That’s what happens when a goalkeeper doesn’t spend the entire year as his clubs number one option. I hope he has a chance to regain a starting role with his next club because he was a lot of fun to watch when he was in form for us.
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And this is what happens when a Manager is too stubborn, Enrique insists that Morata takes the penalty and he doesn’t score. Such stupidity can cost a game or competition, as things stand Spain are well on top so should get the result.
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Sarabia doing it all for Spain. He lifted the play in the last two games where he came on late. Today he started and scored 2. He and Azpili are the only 2 totally functional players.
On another subject, the Madrid press mafia are a total disgrace. After the first game they blamed the people of Sevilla for booing Morata, while the truth is the stadium was filled with people from Madrid and Bilbao.
Then they blamed the ‘Sevilla’ pitch after the second game, seems like they don’t understand both teams have to play on the same pitch.
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But it doesn’t really work like that, a bad pitch helps the worst team, and hinders the best team. Where a good pitch, helps the good team. I’m not saying la Cartuja is a herb compound but the idea still counts.
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Granted, it hinders the team that wants to play exhibition football, but I didn’t see much evidence of that in the first two games.
Now 0-5
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It’s amazing what happens when you start making forward passes.
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That’s exactly the case, a good smooth pitch, less dry. Would have helped Spain in those games to speed up the passing and attacking play. So you could have seen it. Where now, it held them back. To me its justified. If there is any team in the world that gets to play to their fullest on a good pitch it is Spain.
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Kounde starting for France at right back.
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I really want Portugal to win but I feel that they’ll get a real thrashing from France who look very strong on paper.
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Our own Kounde concedes a penalty (handball) and Cristina converts it. Third penalty in that match, Cristina and Benzema scored the previous ones, 2-1 with penalties for Portugal, 2-2 the score.
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He’s had a stinker of a game playing out of position but the penalty caps it off. Mixed blessing for Sevilla.
Well he did have two great passes along the line and one was an assist for Benzema, but the errors were from his first touch onwards.
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1/16 ties of Euro 2020:
Wales - Denmark
Italy - Austria
Netherlands - Czech Republic
Belgium - Portugal
Croatia - Spain
France - Switzerland
England - Germany
Sweden - Ukraine
Obviously Belgium vs. Portugal, Croatia vs. Spain and England vs. Germany are expected to be the most exciting matches, but others are somewhat interesting too.
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Agreed. Unlike him to lose focus in conceding that penalty, but the boy learns quickly. Overall, he made sure France wasn’t going to be overrun on their right side. Going forward, he really had nothing to show cause they clearly weren’t giving him the ball. Kounde’s more of an emergency option than a backup for RB.
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The knockout round looks like the last World Cup, where all the good teams are on one side. Whoever defends best will likely make it out of there. The Italians should know a thing or two about that.
Italy by far the best team of the Group Stage. Sure they had no “elite” teams in the group, but in terms of performance, no one comes close. I was surprised by how well the Netherlands have faired, seeing that De Boer is the coach. I feel they can improve as the tournament progresses. They have a favourable path to the final.
Having said all that, I got a Portugal-Germany final. 
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Watching Brazil vs. Columbia highlights - it seems that Firmino’s equalizing goal should’ve been disallowed. The ball hit the referee during the play and came back to the Brazil player, but as far as I know the new rules are whenever the ball touches the ref, the game is stopped? Quite weird to be honest.
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Probably the CONMEBOL organization doesn’t apply the same rules? How yesterday the penalties were given by Spanish ref, and Spanish VAR says enough. If they never finally apply the same rules on every competition, it will always be this way. Maybe even still…
On the Euro2020 it seems to be going not to bad, but since the rules (or explanations) in other countries have been different, the type of ref still matters.
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Agreed. That penalty yesterday for Mbappe was laughable. Trademark LaLiga call.
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About the first one I had an argument with my friend as well. He said, its no penalty the keeper can use his fists, and touches the ball first, before hitting Danilo.
In football there’s always the case of interpretation, and the way humans interpret thing is just straight up different. Although there is one objectively correct one. But this can’t be seen or interpreted by different people.
In my most objective analyses of this matter, step by step.
Free kick taken, ball in the air towards the box. when the ball gets closer to the box the players prepare their jumps. Players jumping and aiming for the ball. Lloris reaching with his fists, Danilo hanging in the air with his head. Danilo gets the timing and position right and received the ball. And touches the ball with a slight header towards goal. Lloris with his fists already in the air, with the intension and aim for that same ball. Danilo’s header, deflecting the ball to hit Lloris his fist first. After which Lloris his fists and elbow hit Danilo’s face.
Lloris going for first ball is what the matter is about.This is his approach since the action is already set in motion. Before the result happened. This is the duel he misses. And why he is late for the first ball. Him getting the ball hit on his fists in second instance, before his fist actually reaches Danilo his face is not the intention, it’s the result. 100% penalty to me.
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Not even speaking about the manner he goes into that duel outside of the 5 meter box. Where players are equal. And how he clashes into Danilo’s face is just straight up dangerous, should not have controversy what so ever in the first place.
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For the first penalty in the France vs Portugal game I have to agree with @Enrico that it was a penalty. He basically punched him in the face especially since Danilo got most of the header.
The second penalty, however, was just laughable. I can’t say I’m surprised considering it was Mateu Lahoz as the main referee. It’s a shoulder-to-shoulder and a good play from Semedo and Mbappe just makes a meal of it and gets the penalty.
THe third penalty was the least controversial, unfortunately it was Kounde giving it away with a blatant handball, good call.
There was a penalty shout for France at the end of the game that I have no idea how it wasn’t called. I think it was Kingsley Coman cutting inside on the left wing and Bruno Fernandes literally just steps on the back of his leg but apparently it wasn’t enough
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