Samuel Eto'o

Next season's La Liga starts August 18th https://www.sport-english.com/en/news/laliga/start-date-confirmed-for-2018-19-la-liga-season-august-18-6809939

Dennis Bergkamp's Birthday today. One of the most technically brilliant and gifted players of all time. The non-flying Dutchman. A fave of mine, right up there with Laudrup. https://www.irishnews.com/sport/2018/05/10/news/on-this-day-may-10-1969-non-flying-dutchman-dennis-bergkamp-is-born-1326032/

Maybe I'm asking too much of our beloved club, but as far as I'm concerned an unbeaten Liga season is the only acceptable outcome for the farce that was the exit to Roma. The only way Valverde can justify to himself and others why he managed the squad the way that he did. It's not the fact that we lost mind, it's the manner in which we did. Only have ourselves to blame. As far I'm concerned this season's CL exit was (by far) the worst of them all. Barca plays Villareal at home today, away to Levante on the 13th and final match of the season at the Camp Nou vs Real Sociedad on May 20th. None of these teams have anything left to play for (Villareal has already more or less secured their Europa League spot). If Barca doesn't complete these 3 matches undefeated a lot of cules will be disappointed. How often do these opportunities come along? (Especially when these titles and ties were ours to lose?) The same way an opportunity at a Treble this season comes along only once in a blue moon. To think that we squandered/missed such a golden opportunity. An El Clasico Champions League Final to boot! Time to write your names in the history books, lads!

Feels odd to see Eto'o in Mallorca colours. One of my favourite Barca players of them all. The Luis Suarez of his generation. Or is Luis Suarez be the Eto'o of the current generation? Love how confrontational he always was with Madrid That's a nice brace right there. The YouTube link is from another match where Mallorca won 4-0 over Madrid.

This is just sad. Miss the days when there wasn't any of this corporate sponsorship nonsense. #eatlikeapro by #beko indeed! #hashtag #hashtag ad infinitum! Back then, it was the other way around. Barca paid to have a worthwhile noble cause (UNICEF) emblazoned on kits. Going back further, there wasn't even that. Classic. Pure. Just like the game itself should be. Hope we'll see the real Barca (pun intended) this El Clasico, an ANGRY Barca, a HUNGRY Barca, a Barca that KNOWS they made a mistake at Roma, a tie they never ever should have lost (and wouldn't have if Valverde hadn't chased the "unbeaten liga season and copa" scenario). Say what you want folks, but losing to Roma was very much a lost/missed opportunity on our part. It may very well have been the El Clasico Final UEFA itself has been trying to engineer all these years with a legitimate chance at the treble. (Ironically enough Liverpool was the one team I wanted to avoid. I was confident we could handle everyone else. I mentioned this elsewhere in the forum and outside this forum). You can be sure the Madrid players themselves want to mar Barca's unbeaten liga season. The El Clasico match itself is a mere formality to be played, but if the Barca players have any shred of dignity they will play lights out, give it their all, play with HONOUR (none of this saving yourself for the World Cup bullshit) and show the World who the real Champions are (pasillo or no pasillo). Turn the Camp Nou into a true gladiatorial contest and coliseum worthy of Rome. https://www.footyheadlines.com/2018/05/eat-like-pro-barcelona-unveil-one-off-clasico-sponsor.html

Nice beaches there mate? How is it compared to Biarritz? Friends say I "eat like a king." Love eating. When you get the chance I'd love to see that List, mate. Been looking into property in Sarria-Sant Gervasi (La Zona Alta) but please don't let that limit your recommendations. Thank you so very much.

To be released on May 25th. This is a "must get" for me. Would prefer to have the stripes/details over the shoulders and arms but this is as classic as you can get, right up there with one of my all-time favourites the 2009-2010 jersey. The thinner stripes harken back to an earlier Barca era. Classic as can be. (A contemporary take on a classic.) https://www.footyheadlines.com/2017/07/barcelona-18-19-home-kit.html

Luan was being considered for Barca too. Would have loved to get the both of them. As the Coldplay song goes: "We live in a beautiful world." Thanks for the memories Don Andres Iniesta.

Hate to say it but Andre Gomes would 100% have played the safe pass here. If this generation of Barca wants to be Football Immortals once again, not just in trophies won, but also in the football played, we do need to get rid of driftwood/deadweight. Have to be SCIENTIFIC about it. No room for sentiment. Him leaving Barca would be for the best for everyone involved, most of all himself. Never did see him with Valencia, but I understand that he was a proper player then. He needs to go elsewhere to thrive. Not every player is designed to play for Barca, no matter how much time and effort they put in. Playing for Barca looks deceptively simple, when it's anything but. It was Cryuff himself who said that.

Who's that next to Laudrup? The Original Dream Team. It would have been Cryuff's Birthday in 3 days, April 25th. Architect of Modern Football.

Proof positive that the relationship between the eternal rivals Barca and Real Madrid is a symbiotic one. One's success cannot exist without the other. One's success only spurs the other on. Just like Messi and Ronaldo could not possibly in the conversation for the Greatest Player of All Time if not for the other. I have the utmost respect for Real Madrid mixed in with a healthy bit of jealousy. Some of that jealousy is borne out of Madrid's success when it comes to excelling on the European stage. I personally would love it if Barca prioritized the Champions League over other competitions, the way a Real does. Just how well would Barca do in that scenario, I wonder. Would we see Barca on the verge of a third consecutive CL title too? It's a cultural thing. Madrid puts great emphasis on the European Cup/Champions League (as it's an indelible part of their legacy, which I do respect). Barca, less so. Look, it's no coincidence that Guardiola-led teams tend to do well in the domestic league, while not necessarily performing well in the Champions League. The reasons are detailed in the article above. The Champions League, by definition, crowns the Champions of Europe. I just think it's unfair to proclaim the Champions League winners Kings of Europe when they can't even perform consistently domestically. It's always a question of fairness with me. "Champions of Europe" when you can't even be Champions of Spain/England/Italy/France etc. to me just seems a trifle odd. The 1992, 2006, 2009, 2011, 2015 Barca teams that did win the European Cup/Champions League have all invariably been part of European Double/Treble winning teams. If we were to do a survey of the Greatest Club Seasons of All Time (this would make a good topic), each and every one of these Barca teams MUST be in the conversation. Spain having the best/toughest league of them all. A Chelsea winning the Champions League and FA Cup Double in 2012, or a Borussia Dortmund 1997 CL winner, while very noteworthy, would they be considered among the Greatest Club Seasons of All Time, objectively speaking? I'm not so sure.

Folks what do you think? Is this true? Can Barca's season not be judged until after the Champions League Final on May 26th? (assuming Real Madrid are in the Final. obviously). A rather bizarre situation, to be sure. https://www.sport-english.com/en/news/barca/the-final-barca-cant-win-until-may-26-6772988

Cryuff-Forever and For Always in Our Hearts

Oh no! https://www.footyheadlines.com/2017/12/real-madrid-18-19-home-kit.html

Coupe des Clubs Champions Européens (ole big ears himself. We'll see you soon; next year) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Champion_Clubs'_Cup#The_trophy https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/thetrophy/

The two Trebles (count em, 2) Barca have won are OBVIOUSLY part of the European Double https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_(association_football)#The_European_Double_(Double_Champions) Barca have 5 (4 this century thus far!). That's the thing: our Barca ALWAYS wins the Champions League/European Cup together. 5 European Doubles = 5 Champions Leagues/European Cups. Long may this tradition continue. No other team has more than 3 European Doubles

Will be the 8th domestic double in Spanish football history, twice that of the El Clasico rivals. Bilbao have 5 and Atletico 1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_(association_football)#Spain Hoping Barca get at least the European Double/Continental Double (Champions League and La Liga) next season! (we're at a stage now where we're savoring Messi's every magical moment and counting down to his retirement! Next season as good a time as any for the Continental Double/Treble with the Champions League Final in Madrid!) Cannae wait! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_(association_football)#The_European_Double_(Double_Champions)