The Summer Season

 Even though the playing season is off this time of the year, there is what I like to call the “behind the desk season” with club managers faxing and calling each other to close transfers. To me, this is the stepping-stone of a successful season. Players transfer is an art in which success depends not only on the players’ name but also in the economic contribution to the club, the quality and skills that he brings to the team and, of course, its effect on the moral of the team.

Tito’s Barcelona has started on the right foot with the signing of Jordi Alba but there are still some questions that must be answered. For instance, who will the club sign for the center-back position? All signs point at Javi Matinez but if that’s the case I don’t expect to see him signing until mid August. Why? His club does not want to negotiate and expect any buyer to pay them the exit clause price. This means that any buyer would need to spend 57 millions (40 for the clause, 17 in taxes) unless they convince Athletic to negotiate.

Barcelona has already made it clear that they have 26 millions available for the transfer of the center back but they also will go a bit further if necessary. A believe the idea is to reach a similar deal to the one for Alexis Sanchez a year ago. That is, a deal that have a significant amount of hard cash right in front an some easy to reach variables like making it to the champions league, the amount of minutes played in the season etc.  It’s a win-win situation as the selling club gets a total amount close to what they wanted originally while Barcelona gets to write on their books just the cash part of the deal. That’s the beauty of finance.

I do think it is possible to reach such deal but it will require some heavy negotiations along with the help of the player. He would probably have to forgive part of his salary in the same way Mascherano and Fabregas did. The question is: is Javi Martinez worth so much trouble? In the current market I’d say yes. He’s young; he’s definitely a good center back though originally he is a defensive midfielder; and best of all he’s teammate with several members of the Barcelona squad who are also in the Spanish national team. Valuation of players is a misguided practice because it’s based on the past but it’s evaluated on the future. Alves’s cost was 35 millions but it almost seems like a steal based on his performance. Ibrahimovic cost 65 millions and it couldn’t have been a worse deal.

But signings aside there is still one name that seems to come back to the rumors: Ibrahim Afellay. His situation is complicated because he was in the injured list for the entire season. Just when he was starting to adapt to the team and show his talent he injured his knee ligaments. He’s back and he’s still got a good reputation behind his name, which means there are some big teams interested in singing him.

But this is when I ask: should Barcelona sell him? Don’t get me wrong; from a financial point of view any transfer operation will give us a large margin. Thanks to the expiring day of his contract with PSV, Barcelona was able to buy him for 3 millions euros and his exit price would not be less than 8. But to me, it feels rather cheap to sell him without giving him a good opportunity first. After all, he was the man behind Messi’s first goal at the Bernabeu in the Champions League semifinal in 2011. I think the right thing to do would be to give him a year to test how can he contributes. It’s not every day that you find a good player, with a good attitude. He can also play in the midfield as well as the wings.  Barcelona gave Henrik Larsson an opportunity after missing his debut season thanks to a similar injury and the results were more than positive.

If there is an important lesson that Barcelona should take from the past season is that there is no such thing as too much talent. Injuries occur throughout the season and it’s important to have players that can contribute to the team.

Brazil found its heir

I grew up listening stories about Pele’s Brazil team from the 60s. For many, that was the best national football team to ever hit the pitch. Ever since 1970 there has been great performances by many nations, but it feels that no one had taken the torch of being that consistent team write its own page in the book of football. That was the case until yesterday when Spain achieved what no other national team had done before winning back-to back- to back tournaments.

What Spain did in the final against Italy was similar to what Barcelona did in 2011 against Manchester United. It was the best tribute to football and a statement that it is possible to play beautifully and win. Ever since Luis Aragones took the team in 2006 and convinced them on their style, on their chances, and on their talent, this team has found an identity worth of every compliment on the book.

On the pitch, this team has its ideas clear and they would lose fighting for them rather than becoming a defensive team for the sake of winning. Iniesta, Xavi, Fabregas, Silva, Mata, Busquets, Alonso, Alba, Pique understand football this way. Asking them to give the ball to their rivals is taking away part of their talent and their in-pitch personality. Just look at Xabi Alonso with Spain and look at his game with Mourinho’s Real Madrid. It’s so easy for him to associate with other players on the national team who can crate game as well as he can. At Real Madrid it’s hard for him to associate because he is the ultimate playmaker. And while Real Madrid has had dominant matches, when it comes to the crucial matches they have a tendency to give the ball away.

But all technicalities aside, you also have to look at the human factor. Luis Aragones made perhaps the most controversial decision made in Spanish football when he decided not to call Raul to the national team. Raul was not only the top scorer of all times for Spain; he was also the face of the team. But Luis understood that the team should not adapt to one player. His vision of the winning team was that in which there were no egos whatsoever. A team where players understood they are needed to support each other on the pitch, from the bench, or from the stands. Luis Aragones was right and he assembled not only a formidable group of good players but also a formidable group human being. These players understand that the team is above any individual achievement. Look at David Villa, he could have forced being in the team despite not being 100% recovered from his injury and yet he chose to call Del Bosque to tell him that he couldn’t perform at a level the competition demanded. Most players would have lobbied to be in the team even if it meant on the bench. Team over egos, that’s the best way to describe them.

The best quote from the tournament came from Iniesta before he knew he was the MVP of the tournament. When asked about the possibilities of achieving the golden ball he said, “I play to be happy. Not for individual recognition”. That’s the spirit of this team and, in my opinion, the true reason behind their success.

As for Italy, I hope they keep doing what they did in this Eurocup. It is refreshing to see a team that plays defensively but also is capable of playing the ball. Pirlo’s game was outstanding throughout the tournament and Xavi shutting him down was one of the main reasons Italy couldn’t win.

Up until today the Brazilian national team from the 60s was the reference of national football. Now new generations will grow up listening stories about how Spain and its little geniuses became the reference of beautiful football winning what no national team had won before. Modern history has been written…in Spanish

Eurocup Final: A match between the best

I said to a friend of mine last Wednesday that I had a feeling Italy would be making it to the final of the Eurocup. I wasn’t thinking about statistical or historical data (Germany has never defeated Italy in official competition) but rather on Italy’s display through the tournament. They may not be the best squad in the tournament but, in my opinion, they have been the best team.

Left behind are the days when Italy was the catenaccio team with its extremely defensive display and lack of offensive football. Prandelli has found a new personality for this team, which still relies on solid defending but also displays a swift transition defense to offence and vice-versa. Italy moves like a unit and rather than giving the ball away, they play it really good thanks to a stellar Pirlo.

Having said all that, Italy is up against the best squad in the tournament. Rather than concentrating on defending or attacking, Spain is the master of possession. If Spain wants to have the ball there is no much their rivals could do. Though this may not guarantee victories, I believe whichever team controls the ball has more chances of winning. Spain has also the psychological advantage of knowing they are the team to beat. Prove of this is how its rivals, even Italy, modify their initial formation when they play against them.

It’s hard to say what will happen this Sunday, as these are, without a doubt, the two best teams of the tournament. Italy needs no only an inspired Pirlo but also a concentrated Ballotelli. He has shown he’s capable of the best (his game against Germany) and the worst (his game against Spain). Spain on the other hand needs to capitalize on the chances they get, which I expect will be not many. May the best team win…

About Chelsea

 At last after 8 years Roman Abramovic has the championship trophy that he wanted so badly. This Champions League title ratifies his investment and gives Chelsea a tangible reason to claim a spot among the “big clubs” of Europe. Just like the Europa League, the winner of this Champions League was the club that not many would have guessed back in December. An impeccable defensive order and a sublime Drogba carried them throughout the tournament allowing them to defeat every team that, on paper at least, was better than Chelsea.

Is there merit in what they did? Absolutely. I won’t be the one to say that they don’t deserve the title. This team walked on the tight rope at all phases of this championship and yet they never gave up. They capitalized in the very few chances they created. There is merit in that. However, I can never support anti-football: the art of not wanting to go for the victory. Inter did it two years ago, Greece did it in the Eurocup 2004 and now Chelsea has done it too. They all have won without attempting to win but rather focusing in not losing.

Chelsea display in the final was horrible in my opinion. It feels more like Bayern lost rather than Chelsea won.  Compare their display to Barcelona last year or compare them to the Real Madrid team that won the 9^th Champions League 10 years ago. It almost a sin to play like Chelsea did. In fact, the real sin is that Chelsea, until the 1-0, did not want to play. Two defensive lines of 4 and 5 players respectively at the grandest stage in European football is something I don’t expect from a team that wants to be crowned “the best”.

Listen to what Mata, Torres, Di Matteo, and other players were saying at the end of the game about how Bayern played better and you can see even they know luck was a huge element in their title win. Again, I think that “never give up” attitude is fantastic but to renounce any effort to go an win the game is not a good thing for a club that wants to enter into that “best clubs of Europe” category.

That football philosophy is valid sure but 8/10 times you will be eliminated by a team that wants to play for the win. If you want proof of this just look where Chelsea ended in the Premier League: in a Europa League place where their game belongs. I’m not saying that defensive football is a bad thing or that it isn’t valid. But being a defensive team doesn’t mean that you have to forget about attacking.

I doubt any good midfielder or striker who’s looking to play in another club would dream about playing for Chelsea, at least Di Matteo’s Chelsea. How could they? No striker wants to spend the whole game alone waiting for a long pass, a bad defense, and luck to score a goal. No midfielder wants to be constantly playing in a center-back role just to get the ball and have nobody to make a pass. Even as a fan, I would rather pay to see Arsenal or Tottenham play before paying to see Chelsea.

The funny thing is that Chelsea deserved this title long ago but won it when they least played for it. However, I will give credit where credit is due. Both, Drogba and Cech, were out of this world. That header from Didier was one of the best headers I’ve seen. They alone won this cup for Chelsea.  The years will pass and this final will be remembered for the wrong reasons. It will be the final that Bayern Munich couldn’t win, or lost to Chelsea.  

Atletico de Madrid: the bitter side of glory

The Europa League is always a fun tournament but this year it took a different spin with the presence of Manchester United, Shalke04, Manchester City, Valencia, and Ajax. Add to that a fantastic Athletic de Bilbao and you could see why at times it felt more interesting than the Champions League. But none of those teams won the cup. Instead, Atletico de Madrid reclaimed the cup they won 2 years ago with a stellar Falcao and an unbeatable Courtois.

This cup has a lot of merits for Atletico de Madrid both inside and outside the pitch. From a technical point of view, this team is completely different from that of Quique Sanchez Flores in 2010. There are only two survivors from that team: Perea and Dominguez. To me that’s remarkable. It’s hard to build a winning team and to do it in less than two years is even more amazing. Add to that the fact that Simeone didn’t even start the season as the coach and the story becomes even more amusing. Atletico won the final being loyal to their beliefs and playing very smart defensive game without being cowards on the pitch.

But leaving all the euphoria and all the celebrations for the title aside you can see that not everything is happiness for the club. Yes the won the cup, but they missed finishing 4^th in La Liga, which means they are not in the Champions League next season. So what’s the big deal? Just entering the champions league gives clubs the approximately the same prize money as winning the Europa League. That’s right, Atletico de Madrid could have lost the Europa League final but made it to the Champions League instead and they would have gotten a better money prize. But it’s not only about the money prize; clubs get funding from television contracts and basically the better the team is positioned for the next season the bigger piece of the pie you get.

From a fan point of view that doesn’t matter because a title is a title and you want your club to be a champion. But now Atletico is going to be forced to sell key players to avoid red numbers in their balance sheets for the year. This means goodbye Diego because even though he’s on a loan, it cost the team 5 millions to keep him. This also means goodbye Falcao and possibly Adrian as well because funds are needed.

Atletico will be doing the right thing, which is spending no more than their income so they can pay their debt even at the expense of the team. It’s a short term sacrifice for a better future but it’s hard to sell this to fans who, understandably, want to raise cups instead of finishing 4^th in La Liga.

So congratulation Atletico for this well deserved cup, a sugar coat for a mission half accomplished. 

Mourinho: you just don't get it

First things first, congratulations to Real Madrid for a well-deserved title. I love league titles because there is very little chance to have a controversial champions. You have to prove that you are the best for 38 fixtures. Referees’ mistakes are usually compensated over the course of the season as well as shots to the posts and other irregularities.

Real Madrid is the champion because they did not fail as much as their competitors. Sure, I don’t think the gap between Barcelona and Madrid is as big as the table suggests; but the bottom line is that Madrid dominated the tournament and won at every single important stadium.

Now, with that said there is something that Mourinho said today that bothers me big time. During the celebration of the title he mentioned “Some geniuses think there is only one way to win, they think they know football by just doing a Google search”. He also mentioned that his team played spectacularly all season. I won’t say that his team wasn’t impressive. In fact, Real Madrid has probably the best defense-offence transition in the world. Their counter attacks are that good. But to say that his team played spectacularly is a bit of a stretch.

Let’s not forget that this season Real Madrid lost the supercup against Barcelona even though they had a week more of training. They were also eliminated from the King’s cup by Barcelona again and lost at home to the same team after having a 1-0 lead in the first minute.

In Europe, they dominated the champions league until they faced the first big team. Against Bayern, they were completely outplayed and even though the penalties are a lottery they did justice to what was seen on the pitch. Real Madrid let a 2-0  lead score at home escape by playing a stingy football against a team that knows how to move the ball around the pitch and generate chances.

The problem is not that Mourinho’s style is wrong or bad. In fact, he’s a living proof that it works. What I just don’t understand is why he underutilizes his squad the way he does.  He has the players that know how to take care of the ball. Against Bayern I wasn’t expecting a 60-40% possession but I was expecting more control especially after the 2 goals in the first 15 minutes. They gave away the midfield and payed for it.

Mourinho won a well deserve title, but he already proved last season that he can beat 99% of La Liga’s teams. Real Madrid supporters want to see the beginning of an era not just a title per year. The Santiago Bernabeu stadium is not Stanford Bridge or San Siro where you just win. This stadium demands domination, control, and good games. If this wasn’t the case, then why whenever the ultras chant his name there are sectors of the stadium that still boo him? Mourinho demands crowd support but it is hard to be into the game cheering when your team refuses to play! This isn’t a second division team, this is Real Madrid.  

The Santiago Bernabeu stadium knows Mourinho has the tools to have an iconic team like they had not so long ago with Del Bosque. That old man who won 2 champions league and 2 league titles and was fired…

Welcome Tito

Just seconds after the announcement that Pep Guardiola would not be coaching the team next season, Andoni Zubizarreta announced, to everyone’s surprise, the new coach for the F.C Barcelona: Tito Vilanova. Is it me or is this move just pure genius? A cloudy and doubtful future seems now much more clear.

Tito’s announcement came to me as a surprise as he had been struggling with his health this season. In fact, I thought one of the reasons Guardiola would be leaving the team was the possibility of Tito not being able to be his second coach for the future. So here comes the first good news: in order to take charge of the team it means that Tito is 100% recovered.

From a technical and tactical point of view, Tito Vilanova is the only man that can guarantee the continuity of the club’s philosophy. I’m not saying that other coaches are not capable of continuing Pep’s work; however, what better man that the guy who has been there for years already. Tito coached Messi, Fabregas and Pique when they were kids. He is also known for being a strategist who studies his rivals meticulously. Tito Vilanonva is the ideal man to help the team make the transition in the post Guardiola era.

The fact that Tito Vilanova was appointed as the new coach is no coincidence. This means the general manager, Andoni Zubizarreta, had already considered future candidates for a long time The way he explained his reasoning for this decision leaves no doubt in my mind that he studied the possibilities long before Guardiola stated he was not going to continue. This caused a very positive effect, as the talk is no longer about Guardiola leaving but about Tito’s role next season.

Will this work? Nobody thought it would when Guardiola was appointed four years ago and we all know how that story ends. I think it’s a perfectly logical solution. Tito has to make sure he puts his own spin into the team and introduce some new alternatives without deviating from the values and philosophies of the team. There, I think, lies the true challenge. I hope fans understand that he is not Guardiola and he shouldn’t try to be. He’s Tito and he’s been given something many coaches would die for: trust.

Let the Tito era begins.

Good Bye Pep

May 25^th 2012 will be the final day of the Pep Guardiola era in Barcelona after he announced he would be leaving at the end of the season. Part of me wants to be mad a Guardiola. First, it feels like a premature decision as the Pep Guardiola cycle had at least one or two more seasons to offer great football.  And second, the team has proven to be repellent to entitlement, which is the common demise of winning teams.

But I cannot be mad at Guardiola; in fact, I think no fan has the right to be. This is a coach that gave everything he had to offer to the team and felt he could no longer do so. He knows he has enough credit at Camp Nou to have just a decent season but he chose to step away. I respect that.

Guardiola will be remembered by common fans for the titles he won in his four years tenure at Barcelona. But those of us who have a keen eye for the game, and those of us that have seen the team before his arrival will appreciate more than that. Guardiola changed not only the mentality of the team but also the idiosyncrasy of the Barcelona fans. The new Barcelona fan is humble and yet elitist. We cannot settle for the 1-0 movie where we score and defend the result. Instead, we demand a 3-0 ballet where we dominate the game from beginning to end. We can no longer drink the 2-0 beer where we win by 2 counter attacks. We demand the champagne that is the 2-0 victory with a 70% possession.

The Barca fans are no longer scared of big matches. We salivate at the very thought of them. Back in the day, a victory over Real Madrid at the Bernabeu was almost more important than winning La Liga because they were almost utopian. However, Guardiola proved that you have to be brave at these matches. Brave and respectful. This is a coach that never underestimated a single team and in the time of victory never made fun of their defeated rivals.

Looking at his legacy at Camp Nou one has to understand that there is nothing original about Pep Guardiola style in Barcelona. However, that is precisely the point. He consolidated a philosophy that has been present for years. He grabbed the legacy of Cruyff, Rexach, and Rijkaard and took it to the next level. He took a beautiful idea and made it the club’s s identity at last. We now have a consolidated model and it is the responsibility of the president, the directors, and Tito Villanova (Barcelona’s new coach) to keep this model, run with it and make it evolve.

Pep’s team will be remembered as the best football team of all times, I have no doubt about it. Some teams may win a lot of titles like Inter Milan did 2 years ago. Some teams may play very well like Athletic Bilbao does; and some teams may have some epic results like Bayern Munich has this season. But the combination of all these is something we will not see in a long time. Add to that the consistency his team had and that’s almost impossible to replicate what Pep did.

So long Pep Guardiola and thank you for the best four years of our Barca life.

Messi and the best of all times debate

Another incredible performance by the Argentinian genius and we still counting. Messi’s display against Bayern Leverkusen was yet another one for his collection of memorable matches. Perhaps what makes this one stand out are the five goals he scored, which is something no player had done in the Champions League under the current format.

It is so often that we see these displays of talent by the Argentinian that sometimes we forget that he’s not the rule but the exception. Stop for a second and think this: Messi is less than 10 goals away from becoming Barcelona’s top scorer ever. Before you digest that think about this as well: he’s only 24 years old.

There have been great players over the years. Players that make you fall in love with football and with their game regardless of the team they belong. For example, Pele, Maradona, Di Stefano, Cruyff, Kubala, Zidane or Ronaldo Nazario to mention a few. So the question comes up: is Who is the best of all time?

This is a tough question that I think it’s unfair and impossible to answer. Instead of a ranking, I rather think of a football Olympus where only memorable players can enter. Why can’t we rank them? Because every contender for “best of all time” has some handicap that makes it almost impossible to do so.

Pele had the world cups but he never proved himself in European competitions. On the other hand, Cruyff, Kubala, and Di Stefano had the European performances and cups but they couldn’t win a single world cup. Perhaps for this reason Maradona may have a slight lead as he proved both at the European level and the World Cup as well. However, he didn’t win the Champions League.

So it all comes to a point where you have to decide how to compensate, is a world cup more impressive than 5 champions league titles? Is winning every club tournament not as good as winning a world cup? Is a Europa cup with a small team more valuable than a champions league trophy? And what about goal count and individual awards. It’s just too much to makes these comparisons and it change from player to player.

Going back to that ‘Football Olympus’, Messi is already a member of that elite group without a doubt. He’s a player that has a whole generation talking about his game. I do believe that a world cup victory will consolidate him even further as the face of football for generations to come; but what he has achieved at his young age is almost unheard.

With 24 years and 3 champions league, 5 league titles, 1 King’s Cup, 5 Spanish super cup, 2 European Super Cups, 2 Clubs World Cups, an Olympic Golden Medal with Argentine, 3 Ballon d’Or, and many other individual titles, the sky is the limit for this player. He hasn’t let success get to his head and he keeps playing with the same hunger of a kid that wants to prove himself.

So, is Messi the best in history? We may never answer that but he’s definitely, without a doubt, the best at this time in history.

The convenience of ignorance

I really dislike writing about referees and I tend to avoid doing so for many reasons. First, it’s a waste of time as the games’ results are not changeable after the final whistle is blown. Second, referees have a tough job to do and they go completely unnoticed when they do it brilliantly but vilify tremendously when a mistake happens. Lastly, it’s just a vicious cycle and an excuse to hide away from poor team performances.

Despite my dislike for the subject, today I couldn’t stir away from what’s happening in La Liga. More specifically, the Pique situation after the remarks he made regarding the red card he saw in the last match against Sporting. He attended the media and said that, in his opinion, the referee gave him a premeditated red card. The story takes a nasty spin when the referee committee formally asks for an additional sanction against the player.

First of all, I think Pique made a tremendous mistake with such remarks. It gives a bad image to him as a player, and to the club he represents. It makes me sick to see the best players in the world, and the best clubs, complaining about referees. Whether it’s Pique, Messi, Casillas, or Mourinho, all the whining leads nowhere.

However, my biggest problem with all of this is the referee committee’s decision to formally request the additional sanction against Pique for his comments when they have done nothing after 2 years of Mourinho saying equal, or worse, things. Forget about Mourinho, almost every weekend a player, a coach, or a president goes on to the media to say things like “the referee didn’t want to make the call”, or “we were robbed by the referee” etc. So my question is: isn’t accusing someone of robbery as bad as saying he acted on purpose? Why act on Pique’s comment? Why now?

Neither coaches, nor players or media analysts can really explain the criterions used by that committee in order to act. Ignorance of such rules is precisely the best scenario for the committee to act or hide depending on the situation. The ambiguity allows them to pretend they can’t do anything when a player says something to the ref like “why don’t you go and celebrate the victory with them” like Casilla did after Barcelona eliminated his team from the King’s Cup; but it also allows them to call for actions when other players say something they consider “too much”.

The end result makes everything even more pathetic. Pique red card stills on, which means he won’t be able to play next match. Also, he has to pay 600 euros in penalty for his comment and Barcelona 90 euros as well. Sanctions in Spain tend to be at the range of the thousands euros, so this comes across like a formality and a way to compensate for the insanity of the situation rather than a corrective action.

Morale of the story: next time just do like Mourinho and wait in the parking lot next to the ref’s car and insult him there. You won’t escape the media attention but at least you won’t get penalized either. Just Pathetic.

Maradona: Did you see Valdes against Atletico?

Nobody can deny that Diego Maradona was perhaps the greatest player in football history. He was a short chubby genius that only needed a ball to dribble his way on to victory. He did it with Boca, with Barca, Napoli and Argentina. When he had the ball something was about to happen. He was just that good.

But skills on the pitch don’t necessarily translate in understanding and “getting” the game and Diego is a living proof of that. Recently in his “pipe-bomb” style of press conferences, Diego stated that Barcelona was such a great team that even their “bad” goalkeeper looked good on the pitch. I don’t mind his honesty and his direct answers; in fact, I encourage it. But I completely disagree with his remark regarding Valdes.

To assess what Victor does in Barcelona you need to understand that the goalkeeper’s job in this club is far more than just stopping goals. Barcelona’s game starts with the goalie’s short pass, which is something that doesn’t happen in most clubs. Normally, the goalie is required to stop the ball and then send it as far away from the area as possible. While this decreases immediate danger, Guardiola assumes that this moves result in unnecessary gambling of the ball in the midfield.

So how does this affect Victor? He is required to play with his foot in the same way of a defender or midfield. I think it’s fair to say that 99% this goes unnoticed. He gets the ball and makes a short pass to Pique, Puyol, Alves or Abidal. However, that 1% when he gets it wrong he compromises the team severely. (See Real Madrid’s first goal against Barcelona at the Bernabeu last December)

But the question is: does that make it a bad goalie? Not really. He has won the Zamora Trophy four years including the last 3 seasons. His performance in important matches has been stellar to say the least. In the three champions league final he delivered. The list of strikers that have suffered Victor includes: Henry, Drogba, Eto’o, Rooney, Higuain, Benzema, Raul, Robben, Cristiano, Ribery, Klose, Kun Aguero, Neymar, Guiza and many more.

Victor is not the best goalie in the world, he’s the second best in Spain after the eternal Casillas. The mistakes victor makes are few in quantity but have huge consequences for the most part. However, I think he is among the best in the world when it comes to one on one situations. Victor not only stops goals he also helps the team add points. Proof of that is the last match against atletico. Perhaps Maradona should watch that game and then talk.

In Pep We Trust

There has been a lot of tension and speculation regarding the future of Pep Guardiola in Barcelona. Pep chooses to sign yearly contracts so every winter there is the same drama and the same question on everyone’s mind: will Pep continue in charge of Barcelona next year? If history tells us something is that the answer is always yes. However, this is the year we have waited the longest to get an answer from the coach. Why?

Nobody knows Barcelona better than Pep. We are talking about a man that has always been involved with this club in some form. If there is something Pep has seen from his lifetime in Barcelona is that there is a tendency for entitlement after success. The last clear example of this was Ronaldinho’s Barcelona. This team was called to mark an era and yet after 3 years the project failed. Even though Pep was not directly involved in this project whatsoever, I bet he took some notes regarding the true challenge: staying at the top.

But what does this has to do with his contract extension? I believe that Guardiola uses this mechanism for various reasons. One of them is to let his team know that the moment they engage in that vicious circle of relaxation he’ll walk away. A yearly contract gives him that exit possibility and that leverage on a possible entitlement the team might experience.

Remember that the foundations of this Barcelona are mostly the same players that were humiliated by Real Madrid in Rijkaard’s last year. They understand that the secret of their success lies in their coach’s vision. Only the players have the ability to convince Guardiola to stay. As long as they continue to run after every ball like there is no tomorrow Pep will stay.

Just like American dollars have the phrase “In God we trust” printed, F.C Barcelona should have “In Pep we trust” printed in every scarf, shirt and everything related to the club. Guardiola knows what he’s doing and I have a hard time thinking he will leave the club in a difficult position.

What’s clear now is that the era of signing big name coaches is over at Camp Nou. The next man to sit on that bench has to be knowledgeable in terms of the club, its philosophies, playing style, and the system for promoting youngsters to the first team . Stepping away from all of these would be a terrible mistake. There is a pool of candidates that meet the requirements but that’s for another day (hopefully another year) to discuss.

Simeone: Beyond the Tactic Board

Atletico de Madrid seems to be a whole new team after the arrival of Diego “El Cholo” Siomeone to the bench. For the first time in years the red-and-white team seems to have confidence in their game. Since Simeone took charge of the team, they have allowed only 1 goal in 6 games. It’s hard to think that this is the same team that Gregorio Manzano managed just weeks ago.

But was Manzano that bad of a coach? Look at his 2010 performance with Mallorca and you’ll find the answer. Putting a team with few resources in the Europa League with nothing but good game should be proof of what he can do. So the question is: why didn’t it work with Atletico? Many may point at his tactics but I believe the answer lies way beyond the tactics board.

Tactics play an important role in the game. It represents the personality of the team and what they stand for. For Real Madrid is the ultimate defense-to-offense transition (counter attack). For Barcelona is the dominant passing style. For the Greek national team of 2004 it was all about defending and while many hated that display, it is a valid philosophy. But all of this means nothing if your team doesn’t understand and, more importantly, doesn’t believe in the philosophy. That’s the true job of a coach, managing every player to maximize his talent in order to collaborate to the grand design of the tactics.

This is the main difference between Simeone’s Atletico and Manzano’s. Simeone has made the team believe, which leads to the fans believing. There comes the sacred communion between team and fans that makes things more pleasant. For the first time in years I see Atletico having confidence in their game. Everyone seems to be working as hard as they can and the results are coming.

Simeone is a former Atletico player. He understands how the team operates internally and externally. He knows how to transmit the passion for the team that was lacking for a very long time. This is the same case of Pep Guardiola in Barcelona, and Mauricio Pochettino in Espanyol. Coaches with clear ideas that understand the environment and help their players understand it too.

I’m tired of the phrase “I expect Atletico to do good things next season” because I have said for almost a decade and I’ve always ended up disappointed. However, Simeone is making me believe too. We shall see.

The Cup's Final: Another Dilemma

Santiago Bernabeu, Mestalla, La Cartuja, or Camp Nou? Those are the possible stadiums where the final of Copa del Rey is going to be played. All options will lead to some unnecessary controversy. Both Athletic and Barcelona are demanding the final to be held at the Santiago Bernabeu. They argue that Madrid is equally distant from Bilbao and Barcelona, which is a main criterion for choosing the final. Santiago Bernabeu is the biggest stadium holding 85,000 seats, which means that both teams would have 40,000 approximately.

Not surprisingly, Real Madrid is opposed to this option. They argue that renovations of up to 80 washrooms are set to begin by the time the final is played. Moreover, the thought of potentially having their main rival lift a title at their home stadium again is another implicit reason for their opposition. Barcelona’s spokesman Toni Freixa stated that it should be an honour for Real Madrid to host such final but let’s turn the table around shall we?

Suppose Madrid had made it to the final. Would Rosell offer Camp Nou to host such event? It’s a neutral pitch, equally distant for the finalists, and it holds 98,000 fans. All requirements would be met so logistics would not be an issue. Economically it would make sense for Barcelona. However, I have a hard time thinking the club and its fans would be open to this idea. I wouldn’t want to see the possibility of the eternal rival lifting a title and having their anthem sound at our stadium. It makes no sense in the already nonsensical world of football.

I believe the final will be at Mestalla. Sadly the only losers are the ones that matter the most: the fans of both finalists. Mestalla can be in great conditions to host the final but it only has 55,000 seats. This means that only 25,000 fans of each team will be able to assist. Let’s not forget the 2009 final in which more tickets were sold to Athletic fans.

But despite their history with logistic problems, and small capacity, Mestalla is the only viable choice. The biggest stadium available would be La Cartuja located in Sevilla. However, the pitch is not in good condition and Sevilla is very far away from both Bilbao and Barcelona.

The Spanish Football Federation is very traditionalist but they need to consider a change in this system. Either they fix the final for good at one stadium like the Italians and British do; or bid the final during their summer meeting like it’s done in the Champions League.

The world needs more Mirandes

“Copa del Rey is such a beautiful tournament”. I have heard that expression from many Spanish football analysts over the years. It is the competition where your rank and division means absolutely nothing. It’s the chance for smaller and somewhat unknown clubs to shine. Teams like Barcelona, Madrid, Espanyol, or Valencia have suffered historical defeats against squads like Alcorcon, Novelda, Alicante and more recently Mirandes.

What Sporting Club Mirandes (U.D Mirandes) did this year in Copa del Rey is remarkable. A third division team that fought the likes of Villareal, Racing de Santader, and Espanyol in order to get a well deserved place in the semi finals. This is a team which entire annual budget is less than half the salary of what many first division players make in that same time! It is a true inspiration and a reminder for the world that, in the end, football is two teams of 11 players, a ball, and nothing more.

But let’s get real and put all the romanticism aside. Copa del Rey is a tournament that has been historically dominated by three clubs: Barcelona, Athletic Bilbao and Madrid. In the last decade, with the exception of Mallorca in 2003 and Zaragoza in 2004, the winners of the tournament have been in the top 5 of La Liga and/or reached at least quarters of finals in European competitions.

“La Copa” needs some changes to make it exciting again and give smaller clubs a bigger chance. The reason Mirandes’ place in the semifinals is causing such noise is because it is unusual. What about making the tournament a direct elimination only? Why not give field advantage to the team in the bottom rank? (Except for the final, which should remain neutral).

Perhaps it would not give us a champion Mirandes, but it would bring a much needed edgy side to the competition. Compare the level of excitement of the FA Cup to the excitement of a round of 16 match of Copa del Rey.

As for Mirandes, the sense of disappointment that they may have felt this week after losing the semifinals will soon transform into one of the best memories for its fans. Someday in the future they may tell their kids about the time they knocked out 3 first division teams and got to the semifinals with nothing but effort, passion, and a ball. Chapeau

The High Price of Happiness

Pep Guardiola has always been a fan of rather short squads. He believes that smaller groups of players bond better than larger ones. He reasons that in a small squad everybody gets the chance to play and every player feel he’s important. There is merit in this philosophy. After all, this all comes down to one word: control. A smaller squad allows the coach to have better control. Happy players don’t go around the media revealing secrets that belong in the locker room. Happy players don’t complain their lack of participation in public.

But all of this makes sense when your squad is healthy. When you have your 19 players or so available every week. The moment you start to have multiple players injured, or even worse, players of the same position injured then this approach becomes highly risky. This is precisely the problem Barcelona faces this season.

Guardiola has Villa, Afellay, Fontas, Iniesta, and Pedro injured (the first three severely). On top of that, Keita is out for international duty with Mali. In total, there are only 14 members of the first squad available. Luckily Barcelona is not afraid of calling their junior divisions to the plate, and these kids have been fed the Barcelona style of playing from a very young age so they know how the team operates.

But, should this be the solution? Is it too much to ask to these kids? We don’t want another Bojan scenario to happen. He was the top scorer of all time in Barcelona junior divisions and he was called up to the first team when they needed him at the precarious age of 16. Sure, he answered the call and scored important goals. But I think it is safe to say that, in the long run, that move caused more damage to his career than benefits.

Youngsters need time to develop properly and not all of them can be Messi. Take Iniesta for example. He became part of the main squad in 2003 at almost 20 years of age. But it wasn’t until 2008 where he became a starter. Kids like Tello, Sergi Roberto, and Gerard Deulofeu need time and not too much pressure.

Guardiola clearly doesn’t want another case of Martin Caceres, Hleb or even Bojan. Players who grew frustrated due to their lack of playing time and ended in a bitter farewell from the club. Pep wants his team happy but happiness, unfortunately, can be very expensive at times.

Madrid: that’s almost the way

It was do or die for Real Madrid but sadly for them they did and they died. It was perhaps the best game in Mourinho’s time with Real Madrid and the worst game for Pep Guardiola's since he took charge of the team. Mourinho proved that he’s the most dangerous when he’s against wall. He put almost all his offensive power on the pitch and he almost pulled the upset.

I have never seen Barcelona being dominated at home under Pep Guardiola command. They have lost matches but even then Barcelona was the dominating team. Beyond having a bad day, the main cause was Real Madrid's excellence. They pressed, they passed, and they controlled the ball. This was the Real Madrid that people wanted to see for a long time.

And so, the main question is: why didn’t we see this Real Madrid before? Why didn’t Ozil play the first match? Why did Mourinho choose to give the ball way at home? Why assume the inferior team role when the squad is full of players perfectly fit to create game instead of destroying it?

Only Mourinho has the answers to this. But it is clear that all comes down to the 5-0 lost at Camp Nou last year. Mourinho never digested that defeat. He put those same players and tried to play but Barcelona was perfectly tuned that day and so came the worst defeat in Mourinho’s coaching career.

This is clearly the way to go for Real Madrid as far as pure game comes. Having put their rivals on the top of their nerves should have been a self-esteem shot and a chance to show the world that they are not the bad guys of the movie. It was the perfect chance for them to challenge Barca in all levels: inside the pitch, and outside attitude. Instead, they chose to be the sore loser who blames their misery on the refs.

Teixeira had a bad time refereeing this match but his bad calls were equally distributed. Lass should have never played a minute of the second half. It is clears that Barcelona and Real Madrid were playing. Had it been a player from Granada or Rayo, Lass would have seen a second yellow card after his tackle on Messi. Somebody get some guts to these referees.

Real Madrid and Barcelona will meet at least once more this year. At this moment, what Mourinho will do remains a mystery. Logic indicates he will repeat his last strategy but I doubt Barcelona will have yet another bad day. Barcelona moves on to the semifinals, Real Madrid players can have much needed confidence. Mourinho, on the other hand, will continue to be the target of critics; his strategy at home cost his team a semi-final.

Pepe is insane: Albert Einstein defined insanity as doing the same thing expecting different results. By this definition Pepe is absolutely insane. Once again we had to suffer watching every dirty trick of the book: violent tackles, faking faults, and constant complaining to the ref in every call. Clearly this man hasn’t learned the lesson. It’s a miracle that he finishes games with only a yellow card (but that doesn’t count as bad referee for Real Madrid of course). I can’t wait until this player moves to another league but the question is: which team is willing to build him an asylum?