The Champions League final is one of the most important matches of the year for every self-respecting football fan (and even for the ones who do not respect themselves, like myself). So it was with eagerness I speculated where to watch the match within my Monrovia-bubble.
Now, you have to know that I am an idiot; I never take decisions, but linger forever in the analysis.
After I put down an offer, I went to a bar called "Jamal's" to watch the match. I have watched a match there before. A large screen, but it is catering to fans for specific matches; otherwise they do not like football.
Twenty minutes into the match the screen went black. After three minutes (that is about as long I am willing to wait) I ran (yes, I ran, have you ever run in hot and humid Monrovia?) three blocks to a bar called Sajj. This is where many expatriates go to hang out and drink beer, and indeed, they had put up two screens. I got into the place just as Diego Godin had brought Atletico Madrid ahead 0-1.
Without the possibility of focusing on the match, I was nevertheless happy that Atletico were ahead. Would they really be able to do it...? I would have thought it impossible.
And of course it was impossible. There is only one great team in Madrid.
I found a good spot in Sajj, but halfway into the second half it started raining, and that meant we lost the signal. 50 quiet people in a bar to watch football...
The signal came back in the 92nd minute of the match, just in time to see Sergio Ramos equalising. After this, it was only a question of time before seeing the writing on the wall; years of experience and nerves from the midgets, but Real Madrid won 4-1, humiliating Atletico Madrid much more than they deserved. The saddest thing seemed to be that Diego Simeone went crazy and Raphael Varane did not understand what it is to win. So in the end, a match that all of Madrid should win, became a bit less of a victory for the city.
A bitter-sweet 10th for Real Madrid.
But this is not the saddest part of the match: I managed to watch extra time, drink a couple of beers, but never managed to watch the entire match. It reminded me of the Liverpool-AC Milan final of 2005, when light went out during the penalty kicks, when I also went crazy.
Showing posts with label Sajj. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sajj. Show all posts
Sunday, May 25, 2014
Sunday, March 23, 2014
Spanish drama
The only match worth watching in the Spanish league has for ten years been the Real Madrid-Barcelona match. It has always been splendid, and tonight was no exception. I watched the dramatic match with a mixture of Spanish and international people in the bar called Sajj, in Sinkor, in Monrovia, in a lively atmosphere for what became a fantastic match.
FC Barcelona needed to win in Madrid in order not to lose contact with the two leaders, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid. And the match ended with a controversial 3-4 victory for the Catalonians. Three penalties, two of them unexistant, and four great goals in what was a great match between two evenly matched sides. In the first half Real Madrid seemed to have things under control as they went ahead 2-1 on two goals by a Karim Benzema who exposed the feeble Barcelona defense in the penalty area. But when Messi equalized for 2-2 right before halftime things went back to zero for a Real Madrid side that had been better in the first half. Barcelona mended their defensive holes in the second half, but still went down 3-2 as Ronaldo scored on a penalty that had been outside the area. Things seemed to go Real Madrid's way until the penalty on Neymar, which also gave Sergio Ramos a red card.
This broke the match, as Ancelotti took out Benzema for Rafael Varane, to defend the tie that would put them on top spot.
But it was not to be. A clear penalty, this time, on Andres Iniesta meant that Messi made it 3-4, and put FC Barcelona one point from leaders Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid, who are both tied with 70 points (with Atletico ahead on goal difference).
All three teams are now in an intense fight for the title. Every right-minded football fan supports Atletico Madrid, but I would still doubt that they can carry it all the way. It is likely to be a contest between the usual suspects, with FC Barcelona taking an important step today.
FC Barcelona needed to win in Madrid in order not to lose contact with the two leaders, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid. And the match ended with a controversial 3-4 victory for the Catalonians. Three penalties, two of them unexistant, and four great goals in what was a great match between two evenly matched sides. In the first half Real Madrid seemed to have things under control as they went ahead 2-1 on two goals by a Karim Benzema who exposed the feeble Barcelona defense in the penalty area. But when Messi equalized for 2-2 right before halftime things went back to zero for a Real Madrid side that had been better in the first half. Barcelona mended their defensive holes in the second half, but still went down 3-2 as Ronaldo scored on a penalty that had been outside the area. Things seemed to go Real Madrid's way until the penalty on Neymar, which also gave Sergio Ramos a red card.
This broke the match, as Ancelotti took out Benzema for Rafael Varane, to defend the tie that would put them on top spot.
But it was not to be. A clear penalty, this time, on Andres Iniesta meant that Messi made it 3-4, and put FC Barcelona one point from leaders Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid, who are both tied with 70 points (with Atletico ahead on goal difference).
All three teams are now in an intense fight for the title. Every right-minded football fan supports Atletico Madrid, but I would still doubt that they can carry it all the way. It is likely to be a contest between the usual suspects, with FC Barcelona taking an important step today.
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