European Leagues.

[shark]

It will take PSG a long time to get over that, they threw it away. They were the better team over 2 legs as shown when they went 3-0 down last night and they created 4 great chances scoring one. YOu have to give Barca credit for the way they kept going given they scored 6 times without Messi & Suarez playing that well. If PSG had been 2-0 coming into that game last night I'd have expected them to go through, they approached the game in the wrong ways and its cost them.

As for Barca its hard to take to them, Suarez, Neymar & Busqets are 3 of the biggest cheats that have ever played the game, thought Neymar and Suarez took it too new levels last night. The cheats prospered last night, must be nearly 10 years since Eduardo was banned after diving against Celtic yet I can't remember it happening to a player since.

PSG were far from the best over the two legs. Even a team getting annihilated can get a few goal chances. Barca pressed them high up the field and they totally lost any sembelence of composure for 75 minutes of that match.

Very easy to like Barca too. What a wonderful footballing side. They may have won plenty but most would have been rooting for them over the oil men. There might be no better atmosphere in world sport than the Nou Camp at full tilt.

Who is sponsoring Barcelona ??

For many years Barca paid UNICEF to use their logo on their jersies. They're a big commercial operation of course but they do things differently both on and off the field to most clubs. Their academy is legendary in a way that makes the Class of '92 nonsense in Manchester look like a pale imitation. It's hard not to appreciate players as good as Messi, Neymar, Iniesta and even Suarez. Would not begrudge them another European Cup, certainly more than their Classico rivals or Man City.

Paid UNICEF? Wore their jerseys yes, the more cynical in the world reckoned they were the ethical bridge from going from a 'we will never have sponsors on our jerseys' (as it wasn't their way) to Qatari Airways.

Well they did pay UNICEF, about €7m a year. But as you say that didn't last long. The presidency changed hands and so did the vision and ethos. They went to Qatari Foundation before going with Qatar Airways.

[bennydorano]

I doubt the change of Presidency was the critical factor tbh. I can remember reading the papers at the time and the tone was ' it's only a matter of time to it's a proper sponsor' UNICEF were the bridge.

[Syferus]

It will take PSG a long time to get over that, they threw it away. They were the better team over 2 legs as shown when they went 3-0 down last night and they created 4 great chances scoring one. YOu have to give Barca credit for the way they kept going given they scored 6 times without Messi & Suarez playing that well. If PSG had been 2-0 coming into that game last night I'd have expected them to go through, they approached the game in the wrong ways and its cost them.

As for Barca its hard to take to them, Suarez, Neymar & Busqets are 3 of the biggest cheats that have ever played the game, thought Neymar and Suarez took it too new levels last night. The cheats prospered last night, must be nearly 10 years since Eduardo was banned after diving against Celtic yet I can't remember it happening to a player since.

PSG were far from the best over the two legs. Even a team getting annihilated can get a few goal chances. Barca pressed them high up the field and they totally lost any sembelence of composure for 75 minutes of that match.

Very easy to like Barca too. What a wonderful footballing side. They may have won plenty but most would have been rooting for them over the oil men. There might be no better atmosphere in world sport than the Nou Camp at full tilt.

Who is sponsoring Barcelona ??

For many years Barca paid UNICEF to use their logo on their jersies. They're a big commercial operation of course but they do things differently both on and off the field to most clubs. Their academy is legendary in a way that makes the Class of '92 nonsense in Manchester look like a pale imitation. It's hard not to appreciate players as good as Messi, Neymar, Iniesta and even Suarez. Would not begrudge them another European Cup, certainly more than their Classico rivals or Man City.

Paid UNICEF? Wore their jerseys yes, the more cynical in the world reckoned they were the ethical bridge from going from a 'we will never have sponsors on our jerseys' (as it wasn't their way) to Qatari Airways.

Ah. The attitude that when any organisation does something good there must be a way to make it seem shady. Conspiracy theories seem to be a favourite of this board's.

And yes, they paid UNICEF for the privilege of being advertising boards for them. I suppose some mythical paper has floated the idea that was a tax avoidance scheme..

[shark]

I doubt the change of Presidency was the critical factor tbh. I can remember reading the papers at the time and the tone was ' it's only a matter of time to it's a proper sponsor' UNICEF were the bridge.

Ah but it was. There is no way under Laporta that they would have gone down the jersey sponsorship route, for example. Cruyff was his main advisor and as we know he was the personification of their ethos for a long time. They guy who replaced Laporta in 2010 (name escapes me) had been a top executive at Nike and was commercially driven. Sponsorship appeared on their jerseys, and they started spending Real Madrid level of money (Neymar, Suarez) rather than promoting youth from La Masia.
Of course, I understand your point, and there certainly was the feeling of how long can this last. But it took Laporta leaving for it to actually happen.

[Minder]

I doubt the change of Presidency was the critical factor tbh. I can remember reading the papers at the time and the tone was ' it's only a matter of time to it's a proper sponsor' UNICEF were the bridge.

Ah but it was. There is no way under Laporta that they would have gone down the jersey sponsorship route, for example. Cruyff was his main advisor and as we know he was the personification of their ethos for a long time. They guy who replaced Laporta in 2010 (name escapes me) had been a top executive at Nike and was commercially driven. Sponsorship appeared on their jerseys, and they started spending Real Madrid level of money (Neymar, Suarez) rather than promoting youth from La Masia.
Of course, I understand your point, and there certainly was the feeling of how long can this last. But it took Laporta leaving for it to actually happen.

Think Sandro Rosell followed Laporta

[shark]

I doubt the change of Presidency was the critical factor tbh. I can remember reading the papers at the time and the tone was ' it's only a matter of time to it's a proper sponsor' UNICEF were the bridge.

Ah but it was. There is no way under Laporta that they would have gone down the jersey sponsorship route, for example. Cruyff was his main advisor and as we know he was the personification of their ethos for a long time. They guy who replaced Laporta in 2010 (name escapes me) had been a top executive at Nike and was commercially driven. Sponsorship appeared on their jerseys, and they started spending Real Madrid level of money (Neymar, Suarez) rather than promoting youth from La Masia.
Of course, I understand your point, and there certainly was the feeling of how long can this last. But it took Laporta leaving for it to actually happen.

Think Sandro Rosell followed Laporta

That's the one!!

[Cunny Funt]

Barcelona 6-1 winners on Wednesday night followed by a 2-1 defeat to Deportivo today who were 17th in the La Liga table. Football bloody hell.

[Boycey]

All the diving mustn't have paid off today..

[laoislad]

United fans complaining about other teams diving 
Reminds me of a certain Alanis Morrisette song..

[SHEEDY]

Sergio ramos to real madrid's rescue again. A late goal in a 2-1 win over betis moves them 2 points ahead of barca.

[Billys Boots]

Sergio ramos to real madrid's rescue again. A late goal in a 2-1 win over betis moves them 2 points ahead of barca.

I saw that for his last 23 goals, 19 of them have been when Madrid have been behind or level - some ammo to have in the locker. 

[JoG2]

Heard Mark Lawrenson on Today FM on Sat talking about the Barca game. Interviewer asked him did he not think the diving took a bit of the gloss off the victory, "no". You've an big old fashioned 'AVE IT!' centre half turned analyst declaring it's fine to win by diving / cheating.

[Maroon Manc]

Given how many goals Ramos scores you'd think he'd get a bit more attention in the box.

[The Stallion]

Ramos is a complete liability defensively, and if he wasn't allowed to get away with things the way he does, he'd have at least double the red cards he has accumulated. Massively overrated player.

[Denn Forever]

Stallion, you seem to think all players are crap, who would you pick  for your best 11?

Let's do your Premiership 11
            European 11
            Best ever 11.