…And they’re back!!!

This is quickly becoming a highly interesting Euro 2012 campaign for Spain. Carles Puyol and David Villa have been ruled out, leaving vacancies in the defense and attack. La Roja just had its first pre-Euro 2012 friendly versus Serbia—and Vicente del Bosque fielded a very different starting XI, in the absence of the Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao players (Barcelona, by the way, routed Bilbao in the Copa del Rey final—a fitting end to Pep Guardiola’s run as manager). As expected, the European and World Champions routed Serbia 2-0.

If anything, the new guys stepped up and made a case for themselves to be included in the final line-up for Euro 2012. Spain’s goals came from Adrian and a penalty conversion of Santi Cazorla (wherein Adrian also figured). I thought Juanfran Torres and Alvaro Negredo also worked to show why they should be included in the line-up.

In other news, heavy favorites Netherlands and Germany suffered pre-Euro 2012 defeats in their own friendlies.

Drunk Xabi FTW!

Cheering myself up by posting drunk Xabi Alonso photos. This man’s perfection is unparalleled.

 

Campeones, campeones!

Real Madrid beat Athletic Bilbao at San Mamés 3-0, with goals from Pipita Higuain, Mesut Özil, and Cristiano Ronaldo. With two fixtures left in the season, Real Madrid has effectively won La Liga (after quite a four-year wait!).

(I personally thought La Liga was already won when we triumphed over Barcelona, but hey, this just officially seals the deal. After all, we still have a seven-point cushion over the Catalans!)

Now onto the important part of this post: SHIRTLESS LOCKER ROOM CELEBRATION PHOTOS.

Whoever introduced these men to social media must be thanked. These locker room photos are effin’ awesome. Plus, Iker Casillas has been drunk-posting on Facebook like crazy! And Sergio Ramos has just posted a video on the plane of him and Alvaro Arbeloa dancing to Michael Jackson.

Yep, that’s how Real Madrid rolls.

Oh Xabi.

I have no words.

Even more proof that Xabi Alonso is perfect.

I am sharing the 40-seconder version of Xabi Alonso’s La Gula del Norte TVC, because that’s my more favorite version—we see the Liverpool banner in the background, and Carles Puyol actually talks in here! Priceless, priceless.

And because Xabi apparently has a wicked sense of humor, we get this:

If you don’t get it, well, I’m not really about to explain it here. The humor will be lost.

My Diving Ginger-Bearded Dolphin

Why does Xabi Alonso ruin it for all other men? Apart from his elegance and intelligence, he is: a) the real Iron Man, for always being on the receiving end of kicks to his fuzzy chest; and b) he actually flies.

Perfection. Like a boss.

I’d love to come home to this man…

Xabi Alonso is sheer perfection in this BTS video. From the impeccable styling to the fact that he cooks and loves his food to the Liverpool banner in his ‘home’.

On a day when LA Galaxy arrived in Manila, and Alvaro Arbeloa and Sergio Ramos tweet nearly naked locker room photos, Xabi Alonso still is the highlight of my day.

Hoy es 25 de noviembre…

Which means, it’s Xabier Alonso Olano’s 30th birthday! (Basque buffet, anyone?)

 

1088

1088.

That is the number of Spain’s passes in this morning’s (Manila time) match versus the Czech Republic. La Roja (ironically in white, with Czech Republic in red) has already qualified for the Euro 2012 finals, but that did not stop the European and World Champions from displaying excellent form.

I know there are some who criticize the tiki-taka that all they do is pass-pass-pass for a full 90 minutes. Yet, they fail to see it’s not just about the possession. It’s about methodically breaking down the opponent. Watching this game made me think La Roja was at one of their finest—despite the fact that key men such as Andres Iniesta and Cesc Fabregas are out due to injury.

Interestingly enough, Vicente del Bosque started David Silva and Fernando Torres—this after SIlva lamented that he no longer gets a spot in the starting XI after Spain’s loss to Switzerland in their first game in the World Cup 2010 and after Fernando Torres was not even on the bench in their last Euro 2012 qualifier versus Liechtenstein. Trust the marquis to issue a challenge to both players by giving them starting spots.

La Roja got an early goal from Juanin Mata, off a Xavi assist—which was sublime, to capture it succinctly. Meanwhile, David Silva proved his magic by making an assist to Xabi Alonso, who scored Spain’s second goal. This is Xabi’s 11th goal since del Bosque took over—and only David Villa has scored higher with 13 goals. Xabi is also Spain’s 5th highest scoring midfielder to date. Unfortunately, my man had to be subbed out after receiving a horrible tackle from Hübschmann, who was automatically awarded a red card. Thank goodness, Xabi is fine (all man, all rock, all ginger).

Iker Casillas, as expected, was hardly tested, and this is his 150th cap for Spain. We also saw the return of Carles Puyol to national team duties since late last year, coming on for Sergio Ramos, who was also injured. I also thought Alvaro Arbeloa (bless his thigh) is performing much better these days. Javi Martinez, who came on for Xabi Alonso, also had two opportunities to add to the goal tally, both of which hit the crossbar.

1088, it’s 150 passes more than most teams accomplish in the Euro 2012 qualifiers. Nothing less from los campeones de Europa y del mundo.

And because I just had to:

Jose Mourinho hosts a barbecue for his cold-blooded enforcers

Or as they say in Spanish, “barbacoa”.

And they all think he’s nothing but cold and calculating. Adorable team is adorable. And Sergio just has to wear his Rajon Rondo jersey.

And because it is not apparent in the first photo, here are my two favorite midfielders looking so fine: