When Beauty picks an ugly mask
Published on The OffsideI have always been a fan of Surrealism. But you rarely witnessed a situation that looks as surreal as the Semi final clash between Barcelona and Inter. This is not a game preview, as the guys –may- publish a game preview later. This is not about what went wrong and what was supposed to be right. It’s not about how Barcelona systematically screwed any chances they have to qualify. At the end of the day, when you concede 3 goals in Milano, you can’t demand any right to play the final. The team that reached the final deserves it. I congratulate them, and I hope they win it. Nothing against Bayern, really. But at least its fair for one man after all his sacrifices to achieve what seems to be as his childhood dream, now that his hair is all grey: Moratti. I remember how important it was for Barca to win the CL the first time since years, with Ronaldinho and Co. And I do think Inter fans have the right to taste that victorious flavor as well. Every generation of any club fans has to live that moment of magic.
The main point behind this post is to stop for a moment, far from the sadness of a bad night. The irritation of pathetic trolls. The anger that cross the lines here and the euphoria that makes the fans lose their decent balance there. This post is basically about the pathetic buildup surrounded the game. Football Media in Spain has never been a source of pride for any team. They just work in the light and night to cause more embracement for the team they are bias toward, or the team they hate. But in the past few days, things crossed all the borders. I, for one, was planning to check what they wrote after the game last night. But I know it will make me feel sicker than I feel already. So I won’t.
The worst part is that Barca TV got carried away with that as well. I can’t really fault Barcelona players for asking the fans to offer an exceptional support, regardless of some statements that was out of order. But when the media blow the none sense horn within the fans of a club that represent a national pride for an unfairly dominated ethnic group, when the victory against Inter becomes the only path to revenge for The siege of Barcelona, by invading Madrid in the Champions’ league final, then things will certainly go out of control, and so it did! From head to toes! From the last Catalan fan to one of our captains! Epic free fall!
Not the first time this team loses at home and tastes the knock out. Not the first time the facts contradict the expectations and ambitions. And certainly it will not be the last time. But this one has to serve as a painful lesson –though I doubt it will, when it come to journalism. I pointed out such concerns before the game. And I feel relaxed for what happened. Yea, you read it right. I was afraid of the worst. Lot of people has to look in the mirror, and feel ashamed.
Allow me for once to be less smooth and say it the way it is, roughly. I do not really care about how people outside the club abuse the situation. We put ourselves there. After being outshined, outclassed, and trashed for a while now, obviously your rivals will not let this chance pass without pulling you down to their level just to say: “well you are not better than us”. Do we really want to start the game where we take one little incident and generalize, making it serve as a representative of a club history, image, and class? Who wants to play this game? Real Madrid for example, now that they generously invaded Barcelona blogs (and seriously their trolls are more pathetic than last night incidents. Its Inter not Alcoron, if you know what I mean. And it’s satisfying enough –from the rivalry perspective- that they and their 250M loaners lived a nightmare for couple of months, regardless of the fact that Barca didn’t reach the final). Any other club wants to play this game?
As for inter, again, you deserved it. A great display in the first leg and a brave collective effort in the second sealed the deal fair and square. But –and again, pardon my unsympathetic words- I am also sick of your whining since before the game (I am not generalizing here, but you know whom I mean). It was as silly sometimes as complaining before the game that “Barca will water the field”. Are you joking? It’s the same as Inter dried it and left the grass uncut for the first leg. Few barca fans running after the Inter’s bus? Some Inter fans harass Balottelli more than that on daily bases. The Catalan media is inviting the fans to support the team, sue them! If we interpret Mourinho’s words on weekly bases the way You are taking Pique’s words, Mou would have been jailed since years already. Both Pep and Laporta made sure to say the proper words. They represent the club. And Mou complains that Barca players are whining about the referee and their unability to accept defeat, coming from him: Excuse me for one minute, I will lie down on my back for a while and laugh out loudly.
We –on this page- behaved in an extremely decent manner all the way, as usual. But for some to pick some incidents to generalize and throw insults then start lecturing about “class” then why don’t you class-ify this. When things get messy, all of us share glass castles, so lets think twice before throwing stones.
Barcelona lived an epic failure last night to digest a defeat. Make sure you –Inter- do not fall in the same trap and show your class while celebrating a victory. The ball is round, and who wins today will no doubt lose tomorrow. As a Barca fan I believe I am qualified enough to remind you about it.
As for Barca, I am not sure if getting knocked out of the CL (Which I still consider as a successful adventure as we reached the Semi final) will be the only punishment for all the mess of the week. After all the tension, it will need a heroic spirit to drive the players back to their normal selves before the following game in the Liga. As Barcelona fan since the days where we almost relegated, I have never felt as upset, saddened, and disappointed as last night.
Before the game I said: Titles come and go, class is permanent. I have to hope now that this stupidity will go, and we will be back to our normal selves where we forced our opponents regardless of the jealousy, rivalry, and envious vibes appreciate our club, and all what it stands for.
Trolls may not stop showering you by the silly remarks on your blogs, phones, or while walking your way to work (Luckily I pick my friends well, Even the rivals are decent enough to behave :D ). But thats all unimportant. We need to learn our own lesson out ot this. It proved that we are not as protected against such declines as we thought we are (And here I am not talking about football). We need to take it from there and make sure to not let it happen anytime soon. Being "More than a club" is a responsibility. There were people like Laporta who was threatened of getting killed (with his family) just because he wanted to make sure the club maintain the level that the mission we serve dictates. We need more of the same.
kamikaze kontiki Said,
I am a little relieved that it is over. I think the Bernebeu final got many of us(including me) into a fever. Madrid lost to Bayern in the semifinal in 99 when the final was at the Camp Nou. Perhaps fate could not allow such an historical imbalance to be created.
There is something else. I hope I have picked the quietest spot to say this. But there is something familiar, almost comforting about the Barça that is pipped at the post, that climbs the hill but fails to achieve the pinnacle.
Barça is Barça because it believes that playing football cannot be separated from one's ideals about the way football is to be played, that winning is only a symptom of football played well and not the purpose of playing it (football). In an ideal world it shouldn't be this way but the treble and sextuple threatened to institutionalise the way the game was appreciated thus reversing the ideal and making sustained Success its paramount component.
I know Ramzi has been saying that Barça this year has been better than the Barça of last year. It hasn't. It has been a Barça more willing to compromise, to eke out results, to be satisfied with mediocre performances that yielded points.
The memory of a magical year will live on forever. It has its unique place in the annals of history and in our hearts. It was everything it was made out to be. It changed perceptions of the game. It may or may not lead to a resurgence of more skillful players but it will certainly mean that they are appluaded by many fans, who will seek more attributes from upcoming players than sheer physicallity and 100 mtr timings.
But for now, close the trophy cabinet untill the skeletons start piling up and it is time to shake them out again, thanks to Pep and the players for trying so hard.
Posted on April 29, 2010 at 12:07 PM
Anonymous Said,
Hey brother been reading your Work Since fc barcelona blog. you got a lot of stuff right. but seriously You have to consider your decisions regarding Ibra. the transfer of ettoo to inter and bringing Ibra was a complete disaster. and it showed in the game. Inter got 4 players with the money we gave them. And on top of that we gave them A world class player 30 goals a season caliber 2 champion's league winner. a proven goal scorer !!!! .
Since Ibra came in our attack became Weaker and Slower.
and Don't try to deny it . Henry form has dipped !!! so bad Since Ibra came in. and Messi is always going to be Messi. But in the game with inter he literary got in his space... and you saw it ... Twice one of them was a clear chance on Goal!!!!!!
we got more dangerous When Bojan came in !
he got more chances on goal Than ibra !!!!! He even scored (the not hand ball call )
I really would like you to answer all this. I Know you must have an explanation. In my Book Ibra deserve another season. I ll say in his defense that it's his first ever season with Barcelona. Abidal was so bad when he came in. everyone hated him and then he became a constant performer. So I want see next season before I say my final call.
Thank you
Ajackson
Posted on April 30, 2010 at 1:20 AM
Anonymous_69 Said,
It didn't take a monumental after all...
Posted on May 1, 2010 at 5:38 PM
Anonymous_69 Said,
heroic spirit after all**
Posted on May 2, 2010 at 12:22 PM
Milo Said,
Wow... since the Inter game the only contact with Barcelona I've had was watching the games.
I was really upset at myself because of that semifinal as i'va also found myself in a Bernabeu-fever and the tension took a lot out of me. I know the object is to love your team, but still; i can't be happy when a football and media performance ruins my week. Finally seeing us lose was.. relieving to myself as well.
Today is the day i broke my footbal-silence :) with this blog. And it was great to see others share my opinion.
Posted on May 9, 2010 at 11:11 AM