Catalunya v Argentina - Camp Nou - 7:30pm

redout

Johan Cruyff takes charge of his first match tonight against Diego Maradona's Argentina in the Catalan capital. There is going to be a wealth of talent on show from the likes of Real Madrid's Higuain, Gago with Demichelis, Aimar, Lavezzi and a certain newly crowned Ballon D'or and now FIFA World Player of the year Leo Messi. Catalunya will feature no less than six Barca players including Valdes, Pique, Puyol, Xavi, Busquets and Bojan. Villarreals Capdevila and Sevilla's Fernando Navarro should also feature. Fabregas was named in the squad but Wenger has understandably denied his participation.

Ush1

This on telly anywhere anybody know?

redout

It is on Al Jazeera if you have satellite. If not then here is a link http://iraqgoals.net/

UpTheSlashers

what channel is that? its not on 514

redout

Catalunya lineup:
Valdés, Bruno, Puyol, Capdevila, Oleguer, Xavi, Piqué, Busquets, Bojan, Verdú, Sergio García.

Argentina lineup:
Pozo, Cristian, Otamendi, Demichelis, Papa; Di Maria, Gago, Bolatti, Pastore; Higuaín, Lavezzi

Messi is injured and not cleared to play.

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What colour are Cataluña wearing?

redout

Des wrote: »

What colour are Cataluña wearing?

White with black shorts and yellow stripe on the sleeve and shorts.

Maradona up in the stands. The nut is banned by FIFA and not even suppose to be here!

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Thanks, I actually looked them up on Wiki, they've applied to UEFA and FIFA to join, citing Scotland, England and Wales as regions of a single country (UK) that have separate teams.

They should get it, imo, after all Palestine is recognised.

UpTheSlashers

If they want to play on their own they should be allowed. Is it the same as San Marino in Italy or more complicated?

redout

Des wrote: »

Thanks, I actually looked them up on Wiki, they've applied to UEFA and FIFA to join, citing Scotland, England and Wales as regions of a single country (UK) that have separate teams.

They should get it, imo, after all Palestine is recognised.

UpTheSlashers wrote: »

If they want to play on their own they should be allowed. Is it the same as San Marino in Italy or more complicated?

They have a stronger team than Ireland!

Then again Catalunya is over 7 Million people.

Ush1

redout wrote: »

They have a stronger team than Ireland!

Then again Catalunya is over 7 Million people.

They have a stronger team than most!

Without their players, Spain wouldn't be what they are at all.

UpTheSlashers

redout wrote: »

They have a stronger team than Ireland!

Then again Catalunya is over 7 Million people.

Ya I've seen their players I meant politically how independent are they and is there much chance of them getting their own national team for world cups etc.?

mayordenis

would love to see catalunya vs spain, everywhere bar goal and up top they are at least a match for Spain.

Ush1

mayordenis wrote: »

would love to see catalunya vs spain, everywhere bar goal and up top they are at least a match for Spain.

Valdes = underrated. Not a match but very very good.

UpTheSlashers

mayordenis wrote: »

would love to see catalunya vs spain, everywhere bar goal and up top they are at least a match for Spain.

Definitely would be a cracker, especially in a competetive qualifier

mayordenis

Ush1 wrote: »

Valdes = underrated. Not a match but very very good.

Valdes for me is a good keeper but I think he's rightfully 3rd choice in the Spain pecking order but of course he's quite underrated I agree, you don't keep your place in Barcelona's team regardless of position without a very good reason.

Le King

Des wrote: »

Thanks, I actually looked them up on Wiki, they've applied to UEFA and FIFA to join, citing Scotland, England and Wales as regions of a single country (UK) that have separate teams.

They should get it, imo, after all Palestine is recognised.

Wow, just wow. The absolute ignorance of that statement. :mad:

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UpTheSlashers wrote: »

Is it the same as San Marino in Italy or more complicated?

Nothing similar at all, not even same ball park.

San Marino is one of the oldest republics in the world (301AD), and was never a part of the political entity known as "Italy".

In fact, "Italy" is not as old as you probably thing, once being a collection of smaller kingdoms, such as Tuscany, which were united together in the mid 1800s.

Ush1

Haha, outrageous by Pique! Love it!

redout

Its like watching Barca

20mins gone

Possession 72% - 28%

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Osu wrote: »

Wow, just wow. The absolute ignorance of that statement. :mad:

What?

mayordenis

Des wrote: »

What?

Well the Palastine situation is more than slightly different to that of Catalonia, as I'm sure you know, but maybe a slight over reaction.

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mayordenis wrote: »

Well the Palastine situation is more than slightly different to that of Catalonia, as I'm sure you know, but maybe a slight over reaction.

Well, fair enough.

Slash/ED

mayordenis wrote: »

Valdes for me is a good keeper but I think he's rightfully 3rd choice in the Spain pecking order but of course he's quite underrated I agree, you don't keep your place in Barcelona's team regardless of position without a very good reason.

He's not even third choice, but to be fair Spain has a very impressive collection of goalkeepers

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On a semi-related note.

I see the Basques have a similar team, for who Didier Deschapms played for.

Never knew he was Basque

Ush1

Des wrote: »

On a semi-related note.

I see the Basques have a similar team, for who Didier Deschapms played for.

Never knew he was Basque

Basque country goes into France, Lizarazu is also Basque.

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Ush1 wrote: »

Basque country goes into France, Lizarazu is also Basque.

Oh yeah, I know that, Bixente is a fairly Basque name, Deschamps not so.

redout

Christ that was a peno if ever I saw one.

Valdes a lucky boy.

HoPpiE

Definite penno!

mayordenis

Des wrote: »

On a semi-related note.

I see the Basques have a similar team, for who Didier Deschapms played for.

Never knew he was Basque

yep I've been wiki'ing up on all this too :pac:

an interesting bit of world football I knew nothing of until about a week ago.

the basque side is basically Bilbao and Sociedad? not quite the talent of Barcelona but a decent side with a good amount of class, I think the Basque side would have more up top than Catalonia.

Ush1

mayordenis wrote: »

yep I've been wiki'ing up on all this too :pac:

an interesting bit of world football I knew nothing of until about a week ago.

the basque side is basically Bilbao and Sociedad? not quite the talent of Barcelona but a decent side with a good amount of class, I think the Basque side would have more up top than Catalonia.

Well considering Bilbao only have Basque players in there history and have never been out of the top flight in Spain.

Ush1

Des wrote: »

Oh yeah, I know that, Bixente is a fairly Basque name, Deschamps not so.

Well with a name Didier, you could be from anywhere in the world really.:D

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I wonder what a "non-regional" Spanish team would be like.

mayordenis

Des wrote: »

I wonder what a "non-regional" Spanish team would be like.

you mean just removing the basque and catalonia players?

the Madrid players would still offer a huge amount alone.

redout

Higuain should have scored that.

UpTheSlashers

Actually I remember somebody (possibly dunphy) with a theory that Spain have underperformed in big tournaments because some players, especially Catalonians, dont have much passion playing for Spain because they would rather play for their own region. Then again, this was on the evening Spain won Euro 08

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mayordenis wrote: »

you mean just removing the basque and catalonia players?

the Madrid players would still offer a huge amount alone.

yeah, you're right there.

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mayordenis wrote: »

o.

the basque side is basically Bilbao and Sociedad?

and a certain Xabi Alonso

redout

Goal...........

1 - 0

Sergio Garcia

Ush1

mayordenis wrote: »

you mean just removing the basque and catalonia players?

the Madrid players would still offer a huge amount alone.

Plus the likes of David Villa and Silva.

Hank_Jones

Who got that?

NM... Garcia

mayordenis

great leap from Sergio Garcia

redout

mayordenis wrote: »

you mean just removing the basque and catalonia players?

the Madrid players would still offer a huge amount alone.

Like who ?

Raul is past it as is Guti. Torres definitely. Granero is unproven. De la Red is a walking heart attack. Casillas yes.

Ush1

UpTheSlashers wrote: »

Actually I remember somebody (possibly dunphy) with a theory that Spain have underperformed in big tournaments because some players, especially Catalonians, dont have much passion playing for Spain because they would rather play for their own region. Then again, this was on the evening Spain won Euro 08

Often see banners in the crowd saying "Catalonia is NOT Spain".

UpTheSlashers

Ush1 wrote: »

Often see banners in the crowd saying "Catalonia is NOT Spain".

And theirs definitely a lot of tension between with the Basque region too, I wouldnt be surprised if they wanted their own side

Slash/ED

Ush1 wrote: »

Often see banners in the crowd saying "Catalonia is NOT Spain".

Also David Villa is Basque, isn't he?

Ush1

UpTheSlashers wrote: »

And theirs definitely a lot of tension between with the Basque region too, I wouldnt be surprised if they wanted their own side

Bigtime. Abit off topic but check out:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euskadi_Ta_Askatasuna

Basque terrorists, have links with the IRA and everything. Extort money from Basque players.

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Ush1 wrote: »

Often see banners in the crowd saying "Catalonia is NOT Spain".

Dunphy's comments were qualified by him stating that the current Spain manager has done a good job in unifying the players under the "Spain" banner.

I was on holidays in Salou back in the 90s and there had recently been a Catalan separatist bomb in the vicinity.

Ush1

Slash/ED wrote: »

Also David Villa is Basque, isn't he?

Nope, he's Asturian, hence they call him El Guaje and Torres is Ill Nino.

UpTheSlashers

Slash/ED wrote: »

Also David Villa is Basque, isn't he?

Is he? I always presumed he was valencian

m@cc@

mayordenis wrote: »

you mean just removing the basque and catalonia players?

the Madrid players would still offer a huge amount alone.

Think about it. How many players at Real are worthy of the Spain team?