UEFA Forgets Rijkaard’s Barça in UEFA Legendary Moments.

UEFA is celebrating the 60th birthday of the European Cup, A.K.A Champions League, and launched a Legendary Moments video campaign that lets fans all over the world select the tournament's greatest moments. 60 moments were selected by UEFA with 9 of them involving FC Barcelona throughout its history. Yet, UEFA ignored the Barça team of Rijkaard.

UEFA chose 60 videos from the 50’s to the present, with the top five videos voted by the fans to be shown before the Champions League final in Berlin on June 5th, 2015. Barça have 9 legendary moments for fans to vote from. Sadly, there are no Barça legendary video moments from the era of Kubala, Luis Suarez and Ramallets, the era of Cruyff and surprisingly the era of Rijkaard and Ronaldinho.

The 9 Legendary Barça moments are:

• 16/04/86: ‘Pichi’ Alonso hat-trick helps Barça retrieve 3-0 semi-final first-leg deficit against Göteborg.
• 20/05/92: FC Barcelona beat Sampdoria in extra time thanks to Koeman’s fierce free-kickto win first European Cup.
• 02/11/94: Romário and Stoichkhov spearhead FC Barcelona's 'Dream Team' to emphatic group stage defeat of Manchester United.
• 06/05/09: Iniesta’s 93rd-minute effort earns FC Barcelona away-goals triumph over Chelsea and place in Rome final.
• 06/04/10: Messi scores four to take FC Barcelona into semi-finals after Arsenal briefly take 3-2 aggregate lead.
• 27/04/11: Messi scores twice – the second a virtuoso effort – at Barcelona’s great rivals in semi-final first leg.
• 28/05/11: Guardiola’s Barça team beat Manchester United at Wembley to win second European crown in three years.
• 07/02/12: Messi becomes first player to score five in a UEFA Champions League game in 7-1 defeat of Leverkusen.
• 25/11/14: Messi passes Raúl as top scorer in UEFA Champions League history with first goal of hat-trick against APOEL.

I can understand not picking a moment from Kubala and Cruyff eras since the club did not win a title at the time. Yet, Pichi Alonso’s hat trick from the 80’s Barça team made the cut. However, how can the era of Rijkaard and Ronaldinho be ignored? That team was a phenomenal team that left us with many legendary moments. 

When I look back at that era, you had some classic moments. There is the Ronaldinho game winning goal against Milan at the Camp Nou in 2004, Ronaldinho’s second goal against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in 2004, Eto’o scoring that gem when he lobbed the ball from outside the box and over the Panathinaikos keeper at the Camp Nou in 2005, Barça’s awayand home clashes against Chelsea in 2005-2006 Champions League knockout stages, and the unforgettable final in Paris in 2006 when Barça came back from a goal down to beat Arsenal 2-1 with goals coming from Eto’o and Belletti. 

UEFA got it wrong there with forgetting about the 2005-2006 team and that Final. The game is a classic that turned in Barça’s favor once the legendary goal scorer Henrik Larsson came off the bench and assisted on both goals. UEFA ignored the legendary Ronaldinho and the Barça team coached by Rijkaard and that is unfortunate.

Messi Is Mortal After All.

It was disappointing to see Messi come up just short in his quest for the World Cup trophy. He helped carry his team all the way to the Final but in the end; his pursuit of matching Maradona’s World Cup feats was sadly similar to Maradona’s 1990 World Cup and not 1986. Messi will now have a few weeks to recuperate and get ready for the upcoming season and hope he has the support from the fans and the board as Barça begins a new chapter in their history.

Not often many athletes can reach the status of immortality. Michael Jordan did it when he helped lead the Bulls to the NBA title to be considered one of the legends along with Magic and Bird. Messi had been one of the many Argentinians to be considered as the “Next Maradona” but was the only one to actually be a genuine contender for that title through his performances. The only thing missing of course was a World Cup title on his resume. Sunday could have been his coronation into immortality status along with Pele and Maradona.

However, it was not to be. Nevertheless, being associated with the likes of Johan Cruyff, Di Stefano, Eusebio, Puskas, Van Basten, and Raul is not bad company either. For years, we heard that Messi could not be compared with the likes of Pele and Maradona until he won the big one. Unfortunately, Messi’s performance was not good enough, along with his supporting cast for that matter, to beat Germany in the final.

Yet, it is ludicrous to believe that Messi cannot be considered one of the greatest of all-time because he did not win the World Cup. People make it seem that it was Pele and Maradona and 10 other men that won those titles. Pele had Garrincha and other superb players by his side.  Maradona had Jorge Valdano, Burruchaga and Ruggeri in 1986 and then Canniggia in 1990 on the national team among others. They are all-time greats but to say that those two players won it on their own is farfetched to say the least. It was a team effort and that’s why people need to cut Messi some slack. Messi did not have the talent, healthy or injured, that those two players had. Messi only had Mascherano that was dependable throughout the World Cup. Messi bossed the attack and Mascherano bossed the back.

This whole World Cup, everyone expected Messi to mimic Maradona and lead Argentina to glory. He sure did play that role early on in the group stages but his role changed in the knockout stages. He went from being Messi/Maradona and then played the roles of other World Cup winners. When Di Maria suffered an injury against Belgium, Messi became Zidane and Pirlo on the pitch and bossed the midfield and pulled the strings for Argentina while being hounded by two to three players at a time. It’s no surprise that he looked slow and sluggish against Germany. He looked human when he missed that golden scoring chance early in the second half. He has been carrying the team, and the expectations of his country and the world, on his shoulders with Mascherano but in the end, it seemed to be too heavy for his back and legs to pull off one last golden moment.

Messi will now have some time off to regroup before he rejoins Barça for another season and chapter in the history books. He’s been through a lot with the injuries, the loss of teammates, managers and the death of a manager he knew for many years. It is with the upmost importance that the club be on his side and support the man and also protect him. Messi has never been the same since his injury against PSG back in 2012-2013 season and the club needs to ensure he is getting the right treatment and reunite him with Juanjo Brau to be his personal trainer again. The club also needs to protect him when the Madrid media attack him and by all means, not allow a repeat of club directors to insult him either. This is not just a team but a family where they should have everybody’s back.

Hopefully we are not seeing the beginning the end of Messi, but rather, just watching a minor blip in his career. He has given so much for the club and for football and we should have his back. Of course, Messi also needs to realize that he is not 22 anymore and cannot play every day. We saw how Raul played himself to the ground and Messi is close to doing the same to himself. He is only 27 but the mileage on those legs is probably those who of one who is 32. However, that’s going to be easier said than done what with Copa America taking place next summer, followed by Copa América Centenario in the summer of 2016 and perhaps Confederations Cup in 2017 (if Argentina win the Copa America) and then the World Cup again in 2018.

Messi will not retire from playing for Argentina now but he has to start avoiding playing in meaningless matches such as international friendlies for Argentina across the globe, early rounds of the Copa del Rey, Champions League group stage where qualification and first place has been reached. He also should not play a full 90 minutes in games where the outcome has been decided by a four goal margin after 60 minutes. We are witnessing one of the greatest of all times who may play himself into early retirement if he keeps playing at this pace.

We do not know what the future will hold for Messi. However, it is time to stand by Messi in these difficult moments. If anybody has given us Barça fans so much glory and happiness in our long history, that no one else, not our beloved Kubala, Cruyff, and Pep could during their playing days. We will always be grateful and remember him for his legacy, for the trophies, and for being an overall good human being. If his best playing days are behind him, then so be it. In the end, we will still enjoy the magic for years to come even if he is not at his best and hope for more success.

Testimonials for La Liga Legends Obsolete.

Images of Valerón in tears following Deportivo’s La Corona’s relegation signaled the sad state of the Galician club. It also signaled perhaps the end of a great career for the legendary Valerón. Injuries have deprived us one of the best midfielders Spain produced the past 25 years.  As the heart broken Valerón walked off the pitch, part of me thought that he would get a proper farewell with a proper testimonial match. However, the sad realization is that this event will never take place since it is not relevant for Spanish clubs as it is for clubs in other domestic leagues.

Club legends always seem to receive testimonials when they call it a day; unless they are Ryan Giggs who received his over a decade ago. Dennis Bergkamp’s testimonial match christened Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium. Paul Scholes had his at Old Trafford back in August 2011 before he decided to opt out of retirement and return to Manchester United. Demetrio Albertini had his testimonial match with Milan back in 2006. Phillip Cocu will have his testimonial later on this month by PSV. Rio Ferdinand’s testimonial match will take place next month when Manchester United will host Sevilla on August 9th while Steven Gerrard will have his a few days earlier at Anfield when Liverpool host Olympiakos. Coincidentally, Real Madrid legend Raul will also be honored with a testimonial on July 27th.

However, that testimonial will be held in Germany thanks to his former club FC Schalke 04.  Yet, what is even more mind boggling is that Raul will have a testimonial held in his honor by FC Schalke 04 and not by Real Madrid. It is unfathomable that one of the greatest players to ever represent Los Blancos  has not received a testimonial. For some reason, La Liga clubs do not hold testimonials for their players; just participate in them. FC Barcelona played in Albertini’s testimonial in 2006 while Real Madrid participated in Majed Ahmed Abdullah’s testimonial match in Saudi Arabia back in 2008. Yet, former legends for both Madrid and Barça have not had any testimonial matches held in their honor recently.

You have to go back to the mid 90’s to recall any testimonials for legends of either club. Hugo Sanchez had his testimonial back in 1997while Johan Cruyff had one testimonial at the Camp Nou, and another at Amsterdam Arena in the late 90’s. However, the chances of seeing a testimonial for legends of either club who had retired last decade won’t be happening anytime soon. Pep Guardiola never got one when he retired. Redondo, Luis Enrique, Michel Salgado, Gabri and Morientes are just a few of who also never got a testimonial when they quit playing too.

I asked a friend of mine, Angel Iturriaga, why testimonials are not held more often for La Liga players. He informed me that they were common in the past but most Spanish clubs decided not to have them anymore. As for why, he was not sure but the basic explanation was there wasn’t enough time for clubs to host these kinds of games. Angel believes that this was a big mistake but indicated that that the mindset of the fans in Spain tend to focus only the players presently playing for their clubs and not look back on past players. So the chances that Valerón will have a testimonial held in his honor are pretty much slim to none.

Former Madrid captain Hierro did get some sort of tribute from Real Madrid after he retired in 2005. However, that tribute was a brief ceremony prior to the Madrid derby kicking off. Lately, we have seen retired Madrid stars team up in friendly matches against other clubs’ retired stars. There are also a La Liga Indoor Football league which features retired players. Those are great for brief moments of nostalgia in the same manner as watching retired tennis and golf players playing on the senior tour circuit.

 Hopefully La Liga clubs will change their attitudes towards testimonials when the likes of Puyol, Xavi, Valerón, Marchena, Albelda, Marcos Senna, and Palop retire one day. There was a testimonial held recently in memory of deceased Espanyol captain, Daniel Jarque, who was unexpectedly taken from us too soon back in 2009. Hopefully those types of testimonials become scarce and prevented as players’ health concerns will spotted by club’s medical staff. Perhaps though, it might kick start the trend of testimonial matches again to celebrate La Liga players and bid them farewell in a proper manner. Nevertheless, Raul cannot be ignored and Real Madrid should do the right thing and hold a testimonial match in his honor someday. The same applies to all those players in Spain who have served their clubs well over the years. They do deserve one final send off before they ride out into the sunset.