General Football Discussion: FIFA 2018 France WINS it again after 20 years.

[mbk99]

Luiz Suarez's 4 month ban is upheld by CAS while the ban on him training and entering in any football related activity has been suspended

i think Barca's are lacking depth in their squad. i mean their first looks great but their bench looks really weak, Afellay has left on loan and Sergi Roberto may also leave on loan, Alex Song you never know, so their bench looks really thin to me. But they have one of the best youth academy in the world, perhaps they can conjure up something from there?
What do you think?

 

[Zasmain]

Lionel Messi snubbed from UEFA Best Player in Europe nominees - Goal.com

 

[mbk99]

Antonio Conte named as new Italy coach on a 2 year contract.

German World Cup-winning goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, Netherlands winger Arjen Robben and Real Madrid and Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo are the three contenders to win UEFA's Best Player in Europe Award for 2013/14.

 

[mbk99]

Barcelona starlet Gerard Deulofeu is set to join Sevilla on a season-long loan.

 

[Behrox]

Barcelona starlet Gerard Deulofeu is set to join Sevilla on a season-long loan.

Its been made official

i think Barca's are lacking depth in their squad. i mean their first looks great but their bench looks really weak, Afellay has left on loan and Sergi Roberto may also leave on loan, Alex Song you never know, so their bench looks really thin to me. But they have one of the best youth academy in the world, perhaps they can conjure up something from there?
What do you think?

Actually on paper the depth may be thin but it has something we lacked last season and thats quality. In attack we have Messi, Neymar, Suarez, Pedro, Munir/Sandro/Dongou (B-team) and might add Cuadrado. In midfield we have Raketic, Xavi, Busi, Iniesta, Sergi Roberto, Mascherano, Rafinha, Song (?), Samper/Kaptoum (B-team). In defense we have Bartra, Pique, Matheiu, TV, Mascherano, Jordi Alba, Dani Alves, Adriano, Montoya, Ie/Bagnak/Grimaldo (B-team) plus Masip, MAtS and Bravo at GK. Thats an upgrade on the squad we had last season which also had a relatively inexperienced B-team.

 

[mbk99]

Its been made official



Actually on paper the depth may be thin but it has something we lacked last season and thats quality. In attack we have Messi, Neymar, Suarez, Pedro, Munir/Sandro/Dongou (B-team) and might add Cuadrado. In midfield we have Raketic, Xavi, Busi, Iniesta, Sergi Roberto, Mascherano, Rafinha, Song (?), Samper/Kaptoum (B-team). In defense we have Bartra, Pique, Matheiu, TV, Mascherano, Jordi Alba, Dani Alves, Adriano, Montoya, Ie/Bagnak/Grimaldo (B-team) plus Masip, MAtS and Bravo at GK. Thats an upgrade on the squad we had last season which also had a relatively inexperienced B-team.

but still it's far too many youngsters, with relatively no first team experience for me.
Suarez will be serving up his ban, Dani Alves looks out of favor, Xavi perhaps losing his magic touch, Song is no good, vermaelen is always injured,
i think RM this season have an edge over Barca, it's just that RM have to find the right balance in their squad.

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Antonio Conte will earn more than any other Italy coach before him thanks to a deal with kit sponsors Puma, and thus Conte will be paid 3.2 million euros (£2.5m, $4.28m) a year -- with over half income coming from sportswear giant Puma.

 

[Behrox]

but still it's far too many youngsters, with relatively no first team experience for me.
Suarez will be serving up his ban, Dani Alves looks out of favor, Xavi perhaps losing his magic touch, Song is no good, vermaelen is always injured,
i think RM this season have an edge over Barca, it's just that RM have to find the right balance in their squad.

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Antonio Conte will earn more than any other Italy coach before him thanks to a deal with kit sponsors Puma, and thus Conte will be paid 3.2 million euros (£2.5m, $4.28m) a year -- with over half income coming from sportswear giant Puma.

its a transition phase for the club so some bumps are expected. even with all that we still have our backbone of the starting XI in Busi, Messi, Iniesta, Pique, Alba with quality additions like Rakitic, Rafinha, Mathieu who already look to be gelling with the squad. As far as RM are concerned Carlo will really have to earn his money this season because Perez has disturbedvthe balance of the squad by adding James and Kroos and likely Falcao aswell while trying to offload Di Maria. If RM play a midfield of Modric, Kroos and James they will be exposed badly by a team with intent to attack because none of them is defensive minded and all are big names with big price tags so they must play. All I'll say is RM instead of becoming stronger might have dug their own grave

 

[mbk99]

its a transition phase for the club so some bumps are expected. even with all that we still have our backbone of the starting XI in Busi, Messi, Iniesta, Pique, Alba with quality additions like Rakitic, Rafinha, Mathieu who already look to be gelling with the squad. As far as RM are concerned Carlo will really have to earn his money this season because Perez has disturbedvthe balance of the squad by adding James and Kroos and likely Falcao aswell while trying to offload Di Maria. If RM play a midfield of Modric, Kroos and James they will be exposed badly by a team with intent to attack because none of them is defensive minded and all are big names with big price tags so they must play. All I'll say is RM instead of becoming stronger might have dug their own grave

i think Benzema should now be left on RM bench, with CR7, Bale on the flanks and James as the striker, with Modric, Xabi Alonso, Kroos in the midfield.

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Arsenal defender Per Mertesacker on Friday became the third member (after Philip Lahm, Miroslav Klose) of Germany's World Cup-winning team to announce his international retirement, claiming he wants to focus on winning the Champions League.

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http://www.worldfootball.net/news/_n1219620_/chhetri-says-clashes-with-pakistan-always-special/

 

[mbk99]

Barcelona's German goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen will be sidelined for two to three weeks with a back injury, the Catalan club announced on Friday.

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Barcelona's German goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen will be sidelined for two to three weeks with a back injury, the Catalan club announced on Friday.

 

[Behrox]

Barcelona's German goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen will be sidelined for two to three weeks with a back injury, the Catalan club announced on Friday.

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Barcelona's German goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen will be sidelined for two to three weeks with a back injury, the Catalan club announced on Friday.

I think Masip will play the first game instead of Bravo now that MAtS is injured

 

[mbk99]

I think Masip will play the first game instead of Bravo now that MAtS is injured

i personally never heard of Masip, but i think Bravo will be no 1, because he has plenty of La Liga experience with Real Sociedad.

 

[Behrox]

i personally never heard of Masip, but i think Bravo will be no 1, because he has plenty of La Liga experience with Real Sociedad.

He was one of the best keepers in the Segunda division last season and he is very good, great reflexes and comfortable with the ball at his feet. He was one of the main reasons the B-team ended the league at 3rd place

 

[mbk99]

Paris Saint-Germain were left fuming on Saturday after midfielder Thiago Motta was left with a fractured nose following a bust-up in the tunnel at the end of their Ligue 1 clash with SC Bastia. With Bastia's Brazilian forward Brandao waiting for Thiago Motta to approach him before headbutting the Brazil-born Italy international.

 

[mbk99]

India defeated Pakistan 1-0 on Sunday in an emotionally-charged opener to take the lead in a two-match football series, the first between the arch-rivals for nine years.

 

[AQKRULZ]

Paris Saint-Germain were left fuming on Saturday after midfielder Thiago Motta was left with a fractured nose following a bust-up in the tunnel at the end of their Ligue 1 clash with SC Bastia. With Bastia's Brazilian forward Brandao waiting for Thiago Motta to approach him before headbutting the Brazil-born Italy international.

what ur source

 

[hmir]

It was all over the news. Check BBC.

 

[mbk99]

what ur source

Ligue 1 » News » PSG confirm Motta nose broken in Brandao clash

 

[mbk99]

Champions League Qualification fixtures on Tuesday

Play-offs 1st leg:

Besiktas (TUR) v Arsenal (ENG)

FC Copenhagen (DEN) v Bayer Leverkusen (GER)

Steaua Bucharest (ROM) v Ludogorets (BUL)

Napoli (ITA) v Athletic Bilbao (ESP)

Salzburg (AUT) v Malmo (SWE)

Arsenal should win against Besiktas, as we beat Fenerbahce last season easily, & Fenerbahce were much more stronger than Besiktas now.
& hopefully world cup winning trio will be on the bench if not in the starting line up against Besiktas.

 

[mbk99]

Bruno Zuculini joins Valencia on loan until the end of the season from Man City.

 

[sTraNg3r]

FIFA: "Have you bought everyone you want yet?"
Barca: "No."
FIFA: "Ok..."
Barca: "Only joking! We're done!"
FIFA: "Oh you! Ban starts...now"