La Liga 2018-19 Part II

[Evilo]

It happens more often than people are comfortable with admitting. No one likes to accept that the sport they love so dearly is sometimes a scam. Soccer is probably second only to boxing in terms of fixed, or influenced results.

As much as I like it, tennis is concerned too.
Very hard to prove as well.

 

[DatsyukOwns]

Hard to see Martinez leaving the Belgium job with the EC coming up next summer

I'm not sure Martinez is a better coach than Valverde, however, Barça will be way more fun to watch.. but might lose more games

Why is he not a good option in your opinion?

Generally asking because a lot of people are saying the same thing as you are and I know little of him.

 

[Chimaera]

It certainly happens in a lot more sports than people would like to admit. In tennis, it's remarkably easy to take a dive and no one ever will know. If you're way down the ranking lists, it's easy to throw a match. For soccer, if you're a player in some third or fourth division league, a couple thousand to help influence the match is practically untraceable. It's unfortunate, but as long as there's tons of money to be made on the sport through betting and wages are particularly low at the bottom end, there will be people willing to take the money. It has only increased with the expanding access to the feed for some of those matches. If you can get 2nd or 3rd division games in Macao or wherever, there's a reason to see organized crime involved in paying players to take a dive or at least influence the results. Hockey, baseball, you name it, plenty of corruption in sports.

I'm not shocked that it's at the top level either. Some of these players are getting nowhere near the money that they could or should, and 25-30k for some of them makes a massive difference. If I'm just above a part time player, in the 3rd or 4th division, that could be half my yearly salary.

The only real way to find out is to track the money, but even then, it could be money for ads or you name it. It's difficult to police.

 

[Corto]

Why is he not a good option in your opinion?

Generally asking because a lot of people are saying the same thing as you are and I know little of him.

Martinez?

Bits at Swansea and Wigan were okay (eventually got relegated with Wigan, but won the FA Cup), but his Everton stint wasn't great after the first year.
Fans were against him in the end, his team played rather pedestrian football - and also displaying some fantastic levels of sh*ithousery to go with poor performances (poor tackles, injuring players, diving etc.).

I absolutely loathed Everton at the time. And it wasn't because they were beating us (that year we beat them away 3-2 and drew 1-1 at home - but they injured Payet in the process).

...

Also, while I don't think he did a bad job with Belgium, he sort of chickened out vs France.
At least we tried to create and run the play vs France, Martinez was sort of content to let the game go by and hope for an inspired move from his stars. And a team with Hazard, KDB, Lukaku, Martins, etc... Dunno man, I thought Belgium could've done better that game.

...

I cannot know right now, but I do think Barca might be a bit out of his league.
Messi is quiet, but far from easy to handle, especially concerning his BFF Suarez. Not sure how Martinez would handle the egos - and that's completely ignoring that I don't think he's a tactical genius either.

But hey, who knows, maybe he and Barca mesh perfectly and it works.

 

[koyvoo]

Statement from LaLiga-

We want to thank the national police for the extraordinary work done to dismantle what appears to be an organised criminal group dedicated to obtaining economic benefits through the predetermination of football matches,"

"This police operation goes to show that the systems of protection of integrity implemented by LaLiga for five seasons, to protect the cleanliness of all Spanish football competitions, have been effective in detecting and reporting allegedly manipulated football matches; all of which has been able to serve as a base and support for the development of the investigations carried out by the National Police.”

"From LaLiga we will continue working on prevention, monitoring, research and report any warning about a possible match-fixing."

Statement from Valencia-

Following the news that has appeared this Tuesday in relation to the presumed implication of players and directors of other clubs in alleged match-fixing, Valencia CF, as an entity absolutely unrelated to this matter, wishes to warn publicly that it will undertake appropriate legal measures, with the consequences that derive from those, against anyone who spreads any rumour or unfounded news that tries to link our club with the aforementioned subject,

Statement from Real Valladolid-

Real Valladolid rejects any type of fraudulent conduct or behaviour, denouncing corruption among individuals, money laundering, criminal organisations or any type of behaviour that originates from them or that could lead to the distortion and corruption or any sports competition, stating the need for these conducts to be denounced, pursued and investigated by the courts, having in the end the defence of the rights of individuals and institutions.
"Also, Real Valladolid is working in close collaboration with the Liga de Futbol Profesional and with the State Security Forces to eradicate any type of behaviour contrary to legal order, putting in place controls and internal security measures for the elimination and denunciation of any type of punishable conduct.
"Following the arrests made, Real Valladolid maintains, as it has done since its constitution day, its commitment and fight against corruption or any kind of crime that undermines the integrity of sporting competitions, remaining at the disposal of the State Security Forces, and reaffirming itself in its commitment to integrity and the eradication of fraudulent behaviour that may take place in any area, especially in sports.
"Finally, Real Valladolid informs that it reserves the right to file appropriate legal actions, against any person or entity that releases any type of information that could end up undermining the public image of Real Valladolid or any person dependent on Real Valladolid, all of which is in defence and protection of their interests."

 

[koyvoo]

Granada secures promotion to the top flight

 

[HajdukSplit]

Granada secures promotion to the top flight

Playoffs: Malaga vs. Deportivo & Albacete vs. Mallorca

 

[HajdukSplit]

Playoff final is between Deportivo la Coruna and Mallorca. Depor easily beat Malaga while Mallorca hung on to beat Albacete (lost the 2nd leg but won on aggregate)

 

[PanniniClaus]

Playoff final is between Deportivo la Coruna and Mallorca. Depor easily beat Malaga while Mallorca hung on to beat Albacete (lost the 2nd leg but won on aggregate)

When and where is the final match?

 

[HajdukSplit]

It’s 2 legs in Spain, first leg at Depor (June 20) return leg at Mallorca (June 23)

 

[PanniniClaus]

It’s 2 legs in Spain, first leg at Depor (June 20) return leg at Mallorca (June 23)

Thanks. I like how the prem league does the one big match.

I would not mind seeing Mallorca back... i had the good fortune of watching Vieira (still the best player i have ever seen live) and the rest of Arsenal throttle them in a champions league match at Highbury in 2001. I dont think they ever recovered after that year.

 

[HajdukSplit]

Mallorca have American ownership, the guy who owns the Suns (NBA) owns them with Steve Nash being heavily involved too. Also TV commentators Kyle Martino and Stu Holden are minority owners (funny how Holden is so against pro/rel in MLS but he will likely benefit from it in Spain )

 

[Jersey Fresh]

Mallorca have American ownership, the guy who owns the Suns (NBA) owns them with Steve Nash being heavily involved too. Also TV commentators Kyle Martino and Stu Holden are minority owners (funny how Holden is so against pro/rel in MLS but he will likely benefit from it in Spain )

Is Dudu Aouate still connected to the club? Thought he was also a major shareholder, but maybe that's changed.

 

[Panteras]

C'mon Deport please give me some sort of sports joy and make it back to La Liga!

 

[Panteras]

first leg over, 2-0 win for Depor.

Good result going into the 2nd leg. Please Depor just pull this off. Forza Depor!

 

[Panteras]

Wow we got Liverpooled! Just gutted. Congrats to Mallorca.

 

[PanniniClaus]

Wow we got Liverpooled! Just gutted. Congrats to Mallorca.

What a strike to win it. Rafa in the stands. Pretty exciting for Mallorca.

 

[Panteras]

What a strike to win it. Rafa in the stands. Pretty exciting for Mallorca.

okay..... the most I'm going to do is congratulate Mallorca..I'm not about to start cheering with you lol
still bitter, but whatever.. Deportivo got 6th in the league, we shouldn't even have been given the chance to go to La Liga. We probably would've been relegated anyway.

 

[PanniniClaus]

okay..... the most I'm going to do is congratulate Mallorca..I'm not about to start cheering with you lol
still bitter, but whatever.. Deportivo got 6th in the league, we shouldn't even have been given the chance to go to La Liga. We probably would've been relegated anyway.

fair....i'm not a Mallorca fan but thought it was a nice story. I have nothing against Depor...i think they should be a LaLiga team as well.

 

[Panteras]

fair....i'm not a Mallorca fan but thought it was a nice story. I have nothing against Depor...i think they should be a LaLiga team as well.

Yeah I have nothing against Mallorca either. Wish them well.

I don't believe we're a La Liga team yet. We've been a bubble team for the past couple of years, go are relgated, then promoted and just back and forth. We finished 6th and thanks to this playoff format we almost got in. But clearly we're not there yet. Which makes it even worse seeing Celta in ..ughhh lol

 

[gary69]

Isn't it two promotions in a row for Mallorca with much of the same players? Can't see them staying up unless they bring in a lot of new players (they probably can't afford it).