Spain u-19 champions!

 The u-19 European championship has been taking place over the last few weeks, and today an exciting final took place in Wrexham where two heavyweights of European youth football faced one another: Spain versus Germany. Spain won a well-deserved an impressive tenth title with a 2-0 victory with goals by Villarreal’s Hugo Lopez and Real Madrid’s Mario Rivas after a first half where Spain was in control. All in all Spain was the best team of the tournament and we may see more from some of these talented youngsters: Quim Junyent from Almeria was named player of the tournament and Betis’ winger José Antonio Morantes is one to watch. On the German side Francis Onyeka, newly signed by Bayer Leverkusen, is a player to watch.

Great and strong victory, with a view to the future, in a fair and balanced international tournament.

The Big Mac of football

I am old. I have seen plenty of football. I have suffered and I have celebrated. I have been overtly emotional (often too much) and learnt that being emotional is probably one of the worst things a human can be. 

And so in football: I have preferences, but I have seen it all, and I know that sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. But as important as winning or losing, is the question of how you win or how you lose. 

Just like in life. Arsenal are efficient, effective, get results: just like a Big Mac.

Don't mistake me. I recognise that Arsenal are a great team, and today they showed it. When Kai Havertz brought them ahead early on in the match through a splendid run down the left side, Arsenal pulled back and defended with discipline and tactical intelligence, cancelling Vitinha in midfield and the threatening runs of Karavashkelia. Despite possession, PSG, perhaps the best attacking side in the world right now, could not get through the tight defense, while Arsenal played on a possible corner kick.

I am a football fan, and I don't want football to turn into a contest of corner kicks, and I think that with Arsenal's quality they could and should have tried to score a "real" goal in the first half, when PSG were clearly confused as to what to do about Arsenal's defense.

I was happy for the the game of football more than for PSG when the Parisians managed to equalise by Ousemane Dembele on a penalty kick. 

Home-made food had finally scored against the Big Mac of football. 

At the score 1-1 Arsenal again started to attack more, but still seemed to go more for a corner-kick than they did for a goal...?

PSG fortunately won on penalty kicks, with Gabriel Magalhaes missing the last kick for Arsenal in an intense contest.

People may be annoyed at PSG; they have won their second title since last year's trashing of Inter Milan, but for the game of football it is surely better to have a team like PSG win, than a team who plays like Arsenal. 

Arsenal's 2006 CL final side were amazing, but lost to an even more amazing Barcelona side. This Arsenal side would have gone into history for winning, but nobody would remember how they played.

I am a romantic; even worse, I am emotional. I like the art of football: enjoying a great game between footballers with quality and who are not afraid to show it; just like enjoying a delicious home-made meal rather than a BigMac.

Arsenal are the BigMac of football. They excel at the only thing that counts in the today: efficiency, results, numbers and winning.

Fortunately they lost. 

Arsenal champion

 It was bound to happen, finally, that Arsenal would be declared champions of the Premier League, but it did not happen on the last match-day, but instead happened on the 37th match-day when Bournemouth and Manchester City tied 1-1, and gave Arsenal the title. That said, Arsenal also won their last match 1-2 over Crystal Palace, enough to claim that nothing had been given away.

After 22 years the title returns to Arsenal in style under a successful Mikel Arteta, who still has a chance for a bigger title in the Champions League final next Saturday against PSG. Arsenal may not have been the most exciting side, but they are solid and have perfected the corner kick to become a winning (but boring) formula. 

Congratulations to Arsenal fans, including my cat Whisky.

 

And Barcelona champion again

I could not watch the match between Barcelona and Real Madrid. No matter how many subscriptions to different TV platforms and cable, these special matches are only shown on some other special channel, and it is increasingly annoying.

Money rules, and money rules in particular when these two teams play. Real Madrid will end its second season in a row without a single title and with serious crisis in a squad where the superstar Kylian Mbappe has never won a title, and the club he left, PSG, has only appeared to become better without him. In the meantime, their archrivals of Barcelona have under Hansi Flick taken their second league title in a row, today with a 2-0 victory on goals by Ferran Torres and Marcus Rashford.

There is no doubt who is the best team in Spain right now. 

Chelsea the World Champions

At least it was not Tottenham that won the very first World Club Cup and went into the history books. It was another London club, namely Chelsea, who just needed one half to secure the title against the favourites from Paris St. Germain. Two splendid strikes from Cole Palmer in the lower right side of the Paris goal and one strike from the new Chelsea revelation Joao Pedro, and the final was decided against a disappointing PSG side that lost with no honour as Joao Neves was shown a red card for a distasteful pulling Cucurella's hair, and as the game ended, instead of congratulating the winners, PSG players entered into an ugly brawl led by manager Luis Enrique.

Extremely disappointed about the Spanish manager and PSG as a whole for contributing to making it into an ugly event.

Probably we will see more of this in the future as honour disappears from football.

In the meantime the Chelsea celebrations were awkward as the US president stood in the midst of the players as they were handed the trophy.

The entire thing was more awkward than historical. A pity for a tournament that I think was an overall success.

Grandisimo Napoli

Today Napoli did not disappoint when they had it everything in their own hands to take the Serie A title at home. The Neapolitans defeated Cagliari 2-0, firstly on a splendid half-bycicle kick by Scott McTominay at a moment when Napoli had started to feel that the Cagliari, and in the second half Romelu Lukaku made it 2-0 on a typical "a-devil-in-him" goal.

Grande Napoli! My favourite Italian side! And Maradona is celebrating as well!

Barca champion!!!

I am so, so happy, that FC Barcelona has won the Spanish championship! 

Because if they had not we would have had to listen to a bunch of entitled millionaires bitch about how unfair life is and how unjust the system treats them.

Frankly enough, just not listening to that shit, makes me support them!

Liverpool champions

I was on a flight from Bogota to Mexico, so did not get to see Liverpool's magnificent 5-1 trouncing of Tottenham (and the fact that it was against despicable Tottenham just makes it more delightful) to take their 20th English championship title and their first since 2020, with four matches to go in the league.

A splendid result for a cosmopolitan side whose goals were scored by a Colombian (Luis Diaz), an Argentine (Alexis MacAllister), a Dutchman (Cody Gakpo), and Egyptian (Mo Salah) and the Italian Destiny Udogie scoring an own goal to seal the title for Liverpool.

I am happy for my many friends who I know are very happy right now, and congratulate all Liverpool fans.

Champions and losers

 Both the Premier League and the Bundesliga ended this weekend. 

In the Premier League we already knew that Manchester City won the league ahead of an Arsenal side that had it all until the last stretch. Liverpool were close to catch Manchester United, but the Manchester side did well in its last stretch and even made it to third place, while Liverpool stayed fifth and will only play the Europa League next season. In the meantime, Newcastle's Arab investment paid off and on fourth place the old club full of traditions will be in the Champions League next season. Birghton is the other big surprise as they will be playing Europa League next season, after taking sixth spot.

The biggest disappointment in my view is in terms of relegation: two big clubs, Leicester and Leeds are being relegated. Leicester only seven years after winning the league in one of the biggest sensations of all time.

I hope both sides will return soon.

The Bundesliga had no champion until the last round, and it all looked set for Borussia Dortmund to take the title from Bayern Munich. All the had to do was win at home to Mainz. Alas, it didn't work. They were down 0-2, missed a penalty, and only managed to equalize in the dying seconds. In the meantime, Bayern Munich was playing Cologne; also needing to win, Jamal Musiala gave them the winning 2-1 goal in the 89th minute, and with that the 11th Bundesliga title in a row, in a league that is evermore onesided.

No league football for a while now....

Napoli champions!

Napoli have had an extraordinary season, and finally today, five games before the end of the league, Napoli are sure to win their third Serie A title ever, and the first time they win without one Diego Armando Maradona on the team... 

One point against Udinese was enough after Victor Osimhen equalized Udinese's early lead. Napoli are 16 points ahead of Lazio, and cannot be overtaken.

Manager Luciano Spalletti has had an extraordinary season, with a fantastic side which I hope will not be purchased out next season. All in all, Italian football is undergoing a resurgence, with two teams in the Champions League semifinals, and such a fantastic Napoli side.

Personally, I am delighted for Napoli, whom I have always considered my darling Italian side!!! Forza Napoli!!!

Reason to be excited about Argentina

Today's match at Wembley was called the "Finalisima", as it was the contest between the European champions of Italy and the South American champions from Argentina. It is a replacement for the defunct "Confederations Cup", so the match did carry honour and a title for both sides; Italy played to get some consolation from their botched World Cup qualification, while Argentina is clearly aiming at building a team that will be a serious contender for the World Cup title.

Argentina has been strong in the South American qualifiers, and their good form was underlined when they took the South American title, their first title since 1993. But with today's 3-0 victory Argentina should now be considered a serious contender for the title in Qatar. Lionel Scaloni has built an outstanding team that includes Lionel Messi, rather than building the team up around him. Rodrigo de Paul and Giovanni Lo Celso are outstanding and dominate the midfield, with an excellent understanding with Lionel Messi, who also combines well with Lautaro Martinez (who scored the first goal against the Italians after a sharp run and pass by Messi), while Angel di Maria is as dangerous as ever, scoring a great goal after a great pass by Martinez.

Argentina was totally dominant in the second half and the match could have ended with more goals with more luck for the Argentines, although Paolo Dybala made it 3-0 in the dying seconds. But Argentina were far superior to the European champions, who got no consolation from their botched qualification.

For an Argentina fan like myself it is difficult not to be really excited, more excited than for many years, about this Argentina side!

Bayern Munich champions

There must be a certain strangeness in celebrating with “We are the Champions” in an empty stadium. But that is nevertheless what Bayern Munich did after their 1-0 victory against Paris St. Germain in the UEFA Champions League. They deserved the victory although the Parisians had some  big chances that, were it not for the extraordinary Manuel Neuer, could have given them their first title. But the Bavarian side largely seemed in control and Kingsley Coman’s header was enough to give them the title.
In the end it was a good final, but not as memorable as expected, although we will all remember the final with no spectators!

Hoping for the first title since 2005

Last time my favourite team, Brøndby, won the Danish league title was in 2005. Back then, I was living in Ghana, but had returned on vacation and saw my favourite side take the title against Herfolge. Since then I have traveled the world, currently living in El Salvador, but Brøndby have not won a title since then, but have come through deep crises that almost saw the club disappear. The last few years Brøndby have been building a team to supersede the new "artificial" clubs of FC Copenhagen and FC Midtjylland (both are relatively recent clubs established in 1992 and 1999 respectively as mergers of more traditional sides. Since 2005 Copenhagen have won eight Danish championships and FC Midtjylland one). As a Brøndby fan I have been following it and hoping from afar, but not daring to really hope they could take the title despite them having had a consistent lead this season. While FC Copenhagen are no longer in the fight for the title, FC Midtjylland have been keeping up with Brøndby, so yesterday's match between the two sides was almost a final.
The match did not show in El Salvador....
But I was delighted to learn that after being down 2-0 in Herning Brøndby came back from behind and took a 2-3 away victory, and are now three-points clear at the top of the league.
Hope has become expectation, and I am ready to celebrate alone here in El Salvador!

Champion Wenger

Lately Arsenal fans have been trashing their manager over 20 years, Arsene Wenger. For yet another year Arsenal did not win the Premier League title, and for the first time in 19 years they did not qualify for the Champions League.
No matter what, today Arsenal won the FA Cup, 2-1 in the final against the PL champions from Chelsea. This is the 7th FA Cup title under Arsene Wenger, now the most-winning FA Cup manager ever.
So is this a team with no titles???
I really do not understand Arsenal fans' criticism of Wenger, as their mediocre club could never have done better. Has Manchester City done better with all their money and fancy managers????
Arsene Wenger is the best manager that Arsenal will ever have, and they should be thankful about this latest title. Because if Wenger leaves, Arsenal will be waiting many many years before they win any other title.

Europa League Final

Tonight I watched the Europa League Final in a bar in Monrovia, amid massive rain, which made it difficult to listen to the commentary, but at least it was possible to watch the match and drink beer.
Manchester United were not likeable as they played on their far superior experience against an Ajax Amsterdam side of charming youngsters who were surely up past their bedtime. Ajax hardly had a shot on goal as their naive attack crashed against Mourinho's defensive wall, in what was a bit of a disappointing final, as it never seemed Manchester United's victory was in any doubt whatsoever.
Manchester United are now in the Champions League next season why they, and Mourinho, can add another European title to their stack.
And in Monrovia, the rain continued.

Early and coming Champions

Seasons are ending all around Europe, and we can already see some of the titles being handed out!
With a 0-1 victory over West Bromwich Albions Chelsea mathematically became champions of the Premier League with still three games to go before the end of the season. This cements Chelsea's amazing season, which few saw coming I think: a disastrous last season which led to the hiring of Antonio Conte as manager, and he has stabilized the team, that plays excellent football. One has to wonder whether the absence of European football may as well have been an advantage, as they were able to focus entirely on the Premier League.
In Germany Bayern Munich has won the Bundesliga again and as expected by many. That said, it is a disappointing season, as they did not win the DFB Cup and were eliminated in the Champions League. Bayern Munich is set to go through changes next season, so it remains to be seen how they will do.
In Italy Juventus is only a victory away from taking the title, while in France Monaco are on the brink of taking a title that seems to have belonged in Paris since 2013, and this also cements their extraordinary season where they won themselves a lot of friends in the CL!

Witness to a miracle

I have seen football miracles: when Denmark won the Euro 1992; when Liverpool came back to defeat AC Milan in the 2005 Champions League final, or when hapless Herfolge won the Danish League in 2000.
But nothing compares to what we have been witness to this season: Leicester City winning the Premier League title!
Today it happened: after Leicester managed a good fight in a 1-1 away tie to mighty Manchester United, Tottenham seemed to continue on their tails as they were 0-2 up against last year's champions Chelsea. But Gary Cahill and Eden Hazard may get special awards in Leicester as they made it 2-2, to give Leicester the title with two matches to spare (and on the last match day they will play Chelsea).

You have to be stupid not to understand how big this is: a team with a roster of 24 million Euros (where the big clubs pay that amount for one player) had a now famous 5000-1 odds against them at the start of the season; odds were more likely that Elvis would be found alive (2500-1), or that Simon Cowell would become British Prime Minister (500-1).

Leicester have been good on all fronts: a solid team combining defensive experience (Roberth Huth, Christian Huth and Wes Morgan are all old experienced players), a wonderfully talented midfield of players discovered this season (Danny Drinkwater, Riyad Mahrez and N'golo Kante), as well as the late-bloomer Jamie Vardy up front.
And my apologies to Claudio Ranieri: a coach I have strongly criticised and never been a fan of. But what he has done here will go over in history.

It has been impossible not to love Leicester City, but also because it is one of those rarities in the modern world (and not just in football): they have brought people together. Leicester is a multi-cultural city, and this is also seen in a team that, above all, has shown great unity among players from all over the world: England, France, Ghana, Algeria, Jamaica, Argentina, Germany, Denmark, Japan.  And the manager is Italian and the Chairman is Thai.
Leicester City has reminded us all why football is great, and that we should all be thankful for.

One victory away

Tottenham have been in the heels of Leicester in the title race for the English Premier League. Or not really; Tottenham have been under pressure to keep the difference of 5 points. After Leicester destroyed Swansea 4-0 (without Jamie Vardy) Tottenham needed a victory over West Bromwich Albions to keep the difference of 5 points with three games left.
But it was not Tottenham's evening: they started well, went ahead 1-0 and even hit the woodwork three times in the match... Bad luck, yes, but in the second half they never managed to keep the pressure against a West Bromwich side that played as if they were Leicester.
The match ended 1-1 and seemed like a defeat for Tottenham. And it probably was. Leicester are now seven points clear with three matches left. They only need to win one of the three matches to take a title nobody expected and which the entire football world is waiting for.
I cannot wait. I will be celebrating a Leicester title!!!!

Weekend of Champions

Today Chelsea made sure of what everyone have been expecting: a 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace, on a goal by Player of the Year Eden Hazard, has made them champions of the Premier League, no matter what happens in the last three matches.
Surely Chelsea are not easy to like under the genius of Jose Mourinho. Their football is defensive and result-oriented. Just like Atletico Madrid's, who everyone liked last season...
No, Chelsea are well-deserved champions, and the credit lies mostly in the fact that they have been steady in the most difficult league in Europe (if not the world!). This is not a league where you can expect to win 8-0 against a lower-ranked team, but where you can lose points in every match if you do not concentrate (ask Manchester United, Liverpool or Manchester City). That makes Chelsea's achievement so much more deserving of praise. Mourinho is a genius and Chelsea are champions.
That said, subjectively, I must say that I can think of 19 other teams I would have preferred as champions of the Premier League....

And another noteworthy champion was Juventus, who won Italy's Serie A after defeating Sampdoria 0-1. Fourth title in a row for the Torino side that has retaken its awesome position as the best side of Italy. They continue in the Champions League, so this could be a golden year for the Italians, although they still need to get past Real Madrid.

Bayern Munich had had no competition winning a German league that is becoming too much like the Scottish of Spanish leagues: one to two team affairs where many matches are nothing but expecting how many goals they will score against an opponent that is mostly there for show. Sad that the German league, with perhaps one of the best youth systems in Europe, should come to be so dominated by one side.
In the meantime the French league is awaiting an exciting end with Lyon and Paris St. Germain both vying for the title - with the Paris side having a slight edge, but with everything still awaiting to happen!!

It has been a great football season in the European leagues indeed!

Brazil is back

The Brazilian team was highly motivated as they entered the pitch for the final of the Confederations Cup against the World Champions of Spain tonight. I must admit that I had doubted that Brazil would be able to pull it off, but they were indeed far superior to the Spanish, who were unable to put pressure on Brazil, and the few chances they created were wasted in part due to bad luck.
It simply was not Spain's day, but I also believe that Spains' offensive weakness only became too obvious when Fred brought Brazil ahead in the first minute, and the Spaniards could no longer rely on their defensive possession, but had to create chances. These chances were bound to go through the midfield, but Brazil never let the Spanish midfielders alone.
With 3-0 Brazil showed that they are serious candidates to win the title at home next year. Still, as fantastic as it was to see Brazilian football back on top, one worries about whether Brazil can host the tournament amid the protests that even continued outside the stadium. Perhaps this tournament has been a prelude to a revolution by fans in a football game that has become big business and big politics, further and further from people that it only seeks to exploit.
Just like society in general.
This very strange Confederations Cup has shown the best of football, excellent games, great players, fantastic fans, but also the worse: greed, corruption and a bunch of rich old men and women who have captured the game for their own desire for power and money.
Brazilians have started asking for justice, and this goes far beyond football.