The Awards

So in a season which has brought us so much - which players were the best.

Well I think this argument starts and ends with Messi and Ronaldo. Both were the complete superstars their respective teams needed them to be this season.

Messi was by far and away the best player in La Liga, although Ronaldo certainly came home strong. It took 4 goals in his second last game for Messi to seal the Golden boot award.*
(Ronaldo may yet have won Golden Boot, season concluded with one match remaining.)

However Ronaldo clearly dominated Champions League football this season. His tally of goals has rarely been seen at this level, and was the catalyst which propelled Real Madrid into the final.

So who takes home the top individual award of the season - Player of the Season.
Well the winner is......

Lionel Messi.



Messi wins the top award

Trophies count for everything in the game, and Messi has it in spades. A back to back La Liga crown sealing Messi the top individual honour this time, but only by the skin of his foreskin.
Congratulations.

Sometimes winning is actually losing...if you know what I mean

SB takes further lead in the rankings

With his latest La Liga title (1000 points) and semi final run the Champions League (250), SB has taken a further lead on rival JM in the PS4 rankings for the 2014/15 season.

JM received 250 points for 3rd place in La Liga, and his Champions League disappointment netted him 500 points. Here are the standing as of January 2015.

1. SB - 1,950 points
2. JM - 1,350 points.

Real Disappointment...History Repeats as PSG win Champions League

This was supposed to their night. A night when all the nightmares of the past were to be wiped from memory. Real Madrid met PSG in only their 2nd Champions League final under JM - and the pressure was firmly on the men from Spain.

They had the dream run into the final - easily disposing of teams such as Benfica and Liverpool on their way to the big dance.

PSG did it the tough way. They palmed off challenges from Arsenal and Barcelona before sealing their right to this season's final.

It was a difficult contest to call. Both teams had chances. But it was PSG who took advantage from a likely source - the head of Edison Cavani once again the difference in the opening half. But it wouldn't be long before the best player on the planet Cristiano Ronaldo slotted home a deserved penalty after he was bundled over in the box by a clumsy David Luiz challenge.

1-1 would be how it stayed for the remaining match. This one looked destined for penalties until the cruellest of cruel moments once again broke the hearts of Madrid fans world-wide.

It couldn't happen again...could it?
In the 119th minute a nothing attack on the right side. A tired Marcelo chased in vain. Then a hail Mary cross to the world biggest human Zlatan Ibrahimovic who would coolly leap higher than anyone else on the field, then header the ball into the lower part of the cross bar and see it safely cross the white line as he sealed victory for PSG.

How much sadness must Real Madrid and its adoring fans endure. Surely this was their time. Words cannot describe it. Real Madrid again fall moments short of winning a Champions League title. Maybe blame it on tactics. Maybe blame it on substitutions not made. Who knows. Maybe it just wasn't their time.



He did it again - Ibrahimovic again wins a Champions League title

Barcelona create history...Champions of Spain again!

For the first time in PS3/PS4 history, SB and his merry men at Barcelona have done what no other team on earth has been able to do - win back to back league titles!

Barcelona were convincing champions from start to finish, despite hitting a slump towards the back end of the season. There only challenge this year coming from Madrid, not Real, but Athletico, who had the chance to push the Champions right to the final day until they fatally shot themselves in the head with an unexpected loss sealing their fate with just 2 games remaining.

"SB deserves the accolades today. " A humble Real Madrid boss JM said to the media.

"He's been consistent, and took three points in many games where he should have probably only taken one or none. He and his team should be very proud."

As for JM's men at Real Madrid, it must be said it was another disappointing campaign. In the end they only lost one more games than the Champions Barcelona, but too many drawn games were the difference. They would have to settle with third place.* (Season was concluded with one match remaining - Real Madrid may still have finished 2nd).

"We are definitely not happy with the way the season started, but I am very pleased with how it finished." JM said to a packed media conference today.

"At the start of year we struggled to gel, struggled for goals. But by the end of the year this was no longer a problem. I am confident if there was 5 more games we would be champions."

Unfortunately for JM there wasn't 5 more games - and he would have to suck it up as Barcelona and SB were champions again - taking their total league titles to 3 for all-time. Well done SB.

The title is sealed - Barcelona's main men celebrate

Barcelona and their fans celebrate on the streets

Champions League - Real Madrid feel its their time

Ever since they lost the one against Bayern Munich, there is little question they have been haunted by that game ever since. Real Madrid lost the Champions League in the cruellest of ways that evening - and have never come close to winning it since.

However fast forward to 2015, they face Portugal's Benfica in a Quarter Final clash they are expecting to get through, with their opponents in waiting most likely Liverpool in the semi final. This is looking like a path made special for Real to finally break their Champions League drought.

On the other side of the draw, we have Barcelona, on the same side as French Champions PSG and another strong side in Arsenal. Should they get through the tough draw, its potentially the biggest mouth watering final in history.

At a recent press conference, JM was asked if he thought this would finally be the year.
"I am definitely optimistic. But as the old saying goes, we are taking this one game at a time."

Asked if the past still haunts his team.
"We do not even think about it anymore. I have new players in this team that were not there for that game. We now a much stronger team - and I believe we can beat anyone in front of us."

His Barcelona counterpart SB was not available for comment however it is widely reported his team is struggling for form and the fact they are still caught in a battle for La Liga is taking a mental and physical toll on his players, not to mention a difficult run home to the final.

Good luck to all teams remaining.

Having already met twice in the group stages - PSG pose the biggest threat to Barcelona in the run home



Could this be the year Real Madrid finally win the Champions League

Happy New Year: La Liga in review

Well 2015 is officially upon us and La Liga now nears its dramatic climax. With 35 games played, it appears the League is for Barcelona to lose at this point. SB and his men are 4 points clear of nearest rivals Athletico Madrid, with the two still to meet in what will be the clash of the season in the coming weeks. Real Madrid trail Athletico by 5 points, effectively out of the running this season.

Its been a consistently strong season for Barcelona, no doubt deserving of a Championship title up until now. Managing a season with only 4 loses to date, they seem to have left their worst for the home stretch, struggling to find goals and wins in their past 5 starts. What appeared an unassailable lead at one point, and Athletico letting the chase slip, Barcelona only needed to stay calm and the trophy would be theirs. It hasn't proven to be so easy.

That pressure will again tell on SB as he picks his team for their remaining 3 games. Should his team lose the season from here, no doubt it will go down as one of the biggest stuff ups since Real Madrid lost the unlosable game against Bayern Munich in the Champions League.
We hope SB can close this one out.

Messi, Suarez and Co celebrate - but will they be celebrating at seasons end

As for JM and his Real Madrid, they have had a frustrating season, perhaps only now starting to show what their fully capable of as the season begins its windup. Having only suffered one more loss than Barcelona, it is their inability to find the winning goal in too many matches this season which has seen them stuck in third spot.
With Ronaldo now finding his touch at the right time of the year, and 3rd spot almost sealed, there is no doubt their attention is now fully focused on another competition - The Champions League.

Ronaldo has been in amazing form at the back end of this season

Big Guns go out Blazing in Copa Del Rey

In somewhat old news, last season's finalists Real Madrid and last year's Champions Barcelona were both eliminated from the Copa Del Rey in the 4th round of the competition.

It has proven probably the biggest surprise of the season so far, however it does suggest both teams appear more focused on winning La Liga and the Champions League respectively this year as opposed to the local Cup competition.

It could prove a poor managerial decision from JM in particular, as he is currently struggling in La Liga and the fact he has never previously taken home a Champions League crown before, his team risks finishing the season trophyless and putting his position as team boss in major jeopardy.