German treble: Bayern Munich in 2013

Photo credit: Sky Sports

There is an ultimate measuring stick in the world of soccer to determine which club truly is the best in the world: the treble. For those unfamiliar with this term, it means this: winning the domestic league, domestic cup and continental tournament. In the case of Bayern Munich this season it was the German Bundesliga, clinched weeks ago, the UEFA Champions League, won against Borussia Dortmund, and yesterday's German DFB Pokal.

In recent times, only Barcelona have achieved this back in 2009, when Guardiola took Messi and company to the heights of all the different competitions and outclassed teams like Real Madrid and Manchester United along the way. Bayern Munich achieved the same this past season, completely demolishing domestic competition like Dortmund, Shalke 04, Stuttgart and Wolfsburg, as well as European giants Manchester United and Real Madrid in the Champions League.

Munich won the first ever German treble through a mix of rigorous and innovative training, and a rich tradition. In fact, they are a model for the Bundesliga itself, which is quickly becoming the top league in the world due to its inherent competitiveness and breakthroughs in marketing achieved by following American sports coverage. The Bundesliga is number one in the world in attendance, is majority-controlled by German investors and, unlike most leagues, collectively makes a profit.

The addition of players to the Bayern Munich squad, such as Mandzukic and David Alaba, have allowed for growth and efficacy in multiple positions. That Mario Gomez is on his way out does not mean Bayern is in a losing position, since they will be acquiring players like Lewandowski from Dortmund.

And yes, one cannot forget the true heroes of Bayern Munich: Arjen Robben, Franck Ribery, Thomas Muller, Philip Lamm, which are the backbone of its prodigious attack. One only needs to see their third goal in the Cup final yesterday. Lamm overlap with Muller and a perfect center of death to a surging Mario Gomez. Gomez made no mistake and Munich was on the verge of clinching their treble.

Bayern Munich is an exciting club that has gone largely unnoticed by the wider world of soccer, not by the true follower, but by wider international media and those that consider the Premier League, Serie A and Spanish La Liga the only tournaments worth watching. It is not for lack of star power that Bayern Munich is behind Barcelona or AC Milan in the world's eye. It's the significant capital that goes into overstuffed teams in the Premier League or two-horse races like the one we see in Spain every year.

It's time for us to enjoy and celebrate the best team in the world for what it is: class, inventiveness, coolly calculated German plays and pure soccer. Bayern Munich dazzles us with Robben's deft touches, Boateng's energy and commitment, Muller's speed and tenacity, the two Mario's effectiveness in front of goal and a collective mentality of victory.

The Special One returns with Madrid's triumph

Photo credit: Reuters

There are a few characters in life worth noting. In sports, in soccer for the purposes of this blog, this may take the form of Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi, Valencia, Clint Dempsey or Zidane. However, this is only part of the equation. The other side is the coach and there are plenty of big personalities out there when it comes to this category: the cool and calculating Franz Beckenbauer, the fiery brilliant Sir Alex Ferguson, and the antithesis of modesty: Jose Mourinho, a.k.a "the special one."

Jose was never a great player and only participated in modest clubs in the Portuguesa Liga such as Belenenses and Comercio e Industria. He first started as a translator for Sir Bobby Robson with Sporting Clube, Porto and eventually Barcelona. His full coaching career began with Benfica and Lieira, where he found modest success, although the latter attained its highest ranking in the league in club history.

Mourinho's breakthrough came while coaching Porto, which he took new heights by winning the UEFA Champions League with a win over Monaco after eliminating Manchester United, Lyon, and Deportivo La Coruna. As a side note to American fans, the win versus Manchester United came thanks to a serious gaffe by Tim Howard. After Porto came a blockbuster move to Chelsea of the English Premier League in which he earned £5.2 million. Jose won the Premier League in 2005 and 2006, as well as the League Cup in 2005 and 2007 and the FA Cup in 2007.

After continuous disagreement with the Chelsea owner, Roman Abromovich, he resigned from his post as coach in 2007, having never won the Champions League. This would change, however, when he became coach of Inter Milan in 2008. He won the Italian Serie A that same season and also in 2010. Further, in 2010 his Inter achieved the treble by winning the Serie A, Coppa Italia, and the Champions League.

His move to Real Madrid in 2010 was reminiscent of his appointment at Chelsea: a big money club in need of a trophy. Indeed, Barcelona had been champions ever since Guardiola took over as coach in 2008, so re-taking the crown was a paramount objective for the Madrid club. Mourinho still finished second in his first season (2010-2011) but won the Cup that same year. However, he injected new talent into the squad with moves for Mesut Ozil, Sami Khedira, and Angel Di Maria. Thus, he effectively crowded out his midfield that already included Xabi Alonso, Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka. However, this depth would become valuable in the future.

Also in his inaugural season with the club, a meeting with Barcelona in the semifinals of the Champions League resulted in some interesting Mourinho "moments." He was critical of the referee in the first round at the Bernabeu and was suspended for the second game at the Nou Camp. Always a competitor and always outspoken, he alleged that a "conspiracy" was behind his loss to the Catalan club.

Mourinho toned it down this past season. He quietly (relatively) and steadily gained ground in the league as Barca faltered time and again. He was outspoken still, yes, but he took a far more calm approach to his job. As Bayern Munich eliminated Real Madrid from the Champions League competition last week, we could see his maturation in his frustrated yet surprisingly calm reaction to his star players, Kaka and Ronaldo, missing their respective penalties. The Special One knew that he had taken the necessary next step in his career by winning the Spanish Primera outright. Earlier that week his team had won at the Nou Camp by the score of 2-1 over Barcelona, effectively ruling the Catalans out of the crown.

The Special One isn't done yet. He knows he must achieve his goal of bringing the Champions League crown back to Madrid. He certainly has the tools for the job but his approach must be more cautious in the defense than it was against Munich. Marcelo and Sergio Ramos, in particular, stretch the back line too far through their constant forays forward. This pulls the central defenders wide and exposes the middle of the pitch for the opposing squad. Pepe's recourse in that match was to concede a penalty.

Perhaps it will be in the defensive end that Mourinho finally strikes gold for Real Madrid. One or two more acquisitions or departures might achieve this goal. He has, after all, a potent attack that spreads talent into every blade of grass on the pitch. He's a special coach that doesn't shy away from substitutions in the middle of the first half. His theme isn't a "we must win," but instead chooses another phrase: "we cannot lose." As he once put it when he was hired at Chelsea: "Please don't call me arrogant, but I'm European champion and I think I'm a special one."

Congratulations, Mr Mourinho. The soccer world wouldn't be the same without you.

And now for something funny:

Torres, golden and Chelsea defeat Barcelona

 Photo credit: AP

There are few matches that leaves a person saying "wow" over and over again. And yet that's how many of us felt today as Fernando Torres sidestepped Victor Valdez and gingerly guided the ball to the back of the net to tie the score Chelsea 2 - Barcelona 2. Having won the home match by 1-0, Chelsea sent the reigning champs packing and sealed their trip to the UEFA Champions League final.

Barcelona is the epitome of the beautiful game: tiki taka from Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, steady defense in Puyol and Pique, searing runs by Dani Alves. And yet even the best, most talented teams can be undone by true teamwork and total football. Today's version of total football came in the shape of total defense. Brian McBride put it well when he said that rarely does one see two forwards playing left and right backs. And Drogba, Kalou, and Torres performed this labor splendidly. Di Mateo held the team in line for a perfect defensive second half despite being a man down.

John Terry's character mistakes, and we won't put that lightly, nearly cost the team this game. It's not the first time his actions have pained the team and perhaps the "blues" were able to look past it and regroup on the field. True, if Ramires had not struck the first goal for Chelsea, we would be praising Messi and company, but it's the undeniable determination of the Chelsea defense and a scintillating performance by Petr Cech that brought it home for the London team.

This was a tale of two talented forwards: Messi and Torres. Messi has the privilege and the stigma of being the best player in the world. He thought his high, controlled penalty kick would beat Cech but the woodwork had other ideas. Same thing happened later in the match when a low shot from the Argentinean was negated by both Cech and the left post.

Then there is Fernando Torres. The 50 million pound attacker has seen lower goal production than most goalies get in recent times. But today he showed the composure necessary to ice the game and rise to fame once more. All is forgiven when a player scores a clinching goal like this. And he also played phenomenal defense when he had to, so we must argue that he showed his worth as a complete player today.

The most credit goes to Meireles, Ramires, Ianovic, Mikkel, Bosingwa, Cole, for sealing the 18 yard box with barbed wires and holding a perfect line. This is how the game was won, in the back with the most solid teamwork defense that club soccer has seen in recent years. This is how Italy won World Cups, how Greece won the Euro, how the United States got to the 2009 Confederations Cup final. Lead from the back, always, to ensure a game. A perfect ten in the second half for this defense of ten men on the pitch.

FC Barcelona: Still number one

Photo credit: Getty Images

At the 1st minute in today's Clasico one may have thought that Barcelona's dynasty was finally over. Benzema scored out of the locker room and Mourinho reveled in what would be a game-changing result. But as the match wore on, the resilience of Guardiola's squad slowly weathered away Real Madrid's defense. Alexis Sanchez scored and the floodgates opened.

So what really happened in today's game? Is Madrid really still not good enough? Is Barcelona just too much for the world? A quick look at recent results shows that yes, Barcelona has hit a bit of a rough patch, but they still have only lost once. Madrid has not lost two. And at 37 points tied on top of the Spanish Primera, there is still plenty to be said this season. Note that Madrid has a game in hand, but today's result is truly game-changing: no real change, that is.

Where Real Madrid has built a team around superstars Ronaldo, Ozil and Di Maria, Barcelona spreads the wealth by including newly-acquired Fabregas and Sanchez. No Villa or Pedro on the pitch? No problem. The former both bagged important goals to reiterate why Barcelona is still the best.

Mourinho tried too much offense today. Benzema, Ozil, Ronaldo and Di Maria crowded the offensive side and passes lacked clarity and individual plays went nowhere. Higuain and Kaka only served the same purpose. The defensive midfield also put too much stock going forward. This opened the flanks for Dani Alves and the go-ahead and game-sealing goals were conceded.

How does one beat Barcelona then? Midfield and defense. Crowding Messi and Iniesta can work wonders since it breaks up the "tiki taka" that makes Guradiola's squad so fun to watch. Pressure on Xavi means Busquets has to take the initiative on his own and his passing, although quite good, isn't as evolved as the rest of his midfield team mates. After this, the forwards are left without continuous service and the attack winds down.

So can Madrid accomplish this? Yes. Diarra and Xabi Alonso are perfectly capable players. Sergio Ramos, Pepe and Marcelo can all work wonders. It should be about keeping Ronaldo and Ozil from over-thinking and allowing Di Maria to exploit the spaces. Benzema and Higuain are best when paired together and today Higuain still looked like a player in recovery.

It was a fun match to watch. Keep in mind that both teams are still in the hunt for the Champions League and both have had their chances increase after the Manchester teams crashed out. This is why we love this sport, right?

Dismanteling Arsenal

Photo credit: Getty Images

Wow. Those were surely the words worldwide today as we looked at the scoreboard: 8-2 in favor of Manchester United. No, this wasn't Derby County they were playing. It wasn't even Bolton or West Ham. It was Arsenal. Yes, the former champions and one of the best teams in the world throughout the last decade.

This loss was just as much about luck as it was about the general state of the iconic London team. Ordinarily, most shots are either saved or off target. Today they were on target and past the helpless goalkeeper. Defenders were off their lines in offside traps and in free kicks. Wenger watched in silence as his team broke apart at the seams and had no answer.

And that's the other main problem with Arsenal. How do you answer a team like Manchester United when you have given up talented players in the last two years? No more Adebayor, Nasri or Fabregas. No one coming up the ranks and no new marquee signings so far. In a world where finding game-changing players is necessary and where most notable players elect to go to Chelsea, Man U, Barcelona and Real Madrid, it becomes that much harder to compete for top spots. The team loses concentration when its main constituents have been eroded away. That's what happened today: lack of concentration.

Wenger will have to search deep within the pool of available strong players in the world. Most have already been signed by the larger teams. Otherwise, a serious change will need to be made with this team either in management or player development. If there is no Arsenal and no Liverpool (much better with Suarez this year), then the English Premier League becomes a two-team tournament. And how sad that is.

Champions of Europe: Barcelona and the Messiverse

Photo credit: Reuters

It's Messi's world. In European club soccer there is no better player. FC Barcelona prevailed over Manchester United FC at the 2011 UEFA Champions League Final thanks to its number 10. The Catalan team proved to be too much for Manchester United, robbing them of the ball and playing their futbol dance throughout the match.

This was a rematch of the 2009 final when Cristiano Ronaldo faced off against Messi for world dominance. That match would end 2-0. Today's 3-1 is the same general score. Dominance and distance. The game started much like the 2009 final: possession, aggression and a resolve to keep the ball away from Messi, Xavi and Iniesta. Vidic, Evra, Valencia and Park constantly broke up plays by the spaniards well inside the Iberian half of the field. And just like in 2009, as the 10th minute came around, Barcelona stole the ball. They would never give it back except for Rooney's goal.

The victory was complete because the three attacking aces scored for Barca: Pedro, Messi and Villa. Pedro's strike was magic on the pitch after subtle passes gave way to a final touch worthy of replays. Rooney would strike back seven minutes later. But that would be all from United. The second half started with a more balanced and composed Manchester United. Until Messi found a goal through a rare Van der Saar error. Villa's strike with a curling ball to the upper 90 was further prove of his completeness as a striker.

There was distance between the two teams because Barcelona found channels through the English defense with short passes and midfield incursions. The Catalan team opened up the usually-stout group that Ferguson developed from some of the best defenders in the world: Ferdinand, Evra, Vidic, Fabio. There was distance also in the score: two goals. No way for United to return fire when Villa was subbed off at the 85th minute. The game stats said it all: 24 shots, 70% possession.

And even though this is the Messiverse, no one player is complete without his team. And this supporting cast happens to be the best in the world--quite literally. Indeed, if Villa, Pedro, Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta, Pique and Puyol sound familiar it's because they form the spine of the World Cup Champion: Spain. Not to mention that 7 of these players came up through the Barca ranks. This is the difference: a team built from the ground up, growing together and adding the best player in the world.

Congratulations, Barcelona. And thank you for making us believe in fantasy again.

Once in a generation: Manchester United 2011

Photo credit: Belfast Telegraph

We all watched today as Manchester United all but sealed its win as Premier League champions with a 2-1 win over bitter-rivals Chelsea. They need just one point in the next two matches to formally clinch the trophy. Manchester United, as a club, isn't exactly the winningest (Real Madrid has 31 titles), nor are they supreme in the world--that has yet to be seen when they face Barcelona. What United has is a keen sense for locating and developing some of the world's best players.

Much of this success is due to Sir Alex Ferguson's incredible vision in the sport. His team is also significantly diverse: Korea, France, Mexico, Ecuador, Bulgaria, Serbia, Wales, Netherlands, Norway, Brazil, Portugal, Ireland, England, Denmark, Poland. And out of those countries, Ferguson has spotted the best players in their generation: Valencia (Ecuador), Ji-Sung Park (South Korea), Berbatov (Bulgaria), Wayne Rooney (England), and Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez.

Each player brings a different style to the team and they perform beautifully in concert under the tutelage of Ferguson. Other teams such as Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Arsenal also contain a wide variety of players, but recent years have shown that the Manchester squad captures a wider range of individuals that can make instant impact.

In the wake of the loss of Cristiano Ronaldo, Ferguson brought in two young stars: Antonio Valencia and Javier Hernandez. Valencia has blossomed into a fierce threat as a winger and Chicharito is, without a doubt, Mexico's best export since Hugo Sanchez. The young Mexican star was also a steal in the market (according to teammates and media). Valencia can also be considered the best Ecuador player of his generation given his track record. Add to this Rooney, Ji-Sung Park, Vidic and you already have something special.

This year will probably bring at least one more title to Manchester United: the Premier League. Barcelona is waiting to battle against them for the title of European Champion. But we can't deny that United's brilliant scouting and the love and knowledge of the game that Sir Alex Ferguson, means the team is a "once in a generation squad." Maybe not of the squad as a whole, but definitely of its players.

Size does matter: Big clubs win big in Champions League

Photo credit: Getty Images

Okay, let's see: Real Madrid 4 - Tottenham 0, Inter 2 - Shalke 5, Barcelona 5 - Shakhtar Donetsk 1, Chelsea 0 - Man. United 1. Aside from the curious result in Milan, it is fair to say that the dominant teams in Europe (a.k.a. the world) are set for another run at the UEFA Champions League. Further, a repeat of 2009's Manchester United versus Barcelona is not out of the question. So, big money plus player development always wins.

And that's the kicker, the difference, the point at which the remaining teams can be separated from one another. It is "cantera" versus "cartera," meaning "quarry" and "purse." To develop a team from the ground up or to buy the best players in the world. FC Barcelona prides to call itself the former and uses local talent (also the spine of the World Cup-winning national team) to build the skeleton of the squad: Xavi, Pique, Busquets, Iniesta, Puyol, Villa, Pedrito. Real Madrid opts for the latter: Cristiano Ronaldo, Ozil, Kaka, Adebayor, etc.

In Manchester United we have a mix of the two, with the more obvious piece being the legendary architect: Sir Alex Ferguson. No insult intended towards Ancelotti, he is a superb coach. But something has to be said for a coach that has held on to his post for 24 years. He chooses his homegrown players well (Wes Brown, Paul Scholes, and snatches up local talent (Rooney, Ferdinand, Carrick). He also picks up interesting, but extremely productive players: Berbatov, Hernandez, Valencia, Ji-Sung Park.

For Barcelona, the path to the semifinal is all but laid out. For Manchester United it is a bit more complex: they must still defeat Chelsea at home. However, after today's glaring errors by the London squad, you have to like the "Red Devils" chances. Real Madrid has made its case and Tottenham will be tested to their limit at White Hart Lane (no Peter Crouch). Shalke 04 has assured the rest of the world that this Inter Milan team isn't the same without "The Special One" Mourinho at the helm. This also leads to a preemptive conclusion that Manchester United will be at the final.

More fireworks next week--for sure. Be champions!

Invincibility cloak: Manchester United

Manchester United all but had this season in their pocket until two weeks ago. First was a loss to fierce rivals and nemesis Chelsea by the score of 2-1. It opened up the league a bit. Then, just yesterday, came a shock loss to long-time arch-rivals Liverpool--by 3-1. Has Sir Alex Ferguson's magic for the season run dry?

Hardly. And yet, we must wonder how it is that a team that had been so dominant in every game at every tournament all of the sudden started to break apart at the seams. A clear answer is its decimated defense. With Rio Ferdinand out, Vidic unavailable and O'Shea on the bench, Wes Brown and Chris Smalling were unable to contain Dirk Kuyt and Luis Suarez. The Reds were determined and the scoreline put it plainly: Manchester United is mortal.

Tell this to Marseille also. The French team is looking to take their 0-0 tie at home to Old Trafford with hopes and prayers that maybe Ferndinand and Vidic can be kept off the pitch. Perhaps it's too tall an order for Marseille. But maybe not so for Arsenal. The Gunners are 3 points behind the Red Devils with a game in hand. A meeting between the two in May could determine the winner of this Premier League season.

Still, no one should take United's recent stumbles as a sure sign of their demise. Clearly, at the beginning of the season it was Chelsea leading the table and poising themselves as the eventual champions. Nothing is ever for certain. Not even for the best of teams. Tell this to Barcelona. Possibly the best squad in the world, the "Blaugrana" tripped up in their visit to Anfield and fell to Arsenal by 1-2. They hadn't lost at all until a Copa del Rey tilt versus Real Betis on January 19.

It's clear that even the best teams are meant to lose games. It keeps things interesting, keeps the ball rolling, keeps ticket sales going and television ratings high. We love to see our teams invincible, but deep down, we always want to see the biggest teams lose once or twice. It gives hope to the weaker sides and helps to keep the superclubs grounded... if just for a day or two.

In and out: Inter vs Barcelona

Inter to the final. Barcelona goes home. Not many predicted this outcome... but should we be so surprised? It was Jose "The Special One" Mourinho at the helm for Inter. Always a masterful tactician, sneaky when required and brilliant when the pressure is on. This game was also about familiar foes with different styles. Eto'o was once with Barca but got traded for Ibrahimovic. Ibra was powerless thanks to a stout Italian defense. Eto'o had the fortune, although without a goal, of having wide open lanes for counters. It was also Lucio versus Dani Alves, Sneijder versus Messi, Xavi versus Cambiasso. The list goes on.

Inter defended like a true Italian team. Add to that Mourinho's specialty of dealing with superclubs and you have the perfect recipe at the perfect time. Oh, we're forgetting that Inter lost 1-0 even though they lost Thiago Motta. Not an easy outcome against the best striking force in the planet.

There's another side to this coin. Barcelona is feeling the weight of high-level competitions and the burden of being champions in all three (La Liga, Copa del Rey, Champions League). They were also missing Iniesta, a game-changer any given Sunday. Couple this with the very real fact that most of Europe has had an eye on Barca throughout the past year and broken through Guardiola's scheme on more than one occasion (Rubin comes to mind, plus their elimination from the Copa).

Internazionale of Milan are no pushovers, though. They have Julio Cesar as their net-minder, Lucio, Motta, Zanetti, Samuel, Maicon, Cambiasso and Chivu all defending Italian-style. Milito and Eto'o are some of the world's best. Oh, and Sneijder... often overlooked but with a style that makes him a dark horse for best player at this summer's World Cup.

So now we have no Spanish teams or English teams (the better leagues in the world). Instead it's Italy vs Germany. Defense versus midfield. Inter have not won the title since 1965 and haven't been to a final since 1972; Bayern Munich hasn't done it since 2001. They never me in a final.

Special One 1 - Rest of the World 0. Halftime. Let's see what happens in the Bernabeu on May 22. A great warm-up for south Africa.

The Special One returns: Inter vs Barcelona

Who would have thought it, right? Inter 3 - Barcelona 1. The Special One (Joze Mourinho) did. Remember that he was once assistant coach to Pep Guardiola. Also remember that he's a masterful tactician. Milito's strength, along with Eto'o's explosiveness add depth to Snejider's play. Throw in Lucio, Julio Cesar, Zanetti and company and you have a team capable that may just de-throne the unbeatable Barca. Winning the Champions League would only further cement Mourinho's legacy, especially knowing that he's about to leave Italy (Real Madrid, we're looking in your direction).

Messi was quiet today. Inter's midfiled was able to pull that off. There was plenty of attack left but Iniesta's absence could have influenced the outcome of the match. Sure, Milito was offsides in the second goal. But who cares? Now we have a do-or-die game in Barcelona next week.

Oh, and before I quit... did you notice how many Italians were on the starting team for Inter? Answer: zero. Sure Baloteli came on in the second half... but he's only Italian by choice. At least Barca had Valdes, Xavi, Puyol, Pique, Pedrito and Busquets.

Messi, the artist

Messi 4 - Arsenal 1. I saw three out of four goals using just the internet, but it was enough to capture his magic.

It suffices to say that the world press has united behind calling Lionel Messi the best player of his generation... indeed of this quarter of a century. Sure, there's Zidane, Ronaldo, Romario, Cristiano Ronaldo, Baggio, Rooney... but do they make a difference week in and week out, consistently and with goals and build of play? Reminds us of Maradona? Maybe, but Messi scores more goals... at least with his club. Maradona had a 0.37 goals/match with the national team, Messi's ratio is 0.30. His touch is magic, his presence unpredictable, his passes millimetric, his finishing unmatched. Perhaps 2010 is the year he becomes a legend with Argentina. Now all he needs is a team that can support him... can Diego pull it off?

In case you missed it:

FC Barcelona: Enhancing a superclub

Move over, Real Madrid. Barcelona might just outdo you during the January transfer window. Never mind that the team already has Messi, Henry, Xavi, Iniesta, Dani Alves, Ibrahimovic, Pique, Busquets, Keita, Puyol, and counting. The latest from the BBC pipeline and other media outlets have confirmed that Barca is looking for further reinforcements emanating from the EPL... None other than Robinho (Manchester City) and Fabregas (Arsenal).

The addition of Fabregas would almost make the team have the majority of its midfield and defense be comprised of the Spanish national team. And who will they unload? Yaya Toure comes to mind. Bojan Kirkic, Jonathan dos Santos and even Thierry Henry are in danger (I see Henry staying until the summer window and then, possibly, to MLS).

Will this shift the balance of power further towards the Catalan side? Yes, in Spain. Yes, in Europe. Manchester United are depleted after losing Ronaldo and also due to injury. Chelsea can cause some headaches but the quality and style of Barca is still superior. Arsenal will be left without a creative midfielder and Manchester City will have deep pockets but no talent left. So, if the two transfers above actually do happen, then Barcelona will rival some of the best teams in history. A repeat of the Champions League title might be on the horizon.. and the local cup and league too. It's just too much power.

Champions League: The cream rises to the top

Messi marks the difference. So does Cristiano Ronaldo, Balotelli, Gilardino, Michael Owen and Ronaldinho. They do so because they are the best. They do so because they belong to superclubs. And in the end it is the superclubs that come out on top. Out are Rubin Kazan, Wolfsburg, Unirea and Rangers. In are Barcelona, Real Madrid, Manchester United, Chelsea, Inter Milan.

Today was about realizing why we pay so much to see these players display their talent. It was also about why Lionel Messi is the best in the world. No Dynamo Kiev or Rubin Kazan (even during their brief spells of glory) can opaque the greatness of the current slew of superclubs.

What does the future hold? For the foreseeable time... more of the same. Expect the usual suspects in the semifinals: a couple of EPL clubs, maybe Real or Barca, maybe one of the Milan clubs. To them, in their majority, it's also about being in good shape for the World Cup. Even if Ibrahimovic and Arshavin are left out, the majority of the superstars will be present in South Africa. They define the superclubs, and why not...they define the wonder teams that make up the cream of the crop of the World Cup.

When Superclubs meet: Barcelona-Real Madrid and Arsenal-Chelsea

It is always such a treat to watch the most expensive, most coached, most watched, and most controversial teams play each other. Such was the case with the Barcelona - Real Madrid SuperClasico and the Arsenal-Chelsea London derby. Both games delivered and were worth the millions spent on the teams (not endorsing such exorbitant prices, by the way).

For Arsenal it was perhaps the lack of Van Persie and Adebayor, or just that Ancelotti clearly outmanaged Arsene "Voyeur" Wenger. Or maybe it's because Chelsea is just that good this year. When you realize that the same group of players have basically been marinating in their own collective talents (Lampard, Ballack, Drogba, Deco, Anelka, Terry, the Coles) you have to admit something special could come to fruition. The Drogba-Anelka tandem alone strikes fear into opponents, especially now that they are starting to gel. Drogba, needless to say, is pure magic, and both goals against Arsenal attest to this notion.

In the city of Barcelona, home of the soccer team bearing the city's name, a clash of titans occurred today. It was the "merengues" Real Madrid visiting Guardiola's champions. It was Raul - C. Ronaldo versus Ibrahimovic - Messi. It was Iniesta - Xavi versus Xabi Alonso - Kaka. It was a slow game at times with plenty of defense, but Ibrahimovic needed only one shot on goal. It is the Swede's positioning, opportunism, and clarity in finishing that makes he and this Barca team so dangerous to stellar defenders like Arbeloa, Sergio Ramos and Pepe. Perhaps Real Madrid would wow us with every move if it weren't such a makeshift team put together with a dream of winning everything, but instead coalesced established players around a quality nucleus at midfield (like Barcelona and Chelsea). But, who are we to dismiss any of these teams? They make us cheer, scratch our heads, and appreciate the king of all sports--soccer.

Giants falling: Barcelona and Liverpool lose at home

It's still early, yes. But could we be seeing a reversal in superclub fates? I watched most of the Barcelona - Rubin Kazan and Liverpool - Lyon games and I have to say it was entertaining to watch multimillion dollar players get frustrated against more modest (by European standards) teams. Until I read a couple of post-game stories, I thought both Rubin and Lyon had won at home... and rightfully so. But then, as I read the game recounts and other scores, I saw that the games had been at Anfield and Camp Nou. What?!

That's right. Not Ibrahimovic, Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, Marquez, Pique and company could tackle the Russian champs in their own house. Ibrahimovic's goal was pure magic but the icing on the cake never came and Barca are now in a bit of a predicament, if only for a while. Could both Inter and Barca be left out of the competition in the group stages? Don't count on it. Rubin Kazan will need to secure all home points and a tie vs Inter isn't helping much at this point. Inter, however, needs to start winning some games.

And what about Liverpool? The Anfield side has much more to worry about with Fiorentina also being in this group. Benayoun and Torres weren't big enough deterrents to keep the eternal-favorites French club, Olympique Lyonnais, from causing damage through Argentine Delgado late in the game. Yes, no Benzema included.

Could this be a backlash of modest teams versus superclubs and their super-expensive players (e.g. Real, Barca, Man U)? Too early to tell, but the possibilities and the ensuing matches are anything short of dramatic.

Titans clash: Champions League begins

I was hoping for an amazing game when I took time off to see Inter host Champions League title-holders Barcelona. Instead there was missed chances and too much defense. Well, actually mostly defense from Mourinho's side and lack of a finishing touch with Barca. Indeed, Samuel, Julio Cruz and Julio Cesar performed admirably by frustrating the Messi-Ibrahimovic-Henry attack. Inter also lacked commitment getting forward and a true #10 and possession. Eto'o looked lonely and Milito lived offsides. Aside from the finishing touch, Barcelona continues to look extremely dangerous and will be difficult to defeat as we move forward with the current version of the Champions League.

Elsewhere in Europe, Real Madrid looked like the kind of team they are supposed to be by beating Zurich 5-2 with Cristiano Ronaldo giving another scintillating performance. It would be a pity not to see him in next year's World Cup. Xabi Alonso and Arbeloa also seem to have improved by joining this Real Madrid team, not to mention Kaka.

Manchester United also looked powerful going forward with Nani, Valencia and Scholes. Pairing that midfield up with Rooney and Berbatov is pure dynamite. Even much-maligned AC Milan showed up at the Vellodrome to snatch all three points away from an impressive Marseille that now includes Gabriel Heinze, Lucho and Falcao.

Other teams like Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Lyon, Sevilla, Chelsea, and Wolfsburg maintained their dominance over smaller teams. Surprises are present too, however. Juventus and Atletico Madrid were unable to come away with wins. It's early in the process and there are many more top-tier soccer stories to be written. I'm holding Madrid, Barca, Man U and maybe Wolfsburg as the final 4 at this point. Things can always change.

European seasons end, International summer begins

Club football around the world is winding down ahead of the busy summer international schedule. It seems that FIFA has finally gotten it right. If only USSF and MLS would follow along we would have a truly global, coherent schedule. Then again, we have to consider the boreal winter in regions like Scandinavia and Russia and Canada. Alas! The main tournaments in Europe have ended. Crowned again are Manchester United (second in a row) and Inter Milan (fourth in a row). Also on top are Barcelona (Spain), Rangers (Scotland) and the surprising Wolfsburg (German Bundesliga).

It was Germany that had the best soccer stories of the year. Mighty Bayern Munich could not perform even after the sacking of Juergen Klinsmann. It seems that maybe they should have kept Landon Donovan after his loan was up, right? But it was a decidedly Brazilian contingent (Josue, Grafite) in Wolfsburg that gave the first Bundesliga title to the franchise. All other stats aside, it was a nail-biting finish in the Bundesliga... and the same goes for one of our own--Michael Bradley, the US head coach's son who took his team (Moenchengladbach) out of the relegation zone to battle it out in the Bundesliga for one more year.

And that brings me to the next point... Relegation. People fear it more than anything in non-American circles. This year it was the Magpies turn to go down as Newcastle United crashed out of the Premier League in England. This is a storied team that rose to certain prominence in the 1990s, finishing second in the EPL in 1996 and 1997. Some of the more familiar names to have gone through its ranks include Alan Shearer, Coloccini, Les Ferdinand, Paul Gascoigne, Viduka and Michael Owen. Hull City, after an impressive run early in the EPL's first semester was actually in Champion's League zone thanks to magistry from Geovanni, among others. Fulham, home of Clint Dempsey actually didn't need to worry about dropping out of the EPL this season. They will now play in next season's Europa League (to replace Uefa Cup).

So what's next? Will Real Madrid snatch up C. Ronaldo and Mourinho? Will Inter Milan make it any farther in the Champion's League? Will Man U part ways with Tevez and give space to an up-and-coming Macheda?

First things first. Wednesday's Champions League clash of the titans between Manchester United and Barcelona. Then the FA Cup with Everton against Chelsea. In the new continent we have Mexican league winding down for its summer break as well as Argentina and other Latin American countries. Copa Libertadores has more of a Brazilian flavor this time around. For those of you who can't get enough of the king of all sports, there's the MLS. If you're not one convinced by the league then I suggest watching games with Chicago, Chivas, Seattle, DC, Columbus and Toronto. Always fun and a lot more quality than you may think. And then there is the international schedule. World Cup Qualifiers galore (starts June 3), the Confederations Cup that pits the US against Brazil, Italy and Egypt, and a (inconsequential) Gold Cup. I'll be back with more on the US's chances in qualifiers and international cups.

Last Minute Man: Iniesta and his Barcelona magic

Improbable. Unrealistic. Not to be. Those were Tommy Smyth's words as time wound down for Barcelona in their crucial semifinal match with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. But champions should never be underestimated. Yes, there was no Puyol, Marquez and Henry and yes, they were down a man when they should not have been. Barca still played like they had eleven men on the pitch. Chelsea wasted their chances and when they thought it was all set and done, Iniesta throws a cold bucket of water on their dreams of reaching Rome in two weeks' time.

Last Saturday's 6-2 victory over bitter rivals Real Madrid was no fluke. Even though Essien, Alex and Terry gobbled up Messi's inventiveness and Xavi's incursions into the area, the true colors of this loaded team would show brighter than ever. The referee made 3 or 4 serious errors (hilariously enough, the man happens to be a psychologist too). These errors were quite costly for Chelsea since they could have been penalties. On the other hand, his dismissal of Abidal was completely unfounded since the Frenchman did not touch Drogba (Anelka?) and the Chelsea man took an impressive dive.

What's next? A depleted but resilient Barcelona against the all-around best team in the world--Manchester United. A tall order? Perhaps. Keep in mind that 3/4 of their starting defense will be missing due to suspension/injury: Marquez, Puyol and Abidal. For Man U, Fletcher will miss the match. Pep Guardiola is set to have a tough match against United but Sir Alex Ferguson's team tends to leave open spaces in the back. Messi and Henry thrive in those situations. In the end, this was the best possible final we could have asked for except maybe for the weakened Barca defense. Can't wait for the 27th!

Barcelona: A lesson in being number 1

Barcelona 6 - Real Madrid 2. No, it's not a typo. And yes, this line has echoed throughout Planet Football for the past 18 hours or so. And why not? Six goals from the best collection of players available. Yes, Chelsea prevented Barca from opening play and took down their offensive qualities. But the game against Real Madrid was different. The "merengues" needed a win to cut their points difference from Barcelona from 4 to 1. It was not to be.

Messi showed his quality once again and why Maradona refers to him as the only player to come close to his abilities during his prime in the 1980s. Henry showed why he's one of the world's most perfect strikers. There are no balls and no plays too difficult for him to turn into goals. If in doubt, just look at the 4th goal of the game. 10 yards or so away from the area, touches it slightly against an ill-advised advancement from Casillas and somehow his touch enters the goal.

And what about Real? Clearly not the team they were hoping to be. Robben, Sergio Ramos and Raul were insistent but their chances were outnumber by a factor of three by the "azulgrana." Robinho is sorely missed, as is (insert fake cough here) Beckham. A move for Cristiano Ronaldo next season? Either that or a move for a top playmaker and a couple of extra strikers would help as well.

Cheers, Barcelona. Stamford Bridge will be a harsh task. No Puyol and no Marquez will make things interesting. Barcelona is a better attacking team but Chelsea has order in the back line and great holding midfielders. Still, Manchester United versus Barcelona in Rome would be the ultimate clash of the titans.