A SITE FOR THE GLOBAL FOOTBALL (SOCCER) &SPORTS FAN WITH AN INTEREST IN KNOWING MORE ABOUT THE SPANISH SCENE.CONCISE & PRECISE NEWS TO KEEP YOU UPDATED WHEREVER YOU MAY FIND YOURSELF IN THIS "SMALL" WORLD
Thursday, November 26, 2009
FC BARCELONA & UNICEF: HELP THE CHILDREN FROM AIDS
FC BARCELONA & some of its star players have given their image for the worthy cause of awareness & fundraising towards the orphans who have lost their family from AIDS across the World. The latest figures cite that 15.000.000 children are made orphans due to loss of family members from AIDS. Under the UNICEF “flag” the Spanish team endorses this campaign which SFS gives space here in solidarity in getting the message out & hope:
PREVIEW - FC BARCELONA vs REAL MADRID - "El CLASICO 2009": THE DAY THE EARTH STOPS STILL.
It’s Sunday evening, the 29th of November at 19.00hrs & on a field in a stadium named “Camp Nou” located in the Spanish city of Barcelona there are 24 players looking at a ball situated in the middle of the field awaiting the referee’s whistle.You focus your vision further & realize that you are seeing Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaká, Xavi,Iniesta, Casillas, Sergio Ramos, Ibrahimovic, Xabi Alonso, Thierry Henry, Karim Benzema …& you realize that the Best Players in the World of Football are before your very own eyes. The whistle blows & you are witnessing the “Clasico” the big Spanish League “Derby” between FC BARCELONA & REAL MADRID.
(photo: Mundodeportivo.com)
There are few occasions & few places (perhaps except for Argentina & the Boca Juniors vs. River Plate game) in the World of Football that allows you to view, feel & live Football at its highest level. Never before have so many World Class players been summoned together in one place to play with & against each other. For example, rumour has it that this years Golden Ball Award final places will be Messi the winner, Cristiano Ronaldo second & Xavi Hernandez third; they will all be there this Sunday representing their team along with the current Best Goalkeeper in the World who is Iker Casillas & a list of Top 10 World ranked stars: Kaká, Iniesta, Ibrahimovic, Benzema, Xabi Alonso, Ramos, Puyol, Henry…etc & etc. This is awesome, unique, special & not to be missed if you are a Football fan.
The pre-match favourites are FC BARCELONA who displayed last Tuesday in their Champions League must win game against Inter Milan that they are firing, & won 2-0 without Messi & Ibrahimovic. REAL MADRID is leading the Spanish League classification table by 1ºpoint over Barça, but their game yesterday showed that they are a playing contradiction, miles behind the worst level Barça could play & are winning thanks to individual solutions ahead of any real coherent team play which is lacking & worrying some Real Madrid Directives. In fact, Real Madrid show continuing signs of lack of physical endurance in their matches, lack of coordination, emptiness in creativity & solutions. This paints a bleak picture for Madrid, but they will have back CRISTIANO RONALDO & his mere presence will give the visitors a moral boost & a substantial lift in the quality scale. According to the latest media comments by Ronaldo, the man is centred, eager & wishing to score to let the World know that the “King wishes his crown back”.
(photo:elmundo.es)
Either way, anything can happen as this match, this very special clash of giants does not follow the standard prognostics & written rules of a normal obliged scheduled game. This is one of the biggest spectacles in Football & even the “Gods” themselves take a break & desert their control over destiny to hand it over with free reign to 24 players who are consciously & physically lifted above their normal levels.
Latest news is that Messi is trying hard to overcome injury to be fit, with Ibrahimovic almost certain to start. At Real Madrid Cristiano Ronaldo is fit & roaring to go with Benzema upfront & Kaká in his natural position just behind the forwards…The stage is set, will you
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 2009 - 2010 GROUP C &D: REAL MADRID 1 - ZURICH 0 & APOEL 1 - ATLETICO DE MADRID 1
The only real good news from the 1-0REAL MADRIDvictory over ZURICH in Group C was the return in the 2ºhalf of CRISTIANO RONALDO after 56 days out with injury & the fact that AC Milan drew at Olympique 1-1 to give Madrid the top spot in the Group. The rest, even with victory was very, very disappointing.
There are still serious questions about Real Madrid´s game. The team goes from good to average to poor throughout the evolution of the matches.Either there is a physical - training problem or its mental, SFS is baffled! Added to this, there still seems to be a lack of system, of a plan & a strategy that everyone can follow, except there are individual attempts to solve the situations. All these problems & Real Madrid won the game, which should make everyone think what is happening?
(photo: Higuain_reuters_elmundo.es)
The only & winning goal came in the 20th min via HIGUAÍN, but that was it as for authentic moments of glory.
Last question; why did´nt Benzema get a run today? Leave that one to you.
Next Sunday Real will meet FC Barcelona & after what was witnessed tonight, Real Madrid could face an awful defeat by a big margen. Lets hope the "Derby" atmosphere lifts the Real Madrid play, if only to be able to give Barça a "fair" opponent.
(photo: Forlan_marca.com)
Talking about a "basket case", ATLETICO DE MADRID managed a 1-1 draw against APOEL away in their Group D game. The Spanish team cannot turn its chances into goals, opportunities they had & plenty. But their defence, yes their defence sinks any little hope as it happened early in the 4th min when MIROGAVJEVIC scored for the home team.
From here nerves, frustration & lost of coordination for the Spaniards who managed to draw thanks to SIMAO in the 61st min. Thank God for that, everyone here said out loud.
Atletico virtually assures its Europa League place, but one doesn´t hold out much hope that the team with advance far, as this season is turning out to be "hell on earth".
FC BARCELONA: GERARD PIQUE THE NEXT BEST DEFENDER IN THE WORLD
GERARD PIQUE was born 2nd of February 1987 in the city of Barcelona. This 22 year old FC BARCELONA defender is already,along with AC Milan Clarence Seedorf, the few who have won UEFA Champions League titles back to back in different Clubs. However, the achievements do not stop here, with such a young age the defender has earned a permanent & important place in the Spanish National Team. Everything indicates that we are witnessing a man & a Football player destined for big things that could leave a mark in the history of European & certainly World Football.
(photo: Gerard Pique_marca.com)
Pique is already an ex-Real Zaragoza & Manchester United player, leaving the latter after having little opportunities to show his skills, talent that includes midfield duties if needed & an uncanny goal scoring ability for a player who specializes in his position. Already some experts & veteran observers are comparing Pique to the mythical German Captain & defender Franz Beckenbauer, a comparison that just in itself already takes the player halfway to glory.
The people in the inside, those that live the FC Barcelona dressing room have expressed the extraordinary leadership qualities of the defender & are already predicting that Pique is destined to be Barça´s next long-term Captain, something that will transfer itself with time onto the Spanish National Squad. This added with his Football qualities sets the path for legend status as long as the player wishes it to be & he can avoid unlucky injuries.
The young man has already: 2 Champions League (2008 & 09) 1 Euro Super Cup (2009) 1 English League Cup (2006) 1 Community Shield (2007) 1 Premier League (2008) 1 Spanish Cup (2009) 1 Spanish League (2009) 1 Spanish Super Cup (2009)
With 22 years of age this is just the beginning, & we will be seeing how this youngman continues evolving & getting better to possibly become soon the “Best Defender in The World” & for sometime.
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 2009 - 2010 GROUP F & G: FC BARCELONA 2 - INTER MILAN 0 & UNIREA 1 - SEVILLA FC 0
With Rubin Kazin drawing 0-0 with Dynamo Kiev in the other Group F game, FC BARCELONA had less pressure & defeated INTER MILAN 2-0 in a game that was an anti-climax. A very disappointing Italian team that had little ideas & were very conservative in their strategy & play.
However, that maybe easy to write as Barcelona dominated the ball & played all the game with some brilliant Football ( without Ibrahimovic & Messi) that was hard to stop.
PIQUE opened the scoring in the 9th min with his header as shown on this video:
Barça grew even more stronger & in the 25th min PEDRO scored the second after a great built-up & pass from Alves.
(photo: Pedro_elmundo/ap_photo)
From here & until the end Barça had more chances but just made sure to control the game. Inter Milan was ineffective tonight & the much awaited Samuel Eto´o "revenge" opportunity did not eventuate.
Once again all the pre-match prognostics go out the window as Barça turn a possible elimination scenario into a almost qualifying & top of the Group situation. That is why they are the current European Champions! (photo:Negredo_marca.com)
Talking about pre-match prognostics failing, SEVILLA FC lost 1-0 away to UNIREA in their Group G clash.
Sevilla played better overall & hit the post twice but Unirea took its chance even though it was via an own goal from Sevilla Fc defender DRAGUTINOVIC in the 44th min.
From here the local side put up a defensive wall & managed to take the game. Having said all this Sevilla should not have problems in their quest to qualify from the Group stage. As they say, shit happens sometimes!
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 2009: SAMUEL ETOÓ COULD HELP KNOCK OUT FC BARCELONA
Many a time here on SFS the comparisons with Football & Life have been highlighted, with the emphasis on how things can turn 360º in a matter of days &/or months. The ousted & now ex-FC BARCELONA forward SAMUEL ETOÓ could play a part tonight in eliminating his ex-Club if his current employer, Italian Champions INTER MILAN, defeat Barça in their Group Champions League game.
(photo: as.com)
Paradoxical really that the ex-Camp Barça hero could score for Inter & create shockwaves throughout the Football World knocking out the Current European Champions so early in the Group stage. For FC Barcelona this would be a hard blow that may cause short-term “wobbles” that could have bad results in the “Liga” competition with Real Madrid to be played next Sunday. In fact, there is uncertainty if stars Ibrahimovic or Messi can play tonight due to injuries, although the former has a higher probability. Either way, destiny has put the chips on the table with a grand game expected between theses two Football giants where anything can happen & either team could win. From SFS I wish Barça all the best as I desire Spanish teams to go all
the way.
Samuel Etoó tonight will be the focus, the returning son, the man who can change the course of both Clubs, one onto glory while with the other out to the cold. Life & Football, funny how each keep on building stages for you to perform.
ATHLETIC DE BILBAO: DEFENDER AMOREBIETA USES "MARTIAL ARTS" TO STOP MESSI
Saturdays At.Bilbao vs Fc Barcelona gave us plenty of extra-football content & insights as shown on the below post with "Superman" & this new post on "Martial Arts"
FC BARCELONA Argentine star LIONEL MESSI is a tough player to stop, most opponent team defenders are left standing still while the agil & classy forward dribbles past them to score his goals.
Here is a "new method" to stop Messi as shown by Athletic de Bilbao defender AMOREBIETA. He uses the unconventional “Karate” leave it up & into your face technique as used by the “School of Tough Defenders without Skill”. See video:
Obviously, this “martial art” is so new that the referee nor his linesman were prepared for this daring use of the secret art & its excecution.
ATHLETIC DE BILBAO: SUPERMAN IS A PART-TIME SECURITY GUARD AT "SAN MAMES"?
Have you ever wondered what SUPERMAN is doing lately? Been a while that we know little of his location or what he is doing. Apparently he has a part-time job as a security guard at the ATHLETIC DE BILBAO stadium "San Mames" as this video indicates in Saturdays game against FC Barcelona
Superman flew & tackled a spontaneous runner with an Algerian flag in the very last moment to "save the day"!
SPANISH FOOTBALL - LA LIGA 2009/2010 - ROUND 11 SUNDAY GAMES RESULT
La Spanish Liga continued today with Round 11 & its six scheduled games. (photo: efe)
MALLORCA continues proving its home ground is a stronghold with another good win other ALMERIA 3-1. The man of the match was CASTRO for Mallorca who put in two goals (48th & 94th min),
with his team-mate VICTOR scoring the other goal in the 89th min. The only goal for Almeria came from RODRIGUEZ in the 75th min. (photo: efe_elmundo.com)
VILLAREAL is pulling itself out of the "hole" it got itself into early in this
season with some well earned wins. Today they defeated VALLADOLID
3-1 with Brazilian NILMAR starring for Villareal with two goals along
with ROSSI who put in the third. COSTA got the consolation goal for Valladolid, a team in bad shape at this point of the "Liga".
(photo:marca.com)
MALAGA managed to pull back a 1-1 draw from REAL ZARAGOZA in a tense 2ºhalf were both teams lost a man to a red card. Earlier EWERTHON converted a penalty to put Zaragoza ahead but Malaga equalized via GONZALEZ in the 74th min. Much needed point for Malaga still last in the classification ladder.
(photo: elmundo.com_efe)
XEREZ & REAL SPORTING DE GIJÓN only managed a 0-0 draw in a match were both were not able to turn their chances into goals.
(photo: efe-elmundo)
RCD ESPANYOL lost 0- 2 to GETAFE in the latter part of the game thanks to goals from CASQUERO in the 79th min & PEDRO RIOS
in the 93rd min. Espanyol were scored when best they were playing
which must have been a moral blow. Ex-Espanyol Captain Tamudo
made a return to his side but was´nt able to score. (photo: marca.com)
OSASUNA lost to VALENCIA CF 1-3 with the latter too good in its counter-attacks. DAVID VILLA pulls a bit more away as the Liga leading
goal scorer with his 11th min shot. His team-mates ABELDA in the
20th min & MARCHENA in the 56th min also got on the score sheet.
Osasuna went down to 9 men when its forward Pandiani saw his
second yellow card & Flaño saw his in the last minutes, however MASOUD scored Osasuna´s only goal in the 68th min.
LUARA HAYRAPETYAN OF ARMENIA SINGS TO FC BARCELONA AT EUROVISION JR CONTEST 2009
Young Luara Hayrapetyan representing Armenia came in runner-up yesterday at the EUROVISION JR contest with her song BARCELONA:
She & her team dressed the FC BARCELONA outfit & poured their hearts out to lovely & catchy tune. Perhaps the Spanish Club should consider Laura as a pre-match "Classic" Barça vs Real Madrid performance at "Camp Nou" next Sunday. It would be a great Marketing exercise for everyone.
LA LIGA 2009- 2010: FC BARCELONA & REAL MADRID - "CRAZY LITTLE THING CALLED FOOTBALL"
Its been said by wise men for many, many years how Football is a fluctuating game of CRAZY luck, spirits & results. Who would have imagined two weeks ago with the Real Madrid institutional pillars “crumbling” & Coach Pellegrini´s position on the edge, that REAL MADRID would be at the Top of the “La Liga” ladder? This & the fact that Real Madrid is not exactly playing better Football than Barça, in fact the former still has worrying tactical & defensive problems to overcome.
(photo: Messi injured_marca.com)
FC BARCELONA drew last night against Athletic de Bilbao 1-1 to "allow" the “arch rival” to jump ahead with a 1º point advantage in the classification table, but the hand of luck drew them a bad hand with injury to LIONEL MESSI. Unfortunate & with absolute bad timing as Barça has a tough week ahead which could see their Champions League future in doubt ( i.e. elimination) with a vital game this Tuesday against an inform Inter Milan, & next weeks “Classico” against Real Madrid also under the odds.
With “swine flu” spreading through the dressing room (Abidal, Toure & Marquez for the moment), Messi almost discarded for Inter & possibly for Real Madrid & Ibrahimovic injured , Barça hopes that it can get out alive against Inter Milan this Tuesday & have sufficient men, moral spirits & confidence to halt Real Madrid next Sunday. Remember, if Real wins at “Camp Nou”, not only will that be a boost to the Madrid confidence but also another 3 points, added to which Barça will have a “new hunter” on their tail called Sevilla FC.
It appears, at this point, that the “Gods of the Football skies” have turned the tide against FC Barcelona who, as already said, are playing the better Football of all the Spanish Clubs ( with Sevilla the only possible exception) & facing a potentially awkward & difficult 7 days ahead that could steer them off the rails & fill the media with the
word "crisis".
(photo: Higuaín_elmundo.com)
Football is funny & difficult to understand. Real Madrid gains back Cristiano Ronaldo & Barcelona now losses Messi, Real could get back on course in Champions if they defeat Zurich on Tuesday, while Barça could say Goodbye if they lose to Inter on Wednesday, & lastly Barça may see Real escape if the they lose next Sunday.
Tense week coming up folks, it will be interesting to see how the Football Gods throw the dice, as it seems at times, it has everything to do except with Football!
As Freddy Mercury sang : "Crazy Little Thing Called Love (or Football?)" TRY IT, CHANGE THE WORLD "LOVE" FOR "FOOTBALL" & sing along:
NOTE: This article will have little relevance if Real lose on Wednesday & Barça wins on Tuesday &/or Sunday...thats Football :-)
LATEST: Doctors confirm that Messi´s injury is not as bad as first thought. Stay tuned!
