Johan Cruyff: the death of a myth

Johan Cruyff has died on a Good Thursday and part of my childhood has gone with him as he was the first footballer I admired when I was a child. According to my mother, she gave me as a present for my sixth birthday the F.C. Barcelona shirt with the "9" on its back because of my interest on the Dutch forward.

He was voted the best European soccer player of the twentieth century (and the second best worldplayer). He started his career with AJAX Amsterdam and led them to 4 European finals of which 3 were won (1971/1972/1973). In 1973 Cruyff joined Barcelona (for a the then record-fee of 6 million guilders), He became a very popular player.

With the Dutch National Team Cruyff became the inventor of Total Football in 1974. Even when they lost the final against the Germans, he was named the best player in the championship before moving to F.C. Barcelona. Before retiring he played soccer in the U.S.A. for the Washington Diplomats. He played 48 games for the Dutch National team, and scored 33 goals between 1966 and 1977.

Then, he started his career as a coach with his first team: Ayax. He coached them for a few years and won the European cup winners cup. Then, he followed his same way as a player and went to Barcelona to become the revolutionary coach of F.C. Barcelona. He gave the first European Champions League for the Catalonian team and four Spanish leagues.

Osasuna-Betis, it's the final countdown

 
Good afternoon, dear Osasunists! After almost 38 articles this season, one for each match of Osasuna, though I know that I missed some of them, this is the most important article in my three years as a blogger. One single match! Osasuna and its future depends on 90 minutes and a result.
Something similar happened yesterday afternoon for the title of La Liga, but when the relegation posts are the issue of the match, it is even more dramatic. Atletico de Madrid, CONGRATULATIONS, and Barça played for the championship at Camp Nou, but apart from a regeneration on the dressing room in Barcelona or a new chapter on their myth "El Pupas" in Atletico, they didn't risk much more.
Osasuna have been playing with fire for a long time. Now they have been in First Division for 14 seasons in a row, and after starting this season very badly and therefore the club changed coach, Javi Gracia took up Mendilibar, the team seemed to play a good football and even they won the actual champion at El Sadar, which actually was the last match that Osasuna won at El Sadar up to now!
Last Saturday, Osasuna had one of their last opportunities to save the season, but again they failed. Some people say that the nerves and the pity of Espanyol coach, Javier Aguirre, and his players saved the team to be already relegated. Besides, the last goal in the 93 minute of this afternoon rival, Betis, against Valladolid helped. Some Osasuna players and supporters now say that Betis players will come relaxed and unmotivated this afternoon, but I think that Betis are playing their best football now that they are relegated. I believe that extramotivation in the sense of money is one of the reasons, but another is that many players need to find a market to keep their salaries as they used to have this season or get a new team to play with the best in La Liga.
There are many comments on the success of the "poors" with Atletico against the powerful Barça or Mandril, but nobody says that Osasuna has got the lowest budget of all the implicated teams in relegation posts. It is clear that Osasuna players and his coach, Javi Gracia, must keep an eye on other teams and stadiums this afternoon, but what I think is that they must learn from yesterday and Atletico as they did their best with all the odds against.
Osasuna must play as there is no future if they lose. Those who are in the kickoff team must be concentrated and prepared to give their 200% and die in the field. Osasuna supporters cannot do anything else but fill in the stadium and push our players with the support we showed for 19 games home and away alike.
As it happens most of the years at the end of the season, there are goodbyes in the stadiums. Today there is a very important and undesired one at El Sadar: Patxi Puñal retires! The Great Captain after Cesar Crutxaga retires, and he wants to leave Osasuna in First Division. Cesar got it and I hope Patxi will do the same.
POSSIBLE KICKOFF TEAMS
Osasuna: Andrés Fernández; Marc Bertrán, Arribas, Miguel Flaño, Damiá; Cejudo, Puñal, Lolo, Roberto Torres; Acuña, Oriol Riera.
Betis: Adán; Juanfran, Perquis, Jordi Figueras, Chica; Lolo Reyes, N'Diaye; Vadillo, Salva Sevilla, Cedrick; Rubén Castro.
GORA OSASUNA! AUPA ROJILLOS!

Malaga-Osasuna, a confrontation with different goals

 
Good morning, dear Osasunists! Our team play tonight against Malaga at La Rosaleda stadium and the local team need to forget the sad defeat at the quarter final of the Champions League against Borussia. Pellegrini's team lost in the extra time after they were winning most of the match and a fatal referee decision made their dream disappear in a minute.

Osasuna must bear in mind that the situation might have changed after both defeats, in the Champions and in the home League, against Real Sociedad at Anoeta stadium ( 4-2 ). Anyway, supporters in Malaga have defined their players like heroes and they will play tribute to their effort against the odds and human decisions!

Apart from the low moral after the defeat in Germany, Pellegrini must face some injuries with Jéremy Toulalan and Pedro Morales, also Francisco Portillo and Roque Santa Cruz. On the other hand, Osasuna have to confront Malaga after losing their last three games at El Sadar and they don't have many more opportunities to avoid relegation. Mendilibar's team seem to play a better game away than when they do it in front of their supporters.

Thanks to the victory against Valladolid let them keep the gap of five points with those teams that lead to Second Division. Anyway, they musn't trust on the results as Depor, Celta or Zaragoza, do not forget Granada, are pushing from the low positions. There are still eight games to play before the League come to an end and nothing is decided yet. Mendilibar can use most of the team against Malaga, all players except for Anthony Annan and the coach may try to encourage some of his players in the defence or midfield.

POSIBLE KICKOFF TEAMS:
Málaga: Caballero; Gámez, Demichelis, Weligton, Antunes; Joaquín, Iturra, Camacho, Isco; Baptista and Saviola.
Osasuna: Andrés Fernández; Marc Bertrán, Lolo, Arribas, Oier; Puñal, Silva; Armenteros, Masoud, De las Cuevas; Kike Sola

GORA OSASUNA! AUPA ROJILLOS!
 .