18 months, 6 trophies

It’s taken 18 months since his arrival as manager, but Josep Guardiola and his Barcelona team have been eliminated from their first competition after losing on away goals to Sevilla in the Copa del Rey. While the focus here is generally on national team football, Barcelona under Guardiola could turn out to be hugely significant trend setters for club and national teams alike throughout the top level of world football.

With six major trophies won, the elimination deserves to be marked by more of a celebration and acknowledgement of the Catalans’ achievements than any considerable questioning or criticism. Indeed, even in defeat on aggregate, Barcelona still won at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán and went extraordinary close to scoring the extra goal they needed. It was a fitting way of sorts to cap off such a supremely successful run.

Questions could be asked of two of Guardiola’s off-season purchases; Dmytro Chygrynskiy faulted badly for Sevilla’s crucial, ultimately tie-winning goal at the Camp Nou and hasn’t convinced so far this season, while even Zlatan Ibrahimović had an off night of sorts in the second leg. Sceptics of trading Samuel Eto’o for Ibrahimović can feel a little vindicated considering how much Barcelona missed a man making runs into the six yard box as well as Ibrahimović missing two good chances.

Aside from that, Barca can’t be too disappointed with themselves. “We had three or four chances so clear that it seemed the second goal had to arrive,” said midfielder Xavi. “We’ve been knocked out, but we are going with our heads held high. We have to continue forward. There are two titles left and we will give it everything to win them.”

Sevilla, by contrast, have now lost four of their last five games and the reign of Manolo Jiménez continues to look a level below that of Juande Ramos’. Even coming from this aggregate defeat, Barcelona can confidently feel more satisfied with themselves than their Cup victors and look well on track – a hallmark of a champion team.

Euro 2012 qualifying at an early glance

The initial stages of qualifying for the next European Championship has begun after UEFA announced the pots teams will be drawn out of on February 7. Thankfully the European governing body has ditched the ridiculous seven and eight-team group format of 2008 and only six pots will be drawn from to form five and six-team groups, as has traditionally been the case for a sixteen-team final tournament.

Double Dutch

(left to right) van Basten and Gullit at Euro '88; Bergkamp and van Basten at Euro '92; Bergkamp and Kluivert at Euro '00; and Makaay and van Nistelrooij at Euro '04

Another chapter was inevitably added to the tale of Australian football’s infatuation with Dutch football two months ago. The Socceroos’ friendly against the Netherlands on October 10 was a particularly well publicised occasion given the technical direction Australia is striving for and there was plenty of debate over the lessons it provided for the home team.

The World Cup’s most pertinent past meetings – Group H

Spain vs. Switzerland at Durban, June 16 – Spain 3-0 Switzerland, 1994 World Cup Eighth-Final

Dominique Herr and Luis Enrique in Washington

Won 15, drawn three and lost none is Spain’s menacing all-time record against their first group opponents in the 2010 World Cup and the most recent meeting was in USA ‘94. La Furia Roja won 3-0 then and furthering the bad news for Switzerland is that Spain have become far more impressive since.

The World Cup’s most pertinent past meetings – Group G

Brazil vs. North Korea at Ellis Park, June 15 – Brazil 3-1 (A.E.T.) North Korea, 2005 Under-17 World Cup Quarter-Final

Kim Kyong-Il equalises for the Koreans in 2005 but is no longer in contention

It’s hard to think that any of the starting line-ups in Johannesburg next year will have faced each other before. There are two meetings between the teams in the Under-17 World Cup, most recently in 2007 where Brazil won 6-1. But unless one of that side’s da Silva full-back twins at Manchester United bolt their way into Dunga’s squad for South Africa, the U-17 sides of two years earlier may feature more players in the 2010 squads of each senior team.

The World Cup’s most pertinent past meetings – Group F

Italy vs. Paraguay at Cape Town, June 14, – Paraguay 1-0 Italy, 2004 Athens Olympics Group B Round 3

Carlos Gamarra and Alberto Gilardino battle in the air

In Daniele De Rossi, Andrea Pirlo and possibly Angelo Palombo, the midfield Marcello Lippi appears likely to deploy in South Africa next year was largely started with in the Olympics five years ago. The attack was also spearheaded in Athens by Alberto Gilardino, the current frontrunner for the number nine spot in the Azzurri.

The World Cup’s most pertinent past meetings – Group E

Netherlands vs. Denmark at Soccer City, June 14 – Netherlands 1-1 Denmark, 2008 Friendly

Goalscorers Christian Poulsen and Ruud van Nistelrooij in 2008

The northern Europeans have met four times competitively but only in the European Championship. The Dutch won 3-0 at home in Euro 2000, Denmark came out on top in a penalty shoot-out after a 2-2 draw in Euro 1992 while both traded victories in qualifying for Euro 1968.

The World Cup’s most pertinent past meetings – Group D

Germany vs. Australia at Durban, June 13 – Germany 4-3 Australia, 2005 Confederations Cup Group A Round 1

Mark Schwarzer catches in front of Michael Ballack

In their first World Cup, Australia played both East and West Germany, losing 2-0 and 3-0 respectively, but that was 35 years ago. In 2005 the Socceroos met a unified Germany for the first and only time so far in their Confederations Cup opener. This time the Australians scored many goals themselves, but conceded four to again lose.

The World Cup’s most pertinent past meetings – Group C

England vs. United States at Rustenburg, June 13 – England 2-0 United States, 2008 Friendly

Steven Gerrard shoots at the U.S. wall

Most previews of the Group C opener between England and the United States will inevitably look back most to the incredible win for The Stars and Stripes over The Three Lions in the 1950 World Cup. Another U.S. win, or even a draw, in Rustenburg next year will certainly evoke memories of that shock in Belo Horizonte, but so much has changed for both sides since then in regards to the World Cup.

The World Cup’s most pertinent past meetings – Group B

Argentina vs. Nigeria at Ellis Park, June 12 – Nigeria 0-1 Argentina, 2008 Beijing Olympics Final

Argentina and Nigeria playing for gold in Beijing

One is tempted to look primarily back to Argentina 2-1 victory over the Africans in USA ‘94, considering it was also a World Cup game and featured current Albiceleste coach Diego Maradona in his last national team appearance (his first as manager now due to be against the same opponent). The high quality 1996 Atlanta Olympics final, won 3-2 by Nigeria, can also be fondly remembered while there is a more recent World Cup meeting in 2002, won 1-0 by Argentina in Kashima.