Liga Pundits articles

[Beast]

Fully agree Adam.. it's one of the best things in Spain that the 2 big clubs has the power given by the members..

[Aedonys]

Fully agree Adam.. it's one of the best things in Spain that the 2 big clubs has the power given by the members..

I don't see why you're gloating. Your club barely did anything democratic this time around.

[Beast]

I don't see why you're gloating. Your club barely did anything democratic this time around.

U should try harder Snyde...

people dropping out of the elections on their own cause the other candidate had the best agenda doesn't mean it wasn't an election..

Laporta did face the same thing before and no one ran against him right after you won the CL ... so i don't know what your gloating about

[Aedonys]

U should try harder Snyde...

people dropping out of the elections on their own cause the other candidate had the best agenda doesn't mean it wasn't an election..

Laporta did face the same thing before and no one ran against him right after you won the CL ... so i don't know what your gloating about

Right...the money needed to even contest had no part to play. And yeah, I was clearly saying the election process works.

[Beast]

Right...the money needed to even contest had no part to play. And yeah, I was clearly saying the election process works.

right cause the members had nothing to do with it , right genius ?
The club constitution is clear and was there since forever.. 15 % of the total turnover when it was 10 Mil it still was 15 %..

the MEMBERS are the ones who made the constitution or is it not democratic that the majority decide who their club is run ? this is made to avoid any tom , dick & harry from taking over the club to make money off it..
plus it's not money paid it's a freaking Guarantee which president reimburse after their term is over...

[Aedonys]

Let's not even start to discuss how well your member's meetings work. Calderon did enough to prove that point.

[Beast]

And he was taken out & facing court.. isn't it ? that's the whole process of democracy ..

come back with a better debate when you are ready & well researched

[Cule Angles]

Laporta did face the same thing before and no one ran against him right after you won the CL ... so i don't know what your gloating about

In fairness our members did at least get a say because to stand in Barça's elections you have to gain the nominations of a certain proportion of the membership and Laporta got them whilst nobody else did, plus he already had a mandate. The situations are somewhat different.

[Aedonys]

And he was taken out & facing court.. isn't it ? that's the whole process of democracy ..

come back with a better debate when you are ready & well researched

Only because he did it so blatantly. Your ignorance towards your club is reaching new heights if you're going to say it doesn't happen. The simple fact that it happened so easily and so blatantly goes far in speaking of the quality of such meetings.

Oh and raising such a guarantee is so easy isn't it Beast. Didn't they teach you anything in MBA?

[Beast]

Only because he did it so blatantly. Your ignorance towards your club is reaching new heights if you're going to say it doesn't happen. The simple fact that it happened so easily and so blatantly goes far in speaking of the quality of such meetings.

Oh and raising such a guarantee is so easy isn't it Beast. Didn't they teach you anything in MBA?

Snyde you know nothing about my club .. it didn't happen so easily (if u read about it in the first place )
it took some good investigation to discover those who attended the meeting (good work by Marca and whoever was helping them ) ..

Raising a guarantee is piss easy if you are a business man and have money and a plan.. but i don't think they teach you that in your school nor they can give u any sort of IQ on top of it to understand

[Beast]

David Villa: the born goalscorer the giants failed to net
| Sid Lowe

The most extraordinary thing about David Villa this summer is that Real Madrid were not prepared to pay €40m to sign him
After all of the to-ing and fro-ing, rumours, counter-rumours and deals reported to be done, David Villa looks to be staying put. Remarkable as it seems, one of the most talked about commodities in the summer transfer market is expected to line up for Valencia against Sevilla when La Liga begins at the end of August, rather than Real Madrid, Barcelona or, indeed, in the Premier League.


The rumours may rumble on with Manchester City, Liverpool and Manchester United all supposedly still looking to sign the striker yet Villa himself has confirmed he will not be appearing in the Premier League. English clubs always suspected that he had no intention of joining them in any case.

Chelsea's representative, Juan Cruz Sol, emerged from Mestalla earlier this summer and threw in the towel, insisting: "Villa wants to go to Madrid." Negotiations between Madrid and Valencia ultimately broke down over money with the Valencia president, Manuel Llorente, insisting that Villa was not for sale unless someone makes a "scandalously scandalous" offer but that should not offer renewed hope for the Premier League.


There is nothing to indicate that missing out on moves to Madrid and Barcelona will change Villa's mind. "I have made a decision," he has said, "and that decision is that I will play in Spain next year. I am not going abroad."
For the Premier League, it is a huge pity. Make no mistake, Villa is one of the best strikers in the world. Possibly the best – and he will be looking to prove it when Spain play Macedonia tonight.


Asked whom he preferred out of Kaká and Ronaldo, the Spain coach, Vicente del Bosque, replied: "Villa." Of course he would say that, but he had a point. The most extraordinary thing about the transfer battles involving Villa this summer is not that Valencia wanted more than €40m (£35m) for Villa after Madrid had spent €94m on Ronaldo but Madrid were not prepared to pay it. But then, the club's director general, Jorge Valdano, said: "There are players who generate money and players who only have a footballing value."

Villa is a miner's son whose father was involved in two serious accidents in his home town of Tuilla in the principality of Asturias, famous for the 1934 revolution. His grandmother was called Libertad (Liberty) and her father was nicknamed Trotsky. But he is not mediático. "There are players who have done half of what he has done and been treated like stars," says one of his former colleagues privately. The "unlike Villa" goes without saying. "But," he adds, "in the end, David's stats are incontrovertible."

That is true. But the stats have always been hugely impressive and it has taken a remarkably long time and, fundamentally, a European Championship success with Spain – for Villa to be recognised. It is striking that this is the first summer that there has been a real auction for him.

Although Real Oviedo turned him down for being too small as a kid and Pepe Acebal, who gave him his debut at then Second Division Sporting Gijón, recalls that he initially lacked the stamina to have a real impact and had to be given his chance bit by bit, Villa's capacity for work was "unrivalled". A local derby stands out in which, as a 19-year-old, he tore Real Oviedo apart. He scored 18 league goals in his first season for Sporting, 20 in 2002-03.

At Zaragoza, in his first season in the top flight, he was named the revelation of 2003-04. He got 39 in two years and has not stopped since. He became Valencia's best ever debutant with 25 in his first season. And last season he equalled the club record, held by Mario Kempes, with 28.

With Spain, for whom a call-up was long overdue, he was top scorer at Euro 2008, despite missing the final and most of the semi-final. He got three at the 2006 World Cup, even though Luis Aragonés inexplicably withdrew him before the hour mark in all three of his starts. And as Villa himself says: "I make an effort to be ready, fit and alert in the last 15 minutes – that is when most goals are scored."
This season, undisputed at last for Spain, he has scored 13 in 12 internationals, reaching 31 in 48 caps. He is just 13 behind the country's all-time top scorer Raúl. And he has played over 50 games fewer.

When he missed a penalty against South Africa in the Confederations Cup, it served only to confirm that he is fallible. The sensation did not last long: 23 seconds later, he made amends with a brilliant goal. It came from a familiar source: out of nothing. The mind was cast back to Valencia's trip to San Siro: one Internazionale defender complained that Villa had "made us look like idiots, all on his own".

The key to his game is movement, says Acebal – desmarques de rotura, the ability suddenly to shake off defenders, made him stand out. Just ask England's centre-backs who never seemed able to fathom where he was in Seville earlier this year. "He had great technical qualities. His first touch was superb and, although you can never be sure someone will make it, you could tell he was talented. He makes very clever diagonal runs, breaking away from defenders," Acebal says. "And he invariably made the right decisions. He is very intuitive."

Then there is the coolness, the precision in front of goal. "He's very ambitious but extremely calm," adds Valencia's assistant coach Juan Carlos Carcedo. "He is never nervous; he exudes confidence."
According to his international team-mate Xabi Alonso, Villa "is a born goalscorer: quick, clever and strong, superb with both feet". The ambidexterity is a product of a broken femur when he was a young boy: with his leg in plaster, Villa was thrown the ball by his dad over and over and he kicked it back with his unplastered (weaker) leg. He is, Alonso continues, "a striker who barely needs a second to release a shot". Even if it is on the halfway line: his best came against Deportivo de La Coruña, when he hit a 50 yarder … on the turn.

He has scored free-kicks, headers, volleys, chips and screechers. There is a certain obsessiveness about him. "I can't remember every goal," he says, "but if I sat down with a pen and a piece of paper, I'm sure I'd remember most of them." There are a hell of a lot to remember. There are 168 league goals, despite not playing for one of the country's very best sides. Valencia have finished fifth, 10th, fourth and third in the seasons Villa has spent there; Zaragoza were 12th twice. Over the last five years, only Samuel Eto'o has scored more goals than him. And Eto'o only has six more – in a team that racked up 129 more than Villa's sides. Then there's the fact that for most of that time he has taken Valencia's corners and free-kicks – and however good a player is he can't head in his own crosses.


And that's the thing: it is not just about the goals. Villa is an exceptional footballer – "a phenomenon, the best in Europe", says the five-times Pichichi winner Quini – who has played as a centre-forward, on the left of a front three, behind the striker or in a typical 4-4-2. And he has succeeded in all of them. He has helped his team succeed in them all.
"I like him best between the two centre-backs because that gives him the greatest options when it comes to making runs but it doesn't matter to him. For a striker he is remarkably lacking in ego," says Acebal. "If he sees a one-two, he'll take it rather than shoot. He is very intelligent." Carcedo agrees: "Strikers are defined by the goals they score but Villa has a wider repertoire. He drops to the wing, opens the game out for others, is quick and incisive and has an eye for a pass."
It is no exaggeration. In his first season at Valencia, he provided more assists than anyone except Pablo Aimar; in 2006-07 he gave more assists than anyone in the whole of La Liga. He is not just a striker, he is an attacker – "the complete attacker", according to Michael Robinson, the former Liverpool player and now Spain's most significant television pundit. "Villa," he says, "has absolutely everything." Except, as yet, the cheerleaders his abilities deserve.
=======================
Good article about Villa

[Jordzibob]

....Why are you even back? Whats the point in posting on a forum in which you've shown complete disrespect to the mods who run the place by coming back after being banned?

[Beast]

The long list of most loathed in la Liga...

Tim Stannard

Monday 17 August 2009 12:00
The Madrid barrio of La Latina was full of 24 hour party people and peace this weekend.

Four days of boozy fiestas to celebrate... well, nothing much really... saw thousands and thousands of young dudes descending on a plethora of street-side bars to boogie and barf.

The most amazing aspect of an enchanted weekend of chundering was - to channel The Wire, at this point - the complete lack of po’lice anywhere.

Instead the fiesta was a hippy-filled love-fest.

And this is why, at the start of a new week, La Liga Loca feels the need to purge itself of these unfamiliar and unwelcome feelings of fraternity by spreading the bile and bitterness.

Over the past few days, the blog has been asking lovers of la Liga for the names of those in the game in Spain who get their goat, sour their sangria and drive them to watching Deportivo.

The one rule stipulated by La Liga Loca in any selection in its summer of hate was down to FourFourTwo being a family-friendly, God-fearing, naughty-word dodging institution.

The rule was that Guti was exempt from any nominations.

And it’s a good thing too, as that was the player whose name came up first with literally everyone and would have required the most ******ing over the text.

However, the cleaner highlights of the many rants against the Real Madrid midfielder included his various haircuts and ‘the way he walks.’

The most loathed list of la Liga kicks off with one nomination of the entire football club of Betis, “from their dodgy owner, half-wit fans and cheating players.”

Fortunately for that nominator, Betis will be stuck in la Segunda next season, having failed in their charming legal attempts to get Xerez relegated after accusations surfaced of financial irregularities at the club back in 2002.

Betis are just as rubbish at the law as they are at football, it would appear.

Blog favourite and current Athletic Bilbao coach, Joaquín Caparrós is a gentleman who is controversially on one particular hit list for apparently turning every team he has ever managed into sides “that are dirty and only kick players and never the ball.”

And, to be fair, there was some evidence of this in Sunday night’s Super Cup tie against Barcelona, a typically bruising approach to the game by the men from Basque country.

Sevilla ‘keeper, Andres Palop is also named for being the most unsportsmanlike goalie in the game from an Atlético Madrid fan, due to his love of winding up opposition fans. “Like a South American,” was the unimpressed verdict.

Valencia centre-back, Carlos Marchena appears to be unloved by pretty much everyone due to his love of smashing his knees into opposition players’ backs at set-pieces.

Although one pundit suggests that “he pretends to be a hardman but cries like a baby when anyone goes near him.”

Another defender, Real Madrid’s Marcelo, apparently “needs a damn good stomping from a mid-table hoofer,” to take the smug-*rse grin of his face.

While Dani Alves gets it in the neck because “he's a brilliant player but there’s just something about him that really annoys me.”

Poor, hopeless, mullet-abuser Javier Portillo of Osasuna - 38 appearances, 3 goals last season - is on the list as a striker who is utterly useless, but still gets a gig.

Meanwhile, Atlético Madrid defender Luis Perea is nominated for being “gifted without the ball, but the worst footballer with it.”

The Colombian is joined by former Atleti team-mate Luis García, due to his “wet fish” nature and “allergy to running.”

The blog fully backs the selection of Zaragoza’s Peter Luccin for being as “lazy as f**k,” and his tendency for playing for teams that get relegated.

La Liga Loca is sure that this is just a small percentage of the loathed and reviled in the game in Spain.

For this reason, it invites the good, good readers of the blog to send in their nominations and the reasons for their inclusion.

Two rules - the more irrational the better and mind your language.

---------------------------------------------
And now here is the comments of the people including our very own infamous Adam


August 17, 2009 15:02
A.BANK.THAT.WOULDNT.LOAN.MONEY.TO.REAL. said:
Cani

Dear God, i hate him. He's easily the most consistent diver in La Liga but thats not why i hate him. Its that horrendous look on his afterwards. Its as if his girlfriend has just informed that she wont wear THAT pink dress anymore. Utter pr**k.

PS. I hate his hair.

August 17, 2009 15:07
A.BANK.THAT.WOULDNT.LOAN.MONEY.TO.REAL. said:
...horrendous look on his FACE afterwards....

August 17, 2009 15:24
Blanco said:
Spanish Referees - All of them. Because if i stood out there to officiate a game without a whistle and just waited for my rectum to break into a chorus of farts to rely on making calls, then that particular fart will be a better call than they make through the 90 minutes.

Valdes - the chewing. honestly, why does he do it? and whilst hes chewing he looks so smug and happy with himself, so proud of his abilities as he lets in another howler/miss kicks/gifts opposition a goal. theres no problem in being crap, but when you look like you dont acknowledge this fact, its very annoying.

August 17, 2009 15:44
kbones said:
I was just wondering how can you get a look on your... afterwards.

CR9 is a sure-shot and a cliche to mention here.

De la Pena, for being a provocative d**k to those who he once won everything with, namely Barcelona players. well, technically they didn't, but nevermind. and of course for going to Espanyol in the first place.

Nacho Monreal, for saying before the Osa vs Barca match: "it will be wonderful if Messi suffers". although suffering can have many forms, he could as well say "I will kick your legs, you little Argy kid"

and if you can accept Sandro Rosell's candidature... whatever he says, it's always close to "let's get rid of Laporta, he sucks but he just got lucky"

whoa. I feel better now

August 17, 2009 16:36
BoroKnight said:
ESPN:

for not re-broadcasting La Liga games, that come LIVE at 4 am, ever again!!! Those duckf$$$$ng chiens!!

and all time favourite to hate-

Ramon Calderon, I know he's not a player but cmon, we all hate his guts just like A.BANK.THAT.WOULDNT.LOAN.MONEY hates butt-floss

August 17, 2009 16:45
BoroKnight said:
sorry i mean blanco the butt floss hater

August 17, 2009 17:02
phantompong said:
Guti... oh wait.

Thankfully, Javi Garcia is no longer an option. With him on the pitch it felt like Madrid were playing with nine men.

So I'll have to go with Dani Alves. He's a brilliant player but there's just something about him that really annoys me.

Ask me again in ten weeks. I'm waiting to decide on CR9. He's a brilliant player but everything about him really annoys me. The only thing on his side is that I would rather have him on my team than not, which makes him even more annoying...

August 17, 2009 17:42
Nehemiah said:
Pablo Hernandez - for looking like a pot-smoking rebellious teenager.

August 17, 2009 17:42
psdiggs said:
Gago(AKA Lady Gago) a useless useless player how he ever made it is beyond me he is brain dead. Come to think of it any young argie midfielder that is playing in spain but Gago really annoys me. Also Pepe(Salt n Pepe) has a hateful head but since he broke down last season i have warmed to him. Surely he is a future Newcastle player.

August 17, 2009 18:10
Murcianista said:
1. Real Madrid and Barcelona and their mouthpieces in the Spanish press for making it all but impossible for any spanish kid to support any other team with no coverage of anything other than Blanco and Culé. Then we wonder why attendances in Segunda are so poor.....

2. Atletico Madrid supporters for trying to own the "pupas" tag. They haven't a clue. Supporters of Oviedo, Compostela and my lot in Murcia....we know what real failure and disappointment are.

August 17, 2009 18:14
don_cule said:
Kaka-if he wants to be a preacher...then be a preacher, but if he wants to be a football player...then keep his "I belong to" tee shirt in Brazil!

The whole Zaragoza team...I will never look at them or their fans in the same way since the incident with Samu eto'o

August 17, 2009 18:20
AdamCule said:
Salva Ballesta - a fascist slogan on the underside of his boots and a stupid military salute celebration along with his hatred of anybody outside of a very small space in the very middle of Spain makes him a character La Liga could well do without.

Raul Tamudo - as if denying barça a league title wasn't enough he looks like a rat.

Tactical "injuries" - something that Alex Ferguson has been harping on about recently. He should try watching more la liga games, it's a regular tactic for far too many players who are oh so conveniently dying when the opposition is racing up the other end of the pitch but then leap into action once their side gets the ball back or the gullible opposing side kicks the ball out.

Espanyol's club anthem - truly painful, somebody needs shooting for that effort.

There are a lot more besides but I've exorcised the worst of the demons. Honorable mentions to Sergio Ramos, Alfonso Perez Burrull, the Ultras Sur, the crumbling wreck that is the Mestalla and not scheduling kick offs until 8 days before the match is played. argggghhhhhhh!

August 17, 2009 19:07
Vergilius said:
I hate Puyol, not anything to do with him as a player or person, it's just that everytime I see him, the phrase "Poodle-midget" pops up in my brain...

August 17, 2009 19:19
A.BANK.THAT.WOULDNT.LOAN.MONEY.TO.REAL. said:
There's two other morons on RealMadrid.tv that deserve a mention.

The French fella who...am...writes for a living. Watch in amazement as he speaks at length about absolutely nothing. Plus he loves Marcelo. And Gago. And Guti Haz. And hates King Henry.

The Spanish lady who informs us every week that player x is her friend. Player x tends to be a player who performed well that weekend. Also, she had a go at Samu for celebrating after the 2-6 win in the Bernabeau. What the hell did she expect?

August 17, 2009 19:56
Long Live Zola said:
Kaka. After all that nonsense with Man City, said he wouldnt move for love nor money away from his 'beloved' Milan. Six months later and he's just another smug galactico. I want Milan to get Madrid in CL so badly this year just to hear the hate songs! Brilliant player, just questionable attitude.

I would say Zlatan 'I am the greatest' Ibrahimovic, for obvious reasons involving his head having swollen to roughly the size of Inter's list of useless benchwarmers, but I have regrettably fallen in love with his play. Some of his goals are just remarkable.

Agree about Javi Garcia. He was a waste of space at Madrid. I am sure there is SOME talent to Gago because he keeps getting picked, but I have yet to see anything that suggests he wouldn't fit in quite comfortably at Betis.

August 17, 2009 20:15
JaimeCule said:
Raúl - Every single times he moves a toe he looks as moving the whole world. And (many) media follow him.

Luis García (Enpanyol) - Come on... Who doesn't simply hate that guy? Except Paul from Barcelona, of course.

Dieguito 'Piscinas' Capel - Great, great diver. Ask around Málaga about him.

August 17, 2009 21:11
kbones said:
shame Saviola is out of the league.

the most expensive bench-warmer ever

August 17, 2009 22:19
BigWelshDefender said:
Santi Cazorla because he looks funny....a bit like a mouse. And David Silva because I don't think he's as good as everyone is saying. Joey Barton is one to hate globally, no matter which league he's in!

August 17, 2009 23:41
Paul said:
Barça Supporters-For being total morons. Read any Barça post above except Don namely Barcelona players.

"De la Pena, for being a provocative d**k to those who he once won everything with ,namely Barcelona players"

He played for Barça last century and only played with Guardiola and Txiki in the current set up.So your point being ?

"Espanyol's club anthem - truly painful, somebody needs shooting for that effort."

While i agree it's bad it is beaten by

"Barça,Barça.BaaaaaarrÇa". Has sheep noises in it so that the sheep who follow the club can sing it and it's only two syllables.any more and no-one could follow it. It sounds like something the Chuckle Brothers rejected.

"Raul Tamudo - as if denying barça a league title wasn't enough he looks like a rat."

Carlos Puyol anybody ? The Bella Emberg of Spanish football

People in Glass houses......

Gerard Pique-For trying to incite a riot in a football stadium and for trying to be hard in a disco and bottling it when his chosen opponent turned out to be a Kickboxer and an Espanyol fan to boot.

Jesus Navas and Diego Capel-Cheats

Marchena-Just for being himself

August 17, 2009 23:54
andres in ny said:
1) Victor Valdes because, in addition to what Blanco said (he looks as dumb as he is), he also punched a poor spectator in the face at the cinema for rightfully telling his girlfriend to put out her cigarette without even giving a warning. www.publico.es/.../cine

2) Sergio Ramos for being nearly as dumb as Victor Valdes and having bad taste in everything (ditto Guti on that). 3.bp.blogspot.com/.../sergio+ramos.jpg

3) Athletic Bilbao because they should have been relegated for match fixing in 06/07. http://www.goal.com/.../new-match-fi...anish-football

4) Gago because he clearly sucks.

=================

[Raed]

hahahahahahaha....

[Beast]

La Liga’s quotes of the summer

Tuesday 18 August 2009 16:00
“Espanyol is like my wife” - Always promising to go down, but never going through with it, perhaps. Espanyol manager Pochettino, musing over comparisons between his club and his misses.

“I raised my hands to surrender but Carleto still shot me twice” - Valencia’s Rubén Baraja speaking after a summertime paintballing session. That famous Mestalla team spirit is still alive and kicking, it seems.

“I will take the team to the Europa League, the Champions League and we will go once again to Madrid... that’s what Manuel Ruíz de Lopera will work for” - at least one of the Betis overlord’s potty pledges have come through. Second division Rayo Vallecano play in the capital city.

“We decided that the best thing for everyone would be to sell me... but my wish was to stay in Mílan” - Kaká shortly before being booted under the table by Florentino Pérez and handed the ‘my childhood dream was always to play for Real Madrid script.’

“God put this money in the hands of Real Madrid so they could sign Kaká” - A deserving middle-finger to all those Barça fans whining about Spanish banks lending a quarter of billion euros to Real Madrid in the middle of a recession. Mrs Kaká, Caroline Celico, says it is all part of His plan to reward her for keeping her cherry intact before marrying her hubby.

“The most scandalous signing in the history of football” - Professional bedwetter, Barcelona cheerleader and U-turner, Josep María Casanovas from ‘Sport’ on Cristiano Ronaldo’s decision to sign for Real Madrid. And more importantly, not Barcelona.

“The signing of the century!” - a slightly different perspective from Marca with their happy headline on the same affair.

“Cristiano Ronaldo is not only number one with the ball but also for keeping his word” - Marca’s thankfully sidelined writer Roberto Gómez ignorning the whole ‘playing for Manchester United is a dream’ business from Real Madrid’s new kitten-rescuing, gentleman superstar.

“It’s unthinkable that one of my directors would say this” - Basque brotherhood in glorious action as Osasuna presient Patxi Izco feigns outrage over Athletic Bilbao VP Joseba Inchaurrage, noting that Osasuna’s relegation would have helped his club out no end on the transfer front in the close season.

“I’ve tried to ring him a couple of times but he’s not taking my calls” - Joan Laporta on Catalan television during the Samuel Eto’o transfer saga. And either demonstrating refreshing honesty or that he’s a total half-wit who has no control over his players.

“I’ve got to get back to Spain tomorrow for training” - Atlético full-back Mariano Pernía’s first words after coming out of a 72-hour coma caused by a car accident. Even with a broken collar bone, concussion and smashed ribs, he would still be better than Pablo.

“We were pre-destined to find each other” - Burger King Spanish suit, Elias Diaz Sesé, getting just a little too excited over his company’s new sponsorship deal with Getafe.

“Why not play Raúl at left-back?” - A ludicrous letter appearing in Marca over the summer written by one of the paper’s readers. Or possibly by Raúl.

“We will never spend 60 million euros on one player” - Barcelona director, Xavier Sala-i-Martin speaking far, far, far, far, far too soon.

“My aim is to score between 30 and 40 goals” - Plucky Real Valladolid recruit Manucho on his striking target for the new season. A fine aim if it weren’t for the fact that by all accounts he is a bit rubbish.

“It’s an invention by a club who went down this year and who want to screw us over” - Joaquín Morales, the main shareholder for new boys Xerez, on a legal complaint from SD Compostela that there was financial dodginess at the club back in 2002.

“I was told that I should leave Valencia for the good of the club. But then, soon after, everything changed” - David Villa reveals the shock news of confusion and chaos in Mestalla.

“Don’t know” - A simple answer from Pep Guardiola during the club’s US tour on how he can improve the side this year.

“We are alone in the universe” - Yes. Yes, you are. Atlético president Enrique Cerezo on his club’s unique status.
===============
Man Tim is on fire

====================================
Also part 2 of the liga loathed comments

by andres in ny re: la Liga's much loathed:

Barcelona's 'mes que un club' nonsense. Get over yourself, the sheep that run that club tattoo that stupid slogan on everything from their stadium, to their kit, to Joan Laporta's mother's forehead. Its a god-damn football club, if you believe anything else you've been had, idiots!

August 18, 2009 16:46
FourFourTwo Team said:
by Lemmi re: la Liga's much loathed:

Jose Mari. Jose Mari. Jose Mari. Jose Mari. Jose Mari. A player who will not be able to look back on his career in any way. Because it involved a huge amount of squandered talent and single handedly (not quite in Spain actually) being one of those players who just ruins it for everyone else. Some players make the most of things and feign injury. Some players jump or make the most out of challenges. Jose Mari is so scared about anyone entering his personal space it makes him dramatically fall over, a pure oxygen thief who really good do with being decked.

August 18, 2009 16:47
FourFourTwo Team said:
by Suivaloom re: la Liga's much loathed:

Fernando Gago: Any short man with a round face who decides to have shoulder-length hair is obscene.

August 18, 2009 16:48
FourFourTwo Team said:
by Paul re: la Liga's much loathed:

Murcianista- Just re-read your post. well said mate. we need your Voice of reason on here more often. As you may have noticed it's not just Spanish kids who are afflicted by the Big two disease.

August 18, 2009 16:49
FourFourTwo Team said:
by Guiriperico re: la Liga's much loathed:

Mallorca

Lovely island, sh*t ground, sh*t fans and a sh*t team!

With Espanyol fighting for their lives, Mallorca (with that git Eto'o in the team) well and truly safe, overturn a 0-2 deficit to end up winning 3-2. Espanyol went from being safe to almost relegated, but all was saved on the last day of the season.

My sister-in-law

Typical Barça fan who wouldn't know the stadium if it jumped up and bit her in the wide load that is called her backside. She thinks it is so much fun to have a snipe at me for being an Espanyol fan, when the only think she knows about "her" club is that "they are Catalunya!". A tomar por cul...!

August 18, 2009 16:50
FourFourTwo Team said:
by AdamCule re: la Liga's much loathed:

Come on Paul, Espanyol fans would love to have an anthem as good as Barça's, your fans don't sing their own but will happily sing the last bars of ours before replacing "barça" with "merda".

Of course I could always have nominated Espanyol fans for being bitterer than a bottle of angostura bitters but I feel more pity than loathing for the Barcelona outcasts.

August 18, 2009 16:52
FourFourTwo Team said:
by footblog re: la Liga's much loathed:

The most unsportsmanlike goalie has to be Casillas.

August 18, 2009 16:54
FourFourTwo Team said:
by Beast re: la Liga's much loathed:

Man that's a long list..

From our squad Gago for acting like a lady all the time, Raul comes second for me for his antics and backroom politics (that's for you Soldado - cheers )

Joan Laporta and his constant lies and contradictions (surprised he didn't get an honorable mention ? )

Calderon for disappointing me .

Lord Darth Vader and the Seth (Betis-Seville superior beings )

Bilbao players every single one of them .

Karim-way-overrated-thanks-to-his-goal-in-ManU-Benzema .

Danny Alves and Diego Capel the 2 Broadway diving show.

Michel (ex-Madrid legend and cr*p manager )and his son-he-who-must-play-ahead-of-great-players-like-Mata (when he was in Castilla)-granero -Soldado (both Getafe) Adrian Gonzalez .

Perez first stint @ Real

Zlatan-Le Nose-IbrahimoDitch and his crack under pressure (never scored a goal in a KO round in the CL) and an ego as big as Laporta.

August 18, 2009 17:08
AdamCule said:
Andres in NY has obviously not heard of our basketball, handball, futbol sala, roller hockey, ice hockey, athletics, baseball and rugby teams. News of Barça's political and social significance has also yet to cross the Atlantic it would seem. Yes the phrase is overused and hopelessly overmarketed by Laporta but Barça is certainly more than a football club both in a literal and a deeper sense.

August 18, 2009 17:22
Pablo Athletic said:
Real Madrid: Every single thing about them.

The ground - concrete monstrosity...

Every single one of their players, especailly Raul, Guti, Marcelo, and that cheat Casillas - see you in La Catedral next season sonny!!!!

Everything about the club from its arrogance, smugness, fascist idiot fans, vile smarmy crook president (past and especially the present one) The way they cry about refs when they actually benifit more than anyone. The fauning press coverage, the way they go on and on about being named 'best club of 20th century (by Sepp Blatter for Gods Sake - a man who has so many gold Madrid badges that he got as 'presents' that he never needs to work again....)

The tosser who thinks he's a bullfighter in the ground, Thomas Roncero, Pedro Gomez in Marca...

EVERYTHING ABOUT THEM MAKES ME WANT TO VOMIT...

I think this is a calm and rational view....

Please please please .....I sooooo hope they mess it up this time.

August 18, 2009 17:36
AdamCule said:
Seems calm and rational to me Pablo. GORA ATHLETIC!

August 18, 2009 17:59
A.BANK.THAT.WOULDNT.LOAN.MONEY.TO.REAL. said:
Well said Pablo.

I'm not feeling much love for Paul from Barcelona. His "Dear Diary" entries that infected La Liga Loca last season were obscene.

Dude has more than a touch of the Dan Brown about him.

August 18, 2009 18:52
Paul said:
"but Barça is certainly more than a football club both in a literal and a deeper sense" and this is exactly the sort of nonsense that makes me hate Barça fans.

It might have been ok 40 years ago but not now.The world has moved on but FCB can't. It's the Catalan equivilant of "The Germans,They bombed our Chip shop."

August 18, 2009 18:55
Paul said:
"I'm not feeling much love for Paul from Barcelona. His "Dear Diary" entries that infected La Liga Loca last season were obscene"

Your new here aren't you ?.BAAAArÇa