<strong>Barcelona wins the classic and Toluca wins the Mexican First Division League</strong>

This was a great weekend to watch football (soccer). On this side of the world we had the Mexican league’s final between Toluca and Cruz Azul. Toluca had previously won the away game 2-0 and had a comfortable lead. Cruz Azul needed to win by 2 goals to force the game into overtime and 3 to win the trophy. Across the Atlantic, Spain’s 2 biggest club and archrivals Real Madrid and Barcelona were playing the classic at the Nou Camp. Real Madrid was coming from a couple defeats and Barcelona from a minor loss in the Champions League due to the coach fielding mostly youngsters and substitutes. The first time however, was massacring pretty much every team they encountered. I watched both games while studying for my upcoming finals, for a soccer fan it would have been a sacrilege to miss these two games. So armed with my books and my laptop I set about on Saturday to enjoy the games and learn as much as I could before I forgot it all.

Cruz Azul forces the overtime but once again it walks away empty-handed
Sunday morning was the decisive day for these two teams. The first segment of the final had been played on Thursday with Toluca beating Cruz Azul 2-0. Cruz Azul played inconsistently throughout the regular season but in the liguilla they got their game together and dispatched all their opponents leaving the impression that this was their year after failing to lift the trophy last season when they lost to Santos. The first half of the game ended 0-0. Toluca maintained its lead and dominance while Cruz Azul was struggling to generate clear scoring opportunities and keep possession of the ball.
For the second half it was all or nothing, the entire season rested on 45 minutes. Despite the odds, they managed to score twice and with that they kept their aspirations alive. It was an intense game but no more goals would come.
It was time for the penalties. Some say it’s all about luck but I agree with those that say it’s about technique. Both teams scored the 5 penalties, something that doesn’t happen that often, and it was time for sudden death. Whoever misses goes home; there are no more second chances. By this time I had my money with Toluca. After seeing how in one penalty the ball hit the horizontal post and then bounced back in after hitting the goalie’s back, I knew that Toluca would take the glory. This is exactly what happened, Cristante stopped the penalty by Vela and with that the game was over. Toluca won the championship and Cruz Azul for the second time in a row walked away with nothing but the satisfaction of making it this far but with the regret of not being first.

Barcelona sinks Real even more and proves it’s the best team in Europe right now
Can anyone beat the Catalans? Apparently not. Real Madrid desperately needed to win in order to keep its title aspirations alive and keep a spot in next year’s Champions League. Barcelona on the other hand wanted some revenge for last year’s defeat to the merengues and to assert themselves as the number one team in Europe and possibly the world. The game started with Barcelona keeping possession of the ball and some good opportunities to score. It was clear that Madrid were more interested in avoiding a massacre than in attacking. Barcelona looked a bit anxious but always stronger than its rival. In the second half, Casillas stopped a penalty to Etoo. Up to that point no one had scored and it seemed as though Madrid were going to walk away undefeated but then Etoo scored along with Messi in the last 10 minutes of the game to seal a clear victory of 2-0. Barcelona is the absolute leader with 12 points of difference with respect to Real. Real moved down to the 6th position right below their other main rivals, Atlético Madrid. For Barcelona the league seems closer than ever, only a tragedy would derail them and deny them the trophy. Now they need to keep the excellent form and level of play they have been displaying and prove they are the best in the Champions League.


Cruz Azul first goal


Cruz Azul Second Goal


Penalties


Barcelona vs. Real Madrid Highlights