The Official 2018/2019 Football/Soccer Thread

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Dembele can't keep himself out of trouble

http://www.espn.com/soccer/barcelon...er-he-was-two-hours-late-for-training-sources

Barcelona forward Ousmane Dembele was two hours late for a training session on Sunday, sources have told ESPN FC.

Dembele, 21, was tracked down at his home by club security staff a day after starring in the 4-0 derby win over Espanyol.

In October, sources told ESPN FC that Barca had concerns about Dembele's off-pitch behaviour.

The France forward then failed to report for a training session the following month, with coach Ernesto Valverde dropping him from the squad against Real Betis as a result.

Valverde, speaking at a news conference ahead of this week's Champions League match against Tottenham, tried to downplay Dembele's lateness, but sources said the club hopes the player can address the situation quickly.

Barca also have concerns about the company Dembele keeps and feel his childhood friends could do more to ensure he remains professional.

Urbano Ortega, who was assistant to former sporting director Robert Fernandez, said Barcelona had received reports about Dembele's off-pitch conduct when signing him from Borussia Dortmund last year.

"The people that surround Dembele don't help," Ortega told radio station COPE. "When we signed him, we already knew about his indiscipline problems."

Barca want to nurture Dembele's talent rather than cashing in on him, despite a number of Premier League clubs having been linked with a move.

He has scored and set up eight goals in his last eight appearances and was selected ahead of Philippe Coutinho against Espanyol, responding with a goal and an assist.

"Something happened [on Sunday], but we will try to resolve it internally," Valverde said when asked about Dembele. "I don't have anything else to say, really.

"We will try to help the player because he has a lot of talent and we want to help him. He is a player that gives us a lot on the pitch, but we have behaviour-based rules which are the same for everyone."

Defender Clement Lenglet said Dembele's teammates were more concerned about how he was playing.

"What matters to me is what Ousmane does on the pitch, and he's doing really well," he said. "You're talking about non-sporting matters, but when he's played he's played really well.

"I understand journalists look at other things but, for me, the most important is to watch the games and to see if he's doing well."

Last month, both Gerard Pique and Luis Suarez offered support to Dembele but called on him to be more professional.

Dembele is expected to be in the squad for Tuesday's Champions League game against Spurs, with Barca having already qualified.
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Incase anyone missed it, 97th min of River Plate/Bocca is on FreeSports atm Sky Channel 422... Atmosphere is crazy...
 
Cristiano Ronaldo has challenged Lionel Messi to leave Barcelona and join him in Serie A to prove his influence in another league.

Ronaldo told La Gazzetta dello Sport that he left his comfort zone by joining Juventus in the summer, and has laid down the gauntlet to Messi to follow his example.

Ronaldo told La Gazzetta dello Sport that he left his comfort zone by joining Juventus in the summer, and has laid down the gauntlet to Messi to follow his example.

"Maybe [Messi] misses me," Ronaldo said. "I've played in England, Spain, Italy, Portugal and with the national team while he's always been in Spain. Maybe he needs me more. For me, life is a challenge and I like it and I like making people happy.

"I'd like it if he came to Italy one day. He should do like me and accept the challenge. But if he's happy there then I respect that: he's a fantastic footballer, a great lad, but I'm not missing anything here. This is my new life and I'm happy.

"This is not a contest between me and Messi -- I just do my job and I've been successful in each club I've played in and this is the most important thing. I don't like being compared with others, it's not fair. The numbers do the talking and if you see the statistics, you'll see. I've tried to bring success to every club I've played in and the national team and I don't have anything to prove.

"I've even changed my life and left my comfort zone, accepting this challenge which has gone well. I believed in myself and proved to the people that I'm still an incredible footballer."
 
Blue_London said:
The country is praying for Kane to score today to so the white hope can restore the country image
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Ive not read yesterdays papers so cant speak on them but Ive liked the reaction from media outlets (skysportnews etc) who are heavily covering the issue and actually agreeing with Sterling regarding the bias and racism towards him in the media and paper and also the lack of black journalists, one journalist said only 1 black journalist went to the World Cup which is crazy...

I think Sterling will get alot of cheers at the weekend from both sets of fans and the media will prolly now get behind him, we all know how fickle and snake like the papers are...

As Im typing just seen Piers Morgan tweets on the SkySport, saying he has a 'new perspective' on Sterling after Carragher and Neville's debate lol like people haven't talked about the type of person Sterling is in private before, if Piers hadn't maybe he should of done some research before commenting on him then... Ive done mine on Piers and I have a new perspective......... he is a bigger cunt than I thought...
 
Water Ur Seeds said:
Ive not read yesterdays papers so cant speak on them but Ive liked the reaction from media outlets (skysportnews etc) who are heavily covering the issue and actually agreeing with Sterling regarding the bias and racism towards him in the media and paper and also the lack of black journalists, one journalist said only 1 black journalist went to the World Cup which is crazy...

I think Sterling will get alot of cheers at the weekend from both sets of fans and the media will prolly now get behind him, we all know how fickle and snake like the papers are...

As Im typing just seen Piers Morgan tweets on the SkySport, saying he has a 'new perspective' on Sterling after Carragher and Neville's debate lol like people haven't talked about the type of person Sterling is in private before, if Piers hadn't maybe he should of done some research before commenting on him then... Ive done mine on Piers and I have a new perspective......... he is a bigger cunt than I thought...
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Seeing Garry Neville realising what been said for years was a strange moment. Imagine if people actually listened what actually could be done
 
Blue_London said:
Seeing Garry Neville realising what been said for years was a strange moment. Imagine if people actually listened what actually could be done
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TBH I only saw clips of The Debate, but saw the part where Sterling actually came to him at England and asked him why the media are crucifying him and Neville had to comfort him etc but Sterling has been pure class throughout this ordeal...
 
Young_Chitlin said:
Cristiano Ronaldo has challenged Lionel Messi to leave Barcelona and join him in Serie A to prove his influence in another league.

Ronaldo told La Gazzetta dello Sport that he left his comfort zone by joining Juventus in the summer, and has laid down the gauntlet to Messi to follow his example.

Ronaldo told La Gazzetta dello Sport that he left his comfort zone by joining Juventus in the summer, and has laid down the gauntlet to Messi to follow his example.

"Maybe [Messi] misses me," Ronaldo said. "I've played in England, Spain, Italy, Portugal and with the national team while he's always been in Spain. Maybe he needs me more. For me, life is a challenge and I like it and I like making people happy.

"I'd like it if he came to Italy one day. He should do like me and accept the challenge. But if he's happy there then I respect that: he's a fantastic footballer, a great lad, but I'm not missing anything here. This is my new life and I'm happy.

"This is not a contest between me and Messi -- I just do my job and I've been successful in each club I've played in and this is the most important thing. I don't like being compared with others, it's not fair. The numbers do the talking and if you see the statistics, you'll see. I've tried to bring success to every club I've played in and the national team and I don't have anything to prove.

"I've even changed my life and left my comfort zone, accepting this challenge which has gone well. I believed in myself and proved to the people that I'm still an incredible footballer."
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Prove his influence. Leave his comfort zone. The challenge is too great. LoL.

That boy isn't leaving la liga.
 
lll
Northside7 said:
Prove his influence. Leave his comfort zone. The challenge is too great. LoL.

That boy isn't leaving la liga.
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@Hundredeyes u think u guys can help Spurs out? I don’t think they have a chance to win away against Barcelona. They really need u guys to come through against Inter.

Big game for Liverpool too. Napoli have not lost a game in over 2 months.
 
Finally got to see the replay of the game. We were second best. Digne save our ass with the free kick.
 
toheeb27 said:
@Hundredeyes u think u guys can help Spurs out? I don’t think they have a chance to win away against Barcelona. They really need u guys to come through against Inter.

Big game for Liverpool too. Napoli have not lost a game in over 2 months.
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We could but if we should?! @figo @Mknight place them bets!

If we get the same amount of chances we had against Inter last time around than we might convert them this time cause there is no pressure for us anymore... But normally I'd reckon Inter is holding all the cards and Spurs is fucked.

But than again Barca has had several off days this season and they don't really care who they play in the knock out stages... Shit I think they give zero fucks about the Spurs game and are already looking at the weekend...Spurs actually has a chance of qualifying on their own. Its the game of their lives lol.
 
Hundredeyes said:
We could but if we should?! @figo @Mknight place them bets!

If we get the same amount of chances we had against Inter last time around than we might convert them this time cause there is no pressure for us anymore... But normally I'd reckon Inter is holding all the cards and Spurs is fucked.

But than again Barca has had several off days this season and they don't really care who they play in the knock out stages... Shit I think they give zero fucks about the Spurs game and are already looking at the weekend...Spurs actually has a chance of qualifying on their own. Its the game of their lives lol.
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5 stacks, inter Milan fuck y’all up.
Hopefully balde keita starts
 
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