Thiago stars as Spain win the 2013 UEFA U-21 European Championship

Another tournament, another Spain victory. The run since 2008 is truly remarkably, nigh unbelievable. Spain currently holds all the following titles: 2008, 2012 UEFA European Champions, 2010 FIFA World Cup Champions, 2011, 2013 UEFA Under-21 European Champions and 2011, 2012 UEFA Under-19 European Champions. This evening in Jerusalem, team captain Thiago Alcântara scored a hat-trick (the only ever in a one-off sub-21 final) and inspired his team to a 4-2 victory against finalists Italy.
Spain again started with four culés in Martín Montoya, Marc Bartra, Cristian Tello and of course captain Thiago. And in just six minutes Thiago began his rampage with a thundering header from a well played Álvaro Morata cross. Italy equalized four minutes later from Genoa man Ciro Immobile after he latched onto a long ball from the back. This play did not cover Spain center back Iñigo Martínez in glory. He was caught out of position and showed he does not have the pace to recover from such positional lapses. Maybe not the ideal target so many are clamming for.
But Spain were in control of this match from start to finish and if anything that Italy equalizer was against the run of play. Thiago was controlling things in the middle as well as playing some penetrating balls forward, none more special than the outside the foot zinger that put Morata behind the defense. The Real Madrid man’s shot was saved. But just after the half-hour mark Thiago again darted into the box, this time controlling with his chest Koke’s cross into the box and squeezing his shot past Italian keeper Bardi.
It was two Barça friends that combined to set up the winning goal. The referee blew for a foul (not clear though) in the box on Tello and Thiago stepped up for the penalty, smashing it right down the middle. It’s noticeable the sense of purpose and leadership Thiago has when given the job of commanding a side.
Sublime player Isco put in another penalty after 66 minutes and once again Barça was involved in the goal. Montoya this time came storming up the right as he does and no question here when Regini clearly took him down.
Another wonderful day for Spain and, as has been the pattern for some years, subsequently FC Barcelona. Four Barça players in the starting eleven isn’t quite the dominance seen at the senior level, but all four men were crucial to success in the tournament and the final. Marc Bartra was the best center-back in a team that only conceded goals in the final, Montoya dominated the right and won a penalty today, Tello’s pace proved an x-factor weapon throughout and Thiago Alcântara showed just why he is among the most desired recruits in the game.
His performance tonight will only ramp up the rumor mill so expect a bit of a transfer saga to develop going forward.
Congratulations Spain. Visca Barça.

Messi in potential tax trouble

Barcelona publication El Periodico reported today (June 12) that the Spanish tax authority served Lionel Messi and his father a legal complaint claiming non payment of taxes. Taxes are a hot issue in Spain with the economic difficulties and the fact the tax man is owed huge sums and nowhere is that more prevalent than La Liga. More after the jump.
There is very little information currently but the tax complaint is apparently around income earned from image rights between 2007-09. The amount outstanding is a set to be just over 4 million euros.
Taxes can become very complicated with a huge number of rules, limitations, exceptions, subclauses and global tax considerations. Presumably Messi would have a professional firm handle his wealth management and taxes and legal counsel so more than anything it will be them going into the books and debating with the Spanish tax authority.
And as expected he does. Messi came out quickly (via Facebook) following the media reports to say “We have just known through the media about the claim filed by the Spanish tax authorities. We are surprised about the news, because we have never committed any infringement. We have always fulfilled all our tax obligations, following the advice of our tax consultants, who will take care of clarifying this situation“

Piqué unconcerned by possible new competition for places

One of the areas where Barça are likely to be looking for reinforcements this summer is in the centre of defence. But Gerard Piqué insists that new faces are more than welcome.

In an interview with El Mundo Deportivo, he has also spoken frankly about the humiliating 7-0 aggregate to Bayern Munich and the lessons that experience has taught the team.

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  Gerard Piqué. Training session PHOTO: MIGUEL RUIZ

It’s always disturbing for a player to hear that his club is looking to sign new players in his position, but Gerard Piqué is taking a professional attitude to the situation. “It’s normal for Barça to want to improve each year” he says. “We want to win everything each season and to do that we need the best squad possible. If the club thinks we need knew defenders, so be it. This season we have let in more goals than before and we need to improve.”

New faces

Asked about potential new partners for him in defence, the Catalan mentioned “Thiago Silva, Hummels, Kompany … They are all great players at big clubs. But it’s the managers who have to decide.”
One new player who Piqué already knows will be lining up with Barça next season is Neymar, who he faced in the Clubs World Cup final against Santos. “Although we won that final well, he showed that he’s a good forward and you have to watch him all the time” he said. “He’s skilful, fast, and has plenty of resources to break free from defenders.
But what does Neymar’s arrival mean for Leo Messi? Gerard Piqué thinks it’ll make the Argentinian even better. “Having Neymar in the team will help Messi. Teams often try to mark him out of the game, but with Neymar in our side at least two opponents will have to keep an eye on someone else … And Neymar is the kind of player that the Camp Nou likes and that’s good because it’ll mean the crowd will be livelier.”

Sad farewells

Players come and players go. Eric Abidal’s departure has already been conformed, and David Villa and Victor Valdés might also not be around next season. “It’s always tough when a team-mate has to go, especially when they’re such good players and nice people too” said Piqué. “I don’t know how things will end up with Villa and Valdés, but I wish Abi luck wherever he goes because he deserves it … His farewell was emotional and the club treated him well from the moment it found out about his illness … But we also know that in his case he’ll be back with us in a few years’ time.”

Lessons from Bayern

Generally, Piqué was pleased with the way the 2012/13 season went, but the heavy defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League semi-final was a tough one to swallow. A lot of lessons were learned that night. “They came into the game in strong form and we weren’t one hundred per cent with Messi not fully fit in the first leg and not playing at all in the second … But of course there are things to be learned. Barça can’t lose a round 7-0, we know that and we have to improve … We have to run more, we have to make more of an effort on a group and individual level to get back to the top. This team has always fought hard and we have to keep doing that. We need to realise that we’re not the best any more, and our challenge now is to get back to being the best.”

Xavi dismisses “end of an era” claims

Speaking to the Catalan sports paper “Sport” last week, Barça’s Xavi Hernadez dismissed those who claimed Barça’s winning cycle had come to an end “the people who say that just don’t like Barça!”

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  Xavi PHOTO: MIGUEL RUIZ

No plans to slow down just yet

Xavi was also asked about whether he should begin to slow down and choose his games now that he is 33, but he was having none of it and was adamant: “I’ve heard that kind of comment for the last three or four years now. Of course I’m 33 and I’ve been playing at the top level for 15 years now - I can’t deny that, but I feel good and I want to keep playing for a few years more yet”

With the Spanish season over, Xavi Hernadez spoke to the Catalan sports paper “Sport” last week and insisted that Barça remain the dominant footballing force they have been over the last few years. The Catalan midfielder also revealed he’d rather lose playing well than win playing badly, gave his own take on the defeat to Bayern and made it clear he’s not thinking about retiring just yet.

“You have to look beyond simply the results and examine how the games went”

Xavi Hernandez dismissed any claims that Barça’s wonderful era of success is on the wane in his interview: “It makes me laugh when people say that. I’ve been hearing the same thing for years now and unfortunately for some people, it just never happens. The people saying that just don’t like Barça and so we simply ignore them and carry on enjoying the success”. The Catalan also reckons Bayern’s triumph doesn’t necessarily mark a changing of the guard at the top of the European game: “we are just talking about one successful season – what are you saying then, that Chelsea were better than Bayern last year when they beat them?”

Bayern defeat has to be put into context

Asked about the defeat to Bayern in the Champions League semi finals, Xavi was adamant that although the Germans were clear winners, “you have to look beyond simply the results and examine how the games went. They were forced to change their way of playing when they faced us and didn’t play with their usual open style – they used the speed of their wingers, they pressed us well and defended solidly, but we dominated possession, they couldn’t take that from us”. For Xavi, the teams came into the match on unequal terms – something he puts down to the demands of the Spanish season: “they were stronger and sharper coming into the match, but there are many reasons for that and the fact that neither we nor Madrid got to the final this year. The battles we have with Madrid really takes it out of us, it’s not the same in Germany, they don’t have that intensity of rivalry. This year’s Spanish Cup semi finals were really hard and if we carry on like that it’s clear that we aren’t going to get to April or May in the same condition that they do”.

Need to change Spanish Cup format

For Xavi, the best way to alleviate the pressures of the Spanish game is: “make the cup games single matches, not over two legs. That would reduce the number of games we played by four or five and it will also mean the games are more attractive, as the smaller teams have a better chance in a one-off knock out game. If the Spanish Federation wants our teams to get through to more Champions League finals, they have to help us out a bit”.

“I don’t like negative football”

Xavi also explained that it’s not just winning that counts, but how the game is played: “ I’d rather lose a Cup Final playing well – as long as we’ve already won the league of course – just like Bielsa’s Athletic Bilbao did in the Spanish Cup Final two years ago against us. They took us on toe to toe and didn’t abandon their attacking philosophy – that will stick in my mind for ever, but I’ve already forgotten how Chelsea played when they won the Champions League. I don’t like defensive, negative football that just looks for a result – I don’t enjoy it and it bores me to death!”

Quote of the Day: Cesc Fàbregas

“Real Madrid ended our era? We won the league by 15 points.”
- An outtake from Francesc Fàbregas speaking with radio station Onda Cero. It was a response to a question about José Mourinho’s comment yesterday. He has a point right?

Fabregas fires Super Eagles warning

CESC Fabregas says Spain will treat the upcoming Confederations Cup ‘as a World Cup’ and that could mean stiff test for the Super Eagles as they are grouped with the World Champions in Group B alongside Uruguay and Tahiti
La Roja are the world and European reigning champions with the prelude to Brazil 2014 being the only tournament they have still yet to win.
Fabregas, 26, insists victory is something that the players and fans are dreaming about.
“We will treat the competition as a World Cup or a European Championship, that feeling that you can finish your career after taking the European Championship, the World Cup and the Confederations is very important for us and for the fans even more,” he was quoted as saying by AS.
Fabregas also spoke publicly about Spain captain Iker Casillas, who he claims remains positive despite having found himself out in the cold at Real Madrid in recent months under former coach Jose Mourinho.
He continued: “I can see that he’s very well, as ever, the most important thing is his attitude and that’s always very positive. I’ve known him for seven years and he’s a great captain. In bad moments, he always is [positive].”

Neymar to be sixth highest wage earner

FC Barcelona’s newest recruit, Neymar, will be the sixth best paid player at the club when the new season gets underway in August, according to a report on Saturday in Mundo Deportivo. The Brazilian will slot in just under Gerard Piqué in the pay scale, and in general will occupy the third tier in Barcelona’s compensation system along with Victor Valdés and Carles Puyol. Lionel Messi is the club’s highest wage earner [at 16 million euros annually], with the second tier occupied by Xavi, Iniesta, and Villa.