La Liga Thread

[Chelsea4 1,521]

4 minutes ago, communicate said:

Funny I watched Barca last season once last season at 1st El clasico and I felt the same way. This team felt very2 imbalance, and have 0 clue how to build up an attack. It is like there is MSN for attack + everybody for defence. They only played well once Iniesta came in and link the "others" with MSN and suddenly they looks like a Barcelona team but if your key player is a 33 years old, you are screwed. He will not be able to perform at high level every game, you need the other midfield to help him. 

They rely on Messi and other players instead of there philosophy which has been builded for years. This is what Cruijff said in July 2014:

All great individuals but they can't carry like this,they did in 2015/2016 but that was the end of it. If Messi or Suarez or any other player don't perform they won't win but before Barcelona relyed on there philosophy even if Messi,Xavi,Iniesta etc didn't play well they would still win and there bad performances wouldn't get noticied because of there philosophy.

It's sad that this is happening 

[communicate 2,703]

2 hours ago, Chelsea4 said:

They rely on Messi and other players instead of there philosophy which has been builded for years. This is what Cruijff said in July 2014:

All great individuals but they can't carry like this,they did in 2015/2016 but that was the end of it. If Messi or Suarez or any other player don't perform they won't win but before Barcelona relyed on there philosophy even if Messi,Xavi,Iniesta etc didn't play well they would still win and there bad performances wouldn't get noticied because of there philosophy.

It's sad that this is happening 

I love team with philosophy and i really respect cruyff opinion but there are tons of politic involve in barca hierarchy so i cannot say wether he said it sincerely or to attack barca president.

For me I agree and disagree. Your player dictate your philosophy not the other way aorund. If you want to focus on ball retention and technical ability sign technical player, you can't force team to play certain way if their personnel does not fit the model.

MSN imo is not really the biggest problem, those three are deadly because they actually combine very well and very unselfish. The key is the midfield trio.

Gomes - Rakitic

Busquet

Not sure how gomes fit that mid, unless the left winger is iniesta. If they really can sign both coutinho and dembele it wil help them big time. Play coutinho on iniesta role and dembele on neymar role. Problem solved.

 

I am not a barca fan, but I watch some of their game from time to time because I just love the way Messi play. By far the best player I have ever seen.

[communicate 2,703]

Excited to see how Dembele play. 

He looked like a real deal

[El P. 1,354]

Real is done, CR is done. Can't see Zidane staying, ergo, can't see Eden wanting to go there.

Also, CR, self-named "best in the history", is nowhere near Messi, neither is Ramos anything near any of the top defenders in the world.

Never actually liked Barca, but to see CR and Ramos losing like this makes me really happy.

[communicate 2,703]

I don't think we should be worried about this barca team. They don't  feel like barca. Yes Messi is still amazing but he is not at that goat level anymore. The whole team just feel off.

Tbf that classico feel very weird. It is like both teams were just very tired. Everything was just so slow. 

[Vesper 30,117]

How Real Madrid’s failed Paul Pogba transfer has left Zinedine Zidane ‘on the brink’ before new season

There is likely to be more business in the transfer window given how unbalanced Real Madrid’s squad appears, but a mixed summer may already have pushed Zidane to the door

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/transfers/real-madrid-paul-pogba-transfer-zinedine-zidane-manchester-united-la-liga-season-preview-a9054236.html

Real Madrid’s inability, or unwillingness, to make a serious effort to sign Paul Pogba this summer points to big differences between coach Zinedine Zidane and president Florentino Perez. And it spells serious trouble for the former galactico’s second spell on the Bernabeu bench.

On his return last March to clean up the mess overseen by failed successors Julen Lopetegui and Santi Solari, Zidane talked openly about a “second project” and how the current squad badly needed to be shaken up.

“We will change things, for sure,” Zidane repeated regularly over the following weeks. He soon made clear that signing star players he had long admired including Pogba, Eden Hazard and Kylian Mbappe was central to this new project.

snip

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Lionel Messi has phoned Neymar to tell him to join Barcelona over Real Madrid

https://www.givemesport.com/1496968-lionel-messi-has-phoned-neymar-to-tell-him-to-join-barcelona-over-real-madrid?autoplay=on

[Vesper 30,117]

Ansu, 16, Barca's youngest debutant in 78 years

https://www.espn.co.uk/football/barcelona/story/3928669/ansu16barcas-youngest-debutant-in-78-years

Ansu Fati became the second-youngest player to feature for Barcelona in La Liga after being handed his debut in Sunday's 5-2 win over Real Betis.

With Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Ousmane Dembele all missing through injury, Ansu -- aged 16 years and 298 days-- was called up to the 18-man squad along with B team winger Carles Perez.

Ernesto Valverde named him as a substitute, with Perez starting in attack alongside Antoine Griezmann and Rafinha, before bringing him on in the second half when Barca were 5-1 up.

The Spanish champions went on to win the game with Griezmann scoring twice. Perez, Jordi Alba and Arturo Vidal were also on target.

"Ansu has a lot of qualities, he's quick and he uses the space well," Valverde said in a news conference after the game.

"I know he's really young. He's the youngest player I have ever given a debut to. But if we don't look at how old the other players in the squad are, we're not going to look at his age either. We look at what he can add and he's surprised us all."

After the game, Ansu, who flashed a shot narrowly wide during his cameo, remained on the pitch longer than his teammates as he took everything in.

"I was looking at my parents and my family [in the stands], all those people that have accompanied me to this point in my career," he explained to reporters.

"I stayed there on the pitch because I couldn't believe it. I wanted to enjoy that moment. The truth is that I was really nervous before, but I only have words of gratitude for everyone: the club, the manager, the supporters, who gave me a great reception."

Ansu -- who played for the U19s last season -- is younger than players like Messi and Bojan Krkic were when they made their top-flight debuts for the club, but is not the youngest player to ever turn out in the league for the Catalans.

Vicenc Martinez was 16 years and 278 days old when he made his first La Liga appearance for Barca in the 1941-42 season -- just 20 days younger than Ansu.

Following lengthy negotiations, Barcelona finally tied Ansu down to a new deal earlier this summer. The forward signed fresh terms to keep him at the club until 2022 with an option to extend the contract by an additional two years. A €100 million buyout clause was included in the contract.

snip

[NikkiCFC 8,300]

Real Madrid looks bad. I really like LA Liga graphics. Would like it in PL. 

[Atomiswave 6,117]

RM veru Lucky they won that vs Levante. Could have easily been 3-3 instead of 3-2. This should have been an easy win for them.

[Alabama 1,992]

Real Sociedad 2 Atletico 0...

[Vesper 30,117]

La Liga rising stars: Ferran Torres, Alexander Isak of Sweden, and… a Watford left-back

https://theathletic.com/1731987/2020/04/13/la-liga-rising-stars-torres-isak-salisu/

The football might have stopped at the moment but the planning for the next transfer window continues. Clubs in Spain and elsewhere are looking to the future, with the more switched-on sporting directors, scouts and agents working overtime these weeks.

Here are six emerging talents from around La Liga’s clubs, whose performances through the first seven months of 2019-20 ensured they are likely to feature highly in many of those conversations…

Ferran Torres – Valencia & Spain

Valencia winger Ferran Torres was long marked for the top at his home city club’s Paterna youth academy, well before he marked his full La Liga debut aged just 17 with a clever assist against Athletic Bilbao in January 2018.

But 2019-20 has been the break-out campaign, with Torres emerging as one of Valencia’s team leaders during a rollercoaster season. Super pacy and direct, but with an eye for a pass and a liking for the big occasion, he was both eye-catching and effective as Los Che beat Barcelona and drew with Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid in recent months. Had Euro 2020 gone ahead this summer, he would probably have made the final 23 for Spain.

Worryingly for Valencia fans, contract talks over extending the 20-year-old’s deal which ends in 2021 have been deadlocked for months now, leading suitors, including Manchester United and Juventus, to consider meeting his current €100 million release clause.

Alexander Isak – Real Sociedad & Sweden

A gangly but attractive centre-forward, Alexander Isak was much talked about when coming through at AIK Solna, but had seemed to lose his way when being shut out completely at Borussia Dortmund. La Real nabbing him for €6.5 million last summer now looks an absolute bargain.

After taking a few months to find his feet, a poacher’s effort against Barcelona in December began a run of 12 goals in 12 games. This included a double at the Bernabeu to knock Real Madrid out of the Copa del Rey, and fine goal and assist to win the Basque derby at home to Athletic Bilbao.

More mobile and more of a team player than Zlatan Ibrahimovic, to whom he has often been lazily compared, Isak is not short of confidence. And at still just 20, he has lots of time to improve much further.

Mohammed Salisu – Real Valladolid & Ghana

Accra-born centre-back Mohammed Salisu had never played a competitive 11-a-side game before Real Valladolid took him from Ghana to Castilla in 2017, or so the legend goes.

The solid and composed defender is definitely a quick learner. Since making his senior debut on the opening day of the 2019-20 season, he has played in every La Liga game as part of a super-organised defence which has kept Valladolid clear of the drop zone.

Salisu’s 6ft 3in and 82kg frame is fast across the ground and he is comfortable on the ball, while few defenders have the discipline to pick up just two yellow cards across two-thirds of a season.

Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid have both registered an interest, after composed displays against both helped his team pick up unexpected points. He only turns 21 this Friday.

Pau Torres – Villarreal & Spain

Scoring after just 59 seconds was quite a way for Villarreal’s Pau Torres to mark his senior international debut for Spain last November. But a goal against Malta was secondary to the growing hopes that the tall and elegant centre-back could fill a problem position for La Roja for the next decade.

Born in the town of Villarreal in January 1997, the left-footed Torres joined his hometown club aged just six. After spending last season gaining experience in the Segunda Division at Malaga, the 6ft 3in defender has slotted in alongside veteran Raul Albiol at Primera level this year, albeit with some tricky moments as the team’s general form has fluctuated.

Villarreal moved quickly to sign him until 2024 last autumn, but that has not stopped interest from Barcelona and Arsenal in a ball-playing defender whose model growing up was his club’s long-serving and fine-passing midfielder Bruno Soriano.

Oscar Rodriguez – Leganes (on loan from Real Madrid) & Spain

There has not been much to smile about at Leganes this season, but the performances of 21-year-old Oscar Rodriguez have brought moments of respite. For instance, the 25-yard free kick curled into the top corner against Real Sociedad in February, with 93 mins and 54 seconds on the clock and the score at 1-1.

The confident kid who came through at Real Madrid is used to the spotlight, with his first ever La Liga goal clinching victory against Barcelona at Butarque last season. Only Lionel Messi has more than his three direct free kicks scored this season across the big five European leagues. Leganes coach Javier Aguirre has been focusing on increasing the player’s workrate and adding tactical intelligence to his game, but all the elements are there for a top-class attacking midfielder.

Competition for places at the Bernabeu means he will probably not go back there next season, so there could be a summer clamour for his signature, especially if Leganes are relegated.

Pervis Estupinan – Osasuna (on loan from Watford) & Ecuador

The splendidly named left-back Pervis Estupinan came on to many international radars when he gave Kieran Trippier a bit of a chasing at Atletico Madrid in December.

The 22-year-old Ecuadorian had, however, taken quite a roundabout route to get to the Wanda Metropolitano that evening, having already played 150 senior games across six clubs — not including his current owners Watford.

Athletic and technically impressive, Estupinan’s constant raids forward have befuddled many more markers than Trippier, and are a key part of Osasuna’s positive gameplan. There is end product too — curling crosses from his left foot have brought four assists, while his only goal was hit confidently with his ‘other’ right boot.

Despite quickly gaining cult hero status at El Sadar, where fans cheer him as ‘Pervis Presley’, Estupinan could well be on the move again whenever the next transfer window opens.

[Vesper 30,117]

Messi and who else? The Athletic’s La Liga Team of the Season

https://theathletic.com/1759352/2020/04/23/laliga-team-of-the-season-2019-20-messi-casemiro-courtois-berchiche/

Normally, the major concern when picking a team of the year for La Liga comes down to striking the right balance: how many players from Real Madrid, and how many from Barcelona? Or might some Atletico Madrid players force their way into the Clasico-centric XI?

This time, the task was difficult in a different way. The big three have experienced tricky transitional seasons and suffered plenty of lows to match the usual highs across 27 games.

Such a levelling-out affords the chance to spread the net wider around the clubs, and has also brought a redemptive feel to this XI. Getafe’s Uruguayan right-back might not have had a chance in other seasons — nor a former Cheltenham Town left-back. But their inclusion does not mean 2019-20 is better or worse than past La Liga campaigns. Just different…

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Goalkeeper — Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid)

Courtois did not enjoy the early weeks of 2019-20, when his most dangerous early opponents were backers of former Real Madrid No 1 Keylor Navas. Whistling from the Bernabeu stands when Club Brugge went 2-0 up in September’s Champions League group game was the nadir, followed by unsubstantiated claims that he had suffered an on-pitch anxiety attack.

Since then, he has shown very impressive fortitude to come through and establish himself as La Liga’s most reliable goalkeeper. His claims have been helped by the first signs of fallibility from Atletico Madrid’s Jan Oblak and lapses in concentration from Barcelona’s Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

Standout moments from the former Chelsea man include three excellent saves with the score at 0-0 at Getafe in January (Madrid eventually won 3-0) and crucial one-on-one stops from Lionel Messi and Arthur Melo early in March’s clasico victory. He capped an outstanding display in the Spanish Super Cup final against Atletico Madrid with two decisive saves in the penalty shootout to win a bittersweet trophy against his former club. He even showed up in Valencia’s penalty box in December to cause havoc at a corner, leading to Karim Benzema’s late equaliser.

Twelve clean sheets and just 16 goals conceded in 24 games put Courtois on track to be just the second Madrid goalkeeper since 1992 to win the Zamora trophy, awarded to the goalkeeper who concedes the fewest goals in La Liga. Not a bad way to bounce back.

Right-back — Damian Suarez (Getafe)

There were double takes at Athletic Bilbao’s San Mames in early February, as Getafe right-back Damian Suarez played a series of one-twos with team-mates before cutting past two defenders on the edge of the penalty area and arrowing a low finish into the far corner.

The Maradona-esque strike was unexpected given 31-year-old Suarez’s previous career record included just six goals— but more than 100 yellow cards. It was not an isolated incident — just a few weeks before, he had pulled off a “sombrero” flick over an opponent during a derby at Leganes.

Such frills did not mean that Suarez and his team-mates were neglecting their primary jobs, with Getafe keeping clean sheets as they easily won both games. The extra flourishes just showed how their amazing rise under Jose Bordalas had provided an injection of confidence. When football hit pause last month, Getafe were fifth and about to face Inter Milan in the Europa League.

Suarez has not neglected his bread and butter through it all. And nobody in La Liga has bettered his tally of 11 yellow cards so far, either.

Centre-back — Felipe (Atletico Madrid)

There was more than a little concern at Atletico Madrid last summer when the apparent replacement for departing cult hero Diego Godin was a 30-year-old from Porto who few around La Liga had heard of.

But Felipe has outshone fellow new arrivals Kieran Trippier and Joao Felix to become a big favourite at the Wanda Metropolitano, especially due to his Godin-like willingness to put his boot (or head) where it hurts. Atletico may not have not been as watertight as recent seasons, but the quietly imposing Brazilian has done more than anyone to hold them together at the back.

Off the pitch, Felipe’s “bespectacled grad student” belies a cynical streak, which Diego Simeone’s fresh-faced team needs to thrive — as Liverpool discovered during their Champions League clash. He also unveiled an impressive spinning somersault goal celebration when heading the winner against Levante in January. He is now so established that Jose Maria Gimenez, the anointed heir to Godin’s throne, has been unable to get a look in at centre-back.

Centre-back — Diego Carlos (Sevilla)

Another Brazilian centre-back to arrive under the radar last summer was Diego Carlos, whose £13.2 million signing from Nantes now looks like another of Sevilla sporting director Monchi’s famous coups.

The no-frills defender settled quickly under coach Julen Lopetegui, whom he knew from a brief time together at Porto. The 27-year-old added steel and leadership to a backline that had a tendency to crumble, especially away from the Sanchez Pizjuan. “He’s stronger than vinegar,” said Nolito in a cryptic but somehow understandable description of his new team-mate’s sting.

Diego Carlos also also contributed crucial goals in victories against Leganes and Mallorca to help Lopetegui’s team to their current position of third. Liverpool, Real Madrid and Barcelona are now said to be willing to offer Sevilla a quick profit on their investment whenever the next transfer window opens.

Left-back — Yuri Berchiche (Athletic Bilbao)

The most notable moment of Yuri Berchiche’s spell on the books at Tottenham as a teenager was a two-footed challenge on Arsenal starlet Henri Lansbury in April 2009, when the pair were on loan at Cheltenham Town and Scunthorpe respectively. It did not work out at Spurs, so Yuri then took the long route to regular top-flight football via Real Valladolid B, Real Union and Eibar. Eventually, he established himself at Real Sociedad before spending a season at Paris Saint-Germain. From there, he joined Athletic Bilbao in 2018.

Berchiche, now 30, has found his feet at San Mames, fitting neatly into one of La Liga’s strongest defences, while also bringing a constant attacking threat down the left. He has shone in this season’s Copa del Rey, scoring four goals in six games, including a dramatic late winner in the semi-final at Granada. That strike set up a final against his former team — and local rivals — Real Sociedad.

Central midfield — Jose Campana (Levante)

Another former London resident now excelling in Spain is Levante midfielder Jose Campana, who played six Premier League games for Crystal Palace in 2013-14. Campana also has Sevilla, Nuremberg, Sampdoria, Porto and second-tier Alcorcon on his CV, but finally settled after arriving at Levante in 2016.

Likened to Xavi Hernandez as a youth, Campana captained a Spain side including Kepa Arrizabalaga and Saul Niguez to victory in the European Under-19 Championship. At 26, he has settled into a deeper playmaking role in Paco Lopez’s entertainingly positive Levante team, where he shows his technical quality in controlling games through his passing, but also the hard edge of a player who has been forced to make it the hard way.

He clearly still likes the big occasion — he scored a fine goal and assisted another in November’s 3-1 win over Barcelona — but his consistency has shone through all season. Another shot at the big time will be coming around soon.

Central midfield — Casemiro (Real Madrid)

It says a lot about Real Madrid’s 2019-20 midfield that Casemiro — viewed by many as “just” a holder — has been by far the stand-out of their season. The Brazilian tops the numbers among all La Liga players for tackles attempted, successful tackles, loose balls won and passes intercepted, while coming a close second in total fouls.

This shows the amount of work Casemiro has had to get through, with more creative players around him nowhere near their best form. His three league goals have all been key to picking up points, while the Brazil captain’s dedication on and off the pitch has been copied by emerging team-mates Fede Valverde and Rodrygo Goes.

Maybe most impressive of all is Casemiro managing to miss only one game all year through suspension. As it proves, he has now clearly taken over from Sergio Busquets as the midfielder most skilled at avoiding yellow cards for the most blatant of tactical fouls.

Central midfield — Martin Odegaard (Real Sociedad)

There were some who thought that Odegaard’s story was already written. The Norwegian was hit by a blaze of publicity when he made his international debut aged 15, then became Real Madrid’s youngest ever player a year later on May 2015. Promising loan spells in Holland were largely ignored, however, and Odegaard faded out of sight.

News that he had joined Real Sociedad on loan last summer piqued some interest, before a dominant performance in September’s 2-0 victory over Atletico Madrid made everyone take notice. A dazzling run of form also included the best assist of La Liga in 2019-20 — a slide-rule pass which took out seven Alaves defenders, plus goalkeeper Fernando Pacheco, for team-mate Mikel Oyarzabal to score.

Still just 21, Odegaard’s technical ability and passing range might not come as a surprise, but the way he has led a young Sociedad team has been impressive. Hampered by some niggling injuries, his level dipped through the autumn, but he returned to form after the winter break to lead his side into the Champions League qualifying spot. Applauded on league and cup visits to the Bernabeu in recent months, Odegaard is once again looked upon as a future superstar for Real Madrid.

Right wing — Lionel Messi (Barcelona)

Barcelona dropped eight points in the five games before Lionel Messi returned from injury to make his first start of 2019-20. Ever since their No 10 got up and running, however, they have looked likely title winners, despite all the ongoing turmoil at the Nou Camp.

Maybe Messi has had more spectacular individual seasons, but the 32-year-old still tops La Liga for goals, assists, shots on target, successful dribbles, key passes and through balls. Even more impressively, he’s done all that while spending more time in midfield, filling the jobs previously held by Xavi and Andres Iniesta, and in the boardroom, leading negotiations to ensure non-playing staff are paid during the COVID-19 shutdown.

It seems strange that the influence of a five-time Ballon d’Or winner might be underestimated, but that is just what team-mates like Frenkie de Jong have argued. With Messi in this XI, they would stroll to the La Liga trophy. Pit this side against Messi plus 10 others, however, and the title race would likely go down to the wire.

Centre forward — Karim Benzema (Real Madrid)

Eden Hazard, Luka Jovic, Gareth Bale, Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo, James Rodriguez, Isco and Marco Asensio have 11 La Liga goals between them so far this season. Madrid fans and pundits should be thankful, then, that Karim Benzema has scored 14 times, as well as assisting six more, because otherwise Zinedine Zidane’s team would be mid-table at best.

Against Levante at the Bernabeu in October, Benzema gave a striker’s masterclass when scoring two and making the other to have his team 3-0 up by half-time. He then watched as his team-mates contrived to give up two sloppy goals and almost blow the game. Madrid have become more solid as the season has gone on, but chances have become even more precious. Recent winners include composed strikes in 1-0 wins over direct rivals Atletico Madrid and Sevilla.

The stats show he sits second behind Messi in goals scored, total shots and shots on target, and tops the list in total touches in the opposition box and shots against the woodwork (five). It is true that his contribution has dipped since he turned 32 late in December, but he is in desperate need of help from his supporting cast.

Left wing — Fabian Orellana (Eibar)

It is difficult to argue that any player has a bigger personal influence on their team than Messi at Barcelona, but Fabian Orellana at Eibar this season might run his fellow South American close.

The Chilean is another to have had his fair share of clubs — seven in three countries — but is having the most productive season of his life at 34. Seven goals and six assists mean he has been involved in almost half of Eibar’s 27 goals this season. More than the stats, however, Orellana’s contribution from a variety of positions across the attack and midfield has been impressive.

With Eibar currently sitting just two points outside the bottom three, they would be in deep relegation trouble without him. His 94th-minute winner against Villarreal in October was a rare headed goal, but showed a dedication to the team which has not always been evident over his wandering career.

His quirky personality and individualistic style of play have often brought clashes with coaches and team-mates, but he has found a home at Eibar under the avuncular Jose Luis Mendilibar. Orellana is out of contract in June, and there would be mourning at Ipurua if he has already played his last game for the Basque club.

[Vesper 30,117]

MSN versus BBC: Who is La Liga’s greatest front line?

https://theathletic.com/1788036/2020/05/04/msn-vs-bbc-who-is-la-ligas-greatest-front-line/

“I can’t see how Barca intends to continue playing the same combination play, with Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez in the team,” wrote Johan Cruyff in the summer of 2014. “All three are individualists. By signing Suarez, the club hierarchy are showing a preference for individual genius over a team that plays great football.”

Cruyff’s thoughts on the arrival of Suarez from Liverpool that summer were partly motivated by personal animus with club president Sandro Rosell. But his views were shared by many around the Camp Nou who thought the new “MSN” front line would jeopardise the team’s success based on the midfield-centric model started by Cruyff himself, and then continued in particular under Pep Guardiola.

Most at the Camp Nou were happy enough by the end of the following season. The trio between them scored 122 goals (58 for Messi, 39 for Neymar and 25 for Suarez), while sharing out 66 assists (31 by Messi, 24 by Suarez and 11 by Neymar). The team coached by arch pragmatist Luis Enrique matched his former team-mate Guardiola’s achievement in winning a Champions League, La Liga and Copa del Rey treble in his first season in charge.

Suarez’s outgoing personality was key in blending the new front trio together, as Neymar’s first season alongside Messi in the team had not gone so well. Even before his Barca debut, Suarez was being invited to barbecues in Messi’s garden. They also bonded playing the board game Parchis on away trips. Neymar did not sit in for that, but did enjoy his team-mate’s infectious sense of humour.

“Neymar is a very happy person, he laughs at everything,” Suarez said in 2016. “I enjoy being with him, although he doesn’t like anyone to touch his hair. He laughs about the burgers we eat. He tells me I’m fat.”

It also helped that, from the start, both Suarez and Neymar were more than happy to accept that Messi was top dog, both in the team, and in the world.

“Friendship and humility is the secret of the MSN’s success,” Neymar said in 2015. “Messi and Suarez are two great friends I have in football. There is no ego among us. We just want to be happy and to play. I believe that the image of the (2015) Ballon D’Or podium should have been Messi, Luis Suarez and me. I would have loved to be there all together.”

Such harmony could not last, of course. After their stellar first season, the MSN never quite hit the same level, while Xavi’s departure and Andres Iniesta’s creaking body were also key problems. Still, they won nine trophies over three years, before Neymar’s itch for the spotlight led directly to his exit for Paris Saint-Germain in summer 2017.

All three still remember how good they were together, with Messi continuing to quite obviously nudge Barca’s board into doing everything possible to re-sign the Brazilian so they can all win another Champions League together before it is too late.

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That on- and off-pitch chemistry contrasted markedly with the greatest rivals of the MSN — Real Madrid’s “BBC” of Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo. During their six seasons together at the Bernabeu, you could never really imagine Bale ruffling Ronaldo’s hair, or Benzema sharing a burger with either.

“I don’t need to go for supper with Benzema or invite Bale over to my house,” Ronaldo said in 2016. “Little kisses or little hugs off the field are worthless. The important thing is the team wins on the pitch.”

Benzema always seemed quite happy to use his clever movement and passing to get his higher-profile team-mate into positions to score. But unlike Neymar’s deference for Messi on arrival, Bale had no intention of remaining in Ronaldo’s shadow on joining from Tottenham in summer 2013. The image of Ronaldo throwing up his hands theatrically in frustration after Bale had “selfishly” gone for goal himself became a staple of Spanish media front pages, and a problem for all Madrid coaches during their time together.

“All forwards in front of goal try to score,” said manager Carlo Ancelotti in 2015 when Bale had apparently refused to tee up Ronaldo for a simple chance. “It is clear that altruism is important in this team. If anyone seems selfish, we will sort it out.”

The idea that they never passed to each other is obviously just wrong, however. In 157 games together, Ronaldo and Bale combined for 41 goals. A high point was Bale’s superb cross being expertly converted by Ronaldo for a late clasico winner at the Camp Nou in April 2016. Benzema also scored that evening in the only clasico the BBC front line started together, played just a few days after Cruyff had passed away.

The Dutchman’s doubts about how an attacking trident would unbalance a team’s midfield were also shared by many at the Bernabeu. Midfielders Luka Modric and Toni Kroos were burdened by extra work required of them in a top-heavy 4-3-3, while playmakers Isco and James Rodriguez often ended up out of the team completely.

“Sometimes the team does get split,” Isco admitted in 2014. “To defend we all must work together, and some work more than others. But we have three monsters up front who score in almost every game.”

That was not quite true, and inconsistencies domestically led to Madrid winning only just one league title during the BBC’s five years together. However, four Champions League trophies over that time was pretty phenomenal, and showed that on the very biggest days one of the superstars generally produced a moment of individual genius to magic all the tactical concerns away.

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The MSN v BBC rivalry might be uppermost in the memory at this moment, but there have been plenty of other top La Liga front lines over the last 20 years.

An honourable mention should go to the Diego Costa and David Villa partnership at Atletico Madrid. They could never match the sheer number of goals scored by their counterparts at Barcelona or Madrid, but then Costa and Villa also had to do at least their fair share of work for the team, instead of having all their team-mates doing extra running for them.

So it is arguable that Costa and Villa’s achievements as Diego Simeone’s team overcame the odds to win the 2013-14 La Liga title rank right up there with anything the BBC or MSN achieved for their teams.

A watertight defence was obviously key for Simeone’s side, but in La Liga that season, they were also lethal up front. Costa got 19 goals in the first 17 La Liga games — rampaging around as Atletico racked up impressive scores, including two 5-0s and a 7-0 at home to Getafe. Meanwhile Villa, newly arrived from Barcelona, played an impressively unselfish supporting role, while also chipping in with key goals in important moments. Very different personalities and styles of player came together perfectly for Atletico’s cause.

“My relationship with Diego is pretty good, both on and off the pitch,” Villa said in 2014. “We try to do what’s best for the team, which we both agree is the most important aspect of our play. We understand each other really well, which has helped the team score goals and win matches. It’s a team effort at Atletico.”

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Such harmony and shared effort has been a factor in the success or otherwise of many other La Liga strike partnerships over the 20th century so far. For example, Villa did not find it so easy to rub together on or off the pitch with Messi during his time at Barca, while other stars including Thierry Henry, Samuel Eto’o, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Alexis Sanchez and most recently Antoine Griezmann have struggled to varying degrees to get on Messi’s wavelength. Barcelona won plenty through those years — often with their No 10 making stratospheric efforts — but there was less of a feeling of a partnership about their attacking efforts.

From the Argentine’s earlier years, his clicking with Henry and Eto’o in Guardiola’s first season in charge deserves a mention. Pep had initially had his own doubts about whether they could work together, and even tried to offload Eto’o on taking over the first team in summer 2008.

But a way was found to get them all to work together: Henry generally starting on the left, Eto’o working hard up front, Messi coming in from the right. At least until the Messi “false nine” experiment which pushed Eto’o to the side in the monumental 6-2 clasico win at the Bernabeu in May 2009. Over the treble-winning campaign they became the first trio to score 100 goals combined — Messi 38, Eto’o 36 and Henry 26 — in all competitions.

However, the trio to come closest to matching the MSN’s 2014-15 goal total is Ronaldo, Benzema and Gonzalo Higuain during 2011-12 at Real Madrid. Ronaldo hit 60 goals in all competitions that year, while Benzema got 32 and Higuain 26, for a total of 118 between them.

This was even more impressive as then-Madrid coach Jose Mourinho rarely used all three together on the pitch. Ronaldo’s pre-eminence meant the Frenchman and (French-born) Argentine battled over one spot in the XI. That competition helped the team win the only La Liga title of Mourinho’s time in Spain. However the long wait for a “decima” Champions League victory continued when Bayern Munich won a penalty shootout at the Bernabeu in that season’s semi-finals.

Going further back, there are others to consider. Madrid won the 2002-03 La Liga title mainly due to the prolific tallies of Ronaldo Nazario and Raul Gonzalez (23 and 16 league goals). Raul heading down for Ronaldo to score against his old team Barcelona in a Bernabeu clasico during that title-winning campaign showed they could work together. But their relationship is still summed up by Ronaldo’s much remembered, although always denied, comments that Raul was a “spoilt child”.

Any attempt to pick a best front line is of course subjective, so there is a good chance that The Athletic’s readers will have their own favourites from the last 20 years. The Eto’o, Ronaldinho and Ludovic Giuly partnership was excellent for Barca during the 2005-06 season. Diego Forlan and Sergio Aguero did not make total sense on paper, but were brilliant together at different ends of their careers at Atletico Madrid — with their double apiece in the 4-3 La Liga win over Barcelona in March 2009 a highlight.

Diego Tristan and Roy Makaay did phenomenal things together at Deportivo La Coruna in the early 2000s. Getafe’s 30-something trio of Jorge Molina, Jaime Mata and Angel Rodriguez have worked wonders over the last couple of seasons.

In the end, it comes down to personal taste as much as anything, and The Athletic readers might find themselves swayed by club allegiances or personal memories when making their choice. But that’s OK — even Cruyff appeared to be affected by his emotions when giving his views on this subject.

So who gets your vote?

[Vesper 30,117]

Anger, accusations, fear… and then a way back for Spanish football

https://theathletic.com/1782975/2020/05/01/spain-la-liga-tebas-coronavirus-real-madrid-barcelona/

For many people in Spain, the coronavirus crisis has been closely linked with football right from the start. And now that Spanish society feels that the worst of the crisis has passed — or so it seems for now at least — the game’s authorities, clubs and players are coming together to do everything possible to finish the paused 2019-20 season.

Valencia’s Champions League last 16 first leg against Atalanta, played at Milan’s San Siro on February 19, was a harbinger of the seriousness of what was about to happen — even before that match was labelled a ‘biological bomb” by Giorgio Gori, mayor of Atalanta’s hometown Bergamo, when the seriousness of the COVID-19 outbreak in both Italy and Spain became clear.

The second leg on March 10 was played behind closed doors. Three thousand Atletico Madrid fans visited Liverpool the following day, even as all Spanish schools and some workplaces were being closed to meet social distancing requirements. A positive test for Real Madrid’s American basketball player Trey Thompkins the morning after that match at Anfield provoked the postponement of La Liga and rammed home the impact the virus was going to have throughout Spanish society.

Three days after that, on March 15, Valencia defender Ezequiel Garay became the first La Liga player to publicly confirm he had tested positive for the coronavirus, just as Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced a nationwide state of alarm, and all the country’s residents were told they could only leave their homes when strictly necessary.

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Well before the games were forced to stop, the politicking within Spanish football had begun.

La Liga president Javier Tebas was keen to find a way to keep the content flowing for TV viewers (and TV companies) while his long-term rival Luis Rubiales at the RFEF (Real Federacion Espanola de Futbol — the Spanish FA), opportunistically or not, moved more quickly towards accepting the inevitable.

The differences became even starker in the first weeks after the shutdown. Tebas spoke strongly and often about potential losses of up to €1 billion if this season’s final 11 rounds of fixtures were never played, raising the spectre of many clubs going to the wall. He pointed out the football industry was worth 1.37 per cent of Spain’s entire GDP and responsible for more than 180,000 jobs, while also suggesting that all clubs make use of the Spanish government’s ERTE scheme to furlough workers and cut wage costs.

Rubiales instead boasted of the RFEF’s current financial strength, helped by the bonanza of moving the Supercopa to Saudi Arabia, and guaranteed all payments due to clubs at semi-professional and regional levels. He also offered to help find emergency financing for the worst-hit clubs in the top two divisions and criticised Tebas for not having thought of an insurance policy which would have covered the loss of TV revenues.

“Every time Rubiales opens his mouth it is to attack La Liga and the clubs, with untruths, based on ignorance, like having insurance for a pandemic, and cheap populism,” Tebas replied in mid-March. “We are used to that.”

The antagonism shifted up another notch when Tebas (below) organised for La Liga to send out COVID-19 testing kits to clubs for use on players who were by now all self-isolating at home, with Spain’s medical infrastructure creaking because it was among the countries with the highest number of positive cases and deaths worldwide.

“Testing people who don’t need it seems irresponsible when there are patients with their lives on the line,” Rubiales said. “Someone with serious symptoms needs tests, not footballers who are self-isolating anyway. It is an illegal and anti-patriotic thing to do.”

David Aganzo, head of AFE, Spain’s players’ union, also became publicly involved in the differences of opinion. There followed frantic weeks of activity, with lots of (video) meetings between the various stakeholders, and just as much competitive and selective briefing of the local press. A nadir was La Liga and AFE threatening legal action following the leaking of audio files of their conversations with the RFEF to Spanish radio station Cadena Ser when debating whether it could be guaranteed that players would get 72 hours of rest between games during a speeded-up schedule when games did return.

On April 16 came another clash when the federation announced unilaterally that, should it not be possible to finish the season, the current standings would count towards qualification for next year’s UEFA competitions. La Liga immediately claimed it had the final say in such matters, while teams in line to lose out, such as fifth-placed Getafe and Valencia (who are seventh but just four points off the top four), said they would consider legal action.

“Decisions like that taken by the federation only serve to pitch some clubs against others at a moment when it is necessary for us all to be united, for the good of football,” said Atletico Madrid chief executive Miguel Angel Gil Marin. That Atletico currently sit sixth, also outside the Champions League positions, did not go unnoticed. Neither did Gil Marin being named La Liga’s ‘first vice-president’ under three months ago.

All this infighting and bickering, while Spain was a global leader in the death toll for coronavirus, was not really a good look. The country’s government had plenty to do, but sports minister Irene Lozano still found time to knock some heads together. An all-day face to face summit between Rubiales and Tebas — flouting the lockdown rules — took place on April 19 at Madrid’s city centre Palacio de Viana. Under the so-called ‘Pacto de Viana’, the sports ministry agreed to help get Spanish football back as quickly as possible.

In an apparent quid pro quo, or just fortunate coincidence, it was also confirmed that La Liga would give an extra €23 million to the RFEF to help football below the top two divisions, and an extra €25 million to a government fund to aid other sports in even bigger difficulties because of the current crisis.

Meanwhile Tebas was very publicly fronting frantic work by La Liga to come up with a detailed step by step ‘protocol’ for football to return, reportedly with help from his brother Pablo, a professor of medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in the USA, and a globally recognised expert in treating infectious viruses.

The health authorities, still battling the pandemic without enough tests available or protective equipment for healthcare staff, have pushed back on that. But Prime Minister Sanchez’s announcement this week of a phased easing of the ‘lockdown’ has speeded up preparations for a return.

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While deaths from the virus in Spain were increasing every day, the idea of returning to play was not uppermost in the players’ minds.

“Are elite footballers somehow immune?” Real Madrid defender Dani Carvajal said on social media just before La Liga announced the suspension of its season. Most were happy that they and their families were out of harm’s way, while many were keeping busy doing fun stuff for their sponsors on Instagram or helping out their local communities.

Multiple sources close to squad members of La Liga and Segunda Division teams told The Athletic that players followed the various arguments and announcements from Tebas and Rubiales with interest through the following weeks, but were mostly concerned with what the government health authorities said. A source told The Athletic Real Madrid’s players were gaining most of their information from the media rather from official channels.

Again, the fractured state of Spanish football politics had a role, with the players’ union not strong enough to allow its members to speak with one united voice. When AFE president Aganzo organised a teleconference on April 22 so all 42 club captains from the top two divisions could discuss a return to play, neither Real Madrid’s Sergio Ramos nor Barcelona’s Lionel Messi took part. AFE at first questioned whether La Liga has the authority to actually carry out testing on its members, but has now quietly put those concerns aside.

Some players have not liked feeling under pressure to get back to action, especially for financial reasons, but also from politicians keen to use the return of football as a ‘signal’ that society was returning to normal. And they were well aware of the negative optics of valuable tests and medical equipment being reserved for them if healthcare workers were having to go without.

“There is no doubt that we all want to return as soon as possible,” tweeted Kike Marquez of Segunda Division side Extremadura on April 24. “But what I don’t understand is how they are considering having tests and exhaustive controls for us (the players) when they are not available for health professionals who are risking their health. I feel ashamed even thinking about it.”

The Athletic knows of one Primera Division player whose wife has a serious health problem, and the family have self-isolated completely. He is worried that if he returns to play he will then not be able to see his wife at all, as passing her the virus could potentially be lethal. Another squad member of a leading La Liga side is a type one diabetic. Many also have elderly grandparents or other loved ones in especially at-risk groups.

Among the significant number of players to have spoken out against a quick return to playing is Valencia’s former Arsenal centre-back Gabriel Paulista. Following that calamitous visit to northern Italy, 35 per cent of Valencia’s first-team squad and backroom staff tested positive for coronavirus, including defenders Garay, Jose Gaya and Eliaquim Mangala. All have now made a full recovery, but the impact on everyone around the club has been understandably profound.

“We professional footballers are privileged people, but above all we are people with families, loved ones, and feelings,” Paulista wrote on Instagram this week. “We are always asked to give an example, and that should be — many children and youngsters look up to us. We can show an example that we value life and health above all. I’m sure to the great majority of footballers, money is not everything. I don’t want to rush because of financial pressures, given more fundamental questions, like being responsible for another family member, friend or fellow professional getting sick or dying.”

However, especially as Spain has begun to open up in recent days following the lockdown, the general opinion among the players has shifted, The Athletic has been told by multiple sources. Confirmation that from Saturday (May 2), more shops and businesses will be allowed to open and ‘normal’ people will be able to go out for a jog for the first time in six weeks has fed a realisation that footballers cannot stay away from work much longer.

Various sources close to players around La Liga told The Athletic most were in favour of returning to play, although they were wary of giving that opinion in public. They know their livelihoods were on the line, nobody wants to see clubs going bust, and the pay cuts agreed with their clubs are much less serious once each team’s 11 remaining games get played.

It was pointed out more than once in conversations that players were finding it difficult to keep up with the individualised training plans issued by their clubs, with public parks and shared areas in residential complexes having been completely closed during the lockdown. Not all players across Primera and Segunda live in houses as big as those seen in social media posts over recent weeks by stars at Real Madrid or Barcelona.

Some players also live alone. They are bored and want to get back to something that feels normal. Lots of them, such as Atletico Madrid’s Saul Niguez and Sergio Canales of Seville club Real Betis, had been involved in helping out their local communities, but most now want to get back to their real job.

“I want to play,” Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic (below) told newspaper Marca on Thursday. “It is obvious we want the best possible health guarantees, but we also know that they can never be 100 per cent. Staff in supermarkets also get changed in dressing rooms. They take risks and I want to also. We should be trying to give the fans something to enjoy.”

There are still those with a very different opinion — Celta Vigo’s on-loan Barcelona midfielder Rafinha posted last week on Instagram that he was unwilling to return to play until a vaccine for the virus is found — but a majority of those consulted by The Athletic said footballers are prepared to return to play, assuming that all possible health controls are in place.

The typical player is embarrassed by having access to tests when so many others do not, but accepts that with their high level of privilege comes a certain responsibility.

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While the various institutions were arguing in public about Spanish football’s response to the crisis, and some players were making their views known on social media, it was noticeable that the major clubs kept very quiet.

Barcelona had their own serious internal issues to deal with, with club captain Messi bailing out the directors and president Josep Maria Bartomeu fighting an insurrection among his own board. Real Madrid president Florentino Perez, who is not an ally of Tebas, stayed out of the fray, though surrogates in the local media were generally supportive of what La Liga is aiming to do.

A source at one top club told The Athletic that with the situation changing so much day to day, the clubs had been happy to sit tight and wait outside the media spotlight. Another said that “98 per cent” of Spanish clubs were now in line with what Tebas was proposing, as it was logical for La Liga to take the lead role given it organises the competition.

Staff at clubs across the top flight spoken to by The Athletic were all eager to stress that the health of their players and staff was paramount, while also accepting there are serious financial reasons for getting games going again as soon as possible. Another reason for the lack of communication was drastic cost cutting at one La Liga club, including the furloughing of their entire media department.

One experienced agent said many clubs are caught “between two seas” — they need the TV money to avoid going out of business, but also cannot afford to alienate players who had already been forced to take a pay cut nor be blamed for pressuring them into doing something they do not want to do. So club presidents and officials are more than happy to allow Tebas to do the heavy lifting on the return plans. If players ask their clubs for more information, or to clear up any doubts, they are told La Liga and the Spanish government are the ones making the decisions.

The highest profile disagreement came at Segunda Division leaders Cadiz. Their 26-year-old defender Fali spoke openly to AS on April 20 and maintained that, “If I’m forced to play without a vaccine, I will retire from football”.

“I understand Fali. He is a top kid. But we are going to try and return to competition with the maximum security possible,” responded club president Manuel Vizcaino.

Tebas has also made it clear that La Liga remains in charge of the competition, and that no club can refuse to fulfil their fixtures once the season restarts. “When we get the order to be able to play, and anybody refuses, they will be punished,” he said last Friday. “They will lose the three points at the very least. The rules will have to be followed.”

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With large gatherings banned in Spain well into the medium-term future, all plans for getting football back quickly involve the games being played behind closed doors.

Tebas has said it is likely to be December at the earliest before matches take place in front of paying fans again, admitting this could cost ‘only’ around €300 million as it would keep the all-important TV income coming in.

Sports minister Lozano has also said full stadiums are unlikely until a vaccine is widely available for all supporters. Lozano has also spoken positively about how televised football would be a sign of normality returning in Spain, arguing that “watching games with the family will put us back on the path to normality”.

None of the La Liga club staff consulted by The Athletic mentioned any problem with playing behind closed doors, and some have already moved to take advantage of the situation. For example, Real Madrid are planning to stage games at the 6,000-capacity Alfredo Di Stefano Stadium at their Valdebebas training ground, to allow for accelerating renovation work (below) at the Bernabeu.

Sources close to top level players have also told The Athletic that while playing competitive games in empty stadiums will be a “strange” experience, it is not something they are that seriously worried about.

Someone more concerned about the impact of long-term football behind closed doors is Emilio Abejon, spokesperson for fans’ organisation Federacion de Accionistas y Socios del Futbol Espanol.

“Football is a social act, a cultural act, in which the fans play an integral part,” Abejon told The Athletic. “If you take that out of the game, then we do not see it as football. It is a televised training session, or a reality TV show with clubs and players within bubbles. The ‘solution’ cannot be to remove the fans from the equation.”

Abejon says members of his association would prefer the season to be ended now than be played out in front of empty stands. A significant break from all football would allow for a rethink of how football in Spain is organised at all levels, he argues, as the current lockdown has shown serious flaws in its entire model.

“If an industry through which so much money runs is incapable of being halted for a couple of months, then that industry is not sustainable,” says Abejon. “We have been saying this for a while, but the coronavirus crisis has now brought it to everyone’s attention. This is a moment to take a breath and look again at how our football is organised. TV money is important, for sure, and has contributed positive aspects. But it should not limit the normal and healthy life of our sport.”

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Abejon’s views were not represented at Thursday’s meeting of a ‘working group’ including La Liga, the RFEF, AFE and the sports ministry, at which the only objective was getting professional football back up and running on Spanish and global TV screens as soon as possible.

La Liga’s protocol involves players being tested at their club’s training ground next week, as well as the coaches, medical staff, groundsmen and others deemed necessary to be there. These tests would be carried out by a private company hired by La Liga and administered by nasal probe through the individual’s car window. The vehicle involved will then be strictly only for use by that player or staff member for getting them to and from the training ground over the coming weeks.

Everyone attending the training ground must wear a face mask, and arrive in their training gear, leaving immediately after the session to shower at home. Only bottled water will be allowed on the premises, no other food or drink. Players and coaches are to do their work outside on the training pitches, with gyms and other indoor areas off limits, in the initial phases at least.

Work at the training grounds would be ramped up through four distinct stages over the coming weeks. Anybody who fails a test will be separated from their colleagues, and their particular ‘work-group’ sent into quarantine. All going well, games will start by June 12.

Most within Spanish football are now working together towards this plan, including previous antagonists Tebas and Rubiales. La Liga players consulted were generally in favour, although they were still not very clear on the details. For example, the exact nature of the testing they will have to undergo, and what might happen if/when a footballer or a staff member tested positive.

The biggest potential issue still to be resolved is the idea of ‘hothousing’ the players away from their families once they return to full contact training in the weeks before the games begin. Different sources told The Athletic that players’ reaction to this idea depends a lot on each set of personal circumstances.

The idea of moving from six weeks spent almost entirely within their own four walls, to another six spent in a hotel or training ground residence solely in the company of their team-mates, is going to be a difficult sell. An even bigger concern is travelling for away games — players are much less happy with the idea of using airports or staying overnight. Still, there is a willingness among players and clubs to at least start the process next week and see where it leads.

An agent who deals with players in both La Liga and the Premier League told The Athletic that players based in England have at least been able to spend an hour a day outside their home, going for runs in the local park on their own for example. In Spain, all involved in the football industry have been forced to stay inside, except for rare trips to the shops.

A concern among those talked to by The Athletic is the tremendous psychological impact of the coronavirus on everyone living in Spain.

To date there have been just over 25,000 reported deaths and almost 250,000 positive cases. Although daily numbers have been falling consistently for over a week now, 268 daily fatalities were still reported this past Wednesday, April 29. While that was the lowest single-day figure for over a month, is still a big reason for caution.

Should all now go ahead as hoped by La Liga, Real Sociedad are among the 42 Primera and Segunda Division clubs due back for testing early next week.

That means their forward Cristian ‘Portu’ Portugues will be returning to work just as his wife is due in hospital to give birth. It is all hugely concerning, but Portu has made his peace with a situation many others all over the world are facing too. And Sociedad are currently sitting fourth in the table, with a great chance to seal qualification for the Champions League over the final 11 games.

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Everyone involved in Spanish football remains aware that they are not really in control of this situation.

The country’s coronavirus curve has started to take on a shape that allows for a certain loosening of restrictions. But everything depends on how things progress over the coming weeks, and the proposed early June restart date for games remains just an ideal, with the health authorities still in ultimate control of when play resumes.

“I can’t say that professional football will be able to return before summer,” health minister Salvador Illa said earlier this week. “That would be imprudent on my part. We must continue watching how things evolve. Nothing will be like before. Until there is a vaccine, we must learn to live with this virus which, I insist, is dangerous and must be respected. We must all row in the same direction.”

Rowing in the same direction is not something Spanish football has generally been very good at. But these are far from normal times, and the authorities are pushing aside concerns about excluding fans and getting special treatment with the aim of ‘saving’ the game in its current state.

Whether the motivation is to avoid many clubs going bankrupt, or just to get out of the house, most professionals involved are just keen to get back to work and finish the 2019-20 season.