Real Madrid Defeated from Within

The last Clasico saw Barcelona beat Real Madrid 2-1 in a match that could have gone either way. Despite some controversial calls and poor judgment by the referee, Barcelona was the better team. Both teams seem to be going through a phase of changes and unpredictability but Real Madrid has made a mistake that will cost them dearly.

Lately, Real Madrid has had trouble beating teams that are not good at controlling possession of the ball and are not good at attacking. Well, Barca is really good at both of those. Though, they have not been brilliant as previous seasons, Barca is still an undefeated team with a lot of creativity.

There is no doubt that there were certain penalty calls that the referee dismissed for both sides. One may argue one side over the other; however, if Real Madrid will rely on penalties to decide a positive outcome in every game then they’ll have a long season. A club with the history and the quality of players cannot simply rely on penalty kicks period.

Why has Real Madrid been defeated from within? The answer is simple they sold Mesut Ozil. Many Barca fans were relieved about the news when Los Blancos announced the departure of the German playmaker to Arsenal. Ozil is only 25 years old and he has so much to give yet.  That would be like Barca letting go of Xavi who is the architect in the midfield.

You cannot let go of your architect who can create spectacular buildings. Mesul Ozil was and still is a great attacking midfielder with the capacity to create accurate and deadly passes against opponent teams. He has brought struggling Arsenal to the top of the table in Premier League and he is enjoying it.
  

Meanwhile, Real Madrid is having a tough time identifying their type of game. With Mourinho they were fast and effective with their counterattacks but now with Ancelloti they are being put to the test even by teams that have previously been easily defeated by Los Blancos.

That they were not given a penalty or two in the last Clasico should not be an excuse for a team with the history and accomplishment as Real Madrid. They just need to come down from that historic cloud and realize that money doesn’t always translate to talent. 

El Clasico

What is El Clasico? The Classic! Not quite. Actually the term refers to the rivalry in world football between Real Madrid vs. Barcelona. These two legendary and gigantic soccer clubs are among the most successful in Europe and the world and when they go against each other soccer aficionados gather together to watch the intensity of this match.

Everything is at stake. Real Madrid and Barcelona go against each other not only for the historic rivalry between their respective cities but also everything else. Is not only the historical and political conflict the gets tangle up in El Clasico but also respect.

Weeks before the date of El Clasico the media that surrounds the beautiful game is in charge of building provocative stories to heat things up between these two. Fans of each of the clubs talk smack about the other and some take it to an extreme and dangerous level.

El Clasico is up on us and the world will be watching. One more reason that makes this match so good is the presence of great footballers on both teams. But recently it has gotten even better. Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are undoubtedly the best players in the world and they have brought El Clasico to a whole new level. These two are both nicknamed score machines because their goal tally just keeps climbing up every season. So it is not only Real Madrid vs. Barcelona but also Cristiano vs. Messi.

Don’t go too crazy about it and make sure you get on with your life after the match :D

It will be an interesting match since both teams seem to be missing something. Real Madrid have been criticized for lack of willingness from some of the starting eleven and Barcelona has not been so brilliant in the last two matches and for that reason El Clasico could go either way. But the first meeting is at Barcelona’s Camp Nou Stadium and for that reason Barca are the favorites to win this one. It will definitely be an intense and interesting match for all soccer aficionados out there.

Barcelona's Tarzan is Back

Not even Tarzan helped Barcelona to keep the winning streak

It has been a great run by Barcelona so far as they still remain the undefeated team in La Liga. Barca conceded a couple of points as they tied with Osasuna over the weekend. One of the most notable parts of the match was the return of Carles Puyol on the pitch. Barca’s iconic defender has been missing in action for seven months due to a knee injury. Puyol is nicknamed Tarzan for his long curly hair as well as his aggressive and competitive game. He is a player that any team would love to have on their side.

Great game by Osasuna as they were able to contain Barca’s constant attacking style. The opportunities were there for Barca to put it on the net but they were missing that special and most important last touch. But Osasuna’s fans with their chants and encouragement got behind their team who in return did not give in.

Barcelona does not have to win every match but it has become sort of expected by the fans. Now with the return of Puyol on defense there is also some increased assurance on the back line because in recent months that defensive line has been criticized for not being at their best. 

Puyol has returned just on time to play a full 90-minute game as a warm up for next week. Two important matches for Barcelona are their Champions League game against AC Milan on Oct 22 and on Oct 26 against bitter rival Real Madrid, both games are a must win for the Catalans.

El Clasico is a gift from the past to the present and future of the beautiful game. It’s an intensive match where the history and rivalry between two cities bundles up with their respective teams. Barcelona vs. Real Madrid it’s a must watch for soccer lovers all over the world. Puyol and Messi will go head to head against Ronaldo and company.

Barcelona does need a strong defense and for that reason Puyol’s recovery is very appreciated by Barca’s fan. The Champions League as well as La Liga has a long way to go and the games are much more interesting when quality players are not missing due to injuries.

Puyol, take care of yourself and don’t go too crazy on those ball challenges just because people refer to you as Tarzan. 

The Beautiful Game is More than Running

All sports are entertainment in the eye of the beholder; some will say that certain activity is boring while another one is action-packed. I believe soccer is full of unpredictable movements and plays that make the game spectacular.

That long ball the defender sends the ball to the striker, then the striker receives it with his chest, turns around and runs forward preparing to take a long-range shot and scores a beautiful goal or the goalkeeper flies and puts a hand making an amazing save sending the ball out of bounds. And sometimes the ball hits the bar post too.

That scissors kick, when a player jumps and makes his body parallel to the ground to strike in front of the goal. This happens fast, usually from a corner kick or a cross from the sidelines, and for that reason good timing is everything. Depending from the side of the pass, the striker brings up his right or left leg forward to jump up and shoot that ball.

A direct free kick is given when a player is fouled outside the opponents box. The striker attempts to score a goal while the opponents form a wall 10 yards in front of him. The beauty here is to put that ball over the wall and make sure it comes down inside the goalie. An indirect free kick happens the same way except another player has to pass or touch the ball before the striker.

The diving headers, those are cool too. These are well executed when there is a nice cross pass and the forward runs and dives to put that ball in the net with his head.

The corner kick; this one is the one awarded to the attacking team when the ball goes out of bound deflected from the opponent player. The kick is taken from the closest corner the ball was deflected from. It’s an opportunity for tall players to head in the ball and score.

And how about that Bicycle Kick.

You never get to see one so often but when a bicycle kick is well performed and nicely executed it is a spectacular moment. The bicycle is one of those acrobatic movements that steals the show. This is the one that non-professional teams as well as kids in the park fool around trying to attempt. 

The beautiful game is action packed! It is definitely not just running as some may think. There is a lot going on in the pitch, especially in competitive games such as World Cup qualifiers and other tournaments where great teams go head to head.

October 11 is a FIFA Date

October 11 is a date for qualifiers 

Soccer fans around the world will be glued to their TV sets watching their respective national teams in another FIFA World Cup 2014 qualifying game. A match between one country against another is very meaningful. Both countries playing against each other represent their people, the color of their flags and their pride. It is indeed a battle on that pitch.

This is where fierce rivals unite for the same cause to qualify for a significant spot in the world’s game. For instance, Barcelona and Real Madrid players who battle against each other competing for trophies in Spain’s La Liga will be a unified team representing their country.

A Qualifying game is far from being just a game. At this stage, footballers representing their country have to sweat blood if necessary in order to successfully go through and earn a ticket to Brazil 2014.

A soccer match between two national teams makes a regular league game look cute. 

That is because representing a country brings more pressure in the players. Representing the colors of a country means representing the heritage, history and culture and everything else that gets tangled in one nation.

Every one is watching and for that reason a mistake could last for a long time. At this level the ball is rolling faster, the players are running back and forth, counterattacks happen as well as long range shots. The defenders can’t make mistakes because it could cause them a goal, the midfield has to be accurate with their passes, and the strikers can’t waste opportunities to score.

However, one team usually makes a costly mistake and the rush of that gooooaaaaL is unforgettable for the fans. 

The popularity of soccer is growing in the United States either with EA FIFA 13 or with the use of social media and the business deals made by television networks to broadcasts the elite leagues of Europe. Whatever the case may be, the USA has been consistently showing up to the World Cup tournament and playing really well. It will be nice to see the red white and blue go far next year. 

Real Madrid Has That Luck of Champions

Real Madrid has the luck of champions given that they scored two goals in the last minutes of the match against Levante. It seems that the Real Madrid squad is having trouble adapting a new strategy. They don’t know whether to play a possession system or an attacking system.

Even if they would not admit it, they are clearly missing the creativity and playmaking skills of Mesut Ozi.

In the last minute of added time Ronaldo stroke the ball, which was deflected by a defender and to the net. This was a significant goal from outside the box because had Madrid dropped more points they would be 8 points behind Barca and Atletico Madrid instead of 5. But Real Madrid could run out of luck with teams that know how to possess the ball in the last minutes of a match.

Atltetico Madrid and Barcelona have had a great start in La Liga so far. Both teams look great and they have won all the 8 games played with 24 points each. And this means that Real Madrid have to watch out not only for their arch rival Barca, but also their neighbors who just keep on winning as well.

It’s exciting to see Villareal being two points (17) behind Real Madrid. The More competition the better!

Real Madrid cannot rely on Ronaldo all the time. In the last match against Levante, the Portuguese striker was clearly taking charge of the team after seeing that nothing else was working. His persistence was rewarded against Levante, a team that was not able to hide the ball from Los Blancos in the last minutes.

No diving!

 European newspapers have criticized Neymar for diving during Barca's game against Celtic. It is easy to criticize the Brazilian star because his style lets him expose to defenders. But a lot of players dive and try to get their opponents booked by the ref.

Real Madrid had a great game but they will need to play against a tougher opponent as a proof that they are coming together as a team. Copenhagen was definitely not a threat for Iker Casillas, for that reason Los Blancos were able to shine with fantastic goals. But there is no doubt that Real Madrid is a tough team with great players able to go far in the competition.

So it was easy for Los Blancos to earn their three points. I guess we'll have to wait and see what happens in the next round of the Champions!

Another week of Champions League!

I have a soccer thought!

I'll be right back and finish my thought!


Ohhh! I got it, Champions League this week!



Barca's victory over Celtic was by the minimum
(1 - 0) but  they were important three points for the Blaugrana who has have had complicated matches at Celtic Park in recent years.

Neymar had a great match and took the leadership in the attack. The young Brazilian is still being watch closely by Barca fans, but he seems to be doing really well considering he is not used to playing at the Champions League level.

Fabrega's only goal of the match was enough to put FC Barcelona with 6 points in Group H. It was noticeable that Messi was missing in action but the team came through and showed a display of quality and possession to walk away with the three points.

Ozil's Arsenal was brilliant as well. Mesut Ozil continues to enjoy success with the Gunners scoring his first goal in a Champions League game against Napoli. An important victory for Arsenal as well in order to stay on top with 6 points in Group F.

Real Madrid resurrected from criticism because they have 'the christian and the angel'. Los Blancos easily dominated the match at Estadio Bernabeu against Copenhagen. Sensational goals by Cristiano Ronaldo and Angel Di Maria (4-0) who each walked away with a brace. Real Madrid was fantastic! But they have yet to see a strong challenger in the Champions League.

Pep Guardiola's Bayern Munich continues to be an unstoppable machine. It was a spectacular match where Bayern routed Manchester City (3-1)with fantastic and accurate passing skills. The German side is in fantastic form and they will continue to be a tough team to beat in this competition.

Champions League games are truly exciting to watch. The games are played at the highest level, where skill, speed and quality embrace the atmosphere of the beautiful game.