Ousmane Dembélé is a hero of our time, “a man proud, moody, cynical, with defiance on his brow, and misery in his heart,” and capable of exhibiting both sensitivity and distrust in equal measure — look no further than former Atlético striker Kiko describing him as “the most contradictory player I’ve seen” as proof of his status as the melancholic romantic hero of the 21st century. But, to keep the Lermontov reference going, does an unusual beginning necessitate an unusual end?
The J1 League came to a close on Nov. 30, and with it, Andres Iniesta’s first season with Vissel Kobe. Iniesta’s club finished 10th, but the 34-year-old was a huge success during his shortened, 14-game season — he scored three goals and added three assists, including this beautiful strike in Vissel Kobe’s final match.
It’s taken 39 days and two reschedules (one due to rain, the other due to violence ) — and of course we ultimately needed extra time — but we finally have a champion of the Superclásico Copa Libertadores final: River Plate, a wild 5-3 on aggregate.
As first reported by Mundo Deportivo and now confirmed by Footy Headlines, FC Barcelona plans to revert to a yellow away kit with a Blaugrana (blue and deep red) sash. This away jersey was favored by the club in the mid-70s and early-80s, and yellow has long been a color of preference for the club with regards to the away kit.
The transformation of the 2018 Copa Libertadores Final from one of the most anticipated club matches of the calendar year to an absurd sideshow was complete when the second leg’s staging at the Santiago Bernabéu was confirmed — a decision that turns the Superclásico into nothing more than the “most costly friendly in history,”
We’re not saying this is the metaphorical equivalent of Ronaldinho assisting Lionel Messi for his first league goal back in October 2004, but Messi’s feed for Carles Aleñá’s first LaLiga goal today was pretty special.