The Special One

Frank Lampard, Jose Mourinho, John Terry

The Special One

There have been rumors for at least a few years now that Jose Mourinho would come back to Chelsea. I’ve dismissed all of them, didn’t want to get my hopes up high. Except, my hopes secretly escalated over the years and by this point, his return to Stamford Bridge would be as exciting as Chelsea winning the FA Cup – actually, way more exciting.

Advanced discussions with Roman Abramovich give Mourinho-ist Chelsea fans like me a realistic hope that he will in fact reconnect with his brainchild –  a team that became more confident, classy, and reputable under his wings. Mourinho had kickstarted a new era not only for Chelsea, but for the entire Premier League, raising the bar and giving personality to English style of football.

Since The Special One left Chelsea in 2007, the club has changed managers like underwear. Granted, managers – with the exception of Ferguson, Wenger and a few others – have a short life with a club. But if the average manager has a lifespan of a mice, a Chelsea manager has a lifespan of dragonfly. Abramovich never seemed to be bothered by the endless criticism of his knee-jerk reaction to the performance of his managers, but I doubt that he hasn’t had enough of them (8 in less than 6 years) to do what it takes to bring stability to the team he dives deep into his pockets for. If the tension between him and Mourinho is gone, as the media suggest, it’s highly unlikely that Abramovich wouldn’t pay whatever Mourinho wants.

The PSG talks don’t worry me all that much, Mourinho wouldn’t make a move without playing strategically. I mean, he gave tips to PSG for the champions league quarter-finals against Barcelona, he even sent them a video montage of Real Madrid’s victories for Christ sake. Who knows what that was all about but it stirred up a conversation, and surely got him the upper hand with Chelsea negotiations. To exercise that power, he demands to keep Frank Lampard who’s contract is up. OK, sure, he likes the guy, and Lampard is certainly a legend at Chelsea. But interestingly enough the media seem to believe that he loves Lampard so much that he will make his big career move based on the player who’s own career is not far from coming to a halt.

It’s still early to know how Mourinho’s psychological tricks and mind games will play out, but there’s a general consensus in the football community that he has unfinished business with Chelsea. He has more negotiating power there than with Manchester City or even PSG – two other teams that can afford to pay him the big bucks. A hot commodity like him is wanted by every club but only one club is desperate, and not just the club but the entire Chelsea fandom (with the exception of a bitter anti-Mourinho group of fans). We have a deep, physiological attachment to The Special One; we link the cumulative success of Chelsea to the origins of the team’s rebirth when Mourinho quickly but patiently inculcated the club with a winning mindset and defined their style and personality that would remain intact regardless of who and how many would manage after his departure.

It’s about time for his return!

The Return of the Zlatan

Zlatan Ibrahimovic will be playing both legs of the Champions League quarterfinals against Barcelona now that UEFA has lifted the ban on the second match of his two-game ban.

Zlatan is the top scorer and front man at PSG and has been key to the club’s success since his arrival in 2012. The return of the warrior striker has amplified PSG hopes, deflated Barca confidence, and raised the expectations of millions of neutral viewers who will be watching the match on April 2.

Zlatan’s history with Barcelona is a short one but has left a permanent scar on the player. Former Barca coach Pep Guardiola had crippled Ibra’s role as a star player, permanently benched him despite having scored 22 goals and making 15 assists in the season and let his personal feelings for the player cost the club a fortune. Barca were forced to sell Zlatan for a mere 20 million euros, even though he was purchased for 46 million. The power player used every tactic in the transfer book to be sold at the cheapest possible price-tag after it was clear that Guardiola wanted him out.

Zlatan has said a lot about his respect for Messi, Xavi, and Iniesta but his experience at Barca has left a bitter taste that he will fight tooth and nail to spit out with a victory this Tuesday.

But…Barcelona are favorites to win. The four-time European champions finished AC Milan’s realistic hopes of advancing with 4 goals and a clean-sheet. They are confident, fit, and prepared to take on PSG at Parc de Princes. Oh yeah, AND they have Messi. The prolific goal scorer has been unstoppable and I think it’s safe to assume that his magic moves will make an appearance, if not sweep the field.

PSG didn’t walk away from the last champions league match with as much confidence after a tie against Valencia. But they have a solid squad, and with guys like Lavezzi, Brazillian winger Lucas, Beckham, and obviously, Zlatan, they’re bound to create chances and keep pressure on Barca. PSG have far better defense, so that should help them against a club vulnerable in the back – unless they go acting like the AC Milan Rossoneri.

We can expect an exciting match but who will win is tough to predict. Supporters, haters, neutrals will all be playing close attention to Zlatan. How he’ll perform is not as easy to forecast as the performance of the more consistent, statistically superior Messi. But one thing that can be said with certainty is that if anything is a game changer it’s Zlatan’s rage and passion for revenge. For better or worse, the core of his conscious play and the engine of his winning spirit is his seething rage and relentless desire to prove himself to those who don’t believe in him and to those who have tried to kill his dreams. His dreams were killed at Barca (as he had accused Guardiola during his departure from the club) and he has a chance now to retaliate.

Zlatan is possibly the funniest football player but he’s also one of the most intimidating – both on and off the pitch. He doesn’t hold back his in-your-face madness. As his teammate Lucas put it: “He’s loud and always present. He shows he is the big player who knows what he wants. He leaves you in pieces…He’s funny, but crazy.”

Reporters seem to struggle with praising Zlatan without injecting the all too typical opinions of his arrogance and when he makes a pass they have a need to call it selfless. But what they are missing is his winning mentality that empowers not just his own performance, but the performance of the entire team. His shots are venomous and his passes more accurate than seen in most stickers (above 75% accuracy).

He is Zlatan.

Who’s not excited to watch this guy play?

“A Balotelli Beaut”

Mario Balotelli’s beautiful equalizer against Brazil.

Victory Feet

“You idiots! Those feet have paid for all of this!” — Zlantan, after his friends ask him why on earth he would have a giant picture of ugly feet hung in his brand new beautiful castle.

Barcelona vs. AC Milan, Champions League 2013

March 11, 2013

The night is dark and full of terrors for the footballers in Camp Nou. Starting the second leg of quarter-finals with a 2-0 loss means strategic nightmare for a club constantly pressured to prove itself as more than a just a collection of over-hyped divas – well, and, of course, more than just a club, as the motto goes.  So, what will it be? The instinctive Barca disposition to pass, pass, pass, and pass until it’s “open sesame”?  Or, will we see a more direct attacking side, ready to shoot bullets to compensate for the sacrificed fullback?

Should Tito Vilanova focus on defense or offense? After all, conceding a goal at Camp Nou can be a fatal disaster for Barca, or at least an overwhelming advantage for Milan. Except, there’s no point in keeping a clean sheet if they fail to strike at least a couple. So, 3-4-3 formation seems to be the best, if not the only, option for Barca.

Here’s why:

a) We’re talking about a team that is averaging three goals per game,

b) Milan’s key striker Pazzini will be missing the match due to injury and since Balotelli is cup-tied, the Italian side is statistically vulnerable on the front, and,

c) a strong center midfield will enable Messi do his thing, the usual magic, more effectively.

What makes this match so exciting is the high, though justified, expectations from Barcelona. It isn’t the same as Arsenal going into the second leg with negative 2, where red bull will likely be the preferred beverage of the viewers. No way! The stage is set up to be a spectacle with both teams fighting to prove they’re not only the best in their leagues, but the best of the best: the champions of Europe.

We know Barcelona’s obsessions with breaking records: if Messi scores on the 69^th minutes, he will have scored every minute of the game in his career – you know, that kinda crazy talk. They love breaking records, it’s like a drug for the club that is not satisfied with just winning. Yeah, just winning. And, sure enough, there are more record-breaking opportunities for Messi in this match. He needs just one goal to become the second highest goal scorer in the history of the Champions League.

AC Milan will be marching to the pitch a winner, but it wasn’t long ago, 2003-04 quarter-fianls, when they came in with pocket full of goals and left with pocket full of holes.

Camp Nou has an electric effect on its players and a terrifying one on its guests. Like Kobe guarantees Lakers will make the playoffs, Pique guarantees they will win this match. And if anyone with a ticket doesn’t believe so, he asks that they give it to their mother…or someone. He’s no Kobe, but a serious guy nonetheless.

I think what should really motivate Barca is not the thought of breaking more records. It should be this question: Do we REALLY want to see Balotelli dance away with his posse on Our pitch?

For those who don’t know, Balotelli has broken the record for most passionate, in-your-face victory celebrations.

On that note…

Let the game of thrones begin!

Link

Quarter-final Draw