Florentino calls Cristiano bluff
The World Cup continues, alas without Spain, but still full of emotions. Yesterday Sweden and England were propelled to the quarter finals. Sweden, amid taunts, arrived at the World Cup leaving Italy behind in the qualification playoffs, and then charged with escaping a group including Germany. A total of eight world titles have been won by their two victims. The more modest corpse of Switzerland has now been discarded and they lie in wait for England, who came through against Colombia last night in what was the fifth penalty shoot-out of the round. The inventors of the game had been given a boost with James Rodríguez not being deemed fit enough to take part. I'm sorry to see the departure of Colombia, a team which could have offered more, but that absence was a blow to their meeting with the English.
Japan set the example
However, the most commented story of yesterday was the way in which Japan said goodbye, leaving their final changing room as clean as a whistle. They are an example. And that after being eliminated at the death, something that can further stoke the rage. Japan played very well, from their diminutive stature, and also leave an example of civility that glorifies the country. By the way, while watching Belgium-Japan I felt a healthy dose of envy: two teams running and finishing, goalkeepers making saves... The vibrancy of football, in an awful contrast to our pitiful match against Russia, with those 1,174 unbearable passes from boot to boot, without ambition. And with that goalkeeper seemingly allergic to the ball.
It's your call, Cristiano
We are without the World Cup, but we do have news. Pedrerol announced yesterday on 'Jugones' that Real Madrid has accepted an offer from Juventus for Cristiano Ronaldo. Just a day before, the Spanish club had denied a report from national network RTVE that there was an offer of 310 million on the table for Neymar, but yesterday said nothing about the Juve links. Knowing how these things work, I consider it to be solid information, and it seems like a punishment for Cristiano. 'If you really want to leave, I'll open the door for a hundred million, not the thousands in your clause,' he seems to be saying. Now the ball is in Cristiano's court who, after the outburst after the Kiev final has not returned to say anything else. Now it's his turn.