Barça Refuse to Lose to the Yellow Submarine

Barcelona were sitting on top of the league, ahead of Atlético Madrid by seven points as they took the field at Villareal's Estadio de la Cerámica. The so-called Yellow Submarine have been pretty abject this season, with relegation a possibility for the inconsistent, canary-colored team. Barça played three days ago in la Liga's return from…Read more Barça Refuse to Lose to the Yellow Submarine

For the Love of Messi, the Betis Fans Applaud

Messi's hat trick against Real Betis yesterday already has been laughed, cried, and marveled over. Around the world, response to the performance was instantly elevated to the pantheon of his finest showings by journalists and supporters. The most indelible reaction to Messi came from the Real Betis home fans at the Estadio Benito Villamarín in…Read more For the Love of Messi, the Betis Fans Applaud

Dembélé, Coutinho, and Paying Over the Odds for the Champions League

Barcelona played Lyon at the Nou Camp for the home leg of the Champions League round of sixteen. In the time since the scoreless first game of the tie in France, both Real Madrid and Atlético had been knocked out after failing to close the deal on their leads against Ajax and Juventus. Barça would…Read more Dembélé, Coutinho, and Paying Over the Odds for the Champions League

Narrow at the Nou Camp – Barça v Valladolid

The last game before the return of the Champions League: Valladolid in la Liga at home. Barcelona was rotated and a bit bruised. Valverde rotated Suarez, Rakitic, and Coutinho to the bench, while giving Dembélé, Arturo, Vermaelen and Kevin "Prince" Boateng the start alongside most of the usual suspects. So how did Valverde's team look…Read more Narrow at the Nou Camp – Barça v Valladolid

The Cold Snap

FC Barcelona have drawn their last three games--Valencia, Real Madrid in Copa del Rey, and Athletic Bilbao--all three of which being played within eight days of each other. With the games coming just as the season arrives into the decisive period where the cup fortunes begin to materialize from the murky winter months, there is…Read more The Cold Snap

The Deficit

Barcelona's 5-1 AGG loss to Real Madrid in the Supercopa de España has signaled a palpable shift in the power dynamic in Spanish football. Any talk that the two sides maintaining parity in spite of Madrid's recent la Liga title and three Champions leagues in the last four years has been, for the time being,…Read more The Deficit