2020-21 Champions League Rewind: Revisiting What Happened Against Chelsea

Real Madrid were uncharacteristically and surprisingly dominated in the semi-final tie against Chelsea last season. Zidane’s men did not have any fruitful answers for the London team’s pace, sharpness and physicality.

Caley Graphics Twitter

Taking a second look at how Los Blancos were decimated by Chelsea on the latter’s way to the trophy makes for an interesting sombre review of a dark spot in the season. Despite other losses in recent years, it is rare for Real Madrid to be as significantly outplayed and outmatched on the field as reflected by the monstrous xG scoreline.

Football's Court of Public Opinion: A Brief Case Study

Typecasts and Perception

Reputation is a powerful thing. Once a person becomes associated with certain character traits or attributes in a public platform, it becomes an innate factor in how they are judged by the world.

This is a way of saying that Ronaldo and diving will be forever linked in the domain of football media regardless of reality. Confirmation bias develops – as a result of what was (perhaps) at a time a true characterization of the player – and influences the way we interpret certain moments.

LOOK BACK: Analysis of 2012-13 Camp Nou El Clásico Post-Match Reaction

Blue and Red Accusations

Some segments of the non-Madrid fan base are expressing their dismay and contempt for Real's alleged aggressiveness (fouling) in the recent spectacularly calm and even tempered contest between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid, that finished with a goal apiece for each side, in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final El Clasico at the Santiago Bernabeu. These allegations confound the general sporting expectation for a passionate and rigorous effort-intensive display. Quite simply, professional football should ensure the sport does not turn into an elaborate improvised ballet show – give us physicality; grit and toughness are critical elements of football at its most exciting state.

House of Thoughts: Two Lights

Thougths on Interpretative Viewing

Statistics: active participation or keen observation of the game furthers the understanding of the irrelevance and marginal significance of numbers. They are raw and innately objective but by no measure of imagination representative of an even environment. They derive their value from true actions -- acts that deserve attention and examination.

Coliseum Decay: A Poet's Defense of Blue Football

Context: 2012 Champions League Final

Built majestically with spirit of intent and around a core of channeled creativity; the football display available for viewing on a weekly basis -- often more frequently -- in the town of Catalunya has received as high and loud and sincere and pervasive praise as merit could be due; beyond all bounds of objectivity and decency.

Vamos Past, Hala Future - Stand up Galacticos!

Another football affair come and gone faster than  mid-summer snow. Retrospectively, there is much too much to remember; new coach, new wingmen, new trophy and new enemies. It is in deep solace and calmness that I offer unsuppressed praise and genuine thoughts of commendations to the Great Whites.