Pepe’s Dream became a Team

The ‘Dream Team II’ as been on the entire season at Nou Camp. In his first season as a coach, Josep ‘Pepe’ Guardiola recovered the spirit of Johan’s Cruijff style of play. A lot of us still remember Stoichkov, Bakero, Romário, Koeman, M.Laudrup or… Guardiola giving the planet some of the most offensive displays football can offer. This year – while this kind of comparison is not perfect – the mix between perfect tactics and offensive mentality is back. The only team in a major European championship to score more than one hundred goals, so close to a three goal average per match, secured the title in undisputed fashion and marveled the entire world with an unbelievable short-pass style of play lays in Barcelona.
But comparison’s stop here, while Guardiola has worked with the master in his playing times, he gained a special taste for offensive football but graduated has a real manager by bringing a different tactic. In the paper, Barcelona uses a very typical 4x3x3. But simplicity ends at this point. When in possession - in the defense, the right back (Dani Alves) usually plays more as a winger than back, providing the defensive midfielder (Yaya Toure) to cover the right side, while the left back (Abidal) comes to the centre to make a stronger barrier alongside the two CB (Rafael Marquez, Puyol or Pique). Strangely, this is the place to start building the offense – especially when Marquez is fit, the Mexican his the best CB with the ball and tries to pass it to the two centre midfielders (Iniesta and Xavi) that together make, probably, the best creative midfield in Europe. In the end, the attack line, responsible for more than 90 goals this season Henry stays in the left and goes to the box, Etoo is the striker but usually changes position with Messi that charges from the right to the middle.

Tip: Guardiola’s side has been in incredible offensive form all year long, in line with Barcelona’s fans hopes and desires. To win the league and the Spanish cup in such a young age (his only 38 years old) is a remarkable achievement. But now that he’s in the CL final everything depends on him winning or not the important trophy. If he does it, then his name echoes’ throughout eternity, if he fails no one will remember the amazing shape the blaugrana have displayed. Well its football…

Champagne is still in the freezer

Barcelona has not yet celebrated his 19th victory as champion in the Spanish League. Unexpectedly, Villarreal postponed the Catalans’ climax, forcing them to save during a week (at least) the champagne’s bottles in the freezer.
In the time out, 98 thousand spectators in Nou Camp threw the rockets and take the pole. The victory was enough to secure the championship and with a quiet edge of 3-1. Who could imagine that the outcome could be different? Only the players of Villarreal, which, with huge enthusiasm and even greater shot of luck managed to reach the same draw.
The highlight of the game was at 77 ', when Abidal committed penalty and was thrown out by the referee. Matías Fernandez did not forgive and reduced to 3-2. In the discounts, Paco Llorente silent the Catalan’s cathedral.
Still missing three games, Barça has eight points of advantage over Real Madrid. Only a miracle can take the title to blaugrana, who have new opportunity to celebrate next weekend in Mallorca.

Raul’s hat trick promises a flaming Real-Barça

With a hat trick pointed out by Raul, yesterday Real Madrid won Sevilla by 4-2, reducing to four points the distance that separates it from the leader Barcelona.
Sevilla soon began to win, but even before the time-out, Raul scored with a cross from Metzelder, who played in the place of Pepe.

In the second half, the striker highlighted two more goals, having achieved 18 in the Spanish League. Marcelo closed the counting, but the man of the match was without a doubt Raul, who has not scored a hat trick in the championship since September 2003. Real is four points from Barça, and it is expected that a high-up duel between the two teams, scheduled for next week-end in Santiago Bernabéu. If Real Madrid wins the league will be high-level, if not, Barcelona will hardly let escape the title.