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Villarreal's disappointing Champions League campaign ended last night, with Villarreal becoming the first Spanish side to get nothing from the group stage (Depor had two points from its six matches one year, the previous record).
EPM's correspondent says it was a "hard to digest" game, perhaps an appropriate phrase given that gastroenteritis was responsible for Borja Valero's absence last night, and we could have used him for sure!
Partido difícil de digerir - Deportes - El Periódico Mediterraneo
Only 18,000 in El Madrigal, the lowest attendance for a European match in a while, couldn't have been pleasing to Sr. Roig. As for the game, general agreement that Napoli was far from convincing but Imler's strike did the trick.
Nilmar was rusty, DeGuzman had a couple of nice runs but no more, and without Borja we struggled to make incisive passes forward to create opportunities from midfield. EPM agrees the first part of the second half was better, but the goal against the run of play pretty much ended things.
At least everyone is agreed that we were trying our best, unlike the firestorm surrounding the Dinamo Zagreb-Lyon match. EPM has a photo showing a Dinamo player supposedly winking at Gomis after he scored one of his goals.
Watching the highlights I have to say the Dinamo centerbacks looked awfully disinterested, but they were down to 10 men. The Zagreb club is taking the offensive, though--they fired the coach right after the match and have now threatened lawsuits against "the media" for suggesting they did anything shady. And the French betting authority is looking into the game:
French betting authority investigates Lyon's Champions League win | Football | guardian.co.uk
Finally, a few rumors. Nilmar first--Brazilian club Sao Paulo FC apparently wanting to bring him back home. But the proposed deal, €6 million plus two young players, is not going to get it done, I expect.
This one might have more possibilities: Villarreal, along with Getafe and Atleti, are said to be interested in Malaga's Argentine midfielder Diego Buonanotte, signed from River last January but struggling for playing time under Manuel Pellegrini.
Málaga: Buonanotte, en la mira de Atlético Madrid, Villarreal y Getafe - Goal.com
And finally, if it's coming from Italy, it must be about Rossi. No comment other than me, the "rating" at the bottom of the article says it all!
Endavant!