OT: 2021 - 2022 Football / Calcio / Futbol / Fußball Thread

[echappist]

Well, at least there's someone on Barça who could demonstrate what is true dedication. From this article by Sid Lowe.

On Saturday, Barcelona announced they had finally been able to register Memphis Depay and Eric García, just in time for the opening game of the season – “thanks to an agreement with Gerard Piqué whereby the Barça second captain’s salary has been substantially reduced”.

Also, this nugget from the first paragraph

Gerard Piqué was 13 or 14 the day the Barcelona manager came to tea. When his grandfather proudly introduced him as the future Camp Nou centre-back, Louis van Gaal walked over and without a word pushed him to the floor. Standing over him, he looked down at this kid lying there and delivered a devastating verdict: you’re too weak to play for Barcelona.

[wc1934]

Champions League draw tomorrow (Thursday 8/26).
Group matches start on Sept 14

Pot 1

Chelsea, Villarreal, Atletico Madrid, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Inter, Lille, Sporting Lisbon

Pot 2

Real Madrid, Barcelona, Juventus, Manchester United, PSG, Liverpool, Sevilla, Borussia Dortmund

Pot 3

Porto, Ajax, RB Leipzig, Atalanta, Zenit, Benfica, Shakhtar Donetsk, RB Salzburg

Pot 4

Milan, Club Brugge, Young Boys, Malmoe, Wolfsburg, Besiktas, Dinamo Kiev, Sheriff

[echappist]

Group A difficult. Group B is nightmarish

[BobC]

Chelsea should do well in Group H

[wc1934]

GROUP A: Manchester City (England), Paris Saint-Germain (France), RB Leipzig (Germany), Club Brugge (Belgium).

GROUP B: Atletico Madrid (Spain), Liverpool (England), FC Porto (Portugal), AC Milan (Italy).

GROUP C: Sporting CP (Portugal), Borussia Dortmund (Germany), Ajax (Netherlands), Besiktas (Turkey).

GROUP D: Inter Milan (Italy), Real Madrid (Spain), Shakhtar Dontesk (Ukraine), FC Sheriff Tiraspol (Moldova).

GROUP E: Bayern Munich (Germany), Barcelona (Spain), Benfica (Portugal), Dynamo Kiev (Ukraine).

GROUP F: Villarreal (Spain), Manchester United (England), Atalanta (Italy), Young Boys (Switzerland).

GROUP G: Lille (France), Sevilla (Spain), FC Salzburg (Austria), Wolfsburg (Germany).

GROUP H: Chelsea (England), Juventus (Italy), Zenit St. Petersburg (Russia), Malmo (Sweden).

[tuscanyswe]

Noo well at least i get to see milan play against some big names but thats one tough draw.

[wc1934]

Originally Posted by tuscanyswe

Noo well at least i get to see milan play against some big names but thats one tough draw.

Yikes!

3 Italian coaches in Group D should be interesting too.

[BobC]

United should be the happiest of all. Unless they blow it.

[wc1934]

Originally Posted by BobC

United should be the happiest of all. Unless they blow it.

now have crybaby7

Today I depart from an amazing club, the biggest in Italy and surely one of the biggest in all of Europe. I gave my heart and soul for Juventus and I’ll always love the city of Turin until my final days. The “tifosi bianconeri” always respected me and I tried to thank that respect by fighting for them in every game, every season, every competition. In the end, we can all look back and realize that we achieved great things, not all that we wanted, but still, we wrote a pretty beautiful story together.

“Juve, storia di un grande amore
Bianco che abbraccia il nero
Coro che si alza davvero
Juve per sempre sara…”

I will always be one of you. You are now part of my history, as I feel that I’m part of yours. Italy, Juve, Turin, tifosi bianconeri, you’ll always be in my heart.

🙏🏻❤️🇮🇹🦓⚽️

[echappist]

Looks like it'll be dual false-9 for Guardiola.

Why he doesn't trust Gabriel Jesus, I have no idea...

[wc1934]

Originally Posted by echappist

Looks like it'll be dual false-9 for Guardiola.

Why he doesn't trust Gabriel Jesus, I have no idea...

Good question. I would have to imagine that he was consulted and agreed to CR7. But, I have to also wonder if potential money from merchandising and ads were deciding factors.

[echappist]

Oh clucking bell, that's a tough way to lose a game for IRL.

[wc1934]

Originally Posted by echappist

Oh clucking bell, that's a tough way to lose a game for IRL.

Kid should have decked crybaby.

[echappist]

Originally Posted by wc1934

Kid should have decked crybaby.

The ref should have carded him for that bit of petulance (in reacting to the Irish player's s***housing). Then when CR7 scored and took off his shirt, he'd have gotten a second yellow and miss a match.

[martl]

Originally Posted by wc1934

now have crybaby7

Today I depart from an amazing club, the biggest in Italy and surely one of the biggest in all of Europe. I gave my heart and soul for Juventus and I’ll always love the city of Turin until my final days. The “tifosi bianconeri” always respected me and I tried to thank that respect by fighting for them in every game, every season, every competition. In the end, we can all look back and realize that we achieved great things, not all that we wanted, but still, we wrote a pretty beautiful story together.

“Juve, storia di un grande amore
Bianco che abbraccia il nero
Coro che si alza davvero
Juve per sempre sara…”

I will always be one of you. You are now part of my history, as I feel that I’m part of yours. Italy, Juve, Turin, tifosi bianconeri, you’ll always be in my heart.

🙏🏻❤️🇮🇹🦓⚽️

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