Two from two... Barca are the Copa del Rey Champions !

Hello everyone,

It was a carnival atmosphere before the start of the game at the Camp Nou, with equal support for both sides. The Barca team looked up for it right from the kick-off. Luis Suarez was restored to the starting line-up following his recovery from a minor injury earlier this month. Lionel Messi simply looked determined to take home the Copa Del Rey trophy and boy, one can hardly stop him when he's in that mood. The 1st half was all Barca. The time-off afforded to them by Manager Luis Enrique after the last League game seemed to have had it's full effect thankfully. Barca looked sharp pressing high up the pitch and creating lots of spaces for each other, needless to say that they dominated the possession. It was a real treat to watch. Leo Messi was absolutely everywhere up and down the pitch doing everything - defending, creating spaces, dribbling, cross-field passes and you name it. The Barca trio of MSN were finding each other with ease and the goals looked only a matter of time. 

Barca did score the 1st goal but that was soon ruled offside, albeit incorrectly. Messi found Neymar with a glorious cross-filed ball and Neymar put it into the back of the net with a peach of a finish. The Brazilian was definitely onside on that occasion but the referee thought otherwise. Barca were unfortunate to have that goal ruled offside, but they continued to play with a good intensity to find the opener. And it came from the magical left-foot of, you guessed it right, Leo Messi. It was such a goal, that you can just write a book about that one goal alone - the pace, the balance, the dribble and the exquisite finish to match it all. It was an absolutely out-of-the-world goal scored by this out-of-the-world player.

Leo Messi received the ball from Dani Alves close to the half-way line and with three Athletic Bilbao players approaching him, Leo Messi just created space for himself out of nothing with a moment of genius as he skipped past them at such pace, I say this again, at such pace and with such control and he managed to leave them behind for dead before he had entered the 18-yard box. Messi then cut-back to his left to leave another defender in his wake and then unloaded a perfectly timed curled effort past the keeper at the near-post, after he initially looked like going for the far-post. This momentary shaping to shoot for the far-post by Messi had the Bilbao keeper completely outfoxed.The placement of the shot toward the near-post was as precise as a Swiss watch as he had very little angle to work with in order to beat the keeper, but he did that in great style. One can only admire and be in awe of everything about that goal. This goal from Messi will certainly rank right up there with the best he has scored in his career till date. Have a look at this latest piece of Messi magic in this video!

The 2nd goal came in a typical Barca fashion. It was the result of some clinical Barca one-touch play which just opened up the Athletic defense for Suarez to make the run to the goal, but the Uruguayan striker unselfishly squared the ball to Neymar to fire home into an open goal. It was a lovely team goal that portrayed the very core of Barca's footballing philosophy. The 2nd half was not as intense as the 1st one was, with the game seemingly over in the first period itself. The 3rd goal took some time coming and it was Messi again who scored a poacher's goal with a flick off the outside of his left boot. A couple of Bilbao defenders were guilty of waiting for the ball to come to them inside the 12-yard box and Messi made the most of that lapse to make it 3-0 for Barca. That took the MSN's combined goals tally to 120, which broke the record held by their Real Madrid counterparts, BBC (Benzema, Bale, Ronaldo).

After I saw Messi's opening goal, I had only wanted to see Barca end the game without conceding any goals. But that wish was hit out of the park when Bilbao did eventually manage to get themselves on the scoreboard with 10 minutes of normal time remaining. Barca keeper Ter Stegen looked slightly suspect for not making a save there, but it is a goal nevertheless. And the scoreline remained the same for the remainder of the game until the final whistle was sounded by the referee to confirm  Barca's victory in this competition. To make the victory even more sweeter, it was Xavi and Iniesta who lifted the trophy together in celebration for Barca. It was the final appearance for Xavi at the Camp Nou as a player (sad:( !), who now has the most number of trophies for any Spanish player, ever (29 titles). And this latest triumph is a record 27th time that Barca have won this competition. 

Next up is the big one in a week's time. FC Barcelona and Juventus FC have the chance to complete a treble at the Olympiastadion Berlin on the 6th of June. And that promises to be a thriller in the offing, with both the teams trying to end this 2014/15 season in perfect fashion. Forca Barca!

Thanks for reading & cheers! See you soon!!   -- yps05

Thanks Xavi !! #6raciesXavi

Hello everyone,

Today, I woke up to the news that Xavi Hernandez is leaving the FC Barcelona at the end of this season. It was shattering and more than a bitter pill to swallow to put it bluntly. Emotion is getting the better of me as I write this post. He's been such a great person besides being one of the best midfielders ever to play the game. Xavi is definitely the greatest midfielder FC Barcelona has ever produced without doubt. After 24 years at the club, which includes 17 years in the first team, numerous titles and accolades, Xavi has called it time at Barca. He currently has 23 club titles, all with Barca, more than any other player in the history of this illustrious club. And he has the chance to add to that tally before he leaves the club as a player. 

This is what Xavi said when he announced his exit from the club:

" It will be difficult not to wear the Barca shirt. The Club had offered to renew my deal until 2018, but my mind had been made up for many months now. I don't want to neglect the fans, beause they've been spectacular with me. I hope I don't disappoint anyone. It's time to move on. My main goal is to return to Barca [in the future]."

I really hope he comes back to the club someday. I've said this before and I'll say that again. Xavi is the player I'd love to be if I were a Soccer professional, any day of my life. Xavi is Barca to the core. The Club's motto says "More than a Club", and Xavi is "More than a player". He simply is phenomenal to the say the least. He has been the architect of all the success during all these seasons both for Barca and for Spain. 

Beginning next season, Xavi will ply his trade at Qatar's Al Sadd football club. He will have a huge role to play at that Club, as a player, Coach,  Sporting Director; and I'm sure Xavi will have a lot to offer to that Club with all his quality and experience as a player. 

But before that, the focus should be on giving this absolute legend a fitting farewell at Barca. Xavi has 3 games left at Barca as a player. On Saturday, he'll play his last league game for Barca. It will be played at the Camp Nou fittingly, before all the adoring Cules, and it will be quite an occasion for this midfield maestro and also for the Club. Xavi will hoist the La Liga trophy for one final time. Fortunately, with the league already won, I really hope Barca Manager Luis Enrique gives Xavi the start in the Saturday's game against Deportivo la Caruna. And it will be some sight I'm looking forward to, to see Xavi play out the entire game before the Cules, which he absolutely deserves. 

FC Barcelona players will wear a commemorative jersey in that game to mark the occasion, which is a truly special and deserved tribute for such a phenomenal player. The kit will bear the logo 'Thanks Xavi - 23 May 2015' (In Catalan).

                       

The two games following the Saturday's Liga clash are two Finals. On May 30th, Barca will play the Finals of the Copa Del Rey competition at the Camp Nou against Athletic Club Bilbao. And  the Champion's League Finals will be played again Juventus FC at Berlin, on June 6th. I really hope Barca play well and lift both the trophies to cap a spectacular season, thereby giving the perfect send off to this one-of-a-kind player, Xavi. Forca Barca!! #6raciesXavi

Thanks for reading & cheers! See you soon!!    -- yps05

FC Barcelona are the Spanish Champions !!

Hello everyone,

The La Liga clincher came with a great result at the home of the outgoing Champions, Vicente Calderon. Fate had it that Barca reclaim the Liga title at Atletico's ground after they had lost it to the same opposition, on this very day last season, at the Camp Nou. All in all, Barca clinched the Spanish Premiera Division title with a game to spare with a 1-0 win. This is Barca's 23rd Liga title overall. Barca could have won the title with a win in their home ground next weekend, but it was only fitting that they did it against Atletico and even more fittingly it was Leo Messi's goal that decided the game and title in Barca's favor. 

Atletico threatened to score with every single attack of their's early on in the match as they seemed determined to not let Barca go home with title. It took a really sharp Claudio Bravo to twart Atletico from scoring early on as the Barca keeper made a couple of outstanding saves to deny them the lead. Bravo thoroughly, thoroughly deserves the Zamora Trophy handed out to the best keeper in a La Liga season. He has been phenomenal for Barca this season. As the game wore on, Barca slowly managed o control the tempo of the game. Sadly for the Cules, Luis Suarez did not recover sufficiently to start alongside Messi and Neymar, and so Pedro go the nod. This forced change seemed to affect Barca's edge in the final third as Neymar and Pedro were reduced to mere spectators during the initial period. And this meant Messi had to take the entire responsibility to make it count for Barca. Messi did try all that he could - a header saved, a couple of shots blocked, a set-piece hitting the crossbar - but needed to produce something special against the determined Atletico. 

The 2nd half seemed to go in the same way as the 1st, but Barca were never really troubled as Atletico barely managed to threaten their defense. But Barca had to find a way to win this match since Real Marid were winning their own game against Espanyol. The breakthrough did arrive in the 65th minute courtesy of clinical Lionel Messi left-foot finish into the bottom corner after he had expertly found an angle from among tight spaces with many players surrounding him. Barca looked hungry for more and soon had a chance to kill off the game without delay. It was Messi again who dribbled past the entire Atletico defense and then passed the ball to Neymar to score. It was set up on a platter for Neymar who had only the keeper to beat from close range. He's very good in one-on-one situations, but this time Neymar somehow inexplicably ballooned his shot over the crossbar and that was easily the best chance of the game. That would have saved some nerves in the end, but Barca did hold on to their slender advantage to the end of the game with no problem whatsoever. Every single member of the squad has stepped up as Barca looked hungry for titles after a barren campaign last season. And we are now the La Liga Champions!! Forca Barca!!

One title's in the bag and two more within sniffing distance. FC Barcelona have made it to the UEFA Champions League Final where they will face Juventus FC on June 6th. And Barca will face Athletic Club Bilbao in the Copa Del Rey final on June 30th at Camp Nou. It is a brilliant result already for Barca following their trophy-less campaign in the previous season. Following a spectacular turnaround to their season at the beginning of 2015 and their phenomenal performances right through, it is only fitting that Barca win the Champions League this season and all the other competitions they are fighting for right now. And again, each and every player of the Barca squad has played a part in this. And it will only be ticked as perfect if we manage to bag the other trophies too. With the way are playing and have played this year, Barca well and truly deserve it.Forca Barca !!


Thanks for reading & cheers! See you soon!!    -- yps05

A win is a win !

Hey everyone,

It was not the kind of rout I was expecting to watch from FC Barcelona in their game against Real Sociedad played at the Camp Nou today. The 1st half was all one-way traffic with Barca dominating the proceedings and looking to take the lead. But the Sociedad defense and their keeper withstood every Barca attack and ended the half 0-0. They were defending well and managed to frustrate Barca for the majority of the half. Sociedad managed to defeat Barca when they hosted them at the beginning of 2015; and that was probably making them play well against Barca today.

Barca Manager Luis Enrique made key changes to the side that won against Bayern Munich on Wednesday. The reasons being obvious that Barca will be facing Bayern Munich on Tuesday and will then travel to Madrid to face Atletico. Xavi, Rafinha and Adriano started for Barca in place of Busquets, Iniesta and Alba, respectively. Barca lacked their usual swagger as a result of those changes, but the result was never under real threat. The Barca front-line of Messi, Neymar, Suarez could not find the back of the net despite trying all their tricks. The 1st goal took a lot of time coming, but it did come eventually in the 51st minute courtesy of a Neymar header from close range. Even after the 1st goal, the intensity didn't pick up by much and Barca had to wait until the the 85th minute to double their lead and seal the points for the match. A well taken overhead kick by Pedro was easily the highlight of the game and ensured the win. 

The regular starters in the line-up seemed a notch down from their usual level, but quite frankly they did not have to be at full throttle for the entire game in order to win it. In the end, it was a win and 3 points for Barca which is all that matters with 2 games to go. I must say that I'm disappointed with the Rafinha and Adriano since they did not make the most of this rare start in the game offered to them by Coach Luis Enrique. Given the level of the opposition, they should have done a lot better than that to prove that they deserve to be considered for other games as well. But both of them, especially Adriano offered very little service to the team's cause today. And after Real Madrid drew their game against Valencia FC at the Bernebau, the gap between the Clasico rivals is now 4 points with just 2 more games to be played in this 2014/15 La Liga season. That means Barca have to win either of their last 2 games for them to be crowned the Spanish League champions. I seriously hope that the current row between the Spanish Government and the RFEF gets settled in time for the next weekend, so that the remaining 2 games are played out without any suspension.

But first, FC Barcelona now have all their attention focused on the CL semifinals' 2nd leg game against Bayern munich at the Allianz Arena. Barca are very much in control of their progression from this tie, but have to be cautious in not giving Bayern even a sniff of a chance to beat them. I'm sure that Barca will definitely go for the win in the 2nd leg too and will not just look to defend their advantage in that game. Barca will want to seal their place in the CL showpiece event in Berlin on June 6th. Forca Barca!

Thanks for reading & cheers! See you soon!!    -- yps05

Total command from Barca !

Hey everyone,

There was intense heat at the start of the game at Cordoba; and then there was intense pressure from FC Barcelona to find the opening goal during the majority of the 1st half. Barca looked better prepared to face both the heat and their opponent for the evening as they looked to go for the kill right from the referee's whistle. But it the opening goal wasn't easy to come by. The Cordoba defense looked solid at the back making crucial interceptions to the Barca passing juggernaut and barely allowing any build up play to really threaten them. The opportunities were sparse and few for Barca during the 1st half and there was one half chance for Cordoba as well. 

Leo Messi, after brilliantly dribbling past 4-5 Cordoba players, had innocuously fired a shot too close Cordoba keeper. Then Neymar hit the post after receiving a lobbed pass from Leo Messi. It seemed that the 1st half would end with a 0-0 scoreline, but Barca persevered and continued to put pressure winning a series of corners in their favor. That pressure paid off when Leo Messi found Rakitic free on the left with a peach of a ball and Rakitic controlled the ball well and fired a shot into the roof of the net to make it 1-0 for Barca in the 42nd minute. Barca looked hungry for more right before the half time whistle and deservedly doubled their lead to make it 2-0 just before the break. Barca knocked the ball around the Cordoba defense for a while before Don Iniesta found Suarez with a glorious ball over the defense and the Uruguayan made no mistake to guide it into the goal.

Barca ran riot in the 2nd half though after a tight first one. Leo Messi scored his first goal of the match when he ghosted past all the Cordoba defenders to meet a superb Dani Alves cross into the box. Messi was no where in the picture when the cross was struck, but was in the right spot at the precise time to head the ball past the diving keeper. He later missed a header though in what would have been a carbon copy of his first goal after he received a brilliant cross this time from Pedro. A little later, Dani Alves provided another excellent assist to Suarez, who struck with the back of his head to place the ball perfectly into the far corner giving the keeper no chance to stop it. That was Dani Alves' 2nd assist of the game and he's just showing how important he is to the Barca side. Although Barca have Marc Bartra and Martin Motoya to fill he shoes should he leave Camp Nou at the end of this season, I feel Alves is quite a character to let go at this stage, especially since he's just 31 and has a lot of influence on and off the pitch. 

Barca scored the 5th goal of the night courtesy of Gerard Pique. It was another headed goal, this time from a set piece. Leo Messi scored the 6th goal for Barca and his 2nd of the match after playing a delightful one-two with Pedro and won the ball to tap into an empty net. It was probably the easiest tap-in of his entire career. Suarez could have had a 3rd when he had created time and space from himself with an unbelievable touch and then fire just wide of the post. Barca keeper Claudio Bravo made a tremendous save to deny Cordoba a consolation goal. It was a difficult one to handle, but Bravo again maintained his clean sheet on the night and he looked always in control. Neymar then won a penalty for Barca after being tackled in the 18-yard box by a Cordoba defender. 

Leo Messi, who is in a close battle with Cristiano Ronaldo for the Pichichi award this season, handed the penalty shooting chance to Neymar. Leo Messi moved one clear of Cristiano in the top scorer race for the meantime and the lead could have easily been two goals had he chosen to take that penalty himself. This was the 2nd time this season when Messi has handed the penalty taking opportunity to Neymar; but unlike the last time, Neymar showed composure to slot home Barca's 7th of game. Suarez scored from a rebound to complete his fully deserved hat-trick; and Barca duly maintained pressure for the rest of the game till the final whistle to end the game with a resounding 8-0 scoreline. 

This was the perfect preparation ahead of the Champions League clash with FC Bayern Munich. That will be the 1st leg of the Semifinal match up between the two European giants and will be played at Camp Nou. 

Thanks for reading & cheers! See you soon!!   -- yps05

Barca win the Catalan derby 2 - 0 !

Hello everyone,

It is the perfect response that every Cule would have wanted to see from FC Barcelona following the Friday's Champions Leauge Semifinals draw. Barca were drawn to play German giants FC Bayern Munich in the Semifinal stage of the CL in a fortnight's time. And Barca needed to show that they are up for that challenge in today's La Liga fixture against their city rivals Espanyol FC, playing away from home. And boy! Barca did make their statement indeed ahead of the final run-in of games before curtains fall on this 2014-15 season. 

Barca looked to dominate from the word go and maintained all the possession in the opening exchanges. Their attacking front three of Messi, Neymar, Suarez were finding each other with ease, especially Leo Messi playing from the deep managed to play-in delightful balls for his other two strike partners. Barca fired an early warning shot when Neymar managed to disturb the Espanyol goal, albeit from the top, after Leo Messi found him with a delightful ball into space. But the opening goal arrived a little later when Messi again played a wonderful cross field pass to Alba, who squared off the ball to the onrushing Luis Suarez. Suarez could have taken a shot on goal but showed great awareness to back heel the ball to Neymar who was also right in front of the goal with a better chance of scoring. Neymar did slot in the ball from close range to give Barca the lead. 

Messi then doubled the lead on the 27th minute to fire home from a narrow angle after Suarez again laid the ball for him with a pass across the mouth of the goal and Barca were in cruise control for the remainder of the 1st half. Luis Suarez set up Neymar again, this time with a dream of a flick into the air and behind the Espanyol defense. Neymar did manage to get the perfect connection on the volley with his weaker left-foot, but the goal was thwarted by an equally exceptional stop from the rival keeper to deny Barca's 3rd goal of the evening, which might well have killed off the game.

The 2nd half seemed a familiar story for Barca during the initial period. Sergio Busquets robbed the ball in the midfield and played a superb ball into space for Neymar on the left. Neymar had all the time in the world to square it for the unmarked Suarez and return favor for the latter's assist earlier in the game. But Neymar had other ideas and he chose to chip it over the Espanyol keeper, who managed to block the effort much to the dismay of Suarez (and me even more). Nevertheless, Barca had another golden opportunity to score the 3rd goal courtesy of an Iniesta and Suarez link up play, and when the latter unselfishly squared the ball to Neymar, the Brazilian somehow shot it over the bar with no one at the goal post to block his shot. Suarez did not manage to get on the score sheet but he played a superb game today and played his part in both of the Barca goals. 

Then came a point when the Barca left-back Jordi Alba was given a questionable yellow card for dissent and then a totally unwarranted 2nd Yellow to be sent off with about 30 minutes left on the clock. It was a needless 2nd Yellow and a subsequent Red card from the Referee against Alba. But thankfully he remained consistent to give another Espanyol player another rash Red card late in the game. Both those decisions were totally unnecessary given that they were not as a result of a clash between players, but because of the players complaining about the two separate decisions and a caution would have sufficed in both of those situations. The Barca defense, especially macherano and Pique, kept things tight at the back and on a few occasions when the Barca keeper was called into play, Claudio Bravo showed great composure and strength to preserve his clean sheet. 

Gladly, the Referee's decisions did not affect the result which was a great win for Barca ahead of some more crucial, and tough, games lying in wait for them. And after the way they have bounced back in this season at the start of 2015, Barca, and the Cules, definitely would want to end the season with more than one trophy. The treble is still on. Visca Barca! Come on Cules!!

Thanks for reading & cheers! See you soon!!    - yps05

A day of mixed results

Hey everyone,

FC Barcelona added 3 more points to their La Liga tally this season with a hard fought win over Valencia FC. It was always going to be a tough game against Valencia who play attacking football and are sitting 4th in the current La Liga standings, and the game did not disappoint by any stretch of imagination. There were goals in the 1st minute and the 90th minute of the match, and there was end-to-end football throughout the game separating these goals. It was tense throughout and match could have ended with any result until a late 2nd goal confirmed the result just seconds before the final whistle.

The encounter opened with a goal in the opening minute itself. Lionel Messi threading a perfect ball into the path of Luis Suarez to shoot from a tight angle. Suarez made the perfect connection to pierce the ball between the onrushing defenders and the Valencia keeper to give Barca the perfect start. The tempo of the game match remained high on both ends of the field, with clearer chances for Valencia in particular. Valencia had an opportunity to equalize courtesy a penalty awarded to them by the referee, but the Barca shot-stopper Claudio Bravo proved his worth to the side once again with a save to his right. He has been phenomenal with a couple more saves during the remainder of the game. It is very easy to forget that this is his 1st season in a Barca jersey and I must say that I'm mighty impressed with Bravo who took almost no time to settle into the first team this season to replace the great Victor Valdes. He has made his presence felt throughout the La Liga season and has proved to be more than a good signing for Barca. Bravo's consistency has allowed the Barca defense the chance to be more assured during the tough games, which was precisely what was missing last season and cost us titles. But it's all in the past now and Barca look stronger and more motivated than ever to win trophies again this season. It is going to be a tough run of games between now and the end of the season for Barca.

The 2nd half was much of the same and substitutions made by either side had little impact on the game as the level was already very high. Leo Messi seemed to be slightly off his best today despite some typical bursts down the right-flank. It seemed to me that Barca were trying a bit too hard on many occasions to kill the game with another goal and this always invited Valencia to attack. Leo finally managed to get on the score sheet though, a touch of fortune involved, to score Barca's 2nd goal of the game and his 400th overall in the Barca jersey. Congratulations Leo on this landmark and I hope he scores many more which help Barca win matches and trophies. Vamos Leo! Visca Barca!

On another note, Rafael Nadal lost to nemesis Novak Djokovic in the Monte Carlo masters 1000 Semi Finals. The 6-3 6-3 scoreline is deceptive but it was a lot more tighter affair than that suggests, although I admit that I'm disappointed that Rafa didn't manage to take a set off Djokovic despite a good start to the match. All in all, Rafa seems improved after returning to his beloved clay stretch of the season. This should help his confidence after his wins over opponents like John Isner and David Ferrer. That must have helped him a big deal. And Rafa can look to get even better in the upcoming clay tournaments leading up to the French Open. The chances are much more positive now than they were a few weeks ago. Keep fighting Rafa!

Thanks for reading guys & cheers! See you soon   - yps05

Superlative display from Barca and Suarez !

Hello everyone,

What a performance it was by FC Barcelona at the Parc des Princes, Paris. This was the 1st leg of the Quarter Final match up against Paris Saint Germain (PSG). It was always going to be a tough tie for Barca especially since these two sides have played each other quite often in the Champions League for a few seasons now; and given the stakes, boy FCB made it look so easy. And it must be said that it was the perfect response after a bad result the past weekend. 

Barca looked dominant and stamped their authority right from the kick-off. They looked sharp up and down the field. Leo Messi went close to opening the score sheet for Barca on the night, but his well struck effort was denied by the woodwork with the PSG keeper well beaten. But, the 1st goal did not take long to come by when Leo Messi laid the ball for Neymar and with only the keeper to beat, the latter placed the ball perfectly into the bottom corner to get a well deserved lead for Barca. PSG were dealt an early blow when their inspirational skipper Thiago Silva had to make way for David Luiz very early on in the game.

Barca continued to threaten for the remainder of the 1st half, while PSG were merely chasing shadows. Such was the difference in the attitude of the two sides. Then came the 2nd half and Barca started it just as the 1st half. Luis Suarez was everywhere in the attacking third and just like in the 1st half, continued to harass David Luiz with his incisive runs toward the PSG  goal. And it wasn't much before he put his name on the score sheet when he created a goal from almost nothing. Suarez received the ball on the right-flank, cut inside by nutmegging David Luiz, showed great strength to keep the ball away from the tackles of Marquinnhos and Maxwell and then fired a shot low to the keeper's left. The shot had enough power to hit the back of the net despite a block from the PSG keeper and Barca celebrated like wild knowing the importance of that goal in this tie. 

PSG needed to fight back to have any hope of a chance in the reverse leg at Camp Nou, but that they never seemed like it. It seemed like Barca were more desperate to find another goal rather than PSG scoring their 1st of the night. And after a brief period of lull, Javier Mascherano fed Luiz Suarez with a decent ball and Suarez raced to to the PSG goal after nutmegging David Luiz for the 2nd time and with only the keeper to beat after that, he fired a curling shot into the top corner which showed the exact amount of confidence he had in himself right now. Suarez was just sensational for Barca tonight! That goal was pretty much the final nail in the coffin for PSG who were down 3 goals, yes 3 away goals, by then. A word of praise for the Barca defense too especially Mascherano who made several last ditch tackles to deny PSG any kind of a sniff  in this QF tie.  PSG then scored from a late deflection off Jeremy Mathieu which gave them a consolation on this night. Jeremy then atoned for his mistake when he had brilliantly blocked a Cavani effort very late in the game, which if scored might have PSG given some hope again. 

All in all, it was the FC Barcelona who won in Paris with some delightful football from their players just when it was needed. They will have the chance to make it to the Champions League Semi Finals in a weeks time from now. Visca Barca!

Thanks for reading & cheers! See you again!   - yps05

Draws are no good for Barca now !

Hey everyone,

An enthralling game of Soccer between Sevilla FC nd FC Barcelona ended in a draw (2-2). And as a result, Barca have their lead at the top of La Liga cut down to just two points now. This was always going to be tough game given the opposition, which are 5th on the table and pllaying in their home ground. At the end of it, Barca pay the price for some costly misses. What seemed like a commanding position in la Liga some 3 days ago is now very much open with 7 games to go before the season draws to a close.

Barca started the game brightly and looked every bit in command of the proceedings. Messi had a couple of shots blocked just outside the penalty area and Neymar, who has come back into the starting lineup in this game, looked sharp making some really useful runs down the left flank. And Barca did take the lead from one such Neymar play when he set up Messi for the opening goal of the encounter.  Messi took it in style and Barca were off to a great start. A little later in the 1st half, Neymar scored from a free kick just outside the 18-yard box. Messi asked Neymar to have a go at it since the angle was favorable to the right-foot of Neymar and boy did he not score that free kick perfectly. Neymar scored a peach of a free kick with the entire Sevilla defense and their goal keeper not moving an inch. It was just outstanding and had perfection written all over it as it glided smoothly into the back of the post. It is a must watch goal I say and one you'll not get tired of watching, no matter how many times you watch it. 

All seemed to be going well for Barca and soon after the Neymar's goal, Suarez had an opportunity to make it 3-0 for Barca. But he some managed to miss it and Sevilla struck a blow at the other end of the field. Ever Benega pulled one back for Sevilla and it was another peach of a strike giving no chance for the Barca keeper. That goal really did spur the Sevilla players and the crowd alike and it looked a different team from that point onward. One Sevilla attack followed the other and if it was not for that Barca defense, it would have been worse for Barca.  The 2nd half was much of he same as Sevilla never really allowed Barca to stamp their game and authority over it and attacked the Barca goal in a manner few teams have managed this season. 

Barca really should have put the tie to bed but it was Luis Suarez again who somehow forgot how to score in this game and fired a shot well over the bar with the keeper on the ground and only a defender to beat. That was as bad a miss as it can get, and from a player of Suarez's quality, which is unforgivable. He hit the side netting of the Sevilla goal in what was another half chance for Barca and that really was it for the game for us. Sevilla continued to put pressure and eventually managed to find the equalizer with 7 minutes of normal time remaining. And it was the killer blow really. Barca failed to regroup after that despite the presence of Xavi and Messi on the field. They just couldn't build a meaningful attack after that. And soon their misery was ended with the referee's final whistle. 

Barca just seemed ineffective during the 2nd half and deserved this result. Barca can no longer afford such displays anymore for the remainder of the season. This is the beginning of the business end of the season and we need to keep a cool head to bring home the trophies. Visca Barca!

Thanks for reading & cheers! See you soon!    - yps05

Perfect win for Barca !

Hello everyone!

Another game, another win for FC Barcelona today against Almeria. It was a convincing victory after a difficult win against Celta Vigo past weekend. Barca Manager Luis Enrique chose to rest Neymar for this game and gave the energetic Pedro a nod to start this game instead. It was a fair call given that Neymar has been overworked and that has been showing in his performances for more than a month now. Despite being on the field during crunch games, he had little impact and so this decision to drop him is totally justified if you ask me.

The match began on a lively note and was tense until late in the 1st half when Leo Messi provided the much needed opening goal. It was a typical yet stunning strike from the left foot of the magical man and the ball did curl quite a lot into the far corner beyond the diving keeper's reach. That opening goal settled Barca's nerves and allowed them to play more freely. Although the score didn't change for the rest of the 1st half, Barca always looked in control of it.

The 2nd half began and Barca looked to kill off the game every minute of it. They kept creating chances but Almeria somehow held on. But they weren't to be denied for too long when Luis Suarez scored a wonderful left footed curling effort into the top corner. It was equally majestic and was a sort of goal you'd expect from a man in form.  It was followed by a Marc Bartra header from a set-piece to make it 3-0 for Barca. Messi had quite a few free kicks that hit the wall today, but the last one he took in the game today was sweetly hit and was goal bound, though the keeper knocked it wide of his goal. I have been waiting for Leo to score from a free kick for sometime now, hope that happens soon enough. But Leo Messi's play-making skills were still sharp after a full 90 minutes of action and he used all of that to perfectly hit a lobbed pass over the entire Almeria's defence for Pedro, who then squared it for the on-rushing Suarez at the far post who scored with a simple tap-in. Boy! Suarez is something when he's happy and scoring. He's proving to be really vital and we Barca need him to be just that. Touchwood!

Barca now have a temporary 7-point lead over Real Madrid in the race to win La Liga this season which would come back to 4 if Real win their game today. Nevertheless, Barca will fight on for the wins. Visc Barca.

Thanks for reading & cheers! See you again!    - yps05

Rafa begins his quest for the elusive Miami title !

Hey everyone,

Rafael Nadal opened his challenge to win the Miami Masters 1000 tournament for the first time with a win over compatriot Nicolas Almagro in straight sets. This is one Masters title missing from his trophy cabinet and he surely wants to have his trademark bite of it soon. Rafa looked sharp in testing conditions, with strong gusty winds blowing throughout the game. I'm glad Rafa showed no signs of being tentative as a result of his freak incident during practice a couple of days ago. He was very committed to his usual aggressive style and played quite a few Nadal-esque points in this match. Below is one such point from the game. Enjoy it... Rrrrrafa style! Vamos!

             


Thanks for reading & cheers! See you soon!  - yps05

Torres' 1st La Liga goal since return to Atleti !

Hey everyone,

                       

Fernando Torres scored his 1st goal in La Liga for Atletico Madrid, since his return to his boyhood club in January. It was his birthday yesterday (20th March) and it was a delight watching him score again. The player, fondly known as 'El Nino' in Spain, was on the score sheet almost immediately after the start of the game. Torres vindicated his inclusion in the starting line up when he scored from a well taken header, off Koke's cross. It was a thumping header that was expertly guided from among quite a few players around him. Torres has always been really good especially with his headers and with this one too, he gave the keeper little chance to stop it. Atletico looked sharp for the rest of the game and were barely tested. Another goal right before the end of 1st half score by Tiago all but wrapped off the game. They played with great control in the 2nd half too to seal all 3 points and stay in the hunt for the top spot in La Liga.

Here's the video of El Nino's goal. Kindly click "Watch on Youtube" since it has copyrighted content.

Thanks for reading & cheers! See you again!    - yps05 

Rafa's Indian Wells title defense ends.. but the future looks bright !

Hey everyone,

After a promising start at the IW 1000 Masters Tennis tournament, Rafael Nadal has lost to Milos Raonic in a grueling match in the heat of California. And with it melted my hopes of a Rafa vs Roger showdown. Rafa started the match in a very lively fashion and it looked like he'd run away with this match in no time. Every stroke of his had sting in it and Raonic had no answers. He broke Raonic's serve that wasn't broken throughout the tournament till today's match in the 3rd game of the match. Rafa then held off a stiff challenge to win the 1st set 6-4. 

It all seemed to be working just as well for Rafa in the 2nd set too, but he couldn't find the break of serve despite holding break points on quite  few occasions. To his credit, Raonic brought his A-game and dictated points with his serve in those situations. With neither player willing to surrender on their service games, the 2nd set went to a tie break which was a tight and tense affair throughout. Both players had their chances to take the tie-break. Rafa had his share of match points. But it was Raonic who kept fighting and closed out the set by winning the tie-break 12-10. The third set was the same as the 2nd one with both players trading blows. Sadly, Rafa surrendered his serve in the penultimate game of the 3rd set and there wasn't much chance of winning it back then. Raonic sealed the set and the game with a service hold. 

Ironically, Rafa was better than Raonic in the stats over all of the 3 sets, except for the Ace count. But he ended up losing the contest. This was Rafa's 1st major challenge after the Australian Open to gauge himself and I'm very glad that he did give a good account of himself. Rafa did show glimpses of the Rafa I have seen for years.  He did fight for every point. He seemed focused. But it was the inconsistency in his execution that let him down today. He played brilliantly to win a point, but then followed it up with an uncharacteristic error each time to allow his opponent back into the game. He just couldn't sustain his usual level of pressure on his opponent for long periods and that has cost him. But this was just his 1st challenge. Rafa now moves to Miami for the next 1000 Masters tournament, hopefully with lessons learnt and a stronger desire to get closer to his "phenomiNADAL" levels. vamos Rafa..vamos!

Thanks for reading & cheers! See you soon. 

-yps05

Visca Barca.. QF.. here we come !

Hey everyone,

What a thrilling game of Champion's League Soccer we've had at Comp Nou! A lot more thrilling than the final scoreline of 1-0 suggested. Barca must be really disappointed that the scoreline didn't show all that they deserved from this game and so am I. (since my prediction proved awfully wrong ;) ) The reason? Barca and Messi were thwarted time and again by Man City's goalkeeper Joe Hart who simply was having an incredible game. He deserved the Man of the Match award despite being on the losing side and that says it all about his unbelievable performance today. Nevertheless, it's Barca who were the dominant side and won both the legs of this match up to qualify for the Quaterfinals of this season's CL.

Credit should be given where it's due. Joe Hart and Leo Messi are the stand out players of the game. Messi did make his mark on this game. He was absolutely everywhere making his mazy runs and pulling the strings for Barca. He played in Ivan Rakitic with a glorious, inch-perfect pass that the latter finished with great composure. Messi's did everything in the game, the dribbles, an assist, the nutmegs, key passes; the only thing he couldn't do for the day was to be on the score sheet. And full credit to Joe Hart for the 10 saves that he made in that game that saved City from humiliation to say the least. 

While Man City were all over the park, Barca played well as a unit. Barca's defence was solid and so was their keeper, except for one moment of madness where he raced outside his box and left his goal at the mercy of Sergio Aguero. Ter Stegen, Barce's keeper, did atone for that mistake when he saved a penalty to deny Man City any kind of a look into this tie. The midfield worked with precision and supported the Barca's front-line really well. And, among the Barca front-line, Messi played his part and Suarez kept coming close all night. But Neymar is the one who needs to find his scoring boots soon. He had missed too many one-on-one chances against Hart which a player of his quality should score with his eyes closed and seemed off-color in his last few games as well. Barca really need their deadly trio to start firing together again to win silverware come the end of this season.  

But for now, it's a wait for the Champion's League QF draw to take place which will decide whom Barca is going to play in the next stage of this competition.

Thanks for reading & cheers! Do come back again! - yps05

UCL Preview - FC Barcelona vs Manchester City

Hey everyone,

It's all set for another thrilling encounter between FCB and MANC at Camp Nou tomorrow! (tonight if you are in India) The 1st leg of this Round of 16 tie, played at the Etihad Stadium, was nothing short of spectacular with both sides taking turns to dominate the game during each half. The result was a fair 2-1 in favor of FCB , who played at a different level altogether during the 1st half of that game to lead 2-0 at the end of it. But after the break, Man City gave a good account of themselves when it looked like FCB would kill off the tie in the 1st leg itself. Man City played well and deserved the one goal they scored, but they were let off by a late penalty miss by Lionel Messi that might well have put this tie to bed even before the 2nd leg. 

But as things stand, Barca have the advantage of 2 precious away goals they had scored which are priceless when it comes to contests like these. Man City cannot be taken lightly though for they did qualify to this round when all odds were against them in the group stages. And I can tell you that Leo Messi will be more than just eager to make amends for his missed penalty at the Etihad. So, this contest promises to thrill! Visca Barca!!

My prediction for the 2nd leg: FCB [3 - 1] MANC

Thanks for reading & cheers! Do come back again! - yps05

This is surely Messi-class !!

Hey everyone,

This is a video showing a dribble performed by Leo Messi in the game against Eibar the past weekend. It's nothing short of incredible, as you will soon acknowledge after watching this video. Sad that this move didn't end up in the back of the net that it so much deserved. So, here it is. Absolute genius from the magical Messi!

Thanks for watching. See you again.  - yps05

A good weekend. Well, almost!

Hey everyone,


It's the perfect 6 for Team India! :

As it turned out, the weekend was indeed a roller coaster ride. Team India were tested while chasing a decent total. But after a hint of a batting collapse, the middle order steadied the ship. And boy! Didn't they do a great job. The chase looked up in the air at one point to me. But Suresh Raina and MS Dhoni scripted a solid fightback and eventually sealed the win; and in doing so preserved our clean record in the group stage in the ongoing WC. It may not have come against a tough bowling attack, but the manner in which that was constructed without any real panic at any stage from the two batsmen was really admirable. I was mighty pleased with our spirit and the effort which is really crucial going ahead into the knock out stages, where the opposition this time, Bangladesh, cannot be taken lightly. And we do have an account to settle with them, after all. And that means #WeWontGiveItBack !

Barca come through their test and Xavi's 750:

Coming to the La Liga fixture between FC Barcelona and Eibar, the result was just what the Doctor ordered. Barca beat Eibar 2-0, with both the goals coming from Leo Messi. It maintained Barca's lead in the championship and gave Barca a chance to build on it in less than a week's time from now. The highlight of the game was indeed Xavi Hernandez's coming on to play in the 2nd half of the match to mark his 750th game in the Barca shirt. Leo Messi immediately handed him the Captain's armband and Xavi's presence really killed off the game for Barca. Xavi was very composed on the ball despite the added attention he was receiving on this day and controlled the game brilliantly from the middle of the pitch besides making a couple of interceptions to hand Barca the possession of the ball. I'd have preferred to see him get an assist or even score a goal himself (he had a shot on target blocked by the Eibar defence late in the game),  but this was the typical Xavi performance with authority and control. I do want Xavi to keep playing for Barca since I cannot imagine seeing him in any other jersey. And Xavi is completely Barca from head to toe. Long live Xavi.

Kimi ran out of luckat Melbourne GP :

And the five red lights did go out at the Albert Park circuit, Melbourne on Sunday to mark the beginning of the brand new 2015 Formula 1 season. Ferrari and Kimi Raikkonen proved that their form in the pre-season testing wasn't just smoke by qualifying well for the race. But in the race, Kimi, after a really good start, was squeezed for space and his Ferrari was hit a couple of times by other drivers which damaged the car. Nevertheless Kimi, despite losing places on the track and a botched pit stop after his first stint, fought for the podium with a string of Fastest Laps  in the  middle stint and got within 3 Seconds of the 4th placed car. But all his efforts were wasted after more problems during his 2nd pit stop and he was forced to retire from the race. In the end Sebastian Vettel finished on the podium for Ferrari in his debut GP with team to bring some cheer.  Ferrari only got half of what they deserved from the Grand Prix because of Kimi's unfortunate and forced retirement from the race. Hopefully such issues don't happen and Kimi get's to show his full potential in his SF15-T over the rest of the season.

Thanks for reading & cheers! Do come back again! - yps05

Nervously Excited !

Hey everyone!

The weekend has just begun here in America, and so does the run of games to make it more exciting.

First up is the final group stage game for India in the ongoing Cricket World Cup. Team India, currently playing their game against Zimbabwe, are continuing to show their mettle and are have been very effective with their performances till this point. They have bowled out Zimbabwe while I'm compiling this post and hopefully they close out the group stage with a clean record of wins. It is quite a feat that our bowling unit has performed so well and dismissed the opposition in each of their 6 games! This is some accomplishment and a matter of great pride. This has been our ace during this WC tournament and finger's crossed, it'll remain the same in the knock out stages as well. This really strengthens our chance of retaining our WC title, and the Men in Blue seem truly determined to do it. #BleedBlue

Next up, it's the La Liga fixture between FC Barcelona and Eibar, in the home ground of Eibar. And the highlight of this tie could be Xavi reaching a milestone in his career with FC Barcelona. This could be Xavi Hernandez's 750th game wearing the Barca jersey!!! Aptly called "The Brain" of Barca, this midfield maestro has seen it all in his 17 years at this great club. Although his appearances for Barcelona have reduced substantially this season, his influence on and off the field hasn't. His vision, passing and work rate are always a treat to watch. Xavi is more Barca than the badge itself. I haven't got more words of praise for him than these. His name just demands respect. If I am asked to name one Soccer player whom I'd like to swap places with, it'd undoubtedly be Xavi any day of my life. (aspiring to be Messi would be like trying to swallow the Earth!).

Coming to the Eibar vs Barca clash, this match is going to be a test of nerves and character for FCB, because of the fact that it's going to be their first game since they overtook Real Madrid FC to take the top spot in the La Liga standings for this season. We are getting close to the end of this season and it's crucial to keep this advantage at this stage, although the lead is just 1 point for now to the 2nd spot. It's even more crucial given the magnitude of games that follow.

Also in action over the weekend is Rrrrafael Nadal. Rafa is at Indian Wells to try and defend his title from last season. Although this is going to be just his 2nd round match up, any amount of time he spends on-court during this tournament is going to be crucial in order to really assess himself and his level against good opposition in this tournament since his comeback from injury. I'm hoping he does well and builds some momentum for the next phase of the Tennis season.

And last, but not the least, it's the roar of Formula 1 engines in Melbourne to mark the beginning of a brand new F1 season. By the looks of it, 2015 promises to be more of a battle between the top teams than what it was in the Mercedes-dominated 2014 F1 season. Although it appears that Mercedes does retain a sizable advantage over the rest of the field, it's much closer between the others. It's really heartening to see Ferrari coming back to some sort of a shape after so many years. Given where they stood at the end of last season, it really is some show of guts and character to be mixing it up with the big teams again. And this bodes well for Kimi Raikkonen; and also his good friend and new teammate Sebastian Vettel. I'll be cheering for Ferrari and especially Kimi and wish him a lot better luck with this year's challenger, the SF15-T, than the previous one. So, go Kimi ! forza Ferrari! Finally, a silent but strong hope that the Sahara Force India F1 Team have a good season too.

Have a great weekend people. Thanks for reading! See you again! - yps05

Rahul Dravid.. A True Character!

Hey everyone.

This morning I came across some quotes that define Rahul Dravid and his career. And they gave me goosebumps every time I looked at them and brought back to my mind fond memories of this legend. 

Dravid was an ideal team man, who had donned whichever role his team asked him to play in or whatever position he was asked to go out to the crease and bat. He was unique in his ability to adapt himself to any situation the game threw at him. He was a champion cricketer who always gave his team all that he had and definitely even more, never expecting anything in return. Not the least, a farewell match that he so deserved in the Indian jersey.

Dravid will always have my biggest admiration for his humility, work ethic - trusting sheer hard work to improve all the time, his determination and his selfless nature. Now, need I say anymore?

So, here we go. Cricket being a game of 11 against 11, I am posting 11 quotes that define the glorious career of this champion who will always be remembered fondly as 'The Wall'. Hope you like 'em!

Thanks for reading & cheers! See you again!! - yps05

Hello there!

Hey everyone! I'm Paul and I'll be posting under the pseudonym, yps05! This is going to be my first hands-on blogging experience; and as the name suggests, it's all about Sports! What better time to start blogging than when the Indian Cricket team is performing tremendously well in the ongoing Cricket World Cup; when FC Barcelona has once again taken the lead in the race for the Spanish League (La Liga) title this season; when Lionel Andres Messi is on song and has become the joint top scorer of the La Liga 2014-15 season; and when a brand new Formula 1 season just round the corner!

I have been following quite a few sports and sporting icons with great passion since I was a teen. And so I'll be giving my previews and views on matches/ races in general and specifically on the performances of my idols whom I cheer for and follow with all my heart. And any such opinion of mine is going to be honest and all my claims backed by statistics. I'll be posting after almost every time my champions take to the field. You will soon find out my other idols too when I make posts on them.

I feel this blog is long overdue from my side and I'm starting late with this thing, but it's always better than never. And especially when I'm cramming my social networking accounts with updates, emotions and reactions, all about sports! So hopefully I can continue blogging for years to come and I also hope you follow and make your comments.

Thank you very much & cheers! See you again soon!