I may get eyerolls or cries of 'yeah right' at what I'm about to post but whatever.
I am probbaly much older than most here, and have had an entire life involved in football (from playing, to coaching)- I'm Brazilian by birth. Its in my blood I guess- and what I'm seeing right now in Spain is making me feel sick with disgust.I'm not an 'insider', but I do have a few low key contacts here and there (mostly journalists, old frriends still involved in the footie world in some way; an odd person here and there on a board or membership in something or other.
I travel a lot; right now I'm in Northern Ireland doing some coaching work with local kids- but anyway- I've been in over 15 different countries in my life, coaching, playing, doing journalistic work. Anyway, before arriving in N.I., I was (along with my wife and one of my sons) in Spain for a few months.
And if you knew... God if you guys knew whats going on over there you'd be as pissed as I am right now.
The Madrid media machine, and the club, the football-cukture in the country-are taking it way too far. All I'll say is this- its not a coincidence Messi wasn't nominated/shortlisted/whatever for two La Liga 'Best Of' awards. The current butchering of his image (turninghis back to Lucho edit, etc) isn't either.
There is a very deliberate, highly invested, taken-very-seriously effort to manipulate. In orderr to get Ronaldo this years Balon d'Or. Theres other stuff as well that, if my sources are right, will happen over the nest month. And keep your eye out on el clasico- how players react to things Messi does, how the cameras portray it. Its crazy, and they have so many people/broadcasters inluenced by their shit.
Yes I'm basing this on stuff told to me by friends, collegues, my own observations in the country. But based on what exactly I've been told and by whom- I, personally, can vouch for said persons and the trust they have from me.
Now Leo being Leo isn't going to do anything to give them fuel- but one little mistake, look, action, piece of posture[/i[ for gods sake. soooo interested in this match. lets hope its a borefest with no drama, a leo goal and 3 points.
It's not like Messi is going to retire next week and this is his last chance to break the record. That record will be Messi's sooner or later no matter how much they try to say Zarra scored a few more goals than his official 251.
