Home

  • What would this Clasico mean for Xavi?

    For Xavi and Barcelona, this weekend serves as validation and confirmation of all the things that you think you’ve been doing. This puts you at a different level in terms of achievement because of what it means on the field but because of what it means for the growth of your team.  

    The Spanish Super Cup semi-final was a moral victory, now to go into the Bernabeu and win is an actual victory it’s no longer the “we’re OK with playing well” no, now the philosophy is we’re playing well and we’re winning. Barcelona played against Osasuna knowing full well that you had to go to Galatasaray and advance in the Europa League and knowing full well that you had a Clasico at the end of the week, Barcelona was able to go through those three games having won all three, I think it proves a lot to Xavi and the group of players more importantly to those group of players inside that locker room, that this team is different now.

    The league title is not really on the line, Madrid has a 10-point lead at the top of the table it’s 15 points over Barcelona and Xavi Hernandez said last week that it would be difficult, almost impossible now. Even if Barcelona were to win the Clasico you’d need Real Madrid to drop points three or four times that just hasn’t happened all season so it’s not about to happen now. So, League wises it isn’t big, but this is about validation, validation for Barcelona. After the Super Cup, Pique said “we lost but we’re getting closer to winning now” it was really interesting to see the fallout to that game because after that game you had this idea that Barcelona felt like we were getting there and one of the first lines in one of the Catalan newspapers was “Barcelona are not back yet but nearly they’re getting there.”

    I think it did set up if you like the beginning of this process where it felt like Barcelona is starting to get things right now. In the very next game, Barcelona lost three to athletic 3-2 to Athletic Club and got knocked out of the Copa del Rey, but since then it’s twelve matches and no defeats. There’s a very clear sense of this team developing finding its feet finding an identity being the kind of team that Xavi wanted to be. In the last 10 games, they’ve scored four goals five times. So, I think all this run is fine, but it’s the Clasico the culmination and proof that says this team is for real?

    If they were to win, it makes very little difference in terms of winning the league because they know they’re not going to, but it’s quite significant in terms of them being in a Champions League place at the end of the season, I think Xavi is thinking about the validation of what it is they’re trying to do, rather than the game itself.

    , , , , , , , , , ,

  • Real Madrid vs Barcelona the Last Clasico

    It’s time to look ahead to the Clasico, and it’s so different from the previous one this year when these two teams were earlier in the season. Real Madrid is coming with the momentum after an extraordinary comeback against PSG. Barcelona has come together beautifully over the last few weeks, so this has the makings of a brilliant game.

    Nothing like we saw in the first leg where Barcelona was depressed, they were still recovering from the Lionel Messi, traumatic departure, they didn’t have any money, and had a bunch of talented young players without any experience.

    They did some good signings in the winter transfer market, and now they have an 11 games unbeaten streak. Real Madrid on the other hand will be at their best as well. After the amazing comeback against PSG which gave them a lot of energy, now all their key players are 100%, Courtois is having an amazing year and Karim Benzema is having the best season of his career.

    Since Xavi arrived at Barcelona, he has gotten this team to play well, giving them an identity. Then in the transfer window in January, so many of those new signings had a real impact and now they have the team trending in the right direction. Real Madrid with almost La Liga title in hand, their mindset is in the champions league draw against Chelsea, and after the PSG match, there will be a little bit of a hangover.

    But the Clasico regardless of the form in which the teams come in is always a fair and even match. For Barcelona is one of their biggest matches of the year, and for Real Madrid, is another opportunity to humiliate their arch-rivals. It will be a game to watch. Who will come out victorious? Sunday will have the answer.

    ,
    , , , , , , , , ,

  • Baseball is back for the Miami Marlins

    Spring Training is now on the way for the Miami Marlins. Just two weeks ago, the commissioner of baseball Rob Manfred was discussing the fact that the baseball lockout would cancel games to start the season, but now here we are, ready to start spring training.

    There’s a lot of hope and excitement for the Marlins this season, even though last year they struggled with a 67 and 95 record but that isn’t the past. Don Mattingly said, “now it’s time to look to the future, we have to move forward now with this ballclub”.

    But to move forward without Derek Jeter is a little different. Jeter is not here for the first time in five years after stepping down from the team, he said it was because his vision was different than when he arrived, we don’t know if that vision maybe was about spending money or not being able to spend money.

    Marlins principal owner Bruce Sherman was asked directly about Jeter’s situation he said “I have nothing but respect for Jeter, but nothing has changed for this team we expect to win, and we will spend to do so. We will be trading potentially players, more importantly, we will be trying to sign free agents we have money, and we will spend it how we spend it is up to Kim”

    Kim Ng the general manager for the Marlins spoke saying she understands his team needs another bat, they need to make some improvements and they look to do it from now to the start of the season.

    I find this very hard to believe since we have less than a month till the start of the season.  Spring games at Jupiter will begin on Friday so it is kind of a quick Sprint to the start of the season after this lockout, but it is great to see baseball back.  Will the Marlins have a great Year? Will see.

    , , , ,

  • Dreaming

    What's wrong
    That you no longer want me by your side
    that it doesn't matter
    All that has happened
    Tell me why you feel this way
    in love with another
    while my heart
    It breaks little by little
    Oh tell me what are you going to do
    if you don't love me anymore
    If I can laugh again
    While my soul dies
    Give me a sign
    Even if it's unreal
    I want to go back to sleep
    and be able to dream
    , , , , , , , , ,

  • Dime lo que sabes

    Dime que tú me quieres
    Dime que tú me amas
    Dime que tú me extrañas
    Dime, Dime, Dime
    Dime que tú me deseas
    Dime que tú me hiciste
    Dime que tú me tienes
    Dime, Dime, Dime
    Sabes que yo te quiero
    Sabes que yo te amo
    Sabes que yo te extraño
    Sabes, Sabes, Sabes
    Sabes que yo te deseo
    Sabes que yo te hice
    Sabes que te tengo
    Sabes, Sabes, Sabes
    , , , , , ,

  • Agua sin fin

    Hace más de una mes que no te veo
    Ya no pasas por aquí
    Y cuando yo te llamo
    Dices que ya te perdí
    Enséñame a olvidar
    Esto que estoy sintiendo
    Átame a tus manos
    A ver si sigo huyendo
    Si tuviera tiempo para respirar
    Te diría en un susurro
    Que a tu lado quiero estar
    Mientras conquisto el mundo
    Si atreves del roció
    Pudiera empaparme en ti
    Viviría al lado de un rio
    Para que el agua sea sin fin
    , , , ,

  • Endless Water

    I haven't seen you for over a month
    you don't pass by here anymore
    And when I call you
    You say that I already lost you
    Teach me to forget
    This I'm feeling
    tie me to your hands
    Let's see if I keep running away
    If I had time to breathe
    I would tell you in a whisper
    That I want to be by your side
    As I conquer the world
    If through the dew
    I could soak in you
    I would live next to a river
    For the water to be endless
    , , , ,

  • Tell me what you know

    Tell me that you love me
    Tell me that you love me
    Tell me that you miss me
    Tell me, tell me, and tell me
    Tell me that you want me
    Tell me what you did to me
    Tell me that you have me
    Tell me, tell me, and tell me
    You know that I love you
    You know that I love you
    You know I miss you
    You know, you know, you know
    You know that I want you
    You know I made you
    You know I got you
    You know, you know, you know
    , , , , ,

  • Harebrained

    Give me your perfect love
perfect counselor
courageous counselor
brave and sincere
grant me a smile
lovely smile
lovely idea
receiver Idea
give way
scramble step
excited for you
For you, I have fallen in love
throw me a party
private party
particular association
Association that only you can give

    , , , , , , ,

  • Garden

    I have a garden with many flowers
Each one with its colors
And among them, there's one that stands out 
It doesn't wilt and I don't have to water it 
It blooms in spring and also in winter.
Its aroma is better than any perfume
Its soft petals are like cotton
I have been offered a lot for her
money and jewelry but I can't sell it
because that flower is you
And without me, you can't grow
    , , , ,
Next Page