Diego Maradona turns 50 today and this blogger would like to wish him a happy 6th century. Maradona was clearly one of the 3 greatest football (soccer) players ever. I didn't have the pleasure of watching "La Pelusa" live but I have enjoyed countless highlights on video and on the internet. Feliz cumpleaños, Diego!
In honor of the man from Villa Fiorito, Argentina, I thought I post one of Maradona's favorite goals - his Copa de la Liga goal against Real Madrid from 1983.
One very accurate commentator pointed out that, "Diego didn't elude you, he humiliated you." He does so here, evading the goalie and a defender who slams his man parts into the goal post - ouch! When Maradona apologized to him, defender Juan José told him to "Vete a tomar por culo" (Go take it up the ass). Here's the full interview on Argentina's Olé.
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Saturday, October 30, 2010
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Murcia 0 - Real Madrid 0: Ghosts of Alcorcón
In case the 2010-2011 Copa del Rey lacked drama, Jose Mourinho decided to add more: he announced that Madrid was out to win the competition that had embarrassed them the past few years. He also announced if his starting lineup didn't have the motivation to play in the Copa del Rey, he'd replace them with players from Castilla (Madrid's development squad).
How did Mou's motivational tactics go over? Not very well. Los Merengues could only tie Murcia and didn't play the most brilliant football. Christiano Ronaldo started but couldn't break the game open as he has the past 3 league matches.
Is Madrid still haunted by the Alcorconazo, the humiliating defeat at the hands of a 3rd division (Segunda B) team from the suburbs of Madrid? You bet they are.
That 4-0 defeat, more than any other game, sentenced last year's coach Manuel Pellegrini. It was also probably the death knell for Guti.
I'll explore this a little more in coming days but before I do, here are some of the amazing scenes from last year's King's Cup shocker! I wish I could find the video that showed Alcorcón's warm-up-suit-wearing youth storming the field after the win - that was my favorite part.
How did Mou's motivational tactics go over? Not very well. Los Merengues could only tie Murcia and didn't play the most brilliant football. Christiano Ronaldo started but couldn't break the game open as he has the past 3 league matches.
Is Madrid still haunted by the Alcorconazo, the humiliating defeat at the hands of a 3rd division (Segunda B) team from the suburbs of Madrid? You bet they are.
That 4-0 defeat, more than any other game, sentenced last year's coach Manuel Pellegrini. It was also probably the death knell for Guti.
I'll explore this a little more in coming days but before I do, here are some of the amazing scenes from last year's King's Cup shocker! I wish I could find the video that showed Alcorcón's warm-up-suit-wearing youth storming the field after the win - that was my favorite part.
What Is The Copa del Rey? Spain's King's Cup and Why You Should Watch it.
Want to see a real Cinderella story? There's no better place to find it than Spain's Copa del Rey. This annual soccer championship pits 63 teams from Spain's 1st, 2nd and 3rd (Segunda B) division against each other in home and away matches. Played primarily during the work week, the competition ensures that no passionate soccer fan need go 3 days without futból.
The competition began 1902 to celebrate the coronation of Spanish King Alfonso XIII. It was officially named the Copa Del Rey in 1903 and its first title match saw Athletic Bilbao defeat Madrid FC (later Real Madrid).
Originally formed with a representative from each province, the competition has grown to invite many of the top teams from Spain's first 3 divisions.
The competition is a tournament elimination format that pits 2 teams against each other in home and away matches, with the winner being the team with a greater goal total in both games. As with other Cup ties, even goal differential is broken by weighting away goals more heavily.
The exception to the home-away format is the final, regularly played in one of Spain's most prestigious stadiums.
The giant clubs of Spain's first division regularly face off against smaller teams from the lower divisions. This week Barcelona crossed the straights of Gilbraltar to face tiny Ceuta (you get extra credit if you knew that Spain still has territory in Africa apart from the Canary islands). Barça was able to win their "trap" match but Spain's glamor sides regularly fall to small teams in these ties. The most famous example of this was the Alcorconazo: where tiny Alcorcón defeated Real Madrid 4-0 at home. Alcorcón lost the away match 1-0 in Santiago Bernabeau but advanced on the 4-1 goal aggregate.
Small and outclassed as they are, the teams from Spain's lower ranks do have certain advantages. The first and most important advantage is motivation: their team will be excited to prove that they can play with the best in the world while Spain's first division teams regularly rest their "A" team. The result is that the smaller teams often have greater chemistry - their players are used to playing together while the big teams field a patchwork mix of first and second team players - especially early in the competition.
These early games can often be a trap because of field conditions as well. When Spain's large teams play the away leg, they're forced to play on a small, often poorly maintained field. This limits their passing game (especially in Barcelona's case) and speed (especially in Madrid's case). Nevertheless, Spain's large teams do often win out.
The Copa del Rey's most regular victor has been FC Barcelona with 25 victories. Athletíc Bilbao follow closely with a total of 23 cup wins, the last being in 1984. Real Madrid have the third most victories with 17. They haven't won since 1993.
In 2010, the King's Cup has received quite a bit of attention. Real Madrid have announced that they intend to take the Cup more seriously after being embarrassed the last several years. Coach Jose Mourinho is a master of elimination tournaments and won the Coppa Italia in 2009 with Inter Milan.
Teams like Sevilla, Valencia, Athletico, Athletic and Barcelona seem more likely to hoist the King's trophy at the end of the season.
As you follow the action, here's a look back at one of the best finals, the 2009 match between the Copa del Rey's two most storied teams: Barcelona and Athletic.
The competition began 1902 to celebrate the coronation of Spanish King Alfonso XIII. It was officially named the Copa Del Rey in 1903 and its first title match saw Athletic Bilbao defeat Madrid FC (later Real Madrid).
Originally formed with a representative from each province, the competition has grown to invite many of the top teams from Spain's first 3 divisions.
The competition is a tournament elimination format that pits 2 teams against each other in home and away matches, with the winner being the team with a greater goal total in both games. As with other Cup ties, even goal differential is broken by weighting away goals more heavily.
The exception to the home-away format is the final, regularly played in one of Spain's most prestigious stadiums.
The giant clubs of Spain's first division regularly face off against smaller teams from the lower divisions. This week Barcelona crossed the straights of Gilbraltar to face tiny Ceuta (you get extra credit if you knew that Spain still has territory in Africa apart from the Canary islands). Barça was able to win their "trap" match but Spain's glamor sides regularly fall to small teams in these ties. The most famous example of this was the Alcorconazo: where tiny Alcorcón defeated Real Madrid 4-0 at home. Alcorcón lost the away match 1-0 in Santiago Bernabeau but advanced on the 4-1 goal aggregate.
Small and outclassed as they are, the teams from Spain's lower ranks do have certain advantages. The first and most important advantage is motivation: their team will be excited to prove that they can play with the best in the world while Spain's first division teams regularly rest their "A" team. The result is that the smaller teams often have greater chemistry - their players are used to playing together while the big teams field a patchwork mix of first and second team players - especially early in the competition.
These early games can often be a trap because of field conditions as well. When Spain's large teams play the away leg, they're forced to play on a small, often poorly maintained field. This limits their passing game (especially in Barcelona's case) and speed (especially in Madrid's case). Nevertheless, Spain's large teams do often win out.
The Copa del Rey's most regular victor has been FC Barcelona with 25 victories. Athletíc Bilbao follow closely with a total of 23 cup wins, the last being in 1984. Real Madrid have the third most victories with 17. They haven't won since 1993.
In 2010, the King's Cup has received quite a bit of attention. Real Madrid have announced that they intend to take the Cup more seriously after being embarrassed the last several years. Coach Jose Mourinho is a master of elimination tournaments and won the Coppa Italia in 2009 with Inter Milan.
Teams like Sevilla, Valencia, Athletico, Athletic and Barcelona seem more likely to hoist the King's trophy at the end of the season.
As you follow the action, here's a look back at one of the best finals, the 2009 match between the Copa del Rey's two most storied teams: Barcelona and Athletic.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Zaragoza 0 - FC Barcelona 2: Barça and the Away-Field Advantage
FC Barcelona won on Saturday. They won as they have often in the last month or so, missing opportunity after opportunity while dominating a clearly inferior opponent.
They did however have many more opportunities to show themselves on Saturday than they have in some of their recent home matches. Which brings us to an interesting issue: is Barcelona better on the road than they are at home?
It sounds strange. Usually teams think of their home stadium as a stronghold and play better in front of boisterous, aggressive and occasionally downright dangerous home fans. Yet this year's Barca squad seems to be doing the opposite: the struggle to beat lesser teams at home and get to show off on the road.
One theory is that the home team can't hide as well: when a team plays Barcelona in the Nou Camp (in Barcelona) it's expected to lose; the visiting team can park 9-10 players by the goal and do everything it can to block real, constructive football.
When a team plays Barça at home, it has a responsibility to its fans to show a minimum of offensive competency. Holding 10 players back is sure to draw cat calls from the fans and even letters asking for the coach to be fired. So the home team plays Barcelona more aggressively - and pays the price for their pride.
I didn't come up with this idea: it was a pearl of an explanation put forth by Ray Hudson on GolTV. This guy makes soccer fun and exciting and drops some real wisdom during the game. Check him out and check out Spain's La Liga (and Barcelona) on GolTV.
For those that don't have GolTV, here are the highlights:
They did however have many more opportunities to show themselves on Saturday than they have in some of their recent home matches. Which brings us to an interesting issue: is Barcelona better on the road than they are at home?
It sounds strange. Usually teams think of their home stadium as a stronghold and play better in front of boisterous, aggressive and occasionally downright dangerous home fans. Yet this year's Barca squad seems to be doing the opposite: the struggle to beat lesser teams at home and get to show off on the road.
One theory is that the home team can't hide as well: when a team plays Barcelona in the Nou Camp (in Barcelona) it's expected to lose; the visiting team can park 9-10 players by the goal and do everything it can to block real, constructive football.
When a team plays Barça at home, it has a responsibility to its fans to show a minimum of offensive competency. Holding 10 players back is sure to draw cat calls from the fans and even letters asking for the coach to be fired. So the home team plays Barcelona more aggressively - and pays the price for their pride.
I didn't come up with this idea: it was a pearl of an explanation put forth by Ray Hudson on GolTV. This guy makes soccer fun and exciting and drops some real wisdom during the game. Check him out and check out Spain's La Liga (and Barcelona) on GolTV.
For those that don't have GolTV, here are the highlights:
Sevilla 4 - Athletic Bilbao 3: Another Reason to Watch Spain's La Liga.
TV Announcer: The Continental Soccer Association is coming to Springfield!
It's all here--fast-kicking, low scoring, and ties? You bet!
Bart: Hey, Dad, how come you've never taken us to see a soccer game?
Homer: I...don't know.
TV Announcer: You'll see all your favorite soccer stars. Like Ariaga!
Ariaga II! Bariaga! Aruglia! And Pizzoza!
Homer: Oh, I never heard of those people.
TV Announcer: And they'll all be signing autographs!
Homer: Woo-hoo!
TV Announcer: This match will determine once and for all which nation is
the greatest on earth: Mexico or Portugal!Quote from Simpson's Episode F501
Funny as the Simpsons episode was, most US sports fans have this misguided impression of soccer. And, sometimes it's not even that misguided. But it sure missed the mark in Sunday's Sevilla - Athletico match.
This is why you need to watch soccer, and Spain's La Liga in particular. It doesn't get much more exciting than this!
Sevilla went up 3-0 in the 62nd minute. Normally at 3-0, a team owns the game. It's over and they can put in their development players to prove it. Not on Sunday!
Los leones (the lions) of Bilbao came roaring back like their namesake from the Serengeti. They brought the score to 3-2 before a questionable penalty (committed on Negredo, executed by Kanoute) put the game out of reach at 4-2.
Athletic didn't stop there either, they scored a 91st minute header to keep hope alive!
They could not however, pull even. Athletic ran out of time and Sevilla added a win to the post-Alvarez era.
All told, it was a breathless 30 minutes of soccer. I can think of very few sports that can serve up this kind of emotional roller coaster in such a short time.
Ride that football roller coaster with me with this embedded video:
Holy Mouly: Madrid's Playing Well And Scoring At Will
Okay, I apologize; I've used another groan-worthy made-up Mou word. Still, after watching Real Madrid's last 3 games, "the special one" is worthy of headlines - and the rest of the league is left to groan.
Madrid's latest experiment in running up the score (and I mean that in the best possible way) came at the expense of Racing Santader. After their 6-1 drubbing the Racing boys have officially changed their team colors from black and green to black and blue, with makeup artist bruises for effect.
Madrid got on the board early courtesy of Higuain in the 10th minute and then ran off 4 straight Christiano Ronaldo goals. CR7/9 gattling-gun-goal run was followed by an Ozil goal that left los merengues up 6-0. Racing did get the "goal of honor" to ease the drubbing, but it's still hard to cover up that 6.
This isn't the first Madrid rout, either. Madrid recently put down Malaga 4-1 and pummeled Deportivo La Coruña 6-1 as well. That's 16 goals in 3 games!
Los Blancos (Madrid is known as "The Whites" in Spain in reference to their jerseys - and maybe because fans from the capital think they are the good guys) boast a whopping +18 goal differential after 8 games. The feel-good stat for fans from the capital is that 16 of Madrid's 22 goals have come in the first 60 minutes, compared to just 1 of their opponents goals. These are not garbage goals - Madrid is going out hard and putting good Spanish league teams down like ugly rabid dogs.
This article is my way of apologizing to Sr. Jose Mourinho (as if he cares). I heckled him early in the year. I was wrong. I shouldn't have doubted. I stand super-corrected. Jose, if you're reading this, you can lay off now. Down boy!
I expected Madrid to play well at some point in the season, but their recent run has exceeded my wildest imaginings. This is a super-dotado (talented) team with a (self-professed) genius of a coach. I shouldn't have doubted.
Real Madrid 6 - Racing Santander 1
Madrid's latest experiment in running up the score (and I mean that in the best possible way) came at the expense of Racing Santader. After their 6-1 drubbing the Racing boys have officially changed their team colors from black and green to black and blue, with makeup artist bruises for effect.
Madrid got on the board early courtesy of Higuain in the 10th minute and then ran off 4 straight Christiano Ronaldo goals. CR7/9 gattling-gun-goal run was followed by an Ozil goal that left los merengues up 6-0. Racing did get the "goal of honor" to ease the drubbing, but it's still hard to cover up that 6.
This isn't the first Madrid rout, either. Madrid recently put down Malaga 4-1 and pummeled Deportivo La Coruña 6-1 as well. That's 16 goals in 3 games!
Los Blancos (Madrid is known as "The Whites" in Spain in reference to their jerseys - and maybe because fans from the capital think they are the good guys) boast a whopping +18 goal differential after 8 games. The feel-good stat for fans from the capital is that 16 of Madrid's 22 goals have come in the first 60 minutes, compared to just 1 of their opponents goals. These are not garbage goals - Madrid is going out hard and putting good Spanish league teams down like ugly rabid dogs.
This article is my way of apologizing to Sr. Jose Mourinho (as if he cares). I heckled him early in the year. I was wrong. I shouldn't have doubted. I stand super-corrected. Jose, if you're reading this, you can lay off now. Down boy!
I expected Madrid to play well at some point in the season, but their recent run has exceeded my wildest imaginings. This is a super-dotado (talented) team with a (self-professed) genius of a coach. I shouldn't have doubted.
Real Madrid 6 - Racing Santander 1
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Real Madrid 6 - Deportivo La Coruna 1
Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid got it together - and how! I guess I can stop commenting on Mourinho's lack of goals. Check out some highlights and comment if you will.
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