Village Idiot

Loved playing that one in the old Champ Man. In other news, looks like Laporta has managed to weasel us back in the good graces of UEFA by blaming it on Bartomeu, given Ceferin's last interview.

The saddest thing of this whole affair, is that we've "saved football" for it to rest again in the loving, caring hands of UEFA and FIFA. We probably need the whole thing to burn down and be remade anew. Although the rebuilding would probably be something crass and repulsive too, these are the times we live in. Christ I feel old.

Hopefully that's in the past. Even if Laporta is certainly no stranger to these big dumb reactionary signings, in order to get the funding guarantees required to take over the presidency he's been forced to give up some financial control to the lenders.

Yeah, Piqué has already come out saying he's against it, so we're pretty much out. This was a deal agreed by Bartomeu, and it's obvious Laporta was just waiting to see if the thing worked out before going all in (yesterday the club said Laporta would give a press conference discussing our involvement "before the end of may" (:lol:). He has an easy out. We're still financially fucked mind. So we'd appreciate UEFA buying us out with cash, too.

So, a very well connected dude I know has been told the ESL lot have a big media platform behind them (he thinks Amazon, doesn't know for sure) that wants to have high level sports globally and this is the way to secure them - since CL rights are sold piecemeal for each country.

Our participation was agreed by Bartomeu - one of the very last acts of his presidency actually - I want to believe that Laporta is just quietly following along (nobody from the club has said anything besides the press release stating we were founders) until he sees what side of the bread is buttered. For now I will enjoy Florentino being the world's supervillain for a few days.

He literally said "we're going to save football" Can't fail to notice that the ESL was announced just a few days after he was reelected.

Yeah.

Heh, Florentino is going to give a - very rare - interview tonight on a Spanish show to defend the proposal. I'm tempted to watch. The hosts are a bunch of sycophants, though.

Atlético aren't fan-owned, so they can't. Real Madrid are, but they are "one man, one vote", Florentino being that man. Barça will probably put it to a membership vote next autumn. Everybody I know is against it, but I can see it the board passing it if they campaign strongly on "vote yes or we'll fold".

One of the things I despise the most of this move is how they somehow manage to turn UEFA into a victim. Fuck them.

Well, la liga has threatened to kick off the 3 ESL clubs. Overall the Barcelona/Madrid press are quite ambivalent. Everybody I know is ashamed/outraged.

So, apparently Barça members will have to approve us being part of this disgrace. I want to think we'll vote it down... although the board might get away by playing the "vote for this or we broke" card, like Barotmeu did with the stadium naming rights. Anyway, I'm done with pro football if this thing comes to pass.

Second Copa del Rey final they lose in 15 days (what a farce, by the way). That must be quite the heartbreak.

I would be willing to part with one or two Teresa Herreras but you already got that one.

Yay a trophy! Given how grim everything was looking at the beginning, I'm gonna call this a good season.

After yesterday I fist-pumped when I saw you score two on a row. Please stay up.

Gonna form a killer partnership with Mevlut Erdinc

Thanks, I appreciate it. Imagine if we lose the Copa final too...

If we win the Clásico I think we will, but we have yet to win a game against a top team this season (lost/drew to PSG, Atlético, and Real... only had a win against Juve, which aren't particularly good this season either).

I hope they enjoy their two weeks as Copa del Rey champions! Man, what a weird time.

Somebody was inquiring about Fati's health the other day... he's now confirmed to go under the knife for a third (!) time. Likely to miss the rest of the season and the Euro. Poor lad. No way this doesn't affect his career.

So, our FA is always looking for new ways of ruining Spanish football.

His recovery from the knee surgery wasn't going well, and he's had to go under the knife again. So now he'll take the whole season off instead of just 4 months. I'm quite worried, to be frank. Club maintains they are taking a careful approach and that he should come back strong.

I've greatly enjoyed all the kids coming through this season. Moriba has awesome confidence for his age and role. Plus he always bailed out my FM saves. It wouldn't suprise me if Dembele gets sold in the summer though, he hasn't resigned and he will just have one year left. Pity, since he seems to finally be starting to realize his potential.