"I should not have done what I did, obviously not," said José Mourinho. "The person who messed up there was me," he added, referring to the moment when he casually strolled over to then FC Barcelona assistant coach Tito Vilanova at the Camp Nou and poked him in the eye. The incident has been brought up countless times over the past year but as the opening of 2012/13 season approaches, the Real Madrid manager seems to be attempting to calm the waters as the man he once assaulted is now head coach at Barcelona. The two men start the season at different stages. Mourinho, is now beginning his third year at the helm of the capital club where many a manager before him did not even last a … [Read more...] about La Liga: Real Madrid and Barcelona prepare to do battle
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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
La Roja steals France’s crown of dominance
Not even a partial strike by Spanish state broadcaster RTVE could prevent the latest triumph for Spain's national football team from being seen by the masses - it eventually proved to be the most-watched game in the station's history. The 2-0 win against France in Paris underlined the notion that there seems to be little that can stop Vicente del Bosque's La Roja at the moment. That said, an anaemic France offered very little to recommend Raymond Domenech's tenure at the helm of a badly listing team that was comprehensively sunk by a nation that had not won on French turf since 1968. Luis Aragonés found the net that day in a 3-1 win, and Del Bosque's predecessor left the incumbent a group of … [Read more...] about La Roja steals France’s crown of dominance
The red-and-white underdog roars
It’s not easy being an Atlético Madrid fan. There’s the administrative and boardroom chaos, the unbalanced books and the revolving door of coaches, each hailed as a saviour before being dismissed as a false prophet. There are the financial scandals from the years when Jesús Gil was president, leading to his arrest in 2000 for embezzling his own club. And then there is the ultra hooligan group, among the most violent and xenophobic fans in Europe. And that’s before you get to the football itself. Atlético has one of Spain’s most impressive trophy cabinets: nine league titles, nine Copa del Rey titles and the European Cup-Winners’ Cup. This is a European giant, albeit one which has been … [Read more...] about The red-and-white underdog roars