Courtois had a perfect game against Liverpool. Photo: Paul ELLIS / AFP.
At the same moment that Brazilian Marcelo -yes, the old captain who had his golden age, but left without playing a minute in the final- raised his Big ears and streamers fly, a discussion begins that flows on social networks, the virtual tribune, the bar that doesn’t need coffee. And with the statistics at hand in these times of big data, many are wondering: Is Real Madrid a fair champion? And there is another more subjective question: does he deserve to win?
And because football is passion and it runs in the roots, Liverpool fans have sprung up in every armchair. In anger that Thibaut Courtois violated logic, and may not have been born in Belgium but in Krypton, they complained: “How could they have been champions if they had kicked once in ninety minutes and the goalkeeper was the figure, he blocked the 9 on the ball? ” . Actually, there are two auctions You are meringuesone graduated on purpose and it was enough to win the most important tournament in Europe.
because of the latter, in this sport it is only enough to champion one goal rather than another. Or have better intent on penalties. As simple as that, no matter how angry the football professors are, those who seek a scientific explanation. At the center, of course, is the review. Game development, tactics and strategy. Also, the imponderable. But the best player doesn’t always win. Sometimes it’s enough to be smarter than talented. And what will be the problem?
“This is a good debate for our continent”said Mariano Closs to Diego Latorre when he turned off the transmission of ESPN. And surely this discussion is at the table of the Argentines, where the freshest champion is Boca, no more or less.
Real Madrid kicked fewer on goal than Liverpool but celebrated in Paris. Photo: FRANCK FIFE / AFP.
It happened after the victory on penalties against Racing, the Argentine Liverpool, colors on the side, more like the neighbors. Great superiority in the first half. For many, it is a dance. He has four scoring situations. And it failed. In the second half, the Academy dominant, but not aggressive. Agustín Rossi is a figure in penalties and the merits are in many nothing. The fans applauded. The next day, children from the lower made a corridor for him, exclusively with the champions. retro pad of resultism. A week later, Boca defeated the Tigers 3-0 and took the Olympic lap. Is this the best in the League Cup? Does it matter?
“Not talking about the winner”Said Pep Guardiola. It was in the run-up to the rivalry at Atlético de Madrid, when colleagues in Europe wanted to put him opposite Diego Simeone in the polarization of styles we’ve talked so much about. Manchester City suffered in its own flesh against Real Madrid in the second leg semi. It was overwhelming, but ended in defeat in time. Has the Catalan coach changed his mind? Not allowed.
Real Madrid dropped Messi, Neymar and even Mbappé to PSG, the poor little figure, with all the petrodollars in tow. He liquidated Chelsea, the last champion; in the City and Liverpool. Yes, he has sent three teams from the Premier League in a row, for football lovers, the best championship in the world. Is it higher? Does he deserve to win? Does it matter?
Boca received criticism, of course, some justified. The team won according to individual hierarchy, but did not find the best performance. It did not shine, more than their dazzling figures. But made the cut in major matches. He defeated Estudiantes at La Plata, River in the Monumental (with Rossi as a figure), eliminated Karera in penalties, eliminated Defense and Justice, Tigre and Deportivo Cali. In these last three games, there has been a larger volume of play, with more associations of midfielders and attack intensity.
Is this the best? For many, it was Racing, but they were even eliminated from the Copa Sudamericana when they had to draw at home along the Uruguayan River. He played better. But it is not enough. And it didn’t reach any of the goals raised. “We threw out the semester,” Fernando Gago said as he entered the locker room, falling into the Cylinder. Clearly, despite the team’s good performance throughout the tournament, the result dominated his appreciation.
Like Courtois against Liverpool, Rossi was Boca’s hero against Racing on penalties. A few days later, Xeneize became the champion. Photo: Marcelo Carroll.
As long as there is no Merit Cup, the only thing that matters is the points they add up in the standings. Soccer is so rich that you don’t have to show ownership of the ball to win. This was said by Carlos Bilardo, who has suffered criticism in the media since “Don’t”.
“For me, there is only one style. That taught me in medical school. If you don’t give the right dose of medicine to a sick person, bye, he’s gone. In football what works is to win, win, win. The result works. To achieve the result you have to do it, to have heart surgery you have to know the medicine. But what works is to win. “He said Doctor. And he gave us the World Cup. In a great team, it must be said. But in Italy ’90 we reached the final thanks to Goycochea and his reflexes on penalties. Appropriate? No one will ask him if he stopped Brehme and Argentina celebrated again.
For pragmatists, each method is valid. Sometimes you need to have order, concentration, intensity, personality and take advantage of opportunities, like a hunter looking for his prey. Boca and Real Madrid may not play better than others, but they are effective. That’s a good play too. Enough to see the smile of their fans, no matter how difficult -and criticized- their paths to success. The rest is a matter of taste. And about taste, you know, nothing is written.
Source: Clarin
