Omnibus World Football Thread 2020-2022 (edited)

I’m not even very sympathetic to Barca, though I often have admired their play, but I have so much schadenfreude for Real, a club I almost hate more than Bayern. Their constant attacks and discrediting on refs are appalling.

Btw, Dortmund has staggered back to life and actually looks to have better odds to grab a last UCL spot. Which would be a shame, because I like Freiburg (though a little less since Streich retired).

I mean, Dortmund could always Dortmund the last weekend.

Dortmund now have a great chance to reach the CL at last minute after a very disappointing season. They just have to defeat Kiel by a wide enough margin, and watch Freiburg and Frankfurt stealing the points from each other. I have sympathies for Freiburg, it’s a great club, but I want to see Dortmund make the CL because they are much more experienced at that level.

Euro League final now running, Spurs vs. ManU. Was the name “cup for the losers” ever more appropriate?

ETA: and it shows, it has not been a good game in the first 25 minutes.

It’s been garbage for the first 40 minutes now… seems very likely this match will either be decided by an Onana howler or a Spurs breakdown in transition. Hard to predict which one.

Lots of fouling action though, and plenty of blocked crosses.

ETA: And just like that, Onana howler it is!

ETA2: maybe not a howler, but could have done better… just terrible defending by United

It was a slapstick own goal, fitting for the game so far.

Well, that was a great save by the Spurs defender on the goal line after another slapstick situation.

Anyone else take the day off work for the Europa League final??

Criticize all you like, it’s our first trophy in 17 years and we are partying! COYS!!

Takes a look at the match to see what was Cristian “Cuti” Romero’s performance
Sees that he was chosen Man of the Match
Smiles, rubs hands together

And EL Player of the Year to boot! Unlike much of the team, he probably doesn’t consider this the high point of his career.

Glad Newcastle held on, sorry that Villa and Forest couldn’t secure Champions League berths. Fully one sixth of spots in the CL league phase next season will be filled by Prem clubs.

Who do we like in this Saturday’s final? I like Inter but I see PSG as a slight favorite.

Woohoo, not one but two English-based sportswashing projects in the Champions League next season.

After you’ve touched Heaven itself…

One of my favourite teams in the world A.B.P.S.G., of course.
(And in this case A.B.P.S.G. has Lautaro Martinez in their rooster, so I’m doubly pulling for them)

Also hoping for not-PSG in the final. If Dembele wins the UCL after missing a complete sitter in the 2019 first leg against Liverpool I’ll be upset.

Seconded.

Also you may be proud to know that he was spotted on the team bus during the victory parade swigging directly from a fifth of Fernet-Branca.

Theoretically there was some coca-cola in the mix too. (1 percent coke/99 percent Fernet is still Fernet-con-cola, I’m told)

I mean, it’s long been said to be a curative for stomach upset, maybe he was just feeling queasy!

I’m pulling for the team that beat Bayern, but I already dislike PSG, so that’s not too tough.

Courtesy of The Ringer this morning, while neither team in tomorrow’s final was among the top six pre-tournament betting favorites, Inter has defeated this year’s Spanish and German champions in the knockouts and PSG has beaten the champions and two other clubs from the highest ranked league in the world.

PSG almost didn’t qualify for the knockouts but both squads have earned their way through.