The World Cup preview: predictions, graphic, how the groups unfold, first round results

Stuck at the intersection: Babb's hopeful graphic

What I love about this World Cup graphic is the simplicity of it. It takes us right back to 10-year-old mathematics and the intersection of groups.

And yes, it's accurate (even prophetic), based on the analysis and predictions of many football experts from around the world and compiled by a graphic artist called Babb somewhere in the heart of London at the Daily Telegraph (I think, judging by the twitter feed).

It shows quite clearly what I believe. That this World Cup, which kicks off on Thursday night with hosts Brazil v Croatia, will be dominated by the home continent, Latin America.

Still a hotbed for the beautiful game, Brazil will be sweating over the fitness of their iconic Neymar: his first season in Europe with Barcelona fell a little short of perfection but he remains the key figure... along with misfiring Fred, the striker with the world on his shoulders right now.


And there, in the "high hopes" area lie Argentina too, with a plethora of striking options which could see the little flea Lionel Messi using a cushion at times in the tournament, as the Argentine bench shuffles through the goal-scoring options.

Uruguay, with Luis Suarez struggling for fitness and Diego Forlan reaching pipe-and-slippers age, may also feature, though I'd look at Chile or Colombia as the third force at this world cup, the dark horses who could stretch in to a gallop if they survive the group stages.

Holders Spain, who have also won the last two European Championships, have to be among the contenders, along with 2010 beaten finalists the Netherlands and Germany, the best side in South Africa. But as I never tire of repeating: a European side has NEVER won the World Cup in the Americas.

England? They sit happily in the dead centre of our graphic. High hopes abound (as they have since 1966), but in truth, if they do well, they'll be considered dark horses in Brazil - and really they have to be considered no-hopers if the truth be told.


My assessment of the World Cup groups, showing the England/Italy/Uruguay/Costa Rica conflagration in Group D as the Group of Death and that Germany/Portugal/USA/Ghana showdown as second toughest in Group G (based ont he latest FIFA rankings) is HERE http://www.neal-collins.blogspot.com/2014/06/official-for-uruguay-italy-and-england.html.

Argentina have the easiest group. Brazil's is not as tricky as it might appear. A modest start is all that's required, plus the usual dose of good fortune, dodgy refereeing decisions and scorching goals in the knock-out stages.

We go in to every World Cup expecting shocks, but in truth, the big nations and the major names generally carry the day. I fear for Ghana, Africa's 2010 flag-bearers, only because the qualifying group is so irredeemably difficult. I pray for Nigeria, Cameroon and Algeria but really the Ivory Coast are the dark continent's only hope of a place in the last four, something Africa has NEVER achieved.

We will discuss the injuries endlessly, even with two days to go, the actually physical state of Suarez, Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar has been called in to question... but there are always replacements. For me, Brazil should hold sway with Argentina pushing them close.

If the Germans score as freely as they did four years ago, if Thomas Muller can show us his full range of skills, they could outshine the fading Spanish. But none of the European giants - nor the African and Asian hopefuls - will match the Latin Americans.


My group-by-group analysis of the qualifiers is HERE: http://www.neal-collins.blogspot.com/2014/06/there-can-be-no-better-way-to-resume.html.


Oh, and here are my first round World Cup predictions made on http://www.kickoffpredictor.com/

ROUND 1 PREDICTIONS 

Thanks for making your predictions for Round 1 of KICK OFF Predictor.
These predictions were made on 6/4/2014 2:03:55 PM
Your predictions are: 

Brazil 2

vs

Croatia 0

Mexico 1

vs

Cameroon 1

Spain 0

vs

Netherlands 0

Chile 3

vs

Australia 0

Colombia 2

vs

Greece 0

Uruguay 2

vs

Costa Rica 1

England 0

vs

Italy 0

Ivory Coast 1

vs

Japan 0

Switzerland 2

vs

Ecuador 2

France 1

vs

Honduras 0

Argentina 4

vs

Bosnia and Herzegovina 0

Germany 2

vs

Portugal 1

Iran 0

vs

Nigeria 1

Ghana 1

vs

USA 1

Looking back on 2012 with Jeff Maloi: and hoping for glory at AFCON 2013!

Talking to Jeff Maloi this morning, summing up South Africa's troubled 2012 and our hope for Gordon Igesund's Bafana Bafana at AFCON2013... plus a bit of Lionel Messi! You can get eNCAnews on DSTV channel 403 or Sky 518

Euro2012 preview: Lionel Messi has a Czech mate

In Czech: Vaclav Pilar, Europe's answer to Lionel Messi

LIONEL MESSI has a Czech mate. When Euro2012 kicks off tomorrow night, all eyes will be on a 23-year-old called Vaclav Pilar when the Czech Republic takes on highly-fancied Russia.

Dick Advocaat’s Russia are among the pre-tournament favourites but the Czechs have qualified for every European Championship since the break-up of Czechoslovakia in 1993 – reaching the final against Germany at Euro96 with a side of shock troops that included Patrik Berger, Pavel Nedved and Karel Poborsky.

That record was under threat in October when they faced a play-off against England’s closest qualifying challengers Montenegro in Prague.

After a frustrating hour, it was Pilar who broke through with the first goal in a 2-0 home triumph to ease the passage of his nation, which at 18, is officially the same age as the new South Africa.

But it was playing for his club – the Czech champions Viktoria Plzen – that Pilar established himself last season as something of a European Messi.

Alongside the talented Petr Jiracek, Pilar shone as the unfancied Plzen finished third in a Champions League group featuring champions Barcelona and Italian giants AC Milan.

And when now-ex Barca boss Pep Guardiola picked out Pilar as the Plzen player who had impressed him most, the EuroMessi tag was neatly tied to his talented boots.

Since then, close pal Jiracek has gone to earn the big bucks with Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga - and Pilar is expected to make the lucrative leap to Engand, Spain, Italy or Germany soon.

But for now, the nation calls. Pilar says: "I don't think about my club fuure right now. I just fully focus on the Euro. But it would help me a great deal if I play well."

Still a relative international novice with nine caps, Pilar goes in to his first major tournament saying from the team’s training ground in Wroclaw: "I'm really looking forward to it. We're among the best 16 teams in Europe and my dream is to advance in the tournament."

Unlike World Cups, the European Championship rarely offers an easy game. After Russia tomorrow (8.45pm, live on SuperSport3 in South Africa), the Czechs have got 2004 shockers Grece and co-hosts Poland - who kick-off the tournament tomorrow night at 5pm (6pm in South Africa, also live on SuperSport3) to come in Group A.

Pilar says: "There are no easy opponents in this group or this tournament and I want to do all I can for the team to succeed. I haven't played many big games but I want to do my best."

While the Czechs may ease past hosts Poland - the lowest-ranked side in the tournament at 62 (that's six better than Bafana Bafana at 68) - to qualify with Russia, things will get no easier.

In the deadly Group B, Germany and Holland should emerge ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal and dogged Denmark.

Group C should see champions Spain through, with Croatia perhaps getting the edge over troubled Italy and unlucky Ireland.

England may just sneak past Sweden in Group D with France on top and co-hosts Ukraine at the bottom.

The final? How about the Dutch to end Spain's four-year domination of world football?

You can follow me through Euro2012 on www.twitter.com/nealcol, http://www.facebook.com/nealivorcollins, my Tuesday Neal and Pray column in www.thenewage.co.za newspaper and on Monday mornings on eNews and eTV Sunrise. And every Saturday I'll be on SuperSport3 with EuroZone at 4pm, starting this week. I've been asked to be controversial. Like a certain Mario Barwuah-Balotelli. Don't miss it!

El Clasico, Eish Clasico and Alex Clasico: who's going to win what

IT’S that time of year for the football-speaking world as the end of season crowds gather. The reigning season.

Let me draw your attention to the big ones. The title-deciders I was asked to talk about on South Africa’s eNews channel this morning, with Mr William Lehong and his perfect suit. El Classico at the Nou Camp, the self-styled Eish Clasico in Soweto and the Sir Al Clasico in Manchester.

Let us for a moment skip past the Champions League semi-finals, difficult though that is. Real Madrid go to Bayern Munich tomorrow night in an attempt to stop the Germans, currently second to Dortmund in the Bundesliga, from engineering a home final in May.

On Wednesday, Barcelona are off to London, where Chelsea at Stamford Bridge may be a stumbling point. Unfortunately, the Blues are coming off the back of an excruciating 5-1 win over Spurs, with Drogba, Lampard, Ramirez and Malouda joining referee Martin Atkinson on the scoresheet in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley. The Nou Camp could be disastrous for Roberto di Matteo.

Few would bet against an all-Spanish Champions League final, but for both the La Liga giants, Europe pales into insignificance on Saturday, when Jose Mourinho’s all-whites travel to the heart of Catlunia and the blue-and-red Nou Camp.

Has there ever been a bigger El Clasico? With Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi both breaking the all-time La Liga scoring record of the weekend – they’re locked on 41 each – the stage is set for something extraordinary.

I’ve spent most of today writing for The New Age about this extraordinarily odd couple. Modest, unassuming Messi, 24, with his growth hormones and crap hairstyle against flashy, sports car-crashing Ronaldo, 27.

And on the sidelines, the relatively sane Pep Guardiola versus the madness that is Jose Mourinho, who recently missed his 45^th pre-match press conference (the Spaniards count these things).

But before that little lot, we’ve got South Africa’s own title showdown: champions Orlando Pirates, holders of all the nation’s domestic trophies, against upstarts Moroka Swallows in Dobsonville.

Soweto’s oldest derby comes at an intriguing time. Eish. Gordon Igesund has turned the Dube Birds from relegation fodder into title contenders in just over a year. Peruvian caretaker Augusto Palacios has taken over from Brazilian Julio Leal with surprising aplomb in Orlando. A win over the Buccaneers, unlikely though it may seems, would put Swallows within a point of the lead.

With the ancient Siyabonga Nomvete, the SAPL’s top scorer, up against the bang-from-suspension Benni McCarthy, it’s not quite Messi v Ronaldo, but it’ll do for us!

And then, on May 30, the English showdown of note. Manchester United travel to Eastlands, Manchester City’s home at the Commonwealth Games Stadium.

After their glitch against Wigan, United bounced back with a 4-0 destruction of a pitiful Aston Villa on Sunday. Wayne Rooney, subbed and chastised against Wigan, scored twice. Ashley Young did one of his gold medal winning dives. Sir Alex chewed gum and admitted Young “might have overdone it”.

City meanwhile, are on a roll with Mario Balotelli suspended. Carlos Tevez, a footballing slave I have always defended, scored a hat-trick in their 6-1 win over Norwich. I guess the former United striker would love a couple more where they came from against Sir Alex.

Sir Alex said after the weekend’s fun and games: “We’ve got a nice healthy lead, but the derby is bound to have an impact on the the eventual winners.”

In Spain, the gap is four points. In South Africa, it’s the same. In England, it’s five.

These are the three big ones, El Clasico, Soweto’s oldest derby and the Manchester showdown. My picks? Real Madrid to get at last a point at the Nou Camp, Swallows to stun the Buccaneers, City to edge United at home. But the title winners? Jose Mourinho, Gordon Igesund… and, yet again, Sir Alex Ferguson.

You can follow me in www.thenewage.co.za and on www.twitter.com/nealcol. But don’t be scared to leave a comment…

The Real Truth: Why Mourinho and Ronaldo will be leaving the Bernebeu

Real Madrid must surely begin the long farewell to coach Jose Mourinho and star man Cristiano Ronaldo – the world’s most expensive player – after their Champions League semi-final defeat against arch-rivals Barcelona.

The controversial couple can hardly stay at the Bernebeu after the saga of the infamous four frantic Clasicos wound to its inevitable conclusion at the Nou Camp on Tuesday night.

Even former Real owner Ramon Calderon accepts they have gone too far after the shenigans surrounding the four games between the two sides over the past fortnight. He told the BBC: “Talk like this is harmful for Real Madrid. Big clubs should not blame the referee for their mistakes or their defeats.

"We invested £400m in the last two years to be a very important and strong team so if you lose you cannot blame injuries, bad luck, referees or nothing. If you lose you have to congratulate the rival and that is all.

"What Mourinho did in terms of talking about UEFA and referees is not acceptable at all."

Just as he did at Chelsea and Inter Milan, the Special One has talked himself out of a job despite his surprise win in the Copa Del Rey against the old enemy a fortnight ago.

Quotes like these simply don’t make for a long-term retirement plan. Mourinho, who watched the second leg from his hotel room 400 yards down the road “for security reasons” fumed: “ It's clear that against Barcelona you have no chance.

"I don't know if it's the publicity of Unicef [the club's shirt sponsor], I don't know if it's because they are very nice, but they've got this power.

"I don't know if it's the friendship of [Spanish football federation president Angel Maria] Villar at Uefa, where he is vice-president."

And former Manchester United star Ronaldo wasn’t holding back after a relatively peaceful 1-1 second leg draw saw Barca progress to the final at Wembley on May 28 with a 3-1 aggregate win.

Real’s iconic top scorer, threatened by a Barca fan just after half-time on Tuesday night (see picture) said: "Next year they might as well give the cup directly to Barcelona."

"The team is sad, but we knew it was an uphill battle.

"The name of the match is Mission Impossible IV. Once again it was the referee that didn't allow us to dictate the outcome. We knew we could beat Barca, but the referee didn't let us.

"Higuain's goal was good. Pique pushed me and I landed on Mascherano. He didn't used to fall to the ground in England, but he's picked up the bad habit of doing it here like everyone else.

"Those who know about football know Barca are very well protected. But you just have to live with all these injustices.""

It’s not as if Mourinho and Ronaldo don’t have a point. Higuain’s goal looked valid from where I sat and would have put the semi-final in the balance at 2-1.

Instead, the Belgian referee, surely a Waloon, judged Ronaldo to have fouled the gymnastic Mascherano as he fell under Gerard Pique’s push.

Decision after decision went the way of the diving, rolling, play-acting Catalans.

But they remain the best club side in the world – largely thanks to that little man Lionel Messi – and they are unlikely to slip up in the La Liga title race or the Champions League final as refereeing errs on the side of caution and ballet dancing.

Mourinho and Ronaldo have to accept modern football is no longer a man’s game. The tiny Messi is well protected – he had a record 12 fouls given against him on Tuesday night – and the dull Spanish World Cup winning ploy of possession and mincing is now simply the way of the softly-softly footballing world.

Given the passionate hatred between Catalan and Castillian – the Barcelona v Madrid split is a matter of historic nationalism and civil war not simply ball games – how can Mourinho or Ronaldo soldier on? How can they go through such perceived injustice against next season?

With Calderon joining the critique levelled by Alfredo di Stefano, what price on Mourinho returning to Chelsea with Ronaldo for a few billion Roman Abramovich roubles? Ronaldo needs another big money move before he hits middle age and Mourinho's defensive tactics, though they bring results, fail to live up to Madridista expectations.

At least in England’s Premier League the odd diver is booked. And nationalism counts for nothing when Manchester United face the Blues, as we will find out on Sunday.

Higuain hat-trick for Argentina and Greece smashing plates... but anybody can still make it from Group B

The real World Cup is upon us. After the phoney war of the opening games, the goals are flying thick and fast as the second round demands blood, guts... and victories.

For Greece and Nigeria, the Group B warning had already been fired in emphatic fashion by Argentina on day seven of the World Cup. The Argies beat South Korea 4-1 in South Africa 2010’s first five-goal showdown. Then the Greeks edged out the 10-man Super Eagles 2-1 to the din of smashing plates across the world.

But they’d best not celebrate too soon - all four sides can still qualify from Group B.

A surprisingly big turn-out of 31,593 in chilly Bloemfontein saw Nigeria, with huge migrant support here, opened the scoring through Kalu Uche, whose free-kick wormed it’s way through a busy box and into the net after just 16 minutes.

But Greece – also blessed with a huge ex-pat community in South Africa – didn’t collapse as they did against South Korea in their opening game. Their cause was helped by Sani Kaita’s needless red card after 33 minutes for kicking out at Vassilis Torosidis. Stupid. Referee Oscar Ruiz was left with no option.

The Greeks relished playing ten men. First Celtic striker Giorgos Samaras had his effort cleared off the line by Haruna Lukman then, with the first half nearly done, Dimitris Salpingidis fired home – but only after a huge deflection off the luckless Lukman.

And the winner came as an embarrassment to the excellent Nigerian goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama. After a series of stunning saves he could only palm out Alexandros Tzioli’s shot and there was Torosidis to finish and send Greece into raptures.

Poor old Enyeama, brilliant in the 1-0 defeat against Argentina, simply held his head. That Jabulani ball has plenty more to offer as the World Cup hits top gear. We saw just 25 goals in the 16 first round matches – a record low – but there have been 11 in the three second round games so far.

Interestingly though, the Nigerians are still in it, despite ending pointless after two games. Thanks to Enyeama restricting the Argentines to one goal at Ellis Park, a win by more than two goals against South Korea in Durban on June 22 could put them through as runners up. But that’s assuming Argentina could be bothered to beat Greece on the same day in Polokwane.

Diego Maradona’s men crushed South Korea 4-1 in the highest-scoring encounter of the tournament so far in the early kick-off in front of a throbbing Soccer City. And of course, the Koreans beaten Greece in their opening game, while Nigeria lost to the Argies.

Gonazalo Higuain was the hero of the hour – and takes his place at the top of the scorers’ list with a hat-trick against the men from Seoul.

Born in Brest, France, the 22-year-old chose to play for his father’s Albiceleste when Les Bleus tried to get him to fly the Tricolour. And before this game, the Real Madrid striker was quoted as saying: “I’m sure the goals will come.”

El Pipita did just that. After Park Cho Yung’s opening own goal for Argentina, Higuain headed his side into what looked a comfortable lead after 32 minutes. Korea pulled one back just before the break when a defensive error – which could be an otherwise impressive outfit’s Achilles heel – let Lee Chong Yong in.

But Higuain had soon restored the two-goal cushion, finishing easily after Lionel Messi had hit a post – and he completed his hat-trick and the World Cup’s best scoreline so far with Sergio Aguero, Diego Maradona’s brother-in-law, setting up the goal.

All inspired, of course, by the little genius who is Messi. And the equally tiny coach Maradona, who was leaping about on the sidelines.

Argentina have all but won this group. But the battle for second will rage on.

Neal Collins (nealcol on Twitter) is in South Africa to promote his first novel A GAME APART. For more information see www.nealcollins.co.uk. If you think the Scottish bagpipes should be banned rather than the Vuvuzela, see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1hrMRk5FnY.

Argentina 1 Nigeria 0, a classic World Cup encounter thanks to the goalkeeper Arsenal never signed

And so to our first classic World Cup encounter. Argentina’s 1-0 win over Nigeria was no yawn-a-minute yomp for the Latin Americans with the billionaire stars. It was a victory for art over craft, blood over sweat.

From the hairstyles to the coaches, you couldn’t have asked for a greater contrast. Argentina were all Messi skills and messy hair, Nigeria kept the score down through last-gasp tackles and last-ditch defending, not to mention a string of saves from man of the match Vincent Enyeama.

Clad in canary yellow, the Nigerian goalkeeper – who once agreed a £2m fee with Arsenal a year ago - denied Barcelona’s masterful Lionel Messi three times in the first half and produced two further superb saves in the second. How he denied the little master in the 81^st minute, we’ll never know.

The 27-year-old from Hapoel Tel Aviv in Israel, was winning his 54^th cap and hard put a finger wrong. Arsene Wenger, you missed out on a super-duper Super Eagle.

But there was nothing Enyeama could do when, after just six minutes, the German-speaking Argentine Gabriel Heinze stormed in to head what turned out to be the winning goal. Quite a day for Manchester United fans. Ji-Sung Park scored a cracker for South Korea in their earlier win against Greece, and here was Heinze, a former Old Trafford star, full of beans.

Almost from the kick-off, this one oozed global quality and excitement, so unlike last night’s awful bore-draw between France and Uruguay. Another former Manchester United man, 35-year-old Juan Sebastian Veron, prompted and probed while Manchester City’s former Old Trafford striker Carlos Tevez just never stopped harrying, probing, working.

Detailed to stop this vast array of talent? One Danny Shittu, formerly of Watford and QPR, who failed to get a game in the Premier League for Bolton Wanderers last season. And he made a fair fist of it.

But it was Messi, the little man who needed growth hormone treatment to reach 5ft 6in, who glittered and shone. How many times did the Nigerians have to stop him with ghastly tackles and desperate lunges, not to mention Enyeama’s golden gloves?

And throughout, there was demented Diego Maradona, shouting and screaming, while Nigeria’s ice-cool Swedish coach Lars Lagerback whispered and prodded.

In the end, we will say Argentina have all it takes to win the World Cup, aside from a sane coach. But that doesn’t tell the story of how close Nigeria came to a leveller on the break as they struggled for 40 percent of the possession.

A day of contrast, green vuvuzelas... and a vast gathering of increasingly desperate Nigerians. They caused 15 injuries when the local migrant population attempted to gain access in a crush during their friendly against North Korea in Tembisa last week. The jolly green army were no less passionate at Ellis Park yesterday, where South Africa won the 1995 rugby World Cup, as portayed by Hollywood and Clint Eastwood in the film Invictus.

But there was to be no last-minute drop goal to change things here. Though former Newcastle striker Obafemi Martins tested Sergei Romero in the Argentine goal 12 minutes from time, it always looked like Argentina, ranked 7 in the world, were going to be a little too slick for Nigeria, ranked 21.

In truth, there were chances at both ends as the altitude burned the lungs late on. And you suspect both these sides will be too strong for South Korea, 47, who beat Greece, 13, in the opening Group B clash earlier in the day.

Especially when you consider they were able to bring on Diego Milito, the two-goal hero of Inter Milan’s Champions League final win over Bayern Munich last month, as a late sub. You have been warned, these Argentines are the best of the eight teams we’ve seen so far.

Diego Maradona: bottoms, bidets and bonkers as Nigeria game looms at Ellis Park on Saturday

DIEGO MARADONA, we have been assured, has learned to be calmer, more careful, as he prepares for Saturday’s opening World Cup clash against Nigeria and their migrant population at Ellis Park on Saturday.

So best we just forget the training pitch antics this week, when the man who won the 1986 World Cup on his own had his winning five-a-side team blast the balls at the buttocks of the losers at Pretoria’s High Performance Centre. Oh, and forget the days when he threatened to do something extremely nasty to disrespectful journalists. And the demands for expensive “bidet-toilets” in his room at one of South Africa’s top sports bases. Perhaps he just has a thing about bottoms.

The bottom line for Saturday’s opening Group C clash is that he’s planning to use all three strikers – Manchester City’s Carlos Tévez, Atletico Madrid’s Sergio Aguero and Inter Milan’s Champions League winner Diego Milito – up front against the Super Eagles. That’s some take. Winner-take-all, caution-to-the-winds, 3-4-3.

His take on arriving here this week? “You have to put all your heart into winning the World Cup. You've got to give your life."

Given the scenes at Tembisa on Sunday, when thousands of local Nigerians attempted to gain access to their friendly 3-0 win over North Korea – leaving 15 in hospital – he may be about to do just that. Ellis Park saw 43 die in a similar crush in April, 2001. Lightning won’t strike twice. But it was a sign of just how well supported the Nigerians will be at this tournament.

This morning in Brooklyn, near the Argentine camp at Pretoria University, I spent my time helping their Spanish-speaking fans book tickets for the latter stages. They are still available. I spent some time explaining to the charming South African ticket sellers that one of the moustachioed Argies had accidentally booked the last 16 clash in Port Elizabeth on June 26 instead of the one at Loftus Versfeld on the 29^th.

I attempted to explain in Spanglish: “But if you finish second in the group, you may have the right ticket!” Mr Moustache and the Argentine fans, here in surprising numbers, were having none of it. Argentina are going to win Group C, Nigeria, Greece or South Korea (who play each other earlier on Saturday at the Nelson Mandela Stadium) will have to battle it out for that second spot.

They are prepared to forget – rather quickly – the struggle Diego’s Argentina had to qualify for this World Cup. He used 107 players, failed to get the best out of the magical Lionel Messi, and they just sneaked in ahead of play-off bound Uruguay.

Maradona was accused of being muddle-minded, having no idea what system to play, of favouring his old pals in the squad. No longer. This is World Cup time. Maradona left Inter Milan’s Champions League winning defenders Javier Zanetti and Esteban Cambiasso at home and is promising to go for that revolutionary 3-4-3 formation.

Unfazed, Nigeria’s former Newcastle striker Obafemi Martins says: “There will be 150 million people at home watching the game. Messi is a good player, they’ve got Tevez too, but this is the World Cup we know it's important for all of us. That's why we're here, we've got to give our best."See Maradona's crazy training session:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_LoAwbDsk4

The good, the mad and the Messi: Barca outgun Arsenal 4-1

WE are now able to confirm Lionel Messi is, as we have long suspected, the world’s greatest footballer. At 22 and barely 5ft 7in, he can happily claim that accolade 65 days before the World Cup kicks off in South Africa.

A quite stunning 21-minute hat-trick at the Nou Camp tonight – and a fourth goal in the dying minutes to make it 4-1 - simply beggared belief. Breathless, bemused, bewitched, we watched as he took Barcelona smoothly from doom to boom. The Champions League quarter-final second-leg against Arsenal belonged to one man, one little genius.

Arsenal's goalscorer Nicklas Bendtner admitted afterwards: "If you have to lose a game, you want to lose because the other team is playing you off the pitch. It's difficult to be behind at the Nou Camp. Messi is a phenomenal player."

A remarkably calm Arsene Wenger, facing the prospect of a sixth trophy-free season, said: "The difficulty with Messi is he’s not always in the game. But when he is, he’s unstoppable. He’s the only player who can change direction at such a pace. He is the best player in the world right now. What can you do?”

It’s hard to offer this summary of his goals for a sports journalist who named his dog Charlie George in 1972, but here it is:

THE GOOD: On 21 minutes, he crashed the equaliser into the top corner from the edge of the box with his right foot barely a minute after Arsenal had gone ahead.

THE MAD: After 37 minutes, he poached the ball in the box and chipped in with his right after a deft touch with his left to give the home side the lead.

THE MESSI: After 37 minutes, clear through, he produced the outrageous, slipping his boot under the ball to lob a flummoxed Almunia and lift the Nou Camp’s 90,000 to a mighty victory roar.

THE TERRIBLY MESSI: Just three minutes to go and Messi mesmerises the Arsenal defence, first Eboue, then Vermaelen, Almunia saves but is beaten on the rebound - through his legs.

And that really was the story of a grim night for Arsenal – it would be churlish to mention they were also plagued by another display of fussy refereeing from the whistle-happy Wolfgang Stark.

Again, like the 2-2 draw at the Emirates Stadium last week, it was a game to remember. Twenty minutes in, with the ref ruining it and Manuel Almunia making a sharp early save, Abou Diaby committed a foul on the halfway line.

For once, Stark waved play on, Samir Nasri made a nifty tackle, fed Abou Diaby... who found Theo Walcott just on-side. He broke clear but, inexplicably, decided to play in Nicklas Bendtner with only the goalkeeper to beat. Bendtner's first effort was blocked but the long leg of the floored Great Dane stretched out and bang, 1-0 to silence the whole of Catalunia.

That fiver on Arsenal to win 1-0 at 12-1 looked a good investment. Briefly. Incredible scenes in the Collins lounge and all over north London (and a small corner of the Nou Camp). Seconds later, Diaby might have found Walcott on the break again... but he chose Bendtner down the left and good possession was squandered.

Up the other end surged Barcelona and there was Messi, that giant in every aspect other than height, to crash home the equaliser barely a minute after Arsenal's unexpected opener.

Walcott certainly had the Catalans quaking. Sergio was required to bring one lesson in Theology to a premature end but escaped a yellow card.

Seconds later, Denilson’s shrewd slide tackle clearly took the ball but Messie did the old double roll and Arsenal’s Brazilian was in the book. Disgraceful refereeing. But then, as Charlie George will tell you, I am one-eyed with rose-tinted glasses.

And of course, footballing justice dictated that it was Messi who got on the end of Barca’s second with 37 minutes gone with Gael Clichy scrambling to cover and Almunia gone to ground. A great finish, Arsenal out-numbered.

Still, the first half-an-hour hadn’t been as bad as the first 30 minutes at the Emirates. Arsenal were in it, Barca weren’t having it easy.

As their boss Pep Guardiola said in the build-up: “There’s no point in being the best side in the world and losing.”

So they didn’t. Messi’s hat-trick,his fourth this year, came before half-time as he broke clear past a creaking defence bereft of William Gallas and Sol Campbell. With the world watching, he refused to take the easy route. As he swept in, the Argentine simply lobbed the advancing Almunia, face on, escaping his outstretched gloves by inches to find the net. Incredible. Andy Gray on Sky was loving every moment, but then he is Scottish. Clearly, Messi is world class. But, as the Denilson incident had indicated earlier, he’s a cheat. I'm taking stick for saying that but hey, I can only write it as I see it.

Messi was clear again before the break but his touch was heavy. He’s not perfect. But at 22 after spending puberty on growth hormones, the bloke is pretty damn close to it. He doesn't need to do the full lottery roll-over every time somebody tackles him.

Four minutes into the second half he was a touch away from goal number four as Arsenal, understandably rattled, attempted to unflabber their gasts.

In the 50^th minute, Bendtner had the ghost of a chance but he was too slow pulling the trigger. The Dane is a tad short at this level, oh for a fit Robin van Persie or an elderly Thierry Henry, left on the bench by Barca against the club for whom he still holds every major scoring record.

In the Sky commentary box, Gray assured us Barca are just too good, Messi just too perfect. Why are there so many Jocks doing English commentary? This was a time for the old bulldog spirit.

A week before at this stage, Arsenal had been two goals down but rallied to draw 2-2. And a 3-3 draw at the Nou Camp would have put the Gunners through to the last four against Inter Milan, who had earlier seen off CSKA on the artificial pitch in Moscow.

After 72 minutes, Gael Clichy’s cross found Bendtner’s head with what looked a great chance. He hit the post when it looked easier to score – but the offside flag had been raised.

The awful Tomas Rosicky was then replaced by striker Eduardo as Arsene Wenger attempted to work the miracle.

But by then, it was too late. The spell had been cast by the tiny wizard. Thank God Messi’s got Diego “Hand of God/Face of Dog” Maradona running the show for Argentina in South Africa later in the year, otherwise he’d be nailed on to win the World Cup too.

But he wasn’t finished with Arsenal yet. With three minutes left and the game over, he turned the otherwise impressive Emmanuel Eboue, beat the unimpressive Thomas Vermaelen and forced Almunia into yet another save. But the rebound was stuck firmly through the fellow-Spaniard’s legs to make it 4-0.

That was his first four-goal burst in football. Just another stage in the growing process for the little lad from Rosario. Barca 4, Arsenal 1. That made it 6-3 on aggregate. And as Arsene Wenger contemplates a sixth year of dusty trophy cabinets, Barca can contemplate just how wise they were to provide growth hormone treatment to an 11-year-old crying out for growth hormone treatment.

That’s not a tall story. That’s the miracle of Messi.

See also: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqck5JuZtuc

And: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/374426-the-good-the-mad-and-the-messi-barca-out-gun-arsenal-in-style

Arsenal 1, Barcelona 2. A lesson in Theology for the mighty Catalans.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic ended his ten-game goal-drought against English clubs at the Emirates Stadium last night.

But sub Theo Walcott led a dramatic fightback to put Arsenal right back in the tie after an hour of Barcelona magic.

Ibrahimovic, the Swede with a Bosnian mum and a Croatian dad, needed just 23 seconds after the break to give the Catalans the lead they deserved.

And 13 minutes later he added a second to all but end the need for a return leg at the Nou Camp next week.

But Walcott emerged with a goal to keep hope alive - and tormented Barca with his pace. With time running out, Arsenal produced yet another late goal - a Cesc Fabregas penalty - to equalise with five minutes left.

Walcott said: "It's been very frustrating for me not to start. I just wanted the chance to show what I could do. We've had a lot of disappointments this season, but the fans help us lift ourselves. If you look back on the game, they had a lot of the ball, I think 2-2 was a good result in the end."

Too right Theo. Arsene Wenger will be praying for a miracle of epic Red Sea-parting proportions over there.

He lost William Gallas 40 minutes into his long-awaited return to action, Andrei Arshavin was also injured and Fabregas misses out on his longed-for return to Barcelona after one of three first half yellow cards suffered at the hands of the over-fussy referee.

Arsenal's Premier League hopes will be hit too - Fabregas injured himself hitting the penalty too hard and limped through the last five minutes with no replacements left - he was only cleared to play minutes before the kick-off last night.

With both Barcelona centre-backs ruled out for the Nou Camp too, Wenger said afterwards: "My only regret is that we gave two soft goals away. I had to leave Cesc on, he wanted to stay on."

Quite how Arsenal survived a torrid first half without conceding nobody knows, except perhaps the magnificent Manuel Almunia. With a fussy referee blowing every touch, Arsenal simply never got into their stride. That they escaped with a draw is testament to their new-found ability to dig in.

Instead of seeing the Gunners pushing the ball around in neat triangles against hapless Hulls and Sunderlands, it was the home side who were left chasing shadows by the Spanish and European champions.

In the first 20 minutes, with Messi and Ibrahimovic running riot, the much-derided Manuel Almunia made five superb saves. After 17 minutes, Arsenal were finally allowed their first attack.

Never have I seen Arsenal outplayed like that at home, not in 35 sometimes very mediocre years. By the time Samir Nasri had Arsenal's first shot in the 22nd minute, the Catalans had enjoyed 12 attempts, six on target.

Almunia, blamed for Kevin Phillips' late equaliser for Birmingham on Saturday, received support from watching former Arsenal No1 Jens Lehmann. He said: "Almunia made saves like I haven't seen any goalkeeper make this season."

But having scrambled to half-time with the problems mounting, Ibrahimovic needed less than half a minute to put Barca ahead after the interval, beating the off-side trap to find the far corner of Almunia's net.

It was inevitable. By then, Arshavin had been booked and limped off injured for Emmanuel Eboue. Alex Song, Arsenal's best midfielder, was also booked - and then moved to centre-back when Gallas was carried off with a recurrence of his calf problem.

And on came Denilson, the inneffectual Brazilian, to replace Song, the rock in midfield.

The writing was on the wall. It just needed Ibrahimovich to read it.

And he did. Brilliantly.

The first was a break and finish from a narrow angle. The second, in the 58th minute, saw him narrowly escaping the off-side trap again to lash the ball into the roof of the net and emphatically end this tie as a contest long before the return to Spain.

Between those two hammer blows, Nicklas Bendtner, way out of his depth in this company, managed a solid header which briefly troubled Valdez. But for Arsenal that was as good as it got until the arrival of sub Walcott, Arsenal's only English player on the night, down the right.

I sent an ironic message to a fellow Gooner James Goldman on Facebook deriding the greyhound's hopeless arrival. But after a brief, searing run, he popped up again... and squeezed one in. Hope at last.

Even with Henry, Arsenal's top scorer, warming up for Barca, the atmosphere changed. The Emirates was abuzz. A Fabregas free-kick flew high. An equaliser was in the air. Walcott's pace was seriously upsetting the Spanish cool. The magnicently disappointing Messi was absent.

It had to come. Arsenal, habitual scorers of last-gasp goals of late, surged forward. Walcott troubling them. In it comes... and Fabregas goes down under the challenge of Careless Carles Puyol. Penalty from Mr Fussy! Fab steps up and makes it 2-2 with five minutes to play.

He ended up limping to the finish with no subs left... but nearly got on the end of yet another Walcott cross. What a night - what a draw.

Barcelona will return to Spain full of confidence - but at least they'll know they've been in a battle. And for a long time, even that looked unlikely.

See also: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqck5JuZtuc

Messi or Arshavin: It's the battle of the diddymen as Barcelona and Arsenal are drawn to meet in the Champions League quarter-final

Andrei Arshavin or Lionel Messi? It’s the battle of the diddymen after Arsenal were drawn to play favourites and holders Barcelona in the Champions League quarter-finals today.
And of course, it’s Messi every time for the aficionados. The 5ft 7in Argentine, who required growth hormone treatment when he first arrived in Spain as a tiny teenager, is simply unstoppable. His second-half hat-trick in the 3-0 win over Valencia on Sunday was something to savour.
Russian Arshavin stands just half-an-inch taller, has no history of growth hormone, and can occasionally produce the magic. But like most of the other match-ups between the Gunners and the Catlanan giants, it’s Barca who have the edge.
And of course, the whole thing will be played to the backdrop of Thierry Henry returning to North London, where he established himself as a world class star and record goal-scorer. We must assume that Henry will play with is feet, rather than his hands, as he did so controversially for France in that disgusting World Cup play-off incident against the Republic of Ireland. Interesting to see what kind of reception Henry receives at the Emirates on March 31 – if he plays, and that’s no longer a certainty.
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger, whose side face West Ham in the late Premier League match tomorrow, admits: “If you go to the bookmakers and try to place a few pounds, you will see that we are not favourites against Barcelona. But we must focus on us, not on the opposition.
"Of course they are a good side, but so are we. For me, we have a 50-50 game - if we turn up with our best performance we have a good chance to beat them.
"It will be an interesting, exciting game. We have to make sure we have the belief and focus right."
No Gooner needs remind of the last time the sides met – in the final at Paris four years ago, when Barca triumphed 2-1.
Similar memories will dominate Manchester United’s clash against Bayern Munich. They met in the 1999 final when the late great George Best (and many others) left the Nou Camp with a minute to go and his old side 1-0 down. History tells us Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar-Solskjaer scored in the dying moments to secure a 2-1 victory and a first European Cup for 33 years. And this time they have Wayne Rooney in the form of his life.
Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge accepts: “United are a team ranked right at the top, they are the favourites, but that is where the attraction lies, to try to beat a favourite."
And of course we already know what happens if United win – the draw this morning included the semi-final route, where they will meet former Red Devil Laurent Blanc’s Bordeaux or fellow Frenchmen Lyon, who put Real Madrid out last week.
Barca – and who could argue against it being them? – will go on to face CSKA Moscow or – more likely - Jose Mourinho's Inter Milan, who conquered Chelsea this week.
In the Europa League, Fulham have been drawn against German champions Wolfsburg in the quarter-finals, and who would bet against them after that fabulous 5-4 victory over Italian giants Juventus last night?
Liverpool face Portuguese side Benfica, who beat Merseyside neighbours Everton 5-0 in the group stages. Valencia and Atletico Madrid meet in an all-Spanish quarter-final Hamburg face Standard Liege.

1st leg:
Tuesday 30 March:
Lyon v Bordeaux
Bayern Munich v Manchester United
Wednesday 31 March:
Arsenal v Barcelona
Inter Milan v CSKA Moscow
2nd leg:
Tuesday 6 April:
Barcelona v Arsenal
CSKA Moscow v Inter Milan
Wednesday 7 April:
Bordeaux v Lyon
Manchester United v Bayern Munich
SEMI-FINAL DRAW:
1st leg:
Tuesday 20 April: Inter Milan/CSKA Moscow v Arsenal/Barcelona
Wednesday 21 April: Bayern Munich/Manchester United v Lyon/Bordeaux
2nd leg:
Tuesday 27 April: Lyon/Bordeaux v Bayern Munich/Manchester United
Wednesday 28 April: Arsenal/Barcelona v Inter Milan/CSKA Moscow