Aye, it takes a certain kind of talent to always move to the biggest clubs in the world at the peak of their powers and win something with them after spending ridiculous sums of money.

Yes money buys everything, hence Real's league domination from 2003 to 2007 and we have seen Man City win the title at ease this season too.

The R.Madrid team caught out celebrating in Barca last night.

Alfonso wrote:

Yes money buys everything, hence Real's league domination from 2003 to 2007 and we have seen Man City win the title at ease this season too.

Man City are having one of the best football seasons in Premier league history within three years of being externally funded, overhauling several clubs that were significantly more developed than they were. In the context of previous seasons, Man City's rise has been phenomenal while being managed by a decent but unspectacular manager.

And it's not as if Man Utd are paupers, they've got an incredible competitive advantage over nearly every club in Europe.

Mancini has won three Scudetti and four Italian Cups … people bash him for being so defensively minded but he hardly lacks pedigree.

It's other aspects where they struggle IMO. Solidarity, endeavour, all those hard to define things. Not to mention the obvious things like Tevez' troublemaking.

For better or worse, those Italian titles will always be tarnished.

Mancini had the league handed to him on a plate when he was at Inter. Slight exaggeration but they were comfortable favourites then.

It will be mildly amusing if both Cesc and Nasri finish the season empty headed. You can the boy out of Arsenal...

Gurgen wrote:

Mourinho is brilliant indeed. Who else could have taken a team worth 500 million to a league title in Spain?

Madrid have always had more money than Barcelona and have been spending bucketloads for years. So why have Barca won 5 of the 7 last league titles?

It's obviously more than about money.

Look at Chelsea's record since 2006. United have blown them out the water in my opinion.

Point is, it doesn't take a managerial genius to win the league (pretty much any league) with a £500M team.

General Mirth wrote:

I have a soft spot for Kaka, Ozil, Casillas (best keeper in the world) and Alonso in that Madrid team so I'm happy for them.

The rest of them are either major twats or named Mourinho.

Also it would be absolutely hilarious if we win a trophy before Nasri and Fabregas win one.

But it takes a certain amount of ability to win it ahead of Barcelona, especially when you win a league game against them at the Camp Nou. They sussed them out somewhat in the 2nd leg of the Copa Del Rey.

And you can only have 11 players on a pitch. Barcelona have £500m worth of talent, perhaps more. Sure, most of them weren't bought, but if they were sold i am sure it would be comparable with Madrid. Even if they didn't sell for that much, in terms of pure talent I don't see how Madrid are better than Barca.

You have to be greater than the sum of your parts.

Nope. They play Barca twice a season; they lost one and won one. They are the second best team in the world and should be despatching every other team in Spain with relative ease.

There's no miracle there.

Fabregas has already won a trophy, namely the Copa Del Rey. So in one season he's already won the same amount of trophies he did in 7 or 8 years at Arsenal.

We still haven't won anything.

Ummm the copa del rey final will be played on may 25th

Do you mean the club world cup?

Tony Montana wrote:

Fabregas has already won a trophy, namely the Copa Del Rey. So in one season he's already won the same amount of trophies he did in 7 or 8 years at Arsenal.

We still haven't won anything.

No, the Copa Del Rey final is next month.

Captain wrote:

Nope. They play Barca twice a season; they lost one and won one. They are the second best team in the world and should be despatching every other team in Spain with relative ease.

There's no miracle there.

No miracle. I don't even think Alfonso has claimed or thinks Mourinho has worked miracles.

But like you said they're the second best team in the world. They will probably win the league ahead of the best team in the world. Mourinho is doing better than he should which deserves credit.

If they win the CL (which I don't think they will) he'll deserve even more credit.