Pudiste ser mucho más grande Tino...
Tres al Barcelona con Figo y Rivaldo a bordo...
¿Qué tal la emoción de los narradores ingleses y de los hinchas del Newcastle?
miércoles, enero 04, 2012
jueves, diciembre 01, 2011
Rene Higuita: El Loco
Tomado de: http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story/_/id/989764/the-mavericks:-rene-higuita?cc=3888
Autor: Robin Hackett
That goalkeepers are different is well established, but Rene Higuita was something else entirely. He was the livewire at the base of the renowned Colombia sides of the late 1980s and early 1990s, a pioneer whose eccentric style rarely failed to clinch headlines, for good or bad. He was also regularly in the newspapers for his off-field activities, and was to suffer greatly from his inability to distance himself from his homeland's drug problems.
Higuita was born into severe poverty in Medellin in August 1966, and had to be brought up by his grandmother after his unmarried mother died. His prospects were bleak. "Football is one way out of the ghetto, for the few," The Guardian reported in a feature on the city in 1990. "The other, for the many, is drugs."
Fortunately for Higuita, he had shown considerable talent in the former. He spent his early years as a centre-forward but, when circumstance saw him pushed into service as a goalkeeper, he found his calling - even though he would not forget the outfield skills that had marked his formative years. He was known for his goalscoring feats from penalties and free-kicks, netting 44 goals across the course of his career, but more significant was his desire to reside high up the pitch, regularly operating as a de facto sweeper and allowing his defence to push up, thereby forming a basis for the national team's progressive tactical approach. It was a plan that brought significant risks but, of the error that famously sent Colombia crashing out of the 1990 World Cup, when he was dispossessed by Cameroon's Roger Milla, manager Francisco Maturana recalled: "There was no point in anger because he was expressing the Colombian soul."
He was signed up by Medellin-based Atletico Nacional in 1981 and his professional career began in earnest in 1985 when he spent time on loan with Millionarios, one of Colombia's most successful clubs. 'El Loco', as he became known, swiftly established a reputation for scoring goals, and upon his return to Nacional became a key part of a side that would win two league titles as well as the Copa Libertadores and the Copa Interamericana.
It was under the tutelage of Maturana - who led both Nacional and Colombia from 1987 to 1990 - that he became a star. Higuita was one of many of the club's players Maturana called upon for the national side in the build-up to the 1990 World Cup and the new-look team, and their goalkeeper in particular, caused a stir worldwide. After a 1-1 friendly draw with England at Wembley in 1988, then-manager Bobby Robson said: "He left his penalty area five times during the game. He's come out to the touchline to tackle Gary Lineker; he's shown Peter Beardsley the ball and beaten him before taking it back into the box and picking it up." Robson had asked midfielder Steve McMahon what he made of the Colombians after the game, to which the Liverpool star shook his head and replied: "Different world, boss."
In 1989, Higuita enjoyed particular success. Nacional became the first Colombian side to win the Copa Libertadores when they beat Olimpia 5-4 in a penalty shootout in May, with Higuita saving four spot-kicks. In October, he was part of the Colombia side that saw off Israel 1-0 on aggregate in a play-off to qualify for their first World Cup since 1962. In December, in the Intercontinental Cup final against Arrigo Sacchi's AC Milan, Higuita lit up a match lacking in action when he repeatedly dribbled upfield, although Nacional lost 1-0 in the dying moments of extra-time.
When Higuita arrived at Italia '90, therefore, his ability to steal the show was already well-established. "With the technical, practical and spectacle considerations of the World Cup and its physical demands, I see the outstanding players breaking into two groups," Maturana said a week before Colombia's opener against United Arab Emirates. "I see the geniuses and the madmen. The genuises, I see the No. 1 in that group as Maradona. And the madmen, that's Rene Higuita."
El Loco did not disappoint. Colombia edged their way through a group also containing West Germany and Yugoslavia, setting up a second-round meeting with Cameroon. The game was goalless after 90 minutes, but veteran striker Milla broke the deadlock at the start of the second period of extra-time. Three minutes later, Colombia's hopes were effectively over: Higuita received a backpass in the sweeper position and attempted to outwit Milla with a dragback only to lose possession, allowing the forward to score and for Cameroon to progress with an eventual 2-1 win. The goalkeeper's reputation was, unsurprisingly, in a state of disrepair. "People will talk about it and be quite right in talking about it," Higuita said afterwards. "It was a mistake. Everyone saw it. It was as big as a house. I have always played like this and I was confident I could win today. I have lost. It's too bad."
In June 1991, Higuita was embroiled in controversy off the field when he was filmed paying a visit to Pablo Escobar - apparently, but unofficially, the owner of Nacional - during the notorious drug lord's stint in a luxurious mountain prison. "Escobar built football fields with lighting, and constructed whole neighbourhoods, which is more than the government ever did," the goalkeeper's lawyer, Fabio Lizcano, later explained. "Rene is part of an underprivileged youth that grew up admiring Colombia's Robin Hood."
On the field, he had a brief spell abroad when he followed Maturana to Real Valladolid, but the move did not work out and he soon returned to Nacional. The move back to Medellin proved costly, though, when the Escobar connection resurfaced in dramatic fashion. In May 1993, the 11-year-old daughter of another underworld figure, Luis Carlos Molina, was kidnapped, and suspicion fell on Escobar. Molina enlisted the help of Higuita in securing the release, and the goalkeeper subsequently handed over the reported $385,000 ransom money. In gratitude, the Molina family presented Higuita with a gift: US bank notes apparently totalling $64,000. In accepting the gift, he had broken Colombian law, and he was facing three charges after his arrest in June: illicit enrichment, mediating without authority and failing to inform the police that a kidnapping had taken place. He was placed in prison pending a full case.
"All he did was help to get the girl released and make her family happy," his girlfriend, and later wife, Magnolia Etchverry protested. "In return they gave him some money. For that he was put in jail." After over five months in prison, Higuita began a hunger strike in protest at his incarceration, and in January 1994 he was finally released as a result of the authorities' failure to pursue the charge within the legal timeframe - under Colombian law, a trial had to begin within 120 days of arrest. Magnolia, along with a 200-strong crowd of supporters, greeted him as he walked free. "I feel a pain in missing all the moments, good and difficult, that Colombian football has been through," Higuita said.
With Maturana having returned to lead Colombia to the 1994 World Cup, Higuita would surely have been named in the squad and handed the chance to atone for his Italia '90 blunder, but in March it was confirmed that he would miss out as his legal situation meant he could not leave his homeland. "He has problems we can't solve," Maturana said. He was later cleared of wrongdoing and awarded $17,000 in damages, yet the bitterness remains. "They took away my chance to be with my national team, my family," Higuita told Sports Illustrated in 2008, "and when I was declared innocent, they published a small little item. Nobody knows I was cleared."
He bounced back, though, and was restored to the national side for the 1995 Copa America; indeed, for the most part he looked back to his best as Colombia finished third. In September that year, in a low-key 0-0 friendly draw with England at Wembley, he dealt with a tame Jamie Redknapp effort by unleashing the 'Scorpion Kick', launching himself forwards to repel the ball with his heels (the linesman had already flagged for offside, but the referee ignored it and allowed play to go on). An international star was reborn, and though Malcolm Berry, secretary to the English School's FA, labelled it a "crass and stupid way to go about making a save", no one else seemed to agree. "It's the sort of thing only one person can do," a triumphant Higuita said afterwards. "I have a massive repertoire, but I don't plan them ahead." Former Arsenal goalkeeper Bob Wilson, at that stage working for ITV, revealed that Higuita's claims to spontaneity were misleading: "He did the same thing three or four times in the warm-up."
Once more the highs turned to lows: in 1996, he had announced that he was to quit because of his own dissatisfaction with his form, and he spent six months out of action. His Bogota home was bombed in January 1997, and he left the country for a spell in Mexico with Veracruz not long afterwards. He then returned to Colombia and, while a free agent in October 1998, was arrested after roaming the Medellin streets on his bike while holding a gun. He signed for Independiente Medellin in 1999.
A series of moves around his homeland followed but, in October 2002, while playing for provincial side Pereira, he was handed a six-match ban after testing positive for cocaine. He left Colombia for Ecuadorian side Aucas in January 2004, but in November that year tested positive for the drug once more. "Higuita said it was possibly residue from some time ago but I cannot confirm that," Aucas chairman Jaime Perez told Reuters. "We have terminated his contract."
Higuita was forced into retirement, and in 2005 he reinvented himself as a TV star. "I had to go into rehab," he later explained. "After that I started doing the reality shows. I have nothing against money." He featured in both the second and third series of the Survivor-inspired La Isla de los Famosos (The Island of the Famous), and later in the year appeared on Cambio Extremo (Extreme Change), in which he had extensive cosmetic surgery.
In August 2007, shortly before his 41st birthday, Higuita came out of retirement to sign for Venezuelan club Guaros, but it did not work out. He claimed he had been paid only one month's salary despite holding a contract until the end of the season, so walked out - "They can hardly complain" - and signed for Rionegro in Colombia's second tier. He called it "a good level to say farewell" but, after helping the team to finish in second place in his first season, he took the opportunity to re-enter the spotlight when he signed for top-flight side Pereira on a $10,000-a-month contract. He continued to inject flair into games, notably producing a Scorpion Kick in a game against Once Caldas shortly after his arrival, and finally hung up his gloves - and boots - after an official farewell appearance in January 2010.
His contribution to Colombia's successes has perhaps been overshadowed by his World Cup blunder in the eyes of international audiences, but El Loco - the eternal showman - has never made any attempt to play down the eccentricities that made him a star. "When I have finished my career," Higuita said in the mid-'90s, "my name will stay on people's lips as a player who brought a bit of magic into the lives of ordinary people."
Copyright ©2011 ESPN Internet Ventures
miércoles, noviembre 09, 2011
Nadie vio a Sebastián Vettel en la temporada 2011 de la Fórmula 1
Tomado de: http://www.motor.com.co/revista-motor/razones-del-triunfo-de-vettel-en-la-formula-1_10723744-4
Autor: REDACCIÓN MOTOR
La coronación anticipada de Sebastián Vettel como campeón de la F1 es una muestra del total dominio de este joven piloto alemán y de la superioridad de la maquinaria del equipo Red Bull-Renault.
El ingenieron del equipo Red Bull-Renault, Adrian Newey, demostró tener las mejores soluciones aerodinámicas y tecnológicas. Esto puede ir para largo.
Sebastián Vettel apenas tenía 24 años y medio cuando ganó su segundo campeonato mundial de automovilismo, que a la vez fue también la segunda corona del equipo Red Bull, una escuadra que nace de las cenizas de los equipos Stewart y luego Jaguar-Ford, pero fletada en la energética chequera del multimillonario austríaco Dietrich Mateschitz.
15 días más 'viejo', pulverizó a toda su oposición de nuevo en el exótico circuito de India, donde hizo la tarea impecable de 'pole', vuelta rápida y victoria tras puntear todos los giros de la carrera, algo que antes solo 21 pilotos en los 61 años de historia de la F1 habían logrado. Este es apenas uno de los sorprendentes datos de Vettel y de su auto, el Red Bull propulsado por motores Renault, que a lo largo del 2011 se han ganado 16 poles (récord) y suman 19 consecutivas, 11 de las 17 pruebas todas en cabeza del campeón, definitivamente quebró la jerarquía en la cual alternaban Ferrari y McLaren en los últimos tiempos.
Vettel ha corrido, hasta el premio de India, 124 carreras de la F1 de las cuales ha ganado 26, ha conseguido 36 poles, 20 vueltas rápidas y dos títulos mundiales, un historial impresionante que permite de alguna manera hacer cábalas sobre si llegará a superar la marca de Schumacher de siete títulos luego de 91 victorias en 284 arrancadas a lo largo de 19 torneos. Son totalmente válidas en el papel. Pero la pregunta de fondo es por qué se está dando esta revolución técnica y humana.
Claramente, nadie gana en carreras de postín si no está en la mejor máquina, tal como sucedió en la era Schumacher-Ferrari o en mejores tiempos de Williams o McLaren. El ejemplo más contundente de esa volatilidad lo ha dado Williams, cuyos siete campeonatos de pilotos fueron con seis personas diferentes.
Hay que decir que Vettel es un talento extraordinario, fuera de serie y está todavía en maduración. Pero eso no excepcional porque la historia está escrita por los Prosts, Schumachers, Laudas, Sennas, Fangios y afines. Lo sorprendente es cómo un equipo externo, nuevo y que se estableció sobre materiales de equipos de mínimo éxito, logró poner en el espejo a monstruos del dinero, experiencia y tecnología como McLaren y Ferrari.
La razón técnica gira en torno al nombre de Adrian Newey, un talentoso ingeniero que ha estado detrás de los títulos de Williams (donde también empujaba la maquinaria Renault), victorias de McLaren y es considerado como el gran gurú de la incierta y experimental ciencia de la aerodinámica, que es el otro punto diferenciador de los carros de Red Bull que comparten piezas con los propios productores de las mismas.
Es el caso de los motores Renault, que también mueven a los dos autos del equipo oficial de la casa francesa y al par de Lotus que, montados en plataformas inferiores no ruedan con la misma contundencia y eficacia de los RB. La estrategia de llantas -idénticas para todos- y los pesos de gasolinas suelen ser similares por lo cual la diferencia la aporta la ingeniería del chasís y las formas aerodinámicas de las cuales cada carro es un laboratorio permanente.
Una ecuación muy atinada de las carreras dice que los chasises hacen las diferencias en segundos y los motores apenas aportan décimas de los mismos a los tiempos de vueltas. Ahí está la ventaja de Red Bull, cuyo carro se puede leer de tres maneras.
Como un auto de punta y que se bandea de tú a tú con los Ferrari y McLaren si lo maneja Mark Webber y alterna resultados sin superioridad manifiesta. O como una máquina claramente por encima del lote en la cual un piloto como Vettel se expresa a plenitud y tiene una comunión perfecta con sus características como sucedía con la combinación Schumacher- Ferrari. O bien, con un auto tan perfecto con el que cualquiera ganaría -que es la filosofía usual de toda la grilla- en el cual este año naufragó Webber.
De todas maneras, un equipo es una suma de factores y la adición de Red Bull- Newey-Vettel y la astucia del director deportivo Christian Horner demostraron un nivel que les permitió arrasar con todas las copas y los indicadores que, con miras al año entrante, parecer tener el mismo talante.
McLaren tuvo un año regular, en el cual sus cartas jugaron al revés. Lewis Hamilton hizo error tras error, casó pelea tras pelea y terminó con solo dos triunfos contra tres de su coequipero Jenson Button, que fue la revelación del año, así sea un maltrato a un ex campeón del mundo. El papel de Ferrari fue muy flojo con una aislada victoria de Alonso en Silverstone. El resto del torneo sirvió solo para demostrar la tenacidad y talento de Fernando Alonso a bordo de un carro que no tuvo el correcto empaque aerodinámico y en el cual Felipe Massa tuvo una errática y flojísima presencia que hace temer por su futuro en la Scuderia.
Una generación dominadora
La F1 parece predestinada a seguir una curiosa circunstancia que agobia al deporte cual es el establecimiento de emperadores de los resultados. Para la cuenta suman siete títulos de Schumacher casi seguidos, cinco en serie de Jimmie Jonhson en Nascar y siete y en rumbo para el octavo de Sebastián Loeb en el mundial de rallyes, y ahora dos unidos de Vettel indican, que por muy buenos que sean todos los corredores, siempre hay uno superior que logra mantenerse, que es lo más difícil. Vettel parece perfilarse como alguien capaz de sostener esa condición dominante no durante un campeonato sino por varios años.
¿Peso pesado?
Después de cada carrera Vettel puede perder unos kilos corporales pero gana toneladas en prestigio y proyección por la habilidad que demuestra manejando, su sangre fría y calculadora en todas las condiciones y su madurez en constante alza y consolidación. Con sus resultados en los últimos dos años se proyecta como un piloto que podría en el largo plazo pretender alcanzar algunos de los récords de Michel Schumacher pues apenas tiene 24 años y unos meses y ya está montado en el mejor carro del momento, máquina que también parece tener la posibilidad de mantener sus ventajas.
FRASES
La aerodinámica es la ciencia desconocida y empírica en la cual están basadas las grandes diferencias de los F1 de hoy. Adrian Newey es el maestro de los vientos.
McLaren terminó jugando con Jenson Button sus mejores cartas ante la errática temporada de Hamilton.
No fueron suficientes la garra ni la velocidad de Alonso para que los Ferrari pudiera disputar el campeonato. Mark Webber no supo aprovechar las ventajas de su carro, igual al de vettel.
COPYRIGHT © 2011 EL TIEMPO Casa Editorial
jueves, julio 14, 2011
martes, junio 28, 2011
River deep, mountain high
Tomado de: http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story/_/id/930619/sam-kelly:-river-deep,-mountain-high?cc=3888
Autor: Sam Kelly
Autor: Sam Kelly
The demise of River Plate
The great Konrad Adenauer, who led West Germany as chancellor after the end of the Second World War, once said that "history is the sum total of things that could have been avoided."
River's players are distraught after they failed to get the 2-0 defeat of Belgrano they required
GettyImagesRiver's players are distraught after they failed to get the 2-0 defeat of Belgrano they required
Football fans in Argentina might reflect on that, if they've heard it. Because I type, on a Monday morning, in the aftermath of an historic event in football. Here in Buenos Aires, something happened that many of Argentina's football fans literally never thought they'd see in their lifetimes; River Plate have been relegated from the country's top flight.
River were promoted in December 1908, and have been ever-present in the Primera Division in the 102-and-a-half years since (the longest of any side in the country). Since Argentina's league turned professional in 1931, only River, Independiente and Boca Juniors have played every season in the top flight. As from August, when the 2011-12 season gets underway, that exclusive club will be cut to just the latter two.
But if you've followed the Argentine season with half an eye, you're probably aware that while there are two championships played each season, River ended the season-long, 38-game table (used for Copa Sudamericana qualification) in sixth, and the Clausura in ninth. So how, you could be forgiven for asking, were they obliged to play a relegation play-off?
I've written before about Argentina's relegation system for ESPNsoccernet - check the third paragraph of this piece an explanation - but River improved after that piece back in October, and it seemed they'd done enough to stay clear. Then, however, came defeat in the superclásico to Boca Juniors, and a dreadful run which saw them pick up only three of a possible 21 points in the final seven matches of the Torneo Clausura, with pressure added by the knowledge that the previous two seasons' low points totals were weighing more heavily with every dropped point this year. The system brought in to save River, when they should have gone down in 1983, has relegated them eighteen years on. In none of the last three seasons would they have gone down in a conventional system.
Poor form and poor selection for the first leg of the play-off against Belgrano effectively doomed them. Under a year ago, Rogelio Funes Mori was feted as the next big thing. In January Daniel Passarella, River's president, announced he'd turned down an offer from Benfica for €15 million. Few in Argentina still thought him worth that much, but the suspicion remained that someone in Europe was bound to pay a huge figure. Now, River would be delighted if they could get anyone to take Funes Mori. So why he started alone up front for the first leg, God (and manager J.J. Lopez) only knows.
River lost that game 2-0, and frustrations grew to the point where shortly into the second half, a handful of the club's barra brava hooligans ran onto the pitch, threatening their own players and grabbing hold of centre-back Adalberto Roman, whose handball had gifted Belgrano the opener from the penalty spot. Defeat left River requiring a two-goal victory in the second leg (away goals aren't used, but the incumbent side in the Primera stays up in the event of an aggregate draw), which always looked a tall order; River's decent season was built on defence, mainly through lack of a goalscoring striker, and they'd won by two goals only once this year, back in February.
As such, after Wednesday's game, those of us (yes, I'm a River fan myself) of a less optimistic disposition were already reconciling ourselves to no longer supporting a Primera side. Two minutes into Sunday's match, Belgrano had a goal correctly disallowed for offside. And then the cruel spectre of hope reared its head: Mariano Pavone gave River the lead after just five minutes and they had virtually the whole match to score a second.
It didn't arrive. Just after the hour, Guillermo Farre capitalised on a hashed clearance to get Belgrano an equaliser on the day and give River half an hour to score two. Minutes later the hosts had a penalty, which Pavone stepped up to take, and hit straight at the goalkeeper. From that moment the tears started to flow in the Monumental, and the nation gaped at their TV sets as a condemned side played on in the knowledge that they were already going down.
This not Sam Kelly, but his face currently wears a similar expression
GettyImagesThis not Sam Kelly, but his face currently wears a similar expression
With moments to go, as had happened on Wednesday, some idiots started trying to get onto the pitch - a harder prospect at the Monumental, which has a moat and running track - and the referee decided after a couple of minutes' delay not to play the final 30 seconds. Riots in the streets around the stadium afterwards left tens injured, one policeman airlifted to hospital, and unconfirmed reports that a fan had died of heart complications inside the stadium (whether as the result of violence or having become too emotionally involved in the game wasn't clear) didn't help the mood.
Stadium facilities were attacked, and the ground - which on the 24th July hosts the Copa America final - will need repairs. Sanctions are likely to be brought once the smoke has cleared. As well as Passarella coming under increasing pressure, some are bound to also turn on Jose María Aguilar, whose incompetent and corrupt presidency prior to Passarella is the root cause of this rot.
It's a truly historic moment, and will to take a lot of getting used to. Next season will see no superclásico, no hope of adding to their 33 Argentine championships. Fifteen years previously to the day, they were crowned champions of South America for the second - and to date last - time. This season has ended just as historically, but far more sadly. River, no doubt, will be back - but that doesn't change the fact that Argentina is a country gawping at a scene it never thought it would see, and one which is all the more shocking for having been so eminently avoidable.
The great Konrad Adenauer, who led West Germany as chancellor after the end of the Second World War, once said that "history is the sum total of things that could have been avoided."
River's players are distraught after they failed to get the 2-0 defeat of Belgrano they required
GettyImagesRiver's players are distraught after they failed to get the 2-0 defeat of Belgrano they required
Football fans in Argentina might reflect on that, if they've heard it. Because I type, on a Monday morning, in the aftermath of an historic event in football. Here in Buenos Aires, something happened that many of Argentina's football fans literally never thought they'd see in their lifetimes; River Plate have been relegated from the country's top flight.
River were promoted in December 1908, and have been ever-present in the Primera Division in the 102-and-a-half years since (the longest of any side in the country). Since Argentina's league turned professional in 1931, only River, Independiente and Boca Juniors have played every season in the top flight. As from August, when the 2011-12 season gets underway, that exclusive club will be cut to just the latter two.
But if you've followed the Argentine season with half an eye, you're probably aware that while there are two championships played each season, River ended the season-long, 38-game table (used for Copa Sudamericana qualification) in sixth, and the Clausura in ninth. So how, you could be forgiven for asking, were they obliged to play a relegation play-off?
I've written before about Argentina's relegation system for ESPNsoccernet - check the third paragraph of this piece an explanation - but River improved after that piece back in October, and it seemed they'd done enough to stay clear. Then, however, came defeat in the superclásico to Boca Juniors, and a dreadful run which saw them pick up only three of a possible 21 points in the final seven matches of the Torneo Clausura, with pressure added by the knowledge that the previous two seasons' low points totals were weighing more heavily with every dropped point this year. The system brought in to save River, when they should have gone down in 1983, has relegated them eighteen years on. In none of the last three seasons would they have gone down in a conventional system.
Poor form and poor selection for the first leg of the play-off against Belgrano effectively doomed them. Under a year ago, Rogelio Funes Mori was feted as the next big thing. In January Daniel Passarella, River's president, announced he'd turned down an offer from Benfica for €15 million. Few in Argentina still thought him worth that much, but the suspicion remained that someone in Europe was bound to pay a huge figure. Now, River would be delighted if they could get anyone to take Funes Mori. So why he started alone up front for the first leg, God (and manager J.J. Lopez) only knows.
River lost that game 2-0, and frustrations grew to the point where shortly into the second half, a handful of the club's barra brava hooligans ran onto the pitch, threatening their own players and grabbing hold of centre-back Adalberto Roman, whose handball had gifted Belgrano the opener from the penalty spot. Defeat left River requiring a two-goal victory in the second leg (away goals aren't used, but the incumbent side in the Primera stays up in the event of an aggregate draw), which always looked a tall order; River's decent season was built on defence, mainly through lack of a goalscoring striker, and they'd won by two goals only once this year, back in February.
As such, after Wednesday's game, those of us (yes, I'm a River fan myself) of a less optimistic disposition were already reconciling ourselves to no longer supporting a Primera side. Two minutes into Sunday's match, Belgrano had a goal correctly disallowed for offside. And then the cruel spectre of hope reared its head: Mariano Pavone gave River the lead after just five minutes and they had virtually the whole match to score a second.
It didn't arrive. Just after the hour, Guillermo Farre capitalised on a hashed clearance to get Belgrano an equaliser on the day and give River half an hour to score two. Minutes later the hosts had a penalty, which Pavone stepped up to take, and hit straight at the goalkeeper. From that moment the tears started to flow in the Monumental, and the nation gaped at their TV sets as a condemned side played on in the knowledge that they were already going down.
This not Sam Kelly, but his face currently wears a similar expression
GettyImagesThis not Sam Kelly, but his face currently wears a similar expression
With moments to go, as had happened on Wednesday, some idiots started trying to get onto the pitch - a harder prospect at the Monumental, which has a moat and running track - and the referee decided after a couple of minutes' delay not to play the final 30 seconds. Riots in the streets around the stadium afterwards left tens injured, one policeman airlifted to hospital, and unconfirmed reports that a fan had died of heart complications inside the stadium (whether as the result of violence or having become too emotionally involved in the game wasn't clear) didn't help the mood.
Stadium facilities were attacked, and the ground - which on the 24th July hosts the Copa America final - will need repairs. Sanctions are likely to be brought once the smoke has cleared. As well as Passarella coming under increasing pressure, some are bound to also turn on Jose María Aguilar, whose incompetent and corrupt presidency prior to Passarella is the root cause of this rot.
It's a truly historic moment, and will to take a lot of getting used to. Next season will see no superclásico, no hope of adding to their 33 Argentine championships. Fifteen years previously to the day, they were crowned champions of South America for the second - and to date last - time. This season has ended just as historically, but far more sadly. River, no doubt, will be back - but that doesn't change the fact that Argentina is a country gawping at a scene it never thought it would see, and one which is all the more shocking for having been so eminently avoidable.
Copyright ©2011 ESPN Internet Ventures
viernes, junio 24, 2011
Juan Pablo Varsky - Análisis Belgrano 2 River 0
Tomado de: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNl_bEim1dA
Autor: Juan Pablo Varsky
Autor: Juan Pablo Varsky
Belgrano ganó bien ante su gente y complicó más a River, que ahora necesita sacarle dos goles el domingo en el Monumental para no descender. Los hinchas del Millo se metieron en la cancha para apurar a los jugadores.
Los jugadores de River se juntan en la mitad de la cancha. Se miran desconcertados. Algunos se animan a saludar al grupo de hinchas que los acompañó en Córdoba y otros prefieren clavar la vista en el piso. Nadie abre la boca. Apenas alguno tiene fuerza para discutir con Olave y Campodónico, que quedaron rodeados de rivales. Todo es desencanto. Frustración. Nadie, ni ahí en la cancha, ni a través de la televisión, ni en cualquier rincón del mundo conectado por Internet, puede creer que River hoy esté en la B Nacional. Desde el miércoles y hasta el domingo, contarán las crónicas del futuro, River pasó tres días y algunas horas en la B Nacional. Para volver, para despertar de esta pesadilla interminable, a este River golpeado y aturdido le quedan 90 minutos para ganar por dos dos goles y regresar al lugar que su historia indica. Hoy, por lo pronto, está en la B Nacional y sumando una deshonra gigante a su historia.
La noche empezó torcida desde el vestuario, o más precisamente desde el hotel, cuando Jota Jota López dio la charla técnica y confirmó una dupla de ataque con Funes Mori y Mauro Díaz y relegó al banco a Mariano Pavone y Leandro Caruso, más experimentados, por oficio nomás más preparados para estas situaciones. Jota Jota se la jugó con pibes con muy pocos minutos en este torneo para dar vuelta una historia que ni los más grandes pudieron torcer. Y a los pibes, como a los grandes, como a los dirigentes, como al técnico, como a los hinchas, les pesó la responsabilidad. Tuvieron más o menos tantos nervios como el resto, que fue un manojo de cuerpos con músculos entumecidos, cabezas aturdidas, mentes bloqueadas. Nadie mejor que ellos, que saben lo que pesa jugar una Promoción, lo que se siente al verle de frente la cara a la B Nacional.
Belgrano aprovechó la chambonada de Adalberto Román, que bajó una pelota con la mano en el área, y Mansanelli de penal, con un remate fuerte y seco, empezó a darle forma a la tan temida pesadilla de Jota Jota y cía.. En el arranque del segundo tiempo, cuando River se estaba acomodando, recibió otro mazazo al mentón: Lollo bajó de cabeza una bola que venía del córner y Picante Pereyra le ganó la posición a Arano para empujar la pelota bajo el arco de Carrizo. Y ahí sí pudo pasar la peor. Belgrano pudo noquearlo, porque River andaba groggy por la cancha, pero curiosamente el apriete de los hinchas que entraron para presionar a sus jugadores, para reclamar huevo, enfrió el partido y el Pirata no pudo aprovechar su rato. Se reanudó el partido, después del papelón, y River se sacó el susto y la conmoción. Fue a buscar el descuento. Estuvo cerca de encontrarlo. Y Belgrano no volvió a asustar a Carrizo. Lo que asusta a River, ahora, es que tiene que hacer dos goles en 90 minutos, algo que sólo hizo una vez en este torneo, contra Huracán, y vencer a sus propios fantasmas para quedarse en Primera.
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Dormir tranquilo
Tomado de: http://elespectador.com/opinion/columna-278833-dormir-tranquilo
Autor: Iván Mejía Álvarez
Autor: Iván Mejía Álvarez
El médico Gabriel Ochoa Uribe tenía una frase que hizo historia y que es necesario recordar hoy a propósito del título del Nacional: "Dénme un gran portero, alguien que me deje dormir tranquilo y vamos a pelear el título".
Ochoa siempre la aplicó, convencido como estaba de que un buen equipo empieza por un gran portero. Ochoa tuvo en los triunfos de Millonarios al paraguayo Pablo Centurión como su hombre de confianza, y después fue Senén Mosquera y más adelante en las seguidilla de títulos del América a Carlos Gay, Mazurkievicz y, finalmente, encontró en Julio César Falcioni ese tipo que le permitía conciliar el sueño y levantar las copas.
En el título conseguido en Bogotá, cuando América doblegó a Santa Fe por 3-0, Ochoa hizo público su reconocimiento: “Esta estrella se la debemos a nuestro portero que estuvo inmenso, atajó las que iban para afuera y las que iban para adentro”.
Hoy la hinchada de Atlético Nacional debe darle las gracias a Gastón Pezzuti, el gran responsable de ese undécimo título del equipo antioqueño. Lo que atajó Pezzuti en las instancias finales no tiene nombre: recuerdan las mejores épocas de Falcioni, dejan la imagen de un arquero inspirado siempre, sin errores, bien preparado física y mentalmente, que cubre todo el arco y termina haciéndole creer al rival que no hay fisura por donde pueda entrar la pelota.
Todos hablan hoy de la final, empero, la memoria trae a colación el juego clave donde Nacional empezó a instalarse en las instancias finales. Fue en el estadio del Cali, en Palmaseca. Ese día, el golero argentino estuvo inmenso y sacó mínimo ocho balones que iban camino a la red y que hubieran podido dejar la serie muy desbalanceada a favor de los jóvenes del Cali. Claro, después llegarían los partidos contra Tolima y esos tiros desde los doce pasos en el estadio Atanasio Giradot, para acabar de mitificar la imagen de un portero que empezó perdiendo y hoy es considerado el gran héroe de la estrella paisa.
Ochoa tiene razón, un campeón se construye desde el arco y por eso ese gran señor que es Santiago Escobar dormirá tranquilo mientras tenga a Pezzuti cuidándole la portería…
Ochoa siempre la aplicó, convencido como estaba de que un buen equipo empieza por un gran portero. Ochoa tuvo en los triunfos de Millonarios al paraguayo Pablo Centurión como su hombre de confianza, y después fue Senén Mosquera y más adelante en las seguidilla de títulos del América a Carlos Gay, Mazurkievicz y, finalmente, encontró en Julio César Falcioni ese tipo que le permitía conciliar el sueño y levantar las copas.
En el título conseguido en Bogotá, cuando América doblegó a Santa Fe por 3-0, Ochoa hizo público su reconocimiento: “Esta estrella se la debemos a nuestro portero que estuvo inmenso, atajó las que iban para afuera y las que iban para adentro”.
Hoy la hinchada de Atlético Nacional debe darle las gracias a Gastón Pezzuti, el gran responsable de ese undécimo título del equipo antioqueño. Lo que atajó Pezzuti en las instancias finales no tiene nombre: recuerdan las mejores épocas de Falcioni, dejan la imagen de un arquero inspirado siempre, sin errores, bien preparado física y mentalmente, que cubre todo el arco y termina haciéndole creer al rival que no hay fisura por donde pueda entrar la pelota.
Todos hablan hoy de la final, empero, la memoria trae a colación el juego clave donde Nacional empezó a instalarse en las instancias finales. Fue en el estadio del Cali, en Palmaseca. Ese día, el golero argentino estuvo inmenso y sacó mínimo ocho balones que iban camino a la red y que hubieran podido dejar la serie muy desbalanceada a favor de los jóvenes del Cali. Claro, después llegarían los partidos contra Tolima y esos tiros desde los doce pasos en el estadio Atanasio Giradot, para acabar de mitificar la imagen de un portero que empezó perdiendo y hoy es considerado el gran héroe de la estrella paisa.
Ochoa tiene razón, un campeón se construye desde el arco y por eso ese gran señor que es Santiago Escobar dormirá tranquilo mientras tenga a Pezzuti cuidándole la portería…
Elespectador.com
lunes, junio 20, 2011
Atlético Nacional es el nuevo campeón del fútbol colombiano
Tomado de: http://www.futbolred.com/liga-postobon/noticias/finalvueltaapertu2011/atletico-nacional-es-el-nuevo-campeon-del-futbol-colombiano/9663064
Autor: Juan Diego Ortiz Jiménez
Autor: Juan Diego Ortiz Jiménez
Venció 3-2 a Equidad en la tanda de penaltis, tras imponerse 2-1 en los 90 minutos.
Emoción y dramatismo hasta el final. Roberto Polo alargó la agonía en el minuto 92, cuando Nacional acariciaba la estrella 11, pero cuando el título se iba y la luz se apagaba, apareció Gastón Pezzuti, que de nuevo se vistió de René Higuita, detuvo tres penaltis y le dio el undécimo título al cuadro verdolaga, que festejó con locura su nueva consagración.
Claro que todo tuvo un inicio en esta final de la Liga Postobón I-2011. Equidad sorprendió desde el comienzo porque no se encerró en su cueva y buscó alargar la diferencia. La línea de cinco en zona posterior le permitió tener mayor desdoblamiento por las bandas y alcanzó a inquietar el pórtico de Pezzuti, que arriesgó su integridad para frenar en dos ocasiones a Núñez (2' y 33').
Pero Dorlan se zafó del anonimato de un Nacional atribulado por la precisa marca de los 'aseguradores' y emparejó la serie cuando la primera parte expiraba. Antes había estampado su rúbrica en el horizontal con un bombazo que sacudió el pórtico de Novoa (8'). Y cuando volvió a asomar, no condonó.
Víctor Giraldo se proyectó por occidental y habilitó a Macnelly que anticipó la marca de Soto. El '10' la filtró para Dorlan que martilló el balón que se le escurrió como el agua entre las manos al golero capitalino (43') y el Atanasio saltó por las nubes por el júbilo de las 45.066 almas que cumplieron la cita con la historia.
Con la serie igualada y con la primera parte de la tarea allanada, el pelotón comandado por Santiago Escobar salió brioso a terminar su cometido. Con mayor dinámica y posesión del esférico impuso las condiciones en el complemento y acumuló méritos para seguir de largo.
Pero 'Sachi' tenía un as bajo la manga porque más vale el diablo por 'Viejo'... Jairo Patiño, como en Cúcuta, ingresó como el elegido para guiar el barco verdolaga. Tras una estética trenza con Macnelly y Rentería, desgranó rivales en el área y cuando dejó en el camino a Novoa, la toco nada más para Rentería que solo tuvo que tocarla para estallar la caldera porque la misión estaba cumplida.
Con una decena de minutos por jugar, Nacional sacó los arrestos y defendió con las uñas la ventaja. Pero los dirigidos por Alexis empujaron cuando todo estaba perdido y lograron in extremis, la prórroga de la agonía. Rivas lanzó con desespero el esférico al corazón del área y Roberto Polo lo pescó sin convicción pero con la rosca suficiente para vencer a Pezzuti que nada pudo hacer (90+2').
Por eso el título, por cuarta vez en torneos cortos, se definió desde el fatídico manchón blanco y allí, una vez más, emergieron los guantes de Gastón Pezzuti que ahogaron en tres ocasiones los gritos capitalinos y le dieron la gloria al cuadro nacionalista que volvió a la cúspide del fútbol colombiano. Emoción y alegría sin fin en Antioquia porque el 'Rey de Copas' volvió festejar...
Ficha técnica
Atlético Nacional: Gastón Pezzuti (10); Víctor Giraldo (8), Édgar Zapata (8), Stephen Barrientos (8'), Danny Aguilar (7); John Valencia (7), Jairo Palomino (7), Víctor Ibarbo (8), Macnelly Torres (8); Dorlan Pabón (9) y Carlos Rentería (8). DT: Santiago Escobar.
Equidad: Diego Novoa (7); Hugo Soto (8), Marco Canchila (6), Hányer Mosquera (8); Darwin Andrade (6), Dáger Palacios (8), Dawhling Leudo (8) y Edwin Rivas (7); Javier Araujo (8), Juan Gilberto Núñez (7) y Wilberto Cosme (7). DT: Alexis García.
Partido: vibrante.
Cambios en Nacional: Jairo Patiño por John Valencia (77'), Orlando Berrío por Carlos Rentería (83') y Sebastián Pérez por Jairo Palomino (86'). Cambios en Equidad: Roberto Polo por Darwin Andrade (54'), Félix García por Marco Canchila (59') y Luis Yanez por Juan Gilberto Núñez (83').
Goles: Dorlan Pabón (43') y Carlos Rentería (79'); Roberto Polo (90+2').
Nacional en los penaltis: Dorlan Pabón (anotó), Macnelly Torres (tapó Novoa), Danny Aguilar (anotó) y Jairo Patiño (anotó).
Equidad en los penaltis: Roberto Polo (tapó Pezzuti), Wilberto Cosme (tapó Pezzuti), Hányer Mosquera (anotó), Luis Yanes (anotó) y Javier Araujo (tapó Pezzuti).
Expulsados: no hubo.
Amarillas en Nacional: Víctor Ibarbo (28'), John Valencia (45+1'), Víctor Giraldo (65') y Carlos Rentería (83').
Amarillas en Equidad: Marco Canchila (10'), Darwin Andrade (27'), Hugo Soto (38') y Hányer Mosquera (81').
Figura: Gastón Pezzuti.
Estadio: Atanasio Girardot.
Asistencia: 45.066 aficionados.
Recaudación: $1.457.488.000 de pesos
Árbitro: Ímer Machado 7.
Juan Diego Ortiz Jiménez
Corresponsal Futbolred.com
Medellín
@JdiegoOrtiz
Emoción y dramatismo hasta el final. Roberto Polo alargó la agonía en el minuto 92, cuando Nacional acariciaba la estrella 11, pero cuando el título se iba y la luz se apagaba, apareció Gastón Pezzuti, que de nuevo se vistió de René Higuita, detuvo tres penaltis y le dio el undécimo título al cuadro verdolaga, que festejó con locura su nueva consagración.
Claro que todo tuvo un inicio en esta final de la Liga Postobón I-2011. Equidad sorprendió desde el comienzo porque no se encerró en su cueva y buscó alargar la diferencia. La línea de cinco en zona posterior le permitió tener mayor desdoblamiento por las bandas y alcanzó a inquietar el pórtico de Pezzuti, que arriesgó su integridad para frenar en dos ocasiones a Núñez (2' y 33').
Pero Dorlan se zafó del anonimato de un Nacional atribulado por la precisa marca de los 'aseguradores' y emparejó la serie cuando la primera parte expiraba. Antes había estampado su rúbrica en el horizontal con un bombazo que sacudió el pórtico de Novoa (8'). Y cuando volvió a asomar, no condonó.
Víctor Giraldo se proyectó por occidental y habilitó a Macnelly que anticipó la marca de Soto. El '10' la filtró para Dorlan que martilló el balón que se le escurrió como el agua entre las manos al golero capitalino (43') y el Atanasio saltó por las nubes por el júbilo de las 45.066 almas que cumplieron la cita con la historia.
Con la serie igualada y con la primera parte de la tarea allanada, el pelotón comandado por Santiago Escobar salió brioso a terminar su cometido. Con mayor dinámica y posesión del esférico impuso las condiciones en el complemento y acumuló méritos para seguir de largo.
Pero 'Sachi' tenía un as bajo la manga porque más vale el diablo por 'Viejo'... Jairo Patiño, como en Cúcuta, ingresó como el elegido para guiar el barco verdolaga. Tras una estética trenza con Macnelly y Rentería, desgranó rivales en el área y cuando dejó en el camino a Novoa, la toco nada más para Rentería que solo tuvo que tocarla para estallar la caldera porque la misión estaba cumplida.
Con una decena de minutos por jugar, Nacional sacó los arrestos y defendió con las uñas la ventaja. Pero los dirigidos por Alexis empujaron cuando todo estaba perdido y lograron in extremis, la prórroga de la agonía. Rivas lanzó con desespero el esférico al corazón del área y Roberto Polo lo pescó sin convicción pero con la rosca suficiente para vencer a Pezzuti que nada pudo hacer (90+2').
Por eso el título, por cuarta vez en torneos cortos, se definió desde el fatídico manchón blanco y allí, una vez más, emergieron los guantes de Gastón Pezzuti que ahogaron en tres ocasiones los gritos capitalinos y le dieron la gloria al cuadro nacionalista que volvió a la cúspide del fútbol colombiano. Emoción y alegría sin fin en Antioquia porque el 'Rey de Copas' volvió festejar...
Ficha técnica
Atlético Nacional: Gastón Pezzuti (10); Víctor Giraldo (8), Édgar Zapata (8), Stephen Barrientos (8'), Danny Aguilar (7); John Valencia (7), Jairo Palomino (7), Víctor Ibarbo (8), Macnelly Torres (8); Dorlan Pabón (9) y Carlos Rentería (8). DT: Santiago Escobar.
Equidad: Diego Novoa (7); Hugo Soto (8), Marco Canchila (6), Hányer Mosquera (8); Darwin Andrade (6), Dáger Palacios (8), Dawhling Leudo (8) y Edwin Rivas (7); Javier Araujo (8), Juan Gilberto Núñez (7) y Wilberto Cosme (7). DT: Alexis García.
Partido: vibrante.
Cambios en Nacional: Jairo Patiño por John Valencia (77'), Orlando Berrío por Carlos Rentería (83') y Sebastián Pérez por Jairo Palomino (86'). Cambios en Equidad: Roberto Polo por Darwin Andrade (54'), Félix García por Marco Canchila (59') y Luis Yanez por Juan Gilberto Núñez (83').
Goles: Dorlan Pabón (43') y Carlos Rentería (79'); Roberto Polo (90+2').
Nacional en los penaltis: Dorlan Pabón (anotó), Macnelly Torres (tapó Novoa), Danny Aguilar (anotó) y Jairo Patiño (anotó).
Equidad en los penaltis: Roberto Polo (tapó Pezzuti), Wilberto Cosme (tapó Pezzuti), Hányer Mosquera (anotó), Luis Yanes (anotó) y Javier Araujo (tapó Pezzuti).
Expulsados: no hubo.
Amarillas en Nacional: Víctor Ibarbo (28'), John Valencia (45+1'), Víctor Giraldo (65') y Carlos Rentería (83').
Amarillas en Equidad: Marco Canchila (10'), Darwin Andrade (27'), Hugo Soto (38') y Hányer Mosquera (81').
Figura: Gastón Pezzuti.
Estadio: Atanasio Girardot.
Asistencia: 45.066 aficionados.
Recaudación: $1.457.488.000 de pesos
Árbitro: Ímer Machado 7.
Juan Diego Ortiz Jiménez
Corresponsal Futbolred.com
Medellín
@JdiegoOrtiz
COPYRIGHT © 2011 CEET
jueves, abril 28, 2011
Messi and Mourinho mask Barca shame
Tomado de: http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=912767&root=uefachampionsleague&cc=3888
Autor: Tom Adams
Autor: Tom Adams
As a master of the art of distraction, it must have been particularly galling for Jose Mourinho that a combination of his post-match meltdown and Lionel Messi's masterpiece provided Barcelona with a very convenient diversion in the toxic aftermath of Wednesday's Clasico. It was a night that shamed all parties concerned, of course, but particularly the Catalans.
Mourinho's wild-eyed, paranoid outburst served to fill the column inches and dominate the air waves. His conspiracy theory - drawing in UEFA, Barcelona and even UNICEF, perhaps only leaving shape-shifting lizards and the Illuminati free of blame - will surely attract sanctions more severe than Wednesday's night's instruction to sit in a metal cage just metres from his own bench following his sarcastic "well done" to the fourth official. He has already attracted the attention of Barcelona's legal department.
But if we can examine the match itself in isolation, and even taking into account that wonderful slaloming run and strike from Messi, strangely this felt like a match that saw Barcelona emerge with even less credit than Real, if searching for credit on such a night is only marginally less onerous than attempting to identify flashing moments of dignity in the career of Katie Price.
Given the dramatic denouement, some aspects of this clash have been obscured or misrepresented. Firstly, Real's tactics must be addressed. While criticism of Mourinho's outrageous claims in his press conference are of course justified, condescending interpretations of his approach to the game are more problematic.
There is certainly an argument that parking the bus and fielding three defensive midfielders in Xabi Alonso, Lassana Diarra and Pepe was a betrayal of Real's rich history of attacking football, an unforgiveable act of retreat from a club that has spent hundreds of millions to collect some of the best players in the world. But what did Real expect when they hired Jose Mourinho? After all, they must have seen this before.
Strangely enough, and going against type, the Portuguese did in fact attempt to release the shackles in the away game at Camp Nou this season and was punished with a 5-0 hammering. Diarra was introduced as a substitute in November as Mourinho acknowledged his mistake, but it was too late for his side to be spared an evisceration of epic proportions. Quite simply, Mourinho could not let that happen again, and though a 1-1 home draw in the league ceded any final chance of winning the Primera Division, Real looked far more durable and applied that conservative approach again to win the Copa del Rey. Quite rightly, they did so again on Wednesday.
Criticism for failing to start a conventional striker on Wednesday night was also wide of the mark. Barcelona did not have one either, with David Villa operating in wide positions and Messi, nominally the central forward, dropping deep with regularity. Instead, Real were set up to nullify Xavi and Messi and counter-attack, and though critics cry that they ceded 77% possession at home, that is fast becoming a meaningless statistic when it comes to Barcelona. It is akin to stating that Rory Delap will launch a long throw; Barcelona will dominate possession in any game they play.
It may be unpalatable for Madrid fans to digest, but in the context of the tie and the undoubted brilliance of Barcelona, playing for a 0-0 draw at home and then hoping to snatch an away goal in Catalunya was Real's best approach. Unpalatable, yes, a possible renunciation of Real's history, yes, but it was a legitimate tactic. As Mourinho himself said: "We had the intention to keep the game at 0-0, then bring on a striker, then a third phase with a No. 10 behind three forwards. But the ref didn't allow it".
Mourinho was of course referring to the decision to dismiss Pepe. Until that point, Real's restrictive approach had ensured the match was panning out as their coach had hoped, but shorn of their defender-cum-midfield-enforcer, Real were powerless to suppress Xavi and Messi, who stamped his mark on this game in unforgettable fashion, scoring his 51st and 52nd goals of the season. At 23, he is Barcelona's third all-time leading goalscorer, a phenomenon, a marvel.
But Pepe's key dismissal feeds into the second key debate: Barcelona's behaviour. Though the Portugal international's boot was high, it certainly felt as though his dismissal had as much to do with Dani Alves' exaggerated reaction and the hounding of the referee by Barcelona players as it did the challenge itself. A yellow card would have sufficed, but Alves ensured Real, and a Mourinho team, would yet again lose a player in a match against Barcelona. His brief departure on a stretcher only added to his dramatic performance.
In this, though, Alves was far from alone. Pedro and, unsurprisingly, Sergio Busquets, were guilty of the most rank and reprehensible play-acting seen in some time. Real are far from innocent on this front of course, but seeing players of the quality and ability of the two World Cup winners indulge in the dark arts was painful. Perhaps it is the knowledge that Barcelona do not need to stoop to such depths that made it hurt so much; their ability alone is enough to ensure their superiority, and certainly over two legs.
Either way it was an unedifying spectacle, particularly from a club that prides itself on doing things the right way. More than a club? Pedro, Alves and Busquets seemed intent on convincing the referee that Madrid's challenges were more than a tackle, more than an assault even.
Real were guilty to a lesser degree, but it was Barcelona who surrendered their hard-won moral high ground with their histrionics. We can expect some devilish behaviour from Real Madrid, managed by Mourinho and containing Pepe, but it is becoming an ever more evident part of Barca's approach as well. If Real were said to have abandoned their principles by adopting an oppressive yet legitimate defensive strategy, then what of Barcelona and their behaviour?
Few would cite Emmanuel Adebayor as a paragon of virtue or the yardstick by which modern footballers should be judged, but his post-match comments, while exaggerated, still ring true.
"Whenever you play against Barca, whenever you touch them they are on the floor crying like a baby," he said. "Everyone talks about Barcelona and their fair play but I think they are very far away from fair play. Whenever you make contact when going for a one-on-one or 50-50 ball they are on the floor crying, putting their hand up near their face. Their manager, fans and the players on the bench are always crying. Barcelona is a fantastic club, has fantastic players, but they have to stop that."
On Thursday morning, Barcelona's carefully crafted, shiny image looks a little duller than usual.
Mourinho's wild-eyed, paranoid outburst served to fill the column inches and dominate the air waves. His conspiracy theory - drawing in UEFA, Barcelona and even UNICEF, perhaps only leaving shape-shifting lizards and the Illuminati free of blame - will surely attract sanctions more severe than Wednesday's night's instruction to sit in a metal cage just metres from his own bench following his sarcastic "well done" to the fourth official. He has already attracted the attention of Barcelona's legal department.
But if we can examine the match itself in isolation, and even taking into account that wonderful slaloming run and strike from Messi, strangely this felt like a match that saw Barcelona emerge with even less credit than Real, if searching for credit on such a night is only marginally less onerous than attempting to identify flashing moments of dignity in the career of Katie Price.
Given the dramatic denouement, some aspects of this clash have been obscured or misrepresented. Firstly, Real's tactics must be addressed. While criticism of Mourinho's outrageous claims in his press conference are of course justified, condescending interpretations of his approach to the game are more problematic.
There is certainly an argument that parking the bus and fielding three defensive midfielders in Xabi Alonso, Lassana Diarra and Pepe was a betrayal of Real's rich history of attacking football, an unforgiveable act of retreat from a club that has spent hundreds of millions to collect some of the best players in the world. But what did Real expect when they hired Jose Mourinho? After all, they must have seen this before.
Strangely enough, and going against type, the Portuguese did in fact attempt to release the shackles in the away game at Camp Nou this season and was punished with a 5-0 hammering. Diarra was introduced as a substitute in November as Mourinho acknowledged his mistake, but it was too late for his side to be spared an evisceration of epic proportions. Quite simply, Mourinho could not let that happen again, and though a 1-1 home draw in the league ceded any final chance of winning the Primera Division, Real looked far more durable and applied that conservative approach again to win the Copa del Rey. Quite rightly, they did so again on Wednesday.
Criticism for failing to start a conventional striker on Wednesday night was also wide of the mark. Barcelona did not have one either, with David Villa operating in wide positions and Messi, nominally the central forward, dropping deep with regularity. Instead, Real were set up to nullify Xavi and Messi and counter-attack, and though critics cry that they ceded 77% possession at home, that is fast becoming a meaningless statistic when it comes to Barcelona. It is akin to stating that Rory Delap will launch a long throw; Barcelona will dominate possession in any game they play.
It may be unpalatable for Madrid fans to digest, but in the context of the tie and the undoubted brilliance of Barcelona, playing for a 0-0 draw at home and then hoping to snatch an away goal in Catalunya was Real's best approach. Unpalatable, yes, a possible renunciation of Real's history, yes, but it was a legitimate tactic. As Mourinho himself said: "We had the intention to keep the game at 0-0, then bring on a striker, then a third phase with a No. 10 behind three forwards. But the ref didn't allow it".
Mourinho was of course referring to the decision to dismiss Pepe. Until that point, Real's restrictive approach had ensured the match was panning out as their coach had hoped, but shorn of their defender-cum-midfield-enforcer, Real were powerless to suppress Xavi and Messi, who stamped his mark on this game in unforgettable fashion, scoring his 51st and 52nd goals of the season. At 23, he is Barcelona's third all-time leading goalscorer, a phenomenon, a marvel.
But Pepe's key dismissal feeds into the second key debate: Barcelona's behaviour. Though the Portugal international's boot was high, it certainly felt as though his dismissal had as much to do with Dani Alves' exaggerated reaction and the hounding of the referee by Barcelona players as it did the challenge itself. A yellow card would have sufficed, but Alves ensured Real, and a Mourinho team, would yet again lose a player in a match against Barcelona. His brief departure on a stretcher only added to his dramatic performance.
In this, though, Alves was far from alone. Pedro and, unsurprisingly, Sergio Busquets, were guilty of the most rank and reprehensible play-acting seen in some time. Real are far from innocent on this front of course, but seeing players of the quality and ability of the two World Cup winners indulge in the dark arts was painful. Perhaps it is the knowledge that Barcelona do not need to stoop to such depths that made it hurt so much; their ability alone is enough to ensure their superiority, and certainly over two legs.
Either way it was an unedifying spectacle, particularly from a club that prides itself on doing things the right way. More than a club? Pedro, Alves and Busquets seemed intent on convincing the referee that Madrid's challenges were more than a tackle, more than an assault even.
Real were guilty to a lesser degree, but it was Barcelona who surrendered their hard-won moral high ground with their histrionics. We can expect some devilish behaviour from Real Madrid, managed by Mourinho and containing Pepe, but it is becoming an ever more evident part of Barca's approach as well. If Real were said to have abandoned their principles by adopting an oppressive yet legitimate defensive strategy, then what of Barcelona and their behaviour?
Few would cite Emmanuel Adebayor as a paragon of virtue or the yardstick by which modern footballers should be judged, but his post-match comments, while exaggerated, still ring true.
"Whenever you play against Barca, whenever you touch them they are on the floor crying like a baby," he said. "Everyone talks about Barcelona and their fair play but I think they are very far away from fair play. Whenever you make contact when going for a one-on-one or 50-50 ball they are on the floor crying, putting their hand up near their face. Their manager, fans and the players on the bench are always crying. Barcelona is a fantastic club, has fantastic players, but they have to stop that."
On Thursday morning, Barcelona's carefully crafted, shiny image looks a little duller than usual.
Copyright ©2011 ESPN Internet Ventures.
lunes, abril 25, 2011
Gunners reach the crossroads
Tomado de: http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story/_/id/911387/gunners-reach-the-crossroads?cc=3888
Autor: Richard Jolly
Autor: Richard Jolly
At times, it can feel like there is checklist of Arsenal's failings, real or imagined. Game by game, they are ticked off: the susceptibility to set-pieces; the habit of conceding late goals; the need for a dominant central defender; the profligacy in attack; the lack of leadership; the psychological frailty.
Arsenal assemble the case for the prosecution and reproduce it with disturbing regularity. The unexpected element was that, for once, Arsene Wenger crossed the courtroom to support some of their arguments. In a season that has nosedived since the Carling Cup final defeat and an era where Arsenal have polarised opinions with their seductive but silverware-starved football, perhaps this was the watershed, the day when the Frenchman accepted the masterplan of economic austerity and football finesse can only take his team so far. Then again, perhaps not.
But as their title challenge came to a depressing and definitive conclusion at the Reebok Stadium, perhaps the most frightening factor was the predictability of it all. This was the Arsenal of caricature, the side whose fragile beauty goes unrewarded because of their own flaws, the talented technicians seemingly condemned to finish third in a two-horse race now. This was justification for the pragmatists in their criticism of the purists.
After letting in a 102nd-minute goal seven days earlier, conceding in the 90th minute was comparatively early. Fergie Time means dramatic, decisive goals for Manchester United; Wenger Time late frustration for Arsenal, and on Sunday Bolton added their names to the litany who have breached the Gunners' defence in the closing minutes. Arsenal's anxiety, like United's buoyancy, turns such strikes into a self-fulfilling prophecy.
In the process, a match became a microcosm of their season, as Wenger admitted. The reality that the title is not bound for Emirates Stadium made the manager more willing to accept his side's shortcomings. "Our chances are minimal now, that's for sure," he said. "We dropped too many points. It is very frustrating because we should come home this week with nine points and we come back with two. The numbers are the numbers. We conceded six goals this week. You cannot afford to concede six goals in three games, particularly in April."
This year afforded Arsenal's best opportunity to reclaim the title they last won in 2004. "It is very unsatisfactory because that's one of the easiest run-ins we have had for quite some time," Wenger added. "We didn't take our chances many times in the season because the potential is there. We still lack something that is called maturity, experience, calm in key situations."
It was more mea culpa than an assault on the underachievers. "The facts are the facts but I feel the players had an outstanding attitude all season," Wenger added. "If someone is to blame, it is me."
On this occasion, others were culpable, too. Opportunities were squandered at the Reebok, just as they have been over the course of a couple of months: Theo Walcott, Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri all spurned chances. Only Robin van Persie displays a deadliness in front of goal, scoring with expert precision after a one-two with the captain.
Meanwhile, a defensive generosity manifests itself. In the build-up to both goals, a man was allowed to burst clear of their defence: first Chung-Yong Lee, then Johan Elmander. From the resulting corner, a Wanderer was granted the room to meet it with a powerful header: first Gary Cahill, then Tamir Cohen. The opener was delayed by Nasri's goal-line clearance before it was headed in by Daniel Sturridge. The second was simpler, the replacement Cohen celebrating what Owen Coyle called "an emotional winner". Cohen promptly revealed a T-shirt displaying a picture of his father, the former Israel international Avi, who died in December. "I think it was fitting he got the winner," his manager added. It was less so, but sadly inevitable, that his tribute brought a booking.
While Arsenal's character is invariably questioned, Bolton displayed theirs. Hammered 5-0 at Wembley seven days before, they responded. "What we had to do was come out and give a big performance," Coyle added. "We gave an unbelievable performance." The win could have been more comprehensive: Kevin Davies had a penalty saved by Wojciech Szczesny after Johan Djourou was adjudged to have bundled Sturridge to ground.
Previously one of the most improved players of Arsenal's campaign, Djourou endured an awkward afternoon. The debate about Wenger's failure to sign a commanding centre-half last season has never gone away, but now it may intensify, because when the weaknesses in their candidature are so apparent that even the sometimes myopic manager is accepting some of them, they have reached a crossroads. It is time for change; not at the helm, but in the team.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Daniel Sturridge. A seventh goal of his brief spell at Bolton was one indication of his potency, but his contribution went far beyond that. A delightful flick to release Lee was a sign of his skill and, while the penalty may have been soft, it highlighted Djourou's inability to deal with him.
BOLTON VERDICT: Spirited and determined, they regained some of the pride they lost at Wembley. Employing an open approach against Arsenal can be a risky policy, but Jaaskelainen's saves ensured they got away with it and Coyle, as is his wont, showed positivity in his tactics. It helped that he recalled Taylor in place of Martin Petrov, who was particularly poor against Stoke, and they remain on course for a top-eight finish.
ARSENAL VERDICT: Fabregas and Jack Wilshere played some delightful football at times and Walcott appeared to have the beating of Paul Robinson with ease. Yet Arsenal's inability to turn that into victory was all too typical. Wenger will not abandon his football principles, and nor should he, but the need for a couple of hard-bitten stalwarts to shore up his side has rarely been stronger.
Arsenal assemble the case for the prosecution and reproduce it with disturbing regularity. The unexpected element was that, for once, Arsene Wenger crossed the courtroom to support some of their arguments. In a season that has nosedived since the Carling Cup final defeat and an era where Arsenal have polarised opinions with their seductive but silverware-starved football, perhaps this was the watershed, the day when the Frenchman accepted the masterplan of economic austerity and football finesse can only take his team so far. Then again, perhaps not.
But as their title challenge came to a depressing and definitive conclusion at the Reebok Stadium, perhaps the most frightening factor was the predictability of it all. This was the Arsenal of caricature, the side whose fragile beauty goes unrewarded because of their own flaws, the talented technicians seemingly condemned to finish third in a two-horse race now. This was justification for the pragmatists in their criticism of the purists.
After letting in a 102nd-minute goal seven days earlier, conceding in the 90th minute was comparatively early. Fergie Time means dramatic, decisive goals for Manchester United; Wenger Time late frustration for Arsenal, and on Sunday Bolton added their names to the litany who have breached the Gunners' defence in the closing minutes. Arsenal's anxiety, like United's buoyancy, turns such strikes into a self-fulfilling prophecy.
In the process, a match became a microcosm of their season, as Wenger admitted. The reality that the title is not bound for Emirates Stadium made the manager more willing to accept his side's shortcomings. "Our chances are minimal now, that's for sure," he said. "We dropped too many points. It is very frustrating because we should come home this week with nine points and we come back with two. The numbers are the numbers. We conceded six goals this week. You cannot afford to concede six goals in three games, particularly in April."
This year afforded Arsenal's best opportunity to reclaim the title they last won in 2004. "It is very unsatisfactory because that's one of the easiest run-ins we have had for quite some time," Wenger added. "We didn't take our chances many times in the season because the potential is there. We still lack something that is called maturity, experience, calm in key situations."
It was more mea culpa than an assault on the underachievers. "The facts are the facts but I feel the players had an outstanding attitude all season," Wenger added. "If someone is to blame, it is me."
On this occasion, others were culpable, too. Opportunities were squandered at the Reebok, just as they have been over the course of a couple of months: Theo Walcott, Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri all spurned chances. Only Robin van Persie displays a deadliness in front of goal, scoring with expert precision after a one-two with the captain.
Meanwhile, a defensive generosity manifests itself. In the build-up to both goals, a man was allowed to burst clear of their defence: first Chung-Yong Lee, then Johan Elmander. From the resulting corner, a Wanderer was granted the room to meet it with a powerful header: first Gary Cahill, then Tamir Cohen. The opener was delayed by Nasri's goal-line clearance before it was headed in by Daniel Sturridge. The second was simpler, the replacement Cohen celebrating what Owen Coyle called "an emotional winner". Cohen promptly revealed a T-shirt displaying a picture of his father, the former Israel international Avi, who died in December. "I think it was fitting he got the winner," his manager added. It was less so, but sadly inevitable, that his tribute brought a booking.
While Arsenal's character is invariably questioned, Bolton displayed theirs. Hammered 5-0 at Wembley seven days before, they responded. "What we had to do was come out and give a big performance," Coyle added. "We gave an unbelievable performance." The win could have been more comprehensive: Kevin Davies had a penalty saved by Wojciech Szczesny after Johan Djourou was adjudged to have bundled Sturridge to ground.
Previously one of the most improved players of Arsenal's campaign, Djourou endured an awkward afternoon. The debate about Wenger's failure to sign a commanding centre-half last season has never gone away, but now it may intensify, because when the weaknesses in their candidature are so apparent that even the sometimes myopic manager is accepting some of them, they have reached a crossroads. It is time for change; not at the helm, but in the team.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Daniel Sturridge. A seventh goal of his brief spell at Bolton was one indication of his potency, but his contribution went far beyond that. A delightful flick to release Lee was a sign of his skill and, while the penalty may have been soft, it highlighted Djourou's inability to deal with him.
BOLTON VERDICT: Spirited and determined, they regained some of the pride they lost at Wembley. Employing an open approach against Arsenal can be a risky policy, but Jaaskelainen's saves ensured they got away with it and Coyle, as is his wont, showed positivity in his tactics. It helped that he recalled Taylor in place of Martin Petrov, who was particularly poor against Stoke, and they remain on course for a top-eight finish.
ARSENAL VERDICT: Fabregas and Jack Wilshere played some delightful football at times and Walcott appeared to have the beating of Paul Robinson with ease. Yet Arsenal's inability to turn that into victory was all too typical. Wenger will not abandon his football principles, and nor should he, but the need for a couple of hard-bitten stalwarts to shore up his side has rarely been stronger.
Copyright ©2011 ESPN Internet Ventures.
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