La Liga Superthread 2023/24

Mr.Nice Guy

Don't think I've seen this before. Correa scores a goal but it's chalked off for offside, he then gets subbed, and then VAR awards the goal with the other players celebrating with him on the bench. 😂

https://twitter.com/ViaplaySportsUK/status/1621946944892567552

It ends 1-1. Doherty was on the bench but didn't get on for his debut.

Thought Atletico were unfortunate not to get a pen for Djene holding on to Morata. Not a fan of Djene as he has a few mistakes in him.

I mentioned Gabri Veiga on the previous page. He grabbed 2 goals as Celta won 4-3 at Betis. The highlights are worth a watch.

Mr.Nice Guy

Madrid are a goal down at Mallorca. Benzema is out injured. Big blow to their title hopes if they fail to win.

Just noticed Lunin is in goal as well. Courtois injured in the warm-up.

Vini won a pen off the keeper Rajkovic but Rajkovic saves Asensio's spot kick. About half an hour for Madrid to rescue this.

Headshot

That Mallorca team is really deplorable

Mr.Nice Guy

Full-time. The title might be beyond Madrid now. Commentator said earlier that Madrid haven't overturned a lead of 5 points or more at a halfway stage since the 2002/03 season. If Barca beat Sevilla later, the lead will be 8 points. ITV4 are showing it live.

Madrid don't have sufficient cover for Benzema and I'm amazed Mariano is still at the club. For all Liverpool's problems, if Benzema misses that tie, I'd give them a very good chance of progressing.

NIMAN

As great as benzema has been, it's shocking that a team like madrid are relying so much on one man.

They need to buy a top level striker, and soon. I see them linked with Adeyemi.

Headshot

Valencia in real trouble for survival and it's hard to see them getting out of it with the team they currently have.

NIMAN

Sad to see such a great club reduced to this. Hope they survive the drop.

Mr.Nice Guy

Important 3-2 win for Sociedad at Espanyol. They made hard work of it as they had been 3-0 ahead. Kubo played well. I'd like to see them make the Champions League and I think they will. I fancy Atletico for the other spot, although I'd like to see a fresh team get it.

NIMAN

Mmmm, interesting.

Sounds like something Juve were heavily punished for in the past. Wonder if anything will come of it.

Headshot

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120230350#Comment_120230350

Yap they are going down in my eyes

That's some sleeping giant getting relegated

HalloweenJack

They've been a mess for years. A quick look says they've had fifteen permanent managers since Unai Emery left in 2012.

There seems to be two types of managers: ones who do well for a while then have a bad run and get sacked before they can turn it around (Nuno, Marcelino) and then lots of managers who are, to varying degrees, just not good enough (Neville, Bordalas, Gattuso).

The blame lies with Peter Lim. Very quick to turn on managers and his handling of the club's finances has seen them nearly caught out by FFP a few times, forcing them to sell players. EDIT: Their inability to sort out the new stadium has also hampered any progress.

Outside of Madrid and Barca, there are several big-ish Spanish sides that are susceptible to this kind of thing. Spend big to compete, have a few decent runs in Europe but then fizzle out and fall down the table again. It has happened recently to Villarreal, Sevilla, Betis, Celta, Athletic, Real Sociedad and now Valencia, whose plight is more extreme.

They can compete for a few years by getting into the CL but the investment needed to overhaul the big two is beyond them. Atletico have done an outstanding job to somewhat challenge them in this time but they'll probably implode when Simeone's gone.

adaminho

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120269692#Comment_120269692

This is 2 years old but a good summary of the situation.

https://youtu.be/ICdHo5GWZSA

Weepsie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120245149#Comment_120245149

More on it here

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/64717693

More than just a club is right.

HalloweenJack

The Barca story is interesting and I find it particularly hilarious given how much Barca and their fans have complained about Madrid all these years.

I'm interested to see how it plays out. It does seem so poorly planned and sloppily executed on Barca's part that I struggle to believe it but we are talking about the Bartomeu era. If, as suggested, the payments go back to Laporta's first spell then it takes on a whole other dimension.

The Spanish federation and its president (Rubiales) are rotten and Tebas is another chancer so its hard to see how this can be resolved in a dignified manner.

Mr.Nice Guy

Didn't see it but sounds like Elche vs Betis was absolute madness.

Elche go 2-0 up inside 10 minutes.

Elche get 2 red cards in the space of 2 mins in the second half.

Betis score twice to draw level.

Betis get a penalty in the 88th minute to go ahead - they miss.

Elche get their third red card in injury time and Betis get another penalty - this time they score to win it in the 96th minute.

irishguitarlad

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120285533#Comment_120285533

It was heart attack inducing stuff, I thought Ayoze was very good.

Mr.Nice Guy

Madrid derby is live on ITV4 from 5:30pm. Teams:

Madrid XI: Courtois; Carvajal, Militao, Rudiger, Nacho; Valverde, Kroos, Ceballos; Asensio, Benzema, Vini Jr.

Atletico XI: Oblak; Molina, Savic, Hermoso, Reinildo; Llorente, Barrios, Koke, Saul; Griezmann, Carrasco.

Any slip-ups from Ancelotti's side and the league is surely done and dusted, if it's not already.

NIMAN

Had Matt Doherty got any game time since his move?

Mr.Nice Guy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120288080#Comment_120288080

Don't think so yet. LB Reinildo was stretchered off with a bad looking injury, so that might slightly increase his chances of featuring, although I'd rather see him on the right.

Correa red card for elbow on Rudiger.

d22ontour

Didn't look like a red card offense.

Mr.Nice Guy

Oh my goodness, ten-man Atletico take the lead. Gimenez header a dagger to Madrid's title hopes. Just over 10 minutes to go.

Alvaro equaliser with a nice header. Good time to get his first goal. Madrid still need another one.

Full-time. Barca 7 points clear with a game in hand. Barca win that and it's all over. Madrid will have to focus on the Champions League.

Mr.Nice Guy

Big result for Valencia, beating Sociedad 1-0. It moves them out of the bottom three for the moment. Samuel Lino had a great game.

Mr.Nice Guy

Surprised to hear Barca were beaten by Almeria. Gap would have been 10 points had they won. 7 point gap suggests it's not quite over but Barca still heavy favourites.

MisterAnarchy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120292250#Comment_120292250

Barcelona were atrocious according to reports, only 1 shot on target.

jacool

Just when you wonder if the intellect of your average football fan is on the rise, the dregs of Real Madrid post racist comments on Alaba's twitter feed, because he voted for Messi, not Benzema. All this after the s**t that Vinicius Jr has had to put up with this season. Why does the beautiful game appeal to so many neanderthals?

NIMAN

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120296444#Comment_120296444

To be fair, Real Madrid would have a large section of what would be called racist fans. They have shown their colours over many years, they only complain when one of their own players is getting abuse, but plenty of opposition players have been on the receiving end from them.

The Golden Miller

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120299653#Comment_120299653

Their true colours really seen when mobs in Real jerseys lined the streets to cheer on the soldiers heading to baton old women in Catalunya, when they tried to exercise their democratic right.

Their supporters are right wing dregs, who support a regime that was never really overthrown, and accepted by the western world. They carry a superiority complex similar to loyalists, built on being from Castile, and regard themselves above their lowly dominions. They are some of the lowest fans I've come across.

Horrible club and fans, success built on corruption and the Spanish tax payer. Should of been banned from football a long time ago

The Golden Miller

Just another point on this, it's depressing watching Irish Man United fans support Madrid, cause Barca used to hockey them and Ronaldo played for both.

Is that superficial rubbish more important than grand scale corruption, in terms of both football and politics, towards everyone else? Then again, we have Irish Chelsea fans, totally unaware of their clubs loyalist ideology

Mr.Nice Guy

Madrid taking on Barca in the 1st leg of the Copa del Rey semi-finals. BT Sport showing it from 8pm. Teams:

https://twitter.com/RCsports_/status/1631379273834549249

No Lewandowski, Pedri or Dembele for Barca. Would be disappointing given the circumstances if Madrid don't take some sort of lead to the Camp Nou.

sligeach

What's the linesman at? That was a perfectly fair goal. Barca in front against Real. Goes down as an own goal. Must see if there's a Copa del Rey thread.

Mr.Nice Guy

1-0 Barca with their first chance of the game. Looks like a Militao own goal.

MisterAnarchy

Its baffling how poor Real Madrid are outside the Champions league.

sligeach

Barca through. 🎉

Real Madrid. 👋

Mr.Nice Guy

Strange game. Madrid dominated possession but looked so toothless in attack. Didn't manage a single shot on target all night. Great performance from Araujo who gave Vini Jr. nothing.

Mr.Nice Guy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120307472#Comment_120307472

Still a second leg to come. Wouldn't write Madrid off but Barca favourites now.

The Golden Miller

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120307437#Comment_120307437

It's baffling how they won it 4 times in 5 years, and added another last year. Despite them doing the 3 in a row, I still wouldn't regard that team as one of the greatest ever

sligeach

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120307502#Comment_120307502

I think Barca will get a draw at worst at the Nou Camp.

NIMAN

Yeah something not right with Madrid at the minute. Outside of that Liverpool display, they haven't been great all season. Bit like all Europe's top teams this season, all off the boil.

I think their midfield is starting to look its age. Kroos is very average this season compared to his usual level. Modric is looking tired. They miss Casemiro I think. And without Benzema banging in the goals , they are struggling to score. They really need to bring in a couple of big names in the summer, be that Bellingham and Mbappe, or some other prolific goalscorer.

d22ontour

Only team to win it back to back to back in its current format with world class players all over the team but not a great team....

HalloweenJack

At times, Madrid reminded me of Spain at the WC: loads of posession and some nice passing passages but couldn't find any space in the opposition box. I think Camavinga had a few wild shots from outside the box that was probably the closest Madrid came to troubling Ter Stegen.

A very disciplined performance from Barca. They let Madrid have the ball and stood up to them.

Ref was a joke though, very lenient for Madrid and quick to flash the cards against Barca players. And the time added on at the end, though I was surprised he didn't give a pen when the ball hit Alonso's shoulder.

Mr.Nice Guy

I gather Barca beat Valencia so a 10 point gap as it stands. Now a tricky must-win game for Madrid away to Betis.

Betis XI: Bravo; Sabaly, Pezzella, Felipe, Miranda; Rodriguez, Carvalho; Rodri, Perez, Ruibal; Iglesias.

Madrid XI: Courtois; Vazquez, Militao, Rudiger, Camavinga; Valverde, Tchouameni, Kroos; Rodrygo, Benzema, Vini Jr.

Mr.Nice Guy

0-0 at half-time. Benzema's goal ruled out for brushing off Rudiger's hand along the way. Not going great for Madrid...

https://twitter.com/MadridXtra/status/1632479148802228225

Benzema gets one on target at last early in the second half.

MisterAnarchy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120318498#Comment_120318498

Crazy isnt it after they put 5 past Liverpool.

Utd beat Barcelona who in turn beat Real, and Liverpool then put 7 past Utd.

Its a funny old game.

NIMAN

Not sure how there hasn't been a goal in this game.

Mr.Nice Guy

Ends 0-0. Rodrygo missed a great chance from a Valverde cross.

That must be it in the title race as surely Barca can't blow a 9 point lead. Just 1 goal in 3 games for Madrid since the Anfield game.

NIMAN

Madrid need to find goals soon. They are so blunt up front at present.

Perhaps that CL tie isn't over just yet?

NIMAN

I was reading a good piece on the BBC website about Benficas academy and how they are no1 in the world for selling players, and I was shocked to see this stat:

Last year, the CIES Football Observatory declared Benfica's academy the most profitable in the world, generating 379m euros (£336m) since 2015. Real Madrid was ranked second with 330m euros, with Monaco third on 285m euros.

How did Madrid bring in so much money from their academy? I thought it hadn't produced much talent in the last decade or so, but they are 2nd in the world??

Mr.Nice Guy

Rayo tried the rare penalty pass but it went a bit like that Henry/Pires effort a long time ago.

https://twitter.com/LaLiga/status/1637128993303298052

I do like it when teams try it but not sure about it when the game is pretty tight. Girona ended up with a 2-2 draw.

NIMAN

Massive Clasico tonight.

Madrid really need to win it to have any chance in the title race.

sligeach

A freak own goal has put Real Madrid undeservedly ahead.