LaLiga 2023-2024 (First Division)

[rpo.castro]

We might have a basque final!

[AlanK]

We might have a basque final!

Well, chances of that are looking very good right now, but don't sell Atleti short

[matt]

4-0 Real Madrid...

This result might be a knock-out blow to Girona chances for a title run. Leicester in 2016 didn't have a real competitor, the big teams all performed more or less poorly. What can you do against this Real Madrid?

A bit of a shame that Girona is out of the cup, they would deserve a title but that's football. They have a decent margin over 5th place though.

[Lorric]

Two goals for Bellingham.

I watched the wrong match. Two games tonight with battles at the top and the 2nd place teams were firmly put in their place at the homes of the 1st place teams!

[offside]

They have a decent margin over 5th place though.

I would like Girona in CL next year as well.

Two goals for Bellingham.

Definitely a great player!

[rpo.castro]

Its just another oil club getting into CL

[offside]

Its just another oil club getting into CL

Fair enough. However, according to this website:

https://www.planetfootball.com/quick-re ... -barcelona

2. Real Madrid – €282,650,000
...
65. Girona – €27,240,000

Girona spends in wage bills less then 1/10 of what Real Madrid spends, and there are several other Spanish sides who spend way more than Girona, and have way less points in La Liga.

The wage bills are not everything, but still, Girona is having an extraordinary season, no matter playing against bigger clubs, in one of the strongest leagues in Europe, and so deserves to be rewarded with a CL qualification in the next season.

[angel_87]

They have a decent margin over 5th place though.

I would like Girona in CL next year as well.

we need to understand the Manchester City-Girona issue, both are part of the same group (City Football Group of Abu Dhabi)

[offside]

we need to understand the Manchester City-Girona issue, both are part of the same group (City Football Group of Abu Dhabi)

Yes, this is a complex matter, and the fairness of the competition is (or at least it should be) the first matter to take care of. However, UEFA faced similar cases in the recent past (see the links below), and as long as some criteria was met, handled them allowing the qualified clubs to participate.

https://en.as.com/soccer/could-girona-a ... eague-n-2/

https://www.sportingnews.com/us/soccer/ ... 520ebd0f24

[rpo.castro]

Its just another oil club getting into CL

Fair enough. However, according to this website:

https://www.planetfootball.com/quick-re ... -barcelona

2. Real Madrid – €282,650,000
...
65. Girona – €27,240,000

Girona spends in wage bills less then 1/10 of what Real Madrid spends, and there are several other Spanish sides who spend way more than Girona, and have way less points in La Liga.

The wage bills are not everything, but still, Girona is having an extraordinary season, no matter playing against bigger clubs, in one of the strongest leagues in Europe, and so deserves to be rewarded with a CL qualification in the next season.

But Real Madrid (and other clubs) make that money from their fans, ticketing, sponsors, tv deals, stadium etc. How Girona get from 4th tier I think to CL. Clue: not with their money, effort nor work.

[offside]

Its just another oil club getting into CL

Fair enough. However, according to this website:

https://www.planetfootball.com/quick-re ... -barcelona

2. Real Madrid – €282,650,000
...
65. Girona – €27,240,000

Girona spends in wage bills less then 1/10 of what Real Madrid spends, and there are several other Spanish sides who spend way more than Girona, and have way less points in La Liga.

The wage bills are not everything, but still, Girona is having an extraordinary season, no matter playing against bigger clubs, in one of the strongest leagues in Europe, and so deserves to be rewarded with a CL qualification in the next season.

But Real Madrid (and other clubs) make that money from their fans, ticketing, sponsors, tv deals, stadium etc. How Girona get from 4th tier I think to CL. Clue: not with their money, effort nor work.

Uhm... I honestly am definitely not a financial expert, and I don't know too much about La Liga owners of clubs, but thinking about Serie A, which I am more familiar with: Internazionale gets money from China, Ac Milan and As Roma from the USA, and other clubs are fueled by investors from other countries too: so are these cases like Real Madrid or like Girona on your books?

What if an investor from Middle East buys Palermo, from whichever category Palermo is playing at the moment, and brings it back to Serie A, would this be another Girona case on your books?

I am not trying to be polemic, just sincerely wondering about your point.

And of course, I know that there is the question about how clean is the money invested, which on my books is the real issue, rather than from which part of the world the money comes from.

[rpo.castro]

Fair enough. However, according to this website:

https://www.planetfootball.com/quick-re ... -barcelona

2. Real Madrid – €282,650,000
...
65. Girona – €27,240,000

Girona spends in wage bills less then 1/10 of what Real Madrid spends, and there are several other Spanish sides who spend way more than Girona, and have way less points in La Liga.

The wage bills are not everything, but still, Girona is having an extraordinary season, no matter playing against bigger clubs, in one of the strongest leagues in Europe, and so deserves to be rewarded with a CL qualification in the next season.

But Real Madrid (and other clubs) make that money from their fans, ticketing, sponsors, tv deals, stadium etc. How Girona get from 4th tier I think to CL. Clue: not with their money, effort nor work.

Uhm... I honestly am definitely not a financial expert, and I don't know too much about La Liga owners of clubs, but thinking about Serie A, which I am more familiar with: Internazionale gets money from China, Ac Milan and As Roma from the USA, and other clubs are fueled by investors from other countries too: so are these cases like Real Madrid or like Girona on your books?

What if an investor from Middle East buys Palermo, from whichever category Palermo is playing at the moment, and brings it back to Serie A, would this be another Girona case on your books?

I am not trying to be polemic, just sincerely wondering about your point.

And of course, I know that there is the question about how clean is the money invested, which on my books is the real issue, rather than from which part of the world the money comes from.

Inter has been an giant since the beginning. I m sure they have a lot of income from ticketing, tv, merchandising, sponsors. Roma is less impressive but still a great club, steady in top, some trophies. A lot of clubs are owned, and they change hands.

But one thing is buying the club and making investments at in darkest time, and then harvesting the fruits of your labour, other completely different is buying a 3rd tier club or even a 1st tier but low profile club and injecting so much money that they wouldn't get other way, and fabricating instant success, from day to night we have a champions league contender like chelsea, city, psg.

Those are completely different things.
So if some guy buys Palermo or Lincoln Red Imps and injects billions, yeah, I put them on same sack as the city and psg

[offside]

@rpo.castro Thanks for answering, I am not fully sharing your perspective, but your point is clear, and it makes sense.

[AlanK]

Jornada 25, each and every team having played 24 games in the LaLiga competition, begins

Fri. 16 Feb. 2100 Villarreal 1, Getafe 1 #13 hosts #10. At 24', Macsimovic gives Geta the lead from inside the area--0-1. And still 0-1 at the half. At 56', Alberto Moreno ties it for the Yellow Submarine--1-1. 16,869 reported on hand. 1-1 is the final.

Sat. 17 Feb.

1400 Atlético 5, Las Palmas 0 Will Atleti recover from their loss to Sevilla Will Las Palmas continue to get good results At 15', Marcos Llorente scores for Atleti--1-0. And five minutes later, it's Marcos Llorente again--2-0. Second half: Correa makes it 3-0 at 47'. 61,196 reported on hand. VAR revision results in a pk for Atleti at about 62'--4-0; Correa converts. At 87', Memphis makes it 5-0. That's the final; Atleti assures themselves a place in the CL spots at the jornada's end; Ateti will be ahead of Barça should the catalanes lose in Vigo later today.

1615 Osasuna 1, Cádiz 0 Osasuna comes off a big win at Real Sociedad; Cádiz must score some goals to avoid the drop. Scoreless first half. 19,525 on hand in El Sadar. At 63', Budimir gives Osasuna the lead with a header--1-0. Can Cádiz get back into the game? At 91', Budimir ices it--2-0 the final.

1830 Celta 1, Barça 2 Celta is one place and three points above the drop. Barça failed to beat Granada; will they win in Vigo At 45', Lewandowski strikes from one step inside the area--0-1 at the half. At 47', Aspas ties it with help from a friendly deflection--1-1. And it stays that way until added time at 93, pk awarded to Barça. At 96', Lewandowski's pk is saved by the goalie, but the goalie had come off his line, and at 97', Lewandowski converted his retake--1-2 the final.

2100 Valencia 0, Sevilla 0 Valencia needs to rebound from the loss at Las Palmas. Sevilla comes off a big win against Atleti. First half ends scoreless. 44,506 in Mestalla. Game ends scoreless.

Sun. 18 Feb

1400 Rayo 1, Real Madrid 1 Rayo hasn't won a game in a month of Sunday's; el Real comes off the CL win at RBL. At 3', Joselu opens the scoring, just barely on side--0-1. At 26', penalty in favor of Rayo as Camavinga commits a handball infraction. RDT converts at 27'--1-1. Rayo hangs tough and it's 1-1 at the half. 14,364 reported on hand. And Rayo hangs tough to take a point.

1615 Granada 1, Almería 1 Granada is #19 with 13 points; Almería is #20 with 7 points and zero wins At 9', Almería takes the lead on a goal by Pubill from the edge of the area--0-1. And no change at the half. 18,756 on hand in the Nuevo Los Cármenes. At 75', on a breakaway, Uzuni ties it for Granada--1-1. And it's 1-1 at the final whistle.

1830 Mallorca 1, Real Sociedad 2 Mallorca is six points and two places above the drop. La Real will be coming off their CL game at PSG. At 4', Antonio Sánchez scores for Mallorca--1-0. At 38', Take Kubo scores the tying goal--1-1, sort of following the way things have gone in today's first two First Division games. Raíllo of Mallorca sees two yellows in added time, so Mallorca has lost their lead and a player. 18,153 reported on hand in Son Moix. So will this be the third consecutive game that ends 1-1 No . . . as Mikel Merino heads in a winner at 93' to win it for la Real--1-2 the final.

2100 Betis 0, Alavés 0 Full time. #6 hosts #12. Scoreless first half in the Benito Villamarín. 43,514 reported on hand. Scoreless tie.

Mon. 19 Feb. 2100 Athletic 3, Girona 2 Athletic is #5 after failing to win in Almería. Girona is #2 after getting blown out by Real Madrid. Both of these teams will be in the same place in LaLiga, win, lose, or draw, but either would be awfully happy to firm up their spot and gane on those they trail. Berenguer scores from the top edge of the area at 2' to give Athletic an early lead--1-0. At halftime, it's still 1-0. 46,220 on hand. At 49', Tsygankov ties it for Girona--game on --1-1. At 56', sloppy ball "handling" by Girona allows Barenguer to put Athletic back on top--2-1. And at 60', Iñaki Williams makes it 3-1. Can Girona get back into the game Yes, it's game on at 75', as Eric García heads in--3-2. At 95', Athletic makes a couple of hard-to-believe saves that save their win--3-2 the final.

[AlanK]

Jornada 25 is complete; The Top and The Drop

1. Real Madrid---------------62 points
2. Girona-------------------56
3. Barça--------------------54
4. Atlético------------------51
---------------------------------
5. Athletic------------------49
6. Real Soc.-----------------40
--------------------------------
7. Betis--------------------39
--------------------------------
--------------------------------
18. Cádiz------------------17
19. Granada----------------14
20. Almería-----------------8