Carling Cup Semi Final: Liverpool (1) vs Manchester City (0)
Copa del Rey Quarter Final: Barcelona (2) vs Real Madrid (1)
International Friendly: Panama vs USMNT
Urg… Barca is just becomming the good guy Yankees. It’s almost as if everyone quietly roots for them… seriously though… other than people who watch Primera… have you ever run into a Barca hater? I haven’t.
Maybe it’s the Unicef sponsorship.
Maybe it’s the legends that have played from Eusebio to Messi they have had a basic Who’s Who of footballers at Neu. Either way– David Villa isn’t all that… I don’t sweat him — just don’t know when or where he’s going to play— I guess it also means that Henry will be lacing it up in America next year.
All for now – B
I’ve seen some amazing Clasico matches and then some to be forgotten. Unfortunately, I have to take the latter for the one that happened last weekend. Now don’t me wrong, I have always been a life-long Milanista, however, there is a sense of respect and admiration about this Madrid club that I grew to admire.
You would figure after spending a King’s ransom (no pun intended) in obtaining star players Madrid should have steamrolled any opposition given their league record this year. However in the world of football it doesn’t work that way-sometimes. Still, Saturday came and I was at the pub for the big game. I have to admit the atmosphere was fantastic. There were some Madrid fans but the way the placed looked you would have thought the game was at the Camp Nou. Now if we go tit for tat Kaka didn’t play and Ibrahimovic was absent. Both teams had to rest on back up players for support. The game started and I was hoping the way Barca loves to play their style of keep the ball away and everyone press forward Madrid’s pace and counters would do Barca in. Sadly this did not even happen. Madrid did play well, sort of. But in reality it was just Marcello and Ronaldo who had to work tirelessly in getting the ball up-field only to be disappointed that nobody was around for them to pass or play with. The midfield with Van Der Vaart was a complete joke. Every time Ronaldo was near the penalty area nobody was there to pass to! By the time Gago, Xavi Alonso, or Van Der Vaart came down it was to late. Barca’s defense just stood there(smiling) ready for them. But that’s just petty stuff, the most agonizing thing to watch was the finishing; Madrid had chances to score but I think there must have been lead in the ball. Any type of meaningful shot was softly directed to Valdes not even properly testing him. As for Barca, that’s simple here is the reason they won, they played like a synchronized unit from defense to midfield to attack. Any opportunity to finish they did and they did it with style. When you have the worlds deadliest finisher in Messi a goal is guaranteed to happen and it did. Messi and Pedro both had great finishes taking advantage from Madrids unorganized defense.
Madrid’s problem was not lack of players or Kaka(well they did miss Kaka to marshall the attack). Rather, Pelligrini should learn from Gaurdiola, when you play like a team you will have results. This Madrid team for all their firepower (or at least on paper) are not an organized unit! Nobody knew where the other one would be and thus Barca just capitalized on those errors. Now, I’m not saying all is lost. At the end of the game it was another Barca victory but it was only because Madrid gifted it to them. I highly respect Guardiola for what he has done. At the press conference, he said something interesting about Madrid. This team he mentioned has one of the most deadliest paces in the world, and they can punish you for it. I agree with his conclusion. See after watching this game my compliments goes to Barcelona they played as a unit and totally deserved the win, but here is the caveat, before you Barca fans start dancing or parading around put your forks down, get your hands out the spaghetti, and listen. Madrid beat Madrid not Barca! Madrid’s lack of teamwork and organized pace costed Madrid this game. If Madrid used Capello’s team formula results would have been very different.
It’s up to Madrid if they want this not if Barca is this football giant, well they are but still Madrid is a sleeping Juggernaut. If they wake up and realize their potential El Clasico would be a Clasico! Anyways congratulations to the Catalonians for the deserved victory and no I still sayValdes is not better than “Santo Ikar” ! Hala Madrid 
Ciao -ACM
