Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Crowning teams as all-time greats is always a tenuous proposition, but never more so than when the team in question still has games to be played. Then, a funny thing can happen, which throws a wrench in the whole coronation ceremony: They can lose.
It happened to USC, when Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush’s Trojans were toppled by Texas.
It happened to the star-studded Lakers, when the additions of Gary Payton and Karl Malone couldn’t get Kobe and Shaq past the Pistons.
And now, half a world away, it’s halfway done happening again. This time, in European soccer.
Barcelona, winners of every trophy it has been in contention for this past season, dropped the first of its two Champions League semifinal games last week to Inter Milan.
Normally, a team losing at the San Siro stadium to Inter Milan (even with a score line of 3-1) would not be particularly surprising. Inter boasts word class talent and a dominant home field advantage. In Jose Mourinho, the Italian giants also have a manager widely considered to be the world’s best. Don’t believe me? Just ask him. Mourinho’s skill is matched only by his hubris — and even then it’s close.
But even giving Inter its due, Barcelona had to be considered the favorites. It’s not just that Barcelona had been beating everyone — it’s the attacking flair with which the victories have been hammered home.
It’s also that said attack is powered by Lionel Messi. Soccer fan or not, Messi’s superlative skill is impossible to miss. He’s called the Little Wizard and, cliché though it may sound, some of his on-field exploits can only be explained via magic. Usually, when discussing the best players in any sport, the term “arguably” is used a lot. Not with soccer, and not right now. Messi is the best, and second place isn’t very close.
Although neither Messi nor his teammates have used it, there is an excuse for Barcelona’s defeat: Due to travel complications caused by Iceland’s volcanic activity, the team had to drive to the game on a bus. The trip took the better part of three days to complete, and almost certainly left Barcelona’s players feeling — if not outright beat — at least a little stiff.
It’s also worth noting that Barcelona’s players have invoked the always popular “blame the officials” clause in explaining the loss. It’s worth noting, but not really considering. Inter plays a more physical brand of soccer than Barcelona is used to seeing in Spain, and officials will allow for such play in European games.
To borrow the always quotable Mourinho’s words, what happened “was not a dream, it was reality.” And no excuse suitable explains the result. Inter did deserve to win.
The best retort, perhaps, is the one offered by Barcelona’s manager, Pep Guardiola. He said simply: “We’ll see them next week.”
And indeed, the two European superpowers will face off again on Wednesday, with work still to be done for Inter. A giant, even half slain, is still difficult to fell.
— Edited by Cory Bunting
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