COPA Del Rey Final: Barcelona vs Athletic Bilbao

Outstanding performance! As soon as the whistle blew, all I could think of was: no more Pep. That's the end of that. For some reason, it came to me like a sudden realization.

Anyway, great game, Pedro really impressed me. No way is he going to be left out of the Spain squad now. Also that finish from Messi!

shadeslayer wrote:Anyway, great game, Pedro really impressed me. No way is he going to be left out of the Spain squad now. Also that finish from Messi!

He is very good at finishing with his weaker (right) foot, even tight angles.

BarcaKizz wrote:

matpol wrote:Iniesta is awesome so far, Tito I believe you won't put him as a LW in any game, keep Don in CM. Pedro - clinical. Pinto, Sanchez and Adriano our worst players, Sanchez is really average.

How exactly? Adriano had a great game... Solid and great going forward. I would say his second half was better but his first want not bad at all. Such an impressive player for me.


Another note... All season I've wanted to use Thiago more as a left-forward. His footwork is so magical, he can certainly play there and let Iniesta and Adriano into his space at times. Skinned his man at least twice in about 5 minutes. If Pedro is the other winger stretching play and running in behind, Thiago is perfect in a Ronaldinho type role. I would have tried this more often at least. Much better than Alexis who stops the whole play to pass back, so we have to go back to our CBs to restart play. More Thiago plz.


Great way to send off the mister. Visca el Barca! Visca Pep!!!

Adriano was good, I mistaked him once for Sanchez, I was pissed off at Sanchez horse first touch and backpasses, poor Adriano got a little of my mad. Good that we won Copa, disappointing Final, but with rested Barca team and playing 4-3-3 it was always going to end like that. Gracias Pep

Barca <3

Pedro #euro2012

#graciespep We will never forget you!! Living Legend.

Just look at what a week of rest and playing a near best eleven did for our team's performance...

Glad to see Pedro back.

I wonder what our record is when we play the real 3 in midfield and 3 real forwards? My guess would be we hardly ever lost.

TBH I didnt think our performance was all that great.Only difference was we finished our chances.And we had a certain Pedro back to his best.
I know hindsight is a wonderful thing but in retrospect Pedro should have started against Chelsea and Madrid(at the time i was not sure whether he should start).
We have so missed Pedro this season.Great to see him back.That was the Pedro of the last 2 seasons.Our clutch player alongside Messi.
2 chances,2 goals.Hope he can continue this way into next season.
On the players thought Messi had an atrocious first half.Played well in the second.That run at the end was just brilliant.
Iniesta was just sensational.MOM by far.Shame he wasnt at his sublime best versus Chelsea.
Just want to highlight one thing about the trophy presentation.It was so refreshing to see Xavi and Puyol arguing over who should lift the trophy, each insisting that the other lift it.Just shows the kind of characters they are.Committed,class,legends of the club and leaders through and through.
Legends both of them.
In stark contrast to what we saw a week ago when 2 gentlemen were fighting and jostling each other to lift the trophy.

danyjr wrote:

free_cat wrote:@danyjr you are miserable to say that separatism is the same than fascism. we are Democratic and peaceful, and we are pretty well served down there.

I have lived in Spain long enough to know most of it is, with all due respect, bull. I fully sympathise with communities which had been under Spain's dictatorship for many years and I respect them. But let's not fool ourselves. In Barcelonès, many people (especially newer generations) speak Castellano as their main means of communication. I was grown up in Barcelona and almost all my friends speak Castellano to each other not Catlaan. Outside the city and in countryside, I agree more people speak Catalan and feel Catalan. But the funny thing is even those people from the city whom their main language is Castellano regularly go to Plaça and sing Els Segadors. Isn't that hypocritical? Anyway, sorry if I offended you. I didn't mean everyone who is a separatist is miserable.

danyjr wrote:

free_cat wrote:@danyjr you are miserable to say that separatism is the same than fascism. we are Democratic and peaceful, and we are pretty well served down there.

I have lived in Spain long enough to know most of it is, with all due respect, bull. I fully sympathise with communities which had been under Spain's dictatorship for many years and I respect them. But let's not fool ourselves. In Barcelonès, many people (especially newer generations) speak Castellano as their main means of communication. I was grown up in Barcelona and almost all my friends speak Castellano to each other not Catlaan. Outside the city and in countryside, I agree more people speak Catalan and feel Catalan. But the funny thing is even those people from the city whom their main language is Castellano regularly go to Plaça and sing Els Segadors. Isn't that hypocritical? Anyway, sorry if I offended you. I didn't mean everyone who is a separatist is miserable.

you don't get it. it doesn't offend me you calling separatists 'miserable'.
what offends me is you hinting that a violent, intolerant and non Democratic ideology (Spanish fascism)is the same as a Democratic and peaceful Catalan separatism.

language has little to do with anything, there are plenty of Spanish speakers that want independence. what we ask is to be allowed to chose our future, to decide he we want to rule ourselves or continue being a pseudo colony. everyone of us to be asked (you too) and for Spain to accept it.

I'm pretty sure you would be surprised at what your friends would chose, and maybe even yourself.

BTW, fyi, Catalan is actually slightly on the rise, new immigrants aside.

on the match, I had a great time and I think we played very well on the first half. I loved Pedro scoring a brace. he has been so unfairly treated this season...

I don't have a bad word for anyone, I even like Alexis, although that dive was stupid, he should have tried to score!

one thing I will say: I hope 343 is dead and buried. we attack at least as well with 433 and are definitely more solid. hope Tito sees it.

great games from pique and some of the chants were hilarious.

@ danyjr. it's also extremely ironic what you said about separatism considering that Argentina had to be separated from Spain.



you seem to be proud of being Argentine... contradiction much? you owe some of that pride. to Catalans who were very important in Argentina s independence. you knew that?

Young people in Catalonia are taught Catalan in schools with lessons in the language, even in universities such as UB. Catalan being on the rise is a result of that. I myself was taught in Catalan in school but that doesn't mean Catalan is the language used to talk for every day use. It is one thing for Generalitat to force the language, I think it is good to preserve your culture - than for people to actually use it by choice. I don't mean people are against learning it, but it is more of a symbol than something of major use, especially compared to Castilian. And let's not forget the fact that most immigrants don't bother learning it, a good example would be Messi who can't put a sentence together despite having lived in Barcelona from a very young age- respect to Dani Alves, who tries though

I'm not against separatism but I am against the majority of people who run it for their personal gain.

And no I didn't know Catalans were very important in Argentina's independence. I think it is one of those things only people in Catalonia have heard of

danyjr wrote:Young people in Catalonia are taught Catalan in schools with lessons in the language, even in universities such as UB. Catalan being on the rise is a result of that. I myself was taught in Catalan in school but that doesn't mean Catalan is the language used to talk for every day use. It is one thing for Generalitat to force the language, I think it is good to preserve your culture - than for people to actually use it by choice. I don't mean people are against learning it, but it is more of a symbol than something of major use, especially compared to Castilian. And let's not forget the fact that most immigrants don't bother learning it, a good example would be Messi who can't put a sentence together despite having lived in Barcelona from a very young age- respect to Dani Alves, who tries though

I'm not against separatism but I am against the majority of people who run it for their personal gain.

And no I didn't know Catalans were very important in Argentina's independence. I think it is one of those things only people in Catalonia have heard of

Catalan in everyday use it's on the rise too. For the very simple reason that in the 60's 3 milion spaniards came who didn't know catalan and who have barely learnt it, while their children know it. You are young, and it's true that Catalan is very weak amongst young circles in Barcelona, however catalan is very strong in other circles, like business and especially families. There are lots of people who raise their children in catalan, even people who were spanish speakers. Also, as you barely use catalan, I seldom speak in spanish, so it goes both ways.

I don't think many people favours catalan independence for their personal gain. Independence would actually benefit all of us. Spanish and catalans would stop pointlessly arguing all the time and could actually work to improve their countries. We particularly would be benefited from Spain not trying to eliminate us anymore as a nation and block us politically all the time. Also, those who live in catalunya would not have to bear the tax deficit of 21.000 milion euros per year (12% of our PIB or 2.000 new schools or 200 hospitals per year) that we lose in taxes with the rest of Spain. When you work, that will be a lot of the money you pay in taxes.

Two of the leaders of one of the parties that led Argentina's independence revolution of 1815 were catalans: Joan Larreu (Juan Larrea later) and Domènec Matheu (Domingo Matheu) and many other aregntine inependentists were from catalan descent.

It's no coincidence. In Costa Rica a Catalan was also very important in the independence process.

No, he didn't play at all.

Kieta had to play as Pep loves him and well Afellay is that attacking option if we are a goal or we are drawing. WE were leading 3-0, we didn't need him. Good game. Pedro was brilliant!

free_cat wrote:Catalan in everyday use it's on the rise too. For the very simple reason that in the 60's 3 milion spaniards came who didn't know catalan and who have barely learnt it, while their children know it. You are young, and it's true that Catalan is very weak amongst young circles in Barcelona, however catalan is very strong in other circles, like business and especially families. There are lots of people who raise their children in catalan, even people who were spanish speakers. Also, as you barely use catalan, I seldom speak in spanish, so it goes both ways.

More people knowing Catalan doesn't necessarily mean the language is going to be used more in everyday purposes. My girlfriend spoke castellano to her family and friends and only used Catalan when talking to her grandmother who lived in Alt Camp, in the countryside while her parents all spoke Catalan in their family environment when they were young. I still stand by my word that, at least in the city, Catalan being spoken is on decline.

free_cat wrote:I don't think many people favours catalan independence for their personal gain. Independence would actually benefit all of us. Spanish and catalans would stop pointlessly arguing all the time and could actually work to improve their countries. We particularly would be benefited from Spain not trying to eliminate us anymore as a nation and block us politically all the time. Also, those who live in catalunya would not have to bear the tax deficit of 21.000 milion euros per year (12% of our PIB or 2.000 new schools or 200 hospitals per year) that we lose in taxes with the rest of Spain. When you work, that will be a lot of the money you pay in taxes.

On paper, maybe independence looks good for Catalonia, but I believe you win some and you lose some and in the end economy would stay the same, if not having a dip for many years due to having to build infrastructure exclusively for the now independent region. I believe improvements are possible without necessarily gaining independence. For example, Generalitat has never had so much power in its history and this is a success for Catalonia.

free_cat wrote:Two of the leaders of one of the parties that led Argentina's independence revolution of 1815 were catalans: Joan Larreu (Juan Larrea later) and Domènec Matheu (Domingo Matheu) and many other aregntine inependentists were from catalan descent.

It's no coincidence. In Costa Rica a Catalan was also very important in the independence process.

This is a vague statement. In that case, Argentina owe its independence to people with Italian, Spanish and Basque ancestry too. But let's not go too far. These are the people who colonised and captured the land belonging to aborígens in the first place. Consequently, they fought their own governments to rule the founded land themselves.

Like the guy above? Why do you have to argue the case for the sake of it... You're just going over the same thing. Its not even interesting to read.

danyjr wrote:
More people knowing Catalan doesn't necessarily mean the language is going to be used more in everyday purposes. My girlfriend spoke castellano to her family and friends and only used Catalan when talking to her grandmother who lived in Alt Camp, in the countryside while her parents all spoke Catalan in their family environment when they were young. I still stand by my word that, at least in the city, Catalan being spoken is on decline.

Whatever you say dude. You are just pointing out to anecdotic evidence, I was actually mention what polls and surveys say.

danyjr wrote:On paper, maybe independence looks good for Catalonia, but I believe you win some and you lose some and in the end economy would stay the same, if not having a dip for many years due to having to build infrastructure exclusively for the now independent region. I believe improvements are possible without necessarily gaining independence. For example, Generalitat has never had so much power in its history and this is a success for Catalonia.

If indepdence is so vaguley good, Argentina should definitely go back being part of Spain then. It would save a lot in infraestructure and so on.

danyjr wrote:This is a vague statement. In that case, Argentina owe its independence to people with Italian, Spanish and Basque ancestry too. But let's not go too far. These are the people who colonised and captured the land belonging to aborígens in the first place. Consequently, they fought their own governments to rule the founded land themselves.

I never said Argentina owed independence to Catalans, just that some catalans were very important to it.

End of discussion, I shouldn't really be debating with someone who thinks that fascism and independentism are the same thing.