Ronaldo to the rescue

On Wednesday night during a dramatic second half at the Vicente Calderon Cristiano Ronaldo single-handedly wrestled back the La Liga title for Real Madrid. It was a phenomenal performance from the Portuguese superstar when his side most needed it. Having dropped six points in recent weeks the title looked for a brief second to be within Barcelona’s clutches but Ronaldo quite clearly had other ideas.

It was another virtuoso performance from Ronaldo who is continuing to break all records as his remarkable career continues to flourish. He now has 40 goals in 32 games in the league this season with another 11 assists; the word phenomenal is usually sufficient in an example like this but in this instance it still doesn’t cover it.

Unfortunately for the Portuguese player he is playing at the same moment as one Lionel Messi who has won the last three Ballon d’Or titles ahead of him. If he had been playing in any other era he would be heralded as the greatest of his generation and certainly one of the best players of all time. Instead he is widely regarded as a amazing player but remains inferior to Messi in many people’s eyes. Certainly during his spell at Manchester United there were elements to his game that were selfish and a little immature but his development in the last three years at Madrid has turned him into the perfect modern day football player.

Standing at a little over six feet tall he is remarkably good in the air and is one of the biggest aerial threats in football. Playing in England during his late teens and early twenties has also toughened him up to the physical demands of the game and his strength on the ball is staggering. When you also throw in the fact that he is very competent on his wrong foot and is able to take free kicks with immense precision (his free-kick accuracy has been poor this season until a few weeks ago, he has since scored directly from three free-kicks) is surely enough to make him the world’s number one player?

Although many in England still dislike his arrogance and will never forgive him for winking at the TV cameras after getting Wayne Rooney sent off against England he must, and should be appreciated by any football fan, whatever your allegiance. He is said to be a very personable and amiable man off the pitch and clearly just loves playing the game. His talent was always noticeable, especially during his early years at Manchester United and it is wonderful to see that it has blossomed and developed into what it has today.

In a world obsessed with comparisons and rivalries it is a shame Ronaldo’s talent is not appreciated as much as it should be. He is a truly great player and is achieving things at Madrid that may well never be equalled. It is a great shame that the shadow of Messi looms over the Portuguese star at times and it is almost impossible to mention one without the other anymore. At this moment in time we have Messi and Ronaldo performing to levels not seen before and it should be enjoyed to the fullest.

England win highlights importance of Messi and Ronaldo

England’s surprise victory over European and World Champions Spain certainly came as a shock, even to the most loyal fan. It had been billed as a question of how many Spain could score against the hapless and much maligned English side. Although England managed to hang on for a well deserved victory the game could easily have been won by the visitors if they have not been so profligate in front of goal.

The opening few minutes set the scene for the remainder of the game. The home side were effectively stuck in their own half with only a long thump enough to give them much needed respite. The superior Spaniards were playing tika-taka almost at will; but, were not really threatening the keeper Joe Hart. The way England played was very reminiscent of how Switzerland played against Spain at Euro 2008; they stuck men behind the ball and smothered the central midfield.

For all the sublime control and technique on display it resulted in very little end product. Although the ball was moving around crisply there was little incisive play from the Spaniards. Occasionally an opening would appear but either the pass would be misdirected or an English defender would eventually fill the gap. What Spain needed was the dynamism and acceleration of Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo.

Having watched Barcelona on numerous occasions in recent years it became evident that it was going to be one of those nights for Spain. David Villa is not quite on top form, Fernando Torres is still trying to get back to where he was and even David Silva did not look like the player who has destroyed the Premier League thus far this season. The ball was not being passed at enough pace, there was not enough off the ball running and the incisive passing we see so often was not finding the player often enough.

What separates Messi and Ronaldo in modern football is their initial acceleration away from the first defender. Once Messi has received a pass he is looking to beat the nearest opponent and run into space where he is at his most dangerous. The Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger spoke of Messi after his side had been hammered in the Camp Nou two years ago and said he had never seen a player who could change direction at such speed and remain in complete control of the ball. It is this unique ability that makes these two players stand out from everyone else in the world and is exactly what Spain were lacking.

The slump in form and morale of Fernando Torres could actually hurt Spain more than Chelsea in some senses. David Villa is still the best finisher around in my humble opinion but since his move to Barcelona he has become more of a player than the ruthless striker of old. The side missed someone who could run on and break the line, rather than looking for another pass. What Torres did give them, once he came on, was that option and it was no coincidence that suddenly they improved - although with time running down it was likely they would step it up too.

It is often slightly ridiculous to criticise sides that have been as successful as Spain have in recent years but they must retain their ruthless streak if they are to remain on top. The same criticism can be levelled at Barcelona and it is why Real Madrid now find themselves in pole position in Spain. They will increasingly come up against sides that have set up to defend deep for 90 minutes and the key is getting beyond that. There is no doubting the fact that Spain will be one of the serious contenders for the European Championships next summer but they have to forget they don’t have a Messi or Ronaldo in the side.

Guardiola doesn’t rest on his laurels

It appears that a week cannot pass at the moment without more praise of Barcelona FC; their style, technique and work rate is admired globally at the moment, and quite rightly so. They are the stand out team in European football at this moment in time and the side that every manager aspires to catch and supersede. The team is blessed with the best three players in world football; Iniesta, Messi and Xavi and have recently added Cesc Fabregas and Alexis Sanchez.

However, it is all very well having the best players but you have to have a coach who can orchestrate the players. In the summer of 2008 it emerged that Barcelona were to part company with the then manager Frank Rijkaard and that former Barca fans favourite Josep Guardiola would be succeeding him. It certainly raised a few eyebrows as his only previous experience had been coaching the Barcelona B team.

The first thing he did was to get rid of some of the side’s star players which again looked slightly controversial. Out went Deco, Edmilson, Eto’o, Ronaldinho and Zambrotta and in came Daniel Alves, Seydou Keita and Gerard Pique. He also promoted Busquets, Jeffren and Pedro to the first team after coaching them for a year in the B team. He ended the season winning the Champions League, the Copa del Rey and La Liga in his first season. Surely it was the players everyone said….how little they knew.

Success appears to have come naturally to the Catalan coach who has now guided his beloved Barca to 12 titles in just over three years. However, it is the ethos and style of football that has endeared them to many and made them so successful. He has made them the best pressing side I have ever seen; every player from right back to striker hounds, harries and tackles under possession is retained. Pep has also clearly told the players that their best form of defence is also to retain possession. It sounds like common sense to say but actually is very hard to do in practice, most of their games end with Barca having had 60%+ in terms of possession.

The side also benefits hugely from their youth training facility – La Masia. After the purchases this summer they are now capable of putting out a starting eleven that features only home grown players. This education they have received teaches them how to look after the ball, how to use it effectively and most importantly gives them the awareness to know what their teammates are doing too.

He is also responsible for deploying Messi in the new position ‘the deep lying’ striker. From here he is able to drop deep and pick up the ball and then really hurt the opposition. Barca appear to have developed an incredible knack of playing defence splitting passes from just inside their own half. The two wide players on either side are then able to make inside out runs which then put them through on goal – as shown against Madrid in the Super Cup.

Last weekend’s game at home to Villarreal was fascinating for a number of reasons. Firstly, they brushed aside the side that finished fourth 5-0 which just shows how far ahead they are of the competition. Secondly, Pep began the game with a 3-4-3 formation with Busquets and Mascherano playing as part of the three defenders alongside Abidal. Next there was Keita who was the defensive midfielder and then they deployed Fabregas, Iniesta and Thiago in a three in front.

Whenever one of the back three brought the ball forward Keita would simply drop back into the three as cover. It enabled the side to always have at least two options to pass to every time they got the ball which makes it almost impossible for the opposition to retain possession – especially when up against some of the best football players in the world. It was remarkable to see and is the closest example of total football I can remember seeing in my lifetime.

Barcelona are a joy to behold for any football fan at the moment due to their style of play. Whilst many fans and pundits are quick to say it’s mainly because they have Messi, much of the credit must lie at Guardiola’s door. He has transformed the club from a very good team into possibly the best club side in the history of the game. Football is cyclical and the gap between them and the rest will narrow as time goes on but it will be fascinating to see how Pep’s career develops from here. He will not remain at the Camp Nou forever and will surely fancy a new challenge in the not too distant future.

Barcelona run riot at Wembley

The Champions League final on Saturday night ended up being one of the most convincing victories in recent memory; Barcelona dispatched Manchester United effortlessly to win their fourth European Cup. It was a phenomenal display from the Spanish side who must surely now be regarded as the greatest club side in football history.

In an almost instant replay of the final in 2009 United began in dominant fashion whilst Barcelona eased their way into the game slowly. However, after threatening a couple of times the Catalan giants went ahead through Pedro after some wonderful work by Xavi. The diminutive midfield maestro pulled the strings for the entire game; he completed 141 passes from a possible 148 which is staggering. When you consider that United’s two central midfielders contributed 56 passes from a possible 70 it begins to tell the story.

Although United did score before half-time the result was not in doubt. The ease with which Barca picked off United would have been horrible to watch for Ferguson. His team could simply not live with their counterparts and humiliation was not too far away. Much of the blame must lie with Ferguson who believed that Carrick and Giggs could halt the opposing midfield.

After beating Schalke in the semi-final you cannot blame him entirely for feeling that it was possible; however, the difference in quality of the opposition had changed dramatically. The need for a top class enforcer in front of the back four has never been so abundantly obvious.

The class with which Barcelona went about their business was awesome to see and in all honesty I don’t feel they got out of third gear – they simply didn’t have to. When you consider the fact that this team could be together for another two or three years it is frightening. Much of the credit must go to Pep Guardiola who has masterminded this dominance in recent years.

He is an incredible man who knows the club intimately and was also a member of the 1992 squad. He played and offered guidance to a young Xavi when he first came through the youth set up and has been instrumental in bringing Messi into the middle where he can really hurt opposing defences. Having signed another one year deal earlier in the season he will be desperate to win another Champions League trophy next season before he moves onto pastures new.

It was a wonderful final and a great advertisement for how football can be played. There is too much emphasis on the physical side of the game in England and that was clear to see. The most crucial elements are technique and skill which enables Barcelona to play their sublime style of football. I, like most other football fans hope this continues for many years to come.

Champions League Final preview – Barcelona

This Saturday will see Barcelona return to Wembley for the first time since winning their first European Cup triumph in 1992. It seems unbelievable that it took a club of the stature of Barcelona until 1992 to win Europe’s most prestigious prize. Since then they have won two further titles and go into Saturday’s game as favourites for the crown.

I can remember watching the game back in 1992. I watched it with my Dad who was explaining to me that Barcelona had never won the tournament etc. I can picture the moment when Koeman’s free-kick went in and won them the trophy. It began a fascination with the club that has grown since that moment.

The current Barcelona team are the best in the world currently and there is certainly an argument to suggest they maybe the best club side ever. They have the best player in the world and boast the three Ballon d’Or finalists this season in Iniesta, Messi and Xavi.

However, this side is a tired one and one that do look vulnerable. The rest they have enjoyed over the last fortnight could prove crucial in deciding the final. Against Real Madrid in the semi-final they looked jaded and some of their crucial players were a little out of form. They can be got at and I think it is imperative that United attack Barca rather than defending deep as Madrid did.

The side certainly boasts enough experience having reached two of the last three finals. Their manager Pep Guardiola is one of the best up and coming managers in the world and one thing is guaranteed; Barca will not change their playing style. The pitch at Wembley seems to have improved which will certainly suit their preferred method of attack. It is crucial that David Villa regains form as United have look seemingly impenetrable in this seasons competition.

I am sure that the Barcelona coaching staff will have told them to target Rio Ferdinand. For me he is the weak link in the back four; not because of his ability but his lack of mobility is a real problem. After watching him against Blackburn a fortnight ago the man cannot live with pace and against Messi and Villa he will need it.

After the unnecessary furore surrounding their semi-finals with Real I hope we see the football match everyone hopes to see. They are currently the best two sides in Europe, if not the world but Ferguson is sure to have spoken with his friend Mourinho about shutting out the likes of Iniesta, Messi, Pedro, Villa and Xavi. The little Argentian wonder kid has already scored 11 goals in 12 games in this season’s tournament and is only one goal away from breaking van Nistelrooy’s record.

It should be a showpiece final for all football fans to enjoy. Let us hope it lives up to it.

Iniesta shines as Barcelona triumph

It must be tough playing in this Barcelona side when everything revolves around Lionel Messi. No matter how good you are there is always the little Argentian wonder kid stealing the headlines. However, in this Barcelona side there appears to be very few, if any real egos. They enjoy their football, enjoy playing together and it’s very evident which makes them such a joy to watch.

Last night it was Iniesta who stood out for me. Having missed the first leg last week he returned to the midfield alongside Xavi where he is at his best. My father watches very little football these days but sent an e-mail last week in which he described Iniesta as the ‘best European player since Platini’. Praise indeed considering some of his rivals, not forgetting his club and international team-mate Xavi who takes many of the accolades.

It is not a coincidence that when Barca lost to Inter Milan last season Iniesta was missing. He is such an integral part of the side but is hardly noticed which I find very strange. He is an amalgamation of Messi and Xavi; he can beat people so easily, can finish astutely and is also capable of providing the killer pass – as we saw last night. His understanding with Xavi appears at times to go beyond telepathic; the ball just glides effortlessly between them as they advance up the pitch without sharing a glance.

The game itself did not really come close to what people had hoped for. It was more open than the other three games but it had to be; Madrid had to go to the Camp Nou and score goals. At times the game was incredibly stretched and some of the football on display was phenomenal – from both sides. The referee dealt with the histrionics and baiting very well and should emerge with tremendous credit after his work last night.

The Madrid players were by and large a disgrace to the club, the fans and the spectators. Excluding Casillas, Higuain, Kaka, and Ozil the rest spent the entire game kicking lumps out of Barcelona players and whinging to the referee. I don’t often agree with Arsenal fans but Adebayor really is a nasty piece of work and was lucky to remain on the pitch. Although to be fair so were Alonso, Arbeloa, Carvalho, Lass, Marcelo, and Ronaldo….I could go on!

So, Barcelona have booked their place at Wembley which will be an historic return to London; the scene of their first European Cup triumph in 1992. It will be an incredible occasion and one that would not be the same if the Catalans were not there.

Barcelona, Guardiola and Messi reign supreme in the Bernabeu

Last night’s victory for Barcelona in the Bernebeu could not have been sweeter. After the war of words between the coaches prior to the game the Catalan giants went out and proved a significant point. They have surely now overcome their bitter rivals with the return leg at the Camp Nou still to come.

The game began very similarly to the previous two; Madrid very organised and defensive with Barcelona dominating possession. The objective from Madrid was clearly not to concede early and hope to strike on the counter attack later in the game. The level of skill and technique from both sides was outstanding, although the game was scrappier on occasions than some might have hoped.

Unfortunately there was a rather unpleasant undertone to the game that continued to affect the football. Both sets of players seemed intent on getting their opposing players cautioned or sent off. Finally, in the 62 minute the game boiled over and Pepe was dismissed for a bad tackle on Dani Alves. Whilst it was not the most malicious tackle you will ever see his foot was raised and caught the Brazilian. The referee was surrounded by Barcelona shirts and produced the red card shortly afterwards.

The sending off has been debated long and hard already but I feel he was correct to send Pepe off. The previous two games have been fiery and the Portuguese midfielder had been lucky to complete 90 minutes in the Cup final last week. Next though we had the reaction of Mourinho which resulted in him being sent to the stands. It was a shameful end for the manager whose pre and post-match comments have been simply ridiculous; I hope UEFA punish him to the full extent of their powers.

With Madrid down to 10 men the gaps began to appear and Xavi, now playing with more freedom began to dictate the play. In the 70^th minute Barcelona took the lead after a fantastic cross from Afellay for Messi to pass the ball through Casillas’ legs and into the net. The Blaugranes in the Bernebeu erupted and the noise was deafening. The reaction from Pep Guardiola was magnificent and he would have been delighted that his young starlet scored the goal.

Ten minutes later Messi produced one of the finest individual goals ever witnessed in a game of this magnitude. He picked the ball up 35 yards out and just ran at the Madrid defence. Now down to 10 men the gaps between the midfield and defence were too large and Barcelona are just too good if you let them have time and space. He moved, or rather glided through three or four white shirts before finishing with his right foot. It was simply outstanding. Once again, the reaction from the Barcelona players, staff and supporters was incredible. The tie was over.

The game will hopefully be remembered for Messi’s brilliance but has been rather overshadowed by Mourinho’s appalling behaviour. I am a huge fan of the Portuguese manager and think he is an unbelievably talented man. However, his baiting of Guardiola, his constant moaning about officials and his general demeanour last night was shocking and something you just don’t want to see.

My congratulations to everyone associated with Barcelona and I am very much hoping they add a 4^th European Cup on 28^th May.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26VpWAAjPZ0

Madrid triumph in Copa del Rey final

Last night Real Madrid lifted their first piece of silverware in almost three years with victory over Barcelona at the Mestalla. It was by no means a vintage el Clasico but was a very interesting tactical battle between the two great Spanish sides.

Once again Jose Mourinho proved to be Barcelona’s nemesis; as he was with Inter Milan last year in the Champions League semi-final. Following the 5-0 humbling in the Camp Nou he has clearly become relatively obsessed with finding a way to stop the Catalans with the squad he has. Ever since the game against Spurs a couple of weeks ago he has been clearly tinkering with his formation in an attempt to get it right for these games against Barca.

He has deployed Pepe in a free role with the aim of breaking up Barca’s intricate passing in front of the defence. He has also been given the freedom to join in the counter attacks which he does very effectively. The Portuguese defender has an incredible engine which also makes him ideal for the role.

The Madrid game plans worked perfectly in the first half as the play was being continually broken up. They had the better of the early exchanges and dominated much of the first half. The Barcelona players simply look exhausted; the high pressing we saw against Arsenal was not in evidence last night. Some of their players are also struggling with form which made Madrid’s job slightly easier.

As the game got older it became a little stretched with Madrid not able to maintain their pressure as well as they had done in the first half. This played into Barcelona’s hands and for the first time in the game they began to create holes in the Madrid defence. There was a goal ruled out for offside when Pedro finished nicely after a lovely run from Messi. It seemed like Barca were growing into the game as they entered extra-time.

The introduction of Adebayor began to pay dividends as he was able to hold the ball up and bring Ronaldo into the play more. One of the many great things about this Barcelona side is their ability to remain calm when under pressure and they continued to probe and ask questions of the Madrid defence.

However, when Mourinho’s plans are executed to the letter he usually comes out on top and he did so again when Ronaldo powered in a header deep into extra-time. They had almost scored in the first-half of added time when the Portuguese forward broke on the right but narrowly missed the target. When Di Maria played a one-two with Marcelo he was free down the right and picked out Ronaldo in the area who headed the ball into the back of the net.

The upcoming semi-finals in the Champions League are now very delicately poised. Real will take a lot of confidence now going into the game next Wednesday but will also be aware that Barcelona will now be very fired up for the games. Their level of performance has dropped in recent weeks and a couple of the players were really out of form; David Villa looks a shadow of his normal self. These two games should be very, very interesting.

Barcelona vs Arsenal - a preview

Tomorrow night’s 2^nd leg in the Camp Nou should be one to savour. The game is finely balanced with Arsenal holding a one goal advantage over Barcelona after the 1^st leg at the Emirates three weeks ago. Both sides are struggling with injuries but this should be a game that every football fan is looking forward to.

Arsenal travel to Spain without Alex Song, Robin van Persie and Theo Walcott who all played in the first leg. Their manager Arsene Wenger confirmed that their captain Cesc Fabregas should be 90% fit for the game which will come as huge relief. He missed Arsenal’s visit to Catalonia last year and he was sorely missed as they were soundly beaten. It will be a tough ask for the Gunners to win the game but as long as they score and remain within one goal they will progress to the next round.

Meanwhile Barcelona have had somewhat of a defensive crisis as their captain Carlos Puyol has not recovered sufficiently to play tomorrow night. His regular partner Gerard Pique is suspended so they will have to call on Eric Abidal and Sergio Busquets to marshal the back line. This should all mean that Javier Mascherano will play alongside Iniesta and Xavi in the midfield with Messi, Pedro and Villa playing up front.

The game three weeks ago was fantastic; it was an example of how the game can and should be played at the highest level. There were chances at both ends and the only certainty tomorrow night is that there will be plenty of goals. We will definitely not see Arsenal go away from home and park the bus; both teams only know how to play one way.

The tie is balanced similarly to last season for me, the English side probably just edged the first game but Barcelona will not be as wasteful again. It is a real shame that both sides are missing such crucial players as the quality may not be quite as high as it could be. I would expect Barcelona to score three or four times so it will be question of how many Arsenal get in reply. They will have to maintain possession much more efficiently than they did three weeks ago or they will be severely punished. The whole world will be watching tomorrow night, I am sure it will live up to expectations.

Arsenal vs Barcelona – a review

What a spectacle we saw on Wednesday night at the Emirates in possibly the best game of the season thus far. The level of football displayed by both sides was something to behold and in all honesty it was simply exceptional. I am not the biggest fan of Arsenal’s but to deny them praise for the way they played against Barcelona would be criminal.

The opening few minutes were breathtaking as the ball travelled from one end of the pitch to the other at tremendous speed and under impeccable control. The way the Catalan’s pass and move around the ball is staggering at points and one wonders how any team can deal with it. However, in this game they ran into a side capable of producing a similar style of football and were not afraid to produce it at the highest level.

It was hard to believe that when Villa ran onto Messi’s through ball to finish calmly that 26 minutes had elapsed before the deadlock was broken. There had been significant chances at either end with Messi and Van Persie guilty of squandering good openings. The game was scintillating and at half time I for one still thought both sides were capable of more.

The second half will forever live long in the memory of Arsenal fans who saw their side continue to compete and begin to get have a stronger influence on proceedings. The away side made changes with half an hour to go which placed less emphasis on attack and the home side took advantage. Firstly Van Persie (who had been very wasteful previously) finished from an acute angle to level the game and then after a fabulous move started by Wilshire equalised through the much maligned Arshavin.

It was a thrilling game to watch and sets the tie up perfectly for the 2^nd leg in the Camp Nou in 2 weeks time. Some of the individual performances were outstanding; Busquets, Koscielny, Messi, Xavi – who had a 93% pass completion rate and the man of the match Wilshire. The young English midfielder surpassed all expectations in this game and really announced himself to the world with an incredible display.

The tie is evenly balanced although Arsenal hold the lead at the half way stage. It will be another extraordinary game in 2 weeks time and it will be fascinating to see how both sides approach it. I still think Barcelona remain favourites but the gap has certainly closed since last season.

Arsenal vs Barcelona - a preview

The game at the Emirates tomorrow night epitomises the term ‘mouth watering’. It will see possibly the greatest club side in history against the most attractive English side around. Last season we were treated to 180 minutes of utterly spell binding football that left everyone who watched open mouthed. There will be no defensive tactics employed – this will simply be a matter of who is the best attacking side.

For me it really is no contest; Barcelona sit at the top of La Liga and are currently the best side in the world. Their side boasts all 3 of the final Ballon d’Or nominees, the best striker in the world and one of the best up and coming coaches in world football. The style of football the Catalans play makes everyone envious and of the many imitations around Arsenal are the closest.

The game at the Emirates last season was the definition of a game of 2 halves. The first half hour was one of the best periods of football in a game I have witnessed in my entire life and the biggest irony of it all was that the much maligned Manuel Almunia kept Arsenal in the game (it could have been ten by half time without him). A rare tactical master stroke from Wenger then saw Arsenal score one and then a 2^nd after the introduction of Walcott; Arsenal could even have won the game at the end which simply did not seem possible after 30 minutes.

This season’s encounter should see Barcelona advance to the quarter finals but Arsenal are such underdogs that I really believe anything is possible. There is always a worry for me when teams are such overwhelming favourites and the team from north London are capable of shocking the entire world. Having said this not one player in the Arsenal squad would get into the Barcelona team although Fabregas and Nasri would certainly come into contention but in reality their counterparts are just better players.

We should see plenty of goals on Wednesday night as neither side would say they are defensively sound. The loss of Puyol for the first leg could prove crucial as Abidal is certainly suspect and Arsenal should look to isolate him at every opportunity. The problem is how you stop Busquets, Iniesta, Messi, Pedro, Xavi and Villa from playing it round you. In truth I just cannot see how Arsenal can win over 2 legs; they may win tomorrow night but I think it will be a question of how many Barcelona score in the Camp Nou.

Messi vs Maradona

Over the festive period I have been reading Messi by Luca Caioli and the inevitable comparisons were mentioned almost every other page. I was too young to see Diego Maradona at his best but have read, seen and heard enough to know he was one if not the greatest talent the world has ever seen. It struck me that we are so pre-occupied with comparing new greats to players of the past; any young, diminutive, left footed Argentine will always be compared to the great Diego – is this fair? More importantly is it even something you can compare?

In every sport there are modern players who are likened to players we have seen in the past but is it possible to ever establish whether they are as good. I don’t think it is possible to compare them. Things are so different in modern sport to how they were even 2 decades ago. The players need to adhere to the correct diets, fitness regimes and exposure that many didn’t experience in previous generations. When comparing the 2 great Argentines it is almost impossible to ignore the goals they scored against England and Getafe. Both beat 5-6 players before beating the keeper and scoring but was it easier to accelerate from Fenwick and Reid or the Getafe defence. There is no way of ever proving one over the other which surely makes the comparisons pointless.

Maradona guided Argentina to World Cup glory and Messi is yet to do so. It is said that unless Messi can deliver a World Cup trophy he will not be considered as good as the former Argentina coach. This is rubbish! Messi represents everything that is good about football and just watching him play for Barcelona or Argentina is enough to demonstrate that he is one of the most exceptional players to have ever played the game.

We do not need to be so obsessed about finding the next Cruyff, Maradona or Pele when at the moment we have players to watch like Iniesta, Messi and Xavi. Great players will always be remembered but do not need to be duplicated. Sport is about innovation and should not merely be about imitation.