Onion Bag: Barcelona May Be Best Team Ever, Snow Cancels Matches Throughout Europe
By Ty Duffy
The core of Barcelona’s team, since 2008, has won the European Championship, the World Cup, two La Liga Titles and the Champions League.
Almost as Dominant: Eintracht Frankfurt snapped an incredible run from Borussia Dortmund. Dortmund had completed a 15-match unbeaten streak, which included 14 wins. Despite the loss, Die Schwarzgelben still hold a ten-point advantage in the Bundesliga. Their +29 goal difference is 18 goals better than the next best team. They are 14-points clear of favorites Bayern Munich, meandering in fifth.
White Christmas: Harsh winter conditions in Northern Europe caused travel chaos and cancelled matches in multiple countries, including 7/10 in the Premier League. More cold and snow expected over the next two weeks could wreak havoc on the Premier League schedule, as most teams have three matches scheduled between now and Jan. 2.
Persistence: David Beckham wants another loan spell in Europe, to keep himself eligible for an England call up. His opportunities may be limited. He rejected interest from Everton, stating he would not play for another club in the Premier League besides Manchester United. He also won’t return to A.C. Milan. His former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson has tried twice to bring him to Leicester City and will try again. I’m sure MLS is thrilled its most high-profile player thinks he needs to play elsewhere to stay relevant.
The Save: Sunderland goalkeeper Craig Gordon made the save of this season, perhaps of any season keeping Zat Knight’s shot off the line to preserve a 1-0 lead against Bolton.
Longevity: Sir Alex Ferguson, Man U manager since 1986, just surpassed Matt Busby as the club’s longest-serving manager. Ferguson has won 11 Premier League titles, nine domestic cup competitions and two UEFA Champions League trophies. Not a bad haul.
Quotation of the Week: “On a scale of one to ten, I would have to give myself an 11. 2010 has been the perfect year for me, the best of my career. I won every title I played for last season and I have lost none of my chances to win more titles at Real Madrid this time.” – Jose Mourinho
Goal of the Week: Matias Suarez (Anderlicht) vs. Hajduk Split