Category: Uncategorized

It is (pick your own word here) how Bayern Munich always comes along at a key time in the life of the FC Barcelona first team. They ushered out one era with a resounding beatdown in Champions League. They ushered in another one with the Luis Enrique side’s dismantling of the Pep Guardiola side. They… Continue reading Bayern v Barça, aka ‘GULP?’

Trying something new with a halftime recap. In a word, abysmal. If Barça has two quality Xis to call upon, the other one must be missing. This group hasn’t played together? Sure, if you buy that, or don’t have eyes. They’re terrible. The only good thing about the half has been Alejandro Balde, who continues… Continue reading Halftime: Cadiz 0, Barça 0, aka ‘Abysmal’

I first encountered Jorge Gonzalez when I was in college, studying in Central America. It was 5 years after he retired and 13 years after he left Spain, which means it was a long time ago. If I had bothered to look it up on the then new Wikipedia, I wouldn’t have found an entry… Continue reading Magic in Cadiz

Frenkie De Jong is entering his fourth season at FC Barcelona, and it seems rather odd that he still doesn’t have a place, hasn’t carped him some diem, hasn’t made a clear argument for his being in the XI. When he was (allegedly) on the block over the summer transfer window, it was quite clear… Continue reading Whither thou goest, Frenkie De Jong?

In a footballing world where the notion of a super league stalks the halls like someone ready to ruin a party, it’s fair to ask if one already exists. Viktoria Plzen, Czech League champions, were essentially demolished by a vastly superior FC Barcelona team that didn’t even play all that well. It was a match… Continue reading Barça 5, Viktoria Plzen 1, aka ‘Fun, with caveats’

When people talk about Xavi’s team being a work in progress, this match is precisely what they will point to in a deeper analysis. Barça poleaxed a team that can’t score or defend, a team whose manager might as well be laying his neck on the guillotine, to save the executioner the bother of searching… Continue reading Sevilla 0, Barça 3, aka ‘Don’t be fooled’

Whew. Now that what turned out to be a fairly complex summer transfer window is over, arrivals and departures complete, it’s time to assess the squad Xavi will have, whether it’s ready and if so, what it’s ready for. People who rate such things are lauding the club’s window, and for sound reasons. It added… Continue reading Barça transfers, aka ‘View through a closed window’

Serena Williams marches on. In discussing women’s tennis with my wife, having tuned in to some matches at this year’s U.S. Open, it seemed to me that the missing thing in that dynamic was pressure. There wasn’t anyone to say, “If that’s the best you got, just hitting balls back and waiting for me to… Continue reading Serena Williams, GOATS, pressure and Barça

FC Barcelona is a mess. Fiscal shenanigans, players it can’t register, a looming FFP investigation, debt out the wazoo. But for a night, for one beautiful night, everything was gone except football and humanity, and it was amazing. Barça and Manchester City squared off in a friendly, a make-up match for the one postponed due… Continue reading ‘Mes que,’ at least for a night

Individual brilliance is a wonderful thing. Barça and the narrative around the club is that team football, intricate passing and movements that create lovely goals are the desired effect. Wins that are a consequence of individual brilliance are fine, but not ideal. Yet even those great Guardiola teams were absolutely stuffed with individual brilliance. The… Continue reading Real Sociedad 1, Barça 4, aka ‘The Fati Show’