By Paul Gardner Is Barcelona simply too good? Too good to the point where our expectations of what it can achieve know no limits? I suppose that’spossible, though I doubt it. That sort of transcendent power doesn’t happen in soccer — well, not for long anyway. Barca is bound to let us down at some […]
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Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Real Madrid coach could be on his way out
Following Real Madrid’s 2-0 loss at home Saturday night to Barcelona that left the Catalan club in the lead in La Liga with seven games to play, Chilean ManuelPellegrini looks to be the latest Real coaching casualty. Real Madrid spent $350 million on new talent but it will almost surely finish without a trophy following exits […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Roma takes over Serie A lead
[EUROPEAN RACES] Chelsea, Marseille, Bayern Munich and Barcelona gained in their bids to capture their respective league race, while Roma displaced Inter Milanat the top of Italy’s Serie A for the first time in more than six months … ENGLAND 74 Chelsea 73 Manchester United 71 Arsenal (games left: Manchester United 4; Chelsea, Arsenal 5.) […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Barca sweeps Real Madrid again
[SPAIN] Of all Barcelona’s accomplishments under second-year coach Pep Guardiola, this might be the most rewarding: ithas played Real Madrid four times and won all four games. For the second year in a row, Barca completed a sweep with a 2-0 win at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday to take over first place in La […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Messi worth his weight in chocolate
The Pasteleria Prats in the Catalan town of Lleida has made a 250-pound chocolate statue in honor of Barcelona star Lionel Messi. Messi, whoonly weighs 150 pounds himself, is wearing a Barcelona uniform and holding a Golden Ball on a Prats stand. (The Argentine won the 2009 Golden Ball as the best player in the […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Spanish players plan to strike
The Spanish players union (AFE) has called a strike of all pro games next week over unpaid wages involving pay disputes applying mainly to minor-league players. The strike will affectgames at all four levels of Spanish pro soccer but not “training sessions and technical activities” and begin on Thursday. The union said that 85 percent […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They're Saying
“I’m taller than him, and wider than him.” — With Messi-mania sweeping Spain following the Argentine’s four goals against Arsenal, Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo joked in response to a question at Thursday’s news conference about how he is different than Barcelona’s Lionel Messi. (
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
English soccer is not dead yet
[EUROPA LEAGUE] A day after the last of the English clubs was knocked out of the UEFA Champions League, two EPL teams claimed spots in the semifinals of theEuropa League. Playing without the injured Clint Dempsey, Fulham beat Wolfsburg for the second time, winning, 1-0, in Germany. Meanwhile, Liverpoolovercame a 2-1 deficit to win its […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They're Saying
“I don’t many players in the world who can score a goal like that. It was like PlayStation.” — Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger afterwatching Lionel Messi score all four goals in Barcelona’s 4-1 win over the Gunners. (
Posted inSoccerTalk with Paul Gardner, Story
The Blinding Magic of Messi
By Paul Gardner Let’s see now, I think a few well-chosen words on the Barcelona vs. Arsenal game would be in order. Something like this: Messi Messi MessiMessi Messi Messi, Messi Messi Messi Messi Messi Messi — Messi. Messi, Messi Messi Messi Messi Messi; Messi — Messi Messi — Messi. Messi, Messi Messi Messi Messi […]