Village Idiot

Kiko Casilla playing in a second division team... I guess Leeds can actually pay him more than probably half of La Liga clubs, though.

We've signed Todibo from Toulouse. Seems we're fishing in French football, can't complain given the results so far.

It used to be "Real Ronaldo" before Cristiano Ronaldo started piling up CL championships. I think we'll always miss what would have become of Ronaldo Nazario had his knees remained intact. He was such a force of nature before his injury at Inter, and it's not that he became a slouch after that... but he used to be so much more. He seems to be taking his role as football administrator very seriously btw. Wish him all the best at Valladolid.

Henry was poor in his first year, but then everybody was. Then he was instrumental in our first treble season. He then had a so-so followup year and left after that. But his second year was fantastic. Saviola did decent numbers in the poorest Barça side in our recent history, so he's largely forgotten. Fat Ronaldo was the most woved I have ever been by a Barça player until Messi came along. His single season with us is one of the best performances by a Barcelona striker ever. Oh, what could've been... I was utterly devastated when he left. Once he settled, Henrik Larsson was the best backup striker we ever had in recent times. Even now our press always goes about "finding our next Larsson" when the club searches for a cheap backup striker.

We are in talks with Arsenal regarding Denis Suárez. He is a talented lad, but he lacks the character to make it at a big club imho. His career is stagnating here so I hope he finds a good club that affords him playing time, though.

But then Wijnaldum was the last to do it in the PL, right? What a weird player he was. Blew cold most of the time, but when he blew hot, it was volcanic stuff.

We're going to miss him so much. Got to treasure every single season he has left for us. What's the last Newcastle player to score a hat trick, btw? Please don't take this as a "HAHAHA YOU SUCK!" question. Wijnaldum against Norwich? Maybe somebody else had one in the c'ship season.

One of the Atlético fans arrested in Belgium this week is the convicted murderer of a Real Sociedad fan 20 years ago. It looks like the dim cunt breached parole so he'll be back in the slammer.

49th Messi hat trick.

Piqué has bought FC Andorra in the Spanish 5th tier. He'll end up being Barça's president one day, so I guess a bit of practice can't hurt.

So, on the back of another very good performance against Espanyol, Dembelé is once again late for training. That's him in a nutshell. Amazing talent, terrible discipline.

Very good So weirdly catchy. Found myself singing Edeeeeeeeer Careeeeeeeeeeew while making breakfast.

Gerard Piqué has said he wants to buy a football club. Apparently he's already inquired about Zaragoza (which have lots of untapped potential, tbf).

Didn't do a thing in the CL after the first leg of the quarter final, didn't do a thing in the World Cup bar that hat trick which De Gea was shite for and one of them was a pen 15 goals in 13 CL games. Played four World Cup games and scored four goals. I don't know what else he can do tbh. Be non anonymous in CL semi finals and World Cup knockout games Sounds like the argie bloke Just the 3 assists against France What a crazy game that was. This WC had some good ones. I'd have been tempted to give it to Mbappé, such a commanding WC performance... but I honestly haven't followed enough his regular season to judge. PSG doing squat in the CL didn't help.

Josep Lluís Núñez, longest serving Barça president, died today. He was a huge figure in the 1980s and 1990s. He's most famous for having hired Johan Cruyff (which he nearly sacked in his first year), ushering the golden age of the club. He was a huge fan of Bobby Robson, incidentally. He tried to sign him as manager in the 1980s, and finally did it after he sacked Cruyff. Dude was a massive crook. He ended up in jail for tax fraud in his personal business, and Barça got done for tax fraud too. He's the man that sold Maradona, Ronaldo and sacked Cruyff - which means he's the man that signed them in the first place. He was a massive penny-pincher, which turned him into a cult figure. When he sold Maradona, fans were infuriated. He addressed the general assembly by - screaming at full voice - going over every fucking clause of the transfer and saying how well he negotiated them and how much money the club was making thanks to him.

Well, in that case they can rename it "Copa Conquistadores" to justify it being held in Spain, just for this one occasion

Hardly comparable since it's done for safety reasons and it's not a national competition.

Rumour right now is that it's going to be December 9th at the Bernabéu. Argentine community is really big in here too.

God, life is gonna suck when Messi retires Rumor making the rounds that the Libertadores might be played in Spain. I'd probably throw insane amounts of cash for a ticket, but I'm too young to die yet.

Piqué fined €50k for driving with a revoked license. Footballers and reckless driving...

Weirdly Maradona seems to be doing really well at Sinaloa, they're playing the Apertura final next week. I guess readily available coke keeps him ticking.

Rafinha out for season when he was starting to get into the team. I think I've read this sentence several times already.

We haven't been the most consistent either. I suppose at the end of the season it will be the two of us as usual, but so far the league has been as wide open as it's been for years. If we fail to win today (and we're playing Atlético away), Sevilla could take the lead. Can't remember the last time neither of Barça/Real/Atlético was top at this time of the season. Probably we'd have to go back to the 2000s

Also, given the way he's been playing, I think Real Madrid would benefit from a Ramos drug ban.

Planned obsolence. It breaks as soon as the return warranty expires.