.

 

Potential Valencia owner Peter Lim at the Calderon tonight. Promised club £40m January budget if he takes over

Singapore businessman Peter Lim confirms to Spanish radio Cadena SER that he has a meeting with Bankia tomorrow, aiming to buy Valencia CF.
The bid is said to be: 1) build Nou Mestalla, 2) make funds (€50M) available for transfers in January, and 3) cover/pay most of their debt.
Bankia's (Valencias current owner) deadline to place a bid is tomorrow at 2 pm, and Peter Lim is said to be favourite. As he now confirms ->
<- a meeting tomorrow, there's reason to believe Lim is confident that he has a serious chance to become the new owner of Valencia CF.

 

* happened revista just sat down to watch it nowhere to be seen

 

It was on at the start of the Atletico vs Valencia game. It's repeated at 2an.

 

Cheers man

Looking forward to it all day while I was studying for me last exam earlier!

 

Marc Bartra renews with Barça till 2017 and has a new buy out clause of €25m

 

(Reuters) - Barcelona's payment of 40 million euros to a company owned by Neymar's father as part of the Brazil forward's 57.1 million euros transfer fee is being investigated by Spanish state prosecutors for misappropriation of funds.

Neymar was paraded as the Catalan side's main signing ahead of the season, after they beat off competition from Real Madrid, to partner Argentine Lionel Messi in attack.

However, the details of the contract were shrouded in mystery and a club member, Jordi Cases, having not received a reply from Barcelona for more information, took legal action against club president Sandro Rosell.

Rosell denies any wrongdoing and the club reacted angrily after the state prosecutor asked the courts to open proceedings, saying Neymar's signing was "complex" and an example of "business engineering" and that they would act forcefully to defend the honour of the club and its president.

Spanish media have reported that an agreement was made between Barcelona and N&N, a company owned by Neymar's father, which gave the Catalan side the right to buy Neymar in 2014 in return for a downpayment of 10 million euros.

The player's price would be 40 million euros but if either side broke the agreement then that sum would have to be paid as a "penalty clause" which is what local media say happened because Barca bought him a year earlier in June 2013.

A further 17.1 million euros was paid as a transfer fee to Neymar's former club Santos in Brazil, Barca said last month.

FINAL DECISION

The legality of the agreement has been investigated by prosecutors who have examined the contracts and the club's accounts and believe there may be a case to answer.

The final decision on whether to start a hearing will be made by a judge.

In Barcelona's 2013 accounts, according to the prosecution, there is no mention of a penalty payment but only the fact that the club had bought Neymar with no amount specified.

"There is also no exact figure for how much Santos were paid for the rights for the player before his contract expired," the prosecution said.

The prosecution added that there was reason to believe there could be a case of "contractual simulation" or altering the final figure of what has to be paid.

In an interview with the Catalan newspaper Sport, Neymar said he believed there was nothing illegal about his transfer.

"I know that a lot is being said about my contract. I have spoken to (my father) to see what they were talking about exactly. My father was the one who signed the contracts and he is someone in whom I have total trust," he said.

"There is nothing illegal. In any case, if anyone has any doubts, they should ask my dad because I'm concentrating on my job, which is playing football."

http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/01/15/soccer-spain-barcelona-idINDEEA0E0E020140115

 

Apparently Laporta is behind that.

Athletic Club are 2-0 up against Betis at the moment.

 

Fabio Coentrao just got sent off