What a goal from Neymar. Stoke etc though.

Currently watching Soke in Europe

A good gritty 1-0 start against some eastern european softies


looks like we may have put in a bid for Mata, release clause apparently 17.5M

comment by gunner-zp - Jack Wilshere is God (U6840) posted 20 hours ago

Thiago is not even Spanish! [...] he's Brazilian! Barca nicked him from Flamengo's youth Academy.
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Hmm, Thiago's Italian by birth, Brazilian by blood, but both he and his brother Rafinha (Brazilian-born) have lived more than half of their lives in Spain. Remember they lived here from around 4-5 to 9-10 years old when their dad played in Spain. Bloody good DM Mazinho was too, and very well-liked here.

It reckon it's more his dad's business and how he's planned Thiago's and Rafinha's careers. Barça being the best football academy in the world and his kids having spent much of their childhood in Spain, it seems a very reasonable choice. They were 14 and 13 at the time they joined - which I reckon is early enough to consider them Barça academy products.

Can't say why they both decided to play for Spain, but again, it's probably more their dad's doing. Thiago was apparently invited as a youngster to play for Brazil's youth teams too. Can only imagine that it's because Mazinho felt it would be better for their careers, better set-up, better/safer environment.

Who knows...

i'd imagine he'll also play for the spain senior side rather than brazil...

which can only be a good thing for Spain !!

he is a product of the spanish footballing system after all !

Atleti had an unconvincing result last night against that Norwegian side in the europa league....they'll have a difficult 2nd leg to contend with now !

Deulofeu puts Spain up vs Ireland after 28 mins in the European U-19 semis. Golazo apparently.

Not watching, but it seems Spain hit the post before that and are more or less all over the Irish.

Mou's UEFA ban cut to 2 games plus 2 more on probation.

R.Madrid announce they'll be sponsored by Emirates the next 5 seasons.

Sarabia makes it 2-0 Spain 5 minutes before the break.

Sarabia just missed an open goal for the 3rd.

HT now.

In the final, the winner to face the Czech Rep, who beat Serbia 4-2 in the other semi.

3-0 and spain in complete control !

3 great goals...

should be a good final against the czechs !

Bloody Spanishers...

Damn, I missed the 3rd too.

Hello Pinks, I thought you'd be happy your neighbours were getting spanked.

pinks !

I wonder whether Deulofeu will actually make it at pro level.

Spain looking as if they could make it 1/2 a dozen without too much trouble.

Hello Pinks, I thought you'd be happy your neighbours were getting spanked.
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I'm Irish, so I get to support two teams. Yay!

Or in this case. Damn.

I wonder whether Deulofeu will actually make it at pro level.
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Why's that? too one dimensional?

Maybe that's it, I can't say exactly - just that you have to have the character (i.e. grit and determination) to go with all that technique and dribbling, otherwise you're cannon fodder.

It might also be that he's playing with guys 2 years his seniors, but I'd like to see him in games where you get less time on the ball and fewer chances to strut your stuff.
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Pinks, do all N.Irish feel that way, or just the Caths? And do all the Republican Irish root for NIron too?

Here's the opening livetext comment from http://extratime.ie/fixtures/detail/17493/1/

"1' - As expected the Spanish lads hold possession and 60 seconds go without a touch of the ball for Ireland."

Morata makes it 4.

4-0 ! another quality goal

England kicking off the U20WC any minute now.

France my bet for that.

i'll have to watch that next !!

5-0

Soft handball. The ref should have spared Ireland that penalty. Morata makes it 5 (his 6th of the tournament) on 90'.

Spain make their 6th U-19 final in 10 editions.

And it's goodnight from me.

nite IOAG

england still drawing 0-0 with N korea..and really struggling in the 2nd half !