Now with all the drama that the last of the UEFA semifinals provided I have learnt a valuable lesson- do not switch off a match before its over. By the time the ninety minutes were up and the stoppage time was added I had lost hope. It was like relivening the nightmare. It had been excruciatingly frustrating to see Barcelona stopped by a stubborn Chelsea defense,it had hurt me to see Barca pass like dogs literally without being able to break the Chelsea defense wall,it was repelling to see the huge Chelsea players almost like mountains tower over the dimunitive barca players and most of all as a football fan it stung to not see the beautiful game win. It brought back memories of Barca imploding before and the often touted taunt that the premier league football is the best.I actually agree the EPL as a whole is the best but do their top teams play the best football? I disagree. By the end at ninety minutes, I had been reduced to tears and decided to switch off the match in shear despair.
I remember having an argument with a friend of mine when Argentina lost to Germany the last world cup. In many ways the games were similar but the results reversed.Of course the Germans played a way better brand of football than Chelsea did and Argentina are not nimble pushovers but somewhere down the line the argument remained the same.What makes great teams -Great results or a splendid and mesmerising game?I was somewhat brusquely told off that the concept of beautiful game or joga bonita does not exist. Whats the use if you cant win matches? Now, this argument is absolutely valid.And thats why as football fans you must have ached to see Barcelona win.
Barcelona have been nothing short of phenomenal,there is something ethereal about that team.With their brand of breathtaking football,them contributing to UNICEF,their youth programmes and clinics in third world countries and their astounding belief in playing the game their way under all circumstances and Messi in their ranks,they deserve the title of the best team in the world.They stand in sharp contrast to an unimaginative Chelsea team.The thing is, it was sad enough that Chelsea won Liverpool and had they repeated it against Barca it would have been a horrifying shame.
You cant and should not win matches with eightmen within forty meters of your goal post.And for all their cries of penalties not being allowed I really thought they were none except the Pique handball.Drogba dived the first time and fouled as he came into the box. The second case of a shirt pulling hardly earns penalties these days.And honestly Drogba dived so much that it was disgusting.The refree saw that and that went against him.As for Eto’ its a bit controversial.While his arm was high up in he air,his back was turned away from the ball. When your back is turned away if i am not wrong, you are not given a penalty.This coupled with the fact that the match was minutes from the finish and a final berth was at stake ,the refree probably froze on the penalty.And finally coming to Pique, either the ref did not see it or thought Malouda kicked the ball on to Pique’s arm, either way it was the strongest chance of a penaly for Chelsea. However one must remember that a penalty for Henry was disallowed and many ways it was the stongest case in the two games. So in a sense the teams are even. I am not absolving the refree off some shoddy work, that he sent Abidal off when Anelka fell of his own accord was another instance of bad refreeing.But what I am telling is that Chelsea were sore losers.They had gone to town about decisions having to be accepted after the first leg.It was almost humorous to see Ballack madly chasing the refree.One could understand the frustrations and in a sadistic way I liked the fact that the goal had come irrepairably in the injury time.And that too a fantastic goal one that would have sailed wide 7 times out of ten from Iniesta.
You see Iniesta according to me is the keystone that holds Barca. Xavi is the fountain of creativity only when Iniesta is there, Its only with Iniesta’s passing that Messi feeds off him and Xavi, its only then that there is that telepathic connection between the Barca strikers and midfielders.It was divine justice.The man who came off Barca’s youth programme,who neither has the potency of a Henry or the magic of Messi but one who epitomizes Barca’s game of beautiful football with his mesmerizing passing and staunch belief in its effectiveness had to score the golden goal.A better candidate at a better moment could not have been orchestred.
It was sad to see the biased commentary of Sky Sports and its post match analysis was shameful. I have long believed that there is almost a conspiracy by ESPN,Star Sports,Ten and Sky against La Liga and Barca in particular.Now Guus thats way more on target than the one you came up with!Nothing explains why Aston Wiga Vs Bolton would be telecast but not Barca vs Bayern. The worst was when I saw no La liga matches on air while deferred telecast of Japan vs S.Korea in baseball was being aired while Barca took on Lyon.That the most widely viewed sports network in the world would not telecast the best team with one of the best players of all times is nothing short of blasphemy.Its outrageous as a fan and a sport enthusiast and in many ways undermines the very terminology of sports.
For all of english clubs’ pace,power and deftness it does not measure upto the beauty that Barca dishes out. Its only fair that the team that payed football won.However Barca needs to take stock of its defense, Alves in particular and improve on set pieces.But for now we shall bask in the glory of divine comeupance…
