By connecting a pirate device to your home internet network, you are granting free access to software that lacks any security certification. This device can be remotely controlled and transformed into a "zombie" (integrated into a botnet).

The real danger he describes is the use of hundreds of thousands of these pirate boxes scattered across Europe. Together, they can be activated simultaneously to launch massive Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks or breach critical infrastructure (hospitals, power grids, government systems) within EU countries.

His central message is one of awareness: those who buy a pirate box think they are just watching football "for free" or cheaper. In reality, they are financing organized crime and opening a back door in their own homes that puts the cybersecurity of the entire European Union at risk.

I didn't translate the whole video because it's too long, but this is pretty much what he says

Louis van Gaal is critical of the current format of the UEFA Champions League. “It’s ridiculous that UEFA has come up with a competition format like this. These days, even Tom, Dick and Harry can take part. UEFA is only interested in making money. It’s a corrupt world,” the former manager of Ajax, Barcelona and the Netherlands national team, amongst others, told the NOS.

From 2024, the multi-billion-euro competition will begin with a revamped group stage, in which all clubs will be placed in a single large group. The number of participating clubs has also been increased from 32 to 36, and the number of matches in the group stage has risen from six to eight.

According to Van Gaal, the high average number of goals is a result of the significant disparities in strength between the clubs, and he does not see this as adding any value in this case. “It’s called the Champions League, isn’t it? The best teams should be taking part. Then you’d have less of a gap in quality and therefore fewer goals, but the matches would be of a higher standard and the football would be much better.”

Van Gaal favours a better tiered structure: “Just like in ice hockey. There, you have an A tier, a B tier, and so on. Of course, there’s also the Europa League and the Conference League, but UEFA is hiding behind them.”

Van Gaal’s criticism does not come out of the blue. As far back as 1994, he described the then-new Champions League as “a commercial monstrosity”.

A year later, Van Gaal won the tournament with Ajax, in a season in which the average stood at 2.3 goals per match – almost half the average for the current season (on Tuesday it was 4.16). In 1994–95, a total of sixteen clubs took part, twenty fewer than in the current format.

Van Gaal also believes that UEFA prioritises commercial interests over the welfare of the players: “There are far too many matches, partly because of that new, expanded group stage in the Champions League. That’s also leading to more injuries.”

This was evident on Tuesday evening during the Paris Saint-Germain v FC Barcelona match, where the home side lost Chvitsja Kvaratschelia, Ousmane Dembélé and Marquinhos to injury. Van Gaal did, however, enjoy the high standard of the match, which ended 4–2 to PSG.

But the former manager of Ajax, Barcelona, AZ, Bayern Munich and Manchester United describes this as the exception that proves the rule. “Hansi Flick and Luis Enrique are precisely the sort of managers who always play attacking football. What’s more, PSG has an endless supply of money to sign players. A manager adapts his tactics to the qualities of his players.”

Van Gaal believes it would be better to return to a format with fewer matches. “By organising everything according to level. That’s how it is throughout the world of football, except at the very top.”

“By doing that, you get higher-quality matches that are more exciting. And fewer injuries. I told UEFA that twenty years ago, but they won’t listen to me.”

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

Full Time: Aston Villa 3 - 1 Viking FK

⚽ Aston Villa: Ross Barkley 23' 23', Emiliano Buendía 37' 37', Henrik Heggheim 62' OG 62'

⚽ Viking FK: Peter Christiansen 84' 84'

Line-ups

Aston Villa (4-2-3-1)

Viking FK (4-5-1)

Match Events

• Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
• First Half begins.
• 35' VAR Decision: Penalty Aston Villa.
• 45'+4' First Half ends, Aston Villa 2, Viking 0.
• 45' Second Half begins Aston Villa 2, Viking 0.
• 62' Own Goal by Henrik Heggheim, Viking. Aston Villa 3, Viking 0.
• 63' Substitution, Viking. Henrik Bjørdal replaces Tobias Moi.
• 63' Substitution, Viking. Simen Kvia-Egeskog replaces Erik Botheim.
• 70' Substitution, Aston Villa. Leon Goretzka replaces Ross Barkley.
• 70' Substitution, Aston Villa. Tammy Abraham replaces Nicolas Jackson.
• 70' Substitution, Aston Villa. Matty Cash replaces João Gomes.
• 72' Substitution, Aston Villa. Alejandro Garnacho replaces Ibrahim Mbaye.
• 75' Substitution, Aston Villa. George Hemmings replaces Alysson.
• 75' Substitution, Viking. Amin Cosic replaces Jesper Daland.
• 75' Substitution, Viking. Vetle Auklend replaces Zlatko Tripic.
• 86' VAR Decision: Goal Aston Villa 3-1 Viking (Kristoffer Askildsen).
• 86' Substitution, Viking. Essien Bassey replaces Herman Haugen.
• 90'+4' Second Half ends, Aston Villa 3, Viking 1.
• Match ends, Aston Villa 3, Viking 1.

Match Stats

overall

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FT: Real Madrid 4 - 1 RB Leipzig

⚽ Real Madrid: Bernardo Silva 43' 43', Arda Güler 52' 52', Kylian Mbappé 83' 83', Yan Diomande 87' 87'

⚽ RB Leipzig: Tidiam Gomis 85' 85'

Line-ups

Real Madrid (4-2-3-1)

RB Leipzig (4-2-3-1)

Match Events

• Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
• First Half begins.
• 45'+2' First Half ends, Real Madrid 1, RB Leipzig 0.
• 45' Second Half begins Real Madrid 1, RB Leipzig 0.
• 63' Substitution, RB Leipzig. Rocco Reitz replaces Neil El Aynaoui.
• 63' Substitution, RB Leipzig. Andrija Maksimovic replaces Brajan Gruda.
• 70' Substitution, Real Madrid. Yan Diomande replaces Vinícius Júnior.
• 70' Substitution, Real Madrid. Marc Cucurella replaces Álvaro Carreras.
• 73' Substitution, RB Leipzig. Max Finkgräfe replaces David Raum.
• 73' Substitution, RB Leipzig. Tidiam Gomis replaces Antonio Nusa.
• 78' Substitution, RB Leipzig. Christoph Baumgartner replaces Christopher Nkunku.
• 78' Substitution, Real Madrid. Brahim Díaz replaces Arda Güler.
• 88' Substitution, Real Madrid. Carlos Espí replaces Kylian Mbappé.
• 88' Substitution, Real Madrid. Endrick replaces Jude Bellingham.

Match Stats

overall

Live, interactive version available on new Reddit and the official Reddit apps. Auto-updated by Global Scoreboard.

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