Celta Vigo v Real Madrid 17 May 2017 (Game in hand)

[Spike]

1 minute ago, The Artful Dodger said:

Every thread is turned into a pantomime of the usual suspects spouting the same tired rubbish about how Real Madrid don't deserve it, they cheat, there is a conspiracy etc. It's an echo chamber and tends to stifle discussion rather than provoke it, I'm not the only member to mention this.

I get people dislike Real Madrid, I'm no fan either, but it's beyond parody now. 

 

 

Fair point. Well, I follow the Italian concept of 'everybody cheats but only the stupid are caught'. Can't begrudge the players for having part in something they seemingly have no control over, it is an insult to their collective effort of winning over the course of a season. 

[Spike]

Besides, I can think of a certain European match from the past ten years that strongly in favour of a certain Catalonian club.

[SirBalon]

Just now, Spike said:

Besides, I can think of a certain European match from the past ten years that strongly in favour of a certain Catalonian club.

There's been more than one!  And everyone's sang and danced about it which is fine.  But saying the same the other way around seems to be just whinging.  Whether or not there's been something untoward in this season's shenanigans in La Liga, there's no doubt they've had the massive rub of the green coupled (I said this in my original post) with Barça being very substandard by their own standards.

Anyway...  This is a match day thread where Real still have to do it and win this with the weekend away game at Málaga.

One thing I will say about Real (I think I've already said this before), is that their second string team is amazing and is a joy to watch where football is concerned.  Totally different in style to the first team.

[nfb_10]

1 minute ago, SirBalon said:

There's been more than one!  And everyone's sang and danced about it which is fine.  But saying the same the other way around seems to be just whinging.  Whether or not there's been something untoward in this season's shenanigans in La Liga, there's no doubt they've had the massive rub of the green coupled (I said this in my original post) with Barça being very substandard by their own standards.

Anyway...  This is a match day thread where Real still have to do it and win this with the weekend away game at Málaga.

One thing I will say about Real (I think I've already said this before), is that their second string team is amazing and is a joy to watch where football is concerned.  Totally different in style to the first team.

Agreed. They have the best bench in the world right now. I'd be more worried if it's their second team they use tomorrow haha

[Spike]

It's annoying when the second most favoured team in the world complains about the favour of the only team above it.

[SirBalon]

2 minutes ago, Spike said:

It's annoying when the second most favoured team in the world complains about the favour of the only team above it.

I get it...  But that's the name of the game because both those teams play in the same league and they compete against each other.  Plus I doubt too many people on here really do understand what the size of the rivalry means between both and the sentiments because to understand them is to feel them and that in itself takes you to going on and on about whatever.

[Spike]

12 minutes ago, SirBalon said:

I get it...  But that's the name of the game because both those teams play in the same league and they compete against each other.  Plus I doubt too many people on here really do understand what the size of the rivalry means between both and the sentiments because to understand them is to feel them and that in itself takes you to going on and on about whatever.

I don't have to understand anything. You should know by now I have nothing for or against either team; I just feel it's an exercise in ad nauseum to continue the circled debate of biased decisions. If either team were clearly better than the others it'd take more than a few questionable decisions to influence a champion.  If anything losing for Barcelona will be cathartic and only when something is lost does something change.  

If Barcelona wants to be the morale victor it so desires to be than it has to win despite the bias and complaining about the bias is simply unbecoming of the club that says 'mes que une club'. It has always stood for something more and I suggest its fans act that way, because isn't that the clubs raison detre? To stand up against the establishment of Real? Complain about it if you like but when you do I'll see you as the equal of any Madridista.

Winning in the face of adversity is far more admirable than crying. Stiff upper lip.

[SirBalon]

3 minutes ago, Spike said:

I just feel it's an exercise in ad nauseum to continue the circled debate of biased decisions.

It is nauseating from an outside perspective but if you live in Spain or frequent similar forums to this one where it's exclusively for Spaniards (I don't participate in any, but I did many years back), then this is what goes on unfortunately.  It's the sentiment, and that sentiment overrides any common sense.

4 minutes ago, Spike said:

is simply unbecoming of the club that says 'mes que une club'

Few here won't know what "Mes que un club" actually means and to quote it means you will get a response mate.  It's also nauseating to here that being banded about as some sort of criticism toward FC Barcelona from outside when most people don't actually understand it.  You'll also find it difficult to find out on the web what it actually means with so many having their own understanding of what it stands for.  The truth is that it probably has nothing to do with what many people think it means which is far away from being anything connected with an arrogant or superior self belief.

[Spike]

22 minutes ago, SirBalon said:

It is nauseating from an outside perspective but if you live in Spain or frequent similar forums to this one where it's exclusively for Spaniards (I don't participate in any, but I did many years back), then this is what goes on unfortunately.  It's the sentiment, and that sentiment overrides any common sense.

Few here won't know what "Mes que un club" actually means and to quote it means you will get a response mate.  It's also nauseating to here that being banded about as some sort of criticism toward FC Barcelona from outside when most people don't actually understand it.  You'll also find it difficult to find out on the web what it actually means with so many having their own understanding of what it stands for.  The truth is that it probably has nothing to do with what many people think it means which is far away from being anything connected with an arrogant or superior self belief.

You're just bandying around platitudes. You know full what I mean (not others) when I bring up that phrase. You know very well I understand the history of Spain and both clubs, I may not have lived it but I do know it (one does not need to live under Augustus to understand his empire). You know it's umbecoming to wallow in self-pity and complain about Real when Barcelona's identity was forged under harsher circumstances and flourished in tougher times. I find it completely ridiculous for a cule to complain about Real doing what they've always done. It is to lament a cheetah not changing its spots. Catalonians did not succumb to language cleansing, or cultural assimilation, fighting against it not whinging about it. I am deeply irritated by complaining when times have been worse.

You can cry wolf when Real steal your best player or you can steel yourself and win the league. 

[SirBalon]

1 minute ago, Spike said:

one does not need to live under Augustus to understand his empire

You do to feel it!  You can read all you like mate and that's great, but you will never understand what it feels like.  I've mentioned a book various times not only here but in the other place we were all at and it talks about exactly the same thing you've just said and infact he uses a phrase very similar to your one hahaha (I'm laughing not at at you but at the coincidence). I don't know if I've ever mentioned it to you or if you're interested in reading it, but I'll do it anyway because you're the curious type of guy that would do it.  It's called "Morbo" and it's by a journalist called Phil Ball who was always fascinated by Spanish football and its fanatisism.  He thought that in England we had our own version, different in roots but similar in sentiments...  He finds out to his amazement when he goes out there to research (finally to live and never leave) that nothing is similar in Europe.  Nothing!  And that the sentiments are beyond anything coherent or understandable on a social platform. It's not a long book by the way, but very informative and interesting.  He actually finalises it all by coming to the conclusion (mmmmm....  just incase you read it or anyone else that happens to fall on this post, I'll leave that part out).

7 minutes ago, Spike said:

it's umbecoming to wallow in self-pity and complain about Real when Barcelona's identity was forged under harsher circumstances and flourished in tougher times

Both sets of fans complain and complain!

While Barça has been overtly more successful than Real since the 90s, Real, it's based press and fans have come out with all sorts of synonyms on foul play and corrupt this and that.  The same stuff Barcelona fans cry about during the regime years.  Both sets are as bad as each other!  There is nobody that's more right or more wrong.  It's just a never ending occurrence that will hopefully last forever.

[Spike]

7 minutes ago, SirBalon said:

You do to feel it!  You can read all you like mate and that's great, but you will never understand what it feels like.  I've mentioned a book various times not only here but in the other place we were all at and it talks about exactly the same thing you've just said and infact he uses a phrase very similar to your one hahaha (I'm laughing not at at you but at the coincidence). I don't know if I've ever mentioned it to you or if you're interested in reading it, but I'll do it anyway because you're the curious type of guy that would do it.  It's called "Morbo" and it's by a journalist called Phil Ball who was always fascinated by Spanish football and its fanatisism.  He thought that in England we had our own version, different in roots but similar in sentiments...  He finds out to his amazement when he goes out there to research (finally to live and never leave) that nothing is similar in Europe.  Nothing!  And that the sentiments are beyond anything coherent or understandable on a social platform. It's not a long book by the way, but very informative and interesting.  He actually finalises it all by coming to the conclusion (mmmmm....  just incase you read it or anyone else that happens to fall on this post, I'll leave that part out).

Both sets of fans complain and complain!

While Barça has been overtly more successful than Real since the 90s, Real, it's based press and fans have come out with all sorts of synonyms on foul play and corrupt this and that.  The same stuff Barcelona fans cry about during the regime years.  Both sets are as bad as each other!  There is nobody that's more right or more wrong.  It's just a never ending occurrence that will hopefully last forever.

All it takes is a moment to understand. I may not 'feel it' but I do know passion, belonging, persecution, rebellion, and frustration. Maybe it's because I always try empathise with both sides of a coin. 

[carefreeluke]

Shame Real aren't playing the Celta from earlier in the season, in some ways this fixture getting moved to the end has perhaps worked out well for Madrid.

[SirBalon]

3 minutes ago, carefreeluke said:

Shame Real aren't playing the Celta from earlier in the season, in some ways this fixture getting moved to the end has perhaps worked out well for Madrid.

Originally Real Madrid complained to the LFP about not having been able to play it earlier and the Celta president ignored Real's attempts to push forward the date, something that has as you have just said worked against them.  The mayor of Vigo has also been at war against Real Madrid with various issues like the Copa del Rey clash and now this because of the amount of pressure Real Madrid CF has put on the football authorities including the minister for sport on changing dates to suit them.  The lack of collaboration from Vigo (as a city) and the club, has backfired on them.  I get they don't like Real Madrid as a club, but you can't just go on open wars in this fashion and the bigger clubs in Spain have traditionally been handed benefits that smaller to medium clubs will never receive.

Celta have got a few important injured players back for this tie but everything points to Real winning this one with ease and I'd be very surprised if it went any other way.  Had it been as you said earlier on when the actual tie had to be put back, I have no doubt Real would probably have lost it or found it extremely difficult to win because they were all over the place during that period and under extreme pressure in every game they played no matter who.

Have to give Zidane all the credit though, because he had the balls to play the second string side which is on the whole very young in important games so as to rest the first team.  In the end it's been that second string side that has brought back confidence on the whole for the whole team because of the way they've played their games.

[carefreeluke]

Man United could have met a different fate as well in the Europa League.

[SirBalon]

7 minutes ago, carefreeluke said:

Man United could have met a different fate as well in the Europa League.

They almost did anyway had it not been for Guidetti's stupidity on various occasions...  That in itself tells us more about United than Celta though.

Celta are capable of beating anyone on their day, but one thing has to be taken into account with everything we've just said in the other posts.  Real Madrid will be treating this as a final and they will be going all out...  That in itself coupled with Celta finding it difficult to recapture true form is the reason why I can't see it right now.  Real Madrid aren't Manchester United.

[Guest]

21 hours ago, The Artful Dodger said:

you're a man who says he supports two teams, that says all anyone should ever need to know.

It doesn't at all. Football is an international sport and anybody who says that those people know nothing about football are short sighted and complete cunts. There is absolutely NOTHING wrong with supporting 2 teams.

I don't have a problem with English thinking. I do if they think its the way everyone else should think though.

Edit: Calling Sirbalon "unintelligent" is the most hall of fame worthy thing I've read on here thus far. He has far more football experience than anyone else on the forum.

[Cure]

23 minutes ago, LaSambadeStGermain said:

Calling Sirbalon "unintelligent" is the most hall of fame worthy thing I've read on here thus far. He has far more football experience than anyone else on the forum.

That's just a middle finger to the rest of us and isn't necessarily true.

[Guest]

3 minutes ago, Cure said:

That's just a middle finger to the rest of us and isn't necessarily true.

Its 100% true. He's more than 40 years old as opposed to the mid 20's-30's that this and most other forums have.

[Cure]

Just now, LaSambadeStGermain said:

Its 100% true. He's more than 40 years old as opposed to the mid 20's-30's that this and most other forums have.

More than forty? Fuck me. @SirBalon I thought you were in your late twenties mate. 

[SirBalon]

Are there any stats to support that last post. 

[SirBalon]

9 minutes ago, Teso Dos Bichos said:

Haha sirbalon ya mejor dile que te la mame o hazle un hijo al mamarracho que te dio un like 

Let's keep this football...  Nobody's insulted you I think. 

[Guest]

15 hours ago, Cannabis said:

I can only imagine your pain struggling to decide how to support when both Manchester United and Real Madrid are playing. Shame that you only live a few thousand miles away from either ground.

If I were to have a guess, he likes Real Madrid because of Hugo Sanchez and it seems blatantly obvious that its the answer. He'll no doubt deny it in the next post and dig something I said in the past to make me look bad when in reality no one really cares.

[SirBalon]

He supports Cristiano Ronaldo and Jose Mourinho it seems...

He's not a football fan.  There's a name for what he is and even though it's an overused cliché, there are times where it's almost gospel.

[Storts]

Jammy Dodger was spot on with his comments about the anti-Madrid/Pro Barca sentiment which is pretty boring to be honest.

Thankfully some of us redress the balance and know the men in White are superior in every way. 

[Guest]

Just now, SirBalon said:

He supports Cristiano Ronaldo and Jose Mourinho it seems...

He's not a football fan.  There's a name for what he is and even though it's an overused cliché, there are times where it's almost gospel.

Has to be Hugo Sanchez. I'm not going to be daft and base this off a few Twitter followings but most of the Mexican people I follow seem to like Real Madrid as their European team. Not sure how the family clubs are over there (that aren't local clubs anyways) but it could be because of Hugo.