Captain Puyol has been out injured for most of the month, which led to Xavi being the Captain on the pitch until injury sidelined him in the last week. I always get nervous when Puyol is not wearing the band. The team statistically do around 30% spottier without him, and though Xavi is a brilliant player and organizer on the field, something about him as Captain feels a little shaky. Puyol wears the band like a birthright and everyone falls into line. Xavi wears the band like he's a little nervous if the thing might fall off.
Puyol got to spend February taking care of his other interestsDani Alves was sidelined with injury as his contract negotiations have stretched on and on...he may be threatening to split for the rich and bumpy pastures at Man City or Chelsea. The Premier league is a mess of contract negotiations and trades that saw Spain's weakest World Cup Striker Torres dealt from Liverpool to Chelsea for £50M (!!!) Four weeks later, he still hasn't scored a goal. Upside-fucking-down.
el niño TorresIt was in England that Barça lost to Arsenal in the first leg of their final 16 Champions League draw. It was a lot like last year's weak showing at the Emirates stadium. The game was played alright, with Barça giving Arsenal a clinic in play for the first 45, but then two late strikes gave the gunners the win. Remember Messi scoring four against them last year in the second leg? Payback's a bitch.
In the meantime, Barça are in first by a margin of seven points (still) as they mopped up in Mallorca yesterday 0-3. Messi, Villa and Pedro all scored--the front line delivering the goods to hush up the critics who had talked of the rough patch. They put it down without Puyol, Xavi or Valdes and delivered with the kind of confidence of a brash young rascal.
What, me worry?
