With three English teams having qualified for the semi-finals of the Champions League for the third season in a row, the Spanish press have taken a teeny time-out on Thursday to sniff out the chances of the one remaining local side for local people still slugging it out in the tournament.
When La Liga Loca says âÂÂtime outâÂÂ, the blog means donating a couple of column inches to the topic. After all, there is other important business to attend to both in Madrid and Catalunya.
Sport are busy plugging XaviâÂÂs âÂÂautobiographyâ My life is Barça - an in-depth, no holds barred, tittle-tattle telling tome that will shock the world of la Liga.
Not really. As the book is sponsored by the paper and one of their âÂÂwritersâ helped with the scribbling, chapters such as âÂÂJoan Laporta - whatâÂÂs with the girlâÂÂs name?â are unlikely to appear.
Xavi: No.1 bestseller. Or not
Josep Maria Casanovas writes that the treble is very much on, but is starting to get the wobbles over the six weeks or so to come. âÂÂWhen you look at the calender for the next month, itâÂÂs enough to give you a fright. Every three days they are playing for everything.âÂÂ
Mundo Deportivo have begun trying to get the London-living Deco to return their calls, having spent the past six months or so blaming him and Ronaldinho for all of the Catalan clubâÂÂs troubles last year.
Meanwhile, in the inside pages, Francesc Aguilar is looking for Pep Guardiola to bring back the âÂÂspirit of Chelseaâ from 2005 when the team âÂÂunfairlyâ lost 4-2 in the last 16 second leg clash at Stamford Bridge.
âÂÂIt was in those very same dressing rooms when the players vowed to win the following yearâÂÂs competition.â And so it came to pass in Paris, Dear Reader.
AS editor Alfredo Relaño admits that the English teams may know a little bit about playing the worldâÂÂs game after all, and gives them a doggy biscuit for doing so.
However, he does not see them ruling in Rome come May. âÂÂThe English play nice, attractive, energetic, solid, practical football. But none of the three teams are as good as Barça."
JT heads home controversial winner in 2005
The paper also continues its âÂÂglass is half fullâÂÂ, âÂÂglass is half fullâ approach to Cristiano Ronaldo.
When Sir Alex was accusing the pouting ponce of being a workshy, lazy, mercenary, sulking so-and-so the other week, the paper saw this as a very positive thing for a player whose precious, ham-loving heart is pining for the Bernabeu and the chance to play alongside Miguel Torres.
AS views RonaldoâÂÂs super strike against Porto as a taste of things to come next season for Real Madrid, of course.
Marca also ponder the continued dominance of the English league but are less willing to put their cojones on the line and tip Barcelona for the title. âÂÂA third European Cup is not going to be easy. The English teams stand in their way,â boomed ThursdayâÂÂs editorial.
There is praise for little old Villarreal and their Champions league exit against another English side, but few grumbles over the eventual result which saw a 4-1 aggregate win for Arsenal.
âÂÂThey leave with their heads held high,â write Marca, âÂÂbut they never really had any options.âÂÂ
âÂÂPound for pound... the English side was better than the Submarine,â admit AS.
In a fortnightâÂÂs time, we will discover if it will be the same story for the current league leaders against Chelsea.
Van Persie sinks Yellow Submarine
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