Goodbye, Masche...

After eight years at Barcelona, Javier Mascherano will be bidding an emotional goodbye to the club to join Chinese side Hebei Fortune

Goal link: http://www.goal.com/en/galleries/goals-cartoon-corner-the-best-football-sketches-from-omar/1/5h5idxuqf71t1a242x8f9cmtj

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Barcelona and Real Madrid love to go fishing in Liverpool and Tottenham

Wind in your neck, Florentino! As 'Reel' Madrid continue to be linked with Mohamed Salah, Barca chief Bartomeu reminds Perez which team he's supposed to be poaching from.

Goal link: http://www.goal.com/en/galleries/goals-cartoon-corner-the-best-football-sketches-from-omar/1/5h5idxuqf71t1a242x8f9cmtj

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Touching God

Messi, Di Maria and Mascherano try to make the jump to Maradona and glory.

Goal cartoon link: http://www.goal.com/en/news/7180/galleries/2016/06/01/24172322/dancing-chicharito-and-ospinas-scorpion-the-cartoons-of-the-copa-/argentina-cartoon/3#photo

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Argentina hustle Netherlands out of World Cup

Argentina will face Germany at the Maracana in the World Cup final on Sunday after edging out Netherlands on penalties in the second semi-final.

The teams could not be separated after 120 minutes, with the scores still 0-0, in a game that was far removed from Brazil’s 7-1 thrashing against Joachim Low’s side in the other semi-final.

Lionel Messi and Co. will now face Germany in a repeat of the 1990 World Cup final in Rome which the Germans won 1-0.

Thursday, 10 July 2014 12:21
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Vilanova's three stooges conspire to gift Madrid Supercopa spoils

 

Individual mistakes from Javier Mascherano and Gerard Pique, as well as a red card for Adriano, handed victory to Jose Mourinho's men in the second leg at the Bernabeu

Oh dear, oh dear. Barcelona must be kicking themselves wondering just how Supercopa success managed to slip from their grasp.

The Catalans were, at one stage in the first leg, inches away from taking a 4-1 lead but now have to face up to the reality that they have not added to their trophy collection.
Following Victor Valdes' howler in the first leg, Barca's luck was out once again in the return meeting as first, after just 11 minutes, Javier Mascherano's pathetic attempt at a clearance allowed Gonzalo Higuain to race through and grab the opening goal of the game, squaring the aggregate scoreline.

And just eight minutes later there was more embarrasment for Tito Vilanova's men as Gerard Pique's lapse in concentration saw Cristiano Ronaldo's extravagent flick come off before he steadied himself and fired past Valdes to put Real two up on the night.

Surely that was that in terms of leaving Barca players with egg on their faces? Well it wasn't.

Step forward Adriano who completes the line-up of the three Barca stooges as he was red carded for pulling back Ronaldo just before the half hour mark - and not even Lionel Messi, despite his best efforts having pulled a goal back, could stop Mourinho getting his hands on more silverware...
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Didier leaves the Barca Boys trailing in his wake

 

In the wake of Bayern Munich's victory over Real Madrid on Tuesday, all eyes were on Chelsea to inflict similar punishment of their own in their semi-final first leg against Barcelona. The Blues were forced to adopt a counterattacking style against the competition holders, who unsurprisingly dominated possession for the most part, but in football you must grab your chances - something Barcelona appeared to take for granted, while Chelsea ensured their only shot of the evening counted for something.

However, their scalp over the Blaugrana would not have been accomplished without match-winner, Didier Drogba, who netted his third goal against Pep Guardiola's men. But arguably it will be his off-the-ball antics, rather than his goal, that will live longest in the memory. One criticism of the Ivorian is that he tends to fall to the ground a little too easily, despite his powerful physique, as evidenced by his countless trips to the Stamford Bridge surface. Still, the experienced forward had Carles Puyol and Javier Mascherano trailing in his wake throughout the evening!


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Cry me a river!

 

Barcelona's 0-0 draw with AC Milan in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Wednesday was an entertaining spectacle, despite no goals being scored, but unsurprisingly the clash had more than a hint of controversy.

It centred around the state of the San Siro turf, which Barca coach Pep Guardiola and star duo Xavi and Javier Mascherano moaned was not suitably watered to allow them to utilise their tiki-taka passing style. The club have lodged a formal complaint to Uefa about the poor condition of the pitch, but the trio's tears would have been enough to moisten the surface ...

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