Association Football 2023/2024 Discussion Thread

[JGibson]

Arsenal got hosed by the corrupt deep state-run PGMOL yet again on a VAR decision (wrongly awarded a goal similar to the incorrectly awarded goal at Newcastle), as they lose to West Ham 2-nil.

[JGibson]

Arsenal blow a very early 1-nil lead and a chance to finish 2023 in 1st place, lose 2-1 to Fulham and all 3 points. This could be very disastrous and costly to our title race hopes.

[buritobr]

Yesterday, Mario Jorge Lobo Zagallo, 92, passed away. His biography is very much connected to the history of the Brazilian sqad. He won 4 World Cups: 1958 and 1962 as a player, 1970 as a coach, 1994 as assistant of the coach.
After Pelé passed away in 2022, Zagallo was the last survivor of the 1958 squad, which won the first World Cup for Brazil, in Sweden, against the host squad.
Now, all the 11 players are not in this world anymore.
Rest in peace

[buritobr]

RIP Franz Beckenbauer

In only 1 week, 2 of the 3 men who were soccer world champion both as player and coach passed away.

Only Deschamps is alive

[JGibson]

Jürgen Klopp will be leaving Liverpool at the end of the current season.

https://twitter.com/premierleague/status/1750834818873434156

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

Fourth tier French side, Le Puy, punches its ticket to the cup quarterfinals on a 94th minute penalty.

Fifth tier side, St Priest, nearly joined them! They were all tied up in the second half until conceding to Valenciennes in the 80th minute.

I don't often venture into French football, but I am so jealous of the vastly bigger fields in France and England.

[Santander]

Fourth tier French side, Le Puy, punches its ticket to the cup quarterfinals on a 94th minute penalty.

Fifth tier side, St Priest, nearly joined them! They were all tied up in the second half until conceding to Valenciennes in the 80th minute.

I don't often venture into French football, but I am so jealous of the vastly bigger fields in France and England.

The French Cup is really a very underrated competition. It's huge and has cool features like a few amateur teams getting a paid trip from the federation to go play a match in a remote island territory. There's always a story in every round, even more than the FA Cup, which is often talked up for its "magic".

[Lechasseur]

Bayern Munich lost 3-0 to Bayer Leverkusen yesterday.

I think the league is basically in the bag for Leverkusen now.

And I can't imagine Tuchel keeping his job much longer. The only manager this bad I can remember at Bayern was Klinsmann, and he didn't last a season.

The CEO said after the match that Tuchel's job wasn't in danger, but that's what is always said up until the manager actually is sacked.

[Lechasseur]

And imo, after Arsenal's strong 3-1 win against Liverpool last week, I have an easier time seeing Arsenal win the league this year than Bayern (ftr, I don't think Arsenal will win, it will probably be City again)

Bayern have just been terrible this year, they probably wouldn't even be in a Champions League spot without Kane.

[Santander]

Bayern Munich lost 3-0 to Bayer Leverkusen yesterday.

I think the league is basically in the bag for Leverkusen now.

And I can't imagine Tuchel keeping his job much longer. The only manager this bad I can remember at Bayern was Klinsmann, and he didn't last a season.

The CEO said after the match that Tuchel's job wasn't in danger, but that's what is always said up until the manager actually is sacked.

I actually attended the Champions League match where Copenhagen ended Bayern's group stage winning streak. Bayern were anemic and the only interesting thing was the FCK away fans.

That said, I think the Madrid-Girona match was far more of a title decider than Leverkusen-Bayern. This Madrid squad is incredible.

[Lechasseur]

Bayern Munich lost 3-0 to Bayer Leverkusen yesterday.

I think the league is basically in the bag for Leverkusen now.

And I can't imagine Tuchel keeping his job much longer. The only manager this bad I can remember at Bayern was Klinsmann, and he didn't last a season.

The CEO said after the match that Tuchel's job wasn't in danger, but that's what is always said up until the manager actually is sacked.

I actually attended the Champions League match where Copenhagen ended Bayern's group stage winning streak. Boring af and the only interesting thing was the FCK away fans. It is only a 5 point gap, though.

True, it's only 5 points, but I don't see Leverkusen blowing their lead now. They're currently unbeaten and Bayern have already played all of their matches against them. And this Bayern side doesn't look like one capable of capitalizing on that anyway.

I mean, I'm normally the type of person who believes in backing the manager and giving them as much time as they need. I'm not the type who would necessarily expect trophies every season.

But this goes beyond Bayern losing the league to Leverkusen. Xabi Alonso is a brilliant manager, but with all the talent and all the money recently spent at Bayern (for example, 100 million on Kane), Bayern shouldn't be outclassed the way they are. This wasn't an unlucky loss type scenario. Bayern have played horribly all season and it's really just Kane and Sane saving this team.

While there is clearly some deadwood at Bayern, Tuchel's tactics and player selection are horrible and make no sense at all. Plus, it's quite apparent that the players aren't motivated to play for him. This isn't like for example 2011-2012 under Heynkes where the team went trophiless but weren't terrible like this.

While some rebuilding probably will be necessary, Tuchel I do think needs to go.

[Lechasseur]

Bayern Munich lost 3-0 to Bayer Leverkusen yesterday.

I think the league is basically in the bag for Leverkusen now.

And I can't imagine Tuchel keeping his job much longer. The only manager this bad I can remember at Bayern was Klinsmann, and he didn't last a season.

The CEO said after the match that Tuchel's job wasn't in danger, but that's what is always said up until the manager actually is sacked.

I actually attended the Champions League match where Copenhagen ended Bayern's group stage winning streak. Bayern were anemic and the only interesting thing was the FCK away fans.

That said, I think the Madrid-Girona match was far more of a title decider than Leverkusen-Bayern. This Madrid squad is incredible.

Oh I agree this Real squad is very good

[Lechasseur]

Arsenal have continued their good form and winning streak by thrashing West Ham 6-0 away.

[Lechasseur]

Bayern Munich have lost to Lazio in the first leg of their Champions League matchup

[buritobr]

Brazil's Dani Alves gets 4-1/2 years for rape in Spain, will appeal

BARCELONA, Feb 22 (Reuters) - Brazilian footballer Dani Alves was convicted of raping a woman in the restroom of a Barcelona nightclub in 2022 and sentenced to 4-1/2 years in prison on Thursday, which he will appeal.
The top court in Spain's Catalonia region also ordered Alves, who has been jailed on remand for over a year and repeatedly changed his story, to pay 150,000 euros ($163,000) to the victim.
"The sentence considers it has been proven that the victim did not consent, and that there is evidence, in addition to the testimony of the plaintiff, to consider the rape proven," the court said in a statement.

https://www.reuters.com/world/spanish-court-hands-dani-alves-45-year-prison-sentence-over-sexual-assault-2024-02-22/

Neymar gave 150K euro do Daniel Alves pay the court fine and reduce his sentence

https://www.goal.com/en/lists/revealed-neymar-barcelona-dani-alves-eur150-000-assist-defence-sexual-assault-charges/bltca11a459e1f012db

[JGibson]

Arsenal, with their 2-1 win over Brentford, temporarily go on top, pending tomorrow's Liverpool v.  Manchester City game.

[JGibson]

Liverpool and Manchester City share the spoils, as they drew 1-1 and gain a point apiece. This result keeps Arsenal on top of the table with 64 points, as their goal differential is +46 compared to the Reds +39.

Easter Sunday is shaping up to be a big date in the Premier League title race, as Arsenal face Manchester City at the Etihad. Arsenal is ahead of Man City by a point.

None of Arsenal, Manchester City, or Liverpool will be playing PL contests next weekend, as they and/or their scheduled opponents are playing in the FA Cup.

Table:
1 ARS 64 [+46]
2 LIV 64 [+39]
3 MCI 63 [+35]

[JGibson]

Last 8 (Quarterfinals) matchups set:

UCL: 
https://twitter.com/ChampionsLeague/status/1768597062612910577

UEL:
https://twitter.com/EuropaLeague/status/1768611656953635054

UECL:
https://twitter.com/europacnfleague/status/1768627086615339284

[Santander]

Once again, UEFA making everyone Madridistas.

[Lechasseur]

Quarter-Finals Predictions:

Champions League:
Arsenal vs Bayern Munich
Atletico Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund
Real Madrid vs Manchester City
Paris Saint-Germain vs Barcelona

Europa League:
AC Milan vs AS Roma
Liverpool vs Atalanta
Bayer Leverkusen vs West Ham
Benfica vs Olympique de Marseille

Conference League:
Club Brugge vs PAOK
Olympiacos vs Fenerbahçe
Aston Villa vs Lille
Viktoria Plzen vs Fiorentina

[JGibson]

Arsenal walk out of the Etihad with a point, as they drew the defending champions Manchester City nil-nil. Liverpool will be top of the table, as they beat Brighton 2-1 earlier.

[JGibson]

Bayer Leverkusen may be on the verge of stopping Bayern Munich's 11-season run in the Bundesliga of winning the league, assuming they win this weekend.

[Santander]

As funny as it is to joke about the Harry Kane curse, unless Tuchel lucks his way to the Champions League, his reign will be an unmitigated disaster. Eric Dier is starting over last season's Serie A defender of the year, lol.

[Santander]

Leverkusen officially champions of Germany, still in the hunt for a treble, and 5 league matches from immortality. Sky's the limit for Xabi Alonso.

[JGibson]

Arsenal embarrassed themselves and hurt their title hopes with their 2-0 capitulation to Aston Villa.
This is their first PL loss since the blown 1-0 lead to Fulham in which they lost 2-1 on NYE.
 Manchester City now have the top spot.