The Barcelona v Real Madrid thread

[Kenneth]

Using your logic the fact he didn't get a second proves touching Barcelona players is allowed. So which is it?

Talk about selective use of facts to support a preconceived idea!

The ref was clearly worried about issuing red cards. Didn't stop him with the yellow though.

You seem particularly cantankerous today Neil.

[Kenneth]

That's nonsensical though. Alonso said the same thing. Had the 1st leg ended 0-0 we would've seen a totally different game last night.

Which would hae obviously been a 5-0 thrashing I assume.

[CJ]

The ref was clearly worried about issuing red cards. Didn't stop him with the yellow though.

You seem particularly cantankerous today Neil.

if he was worried about issueing yellow cards maybe you would have a point.

however you dont

[Kenneth]

if he was worried about issueing yellow cards maybe you would have a point.

however you dont

[Chris]

"Javier Mascherano wasn't like this at Liverpool," added the former Manchester United playmaker.

"He must have learned all these cheating tricks at Barcelona."

He's got some nerve I'll give him that!

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VgWGo5D6aU&feature=player_embedded"]YouTube - cristiano ronaldo's cheat dive 2011[/ame]

[RedReet]

Ouch, not good man! weak bones or are you just clumsy

Nah, just a bit of an idiot at times. I've been unlucky with a few injuries, but I certainly don't do much to help myself.

[Mattshark]

Jose Mourinho comments harmful to Real - Ramon Calderon

Former Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon says the club has been damaged by Jose Mourinho's behaviour during the European semi-finals with Barcelona.

Real were dumped out of Europe by their bitter rivals this week but the two ties were overshadowed by the behaviour of fans, players and club officials.

Boss Mourinho was sent off in the first leg for disputing a red card and is also in trouble for later comments.

"To talk like that has been harmful for Real Madrid," Calderon told BBC Sport.

A bad-tempered first-leg match erupted at half-time when there was a fracas on the touchline as the players were leaving the field, which resulted in Real reserve-keeper Pinto being shown a red card.

Real were later reduced to 10 men soon after the interval when Pepe was sent off for a high tackle on Dani Alves.

Mourinho was subsequently dismissed himself after being seen to sarcastically mouth "well done" to the fourth official.

"It's clear that against Barcelona you have no chance," the Portuguese later said. "I don't know if it's the publicity of Unicef [the club's shirt sponsor], I don't know if it's because they are very nice, but they've got this power.

"I don't know if it's the friendship of [Spanish football federation president Angel Maria] Villar at Uefa, where he is vice-president."

His comments and the behaviour of both clubs led to Uefa charging the Spanish rivals.

Barcelona also said they would report Mourinho to Uefa over his comments, with the Catalan club saying: "We want to stand firm when the war of words passes certain limits and we believe Mr Mourinho crossed this line yesterday."

Both cases will be heard by the Uefa Control and Disciplinary Body on 6 May.

Tuesday's second leg, which Barcelona drew 1-1 to progress 3-1 on aggregate, did also not pass without incident.

This time however, Mourinho was not involved.

Madrid's players vented their anger at the referees, after Gonzalo Higuain had a goal disallowed, and the club could now face further charges.

Real winger Cristiano Ronaldo said: "Next year they might as well give the cup directly to Barcelona."

"The team is sad, but we knew it was an uphill battle," Ronaldo said on the Real Madrid website.

"The name of the match is Mission Impossible IV. Once again it was the referee that didn't allow us to dictate the outcome. We knew we could beat Barca, but the referee didn't let us.

"Higuain's goal was good. Pique pushed me and I landed on Mascherano. He didn't used to fall to the ground in England, but he's picked up the bad habit of doing it here like everyone else."

Casillas added: "It has happened again - just like it always does.

"We feel tricked by the officials."

And midfielder Xabi Alonso complained: "Many bad decisions were made against us and we are not happy about that.

"We think we did a good job but we feel decisions really went against us."

But Calderon has blasted the behaviour of Real's players and manager.

"Big clubs should not blame the referee for their mistakes or their defeats," said Calderon.

"We invested £400m in the last two years to be a very important and strong team so if you lose you cannot blame injuries, bad luck, referees or nothing. If you lose you have to congratulate the rival and that is all.

"What he [Mourinho] did in terms of talking about Uefa and referees is not acceptable at all."

BBC

[danperkins]

I think the ref was reluctant to send anyone off and IMO he had a mare over the tie. I think Caravalho's first yellow was ridiculous, but to be fair he could have easily got sent off for consistent fouling. On the other hand Masch,Pedro & Busquets could have should have got booked or even sent off for blatant play acting which went beyond the realms of embarrassment. Also the Higuian goal should have stood, Ronaldo made a bit of a meal of Pique's mild body check but compare that to the **** Masch,Busquets & Pedro were getting away with, tame in comparison so the ref was not consistent in his decisions IMO.

IMO Barca got a lot of crucial decisions over the 2 legs, but i thought they were the better team though and Real didn't really give them any problems. Of course it could have been a different game if the goal would have stood at 46 mins in second half things may have changed, same as the cheap sending off that never was in first leg but these things happen, and the better footballing side went through.

I appreciate the way they pass the ball, but i really hope that they cut out their blatant cheating and play acting in the final and just do what they do best, which is play football. Actually i don't have much love for Madrid or Barca, As a kid i used to love Real when Butragano,Hugo Sanchez & Michel etc but they the whole galacticos bull**** came into effect and i began to dislike them, same as i used to love Barca under Rikjarrd and even up until Barca dicked United in Champs League Final 2009, which was hilarious. I used to love to watch them play but their cheating has put me off, if they start that ****e in the final, i won't say i'll be cheering for the mancs, but i won't lose any sleep if the mancs beat them.

Anyways i hope the final is a better spectacle than the semi finals matches as they were pathetic.

[Exiled_red]

Jose Mourinho comments harmful to Real - Ramon Calderon



BBC

What he says is true

[Chris]

What he says is true

Indeed, seems to have been a bit of a breakthrough over the last week or so and the whole word is realising what a ****** the man is.

Kenny has had a dig, so has Hiddink, Calderon, Hitzfeld, Guardiola, even Wenger didnt want to be associated with him when Mourinho brought Arsenal in to it.

Cunt of a man, and the sooner he's out of football the better.

[RedReet]

Indeed, seems to have been a bit of a breakthrough over the last week or so and the whole word is realising what a ****** the man is.

Kenny has had a dig, so has Hiddink, Calderon, Hitzfeld, Guardiola, even Wenger didnt want to be associated with him when Mourinho brought Arsenal in to it.

Cunt of a man, and the sooner he's out of football the better.

I see Rafa has kept a dignified silence despite it involving his home town club and a cunt who takes every opportunity to belittle him.

[Kenneth]

If Jose had toned it down a bit the focus might have been targeted at Barca's unsporting behaviour, which is certainly not being criticised enough in this polarised Barca vs Jose debate. He certainly shot himself in the foot with his reaction to the first leg.

[kris90210]

If Real did sack Mourinho, I wonder who they would get in to replace him. They would be looking to bring someone in to alter the playing philosophy. But there aren't that many attack minded managers with a proven track record.

I wouldn't be surprised if they weren't interested in the prospect of appointing a respected former player (Barca style), but who is there who could really handle all the egos and prima donnas at the club?

Van Gaal perhaps? But his stock is low right now. They'd never take Rafa at this point. I reckon their best bet would be to get Del Bosque back in. Maybe they could throw some money at someone big to act as an understudy to take the reigns when he retires - Michael Laudrup or someone of that nature.

It's a really tricky job to replace him. But he's getting so much **** at the moment, it'll surely come to a point where his position is untenable. Really can't see him getting another year. The knives are out for Jose Mourinho now.

[Rudo]

If Jose had toned it down a bit the focus might have been targeted at Barca's unsporting behaviour, which is certainly not being criticised enough in this polarised Barca bs Jose debate. He certainly shot himself in the foot with his reaction to the first leg.

the passion for Barca in this thread doesn't sit right with me tbh

i can understand that people admire the way they play but when the actions of some(a lot even) of the Barca players is questioned, some posters get really, really defensive about it as if they were Liverpool players.

[Exiled_red]

If Real did sack Mourinho, I wonder who they would get in to replace him. They would be looking to bring someone in to alter the playing philosophy. But there aren't that many attack minded managers with a proven track record.

I wouldn't be surprised if they weren't interested in the prospect of appointing a respected former player (Barca style), but who is there who could really handle all the egos and prima donnas at the club?

Van Gaal perhaps? But his stock is low right now. They'd never take Rafa at this point. I reckon their best bet would be to get Del Bosque back in. Maybe they could throw some money at someone big to act as an understudy to take the reigns when he retires - Michael Laudrup or someone of that nature.

It's a really tricky job to replace him. But he's getting so much **** at the moment, it'll surely come to a point where his position is untenable. Really can't see him getting another year. The knives are out for Jose Mourinho now.

The problem with Madrid is that they are so demanding of their managers, they get rid of them even if they win the league or CL if the football isn't deemed good enough. The pressure is too high. If they get rid of Mourinho they need to give someone time to build a squad and an understanding, rather than simply throwing money at the best players and hoping things work out. Whether they like it or not Barcelona will take some moving, and while they might not like accepting second best I think they need a long term plan rather than another short term fix.