2012-2013 Club Soccer/Football Discussion Thread

[Keystone Phil]

Cavani said to be on the verge of signing with Chelsea. I'm sick.

[Lief 🗽]

Ugh, I hate it when players I kind of like go to Chelsea.

I feel bad for Wigan, though the win is very good for us. At least they won the FA Cup I guess...

[Keystone Phil]

I'd love to see all this Cavani news be put on hold for a few days and Chelsea not even qualify for the CL . However, they're not technically qualified only because of goal difference. If they lose on Sunday (possible), Arsenal and Spurs would have to win (possible/likely) but Spurs would have to score a ton and Chelsea would have to concede a bunch. So theoretically all of that could happen but obviously not going to.

Fingers crossed for Everton 7  Chelsea 0 and Spurs 10  Sunderland 0!

[Tender Branson]

Chelsea vs. Benfica today.

Who wins ?

I say 2-1 Benfica.

[minionofmidas]

He's always held decent political views, I'll give him that. Great manager too etc.

The path that football clubs have taken after an uber-legendary manager has called it quits is pretty mixed. Liverpool became even more successful after Shankly but Wolves and Nottingham Forest have never been anywhere near the teams they were under Cullis and Clough respectively. Celtic have of course remained at the top (or thereabouts) of Scottish football since Stein. Then, of course, there's Busby. Manchester United went through quite an horrific period after his retirement....they'll be hoping that history doesn't repeat itself.

And for another example.

Werder Bremen went through four coaches in four unsuccessful years (Aad de Mos, Dixie Dörner, Wolfgang Sidka, Felix Magath) after Otto Rehhagel quit after over 14 years. Then they promoted Thomas Schaaf from the amateur teams, and kept him for another 14 years.
Until today. He's gone.

[minionofmidas]

lol@my radio.

"32 times Portuguese champions. Not even Bayern have managed that."
"And never will. I doubt they'll ever be Portuguese champions even once."

[Keystone Phil]

That's a good one.

Come on, Benfica!

[minionofmidas]

Well, damn.

[minionofmidas]

Benfica!

[Keystone Phil]

Thank God for the equalizer.

In other news affecting Chelsea, it turns out they could face Arsenal in a playoff for the final automatic CL spot. This is what I'll root for if Chelsea don't finish fourth. Imagine that drama. Then the loser would have to play in the CL playoff round. Of course, this is posing a logistical nightmare.

[minionofmidas]

Alas.

[Keystone Phil]

Chelsea is now officially on my least favorite teams list. Mourinho returning will make my blood boil even more.

[Keystone Phil]

Mazzarri to announce his future plans in a press conference today. General idea was that an early announcement meant he was staying. Reports this morning suggest he's leaving (bad) and going to Inter (the worst). There are no words.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Bala Town have qualified to play in a European competition for the first time ever. They'll be out within five minutes (more or less), but that's not the point.

[Keystone Phil]

Hoping for Arsenal to win and Chelsea to lose.

[minionofmidas]

[Keystone Phil]

Arab commentator at Newcastle-Arsenal is so loud that ESPN 2 commentators made it a point to acknowledge him. Along with discussing Howard Webb's wardrobe change at half time...which supposedly had to do with a swarm if flies on the pitch.

And the Gunners score!

[Keystone Phil]

Napoli losing 0-2 in Rome after Mazzarri officially announces that this is his last match in charge. 

Milan also losing to Siena as Fiorentina is blasting Pescara 5-0. If this stands, Fiorentina get the final CL spot. Berlusconi must be going crazy.

[Keystone Phil]

Two goals (including a penalty kick) in the final ten minutes. Milan finish third.

Cavani gets his 29th of the season in his likely final game with Napoli. He is the top scorer of the year.

Great season. Obviously would have loved a title win but second place with 78 points, the most goals scored of any side and the second fewest conceded is worthy of praise. It was a lot of fun.

[batmacumba]

Brazilian state championships ended today. Main state champions:

Rio de Janeiro - (ended two weekends ago) Botafogo (current Seedorf's team) beat current Brazilian champion Fluminense;
São Paulo - Corinthians stopped what would be an unseen four-in-a-row for Santos;
Minas Gerais - Atlético Mineiro (2012 Brasileirão's runner up, current Ronaldinho's team) beat Cruzeiro;
Rio Grande do Sul - Internacional is three-in-a-row Gaucho champion;
Bahia - Vitória humbled Bahia by 7x1 at the last game.

Atlético Mineiro and Fluminense are clearly the stronger teams in the country today (Fluminense lost the state dispute mainly because the players were tired, due disputing the local championship and the Libertadores de/da América Cup at the same time), but both Rio's and São Paulo's champions are  very near their level. Cruzeiro is hiking such a position, too, and was able to stand their main rival's current power, even beating them in the last game, despite not being able to secure the local championship.
Brasileirão Série A starts 25/5. Atlético Mineiro and Fluminense are still disputing the Libertadores ('Galo' will face Tijuana, while 'Flu' faces Paraguay's Olympia), so their games dates might be changed to avoid players' exhaustion.

[Keystone Phil]

Looks like we're getting Rafa. Not excited about it. Wants Di Matteo or (dream choice!) Lippi.

[Lief 🗽]

http://www.football-italia.net/34457/de-la-hints-mancini-or-martinez

Mancini? Martinez? Mourinho? Mick McCarthy? Di Matteo? Marcello Lippi?

WAIT A SECOND

Maradona.

[Keystone Phil]

http://www.football-italia.net/34457/de-la-hints-mancini-or-martinez

Mancini? Martinez? Mourinho? Mick McCarthy? Di Matteo? Marcello Lippi?

WAIT A SECOND

Maradona.

Have to love someone as eccentric as Auriello as your owner.

Of course, I'd die if it was Lippi. I'd probably literally cry. I thought of him before this little teaser but realistically want Di Matteo. Maradona would just be a circus the entire time and he has those issues where he isn't exactly free to return to Italy (despite making an appearance a few months ago to get that cleared up). 

[Lief 🗽]

Mario Götze has not been able to recover from his injury and will not be playing in the Champions League final.

[Keystone Phil]

Winning the Europa League will mean something as of 2015. UEFA will announce on Friday that the title winners will get a spot in the Champions League. Since regulations run in three year cycles, the winners of the 2014-15 tournament will be the first to benefit from the rule change.