Did you catch the Japan vs. Australia match, Jose?

I have a feeling that the reason is specifically the reason for Neymar. barcelona could use some change, cause the current barca style is so easy to tackle that a player like Neymar and his abilities might be exactly what we need. More than anything else, having him could allow Messi to move about more freely and have more space due to Neymar taking defenders with him. It's a gamble but one I think Barca needs. I also think Neymar is a player good enough to adjust, he'll probably be playing a role similar to which Villa or Pedro plays now. Regardless, we'll soon see. madrid are getting the better player in Bale anyway.

Also, they paid 57 million euros for him to get full ownership. I think the money they'll make quite easily and in no time. Neymar's bankable image makes his transfer fee that much higher clearly.

I'm not thinking of Neymar's acquisition in terms of how he'll work with Messi, but what other options he will give a side known for not having a plan B.

jose already said it, but why pay that much for a player you can't possibly fully use when the plan is for messi to be healthy and the main guy. i just don't see how they could possibly utilize both messi and neymar, unless they decide to go for a 442, but then what do you do with xavi, iniesta, cesc, sanchez, etc etc etc. i guess i couldn't justify, if i could make the call to begin with, spending that much money on a plan b, no matter how much money is at my disposal.

I'm pretty sure they'll use him as the wide forward to beat people and make runs infield. I can see why it might not work out, but not because of his talent and how he'd fit in, but more his mentality and what he's used to. But I'm looking forward to see what happens.

I still think they'll make more money than they lost on Neymar.

Pretty gripping piece

http://espn.go.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/9338962/when-beautiful-game-turns-ugly

Yeah. surprisingly good game! Very good performance by Australia considering their current list. Japan clearly superior but they lack a clinical finisher up front.

Japan are an exciting team tho. A bit more self belief and they could be a surprise at wc2014.

Their defensive structure worked out really well but they just didn't know what to do with the ball when they had it. Once they got the lead it looked like they were a certainty to hang on and I know it seems obvious to say, but without that penalty I couldn't see them scoring (I only say it because the handball was so unnecessary). Japan are technically superb but I don't think they quite have the physical game to be a top contender - they're a short team. That passage of play between Honda and Kagawa just demanded you to sit back and applaud, though. It was a good game.

2012/13 final uefa coefficient

1. Bayern Munich: 36.585 (second highest in last five years. united's 36.671 in 10/11)
2. Chelsea: 30.285
3. Real Madrid: 29.542
4. Benfica: 28.350
5. Barcelona: 27.542
6. PSG: 27.350
7. Juventus: 25.883
8. Shalke 04: 22.585
9. Valenica: 22.542
10. Porto: 22.350
11. Manchester United: 21.285
12. Arsenal: 21.285
13. Milan: 19.883
14. Tottenham: 19.285
15. Shakhtar Donetsk: 18.900
16. Inter: 16.883
17. Zenit St.P: 14.950
18. Lyon: 14.350
19. Atletico Mardrid: 13.542
20. Liverpool: 12.285
21. Dynamo Kiev: 10.900
22. Manchester City: 10.285
23. Marseille: 6.350
24. Sporting CP: 6.350
25: CSKA Moscow: 3.450


...these are about as useful as fifa's world rankings. the five year sample is actually quite a bit better...

1. Barcelona: 157.605
2. Bayern Munich: 146.922
3. Chelsea: 137.592
4. Real Madrid: 136.605
5. Manchester United: 130.592
6. Arsenal: 113.592
7. Inter: 105.829
8. Porto: 104.833
9. Benfica: 102.833
10. Valencia: 102.605

..but still not a very accurate reflection. uefa would be better off taking more than 20% of league performance into account when determining scores.

Pretty clear top 3 in the past 5 years is Barca, Bayern, United

I remember a time when Roma was somewhere on that list.

These points don't make any sense at all. How are this year's Bayern second to United in 2011? Bayern have absolutely destroyed every competition, breaking records. United lost in the final of the CL and 80 poitns in the league. Hell, how did United beat Barca's score that year?!

It's pretty complicated, and I don't fully understand how they're calculated either

"I don’t want people to think that I’m always attacking Mourinho, that’s not my intention, but obviously I don’t like the way his teams play on the pitch,” the 33-year-old revealed to Sport. "It annoyed me to see them play like that before they had an idea and a concept before. [Zinedine] Zidane, Roberto Carlos - they were incredible.

"They dominated every area of the pitch. You had to look at the facts and just admit they were better. It was the same with the Madrid side in the 'Quinta del Buitre' era, another amazing team with a clear and sound philosophy.

"A big club can't play like Mourinho's Madrid. We don’t let the pitch dry up so it turns into a ‘potato field’, nor do we kick the other team 30,000 times or try to turn up the heat in a game. We didn’t even do that when Madrid went above us.

"We’ve won, drawn and lost, but always according to a footballing philosophy. The result is an impostor; it goes beyond winning and losing."

-xavi