Ladies & Gentlemen as you well know FC Barcelona completed their greatest season ever by defeating Manchester United 2-0 in the 2008-09 UEFA Champions League Final. The win gave them their 1st ever treble as Barcelona became the 1st Spanish team to win a treble. Barca captured La Liga, Copa Del Rey, and the Champions […]

Football is often at its best when it revels in simplicity. And Barcelona used a simple principle to win yesterday's final: if you never give your opponent the ball, he cannot beat you. Sounds like something out of the Art of War. Maybe it was. United did have some time on the ball, but it […]

And now it's time for all good little football writers to predict the winner of today's final. No dodging the question. No avoiding the responsibilities of punditry. Well, Clyde, I think it's too close to call. I mean, if we don't pick a side, we're being wishy-washy, right? Readers want deliberate statements. They want to […]

Some years, it seems like the UEFA Champions League is one part football, four parts money and twelve parts hype. This year, however, the hype surrounding the Champions League Final certainly seems justified. Manchester United v. Barcelona. Champions of England v. Champions of Spain. Both clubs are goliaths. Both clubs have already won two domestic […]

If you would believe various pundits, the annoying debate that many football fans have been subject to this year and last – Ronaldo vs. Messi – will come to its conclusion in the UCL final in Rome. On the biggest stage in club competitions, the two most complete players in attacking football will meet head […]

Why is it so hard to have a governing body with an ounce of common sense, UEFA just seem bereft of it every time it seems like they'll do the right thing. Are your matches blighted by neo-nazi's forming swastika shapes on the terrace? Here, have a fine of $3 and don't do it again. […]

Football loves dominant sides. Think of Herbert Chapman's Arsenal of the 1920s, ravaging England with the WM formation; Real Madrid of the early days of the European Cup, with Alfredo di Stefano and Ferenc Puskas wreaking havoc on unsuspecting continental champions; Liverpool getting comfy on their "fucking perch," winning four European cups in the span […]

With their typical class, Chelsea players and staff asserted their belief, following their 1-1 agg defeat to Barcelona, that UEFA conspired against them to prevent an all-English final in the Champions League. Players, such as Didier Drogba, displayed their sentiment by all but physically assaulting the referee as he left the pitch. Manager Guus Hiddink […]

After a goalless display by an overly defensive Chelsea side in the Champions League, Barcelona busted out as The Blaugrana displayed their championship form in their annihilation of Real Madrid 6-2 at The Santiago Bernabeu. Mathematically Barça hasn't captured its 19th La Liga title but come on they are gonna win it. 7 point lead […]

What was Guus Hiddink thinking? Yes, clean sheet at the Camp Nou is a commendable achievement, and I still feel Chelsea are the more likely to go through to the final. But after promising that the Blues would try to score in the away leg, Hiddink's tactics against FC Barcelona show he had absolutely no […]

How do you stop the best player in the world, Lionel Messi will probably be keeping Guus Hiddink awake tonight as he prepares for his stiffest test yet as Chelsea's interim manager. Whilst I appreciate the bravado that Hiddink is giving in regards to his own players, he is right to dampen down the furore […]

Chelsea's epic 4-4 draw at Stamford Bridge against Liverpool drew high praise from football fans, with some going as far to call it the match of the century. The reward for the Blues was a berth in the Champions League semifinals against Barcelona, and that two-legged tie begins today at Camp Nou. History lesson: There's good news […]

The FIFA World Player of the Year is the greatest individual honor a footballer can win in the sport. As it is well known, the '08 award was won by Manchester United's Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo. After the award presentation, attention shifted to who could win the 2009 FIFA POY Award. Almost immediately, the 1st […]

On paper, FC Barcelona could be the world's most formidable attacking side. Messi, Henry, Eto'o, Xavi, Alves, Iniesta, Abidal. Some of the most prestigious names in world football and are among the great wealth of talent in Barcelona's ranks. They have been a dominating force this season with 24 wins, 3 draws and 3 losses, […]

The rumors have begun to churn: Benitez wants to go after Samuel Eto'o in the summer. The Barcelona striker has already scored 25 goals in 27 matches for his club this season, but could the Camaroon international find a place at Liverpool? With Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard both in great form and leading the […]