After a week of international football it was back to business as usual this weekend in the leagues around the world, and there was plenty going on to keep us entertained.
Given that this weekend there were an incredible selection of own goals to choose from, in particular in the game between Liverpool and QPR, there was quite a decision to be made in the Man Cave this morning on what was our favourite one. Then we saw this one from Maikel Kieftenbled of FC Groningen in the Eredivisie, and we knew we had a winner. How did this happen?
Last week there was a lot of controversy over the fact that Raheem Sterling apparently asked to be left out of the game against Estonia because he felt that he was too tired, and the moronic responses began to flood in with people telling him that the troops aren’t tired pal, why are you? Lionel Messi obviously caught wind of that reaction and decided that he didn’t want that happening to him, so when his manager Luis Enrique asked him to come off against Eibar with his Barcelona side 3-0 up, he politely declined.
Although the video is in Spanish, you can clearly see Enri que call his name, indicate to the bench and then say the equivalent of "c’mon man" before turning to his assistant and saying that there was no way that he was coming off, so they were going to have to change plans and opt to sub Neymar.
Next stop we’re headed to France, where Marseille coach Marcelo Bielsa has his side playing some beautiful football and flying high in the table. That said, it didn’t stop him from accidentally sitting on his cup of coffee over the weekend, which was funny.
Still, as we said they really are playing some nice, one-touch football.
Now, we normally only go to the MLS when Robbie Keane has done something great, but our favourite reaction, possibly ever, to a clear bit of injury faking took place in the game between the Montreal Impact and Toronto FC. As Impact’s Felipe was on the ground trying to waste time, Toronto keeper Belik showed him off the pitch in the most amazing style ever. Please note, we recommend this as the official soundtrack of the piece.
It earned him a yellow card, but we think he should also get a medal.
And finally, because people need to see that this happened, here’s a goal from the first division in Norway in which a bicycle kick turned into an assist for a lovely backheeled finish. Yes. Yes. Yes.
