Posts Tagged ‘ Copa del Rey ’

FC Barcelona Home 2007/08

FC-Barcelona-2007-2008

In retrospect, the 2007/08 season was the transition from one era to another. Moving on from the European Double in 2006, the Blaugrana phased out old soldiers (van Bronckhorst, Giuly, Belletti and Thiago Motta) and brought in key players for the upcoming cycle of success (Henry, Yaya Toure, Abidal, Milito, and Pinto).

ronny

After losing out to Real Madrid for the La Liga title the previous season on head to head results, Barca started the campaign strongly but too many draws and only four away wins saw the Blaugrana finish third behind Real Madrid and Villarreal. Glory was not to be found in the Copa del Ray either, as Valencia knocked FC Barcelona out in the Semis with a 4-2 aggregate win.

BARCELONA, SPAIN - AUGUST 29: Thierry Henry (R) of Barcelona controls the ball next to Pele of Inter Milan during the Gamper Trophy match between Barcelona and Inter Milan at the Nou Camp Stadium on August 29, 2007 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Jasper Juinen/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Thierry Henry;Pele

In Europe, Barca had a comfortable Group Stage and then faced Celtic in the Round of 16. A 3-2 win at Celtic Park saw them progress to the Quarters, where the Blaugrana secured a pair of 1-0 victories over Schalke. The result was a Semi-Final match up against Manchester United, resulting in a tense pair of matches, with Scholes’ worldy at Old Trafford being the difference for the eventual champs.

Trophyless, everything would change that summer as Pep Guardiola was named manager ahead of the 2008/09 season.

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(image courtesy of Colours of Football)

The home jersey for the 2007/08 campaign was straightforward, with thick blue and red vertical bands, very reminiscent of the shirt used in the 1980’s except without the collar. Together with blue shorts and hooped socks, this made for a stylish, traditional FCB kit. This was the second season of the club’s association with UNICEF, with the charity across the front of the shirt and a contribution made from the club.

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(image courtesy of FC Barcelona)

The highlight of the shirt was a circle of text noting the 50th anniversary of the Camp Nou. Opened in 1957 after three years of construction, it is the largest venue in Europe and has hosted games for the 1982 World Cup and 1992 Olympics and several European Cup Finals, including that magical night in 1999. (For more info on the venue, check out Chris Clements’ post at Estadios de Espana.)

I really like this shirt but rarely wear it. Partly because I don’t want to ruin it and partly because I don’t follow Barca as faithfully anymore. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

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Read the rest of my Strip Club posts here and follow me on twitter @austinlong1974.

2016
02/19
CATEGORY
Strip Club
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Strip Club–Half and Half Edition (Long Version)

In the summer of 1997, Dutchman Louis van Gaal took over at FC Barcelona from Bobby Robson, with the team coming off a relatively successful season—second in the league, Copa del Rey winners and Cup Winners’ Cup winners.  In the off season Ronaldo had moved to Inter after one amazing campaign with the Blaugrana, but not to worry as the lineup was chock full of stars, including Vítor Baía, Ferrer, Fernández, Guardiola, Couto, Óscar García, Luís Figo, Hristo Stoichkov, Sonny Anderson, Giovanni, Rivaldo, Sergi Barjuán, Guillermo Amor, Pizzi, Nadal, Luis Enrique, Reiziger, and Iván de la Peña.

luis enrique

After falling to Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup at the beginning of the season, this assembly of talent went on to win the Spanish Double.  The team got off to a fast start and led the league nearly the entire season, eventually securing the title by nine points over Athletic Bilbao, who had a made a late surge up the table.  Watching the league goals from that season, Luis Enrique was a machine, it was a reminder of how good Rivaldo was, and there were some fantastic goals against Real Madrid.  One other thing I noticed. . . either FCB wore their home kit almost every match or they could only score in the home strip.

rivaldo

In the Spanish Cup, FCB joined the competition in the Round of 16 and hammered Valencia, Merida and Real Zaragoza on their way to the Final, where they met Real Mallorca in Valencia.  An early goal from Mallorca had Barca on the ropes but Rivaldo, the tournament’s leading scorer, equalized midway through the second half.  Despite Mallorca having two men sent off before extra time started, FCB could not find a winner, having to win on penalties, with each team sending eight kickers to the spot.

In Europe the Blaugrana beat Borussia Dortmund to win the UEFA Super Cup but failed to progress in the Champions League.  Latvian champions Skonto were their opponents in the second qualifying round, and after a tough match at the Nou Camp, a 3-2 win, FCB travelled away and won 1-0 to move on to a group that included Newcastle United, PSV and Dynamo Kyiv.  Barca finished dead last in their group and were hammered 7-0 over two games with Kyiv.  I vaguely remember watching Tino Asprilla’s performance against the Spanish team at St. James Park in which he scored a hat trick (and even found the ESPN highlights with JP and Tommy Smyth).  Watching the highlights again, I was stunned by how Keith Gillespie tortured Sergi on the Newcastle left.

barcelona-97-home-use

This was one of the first jerseys I ever bought.  I can’t even remember if I ordered it from a catalog or found it at a store.  This was the last Kappa strip (who took over for the 1992/93 season) before the switch to Nike, and the Kappa color scheme tended to be more royal blue and bright red rather than the historic blue and claret.  One item I came upon in my research was that during the formation of the club, half the shirt was blue and the other claret, the sleeves were opposite colours and the shorts were white. One of the many theories explaining the origin of the kit colours — blue and scarlet — is that Gamper used the same colours as the Basel team, where he had played before coming to Catalonia. (Courtesey of FC Barcelona).  That season the club also had a European strip, which was an altered version of the home strip.

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The ring collar was a major design change after over 15 years of a standard collar, and the shirt also featured typical Kappa design features for FCB shirts, which included sublimated Barca and Kappa logos throughout the shirt and the Kappa logo down the sleeves.  The shirt is light but the collar is a little itchy so I always have to wear some sort of undershirt.  Blue shorts with the Kappa logo down the sides and blue and red hooped socks complete the strip.

FCB 97 98 strip

Of all of my FCB shirts, this is my least favorite although I like them all.  Nice piece of history though.

2015
01/23
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Strip Club
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MatchDay Memory: Luis Suarez Then and Now Part I (Luis Suarez Miramontes)

Imagine a time in the distant future when a player named Luis Enrique joins FC Barcelona or a new Hughes is signed by Manchester United.  That player will inevitably be compared to their predecessor, with the shadow of former glory always hovering around the player.  For Luis Alberto Suárez Díaz, who joined FC Barcelona in the summer of 2014, not only was he not the first Luis Suarez to have played for the Blaugrana, but he will probably not be as successful in terms of trophies as his predecessor.  On top of this, he also comes with his own unique baggage.

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I had heard of FCB legends like Samitier and Kubala and Cruyff and Maradona but knew almost nothing about the original Luis Suarez.  In researching Luis Suarez Miramontes (referred to as Lusito), I was stunned to learn of his accomplishments.  He started at Deportivo La Coruna before moving to FC Barcelona in 1955.  The squad had all the elements to prosper, with talented players like Kubala, Kocsis, Czibor, Evaristo, and Ramallets, and the arrival of manager Helenio Herrera created a cycle of success for the Blaugrana.  While the legendary Real Madrid of the 1950’s was winning five European Cups in a row, FC Barcelona found domestic success winning the 1957 Copa del Rey (then called the Generalissimo Cup) and back to back league titles in 1959 (Domestic Double) and 1960.  At the same time, the club found success on the continent, winning the Fairs Cup in 1958 and 1960.  Victory in the league allowed for entry into the European Cup, and in the 1960 edition, Barca lost to the mighty Real Madrid in the Semis.  But the Blaugrana eliminated their eternal rival in the first round of the 1961 competition before losing to Benfica in the Final.

Luisito-fcb

After the disappointment of the European Cup Final, Lusito was sold for a record transfer fee at the time to Inter, where he was reunited with Herrera and helped to create La Grande Inter.  At the new club, Il Mago changed Suarez’s role from goal scoring forward to deep-lying midfielder, and the Nerazzurri emerged from the shadow of their city rivals, winning three league titles, two European Cups and two Intercontinental Cups in an astonishing period from 1962-1966.  Suarez left Inter in 1970 and finished his career at Sampdoria, retiring in 1973.

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On the International front, Suarez appeared for Spain at the 1962 and 1966 World Cups, but La Roja did not progress out of the group in either competition. However La Selección won the 1964 European Championship on home soil, with Luisito a key component.  After defeating Hungary in the Semis, Spain faced off against the Soviet Union in the Final.  Kishen Patel summarized Lusito’s impact on the match:

Spain faced previous winners USSR in the final and once again Luis Suarez didn’t disappoint with his performance. A wise head among young players, Suarez was the eldest member of the Spanish squad. A sublime pass from Luisito found Jose Maria Pereda whose skillful finish left the “Black Spider” Yashin helpless. Spain were in the lead in the 6th minute in front of 100,000 spectators at the Bernabeu with General Francisco Franco among them. However, the Russian side equalised within two minutes of conceding and it took some heroics from Spanish goalkeeper Jose Angel Iribar to keep the scores level. Luis Suarez’s calming presence made the difference when he spread the play to the right and the ball was crossed in from there to find Marcelino Martinez who beat Yashin for the second time in the game with a headed effort. Spain clinched their first European Nation’s Cup on their home soil. Luis Suarez Miramontes’ ability to dictate play and orchestrate attacks highlighted him as the mastermind behind Spain’s victory.

Luisito-spain

In addition to his medals for club and country, Suarez won the 1960 Ballon d’Or, putting him in the pantheon of the great players in the 50’s and 60’s.  Gemma Simolo wrote for Inside Spanish Football that Suárez had exquisite technique, possessed extraordinary footwork, unrivalled when it came to his inch-perfect passing, thrived with creativity, and scored impressive goals.

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A profile of the current Luis Suarez and a comparison of the two players will follow later this week.

2015
01/06
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Strip Club–Mileage Edition

The summer of 2003 saw the dawn of a new era for the Blaugrana, with a new president and a new coach.  Laporta and Rijkaard came on to the scene and laid the foundation for future success that continues today.  I was fortunate to get a glimpse of the new team when they played Manchester United in Philly that summer as part of their pre-season tour.  Unfortunately the squad was wearing the khaki kit, one of Nike’s many away strip misfires over the years.

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In researching this season in particular, I was struck by the transfer dealings.  Ronaldinho, Davids, Marquez and van Brockhourst were brought in while Iniesta, Valdes and Oleguer were all promoted. With the exception of Davids, these players were key to the back to back league wins the following two years and the 2006 Champions League Final triumph.  And look at the players that left the club that year: Frank de Boer, Geovanni, Fabregas and Riquelme, plus one my favorite player names—Trashorras. The Dutchman tailed off but the other three had decent runs in new destinations.

Rijkaard’s first season in charge ended without a trophy.  (Read Graham Hunter’s excellent book Barca: The Making of the Worlds’ Greatest Team about the difficulties the Dutch coach faced early in his tenure.)  Valencia won their second title in four years, with Barca finishing five points behind, but this was an improvement on their sixth place the year before.  Because of that finish, FCB played in the UEFA Cup instead of the Champions League.  A heroic effort by Celtic goalkeeper Marshall and a solitary goal by Thompson saw the Hoops move on to the quarter-finals.  Success was not found in the Copa either, as Real Zaragoza scored late in the second leg to advance to the semis with a 2-1 aggregate win.

The home jersey for this season was a variation on the centenary jersey, using the navy blue shoulders with blaugrana stripes across the chest.

2003-2004 fc barcelona home

The shorts for the strip were more of a royal blue instead of the navy blue used four years earlier.  Finally the socks featured the blaugrana stripes.

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The jersey, which is relatively light, is a little too big for my liking.  A shame because I really like it, but eBay provided me a pretty decent knock off for super cheap.  This jersey was the end of a spring buying spree which saw me buy the Real Madrid Home and Away jerseys from that season and the Holland Euro 2004 Home and Away jerseys.  My son had just been born and I realized that I needed to be a little more responsible with my purchases.

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Special thanks for to Colours of Football for the graphics.

2013
10/18
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MatchDay Memory–The Big Two Part 2 (Memories and Tactics)

As for my personal involvement in the rivalry, the first El Clasico I can remember is the game after Figo switched sides in the summer of 2000.  I had loved him at FCB and was sad to see him go over to the Evil Empire.  I definitely didn’t have the hatred that the Nou Camp supporters showed when he returned to the Nou Camp, and I vaguely remember the famous Pig’s Head game that followed.  Tom Adams looked back at those days for Soccernet.

I have to admit that Clasico viewings between those games and the Pep Era were hit and miss.  Once I heard that Ronaldinho was actually cheered by the Real Madrid fans, I had to find highlights, during which I saw an amazing performance by Ronny, in a season that ended with the League and European Cup double.  Then in March 2007, I read the match report about the 3-3 draw and found snippets of the game, including a sick hat trick from Messi, but it wasn’t enough to keep Beckham and Real Madrid from winning the title that season.

I haven’t missed a League Clasico since Pep took over.  Some of the matches have been duds (December 2008 and November 2009) in which Real Madrid used an overly physical approach to nullify a Barcelona team in the ascendancy, while others have been Blaugrana Epics (May 2009 and the manita of November 2010).  Of course there was the Clasico Apocalypse of 2011, which saw the rivals play four times in 20 days.  I watched both legs of the Champions League semi and the league encounter but missed most of the Copa del Rey final (stupid work), although I did see CR7’s winning goal.  The Spanish Super Cups have been hard to schedule as they come during a ginormous work function, but in all in all, the games recently have been amazing on every level—drama, tactics, and technical ability.

Speaking of tactics, there have been several developments for both clubs during the recent years.  With Pep’s hire, the Blaugrana maintained the 4-3-3, which is part of the club’s DNA, but the former Barca captain added a level of pressing and increased fitness.  Possession became a means to defend, as opponents rarely saw the ball and were under constant pressure, eventually breaking under constant bombardment.  Width from outside backs allowed attackers to come inside and combine in intricately, leading to amazing goals of skill and precision.  Now that almost every opponent parks the bus, the team is confronted with their next progression.

Messi was slowly moved from his right hand berth to a more central role, starting as false 9, which caused backlines all sorts of problems.  Do you follow Messi into midfield?  Do you focus on him and allow Pedro and Villa to drive at you from the wings?  These days Messi has moved to almost a false 10 position with Fabregas stretching the play and Messi able to pull the strings and occasionally dribble at defenses.  Kxevin at the Barcelona Football Blog commented on this recent phenomenon.

Another player that evolved is Sergio Busquets.  Pep arrived and made the youth player the fulcrum of the team.  Yaya Toure and Seydou Keita have moved on as Busi has become vital to the success of the team. Andreas Vou looked at the evolution of Sergio Busquets for Inside Spanish Football.  Busquets has moved from the pivot to the third center back to the sweeper and back again, which has allowed the Blaugrana to constantly tweak the formation and approach.  Jonathan Wilson called him the 3 and a half after the first league Clasico of 11/12.

From a Real Madrid perspective, Los Blancos have progressed from an entertaining side that was open and scored lots of goals (but gave up plenty as well) to a pragmatic side that is a lethal counterattacking unit.  In the 2000’s the club made the mistake of selling Geremi and Makelele, players who snuffed out attacks, gave the ball to the creative players and shielded an aging backline.  The team was exposed time and time again and tried to outscore the opposition, which was effective to varying degrees.  After Capello squeezed a couple of titles out of a decent squad, the club floundered until Perez reinstituted the Galacticos policy, bringing CR7, Pepe, Ozil, Alonso, Benzema and a host of others.

These players were overmatched by the FCB machine and it took the arrival of Mourinho and a couple seasons of his discipline to pay dividends.  Now the squad defends as a unit, wins the ball and launches lighting swift counters with CR7, Di Maria, Ozil and Higuain or Benzema.  Angel Di Maria was signed to give balance to the attack and switched from right midfield, his position at Benfica, to left mid.  Occasionally he and CR7 switch but Di Maria’s cutting inside encourages interplay between the lone striker (Higuain or Benzema) and attacking midfielder (Ozil) and also allows Marcelo to overlap.  As for Ozil his transfer provided a more dynamic option to Kaka.  The German, who basically plays the same position for Germany, drifts side to side and pulls the strings. His teammates react by alternating positions, and opposing defenses are forced to make decisions against an attack full of dynamism and energy.

In the back Sergio Ramos has moved from right back to center back.  Carvalho was a Mourinho signing to help him build his power base but injuries and lack of form saw him slip out of the team.  Arbeloa has been serviceable on the right hand side, which has allowed for the emergence of a Pepe/Ramos pairing, full of speed and aggressiveness.  Frustration at FCB’s dominance led to several cards but both have been under control lately.  It is breathtaking to watch and their current shape took them to a league championship and within a whisker of the Champions League Final.

We now enter a period when the two teams are considered the best in the world and will lock horns home and abroad in the search for glory.  Plus several subplots give texture to the battle between the clubs.  How long for Mourinho?  He has never led a team beyond three seasons.  Along with that, can Mou lead Los Blancos to La Decima?  Can Tito keep this cycle going or will he be at the wheel as the Blaugrana fade once more before rebuilding?  Will we see a Real Madrid/FC Barcelona Champions League Final, setting up the greatest confrontation between two biggest sports clubs/franchises/teams in the world?  I can’t wait to see what this season and the near future holds.

2012
12/14
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MatchDay Memory–The Big Two Part 1 (History)

In my ongoing quest to learn more about La Liga, I spent some time before and after the last Clasico researching the two biggest teams in Spain.  This is not going to be a post on the battles between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid through the years or a dissection of the political and social ramifications of the matches, rather a summation of their accomplishments and trends and story lines and how I have interacted with these clashes.

Of the two clubs, I follow FC Barcelona (watch games, try to stay on top of transfer rumors, keep track of player news, follow club politics to a certain extent, etc.), but I don’t live and die with every result. Over time my fandom of all sports and teams has been tempered by a realization that these are just games and should have no influence on how I feel about myself, how I treat others or how it impacts my day.

So FCB’s eternal rivals are Real Madrid and logically I should hate Los Merengues, but I don’t.  What? I respect the club but don’t hate the club. I respect their heritage and talent and I’m not going to spit on them.  I really enjoyed Phil Ball’s book White Storm, which summarized the history of the club quite well.  Had I started following Real Madrid during the first Galactico era (Figo, Zidane, Becks, El Fenómeno, etc), the Evil Empire (a loving tribute) may have been my preferred Spanish team. Instead I started watching the Blaugrana during the days of Rivaldo, Figo, Luis Enrique, and the Dutch contingent, and loved to watch their brand of football.  I say all this to explain why I have the 2003/04 Real Madrid Home and Away kits in addition to all of the FCB jerseys in my collection.

I’m not a Spanish football historian, but in my reading and research—which is merely a hobby that takes time from other things I could and should be doing—it is clear that cycles exist between the two clubs, with one typically in the ascendency pushing the other to the fringes.  However, recently both teams are leading the way at home and on the continent as the two clubs push each other for honors and their place in sporting history. Always has been, always will be.

After World War II, Barca’s Golden Age from 1947/48 to 1959/60 was overshadowed by Real Madrid’s rise to domestic and European dominance.  The Blaugrana won six titles, had three second place finishes and won five Spanish Cups, but Los Blancos reigned supreme starting with the 1953/54 season.  During an amazing 16 year period, Real won twelve league titles, never finishing lower than third, and added six European Cups.

While the team from the capital ruled at home and abroad, FCB never fell out of the top six from 1960 until 1973 but failed to win the league, finishing second six times.  They did add three Spanish Cups to the trophy cabinet, yet the league title eluded them until the arrival of Johan Cruyff in the 73/74 season.  Another barren period in the league commenced, and the club only won the Primera once until 1990.  This was in 84/85 season, which came after an interval of Basque dominance.  There was success in the Spanish Cup (four titles), leading to three Cup Winners Cup wins.  Real Madrid started another cycle in the 1971/72 season, which saw them claim six titles in nine years, while adding three Spanish Cups, but success did not come on the European Stage this time.

Cruyff’s Dream Team of the early 90’s was preceded by Madrid’s La Quinta del Buitre, a squad that won five league titles in a row.  In addition Los Blancos won the 1985/86 UEFA Cup and one Copa del Rey and made the semi-finals of the European Cup three years running.  But it was the Blaugrana who would return Europe’s biggest prize to Spain, with a historic win at Wembley in 1992 before the cycle ended at the hands of Milan in the 1994 European Cup Final.

The rest of the 90’s saw Real take over briefly before a Barca team led by van Gaal reclaimed the throne, with Atleti’s double in 1996 breaking up the dominance.  The first decade of the new century saw the emergence of other clubs in the Primera—Depor and Valencia in particular—who temporarily broke up the stranglehold of the Big Two.  Barca faded in all competitions, not winning a trophy for five years. A transfer of presidency, lack of stability in the manager position, and the transition in the squad were contributing factors.  On the other hand, Real finally got their hands on the trophy with the big ears, winning it in 1998, 2000 and 2002, adding two league titles in the years they did not win in Europe.

Frank Rijkaard came on to the scene for FC Barcelona in 2003 and set the stage for Barca’s Second Golden Age.  (Tangent: I am working on an argument that FCB are currently in epoch that began in 1990.  Starting with Cruyff’s hire and first title, the club has been a dominant force but home and abroad, similar to the winning cycle of AC Milan from 1986 (purchase by Berlusconi) to the 2007 Champions League win.  I hope to put something together in the near future.) A league title win in 04/05 sent the Blaugrana on their way, winning the European Double the following season.  Capello was able to stop the run as the Barca players, led by an irresistible Ronaldinho on the field and a disco loving Ronny off it, lost the plot, eventually losing their grip on their titles and sending the Dutch coach packing.

Enter Pep Guardiola.  The former Dream Teamer oversaw a run of dominance that challenged the great teams of of FCB, Real Madrid and European football.  The Treble of 08/09, which led to the calendar year sextuple of 2009, two more league titles, and another European Final win in 2011. During his tenure, the Blaugrana participated in 19 competitions and won 14 of them, probably the closest to all conquering as we may ever see. Manchester United, Shaktar Donetsk, Estudiantes, Porto and Santos were just some of the clubs who fell to Pep’s juggernaut.  Their rivals responded by bringing in the Special One, who started slowly (reference the manita of November 2010) but eventually formed a team able to stand up to Pep’s team, winning the 2011 Copa del Rey and wresting the title away from Barca with a stunning win at the Nou Camp in the spring of 2012.

Tomorrow’s comments will look at my memories of recent El Clasicos and tactical innovations presented by the last couple of managers.

2012
12/13
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Morbo Minute–Pep’s Boys

One thing I added to my footy repertoire this season was the Copa del Rey.  I tried to predict the entire tournament from the Round of 16 on, with mixed results.  The Round of 16 went well, but once FCB beat Real Madrid in the quarters, I was toast.  I did predict Athletic Bilbao making the final, so I’ve got that going for me.

I made an effort to watch as many games as I could, reading results and keeping track of the competition.  I was rewarded with a fantastic tournament, highlighted by Espnayol’s late surge against Cordoba; Malaga’s choke job against Real Madrid; Mirandes’ stunning run to the semis, including an amazing comeback against Espanyol and the story of the banker/player, before losing to Bilbao; and a tense El Clasico quarter final that saw a sumptuous goal from Abidal and Madrid almost overturn Barcelona at the Nou Camp in the second leg.

Before the tournament got going, I looked at Pep’s record in the cup, which was quite formidable.  Pep was 15W 4D 3L going in to the 2011/12 edition and he went from strength to strength, winning six and drawing two, to put his record at 21W 6D and 3L.  The Final was his swansong with the Blaugrana as he will step aside to figure out his next challenge.

The Final this year matched the two most successful clubs in the competition—FCB with 25 trophies and Athletic with 23.  Barca were looking for a fitting send off for Pep while Bilbao aimed to salvage something from a season of eye catching football without the payoff: 10th in La Liga and Runners-Up in the Europa League.

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Copa del Rey Final     FC Barcelona 3  Athletic Bilbao 0

After a month and a half of intense build up, fans and players had to wait three months before the final.  That seems odd.  Add to that the confusion over the date and the location, plus the fact that Euro 2012 preparations have already started, and you got a weird mix.  But the fans were epic, with lots of noise and flags and banners.  In that aspect, the final was epic.

As for me, I missed the game live.  I couldn’t get away from work and then our family went to a minor league baseball game that night, so I had to wait almost 24 hours to watch the replay of the match. . . in Spanish.

What a start for Barcelona.  Alves and Puyol were hurt and Abidal was recovering from surgery so their back line was patched together, but the front six were top choice and after it right from the beginning.  Messi almost scored in the opening 30 seconds and Pedro had a shot deflected 90 seconds later before converting the resulting corner kick scramble.

Despite the fast start, there was still some rust on the Blaugrana machine, especially from Sanchez, but Athletic Bilbao were in quicksand.  Slow, plodding, Muniain not getting any touches; this was a different team than in either league game.  After 20 minutes, FCB doubled the trouble as Iniesta split open the defense and Messi blasted home from a sharp angle.  Then Pedro grabbed his second of the night minutes later when Xavi laid off for him to curl in with his left foot.  3-0 inside half an hour.

Los Leones immediately responded, forcing Pinto into a save and then it appeared as if Pique hauled down Llorente in the box.  If the second goal didn’t break Athletic then the third goal did as they were all over the place for the rest of the half.  To be honest, I didn’t really pay much attention to the second half. The result was beyond Los Leones (despite my attempted media blackout I saw the score), so I was off to the bar to watch the US National Team againstScotland.

Phil Ball’s final Soccernet column of the season set the political background (regional autonomy, booing the national anthem, a far right demonstration) for the Cup Final before moving on to the game itself, a match in which Bilbao just could not match Pep’s squad in intensity and depth.

Sid Lowe commented on the completion of the Pep cycle—the fourteenth trophy he won was the same as his first.  And now the next chapter begins.

Chalk on the Boots provided a tactical analysis of the game for El Centrocampista.  He focused on the pressing of each team, the midfield battle (won by FCB), and another poor performance by Amorebieta.  The Blaugrana were fresh, sharp and hungry, which contributed to their domination and easy victory.

Finally, Kxevin of Barcelona Football Blog wrapped up the season and Pep’s time in charge basking in a glorious performance from a glorious team.  Players rested with no challenge around the corner were able to fully hit heights, especially in frantic opening half hour to win yet another cup for the club.

2012
05/27
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Morbo Minutes
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Old Futbol Buffet/Morbo Minute Mash Up

Last weekend was the annual church retreat for our church, so I went into the weekend telling myself that I would not check scores, that I would not plow through my usual pile of articles, that I would not blog.  Plan the work, work the plan, right.  Little did I know that the weekend I took off, everything would blow up, putting my plan at risk.

Saturday saw the top of table clash in Serie A between AC Milan and Juventus.  One concession I made for the retreat was to deck myself out in my scarf and my personalized Juve jersey, and I was able to maintain internet silence before withdrawing from the group late at night to watch the game with a Milan fan.  We made it through a disappointing (from the biaconeri point of view) first half before our internet signal became too frustrating.  I ended up reading about the game the next day and saw Matri’s equalizer late Sunday night.

Zonal Marking focused on the midfield battle during the match as well as the forward choices by Conte.  I wondered why he went Quags and Boriello up front and was frustrated when Juve players tried the play to ball to their feet, which ended up in a series of turnovers.  A change in formation and personnel got the Old Lady a point, who are still unbeaten and just might just do this.

Aaron gave his comments on the big game at Juventiknows.  He questioned the starting line-up but praised Conte for making positive changes and for the squad having the fitness to turn the match around.  I agree with him that Boriello was a strange choice and was completely outmuscled up top.  As for Bonucci, he had a ‘mare and hopefully he can turn it around for the final push.

Paolo Bandini chimed in on the controversial and entertaining match between Juventus and AC Milan, noting Milan’s dominance and Juve’s resilience.  He also noted the managerial news, with Reja staying at Lazio, Ranieri on the outs at Inter and Beretta taking charge at Cesena.

What a day I missed on Sunday.  At lunch I checked the scores and saw that Arsenal had come back from 2-0 down to crush Spurs; United had beaten Norwich late thanks to Giggsy; and that Liverpool was down to Cardiff.  And that was just inEngland.

Zonal Marking looked at the clash of formations and tactical changes made in the second half as the Gunners turned around an open match and ran out 5-2 winners over Spurs at the Emirates.  Huge three points for Arsenal and cements Spurs third place position.

Following the North London Derby was the Carling Cup Final, featuring Liverpool and Cardiff.  It was also the kick off for Mid Michigan United Watch Parties at the Lansing Claddagh, which, from responses I have gotten so far, was a rousing success.  I missed the back and forth of the match and the dramatic (and not well taken) penalties.  Scousers enjoy this second rate trophy next year when you are out of Europe again.

As for Spain, an eventual weekend saw a couple of changes in positions in the top ten and some amazing goals and performances.  I got bored during my Monday meeting at work, so I jotted down some notes.  CR7’s backheel goal, or as my friend Mike called it a donkey kick, won all three points for Real against Rayo. Valencia lost again as their poor 2012 form continues. Malaga got three vital points as they clobbered bottom of the table Zaragoza, while Levante stunned Espanyol. Barcelona beat Atletico Madrid 2-1 in a match that featured three great goals from Alves, Falcao and Messi.

Meg Ryan opened her recap of the Barcelona with this statement: one thing does not have to be questioned any longer — the dedication and strength of this team.  The Blaugrana met an organized, physical opponent, who despite not seeing much of the ball, made things difficult on the visitors.  Another sublime moment from Messi sealed the three points after an intense game which demanded the most of Pep’s men.

Looking ahead to next year (trust me I didn’t pay attention at this meeting) I see it shaping up this way:  Real Madrid will continue to be a strong presence, grinding out maximum points against everyone except Barcelona, who will be in interesting position next year in terms of fitness, depth of squad and motivation.  If Valencia can strengthen their squad and improve consistency in form (and not run over themselves with cars), I could see them pushing FCB for second next season.  Just thinking.

Los Merengues are doing exactly what Barca did last year, going on a long streak of maximum points which ensures a big enough gap for any slips in the second half of season.  Last season the Blaugrana lost early to Hercules and then went unbeaten in 30 some games to create a gap that allowed them to take the foot off the gas in the league and win the Champions League.  Real is in the midst of the same thing.  After their hiccups against Levante and Racing in rounds in 3 and 4 , they have won 19 out of 20, with the only loss coming to FCB.  This season Barcelona has dropped too many points and now the gap is unassailable.

I took a look at Valencia’s form in 2012.  In eight league game thus far, they have only won a single match, drawing four and losing three.  Seven points out 24 is not going to get it done.  In the cup competitions, however, they have five victories out of eight, with a semi-final loss to FCB in the Copa and have made the Round of 16 in the Europa League.  I guess Los Che figure third is a mortal lock so they might as well win a cup.

Sid Lowe reviewed the game between Rayo Vallecano and Real Madrid.  The hosts, loudly and proudly supported by their fans, lost out to a moment of genius, magic, absurdity from CR7, but they will continue on in a one of a kind ground and one of a kind experience.

Phil Ball examined Athletic Bilbao’s season thus far, from their improving league form under Bielsa, their run to Final of the Copa del Rey, and their match up against Manchester United in the next round of Europa League (First Leg March 8 at Old Trafford and Second Leg March 15 at San Mames).  Plus several members of the squad have been chosen for the La Furia Roja friendly and Olympic Team.  Los Leones are trending upward.

Graham Hunter put an excerpt of his book  Barca: The Making of the Greatest Team in the World up at Soccernet, choosing a story of a young Messi disobeying doctor’s orders in order to compete in a Cup Final.

It looks like the Copa del Rey will be in Madridafter all, except that it will be at the Calderon instead of the Bernabeu.  Based on Wikipedia and the Bleacher Report, Athletic Bilbao and FC Barcelona will play on May 25th.  We’ll see.

—–

Podcasts

The guys on World Football Phone In discussed the Arshavin transfer; the nature of how clubs are run in South America and Europe; Kerrison and Giovanni dos Santos’s positions at FC Barcelona; FCB’s style and thin squad; and third party ownership.

On Men in Blazers, Rog and Mickey recapped the FA Cup 5th round and wondered what can be done to improve the competition.  Plus they looked at the problems atChelsea and Arsenal.

The SI Soccer Roundtable panel examined Klinsmann’s line up for the Italian friendly which includes the possibility of Donovan and Dempsey playing together (foiled by Donovan’s illness) and a Champions League recap.

Dermot Corrigan (@dermotcorrigan) was on the Forza Football pod to discuss La Liga, including newcomers of the year, Barca’s away form and where Bilbao should put their focus this season.

—–

Jerseys

I saw this post at Football Shirts UK facebook page revealing the possible Barca home kit launch from football fashion FB page.  Simply awful.  A terrible PSG knockoff at best.  I really hope this is not the real deal.

I recently found the site Mao’s Football, and he did a Euro 2012 kits post that includes almost every jersey from each team going toPoland and Ukraine.  Fantastic work.  I’m hoping to put together a full review before tournament.

 

2012
02/29
CATEGORY
Morbo Minutes
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Morbo Minute–Semi Final Review

In putting this post together I realized that I had an odd dynamic going on.  The competition was down to four teams, with one game a day and I missed most them.  Part of it was due to work and part was due to being sick, but it looks like I missed entertaining games.

Bilbao put a strong side in the first leg and seemed to be cruising at Mirandes, up 2-0 by halftime but the hosts pulled one back and have something to fight for at San Mames.  Did’t see how they could score twice at the Cathedral but they had made it this far.  Turns out they scored twice but gave up six.  I was able to watch the opening quarter an hour or so, by which Los Leones had put the visitors to the sword.  They eventually ran out 6-2 winners on the night and 8-3 on aggregate.  Don’t want to pat myself on the back but I did predict them to make the final.

As for Valencia v Barcelona, Los Che travelled to the Nou Camp with a shot at progressing.  From reports I read on the first leg, FCB woke up in the second half and could have put the tie to bed but a missed penalty and some poor finishing gave Valencia at least a chance.  The second leg kicked off with the Blaugrana fired up and putting Los Che under all sorts of pressure.  Fabregas scored early but the second goal would not come. Valencia were set up for the counter but couldn’t punish FCB.  In the second half, they came out in much better spirits and turned the table on the hosts.  Barca eventually regained control but the decider didn’t come until late through Xavi. Valencia then suffered a second yellow and that was that.

The date and site of the Final still have to be decided.  It depends on Barcelona’s progress in the Champions League.  If they make the Champions League Final, I believe that the Copa del Rey Final will be May 19 or 20, possibly at the Bernabeu.  If they don’t, then I heard that the Final will be May 25.  Whenever it is, should be a great game as the two most successful teams in this competition square off.

2012
02/10
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Morbo Minutes
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Morbo Minute–Copa Quarter Review

Second Leg

I was on the road for work for Tuesday and returned to my hotel to check scores, emails, twitter, etc.  To my shock, I read the following: Mirandes 2 Espanyol 1.  The internet was abuzz with posts and comments re: the surprising progress of the third division team.  Watching the highlights, I was stunned by the stadium, which Chris Clements wrote about on El Centrocampista.

I had picked Espanyol to win, so I was disappointed about that, but you can’t resist the story of Mirandes.  @DirtyTackle posted about club captain and leading scorer Pablo.  How about that?  Good luck against Athletic Bilbao.

Mirandes 2 Espanyol 1           (4-4 on agg; Mirandes progess on away goals rule)  Missed that one on the predictions.

I missed the Athletic Bilbao game, which was the early game on Wednesday, but it looks like they put out a full strength side and progressed thanks to their 2-0 advantage from the first game and own goal in the second leg.  Surely they will overcome Mirandes and make the final.

Real Mallorca 0 Athletic Bilbao 1      (0-3 on agg)  You are correct sir.

Then there was El Clasico part whatever.  What can you say?  Enthralling, dramatic, fantastic stuff.  I was talking to a friend right after the match.  As much as the pendulum is swinging toward kicking Mourinho to the curb, it might swing back on the players.  The Special One got everything spot on—line up, tactics and intensity—and his players didn’t deliver.  Higuain was especially poor on the night, but the team as a whole did not take their chances, FCB did and they move on.

FC Barcelona 2 Real Madrid 2 (4-3 on agg)  Bracket buster.  Had Madrid winning the whole thing.

The final match of the round was Levante hosting Valencia.  Since the visitors were up 4-1 from the first leg, I didn’t even bother making time for this match.  What a mistake.  Just kidding.  Valencia hammered Los Granotes 3-0 to progress to the semis against Barcelona.  Have to give Los Che a fighting chance as Barca are tired and injured.

Levante 0 Valencia 3      (1-7 on agg)  You are correct sir.

My predictions have gone off the rails, so now I’ll just enjoy the tournament for its own sake, and what a competition it has been thus far.

———

First Leg

Tuesday was a busy day at work, with plenty to do because I took the end of the week off.  At halftime, I checked the Espanyol v Mirandes score and thought it was a typo as I read that Mirandes was up 1-0.  So I put up the game in the background and watched as Espanyol turned up the pressure on their lower league visitors (third division side who had knocked out Villarreal & Racing according to the twitter) to no avail.  In fact, things actually got worse as Pablo took advantage of a horrible mistake by Amat and scooped the ball over the keeper in a goal worthy of Messi.  The minutes ticked away and it looked like Mirandes were on the verge of a memorable victory but as coaches always say, the game lasts 90 minutes.

Espanyol scored two goals in two minutes to peg back their visitors with four minutes to go.  If that wasn’t enough, Los Pericos scored again in injury time to win the first leg 3-2 against a team dead on their feet at the end.  Mirandes will return home with away goals but will have to manufacture at least one goal to move on.

Espanyol 3 Mirandes 2

———

Wednesday was spent trying to get everything done so that I could at keep at least on eye on the tenth El Clasico in 280 some days.  I didn’t watch a minute of Bilbao versus Real Mallorca, but checked the score moments before the big game kicked off and saw that Los Leones won 2-0.  Feel pretty good about their chances to progress.

Athletic Bilbao 2 Real Mallorca 0

As for the Big One, what a game.  As I tweeted to a follower during the match, the game was beyond football—morality play, art, a Greek tragedy.  Real Madrid made a small twist to the game in December, going with a triple pivot but putting CR7, Benzema and Higuain up top.  Seemed like Mou was going for pressure in the defending and middle thirds of the pitch (adding Altintop at RB and Carvalho at CB) with outlets to the superb attacking players.  The plan absolutely worked for the opening goal as Benzema played CR7 into tons of space.  Alves was caught out and a step over created the shooting chance which slid by Pinto.  FCB took charge of the game and were largely frustrated by either Real Madrid defenders, Casillas or the post.

In the second both teams had periods of control and it took a corner kick to move the game forward.  Puyol met the cross with a diving header to equalize early in the half.  With the game delicately balanced, Abidal drifted in to wide space on the left, was spotted by Messi, and chested the ball down before an exquisite outside of the foot finish. AMAZING!!

I missed the last ten minutes of the match, which looked like they were filled with fouls and substitutions.  What a game.  Just when you think Real Madrid will break through, FCB bitch slaps them.

Real Madrid 1 FC Barcelona 2

———

I missed Thursday’s match betweenValencia and Levante.  Not enough hours in the day. Valencia took a major step towards a semi against one of the Big Two with a 4-1 thrashing of Levante.

Valencia 4 Levante 1

———

Predictions are hanging in there.  Looks like I’ll get three of four right, but if Real Madrid crash out, that pretty much ends my bracket.

2012
01/27
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