After a World Cup’s worth of transfer speculation, Manchester United chief executive Ed Woodward typically felt the need to offer some headline-creating words of his own. “Our financial position allows us to do things in the transfer market that most other clubs cannot do,” he said last week. It was quite a statement, especially […]
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El Clasico of the Century?
As one former Barcelona player puts it: “It is the game of the century, even if there are eight of them a year.” It is a comment not just on the excellence and the expectation that comes with Real Madrid v Barcelona but also on their eclipse of all else, on the dominance and potential dilution of a […]
Bale’s hat-trick for Madrid
…This time, Bale bombed through from deep, space opening up before him. He played the ball wide to Marcelo and the return ball was perfect. “On a plate,” Bale said. From four yards he scored, left-footed. That fact turned out to be significant: he’d already got one with a header and another with his right […]
4-4-2 is becoming trendy again
…When Barcelona were Europe’s dominant force between 2009 and 2011, for example, it was extremely difficult to tell whether strategy would move in the first respect (further evolution) or the second respect (a shift toward an opposing style of play). In the end, Bayern’s success last year probably represented a hybrid of the two: They […]
Everyone’s a liar during the transfer window
… From the other side of the negotiating table, Spurs were saying much the same thing. Their official statement noted that they did not want to sell Bale but that his resolve to leave was decisive. He had forced their hand; they had little choice. Coach Andre Villas-Boas added that “the pressure we were subjected […]
Why Real Madrid had to sell Ozil
While Arsenal fans rejoice at the arrival of Mesut Ozil, Ben Hayward of Goal.com reveals why Real Madrid may have done the right thing in the end by selling one of their best players to Arsenal for the hefty sum of €50m. “Don’t sell Ozil,” they screamed. The fans had come along to the […]
Dynasties in decline
Two years ago, Barcelona were competing to be the greatest club team of all time. Cruel fate’s intervention means they have been forced to seek a new direction. …Gerardo Martino, a coach whose experience of European football extends to a single season spent as a player at Tenerife over two decades ago, has been given […]
Ancelotti’s Real Madrid shows signs of shedding histrionics
…. Throughout the entire evening, though, there were also increasing indications that Real are themselves aiming to return to a more historic, less histrionic approach. This was a Madrid arriving with all of the old class but very little of the recent bombast. Many would naturally put that down to the simple contrast between the […]
Why Gonzalo Higuaín has never felt loved at Real Madrid
A brief summary of an article by Sid Lowe on Higuan. It was April 2008 and things were not going well for Gonzalo Higuaín. He was having a terrible game at the Santiago Bernabéu, missing chance after chance and seemingly getting more apprehensive with each opportunity. But then another cross came in and this time […]
Atlético end 14-year Madrid curse
… Historic is the word. This may even be Atlético’s greatest ever night. “If we win it will be forever,” Adrián had said before the game. Diego Simeone said he didn’t know where it ranks in the club’s history. But, he added, “in many years’ time, it will be remembered.” And how. Atlético had not […]
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