The Sound of Silence?
A musing Marca considers the possibility of Atletico Madrid’s big cheeses being nominated for a FIFA Fair Play award in today’s edition, in response to their dignified refusal to condemn or discuss the refereeing decision that ruled out their second effort against Real Madrid on Saturday night - one that would surely have won them the game.
In a footballing culture of moaning and groaning, this is a fine stance that the club has adopted and an strong example to all of taking it on the chin and keeping a stiff upper lip. Except for the odd minor detail.
AS - Mon 26th Feb:
“I don’t understand why neither a penalty nor a goal was given” - Enrique Cerezo - Atletico President.
“I always defend ref’s when they make mistakes. But this should never have been a mistake, it’s either a goal or penalty” - Enrique Cerezo - Atletico President.
Radio Marca - Mon 26th Feb
“I know he made a mistake, I just don’t know how” - Enrique Cerezo - Atletico President.
The same way the referee dropped a clanger in allowing Sergio Aguero’s punched effort in the victory over Recreativo, perhaps? Still, such reticence would haver have happened under Jesus Gil, argues Marca, who claim that the squad feel let down by the apparent lack of support from on high.
Someone else getting a little hot under the collar over the weekend - but in a slightly different way - was Celta Vigo defender, Matias Lequi. On Saturday night he was tucked up in bed with a 40 degree fever. Twenty four hours later he was in footballing action as a sixty first minute substitute against Racing Santander. After twenty minutes of delirious sobbing and crawling round the pitch - which cost him a yellow card - he was back on the bench again and under his duvet. “I had to take off a central defender, to put on an attacker,” explained Fernando Vasquez as he desperately tried to explain his peculiar selection decisions and how his side blew a 2-0 lead.
Big trouble continues to brew ahead of Sevilla’s Copa Del Rey clash at Real Betis. Sevilla president, Jose Marie del Nido - lawyer to the rich and famous - caused a bit of a kerfuffle in their recent league encounter by refusing to accept the gift of a Manuel Ruis de Lopera bust - something everyone should have He also refused to take his seat next to an even bigger bust of Manuel Ruis de Lopera in the presidential balcony at the Manuel Ruiz de Lopera stadium. Reports say that del Nido then accused de Lopera’s nephew of being ‘as gay as your uncle’ - an unwise slur against Manuel’s good name that nearly involved him being thrown down some stairs.
Current Betis president, Pepe Leon, has advised his opponents presidential delegation to avoid attending this week’s cup clash in person, warning that they “cannot be responsible for what might happen”.
There have been more rumblings at Real Madrid over Emerson’s alleged refusal to appear as a substitute in the last minutes of their Bayern battle, last week. Oil slick on legs, Pedja Mijatovic, denied that there was a pact between ‘the Puma’ and Capello, that he would not be taking part in the match - while simultaneously picking out tar-soaked sea gulls from behind his ears. The fact that the fifty-two year old Emerson takes a good ten minutes just to stand up, seems to have been overlooked at a possible reason for his no show.
In other news, Marca has dusted of Plan ‘not much happening, so let’s link Real Madrid with Fabregas even though it’s never going to happen”, by revealing that the Arsenal midfielder’s agent was at the Champions League clash, last week, and met with Ramon Calderon. “We never talked about Cesc”, said the Catalan’s Mr 25%.
Barcelona spent Monday being pampered in a health spa and putting their feet up - a normal working day for d’inho - as they looked ahead to a fortnight that could see the team out of the Copa del Rey, Champions League, off the top of the table and losing to Real Madrid. So it's a good job that the club has “refound it’s sense of identity” as Sport claim, in praise of their stunning 3-0 thrashing of a team in the relegation zone with half it’s squad out injured.
The advertisement begins. A car spins out of control. A man is flung out of the front window and lies motionless on the tarmac, blood dribbling from his ear. Another man takes a shower. As he steps out, he slips and breaks his neck, crashing to the floor. Both get up and walk off. “Now is not a good time to die”, says the by-line ominously.
Remarkably, this is the unfortunate campaign being run by Spanish tv channel, La Sexta - demonic home of Andres Montes - to promote their coverage of the forthcoming ‘classic’ between Barcelona and Real. Perhaps, they are hoping people will scrub “fall off balcony” or “smash head with hammer” from their diaries now they realise that the Camp Nou extravaganza is just around the corner.
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Emails...
A Moment of Bliss
For me the best moments of Saturday's game on La Sexta came early in
the first half, when for two glorious minutes, the inane prattlings of
Andrés Montes and Salinas were replaced (I imagine through crossed
lines) by commentary in Euskera.
Much more intelligent and informative commentary, and I don't understand a word of Euskera....
Martin
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