Firstly, I'm not anti-Laporta because I don't support any Spanish team. I was just pointing out something I saw as odd, although, my last post had a bit of a presumptuous tone.
However it seems you are least partially right. I didn't watch the ceremony last year, by written accounts both Kenyon and Bobby Charlton did take awards and medals. By all accounts Charlton was a bit embarrassed, while Kenyon was heckled by United fans (expected since he ditched United for Chelsea). I couldn't, however, find the press release saying that losers won't send up a representative.
If it is the case, it's silly for UEFA to have a special representative only for the winners. I don't see how it's anymore embarrassing for the losers than the winners
Lee | 2009-05-30 12:40:13
Please stop this ridiculous Laporta bashing. UEFA issued a press release before the game that an ambassador from either club would be invited up first to collect a plaque: Laporta in the event of FCB, Charlton if Man Utd. It was determined that the losing team would not have to send up an ambassador as it was quite embarassing last time around when Kenyon had to do the equivalent last year.
UEFA decided that the ambassador would lead up first, becase it would be simply impossible to send him up last, with all of the players in the centre of the balcony waiting to lift the trophy.
If you really must try and use this victory to bash Laporta, at least get the fact straight first.
Eric | 2009-05-30 12:03:42
| Vienna | Austria
@ Andre
I also watched it again (for the 15th time now ;-)) and you're absolutely right. Still, this plaque is handed to a representative of the club. Who that is, is up to the club. The difference with Barça is, that the members elect president. They elect not only someone to run the club but also to represent it. Now his way of representing might not be to everybodys liking, I admit that, but that doesn't mean that he had nothing to do up there, because in the end, he's the man in charge. He's the one calling the shots and sticking his head out if it doesn't work. So in my opinion he had every right to be there and get his reward.
Andre | 2009-05-30 03:41:22
@ Eric,
I'm sorry but what you are saying does not match up to the facts. I have watched the post-game ceremony again, and when Man Utd received their medals, the plaque is handed to Alex Ferguson, who hands it to Ryan Giggs. Their is NO OTHER Man Utd "representative" because obviously Man Utd believe that the true representatives on a night like this are the players and the Manager.
So undoubtedly, this causes the "anti-Laporta" factions (or the people who are neutral observers and witness something out of the ordinary) to be a bit more, shall we say, interested, in the situation
Fcbnews_nic | 2009-05-29 16:26:19
| Barcelona
Hi Guillem and Lee. First I'd like to thank you both for inviting me to take part in the debate. In the end it was nice to be proved right on most of my points (united's limited chances and Ronaldo being the only threat for example). After the battering I took from United fans for suggesting Pep was better than Sir Alex the victory was even sweeter. All the best with the blog.
Cheers,
Nic
Eric | 2009-05-29 11:14:54
| Vienna | Austria
@ cule i yid
As I thought, this will give the anti-Laporta fraction again sleepless nights. It was UEFA procedure. Also a representative of ManUtd collected this plaque before the players recieved their medals. And for Barça this representative can only be the president
A big THANK YOU to everybody involved in making this website. Took me too long to find out about it but now I'm here to stay. Great stuff. Now I only need to get the podcasts working again.
cule i yid | 2009-05-28 21:32:41
| Miami | United States
I dont know if the admin will let me talk about this.....
Also as a socio found Laporta's actions again disgraceful. What on earth was he doing?? It was the players and Peps night, Laporta can give his usual interview but he should have been in the background. In a million years Sandro would never go up to collect a medal, I know that for a fact.
dr.amer | 2009-05-28 16:25:17
@LEE & EVERYONE associated with this FANTASTIC website ......
THANK YOU SO VERY VERY MUCH :)
dr.amer | 2009-05-28 16:15:26
coming to da match , well i thought it was a bit harsh to brand MESSI as BARCAs best player ......i thought XAVI n' INIESTA were both men of da match fr me ........
i thought had one of his consistent games but not a superior one , no way .....
ETO deserved his goal , i dont i've seen any centre forward as hard working as him , now he's in d' elite club of players who've scored in 2 separate CHAMPIONS LEAGUE finals ....
well done ....
dr.amer | 2009-05-28 13:46:09
i agree with STEVE WILSON , when described this BARCA style of futball just as ground breaking as da DUTCH TOTAL FUTBALL in da 70s .......its not a question of how weak or strong ur individual areas r , its a matter of how u approach da game ...........i'm not saying MAN UTD didnt approach in da right sense , yes they were attack minded plus they have their own way of playing AGRESSIVE ATTACKING FUTBALL ....but like i said before , MAN UTD r always beaten by teams that keep good possession of da ball .... fr those who believe SERIE A is slow , well mind u , BARCAs tempo was even more pedestrian , but were MAN UTD players even close to winning possession , NO .....
Lee | 2009-05-28 13:45:24
| Admin
@ Dr Amer
Glad you've enjoyed the ride with us my friend!!! And on behalf of Guillem and I, we'd like to thank you for all of your comments - everyone who leaves a comment - you help make the site what it is.
If there was a Champions League of posters - Dr Amer would be the FCBarcelona , deffo our most dedicated. Always look forward to reading your posts and know after every article you'll have something to say: not always right, but always informed and always there. Thank You.
You to Barcelona Eric - Top Cule!
Lee - VISCA BARSA!!!
dr.amer | 2009-05-28 13:34:30
we've actually come to realise that fr a club to prosper at da highest level it needs an owner or a president who knows da game very well ..................
lets face it , eyebrows were raised when SILVIO BERLUSCONI gave ARRIGO SACCHI his 1st job .......da rest as we know is history ......no team in modern era has been able to do what SACCHIs team did in 89-90 SEASON , i.e. be invincible in SERIE A plus successfully defend da EUROPEAN CROWN ......
but now he has a rival surely , LAPORTA might be just as contraversial but no one can deny his futballing brains ....probably what we all should expect from a man who worked as JOHAN CRUYFFs attorney before becoming president ...
dr.amer | 2009-05-28 13:25:18
@ERIC
SPOT ON !!!! i just love it ......simply because whenever a team had da beating of any ENGLISH side , all da press did was blame da ref. , conditions , even security surrounding da stadia ........now , even SIR ALEX didnt have an excuse .....
it was absolutely amazing ..........
its been an emotional week fr me , not just because my BARCA team won but also because my philosophies regarding futball, in general, triumphed , that too with a bang ...
i've completed my 1st whole season at GUILLEMs website , n' i tellya wat , i've enjoyed every bit of it .....no way i'm gonna slow down now ..........
Marcel | 2009-05-28 12:53:15
| London | United Kingdom
Guillem, mi hermano....why did you pick Man Utd against the second coming of the dream team? You are the foemost La Liga expert no? You've seen Barca's brilliance week in week out - the highs, the rare lows, the genius of Pep, the irrepressible Messi, the majestic Xavi, Iniesta, Eto & Henry, the solidity of Pique & Puyol.
I know you love that forgotten team of chancers Espanyol but really....give us some credit! Visca Barca my friend!
Eric | 2009-05-28 11:12:01
| Vienna | Austria
@ Andre
Laporta received a medal and some kinda UEFA plaque. Same with ManUtd. Before the players got their medals, someone from United got this plaque.
Probably just something the anti-Laporta fraction will read too much into. To me it just looked like basic UEFA procedure.
And by the way, now also that's official: Joan Laporta i Estruch is the greatest president in the history of Futbol Club Barcelona. Undoubtly one of the most controversial, but definately the greatest.
Eric | 2009-05-28 09:07:41
| Vienna | Austria
@ dr.amer
Who laughs last...
With joy I will read the english newspapers today. Lots of sports writers and experts will have trouble getting their exceptionally large feet out of their exceptionally big mouths.
Barça didn't just beat ManUtd, they outclassed them. After 8 nervous minutes at the beginning they got into gear and never really let them come close again. An improvised defence, missing at least 2 holders, kept the great ManUtd from scoring. How many chances did they produce out of the game: 2?
But now it's official: FC Barcelona 2008/2009 - the best team in football history
dr.amer | 2009-05-28 06:34:20
this actually sets up next season pretty nicely ..........
now it might just be easier to believe that a ERA has started , BARCELONA r always gonna be a safe bet .....
now all they need t'do is get a couple of good players , so they can make history by being da 1st t' retain da title .......i think they can but only if they act smartly in da transfer window ..........
before all that , i would like to ask GUILLEM : What name has the MEDIA given to this BARCA that's gotten legendary status already ???? DREAM TEAM 2 ????
Keens | 2009-05-28 06:13:35
| Johannesburg | South Africa
Sadly the english press will probably have nothing to write after their beloved Man U got mawled, a real footballing lesson. Andries Iniesta....well his feet do the talking
Andre | 2009-05-28 03:29:54
| Sydney | Australia
Hi Guillem,
Watching tonight's ceremony, I was struck by the fact that Laporta was actually the first to receive a medal. I don't remember this happening in 2006, and not when Real last won the Champions League. Is my memory mistaken? Do some find this controversial? I couldn't imagine Hill-Wood or Glazer doing something similar. Many people talk about the image of Barcelona, but off the field, the memories of Sandro Rossell's departure and his accusations against Laporta are still fresh in my mind. This latest incident (if it is unusual) would seem to support the case that Laporta has let everything go to his head. Is Laporta a stable leader for the club?
cule i yid | 2009-05-28 02:47:38
| Miami | United States
Very very proud to be a Cule tonight. Now from the British media credit where it is due please. Some of the people were suggesting Barca would lose 3-0. Xavi and Iniesta were better than the Man utd midfield. Puyol was inspirational as usual. The fools on sky who critisized him when has he ever let Barca down?? He is everything this club stands for.
If this club wins the world club championship they have had the best season in history as far i am concerned.
Now Guillem just please admit this team is something special. Did you pick Man utd tonight just because you are a parakeet???
Wish I would have bet on Barca. You would have got 8-1 in August for Barca to win the champions league. 500-1 for the tripleta.
Gracies Pep and the
Anish | 2009-05-28 02:30:57
| Sidcup
Congrats, Barca! What a wonderful display of attacking football.
I've never been so happy to be so very wrong! United didnt turn up tonight. Ive never seen them so deflated after conceding an early goal. Vidic and Rio looked like amateurs... Felt sorry for Carrick, the poor guy got no support from Anderson, Park and Giggs (who should never have started). They gave Iniesta and Xavi so much room.
I must say, Barca were outstanding in every position. Piqué in particular was immense.
I just wish Barca put 4 or 5 past United and humiliated them.
Josh | 2009-05-28 01:58:48
| Sydney | Australia
Congratulations Barcelona, you are the greatest football team on the planet at present. I think it was evident for the entire football world to see last night, Man U arn't that great a team, dumbfoundedly stood by and watched Barca pass them to peices, Sir Alex still doesn't understand that you actually need real midfielders in a football team, not just 5 strikers who can play midfield in the EPL.Sir Alex didn't even respond to the game, he simply did what he does in the EPL, throws more money on the field and hopes it works out. And the disgraceful tackles by Ronaldo, Scholes and Vidic,schoolboy tantrums.Raphael Honigstein: Will we see the most one-sided final since Porto v Monaco(3-0)in 2004? I think there might be a similar score! Ironic
Smithie | 2009-05-27 23:40:31
| Huddersfield | United Kingdom
As a Liverpool fan i just want to congratulate barcelona for beating the GREAT Man utd tonight. Barca truly outclassed them tonight and at last it will keep the british media quiet for the next few days. I just wish people would realise that Man utd arn't that great and that if you have a go at them they can be beaten. I can't wait for next season because its gonna be Liverpools year for the title...To all fellow reds and Man U haters.....
YNWA
dr.amer | 2009-05-27 23:22:00
I CANT STOP BRAGGING ....da' only regret is that i cant bet , [ I'M A MUSLIM ] .......but i believed BARCELONA would do it when da season hadnt even started .....i think it was last yr [ early september ] when i said , we were gonna see a repeat of da scenario , KAKA -2007 , RONALDO -2008 , now MESSI -2009 ....
mind u , i didnt believe it would be that eas fr BARCELONA , who i personally think played their toughest game against CHELSEA ......
but like i said , CONTINENTAL POSSESSION FUTBALL is SIR ALEXs achilles heal , a weakness i should say , he just cant seem to work out a solution .......by da way , as a unit MAN UTD never were as good a unit as CHELSEA [ defensively anyway ] ...
unbelievable .......
dr.amer | 2009-05-27 23:01:13
dont u just love when u prove everybody [ literally EVERYBODY ] wrong .......i think even GUILLEM would agree , i was d'ony one who believed BARCELONA would win .......
so much fr da best defence :P , that was easy ......
fantastic treble :)
dr.amer | 2009-05-27 19:58:00
@ERIC
thats exactly one of da reasons why ppl like me hate ENGLISH futball PUNDITS { well most of em anyway } .....many of them dont even know d' ABC of CONTINENTAL futball but yet they end up giving weird provocative comments ........absolutely terrible .......
there's only one comment that really made sense [ unfortunately i cant recall who gave it ] which was quoted as saying : teams under threat of relegation in LA LIGA r far better than teams suffering da same scenario in da PREMIER LEAGUE .....but thats d'only comment i've ended agreeing with ........
Anish | 2009-05-27 14:01:22
| Sidcup
I hate to say it, but I think United will win tonight. They'll squeeze the life out of Barca and sneak a victory with a bit of brilliance from Ronaldo or Rooney, or on penalties. Henry always takes a few weeks to get into his stride after any injury; Eto'o hasn't played much in the last couple of weeks either (and when he has, he's been poor) so I doubt he'll be sharp either. There's too much resting on little Messi's shoulders. Iniesta and Xavi will be crowded out in midfield and Barca's makeshift defence wont cope with any of Utd's strikers. I'll be praying to the football gods for a decent, open game (and a Barca win), but I think it could be a disappointment as a spectacle (and a dour double for United).
Eric | 2009-05-27 12:58:58
| Vienna | Austria
Came across a few experts-opinions on skysports.com and wonder if some of them even watch spanish football:
Matt Le Tissier: "Lionel Messi NEVER had a good game against an English team"
Never? He was outstanding against Chelsea in 2006 and despite just coming back from injury he was Barças best against ManUtd last season. I could say that Ronaldo never had a good game against spanish teams: Barcelona last season, Villarreal,...
Paul Merson: "They have broken records but our league is much better; you play Tenerife and Mallorca in la Liga, but you don't play Camber Sands in the PL"
Tenerife? Really?
Charlie Nicolas: "I've never been a fan of Samuel Eto'o, who is a good finisher"
Eto'o a good finisher? Since when?
2Ole | 2009-05-27 11:44:24
Rooney will be the Man of the Match coz he's gonna score the winning goal!!!Mark his word and mine too :)
dr.amer | 2009-05-27 10:44:24
something tells me INIESTAs gonna be da man t'watch in da final .....whether he starts or just plays da second half ....
