Many who don’t follow the beautiful game intensely would still have made time to catch a game of this magnitude with two teams as highly rated and with such cherished histories as Real Madrid and Barcelona. This game should have been a spectacle not only for the hard core fans of both sides but also for the lovers of football around the world and even for the casual observers. Instead we witnessed a spectacular disaster and innumerable examples of everything that is wrong with the game.

In fairness, Barcelona didn’t do much wrong except for the awful playacting by Pedro, Busquets, and Alves. I thought Guardiola learnt from his past mistakes and played a very safe game tactically. His teams have struggled in big away games when they have tried to attack. Pep kept 6-7 men in his own half and they just knocked the ball around inviting Real to come at them. A defensive but prudent approach that paid dividends at the end.

Mourinho, probably inspired by Wenger’s tactics of attacking Barca late in the game, kept his players back as the game meandered along. The first half was a pedestrian performance from both teams not only in terms of the speed of the game but also the quality of football. It’s hard to recall a single moment where the technique or skills of the players stood out. The highlights package during the breather most likely contained some dives, playacting, and rash fouls.

It can also be said that Guardiola outfoxed Mourinho by eliminating counter-attacking opportunities. One could also say the Real manager was extremely one dimensional and didn’t have a plan B when his team failed to get counter-attacks going!!

As far as two –legged ties go, I believe the onus is always on the home side to show some initiative. The Dark Lord of Anti-football failed miserably and his rough tactics backfired when his pit bull Pepe was sent off for an over the top, studs-up challenge. Alves’ antics were shameful but it’s hard to argue against the card. Real got away with a lot of rough play in the Copa Del Rey final and one would think it had to come back and haunt them at some time.

I wonder what the Winner Worshipers and Glory Hunting Apologists have to say about Mourinho now. Of course, the second leg is still to come but it will take more than the biggest upset in the history of the game if this Real manager is to win by two goals or more at the Camp Nou.

To my mind, the managers at the big clubs have a responsibility not only to their fans and club but also to the game in general. They cannot send such a talented bunch of players out with such abominable tactics. I criticized Mourinho when he won with Inter and I am going to criticize him now when he flops at Real. People like the Dark Lord set a horrible example for other managers and they tarnish the image of the game. Imagine if someone who doesn’t watch the football is introduced to the sport through such a game after all the hype and hoopla! Will that person ever watch football again!? Mourinho and his ilk might win some trophies and get short-term gratification for glory hunters or billionaires with new toys, but they hurt a lot of people who love the game.

It will be interesting to see whether the bosses at Real, renowned for their lack of patience with the managers, keep the Dark Lord in charge for the next season. Surely no one now fails to understand why they came to Wenger, a manager who hasn’t won a trophy for six years, before they went to Jose. Earlier this season I did an article saying Mourinho was jealous of Arsene and such games show why.

Thankfully, Messi produced a moment of magic that will stay in the memories of football lovers for a long, long time.

The events after the sending off also put into perspective Arsenal’s performance against Barcelona. Way too many fans lost the plot after that game as the bile and hatred directed towards the manager and some players reached new heights. Can someone tell me why Real didn’t have any leaders on the pitch? Where was the winning mentality? Why did they crumble after going down to ten men? Where was the commanding voice that can supposedly be bought by buying proven players? Barcelona didn’t really threaten the Madrid goal when it was 11-v-11 so why did the red card change the game so much?

Earlier I had mentioned that Arsenal were really unlucky to draw Barca in the Champions League, undoubtedly the best team in the world at the moment. If it had been Bayern, Schalke, or Real, the Gunners would have had a great chance of going through. If you pause and think about it, Arsenal are probably in the top four or five teams in the world right now. Not the best, certainly a lot to improve on, but really far from being a disgraceful shambles as many flippant fans like to believe.

To end on a lighter note, just imagine the Tiny Totts (disdainfully dismantled by Real) taking on Barca. Now that would be a spectacle.

Patrice Evra insists Arsenal will provide a stern test for Manchester United despite their current poor run of form.

Sir Alex Ferguson's men will arrive at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday knowing a win would go a long way toward sealing the league title.

The Gunners have won just once in their last seven, a slump that has seen them seemingly drop out of contention in the title race at a crucial time in the season.

Yet, despite a run of poor results, Evra believes that Arsene Wenger's side will prove a dangerous prospect who, now nine points off the lead, have nothing to lose.

"You have to fear the wounded animal," said the full-back.

"It is all or nothing for Arsenal so that is a danger. They will want to show they can still win the title.

"We have a good record at Arsenal but statistics can change so quickly.

"Everyone used to say how Arsenal kept losing to Chelsea and then they beat them. We kept losing at Stamford Bridge but won there in the Champions League.

"Our record at the Emirates will hurt them and they will want to do something about it."
Title fight

With United taking a comfortable 2-0 away win in their Champions League semi-final first leg at Schalke, attention can fully switch to domestic matters as the league leaders still pursue a double.

Four games remain in the run-in, but with the Red Devils set to meet nearest rivals Chelsea on 8th May, Evra knows it is vital his team get something out of their trip to North London.

"Sunday is a massive game for us. It is a great opportunity. There is still a lot of pressure on us," he added.

"If we lose and Chelsea have beaten Tottenham on Saturday, they will only be three points behind and they have to come to Manchester.

"That is what we have to think about now."

Томас Вермален готов сыграть с "Манчестер Юнайтед", но не в ближайшее воскресенье. Так же против "манкунианцев" не сыграют Диаби и Фабиански.



Бельгийский центральный защитник был вне игры с сентября прошлого года, когда в матче за национальную сборную своей страны повредил ахилл, но он облочится в футболку "Арсенала" еще раз во время выездного матча резервных составов, который состоится в четверг вечером на стадионе "Олд Траффорд" в Манчестере.

И всё же Вермален не примет участия в матче Премьер Лиги против первой команды "красных дьяволов" в эти выходные. Не будет в заявке так же и Абу Диаби, который всё ещё не может восстановится после травмы.

"Вермален будет играть сегодня вечером за резервный состав клуба, но он не появится на поле "Эмирейтс" в матче против "Манчестер Юнайтед", который состоится 1-ого мая в рамках Премьер Лиги", сказал Арсен Венгер.

"Диаби все еще отсутствует, остальные футболисты здоровы и готовы принять участие в игре. Лукаш Фабиански (плечо) уже не выйдет на поле до конца этого сезона".

Arsene Wenger is adamant Arsenal want to hang on to their best players following renewed speculation about Cesc Fabregas.

Gunners boss tired of discussing transfer speculation

Arsene Wenger is adamant Arsenal want to hang on to their best players following renewed speculation concerning the future of captain Cesc Fabregas.

Influential midfielder Fabregas was chased by former club Barcelona for much of last summer, but ultimately stayed at Emirates Stadium.

However, the Gunners' likely failure to win any silverware again this season has prompted fresh doubts about Fabregas' future in North London.

Speculation recently claimed that Italian giants Inter Milan are lining up a £35million bid to prise the Spain World Cup winner away from Arsenal.

However, ahead of Sunday's showdown with Premier League leaders Manchester United, Wenger dismissed the latest stories concerning his players.

Wenger feels he has addressed the issue on numerous occasions in the past and reaffirmed his position that he does not want to offload his key men.

"We do not want to sell our players," said Wenger. "Our players have contracts and they will stay here unless we decide otherwise.

"This is a subject that is not creative, we have answered it in 80% of press conferences. This is a subject that has to stop because the past has shown the question is useless.

"I do not want to go on about the transfer market now, and whether we will buy or not buy."