Village Idiot

Simeone is in for a big challenge. Atlético don't create for s***, but have managed to have two great forwards that can feed off scraps (Costa and Falcao). They are linked to Diego again which would help them a lot if he's arsed (and he was arsed in his loan season), plus people like Koke or Adrián need to take a step forward. Right now Atlético are a combative team with great aggressiveness and tactical shape, but fairly limited in their attacking play.

Mouth-watering match.

Small segue, just checked Falcao's wikipedia and saw this bit. Eh? Anyway, Falcao's dad named him after a Brazilian legend and he was a player himself. He's been breed to play football and imho he's either going to love it or hate it.

As a neutral football fan, I like to see the best players at the highest stage, pitted against the best. Personally I don't care which clubs other than my own are part of that stage, but Monaco aren't and won't be one for a while. Falcao could have grabbed and still unreasonable amount of money playing for the Chelseas, Bayerns or Juventus of this world.

Yeah, pathetic man for wanting more money while also being part of an interesting project. I bet you wouldn't leave your job for a better paid one if you got the chance would you? Pretty sure he'd been able to get an huge contract elsewhere and still progress in his career.

Still pisses me to no end that he'll stay at least one year out of the European elite. Amazing striker that I'd have loved to see at a top club with better service than Atlético provides (which is pretty shit despite their strong shape).

We probably have an extradition treaty with the UK.

Baptistao to Atlético de Madrid seems a done deal now (been rumored since January). Very promising little player. Might mean Adrián will be sold too. That'd be 3 second strikers on their books.

He's no Brazilian, granted, but he's not that bad.

Many worse players to be annoyed at than Jordi Alba, even at Barça.

No way Chelsea would let Courtois go. Although I think his strengths and weaknesses aren't the best fit for the way we play.

Ter Stegen, certainly. Reina would be too short-termist, in my opinion. My only worry is if he's ready for the kind of pressure you've at this level, given his age.

Contributions for which he's been given an ample salary, one of the highest for a goalie. No idea what he will go for, though. But certainly not for free. Boom, he's just said he'll run down his contract. So he's staying? So it seems, but the summer is long. He's finished letting the door open to talks with the club so he's probably to negotiate down his transfer.

Contributions for which he's been given an ample salary, one of the highest for a goalie. No idea what he will go for, though. But certainly not for free. I know he is a world class keeper, but i was actually there for the Super cup this year at the Nou Camp...Valdes He was awful at the start of the season, yet his form dramatically improved once he said he was leaving

Contributions for which he's been given an ample salary, one of the highest for a goalie. No idea what he will go for, though. But certainly not for free. Boom, he's just said he'll run down his contract.

"As" has added up Villas-Boas to the Real Madrid manager rumor mill, after Ancelotti is having trouble with being released by PSG and talk that Heynckes will retire if he wins the treble. I'm still completely undecided on him as a manager.

Contributions for which he's been given an ample salary, one of the highest for a goalie. No idea what he will go for, though. But certainly not for free.

He already wasn't giving a fuck during his last season with us. You could see he gave it all to at last win the Champions' League, and once he had achieved that he had no drive anymore.

Always thought that lack of European success with Arsenal has hurt his stature somewhat, in the continent at least.

Had him in my FF team that season, he got 260-270 IIRC. I don't think I've had a player with a highest score

Reina or Ter Stegen.

Valdés will probably talk about his departure and make it a sort of good-bye appearance. The Puyol one is a bit more puzzling, a lot of people jumped the gun yesterday night saying he is retiring. We'll see...

Marca blatantly tapping up Bale today, talking about how he should put on a transfer request if he wants to sign for Real Madrid

The Real Madrid numbers/font are ridiculous. Comic Sans-esque. The actual kit looks far better than in the first leaks, more streamlined.