For which Cinderella will the clock strike twelve? Have at it.
Randinho wrote at Balloon Juice from 2010-16.
"Hi, everyone, my name is Randy Paul. I normally blog at my own blog, Beautiful Horizons. John has graciously accepted my offer to blog about the upcoming soccer World Cup..."
Twitter: @randinho
Getting Caught Up On Some Football
As I indicated here, I apologize for my recent absence here. I appreciate the kind words and notes of encouragement some of you sent my way. It meant a lot to us.
As it’s been a while since I’ve commented on the world’s most popular sport, just some brief notes and observations here.
When Mércia and I were in Portugal, we had the pleasure of being in Leiria when FC Porto and Sporting Braga played the Europa League final and in Porto itself when FC Porto played Vitória Guimarães for the Portuguese Cup. Porto won both championships, giving them a total of four for the prior eleven months (the Portuguese Primeira Liga and the Portuguese Supercup are the other two) and their impossibly young coach, André Villas-Boas, age 33 with no history as a professional player, the hottest coaching commodity in years. So hot, in fact, Chelsea snatched him up, hoping he’ll have José Mourinho’s genius without his ego. I think they won’t be disappointed.
Unfortunately, I was not able to squeeze in a game in this trip, but did get to go to Porto’s stadium, Estadio do Dragão:
The sign says “National Championship 2010-2011: This is our Destiny.” It certainly was – and then some.
Champions League Final Open Thread
Sorry to have been away from posting, but we’ve had some issues to deal with as well as a vacation to Portugal, where I had the pleasure to be in Porto when FC Porto won the Portuguese Cup and was about an hour away from Porto when they won the Europa League Championship. More on FC Porto and their amazing, 33 year old coach, André Villas-Boas who has led them to four titles in his first season, including an undefeated season in the Portuguese Primeira Liga, later.
Anyway, here’s a chance for you to sound off on the game and during the game between FC Barcelona And Manchester United.
Some Thoughts on the CL Semi-Finals This Week
Two weeks from today Mércia and I will be leaving for a 12 day vacation in Portugal. We’re looking forward to seeing the sights, sampling the fine foods and wines; just not any Portuguese whines . . .
Yes, I believe that Pepe’s sending off although his boots were high with studs up, was probably harsh – indeed, a better argument could have been made for sending off Emanuel Adebayor when got his yellow card – I believe this article sums it up well:
The last two Clasicos had seen real progress from the Whites in their bid to close the gap on a Barcelona side who took them apart at Camp Nou back in November. But whereas in the home league fixture they had nothing to really play for other than regaining some respect, and in the Copa del Rey final they had the ability to play off the back foot, tonight they had to win. They had to take the initiative in order to travel to Catalunya next Tuesday with a meaningful lead.
Instead Mourinho let old habits die hard. This was not the performance of his Inter side at San Siro at this stage last season. This instead was the display of a team who had been sent out with too little positive intent. With a place in the most prized game in modern football at stake, the ‘Special One’ did nothing special. He did nothing positive. In the last two meetings against Barcelona it could be claimed that Madrid had made real progress, but that was completely negated in the way the home side approached their latest battle.
But for Messi’s late double this was a game which maintained the viewers’ attention for little more than the sporadic pushing and shoving. While Barca knocked the ball about like Barca do, Madrid did nothing to leave their own stamp on the game. At one point Cristiano Ronaldo got so annoyed with how deep his team were defending he gesticulated wildly for them to help him out as he chased lost causes up front.
He spent the next 30 seconds sulking in the center circle. Mesut Ozil buzzed around and looked as though maybe he could be a difference-maker, but his reward was a spot on the bench for the second half. None of the home midfielders ever looked to really take the game on in the way that their opponents did. This was clearly part of the plan, but at no point did it look like working. It was only inevitable that ill-discipline followed.
This is anti-football. While I am a Barça fan, I used to have a lot of respect for José Mourinho, especially when he coached FC Porto, taking a team without stars to several league titles as well as wins in consecutive years of the then-named UEFA Cup and the Champions League. It seems, however, every move up he has made has resulted in an exponential increase in his ego. A little self-control never hurt.
Some Thoughts on the CL Semi-Finals This WeekPost + Comments (61)
Some Thoughts on the Champions League Games and Saturday’s European League Games On Television in the US
Fernando Torres, Andriy Shevchenko, Shaun Wright-Phillips – anyone else see a pattern here?
I feel vindicated thus far in the first paragraph of this post.
I have a lot of respect for Leonardo, but Inter Milan’s coach’s tactical acumen seems lacking. Cambiasso riding the bench in the second leg? I believe Ralf Rangnick, Schalke’s coach outfoxed Leonardo.
In case you were wondering, in Brazil they call a miss like the one Gomes, the goalkeeper for Spurs, made against Real Madrid a frango. The fact that he gave it up on a shot by Cristiano Ronaldo only makes it worse.
Lúcio seemed a bit testy, didn’t he?
As for Saturday’s games, obviously most of the attention will be on El Clásico, the La Liga match in Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu Stadium between second place Real Madrid (WWWLW) and FC Barcelona (WDWWW). It will be on both Gol TV and ESPN Deportes at 4 p.m. EDT.
Sunday’s Games in the European Leagues on Television in the US
As always, live games only. All times are EDT. Home teams are listed first.
English Premier League:
Blackpool (WLLDL) v Arsenal (WDDDD) at Bloomfield Road at 8:30 a.m. on Fox Soccer Plus. Perhaps the Gunners will actually win a game.
Aston Villa (DWLLD) v Newcastle (WDLLW) at Villa Park at 11 a.m. on Fox Soccer Plus.
Bonus Game Monday: Liverpool (DLWWL) v Manchester City (LDWLW) at Anfield at 3 p.m. on ESPN2.
Italian Serie A:
Juventus (LDLWW) v Genoa (LLWDL) at the Stadio Olimpico at 6:30 a.m. on Fox Soccer Plus.
Bologna (WDWDL) v Napoli (LDWWW) at Stadio Renato Dell’ara at 9 a.m on Fox Soccer Channel.
Fiorentina (DWWDD) v AC Milan (WWDLW) at Stadio Artemio Franchi at 2:30 p.m. on Fox Soccer Channel.
German Bundesliga:
Bayer Leverkusen (DWWWW) v St. Pauli (LLLLL) at the Bay Arena at 11:30 on Gol TV. I wouldn’t count on an upset.
Spanish Liga Primera:
Racing Santander (DLLWW) v Levante (DWDWW) at El Sardinero on at 11 on ESPN Deportes.
Atlético Madrid (WWDWW) v Real Sociedad (DWDLL) at the Estadio Vicente Calderon at 1 p.m. on ESPN Deportes.
Valencia (LWLLW) v Villarreal (WLDWL) at the Mestalla Stadium at 3 p.m. on Gol TV.
French Ligue One:
Lyon (DWWDD) v Lens (LDLWL) at Stade Gerland at 3 p.m. on Fox Soccer Plus.
Sunday’s Games in the European Leagues on Television in the USPost + Comments (16)
Saturday’s Games in the European Leagues on Television in the US
As always, live games only. All times are EDT. Home teams are listed first.
English Premier League:
Wolverhampton (DWDWL) v Everton (WWDWD) at Molineux Stadium at 7:30 a.m. on ESPN 2.
Chelsea (DWWWD) v Wigan (DLLWD) at Stamford Bridge at 10 a.m. on Fox Soccer Plus.
Manchester United (WLLWW) v Fulham (DDWLW) at Old Trafford at 10 a.m. on Fox Soccer Channel.
Italian Serie A:
Inter Milan (WWDWL) v Chievo Verona (LDLWD) at the San Siro at 12 noon on Fox Soccer Channel.
Udinese (WWWWL) v AS Roma (DWWDL) at Stadio Friuli at 2:30 p.m. on Fox Soccer Channel.
German Bundesliga:
Nürnberg (DWWLL) v Bayern Munich (LLWWW) at the Frankenstadion at 9:30 on ESPN Deportes
Hamburg (DLLWD) v Borussia Dortmund (WWLDW) at the Imtech Arena at 9:30 on Gol TV
Spanish Liga Primera:
Athletic Bilbao (LWDLW) v Real Madrid (WWWWL) at San Mamés on at 12 noon on ESPN Deportes.
Barcelona (WWDWW) v Almeria (DWDLL) at the Nou Camp at 2 p.m. on Gol TV.
Mallorca (WLDWL) v Sevilla (WLDWW) at the IberoStar Stadium at 4 p.m. on Gol TV.
Saturday’s Games in the European Leagues on Television in the USPost + Comments (12)