La Liga - 2014/15

300 goals in 6 seasons...

You can hate all you want but you can't deny the guy is a goalscoring machine.

Goalscoring stats are irrelevant in football. What's really needed is a smile when team mates score.
 
2-0 Madrid James. I was watching the Leverkusen vs Bayern match and was finding it odd that Real couldn´t score against a Rayo with Zé Castro in defence. Must have been a pretty crap first half.
 
2-0 Madrid James. I was watching the Leverkusen vs Bayern match and was finding it odd that Real couldn´t score against a Rayo with Zé Castro in defence. Must have been a pretty crap first half.

Sly how is Carvalho doing at the mo?
 
There's no beating Casillas - he's like having a brick-wall in front of the Real goal.
 
Sly how is Carvalho doing at the mo?

Had a much better second half of the season and is playing at a higher level now. We qualified to the portuguese final tonight (couldn´t watch the game at the stadium since i´m away at work) and he had a good performance in the midfield. Still don´t know if he has what it takes to move to a top european club but after an average start of season, he has reached a positive level now. Was watching Nani´s interview in the end of the match and he said he wanted to win the cup and go to United just like in the first time he moved. Hopefully it will happen the same as in 2007.
 
Had a much better second half of the season and is playing at a higher level now. We qualified to the portuguese final tonight (couldn´t watch the game at the stadium since i´m away at work) and he had a good performance in the midfield. Still don´t know if he has what it takes to move to a top european club but after an average start of season, he has reached a positive level now. Was watching Nani´s interview in the end of the match and he said he wanted to win the cup and go to United just like in the first time he moved. Hopefully it will happen the same as in 2007.

Yeah given how much you seem to be asking for him I think there are safer bets than him around for less. Not sure where Nani will end up cannot see him back with us next season.
 
Deportivo's manager Víctor Fernandez said, after their draw with (bottom place) Cordoba, that he had been sacked, it's now been confirmed by the club. Apparently he was told on Monday.

I don't know if that was expected or not - @carvajal - but they are now 3 points above the relegation places (or two if Almeria win that appeal against a point deduction I mentioned earlier).
 
Really don't get why Hernandez went to Madrid.
Money and probably to fufill a dream.

The reason Madrid will have wanted him is shirt sales. They are a big club in Mexico and Chicharito is a very marketable player.
 
They're showing the Barcelona 5-0 Madrid on Sky Sports 5. Pretty good.
 
Victor Sanchez del Amo,new Deportivo coach.Former player of the club,good winger that was in 2000 when they won la liga(and Madrid when was younger).I have a good feeling about him.That kind of manager now is fashion in la liga,ex player,born in 70's and proposing attacking football,Jemez,Victor Sanchez,Nuno,Zidane,Gracia and very soon Morientes.Everybody is trying to find his own Guardiola.
 
Athletic: Iraizoz; De Marcos, Balenziaga, Etxeita, Gurpegui; San José, Mikel Rico, Unai López; Williams, Aduriz, Ibai
Valencia: Diego Alvés, Orban, Otamendi, Mustafi, Barragán; Javi Fuego, André Gomes, Piatti, Rodrigo, Feghouli; Alcácer

The unfortunate Muniaín out for 6-7 months with ligament damage. The outstanding Dani Parejo suspended.

Valencia looking to keep up with Atléti (65pts) and get some distance from Sevilla (both on 61pts with Sevilla having played already).
Should be good!
 
Athletic: Iraizoz; De Marcos, Balenziaga, Etxeita, Gurpegui; San José, Mikel Rico, Unai López; Williams, Aduriz, Ibai
Valencia: Diego Alvés, Orban, Otamendi, Mustafi, Barragán; Javi Fuego, André Gomes, Piatti, Rodrigo, Feghouli; Alcácer

The unfortunate Muniaín out for 6-7 months with ligament damage. The outstanding Dani Parejo suspended.

Valencia looking to keep up with Atléti (65pts) and get some distance from Sevilla (both on 61pts with Sevilla having played already).
Should be good!
Where are Iturraspe and Laporte?
 
Incredibly harsh in my opinion, he cleared a high ball and San José kicked into his studs if anything. Unlucky because he was once again having a marvellous game.
 
Everything went wrong for Valencia in the last 10 minutes. Barely held on in the end.
 
Some Villareal fans leaving as soon as Espanyol scores 2-0. Lame.
 
Andre Gomes had a good game for Valencia tonight complete with Terry Butcher head wear, he gets through a lot of work and has some silky skills for a big guy.
 
Ronaldo calls referees cheats, has his wrongfully awarded yellow card rescinded. Messi get's hit by a bottle from the crowd and complains, get's yellow carded, not rescinded :annoyed:
 
Ronaldo calls referees cheats, has his wrongfully awarded yellow card rescinded. Messi get's hit by a bottle from the crowd and complains, get's yellow carded, not rescinded :annoyed:
We clearly own the refs. Amazing that Barca can still win titles in Spain with all this injustice going on.
 
We clearly own the refs. Amazing that Barca can still win titles in Spain with all this injustice going on.
It's not the injustice really, it's the inconsistency. The Spanish FA are just like the English, but worse.
 
A Fifa agent called Giulio Biasin said that Juve has agreed to Pogba´s transfer with Madrid (muahahahaha :devil: ), about 100million € , but apparently Mino Raiola is waiting for an offer from Barcelona. Another rumor from radio and comments is that Madrid is expecting an imminent sanction of Fifa, something like Barcelona transfer ban, maybe is the reason why they are working early in the team next year.
 
A Fifa agent called Giulio Biasin said that Juve has agreed to Pogba´s transfer with Madrid (muahahahaha :devil: ), about 100million € , but apparently Mino Raiola is waiting for an offer from Barcelona. Another rumor from radio and comments is that Madrid is expecting an imminent sanction of Fifa, something like Barcelona transfer ban, maybe is the reason why they are working early in the team next year.
I think Pogba will be worth that amount in future but for now that's a ridiculous amount of money for him.
 
With Barca, Real and Atletico all involved in CL with a congested schedule coming up it was a great chance for Valencia to keep the pressure on them. Instead the last two games has only highlighted the lack of a top quality striker. Negredo has been a big disappointment. If Valencia want to reach that next level a top striker is a must for next season. It has to be their priority.
 
So Barça's hellish month of April continues, with this time Sevilla away. On the one hand, Émery has indeed never beaten Barça; on the other... Sevilla are the only side left in La Liga that are unbeaten at home this season (even in all comps), and their last home league defeat dates back a whole year (to February 2014) when a Messi-inspired Barça overcame them 4-1 in the midst of a rain storm.

RM face Eibar, who have been able to reverse their poor run, at the Bernabéu so it's doubtful they could pull off anything, especially given Cristiano's suspension being overturned (although I read that Ancelotti and the player himself weren't bothered by it and it was the club who appealed anyway? @jojojo ?). It's a tough one, but could have a profound impact: if Cristiano picks up a yellow in a future match he might miss out on Sevilla (A), Valencia (H) or Celta (A) instead; but on the other hand they've already got several players unavailable for the Eibar game as it is (Bale, Kroos, James) so they might need him.

Tough away game for Atléti at La Rosaleda, ahead of the midweek CL derby. Valencia dropping points in the Basque country has given them some breathing room, but the fight for 3rd spot (or more?) is far from over...

Celta-Rayo should be worth a watch too, both teams have been playing well of late (especially Rayo in fine form).

Remarkable sidenote: it just caught my attention but both Atléti (5) and Valencia (4) have lost less games than RM (6) this season, but los blancos just don't do draws (just the one then, 1-1 at home against Villarreal).
 
I read that Ancelotti and the player himself weren't bothered by it and it was the club who appealed anyway? @jojojo ?). It's a tough one, but could have a profound impact: if Cristiano picks up a yellow in a future match he might miss out on Sevilla (A), Valencia (H) or Celta (A) instead; but on the other hand they've already got several players unavailable for the Eibar game as it is (Bale, Kroos, James) so they might need him.

I think it was the fact that they were playing Eibar at home that made them think it wasn't worth appealing - maybe he was expecting to get a yellow for handball, timewasting or whatever later in the game!

But with Bale out, it looks like they changed their minds. Bringing in Illarra (Silva), Isco and Jese doesn't change the team shape much, bringing in Chicharito as well would probably mean a formation change as well as a personnel change.
 
Matchday 31 -11 Apr - Sevilla V Barca and a lot to play for
A Liga weekend with teams playing with one eye on how close things are at the top, both for the title and the CL places, and one eye on the midweek fixtures.

Incidentally those midweek ficture are:
Tuesday: Atlético-Real Madrid
Wednesday: PSG-Barcelona
Thursday: Sevilla-Zenit

Meanwhile, back at La Liga
Saturday

Real Madrid-Eibar (16:00 - all time Spain, so that's 3pm UK)
Málaga-Atlético (18:00)
Sevilla-Barcelona (20:00)
Almería-Granada (22:00)
Celta-Rayo Vallecano (22:00)

Sunday
Getafe-Villarreal (12:00)
Espanyol-Athletic (17:00)
Real Sociedad-Deportivo (19:00)
Córdoba-Elche (21:00)

Monday
Valencia-Levante (20:30)

As Skorenzy says, Sevilla - Barcelona is the big one on that list. Emery traditionally struggles against Barca, but Barcelona are going to have to work for the points.

I'll be back later :D
 
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