The Football Blog
Now I have never been one for religious metaphors, but I saw God play for Barcelona yesterday. Ronaldinho. I have followed football for sometime now (the first match I saw on TV goes back to Italia '90), and of all the players I have seen in action - nobody, I repeat nobody has as overwhelming an influence on the game as Ronaldinho has had on this Barca side over the last couple of years.
There is an irresistible force about Ronaldinho, which is something way beyond mere talent and/or technique. An irresistible force, which despite all the hype I think Ronaldo doesn't have, neither did Romario (okay I haven't seen too much of his club football..But still) and neither did any other player of the 1990s or 2000s (include Effenberg, Roy Keane, Zidane, Nedved, Requelme, Juninho, Kaka, Ballack, and just about everybody else). Zidane showed flashes of that in the 2002 UEFA Champions League final, but that was it. The French side of the Euro 2000 vintage had it and I haven't seen anybody that irresistible since. I have never seen Pele pry his trade...But maybe I didn't miss too much.
The other thing about yesterdays game was inability of Italian side to match their Spanish or English counterparts. This year having seen Inter, Juve and Milan play in the Champions league and none impressed - Juve bowed out to Arsenal (of all people on earth), Inter to Villareal (Villa...?? Who, atleast in India) and Milan now seen to be overwhelmed by Barca, after having squeaked through against Lyon. The problem might be the lack of tempo in Italian style of play (atleast for these three sides). Their build ups seem to be too labored and when the opposition hurries them up, their passing collapses (Exhibit A - Juve at Highbury and Exhibit B - last night) and they look like a school boy eleven.
The last thing which struck me yesterday was that my top two midfielders - Ronaldinho and Requelme both ply their trade in Spain. Incidentally both their clubs are in the Champions League semis, with Barca obviously in pole position to make it to the finals.
And finally predictions - Barca is looking irresistible for the the Champions League and in June, Brazil will dazzle but I if you are looking for a dark, don't look much further than Arjen Robben's Netherlands.
There is an irresistible force about Ronaldinho, which is something way beyond mere talent and/or technique. An irresistible force, which despite all the hype I think Ronaldo doesn't have, neither did Romario (okay I haven't seen too much of his club football..But still) and neither did any other player of the 1990s or 2000s (include Effenberg, Roy Keane, Zidane, Nedved, Requelme, Juninho, Kaka, Ballack, and just about everybody else). Zidane showed flashes of that in the 2002 UEFA Champions League final, but that was it. The French side of the Euro 2000 vintage had it and I haven't seen anybody that irresistible since. I have never seen Pele pry his trade...But maybe I didn't miss too much.
The other thing about yesterdays game was inability of Italian side to match their Spanish or English counterparts. This year having seen Inter, Juve and Milan play in the Champions league and none impressed - Juve bowed out to Arsenal (of all people on earth), Inter to Villareal (Villa...?? Who, atleast in India) and Milan now seen to be overwhelmed by Barca, after having squeaked through against Lyon. The problem might be the lack of tempo in Italian style of play (atleast for these three sides). Their build ups seem to be too labored and when the opposition hurries them up, their passing collapses (Exhibit A - Juve at Highbury and Exhibit B - last night) and they look like a school boy eleven.
The last thing which struck me yesterday was that my top two midfielders - Ronaldinho and Requelme both ply their trade in Spain. Incidentally both their clubs are in the Champions League semis, with Barca obviously in pole position to make it to the finals.
And finally predictions - Barca is looking irresistible for the the Champions League and in June, Brazil will dazzle but I if you are looking for a dark, don't look much further than Arjen Robben's Netherlands.
posted by Dinkar at 6:21 PM
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