A Tale of Two Leagues

Every league but one in Europe is on the run-in; the last matches before the end of the season.  If you are one of the fortunate teams, then you are also still vying for the Champions League trophy.  Only 8 teams, Manchester United, Arsenal, Bordeaux, Lyon, Inter Milan, Bayern Munich, CSKA Moscow, and Barcelona are remaining.  This Tuesday and Wednesday are the first-leg ties for the matchups and it brings up an interesting anomaly that I've noticed in recent seasons.
I will leave out CSKA Moscow for the time being because their season runs from March to November to avoid the harsh Russian winters.  As their season is only three weeks old they are not in the run-in!

Of the remaining teams, all are in the fight for their respective league titles.  So what is the anomaly?  Can the teams play the same level of footy in both their league and the Champions League?

The sides that really brought this to my attention were Inter Milan and Bordeaux.  Bordeaux topped their group in the final CL stages (with 16 of 18 pts possible) and was playing terrific footy in the Ligue 1.  Milan, on the other hand, was playing fantastic footy in the Serie-A but only qualified second in their group and with a paltry 9 points.
In recent seasons, Milan has dumped out of the Champions League while still retaining the coveted Scudetto in Italy's Serie-A.  Immense pressure was then put on Milan manager, Jose Mourinho (the self-acclaimed "Special One"), to bring home the European booty or be gone.
This year Milan has upped their game in the CL and dumped out perennial semi-finalist Chelsea in the round of 16.  But since then, Mourinho's team has dropped point after point in the Scudetto race, losing today to Roma.  Their seemingly-invincible lead earlier in January and February has now been whittled down to nothing...with Roma and AC Milan nipping at their heels.  Is Mourinho's job, which has been threatened, spurred the Portuguese manager to concentrate on the CL instead of on the Italian title?

Bordeaux were 10 points ahead in the Ligue 1 title chase, of which they are the defending champions after knocking off Lyon who have won seven consecutive titles.  The Marine et Blanc were also pounding their opponents in the CL.  But their league play has taken a downturn and are now sitting even on points with Montpellier with a game in hand.  In yesterday's Coupe de la Ligue championship match between Bordeaux and Marseilles, Laurent Blanc's men looked good but couldn't make an impact on Marseille's goal.  With a quarter-hour to go, Blanc took out his two best players, Yoann Gourcuff and Marouane Chamakh, to rest for Tuesday's CL match against Lyon.  If they can't play well in both title races, will one suffer for the other?

As for Manchester United and Barcelona...both are used to playing multiple cup ties to augment their league schedules.  Last year, United played for 5 cups, which amounted to 60 matches.  That is 22 more matches than the majority of their opponents in the Prem League.  That experience makes them very dangerous in cup play.  Barcelona has made a resurgence as of late and took in a trophy haul last year that most would dream about. 
Arsenal had a perfect season not so long ago, but want to make a mark in the CL.  Losing to Prem League foe United in the semis last year, they are looking to move forward, but will face a determined Barca side.  They were touted to have the easiest of run-ins but their tie with lowly Birmingham yesterday proved to be too much and they only managed a draw.  Two points dropped.  In the run-in, that can be the nail in the coffin.

With the shiniest of trophies up for grabs, it will be interesting to see who has enough moxie to raise their league trophy and the CL trophy.  I think you know my choice!

I would like to see this with red ribbons around it!

   

Berbalicious

There is no denying that the man is smooth.  Critcized for being "lazy" by the too-lazy-to-actually-watch-the-match British press, Berbatov turned in a silky-smooth performance today against a feisty Bolton.  His game suffered in the first half from lack of familiarity; having been used sparingly this season as Rooney's confidence has blossomed.  When something isn't broken, you don't fix it, so SAF has let Wazza weave his magic, while Berba has languished on the bench. 
It is fair to say he is invisible in some matches, but it isn't fair to say he has disappeared.  His delivery is so non-chalant that you often have to see the replay to understand what has happened.  He is somewhat of a ghost striker (sounds like a movie)...appearing out of nowhere at just the right time.  His 1-2-3 with Rooney and Valencia is becoming a regular show during matches.  Ronny and Rooney always had an innate sense of each other, and I believe these three are finally on the same wavelength.
Throw in a rejuvenated Nani, and the threesome gets bolder.  The Portuguese winger seemed to be on his way out at Old Trafford after a soul-bearing interview in which he criticized Sir Alex *GASP*.  As dumb as that was, his play seemed to be dumber at times; quick on the ball, but not too quick on the uptake.  Leaving an open man (usually Rooney) hanging while he took wild shots did not help matters.  United is not Pompey.  You have to earn your way into the starting XI.  Being the so-called "next Ronaldo" when he signed with United put a ton of pressure on the youngster.  He styled his every move after Ronny, including his hair, clothes, boots, car, and jewelry.  Trying to look like Cristiano is one thing...trying to emulate his play is something very different.  I would imagine a call from Manchester to Madrid got the "ReNANIassance" ball rolling.  Sir Alex, no doubt, told Ronny to put the fear in his protege.  Mission accomplished!

And now for the match.  After a schizophrenic first half in which the Reds enjoyed a one-goal lead thanks to a brilliant finish by a Bolton defender, the second half had to be better.  It was.  A brace by Berba and some icing from Gibson (his first touch of the match!) put United back on top of the table.

Photos:

Careful with Giggsy's wrist, Berba...it's just healed

Nani has a new spark and a freshly-minted four-year contract

Capitalizing on a keeper's mistake...

Celebrating with the away crowd...

It wouldn't be a match if Evra didn't jump on someone! :)

Gibson makes the most of his first touch in the match

Nani looks lilliputian here...hehe

In other Prem League news:
C-Scum scored 7 on...Aston Villa.  The 7 pales in comparison to the fact that they let Villa score 1 on them.  Tsk tsk.
Arsenal, who pundits said had an easy run-in for the title, played a tricky Birmingham City at St. Andrews.  Sitting firmly in the middle of the table, the Brummies have shown some brilliance at times this season, as well as some hauntingly bad.  The match was 0-0 through the 80th minute, when Samir Nasri put the Gunners ahead.  Only ten minutes to secure three points, or lose two.  In the 90th minute, Birmingham did the unthinkable and levelled the score.  Wenger slammed his fist into the pitch, frustrated by his team's lack of cohesiveness and the over-zealous tackling that resulted in an injury to Cesc Fabregas.  When asked in the post-match interview what he thought about the tackles,
Wenger said: "How is Fabregas? I don't know. We will have to assess him tomorrow. But it was a bad tackle, one more.

"He got tackled at the knee, kicked just under the knee. We tried to take him off but he said he was all right. Am I suggesting there were a lot of bad tackles? Leave me alone with that, for f***'s sake.
"You are always looking for controversy, you do not need me to tell you what happened on the pitch. I can give you my opinion about our game but you always create this controversy."

I agree.  The man has just watched his side dig a hole for themselves in the title race.  And as if that weren't enough, some snarky reporter wants the angle of a dirty match......for f***'s sake.

In other news:
*sniff*  Bordeaux lost to Marseilles in the final for the Couple de la Ligue trophy.  Current holders of the trophy, winning the last two years, Bordeaux started off with a flurry...then faded down the backstretch.  3-1 Marseilles.  Laurent Blanc pulled off Chamcuff in the waning moments to save them for Tuesday's CL match with Lyon.
No yummy photos from the match, but a few from training:

"Hey, Marouane, congratulations on getting Susana's number..."

What is Yoann doing? :)

"Yoann...there's some girl over there named Rosey...she wants to talk to you..."

Quote of the Day:
As the United match was in it's last minutes, the commentator had this to say...
"Look at the fight in United...they're attacking as if they're down four goals instead of up.  The fight to the end is imbued in the players from their first days at United, by a manager and club with so much success.  If you don't feel it...you're gone."

It's squeaky bum time.  

2-1, 1-1, 3-1, Job Done

2-1
United topped Liverpool at Old Trafford with Rooney and Park netting for the Reds.  Torres had scored for L-poop in the 5th minute on a clinical header, but United roared back when Valencia was felled in the box by Mascherano in the 11th minute.  Rooney was set to take the penalty and Fernando Torres walked up to the penalty spot (which is white) and scuffed it away in anger.  Rooney pointed to it so the official could see, but nothing was done...of course.  That should have been a yellow, not only for dissent, but for time-wasting.  All that drama and then Rooney took the penalty and it was parried straight back to him by
Reina...so he tapped it in before the defenders could get there.  On the touchline after the penalty, Sir Alex and The Waiter got into a war of words by fourth official, Andrew Marriner. The Waiter was trying to complain about the penalty and SAF was telling him to buzz off...SAF wanted a red card for Mascherano. The rest of the first half was boring, with the ball going back and forth.  United had several more chances to score, but to no avail.  On the 60th minute, Valencia created some space down the wing, then dumped it to Fletcher, who fed it to Rooney, who lobbed in for Park to head home the winner.
This takes us top of the table, 2 points ahead of Arsenal.
Of course the sinking ship that IS Liverpoop had to cite controversy in the match.  The Spanish waiter who manages 'poop (Benitez) claimed that Valencia dove in the area to create the penalty.  Whatever.  Although his team should know something about diving, as Steven Gerrard is the biggest diver in the Prem League (after Drogba).  'Poop are diving down slowly to the "Nobody Cares" section of the league.  And Torres has hinted that if new players aren't bought, he will be leaving.

Number 33...9 to go...are you watching, Ronny? Sim!

PARKin' the bus on 'Poop's dream of the CL

I numbah waaannnnn!  We love our Ji-Sung!

1-1

Speaking of sinking ships.  After their dumping in the Champions League against Inter Milan, some said that C-Club would rally around the Prem League title and win one for the Gipper...well they didn't actually say that because I doubt they know who George Gipp was.  But the "win one for the Gipper" speech obviously didn't happen, as rumor would have it that C-Club's owner, Roman Abramovich, blasted his players in the locker room after they were dumped out of the CL.  Roman would take that personally, as it was he who fired Inter's manager, Jose Mourinho,  from the C-Club post after winning two consecutive Prem League titles and some FA Cups.  The Russian wants a CL title for the Blues, and he's spent a great deal of money trying to do it...but his players keep letting him down.  With that being said, a C-Club mouthpiece has refuted the rumor of the tongue-lashing the players received and said that the meeting was "constructive and positive."  As Dr. Evil would say, "riiiiighhhhhht."  The mouthpiece did confirm that there will be player personnel changes this summer, so I doubt the meeting was constructive and positive, unless he told them they will positively be going somewhere else.

Anyway...the Blues played today as if they don't care anymore.  It's not as if they were playing a top of the table team...they were up against Blackburn Rovers.  Blackburn is a stone's throw from Manchester and Rover's boss, Sam Allardyce, is a good friend and ally of SAF.  And boy did his Rovers do us a favor today.  Down one goal after Drogba scored in the 5th minute, Blackburn roared back in the 70th minute when Senegalese forward El-Hadji Diouf, with his Star Trek eyebrows (right), smacked home the equalizer.  Smacked is a good word as it describes the feeling the Blues must have when they realized the one game they have in hand on Manchester will not be enough to overtake them.  They are now sitting 3rd in the table, 2 points behind Arsenal and 4 points behind United.  Blub blub bluuuuubbbb.

3-1
Allez......allez allez allez!!!!
When I flipped over to the Bordeaux match my mouth was agape at the site...we were down 0-1 at halftime.  Les Girondins needed something to spur them on and it was a penalty that did it.  Chamakh was brought down violently in the box (with the offender, Costa, being sent off), and Jussie converting the penalty.  2-1.  But the Marine et Blanc weren't done.  Mr. Lashes himself, Yoann Gourcuff, beat three defenders and sent the keeper the wrong way...3-1.  Bordeaux are now atop the league with a game in hand.

Chaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

MAKH!...Just wide.

Cham looks 3-feet tall!

What?  Jussie in the middle?  I'll call this "Chamcuff au Jus!"

"Vat deed ju say about Susana? Aggghhhhhhhhh!"

A sad face for the KU Jayhawks, but a smile face for the Kansas State Wildcats!

Cristina vs. Cristiano

Who said that Ronny doesn't like to have a bit of fun?  Watch these videos.
I especially love the comment about "Pert"


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgffRFi9_PU


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_3dHlmC9WI

More Champions League Draw

This little tidbit accompanied the article that "Barca are the favorites for the Champions [League]."  And WHO exactly favored them?  Well, of course, Spanish voters in marca.com, amazingly enough.  And the second place votes went to?...Manchester United. Hahahahahahahahahaha.
But...the best part of the article was a table of the Quarter-finalists.

At the bottom of the table were these words...

EL GANADOR DEL INTER-CSKA SERÍA SU ENEMIGO EN SEMIFINALES

Translation:
The winner of the Inter-CSKA will be their opponent in the semifinals.

Hmmmmmm.  So let's see...I guess that means Barca doesn't have to play Arsenal to get in to the semi-finals.  How convenient for them.  Come on, Gunners!!  How appropriate would it be that Arsenal knocked off the already-crowned champions!!!
Spain.  Hmmphh.

Champions League Quarterfinal Draw

The results of the Champions League Draw from Nyon, Switzerland:

The first team listed in each draw will be the home side for the first leg. 

1.  Lyon v Bordeaux

2.  Bayern Munich v Manchester United

3.  Arsenal v Barcelona

4.  Inter v CSKA Moscow

Semi-final 1 will be:
Winner of Munich/Manchester United v Winner of Lyon/Bordeaux

Semi-final 2 will be:
Winner of Inter/Moscow v Arsenal/Barcelona

The home side (unlike here in the US) is the first team listed.

The home side draw for the Final in Madrid:
Winner of Semi-final 1 v Winner of Semi-final 2

The 8 quarterfinalists are represented by 6 different countries; 2 from England, 2 from France, 1 each from Germany, Italy, Russia, and Spain.
It's ironic that in the draw today the two teams from France were pitted against each other in the quarterfinals.  The team representatives grimaced when they heard the draw.  The whole idea of the Champions League is to draw teams who don't normally play each other.  Lyon and Bordeaux are both from the French Ligue 1.  So there is no possibility of an all-French final.
If Manchester United and Arsenal make it through the quarterfinals and semi-finals, they could meet each other in Madrid, as United and Chelsea did in 2008.  Of course the president of UEFA, Michel Platini would grind his teeth if that were to happen; he hates English sides.  There is also the potential that the final from last year is repeated, with United and Barcelona meeting each other.

Some other possibilites:  If Bordeaux and United win their semi-final the managers of the two teams would be reunited.  Sir Alex coached Bordeaux manager, Laurent Blanc, when he played for United as a center-back.  Blanc has commented recently that he learned much of his own managerial style from the time he spent at Old Trafford under the tutelage of the most successful manager in European history.  Could United welcome home another player as they did with David Beckham?  Time will tell.

UNITED
Manchester face Munich in their quarterfinal, a team which struggled to qualify out of the group stages after being pummeled by Bordeaux in their two-leg tie.  At the time, Munich were on a major slide and many thought that their manager would be axed promptly.  But since then the former Bundesliga champions have made a resurgence and are sitting atop the German table.  Their star player is Franck Ribery, who was supposedly a United target in last summer's transfer market.  His contract is soon to expire and Munich are keen to hang on to him.  As it is with every star of another team, Real Madrid  *yawn* have been rumored (by their own hand, no doubt) to want him desperately.  Ribery has been plagued by injuries and I'm sure United took that into account when assessing his viability at Old Trafford.
Munich just sold Luca Toni, the tempermental Italian has-been, but picked up Arjen Robben, who was excessed from the Florentino Perez Project of Madrid last summer.  Robben is an aging veteran, but still has the potential to score.  Their keeper's name is...Butt.  I laughed during the Bordeaux/Munich matchups, as the word for "goal" in French is "but (pronounced boot)."  So Bordeaux scored a few buts against Butt.  Let's hope that Rooney and Company score many buts against Butt.  Or we BUTTrify him, or BUTTer him up, or give him the BUTT but good! Okay...I'm done.

I found this quote last night from the Bordeaux/Olympiakos match on Wednesday:
"We've had to suffer a lot, so now we are going to savour the moment. It wasn't at all easy, especially in the second half, but it's fantastic to be in the quarter-finals. I'm so happy for the club, the town, my family and the fans. It's really beautiful."    --Marouane Chamakh

Cham + Cuff = Success!

Today the Girondins de Bordeaux moved into the quarterfinals of the Champions League.  Up by 1 goal to nil from their first tie in Athens, the Marine et Blanc were hoping to put the match away early.  Gourcuff launched a freekick into the net at 5 minutes, putting the aggregate at 2-0.  He had another chance to score a freekick...it beat the keeper again but hit the crossbar and post.  Argghhh!  After that the game got a little interesting.  In the second half, Derbyshire (of Olympiakos and formerly of the EPL) was sent off for his second yellow; a reckless tackle on Plasil with studs up.  Au Revoir.  Now Olympiakos were playing with ten men.  They subbed in Konstantinos Mitroglou, who within minutes rounded at the edge of the box and drove a rocket past Carrasso.  Now the game was interesting.  If Olympiakos scored another, they would move through to the next round.  It got even more interesting when Bordeaux captain Alou Diarra was shown the red for his second yellow (the first was understandable but the second was not a yellow).  Now even at ten men, the Bordelaise had to find a way to score.  So...who ya gonna call?  Marouane Chamakh.  Benoit Tremoulinas sent in a perfect cross from the corner and Chamakh climbed above a standing defender and headed it home.  Game over.  Cham + Cuff = Success.  Now they have to wait until Friday to find out their next opponent.  Goalscorer Gourcuff  seemed to be focused on one team:

from soccernet:
"Any team but Barcelona. I played Spain a few days ago and I suffered a lot. I hardly touched the ball."

That was not the case on Wednesday, as Gourcuff played a pivotal role in Bordeaux's free flowing display in the first half with his delicate turns.
"When he manages to be in charge of the game, it feels good for everyone in the team," said Chamakh. "Everything he tried tonight was a success." 
Former France playmaker Zidane, a pundit on Canal Plus, added: "It is good for any team to have a player with such talent." [end story]

I found the Barcelona fixation a tad funny, since the troll who scored two of their goals today doesn't play for Spain.  Yes, most of the others do...but Lashes also plays for France, who aren't exactly playing like...well...France.  They should feel fortunate that they were given a hand (haha) to get into the World Cup.  Gourcuff hasn't exactly had a great season this year.  Injuries and so-so play.  Occasionally when he's linked up with Chamakh they have provided the necessary spark to win their matches.  But tonight he was brilliant!  They will need it in the next round, whomever they draw, as their form has been spotty as of late.

Zizou's comment made me have goosebumps.  Does this mean we'll now hear rumors in the papers that Real is after 'cuff?
Drumroll please...Chamcuff photos on the way...

 I think that Cham is jealous...I know I am...and of course Rosey is!

golllllllllllll!

:)

The man can score in any position!

Yes, Marouane, I know it was for me!

The one on the left is for Rosey

Oh yeah...the leprechaun and his band of striped hacks won today.  How appropriate that the little green menace did it on St. Patrick's Day.  Here is a photo of him celebrating his first goal:

*falsetto voice* "B'gosh and begorrah, me know how to scorrah."

On a more serious note:  Poor David Beckham is now recuperating after his achilles tendon surgery in Finland.  Apparently he and the missus have returned to London to convalesce...he from the surgery, her from her giant bunions.  I do feel badly for him, as he's given many years to the sport and obviously helped us win trophies at United.  I'm not sure if his career is over, but it axed his World Cup plans.  I'm sorry to say that this all could have been avoided had he not tried to overwork himself.  The man is essentially playing year-round with no break, and I don't care how fit you are...your body can't take that.  So he has paid the highest price for his ambitions.
But...there is one bright spark in Becks' life...he received a text message from Cristiano wishing him well.  Awwww.  From one number seven to another.

And now for some brevity:
A photo has been circulating around the internet from an article talking about what famous people would look like when they were older.  They photoshopped a pic of Cristiano to show what he would look like when he's 50. 

Maybe if he's a raging drunk like Gascoigne and his family has bled him dry of his earnings.  Personally, I think Ronny will look just like he does now.  He slathers his body every night with lotion, and primps and preens 'til he's perfect.  The photo above will probably be Ronny when he's 70.

I couldn't help but think that the photo above looks like Walter...

:)

A Hug Goes A Long Way

from Dirty Tackle:

On Wednesday, the U.S. women's under-17 team defeated Haiti 9-0 in their first qualifying match for the CONCACAF U-17 Women's Championships in Costa Rica. Once the final whistle blew, Haitian goalkeeper Alexandra Coby was so overwhelmed with emotion that she dropped to the pitch, weeping. It was all just too much for her and understandably so -- losing by such a harsh margin, even to a much better team, is always difficult to take, but given that Haiti is in the midst of trying to recover from the devastating earthquake that ravaged the Caribbean nation's capital two months ago and left hundreds of thousands of people dead, there was much more saddling these girls than just a lost game.

And the U.S. team saw that. As Haiti's coach helped the crying goalkeeper to her feet, U.S. goalie Bryane Heaberlin walked the length of the pitch, gave Coby a hug and didn't let go. The rest of the U.S. team soon joined her, circling around the two goalkeepers for a long group hug that left the entire squad in tears.
Said Heaberlin to USsoccer.com:
“I saw her crying and that was pretty hard for me to see. She’s a 'keeper and we have that bond. I knew that she had probably lost people close to her, and when she goes home she might not have anywhere to go. I gave her a big hug and told her she did great. She came to compete in this tournament despite all that she’s been through and I have tremendous respect for her.”
Haiti's participation in the tournament despite all that's going on back home for them has been the talk of the competition and the team's determination and bravery hasn't been lost on their opponents. Added U.S. defender Olivia Brannon:
“It just put everything into perspective. It makes you realize what is truly important, your family, having a roof over your head, and having food on the table. We take all those things for granted. I had my mom in the stands cheering for me tonight. Some of these girls might never have that again.”
So while the match itself may have seemed like piling on, it should be pointed out that the U.S. team didn't pander to their Haitian counterparts, instead showing them the respect of playing hard the whole game before sharing their true feelings and consolations after the final whistle. And these young Haitian girls will hopefully go back knowing that they're not alone.

The U.S. Under-17 girls comfort the Haitian keepers

It's nice to read good sports stories now and then...

Well...

Well.  The day began with most people in the footy world thinking that C-Club would push through against Inter at home and secure a spot in the Champions League.  And most people felt Sevilla would be strong enough to hold off a CSKA Moscow team in their own little slice of the world, the Sanchez Pizjuan stadium.

Well.  If you were one of the people above, you weren't in line with my thinking and you are now shaking your head in disbelief at the day's happenings.

With Jose Mourinho returning to his former club, C-Club, the self-designated Special One promised to everyone with a microphone in the last week that he was only there to play a match...no polemics, no agenda, no talk of taking over the post he was pushed out of in 2006.  He also promised that if his team scored that he wouldn't dance around the touchline.
Well.  His perfectly-orchestrated stroll through the park in Chelsea seemed as though the king had come home to roost.  And his team managed to roost on C-Club's chances of winning the Champions League, a feat which they have failed in every year.
Down a goal (although possessing an all-important away goal), the Blues only had to score one goal at home to go through to the round of 8.  If they allowed Inter to score, then they would have to score 2 to catch up because Inter would now have an away goal.  The game was in a draw until the 79th minute when former Barca striker, Samuel Eto'o, slammed home a clinical goal against the third-in-line C-Club keeper, Turnbull.  Off the visiting bench jumped the Special One, who did a small but significant dance, then returned to the bench to watch his team hold off the home side to move on.
The match was uneventful except for a little drama in the waning moments of the match.  Didier Drogba, of C-Club, was given his red marching orders in the 87th minute after stomping on Thiago Motta.  A red card in the last moments of a match?  How idiotic. To understand his idiocy you must first know that Drogba was sent off in the Champions League final against Manchester United in 2008 for slapping Nemanja Vidic.  He was disgraced once again last year during the semifinal with Barcelona (eventual winners) for chasing the referee down the pitch while screaming obscenities.  The ref made the worst decisions ever in a match and it cost C-Club a place in the final against Manchester.  He had every right to be angry, but didn't have a right to scream into the camera, "I don't f-ing believe this!"  Of course UEFA banned him and his partner in crime, Michael Ballack, for several matches because of their behavior.  So today's little drama was, sadly, expected.

Eto'o putting his stamp on history

Well.  I'm torn by the result today.  I wanted as many EPL clubs in the final four like last year when we had three.  But I also can't in good faith cheer for the C-Club.  So...the only thing I can do is cheer for my favorite teams right now: Manchester United, Bordeaux, and whoever is playing Barca. :)

Shhhh...Z is Speaking

Zinedine Zidane.  Zidane.  Zizou.  Z.  The prolific number 10 was interviewed the other day about his former club, Bordeaux (and home to Chamcuff).  This is what he had to say:

I speak of France for once on the European stage. If I must speak about a team, that would be the Girondins de Bordeaux. We used to see the same teams. But to see the Girondins play such a beautiful game makes me happy. It's worth mentioning that I think coach Laurent Blanc is playing an important role. You need a leader who happens to push you and who manages to make you grow as a team. This he did with his staff. He has talented players, do not forget. This does not surprise me at all to see him lead a team like the Girondins and see how far it takes them. To be honest, I see him doing even better in the future than he  already does now.

Valladolid vs. Ronaldo

If you look closely you can see the blood just to the right of his calf

The RM match with Valladolid is still dominating the papers in Spain.  It's a case of "he did this," "he did that," I'm afraid.
I watched the match and it was a very physical battle.  Yes, Cristiano manages to attract everyone who wants the ball (mostly because he always has it), so they tend to cut him down.  Sometimes they are fair tackles and sometimes they aren't.  When he was at United opponents would chop him every match, so he should be used to it by now.  I suppose with his injury earlier this year and the surreptitious exit from the CL against Lyon, the Boy Wonder feels more pressure to succeed.  So...he cries foul more than usual. 
In this case he plead to his manager, "Mister, they are coming at me from all sides," during halftime. 
But as in every war, there are two sides to the story.
The Valladolid side are crying foul as well.  Not "foul" as in "yellow card", but foul as in...bad.  Nivaldo, who delivered the stomp that cut CR's leg, had a few choice words for the former World Player of the Year:
"I stomped on him, but I didn't have any bad intentions.  He was very provocative on the pitch and if the referee should banish me, then he should get the same.
"[the referee] was not measuring Madrid and Valladolid with the same stick."
Cesar Arzo, who also plays for Valladolid, had some rough words for Cristiano on Cadena SER (Spanish radio station):  "A player as good as him should not make such nonsense on the pitch.  He insulted players of Valladolid (after the second goal).  Nivaldo was wrong, but Ronaldo also should have left the pitch, however he is the daily bread and we know they won't send him off.  Only for who he is they allow the star to insult others.  He seems to be laughing at you even in your own home.  On the pitch demonstrates also how he is as a person." [end story]

Ouch.  This goes way beyond the "he's a diver and winker" from the British press.  The comments are very personal...and deserved.
Yes, you're wondering about my last statement.  I watched the match and CR's arrogance was palpable.  But, I guess when your successes have come few and far between this year, one tends to get desperate.  The press skewered los Blancos (and rightly so) after their defeat against Lyon, so you know they were going to come out with guns ablaze against Valladolid.  RM were every bit as physical as their opponents.  Others were fouled and just jumped up and played on, but CR was rolling, writhing, and flailing his arms like a petulant child.


As for CR...when he gets frustrated by no-calls he tends to overreact in retaliation (the red card from earlier this year) and roll around on the pitch (as he did with the stomp).  In last year's Champions League final (when United were not playing up to their potential) CR pulled down Barca defender Puyols with a rough tackle.  Most in the audience thought he deserved a red card for it, but none was given.

I have to say that I find all of this a bit ironic.  When CR transferred to RM this summer, one of his selling points for joining a team in La Liga was that "the referees in La Liga protect players like me; players with creativity."  I suppose he's rethinking that one about now.
Both Nivaldo and Cesar might have been a little raw after the match when they spoke to the press.  After all, Valladolid outplayed RM in the first half and were unlucky not to be up 4-2 at halftime.  Letting a game go can be a painful reality to deal with and then the press stick their microphones in your face and expect you to be lucid.  So we might take the severity of their comments with a grain of salt, but they do have a valid point:  CR has been the standard in the footy world for several years now.  He should know better.

Once Again...More Polemics from Cristiano

Today's match for CR against Valladolid saw the former United star involved in some petulant outbursts which have marred his time at RM.  Valladolid outplayed los Blancos in the first half and were very unlucky to be down 0-2 at Halftime.  In the first half, CR had the ball picked from him on almost every occasion.  The frustration, which would normally subside after a goal (he scored on a freekick), did not go away.  In the second half he was constantly diving (as were his teammates).  He was stepped on by an opposition player and his leg was bloodied.  He rolled three times on the ground as if he'd been picked off by a sniper in the upper deck.  He should be used to the kicks...he got rough treatment in the EPL every week, which is by far a more physical league than the creampuff La Liga.  Indignant after no action from the ref (who didn't see it as play was continuing), he kicked out at another player and insulted an assistant linesman after the second goal.  The coach of Valladolid had these words for CR:

Onesimo Sanchez, coach of Valladolid, was very angry with Cristiano Ronaldo for his attitude during the game: "Theirs has been a police court. He insulted the assistant after the second goal and has kicked out from the ground ... That's what I've seen. For some reason there is always one (card) for some but not for others. We can not justify these things because of how handsome and rich one is."
Sanchez had a suggestion for RM:
"A Real player lacked character today (CR).  The number seven for that team (Raul, cpt.) should give lessons and not just with the ball. (humility, I suppose)

On the other hand, CR's hair looked nice today. He looked very mature...too bad his play wasn't.

31 and 32...

Emphatic.  That is the statement that United are making on the run-in.  Emphatic.  Also the statement that Wayne Rooney is making to the entire footy world.  After today, if you still have doubts about who the number one player in the world is, then you need to adjust your tri-focals and get the cataract surgery already!
Wazza is in the form of his life.  No longer the feeder for Ronny's goals, he is the captain of his own destiny this year.  Happy to be the service for CR in past years (and receiver of CR's service, to be fair), Rooney has carved a new path with the absence of his sidekick.  Many thought at the beginning of the season that there would be no replacement for Cristiano, but they were wrong.  Valencia and Berbatov have filled in nicely, with Park and Nani appearing occasionally.  And Rooney has only heightened his usefulness by finishing every shot and making them count.
The Reds met Fulham today on the occasion of the 100th Anniversary celebration of Old Trafford.  The Cottagers have always given United trouble, and managed a 3-0 win at home earlier this season.  But that was not to be on such an auspicious occasion.  The first half saw United have many chances, with each ball just banging wide of the net.  United was bound to break the bag, and did just seconds into the second half, and who else?  Rooney.  Number 31 for the season.  Number 32 came in the 84th minute with Berbatov feeding a hungry Wazza.  Berba himself, who had just missed a few headers in the first half, nodded in the final goal in the 89th.  United were in charge for the entire match and now sit atop the table once again.
Some photos from the day:

Vidic tangles with Fulham striker, Bobby Zamora

Wazza tries to guide in an errant Berbatov shot, with US National Team striker Clint Dempsey (23) looking on

Wayne celebrates number 31

...and thanks Berba for the service of number 32

Berba (under defender) heads home his 10th of the season

 

Something interesting from the footy world today:

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has suggested that Cristiano Ronaldo could be tempted back to Old Trafford in the future.

The Portuguese superstar left United last summer in a world record £80million deal.
But with Real Madrid bowing out of the Champions League this week, Ferguson says that life at the Santiago Bernabeu is perhaps not as good as some would suggest.
"I don't think Real Madrid is an easy club to play for - there is a circus attached to it," said Ferguson.
"He knows the value of Manchester United, and Ruud van Nistelrooy has said the same because what they have here is protection.
"They come to training every day at Carrington and there is no one here but the players and the coaching staff.
"At Real Madrid and some of the big Italian clubs there are 2,000 people watching training.
"The media film the training sessions every day. It is completely private here at United and we don't allow that exposure of our players.
"You'd like to think Ronaldo would want to come back here but you never know.
"I don't think he will stay at Real Madrid all his life - there are other challenges for him."
And Ferguson admits that he is very much still in touch with Ronaldo, something he rarely does when selling a player.
"I still have a great bond with Cristiano - he's a good guy,'' admitted the Scot.

Milan's Lab is an Old Jokes' Home

I laughed out loud when I read this piece by Des Kelly in The Daily Mail!!

I can only assume the few who remain impressed by the so-called 'Milan Lab' also believe the beauticians working in the cosmetics section of department stores must be highly qualified intellectuals because they wear white laboratory coats.

Yes, behold the wondrous working of the Milan Lab, where players apparently defy the ageing process, avoid injury and extend their careers through 'the appliance of science'.
Injuries at AC Milan are reportedly down by 66 per cent. Judging by their Champions League performance at Old Trafford, it appears to be because they have decided to make 66 per cent less effort. How scientific of them.
'Age doesn't exist' say the pseudo quacks at the Italian club, which is quite right. It doesn't matter how old you are when you are out of the competition.

Jimmy Greaves is 70 and, like AC Milan, he won't win the European Cup this season either.
Yesterday, Milan's veteran players were back in their 'Lab', rubbing more snail serum into their muscles, being winched into a bath to treat their arthritis and taking the stairlift to their afternoon snooze in front of Il Countdownio.

Milan Lab? It's an old jokes' home.

Piers Does Have a Point...

by Piers Morgan, The Daily Mail

Touching, wasn’t it? Watching that loyal, diehard United hero David Beckham getting the roaring welcome so thoroughly deserved of Manchester’s prodigal son brought tears to the uncynical eye.
But not, I’m afraid, to the cynical like mine.
Beckham keeps telling us United is, and always has been, the only club for him. And the inhabitants of Old Trafford seem to happily go along with this tosh.
When the reality is that he walked out on United at the peak of his powers for the riches of Real Madrid, then walked out on Madrid for the even greater riches of Hollywood, and now cheats on LA Galaxy whenever he can with AC Milan, purely to keep himself in the World Cup frame, where England glory could bring the greatest riches of all.
Compared with genuinely loyal United heroes like Giggs, Scholes and Neville, Beckham’s been a treacherous, money-grabbing, club-hopping, fame-hungry, egotistical little weasel who likes nothing better than making everything all about HIM.
And nothing personified this more than when he swooped to pick up the green-and-gold anti-Glazer protest scarf and wrapped it round his tattooed neck. The crowd roared. There he was, the most loyal man in football, their Becksy, showing the world he was united with United fans in their fury at foreign ownership.

Because the very last thing David Beckham would ever want to associate himself with is rich, fatcat Americans exploiting soccer for pure commercial gain. Which is why he currently resides in Los Angeles, choosing to play pub football over proper football because rich, fat-cat Americans line his Armani pockets with millions of dollars to exploit soccer for pure commercial gain.
Of course, as David explained afterwards, he wasn’t actually supporting the protest, nor trying to interfere in the running of Manchester United.
Nothing could be further from his massively cerebral mind. He just liked the colours of the scarf because they used to be United’s original colours.

What a load of old Goldenballs. Let’s face some harsh facts here, Becksy old son. You’re not the best footballer in the world. In fact, given you can’t actually get into the AC Milan starting line-up, you’re not even the 11th-best player in a shockingly mediocre side.
But you ARE the greatest self-publicist the game has seen and you knew exactly what you were doing when you swooped on that glinting symbol of disloyalty to the Glazers. For weeks, you’ll have been monitoring the mounting furore and planning exactly the image you would communicate to the world. It’s what you do best.
And you seized the moment in typically self-adulatory Beckham style. Waiting until the pitch was empty, standing like Emperor Nero, alone in the amphitheatre, milking the applause in the eager way a farmer milks a particularly well-uddered Friesian cow, then dramatically pausing to pick up the scarf. Thus quite deliberately pushing the much more deserving Wayne Rooney off the headlines (I was only surprised he didn’t leap on Rooney’s back when he scored, to share the photographic credit — a crafty move that has served Beckham well over the years).
The hypocrisy of David ‘United ’til I die’ Beckham definitely moved me.

To extreme nausea.

[end story]

First let me say that I have no animosity towards David Beckham.  He was a wonderful player for us during his United years and helped the Reds win numerous trophies.  If it hadn't been for his pop-star wife and her need to be seen (as is the case still today), then DB would still be a player for United, and we would probably never have seen the chiseled abs of one Cristiano Ronaldo.  So...
I was cheering for David on his return to Old Trafford because I believe David is truly a United fan.  He has been to numerous Reds matches around Europe while they played in the CL.  In one such match last year at the San Siro when United were up against Jose Mourinho's Inter Milan, David cheered for United and was caught by the tv crew rubbing his hands together in devilish delight after Ronny's freekick.  He has said on many occasions that he will always be a United fan and I believe him.   But...
When I saw the photo of him donning that hideous green and gold scarf...Beyonce couldn't have fashioned a better "Oh NO you DI..nt!"
I am sick and tired of this divisive move to oust the Glazers from Old Trafford.  I understand that fans who pay to see United play feel closer to the team than most of us who watch from afar, but I disagree with them.  I may live thousands of miles away, but my hands were clammy for at least an hour while I contemplated checking the score of the second leg of the Milan tie.  Once I saw that we were ahead, the clamminess subsided and I went on about my work.  My car is adorned with United memorabilia and my license plate still says "CR7."  And if decorating my automobile in United colors weren't enough, I have more red attire in my closet than the Russian and Chinese Olympic teams combined.  So if you think just because your arse is sat (Brit talk) in a seat for United games that you are somehow more of a fan than I am, you can stuff yourself with Aunt Tillie's pies.
The hard truth about this movement, which is nothing more than one business group trying to hijack a cash cow like United from another business group, is that they are using the United faithful to further their cause.  A cause, which Piers so elegantly states above, is a bunch of tosh.  99 percent of the green and gold wearing "fans" at United matches know nothing about running a billion-dollar enterprise like Manchester United.  Yet somehow they believe that if new owners were to appear that they would magically have a say in how things were run.  *puppet face*
If these hooligans, the Red Knights, were to purchase United...the last thing on their minds would be to let the fans have a say in the daily runnings of the club.  Their chief initiative would be to make back the money they invested (heavily borrowed of course) plus interest.  With the 60-odd membership of the Red Knights, one can only imagine the boardroom brawls over the slightest details...whose name appears first on the plaque at the door.
So...where does Mr. Beckham fit into this plan?  He said the following day after the photo appeared in EVERY SPORTS OUTLET IN THE WORLD that he didn't support the Red Knights, he just liked the scarf because it represented the first colors of the club...*dumbfounded face*...I, and Piers, find it unimaginable that the world's most marketed sports face didn't understand the power of a photo.  The Red Knights will use that photo to further their cause, whether Mr. Beckham supports them or not.
For me, his idiotic gesture ruined what should have been a joyous return to his former club.
I didn't agree with everything Piers said, as I do believe that David is a true United fan.  But I also know that this body will never don green and gold!
GG Man United

Did Ronaldo Really Think it Through?

from FoxSoccer.com

As we all know, it was meant to be the perfect move, Real Madrid purchasing for a world-record £80million transfer fee the 2008 FIFA World Player of the Year, who himself had always dreamt of wearing the most prestigious shirt in club football.

But for Cristiano Ronaldo, the Real Madrid dream has not worked out at all.

Visibly unhappy after Real got knocked out of the UEFA Champions League at the first knockout stage yet again, Ronaldo is not having the golden year he (and millions across the world) expected.
Madrid seems to be, in a sporting context, a mourning city, as almost everyone involved with the city's biggest club ponders on what has been another failed season. This European loss also adds to the failure of Real's defeat at the hands of colossal giant-killing minnows Alcorcon in the Copa del Rey earlier this season.
Real Madrid only have La Liga title left to play for now, as their Catalan counterparts FC Barcelona look to emulate the success of La Tripla Corona they expertly achieved last campaign.
Thus for Cristiano Ronaldo, the dream of rising high above Barcelona for Real Madrid and achieving critical acclaim has not become the reality he thought it would.
Compare that to the current success Manchester United appear to be having, and one surely must wonder - did Ronaldo really think through his move to Real Madrid? Because at the moment, "it's all gone Ron for Cristiano."
United have clearly overcome the Portuguese winger's almost deleterious departure, with Wayne Rooney emulating the success of his exotic predecessor.
Manchester United, since the exit of Cristiano Ronaldo, have won the League Cup, beat AC Milan (the team who won at the Santiago Bernabeu) 3-2 at the San Siro and 4-0 at Old Trafford to make the quarterfinals of the Champions League, and are very much in the race for the Premier League title.
Contrast that to Ronaldo's current employers, who got knocked out of the Champions League by Lyon and got knocked out of the Copa del Rey by Alcorcon.
They are level on points with Barcelona in La Liga, but many in World Football think that prize isn't as great as winning the Premier League.
So despite president Florentino Perez spending £232million on the world's best players such as Kaka, Karim Benzema, and Xabi Alonso (as well as Ronaldo), Real Madrid have not improved or achieved much success at all.
And for Cristiano Ronaldo, it can appear worse when you look at what United achieved in the six years he was at Old Trafford, and what Real have achieved in the same period.
Manchester United won three Premier League titles, three League Cup titles, an FA Cup title, a UEFA Champions League title, a FIFA World Club Cup title, and two FA Community Shield titles in Ronaldo's six year stay.
In that same time, Real Madrid have won just two La Liga titles, only one Copa del Rey title, and a pathetic one Supercopa de España title.
Therefore, after analysing Real Madrid's current performances and those in Ronaldo's six year United timeline, it makes one wonder why Cristiano Ronaldo chose to leave Manchester United.
A very large salary, as well as the fame and prestige that comes with walking out for Real Madrid onto the pitch at the Bernabeu were probably considerable factors in his transfer decision.
But for a player who has all the money he could need, why could he not have stayed at the club he was at, a club which arguably is as prestigious as Real Madrid and who have had more success in recent times?
Then again, it's not a problem for Manchester United. They gratefully received a brilliant bank boost of £80million in a move which has allowed Wayne Rooney to be the club's talisman with very similar success.
Cristiano Ronaldo's transfer was in the best interests of Manchester United, and perhaps Real Madrid, but was it in the best interest of the player himself?
At this rate, the answer probably has to be a resounding "no."
[end story]

There was a poll attached to this article and 50% said that Ronny should have stayed at United, he left a winner.  31% said that it's too soon to tell if he made the mistake.  And 11% said that it was time to move on.

Photos of the Day:

"You see...when I at United, Wazza see me open and pass.  20 on you back is you IQ, Pip...on pitch I am you Daddy."

Ronny motions to Higuain that he's open...

A wide open Ronny in the center, and Higuain taking on 3 defenders and the keeper.  He didn't pass to Ronny, shot wide of the net, and they lost.

Chamakh rockin' the Burberry

A Double Whammy for Ronny

People were wondering why Ronny did not train today and now everyone knows.  After RM's defeat last night he learned that his cousin, Amilcar Miguel dos Santos Fernandes, 32 years, had died in a car accident in Madeira.
He was quoted as saying it was one of the saddest moments of his life, one he will never forget.  He was alluding to the Champions League loss and then the news of his cousin's death.

A big hug for CR...he needs it right now. :(

CR today...his face says it all

Reality Bites for Ronaldo

by Ian McLeish of manutd.com

There can’t be a single United fan who, on hearing of Real Madrid’s exit last night, didn¹t pause to think about Cristiano Ronaldo's reaction to the Reds' 7-2 aggregate thrashing of AC Milan.

He must have cut a fairly disconsolate figure in the dressing room as Real got to grips with their sixth consecutive exit at the first knockout stage of Europe’s most glamorous competition, and it would have taken a brave Madridista to lean over and say, “By the way, your old boys did alright tonight.”
The grass clearly isn’t always greener on the other side, it seems. Meanwhile, the Reds go marching on as a third consecutive final edges closer. And remind me, where is that final again? Ah yes. Seven years ago, our dreams of playing in a Champions League final at our own ground were shattered by an awesome Real Madrid side inspired by the Brazilian Ronaldo.
This year, will the Portuguese version be in the stands as United take to the Bernabeu turf to contest the biggest prize of all? It would be nice to think so. Who knows, he may even be sat next to another former no.7 who’s played in both Madrid and Manchester. And if the campaign continues in similar vein, the World and European player of the year awards could well be returning to OT.
I don’t really need to add to the tributes currently being lavished on Wayne Rooney, but suffice to say, from my spot in the East Stand last night (enjoying the view the away fans usually have at OT), it was pretty clear we were in the company of the greatest footballer in the world right now.
Can Rooney really match Ronaldo’s 42-goal haul from two seasons ago, the challenge seemingly laid down by Sir Alex? He needs 12 goals from a potential 14 matches. On current form, don’t bet against it.
This is a big if, but if Wayne matches or even surpasses that total one Saturday night in Madrid in May, we’re pretty sure his old team-mate Ronny will be the first to applaud. And maybe pause to imagine what might have been. (I really need to get these daydreams under control, I’m a grown man.)
[end story]

I couldn't have said this better myself!  And yes, I think Ronny would root for Roo if he came close to breaking his record.  The Ronny/Rooney love affair is legendary at OT.  I would love to think that we will be playing for the title in Madrid, but we still have several games to play...the most important being the next one. :)

The Day After

If you're old enough to remember...in the early 1980s there was a movie about nuclear attacks in the United States...The Day After.  Armageddon arrived yesterday in Madrid.

The Spanish press has already selected Pellegrini's successor...the Special One, Jose Mourinho.  I doubt that Mourinho is dumb enough to take a job that has absolutely no lasting power.  He is doing well in Milan (except he can't win the Champions League...), winning several scudettos so far.  My feeling is that he's biding his time until Sir Alex retires, then he will make a plea to return to the EPL and manage his dream team...Manchester United.

As for the Real players, the press described their demeanor in training today as "caras largas"...long faces.  A few were absent from training...CR, Guti, Tutanbaul, and others.  I'm sure CR is finding this unbearable.  When he left the pitch last night, head shaking, he showed the Madrid "fans" what motivated him the six years he was at United...desire not to lose.  When he learned the score of United's thrashing of Milan, I'm sure the knife twisted in deeper.  I will guarantee you that he shed a few real tears last night in the comfort of his own home, such is the desire to win that burns in his soul.  When the others were exchanging jerseys last night, he had already left the pitch.  It dawned on me that he had nothing in common with those still out there...CR knows what it's like to win...they don't.
RM have stated that they can win la Liga this year, but I think that's doubtful as well.  Barca will no doubt feed off of Madrid's loss yesterday...the Troll said as much today.  Although Barca's form hasn't been sparkling either.  They, along with RM, were scrapping at the last minute to advance out of their CL groups.  Even Barca manager Pep Guardiola said back in October that he didn't see his team repeating this year as Champions.
Who would be my dream pairing in the CL final?  United and Bordeaux. :)

100 and Counting...

This is my 100th blog.  It is fitting that just this last month marked the 100th anniversary of Old Trafford.  So it is with that historical moment that I deliver the news of the day:

Manchester United 4-0 AC Milan  (7-2 aggregate)

Yes...the Red Devils are through to the final 8.

The match marked the return to OT of David Beckham.  Signs adorned the rafters with "Thanks for the memories, Becks," and "Welcome back Becks" giving a well-deserved warm hug to a man who was raised in the academy and achieved his world stature with United.  But he plays for AC Milan now.

If you looked at the stats you would get the impression that the score should have been a bit closer.  Milan had an advantage with possession, and they had a few chances.  Ronaldinho misfired on a header that was just wide.  And Becks launched a rocket straight at Van der Sar, who parried easily.
Man of the moment, Wayne Rooney, scored the first two and garnered his 30th goal of the season.
The first was a brilliant header off a Gary Neville cross...yes, Gary Neville...defender.  Neville played most of the game in the attacking third!  He had a great shot on goal that just skipped a foot high.  Paddy Crerand, former Red and color commentator for MUTV commented, "You know it's a great night if Gary Neville scores!"  Paddy also provided a laugh when after Rooney's goal the camera panned to Beckham sitting in the visitor's box.  Paddy quipped, "for a minute he thought of celebrating but thought he had better not."  He was referring to the fact that Becks is a huge United fan.
Rooney's second goal was courtesy of a great pass from the winger Nani.  Ji-Sung Park made it three with his rocket past the keeper.  Darren Fletcher added a fourth with a chip from a cross by Rafael.
The CL seems to be our place and we do very well.  I hope we continue this and end up in Madrid.  At least we know we'll have ONE fan cheering us on, as he won't be playing for his own team.

Wazza scores his first!

Wazza scores his second!

Fletch adds the 4th and his first CL goal!

He returns to the OT pitch to a deafening ovation!  Well deserved.

We must keep pushing on for the CL title and Premier League title...Glory Glory Man United!