UEFA Europa League 2011-2012

[Rebajlo]

Semifinals, second legs:

Athletic Bilbao 3 Sporting Lisbon 1 (Athletic Bilbao win 4-3 on aggregate)

ATHLETIC BILBAO:

All Whites, All Basques

SPORTING LISBON:

Started: 10 Whites (4 Portuguese), 1 mestizo
Finished: 9 Whites (3 Portuguese), 1 black, 1 mestizo

Valencia 0 Atletico Madrid 1 (Atletico Madrid win 5-2 on aggregate)

VALENCIA:

Started: 9 Whites (6 Spaniards), 2 Arabs
Finished: 9 Whites (5 Spaniards), 2 Arabs

ATLETICO MADRID:

Started: 8 Whites (3 Spaniards), 1 black, 1 mestizo, 1 Turk
Finished: 8 Whites* (4 Spaniards), 1 black, 1 mestizo *Portuguese Tiago Mendes sent off after 79'

 

[frederic38]

Semifinals, second legs:

Athletic Bilbao 3 Sporting Lisbon 1 (Athletic Bilbao win 4-3 on aggregate)

ATHLETIC BILBAO:

All Whites, All Basques

SPORTING LISBON:

Started: 10 Whites (4 Portuguese), 1 mestizo
Finished: 9 Whites (3 Portuguese), 1 black, 1 mestizo

Valencia 0 Atletico Madrid 1 (Atletico Madrid win 5-2 on aggregate)

VALENCIA:

Started: 9 Whites (6 Spaniards), 2 Arabs
Finished: 9 Whites (5 Spaniards), 2 Arabs

ATLETICO MADRID:

Started: 8 Whites (3 Spaniards), 1 black, 1 mestizo, 1 Turk
Finished: 8 Whites* (4 Spaniards), 1 black, 1 mestizo *Portuguese Tiago Mendes sent off after 79'

aupa athletic!

unfortunately valencia is a good example of the increasing arab influence in spanish la liga, with 2 arab starters, who are also foreigners (both french)
there are more arab players for financial and market-related reasons
even atletico madrid has a turk

 

[Giles Daldanus]

I wanted to comment on the UEFA Cup final…One of the most enjoyable matches I have ever watched! Both teams were committed to playing attacking football and it was a true spectacle and a perfect endorsement for the game. Brilliant goals by Falcao, he is a rising star and appears to be a decent lad (and is also proudly Christian)…I was really impressed by Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois - he is only 19 years old, but was really confident and expertly dealt with all the crosses. Congratulations to Athletico Madrid and the young Basque players, who appeared genuinely heartbroken following their defeat…I was somewhat disappointed that the Madrid side were so successful in snubbing out the Basque team’s attacking threat and during the second half the team from Bilbao didn’t really look like getting back into the game, but I guess their inexperience on the big stage finally showed …in any case we can expect much more to come from this talented cohort of Basque players. Athletico Madrid under Diego Simeone need to start focusing on the Champions League.

 

[frederic38]

I wanted to comment on the UEFA Cup final…One of the most enjoyable matches I have ever watched! Both teams were committed to playing attacking football and it was a true spectacle and a perfect endorsement for the game. Brilliant goals by Falcao, he is a rising star and appears to be a decent lad (and is also proudly Christian)…I was really impressed by Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois - he is only 19 years old, but was really confident and expertly dealt with all the crosses. Congratulations to Athletico Madrid and the young Basque players, who appeared genuinely heartbroken following their defeat…I was somewhat disappointed that the Madrid side were so successful in snubbing out the Basque team’s attacking threat and during the second half the team from Bilbao didn’t really look like getting back into the game, but I guess their inexperience on the big stage finally showed …in any case we can expect much more to come from this talented cohort of Basque players. Athletico Madrid under Diego Simeone need to start focusing on the Champions League.

i was waiting for rebajlo to do a breakdown of the teams before posting about it :icon_mrgreen:
i got the impression that the basque players didn't play the same way that in the other matches
it could be because they are not used to play europa league finals

it was a little bit unfair because (from memory) atletico had 5 south americans
atletico madrid had players i like a lot, like godin, diego ribas, i also like falcao

anyway athletic bilbao made an incredible UEFA europa league and there is nothing to be ashamed of
i will always remember the match in which they beat manchester united


it was a great competition, i hope that UEFA mantains it (suposedly UEFA want the champions league to have more teams, and they want europa league to disappear)

i also like this competition because now it's the only competition available for free on french TV

 

[Rebajlo]

i was waiting for rebajlo to do a breakdown of the teams before posting about it :icon_mrgreen:

Well, here it is... :icon_grin:

ATLETICO MADRID:

Started: 8 Whites (4 Spaniards), 1 black, 1 mestizo, 1 Turk
Finished: 9 Whites (5 Spaniards), 1 black, 1 mestizo

No need for a breakdown of Athletic Bilbao.

Quite naturally, I was disappointed with the result - especially as Athletic slumped to a tenth-place finish in La Liga...

Let's hope that the Basques can upset Barcelona in the final of the Copa del Rey...

 

[Porthos]

...Finished: 9 Whites (5 Spaniards), 1 black, 1 mestizo...

Well, for today's standards - not too bad.
Remember, these will be remembered as the "good old times" in 15-20 years...

 

[Rebajlo]

Porthos -

Yes, by today's standards Atletico Madrid's team is very "White", but I would rather have seen the "all-White" Athletic Bilbao lift the trophy.

Now, that would have been a nice brass-knuckled fist in the gob of the "multiculturalists"...