Messi and Ibra

 

in a few hours, FC Barcelona will play AC Milan in the second leg of the Champions League Round of 16.

 

I was there in Milano for the first leg. I arrived at San Siro without a ticket and I hung out at the entrance for the away fans. When the Barca fans arrived, they were escorted by the Italian police from the parking lot straight to the gate. They were not allowed to wander around.

 

I knew this and I knew there would be some Barca fans with extra tickets. I found one who was desparate to sell and I bought a ticket for 50 EUR.

 

I was supporting Milan but had to stay quiet in the away section. Milan won 2-0 and Messi did not have a great game.

 



San Siro

 

I have nothing against Messi. I think he is a great player. and a really nice guy.

 

 

meeting Messi in Zurich



 

I just have problems when some fans say the only 'right' way to play football is the Barca way.

 

so many fans seem to fall in love with FC Barcelona. like these Polish fans.

 



 

 

Love is blind and lovers cannot see

the follies that themselves commit

 



four days before watching Messi in Milano, I went to Montbéliard, France to visit the Peugeot Museum and to see the most underrated player today.

 

Peugeot Museum

 

as a teenager, I followed the famous FC Sochaux team who made a great run in the 1980-1981 UEFA Cup and I had a poster of them. That team featured the great midfielder Bernard Genghini (trivia: he is one of only 5 players to have scored 2 goals from a direct free kick in the World Cup- not even Platini achieved this)

 

Genghini in the middle at the front



 

just like in Milano, I went to the stadium without a ticket. The match between FC Sochaux and PSG was sold out. I had to work hard to find a black market ticket for 70 EUR.

 

It was a great match. Sochaux (with a budget of 30 millions EUR) beat PSG (with a budeet of 300 millions EUR) 3-2. Ibrahimovich did not score and did not play well.

 

 

FC Sochaux vs PSG

 

still Ibra is a great player and in some way better than Messi.

 

Messi has achieved a lot but with only one club with players and a system to support him.

 

Ibra has achieved a lot while playing for Ajax, Juventus, Inter Milan, Barcelona, Milan and now PSG.



 

If PSG wins the French league this year, Ibra will have won championships with 6 different clubs.

 

I don't think Messi can do that.

 

Yet for all these achievements, Ibra has never finished in the top 3 of the Ballon d'Or. What a scandal.

 

and it got worse. His overhead goal against England last November was one of the top goals of all time and it was not even nominated among the top 10 goals at the FIFA Gala.

 

I hope next January, Ibra will be nominated for some award at the FIFA Gala. then I can finally meet him and ask him to sign my copy of his biography. and maybe his friend David will be there too.