Mind Games

The first two Clasicos have been played.

A tie in la liga and a loss to Madrid for the Copa del Rey (which their monkey-asses proceeded to drop under their team bus during their victory celebration in Madrid).

Losing la Copa del Rey was almost worth it to see Sergio Ramos drop the som'bitch. These guys aren't real winners...

Today begins their two-legged contest of the Champions league to see who will fly their flag above all the other clubs of Europe. Man U will almost certainly be waiting in the final. Which spanish goliath will they meet there?

Mourinho has been lobbing stones at Guardiola in the press conferences. It seems to have ruffled up Pep's feathers some.

The mass media psyche-out...will it work?

Will we win?

El Clasico (x4)

Starting saturday Barça will meet Real Madrid, their arch rivals from political beef of the Franco regime to the contemporary spending wars of la liga, in four games to be played over the next 18 days that will determine the titles both teams are still playing for.

The only out and out cup final will be the Copa del Rey match played on 4/20. Then the two champions league semi-finals to see who will advance to the European championship.

First, come saturday will be the second clasico to be played of la liga's competition. This one in Madrid, the previous was the Blaugrana's outrageous victory in Barcelona. The cup matches still to be played, Barcelona will have to figure out how to construct a solid arc of victory over Madrid in the next few weeks as they have already shown themselves to be the better of their rivals over two and a half seasons.

Barça have won every one of the last five games with Madrid, outscoring them 16-2. Four of those games have been shut-outs. Now they will play eachother as many times in three weeks as they have gotten to in two years.

All of the big euro spending to assemble neo-galacticos teams, the ravenous press speculation and cult of personality that has been blown up to gladiator status. Thoroughbred and bio-genetically engineered. Fút-bots for professional play in the greatest spectacle of team sports. That machinery has invested into creating this next stretch of games; the vintage of which has been blown up to the world as the master display of now.

They want you to grip close to the game as its being played. To watch enrapt and give of it your attention fully. To engage it's petty dramas and outrageous fruition. They are paying so you'll do it.

Get Well Soon

5-0 clasico

Eric Abidal is now two weeks past the surgery he underwent to remove a tumor from his liver. He is by all accounts feeling fit and was apparently well enough to come to train yesterday.

Abidal has been a key figure in the team's continued strong performance since Captain Puyol has been knocked out on the injured list. He fit in the back line better than anyone else. It's safe with him there.

He is also a playful figure in the international circles; being a member of the French debacle of last year that seemed to center on players vs coaching. One of the lads, if I can use an English term to characterize a frenchman.

**

Tomorrow Barça play Shakhtar Donetsk, the Ukraine side that has eight(!) brazilians on their roster. The game has the smell of one of the early matches in the competition they've already played against Rubin Kazan or Copenhavn. Not expecting an upset.

The perhaps more dramatic game in the european cup being played tomorrow is in England as Chelsea and Man U square off. Chelsea's last chance to salvage anything from their season that has seen them eliminated from contention for all other championships. For Man U, it is the possible refurbishing of their brand in a new incarnation that has become focused around Rooney's resurrection from a world cup wash-out, tabloid adulterer and petulant contract negotiator, to the return of St. George. Plus, Chicharito is on the squad. The first Mexican in the Premier league, his ascendance has been publicly softened by the Rooney comeback, but the boy is a shaky joy to watch.

Madrid eviscerated Tottenham today in their champions league quarter-final game. Adebayor is looking hungry for the goals and maybe his cutting his locks has made the difference. Inter, last years douchey champs that were helmed by Jose Mourinho, lost 2-5 against German side Schalke. A stunner, in spite of the tremendous opening goal at the 20 second mark scored by Inter's captain Zambrotta.

You can't always get what you want... get well soon.