Game 39 threat comes to Spain

[scratchmonkey]

Wild match for Getafe-Barca, the latter wearing their peach-pink abomination with a recolored crest (and I generally like pink for kits). 1-2 at the moment and the hosts just missed an open net via Mata (no, not that one).

[ursus arctos]

Barcelona hold on and now lead Atléti by 5 points, Sevilla by 7, Alaves by 9, Madrid by 10 and Betis by 14.

[Gawpus]

Can't wait for Florentine to bring back Mourinho.

Pérez wants to sign Hazard doesn't he? Would that not rule Mourinho out based on their recent history?

[ursus arctos]

There are a number of FloPer watchers in Spain who believe that he wants Mourinho more.

[Gawpus]

Interesting choice. Still, the heart wants what it wants.

[beak]

i just found out that the spanish second division is, for sponsorship reasons, known as LaLiga 1|2|3.

an astonishingly, just remarkably terrible name.

[ursus arctos]

It is Santander’s marketing name for their current account.

Personally, I find it less problematic than calling the Third Division “League One”.

[EIM]

Yeah. I saw this on FIFA 19 and thought they'd included loads of Spanish lower leagues. Stupid wankers.

[anton pulisov]

JESPER CILESSEN SAVED A PENALTY KICK

[Sporting]

So Girona, who have never won anything, find themselves in the Spanish Cup QF second leg 2-4 down to Real Madrid and given Madrid's superior, well, everything, have an uphill task to pull the tie around. But they "only" need a 2-0 victory and with a partisan crowd behind them and Madrid's defence not exactly watertight then you never know.

So what do Girona do? They send out a team with lots of subs, the reason (rarely explicitly stated, of course) that survival in the league is more important.

I think this was touched on in the FA Cup thread as well. First, does it really make a difference to league form? if Girona lose at the weekend, that's two rolls of the dice gone awry. Second, at some point in the next few years, Girona will probably go down to the second division. If they had had a cup run to cherish and remember, then their first division stay would have been, imo at least, worthwhile. Instead, just another lower-mid division club thinking money above fan delight. Good job I'm not an accountant.

[ursus arctos]

I assume that City Football Group’s major shareholding in Girona has more than a little to do with the club making “profit over passion” decisions that are more common in English football.

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

I doubt it's to do with profit (this is Man city after all) but has more to do with Girona being more useful to Man city as a loan destination, if they're in the top flight.

[ursus arctos]

That too, though I remind you they were willing to move their most attractive fixture of the season to Miami for a nice payout, so there does seem to be more of a pecuniary motive than one might think. That might in part be due to the fact that Girona doesn't act as an Emirati billboard in the way their other clubs do.

[Janik]

does it really make a difference to league form?

We can't know, as there is nothing to control the experiment with.

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

That too, though I remind you they were willing to move their most attractive fixture of the season to Miami for a nice payout, so there does seem to be more of a pecuniary motive than one might think. That might in part be due to the fact that Girona doesn't act as an Emirati billboard in the way their other clubs do.

That's true, though that might also just be a case of them trying to set a precedent that would benefit Man city down the road.

[Diable Rouge]

La Liga on Premier Sports as of this weekend:

http://twitter.com/PremierSportsTV/status/1098628512964116481

[Flynnie]

Did Eleven Sports die a death that quickly?

I wonder who has the Eredivisie now.

[ursus arctos]

They had to forfeit the rights because they failed to hit the minimum number of subscribers required by the contract.

[Southport Zeb]

Going back to the title theme, it has been announced that the Super Cup will now be a four team tournament held overseas involving the top two in the league and two cup finalists.

[Diable Rouge]

Did Eleven Sports die a death that quickly?

I wonder who has the Eredivisie now.

Also Premier.

[Satchmo Distel]

Going back to the title theme, it has been announced that the Super Cup will now be a four team tournament held overseas involving the top two in the league and two cup finalists.

Subtext: Barcelona + 3

[Jon]

As far as I can tell, Eleven Sports are still showing the majority of La Liga games but they have lost exclusivity. I haven't seen a reason given for this but ursus' theory of them not having enough subscribers may well be the primary one. Not sure therefore if the Premier Sports deal went through. I do know, however, that ITV have been granted one match a week for the rest of the season starting last weekend with Levante vs Madrid. Not sure what game is on next weekend but it's not el clasico.

[Diable Rouge]

As far as I can tell, Eleven Sports are still showing the majority of La Liga games but they have lost exclusivity. I haven't seen a reason given for this but ursus' theory of them not having enough subscribers may well be the primary one. Not sure therefore if the Premier Sports deal went through. I do know, however, that ITV have been granted one match a week for the rest of the season starting last weekend with Levante vs Madrid. Not sure what game is on next weekend but it's not el clasico.

Premier are showing four matches per round, including El Clasicó on Saturday. As you say, Eleven are showing all ten games per round until the season ends.

[Gangster Octopus]

I was surprised to find a La Liga round-up programme on ITV4 last night. I'll keep an eye open for it in future.

[Diable Rouge]

Real were the better side in the first half, with Vinicius outstanding, but two goals in quick succession (including a Panenka by Suarez) put Barca 3-0 ahead in the Copa return leg.