Spainish footie

**SÓC** · 25/01/2003, 3:01 PM

Did anyone see Barca fall apart at the weekend. How such a talented group of players could decend to such farce against 10 men is amazing. Aimer just took the **** out of them at times.

Strange that they are doing so well in Europe and so poorly in La Liga. I still fancy Barca to sort themselves of soon enought tho'.

The Madrid derby was great to watch, Spainish foot.ie really is streets ahead of anything else for entertainment value.

I'd love it if Barca and Real could meet in Europe again, if only for Barca go get it right this time an get their own back on FC Franco.

Any of the Real heads (Éanna, SEJ) fancy a sporting bet on who'll go further in Europe?

**Éanna** · 26/01/2003, 3:04 PM

barca are a mess. if they get rid of van gaal they have a chnace to salvage something and maybe even win the european cup. but real are streets ahead IMO

**UCD_4_Life** · 26/01/2003, 5:04 PM

Barca's defence is the problem.

Andersson is injured (as is someone else can't remember who), Reiziger is for some reason out of favour and Christanval is $hite which only leaves Puyol and at times De Boer.

They're also missing Rivaldo and a partner for Kluivert.

Real Madrid are unbelievable at times and would be my tip to take everything this season domestically and in europe.

**Éanna** · 28/01/2003, 9:58 AM

uefa.com

FC Barcelona last night announced their intention to sack Louis van Gaal as coach.

Board meeting
The troubled Catalan club held a board meeting to discuss the Dutchman's future, following Sunday's 2-0 defeat at RC Celta de Vigo. Angry Barcelona fans surrounded the team bus outside the Balaídos stadium in Vigo and demanded that the coach be fired. Similar scenes greeted the team's arrival back at Barcelona airport in the early hours of yesterday morning.

Solution needed
The club then confirmed late last night that they wanted the 51-year-old to leave as soon as possible but that it would cost Barça €4m in compensation. They added that Van Gaal would stay as coach until a suitable financial solution could be found. "The board has agreed to attempt to reach an amicable solution with Van Gaal," Barcelona's general manager Xavier Perez Farguell said.

Poor show
Barça have lost eight of their 19 league games and lie 12th in the Primera División table at the halfway stage of the season - their worst performance since 1987/88. After seeing his team beaten by second-half goals from Jesuli and Silvinho on Sunday, Van Gaal admitted the performance had been typical of a disappointing campaign. "We worked hard but lacked a bit of brains and that cost us in the end," the former AFC Ajax and Netherlands coach said.

European success
Only in Europe has the trainer enjoyed a level of success to compare with his first spell in charge at Camp Nou: the Catalan side having won all ten of their UEFA Champions League matches this term and sharing the lead in their second group stage section, Group A, with Internazionale FC.

Title triumphs
Van Gaal returned to Barcelona last May, two years after he was invited to leave at the close of the 1999/00 campaign, when the Blaugrana finished second in the league behind RC Deportivo La Coruña. However, his first two seasons as coach had ended in triumph, with Barça lifting the Spanish title in both 1998 and 1999.

**Gary** · 28/01/2003, 12:13 PM

You must delighted so Franco boy!!!

**eoinh** · 28/01/2003, 1:03 PM

where can i get the fixture list for the rest of the spainish season?

**Gary** · 28/01/2003, 1:31 PM

Check skysports.com id say

**Éanna** · 28/01/2003, 5:42 PM

Originally posted by GWA
You must delighted so Franco boy!!!

what i want to post in response to that would see me kicked off these forums and probably arrested- go figure

**Shed End John** · 30/01/2003, 10:16 AM

Originally posted by SÓCcfc
I'd love it if Barca and Real could meet in Europe again, if only for Barca go get it right this time an get their own back on FC Franco.

Any of the Real heads (Éanna, SEJ) fancy a sporting bet on who'll go further in Europe?

Barca would in my h**e 'get it right' this time. As for 'FC Franco', that's a low, cheap, and hopelessly outdated stab at the world's greatest club.
I'd be more than happy to take a bet with ya, what are your terms?

**Éanna** · 30/01/2003, 1:41 PM

Originally posted by SÓCcfc
Any of the Real heads (Éanna, SEJ) fancy a sporting bet on who'll go further in Europe?

don´t wanna take your money.no contest. barca only 3 points off relegation now. getting rid of van gowl was a good movebut maybe too late to savethe season.

**Shed End John** · 30/01/2003, 2:13 PM

Originally posted by Éanna
don´t wanna take your money.no contest. barca only 3 points off relegation now. getting rid of van gowl was a good movebut maybe too late to savethe season.

I'll take his money in that case, Éanna! For such a talented side on paper, Barca are doing absolutely shocking. It was a good move getting shot of van Gaal but, their season is as good as in ruins. They should start preparing for next season.
Btw, where's SÓCcfc gone? Thought he was mad eager for "a sporting wager" earlier on.

**Shed End John** · 30/01/2003, 2:14 PM

Originally posted by eoinh
where can i get the fixture list for the rest of the spainish season?

Good starting points would be eurosport.com or uefa.com.

**SÓC** · 30/01/2003, 3:21 PM

Éanna and SEJ, you boys are very sure that Real will go further in Europe than Barca, lets make it interesting.

We'll have handicapped odds, if you boys are correct and Real go further than Barca in the Champions League then i'll buy a round of drinks between us, if Im right each of you boys will buy a round of drinks

Well how about it?

**Shed End John** · 30/01/2003, 3:25 PM

Originally posted by SÓCcfc
Éanna and SEJ, you boys are very sure that Real will go further in Europe than Barca, lets make it interesting.

We'll have handicapped odds, if you boys are correct and Real go further than Barca in the Champions League then i'll buy a round of drinks between us, if Im right each of you boys will buy a round of drinks

Well how about it?

Provisionally, I'd be well up for a bet like that. I never turned down a free drink in my life, I'm not about to start now. If Éanna's up for it as well, you most certainly have a bet.

**Éanna** · 31/01/2003, 12:18 AM

you're on SOCCFC

btw, what are you goin calling barca a talented players for????!!!!! apart from kluivert and puyol they'r either unproven or over the hill

**SÓC** · 01/02/2003, 12:24 AM

Saviola, Riquelme(sp?) are young and inexperienced but there are great players and will get even better.

Xavi, Anderson, Overmars and Christanval are all good players still.

De Boer and Bonano are donkeys alright

**Éanna** · 02/02/2003, 4:12 PM

Originally posted by SÓCcfc
Saviola, Riquelme(sp?) are young and inexperienced but there are great players and will get even better.

Xavi, Anderson, Overmars and Christanval are all good players still.

De Boer and Bonano are donkeys alright

Saviola and Riquleme are handy, yeah.

Anderson and Overmars are past it.

Christanval- never seen him anything anyway impressive.

Xavi- talented, but average.

**Shed End John** · 06/02/2003, 10:20 AM

Originally posted by Éanna
barca only 3 points off relegation now.

Even less now seeing as they lost 3-0 to Atletico Madrid at the weekend.

**Éanna** · 06/02/2003, 6:37 PM

Yeah, I was sure they'd win that game. I mean I've seen Pathetico a few times this season and they're no great shakes. Barca must have been all over the gaff to concede 3 to them.

**SÓC** · 06/02/2003, 7:30 PM

Originally posted by Éanna
Yeah, I was sure they'd win that game. I mean I've seen Pathetico a few times this season and they're no great shakes. Barca must have been all over the gaff to concede 3 to them.

Barca were just shocking Bananna-o is consistantly crap. Dani played up front and did less than nothing.
Tores the 18-yr old looks like he's going to be some player for Atl. Madrid and Albertini is pure class, see his freekick against Real in the 7th minute of injury time?