₦airaland Forum

Ximenez:
His points: Madrid bought Ronaldo from Manchester united after Fergie coached him from being a skinny little boy to winning the world best in 2008

It was Arsenal who gave Fabregas the time and opportunity that he didn't see in Barca that he developed in England and even became their captain, before Barca bought him back.

Barca also snapped Henry from Arsenal after he became a cult hero for the club and Mascherano from Liverpool


Bale came from Southampton academy playing left back to Tottenham still playing left back to being a deadly winger before Madrid broke the transfer record to sign him.

Madrid also snapped up Luka Modric from Tottenham and Alonso from Madrid .


Liverpool used the fraction of money Chelsea gave them in Torres sale to get Suarez from Ajax, Suarez came from being a winger to one of the world best striker before Barca bought him.

We all know Madrid has been romancing with Hazard and De Gea for some time now while Barca is looking to prey on Liverpool once more for coutinho.

Those are the few ones I remember now.

Henry was a pensioner before moving to Spain.

VargasVee:
Robinho flopped at city, so did Jesus navas, negredo and borjan at stoke. The only ones that made a mark Is Deco, Eto'o barely played, barca didn't make Sanchez, he was top notch right from udinese days. Toure and Costa yes.

Falcao was banging goals at Porto before joining Madrid, we all know he flopped in England.

Is this the point? How many ENGLISH players have succeeded in Spain, compared to the number of those who failed woefully?

Princefrankie1:
Lol. Naysayers again. Guardiola average? Lol. There is nothing I will not read on this forum o.

Rijkaard 2007 first 11 consisted of:

VALDES

MARQUEZ PUYOL OLEGUER VAN BRONCKHORST

EDMILSON DECO VAN BOMMEL

GUILY ETO'O RONALDINHO.

Rijkaard ended the 2007 season trophyless. Leaving Barcelona with too many old guards. Just look up the names in that squad.

Pep Guardiola in 2006, won promotion for Barca B in his debut season as their coach playing wonderful, scintillating, possession based football which was later nicknamed tiki taka.

That made the Barcelona board to appoint him even though he was unproven at that point at the big stage. They saw the way the B team played. They wanted him to deploy same tactics to the senior team.


On his first day, Guardiola said: “These three (Ronaldinho, Deco and Samuel
Eto’o) are not in my mind for the future, we will be going forward without
them.

Ronaldinho, Deco, Edmilson, Gio dos Santos, Ezquerro, Crosas, Oleguer and Zambrotta were all shipped out. That is almost all of Rijkaard's first 11. Except just goalkeeper Valdes and Puyol.


Pep Guardiola built the greatest Barcelona team with which he won all the trophies contested for from the scratch. They played the kind of football never seen before in the history of the round leather game.

That is why he is regarded as a GENIUS by people who know his history.

How then can you say such a man is OVERRATED??

How can you say he won because RIJKAARD laid the blueprint? How?? What blueprint??

Think again bro.

For how long did Puyol play for Guardiola with 'his old age'?

Could you share the names of Guardiola signings while I list Rijkaard's?

When Rijkaard left, did Ronaldinho not become a part of the team that won the League?

Perhaps it never occurred to you that Guardiola had some personal issues with the players he sent out of the club. The persecution has not stopped with Toure that he chased out. He had tons of personal issues with Deco which saw the latter move to England.

Van Bommel won four trophies with Guardiola before leaving and Giuly won three. I could go with the rest but it doesn't really make sense since you lifted your opinion from God-knows-where.

Besides, why has the 'genius' not replicated his feat since he left Spain? Care to share?

dabossman:
Sorry, not an Arsenal fan. *spits in the gutter*. And I didn't say Madrid, I said you personally. On that night when you won your quarter final match and progressed to the semis under Mourinho after 6 years of Round of 16 heartbreak. Did you not celebrate?

It is also common knowledge that Mourinho is not exactly a beloved Madrid manager. His was a love-hate relationship with the client club and many of its fans.

This belongs to you;

Ah, now I see your angst. You are a Madrid fan. Madrid fans will always be bitter towards Mourinho and his Bernabau reign, so no point having this discussion.

Well, that's not the point. My problem with Mourinho is that he has no respect for players and he's a very bias manager. I hope you're aware of what he did to Javier Zanetti at Inter before his departure? He tried same with Pepe, Ramos and Ronaldo and was burnt.

Do we talk about what he did to Juan Mata both at Chelsea and Man U? Or should we just talk about the many disgrace he served a legend as Bastian Schweinsteiger? Mourinho is more of a destroyer than a builder.

I am result driven person. You win a match, then the celebration is temporary. The orgasmic feeling comes from lifting trophies for me. Mediocrity is not even Madrid fondles.

cstr1000:
And how many of those players were snatched at their prime.?
Can you compare any of them to Modric, suarez, Ronaldo or Xabi alonso?

How old was Robinho when he moved to England? How old were these people when they moved?

P0intBlank:
Not sure you followed them weekly. Looks like you only watched El Clasicos. 2011/2012 was one of best seasons I have seen Real Madrid play - a season in which they broke a number of records including 100 points in a single season, a record 121 goals scored and goal difference of +89, and a record 16 away wins and 32 overall wins.

Goal records, man! C'mon! If you know the philosophy of Real Madrid, then you wouldn't allow yourself to be drawn into the point and goal frenzy. WAS THERE EUROPEAN SUCCESS WITH THE OVER 500 WEEKLY GOALS?

VargasVee:
Man your argument is baseless.

Almost all those players peaked in England.

Sooooo...?

And the Spanish players that are being moved in their numbers to the BPL every transfer window?

Robinho, Deco, Eto'o, Torres, Falcao, Costa, Morata, Toure Yaya, Jesus Navas, Sanchez, Ozil, Negredo, Borjan, etc.

Perhaps you should enlighten yourself with this: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/england/11993030/How-the-Premier-League-turned-Spanish.html

cstr1000:
Liverpool should not sell at any price. Coutinho has a very long contract so the ball is not in his court.
These spanish clubs are used to getting their way using unscrupulous means.
They built their recent European dominance using players from the premier league and weakening the English.
Imagine if Ronaldo, suarez, fabregas,modric, alonso e.t.c, and co had stayed in England.
The likes of Real madrid and Barcelona would be nothing more than a paper tiger.

What unscrupulous means are you talking about? Can you name just one Madrid deal in the EPL that is indeed unscrupulous

Can you name 20 premiership players in Spain while you also name 20 Spanish players in the EPL?

You guys are honestly pathetic. Madrid has a philosophy; sign the best players in the world without considering the amount expended in doing so. We have brought in players from Brazil, Italy, Germany and France. How then is England different?

How many of these so called English players were groomed in the UK? Where was Suarez bought from? How about Ronaldo and Modric? Perhaps you never knew that Fabregas started from Barcelona.

If you look at it critically, you wouldn't need a prophet to tell you that the English League has taken more than it has given.

P0intBlank:
Horrible Style? Maybe 1st season in Barca Matches. Some Real Madrid plays were breathtaking. Mourinho did not win Champions league but he was no failure.

Define breathtaking? Perhaps you mean poking opponents in the eyes and grabbing them by their throat when dribbled?

Should we also talk about the many controversial attacks Pepe, Ramos Alonso and co started exhibiting under Mourinho?

I honestly don't understand how some of us interprete football.

dabossman:
Ah, now I see your angst. You are a Madrid fan. Madrid fans will always be bitter towards Mourinho and his Bernabau reign, so no point having this discussion.

But you can never deny the fact that he brought you guys out of a long draught of hopelessness. Tell me you didn't celebrate when you got to those semifinals.

You must be an Arsenal fan to think a club as prestigious as Real Madrid would go on celebrating in the streets for making the Semi finals.

Fabio Capello wọn the La Liga for Real in 2006 but his head was never spared. Why? Because he failed at the European level.

Bernd Schuster, Juande Ramos, Manuel Pellegrini, Carlo Ancelotti and even Mourinho would have been spared and overlooked if we were a club who doesn't prioritise European trophies.

By the way, may I ask how you arrived at the fallacious claim about Madrid fans not liking Mourinho?

supersystemsng:
Thanks bro...each time we say to the newbies that the success Guardiola enjoyed and the tactics were not his but that of
Frank Rijkaard, they argue....now he can't replicate the success even with the heavy sums he has spent at Man City....Always on pressure at the sidelines...I pity him

Most of them started watching football when Barcelona started beating Real Madrid in 2009. Guardiola can't even come out to say he laid the foundation for the team.

Ironically, he met a talented La Masia side and ended up dispersing them for no reason. He signed Henry, Ibrahimovic and sent Deco and Hleb into oblivion. By the time he was done with the club, La Masia talents like Borjan, Eto'o, Yaya Toure, Abidal and even the players he signed were shamefully and unceremoniously sent out of the club.

He signed handedly turned Barcelona's culture of raising talents into signing big names while the Barcelona board never stopped criticising Real Madrid for unnecessary big signings. Today, he is still in the habit of big signings with little or no results.

dabossman:
You obviously missed the point that he took Real to two consecutive UCL semifinals. These were their first semifinal appearances after 6 consecutive years of being eliminated in the round of 16. When Mou took over at Madrid, they were far from being one of the strongest sides in Spain, not to talk of Europe.

I think I prefer that kind of failure. It's way better than Wenger's type. Sorry Mukina.

I know full well but when a coach celebrate appearances rather than trophies, then you know there is a problem. True, Mourinho delivered us from the clutches of Lyon but that was just about the best he could do.

We signed him from Inter Milan to replicate their success and not have us qualify for semi-finals with a star-studded team. Should I also mention our horrible style of play under Mourinho?

obonujoker:
Can we also say Pep guardiola is a failure too.. coz he won Nada with Bayern... mourinho won it with Porto and inter... nothing to prove again

Yes! I have always mentioned that Guardiola is nothing but an average coach who was fortunate enough to have coached one of the greatest teams ever.

Frank Rijkaard laid the blueprint for Guardiola's success. The team already had Giuly, Eto'o, Abidal, Puyol, a benched Xavi and Iniesta when the likes of Deco and Yaya You're held sway. The team had Gianluca Zambrotta, Lilian Thuram, Milito, Ronaldinho and many others.

The 2007-08 remains the entrance to the emergence of Barcelona's greatness in modern day football and it was neither orchestrated nor crafted by Guardiola.

Is it surprising that the same Guardiola has not had any European success after leaving Barcelona? As a matter of fact, Heynckes' Bayern team boasted a formidable style of play than Guardiola's tiki taka's.

Guardiola remains an average coach with tons of luck on his side.

Dlordsamurai:
well if liverpool refuse to sell then thats their cup of tea. "barca can get seri of nice for just 50million, he is a good mildfielder. "honestly i believe barca will be a force this season. with or without coutinho.

Force of goals, àbí? Perhaps you haven't heard Messi snr. is presently meeting with Manchester City to discuss a potential move for the Argentine who has refused to sign a new deal.

Coutinho's fourth bid has been rejected, according to rumours. The negotiation with Seri has been dropped by Barca themselves and it would be a whole new level of difficulty if they are to reopen the negotiation.

Iniesta is presently out cold and this might be his last. His matches, of course, would be limited. Suarez is out as well, even though it's for a couple of weeks and it would take a while to get him back to form. It happens with every injured player. And the board?

If Barca was human, we would say he has terminal illness which could claim his life any moment from now.

dabossman:
And you think Mourinho doesn't know how to navigate the Champions League? Maybe you should check his record. He won the friggin UCL with Porto. PORTO!

Care to share the names of the players he won the UCL league with in Porto?

If we are to take that into account, then it is safe to brand him a failure because he coached one of the strongest sides in modern day football but failed to win the Champions League with Real.

Poor APOEL

Bibidear:
thats a lie
dnt compare manutd of those season to the one now
manutd is on fire

I'm sure you meant 'Premier League Fire'. The UCL is different ball game entirely.

https://img.uefa.com/MultimediaFiles/Photo/competitions/History/01/44/47/63/1444763_w1.jpg

Three UEFA Champions League titles in four seasons for Real Madrid - could they become the first team to win three in a row since Bayern between 1974 and 1976?

MTKbudapest:
The Red Devils will lift the champions league trophy this season. Watchout!

https://img.memecdn.com/xavi-about-manchester-united-fans_o_6182289.jpg

https://img.uefa.com/UploadedMedia/1/15813/F101/CJL23145.JPG

The MAIN TEAMS to avoid.

PS: Ignore the one with the 'C'

https://img.uefa.com/UploadedMedia/1/15813/F101/1376867.jpg

Ramos, the Defender, Part 3

https://img.uefa.com/UploadedMedia/1/15813/F101/1376847.jpg

Meanwhile

https://img.uefa.com/UploadedMedia/1/15813/F101/775028095VP004_UEFA_ECF_Sea.JPG

This one be looking like a houseboy

Manchester United should not be in Pot 2. I see no reason why a team that has been struggling for ages be counted as an 'elite' European team just because they won the European League last season when Liverpool is in the third Pot.

Mukina2
Mynd44
Lalasticlala

So what's the best and worst case scenarios for the English clubs?
BEST CASE...

Chelsea (Pot 1): Porto, Anderlecht, Maribor.
Manchester City/Manchester United (Pot 2): Spartak Moscow, Anderlecht, Maribor.
Tottenham/Liverpool (Pot 3): Spartak Moscow, Porto, Maribor.

WORST CASE....
Chelsea (Pot 1): Barcelona, Napoli, RB Leipzig.
Manchester City/Manchester United (Pot 2): Real Madrid, Napoli, RB Leipzig.
Tottenham/Liverpool (Pot 3): Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, RB Leipzig.

My opinion: I believe it would be a huge shame to the English league if they fail to send a team through to AT LEAST the semi-finals despite having five teams this term.

Liverpool, Copenhagen, Sporting Lisbon, APOEL Nicosia and Qarabag became the last five teams to reach the Champions League on Wednesday night — sealing the line-up for this year's group stage.

There are 32 teams, with 17 nations represented — and five British clubs in the mix for Thursday evening's draw.
So who can Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, Tottenham, and Celtic find themselves up against? Sportsmail looks at the possible scenarios.

So, how are the pots looking?

Each group takes a team from each of the four pots, with clubs unable to play against teams from their own nation.

Pots 1 and 2 contain the serious members of Europe's elite - with the latter looking arguably more formidable than the former.

Pot 1 is seeded, containing just domestic champions of the eight biggest European leagues. Real Madrid, the Champions League holders, are joined by Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Juventus, Benfica, Monaco, Spartak Moscow and Shakhtar Donetsk.

Pot 2 contains a host of illustrious clubs who have won the competition in its current and old guise as the European Cup. Former Champions League winners Barcelona, Borussia Dortmund, Manchester United and Porto feature. Powerhouses Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid and Manchester City also make the cut, as do Sevilla.

Pots 3 includes Tottenham and returning five-time winners Liverpool after they saw off Hoffenheim on Wednesday night. They are joined by Napoli, Basle, Olympiacos, Anderlecht, Roma and Besiktas.

Efewestern:
biko yan gia woh', no be every nonsense you they respond to na, nor make me vex for you o.

e'quo na Ah gueh fian ganor, So let them enjoy the thread.

Tode' oniovo meh

Lol! No vex, Oniovo. Proud liars they are

Ishilove:
@bolded

Aka, by force attache

Exactly! Lol

Sprumbabafather:
You are right my brother, Igbos are even more related to Red Indians than they relate to Urhobos

We hope to be good neighbours in the future.

Lol. I believe we have no issues with being neighbours. Unnecessary linkages and sudden affiliations all in a bid to forge alliance would always be met with stiff resistance.

I pray you guys get what you want so that the world can rest.