Real Madrid smash Barca in Clasico - Title race back on!

With their star Cristiano Ronaldo looking on from the bench, wrapped in cotton wool nursing the reoccurrence of an injury sustained weeks earlier, Real Madrid were given little chance of stopping the juggernaut that is Barcelona so far this season.

Prior to the Clasico, Barcelona have been unbeaten, showing the same resilience and at times brilliance that led them to the La Liga title last season.

Real Madrid on the other hand, haven't been at their best leading into this encounter. Poor form and injuries in the early rounds have come at a cost for the star studded ensemble, already suffering defeat and two draws this season.
This Clasico would prove crucial - either giving Barcelona a chance to extend to a lead of 8 points atop the league ladder, or give Real Madrid a chance to claw back to within 2.

As has been the case already this season, it would be Gareth Bale who would step up in the absence of Ronaldo, with Bale setting up the first goal for James Rodriquez through sheer determination and skill and then adding a second goal himself after exposing and embarrassing brittle Barcelona defence once again.

Karim Benzema would later add a third goal to virtually kill off the game before half time but not before Man of the match Gareth Bale suffered an injury which would later see him play little part in the 2nd half and later replaced.

Barca showed some fight in the 2nd period, and a goal to Gerard Pique gave the visitors some hope, but it wasn't to be.
Real Madrid fully deserving of a memorable Clasico victory and declaring the title race back on.

Gareth Bale in a Man of the Match performance scores in the Clasico



Feel the Buzz...New Season Kicks off Tonight

Its been a long off season, but very deserved it must be said. Last season was filled with many highlights, triumphs and disappointments. What will FIFA 15: Season 2 bring us?

La Liga was really a two horse race last season. Barcelona never really looked like surrendering their control to the forever chasing Aletico Madrid. In the end Atletico dropped the ball and handed the title to Barcelona with 2 games remaining.

Real Madrid barely showed what they were capable of until a very late run provided some optimism.

Barcelona will head into the new season as Champions, and favourites. However Real Madrid will take plenty from their late season form to think they will have more of the running this time round. Can Athletico Madrid go one step better and take the La Liga title from the Spanish Super clubs.

Our prediction: Athletico won't have the muscle this time. It will be either Barca or Real this season and it will be Messi or Ronaldo who will prove the difference in the end.

Copa Del Rey last season was a massive let down. Neither big gun went further than their first match with both Barcelona and Real Madrid suffering miserable upsets to unlikely opponents.

No doubt both teams will want to take this competition more seriously this time from game one and take no chances with resting players.

Our Prediction: This one will prove a dog fight - wouldn't surprise us if its a Super final with both big guns in the big dance.

Champions League. This biggest disappointment of all. Real Madrid once again couldn't take the final step after losing a gripping final to PSG in the final minute of extra time. Heartbreaking but it may just be the motivation they need to finally deliver their boss JM the biggest prize he's never won.

Barcelona had the tough end of the draw, but still won their way through to a Semi Final before being eliminated by the eventual champions PSG.

Our Prediction: We have seen in past years how hard it is to make a final let alone win one. With JM already committing his future to the Premier League from next season this may prove his last chance to win this completion for quite some time. For this reason we believe Real Madrid play all or nothing and do it for JM. This could be the year.

As for Barcelona, its been a long time since they made it to a Champions League final, can they get there again - we believe they certainly can and if they do, well they have a manager who's done it before which may prove the difference. Could be anything this season.

Good luck to all our players and teams. Bring on a great big new season!

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