Posted: 10 August 2011
I believe I haven’t posted this yet, for almost 3 months, because the draft isn’t finished. This was my post-Champions League Championship finals reaction.
~~30 May 2011~~
Rooting for topdogs is not something I intend and like to do. I always look for talent, for skill, and passion in a team. It’s how I fell in love with the New York Yankees before finding out how huge the team was.
The same goes with FC Barcelona. I knew this team to be one of the known clubs in Football, but I didn’t realize that they’re more than what I know. I actually have a better knowledge about Real Madrid compared to them, but still not much. So now I’m still surprised with what Barça is showing me.
I haven’t watched all their games this season because I have a busy schedule and I have to wake up really early in the morning. Live coverage of their games is beyond prime time here in the Philippines. Besides, I rarely watch TV this year. I only watch ball games, whenever I find time.
El Clasico, or the pulse racing match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid, happened many times in the past weeks. I think I’ve only watched two El Clasico matches. I haven’t even finished each game, because both coincide with an appointment of mine. Yes, that early.
The only Barça match I watched from the kick-off to the last whistle was the recent UEFA Champions League finals against Manchester United. I even made it before both teams came to the pitch.
I’ve always read that the Catalans have great ball-passing skills. I saw it, with awe, last Sunday morning (Saturday night in Wembley). It was simple but perfectly beautiful. Each pass was precise and spot on. I still couldn’t get over my admiration on how they played the ball before approaching the penalty area. And those passes to loosen the English defense were really admirable.
The entire 94-minute game was mouthwatering. It was so delectable to my sight, feeding my fondness for the beautiful game with more gusto.
Goals are the most awaited event before the final whistle, but whilst waiting for Pedro, Messi and David Villa’s goals, even for Rooney’s, one can enjoy each moment of the game. Each factor that makes every game great was made available by Barcelona, and the forwards’ goals were the heat and fire that perfected those ingredients.
Barça’s forwards may have sealed their victory in the Champions League, but the trio couldn’t have done it without their other teammates. And a special mention definitely goes to Xavi, my man of the match albeit my fondness to The Little Magician. Xavi was almost all over the pitch guiding and leading the ball to its rightful recipient. How he set up the ball for Pedro Hernandez was just admirable.
Wayne Rooney may have put Manchester United back to the game, 7 minutes after Pedro Hernandez made the opening goal, and to its hopes for the title but that was all they could get. He was even lucky to have found his spot and moment as Pique, without his pepper Puyol, blocked Victor Valdes’ view. One can only imagine what it would’ve been like if Barça’s captain and solid defender were able to start together. Even so, Rooney’s goal was a beauty in itself. He was able to penetrate the Catalan’s defense and seal the goal.
Rooney’s goal was the only one Victor Valdes conceded for the night. Without a doubt, he had been dauntless and as focused as an eagle throughout the game. He was just as marvelous as his teammates.
FC Barcelona and Manchester United were even when they left the pitch for the half time. And it was Barcelona that just rocked and rolled when they were back for the second half.
Lionel Messi ended his “drought” on English soil when he positioned himself a little outside the penalty box and marched the Catalans to a 2-1 lead. And he did it without taking a securing look of where the ball would pass and stop. Surely, there was no Edwin van der Sar in the way.
Most of the time, when people are expecting Messi to score (perhaps it was just me expecting), he was selfless as he would pass the ball to a teammate. His 54th minute goal seemed to have been a surprise (again, perhaps it was just me). It seemed like Messi would pass it to someone else only for everyone (or just me) to find out that his teammates have “backed off” to give him space as he made a chance for himself to drill a goal. It was like an impromptu orchestration by FC Barcelona. If that was the case, Barça has indeed played by the core meaning of teamwork when each player knows one another and even without verbal communication understand a teammate’s motive and gesture.
FC Barcelona only lead by one goal against Manchester United, but it looked like there was a huge gap between the champions of their respective nations. Barça was most efficient with defense, even without Carles Puyol starting. So when World Cup’s top Spanish scorer followed Pedro and Messi for Barça’s third goal, which was set up by The Little Magician himself, there was a loud unspoken announcement that it was already game over.
David Villa stepped up and sealed a beautiful curler on the upper right corner of the cage at the 69th minute. Edwin van der Sar could do nothing but chase to his left in vain. Manchester United and its fans could do nothing but just wait for the final whistle. A 3-1 lead brought the squad jumping at David Villa who was lying on the pitch.
As much as I like Messi, my favourite goal goes to David Villa’s curler that beat the Dutchman for the third time of the night. I squealed in jubilee like a teenage girl who had just seen her crush but I also had to control my voice because it was just past 4AM and everyone was still sleeping. And no one in the house would be able to understand such reaction out of passion.
In less than five minutes before full time, Carles Puyol came as a substitute.
~~10 August 2011~~
I still feel nostalgic about this beautiful match.
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