Lucky world champions

Spain has not been looking overly impressive since winning the World Cup, and last night's match against Colombia was no exception. Colombia had numerous big chances against a meager Spanish defense, and can only blame enormous inefficiency on not having taken the lead. Instead, Spain showed its power credentials when David Silva scored the winner at the end of the match.
Spain's side is doing well in the Euro qualifiers after having defeated some smaller teams, but the side is not looking as impressive as when they won in South Africa.
The great Pacho Maturana once said that "to lose is to win a little bit", and Colombia can be optimistic looking at the Copa América that they played a great match, but should worry about the side's inefficiency.

Millionaire transfers!

By the amounts some of the Premier League clubs have been spending in this transfer window one would never guess that there is an economic crisis going on! One year ago, the clubs spent 29 Mio pounds in the transfer window, something that couldn't even pay for what Chelsea paid for Fernando Torres! All in all, Premier League clubs have spent more than 200 Mio Pounds!
Chelsea, who seems to be living off Mr. Abramovich' billions to get out of its current slump, beat all Premier League record by the signing of Fernando Torres, who seemed to be in need of a transfer from Liverpool. Still, I personally do not think Mr. Torres is worth such amounts! Sunday's Chelsea-Liverpool match in the Premier League, where Torres is set to get his debut!
Liverpool has also been out spending money on two very interesting signings who will arrive at the struggling Anfield side with great expectations: Ajax' outstanding (and some places infamous) Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez, and the hugely talented and controversial young Newcastle striker Andy Carroll. What Liverpool paid for Mr. Carrol makes him the most expensive English player ever, thus sealing another record.
Amid Liverpool's and Chelsea's spending, many people may have overlooked one of the most interesting transfers, namely Manchester City's signing of Wolfsburg's outstanding Bosnian player Edin Dzeko. Dzeko was surely one of the best players in the world during his time in Wolfsburg, perhaps overlooked by him being from a small country and in an overlooked cup. Still, he was part of one of the most goal-scoring teams in the Bundesliga and was instrumental in leading them to their first Bundesliga title in 2009. Dzeko will be hugely interesting to follow under Roberto Mancini in Manchester City!

Osasuna!

The Spanish league has become a general bore: week after week one has to watch Barcelona play like the Harlem Globetrotters and destroy other teams, and Real Madrid trying to keep up. Although these two teams have always dominated in Spain, the difference has never been so marked as now: there are the two teams and all the rest.
So it is very refreshing indeed when one of the teams lose, like happened today to Real Madrid in Pamplona against the small team of Osasuna, who is looking to fight relegation, but is usually very strong at home. It was an intense match, mostly towards the end when Real Madrid's superstars, including their new Togolese striker Emmanuel Adebayor, tried to put pressure on the fighting Osasuna side. However, Real Madrid were poor today, and José Mourinho seemed only to react late with changes. Pressure is growing on the Portuguese super-coach, who could be out if Real Madrid does not take a title for another season (note the average time of Real Madrid coaches since 2002, 9 months!).
It was only Real Madrid's second defeat this season, but there are now seven points up to Barcelona, who at the time looks undefeatable.
Congratulations and thank you to Osasuna! I hope they defeat Barcelona as well!

Congratulations Japan

Japan won the Asian Cup final against Australia on a 1-0 victory in extra time. Tadanari Lee scored the winner to give the Japanese team its fourth continental title.

Congratulations to Japan and all their fans!

More women in football!

In my view and experience, football breaks down barriers of nations, race, class, age, and well..., gender!
However, in spite of advances over the years, football culture remains very male-chauvinistic, perhaps blocking the complete breakthrough of women's football (I think the main problem with women's football is that it is not as technically good as men's, but it surely could be! Look at Marta!). But also, the attitude of many men block women from actually participating and engaging in football. I must say that some women I know are football-fanatics and experts as much as the next guy (of course not as much as me; but few people are!), and this makes football culture richer.
It is therefore only refreshing when the English Premier league introduces women referees, who surely are as capable, good, our lousy as the next male referee! It is therefore also very deserved when two renown football commentators, Andy Gray and Richard Keys are fired for making demeaning and chauvinist comments on TV about a female referee! What they said is, besides being idiotic nonsense, completely unacceptable, in particular for commentators, who may be football fans, but have a greater responsibility that a normal football fan because they are speaking to the world, and have the great power that comes with that.
In any case, I hope this only contributes to less discrimination, also based on gender!