Tomorrow night, two teams, two crowds, two radically different ideologies FROM SPAIN collide at the Arena Națională (National Arena) of Bucharest: Marcelo "El Loco" Bielsa's Athletic de Bilbao, charging for their first major european success, and Diego "El Cholo" Simeone's Atlético de Madrid, going for their second UEFA Europa League trophy.
So, let's start with the Basque, aka "Leones": A quite physical team that made a radical change with Bielsa's entry, changing their hard, quite direct game, for a more versatilized, "Joga Bonito"-styled one mixed with handbook counterattacks, thing that proved worth it, beacuse Athletic was able to almost literally TRASH Manchester United in the quarterfinals. Seriously, I bet for them.
Now, let's go with the "Colchoneros": A team that has got a shred of everything: physique, technique, speed...
They used to play a quite visual football, more of a "Joga Bonito" style with Gregorio Manzano, but when he was sacked and Simeone arrived, he gathered up all the muscle of the team, and made the opposite process of Bielsa: turned Atlético from a visual, qualityful but unsuccesful team to a rocky, agressive, physical and counterattacking succesful team.
The show is granted tomorrow, folks, so I promise I'm gonna write a post about The UEFA Europa League Final!!
That's all for now folks, see ya after the final!!
martes, 8 de mayo de 2012
sábado, 5 de mayo de 2012
BFE: Best Farewell Ever (4-0)
Best Farewell Ever. There could be no better farewell for Pep than trashing the cross city rival.
The 1-0 was made by a SPEC-TA-CU-LAR free kick by Messi, so swift that Cristian Álvarez dind't even see it.
The 2-0 was also by Messi. Handball by Javi López in the area. Penalty. You know the rest.
The 3-0 was also a penalty, also scored by Messi, after a very rash by Victor Álvarez over Busquets right in front of Cristian Álvarez (They may have the same surname, but they ain't brothers). As said, you know the rest.
The 4-0, ALSO by Messi, after a speedy counterattack, defined at the outcome of Cristian Álvarez.
Season's last match is worth it, cos' it's against Real Betis, palying at the Benito Villamarín stadium, where they've made EVERYONE that put a single foot there have fear chills. Remeber last time Barça visited this stadium, they were HUMILIATED by Betis 3-1.
So, next Sunday, 20:45, Gol TV, Betis-Barça.
That's all for now, folks, see ya after the Betis-Barça!!
The 1-0 was made by a SPEC-TA-CU-LAR free kick by Messi, so swift that Cristian Álvarez dind't even see it.
The 2-0 was also by Messi. Handball by Javi López in the area. Penalty. You know the rest.
The 3-0 was also a penalty, also scored by Messi, after a very rash by Victor Álvarez over Busquets right in front of Cristian Álvarez (They may have the same surname, but they ain't brothers). As said, you know the rest.
The 4-0, ALSO by Messi, after a speedy counterattack, defined at the outcome of Cristian Álvarez.
Season's last match is worth it, cos' it's against Real Betis, palying at the Benito Villamarín stadium, where they've made EVERYONE that put a single foot there have fear chills. Remeber last time Barça visited this stadium, they were HUMILIATED by Betis 3-1.
So, next Sunday, 20:45, Gol TV, Betis-Barça.
That's all for now, folks, see ya after the Betis-Barça!!
Useless trashing (4-1)
Useless trashing against Málaga, because Madrid also won in San Mamés and, thereby, they're the league champions.
A match that didn't have much history, only the thing that Málaga also tried to be somewhat loyal to the "Joga Bonito" style (Barça's style).
Málaga was the first to warn, with an impish free kick by Duda that almost shattered the left post.
But as Barça was getting in the match, the first came in minute 13, by Puyol: corner taken by Messi, ball to Cuenca, Cuenca to Iniesta, great dribbling by Iniesta, center and Puyol enters with everything and scores (1-0).
But Málaga would draw not much later, on minute 25: after a mix of "Joga Bonito" and counterattack, Jesús Gámez wins the ball, centers, and Rondón, the striker, imposing his oakish height against Puyol, heads in at pleasure (1-1).
Then, AGAIN, Messi imposed his law:
First, Gámez himself commits penalty over Iniesta, and Messi humiliates Kameni with a soft ball (2-1)(min. 34).
Then, again, penalty, this time from Duda over Messi. You know the rest (3-1)(min. 57).
And finally, Messi himself would close the scorer after a world star-class through pass by Iniesta, that left Messi running alone against Kameni, who went out like a bulldozer to stop "La Pulga" at any cost, but Messi AGAIN humiliated him, by swiftly "hatting" the ball over him and scoring at pleasure (4-1)(min. 63).
Next match i'gonna be Pep's last match in the Camp Nou, and what a match! El Derbi!! Yes you heard well, Pep's farewell will be against RCD Espanyol.
So, next saturday, 21:00, Canal +, at the Camp Nou, Barça-Espanyol, El Derbi.
That's all for now, folks, see ya after El Derbi!!
A match that didn't have much history, only the thing that Málaga also tried to be somewhat loyal to the "Joga Bonito" style (Barça's style).
Málaga was the first to warn, with an impish free kick by Duda that almost shattered the left post.
But as Barça was getting in the match, the first came in minute 13, by Puyol: corner taken by Messi, ball to Cuenca, Cuenca to Iniesta, great dribbling by Iniesta, center and Puyol enters with everything and scores (1-0).
But Málaga would draw not much later, on minute 25: after a mix of "Joga Bonito" and counterattack, Jesús Gámez wins the ball, centers, and Rondón, the striker, imposing his oakish height against Puyol, heads in at pleasure (1-1).
Then, AGAIN, Messi imposed his law:
First, Gámez himself commits penalty over Iniesta, and Messi humiliates Kameni with a soft ball (2-1)(min. 34).
Then, again, penalty, this time from Duda over Messi. You know the rest (3-1)(min. 57).
And finally, Messi himself would close the scorer after a world star-class through pass by Iniesta, that left Messi running alone against Kameni, who went out like a bulldozer to stop "La Pulga" at any cost, but Messi AGAIN humiliated him, by swiftly "hatting" the ball over him and scoring at pleasure (4-1)(min. 63).
Next match i'gonna be Pep's last match in the Camp Nou, and what a match! El Derbi!! Yes you heard well, Pep's farewell will be against RCD Espanyol.
So, next saturday, 21:00, Canal +, at the Camp Nou, Barça-Espanyol, El Derbi.
That's all for now, folks, see ya after El Derbi!!
domingo, 29 de abril de 2012
"Franjirrojo" pancake (0-7)
If someone thought that this was going to be a difficult match, then, WAKE UP, please, and tell me how can a so sad 11-man squad beat us.
So, that's the main:
0-1, Messi, min. 15, after a "goal opener" pass by Pedro, scores at pleasure.
0-2, Rober (o. g.), min. 26, after a really bad shot by Alexis, Rober, trying to clear, shoves the ball in his own goal, and, leg-spreaded, crashes against the post. Owch!!! That's gotta hurt!!
Min. 31: free kick superbly taken by Trashorras, but Pinto momentarily tranforms himself into Superman and answers with an almost unreal dive.
0-3, Keita, min. 38, long pass by him to Messi, who gives ankle syrup to three defenders, makes a picture-perfect through pass to Keita himself, and the malian defines with a slight touch.
0-4, Pedro, min. 48, after a pass by Alexis that Messi crashes against the crossbar, Pedro, with Cobeño grounded, scores at pleasure.
0-5, Thiago, min. 79, after a good center by Alves, Thiago makes a dull header, making the ball bounce hard against the ground, which leaves Cobeño stuck, and so it goes in.
0-6, Pedro, min. 89, after a superstar-class center by Thiago, Pedro is left alone against Cobeño, and, with the style that distinguishes him, scores at pleasure.
0-7, Messi, min. 91, after a bad control by Afellay (Finally!! After 6 months down he's back!!), who manages to not crash against Tello, who, in turn, gives the ball to Messi, who, almost free of mark, scores at pleasure.
Mmmm, I think that, for a second-rank team that is doing so well, this is too much of a punishment...
Aaaaand so, next rival is Málaga CF, who comes to Barcelona as the third positioned team, after a vital win over direct rivals Valencia CF. So, Wednesday, 2nd of May, 20:00, at the Camp Nou, Barça-Málaga.
That's all for now, folks, see ya after the Barça-Málaga!!
So, that's the main:
0-1, Messi, min. 15, after a "goal opener" pass by Pedro, scores at pleasure.
0-2, Rober (o. g.), min. 26, after a really bad shot by Alexis, Rober, trying to clear, shoves the ball in his own goal, and, leg-spreaded, crashes against the post. Owch!!! That's gotta hurt!!
Min. 31: free kick superbly taken by Trashorras, but Pinto momentarily tranforms himself into Superman and answers with an almost unreal dive.
0-3, Keita, min. 38, long pass by him to Messi, who gives ankle syrup to three defenders, makes a picture-perfect through pass to Keita himself, and the malian defines with a slight touch.
0-4, Pedro, min. 48, after a pass by Alexis that Messi crashes against the crossbar, Pedro, with Cobeño grounded, scores at pleasure.
0-5, Thiago, min. 79, after a good center by Alves, Thiago makes a dull header, making the ball bounce hard against the ground, which leaves Cobeño stuck, and so it goes in.
0-6, Pedro, min. 89, after a superstar-class center by Thiago, Pedro is left alone against Cobeño, and, with the style that distinguishes him, scores at pleasure.
0-7, Messi, min. 91, after a bad control by Afellay (Finally!! After 6 months down he's back!!), who manages to not crash against Tello, who, in turn, gives the ball to Messi, who, almost free of mark, scores at pleasure.
Mmmm, I think that, for a second-rank team that is doing so well, this is too much of a punishment...
Aaaaand so, next rival is Málaga CF, who comes to Barcelona as the third positioned team, after a vital win over direct rivals Valencia CF. So, Wednesday, 2nd of May, 20:00, at the Camp Nou, Barça-Málaga.
That's all for now, folks, see ya after the Barça-Málaga!!
martes, 24 de abril de 2012
Sad and cruel, very, very, very cruel farewell (2-2)
What was remaining. First, La Liga. Now, the Champions. Definitely, THIS IS A SEASON TO FORGET.
Again, Di Mateo used the same strategy than in Stamford Bridge, and this time it worked.
Barça was constantly endangering Petr Čech's goal, with the Czech goalkeeper answering flawlessly until Busquets's goal in minute 34, after a genius-level pass by Cuenca, who left him the only job to push the ball in.
Later, Chelsea lost a ball in midfield while trying to counterattack, to which Barça built up a "counter-counterattack" that led to the seond goal by Iniesta (min. 43). 2-0. Classified. Things are going well.
Buuuuut, you can never sing the song before the whistle, and Ramires proved that: in Chelsea's first chance, Meireles enabled him against Valdés, to which the brazilian defined with an almost unreal long-range vaseline.
DAMN. 2-1. Now CHELSEA is the classified.
Barça kept trying. Penalty by Drogba over Cesc. Sure chance. The referee whistles and... AGAINST THE CROSSBAR!!!!! No way!!! Messi can't miss that!!!
Tries, more tries, more possession, more be nervous, and when we were expecting somewhat similar to the "Iniestazo", what arrives was a... how can we call it? "Torresazo"?? Yes, you hear well. In Chelsea's SECOND CHANCE only, Torres, very clever, caught a dead ball with a plateau only for himself, Mascherano dind't even try to reach him, too fast, Valdés tried to make the save of the year, but Torres effortlessly got past him and scored at pleasure with empty goal. And that's all she wrote this year for Barça.
A very, very, very, cruel way to be eliminated. So, let's froget about it 'till next year, and let's get into La Liga again: next opponent is Rayo Vallecano, but this time playing at the Estadio Municipal de Vallecas. It's goin' to be difficult, beacuse Real Madrid suffered what isn't written in The Bible to take the three points from there, and with the referee's help (again)(Sergio Ramos's outraging elbow strike on Diego Costa INSIDE THE AREA?)
So, next Sunday, 21:30, Canal +/Canal + HD, at the Estadio Teresa Rivero (the other stadium's name), Rayo Vallecano vs Barça.
That's all for now folks, see ya after the Rayo-Barça!!
Again, Di Mateo used the same strategy than in Stamford Bridge, and this time it worked.
Barça was constantly endangering Petr Čech's goal, with the Czech goalkeeper answering flawlessly until Busquets's goal in minute 34, after a genius-level pass by Cuenca, who left him the only job to push the ball in.
Later, Chelsea lost a ball in midfield while trying to counterattack, to which Barça built up a "counter-counterattack" that led to the seond goal by Iniesta (min. 43). 2-0. Classified. Things are going well.
Buuuuut, you can never sing the song before the whistle, and Ramires proved that: in Chelsea's first chance, Meireles enabled him against Valdés, to which the brazilian defined with an almost unreal long-range vaseline.
DAMN. 2-1. Now CHELSEA is the classified.
Barça kept trying. Penalty by Drogba over Cesc. Sure chance. The referee whistles and... AGAINST THE CROSSBAR!!!!! No way!!! Messi can't miss that!!!
Tries, more tries, more possession, more be nervous, and when we were expecting somewhat similar to the "Iniestazo", what arrives was a... how can we call it? "Torresazo"?? Yes, you hear well. In Chelsea's SECOND CHANCE only, Torres, very clever, caught a dead ball with a plateau only for himself, Mascherano dind't even try to reach him, too fast, Valdés tried to make the save of the year, but Torres effortlessly got past him and scored at pleasure with empty goal. And that's all she wrote this year for Barça.
A very, very, very, cruel way to be eliminated. So, let's froget about it 'till next year, and let's get into La Liga again: next opponent is Rayo Vallecano, but this time playing at the Estadio Municipal de Vallecas. It's goin' to be difficult, beacuse Real Madrid suffered what isn't written in The Bible to take the three points from there, and with the referee's help (again)(Sergio Ramos's outraging elbow strike on Diego Costa INSIDE THE AREA?)
So, next Sunday, 21:30, Canal +/Canal + HD, at the Estadio Teresa Rivero (the other stadium's name), Rayo Vallecano vs Barça.
That's all for now folks, see ya after the Rayo-Barça!!
sábado, 21 de abril de 2012
Very, very, very painful defeat (1-2)
One of two: or a TRUE miracle happens, or we get leagueless this year. A very practical and effective Real Madrid managed to take the three points in the most important match of the season.
Things began like in every Clásico: Barça has the ball, Madrid has the chances, and, usually, the first goal.
As soon as the match began, but, it could be seen that something was missing, and that was the damned last pass, the one that leaves you alone against the goalkeeper.
Barça having the ball, but Madrid being the first to warn: only in minute 4: Özil takes a corner, Ronaldo "lob-heads" it over the defense, and, somehow, Valdés reaches it in order to send it to corner.
The first signal that noticed that this match was going to be a disaster was the first goal of the "merengues", by Sami Khedira: Özil takes a corner (again, as it's one of Real Madrid's best weapons, they're extremely powerful on aerial game), Pepe heads it, Valdés blocks it, Puyol takes it, and while thinking to who was going to pass, Khedira, showing a lot of cleverness for a defensive midfielder, just pushed the ball inside the net. OMG. That ain't no good, believe me. Then, Madrid shelled themselves in their area, always trying to find a chance to use their best weapon, the counterattack.
Minutes would pass, Barça would have few chances, and then, after entering for Xavi, Alexis, in minute 70, would end up scoring after a mess of rebounds in the "merengue" area. Phew... We still have got time, so, let's go for it!! But the drawing happiness would be ephemeral: only TWO minutes later, Ronaldo wins the position to Mascherano, catches a very long pass by Benzema, dribbles past Valdés and scores at pleasure. A lethal thrust. Just after drawing... That REALLY HURTS.
Barça kept trying and trying, but finally they couldn't recover from the deadly moral strike given to them by CR7. and CR7 himself had the 1-3 in the last sigh of the match: death pass by Benzema, and Ronaldo, having won the position to Puyol, tried to push the ball in, but, being almost in point blank range, he did the most difficult thing: sending the ball way over the crossbar. Phew...
I wonder thats what the portuguese superstar wanted for years. I hope you'll be happy now, Ronaldo, you've just RUINED us the league season.
So, I hope that we now will be able to look to the next match, the UEFA Champions league semifinal's seond leg vs Chelsea FC at home, more calmly, knowing that almost all possibilities of league comeback have just faded.
So, next Tuesday, 20:45, TVE/TVE HD (only broadcasted by them), at the Camp Nou, Barça-Chelsea.
So, that's all for now, folks, see ya after the Barça Chelsea!!
Things began like in every Clásico: Barça has the ball, Madrid has the chances, and, usually, the first goal.
As soon as the match began, but, it could be seen that something was missing, and that was the damned last pass, the one that leaves you alone against the goalkeeper.
Barça having the ball, but Madrid being the first to warn: only in minute 4: Özil takes a corner, Ronaldo "lob-heads" it over the defense, and, somehow, Valdés reaches it in order to send it to corner.
The first signal that noticed that this match was going to be a disaster was the first goal of the "merengues", by Sami Khedira: Özil takes a corner (again, as it's one of Real Madrid's best weapons, they're extremely powerful on aerial game), Pepe heads it, Valdés blocks it, Puyol takes it, and while thinking to who was going to pass, Khedira, showing a lot of cleverness for a defensive midfielder, just pushed the ball inside the net. OMG. That ain't no good, believe me. Then, Madrid shelled themselves in their area, always trying to find a chance to use their best weapon, the counterattack.
Minutes would pass, Barça would have few chances, and then, after entering for Xavi, Alexis, in minute 70, would end up scoring after a mess of rebounds in the "merengue" area. Phew... We still have got time, so, let's go for it!! But the drawing happiness would be ephemeral: only TWO minutes later, Ronaldo wins the position to Mascherano, catches a very long pass by Benzema, dribbles past Valdés and scores at pleasure. A lethal thrust. Just after drawing... That REALLY HURTS.
Barça kept trying and trying, but finally they couldn't recover from the deadly moral strike given to them by CR7. and CR7 himself had the 1-3 in the last sigh of the match: death pass by Benzema, and Ronaldo, having won the position to Puyol, tried to push the ball in, but, being almost in point blank range, he did the most difficult thing: sending the ball way over the crossbar. Phew...
I wonder thats what the portuguese superstar wanted for years. I hope you'll be happy now, Ronaldo, you've just RUINED us the league season.
So, I hope that we now will be able to look to the next match, the UEFA Champions league semifinal's seond leg vs Chelsea FC at home, more calmly, knowing that almost all possibilities of league comeback have just faded.
So, next Tuesday, 20:45, TVE/TVE HD (only broadcasted by them), at the Camp Nou, Barça-Chelsea.
So, that's all for now, folks, see ya after the Barça Chelsea!!
miércoles, 18 de abril de 2012
It's like two supergalaxies colliding... Like twin stars bursting... it's EL CLÁSICO!!!
Yes, you heard well. Next Saturday, it's an all or nothing for Barça to press on the leader, the eternal rival, Real Madrid CF, as they visit the Camp Nou.
Barça has the main disadvantage of the strong moral strike received at Stamford Bridge, where they lost in a really, really very cruel way the 1st leg of the UEFA Champions League Semifinals.
But Madrid isn't an exception. They also come from losing 2-1 against Bayern München in the Allianz Arena, the host stadium for the great final.
Over the time, Mourinho seems to have found the button which stops Barça's "goaling" machine: pure counterattack, using Ronaldo's, Benzema's and Higuaín's speed and ball control to catch the culé defense off-guard.
But the Santiago Bernabéu is the Santiago Bernabéu, and the Camp Nou is the Camp Nou.
Barça is Barça ans his philosophy, and Madrid is Madrid with his "Oh my God!! This isn't football!! This is karate!!"
So, next Saturday, 20:00, PPV (unlucky!), El Clásico, Barça-Madrid, at the Camp Nou.
That's all for now, folks, see ya after El Clásico!!
Barça has the main disadvantage of the strong moral strike received at Stamford Bridge, where they lost in a really, really very cruel way the 1st leg of the UEFA Champions League Semifinals.
But Madrid isn't an exception. They also come from losing 2-1 against Bayern München in the Allianz Arena, the host stadium for the great final.
Over the time, Mourinho seems to have found the button which stops Barça's "goaling" machine: pure counterattack, using Ronaldo's, Benzema's and Higuaín's speed and ball control to catch the culé defense off-guard.
But the Santiago Bernabéu is the Santiago Bernabéu, and the Camp Nou is the Camp Nou.
Barça is Barça ans his philosophy, and Madrid is Madrid with his "Oh my God!! This isn't football!! This is karate!!"
So, next Saturday, 20:00, PPV (unlucky!), El Clásico, Barça-Madrid, at the Camp Nou.
That's all for now, folks, see ya after El Clásico!!
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