Good old FIFA.
Player of the year: Messi (Barcelona). Runners up: Ronaldo (Real Madrid), Xavi (Bacelona)
Coach of the year: Guardiola (Barcelona). Runners up: Mourinho (Real Madrid), Ferguson (ManU).
World XI: Iker Casillas (Real Madrid) – Dani Alves (Barcelona), Gerard Pique (Barcelona), Nemanja Vidic (Manchester United), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid) – Andres Iniesta (Barcelona), Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid), Xavi (Barcelona) – Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United).
Champions League winner Barcelona first everywhere, followed by Champions League finalists Manchester United and Champions League semifinalists Real Madrid. After them: nothing.
FIFA's slogan is: “For the Game. For the World” and its mission statement: “Develop the game, touch the world, build a better future". To be honest, FIFA should add: "For the top three teams in Europe".
I know that it is not a FIFA panel that votes for these awards (national team coaches, captains and journalists do), but the centralization of club football focus is frightening. I am a libertarian. But my belief in liberty is only valid if founded on a somewhat level playing field. Diversity and competitiveness is what FIFA should strive for, not consolidation and confirmation of powers.
Showing posts with label Barcelona. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Barcelona. Show all posts
Wednesday, 11 January 2012
Wednesday, 28 December 2011
Title games 2012
Although Barclay's Premier League will squeeze in another round of football before the end of the year, it is fair to say we have a very clear trend in the four biggest football leagues: the top is tighter than usual, but in the end it seems as if we will end up with four two-horse races between old rivals. Could be worse. So note down the following dates in your calendars, it is not a wild guess that whoever wins these games will win the league titles:
26 Feb: Milan-Juventus
Current standing:
1. Milan 34 points
2. Juve 34 points
3. Udinese 32 points
Autumn result: Juve-Milan 2-0.
Other title challengers: Hardly. Udinese and Lazio do not possess the squads to last a whole season, Inter and Roma are too far back and with tough schedules. Napoli have put focus on Champions League.
Comment: Juve under Conte are still unbeaten, they can spend the spring concentrating on the league and the game against Milan is the only away game against a top team: Juve plays at home against Udinese, Inter, Napoli, Lazio and Roma in the spring. On the other hand, Milan like an old train have finally starting to roll fast, score a lot of goals and have the Championship guarantee player Ibrahimovic. Although many game days will remain after this tie, the winner will be the big title favourite.
11 April: Dortmund-Bayern
Current standing:
1. Bayern 37 points
2. Dortmund 34 points
3. Schalke 34 points
Autumn result: Bayern-Dortmund 0-1
Other title challengers: Schalke cannot be ruled out. They are in it, and they play Dortmund at home just three days after this clash. But still - I am pretty sure Bayern and Dortmund will have ran away from Schalke before that.
Comment: Bayern had a match point in the November clash, but blew it. They may well have another one in April.
22 April: Barcelona-Real Madrid
Current standing:
1. Real Madrid 40 points
2. Barcelona 37 points
3. Sevilla 33 points
Autumn result: Real-Madrid-Barcelona 1-3
Other title challengers: yeah, right.
Comment: Always the decider? The big two have perhaps been a little little less dominant so far (Manchester City, Manchester United and Real have the exact same average points per game). Barcelona look like the team that will not get away with a draw this time, but they have a big big clasico upper hand.
28 April: Manchester City-Manchester United
Current standing:
1. Manchester City 45
2. Manchester United 45
3. Spurs 38 (with a game in hand)
Autumn result: United-City 1-6
Other title challengers: Spurs are closest. Spurs will not win.
Comment: After this game, only two league games remain. This has the potential to be the biggest Manchester derby of all times, and the 1-6 shocker from October, or Rooney over-head kicking away City's titles dreams 2010/2011 do not make it worse. Despite injuries, United show the best form and will need to gain an advantage during the Christmas period - they are looking at a very tough schedule 2012 with away games against Newclaste, Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham (and a home game against Liverpool) between 4 January and 3 March. But United is United. City are looking more vulnerable now than earlier in the season, the goals do not come as easy, and are despite the strong squad very dependent on a few players (Hart, Kompany, Silva).
26 Feb: Milan-Juventus
Current standing:
1. Milan 34 points
2. Juve 34 points
3. Udinese 32 points
Autumn result: Juve-Milan 2-0.
Other title challengers: Hardly. Udinese and Lazio do not possess the squads to last a whole season, Inter and Roma are too far back and with tough schedules. Napoli have put focus on Champions League.
Comment: Juve under Conte are still unbeaten, they can spend the spring concentrating on the league and the game against Milan is the only away game against a top team: Juve plays at home against Udinese, Inter, Napoli, Lazio and Roma in the spring. On the other hand, Milan like an old train have finally starting to roll fast, score a lot of goals and have the Championship guarantee player Ibrahimovic. Although many game days will remain after this tie, the winner will be the big title favourite.
11 April: Dortmund-Bayern
Current standing:
1. Bayern 37 points
2. Dortmund 34 points
3. Schalke 34 points
Autumn result: Bayern-Dortmund 0-1
Other title challengers: Schalke cannot be ruled out. They are in it, and they play Dortmund at home just three days after this clash. But still - I am pretty sure Bayern and Dortmund will have ran away from Schalke before that.
Comment: Bayern had a match point in the November clash, but blew it. They may well have another one in April.
22 April: Barcelona-Real Madrid
Current standing:
1. Real Madrid 40 points
2. Barcelona 37 points
3. Sevilla 33 points
Autumn result: Real-Madrid-Barcelona 1-3
Other title challengers: yeah, right.
Comment: Always the decider? The big two have perhaps been a little little less dominant so far (Manchester City, Manchester United and Real have the exact same average points per game). Barcelona look like the team that will not get away with a draw this time, but they have a big big clasico upper hand.
28 April: Manchester City-Manchester United
Current standing:
1. Manchester City 45
2. Manchester United 45
3. Spurs 38 (with a game in hand)
Autumn result: United-City 1-6
Other title challengers: Spurs are closest. Spurs will not win.
Comment: After this game, only two league games remain. This has the potential to be the biggest Manchester derby of all times, and the 1-6 shocker from October, or Rooney over-head kicking away City's titles dreams 2010/2011 do not make it worse. Despite injuries, United show the best form and will need to gain an advantage during the Christmas period - they are looking at a very tough schedule 2012 with away games against Newclaste, Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham (and a home game against Liverpool) between 4 January and 3 March. But United is United. City are looking more vulnerable now than earlier in the season, the goals do not come as easy, and are despite the strong squad very dependent on a few players (Hart, Kompany, Silva).
Wednesday, 14 September 2011
See these two cold fingers?
Up the bracket for you, Barca. You got what you deserved. The first for not starting the game on your toes, the second for not bothering to finish it off.
All credit to AC Milan staying in the game and for giving themselves a chance to punish those oh-so-humble-wannabies-that-really-are-the-most-pompus-team-around Barcelona.
One of my favourite sportsmen of all times is Bode Miller. Partly because of what happens 30 seconds into this clip, partly because of his simple response to the question why downhills was his favourite event: "I like to go straight".
Barcelona is the opposite of that. Combined with the teddybear image, they are the enemy.
All credit to AC Milan staying in the game and for giving themselves a chance to punish those oh-so-humble-wannabies-that-really-are-the-most-pompus-team-around Barcelona.
One of my favourite sportsmen of all times is Bode Miller. Partly because of what happens 30 seconds into this clip, partly because of his simple response to the question why downhills was his favourite event: "I like to go straight".
Barcelona is the opposite of that. Combined with the teddybear image, they are the enemy.
Friday, 26 August 2011
Oh what can it mean?
A daydream believer he is, our Zlatan. And a homecoming king.
A Swedish journalist just dubbed Zlatan "the boy who was condemned to walk his life in circles". An elegant way of putting it. There is something very predestined about him. Wherever he goes, he wins the national title. Wherever he goes, he fails to win the Champions League. And wherever he goes, he will always come back to where he just were. Here's the story of Zlatan:
2001: leaves Malmö for Ajax, but claims that one day he will play for Inter.
2004: leaves Ajax for Juve
Autumn 2004: paired with Ajax in the Champions League group stage
2006: leaves Juve for Inter
Since Juve has been relegated, it takes a year before he gets a new re-union in "il derby d'Italia".
2009: leaves Inter for Barca with the motivation that he wants to win the Champions League
Autumn 2009: Paired with Inter in the Champions League group stage, and in the spring the two team face each other again in the seminfinal. Inter go on to win the whole tournament.
2010: leaves Barca for Milan
Back to the city where he became the most shining star in Serie A, but playing for the rival team. And oh, this is what happens four minutes into his first derby for Milan. Plus:
Autumn 2010: is paired with his old team Ajax and his old coach Mourinho in the Champions League group stage.
Autumn 2011: First, the biggest homecoming of them all. Then: paired with Barcelona (now Champions again) in the Champions League group stage. Camp Nou may not respond in the same way.
A Swedish journalist just dubbed Zlatan "the boy who was condemned to walk his life in circles". An elegant way of putting it. There is something very predestined about him. Wherever he goes, he wins the national title. Wherever he goes, he fails to win the Champions League. And wherever he goes, he will always come back to where he just were. Here's the story of Zlatan:
2001: leaves Malmö for Ajax, but claims that one day he will play for Inter.
2004: leaves Ajax for Juve
Autumn 2004: paired with Ajax in the Champions League group stage
2006: leaves Juve for Inter
Since Juve has been relegated, it takes a year before he gets a new re-union in "il derby d'Italia".
2009: leaves Inter for Barca with the motivation that he wants to win the Champions League
Autumn 2009: Paired with Inter in the Champions League group stage, and in the spring the two team face each other again in the seminfinal. Inter go on to win the whole tournament.
2010: leaves Barca for Milan
Back to the city where he became the most shining star in Serie A, but playing for the rival team. And oh, this is what happens four minutes into his first derby for Milan. Plus:
Autumn 2010: is paired with his old team Ajax and his old coach Mourinho in the Champions League group stage.
Autumn 2011: First, the biggest homecoming of them all. Then: paired with Barcelona (now Champions again) in the Champions League group stage. Camp Nou may not respond in the same way.
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