Village Idiot

Our media are running with it too, citing Le Parisien.

In Spain quite often (Atlético de Madrid and Espanyol do it a lot) funds will pony up part of the transfer fee in exchange of a % of the players' rights.

It's not the players' fault a lot of times. Clubs will sell a % of the rights to private individuals/funds in exchange of financing.

It would be a mistake if we loaned him to you, too much competition and we need him to play, not look good in a historic shirt. The Swansea and Everton links make much more sense though. Him training under Laudrup

Apparently, it was the same newspaper the one that claimed that Being a Barça newspaper, they probably consider everything outside CL places "lower half".

Swansea, Everton and Liverpool named as the clubs interested in loaning Deulofeu, according to "Mundo Deportivo". Can't see Liverpool being interested in yet another wing forward/attacking mid

It's like your scouting team is the French version of MON, or a MON from a parallel universe where England won the Hundred Year War.

And Del Bosque http://www.marca.com/2013/06/26/en/football/national_teams/1372270490.html

From an interview over at fifa.com. Poor lad, Mou probably beat him up after training :'(

Personally think he's better in the Nolan role than as #9. His best trait at Rayo was always getting onto second balls and arriving late in the box, while the main striker dragged the CBs.

Kone's main attribute has always been his pace and power, and at 30 I can't see that lasting much.

Just wait until he starts signing Spanish players not even their mothers have heard about

Pochettino's scouting notebook is really thin. Osvaldo was class under him, though.

I dread the day you attempt the "Bobby Robson tournament" because I'm 90% certain we'll refuse the invitation because it'll clash with some idiotic American/Asian tour

Also I believe you have to be German for it to sound intimidating. We're too playful.

They tried it over here, but there's just too many players going by their first names/nicknames over here. "Pedroooo... RODRÍGUEZ!" just doesn't work.

Always thought the CIA were behind that ACL myself.

We do that too in Spain, although the traditional Spanish chant for it is pretty s*** and it's only done in really boring matches.

No official word yet, but apparently we're getting a new Assistant Manager, Rubi from Girona. He's had a great season with them this year, but other than that his career has been rather nondescript.

Italy without Balotelli? There's no way, they don't have a team, they have a good midfield but their defense and non-Balotelli strikers aren't up for it. I predict 2/3-0 tomorrow and then Sunday you'll win 2-0/1. Just hope we don't get humiliated, which won't happen as long as Thiago Silva doesn't have a day like this (the worst game I've ever seen him play today). Yeah, gotta say Balotelli is a big blow for them. Italy's problem -imho- is that they rely way too much on deliberate/old/one-paced players and Balotelli has that edge their side lacks otherwise.

Really looking forward a final against Brazil, it is a team that we have yet to face since we became non-shit. Got the feeling Italy might be due an upset though, after we beat them in the last two tournaments we've met.

I don't know, the likes of Germany, us or France/Italy in a good day should be able to do them right now. They are way too scrappy. There's still one year though...

Do you hate your left back? Your obsession with Alba is mystifying. He's not even the worst in the team.

Neymar being a cunt, man, I'm going to hate him, won't I?

1-1 game on.