What I think and what I wish

The semifinalists for this season's Champions League are ready after some not overly surprising nor exciting matches. The semifinals are as follows:

• FC Barcelona-Real Madrid
  
• Schalke 04-Manchester United

That the two Spanish giants are playing one another in a couple of weeks on four crucial encounters is completely unprecedented. No matter how it goes, football history is being made. Although Real Madrid will be hungering for success against their eternal rivals, I do believe that in the CL, Barcelona will carry the day and make it to the final.
Schalke 04 are undoubtfully the dark horse in the semifinals after having eliminated the defending champions of Inter Milan with 7-3 on aggregate. Only number 9 in the Bundesliga, nobody had expected them to be where they are, and they will undoubtfully fight their guts out to make it to the final. That said, they won a lot because of Inter's arrogant stupidity, and that is a mistake that Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United is unlikely to make. While it will surely be an interesting encounter, I think this will be the end for Schalke 04.

I predict a repeat of the 2009 final. But that is not necessary what I wish for.

I like Schalke 04, and in sympathy for the little guy, they are my favourite team of the four left. So I would like them to defeat Manchester United.
I always support FC Barcelona against Real Madrid. Not because I am a Barcelona fan (I support Valencia), but more for dislike of Real Madrid. That said, this time, I would like to see the Marengues facing one of the biggest stars of their history (and one of the greatest players in modern football history), Raul, who at his "advanced" age was made to change to Schalke 04. No matter what I think of Real Madrid I have always found Raul an outstanding player and a football gentleman.
Thus, I would love to see a Real Madrid-Schalke 04 final, where Raul scores the winning goal for his new German team against his old Spanish one!
That would be football history!
But there is always a giant leap from what I wish, to what I think!

Schalke 04 rules!

I think that Schalke 04 were probably considered the little guys in this season's Champions League, and not many would have put money on the German side as they were to face Inter Milan in the quarterfinals. But today any lack of respect for this German side that it is virtually impossible to sympathize with should be totally absent.

Schalke 04 destroyed the defending champions of Inter 2-5 in Milan and should have one foot in the semifinals of the Champions League!

Shame on Inter, who played a horrible match; such lack of concentration can only be blamed on underestimating their opponents, and their desperate outbursts are very uncharming.

If you fall, fall like a champion, and not like pretty arrogant boys!

When Real Madrid's Raul changed to Schalke 04, many people criticized him for not changing to a "big" team in one of the better leagues. The German league is outstanding, probably one of the most talented in Europe, and when Raul changed, he knew he was changing into a team where he would be more than a well-paid veteran substitute.

Raul, the great footballer he is, knew and wanted to be playing Champions League football, and this has now taken him very close to the semifinal of the Champions League, something he had not achieved since 2002 with Real Madrid!

But besides Raul, there are many reasons to be delighted about Schalke 04's triumph! A great club and great fans not the least!

Raul to Schalke 04

There are probably few players that symbolize Real Madrid so much as Raul, who got his debut in 1994, and has played 740 matches, scored 323 official goals for Real Madrid, contributing to winning three Champions League titles and six Spanish league titles. Although rumours have circulated for a while now, it is now official: Raul is leaving, and he is going to the German club Schalke 04.
That he is leaving is not so surprising, but I think a lot of people, including myself, are surprised that he will go to Schalke 04. Although he will be playing Champions League football, and surely in a German league with great atmosphere, it seems notable that he did not choose to go to the Premier League, or to a more Mediterranean league like Italy, France, Greece, or even Turkey (where another old Real Madrid player, Guti, who also announced he is leaving Real Madrid, is likely heading). Schalke 04 is surely a good club, but not the kind of club that has attracted super stars.
Raul's career is nevertheless ebbing, and it remains to be seen whether he will actually manage to become a starter on the German side.
No matter what, this is the end of an era in Real Madrid.

Real Madrid handled by Giants

Yesterday I watched "football". That is, not the "usual", but the American version. At a good barbecue, I was invited to watch American College football, the classic Ohio State against Michigan. I was happy to see Ohio win an exciting match. At the same time however, I was well aware of the clash going on in Spain. And as would be proper, I was getting periodic updates in my mobile.

Real Madrid against Barcelona is always a game that carries history with it beyond the football pitch. On top of that, both teams have always been at the top of Europe, and attract the best players in the World.

Last night's match in Santiago Barnabeu in Madrid was awaited as every year. But as seldomly before, Barcelona overran Real Madrid. Players such as Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos, Zidane Raul, seemed only like average players compared to the super display by Lionel Messi, Deco, Eto'o and in particular Ronaldinho. The Brazilian was simply spectacular. He was clapped off the pitch by Real Madrid's fans, something that has only happened before to Diego Maradona.

It is not often I have good things to say about Real Madrid fans. But their display of fairness last night shows that they are fans who foremost are appreciative of great football. As all who love great football, they had to surrender to Barcelona's display last night.

Real Madrid were truly given a football lesson to remember.

Real Madrid in crisis

Today, the front page of the Spanish newspaper Marca, has a picture of a disappointed Raul, followed by the text "Da pena", meaning that Real Madrid is a team to feel sorry for.
The world's (on paper) best football players lost again, 1-2 to Athletic Bilbao. The team does not attack, does not defend, does not fight. Absolutely nothing works. It is really a disgrace for their fans. At the same time, Valencia and Barcelona are both looking awesome.
I have never been a fan of Real Madrid, but I am surprised at seeing how much a team with the best players in the world, can go down so much. I would be awfully depressed if I was a Real Madrid fan. I am not.
Amunt Valencia!

Spain out - and so what?

Portugal showed will. Spain showed nothing. Again, as so often before, another flop for Spain. But the team has shown nothing, and when it came to playing with cojones against Portugal, they couldn't. Maybe it is good, that they could not prevail when coming with a 0-0 attitude.
The truth is, this Spanish team does not have at all as many stars as one thinks: Raul has seldomly performed on the national team. Morientes is a star but with little support. There is no "General" on midfield, and defence is plainly bad. Only rising stars are some of the younger players like Joaquín and Vicente. Otherwise, I also thought Mr. Iñaki Saez should have brought Reyes along to Portugal.
Shame Spain is out because of the great Spanish fans. The Spanish team will not be missed.