Football around the world

Markovic. Superb player.

Where does he play? Everywhere in midfield?

I watched them a few weeks back and he was on the left, then on the right and in the middle another time.

Jermain Defoe scored both in Toronto FC's season opening 2-1 win away to Seattle, while Julio Cesar made a few key safes and Michael Bradley controlled the midfield. That's 3 great acquisitions paying off in their first game.

Jermain Defoe scored both in Toronto FC's season opening 2-1 win away to Seattle, while Julio Cesar made a few key safes and Michael Bradley controlled the midfield. That's 3 great acquisitions paying off in their first game.

They looked pretty good, Bradley in particular. Defoe isn't going to be involved too much in the build-up but he's really there to finish -- which he did with ease. DeRo looks a bit passed it at this point, so I'm looking forward to seeing how Gilberto does once he's fit.

BENFICA!

Stunning video!

Code: [Select]

http://vimeo.com/92752588

Benfica - League Cup

Portuguese League - Done
League Cup - Done
Euro League - 14/05
Portugal Cup - 18/05

Benfica! 

Benfica - Portugal Cup

Portuguese League - Done
League Cup - Done
Portugal Cup - Done

Benfica! 

Gaitán

Benfica - Portugal Cup

Portuguese League - Done
League Cup - Done
Portugal Cup - Done

Benfica! 

Fantastic achievement mate. 

Benfica - Portugal Cup

Portuguese League - Done
League Cup - Done
Portugal Cup - Done

Benfica! 

Well in mate

I wanted to ask you something that I'd only recently heard..
Apparently Benfica have a "curse" over the club dating back decades over an ex manager -Bela Guttman I think - saying that you will win no European trophy for 100 years..
Is that something that the fans believe in? Is it talked about in and around the club?

I'm not someone who holds this type of thing with too much conviction but seeing as you lost an 8th European final with this over you is it something that has got into the players/clubs head?

Netherlands-England tonight in the final of the UEFA under 17 European Championship. Should be a close game, they already played in the group stages which Netherlands won 2-0, but I saw that game and it could've gone either way. I think we have some real talents though, we beat Scotland 5-0 in the semis. If we win this it'll be our 3rd European Championship out of the past 4 years. So while our current national team is sh*t hopefully our future looks bright again.

Andy Van Der Meyde refereeing a game during the Lingerie World Cup.



Is this another one of those experiences were he claims he was spiked! 

Well in mate

I wanted to ask you something that I'd only recently heard..
Apparently Benfica have a "curse" over the club dating back decades over an ex manager -Bela Guttman I think - saying that you will win no European trophy for 100 years..
Is that something that the fans believe in? Is it talked about in and around the club?

I'm not someone who holds this type of thing with too much conviction but seeing as you lost an 8th European final with this over you is it something that has got into the players/clubs head?

Yes. There is that "curse" and Portugal media talk a lot about that.

The Bélla Guttmann Curse:


When Bélla Guttmann arrived at Benfica, he proposed a very high premium case Benfica was European Champion. Benfica did not think that was possible, then accepted the condition. But actually Benfica won the Champions League in 60/61 and 61/62 becoming the first club to win the competition beyond Real Madrid.

So Bella Guttmann asked for more money and Benfica failed to pay him what he wanted. Bella left Benfica and said: «Without me Benfica will never win the Champions League!»

Some people say that the curse would be for 30 years and only for the Champions League, but in fact already passed more than 50 years, we already have played 6 finals of the Champions League, 3 finals of the Europa League and lost them all:
1960/61, Champions League (Berna): Benfica-Barcelona, 3-2 (Bélla Guttmann)
1961/62, Champions League  (Amesterdão): Benfica-Real Madrid, 5-3 (Bélla Guttmann)
1962/63, Champions League  (Londres): Benfica-Milan, 1-2 (Fernando Riera)
1964/65, Champions League  (Milão): Benfica-Inter Milão, 0-1 (Elek Schwartz)
1967/68, Champions League  (Londres): Benfica-Manchester United, 1-4 ap (Otto Glória)
1982/83, Europa League: Benfica-Anderlecht, 0-1 e 1-1 (Sven-Goran Eriksson)
1987/88, Champions League  (Estugarda), Benfica-PSV Eindhoven, 0-0 (5-6 gp) (Toni)
1989/90, Champions League  (Viena): Benfica-Milan, 0-1 (Sven-Goran Eriksson)
2012/13, Europa League (Amesterdão): Benfica-Chelsea, 1-2 (Jorge Jesus)
2013/14, Europa League (Turim): Sevilha-Benfica, 0-0, 4-2 gp (Jorge Jesus)

Eusebio went to Hungary to try break up the curse:


This year, with the death of Eusebio and Coluna, we were hoping they could help us up there ... not even that worked:





Some people believe in that, other people don't. But the true is:
1962 we have this:


2014 we have the same:

Yes. There is that "curse" and Portugal media talk a lot about that.

The Bélla Guttmann Curse:


When Bélla Guttmann arrived at Benfica, he proposed a very high premium case Benfica was European Champion. Benfica did not think that was possible, then accepted the condition. But actually Benfica won the Champions League in 60/61 and 61/62 becoming the first club to win the competition beyond Real Madrid.

So Bella Guttmann asked for more money and Benfica failed to pay him what he wanted. Bella left Benfica and said: «Without me Benfica will never win the Champions League!»

Some people say that the curse would be for 30 years and only for the Champions League, but in fact already passed more than 50 years, we already have played 6 finals of the Champions League, 3 finals of the Europa League and lost them all:
1960/61, Champions League (Berna): Benfica-Barcelona, 3-2 (Bélla Guttmann)
1961/62, Champions League  (Amesterdão): Benfica-Real Madrid, 5-3 (Bélla Guttmann)
1962/63, Champions League  (Londres): Benfica-Milan, 1-2 (Fernando Riera)
1964/65, Champions League  (Milão): Benfica-Inter Milão, 0-1 (Elek Schwartz)
1967/68, Champions League  (Londres): Benfica-Manchester United, 1-4 ap (Otto Glória)
1982/83, Europa League: Benfica-Anderlecht, 0-1 e 1-1 (Sven-Goran Eriksson)
1987/88, Champions League  (Estugarda), Benfica-PSV Eindhoven, 0-0 (5-6 gp) (Toni)
1989/90, Champions League  (Viena): Benfica-Milan, 0-1 (Sven-Goran Eriksson)
2012/13, Europa League (Amesterdão): Benfica-Chelsea, 1-2 (Jorge Jesus)
2013/14, Europa League (Turim): Sevilha-Benfica, 0-0, 4-2 gp (Jorge Jesus)

Eusebio went to Hungary to try break up the curse:


This year, with the death of Eusebio and Coluna, we were hoping they could help us up there ... not even that worked:





Some people believe in that, other people don't. But the true is:
1962 we have this:


2014 we have the same:

Last CL you won was 1961? You played my home team for the INtercontinental Cup that year. Bela also managed us for a very short spell

Last one was in 62. We lost both International Cups. In 61 we lost against Peñarol, your team i suppose. In 62 we lost against Santos of Pelé. He was terrific and scored 5 goals on two games.

Last one was in 62. We lost both International Cups. In 61 we lost against Peñarol, your team i suppose. In 62 we lost against Santos of Pelé. He was terrific and scored 5 goals on two games.

Yeah, Santos vs Peñarol was the biggest rivalry those days. We ran into each other often in the Copa Libertadores. Won some lost some, epic battles. My dad says Eusebio was quite a player, he went to both finals in montevideo. Incredible teams, but that 1960s Peñarol was one of the best in history.
I have a soft spot for you guys, we had a few players there over the past years

Good man.

Pure cash cows in england. Milkety milk milk.

Flamengo were bottom of the league and had lost the 1st leg of the Brazilian Cup Round of 16 by 3-0 away from home. Since appointing the new manager though, we have won 5 in a row and are now in the 9th position, looking much stronger; and we won the 2nd leg by 3-0 as well, winning qualification on penalties.

This is a video of the Flamengo fans while leaving the stadium after that 2nd leg at the Maracanã. It's a parody of the Argentina song in the World Cup: https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=713313712076203

Flamengo were bottom of the league and had lost the 1st leg of the Brazilian Cup Round of 16 by 3-0 away from home. Since appointing the new manager though, we have won 5 in a row and are now in the 9th position, looking much stronger; and we won the 2nd leg by 3-0 as well, winning qualification on penalties.

This is a video of the Flamengo fans while leaving the stadium after that 2nd leg at the Maracanã. It's a parody of the Argentina song in the World Cup: https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=713313712076203

The Brazilian cup sounds mad, is it true about if a 'small team' beats a bigger team by 2 goals ore more (or something like that) they have a second leg but vice versa nothing happens or did I dream that entire concept ?

The Brazilian cup sounds mad, is it true about if a 'small team' beats a bigger team by 2 goals ore more (or something like that) they have a second leg but vice versa nothing happens or did I dream that entire concept ?

It happens but only in the first (and maybe second as well, not sure) round, when the bigger teams play away from home; if those bigger teams do win by a 2 goal margin or more, there is no 2nd leg. If the smaller team wins, draws or loses by a 1 goal margin only, there is a 2nd leg at the bigger team's stadium. Not a huge fan of this tbh but I guess the idea is to avoid meaningless games in an already very busy schedule. Often you'll see small teams fighting hard for a result like scoring a goal when they're 2-0 down at home in the first round, just so they can play in a famous stadium like the Maracanã or the Mineirão in the return leg.

In the latter rounds, there are always two legs, irrespective of the clubs' rankings.

Fearsomely resilient stuff from Strachan's men once again but the world champions prevail. Germany 2 - 1 Scotland