Real talk

Real Madrid are sending shockwaves through European football.

They wrapped up the world-record £56 million purchase of Brazilian superstar Kaka only two days ago, yet they have already embarked on completing an £80 million deal to prise Cristiano Ronaldo away from Manchester United.

These are undoubtedly the two biggest transfer coups in football history and are soon to be followed by a third - Valencia's David Villa is set to arrive at the Santiago Bernabeu for the princely sum of £35 million with Alvaro Negredo going the other way.

Some are outraged at the money being splashed about by returning former club President Florentino Perez. I'm not.

FC Barcelona won the treble of La Liga title, Copa del Ray and Champions League in the most successful season in their history. They have done so playing beautiful, attacking football scoring more goals than ever before.

Real finished second in La Liga - their heaviest defeat being a 6-2 thrashing by Barca at home, exited early in the Copa del Ray, and were humiliated by Liverpool in the Champions League quarter final. They have to spend. They have to fight back against a supreme Barcelona. A team that look untouchable under a Pep Guardiola that has Catalonia running through his veins.

They are the two biggest clubs in the world. The rivalry between the two clubs is the biggest in football. When the teams meet in an 'el classico' it is watched by a global audience of hundreds of millions. Imagine the shame of that 6-2 defeat.

I cannot wait to witness another team of 'galacticos' attempt to reinstate the club as one of the greatest footballing institutions in the world. And attempt to regain the pride that was savaged so severely last season.

It will be 'una cosa bella'.

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Ferguson gets it wrong

Tonight Alex Ferguson could have become the greatest manager of all time. Instead, he has been left more red-faced than usual.

He bottled it. His Manchester United are the only side in the world capable of matching Barcelona's attacking prowess and fluid football, yet Fergie omits the players that enables them to do so.

He left Berbatov out of his starting line-up in favour of a central Cristiano Ronaldo and a defensive Park that will spend the entire game tracking back. He also left Paul Scholes out of his starting line-up in favour of makeshift central midfielder Ryan Giggs.

Starting with Berbatov in the central striking role with Rooney and Ronaldo out on the flanks allows the front three to switch positions fluidly with a constant danger in all three areas of attack, and causes panic in the opposition defence - with them not knowing where or who their man is on the pitch.

Starting Park on the right, with the idea for the two wide attackers to track back throughout the game, shackles Rooney.

He is a threat on the left, but only provided he has the freedom to interchange positionally with the other front two.

I understand his rigid deployment on the left for an away game in a two-legged tie, but this is the pinnacle showpiece of club football - a game he should be free to display his brilliance.

I have nothing against Park, he is a good player and effective against lesser sides, but this is one of the best Barcelona teams of all-time (securing the treble of league, domestic cup, and European cup for the first time in their illustrious history).

The decision to leave Scholes on the bench baffled me.

In order for United to match Barcelona they needed a player in the centre to pass through their midfield as Barca did to them, and Scholes is the obvious choice. He plays quick one-touch passes until he sees an opening to supply a killer ball.

Giggs is not a central midfield player despite what people may think - not in the way that Scholes is - and was too often missing, not imposing himself in the center of the pitch .

Pep Guardiola, the young pretender in his first season of management, selected his strongest attacking side and played to win regardless (to some extent) of tactics. His, and historically Barcelona's, philosophy is to play beautiful football without fear; and that is the reason Barcelona are a footballing institution loved by so many.

Prior to the game I wanted Barca to win, but I wanted to see the two best teams in the world playing in the fearless attacking manner that has made them both champions.

Instead, only one showed courage and conviction...and they are now the champions of Europe.

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The Footballer of the Year is crowned

In follow-up to my views on the result of the PFA Player of the Year, I am delighted that my choice for that award, Steven Gerrard, has been awarded the prestigious accolade of FWA Footballer of the Year.

Steven Gerrard was likened to 'Roy of the Rovers' in Harry Redknapp's Sun column today http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/article2427753.ece, and I believe that Stevie G is the only player in the world who could emulate the fictional exploits of the heroic Roy Race - although his "Racey's Rocket" would predominately be unleashed by his right boot!

His season's stats resonate his superiority, reading: 2,456 minutes on the pitch, 15 goals (23 in all competitions), 7 assists, 73 keypasses, and 51 tackles made; this bettering those of third-placed Wayne Rooney and (obviously) those of the second-placed Ryan Giggs. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1181396/Well-Stevie-youve-brilliant-Liverpool-wrong-man-won.html?ITO=1490

Although his Liverpool side are appearing increasingly unlikely to win a trophy this season - one point being Man Utd's only requirement to retain the league title at home to Arsenal on Saturday - he has (yet again) been inspirational and perhaps had he been available at the times he was not through injury - with Liverpool unable to call upon a player anywhere near as influential in his place - they would be in that position with Utd praying for a slip-up by a team in red.

It has been revealed that Stevie G was in shock after receiving the call informing him of his individual glory, however, the only shock should be that he hasn't won this before!

The closest competitors to the crown of FWA Footballer of the Year, in my opinion, were Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo. I believe these, along with Fernando Torres, to be the only players in the Barclay's Premier League able to walk into any team in the world and feel privileged having them in our national league.

I am still holding out hope that this will not be the only trophy Gerrard receives the season...albeit a slender hope.

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