The latest bunch of documents from Football Leaks, reported in Der Spiegel, bring up the pornographic amount of money Adidas give Los Ladrones do Madrid: as well as a shirt deal worth €1bn over ten years, they also pay €2.5m for a league win (rising to €3.5m in 2020) and €5m for a Champions League victory (rising to €7m in 2020) The really interesting part is something which is almost thrown away at the end of the report, though: the previous deal between Adidas and Los Ladrones, signed back in 2011, included a payment of €40m up front "in cash" (their wording, not mine) directly into the club's account (also their wording, not mine) - and this is the part that sounds exceptionally fishy considering this deal was signed in the first year of UEFA's Financial Fair Play regulations, and when you take into account that between the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons Los Ladrones spent €120m on players but recouped only €18m, that starts to look like a flagrant skirting of the rules.
Clutching at straws here, but: Hull's surprise defeat to Sunderland coupled with Swansea's surprise win against Everton coupled with Palace's unsurprising defeat to City throws open some interesting permutations in the run-in. 1) Boro will now be absolutely fighting for their lives to beat Chelsea. Prior to the weekend's results, even a victory would've been simply prolonging the inevitable. Now, together with the likelihood that Palace will at least draw to Hull to get the job done means that a win at the Bridge would be "a meaningful and valid (3) point(s)". 2) Sunderland showed against Hull that without the shackles of relegation tying them down, they can play with a bit more freedom and confidence. Also clear that a number of them (eyes on Mr Pickford) are now playing themselves into the shop window (the same window we picked up Sissoko from) for a summer move to stay in the Promised Land. Could they give Chelsea a real game on the final game of the season? 3)The flipside of this is that Hull will in all likelihood need to beat us at the KCOM to have a chance of survival. So we - being the caring and benevolent team that we are - will graciously oblige and give them the 3 points. I have been clutching at straws all weekend and while I have been 100% sure that the title is Chelsea's since their victory over Everton, it would still be amazing to take it to the wire. Even if we could go into the last round of fixtures 3 points behind them, to still be in with a chance (however remote) would be an incredible spectacle and one that to be honest I never thought I would witness as a Spurs fan. Chelsea draw against Boro and WBA, we beat United = 83pts v 80pts Chelsea beat Watford, we beat Leicester = 86 v 83 Last game of the season = the hope kills us all and this board is left to Diego, PISKIE and Gooner4Eva to moderate. Anyways. Where did I put the salt?
Salt? I reckon you need to be looking for water, cos you definitely need to put more with whatever you're drinking!! Sorry, CK - I am afraid that all the remaining straws went up in the barn fire that was the defeat on Friday.......
Astonishing relegation battle in the Championship. Blackburn winning 2-0 but currently going down on Goals Scored Don't think that has ever happened!
It's 2-1 now, plus Forest just went 2-0 up, so they'd be going down on goal difference. Elsewhere in the Championship, I really hope Chris Hughton puts a rocket up the backsides of his players. Ever since they clinched promotion they took their foot off the pedal, and as things stand Newcastle are going up as champions. :::EDIT::: ..and as soon as I post that, Villa concede a penalty to allow Brighton to go 1-0 up.
Blackburn concede, Forest miss a penalty, Brighton score a penalty and if Brum concede they will drop into the relegation zone, equal on points with Blackburn and Forest but with an inferior goal difference. Bloody hell.
And now the man with the best surname in the Championship makes it 3-0 to Forest, which means that Blackburn need to score 4 more or hope that Brum concede in order to survive. At least I think it does. This is mental.
What if Ipswich get consolation goals? I remember being with Palace fans one of the times they got relegated. They were safe with 5 mins to go. Gutting!
Blackburn go 3-1 up. They need 3 goals in 5 minutes to survive. Where's that ref from the Barca-PSG match when you need him?
Well done 'Arry Well done Warbuton Unlucky Hughton. Unlucky Blackburn, hope they get rid of the Venkys soon.
And the award for being today's biggest ****ehawk in the Championship goes to... Refusing to sign a new contract all season, knowing his contract expires at the end of next month, just to force a move - and West Brom are certainly in for him, considering Pulis has said so in the past couple of days.
Newcastle were 7 points behind with 3 games to play. You never know ***resumes quiet sobbing in lonely corner of the room***
