Copa del Rey - 1/2 finals

first 2-1 for barca through a great header from Henry then Valencia react with a fine finish from Mata.
3-1 for valencia and barca needs two goals again. these games are always good.

did Valencia sign Mata for free?

would he have got into the Real first team if he had stayed?

Koeman has never beaten Rijkaard !!

And it aint over yet.
Eto gets a good goal after some good passing.
3-2 and now only one more for barca to go through to the final.

c'mon barca u can do it

FT 3-2 and Valencia are through to the final where they will meet Getafe.
Another great match between these two sides with end to end stuff. Valencia tried to control the game more after they got ahead and dsiplayed some good passing but it didnt hold up and the game opened up.

So Koeman might still win a prize with Valencia ?

Knowing his luck the mofo will go on to win the cup

Batman wrote:did Valencia sign Mata for free?

would he have got into the Real first team if he had stayed?

Yup they got him for free because he demanded high wages and a squad place. he wasnt worth it anyway imo because he thought that he was already a superstar. i dont think he would have gotten a place in the team. he has gotten into the valencia line up quite surprisingsly but i havent been that impressed with him.

Axeslammer wrote:So Koeman might still win a prize with Valencia ?

Knowing his luck the mofo will go on to win the cup

It will be the battle of stars from the old dream team. Valencia has a good chance against Getafe. Koeman could succed because he has touched on the problems that valencia have had with his two signings(Maduro,Banega). allthough i doubt he will do much this season except the copa.

How is Andreas Laudrup doing at Real Madrid?

the Bojan identity wrote:How is Andreas Laudrup doing at Real Madrid?

I have no idea. it wasnt until you said mentioned(i think) it that i realised that he went to madrid and not ajax. i hear he is talented and perhaps more so then his brother. could be great to have both Zidanes,Ronaldos and Laudrups kids come through the ranks.

Supermadrid wrote:

the Bojan identity wrote:How is Andreas Laudrup doing at Real Madrid?

I have no idea. it wasnt until you said mentioned(i think) it that i realised that he went to madrid and not ajax. i hear he is talented and perhaps more so then his brother. could be great to have both Zidanes,Ronaldos and Laudrups kids come through the ranks.

Mads his brother was also linked with Ajax; we need a Laudrup for the 21st century. Zizou’s son Enzo from what I’ve seen already has the natural ability reminds me of Kaka …

f@ck SAKE!! LAPORCA DIMISSIO!!!! RIJKAARD I RONNIE IROS YA POR EL BIEN DEL BARÇA CABRONES!!!!!

golsud wrote:f@ck SAKE!! LAPORCA DIMISSIO!!!! RIJKAARD I RONNIE IROS YA POR EL BIEN DEL BARÇA CABRONES!!!!!

estoy igual de cabreado que tu, golsud!

Even if we the Copa del Rey Koeman must go.

Supermadrid wrote:

Batman wrote:did Valencia sign Mata for free?

would he have got into the Real first team if he had stayed?

Yup they got him for free because he demanded high wages and a squad place. he wasnt worth it anyway imo because he thought that he was already a superstar. i dont think he would have gotten a place in the team. he has gotten into the valencia line up quite surprisingsly but i havent been that impressed with him.

Really? I think he has had a very good season.

toon h wrote:

golsud wrote:f@ck SAKE!! LAPORCA DIMISSIO!!!! RIJKAARD I RONNIE IROS YA POR EL BIEN DEL BARÇA CABRONES!!!!!

estoy igual de cabreado que tu, golsud!

Hasta los cojones de estos inutiles! Jugadores que se tocan las pelotas i no se motivan ni con primas (encima las aceptan los mercenarios, si tuvieran algo de dignidad hubieran rechazado la prima que ofrecia Laporta), un entrenador inutil que suda de todo i la directiva que no tuvo los cojones de tomar medidas cuando eran necesarias . Lo unico positivo de esta temporada es que estan obligados a hacer cambios en verano.

golsud wrote:

toon h wrote:

golsud wrote:f@ck SAKE!! LAPORCA DIMISSIO!!!! RIJKAARD I RONNIE IROS YA POR EL BIEN DEL BARÇA CABRONES!!!!!

estoy igual de cabreado que tu, golsud!

Hasta los cojones de estos inutiles! Jugadores que se tocan las pelotas i no se motivan ni con primas (encima las aceptan los mercenarios, si tuvieran algo de dignidad hubieran rechazado la prima que ofrecia Laporta), un entrenador inutil que suda de todo i la directiva que no tuvo los cojones de tomar medidas cuando eran necesarias . Lo unico positivo de esta temporada es que estan obligados a hacer cambios en verano.

golsud. Aqui se escribe en cristiano.

@ golsud, toon
Un regalo para vosotros:

Calidad wrote:

Supermadrid wrote:

Batman wrote:did Valencia sign Mata for free?

would he have got into the Real first team if he had stayed?

Yup they got him for free because he demanded high wages and a squad place. he wasnt worth it anyway imo because he thought that he was already a superstar. i dont think he would have gotten a place in the team. he has gotten into the valencia line up quite surprisingsly but i havent been that impressed with him.

Really? I think he has had a very good season.

i think he is a ok player and he has done well for Valencia but i havent really been impressed with. i mean i dont think he is particular creative and i dont see him as a great dribbler either. i will see him some more but so far im not regretting too much that we let him go.

Batman wrote:did Valencia sign Mata for free?

would he have got into the Real first team if he had stayed?

Yes, another one of Pedja's highly intelligent moves as director.

I think he certainly could have been in the first team. Knowing Schuster he probably wouldn't have played him much (after all, he is young AND spanish). I wish he would have stayed but he left and is now succeeding somewhere else. The same as De la Red, Negredo, Granero, etc. Maybe our directors will finally learn their lesson.

Andreas Laudrup is playing with the Juvenil B team. Not much news on him I'm afraid...

@kas

feel free to remind us why you think Rijkaard is such a brilliant football manager and Schuster is pants

Rijkaard is still in the CL .. Schuster isn’t. Rijkaard has won more silverware as a manager than Schuster.

He’s had something like 4 years at Barça, doubt Schuster would get that at Real Madrid. Easy to see with the current climate Rijkaard has taken Barça as far as he can and maybe need a new coach (possibly Mourinho).

26-Otto-19 wrote:@kas

feel free to remind us why you think Rijkaard is such a brilliant football manager and Schuster is pants

Last time I checked, semifinals > round of 16

Also, I've never said Rijkaard is "a brilliant football manager". He has his strengths, and he has major weaknesses. It's just that his strengths happen to be *very* well suited to a club like Barça, hence all the success he's achieved at the club.

Feel free to remind us how brilliant Schuster was at Levante Otto? And while you're at it show us Schuster's collection of winners medals as a coach.

Levante: No trophies, but he did get them relegated.
Getafe: Inherited sound foundations laid by Quique Sanchez Flores. Did well there. Highlight being losing the Copa del Rey. His successor has also taken Getafe to final of Copa del Rey and produced a good run in the Uefa Cup. That's Michael Laudrup, so by your reckoning an unproved Laudrup is better than Schuster.
Real Madrid: Stuttering to La Liga title with squad improved from that of Capello. I suppose all the players that Madrid bought were forced upon an unwilliing Schuster who just had no say at all on whch players came and yes Mijatovic takes most of the blame for signing duds, but if you believe that Schuster had no say in signings at all, then you are truly naive.

He might become a decent coach some time in the future, but to say that he is better than Rijkaard now is ludicrous. Are Madrid in the Champions League Otto? Are Madrid in the Copa del Rey? If Rijkaard has failed for not reaching that final, then so have Madrid and your hero. They have one chance of silverware this season and are stutterring towards it. Villarreal probably deserve it most. Even Madrid fans don't rate Schuster. They only want to keep him for the sake of continuity and they are probably right in that. Barca are still in with a chance of La Liga, reached the semi-final of the Copa del Rey and are still in the Champions League. By what concept of logic can Schuster be said to be better than Rijkaard who has won the Champions League and La Liga twice recently?

On any sensible view Rijkaard>Schustre, but that may change in time. I think he has probably reached the end at Barca, but to deny that he did well there is simply ludicrous. If it was so easy to do what he did, why did so many others fail at Barca compared to Rijkaard?

Would credit Laporta with most of the success anyway. He managed to get Dinho and Etoo, Davids for that short period and then Deco the following season. And the first two alone were responsible for everything changing.

L r d wrote:Would credit Florentino Perez with most of the success anyway. He managed to get Dinho and Etoo, Davids for that short period and then Deco the following season. And the first two alone were responsible for everything changing.

I'm sorry Lrd that i didn't make myself more clear on that. Laporta was chasing Beckham and if it hadn't been for Perez we would have ended up with the shirt-selling Red Devil. Fortunately, it didn't happen and Madrid did us the real favour.

It was Rossel who was instrumental in signing Dinho and Davids came on loan solely on Rijkaard's demand. He helped to sort out our midfield and we finished second in the league.

Eto'o and Deco came a year later. These were the days of miracle and wonder

Zizinho wrote:I'm sorry Lrd that i didn't make myself more clear on that. Laporta was chasing Beckham and if it hadn't been for Perez we would have ended up with the shirt-selling Red Devil. Fortunately, it didn't happen and Madrid did us the real favour.

It was Rossel who was instrumental in signing Dinho and Davids came on loan solely on Rijkaard's demand. He helped to sort out our midfield and we finished second in the league.

Eto'o and Deco came a year later. These were the days of miracle and wonder

Hey man this shirt selling Red Devil was responsible for last season's Madrid triumph!

Ok Laporta got a bit lucky how things turned out, but even Beckham would have been a good signing. As it was Ronaldinho he got and lets not forget at one stage it looked like Dinho was going to Man Utd so whoever he used to help get him it turned out a great buy that transformed the club completly. Rijkaard had a young hungry future wpoty on his hands, to not win things would be difficult. So that's why his success i wouldn't credit all to him. When Madrid won at the nou camp that season looked over for Barca, so if it was Rijkaard who got Davids then ok it changes my opinion a bit.

Eto'o is another where i credit Laporta with the signing. Real Madrid did not want to sell to Barca, but Laporta got him in the end.

L r d wrote:

Zizinho wrote:I'm sorry Lrd that i didn't make myself more clear on that. Laporta was chasing Beckham and if it hadn't been for Perez we would have ended up with the shirt-selling Red Devil. Fortunately, it didn't happen and Madrid did us the real favour.

It was Rossel who was instrumental in signing Dinho and Davids came on loan solely on Rijkaard's demand. He helped to sort out our midfield and we finished second in the league.

Eto'o and Deco came a year later. These were the days of miracle and wonder

Hey man this shirt selling Red Devil was responsible for last season's Madrid triumph!

Ok Laporta got a bit lucky how things turned out, but even Beckham would have been a good signing. As it was Ronaldinho he got and lets not forget at one stage it looked like Dinho was going to Man Utd so whoever he used to help get him it turned out a great buy that transformed the club completly. Rijkaard had a young hungry future wpoty on his hands, to not win things would be difficult. So that's why his success i wouldn't credit all to him. When Madrid won at the nou camp that season looked over for Barca, so if it was Rijkaard who got Davids then ok it changes my opinion a bit.

Eto'o is another where i credit Laporta with the signing. Real Madrid did not want to sell to Barca, but Laporta got him in the end.

I will never forget all the ManU saga with signing Ronaldinho. He even said that he had dreamt of playing for you since childhood

But now you have Anderson, who is also from Porto Allegre and Ronaldinho has very high opinion on his abilities. Not to forget that these players become awesome, WPOTY and Ballon d'Or winners when they reach the age of 23/24

Eto'o was indeed Laporta's achievement. He even managed to pay his transfer fee in installments

News that Sky won't show Wednesday night's King's Cup final has left UK-based Spanish football fans fuming. Valencia fan Dan Jones, from London, has a few things to say...


That Sky Sports have chosen not to air the Copa del Rey final in the UK has come as a massive disappointment to most football fans I know, including those who watch just the one game of La Liga football a week.

And yet, it is not a surprise, for it is just symptomatic of the irresponsible attitude Sky have towards sports. The standard practice seems to be to hog the rights for as many events as possible, and then ignore half of them.

The idea is very simple, and perhaps very smart from a business perspective. If you cannot show an event, you have made sure other sports channels can also not show it. Standard practice for Sky and partners, I would presume. What it means for sport? Who cares!

Time after time, Revista de la Liga shows Sunday telecast as starting at 6pm on Sunday, and you tune your television at that time only to see that they will show only the second half.

On the rare occasion that Real Madrid are playing at the time, they make some exceptions and move the telecast away from SS1, but the rest or the teams might as well not play. Even Barcelona games get deferred.

Just a few weeks ago, Valencia and Barcelona were playing a Spanish Cup semi-final on Thursday evening, and the four Sky Sports channels were showing Golf, Rugby, Tennis and Darts. No disrespect to any of those four (in fact I watch all of them), but surely a Cup semi-final between two of Spain's top teams deserves more than a taped telecast.

You don't even need to take any of those four off. There is a red button option available if they really care. The fact is they don't.

We all enjoy the insights offered by Guillem Balague, and some refreshing presenting from Mark Bolton, but if I were to guess, even they must be tired of this attitude. Whoever is calling the shots clearly could not care less.

If all that is improper in more ways than one, this latest instance is just a disgrace. Perhaps a touch of humility and respect for a Cup final is due to add a human touch to this money spinning machine.

Assume, for the sake of argument, that ESPN or Fox Sports purchase the US rights for the FA Cup final - what we English bill as one of the biggest games in the world - and then not show it because they have baseball, basketball and tennis. How would that make the FA feel?

Maybe that is what is needed, for some filthy rich party to buy the rights for Premier League matches for five years, and then not show a single game. One wonders if that would knock some sense. Perhaps not, for they will have already made their money, and that is what counts here!

Now take Wednesday. Other than the Youth Cup match between Manchester City and Chelsea (SS1), other Sky Sports offerings during the Spanish Cup Final include ten-pin bowling's Weber Cup, a motor sport magazine programme, and a weekly golf round-up.

Surely live sport - and an important final - deserves some priority. A red button option would have sufficed, but they do not even have a deferred telecast. Why? Because they simply do not care. Anyone else willing to raise a voice?