“The first round of UEFA World Cup qualifying is nearing its halfway point with 53 nations vying for 13 spots at Brazil 2014. The nine group winners will qualify, plus four of the group runners-up after two-legged playoffs in November. Here’s the rundown as qualifying continues, starting with matches Friday …” SI
“Nothing in football is ever entirely definitive but, if there was any doubt that Ivory Coast’s golden generation came to an end in Rustenburg in February during the Africa Cup of Nations, it was removed by the omission of Didier Drogba from the squad to face Gambia on Saturday. Ninety-six games and 60 goals after he made his debut against South Africa in 2002 Drogba will not even be part of the squad, although whether he has been dropped or asked to be left out remains unclear.” Guardian – Jonathan Wilson
“On the last Saturday in January, with most of Israel shut down for Shabbat, Beitar Jerusalem FC — the only soccer team in the Israeli Premier League to have never signed an Arab player — announced that it had picked up two Muslim players from Chechnya: Dzhabrail Kadiyev, 19, and Zaur Sadayev, 23. The first response from fans was nonviolent but brutal: At the team’s next match, members of Beitar’s proudly racist ultras group La Familia unfurled a giant yellow banner in Teddy Stadium’s Eastern grandstand. It read, in a surreal echo of Nazi terminology: ‘Beitar Will Be Pure Forever.’ The next response was arson.” Grantland
“Catenaccio, Samba, Tiki Taka – Italy, Brazil and Spain have as deep-rooted an influence on the game as any nation. They’ve lit up world stages, produced some of the finest players and imprinted themselves on the Annals of football history. They’ve amassed a colossal ten World Cup triumphs between them. Imagine a player with the characteristics from this trio of football’s supremacy. Italian born, Brazilian parentage, Spanish bred. Thiago Alcântara seems like a beast set unto us, conveyed from the fires of Mordor with the heat of the Spanish blood coursing through him. I may be getting slightly carried away.” Think Football
“Put simply, In Bed with Maradona has defined football blogging in recent years. Founded in 2010, the site isn’t the longest lived on the scene, but it rivals the Frick Collection itself in its sheer eclecticism. Acting as a welcoming platform to a host of impressive writers as well as the occasional mediocre one, the good humoured openness of Jeff Livingstone and his team has provided a rallying point for those interested in the less travelled byways of the game, while a thin layer of streetwise cool has prevented the site from sliding full scale into geekdom.” thetwounfortunates
Football vividly captured, illustrated and written in gold.
“In Bed With Maradona (IBWM), is certainly not your average football site, nor are they only obsessed about ‘El Pibe’ or the Brazilian midfield maestro Sócrates. They’re leaders in a growing direction of a football writing that transcends time, which we often like to call ‘philosofooty’. IBWM explores the cultural heart of the game, extracting stories that are unlikely to be found anywhere else.” A Football Report
The First Two Years Jeff Livingstone
“Growing up in North East England in the late 1970s and early ‘80s, football was a trip to St James’ Park to see my local team, Newcastle United. While it was cheap for my dad to take me, the standard of football in the old English Second Division wasn’t the greatest. Uninspiring? Maybe, but it didn’t matter.” Ockley Books
Workers remove mud after heavy rains outside Maracanã Stadium. March 6, 2013
“Here’s the plan: On June 2nd, a bronze statue of Pelé will be unveiled at the inauguration of Rio de Janeiro’s renovations, just before Brazil defeats England in a friendly soccer match. Weeks later, Brazil will win the Confederations Cup on the same field, portending the glorious final match next summer when the national team returns the World Cup to this hallowed ground. Yet with fewer than 100 days until the Confederations Cup begins, the stadium is unfinished—and sometimes underwater—after months of delays and weeks of unwelcome thunderstorms.” The Atlantic
“Syria, Egypt, Libya, Bahrain and many others have recently experienced revolutions as the people have grown tired of the existing rule. Tired of being looked down upon and having to play to the ruler’s tune. Change was needed, and while others have tried and failed, the modern times brought change in the country. A similar movement is on going in the World of Football as well. The Spanish La Liga often claims that its the Best League in the World by citing the various stars on show. The likes of Ronaldo, Messi, Falcao and the rest of the FIFA XI really makes a case for itself. But critics allege that Spain’s primary division is a dominion of two football clubs. Barcelona and Real Madrid have dictated terms in the Iberian country for some years now, showcasing an array of talent and a stronghold of the trophies for the past few seasons. While the two Spanish giants are the only likely contenders for the La Liga crown, it has to be asked, is it really that closed and ‘boring’ a league.” Outside of the Boot
“Michael Owen has announced that he plans on retiring from soccer at the end of this season, aged 33. The former Liverpool, Real Madrid, Newcastle United, Manchester United and now Stoke City striker has decided to hang up his boots after a stellar 17-year career. Owen won the Ballon D’Or in 2001, as well as medals for one league title, 3 League Cups, 1 FA Cup, 1 UEFA Cup and much more. At Liverpool, he made 216 appearances and scored 118 goals. Michael Owen played 89 times for England scoring 40 goals at an international level. Owen has scored lots of memorable goals in his career, but perhaps this one — for England against Argentina, in the 1998 World Cup — will go down as his most famous one…” EPL Talk (Video)
Carlos Bocanegra went to sleep on the evening of Feb. 5 in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, expecting to play his 111th game for the U.S. national team the following afternoon. Entering his seventh year as captain, the 33-year-old center back had been training with most of the projected starters and was by far the most experienced defender at U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann’s disposal.” SI
“Other than the long transfer saga revolving around where Eden Hazard would ply his trade in the summer, there was the drawn out battle for Robin van Persie’s signature. Many neutrals and pundits felt that van Persie would follow former team-mates Sami Nasri and Kolo Toure and join Man City, which led to some surprise when van Persie joined title rivals Manchester United, despite the fact Rooney had scored 27 league goals the season prior. This addition to an already impressive front-line has been a key factor in United’s current 15 point lead over Manchester rivals, City. But has van Persie made the difference between the clubs?” Think Football
“Both teams lined-up largely as expected (with identical 4-2-3-1 formations), except a few niggles for Liverpool prevented them keeping an unchanged XI. The Saints made only one change from their last game at Norwich, Clyne returned to right back, Yoshida moved central and Jose Fonte was on the bench. Pochettino continued with his usual template: a converted centre-forward on one flank, the other occupied by a more natural wide man, looking to add numbers in midfield.” Tomkins Times
“The tendency to categorise and rate the footballing talents Africa has produced is something of a modern phenomenon. This is due in part to the perception that African players have been somewhat late to the party in terms of making an impact on a global stage. As such the majority of the ‘greatest African footballers’ lists are weighted greatly towards players of the mid- 90s onwards, give or take a dancing Cameroonian. One player who is consistently overlooked is Mustapha Rabah Madjer. A player of unheralded finesse and technical ability on the pitch, only matched by his combative nature off it. His footballing attributes led to him becoming not only Algeria’s greatest footballing export but also a symbol for a nation to latch onto as it searched for its identity. Madjer was born in the costal city of Algiers in 1958. The city was at the epicentre of the Algerian independence movement, which sought to throw off the shackles of French colonialism. A bloody and vicious war was fought between the various factions and the French troops sent to maintain order – a war that resulted in Algerian independence and the fall of the 4th French republic.” In Bed With Maradona
“The Champions League quarterfinal draw took place Friday morning in Nyon, Switzerland, with the competition harder than ever to call. If Bayern Munich was the dominant side after its round of 16 first-leg win at Arsenal, the performances of Barcelona and Real Madrid in their second legs reminded everyone of the talent of the La Liga sides. Here is the rundown of the draw for the last eight …” SI
“Sad Landon, Existential Donovan, Forlorn Landycakes – call him whatever you like, there’s a lot of talk about Landon Donovan these days, and rightfully so. Start with tepid National Team performances under Jurgen Klinsmann, add in a less star-studded Los Angeles Galaxy, and dabble in concerns about the marketing prospects of MLS, and you’ve got a concoction that’s led us all to agree that the world is coming to an end, and that Donovan-mania – can we use the term Landonicism? – is our only refuge from the impending catastrophe.” futbol intellect
“While the world and its blogger were getting hot under the collar this week about satirical articles on French football websites, men in Qatar with ties who don’t know anything and a man who probably only lives in Sheffield, a statement on the FA’s website points to the story which ought really to be ringing alarm bells for English football. It’s easy to focus on the big money story, the primal fears of wealthy Arab oil men buying ‘our’ game, but the likelihood is that the prerogative of short-term politics will win the day. There is no Dream league, the major European clubs appear to have dialled back on the breakaway rhetoric which they were employing after the FIFA corruption scandal first burst into life, and the likelihood of Qatar fomenting a revolution against football’s authorities is small. After all, why would they need a revolution when they can just buy themselves a World Cup?” 2nd Yellow
“EVERTON 2-0 MANCHESTER CITY: At a time when the back three is out of fashion in much of the world, Italy has a style of its own. Last week, the majority of managers in Serie A ignored the footballing orthodoxy that four players start in defence. This week, the Premier League’s most famous exiled Italian did likewise.” ESPN
“Crowds thronging Saint Peter’s Square on Wednesday to welcome the new Pope knew that, quite apart from the fact his predecessor is still alive, they were witnessing an historic event. Francisco I (as he’s known on his home continent) is the first Latin American to become leader of the world’s Catholics, and also the first Jesuit. Of course, everyone who had their Papal fact-checking priorities right had only one question on their minds; which football team does this Argentine Pope support?” ESPN
Fatih Terim
“By common consent, five of the eight remaining sides in the Champions League have a good chance of lifting the European Cup at Wembley in May. Barcelona, Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich and Juventus — current league champions, imminent league champions or, in Juve’s case, both. The dark horse? Paris St Germain have performed well in Europe under Champions League specialist Carlo Ancelotti, and following their recruitment of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Thiago Silva and Ezequiel Lavezzi, their presence is no great surprise.” ESPN – Michael Cox
“It was, in the end, heroic failure for Arsenal, undone only on the away goals rule — but failure it was. Bayern Munich was surprisingly sloppy — perhaps precisely because the first leg was so simple for the club — but Arsenal regained a significant amount of self esteem with its performance in a valiant 2-0 win that wasn’t quite enough. And so, for the first time since 1996, there is no Premier League team in the quarterfinals of the Champions League.” SI – Jonathan Wilson
“Is it a bad time to be a journalist? Not to mention becoming one? What are the chances in journalism today? Are there any? It might seem somewhat preposterous a question to ask from a young researcher but having researched almost 50 years of sports journalism in the last 5 years, there is some justification to ask such a question.” Do not mention the war
“‘Every remaining game is a Cup Final’ is a phrase most commonly used by teams in the bottom five of the table around this time of the season. But, the phrase is arguably applicable to Arsenal as well. Arsene Wenger has his work cut out just as much as the likes of Harry Redknapp, Paul Lambert and Roberto Martinez, as he too faces an uphill struggle to remain within a particular elite. Falling short of entering the European elite is something very difficult to recover from. Just ask Liverpool Football Club who have an illustrious history in the competition, yet finished 7th in the League in 2010, only to be followed by three seasons without Champions League football.” Think Football
“Andrea Stramaccioni’s phone is vibrating. The Inter coach fumbles around his pockets for it. Caller ID reveals that club president Massimo Moratti is on the line. You’d maybe expect there to be some trepidation. All week, Stramaccioni had read in the papers, seen on the TV and heard on the radio that Moratti was apparently considering sacking him if Inter didn’t improve in the second leg of their Europa League tie with Tottenham on Thursday and their trip to Sampdoria on Sunday.” ESPN (Video)
“When Liverpool travel to St Mary’s Stadium in Southampton on Saturday, there will be a sense of deja vu; a nagging feeling they have been here before. Their subconscious is not playing tricks on them, for they have been to St Mary’s before. From its opening in 2001 until the Saints’ relegation in 2005, Liverpool visited four times, losing three, all by two goals without reply.” ESPN
“Barcelona recovered from a 2-0 first leg defeat. Jordi Roura (perhaps with help from Tito Vilanova) used David Villa upfront, with Cesc Fabregas on the bench, and played Javier Mascherano rather than Carles Puyol. Max Allegri kept things close to the first leg XI – Mathieu Flamini replaced Sulley Muntari, with Riccardo Montolivo moving to the left of the midfield trio. Upfront, with Giampaolo Pazzini injured, M’Baye Niang played upfront. Barcelona were excellent in the first half here – and although the home side’s strategy was slightly confused after the third goal which had tipped the balance of the tie, Milan didn’t have an answer for their unusual system.” Zonal Marking
Embattled Villa seizes opportunity in Barcelona’s comeback
“David Villa took two touches, one with his right foot and one with his left, and took his chance like a man that was never going to miss. Smooth and precise, lethal. Just like Villa always did. With the first touch, he controlled the ball and eased away from his marker in a single move, letting the ball come across him; with the second, opening out his body, he curled it past AC Milan goalkeeper Christian Abbiati and into the far corner, so far from the goalie that he did not even bother moving.” SI
“In an ever-increasingly globalised world, national football teams offer a rare beacon of consistency and separation, a unit that cannot be corrupted or diluted, influenced or relegated. Fans can embrace their shared culture and nationality, with no fear of players being poached or tempted away by bright lights and bulging pay packets. The national identification allowed by international football also drives the assimilation and acceptance of diverse racial groups into modern society, predominantly in Western Europe. Countries are building squads that reflect the growing diversity of their nations, particularly in the poor, urban youth; the breeding ground for so many of the world’s footballing superstars.” In Bed With Maradona
“Rodgers made only one change from the last game against Wigan. Sturridge returned to fitness and replaced Allen, with the shape reverting to the usual 4-2-3-1. However, Reina was injured so Jones had start in a goal. For Tottenham, Lennon missed the game. It was always going to be interesting how Villa-Boas chose to replace him. As it played out, Dembele was moved to the right flank with Livermore partnering Parker in the centre. The other two changes (compared to the Arsenal game) were anticipated and part of the usual rotation, pre and post a Europa match. Lloris and Dawson replaced Friedel and Gallas respectively. Bale remained central, which meant Sigurdsson and Dembele were playing in narrow positions off the flanks (something that had certain ramifications on the whole tactical battle). The team’s formation looked the usual 4-2-3-1. But given that on the flanks there were two natural ball-players, playing on their wrong foot (hence looking to come infield), the shape predominantly morphed into a sort of 4-2-2-2.” Tomkins Times
“A familiar, assured passing performance from Fiorentina – but a rare away victory. They leapfrog Lazio into fourth. Vladimir Petkovic was without right-winger Antonio Candreva after his red card against Milan last week, so moved Alvaro Gonzales to the flank and used Ederson in the middle. Lorik Cana started at the back, in place of Giuseppe Biava. Vincenzo Montella selected his 4-3-3 formation. Alberto Aquilani was unavailable in the centre of the pitch, so Giulio Migliaccio started in his position, while Nenad Tomovic played at right-back. Fiorentina were clinical here – dominating the opening period with clever passing triangles, then playing possession football in the second half to seal a relatively comfortable victory.” Zonal Marking
Schalke 2-1 Dortmund: squeezed game allows full-backs forward on the overlap
“Schalke won the Revierderby with an excellent first-half display. Atsuto Uchida came back into Jens Keller’s side, with Marco Hoger moving forward into midfield in place of Jermaine Jones. Jurgen Klopp recalled Mats Hummels – although he didn’t seem 100% fit and only lasted half the game. Klopp left out Marco Reus, presumably because of rotation after a busy couple of weeks for Dortmund. This game was amazingly attack-minded in the opening stages, and almost solely about the flanks, with all four full-backs playing attack-minded roles.” Zonal Marking
“Imagine that on Tuesday night, rather than playing that late free-kick short so Milan lost possession and conceded a fourth goal, Robinho had hurled it into the box. Imagine Philippe Mexès had jumped for it, the ball had taken the merest brush off his pony-tail and that had been enough to take it past Victor Valdés. That would have made it 3-1 on the night, 3-3 on aggregate and Milan would have beaten Barcelona on the away goals rule.” Guardian – Jonathan Wilson
“Manchester United appeared firmly in control for 20 minutes, but substitutions helped Chelsea get back into the game. Sir Alex Ferguson recalled Wayne Rooney, using him behind Javier Hernandez, with Shinji Kagawa left and Nani right. Jonny Evans also returned. Rafael Benitez surprisingly named Ramires and Frank Lampard in midfield, allowing him to play three attackers, including Victor Moses, behind Demba Ba. Cesar Azpilicueta was at right-back. United took an early lead with goals from Hernandez and Rooney, but then seemed to stop playing – and Chelsea could have won it late on.” Zonal Marking
“PSG were the real winners, as 2nd versus 3rd played out a boring goalless draw. Remi Garde was without Anthony Reveillere, so Mohamadou Dabo played at right-back, with Samuel Umtiti on the left. Clement Grenier dropped to the bench, with the more defensive-minded Gueida Fofana starting instead. Elie Baup was without Morgan Amalfitano, so used the pacey Modou Sougou in his place. Otherwise, his side was as expected. This was desperately poor – two negative sides apparently content to play out a goalless draw, in a match featuring just three shots on target.” Zonal Marking
“Luis Suarez edged the battle of the player of the year contenders as he scored and earned the match-winning penalty to eclipse Gareth Bale and keep Liverpool’s slim top-four hopes alive with a 3-2 victory over Tottenham at Anfield. The Premier League’s leading scorer drew first blood with his 29th of the season – and 22nd in the top flight – and, although his opposite number had a hand in both of Tottenham’s goals, the Uruguay international had the last laugh by winning the late spot-kick from which Steven Gerrard scored.” ESPN
“Schalke pulled off the double against their regional rivals by winning the 142nd Revierderby 2-1. Goals from Julian Draxler and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar in the first half overcame a visibly fatigued Dortmund side that were outplayed despite Robert Lewandowski’s goal in the second half. The win was Schalke’s 400th home win in the Bundesliga and lifts them into the final Champions League spot for the time being while Dortmund continue to struggle following matches in Europe. After an extended slump Schalke have now won three straight and are unbeaten in their last five competitive matches.” Bundesliga Fanatic
“Barcelona achieved a valuable 2-0 win against Deportivo La Coruna at the Camp Nou in Matchday 27 of La Liga. Alexis Sanchez and Lionel Messi scored the goals for the Blaugrana, which enjoyed 71 percent of possession, created 12 goal-scoring chances and attempted 12 shots, seven of them on target. This result helps the Catalans keep their comfortable lead at the top of the table for yet another week.” ESPN
“André Schürrle is a German footballer who currently plays for German Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen. Schurrle can either play as a Left Forward, Centre Attacking Midfielder, or Centre Forward. This season he mostly appeared as a left forward to Leverkusen’s Stefan Kiessling.” Outside of the Boot
“Today Alex Ferguson moved to reassure everyone that Wayne Rooney will still be at Manchester United next season, so let me tell you before anybody else does—Twitter, Facebook and Real World aside—that Paris Saint Germain will be lucky to have him. Yes, that’s right, at United, he’s a goner, of that there can be little doubt. He probably wasn’t left out of their lineup against Real Madrid on Tuesday to prove a point, but if anything that makes his situation at the club more hopeless: nobody at Manchester United is out to get Wayne Rooney; it’s more that nobody at Manchester United cares about Wayne Rooney. And for Wayne Rooney that must be quite hard to hear, because he is Wayne Rooney.” The Score
“Frank McParland is a Liverpool man through and through. In fact, let’s widen the lens. Frank McParland is a football man through and through. A student of the game who has been involved with football at all levels from youth coach to team analyst to scout, team manager and now Academy Director of Liverpool Football Club, his passion for the sport shines brighter than the sun on the clear, mild winter’s day when I sat down to interview him in Qatar, where Liverpool’s under-18 team were taking part in the Al Kass International Cup.” Just Football
“There seems to be a shifting of power in England’s capital city. With the ‘Lilywhites’ of North London rising high in the league and competing with London’s more dominating duo of Arsenal and Chelsea. Spurs faced their fierce rivals Arsenal on Sunday night. The game finished Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 Arsenal, a result which saw the home side leapfrog the Blues of London and extend their lead over the Gunners. The game strengthened Tottenham’s push for a Champions League spot and possibly 2nd as well (they are 2 points behind City who have a game in had). The win would particularly please young manager Andre Villas Boas who has won over the Spurs fan, and seen his side move above a club who only a year back had sacked him for a poor run of results. The game also highlighted Arsenal’s dip in form in the past few seasons with a push for a Champions League spot their only aim for the end of the season.” Outside of the Boot
“Manchester United’s starting strategy nullified Real Madrid’s main threats, but Jose Mourinho reacted quickly after United went down to ten. Sir Alex Ferguson left out Wayne Rooney and Shinji Kagawa, favouring Nani and Ryan Giggs on the flanks. Tom Cleverley started in place of Phil Jones, while Jonny Evans dropped to the bench as Ferguson favoured the old-school Ferdinand-Vidic partnership. Jose Mourinho named his expected side. Gonzalo Higuain was upfront rather than Karim Benzema, Raphael Varane continued at centre-back. Sadly, we were denied a chance to see how the 11 v 11 game would play out – Real had looked impotent until Nani’s red card, and it would have been fascinating to see how they tried to break down United in the final half hour.” Zonal Marking
Controversial red card changed complexion of Madrid-United tilt
“There was no doubt about the moment that changed the game. Manchester United had been leading 1-0 on Tuesday night, 2-1 on aggregate, and was winning the tactical battle when, 11 minutes into the second half, Nani leapt to try to take down a dropping clearance from Rafael. His raised foot caught Alvaro Arbeloa in the stomach, and Turkish referee Cunet Cakir decided, to widespread surprise, that he was guilty of serious foul play and showed a red card.” SI – Jonathan Wilson (Video)
Manchester United red with rage after referee wrecks Champions League dream with Nani red card against Real
“When Manchester United’s devastated players finally emerged from the dressing room, they would not, probably could not talk. The club had advised them to stay silent over Cuneyt Cakir’s unspeakable decision to send off Nani. Their inner fury, the anger in the eyes said it all.” Telegraph – Henry Winter
Wins over Man. United and Barcelona give Mourinho an exit strategy
“There is a phrase, borrowed from bullfighting, which the Spanish use a lot: por la puerta grande. Out through the main door, triumphantly. Maybe even on the shoulders of supporters while a crowd gathers at your feet, holding the trophy in the air — a bloodied bull’s ear, in this case, the cup with the big ears if we’re talking football. There are different ways to depart after the fight, many ways to leave, and departing victorious is always best.” SI (Video)
Newsstand: British Tabloids Aflare After Man United’s Controversial Loss To Real Madrid
“Real Madrid eliminated Manchester United from the Champions League today with a 2-1 win at Old Trafford. The English champions led 1-0 after an own goal by Sergio Ramos, but the turning point came when Turkish referee Cuynet Cakir sent off Nani for a studs-high challenge.” SI (Video)
“After a 2-2 first leg draw, Dortmund performed excellently to qualify for the quarter-finals with surprising ease. Jurgen Klopp was still without Mats Hummels, so Felipe Santana and Neven Subotic continued at the back. Otherwise, the side was as expected, and played in the traditional 4-2-3-1, rather than the 4-3-3 we saw against Bayern last week. Mircea Lucescu named Taison on the left wing. Douglas Costa was only on the bench. In a game between two similar sides, Dortmund were better in almost every department, dragging Shakhtar out of shape and exploiting the spaces in behind.” Zonal Marking
Win or bust as Shakhtar Donetsk and Borussia Dortmund meet again
“It was business as usual for Shakhtar Donetsk in the Ukrainian Premier League on Friday, and that in a sense is part of the problem. They hammered Volyn Lutsk 4-1 and lead the table by 13 points with 11 games remaining. They are in the quarter-final of the cup and, with Dynamo Kyiv and Metalist Kharkiv out, Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk stand as the only other probable winners. This has been a crushingly easy season for Shakhtar.” Guardian – Jonathan Wilson (Video)
Borussia Dortmund Make the Big Leap Forward
“Borussia Dortmund have reached the quarterfinal round of the UEFA Champions League for the first time since the 1997/1998 season following an emphatic 3-0 win Tuesday night over Shakhtar Donetsk at Signal Iduna Park. Despite their recent domestic success, Dortmund made a big leap forward in advancing to the quarterfinals following two previous seasons of not advancing from European group stages. While the Ukrainian side held off Dortmund for the first 30 minutes of the match, the uneasy feeling for Dortmund supporters of a result going awry was dispensed with Felipe Santana’s powerful header in the 31st minute, as the Germans went on to create what Coach Jurgen Klopp deemed ‘an extraordinary moment’.” Bundesliga Fanatic
“On insanity, few have been more veracious than the Chilean writer Roberto Bolaño. In his own inimitable way the nomadic novelist and poet acknowledged what others often refuse to see; that we are all unhinged in our own delicate fashion. To some extent we will freely admit to our peculiarities, but largely our madness is defined by those around us, who witness our behaviour and for reasons of comfort believe it to be more abnormal than their own. How strange it is to be denied even the possession and enjoyment of our own madness by people who yearn to tell us that, yes, we are certainly mad.” In Bed With Maradona
“When Slovakia’s Corgoň Liga re-emerges from its long winter break on the first weekend of March, the fixture most observers will be watching for is the one between Spartak Trnava and FC Nitra, the bottom two clubs. The reason is less the fact that both sides are in urgent need of points than that their last meeting, on September 14th last year, resulted in one of the most controversial games ever played in the country. Nitra went into that match in the top half of the table and in encouraging form. Two weeks earlier, I’d seen them draw 1-1 away to champions Žilina. Seydouba Soumah, their 21-year-old Guinean forward, justified his growing reputation with an outstanding performance and the whole team looked bright and full of running. Trnava, by contrast, were in a mess.” In Bed With Maradona
“The nationality of players within the Premier League and Football League is a subject I regularly return to. It’s not because I’m a believer that foreign players are a blight on our national sport, but because I find the exotic nature of the nationalities represented an interesting discussion point. If you believe that the English national side suffers due to the number of foreign players in its league you should probably look closer to home for the players who are blocking the way of Englishmen as it’s Irishmen, Scotsmen and Welshmen who make up the vast majority of “foreign” players on English clubs’ books.” Spirit of Mirko
“Heard the story about the Glasgow based football club who ran into financial calamity and went bust? Of course you have, but this tale of woe isn’t about the collapse of Rangers, but a club whose name is woven into the fabric of Scottish football’s early days – Third Lanark.” World Soccer
“Comparisons between past players and present all-stars always come out fuzzy. On the one hand, everybody gripes that ‘the competition has improved’ and the past player would get suffocated by modern defenses. On the other hand, we have to admit that the past player would have had access to superior training techniques and diet, and just may have upped his or her game. In sum, we’ll never know. History only leaves us statistics, records, images, and (if we’re lucky) videos.” futfanatico
“Tottenham recorded an important victory over their North London rivals, thanks to two identical goals towards the end of the first half. Andre Villas-Boas used Gylfi Sigurdsson rather than Lewis Holtby, while Jermain Defoe was fit enough for the bench. Arsene Wenger used Santi Cazorla on the flank rather than in the middle, which meant Aaron Ramsey played in midfield, and Lukas Podolski was on the bench. Arsenal actually started strongly and dominated possession for long periods, but as Wenger acknowledged after the game, Spurs were more efficient in the areas that mattered.” Zonal Marking
“Things are clicking at just the right time for Real Madrid. In the middle of a season-defining week of matches it’s so far, so good, with a 2-1 victory over Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu making it back-to-back Clasico wins against their old foes in the space of five days. It is the first time Los Blancos have produced consecutive Clasico wins since the 2007-08 season when Madrid did the ‘double’ in La Liga.” ESPN
Real Madrid’s Sergio Ramos scores late winner to beat Barcelona
“Two down, one to go. Barcelona have been beaten away and at home; next up in Real Madrid’s season-defining eight-day week, the most important meeting of them all: Manchester United at Old Trafford. Sergio Ramos climbed to head in the winning goal from a Luka Modric corner to clinch a 2-1 victory for Real Madrid after the introduction of Cristiano Ronaldo turned what was at risk of becoming a nonevent into something approaching a clásico. The Portuguese turned everything on its head. If he didn’t actually score, this time it did not matter; if everyone else seemed to have settled for a draw, his ambition remains undiminished.” Guardian
“The best footballer’s autobiography of recent years is probably I Am Zlatan Ibrahimović. In it, the Swedish striker recounts his rise from an ethnic ghetto in Malmö to greatness. Zlatan (as he is usually known) is currently banging in goals for Paris St Germain. Zlatan has a Bosnian father and Croatian mother. They married to get the dad a Swedish resident’s permit, and soon separated. Zlatan’s book, ghostwritten by David Lagercrantz, is an immigrant’s tale. In fact, having sold 700,000 copies in Sweden alone and been published in 15 countries, it’s probably the bestselling European immigrant’s tale since Zadie Smith’s White Teeth (2000). The book was also shortlisted for Sweden’s prestigious literary award, the August Prize.” FT – Simon Kuper
“Second-placed Napoli performed well after the break, but a draw puts Juve in a great position to retain their title. Walter Mazzarri continued with Miguel Britos on the left of his back three, and favoured the experience of Goran Pandev rather than Lorenzo Insigne’s directness. Antonio Conte selected Federico Peluso as his left-wing-back rather than Kwadwo Asamoah, while Giorgio Chiellini was fit to return just behind him. Sebastian Giovinco and Mirko Vucinic continued upfront. Juventus looked stronger in the first half, before Mazzarri’s half-time switch changed the pattern of the game in the second period.” Zonal Marking
“The assumption, when Rafa Benitez started laying into fans and criticizing the board in a post-match radio interview Wednesday, was that he had lost it, that this was his Kevin Keegan ‘I would love it!’ moment. And then he came in to address the written media and said exactly the same thing, almost word for word. The answer to the first question was 394 words long. Make no mistake: this wasn’t a beleaguered manager suddenly snapping, although the cheeriness of that first press conference 13 weeks ago has slowly become weariness. What Benitez said after his team had beaten Middlesbrough 2-0 was calculated and pre-planned. That raises all sorts of questions about motive, but let’s start with the words themselves.” SI – Jonathan Wilson (Video)
“In August 1990, just weeks after Totò Schillaci’s exploits at that summer’s World Cup, a shared place of birth would have seemed the only connection between the newborn Mario Balotelli and Italy’s Golden Boot winner. Born in Palermo to two Ghanaian immigrants, Thomas and Rose Barwuah, young Mario had a difficult first few years, undergoing a series of intestinal operations as a toddler. Even after being placed in foster care with the Balotelli family in the northern town of Brescia, the idea that Mario would one day wear the blue of Italy, let alone become a national icon, would have seemed unthinkable. Fast-forward to last summer and Mario Balotelli’s two-goal demolition of Germany in the semi-final of Euro 2012 cemented his fame and sealed his reputation as an explosive yet unpredictable talent. While a highly welcome addition to the Italian national team, his success is especially significant in a country that has often struggled with the concept of national identity as it attempts to reconcile its mixed feelings towards immigration.” In Bed With Maradona
“How does one assess the strength of a league? An obvious answer would be something along the lines of ‘strength’ multiplied by ‘competiveness’ — basically you want quality but also expect unpredictability. Let’s be honest — 2012-13 just isn’t a great season for European domestic football. The Champions League is as exciting as usual and the raw quality is certainly apparent from the major clubs. But in terms of competitiveness, this year has been a disaster. Manchester United lead the Premier League by 12 points, Barcelona lead La Liga by 12 points, and Bayern Munich lead the Bundesliga by a staggering 17 points, while Juventus are a relatively modest six points clear in Serie A.” ESPN – Michael Cox (Video)
“It has been a difficult couple of weeks for teams named Barcelona in continental competition. Last Wednesday the Spanish version dropped a 2-0 decision to Milan in the Champions League. On Feb. 12 the Ecuadorean namesake — Barcelona Sporting Club — was denied three points in its Copa Libertadores opener when Nacional’s Álvaro Recoba set up Iván Alonso for a late equalizer in Montevideo, Uruguay. That Alonso’s goal came in the third minute of second-half stoppage time was not the worst part. Throughout the night there was a feeling Barcelona was not only going up against the Uruguayan champion, but the Chilean referee, Enrique Osses, as well.” NY Times (Video)
“Barcelona suffered their second major defeat within the space of a week, and Real are through to the Copa del Rey final. Jordi Roura brought in Jose Pinto for Victor Valdes in goal – as always in this competition. The rest of the side was the same as against Milan with both Cesc Fabregas and Andres Iniesta in the side, despite David Villa’s impact against Sevilla at the weekend. Jose Mourinho chose Raphael Varane and Sergio Ramos at centre-back, with Pepe on the bench. Gonzalo Higuain, as expected, started upfront. Real outplayed Barcelona. Their defensive shape was good, their breaks were typically direct and efficient. 3-1 didn’t flatter them.” Zonal Marking
Xavi is wrong: Barça have lost far more than the least important title
“Xabi Alonso took up his favourite position at the Camp Nou, easing into a seat in the stands and looking silently out across the pitch, feet up, job done. It was some time after Real Madrid had won the Copa del Rey semi-final second leg 3-1 against Barcelona, the clock ticking towards midnight, and the Camp Nou was quiet. The stadium had been emptying for a while, ever since Raphaël Varane headed Real Madrid’s third; by the time Jordi Alba scored Barcelona’s only goal in the 88th minute, there were not that many fans left to celebrate and those that were still there did not much feel like doing so.” Guardian
“Arjen Robben’s superb goal won the game, but Bayern’s nine shots on target to Dortmund’s one demonstrates the home side’s overall dominance. Jupp Heynckes used the XI that triumphed over Arsenal last week, with one exception – Franck Ribery was out, so Robben started on the left. Daniel van Buyten was alongside Dante again. Jurgen Klopp was unable to call upon Mats Hummels, so Felipe Santana played alongside Neven Subotic. Kevin Grosskreutz got a start in midfield. This wasn’t a fascinating tactical battle, but Bayern were by far the better side – pressing well, mixing short intricate passing with longer balls, and featuring good variety and movement in the centre of midfield.” Zonal Marking
Bayern Munich finally gets over Dortmund hurdle in German Cup
” Robert Lewandowski, a reported Bayern Munich target, was the center of attention during Borussia Dortmund’s German Cup quarterfinal match at runaway league leader Bayern Munich. The Polish striker had a quiet game, however, much like his team: Dortmund was outplayed and outsmarted through large spells Wednesday night. The hosts could have easily won by a bigger margin, but it was fitting that Arjen Robben separated the sides with his beautiful first-half goal. Robben’s penalty miss against Dortmund in the 1-0 defeat at the Westfalenstadion sealed Borussia’s title win last year and rang in two more soul-destroying defeats in the Cup (Dortmund 5-2 win) and the Champions League (Chelsea win in penalties) finals.” SI
“Steven Gerrard’s Premier League form tailed off a bit in the last two seasons under both Dalglish and Roy Hodgson. At 32 at the start of the season, some pundits may have been ready to write off Liverpool’s talismanic captain, but he has evolved under Brendan Rodgers and been a consistently good performer for the side this season.” Think Football
“Flags in hand, a group of wheezing scribes of questionable fitness are ‘crabbing’ their way left and right along the sideline of an indoor football pitch at St George’s Park, opulent home to the National Football Centre in Burton-on-Trent. As the verb suggests, the exercise involves shuttling sideways at speed in order to keep up with and constantly monitor play, while simultaneously providing a moving target for any projectiles that might be raining down from the crowd behind. The ability to ‘crab’ is an essential skill for any match official and one this reporter has since adopted to maximise efficiency while shopping in supermarkets that are long of aisle.” Guardian (Video)
“Football is full of what ifs. What if Jonathan Howard’s “goal” for Chesterfield had been given against Middlesbrough in the 1997 FA Cup final? What if Fergie had decided Cantona was too much of a risk to sign? What if Spurs’s chef had opted for a vegetarian curry instead of a lasagne before that game? And what if Paul Tisdale had taken the Swansea job…” thetwounfortunates
“A closer game than the scoreline suggests. With injury problems in defence, Carlo Ancelotti named Sylvain Armand as his left-sided centre-back. David Beckham was on the bench. Élie Baup named an unchanged side from the XI that triumphed over Valenciennes last week. PSG’s four outright attackers combined effectively at times, but Marseille will feel they had enough chances to get something from the game.” Zonal Marking
“Inter upped their performance after a terrible first-half display. Andrea Stramaccioni gave a rare start to Ricky Alvarez on the left, after his impressive performance against Cluj in midweek. Diego Milito is out for the season, so Antonio Cassano and Rodrigo Palacio started upfront together. Max Allegri made changes from the victory over Barcelona – Mario Balotelli, cup-tied in Europe, returned in place of Giampaolo Pazzini, while Riccardo Montolivo played in Massimo Ambrosini’s deep-lying role to allow Antonio Nocerino to play. Stramaccioni managed to alter things to get his side back into the game, but only Milan profligacy and another fine Samir Handanovic performance prevented the ‘away’ side from victory.” Zonal Markind
“Gareth Bale is playing brilliantly. He is quick and powerful, technically gifted and can strike the ball ferociously with his left foot. He self-consciously models himself on Cristiano Ronaldo and in terms of his drive for self-improvement and even his style of play, cutting in from the left flank, there is validity to comparisons between them.” Guardian – Jonathan Wilson
Scissors Kick 