Panel discussion: does the image of Real Betis being the current leader means that something strange is happening??

Here's another panel discussion:

Does the image of Real Betis being the current leader means that something strange is happening in La Liga??

Don't hesitate in commenting if you have any suggestion!!

Welcome to hell (5-0)

Welcome to HELL. That's how the Camp Nou greets it's visitors. And today it seemed to work.

We could ultimately say it was a "typical from home" match.

Although the first bite was from the colchoneros, with a quite lucky long shot from Tiago Mendes that slammed against the crossbar and went out, Barça went progressively up, and Atlético progressively down.

In minute 9 came the can opener: a greatest pass by Xavi, Villa chests it down, ingeniously feints up Antonio López and ends up beating Thibaut Courtois with a typical "ground power shot".

While trying to recover from the 1-0, the colchoneros suffered the worst disgrace a team can always find: an own goal, in minute 15, after a sensational pass by Xavi (man of the match for sure) Messi slams the ball against Courtois, and the rebound hits Miranda's legs, and despite the brazilian's best efforts, the ball ends up in the net, much to Courtois's dismay.

Messi (omnipotence personified) was the scorer of the three following goals (yes, it's a hat-trick, and again, against the colchoneros... they seem to be Messi's speciality), the first one is an amazing, rogue-styled move, coming from a throw-in, advancing forwards and suddenly feinting ino the area, at the same time leaving both Filipe Luis and Mario Suárez stuck, and then beating Courtois for the third time with a ball-breaking shot. So typical, yet still so amazing...

Let's get into the second one, another masterpiece (I highlight that between the third and this fourth goal Messi could have made a truly historical goal, if it wasn't for Perea, who was looking to kill Messi around this time, as Messi got the ball in the front of Barça's area, and I would not exaggerate if I say that he dribbled almost all of the opposing team and he ended in front of the colchonero area just before Perea tried to kill him.) Eeeeem as I was saying, the second goal from Messi is such another masterpiece: after an all-star pass by Xavi (omnipresent today), Messi makes his classical "all-people dribble-around" to end it with a "ground power shot", leaving Courtois beaten again and begging for the match's ending.

The fifth and last is another "typical from home" made goal: after dizzing and dizzing around the colchoneros (who had some chances near the end of the second half) Cesc gives the ball to Messi, who then makes a wall pass with Villa, to end up beating Courtois again with an impressive, almost spaceless "ground power shot" (Yes, Messi's preferred shots).

Falcao?? Has this guy existed today?? I'd say no, almost like the rest of the the colchonero team.

Well, take a deep breath, beacuse a looooong, very long travel to Minsk awaits us to play next Wednesday against BATE Borisov in the UEFA C.L. group stage (should not be too difficult, but lets not get off guard, beacuse another draw could really begin to complicate things in the C.L.).

If I remark something of the belarusians? Only their new star striker: a former colchonero, the serbian Mateja Kezman.

Well, that's all for now, folks, see ya after the BATE-Barça!!

Cesc: I knew this guy would save us some day!! (2-2)

Another draw. What to say? Too "logged out". Barça seemed to be a lil' bit too "logged out" of the match, and Valencia used it to do a great deal of damage.

The beginning of the match was a total madness, after 15 minues both teams were tied 1-1, but both goal were scored by Barça players (you'd wonder if there's been an own goal, and I say that, unluckily, yes).

First of all, in minute 10, Jéremy Mathieu (Valencia's most incisive man) made a strong, low pass to Soldado from the left side, and Abidal (the unlucky fool of the match) while trying to clear the ball to corner, man, I don't know however he's done that, but he ended up touching the ball with the heel, redirecting it to the goal, catching offguard a full output Valdés and scoring the 1-0 for the "che". An unlucky move.

But the answer was instantaneous. In the next play (minute 11), barça kept looking for the goal 'till Messi found a gap to give a defense-breaking pass to Pedro who did not forgive against Guaita. Instantaneous answer. Extraordinary!!

Again, in minute 23, almost the same scene tham in minute 10 was repeated: Mathieu connects a deadly pass from the left side, Abidal ends up not clearing it (I suppose he was not sure of which maneuver to do to avoid another own goal) and Pablo Hernández, who was right behind the frenchman, caught the ball and did not forgive against Valdés.

Then Valencia added chloroform to the match. 'Till minute 75, when Cesc the Savior rose: "the fashion duo" (Cesc-Messi) acted up again to put the 2-2 in the scorer after Messi putting on another defense-breaking pass, this time to his good'ol friend, Cesc (did I mention that Messi, Cesc and Piqué are childhood friends??), already prepared to "bullet up" right to Guaita's goal and not forgive.

Despite the draw no one is disappointed. Our next opponent is one of the two "fashion teams" of the moment: Atlético de Madrid (yes, I'm sorry for Mr. Toni, but this Saturday we'll be eternal enemies for a hour and a half). Counting their matches with victories, Atlético has become a fearsome team, mainly due to to their "midfield grandmasters" Diego Ribas and Arda Turan, and their well known, yet still imposing striker Radamel Falcao (a.k.a "El Tigre" (The Tiger)).

And all this, on Saturday, 22:00 (probably on TV3, because 22:00 is the hour they always broadcast matches).

That's all for now, folks, see ya after the Atlético-Barça!!

The "rojillos" pay the piper (8-0)

How could we define it? A complete and total bruising.

Osasuna seemed to have permanently lost the north, and Barça used it to toy around with'em, scoring almost at pleasure.

The first strike came at minute 4: assist by Alves to Messi, who nets in with a point-blank volley. A psicological goal over anything.

The second came at minute 13: world-class spoon pass by Messi, and Cesc (no words left to describe him) almost breaks the ball with a tremendous volley.

About the third goal there's no much to say: typical line-breaking assist that Villa nets in after dribbling Andrés Fernández. But hey! The assistant was no other one than Abidal.

The fourth goal, fairly speaking, should not have been validated: great high-long pass by Messi to Villa, who is parting from a seemingly clear offside position, Villa drives the counterattack alone, shoots, Fernández blocks, but the dead ball hits Roversio's legs and ends up netted as an own goal.

The fifth: Cesc returns the favor to Messi: Xavi gives the ball to Cesc, who breaks in the area like a battering ram, controls the ball with a Romário-like 180º turn, and then gives the ball to an immobile, expecting Messi, who does not hesitate in netting the handful.

The sixth is a true wonder: great pass by Alves, Xavi makes an extraordinary control followed by a Romário-style vaseline (note thas as the ball entered, Andrés Fernández's face was an open book desperately begging for two things: mercy from the culé side and the ending of the match).

The seventh happened to be somewhat like the fourth: Osasuna suffers a defensive mess, Ibrahima loses the ball to Cesc, who clearly takes control of it with the left wrist, Cesc and Villa advance straight to Andrés Fernández, Cesc makes a death pass try to Villa who dribbles Fernández and nets in.

The eighth is a typical Messi-style goal (basically beacuse the goal was scored by Messi): Good assist from Cesc to Messi, who (again) makes an "all-people dribble-around" and gets sooooo nervous when facing Andrés Fernández that he even feints the final shot two times before releasing it and netting the eighth and ultimate goal.

Poor "rojillos". I feel sorry for them.

Well, now that we've recovered the winning ways in the best way possible (I guess that CA Osasuna did not deserve to pay the piper from the last two draws, but this is football, ladies and gentleman), get ready for a match of intensity, suffering, beacuse next opponent is Valencia CF, and we play in their territory (I guess you suppose we play in Mestalla), next Wednesday, 22:00 (sorrily too late for me :-( ), luckily broadcasted by TV3.

That's all for now folks, see ya next Thursday after the Valencia-Barça!!

Tuesday, the 13th: an unfair draw to begin the Champions League (2-2)

Tuesday, the 13th: something terrible was said to happen and it happened.

Barça has just been victim of a hell of unfair draw.

But the first team to strike was Milan, and how fast!! Almost lightning speed!! They only needed 23 seconds (you heard well, 23 seconds) to put the 0-1 in the scorer, after a world-class self-pass and a soundspeed 40 meter sprint ended with a powerful low shot under Valdés's legs, all made in Alexandre Pato (no doubt this guy will be among the world elite in a few years).

An unexpected cold water jar. But Barça did not throw the towel, and they began cornering Milan in their own area till the first arrived: a classical "all-people dribble-around" by Messi that ends in a death pass to Pedro who only has to push the ball.

In the second half arrived the second and the best goal of the match: a CR7-like foul shot by Villa, straight to the right square, unstoppable for Abbiati. Then Barça had more chances, but in the last gamble from the "rossoneri", Thiago Silva seemingly was enlightened by God: Abbate shot the corner apparently to no one, but then, out of nowhere, Thiago Silva appeared, and with a kangaroo jump followed by a masterful header, he made the Camp Nou shut up for the second time in the match (note that when Thiago Silva scored, some Barça fans bursted out of their seating in rage and anger).

Football is not always fair with the best team, you see... Hope we have better luck with BATE Borisov. And now let's focus in La Liga again, as we receive CA Osasuna.

That's all for now, folks, more after the Barça-Osasuna!!

Another curse?? Anoeta: the story of Guardiola's black beast (2-2)

4 victorys, 17 draws and 11 defeats.

What? No, i'm not talking about Sporting de Gijón or Racing de Santander, no.

These numbers are everything that Guardiola has done in Anoeta as player and manager. Surprising, isn't it?? I'd say yes. It seems that Real Sociedad is somewhat Guardiola's black beast (while playing as visitors, they're a joke team, but playing as locals, they can become a nightmare even for Barça and Madrid).

The match begun as it had to begin: Barça taking the lead role and scoring two goals in 11 minutes (Xavi (the grandmaster of the midfield) and Cesc (I shall repeat: This guy is on fire!!)).

But after that, Barça seemed to take a nap, thing that Mr. Philippe Montanier used in favor of the "Txuri-urdin".

First of all, after half an hour of game, Estrada delivers an horrorful tackle to Alexis. Result? Alexis, two months K.O., and Estrada, not even a yellow card. Who was the referee?? Mateu Lahoz (that says everything).

The catastrophe culminated in the second half, in a period of three fatidical minutes: 59-61.

1- A very long pass from Griezmann to Agirretxe that Xabi Prieto manages to save from throw in. Then Prieto delivers a clumsy, slow, and heavy long pass that Agirretxe somehow heads in Valdés's net. That makes the 1-2 (min. 59).

2-The most polemical instant of the game: counterattack driven by Agirretxe, Valdés makes a fake outcome (not typical at all in him), Agirretxe dribbles past him, shoots, and Busquets (the unlucky fool of the match) does not have other idea than crossing in the shot's path and handling out the ball to the crossbar. Everyone was claiming penalty and sending off, when Griezmann came and headed the falling ball in. This ended with everybody arguing with Mr. Lahoz, who finally validated the goal and gave a yellow card (still no known if it's for Busquets for handling out the ball, or for Zurutuza, for too much protesting) (min. 61).

Conclusion? We may be the best team of the world, but arrogancy is one of the worst enemies, and the "Txuri-urdin" have forced us to learn the lesson.

We gotta get in the way again, beacuse La Liga takes a breath and the UEFA Champions League group stage begins, with AC Milan visiting the Camp Nou this Tuesday (Yes, Ibrahimovic will also come, yes^^).

Well that's all for now, folks, hope we'll find the good way again and easily get rid of CA Osasuna, the 3rd league opponent.