In a match that will live long in memory, Barcelona destroyed Real Madrid 5-0 in arguably football’s greatest derby, El Classico. It was also the biggest defeat in Jose Mourinho’s career, one which shuttered the aura of invisibility Real had been building around them this season, and made Barcelona the kings of Spain again.

Those hoping that this will shut up the Special One will be disappointed, however. Mourinho as admitted the better team won on Monday, but has said that he is not ‘embarrassed” by the result, and that Real certainly have not lost the title yet. Like him or not, he is right on both accounts. Barcelona were so good on that day, that not even Real should feel that badly for losing against such a flawless team. And at the same time, historic win or not, it only puts Barca two points ahead of Real at the top of La Liga, and we have more than half a season to go.

It’s important not to forget that Real will also have a chance to redeem themselves in their own stadium in the spring, where revenge will be the first thing on the minds of every fan and every player in Madrid. Not to mention that the way both teams are playing in the Champions League, they may very well have to face up against one another in that competition too. Barcelona may have won the battle, but the war is still on.

The current incident concerns Real Madrid in their Champions League game against Ajax, where Xabi Alonso and Sergio Ramos seemed to deliberately get themselves booked for time-wasting, so that they could miss Real’s final game in the groups, rather than risk sitting out matches in the knockout stage. UEFA have charged the club for this, and the players are waiting to find out what punishments will be dealt.

Jose Mourinho has defended his players of course, though even he would find it hard to deny this tactic. My question, however, is what is so unfair about getting yourself booked. It is a victimless crime, and the only advantage gained by Real is the ability to rely on their own players rather than see them sit out important games for a meaningless yellow card received long ago. If Alonso and Ramos had really “earned” their bookings, such as if they had gone in for a bad challenge on an opponent, they probably wouldn’t have been charged. So what is UEFA’s message here? Yellow cards are ok, as long as you hurt another player? Whacky stuff.

Lillo, often known as the “philosopher” for his broad and contemplative match statements, is a long time friend of Guardiola’s, and the Barca coach considers him his mentor. He had only been in charge of the Spanish club for about a year, but the owners of Almeria fired him pretty much immediately after the game. Some rumors say they even took the decision when the score was 5-0 at half-time.

Guardiola certainly did not celebrate Barca’s historic win, and after the match he described the situation as very “uncomfortable” for both himself and Lillo. Students sometimes surpass their teachers, but beating them by a record result doesn’t happen often. Still, it should be remembered that Guoardiola manages one of the very best teams in the planet, and Messi alone would cost more than the entire Almeria team. Freak results like this happen, but the real test for Barca will be next Monday when El Classico takes center stage. The games between Barca and Real Madrid are always big, but because of the sizzling form of both sides, this one has the makings of an epic.

“The Special One” can’t seem to stay out of trouble wherever he manages. Although on the field he has been a success so far for Real Madrid, he can’t seem to keep his ego in check, and was sent off in his side’s 5-1 victory in the Spanish club on Wednesday. He insulted the referee badly enough to be told to leave the dugout in the first half, the Spanish Football Federation have added to his troubles by making this a two-game ban.

Furthermore, he has had a spat with Espanyol coach Mauricio Pochettino, who is not happy with Morinho’s constant determination to have his opinions on everything stated loud and clear on TV and in the newspapers. The Madrid coach is finding his Spanish colleagues perhaps a little bit harder to deal with than the managers in Serie A, but it’s clear that he is not a popular figure with many. The fans of the clubs he manages love him, and he is a very entertaining figure for the neutrals, but he steps on a lot of toes.

He largely allows himself to be so daring because of his success. Somehow, it would look a lot worse if he didn’t have two Champions League medals to his name. With them, he can call himself titles such as “The Special One”, and he can afford to get banned for games at a time when he decides not to keep his temper in check. He’s not exactly the perfect example for future managers to try and emanate, but as he has shown clearly, he doesn’t care much for things like that.

Recent stories are linking Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho to the vacant Portugal job, if only on a part-time basis, before a new permanent couch is selected. The “Special One” has more than once said that eventually he would like to help his country out on an international level, and now seems like a good time. The question, however, is whether Real would allow him to take charge of both teams at once, and the answer is more likely no than yes.

It’s understandable, as you want your manager to be 100% committed to your club and not think about anything else – especially a club as big as Real, who really want and need to start winning things again this season. But in my opinion, it shouldn’t be such a problem. Not to diminish the role of a national coach, but really, what else is there to do than pick the right team and motivate your already top-class players? International games occur once every few months, and I think someone as experienced as Mourinho can certainly handle both jobs. Heck, Mark Hughes did it for Wales and Blackburn, and those were his very first coaching positions.

Even if it doesn’t work out now, I’m sure Jose will get his wish and manage the Portuguese one day – hopefully while players like Ronaldo are still in top form. It’ll be interesting to see what (currently) Europe’s most successful manager can do at the World Cup.

Spanish La Liga side Real Mallorca were kicked out of the Europa League due to “financial reasons”, and their place was given to Villarreal, who finished 7th last season. The decision was made due to the fact that they have debts close to 70 million Euros, and that is not allowed under UEFA’s rules. Mallorca replied that they have further investment coming in that will help reduce these debts, but Platini’s men were not to be denied.

70 million is indeed a lot of money, but still, this decision is a little bit ridiculous. Club finances throughout Europe are a mess, and punishing singular clubs like this won’t achieve anything. Other clubs spend hundreds of millions a season just on new players, with investment coming in from banks or owners who borrow and gamble heavily, yet they are allowed to go on without a problem. But it’s not that big of a surprise, as a club like Real Mallorca does not hold the same commercial value to UEFA as others.

Of course, the people who this will hurt the most will be the club’s fans, who have waited a long time to get into a European competition. It hardly seems fair that they should be paying the price for UEFA’s shady rules or their club’s faulty administration. But on the other hand – Villerreal must be unable to believe their luck right now. Who’s betting on them to go on and win it now?

Following Real Madrid’s 2-0 loss to rivals Barcelona at the weekend, a match that was watched by millions around the world, much has been talked about how Barca are certain champions of Spain now, and no one can stand in their way. Despite being outplayed, however, Real Madrid’s players are saying they’ll fight on to the end.

Sergio Ramos, one of the few Real players who looked up to standards in the game, has promised the club will “fight to the death” for the remainder of the season. Christiano Ronaldo, who was restricted to only glimmers of his potential by the Barca defense, has said that the team will not give up, and they can still win the league. Technically this is very true, as Real are still only 3 points behind the leaders, and as we all know, anything can happen in football.

You probably can’t expect anything less than such comments, but it’s hard to see who exactly can stop Barca in the world, let alone Spain. They made Real’s star-studded selection look helpless, an extraordinary achievement, considering this match was in Madrid. Ronaldo himself certainly lost out in the “battle vs. Messi” as the media had put it, and now we can say for sure that the Argentinean has taken the mantle of world’s best player away. It looks like it’s back to the drawing board for Real, and they’ll need more than big summer signings to start closing the gap again.

Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola has stalled over a new contract at the club, apparently waiting to see who the new president will be after Joan Laporta steps down this spring. It almost sounds a bit ridiculous to suggest that after leading Barca to an incredible six-trophy season, there are questions over his future, but you never know in football. It has been reported that several top European clubs are keeping an eye on the matter, but nothing so far suggests that negotiations have broken down.

Laporta explained Guardiola’s position:

”Pep needs adequate time to reflect and come to a decision that is very important in a person’s life. He has managed for the best time in the history of Barca. He realizes that he has the responsibility to keep winning. For him, this renewal is a vital issue and not sports and family life, you must have the conviction that we can keep winning.”

But few would have any doubts as to Guardiola’s ambition and determination, and it seems like the problem stems from control over transfer decisions. Currently Guardiola shares responsibility with Barca’s sports director, and he may be holding out for the opportunity to be solely in charge. If that is the case, then they must absolutely comply. He has more than proven himself as a manager, and he should not be limited in any way. Even after one season he is already a legend for what he has achieved, and with him Barca are really starting to dominate world football.

The official reason given is that players “waste time” by taking off their shirt and then having to put it back on, but that explanation has always seemed absurd to me, compared to the other things looked over. Some teams, when in a favorable position, can basically lie around the pitch for the entire 2nd half, only for the referee to give a measly 3-4 minutes of stoppage time. Other players, of various skill levels, dive all throughout the game, but officials are afraid to sanction them (ironically, Ronaldo is sometimes an example of this too). Too often, they are embarrassed to give a free kick, but can’t produce a yellow card, because then they’d have to start booking and sending off entire teams—not exactly a good image for the game.

In contrast, it takes less than three seconds to put your shirt back on. Not quick enough to spare you the yellow card, however. Go figure!

Of course, there are many factors that may have contributed to the decline in profits. One obvious explanation would be the global recession, which is hitting businesses everywhere. Another reason, however, might just be that the current stars are focused too much on the glamour in the tabloids rather than showing what they can do on the pitch—Real’s recent humbling in the Copa del Rey serving as a prime example. Benzema and co. are yet to earn the sort of legendary standing Zidane and Figo garnered over the years.

Or it all might have a more practical explanation—Real fans already have a “Ronaldo” shirt from the Brazilian superstar’s stay—so why buy a new one with the same name? A bit of recycling never hurt anybody. Whatever the reason, Real fans will be hoping their stars start earning their huge price tags where it matters most.