When you fire up a movie you’ve seen before, or happen across it while channel surfing and stop, it isn’t because you’re lazy. It’s because sometimes, you just want those feelings again. Manager takes over a Barça team in disarray, works wonders with the psychology, instills a tactical sense and the team takes off like… Continue reading Real Madrid 0, Barça 4, aka “Reruns are nice”
Banking on a Miracle: Galatasaray – Barça Preview
It’s here. It’s time. Thursday is the big day, the one we’ve been looking forward to for months. The culmination of all the hard work, all the hours in the gym, all the training, all the film sessions and tactical analysis. It is the day that truly begins the quest for the holiest of grails… Continue reading Banking on a Miracle: Galatasaray – Barça Preview
Messi, PSG, failure and choice
Own it. Accept it. Understand the idea of choice. When sucky things happen to wonderful players, the nature of fandom is to seek absolution for them. But from the outset it should be clear that Lionel Messi chose to hitch his wagon to PSG, for a last chance at something great. There’s no shame in… Continue reading Messi, PSG, failure and choice
Europa League preview: Barça-Galatasaray
Life can be confusing sometimes, especially when what you think you know turns out to be ridiculously wrong. As recently as 2 weeks ago I was operating on the assumption that Galatasary, Turkish league winners in 5 of the last 11 seasons and runners-up twice in the 6 years they didn’t win it, including last… Continue reading Europa League preview: Barça-Galatasaray
Are We Having Fun Yet? Elche – Barça
The 1965-66 La Liga season may not seem like much of a high-water mark, but for some it meets the criteria. There were 16 teams in the top flight and Atletico won the title with 44 points over 30 matches (wins were worth 2 points at the time, so in today’s world the colchoneros’ 18… Continue reading Are We Having Fun Yet? Elche – Barça
Xavi, mind power and building an idea(l)
Athletic accomplishment starts with mentality. Or as a longtime friend is fond of saying, “You gotta want it.” When Xavi arrived in Barcelona and assessed the team that he had, his talk was about mentality and psychology. It was clear to see why. Koeman, for whatever reason, inherited a broken team and somehow made it… Continue reading Xavi, mind power and building an idea(l)
El Banquillo 9: Team Talk
Ah — it’s, uh, been a while. For the uninitiated, El Banquillo is a set of posts from Barcelona Football Blog’s deep past that were based on an old Jon Bois thing called The Dugout, which is literally the only good thing to ever come out of baseball. There were originally 8 El Banquillo posts… Continue reading El Banquillo 9: Team Talk
The Edge of Europe: Barça vs Napoli
I had meant to write a preview of the Espanyol match. I planned it out in my head, mentally prepared myself to write about Ivan de la Peña and the pain of losing that match, way back in 2009. I watched it with a bunch of friends and it turned from a joyous outing where… Continue reading The Edge of Europe: Barça vs Napoli
Hello Spotify, farewell illusion, aka “What can we sell next?”
When I came to Barcelona on the heels of that legendary Rivaldo chilena, it was an amazing time. I didn’t know what to think but knew I wanted to be part of it, to feel that emotion, that explosion. Even as I barely knew what “making Europe” meant. That the FC Barcelona president at that… Continue reading Hello Spotify, farewell illusion, aka “What can we sell next?”
Dembele is back, even as he never left, and the games — all of them — continue
Michael Corleone could well have been describing the situation we find ourselves in now with Barça and Ousmane Dembele with the famous line, “Just when I thought I was out … they pull me back in.” When my fingers last touched keyboard on this matter, it was with the assumption that the player was gone.… Continue reading Dembele is back, even as he never left, and the games — all of them — continue