For your interest …

By: Sam | May 27th, 2009

Goal dot com — the footballing blog of The New York Times — is doing a creditable job bringing the journalistic ethos (clear writing, hard work, original quotes, editing, etc.) via the blog to the ~~global~~ American footballing consciousness. And no example of this is better than the series of panel discussions leading up to today’s Champions League Final hosted by the International Herald Tribune’s Christopher Clarey.

Featured, including Clarey himself, are five of the most experienced footballing writers in Europe …

Ian Hawkey | The Sunday Times (London)

Erik Bielderman | L’Equipe (Paris)

Santiago Segurola | Marca (Madrid)

Peter Berlin | International Herald Tribune (London)

Part 1 | May 22nd

SEGUROLA: The true uniqueness of Barca has only been produced in the last 20 years, after Johann Cruyff’s arrival as manager in 1988. Despite all its social significance in Catalunya, Barca lacked a true distinctiveness until Cruyff arrived. During this most recent period, the club has won nine of its 19 league title and two European Cups. The world has recognized in Barca a singular, brilliant style, short on defensive orthodoxy and long on aesthetics. There was a Barca before and after Cruyff. Before it had a persecution complex and could not win the big one. After it became a widely admired winner. As a player, Guardiola was the clearest symbol of this second identity.

Part 2 | May 23rd

BIELDERMAN: Ronaldo and Messi will certainly be the two main contenders for the Ballon d’Or and the FIFA player of the year award in 2009, both of which Ronaldo won last year. For the moment, Messi, who finally has stayed healthy, seems to have the edge, but his performance in the semifinal against Chelsea started to raise some questions. Ronaldo has clearly asserted himself in the Champions League with the return leg against Porto and the semifinals against Arsenal. He seems to be the “money time” player. If he’s the man of the match on Wednesday, he’ll have the edge over Messi. It’s all the more important for Ronaldo because he can’t count on his performances for the Portuguese national team, which, barring a miracle, is going to get eliminated from the 2010 World Cup. Messi is not going to have that blot on his 2009 copybook with Argentina. I also think Wednesday’s final is all-important for Ronaldo because if he does sign with Real Madrid, he could easily fall from grace in an environment that is going to be much less protective and stable than the one he has gotten accustomed to at United.

It’s the passion & petulance of Messi v Ronaldo; the cunning and confidence of Ferguson v Guardiola, innit?

Part 3 | May 25th

BERLIN: Park played in the semis last year and didn’t even make the bench or the final. But if Ferguson is worried about having to chase the ball around midfield, then Park would be an obvious choice. For that reason, in the center, Scholes, for all his experience, is a red card waiting to happen when Xavi and Iniesta are keeping the ball.

HAWKEY: Scholes ought to have learned by now about bad tackles.

BERLIN: You’d have thought he would. He’s such a smart player with the ball. But the evidence of this season is that he still can’t suppress the urge to leave his feet and lunge.

Part 4 | May 26th

HAWKEY: Cynical football is not really working, unless you think Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan have achieved a lot this season, or you like watching Juande Ramos’s Real Madrid. Even Liverpool have played nicer football under Rafael Benitez this season, haven’t they?