Mourinho and Madrid: Analysis of a failure

He only had one job: Win the "Decima" for Real Madrid. He failed. Jose Mourinho's era at Real Madrid is for most football experts, fans and enthusiasts a failure. There is no doubt.

He arrived as triple champion from Inter Milan (Calcio, Italian Cup and Champions League) and he brought his huge ego into the Spanish league. In a press conference, Mourinho said:

"Please don't call me arrogant. I'm European champion and I believe I'm a special one." 

When you look at Mourinho's time in Madrid, you realize that maybe the Spanish club was too big for him. The Special One had to win the Liga and defeat Barcelona, especially with the team he had: Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, Ozil, Di Maria, Casillas, Sergio Ramos and many more. He HAD to win, no other options. 

However, in the first classico of his career, Mourinho will leave the Camp Nou with five goals in the bag and a lesson of football by Barcelona and Messi (who did not have to score a single goal in this game). 

Sure, later on, Mourinho found a way to stop Barcelona, but simply by playing dirty football with a great soldier named Pepe. This is Mourinho's way to play and always has been. 

"If you defend well and don't get scored on, you win matches. Simple as that."

Real Madrid will finally win La Liga in 2012. Madrid will even set records for most games won in La Liga (32), most away wins (16), most points in any of the top European leagues (100) and highest goal difference (+89). 

Sure the team won La Liga, but what about the Champions League? The one Mou was hired to win?! In three seasons, Madrid fell three times in the semifinals of the competition to Barca, Bayern and Dortmund. The 1-4 defeat to the German club this season is, in my opinion, a representation of the fiasco Mourinho's time at Madrid has been. 

We can also talk about Mourinho's managing skills and his relationship with high stature players such as Sergio Ramos and Iker Casillas. He had many arguments with the first one throughout his time there and most of the time, fans would agree with Ramos, an example of success and  hard work with Madrid and Spain. And then, Mourinho benched Casillas! What are you doing Jose?! You don't bench "San Iker" when he is fit!? He is one of the best goalkeepers in the world and you bench him?! Probably the biggest mistake of his career, so far.

Mourinho will coach a team he loves, in a league he loves next season. Chelsea's fans and players are ready to welcome the Special One back to Stanford Bridge. And he is ready too.

"I know I am loved in England. I am loved by the fans and the media. They treat me fairly. They give me credit when it is due and criticize when it is deserved. I am loved by some clubs, especially one. Spain is different, some people hate me, many of you in this room," Mourinho said in the UCL semifinals post-game press conference.

Oh Jose, you really are special...and we love you!

PSG in style; Nancy says bye bye

It wasn't an ordinary game at the Parc des Princes. The fans knew it; the opponent knew it; we all knew it. So, when PSG players entered the field led by David Beckham wearing the captain armband, nobody was surprised. It was a day of celebration, as we could tell by the colorful hair of Paris' players. Red, white and blue on their heads, their beard or even their bald head like Christophe Jallet, Paris entered the field in champions.

They left it after a demonstration of football, showing that this team has a bright future ahead of it. Carlo Ancelotti had everything planned, from Sirigu's substitution at halftime to give the first professional cap to Alphonse Areola, to Lucas Moura's entrance, also at halftime to give the Brazilian some playing time for the last home game and, finally,to the standing ovation for Beckham who played there is last home game, ever.

Certainly one of the most emotional moments of the season, if not the most. In tears, Becks walked out of the field, under the applause of the entire stadium, PSG fans or not. Then, the English legend is comforted by his teammates. He hugged all of them, one by one before finally sitting down on the bench.

Paris played great soccer. Ibrahimovic scored twice, putting his total to 29 goals this season. Matuidi would score the third goal on what could be Beckham's last assist of all time.
Brest will score a goal, but the story was written. It was PSG's night, PSG's season.

Far from the glamour and fireworks of the Parc des Princes, Nancy fell on their home field against a good team of Bastia (1-2). Nancy, who conceded 57 goals this season, is the second worst defense of Ligue1 (behind Brest). The club played poorly and fought for weeks to keep its head above the water, but what was expected finally arrived with the 18th loss of the season.

We will have to wait until next week to see who, from Troyes, Sochaux, Evian and Ajaccio, will join Brest and Nancy in Ligue2 next season.  

Athletico Madrid wins an intense final!

Athletico Madrid won the Spanish Cup title after defeating Real Madrid 2-1 in overtime on Friday, May 17.

It was the game to win; For both teams. Not only because it was a final, but also because it was a way, for Real Madrid, to erase a poorly season and for the Athletico to erase 12 years without a win against their opponent of the day!

Santiago Bernabeu was loud and colorful to welcome the two teams.
Real Madrid quickly puts the foot on the ball and dictates the pace of the game. They will do so for the entire game.

Madrid will score first from the header of the inevitable Cristiano Ronaldo. Out of a corner kick by Ozil, the Portuguese jumps higher than Falcao and heads the ball near far post, into the net! Unstoppable (15').

Madrid takes a well deserves lead. Indeed,  even if they score in their first real opportunity, they had the control of the game and Athletico was simply defending, having a hard time to keep the ball.

But surprinsingly, Falcao and his teammates will get back in the game. The Colombian shows his skills in midfield and dribbles three Madridistas before serving Diego Costa into space. The Brazilian striker gets a first touch in the ball to go away from Ramos and shoots a powerful strike with his left foot. Diego Lopez, Madrid's goalkeeper touches the ball, but cannot stop the ball from finishing into the net with the help of the post (36').

The second half starts just like it ended. Madrid still possesses the ball, but does not really find a way around the solid Athletico defense. Until Ronaldo, with the ball on the left side, dribbles a defender along the goal line and finds a cross in the box. Benzema is there, but his shot hits the post! Ozil follows and after a fake shot, sees his attempt saved by Juan Fran on the line (60'). The German player deserved a goal. He was the best Madrid player on the field tonight.

After Madrid, Madrid will hit the post one more time by Ronaldo. The Portuguese hits a free kick under the wall, Courtois is beaten, but the post once again denies another goal for Madrid and Ronaldo.

The last 10 minutes of the game are harsh. Tackles fly and the referee gives yellow cards like candies. Mourinho is furious on the side line and is finally sent off. Madrid lets the game slip away and both teams wait for the overtime.

The first half of overtime looks like the end of the game. Madrid has trouble posing the game and wastes some good on set pieces. Ronaldo loses his cool and shows some signs of aggravation.

Athletico takes advantage of Madrid's star defeatist attitude (the one we've seen during the last few months) to put more pressure. They will finally score the winning goal by the header of Miranda. On a corner kick by Koke, Madrid's defense heads the ball away, back to Koke. He then crosses the ball toward the first post and Miranda, unmarked, heads it home (98').

Despite a stronger pressure until the end of the game, Madrid won't score and will even finish the game down to 10 men after Ronaldo's reaction after a dangerous tackle. The Portuguese, who could be leaving Madrid this summer, shown his best and his worst for what could be his last game at Santiago Bernabeu.

Athletico can celebrate a victory against their archenemy they have been looking for since 1999.
Real Madrid, however, will have to forget a poor season that they will finish with only one trophy, the Super Copa, won at the beginning of the season. A sad way to leave a club for Mourinho, who should be Chelsea's coach next season and Ronaldo, who has shown his desire to see something else...

Are you ready for the Spanish Cup final?

Tomorrow, Friday, May 17. Real Madrid plays Athletico Madrid in the Spanish Cup final.
What seems to be a classic derby between the two Spain capital clubs still has a particular savor for a few reasons.

First of all, it's a final and as many coaches would say, you don't play a final, you win it! And Real Madrid needs a win, in order to cover a far-from-being-extraordinary season. Second in La Liga, far behind Barcelona, eliminated in the semifinals of the Champions League after a terrible 4-1 loss to Dortmund in the first leg, Madrid must finish the season with a title.

Second, the Athletico has failed to defeat Real Madrid in their last 25 confrontations. They surely don't want to leave the stadium with another defeat! And, to avoid that, Athletico can count on Radamel Falcao. The Colombian striker, who might leave the club for a move to AS Monaco this summer, has scored 32 goals this season and probably wants to leave the club with a trophy.

Finally, this game might be the last chance for two Madridistas to win a trophy before leaving. We are obviously talking about Jose Mourinho, who is most likely to leave for Chelsea after this season and Cristiano Ronaldo, whose last contract request has been denied by Madrid.

In Mourinho's case, it would be a way to shut the critics a little bit and leave Madrid with four trophies in three seasons. Not bad at all, even though the Champions League title is still missing!

For Ronaldo, we can say that his time at MAdrid (if he leaves at the end of the season) has not been so great. Alright, he won one championship and two cups (maybe a third one if Madrid wins tomorrow), but still, he came to Real Madrid to win the Champions League and get another Golden Ball. Unlucky for him, he had to play against a guy named Messi and lost in the semifinals of the cup three years in a row...

  

 

Chelsea wins Europa League

Chelsea FC won the Europa League title after defeating Benfica 2-1, at the Amsterdam Stadium, today, Wednesday, May 15.

Chelsea had trouble starting the game against a real good Benfica team. The Portuguese were able to keep the ball moving and had a few good opportunities to score. Chelsea stayed solid defensively and managed to end the first period scoreless.

The second period started off the same way the first one ended. Chelsea playing a kick and rush football and Benfica playing a pleasant and flawless football.

At the 60' minutes, Benfica gets an opportunity to score and after a few seconds under pressure, Chelsea manages to kick the ball out of the box, right in the middle of the field and right onto Fernando Torres. The Spanish striker wins a first challenge with Luisao and ends up alone with the goalkeeper. Torres dribbles him on the right and hits the ball onto the net.
Chelsea was taking the lead in one of their worst moments in the game; Classic Chelsea after all.

Benfica would come back in the game after an hand ball in the box by Azpilicueta. Cardozo transforms the penalty kick with a powerful shot straight in the middle of the goal.
Benfica pushs and almost score with Cardozo who sees his shot deflected by Cech over his crossbar (81'). Then the crossbar saves Benfica on a shot from 20 yards by Franck Lampard.
The last minutes looks like a tennis game, with both teams running from one side to another, trying to get the killing goal.

A killing goal that would arrive from the head of Ivanovic at the 93' minute. Chelsea's right back comes up from the last corner kick of the game. Lampard places the ball toward the second post, high in the air. Ivanovic has time to move and jumps between two defenders, surprisingly not jumping at all!

If you analyze the game, Benfica probably played a better football and deserved to win. But the beautiful football does not necessarily wins all the time (Barcelona can testify.) One thing is certain, Benfica will come back stronger next year, with talented players (if they manage to keep them).

Chelsea makes history by being the first club in history to win the Champions LEague and the Europa League, back to back, in that order. Rafael Benitez, Chelsea's coach, criticized since he took the job at Chelsea, responded the best way he could. Would that change his future with Chelsea?