12/21/24
April 28, 2011
The Special One Loses It: A remarkable outpouring of frustration, even by his standards.
Barcelonas' posession probably leads many teams to frustration which leads to an increase in cards. Teams like Real or Chelsea aren't used to having 30% of the time on the ball and that can be a real flashpoint for some of those players.
I will say that Pepes' challenge was pretty close to a 50-50 ball and probably only deserved a yellow, but was close enough that it could have gone either way.
I can't imagine UEFA will take these comments in stride and will probably hammer Mourinho.
posted by Ricardo at 09:31 AM on April 28, 2011
Mourinho - still a master at deflecting press attention away from how badly his team played by behaving outrageously himself and gobbling up all the headlines. It's a shame really. I think Real vs United would have made for a more entertaining final. Barcelona are beginning to bore me to tears.
posted by JJ at 11:16 AM on April 28, 2011
I love watching Barca, far more than Real. Messi's second goal was beautiful and their constant one/two touch short passing game is mesmerizing. SAF will probably have to deploy three holding midfielders against them and even then I think Man U's main chance to win is if Van der Saar is at his best.
Mourinho's behavior makes me think he's spending too much time watching BBC3's Special1 TV and not enough of Barca footage.
posted by billsaysthis at 12:47 PM on April 28, 2011
Barca players rolling on the ground over and over and over and over until the ref sees them is a fucking disgrace. And yes, I am still bitter about van Persie's sending off.
Mourinho is a tool for sure, but I am sick of Barca's whinging prats. I wish Messi would take his amazing talents to a team with more class.
posted by scully at 08:24 AM on April 29, 2011
Mesmerizing like watching grass grow. Tippy tappy tikki takka yawny yawny... someone SHOOT, for the love of god! Messi's second goal was a thing of beauty, but it stood out in 90 minutes of playacting and tediously pointless 3-yard passes. To each their own - if that's your thing, then you must be loving it and that's great - but I'm much more thrilled by the error-strewn, rapidity of the Premiership.
My favourite line from the punditry came at half time on the ITV coverage when Gordon Strachan was asked what he thought of the referee's decisions and his incessant stopping of the game: "If they sent him to Glasgow to do an Old Firm game, everyone'd be in prison before half time."
posted by JJ at 08:25 AM on April 29, 2011
In Messi's defence (not that anyone attacked him), he's the one player who seems to do all he can to stay on his feet and, at least the other night, he was the one player who didn't seem to get involved in crowding the referee every time there was an alleged foul. Real are as bad for that. At one stage Cassilas ran 70 yards to get involved.
posted by JJ at 08:35 AM on April 29, 2011
Whatever Mourinho says and whatever Real does, the club still has to make up for some serious bad karma earned under the late General Franco.
Catalunya! Si!
posted by owlhouse at 09:14 AM on April 29, 2011
Sorry, JJ, I just disagree. I love the Ticka Tacka and am proudly wearing my Barca jersey today.
posted by billsaysthis at 12:24 PM on April 29, 2011
And there's the joy of sport.
posted by JJ at 06:25 PM on April 29, 2011
How do you say sour grapes in Spanish?