Two summers ago, long before the indignados and 15-M, there was Yo voy Betis and 15-J. Following the relegation of Real Betis, and amid growing anger at the alleged pilfering of millions of euros by club owner Manuel Ruiz de Lopera, over 60,000 angry green-and-white clad supporters marched in protest through Seville’s city centre. The evening culminated in a mass rally, where former Spain and Betis left-back Rafael Gordillo demanded Lopera’s departure to cheers from a jam-packed Plaza Nueva. Similar to the 15-M movement’s calls for politicians to reform themselves and banks to play fair, the initial practical impact of “15-J” was difficult to spot. The club’s 2009/10 campaign was … [Read more...] about Betis are back after a trip to hell
Sports
From Spain to the US for child basketball prodigy
Ricky Rubio officially announced he will play in the NBA next season with the Minnesota Timberwolves, ending all speculation about when he would make the leap to the NBA. Rubio will be the tenth Spanish-born player to play in the NBA since Fernando Martín joined the Portland Trail Blazers in 1986. On June 17 Rubio explained in the Camp Nou press room that the time for a change had come and that the decision was even easier after having won the ACB playoffs. “Even though I was sure about going, it’s been a difficult decision. After winning the ACB title, the one I still didn’t have, the time has come,” he said. Rubio has won all a player could hope to win in Europe: the Under-16 … [Read more...] about From Spain to the US for child basketball prodigy
Real Madrid’s ‘señor’ status at play as Mourinho takes control
Spanish football is a peculiar beast when placed under a microscope, rather like a petri dish teeming with all the bacteria Fifa is currently trying to scrape from its gilded Zurich halls. There is no fit-and-proper-persons test in La Liga, as Racing Santander is currently being left to rue. Match-fixing was made a criminal offence just six months ago. Clubs are traditionally controlled by wildly unreliable clans like the Gil family at Atlético Madrid and the Ruiz-Mateos' at Rayo Vallecano – currently busily covering their own backsides as their Nueva Rumasa congolmerate goes under for the second time, leaving thousands of investors, and Rayo's players, on the bread line. If your club … [Read more...] about Real Madrid’s ‘señor’ status at play as Mourinho takes control
Depor’s glory a distant memory as team slides out of Liga
The only real drama during Saturday’s conclusion of the Liga season was at the bottom of the table, where Deportivo la Coruña were relegated after losing 2-0 at home to Valencia. After a see-sawing 90 minutes which could possibly have seen Mallorca, Real Sociedad, Osasuna, Getafe or Zaragoza drop instead, once-proud Depor followed Almería and Hércules down to next year’s La Segunda. Although they became the first side to be relegated with more than 42 points in a 20 team league, you could not really say Deportivo were unlucky. Their failure to score on Saturday was telling, and familiar. Under the restrained tactics of coach Miguel Ángel Lotina, the Galicians have been poor in front of … [Read more...] about Depor’s glory a distant memory as team slides out of Liga
Porto’s trophy-hungry boss insists he’s no Mourinho clone
The comparisons have been as predictable as they have been widespread. In Britain, the Guardian called him "Mourinho’s apprentice", while the Daily Mail anointed him as "Mourinho Mark II". The Spanish press followed a similar line - El Correo named him Mourinho’s pupil and even El País joined in, headlining their profile "Mourinho’s spy". The potential mini-Mou in question is FC Porto boss André Villas-Boas, whose achievements in his first full season in football management have been spectacular. Last month Villas-Boas's side secured the Portuguese title with five games in hand and this week he leads his team into the Europa League and Portuguese Cup finals. Records have tumbled along … [Read more...] about Porto’s trophy-hungry boss insists he’s no Mourinho clone
Where do Mourinho and Guardiola go from here?
La Liga and the Champions League are still to be decided but already pundits and the general public are talking about what will happen when the season comes to an end after the recent series of Barcelona and Real Madrid matches. At the start of April, there was speculation that if things went badly wrong for Real coach José Mourinho, he might leave at the end of the season. Well, apart from lifting the Copa del Rey on April 20, things could hardly have gone worse. The 1-1 draw at the Santiago Bernabéu on April 16 effectively handed the league title to Barcelona and the Catalans could close the issue with a draw in this week's game against Levante or if Real drop points against … [Read more...] about Where do Mourinho and Guardiola go from here?
Seve: the charisma of a champion
Seve Ballesteros brought brightness to golf when he appeared on the professional scene in 1976. That brightness has slowly dimmed since he was diagnosed with a brain tumour on October 5, 2008. Ballesteros died on May 7 at the age of 54 at his home in Pedreña in Northern Spain. He is survived by his ex-wife Carmen and their three children: Baldomero, Miguel and Carmen. Ballesteros, or “Seve”, as he was widely known, was more than a great golfer, he was an ambassador of golf, and he brought ingenuity and creativity to a game that was meant to be played by hitting straight shots from tee to green. Seve’s style was different and he made golf fun to watch. Tiger Woods said the Spaniard was … [Read more...] about Seve: the charisma of a champion
Floyd Patterson’s Spanish adventure
It’s not often that Spain is associated with boxing, particularly heavyweight boxing. The country has no tradition of producing top-flight fighters and some media do not cover the sport on principle. You certainly wouldn’t expect heavyweight great Floyd Patterson to have spent any time in Spain. But he did, under strange circumstances. In 1962, Sonny Liston fought title-holder Patterson for the world heavyweight belt. Despite his prowess in the ring, Patterson, a deeply insecure man, always kept a disguise in his fight bag in case he should lose and need to escape the venue incognito. Two minutes and six seconds into the Chicago fight, Liston had knocked the champ down and he didn’t … [Read more...] about Floyd Patterson’s Spanish adventure
Barça must cut theatrics if they want to go down in history
There are plenty of skills young players learn at Barcelona’s La Masia youth centre, and which are then refined at senior level at the club. Tight, triangular passing; quick movement off the ball into space; keeping possession of the ball; respect for the great institution they are a part of. And, you might add, after Wednesday’s Champions League semifinal first leg against Real Madrid: writhing on the floor like a hammy actor when tackled by an opponent; clutching their face when a rival’s hand goes anywhere near their upper body; and generally doing everything possible to get the other team’s players booked or sent off. This is the contradiction that Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona side … [Read more...] about Barça must cut theatrics if they want to go down in history
Everything’s at stake in Real Madrid and Barcelona’s quadruple clásico
Eighteen days, four games and the spoils of almost an entire season to be fought over. Barcelona and Real Madrid usually play each other twice over the course of a season, in their home and away liga fixtures. But due to a combination of luck and their own good form, the biggest rivalry in European football, with all its sporting, cultural and political undercurrents, will be played out four times in just over two weeks, between April 16 and May 3. There’s so much at stake and yet each encounter is loaded with slightly different significance. Of the three titles that these four games – a league match, the King’s Cup final and a two-legged Champions League semifinal – represent, the league … [Read more...] about Everything’s at stake in Real Madrid and Barcelona’s quadruple clásico