TILTING AT WINDMILLS: BARCA V MAN U

Thursday, May 28, 2009

BARCA V MAN U - TWO QUESTONS

Yesterday evening Barcelona beat Manchester United 2-0 in the European Champions League final. As I’ve supported Barca for over 20 years and Man U never I am happy enough with that. However I do have two questions.

During the game the Italian Premier, Silvio Berlusconi, was flanked by the Spanish King and the Spanish Prime Minister. Protocol would have only allowed that if no ranking Briton was present. So where were the members of the Royal Family and the British Prime Minister?

Now to Gibraltar which has a special relationship with Cataluña because of the latter’s desire to cede from Spain. When I was in Gibraltar yesterday I saw many Gibraltarians wearing Man U shirts – indeed there is even a team named Manchester United in the local soccer league. However Gibraltar also has a very strong Barcelona supporters club. Some years ago I reported on this club, which if I am not wrong although I frequently am, is the largest outside of Spain. So given this strong following for Man U and Barca – who did Gibraltar support last night?

5 comments:

Adam said...: Wonder if there are any Real Madrid supporters on the Rock?; May 28, 2009 at 6:24 PM
Joe said...: ... only some GSD supporters!; May 28, 2009 at 6:36 PM
Mike said...: There has never been a famous or even well known Gibraltar soccer player - or sportsman/woman come to that. Llanitos are purely spectators!; May 29, 2009 at 9:23 AM
Anonymous said...: Tony Macedo played in goal for Wimbledon FC in the 60's. He played for England under-23's for a few seasons, but failed the "UK-born" test to follow through by playing for England because he was born in Gibraltar...; May 30, 2009 at 8:02 PM
SANCHO said...: Tony Macedo may well have played for Wimbledon but he is still a legend amongst older supporters at Craven Cottage where he was the sung and unsung hero of a fine Fulham team that never quite achieved its potential. And yes people did ask why he wasn't picked for the full England side.; May 31, 2009 at 9:29 AM

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TILTING AT WINDMILLS

Sancho Panza is much less learned but a good deal saner than his master.

"At this point they came in sight of thirty or forty windmills that are on that plain.

"Fortune," said Don Quixote to his squire, as soon as he had seen them, "is arranging matters for us better than we could have hoped. Look there, friend Sancho Panza, where thirty or more monstrous giants rise up, all of whom I mean to engage in battle and slay, and with whose spoils we shall begin to make our fortunes. For this is righteous warfare, and it is God's good service to sweep so evil a breed from off the face of the earth."

"What giants?" said Sancho Panza.

"Those you see there," answered his master, "with the long arms, and some have them nearly two leagues long."

"Look, your worship,'' said Sancho. "What we see there are not giants but windmills, and what seem to be their arms are the vanes that turned by the wind make the millstone go."

"It is easy to see," replied Don Quixote, "that you are not used to this business of adventures. Those are giants, and if you are afraid, away with you out of here and betake yourself to prayer, while I engage them in fierce and unequal combat."”