I’ve posted an essay defending inequality (?!?) over at the League. Don’t get mad yet—I’m talking about athletic inequality. Here’s a sample: All of the resulting fluidity often prompts complaints about the transfer market’s lack of fairness. These come from fans of big and small clubs alike, for we are all democrats now. We need parity … Continue reading
Yesterday Barça thumped Real Madrid again, 3-1—in Madrid. They’ve made such a regular habit of pantsing the “merengues” (which, come to think of it, isn’t a particularly intimidating moniker) that it’s getting hard to think of them as rivals anymore. Since José Mourinho arrived to head up the Castillian squad, “The Special One” has beaten … Continue reading
Want to know why Barcelona keep chasing Cesc Fàbregas, despite Arsenal’s apparent unwillingness to sell? You’ve got to begin at the beginning. Més que un club, the Cataláns say, and they mean it. More than a club. It’s not just about the stylish play or the (supposed) sportsmanship; it’s not about the UNICEF affiliation or … Continue reading
So now what? 4 Clásicos down, and two more to go in August: have we learned anything? Start with The Run of Play‘s Brian Phillips. He posted an excellent set of reflections last week on some lessons learned: For the Wengers, Mourinhos, Fergusons, et. al., it’s as if soccer itself, the entire system of the game, … Continue reading
Seriously, though…I haven’t heard too many other people else bring this up, but since FC Barcelona is almost assuredly going to win La Liga, and Real Madrid won the Copa del Rey, this means that they’ll meet this August in the Supercopa de España (in fact, should hell freeze over Barça cough up La Liga, … Continue reading
This is wholly uncharacteristic of Pep, and it doesn’t quite fit with my prior distinction between him and Mourinho, but I understand. Why? Well… Righteous Anger > Indulgent Complaining? Or, maybe it’s simply impossible NOT to get dragged into the gutter with José? Something like that. (Much more worrisome, I think, is Barça keeper Victor Valdés … Continue reading
If you’ve been paying the vaguest of attention to either team, you already know the storyline: FC Barcelona and Real Madrid are set to play 4 times in the next week-and-a-half. Here’s the schedule: 1) 04/16: Final La Liga Meeting (Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid) 2) 04/20: Tournament Final: Copa Del Rey (La Mestalla, Valencia) 3) 04/27: … Continue reading
Grant Wahl over at Sports Illustrated has a sycophantic panegyric masquerading as a story on Real Madrid’s José Mourinho in this week’s SI. Here’s a sampling (emphasis added): Mourinho can’t help himself. He is by turns smart, vain, funny, needy, tough and as thin-skinned as a pinot grape. But who’s to argue with him? He … Continue reading
Here is a piece of news that really illustrates what I’ve tried to point out in earlier posts about Real Madrid’s strange approach to competition. Apparently the chumps over at Madrid headquarters are seriously considering sacking José “The Special One” Mourinho if he can’t pull out a trophy for the squad. He’s only been there … Continue reading
While FC Barcelona out-wrestled Hércules (the last team to beat them in La Liga) 0-3 in Alicante, Osasuna took Real Madrid 1-0 in Pamplona. This left Barça 7 points clear at the top of the La Liga table. Given the 5-0 “Manita” they inflicted upon Real Madrid in Barcelona last fall, Barcelona also hold the … Continue reading
