A European Footballer of the Year and one of Denmark’s greatest, it remains amongst football’s most surprising moves that Allan Simonsen went to Charlton
Tag: barcelona
Long before a short, shy forward by the name of Messi came from afar, another diminutive figure in Paulino Alcántara blazed a trail in Barcelona
One quote aptly covers the career of Spain’s greatest goalkeeper: “There are only two goalkeepers: Ricardo Zamora on Earth and St Peter in heaven”
While Barcelona continue on a path towards Madrification today, it wasn’t long ago that Joan Laporta held Barça up as a beacon of Catalanismo
Peter Schmeichel often produced not only brilliant reactions with his saves but brilliant reactions to goals he could not save. He was a great animator between the sticks for Manchester United, and perhaps…
This feature is part of Virtuoso As we look towards the next El Clásico tussle between Barcelona and Real Madrid, Lionel Messi approaches it as captain of the Blaugrana. The Argentine has…
This feature is part of Virtuoso It was November 2005, at the Santiago Bernabéu, when Ronaldinho took Real Madrid apart with such speed and flair that at least two nervous looking Madridistas…
This feature is part of Virtuoso Such is the money now found within football, it seems incomprehensible that Real Madrid’s Galácticos period will ever be replicated. Nowadays the presence of Manchester City,…
This feature is part of Virtuoso “He was physical perfection. He seemed like a mythical figure. I love Messi, I played many times with Cristiano and I adored him, Neymar is outstanding,…
This feature is part of Virtuoso There aren’t too many occasions in football when one can lay claim to having watched a performance of such breathtaking quality as to be left utterly…
Spanish rivalries transcend sport and are built on political and logistical foundations, and have been a matter of life and death in the past. As a result, many reputations are based on…
In February 2002, over 12,000 fans packed themselves into Fratton Park to see former Real Madrid and Barcelona maestro Robert Prosinečki score a scintillating hat-trick against Barnsley. What should have been an easy three…
July 3, 1974: crowds throng the Westfalenstadion in a match between two immensely talented sides. A match whose victor would face the host nation in a quest to etch their names into the…
Illustration by Matt Steven The number 10 was an important part of Juan Román Riquelme’s life. It would be the defining number on the back of his shirt – perhaps the last number…
Internazionale’s return to the Champions League this season after a long sojourn was always bound to produce a flood of memories for the club’s fans, but few venues will evoke stronger nostalgia…
He could once count Xavi, Luís Figo, Rivaldo and Luis Enrique amongst his teammates but Gbenga Samuel Okunowo was never quite in their league at Barcelona. This affable Nigerian, who also played for…
To see Iván de la Peña weigh up a pass was to see an artist gaze at his blank canvas. He had a whole plane of creation before his eyes. With the same…
At the end of the sublime, cinematically perfect 2008/09 season, Barcelona stood apart from their rivals. LaLiga champions, Copa del Rey winners and Champions League conquerors, this was a team not often…