Play-off against Bosnia Herzegovina heats up off the pitch.

@Miggy

Excuse me but what justifies beating a half conscious women that is asking for help and then beating up her husband for trying to protect her. What justifies throwing bottles at Bosnian journalists and spitting and racially insulting Bosnian players on and off the pitch. Could you tell me the “reasons” that would justify that. I don’t think I can change anyone’s idea about Bosnia because you already have your own stereotypical opinions chiseled up, so we are going to make it very simple: if you treat us like human garbage, you will get a same and even worse treatment when you come to Bosnia.

And you can spare me off the “higher moral ground” bullshit. You hit is with the bat will hit you with the bullet, you bring guns to our country, we’ll bring out cannons.

Posted from  United States

Yea, I gotta say Miguel the original title for this post was a wee bit over the top. You’ve been a fantastic writer for the blog and have done an excellent job staying on top of it. I just wanted to make sure that was clear and that you didn’t feel everyone was just piling on and attacking you. I appreciate you keeping the blog going, and I’m sure many of the other Selecção fans do too.

Regardless of all this nonsense with hooligans and politics and mistreatment of fans and players, tomorrow’s match should be very exciting. I admit, I’m still nervous. If it weren’t for the goalies best friends (the posts and crossbars) Portugal might have lost 2-1. Granted you could say “if Liedson had controlled his volley better, if we could get a free kick past the wall, etc.” that Portugal would’ve scored more. Nonetheless, the results is Portugal up 1-0 and eventhough my nerves are getting to me I do believe our boys will prevail and continue on to South Africa.

I wish I knew more about the Bosnians as I felt absolutely clueless watching on Saturday as I had no idea who I should be scared of. I’ve heard of all the big guns they have that play in Germany, but I don’t know their faces and the lack of names on the jerseys doesn’t help.

I don’t do predictions, but I’ll say it again that I believe whatever the result may be in tomorrow’s match Portugal will be able to celebrate a WC 2010 berth. Best of luck to both sides and let’s hope for an entertaining match tomorrow.

Posted from  United States

Watch out for #11 (Dzeko), #10 (Misimovic) and our wild card #18 (Miralem Pjanic) .. #15 (Salihovic .. one of the best free kick takers in the Bundesliga) ..

Should be a hell of a game .. I cant stop thinking about it .. The better team as always deserves to win and move on

Posted from  United States

Yea, I’ve been reading about Pjanic this morning. 19 year old kid, seems to be the next big thing out of your country. I’m excited to see him play. Hope he doesn’t do well for my own selfish reasons , but as a soccer fan I still would like to see him play. Why is there such a big controversy surrounding your coach not playing him?…I’ve heard of Dzeko the most out of all the Bosnian players and have seen Misimovic’s name hear and there. I even found out Zlatan is technically a Bosnian. That explains the non typical Swede name…

I’ve also read you guys might be taking a 3-5-2 approach in a more or less all out attack mode. I don’t know if I like that or if I should be even more nervous. The positive side of it all is that will open up the counter attack for us. The negative side I believe would be that you would likely have more possesion.

As you said, Mirza, may the best team win and move on to South Africa. I hope it to be Portugal, but that will all be decided and proven on the field tomorrow.

Posted from  United States

“Journalistic integrity” Ronin?
I’m writing the blog for Portugal FFS!

Am I biased?
HELL YES!! I’m writing the blog for Portugal FFS!

Since you are obviously a very cult person, a true admirer of journalistic truth, always seeking facts over fiction may I be so bold as to direct you to the Washington Post?
Here you go: http://www.washingtonpost.com

Bye.

Posted from  Portugal

Zlatan is definitely a Bosnian and still to this day (depending on who you believe) there really is no clear reason as to why he is not playing for Bosnia ..

Why is Ciro not playing Pjanic? The only answer that I was able to get is the fact that he is as old as he is stubborn .. Ciro is not a tactical manager but he can motivate a team like no other .. This old man is set in his ways and his belief and right now he really has no other choice but to play Pjanic from the get go .. This will definitely help out the Bosnians with keeping the ball and will certainly help out #10 Misimovic who was invisible on saturday (with 2 and 3 Portuguese constantly on him) .. Of course our biggest disadvantage came on that yellow card that Spahic got (he being our best defender will miss tomorrow’s game) .. In the end 3-1 is wishful thinking but Bosnian will definitely have to score at least 3 goals to advance ..

Posted from  United States

I hope that Bosnia can win tomorrow and that we can finally show our potential on the world stage. It’s unfortunate that these incidents had to occur both in Portugal and Bosnia. There is no need for these kinds of actions, even if those things did happen to Bosnian fans, players, journalists, two wrongs don’t make a right.

If Bosnia were to not make it (god forbid), Portugal would be one of the teams I would root for in the World Cup. And hopefully some of Portuguese fans feel the same if we were to make it.

May the best team win!

Posted from  United States

I’m from bosnia and yes the hooligans are arrogant bastards, your blog is biased obviously as you’ve stated your self, you were held at the airport BIG WHOOP, i as a citizen get held up at the bosnian airport, as a resident of the states, i get held up here, THATS HOW IT IS ITS A AIRPORT SECURITY MEASURES HAVE TO OCCUR NO MATTER WHAT, Our players were held up for two hours at YOUR airport i think you’re the ones that need to get your shit in order since we cut your wait time in half an hour you arrogant mother fucker, BEATING WOMAN IS JUST PLAIN WRONG NO MATTER WHAT THE INCIDENT WAS, if her man was trying to protect her he should of been detained as well as her BUT NOT BEATEN IN WHICH WORLD IS IT REALLY ALRIGHT TO BEAT WOMEN YOU TELL ME? YOU ARE SHITTING YOUR PANTS SCARED EVEN YOUR COACH IS SHITLESS SCARED, WE PLAYED 5 MATCHES IN ZENICA FOR WCQ AND YOU’RE THE ONLY GYPSIS THAT ARE COMPLAINING ITS SAD THAT YOUR COUNTRY FUCKING SUCKS AT SOCCER AND ARE AWARDED THEIR WINS WITH THE BULLSHIT REFFING

@ Ronin

I understand where you’re coming from but I think you have your sites set on the wrong forum. This is a Portuguese blog about the most passionate game in the world. Of course the writer is allowed to be biased. And further, no one comes to this site expecting a high level of journalistic integrity, not even SoccerNet or some of the other major sites can pull that off so why would we expect it here (although I must give Miguel full credit in that I think he does an outstanding job of keeping this blog as accurate and fair as possible).

You don’t need to be a journalist to understand that YES, there is a fair degree of danger to anyone of Portuguese decent that happens to be at that game tomorrow, or in the country for that matter, if Bosnia loses. Not because you are bad people, but because we know…because the world knows how much this game means to you. And further, the world knows your history as a culture that has been through some very difficult times and thusly hardened and full of fight. It’s for these reasons that Miguel writes about his fear for your reaction…and rightly so I believe.

Some of the people on here who make generalized, sweeping statements about your culture are obviously wrong. But please don’t expect us to discuss and be a bit apprehensive about the possibility of a violent reaction. I must say, however, regardless of the outcome, I do look forward to a peaceful game where my fears are proved unjust.

That being said, yes…we Portuguese are quite the, for lack of better words, “drama queens”…but that’s ok cause we’re a proud people and we can accept that about ourselves.

Lastly, I very much agree that is seems the mud is being slung in both directions in regards to what went down at the airports and beyond for each time. I will say that Portugal prides itself as being one of the most hospitable countries in Europe if not the world but when it comes to matters of futbol, anything is possible. I think you are right in that is wrong to speculate on either front, well said.

I’m sure it will be a good game and if you weren’t playing us I would wish you all the best. I wish you good luck otherwise.

Angry much?….

In other news, didn’t know any of the 3 out for tomorrow’s game were big pieces to the Bosnian team. I mean, obviously they are important since they were in the original starting XI but you can look at Portugal and if for example Duda was out on too many yellows you wouldnt hear any of us crying. We might be rejoicing, in fact. Maybe we can speak to FIFA and work that out….Nonetheless, that makes me less nervous about the game since your best defender is out. The Bosnian defensive already was a bit pourous as shown by how many goal they have conceded, and now without their best defender and trying to go for goals it should benefit the Portuguese.

I agree 3-1 is the result Bosnia will most likely need if they were to pass through. I don’t see Portugal being shut out, and I could easily see them scoring twice. It depends on how the Portuguese defense holds up and how Eduardo plays to see if an away goal or two is enough to ensure their qualification. Eduardo has been very solid in net and gives me a lot more confidence than our previous two keepers. I believe Portugal has a very good chance tomorrow. And as I said before, best of luck to both teams

Posted from  United States

all these hate for what its just a game we are not animals may the best team win that all. iam going for portugal becauce iam portuguese but i no the bosnians have a very good team

Posted from  Canada

Wow… Sit at home and watch Bosnia go down in flames. Dzeko this and Dzeko that, where was he on Saturday? That’s right, he had two or three shot on goals, our defense will eat you guys up and Portugal plays better when there is preasure. vai-te foder bosnians de merda

How we use to say: “Os cães ladram e a caravana passa”, or something like that. Translation “The dogs bark and the caravan carries on…”. This is figurated ok? Got it?
Well I really hope Portugal carries on, and if that happens (I really hope) I want to see you talking, bla bla bla!

Greetings!

Hey this blog is full of bullshit….its football and this happens….dont worry Bosnian people won’t kill anyone, we only kill each other….but fuck you European Fascists you treated us like the worst shit….look at your players…falling on the floor and taking dives when you dont even touch them….at least Bosnia plays with dignity and pride unlike you little ballerina faggots who think they have so much cash that they can shit on the rest of the world….well Welcome to Bosnia – Herzegovina where life is real…I hope you shit yourselves in Zenica….but apart from that may the best team win, good luck hahahaha

first and foremost, congrratulations to both teams for having made it this far. Concomitantly, lets not forget this is a soccer game and not a geographical territorial dispute.
As a proud Lusitanian, Golden Rivers fill my eyes when I hear the Portuguese National Anthem. As a Human being ( above all ),and if Bosnia wins, I truly hoe this will bring Bosnians dreams of Hope and visions of peace amongst themselves.
Go Portugal –As Armas, pela Patria a lutar.
Go in peace Bosnia.
Peace to all.

Portugal
Eduardo, Bruno Alves, Pepe, Ricardo Carvalho, Miguel Veloso and Duda.
Joao Moutinho, Raul Meireles and Deco ( Tiago )
Nani and Hugo Almeida.

Subs as needed.

make us sound like animal why dont ya!

Mate Bosnian fans were mistreated in portal, yet you don’t bother to mention that. Go on youtube and you will find a video of of fans being manhandled. So please save this bullshit to your selves. Cant believe you gusy actually applied for a permit to bring “weapons” to the city for self protection? Would you like a tank while you at it? Get fuked and play the game.

Posted from  Australia

Hey Ads
You are behaving like an austrolopithecus. You appear to be less of a epitomized individual.
Your idiocy is inate regardless of of denizenship.

Grow up.

-You (portugal gypsies) put our contry down
-Dont respect our law (want to bring weapons)
-Think your shit dont smell, our best ground is not good enough for you?-Spain didnt complain.
-Keep whinging “oh im scared to play oh there was a war here”. That reality, and if you dont like it, give us the 3-0 win
-Dont u guys have hooligans in portugal, surely u do!
-Grass not good enough? Do you have flowers instead of grass on your pitch or something.

Posted from  Australia

viriato, get off the drugs and say what you need in simple, plain, language. stop trying to sound smart and sophisticated

Posted from  Australia

Hey Limeni

I guess you don’t like gypsies ahh?
Xenophobic ?
Ethnic clensing does not occur in Lusitania. We have a very small population of gypsies. They are treated with dignity. You can come over with your cigany looks, no one will hurt you.

Ads
Put your country down? There is no reason to.
Portugal Gypsies?
Heroes of the Sea,
Noble Peole, Valiant Nation, Immortal
Rise again, today to the Spendor of Portugal
Within the confines of memory,
Oh Nation, we feel the voices
Of our great Christian forefathers
That shall lead us to Victory

To Arms, To Arms
Over The Sea and Over Land
To Arms, to Arms
For Portugal we Fight
Against Canians we March
We March

Afraid of what?
sea Monsters? No
Amazonia? No
We are fearless but civilised.

As per my vocabulary, I apologize if I have insulted you in any shape or form.

Not bad for a Nomadial Gypsy, ah?

Its all in the tactical approach. Make the fans more passionate thats all. Jose Mourinho has done the exact same thing with chelsea. He dwells on the edge of controversy. No harm Will come to any player. But to all the bosnian supporters here, they must know that Portugal are favourites to go through. Not just because of the 1-0 lead they have, But because they are a higher ranked team with better players. Also speaking of luck, and granted Portugal had its fair share in the first leg, Ronaldo wasn’t there to terrorize the Bosnian defense. So In Part that could count as luck in their favour…

Oh what nerves!!! Not sure I will be able to watch this match without shitting my pants. If we lose out to qualify for next year’s WC I will be bitterly disappointed and will feel like it’s the end of the world, but hey, let’s not live in any illusions, will be awesome to see Portugal there, but can we win the whole thing? Absolutely NOT! Much better teams – Brazil, Spain, Italy, Argentina, even England are better now, even though we would more than likely beat them again on penalties.

Hey Paulao if you are going to pretend you are Portuguese you should try and hide your IP address from me next time. So now I can just say you are a pathetic cry-baby from in or around Norwich. No way in hell are you Portuguese. Still sore with all the beating you got from our NT are you? Poster-boy for pathetic.

Posted from  Portugal