The deterioration of Víctor Valdés: From Barcelona hero to Manchester United outcast

[dropcap]W[/dropcap]hen thinking back and recalling Pep Guardiola’s legendary Barcelona side of 2008-2012, star names are obviously commonplace. From arguably the best...

Barcelona’s Plan B – what to do when Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suárez misfire

[dropcap]A[/dropcap] couple of weeks ago, there seemed to be a grim inevitability about Barcelona claiming an historic treble for the second...

Pep Guardiola and a growing track record of moving players to new positions

[dropcap]M[/dropcap]odern-day football has become analysed and studied to such a fine degree that even the armchair fan is passing him or...

Arsenal’s unenviable task of producing a miracle against Barcelona

[dropcap]S[/dropcap]ix top-class teams have already booked their places in the Champions League quarter-finals, with the remaining two to be decided tonight...

Lionel Messi a worthy Ballon d’Or winner and the undoubted best on the planet

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]here almost no shocked faces when Barcelona and Argentina star Lionel Messi was announced as the 2015 Ballon d’Or winner at...

Five reasons for Spurs’ progression

[dropcap]H[/dropcap]ow far can Tottenham Hotspur go this season? Spurs are undefeated in the Premier League since the opening day of the...

Real Madrid 0 Barcelona 4 – Five key observations

[dropcap]E[/dropcap]ternal rivals Real Madrid and Barcelona contested one of the most one-sided Clásico fixtures in recent memory on Saturday night, with...

Barcelona and Netherlands legend Johan Cruyff: A homage

[dropcap]A[/dropcap]lthough today’s media is dominated by the Champions League fixtures of the latest midweek round and the prospect of Europa League...

Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and observations on Fifa’s 23-man Ballon d’Or shortlist

[dropcap]D[/dropcap]espite two-and-a-half months of the year remaining, Fifa have gone through the formalities of releasing a 23-man shortlist of candidates in...

Neymar’s audition to be Barcelona’s main man overshadowed by Lionel Messi

[dropcap]B[/dropcap]arcelona’s perfect start to the new La Liga campaign continued at the weekend, with the reigning Spanish and European champions overcoming...