Football, politics, history, sunsets, shit jokes, Estela, stuff. On the pages of the Guardian, the screens of ESPN and in your ears at TSFP. Usually at a game.
For no particular reason except that I like the photo (a recent version of many similar ones). There’s something sort of magical about going up a stadium stairs and that moment the pitch first comes into view, all bright and green and almost overwhelming.
When Villarreal signed Diego Forlan, they tried to get Manchester United to come and play a friendly. United said no. “Don’t worry,” the president said, “they’ll come — and for free”. The next year they did. They’ve played five times now. Villarreal have never lost.
Seeing a lot of Hazard compared to Bale stuff again this morning and, well, y’know...
Hazard has put the ball in the net four times for Real Madrid.
Bale has put the ball in the net four times for Real Madrid in European Cup finals.
My favourite moment last night. Courtois taking a seat and chatting to Sevilla fans during the VAR check about whether it was handball from Vinicius and the goal was going to be ruled out
Ceballos: “when I saw all those players — Karim, Carvajal, Modric… — playing cards just a few hours before the game I thought ‘wow, well, there’s calmness anyway’. I couldn’t even sleep the siesta.”
Watching that Bale video. Is the overhead kick against Liverpool the most underrated goal ever? Not that no one thinks it’s brilliant — they do — but that it sometimes doesn’t seem to have the status it should. It’s an overhead kick in the European Cup final for goodness sake.
195. Luis Suárez is now Barcelona’s third top scorer of all-time, which is pretty amazing.
Here’s the list, which underlines something even more amazing:
Kubala 194
Suárez 195
César 232
Messi 630
Yes, Messi has scored more than the other three put together. Holy moly.
Messi’s message to Suárez: “how hard it’ll be not to share each day with you...You deserved to depart like what you are: one of the most important players in the club’s history. Not for them to kick you out like they have done. But the truth is nothing surprises me any more.”
What Jurgen Klopp has done (is doing) is really extraordinary. I know you all know that etc., but you stop for a moment and look at it and it’s properly absurd
Ernesto Valverde a couple of weeks ago: “the moment when you think you’re closest to beating Real Madrid is the moment you’re closest to losing to them.”
Xabi Alonso’s side moved three points clear at the top. Unai Emery’s side beat the leaders. Who were Mikel Arteta’s side. Andoni Iraola’s side went to Old Trafford and put 3 past Man U. What could possibly connect them all? Spain’s smallest province; Europe’s best coaches.
This is, in essence, is the WHOLE point. Beyond mechanical/logistical debates, political positions, policy, ideas, concerns and all that guff, strip it down and a lot of people are just no good. They're just horrible shits.
HILARIOUS: A 16yr old refugee has drowned in the English Channel. Here are Daily Mail readers having a good laugh about it, calling for more and posting memes celebrating his death on their Facebook page.
Since end of the 2014 window, by my calculations, Barça have signed 29 players for almost a billion euros.
How many have been an unqualified success? Not one?
Messi stays. Barcelona keep him, La Liga keep him, maybe he ends his career as a one club man, and the best player ever, living at home where he has been since he was 13. This should be a good thing, shouldn't it? A happy ending. It doesn't really feel like it, does it?
Love this. Andres Iniesta’s goal at Stamford Bridge caused a spike in the birth rate in Catalonia. So today, to mark the anniversary, he’s phoning up some of “his” kids to say happy birthday.
Liked this little detail at full time yesterday: Vitolo trying to get to Suarez in time to tell him not to walk across the club badge. Suarez’s ooops, when he realizes.
From
@LeeRoden89
Argentina are going to win it if Brazil don't. Two countries can win it*
Small irrelevant footnote : Argentina last won the Copa America in 1993 and it was won by a nation other than Brazil five times since. But you know, unimportant details in broadcasting
Valencia: 4 points off relegation at halfway stage of season, out of the ChLg. Manager under pressure. Players backed him, dir. gen. too. Patience.
Finish in ChLg place (occupied for 6 days all season).
Semi-final EurLg.
Cup winners.
First trophy in 11 years.
Brilliant.
Reading all over the place that Courtois had the game of his life. Thing is, he didn’t even have the game of his season. (Ask Athletic, for example). Absolutely absurd how good he’s been this year.
United has lost 10 of its last 13 direct knockout matches vs. Spanish teams:
2009 Barça❌
2011 Barça❌
2012 Athletic❌
2013 Madrid❌
2017 Celta✅
2017 Madrid❌
2018 Sevilla❌
2019 Barça❌
2020 Sevilla❌
2021 R.Sociedad✅
2021 Granada✅
2021 Villarreal❌
2022 Atleti❌
Four years ago when Trump won, broadcasters showed scenes of people in shock and crying. Today, a Biden declaration shows coverage that would make you think Jesus had returned.
Really, really enjoyed talking to the fascinating
@filipeluis
about ... well, about everything really. Chelsea, Atlético, Simeone, Mourinho, Hazard, Salah and Michael Caine. Here's the interview.
How to you even begin to get your head around this? Desperately sad. Olga Carmona, who scored the goal that won the World Cup — and dedicated it to the mother of her best friend, who had just passed away — found out after the game that her own father had passed away.
⚫️ PÉSAME | La
@RFEF
lamenta profundamente comunicar el fallecimiento del padre de Olga Carmona. La futbolista ha conocido la triste noticia una vez concluida la final de la Copa del Mundo.
Mandamos nuestro abrazo más sincero a Olga y a su familia en un momento de profundo…
Don’t want to be that guy, and certainly not taking anything from an incredible season, but is it (indicative of) a problem that Liverpool didn’t score in three finals?