Last week, when Barcelona defeated Real Madrid 2-3 in Madrid, Marcelo was unfairly criticized for not having made a free kick on Sergi Roberto when the defender rushed through the center in the last seconds of the match. The ball ended with Messi who scored the winning goal.
A player should not be criticized for not making a foul, although in football terms I think any professional or fan understands that this is part of the game too.
The defeat left the Spanish league title more open, with Barcelona nearly catching up to Real Madrid, who last night was facing Valencia, a team that has not been doing well this season, but who are notably known for being specialists in giving Real Madrid a hard time. And it seemed to be another flop when Dani Parejo equalized to 1-1 ten minutes before time. Previously Ronaldo had brought Real Madrid ahead, but he had also missed penalty against Diego Alves (who has saved the last 3 of 4 penalties from Ronaldo). 1-1 would have left the hunt for the league title completely open, but in came Marcelo, who scored the winning goal for Real Madrid with a sure right foot-shot.
Real Madrid celebrated as if they had won the league, and I also think that goal will give the title to Real Madrid.
Then everyone will have forgotten that Marcelo did the right thing in not stopping Sergi Roberto, by fixing it with a great goal that gave Real Madrid the title!
Showing posts with label Daniel Parejo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Daniel Parejo. Show all posts
Sunday, April 30, 2017
Friday, September 23, 2016
The first three points
Finally Valencia harvested their first three points in the Spanish league! After the first four matches, Valencia was the only team with no points, and the pressure tonight against Alaves was clear: following the firing of Pako Ayesteran this week, Valencia needed a victory, and they managed a hard-fought 2-1 victory on a late penalty goal by Dani Parejo. The way the fans celebrated, it was clear how needed this was...
All that said, Valencia remains a strange club: this year started with the hapless Gary Neville as manager, for him only to be replaced by his assistant, Ayesteran. For the time being Salvador Voro will be caretaker manager, but truth is that the top management of Valencia seem utterly inept in appointing a solid and experienced manager that can live up to Valencia's always-unfulfilled potential.
I certainly hope they find an excellent replacement, and that this will prove to be the first of many many victories this season!
Amunt Valencia!
All that said, Valencia remains a strange club: this year started with the hapless Gary Neville as manager, for him only to be replaced by his assistant, Ayesteran. For the time being Salvador Voro will be caretaker manager, but truth is that the top management of Valencia seem utterly inept in appointing a solid and experienced manager that can live up to Valencia's always-unfulfilled potential.
I certainly hope they find an excellent replacement, and that this will prove to be the first of many many victories this season!
Amunt Valencia!
Saturday, February 01, 2014
Valencian justice
In the rather one-sided Spanish league I have done little to follow my favourites of Valencia, who are struggling in the middle, and in the recent transfer window got rid of more players (Valencia has gotten rid of of 12 players since July, including Soldado, Guardado, Cissikho, Gago, Albelda, Tino Costa, and now most recently, Ever Banega, who nevertheless never really managed to make his mark in the struggling club), and are not close to even a Europa league spot in the Spanish league.
So it was not with great optimism or expectations that I turned on the TV to watch Valencia visit FC Barcelona in mighty Camp Nou. Valencia have not won there since 2003, and in fact had not defeated FC Barcelona in a league match since 2007. No reason to be expectant; just a glimmer of hope.
But I am delighted to say that Valencia can still surprise me!
They went 1-0 down early in the match, but in the end of the first half they punished lack of concentration and organization in the Catalonian defense and Daniel Parejo equalized. Shortly after Pablo Piatti brought Valencia ahead FC Barcelona got some of their usual referee assistance when they were awarded an outrageous penalty kick for an unexistant handball. Messi made it 2-2 (his first league goal since September 2012!), and then my glimmer of hope got a bit dimmer.
But Valencia did it: Francisco Alcacer scored a third for the Valencians after an excellent run by Sofiane Feghouli. And it ended like that even, even though Messi came close to an equalizer. But in the end it was the right result for a Valencia side that needed this so much (and little did I realize that so did I).
FC Barcelona are now set to lose first spot in the league to either Atletico Madrid or Real Madrid. This is fantastic for the Spanish league, if not for the Catalonians, who will nevertheless always have referees to support them.
So it was not with great optimism or expectations that I turned on the TV to watch Valencia visit FC Barcelona in mighty Camp Nou. Valencia have not won there since 2003, and in fact had not defeated FC Barcelona in a league match since 2007. No reason to be expectant; just a glimmer of hope.
But I am delighted to say that Valencia can still surprise me!
They went 1-0 down early in the match, but in the end of the first half they punished lack of concentration and organization in the Catalonian defense and Daniel Parejo equalized. Shortly after Pablo Piatti brought Valencia ahead FC Barcelona got some of their usual referee assistance when they were awarded an outrageous penalty kick for an unexistant handball. Messi made it 2-2 (his first league goal since September 2012!), and then my glimmer of hope got a bit dimmer.
But Valencia did it: Francisco Alcacer scored a third for the Valencians after an excellent run by Sofiane Feghouli. And it ended like that even, even though Messi came close to an equalizer. But in the end it was the right result for a Valencia side that needed this so much (and little did I realize that so did I).
FC Barcelona are now set to lose first spot in the league to either Atletico Madrid or Real Madrid. This is fantastic for the Spanish league, if not for the Catalonians, who will nevertheless always have referees to support them.
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