The La Liga Thread

[el_nino84]

Open to all things La Liga.

[el_nino84]

So how many of you follow La Liga??

I try to keep as up to date as possible with La Liga, through live matches on Sky Sports and also the odd game online too. With a massive number of the Ballon D'or nominees it shows how high the standard is in this league.

[Stevo Da Gull]

I used to watch La Liga regularly when I had sky, now I try to keep in touch. Went to an Atletico Madrid match last season so would probably look out for them as much as anyone, though I also find Rayo to have an appeal. I remember that Sevilla were great to watch back when I had sky, and I have rooted for Valencia before. When it comes to the big two, I prefer to see Barca win the title than Real though it would be nice if neither of them won it!

Can't see anyone else challenging them this season though if I'm being honest.

[Closed Account 2]

Looks like Barca v Real Madrid will be on a Monday night now:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/201...day/index.html

[DeLorean]

Looks like Barca v Real Madrid will be on a Monday night now

I noticed that on the BBC fixtures alright. I would have preferred if it was on at the weekend. Thought Real were very unlucky in the corresponding fixture last season, Barca had most of the ball, but Real created the best chances. Touch of class about Zlatan's goal though. The Mourinho factor will make the fixtures all the more intriguing this season, especially if Real are still unbeaten at the Bernabéu by the time the reverse fixture comes around. Mourinho's home league run must be the most impressive record in football.

[Closed Account 2]

I would say if anyone has any interest in going to one of these games Monday might be you best chance of doing it reasonably cheaply. There are reports that a lot of fans have got tickets (living all over Spain) and are now struggling to get the time off work, flights / trains etc, so if you are in the city I would think there is a fair chance of some tickets going at or near face value.

[Closed Account 2]

Looks like Afellay's been getting lesons for his Barca move:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PDZc4CJ1Cg

Must have learnt that one off Sergio Buskets

[Roadend]

What a display from Barca last night, Thoroughly outplayed Real in every department. When was the last time they were on the end of a humiliating defeat like that. Iniesta and Xavi were absolutely amazing.

[gaiscíoch]

What a display from Barca last night, Thoroughly outplayed Real in every department. When was the last time they were on the end of a humiliating defeat like that. Iniesta and Xavi were absolutely amazing.

The last time they were humiliated like that was maybe May 2009 wasn't it 6-2 to Barca?

Barcelona were excellent last night but they are also the biggest bunch of W*****S to ever take to a pitch.
Some of the carry on of them the diving and ****ing and moaning at the ref running 60yards to get involved in something that had nothing to do with them.

Valdes, Puyol, Busquets Messi the lot of them horrible arrogant W*****S.

Valdes would have done well to remember that it was him last year who found great joy in pushing Mourinho who had not really done anything wrong apart from beating them....

[Dodge]

and you call them whiney?

They all know the game. Both sides do everything to wind the opposition up in these games.

its not arrogance when you can back it up.

[Closed Account 2]

The last time they were humiliated like that was maybe May 2009 wasn't it 6-2 to Barca?

Barcelona were excellent last night but they are also the biggest bunch of W*****S to ever take to a pitch.
Some of the carry on of them the diving and ****ing and moaning at the ref running 60yards to get involved in something that had nothing to do with them.

Valdes, Puyol, Busquets Messi the lot of them horrible arrogant W*****S.

Valdes would have done well to remember that it was him last year who found great joy in pushing Mourinho who had not really done anything wrong apart from beating them....

Agree, they might be classy at passing the ball but would it kill them to learn some manners ? You can win matches without behaving like *******s... La Masia must do special courses in how to wave imaginary yellow cards. Maybe hold of such pontification until they've won more than the two Champions Leagues in the past decade.

You're right about Valdez, overly agressive in the Ronaldo - Guaridola incident, and he kept running to the center circle to try and get players booked - perhaps there is a deep-rooted inferiority complex at being the weak link in the side and not really a top Spanish keeper (compared to say Casillas, Reina, De Gea and Diego Lopez). Busquets is the worst player I've ever seen in terms of histrionics.

Obviously Real Madrid's players were pretty poorly behaved too, but was there any need for Barca to still try and get Madrid players sent off at 4,5 goals up?

I find the whole holier-than-thou attitude of Cruyff, Barca and their lapdogs in the press a bit nauseating at times. They are a good side, who play nice football at times, but this guff about being the best side in the history of the game - only if "the game" was invented in the last decade.

[Dodge]

The current game is only about 10 years old. Absolutely no point in comparing teams from earlier decades as the game was completely different. Same with players

I tihk its a bloke thing in fairness. Constantly needing to compile lists of top ten teams/players etc.

[gaiscíoch]

and you call them whiney?

Yes IMO they are it's very hard to believe the media turn a blind eye to the behavior of some of their players. Running the length of the field to put a imaginary card in the refs face is "whiney"

They all know the game. Both sides do everything to wind the opposition up in these games.

That auld chestnut.... They are so good they do not need to get involved in that stuff. You can hate the opposition but you can also respect them.
The ref was excellent last night deserves full credit

its not arrogance when you can back it up.

They certainly can but still doesn't mean I have to like it?

[shakermaker1982]

I'm very surprised Mourinho allowed/opted to have his back 4 playing so high up the pitch. Why would you give a team like Barca so much space in behind you?

To be fair to Mourinho he did put out an attacking line up and it made the game more entertaining (though a tad bit one sided) but I thought he'd have tried to frustrate Barca for first 45.

Barca are a great team and this current mob are best team I've ever seen in the flesh (Trap's Ireland come close....).

The rolling around disgusts me but what can we do? Football is now a game where we see players wearing scarves/snoods and gloves when it's cold. Somebody pushes you in the chest? Roll over and pretend your shot. It drives me crazy. If you pull a stunt like that on a Sunday round here in the pub leagues you'd start a riot and rightly so. Start banning players for OTT rolls and falls and it will soon stop.

[Dodge]

That auld chestnut.... They are so good they do not need to get involved in that stuff. You can hate the opposition but you can also respect them.

I said "they all know the game" meaning players from both sides. Every Spanish club does it, and has done for years. Madrid would've done the same if in that position.

I just don't get worked up by it

[gaiscíoch]

I said "they all know the game" meaning players from both sides. Every Spanish club does it, and has done for years. Madrid would've done the same if in that position.

I just don't get worked up by it

Still doesn't mean we should except it as part of the game.
It is not part of the game never has been never should be.
All the uproar last week over Mourinho telling his players to get sent off so they don't carry cards in the knock-out stages (showing just how flawed the disciplinary system is in European Competition is) got worldwide coverage yet the carry on of the Barcelona players is once again brushed under the carpet?

I just think Barcelona are classless. Turning on the sprinklers last year v Inter was a disgrace.

Wind back the clock to 2000/2001 and they were allot more humble.........

[Dodge]

Still doesn't mean we should except it as part of the game.
It is not part of the game never has been never should be.

Clearly is part of the game.

All the uproar last week over Mourinho telling his players to get sent off so they don't carry cards in the knock-out stages (showing just how flawed the disciplinary system is in European Competition is) got worldwide coverage yet the carry on of the Barcelona players is once again brushed under the carpet?

Thats because it was on a European stage. Remember the outcry over Busquet's acting last year? Wasn't brushed under the carpet at all

And for the record any Spanish commentators I read after the Mourinho incident said its a common thing in Spain, and all clubs do it. I'd no problem with it either

Turning on the sprinklers last year v Inter was a disgrace.

Agreed, 100%. It was a groundman's decision though

Wind back the clock to 2000/2001 and they were allot more humble.........

No, they just weren't shown on TV all the time

[dfx-]

Tough...every single year Real come to rough up Barcelona and they did it last night, I have no sympathy for them - they didn't pick up enough yellow cards. How Carvalho stayed on the pitch is a mystery. Referees like that will cost the game Messi soon enough.

Great to see Mourinho not get away with it like he did in injury time with Inter. Ever since the popular idea is to get amongst Barcelona and disrupt them, then tough **** if you get booked...

Didn't work well last night.

[hoops1]

Purists 5 Anti Football 0
What is there to be unhappy about.

[Closed Account 2]

You'd get good odds on Real to win the league now, worth a punt I think - all things being equal against the other 18 all they would need is a win in April to pop back above Barca.